Adding Insult to Injury

[finch]

“Immortality, boy. Think about it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why does everyone keep offering me that?”

“Because you took it, once.” I knew my own voice; I didn’t need to turn to know Norton was there.

“No, I’m pretty sure I’d remember that.”

“You wouldn’t. But I would.”

“God, I hate you and your all-knowing cryptic answers. Are you sure you’re not my externalized self-loathing?”

“Yes.” I waited for the sarcastic comment, but instead Norton turned to Taatich Ihk’al Chenek. “And you are even more of an idiot than I remember if you haven’t figured out what to offer him.”

Chenek stared at him. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“I took immortality because I had something to prove. Someone to impress. But he has something altogether different.”

“I know you like ruining my life,” I interrupted, “but could you please not encourage the evil overlord-wannabe?”

“He has someone to protect.”

“Stop helping,” I hissed.

“Who, Jian?” Chenek sniffed. “He thinks he’s going to protect the dragon?”

Norton walked past me, toward the shriveled god. “Oh, hadn’t you heard? Jian’s taken care of that pesky immortality issue.” As he paused before his next snide comment, I stepped up beside him and punched him in the side of his head.

“Stop ignoring me, jackass,” I told him. “Ignoring yourself never ends well. You taught me that.”

Norton glared at me, but Chenek was laughing now, a choking noise. “No, he didn’t. He did, didn’t he? And for you? The idiot.”

“Hey,” I complained.

“Nothing personal,” Chenek insisted. “But he has a lot of enemies who would be fighting each other just to get near him.”

“Yeah, well, anyone who wants to hurt him is going to have a hell of a fight.”

“From you? Maybe you should consider my offer, boy, it’d give you a leg up.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want immortality, and I don’t want power. As far as old enemies are concerned, we’ll worry about them as they come.”

“Maybe you’ll see me again when they come,” Chenek said, and I think he was trying to smile.

“Yeah, I hope not,” I told him, and turned to leave.

Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.