As the World Falls Down Chp. 4
Title: As the World Falls Down
Author: DarlingLilEve/LittleDarlingeve
Pairing: Bane/John
Rating: R for violence and slight distrubing content.
Word Count: 4,458
Warning(s): Violent imagery that may be distrubing. Viewer discretion is advised.
Beta:
cathenian
Author's Note:
This is set before the film has actually been released, so please don't get your panties in a twist. This is my version of what happens if Batman gets taken down by Bane.
Bane also has tattoos instead of being completely uncovered by them. I don't like the fact they're taking Tom's tatoos out for the movie. >:| I believe it adds more character to Bane.
Summary: When Batman fell, so did Gotham. When Batman fell, the world went to shit. When Batman fell, the people lost hope. John Blake is one of the many who fights to survive the now hell hole of Gotham. Unfortunately, Fate is a cruel bitch who loves to play jokes.
AN 2: Sorry for the late post you guys. School's been a bitch and my Beta has been busy as well. A couple of weeks ago I posted a cast list for the fic. Have a look if you like. http://darlinglileve.livejournal.com/4715.html#cutid1
Chp. 4 Mark me as yours.
He was sitting in a chair that was facing the large windows that covered the room around him. It was raining that night and the wind was raging against everyone and anything in its path. There were people clothed in white scattered around in the vicinity. Some were watching TV, some were playing board games and a few were eating that night’s dinner and chatting amongst themselves.
The room was dimly lit, giving an eerie feel to it. He didn’t care though because he was too busy watching Mother Nature do her work. He actually wished that he was outside at the moment. Better than being inside here with all these people.
“I cover the waterfront. I’m watching the sea. For the one I love, must soon come back to me...” the radio’s speaker sang sadly to him.
“It’s time to go to bed now, John.” A kind, young woman with spectacles and blonde hair softly commanded. John paid no attention to her. She pulled up a chair next to him and sat down. She looked up out the window, just as he was. “Are you still having nightmares?”
“They won’t stop.” John hoarsely whispers. “I don’t want to go to sleep.”
“But you have to sweetie. How else are you going to get better?”
John looked down at his hands. They were raw from a vigorous washing. “When can I go home?”
“Not until you can properly go to sleep.”
The young officer merely glanced at her then back at the view in front of him. “I’m afraid. Just drug me Miss Daisy.”
Miss Daisy gently rubbed John’s back. She motions for John to get up which he does. They start to walk past a pair of big, burly men in white scrubs and down a hallway. The woman, Miss Daisy, motions to another man who is standing at a nurse’s station to follow her to a room where John is sleeping in. The man she motions to follows her as she brings John into the room and locks it after he goes in.
“Tell Dr. Strange that patient number 343 is suffering some side effects from the drugs administered the other day. Also, we need to increase his fiber and protein in his diet.”
Inside his room, John was laying on his cot, staring at the wall, and praying to a god he had long ago lost faith in. He didn’t want to be in this facility anymore and he didn’t want to be in here. He wanted to be outside in the rain. Anywhere would be preferable than here. His doctor scared him and filled him with strange drugs that left him unable to sleep.
From inside his room, no, cell, he could hear the sad sounds of the radio still playing. “I cover the waterfront. I’m watching the sea. For the one I love must soon come back to me.”
--------
“Wake up.”
As the command was given, John awoke.
He was greeted by the sight of Bane reading a book and the warm glow of a fire. It appeared that he had fallen asleep once more on the couch. Bane was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the cushions. The bigger man seemed very comfortable with where he was. The fire’s glow was giving Bane a rather interesting look. The shadows and light played gently with Bane’s body. Maybe it was from all the stress of being captured or maybe he was just going insane, John was thinking that Bane was somewhat handsome.
Of course, if anyone asked him, namely the voice in his head, he’d deny it.
“What do you want?” John rasped sleepily.
“You’ve been asleep far too long. You’ve been wasting time sleeping on the couch like a lazy cat.”
John glared, “And what, pray tell, could I possibly do to occupy my time? What is there besides breathing, eating, and rotting away in this gilded cage?”
Bane turned his attention towards his book, “You could go swimming. I’ve given you more places to venture around.”
“I’ve already told you before. I can’t swim.”
Bane grinned, “Well, it’s about time you learned.”
--------
“You really are a like a cat.”
John was standing in the shallow end awkwardly as Marianna was swimming around him with an overjoyed look on her face. Bane had ordered a few of his lackeys to fetch some swimming trunks for him and had given them to John. Bane also ordered for Marianna to join them and teach John how to swim. The young woman was overjoyed and immediately came up to the suite with a swim suit of her own.
Currently, Bane was sitting in one of the many beach chairs that surrounded the pool. He was reading the book he had in the living room. Sometimes, when John wasn’t paying attention to Marianna, he would look over to Bane and see him watching. Of course, Bane was wearing that god awful mask of his, but he was wearing comfortable clothing such as grey gym pants and a loose black shirt.
