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Enrico Pucci sat alone in Kars’ room, clicking his fingernails together. He was waiting for the demigod to return. Kars had promised he wouldn’t be out of the house for more than five minutes, but it felt like Enrico had been killing time for an hour. Maybe his slight nerves made it worse.
At least, Kars’ lodgings had no shortage of things to stare at to pass the time. He’d settled in the attic of Kira’s house, long before Enrico had “moved in”. The room was always filled with sunlight, mostly due to the windows Kars had knocked into the roof. Not to mention, he had dismantled half of the attic’s walls and roof to serve as a rooftop garden/personal sunbathing patio. Only a fluttering, translucent curtain separated indoors from out. Kars liked it that way; one night, he had explained his people used to live in curtained rooms like that. Enrico found it lended to the room an atmosphere that was unfamiliar, but peaceful. More and more frequently, he had been spending the night in Kars’ room, so maybe he’d just grown used to it.
As if the outdoor garden wasn’t enough, only two corners of the indoor space were free of houseplants. One corner was Kars’ bed— well, it was more of a nest, a futon covered in blankets and pillows and other soft things that Kars had collected. The ceiling above the bed was covered in expansive drawings. For ages Kars had planned to make his ceiling into a mosaic, but he never got around to it, leaving the space filled indefinitely with unintelligible, sprawling sketches. His bed was opposite the door (a hatch in the floor with a ladder), so anyone who barged in easily got a great eyeful of whatever hubris went down there. Everyone in the house learned quickly to knock before coming in.
The other only plantless space in the room was Kars’ desk: a beautiful one he’d gotten secondhand, apparently, though it was barely visible under all the stuff piled on it. Kars, never one to lose his edge, worked often tirelessly in his room on God knows what. He studied for hours, or spent days on end hunched over a piece. He was a sculptor, a jewelry maker, a scientist, an artisan, a historian… Dio always just called him pretentious, which annoyed him to no end. Recently, it had been annoying Enrico a little bit too. Kars’ desk certainly proved his wide array of specialties; notebooks full of concepts and blueprints were precariously stacked nearly to the ceiling, and atop them were bags of loose stones and chains to be polished. A variety of tools, some quite sinister looking, were piled on top of a thick stack of textbooks. Papers and pens and bottles of glue and animal teeth and a formidably sized brick of pink salt sat scattered between the accumulated chaos.
Enrico had been in Kars’ room since late last night, when in a moment of loneliness he ascended the ladder to the attic and found Kars up crafting a pair of earrings.
It wasn’t an odd occurrence to spend time together, not anymore. Kars was terrifying at first; a huge man, more animal than human, who had to duck under all the doorways in the house, who would fight with DIO on a whim, and who was rumored to have killed hundreds of people. The day Enrico moved in, Kira had briefed him on his new housemates. Regarding Kars, he simply said: “Don’t go looking for him. If he needs you, he’ll come to you. He hates being interrupted.”
Perhaps out of morbid curiosity, Enrico went looking anyway, and he was lucky that Kars didn’t mind. Kars liked being spoken to, and he liked having someone to absorb all his theories and discoveries. Nobody in the damn house spoke to him, he complained one night. Nobody except Enrico, anyways. It was all just demands and petty arguments. He liked to have conversations. He was an academic. Intrigue quickly turned to companionship, and Enrico often found himself passing time with Kars. The noise and presence of the six people inhabiting poor Kira’s house wasn’t enough to drown out every man there’s sorrow; to cope, Kars found refuge in Enrico, and vice versa. It helped that they understood one another’s more strange tendencies.
Out of all the people in that strange house, Enrico never imagined his most down to Earth companion would be a literal demigod. He supposed stranger things had happened there…
The earrings Kars had been making the night before were nearly finished when Enrico joined Kars in his room. Kars was sitting on the floor. He didn’t need a chair, instead he just sat on the floor, plenty tall enough to reach the desk comfortably from there. His left arm had mitosed into two separate limbs, one firmly splayed on the desk for leverage, one holding an earring. From his right pointer and thumb two of his bones protruded, converted into tiny whirring tips like drill bits. The high whirring of the bone-bits was just a little bit unbearable.
Kars paused his work as Enrico approached his desk (ducking under a flourishing philodendron vine to get there). Kars offered a closed mouth smile, and his lips curled up at the edges like a snarl. His smiles were always a little snarly.
“I’m making a pair of earrings,” Kars declared. He held the tiny accessory up to Enrico’s face, thin post between his fingers. It was a miniscule hoop, designed to hug the earlobe. It was patterned with inward facing spikes perpendicular to the ring. It seemed to be made from gold. Curiously, the little accessory didn’t look like it was made for Kars; it was dwarfed by his hand, and the post was much too thin and delicate for any of his piercing holes. Rather, it was tastefully human sized.
