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Sometimes, SMG3 wonders just what he's done to deserve a life like this. He knows he's a menace; evil runs through his veins like his own blood, but he's sure he hasn't done anything to deserve a night like this. Somebody had to have been praying on his downfall. And if that's the case, Three's sure he knows exactly who that someone is.
Right now, he's pinned. He's got one arm up in the air and the other tucked behind his back, held back by none other than that stupid Italian plumber he just can't seem to shake off. His grip is tight, tighter than any handcuffs Three's ever been thrown into, and he's sure if Mario tightened it any more he might actually break his wrist...Honestly, Three would take a couple broken bones right now if it meant he could escape. Bones could heal, but you know what can't? Expensive heavy-duty overalls currently being torn up by the ground he was being dragged across. (...and also probably his nose, because Mario slugged the absolute shit out of his face.) SMG3's absolutely garbage at sewing and he knows a new pair is going to cost him a pretty penny. He's got bills to pay, dammit; couldn't life just give him a break?
All of this nonsense because he wanted to see what SMG4 was up to. I mean, how else was he supposed to plan his next move? He can't exactly find ways to torment Four without tracking the man down first. Can't just send him a nice friendly text about it. This is just what he does, nothing out of the ordinary. Now he's got to worry about being randomly jumped by Mario every time he goes on his excursions. The man usually left him alone; Three's unsure why this time was so different.
Three's kicking around, trying to pry himself from Mario's grip; but the plumber is relentless. He's quite cheery, humming to himself as he drags SMG3 through the castle's courtyard, nearly up to the doors. Three absolutely despises that happy look he's got on his face, his smile big enough to reach his eyes as he looks down at SMG3. It would be so nice to just get one good hit in, but unfortunately he's lost all use of his arms right now, and it's downright pissing him off. Three considers finding a way to kick himself free, but Mario's so agile it actually hurts.
Three's so distracted by his blinding rage that he fails to notice Mario's dragged him into the castle until it's too late. He's suddenly well aware the two of them are not alone when Mario yells for his companion. The one he got into this mess for in the first place.
"HEY! SMG4!" Mario's shrill voice pierces his ears. "Look what I found!"
SMG4 seemed to have been expecting his arrival, as SMG3 catches a glimpse of him standing by the top of the staircase.
"Good job, Mario!"
Mario stops dragging him, finally content with where they've landed at, and instead opts to torture SMG3 more by lifting him around to face SMG4. The man's got both of his wrists captive, now holding both of his arms in the air, and his persistent pulling makes Three visibly wince. He knows he's got a couple of bruises on him already, can feel the blood dripping from a cut somewhere on his chest, but tries his best not to draw any more attention. Who knows, maybe Four also wanted to rough him up a bit while he was restrained. (Well...Three’s always up for beating on Four, but he really didn't come for a fight today.)
Not even a second passes before SMG4 has descended the stairwell and appears right in front of SMG3's face. The man is so close that Three can almost feel his breath hitting his face, despite the fact that he was standing above him. Four eventually does bend down face-to-face with Three, and Three would be lying if he said his face didn't slightly flush up. Ah, the embarrassment of being held captive, what a thing he knows all too well.
"Well, well, well..." Four has this annoying grin on his face, and with each repeat of the word it seems to get bigger. "Look at what the dog dragged in."
In response to this, Mario barks at him, and for a split second SMG3 finds it funny enough he needs to stifle a laugh. Mario is so pathetic sometimes it almost hurts. (And yet, he still beat his ass. What does that say about Three?)
Mario must also be a mind reader, because the second those thoughts enter his head the plumber decides to yank him upwards enough to force a yelp out of his mouth, which he stifles as quick as he possibly can. Three really didn't want his nemesis getting any more leverage than he already has.
