cw: flashbacks, pet whump, box boy universe/bbu adjacent, Institutionalized slavery, conditioned whumpee, past abuse
ââââââ
A nod of his head, and a couple kicks of his foot. Graham bobbed along with the rhythm of the music flooding his ears, the string of the earbuds tapping against his chest as he moved, humming to the tune.
The clothes were soft to the touch, still hot from the dryer, perfectly perfect as they folded nicely into each little square. Not a single stain or rip in sight, and it was almost scary to think about. How could he manage to keep it that way? In what world would he be able to keep them better than how he found them, as he thought Edith would want?Â
Doing what heâd been instructed to, he focused back on the music, letting it roll over his shoulders and wash all the way down to his toes, steamrolling right over his nerves. It was scarily easy to lose himself in, to discard his keen senses and constant attention on the world around him in favor of the song.
Another shirt, tucked under his chin as he gently placed the sleeves into the middle and flipped the bottom to the top. The task was monotonous, but ten times better with music.
Grahamâs feet tapped and circled himself as he stepped to his feet, hoisting the entire pile of laundry along with him. He couldnât help but move with the beat of the drums, loudly thumping and encompassing in his ears. Stumbling to the drawer across the room, he grunted along with the words bumping into his head.
The song, one of his favorites, slowly rolled out into a distant heartbeat kind of sound, as the sound of the next came humming in as he shrugged open the top drawer.
It was a new song - most of them were, he was listening to Isaacâs playlist - but this one didnât feel new. As soon as it began he was singing a hum exactly as it went, like heâd heard it a million times before.
He knew the words. They started up, the vocals growling and scratchy, and he could mouth them as soon as they came crashing into his mind.Â
Hey, focus.
He snapped to attention, nearly dropping to a kneel, but in a mere second he recognized that the voice wasnât masterâs. It wasnât angry, commanding, or masterâs, and it was right beside him. It still made him flinch, shook him up, although it was more feminine - sharp still - but juvenile.Â
Youâre going to spill the milk if you keep doing that.
He was holding his breath. Taking a quick sip in, he was hit with the smell of a kitchen, of ingredients. Particularly sugary smelling ones, kind and warm, not at all like his masterâs place. Apprehension flooded his senses next, freezing him still.
You can dance if you put the measuring cup down.
The instructions didnât make sense - a measuring cup - yet he followed them to his best ability, dropping the laundry into the spot of the open drawer below him.
Now do an air guitar!
Ever so carefully, practically disobeying because he wasnât explicitly ordered to, he craned his neck to the source.Â
Itâs okay, I will do it myself!
There was a woman, one who wasn't supposed to be there, though he didnât make any move to back off. Her hair was short but full, shaking along with her laugh, bangs home cut and caught in her eyelashes. She stood beside him, a smidge shorter but still tall with his button nose and his downturned eyes and his little lips. She seemed a bit older, but around his age as he was seeing her.Â
She giggled, her whole body moving with the noise, low and gravely. Come, do it with me! She was dancing to the music, harder, faster, better, letting it puppet her movements. It is fun, I promise!
Instead of doing as she told, he stayed still. She didnât seem to notice.
Shifting back to a glimpse of the drawer, it was gone, finding only a bowl of goopy looking batter, a little distorted and fake looking, like it wasnât really there at all. At the same time it was there, and so was she.
What if I cracked this egg on your head right now? She said, and that time she was holding a single egg - white - reaching out to plop it right over his face. Instinctively, he leaned away. What would you do?
âWhoâŚ?â He questioned, the piercing ache of his head stopping him from getting any farther in the sentence.
Do not give me that look, She tisked playfully, as if he hadnât said anything at all, now put the sugar in. We have to be done before Mom gets back.
The white blotted out her face by half then, eating up her image to nothing. It hurt more by the second, the longer he stared the worse it got, the white picking at his mind until the music drifted off once more, and his mind was fully and painfully empty.
Barely recognizing the thump of his knees to the rug, he sucked in a slick hiss at the stab of affliction seeping through the white, just as the bass began to thrum.
This one was new again, not at all familiar, and as he listened it felt more and more like hearing through a fish bowl. Even with the song filling him to the brim, he could barely hear it over the seething pain.
