351Give Me Clemency
Chapter 31
Authors Note: Sorry for the lack of updates. I'm just having a lot of trouble adjusting to college. The story will be continued though, no matter how long between updates. Thank you for the continued support; it means the world. I didn't even send this chapter to my beta because I wanted to get it up as soon as I finished. I did my best with grammar and spelling…
Sorry if it's a little short and really rusty…it's been a while.
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Everything was perfect.
Normally Dick was never one to use this word, feeling as though nothing ever truly was, but this moment, this moment right now: lying in bed with Kory, entangled limbs, mixing scents, bare skin, easy breaths, soft touches- it was about as damn near perfect as you could get. Dick's thoughts were a jumbled mess in his hand that he couldn't even begin to sort through at the moment, yet all of them revolved around the beloved girl who lay nearly on top of him.
He loved her. He loved her so goddamn much that it hurt. His affections were enough to make him sick and then make him feel better than he had in five years all at once. The concept of love was something so unfamiliar to the playboy, almost foreign, never before experienced until the unsuspecting red head had entered his life and broken down all his reserves. The hold she had over his heart was unlike anything. It scared the shit out of him, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
He didn't know how much time passed. It could've been hours, minutes, seconds…milliseconds? As he lay there, staring at the ceiling, his feet sinking into the two pillows at the head of the bed, the thought of Bruce crossed his mind. Would he wonder where he was? Probably not. It wasn't uncommon for Dick to neglect returning home on a Saturday night. Kory's guardian however was another story. While she had made it clear that they didn't have a real "father daughter" relationship, he still figured it'd be a problem if he walked in on them in bed together, regardless of how "un-fatherly" he was.
Still, Dick's paranoid thoughts fogged into dreams as he found his exhausted body gradually falling into sleep, unable to fight off its hold any longer. He pulled Kory closer, nuzzled his head into her bare chest and gave her flushed skin a lazy kiss, all the while manipulating the now dismantled bed sheets around to cover them better.
"You've become my entire world." He murmured dreamily, lips barely moving to articulate his words as he fell into sleep.
Kory glowed in the soft moonlight as her lips quirked into a small smile while her arms pulled Dick's head closer still, hands entangling in his matted locks, curling her legs against her love.
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When Dick woke it was still dark outside. He figured it must have been the early hours of morning, maybe two or three. He didn't know why his eyes had seemed to open on their own accord anyways. He was still tired, still comfy, and still very warm; he could find no reason for his wake. As time passed, the one thing he did notice a change in was the size of the bed.
Of course Kory's bed had not miraculously grown in the night, his mind was simply still too groggy to logically assess the situation. While clearly the bed had not gotten any larger itself, there was more surface area available. It only seemed that way because now, rather than holding two bodies, there was only one.
Dick reached out a heavy arm only to find his limbs were trapped in the sheets, like someone had swaddled him just as they would an infant. He rolled over and removed himself from the tight cocoon only to find Kory gone.
Her sweet, strawberry scent lingered in the cotton fabric around, teasing his nose, leading Dick to bury his face into the soft mattress just to breathe her in. It was only then that he realized he was indeed lying at the wrong end of the bed, his head at the foot and feet skimming the head board. He must've placed Kory in the wrong way and been too tired, or rather to distracted, to even realize. It hadn't been particularly uncomfortable, but that was greatly in thanks to the feel of Kory.
Dick lazily eased himself up into a sitting position and reached over to check his phone. The brightness of the screen made his eyes squint till they were nearly shut completely. He realized he had a few unread text messages from hours earlier, but they didn't seem too important to him at the moment. The glowing white text on his home screen revealed the time to be 3:17 am.
With a groan he stretched his arms high above his head, his back giving several satisfied pops, and stumbled up stiffly to his feet. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand while proceeding quietly to the door, peeking out into the impending hallway. Dick realized that sneaking around Kory's house was a terrible idea. There was the likely chance that he could run into her guardian which would be bad news, but he didn't care at the moment. He did, however, feel it would benefit himself to cover up. Returning to the side of the bed he slipped on his boxers and black slacks from the night before, uncomfortable as it was. The more clothing her wore, the better, though he couldn't bear the idea of putting back on his dress shirt- pants would have to do.
