Chapter Text
A groan erupted from the figure at the sudden bright light of the overhead. It granted an instant headache as the young man pressed into the wide space. The body moved without the help of the mind; closing the door, as he adjusted to the pain sprouting in his head. Shuddering breaths filled the lavish master bath as the room threatened; more than once, to tilt completely on end. The young man attempted to move further in, but something around his throat caught and he turned to see. The brand new tether to his collar was caught in the door.
He gave a trembling sigh and popped the door open once again to get the metal cable on his side. He struggled to get it right with the headache clouding his mind, until there was sudden slack and the tether was inside the room with him. His eyes drifted back out the door, seeing everything and nothing until he saw his husband peeking around the corner. He immediately glanced down and snapped the door shut after a quick nod in his husband’s direction. The whole experience startled him.
Park Seonghwa stood with his head against the door to the excessive bathroom and waited. He half expected Marcus to come and bang almost immediately upon the door. No such thing happened in this moment and he gave a shaky sigh as he pushed himself away from the hall and his husband. Dark eyes flitted up to the ceiling, marred by the new track he was leashed to. Seonghwa reached delicate fingers to the collar around his neck and hated how tight it was. Chunky and intrusive to his body and mind. He gave another sigh and finally made his way into the room and stopped short when he caught sight of his own reflection.
Tears pushed down his cheeks as he took himself in. Heavy bags sat beneath his eyes as the only evidence of his recent sleepless nights. His makeup streaked down his cheeks with his tears and his clothes were covered in the night’s dinner. The silk was completely destroyed by the oil and grease from the food still splattered in places. The simple trousers sticking to his thighs from the wine splashed on him. There was nothing he could do for the clothing, except throw it away. He was already in enough trouble for letting such delicate fabrics become utterly ruined.
No.
He didn’t let them get ruined. Marcus had ruined them. Seonghwa repeated that over and over in his mind as his eyes inspected his reflection once more. His lips pulled a pout as he saw the tear in the fabric along his collarbone where the white silk was speckled with red. Shaking fingers moved the fabric aside and Seonghwa saw the scratch in his skin where the plate struck him. Dark eyes drifted up from the scratch to his neck as a thought entered his mind.
A few inches higher … and a little deeper … this could all have been over. Oh … what a relief that would be.
Lost in thought, Seonghwa never heard his husband call through the door. A sharp bang of a fist against the door finally pulled him from his mind and he looked to the door in the mirror. “Sawyer, are you all right in there?” the voice was stern, teetering on pissed at having to ask the question a second time. Seonghwa’s face rankled the new name. He hated it with every fiber of his being, but answered all the same.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll be right out,” he answered moving with a swiftness until he reached the end of his tether. He gave a gentle tug, but no more line came and he was still too far away from the linen closet for a quick change of clothes. Seonghwa reached out as far as he could, but the collar kept him in place. His fingers barely able to breeze the door handle of the small closet. With a huff, he returned directly under the track and watched as the feed of the line was taken in and not given back. He tested his movement as the tether grew taut and found he couldn’t move from the spot.
Panic set in as Seonghwa reached up to feel the collar. The tether line continued to tighten until he was forced to stand on his tiptoes to keep from choking. He gave a cough as a hard, almost playful laugh sounded from the other side of the bathroom door. In his panic, Seonghwa fought the tether line, attempting to give himself some slack, but none came.
Fear and dread quickly replaced the panic as the lock disengaged. He … he didn’t even remember engaging the lock. He knew he should get to his knees, but the feed of his tether still refused to give. So, Seonghwa awaited whatever was coming; even as breathing became difficult. He cast his eyes down and set his hands at his back in the hopes of appeasing Marcus in some small way.
“Now that--” Marcus began, pointing up at the ceiling as he entered the room. If Seonghwa had looked up, he would have seen the almost sinister yet gleeful smile on his tormentor’s face. “--is the very best investment I have ever made. When you’re on it, I’ll be able to punish you even from work. Fantastic isn’t it?” he inquired, leaning in toward Seonghwa, but never crossing into his line of sight.
“The best, Marcus. The very best,” Seonghwa managed to say, voice tight with the collar cutting into his throat. With a sudden whir, slack was finally given and the young man fell hard to his knees. A series of coughs sputtering out of him as he regained his barrings from the floor.
“I’m glad you agree, Sawyer. Glad to see that you’re finally starting to learn the rules, but--” Marcus paused again as he moved around his husband’s back. “--you did lock the door, my love,” he sneered into Seonghwa’s ear with a malice that shook the young man to his core. Habit and fear had taken over him and he had no real idea he’d even done it. He wanted to look up, wanted to beg for forgiveness, but the movement at his back told him he was already too late. “Time for another lesson, my love.” Those words, growled and spat at him, drew Seonghwa’s eyes to Marcus and the face that would haunt his nightmares.
Darkness was the last thing he would remember as his skull cracked into the tile floor.