#paperprinxe

"They haven't spoken in days, sir. Don't even react to the guards," Henchman reported to Whumper as they returned to the base.

"Playing tough, then? No issue. I'll handle it," assured Whumper. They slipped on a pair of black gloves and rolled up their sleeves. "Prepare them for me."

Henchman bowed their head as they excused themselves to fetch Whumpee. They sat at the back of the room, legs tucked up into their chest and staring at the floor, clearly lost in thought.

They didn't react as Henchman approached with a pair of cuffs dangling from their finger tauntingly. "Oh, Whumpee," they sang as their feet stepped into their field of view.

Whumpee startled suddenly and looked up at Henchman, their eyes zeroing in on the cuffs.

"Come on, up you get," demanded Henchman as they grabbed Whumpee's arm and hauled them to their feet. They weren't against a little manhandling to get things done faster.

After wrestling Whumpee – who was surprisingly strong – into the restraints, Henchman pushed Whumpee forward and down the hall until they reached a stained tiled room. Whumpee immediately noticed the drain in the center of the floor and tried to dig their heels in.

Whumper was already preparing the room with an array of tools: a plethora of sharp instruments, syringes, a jug of water and a cloth.

Henchman hauled Whumpee to the metal surgical table and strapped them down with the supple leather restraints. They were clearly well-used.

Whumper didn't make eye contact as they trailed their gloved hands over their tools reverently.

"I'm not a patient person, Whumpee. You'll answer my questions or you'll come to regret holding back information. Am I understood?"

Silence.

Whumper peered out the corner of their eyes at Henchman who shook their head. No response, then. Whumper drew in a deep breath through their nose and turned to face Whumpee's immobilized body.

Small involuntary sounds of struggle left their mouth as they fought against the restraints holding them down.

"I said 'Am I understood?'"

No change. Whumpee's eyes still darted between Henchman, Whumper, and their own strapped-down limbs.

Whumper slammed their fist down on the metal table, sending scalpels flying and knives skittering across the hard surface. Henchman flinched but no such reaction from Whumpee who was looking towards the door now.

Whumper frowned and approached the table, grabbing Whumpee's hair and wrenching their focus back to them.

"You're not going anywhere. I suggest you focus on me if you know what's good for you." Whumper paused briefly before getting to the point. "You've been seen with Hero before. Don't try to deny it. What is the manner of your relationship?"

Whumpee's eyes immediately locked onto Whumper's mouth, causing Whumper to frown as pieces began to click together. They reached out and snapped their fingers next to Whumpee's ear, watching for a reaction. Besides tracking the movement, there wasn't much to notice.

A weary sigh left Whumper then. Shit. This would make things harder.

"Are you deaf?" Whumper asked slowly, making sure to enunciate their words.

Whumpee's eyes tracked their lip movements again and then they nodded hesitantly.

Whumper cursed and turned away, running a hand through their hair as they thought this through. They'd need a new tactic here.

"Get me something to write with. Preferably something not sharp," ordered Whumper. Henchman paused before nodding and quickly exiting the room. It didn't take long for them to return with a small whiteboard and a dry erase marker.

Whumper had untied Whumpee's restraints and gestures for them to sit up. They held out their hand for the whiteboard and placed it in Whumpee's hands.

Whumper took the marker in their own hands and rolled it in their palms as they stared down at Whumpee.

'Cooperate,' Whumper wrote simply before adding. 'And you'll be free to go.'

Whumpee's eyes widened and they signed 'Okay.'

Whumper erased the board that Whumpee held, never moving to take it for themself.

'Hero. How do you know them?'

Whumpee held out their hand for the marker, hesitating just a moment as Whumper handed it over gently.

'Friends.'

Whumpee raised their eyes back to Whumper who crossed their arms and rubbed their chin as they considered the situation. They enjoyed tormenting vulnerability to get what they wanted but suddenly Whumpee was too vulnerable. Or maybe just not the right kind of vulnerability. A strange desire to protect filtered through their mind before they shook it away. No. That wouldn't do.

"Tell me more," Whumper said, moving their hand away from their mouth as they spoke.

As Whumpee began to write again, Whumper turned to Henchman once more.