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loveanddeepthroat · 4 months ago

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Unlucky Thirteen

Summary - Sylus liked the quiet girl with the poorly heart. She was the only kid in the laboratory who hadn’t come and gone before he could even remember what she looked like. When he doesn’t see her for a whole day, he knows that there’s only one place she could be—the Medical Bay. He’d been through it all before she’d even arrived at the lab over a year prior, and felt a duty to keep her company whilst her heart healed.

Word Count - 2.4k

Warnings - Child!Sylus and Child!MC as experimental lab rats. Mentions of child experimentation and non-consensual medical treatments. This theory of them being lab rats is not canon, so keep in mind that I have made this all up!

Sylus couldn’t find the girl with the poorly heart.

It was the third and final free hour of the day in the laboratory’s Playroom, and she was nowhere to be seen among the children.

Again.

The girl had been missing a few times before now—usually for further experimentation. But for all three of their free time breaks from observations and alterations meant only one thing.

She had to be in the Medical Bay.

He didn’t know much about the quiet girl, other than the fact that she had problems with her heart. There was always a big, white bandage over her chest that just peaked out over the neckline of her plain white gown, but he would never ask her questions about it. They only got to see each other during mealtime and free time, so discussing the things they were put through in between was something neither of them wanted to commit any time to. She didn’t want to talk about her heart as much as he didn’t want to talk about his eye.

In fact, they didn’t talk much at all. They just had a common denominator that seemed to draw them to each other.

Sylus had watched kids come and go from this place for a few years, hoping that one day it would be his turn to leave. That futile hope had been short lived, and it became clear that he wasn’t going anywhere when all the other kids around him dropped off like flies.

When she came in with a new group of kids around a year ago, he thought nothing of it. She was just a face he’d forget after she would undoubtedly be released. But as those weeks turned to months—the few children she had arrived with long gone—her face had remained a constant for Sylus.

He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that she’d finally been freed today. The people in the lab coats were far too interested in her as of late, and she was starting to look more withdrawn each time he saw her. Much like he had when he woke from an operation he didn’t know he was having.

The more he thought about her condition, the more he hoped that she was in the Medical Bay—rather than somewhere more sinister.

He’d grown a bit of an attachment to the girl. She was the only friendly face that hadn’t left him. Even in their lack of conversation, he enjoyed her company. Felt comforted by her. They often read in silence side by side, always in whichever back corner of the Playroom was free of other kids. The less significant test subjects always delved straight into the toys and games, but the two of them had no interest in joining in.

Sometimes, if the lab coats had prodded around in his eye too much, the girl would quietly read aloud to him. He liked it when she read to him. So much so that he sometimes played on his eye problems just to hear her read for an hour.

He was used to her being absent for one or two of the three free hours they get, but this was too much for him.

He had to get into the Medical Bay.

His head had purposely been rested against the electric heater beside the bookshelf for a few minutes as he made himself appear as clammy and feverish as possible. His cheeks burned as he pinched them repeatedly, and he put on his best nasally voice once he approached the Playroom supervisor with a little book tucked under his white t-shirt, rubbing his good eye for added effect.

“I feel sick,” he whined to the stone-faced woman in all-black clothing.

She barely threw down a glance at him, raising a lazy eyebrow. “You were fine during dinner.”

Damn.

Plan B came into quick effect. He rolled his eyes back a little, swaying where he stood. The hot skin of his forehead bumped against her hipbone as he stumbled forward dramatically, and she quickly bent down to his level, steadying him with her firm hands.

“Oh for goodness sake,” she mumbled, her frown deepening when she pressed the backs of her cold fingers against his head. She pulled out a little radio device that was tucked in the chest pocket of her shirt, speaking into it frankly with a push of its button. “Patient S013 is feeling unwell. Feverish. Permission to move from Room 11 to the Medical Bay?”

Sylus held his breath, willing whoever was on the other end of the radio call to grant the cold woman the permission he didn’t know she would need. He’d only ever been to the Medical Bay once before, and hadn’t ever wanted to return. Being examined and tested by strange scientists everyday was bad enough. He had no interest in spending time with the nurses who tended to him after his surprise surgery.