“Is this really necessary? Why the hell do I need to learn how to swim?” John grumbled as he stood in the shallow end and watched Marianna go back and forth from one end to the other. Marianna grinned and moved towards him. She grabbed his hands and started to gently lead his resisting body towards the deep end.
“Don’t be such a baby. Everyone should know how to swim. Besides, you won’t drown. Hefe and I will make sure you live.” She grins over at Bane who merely flips a page in his book.
John really didn’t see what was so important about learning how to swim. He was never near a body of water that required this skill. Though he did enjoy moving around in the large body of water with Marianna, he still couldn’t shake the feeling of Bane’s eyes watching him every where he was. After an hour of swimming, Marianna started to float on her back and watch the snow fall from the sky through the windows on the ceiling. John took that as break time from her lessons and moved through the water to the edge of the pool. Bane was finishing up the book as John was approaching him.
“You read too much.”
Bane snorts as he finishes the last page. “And you sleep too much.” He closes the book and places it on a miniature table beside him. Then, he motions John to sit next to him in the seat but John hesitates but then sits down. The former officer awkwardly movies his gaze back and forth from Marianna to Bane, who is giving him an analytical look. “I see that you have somewhat learned how to swim.”
“I guess. In some strange way, I kinda always wanted to learn how to.”
“Oh?”
John nods, “Yeah, I had this weird fascination with ocean life. I have always wanted to go to the beach one day. “ The officer admits with a melancholy expression.
“I know. You told me once.”
“Gatito! It’s time for another lesson! Come on!”
John does a double take. He stares at Marianna and then at Bane who merely gets up and states, “That’s enough for today. John and I have some business to attend to.”
“Si hefe.” The young Hispanic girl says as she makes her way towards the shallow end, “Es necesario que yo vuelva a mi mensaje?”
Bane gives the other man a towel that was lying in the seat bigger man was occupying. Apparently, Bane was using it as a cushion for his neck. “No. Usted puede quedarse un poco mas. Ir en cualquier momento.”
“Gracias, hefe.” Marianna cheerfully says as she continues to swim. “Bye gatito! Have fun!”
John nods as Bane leads them out of the swimming area and down the hall. As per usual, the hallway of the top floor was completely empty. The former police officer gazed longingly at the elevator that was located the opposite way they were walking. If only he could escape.
One day he would.
He’d make sure of it.
Once they entered the suite, John also noticed that there was a man with tattoos and piercings sitting by a massage table with a machine. Bane started to speak to the man with the piercings and the man merely nodded and left the suite. Bane turned to John and stared intensely into his eyes.
John tried to keep the nervousness out of his voice, but failed. He asked, “What’s going on?”
“Each and every one of the members in my gang is required to have a mark on them.” Bane explains as the man comes back in with a syringe and a bottle of medicine. John turns his attention to the man that entered the suite with increasing anxiety. Bane motions for him to come closer to them and points to the man’s arm. On the gang members arm is a skeleton. It reminded John of those Day of the Dead skeletons with its intricate designs and colors. The eyes of the skull had a menacing look to it and seemed to be staring straight into John’s soul.
The gang member was released and gave Bane the medicine and the syringe. He then moved back to the table to prepare his equipment that he had arranged around the massage table. John’s wary brown eyes shifted back and forth from the thug to Bane. “S-so, what does this have to do with me? I’m not a member of your gang.”
“Of course you’re not.”
“Then why is he here?”
“Because you’re getting a tattoo.”
“B-But I’m not a member of your gang.” John hissed, “So I don’t see the need for it.”
Bane looked unimpressed, “It’s necessary for you because you of all people need it the most.”
“And why is that!?”
“Because you’re mine.”
John froze. His whole body was slowly starting to warm up for some strange reason. John’s heart started to pump harder as the words started to sink into his brain. The pure possessiveness those words produced frightened John to his core. Strangely, he felt a small thread of happiness fill his heart. He didn’t know why, but he just felt that way. It was probably because he had officially developed Stockholm’s Syndrome...Scratch that. He was going to blame it on the mental illness and avoid trying to dig deeper into the situation.
John was so focused on his thoughts that didn’t hear what Bane was saying next. Bane started to move towards the paralyzed man with the syringe, “I’m going to give you a choice.”
“W-what?” John started to back away as the taller advanced.
After several steps, Bane had cornered John against a wall that was parallel to the kitchen, “Yes. A choice.” He raised the needle with the mysterious contents in it, “You have a choice to have a tranquilizer and avoid the pain. Or you can go without it and be in pain the whole time.”
Brown eyes examined the needle and Bane himself. The other man’s expression was, as always, very calm and collected. That didn’t help that John was rapidly going into a panic attack. “A-and what if I say no to it all?” John bravely met Bane in the eye with a fierce look. The other man chuckled.
