B knew they were the weakest on the team. Well, maybe not in raw power, but in terms of getting themselves out of trouble, they definetely came in at the bottom of the list.
B was mulling this over hazily has they barely clung to conciousness against a wall of their cell. What had it been- two, three weeks? A month? They'd lost track. All they knew is that if rescue hadn't come yet, it wasn't coming at all.
B didn't even remember how they caught caught. Weren't they walking home ? But why were they going home? Why weren't they at the compound?
Oh. That's right. There had a been a fight. They probably didn't think B was coming back at all after being reprimanded in front of everyone. They shouldn't have "deviated from the plan." What were they supposed to do? Let those civilians die? No. B had been right, and they believed that, and it didn't matter what anyone else thought, or if they'd risked the plan or not.
Everything after that was blurry. That's all they knew.
"Can we commence the programming?" A voice asked. B didn't care to look towards the direction. It didn't matter, did it?
"Go ahead. We haven't been able to get anything out of them anyways. Pulled all our best tricks, if you know what I mean." B knew that voice. That was the voice that asked the questions over and over and over again. That was the voice that brought pain with it, that kicked their ribs and snapped their fingers. They didn't like that voice.
"I'm very well aware of your brutal methods. Now go make yourself useful somewhere else." Suddenly the new voice was much closer. "Wake up."
B opened their eyes as much as they could, slurring their reply, "I'm awake."
"Good. Now I'm going to teach you so something, and you're going to pay attention. Got it?"
"I-"
Suddenly fire lanced through B's muscles. They whimpered softly as they brought their gaze down to the baton in the hand of the person standing over them.
"No. No talking. Let's get started."
The team had found B lying in their cell with glassy and unfocused eyes gazing at the ceiling. Nobody could get them to respond until A tried to move them, earning a small groan at the pain of being shifted around.
The thing is, once they got B back, it was like they'd never left. Yes, there was an adjustment period, but of just a few days, not the several months the team's medic thought it would take for someone who had been missing for 12 weeks.
The team leader, A, could distinctly remember their conversation with B their second night back. They told B they were happy to have them back and would be there if they needed anything. That they couldn't wait until B could join them on missions again, and how different everything had been.
Since then, B had been making a rapid recovery. Their super healing had kicked in and they stopped jumping at loud noises by the end of the first week. They were even working out to stay in shape for future trainings.
It was the third week before A realized something was off. They had been walking through the halls and saw that the lights in the kitchen had been left on.
"Who left the lights on? The electricity isn't free!" A shouted, flicking them off.
B was sitting in the adjacent living room, and made eye contact with A. "S- Sorry. That was me. I shouldn't have left them on." They paused for a moment, as though contemplating something, as though their mind needed a second to process. "But uh- yeah! Me. Deal with it!" And B made a nervous laugh and looked back at their phone.
And that was when A realized, B hadn't been up to their usual antics. None of the little things that annoyed them were happening. The dishes were clean, the lights were always shut off in empty rooms, and that was the first sarcastic comment B had made since their return. It was as though the B that A had always imagined they wanted had returned, but not the real B.
"B? Are you feeling alright?"
"Tiptop shape A. Need some help with anything"
B never asked if they needed anything like that. A 'what's on your mind?' or 'a need anything?' but B never asked to help.
A went in search of their tech lead.
------------------------------------
The team's tech lead found the files detailing B's "programming."
It had been painfully made clear to B that they at all times needed to act ideally for a situation, and never be themselves. This was the core of the program- predict how people want you to be.
Apparently they were planning to use B as one of their agents undercover, and behaving appropriately both within their organization and without was paramount.
So B was just acting how they thought the team wanted them to act.
That's why they had been acting like an angel, the lights must have been an accidental slip up, but did that mean they were healing?
"A, we have video of the... sessions." The team's tech said, glancing at A.
"Get medic in here."
--------------------------------------
The videos helped medic know what they were dealing with when it came to B.
But A would never forget what they saw.
B, being ruthlessly beaten for acting incorrectly.
B, being tazed for speaking out of line.
B, learning to shift behaviors on a moments notice, at the penalty of breaking a bone.
B, spending time staring blankly at the roof of their cell, letting themselves retreat from the pain and the pressure.
