There Goes The Neighbourhood

[kilimesoftly]

It didn't happen overnight. These things never do. It took time to spread, to break quarantine after quarantine. There had been hopeful and optimistic news reports once the media blackout was over. The internet was buzzing with random cures and self help guides to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Kili, ever cheerful though he is, never bought it. It'd been hard to when you could look outside and see the neighbourhood emptying out, or when entire sections of London became deserted. It'd been harder to after his uncle and cousins brought him and his older brother along to Tesco's to loot the place for food, for supplies, for anything other, previous looters had left behind.

Six months after the first wave of infections, the world was doomed and Kili knew it. A year after and it's all become normal.

"Tell me we get to head out of Belgravia today," he whines at the kitchen table. The entire block has become home to him and his relatives, the family manor on the corner and the streets leading into it barricaded. Kili plucks at his bowstring in anticipation of a hunt. It's been two weeks since they've gone out of their personalized safe zone. He's itching.

Comments

Let's just pretend...

[substituteskull]

"Are you-- Are you all right?" The voice clears itself before the man it belongs so, rather small and quite a bit soft, creeps out from behind the bins. Unlike the others, he's at least able to hide in this storage room and has been spared, for several weeks now, being taken away to have parts of him sliced off for Sunday Roast.

He's wearing a dirty, rumbled cable knit jumper and looks like he's seen better days himself. That doesn't stop him from offering his hand to Fili to help him up.

"Yelling does very little good. You'll want to be quiet, stay to the back. Don't scream or cry or they'll take you next." He tries to pull Fili back away from the door, over those that can only crawl or, in the case of one man, not do even that. "I'm sorry about your friend. But this is... I believe this is the better option. William Baggins. Sorry for the late introductions. It's been awhile since we've had anyone new."

Fili might as well relax. For now. It will be some time before the cries of something, someone, reach the group in storage. Most turn their heads away. William pretends he doesn't hear it. Hopefully that's not Kili, but the little hitching sobs at the end are so very much like his brother's that Fili might have trouble sleeping that night.

Gladly! <3

[filidelity]

Fili isn't all right, not without Kili safe, but he nods and makes it easier for William to guide him to the back of the room. "Fili," he says automatically, once he's remembered to thank this unexpected friendly face for his advice. "They've..." He shakes his head, pressing his hand to his eyes. "They've got my brother."

If waiting to be turned into a meal is the better option, what does that mean for Kili? Relaxing is impossible. Fili sits hunched over against the wall, knees drawn up to his chest, and tries to convince himself that those sounds coming from somewhere don't sound anything like Kili at all.

What William said suddenly hits him. He sits up and looks at his new acquaintance. "How long have you been in here...?"

William's obviously managed to escape his captors' notice after he was set aside for storage. It's something, and he seems perfectly sane.

Re: Gladly! <3

[substituteskull]

"I am... I am terribly, terribly sorry about your brother," William had said quietly and though the waiting seems impossibly mundane, he knows that the younger man is probably not passing the time as well as some of them. They're all just waiting to die. Slowly. They've all given up, save for William.

He's nearly got the feeding rotations down. He knows from the others the layout of the place. People have overlooked him his entire life. They'll do so now if he can only slip out of the pantry.

When Fili speaks to him again, William has been lost in concentration. He blinks up at the blond and smiles a bit. How sane that is is up for interpretation.

"I'm not sure exactly. Four months I think? Andrew there came about five weeks ago. We're just supplemental. They keep us alive and breathing so the meat stays fresh and-- And I'm so very sorry, no one really likes to talk about it."

Days and nights might as well merge together. Time passes but it's windowless in storage. Eventually, though, someone comes for more than just to hand over food. "Oi! Volunteer! Come with us!"

William actually peeks out from where he'd been hiding, wide eyed.

[filidelity]

If Fili doesn't go, he'll only draw more attention to himself, and likely not just himself. He won't do that to William. He doesn't even glance at the man as he stands, swaying a little on his feet when his vision briefly goes dark. He doesn't scream or cry or ask any questions, no matter how many are on the tip of his tongue.