“That’s cute that you think you have a choice of not getting the tattoo. Whether you like it or not, you will get it. I’m only giving you an option of being in pain.”
John’s body started to go into shock. His limbs started to tremble slightly and his chest started to feel as if it was being constricted. His temperature rose and the room started to cave in on him. “No.” John whispered.
“Excuse me?”
“No.” John bravely stated. He shook his head and met Bane’s sharpened gaze with a hardened glare, “I said no.”
“No to the medicine? I’m rather shocked. I would have thought you’d would have---”
“I’m saying no to the tattoo.”
Bane’s eyes widened in surprise at his response. “No?”
“That’s right. I said no!” John hissed violently.
Apparently, that was the wrong answer. With a whiplash speed, Bane grabbed the younger man’s arm and brought him closer. John struggled to escape his grip but to no avail. He stopped abruptly when Bane started to add a bone crushing pressure to his grip. He slid down to the floor and glared hatefully up at the larger man.
“I’m going to ask you one last time. Do you want the tranquilizer or not?”
John’s answer was what was considered at all time low for any man to do to another, a swift punch to Bane’s dick.
Immediately, John was released and he stood straight up with a lightning speed as Bane fell to the ground in pain. The gang member yelled at John as the former police officer grabbed a knife from the kitchen and pointed it at the thug as he moved towards the door. Once John was successfully outside of the suite, he started to run towards the elevator in haste. He hastily pushed the buttons to summon the elevator, but to no avail. Instead of waiting, John moved to go down the stairs.
He didn’t just run down the stairs, he flew down them. Adrenaline was fueling him down what seemed like five levels. After the sixth level, he heard noises coming up from two levels or so. They were yelling about orders given to them by Bane himself and were rushing towards his location. John quickly moved down the lowers levels to about the fourth level. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to the third for there were more gang members coming from the lower levels towards him. So, instead of attempting to go down the third level, John exited into the fourth level’s hallway.
In the fourth hall, there were no gang members. Instead, there were just rows and rows of doors that led to hotel rooms. John didn’t have any time to think as he heard the gang members coming closer to the fourth floor. He had only a couple of minutes before the thugs reached his location. Taking no more time, John started to check every door to see if there were any unlocked doors. Unfortunately, there were none. Luckily for him though, there was a laundry chute large enough to fit a person in that led to what John presumed as the lower levels of the hotel. He walked down the hall to the laundry shoot and opened it. He started to put himself into it when he heard the door that led to the stairwell open and a thug with one eye noticed John.
“There he is! He’s trying to get into the laundry shoot! Tell the boss we’ve got him!” He yelled to the men in the stairwell. John hissed and started to tuck himself inside when three of them started to advance on him. Just when they were about to reach him, he had successfully tucked himself inside and started to slide down to the lower levels. Once he was at the end of the shoot, he was launched out into a giant laundry basket that was located in the laundry room.
A grin emerged on John’s face as he got out of the laundry basket. Being small did have its perks after all. He wasn’t worried that those thugs would follow him down here because they couldn’t fit the shoot. But that didn’t mean that he was in the clear just yet. He had to figure out where the parking garage was so that he could hijack a car and get the fuck out of there.
Once he was out of the laundry room, John started to high tail it down the hallway to a check point station that was used to check the ID’s of the hotel employees. He rushed past the checkpoint and towards a working elevator. He pressed the button to go down and waited. Once the elevator car came, John motioned for the car to move down to the basement. He was close to freedom he could cry!
The basement level was slowly approaching him. John was close to trying to tear the doors apart, if he had the power to do so, and climb down the elevator shaft. His anticipation was settled once the doors parted and John rushed into the dark parking garage. The good news was that there were plenty of cars to break into. Mostly all of them were gang member’s cars and John could easily high jack one.
The bad news was that there were thugs in the parking garage looking for him.
One of them was yelling orders to the others about capturing John without conflict, but that wasn’t going to happen because John wasn’t about to be taken back to Bane. John moved to the shadows as they approached. It seemed that the universe was on his side as he found a suitable car for his escape. Now if he could actually get it star---
“Oh gatito...You’ve been very, very bad.”
Then, John’s world went black.
-----
When John wakes, he feels hung over and tired at the same time. He can’t even bring his brain to figure out where he was or what happened. His mind was a giant fog that didn’t want to disperse.
His limbs were tied down to the tables’ legs and his head was turned to the side so that he could see Bane sitting in a chair directly in his line of sight. The drugs, whatever they had given to him, made him aware but didn’t allow his body to actually function. John could hear a faint buzzing noise in the background.
“I warned you.” Bane calmly said as he watched John try to sober up. Though his voice was calm, John knew Bane was furious. “I warned you about escaping.”
“I know...” John weakly hisses out, “But fuck if I didn’t try.”
