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Chapter 9

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Ardyn stared down at the boy as they made it back to camp. He had followed Prompto from a distance when the child started sneaking away, only finally closing that distance and coming to his rescue when a daemon attacked. The naive little idiot would have gotten himself killed if Ardyn hadn't been there to prevent it.

Prompto had seemed relieved to see Ardyn at first, but his relief quickly melted into fear when he realized how angry Ardyn was. The man wasn't just his savior. He was reclaiming him from an attempt at escape. Ardyn was fucking pissed, and Prompto could tell.

"Please don't be mad." Prompto begged as Ardyn let go of him, leaving him near the fire as he headed back toward his car. Fortunately he'd picked up a medical kit back at the store. He didn't think he'd need it, but he should have known. This little brat was a magnet to danger. He was reckless, foolish, weak.

"What the hell did you think you were going to do out there?" Ardyn growled as he headed back. He noticed Prompto shrink down, staring back with huge eyes as Ardyn slammed the medical kit down on the ground, then shoved Prompto down so that the boy was on his hands and knees.

Prompto cowered down further, breathing in a shaky breath and closing his eyes. His body was shaking and he seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Were you going to just go become a daemon-slayer? Fight them off with sticks and stones?" Ardyn yelled, grabbing toward Prompto's collar and shoving him back so that his injury was more easy for Ardyn to see as he knelt down in front of the boy. "You knew daemons have a habit of roaming about at night. You were even the one to bring it up! This wasn't something you were unaware of... Why would you do something do reckless?" Ardyn growled.

"I didn't mean to…" Prompto whimpered, cowering down again, reaching a shaking hand up toward the injury scratched across his shoulder. He let out a pathetic, shaky sob and shook his head. "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. Please... I didn't mean to..."

"You spoiled little brat… You can't use that excuse every time you do something fucking stupid. You didn't mean to? You didn't mean to walk away? You didn't mean to? Your legs started moving on their own, did they?" Ardyn growled, grabbing toward Prompto's collar again and shoving him back once more since the boy had started to double forward defensively.

"I didn't… I was… I was looking for firewood… That thing attacked me…" Prompto breathed, staring up at Ardyn with tears shining in his huge, terrified eyes. "Please… Please don't be mad… I wasn't trying to run away. I promise. Please… Please… I promise… You don't have to hurt me. I was just looking for firewood. I got too far on accident. I didn't mean for any of it to happen..."

Ardyn narrowed his eyes as he inhaled and exhaled a few angry breaths. That was a flat out lie. The boy was shaking in front of him, cowering down on the ground. Blood soaked the collar of his shirt and part of the front. More blood dripped down from a cut on his forehead. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He looked absolutely pathetic, and was likely fearing what Ardyn might do to him to add to his injuries.

"I won't do it again." Prompto whimpered.

Reaching down and gripping at Prompto's chin, Ardyn tilted the boy's face up toward him, examining the cut on his forehead. It wasn't bleeding much at this point. Blood had run down from the cut, over the side of Prompto's face and toward his jaw, but it had dried up already for the most part. It was a small injury - likely wouldn't even need treated, wouldn't scar.

Prompto swallowed as he stared back, his eyes wide and fearful. "What are you going to do?" He breathed, his entire little body shaking as further tears dripped down his cheeks.

Ardyn shook his head, choosing to address the injury first. He wasn't sure if he wanted to physically hurt the boy for this little stunt or not. He'd have to think about it a little more. Prompto disobeyed him. Ardyn warned him not to… But Ardyn had set him up, knowing full well that what looked to be an opportunity to escape wouldn't be passed up by the desperate young man. He also found that strangely enough, he felt more upset that Prompto had gotten himself hurt than by the fact that he'd tried to run. Ardyn had tasked himself with keeping the boy safe until he could hand him over to Verstael. His own little mind game had backfired.

He hadn't wanted Prompto to nearly get himself killed. He'd figured this would be more of an opportunity to prove a point, to remind the child that rules were still rules, even if Ardyn did change his mind on the one punishment - that he still had to obey... to let Prompto think he'd escaped only to reclaim him, maybe hit him, maybe demand that he spend the remainder of this trip with his ankles tied together and his hands secured behind his back - since he couldn't be trusted otherwise.

