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heroictoonz · 5 months ago

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Febuwhump 2022 Day 11: Chronic Pain

Ships: Wrightworth

Warnings: N/A

AO3 L!nk in the Comments!

The sound of a calloused hand slamming against polished wood rang out through the courtroom. The attention of all its current inhabitants snapped towards the sound and the blue-suited attorney who made it. His eyes lifted as a glare full of fire stabbed through the witness. The heat from such a gaze caused her to sweat. The pressure was too much.

This was it. Phoenix thought to himself. He threw out his hand, index finger pointed out like the barrel of a gun ready to fire. He quickly called the witness out on the clear fabrication in her tale.

The day’s trial was like any. A poor bastard’s corpse found and fingerprints of all kind lay across the scene. Phoenix’s client was suspect number one, as their prints were found and no alibi was set in stone. But, if his client was telling the truth, then there was a snake in the grass to look out for.

Phoenix had spent the day before investigating the scene front to back. Lifting every rock and searching every corner. From what he could find, it definitely seemed like things were pointing off into a different direction. Now all he had to do was lead the court down that same road.

It was his life's work. He was used to it all by now. Including all the pain that came with it.

Of course, Phoenix found himself to be quite accident prone, and where those injuries did become nothing more than a mild annoyance, it wasn’t the only pain that cursed his routine. Over the years, Phoenix had found that his back was in constant torment. Though, he could never really recall why. Maybe too many days spent as a child watching Signal Samurai. Maybe the years hunched over law books in college. Whatever it may be, the pain was near constant.

Where the pain itself never left, its intensity did fluctuate. Some days felt more like a dull ache that was easily forgettable as long as he kept moving or didn’t let himself slouch too much. However, moments like these were the ones that really caused him agony.

As he stood in the courtroom, going through the motions, the pain in his back ignited to an almost unbearable degree. The feeling continued into his sides and stomach, his chest and neck also feeling the repercussions. All he could do was breathe and push through the suffering. Especially with the eyes that currently laid upon him.

Across the floor, standing as prosecution, was Miles Edgeworth. Miles was very observant. Keeping things from him was near impossible. He was also a worry-er. He wouldn’t show it on his face or be very vocal about it, but it was the truth. He very easily fretted over those he cared for when they were in any sort of pain or trouble. Even if he wasn’t always sure how to help.

Phoenix knew he couldn’t clue Miles in on his current aches or the prosecutor would force him to be benched. How he'd do it was unknown but Miles could be pretty scary when he was determined about something. Phoenix had been on the end of that a few times. Both out of a sense of anger from an argument and a moment of concern for his well being.

Despite his attempts to hide it, he could tell Miles was looking at him like a puzzle. Phoenix couldn’t help the slight stiffness of his form. The heavy breathing that interlaced with his words as he attempted to will the pain away. Miles had to have noticed at some point. Still, Phoenix had a trial to win. And so he kept on standing and presenting his case.

When the ‘Not Guilty’ was declared Phoenix let out a sigh of relief as he slumped against the wall behind him. He smiled tiredly as his client cried and rejoiced out of the corner of his eye.

Another bolt of agony shot through his spine and the surrounding muscles. He stifled a groan and stood back straight. Phoenix looked around to quickly check if the action was caught by his courthouse rival, only to find the man was gone.

Phoenix counted himself lucky, for once, and decided to start for his own exit. Once all his papers and things were piled into his arms he made his way to the door. His client took the moment to thank him eagerly and promised to pay him as soon as he could. Phoenix thanked him but wasn’t the most hopeful of that last remark. It didn’t matter too much, he supposed. An innocent man was free and all Phoenix wanted to do now was go home and take a much needed shower.

As he stepped down the court steps towards his bike, he noticed Miles walking towards him. He straightened his back and gave a smile. “Prosecutor Edgeworth,” he greeted with a humor pulling at his features.

“Wright,” Miles responded as he stopped before the attorney and crossed his arms. “What are you hiding from me?”

Phoenix paused, taken aback by the sudden question. “Hiding? What do you-”

“You’re injured,” Miles stated. As if the question was only for formality. “Did something happen during your investigation? What is it that’s injured?”

“Wh-what?” Phoenix sputtered out. “No! I’m fine.”

Miles’ eyes thinned in distrust.

“I’m fine, Miles. I swear,” Phoenix sighed out, his hand going to rub at the back of his neck. “It’s just some back pain. It’s nothing really.”

“Nothing?” Miles hissed out, almost offended by the play of ignorance. “Do you think I’m blind or stupid? You could hardly stand properly in court today. It sounded like you had fractured a damn rib.”

Did he really sound that bad? Phoenix really hadn’t noticed he’d been so obvious. He frowned and let his hand fall from his neck. “It’s just my back, seriously,” he said again. His hands rose in surender. “Sometimes my back just hurts. It’s fine, really.”

Miles spent another solid minute glaring at him. As if looking him over for any evidence of wounds or a lie. Finally, he gave a sigh. “Fine. Either way, I’m driving you home.”

“Actually, I rode my bike here,” Phoenix explained, ponting his thumb back towards where the racks sat.

“I’ve already requested for Gumshoe to take it back to your place.”

Phoenix did a double take at that. “You wha- Wait, what?” He shook his head. “It’s pad locked how did-”

Miles looked at him as if Phoenix was attempting to insult the prosecutor’s intelligence. His arms uncrossed with a huff. “The code is your birthday.” Miles shook his head and held up a hand to stop whatever Phoenix had hanging from the tip of his tongue. “Nevertheless, as dramatic as you can be; your pain tolerance is exceptionally high. Whatever state your back is currently in clearly is no state to be riding a bike all the way home if it can draw such reactions.”

Phoenix couldn’t tell if there was an insult or a compliment hidden in all of that. Or possibly both. It was clear Miles wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Especially since he’s forced Phoenix into a position with no other real way home. With a groan and a mumble of “fine”, Phoenix was ushered into the fancy red car by the other.

The drive home was quiet, but not a comfortable one. Phoenix wondered if the car had heated seats as hot as his felt under the judgemental side glances he was getting from Miles.

Phoenix couldn’t help the pained sigh that left him as he tried his best to flatten his form against the back of his seat. The pain in his back flaring up extensively as he sat still. At least some pressure was taken off it but it still wasn’t much.

“With the way you’re acting, I’m unsure if I should turn towards the nearest hospital or not,” Miles grumbled.

Phoenix snapped to look over at him, instantly regretting the sharp turn of his form. “It’s fine. I probably just slept on it wrong,” he tried. It wasn't really a lie. It was actually very possible his sleeping position did have something to do with the heightened pain he currently was dealing with. However, he also knew that was not the only factor. He knew his back was just, unfortunately, like that.

“You said it ‘hurts sometimes’,” Miles pointed out.

