Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Poprockz]

Sayori had been eating a piece of chicken when she felt him start to squeeze her. She swallowed her chicken, the fear rising in her as his grip quickly became more intense. A wince of pain along with a little gasp came from her as his fingers dug into her torso punishingly. Her eyes had started to water as she looked up at him, opening her mouth to beg him to stop before she found her side being released. She sighed in relief and relaxed slightly, going back to eating with a shaky hand.

As he had squeezed her, Sabastian had sat up straight in his chair, hoping to god that he would stop before he hurt the poor woman. It had seemed like eternity before he had let her go, waiting just to the point of Sayori and Sabastian wanting to say something before he stopped. The man could be very scary when he wanted to be.

Sabastian simply stayed silent and listened to what the general wanted, not wanting to give him another reason to bruise the small woman.

"Kind of. I was only angry because he was angry with me, which was dumb because I don't even know why he was angry." Come to think about it, he really didn't know why Quint had been so angry with him, that being part of the reason he was pissed at that unexpected middle finger. He would have to ask about that later.

He paused and shrugged before continuing. "We don't really... talk. Most of the time, I have no control over which emotions are shared with him. If it's intense he'll feel it, good or bad, the link going both ways. You can usually only really get a general idea about what an emotion is associated with unless you're concentrating really hard. Like for example, Quint might have been repeating "fuck you!" in his head over and over to give me the general feeling that his anger was directed at me. When I got the feeling that he felt apologetic, I accepted his apology by feeling relieved and less angry at him."

 

[Drobabes]

Kuznet simply stared at him after he answered, his fingers roaming to the inside of Sayori's thigh before kneading her leg softly. So Quinton was angry at him, was he? Now why would that be, if they could only communicate with feelings? Still, Sabastian didn't seem very proficient in communication, and the General didn't feel like wasting his time with pointed questions, trying to draw it out of him. He would just have to ask Quinton himself.

"So tell me-how is my little Cora doing? Is she well? She seemed very...lively, at the concert."

His icy eyes roam down to Sayori as he speaks, and he brings his hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, giving the little lady her own soft smile as he does so before turning his attention back to Sabastian.

"That little street mutt that she was dancing with seemed to put quite the smile on her face. I can't help but wonder-is she simply entertaining him for protection? Or can she simply not keep her legs closed?"

His tone didn't change at all as he spoke, and his fingers on Sayori kept up their gentle caressing. The little lamb was such a good girl, following every order he had given her without question. He would have to use her to remind Cora of what she had forgotten.

 

[Poprockz]

Kuznet's hand on her inner thigh made her hyper-aware of it; it was simply too close to her mound for comfort. She had been diligently eating, so she was about halfway done by now. The movement of his head turning caught her attention so she looked up and met his eyes as he tucked her hair behind her ear. His soft smile seemed affectionate, but she imaged that through his eyes he was looking at a doll he was fond of playing with for the moment, or a pet like he had said. Her eyes looked away from his intense gaze when she couldn't bear it, the woman continuing to eat.

"She was having a lot of fun until someone tried to drug her, yeah. Otherwise, she's doing pretty well, last I saw her. She might be a bit pissed for a day or two though." Sabastian left it at that for his general question, not wanting to go too far down the rabbit hole with the general unless he asked about more. To say that she had almost died and then been assaulted by three men was not something that he probably wanted to tell Kuznet while Sayori remained in his arms.

"...is she simply entertaining him for protection? Or can she simply not keep her legs closed?"

It was at that moment that Sayori realized that based on Sabastian's response, Kuznet could very possibly bend her like the paintbrush he had almost crushed earlier. She would probably already have a bruise on her torso later, but he could very easily break her ribs. Her face paled a bit and her head slowly turned to look at Sabastian with an extremely anxious expression.

She hoped Sabastian would tell him what he wanted to hear, otherwise she was in trouble. Why wouldn't he though? Damien was a sick individual, there was no way it was any more than just a way of securing some of his resources. If not... then he was going to be extremely unhappy. She doubted that he would think of the eggs inside her when deciding whether to take out his frustrations on her.

Sabastian's eyes flicked over to the terrified look on her face and he started feeling apprehensive. Something about the question was causing Sayori to look at him as though praying for her own safety. Momentarily later, his eyes flicked back to Kuznet and he hesitated. He seemed awfully interested in Cora, more than a casual interest. Would he be better off lying or telling the truth? Although... maybe he could get away with a more objective view of the truth.

