#guns for hire | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

avvail-whumps · 8 months

Text

‘guns for hire’ — the finale #38

previous · masterlist

content warnings: intimate whumper, conditioned whumpee, stockholm syndrome, past torture, injury recovery, implied bribery, mentioned non-con drugging, mentioned panic attacks, dub-con kissing, dub-con touching (not sexual or explicit)

Gulping down another glass of fresh water from the miniscule plastic cup, Leo gave a refreshed, soft sight as the cooling water flooded down his sore throat.

His eyes and his cheeks were still sticky from crying, damp under his chin. He eagerly scrubbed it away, reddening his skin as he did so, but part of him couldn’t care. His puffy eyes flickered up to the clock behind him.

It had been a while since the interrogations had finished.

Leo heard a lot of yelling from outside; Sharpe and Summers were right outside the door, and it hadn’t been closed properly, so he could hear their voices clearer than before. A man, old and intimidating from the sound of his booming voice, had been screaming down the corridors.

There was something about not having a warrant for Roy’s arrest, which Leo clung onto tightly. That meant all of this was unlawful, right? It suddenly made sense as to why Sharpe had been so insistent on getting his confession before the forty-eight hours were up. It also meant that he would probably be allowed to leave soon.

His heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Roy again. He just wanted to feel his touch and listen to his voice. Over forty-eight hours without him was too unbearable for the secretary.

After minutes passed, Summers came back in again. She smiled warmly at him, motioning for him to stand up.

“Your father’s here, Leo,” she offered gently, causing his eyes to lift up in surprise. His mouth popped open, unable to find the right words. The concept of seeing his father gave him mixed emotions. Roy’s hissing words were constantly whispering in his ear.

He eventually managed to push himself onto wobbly feet, joining her outside. Sharpe was nowhere to be found, nor the shouting man from before. Judging from what he had overheard, that was the Police Commissioner.

“Am I allowed to go home?” He whispered hesitantly, like he was treading on eggshells. Her remorseful eyes looked down on him, sighing quietly.

“You’ll spend a little time at the hospital so they can properly check your injuries,” she informed, easing him along the corridor. He walked slowly, but she matched his pace to accommodate his sluggish footsteps. God, he just wanted to put his head on his pillow and go to sleep. “They’ll give you some medication to help you process everything, alright?”

Leo slowly nodded his head. “Then I can go home?”

Summers turned the corner, leading him to the front of station and down some stairs. “Yes. Then you can go home.”

When Leo was taken down the stairs, he saw his father. He was waiting anxiously on the row of chairs, hair a mess and his face red from crying. His eyes snapped towards him as soon as he saw the movement, and with a choked gasp, he snapped to his feet.

Leo’s throat bobbed, taking in the image of his father. He hadn’t really changed much since he last saw him. His skin was a little more wrinkly, and it looked as though his eyes had aged decades. They went glossy amongst seeing his face for the first time, and Leo didn’t have time to open his mouth to say something before familiar arms were wrapping tightly around him. A shaking hand cradled the back of his head, tucking him close into his chest, and his father trembled with raw, unrestrained sobs.

The secretary’s fingers dug into his back, and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly to stop himself from crying. Something stirred in his gut.

“I missed you,” he said in a rush before he could stop himself, feeling his father grip him impossibly tighter. He’d yearned for his father to hold him like this. Ever since his mother left, this was all he’d wanted from him. He loved his father deeply. He knew that. It shoved away the stabbing in his heart for a while, though, and he was okay with that.

His father tried to speak. But Leo knew he’d completely lost his voice, and for that, he just simply held him. Leo didn’t really look anything like his father. He got most of his features from his mother, which was always what he wondered caused his father to push him away like he did.

His father pulled away for a moment. Leo felt large hands cupping his cheeks, tilting his head up. His father’s tired, exhausted eyes wandered over his face, taking in every little detail, every little feature he could, like it would be the last time. His lips were wobbling.

Summers cough snatched both of their attention.

“Mr Whitlock, can I have a word?” She asked politely. “I’m sorry for interrupting.”

His father swallowed, hands dropping to his shoulders with a little squeeze. He nodded his head, struggling to find the right words.

“Yes, right. Of course,” he stammered, pressing a soft kiss on the crown of Leo’s head. His stomach tingled in warmth. His father quietly addressed him. “Please stay where I can see you. I love you.”

Leo jerkily nodded his head. “I love you too.”

It came out more as a whisper, because his throat had closed up inexplicably, and his voice had failed him. His father’s hands begrudgingly peeled away from him, before he and Summers stepped to the side where Leo couldn’t hear them.

His feet took him over to one of the chairs, and he found himself sitting down numbly. Part of him couldn’t quite believe what was going on. Roy’s words were consuming his thoughts, reminding him of the conversation they’d had after the twenty minutes with each mercenary. Amplifying those initial feelings of hurt and anger towards him. They were still there, just residing at the bottom of his heart, but it was overshadowed by the very concept of just seeing him again. Of feeling him hold him. Of hearing the words “I love you” from him again.