If they're taking him to a kitchen, he plans to endure it. As long as he's still breathing, he can wait for something, anything that will tell him where Kili is being kept. William has been cautious, patient for months – he must have hope left to keep him going. Fili holds onto that thought.

They have to survive. As badly as he needs to see his brother, he's sure that any wrong move will just get them killed sooner.

Silent, he lets himself be led away.

[kilimesoftly]

The guards laugh as they allow Fili to carry himself. He's not fighting and they seem happy about that. Their little volunteer has been much the talk of the town incidentally and they still are talking about him behind his back. Him and his brother.

"Always did like the dark haired ones."

"I think it's the curls," the other says, giving Fili a prod to turn to the left and head down the stairs.

"He fights. He likes the fighters." They stop at the end of a winding corridor and one of the guards pulls open the door. It's dark inside. Candles dot the walls but don't illuminate the area inside. That doesn't seem to matter. A broken voice comes from within, familiar and angry.

"All ready? Didn't get enough this morning?" Kili groans. There's the sound of chAins creaking and dragging along the floor.

One of the guards gives Fili a push. "Time off for good behavior mate. Captain said you can have a visit."

[filidelity]

Fili blocks out the guards' voices, or attempts to, telling himself that it's not Kili they're talking about. It's just a coincidence. It's not what it sounds like.

(But if it is Kili, if it's no coincidence? What have they been doing to him? Fili's chest feels too tight for breath.)

His confusion when he's taken to a door to a dark room doesn't last long, disappearing instantly the moment he hears the voice coming from inside. There's a second of disbelief, but he won't waste precious time.

Stumbling, he catches himself and nearly bolts through the doorway. "Kili!"

Kili has plenty of fight in him, that's what his remark says, even if he can't have been treated well, going by the sound of his voice alone. Still, Fili is afraid of what he'll find.

'Fun' could easily mean torture.

He can make out his brother's form now and hurries to him, reaching for Kili's arms.

[kilimesoftly]

He flinches. The first act Kili does upon his brother's closeness, upon being held, is to pull back.

He smells questionable. Blood and sweat are the most prevalent odours sure to hit Fili's nose as Kili gets up the strength to push the blond away from him. In the darkness, his eyes glow like an animal's. His feet bare. Just for a moment, he looks as if he doesn't realize who it is in front of him.

And then recognition hits, kicking the air from his lungs. "Fee?" Kili doesn't immediately return the embrace, he doesn't seek it out. He draws back further, kicking a plllow that has seen better days. In the corner of the room, it sounds like another set of chains are dragging and a slender, bare leg slips into the shadows. Kili is not the only chained up person in this room.

A closer inspection of Kili will find him without so much as a stitch on. There are defensive wounds on his arms. There are marks on his legs, giant bruises. In direct light, the fact that they're finger marks will make the marks all the more sinister. Kili swallows.

"Why are you--?" His eyes brim with tears. "Can we go home?"

[filidelity]

"Kili...?" Fili feels his brother flinch, recoil. Immediately, he thinks that Kili must be hurt; it must be Kili's blood he's smelling, and guilt wells up inside of him. It gets worse with Kili's question. Fili takes care to be gentle, touching Kili's hand.

He wants to promise Kili what Kili wants to hear – he can't, not yet.

"I'm sorry," he gets out, hushed. "They've put me 'in storage' with a few others, but they decided to let me out for a visit." One of his hands moves to Kili's shoulder. "Where are you hurt?"

What have they done to Kili? He thinks it again, sick with worry and anger. (And what have they done with Kili's clothes?)

There's nothing to offer Kili to replace any of his missing things, save Fili's own shirt. Fili doesn't hesitate to tug it off, brushing it against his brother's chest. "... Here, put this on."

It just has no chance of covering much.

[kilimesoftly]

The shirt looks almost foreign to Kili, but he takes it slowly, ready to draw back again if it's a joke, and then tugs it on. It's not much but it does it's job and it makes him feel a little warmer.

The chains attached to his ankles wouldn't have allowed him the chance for trousers any way.

The question goes ignored for now and Kili instead reaches for Fili's hand, fingers trailing up his arm to his shoulder and across his chest. "Did they cut you?!"

