Wither in Denial [6/17]
Title: Wither in Denial
Fandom: Panic at the Disco
Pairing: Eventual GSF, everything in between until then
Word Count: 2534
Rating: PG-13
Summary: People claim to know all about slavery, but many history books and documents leave out that there were indeed white slaves. And in 1798, two brothers named Ryan and Spencer Ross bought two new white slaves for no other reason than they were drawn to them.
Disclaimer: Plot's mine. The people and the songs aren't.
Betas: melody_so_sweet and mere_thnetos
Notes: All notes are being taken out because they're irrelevant now.
Previous Chapters: master post
G.I.S.A.S.F.S. - Fall Out Boy
things aren't the same anymore, some nights it gets so bad
It's so blistering hot out that Spencer can barely think, and when he leaves the mansion to head into the garden he makes sure to take the long way through the shade. He spots Jon immediately, hidden by some rose bushes but working as hard as he can. His face is dirty and his hands are cut up by the thorns of the roses, but he's still doing the best job he can. Spencer stands back and watches as the sweaty man works, and notes how he's jealous of the fact that it is acceptable for him to have his pants rolled up to his knees, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Spencer can't walk around looking like a slave though, so he's covered head to toe in clothes that keep a constant layer of sweat on his face.
After about five minutes of simply standing in the shade of a large oak tree, Spencer catches Jon's eye as he looks up. It's clear Jon doesn't know why Spencer's there, which simply annoys Spencer. It also annoys him how Jon ignored him to work on the garden, yet then again he knows if Jon stood up to ask what he wanted he'd get even angrier.
He walks over silently and just as Jon looks up, ready to greet him, Spencer pulls his foot back and then kicks Jon hard in the jaw. He watches the older man tumble to the ground, giving a loud gasp of air before tears well up in his eyes from the pain he can't hide. Spencer stands there silent, hands in his pockets, and just waits as Jon continues gasping for breath before getting control of himself.
When the older man starts to get up, Spencer moves over to place his foot down on Jon's chest, pressing down hard enough that it's difficult for the older man to breathe. "Don't you dare," he warns, anger laced into every word. Jon just looks up at him, jaw soaked with blood from a badly busted lip, and unshed tears still in his eyes as he's afraid to make the smallest movement and wipe them away.
A few moments pass before Jon manages out, "I'm sorry." It's clear he knows what for, yet he doesn't go further into detail. Spencer knows any other slave would have spilled every bit of information to keep themselves from getting killed. Yet he also knows somewhere in the back of his mind that he isn't being fair, that he isn't listening to his rule of three times. This is the first time Jon had ever messed up but he just doesn't care as he pulls his foot back again and kicks Jon in the stomach, once then twice.
"Last night, Ryan felt bad. He actually felt guilty. He didn't mean to hurt Brendon; Keltie has just been awful to him lately." He's used to this, to making excuses for Ryan. The man messes up a lot, makes a lot of mistakes that can cost them if they get out. Spencer's used to having to tide everything over as Ryan gets defensive easily and the last thing they need is for someone to understand quickly what had happened. So the simple excuses feel normal as they come out.
"Do you know how often he feels guilty?" he continues, before kicking Jon again. The man cries out this time, clutching his waist and Spencer hopes he's cracked something. Jon deserves it. "Never. He walks into Brendon's room, ready to tell him that he has a week off if he wants, but then sees two people in bed. And it's never hard to tell who is who. We've learned that Brendon is a mess when he sleeps; he's hit Ryan in the face quite a few times while dreaming, because he can't seem to get control of himself." The flailing limbs are kind of cute, Spencer has to admit, when they aren't attacking him.
Each word is making Jon look a little more terrified, and Spencer hates how guilty it makes him feel. He hates even more that he doesn't know why. "So he gets me, and we come in there to find you curled up beside him. Did you plan it? Did he ask you to come into the mansion? I can't imagine you asked to come, after all." He waits as Jon begins to shake his head, but one last kick, one that makes Jon finally cry out in pain and start to tremble shuts him up.