Phoenix could tell his court voice was slipping in a bit at the edges. He could also tell he’d slipped up. Not that Phoenix didn’t catch himself doing similar things in social situations. He supposed the thing about taking the wild out of animals could be said the same of court and lawyers to its own extent.

“Does it usually hurt to this extent?”

“Miles.”

“Wright.”

A pause snaked around them.

“Fine,” Phoenix finally huffed out and leaned back again. He shifted again to try and get his back pressed as flat as possible against the seat. “Sometimes I have problems with my back. A few pills and a hot bath and I’m right as rain. Happy? Gonna make some jab about being an old man?” He mumbled out the last part. In retrospect, he actually doubted Miles to make such a comment. Maya, however, would have jumped at the opportunity with little hesitation.

“No,” Miles responded with a glance to the other from the corner of his eye. “I will, however, mention that constant pain to this extent is something you really should get checked with a professional.”

Phoenix gave a humored huff. He leaned his arm against the door and looked at the other. “Why, if I didn’t know any better I’d think the big bad Demon Prosecutor was worried about me.”

“Surprising to everyone, I’m sure.”

Phoenix only responded with a quiet chuckle.

“I’m serious,” Miles began again. “You looked in agony today.”

I felt it. Phoenix thought to himself. Not that he would say that outloud. “It wasn’t that bad. Just,” he paused. He gave a shrug. Lying wouldn’t be in his favor. For one, Phoenix was pretty fifty-fifty on his ability to weave a convincing tall tale. Not only that, but lying to Miles had an even lower success rate. Whether he commented on it or not depended on the situation; though, with how he was acting at the moment Phoenix would surely be called out if he tried.

“I believe your inexplicably high pain tolerance might be hindering your ability to accurately assess your injured state.”

Phoenix blinked at him for a moment. “I think I can tell the difference between a bad back and getting knocked unconscious by your whip-happy sister.”

Miles shook his head, keeping his eyes to the road while still tilting his face slightly towards the other. “That’s not what I mean,” he explained. “If you’re used to the pain- or any pain for that matter- it can be much harder to tell when something is seriously wrong. Like I said before, you would benefit from having a professional look into the matter.”

Phoenix gave a hum of acknowledgment to that; not really sure how else to respond. Honestly, Miles had a good point. Maybe he should get it looked at. But then there were the other factors in play. Getting the time off to do it and the money too. Plus the possibility that something was actually wrong and he’d have to get it fixed or treated only made the thought less desirable. Not that he enjoyed feeling like his muscles were on fire, more that the whole ordeal of going through so much hassle felt like too much work for what was just a bit of pain here and there.

Thankfully, he was saved from continuing the conversation when the sight of his apartment building neared. Miles stopped the car right out front, letting Phoenix grab his things and move for the door.

Before he could fully climb out of the car, Miles took the other’s hand in his own. Phoenix paused and looked back at him.

“I’m serious, Phoenix,” he said. His tone felt softer and much more personal than normal. Not that Phoenix would be able to expand on those thoughts if asked. “I… would rather you not be in pain. Whether you believe it is something you can ‘handle’ or not.”

Phoenix tried to meet his gaze, however, Miles pointedly kept it to the side as he spoke. The faintest hint of color dusted his cheeks and Phoenix couldn’t help but give a small smile in return. “Thanks,” he finally responded. “And for the ride home too.” Phoenix ran his thumb across Miles’ knuckles before pulling his hand away completely. The action didn’t go unnoticed by the prosecutor in the slightest. “See you in court,” he chuckled in parting.

“Good day, Wright,” Miles replied, still keeping his gaze elsewhere.

Once the car door was shut, Miles took no pause before speeding off and out of sight. As Phoenix walked to his door, it was no longer just his back that felt a warm ache pass through it. As tended to be the usual in regards to Miles Edgeworth.

#ace attorney #miles edgeworth #phoenix wright #wrightworth #narumitsu #writing #fan fic #fan fiction #whump #febuwhump #febuwhump 2022 #toonz writing

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eleccy · 1 year ago

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Kristoph Gets Fawkin Murdered While Apollo Is Still Working For Him AU WIP

I have no idea if I'm going to write more of this but I'd like to gauge what the interest is in this scenario. Several people seemed interested in my post from a bit ago about an AU where Kristoph is killed while Apollo is working for him similarly to Mia and Phoenix's situation. BUT, there's a twist. Somehow it turned into.... this.

Let me know what you think. Full WIP is below the cut...

(CW for semigraphic details of violence/injury and use of weapons)

---

At first, Apollo thinks that Kristoph must be out of the office. "Hello? Sir? I brought the documents you requested…"

But the lights are on, even though there's nobody at Kristoph's desk. Kristoph wouldn't leave the office without turning the lights off.

Apollo steps further into the room, almost mindlessly. There doesn't seem to be anyone in here, after all-

And then-

Apollo takes a step back when he sees what he's certain must be Mr. Gavin's corpse.

Apollo has seen what images of dead people look like - he knows. Mr. Gavin is lying supine on the floor, red blood trickling down his temple and forming a small puddle on the floor. His shiny glasses are some feet away, smashed to smithereens - it looks like someone has stepped on them with force. His eyes are closed; he's completely still. His hair's undone, tangled blond sticky with blood. He's been beaten badly - dark bruising blooming over one eye, and his cheekbone, but the head wound appears to be the worst of it.

Apollo doesn't move, can't move. This is the worst of his worst nightmares. He knew that Phoenix Wright had found his mentor, Mia Fey, in a similar state, just like this. And she didn't make it.

Next thing he knows, Apollo is surging forward with a cry, adrenalin driving him on. He drops to his knees near Kristoph's body. Getting a better look doesn't help matters. He's really dead. Somebody… somebody killed him. Tears spring to his eyes. Mr. Gavin had taught him everything he knew about law. Mr. Gavin… cared about him. And that was one more person that Apollo just had to lose, from his biological father, to his adoptive father, to…

No use crying now. Have to start investigating. Now! Apollo had to find the culprit. Whoever did this had to deal with Justice.

Just then, Apollo heard a quiet sound in the otherwise silent room. He stared at Mr. Gavin's corpse. The sound came once again.

…Was it… a soft moan?

Apollo's first thought was that he didn't want to put his fingerprints onto a corpse, especially if it could ruin other evidence for forensics. But now…

Apollo's hand dropped delicately to Kristoph's pulse point. "M… Mr. Gavin, can you hear me? It's Justice!"

After a very long moment, Apollo watched as Mr. Gavin's eye twitched, definitely a twitch, one time, two times, then slowly opened, pained and hazy. Apollo almost fell over with relief.

But he wasn't out of the woods yet. And there was a chance he might not make it.

Fumbling his phone, Apollo dialed for an ambulance as fast as he was able, blurting out the first thing he could think to ask as he did so. "Sir, tell me, who did this to you? Who did this?"