“Permission granted,” a male voice affirmed through the radio.

The stern lady grabbed suddenly at his shoulder, pushing him lightly out of the noisy room and down the silent halls. He liked when they were silent. He’d heard enough screams from children to haunt him for life.

The walk to the Medical Bay was short, and Sylus remembered to throw a few sniffles and pathetic coughs into the silent trek to keep up his charade. He must’ve still looked red faced and sickly, the nurse on duty handing him a gown to change into straight away upon his arrival.

He changed as quickly as he could behind a curtain that gave him only a sliver of privacy, tucking the book he’d smuggled from the Playroom into the inner fabric. The nurse checked his vital signs In the small triage room with nothing but a blank look on her face for comfort. Nobody around here tended to smile or show any true emotion towards the children.

It didn’t affect Sylus at all. He didn’t know any different. Didn’t remember a time when someone smiled at him. Or when he had smiled at someone else.

He wasn’t sure if he ever had.

The small, sterile Medical Bay was empty as he followed the nurse inside—save for the tuft of the girl's hair he could see peeking out above her blanket. He almost audibly sighed with relief to see her, but the fact that something was wrong enough for her to even be in the Medical Bay struck alarm bells in his head.

“Patient S113 isn’t feeling good, so try to be quiet,” the nurse told him. She pulled back the covers of the bed next to the girl, hurriedly ushering him to get in before giving him a syringe of medicine to take. “I’ll check on you in a few hours.”

He nodded, waiting for her to turn around before he took a look at the sickly girl a few feet away. The skin on her face was shiny and damp in the stark light of the strip lights above them. She didn’t look well at all, and had the thin, white blanket pulled right the way up to her chin.

The nurse administered a dose of something fluorescent yellow to her in another syringe, pressing her hand to the girl’s damp forehead with a tut. Sylus could’ve sworn that the nurse sighed a little in concern.

“That medicine should make you feel a bit better soon. Try to sleep,” she murmured to the girl quietly, moving the strands of hair that were stuck to her skin before leaving the room.

He didn’t know what to do once the nurse closed the door behind her. The quiet girl looked so…deathly. Her colouring was a good few shades lighter than it usually was, and there was a greyish tinge to it too. Whatever was going on with her, it didn’t look good.

“What happened?” he blurted quietly.

She slowly turned her head towards him, blinking a few times to focus her eyes. They widened a little when she realised it was him.

“Hi,” she whispered, her voice small and croaky.

The sound hurt something in Sylus’s chest. “What happened?” he repeated again, sitting up a little further in the bed to get a good look at her.

The girl lifted a shaky hand, pointing straight to where her heart was. “I think it’s broken,” she replied.

Sylus frowned a little. He didn’t know that hearts could break. Bones could break, he knew that much. He’d seen broken bones quite often in this place. Her heart wasn’t like most people’s—he knew that too.

But it couldn’t break. Right?

“Are they going to make it better?”

She blinked at him a few times, and he really studied her. This was the most they’d ever said to each other in conversation, but it didn’t feel strange or wrong like he thought it might. It felt natural. Almost like they were both still here in the wake of so many other young patients’ departures for a specific reason.

He found himself wanting to know more. He wanted to know everything about her heart—including how to fix it.

Her weary eyes glanced around the room for any listening ears, and she shifted the blanket down from her chin so she could see over it. She eventually whispered back to him, “I’m not sure that they’re even trying to fix it.” She took a shuddering breath in, wincing a little bit. “It doesn’t feel like it.”

That’s when he noticed it.

In the absence of the blanket, he saw the gnarly tail end of a stitched up incision where he would usually see a bit of the bandage she always donned on her chest. He may have been young, but he knew without having to ask what the lab coats had done to her. They’d done the same thing to him once before. Put him to sleep without warning to poke and prod into the innards of his most interesting body part—his right eye. He had no idea why they were so interested in it, or why they were equally as interested in her heart. But whatever the reason, it was mutually exclusive to the two of them.