Exiting the room, Dick stopped to knock on the bathroom door, figuring Kory could have been in there. He didn't know the state the two of them had left it in. When there wasn't an answer, he opened it up only to find the room empty, aside from Kory's now wrinkled dress that lay crumpled on the tile floor. He lifted it up gently, the fabric making a soft swooshing sound and bringing with it a breath of Kory's intoxicating aroma. Dick smiled as he tossed it over the shower curtain pole, hoping to de-wrinkle it a bit.
He continued on his journey and trudged into the living room. Everything seemed untouched. The pillows lining the couch were tucked up in their respected corners, a few magazines were piled on the grey ottoman in front of a recliner, and some short lamps were centered on their end tables. No sign of any disturbance or Kory.
Dick pivoted on his heels and headed towards the kitchen. The dim, ceiling light over the sink was on, humming slightly after being left for so long. He made his way towards it around the counter and swore sharply as his feet reached the perimeter of the throw rug. He looked down to see the floor covered in small shards of glass, one large piece jutting out from his heel. Hissing, Dick pulled it out and stumbled over to grab a dish towel, using it to staunch the dark liquid that immediately began to seep from the wound.
He looked round the kitchen in confusion, small droplets of blood pattering against the ceramic tile floor, mixing with a small puddle of water, his face wrinkled in confusion, and then worry.
"Kory?"
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Kory took one final, adoring look at Dick's sleeping expression before shuffling through her dresser drawers in search for something to throw on, uncomfortable with the idea of walking through to the kitchen bare. That, and the fact that her entire body had prickled with goosebumps within seconds of leaving the comfort of the bed. An uncontrollable shiver ran through her body as her fist closed around an outfit.
Once clothed in a loose t-shirt and pair of leggings, Kory exited her room, sending Dick one last, endearing smile. He looked years younger when he slept. Those angry lines of his expression faded into his milky skin as though they were never there, giving him an unfamiliar, youthful look. His bare chest gently rose and fell with each languid breath that passed through the space in between his slightly parted lips. She could have watched him for hours. Upon noticing a slight quiver in his legs, she returned to the bed and tucked the sheets snuggly around and underneath him, hoping he would remain warm enough to keep from waking until she returned.
As much as she wanted to enjoy sharing her bed with him, especially knowing well and good that such intimate moments would be far and few between, she needed a small break of sorts. Just a minute to breath without needing to worry about waking Dick and leading him to believe she regretted anything, which she did not at all.
The floorboards were cold beneath her bare feet as she padded her way into the kitchen on her toes. She reached into the cabinets and pulled out a short, glass cup, bringing it to the sink and flipping up the handle. The water running from the faucet made a tinkling patter as it filled to the top. The overhead light above the sink reflected dimly in the rippling water like a moon as she raised it to her lips and took several small sips.
Being with Dick had been indescribable. He had cherished her body as thought it was precious to him, treated her with the same gentle hands as you would to pluck a rose from a thorn covered stem. On her body remained small, red marks he'd left with his lips that didn't make her feel dirty or ashamed or used; they made her feel loved, so loved that her heart swelled and her cheeks radiated pink. She didn't ever want to be touched by anyone in such a way but Dick, even if it never happened again. She could gladly live with just that one, special time for the rest of her young life. This is what she decided.
Shaking her head she became alerted of a presence approaching softly behind her. His broad form radiated heat as he drew closer and Kory smiled, bringing the glass away from her lips again.
"I was just getting the cup of water. I shall return with you now." She said while lowering the cup towards the sink.
A rough hand, much unlike Dick's, cupped her neck and pulled her back against their body. A deep voice reached her ear and spoke menacingly to her. "Expecting someone else?"
Kory had no time to respond as a needle pierced her skin and left her collapsing backwards as her legs became numb and the world around her grew fuzzy and then dark. The half full cup of water shattered on the ground beneath her, splinters burying themselves deep in her calves and between her toes- not that she could feel it.
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When she woke her ankles and wrists were held together by a coarse rope and her head was pounding. It hurt to open her eyes, but she struggled to do so anyways. However, just judging by the weight of the humid air around her, and the feel of the hard, stone floor she lay on, Kory could tell she had been taken into the basement of the house.
It was a small, unfinished room with grey, cement walls and flooring. Damp spots stained the ceiling due to the humidity of the room. The only door was pushed against the far right wall, a narrow, wooden staircase leading up to it. The musky smell of the stale air was nearly suffocating as she was only able to breathe through her nose with the gag shoved in her mouth, nearly down her throat.