A chuckle escaped Bane’s mask, “That you did. I’m proud.”
“Fuck you.” John moans as Bane motions to the man that was in the suite earlier to come towards them. The man takes a seat on the other side of John where he wasn’t in site. All of the sudden, John starts to feel a burning and vibrating sensation as the man starts to draw on his back.
Time was not on John’s side during this procedure. It seemed that the man was taking his sweet ass time with whatever was going to be on John’s back. John kept his moans and hisses of pain to himself. He knew that Bane would get some pleasure from his pain. Bane was watching him with a silent fury. He knew that Bane was angry that he had managed to slip through his security, but that really didn’t matter to John. What mattered was that he actually could escape. He could get out of this hell hole.
John went unconscious after an hour of fighting the pain in his back and the drug.
-----
“Interesting...Very interesting...”
John was sitting in a chair in a dark room of Arkham Asylum. He was tied, gagged, and was shaking uncontrollably as an unknown drug coursed through his veins. There were many injection wounds from needles all over his arms and was covered. To anyone who was watching this scene, they would be disgusted at the state that John was in. There were dark bags underneath his eyes, his face was somewhat sunken in, and his limbs covered in bandages and bruises.
“You are a very interesting specimen. Most would have died after this many injections. I’m rather surprised you have survived this long.”
Teary brown eyes stared into the reflected lenses of Dr. Hugo Strange. The man was smiling as he observed John shaking. The man reached into his pocket and took out a small flashlight and examined the tortured man’s eyes. John hissed and tried to look away, but unfortunately for him, Strange kept John focused towards his face.
“You’re fighting off not only my drugs, but Crane’s as well. Remarkable. You must have a very strong will Mr. Blake.” The doctor complimented the poor soul as he tucked the flashlight away. “I think I will definitely keep you. A subject like you is too precious to let go. I believe that you will have a permanent home here at the asylum.”
“N-no!” John cried out as he was once again injected with a mysterious medicine. John stopped shaking immediately and breathed heavily as Hugo motioned for some guards to take the tortured patient back to his cell. They roughly grab him and drag his limp body down a hall and to a small dark room. He was mercilessly dropped down on a cot and left alone. The poor man curled in on himself and held back the tears of pain and agony that threatened to spill.
“What did he do to you?” A voice hisses in the corner of the room. A shadowy figure slithers as towards John like a predator. The figure gathers John into its arms and cradles him against their chest. John rests his cheek against the figures chest and lets it brush its hand through his short hair. Its hands ran over the marks on his arms and gently rubbed his back to warm the trembling man.
“The usual.” John hoarsely says. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“I would have but the staff shot me with two tranquilizers.” It gently says as it drags the two to the darkest corner of the room. John laid limply in the figures arms as the other sits in the corner, its back against the wall and John plastered to its front.
John started to tremble as the other being brushed against some of the tender puncture wounds. It stops and moves to rub at John’s back again. “I want to go home. I want to sleep. I just want freedom. I can’t stand it here anymore.”
“I know love. I know. I promise you I’ll get you out of here.”
John nods slowly. He knew the figure was being truthful, “Where will we go if we escape?”
“There is no ‘if’. We will escape.”
“Fine, where will we go when we escape?”
The figure pauses and thinks, “Where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere where the sun is shining and it’s warm. I’m so tired of feeling cold. It’s always so cold...”
“Then it’s a promise.”
--------
John woke up to feel someone rubbing his back gently. His head was turned to the side and he could see that he was in his bedroom. Bane was sitting down on the floor beside him, apparently rubbing his back with lotion. The feeling of being hung over flooded John’s senses and he groggily tries to move. He is stopped, however, by Bane as he gently pushes John down to the mattress by his shoulders.
“Rest.” Bane commands as he adds another coating to his hand and starts to rub. John glares viciously as Bane continue. He is not wearing his mask and John is able to see his whole face.
“How long have I been out?”
“A day or two. The tattoo took a lot of energy out of you.” Bane merely says as he is talking about the weather. John groans and tries to turn his head to the other side, but at the angle he is laid, he isn’t able to and has to face Bane.
“Do I get to see what the hell you put on my back?”
“In time. Just relax and rest.”
“I don’t want to.” John hoarsely whispers as he starts to fall asleep due to exhaustion. He returns to his dream world, leaving Bane all to himself.
Once Bane was done with applying the lotion to John’s back, he stands up to wash his hands in the bathroom. He comes back minutes later to examine the police officer’s back. A large skull covers John’s back completely. Its design is twisted yet beautiful at the same time, mostly influenced by Spanish art. He sits down next to John and watches him sleep. After minutes of merely gazing at John’s stressed expression, he started to rub the back of John’s head and neck. This eased some of John’s stress and he seemed to relax more with Bane’s touch.
“I’m sorry.” Bane whispers. “I’m so sorry.”
