A special place
Daud liked walking through the Void, those few times he was accepted there. He found it relaxing, and he often found himself being guided by the curiosity of discovering new places as he wandered from stone to stone, from branch to branch, from floor to floor.
It never lasted long enough for his curiosity to be sated, though, as the Outsider would sooner or later manifest himself to him, saying whatever he had to say and then he would send him back to the real world.
That time, it was different.
Daud had no idea about how much time had passed – concepts like time were meaningless inside the Void – but he was sure that the Outsider should have manifested himself already. Either something was keeping the god from reaching him – but could such a thing even be possible? – or he had something in mind.
As much as he liked exploring the Void, that game of hide and seek was starting to unnerve him; did the Outsider wanted to be found? How was he supposed to do it? The Void was endless!
At last he started to use his powers to cover bigger distances in a shorter amount of time, then suddenly he stopped; there was something in the air, something about the energy… That place was different.
In front of him there was a view that someone would describe only as ominous: there was a large number of statues of people – but were they really statues? – who looked like they were involved in a procession of some kind. Daud couldn't distinguish who those people actually were because of the long cloaks and hoods that they were wearing, which covered their features.
Curious – but still wary – Daud followed the motionless crowd, and he came to the conclusion that those statues were narrating a story – there wouldn't be any other reason for them to be in the Void – but a story of what?
Then he looked ahead and he saw it: in the same place where some of the statues were banded together, there was an altar, behind which one of the cultists – it had to be some sort of cult at that point – had raised a dagger with both of his hands, probably to strike down the poor unfortunate soul that must've been tied to the altar, except that there was nothing on its surface.
- You finally found me, my dear Daud -, a voice behind him said, startling him, - I was starting to think you weren't able to reach this place -.
Daud turned where the voice came and he found himself face to face with the Outsider. He wasn't floating in the air, as he usually did, instead his feet were solid on the ground.
He was… shorter than Daud had thought; not that height mattered that much, mind you, after all the Outsider was still a god but this didn't stop Daud from feeling somehow smug about it, as if he had any actual saying on this growth.
He then realised that he was staring at the Outsider without saying a word, so he quickly looked away – after all there was so much stuff to observe – and he asked:
- Where are we? -.
- This is a really special place -, the Outsider explained, - This is where I was made -.
- Where you were… made? -, Daud inquired, but as he moved his gaze on the Outsider he found nothing; he wasn't there anymore.
He turned again and he found the god on the altar, with his arms up, like he had been actually tied up on the surface.
… Was it weird that Daud found him particularly pretty like that?
- Right up until the end I thought I'd find a way to escape. I fought but the ropes only cut my skin so I went limp -.
As he was saying that, the Outsider moved as he raised his back, assuming a sitting position, like he wanted to highlight the difference of his predicament then and now.
He raised one of his hands.
- And then the knife touched my throat -, and he mimicked the movement he must've witnessed with his own eyes, - And I knew I'd waited too long -.
He looked at Daud then, with an expression he wasn't able to decipher – but when was the Outsider ever easy to read? – and he said.
- The blood ran out and I became a god -.
What was Daud supposed to say, after that? How was he supposed to feel? He didn't know, but he doubted the god had shown him that place to be pitied; actually he was pretty sure that he would've offended the Outsider if he started pitying him.
- Why did you want me here? -, he asked instead, after a long silence.
- You've always been so good to me, Daud -, the Outsider replied, but there was something odd, something that Daud couldn't understand, in the way he had said his name, - Always so obedient, always so interesting to watch -.
Daud could feel his face flush at those praises as well as a growing sense of pride hearing that.
For a moment the Outsider was gone, but Daud didn't even have the time to blink that he was back again, this time in from of him and really, really close.
He raised his hand and he cupped Daud's cheek.
It was so cold, which was to be expected from him, but still it came as a surprise to Daud who shivered, without however avoiding the contact.
He couldn't deny his attraction for the god.
He couldn't help but to find his whole figure pleasing. He would get lost in his eyes, black as the Void itself; he would spend all his life listening to his voice, so mellow, so mysterious.
He'd never dreamed of touching, of being touched, however. His had always been a distant admiration.
The Outsider leaned closer and pressed his lips against Daud's. He tasted like the ocean.
Daud at first didn't dare to move, fearing that he would put a stop on what was happening, but then the Outsider took his hands and guided them to his hips, and meanwhile he parted his lips – a clear invitation – and Daud tentatively held on him and explored his mouth with his tongue.
Suddenly he felt something hard and cold pressed on his back, and he realised that he was on the altar, with the Outsider over him who kept kissing him despite the situation.
It wasn't something Daud had ever thought about, kissing. He already heard enough from those street rats he'd rescued who insisted on following him; whenever they talked about some pretty girl – or boy – they'd seen, and how they'd love to "deflower" them – they definitely said it in a more crude way – Daud always felt perplexed, asking himself if he ever had this kind of thoughts when he was younger, but nothing ever came to mind.
It wasn't bad. It was still nothing Daud would seek actively, but he could understand why so many people liked it – and it was also true that it proved an easy distraction that he had been willing to take advantage of to assassinate some targets.
Still, they shouldn't be kissing there; it felt almost sacrilegious, but Daud couldn't seem to be able to bring himself to say something, so he let the Outsider have his way on him, at least for the moment.
However, as soon as he felt his cold hands sliding under his shirt, caressing his naked skin, he let his instinct take over and he pushed him away, realising too late what he had just done.
Despite everything, the Outsider didn't seem offended, or even shocked actually; he was chuckling.
- Ah, my dear, dear Daud -, he said then, - You never chase to amaze me -.
Daud didn't reply. He was still catching his breath, so the Outsider continued.
- Most people would pay for this -.
- But I'm not most people -, Daud said.
- No, you aren't -, the Outsider agreed, and now he was close again, with a hand on Daud's shoulder and the other on his cheek, - But this is why I like you so much -.
- So… You aren't mad? -, Daud asked, and the Outsider chuckled again.
- I was testing you -, he said, brushing his thumb over Daud's lips. The assassin let him do as he pleased.
- I have to say, you didn't disappoint me at all -, he added then, and Daud was out of the Void.
He opened his eyes and he was back into his hideout, kneeling in front of the shrine he had made by himself.
How long had he been away? He had no way to know.
As he got up – his knees were stating to ache, so he must've been there for a while – he couldn't help but to think about what just happened.
The Outsider was testing him – those had been his words. Did that change what was between them, or was it like nothing happened?
Daud decided then to stop making assumptions before it was too late; he had learned with time that the Outsider was unpredictable and inscrutable. It was impossible to know his intentions.
The only way to find answers to his questions was to wait until the god made his next move.
Author's notes: I just needed an excuse to write the Outsider and Daud doing something on that altar.
On a more serious note, this is the first time I write about an asexual character, so if you're asexual and you think I've said something offensive please let me know so that I can correct myself and I hope you will forgive me. It wasn't my intention to offend anyone.