World of Cardboard

another doodle from the AU, this time from part eight :)

Hand in Hand (part ten)

cw: aftermath of torture, gun mention, blood

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~ ~ ~

Despite the pair of soldiers Jin brought along to search the cell, the hallway is eerily quiet.

He's already sent a small team to collect Melchior, warning them of the broken leg and reminding them to keep their guard up. This second prisoner may be in a similar state, but none of them really know what to expect.

There are a few doors lining the hall, none of which look particularly cell-like, and, upon trying them, none of which lead to a person. It isn't until they reach the very end that they're met with a reinforced, locked door. Jin nods to his teammates, who turn away, shielding their ears and eyes as he levels his pistol at the lock.

BANG!

He gives the door a kick, and it swings open.

The interior is dark and chilled, closer to a cave than a room. Jin clicks on his flashlight and starts a visual sweep from the doorway. There's no question what this room's purpose is. The wall closest to the door bears empty chains, and there's dried blood speckled on the floor around them. Across from that... Ah.

His light falls on the shivering form of a man. No clothes but a ragged pair of shorts, so thin it's like his ribcage is trying to break free of his pale skin. Jin steps into the cell, motioning for his teammates to follow. One of them, Kit, lets out a sharp exhale when she sees the prisoner.

Hand in Hand (part nine)

@whumptober No. 15: "I'm Fine"

cw: broken bones, gun mention

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~ ~ ~

Of all the things Jin expects to find while raiding a Riot Kings' base, Melchior is not one of them.

Especially not a Melchior who's chained to a bed.

When Jin kicks the door in, gun drawn, ready to make contact, he's met with a sharp rattling sound as the leader of the Riot Kings is startled awake.

At first, neither of them speak. It's not exactly the kind of situation you'd have a speech prepared for. Jin keeps his gun level, if only out of habit, as he takes in the full scene. Melchior's sunken cheeks, the dark half-moons under his eyes, the old bruises peeking out wherever there's exposed skin. He's wearing the usual crimson suit, but it's torn and rumpled, and his gaze seems like it's been blunted somehow, like a knife used to chop rocks. He looks half-dead, for lack of a better term.

What the actual fuck is going on here?

There's always the possibility that this is an elaborate trap, but it seems out of left-field, even for Melchior. Why chain yourself down and play a prisoner when the rest of your men are retreating, leaving you behind?

Melchior is the first to break the silence.

"Y-you're with the Fleet," he says, in a voice hoarse and tired. It isn't a question, but Jin nods.

The next words out of his mouth catch Jin even more off guard.

"Arrest me. Please."

Hand in Hand (part eight)

@whumptober Alt. 12: Broken

cw: broken bones (didn't see that coming did you :) ), death mention, deathwish

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~ ~ ~

He's on the verge of sleep when he hears noise outside the room; shuffling, muted voices, the click of the lock.

It's time to act.

Dan knows nothing is optimal about the situation; he'll be outnumbered for sure, and even if he wasn't, he'd already be at a significant disadvantage from his physical condition. Surprise is the only tool he has, and once he uses it, he knows he can't hesitate. It's all or nothing. Escape now, or die trying. Better that than this unlife Swift has him trapped in.

He'll wait for them to unlock his restraints, of course. He'll probably even let them get a good distance down the hall, let them sink into the complacency of routine, then he'll make his gambit. If there's only two guards this time, he stands a fighting chance. Hell, even with three, he might just be desperate enough to pull it off. And if he fails... if he fails, he can only hope that she doesn't let Wes suffer for it for long.

Dan closes his eyes, breathing slow and quiet as the door swings open. If he feigns sleep, will they be put more at ease?

"Good afternoon, Mr. Melchior."

His eyes fly open, and he turns his head fast enough that his previously-subdued headache flares back to life, making him wince.

The guards are here, but they aren't alone. Mercury Swift is at their side, smiling down at him.

Yes, at least at first. Wes was initially in on their plan (just like he was in the canon Riot Kings timeline), and his last-minute change of heart took them all by surprise. As weeks passed and they got more enveloped in Mercury's grand plans though, most of them became desensitized to what was happening to Wes.

Mercury also made sure that his jailers/torturers were not particularly close to him, so it wasn't like they were hurting a former friend.

Hand in Hand (part seven)

@whumptober Alt. 11: Panic

cw: aftermath of whump, migraine, adult language, death mention

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~ ~ ~

It's been three days since the punishment.

Three days since he hurt Wes and abandoned him in the cell. Nowhere near enough time for the memories, the screams, to fade. The screams he'd caused.

Dan has spent most of the time lying down. It isn't by choice. After his escape attempt, Swift saw fit to increase security measures. If he isn't being escorted by armed guards, he's chained to the bed, arms splayed out in such a way that he couldn't pick the locks if he tried. Not that he has.