But it hadn't worked out how he wanted. Instead of feeling victorious and smug, Ardyn had actually felt genuine fear. When the daemon attacked and he was still too far away to help the boy, Ardyn had actually been frightened. He'd had a sick feeling in his chest - one he was entirely unused to. For a moment, he thought maybe the creature would kill the child before he got there. His anger now was not only with Prompto - but with himself. He'd allowed this boy the freedom to get himself into this predicament. It was partially Ardyn's fault that Prompto had nearly been killed.

Reaching down toward Prompto's shirt, Ardyn pulled it open at the top so he could access the injury across the boy's upper chest near his shoulder.

Prompto choked out a tiny, shaking breath, reaching up with a trembling hand and grabbing toward the shirt, pulling it back closed. "No... Please don't…" He whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut as his tears started to fall. The boy shrunk down even smaller, his voice shaking with fear as he shook his head. "Ardyn, please..." He sobbed, gripping the front of his shirt in tight little fists.

"Let me see you." Ardyn growled, slapping Prompto's hands away and grabbing toward his shirt. "This isn't an attempt at assault. I need to access your injury, you cowardly, weak little child." He mocked, pulling the shirt back again.

Prompto blinked his eyes open, inhaling a small breath as he stared with his mouth slightly agape. He licked his lips nervously, then grimaced as he stared back at Ardyn, who immediately set to work cleaning the three claw marks stretching across his chest near his collar bone. They seemed to have bled a lot more right when they were created than they were at this point. Ardyn could see why the injury had scared the boy, but it actually didn't look too serious upon closer inspection.

"They aren't deep." Ardyn noted. "You're lucky for that. It would have eviscerated you if I hadn't gotten there in time."

Prompto breathed in a sharp breath, staring silently at Ardyn as the man cleaned the wound. Cautiously, he reached a hand up and gripped near Ardyn's wrist, but didn't attempt to pull the man's arm away. Perhaps he only wanted to feel he was in control what little the gesture would allow - that he could try to pull Ardyn's hand back if he felt he had to.

Ardyn ignored the boy's trembling fingers on his arm and continued working, using the materials inside the first aide kit to clean each of the claw marks to the best of his ability. They weren't gushing blood at this point, but were still freely bleeding in a few of the deeper parts.

"Am I gonna be okay?" The boy whimpered, his voice shaking along with his body.

"From this, yes…" Ardyn narrowed his eyes, pressing a gauze pad over the marks. He wasn't sure still why he cared so much about this. Why was he cleaning and dressing this wound? Why was he upset that Prompto had gotten hurt? This was a lesson to be learned. He should have laughed when he saw the injury, told Prompto he'd gotten what he deserved for sneaking off. But Prompto didn't deserve this. He sneaked away because he was scared, because Ardyn was scary. The boy didn't deserve any of this...

Ardyn shook his head, ridding himself of these troubling thoughts. Prompto was Verstael's little clone - a worthless science experiment - a failed one at that. Ardyn didn't need to feel sorry for him, to be protective of him. "Hold this here." Ardyn ordered, grabbing Prompto's hand and pressing it over the gauze pad. "I'm moving your shirt further down." He explained, being sure to be transparent about his actions after pulling at the boy's shirt earlier without explanation had scared him.

Prompto swallowed and did as he was ordered, holding the pad over the injury as Ardyn found some medical tape to secure it in place.

"I was looking for firewood. It's cold, and the fire was getting small…" Prompto persisted with his obvious lie.

Ardyn shook his head, pulling Prompto's shirt back closed when he was done. "Did it hurt you anywhere else?" He stared, growing further frustrated with himself. If Prompto was still breathing, he was fine. Why was Ardyn asking these questions? Why did he care?

Prompto frowned, looking down at himself, turning his arms over one at a time. "I don't think so… Ardyn…" He looked back up, biting his lower lip, which was trembling as though he was seconds from crying. "Are you mad?"

"Only always, my dear." Ardyn stared, cocking his head to the side and narrowing his eyes.

"You're mad at me?" Prompto breathed, his voice shaking and his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Are you going to hurt me for this?"

Ardyn stared back through still-narrowed eyes. "I really should…" He mused. If he wanted the boy to take his orders and threats seriously, he needed to follow through... but he wasn't sure he even wanted to. "You were given ample warning. You knew better…" Ardyn reminded the child. "And I still owe you some pain for getting that poor man killed…"

Prompto whimpered and shrunk down, staring at the ground in front of him and squeezing his eyes shut.

