InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "why the long face?"

Henry Claus Ceredig (philosophos) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2021-09-25 18:57:00

Entry tags:

henry claus, hermes, iestyn ceredig, lucifer

WHO: Henry Claus, Lucifer, Iestyn Ceredig, possibly hermes we will see
WHEN: Sunday
WHERE: Lucifer's basement
WHAT: A phone call
WARNINGS: Torture

Henry had been left to hang from the ceiling for an entire night and most of the next day. He had been given no water, nor had his sight been returned to him. His arms were stretched above him so painfully that his shoulders felt like they were swollen to twice their natural size and every single inch of him hurt. Henry had been through a lot of things in his life, but never pain just for the point of pain. He had never suffered an extreme injury or needed anything stronger than Advil to get by. Now he felt like he would never know what it felt like to be without pain ever again.

When Henry heard the basement door open again, and the sound of people around him, he licked his lips, trying to summon moisture enough to croak out more begging. "Please," he whispered. "Let me down."

"Not just yet," came the voice of Lucifer, and Henry whimpered. "He's soiled himself," Lucifer said to his minions. "Remove his clothes."

"No!" Henry protested, but he could feel hands everywhere, undressing him and leaving him shaking and bare. He heard the sound of running water, and then a hose was turned on him and he was washed down but the water never went anywhere near his mouth, much to his dismay. He couldn't see the intense bruising that marred every inch of his skin, but he could feel it. His legs were lifted and shorts were pulled up onto him, but nothing else. At least his modesty was preserved? It was more than Iestyn had gotten.

"Alright," Lucifer drawled. "Time to bring in our special guest."

Henry didn't know what that meant. At all. He was in too much pain to pay much attention. "Water," he breathed. He felt something cold touch his finger for just a moment, but since he couldn't see, he didn't realise it was Lucifer, using his finger print to unlock his cell phone. He didn't hear the phone dial out to Iestyn, requesting a video call from Henry. All he could think about was how much he hurt and how thirsty he was. "Please, water."

Lucifer wasn't listening to Henry at all, he was busy aiming the phone camera at Henry so Iestyn could see his ex, hanging from the ceiling and bruised head to toe, begging for water. "You hang up, I'm killing him," Lucifer warned Iestyn.

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 10:24 am UTC (link)

Iestyn lay on his back on his bed and tried to decide what he was going to do with his life now. The last night of Rocky Horror had been last night (and he was still trying to comb through the memories of that wrap party). He was so proud of having succeeded at his first proper show. He actually felt kind of excited for what might come next.

And then his phone rang. He almost didn't answer it. He didn't want to talk to Henry, and make those wounds raw again, to drag out their separation longer than they had to and make it even more painful. Why would Henry try to call him and put him through all of that when he'd made his feelings clear?

So maybe this wasn't just a friendly chat from Sleepy Hollow to share the sights. Maybe this was something more serious.

Turned out, a heck of a lot more serious.

He knew, as soon as he saw the poor lighting and the bare basement, what had happened. It wasn't the same basement as before but it might as well have been, for it all came rushing back and his heart stuttered a moment before it roared in his ears and his head throbbed with panic. Iestyn let out a gasp before he could put his hand over his mouth to smother the sound, feeling pale and sick. Henry- what had Lucifer done?

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philosophos
2021-09-25 10:32 am UTC (link)

"Hello, Iestyn," Lucifer said, sounding strangely warm and inviting. Of course the tone of voice was on purpose. Henry's head lifted slowly at the mention of his ex.

"Iestyn?" he croaked, though he couldn't see anything. "Wass? No no, he can't be here!"

"He's on the phone, you idiot," Lucifer sighed. To Iestyn he said, "I think I went too hard on him. My demons seemed to have beaten him senseless."

"Phone?" Henry asked, still too hazy with pain to understand what was going on without visual cues.

"God. Mortals." Lucifer shrugged at Iestyn, as if they were talking about a misbehaving child. "He's been in my basement for two days, Iestyn. And you didn't even notice, did you?"

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 10:49 am UTC (link)

Iestyn was shaking, so hard he had to put the phone down on the bed and try to take calming breaths, baking away from the screen so all Lucifer would have would be a view of the ceiling. He didn't want to see this. It couldn't be happening. It couldn't. "We- we broke up-" he croaked, trying to just breathe through it. Just get through it. Fall apart after. Just get through it. "You said. You said-"

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philosophos
2021-09-25 10:56 am UTC (link)

"Honestly?" Lucifer said loudly, since Iestyn wasn't on the screen, "you should know by now I lie, Iestyn. I was always going to take your lover from you. Only now you get to know you tossed him away like used tissue before I took him."