He has a headache that started the moment the cell door closed behind him, and it's only gotten stronger with every passing hour. He could tell himself it's just an effect of lying down for so long, of the beating, of dehydration, of insomnia. Maybe any one of those is true. But it feels like his body is punishing him.

His skull throbs, his eye sockets pulse with a fresh pain any time he even twitches, and he deserves it.

Even though, logically, he knows he had no choice.

Hand in Hand (part six)

@whumptober Alt. 3, Brass Knuckles + Alt. 2, Aftermath of Failure

cw: beating, death threats, mild dissociation

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~ ~ ~

"Listen very carefully to me. If you want your friend to live another day, a demonstration of loyalty will be required."

Dan only nods at Swift's words. His back is cramping and his shoulders ache---the patrol didn't want to wake her up, so they tied him to a bunk and waited until dawn---but his mind feels as if it's been untethered from his body. He feels numb. He's sobbed himself dry, out of frustration and fear and pure despair, and now he feels numb.

After all, what can he do? They're going to hurt Wes. If he tries to fight, he'll only lose, and then it'll be worse. The softest outcome will only happen if he sits quietly and allows it.

Mercury tilts his chin up with a finger, an attempt to bring his eyes to hers. "Aren't you going to ask me what it is I want?"

He doesn't want to. A demonstration could mean anything from public humiliation to sitting still while she beats him. "What kind of demonstration?" he asks, his voice devoid of any real curiosity.

"We're going to take a little trip to the cell. You are to remain at my side at all times. You will not move, or even speak, unless I order it. Understood?"

His mouth is dry, his head is pounding, he knows what this means, but he only nods. "Understood."

"Do you know what will happen if you fail?"

It's implied. He doesn't want to hear it spoken, but Swift clearly wants him to ask. "What will happen?" it's getting harder to keep his voice steady.

"If you're disobedient, I'll have my Riot Kings pour a barrel of ship's fuel into the cell and set it alight. Your friend will burn alive."

Dan's breath catches, and he has to force himself to inhale, slow and deep, to keep himself out of reach of the despair that threatens to consume him.

"Understood?"

When he blinks, the heat of a tear drops down his face. "Understood."

Hand in Hand (part five)

@whumptober No. 12 "I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?"

cw: sleep deprivation, manhandling, death mention

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~ ~ ~

It's been a few weeks, and Dan is doing everything he can to convince Swift. He attends meetings, voices hollow support for her conquest, defers any questions to her. Around the base, he's either by her side or confined to a locked room. He's been given a bed, but he hardly sleeps. How can he? He hasn't seen Wes since the card game, and all he has are the comments from Swift that may well be lies.

"Very good, I suppose your friend will eat today."

"I went through all the trouble of unchaining him, but now you've gone and upset me."

"Count yourself lucky I'm not punishing him for this."

She won't let him see him. She's hesitant to even give him an update if he asks after his condition, asks for proof of life.

"You'll just have to take my word for it. Or don't your trust me?"

He's behaving as best as he can, but in his head, the one safe place he has left, he's plotting.

An escape will be difficult, but in the long run, he has no choice. Swift will never fully trust him, and it's only a matter of time before she has no more use for him. He knows when that day comes, she'll have no trouble killing them both.

So he plans. He tries to memorize the halls, the doors. There are three exits he knows of; seven ships he's seen in the yard; two small enough for him to pilot on his own.

He hates the meetings, hates sitting in silence as Swift and her new allies plan bloody attacks against a power that won't go down so easily. He's as much against the Fleet as anyone, but can't they see this won't beat them? Can't they see this will only end in countless deaths?

But he never says that aloud. He can't, not when Wes is what's at stake. Once they get out, once he's safe, Dan can worry about the rest of the world.

couldn't quite visualize how I described Mel and Wes's restraints in this au, so I sketched 'em

Hand in Hand (part four)

@whumptober Alt. 10: Shaking + Alt. 06: Playing Cards

cw: aftermath of whump

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~ ~ ~

When they're done with Wes, when his body is limp and trembling, they unchain Dan and drag him out of the cell. He asks them to let him check on the unconscious man, in a voice hoarse from screaming for them to stop, but they ignore him. He knows they're taking him to Swift.

Dan doesn't realize how cold the cell is until he's taken out of it, the warmer air of the hallway easing some of the tension out of him, though it's not enough to make a difference. Even with the men supporting him on either side, walking is difficult. His head throbs, and his legs shake with every step, threatening to give out. He's gone longer without food, longer without sleep, taken harder hits, but the combination of the three is hell on his body. It's a miracle he's still on his feet.

Mercury Swift is sitting at a table when they reach her, a pack of playing cards in hand. She doesn't even glance up as the men push Dan into the chair across from her, not bothering to restrain him before leaving the room. He knows why. All the assurance they need that he won't try anything is back in the cell.