"He did, then. I know you know better than to simply come in unannounced. It seems a bit ridiculous, to be quite honest, that you'd risk everything to come in. Are you stupid? Why did you even come? Was he lonely?" Jon doesn't reply and Spencer's a bit glad. "Maybe I should make him pay instead. After all, he's the one that started this mess."
The look in Jon's eyes surprises him, and Spencer frowns, not enjoying the bit of fear that starts to swell up inside of him. He catches himself before he takes a step back and instead just rolls his eyes, getting rid of the worry. He knows that look though, from when he was a child and it makes him nervous. He has to remind himself quite a few times as he stands there that no matter how angry Jon gets, the first finger he lays on him can just be cut off.
He's interested too though, because it's not often that a completely docile slave will get so protective and break so many rules. Jon's trained well, to the point that he hadn't even protected himself against the kicks. So he has to wonder what is so special about Brendon to make Jon go from completely obedient to breaking some of the biggest rules in seconds.
Spencer sits next to Jon and watches the other move to where he is sitting too, though he's favoring his left side, clutching where his ribs are. They both know nothing can be done for him if they're broken. It isn't as if a doctor can set them. He doesn't say a word as Jon wipes his mouth, which honestly does nothing but put dirt into the wound. Then he looks to the sky, watches the few clouds that drift past. "Why do you care about him co much?" he asks, completely interested. What makes Brendon so damn special? It must be something big, Spencer figures, as Brendon even managed to affect Ryan.
"I just... do," Jon says quietly and Spencer can tell that he isn't being secretive but he just doesn't know. Spencer thought he would've known something but apparently not.
A few seconds of silence pass before Spencer orders, "Tell me about him." Age, birth date, why he was taken, why he matters. Anything and everything Jon knows, Spencer wants to also.
Jon hesitates before nodding, and then slowly lays back, unsure if he can. Spencer knows his stomach must hurt though so he lets him, and watches as he fruitlessly wipes at his mouth, dirt and sweat getting stuck in the busted lip that just keeps bleeding. "I don't know everything, Sir," he admits softly. "He has a wife up north in the city somewhere. Her name is Audrey."
Spencer's brows furrow as he listens because really? He hadn't ever thought Brendon would be married, but he isn't sure why. Most of the men he knows are married by their early twenties, if not sooner. It's normal for them to be committed before they are even adults.
"They were childhood friends," Jon continues and somehow the conversation feels a bit too casual for Spencer. He shrugs the thoughts away though as he needs to know. "She was engaged to a man though that was only picked for the family's wealth. Not to mention he abused her." It's common place, they both know that. Yet some men take the rule of correcting their women a bit too far. Any opinion, any thought gets a beating, and while Spencer has hit Haley once or twice during arguments he would never hurt her so bad that she hates him.
"Why are they married then?" he asks, and he knows he shouldn't care but it's so interesting that he has to.
Jon shrugs, truly not sure. "I think Audrey wanted them to run off, Sir." Spencer nods and Jon continues. "And Brendon loves her with all his heart, so they did. He'd do anything for her. Even take out loans from loan sharks when they had no money in the city. He couldn't pay them back though, so he was taken and sold to the highest bidder. And then I met him. That's the most I know."
Spencer nods, and he can still remember Brendon waking up screaming not just once but a handful of times. Now he feels bad for the man, even pities him a bit, because he can't imagine having a normal life and then becoming a slave as an adult. It's one thing to be broken as a kid. It's completely different when you're an adult. "So he was rich?"
"He's an Urie."
That says it all, and Spencer can feel his eyes widen a bit. He can remember learning Brendon's full name at the auction house, yet he was so focused on Emily that he hadn't linked it. Now that he knows who Brendon is, he is shocked. The Uries own most of the tobacco fields in the state, and some of the neighboring state too. They're filthy rich, richer than Ryan's father could ever hope to be. For him to run away from that... "God, he's so stupid." Yet he prides Brendon just the slightest for having the strength to do something so huge.
