Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, depression, first-person narration, canonical rigidity, violence, gray morality, kidnapping, sadism, masochism, Stockholm syndrome, Lima syndrome, forced killing, murder in a state of passion, the cover-up of a murder, eating intelligent creatures
Minors DNI
Mia Author:
A place for my drawings and stuff
Sometimes there is 18+ content. You have been warned.
💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 36 · A poisonous pet · Fandom: Boyfriend To Death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Chapter 5. Are you sure?
While Ren was passed out, lying flat on the floor covered with a soft white carpet, I sat on the soft sofa for a while before heading upstairs to find Mia. The stairs creaked under my quick ascending steps. With a joyful smile and sparkling eyes, I threw open the door to Ren and Mia's room, barely stopping in the doorway and almost falling over.
“Mia!” I called, looking into the room. But I saw no one. My gaze darted to the closet against the wall, its door was open a crack, inviting me to look inside.
I noticed a familiar light red ponytail through the crack.
“Miaaa,” I said, approaching her and raising my voice slightly. But her figure did not move. Anxiety tickled my nerves, and I cleared my throat, waiting for at least some movement. The ponytail twitched melancholically, and I exhaled.
I carefully opened the door and saw a girl dressed in different clothes, lighter and more delicate than I had seen her in before. Soft pink and white colors. She was curled up in a ball, snoring quietly, her tail wrapped around her body. I tapped my fingers rhythmically on the wood, humming. Leaning over, I gently shook her shoulder, but she only moaned in her sleep, twitching her ear and jingling her bell.
“Mia!” I whispered her name, shaking her and leaning over her animal ear. I still didn't understand why her ears were bigger than Ren's, since they were both foxes. And she seemed to be fast asleep. Well, if anything, I'll deal with him myself.
She'd better get some rest. My gift to her, an apology, of course. I still get goosebumps when I remember how I slapped Mia, an innocent girl who just happened to be on the receiving end of my hot temper. We were in the same boat, after all, and she had spent a long time there without a “travel companion,” except for Ren. Considering Mia's position, I don't really believe that they were in the same situation. Maybe from her perspective, of course, it seems plausible, but I don't know much about how they lived there, and now it doesn't matter. She is free now.
I have the remote now, and everything that happened before doesn't matter. Maybe.
I get up from my crouch, exhale deeply, and walk back out of the room and downstairs. I walk slowly, not wanting to wake Ren. Screw it. I feel like eating something. I didn't eat much yesterday. I think Mia won't mind if I eat her dinner from the day before yesterday. But when I finally return to the living room, passing through to the kitchen, Ren starts fidgeting on the floor, moaning loudly, his hand on his forehead. Fuck, he's ruining everything for me again. You're a fucking idiot, Ren!
“Ughnn...” Ren lifts himself up on his elbows, looking around and holding his head. I stand up, leaning my back against the wall and crossing my arms over my chest. Squinting, I look at him with displeasure. He ruined my breakfast, the bastard! He knows how to ruin the mood, even when we've switched places. “Oh...”
He looks around with a hazy gaze and finally notices me leaning against the wall. His gaze, rounded in that moment, lingered on my bare neck, which was no longer encircled by the cold metal ring. A mockingly satisfied smile flitted across my face, and I pointedly twirled the remote control in my hand. Nodding my head, I shrugged ironically and raised my eyebrows while Ren pressed his ears to his head. He understood everything without words.
Instantly, his hand touched the cold metal and he opened his fanged mouth in shock, his tail fluffing up behind him.
“Oh no...” he whispered breathlessly, and I smirked, stretching my smile wider.
“Oh yes, Ren, oh yes,” I nodded, laughing at his fear. Crime and punishment, you bastard.
He cringed, arching his eyebrows, apparently realizing his new old position. I understand. I was fucking scared too. I wanted him to feel it. I wanted his fear and despair, which he had brought upon me in just a few days.
I waited silently, burning a hole in this piece of shit, watching his reactions closely, enjoying them. He wrinkled his nose and I exhaled with a smirk, realizing that there was nothing he could do. Poor thing. Ren backed away, hugging his shoulders and hunching his back. His amber eyes looked somewhere into the corner, but most importantly, not at me.
“I...” He cleared his throat, noticing his hoarse voice. He curled up, his fluffy tail wrapping around his legs. His voice creaked pitifully, like unlubricated door hinges. That's right, you idiot. “I'm sorry.”
The desperation in his voice was music to my ears, and I tilted my head, peering at his bowed head from a distance. My eyebrows rose and my forehead wrinkled as I listened to his remorse. He looked up at me uncertainly, clenching his fingers. Go ahead and cry some more.
“I shouldn't have pressured you like that!” the guy babbles, then presses his lips, white from the pressure, together while I sarcastically arch my eyebrows, clearly making faces at him. He looks away, sensing my disbelief, and searches for something else to buy my mercy. “I... I...”
“Oh, so now you're ‘sorry’?” I chuckle at the absurdity of the situation as his eyes widen and he shrinks even more, biting his lip, lost, realizing that I won't go easy on him no matter what he tells me now. I throw my head back, speaking more harshly and kicking empathy to hell. “When the collar was around your neck. You don't regret it.”
He looks away, not arguing. At least this little shit is sincere about something. Ren realizes that denial is useless and therefore no longer tries, simply waiting for me to say or do something next.
“You don't regret it yet.” I laugh briefly as he freezes, pricking up his ears. I nod toward the door leading to the basement. His body trembles slightly.
“What are you going to do to me?” he stammers, digging his nails lightly into the skin of his hands. His Adam's apple twitches and he lowers his chin, looking at me from under his eyebrows. There is fear in his voice, and his eyebrows curve pitifully. “What do you want?”
“Punishment. Your punishment, Ren. I would very much like to show you how angry I am with you, how much it hurt and scared me.” Listening to my verdict, Ren reaches for the collar with a trembling hand and clings to it, sniffling.
“How? How are you going to punish me?” Sweating profusely and trembling on wobbly legs, he asks cautiously, not even imagining the answer. I frown thoughtfully, my eyes searching for at least a hint.
Damn. I haven't changed my mind. Clearing my throat awkwardly, I squint my eyes and remember a collection of various instruments, for every taste and color, which could be used not only for engineering, but also to show someone my psychological pain through physical pain. Wow... am I really that cruel, since such thoughts came to my mind? Despite the shivering in my body, a smirk escapes my lips, which I lick. Looking at Ren again, I raise the thumb of my right hand, in which I am holding the remote, and point it at the door, causing Ren to look at me in confusion.
“I think we should go downstairs, huh?”
He freezes for a moment, hunching his back. Shavka stares intently at the door and his breathing becomes labored. His eyes begin to glisten with moisture and his lips tremble, wanting to say something, but his voice seems to have left him, so he just moves his lips like a fish, saying nothing.
“You think I didn't go down there? Didn't take advantage of the opportunity?” I lowered my eyes to the floor, noticing out of the corner of my eye how Ren instinctively took a step back and was still looking there, his ear turned toward me. “And I saw your dirty little secret there, you furry bastard.”
He seemed horrified to hear these words. He stared at me as hot tears rolled down his cheeks, leaving red marks and a white scar on the left side of his face, and his breath caught in his throat. I remember what I saw there and suck on my lower lip while I clear my throat, putting my hand on the back of my neck, finally able to rub that part of my neck. Disgusting. This is followed by a pang of guilt, and I remember how stupid and rude I was to Mia, while out of the corner of my eye I see Ren's panic, which he is trying so hard to calm down.
I raise the remote control in the air, showing it to Ren and pointing my thumb at the red button. And I struggle with pity. While Ren sees my feigned cruelty, I really can't hurt him without effort. Yes, it definitely gives me pleasure, as Ren deserves punishment, but I understand that it is fleeting, and I know perfectly well that I am physically incapable of taking his life, as I did with Law, under pressure from Ren himself.
“Hurry up.” I firmly assert my thoughts and frown, leaving Ren no choice.
“I...” He hesitates, avoiding my gaze, and I raise my pierced eyebrow questioningly. “I'm not going back there!”
I roll my eyes and click my tongue. Let him not complain later; he didn't realize his position. And he dares to argue with me, the little bastard. I press the button and he screams. All his agility disappears when he bends over and holds his collar. His tail fluffs up in pain, his ears press against his red head, and tears run from Ren's eyes, right down the red marks. He bites his thin lips with his fangs and stares into space when it's over.
I swallow, unsure if I liked it. It's like something inside me is solemnly cheering and raising a glass for me, praising with a toast: “Alluya! Fuck you, asshole!” while the other part of me is screaming that I'm no better than him now and I shouldn't stoop to his level, as my mom would say. Although, given the situation, this woman would be the first to stand up for me and would treat this asshole as harshly as only an enraged mother who has just released her baby from the nest could.
He gasped for air, shaking, sitting on the carpet, his whole short body trembling, either from fear or from the recent pain. The guy wipes away his tears, frozen in such a ridiculous position, as if he were a child who had just been scolded.
“Don't make me shock you a second time, Ren.” I softened a little, betraying my uncertainty in my own actions.
In response, I heard him sob and saw him turn toward the door, standing up first. I opened the door, avoiding his gaze. He hung his head, descending to the basement on unsteady legs without my instructions. Guilt and shame consumed me as I held them back under the motto, “He deserves it.” Once downstairs, he looked up at me with his orange eyes, which were no longer so predatory, sniffling with his red nose, his cheeks glistening with tears in the dim light.
“Please...” he said as pitifully as he could.
“Sit down,” I interrupted him, pushing aside my pity again.
Whimpering quietly, he obeyed while I began rummaging through the locker. I wasn't afraid to turn my back on him, knowing that he was scared, pressing his back against the metal support. Taking cable ties out of one of the drawers, I cleared my throat and turned to Ren, who was sniffling and crying on the cold basement floor. I walked up behind him and he obediently put his hands behind the support. The punishment should not be lenient. So I remembered again that he had shown me no mercy and tightened his hands, crouching behind him.
Standing up, I strode over and towered over him. He looked up at me, his legs bent. And he was still crying. I cleared my throat, not knowing what to do. My stomach growled, reminding me of my hunger, and I smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of my head.
“Calm down. I'll go upstairs and get something to eat. You can think about your behavior in the meantime,” I said sternly, while Ren nodded slightly, swallowing hard. I strode upstairs, my footsteps echoing on the stairs, feeling his intense gaze on my back.
Once upstairs, I finally exhaled, as if a mountain had fallen from my shoulders. I don't like being there either. Especially in this role. Finally, I can allow myself to relax and think. With wobbly legs, I approached the kitchen, which was no longer so comfortable for me, and opened the refrigerator door. My gaze falls on a cheese and ham sandwich sitting attractively on the shelf. Ren must have left it for someone. And most likely not for me. Most likely for Mia. Never mind, we'll go out and I'll pay for her to go to some cafe. It's not that I like her. I don't think I like anyone, especially in a situation like this. But I understand her, no matter how angry I am and how much I struggle with her despair.
Sighing, I take the sandwich and close the refrigerator. He never bought coffee. I suspect that Ren wanted to kill me today because “the mutt didn't fit in after all.” But would I be any better than him if I did that? I need to eat and not worry about this bullshit. But how can I not worry when this is my main concern right now? But I can praise myself for finishing in five days. I pour juice into a glass that I took out of one of the wall cabinets and put it on the table. I put the cold sandwich in the microwave and set it for a minute.
“Where's Ren?” I hear a quiet voice behind me and jump, clutching my heart.
“Damn it! Seriously, Mia, don't scare me like that.” I turn to the girl and purse my lips. She stares at me blankly, hugging her elbows. Her gaze slides from my face to where the heavy collar should be.
“Oh, sorry. I didn't find your remote at his place, but we'll definitely do something about your collar.” I look at the scars on her neck and my Adam's apple twitches. “Well, nothing traumatic.”
Her ear twitches and she frowns at my words about not finding her remote with Ren. The girl burns me with her eyes as wrinkles form on her forehead and her face reveals something other than sadness, pain, anxiety, and deep despair for the first time in a long time.
“Where's Ren?” " she repeats, and I sigh when I hear the microwave beep. I take the sandwich off the plate and put it on the table.
“He's alive and well, for now. I'll show you where he is. Are you coming?” I nod toward the sandwich, and she shakes her head, fidgeting with her fingers.
“What do you mean ‘for now’?”
“...You'll find out.”
***
We go down to the basement, and I walk ahead of Mia. Standing and leaning on the workshop table, I look at Ren, who has calmed down, staring blankly at me expectantly and fidgeting on the cold floor. Her gaze meets Mia's. The girl stands rooted to the spot, her eyes wide, looking at Ren. Her face is clouded with confusion as she drops her chin in shock at the circumstances.
“Here.” She turns her shocked gaze to me, silently demanding an explanation. I scratch my left cheek nervously. “That's how it happened. He wanted to kill me, but he failed, and I ended up at the wheel by accident.”
She looks back at Ren, who is huddled behind him, while I start rummaging through the drawers, watching Mia suspiciously as she stands by the stairs. Who knows what she might do. Ren is sobbing, hugging his knees to his chest, trembling under my stern gaze.
I find some worn gloves and put them on, noticing the intense gaze of the foxes, who are freezing in shock. I turn to Mia, shrugging my shoulders and raising my eyebrows, as if to say, “What's the big deal?”
“What? I want to punish him.”
“How?”
I sigh, looking away. I really don't know myself. I've never done this before, resolving all conflicts with a maximum of a swing of my arm at the person who infuriates me. Hugging myself by the shoulders, I shrug them, showing my uncertainty.
“I haven't figured it out yet. You know, I'm not an expert in violence like someone.“ I hint at Ren, who immediately chokes on his saliva at my words. ”Maybe a slap will do the trick. But I definitely don't want to kill him. Poor Lawrence was enough for me."
The redhead doesn't respond, frozen in place, apparently not yet fully aware of what is happening. I continue rummaging. I put a hunting knife on the table, which makes the short fox flinch again. I sigh, realizing that it seems to trigger her. Then I take the screwdriver off the special hook and hold it out to Mia, offering it without insisting, and she tucks her tail between her legs and looks at me in confusion.
“Here. I remember that story with... well, the screwdriver. I'm sorry I yelled at you and hit you, it's not your fault, I screwed up.” I lean my hand on the workshop table and rub my neck while Mia holds the screwdriver uncertainly in her hands. “He could have stopped it, there were two of you. Besides, that jerk is a guy, and he should be ashamed of himself. He just chose to hurt you.”
“What do you mean?! You hit her? Shut up! You don't know shit,” Ren shouts desperately, trying to save his ass. I turn to him, looking skeptical and narrowing my eyes. He turns to Mia, raising his eyebrows. “Mia, I swear! Don't listen to him, I couldn't say no back then! I had no choice! You know Strad! I really wish it hadn't happened. I'm still ashamed! Forgive me again, please don't do this!”
