In a few chapter the ratings are going to go up. Thank you to all the people who have shown interest in this story so far!
Shiro screams himself raw. Jerking and spasming like a demented puppet for the monster wearing Keith's face. Hours pass, the ropes dig bloody spots into his flesh, and his torturer watches on without empathy.
The prod deactivates. Shiro slumps into his ropes. Their abrasive surface digging into his injured flesh. The pain is nothing. Not when tremors wrack his body with remember shocks, and no amount of quickly drawn breath feels enough. He's going to die like this. Crying out at the end of the prod without ever knowing who's taken him or why.
A cruel hand wraps around his face, digging sharp nails into his cheek as it shoves his head back. He's not struggling. He hasn't since waking in this place. Defiance for the sake of defiance is something he left behind during his first captivity. He learned to save his strength for the fights that matter, but that's not what this is about. This act is just more hurting him for the sake of hurting him. Like everything else his captors have done to him.
"You look tired," An observation, the sky is blue, Galra are purple, my extended torture of you has made you exhausted. He doesn't share his gallow's humor. The riff tracks to his torment may keep him sane, but mocking his torturer is not conducive to his long term health, "Why don't we stop for the night, start again in the morning." The words may be kind, but the tone is taunting. Soft lips press a kiss to his temple in a parody of a loving gesture. He should try to understand the purpose behind the faked concern, but determining motivation takes more energy than he has left, "Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning," The fake laughs at his own words, like his privy to a joke Shiro didn't hear. Maybe after some sleep, he'll realize what he's missed, but for he can barely keep his head up long enough to watch Not-Keith walk out.
The cell door seals tight behind him, and with it the already dim lighting turns off. Pitching him into complete darkness…he's alone…he can't see…there is nothing in here with him…he's fought creatures that don't need light to locate him…There is Nothing in here with him.
Is that a breeze? Just the slightest whiff, like someone barely passed the hairs on his arm. His arm is inactive, has been the entire time. He can't get free. Can't defend himself. Stop It! There is NOTHING in here with him.
Ignore the sound. There wasn't a sound. It's just a dark room. He's faced so much worse. What would Keith think, broken by something so normal. He'd be embarrassed for him…No he wouldn't, he'd understand. Shiro would be embarrassed, but Keith would search the Castle for a night light. Offer to stay up and watch over him so he could rest…
Screeching assaults his ears. Something is coming to kill him. The light is blinding. It hurts and he can't see, but he's exposed, in the open, and they can see him. He struggles against his bonds. Doesn't even notice as the ropes tear into him again. He needs to get free, find a defensible position. Where is it? The cell is empty, where is the screeching thing hiding? There's nothing there. Four walls and his chair. He alone..He's completely alone.
His heart is thudding painfully in his chest. He's alone. Breathe. There is nothing in here with him. He can calm down.
The lights go out.
He's in the Castle of the Lions. Not in his cell, not, not in the other places. He's back home. He should feel something more at that.
Coran is buzzing around him, frowning and smiling in turn as his scanner beeps results for some test or other. Shiro doesn't really care enough to ask what. The world is wrong, tilted on its axis while everyone still walks upright.
The healing pod had been delayed, after they realized he could stand on his own. Keith had stayed close to him anyways, like a second skin he couldn't scratch off. He doesn't remember when everyone but Coran had left. Had he asked for space? Everything is so hard to parse. Overly sharp and fuzzy at the same time.
Coran's standing in front of him, looking at him expectantly. Oh, he'd asked if Shiro was ready for the healing pod. He guesses so. Maybe it will stitch something back together and make things make sense again.
