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“Branzy. Over here. Now.”
Shit.
Branzy bit his lip, debating if he could afford to spent five more seconds finishing this redstone. He’d nearly got it, he was sure, it just wasn’t quite right.
“Branzy.”
Yep, maybe not.
Branzy hurried towards the sound of Clown’s voice, praying he hadn’t delayed too long. He normally came running immediately, he really did, and maybe that would get him some good grace. Or maybe not.
Clown was already doing something at the enchanting table as Branzy skipped into the room, swallowing nervously.
“There you are.” Clown looked up, walking over to Branzy in a way that- nope, wasn’t terrifying at all. “Branzy. BranzyCraft.”
“Uh… hi?”
Branzy fought the urge to take a step back with everything in him, wishing more than ever he could see under Clown’s mask, see his partner’s expression as he said his name so strangely.
“Do you know…” Clown paused, tilted his head, and laughed, lightly, with the manic edge that always made Branzy very, very scared. “Do you know exactly how much the people out there want to hurt you?”
Something was very, very wrong. Branzy could feel it, an electric thrill in the air, and fought the urge to run, settling for shifting his weight nervously instead, as he dropped his gaze.
“Mhm. But- but you’ll protect me. Right?”
Clown hummed, then reached out and grabbed Branzy’s collar, making him yelp slightly as his partner immediately started dragging him somewhere.
“Yes. And what do I get out of this, Branzy? I feel like there’s some payment owed.”
“You- you get- shit, Clown, I-“ Branzy gasped, as Clown twisted the collar of his shirt, hurrying and tripping over his own feet to keep himself from being choked. “You get my- my eternal servitude, please-“
Clown yanked him closer, and Branzy actually whimpered, breaths coming short from panic and pressure against his throat.
His partner didn’t speak, still just dragging Branzy behind him as he turned down a few too many turns to keep track of, ending up in a section of the base Branzy was certain he didn’t recognise.
“Uh- Clown-“
Clown dropped him, and Branzy landed hard, falling to the floor painfully. He stayed there, whining faintly, head spinning and his whole left side feeling bruised. His partner was doing something, with some chests Branzy couldn’t quite make out, even as he looked up, squinting in the dim light.
“Clown- Clown what’s- what’s going on?”
“Stay down, Branzy.”
That much, he could do. And it was all he was inclined to, dropping back down to lie weakly on the stone floor, trying to hear past the ringing in his ears. That had really hurt, and Clown hadn’t given him any warning.
“Right. So, I was thinking.”
Clown crouched down, tilting Branzy’s head up with one gloved hand, his own mask still on. Branzy whimpered, in mixed fear and encouragement for his partner to explain what the hell was going on.
“I am the one protecting you, and you do owe me your life. And then some, I’d say.” Clown let go, and stood up, brushing his hands off on his trousers. “So. A reminder. Of who owns you.”
“Uh-“
There was something in his throat. Branzy couldn’t quite decide if it was fear or excitement, but it was uncomfortable and he was feeling very hot, even from where he was still lying in pain on the floor.
He watched Clown, as much as he could, in the low light, eyes wide as his partner rummaged through a single chest on the other wall.
Then Clown was next to him again, sitting on the floor calmly and fiddling with something like this was the most normal thing in the world.
Cautiously, Branzy sat up, making sure to stay firmly on the floor as he stared at Clown.
“Is- should I be running?”
“If you want to die.”
“Oh. O- ok. No running.” Branzy nodded, swallowing hard. “No- no running.”
Clown hummed, and even that sent a thrill down Branzy’s spine, the smallest expression of approval making his hands shake. His heart was racing too, apprehension building in the space between them.
“You cause me a lot of problems, Branzy.”
“O- oh?”
“Mhm. A lot. You’re a liability, and hardly a useful one. In fact, pretty much your own redeeming quality is your loyalty.” Clown looked up, a catlike grin slipping into his voice as he cocked his head. “Like a dog.”