The design reminded Enrico of a halo. “It’s beautiful,” he said after a second of admiration. “Are you going to wear them?”
“It’d be too small for me,” Kars replied matter of factly.
Enrico snorted. “Humor me, but why did you make them, if they’d be too small?”
Kars sighed and put the earring down. He stretched for quite a while, wriggling his fingers. His knuckles crackled. Then he sagged, falling backwards to lay on the floor behind him. His hair pooled dramatically underneath him. “That’s exactly my predicament, Pucci. I have no idea who they’re for. Frankly, there’s no one in this house who can wear these that deserves my craftsmanship… At the same time, I have no desire to sell them.”
Enrico could sense there was something Kars wanted. He knew Kars well enough; he knew Kars did nothing without a reward. He measured out everything in advance, so that he would reap the most benefits. There was a reason he made golden, saintly-looking earrings, too small for his own ears.
After plucking up an earring, Enrico sat on the floor beside Kars. He turned the tiny accessory over in his hands a few times, watching how it caught the low light filling Kars’ room. They didn’t speak for a moment, Enrico silently admiring Kars’ craftsmanship and refusing to indulge whatever it was he wanted.
Eventually Kars huffed, “You know, Pucci. The gold looks great against your skin.”
“You think so?” Enrico understood now, but he still refused to immediately indulge. He held the earring against the back of his hand, considering how it looked. Kars was right.
“I do think so. A shame you don’t have pierced ears, otherwise you could try them on. They could be a lovely fit.” Kars looked right at Enrico as he responded, a dark smile on his lips. Enrico understood completely. Kars wanted him to get his ears pierced. In his previous life he would have denied it outright; modifying his body went against God’s creation, it wasn’t his place to wear that type of jewelry, blah blah. However, with what he knew now, being dead and all, (and with Kars’ crimson eyes burrowing right into his face), he wasn’t so sure. Maybe he would look good with pierced ears…
But, to give into Kars so quickly meant no fun. Kars loved to get just what he wanted, and Enrico took great pleasure in making him work a bit for it. So, after a moment of quiet contemplation, he said, “I’ll think on it. Let’s sleep, for now. You’re tired, Kars, and so am I.”
Kars’ smile didn’t falter, but his eyes flickered, as if to say, putting up a fight? He didn’t press any harder, though, he simply got up, cast off his loose tank top, and padded over to his bed.
It was not abnormal for the two to share a bed, and to end up in each other’s arms when they did. Kars was a huge creature who took up a lot of space-- it made sense to lay pressed up against his side! Kars loved to drape his arms over Enrico and curl up around him completely, enveloping him with his body. Being nearly eight feet tall, he was always the “big spoon”. Neither of them had any objections to this arrangement.
That night, Kars’ huge hands migrated up to Enrico’s ears. He took the earlobe between his index finger and thumb, putting on the tiniest pressure and rolling it between his fingers. His middle finger ghosted the shell of Enrico’s ear, sending a subtle shiver down his body. Kars chuckled gently, and returned to massaging Enrico’s earlobe. In any other context it would be a bizarre gesture, but now it was strangely dark and sinuous, and Enrico nearly squirmed. He knew Kars wanted to pierce that earlobe, held so delicate between his huge fingers. He wanted to drive metal through it so that it glittered how he liked it. Enrico wondered that if he went through with it, would Kars touch his earlobe like this again? Would he be able to feel the metal inside his skin?
He shivered again, and Kars relinquished his ear. The superbeing’s hand rested again across Enrico’s waist. That too, felt weirdly suggestive now; every touch was probably to further convince him of what Kars wanted to do to him. And, with sickening delight, Enrico realized that as long as Kars would keep giving him touches like this, he didn't mind at all.
Thus was the series of events that led to Enrico sitting in Kars’ room, waiting for his return. Waiting to get his ears pierced. About ten minutes before, Kars had explained that he would need some studs to put in, and isopropyl alcohol for disinfecting. Enrico did not ask about what needle he would be using.
After a few more pensive minutes of waiting, Enrico heard the sound of wingbeats and footsteps on the patio, announcing Kars’ return. Moments later Kars came through the curtains, paper bag in hand. He flashed Enrico a smile upon entry. It was one full of glee.
He emptied the contents of the bag on his bed, right beside where Enrico sat. Saline solution, cotton balls, and a pair of golden studs with long posts. Each stud bore a single, glinting red gem.
“They’re ruby, and gold all the way through,” Kars boasted. “Gold, so that you heal properly, and ruby because I thought it would look handsome on you.”
“It’s perfect,” Enrico murmured. His mouth was dry, but he kept his disposition calm. He refused to let Kars see him be anything but dignified.
Domineeringly, Kars nudged Enrico off the bed to sit on the floor. He joined Enrico a moment later, sitting across from him. Even when sitting, Kars towered over Enrico. He had to lean forward to put his face level with Enrico’s, and hunch over like a cat.