Another soft moan, barely even audible. It was clear Kristoph couldn't move, could barely talk. He's probably in a lot of pain… But his lips were moving, and Apollo had to drop to the floor to hear the barely-there whisper. "E… Enigma…"

"Enigma? Enigma?" Apollo didn't know any Enigma, but it was better than nothing. The other end of the line picked up and Apollo screamed down it as loud as he could. "Hello?? We need an ambulance, please, at Gavin Law Offices, Mr. Gavin is-"

"Slow down, if you please - what's the address of the emergency, sir?" The woman on the other end of the line sounded tired, but she did stay on the line with Apollo while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

"Does he have a pulse?"

"Y-yes, but it's very weak, there's blood everywhere, and-"

"Is he breathing?"

"Yes, but just barely, please send somebody soon-"

"They're on their way to you, kid. Just tell me if anything changes."

"It'll be okay." Apollo promises. Apollo isn't good at being soothing in an emergency. That's usually Mr. Gavin's job. All Apollo can try to do is think of how he would handle this situation. He'd tell me to calm down, breathe. Assess my options. Stay alert, but relax.

Mr. Gavin's hand seems okay where it's lying limply at his side. Not knowing what else to do, Apollo picks it up, holds it, and tries to be comforting - but realistically, this is a time where he'd want to hold his mentor's hand anyway, if it were somebody else bleeding out on the ground, so it's as much for Apollo's comfort as Kristoph's. They breathe, they wait, they watch, and Kristoph watches Apollo dimly out of the one eye that he can open.

"S'all gonna be okay." Apollo forces a smile out. Then he has to get up to let the paramedics in with the stretcher. Apollo thinks about asking to ride along in the ambulance, but Kristoph is so out of it that Apollo is pretty sure it won't matter if he just jumps on his bike and books it to the hospital ahead of the triage team.

Apollo sits in the waiting area of the triage center for a long time. Every hour he gets up to speak with reception and begs them for an update, and every time he is denied, until hour six.

A nurse takes him aside, and tells him.

Apollo is empty inside. Kristoph didn't make it.

The only person at the funeral who really cried was Kristoph's little brother, and Apollo could understand that.

Klavier hugs him, thanks him very deeply and sincerely for staying.

"You know," Klavier says, wiping away the tears that just seem to keep on coming, "I know that you being there really comforted him. It brings me so much comfort to know that he wasn't all alone. Thank you. Thank you."

"It… it was the least I could do." I should've done so much more. I should've been there. I should've saved him. If we had both fought, we would have been able to take whoever did this. We could've beaten Enigma… Apollo's whole body aches.

An Enigma. A puzzle.

Apollo checks the guestbook several times for anybody's signature that even looks something like "Enigma". But nothing jumps out.

"Mr. Wright."

"Sorry. I shouldn't be hanging around here."

"Weren't you Mr. Gavin's friend?"

"Yeah, I was. But he wouldn't want me showing up to this. Hey, listen. I want you to go to Central Hospital later today. Go to the tenth floor and ask to see David Krisler."

"Wh-what?"

"Four PM. No later. I'll see you there."

Apollo shows up as requested.

He feels funny, asking to visit somebody that he doesn't even know. What will he say if the nurse asks what his relation to the man is?

But nobody asks. The nurse brings him past a set of double doors and all the way to the end of the corridor. "He's in there. They're expecting you." is all she says before shuffling away.

More confused than ever, Apollo steps into the room. Is this some sort of a setup? What the hell did Mr. Wright lead me into?

The room is dim and warm, with all the window blinds down, and just one light on. Behind a sterile drape on the other side of the room, Apollo catches snippets of a conversation.

"-and not for nothing, but I'll know it when I see it-"

"Kris, the chances of anyone figuring anything out are about a million to one-"

The two people talking are Mr. Wright, and a very familiar voice. Apollo's heart surges as he takes a few quick steps forward, behind the curtain.

Both people go quiet and look up at him straightaway, Mr. Wright and none other than Mr. Gavin himself. Mr. Wright sits in a plastic chair at the side of a hospital bed. Mr. Gavin is in said hospital bed, which has been reclined to a level at which he can sit up most of the way. He still doesn't have his glasses, and his hair is a mess and he looks worse for wear, with big purple bruises covering one side of his face and his left eye swollen almost completely shut. The side of his head is bandaged and he looks awfully exhausted besides all that. Apollo isn't used to seeing him like this - weak, supine, vulnerable. It makes him look like a stranger. But he gives Apollo a tired smile.

"Close the door, Apollo. We've got a lot to talk about." Mr. Wright says evenly.

Apollo does. When he walks back to the bed, he realizes that there are no more seats. "Go ahead and sit at the foot of the bed if you're comfortable, Apollo. This is going to take awhile."

"Okay. I… I have so many questions I don't even know how to start, but… your funeral was today, sir."

"I heard."

"But… but you're not dead."

"Correct. Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." Kristoph takes a slow, labored breath.

Apollo sniffs hard and wipes tears out of his eyes. He can't help this. Every time his adrenalin runs down and he's relieved, this happens. He can't help but become a crying mess.

"Can I… do you mind if I… h-hug you?"

Kristoph and Phoenix both laugh lightly. Apollo doesn't see what's funny about any of this. "I don't think you'd better, Apollo, not right now. Your boss is a bit fragile right now, so maybe no touch is the way to go." Phoenix says. Even though Phoenix says it, Apollo looks to Kristoph, who doesn't say anything in response to that, doesn't nod, but neither does he object, indicating that he agrees with Phoenix's assessment.

Apollo knows that Mr. Gavin doesn't like hugs very much, regardless of what's going on, but Apollo wanted the comfort and confirmation so badly that he'd thought there'd be no harm in asking. Now he bites his tongue. He won't ask any more silly questions.

"We… we have to go tell Klavier that you're alive. He'll be so happy, he-"

"Apollo, we can't tell anyone."

"…What? Why not?"

"If the one who attacked me knew I was still alive and kicking… he'd no doubt return to finish the job."

"Y-you mean Enigma?"

"Yes, Enigma. His full name is Shadi Enigmar. He is my assailant. Of that, I am certain." Kristoph nods with the utmost seriousness. "You must find him, corner him in court, and bring him to Justice. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Once this matter is dealt with, I may be able to reveal my ruse. But until then, here I will stay. Until that time, Phoenix will be in charge of this case, and of you."

"Of… of me?"

"I can think of no one better to keep an eye on you, Justice. I want you to follow his words as if they were my own."

Kristoph sighed deeply. "There is another reason why. Shadi Enigmar is a very dangerous and deceitful man. He shows no mercy in his choice of victim - young or old, it's all the same to him. The last thing I want is for you to come to harm because of your connection to me. Unfortunately, you are likely his next target, but Wright will protect you with his life if need be. He's my good friend, and I trust him in this regard."

"This is a very dangerous assignment. I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks." Kristoph hands Apollo a piece of paper.

"What's this?"

"The combination code to my gun safe."

Apollo shudders. "Wh-what?"

