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CW: Mention of abuse, captivity, panic attacks, extreme distress, noah being a sad boi, pet whump, slavery
Noah's senses swam in the murky depths of semi-consciousness, his body hanging limply in the chains that held him suspended. He drifted in and out of awareness, the relentless pain a constant anchor dragging him back to the nightmarish reality. The chamber was silent now, Andrey having left him to marinate in his agony and humiliation.
Somewhere in the haze of his thoughts, Noah registered the sound of a door creaking open, followed by the muffled shuffle of footsteps. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt like they were weighted down with lead.
Every movement sent waves of agony rippling through his battered frame, a constant reminder of the horrors he had endured at the hands of his merciless captor.
"He's in bad shape," a soft voice murmured, tinged with professional detachment. "We need to get him down and treat those wounds."
Rough hands grabbed Noah's arms, releasing the shackles that had held him captive. He slumped forward, unable to support his own weight. Two figures caught him before he could collapse to the ground, their grips firm.
Noah slowly blinked through dried eyes as if registering his surroundings. A hazy man came in sight with a needle in hand. The glint of the needle in hand sent a jolt of fear through Noah's mudded mind.
"No, no, no..." he muttered, his voice barely a whisper, raw from screaming. Panic surged, adrenaline cutting through the fog of his thoughts. He thrashed weakly, trying to free himself from the hands that held him, but his strength was all but gone.
The man came in sight. He was an average sized man with dark brown hair and kind eyes that were filled with.. pity?
The man shushed Noah gently, but Noah wouldn't, couldn't, hear the reassurance, couldn't see anything beyond the needle's sharp point.
Noah's vision blurred as tears filled his eyes, mixing with the grime and blood on his face. Memories of Andrey's cruel smile, the gleaming instruments of pain, the endless hours of tormentâeverything merged into a single, overwhelming fear.
"He's having a panic attack," another voice said urgently. "We need to calm him down before we can do anything."
"G-Get that away from me!!" Noah stuttered, his voice rising in desperation and panic. "Please ngh! G-Get away!"
The hands on him tightened to prevent him from thrashing around more. Noah felt like a feral animal on a leash living only for the purpose of serving that jackass.
"Shh Shh" The first voice soothed, closer now. A gentle hand touched his face, brushing away the tears. "We're here to help you alright?"
The words struggled to penetrate the thick veil of his terror. Noah choked on a sob forcing his eyes to focus on the figure. Not Andrey. Not right now.
"W-Why...?" He croaked, his voice a raw whisper.
The figures exchanged a glance, then lowered Noah onto the floor. One of them produced a small vial and carefully uncorked it, releasing a pungent aroma that made Noah's stomach churn.
"We're under orders.. slave." The other explained, their tone a matter of fact. Adding the last word only made Noah's chest ache more. "His highness wants you alive. For now."
H-Huh? Noah's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Andrey, a fresh wave of fear washing over him like a tidal wave. But he pushed the fear aside, focusing instead on the fleeting sense of relief that washed over him at the thought of being out of Andrey's clutches, even if only temporarily.
"We're going to help you, okay? You'll feel better once we treat you." The kind voice spoke again, and now that Noah's vision had cleared, he saw that it belonged to a stout man, probably in his mid-twenties, with neatly brushed hair and a physician's cloak over him.
Another man approached the first, murmuring under his breath. "Youâre asking for trouble if you get attached to this one. You do remember what happened last time?" The physician sighed. He knew the other was right.
The man took the sigh as a sign to start. They worked efficiently, cleaning the blood from his back and applying a salve that stung fiercely at first before a cooling numbness spread through his wounds. Noah's breath hitched as the pain receded to a dull throb, his mind slowly clawing its way back from the brink of unconsciousness.
"Rest now," The kind physician mumbled so that the others wouldn't hear nevertheless, his voice soothing. "You're safe for the moment."
Safe. The word seemed almost foreign in the context of his current reality, but Noah clung to it like a lifeline. As he drifted into a fitful sleep, his mind continued to wrestle with the fear and uncertainty that had become his constant companions.
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When he awoke, the room was still dim, the only light coming from a small lamp on a nearby table. His body ached, but the pain was more manageable now, dulled by the salve and the rest he had been afforded.
Noah tried to sitting up, but the effort made his head swim. He lay back down, staring at the ceiling trying to block out his memories of the chamber. Never, Never had he in his life ever experienced such pain. His breath quickened, the beginnings of a panic attack clawing at his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing, focusing on the rhythm of his inhales and exhales.
He had no idea how much time had passed when the door creaked open again. Footsteps approached, and Noah braced himself for another round of torment. But instead, a familiar voice reached his ears, cold and commanding.
Noah's heart lurched as Andrey stepped into view, his piercing green eyes gleaming with a predatory light. The prince's presence filled the room, suffocating in its intensity.
"Y-yes, sir," Noah managed to croak out, remembering the rules that had been beaten into him. His body tensed, anticipating another wave of pain.
To his surprise, Andrey simply smirked and knelt beside the cot, his gaze sweeping over Noah's bandaged form. "Good. You've learned your place."
Noah's breath came in shallow gasps, his pulse quickening as he struggled to maintain his composure. Andrey reached out, tracing a finger along the edge of one of the bandages, his touch both gentle and menacing. Noah gathered up the courage to speak, his effort at sounding confident gone in vain.
"Y-You wanted me alive..?"
"Damian did a good job at bandaging you up.," Andrey said, his voice a low purr. "You see, breaking you is no fun if you're already broken beyond repair."
Noah swallowed hard, the weight of Andrey's words pressing down on him like a vise. Damian. The physician's name was Dmain. He fought to keep his expression neutral, knowing that any sign of defiance would only invite more punishment which he had learnt the hard way.
Andrey's hand moved to Noah's chin, tilting his head up to meet his gaze. "You will serve me and my family. You should understand that you have no other choice but to leave your old life behind. Wether its the hard or the easy way."
Tears prickled at the corners of Noah's eyes, but he blinked them back and bit his lip slightly, refusing to give Andrey the satisfaction of seeing him break down. "Yes, sir," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Andrey's smile widened, a chilling expression that sent shivers down Noah's spine. "Good. Remember that, and perhaps your time here won't be as unbearable as it could be."
Before Andrey could leave, he turned back looking at Noah, his presence itself dominating. "Oh and I have yet to make you meet my parents huh? Rest up. I'll be back in a few. And don't you even dare show any defiance or bullshit in front of my parents or I swear I will make you see lord jesus."
With that, Andrey stood and turned to leave, his presence a lingering shadow that seemed to drain the light from the room. As the door closed behind him, Noah's resolve wavered, his body trembling with the effort of holding himself together.
For now, he could only bide his time, gathering his strength for the battles that lay ahead wishing Andrey's family wasn't as cruel as him though it only seemed like a childish goal just out of hand now.
Taglist: @miireux134 @nuriiz134 @ash-reh @noeul-whumpsss @morning-star-whump
@parasitebunny @anutz1234 @whatwasmyprevioususername @whumped-by-glitter (let me know if you want to be added or removed :D)