Author: DarlingLilEve/LittleDarlingeve
Pairing: Bane/John
Rating: R for violence and slight distrubing content.
Word Count: 4,458
Warning(s): Violent imagery that may be distrubing. Viewer discretion is advised.
Beta:
cathenian
Author's Note:
This is set before the film has actually been released, so please don't get your panties in a twist. This is my version of what happens if Batman gets taken down by Bane.
Bane also has tattoos instead of being completely uncovered by them. I don't like the fact they're taking Tom's tatoos out for the movie. >:| I believe it adds more character to Bane.
Summary: When Batman fell, so did Gotham. When Batman fell, the world went to shit. When Batman fell, the people lost hope. John Blake is one of the many who fights to survive the now hell hole of Gotham. Unfortunately, Fate is a cruel bitch who loves to play jokes.
AN 2: Sorry for the late post you guys. School's been a bitch and my Beta has been busy as well. A couple of weeks ago I posted a cast list for the fic. Have a look if you like. http://darlinglileve.livejournal.com/4715.html#cutid1
Chp. 4 Mark me as yours.
He was sitting in a chair that was facing the large windows that covered the room around him. It was raining that night and the wind was raging against everyone and anything in its path. There were people clothed in white scattered around in the vicinity. Some were watching TV, some were playing board games and a few were eating that night’s dinner and chatting amongst themselves.
The room was dimly lit, giving an eerie feel to it. He didn’t care though because he was too busy watching Mother Nature do her work. He actually wished that he was outside at the moment. Better than being inside here with all these people.
“I cover the waterfront. I’m watching the sea. For the one I love, must soon come back to me...” the radio’s speaker sang sadly to him.
“It’s time to go to bed now, John.” A kind, young woman with spectacles and blonde hair softly commanded. John paid no attention to her. She pulled up a chair next to him and sat down. She looked up out the window, just as he was. “Are you still having nightmares?”
“They won’t stop.” John hoarsely whispers. “I don’t want to go to sleep.”
“But you have to sweetie. How else are you going to get better?”
John looked down at his hands. They were raw from a vigorous washing. “When can I go home?”
“Not until you can properly go to sleep.”
The young officer merely glanced at her then back at the view in front of him. “I’m afraid. Just drug me Miss Daisy.”
Miss Daisy gently rubbed John’s back. She motions for John to get up which he does. They start to walk past a pair of big, burly men in white scrubs and down a hallway. The woman, Miss Daisy, motions to another man who is standing at a nurse’s station to follow her to a room where John is sleeping in. The man she motions to follows her as she brings John into the room and locks it after he goes in.
“Tell Dr. Strange that patient number 343 is suffering some side effects from the drugs administered the other day. Also, we need to increase his fiber and protein in his diet.”
Inside his room, John was laying on his cot, staring at the wall, and praying to a god he had long ago lost faith in. He didn’t want to be in this facility anymore and he didn’t want to be in here. He wanted to be outside in the rain. Anywhere would be preferable than here. His doctor scared him and filled him with strange drugs that left him unable to sleep.
From inside his room, no, cell, he could hear the sad sounds of the radio still playing. “I cover the waterfront. I’m watching the sea. For the one I love must soon come back to me.”
--------
“Wake up.”
As the command was given, John awoke.
He was greeted by the sight of Bane reading a book and the warm glow of a fire. It appeared that he had fallen asleep once more on the couch. Bane was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the cushions. The bigger man seemed very comfortable with where he was. The fire’s glow was giving Bane a rather interesting look. The shadows and light played gently with Bane’s body. Maybe it was from all the stress of being captured or maybe he was just going insane, John was thinking that Bane was somewhat handsome.
Of course, if anyone asked him, namely the voice in his head, he’d deny it.
“What do you want?” John rasped sleepily.
“You’ve been asleep far too long. You’ve been wasting time sleeping on the couch like a lazy cat.”
John glared, “And what, pray tell, could I possibly do to occupy my time? What is there besides breathing, eating, and rotting away in this gilded cage?”
Bane turned his attention towards his book, “You could go swimming. I’ve given you more places to venture around.”
“I’ve already told you before. I can’t swim.”
Bane grinned, “Well, it’s about time you learned.”
--------
“You really are a like a cat.”
John was standing in the shallow end awkwardly as Marianna was swimming around him with an overjoyed look on her face. Bane had ordered a few of his lackeys to fetch some swimming trunks for him and had given them to John. Bane also ordered for Marianna to join them and teach John how to swim. The young woman was overjoyed and immediately came up to the suite with a swim suit of her own.
Currently, Bane was sitting in one of the many beach chairs that surrounded the pool. He was reading the book he had in the living room. Sometimes, when John wasn’t paying attention to Marianna, he would look over to Bane and see him watching. Of course, Bane was wearing that god awful mask of his, but he was wearing comfortable clothing such as grey gym pants and a loose black shirt.
