Chapter Text
Drink A Little Poison Baby - Part 1 - Betrayal
Thanos has had a long day. A long hard day, after one of those it is always time for a drink. Nam-gyu is on his tail, following him into the office. He stops a few paces in, his second narrowly missing running into his back with a side step.
His office isn’t dirty but it is also not the tidy he is used to. The trinkets on his desk are slightly tilted to the left. The spine of a book on the shelf behind is sticking out half an inch from the rest. There is even still mail that is supposed to be sent out sitting on the tray by the door.
Min-su is usually a better housekeeper than this. A bit overly meticulous to the point he may have some ocd tendencies. Thanos frowns, he will ask his head of staff if the boy went home early, perhaps he wasn't feeling well. It looks as if the only thing that has been taken care of is the trash.
"Getting a bit comfortable isn't he," Nam-gyu teases already at the bar in the corner pouring them both a glass of the good stuff.
Thanos shrugs, loosening his tie, maybe, he would like that. Min-su keeps him at arm’s length, always trying to keep things professional. It takes so much effort to get a startled laugh or shy smile. Thanos works harder to get those from him than he ever has with anyone else.
Thanos pulls his guns from the holster and stores them in the safe hidden behind the bookshelf. There is one under the desk but that is just for home safety not for work. He doesn't want the bullets from these guns being traced back to him for any ordinary break in that might happen.
Nam-gyu brings him a glass just as he sits, the amber liquid catches the light, the crystal throws little rainbows. Thanos is more than a little disappointed not to run into Min-su. Usually at this time of day he is tidying the garage but he hadn't been there when they came in either. Thanos brings the glass up and pauses lips at the rim, there is a faint smell that doesn't belong here, something earthy.
Nam-gyu spills his own drink when Thanos grabs him by the elbow stopping him from taking a sip. "What?" Annoyed but trying to keep it at an unthreatening level, getting in a fight with his boss would be bad, Thanos can be real fucking mean.
"Smells off," Thanos says glass held so close the rim is pressed against his nose as he gives another sniff. It is definitely off.
"Does it?" Nam-gyu eyes his own glass for a long moment before lifting it to his nose and giving his own sniff nose crinkling as he confirms, "it does."
"Check the others," Thanos orders, phone out summoning an underling and then texting a lab tech in his pocket.
"I think they've all been tampered with," Nam-gyu calls, not all of them smell different than normal, some of them strong enough to cover the smell enough to not be noticed but their color is off. One of them, a fancier bottle with intricately carved details has light brown powder caught in the grooves.
Thanos shoots off a text to the lab tech he keeps on payroll to get over here now! No matter what he is doing. Man could be processing a crime scene at this very moment, Thanso doesn't care. Someone came into his home and tampered with every bottle of liquor in his office. This is personal! He needs to know the details now.
"Min-su is the only one who comes in here." The comment makes Thanos' fingers clench on the phone in his hand.
No. Min-su wouldn't do this. He wouldn't betray Thanos like this, not by drugging the liquor.
Nam-gyu ignores the icy glare Thanos is sending his way, target changing when Deok-su walks in a few moments later ,"was anyone new here today." Hoping the answer is yes. If Min-su really did do this, Thanos is going to blow a gasket.
Deok-su scratches his chin for a long moment before shrugging with a shake of his head, "no boss it was business as usual."
Thanos' eye twitches, "you're sure no one has been here?"
Deok-su spares a glance at Nam-gyu before his eye come back to Thanos as he bangs his hand on the desk demanding his full attention, "yeah boss I'm sure. If anyone else came here, they'd have to go through me. It's been business as usual." Never mind that he takes a smoke break every hour and spent two hours this morning on the phone trying to convince his ex to take him back. Admitting that would just piss Thanos off and it is business as usual, if it is not his ex it is some side piece he smooth talking at length every morning, pacing the halls instead of watching the monitors.
Rage boils in Thanos’ stomach, as he stands abruptly, "find out where Min-su is!" He grunts, kicking his chair back. He is halfway to the door before a fitting punishment stops him in his tracks. "pour a heaping glass and bring it along." Nam-gyu lights up, pouring a glass nearly to the brim.
Deok-su's got his phone in hand, checking the live camera feed, "he's in the pool house boss."
