Something Must Break
Rating: PG for language
Pairings/Characters: Sollux, Karkat
Summary: Sollux is a straight-laced cop and Karkat is the idealistic criminal who won't stop getting under his skin.
A/N: This AU is threatening to turn into a multi-chapter tragicomic epic, but for now the introduction stands alone.
The lamp casts a garish light over the small room, making shadows pool under the prisoner's gaunt features. He has a mess of shaggy black hair and deep-set eyes that haven't left Sollux since he first opened the door. The faint bruise along his temple and at least a day's worth of stubble don't do anything to dull the fury in those eyes, and it takes all of Sollux's training not to look away.
"If you continue to abuse me like this, I'll have to call in Lieutenant Zahhak. I gather you didn't get along very well when you spoke earlier."
The prisoner laughs like an animal baring its fangs. "Yeah, the fucker insulted my taste in fine china. I almost sent him a firmly worded calling card." He's been tapping his fingers against the metal table, and Sollux begins to notice the clank of his cuffs whenever he gets particularly agitated.
"Generally, when someone in your position threatens an officer with sexual assault, knees him in the stomach, and attempts to bite his jugular, he can expect a lot worse than more questioning." Sollux leans forward and lets the frustration of another sleepless night bite into his words. "Tell me who's been running these operations, and we could drop everything except the assault charges. But if you behave in a threatening or violent manner to me or any member of my team again, I will personally make sure you suffer for it."
The game is a joke--of course Vantas is the leader, everything about the recent string of incidents points to him. It's just a matter of getting him to confess. After six exhausting weeks of raids that led to nothing but smoking ashtrays, Sollux wants Vantas docile and kneeling at his feet with a ferocity he isn't sure what to do with.
"Oh, now you stick up for your little buddies. I thought you wanted me to go apeshit on them so you could pin me with a really juicy charge. Assault and battery just sounds so much better without the attempted in front of it, don't you think, Officer Captor?"
Anger boils in Sollux's chest, filling him with the overwhelming desire to smash that impudent face into the table until it bleeds. "I wouldn't worry yourself, Mr. Vantas. Once my colleagues speak to your associates, we'll have more than enough evidence to put you behind bars. Imagine that, ridding society of your putrid presence and making my lifelong dream come true, all in one go."
But Vantas doesn't take the bait. "You're lying, you ass-munching piece of shit. They have the best protection money can buy." There's a high, frantic pitch to his voice, and his hands clench and unclench against the table. The shock of uncovering Vantas' weak spot makes Sollux smile, satisfaction burning hot through him.
"Ask whatever poor soul escorts you back. I'm sure they'll take you past Mr. Nitram's cell if you ask nicely."
Vantas sinks back against the chair. It's not that the fight goes out of him--his hands are still shaking, and he stares at the wall like he's trying to set it on fire--but the full force of it is no longer trained at Sollux. In the reprieve, Sollux notices random details like the scars around Vantas' throat and the raw, bitten edges of his nails. He realizes the depth of his sleep deprivation when he sees a wet shine in those strange molten eyes, right before Vantas launches himself across the table with an animalistic growl.
"How dare you?" he snarls as the guards burst through the door. Held between two strong sets of hands, Vantas still doesn't take his eyes off Sollux. "Tavros is just a kid, you think he'd hurt anybody if he had the choice? He's just a kid who wants a better life for the people he loves. Are you really gonna lock him away for that?"
Sollux rubs the pounding pressure between his eyes. "If you really wanted the best for him, you wouldn't have recruited him. Gambling with the moral purity of innocent kids doesn't make you a savior."
"And putting good kids in jail doesn't make you a good person." Vantas leaves the room without protest, and the haunted look in his eyes fails to fade with the sound of his footsteps down the hall.
Pairings/Characters: Sollux, Karkat
Summary: Sollux is a straight-laced cop and Karkat is the idealistic criminal who won't stop getting under his skin.
A/N: This AU is threatening to turn into a multi-chapter tragicomic epic, but for now the introduction stands alone.
The lamp casts a garish light over the small room, making shadows pool under the prisoner's gaunt features. He has a mess of shaggy black hair and deep-set eyes that haven't left Sollux since he first opened the door. The faint bruise along his temple and at least a day's worth of stubble don't do anything to dull the fury in those eyes, and it takes all of Sollux's training not to look away.
"If you continue to abuse me like this, I'll have to call in Lieutenant Zahhak. I gather you didn't get along very well when you spoke earlier."
The prisoner laughs like an animal baring its fangs. "Yeah, the fucker insulted my taste in fine china. I almost sent him a firmly worded calling card." He's been tapping his fingers against the metal table, and Sollux begins to notice the clank of his cuffs whenever he gets particularly agitated.
"Generally, when someone in your position threatens an officer with sexual assault, knees him in the stomach, and attempts to bite his jugular, he can expect a lot worse than more questioning." Sollux leans forward and lets the frustration of another sleepless night bite into his words. "Tell me who's been running these operations, and we could drop everything except the assault charges. But if you behave in a threatening or violent manner to me or any member of my team again, I will personally make sure you suffer for it."
The game is a joke--of course Vantas is the leader, everything about the recent string of incidents points to him. It's just a matter of getting him to confess. After six exhausting weeks of raids that led to nothing but smoking ashtrays, Sollux wants Vantas docile and kneeling at his feet with a ferocity he isn't sure what to do with.
"Oh, now you stick up for your little buddies. I thought you wanted me to go apeshit on them so you could pin me with a really juicy charge. Assault and battery just sounds so much better without the attempted in front of it, don't you think, Officer Captor?"
Anger boils in Sollux's chest, filling him with the overwhelming desire to smash that impudent face into the table until it bleeds. "I wouldn't worry yourself, Mr. Vantas. Once my colleagues speak to your associates, we'll have more than enough evidence to put you behind bars. Imagine that, ridding society of your putrid presence and making my lifelong dream come true, all in one go."
But Vantas doesn't take the bait. "You're lying, you ass-munching piece of shit. They have the best protection money can buy." There's a high, frantic pitch to his voice, and his hands clench and unclench against the table. The shock of uncovering Vantas' weak spot makes Sollux smile, satisfaction burning hot through him.
"Ask whatever poor soul escorts you back. I'm sure they'll take you past Mr. Nitram's cell if you ask nicely."
Vantas sinks back against the chair. It's not that the fight goes out of him--his hands are still shaking, and he stares at the wall like he's trying to set it on fire--but the full force of it is no longer trained at Sollux. In the reprieve, Sollux notices random details like the scars around Vantas' throat and the raw, bitten edges of his nails. He realizes the depth of his sleep deprivation when he sees a wet shine in those strange molten eyes, right before Vantas launches himself across the table with an animalistic growl.
"How dare you?" he snarls as the guards burst through the door. Held between two strong sets of hands, Vantas still doesn't take his eyes off Sollux. "Tavros is just a kid, you think he'd hurt anybody if he had the choice? He's just a kid who wants a better life for the people he loves. Are you really gonna lock him away for that?"
Sollux rubs the pounding pressure between his eyes. "If you really wanted the best for him, you wouldn't have recruited him. Gambling with the moral purity of innocent kids doesn't make you a savior."
"And putting good kids in jail doesn't make you a good person." Vantas leaves the room without protest, and the haunted look in his eyes fails to fade with the sound of his footsteps down the hall.