“You'd be ashamed if you didn't leave the collar on her,” I reply coldly and roll my eyes, remembering why he pissed me off so much. Mia doesn't look at us, holding on to the orange-handled screwdriver, digesting everything that's happening here. “If you don't want to hurt him, then that's the right thing to do. You can wait until I'm done, and then I'll make him give the remote back. Or you can try to open the collar. But try not to hurt yourself. Deal?”
She nods at me, staring blankly into the corner. I stretch my lips into a more confident smile and take a deep breath, filling my lungs with courage, clenching my hands into fists, in which I already hold a knife. My gaze falls over my shoulder on Ren, who at that very moment presses himself against the beam behind him. My footsteps approaching him echo through the basement.
“If you hadn't kidnapped me back then, none of this would have happened,” I remind us, crouching down in front of his face. I run the blade of the knife along his features as he cringes and tries to move as far away from the weapon as possible, but the support behind his back prevents him from doing so. “Reap what you sow, bastard. Stretch out your legs.”
Ren listens and pulls. I put my hands behind his back, unbutton the button above his tail and pull down his sweatpants. I look closely at the various scars on his thighs. I let out a sigh and slowly run the blade along his leg. A small cut immediately starts to bleed. Wow, the blade is really sharp! I raise my hand, examining it, while Ren squints his eyes tightly.
It looks like just a scratch, like a cat's claw. I smile bitterly and run the blade over it again, but this time with pressure, trying to hurt him. Ren hisses through clenched teeth. I bite my lip and squint, hearing his pain. Even if I want to, it doesn't seem to give me any pleasure. I exhale when the cut is finished. Blood runs from the wound onto the cold floor, flowing smoothly down Ren's leg in warm streams.
I wave my hand, cut again, and Ren cries out. I feel conflicted as I do this, but I continue, inflicting new wounds on him. The metallic smell lingers in the austere basement, which seems to have been created for torture and is actively used for that purpose, judging by the dried blood in some places in the cold room.
“Well, how do you like it?” I laugh nervously, putting my hands on my knees and looking at him, either anxiously or solemnly. He sobs, sniffling and trembling all over. “How does it feel to be a victim? Answer me, come on!”
Ren licks his lips as I push him in the shoulder with my free hand while the light bulb above us flickers. I watch him closely, interrupting my pity for him with anger. He gasps for air through his mouth because his nose is all stuffed up and it's pretty hard to breathe through it, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down his face.
“I'm scared! And I'm in pain! Forgive me, forgive me! Let's end this, please!" he says quickly, his voice muffled by his blocked nose, his head thrown back. Tears, which I have worked so hard to bring about, stream down his cheeks, his lips trembling along with him, which brings me unspeakable pleasure and indescribable horror at what is happening.
“That's the way to do it.” I twirl the knife in my hands, frowning thoughtfully.
I start feeling Ren's leg to find a soft spot to stick the knife into without crippling him. But I don't really know much about human anatomy, and I'm afraid I'll just mess everything up. I don't want that. I'm not a monster, I guess. I just want to tell him how much it hurt me, even if it's in such a cruel way. Ren has done worse things, and not just to me.
My trembling hand rises as I mark the spot and the knife freezes in the air. The light flickers. A few moments later, I collapse to the floor, dropping the knife, which hits the floor with a distinctive sound, while a sharp, stabbing pain pierces my neck.
I cough up my own blood, feeling my body grow cold. Everything slows down and then speeds up. I see a fountain spurting from my neck as a metallic taste fills my mouth. Trying to fill my lungs with air, I look fearfully at my attacker. Mia towers over me and I gasp, trying to say something to her, but she interrupts me, knocking the air out of me by flipping me over onto the hard, cold surface and sitting on my stomach. A screwdriver glistens in her bandaged hands, shining in the light of the lamp. She fades away again for a couple of minutes, and I see the red glow of her pupils in the darkness, which makes me reflexively freeze with my already weakening body. My gaze falls on Ren, who looks at us fearfully, his eyes wide open.
I feel another sharp pain and look fearfully at my chest, where Mia has stabbed me with a screwdriver. I wheeze, unable to scream properly, seeing in my darkening vision how she stabs me with the tool countless times. Or am I unable to count because I'm losing my life? Bitch, I knew it! I should have watched her... I should have! Damn it. She hits me again and again and again until I feel the pain and whimper.
My eyelids fall heavily over my eyes as I stop hearing sounds clearly because my ears are ringing. My vision blurs and the pain dulls as I lie on my back on the floor, which is no longer so hard and cold.
I feel like I'm drowning in water, unable to struggle as everything fades into the background. My limbs are freezing, losing sensitivity, filling with lead, and I don't care about anything anymore as everything inside me sinks, like the last breath of my life.
What does any of this matter now? I'm calm now.
***
Mia sits on top of the boy who is no longer breathing, into whom she has driven a screwdriver with her last blow. She breathes unevenly as she hunches over him. His eyes are half-closed as she tries to pull herself together. Noah's right hand, bloody and still warm, rests lifelessly on one of Mia's forearms as she tries to catch her breath, her head thrown back. Her face is framed by a smile, so pleasant, so light. The girl watches as the lifeless boy, stained with a mixture of his and Ren's blood, tilts his head to one side. Before that, she listened as she took the boy's life with her own hands, as he became motionless, weak. Only his eyelids twitch. But he is already dead, because he is not breathing and his pulse has stopped.
Ren freezes, pressed against the beam behind him, still watching this scene intently. He tries not to move so as not to provoke Mia, who unexpectedly killed the man who saved her from eternal imprisonment. He has no idea why, how, or for what reason. However, the light bulb stops flickering, and the anxiety of the situation and the hanging silence subside. At first glance. But Ren is still scared, despite the calmer atmosphere.
Mia turns to Ren over her shoulder, hastily rising from the still-warm corpse. Her hands brush off her white skirt, smearing it even more with blood. The guy shudders at the sight of her relaxed shoulders and peaceful smile, which he has rarely seen, so sincere, pure, and at the same time frightening, as fresh blood adorns the girl's cheek, as well as her clothes and hands.
The girl instantly rushes towards Ren, who instantly cringes and squints, reflexively pulling his head away and exposing his neck to her, preparing for the worst. But all he gets is a hug around his neck and her excited sighs, which he catches next to him as she snuggles up to him.
“Thank you, Ren,” she whispers and pulls away slightly, looking at the face of her supposed tormentor. The tail behind her swishes happily. “You were right. I feel better. He really helped.”
Ren exhales, laughing nervously. His wrists are still painfully constricted by the cable as he relaxes, still shivering a little from the overwhelming cold of the basement.
“Glad I could help,” Ren wheezes uncertainly, sniffling. Mia steps back, goes behind him, helping to free his arm, while a nervous smile fades from the beastman's face and his gaze creeps to the body that had been cutting into his legs just a moment ago. The cuts burned with a stinging sensation. It had been a long time since he had felt that.
I love doomed yuri so much. Soooo this Mia and MC from TPOF(I've almost finished the fanfiction with them, which introduces the characters and shows Mia's work routine:333). I've been wanting to draw them in the rain for a long time. I was also inspired by Mitski's cover of "how deep is your love". Mitski is actually my Roman Empire. I also have some songs describing the relationship between these two. @dustycornerseven
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, depression, first-person narration, canonical rigidity, violence, gray morality, kidnapping, sadism, masochism, Stockholm syndrome, Lima syndrome, forced killing, murder in a state of passion, the cover-up of a murder, eating intelligent creatures
Minors DNI
Mia Author:
A place for my drawings and stuff
Sometimes there is 18+ content. You have been warned.
Chapter on AO3:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
The previous part:
💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 33 · A poisonous pet · Fandom: Boyfriend To Death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Chapter 4. At the helm.
Lawrence is kicking and moaning, and I feel more and more uncomfortable with every passing second. His blond hair is tousled, and his face is drawn. He raises his eyebrows, silently begging to be let go. My eyebrows drop to my nose. I clench my fists and hold the edge of my T-shirt between my left fingers.
“Lawrence was supposed to be our new friend...” Ren smirks, seeing nothing wrong with this. “But then you showed up!”
Exclaiming this, he turns to the frightened guy tied to the chair. Striding over, Ren stands behind him. My breath catches, but I can't tear my eyes away from the scene. Lawrence looks at Ren with tears welling up in his eyes. My tormentor puts his left hand on poor Law's shoulder and squeezes it, causing the captive to moan in pain, while Ren hides his right hand behind his back. His fluffy tail wraps around the defenseless guy. Orange eyes stare at me from under his eyelids, and a sly grin spreads across his insolent face.
“Funny how everything can change in a second, isn't it?” He raises one eyebrow and narrows his eyes.
I swallow the lump in my throat, unable to respond. I want to turn away, curl up in a corner, and hide from this situation. I want to turn around and walk away. I want to spit in Ren's face, swing my arm, and hit him.
“So, um... why is he here now?”
Ren gave me a toothy smile. Then he pulled something out from behind his back. The blade of the knife glinted in the light streaming from the hallway. I didn't even have time to react because I was so freaked out by the situation, and he already shoved the gun into my shaky hands.
“I want to share something very special with you, Noah.” No. This is a joke. A nightmare.
I fainted in the basement, and this is all nonsense. I nervously chuckle and raise my eyebrows. He can't be serious, can he? I clench my fingers around the knife handle.
“You... want me to hurt him?” I say, my voice trembling, and unconsciously take a step back. Lawrence whimpers softly and fidgets in his chair, glancing back and forth between me and Ren, who is staring at me.
“Cut...” Ren says firmly, his smile fading. I turn to Mia, who is peeking out from her chair, unflinching. She just looks as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Just like when I ran out of the basement in hysterics.
I turn back to Ren, feeling my throat tighten and my oxygen supply diminish, unable to breathe normally. My hands are shaking.
“...Let him bleed, make him scream,” Ren's voice reaches me through the rising panic. “Kill him.”
The last word hits me like a sharp blow to the face. I press my lips together, looking sympathetically at Lawrence, who raises his eyebrows and can't take his eyes off the knife in my hand. Ren watches me closely, slightly loosening his grip on the shoulder of his apparently former friend. Lawrence shakes his head, trying to say something, but the black rag, wet with his saliva, prevents him. The weight of the collar on my shoulders and neck reminds me of my situation.
I have no choice. This jerk expects one thing from me. Our relationship isn't the best to begin with. And something tells me that my life depends on it.
I take a step closer to my “victim” on wobbly legs, the knife resting uncertainly in my unsteady grip. It's all unreal. I'm dreaming. Right? A lump grows in my throat as I watch hot tears run down the guy's cheeks. I consider apologizing to him. But what's the point? I'm going to kill him. And my apology won't do him any good.
“Go ahead,” Ren pulls me out of my thoughts, tilting his head closer to my shoulder and looking at me expectantly. The ropes bind Lawrence's hands tightly, he is defenseless.
I hover over him, breathing heavily. My face and ears are burning, while my insides are cold again. I take a step closer and my shadow blocks the light. Lawrence is completely in my power. Now I'm in control of the situation, albeit not by much. The guy's breathing is uneven.
I close my eyes and remember how this asshole chased me, how he swung at me. My broken knuckles are white under the bandages. Ren steps back, giving me complete freedom of action in this task. I approach, frowning, taking a deep breath of oxygen into my lungs.
I'm in control here.
My eyes crawl over Lawrence while Ren stands behind me, watching from my back. I slouch, wondering where to start. My gaze catches on his shoulder, which is so attractively bare from his gray, tattered zip-up to his burgundy plaid shirt. Uncertainly, I touch the blade to the fabric of his jacket.
I've never done anything like this before. But I imagine I'm cutting meat with a knife. Yes. Lawrence is meat now. Pork. Which drove me into that ill-fated alley, trying to catch up with me and, it seems, beat me up. He's just crazy. I'm... I'm ridding the world of a bitch. Yeah... sure.
Pressing down on the knife, I push it sideways, testing it. I press my lips together when his groan reaches my ears. I hear fabric and a little flesh tearing. Wow, the knife is so sharp. I hear Ren stepping away somewhere as I stare at Lawrence squinting and writhing in pain. Blood stains the fabric. He leans forward and the ropes rub against his elbows. His blue eyes look at me as he clenches the gag between his teeth. A new wave of tears flows down his tired face. A pang of guilt makes me hesitate. I exhale, thinking again about apologizing.
He was breathing heavily through his snot. I remembered a fawn cornered and about to be torn apart. And I am a wolf now, or a hunter. This thought makes something inside me tighten. My hands sweat profusely and the knife slips slightly in my palm. I inhale deeply again.
Now... is not the time for regrets. My life is at stake.
My face grows cold and I run the knife across his arm again. He lets out a few more muffled moans of protest, and I close my eyes tightly, inhaling the smell of the dusty storeroom and the metallic smell of this guy's blood.
“Mmm-mmm-mmm!” Lawrence moans, shaking his head, kicking and leaning back in his chair. I push away my sympathy again. Not now. I'm sorry.
He, like me, just wants it to stop. More than he's ever wanted anything. Just like me. Frowning, I wave the knife in front of his face.
“But you can't do anything, can you?”
He raised his head sharply, his blue eyes widening. Did I say that out loud? My throat tightens, as does my hand in the air. Silence fills the room. I don't know how that bastard and Mia reacted, but Lo freezes, waiting for my next move. I wait too, thinking. Ren was probably just watching with a satisfied expression, and Mia was listening calmly, completely unsurprised. I hate the circumstances I find myself in now.
I stabbed Lawrence in the thigh with my knife. Tears mixed with saliva and snot wet his gag. I can clearly hear his dull screams and the tearing of his clothes and bonds as his flesh is torn apart. I am both disgusted with myself and love that I can control it. The knife is firmly stuck in his leg when I let go of the weapon to wipe my sweaty palms on my T-shirt.
Gripping the wooden handle tightly with my fingers again, I slowly push the blade deeper, tearing muscles and probably hitting nerves. It turns my stomach, but I don't feel like I want to vomit. No. I feel the gaze of those frightened heavenly eyes clinging to me.
He can't stop me, even though he desperately wants to. I struggle to turn the knife, and his screams through the gag hit my ears again, along with the sounds of the ropes and cable ties tightening even more, the sounds of flesh tearing.
I've never experienced anything like this before. I don't even know how to describe it. But for some reason, it made me feel better. Strangely enough, the coldness of the collar on my skin became even more pronounced than before.
“It's okay,” I say, more to myself than to him, smiling nervously and standing up. My free hand uncertainly rests on his wet cheek as he stares at me. Cold sweat breaks out on my body and forehead. I pull out the knife while Lawrence squints.
My whisper calms me more than it calms him. I understand that at moments like this, he probably doesn't even want to hear anything. I can't even imagine the pain of my victim. I just explain to myself why it makes me feel better, because this shit... it's too heavy, heavier than my new position, heavier than the collar around my neck.
