"Sorry, sunshine, I'm not giving out free samples." Edward palmed the bag he'd just held out to Klaus, shaking his head. "Are you going to pay this time? Because if you're skint, you'll not get any from me tonight. Good shit ain't growing on trees and I ain't gonna get away with not paying my supplier neither."
Well. "At least not without a lot of grovelling and I'm not wearing the right outfit for that."
The evening was still young, the bar wasn't very busy just yet. But of course Klaus had hit him up for something the moment he'd entered. No surprise there.
"Nah, I got your stuff. Don't get all uppity." Klaus rummaged in his pockets and then produced a handful of random bills for Ed. There was enough in cash there, or at least there should be. He'd just pawned his phone so he was certain he had enough with change to spare. "I should get change, right? I think. Don't skimp me."
He pointed at Edward in warning but his mind wasn't fully there because he had drugs in his hands and something breathing down his neck. He didn't want to hear the dead, he wanted to block it all out.
So he wasted no time, he downed the entire bag with no subtly. Then he held out his trembling hand for the change.
"Change? You're having me on, mate. Barely covers it." Ed had finished counting the crumpled up bills, getting them into his pocket with a look of disgust. Still, he'd been there. Well. Not quite that close to the bottom as Klaus, but crumpled up bills? Yeah, definitely.
He rolled his eyes and gestured to a waiter. "Get him a drink. Fruity cocktail, I'm guessing. And some water, while you're at it."
Might as well hydrate the addict a little. He looked at Klaus, frowning. "Your make-up's smudged. When's the last time you were near a mirror?"
"What day is it?" Klaus asked, genuinely not sure where they were in the week. It was quiet so he assumed not the weekend? Then again, what time was it? He took the drink when it was offered and downed it, feeling those lingering presences finally going away. "I looked in the windows of a Tesco today and I though I looked pretty fucking sharp."
Of course, he was also unable to see himself behind all the summer barbeques so what the hell did he know?
"Are you sure I've got no change? None? Bloody hell. What did Brexit do to this country? Fucking drugflation." How was he supposed to get high on a budget?
"It's a Monday, mate. And you're lucky that I'm exceedingly generous. That's why I'm no good at business." He had Jon for that, anyway. Who'd probably not be pleased about him not asking for more money, but hey. Had been close enough to the full price. "Maybe you'll have to get yourself a job."
Ed grinned, considering just how unlikely that was. "Tell you what, try going for a sugar daddy. How hard can that be?" He considered Klaus for a moment, then shrugged. "It ain't your looks keeping them away, Klaus, so try and charm someone worthwhile for a change."
"Are you trying to say something about my type?" Ever since he had known Edward, he hadn't really dated for love. He had fucked a lot of people selling drugs and a few people he owed money to and that was about it. He dated trash because he was trash. Seemed only fair.
With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and wondered what it would be like to be into guys who were normal, be normal himself, have an adult relationship. Ha! As if. Still, one could daydream.
"No one is gonna date me unless they're a skinhead with a 'mom' tattoo who smacks me around." That was just what he was putting signals out for. "I like my method. I'm fine single and ready to mingle. I'm doing great!"
"Aw, don't say that. You could pull some seventy-odd year old perv, easily." There, Ed had full confidence in him. He did feel for Klaus, a little, perhaps because he sometimes reminded him a little of himself. Given that his own most successful relationship was with a drug-dealing gangster with a fear obsession, it wasn't as if he had ever done much better in that area. "Whatever. Be merry. Sing a little song later?"
Always an experience, Klaus performing. "At least fuck someone hot tonight, yea? For me."
"You're giving me too much pressure, Eddie. You know I crack under it." Klaus laughed and then looked at Edward for a moment, wishing he had been more like him. A person, he supposed. This was what people were like. Complicated and experienced, full of plans and ideas, wants and needs. He didn't really have any of that, he never really needed it until now.
He tilted his head to the side as Edward started to blur and the high kicked in. Oh fuck. His eyes rolled back in pleasure and he giggled, flopping forward against the bar. "Oh, here it comes, Eddie. Here. It. Comes."
"Ugh. Gross." Ed was smiling though, rolling his eyes and ruffling the curly - and unwashed - hair, before heading toward the bar and abandoning Klaus to ride his high. He disinfected his hand and grabbed a drink of his own and downed it right away.