-
Min-su is cleaning in the pool house when the door bangs open and he jumps, hand falling to his chest as he whirls around. He relaxes when he sees it is just Thanos, Nam-gyu, and another lackey trailing behind them and not some intruder. Still there is a thunderous look about Thanos that makes him nervous.
"Is everything alright? Did you need something?" Min-su cocks his head to the side worriedly. Maybe this is about- Thanos advances on him, stomping across the room and when he is close enough they are almost touching Min-su starts taking steps back. "What-" he cuts off with a strangled sound as a hand closes around his throat, squeezing until the air cuts off.
Min-su stares at Thanos’ stony face with wide eyed panic, clawing at the hand wrapped around his throat. Thanos is half tempted to just snuff the life out of Min-su right here and now. He is so angry he almost gives in to the desire. He has always had a soft spot for Min-su, and he knows there are things he is hiding but Thanos never thought his boy would betray him like this.
"What did you spike all the liquor with Su?" Nam-gyu asks, a gentle squeeze to Thanos’ shoulder has him loosening so Min-su has enough breath to answer. He knows Thanos will regret just killing Min-su without answers, and Nam-gyu doesn't want to have to listen to him lamenting about what ifs down the road. So for his own comfort he interrupts before Min-su's life is snuffed out.
Min-su shakes his head, the hand around his throat still too tight for him to do much. It is going to bruise. He is still trying to pull Thanos’ hand free but every time he gets even a little bit of leverage that hand tightens and he is being shaken by the neck effectively disorienting him. "What did you put in the alcohol, what are you trying to do?"
Min-su shakes his head again. He didn’t do anything to the liquor anywhere in the house aside from a cursory dusting while cleaning. "I don't know what you’re talking about!" He gasps out between harsh ragged breaths, only to have his air cut off again as Thanos tightens his grip once more.
"Nobody else goes in my fucking office when I'm out. You’re the only one. Stop lying to me!" Normally tears springing to Min-su's eyes like the time he found him crying over an injured bird would give Thanos pause. Today it just makes him angrier. Min-su is not getting out of this with tears. He has always been a risk to keep around but Thanos never thought he would betray him like this. He is furious. He thought he knew Min-su's character better than this.
Min-su is starting to black out when the hand suddenly releases him. "I'm tired of this game." Thanos scoffs, as Min-su sags to the ground taking in deep ragged breaths. He is trying to work words into his throat, wants to plead for Thanos to just listen to him. There is no gun on him so there is still hope. If he can just tell Thanos about the oddity earlier maybe that can clear this up.
Thanos snaps his hands, a drink dropped into his palm and a second later, Nam-gyu and Deok-su are grabbing Min-su by his arms and dragging him to standing. "I didn't do-" Min-su cuts off when Thanos grabs him by the chin and forces the contents of the glass into his mouth.
Min-su swallows some before he recalls exactly what Thanos came here in a rage about. Something is in the liquor, is it poison? Is the burn from more than just the whisky? He starts trying to spit it out but Thanos' other hand covers his mouth, and then his nose for good measure until he has no choice but to swallow the burning liquid down.
Thanos pulls his hand back and wipes it on his shirt, "care to tell me what it is now?" He asks casually like he might not have just signed Min-su's death sentence.
"I don't know! I didn't do anything! I wouldn’t-" the rest of his would be words are cut off this time by Nam-gyu stuffing a gag in his mouth. "I think he needs a little time to reflect boss." Thanos gives a curt nod to his underlings. Nam-gyu and Deok-su pull ropes from a shelf, always good to keep some on hand for times such as these. First they tie Min-su’s hands together behind his back and then he is knocked to the ground with a muffled cry and his ankles are being tied together so tightly it hurts.
"We'll find out soon enough what you spiked my liquor with." Thanos growls towering over Min-su as the other two pull back. He looks pitiful, muffled and crying. It almost makes Thanos feel sorry. Almost, but the anger over the betrayal overrides that feeling of sympathy. "I'm so fucking disappointed in you my boy. I liked you, I really liked you. I should have never trusted you in my home."
Thanos throws the glass down with force, shattering it. Min-su flinches and rolls as best he can, a shard still catching his ear, and a few pressing uncomfortably into his shoulder when a foot stops his movement by pressing down against the other.