"She thinks she loves him, but it's only been a short amount of time since they met. And... I'm sure you're aware of his history; it could very well be Stockholm's." He was gambling here, hoping that Kuznet already knew about Damien. If he didn't... he was in deep shit. To explain that to the general would be uncomfortable for everyone.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint could feel something was wrong, though he didn't know what. All he knew was that his mind was very focused on Sayori and Cora. Was Kuznet asking about Cora? Was he threatening Sayori if Sabastian didn't come clean with whatever he asked?

He closed his eyes, and very softly, as again, he didn't want to distract him, he focused on a scene of Sabastian and Kuznet. Kuznet handed Sabastian a photo of a question mark, Sabastian takes it, looks at it, and then Sabastian lifts a photo from his own lap and hands it over to Kuznet. The photo was of another question mark.

Engage him, he likes to talk. Engage him, engage him Sabastian.
_________

"I'm sure you're aware of his history;..."

"Indeed I am. Tell me, Sabastian...what do you think? Do you think she loves him?"

The word 'love' came out of his mouth like an insult, as if it were dirty.

"Or do you think perhaps she simply misses me? Quinton was so careful to keep her in the dark all these years. Did you know she truly thought I was dead? As if I would ever leave her?"

His fingers moved down to her neck, stroking from one side to the other. Perhaps he should get the little lamb a present for her birthday.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian had a hard time concentrating between Quint and Kuznet, so he focused more on Kuznet. However, he still got the image of Sabastian sliding a question mark to the general, wondering if Quint had tuned in and was trying to give him a hand.

Still, Kuznet's questions threw him off-guard. He was telling Sabastian that Cora had presumed him dead just like Quint. In addition, he kept referring to her and Quint as "little Quinton" and things like that. It made him wonder if he was actually her legal guardian, though a guardian he couldn't be further from. If that was the case, then he was the monster from Cora's childhood, the one who had done horrible things to them both. He sure seemed to fit the bill, but he wondered if he could have the man explain a bit more.

"I think desperate people do desperate things. Do you love her?" It was a direct question, but one that might end up prompting the man to divulge a bit more about how he felt regarding his lovely hazel-eyed ward.

Sayori gulped as his fingers gracefully stroked the skin of her neck. No doubt that big hand could wrap around her neck so easily to squeeze the life out of her. She was now done eating, her container of food empty. Twisting her body slightly, she reached back and set the tray on the bed and then moved back, setting her hands in her lap. The woman was careful not to pull away from his hands, merely moving around him.

 

[Drobabes]

Kuznet paused in his absentminded stroking, staring down at Sabastian as if he had just said gibberish in some foreign tongue. Very slowly, he lifted Sayori up off his lap and sat her down where she had scooted her tray over to.

Never breaking eye contact with Sabastian, he reached forward between his legs, gripped the chair, and then yanked him forward so that he was only a few inches from touching his knees with his own.

"Do I 'love' her?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

"No, I do not. Not by your definition of the word, anyway. Love is a very silly, nonsensical emotion Sabastian. It really has no place in the human race, and yet, here we are."

His cold eyes bore into him, and with sudden speed, he reaches up and grabs Sabastian by the back of his head, his fingers gripping his hair with ease and squeezing him with much more force than was necessary.

"However, she is mine" he growled, yanking Sabastian up a few inches as his voice becomes dangerously low.

"Cora knows this, and yet, somehow, she thought it right that she would let anyone else touch her. Let anyone else put a smile on her lips, or hold her when she cries. She thought it was acceptable to let him touch her, to let you hug her..."
_________

Quint's hands went to the back of his head, suddenly feeling a sharp pain and he let out a little cry. Tears stung his eyes and his heart began to race.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit!"

With more will power than he felt, he forced his hands back down to his lap and closed his eyes.

Apologize, apologize, apologize!

 

[Poprockz]

When Kuznet gave Sabastian that look, Sayori braced herself, closing her eyes and shrinking a bit. Though, she was surprised to find that Kuznet was gentle with her, lifting her up and depositing her away. Once she was on the bed next to him, she felt relieved, hoping that this meant that he wasn't going to take out his anger on her. However, his next words made her look fearfully at Kuznet and Sabastian, the woman praying that Sabastian was going to be alright.