Then he got a bottle of whiskey and headed for the backroom, because he assumed that whoever Jon was meeting today, they'd still want a drink eventually. He knocked the door and walked right in, stopping next to Jonathan's seat and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Evening, gentleman."
The man sitting with Jonathan looked up at him and nodded. Purple suit, well-dressed chap. Good-looking too. "Good evening."
Barty was careful with his words, especially around Jonathan. He didn't want to offend the closest thing he had to a friend by casually abusing his power.
"Ed, I'm with someone, shouldn't you be setting up?" It wasn't that he didn't trust Barty around Edward, he just felt that someone like Barty could only do so much to minimise the whirlwind that was Edward and these two could be a potentially horrific combination.
Though he did pause and then frown at him. "Wait, did you move all the gear?"
He turned back to Barty and then took a drag from his cigarette. "I'm testing out a new drug, I changed some of the formula to enhance the expression of the dopamine β-hydroxylase. The crystal heads fucking love it."
"Yea, I did. My curly haired smackhead is here and actually had the cash, so you've got yourself a great test subject." Edward poured whiskey into both their glasses and ignored the other questions, so it wouldn't be too obvious that he was mostly here because he had sensed that Jonathan didn't want him to be.
"Drugs never really do much for me," Barty said, shrugging his shoulders before he reached for a drink. "Makes me uneasy, mostly." He liked being in control. Obviously. "That sounds interesting though. What are the effects of it?"
"It's mostly linked to addiction and decision making. And euphoria. It makes it something people want more and then when they have it, they get that happy feeling that makes them give me money." Jonathan liked how simple the whole thing was. Once he had studied enough chemistry to understand his drugs, he had been tweaking them ever since. He only had two main interests - horses and drugs. And he knew everything about them.
"Some people, with the right combo, will lose any ability to want any other drug. Mine or nothing. Well, not nothing but not quite itching that spot." Jonathan looked at Edward and smiled slightly. "Won't work the same for you, love. It's crystal."
Then, to clarify, he turned back to Barty. "If a bloke has got ADHD, like my Ed here, it doesn't express the same way. His genes are doing all sorts of other bullshit. He's dopamine deficient. When he gets his hit, he just feels chill and maybe some addiction."
"Here I thought I already lost all ability to want anything but yours." Edward smiled, but it didn't entirely reach his eyes because he felt it was a bit of a cocktease to have a drug be discussed in such colourful terms only for it to not be for him. Bullshit. "Make a useful drug next time," he suggested, therefore, before reaching for Jon's glass and taking a sip.
Barty's lips quirked and he nodded in acknowledgement. "I understand. I'm sure you'll have a load of addicts craving your product specifically in no time." An excellent business strategy, couldn't deny that. "I see you've been doing well since I last saw you."
Gotten himself a boyfriend and a thriving business. Barty was not surprised, although he felt it was quite the commitment. Being tied to another person.
The place that Barty had procured prior to meeting with Jonathan fit his usual preferences. Outside the city, big windows, spacious and expensive. He liked looking out at the green, liked watching the sun set.
Which was what he was doing now, with Klaus on the bed in the master bedroom, still asleep and looking... Wild, Barty supposed.
He had taken off some of his clothes, discovered some tattoos and a lot of scars and bruises. Addict, sleeping rough, signs of all that. He felt what he assumed was guilt and what he knew was responsibility and he knew he would have to deal with the issue differently this time around.
So he finally sat down on the bed next to Klaus, holding a bottle in his hand. "Wake up."
Klaus took the bottle and drank from it. Of course he did. He didn't exactly have a choice but he also really didn't mind. Drink, not drink - what did it matter? He had a headache either way. And besides, water was beyond overrated.
He held the bottle back out and smiled dumbly as he looked at what was apparently Barty. But older. And with stubble. And freckles. And a nice suit. Hm.
"You're dead sexy. When did that happen?"
Yes, he had a crush and all. Limited options and childhood romance was a big factor there but he hadn't really thought of Barty as hot. Now he did. "Can I see your arms before I make a full judgement on your hotness?" He reached out to touch his arms, check his muscles.
"I don't think my arms are the most impressive part of my physique." Not that they were unimpressive, they certainly fulfilled their function and he was reasonably strong. Much like Klaus himself, his build was more on the narrow side, but as Klaus demonstrated so beautifully, that didn't subtract from the hotness.
