#its double the last one

[avvail-whumps]

‘guns for hire’ — brass family #2

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content warnings: captivity, past non-con drugging mentioned, brass knuckles, restraints, interrogation whump, blood, beating, violence, manhandling, concussion

He was wracked with horrible shivers when he finally came to.

Leo’s head was throbbing, like he’d been smacked over the head with a ton of bricks, swimming around in his skull. It was difficult for his eyes to adjust, prying open his eyelids just to allow his vision to clear up. He felt his head roll to his chest, before he gathered the strength to lift it up.

His stomach churned, clenching his fists. They were wrenched behind his back, forearms digging into a metal chair. His gaze drifted down, and everything came flooding back all at once.

Jacob. The hitman. Trying to escape.

A scared whimper escaped his lips, muffled by something wrapped around his mouth. He tried to wriggle his way out of the restraints, but they were firmly knotted together, instead rubbing his skin until he couldn’t take it anymore.

Panic clouded his mind before he could stop it. It looked like he was in some sort of room, the walls a bleak white colour, and the ground a stone grey. He could see no visible windows, only a single door in his line of vision, securely locked shut. Tools were hung up on the walls. The sight of those sharp, deadly blades almost made Leo hyperventilate.

It looked like a torture room. One of those horrible things you saw in the movies.

He remembered the mercenary had been suspicious of him, and his heart sunk to his boots. Was he going to torture him for information? Was he even going to get out of this alive?

Leo’s head rolled back as his chest picked up in shallow breaths. He jerked against the ropes one more time, pinching his eyes shut at the burning pain, before the clinking of metal tore him from his trance.

His eyes shot upwards, watching in fear as the door was pushed open, and a familiar face stepped through. His olive eyes landed on Leo’s, and a brief, almost smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“About time,” he sighed, kicking the door shut behind him with his foot, and sliding the lock into place. “I was starting to get real bored.”

Leo tried to say something through his gag, but it was hardly even distinguishable, even to his ears. His face paled and he started squirming as he stalked closer, trying to press himself into the metal of the chair behind him.

He flinched when he felt a tug on the gag, pulling it down under his chin. Leo sucked in sharp breaths, his tongue too thick to speak with the man’s imposing frame towering over him. He shrunk inside of his shadow, feeling a cold sweat break out across his forehead.

“Okay, Mr Secretary,” the mercenary smiled, yet it was anything but kind. “Here’s how this is going to work. If you tell me who you’re working for, I won’t have to hurt you. This can be quick and simple if you decide to cooperate.”

Leo’s heart sank straight to the pit of his stomach. His bottom lip quivered, afraid if he said something the mercenary didn’t like, he would hurt him.

“I...” His breathing started to pick up, fidgeting in his restraints. “I-I don’t understand.”

He watched as the man’s lips pressed into a thin line, an annoyed expression rippling over his features. Leo immediately shrank back, shaking his head, the words tumbling from his lips.

“I’m sorry, please let me go, I won’t tell anybody about this!”

The mercenary leaned back, tugging on his gloves. He slipped them off his hands, revealing smooth skin riddled with a few small scars, and rough fingers. He reached into one of those pouches, pulling out a pair of brass knuckles.

Leo’s eyes burned with tears, on the verge of hyperventilating. “Please! I’m begging you—”

“You like to do that,” the man interrupted. “But that’s not what I asked for. I asked you who you’re working for.”

He watched with wide eyes as he slipped them through his fingers, slotting around his knuckles perfectly, like they were meant for them. He admired them with amused eyes, before his attention landed back into Leo, and he flexed his fingers in preparation.

“I-I...” He didn’t know what he wanted him to say. Leo was too scared to even think properly. “I work for Mr Williams, I-I don’t understand! You said you knew I was his secretary, so–so why—?”

“Last chance,” the mercenary warned, his voice stern. “I understand you’re slow from the drugs. But you’ve had plenty to comprehend what I’m asking of you. So this is your last chance; who do you work for?”

Leo’s eyes popped out of his head, shaking violently. His knuckles were curled so tight, he was sure his nails were about to gauge straight through the skin. His mouth opened and closed, unable to tear his eyes away from the man’s stare.

He felt cornered underneath him.

Pinned like a bug on display.

He was sure his voice had failed him, but he finally managed a hesitant, terrified squeak. “N-Nobody...”

Those hardened knuckles smacked into the side of his face. Leo hadn’t even seen it coming, but his head was wrenched to the side from the sheer force. His face bloomed with a strange numbness, before the pain exploded in an agonising, merciless burst. He let out a whimpering sob, eyes burning with tears.

