We're facing the ceiling

[thecomplications]

Who: Valentine Wolfe and Stefano
Universe: who even knows
What: villains being villains together
Warning: violence, reference to murder, possible gore

Valentine considered himself a connoisseur of the finer things in life, and there were plenty of finer things to be appreciated. He couldn’t be much bothered by what other people did to themselves or others, unless it was interesting. Although he’d heard of certain rumors lately that seemed to be worth looking into.

He knocked at the door and when it answered, he held the newspaper ad calling for models in front of him.

“I’d like to submit an application,” Valentine said. He had pale skin, black hair, and bright red lips, and went more for a specific look. He didn’t look much like he’d make for a typical model.

Comments

[thecomplications]

Valentine, on the other hand, was content to discuss this like a distanced, academic topic, as if Stefano hadn't tried to kill him for the sake of the art they were discussing, as if many others hadn't been killed.

"Because the shock is most of what you're doing. Take that away, and what do you have, truly?"

[freezeframes]

"It's not about the shock!"

With one hand, he strangles the air while he continues to tighten his grip on the dagger with the other. "There is beauty in death, and there is beauty in the destruction of the body. They all shy away from it like--"

The dagger is thrown but at the ground, like a line in the sand between them. "They can never understand the meaning behind it all. Every last one of them afraid and disgusted rather than looking at the broken bones and shattered skull... looking at them and seeing just how gorgeous the body looks at that moment when death embraces it."

[thecomplications]

"And is that the most beautiful thing, in your mind? The freshly dead?"

Valentine considered that, dismissed it. "There's potential in the living that can't be matched once they're dead."