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sleepyiswhumping · 18 days ago

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OUGHHH this is so sweet aughhh little lost puppy man :(

✧･ﾟ Ripe, About to Fall - Part 15 ✧･ﾟ

This is an 18+ slowish burn pet-whump story with added romance.

Title from 'Liquid Smooth' by Mitski

Series

First | Previous

Chapter Summary: Ventis continues to torture Onthyes, and being free is a little more complicated than we may have hoped.

Chapter Content: Seduction attempts, flirting, conditioned whumpee, branding mentions, drugs, food mentions

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“If I had known that this was all it would take to get you to take my clothes off, I would have gotten myself stabbed sooner.”

Onthyes sighed, thankful that he was safely behind Ventis’s back where the genasi couldn't see him blushing. “Ventis, please…”

Just last night, Ventis had offered himself to Onthyes. It hadn’t been easy to turn down. Onthyes wanted him more than he’d like to admit, but he knew better. He knew that Ventis was in a delicate place, that he was still addicted to nightspill and still heavily conditioned by Athos and probably didn’t even understand the gravity of what he was asking for. By giving in to Ventis’s offer, Onthyes would be doing him a disservice.

Onthyes had told him to wait, that they could maybe try something once he’s sober. Ventis had seemed amenable to that.

That hadn’t stopped him from continuing to flirt.

At first, Onthyes had thought it was all innocent. Ventis would cuddle close to him, running a hand down his chest, pressing his lips to his neck under the guise of sleep, and Onthyes would brush it off and fantasize about setting himself on fire. Maybe Ventis didn’t mean it. He should be allowed to sleep comfortably without Onthyes complaining that his very presence was too much of a temptation.

Onthyes had moved him gently, turning him onto his other side to face away from him, and Ventis’s immediate response had been to press his hips back against Onthyes’s. Onthyes had jerked back with a gasp, heart pounding, face hot, and was rewarded by sleepy, impish chuckling from Ventis. That little shit.

All that being said, Onthyes hadn’t slept much.

Then, of course, there had been this morning, when Ventis has woken before the break of dawn, cringing and gasping for air and rolling over to cling to Onthyes. Onthyes had still been awake, just on the edge of drifting off, but that movement from Ventis had brought him back to awareness just enough to hear his soft, desperate whispers of “Please, pleeeease I need it, sir. I’ll be good, I promise, just please give it to me.”

It had taken his fried brain a few shocked seconds to realize he was probably talking about nightspill, that the drug had worn off and he didn’t know how else to get another hit. Onthyes had fumbled for it, clumsily filling the syringe and pressing it into Ventis arm while he trembled with relief. Ventis had fallen asleep again quickly after that, but Onthyes found himself unable to follow him.

Onthyes finished removing Ventis’s shirt, discarding it nearby on the bed. He moved over to sit next to him, noting that there was only a small spot of blood on the bandages that covered the stab wound.

“Just… I told you already that we can’t do anything until after you’re sober, so I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop flirting with me so much.”

“Sorry, hero,” Ventis mumbled, but Onthyes could hear the smirk hidden in his voice.

Ventis knew what he was doing, but Onthyes resolved to resist his advances. He had to prove that he was better than Athos, that he had rescued Ventis because he saw him as more than an object of desire, even if Ventis himself seemed to want Onthyes to see him that way.

Onthyes unwrapped the bandages carefully, setting them aside as he examined the wound. It was healing well, thanks to the potions Shayah had provided.

“Looks good,” Onthyes muttered, cleaning it with deft hands before he picked up the roll of fresh bandages. “You’ll be better in no time.’

Ventis hummed, holding his arms up as Onthyes began to wrap the bandages around his midsection.

Onthyes made it about halfway through his task before his eyes snagged on Ventis’s lower back. He stared at it, dread creeping up the back of his neck as he wracked his brain, trying to remember if it had always been there.

In his time working for Athos, Onthyes had seen Ventis in various states of undress. The outfits he wore on a day-to-day basis were fairly revealing, not to mention the handful of times Onthyes had seen him completely naked, so he considered himself to know the genasi’s body fairly well.