"He was protecting me," Henry mumbled. "He din't toss me." As much pain as he was in, he wanted to defend Iestyn.

"We'll see about that. Iestyn, if you don't get back to your phone and watch what I'm doing, I'm going to hurt him so much worse. Do you have any words for your lover? Before I hurt him and make you watch?"

The chains holding Henry up started rattling just a little, with how much he was shaking.

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 11:09 am UTC (link)

Iestyn wished he had something smart to say, but he was so scared he went completely blank. Reluctantly he made himself visible on the camera again.

What could he possibly say to make any of this alright? He was David and Patrick, trapped on the outside and forced to watch through a window. "Stay strong," he tried to say, although his voice failed him and it came out as a croaky whisper. "Don't sign anything-"

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philosophos
2021-09-25 11:19 am UTC (link)

"I guess I'll have to make it so he really needs to sign something then," Lucifer shrugged. "Let him down," he said to the minions. And then get out of here."

Henry was released from his chains and thrown pretty mercilessly to the ground. He let out a yelp of pain, but once down, he was honestly so relieved to have the pressure off of his abused shoulders that for a moment, the noises he made weren't of pain but of gratefulness.

Then Lucifer held the phone in one hand, and went to grab Henry by the wrist, dragging him over to a large basin of water. Once there, he pulled Henry's blindfold off.

Henry blinked his eyes burning even at the dim light of the basement. He caught sight of Iestyn, looking terrified. "Hi," he said, to Iestyn. To Lucifer - "don' make him watch. Please. Don' do this to him."

"But you said you wanted water," Lucifer said, pointing to the basin.

"Oh no-" Henry muttered, correctly assuming Lucifer had something awful in mind.

Lucifer swapped to the front camera, and he went to scoop Henry up, the camera on both of them. Then he shoved Henry's head into the basin of water and under. Henry struggled, but his arms were near useless, and they flailed about without really helping at all.

"How long should I hold him down for, Iestyn?"

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 12:02 pm UTC (link)

"Don't- don't-" Iestyn cried out, his heart leaping into his mouth. "You bastard-" He wished he could do something other than swear and curse, because it was just exactly what Lucifer wanted from him, and he didn't want to give Lucifer a single moment of satisfaction. It was so hard though, not to. And to not offer himself in Henry's place. Poor, terrified Henry- "Let him GO!"

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philosophos
2021-09-25 12:11 pm UTC (link)

Lucifer lifted Henry's head above the water and he gasped in lungfuls of air, desperately. He coughed and spluttered and cried out, and then Lucifer pushed him under again, and Henry was sure he was dying. Water ran into his nose and down his throat and he scrambled to fight the hold on him. To break free so he could breathe-

Lucifer lifted him out of the water again, and Henry found himself repeated his performance of desperately gasping for breath. "This can all stop, Henry," Lucifer said, his voice sounding like he was lamenting having to do this. "Promise me you'll never see Iestyn again, and it'll stop."

Henry had to wait until he could breathe again, and he managed to gasp out, "we already broke up-"

"I want it in writing," Lucifer growled, and Henry knew he couldn't promise that. Not in a contract with the devil. Don't sign anything don't sign anything.

"No!" Henry cried out and Lucifer pushed him under again. He was pulled out and Lucifer yelled, "SIGN!" to which Henry shook his head and was shoved under the surface again.

He could feel himself starting to fade. He didn't struggle as much now. It was too much energy for his oxygen deprived body. He refused again, and this time when his head was pushed down, grey spots danced in front of his eyes, and he could feel unconsciousness trying to claim him. Only then did Lucifer haul him out of the basin and abandon him on the ground.

Henry lay there, pulling short, sharp breaths into his abused lungs. He started sobbing, even though he hardly had the oxygen to do so. "Please no more," he managed to croak out.

Lucifer turned to Iestyn. "He won't sign. I think I'll have to teach him like I did you."

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 12:25 pm UTC (link)

Somewhere in there, Iestyn started to cry. Being forced to watch this was just triggering all his own memories of being abused. He sobbed softly as he thought he was watching the man he loved drown, even though he knew Lucifer would never end things that fast. That would be too kind by half.