“Your lovely boss was meant to be alone,” the man cooly explained, seemingly unphased by the fact he’d just driven those brass weapons into Leo’s cheek. The secretary’s vision was hazy for a moment, before his senses finally seemed to clear. “Nobody else was meant to be in the building. Nobody of importance, anyway.” 

Leo’s blue eyes looked pretty filled with tears. The thought had briefly crossed his mind the first time he had seen him, but the quick realisation of his mask being in his pocket had thrown all invading thoughts from his mind. He was sporting a fresh, revealing bruise on his face now, and the growing blemish added a nice spot of colour to his washed out cheeks. 

The mercenary flexed his fingers, a few of them popping satisfactorily. He heard the little guy’s shaking voice flow through the air. 

“I wasn’t meant to,” he blubbered, his face wrinkled in pain. “H-He made me stay last minute.” 

Another knuckle connected to the other side of his face, almost cracking against his nose. The pain burned all the way up the joint and to his eyes, making his vision wilt. A choked gasp tore from his throat, the metal having scraped some small cuts into his freckled skin. 

“I’m telling the truth!” He shrieked, his body twitching, as if anxiously waiting for another blow after speaking.

The man shrugged. “I don’t know. It was convenient timing.” 

“I-I was there for coffee,” he sobbed, each movement making his jaw ache with throbs. “That’s all he ever wants, j-just to have me there to do stupid t-tasks, I promise.” 

“Too lazy to do the hard labour himself, huh?” 

Leo desperately nodded his head. It made his vision shift and swirl. “Y-Yes.” 

The man let out a heavy sigh. Leo just saw him clenching his fist, before it smacked into his lip, tearing the flesh easily like a knife. A new wave of fresh blood burst from his mouth, a horrible numbness spreading across his head. His eyes squeezed shut, feeling it slip down his chin and pool into his mouth. The taste made disgusting shudders roll down his spine, his head rolling forwards. The pain caused a clammy cold to break out across his skin. 

Did he knock some teeth out? Leo couldn’t tell. 

He spat the blood out frantically, but the movement caused his lip to flare up in agony, and he cried out in pain, tensing under the restraints. 

“You’ll ruin your nice suit if you let it get all over the place,” the man drawled, brow cocked, but how could Leo care? His brain felt frazzled, the thoughts swimming around uselessly. All he could hear was the pounding of blood in his head, and the banging of his heart in his ribcage. He was sure something was coiling around his brain, squeezing it uncomfortably. 

He let out a whine as a hand swept under his chin, tilting his head. The lights above him were piercing, more piercing than before. His eyes flickered closed instinctively, the position making his neck pinch uncomfortably. 

“Your name?” 

That was something he could answer. “L-Leo.” 

“Leo?” The man echoed, testing the name on his tongue. He found it slightly amusing how his appearance gave off anything but a lion. Maybe more of a kitten, where he was trying to see how dangerous those claws really were. “How long have you been working for the company?” 

A stuttered sob tore through the air. The flesh of his lip was burning. “Th…Three years, I-I think…” 

“You think?” The man pressed, his fist rising. Leo’s eyes widened in panic, stricken with fear. 

“Yes!” He blurted, flinching as his lip flared. “Y-Yes, three years. Three years.” 

“Just as a secretary?” 

Leo released a shuddering breath, feeling like he could barely breathe properly. “Y-Yeah. I…never worked there before.” 

The mercenary’s lip quirked in satisfaction. His bare fingers gently left his jaw, letting his head fall forwards. Leo didn’t have the strength to catch himself, and hissed in pain, jerking upwards. He spat out another glob of blood, staining his pants. 

“See how easy this is when you’re honest?” 

Leo’s clumped eyelashes fluttered, staring up at the man with frightened, glassy eyes. His throat bobbed visibly, trying not to gag at the overpowering flood of blood spreading across his tongue. He wanted to shake the man and tell him he had been nothing but honest, but there was no hope of doing so. So he stiffly nodded his head. The man’s eyes almost brightened. 

“It seemed your boss expected someone like me to show up eventually,” he explained, trailing his fingers along the knuckles, wiping off some of the blood. “With all the stuff he’s been up to, he was bound to start making enemies. It’s no coincidence he had somebody plastered by his side — did somebody assign you to him when the hit was sent out?” 

Leo’s expression quickly melted into terror. His mind was running wild. “I-I…I don’t…” His eyes welled with tears. “I don’t understand, w-what are you…?” 

“Come on, I’m just weighing up ideas here,” the man shrugged, scuffing his boot against the ground. “It’s up to you to tell me the truth.” 

“I am telling the truth,” Leo whimpered, but was cut off by another harsh slam of the brass against his cheek. It tore through the skin, and hot blood formed little red pearls instantly. He gasped in shock, head rolling to the side. 