Ardyn stared at the child, contemplating what he should do, what Prompto deserved, what Ardyn would enjoy… A part of him wanted to slap the boy, to shove him back to the ground and kick him, to call him out on his bullshit… Prompto just tried to escape again. Ardyn wasn't a fool. He knew the firewood story was a lie, and he wasn't a fan of being lied to.

If the boy had done this earlier in their journey, maybe Ardyn would have shoved him to the ground, held him down with an arm pressed hard against his neck, and punched him in the ribs. Maybe he'd have forced the boy to undress, tied his wrists together, and his ankles, taped his loud mouth closed, and made him spend the rest of the night in the trunk, naked, cold, terrified.

He knew something like that would scare Prompto more than anything. Being forced to undress scared the hell out of the poor child. If Ardyn demanded it again? Prompto would just sob and sob. He'd tremble, cry, beg… He would assume Ardyn was making him disrobe so the man could rape him. He'd be so scared. He'd deserve to be scared after what he'd done. Ardyn deserved to be in that position of power, to show the boy he was in fact not in charge. That Ardyn was… That disobeying the man would mean pain, humiliation, fear… A part of him almost wanted to do something like that, something horrible, cruel, degrading… Something that would terrify the boy so much he'd never think of running again.

A more prominent part of him wondered if he should even bother. The boy already got hurt thanks to his stupid choice… They were so close to arriving at the lab. The little annoyance would be Verstael's problem soon. What point was there in trying to teach him to obey when he was so close to being out of Ardyn's hands?

Ardyn also realized now that for some reason the thought of Prompto on the ground, crying in pain and fear, moaning as Ardyn hit or kicked him… Imagining the boy tied up in the trunk, naked, sobbing, fearing he was going to be sexually assaulted... It didn't make him feel as excited as it had earlier. He honestly wasn't sure he wanted to cause the boy pain and distress. It didn't seem like it would be as satisfying as it would have been earlier in the day.

"Next time you want firewood, tell me." Ardyn glared, humoring the boy's lies if only because he preferred not to see him in further pain, but didn't want Prompto to know he was letting this slide deliberately. "What you did was pure stupidity. It's not safe after dark. I can protect you if you stay near me. Running off on your own is a guarantee that you'll be killed. At night it is."

Prompto swallowed.

"Do you understand?" Ardyn stared. "If you distance yourself from me again - no matter the reason. Looking for resources, going to piss, chasing a god damned butterfly… I'll assume you're fleeing… I'll catch you, and I'll hurt you. You know I don't want to, sweet boy. Don't make me."

"Okay." Prompto nodded, his voice small.

"You may want to get some sleep now." Ardyn suggested, heading back over toward where he had been sitting before and staring across the fire at Prompto. "We'll arrive tomorrow. Maybe a couple hours more driving and we'll be there."

Prompto sat himself down on the ground, looking silently back toward Ardyn. He shrunk down slightly, almost like he was bracing himself for the possibility of Ardyn changing his mind. He looked ready to shield himself with his arms and hands in the event that Ardyn jumped back up to attack him.

"Get some rest while you can." Ardyn suggested once more.

Prompto looked toward the fire again, hugging his arms around himself and shivering slightly. "Do you have anything… like a blanket in your car?" He wondered, glancing back toward Ardyn with pleading eyes and a tiny pout on his lips. "Or an extra coat or something?" He added.

Ardyn couldn't help but to laugh. He'd kidnapped this boy - rather violently, scared the hell out of him, inflicted pain on him - on purpose… and now he was feeling like he was playing the child's parent. He was so needy… and for some reason Ardyn felt compelled to give a damn about those needs. He couldn't say why exactly, but the fact that Prompto was cold bothered him.

"It's okay… It's just cold, and… Never mind." Prompto looked away with a frown.

"Come here." Ardyn raised his arm out, offering to allow the boy to lean against him. Ardyn could wrap his arm around his shoulders, share his coat a little. He'd be warm in no time.

"Um…" Prompto stared, nervously biting his lip. "It's not that cold, I guess…" He scooted slightly away, hugging his arms around himself again and staring at the ground.

Ardyn shook his head and smirked. "I won't bite. Come sit by me. My coat is very warm."

Prompto hesitated, staring suspiciously over toward the man, likely still scared of Ardyn after the incident that occurred when they arrived here. It was Ardyn's own fault that Prompto wanted to be nowhere near him. He wasn't going to forget Ardyn scaring the hell out of him, making him honestly believe the man was going to sexually assault him.

