Chapter Text
Kenning FlugSlys had first joined Black Hat Organization four years ago, fresh out of the institution. Newly heartbroken, he clawed his way through the ranks to finally become the right hand man of Black Hat himself. His whole career -life, really- had been a plane wreck, one flaming pile of debris after another. But finally, finally , it seemed that he'd gotten some degree of routine.
Wake up, do his duties, get to work in the lab, do a mission or three, eat a little maybe, go back to bed, and repeat. Plenty of excitement, but the dangers he faced could be anticipated in his work environment, and he could always count on returning to his lab, his bear, his lizard, his boss. So nothing truly shocked him anymore. Until something did, of course.
It started so small, as most things do, so small it was unnoticeable. Black Hat had always been a very physical 'person', he preferred to terrify Flug with his own two hands (or more, if he so desired. Black Hat sometimes felt he needed more than two to punish his employees properly).
If Flug thought back on it, the first time he experienced something that was definitely not fear was six months ago. Black Hat was in one of his best moods, a neutral expression on his face. He'd needed Flug to follow him to the other side of the room, and he figured that it'd be quicker to just lead him by the arm.
The grip on Flug's wrist was… tight, but not as crushing as it usually was. Flug felt his chest flutter, but he figured it was just his heart faltering like it usually did when Black Hat came near him.
The first time Flug was able to pinpoint this foreign emotion was four months after that. Black Hat took special joy in breathing down the back of Flug's neck, growling his threats just out of sight, just behind him.
"Do not disappoint me, Doctor" he'd snarled with a smile.
The shiver that had gone up Flug's spine was not one purely of fear. His back arched away from his boss's cold breath, but his heart skipped almost-
Pleasantly? Why on Earth would that be anywhere close to enjoyable? He does it because it's terrifying, he knows that, so why aren't I frightened?
Flug, as usual, ignored his emotions and tried his best to continue his work.
Artificial Life, 24601-
"Flug"
Artificial Life, 24601. Name Gene-
"Nerd!"
Three days after the first heartbeat, it has developed an eye, and the beginnings of a brain. Heartbeat is steady and-
" Lunchmeat !"
"Dementia!" Flug shouted, annoyed, "What do you need?"
Dementia pouted from within her tube. "Let me out! I'm bored!"
"I understand that, but the formula in that tank has the compounds that your body needs to keep functioning, and since you won't eat them, you have to soak "
The lizard's upper lip curled in anger, trying her best to break through the thick, reinforced glass of her tube, but the thick liquid slowed her punches. Flug had designed it so.
"At least bring a TV in here or something! I'm dying!"
"You're not dying, you only have fifteen minutes left, and I'm not bringing in a TV. My new creation needs total darkness 22 hours a day"
Dementia continued banging on the glass, shouting obscenities, but Flug ignored her.
Wish I could have made her with some patience. Or respect.
He wrote his last note, and turned off the dim lights in the room. He turned to say goodbye to Dementia, but he spotted something black in the darkness. Darker than the shadows in the room, it seemed to absorb the light surrounding it. Flug squinted, reaching for the lightswitch behind him so he could figure out exactly what it was. Instead of grabbing the metal switch, however, his hand touched something colder.
" Doctor "
Flug yelped and pulled his hand away, falling blindly to the ground. He heard a dark chuckle above him, accompanied by Dementia's wicked giggles of amusement. The lights flickered on, and Black Hat stood above the scientist, a sneer of amusement clear on his face.
"M-m-morning, sir!" Flug stammered.
"Querido!" Dementia keened, her mouth pressed against the glass.
Black Hat ignored her, dragging Flug to his feet by his shirt, drawing a gasp from the man.
"I want to see your progress, Flug" he growled, shoving the scientist towards the other tube.
Flug cleared his throat nervously, and looked to his notes.
"Well, sir, y-you were talking about how you wanted some more creatures in your forests, so I'm creating something that resides in near total darkness. It feeds off of pesky birds and chipmunks, and it prefers damp-"
"Fine, fine, Flug," Black Hat growled dismissively, "just get it done quickly. I expect much more development than this helpless little homunculus"
With that little piece of encouragement, Black Hat evaporated, the fog that was him dissipating into the air. Dementia sighed loudly, sinking slowly to the bottom of her tube.
"Isn't he so… so…"
"Terrifying?" Flug finished.
"Yeah" the girl swooned.
Flug rolled his eyes. "Sure, Dementia" he said dismissively.
"He's so monstrous, so poisonous!"
"He really is, and I think you mean venomous. Well, he's probably both…"
"Wouldn't you just do anything to hear him say 'I love you'?"
Flug paused, before swallowing his breath. "Yeah"
He definitely shouldn't be attracted to his boss. Vile, malicious, conniving, disgusting, loathsome beast that he was, but Flug was a fool if he denied the faint bliss that came with the demon's chilling voice. The faint scent of burnt wood and boiled blood was a comfort, strange as it was. Black Hat's chosen form, while it could change at any moment, was rather handsome, charming, his true power hidden far beneath the surface of his skin.
Maybe he hit me too hard last time, and I have brain damage.