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His father lands a final kick before pulling him up by the front of his shirt, glaring at him coldly.
“And next time, you will not hesitate. Have I made myself clear?” he whispers. Ezra nods jerkily, trying to mumble something through the gag. Sighing, his father pulls it down and out of his mouth. “What?”
“I’m– I’ll– I’ll do better ne– next time, Master,” he mumbles. “Pr– promise.”
His father continues to level a stare at Ezra for another moment before dropping him, nudging him toward the wall with the toe of his boot. “You’d better.”
Father leaves him, and he sits up against the wall, already starting to mumble to himself only seconds after the door closes and Father’s footsteps fade away.
“Shouldn’t– shouldn’t have hesitated, you shouldn’t have waited, shouldn’t shouldn’t shouldn’t...” he murmurs, blinking in the near-darkness. “Next time you won’t wait, won’t wait, no no no you can’t wait next time no you can’t!”
He finishes in a whispered shout and bites his lip, trying to cover up his mouth before remembering his hands are tied. He fumbles for a moment before finally twisting his shoulder up and over in front of his mouth. A temporary solution.
It’ll have to do.
Ezra keeps trying to talk despite his best efforts, however, and he eventually just closes his eyes, squeezing them shut and murmuring, “Get out get out get out of my head!”
Ezra doesn’t leave, of course.
Ezra never leaves.
And especially not after beatings.