A would never call B the weakest again.
-----------------------------------
That night, A went to talk to B.
"B, we found the videos from when you were gone."
A watched as B's eyes flashed, the expression matching the one's they'd make in the videos when they had to guess what they were supposed to say.
"You watched them?"
"Yeah."
"I didn't know they were filmed."
"B," A reached out to grab their arm gently, but B pulled back.
"Oh- uh sorry. Just jittery."
"If you don't want me to touch you, just tell me."
"I-" B hesitated. What did A want them to do? Why couldn't they figure it out? They had been so good recently. They'd been making a swift recovery, helping the team, the only slipup had been the lights and that was bad but everything else should have been fine and what was happening what did A want them to say they didn't know they didn't know-
"B, uh. Doc told me to tell you that we have no expectations for you. We don't expect you to act a certain way. Or not act a certain way. You don't need to predict what you think we want you to do. But you can if you want, that's waht Doc said. They said it's your choice, but just know that we're here, but you don't have to come to us and we won't be disappointed or happy if you don't, and-"
B couldn't stop the tears from escaping their eyes. No. They can't be crying. No, did A want them to cry? Did A not want them to cry? What were they supposed to do and this is all too much-
"B, we love you. Okay?"
---------------------------
It had been six months since B had been rescued. They weren't quite back to themselves. If A was being honest, they weren't sure if B ever would be. But to be fair, A maybe didn't know what B was actually like. Maybe B was finally showing their true colors. Maybe they were experimenting. But they were going to therapy and had moved out of the compound to avoid any outside pressure from the team. They helped with missions and came over for dinners.
No, nothing was quite back to normal. But they didn't have to be.
A shifts to turn to their companion. “Listen. Not all of us are on their good side. You work with them. I don’t. If they get their hands on me they’ll leave me drugged in a laboratory, tearing me apart piece by piece.”
“A-”
“No. They like superheroes with super strength. With flight or telepathy. They like heroes with straightforward powers. They don’t like heroes whose powers are like mine. They think I could level an entire city.”
“Could you?”
“I don’t know!”
B was right. They couldn’t keep running.
When the agents came to pick them up in a grocery store parking lot, they didn’t resist. They raised their hands in the air, followed all the instructions. Didn’t even flinch when one of them handcuffed them, didn’t blink when one shoved a needle in their neck.
...
“And this is where we do our research,” one of the scientists said.
B had been invited to tour the organization’s facility. Not wanting to be rude, they had accepted. As they were led down the halls, they tuned out the scientist’s comments and looked in the observation windows.
They stopped dead about halfway down the corridor.
“What’s happening in there?”
“Oh, just testing. Nothing abnormal,” the scientist replied.
B paused and looked in the window. “Is that, A?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I- never mind. Let’s keep going.”
...
A had fallen into a rhythm. Every morning someone would fetch them. They’d be hauled into a laboratory, everything was fuzzy after that. When they regained themselves they were back in their cell with a little food placed on a small table. After they’d eat it they’d only have to wait a few minutes before someone came in with a needle. They’d feel their muscles go limp against their will. Their eyelids would fall to half mast. And they’d drift. Unable to move. Looking at the ceiling until they finally drifted into sleep.
The hallucinations were new, though.
...
“A, A, can you hear me?”
A was staring at the ceiling with glassy eyes. It took them an agonizingly long time to finally somewhat focus their eyes on B.
“B?” A murmured, confused.
“It’s me, A. I’m breaking you out. Well, we’re breaking you out. I brought the whole team. They’re dealing with the rest of the facility.”
“Oh...” A’s eyes refocused on the ceiling. “Don’t think I like the hallucinations.”
Hallucinations?
“A, I’m actually here. Can you move?” B doesn’t even know why the asked with the state A is in. “I’m gonna pick you up, okay?”
A’s eyes were back to half mast and they groaned in response.
B left the building, letting their team finish. They could only hope that their team was making sure the group that had done this learned their lesson
I am fairly new to the whump community, so if you have a whump blog (or know of a really good one), like or reblog this post so I can take a look! I need more whump blogs to follow!
I’m a new whump blog, run by a weird little bisexual named mel! anyway, I’m looking for people to follow and/or mutuals. so I guess like/reblog if you want a follow or hit me up if you’re interested in the latter!
