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"…What can I give you in exchange?"
"Your obedience."
"My obedience? Oh, ah, okay."
Bdubs struggled against the foot pinning him down onto the cobbled floor, his arms uselessly bound behind his back, as the cold stone chilled his naked body. When Scar had said he was building a dungeon for their playtime, he hadn't expected an actual dungeon, sans spawner, as the result. That it was buried in a cave network and he could hear mobs around definitely added to the atmosphere, though, and of course, Scar being Scar, he'd had done a wonderful job with the build. It looked sadistically beautiful. But admiring the interiors was very much not what he was able to think about right now. Mostly, it was the pain, from Scar's foot, and from his skin against the floor. It was rough, man, and he was going to have bruises and grazes there for sure.
"You wanna know what I've been doing, Bdubs? I've been reading the Turf War bets, just to see what my fellow hermits and enemies of the resistance are willing to sacrifice over this tournament. And do you know what I saw there, Bdubs? I saw your name, so I had to check what you had promised, and I was not at all happy with what I saw. What's this I see about Etho trying to steal you away from me, hmm? Have you bet your life away, Bdubs? I don't recall giving you permission to do that. You are still bound to me, and that's how it's going to stay until I decide to release you," Scar said as he pressed his foot a little harder into his back.
Bdubs let out an exasperated cry. "I didn't! - he proposed it, Scar, I swear, it wasn't my idea! And you know I love Etho, but I'll always be yours, master, I promise!"
"Hmm, yeah, see, here's the thing, Bdubs. I don't believe you. Any good obedient boy would have declined that bet, but not you, no. Not my sweet Bdubs. I think I need to remind you who you belong to, so you don't forget," Scar said.
"Please, master, I didn't mean it, I promise, don't-" Bdubs protested as Scar hauled the smaller man up onto his feet and manhandled him onto a spanking bench.
Bdubs stilled as soon as Scar pushed his head against the bench, feeling some kind of electricity flooding through him. Vex magic. It left a sweet aftertaste in his mouth, which he'd honestly never got used to. But Scar was probably right to demand answers. After all, he had promised to work for someone else if they lost the turf war. But they weren't going to lose, right? So it was an easy bet. There was no risk here. Right?
"If you dare move while I strap you into this, there'll be more than bloody stripes across your legs, understood?" Scar said.
"Yes, master, understood," Bdubs said, letting his body go limp. It definitely wasn't worth fighting, especially when Scar was in a punishing mood.
Claws gripped his limbs, unbinding his hands and securing him into the leather cuffs, sharp nails scratching and digging into his skin. Bdubs also wasn't used to that either, how Scar transformed into the Vex like that. It scared him a bit, perhaps more than Cub did, and Cub was scary as the Mayor's enforcer. Speaking of Cub, Scar yanked Bdubs' head up and there he was, crouching down so Bdubs could see him, holding some bamboo canes in his hands.
"See? Cub knows how to obey his master, don't you Cub?" Scar said.
"Indeed I do, master," Cub replied. "Been preparing canes for you all week as requested. They're good ones, these. Nice and stingy."
"Thank you, Cub. You'll be getting well-rewarded for your efforts, unlike poor Bdubs here," Scar said.
Cub's words sent a shiver down Bdubs' spine. He had been under the impression this was not as premeditated as it was, given Scar had simply asked on a whim to come to the dungeon, but he knew different now. He was also beginning to realise how badly he'd messed up. Of course nothing was guaranteed, of course it would look like Bdubs was being disloyal and trying to run to a new master. He should have cleared this with Scar first, but deep down, he knew why he didn't. Because Scar would say no. And he didn't want to hear that no. There was still definitely a part of him that wanted to be Etho's and he hated himself for it. Clearly he deserved to be punished for it. He was cheating in his heart and he was better than that. Wasn't he? No, he wasn't. Scar deserved better. Perhaps he really did belong with Etho, playing both sides of the war and serving only himself Etho.
Scar dropped his head to the bench and walked over to take the cane from Cub. Bdubs felt too exposed. His skin was aching in anticipation. The last time he'd been punished, he'd been sore for a week. He imagined this time would be a lot worse.
Scar brushed his fingers over his thighs, scratching lightly. "Ahh, Bdubs, you know how much I hate doing this. But I can't overlook a transgression this bad. You were the one who convinced me to run for Mayor in the first place and loyally stayed by my side this whole time. And now I see the treachery in your heart. How little it took for you to want to run to someone else. Have I not been a good master to you? Have I not taken good care of you? Given you everything you could ever need? I've gifted you so much, Bdubs, and this is how you choose to pay me back. By giving yourself away. Do I mean nothing to you, Bdubs? Does my love mean nothing to you?" Scar said.
"Scar, please, I'm-"
Bdub's pleas were interrupted by a hard strike against his legs and he cried out helplessly. "Do not call me anything other than 'master' in this place, Bdubs. Or have you forgotten all the rules I gave you?" Scar said, his voice actually angry for once.
"I'm sorry, master, I'm so sorry! I haven't forgotten, I promise. I know I should have asked first, but-but I was scared you'd say no! I love Etho, of course I do. We all love Etho. But I love you too. You've been such a good Mayor, Scar. I couldn't have asked for anyone better. Please, I mean that. I'm so sorry, I'll get rid of the bet, change it to something else, alright? Just give me a chance to make this better," Bdubs begged, ignoring the tears pooling in the corner of his eyes, pulling against the restraints.
