the sound
*emerges from finals covered in blood* IM ALIVE *throws this down* *leaves*
anyway, enjoy a little showing of how coren is kept in line!
cws: brainwashing/conditioning, sensory overload (sort of), willing brainwashing
Coren's head isn't working right. It feels all floaty, not quite attached to its body. By the time it got back to where it was supposed to be it was already late in the day and it was too exhausted to give a proper explanation of why it was so late and what it was doing last night. It just begged forgiveness as much as it could when it couldn't think in coherent sentences, much less speak, and now it's sitting on a chair putting all its strength into staying upright and waiting patiently to be told what its punishment is.
It hopes it's the noise. It really, really hopes that. Not just because the alternative is being alone and it can't bear being alone, but because it's so tired and it can't think straight and the noise will help with that, it always does. It'll fix Coren. Make them able to do their job again. Coren wants to be able to do a good job. They want to so badly.
Its head hurts so terribly, which is good, because if it didn't it thinks it would probably slide right off the chair and collapse onto the ground, but it hurts, it hurts so much, the lights are too bright in here and their thoughts are chasing each other in circles and their ears are starting to ring–
"–ren? Coren?"
Coren blinks and squints at the blurry figure in front of them until it resolves into the shape of Erica, their...manager, or handler, or whatever it is you want to call her.
"Hi, Erica," they mumble. "I don't feel good."
"I can tell that," Erica says with a raised eyebrow, and Coren shrinks back in shame. "What are you holding?"
Coren turns their head to stare at the spatula clutched in their hand. "I, um...dunno."
Erica sighs. "Well, I don't have time to pry it away now. Come on. We've decided you need some more time with the Sound."
Coren perks up immediately and follows behind Erica obediently, mustering their protesting body through the few steps with the promise of soon, soon, soon.
The noise room is empty and white and clean, and Erica shoves Coren inside in a way they'd protest usually but today are grateful for.
The door shuts behind them, and there's a slight click from the speakers, and then the Sound comes on.
It's like white noise but more, resounding, near-deafening, filling the room and your mind until you can't hear yourself think, let alone scream.
(They did use to scream, didn't they? They almost remember that, every time they come in here. But it never sticks— the sound takes it away, and besides, they don't want to remember something so unpleasant.)
Coren sighs, slumping bonelessly to the floor, a dazed smile spreading across their face. The noise drowns out any thoughts, rises and falls in waves, crashing against Coren's brain and gently smoothing away all the pesky contradictory thoughts that had been nagging at them. The ache of starvation fades from their limbs, and the haze of sleepiness melts from their mind. Everything is fine. Everything is alright.
(but milo–) shhhh (but i have to–) shhhhhh (i'm still hungry–) shhhh (i can't rememb–) shhhhhhhh
This is so nice. Coren doesn't need to worry now. What was there to worry about, anyway? They're safe. The Company has them. The Company loves them.
Their fingers loosen, and the spatula drops from their hand, forgotten.
that's right! it was an EMOTIONALLY SIGNIFICANT SPATULA this whole time! haha!
taglist: @whumpsoda @snakebites-and-ink
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Thinking a little bit about the signet ring and the implications behind the fact that Aerin has it.
So, we know from the ttrpg character sheets that the ring belonged to Queen Aurinae, so obviously it's from their family, but it could've just as easily gone to Baldur, couldn't it? In fact, it probably would've made more sense for him to have that royal seal since he was going to be king. But Aerin has it, and that got me thinking some in-depth thoughts about the Valleros family.
Imagine, with me, this: A much younger Aerin, with a close relationship to his mother, because his father has always favored his older brother. Aerin takes after Aurinae more than Arlan anyway, always having been gentler and more soft-spoken than Baldur. Whenever Arlan was with Baldur, shaping him to be the next king, Aurinae would be with Aerin, taking the time to make sure he felt just as loved as his brother. She was also practically the person who stopped Baldur from tormenting Aerin so frequently. She dies while both of the brothers are still fairly young, and when she does, she gives Aerin her prized ring so he always has something to remember her by. And once she's gone, we all know what happens next.
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