TW: alcohol in wounds, blood mention, vague forced to fight references (er not even really), if you didn't read the prologue you really have no context whatsoever for this and that's how we like it.
Notes: this is not even pretending to be tender or comfort, but it is first aid. takes place ~1 month into ivan's contract.
this is a response to this ask thing.
✥ ✥ ✥
Leo sits on the metal exam table, bolted at eight points to the cement floor, rounded at the edges and cold as ice. He stares, almost indignantly, at the yellow light above the door. As if the light is responsible for this. His knuckles are white from how firm his grip on the edge of the table is, and his jaw aches from how tightly he clenches his teeth.
It’s somewhere around one month into this contract (he has already lost track of time), and Leo has never hated himself more than he hates himself right now. The door opens, but Leo’s eyes do not leave the light.
“You did well tonight.” The accent is thick, recognizable immediately as Petrov’s. Leo's grip on the table tightens, doubling down to keep himself from acting in any way. Maybe, under the surface, it's to keep himself from shaking.
Petrov walks closer, until he stands directly in Leo’s sight line, and says, “Nothing to say?”
Leo swallows, and his eyes finally meet Petrov’s. “Thank you, sir.”
Petrov half-scoffs half-laughs and pats Leo's head, just a little on the rough side of lovingly, and moves to the cabinet. He pulls an array of supplies out, nonchalantly setting them on the tray. Leo doesn’t look. He doesn’t want to know.
“Give me your hand,” Petrov says, dragging the tray behind him.
He doesn’t wait for Leo to respond. Instead, he picks up a bottle of... what Leo can only guess is alcohol, and opens it, inclining it toward Leo's mouth in offering. Leo eyes it cautiously but takes it, pulling in one quick mouthful of vodka as Petrov grabs his hand, presses his fingers down into a fist, turns his wrist to see the extent of his wounds. They’re superficial tonight, Leo thinks. Petrov will probably change that.
“This might hurt,” Petrov says, and Leo closes his eyes. He knows this game well enough. He holds his hand still as Petrov takes his own drink, and he counts and counts and counts. “Open your eyes, Leo,” he hears eventually.
With a sharp breath, he does. Petrov holds the bottle just above his bloodied knuckles, and Leo adjusts his grip on the table with his free hand.
“Good boy,” Petrov says. “I like to see those eyes.”
Leo nods, swallowing. “I’m sorry, s–“
Petrov tips the bottle, letting the liquid pour free. What starts as a hiss, a sharp intake of a breath, quickly worsens. Petrov’s grip is tight on Leo’s hand. His toes curl, he back arches away from the source of the pain, and his free hand acts a brace to keep him as still as he can be.
“Ahh,” Leo cries out, as softly as he can. His teeth grind together and he feels tears, unwelcome and hot, pooling in his eyes. He’s on the verge of begging when finally, Petrov tilts the bottle upright.
“There we go,” Petrov says softly. “That’s better.”
Leo’s muscles are forced, one by one, to loosen, his breathing coming in hard, gaspy spurts.
As Petrov wraps Leo’s knuckles, he speaks again. “As I said, you did well tonight. Although I hope you don’t think your defiance goes unnoticed. It’s cute,” he says, as the gauze goes around and around and around, “until it isn’t anymore.” He finishes wrapping Leo's hand, then tangles his fingers into Leo’s hair, tipping his head back enough to meet his eyes. “You’re closing in on the latter.”
🎁 PRESENT - what types of presents would they be most happy to receive? are they good at gift giving?
For Wyatt
From this ask game.
He would be most happy to receive a gift that shows the person was paying attention. Like if he mentioned that he doesn’t have enough winter clothes, and someone got him a nice thick sweater for his next birthday. That stuff makes him light up.
He is very much that person when it comes to gift giving. Before WRU, he had a note on his phone with all his family and friends’ names, and over the year he would add anything they mentioned wanting or needing, or anything he saw he thought they’d like.
⚠️ - What is the darkest thing you have ever written?
Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.
I have no idea how to answer that. I personally see things less dark the further removed from real life they are. Magical torture and sinister plans of world domination are fun, but they don't hit too close to home, so Thorns is out.
The story of Damien (in Undeserved) was really just an excuse to stick a guy into a dungeon and torture him a bit, but the flashbacks into his past — childhood and rebel camp — show all the wrong decisions he made, and how it all turned out for the worse, and really give the present suffering and hopelessness the finishing touch. Like, he's just waiting for death anyway, but people won't give him a break!
Still, I think I'll go with Finnian (in Till Death) if only because nothing was ever his fault. Everyone blamed him for the death of his best friend's sister, even though he could have done nothing to save her. Then story repeats itself and someone dies under his care and the angry mob blames him for it and almost kills him.
He also has by far the most lasting damage of my OCs so far, and his recovery and friendship with Eilis aren't all sunshine and rainbows, either.
(Eilis part of the story is very dark, too, but also pretty spoilery 😅)
As for scenes. I don't know. At least for me, they don't really work well without context. If I tell you now "that one time Damien told Valadan that without him their mother would still be alive" will you care if you don't know them? Probably not.
🕷️ SPIDER - what is their biggest fear? do they have any irrational / mundane fears?
For Wyatt!
From this ask game.
His biggest fear is being sent back to WRU. Aside from that meaning he’d been rejected by Maisie, the center of his whole world, he remembers what it was like at the facility. He knows it was all for his own good, to make him into a good pet, but it hurt so much. He would do anything to avoid going back.
Irrational/mundane fear is of the ocean. It’s so deep! And big! And you don’t know what’s in there with you! Absolutely not.