“I'm helpless too. But you help me. You lighten my load.” I slide my hand down, swallowing as he shakes. I'm really sorry. Lifting his chin, I arch my eyebrows, forcing him to look at me. Come on, see. I'm sorry, but I'm grateful to you! But he doesn't see.
I think I'm really losing my mind. I'm no better than Ren.
“I understand how you feel, Law,” I say with trembling lips, the knife resting in my right hand. Blood drips onto the floor. I can smell it. The metallic scent has already penetrated my nostrils. But he heard me, even though it was useless.
I remove my hand and wipe the knife on his shirt, narrowing my eyes and breathing heavily.
“I can't stop it either,” I laugh nervously, not understanding what the fuck I'm saying. Horror paralyzes his body. He's not even shaking from the pain anymore.
Why? Why does it feel so good to say such horrible and dirty things?
Fuck it! I'll set him free. Looking sympathetically into his eyes one last time, I stick the knife into his stomach and push it in, listening to the familiar sound of tearing tissue, both his shirt and his skin and flesh. He gasps through the gag and soon his head droops.
So softly... his intestines slide out and spill out, I see fat, I see blood running down his cooling body, down his clothes. His breathing gradually fades and the sparkle in his eyes disappears. Stopped tears run down his chest to the wound.
Is this what you wanted, you bastard? This kind of show? I frown.
I stand, not taking my eyes off what I've done, as the room shrinks. My hands are shaking. But despite that, my grip tightens on the knife. I stand rooted to the spot, unable to look away from how I took the life of an innocent man. Now I am dirty too.
No. No, no, no! My eyes fill with tears as I exhale, restoring my breathing. He is dangerous. He attacked me there, near the bar. He... Yes, he is not innocent. I nod slightly to my thoughts, wiping away the tears that have come to my eyes. I did everything right. Swallowing my bile, I throw the knife aside and it falls there with a characteristic sound. Sniffing, I shiver again, towering over the corpse.
He wasn't innocent. I did the right thing. I did it... honorably. He could have hurt me. I was fighting for my life!
I turned to Ren, grinning crookedly. But... he stood motionless, staring intently at the lifeless Lawrence. Next to him stood Mia, wrapping her tail around herself. The bruises under her eyes seemed to have grown larger. She lowered her head, avoiding my gaze. Ren was shaking slightly.
“It's...” I looked away, my eyes wide, staring into the corner of the dark room. Clearing my throat, I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. “It wasn't that difficult.”
“Oh... Y-yes.” Ren nodded in agreement. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed his tail was down, and I remembered that his ears were too. He tried to keep up a cheerful mood, giggling. I know that's not true. Because you, you furry bastard, are hugging yourself and your voice is shaking, bitch. Not comfortable, huh? “Looks like it! Haha... you did great!”
Mia is silent, ignoring the two of us and staring at the corpse. I couldn't read her thoughts, but from her face, it seemed to me that she didn't really care, it was so indifferent. But then why is she looking? My gaze crept over her still slightly red cheek. I'm sorry about that too. But I feel better. Which makes it even more absurd and shameful.
“I need to tidy myself up.” Ren quickly slips away, smiling crookedly but warmly at me, without even looking at the girl. They let me off the hook. As he climbs the stairs, he calls back to us, standing opposite each other: “You can rest for now!”
“Sure,” I say firmly, leaving the small room and walking past the girl. Then I rummage around in the storage room. I don't want to... not yet. I'll leave Mia and Lawrence behind. It doesn't matter. I need to rest.
The living room seemed brighter and cozier than before. I plopped down on the sofa, stretched out on it, and laid my head on a soft pillow. Deep down, I knew I should be worried about what had just happened. But no. I don't feel like it. I did everything right.
My eyelids drooped.
What was the point of worrying about it now? I did it because I had no other choice. Besides, Lawrence wasn't the best person. I did a good deed. Right?
I relaxed on the soft pillows, putting my glasses on the coffee table first.
***
Blood dripped onto the floor of the dark room. The metallic smell lingered and was no longer noticeable. Under the gaze of the green eyes, it all seemed so... soothing. Mia had a bitter taste of envy in her mouth. Her tail rested nearby, tapping softly on the floor in rhythm with the drips. The girl crouched down, watching as Lawrence's organs spilled out of his belly.
He wasn't breathing, there was no pulse, his glassy eyes stared at the floor, and his body had grown cold. He would never blink again, he would never breathe again, and he hadn't suffered long compared to her. He died. He died, freed. But she is not free. She still breathes and blinks.
She is still in the shackles of this life, still with the weight and coldness of a metal collar.
The bell jingles as her ear twitches toward Noah. Her keen hearing picks up the sniffling. Exhaling, the girl shifts from a crouch to a sitting position, carefully examining the insides.
“Hey,” Mia calls to the corpse. But he doesn't even twitch. "You should be glad it ended this way. You weren't tortured for long, you weren't humiliated. You're the luckiest of us all."
Lawrence just sits there, his head bowed. The life has gone out of him. Now he's just a heavy body, just a corpse. Like the one in the basement. Mia hugs her knees, looking into the blond man's face. He doesn't answer.
“You know,” Mia whispers, as if sharing some girlish secret, her eyes devoid of life. They are in a similar state. She is dead too. But only one of them is not breathing. And only one of them will have to continue living this life. “I even envy you. Just a little bit?”
Mia crawls closer to the cold body. She touches the burgundy liquid, touches the hole in his stomach. His intestines are slimy and unpleasant to look at. His tears have dried, and now he seems even happy. And rightly so. The bandage on her fingers is stained with blood. Flipping her tail unnoticed, the girl smears the thick liquid over the cold skin.
Hesitantly fixing her gaze on his organs, the girl slowly reaches out her hand toward them. The intestines spill out even more, and Mia's gaze wanders over the boy's insides. They are all just bodies filled with organs. Nothing more. When she dies, she will be no different from him. Her hand is stained with blood, and organs continue to fall to the floor.
For the first time in a long time, a smile quietly escapes her. She pulls her hand further. The sounds are slippery, so pleasant. The intestines are like sausages. How are they different? Because they are inside a person? So are sausages. Because sausages are cooked? Intestines can be too. It's just that sausages are smaller than intestines. That's all. And intestines aren't packaged. Although, can a body be considered packaging?
Her hand slides deeper, feeling around. Here are the kidneys, here is the spleen, here is the heart that no longer beats, here is the stomach that will never digest again, here are the slippery, hard ribs and the lungs beneath them that will never fill with air again. And here... the liver.
Mia pulls it out and turns it in her hands. Blood stains her clothes and bandages, dripping from her hands onto the floor. The girl examines it, biting her lip.
Her green eyes stare at Lawrence, who shows no reaction to the absence of his liver and his torn-up insides. Mia snorts, shrugs, and puts the liver to her lips.
“You don't mind, do you? It's just, if I eat this... maybe I'll feel better too?” .
.
.
.
Silence is a sign of consent.
Smacking and slurping sounds echo through the living room and the small room while her “partner in misfortune” sleeps peacefully on the sofa, unaware of what has been done to his victim. Oh well. Mia swallows bite after bite, feeling the thick, cold blood on her tongue, feeling a part of Law flowing through her. He helps two people, what a hero!
Blood drips onto the collar, onto clothes and the floor, her face covered in blood, an unpleasant sensation. With only blood-stained sleeves and bandages on her hands, Mia stands up, her shadow covering the corpse. A soft smile adorns her bloodstained face and her small fangs glisten in the lamplight.
Her clothes are soaked directly in a basin of cold water, while her feet and buttocks feel the cold tiles of the bathtub. Now, it smells like blood here too. Footsteps echo down the hallway and the door swings open. Ren looks down at Mia with concern as she sits in her underwear in front of the basin, cleaning the blood from her clothes. Her unbandaged hand reaches for the hydrogen peroxide standing on the sink.
Freezing, she stares intently at the red-haired guy wearing a white T-shirt and sweatpants with red stripes on the sides. He exhales.
“Phew, there you are.” Ren puts one hand on his hip, waving his tail and placing the back of his other hand on his forehead. His lips stretch into a warm smile. “Did you finally eat? Wash your face, okay? Aren't you tired? Maybe you should sleep?” I found a good sleeping pill... I could use some sleep myself.
***
“Hey, Noah.” I hear through my light sleep.
My eyes fly open, and a pleasant light hits my face. How long have I been asleep? I sit up on the sofa, rubbing my eyes and looking at Ren. I yawn and stretch. He looks away from me, his lips pressed together. He's dressed differently now... More casually? His ears droop slightly. He shifts from foot to foot while I put on my glasses.
“You fell asleep. You slept through the whole day.”
He speaks tersely while I examine him. Scars are visible under the white fur on his chest. They are also visible on his bare arms, which are covered with them. They are different, but the main thing is that they have healed.
“And... I've been thinking.” He swallows, fiddling with the hem of his sweatpants. I look at him hazily, gradually waking up. He pauses and finally looks at me, his red eyebrows arched pitifully, his brow slightly sweaty. “You're becoming uncontrollable.”
I wake up instantly when he says that. My eyes widen and I sit up, looking at him in confusion.
“What?” My eyebrows drop to my nose and I squint skeptically. I straighten up, burning a hole through Rene with my gaze as he shrinks under the pressure of my stare.
Is this little fucker going to screw me over again?! No fucking way. That's not going to happen. I saw what I shouldn't have seen. And I did what I shouldn't have done. I can't live normally because of this. And he, fuck?! Is he fucking kidding me?! I clench my fists, my eyes wide open. Heat rushes to my head. Everything inside me boils over and I suck in my stomach as my breath catches.
“Listen, it's for your own good!” Ren's voice trembles as he holds out his hand to me and tries to calm me down. However, his other hand reaches into his pocket. Behind the console, huh? Son of a bitch!
No! No, damn it! No! I killed Lawrence only on his orders so that this wouldn't happen. Damn it! It's not fair!
His face contorts in fear, his eyes bulge, and he takes a step back from me. His fox ears prick up on his red head, and his tail fluffs up. He barely manages to dodge, ducking sharply.
We both lose our balance, falling onto the white carpet. His ears press against his head and his eyebrows frown. He wrinkles his nose, clenches his fists, and growls quietly, baring his teeth. His orange eyes stare at the floor.
“You...” The bastard reaches for the chain, his face darkening.
I rush first for the chain, which he has fixed his eyes on and which is lying so conveniently at our feet. Grabbing it, I quickly threw it around his neck, pressing the carcass to the floor. He gasped, grabbing the cold metal of the chain with his fingers. His face turned slightly blue, and he coughed viciously, staring at me as I pulled the chain tighter.
He writhed beneath me, trying to dig his claws into me, but I only cut off his oxygen supply even more. Adrenaline rushed to my head, followed by anger. My hands were shaking, and I grinned nervously as I towered over him. His claws only scratched my skin slightly, so I had no intention of stopping.
I knew I couldn't stop now.
I continued to tighten the chain, and his strength began to leave him. The guy's arms went limp and his eyelids gradually closed as he rolled his eyes and gasped for air. After one last desperate attempt to dig his claws into me, he collapsed, exhausted.
I threw back the chain, breathing heavily. For a moment, I froze, looking at him and listening. His chest was still rising and falling without pressure, his body taking in more oxygen even though he was unconscious. His ear twitched.
Alive.
Okay, okay... I bit my lip, nervous and afraid that he would wake up. God, please don't let him wake up. Swallowing hard, I leaned over his weakly breathing body. My hands began to search his pockets. Where... I have to remember, yes. My hand found a small remote control in one of the pockets. I moved away from him, laughing nervously. I'm free!
Tears rolled down my face as I recovered with relief. I glanced at the remote control. It's fine. But the buttons are still unlabeled.
I learned the hard way what the big red button did. The slider apparently adjusted the power. I fiddled with the two remaining buttons, too exhausted to worry about the possible consequences. My gaze darted to Ren, lying in front of me.
He looked so small and defenseless. Okay, no pity. That's what this flea-ridden faggot deserves.
I heard a soft click. The collar fell onto my knees. My eyes flew open and I reached incredulously for my neck. She... I pursed my lips, feeling my neck skin so free for the first time in so many days. My shoulders still ached. I stretched them, chuckling. The weight was now on my knees.
My gaze darted back to the red bitch. I frowned and grunted. Leaning over, I threw off the heavy chain and put the neck shackle next to me. Propping up his head, I carefully took the metal ring. Once, and I fastened the collar on him.
The triumph of victory overwhelmed me. I couldn't help but smile. I exhaled, standing up and putting my hands on my hips. A sly smile flitted across my face.
But... where was the remote for Mia's collar? I looked at Ren again. I didn't seem to find anything. Okay, we'll break it or look for it later, now we need to figure this out.
I sat down on the sofa, stretched out on it, and twirled the remote control in my hands. Putting my feet up on the coffee table, I grinned, waiting for Ren to wake up. Although, actually, I was hungry. And I would have to go up to Mia.
We were free now. And now we would get our revenge.
__________
Happy new year’s everyone 💋 The next chapter will be the final one, and I'll post it within a month. After that, I'll take a short break and start translating "Star", a TPOF fanfiction that is written from Mia's perspective:3
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, depression, first-person narration, canonical rigidity, violence, gray morality, kidnapping, sadism, masochism, Stockholm syndrome, Lima syndrome, forced killing, murder in a state of passion, the cover-up of a murder, eating intelligent creatures
Minors DNI
Mia Author:
A place for my drawings and stuff
Sometimes there is 18+ content. You have been warned.
💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 54 · A poisonous pet · Fandoms: boyfriend to death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Chapter 2:
💬 1 🔁 1 ❤️ 11 · A poisonous pet · Fandoms: Boyfriend to Death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Chapter 3. Into the depths.
My eyes fly open and I jump up on the bed, breathing heavily. I vaguely remember something blocking my oxygen supply. As I catch my breath, I hug myself around the elbows, looking around the room and listening to the sounds outside it. Silence.
I stay like this for a while, staring at the ceiling, which no longer looks so annoyingly perfect. My fault, I guess? My fingers run over the metal of the collar. This weight has become so familiar that it makes me sad to the point of tears. I no longer feel pain in my shoulders and neck after sleeping with this miracle device. I need to wash up. Sliding off the soft bed, I walk to the door, turn the handle, and trudge gloomily toward the bathroom.
I got a little distracted, not yet fully accustomed to my new surroundings, and accidentally walked into the toilet instead of the bathroom. I stood there like an idiot, staring gloomily at the toilet.
But soon I was washing my face with warm water and then brushing my teeth. The minty toothpaste pleasantly refreshes and tingles my mouth. A guy is looking at me from my reflection. And he looks better than yesterday, which makes me smile.
Here's the strange thing: Ren didn't call me today. What time is it anyway? I hurriedly spit out the toothpaste, quickly wipe my face with a terry towel, throw it on the sink, and run to the kitchen.
He's not there... Still asleep? Did he give up? A laugh escapes my chest. Either from happiness or from disbelief in what is happening.