“They’ve done that to me, too,” he reassured her quietly, trying to shift that anxious look from her tired face. She didn’t know what was going on, so he felt a duty to soothe any worries on her mind. “I woke up in here with a big bandage over my eye before you came to live here. Couldn’t see properly for a few weeks, but it got better. Like your heart will.”

The girl looked apprehensive, but seemed a little bit more settled to know that he’d been in the same situation previously. They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before she spoke. “You’ve been here for a long time.”

It didn’t sound like a question, but he answered like it was. He didn’t want to stop talking with her, hoping it was bringing her some semblance of peace. “I have,” he confirmed with a nod. “Me and twelve other kids were the first here. That’s why I’m patient S013.”

“Thirteen is supposed to be an unlucky number,” she whispered.

Sylus cocked his head to the side, wondering if she was kidding. He’d never heard of that before, but if she was right, it would make perfect sense. Patients S013 and S113 being the two most focused on subjects in the lab coats’ top secret experiments did seem a bit too coincidental in his mind.

He sure did have a lot of time on his hands to think about things like that, too. She was the one hundredth kid after him to arrive, and ended up stuck here with him for the foreseeable. Maybe whichever newcomer unlucky enough to be patient S213 would end up in their same predicament.

“We’ll find our luck one day,” he finally responded, exuding all of his confidence into that one sentence. He was determined that he’d fight his way out of here one day, and that he’d be able to bring her with him. He wasn’t strong enough—not yet. But whatever they were doing to him here, he’d use it to his own advantage once he got a good understanding of it. “Maybe we’ll both get out of here, and we can see what the world is like.”

The girl smiled. Smiled at him, even in her state. It wouldn’t have been possible to not smile back, no matter how unnatural it felt for the corners of his lips to curl.

“Yeah,” she whispered. Her blinks were slowing down, and she looked sleepy. “That would be nice. I’d like to see the ocean one day, like I’ve read about in books.”

Sylus suddenly remembered the book he’d smuggled in, still resting coldly against his stomach beneath his gown. He quickly reached down into the neckline, grabbing it out and waving it up for her to see it.

“I could read to you, if you want? While you fall asleep.” He wasn’t sure if it would help her in any way, but the familiarity of a book seemed like the best form of comfort he could think of for her.

Her tired eyes lit up a little, and her smile widened. It struck something in Sylus’s heart, and for a moment, he wondered if he had a heart problem. He’d never felt such a feeling, but he liked it. It felt like a real feeling. Not just the horrible physical feelings of aches and pains.

It was a mental feeling. A caring feeling.

He settled himself back against the plump pillow behind him, opening up the book. It was a children’s fable that they’d read many times before, and the one book he enjoyed hearing her read. He checked on her once more, making sure she was still awake and eager to hear him read.

The idea of a book seemed to wake her up a bit from her fatigue, but even so, Sylus would read the book over and over until it lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

He quietly cleared his throat reading the title aloud the way she always does.

“The Kitten Who Met The Crow…”

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little story! I think the lab rats theory is so interesting and couldn’t resist this sweet little idea! I’ve been a bit slow on the content recently and I do apologise, but I’m in the midst of moving into a new apartment and the stress of that on top of the way my neurodivergent son is struggling to cope with it has turned my brain to mush. Things should settle soon and I’ll be back on the requests 🤍

#love and deepspace #sylus #l&ds sylus #lads sylus #lnds sylus #sylus love and deepspace #love and deepspace mc #child!reader #child!sylus #lab rats #love and deepspace fanfiction #sylus fanfiction #sylus fanfic #sylus fluff #love and deepspace fluff #lads mc #sylus l&ds #sylus lads #love and deepspace fic

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mj-iza-writer · 1 month ago

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I'm loving lab whumps lately. I don't know why.

"What's for lunch today?", Whumpee lifted their head to watch Whumper tighten the last strap.

"Tator tots and turkey sandwiches", Whumper frowned, "that looks tight. Is that too tight?", they tried to tuck a finger under the strap.

"A little, but it's okay", Whumpee looked at them with puppy eyes.

