Gossamer Promises and Riding Crop Dreams
" Quatre..." The gentle blond's eyes widened in shock as he took in the huddled mass on his porch. " Duo...oh Allah! Are you alright?!? Someone get the doctor HURRY!" All the huddled mass of a boy saw was a flash of blonde and startled blue eyes, before his legs gave out on him and the world swirled into inky darkness.
" He's been beaten very thoroughly, whoever did it probably thought of it as an art form. I've never in my life seen such complete torture." The doctor's tone was low and concerned, his eyes flitting over to the bed. " Not even during the war? " The Arabian boy began to wring his hands, large blue eyes wet with tears. " No...never in my thirty years...I'm sorry Master Quatre...even if he survives physically, there is almost no chance he will be able to cope. The doctor bowed his head and at Quatre's nod, slipped out into the hall. As he placed his hat on and stepped into the sunlight, he could do no more than whisper a prayer to God that the boy die, and not have to live with what was to come.
For three days, things in the Winner estate carried on like normal, only Quatre's almost constant vigilance on the small boy any different. At the tender age of seventeen, he was barely five foot tall, with long silky brown hair and deep violet eyes that were always full of life. Only now, they were hidden behind darkened lids and full lashes, his face barely visible behind the swelling. It looked as if he had been struck in the face with a riding crop over and over again, the whelps and cuts all diagonal in design. His entire body was a mass networking of black and blue, and mixed in and beneath, the yellowing bruises that proved this wasn't a one time deal. His wrists were rubbed raw, and still bleeding from the bondage, his thighs were practically in ribbons.
Finally, on the fourth day, the forced silence was broken by the sound of a heart stopping scream. Quatre flew from the table, his teacup hitting the floor as he ran up the stairs, the sound of terror not letting up in the least. He flung the door to the bedroom open to see Duo, sitting up in bed staring blindly forward, mouth open in a small o as he screamed. He rushed to his side and wrapped his arms around Duo's waist, pulling him close, trying to calm the screams. Still, the sounds erupted from him, frantic and terror stricken. When he could think of no other way to stop them, he lowered his mouth onto Duo's, stifling his mouth with his, in a gentle kiss. The screams cut off abruptly, his eyes sliding closed. Quatre too, enjoyed the kiss, until he realized his place and pulled away, looking at him worriedly. " Are you alright Duo..?!" He took a few moments to breathe, slowly in and out, his bruised and beaten chest rising and falling with effort. Several moments later, he nodded slightly, hiding half his face behind a mass of tangled chestnut strands. He held him in his arms for almost two hours, until his sobs ceased and breaths evened before he lifted him and easily walked towards the bathroom.
The warm, perfumed water swirled and frothed in the large ornate tub, wisps of steam filling the spacious bathroom. Slowly, Duo slipped out of the bloodied rags as Quatre eased him into the warm water. A hiss of pain escaped as he slowly lowered himself in, deep cuts being assaulted again. He had to pause, halfway in, eyes squeezed shut and white knuckles gripping the black porcelain. Quatre stood behind him, small pale hands placed gently upon his shoulders, massaging them gently as he continued on, until he was about shoulder deep.
" Duo..." Quatre really hated that he had to bring this up, and so soon, but he had to know what happened to the boy, so he would know his boundaries. A tremor ran through his body and his back went rigid as he figured out what was following the sentence. When he spoke, his voice was an icy monotone, an eerily well done impersonation of Hiirou's own icy tone. " I dont want to talk about it Quatre." He continued to gently knead his shoulders, thumbs pressing into knots of muscle, easing them with nimble grace. He closed his eyes, fighting back a wave of fear at his total lack of emotion. He had to help him, no matter what. " I need you to tell me....Duo, please..." That was all it took to break the shell, the icy exterior shattering around him as he began to sob wildly, barely able to breath around the choked cries escaping him. "Hi..Hi...Hiirou." Quatre froze, his fingers upon a particularly stubborn knot, There was no way! It couldn't have been...could it? Wufei had once said something ages ago about Hiirou's pension for violence...but this couldn't be true! " He..He.. did this to you?" Quatre's voice was thick with disbelief, he didnt want to believe his comrade would do such a thing. Through the sobs racking his broken form, he could do no more than nod. " Oh Allah...Duo....I promise I wont let him hurt you again...you can stay here with me..." Tears stung his eyes as he turned in the bath and embraced him, his arms clasped tightly around his neck and warm droplets of water slipping down his collar. " Please....please dont hurt me..." He wiped the bangs from his eyes and kissed his forehead gently, before standing with a smile. " You go ahead and take a nice hot bath, and when your done, come to my room, ok?" He nodded his assent with a warm smile and dipped that darkened mop beneath the water, humming beneath his breath.
Twenty minutes later he walked into Quatre's room, wearing a soft white pair of boxers, his bruises not as evident as before, and his face shining with a renewed light. Violet eyes sparkled and then widened in shock, fear filling his entire body as he took a step towards the closed door. " No....please...no" Quatre's soft laugh could be heard as he flicked the switch on the small lamp, soft buttery light filling the room. He was laying on his bed, chest bare and covered in white glitter, his lower body encased in a pair of black leather pants. In his slender hands was a riding crop, which he was twirling idly. " Now now Duo...you brought his upon yourself...you broke character when you asked me not to hurt you. I guess we'll have to start all over again" He said cheerfully. As the darkness of night flooded over the Winner estate, the air was filled with a scream of pure terror, and a sinister laugh no one would think to match with the young heir.
