#servant!gladstone

[kats-randomology]

~A random Gladdy doodle for the Servant Gladstone AU

[kats-randomology]

Decided to give Servant Gladstone a bit of a redesign. Took a bit of inspiration from Pearls since that's kinda what his role is in the AU. And of course Poppy has to tease him, as any totally not jealous coworker would :)

[kats-randomology]

Liu Hai released him with a yell, holding his arm tightly to himself. Gladstone scrambled away, pressing against the wall.

Nothing was said for a moment as Liu Hai inspected his arm, prodding at the shallow bite marks. His eyes set into a heavy scowl as he finally looked up, sending a heavy chill down Gladstone's spine.

He ran, fleeing out the doors to the main room.

Liu Hai burst through them seconds later, eyeing the seemingly empty room with narrowed eyes. Gladstone was nowhere in sight, but he knew he hadn't gotten far.

He began traversing the room at a leisurely pace, and spoke in a calm tone that masked the rage behind it.

"Gladstone, you should know better than to hide from me..."

Meanwhile, behind the sofa, Gladstone huddled in a quivering ball. This wouldn't work for long, he knew that, and Liu Hai knew that. He didn't have a plan, or any means of defense.

It was just a waiting game, delaying the inevitable.

"Come on out now, little goose, and perhaps I'll be lenient in your punishment."

There was a soft snarl to his voice.

He wouldn't be, he was far too mad for that.

He needed to get out if here, by any means necessary. Slowly, Gladstone slid around the edge if the couch, spotting Liu Hai across the room. He was busy peering behind his own bed. Maybe he could slip back into the doors, leave the room, and....

And what? The only thing outside the doors was the hotel, which Liu Hai knew like the back of his hand. Any possible holes he could hide in, he would find. It didn't matter where he ran or how well he hid.

He had nothing to work with--

The couch suddenly vanished, leaving him exposed. He didn't bother looking, he just leapt to his feet and made a break for the doors, adrenaline and fear the only driving forces behind his actions. He needed to get out, needed to get away, just get away, get away---

His body abruptly seized up, bringing him to a halt mid-run.

Liu Hai approached, face unreadable as he stopped in front of him; Gladstone, frozen and mute, could only stare in wide eyed terror. A minute passed, before his mask broke into a slow smile as he snapped, and through jerky motions, Gladstone was brought to an attentive stance. Liu Hai set a hand on his shoulder, using his thumb to tilt his head back.

"Now Gladstone, I'm starting to think you don't understand the pecking order around here."

The hand remained on his shoulder, lightly brushing his throat with sharpened claws-- since when did he have CLAWS?!-- and making him swallow anxiously as he held the intense gaze.

"So allow me to enlighten you; first and foremost, you serve ME. You agreed to it, and everything it entails, and in going against it, you go against me."

The hand was slowly encircling his neck. His already wide eyes somehow grew wider, and he was visibly shaking despite the magic locking him in place. Liu Hai sneered as he leaned closer.

"And that simply won't do..."

The hand suddenly closed around his throat, and jerked him off his feet. Breathless, he found himself eye to furious eye with Toad, hands clawing at the other cutting off his air.

"You are MINE, Gander, and you'd do best to remember your place,"

With that, he was abruptly flung across the threshold, hitting the floor with a hard smack. He sat up just Liu Hai's shadow fell over him, and he scrambled backward, trying to find his footing as Liu Hai followed closely after him. He hit the wall, and Liu Hai reached down, towing him up by one arm and shoving him back against it as his other hand slammed into the wall beside him. With his arm pinned, Gladstone couldn't do much else except stare in rising terror as Liu Hai leaned, sharpened teeth inches from his face.

"And if you're having trouble remembering that, allow me to set you straight..."

:::::

Gladstone was laid out on the floor, shaking, and a dazed, distant look in the eye. His robe had gone, whisked away in an earlier struggle, giving full view of the various bite marks spattered along his body. Many trailing along his arms, a few across his back, and one along his side. They gave off a faded green glow, ringed by faint red.

The last couple hours had been torture; a blur but somehow vividly clear at the same time. The pain, the pain was VERY clear, he could still feel the fangs digging into his skin, the bone breaking grip twisting his arms far too much.

And the overwhelming nausea that had him emptying his stomach into the bin provided. A small moment of pity, though it was quickly followed with another session.

He'd pushed back, fought as best he could, but there was only so much he could do when his mobility could be taken on a whim. And had been, several times; how he hated those times....

A hand rested on his arm, snapping from his daze; he struggled to focus as he shifted his eyes to the looming toad overhead. His eyes were bright, glowing from the massive intake of luck. He gave a soft smirk as he gathered him up, lifting him off the floor and proceeding towards the restored futon. Gladstone couldn't keep his eyes open or his head up, both falling as he swayed.

He felt the welcomed comfort of the futon, and a heavy blanket falling over him soon after. He started a bit as a hand laid itself on his head, almost comforting as it stroked his hair, and forced his eyes open again to find Liu Hai's mockingly pitying gaze.

"Get some rest, my pet. I'll check on you later..."

It didn't take much convincing before he'd succumbed to the calling darkness of sleep.