Barty thought back to when they'd last seen each other. Yes, he supposed he had changed a lot since then. They both had. He ran a hand through Klaus's hair. So much longer than he had ever seen it. "I love the curls."
They needed washing and tending to, but they were beautiful. Klaus was.
"Yeah, apparently it just sort of ... grows like this. I don't know. I grew it out a lot more a few times but I kept getting shaved in rehab." His hair was tangled and gross so they'd cut it short, like the lab, which he didn't much care for but he supposed it served a purpose. And it only ever took a month or two to get his hair back to a nice style. "I'm a little lamb."
He bleated at Barty and then pulled back away from his touch, moving around on the bed until he was sitting up better. He half hugged himself, back against the ball, as he looked at Barty.
"You saw me by accident. We don't have to be here, like this. You can whamo my brain and stick me back outside, I'm totally fine alone, you know?" At least, he felt he was. "I'm never bored and I'm never boring."
Barty frowned at Klaus's reasoning, not wanting to even begin pretending that this hadn't entered his mind. However, there were some clarifications to make. "I've missed you." He stated that, first and foremost. "Back then, when I separated us, it was to divide their efforts. Limit the chances of getting caught."
Which had worked, evidently, given they were both still free. Barty reached out to rub the back of his neck, feeling a phantom pain there as he looked at Klaus. "I never wished to be apart from you."
He had just always been good at doing what was necessary.
"Good. Good for you, I guess. Heroic." What was he supposed to even say to it? If he never wanted to party, he could have found a way but he didn't want to try. He split them up first chance he got. And Klaus was just fine without him. He didn't need Barty, obviously, he was happy partying to the end of the world or himself.
"I get it. It's fine, it really is. I do, I get it. I'm -- an asshole. It's difficult. With me. Honestly, I know. I'm spending every day alongside myself." He got why Barty left, he would have left too. He tried to. He left himself behind after every high and it really did make life easier.
"We don't have to have a touching reunion. As lovely as those are. We can just -- go back to things. I'm busy, you're busy. It's life!" And it was totally fine. Barty could leave again. He was more ready for it now.
Low self-esteem and abandonment issues, all of which Barty knew he had to blame himself for. He sighed as he tried to find the best approach to this that wasn't just commanding Klaus until the uncomfortable part of this was dealt with. "I don't wish to be apart from you again."
That was the straightforward and condensed conclusion he'd arrived on. He had a feeling it would not be enough to convince Klaus of anything. "I'd like for you to stay with me."
He narrowed his eyes, considering. "Please." Hopefully it didn't come out as a command.
"Oh. Well. Look, that's real nice, that really is. Like a lovely offer and all but like-- I'm busy, right now. Just really focusing on myself and I'm -- you know, wild oats to sew. Do you know that? The oat thing? They sew oats, apparently." Klaus explained as he moved around Barty on the bed and practically rolled off it, tumbling to the floor.
"I really do appreciate it, we should hang for sure but -- I mean, this weekend there's a rave at the old factory down at New Street and my mate has tickets to the music festival up in the East Midlands so like -- busy social calendar and all."
And he didn't know if he wanted to tie himself down like this. It was a lot of pressure. He didn't do well under pressure. To be here. To be loved. To commit it any way. He didn't want to stop what he was doing so he didn't really want to stay. And if he stayed, he'd have to stop.
That didn't feel good for a number of reason. Rejection always hurt. And he had made up his mind so he knew he'd not let Klaus walk out from him. No one would stay with him without use of his power. Perhaps he really was a monster. "Get on the bed and stay there."
It was an easy command to make. Maybe it should have come after more deliberation or hesitation, but there was no such thing. "Smile."
It wasn't a bad thing. Wanting to see the person he cared for smile.
Klaus dropped on the bed and flashed one of his big smiles, feeling that weird way come over him. He always liked when Barty played games, they made him tingle in a fun way. Sit down, stand up, be happy, don't cry, don't be scared, brush your teeth, don't cry, don't look at the doctors, look at me. He shuddered and then looked at Barty.
"I could smile forever at you, if you fancy. Doesn't make me happy. Does it annoy you?"
It must. He could make anything happen but he couldn't make it happen forever. He couldn't make it real. "Make me dance next!"
