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If he had to stay one more second in this disgusting excuse of an event, he would kill someone. Black Hat had known it would be unbearable before coming, but somehow the real deal still surpassed his expectations.
Each jewelry was too glittering. Each villain too noisy. Each conversation melted away into the same tedious goop of finance, influence, posturing, and desperate importance. All fancy words for saying “Look at me! I'm rich!”
Even worse, he had briefly been forced to leave Flug unattended. Black Hat found the gala far less bearable without him close by.
At least, as long as Flug was next to him, there was something interesting to watch. The scientist was prone to mumbling during these sorts of events, rambling about how ridiculous some invention was, explaining how a weapon was not up to his standards, or ranking villains on how probable they were to survive testing.
It was amusing. Or, well, more amusing than this.
Alas, some idiotic lowly worm had demanded to talk to him, alone, about the possibility of becoming partnering companies. Then, when he had refused, the man had been devastated, whining and crying annoyingly.
Now, having suffered fifteen torturous minutes of bargaining and formal apologies he so completely did not mean, he stalked back towards the ballroom with growing irritation brewing under his skin.
Honestly, if he didn't find Flug within 3 minutes he was leaving.
“Black Hat? He’s overrated anyway.”
Hm? He slowed down near a corner, stepping silently into the shadows near the hall. A man had been speaking, peeking around the corner he was able to see that. He was prepared to interrupt personally, after all, no one was allowed to talk that way about him.
“He’s all theatrics, but I've never seen him do anything.” The man continued, voice laced with so much superiority It was disgusting.
Then he heard Flug speak. “What?”
Black Hat paused. The scientist’s voice sounded…different. Not his usual nervous stammering politeness, but rather something more settled— calm, in a way, but unnerving all at once.
Interesting.
Black Hat remained still, hidden just around the corner. He wanted to see how Flug would react to someone insulting him, would he join in? It seemed likely, after all he was a terrible boss, It was to be expected.
But he didn't. “You should be more careful.” Flug said instead. The words sounded more like a warning than anything, but the other villain didn't seem to listen.
The man in question scoffed. “Or what?”
He watched as Flug set his untouched drink carefully onto the table, with that empty stare that gave nothing away. Then he laughed softly— smoothly. Like velvet, but he instantly knew it wasn't happy.
Black Hat’s eyebrow raised slightly. Well, this was entertaining already.
“Or what?” Flug repeated, scornful disbelief coating his tone. “Do you even understand who you’re talking about?”
The villain’s confidence faltered as Flug stepped closer. “Do you suppose Lord Black Hat plays to the audience because that's all he knows how to do?” he murmured. “That's cute.”
Something unfamiliar flickered briefly through Black Hat’s chest at the words. It wasn't irritation, and certainly not embarrassment either. Something sharper. Possessive, perhaps. It irritated him slightly, and he had to tame down the urge to simply go ahead and kill the insect
So he stayed hidden. He wanted to keep watching this interaction.
Flug continued after what looked like a dramatic pause. “He could peel you inside out before your nervous system even realized it was dying,” he said conversationally. But there was annoyance buried there— offence.
Black Hat stared, offense? Yes, that seemed correct. Flug was genuinely offended.
Over him.
That realization settled strangely beneath his ribs. He didn't allow himself to linger in the sensation before he focused back on the conversation.
“Do you know what it sounds like when someone's organs liquify? I do.” Flug added, and his tone became slightly lighter for a second. “Let me tell you, it wasn't pleasant.” he paused, “At least, not for the poor folk that had to endure it.”
Hah. Yeah, he remembered that. Should've thought twice before defying him.
“He's older than most civilizations,” Flug went on. “Smarter than everyone in this room combined. The fact he endures you fools as long as he does is honestly merciful.” He remarked with distaste.
Black Hat almost scoffed aloud. Merciful? Flug truly had a fascinating perspective on him. Though it wasn't entirely wrong, he had developed some patience to deal with humans.
“I've seen him take people apart, molecule by molecule,” the doctor said quietly. “Not because he had to. Because he was bored.”