The little blonde flinched when Kuznet dragged his chair forward, pressing himself into the backrest as those glacial eyes seemed to want to pierce his soul. He felt like an avalanche was coming, his stomach dropping in fear.

"Ah!" Sabastian hissed as Kuznet got a really good grip on his hair. It stung like a bitch, his eyes watering from the way he yanked it up forcefully. His hands went to Kuznet's behind him, but he knew he wouldn't be able to dislodge his grip. In that regard, it was more like his hands were pleading for him to let go.

"She thought it was acceptable to let him touch her, to let you hug her..."

Jesus, this guy was fucking loony toons, thinking that he could own another human being. To be jealous of even a hug was extreme, and Sabastian couldn't help but think that maybe on some really fucked-up level he did love her. However, his more immediate problem was that the big guy was pissed as fuck and Sabastian didn't know what to do to talk him down.

Apologize.

In his panic, he didn't even recognize that it was Quint's supportive thought, he just rolled with it. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't know! I shouldn't have touched her! I won't ever again!" At least he could guarantee that last part, being that he never intended on ever crossing paths if he could help it.

 

[Drobabes]

For just one moment, one tense moment, the General looked at Sabastian with such unbridled rage that the little blond might have thought he was going to whip out his gun and shoot him right then and there. However, the grip in his hair suddenly loosened and the hand was removed, the General sitting back and then scooting Sabastian's chair back a bit. The look in his eyes was now gone, replaced with that same strange boredom again, like their little meeting had lost his interest.

"I accept your apology. After all, if she didn't even bother to mention my name, then you were surely none the wiser, yes?"

It didn't really seem to be a question, as his eyes strayed back over to Sayori as he stood, seemingly done with him. He reached down and wrapped his hand around her neck, not squeezing, but just placing his hand there. After just a brief second, he nodded in approval, and then...he just left. No goodbyes, no threats, just as if he were done with them.

 

[Poprockz]

Indeed, Sabastian thought to himself that this might actually be the way he died. Why was it then that the person who came to mind was Vin? Thinking to himself that he hoped to God Vin was going to be okay in life. He wished he could have seen him one last time, though he knew that each last time would never be enough.

Much to his surprise though, the general let him go and scooted Sabastian's chair back. The little blonde panted, reaching back to rub his head as his eyes were wide at the shock of that encounter. The general was so intense, he imagined that had he not apologized, he may have actually killed him. All that for hugging Cora, despite the fact that Kuznet knew about his sexuality and the fact that he had zero sexual or romantic interest whatsoever.

"Y-yeah." He cleared his throat, "That's right." It was a dazed reply as the general stood up.

She looked up at him as he reached out, wondering if he simply wanted to stroke her face again. When his hand went around her neck, she tensed. It didn't seem like he was doing anything though, simply resting his hand there. Her expression changed to one of confusion as he turned and walked out, the woman wondering why he was feeling her neck like that.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint had been holding his breath, simply waiting for something to happen, and when at last it felt as if the tension had dissipated, he let it out. His body was shaking slightly with fear, not because of the pain he had felt through the link, as that was something he was familiar with and used to, but because he hadn't known if Kuznet was going to hurt one of them, or both. Unlike himself, they didn't have any amount of protection. Kuznet had no reason to keep them alive, nor no reason not to do some serious injury to them.

He gave it a few moments, letting all of them all catch their breath, and then he tentatively tried to 'knock'. Now that the danger had passed, he wanted to know if they were ok.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian had been staring at the door when he felt the little knock at the back of his mind. He continued to catch his breath and stare, though now he was focused more on Quint. It seemed like the man wanted to know how it went. He didn't have words for a moment, simply stunned that he was still alive right now. Eventually though he swallowed and sent him an image of a shaky thumbs up, though he didn't raise his hand to do so.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down a bit more and concentrate on the memory of him talking to Kuznet about their link. He remembered watching Kuznet squeeze Sayori, then ask about himself and Quint.

"Kind of. I was only angry because he was angry with me, which was dumb because I don't even know why he was angry... We don't really... talk. Most of the time, I have no control over which emotions are shared with him. If it's intense he'll feel it, good or bad, the link going both ways. You can usually only really get a general idea about what an emotion is associated with unless you're concentrating really hard. Like for example, Quint might have been repeating "fuck you!" in his head over and over to give me the general feeling that his anger was directed at me. When I got the feeling that he felt apologetic, I accepted his apology by feeling relieved and less angry at him."