But my stomach is growling. My gaze darts to the window. Day... why didn't he wake me up and just disappear? Maybe he's asleep? I walk over to the refrigerator, open it, and carefully examine the contents. Hmm... Mia's dinner from yesterday, lots of groceries, and a couple of dishes. Deciding to grab a quick breakfast on the go while I look for something that might help me, I take a banana, peel it without washing it, and pop the soft fruit into my mouth. With quick steps, jumping over the steps, I go upstairs and knock on Ren's door, guessing that he is most likely not there.
Silence. For the first time since I've been here, I smile at this. With my mouth full, satisfied, I throw open the door to the room.
It's a typical boy's room, well, an anime dude's room. I shrug as I walk in. I've seen this room before. Unlike the rest of the house, it's lived in and not very cozy, judging by the design and my opinion. It smells like that bastard, which doesn't inspire me at all. But I need to find a phone. Or crack open the computer.
Maybe Mia knows? By the way, where is she?
“What are you doing?” I flinch at the soft, quiet voice behind me and cough, choking on a piece of banana. She's quick to react.
“Don't scare me like that!” I say hoarsely and continue coughing. My eyes water and I finally swallow the ill-fated banana.
My throat still hurts a little, but I swallow again, wiping away my tears and snot. The weight of the piece has now moved lower, so I can breathe out. I'm no longer choking.
Mia peeks out guiltily from the open closet door, and we exchange awkward glances, waiting for someone to speak. I can see how lived-in this closet is, and it looks more like a room than a piece of furniture for storing clothes.
“Do you know where Ren is?” I break the silence first.
“He left, promising to come back soon.” Her tail wraps around her, she slumps and hugs her knees, pressed against her chest.
“I hope not soon,” I mutter under my breath, and Mia twitches her ear, jingling her bell. I clear my throat. “Um, do you know the password for the computer?”
She pauses and turns away from me, arching her eyebrows.
“Don't count on my help,” Mia swallows and rubs her eyes. “I can't even help myself, let alone you.”
Sympathy wells up inside me and I bite my lip. My eyebrows slide down toward my nose and I exhale heavily, crouching down. I turn to the drawers and start rummaging through them.
“But I can help us,” I smile, and she glances in my direction, which I feel, shuddering slightly. “How long have you been here?”
“... Three years.” She presses her lips to her knees, and I don't immediately understand what she's saying. I widen my eyes, rummaging deeper in the drawer. There's no sign of a phone here. Just manga, a set of threads and needles. Next.
“Wow! That's quite a lot,” I smile bitterly, rummaging through the box and finding a gun. Mia doesn't even flinch when I check it and take the safety off, firing into the ceiling. Nothing. I cross my legs, sitting in the “Arab” position. “You held out for a long time. I hope it's worth it and I can help us.”
I feel her green eyes on me. She stares at me in surprise, as if I were speaking German. Speaking of which.
“Do any of you watch German movies?”
“No... there's no one left.” Mia fidgets with her blanket and presses her back against one of the closet walls.
“How many of you were there?” I raise my left eyebrow, turning my head toward her. She swallows, preparing to speak.
“Three. Me, Ren, and... well, our mutual tormentor.” I notice a slight tremor in her body as she pauses, watching closely as her large ears press against her red head and her fluffy tail wraps tightly around her legs.
“And that's why you have so many scars?”
“Almost.” She rests her head on her knees, her cheek pressed against them, and looks at me with a sad expression.
I turn away, opening the third drawer.
“It's ironic that you got rid of one, but Ren became the same.” I let out a joyless laugh, carefully rummaging through the redhead's belongings.
“We didn't get rid of him.” Mia swallows, closing her eyes as she remembers. “His last victim killed him.”
“Victim? A failed pet?” I tap the metal collar with my index finger and look at Mia, smiling slightly.
“No, he always had victims. He brought people in and killed them. Long and painful,” Mia explained with a lump in her throat, carefully tracing invisible patterns on her leg with her fingernail, sometimes touching the scars.
“What about you and Ren? Were you there too?” I cringed at the discovery of some hentai manga with a cover featuring busty anime girls who were clearly underdressed, and with pages that had stuck together, I put it back in its place.
“Ren, yes. I was probably conceived here as a pet for Ren.” She buried her lips in her knees again, and I listened to understand what she was saying.
“Ugh. I see why he won't let you go.” I shrugged and closed the useless box. Where's the damn phone? “But why am I here?” As I understand it, you weren't waiting for me, I'm here simply because I happened to be available, and I don't really fit into Ren's framework.
“You're right.” Mia is silent for a long time, and I'm about to say something, but she continues. “I didn't know he was bringing someone. He said he... wanted to bring Lawrence.”
“Oh... Oh.” I replay the memories from the bar in my head. Right. Bitch. I slap myself in the face with my hand, and Mia glances at me, raising an eyebrow. “You can laugh at me now. I think I figured out what I did wrong.” So, this furry guy spiked Lawrence's drink. They looked shady, and I thought they spiked mine too. So I drank Lo's glass instead, just to be safe.
I laugh bitterly at my realization as Mia looks at me without answering. I guess I guessed right. She turns her head away, resting her cheek on her knees.
“Listen, about that guy,” I continue searching the drawers and table, getting up from the floor. If I don't find the phone, maybe I'll find a spare remote for my collar or the password for the computer. Just in case, the keys to the storage room, and maybe there will be something there. Who killed him? And how?
She presses her lips together and looks away. Lowering her left leg, she runs her hand along her thigh and finds a round scar. Running her fingers over it, Mia takes a deep breath, closing her eyes.
“Margaret,” Mia remembers with difficulty.
“Thatcher, like?” I smile, but get no reaction to the joke. She just squints her eyes, remembering.
“No,” the girl says with a heavy sigh, “the last name starts with C, Campbell, I think, that's how he introduced her.”
“Hmm,” I shrug. I found some papers with numbers on them. Slamming the drawer shut, I get up and sit down in the chair, turning on the computer monitor. “You're having such a hard time remembering her. Was she a bad person? Or have you just forgotten?”
“... More like forgotten, but,” she rubs her scar. “She was just a bad experience for me.”
“What do you mean? Did you guys... date?” I smirk and make scissors with my hands. Not that I'm homophobic, just kidding. She shakes her head, which I can tell by the sound of her bell jingling on her pierced ear.
“She... Well, she's the reason for my scar,” Mia mumbles. The first password is incorrect. “She yelled at me, and because of that, Strade came. And he called Ren to punish me... And as a result, they stabbed me in the thigh with a screwdriver.”
I wince and turn to her, my eyes wide. Our eyes meet. I didn't even notice right away that she mentioned the name of their tormentor. I was too preoccupied.
“Seriously?” I ask, scared. She nods slightly. I lean back in my chair. Shit, I'm gonna throw up. I feel my stomach churning. “Fucking hell... What happened next?”
“Well, Ren took me to get patched up and sleep, and the next night she killed him while he was trying to kill her. That's what Ren told me.” She tilts her head back, pressing her forehead against the wall of the closet. I listen to her carefully, then turn away, clicking on the keyboard. It's not right.
“I'm sorry,” I grunt, running my hand over my mouth. My hands grow cold, my organs twist into a tight knot, and everything inside feels empty from the pressure.
She doesn't answer, and I swallow. I type the next password, not knowing what words to choose. That doesn't work either. Standing up, I avoid her gaze, still arching my eyebrows sympathetically and imagining how painful it must have been. Putting the piece of paper back in its place, I straighten up and look at her.
“Anyway... It's over, right? So it won't happen again in the future.” I soften, approaching the closet. Mia listened to my words, pressing her lips to her knees and clenching her fists as she hugged her legs again. “Ren is more caring towards you now. Isn't that right?” She slowly nods her head in agreement. I smile, scratching the back of my head. “I don't want to hurt you. Come with me. We're kind of like partners in misfortune now.”
I smile, reaching out my hand to her, leaning down slightly. She hesitantly takes my hand. Hers is bandaged... mine too—up to the knuckles, hers even up to the fingers. The bandages rub against each other with a characteristic sound as she leans on me and stands up. I smile gently at her. God, she looks so small and defenseless. How could anyone hurt her?
I let go of her hand and we walk together. The floor and steps creak slightly beneath us. She walks behind me, taking light steps. For the first time in days, I realize that Mia is so light because she's so damn thin. Anorexia? Nervous? If I were her, I wouldn't eat either. We go downstairs and I look around the first floor. I know there's nothing interesting on the second floor.
“If you want, you could tell me, if you know where the key to the storage room is, of course?” I turn to her, rubbing the accessible area of my neck. Mia hugs her elbows.
“Sorry, but Ren has it,” she says quietly, pausing. She stares blankly, apparently remembering something.
“It's okay. Sit down, I'll look for something.” I smile broadly. She nods and slowly shuffles over to the chair.
I watch her, seeing her lowered tail follow her. She seems more relaxed now that she's not clutching it to her chest. The fox sits down in the chair, takes the pillow from behind her back, and wraps her arms around it.
Coughing, I look away from her so as not to make her feel even more uncomfortable. I'm not an asshole. I understand that everyone needs space and that you shouldn't pressure someone who is hurting with your pathetic sympathy. It won't do any good and might even make the situation worse.
My gaze freezes on the door, which I have put off until better days. The basement. As the door creaks open, I feel Mia's gaze on the back of my neck. What didn't I see there? Although, remembering her history...
I take a deep breath. The light bulb above the stairs flickers and wobbles. I creak down the stairs, carefully descending. Once at the bottom, I look around. No one is there... No corpses either. There's no sign of them.
However, soon I notice brownish-red stains on the cold, dark birch floor. Coagulated blood. I frown, distrustful, and step back from it and start rummaging through the boxes. Tools, gloves, a whole collection of hunting knives, cable ties, and a couple of blueprints. Apparently, that “Strad” or whatever his name was, was an engineer. Or maybe Ren has a hobby.
I run my hand over the cold, heavy ring around my neck.
No, it's not Ren. It turns out I'm wearing his collar. I tilt my head closer to my shoulder and my face contorts in disgust mixed with sadness. Apparently, people have been killed here. Shivering, I examine the boxes again.
I'm still scared of the idea of taking a weapon. What if I attack Ren? Then what? He's much faster than me and will press the button. I hold my collar tightly. I don't want to be electrocuted again. This hellish agony does not bring me pleasure. After all, I am not a masochist. And I have never been a sadist.
I turn my back to the workbench. I see a metal support in the middle of the basement. Two doors. I guess one leads outside. My gaze creeps over my shoulder to the workbench. If I try to break the handle... we can escape. But that takes time, right? I don't have that fucking option, plus I didn't ask Mia to stand guard.
And honestly... I'm not sure about her. I feel sorry for her, I won't argue with that, and I really want to help her. But does she want help? Really. She's been here a long time. Plus, do I have any guarantee that she hasn't developed Stockholm syndrome and won't rat out Rena at the first opportunity?
Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It's like war here: all means are good. Although, it feels like war.
But for now, I'll check out the second room. Taking a screwdriver, I walk to the door opposite the one that I think leads outside. After fiddling with it, I finally open it.
This place is very different from the rest of the house. A worn-out dirty red sofa, green linoleum, walls with light orange boards made of ordinary wood. I grunt and move on. A computer disconnected from the outlet. After poking around, I plug it in. Bitch. Password.
I decide to rummage through the drawers, after turning off the computer. But I don't find anything useful. Thanks a fucking lot. I have a feeling that either Ren hides everything securely or carries everything with him.
I exhale and exit. Someone should ventilate that room. It smelled as if someone had passed away there. Taking one last look before flipping the switch, I squint and notice blood. Quickly turning off the light and slamming the door, I fumble with a screwdriver in the lock, trying to lock it. No, I don't even want to know. But because of a slight panic, I can't do it.
Oh well, to hell with it.
I quickly head for the opposite door. For a moment, I freeze, listening to the sounds above. Nothing.
Taking a deep breath, I examine the lock. Damn, it's more complicated. I need a key or a crowbar. I'm still not entirely sure. Plus, Ren could be back any minute. All my courage disappears, along with my heart. I'm really scared.
But if not now, then when? I'm wasting time.
I don't have much strength, but it's worth a try. I don't have many options anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Kicking the door, I realize it's sturdy. Staggering back, I frown and run. I try to kick the door down several times, but I'm not very strong. And the door defeats me when I run out of breath, sliding down it on my back. I sit down on the floor, gasping for air. What a nightmare.
I remember everything I figured out the other day. That's right. There's an electric shock near the exits. I growl and throw my head back. I tried in vain!
“Fuck!” I hiss through my teeth and kick the air with my right foot. A slight anger tickles my spleen and prevents me from breathing freely.
Cursing under my breath, I get up and look around. Where haven't I looked yet? I have to take something. My gaze falls on the refrigerator. A refrigerator? In the basement? It's upside down. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I lick my lips.
I approach, examining the appliance with hungry interest. The refrigerator hums quietly. It's different from the expensive refrigerator upstairs in the kitchen. Grabbing the metal lid, I pull it up, hear a distinctive sound, and tilt it back against the wall.
My eyes widen and a lump forms in my throat. I can already feel the undercooked banana in my stomach rising up my esophagus. I cough, holding my hand over my mouth. Holy shit. My legs buckle, but I can't take my eyes off it. I regret wearing my glasses today and coming here at all. Anger, fear, and resentment wash over me, but I remain rooted to the spot, unable to take my eyes off the corpse. My eyes fill with tears.
A dead, overweight man lies in the ice. His dull orange eyes stare into the distance. His brown curly hair is frozen and turned into icicles. His dark skin is covered with frost. I guess the cold has prevented him from rotting, which is why there are almost no corpse spots. He lies there lifeless. My eyes crawl over the corpse, studying the frozen wound.
There, I see a cut on his neck. It is deep, but frozen due to the cold. Through it, I notice severed ligaments and muscles, which makes my stomach churn even more. My ears ring.
By the way, about his stomach... his chest, arms, and stomach were exposed. And his stomach in every sense of the word. I saw frozen fat, ribs, and some bones, I saw frozen organs: long intestines, liver, kidneys, spleen. My head spun. But where... where was his heart? I hug myself around the elbows. Cold sweat breaks out on my forehead. I swallow and a painful realization hits me.
Frowning, I quickly slam the freezer door shut and it falls with a bang.
With quick steps on shaky legs, I run upstairs. Breathing heavily, I slam the basement door shut and press my back against it. Hot tears run down my cheeks, and I press my lips together, staring blankly into the distance. That image is still before my eyes. I swallow hard. How can I live peacefully after this?!
My gaze falls on Mia. She is sitting, hugging a pillow and staring intently at me. She looks calm. I frown and rage hits me in the head. She knew. With heavy steps, I cover the distance between us.
“You knew, didn't you?!” A loud slap echoes through the room and Mia falls back onto the chair, holding her cheek with trembling hands. I try to catch my breath, but I can't. It's too tight. Sniffing, I look at her as she hides her face behind her hair. “Answer me, damn it! Did you know?!”