Ardyn had done that on purpose - misled the boy, made sure he was as scared of him as possible. He wanted Prompto to fear him in a very real way. He wanted the boy to know he was completely without control here… But maybe it hadn't been the best idea after all. He didn't need to threaten him with rape. Prompto was scared of being hurt in other ways too. He could have just stuck to broken bones.

"You do realize I was going to beat you with my belt, right?" Ardyn finally gave in with a raised eyebrow. "I was trying to scare you by making you pull your pants down first and being vague. I knew you'd jump to that conclusion, but that was never what I was going to do. I wanted to use your worst fear against you… It sure worked, didn't it?" He laughed. "But no… I wasn't ever going to molest you. I was going to whip you, just like daddy… Not abusive at all considering it was your own deeds that led us there, as you say."

Prompto frowned, scooting further away from Ardyn rather than closer. Obviously what Ardyn thought would be reassuring was having the opposite effect.

"Oh, come on… If he's not abusive in your little mind, you can't claim to be angry with me for planning to do the same thing… And I didn't even follow through." Ardyn laughed. "He beat you with a belt… That was honestly my intention too. I only wanted rape in the back of your mind, as more incentive for you to cooperate. You poor dear boy… You really thought I would do it… I'm not a rapist… especially not a rapist of children. I'm nearly offended that you'd even think me capable of it."

Prompto was still frowning. His lip was even trembling, like for some reason Ardyn admitting that he definitely wasn't going to rape him was a bad thing. He looked like he was seconds from crying, but that was certainly nothing new.

"Come on then. Come snuggle with Uncle Ardyn. You said you were cold." Ardyn smirked, raising his arm up again, welcoming Prompto to come lean against his side and share the warmth of his coat.

Prompto shook his head. "That's fucked up." He grumbled, his voice tiny, trembling with unshed tears.

"What is?" Ardyn laughed. "Me offering comfort?"

Shaking his head, Prompto stuck his lip out in a pout. "You acting like you were gonna rape me… You making me think you would… Wh-why would you want me to think that if you're not a creep? I was-" Prompto cut himself off with a sharp breath, shaking with unfallen tears.

Ardyn couldn't help but to frown now. He honestly thought Prompto would be relieved to know that threat was empty, but he seemed really hurt by the admission. It was the largest obstacle between them, Ardyn thought - the biggest fear of him Prompto had - the biggest reason for the child not to want to huddle against him for warmth. Why wasn't Prompto immensely relieved and happy to hear those threats weren't going to be acted upon? That they were never a real possibility. Ardyn was admitting that Prompto's biggest fear of him wasn't valid - he should have felt safer now.

"I was really scared…" Prompto whimpered, drawing his knees up to his chest and hiding his face in his hands.

Shaking his head, Ardyn stared at him. "That was the point…" He frowned. "My dear… I'm sorry you're so distressed… I needed you to take me seriously…"

"I would have… J-just…" Prompto trailed off, looking down at the ground between them.

"I'm sorry…" Ardyn stared, wondering if his words were in fact true. Was he sorry for threatening Prompto with that? For making this innocent little fifteen year old child fear that Ardyn would hurt him in the worst possible way? Had he gone too far? Ardyn hardly knew the meaning of that. He took things very far. He killed people, hurt people, did whatever he wanted to serve his own desires… Was what he did too much this time? Too much even for him?

Prompto's lip trembled as he continued staring at the ground. "That's really messed up what you said... what you made me think..." He persisted. "Y-you made me pull down my pants... Even just you seeing... I don't just get naked in front of people, you know... I don't let people see that part of me... You put your hand there... You took off your belt... I thought..." He paused, closing his eyes. "I was trying to make myself think of something else... Anything else... B-because I thought you were gonna do it... And I knew it was gonna really hurt. I wanted to pass out so I wouldn't be there for it. I was so scared..." He whispered, tears starting to flow down his cheeks.

"I was going to whip you." Ardyn repeated, feeling frustration building inside him. Why was he allowing Prompto the freedom to express this? What the hell difference did it make if the boy's feelings were hurt? If he felt somehow betrayed... Ardyn kidnapped him, hurt him on purpose, murdered a man in front of him when the child acted out. Why did he care what Prompto thought about a threat he hadn't even delivered on?