Branzy shifted, feeling a burning in his cheeks as he struggled for words.
“I- uh- thanks?”
“But, of course, that’s not much to be counted on either. Tell me, BranzyCraft, how many people have you lied to?”
“Not- not you.” Branzy looked up, suddenly, in some sort of pathetic desperation. “I- I wouldn’t-“
“Not. You wouldn’t, would you?” Clown laughed, softly, the sound carrying and echoing in the small room. “You wouldn’t lie to me. Tell me, BranzyCraft, are you scared of me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Head up.”
Without thinking, Branzy obediently lifted his chin, and Clown leaned forward.
Something pressed against his throat, and Branzy closed his eyes, breathing deeply as Clown reached around to the back of his neck. A sharp click made him wince, then his partner was stroking his hair, and laughing.
“There we go. No need to be so scared, is there?”
Branzy didn’t speak, not until Clown had pulled away, when he let out a quiet, shaky sigh of relief.
Then he raised his hand, ghosting over the leather against his neck.
“What-“ Branzy swallowed, and felt his throat press against something metal. “What’s this?”
“A collar.”
For a man wearing a mask, Clown had almost never looked more smug. Branzy hooked his fingers under it, tugging hesitantly at the strap, feeling the patterns. There was something strange, about feeling something so close to his skin, but being unable to see what it looked like.
“Right…” Branzy dared to laugh, a quick, nervous giggle that disguised the way his voice broke into something approaching relief. “I- shit, Clown, I thought you were going to kill me.”
“Nah. Me?” Clown laughed, sitting back, the tension visibly dropping from his shoulders. “As if I’d kill you.”
And that- made a shiver go down Branzy’s spine, the same electric thrill of knowing he was helpless to and beloved by a killer.
“But… seriously. Just remember. No going anywhere, and no getting hurt. You’re mine, Branzy, and you have to make sure people know it.”
Slowly, Branzy nodded, unable to see a way to avoid it.
Not terrifying. Not at all. Kind of exciting, really, in a very, very dangerous sort of way.
And when Clown laughed, in that gentle, ominous way he did, Branzy felt the collar ride up on his throat as he swallowed hard.
“I’m done. Go finish whatever you were doing, Branzy, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Uh- yep. Sure. Uh…” He was about to do something stupid. “Clown?”
“Hm?”
Clown had already stood up, but paused, looking back down at Branzy, still kneeling on the floor.
“Is- is this a thing? Like- like are we-?”
He couldn’t quite say it. It was catching in his throat every time, the dizzying weight of Clown choosing him like that overpowering him every time he got close.
Clown just cocked his head, and laughed, softly, dangerously.
“Yes, Branzy. If you want it to be.”
“O- oh. Ok. Then…”
Honestly, he didn’t even know what he was asking for anymore. But Clown paused, and pushed his mask up, grinning.
Then, without warning, he bent down, tilting Branzy’s chin up and kissing him.
Branzy might have shrieked, if he wasn’t very occupied with the world’s deadliest assassin’s lips on his, giving him just enough space to pull away.
For the record, he didn’t. Of course he didn’t. Almost without thinking, Branzy responded, letting Clown’s hand weave into his hair and hold his head steady, while he was lost in the moment.
This was pretty nice. Definitely made better by the tightness around his neck, and the hard dig of the stone floor into his knees.
Too soon, Clown let go, straightening again with a smile and an entirely unruffled expression. Branzy, meanwhile, practically collapsed, panting.
“Happy?”
“M- mhm…”
“If you want…” Clown pulled his mask back on, but not before Branzy caught a glimpse of something in his eyes, and a softness in his voice. “You know where my room is, Branzy.”
With that, Clown walked away. Branzy stared, blankly, at where he’d been, heart pounding in his ears.
“…shit.”
His breath caught in his throat, and he giggled breathlessly, running his fingers over the collar.
Then, shaking, Branzy got to his feet, stomach swooping as his head rushed with standing up.
He was going to finish that redstone so quickly.