Work Text:
Connor sits on the edge of stairs, letting his legs dangle off so he can kick them absentmindedly. He chews on the stick to his now eaten corn dog. Ted stares up from the ground, wearing his normal milk-man clothes.
“I know what you are,” Connor says, crossing his arms.
“Real menacing, Conar ,” Ted hisses, and turns back to the Void, stepping over to its edge and squatting down. Connor watches his tail flick back and forth angrily.
He doesn’t understand all the hullabaloo behind this whole cult thing. Apparently Ty joined it though, and that’s not safe. So he’s gonna have a talk with Ted about child endangerment.
“There’s a whole thing about not having cults on Vita,” He starts, leaning further over the edge of the stairs and sneering, “It’s headed by Cooper.”
“Cooper is aware of the situation,” Ted responds easily, refusing to turn around. He’s just staring at that hole in the ground and it’s starting to piss Connor off.
He stands up and begins walking down the stairs, spitting the corn dog stick out at the bottom. He comes up to about five feet behind Ted and coughs, “You recruited my fucking kid. The hell is wrong with you?” Connor says, and Ted’s tail hits the ground with a loud thwap .
Ted stands up and turns to face him, and Connor is suddenly reminded how freakishly tall this guy is. And how short he himself is. Shit. Connor stands his ground though, reaching behind himself for the sword he keeps across the small of his back, but doesn’t draw it yet.
Ted stalks over to him, and Connor feels strangely hunted, “Ty has made his own decision.”
“Oh I fucking doubt that, Ted,” Connor stares up at him, baring his teeth and fluffing up his hair, “ It killed him. Schlatt is pissed off about it. And I’m less than pleased,” he takes a deep breath, stabilizing his voice, because Ted is scary as fuck like this, “I know you all tried to keep what happened with Sparklez under wraps, but it got out, dude.
“Hazing my kid by throwing him into the Void is one thing, but forcing him to participate in ritual sacrifice is another thing. That’s child endangerment, and not to mention a fucking crime!”
Ted leans down, taunting Connor. Through the glare on his glasses, Connor can see how Ted’s irises have gone completely black, with small star-like sparkles dotting both them and the pupils. It’s unnerving, bro.
“The Void is more than just a ‘club’,” Ted grins, “It’s a way of life. It’s not hazing, it’s introducing Ty to the Void the only way that it will accept him.” He steps around Connor, facing the same direction as him, and places his hand on the other’s shoulder. Connor feel’s Ted’s tail tickling the back of his calf. “I’m sure it would all make sense if you just stepped into the Void yourself, Connor.”
Connor sees the way that Ted’s mood has switched in minutes, going from a playful but annoyed taunt right into cult leader. The bitch is much scarier than any normal milk man should be. He rolls his shoulder, throwing Ted’s arm off, and takes one step away, drawing his sword, but careful to not face his back to the Void.
“Nuh uh, Ted. You’re not getting me with that shit. I’m not stupid,” He scoffs, holding the base of his enchanted iron sword with both hands. Ted just laughs in his face, and turns back to the hole in the ground, sitting down and throwing his legs over the edge.
Connor drops the sword to one side confused. The hell is up with this guy?
“I really don’t know if Ty is all that interested in returning to our wonderful tower too often, so I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Ted says, and for a moment it sounds really damn genuine. Fucked up.
Connor swallows and sheaths his sword again, walking back up the stairs out of the tower’s basement slowly, keeping one eye on Ted at all times. The guy doesn’t move, just sits there, with his legs hanging over nothing.