"It's too late for that now, Bdubs. What's done is done, and you need punishing. You broke my heart, Bdubs, that's what you did to me, and I'm not sure I can forgive you just yet. How many strikes do you think he needs, Cub? For such a show of disloyalty?" Scar said, sounding like he was about to cry.
"Oh, I dunno, master, for a crime this bad, maybe fifty strikes might be enough. Maybe. You might want to do some more, just for good measure, of course," Cub said.
Bdubs hated Cub's calm demeanour, his skin already stinging and crying from the one strike he'd already received. Scar was squeezing his cheeks now, feeling out the right places to cane him. Bdubs struggled, pulling on the cuffs, trying to get away. "No! Please! I'm sorry, master, please, let me make it up to you somehow, please. Just- not like this. Please!"
"Too late, Bdubs, you need to be punished, and the Vex need to feed, and this time, I'm offering them you. If you feed them well, perhaps I won't take your collar away at the end of this like I wanted to when I found out," Scar said.
Bdubs had never expected to feel genuine terror when faced with Scar like this, but it shot through his heart, and he heard the Vex's hissing little laugh as they circled around, swords touching his skin. He'd only ever heard stories about Scar and Cub feeding the Vex and they'd scared him badly. Now he was going to experience it for himself. "T-the Vex? F-feed on me? Sc-master, please, no, not the Vex, I'm begging you-"
"Gag him, Cub. I'm tired of listening to his voice," Scar said indifferently.
"Yes, master," Cub said as he got to his feet.
"No! No! Cub, please, master, don't do this, I'm sorry, I-"
Bdubs was cut off by a smart slap to his face, shocking him into silence. It was enough for Cub to get the gag on him and secure it tightly. His head was dropped back down onto the bench, and Bdubs finally gave in. There was no way out now. And to be fair, he did deserve this. He'd been so disloyal. He'd hurt his master so badly. How could he have hurt Scar like that? It was so stupid. Etho wasn't worth that. Was he?
Bdubs had gone limp, his skin numb to the pain and the tiny bitemarks from the Vex that now covered his body. They weren't even halfway through, but it was already far, far too much. Scar had stopped caning him for now, giving him a break while the Vex fed on the wounds left behind. Their teeth were like insect bites, and there were so many of them, but the pain wasn't as bad as the caning. He was certain he would have welts to deal with, which, fair enough. Scar was hurting. Bdubs had stomped on his heart. It was only fair. This pain was his fault. All of it was his fault.
He felt… strange. All the normal things he was used to feeling in the middle of a caning. But there were other things. His tongue tasted very sweet, and something about the Vex feeding off him made him feel warm and sleepy. Scar stroking his hair softly, offering an unexpected gesture of comfort in the middle of a punishment was also weird, but Bdubs had no energy to do anything other than take it.
"I'm just so disappointed in you, Bdubs. I just thought you were more loyal than that. That this meant something to you. Something you wouldn't just throw away." Scar sighed, and Bdubs was sure there was genuine emotion in his voice. "I guess I was wrong."
Bdubs wasn't expecting to cry then, but he did. He regretted everything. He'd thrown away something so, so good, and for what? For a useless bet. As if Scar was nothing to him. He wasn't! He was so much more than that. But then so was Etho. Etho was his whole world. The damn cruelty of the world in making him choose between them! He couldn't. He wouldn't. But that couldn't work with Scar, so he would have to let Etho go, and that would break his heart too. Just as much as how Scar was hurting now. Would either of them get over this? Bdubs wasn't sure.
Scar fisted his hair then let go and walked away. "Cub, finish him off. I can't bear to look at him right now."
"Yes, master," Cub said.
Bdubs could hear Cub's bow, heard Scar's retreating footsteps, felt his heart shatter into a million tiny pieces.
Bdubs cried in Cub's arms afterwards once he'd patched him up and made him drink a healing potion. The wounds were gone, but the physical and emotional exhaustion remained. Scar hadn't returned. It wasn't clear whether this was a good sign or not.
"He's a hard master to please, but always worth it. What I wouldn't do for that man, geez. I feel like I should have warned you about that. But what's done is done," Cub said, stroking his hair gently.
"I'm never getting him back, am I?" Bdubs said, wiping the tears from his eyes with his palms.
"Nah, he'll come round, but it'll take a lot of work on your part, Bdubs. You can say you're sorry a thousand times but it won't mean anything if he doesn't see your loyalty through what you do. That, above anything else, is what you need to mend. You should've taken the no and be done with it, if you ask me," Cub said.
"Yeah, probably, that's easy to say now, though. I know I did wrong. I never wanted to hurt him, that's all, but I didn't think. I didn't think he'd take it like this. I saw it like, like, freelancing! Just doing some extra work for Etho! Not leaving Scar completely! But that's clearly now how it looked to Scar and I didn't think about that. I really hope he can forgive me one day. I never meant to hurt him like this," Bdubs said.
"Just- he wouldn't be hurting this badly if he didn't love you. Just remember that," Cub said.
"I will. I will! I'll make things better, I promise," Bdubs said.
Bdubs didn't quite know how he was going to make things better yet. But perhaps with some space and a good chat with Cub, he might be able to come up with something. Because getting Scar back was suddenly the most important thing in the world, and nothing else mattered right now except that. He curled into Cub's arms, accepted the tight hug he was given, and hoped Scar would be in a forgiving mood the next time he saw him. At least he still had Cub, who really didn't need to be here. It was better than being left alone, and for that, Bdubs was grateful. He'd worry about Scar in the morning, but for now, he would rest and take what comfort Cub offered to him. There was still hope. There was always still hope. Right?