"I knew it was you," SMG4 gets up and personal and just pokes him straight in the chest. "Don't you ever know when to quit?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Three chooses to play dumb. This seems to be a bad choice as all it does is tick SMG4 off.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" And here's where he gets an earful. Yeesh, doesn't he know when to quit? "I know you've been spying on us. Do you think I'm stupid or something?"
"Actually yes, I do.” SMG3 decides to poke the beast. "I'm surprised you didn't know that already."
"Oh, really?" Just when Three thinks he couldn't get any closer, Four is suddenly almost nose-to-nose with him. He feels his heart stutter for a moment, feels himself staring into those dark black eyes in front of him, feels every breath lightly grazing his neck. While all he wants is for both of them to just go away, he can feel some deep part of his subconscious chanting closer, closer, closer! ...Three's still deeply unsure what to think about that. "I'm not the one who got my shit wrecked by Mario."
He does have a point. SMG3 can feel Mario giggling above him. They must enjoy seeing him like this, all bound and beaten. Three was the one supposed to be doing the beating. He doesn't know how he got caught off guard so quickly.
"Mario didn't wreck anything. I'm fine." Three brags, opting not to show any signs of weakness. "He didn't hit me at all. In fact, he's so weak that I just-”
SMG3 regrets his words the moment they come out of his mouth, because once they do Mario outright slams his knee into his back upon receipt of that insult. This time, Three can't bite back the cry that leaves his throat. Mario's hit him right behind the bruise he'd left earlier, which Three’s sure was intentional. He nearly slams into Four with the pressure Mario kicks him with. Said nemesis managed to back off before getting punted by his body, which Three finds he is slightly disappointed by; that would've meant he got some sort of hit in. Right now, he just keeps downright losing.
Today really isn't going how he'd expect. Three seriously isn't looking forward to nursing his wounds at home. He barely has a medicine cabinet put together, and he can't just lie in bed waiting for everything to heal. Not when there's work to be done, not when there's an SMG4 to spy on. Pain suddenly echoes through his body, up his chest and up his throat, and suddenly all Three can think of is just getting the hell out of here.
Above him, he can hear Mario mutter something in a different language. He's probably pissed about being called weak. SMG3 can't help but feel a little satisfied over that. It feels nice, knowing he managed to get to that freak. Maybe if he keeps running his mouth, they'll get tired and let him go -
...When Three gazes up at Four, he finds something weird. SMG4 has stood up and is now looking at him with some sort of pity in his eyes. There's a crease in his eyebrows as Three watches him sigh, now acting like he's been greatly inconvenienced by something. Inconvenienced? By what? SMG3 has no idea. But, the longer SMG4 looks at him like that, the longer SMG3 can feel his blood start to boil.
"Stop -” Three nearly chokes on his own words, pain from the bruise clouding his thoughts. "Stop looking at me like -...like that! I swear, I'm going to -”
"Mario," Four interrupts him. "Drop him."
SMG3 can't help the rush of relief that washes over him the second he hears those words. Did SMG4 have a change of heart? Did he actually want to fight? Oh, the possibilities were endless. Now that Three was freed, he could just...
When Mario drops him, he finds he doesn't have much strength to stand. He lets his knees drop to the ground with a gasp. He can feel his adrenaline running thin, everything he's suppressed just catching up to him all at once. Mario really did rough him up. He's not sure how and he's not sure why; he's never felt like this after a usual fight with the two of them. But now, his heart is pounding, his body is shaking, and all he can do is just stare up into Four's eyes without a single word escaping his mouth. Four's beautiful dark eyes are still looking down at him, glistening ever so slightly when the light hits them.
When he's like this, SMG4 just looks so...so perfect.
Three's not sure why he even tries. No matter what he does, he knows he'll always just be the inferior version of Four. There's no changing that fact, no matter how much he'd like to.
A moment goes by. Three's willing every part of his body to stand up and fight, but the willpower just isn't there. He wants to throw every insult he's got at the guy, wants to beat him till he's bruised and bloody, but nothing ever comes out. He just stares. Four seems to catch onto his hesitance, because a second later he feels a hand being placed on his shoulder and a soft voice calling him up.