"We've got that meeting boss," Nam-gyu reminds, growing bored with the way Thanos keeps staring angrily at Min-su. It will be a while before they get to the fun part and that time could be spent not watching this pitiful display. Again Thanos almost feels bad for Min-su, almost. Kicks the toe of his shoe into Min-su's ass cheek just to watch him squirm before Thanos snaps his fingers pulling his attention.
"Let’s go, Deok-su keep an eye on this bastard." With that they are gone, the door slamming shut behind them. Deok-su ignores Min-su heading over to a chair and taking a seat, lighting up a cigarette both because he has a craving and to mask the scent of chlorine that always lingers in the pool house.
-
Min-su is burning up. His tears of fear and anger have dried up by now but his body feels strange. He doesn't feel like he is dying p, not by poison at least. According to the movies poison is fast and while it's not as fast as they portray it and certainly has different lengths of time to take effect based on the poison. This is a distinctly different feeling than impending death.
Even if the way his cock has tented his pants and is rubbing up against his inseam in a way that both makes him want to cry and press into it kind of feels like it could kill him. His skin is overheated, sweat matting down his hair, nipples beading and rubbing against the fabric of his shirt in a way that has him moaning, thankful for the gag stuffed in his mouth. Who knows what would be coming forth if it were not there.
Eventually Deok-su looks away from his phone, he is getting nowhere with his ex and starts paying attention to Min-su's wriggling. The soft guttural noises escaping through the gag are tantalizing. He sits there smoking and watching Min-su squirm for a while until his own cock is starting to chub up. While Deok-su prefers the female form he has never been one to pass up the plump ass of an attractive man if it is easy pickings.
Deok-su stands and slinks over, the crunch of his boots in the broken glass alerting Min-su to movement. Min-su has made it a distance away from the broken glass in all of his futile squirming, he is almost at the shelves with varying pool cleaners and spare lawn chairs. There is nowhere for him to go, even when he tries to put more distance between them he just knocks into the shelf making it shake precariously.
"You've always been easy on the eyes," Deok-su says around his cigarette, smirking at the uneasy grimace that pulls at Min-su's mouth around the gag. He steps on Min-su's bound legs stopping him from squirming any further away, back arching as he cries out at the pain as the man presses down with his weight until he stills.
"Just stay still and I won't have to hurt you," there is a tone there, one Min-su recognizes, has experience with men like him. Deok-su would be more than thrilled to hurt him, and is hoping for a reason.
Despite knowing he is at a disadvantage the moment the weight shifts off of him Min-su attempts to escape again. Muscles in his stomach pulled tight as he rolls and pulls both legs up, kicking Deok-su around his groin. He is a few inches shy but still manages to graze the area, making the man double over with pain.
Min-su wriggles and rolls, hands grabbing a piece of broken glass and working at his bindings, blood dripping down his fingers as it slices into the flesh more than rope. The piece is too small to really make any significant progress.
Deok-su recovers quickly, face blotchy and red with anger. There is no escaping the kick to the gut, glass dropped as Min-su gasps and curls in an attempt to protect himself. "I'm going to enjoy this," Deok-su is grinning as he fists a hand in Min-su's hair and wrenches his head back.
The burst of adrenaline and self-preservation fades as suddenly as they came. There is a bitter taste in Min-su's mouth as he moans at the contact, the heat rearing up again as his face is shoved down. Deok-su laughs, cruelly mashing Min-su's face against the ground with one hand as the other, working on his pants.
-
Thanos' anger is festering. Min-su playing dump with his annoyingly cute shocked face would have normally really done it for him. Thanos doesn't take kindly to people trying to slip things into his drinks though, lights an old anger that burns brightly.
"Update," Thanos asks as soon as Nam-gyu comes back in, phone in hand from pestering the lab tech for answers.
"Looks like it’s not poison, they ruled them out but they are still running tests to see what exactly it is." That only makes Thanos feel marginally better. At least Min-su will not die from this but he can't exactly keep him around if he is going to pull stunts like this. Even if Thanos likes him there are just some things he will not let slide. Drugging him high on the list.
There is a hurried knock on the door, pushed open before Thanos can give the okay. An unusual event and one Thanos is not about to let slide except Mrs. Jang looks particularly frazzled. Her hair falling loose from the neat bun she usually keeps so tidy, sweat dampening the edges, worry lines heavy like they have been worn a lot today. The only other time Thanos has seen her not put together is when one of the other staff members went into labor and she took over helping the girl through it until the ambulance could arrive, "excuse me sir."