Leo wrung his fingers together nervously. It didn’t feel as good as when Roy said it, though. Summers and his father talked for a while. Apparently, an ambulence was on the way to take them both to the hospital so Leo could get looked at properly. He didn’t like the idea of being shackled to a bed again, but there wasn’t anything he could do. She was probably catching him up on what they knew to buy time for its arrival.

Leo was given some water and a little sandwich to keep him occupied. His father sat with him for a long while, but was pulled away again by both Sharpe and Summers once more. The detective gave him a long, hard stare when he passed.

Both of them knew that Leo had lied. Both of them knew the truth, but Sharpe still offered him a light smile, as if to say “it’s going to be okay”.

The secretary had finished his sandwich when two other people caught his eye. An old, white haired man, weathered with wrinkles, dressed in a uniform with lots of golden badges pinned to his chest. Leo deduced that he was the Commissoner. He was shaking hands with somebody, a tall man who he couldn’t see the face of. Leo watched him curiously as he passed, but swiftly looked away when his cold, hard gaze flickered to him on the way out.

His heart fluttered at that, pounding in his chest.

He didn't know why those eyes frightened him so much, but it was like a horrible gloom had appeared before him, his hairs pricking on edge. He slowly snuck a glimpse as he opened the glass doors, stepping outside, and stopping beside—

Oh. That was Roy.

He was talking to the tall man with a bit of a stoic, hard expression, and waved a hand dismissvely when the older one pulled out a big, thick cigar. He seemed to hand something to Roy, but he couldn’t pin exactly what it was. Leo’s heart fluttered in his chest, his eyes glued onto the back of his head. The sectrary wondered something. Was that his uncle? Why had he been shaking hands with the Commissioner?

As if sensing eyes on him, Roy titled his head back, and Leo almost jolted in his seat. His lips curved into an amused smirk, and he crooked his finger towards himself, as if beckoning him outside. Leo didn’t even have a second to think about it, the worried words of his father unheard in his mind, before he was on his feet, and scurrying towards the door. He pushed the door open, his heart in his throat and his blood rushing through his veins. His eyes ran over him frantically, as if he’d already forgotten every little detail.

The man, who Leo suspected was Roy’s uncle, had already disappeared into a sleek black car down the road. He wasn’t paying any attention to him, however, all of his focus tailored to the mercenary.

“I didn’t say anything,” he whispered under his breath, itching just to throw himself at the man and feel his arms wrap securely around him. Roy chuckled, his eyes shimmering.

“I know you didn’t, lion,” he hummed, a soft lilt to his voice that had the secretary melting on the spot. “I know how good for me you can be when you want to.”

His big eyes stared up at him. “Are you proud of me?”

He really wanted to feel Roy’s hand on his head, brushing affectionately through his hair, but he knew that probably wasn’t going to happen while they were still outside the police station. The mercenary managed a warming, encouraging smile that made his heart flutter.

“Of course I am.”

That was all he wanted to hear. That was all he needed to hear, and any little doubt he had about not telling Sharpe was erased. It was that easy for Leo to get swept violently by the current. He beamed.

“I’m supposed to go to the hospital for a little while,” he told him, and Roy nodded his head.

“I know,” he murmured. “I’ll come get you once you’re finished.”

Leo’s spine shivered. “You promise?”

Roy nodded. “Promise, lion. You know I’d never let you go so easily.”

Those words brought a sense of ease and comfort this time. As long as Roy promised. As long as he was going to come back, then Leo could keep going. He could stay separated for a little while longer with that notion in his mind, reminding him who he was doing this for.

“Oh, and lion?”

The secretary paused, his fingers on the door relaxing as he eagerly glanced over.

“Yes?”

Roy handed him a sealed box, and he flipped it over to find that it was a phone. His eyes flickered up to him in confusion, brows pinching.

“I’ll be in touch, alright?” The mercenary hummed, patting his shoulder. The touch made his skin sizzle and burn, a blush rising to his cheeks. He latched onto the small contact, and knew it would be all he was going to think about before he was out of hospital. “Be a good boy and wait for me, lion.”

When the ambulance came, he and his father were both taken away from the police station. Being in the hospital was more difficult than he had anticipated. Being examined and bombarded with even more questions was far too strenuous on his mind, especially since he didn’t have Roy there with him. The mercenary hadn’t contacted him or visited him at all, but Leo tried not to let it get to him. If it was his uncle at the police station, then he was most likely frying much bigger fish than he could comprehend.