He then imagined the bored look on Kuznet's face afterward as he had stared at him and changed the subject, seemingly losing interest.

Sayori looked up at Sabastian, the man seeming to have calmed down. She wanted him to hug her, but she was hesitant at this point. The general had said that Cora was his, just as he had also told Sayori she was his. While she knew that Cora would always be most important to him, she wondered if he didn't have enough of that jealous rage to go around. Now that Sabastian had been warned, she wanted to keep them as physically separate as possible. No wonder Cora had been so lonely... She hadn't been able to get close to anyone for fear of unleashing Kuznet upon them.

Her gaze drifted to the cell across from her own, the woman and son who had tried to get her attention. They were the ones he had killed earlier without pause. She felt her cheeks become wet, reaching up to find tears running down her face. Those people hadn't deserved to be dragged down here only to be shot. None of them deserved to be there.

Looking up at a sniffle, Sabastian's heart wrenched a little bit as he saw her cry, the little woman moving the tray off the bed and onto the floor with the two extra containers, then get in her shabby mattress with the threadbare blanket and lumpy pillow. He wished there was something he could do for her, but it seemed as though anything he could think of would cause more trouble for her than it was worth.

 

[Drobabes]

He got most of the message, although the bored look on Ray's face worried him. If he hadn't bothered to question Sabastian further than he was likely suspicious. Still, they had their story straight so that would help immensely when it was his own turn.

For a moment, he let himself breath as well. He could feel how scared Sabastian was, likely never having gone through something like this. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus his feelings.

He imagined a big warm blanket, wrapping around his back, and someone sitting very close to him. It was what they used to do for each other-Cora and himself, when Kuznet would let them be together again. They would wrap each other up in something comforting and then they would simply share in the closeness of not being alone.

The next thing he knew, Quint got a very brief, but very clear picture, of Sayori crying. His chest ached with pain, and he wasn't sure if it was his, the blonds, or perhaps both of theirs. In any case, he just wanted to stop her crying.

He sat them down at the table again, Sayori across from Sabastian, and he slid Sabastian a few pictures. He then gestured for him to show it Sayori.

The pictures were of a toilet paper roll, applecider, and a very tall anime man with a blond mohawk and a red coat. He hesitated on sliding another picture forward, but decided to do it anyway, and that one was of a white vibrator.

"You better not judge man, I practically felt you having sex" he mumbled to himself, then laughed again at the memory of it.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian felt a warm feeling envelope him, and for a moment it almost felt like he and Quint were side-by-side. It was the toasty feeling of a comforting blanket and the companionship of someone who knew what he was going through. That helped him more than he could have imagined. He was grateful for Quint being there for him. It was funny, both Cora and Quint had both done everything they could to pick him up when he was down, both of them exceedingly compassionate people.

There was another message coming through though, so he opened himself up to it, then seeing the table with the pictures. Toilet paper. Apple Cider. Vash the Stampede? And... a white vibrator. That last one was a bit questionable, the blonde wondering what he could possibly have talked to Sayori about that involved one. Although... come to think of it, Cora had told him that his own tentacles felt like dildos, and Sayori said that Quint's tentacles were white. While he highly doubt Quint fucked her with his tentacles, he imagined they might have joked about them.

He couldn't pass up the chance to send Quint an image of Quint with all four of his white tentacles out, each one of them a vibrator at the very end. Sabastian also sent an image of himself just like that, but with four different-shaped purple dildos at the end. After that bit of fun, he sighed and decided to actually address his own concerns.

He understood that Quint was trying to help, but if he talked to her about things that only she and Quint knew, then Kuznet would likely pick up their trail. The cameras were watching and listening, so if he said even one of those things out loud, the general would know he was lying. Concentrating, he imagined himself sliding the pictures over to Sayori, then Kuznet watching with a camera in his hand. He then imagined Kuznet marching up and grabbing the photos and throwing them in his face with steam coming out of his ears.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint actually laughed out loud at the image of the ends of his tentacles being vibrators, along with Sabastian's own dildo tentacles. It was fucking hilarious, and he thought to himself that this whole telepathy thing was pretty goddamn fun. The next images he got, however, made him open his eyes in shock, and then he literally face-palmed so hard he hurt himself. He deserved it though, and as a blush of shame and stupidity lit up his face, he couldn't help but think how dangerous that could have been if Sabastian had simply done as he asked without even thinking about it. Well, that was definitely going in the little book of 'Don't Tell Cora', as he surely would get the talk about not thinking before he acted.