"Y-you didn't have to make me think that." Prompto whispered. "Th-that was one of the worst moments of my whole life..." He choked. "I was so scared."

Ardyn frowned, continuing an explanation he didn't even owe the boy. "I was going to whip across your back, your backside, your thighs... Even if I weren't trying to terrify you, I'd have done it the same. Your pants needed to be down for me to access enough skin to hit you where it would hurt... To leave a lasting impression - so you'd know not to misbehave again. I did purposefully mislead you, so you'd be more frightened. It was deliberate. Maybe I shouldn't have..."

Prompto shook his head, sniffing softly. "No, you shouldn't have." He agreed.

"You don't have to fear that." Ardyn promised. "If you try to escape again, I will have to hurt you - but not like that. It was a bluff... So you'll be safe with me. As long as you cooperate. I won't even make you pull down your pants again... Even if I do end up having to hurt you - if you try something - I won't include that. I was trying to scare you... I probably shouldn't have done that... I was feeling cruel. It won't happen again. Okay? Come sit." He raised his arm up again, welcoming the boy toward him.

Prompto shook his head. "I don't want to." He whispered, looking down and swallowing.

"Did I ask you what you wanted? You said you were cold." Ardyn stared, starting to feel a little offended that the boy was in a way rejecting him. "It wasn't a question... I'm offering you comfort... Come over here. Now."

"No." Prompto whispered, tears shining in his eyes. He looked horribly nervous. He was even shaking - more than he had been from just being cold. "Please don't make me... I don't want to." He whispered, his voice trembling.

Ardyn felt his mouth drop open slightly. He wondered if he should get angry, grab Prompto, force him to sit with him... He had offered to share his space - his warmth - as a caring gesture. He was trying to be nice, comforting. What gave Prompto the right to refuse it?

"Prompto..." Ardyn glared. "Have you forgotten who calls the shots between us? I make the rules... I'm asking you to do something. I'm telling you. Demanding it. Remember what happens when you disobey me? I'm not asking again. Come here."

The boy let out a small, shaky sob as he raised his hands up toward his lips, seemingly trying to cover his mouth, to stifle his crying. He shrunk down and shook his head. "I'm not that cold... Please..." He whimpered. "I just wanna stay over here... Please... I'm- I'm scared of you..." He choked. "Please don't make me..."

Ardyn exhaled and closed his eyes. It wouldn't do either of them any good if Ardyn forced the boy to huddle under his coat while the child trembled and cried. Prompto was quite clearly frightened of him, scared to sit so close, to let the man put his arm around him and hold him... and at this point Ardyn was starting to feel like a sexual predator even for demanding it. The offer was an attempt to comfort the boy, to make him feel warm and safe... and it was having the exact opposite affect.

"Fine." Ardyn reluctantly agreed, feeling the urge to be destructive toward the boy bubbling back up inside him. "Stay over there then. Be cold." He glared, genuinely considering pouring water over the fire, forcing Prompto to take off everything but his underwear, and making sure the boy really felt the consequences of refusing the warm, caring gesture Ardyn had offered. If he wanted to be cold, Ardyn could fucking make sure he was.

Prompto stared across the fire for a moment, sniffing softly as he blinked away his tears.

"You're a brat. You know that?" Ardyn stared, wondering if he should have ever given the child the breaks he had thus far. Prompto feared him, but not enough to do what he fucking said. That was Ardyn's own fault. Prompto knew Ardyn was growing soft. He was taking advantage of it.

Prompto still stared at the ground. He was shaking slightly - maybe from the cold, maybe out of fear. He didn't have enough fear though. If he truly feared Ardyn, he'd have done what the man said. He'd have feared not huddling under the coat would result in pain - he'd have gladly accepted the offer of warmth knowing refusing would get him hurt... But then he likely feared accepting the offer would get him hurt in another way - a worse way. He still didn't trust that Ardyn wouldn't sexually assault him. He likely assumed that was Ardyn's intent.

"I try to do something nice for you..." Ardyn grumbled, pushing back the urge he still had to walk over, grab the boy by the arm, and drag him back with him, to hug his arm painfully around the boy's shoulders, force him to sit under the coat, even if it was unpleasant for both of them, just to show the little brat that Ardyn could do whatever he wanted.

"S-sorry..." Prompto shrunk down. "I just... Y-you were scaring me..."

