The Stockholm Meme

[socktacular]

THE STOCKHOLM MEME

WARNING: Meme will contain TRIGGERS, including kidnapping, dubious consent, and general uncomfortable content. Please do not click if you don't want to see, and please respect your fellow role-players.

Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and have positive feelings for their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.

Stockholm syndrome can be seen as a form of traumatic bonding, which does not necessarily require a hostage scenario, but which describes "strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other."

HOW TO PLAY:
1) Comment with your character and their series in the subject line of the comment. Include any preferences you might have on type of scene/squicks/etc.
2) Comment around to start scenes! Use random.org if you get stuck for ideas.

PROMPTS:
1. KIDNAPPED. You've been taken, either for ransom money or just because you've pissed the wrong people off. Or maybe your kidnapper just wants company. Maybe they need someone to be their companion, to be their confidante, and they chose you.

2. CAPTURED. Maybe you were a soldier, fighting in a battle. Maybe a spy, or a political dissident. Either way, the military has caught up with you.

3. IN CUSTODY. It's a law enforcement agent that has you locked up. Maybe you're a criminal and you're in prison, or on house arrest so that agent can keep an eye on you. Maybe the agent doesn't have enough evidence, so they took matters into their own hands.

4. ASYLUM. This person isn't keeping you here against your will. It's for safety. Maybe you're in the Witness Protection Program. Maybe you sought asylum from your own country. Maybe your criminal life got a little too heated and you had to go underground somewhere.

5. HOSTAGE EXCHANGE. A war, between countries or gangs or even planets, and the two sides have decided to exchange important hostages as a gesture of trust. You're one of them. It might even involve arranged marriage -- a way to unite your two peoples. Hope you enjoy staying with your enemy.

6. HIRED. Someone's being paid to keep you. Maybe a new parent or guardian keeping you at home, or perhaps an evil uncle has had you tossed into a discreet asylum in order to claim your inheritance.

7. SLAVERY. Through birth or misfortune, you've become the property of another. But they're not such a bad master. You might even grow to love them, if enough time passes. If they treat you with the right combination of cruelty and kindness.

8. WILD CARD. For anything not covered by the other options!

Comments

[ex_apricots766]

[ for a near full minute, he's rigidly still, listening to the way hannah's voice coasts out him combined with the trace of long fingers in those downy strands. there've been more mornings, or afternoons, when he's sweet and compliant.

but, this one feels heavy with unfairness. he's thinking he can punish, too. he feels wounded, hot-blooded.

with a careless air, he brushes hannah's hand with the small back of his own from his scalp. ] Show me later.

[palindrome]

[ Hannah takes hold of Alois's wrist then, engulfing the thin bones in a firm grip. ] Let's have none of that, Alois. [ It's his last warning, a syrupy threat coated in calm. If Hannah gets angry that's Alois's victory. There's no anger here. Like a dog, if Alois disobeys Hannah's command he will be punished. If it's something akin to torture, it's only what Alois deserves. ]

[ex_apricots766]

Why. Don't like it when I'm not up for indulging your every whim?

[ a lilting taunt. he is propped up, though. feeling irritable and rebellious, and a tinge amused. ]

[palindrome]

[ Instead of a reply, Hannah strikes him hard across the cheek. He sighs, disappointed. ]

I only want you to understand this is all for your own good.

[ex_apricots766]

[ the boy's small face jerks to the side with the impact of it, hand flying to meet him, and a trembly gasp bursts from him in the same instant.

shakily, but not much less testy, he twists the arm hannah still has hold of, ready to wrench if he has to. ]

You mean, yours. [ he snaps, damply. ] Get out of my room! I don't care about your stupid fucking clothes!

[palindrome]

[ He expected this. Further violence would only drive a wedge between them, give Alois more to be furious about, and no reason to beg for forgiveness. The boy is surprisingly resilient in that respect. No...

Hannah reaches over to Alois's bedside table, tightening his grip on that slim wrist until it must hurt, and snatches up a small, beloved glass butterfly. A useless thing that gained unwarranted importance in lieu of living companions. ]

I shall. And I will take little Penelope to keep me company in your place. [ He shoves Alois back on the bed and stands, holding the butterfly high out of reach. ] Come to me when you're ready to apologize. If you aren't honest with me I'll smash her to pieces.