He couldn’t remember ever seeing this brand, though.

It was in the clear shape of Athos’s personal crest, seared harshly into pale blue skin, just off to the left side of his spine. It seemed to be relatively fresh, probably a month old, if he were to guess. He’d seen the same mark before - burned into shipping crates, inked into the inner cover of books, marking Athos’s things.

Onthyes’s fingertips landed on the brand before he could stop himself, tracing over the ridges it had formed on Ventis’s otherwise smooth blue skin. He felt Ventis tense up under the touch, his shoulders squaring momentarily before he seemed to force himself to relax.

“When did this happen?” Onthyes asked. He tried to sound casual, but there was an edge to his voice that betrayed his fear, his anger.

It was an unnecessary question. He could guess the answer. But he really didn’t want to be right.

“The same night we tried to escape the first time,” Ventis said, his voice quiet.

Onthyes pulled his hand away quickly, clenching his fists as Ventis’s answer hit him like a punch to the gut. “I… I’m so sorry,” he choked out.

“Please, do not blame yourself.”

How could he not? Ventis had been branded like livestock because Onthyes had failed to protect him. That mark would take years to fade, if it ever did. Ventis had been so hesitant about trying to escape at first. Onthyes had been the one to convince him, feeding him false promises that everything would be okay, that he would keep him safe. But he’d failed.

“I mean it, Onthyes,” Ventis pressed. “It… it was just something that happened.”

“To you,” Onthyes said through gritted teeth. “Something that happened to you, because I couldn’t protect you even though I promised-”

“Please.” Onthyes halted at the desperation in Ventis’s voice. “I’m fine. Just… don’t, okay?”

Onthyes forced himself to take a deep breath. He wasn’t helping Ventis by sitting here beating himself up. Ventis clearly didn’t want to talk about it, and he had to respect that. “Okay. Sorry.”

They sat in silence while Onthyes finished with the bandages. The smell of food wafted into the bedroom, and through the closed door they could hear Theodore and Shayah chatting in hushed voices.

“You should eat. Do you feel well enough to get up, or should I bring you something?”

Ventis stood, stumbling a little. Onthyes quickly reached out to steady him, keeping a gentle hand on his elbow to guide him into the kitchen.

As they moved down the narrow hallway, Onthyes took the time to collect himself, focusing on clearing his head of the guilt and regret that have been festering ever since he failed at rescuing Ventis the first time. He had been hurt because of Onthyes’s carelessness, but there was nothing that could be done now and continuing to brood on it was no help to Ventis, who still needed him even now that he was free.

The smell of freshly baked bread and spiced tea hung in the air, bringing a slight smile to Onthyes’s face as they entered. It had been a long time since he had stayed with Shayah, and her cooking was truely something to be missed.

Theodore and Shayah paused their conversation as Onthyes and Ventis entered, their gazes flicking towards the pair. Onthyes felt Ventis hesitate, his shoulders pulling back slightly as though bracing for impact. He leaned just a little into Onthyes’s guiding hand, a tiny tell of how fragile his composure really was.

“You’re still here,” Ventis said, his voice quiet but sharp enough to cut through the momentary silence.

Theodore stiffened slightly, his jaw tightening before he masked his expression with indifference. “Where else would I be?”

Ventis sniffed, sitting down gracefully in the chair Onthyes pulled out for him. “I expected you to have gone crawling back to Father by now, since you have apparently absolved yourself of your guilt by bringing me to safety.”

Onthyes had no clue what guilt Ventis might have been referring to, but it clearly struck a nerve for Theodore. He averted his eyes, his fist clenching under the table. “Maybe I am waiting for you to properly thank me.”

Ventis raised an eyebrow. He opened his mouth to retort-

“Besides,” Shayah cut in, an attempt to break the bubbling tension between the brothers. “you’re not quite out of danger yet. Athos has got guards tearing this city apart looking for you.”

Ventis flinched, his face going pale. He glanced down as Onthyes placed a plate of food in front of him, but he didn’t move to eat it.

