Mike couldn't see Liam's face as he started buckling the series of straps at the back, but anything even resembling warmth faded from his face. It wasn't the hard, cold look that so often came with his irritation. This was flat, devoid most things that made people human. A glimpse at his actual core. It went well beyond mere unfeeling.
There would always be more. Especially with Mike. There was never an end to be found. Never a point at which Mike behaved well enough to be exempt from punishment. There would always be new rules, new obstacles, new pits for Mike to fall into. It was never about the lessons or Mike learning to behave. It was about the control. And he would always find new ways to show that he was always the one in control.
"Oh, don't talk like that, Mike." His voice belied some of what had shown on his face. His tone sounded almost mechanical. "There will always be something new to learn about yourself." Some of that subtle mocking at least started to come back into his voice as he cinched the second highest buckle closed. The top most was around the collar, which would wait until the very end. "Unless you're thinking of giving up your habits, or getting them from someone else. You're not thinking of leaving me, are you, Mikey?"
He sounded genuinely sad, like someone who was worried about losing someone they cared about but understood why. But really, it was a test. Lose-lose for Mike, however. Confirm he'd come back, and it gave Liam open license to do as he wished. Say he'd leave, and Liam would prove why no one got away from him. Either way, this would be a lot of fun. As he said it, he started threading one of Mike's arms through the strap on the front of the jacket.
no subject
There would always be more. Especially with Mike. There was never an end to be found. Never a point at which Mike behaved well enough to be exempt from punishment. There would always be new rules, new obstacles, new pits for Mike to fall into. It was never about the lessons or Mike learning to behave. It was about the control. And he would always find new ways to show that he was always the one in control.
"Oh, don't talk like that, Mike." His voice belied some of what had shown on his face. His tone sounded almost mechanical. "There will always be something new to learn about yourself." Some of that subtle mocking at least started to come back into his voice as he cinched the second highest buckle closed. The top most was around the collar, which would wait until the very end. "Unless you're thinking of giving up your habits, or getting them from someone else. You're not thinking of leaving me, are you, Mikey?"
He sounded genuinely sad, like someone who was worried about losing someone they cared about but understood why. But really, it was a test. Lose-lose for Mike, however. Confirm he'd come back, and it gave Liam open license to do as he wished. Say he'd leave, and Liam would prove why no one got away from him. Either way, this would be a lot of fun. As he said it, he started threading one of Mike's arms through the strap on the front of the jacket.