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it was a gift for a job well done, their father said and Ben thinks and thinks and thinks because he knows his fathwr and his father never gives gifts so why now, why start when all of them knew their familial relationship is already burnt into ashes
a gift, a gift, a gift. how is it a gift. what makes a gift a gift, how does one recieve a gift. what is a gift. gift
Ben looks and peers and peaks over the banister on the day they would recieve their gifts and he saw a chair and a man and his father holding a paper in his hands and Ben doesn't know their gift but surely it isn't this man
his father called, his father called, they answered because their father called and Ben walked slow and deliberate, eyes trained on the chair in the middle of the room before he stops when he saw the paper clutched by the stranger's hand
an insignia. his father drew an insignia like the crest in their foyer symbolizing their properties and Ben felt bile rise on his throat as he realized what was bound to happen
his father is going to brand them, draw his insignia into their skin and Ben trembles softly as his eyes stayed trained on the man before him, the horror raging inside him
his father called and no one answered and Ben saw how his father started going mad and he panics, hands pushing at his brother, nunber four, Klaus, the séance and Ben saw how Klaus stumbled forward softly before looking up with wide eyes
"very well then number four" he heard his father siad but Ben felt as if he is underwater wirh the way that everyone sounds muffled as if his ears are full of sea water in the middle of a rainstorm
Ben trembled harder as he saw his brother get strapped on the chair, Klaus' eyes glaring at him before a buzz came from the machines and Ben can only hang his head down in shame as he hears Klaus gasp once as the needles pierced itself into his brother's skin
Ben felt numb as one by one his siblings got strapped into the chair and received their gift and he feels the horror stir rapidly inside him and he wants to vomit but he couldn't, couldn't, couldn't
"number six" he heard his father call him hours later,seconds later, minutes later and his head snaps up before looking at luther. he shakily stood up and slowly mqde his way towards the chair, heart beating loudly
he could only shake as he got strapped down the chairs and he sobs as the neddle pierced into him and he can only watch as his father's insignia slowly made took its shape into his skin, forever branding him as his father's property and nothing more.