“Is this really necessary? Why the hell do I need to learn how to swim?” John grumbled as he stood in the shallow end and watched Marianna go back and forth from one end to the other. Marianna grinned and moved towards him. She grabbed his hands and started to gently lead his resisting body towards the deep end.
“Don’t be such a baby. Everyone should know how to swim. Besides, you won’t drown. Hefe and I will make sure you live.” She grins over at Bane who merely flips a page in his book.
John really didn’t see what was so important about learning how to swim. He was never near a body of water that required this skill. Though he did enjoy moving around in the large body of water with Marianna, he still couldn’t shake the feeling of Bane’s eyes watching him every where he was. After an hour of swimming, Marianna started to float on her back and watch the snow fall from the sky through the windows on the ceiling. John took that as break time from her lessons and moved through the water to the edge of the pool. Bane was finishing up the book as John was approaching him.
“You read too much.”
Bane snorts as he finishes the last page. “And you sleep too much.” He closes the book and places it on a miniature table beside him. Then, he motions John to sit next to him in the seat but John hesitates but then sits down. The former officer awkwardly movies his gaze back and forth from Marianna to Bane, who is giving him an analytical look. “I see that you have somewhat learned how to swim.”
“I guess. In some strange way, I kinda always wanted to learn how to.”
“Oh?”
John nods, “Yeah, I had this weird fascination with ocean life. I have always wanted to go to the beach one day. “ The officer admits with a melancholy expression.
“I know. You told me once.”
“Gatito! It’s time for another lesson! Come on!”
John does a double take. He stares at Marianna and then at Bane who merely gets up and states, “That’s enough for today. John and I have some business to attend to.”
“Si hefe.” The young Hispanic girl says as she makes her way towards the shallow end, “Es necesario que yo vuelva a mi mensaje?”
Bane gives the other man a towel that was lying in the seat bigger man was occupying. Apparently, Bane was using it as a cushion for his neck. “No. Usted puede quedarse un poco mas. Ir en cualquier momento.”
“Gracias, hefe.” Marianna cheerfully says as she continues to swim. “Bye gatito! Have fun!”
John nods as Bane leads them out of the swimming area and down the hall. As per usual, the hallway of the top floor was completely empty. The former police officer gazed longingly at the elevator that was located the opposite way they were walking. If only he could escape.
One day he would.
He’d make sure of it.
Once they entered the suite, John also noticed that there was a man with tattoos and piercings sitting by a massage table with a machine. Bane started to speak to the man with the piercings and the man merely nodded and left the suite. Bane turned to John and stared intensely into his eyes.
John tried to keep the nervousness out of his voice, but failed. He asked, “What’s going on?”
“Each and every one of the members in my gang is required to have a mark on them.” Bane explains as the man comes back in with a syringe and a bottle of medicine. John turns his attention to the man that entered the suite with increasing anxiety. Bane motions for him to come closer to them and points to the man’s arm. On the gang members arm is a skeleton. It reminded John of those Day of the Dead skeletons with its intricate designs and colors. The eyes of the skull had a menacing look to it and seemed to be staring straight into John’s soul.
The gang member was released and gave Bane the medicine and the syringe. He then moved back to the table to prepare his equipment that he had arranged around the massage table. John’s wary brown eyes shifted back and forth from the thug to Bane. “S-so, what does this have to do with me? I’m not a member of your gang.”
“Of course you’re not.”
“Then why is he here?”
“Because you’re getting a tattoo.”
“B-But I’m not a member of your gang.” John hissed, “So I don’t see the need for it.”
Bane looked unimpressed, “It’s necessary for you because you of all people need it the most.”
“And why is that!?”
“Because you’re mine.”
John froze. His whole body was slowly starting to warm up for some strange reason. John’s heart started to pump harder as the words started to sink into his brain. The pure possessiveness those words produced frightened John to his core. Strangely, he felt a small thread of happiness fill his heart. He didn’t know why, but he just felt that way. It was probably because he had officially developed Stockholm’s Syndrome...Scratch that. He was going to blame it on the mental illness and avoid trying to dig deeper into the situation.
John was so focused on his thoughts that didn’t hear what Bane was saying next. Bane started to move towards the paralyzed man with the syringe, “I’m going to give you a choice.”
“W-what?” John started to back away as the taller advanced.
After several steps, Bane had cornered John against a wall that was parallel to the kitchen, “Yes. A choice.” He raised the needle with the mysterious contents in it, “You have a choice to have a tranquilizer and avoid the pain. Or you can go without it and be in pain the whole time.”
Brown eyes examined the needle and Bane himself. The other man’s expression was, as always, very calm and collected. That didn’t help that John was rapidly going into a panic attack. “A-and what if I say no to it all?” John bravely met Bane in the eye with a fierce look. The other man chuckled.
