The Tango: Daniel Michaelson

CW: Noncon kissing/touching, referenced noncon/dubcon, references to violence/abuse, intimate whumper in the extreme from whumper’s POV, pet whump and dehumanization

Tagging Danny’s crew: @bleeding-demon-teeth, @spiffythespook, @burtlederp, @finder-of-rings, @whumpywhumper, @18-toe-beans, @pumpkinthefangirl, @special-spicy-chicken, @whale-whumps

Takes place the first Christmas after Danny’s captivity begins. This is set before the Dubcon Drabble.

They didn’t know he was watching them.

“I, um, I told you, Nate, I can’t fucking do it!” Red laughed, hard enough he bent over nearly in half in the middle of the living room, and his laughter bounced off the walls and the roof.

It was lovely, natural laughter, the kind that died in his throat when Bram walked into the room - so he stayed hidden, for now.

He wanted to see more of the sad shining light in the puppy’s pretty face. He’d have that light for him eventually - once he gave up, once he truly accepted that this was forever. Bram wasn’t in a rush - they were alone here in the woods, and he never hurried a work of art. “I’ve stepped on you three times! I can’t do it!”

“Well, you’re p-probably used to l-l-leading, so I’m taking that argument w-w-with a grain of s-salt.” Nate had a soft, dry humor in his voice. His humor didn’t always leave when Bram walked in, Nate loved him just like he should even if Red wasn’t quite there yet.

It was still early.

He had plenty of time.

“Bold of you to assume I knew how to dance before I came here,” Red said, still leaning over with his hands on his knees, with the flickering light of the fireplace behind him, the Christmas tree in the corner all lit up with Bram’s favorite, all the colored lights he’d been able to get ahold of, boxes and boxes of ornaments he’d picked up in thrift stores. There were wrapped presents under the tree, things he had gotten for them and a couple of things he’d allowed them to pick out for each other.

There were even presents for him, from them.

It was fucking storybook picture, and it was almost everything Bram had dreamed his life could be, missing just one piece. The most important piece. Ashley wasn’t here, it wasn’t time for her to return yet… but everything else was here.

Red was still in his loose white t-shirt (dream boy on the front, some assembly required on the back - Bram had given it to him for his birthday back in the summer) and pajama pants from the night before. The only visible scars were on his face and around his wrists.

Nate had a plain black shirt and pants - they hadn’t left the cabin at all since the big snowfall, three feet of snow burying them in the little clearing. He and Nate had snowboots to wear, waterproof coveralls to pull on, to go out and get the firewood. The puppy had nothing.

He wasn’t going anywhere, anyway.

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So many good Ash writes to choose from, so many excellent characters, but I’m picking Danny because Danny’s story was the first I ran into, and oh god is it brutal. Bram goes so far, all the time.

(Special mention though for Connor, that lovable, stylish bastard.)

Danny, like all of Ash's characters, just feels so real. His struggle with his identity, with being taught to be Red, with the tension between wanting to take the path of least resistance, and basic human dignity...

A lot of whump writers tackle similar tropes but few manage to make it feel so real and so human. Ash is a great writer.

But also writes novels so I shall only do this one.

Some particular favourites:

Creepy Whumper + Subtle Implications of power.

What always gives me the creeps, and whumperflies for the poor whumpee?

(TW for a lot of things common from Abusers, please be safe)

Those villains or whumpers who *don’t* keep their pet or favorite victim or unfortunate henchman on a leash or in a cellar like a pet, but leave them walking freely and casually around the office/manor house/workplace/home/workshop, or even mob-controlled town, doing their daily allotted tasks… But every now and then the Whumper will make little subtle gestures to remind the whumpee- and everyone around them- what the score is. Who belongs to whom. Just to humiliate them a little, twist the knife, make sure everyone knows who is really in charge here. Especially in front of other employees/soldiers/servants. It’s all about Power.

-That casual hand on the back of their neck when talking to them or walking with them. A little pressure, implying they could turn it into a lot, implying collaring, ownership. Or on the side of their neck, that could so easily push a thumb into a windpipe, against the bloodflow there. 

-Hand on their shoulder. Such a friendly gesture! Except when it’s not remotely welcome and both of them know it.

-Touching their arm, their face, their leg, in overly intimate ways, where people can see… or where people can’t. Hand on the knee under the table. Hand on the cheek in front of the whole room.

-summoning them with a whistle or a snap of fingers just to show off how they jump to it. See how loyal what is mine can be to me. See how much I own them. I snap my fingers and he obeys.

-having them sit nearby while important meetings are held.

-Trophy showing. Having them present and spruced up at parties or big events, showing them off like they’re, well, a pet. An object. A status symbol. Maybe walking them around on one arm, or assigning them to follow at heel all night. They don’t need to talk, they’re there to be seen, to prove to others that whatever the whumper wants they can get and keep.

-Assigning them to wait on the whumper and guests, especially if that’s not their usual work or purpose, making them be subservient. Bring the whumper and guests their drinks. Provide or *be* the ashtray. Wash the dust of the road off their feet. (depending on your setting etc)

-Calling them little pet names, nicknames, possessive endearments, especially anything prefaced by “My -”. In front of others or in private.

-Casual manhandling. Lifting their chin, turning their head, tugging them by the hair, taking things out of their hands, dragging them by the arm, pushing them into a chair, or more suggestive things.

- Degrading them, especially publicly. Slapping them across the face, making them kneel, making them apologize/bow to other people like they’re a child being taught manners (continued…)

(TW)

groping them or forcing other non-consenting intimate contact to humiliate them, or allowing/encouraging that others do so, as if they are an object to be shared around and used.