"Yes. Even when you aren't investigating, you need to be carrying all the time, no matter where you are."

"I barely know anything about guns!" Who does he think I am?? James Bond?

"Wright will show you the proper methods. Obviously, it's for self defense purposes only. You need to be able to protect yourself. Had I been able to reach a weapon in time, all of this may have gone differently, no?"

"I don't want to shoot anybody."

"Well, when the time comes, you'll know what to do. I should hope you will protect yourself in due course."

Kristoph takes his hand in his. "Be smart and be safe."

---

That's all I have for now... :P (don't ask me what happens next because I don't know... you tell me lol)

#kristoph gavin #apollo justice #ace attorney #ace attorney apollo justice #aa4 #this has so much potential tbh #i needed some more of that krisnix being married and also apollos parents #and just not telling apollo anything. that energy from 4-1. i need more of that #and kristoph whump. yes. we need so much more kristoph whump in this fandom #hes pretty when hes suffering......

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sickiehugs · 1 year ago

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omg I didn't know you were into AA? Very excited to see another sickfic enjoyer in a fandom of mine! Would appreciate recs if you have any?👀

Ace Attorney is one of my current fixations, yes! My list of fandoms is at the bottom of my pinned post. If you guys like, I can definitely do more AA content here :)

As for reccs... (in no particular order)

Burning on in my Heart by Turnabout4What on AO3 (angsty slow-burn klapollo fic, a long read but very well developed!)

you know what rhymes with horse? by TortillaKun on AO3 (very silly franmaya one-shot crack fic with a sprinkle of wrightworth at the end)

all i have, all i do by gycecil on AO3 (Wrightworth family sickfic, in an AU where Trucy is three and Apollo is ten. This is one of my personal favorite fics, definitely recommend as long as emeto doesn't bother you)

Hemikrania by BearingNoIllWill on AO3 (Wrightworth again! Also emeto trigger warning. Edgey has bad habits in taking care of himself & so do I lol)

I might add more later! Check back to this post later to see if I've edited it :3

#sickfic #fever whump #sick fanfic #sickie #sick fic #sick fanfiction #ace attorney #wrightworth #narumitsu #franmaya #klapollo #answeriehugs #faviehugs

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the-bar-sinister · 6 months ago

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I've already talked about my headcanons and speculation about Kristoph and Klavier's parents and upbringing based on their behavior in the game. Extremely abusive, neglectful, and concerned primarily with appearances.

I'm going to go a step further and say specifically that Kristoph bit his nails as a child and was punished in a severe and memorable way for it, giving him a complex about it in particular.

"First rate in all things. Accept nothing less." -- Kristoph Gavin, parroting his father.

#kristoph gavin #ace attorney #ace attorney headcanon #headcanon #cw child abuse #character analysis #mental illness headcanon #ace attorney whump #child abuse in fiction #💻🔪

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yakool-foolio · 4 months ago

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If I ever write short stories or ditties for Ace Attorney (which I probably will in time, as the brainrot commands), I wouldn't be surprised if the first thing I write is about Apollo being stuck at the agency since he got a nasty headache while out investigating. All that yelling and working out in the heat for too long while forgetting to drink enough water finally caught up to him. But thankfully, he isn't left to suffer alone. Klavier arrives to the agency after receiving a call from Trucy to help take care of him while the other lawyers are out. And who is Klavier to deny Apollo a little care so they can battle it out on an level playing field in court?

#yes i'm currently tolerating a painful headache while writing this how could you tell #thank you rain code community for teaching me what 'whump' means #now i get to apply it for self-indulgent purposes #i will make my favs suffer vicariously through me #but it also comes with tlc i promise i'm not a monster (most of the time)#ace attorney #apollo justice #klapollo

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runby2 · 8 months ago

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hate : 1/1

#ace attorney #klavier gavin #kristoph gavin #gavin brothers #aa4 #apollo justice #whump #whumplr #klapollo

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finch-the-foolish · 9 months ago

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A story based on @black-rose-events's recent prompt list! This one is day two, because I forgot a) February has in fact kicked off, and b) we are two days in.

Tw/Cw for death, murder, and guns

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Reporter stared at the papers they'd found in Detective’s office, illuminated by the soft, yellowed glow of his lamp. It was dark outside, by now, the clock on the wall keeping a steady pulse as Reporter read. This.. this was big. Evidence for every murder they'd been tracking, lists of names struck through in red, pictures of faces that had been painted in the news weeks earlier. The dead. Those responsible. At least, that's how it had seemed.

Until now. There was more blood than just that of the convicted on Detective’s hands, and they couldn't let that go now. Was being here technically illegal? Most likely. Was what Detective had done the same? Absolutely. They had to get this to headquarters. They had to let the authorities know. They had to-

Reporter looked up, eyes wide against a shock of darkness as the door opened.

“[Reporter]. Fancy seeing you here. What brings you to my office? My desks? My documents?” Detective tilted his head, one hand silently shutting the door, locking it with a soft click.

Reporter drew in a breath, clamping down on the panic clawing at their ribs. “I'm here investigating everything you've done, [Detective]. If that even is your name.”

They stood, still clutching the paper they'd been reading, and Detective approached closer, gait still as nonchalant as ever.

Detective smiled. “What I've done? What might that be? Help the people? End countless villains?”

“Innocent lives,” Reporter snapped back. “They were innocents, and you know that damn well. It's all here. And I'm not letting you get away with any of it.”

His smile only widened, a sharp thing, malicious, painted hauntingly by the lamp's glow, as he leaned against the desk.

“Really? All the evidence? How.. fortunate.” Detective glanced down at the papers, before returning his gaze to Reporter. They could barely resist the urge to shudder, to flee, before they too found a knife in their back, a bullet in their chest.

Steeling their gaze, they nodded. “Everything I need to make sure you never hurt anyone again. Is that clear enough for you?”

Detective paused for a moment, a laugh filling the empty space, far too light, far too familiar for it to be that of a murderer. Detective of all people. He reached forwards, grabbing Reporter’s shoulder with a shockingly strong grip, pulling them forwards to the desk.

“Now, [Reporter], my dear friend, I have a story for you. A.. piece of information, if you will.” His voice was low, fringes of that friendliness Reporter had so long known creeping back with the words.

“A.. a story?” they asked, voice shaking. That same, awful smile, a face they almost knew, a grin they could almost see against the daylight, against everything they'd known.

Then his Voice hushed, his grasp loosening against their jacket.

“You're right.”

Metal pressed against their stomach, cold turning harsh, burning, as pain ripped through their senses and skin alike. Reporter screamed, the sound cut off as that same blinding agony cut through the air, their intestines, sending them stumbling back to the wall behind. They crumpled, crimson staining the bookshelves at their back, their clothes nearly masking the shade.

Detective stared at them, face still twisted with some strange, wretched joy. “It was lovely working with you, [Reporter]. You were always my favourite. I pray the others can solve your unfortunate demise.”

