Time enough for love (lumity AU)

A tortured past

My attacker, who I had mentally named Stan for fun, smacked the side of my head once more with his fist. Stan looked over to his friends and nodded and they brought a tank of water.

"Oh no!" I said in fake fear. "Don't bathe me please i beg."

Stan grabbed me by the back of my head and forced it into the water. I held my breath to the best of my ability but after about a minute and a half I began to thrash in the water. Not because I actually needed air yet. Thanks again to Belos' training I could easily hold my breath for another 2 minutes but I knew that wasn't natural for people so if I acted like I needed air now he would likely bring me up for air as to not kill me on accident.

My assumption was, of course, correct and Stan lifted my head out of the water. I took a large breath before Stan forced my head back into the cold water. I once again faked needing air and he brought me up. This continued for a couple more times before Stan stood infornt of me with a cruel smile. "Had enough?" He asked.

I smiled cockily. "Actually im still a little thirsty could I have some more." His smile faded, to be replaced with an angered expression.

"Alright you little f*ck" he bellowed. "You want some real pain." But before Stan was able to make good on his promise gun fire erupted in the building where I was being held. Stan looked around in surprise as the door to the room was kicked down and his body was torn apart by gunfire. I looked over to see my fellow soldiers rushing the room with their guns raised.

I recognised a handful of the soldiers but the one who caught my eye was of course Max. He looked over at me and his eyes widened and he ran over and began untying my hands. "Omg Nick are you okay? I'm sorry we took so long." He said as he hurriedly freed me from my mistakes.

I stood up and rubbed my wrists where they had been tied. "Eh it's okay I was about to make my escape anyway." I said cockily as I smirked at my secret lover.

He rolled his eyes. "Right and i met the president for coffee and world peace was achieved while you were gone." He joked.

"Well good to hear so much got done while I was making friends." I said back.

"Enough bantering you two." Our Sargent said though I detected the ghost of a smile on his face. "Let's get pretty boy back home."

Return to present
That had been the first time I had been tortured out on earth. It hadn't been to hard to deal with but it always stuck out to me as the first time I put all that torture training to the test.

The other torture session that always stuck out in my head had remained there for a much different reason. It being the strange questions asked of him and the strange getup he had.

Flashback
I regained consciousness once again, feeling the ache in my arms caused by them being hung above my head by chain. My legs still dangling a few inches above the floor and I looked to see my capture sitting calmly on a chair, reading a book. A boon about the many tricks of David Copperfield.

"Interesting thing magic" He said without looking up. "No matter how impressive the trick without and audience and a proper presence as a magician the tricks feel weightless and unimpressive." He closed his book and smiled. "Interesting is it not?"

He stood up and grabbed his unusual weapon. What seemed to be a large version of a magicians wand. It was the length of an arm.  He looked to be around 24 years old with short, spiky and orange hair, though hidden mostly under a magicians top hat. He also wore a magicians suit, why my torturer was a magician I had yet to understand. He strutted over to me. "What do you think?" He asks.

"I think the presentation of anything adds immensely to its success." I respond.

He nods. "Interesting perspective. Now shall we get back to the matter at hand?"