"Are you ready to tell me your terms?" he asks once they're alone, but Swift acts as if she didn't hear, idly shuffling the cards from hand to hand. The movement looks bizarre; Dan never took her for the type of person who likes having fun.

At last her hands are still, and her gaze slides across the table to land on him. The look in her eyes is one of appraisal. Is she taking in the fresh bruises? The way he's gripping the table to stay upright?

"Do you play rummy?" she asks.

"Some," he replies, easing his forearms onto the table and leaning heavily on them. Better support. Less swaying. "What happens if I lose?"

"I'm not a gambler, Mr. Melchior," she says with a heavy sigh. "I only wanted some company. Maybe a challenge, if you're any good."

He won't let himself believe her. It'll be so much worse if he goes in expecting mercy; better to brace himself for the worst outcome. But he isn't going to turn down the game either, not when the alternative is probably returning to the cell for another twenty-four hours. "Then let's play."

Hand in Hand (part three)

@whumptober No. 8 "It's all for nothing."

cw: violence/beating

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~ ~ ~

Dan is awake long before the cell door swings open. The only way he could sleep with even a little comfort was sitting up, back pressed into the wall, and now he's stiff all over. He can't imagine how Wes feels. His arms must be dead from the partial suspension, shoulders aching, legs well-past being asleep. If he begs Swift, will she at least loosen the chains enough for him to lie down? He's willing to try.

But it isn't Swift who steps inside. It's a pair of Riot Kings. Both are wearing masks. Pointlessly; he knows who they are, but maybe it's in an effort to make themselves feel better about this. They must feel at least some kind of shame, right?

"Peres. Sawyer," he says. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" One of them, Sawyer, freezes in place as he's named, but Peres is undeterred.

"Swift wanted another demonstration with him," he says, jabbing a thumb in Wes's direction. "But I figured we'd offer you a deal."

A deal? Dan doubts it's anything good, but if they feel guilty enough to try and hide behind masks, maybe they still have the decency to not want to hurt Wes. "What sort of deal?" he says.

Peres lays a hand on his shoulder. "I'm gonna unchain you, and I'm gonna beat the shit outta you."

Hand in Hand (part two)

@whumptober No. 7: "Can you hear me?"

cw: aftermath of torture, language

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~ ~ ~

They chain him up opposite Wes. It's another cruelty on Swift's part, another straw to break Dan's back. Here, he can see his friend, but he can't reach him, can't help him.

Wes is slumped against the wall, wrists half-suspended by his own chains. Angry red marks are scattered across his torso, bruises darkening the skin beneath them. His head is hung in such a way that Dan can't see his face, but he knows it'll be in similar condition.

Hell, aside from the burns, Dan probably doesn't look much better. They were both beaten before being dragged to kneel at Swift's feet.

"Wes," he calls, softly at first, growing louder when he gets no response. "Wes, can you hear me?"

Part of him hates to wake the other man, hates to drag him back into a world of pain. But he knows he may not get another chance. Swift has given him no hints about what she wants from him, only promised Wes would suffer.

Hand in Hand (part one)

A Riot Kings AU: When Melchior is betrayed by his men, Wes tries to help him escape. Before long, both men are captured.

@whumptober No. 6: Made to Watch

cw: torture, burning, death threat

///// next

~ ~ ~

The scream is almost loud enough to blow out the speaker, and it's all Dan can do not to cringe away from it, closing his eyes and covering his ears and pretending it's all a bad dream. Instead, he sits straight-backed in the metal chair, poised like he's attending a meeting in spite of the bruises blooming on his skin, the cuffs locked around his wrists. His face is expressionless, in spite of the man on the screen, bound and shaking.

In spite of being forced to watch the torture of the one person who cared enough to try and save him.

Dan almost flinches at the next scream, as the masked soldier presses the hot iron into Wes's bare chest. There are already a half-dozen similar burns scattered across his ribcage, standing out against pale, sweat-damp skin. Dan tries staring at the dingy wall behind his friend in an effort to avoid looking at his face, avoid seeing the desperation there. But every cry of pain only pulls his eyes back, sharpening the deep ache in his chest.

Swift knows what she's doing. She must've seen the burn scars covering Wes's back, must've known how much this would terrify him. If this is a game, she's already several moves ahead of Dan. His only weapon in this scenario, his only defense against this attack, is indifference.

me: please, let's just focus on one thing--

my brain: au where Wes tries to stop Mercury from overthrowing Melchior and ends up being hurt way worse than him because Mercury knows it will break him faster

AMOW Winter Whumperland 2022

@amonthofwhump Day 4: BBU AU

I haven't given myself time to do every day this year, but I was very excited about this one. Presenting, Riot Kings BBU AU! Details+ more art under the cut. I overthought this one lol

Riot Kings AU, page 2

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