gross au

[reanbeanmachine]

[Once upon a time, perhaps, a man named Giliath Osborne had been a good man, a kind father, a loving husband, a good soldier. That was a long, long time ago, long forgotten. These days, there was merely the Blood and Iron Chancellor. A man hellbent on a goal, ready to use everything to achieve it.

Currently, the latest tool from his little workshop was standing in his office facing him with a familiar face, but an unfamiliarly blank expression.

"Siegried" was the name of the doll in front of him, a creature with uses. Already, standing in front of Osborne was plenty of proof that this boy was only a shell that resembled a person, an empty vessel whose memories were sealed away.

He ran his fingertips over the boy's cheek, watching for any reaction, any flinch or concealed disgust. Nothing. Obedience. Perfect.

There was more he could test for this, and if that proved successful, this doll could be useful in very many ways indeed. His fingers lifted a lock of white hair, let it slide over his knuckles as he pulled his hand away.]

Siegfried, I want you to kneel.

Comments

[filetofish]

Man, I know it's not Sharon's cooking but at least try.

[Please Rean? Crow's concerned. It's been days!

He can't force him to eat though so he just sighs and sits down in front of Rean to eat his own. p

[awakenerd]

[He watches Crow but like, continues to... Show no interest....

Just none whatsoever it doesn't seem like what Crow is eating is edible.]

[filetofish]

You'd think you'd be hungry enough to eat it even if it's bad...

[Crow sure is. It's horrible food but he's seriously hungry, so he finishes his can in no time, and even sticks his fingers in to catch anything the spoon missed. He'd just eat Rean's share but even if Rean won't eat now, they might need it later. One will have to be enough.

It takes serious effort to get up, but once he's done eating he does, to throw away the can and set Rean's aside, and to dig out the rest of what he bought today. There's a second towel, some soap, two bowls to go with the spoons, and a set of simple clothes for each of them. He grabs Rean's outfit and brings it over to him.]

Here. You can get dressed when you feel like it. I won't watch.

[awakenerd]

[He glares and makes an expression like a snarl, though no sound emerges. He's definitely not getting changed right now, and he's sure as hell not moving from this spot, so Crow can back off.]

[filetofish]

[Okay, okay! He's backing away.]

Sorry.

[He's saying sorry a lot today but that's just how he feels so whatever. His emotions are pretty raw and he's doing as much as he can just to be functional.]

I'm not gonna make you do anything you don't want to, aside from stay here.

[awakenerd]

[Thanks he hates it.

He's not a very helpful and supportive boyfriend right now but he's the best dog so you know what, take it Crow.

Rean's just going to body block the door until Crow actually goes to sleep.]

[filetofish]

[He has to take another miserable bath first, but he does eventually give up on trying to talk to Rean and climbs the stairs to the loft to sleep the sleep of the exhausted and really sad.

But y'know in the morning he has to leave again so that's gonna be fun.]

[awakenerd]

[Once Crow is asleep Rean will wander over to the loft and climb up to sit next to him and... Stare. At him. All night.

He doesn't bother with new clothes or a bath just. Watches Crow like a weird vampire creep.

He doesn't feel any better though, in fact if anything it's just ramping up his crazy this time instead of soothing it.]

[filetofish]

[Waking up to being stared at is still startling and creepy the second time. But this time at least he doesn't scream! He just jumps and gasps.]

--Shit! Why do you do that?!

[awakenerd]

[He starts a bit but not as bad since, well, this is how Crow reacted before so at least it's not as surprising.

Obviously his answer is just to stare at Crow intensely and say nothing which is super helpful.]

[filetofish]

Jeez. Like I need adrenaline for breakfast.

[Ugh. Time to get up, then! Gotta wash his face and put his fresh clothes on (cause he absolutely slept in the buff) and wolf down an orange, and then head for the door.]

[awakenerd]

[While Crow is moving around Rean slides back to standing in front of the door and watching him. He does not really look ready to move.]

[filetofish]

[Frustrating but not surprising. Crow's got an eye on the time as he gets ready -- "work" isn't exactly far away (he's just down the block), but he reeeeally doesn't want to give anyone an excuse to be nasty to him when he can't fight back so he'd rather not be late.

He's giving himself about 10 minutes to deal with Rean.]

Hey. I have to go.

[awakenerd]

[Yeah that's not making him move. He stares unblinkingly. Obviously Crow needs to give up.]

[filetofish]

[Ugggggghhhh okay.

He'll just have to try to pull him out of the way.]

Come on! We can't do this every day!

[awakenerd]

[Yeah that's like tugging on a wall. And he tries to snarl but his voice is still gone. He bares his teeth, threateningly.]

[filetofish]

[Getting bitten would be less horrible than getting turned in so. He's just gonna change it into a shove, putting his full weight against Rean and trying to make him move.]

Just... move!

[awakenerd]

[He does not, bracing against the door and shoving back at Crow, not wanting to let him go, not able to articulate why the idea freaks him out even if he had a voice.]

[filetofish]

[Well now we're just wrestling for it while getting increasingly distressed.]

Damn it! Why can't you listen to me?!

[And why is Rean so stupidly strong? Crow's sore and really doesn't want to fight with Rean, but he wants even less to lose himself again, to lose what's left of Rean, so even though he absolutely doesn't want to go out and be used and hurt he's also desperate to do anything that'll keep them from being captured again.

So he's putting all his strength into getting Rean out of his way, and trying not to think he'll have to lock him up again.]

I'm just trying to protect us!

[awakenerd]

[He's way too strong for a human but Crow does have the advantage that he's... Just trying to be immovable, he's not trying to hurt Crow. So Crow can probably get him out of the way but he will just try to follow him out, grabbing for his arm like he might lose Crow if he lets go.]

[filetofish]

[The last thing they need is to have a physical fight out on the porch. But here he is, trying to pull his arm away and shove Rean back in the house, with voice raised and full of stress.]

Knock it off! I'll come back tonight. Just stay put!

[awakenerd]

[He shakes his head sharply, holding tighter, almost bruising. His mouth works but he can't really shape words, and he just looks... not really human, not really coherent, pissed off but also scared.]

[filetofish]

[Okay that is starting to hurt. And frankly it's really upsetting to see Rean so upset, especially about this, this way. Crow's trying to protect him. So knowing that even like this Rean's worried about him makes his heart twist. He wishes they could just communicate. But they can't, so they're fighting instead, with Crow trying to shove Rean back inside, towards the basement, because he doesn't know what else to do.]

[awakenerd]

[He's getting increasingly more upset as Crow shoves him back towards the basement, yet he won't use the strength he has that could easily pick Crow up. Maybe not easily, Crow's no pushover even if Rean is inhumanly strong. And maybe that's why, it might take actually hurting Crow to stop him.

He still holds onto Crow desperately with both hands while he's shoved into the basement, now just visibly fucked up and panicked, but it's not like he can say what he's afraid of.

Crow can untangle himself, with effort, but when he does Rean desperately tries to work a word out. His vocal chords are still fucked, and obviously he's too feral, quite, to form anything coherent except...

Well that's almost certainly Crow's name he's trying silently to say. Mouthing it with a raspy noise and air but not really managing to get the sound out.]

[filetofish]

[Crow freezes instantly. Before he can shut the door, before he can get away, he just... stops. This is all hard but that's too much. When all he really wants is to hear that -- for Rean to say his name, to recognize him, to be Rean, seeing him try is a gutpunch Crow's not up to handling right now.

For a moment he's just staring, eyes are wide and filling up with the tears he's been trying so hard to hide. But he cuts that off, squeezing them shut instead and groping blindly for the edge of the basement door.]

You should've just listened.