“You’re his secretary,” the mercenary tutted. “Do you expect me to believe you didn’t know about his business deals with the underground?” 

A sob slipped past his lip. Leo desperately shook his head. Business deals? His boss was a tight lipped man, and even he sometimes had no idea what the man was up to, knowing to follow the orders he gave him or else he’d be presented with a note of permanent leave. 

“I don’t know…” Leo’s head swelled with pain, bile creeping up his throat. “...I-I didn’t know anything about his deals…” 

A look of annoyance flashed in the man’s eyes, and Leo couldn’t even prepare for the next blow, erupting with a pain worse than the others. Fresh tears started tumbling down his cheeks, making the various cuts engraved into his skin burn, mixing with the blood. Another crack landed on the side of his face, and Leo could feel his ears starting to go fuzzy, a high pitched ringing noise swaying in and out of his skull. 

His chest tightened, as if forgetting how to do something as simple as breathe. 

He could feel nothing but agony, tearing at his skin, rocking his brain until he was nothing but a useless body of whimpers and sobs. The mercenary’s hands tangled in his locks, yanking his head forward. The restraints tugged uncomfortably, and twisted his shoulders at an awkward angle. 

Leo could barely even see through his vision as nausea took over, stirring in the pits of his stomach and his mind. He could hardly keep himself up, and when the man let go, catching him by his chin, Leo couldn’t sit straight. 

The man’s anger seemed to have melted quickly, and his brows pinched, waving a hand in front of his eyes. “You still with me, Leo?” 

The secretary let out a few slurred mutters. The man glanced at his knuckles gingerly, before gently setting him back against the chair, finding no resistance. He slipped the brass off his fingers, clenching them in the palm of his hand. 

“The business deals,” he spoke, trying to catch Leo’s wavering eyes each time they darted someplace else. “He had four contracts with underground bosses. They traded stock and shares. Illegally. You’re telling me he didn’t hire you to help cover his tracks? You look pretty young, maybe like, twenty, twenty-one or something?” 

Leo whined in pain, his eyelids drooping. “T…Twenty…four.” 

“Woah, you’re the same age as me,” he exclaimed, his eyes running along his bashed up face. He chuckled softly, those lips briefly turning up into a smile. “Still got that baby face, huh? I thought that’s why Jacob kept you around, make the company look nice and innocent.” 

At the mention of the company, Leo felt something horrible rise up in his throat, and he quickly started to dissolve into broken tears, his chest stuttering with shallow breaths. “I-I really didn’t know…I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Please, stop hurting me. I-I didn’t know, I don’t know anything…” 

His voice was exhausted of any strength, and truly pitiful.

The mercenary pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes stuck on Leo’s face, taking in his words, before he quickly deflated, and he rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. A dejected sigh fell from his lips, pocketing the brass knuckles. 

“Alright, Leo. I believe you.” 

At the mention of his name, the man’s eyes cracked open, just barely able to see the mercenaries outline. It was blurry and he was sure at times there were two of them; that was a horrible nightmare he didn't want to think about. A cloud of disorientation suffocated him. 

“I…I-I want to go home,” he whispered shakily, squinting weakly at the man’s face. “Who…W-Who are you…?” 

The man’s brows lifted up slightly. “Okay, maybe I hit you a little too hard.” He kneeled down, lifting up his hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?” 

It took Leo a long second to answer. “Six…Six.” 

The man lowered his four fingers, smiling. “Concussion. Cute.” 

A brief shot of pain engulfed Leo’s face, and he whimpered, his head rocking forwards. “It hurts…” 

“I know,” the man shrugged nonchalantly, digging into his trouser pocket and pulling out a phone. He stared at the screen, fingers dancing along the keys as he headed towards the door, pulling it open. “I’m going to make a phone call. Wait here, lion.” 

Leo groaned softly. It wasn’t like he could go anywhere.

[hinamie]

*catboys ur shounen protag*

[tibby-art]

erm what the grian

[see-arcane]

DRACULA IS BACKULA BABEYYY

[do-mkokoro]

ensemble stars a silly compilation of my silly comics part 1

[acidpeaches]

so many joels! damn all these beans r so small!

[feuer-bluete]

Do the newer generation of ace folk still know about ace rings?