Klaus's smile hadn't changed. Did it really matter whether it was real? Barty wondered whether he could make himself think that it didn't matter. "I don't want you dancing right now."
Dancing without music was strange and he didn't feel like music at the moment. What he wanted was for Klaus to be happy to be with him. "Relax." That wasn't a bad command. Everyone could use a bit more relaxation. "I can keep you with me forever. I can keep you happy."
"That's not how it works, Bar-Bar. I am happy. It's just that what makes me happy is a beautiful mix of lysergic acid diethylamide, methylenedioxymethamphetamine and beautiful Amphetamine." He slumped back, relaxed on the bed, feeling his muscles slowly loosen. It was nice, like a massage in some ways. He closed his eyes and hmmed contently. "It's not so different from you, really. You take it and yeah, it wears off but it gives you the happies. And does it matter if it's not real happiness?"
Klaus snorted in amusement and tilted his head back, looking idly at the ceiling. "What even is real happiness?"
He personally felt it was being high off his head on the best designer drugs in town at the loudest party in the world. "You're a relaxant, baby. A sedative. Calming and nice. Tingly even. I'm looking for a stimulant. I'm looking to leave this world behind and never look back."
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Well. "At least not without a lot of grovelling and I'm not wearing the right outfit for that."
The evening was still young, the bar wasn't very busy just yet. But of course Klaus had hit him up for something the moment he'd entered. No surprise there.
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He pointed at Edward in warning but his mind wasn't fully there because he had drugs in his hands and something breathing down his neck. He didn't want to hear the dead, he wanted to block it all out.
So he wasted no time, he downed the entire bag with no subtly. Then he held out his trembling hand for the change.
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He rolled his eyes and gestured to a waiter. "Get him a drink. Fruity cocktail, I'm guessing. And some water, while you're at it."
Might as well hydrate the addict a little. He looked at Klaus, frowning. "Your make-up's smudged. When's the last time you were near a mirror?"
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Of course, he was also unable to see himself behind all the summer barbeques so what the hell did he know?
"Are you sure I've got no change? None? Bloody hell. What did Brexit do to this country? Fucking drugflation." How was he supposed to get high on a budget?
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Ed grinned, considering just how unlikely that was. "Tell you what, try going for a sugar daddy. How hard can that be?" He considered Klaus for a moment, then shrugged. "It ain't your looks keeping them away, Klaus, so try and charm someone worthwhile for a change."
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With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and wondered what it would be like to be into guys who were normal, be normal himself, have an adult relationship. Ha! As if. Still, one could daydream.
"No one is gonna date me unless they're a skinhead with a 'mom' tattoo who smacks me around." That was just what he was putting signals out for. "I like my method. I'm fine single and ready to mingle. I'm doing great!"
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Always an experience, Klaus performing. "At least fuck someone hot tonight, yea? For me."
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He tilted his head to the side as Edward started to blur and the high kicked in. Oh fuck. His eyes rolled back in pleasure and he giggled, flopping forward against the bar. "Oh, here it comes, Eddie. Here. It. Comes."
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Then he got a bottle of whiskey and headed for the backroom, because he assumed that whoever Jon was meeting today, they'd still want a drink eventually. He knocked the door and walked right in, stopping next to Jonathan's seat and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Evening, gentleman."
The man sitting with Jonathan looked up at him and nodded. Purple suit, well-dressed chap. Good-looking too. "Good evening."
Barty was careful with his words, especially around Jonathan. He didn't want to offend the closest thing he had to a friend by casually abusing his power.
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Though he did pause and then frown at him. "Wait, did you move all the gear?"
He turned back to Barty and then took a drag from his cigarette. "I'm testing out a new drug, I changed some of the formula to enhance the expression of the dopamine β-hydroxylase. The crystal heads fucking love it."
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"Drugs never really do much for me," Barty said, shrugging his shoulders before he reached for a drink. "Makes me uneasy, mostly." He liked being in control. Obviously. "That sounds interesting though. What are the effects of it?"
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"Some people, with the right combo, will lose any ability to want any other drug. Mine or nothing. Well, not nothing but not quite itching that spot." Jonathan looked at Edward and smiled slightly. "Won't work the same for you, love. It's crystal."