Whumper turned to a table and grabbed a few items.

"You are quite talkative for someone strapped to the Doc's table. Unaware of what you may be about to endure", someone stood next to the table and watched Whumper.

"They don't get nervous anymore", Whumper sighed as they filled a syringe, "they just talk through it now."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"No not really Carmen", Whumper chuckled, "makes my job a little easier, and I can hear my music playing when my patient isn't on my table screaming."

Whumpee glanced at a few people working by the table.

"Don't worry about what they're doing", Whumper wiped an alcohol wipe along Whumpee's arm, "you shouldn't feel anything from this", Whumper felt for the right spot to inject the substance, "this should actually numb you. We are testing a numbing agent."

Whumpee nodded.

"Do you feel anything?", Whumper tapped on the space after a few minutes.

"Not there", Whumpee answered.

Whumper tapped around a few different spots to see what the diameter of numbness was and marked accordingly.

"Alright, nurse is going to run a few tests to see how numb you actually are", Whumper looked over the arm, "answer with yes or no. If yes, rate from 1-5. One being light feelings, five being ouch."

Whumpee nodded again.

Carmen chuckled, "well, aren't you so well behaved."

Whumpee kept their head turned, so not to watch and mess up the test.

"Round one", the nurse stated, "do you feel this?"

"No", Whumpee answered after a few seconds.

"Carmen", Whumper whispered, "come here."

"Let's let the nurse do their job", Whumper leaned against the wall and watched.

"Have they always been this calm?", Carmen also watched.

"No, they use to scream until they couldn't. I wouldn't even do anything to them, and they would scream. It got to me, I would get very violent with them. The tests I'd run on them would purposely hurt. It went on for months", Whumper sighed as they thought back.

"What changed?", Carmen heard Whumpee say yes to feeling something.

"There was a test I had to run on them. I had to end up explaining it carefully to them or else it wouldn't have worked right", Whumper grinned when Whumpee replied with a two, "they were nervous during the test, but it was successful."

Whumper looked at Carmen.

"That was the first time I saw Whumpee as a human, and not some tool for me to use and abuse."

"Why though? What happened there that triggered a positive response in your relationship?", Carmen asked curiously.

"After the test was successful, I gave them a treat... part of my cookie. I was so proud. I curiously asked them what made it easier for them to follow what needed to be done. Whumpee said that having it explained to them made it more bearable. They understood that it had a meaning and though nervous that they would mess up... they tried. I realized then that Whumpee was probably curious about things that were going on around them. I believe they have a right to know... so back then I told them that we could allow for questions and curiosities before testing if it would make it easier on them. They agreed."

"So Whumpee isn't afraid of things in here and the things being done to them because they know you will answer any questions they have before hand", Carmen looked down, "they learned to trust you."

"Yes, they are human. They should be allowed to...."

"Doc we need you", the nurse called.

Whumper froze for a second to watch as everyone in the room hurried to Whumpee's side.

Whumper jumped in as well.

"Stats, what's going on", Whumper watched as Whumpee shook violently, "talk to me people", Whumper yelled.

"Blood pressure has increased..."

"We are picking up spikes in Whumpee's brain waves..."

Whumpee fought against the restraints. Their body jerked violently.

Whumper opened one of Whumpee's eyes and shined a light.

"Pupils are dilated", Whumper started to unstrap Whumpee, "they are having a seizure. We need them on their side in the recovery position. Hurry and get these straps off. I need everyone to surround the table to make sure Whumpee does not flop off."

"They would be better on the floor", Carmen stepped up and helped remove the straps.

"I agree, but I'm not moving them right now", Whumper helped push Whumpee, "they are foaming at the mouth. Whoever is by the head needs to keep that area wiped clean."

"Yes Doc", someone spoke over the chaos.

"Alright come on Whumpee", Whumper patted their shoulder.

"Reminder do not hold them down. Let their body do its thing", Whumper had noticed a nurse holding Whumpee's ankle, "you'll get hurt trying to hold onto them."

"Do they have a history of seizures?", Carmen looked up at the monitors.

