Hold Onto Me 'Cause I'm a Little Unsteady

Chapter Nine

*

Peter can't tell how long it's been. All he knows is that it feels like it's been forever if his hunger is anything to go by.

He definitely would've died by now if it weren't for Luc and Elodie. A few weeks ago, he could never imagine saying something like that, but now, they're the least of his worries. They've been bringing him food to eat every long while, whenever the hunger becomes unbearable, they show up with food for him to eat or juice to drink. They've each taken him to a bathroom a few times just to save him from the embarrassment. There was one cold night recently where Luc even brought him a blanket. (Later, that blanket had been set on fire by Sir who was more furious than ever. Peter's stomach is still covered in the burn marks from where the fire had licked before he had managed to throw it off him.)

He can see the changing between day and night through the windows along the wall, but after a while, he gave up counting. Why did it matter how many days it had been? Instead, he slept almost all the time, staying quiet and still on his 'bed.' He learned the hard way, multiple times, what would happen if he was loud in any way.

Sir only comes through every once in a while. He's said something about needing to wait before he makes any real moves to get his project started. Peter almost prefers it when Sir's around nowadays because the quiet emptiness is getting harder and harder to stand. When Sir's around, he gets spoken to and he gets to respond to questions, and he's allowed to cry as loud as he wants to.

Peter's got a sinking suspicion that he'll be easier for Sir to break if he's isolated like he is now. Isolated and starving and freezing and desperate.

Physical attention is something that Peter has always needed. So this, where he can't even talk to people without there being consequences, it's hard for him to handle.

The days have all meshed into one big blur of absence.

Peter hasn't dissociated like this since his aunt and uncle had died a few years prior and he was newly being accepted into the household.

"-when I speak!" Sir is shouting, eyes blazing with his anger. Nothing hurts though, so Peter figures it must just be a strike. He normally gets three before getting disciplined. "I asked you a question."

"I- I, um- What was your question, sir?" Peter squeaks, voice hoarse with the lack of use. He can't remember why Sir is angry. Half the time it seems like his reasons are made up anyways.

"I asked you if you were enjoying your time here, pet?" he spits. He's standing at the end of Peter's table, hands holding Peter's ankles just above where the cuffs are locked in place. "I think we are prepared to move you to your own bedroom, so you have the freedom to move about a little more. I'm not here to ruin your life, I'm here to save the world from abominations like yourself."

"Yes, sir," Peter mutters, keeping his eyes trained obediently on the ceiling high above him. He tells himself the obedience is simply to bide his time and get on Sir's good side. It's self-preservation skills like Dad tried to teach them all. The talks never went well because they're all painfully aware of their father's lack of those skills.

"Good pet," Sir says, an almost fondness taking over his voice as his thumb rubs little patterns into the side of his ankle. "Luc! Elodie!"

The two Frenches scurry into the room and Peter has never been more grateful to be hearing their thick accents.

"Yes, sir?" Elodie says, glancing quickly over at Peter. "Is it cooperating?"

"It is compliant, but I worry it may still have too much strength. What do you suggest?" he drawls, continuing to trace the gentle circles into Peter's leg.

"You could always wheel him over on the table?" Luc suggests sarcastically with a dramatic eye roll. "I don't think you really needed us to decide that."

Peter flinches hard at the sound of the gunshot, head snapping back and hitting the metal table violently, unprepared for the deafening noise in the normally silent room.

Luc falls to the ground, clutching at his thigh as he cries out in pain. There are already tears streaming down his rapidly paling face and his sister hurries to help him stabilize.

"Let him go," Sir instructs, rolling his eyes. "He'll be fine. For now, help me move his table. It wasn't a bad idea."

Elodie regretfully let's go of Luc who falls to the floor in agony and hurries to help Sir with Peter's bed. Probably only because she doesn't want to be shot like Luc had been for rolling his eyes.

The metal table is rolled out of the lab, no care for when it hits the edges of the lab benches. He's taken down a long, bright hallway and then a narrow door is opening, revealing a small room on the other side. And by small, Peter means it looks more like a cupboard than a room.

There are no windows now, no lights even, except for the little flashing red light in the top right corner where Peter assumes a camera is watching him. It's barely tall enough for him to stand in, he'd probably need to scrunch down awkwardly to fit properly. It's a tiny room. Peter wouldn't even be able to lay down flat properly. If he had to guess, he'd say it's probably 4x4x4. Tiny.

And it's absolutely barren. Nothing in the room.

Sir's unlocking his cuffs before he even realizes that this is his room. Because nobody believes he deserves anything more than a cage. He leaves the neck one tight against his skin but detaches it from the table.

Elodie has a tight grip on his forearm, a gun in her other hand pressed against his side. Like he'd try to fight back now anyway. Not when Sir's there.

Once he's tossed into the cell, the door is slammed shut and he's sent into total darkness. He couldn't even see his own hands if he tried. The red light from the camera doesn't even send any light around the room and Peter's limbs are already cramping from the awkward positioning.

He tucks himself into a little ball, ignoring the collar digging into his skin and the cramps in his knees, and cries. 

____
I probably will miss the update I'm supposed to do for Thursday (Considering this is already like three days late or something) I've jsut been super busy this past week and have been stressed with school work ugh

Kinda taking a break from a regular updating schedule I guess :/ I'll update again as soon as I can though! 

Lyss