She tucks her tail between her legs and nods slightly.
“Bitch... Why is there a dead body there?!” I didn't know who to ask. I didn't know what to do. She remained silent, giving me no answers, staring into space, her eyebrows arched. “Is that why you're like this? Is it? Fuck...”
I pace back and forth, wiping away snot and tears, unable to catch my breath. Everything feels constricted. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“You gave up because of this, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me anything?! Why? Did you want me to see it for myself?” I hug myself, trying to calm down, but I'm still yelling at her, who is huddled in her seat. I can't see her face, but I can tell she's scared. “What now? Are you going to tell him?!”
I grab my disheveled hair and finally lose control. I sob, not knowing what to do. Panic grows inside me.
“Fine! Go to hell, all of you!”
I stomp loudly toward my door with hurried, wide strides. Slamming it shut, I lean my back against it and fall to the floor on my butt. Hugging my shoulders, I sob quietly.
Where have I ended up? Will I end up just like him? What the hell is this?! Let me out of here! Mommy, take me away! Someone... please! I'm so scared.
Wiping away my tears, I hide my face in my knees, sobbing quietly. My whole body feels so heavy. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears.
When I've calmed down a little, I try to make sense of the situation. God... I lost it. I sniffle, covering my mouth with my hand. I lost it on innocent Mia. Fuck. Shame overwhelms me and my ears turn red. I stare blankly at the floor. I steady my breathing, coming back to my senses. What have I done?
Standing on my still unsteady legs, I exhale and shake myself off. I need to apologize. But I freeze when I hear the distant turn of a key. Ren! He's back! I press my ear against the door.
“Ahaha, come on.” Is he with Mia? “Isn't that what you wanted?”
„Wanted“... Who's there? Who did he bring? He's moving further and further away from my room. I remember the layout of the house. It seems like he's closer to the storage room. I hear the distant jingle of keys. Straining my ears, I press myself closer to the door and frown. I don't hear the keys turn. I didn't hear Mia either.
When the door slams shut in the distance, I hear footsteps, heavier than Mia's.
“Noah!” Ren shouts, and I jump. “Are you okay?” Come out! I have a surprise for you."
His cheerful tone doesn't make me happy, not at all. Just like the memories from the basement. And this someone he brought with him. My hands are shaking, and my stomach is churning. I hold on to the metal ring around my neck. God, Lord. Forgive me for my stupidity back then, in the bar.
“I'm co...” I cleared my throat when I heard my hoarse voice. “I'm coming...”
I slowly left the room, closing the door behind me and trying not to show Rena my fear and trembling legs.
«Animals can sense fear,» I remember the words of my school friend, Beck, who became a veterinarian.
“Did you rest well?” Ren says with a smile, wagging his tail behind him. His joy seems disgusting to me, but I'm not in the mood to get a dose of electric shocks.
Mia is still sitting in her chair, hugging her pillow tightly, her head bowed and her eyes averted from me. She looks worried. Probably because of my antics.
I hoped he didn't notice how sweaty I was. A crooked smile spreads across my face and I nod. Everything seems to slow down because of my fear. I'm shaking like a girl next to a guy who looks like a furry from the side. If I told anyone, they wouldn't believe me and would think it was a joke or the ravings of a madman. Although, I'm on the verge of going crazy.
“Great!” Ren interrupts my thoughts and grabs my hand. I avoid looking at Mia and follow Ren. “Come on, let's go! I've got everything ready in the storage room!”
He gestures toward the door that I tried to break down maybe half an hour or an hour ago, looking for something useful. Maybe he was just talking on the phone? And is there really something good in there? I was ready to beg. I've had enough shocks for today.
“Look,” whispered Ren, standing behind me and wagging his tail happily.
I cautiously peered into the dark room, averting my gaze from his fanged mouth. My eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness...
Lawrence. Bound and gagged with a rag. He looked at me from under his sky-blue eyes, his eyebrows arched pitifully. His gray zipper had come undone on one shoulder of his burgundy plaid shirt. My God...
“Well?” Ren put his left hand on my shoulder and squeezed into the space between me and the doorway. He smirked at me, leaning over and putting one hand in his pocket. His red tail wagged, and he narrowed his eyes slyly, looking at me with his predatory orange eyes.
It's just a dream, it's just a dream, it's just a dream! A terrible nightmare! It's not real!
“What...?”
My breathing became slightly irregular again. I widened my eyes, not taking my gaze off Lawrence, who was motionless, looking at me imploringly and, at the same time, confused. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, depression, first-person narration, canonical rigidity, violence, gray morality, kidnapping, sadism, masochism, Stockholm syndrome, Lima syndrome, forced killing, murder in a state of passion, the cover-up of a murder, eating intelligent creatures
Minors DNI
Mia Author:
A place for my drawings and stuff
Chapter on AO3:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 1:
💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 50 · A poisonous pet · Fandoms: boyfriend to death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Noah concept art:
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 2 · Hiii, that is concept art of Noah from my fanfiction about the fan character Mia from BTD
hehe
(I'm a little nervous an
Chapter 3:
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 0 · A poisonous pet · Fandom: Boyfriend To Death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, d
Chapter 2: Four walls, one tormentor, and one doomed soul
I tossed and turned in bed, having just woken up. My neck ached from sleeping awkwardly with my new “accessory.” I didn't want to get out of this soft bed and face the new reality. But my stomach growled unpleasantly. I propped myself up on my elbows, exhaling in disappointment. I had no choice. I really want to eat.
Reluctantly getting out of bed, I tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear against it. I could hear distant conversations and the sounds of cooking. Opening the door slightly, I sniffed. It smells like... scrambled eggs. My hand rubbed my stomach and I carefully stepped out the door. Damn. It would be nice to wash up now. But... do they have an extra toothbrush? Well, he was obviously preparing to get a “pet.” My face grimaced and I ran my fingers over the metal.
I walked slowly and quietly to the kitchen. The sounds of conversation died down as I pressed myself against the wall. Animals seem to have keener hearing. Well, yes, I can't even do anything quietly. I stepped into the kitchen, glancing warily at my kidnapper and Mia, who was sitting at the table. She didn't look at me, huddled as she was, while Ren stared at me with his frightening orange eyes.
“Good morning, Noah!” Ren waved his free hand and bared his fangs, stretching into what was obviously a friendly smile. However, he still looked creepy. “Sit down, you're just in time! I was about to wake you up.”
I shifted my feet, then took a deep breath through my nose, gathered my thoughts, and exhaled, scratching the back of my head.
“I wanted to ask you about a toothbrush. You know, to wash up.” I awkwardly and concisely explained my basic need while Ren nodded his head. He put a fried egg on one of the plates. His tail wiggled gently behind him. He seemed to be in a good mood today.
“Over there, in the bathroom... Mia,” he said softly to her, and she raised her head, pricking up her ears. Ren smiled awkwardly and nodded toward the food he was still preparing. “Help Noah, please. I'm a little busy.”
She didn't answer, getting up from the table and pulling her chair out from under her. Slipping past me, Mia slowly made her way toward the hallway where my room was. I followed her, and soon we stopped at a door, apparently to the bathroom.
“The toilet is on the left,” Mia said quietly, and I didn't immediately understand what she was saying. She flicked the switch and let me into the small bathroom, and when we went in, she crouched down on the floor, rummaging through the drawers under the sink while I looked around.
It was a cozy bathroom. It also looked expensive, but simple at the same time. However, it looked livelier than the other rooms. Did it smell like lavender? It was decorated in neutral colors: dark gray, white, and black. There were several shelves above the bathtub in the corner. Shampoos and shower gels, two washcloths. The curtain above the bathtub was black. The bathtub had a pleasant and practical design, by the way. As an architecture student, I can confirm that.
“We weren't prepared for your arrival. But you can ask Ren, and he'll buy everything you need.” She handed me the toothbrush, and I took it carefully, now looking at the sink. On the edge of the sink, near the wall, stood a black glass with two toothbrushes and toothpaste.
“Thanks,” I grunted, glancing at the short girl. “Um. What if I need to take a shower today? Um, can I ask to have the collar removed?”
She paused, looking me over. Her right hand grabbed her left, clenching it, and Mia pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes.
“It's... waterproof. So don't worry about it.”
After she said that, we both paused for a moment. It seemed like she was waiting for me to say something else. I wanted to. At the very least, she was my only conversation partner and, in essence, shared my burden. I looked regretfully at the collar around her neck. But was it the right situation? And I couldn't think of anything to talk about. All my thoughts were occupied with the realization that I was trapped.
“Thanks,” I grunted, shrugging my shoulders and smiling awkwardly. “And... I'm glad you're here. I know how that sounds. Awkward, right?”
I turned away toward the sink, blushing with embarrassment. What a mess. I turned on the water, and warm water poured from the faucet, and I wet the brush.
“...because of me.” I flinched when I heard it in the murmur of the water. I turned off the tap and wanted to turn to her to ask again, but she was gone.
What did she mean, “because of her”? I shook my head and started washing my face. I'll figure it out later.
In my reflection, I saw a worn-out and tired guy. After rinsing my mouth, I spat into the drain. I need to comb my hair. It would be a little unhygienic to use someone else's comb. Yes, I'm squeamish. I'll have to rummage through the cabinets. Besides, I don't think I'll be here for long. And asking my kidnapper to buy me something is crazy. If I don't get the hell out of here in five days, then yes, I'll ask for something. But for now, I need to try to find a phone and explore the house.
Leaving the bathroom, I turned off the light and headed to the kitchen. Ren was already sitting next to Mia. She was picking at her food, her cheek resting on her hand. Ren was eating slowly, chewing thoroughly. I walked to the back and sat down opposite Ren, pulling my plate closer.
“Enjoy your meal,” Ren said cheerfully. I wanted to spit in his face, to break that smug expression, but I just exhaled.
“Yeah.” I poked at my fried egg with my fork, ignoring Ren's nervousness. He could try as hard as he wanted, but I didn't believe his cloyingly friendly attitude. I wasn't here of my own free will.
It smelled delicious. I popped a piece of egg white into my mouth and chewed slowly. Well, he was a pretty good cook, despite his shitty personality. My eyes wandered around the kitchen.
I had only seen such perfect cleanliness, polished to a shine, in photos and videos for sale. The furniture here was quite fashionable. The refrigerator looked expensive. There were beige blinds on the window. The window itself was large and again well designed. A pleasant palette of brown, gray-brown, gray, and light orange-yellow. The floor was tiled in the same colors. Well, he has good taste too. It smelled like this bastard's cooking. The atmosphere was pleasant and warm. There were several local lights above the kitchen set under the hanging cabinets. Behind me was a sink and, next to it, what looked like a dishwasher. A microwave was attached above the expensive oven and stove.
Looking around distracted me from reality, and I didn't notice when I finished eating. My throat was dry, and I looked at Ren, who was also finishing his breakfast. Mia hadn't eaten a bite, just poking at her eggs. She slumped in her chair, dangling her legs and slowly wagging her tail. Her face was hidden by her hair, making it difficult to see. But her whole body and behavior betrayed her depression.
“Ren,” I called, and the guy took his restless gaze off Mia. “Is there any juice or something? Coffee? Coffee would be better.”
Ren shrank back and nodded quickly, getting up from his seat and rushing to one of the boxes. Brewed.
“Sorry, we don't drink coffee very often. Well, actually, we do. But I'll buy a coffee machine if you want.” He tore open the packet and poured the powder into a white mug he had just taken out.
“No need. I'm not staying long anyway.” I watched closely as he poured boiling water into the mug. He turned to me, forcing a smile. I felt nauseous.
“Sugar? Want to dilute it?” I shook my head, and Ren handed me the mug and took the plate with the fork. “Mia, if you don't want to eat, don't sit here. I understand.”
Mia nodded and got up from the table. She slowly walked away and soon disappeared from view. How old is she? How long has she been here? What did he do to her to make her, well, like that?
I'll have to ask him later.
“After you finish your drink, I'll give you a tour of the house, okay? We didn't start off on the right foot. I don't want to be your enemy,” Ren said, leaning his hands on the table and grunting. I nodded silently, sipping my bitter coffee.
He doesn't want to be my enemy... how nice.
***
The day passed without violence. Ren spent most of his time on the second floor, and I didn't see him after the tour of the house. Only at lunch, but otherwise he didn't stick his nose out of his room. And rightly so. Stay there, weirdo.
As I wanted, I rummaged around the house. Except for the second floor. Well, everything in the kitchen was standard. I didn't dare take a knife or anything like that, but I took a pencil. In the bathroom, I found an extra comb, which came in handy, napkins, an unopened razor, several towels, and a pack of pads. There were several doors in the hallway. One, as I understood, led to the basement, and I decided not to risk going down there yet. There was also a storage room. But it was locked, so I guessed there was something in there. On the shelves and boxes under the TV, I found movie discs. The comedies were in German. Does anyone know German? There was also a whole collection without labels. Something inside me told me that I didn't really want to deal with it.
What else did I realize?
Mia and Ren live in the same room, and it's not desirable for me to be there alone. That means he keeps something important there. A phone and, possibly, other equipment that I could theoretically use to contact someone. So I need to catch him at the right moment. Well, if he doesn't order delivery, he'll leave the house. Or wait until he falls asleep.
When I got out of the shower, there were clothes on my bed that were slightly larger than my size. A white T-shirt and black sweatpants. They looked new and smelled like detergent. For some reason, I remembered Lawrence. They felt nice and high-quality. How much do they cost? Judging by how hard Ren was trying to buy me, I could assume they were expensive.
They were preparing for a new resident. Maybe it was just him, but he was planning for a new person to join them. But clearly not me. He didn't take me into account.
I was stuck here purely by accident, an unfortunate turn of events. But that bastard clearly had no intention of letting me go, no matter how much I resisted and complained. The furry bastard had me in his clutches and didn't want to let me go. To him, I was nothing more than a stray dog picked up off the street, who couldn't get used to the new environment.
There was nothing to do here. Nothing at all. I didn't want to get involved with Ren again, and Mia was so withdrawn and rarely left her room. I didn't have access to the internet, so that was out of the question. Ren had the TV remote, and I didn't want to go over and turn on the TV manually, because I might get in trouble for it, since I didn't have permission. Of course, there were no books here either, and something told me that even if there were, I would have to ask Ren about them.
God, Ren's stiffness was killing me. I feel terrible, not understanding why. I wanted to fall down and bang my head until I woke up from this nightmare.
Freedom is my only need right now.
I tried to convince myself that this was just a long joke or a sleepover at a friend's house, but the weight of the collar reminded me otherwise. Sometimes, I thought it was a social experiment or just a prank. Somewhere there were cameras, and any minute now they would jump out at me with a thousand dollars, shouting loudly that I had endured this horror and what a hero I was.
Leaning back on the sofa, I scrolled through my memories to keep myself occupied somehow. My head was already buzzing with thoughts. My leg twitched nervously, tapping on the floor. There was no clock, and I could only orient myself by the sky visible through the windows and Ren's food deliveries.