"...You lay one hand on me, and I swear I will have Mario beat you till you're unconscious," SMG4 gently guides him off of the floor, placing his arm underneath Three's to keep him stable. "Come with me."
Wow. He has such a way with words. SMG3's almost impressed. Almost.
Mario seems to understand the assignment as Three hears him crack his knuckles in preparation for another fight. He's got his back turned to the plumber, but he sure can feel the man's eyes burning into his skull. Fuck. All those words about Mario being stupid are fake, this guy is just downright terrifying when he wants to be. Three finds himself relieved once again when Mario doesn't follow them up the stairs.
SMG4 leads him over to his computer room. It hasn't changed much since the last time Three decided to break in; he's still got the rusty old desk setup in the corner and his bed placed neatly on the other side. The man didn't seem to fancy decoration much, leaving the room pretty barren. Three finds he doesn't mind. It fits Four perfectly; soulless and empty.
Four brings him over to his bed and gently guides him onto the blanket, leaning him against the wall. He makes careful note of Three's injuries, being careful not to push him too hard. Three would be lying again if he said he wasn't saddened by the loss of touch when Four let go of him, trailing over to root through his desk drawers. It takes SMG3 a couple seconds before he realizes what's happening to him right now and the second it catches up to him he feels his face heat up brighter than before.
I'm in his room, he thinks to himself. I'm actually in his room. Three can feel butterflies forming in his stomach as he watches Four from across the room, finding himself quite enticed by his movements. He wants those eyes back on him, wants to feel his hands on him again, wants to feel the tingle of his breath against his neck, wants him -
Oh, what the hell? I'm acting like a damn schoolgirl...
If SMG4 noticed him blushing, he doesn't say anything, for which SMG3 is eternally grateful for. He's already lost to them today, he doesn't need to be tormented with his own thoughts on top of that. When Four returns to the bed he's holding a small storage bin full of various medical supplies, each item looking thoroughly used. It was apparent they go through bandages like it was nothing.
"...I have to clean Mario up a lot." Four explains to Three, answering any questions he may have. "Hold still. This might sting."
Four's got some bottle of fancy antibacterial cream in one hand and he's gripping the side of Three's shirt with the other. Three feels the urge to push him off, ask him what the hell he thinks he's doing, but all of a sudden there's a warm pressure near his bruise almost immediately followed by the cooling relief of the cream. Three doesn't dare look down, doesn't want to watch Four do...whatever it is he's doing, so he instead directs his attention to some random crack in the wall. No matter his attempts to distract himself, he can still feel every touch, every movement Four's hands make against his skin, and somewhere deep down he's reveling in it. He wants it. Craves the way it makes him feel. He wants to stay like this forever, wants to feel Four's hands roam around his body like this, in a way where they don't have to fight, where he doesn't have to be bleeding and broken just to have him close...
...It's nice to think about, but Three knows it's something he can never have. The two are destined to fight forever; black against white, yin against yang, yadda-yadda. Three knows it's true. To him, SMG4's untouchable. He's perfect, he's everything Three wishes he could be. He knows Four views him as just a nuisance, some bug he's got to squash every once in a while, but it still doesn't stop Three from crawling right back, even when he knows he'll get hurt again.
He wants to be perfect, too. Even if it means taking Four down in the process.
When Four speaks again, it's so quiet that Three almost misses it.
"...Listen," Four's voice is raspy and quiet, and if Three didn't know any better he'd say it almost sounded intimate. "I'm sorry I sent Mario after you. But, dude, you've gotta stop spying on us like that."
Three doesn't respond with anything but a small groan. Four's moved on to the cut below his collarbone, gently wiping the blood off with a tissue. The ointment he applies afterwards stings him enough to gasp, but Four is kind enough to put a little bit of pressure on the wound to help alleviate some of the pain. Without his gloves on, Four's hands are nice and soft against Three's chest, reaching just slightly under his shirt, leaving his skin buzzing when he moves on to grab the bandages.