I have:
a surplus of OCs who need to suffer (or cause suffering)
a big interest in historical and/or fantasy whump
a love of comfort equal to a love of causing PAIN
ideas to eventually become irregularly posted content when my writer’s block dies
I want to follow as many of you as possible, so please reblog and leave a comment on this post so I and many other whumpers can find you! Even if you already follow me or I already follow you, please share this around!
Hi! This is my first time posting anything in the community! Thanks for reading!
Magic sucks. Magic sucks. Magic sucks. The phrase was stuck on repeat in his head as he panted against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor. His eyes blurred out of focus as he slumped to the side, head lolling.
“Jack! Jack! What did you do?
...
The building was coming down. There was nothing they could do to stop it. Rubble and heat raged toward them, flames licking the walls and- more concerningly, Kade’s forcefield.
“Kade, look at me.”
He was sweating heavily, eyes dancing everywhere at once, grunting. It had been over half an hour of this- his strength was quickly waning.
“Look at me,” she repeated, her hand hovering over his shoulder. Around them, the rest of the team was making calls, hoping that backup was on the way. From the grim expressions on their faces, it wasn’t likely. Paige was tending to Jack. He had expended his magic transferring civilians out of the skyscraper, and was lying motionless on the floor. One look at Kade and Georgie knew he’d be in the same place soon.
...
Kade found himself beyond thought. Any energy he had for thought was being sucked away by his magic, his magic, the only thing keeping his friends, his family, from getting crushed. If he had anything left in him, he would’ve laughed. When he next looked around, he saw his grass. He saw worn down and picnic tables and festival tents in the distance. He saw the finish line, and felt himself stumbling away, eyes only for the grass. He had just finished his 10th grade cross country race, and he didn’t even know what place he got. He was heading for the grass, he wanted to lie down, to feel not tired again. He wanted to not feel the lactic acid in his muscles. He wanted no pain, he wanted nothing.
...
He wasn’t here anymore. Wherever Kade was, he no longer recognized reality, was not registering her, or their predicament. He was solely focused on putting his strength into the forcefield, and knew nothing but that. Kade would kill her. Paige would kill her. But this building would kill them first unless she made her choice.
...
Reasonably, she could have granted energy to Kade. Reasonably, she could have taken his exhaustion. Reasonably, she could have done a million things.
Realistically, she had little control of her powers. Thus far, she could only transfer things from her to others. But she put her hand on Kade, ready to give him strength, when something different happened. She had just closed her eyes when suddenly, she was in Kade’s place. She was holding up the forcefield, she was starting to feel the strain of tons of concrete, and Kade-
...
Kade collapsed onto the grass, sun on his skin, and felt at peace.
...
Paige watched as, as if in slow motion, Kade collapsed to the ground. At that moment, knowing death would fall upon them, she simply felt resigned and closed her eyes. But in the next split second, when nothing fell, she looked up again. The rubble had shifted slightly, but the forcefield stood. Kade was on the ground, but next to him, where he had been kneeling, was Georgie. Georgie, who wasn’t allowed to use her powers. Georgie, who couldn’t control her human USB, her transferring abilities. Georgie, who was using Kade’s powers and holding up the forcefield herself. Paige knew better than to say anything that could break her concentration, and quietly approached Kade, ready to check his condition.
...
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Pain was the only thing Georgie knew. Her head felt like it was splitting. She was holding up the weight of a skyscraper while keeping a tenuous connection to Kade and ultimately, his powers. Her vision was nothing but white, every inch of her body in agony. Each muscle in her body was strained and tight, perhaps even a groan escaped her lips. But Kade was okay. She closed her eyes, and embraced the pain.
...
It had been a total of an hour. Kade, for all of his endurance training, had lasted a total of 45 minutes under the weight. Georgie carried them through the last 15, during which backup arrived and began to clear the rubble. Paige had to deal with three idiots who had overextended themselves. Georgie, who had the audacity to wink as she dropped the shield, shrugged as she fell. Paige had already berated her for her stupidity, for being reckless, using her powers, taking someone else's (Kade was impressed when he found out- he got them back too). Georgie had only nodded. They both knew she’d do it again in an instant.
