[#028] ONUS PROBANDI (DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW)

[m_findlow]

Theme Prompt: #028 - Rival
Title: Onus Probandi
Fandom: DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1,000 words
Summary: Malcolm knows better than to trust any alliance with Damien Darkh.


Malcolm scowled at the wall of the windowless room. Eobard's little lair was dark and unwelcoming, but it was less to do with the lack of decor than it was having to share the room with Damien Darkh. Perhaps he'd been a little hasty in accepting this proposal. He'd expected them to be called into action straight away, but now here he was waiting for God only knew what whilst Eobard was noticeably absent from their newly formed triumvirate.

'Stop prowling around like a caged animal,' Damien scolded him, himself eased back in one of the chairs arranged around a spartan metal desk.

'When are we expecting Thorne to return?' Malcolm demanded.

'Eobard is a little sketchy when it comes to details,' Damien replied.

Malcolm barked out an amused sound, turning to face his co-conspirator. 'Never thought I'd see you here, playing errand boy to someone else. Desperation doesn't suit you, Damien.'

'Says the man who was drinking alone in a grubby apartment until I rescued you.'

Malcolm's expression turned venomous. 'Rescued? You think that's what this is? I'm prepared to listen to a proposal. I haven't said I'll agree to it yet.'

Damien grinned placidly at him, which only served to further rile his temper. 'Oh, come now Malcolm,' he began, standing up and closing the gap between them. 'Don't deny this isn't better than what you had. Just think. We both lost everything. This is the chance we've been waiting for to reverse our fortunes and put ourselves back where we belong.'

'We both lost everything? Correction. You lost everything, and I have to say I quite enjoyed watching you on TV with your broken body splayed all over the street.'

Damien tutted. 'It's always a case of one-up-manship with you, isn't it? Can't you just put our little rivalry aside?'

Malcolm's eyes narrowed at Damien. As if Darkh would ever stop trying to get the upper hand. He was a formidable Assassin but less threatening now that he'd lost his magic. Malcolm knew that in hand to hand combat Damien was no match for him, but now he was pretending they were equals. There was some other game being played here.

'What's your angle, Damien? You don't just show up wanting my help.'

'It's Eobard that wants your help, not me. In fact, I rather think he didn't trust me to do the task alone.'

Malcolm smirked. 'That at least makes him smart.'

Damien folded his hands behind his back. 'I believe the saying goes that there is safety in numbers. Or is it two heads are better than one?'

'So, what? He thought he'd drag two people who hate each other together to do his dirty work?'

'I seem to recall a time not long ago, well, actually, it's in my future, but let's not split hairs, when it was you coming to hitch your wagon to mine. How is that daughter you claim to love so much?'

'Alive, no thanks to you.'

'Ah, and there's that overwhelming gratitude you were so hoping for.'

Malcolm stepped up right into his face, reminded of all the reasons why he hated Damien so much. 'We're done here. When Thorne gets back the two of you can carry on without me.' He stalked to the farthest end of the room to put as much distance between them as possible. If he didn't, he might be encouraged to kill Damien himself, saving Oliver the trouble later on.

'I recommended you, actually,' Damien called back.

Malcolm sneered at the comment. 'Remind me to feel honored later.'

Damien approached him. 'You are my insurance. You don't trust me and I don't trust you. That makes us both accountable. I think Eobard quite liked the concept.'

Malcolm leaned back against the wall, arms folded as he mentally mapped out the next three chess moves between them. 'And what is it that a time traveling speedster needs us to do that he can't do for himself?'

'The Spear of Destiny was protected by the Time Masters and we know that Rip Hunter was at the heart of it. He put together a merry little band of miscreants that call themselves the Legends. I know,' he said throwing his hands up defensively, 'even I wouldn't be so pretentious as that. These legends have been entrusted to find the spear and destroy it. We need to find it before they do.'

'And why do I care about these Legends?'

'Oh,' Damien said, his eyes lighting up. 'I haven't told you the best part yet. Our good friend Ms Lance is their current leader. I believe you two have quite the history these days. No one you kill ever really stays dead, do they Malcolm?'

'Says the man who murdered her sister.'

'Sorry, my bad. I keep forgetting she was your son's ex girlfriend.'

Malcolm bristled at the mention of his son. 'The past should stay buried.'

'I couldn't agree more. That's why the Spear is so important. With it we will be able to change the past so that the future is whatever we want it to be. You can go back to being R'as al Ghul or maybe Starling City's citizen of the year? It really doesn't matter to me.'

'And Eobard doesn't want anything in return?'

'Just our manpower. That we understand how Ms Lance thinks is just a bonus. Eobard will of course have his own designs for the future, but I'm assured that we will all be able to have what we want without our desires conflicting.'

Malcolm didn't believe it for a second. He'd been a businessman long before he'd been the leader of the League of Assassins. Everything came at a cost. 'And what if in my future I'd like to see you dead?' Knowing that Damien was dead in all possible timelines would ease his mind no end. Finding him here alive right now was unsettling enough.

Damien smirked. 'I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership.'

Comments

[badly_knitted]

Ooooh, I like it! So much verbal sparring, those two will never trust each other!

[m_findlow]

They never will, and they never should. Both of them are dangerous in their own way. You'd be mad to trust either one of them. Thank you!

[badly_knitted]

Yeah, but I still have a soft spot for Malcolm. Damn JB for that!