“We should leave the city,” Onthyes said, retrieving his own food and sitting down in the remaining unoccupied chair. “Get as far away from here as possible.”

Shayah shrugged, biting off a chunk of bread before speaking with her mouth full. “Easier said than done. I checked around while you two were still snoozing. He’s got guards checking out everyone going through the gates. Might be better for us to lay low here. Though, it’s probably only a matter of time before someone comes asking me if I’ve seen you, since we’re such great friends and all.”

They continued chatting as they ate, but Ventis was noticeably silent. He was still too, never moving to touch his food, his eyes fixed on the surface of the table and his posture stiff. His only signs of life came when he would nod after someone made a point, or smile politely at a joke Shayah made.

“Not hungry, Ventis?” Shayah asked as they encountered a lull in the conversation.

Ventis jumped a little, his eyes finally meeting her face. “No, I am hungry.”

Onthyes frowned, glancing down at Ventis’s still full plate. Everyone else had finished eating by now, yet he hadn't even started.

“Why don’t you eat, then?” Onthyes asked gently.

“I…” Ventis’s brow furrowed. “I am not sure.”

Onthyes thought back to the meals he had observed during his time working in Athos’s manor. Ventis didn’t eat at the table often. Instead, he tended to hover nearby with a pitcher of wine, acting as something nice to look at while Athos entertained his guests. He usually only got to eat when Athos offered him a bite or, on rare occasions, invited him to sit and eat.

“Do you…” Onthyes stared down at his glass of water, considering whether or not this was a question he really wanted to ask. “Do you need permission?”

Ventis hesitated, then shook his head. “I used to. I suppose that does not matter anymore, though.”

Onthyes waited for a moment, watching expectantly as Ventis stared down at his plate. His hand twitched, but he didn’t reach for his fork. A wrinkle formed between his brows.

“I do not understand,” he whispered, looking to Onthyes with wide eyes. “I can’t do it.”

Onthyes rushed to reassure him. He’d expected this kind of thing - Ventis having trouble breaking his conditioning. “It’s okay. You’re safe here. Just keep trying. I promise no one is going to hurt you.”

A few minutes passed this time, still with Ventis making no move to eat and growing more and more visibly frustrated.

Finally, “Eat, Ventis. We don’t have all day.”

“Theodore-”

But it worked, Ventis sighing with relief as he finally reached for his fork and took a bite. The food was cold by now, but he still smiled at the taste, following the first bite with another.

Onthyes sighed, glancing over at Theodore. “That’s not how I wanted to do this,” he said softly.

Theodore shrugged. “I was tired of starving him.”

Thes rest of the day went similarly. Ventis became Onthyes’s shadow, always following him, never acting independently. He didn’t eat uninvited, didn’t even sit unless he was told where, didn’t ask to take a nap until Onthyes caught his eyelids drooping and asked him to go lay down for a while. He just had no sense of authority over himself, and it worried Onthyes deeply.

It was an uncomfortable position for Onthyes, having this level of control over Ventis. Between giving him his nightspill this morning and being the one telling him what to do all day, he felt far too much like Ventis saw him as just another Athos. The very thought was sickening.

But to be fair, this was only Ventis’s second day as a free man, and he was barely even that, considering the fact that he couldn’t leave this house - couldn’t even wander too close to a window out of fear of being seen. Onthyes would have to hold out hope that he could get better, that time and patience would be enough to help him get his life back

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We are now firmly in the revocery arc! 90% chance next chapter will be the beginning of nightspill withdrawals bc I'm really looking forward to writing that. Sorry for the long break shit got really crazy for a second there <3

@scp-1296 @sapphicccici @acer-whumpstuff @morning-star-whump @yeetmyskeet

@sleepyiswhumping @bitchaknso @unicornbeck @wounds-seen-and-unseen @3-2-whump

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#whump #whump community #whump writing #whumpblr #whump tropes #whump scenario #whump ideas #nonhuman whumpee #whumpee #oc whump #aughhhh kabie #you’ve done it again #i love thissss

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