Iâm not gonna hurtâcha, pal, not as long as youâre a good boy. No need to look so scared.
This he recognized in an instant, even through the blinding brightness. 520 cowered below his handler, no matter how many reassurances he was given.
Donât tell anyone, boy. Itâll be our little secret that Iâm letting you listen.
That was odd. His handler was kind enough to allow him to dirty an earbud, something so terribly off limits he couldnât believe it. And the music was blaring, blasting his eardrums, but still it felt good. It was horribly muffled and tacky, but he savored it.
You like it? The handler laughed, bitter and sharp, before knocking the pet upside the head, I can tell you do. Donât lie to me, â520, makesâ me wanna hurt you.
He felt the smack, crisp and clean, slick with sweat and sending him further keeled over. Spit pooled out from his slack lips, gathering in a puddle on the white below him. He was surely out of it, blinded by the burning and the possibility of drugs coursing his system.
Stop your whimpering and get over it. You should be able to handle a little wack like that by now.
Huffing a shaking breath, he rested his head to what he thought was the dresser, a dark wash of wood, as he blinked ever so carefully. It didnât make much sense for one to be there when the facility was only ever white. As his eyelids opened once again, it was instead the white painted wood of his masterâs bedroom door.
The song was no longer recognizable, a contorted sound of words and instruments thick with sickness. He could feel his fingers curl through rug, yet see them flat on shining white tile.
He wasnât supposed to eavesdrop, especially not on Master and Prince, but he could barely contain himself. The noise was louder than it shouldâve been, confusing him, but the song was too good to worry himself over. A shift from the sickly buzz churning his mind in circles, a lighthearted pop sound.
That wasnât right though, because his master didnât enjoy that type of song, and never let Prince pick. The lady liked it, but she was never really there, and he couldnât remember her name even if he wanted to, itâs all white and thatâs all it will ever be-
âGraham?â
He coughed, hacking out juicy spittle, and a hand was pressed to his back. The instinct was there to slap it away like it would hurt him, but the white was too strong and it didnât hurt him anyway.
âGraham, can you please look at me?â
It took him a moment to recognize that was his name, that he had a name at all, before he nodded.
She wasnât there any longer, the lady with his face, nor was his handler. The voice was different, the hair orange, the eyes green and concerned.
âOtis?â Graham croaked, drool dribbling down his chin. The pain subsided to a throb, still there but less overwhelming.
âYou are not okay.â They stated, and it wasnât a question, they both know he wasnât.
He lied anyway. âNo. I am fine.â Trying to catch his breath, he couldnât help the gather of sweat collected at his temple.
âNo you are not.â They shook their head. âI will get Isaac-,â
âNo, please, I am fine.â He curled his hand over theres, pressing his forehead to the chill of their knuckles. âJust a headache.â
They bit their lip, glancing toward the door. âYou are sure? I can go get her-,â
The music was a little murmur of a song from the earbuds, having fallen out during his commotion. âFine. âM fine.â
Already was the memory of what had just happened nearly gone, save for the affliction and the brightness of the white stinging a burn into the back of his mind.
To him the woman would remain nameless, and she did not exist, and was never even there.
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CW: Whump, loss of parents implied, abusive family member, multiple stabbing, hand whump, heist and robbery implied, conditioned whumpee, locked in a closet and Nathen destroying all of Cinâs hope and dreams.Â
Masterlist
*flashback chapter with Nathen*Â
Cin sat gripping the chair legs with his head down, tears dripped down his face into his lap.
âIâm so sorry for your loss.â A woman said. He didnât respond, he just watched the pool of tears in his jeans grow larger and larger with every drip.Â
âIt says here you donât have any surviving immediate relatives. Youâre 16, so...â She trailed off. A man quickly approached, whispering to her. She immediately perked up as she clapped her hands in front of her face, making Cin flinch.
âWonderful news! It seems you have a very distant uncle-in-law! Theyâll be informed of the car crash and weâll let them know about your circumstance.â She said.
âI have an uncle?â Cin thought to himself. He never had any other family aside from his parents. A glimmer of hope washed over him.
