@badthingshappenbingo

Prompt: Muzzled

Character(s): Human Au!Ruki, Reader

Warnings: Implied abuse, implied violence, general nastiness

An ego could be a dangerous, dangerous thing.

Ruki had some level of pride. He was a successful, intelligent young man, and that aline gave him reason to be confident in himself.

Unfortunately, that all meant nothing to a vampire.

You pushed him around as easily as if he was nothing, mocked him relentlessly, picked apart every weakness you found, and treated him like he was little more than a piece of prey. It was infuriating, and with everything you did to him, Ruki hated it more and more.

His mouth seemed to have little sense of self-preservation, though, and he’d snapped something along those lines at you, bitter and angry.

“Oh? So the human thinks he can talk back?” You’d smiled, voice going soft in that way that meant he was about to hurt, and Ruki had realized abruptly that he had made a mistake beyond measure.

The mansion’s dark, musty smell hung around you, old wood and dust. Ruki’s mouth had gone dry with your words, and in the tense moment that followed, he licked his lips nervously, fighting the urge to step back. He wasn’t stupid. He knew you’d be able to catch him in a second.

So Ruki had two options.

He could stand up for himself and refuse to back down, preserve some dignity, but probably get hurt for it. He could apologize, plead for forgiveness, and spare himself at the cost of his self worth.

Neither one sounded good, and Ruki had the sinking feeling that he’d just brought on something far out of his realm of control.

“I was stating a fact,” he said at last, “not trying to offend you.” Oh, how he hoped you’d miss the way he voice was starting to shake.

“How brave,” you cooed, smiling and baring your fangs.

(Ruki did everything possible to ignore how that smirk made his stomach go hot, his skin break out in a soft shiver.)

It only took an instant, and you were beside him, cold hand brushing against his cheek with a gentle caress. “You have quite the mouth on you, human. I think it’ll be necessary to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

His stomach sunk, chest going frigid. Whatever that meant, Ruki already had a good feeling that he didn’t want to find out. Would you cut out his tongue? Would you sew his mouth shut so he could never speak again? It seemed like something out of a horror novel, but it was all too real.

“You’re so pretty when you’re afraid.”

Gently, you kissed his cheek.

You vanished out of sight for an instant, reappearing just as quickly, and Ruki noted with a growing sense of horror that you were holding something, metal and leather in your hands.

When you reached towards him, Ruki had to fight not to panic and pull away. He was still painfully certain you were about to hurt him.

(Shameful. Pathetic. He was cowering like a frightened child, and you’d barely done a thing to him yet. He should be so much stronger than this.)

His heart beating triple time in his chest, you told him with a cold voice to close his eyes. Ruki obeyed, hesitantly, hands shaking by his side, instinctively bracing himself for something that was about to hurt.

But instead, soft leather and cool metal closed in around his face. Something was pressed in between his teeth, just forcefully enough that he knew there was no way for him to resist. Straps were fastened around his chin and the back of his head, catching in his hair with little stings.

Ruki opened his eyes, saw dark metal around his jaw, and felt something like humiliated panic surge in his chest.

It was a muzzle.

Desperate protests came out as pathetic, muffled noises. Drool dripped down his chin as he tried to struggle against the bit lodged in his mouth. A horrified little sound escaped him in a moment of pure terror.

You’d muzzled him like a common animal, and there was a sense of shame like nothing Ruki had ever felt rising in his throat like tar.

“There we go!” you laughed. “Isn’t that better? Now you can’t talk back on accident.” Your expression was pure satisfaction, and Ruki knew immediately that you’d done this on purpose to humiliate him. “Now, I want you to thank me for making it easier for you to be good.”

Feeling as if he about to gag, but too afraid of what would happen if he didn’t obey, Ruki forced himself to choke down his pride.

What was supposed to be a “thank you” came out muffled and sloppy, muzzle making it impossible to form anything close to proper words. Another line of saliva dripped out of his mouth, hot and humiliating.

“Don’t you feel gross, drooling like an animal?” you asked, but the question was clearly said only to mock him.

Ruki ducked his head and felt his cheeks burn.

After a few minutes of making fun of him, you grabbed him by the shoulders roughly enough to bruise, spinning him around and forcing him to the other side of the room, where what Ruki saw made him whine in humiliation, closing his eyes before the image could sink in.

It was a mirror, and the sight of his own face, gagged and muzzled, was enough to make Ruki feel hot all over with shame.

This couldn’t be happening. You couldn’t be doing this. It was beyond cruel, beyond humiliating, and yet, as you ordered him to open his eyes, Ruki knew all too well that it was real.

“Look at you,” you crooned, leaning in close to his ear and lightly tugging on a strap. “Can’t even talk to defend yourself. You look pathetic, you know? Like some kind of filthy little pet.”

Shame burned in Ruki’s stomach, making him feel dizzy and weak. This was some kind of twisted nightmare, left at a monster’s mercy.

With no way to ever escape.