Mercy [boyxboy]

Chapter Six

It's unsettling, taking in Annie's sudden change in physique. Even as a man—as Antonio—he's still shorter than him, though much broader. He fills out the tank top he's wearing perfectly, torso toned while still remaining lean. His face has become wider, more masculine, but still he resembles Annie, still has the same cold eyes and tumbling brown hair pulled back into an intricate ponytail. It unnerves him. "You're a man," he states, words even, if a bit thrown.

"Biologically, perhaps," Annie—Antonio?—affirms, ridiculously amused. "Though I admit, it's no hardship living life as a woman. You can get away with so much more. Womanly wiles are incredibly useful, after all." His eyes take in Mercy appreciatively, their bodies still pinned closely together. He leans down, lips a hairsbreadth away from Mercy's ear. "But, really," he husks, scraping his teeth along the outer shell of Mercy's ear, "being a man is just as much fun. I could hardly give up either."

Mercy grimaces in disgust, pressing his body as far back into the wall as he can. "Sorry, but you'll never be my type," he grounds out, hands clenching into fists at his side.

Antonio snorts at that. "No?" He pulls back, a cruel edge to his smile, eyes alight with devilry. "And what is your type? Tall, dark, and handsome from earlier? My, my, Mercy. Who would have thought you like your men with a dash of honor and a whole lot of repressed anger?" He laughs. "What sort of relationship could you ever hope to have with a Holloway?"

"Shut up," Mercy seethes, fright buried beneath the rapidly rising anger within him.

Antonio smirks. "There's that little spitfire I do so love to antagonize. Ready to come out and play? Your passivity is quite boring, I'll have you know." His hands snatches forward then, threading into Mercy's hair, grip twisted tight, tugging harshly at his scalp.

Mercy glares through a wince. "Let me go," he orders.

That seems to amuse Antonio more than anything. "Or what?" He chuckles. "You're so defensive tonight, Mercy. It's cute."

"I tire of your games and cryptic riddles," Mercy snaps, giving Antonio a harsh push away from himself. The other man stumbles back a few paces, chuckling with beguilement as he straightens out his stature and hooks a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Mercy's confidence intensifies the second he's no longer pinned to the wall and he continues boldly, "I've told you there's nothing I can do to help you, yet you refuse to listen. You're playing a dangerous game with players you've yet to fully understand."

Antonio regards him coolly, odd spark in his eye. "Perhaps," he hums. "But my dear Mercy, you're the one foolishly playing the game without first seeing the board in its entirety. A mistake that, I'm afraid, is going to come at a terrible cost."

Mercy's gaze sharpens, but he says nothing, merely turns by his heel and starts to stride off. Antonio's quicker, however, reaching out to snag him by his burned forearm. Mercy winces through the sudden, explosively bright pain and turns to settle a furious gaze on Antonio. "Unhand me," he demands. "This conversation has ended."

"This conversation doesn't end until I say it does," Antonio says, curling his fingers into the gauze of Mercy's bandage, nails sharp. "And since you've been such a disobedient little boy, I wager it's about time I punish you properly, wouldn't you agree?"

"I will defend myself," Mercy warns hotly, what remains of his composure falling apart at the seams.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Antonio sneers, bones already starting to crack and rearrange themselves, creating a particularly monstrous visage. His shoulders buckle before expanding outwards with rapid force, hips widening, and legs shooting up. His face morphs familiarly, twisting into a heartbreakingly cruel imitation. Here, standing before him, is no longer Annie or Antonio, it's a depraved version of David, distorted with callous eyes and a malicious smile. Antonio laughs with David's face, the sound sickening in its familiarity. "You said I'd never be your type," he says with David's voice, husky and sinful. "I'm afraid you spoke too soon."