Page 40 of Devil May Lie

“Get in.” The water would shut off on its own once the tub was filled, and there wasn’t a good enough reason for the two of them to stand around waiting for it, so Madden urged him towards it.

“What are you doing?” Berga questioned but did as he was told, stepping over the lip before settling into the water. He wrapped his arms around his knees, folding himself up as he continued to stare at Madden.

Sitting down on the closed toilet seat, Madden held up the magazine. “You said you were tired. Lay back and relax, Butcher. I’ll read you a bathtime story.”

“That is not a thing,” Berga said. “And I am not a child.”

“I’m sitting here with no clothes on,” Madden reminded. “I wouldn’t do that if I thought of you as a kid.

Berga’s gaze dropped to the spot between Madden’s legs, and he did nothing to cover up or conceal himself under that scrutiny. Why should he? Madden was hung and he knew it. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.

“You’re hard,” the Butcher stated.

“Yeah,” he agreed, “because I’m not the only one who’s naked.”

“So then—”

“I’m not fucking you,” he stopped him. “You might break on me.”

“I don’t mind that.”

“Well,” Madden couldn’t believe he was saying this but, “I do.” He snapped the magazine open with a dramatic flourish. “Settle back now and get comfortable. Have you ever read the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde?”

Berga’s brow furrowed, and he stubbornly remained seated in the center of the tub. “No, and I’m positive that’s not written in my magazine about the life cycles of the parasitic witwood worm.”

“Is that what that picture of a string coming out of a man’s eye is?” Madden flipped to the page, took a close look, and then nodded. “Makes sense.” But wasn’t currently important. “It’s fine, I know the story by heart. The magazine is just a prop.”

It hadn’t been. Initially, he’d figured he’d read some of this boring material out loud and perhaps Berga could doze off for a bit. But seeing the Butcher act so out of what he’d assumed was his set character had reminded Madden of the story he’d recently been told.

“It’s from a planet in another galaxy far away,” Madden began. “I heard it from one of Rin’s friends. Or, maybe it was Yuze.” He couldn’t recall. “Doesn’t matter. Someone I know has a cousin whose planet is planning a visit from this other one so they’ve been swapping stories—”

“Please,” Berga drawled, “tell me there’s a point?” He shifted, draping his arms over the edge of the tub.

Which meant he was starting to relax, at least.

Good.

Madden smiled. “Of course. The story is about a man named Jekyll who’s repressed in his daily life. To deal with this, he concocts a serum that transforms him into virtually a different person, one who doesn’t take society rules into consideration and acts purely on his own personal whims.”

It wasn’t a very long story, but it’d resonated with Madden when he’d heard it, and as he retold it now, he could see by the glint in Berga’s eyes that it was having a similar effect on the Butcher.

Or, maybe, Berga actually just liked stories.

He’d have to try telling him another later on to find out.

Madden was careful to keep his voice low as he spoke, so that the two of them had to lean closer to one another for the words to carry properly. At some point, the tub had filled and shut off, steam creating a foggy atmosphere around them. The whole thing was weirdly intimate—and not because they were both naked.

The last time he’d had a quiet moment like this with another person eluded him. The Docks were boisterous and loud, even when there wasn’t an official race going on. The Academy was no different. The events he was forced to attend with his parents were all glitz and glamour and rubbing elbows with people he couldn't give a damn less about. Talking took up most of those evenings, but nothing important was ever said. Connections were made, but they were all professional and political in nature. Nothing like this.

Madden felt himself swept away by the interest in Berga’s eyes. By the way the other man held himself as he listened to the story. The way he laughed at the funny parts and snorted at the not-so-funny ones.

“I can see why you like it,” Berga said as soon as it had concluded.

“Because there’s death at the end?” Madden joked, only for the Butcher to shake his head.

“No, because you can relate to the characters.”

“How so? I was thinking of you when I thought of telling it.”

---