Then, hands steady, he raised the gun to Reporter’s gaze. And, smiling, he pulled the trigger.

#idk if this was what the prompt intended but this is where my brain went #you can see how getting dragged into the ace attorney fandom has affected me already #rest in potatoes reporter you shall be missed o7 #might write about these two pre-incident. idk.#this is NOT edited btw just as a warning #anyway enjoy if you want lol #heroes and villains #hero x villain #but more implied shipping than anything?#detective character? I guess? and a reporter too? idk what the tags on that bad boy would be #whump #whump writing #tw death #tw violence #tw murder

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brutal-nemesis · 2 years ago

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E&T: Looking Towards the Horizon

It’s a-me Crisp Rat-Anyway hi yes this is real it is here sorry it took *checks watch* over a year 🤪 what can ya do. But it’s a chunky one so hooray 2nd longest chapter to date i hope it makes up for the wait a little bit (°ー°〃) have fun kids

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Ingredients: bones breaking, including a compound fracture, a little bit of gore but it’s rather vague, the usual noncon body mod being a thing that exists and those dubcon touching vibes, implied perceived threat of noncon kiss that is in fact not that, mention of butchering

Erebus didn’t think he’d ever been so hot in his life.

He’d suffered through the humid heat of the rainy seasons at home, preferring the hot dry season that came before. But now, with the late-afternoon sun’s rays beating down on him from above and the heat radiating off of the black sand below, he found himself missing the muggy humidity and torrential rains. He couldn’t believe Neteri expected him to fly out here in the desert, but it was the next logical step now that he’d built up more than enough strength to walk properly again.

He shot a glance at Neteri, who was wiping her presumably sweaty hands on the sides of her coat. She returned his look with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I know it’s hot out here. Pretty, though.” They both gazed out over the black dunes of the Greikala Naman Desert, the towering cliffs behind them stretching out to either side, remnants of an old mine cutting into the rock face to their left.

“Still, not why we’re here. I just thought it’d be a great place for you to learn how to fly since the sand should help soften the impact in case you fall, and no one’s around to see so we won’t have to deal with people asking questions or you getting too self-conscious-”

“I’m not that self-conscious-”

“Hold these.” Neteri had taken off her glasses and was now holding them out to Erebus. He took them, confused as he watched her bury her face in her hands and take a deep breath. “You’re so self-conscious, Erebus,” she mumbled into her hands before lifting her face and replacing her glasses. “You’re like the most self-conscious guy I’ve ever met, okay?” She shook her head. “Seriously. You can be so dense sometimes.” Erebus opened his mouth to argue, but…no, she was probably right, wasn’t she? He couldn’t help it; he’d lived in an environment where people’s opinions and perceptions of him mattered a lot for the vast majority of his life.

He cleared his throat. “Anyway, um…am I just going to start trying to fly now?”

“Yup.”

“Okay…so, do I just, um,” Erebus flapped his wings hesitantly, “do that?”

Neteri shrugged. “Probably? It’s not like I’ve ever flown before. Really, I don’t think any other human has, especially not like this, so…you’re kind of on your own here.”

Erebus felt his face flush slightly. “Right.” He turned away, looking out over the vast expanse of dark sand. He-he shouldn’t be nervous about messing this up in front of Neteri, since she’d said it herself that no one had ever really done this before, but he still found himself proving her point about him being self-conscious to be spot on. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Don’t think about Neteri. Just focus.

Slowly, Erebus started to flap his wings, shifting them as he did in order to find the best angle, the one that fought against gravity the most. He couldn’t really explain it, but he just knew when he found it, something in the way the air pushed against the wing membranes feeling right. Neteri was probably taking-no, no, don’t think about Neteri, just focus. Focus on his wings, on adjusting them bit by bit, getting them in just the right-

“Woah!” Erebus’s feet left the ground for just a moment, but due to the shock of it he forgot to keep flapping his wings and fell back to the ground, stumbling and falling down onto his back. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “Did you see that, Neteri? I-I was-I was in the air!”

Neteri smiled back, extending a hand to help him up. “I saw! I’m sure you’ll do even better next time.” He took her hand and stood, some part of him…excited to try again, to possibly succeed, to actually fly. Once she’d backed up enough, he tried again, able to find the correct angle faster than last time. Soon enough he was in the air again, actually staying in the air, rising higher bit by bit, but…how was he supposed to go forward? Maybe by moving his wings like-nope, down into the sand he went. It did help cushion his fall, just like Neteri said it would, so he was ready to try again right away.

Over and over, higher and higher, faster and farther, his take-offs getting smoother and his landings resulting in less scrapes and falls, and he was doing it, actually flying. He was rather clumsy still, but he ignored the burning in his muscles and lungs and kept trying. The feeling of freedom, of actual control over something was far too intoxicating for him to do anything but reach for it again and again.

But when he ended up falling gracelessly into the sand, his head spinning and breathing short, he realized he may have been pushing himself a bit too hard. Attempts at sitting up were met with waves of dizziness too strong for him to overcome.

“Hey, are you alright, Erebus?” Neteri knelt by his side, turning him onto his back as she felt his forehead. “You’ve been using a lot of magic to help you fly, huh? I was trying to keep an eye on your condition, but you were taking off again so quickly that I figured you were alright. Sorry about that. Here, let me give you some of my magic power.” She removed her glasses and took his hand, pulling him slightly. “Sit up, Erebus.” Shakily, he did so, his ears ringing as the world spun around him. But Neteri, she, she was moving towards him, moving her face towards his, like she was going to-

Erebus collapsed backwards onto the sand, resisting the urge to scramble away as she looked down at him in concern. “I’m sure you’re dizzy, Erebus, but I promise you’ll feel better if you let me do this, and, well…it’ll be less awkward if you’re sitting up for it, yeah?”

He desperately shook his head. “I-if that’s-that’s what’s going to-to-I don’t want it so-so please just-”

Neteri cocked her head. “What do you-” A look of understanding, and slight horror, dawned on her face. “Oh, no, no, no, Erebus, I wasn’t going to-that’s not how we-” She sighed. “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected you to be familiar with how magic power is shared between wizards, seeing as you aren’t one yourself. Here, sit up, I promise it’s nothing like that.” Feeling he didn’t have much choice but to trust her, Erebus sat up once more, resisting the urge to flinch back as she leaned towards him, eventually just squeezing his eyes shut.

He felt her forehead and nose press against his, but that was where the contact ended. “It’s alright, Erebus, this is it. Just breathe deep, in and out. When we share magic, we do it by sharing breath like this.” Erebus felt a puff of air on his cheek as she laughed a little. “It’s always a little awkward the first few times you do it, but after a while it’s just as normal as shaking hands.”

“Huh.” It was a little awkward, but he was sort of used to Neteri touching him however and wherever she wanted that he was mostly numb to it all by now. Well, not numb but…he was okay with it. “Why…why is it done like this?”