[tequiilasunriise]

Possible nicknames Lenore called Annabel in life go:

"Anniebell": Sometimes the smallest changes are the cutest, okay? Anniebell Lee sounds adorable as hell and I'll stick by it. Imagine Annabel trying to admonish Lenore for saying some wild shit at a Rich Persons Gala™️ or smth but she keeps breaking out into giggles like, "You- you can't just say that pet!" and Lenore playfully replying, "Oh whatever do you mean, Anniebell Lee?" like UGH I hate them somebody throw hammers at em already 💥💥🔨🔨🔨

“My moon”: in relation to the Annabel Lee poem (‘for the moon never beams/Without bringing me dreams/Of the wonderful Annabel Lee’) and also there’s smth so flavorful of the character with a color palette more akin to the Sun (long shiny blonde hair, warm colored eyes, seemingly more outwardly personality, etc) being called the moon like I loveee contrasting design choices‼️‼️

“Angel”: Also a reference to the poem (but like, worse because it was the angels that separated em) and can be easily pulled from Annabel’s name

“Petal”: Or some other variation of a flower based nickname because imma sad, sad bisexual who loves ✨flower motifs✨ just a bit too much

Anything in Dutch: This can be like common ones like “liefje” (darling) or the previous entries but in Dutch idk go crazy go stupid

“Locket”: An unconventional pick pulled from Annabel’s last name Whitlock + lockets containing pieces of hair from your other half being T H E romantic gesture of the century back then, so, like. Idk. Hear me out like okay I think Lenore could be the unconventional route (I mean girly already faked her death via arson and pulled a Mulan to get the girl soooo you see what I’m putting down?) and like like LIKKEEE⁉️⁉️⁉️ Imagine with me Lenore telling her girl, “You’re the locket I keep nearest to my heart” (many necklaces back then had a chain just long enough for the locket to rest above the wearer’s heart) and it evolves to Lenore calling Annabel smth like “my dearest, my locket” LIKE YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE WITH ME!!! GUYS MY VISION IS VISIONING!!! 🦅🗣️🌈🗣️🗣️🦅🦅🌈🗣️🦅🦅

@incorrect-nevermore cmere and witness my madness

[fireintheimpala]

1979 is now up there with 1968 in my “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED BETWEEN PAUL MCCARTNEY AND JOHN LENNON” years.

You don’t just make something as joyful, teasing, naughty, and romantic as McCartney II out of the blue… You don’t just then come out of retirement out of the blue and starting boogying to Double Fantasy + Milk and Honey tracks COINCIDENTALLY, do you? DO YOU??

This is driving me a little crazy. What is your favorite conspiracy theory here?

[mars-ax]

MARS. POST THE DOODLE OF SCOTT AND CLEO CUDDLING AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

so I don't usually post doodles because I'm very self-conscious about their quality, but just for you harper

So that doodle was actually in a series of other doodles all in the theme of "literal sleeping together" because that's one of my favorite things ever, so I might as well put them all here then

[fjordfolk]

Finally put this years' ribbon crops up with last year's, technically our last shows are this weekend but mentally I think we're both done for the season and doubt she'll place. Still can't believe she grabbed a CC at a specialty show with 85 entries tho

[sunrizef1]

But also like…

He didn't even get a proper goodbye race?? They scrapped him in the middle of a double header instead of announcing it and letting him race his last race as a goodbye…

[frootlooptime]

living dead girl B)

[theminecraftbee]

okay thing i'm also curious about: where on the pendulum of tone will this life series fall? it'll be hard to tell episode one - episode ones tend to largely be sillygoofy in the life series REGARDLESS of which one it is - but every life series so far has had a different tone. third life was experimental, and felt sort of like a slow burn followed by a rapid descent into madness. last life felt almost hopeless from the start, a darker tone of mistrust. double life was almost sitcom-like, but with an ending that suddenly and jarringly reminded you exactly WHAT you were watching.

which makes me curious. where on the pendulum will this one fall? are we swinging back towards last life's darkness? are we staying closer to the lighthearted end? will it be another series that starts with comradery again and descends once more into hell? or, most likely: are we getting an entirely NEW tone, once again?

i guess we will see.

[apuff]

my chemical tober :D

[great-axepectations]

I desperately need everyone to understand that we are in the innocent lighthearted part of the Life game. This happens every time: remember how silly the Southlands were with the "ah-ha!" bit? The Team BEST's matching shields? Early Renchanting? The ranchers and the crastle and the fuckin flower husbands- it was all so sweet and innocent and fun and it all ends the same way. We all know it's comng!

I am gripping you by the collar these are the moments we are going to look back on with heartache when the timers start to run out.

How is entertainment mountain going to survive if mom dies first? If mom dies protecting them?

Which bad boy is fated to die first? Which one is doomed to kill those he loves? How's the remaining one going to handle that?

When are letters going to get dropped from TIES? Will it go to TIE to IE to just E?

And the two duos in the game- who is going to die first? And which one is going to be left in the world feeling like they're missing their other half?

I am shaking you violently this is all temporary! We still have a few more silly episodes left but it's only going to end one way! THE FLUFF MAKES THE ANGST HIT HARDER!