"You monster," he said, one hand over his mouth. No insult Iestyn could possibly have would put into words the pain and revulsion he felt about this- and even if he could, Lucifer would only take it as praise. "Don't touch him, you vile beast!"

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philosophos
2021-09-25 12:34 pm UTC (link)

Henry lay on the floor, his body limp and heavy. For a minute or so, all he could do was lie there and drag in breath after breath. His stomach churned uncomfortably from how much water he had swallowed, and he groaned and rolled to his side, vomiting water onto the floor. He went limp again, letting his body relax for just a moment. Just breathe. Just be. He was beyond fear now, stuck on just surviving.

"Someone has to teach him," Lucifer said. "And since you're the one who led him astray, you're going to watch. I am going to call you, Iestyn, every single time I correct Henry. And I don't give a shit what time of day it is, you'd better answer." Lucifer knew they could track him using the phone, but he knew no one could get through his wards so he didn't rightly care. "If you don't answer, I'll kill him right away."

Henry opened his eyes and he muttered, "'m not gonna let you do this."

Lucifer snorted. "That's sweet, love. You don't get a say in the matter."

He was resolved now though. He just needed a second. His arms were useless, of course, but he was sure...if he had a second...his legs would hold him. "Iestyn." Henry was still crying, but fighting it to try to talk to the man he loved. "No matter what happens. 's not your fault." What he was going to do - given a few minutes - might get him killed.

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piu_fermata
2021-09-25 12:44 pm UTC (link)

Iestyn felt weak and ill. He couldn't watch all of that. It was bad enough knowing that it'd happened. But to watch the thing that still gave him troubled sleep some nights wasn't going to be any good at all. Poor Henry- his heart ached for him. But what could he do? Sensible thought had long since abandoned him. It didn't even occur to him to pray for help in this moment.

Not his fault? Of course it was his fault. Henry would never be in danger if Iestyn hadn't been so selfish and tried to live a normal life. "Please don't do this," he said, and shook his head. "Please!"

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philosophos
2021-09-25 12:55 pm UTC (link)

Henry took another moment to just breathe. Lucifer was using Henry to torture Iestyn without having to actually have Iestyn present. And Henry couldn't let it happen. Couldn't let poor Iestyn watch as Henry was shocked and forced to vomit as Lucifer tried to 'correct' something that wasn't wrong in the first place. Couldn't allow himself to be used to put Iestyn through that.

No. He refused. And Lucifer didn't have his minions here, in an attempt to keep Henry conscious. Lucifer would never see him coming-

What he was far to out of it to realise, however, was that no one knew where he was, and he could be tracked with the phone. And if the next few moments had gone differently, he could have been spared weeks of suffering-

In his determination, his body had stopped shaking. Adrenaline was pumping through him, giving him strength he otherwise might not have had. "Iestyn," Henry gasped out, looking straight into the phone so Iestyn could see his resolve. "I love you. It's okay. I love you."

Lucifer wasn't even watching Henry when Henry rose from the ground. He was right. His legs held him. And then Henry rushed the devil, slamming his body into Lucifer so hard the phone went flying from Lucifer's grasp. Henry and Lucifer landed on the floor in a heap and Lucifer grabbed Henry's wrist and bent it back so fast it snapped.

Henry let out a blood curdling shriek of pain and then the phone slammed into the ground, shattering. Dying. Henry's scream was the last thing Iestyn would have heard.

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mourningstar_
2021-09-25 01:50 pm UTC (link)

Lucifer extricated himself from the tangle of Henry's limbs and he dusted himself off. "That," he hissed, "was very stupid."

"That was fucking amazing," Hermes muttered, though he didn't say so loudly.

Henry, for his part, was on the ground, moaning in pain and gripping his broken wrist close to his body. Lucifer glared down at him dispassionately. "There will be punishment for your actions," Lucifer promised Henry, "but I am going to leave you and wash your disgusting stench off of me first." He turned on his heel and left Henry and Hermes in the basement alone.

	feuillemort 2021-09-25 01:44 pm UTC (link)
	Addy felt her chest tighten as Iestyn sobbed and wailed. She heard the name Henry, and she knew. "DA!" she screamed, never letting go of Iestyn - clinging tighter in fact. "DAAAAAA! Just breathe, baby. Just breathe, okay, we're going to get him help. How- How did you find out?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)