“Because sharing breath is sharing life, and magic is life. Well, I mean, magic isn’t what makes us alive, but, like…magic power comes from your life force. The bond between your body and soul. That’s why you get weak and start bleeding if you use too much magic power, because the bond grows weaker, and…you’re closer to death. The bond grows stronger again over time, obviously, or else all wizards would die pretty young.” She laughed a little. “But…if you use too much all at once, it can kill you. Like, there are some spells that one person can’t do alone because they require so much energy that it would kill the caster. Not to mention that some require different elements of magic working together, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the amount of energy needed.” There was silence for a few moments. “Sorry for just dumping all of that on you-”

“No, it’s okay, I asked.” It felt weird having a conversation with their faces together like this, but Erebus wasn’t about to lean away since it did seem to be working. And…maybe talking was better than just sitting like this in silence. “It’s weird how little I really know about magic. I mean, I know a lot of what it’s capable of, but…I never really knew just how it worked or anything.”

“Well, it’s not like you’d need to know it to run a kingdom, right? You can’t use it yourself, so it’s not really something you’d have needed to know. But, for me, things you don’t need to know are the most fun to learn about, ‘cause then it’s all about learning for the sake of it.” She shifted slightly, her breath coming out differently for a moment, like maybe she was smiling now. “Curiosity is a wonderful thing, really. We’ve made so many advancements because of it, and, really, it’s why I’m doing what I’m doing now.”

Erebus sat back against his better judgment, gulping as he opened his eyes to look at Neteri. “I-is that why you did all of this to me? Because you were curious?”

“No, I-” Neteri sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head as if to clear it before putting her glasses back on. “That came out wrong. I was curious about demon anatomy in the beginning, and after so much study it led to-” She looked up at the sky, blue starting to fade into orange. “Look, why don’t you practice flying some more before it gets dark. You’ve got your strength back now, right? Just don’t go too far. And after that we can eat and…I can tell you why I’m doing this.”

Erebus stood, steady on his feet once more, and brushed the sand off of himself. “Fine.” He wanted to stay put, to protest, to not let the chance of finally learning the reason for all of this disappear, but Neteri sounded sincere enough, and he doubted standing his ground would result in him actually getting what he wanted. He’d waited all this time, so he could wait for a few more hours.

Besides, he wanted to try and fly again.

After a couple more attempts, he felt like he was really starting to get it, figuring out how to best move his wings and body in each different scenario. He was nowhere near feeling like he’d mastered it, but as far as the basics went, he was feeling pretty confident. For this next flight, he wanted to try and go high enough that Neteri’d look like a little white dot on the black sands below.

As he rose up, he felt himself starting to get tired again, but upon looking down and seeing how much further up he’d have to go, he kept pushing. Going straight up was difficult, and he’d been finding it much easier to rise at an angle, sort of gliding, but he’d never tried going this high before. Neteri was getting pretty small below him, much smaller than normal, so maybe he’d stop here for now. He waved down at her, not sure how well she could even see him, before looking out over the vast desert stretching out before him, the sky above now stained with shades of orange and pink, making the dark sands below seem to sparkle. A feeling of joy welled up inside him, and he couldn’t help but laugh, the world around him so open, calling him to come explore, because he really could go anywhere now, and he couldn’t resist swooping towards the horizon, to fly as far as his wings could take him, to-

There was a harsh tug at the collar around his neck, and everything spun out of control.

Erebus began to plummet towards the ground as he choked, trying to get air flowing through his throbbing throat, flapping his wings desperately, trying to right himself befo-

Reality hit him, and it hit him hard.

Sand sprayed through the air as he hit the ground, grains taking his place in the sky before falling back down on him like rain. His arms were scraped and bleeding, little pockets of sand collected under the skin, but that stinging was hardly anything compared to the sharp pain in his legs. His lower left leg was roaring in agony, and his right ankle felt like it’d been stabbed through with a nail. Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear Neteri running over to him, shouting his name. He pushed himself upright slightly before looking down at his legs, hoping it felt worse than it looked.

