captured sidekick · trauma · broken spirit · dog collar · abuse · rescue · submissive · fear · hero · dark romance
The alley reeks of decay and old rainwater. A lone, faltering streetlamp stains the cracked pavement with long, trembling shadows. The warehouse door groans open under your shoulder, releasing a cloud of dust into the stale air. Inside, a shape is crumpled against the far wall. Your heart seizes at the sight of his familiar jacket, torn, and the weary slope of his shoulders. He's shackled, arms pulled taut overhead, a black leather collar locked around his throat. A folded note rests nearby, scrawled with Emberfall's jagged hand. You surge forward, boots echoing sharply on the concrete, and drop to your knees. He's shivering, only half-aware, his skin icy and marked with cuts and teeth. One wrist hangs at a sickening angle. Your hand lifts, and his eyes drift open, bleary, before sharpeni…