With a long sigh, he slowly let his hand down and looked around the room. He just didn't want her to feel so alone, even though he knew Kuznet would likely punish her now if she sought out any comfort from Sabastian.

Letting his eyes close again, he tried to imagine Sabastian in a clown outfit, blowing up a balloon and handing it to Sayori. He then let a questioning feeling take over his thoughts, adding in a few words for good measure.

Can you make her laugh?

 

[Poprockz]

He was glad Quint found his images to be funny, feeling the way Quint seemed to swell with mirth for a moment. The link between them was pretty fun, he had to admit as well, thinking to himself that it would be interesting to have someone who he could literally think a joke to. He got the shame and embarrassment from Quint loud and clear the next moment, knowing he probably felt dumb for his suggestion.

Can you make her laugh?

He got the feeling Quint wanted him to find a way to cheer her up through humor based on the image and feeling he got, so he looked up at her. "Hey... Sayori."

She turned over in the bed so that she was facing him, the covers tucked under her chin as her brown eyes fixed upon him. "Yes?"

"Do you want to know... what a pirate's favorite letter is?"

The little woman blinked at him and replied, "um, is it R?"

Sabastian let out a little chuckle and rubbed his chin, "you would think so, but his first love is the C."

She stared at him for a second before letting out a little, "pfft" and giggling. The little lady sniffled and smiled at him. "That was a dumb joke, but I really liked it."

He smiled at her from his chair. "You know, when I was out and about, I had to hide my eye since I only have one purple eye. Because of that, I had to wear this eyepatch on my eye, and wouldn't you know it was in the shape of a heart. I looked like a pirate-themed candy gram, and everywhere I went, I kept thinking to myself how embarrassing it was that I looked like a slutty little pirate."

Sayori giggled a little more at the image, wiping away some of her tears. "Were you at least a good slutty pirate?"

"No." Sabastian gave her his best deadpan face, "I would see men everywhere."

Once again she blinked before putting her hand over her mouth and giggling some more, "wow, that was a pretty lewd joke there."

"I know. It was the cheapest joke in the book, but I had to get it because it was on sail."

"Sabastian! Don't make me take away your joke license for crimes against humor!" She smiled at him, some of the brightness in her smile restored.

 

[Drobabes]

There it was, that sweet, musical laugh. He was glad the little blond had managed to get it, and he felt really grateful to him.

You laugh Quinton. And you cry. And you know what else you do? You make me smile and laugh too. I love you, Quinton Bluefield. Don't you ever forget that.

Tears started falling down his face, and, closing his eyes, he picked up his pillow and laid down. He turned around and faced the wall, not caring for the moment that Kuznet was likely on his way down with food and his own interrogation plans. He almost didn't even care if he found him in such a weak position. Maybe if he saw him suffering it would make him happy and he might go easier on his punishment.

 

[Poprockz]

"I'm going to take a nap, mister. Don't do any pun crimes while I'm asleep okay." She chuckled to herself and then turned over once more, a smile on her face as she rested.

Sabastian got up and walked over to his side of the room, laying in the bed and putting his hands behind his back. All of a sudden, he got the image of a blonde woman, getting the feeling that she was extremely important.

You laugh Quinton. And you cry. And you know what else you do? You make me smile and laugh too. I love you, Quinton Bluefield. Don't you ever forget that.

It felt like a memory that had slipped through, one that was so strong and dear to Quint that Sabastian could hear it very clearly. He could feel tears streaming down his own cheeks as he felt Quint's sorrow and pain. It felt like grief, mourning for a lost loved one. He wondered whether it was the woman in the picture Cora had shown him.

He concentrated and gave Quint the image of Cora showing him that photo, accompanying the image with a question mark. The little man couldn't remember her name, nor what she meant to Quint, but he wanted to know more, or at least be there if Quint needed a friend.

 

[Drobabes]

The picture of them all together, smiling, was almost too much for him to take and he sobbed hard, squeezing the pillow to his chest tightly. Sarah hadn't just been his wife, she had been their friend and their saviour. Not just from what had been done to them, but what they had tried to do to themselves once it was all over.