-
Cin nervously stood by the social worker by the doorway. She was a very nice lady, he practically glued himself to her side like a lost duckling. He almost fell asleep against her hip until he heard a car pull up. He instantly perked up, watching a tall man with messy dark hair, a black leather jacket and ragged jeans climb from his car. The man glanced over at him, eyeing him up and down. Cinâs gut told him there was something wrong, but he shooed the feelings away. This man was nice enough to take him in! He must be sooo kind! Especially since they werenât *technically* related...
Cin gave him a small smile and a wave when he approached. His eyes darted down to him, as he smiled back! He crouched until he was level with him.
âHi there, you must be Cin. Iâm Nathenâ He gave him a warm smile.
-
âWhat do you mean Iâm not going to school?â Cin asked, almost panicked.Â
âHomeschool Cin. Youâre still doing school.â He sighed.
âThen whoâs going to teach me?â He cocked his head to the side.
âI am, silly.â Nathen shook his head.Â
Cin just assumed he knew best. He had moved to another state, he had lost his family, and now his friends. But at least he had Nathen! He just got very lonely sometimes. Nathen started working, disappearing for days, but he would always show up with food and clothes for him. He never talked about his work and when Cin asked he would get defensive, sometimes angry, so Cin just decided to be quiet. He would keep the house clean and cook whatever he brought home.
-
âNathen!â Cin called excitedly. He twirled around while holding something behind his back. âWhat.â Nathen mumbled under his breath, eyes glued to a computer screen he always kept tilted away.
âI found something Iâm interested in!â He beamed, pulling out a pamphlet behind his back and proudly showing it to him.
âThatâs nice.â He mumbled.
âYouâre not even looking.â He waved the pamphlet to try and mimic those noodle mascots he saw across the street.
Nathen sighed as he pushed his glasses up, squinting. âCollege?â He raised an eyebrow. Cin nodded his head enthusiastically. âItâs a really nice college! Itâs affordable, and it has a social worker degree!âÂ
Nathen laughed. He laughed and laughed until he was wiping tears from his eyes. âCollege? Social worker? Why are you thinking about that stuff?â
âBecause Iâm 18 now! I just thought-â â-You thought what? I could afford college for you? Iâm already working hard enough to keep you fed and taken care of.â
âBut I-... I can get a job! I can help!â He pleaded. Nathen opened his mouth to shut him down, but paused. His eyes darted from him, to the computer as a smirk spread across his face.
âAlright. You can get a job.â He shrugged.
âReally! Thank you thank you thank you-!â â-But! Youâll be working with me and my group. Itâll be easy, even someone like you could do it.â He smirked. Cin beamed even more with those words. He wouldnât be lonely anymore! And he got to work with his wonderful guardian! This would be the best job ever!
-
âCin, this is Charlotte and Jackson.â Nathen introduced.Â
âNathen! Why didnât you tell me he was adorable?!â Charlotte shrieked, pinching Cinâs cheeks with her long sharp black nails. The touch wasnât comforting in the slightest, but he was enjoying the attention.Â
âArenât you just as cute as a button! Nathen, we could use him as a distraction instead! I know, Iâm a fine distraction, but why donât we let the new kid in?â She smiled, flipping her long dark hair dramatically.Â
âCin needs an easy job, heâs terrible at socializing.â He scoffed. Cin blushed, It wasnât his fault he never left the house. He used to try and get out a lot, but Nathen would give him a slap on the wrist and drag him back home every time.
âBesides, wouldnât want him to take your spotlight.â He smirked. âWhat are we doing?â Cin asked. The group grew painfully silent.
âYou didnât even tell him?â James spat.Â
âHe doesnât need to know, he has the easy job, remember?â They fell silent again. âIf the kid talks, Iâm ratting you all out.â He shook his head. âHeâs not going to rat us out! Heâs going to do whatever I tell him.â Nathen cranked his head to face Cin, his eyes burning with a twisted expression. âRight?â
âRight!â Cin squeaked. He had no idea what was going on, but he would be useful! Just watch him. Nathen stuffed a radio and a keycard in his hands and walked him over to a backdoor of an odd looking shop.Â
âWhen you hear my voice on the radio, youâre going to swipe the card right there and open the door, mmkay?â He asked.