Her limbs were stiff and heavy, as though she had over exerted herself. Her eyes were groggy and having a difficult time adjusting to the dark corners where the yellow light from the lamp above her didn't reach. She swallowed hard, feeling as though a cottony film heavily coated her tongue; it made clicking sounds against the roof of her mouth like a dog lapping up water as she tried to spit out the gag.
The door at the top of the steps opened, letting in a veil of orangey light before a black figure interrupted, shutting the door firmly behind. His steps were light, calculated, regardless of the heavy, thick soled boots that covered his feet.
Kory let her head rest again as he came close enough that she could see his cold expression. Her heart beat picked up to that of a rabbit. He wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't fair. This was punishment, but she would never let him touch her as he had before. She'd made a promise to Dick, a promise to herself, that she would be his and his alone. Dick made her feel worth something, like she was more than just a little girl looking for absolution. He made her feel as though she deserved happiness, happiness he alone could give her.
"I must say," Slade began, stepping closer to squat in front of her. "Such deviant behavior is rather uncommon from you, my Star." His voice was robotic, hypnotic even. "It appears as though your boyfriend has had a rather negative influence on you." He placed a single finger beneath her chin and lifted it so she would look him head on. "I don't like it. Your parents wouldn't either."
In one fluid motion he grabbed two fistfuls of Kory's top and ripped it, holding back her arms as she tried to flip over and cover herself- herself and the loving marks Dick had gifted her body. Slade's eyes glazed over every raised inch of puffy, red skin. His teeth clicked together.
"That boy defiled you, but you let him. You wanted it." His voice raised several octaves, retracting his hand from her face in disgust. "While your mother is dead you were acting as a selfish whore rather than spending every waking moment begging for forgiveness for the mess you created."
His hand fluttered over the trail of hickeys, barely grazing the flesh, causing her skin to boil and stomach to heave. "She wouldn't even be able to look at you. You're revolting."
Kory's eyes burned with tears she refused to shed at the idea of her mother becoming disgusted with her. She couldn't believe it though. Her mother loved her; she would be happy for her for finding love…she would not hate her…never.
Slade reached out to touch her again but Kory threw herself to the side, choking against the gag as he ripped it from her mouth. "You cannot ever touch me in that way again!" She hissed, face twisting in fury.
He paused.
"Richard did not defile me. It is you who does. Richard loves me. He says that I am worth something, and my mother would not be upset with me for that. She couldn't be. She would be happy. She would love me." Kory spoke softly, facing the wall.
Slade stood and paced away. "It sounds as though you are trying to convince yourself as much as you are trying to convince me. Trying to believe that out of all of the girls in Gotham, the girls who hand themselves to him night after night after night, that he would settle for you. An insecure, selfish, troq."
"You are wrong." She snarled, lips twisting into a cat-like yowl. "When he says he loves me, I believe him. I am his, and you shall not touch me in an inappropriate manner ever again."
There was a moment of silence, Slade having been left dumbfounded by her words. He came no closer, yet he did not walk away. Kory felt as though a weight had been lifted off her chest. She would no longer take what Sade did to her because she deserved better. She deserved love just like everyone else.
Anger churning in his veins, fully realized once again, Slade lunged forward and yanked Kory's crimson hair, snapping her head to face him and ripping out several strands in the process. "You think you are the one in charge now? Your parents would be disgusted by their little tramp of a daughter. You say the playboy loves you," He pulled her hair tighter, gnarling his fingers through it. "But does he know about you parents? Are you so confident he would still love you then? After what you caused?"
Her lips tightened into a fine line and her eyes dropped back to the floor.
"I didn't think so. I guess I should alert him of the ungrateful rat you are, then see how he feels about y-"
"It would not make a difference." She insisted, prepared to go on in defending Dick, but pausing as a series of muffled footprints could be heard on the floor above them, drawing farther away. Kory's lips parted as she looked apprehensively to the basement door, begging it to stay shut.
Slade, having not been expecting him to wake so soon and search for his "beloved", was quick to shove the makeshift gag back into her mouth, silencing her ragged breaths. "You sound so certain. Let's test that theory."