Ardyn shook his head. "Then you're a coward."

"Maybe I am..." Prompto whispered.

Ardyn shook his head, staring silently at the boy. Prompto's entire posture was defensive, cowering. He was staring at the ground, trembling, hugging his arms around himself. He didn't look like he felt like he'd just won here, even though Ardyn felt like he had. Ardyn had offered something kind, Prompto had refused, thrown a little tantrum like a child, and Ardyn had given him his way. Even so, Prompto still looked scared, defeated.

"Can I sleep in the back of the car instead?" Prompto frowned, his voice slightly breathless as he looked up toward Ardyn. "Please?" He added in a tiny whisper.

Ardyn frowned too, for some reason feeling a twinge of disappointment, maybe even guilt. For a moment out here under the stars, by the fire, he and the child seemed to be getting along. Prompto was asking questions, Ardyn was answering them. The boy was happily eating noodles and even smiling. They were chatting, like father and son… Even after the boy ran, Ardyn saved him, Prompto had cowered down against him, hiding his face in the man's coat, accepting him as his protector. And now Prompto was quite clearly entirely uncomfortable, scared even. That tiny hint of a bond, of trust… It was fleeting.

Of course, Ardyn hadn't ever expected the boy to grow to trust him. Why would he? It was something he hadn't aimed for, and he wasn't even sure why he was disappointed by it. Ardyn hadn't had a real bond with someone in so long. Nothing more than him using someone else, someone else trying to use him… He had kidnapped this boy. Prompto wasn't here willingly. He wasn't happily chatting with Ardyn because he wanted to, because he liked being here, because he felt safe… He was doing whatever he could to survive, trying to enjoy himself during forced moments of social interaction with his kidnapper, while trapped, terrified.

Ardyn glared, remembering now that this wasn't some father-son road trip. He wasn't Prompto's source of protection and comfort. Prompto didn't expect or want him to be. Ardyn wasn't here to keep the boy warm and safe. He was taking Prompto toward something horrible, toward Verstael… Just like he'd planned. The little brat certainly wasn't going to be offered fireside cuddles there.

Shaking his head, Ardyn started to stand, ignoring the fact that Prompto flinched slightly when Ardyn moved. "I suppose we could simply keep driving." He offered. "You can sleep back there if you want. We'll be there just after sunrise though, most likely. Verstael might not be awake yet."

"That's his name? My dad?" Prompto asked, his eyes brightening at any additional piece of information about the man he had no idea was a monster.

Ardyn scoffed. "Get in the back, you brat. We'll just get there quick and be done with this. I'm getting sick of you."

Prompto frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm sick of you too." He pouted.

Ardyn shook his head and rolled his eyes, wondering how on earth this boy had gotten the impression that he was allowed to be so bold.

Maybe he didn't need to feel bad handing the boy over to Verstael after all. Ardyn didn't need to feel bad for any of this. In fact, he should have beaten the hell out of Prompto earlier tonight with the belt. He should have just done it. He should have forced him to undress again, beat the shit out of him, tied up his limbs, and tossed him in the trunk after the incident they'd just had. He should have fucking done that right from the start - drugged the boy, undressed him, kept in in the trunk - out of Ardyn's damn way, drugged him more every couple hours… Then he could have handed him straight to Verstael, ready to go. No drama. No screaming, running, crying… Just Verstael getting his little science project back.

Letting the boy ride up front and talk to him, listening to and discussing music, buying him food, bandaging his injuries, getting somehow emotionally invested in the fact that Prompto had scars from being beaten, was frightened of alcohol and sexual abuse… Ardyn should have never allowed it. He shouldn't have ever let himself forge what was almost a bond with this little brat. Why had he?

He was never meant to give a damn about this child. He didn't give a damn. The boy was a piece of property, belonging to Ardyn's old friend. That was it. He was delivering his friend's stolen property. The boy was only a specimen to Verstael - nothing more.

It was Ardyn's own fault Prompto go so far out of line. He should have stuck to his threats. He should have beaten Prompto - regardless of old scars. When Prompto lied about firewood, he should have grabbed up some of the smoldering firewood they already had and burned the child with it. Ardyn had been too soft, and Prompto's behavior reflected that.

Prompto needed to be straightened out… But Verstael would be great for that. Prompto needed a good reminder of where he stood in this world. If anyone could put him back in his place, it was his creator.

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