âMmkay!.... Wait, is that it?â
âYep! Thatâs allll you have to do. You canât mess it up.â He smiled. The group quickly disappeared as Cin was left standing alone by the door. He held the radio in both hands staring at it waiting for the order.Â
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
Thirty minutes passed.
Cin was still staring intensely at the radio. By the hour, he had slumped against the door, lightly tapping his head against it barely clutching the radio in his fingertips. Where were they? Did they forget about him?Â
The radio crackled as Cin jumped, losing his grip on the radio as he juggled it in the air a bit.
âOPEN THE DOOR! *Crackle* DO IT NOW!â He heard Nathen bark. Cin stared at the radio with fascination before snapping out of it, swiping the card. He dug his heels in the gravel as he heaved the door open as out bolted Nathen and James carrying two bags over their shoulder.
âLetâs go letâs go! Move it!â He shouted, grabbing Cinâs arm and dragging him along. Cin had no idea what was going on, but he happily ran behind Nathen like they were playing some fun game. James slammed the door open as they tossed the bags in, Nathen grabbed Cinâs arm and pushed him in as they hit the gas.
âWait! Whereâs Charlotte!?â James called, looking back.
âWe donât have time, hit it!â
âWe canât just leave her! What if she got caught!â
âThen she gets caught! Thatâs on her!âÂ
Cin stayed silent as he sat on the floor of the van. âDid⌠Did I do good?â He asked with desperation in his voice. All he wanted was a hint of approval from someone. Nathen looked back as his hand ruffled his hair. âYeah, you did good.â He smiled. Cin beamed with pure joy. He had no idea what happened, or what he even did, but it made Nathen happy, so Cin was too.
Time went on and Nathen asked him to do similar things. Open this door, press this button, call us on the radio if you see anyone, small innocent things. Each time they would return with something, bags, a box or expensive looking things. Cin never questioned anything, because it was Nathen; the person he relied on.Â
They person he was nothing without.
-Years passed. Cin was 21 now.
âYou said if I helped out you would let me go to college! Please, I really want to go!â He begged. Nathen was twisted with rage, he had no energy nor patience to put up with him today.
âIâm so sick and tired of you filling my ears with college trash! Youâre helping us, Cin. We canât do the big jobs without you! After all Iâve done for you, this is the least you can do to pay me back!â He hissed. Cin groaned with frustration as he bolted from the room, slamming the door behind him as he ran down the street. Nathen didnât even try to stop him, he knew he would be back. Where would he even go? He had nothing without him.
It started raining, Cin held his arms as he walked cringing down the sidewalk as the cold rain showered. He stopped when he saw a bus stop with a man in ragged clothes huddled under the overhang. They both looked at each other, both looking rather lost. The man had messy hair and a long grey beard, dressed in torn clothes with a bag at his feet filled with random things.Â
âAre you okay?â Cin asked, sniffling.
âPff, I should be asking you that.â The man said. Cin realized half the liquid on his face was tears as he quickly wiped his face.Â
The man slid to the side of the bench, making room for him as Cin nervously sat next to him.
âWhatâs bothering you?â The man asked.
âI⌠Nathen told me Iâm not allowed to talk to strangersâŚâ Cin muttered.
âNot allowed? You look like an adult to me. Although I will say, this is some solid advice from this Nathen boy.â The man chuckled. âIâm David, there, Iâm not a stranger anymore.â He smiled. âCin.â He smiled back.Â
âI just⌠I really wanted to go to college. My guardian wonât let me go, even thought I worked for it! I donât understand why.â He murmured. The manâs eyes fell sad as he sighed.
âIâm sorry to hear that young man. But if you worked your fair share, you have every right to get a little demanding.â He chuckled. âHmm? Demanding?ââ Cin asked. âYeah! Put your foot down! Tell him, âI worked hard, and I deserve it!âÂ
Cin gasped as he held his hands over his mouth. âIâm allowed to say that!?â He gasped. âOf course you can! Youâre an adult! You get to make decisions for yourself.â He smiled. Cinâs eyes darted to the ground as if he had just made a realization. âI can⌠Make decisions? For myself?â Â
âThatâs right!â He smiled.Â
âI never realized I could do that!â He gasped, his mind running wild. âWhat about you? Why are you sad?â He asked.Â
âBah, donât worry about an old man like me.â He waved.