All it took was the sight of white bone poking out of his torn pant leg for the world to go dark.

~~~

Consciousness pulled Erebus to the surface all of a sudden, mercilessly dragging him back into his body. He jerked awake, crying out slightly as the pain in his legs returned full force. Neteri stood over him, and he was lying on his back in...the old barracks of the mine, on one of the bedrolls they’d laid out on the cots in here before going back outside so he could practice. She gave him a reassuring smile.

“Hey, Erebus, just breathe, it’s alright. You had quite the fall, and…not the best landing. Thankfully I know a spell that makes things lighter temporarily, so I was able to carry you here without much issue.” Erebus started to sit up, wanting to check the state of his leg, but Neteri pushed him back down. “No, no, I just finished cleaning the wound, Erebus, but I haven’t had the chance to heal you yet, and based on how you reacted to seeing it earlier…”

Erebus sighed in defeat and laid back down. “H…how serious is it?”

“It’s going to take a lot out of me, but…I should be able to fix it. Most of it, anyway. You’re lucky that your t-no, you don’t know what bones are called, do you-your smaller leg bone? That’s the only one that completely fractured in half and broke through skin. Your…thicker leg bone is cracked, but not completely broken, which is good. The ankle on your other leg is also kind of messed up, but that I should be able to fix pretty easily.”

Erebus’s stomach sank as she kept talking, adding to the list of things she’s going to need to fix, the number of painful procedures that he’s going to have to sit through. “O-okay.” He gulped. Neteri didn’t seem mad at him, but…“I’m sorry I flew so far, I…I just got caught up in the feeling and I wanted to-”

“No, it’s alright, Erebus, I’m not upset with you. I told you not to go far, but I probably should have told you what would happen if you did. I have this ring, see, and when I wear it, it’ll pull your collar back towards me if you get too far away, and…I just didn’t think you’d be able to go that far so quickly so I figured it wouldn’t be an issue, but…I’m sorry.” She looked away as she apologized, but soon turned back to face him. “But everything will work out. I’ll get you fixed up and hopefully you’ll be able to try flying again tomorrow.”

The apology was a bit of a surprise, but Erebus wasn’t complaining. “So flying too far away from you so fast is what ended up making me…” Neteri nodded, and Erebus couldn’t help but sigh. He’d felt so free in that moment, but, really, he’d just been like a bird in a cage. One that flew straight into the bars. He couldn’t believe he’d deluded himself into thinking that he could actually fly away from all of this, even for a little bit. Just look where it got him.

Neteri gave him something to bite on and asked him to be still, and all he could do was comply and endure as she fixed the damage his naivety had caused. She started with the most serious injury, the bone sticking out of his torn leg, and he was already fighting back screams as she carefully worked the bone back into its proper place, but he knew it was only going to get worse. Memories of the surgery on his arm came flooding back, of the awful, fiery needles that stabbed through his bone as she worked her magic, and soon enough that same sensation returned full force, a dazzling array of stabbing pains surging up the entire length of his leg, paired with the sickening feeling of Neteri’s gloved hands probing around inside the wound, holding things in place as she lit them on fire, rearranging twisted muscle fibers and reconnecting ripped blood vessels.

At least, some of them.

Her hand left the wound behind, the pain telling him it was not fully healed yet. He shot her a watery-eyed look, and she smiled at him weakly. “I’m just going to fix your ankle up first. I had to use a lot more magic power than I thought I would just to get your leg bones fixed, so sit tight.” He swallowed and nodded, as if there was any other choice. The type and intensity of the pain in his ankle was much the same as it healed, and at one point Neteri had to hold his foot still so it stopped twitching in pain so much, despite his best efforts to keep it from doing so. At least he wasn’t tied down, able to grip the sides of the bedroll or wipe the tears from his eyes as he pleased. It wasn’t much to be grateful for, but he’d come to appreciate the smaller things.

Once she was done, Neteri practically collapsed to the ground, resting her arms on the side of the cot. Blood was steadily dripping from her nose, which she didn’t seem to register for a couple of seconds. After hastily shoving her handkerchief up her nostril, she sighed. “I fixed all of your broken bones, and I stopped the bleeding in your leg. I still have to…have to finish healing some of your muscles and close the skin back up but I…I just need a break.”

Erebus couldn’t help but stare, now realizing what it meant when Neteri was wiped out from using her magic. “So you…you’re closer to dying right now? Because you used all of that magic power, your life force, to…to heal me. You…you put your life on the line to do this to me, Neteri, so why…?”

“Because I wanted to help people, can you believe that?” She laughed at the notion, her lack of lucidity almost making her seem more aware than ever. “I always thought anatomy was interesting, from the first time I saw my father butcher an animal as a girl.” She steadily crawled her way over to her bag, pulling off her bloodied gloves before rummaging through it. “I studied human anatomy, and then demon anatomy. I wanted to study dragons, too, but it’s basically impossible to get your hands on a cadaver, especially legally. So I studied humans and demons, demons and humans, and I got to thinking, what if demons didn’t come from dragons like we always supposed? What if they were humans to start? What if we’re similar enough to-” dropping the small package she’d pulled out of her bag, she laced her fingers together, “to become one?”

The silence that followed was impossibly loud, and Erebus ended up breaking it before he’d even fully processed what she said. “One like-like me?”

Neteri smiled dreamily, some of the jerky they’d brought along now clutched in her hand, the other wrapped around a familiar crystal. “Yes and no. What I really wanted to do was organs.” Her face fell, took on a coldness he’d rarely ever seen. “So many people need new organs. New limbs, even. We can only take so much from willing, healthy people. But demons,” she smiled, “demons can be butchered all we like. So I wanted to test my theory. Replace human organs with demon ones, see if they take. My proposal was accepted, but only if I made certain revisions.”

Erebus could see in her face that she was coming back to herself, realizing everything she’d just said, realizing she couldn’t stop now that she’d started. And she’d promised to tell him, hadn’t she? “It had to be all on one person. Someone disposable. Seven surgeries, one part from each kind of demon. Things more tied to their innate magic. And that all was just to be phase one.” Her tone indicated that she didn’t plan on speaking any further.

Someone…disposable. The phrase had made Erebus’s throat tighten. At the end of the day, that was him, wasn’t it? A prisoner of the Empire, branded as property and sentenced to live out the rest of his days in chains. His life could be thrown away without a second thought. But even worse than that…“Phase…phase one? What…what’s phase two, then?” Try as he might, he couldn’t imagine something worse than what he’d been through, so…maybe it wouldn’t be as bad.

“It’s…it’s the fate I want to save you from.”

“What?” Neteri was looking at him, determination in her eyes, and for a moment he wasn’t sure if her “saving” him was a good thing or not.

“At the beginning I thought this part would be easy. That my subject would deserve to…” she looked away, swallowing, “but you don’t. You didn’t deserve any of this to begin with, and I was too focused on my goals to see it.” She laughed hollowly before turning back to him. “I don’t want to freak you out, so…I’m not going to tell you what phase two is just yet. I promise I will eventually, once you’re out of danger. I just…don’t want anything to go wrong, and if you know what might happen if we fail…I just don’t want it to keep you up at night.”

“I can-okay.” What use was it arguing? Neteri was standing up now, putting her gloves back on, ready to get back to fixing him up, and this conversation was over. He laid back and tried to relax, but this was all a lot to process.

“Actually, Erebus…healing all this combined with the magic power I lent you earlier…I don’t know if I have enough energy to fix your leg and...do the other thing I need to do.”

“Which is…?”

She gave him a tired smile, leaning in close, her voice almost a whisper. “I’m going to remove the tracking magic from your brand.”

Erebus’s eyes went wide. “You…you’re serious?!” When she said she wanted to save him…he didn’t know what exactly he’d been expecting, but was she actually going to let him go? Was-was he really going to be free?

“Dead serious.” She straightened up. “I’m not going to get rid of it entirely, just transfer it to a crystal that you’ll keep with you until the time is right. It’s actually the main reason why I brought you all the way out here. Because I really am going to get you out of here.” A genuine smile spread across Erebus’s face at her words, as much as he was afraid that this was some sort of trick. But Neteri had always been honest with him. She’d hidden things from him, sure, but never outright lied, at least that he was aware of. “Thank…thank you, Neteri. Really, I-”