He spent a lot longer in the bleak, mindless building than he would have hoped. Each time they had to take his blood or prod any sharp needle into his forearm, he found himself falling into hysterics. It was only made worse when there were so many hands pinning him down, forcing him into those terrifying memories with the other mercenaries, and he would have to be sedated for a little while.

His father visited him the most often. But so did people from his old work. They would bring balloons and presents, showering him with cards and kind words. It would have been better if it was from Roy, though.

When Leo was out of the hospital, his father drove him back to his old home. He cooked for him, helped him into bed, eased his medication into his system and made sure to tell him that he loved him everytime he left a room. It was all Leo had ever wanted from him, but it was hollow. It didn’t feel real. His eyes were only ever glued onto his phone. Waiting for a call, or a text message, leaping for his phone whenever it lit up in the middle of the night. His heart was starting to pound at the very prospect of him not coming. Of being abandoned again.

When it did come, Leo was already packing.

His father was sound asleep as he crept through the house, slowly unlocking the door and sneaking out. He’d left him a note. He had his contact in his phone. He’d keep in touch with him, ring him every week, and everything would be okay. His father was trying his best, but he was an adult, and the pain of staying in his childhood home made it difficult to keep his head on straight.

He took his violin with him. Leo didn’t know what happened to the old one, but Roy had been able to conceal things away so well that they’d never found anything upon searching the house. He even remembered him saying something about a “thorough computer guy” one of the very first times he’d woken up in that basement.

The secretary was glad for it, though.

This time, when he saw Roy, he was able to leap into his arms. Strong ones found their way around his waist, pulling him in, and Leo buried his face into his chest with a soft cry. He’d missed the man so much, it had almost been unbearable. It had been far too long since he’d been able to touch him like this again.

“I missed you too, lion,” he teased, patting the small of his waist gently. “Come on. Put your stuff in the boot.”

Leo was barely able to do that coherently, with Roy kissing him as he went and easing him into the backseat of the car. He barely registered the fact that there was a driver, wearily waiting for some orders. He wondered if the car and the driver were his uncles doing, but those thoughts were quickly swallowed up when a hand gently cradled the back of his head, fingers teasing the locks. They’d grown far too long for Leo’s liking.

Roy broke the kiss to send a sharp look towards the driver. “Go on.”

He obeyed quickly enough, the car purring to life and rolling off the curb of the pavement. The mercenary’s lip found his neck again, and Leo’s hands gripped his shoulders tightly, his legs sprawled out awkwardly across the car. Roy’s fingers tightened in his hair, and they were suddenly jerking his head back abruptly. A sharp pain spiralled through his scalp and his neck, and a soft cry of pain escaped his lips.

The mercenary leaned closer, his lips teasing the shell of his ear.

“Just so you know, lion,” he murmured every do quietly, his low voice making shivers tingle down his spine. “It doesn’t matter if you’d told them or not. Either way, I would have been walking out of here. And had I known you sided with them, I would have hurt you unlike anything you’ve ever felt before.”

Leo’s throat closed with gasps, the grip in his hair making him wince. Still, with a pounding heart, a twitch of a smile pulled at his lips.

“I know,” he breathlessly whispered, his shaking hand moving down his chest, pressing against his leg, and letting his fingers tease under the waistband of his pants. Roy’s eyes glimmered brightly, and an amused smirk spread across his face.

“You little minx,” he purred, the grip in his hair easing when he pushed his lips against his again. Leo’s eyes fluttered shut, melting into the kiss with a newfound hunger. Because if Roy were to take his clothes off and push him onto the leather seats right now, then that was proof that he loved him back. Leo was sure enough of that.

Roy placed light kisses against his lips, easing off. Leo had to hold back a frustrated huff, but a peck against the furrow in his brow made that annoyance disappear in an instant. The mercenary pulled him closer into his side, and Leo melted into the embrace, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

The trees rushed by in a blur, but the secretary was more focused on the warmth of the man beside him. Leo leaned his head comfortably against his shoulder, clinging onto Roy’s arm, one hand tangled snugly within his. The mercenary was stroking the back of his scarred hand with his thumb, making his skin tingle and his heart flutter in his chest.

He couldn’t stop the smile that made its way onto his face. The sense of calm and peace that was flowing through him right now was completely unmatched.

“I love you,” Leo hummed quietly under his breath, and the man shifted, pressing a warming kiss to his temple.