Jon shrugs and looks down, and Spencer has to ask, "What about you?"
Brown eyes jump to Spencer and he looks surprised. "Me?" he squeaks, not used to being the center of attention. He wipes once more at his jaw, and then looks at the sky. "My mother was a slave, Sir. My grandfather left my grandmother while she was pregnant, and the town couldn't handle having what they viewed as a harlot living in their town. So she gave my mother up, and got five dollars for her." He shrugs, and looks over to Spencer, who honestly can't understand how he can explain it so easily. "My mother then slept with a man who is one eighth black. That's still enough to be considered a nigger, though. And that's enough to bind me into slavery."
Spencer nods, and moves to lay beside Jon, a casual tone having overtaken the encounter. Any anger is gone, and he looks over at Jon. "Your hand?" He's always wondered, after all.
"Brendon had barely been there for a month," Jon explains softly as he watches a few clouds go by. "I was chosen to watch over him, as my last master had so many slaves and even the overseers were a bit overwhelmed. I had to teach him how to act, as our last master was..." It's obvious he doesn't want to be cruel about the man but it's hard not to be. "You and Master Ryan are a lot kinder." It's a gentle way to put it, Spencer is guessing. "He fought a lot at first. Almost everything he was made to do he fought again. One day he had the easiest task. There was a banquet coming up and the house had to be clean. I was allowed to help clean as I'd broke my hand using the plow and I was being given a week of light cleaning for it to heal."
Spencer almost asks, because surely Jon had to have rested some before that. A broken hand is far from healed in just a week, especially when it is used, but he keeps the words quiet. George had always stated how they were too kind to their slaves, after all. He's beginning to understand now. And to think he'd always thought three weeks wasn't even enough...
"He was so angry and complaining to me. We shared the same bed most of the time so we were close. Then he threw his hand into the air and hit an expensive vase. It broke, and the master walked in. Brendon had no skills and I knew he'd be killed without a second thought, so I said I did it. I'm a hard worker, and I was one of his favrites. So he brought me to where the cattle were slaughtered and used one of the knives on my hand. I was on the field again later that day. It's amazing that me getting hurt is the thing that broke Brendon."
Staring at Jon, Spencer has to wonder just how much that had to have hurt. Slowly he nods though, and looks back up the sky. As he watches one lone cloud start to move across the blue horizon, he says, "I was a slave too." It sneaks out, and he's a bit surprised. An uneasy silence follows and he can feel Jon just watching him, fighting back a thousand questions. "My father died in the war, and my mother and I were put onto the streets. She contracted yellow fever. I ended up in an orphanage. A man bought me at the age of two. The orphanage I was in was so crowded there was rarely enough to eat so they let me go almost free." He stretches, arms going above his head. "Ryan's father bought me at three. I became sick at the age of four, and Ryan's mother pitied me. She nursed me back to health and once I was better, she was attached. So I became their second son. George has never stopped viewing me as a slave, though."
Jon's eyes aren't wavering, instead staring at the scar that is on Spencer's face. It's easy to understand why, and Spencer shakes his head. "I don't remember getting it. The master I had before George was kind but his wife hated me as she couldn't have children of her own and I reminded her of that fact. So when I was sold to George I wasn't broken yet. He tried."
A moment later Spencer's standing, and he's had enough of this conversation. He brushes off a bit of dirt from his pants and looks to Jon, who is slowly getting up. "Don't be fooled," he warns him. "If you ever step foot into that house again uninvited, I will not stop Ryan from hurting you. He likes Brendon, and he gets jealous easy. He wanted to break your foot to make sure you couldn't ever climb into the window again. Next time, I won't stop him."
Jon barely nods, and Spencer turns to walk towards the house. He knows he's scared Jon into behaving correctly, so he takes a bit of pity on him. "I'll get Doctor Tosh for your side." He says nothing more as he enters, and he knows he won't save the man the next time he is stupid enough to try anything.