She shook her head. “It’s the least I can do. And I’ll do more to help you, I promise. But for now…is it okay if I save my energy for the brand and take care of this wound the non-magic way?”

“Yeah, that’s alright,” Erebus agreed, even though he suspected this meant he was getting stitches.

He was completely correct, but the gash in his leg wasn’t too long, so soon enough she’d tied the thread and bandaged his leg up neatly. She healed the scrapes on his arms, at least, since they were so minor that the amount of magic she used doing it was negligible, but the process of her cleaning the sand out of them first was far more painful than it had any right to be. Once that was done, they ate the portion of dried food they’d reserved for dinner, Erebus mostly making small talk while he thought through everything Neteri had said, hoping she was truly going to make good on her promises.

He’d never been happier to hear her ask him to take off his shirt and lie down.

After he undid the knots of the special shirt she’d made to accommodate his wings, he nervously laid back, excited for what lay on the other side of the pain for once. Neteri told him that it would hurt, that it might be like being branded all over again, but he could handle it if it meant he was really going to be free.

He could handle it, right?

The burning was exactly like it was the first time, and before he knew it he was crying, biting back screams as Neteri slowly slid the crystal over his brand, igniting white-hot pain as it went, and suddenly he was right back up on that stage, rough wood pressing into the wounds on his back, all of his people watching, the collar tight around his neck, heavy chains on his wrists, the taste of blood thick in his mouth despite his missing tongue, the smell of burning flesh suffocating him, the Emperor’s almost bored expression as he pressed the hot metal to his chest, the sky above unfairly blue, unbearable heat overtaking him in waves don’t ever forget that you’re property now you’ll never be free you’ll never amount to anything more than a twisted science project everything you’ve studied and worked for means nothing and all you can do is watch as your very humanity is ripped away and torn to shreds and nothing will save-

“Erebus.”

Erebus tensed up, suddenly finding himself back in the present, Neteri looking down at him with concern. A rag was shoved up her bleeding nose again, but she gave him a weak smile as she wiped away some of his tears. “It’s over. I’m sorry it hurt so much, but it’s over.” She squeezed his hand, holding out the black crystal she’d bound the tracking spell to with her other one. He nodded and took it, numbly worming it into his pocket as he tried to crawl out of his daze. “Let’s go to sleep, then,” Neteri said as she started to pull her hand away.

“Wait-” Erebus sniffed, holding tightly onto her hand. “Please, could you…?” He still didn’t want to say it outright, but he hoped she’d get the message, and he couldn’t help but smile when she gave his hand a squeeze.

“Alright. But let me get ready for bed first, okay?”

“Okay.”

She got ready quickly enough, even giving him something to help with the pain in his leg since she wasn’t going to be using magic on it anytime soon. Once that was done, she sat on the edge of the bed, holding out her arms and letting him bury himself in her stomach, causing her to laugh a little. “Would it be easier if I laid down? I mean, I have my own bed, but…I think I’m about ready to fall over.”

“T-that’s fine!” Erebus sat up quickly, scooting over to make room. He hadn’t been expecting this, but after what happened with his brand, he wasn’t complaining. Once Neteri had laid down, he cuddled up next to her, her arms around him so comforting. Before he knew it the tears he’d been holding back started to flow again, the horrible memories of that day still at the forefront of his mind. He’d mostly buried it under all the awful things he’d experienced since, but now it was all he could think about. Neteri mostly stayed silent, her hand stroking his hair and rubbing the base of one of his horns. After he’d started to calm down, she spoke up.

“You know, I’d never thought I’d lay like this with a guy.”

“Oh, I, uh-sorry, do you not want to-”

“No, no, it’s okay! I didn’t mean it like I don’t want to or anything, it’s just…weird? No…unexpected? Yeah. I never would’ve thought I’d do this, you know? Like if you told me ten years ago I’d be cuddling with a boy someday I would’ve laughed at you, you know?”

“Well, if you told me at the start of all this that I’d want to do this with you I would’ve…I would have been…” He sat bolt upright, trapped between her and the wall. “This isn’t…maybe I shouldn’t do this or even want this I-”

“Erebus.” Neteri took his hand, holding it firmly as she sat up slightly. “It’s okay to want comfort from me. After everything you’ve…no, after everything I’ve put you through, it’s only natural to want to be comforted, to need it, really, and, well… it’s not like you have anyone else to turn to. And I want to make it up to you, so, please, if you want to…it’s okay.” She smiled. “It’s not like anyone will know, anyway, if that makes you feel better.”

“But what if they did know, what if they all found out that I’m-they’d think I’m pathe-”

“You’re not a prince anymore, Erebus.” He stiffened like he’d just been slapped, jaw falling open slightly before he finally turned to look down at Neteri, his eyes wide. “You don’t have to worry so much about what everyone thinks of you. You’re not setting an example for anyone, you’re not expected to be a leader, you’re allowed to be vulnerable now, to want things without worrying about how you’ll be judged for it, to just be…you.” She sat up fully, still holding his hand. “So if you want this, Erebus, it’s okay. Really.”

“I…am I ever going to see any of them again, Neteri?” he asked as his shoulders sagged in defeat.

She gave him a tired smile. “I don’t see why not. After we get away I can get you all fixed up, and…maybe you’ll be able to go home. Just as long as you keep it on the down low, it should be okay.”

Erebus smiled wide. “Okay. Thank you, Neteri. We can go to sleep now.”

“Alright.” She nodded sleepily, her eyes unfocused without her glasses on. She glanced over at her cot and bedroll before lying down and closing her eyes. Erebus hummed happily as he laid on her chest once more, his horn resting on top of her shoulder. As exhausting as today had been, he was almost too excited to sleep. The prospect of actually being free was…exhilarating.

Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt hope like this. For so long he’d been resigned to this life, the fate he’d been dealt, because he’d come to accept that escaping on his own was impossible and no one who’d cared about him would be able to save him.

For the first time in a long time, he let himself think about his friends back home, all the people he’d known and loved, of Lythia, and he remembered how they’d tried to save him. That…that was the last time he’d felt hope, the day he was whipped and branded and had his tongue cut off. Lythia had told him he was going to be rescued, and he’d believed wholeheartedly that he would be. And here he was again, being told he was going to be saved, and believing that everything was going to work out in the end.

Last time he’d had hope like this, it had been destroyed right before his eyes.

Would this time be any different?

Tags: @dramaticcollapse @thehopelessopus @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @galaxywhump @as-a-matter-of-whump @mnmlover2002 @tears-and-lilies @yet-another-heathen @rippedjeansandfadeddreams @starnight-whump @unicornscotty @thebewilderer @kixngiggles @itallstartedwithharry @inky-whump @redstainedsocks @lonesome--hunter @his-unspoken-words @susiequaz12 @its-mysweetlittlesecret-blog @whumpasaurus101 @patheticlittleguy @jadeocean46910 @whumpinggrounds @pumpkin-spice-whump @suspicious-whumping-egg @befuddled-calico-whump @whump-in-the-closet

#i wrote something #erebus & terror #erebus #neteri #broken bones #minor gore #partial nudity #dubcon touching #magical healing #magical exhaustion #whump #whump writing #what do i even say down here uh #life updates how about that it's been awhile #i have a boyfriend now ❤❤❤❤ he is very good and he's a GAMER #octopath traveler II did indeed consume my whole life for the better part of a month i have like 130 hours in it or something #and im still playing it some #oh i got into the ace attorney games a while back been playing them with the irls #as for e&t things...the usual 'this chapter turned out longer than i thought it would'#but i did add some shit that wasnt in the og plan #like erebus was just supposed to get a normal broken leg but when i was writing i was like nah a little gore �� for me #sorry if the fact that i havent written this in ages is super apparent i hope it's not like jarring #the way magic power is shared is based on the traditional māori greeting cuz i really liked the idea of sharing the breath of life #mmmm yes eat all that worldbuilding and lore everyone snack up!!!!#neteri motivation and character arc real!!!#erebus flying real!!!#and fun fact if you remember the fucking tiny erebus au thing the collar yoinking him back thing was in that it was foretold #we'll have to see when the fuck i get the next chapter out because oh boy. it's gonna be a whole thing #we'll just uh. have to see how this pans out. won't we :) because i wouldn't do the same thing twice (❁´◡`❁) i would never

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