It was getting dark, which meant Ren would probably come downstairs soon, bringing Mia with him. He wouldn't leave me without dinner, of course. Well, unless he had given up and realized it wasn't going to work.
I heard light footsteps above, heading toward the stairs. I sat up straight, my eyes fixed on the stairs. My leg froze, covered by my palm. Feet became visible. I immediately noticed the brown leggings. A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and my tense shoulders relaxed. It was Mia.
She came down, and I watched her closely, following her every move. Mia responded with only a nervous twitch of her shoulders and a barely noticeable tension in her face. I leaned back on the pillows, crossing my arms over my chest. My eyes scanned the curtain. The girl walked into the kitchen, and after sitting for a while, I followed her. I had nothing else to do anyway.
“Listen,” I rubbed my neck as much as possible while she poured herself some water. She jerked her pierced ear in my direction. The bell rang barely audibly. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-two,” she finally replied after a rather long pause. Mia turned to me and leaned her back against the kitchen cabinets.
“Wow, you wouldn't know it by looking at you,” I stretched into a silly smile and chuckled. She responded with a shrug, and my smile immediately faded.
“Are you related to him or something?”
“No... we're...” She looked away, confused. Then she smiled bitterly. “Well, partners in misfortune.”
“But you're the only one with a collar.” Mia pressed her ears against her head and her tail wrapped around her legs. I let out a heavy sigh, feeling my ears and cheeks flush. “Sorry. I said too much. It's just, you know. There's nothing to do here. And anyway, there are only three of us here. Well, you know. I'm just bored.”
“I understand. Well, you can ask Ren for the TV remote.” She hesitated, looking me over. Her tail tapped softly on the floor with its tip.
“I've thought about it. But I'm not thrilled about getting involved with someone who beat you up pretty badly yesterday.”
She didn't answer, and I got nervous, starting to rub my index finger with the fingers of my left hand. Something inside me was getting cold and ticking, and I was ready to explode. The girl took a sip from her glass, and I cleared my throat, frantically searching for another topic of conversation.
“And you... did you try to leave?” I changed the subject idiotically, yes, but I still believed that leaving was possible. It seemed like she could read my mind. Although, how could she not read it, I was literally screaming about it in every way possible.
“I tried.” The girl paused and reached for the collar with her free hand. I squinted and saw white scars on her neck under the metal ring. Oh. “Before we... were alone.”
“The two of us?”
She drained her glass, turning her head away from me, clearly not wanting to talk about it. I slumped, lowering my shoulders and guiltily looking down at the corner of the room. How could I avoid this shame? My insides were clenching, my face was burning. Well.
“Have you tried through the door? He sleeps sometimes, or, well, leaves?”
My companion shrugged. Her eyebrows arched, and she tapped her claw on the metal of her collar. A distinctive sound echoed through the room, and I watched intently, waiting for her answer.
“He has... boundaries. So if you get too close to the door, he'll shock you.”
I nodded understandingly. The girl opened the dishwasher door and placed a glass upside down inside. Straightening up, she glanced at me.
“Thanks,” I grunted, adjusting my glasses. She slipped past without answering. “And good night.”
After a moment's silence, Mia nodded, muttering something under her breath. I couldn't make it out, trying not to upset her further. I really felt sorry for her. Something told me she'd seen a lot of shit here. My eyes wandered over the more or less exposed parts of her body. Scars. Some of them looked pretty new to me. Soon, all I could hear was her leaving.
I heard footsteps above and Mia froze somewhere near the stairs. Soon I heard a familiar voice approaching as it came downstairs.
“Are you having dinner? Oh, um, okay, but if anything, I'll leave it in the fridge, okay?”
Soon he appeared in the kitchen doorway and we exchanged glances. My eyebrows slid down to my nose and my fists clenched, ready to fight back, and Ren let out a sigh. He walked deeper into the room, approaching the refrigerator, his fox tail swaying in a slow, uneven motion.
“Sit down, I'll make something. Do you like chicken hearts? Oh, or can I make lasagna?” I could hear the feigned joy in the redhead's voice. But I found nothing joyful in the circumstances.
Sitting down heavily at the table, I caught Ren staring at me over his shoulder, barely blinking. I unconsciously shuddered and swallowed.
“Lasagna,” I said, exhaling heavily as I delivered my verdict. Ren nodded, turning away from me and rummaging in the freezer. I slumped, looking around the kitchen, which I had already examined as thoroughly as possible earlier in the day.
“What do you think of Mia? She may seem a little, um, withdrawn right now, but trust me, she's a very interesting person.”
“Fine,” I interrupted him firmly, and Ren's shoulders slumped along with his tail, his ears pressed against his head. That's right, scum, catch it on the fly. We're not friends, you furry bastard.
“I... uh... did you find a hobby for the day?” You just didn't come up to me, and you know, I was a little nervous. Have you thought about how to decorate the room?" Ren was still trying to strike up a conversation as he laid out the ingredients on the table. He moved a little jerkily and twitched, rushing. His smile trembled along with his voice.
“I found it.” I didn't really want to admit to him that I hadn't done anything all day, just fooling around because I was lonely, but even so, I didn't want to get involved with him. “And no, I haven't thought about it. I'm fine with everything. Okay?”
“Fine?” He practically jumped up. I flinched, watching him grin, baring almost all 32 teeth and wagging his tail energetically. It seemed he didn't understand the context. Either I didn't express myself clearly, or he didn't want to think about it in a different way.
The silence hung over us again. During my time here, I realized how painful it was for me. It was one of the frequent tortures here. Awkward, oppressive, and stifling. Judging by Ren's nervous movements while cooking, he felt it too. Well, that's right. Serves you right. You jerk.
However, I didn't want that for myself. Overcoming myself, I tapped my fingers on the table. I suddenly realized that I couldn't take my eyes off his wagging tail. Someday I had to ask.
“Ren.” He looked up at me, smiling and showing his fangs with his smile. Creepy. I narrowed my eyes. “And your tail and ears... are they real or what? A joke? Some kind of costume? Are you a furry or something?”
Ren hesitated, giving me only “uh,” “ah.” Well, I guess my furry joke didn't go down well with him. I'm clearly not on form today; my jokes aren't landing at all.
“These are my real ears and tail. It may be new to you, but they're part of me. Do you understand?” I nodded as I listened to him. He waved his tail demonstratively, smiling. “Mia and I... we're beast people. You know, we can hide them if we want to. Remember at the bar? But...” He paused, looking into the distance. I opened my mouth to call him back, but his eyes suddenly seemed to sparkle. “Someone once told me not to hide myself.”
He froze, and I looked at him expectantly. My mind was racing: Mia's words, Ren's strange behavior. I glanced at him. Scars. What happened to these two? And why did it affect Ren so differently?
Nevertheless, it didn't matter: I was locked up with these two. Ren kidnapped me. I had to repeat it like a mantra. I wasn't going to feel sorry for my, dare I say it, rapist.
“Ren, lasagna,” I reminded him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He bustled about, returning to cooking.
“So, here's the thing, I'm not a furry, and this isn't a costume.” He smirked, turning away from me and bending down to the drawer for a frying pan. I didn't respond.
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst, depression, first-person narration, canonical rigidity, violence, gray morality, kidnapping, sadism, masochism, Stockholm syndrome, Lima syndrome, forced killing, murder in a state of passion, the cover-up of a murder, eating intelligent creatures
Minor DNI!
Author Mia:
A place for my drawings and stuff
Fanfiction on AO3:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 2:
💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 4 · A poisonous pet · Fandoms: Boyfriend to Death
Tags and warnings: abuse, unhealthy relationships, torture, captive, angst,
Chapter 1: Cunning is not your savior, and luck does not smile upon you.
Late evening brightened up this city. Couples wandered aimlessly through the streets, adults hurried along, teenagers made noise, children strolled arm in arm with adults, cars drove noisily past me, and I rarely saw old people, but those I did see were mostly sitting on benches. I watched the trees turn green, and every now and then I would kick a puddle, not noticing it while I was admiring the beauty of the city in the evening.
Today I had one goal: to relax. With a confident and free stride, I headed to a bar that my friends and classmates had long recommended to me. I really needed a break from my diligent studies, or I would burn out again. Did I want that? No, not at all.
The bells rang when I opened the door and entered the cozy interior. I took off my coat and hung it on a coat rack. The pleasant warm light from the wall lamps, the lively conversations of the visitors, the unobtrusive cheap music, and the smell... I don't know how to describe it, but it was quite delicious and pleasant. Surprisingly, it was really nice here. I plopped down on a chair, having taken the menu beforehand.
A little alcohol... Not a bad way to relax, right? Reading the funny names of the signature shots, I chose “sex on the beach.” Well, it's not that I'm picky about alcohol, but I liked the name, which was the least ridiculous of them all.
In this pleasant atmosphere, I downed the shot in one gulp. A pleasant warmth now filled my body. My eyes darted around the visitors, so far from my own thoughts, listening to their conversations, no matter how indecent it might be. It really relaxed me. All these jokes, which I also quietly laughed at, a couple more shots, tried purely on a “fuck it, let's go” basis, all these enthusiastic conversations at other tables and the warm, diffused lighting made me relax so much that my eyes were closing.
I swear, I don't remember when I passed out. Slowly raising my head from the table, I quickly wiped the saliva from my mouth and cheeks and adjusted my glasses. God, how long had I been asleep... My eyes scanned the bar and I was met with emptiness. The only people here were the bartender and some blond guy at the other end of the bar.
I was very disappointed to realize that my phone was dead when I took it out of my pocket. Luck is definitely on my side, right?
Instinctively, I started looking for a clock. Its hands pointed to eight in the evening. I had actually come to the bar at around half past nine. Picking my ass up from my seat, I walked over to the guy at the other end of the bar, seeing that the bartender was going into the staff room. He looked so... His hair was carelessly braided into a ponytail, his clothes were wrinkled and even a little dirty in places, and he smelled surprisingly pleasant, something floral. I could see stubble on his profile, which was sometimes visible. He was quickly tapping his foot under the chair, glancing at his phone every now and then. There was an empty glass on his table.
“Hey, man” I called out to him, and he flinched as if I hadn't called him but yelled at him. He turned to me with his sky-blue eyes wide open. I frowned uncertainly. “Do you know what time it is?”
The guy paused for a moment, looking at me, then looked away and checked the time on his phone. He smiled uncertainly as I studied his face. God, man, do you ever sleep? I think he has some kind of problem.
“Fifteen minutes to two” he waited for my response, biting his cheek.
“Thanks” I chuckled, wanting to cheer up this silly guy a little. He really is so pale. I feel sorry for him. Maybe he's going through a rough patch? At least I can keep him company, right? I lost track of time.
“Ha, yes... that happens to me too.” His shoulders slumped, and I put my hand on his thigh, watching him relax.
“I'm Noah. What's your name?” Well, okay, let's sit here until closing time. New acquaintances are good.
“Lawrence.” The blond man smiled awkwardly and suddenly flinched when I tried to sit down next to him. He whispered quietly, objecting. “Um, well, I'm waiting for a friend...”
“Oh, sorry.” I just thought... we could chat? I can leave if you want. I looked closely at his face, but Law just rubbed his neck and looked away. I relaxed in my chair when my new acquaintance nodded slightly. “You know, it's none of my business, but you don't look so good. Are you okay?”
Lawrence hesitated, fidgeting with his fingers and muttering indistinctly to himself, but he breathed a sigh of relief when a short red-haired boy came out of the restroom. Was he old enough to be here? I immediately noticed the red marks on his cheeks. I was even more surprised by the scar on his left cheek. Judging by how white and noticeable it was, it was an old scar and quite deep. He himself was clearly Asian, or something like that, I'm not sure. The guy looked at me, then at Lawrence.
“Oh... I didn't expect anyone else to be here.” The stranger's eyes widened in surprise, his face stretched out, and his eyebrows rose as he walked towards us.
“Hi” I said, somewhat unconvincingly.
The guy sat down opposite Lawrence, exchanging glances with him. Then the redhead smiled at me as Lawrence began to explain the situation in a garbled manner. But it seemed that Ren understood.
“I'm Ren” I noticed Ren's fangs, which surprised me even more. This guy definitely stands out. I wonder if they're naturally that sharp? “Nice to meet you!”
“Noah.” I shook the hand he offered me, returning his smile.
An awkward silence ensued, and Ren exchanged glances with Lawrence. I wanted to lighten the mood, to fill the silence. Well, actually, I don't know, something inside me was screaming that something was wrong here.
“Ren, everything okay?” I don't know why I addressed him, but the guy easily answered me, raising his hand with his thumb up.
“Everything's great! How about one more before closing? In honor of our meeting, huh?”
Before I could open my mouth, Ren jumped up from his chair and briskly walked toward the bar. My gaze darted to Lawrence, but he just mumbled something and trailed after Ren. They're strange. I leaned back in my chair, keeping my eyes on them.
Well, that means Ren is older than he looks. The bartender is serving him. They were whispering animatedly about something, apparently arguing. But when they came back with the drinks, they were both grinning. Hmm, I should have left right away; apparently, those were warning signs. I tried not to show my uncertainty about these guys. And anyway, what could they do to me? Right?
Three glasses of alcohol were placed on the table. I glanced slyly at the two of them, deciding to play the situation to my advantage. You think I can't outplay you? You think I can't destroy you? Fuck you, I'm not a woman to be taken in by a smooth talker.
My hand reached across the table for Lawrence's glass. Well, no one said exactly whose glass was whose. I watched their faces fill with surprise. Ren even opened his mouth. I took a victorious sip, watching out of the corner of my eye as Lawrence looked away, silently accepting it. Rum and Coke... a pleasant cocktail. After emptying the glass, I relaxed a little and put the glass back on the table. Looking up at my new acquaintances and the situation on the table, I noticed: Lawrence hadn't touched his other glass, and Ren, at first, I can't say for sure, but he seemed unable to hold back a smile. He bit his lip, fiddling with the edge of his gray sweatshirt.
“Hmm, it's very late,” the red-haired guy said thoughtfully, looking somewhere out the window. Lawrence perked up, “I think it's time for me to go.”
“Wait, are you leaving?” Lawrence raised his voice slightly, looking confused at his friend.
“S-sorry,” Ren's voice trembled and he hurriedly got up from his seat. I only managed to hear the jingle of bells above the bar's entrance door. Wow, he sure can run fast.
“Hey, wait!” Lawrence rushed after him, all his former uncertainty simply evaporating. I was left alone, in shock after everything that had happened.
I gently slapped my cheeks with my bandaged palms, coming to my senses. Why do I care about these two? And it's definitely time for me to go home. Grabbing my coat, I left the pub and stepped out into the fresh air. Taking a deep breath, I walked confidently but leisurely on my way home.
The night and the deserted streets were my favorite atmosphere. I was even glad that Lawrence and Ren had disappeared. It was even better that way. They were really weird guys. I shouldn't have sat down with that guy. It's fucking great and better on the street. But at least the drinks were free.