He'd given in last night, finally, to having some of the stew. He knew what was in it and for the last few days he'd been refusing anything. But after a whipping and-- Well he'd finally broken down.

"Did they take any pieces?!"

Because he wouldn't put it past the Captain to have fed him part of Fili as punishment.

[filidelity]

Fili wishes he could rip Kili's chains off and get them out of here. He wishes they could go home, no waiting for days, weeks, maybe months.

Kili hasn't answered his question, asking more of his own instead, and Fili catches his brother's hands to reassure him, shaking his head. They're not alone; he heard that sound and there are the waiting guards, but he focuses only on Kili.

They've told Kili what Fili has in store for him, as if it wasn't enough for them to have Kili chained up and hurt. The thought that Kili has been stuck in here with those images to boot--

Images like that have kept Fili awake, fearing that he and Kili would never see each other again. They've had him gagging on what food was brought. They're the sort that wears away at hope.

He doesn't try to embrace his brother, but he does rub Kili's knuckles, as gently as he can. "I'm fine, Kili. Still in one whole piece." Physically, it's true. "But you're..." There's a catch in his voice. "I'm sorry," he repeats in a whisper, choking it out.

[kilimesoftly]

"I'm alive." It's the best he can hope for at this juncture. Kili is a fighter and he plans to keep on fighting, even if it gets harder and harder to do as the days shift towards the week mark. He's given up figuring out just how long he's been here, but it's been long enough to feel endless.

Kili has no plans to tell Fili what happened or what may happen to him still. If they ever get out of here, he only wants to forget this place and everyone in it. Talking about his well-being and his mental aptitude isn't going to help anyone, least of all himself. If Fili should find out, if he should look at him the way that Kili might look at another enduring this, he would just die.

The gentle touch to his hand has him relaxing, thumb over knuckles is endlessly soothing, and he shifts to sit a little more comfortably, his fingers curling around his brother's.

"You just have to keep breathing. I'll get us out of here," he promises. "Uncle Thorin will find us. Mum will make him."

There's laughter from the darkness, deep laughter, certainly not belonging to that very feminine foot and leg that Fili had seen slink away when he came in. Kili immediately stiffens and pulls his hand back. His heart rate elevates and he turns to look for the source. "Brothers. I wouldn't have expected that," the voice replies, not moving forward so it's maker could be seen. "Well that makes you even more interesting. Keiran, what did I say about clothing?"

Kili sets his jaw. "You said I couldn't wear mine. Well this isn't mine," he snarks.

Again, the voice laughs. Kili has made quite the impression.

[filidelity]

They're alive. It doesn't do enough to lessen Fili's worry, not when he knows that it may be days again before he's granted another visit after this one, but these people haven't broken Kili's spirit. They haven't destroyed his faith in himself and his family. Fili concentrates on his brother's resilience, rather than the fact that Kili is still in chains while he vows to get them out of this place.

He nods, meaning to answer, but the sudden laughter cuts him off. Like his brother, Fili tries to pinpoint where it came from, moving closer to Kili as if to shield him (as if he hadn't arrived a little late for that). The voice remains disembodied, its owner hidden by the darkened room.

"Who's there?" Pointlessly, Fili narrows his eyes to peer into the shadows.

Neither those remarks nor the laughter are pleasant. They're menacing. Kili's response, on the other hand, is reassuring to hear.

Fili didn't need to ask his question – that voice belongs to the sick bastard who's been having "fun" at Kili's expense. That's all he needs to know.

[kilimesoftly]

"Who's there?" The deep voice is mocking. "Why, the ruler of this little kingdom for which you will help nourish and allow to thrive." The figure steps from the shadows at the back of the room. He is strong. Tall. Widely built and muscled. Bald and with one dead eye. And yet? He is handsome too. His smile is charming. He has dimples. "I'm the Captain. And you, my volunteer, must be Philip. A pleasure to finally meet you in person. I've heard your name quite a lot these last few days."

Kili's anger and fear rages together and he sets a hand on Fili's shoulder. He doesn't want him to move. He wants to hide against him.