Still crying hard, he tried his best to focus and answer him. He didn't want to dive into the more painful memories-the ones of Sarah comforting them both over a bottle of booze and some sappy music as they all sat together on her huge bed, although he couldn't exactly stop it from coming up either. However, he tried to remember something a little nicer. A little sweeter.

Quint thought of hiking, of him, Cora, and Sarah stepping over a little rope with a 'closed' sign, and then taking a path that was completely abandoned. Warm air blew across his skin, and he could so clearly see the way she looked back over her shoulder and smiled at them both, blazing the trail ahead. The picture then shifted, Cora standing with her feet in the water of some private beach, and Sarah, sitting on a large driftwood log. Her eyes were clear, almost grey but with hints of green, and her hair cascaded over her shoulders and practically glowed gold under the sun.

He walked up to her, his heart beating so fast he couldn't breathe...and then he bent down on one knee and showed her the seashell ring he had made, it's alabaster contrasting with her own sun-kissed hand as she let him slip it on her finger.

 

[Poprockz]

Now Sabastian was crying. Quint was sharing with him such a painful feeling in his heart that he almost felt like it was too cruel for a person to have to bear. It reminded him of having to leave Vin behind.

Apparently this beautiful woman was his lover, his friend, his everything. Of course his sister would always be closest to him, but it felt like this woman had gotten closer than Cora ever could in some ways. He loved her so deeply with such feelings of gratitude, contentment, and desire. She was the sun to him, blazing through his sky and warming his heart, filling his life with light and hope. She was his wife.

He felt like the emotions were hitting him like a train, the little man now sobbing along with Quint. She was gone, lost to him in anyplace other than his memories. He had loved her so much, a familiar feeling to Sabastian that he hadn’t known he would feel somewhat familiar with. Sabastian could completely understand why Quint would be so sad from these memories.

I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... She was so radiant.

 

[Drobabes]

Thank you...

He didn't know what else he could say. Sarah was gone now. The only other person in his life who could have helped him get through all this, possibly the only one. If it weren't for the fact that he wanted so desperately to keep Cory safe, he probably would have checked out weeks ago.

"Get up Quinton."

He flinched, and then he clenched his jaw. That fucker was always so quiet...

"Can't you leave me the fuck alone for one day? Fran already drew enough blood to give someone a transfusion."

It was just the two of them in this room, and while he knew Ray would never accept no for an answer, he was at least a bit less militaristic when Quint wasn't bringing shame to him when they were amongst his peers.

"Get up, or I will make you get up."

Block me, block me, block me out.

Quint did as he was told, wiping his eyes as he sat up, and then rolled out of bed. Kuznet simply waited for him to come sit down at the table, and then he handed him a handkerchief to blow his nose, giving him a few more moments to calm down. It had nothing to do with sympathy and everything to do with wanting his little toy to speak clearly.

"What did you communicate to the little blond to make him angry?"

"I didn't 'communicate'. Not with words, at least."

He wiped his nose again and then folded the cloth carefully before sitting it down on top of the neat pile of dirty laundry.

"I could feel a kind of tingling, like I do with the other zombies, except I could feel that it was different, like something conscious. I took a guess that it was that man from the photo, so I got curious. I tried really hard to see if I could get a message through, but it wouldn't go through how I wanted, and I got frustrated."

His eyes were stinging now from crying so hard, but that was fine. It was an excuse to blink a little more often and not have to focus so hard on his gaze.

"And that made him angry?"

He could tell Kuznet wasn't buying it, so he knew he would have to mix a little truth in there.

"No, though that might have been part of it. I don't know man, it's weird, like our emotions are getting mixed up. What I feel, he seems to feel, and vice versa. I think it was when I started thinking about Cory and that fucker that's with her, doing god knows what to her. I think he felt my anger and thought I was directing it at him or something."

Kuznet stared at him, that same intense gaze, but Quint wasn't effected in the same way. He all but ignores it, reaching up to wipe his eyes again.

"What made you cry, little Quinton?"

"What the fuck do you think?" he growled, looking up to meet those icy eyes.

"Whatever you did to him up there, I can feel it."

Kuznet smiled then, crossing his hands in his lap and looking down at the food he had sat on the table.

Yea that's right you twisted fuck. Go ahead and think you hurt me.

 

[Poprockz]

Block me out.

That was what Quint was telling him, but how the hell did one block the other person out? He knew Quint had basically ignored him for a while, but it wasn't as though the link was shut off entirely. Still, he would try to shut the man out as he had requested, Sabastian wondering if Kuznet had shown up to interrogate Quint on the other end.