âNo! Thatâs not fair! Itâs your turn now!â He demanded. âAlright! Alright.â He chuckled, raising his hands in defeat. âYouâre getting good at this demanding thing, Iâll give you that.â He smiled. âI lost my home last year. There was a job offer today and I cleaned myself up as best as I could and shot my shot! Well, I didnât get the job and I guess Iâm a little down about it.â He sighed, slumping down on the bench.Â
âYouâre homeless? Then how do you live? Where do you eat?â He asked. He couldnât quite fathom his lifestyle.Â
âI donât some nights.â He sighed. Cinâs face went pale. âDid you get something today?â He asked. â.. Yes.â He coughed.Â
âHmmm? Are you suuure?â Cin eyed. The man laughed as he crossed his arms with guilt. âWait here!â Cin ordered. The man froze awkwardly as he watched Cin bolting off into a nearby store. He returned a couple minutes later with a bag in hand, filled with a stash of fresh food. Nathen had given him a couple of pocket change just to satisfy him for a little bit, but he never got a chance to spend it.
âNo, sweetie, you need to save that for your education.â
âNo! I insist. Hearing your story made me appreciate what I have more! Iâll be fine regardless if I give this to you or not. But itâll mean a lot to you, wonât it?â He smiled.Â
The man stared at him for a moment before smiling, accepting the gift. âYouâre a very kind young man. Donât ever let anyone take that away from you.âÂ
Cin giggled before starting to run off. âThank you for the advice! I think Iâm going to take it!â He waved behind his shoulder as he sprinted home with a wave of confidence.Â
He burst through the door, dripping wet as he announced âI worked hard, and I deserve it!â He shouted.
âHuh?â Nathen asked, closing the laptop.Â
âI-... I worked hardâŚâ He trailed off. âAnd I deserve it, right? The collegeâŚâ His confidence was slowly killed as Nathen rose to his height. âWhere did you get those words from? Inspirational quotes from a car bumper?ââ He scoffed. âN-no. A nice man.â He muttered.
âA nice what?â His eyes grew wide. âCin! I told you youâre not allowed to talk to anyone!â He shouted. âBut he was nice! And he was also right. I canât stay here forever Nathen! I appreciate everything you did for me, but Itâs time I⌠I made a decision for myself, and this is it.â He muttered.
âOh, so the pup grew some fangs, hmm? Thatâs something I never expected.â He taunted. He draped himself into a chair, crossing his arms and legs. âIâll tell you what, Cin. You help us with one more job, and you can go.â He said.
Cinâs eyes lit up like stars as he jumped up and down âThank you thank you thank you!â He cheered. Nathen just sat thinking to himself with a twisted smile creeping across his face.
-
âYou wanna what now?â Charlotte gasped. âListen here, I got arrested last time because I was the distraction. We had to lose some of that money we stole to bail me out! Youâre so lucky I didnât rat you all out.â She crossed her arms.
âYeah yeah, you wonât be the distraction this time. Cin is.â Nathen smirked.
âWhat? Nathen, heâll get caught for sure.. â-No no! Heâll be fine. I got a plan.âÂ
Cin looked nervous, twisting his fingers as Nathen stood him next to a tree outside an expensive looking shop. âNathen? I donât understand, what are we even doing?â Cin murmured. âOh come now, donât be shy! Youâre just a distraction, so be youâre cute little helpless self, mmkay?â He smiled.
âWha-...â
Nathen pulled out a pocket knife, placing the back of Cinâs hand to the tree as he jabbed the knife all the way through, pinning him to the tree. James' eyes went wide, Charlotte gasped, Nathen smiled, as Cin screamedâŚ
Blood fell down his arm dripping off his elbow as he was stuck frozen in shock. His breathing spiked as he couldnât stop screaming. The pressure and sharp pain imbedded into his hand pulsing with every twitch and quiver.Â
He blinked his eyes open to see he was alone, the sound of pounding footsteps approaching as a man dressed in uniform ran up to him.
âHey! Are you-â His voice cut off at the sight of the knife pinning the man to the tree. Cin was hyperventilating as he tried to control his shaking. The man called an ambulance and soon, there was a small crowd of people who worked in the store trying to help keep him calm.Â
âHow did this happen?â Someone asked.