Press his face to his back. Cower.

But that's weakness and Kili can not afford to be weak.

The Captain comes closer and motions for Fili to stand. He'll tower over him of course, but there is some semblance of equality.

"Do you want to play a game, Philip?"

[filidelity]

Ruler? In other words, this Captain isn't right in the head. Fili is silent as the man talks and approaches, but he gets to his feet, placing himself in front of Kili.

Everything about the Captain rubs Fili the wrong way.

He can't help wondering how his name came up – whether Kili was asking about him. He doesn't glance back at Kili for the answer.

Does he want to play a game? Not particularly. The question makes him uneasy; there's no chance that the Captain is thinking of a round of chess or Scrabble. It's bound to be something unpleasant, something to mess with them for entertainment.

But if he could win--

Fili finally speaks, meeting the man's one-eyed gaze and trying not to look too short as he tilts his head back. "What sort of game?"

If he could win, maybe that would give them their way out of here.

[kilimesoftly]

The Captain smiles. "If you win, I'll let you stay here the night. If I win, you're going to watch me whip his arse bloody. And Keiran, not to leave you out, poppet, if you're a very good boy and don't make me do all of the work tonight, I'll grant you one request. If you bite me, I will cut out your brother's tongue and force you to eat it."

The rules are enough to let Kili in on the game expected to be played and he recoils, hatred in his eyes even as his curls fall in front of them. His lips press together in a straight line.

But if he does what the Captain wants...

Well look what already happened. Kili did well yesterday and he was granted the wish to see Fili. At least there's some honour in the other man.

That means he might well see Fili free.

Sometimes Durins are on the same wavelength at all.

"We'll play," Kili speaks up for Fili and the Captain laughs, drawing up a chair.

"Philip, sit here. All you have to do is watch. And watch quietly. If I catch you looking away or if you get up or make a sound, you lose. I win. Understood?"

[filidelity]

Win what? Watch what? Kili and the Captain seem to know what the game entails, but Fili certainly doesn't. The rules don't tell him anything, only that their head captor must be confident that he won't lose.

"Kili--" Fili's protests end at that, despite his misgivings. This could be their one chance. They need to try.

Kili has some idea of what to expect, at least, and maybe that means it's not hopeless. Kili will get his request.

Fili nods, but there's no spoken reply for the Captain this time. As he slowly lowers himself onto the chair, he tries to seek out Kili's gaze, hoping to land on the same page as his brother. Alongside that, he wants Kili to know that the Captain won't win. No matter what Fili will be watching, he won't let him hurt Kili even more.

He's still apprehensive, he'll admit. Telling him to do something as simple as sitting there, motionless and in complete silence, means that it's going to be far from simple. The game sounds more and more like a torture session.

[kilimesoftly]

Yes, it's a torture session, but one that's Kili's grown somewhat use to, even if he's never been complacent about it. He's gotten whipped before too, so it won't matter if Fili decides he can't stand to watch this or not. So long as Kili does well, so long as Kili doesn't bite, he'll still get his wish.

That's all he can hope for right now.

The Captain approaches and Kili's cheeks sting pink from anger and embarrassment. He can't look at his brother. He might never be able to look at his brother again after this either, but he swallows down phelgm and disgust and doesn't pull away no matter how much he wants to when the Captain strokes his hair, fists it, and drags him up to be more or less in line with his crotch.

Dark eyes face forward and then close. Slowly, with hesitation, he reaches up to set his hands on either side of the Captain's thighs and is greeted with a jaunty laugh as the touch to his hair becomes gentle again. "I knew you could behave," he's told as the Captain undoes his zipper.

Kili's heart is breaking when a thumb traces his lips and he opens his mouth to lightly tongue it, just by the filthy nail. The Captain's skin tastes of salt and dirt and blood. His cock, Kili knows, will taste even worse and he steels himself for it before it's even shoved towards his face.

Full eyebrows furrow but he gets to work. It's sloppy. It still chokes him. There's just no choice today. Do this, do this well, and Fili goes free.

