Chapter Text
Blood rushed to Klaus's head with a sickening throb, his eyes aching with a persisting sting. He blinked, trying to rid his vision of the fog clouding the world before him. Gravity felt wrong. Very wrong. He could feel something cold and damp hanging behind his head, occasionally brushing over his hair. His coat, Klaus supposed. He was dangling, a familiar, dull pain biting into his ankles. The number of times he had been restrained with rough ropes tied into a clumsy, ugly knot when he used to roam the streets of Dallas yearning for a fix was countless.
Klaus's stomach churned, as bile surged up his throat, hot and vile, threatening to spill if no relief was given, the marigold dancing in his blood offering no help. He fought the urge to gag as the bitter, acidic hint of vomit lingered against the back of his throat. He wriggled against his restraints, the movement only making the ropes dig deeper into his skin. He was trapped. Klaus felt panic rising in his chest, as his mouth gaped for the comfort of some air. What if he died here? Even worse, what if he didn't?
A metallic jangle sliced through the thick, suffocating silence. Keys. Klaus held his breath, eyes fixed on the metal door. A faint click noise echoed through the room, the door opening to reveal a figure. A man. fear tightened in his stomach. That was never a good sign. Footsteps grew closer. "That's quite the gift you have."
Quinn.
Klaus recognized the voice almost immediately. He fought the urge to laugh, straining, "Well, a gift and a curse, really." Quinn walked closer, a frightening grin upon his face. A dim light shone against his face. "I think I've got an idea, how you're gonna pay off that debt." Klaus gulped, fighting the urge to sob. He was no stranger to those words. "Oh, come on," He etched a slight smile on his face, hoping it'd mask his apprehension, "Don't keep me in suspense."
Quinn leered, "I know what you're capable of. Let's just say... people would be willing to pay to make use of you. Many people. Your debt will be paid off in no time." Klaus shook his head, feeling the strain in his neck, "No. I'll pay you back, just... no. Please." Quinn pressed his lips together, before laughing. He traced his finger upon the edge of Klaus's jawline, sending a sharp shiver down Klaus's spine. "Consider it a win-win scenario. I get the money you owe me back, and you get to live. Besides, don't you like doing that stuff? You'll basically get more out of this than I will. " He eyed Klaus's face, searching for a hint of agreement, "Don't act like you don't. You're not in a position to refuse, Klaus."
His tone made Klaus sick. His mind flashed back to the men he'd hooked up with in the past. Jeremy, he noted, had left a deeper impression on him. Klaus had stayed with him for two whole weeks. Of course, he didn't actually live the man, he was just loaded. Jeremy let Klaus get dangerously high, and in exchange he took whatever he wanted, whenever he did. He struggled occasionally. It took a broken nose and a sprained arm for Klaus to leave. Jeremy hadn't taken it well.
"I won't like it," He tried to reason, knowing Quinn didn't actually care for his wellbeing; none of them did, before Dave.
"And?"
Klaus's forced smile faltered. Quinn didn't specify his plans, but the implications floated around in his head.
"...Fuck you."
Quinn's response was immediate and vicious. Without warning, a backhand slashed across his jaw. Klaus winces, the scorching sting spreading across his face, stars exploding behind his eyelids. Quinn bent down, shoving his face just inches away from his. His face twists into a mask of cold fury, his glare intense. Iron hands dug into the sides of Klaus's face, "Watch what you say, Klaus," He warned, lips curling back into a dangerous snarl, "No one will come get you, Klaus. I'm the only one here, so you better work on that attitude. Maybe I'll let you see the sun again."
Willing himself to meet Quinn's gaze, Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat, the burning against his ankles suddenly a lot more painful than he remembered. Fear coiled in his gut. Quinn's grip on his face tightened, Klaus noting, That'd leave a mark. He fought back a sob as Quinn paused, patting his cheek.
"Good boy."
Quinn released him, as Klaus sucked in an abrupt gasp of relief. "I'll be back in a few hours, don't do anything stupid till then." He dusted off his bands against his shirt, like Klaus was a filthy piece of meat he found off the side of the road, and the footsteps soon faded, the slam of metal piercing through the damp, silent room. Tears flooded Klaus's eyes, as he squeezes them back. Regulating his breathing, Klaus turned his head as much as his neck let him, observing his surroundings. The room was relatively large, with dull walls, a toilet, a chair and some pillars. He could've sworn mold was growing in the edges.
Klaus struggled against the ropes with all his will, finding that with the marigold now streaming through his blood, his physical strength increased slightly. Barely enough to rid himself of the ropes, though. They only dug deeper, so deep Klaus feared it'd draw blood. He had to get out of here. But what for? His siblings wouldn't look for him; Hell, they probably wouldn't even notice he's gone. They sure didn't when Cha Cha and Hazel snatched him. Even if they did, would they care? Klaus had just yelled at all of them, even going as far as to blame Allison for what she did. It wasn't her fault she saved him; what else was there to do? In fact, Klaus didn't expect them to care enough to give him the marigold. He wouldn't have been surprised if they'd decided to respect his wishes and just left him there to die. Which was the better option, anyway?
Okay Klaus, think. You can deal with that later. Think.
He stretched, trying to reach his ankles with his hands, but Klaus was far too stiff. He twisted his body, his chest almost exploding when he felt a small give. Amateur. He was starting to get dizzy, with the blood rushing to fill his head and the spinning he had to do. His heart tightened with anticipation and hope, and with a snap, the rope split. Klaus fell with a loud thud.
The impact knocked the wind out of him, sending a new wave of nausea crashing through his body. Klaus moaned in pain, pushing himself up, his ankles screaming in protest from the weight of his body. He looked to the wall his back used to face, finding two small windows, so small he wasn't sure he'd fit. He dragged the frail wooden chair over and balanced himself on it, praying it wouldn't give way. He couldn't handle another fall. The glass was thick, there was no way he could break it with just his bare hands. Not without breaking them, anyway. Climbing off the chair, Klaus scanned through the whole room hurridly, looking for something, anything, that would help him escape. A brick. A brick was loose. Swiftly, he wiggled it out of place, before climbing back up and hitting the tough glass with all the strength he could muster. The noise was loud, so loud he feared he'd be caught. Klaus's legs wobbled, threatening to give way. He sucked in a breath, before smashing the brick through the glass. The window shattered. He threw the brick aside and shoved his coat off.
Klaus bent over, holding onto the sides of the window as he prepared to squeeze out; the metal door creaked open, the noise defeaning. He froze.
"...I warned you."