He tried to think of something other than Quint, at least trying to ignore the link for now. Plants. Yes, he would think about the garden at Damien's old house. It was a shame he wasn't there to tend it; the weeds had probably taken over the place. He remembered how beautiful the sunflowers had looked, remembering himself going to them when they were ready and plucking out the sunflower seeds. He had been allowed to do whatever he wanted with them, so usually he made roasted sunflower seeds or some kind of bread with them.

The blonde was so curious about what was going on on Quint's side, but he continued to think about how he would tend the garden if he was back at the mansion that day.

 

[Drobabes]

"You have become quite the brat since you've been out of my care. You need structure, and rules Quinton."

The half zombie didn't say anything to that, but simply crossed his arms and waited for him to make his point. Of course, he knew Kuznet was insinuating more by the brat comment. For the past ten years, Quint had been chasing his ass down, always only ever one step behind. He was sure that much of this was not just about him being a 'brat', but trying to get revenge for him being so clever that he could have kept up with him all these years. That he almost killed him.

"Eat."

"Why? So you can drug me again? Funny how you have to resort to that now that I'm stronger than you."

He knew the second that the sentence left his mouth that it was the wrong thing to say. Hell, he had known that before he even said it. Quint knew what he was digging himself into, but he was willing to take it if it meant getting it over and done with faster.

Those icy blue eyes rose with the mountain of muscle, and Quint knocked his chair over by accident as he tried to get up and back away, Kuznet advancing on him much faster than he could have expected. Faster than he ever expected.

Before he could blink, the General had gripped the front of his shirt and picked him up a good two or three feet off the ground, backing him up and slamming him into a wall. Quint then felt a needle prick his leg, no doubt the drugs that would keep him compliant, although it wouldn't have been necessary. Despite years of therapy and self defense courses, the pain and trauma of an abuser could not simply be erased.

The mind was a powerful thing. It had to ability to accomplish feats beyond what one might think was possible...but it also had the ability to leave one weak, paralyzed with fear, even when one might have had the physical upper hand. As Kuznet let his shirt go so that Quint could drop down into his waiting hand, and those huge fingers wrapped tightly around his neck, he couldn't have fought back even if he had all his strength.

His hands fly to his throat, the Generals grip already tightening enough to block his airway, and his legs and feet scrabble against the wall behind him. He shuts his eyes tight, the only feeling worse than being choked being that of watching the satisfaction in those demented eyes as he struggled before him. Quint knew he wasn't going to let go, not until he submitted, but his panic was simply too great to think to do so. After another almost full minute of struggling, Kuznet finally loosened his grip just enough for him to breath the smallest amount of oxygen, and with that relief, Quint was finally able to force his arm down, and lay one hand on Kuznet's arm, silently begging him to stop.

He was rewarded for his apology by being dropped onto the floor, his head smacking against the concrete as he did, and he couldn't help but cry out with pain between his coughing and wheezing.

"Take it off, Quinton."

Still coughing a bit, he did as he was told, his hands reaching forward shakily and unbuckling the man's pants before pulling the belt all the way out from it's loop. He didn't dare to look up as he folded the belt and then lifted it up to him, like some kind demented offering. Taking it, Kuznet then grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him up off the ground before turning him and shoving him into the wall. He then reached out and yanked Quint's pants down, making the man flinch from the burn of the tight fabric as it scraped his skin before dropping to the floor.

"Spread your legs."

His body was quivering and shaking now, and he was crying again, but he forced himself to step out of the pants and take a wide stance.

What happened next was too painful for him to try and have any coherent thought through, and the only thing he could really hear in his mind was Ray telling him to put his appendages away, and his own mantra that kept repeating itself over and over in the back of his thoughts.

He's only hurting your body, he's not hurting you. He's only hurting your body, he's not hurting you. He's only hurting your body, he's not hurting you...

 

[Poprockz]

He was just thinking about that damn cat that always got into the garden to chew on shit. Damn that stupid furry menace. He suspected that cat was now having his way with most of the plants in the garden. It was one of the reasons Sabastian had tried his damndest not to plant anything poisonous to cats. He wondered how he was doing, Monty. Monty the cat. Perhaps he now was the master of the mansion, going wherever he pleased, scratching all of the furniture out of spite alone.