Then, to clarify, he turned back to Barty. "If a bloke has got ADHD, like my Ed here, it doesn't express the same way. His genes are doing all sorts of other bullshit. He's dopamine deficient. When he gets his hit, he just feels chill and maybe some addiction."
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Barty's lips quirked and he nodded in acknowledgement. "I understand. I'm sure you'll have a load of addicts craving your product specifically in no time." An excellent business strategy, couldn't deny that. "I see you've been doing well since I last saw you."
Gotten himself a boyfriend and a thriving business. Barty was not surprised, although he felt it was quite the commitment. Being tied to another person.
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Which was what he was doing now, with Klaus on the bed in the master bedroom, still asleep and looking... Wild, Barty supposed.
He had taken off some of his clothes, discovered some tattoos and a lot of scars and bruises. Addict, sleeping rough, signs of all that. He felt what he assumed was guilt and what he knew was responsibility and he knew he would have to deal with the issue differently this time around.
So he finally sat down on the bed next to Klaus, holding a bottle in his hand. "Wake up."
Simple command. "You need to drink something."
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He held the bottle back out and smiled dumbly as he looked at what was apparently Barty. But older. And with stubble. And freckles. And a nice suit. Hm.
"You're dead sexy. When did that happen?"
Yes, he had a crush and all. Limited options and childhood romance was a big factor there but he hadn't really thought of Barty as hot. Now he did. "Can I see your arms before I make a full judgement on your hotness?" He reached out to touch his arms, check his muscles.
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Barty thought back to when they'd last seen each other. Yes, he supposed he had changed a lot since then. They both had. He ran a hand through Klaus's hair. So much longer than he had ever seen it. "I love the curls."
They needed washing and tending to, but they were beautiful. Klaus was.
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He bleated at Barty and then pulled back away from his touch, moving around on the bed until he was sitting up better. He half hugged himself, back against the ball, as he looked at Barty.
"You saw me by accident. We don't have to be here, like this. You can whamo my brain and stick me back outside, I'm totally fine alone, you know?" At least, he felt he was. "I'm never bored and I'm never boring."
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Which had worked, evidently, given they were both still free. Barty reached out to rub the back of his neck, feeling a phantom pain there as he looked at Klaus. "I never wished to be apart from you."
He had just always been good at doing what was necessary.
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"I get it. It's fine, it really is. I do, I get it. I'm -- an asshole. It's difficult. With me. Honestly, I know. I'm spending every day alongside myself." He got why Barty left, he would have left too. He tried to. He left himself behind after every high and it really did make life easier.
"We don't have to have a touching reunion. As lovely as those are. We can just -- go back to things. I'm busy, you're busy. It's life!" And it was totally fine. Barty could leave again. He was more ready for it now.
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That was the straightforward and condensed conclusion he'd arrived on. He had a feeling it would not be enough to convince Klaus of anything. "I'd like for you to stay with me."
He narrowed his eyes, considering. "Please." Hopefully it didn't come out as a command.
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"I really do appreciate it, we should hang for sure but -- I mean, this weekend there's a rave at the old factory down at New Street and my mate has tickets to the music festival up in the East Midlands so like -- busy social calendar and all."
And he didn't know if he wanted to tie himself down like this. It was a lot of pressure. He didn't do well under pressure. To be here. To be loved. To commit it any way. He didn't want to stop what he was doing so he didn't really want to stay. And if he stayed, he'd have to stop.
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It was an easy command to make. Maybe it should have come after more deliberation or hesitation, but there was no such thing. "Smile."
It wasn't a bad thing. Wanting to see the person he cared for smile.
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"I could smile forever at you, if you fancy. Doesn't make me happy. Does it annoy you?"
It must. He could make anything happen but he couldn't make it happen forever. He couldn't make it real. "Make me dance next!"
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Dancing without music was strange and he didn't feel like music at the moment. What he wanted was for Klaus to be happy to be with him. "Relax." That wasn't a bad command. Everyone could use a bit more relaxation. "I can keep you with me forever. I can keep you happy."
Real or not. What did it matter?
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Klaus snorted in amusement and tilted his head back, looking idly at the ceiling. "What even is real happiness?"
He personally felt it was being high off his head on the best designer drugs in town at the loudest party in the world. "You're a relaxant, baby. A sedative. Calming and nice. Tingly even. I'm looking for a stimulant. I'm looking to leave this world behind and never look back."
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