[filidelity]

Fili's eyes widen in horror. It is a torture session, but not the sort he'd been trying to brace himself for. He can convince himself that Kili would heal; Kili is strong. He was counting on the Captain not going too far, if he meant to use a whip, because where would that get him? He'd lose his source of so-called fun.

But this... They're lucky if this doesn't leave other scars.

Fili sits rigidly, gripping the sides of the chair's seat. He bites his lip until he tastes blood. His eyes start to sting.

Kili will get one request – any request? – but Fili pictures yanking the Captain away from his brother and smashing his skull in. And that wouldn't be enough. Not even slicing him open and cutting off what he doesn't need would be.

All of this imagined violence is impossible, unless Fili wants to throw Kili's survival and his own out the window.

"No..." Croaked out, it doesn't register that he's made a sound until it's already too late to smother it.

[kilimesoftly]

There's a small, triumphant sound from the Captain as Kili gags upon him, though what he finds most appealing in this moment is up for speculation. Kili's behaviour is certainly something he's enjoying...but his brother's reaction is precious and beautiful too.

For his part, Kili's eyes snap towards Fili, angry tears in his eyes. It doesn't matter, he tells himself. It doesn't because he's still acted well and he'll still get his wish, even if he's going to be whipped because of it. Kili's thumbs dig into the Captain's thighs, not enough to hurt, but he's doing his best to hold on here after the Captain's taken over for him and just started to thrust into his open mouth.

It's difficult to breathe, mucus and terror and the constant threat of vomiting giving over. Saliva runs down his chin...and it's followed close by another, more horrible to think about substance.

After Fili's cry, it'd only taken a half dozen thrusts for the Captain's pleasure to spike and Kili chokes on that horrid offering, swallowing what he can before his hair is released and he's allowed to spit the rest out on the pillows. His shoulders shake.

I've done well, Kili repeats to himself in a whisper inside his own head. I've done well--

"I didn't count on that," the Captain says, tucking himself away. He's still breathless when he pulls the opened belt from the loops and wraps the buckle around one hand. "Hands and knees, Keiran. Punishment first."

It's going to take some fifteen blows to draw blood, Fili. That's as far as the Captain will go as long as you don't try to get up.

[filidelity]

Fili could tear out his tongue himself. As if Kili hasn't already gone through too much, as if it hasn't been days of their captivity, now his own brother manages to make it worse with one gasp.

Fili won't forget the look in Kili's eyes (none of this, unsurprisingly, will be easy to forget). His own stay on Kili, still horrified. He's trembling with fury and disgust, and he's on the verge of springing up from his seat and barrelling into the Captain, regardless of how short-lived any satisfaction gained from that would be.

"No," he repeats, shaking his head. According to the rules, he's lost, but that shouldn't be Kili's problem, and since he can't lose twice, moving now can't make a difference.

Fili knocks his chair over in his haste to get up. He throws himself forward, catching the Captain's arm with one hand first and then resorting to using both as reinforcement.

"Not Kili-- If you're going to punish someone, punish me."

He's never felt weak or all that small before, but he's only too aware of how effortlessly he could be forced out of the way now. His hands don't even manage to wrap right around the Captain's wrist.

[kilimesoftly]

Always laughing. That's how Kili will remember the Captain. The man is only one hit in on the strap when Fili stands and Kili is certainly able to join him in the attack...

But he won't. He refuses.

If he can still get his wish, he's going to be good.

The Captain laughs as Fili tries to grab him and easily slams a palm into his nose. It breaks instantly and blood gushes across his teeth and down his chin. The chains on Kili's ankles move but the younger brother says utterly nothing. He just looks hurt and surprised.

His fingers curl into his palms. That it's easier for him to stay silent... Maybe that should bother him.

The Captain shoves Fili back into the overturned chair, forgetting for now about further marring Kili's backside. He stands triumphant instead until Kili raises his voice. "Did I... Were you pleased?" he asks like a kept boy. "Did I please you, Captain?"

Another laugh and Kili flinches. "You did very well, Keiran." He returns to the others side. Strong fingers stroke brown curls. "You want your wish? Do you want like he wants? To switch places? I'll give you anything but your freedom."