Cin tried to answer, but he couldnât find the words. His mind was bewildered into terror and confusion. In the end, he never spoke a word. An ambulance came as they carefully removed the knife, giving him a towel to put pressure on the wound. Nathen miraculously appeared with a terrified expression.
âCIN! Iâve been looking everywhere for you! What happened?â Nathen gasped, grabbing his shoulders. Before he could try to choke out a word, Nathen was already speaking over him talking to the paramedics.
âThank you so much for helping him! Heâs my little baby nephew, he ran off on me and Iâve been looking everywhere worried sick!â He cried. Cin fell silent with wide blank eyes. Nathen assured he didnât need the ambulance, he was going to drive him to the hospital himself, because he must be so scared. A doctor said to contact the police as soon as he arrived at the hospital, as Nathen assured them he would.
Instead, he drove him home. Countless bags were filling the bag seat of the car that weren't there before. Cin was then dragged home by his arm and thrown onto the floor sobbing.Â
âW-why!! Why did y-you do that?â He sobbed, clutching his bleeding hand.Â
âBecause, it was for your own good. Cin, just look at you.â He said, crouching down as he tried to crawl away. âBut y-you did s-so much to me!â He shouted.
Nathen took his chin as he forced him to look up, thumbing away a tear. âFor you. I did so much for you, Cin. Why canât you see that? You were sick, sick with all these fantasies about leaving. You really think you can make it out there? All by yourself? Without me? Iâm the only one who ever loved you, who took care of you. You owe me everything.â He hissed, taking his hand. âAnd now?â He muttered, pulling out a knife. In a second, he was on top of him pinning his hand to the floor. Nathen used one knee to pin his chest, another pinning his right hand, with his free hand holding his wrists to the floor over his head.
âAnd now, I can doâŚâ He muttered, plunging the knife into his palm next to the first cut.Â
âWhateverâÂ
StabÂ
âI like to you.â
 StabÂ
He drove the knife into his left palm over and over again. Cin cried and begged the entire time with barely any air left in his lungs, squirming to try and elude his attacks. Blood fell into the cracks of the floorboards beneath them, eventually, Cin was lying motionlessly on the floor. Four, inch long marks were through his hand as he was dragged over to the closet and thrown in.Â
âThereâs nothing you can do to pay me back, Cin. So you can stay right here where you belong and bleed until you become a grateful little brat.â He spat, slamming the closet door.
Cin collapsed his back against the wall clutching his hand. He was left to twitch and whimper the entire night until he learned to be grateful to who he was indebted to⌠Until he learned his place.Â
He was⌠The only oneâŚ. Who cared about him⌠After all.
âCin?â Richard asked, sliding the closet door open. Cin was on the floor nicely tucked into the corner with his hair pressed against the wall.Â
âAre you okay?â He asked. Cinâs left hand was twitching with phantom pain as he silently nodded his head. âWhy are you in here?â He asked.Â
Cinâs eyes darted around a little bit. âItâs comfortable here...â He quietly murmured.Â
âItâs comfortable out here too though. Donât you want to rest on the bed?â He asked. Cin glanced up at him with a skeptical look, tilting his head to the side. âIâm... Iâm fine here...â Richard stared down with a concerned expression. Cin looked at him like he was expecting praise for stuffing himself in the closet.Â
Richard crawled into the closet and sat next to him, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes so he could make eye contact. âWere you thinking about him?â Richard asked. Cin guiltily nodded, pressing his nose into the corner in an attempt to hide. âNo no, itâs alright. He canât hurt you anymore, okay?â Richard soothed. He didnât understand where Cin went mentally when he was like this, stuck in his conditioned responses when he got scared or confused.Â
Which unfortunately, was all the time.Â
His left hand would twitch when he would respond with his conditioning. Hiding in the closet was apparently a response when he was scared. Richard was slowly picking up on things that were triggers as he would try to avoid them, but they were difficult to root out.Â
âWhy donât we get comfortable on the couch and watch a movie with popcorn?â Richard asked. He peeked an eye out at the mention of popcorn. After much reassurance and comfort, Cin eventually found himself on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn in his lap with a small smile.
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