“I know, little lion,” he smiled, squeezing his hand gently, letting him know that he was assured, that he was completely his. In every way. “I know.”

and with that, the main story is complete. i can’t believe it’s over already. thank you for all the kind words throughout writing 🩵

tag list – @unorganisedalienrubbish @d-cs @rabidrabidme @sordayciega @burningkittypoet @whumpawink @mannerofwhump @suspicious-whumping-egg @welcome-to-the-whumpfest @whatwasmyprevioususername @crilex29 @firefly017 @dutifullykrispyland @wibbly-wobbly-whump @there-will-always-be-blood @anonintrovert @justawhumpjunkie @whumptastic-world @ha-ha-one @whatwhumpcomments @whumpterful-beeeeee @anonymous1235 @sonder35 @unforgiven235 @whumpasaurus101 @mj-or-say10 @professional-idiocy @seaweed-is-cool @theelvishcowgirl @atomicsandwichprince @sunshiline-writes @peasandpotatos @pirefyrelight @enigmawritesstuff @reverie1234 @obsessedsplicer505 @mithras-energy @morning-star-whump

135 notes · View notes

avvail-whumps · 5 months

Note

I just realised in #20 of Guns for Hire, Leo was almosted 🍇ed by one of the mercenaries when he was asleep. If you mind, could you please write something about Leo admitting that to Roy? So we can see his reaction?

“Who was your least favourite?”

The question caught Leo off guard, momentarily pausing and turning his attention away from his food. He was eating a bowl of chocolate mint covered marshmallows, some leftover from Halloween. He hummed, his head lifting off Roy’s shoulder.

“What do you mean?” He asked, catching the mercenary’s languid stare.

“I mean the other guys,” he shrugged, as if it wasn’t such a horrible memory for him. “When I was away on my contract. Who was your least favourite?”

Why was he asking him this question so suddenly? Leo’s brow crinckled as he stared at his bowl, fingers squeezing one of the marshmallows gently. The mercenary seemed to notice his obvious hesitance, and leaned down to kiss the furrow in his brow.

“It’s not a trick,” he prompted smugly. He swiped one of the marshmallows and tucked the blanket tighter around them. “I was thinking about it last night, is all.”

Leo bit the inside of his cheek softly.

“Bran,” he responded in a small voice. He didn’t want to remember them at all, but he tried to swallow down the anxiety regardless. “I think Rafi next. He freaked me out a little, especially that one time when I woke up and he—”

Leo cut himself off. He snuggled further into Roy’s side. “Nevermind.”

“Nevermind?” The mercenary parroted, shaking his head. “When you woke up and what, lion?”

“I don’t want to...” His voice trailed off. “It’s nothing.”

“Come on,” Roy encouraged softly, hand gently rubbing his arm. Leo swallowed nervously, just trying to comfort the racing of his heart with Roy’s presence and his warmth instead. “You know you can tell me anything.”

Leo knew he could. That was what made it so difficult. He released a shuddering breath, fiddling the marshmallow absentmindly. He finally set it in the bowl, and another encouraging squeeze from Roy finally forced it from his tongue.

“Rafi, he...” Leo shifted. “I don’t think—he didn’t touch me, or anything. I just, I woke up and he was on the bed...”

He frowned. “I barely even remember it. But he was—trying to take my pants off and he said, he said that—” Leo felt Roy kiss the top of his head, tucking him under his chin. He took the bowl so Leo could wrap his arms around him. “He said something about it not being as fun if I was awake, so he left me alone. I don’t even remember it that well, I don’t even know if I dreamt it.”

There was silence from the man, before he spoke in a calm, measured voice. The arm around him had tightened inexplicably.

“He did?” Roy muttured grimly. Leo gently stroked the tattoo on Roy’s arm, just under the cut of fabric of his short sleeve.

“Yeah,” he whispered, his voice so quiet. “It’s not...I really don’t even think about it.”

Sometimes Leo thought about it. Sometimes when Roy would unbutton his pants, he would imagine what it would have been like it he hadn’t woken up that night. He liked it when Roy peeled his clothes off, but the memory clung to him like dirt, and it wouldn’t come off. So, he supposed he was lying, and he knew Roy wouldn’t like it.

“Yeah?” Roy sighed curtly, kissing the top of his head like he could hear his heartbeat picking up. “I’m glad I put a bullet through his skull. Didn’t know that was a taste of his.”

When Leo remained quiet, gentle fingers slid under his chin, tilting his head back to meet his eyes. They were darker than usual, but his voice was so warm.

“None of the others touched you, right?” He asked quietly, and Leo didn’t even have time to shake his head before Roy was continuing. “Because it doesn’t matter that Bran and Sean are in hiding, I will find them. So just give me an excuse to bury them in the back garden too, lion.”

Maybe it was the morbid sentiment that made him blush, but Leo shook his head. The fingers under his chin gently stroked his cheek, and he leaned keenly into the touch as if he’d never experienced it before. His heart skipped a beat.

“No,” he whispered. “Promise.”

Roy smiled slightly, leaning forward to kiss his lips. When he pulled away, the ex-secretary happily cuddled against his side, accepting the bowl of marshmallows back.

“Good,” he sighed, leaning his head against his in the coziness of the couch. Leo didn’t have to know that he was absolutely livid, seething with jealousy at the idea Rafi had even thought about the idea of touching what was his. “I’m glad.”

56 notes · View notes