“That’s cute that you think you have a choice of not getting the tattoo. Whether you like it or not, you will get it. I’m only giving you an option of being in pain.”
John’s body started to go into shock. His limbs started to tremble slightly and his chest started to feel as if it was being constricted. His temperature rose and the room started to cave in on him. “No.” John whispered.
“Excuse me?”
“No.” John bravely stated. He shook his head and met Bane’s sharpened gaze with a hardened glare, “I said no.”
“No to the medicine? I’m rather shocked. I would have thought you’d would have---”
“I’m saying no to the tattoo.”
Bane’s eyes widened in surprise at his response. “No?”
“That’s right. I said no!” John hissed violently.
Apparently, that was the wrong answer. With a whiplash speed, Bane grabbed the younger man’s arm and brought him closer. John struggled to escape his grip but to no avail. He stopped abruptly when Bane started to add a bone crushing pressure to his grip. He slid down to the floor and glared hatefully up at the larger man.
“I’m going to ask you one last time. Do you want the tranquilizer or not?”
John’s answer was what was considered at all time low for any man to do to another, a swift punch to Bane’s dick.
Immediately, John was released and he stood straight up with a lightning speed as Bane fell to the ground in pain. The gang member yelled at John as the former police officer grabbed a knife from the kitchen and pointed it at the thug as he moved towards the door. Once John was successfully outside of the suite, he started to run towards the elevator in haste. He hastily pushed the buttons to summon the elevator, but to no avail. Instead of waiting, John moved to go down the stairs.
He didn’t just run down the stairs, he flew down them. Adrenaline was fueling him down what seemed like five levels. After the sixth level, he heard noises coming up from two levels or so. They were yelling about orders given to them by Bane himself and were rushing towards his location. John quickly moved down the lowers levels to about the fourth level. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to the third for there were more gang members coming from the lower levels towards him. So, instead of attempting to go down the third level, John exited into the fourth level’s hallway.
In the fourth hall, there were no gang members. Instead, there were just rows and rows of doors that led to hotel rooms. John didn’t have any time to think as he heard the gang members coming closer to the fourth floor. He had only a couple of minutes before the thugs reached his location. Taking no more time, John started to check every door to see if there were any unlocked doors. Unfortunately, there were none. Luckily for him though, there was a laundry chute large enough to fit a person in that led to what John presumed as the lower levels of the hotel. He walked down the hall to the laundry shoot and opened it. He started to put himself into it when he heard the door that led to the stairwell open and a thug with one eye noticed John.
“There he is! He’s trying to get into the laundry shoot! Tell the boss we’ve got him!” He yelled to the men in the stairwell. John hissed and started to tuck himself inside when three of them started to advance on him. Just when they were about to reach him, he had successfully tucked himself inside and started to slide down to the lower levels. Once he was at the end of the shoot, he was launched out into a giant laundry basket that was located in the laundry room.
A grin emerged on John’s face as he got out of the laundry basket. Being small did have its perks after all. He wasn’t worried that those thugs would follow him down here because they couldn’t fit the shoot. But that didn’t mean that he was in the clear just yet. He had to figure out where the parking garage was so that he could hijack a car and get the fuck out of there.
Once he was out of the laundry room, John started to high tail it down the hallway to a check point station that was used to check the ID’s of the hotel employees. He rushed past the checkpoint and towards a working elevator. He pressed the button to go down and waited. Once the elevator car came, John motioned for the car to move down to the basement. He was close to freedom he could cry!
The basement level was slowly approaching him. John was close to trying to tear the doors apart, if he had the power to do so, and climb down the elevator shaft. His anticipation was settled once the doors parted and John rushed into the dark parking garage. The good news was that there were plenty of cars to break into. Mostly all of them were gang member’s cars and John could easily high jack one.
The bad news was that there were thugs in the parking garage looking for him.
One of them was yelling orders to the others about capturing John without conflict, but that wasn’t going to happen because John wasn’t about to be taken back to Bane. John moved to the shadows as they approached. It seemed that the universe was on his side as he found a suitable car for his escape. Now if he could actually get it star---
“Oh gatito...You’ve been very, very bad.”
Then, John’s world went black.
-----
When John wakes, he feels hung over and tired at the same time. He can’t even bring his brain to figure out where he was or what happened. His mind was a giant fog that didn’t want to disperse.
His limbs were tied down to the tables’ legs and his head was turned to the side so that he could see Bane sitting in a chair directly in his line of sight. The drugs, whatever they had given to him, made him aware but didn’t allow his body to actually function. John could hear a faint buzzing noise in the background.
“I warned you.” Bane calmly said as he watched John try to sober up. Though his voice was calm, John knew Bane was furious. “I warned you about escaping.”
“I know...” John weakly hisses out, “But fuck if I didn’t try.”
