[attr="class","beck"]his fists are drenched in blood, whose exactly, it's impossible to tell, but it doesn't stop his assault. nothing drives each punch except necessity, because to him, this is needed.

"fight back."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

"I am!"" Gavin spits.

Even bloodied and beaten as he was, the words burn with more fire than he's shown in years. Infuriated by the insinuation that he isn't fighting hard enough, he aims for another sharp jab to the ribs.

[attr="class","beck"]"pathetic."

theo takes the jab to the ribs, flinches slightly, but shoots a hand to wrap around merlino's wrist, controlling it.

"weak."

more control comes easy — all he has to do is shift his weight, increase pressure, and throw another punch.

"you're not weak, are you, merlino?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

'Pathetic.'

The first insult sees him bare his teeth, snarl, struggling to break Theo's hold on his wrist despite his fading strength.

'Weak.'

The second sees him dazed, unable to dodge the blow with Beckett holding him down. It cuts his already bloodied lip, mouth filled with the taste of iron and bile. He has never wanted to kill someone more.

'You're not weak, are you?'

Shock sees him stop fighting for a moment as the words sink in their teeth, cold and cruel. Theo, it seems, has been paying attention.

Fury and spite see him lurch up to headbutt Beckett as hard as he can. He spits, blood and saliva and pure venom.

"Fuck you."

[attr="class","beck"]where theo expects submission, he's instead met with resistance, the fight within merlino lingering despite all odds. it's why he doesn't expect the headbutt, why it's enough to knock him off, and why he reaches into his blazer.

a flash of white bursts in the room, blinding, and the immediate presence of a nidoking shakes the entire floor. it reaches for merlino, wraps its thick arms around him, and pulls him into a tight hold.

one of the grunts takes a step forward, reaches for theo to help him up, but snaps back when they realize better.

theo slowly rises to his feet, spits blood, and exhales.

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Pain explodes in an already broken nose, blood smeared across his cheeks, but Gavin is smiling when he pulls away from the vicious headbutt. Tongue wraps around his teeth to taste iron and sweat, victory.

He's knocked Theo off him. He's going to kill him.

He scrambles to his feet with a trained steadiness in spite of his wounds, his exhaustion. He's got the knife in his palm, blade extended, before powerful arms wrap around him and hold him fast. His eyes burn.

"Coward," he growls, jabbing Nidoking with his elbow. "Fucking — pathetic."

His chest heaves with every labored breath, blood dripping down his chin.

[attr="class","beck"]there's somberness in the way he looks at merlino. he sees anger, rage, a desire to kill that stems from anything other than pure necessity. a part of him wishes he could feel what merlino does. just a shred of it.

he blinks, feels blood flowing down his forehead into his eye, raises a hand to wipe fruitlessly.

eventually, he approaches.

"why are you so angry?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Theo steps forward; even if there hadn't been a Nidoking behind him, Gavin wouldn't have shied away.

He growls, all violent and animalistic rage.

"Why the fuck do you think?"

He's hurting himself with the physical effort to break free of the Pokémon's hold, pulling muscle and twisting flesh. He doesn't care. There is too much adrenaline to acknowledge the pain he's in, the danger.

[attr="class","beck"]"i don't know."

he clicks twice, making nidoking tighten its hold. another step draws him closer. he's within striking range but it's not like merlino can use his arms for much besides squirming.

"you don't hate me. who do you hate?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

He can't use his arms, but he certainly tries. Squirms.

He aims a spiteful kick to Theo's shin, then spits in his face. Had he really told Theo, minutes before, that there was no hatred? What, then, is he feeling?

Rage. Blinding.

Fuck obedience. Fuck if it kills him — let it, it'll be worth it—

"Everyone. Let me go."

There's command in his tone, a hint to the ambitions he'd buried.

[attr="class","beck"]pain surges from his shin but it's nulled by adrenaline. the spit hits his face, saliva splattering, but it does little to deter him. he reaches, grabs merlino by his jaws, and squeezes.

"if i let you go, you'd die."

for once, there's something else to his voice, something behind his words that screams something akin to pity.

"i don't want you to die. do you understand, merlino?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Theo reaches for his jaw, and Gavin fights that, too. Turns his head, snaps his teeth. It doesn't matter, for Theo's grip finds his chin in the end.

Gavin stares daggers through him.

"I don't care." In that moment, he means it. Smiles, wicked. "I'd kill you first."

The blade is still tucked against his palm.

He doesn't understand, because this is a dam that THEO BECKETT should not have broken. The wild is in his eyes, clawing up through his chest, trembling in the adrenaline that quivers in his restrained limbs.

[attr="class","beck"]a merciful hand reaches for a pokeball, cracks it open. a malamar appears slithering, looming, but it knows to wait for orders.

"i hope you understand someday."

but for now, he whistles, and the malamar starts its HYPNOSIS.

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn