#forced compliance
Brother’s Keeper
Chapter 13: Times Up, Part 1
Tagging List:@i-can-even-burn-salad@peachy-panic@deluxewhump@arwenadreamer@whumpcereal@melancholy-in-the-morning@dont-touch-my-soup@keeper-of-all-the-random-things@whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump@oddsconvert@melennui@susiequaz12@morning-star-whump@crystalquartzwhump@whump-and-other-things@mylifeisonthebookshelf@reflected-pain@hold-him-down (I hope I’m not forgetting anyone - please let me know if I am and I’ll fix it. I’m still getting used to this)
Thanks again to the absolutely AMAZING and LOVELY @whumpcereal who has truly been a fantastic sounding board to help me get through some REALLY difficult subject matter over the next several upcoming chapters. I couldn’t have done this without her.
WARNING: This chapter as well as SEVERAL subsequent chapters will contain explicit noncon. If you prefer not to read, I’ll totally understand. Heed the tags because this gets dark.
Ben blinked his eyes open. The sun was warm on his face, and he was sitting in one of his favorite spots, the window seat that faced west in his bedroom at his parent’s house.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.” Zoe’s voice was soft in his ear. Her touch was just as soft as her fingertips brushed the hair from his face. Her palm cupped his cheek, and Ben leaned into her touch, letting his eyes flutter closed again. Soft lips brushed against his; fingers tangled in his hair.
He pulled back slightly and looked into her deep green eyes. “I missed you.”
“What do you mean you missed me? I’ve been right here.”
“No… I…” A shiver ran through Ben, but he shouldn’t be cold. He glanced out the window to the back garden his mother had spent the last several years perfecting. He could see bees and butterflies drifting lazily through the spring air.
Suddenly, a sharp, hot line of pain arced across his back, and then another across his chest. Ben gasped and looked down at himself. A moment ago, he’d had on his favorite pair of soft flannel pajama pants and a clean white cotton t-shirt. Now, his chest was bare. His feet were bare. Why? Ben loved socks. Soft white cotton socks were one of his favorite things. He hated being barefoot.
Zoe didn’t seem to notice. She curled up next to him, tucking him against her soft body. He breathed in her scent, smelling roses and toothpaste as she tilted his head to hers, and for a moment, he forgot everything else.
“I love you,” he whispered just before their lips met again.
“Love you too, Benny.”
Ben sighed into her as their lips and tongues moved in symphony.
Everything seemed perfect until Zoe pulled back; there was blood on her face, on her shirt.
“Benny? You’re bleeding.”
Benny glanced down to see blood welling up from the gashes across his chest. Sharp, hot pain and stinging cold flooded him, and he jerked awake.
*!*!*!*!*
Ben’s drugged state began to slowly lift. There was a beeping sound, but he wasn’t in the hospital. There was no mattress underneath him, no blanket covering him. He was on his back, something cold and hard beneath him. And he couldn’t really move.
Like so many times before, the memories of where he was and why he was in so much pain came flooding back over him. Sometimes, he hated waking up, but the last few times– really, he didn’t know how long it had been–were hazy. Like, the events of the last few days were out of reach.
He remembered the whipping. God, did he remember being whipped. But, other than that, he could only sort of remember being strapped to the force feeding chair. There might have been cold water on him. A shower maybe? He’d been naked again. He hated being naked.
Ben tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurry.
“There you are.” Ben tensed, but the voice wasn’t Volkov’s. “Open up, let me see you,” Andrei prompted gently.
Ben blinked a few times, and the room spun slowly around him. He was on his back, splayed out on the table that he’d been strapped to so many times before.
He finally focused enough to bring Andrei’s face into view.
“Hey, better?”
Ben didn’t answer. What did that mean anyway? He noticed an IV going into his left arm.
“Wha-?”
“Volkov wanted the drugs out of your system before tonight.”
“To…night?”
“It’s been a week.”
“I don’t… A week? No. It’s only been a few days since he let Dmitri whip me.”
Andrei shook his head sadly. “You’ve been out of it, strung out on drugs and…” Andrei lowered his voice, “pain killers,” his voice returned to his normal level, “for a week now.”
Ben took a moment to process what Andrei was telling him. Then it hit him like a thunderclap. All Volkov’s promises and threats of the last week. His eyes went wide and the color drained from his face. His stomach flipped.
Morning reblog since I posted sooooo late. Heed the tags, here there be noncon.