He suddenly felt a spike of fear and panic, breaking past his self-imposed barrier between them. Sabastian's face scrunched up in concern, having to concentrate on breathing deep breaths to fight the feelings threatening to overtake him. It felt like Quint was struggling, panicked, and helpless. What the fuck was that big blonde asshole doing to him? God, his throat was starting to ache.

The next thing he knew, a pain shot through his head and he had to cover his mouth in order to stifle a gasp, his eyes watering. And then... It was like a pain he had never felt before, though was somewhat familiar. Holy shit, it was so painful, the feeling of Quint's mind going hazy with white static. All he could hear was the same phrase over and over again like a broadcast on repeat. Sabastian curled up in his bed, putting part of the pillow in his mouth to bite down on. He felt like Quint was literally breaking, and he wished there was something he could do to help.

Sabastian had a high pain tolerance, being pretty masochistic himself, so what he was feeling wasn't pushing him to his limits quite yet. However, he imagined that Quint was doing his best to block the pain if he could. Maybe he could take some of Quint's pain, spread it between them to help him get through it. The little man concentrated hard, not addressing Quint directly, but focusing more on their connection. He imagined reaching out and pulling the feeling of pain toward him.

It felt like a switch had been flipped, the little man finding himself writhing in the bed, clamping down on the pillow as his eyes streamed. That was some intense pain, holy shit. Even his toes curled from the overwhelming feeling of it. He had to focus on getting through it, doing his best to breath evenly. It would pass eventually. Everything was temporary, and he didn't mind bearing with it if it meant that he could help Quint. The man was a special person to Cora, but even though they had only met earlier that day, he counted Quint as a friend.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint was too lost to the haze to understand what was happening, trying his best to push himself off the cliff into that numbing fog where his mind would just break for a while, and an unconscious part of himself would simply take over. The only thing he made himself stay aware of was staying on his feet, knowing that if he cracked and fell, the punishment would only be that much worse.

This was nothing like a BDSM relationship. Quint wasn't allowed to scream, to put voice to his pain or release the tension. He wasn't allowed a reprieve, or where in the case of a good Dom who knew what they were doing, might allow him to fall to his knees for a moment and simply cry, giving him a bit of room to recover before continuing, or hell, even just handcuff him so that he had something to hold his body up for him so that he could rest. No, Quint received none of these small mercies, and Kuznet had no room in his cavity where a heart should have been to allow him to be anything less than perfect.

A particularly hard hit from the belt came up right between his legs, and for just a brief second, he almost let his knees buckle. Instead of letting them, though, he locked them in place and then leaned forward to puke, only a bit of bile spilling out onto the ground.

Some small part of his conscious felt the buzz of the link, like a little itch at the back of his head, and before Kuznet had time to swing again, Quint tried to push Sabastian out. Despite what the blond was trying to do for him, he didn't want him to feel this. He didn't want him to suffer with him.

Another blow, and then he heard the belt drop to the floor. Not a second later, he heard the very distinct sound of a pocket knife clicking open.

No no no, get out get out get out-

Quint puked again, the small blade having suddenly dug deep into his side, somewhere near his kidney. Or perhaps, in it.

"What's the matter Quinton?"

His hot breath tickled his ear, and finally, Quint cried.

"You don't seem to care about your body enough not to mutilate yourself, so why..."

The knife twisted, and he screamed.

"...is this any different, hmm?"

 

[Poprockz]

Through the pain, he could feel Quinton turn his attention to Sabastian for a moment, his mind seeming to give him a panicked message to get out. Unfortunately, Sabastian could not shut out Quint's pain. Even if he were to try to undo the amount of pain he had insisted on taking from him, he would still be privy to most of the pain doled out. Whether Quint liked it or not, Sabastian was his partner in pain. If Quint didn't already understand that now, he was going to try to explain.

Chicken, rice, and green beans. His meal was lost as he leaned over the edge of the bed and vomited. He didn't trust himself not to vomit again, so he simply hung there as the pain stabbed into his body. What a sadistic bastard Kuznet was, doing things so awful to Quint that Sabastian literally felt like he might pass out. He thought he had a high pain tolerance, but he suspected that Quint was truly someone who knew pain.

He felt so dizzy and awful. Sabastian tried to concentrate enough to say: No going back.

However, he also was able to send an image of Sayori sleeping. She didn't know what was happening to either of them, so at least Quint could feel safe in that fact.