"What is it Mrs. Jang?" Thanos glances at the clock; he doesn't have time for her or to sit here continuing to wallow over Min-su's betrayal. He has a potential business partner coming soon, he should have already gotten ready but he had been too busy stewing, working through half a cigar. "I don't have a lot of time, I have a meeting soon." He stresses hoping the woman will be brief and whatever the problem is doesn’t require his attention.
Mrs. Jang grimaces, worrying her hands the same way she does when the cold weather is getting to her arthritis. "It's about Min-su's-"
Thanos face darkens instantly, slapping a hand down on the desk, the sudden loud noise cutting her off. "That's none of your concern." He flicks a hand at Nam-gyu in a gesture to see her out.
"Come on Mrs. Jang, now really isn't the time." Nam-gyu starts pushing her back toward the door when she doesn't immediately move to leave.
"Please hear me out!" She shouts, planting her feet and refusing to let Nam-gyu push her very far, smacking him across the chest when he keeps trying. Nam-gyu gives Thanos a look, ready to take the old lady out if that is what he wants. "Please, this is important!"
Thanos waves Nam-gyu off, rubbing at his brow as he signals Mrs. Jang to continue. Better to let her just get it out now instead of having her pester him about it later. "Min-su came to me earlier because he was concerned. He thought maybe he was being fired, so he-"
Thanos grits his teeth, whatever gave him that impression? "So he thought he'd seduce the boss?" Nam-gyu laughs and holds up his phone a few seconds after it vibrates softly, too far away to read the text, "the drinks, all of them have been laced with an aphrodisiac."
"No he wouldn't!" Mrs. Jang shakes her head, indignant on Min-su's behalf. She rushes to tell them the rest. "Someone else was here. She told him that she'd been hired to clean and he came to find me at once. It didn't seem right but you weren't home at the time so I sent him to clean a different part of the house and went to look for her."
Thanos' stomach suddenly drops out, waving his hand at Mrs. Jang to keep speaking. "When I found her she was already headed out and she didn't stop when I called for her. It felt off."
"What did she look like?" Nam-gyu asked, eyeing Thanos, a little worriedly and glad it wasn’t poison. Thanos is more than a little obsessed with Min-su, his affections obvious which is why he got so mad when he thought he was being betrayed. Thanos would have gone on a rampage if he accidentally killed Min-su for someone else’s bad behavior.
"I didn't get a good look, she had a hat pulled low." Mrs. Jang digs in her purse and pulls out a slip of paper, closing the distance and sliding it across the desk for Thanos to see, "this is the address she went to."
Thanos grabs the paper ice in his veins as he slides it to his left where Nam-gyu's come to stand. "Isn't that?" The address is familiar, they always research potential business partners.
"Sure fucking is," Nam-gyu slams his fist on the desk, making Mrs. Jang flinch, "that fucking bastard, what’s he trying to pull."
Geum-ja clears her throat only speaking when she has Thanos' attention once more, "when I got back I heard Min-su got in trouble for something wrong in your office but he didn't do anything. I lost my phone again so I couldn't call and I didn't want her to get away. I should have stopped and borrowed a phone or-"
Thanos holds his hand up, "Mrs. Jung, please calm down, you did the right thing."
"So Min-su, you'll take care of it, he won't be punished for this?"
Fuck, there is hell to pay but Min-su is not the one who should be paying it. Thanos fucked up, he needs to go check on Min-us right now. He barely spears a curt nod, leaving the room with an order, "Nam-gyu make sure our guest doesn't leave."
"Wait what is-" Nam-gyu stops her from trying to follow after Thanos.
"Don't worry he's going to go take care of Min-su right now. Business is about to get messy, have your son drive you home. Get some dinner, you did good work." Nam-gyu pulls a few crisp bills from his wallet, handing them over. He is honestly a little worried about Min-su now that he knows he is not trying to do something so stupid like drug Thanos but he gets to do the fun part. Torturing Mr. Kim to get him all nice and ready to spill for Thanos. He was afraid this meeting was going to be a snooze fest.
The night is looking up. Especially when he gets to the parlor to see Mr. Kim's brought his daughter along to the meeting. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place.
- TBC