Looking uneasy, the villain took a step backward. Flug noticed immediately, and smiled— he did so under the paper bag. Black Hat couldn't see it all, but he knew the expression. He had seen it in the lab hundreds of times, as Flug loomed over bound experiments, scalpel ready.
The realization should have disturbed him more than it did. Instead, he found himself captivated.
“You know what the funniest part is?” Flug asked casually. “He probably wouldn't even remember your name afterwards.”
The man swallowed hard. “H-he’s not here, you know…you don't have to pretend you like him.”
Ah, trying to empathize, aren't we? Well, that should've been done way back before, now It was just useless. Flug looked at him with shocked disdain.
“Oh, right!” he feigned surprise, “God, how could I forget—!” Black Hat recognized that he was pissed. Well, he would also be if someone said something so stupid.
“Jeez, thank you for reminding me, I almost thought he was here!” he exclaimed, tone chipper. That made him tense for a second, but it quickly became obvious that it was sarcasm.
Then his tone dropped again. “Now, back on topic.” he snapped, “if you ever speak about Lord Black Hat like that again…” The scientist extracted a syringe from his pocket, removing the cap and idly rotating it between gloved fingers. “I can personally assure you that your death won't be fast.”
Black Hat’s eye widened slightly as he noticed what was in the syringe.
Oh. Flug was serious.
“Botulinum toxin,” he explained pleasantly to the man in front of him, who was currently looking more and more unsettled. “Injected directly into the bloodstream, paralysis begins rather quickly.”
Black Hat almost laughed, the person looked moments away from collapsing. But Flug seemed to be totally unimpressed, if not pleased. And all that just because someone had insulted him.
The villain scrambled backward while Flug stepped closer one final time.
“So unless you want to spend your final moments drowning inside your own body,” Flug said softly, “I suggest you never say his name with disrespect again—” then he paused, as if a thought had occured to him.
“Actually…I would appreciate It if you never said his name again for good.”
Silence followed. Then the man nodded fervently and fled almost instantly, stumbling on his way out, Black Hat watched him hurry into the crowd. An odd sensation squirmed low in his stomach.
…Pride. God, how embarrassing.
Flug exhaled quietly when the man disappeared. “Motherfucker,” he whispered to no one in particular, stuffing the syringe away, “He’s all theatrics—!” he muttered in a mocking little voice “It's called having standards, nowadays no one seems to have it. Neanderthals.”
The grumbling sent a spark of amusement towards him, and deeming his absence long enough, Black Hat finally stepped out from the shadows.
Flug's head immediately snapped towards him, posture straightening. “Jefecito?” He squeaked.
And there it was. The shift.
One second he was a terrifying scientist calmly threatening murder, and the next his awkward, flustered little disaster of a doctor.
Black Hat stared at him silently. Flug visibly wilted beneath the attention. “I-I didn’t realize you were back,” he said nervously.
He continued staring. Flug looked more and more mortified with each passing second, clearing his throat, he fidgeted awkwardly beneath the gaze. “…Was there something you needed—?”
“How long,” he asked slowly, “have you been threatening people on my behalf?”
Flug blinked. “…Always.”
Well, well. Is that so? He almost smiled. The scientist said it so casually too, as if using deadly chemicals to defend Black Hat's honor was completely rational.
“You threatened a possible client.” he said, and normally that would've been laced with annoyance, but right now he couldn't care less.
Flug glanced downward. “Oh. R-right.” he murmured, as though he had forgotten. “W-well,” he floundered, “I m-mean—h-he insulted you.”
The words landed strangely. Simple and honest. Black Hat felt something pleasant stir warmly in his chest, he almost wanted to praise him. Maybe he should, it was a job well done, after all.
“I guess it's fine,” he said slowly, “I wouldn't have let him live if I found him myself anyways. Good job, Doctor.”
Flug brightened immediately. “T-thank you, sir!”
And there it was again, that impossible contradiction. A man who can easily talk about slow and painful death one minute, then bounce around like a lovestruck pup under gentle praise the next.
Black Hat stared at him for another long moment. Then he abruptly turned away. “Come along.”
The scientist scrambled after him immediately. “Yes, sir!”