Kory felt like vomiting as the wad of cloth was forced back between her lips, tickling against the very back of her tongue and constricting her breath. He brought out a thick cigar and lit the tip, although rather than bringing it to his lips and taking a breath, he teasingly brought it down closer to Kory's bare torso, allowing the tip to just graze her sternum. She hissed and winced, trying to move away from the heat, but Slade held her still.
Dissatisfied by her reaction, Slade pressed the tip of the cigar against her skin, watching as her face mangled in pain, waiting for the scream to escape her rosy lips, not only alerting her boyfriend of her location, but urging him to come quickly.
However, the sweet sound of her pain never reached his ears as Kory did everything she did to keep from making a sound. She writhed along the floor, limbs straining against the rope, teeth digging into her bottom lip, ripping into the plump flesh and causing blood to seep from the wounds all down her chin, muscles jutting out against her flesh.
Kory's surrounding skin began to turn an angry red as it welted around the cigar, her forehead breaking out in a line of sweat as her vision grew fuzzy and she feared she may lose consciousness. She could feel her skin burning- could smell it. Fortunately, or perhaps rather unfortunately, the sounds from upstairs grew, even followed by a muffled voice, causing Slade to drop the cigar beside her as he stood abruptly, watching as Kory's straining body became limp, sharp exhales streaming from her nose. Her skin was white with pain and nearly glowed in the dim lighting of the room. The pained red head could do nothing but watch through drooping eyes as Slade retreated, disappearing into the hidden corners of the room, lying in wait for Dick's appearance.
Nothing seemed fair. She had always tried so hard. She was obedient, quiet, solitary. She prayed to X'hal every night, to her parents, begging them to forgive her, to end her torment. No matter how she pleaded and cried, they never answered her. But now she didn't pray for herself; she prayed for her love. She prayed for him to leave, to avoid seeing her like this, to evade any confrontation with her "guardian" whatsoever.
Time passed agonizingly slow, even the slightest change of pressure put on the floorboards above resulting in some sort of sound carrying through to the basement. Slow tears dripped over the bridge of Kory's nose, pooling beneath her face while she twisted her wrists frantically in an attempt to free them from the rope bindings. All her struggled attempts were for naught as the basement door opened and light flooded in, carrying with it the dark shadow of a young man.
He took a timid step through the doors threshold and squinted against the darkness. "Kory?" He called, hobbling down the flight of stairs until he was finally able to see the corner illuminated by the yellow lamp, and Kory's collapsed body that it held.
Dick's heart clenched and any residual pain in his foot was soon forgotten as he flew down the rest of the stairs, his mind and body working a mile a minute in attempt to evaluate the situation. A million thoughts, a million worries, a million curses invaded his brain as he approached the fallen girl, but she was his main concern.
As he drew closer, Dick realized just how wrong everything was and his guard immediately came up as he crouched beside Kory.
"What the fuck?" He choked, seeing Kory's state. Dick was horrified to find that she was not curled in the fetal position, but bound in place, a gag stuffed in her mouth, her shirt discarded to the side with an angry red stamp on her skin, the culprit cigar still burning beside her, the grey smoke unfurling like a snake.
Her sallow, emerald eyes broke open at the sound of his voice. Her stomach was compressing rapidly as she breathed in and out, staring at him with a wild look, eyes leaking tears and lips dribbling blood.
His attention became glued to the burn as his one hand went to rest below it, framing the angry welt, and the other pulled the gag from her mouth. He wasn't able to express his confusion as Kory immediately let out a blood curdling scream.
"Richard!" She shrieked as he reached out to her in an attempt to offer comfort until he was hit hard on the back of his head. His body crumpled forward and his hands reached to cradle his wound. Face etched with fear, Kory attempted to worm her way towards him but was stopped as Slade was stood in between the two and began to gruffly tie back Dick in the same manner as he had Kory.
"Richard, please!" Kory begged. "Are you the okay?" She cried though tears as Slade finished and shoved him aside. He then turned on Kory and pinched her cheeks together.
"You're just like your father," He hissed. "Selfish, blind," Slade threw her face away from him as though disgusted. His voice increased in volume as he growled like a dog through his teeth. "You took her away from me. Your mother burned because of you, so I will give you the same fate."
Author's Note: I'm having some trouble with where to go from here. I have a basic outline but also some things I'm not too sure about, so if anyone has some input, pm me! It'd be greatly appreciated.
Again, I'm so so sorry for the wait. I promise to do my best though.