And at that. Kili nods. "I know. But will you give me his?"

"Oh! Oh ho ho!" The Captain laughs merrily. "Mmm. Perfection. Yes, my sweet boy. Mike! Jasper! Bring a rope and bring a blindfold. Dump our volunteer somewhere along the Thames. I don't care where. He'll just find himself food for the Infected."

[filidelity]

Reeling from the blow, Fili sits slumped in his chair. He squints at Kili and at the Captain through a haze of pain, blinking several times, and shakes his head again. "Kili... Don't..." Don't sound like that, talking to this sack of shit. Silence isn't as bad – except that it is. It's not right, because this is Kili.

With a jolt, Fili understands what he has to do. Here is their shot at escaping, if not together yet. He won't put up any more of a fight and risk even worse punishment for his brother. He'll come back for Kili, with help. What Kili has done for them won't be for nothing.

Before the blindfold is tightened over his eyes, Fili sends his brother one last look. He'll hurry. He's sorry.

The guards shove him out of the room, outside, away from Kili. Finally, they shove him to the ground. "Good luck getting home, mate!" Sniggering, they leave Fili to listen to their fading footsteps until he's alone.

They haven't taken off his blindfold or loosened the rope around his wrists. None of his weapons were given back to him. Anything could come and surprise him and he wouldn't be able to do much about it.

Fili breathes gingerly, thinks of Kili waiting, and reminds himself to stay calm. He works on pushing the blindfold off along the pavement. That's the less difficult part. Once he can see, he moves onto getting his bearings first and then searching for some way to free his hands.

[kilimesoftly]

Dumped on the bridge he and Kili had happily picked their way across days and days ago, Fili lucks out on location. The others must not venture past their territory or must find the Thames to be a good border. Perhaps they'd just been lazy. Ahead of Fili is the van Kili had excitedly told him to mark for retrieving sweets from, back when they only had to worry about death and nothing so much worse...and just as permanent.

Picking his way through cars and crashed trucks will be difficult, but at least it's not as dangerous as it could be.

Clickers are slow. The Infected, while quick, mostly stand idle when there's nothing around for them to run for. Neither are on the bridge. Nor the streets between the bridge and Fili's home.

Mister Bofur is the first to spot Fili's approach and shout warning for the doors to be open. It's Thorin -- and his mother -- that greet the prodigal son however. "Philip! You're alive!" his mother cries, embracing him. "Where is--"

It's best not to think of all the 'fun' Kili is likely having right now.

[filidelity]

Fili can't help but think of little else as his mother's arms wrap around him. Kili should be here. None of it should ever have happened. He pulls free soon, exhausted and shaking, because he can't bear to tell her and Thorin and everyone that he had to leave Kili behind to get help while his mother is hugging only one of her sons.

He cuts to the chase. The details are left out, but his hurried explanation contains everything his family needs to know. He and Kili made it to the other side of the bridge. They were captured by a group claiming that part of the city as their territory. Kili is still there.

"It's thanks to Kili that I got out," Fili finishes, swallowing. He looks up from the damp cloth his mother pressed into his hands to clean up his aching nose. "He's waiting – we have to hurry-- Please, Thorin! I'm fine." If frantic.

To prove it, he surges to his feet, only to find his knees buckling, forcing him to lean on the nearest person.

[kilimesoftly]

First comes a need for preparation. Kili's plight is something they all wish to rectify but they need Fili for guidance. Fili for intel. He's sat down in the main house and given water and food, a precious pad of paper, and one of the remaining working ink pens. The others, his family, his friends, take seats around him and wait expectantly, hands folded on the scarred wooden table, eyes seeking truths Fili might be leaving out.

"It's all important," Thorin snaps once as he sends Bombur and the Ri brothers to prepare them for their journey back over the bridge. "How many? A guess is better than nothing. How well armed? How guarded is the bridge?"

Fili's answers are recorded. Thought of. Planned.

"Tonight," Balin tells his cousin and puts a hand to his brother's arm. "Not before. You'll need darkness. A small team. Kill them as they come."

Yes. Kill. If Fili even mentions cannibalism, they will have to wipe the lot out.