"If you want to see me that bad, you can just...I don't know, come see me?" Four sighs contentedly as he applies the bandage to his cut. "No evil necessary. We could..."
Be friends? Ha. "…In your dreams." Three rolls his eyes at Four, but deep down, some part of him jumps at the offer. He knows he can't accept, he really wants to, but he can't be that selfish. He doesn't want his friendship. Three just wants him.
In some way, Four seems to understand, as Three can see his expression drop back to cold neutral. They could never be friends. Four doesn't seem to understand why. Three thinks he never will. It's how they are, and how they always will be.
Suddenly, Four cups his right hand under Three's chin, tilting his head so they’re face to face. SMG3 is too shocked to say anything, just staring at SMG4 in awe as the man gently drags his hand across the side of his face. Four's staring him down, and Three can't help but feel a sense of vulnerability creeping through him. Four could do anything to him right now, and Three wouldn't be able to stop him. He could heal him, help him, hurt him, but yet Four doesn't make a move. Just glides his thumb across the bridge of his nose, right where Mario socked him, being careful not to hurt him even more.
Four's thumb travels down under Three's eye, stopping right back on his cheek. He can feel Four getting closer, leaning into him with every second that passes. Three does nothing; doesn't push him away, doesn't pull him closer, just watches him. Watches a small blush coat itself across Four's face. Feels his breath tickle down his chin. I can't be selfish, Three tells himself, I can't have this. Four's just messing with him again. Any second now, he's going to pull away, going to laugh at Three for being such an idiot, but then -
- but then, Four's pulling him closer, closer and closer until their lips finally touch. Until Four's kissing him, hands moving to wrap under Three's arms, holding him until Three just absolutely melts into his touch. His face feels like it's on fire, and if he didn't know any better he'd assume he was having a heart attack with the way his heart wouldn't stop pounding. Deep down, he hopes Four can feel it, the way he doesn't want to let go. Three wraps his arms above Four's shoulders, pulling him closer, closing his eyes, beckoning him deeper into the kiss. He memorizes the softness of his lips, the feeling of Four's tongue against his, the way he's slowly caressing his back, almost as if Three was something fragile.
And Three knows he could hope, could wish for this all he wants, but he knows he can't have it. The next day, they'll fall back into the same old routine, just like they always do. SMG4 has to worry about his videos, and SMG3 has to worry about SMG4. Things won't change, he's sure.
Don't leave me.
Three wants to be happy. If Four's here, he can't be.
...I won’t.
After what seems like forever, SMG4 finally pulls away, leaving both of their lips wet with saliva. He looks pleased with himself, like an artist that just finished a masterpiece. He's looking Three up and down like he's some sort of snack, and Three can't help but feel embarrassed. He feels so weak, being reduced to nothing but a blushing mess. He's unsure what to do next, almost feels like his brain short-circuited. Then, with that soft, deep voice, Four speaks to him again, leaning closer into his ear.
"If you miss me," Four commands him, just like an angel, "come see me."
SMG3 nods, and that's that. No more words need to be said.
When he's done patching SMG3 together, SMG4 walks him down to the front doors. Mario has made himself scarce, likely off eating dinner, which Three is completely fine with because it means he won't be teased to death over what just happened. Mario's very nosy. Three knows this all too well.
Four opens the door for him, guides him out, tells him to ice his nose as best as he could, and waves him off. The two don't talk about what happened, don't ask what's next; they only go about their way as they usually do. As he walks out the door, Four's looking at him, expression soft yet unreadable. Don't come back, Three assumes, is the likely answer.
However...they both know he'll be back again next week, getting beat into submission. Spending days upon days planning some scheme, all for it to collapse the second Mario comes into the picture.
Four will hurt Three. He will continue hurting Three.
And then, someday, Three will hurt him back.