Lucius blinked, having expected a little more of an explanation from the man in front of him, but as no further words were spoken he had to assume Anthony wanted a reaction.
"You're... Immortal?" was all he could manage however. What was he supposed to think? His knee jerk reaction was to call him a liar again of course, but was Anthony stupid enough to make up such a stupid lie?
"It's more complicated than that, of course," Anthony continued, gaze falling to his desk. "But I suppose you had to know. You saw me get fatally shot twice and drown. Of course that would kill someone."
"How..." Lucius tried using his hands to help emphasise what he was saying, but then he wasn't sure what he was actually trying to say. "I'm just—I don't know how I'm supposed to believe something like that? If anything I'm inclined to think you're making fun of me."
Anthony hesitated, drumming his hand against the desk in thought, but then made a decision and stood up from his chair in order to remove his waistcoat.
Lucius' ears reddened and he quickly averted his gaze. It was not the direction he would have expected things to take.
"Here," Anthony then said, forcing Lucius to look back at him as he lifted his shirt over his stomach and chest. "I was shot, right?"
Lucius fought away flustered thoughts and scanned the torso in front of him.
Nothing.
There was no sign of even the slightest wound. Not even a scar in sight. Anthony's body was completely unharmed.
"That..."
"Shouldn't be possible." Anthony shook his head as he let his shirt go. "But my body always heals completely, without fail."
"But—But why? How?" Lucius threw his hands out, eyes still fixed where the lack of bullet wounds had been. "How—How can you not be hurt? How can you not die?"
Anthony pursed his lips, eyes wandering towards his hand.
"I can't tell you." His voice was a mere whisper. "Too dangerous."
Lucius knitted his eyebrows.
"What, for me or for you? Because apparently you can't die."
"There are other things than death I'd prefer not to go through." Anthony met Lucius' gaze again. "And yes, even you could end up in danger."
Lucius shook his head, eyes wide by all the thoughts running about in his head.
"You can't expect me to be content with that answer."
"But I'm asking you to be." Anthony's expression was grave. "And I hope you realise no one can know about this."
Lucius tried to form a sentence for a long time, finally inhaling a deep, trembling breath in order to continue.
"Is—Is that why you didn't tell me you were alive immediately, then? Because you thought I'd tell everyone?"
Anthony sighed at his expression.
"Everyone had to think I was recovering for real, regardless, and I don't think it's odd of me to be cautious when it comes to sensitive matters like these."
"But it's me we're talking about!" Lucius gestured at himself. "Of all people, don't you think I know what it's like to keep secrets?"
A moment of silence ensued, to Lucius' confusion.
"I do," Anthony said, narrowing his eyes at him. "That was part of my reasoning as well."
Lucius blinked.
"... What?"
"Tell me, Lucius, who was it that killed me?"
Another blink, and Lucius wondered if Anthony was messing with him.
"Vaughan."
"Indeed," Anthony agreed. "And who was he?"
"He... He was part of my gang when I led them."
"Yes, but then... Why would a man I'd barely interacted with before decide to shoot me?"
Lucius shrugged.
"I don't—I mean, he was planning on shooting me."
"But he didn't."
"No, but I don't—I... Why are you asking me this?"
"Alright, let's take this from my perspective." Anthony held up a hand. "A man I don't know decides to shoot me dead, because he somehow found me a better target than his former leader who he'd initially been planning to kill."
"I... Guess?"
"A criminal leader who I had grown rather close to in the short amount of time we'd known each other." Anthony's eyes were showing a glimpse of pain. "A leader who used his family name to catch my attention and then proceeded, in a comically casual way, to snoop around my house and organisation in hopes of finding who knows what."
It finally dawned on Lucius, and his mouth opened wide.
"You're not saying—"
"All of a sudden, said criminal is cast out of his gang for untraceable, bank-related reasons and for associating with me, and I let him stay with me. Then, as soon as I let my guard down and offer him a chance at climbing the ranks, giving him my ring, the man who was supposedly there to kill you—"
"Not 'supposedly'!"
"—kills me instead," Anthony continued, voice completely flat throughout. "And what happened soon after, while I was supposed to be recovering?"
"I had nothing to do with what Vaughan—"
"That same leader claimed my position, successfully using my influence and 'untimely' disappearance to take over entirely."
Lucius stared, opening and closing his mouth in failed attempts to say something at first.
"A—Anthony, I promise, I had nothing to do with your death."
Anthony cocked an eyebrow and Lucius squeezed his eyes together, trying to formulate words better.
"I—I mean, yes. Vaughan wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for his desire to kill me, but—But I promise I was never involved with his decision!"
"Well, unfortunately I was never able to confront him about it, since he was dead." Anthony tilted his head. "Apparently executed in place of you."
To his frustration, tears were welling up in Lucius' eyes, and he wasn't sure whether it was anger or sadness.
"I would never do something like that," he whispered, mouth trembling as he tried to breathe. "I can't believe you think I would."
Anthony kept staring him down for an excruciating moment, but then suddenly released his gaze and exhaled.
"I don't," he then said, and Lucius fought the urge to slap him.
"Wha—Then what the Waste was all that about?"
"It was still something I had to consider, seeing how suspicious it was. We—I mean, I... Figured I should at least look into it. But I spoke to some of the Reapers and they had about the same story as you did, and while I don't necessarily trust criminals to tell the truth, I still believe that their words along with your reaction to all of this should be... Enough for me to believe you."