"Nope, this is a first", Whumper turned to the monitor, "this is going longer than I would like."

A few more seconds passed.

Whumpee stopped shaking violently and squinted one of their eyes open.

"Pain level is... five", Whumpee mumbled, "what just happened?"

"You had a seizure", Whumper patted their shoulder, "you were out for longer than I would have liked. We need to check a few things to make sure you are okay."

"Can I nap first.... mm tired", Whumpee frowned.

"No you may not", Whumper started to role Whumpee back onto their back, "come on, we need to clean you up and get the test done. I'll let you sleep after."

Whumpee was slowly sat up.

"I think I peed myself", Whumpee frowned.

"That happens. We will get you all cleaned", a nurse hurried over.

"So do you remember anything that led to that happening?", Whumper wiped away a line of snot oozing down Whumpee's face.

"We were on round.... uh... round....mm I don't remember. I don't even know if nurse had done something, I just remember saying that I didn't feel well. Then I heard them call for you. I knew something bad was happening", Whumpee looked down, "I'm really tired."

"Alright, let's get you on the floor. All of the monitors are reading normal or going back to normal", Whumper looked at the screens surrounding the table, "we will get you comfortable. I want you still connected to the monitors."

Whumper stood after laying Whumpee down.

"I need all the data that was found on this incident", Whumper reached down and ruffled Whumpee's hair, "quite an interesting reaction we had here today."

Whumpee nodded and laid their head down on a blanket one of the nurse set out for them.

"Can I still have tator tots", Whumpee watched Whumper walk away, "is it lunch time?"

"You can", Whumper nodded at a nurse. Who turned and left the room.

Carmen watched from nearby.

Whumper leaned onto the table that Whumpee just came off of. They clicked a few items on the monitors.

"Really interesting", Whumper studied the monitors. Their chin rested on their hand in thought.

"What are you thinking?", Carmen's interest got the best of them and they walked over.

"Whumpee has never had a seizure before. The ingredients in that injection are normal. Nothing Whumpee is allergic to. I'm wondering if the ingredients combined caused this, and if so, could it happen again. Is it isolated to one person, or could this affect others."

"Too bad you don't have another test subject", Carmen sighed.

"Yeah too bad", Whumper sighed. They smirked as they looked up, an evil sparkle in their eyes.

"Did you remember something?", Carmen stepped away nervously, "I don't like that face too much."

"Its the only face I have", Whumper looked at the door, "guards."

People in heavy armor poured in. The door was immediately blocked.

"I've decided that our friend Carmen here would be a perfect test subject. Please arrest them for me", Whumper walked over to Whumpee again.

"You can't do this", Carmen fought against the guards grabbing them, "I'm supposed to be a partner with you. That was the deal."

"I never agreed to anything", Whumper grinned, "everything that you thought would happen was your own fantasy. It was already planned that you would be my new test subject", Whumper knelt down and patted Whumpee's head.

Whumpee watched nervously.

"And what perfect timing. I know what you can help me with", Whumper watched the nurse carry in a plate of tator tots and a sandwich.

"Don't worry, I always take care of my test subjects. You'll get to eat soon too, but since we are already in here, let's get some stats. To the table with them guards", Whumper reached for the plate, "mm, these looks delicious Whumpee", they grabbed a tot and ate it, "I'll be in here for a while. I might have to ask for a plate myself."

Whumpee shyly nodded.

Whumper offered a tot to Whumpee, then set the plate down next to them.

Carmen screamed as the straps were tightened.

Whumper ruffled Whumpee's hair gingerly, "get some rest after you eat. Let me know if you don't feel good again. Okay."

Whumpee watched them stand before nodding.

"Such a good Whumpee. Don't worry about Carmen. As long as they follow my rules they will be just fine", Whumper grinned before looking at Carmen.

Carmen fearfully stared back. Their shirt had been torn open. Monitors were being stuck to them in various locations.

"Keep in mind", Whumper began, "I've learned that my test subjects are human. I respect their autonomy. The moment you prove to me that you can't act human. That will be taken away from you. Am I clear?"

Carmen turned worriedly and looked at Whumpee.