A chuckle escaped Bane’s mask, “That you did. I’m proud.”
“Fuck you.” John moans as Bane motions to the man that was in the suite earlier to come towards them. The man takes a seat on the other side of John where he wasn’t in site. All of the sudden, John starts to feel a burning and vibrating sensation as the man starts to draw on his back.
Time was not on John’s side during this procedure. It seemed that the man was taking his sweet ass time with whatever was going to be on John’s back. John kept his moans and hisses of pain to himself. He knew that Bane would get some pleasure from his pain. Bane was watching him with a silent fury. He knew that Bane was angry that he had managed to slip through his security, but that really didn’t matter to John. What mattered was that he actually could escape. He could get out of this hell hole.
John went unconscious after an hour of fighting the pain in his back and the drug.
-----
“Interesting...Very interesting...”
John was sitting in a chair in a dark room of Arkham Asylum. He was tied, gagged, and was shaking uncontrollably as an unknown drug coursed through his veins. There were many injection wounds from needles all over his arms and was covered. To anyone who was watching this scene, they would be disgusted at the state that John was in. There were dark bags underneath his eyes, his face was somewhat sunken in, and his limbs covered in bandages and bruises.
“You are a very interesting specimen. Most would have died after this many injections. I’m rather surprised you have survived this long.”
Teary brown eyes stared into the reflected lenses of Dr. Hugo Strange. The man was smiling as he observed John shaking. The man reached into his pocket and took out a small flashlight and examined the tortured man’s eyes. John hissed and tried to look away, but unfortunately for him, Strange kept John focused towards his face.
“You’re fighting off not only my drugs, but Crane’s as well. Remarkable. You must have a very strong will Mr. Blake.” The doctor complimented the poor soul as he tucked the flashlight away. “I think I will definitely keep you. A subject like you is too precious to let go. I believe that you will have a permanent home here at the asylum.”
“N-no!” John cried out as he was once again injected with a mysterious medicine. John stopped shaking immediately and breathed heavily as Hugo motioned for some guards to take the tortured patient back to his cell. They roughly grab him and drag his limp body down a hall and to a small dark room. He was mercilessly dropped down on a cot and left alone. The poor man curled in on himself and held back the tears of pain and agony that threatened to spill.
“What did he do to you?” A voice hisses in the corner of the room. A shadowy figure slithers as towards John like a predator. The figure gathers John into its arms and cradles him against their chest. John rests his cheek against the figures chest and lets it brush its hand through his short hair. Its hands ran over the marks on his arms and gently rubbed his back to warm the trembling man.
“The usual.” John hoarsely says. “Why didn’t you stop him?”
“I would have but the staff shot me with two tranquilizers.” It gently says as it drags the two to the darkest corner of the room. John laid limply in the figures arms as the other sits in the corner, its back against the wall and John plastered to its front.
John started to tremble as the other being brushed against some of the tender puncture wounds. It stops and moves to rub at John’s back again. “I want to go home. I want to sleep. I just want freedom. I can’t stand it here anymore.”
“I know love. I know. I promise you I’ll get you out of here.”
John nods slowly. He knew the figure was being truthful, “Where will we go if we escape?”
“There is no ‘if’. We will escape.”
“Fine, where will we go when we escape?”
The figure pauses and thinks, “Where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere where the sun is shining and it’s warm. I’m so tired of feeling cold. It’s always so cold...”
“Then it’s a promise.”
--------
John woke up to feel someone rubbing his back gently. His head was turned to the side and he could see that he was in his bedroom. Bane was sitting down on the floor beside him, apparently rubbing his back with lotion. The feeling of being hung over flooded John’s senses and he groggily tries to move. He is stopped, however, by Bane as he gently pushes John down to the mattress by his shoulders.
“Rest.” Bane commands as he adds another coating to his hand and starts to rub. John glares viciously as Bane continue. He is not wearing his mask and John is able to see his whole face.
“How long have I been out?”
“A day or two. The tattoo took a lot of energy out of you.” Bane merely says as he is talking about the weather. John groans and tries to turn his head to the other side, but at the angle he is laid, he isn’t able to and has to face Bane.
“Do I get to see what the hell you put on my back?”
“In time. Just relax and rest.”
“I don’t want to.” John hoarsely whispers as he starts to fall asleep due to exhaustion. He returns to his dream world, leaving Bane all to himself.
Once Bane was done with applying the lotion to John’s back, he stands up to wash his hands in the bathroom. He comes back minutes later to examine the police officer’s back. A large skull covers John’s back completely. Its design is twisted yet beautiful at the same time, mostly influenced by Spanish art. He sits down next to John and watches him sleep. After minutes of merely gazing at John’s stressed expression, he started to rub the back of John’s head and neck. This eased some of John’s stress and he seemed to relax more with Bane’s touch.
“I’m sorry.” Bane whispers. “I’m so sorry.”