In all honesty, Lucius supposed there had been some truth in him initially approaching Anthony for his status, but that was about it. He may have spent a lot of time conditioning a dog to kill its owner back in the day but such a long run scheme as Anthony was describing was a little too advanced even for him.
"I guess I hear it, when you're putting it like that," he muttered, heart still pounding hard in his chest after the intense conversation.
"I do have something I want to tell you on the topic of your position though." Anthony thankfully moved on, and tiredness fell over Lucius like a blanket. A lot had happened that day and they were nearing midnight.
"And what's that then?"
"I think Lucia should step down."
The sensation of spiders crawling along his ribs echoed through Lucius' ribcage, and he took a moment to swallow before responding.
"I'm... What?"
"This may sound like I'm simply trying to get my position in society back, but I promise you it's not." Anthony's stare was as serious as they come, and Lucius couldn't help but believe it.
"Is it because of how I'm handling things?" he therefore asked, certain Anthony would have heard of it. "Because I'm going to rethink things and try a different approach."
Anthony shook his head.
"It's not that. Though getting in direct trouble with the upper class could be a problem in itself, it's about the way the town works that you don't know about yet. You're taking over responsibilities you don't even know exist."
Lucius glared. Once again, someone was implying he had no idea what he was doing.
"Sounds like you've got a lot to fill me in on." He folded his arms, locking eyes with Anthony who grimaced. "Make no mistake, I'm not just talking about town matters here."
"I—Yes, I know it's a lot with everything coming forward like this, but..." Anthony gestured vaguely with his hand, searching for words. "... Well, I hadn't exactly expected you to take over. It changes a lot.
"Why don't you just tell me about the things I don't know?" Lucius held out his hands. "Can't be that much."
"It's just... Better if I don't."
The Scourge-fury wanted to boil to the surface again, and Lucius chewed on his lower lip hard enough to almost pierce through the skin.
"So you're telling me I should resign my position because I don't know what I'm doing, and then when I want to learn you refuse to tell me?"
"Lucius..."
"And this isn't about you getting your title back?"
"Well, it's..." Anthony looked uncomfortable and adjusted his seat. "... In all honesty, that's part of it, but it's not because of the status per se, more like keeping things the way they were."
Lucius only shook his head in disbelief, and Anthony let out a sigh of frustration.
"It's just... The Hargreaves family has always had a place in how this town works, and there's... A lot there I can't begin to explain to you."
"But immortality is hand-waved?" Lucius arched his eyebrows. "Must be quite something."
"Please—"
"I'm not stepping down, Anthony." Lucius' voice was as cold as he could manage. The man needed to realise how serious he was about it. He wouldn't want the Scourge to get involved again. "If it bothers you so much, that's on you."
An unexpected glimpse of panic flashed through Anthony's eyes, and Lucius almost wavered. What was he not telling him?
"... Alright," Anthony said, drawing a breath. "I, uh... I guess I'll try to..."
He trailed off, and Lucius leaned forward.
"To what?"
"I'll..." Anthony pursed his lips before continuing. "It's—It's fine. I'll just... Support you any way I can then."
"Without telling me anything?"
"... Yes."
"You do realise I have many more questions now than when we got here?" Lucius was unimpressed, and frankly very upset. "Even without the whole town business part."
"I don't know what to tell you," was all Anthony could reply. "Things didn't turn out the way I imagined, and you taking my place is far from optimal. I wish you could trust me when I say it's better for you to resign."
Lucius raised his chin.
"For you perhaps. But I'm not going back to being nothing. Whatever it is you're so concerned about, I'll learn how to handle it."
"I'm telling you, you don't even know—"
"Because you won't fucking tell me!" Lucius threw his hands out in frustration. "You keep warning me but don't have anything else to provide! It's like you're asking me to build a chair but give me nothing to actually build it with!"
Anthony frowned at the comparison, but didn't argue against it. He remained silent as Lucius decided to get up from his chair. All the yelling and confusion had finally drained the anger from his body. It was far too late in the night, and he'd had enough of it all.
"Well, if this is as far as your trust in me goes... Guess I thought we were closer than what we are," he mumbled, releasing a sigh as he turned around to walk out of the room. "Good luck with your secrets anyway. If you ever decide you want to talk for real, come find me. I'll listen."
Despite his decision, Lucius couldn't help but feel a heavy disappointment as he received no answer. He swallowed it down however, determined not to let it get to him. If Anthony wanted to be secretive, so be it. Lucius wouldn't give up his hard earned position because of some vague threat from a liar.
There was, of course, a lot of things still bothering him.
Wrinkleface? Is immortality really a thing?
To his surprise there was no answer. It usually loved haunting his mind.
Could I have asked for that? I mean—Can people offer up their soul to you for that?
Finally a reply came.
"No."
Lucius had to believe it. Scourges were many horrible things, but he'd come to understand they didn't lie. Withhold truths, much like Anthony did, but no direct lies.
So he never entered a pact with a Scourge then... How can he be immortal?
Once again, Lucius was left without a reply.
You know, don't you?
"No Scourge nor Archon would touch cheaters like him."
Not what Lucius had expected, but he supposed immortality and soul selling didn't go well together. His question had yet to be answered though.
I'm guessing you won't tell me?
No reply once again, and Lucius reached the conclusion that he'd never get one.
Not from the Scourge at least.