Fandom: Panic at the Disco
Pairing: Eventual GSF, everything in between until then
Word Count: 2534
Rating: PG-13
Summary: People claim to know all about slavery, but many history books and documents leave out that there were indeed white slaves. And in 1798, two brothers named Ryan and Spencer Ross bought two new white slaves for no other reason than they were drawn to them.
Disclaimer: Plot's mine. The people and the songs aren't.
Betas: melody_so_sweet and mere_thnetos
Notes: All notes are being taken out because they're irrelevant now.
Previous Chapters: master post
G.I.S.A.S.F.S. - Fall Out Boy
things aren't the same anymore, some nights it gets so bad
It's so blistering hot out that Spencer can barely think, and when he leaves the mansion to head into the garden he makes sure to take the long way through the shade. He spots Jon immediately, hidden by some rose bushes but working as hard as he can. His face is dirty and his hands are cut up by the thorns of the roses, but he's still doing the best job he can. Spencer stands back and watches as the sweaty man works, and notes how he's jealous of the fact that it is acceptable for him to have his pants rolled up to his knees, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Spencer can't walk around looking like a slave though, so he's covered head to toe in clothes that keep a constant layer of sweat on his face.
After about five minutes of simply standing in the shade of a large oak tree, Spencer catches Jon's eye as he looks up. It's clear Jon doesn't know why Spencer's there, which simply annoys Spencer. It also annoys him how Jon ignored him to work on the garden, yet then again he knows if Jon stood up to ask what he wanted he'd get even angrier.
He walks over silently and just as Jon looks up, ready to greet him, Spencer pulls his foot back and then kicks Jon hard in the jaw. He watches the older man tumble to the ground, giving a loud gasp of air before tears well up in his eyes from the pain he can't hide. Spencer stands there silent, hands in his pockets, and just waits as Jon continues gasping for breath before getting control of himself.
When the older man starts to get up, Spencer moves over to place his foot down on Jon's chest, pressing down hard enough that it's difficult for the older man to breathe. "Don't you dare," he warns, anger laced into every word. Jon just looks up at him, jaw soaked with blood from a badly busted lip, and unshed tears still in his eyes as he's afraid to make the smallest movement and wipe them away.
A few moments pass before Jon manages out, "I'm sorry." It's clear he knows what for, yet he doesn't go further into detail. Spencer knows any other slave would have spilled every bit of information to keep themselves from getting killed. Yet he also knows somewhere in the back of his mind that he isn't being fair, that he isn't listening to his rule of three times. This is the first time Jon had ever messed up but he just doesn't care as he pulls his foot back again and kicks Jon in the stomach, once then twice.
"Last night, Ryan felt bad. He actually felt guilty. He didn't mean to hurt Brendon; Keltie has just been awful to him lately." He's used to this, to making excuses for Ryan. The man messes up a lot, makes a lot of mistakes that can cost them if they get out. Spencer's used to having to tide everything over as Ryan gets defensive easily and the last thing they need is for someone to understand quickly what had happened. So the simple excuses feel normal as they come out.
"Do you know how often he feels guilty?" he continues, before kicking Jon again. The man cries out this time, clutching his waist and Spencer hopes he's cracked something. Jon deserves it. "Never. He walks into Brendon's room, ready to tell him that he has a week off if he wants, but then sees two people in bed. And it's never hard to tell who is who. We've learned that Brendon is a mess when he sleeps; he's hit Ryan in the face quite a few times while dreaming, because he can't seem to get control of himself." The flailing limbs are kind of cute, Spencer has to admit, when they aren't attacking him.
Each word is making Jon look a little more terrified, and Spencer hates how guilty it makes him feel. He hates even more that he doesn't know why. "So he gets me, and we come in there to find you curled up beside him. Did you plan it? Did he ask you to come into the mansion? I can't imagine you asked to come, after all." He waits as Jon begins to shake his head, but one last kick, one that makes Jon finally cry out in pain and start to tremble shuts him up.