Walking slowly along the sidewalk and looking around the street, I felt someone pat me on the shoulder. I jumped in surprise and turned around. God, it's Lawrence. I exhaled, turning my whole body toward him. He looked disappointed, his eyes downcast and his dry lips pressed together.
“You scared me a little, Lo.” I chuckled with a silly grin, hoping that my familiarity and tone would calm him down a bit.
It seemed to me that he didn't know what to say, just staring silently at one spot for a couple of minutes. Then his head dropped and his bangs covered his eyes. Please don't tell me he's going to cry.
“Ren and I have gone our separate ways...” Clenching his fists, he looked at me from under his eyebrows and pressed his lips together even tighter.
“What's up? Better luck next time, buddy. It's too late. Ren went home. And I need to go too...”
“Ren was different” the blond guy rudely interrupted my encouraging speech. I got a little wary and frowned.
“Seriously, dude, chill out. You'll have time to hang out with him later” I shrugged, already getting a little annoyed. Lawrence finally looked up at me. And I didn't like the look on his face. Freak. “Anyway, I'm going home.”
I was about to leave when he swung at me! I dodged him in an instant, and his fist slammed into the brick wall at the level of my head.
“AHHH!” Lawrence grabbed his arm, and I ran down the street, getting away from him and gaining a head start.
He's crazy! Fucking crazy! I ran as fast as I could, feeling my breath getting shorter and shorter. The cold night air tore at my lungs and hit me in the face. My hair was tousled, and I was afraid for my glasses. Oh well, fuck the glasses. It's just that if I keep running without them, it will be very difficult. It seemed like he wasn't chasing me... I couldn't hear his footsteps.
For a moment, I felt dizzy. I looked ahead and saw an alley on the right. Swallowing hard, I turned right into it and pressed my back against the wall. My head was spinning again... What the fuck was wrong with me? I tried to catch my breath.
Everything blurred before my eyes and my stomach churned. I grabbed my head, feeling my legs turn to jelly.
“Wh... what...” I couldn't move. It seemed like I was even losing my hearing. God, what's wrong with me?
“Noah!” I heard a familiar voice. But everything was spinning... Staggering on wobbly legs, I fell into his arms. “...Come with me! I can help you!”
“R-Ren?” I heard everything as if I were underwater, occasionally surfacing. But I could hear myself so clearly... My voice echoed with pain throughout my head and body. I saw something strange blurred in the form of Ren, but I couldn't understand what it was. “Uh... You... I don't feel well.”
I leaned on him as he carried me somewhere. Would he have enough strength?
“I k..w” He said, a short, hiccuping phrase that sounded unusually cheerful for the situation. “Ev…….ing wi…be f..e.”
And... I lost consciousness. Calmness enveloped me and I forgot everything. It was as if my soul had flown out of my body.
***
Soft. That was the first thing I felt when I woke up. My eyes opened. A comfortable chair. Bright... For the first few minutes, I stared blankly at one spot, not fully awake. Sitting up, I stretched and yawned... Okay, I'm definitely not at home.
What... What the fuck happened yesterday?! I frowned as I glanced around the room. God, my head was pounding, and my body felt unpleasant. My mouth was dry. A hangover? From what? From a couple of weak shots? That can't be. As I tried to remember, a familiar short figure approached me.
“You're awake!” He came closer to me and I flinched. Hissing a little, I began to rub my temples. “Oh, sorry... How are you? You slept for several hours.”
I looked around again. Well, I finally woke up after Ren's wonderful ringing voice. Does he have... fox ears and a tail? I didn't get the joke, and you know, after yesterday, I don't want to know what kind of jokes these are. I noticed a girl sitting on the sofa behind him, looking at me. She was even smaller than Ren. And with the same... things. A funny family, apparently.
“Where am I?” I snorted and rubbed my nose. Mmm, it's sore. I'll have to take my glasses off at home.
“You're safe and sound in the house of S... my house! Heh.” The figure behind Ren tensed up slightly, as did Ren's tail and ears. A functional suit?
We paused awkwardly, and I tilted my head back and exhaled.
“Okay! I'll bet you're hungry. Right? Let me make us something to eat?”
“Sorry, man, but I swear, I really have to go” I noticed his ears flattening against his head and him biting his lip. His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. But only for a moment. He smiled again, trying to keep everything under control?
“I'm sure nothing will happen if you stay for lunch. And we've only just met” Ren shrugged. “Well, I've talked too much. I'll be right back! Don't go anywhere!”
“Um... Okay?” I watched him go and caught the gaze of a girl... a young girl. We stared at each other openly, and I decided to distract myself to make the wait more bearable. “Hi?”
“Hi” the girl replied quietly. It seemed like Ren loved to gather quiet people around him.
“Noah” I introduced myself with a smile. She nodded, probably already knowing who I was.
“Mia” she said, pulling her legs up and resting her head on her knees. Her light red ponytail curled around her. She looked troubled. I looked closer and frowned slightly at the metal thing around her neck. What was it?
I shifted in my chair and my sullen face brightened with surprise: my eyes widened when something quietly jingled. My gaze shifted to where the sound came from. My fists clenched and my eyebrows met at my nose. What the fuck?! There was a real huge chain lying on the floor. I traced where it came from, and my face burned with anger, my muscles tensed. Everything inside me tightened. It led to my fucking ankle. I tugged at it, and when I heard the jingle again, I pressed my lips together, losing my composure. My breathing quickened with anger. I was about to scream, but then it got worse. I noticed something heavy around my neck. When I touched it, I felt cold metal under my fingers. It was the same as the one on the girl on the couch. She was staring at me intently, very intently.
A collar.
I narrowed my eyes.
It looked more like shackles for the neck. What the fuck?! I jumped up and the chain jingled again.
“What the fuck?!” I screamed, trying to somehow unhook it from my neck.
Mia muttered something, pressing herself into the sofa, but her words didn't reach me. I didn't notice when the sounds in the kitchen died down. Ren slowly returned to the living room. His face was calm, and he just stood there, watching my panic and anger.
“What's wrong, Noah?” He smiled gently, crossing his arms over his chest and looking me up and down.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ON MY NECK?!” I didn't expect my voice to be so loud and slightly squeaky. Ren paused. His ears pressed against his head and his tail drooped. Mia's purring had also stopped.
“I got it from someone.” Ren smiled, looking away. His eyes sparkled as he spoke of this “someone.” The bastard smiled radiantly, as if we were talking about something sweet, not the fucking collar around my neck. The guy was smiling at me. “A gift for my new friend!”
I looked at Mia. She had that collar too. What the fuck did he do here? Fuck.
“Are you out of your mind?” I tilted my head, snorting nervously. “This is worse than leaving me on the street! You can't just take people and put them on a chain! This is kidnapping!”
His face changed with every word I said. His eyes widened and he raised his eyebrows, opening his mouth slightly, squinting his eyes, frowning and clenching his jaw, and then he wrinkled his nose. When I finished speaking, there was a silence, which was quickly broken. By what? By Ren's fucking tongue clicking. He rolled his orange eyes and reached into his pocket for something. Did the bitch even hear me?
“Looks like we'll have to start your... training right now.”
“What—Nngg!” I didn't have time to do anything before pain and unpleasant heat spread through my body.
“W…w!”
For a moment, my body felt like it wasn't mine at all. I unconsciously grabbed my collar, as the pain was coming from my neck, but it didn't help ease my suffering. My vision blurred slightly and my ears rang. Ren smiled as I swayed on wobbly legs, trying to catch my breath. It felt like I had been hit from all sides at that moment. But now it was gone. Completely.
“Looks like it's still working properly, huh?” He wasn't looking at me, but behind me. What did it all mean?
Thousands and millions of questions were spinning in my head. He put something like an electric collar on me. Where the fuck did he get it? What kind of “training” is he talking about? Is he so fucked up that he won't be afraid to kill me? How the fuck do I get out of here? I couldn't concentrate. I just stared at him without blinking, still holding the collar.
“Okay. Now for the second test.” I flinched. My eyebrows dropped even lower as I watched this lunatic wag his tail and smile sweetly at me. “Sit.”
“I'm not some kind of animal!” I was filled with rage when I heard that. He thinks I'm a dog? Look at yourself, you freak. “You can shock me as much as you fucking want! But that doesn't change the fact that you're just a cowardly bitch for chaining me up!”
Silence hung in the room. Ren stood staring at me without blinking. He grimaced, lifted his upper lip, baring his fangs. His finger moved to the remote. Pain struck me again. This time the shock was much stronger. All my muscles contracted and I slumped to the floor.
“I... I can make you sit down.” Ren said as I coughed up some saliva and came to my senses. He tried to speak firmly, but it didn't sound like it.
“Fuck you.” I spat weakly in response.
“Y-you...” His voice trembled with anger. He growled and swung his leg.
I coughed when he kicked me in the chest with all his might. I was thrown back slightly, but compared to the recent discharge, this blow caused almost no pain. He just stared at me in confusion and anger. It seemed he didn't know what to do next. His tail fluffed up.
“Oh! I forgot about lunch.” He smiled innocently as he turned away. As if he hadn't just committed several acts of violence against me. “I'd better go check on the potatoes.”
He quickly left the room. I groaned softly, burying my cheek in the floor. My body was weak and my head was buzzing.
“You shouldn't be like that.” came a quiet voice from the sofa. The girl reached out her hand to me. I accepted her help, climbing onto the sofa and moaning softly. “Be gentler and he'll be with you.”
“He treats me like an animal. How can you allow that?” Mia swallowed, hesitating and unable to find an answer. Silence is a sign of agreement. “See?”
The conversation went no further. I looked at the chain. Well, I definitely couldn't break it. I heard the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen again. Breaking the shackles on my ankle seemed impossible, as did breaking the collar. I could hear something sizzling in a frying pan. My eyes slid along the chain to the wall. My eyes slid along the chain to the wall. It smelled... very tasty.
I shook my head.
Come on! Pull yourself together! The wall. Just an ordinary wall. That's it, the weak spot. For a while, I stared at it blankly, wondering if I should just get up right now. No. That's not the best idea. He'll hear me for sure. And that bastard has a remote control.
“Noah.” I flinched, almost bumping into Mia, who was sitting next to me, already huddled in the corner of the sofa. He was smiling.
Did I not notice him, or is he that quiet?
“I brought dinner.” Maybe he was still hoping for friendship, trying to talk to me in a friendly way.
He showed me a bowl of steaming potatoes and chopped meat. A dog bowl. I looked down when he put it on the floor.
“Eat.” Ren said venomously, standing over me.
I looked up and met his gaze. Ren no longer looked so friendly, narrowing his eyes and watching my every move. My eyes darted to Mia, who nodded imperceptibly and turned away, pretending she was not part of this situation. I looked him straight in the eye again and knocked over the dog bowl.
“No,” I said firmly.
Ren didn't answer, looking away. He looked so unhappy, and I didn't know what to think. But I didn't regret expressing my indignation. I'm human! Turning to the girl, I noticed that she was hugging herself, watching me and then Ren.
“O-okay. Then you won't get any food.” He looked a little upset as he stared at the food he had so carefully prepared, now smeared across the carpet.
He quickly wiped his hands on his sweatshirt, looking away and thinking about something else.
“Maybe I should just get you settled in quickly.” It didn't sound like a question. I raised my left eyebrow questioningly, staring at the redhead. He was trying to be nice to me again. That forced smile didn't inspire any confidence in me. I wrinkled my nose. “Give me some time to get used to the situation.”
I just sat there and looked at him disapprovingly. Ren became noticeably nervous, fiddling with the edge of his jeans and nervously wagging his tail behind his back. What did he mean by “settle in”?
To my surprise, he dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a key. Leaning over the chain on my ankle, he watched my actions closely. Well, I really wanted to kick him right then.
“Don't forget the collar.” he reminded me, reading my thoughts, apparently from the look on my face. I swallowed and touched the metal around my neck again. “I'll unhook you... but if you misbehave, I'll have to shock you.”
He emphasized the word “have to.” Oh, really? So treating me like a dog is a necessary measure, huh? How sweet.
Despite my venomous thoughts, I nodded. If he removed the shackles, I would undoubtedly be in a more advantageous position than I was now. It was dangerous to be sarcastic.
The metal ring around my ankle clicked open and fell to the floor with a clang. Ren smiled gently as he got up from his knees. He thought I had given up, didn't he?
I kicked him in the stomach at that very moment, and he cried out. His eyes widened and he stepped back. The girl next to me covered her mouth as she watched the scuffle. Bitch. He reacted too quickly, dodging the blow. Ren bared his teeth and growled like a beast. He took the remote out of his pocket. I wanted to lunge at him, but the bastard only had to press a button for pain to shoot through my body and I collapsed to the floor. My glasses flew off somewhere.
I groaned, clutching my collar. He was breathing heavily, towering over me. Instead of a snarl, I noticed a sly smile through my blurred vision. Another stifled cry escaped me as I writhed on the floor.
He snorted softly. Lying motionless on the floor, I whimpered softly, burying my face in the carpet. Fuck, what did I do wrong? Mommy, take me away.
“That was a bad idea, Noah.” he exhaled, towering over me. After a pause, he raised his eyebrows. I noticed it through the haze of my minus. But only for a moment. “I just wanted to show you your bedroom. Now will you be obedient?”
He was still holding the remote. I nodded listlessly and reluctantly, realizing that I had neither the strength nor the desire to get up. All I wanted was to spit in his face and go home.
“Great. Get up.” he said cheerfully. He's mocking me, isn't he?
I had to lean on the chair to get to my feet. The pain was still radiating throughout my body. My muscles were on fire. He carefully picked up my glasses and put them on me. I didn't look at him and muttered “thank you” so as not to get another beating for my “ingratitude.” He gently took me by the hand and led me down a short corridor to the door. I looked at Mia before she disappeared from view behind the wall. She watched me sadly. For some reason, it seemed to me that she felt a certain guilt.
Ren opened the door and we stepped inside. A simple bedroom. No bars, no chains, nothing like that. Surprising.
“I know, it's pretty basic. But I didn't know what you'd like. Once I get to know you better, we can decorate it!”
I frowned involuntarily. I gave him a disapproving look, despite his efforts.
“How long are you going to keep me here?” I refrained from insults, but not from a condemning look. His ears drooped and he avoided eye contact, clutching the edge of his sweatshirt.
“Just... relax a little.” He paused, regaining his composure and letting go of his sweatshirt. “We can talk more tomorrow.”
He hurried out the door and closed it behind him, leaving me alone in the room. I heard him walking away toward the living room. As far as I could tell, he hadn't locked me in or anything.
My gaze shifted to the bed. I rubbed the metal on my neck again. Well, he has to sleep sometime. Right? Maybe I should just wait for the right moment? After all, he can't keep me here forever, and there are loopholes everywhere.