The superbeing was very close. Enrico steeled his expression as one of Kars’ hands cupped his cheek, then slid back to grasp most of his face.
Kars held Enrico’s head in one hand, his thumb under Enrico’s chin and fingers comfortably anchored at the nape of his neck. From Kars’ torso another arm formed and separated off, so that he’d still have a free left and right hand to work with. Despite the monstrous contortion in front of him, Enrico only felt his nerves worsen when Kars flicked his new wrist. From the tip of Kars’ index finger, a thin arc of bone protruded. It was the width of a needle, with an impossibly sharp tip. Kars brushed it against his leg; from the hairline scratch it made, tiny beads of blood welled forth. As soon as they formed, they vanished, absorbed back into Kars’ body as he healed.
Enrico squirmed, unable to wrench his eyes from the “needle”. Kars made his hold on Enrico’s head firmer, and gave him a dark smile. His message was clear: Enrico shouldn't dare move. He was not going to get out of this. “It’s alright,” Kars purred, “I barely even felt that scratch”.
Kars worked with infinite tenderness as he wet a cotton ball with alcohol and swept it over Enrico’s earlobe. His huge fingertips gave gentle, almost adoring touches. Despite the dark thrill in Kars’ eyes and the firm grasp he had on Enrico’s face, Enrico trusted him to be careful. Even with his hands in fists and his expression tense and his heart picking up, he was going to let Kars do this to him. Maybe he was a fool for investing so much trust in someone so cruel, so conniving, but he didn’t think so. He knew that this was far from the worst thing that he would let Kars do to him. He wasn’t sure whether Kars would ever actually want more; if he ever did, Enrico trusted that he would go about it with just as much sweetness as he was right then.
Kars readied his needle. He put his finger behind Enrico’s earlobe, which was a little horrifying. Was he just going to stab himself…?
Is this even the right way to get this done? God Damn It. 1, 3, 5, 7…
The needle didn’t hurt horribly going in, but the mental image of his poor earlobe being opened up made it feel much worse. Accidental pain fades; this was pain with method and intention. Quickly the prick faded to a red-hot throb, but moments later the peace was torn away as Kars withdrew the needle. Enrico grimaced and decided to fix his line of sight on the wall behind them.
“Good job,” Kars murmured, “You’re doing so well. Stay still for me.” He delicately slid in the new stud and put the backing in place. Finally, he released Enrico’s head from his grip. Enrico barely moved.
Instead, through grit teeth he insisted, “Do the other ear, now. I shouldn’t relax until it’s over with.”
The second hurt less, but Enrico swore he felt it bleed a little bit. Kars’ finger probably soaked it up. Afterwards, Kars dabbed a bit more alcohol over the fresh piercings, sending a new sting through Enrico’s ear. He let out a small, strained breath. Kars, not one to miss such a sound, hummed and stroked Enrico’s cheek in response.
“All done! Good, good job,” Kars reassured. The praise was, embarrassingly, a decent reward for the experience. He smiled with uncharacteristic fondness and Enrico couldn’t help but smile back. “You’re beautiful,” Kars added, “and so well behaved. I’m very impressed.”
Enrico scoffed, the moment of tenderness gone. “Well behaved? I may be a human, but I’m not your pet, Kars.”
“Mhm. No matter-- would you like to see my handiwork?”
“Yeah, let me see what you did to me.”
Kars’ mirror was hung on the wall beside his desk, so Enrico had to stand and walk over it to see himself. His new earrings were subtle, the deep red of the ruby sitting against his midnight skin like glittering drops of blood. Only small bits of the gold were visible, and they twinkled like stars. Again and again, Enrico tilted his head side to side, taking in each ear. They’d never look the same, after this. He would always bear this mark, a beautiful mark, of Kars’ desires. He liked the way it shined.
Kars came up behind him, leaning himself against Enrico’s back the way a lover would. His arm count had returned to normal, again he had only two. His hands went to Enrico’s waist, but didn’t touch him, almost as if he was flustered to make that intimate a contact in daylight. His huge hands just hovered there, then left. One hand found Enrico’s earlobe, just like the night before. His finger touched the bottom edge of the lobe and squeezed up.
Enrico hissed, “Hah-- that’s sensitive!”
With a chuckle, Kars apologized, “I’m sorry. I wanted to see if I could feel the metal in you from the outside, that’s all.” He let go, and brought his hand to Enrico’s waist again. This time, he let himself touch.
“Who do you think will notice first?” He wondered.
Enrico sighed. “Probably DIO.”
“... What do you think he’ll say?”
“Does it matter?”
Kars’ smile was the most tranquil Enrico had ever seen it. He looked, in that moment, satisfied. “No,” he rumbled, “I don't think it does.”