"He did, then. I know you know better than to simply come in unannounced. It seems a bit ridiculous, to be quite honest, that you'd risk everything to come in. Are you stupid? Why did you even come? Was he lonely?" Jon doesn't reply and Spencer's a bit glad. "Maybe I should make him pay instead. After all, he's the one that started this mess."
The look in Jon's eyes surprises him, and Spencer frowns, not enjoying the bit of fear that starts to swell up inside of him. He catches himself before he takes a step back and instead just rolls his eyes, getting rid of the worry. He knows that look though, from when he was a child and it makes him nervous. He has to remind himself quite a few times as he stands there that no matter how angry Jon gets, the first finger he lays on him can just be cut off.
He's interested too though, because it's not often that a completely docile slave will get so protective and break so many rules. Jon's trained well, to the point that he hadn't even protected himself against the kicks. So he has to wonder what is so special about Brendon to make Jon go from completely obedient to breaking some of the biggest rules in seconds.
Spencer sits next to Jon and watches the other move to where he is sitting too, though he's favoring his left side, clutching where his ribs are. They both know nothing can be done for him if they're broken. It isn't as if a doctor can set them. He doesn't say a word as Jon wipes his mouth, which honestly does nothing but put dirt into the wound. Then he looks to the sky, watches the few clouds that drift past. "Why do you care about him co much?" he asks, completely interested. What makes Brendon so damn special? It must be something big, Spencer figures, as Brendon even managed to affect Ryan.
"I just... do," Jon says quietly and Spencer can tell that he isn't being secretive but he just doesn't know. Spencer thought he would've known something but apparently not.
A few seconds of silence pass before Spencer orders, "Tell me about him." Age, birth date, why he was taken, why he matters. Anything and everything Jon knows, Spencer wants to also.
Jon hesitates before nodding, and then slowly lays back, unsure if he can. Spencer knows his stomach must hurt though so he lets him, and watches as he fruitlessly wipes at his mouth, dirt and sweat getting stuck in the busted lip that just keeps bleeding. "I don't know everything, Sir," he admits softly. "He has a wife up north in the city somewhere. Her name is Audrey."
Spencer's brows furrow as he listens because really? He hadn't ever thought Brendon would be married, but he isn't sure why. Most of the men he knows are married by their early twenties, if not sooner. It's normal for them to be committed before they are even adults.
"They were childhood friends," Jon continues and somehow the conversation feels a bit too casual for Spencer. He shrugs the thoughts away though as he needs to know. "She was engaged to a man though that was only picked for the family's wealth. Not to mention he abused her." It's common place, they both know that. Yet some men take the rule of correcting their women a bit too far. Any opinion, any thought gets a beating, and while Spencer has hit Haley once or twice during arguments he would never hurt her so bad that she hates him.
"Why are they married then?" he asks, and he knows he shouldn't care but it's so interesting that he has to.
Jon shrugs, truly not sure. "I think Audrey wanted them to run off, Sir." Spencer nods and Jon continues. "And Brendon loves her with all his heart, so they did. He'd do anything for her. Even take out loans from loan sharks when they had no money in the city. He couldn't pay them back though, so he was taken and sold to the highest bidder. And then I met him. That's the most I know."
Spencer nods, and he can still remember Brendon waking up screaming not just once but a handful of times. Now he feels bad for the man, even pities him a bit, because he can't imagine having a normal life and then becoming a slave as an adult. It's one thing to be broken as a kid. It's completely different when you're an adult. "So he was rich?"
"He's an Urie."
That says it all, and Spencer can feel his eyes widen a bit. He can remember learning Brendon's full name at the auction house, yet he was so focused on Emily that he hadn't linked it. Now that he knows who Brendon is, he is shocked. The Uries own most of the tobacco fields in the state, and some of the neighboring state too. They're filthy rich, richer than Ryan's father could ever hope to be. For him to run away from that... "God, he's so stupid." Yet he prides Brendon just the slightest for having the strength to do something so huge.