The first thing I did was go to the window. It seemed impossible to open it. How could I ventilate the room if necessary? The glass looked too thick to break with anything in the room. Not that there was anything here. Outside was some kind of affluent suburb.
Where the fuck am I?
The window overlooked some kind of fancy backyards. It looked like a place where homeowners would occasionally hold gatherings, book club meetings, and barbecue parties in someone's backyard. Rich fuckers.
I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes. Slowly, I scanned the bedroom. It was so empty, lifeless, polished to a shine. It looked like a hotel room. Everything was completely empty. From top to bottom.
Come to think of it... the living room looked like no one lived there. Or, at least, as if the house had been bought relatively recently. What kind of person... no, fox... could live in such a place? And with a girl, apparently also his victim.
I plopped down on the bed, staring at the painfully polished ceiling. I racked my brains. Well, would they miss me at the university? I hadn't missed a single class in two years. Friends? Maybe my parents? My mom would definitely be worried that her little boy wasn't answering his phone. He must have taken my phone. If I look for it, maybe I can call someone. But what's the point? If he has so much money, what if he can bribe the police?
I thought and thought, and my tired mind came up with new assumptions, thoughts, and questions, each one stranger than the last. I still couldn't figure out why I was here. I replayed my whole life before and after, but still couldn't figure out exactly why I was here. My head was buzzing and my eyes were getting heavy from boredom.
Tegs and warnings: abuse, kidnapping, torture, canon-typical behaviour, canon-typical violence, blood, captive, fan characters, pov first person
Characters: MC, Strade, Ren Hana, Mia
Minor DNI!!
Author character “Mia”: https://www.tumblr.com/dustycornerseven?source=share
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71740691
Description: I realized this when I realized that I couldn't remember when Strade left. I see Ren leading a crying Mia, limping toward the stairs, holding her gently. They climb, and beneath them the steps creak, the fucking steps. A confused and quiet “I'm sorry” slips from my dry lips. Most likely, no one heard it. And maybe that's for the best.
Notes: The fanfiction is about a fan character named Mia, and it is written from the perspective of a fem MC ykmet, who was created specifically for this story.
Your actions have consequences.
The cold of the basement enveloped me, and the pain from my fresh wounds pulsed and spread throughout my body. It was especially uncomfortable to sit like that, pressed against the pillar, sitting with my almost bare ass on the hard, cold concrete and trying to sleep. I had no strength left to be angry or fight, so I stopped resisting. I had to try to sleep... I had to...
Sleep suddenly took me into its embrace. My body was exhausted, so I wasn't surprised. But I didn't manage to sleep for long.
The lockers were opened and closed one by one, followed by the sound of rummaging inside them. Tension immediately gripped my body, and I didn't rush to open my eyes, listening carefully to these sounds. Through my eyelids, I could tell that the basement was still dark, the light not penetrating my skin to my eyes. The footsteps were... light? And slightly scratching the floor, slightly. It didn't sound like that psycho. His footsteps are heavy, I remember them.
A lump stuck in my throat. I waited for something other than rummaging through the lockers, not daring to look. Better to keep pretending to be asleep, yes, better to pretend.
“Damn... where is she?” A quiet female murmur echoed through the basement, immediately causing me to open my eyes. That was enough for me.
Sure, a woman will understand a woman! Right?
A small figure stood with her back to me. I could clearly see her ears and tail, which made me feel speechless again. Is that... not a human? Can I trust... that? I didn't know, staring at her. She didn't even seem to care that there was another person here, continuing to go about her business.
Was I wrong? Wouldn't anyone help me? She looked like a child. Oh. I pulled my knees up to my stomach. Having found what she was looking for, the girl... or little girl still didn't turn to face me. I saw a screwdriver in her hands. The stranger began to dig into the device around her neck with the tool, as if she had already learned how to do it. I tensed up a little when she started grumbling and swearing. I wanted to avoid new wounds.
It looks like a collar. Maybe I wasn't wrong? Is she a hostage here too? My belief in female solidarity awakened in me with greater force. If she was a child, it would be even easier for me.
“Hey...”
“Ku so tsu!” she jumped, dropping the screwdriver on the floor, which made a distinctive sound in the basement, and instantly turned to me. Is that another language? Spanish? Definitely not English. My eyebrows slid down to my nose.
I could see her features better in the darkness of the basement.
It was a girl, no doubt about it. Just very short. Her bright red, shiny pupils made me flinch. Well... she's not human. Anything could be expected. Short light red hair, long fox ears with a tag on one. There were also fresh scratches around her neck. Him or the screwdriver? Ugh, better not to think about it, I don't want to know. White fur was visible on her elbows and chest, showing through her white T-shirt. Short dark shorts exposed her patched legs. Yes, she was also injured, and not just in her legs. She had a bandage on her forehead and her arm, and I could see a small wound on her chest through the collar of her T-shirt.
Looking down at my bandaged legs, I realized that we were definitely in the same boat. Looking back at her, I realized how silly we looked together, just staring at each other. Well, what can I say? Fuck. Obviously, we were both in a dire situation, regardless of our racial differences and slight differences in status.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,” I decided to speak. “Do you speak English?”
“... Yes,” she hugged her shoulders. “It's okay.”
Glancing at the screwdriver on the floor, I squinted and looked at her again. Well, at least she's not going to hurt me. I think.
“What's your name?”
“Mia,” the girl replied hesitantly. Was she afraid of me? Or not me. “I know your name. You don't have to introduce yourself. He... talked about you.”
Listening to the sounds above the basement, I realized it was relatively quiet there. I could hear the sound of a TV in the distance. Was she even allowed to come down here?
“Listen, I understand that neither of us is in the best of circumstances. I could help you if you help me,” I said confidently, trying to reassure the fox that I knew what I was doing.
Silence filled the basement. I watched her movements closely so that I could fight back or scream if necessary. Was she trying to take off her collar? She might get hurt if I screamed.
I saw the tension in Mia's body, her uncertain, tense posture, and how she was thinking, hugging herself tighter and wrapping her tail around her legs. Her ears were pressed closer to her head. I counted the minutes, waiting for her answer. If I wanted to be friends with her, so to speak, I couldn't pressure her. Especially if she wasn't attacking me. But that glow in her pupils still made me nervous. Brrr...
“I'm sorry,” she let go of herself, rubbing her neck. Well, more accurately, what she could rub in a soothing gesture. “I just need a screwdriver. I can't help you anyway, so... stay quiet. Please?”
Awkwardness suffocated me at that moment, along with a burning and sticky irritation. Come on! I can do anything to help us. Is it really that hard to untie me?
I exhaled, holding back these oppressive thoughts. No, I want to survive. My emotions can close the door to freedom for me.
“I understand your concern,” I smiled gently at her, meeting her surprised gaze, “you are also in danger here. But I want to help. Really. I will try to make sure he doesn't hurt us. Ever again. Let me help.”
I noticed indecision in her eyes. She was torn, thinking about my offer. I bit my lip, hoping that I had made an impression on her. Just a little more. I just need her trust. I tried not to move, even breathing more quietly so as not to inadvertently make her think I wanted to harm her. Touching her collar, she exhaled heavily and opened her mouth to deliver her verdict.
I saw the tension in Mia's body, her uncertain, tense posture, and how she was thinking, hugging herself tighter and wrapping her tail around her legs. Her ears were pressed closer to her head. I counted the minutes, waiting for her answer. If I wanted to be friends with her, so to speak, I couldn't pressure her. Especially if she wasn't attacking me. But that glow in her pupils still made me nervous. Brrr...
“I'm sorry,” she let go of herself, rubbing her neck. Well, more accurately, what she could rub in a soothing gesture. “I just need a screwdriver. I can't help you anyway, so... stay quiet. Please?”
Awkwardness suffocated me at that moment, along with a burning and sticky irritation. Come on! I can do anything to help us. Is it really that hard to untie me?
I exhaled, holding back these oppressive thoughts. No, I want to survive. My emotions can close the door to freedom for me.
“I understand your concern,” I smiled gently at her, meeting her surprised gaze, “you are also in danger here. But I want to help. Really. I will try to make sure he doesn't hurt us. Ever again. Let me help.”
I noticed indecision in her eyes. She was torn, thinking about my offer. I bit my lip, hoping that I had made an impression on her. Just a little more. I just need her trust. I tried not to move, even breathing more quietly so as not to inadvertently make her think I wanted to harm her. Touching the collar, she exhaled heavily and opened her mouth to deliver her verdict.
“I'm sorry...” All my emotions—the fear and anger that had been building up inside me—suddenly hit me. I felt my cheeks burning with anger, my eyebrows furrowing as much as possible, my head heavy with thoughts. I didn't even listen to her.
“Seriously?!” Her face stretched out, her eyes widened, and her eyebrows rose. The words poured out of me. I was angry. I was afraid. I was tired. And it was too much to take my freedom away so brazenly. I crossed the line, unable to hold back my cries. “I'm offering us the best option! I want to save us! I want to fucking help you!”
She tried to shut me up, grimacing as she pressed her hands against my mouth. But I kicked her away, causing her to squeal, and continued to yell and say everything I was thinking.
“I'm ready to kill that bastard, get my hands dirty, for our fucking freedom! And this is how you repay me?!”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Mia repeats like a mantra, quietly trying to interrupt me. In the end, she decides to run away, but standing in front of the stairs, she sees the light from above and, yes, that bastard on the threshold.
She freezes, backing away as he descends, the steps beneath him creaking plaintively. I've been silent since the door opened. God, what have I done? I didn't even notice when the TV went quiet.
Mia continues to retreat to keep her distance from her tormentor, suddenly stumbles on a screwdriver and cries out in pain from a small cut on her leg. She hisses through her teeth. I watch as he descends the stairs, looking displeased. He glances at me, then back at her. I realize that we both have a lump in our throats and we look at each other helplessly. I feel significantly smaller again. Strade fills the entire space, making me tremble and hold my breath.
I can see how she instantly shrinks into herself: her tail is tightly wrapped around her legs, and her ears are pressed against her head. I feel so sorry for her. I want to hit myself right now. What the fuck have I done? God. I was so close.
“What's all the noise, but no fight?” he sighs with a smirk.
The girl shifts from foot to foot, hugging herself. I pull my legs up to my chest, avoiding contact with this scum. He clicks his tongue rhythmically and shrugs, examining the basement. Picking up the screwdriver, Strade shakes his head, making Mia shake even harder.
“At it again?” he smirks, as if this is a normal situation. I swallow, watching him put the screwdriver back in its place. Calmly, measuredly, humming something under his breath. His calmness was even more cause for concern. "Ren is raising you badly.
Raising? Ren? How many of them are there? I look at Mia. She's lost in thought, staring into space. So something bad is going to happen. I can feel it, feeling everything inside me shrink.
“Ren!” Strade calls sternly to someone above. I pressed my back even closer to the beam behind me. Anything, but this is better. In essence, I was an observer, but I didn't want to get involved, so I watched timidly.
The steps creaked under “Ren.” I looked expectantly toward the stairs, waiting for Ren. He wasn't much taller than Mia. Maybe by almost four inches. Warm light from the exit fell on his short red hair. He had Asian-shaped eyes and orange hair. He was also wearing shepherd's clothes and the like, but I could only see his hands, a little furry chest...
The steps creaked under Ren. I looked expectantly toward the staircase, waiting for him. He wasn't much taller than Mia. Maybe four inches, maybe. Warm light from the doorway fell on his short red hair. He had Asian-shaped eyes and orange hair. He was also wearing shepherd's clothes and the like, but I could only see his hands, a little furry chest, arms, and face, because he was wearing a white T-shirt and sweatpants that hid any possible leg injuries. He was also wearing a collar and also had fox ears and a tail. Was Strade collecting a collection? Was the fox his favorite animal? Squinting, I saw red marks on Ren's cheeks.
His face showed confusion and fear of the unknown. He had probably heard my screams. So he understood what was going on. I lowered my eyes, wishing I could just disappear.
Strade tapped his fingers on the tabletop while Ren and Mia played peekaboo. They seemed to understand each other well, without words. How long have they been here?
“Ren. Hold the screwdriver,” he said, taking the tool out of the cabinet again and handing it to the fox. The boy's eyes widened, but he obeyed without a word, holding the tool with slightly trembling hands.
Mia instinctively took a step back again, shaking her head, and my heart sank when I saw her tears. It takes nothing for Strade to grab her and lay her on the floor.
I hear her screams and pleas not to do this, and I squint guiltily, my head bowed. Her voice breaks as she covers me, judging by the intonation, with not the most pleasant words in another language. When I look up, I see her lying fearfully on her stomach on Strade's back, while he holds her tightly in place. For a moment, the red-haired guy hangs over her, as if thinking about what to do. From his sullen face, I can tell that he doesn't particularly like this situation.
Ren crouches down and feels the girl's thigh, as if looking for something. He has a screwdriver in his right hand. Mia whispers to Strade, begging him to stop, and I can't stand it. Shame eats away at me bit by bit. He covers her mouth with his hand, and I realize that with his strength, holding her down with almost one hand, we really had less chance of escape. But if I hadn't lost my temper, we would have had a better chance. I'm an idiot.
It's like I'm in a nightmare and I can't wake up. All the walls seem to have closed in, the basement has gotten colder, and I can't breathe. I feel my stomach twist and regret makes me cringe as I watch the consequences of my actions.
“Look,” Strade suddenly says firmly, smiling at me as I try to look away, involuntarily reminding those present that they have the culprit of this celebration watching everything. The tension rises, and I know exactly what these two are thinking about me right now. I bite my lip nervously because I've really screwed up.
Ren finds what he's looking for, and I see him aim the screwdriver. In just a couple of moments, I hear the tearing of soft tissue and flesh. Vomit rises in my throat as my eyes widen. Mia's screams pierce my ears. Ren presses his ears to his head, driving the screwdriver deeper into the handle as blood runs down Mia's leg. She screams and jerks, making things worse for herself. Hot tears run down her cheeks. And Stradе... that bastard smiles, watching all this shit unfold.
I want to melt into the beam behind me as I watch this scene. Why? Why me? He could have sat down with anyone in the bar. I want to close my eyes and cry. I shouldn't have talked to him. I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have. What difference does it make if it doesn't improve the situation?
“Turn it on,” Stradе orders, while Mia is already gasping, begging him not to. How long has he been holding her mouth shut? I feel like the food Strade fed me is about to come back up.
Ren obeys, and the woman's screams fill the entire basement, if not the whole house. I can smell blood, I can feel fear and pain in this damn room. And the pain of my wounds, the pain in my ears from Mia's screams, the cold of the fucking basement don't let me justify all this by saying it's just a fucking dream. I realize that I'm simply losing consciousness from stress, staring blankly at one spot.
I realized this when I realized that I couldn't remember when Strade left. I see Ren leading a crying Mia, limping toward the stairs, holding her gently. They climb, and beneath them the steps creak, the fucking steps. A confused and quiet “I'm sorry” slips from my dry lips. Most likely, no one heard it. And maybe that's for the best.
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