Work Text:
Every moment spent in Reiji's presence feels like a festering wound.
By Ibaru's side, Zetsuenkaku has encountered hundreds of humans, each as puny and insignificant as the last. Humans under servitude, humans under willing servitude, humans that Ibaru will ever so graciously allow Zetsuenkaku to toy with like a beast plays with its food. There is no greater feeling than watching the hope drain out of a human's eyes when it realises that there's no way out.
As the alliance grows, the window of opportunity for Zetsuenkaku to stretch his legs (so to speak) only shrinks. Ibaru may rule with an iron fist, but he rules nonetheless. There are people he must placate and throwing his enemies to the beast living beneath his floorboards becomes less and less of an diplomatic option.
It stands as a shame that Reiji is off limits, then.
There is a greater purpose Baasaa and Gennou can serve, even if Zetsuenkaku is unsure why they can't just be replaced if he get a little too rowdy. Like loyal pets, they're all but willing to do as Ibaru commands, even if it clearly grates on them. Zetsuenkaku wants no allegiance from such creatures, but he can appreciate that they know their place. Despite whatever personal feelings they have, Ibaru is their Lord, and Zetsuenkaku is a figure that must be respected.
But truly, he cannot see what Ibaru must in a human like Reiji.
A man like him does not yield. A human like him does not cower. He lurks and observes and does not speak unless he is spoken to, because he is patiently biding his time for something that Zetsuenkaku could truly not care less about.
This behaviour isn't centralized to Zetsuenkaku—Ibaru's commands are the only ones he truly listens to, even if all he does is trail along like he's the one being put out—but it grates against him nonetheless.
Zetsuenkaku can put up with all manner of creatures, grin and bear through bad odds and shallow means if it'll result in the end he seeks. He relishes fear, indulges in the hate that festers in Baasaa and Gennou's pitiful Egos. But he cannot stand being entirely looked over.
Ibaru may find such behaviour excusable, if not outright endearing, but Zetsuenkaku has little use for such cloying feelings. He has seen the worst of humanity, the dregs of society that even he refuses to sink his teeth into. Even humans with nothing left cry and beg and shake like poor little rabbits headed to slaughter.
Faced with death, Reiji just glances away unperturbed.
Whatever Reiji seeks, whatever his real goal is, Zetsuenkaku does not care. But he wants to know what has emptied him of all which makes him human.
There has to be something beneath it all. Flesh that has not yet rotted, something Zetsuenkaku can dig his teeth without feeling like he's indulging in someone else's leftovers.
But he is not afforded the chance to even try. Perhaps, Zetsuenkaku had waited to long to stake his claim, to get his claws into Reiji before Ibaru grew attached.
Reiji is not worth fracturing this partnership before its unavoidable end, and Zetsuenkaku is a creature that knows hunger. There is no shame in lying in wait.
Yet, still, the feeling does not leave. It is one thing to push Reiji to the back of his mind, placated by far off ideals of eventually. Coexisting with the human is enough for Zetsuenkaku to entertain the idea of foregoing his grand plan entirely and burning everything to the ground.
He does not look. He does not speak. Zetsuenkaku is the only other person in the room and yet Reiji refuses to even acknowledge him.
The irritation sizzles beneath his skin and he's standing before he can even think, striding towards Reiji.
Still, he does not look up.
Zetsuenkaku wants to grab his chin and force Reiji to make eye contact, sink his claws into his hair and pull, but he's in no mood for manhandling. There is a much more diplomatic way to get what he wants.
Instead, with a tight smile, Zetsuenkaku tilts to the side and forces his face into Reiji's line of sight. Play oblivious all he wants, but the only two moves available are to acknowledge Zetsuenkaku or blatantly ignore him.
For all his stoicism, Reiji knows how to play nice. It's a good habit, the snivelling little suck-up he is. Can't let Zetsuenkaku get too angry or he'll cry wolf back to Ibaru.
And being on Ibaru's bad side is not what Reiji wants. He can demur all he wants, scoff and look away and play the dashing rogue, but Zetsuenkaku knows exactly what's going on in that tiny little human brain.
Keep the beast placated and he won't sic his master on you.
He's lucky, really, that Zetsuenkaku is interesting in seeing how this all plays out. With a snap of his fingers, he could turn all of Reiji's hard work worming his way into the alliance into dust. It would be so, so easy to ruin this pitiful human's life.
There's something in Reiji, though. A solitary, dying spark that Zetsuenkaku wants to see so thoroughly squashed out, an end that even the strongest could not return from. But something like that requires a long game.
Let Reiji think he's trusted. Let him believe they're none the wiser to how much of a lowlife speck of dust he truly is, that his eventual heel turn will shock and surprise.
It'll only make the despair taste that much sweeter.
Zetsuenkaku licks his lips, and if his smile is just a twinge more genuine when Reiji eventually flicks his gaze upwards, that's just for him to know.
"Zetsuenkaku," Reiji murmurs, tone light but eyes dark. He is like an empty husk, barely reflecting what others put into him. Zetsuenkaku wants to claw his way into him, figure out just what makes him tick. "Is there something you needed?"
(There's a seed of something, low in Zetsuenkaku's gut. Just what manner of creature had gotten to Reiji first? Surely they could not have drained the light out of his eyes as efficiently, as cruelly as Zetsuenkaku.)
That irreverent facsimile of deference makes Zetsuenkaku want to grab Reiji by the shoulders and push him down, bring the dog to heel and show him the true power of the beast before him. A worthless human like Reiji should be honoured to bow before his king.
He wants to know just how long it will take Reiji to break. This soulless, empty creature clawing for an end he will never find. Whatever is waiting for him at the future he seeks, Zetsuenkaku will draw him back into the mud just as his fingertips brush that tiny twinge of hope.
If I can't win, neither will you.
"Not particularly," Zetsuenkaku muses, flashing his fangs. Reiji doesn't flinch, but that's just something they can work on.
He may not be Enkaku, but this human's ruin will surely entertain.