I can't escape this now (unless you show me how) TODDBLACK - NOT ME THE SERIES

11 - the edge of a cliff

author's note:

Smut warning for about halfway through the chapter if that's not your thing.

Black had been close to death before. You'd think that after treading the line between life and death five times, would make you get used to it. Like a tightrope act that he could master if he just practiced enough. But the truth was, that it was always hell. Not worse, not better; just hell. Again and again.

Black stood on the edge of a cliff, and the feeling of approaching death was uncannily familiar. He hesitated to peer over the edge, fully aware of the grim fate awaiting him below. His body resisted, as if his instincts were screaming to keep him from taking that final step. He knew what awaited him down by the shore, but the thing about death was that it wasn't a choice one made. You were pushed.

Black woke up to his arm throbbing, the adrenaline had worn off long ago and the pain returned in full force. What time was it?

He scanned the room immediately, alarmed by the unfamiliar furniture. Slowly, the memories of the past day (hours? days?) swarmed into his head.

He grunted as he tried to sit up.

"Don't," a quiet voice demanded.

Black let himself sink back into the cushions, not because Todd told him so—of course not—but because every muscle in his body was sore to the bone.

After his little confession, he had fallen asleep. Too worn out to keep his eyes open. He had been slipping in and out of consciousness. He remembered a middle aged man working on his wound and Todd force-feeding him some take-out. How much time had passed?

He glanced over to Todd, lying on his back, staring into his phone dangling dangerously over his head.

Todd's jaw was clenched as he scrolled through his phone. His grim expression not hiding his anger in the slightest. He tried his best to conceal it but he must be just as exhausted as Black was.

"D'Something happen?" Black asked, his voice still sleepy.

Todd sighed deeply, then he started laughing bitterly.

"He was right," Todd turned his phone for Black to see.

Todd was who-knows-how-many posts deep in a thread talking about a press conference. He could make out the name of Win. Black obviously had heard about the scheduled press conference, that's why he was even more surprised that Todd had shown up.

"He took over, while I was gone," Todd said, even though Black was well aware. "This press conference would have been my first public appearance ever since I'm back. Pretty important one as well."

Todd took a deep breath before continuing, "The board wants to replace me. I could lose my job." He paused again, as if it was the first time he had ever said it out loud. As if just then, he realized the gravity of the situation. "And I just presented them a potential successor on a silver platter."

I could lose my job.

Black kept quiet, knowing that if he voiced his thoughts now, this conversation wouldn't end well.

Instead, he chose to focus on a different—not necessarily less loaded—topic. "You missed the press conferences because of me."

Todd shrugged and Black felt weirdly offended by that.

"I didn't ask you to—"

"Shut up," Todd said without any heat. He turned off his phone and threw it half-heartedly across the bed. "Not because of you. I made the decision to come for you. That's on me."