Fear. - TordEdd

Devil's Pawn

Sweat seeped into the back of Edd's t-shirt due to a mixture of the heat and his more heavyset frame. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, pushing back his stuck bangs. He tried his best to listen to Tord, but Ringo escaping outside worried him. His fear was evident on his face as he kept feverishly glancing behind Tord. Tension surrounded them, creating a palpable discomfort.

"Why? Why do you keep doing this?"

He asked with frustration, glancing over at a framed photo of Jon, deceased since Tord's first incident.

"Tsk, why?"

Tord echoed mockingly, stopping dead in his tracks. He glanced back at Edd, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating light.

"Why do I keep doing this?"

He repeated, a cruel smirk playing across his lips.

"Because it's fun, Edd. Because I can."

Turning away from the younger man, he resumed his slow walk towards the door. Each step felt deliberate, and calculated - every movement designed to remind Edd of the power imbalance between them.

"Besides..."

He paused to glance back over his shoulder.

"It's not like you're doing anything to stop me."

Edd clenched his jaw, his stomach twisting into knots as he glanced outside. Great. Ringo ran off. Hopefully, she'll come back soon.

"This is exactly your problem, Tord! We used to be your friends! You don't care about anyone other than yourself."

Tord snorted, the sound echoing harshly through the room.

"Friends?"

He spat out the word as though it left a foul taste in his mouth.

"We weren't friends, Edd. Not really."

His gaze lingered on Edd for a moment longer before he continued moving towards the door. The suitcase thudded against his shoulder with each step, reminding him of the task at hand.

"But if I remember correctly..."

He said, glancing back at Edd once more.

"You were always more interested in your stupid paintings and your precious cat than you ever were in me."

After hearing for the second time that they weren't friends anymore, Edd's heart hurt. An obvious expression of sadness and anger plastered over his face as he aggressively pointed a finger at Tord.

"I took you in when no one else would! Do you think I didn't care about you? We lived alone together! And I let you take over Tom's room after you called and asked to come back! Before... Before you tried to kill us all!"

A low chuckle rumbled in Tord's chest as he turned fully to face Edd, the suitcase clattering to the floor beside him.

"Kill you all?"

He repeated, feigning innocence.

"Oh, come now, Edd. Don't be dramatic. I never meant to harm you... Much."

His eyes narrowed, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"But you know, it's funny. When I came back, I thought maybe things could go back to the way they were. Maybe we could pick up where we left off before I had bigger plans."

He took a step closer to Edd, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper.

"But then you had to go and ruin everything, didn't you? With your pathetic attempts at heroism and your stupid little morals."

A feeling of disgust washed over Edd. Truth be told, he was probably being "nicer" to Tord than anyone else in the house would've been, especially Tom.

"I ruined everything by not letting all of us get hurt?"

He repeated with disbelief, taking a prideful step closer.

"We did nothing wrong to you, Tord. Especially me. I've taken you in three times now. I mean bloody hell!"

Tord's grin grew wider at Edd's words, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light.

"Three times, huh?"

He mused, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What a saint you are, Edd. Taking in the poor, misunderstood communist who just wants to spread the gospel of revolution."

He leaned in closer, his breath hot against Edd's face.

"But you see, Edd, that's exactly why I need to eliminate you. Because you're weak. You have these ridiculous notions of friendship and loyalty, and they make you blind to the truth."

Tord straightened up, his expression cold and calculating.

"I will not be stopped by petty sentiments like those. And neither will my cause."

Edd reached forward, grabbing Tord roughly by the collar of his shirt with a challenge.

"I saw the good in you when no one else could. But I know now. I know that you're a good-for-nothing communist who has to play the villain in his own story."

Tord's eyes flashed with anger at Edd's grip on his collar, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he smiled, a cruel twist of his lips.

"Is that so, Edd? Well, perhaps I am a villain. Perhaps I always was, and you just refused to see it."

He tightened his grip on Edd's wrist, his fingers digging into the flesh.

"But don't worry, Edd. I won't kill you... Yet. I still have plans for you. Big plans."

With a sudden jerk, Tord pulled Edd close, their faces inches apart.

"You see, Edd, I've always had a special place in my heart for you. Even if you can't return the sentiment."

His voice dropped to a whisper, his breath hot against Edd's ear.

"I was nicer to you than Tom and Matt ever were, yet you continue to try and target me. I just don't get it."

Edd spoke through his teeth, continuing to hold onto Tord's collar as he attempted to ignore the pain of his grasp. He stumbled forward slightly as he yanked.

"If you really did care, you'd turn around and never come back."

Tord chuckled darkly, the sound sending shivers down Edd's spine.

"Oh, Edd, you really are naive. If I cared about you, I'd put a bullet in your head and end your suffering. But that's not what I want."

His grip on Edd's wrist loosened, but only enough to slide his hand down to wrap around the other man's throat.

"I want to break you. I want to watch the light fade from your eyes as you realize the futility of resisting me."

Tord's thumb pressed against Edd's windpipe, applying just enough pressure to make breathing difficult.

"And trust me, Edd, I will come back. Again and again, until you're begging for mercy. Until you're nothing more than a shell of the person you used to be."

Edd made a strange sound as his throat was pressed, doing all he could while struggling to breathe. He instinctively let go of Tord's shirt, glaring at him with furrowed brows as he struggled to get his words out due to the restricted airflow.

All he could do now was resonate with the fear that overwhelmed him.