Jon shrugs and looks down, and Spencer has to ask, "What about you?"
Brown eyes jump to Spencer and he looks surprised. "Me?" he squeaks, not used to being the center of attention. He wipes once more at his jaw, and then looks at the sky. "My mother was a slave, Sir. My grandfather left my grandmother while she was pregnant, and the town couldn't handle having what they viewed as a harlot living in their town. So she gave my mother up, and got five dollars for her." He shrugs, and looks over to Spencer, who honestly can't understand how he can explain it so easily. "My mother then slept with a man who is one eighth black. That's still enough to be considered a nigger, though. And that's enough to bind me into slavery."
Spencer nods, and moves to lay beside Jon, a casual tone having overtaken the encounter. Any anger is gone, and he looks over at Jon. "Your hand?" He's always wondered, after all.
"Brendon had barely been there for a month," Jon explains softly as he watches a few clouds go by. "I was chosen to watch over him, as my last master had so many slaves and even the overseers were a bit overwhelmed. I had to teach him how to act, as our last master was..." It's obvious he doesn't want to be cruel about the man but it's hard not to be. "You and Master Ryan are a lot kinder." It's a gentle way to put it, Spencer is guessing. "He fought a lot at first. Almost everything he was made to do he fought again. One day he had the easiest task. There was a banquet coming up and the house had to be clean. I was allowed to help clean as I'd broke my hand using the plow and I was being given a week of light cleaning for it to heal."
Spencer almost asks, because surely Jon had to have rested some before that. A broken hand is far from healed in just a week, especially when it is used, but he keeps the words quiet. George had always stated how they were too kind to their slaves, after all. He's beginning to understand now. And to think he'd always thought three weeks wasn't even enough...
"He was so angry and complaining to me. We shared the same bed most of the time so we were close. Then he threw his hand into the air and hit an expensive vase. It broke, and the master walked in. Brendon had no skills and I knew he'd be killed without a second thought, so I said I did it. I'm a hard worker, and I was one of his favrites. So he brought me to where the cattle were slaughtered and used one of the knives on my hand. I was on the field again later that day. It's amazing that me getting hurt is the thing that broke Brendon."
Staring at Jon, Spencer has to wonder just how much that had to have hurt. Slowly he nods though, and looks back up the sky. As he watches one lone cloud start to move across the blue horizon, he says, "I was a slave too." It sneaks out, and he's a bit surprised. An uneasy silence follows and he can feel Jon just watching him, fighting back a thousand questions. "My father died in the war, and my mother and I were put onto the streets. She contracted yellow fever. I ended up in an orphanage. A man bought me at the age of two. The orphanage I was in was so crowded there was rarely enough to eat so they let me go almost free." He stretches, arms going above his head. "Ryan's father bought me at three. I became sick at the age of four, and Ryan's mother pitied me. She nursed me back to health and once I was better, she was attached. So I became their second son. George has never stopped viewing me as a slave, though."
Jon's eyes aren't wavering, instead staring at the scar that is on Spencer's face. It's easy to understand why, and Spencer shakes his head. "I don't remember getting it. The master I had before George was kind but his wife hated me as she couldn't have children of her own and I reminded her of that fact. So when I was sold to George I wasn't broken yet. He tried."
A moment later Spencer's standing, and he's had enough of this conversation. He brushes off a bit of dirt from his pants and looks to Jon, who is slowly getting up. "Don't be fooled," he warns him. "If you ever step foot into that house again uninvited, I will not stop Ryan from hurting you. He likes Brendon, and he gets jealous easy. He wanted to break your foot to make sure you couldn't ever climb into the window again. Next time, I won't stop him."
Jon barely nods, and Spencer turns to walk towards the house. He knows he's scared Jon into behaving correctly, so he takes a bit of pity on him. "I'll get Doctor Tosh for your side." He says nothing more as he enters, and he knows he won't save the man the next time he is stupid enough to try anything.