extent | duplicitynet

[ he can, but nick doesn't think that ragnor would be very receptive to him saying that right now. instead he just huffs out a quiet breath, turns his head a little to brush a kiss over ragnor's chest. ]

Thanks for, like, coming to get me.

I'll always come to get you, I just need to be told to.

[ it's a gentle scolding. ragnor doesn't want to fight right now, but he does wish nick would tell him things. ]

[ he's probably earned worse than that, honestly. nick is quiet for a moment as he tips his head up, pulls back enough that he can actually look at ragnor. ]

You know if he finds out I talked to you at all, you're in the firing line too.

You know, Nick. I am very measured and dislike physical fights, but I am one of the most powerful warlocks alive.

[ and magnus might as well be the most powerful one. ragnor's come face to face with higher demons, there's very little he's intimidated by. ]

I am not afraid of some wanker who needs to rely on secrecy to make himself feel strong. If this man were as powerful as he claims to be, he would not need to hide.

I know. But I've met you both, and I'm still worried.

[ nick has never really been able to pinpoint what it is about william's magical essence that makes him so uneasy, he just knows that it's getting stronger, that it's old. ]

I won't seek out a fight.

[ he never does, but he will not shy away from one either. ]

And if a fight comes to me, I'll have Magnus with me.

[ that should be reassuring, he's never met a threat that could take both him and magnus out. ]

If he corners you without Magnus? If he stops you before you can use magic?

[ nick's already played the scenarios out, imagined over and over exactly how william could take out eve the immensely powerful people in his closest circles. maybe he's just becoming the bogeyman in nick's head, but he really doesn't see how any of them survive. as if the threat of the contract wasn't enough, now nick worries that just talking will be enough to ruin everyone's lives. ]

Just...pretend he doesn't exist. Please. Just for another month, that's all.

Will you pretend he doesn't exist for a month?

[ because he doesn't see this not coming to a head a lot sooner than anyone wants it too if william goes anywhere near nick again. ]

[ he doesn't want to lie, is the thing. nick doesn't want to lie any more, but he knows ragnor, and he knows oli, and he knows that they'll never willingly let him be just collateral damage. but he doesn't want to lie. ]

Do you want me to tell you I will?

I know you won't stop. And you your friends and I won't tolerate him hurting you again.

[ he sighs, resigned. he has the worst case scenario mapped out in his head already. nick goes to william, oliver finds out, attacks him but doesn't kill him. oliver is punished by both william and the city, and he's forced to renew for three more months.

they could avoid that by killing william right after orientation. if they can push things that far then it'll be fine. ]

... can you promise to wait two weeks?

He doesn't want to hurt me, he just wants to fuck.

[ now that is an outright lie, but nick doesn't even hesitate. two weeks is just too long, not with the kinds of promises he's already made. ]

It's not going to be forever. I don't care what happens to him after Oli's out.

Stop lying to me. I've never met the man and I know he wants to hurt you, I know he wants to hurt Oliver.

[ there's frustration in his voice now. ]

If you go back to him, someone will find out, and someone will explode. And if whoever explodes is a submissive, they will get hurt, if not by him, by the city. This need of yours to martyr yourself will be worse for your loved one than just sitting still for two weeks.

So don't explode.

[ the thing is, he knows that ragnor is being more than reasonable. he knows that what he's asking is insane, but nick still scowls and sits up, twisting with his back to ragnor. ]

If you're just going to decide what's right without me I'm not talking about this any more.

This is not about me, Nick. As much I would love to be killing that man right now, I know what a bad idea it is to do anything until it's safe for Oliver to act.

[ god, he's so frustrated. ]

Aren't you trying to decide what's right without anyone's input? Haven't you been doing that for weeks?

And it worked. Until someone decided to tell Oliver, it was working perfectly.

Are you suggesting that if I end up falling in an abusers' lap, I shouldn't tell anyone as long as no one else is getting hurt?

God, I'm not doing this.

[ it'd be a great argument, if not for the way that nick fundamentally doesn't view the situations the same. ]

I made a choice, okay? Me, not you, not anyone else.

It wasn't your choice to make. Oliver had the right to know.

And you broke a promise to me.

[ which matters less, but hurts more. ]

[ ...that's a better argument. enough that he stops short of getting up, stuck in place for a moment without doing anything. ]

I was going to tell you.

When?

[ ragnor doesn't believe that. he believes nock would have brought it up, maybe, months later, once it was over. ]

When the contract expired.

[ so yes, after it was over. ]

It wasn't...just you. No one knew, I didn't tell anyone.

You didn't have a promise with anyone else.

[ ragnor's not getting up, but he does start on breakfast because he needs something else to focus on and magic fits the bill. ]

My safety isn't worth more than my trust.

It's worth everything.

[ it's easier to talk to his hands than direct the words anywhere else, clasping them together in front of him and paying close attention to the point where his thumb digs into the back of his hand. ]

If someone told you, in no uncertain terms, that to tell me something would put me in danger, would you tell me anyway?

If I knew you'd want to know, yes. Without hesitation.

[ he's not lying. at least, he's pretty sure he isn't.

the secrets he keeps, that he's kept over the years, are for himself. he's never thought he's protecting others. ]

I would lie to you to protect myself, not to protect you.

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