#love that line
“You either sing, or you scream. Your choice.”
Martin raised the cane, tapping it against Lev’s cheek, running it along the underside of his chin.
“No, please,” said Lev. He raised his hands slightly, in gentle surrender, trying to placate the man. Attempting to broadcast the right amount of subservience, despite already being on the concrete, on his knees.
It was better when he faced him, talked to him, played along. The man seemed to revel in his nervous obedience. And Lev was happy to give it, if there was any chance of being spared a beating.
“I don’t know what, what, uh, which song. What do you want me to sing?”
The look of disappointment that fell across Martin’s face was strange, as if he couldn’t believe Lev would let him down like this.
“Come on, now. I can’t do all the work for you.”
Lev hated that he was like this. Twenty-five, a fully-fledged, bona-fide, tax paying adult— to whom the begging, the kowtowing, the prostration came embarrassingly easily. Flinching at a stern voice. Coming to heel at the first mention of a firm hand.
He didn’t want to give in to the other man. He didn’t. He just didn’t want to be hurt. That was it.
He closed his eyes, and searched for the right note. Going with the first song that came to mind, one deep within his psyche. A favourite.
His voice shook at first, before he schooled it into something sturdier. He got through the first chorus with barely a waver, and then Lev could only cower, and curl, and try to shield himself with his arms as the rattan cane was brought down on him again, and again, and again, and again.The whistle and crackof it hitting a shoulder blade. The heavier thud as it hit a meatier part.
And then he could only lie on the floor, and bleed, and bruise.
“You said, nhh… you said you wouldn’t…”
“Wouldn’t what?”
“Promised…”
Martin tutted. “I made no promises, darling. Besides,” he said, wiping the blood from the cane with a cloth. “How can you expect me to resist, when you sing so sweetly…”
He stooped, and Lev would have been afraid, if he had the energy. Martin pressed a kiss to Lev’s temple.
“…but your screams are like music to my ears?”
WIP Wednesday!
almost time to start posting the fake fiancé fic (based on @asticou‘s art). planning for chapter 1 to go up on saturday. so far it’s 5k - which you’d think would be (more than) enough for chapter 1, but i really want to write another one and a half scenes.
i’ve hit a good stopping point, but … it’s not the one i want. idk, we’ll see how it goes with the rest of the week.
here’s how it starts:
BAZ
Friendship is magic. I know this because I have eight years of magickal education, and also because I have four younger siblings, all of whom have been obsessed with that fucking TV show at some point or another.
Of course, what the ponies don’t tell you is that friendship can also be torture – if you happen to be uselessly, horribly in love with one of your “friends”. Who used to be your enemy, but through some strange turn of events is now one of the people you go to brunch with at the weekend, and tell most (but definitely not all) of your most painful secrets to.
“You could do better than that wanker anyway,” Snow said tonight in response to one such secret. “Any bloke in his right mind would want to be with you.”
I know he didn’t mean himself. (Although he isn’tin his right mind, he’s seeing a therapist about it. So maybe he’s telling me to wait.) (Unlikely.) I’m fairly sure he was just being nice – but I appreciated it anyway.
still don’t know the title, but will have to lock it down soon. thinking about:
- What Are Friends For?
- (Not) Intended For Each Other
- This is How Not To Get Married
- For Better and/or Worse
- A Convenient Engagement
the first is probably closest for me, but really - any suggestions also welcome. ideally it would include at least one or ideally two of these themes: friends, pretend, engagement/proposal, binding, magic. i tend to like short phrases from the books or relevant spells.
thank you for tagging me: @martsonmars@urban-sith@johnwgrey@takitalks@artsyunderstudy@facewithoutheart@confused-bi-queer@technetiumai@basiltonbutliketheherb@ivelovedhimthroughworse@fatalfangirl@cutestkilla@nightimedreamersworld@dragoneggoand@wetheformidables from monday!
it’s pretty late here, but here’s some other tags: @stitchy-queerista@kherub@phoxphyre@forabeatofadrum@bookish-bogwitch@aristocratic-otter@otherpeoplesheartachept-2@otherworldsivelivedin
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