─── "𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦, 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑒, 𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒."
sad brad, pretty baby ───
˗ˏˋ yapper chris x mute reader ˎˊ˗
𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑩𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳
content.
dotty's bullies decide to test if she can scream for help or not.
warnings.
bullying (physical and verbal), pushing and pulling, ** attempted drowning !! , violence, broken glass, bleeding, fighting, panic attacks, lots of crying, high tension long scene, comfort at the end !!
wc. 1.6k
for @fadedstvrn <3
(— line dividers by @chrisssiren )
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It wasnt meant to happen that way.
Chris had convinced himself he knew the ins and outs of the party - for her benefit, for her safety, security, to help her. But he failed her.
He shouldve known things like these werent entirely predictable. He wanted to know, he wanted to control it so that she wouldnt get hurt. It had come so easy to him up until know, quick thinking to solve any problems yet this time his quick thinking was its own problem.
Dotty felt better in the garden, the people there were less focused on being as vocal and disruptive as possible. There was still noise but there was air. Chris could monitor everything easier too.
When he thought back he had to reassure himself, it had been fine hadnt it? He didnt leave her when she was already tense? he didnt miss something? Someone? Anyone wouldve made the same mistake?
He needed it to be the truth or he could never forgive himself.
Life for dotty had two stages: eyes glued open or eyes glued shut. In that moment, they were definitely open.
Their movements were predatorial - she guessed only if predators wanted to make it extensively clear they were talking about you maybe, but threatening and stalker-ish all the same.
She didnt put up a fight when chris left, not really able to as a result of living life like a frozen deer in headlights.
Regardless, she really didnt try to stop him. She wasnt actually thirsty either but it was the sentiment, he liked his role of protector - he got maybe too comfortable in it during that moment. He left her outside - which isnt entirely equal to burdening her to perform in front of the entire population, though it definitely felt like it.
The muttering voices became slightly clear, enough to piece out “go, go, go” whispered lowly.
A tall boy with a tall shadow and a second ‘shadow’ consisting of three girls and another tall boy. He stood in front of dotty expectantly. Maybe she was supposed to leave? Well, if hes giving her the chance then-
“Do you have a name?” the (surgically glued to his hip) laugh track followed their role behind him.
she couldnt respond even if she wanted to - which she didnt.
He grinned smugly. “You dont? Wow, youre like an abandoned dog.” he spat out.
It hadnt completely felt like that until he put the words in her head. But Chris always came back. She needed him to. especially now.
dotty could name all of them. It was clearly a game but she didnt know what the prize at the end was supposed to be.
He stepped closer, movements for once stealthy and smooth as if rehearsed - leaning down condescendingly.
“You know youve made yourself sub-human. Made up shit because youre lazy but now you cant go back on it.”
He licked his lips - much more predatorial this time.
“You did it to yourself. You cant blame us if we test it.”
She wished shed flinched more when he grabbed her wrists. She wished she fought back more than just trying to grip her feet to the floor. It was all useless. Wasted efforts despite the fact she tried harder and harder.
It was five steps till the edge of the pool. She thought she had those five steps to work up strength, maybe he'd even stop. Maybe it was a bluff.
At three steps she was swung around, trading positions so dotty stood unbalanced where he just was - so he only had to push.
Her ankle hit the concrete edge as she fell in, before choking on water as it surrounded her. The liquid burned into her eyes as she pushed herself higher, enough to be above the surface.
She coughed and sputtered, trying to work on breathing, hand protective over her throat. The water brimmed at her neck, a reminder of how close she still was to it - she still wasnt safe.
A set of hands gripped her shoulders, tight on her skin, enough to scream at her instincts that she was in increasing danger.
“Yell for help and i wont do it.”
Her eyes widened, throat closed and only mentally screaming. He wanted her to yell but god did she wish she could more.
She tried to elbow back, just to get pushed forwards. She tried to smack at his grip but he didnt budge, only applied more pressure downwards. Her back was secure against his chest, slipping below the surface once again.
She thrashed around as much as she could, limbs thrown away not caring for how much she was contorting them. She needed to get him off. It felt worse that she could see herself. The clear water made everything crystal clear - almost mocking the fact she was failing in her fight for her life. She could watch herself put up a fight but it was entirely useless.
His hands ripped away. Dotty didnt waste time questioning, she reached over the water, flailing around to pull herself to where there was air. She clawed the wall, choking out and probably spitting though that was the last of her focus. She looked under herself to the water surface, glass shards swimming to the pool floor.
She felt hands on her arms again and instinctively pulled back this time. She was met with his eyes. Much more familiar and far less threatening. He looked almost terrified.
“Come on, you got it.”
He made her feel weightless, pulling her up high enough to put her knees on the surface. He let go of her hands so she could secure herrself, just for him to get tugged away from her.
Skin met skin aggressively, chris’ face ricochetting back from the other tall boy's fists.
The hits didnt relent, barely giving chris the opportunity to fight back. His knees gave out, the boy worked to straddle his chest to continue pummelling his face in. blood spilled down his face.
Both pool water and tears streamed down dotty's face. She cried out, wailing non sensically and crawled onto her feet to run over to him. Chris yelled at her to stop but she couldnt - instead she smacked and pushed the boys head, just to get more strongly shoved away in retaliation. Dotty sobbed in the spot she fell in.
The other boy from the boy had finally climbed out, blood running from his head from the glass bottle chris had thrown at him. She wished she couldve gone back, let herself die in that pool so that chris never had to suffer because of her again.
Everyone outside watched in horror, as helpless as dotty. The gasps felt comedically coordinated, mocking her once again that her misery was comedic to anyone not associated with her.
She swallowed her tears, working up her effort and standing up next to the two of them. She raised her foot and use every piece of strength she had to kick his skull. He jolted back and felt to the side of chris. She replaced where he had been, laying on his chest and now cradling his face, making herself a human shield.
She sobbed even more at the weak sight of him. She choked on her cries, holding them back as she shuffled on the floor to place his head on her lap.
Dotty shook her head at herself, feeling entirely to blame. Chris shook his head too, only to disagree with her self blaming spiral of thoughts.
She caressed his face, shifting the hair away from his eyes. He looked broken and bloody, but now calm.
“‘S okay, ‘m okay.” he steadied his own breathing. “Dont cry.”
He reached his hand up, wiping away her tears. Dotty wished she could nag him about not talking, watching the way speaking tugged at his already split lip.
“You okay?” he formed a small smile, finding irony in his blood covered face to her tear soaked one - its clear he was the most not okay. not that it mattered to him.
He turned his head to kiss at her palm that cradled his face. Breaths completely steady now, finding relief just in meeting her eyes.
“I should get up off the floor.”
He sat himself up slightly, resting his back on a nearby chair. Dotty placed herself properly on his lap, facing him to press healing kisses on every inch of skin that didnt have his blood on. Once she was satisfied, chris wiped his blood with the bottom hem of his shirt, groaning from the sensitivity of his skin.
Dotty formed a deep frown, earning a sympathetic smile from him.
“Im okay. promise. just need five minutes.”
He shut his eyes and leaned back, hand searching for dotty to pull her to lay against his chest. She avoided surveying her surroundings at risk of feeling embarrassed.
She layed back and gripped onto his shirt. It felt much safer now that she could hear his heartbeat. It was steady. They were both okay.
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