Whumpee didn't dare look up. They were on Whumper's good list and wanted it to stay that way.

"They won't help you", Whumper noticed, "you have to decide on your own on how you will act."

Carmen felt tears in their eyes.

"What are you going to do to me?"

Whumper grinned evilly.

Carmen squeezed their eyes shut to get away from that evil stare.

"Aww don't worry", Whumper rested their hand on Carmen's quivering shoulder, "just be happy I'm past my evil scientist faze. Whumpee had to endure all of that. You get the nice Doc. Just be good and everything should be alright."

Carmen whispered, "please don't hurt me. Wait, uhm, wh-whats for dinner? Th-that's what Whumpee asked earlier right?"

Whumper chuckled, "very good question. I think I heard pot roast and some variation of potatoes. I think it sounds delicious. Let's get the data we need from you so you can be in your cell and comfortable before dinner."

Carmen sobbed all though the data captures.

Their legs felt like jelly when they were stood up for pictures.

"Wh-what is all of this for?", Carmen felt lightheaded.

"Doctor wants a profile set up for you. It will have your picture. You will answer a questionnaire about things you like and personal info. It will be updated with stats... like the data we just got from you", a nurse started pulling a few of the stickers off.

Whumper walked in from taking Whumpee to their cell.

"Their cell is ready for them when you are all done", Whumper announced.

"They're done. Just the questionnaire which we get tomorrow", another nurse looked at Carmen, "we have everything we need from them."

"Perfect", Whumper rubbed their hands together, "I always enjoy getting new toys."

Carmen snapped their head to Whumper.

"Oh, is there something you would like to say?", Whumper smirked, "think before you speak is my suggestion."

"N-no", Carmen mumbled.

"I thought so", Whumper chuckled.

Carmen looked into each of the cells as they were led to their own.

"Where is Whumpee's?", they looked around when they were stopped.

"Oh they're a few halls away", Whumper turned, "I have a weird thing about having test subjects close together. I feel that escape attempts could be planned if we're not careful. I have plenty of cells to keep everyone separated. Though I would love to see all of these cells filled. Maybe one day. As for right now, I want my well behaved Whumpee to stay that way."

Carmen was released and pushed into the cell. The door slammed shut and locked.

"Please this joke has gone long enough. It was really funny... except for the bath... and bloodwork... I don't like needles", Carmen panicked and pressed their hands against the solid door of their cell, "you can let me out now."

"I'm not one for jokes. Dinner will be served in about an hour. Enjoy your room", Whumper and the guards promptly turned and walked away.

Carmen dropped to their knees, "no please", they yelled.

They slammed their fist against the door until it ached.

"Please....please", Carmen sobbed as they folded themself into a ball and cried.

"Pitiful", someone from the outside stated in annoyance. A small door was opened, and a tray was slid in.

Carmen looked at it nervously.

"Eat, I will be back in thirty to collect. Whatever you don't eat will be taken away. If you refuse to eat, the Doctor will happily put a feeding tube down your nose", they warned.

"I've been forced to be lab rat. How would you feel if that was your fate?", Carmen clenched their teeth.

"That was your fault. You trusted a scientist who so eagerly showed you their lab rat and a recent experiment. You weren't leaving here alive. You accepted the invitation. You can only blame yourself."

Carmen stared for several moments. Even after the person left.

The food caught their attention. It did look good.

"What have I done?", Carmen reached for tray. They looked all over for eating utensils.

A click came from somewhere in the room.

"There is a peace of curved cardboard on your tray. Use that to eat", a static voice came through.

Carmen looked again and found it. They held it up to show whoever was watching.

"Yep", the static voice agreed, "your food is already cut into pieces. You just need to spoon it into your mouth."

Carmen looked at the food again.

"Is this what I've been reduced to?", Carmen whispered as they gathered their first bite.

"At least the food is good", Carmen sighed, "listen to me", they rolled their eyes, "accepting this treatment because I was given good food."

"Just be happy you get to eat", Whumper's voice came over, "and stop complaining. I can make this worse for you."

Carmen sighed.