Work Text:
Easy.
It was so easy.
With his back against the cold wall, head tilted down, eyes focusing on nothing, the corner of Anti’s lips twitched with an excitement that was barely containable. The air around him pulsated static with the rhythm of his heavy, eager breathing.
Inhale, exhale...Inhale, exhale...
A soft cackle escaped his lips. Not a sound that came out willingly, but rather a sound that came breaking through the barrier like pressured air, his utter glee unable to be contained by his own lungs. His shoulders rubbed slightly against the grimy stone wall behind him as more rouge laughter caused them bounce minutely.
Anti’s fists tightened at his sides with pent up energy, one of them clutching an item as if it would disappear at any moment. He lifted the hand with the long, cylindrical object grasped within to examine his prize. There was so, SO much power contained in such a small, black stick, it felt as if it should have more weight.
Yet it was disarmingly light as air.
Anti raises his other hand to hold the wand closer so he can admire the dark onyx body with a tip that’s opalescent. His smile spreads inhumanly wide as he tilts his head slowly and rolls the object in his hands. He wanted to drink in every glorious angle of his stolen artifact.
He could feel the energy. Different from his own, untainted by malice. Laced with something that sickened him; purity, and goodwill. A small scowl invaded the utter glee on his face, the unwelcome feelings making him balk.
He couldn’t wait to poison everything good within.
A small sound from the room behind him broke his train of thought. Anti lifted his head and his body stiffened, muscles tight as if it would help him hear better. The sound was soft at first, just a fluttering of conciseness. But as the seconds drug on, it became sharper and more panicked, sounding more and more like desperate cries of trapped prey.
And Anti was wearing the smile of a hungry predator.
Anti was giggling again as he pushed himself off the wall, body swaying a bit when his legs took on his full weight, still clutching the prized wand in his hand. He was giving off waves of erratic electricity as his excitement became more uncontainable, body vibrating with pure glee. He slowly turned to face the door beside him, carefully, as if he was worried that any sudden movement would shatter his ecstasy and render the moment nothing but an illusion.
His glitching became sharper, more violent as he reached his free hand to the doorknob. He was worried that the shifting and crackling of his unstable form would cause his hand to go straight through the knob. He concentrated for as long as his short attention span would allow, just enough to make sure he was solid enough to turn the handle. He reached for it and made contact.
The door clicked.
The noises stopped.
Time stood still. Only for a moment.
In the blink of an eye, Anti whipped the door open with inhuman strength. It smashed into the wall with a loud CRACK. Sharp light rushed in around Anti’s form in the doorway, casting a dramatic shadow in its absence. A form on the opposite side of the room jolted, startled by the violent outburst.
There, pressed as far back as he could manage, bound and gagged, was a terrified Marvin.
Anti stood in the doorway in front of the now hyperventilating magician. He drank in every aspect of Marvin’s pathetic, broken form. His once pristine cat mask had been broken at some point during his abduction, exposing half of his face. His cape was now ripped and tattered, no longer shining and silky. And of course, he was missing his one weapon, his one defense against the demon who effortlessly caught him off guard and plucked him straight from his home.
The demon who was now wearing a spine chilling grin.
Marvin visibly shuttered. He closed his eyes tight as a whine escaped from behind the thick cloth wedged between his teeth. He pressed his bound hands close to his chest protectively but could only shuffle his legs a bit, being tied at the ankles. His breathing became erratic, panic making it difficult to suck in enough air.
All the while, Anti stood, reveling in the poor magician’s predicament, glitching , charging the air around him painfully with malice. He cackled softly, not noticeable enough for Marvin to notice in his panicked state.
As much as Anti was enjoying watching the show set out before him, he was never known as a patient demon. He had more plans. Plans that would get him more power and control. Plans that would bring him everything he always desired.
Plans that required a certain magician to start the chain reaction.
Anti tilted his head, a menacing smile opening up the chasm of razor sharp teeth. “Here kitty kitty,” Anti taunted, causing a broken sob to escape from the gagged magician, his eyes beginning to shine with hopeless tears.
Marvin jolted as Anti glitched violently, suddenly inches away from the helpless magician. He curled up defensively against the wall, bound hands flying up protectively in front of his face.
But they both knew Marvin was screwed.
Anti flung out his hand to grab the shivering magician’s face, making him lock watery, ocean blue eyes with gleaming, acid green ones. Marvin froze. Anti ‘s smile beamed with malice.
“I have a job for you magician”,” Anti growled while he taunted Marvin by bringing out his wand.