[ex_apricots766]

[ the whimper that wants to come is bit back, but watching hannah's fingers fall over that precious butterfly has something frantic mounting in him. he's up on his knees as his older brother keeps penelope out of reach, looking lost, in part, and nearly ready to scream. ]

I'll burn the whole fucking house down, if you so much as crack her! [ this is alois' shrill retaliation, as, standing on the edge of the bed, he grasps for hannah's shirt to yank him back. ]

[palindrome]

[ hannah gives him a pained look, though more out of frustration than actual pity. he does not like making the boy suffer, but alois's refusal to obey him leaves him with no other recourse. the frantic, anguished threat is beautiful, though, and hannah wishes for a moment alois would continue to lash out, to give him an excuse to dash the butterfly to pieces and kiss away every piteous tear that fell from the boy's eyes.

he takes alois's wrist again in his free hand, pushing the boy back on the bed once more. penelope he still holds well out of reach. twisting the wrist in his hand, he leans down, kissing his brother's bruising cheek. ]

I'll be in the library. Come find me when you're ready to apologize.

[ he releases alois's wrist, now splotched with red from his twisting grip, and strides quickly out the door, closing it firmly behind him. ]

[ex_apricots766]

[ it's penelope and penelope alone who has his owl-eyed watching when he meets the bed again. for hannah, though, and the ardent clutch he has around that little bone—a whine, mostly comprised of trembling air. it hurts, clearly. out of dread and fury, he's shaking, and hannah must be able to feel it, in his wrist, on his smooth, wounded cheek. the boy emits a sound of irritated discomfort when lips do come near to touch his bruise, and it's enough to make a spilling of ocean water from his eyes.

he's sitting up limp, dejected, as he watches hannah's back move through the doorway. the scream he lets isn't as loud as it could be, it's tired sounding, already knowing of his defeat. even so, he sobs in that room for well over an hour, before he does go seeking his brother.

bare-footed, still weeping, although growing worn from it, and stumbling he moves through the hall between his room and the library. ]

Brother, [ penitent, flimsy. ] Brother, Brother, please.

[palindrome]

Please? [ hannah smiles mildly over the book he's reading, glancing up at alois from behind thin-framed spectacles. the boy is a splotchy-faced, teary-eyed, whimpering mess.

good.

he's in no rush to fetch the little butterfly. not until alois thoroughly learns his lesson. ]

What are you asking me for now, Alois? I hope it's not for more candy; you eat far too many sweets as it is. [ he acts as though the violent outburst had not even happened, as though the purpling bruise on alois's cheek wasn't the work of his own hand, as though he has no idea what could have upset the boy. ] Speak up.

[ex_apricots766]

[ that he's warring with himself must be obvious, as he stands nearly breathless in the threshold of the library, pressing knuckles or wrists against his eyelids. the next 'Brother' is frustrated, urgent, whining. but, by now, he knows it won't be enough, and his lower lip half vanishes into his mouth to be bitten.

there's a moment of shameful, waffling, tearful hiccups, before the youngest brother decides to venture further in, closer. he goes to kneel next to him, settling chin and hands on the arm of the chair. ]

I was really awful. I was so awful, after you went and did such a kind thing for me. Please, don't be angry anymore, all right? I'm sorry; I'm bad. I know it. I'm really, really sorry I wasn't as kind to you. I love you. Please, don't be sore anymore. All right? [ the more it carries on, the more he can feel the rapid need to cry all over again, and his breath hitches, he tries to strain away from it. ] I love you so much, so don't be mad at me.

[palindrome]

[ hannah feels a small, irrational surge of jealousy towards the tacky, useless lump of glass he has tucked away on a high shelf. that alois can lower himself to sobbing over such a worthless piece of trash makes hannah want to strip the boy of everything he's ever given him, burn his toys and his clothes until there really is nothing left for him but hannah himself. ] It hurts me when you act so selfishly, Alois.

[ he sets the book down and pats his lap gently. ] Come kiss and make up, and we'll see if we can't have a more pleasant afternoon.

[ex_apricots766]

[ his hands retreat with a little flinch, a bit of a sting at what's been said first. like having his nose rubbed in his shortcomings. still looking as contrite and pitiful as ever, he moves to place himself with great care and gentleness onto the lap his brother patted a moment earlier.

the breath he draws in is shivery, and he's staring far-off at his own knees, then he leans in to give the smallest of pecks to the corner of hannah's lips. ]

[palindrome]

Good boy. [ hannah settles his hand between alois's thighs, curling his fingers possessively over the soft curve of flesh. he could force them open right now, fuck the boy into raw, stinging exhaustion, but he would really rather hear alois beg for it first. ] But I think you can muster a bit more enthusiasm, darling.

[ex_apricots766]

[ a wad of emotionally drained stickiness is swallowed. he clenches the fingers of one hand in his other, quietly says: ] Sorry.

[ then, he closes the inches of space between them once more, the curvature of his small, hot mouth connecting with hannah's. it's a touch heartier, although no less tense, the way his lips gingerly move. the nervous wringing of his fingers ceases in favor of settling one against his brother's arm. ]

[palindrome]

[ hannah smiles into the kiss, keeping it closed-mouthed and gentle. ] Better. [ he slides his hand beneath alois's body, tracing circles around his tight entrance but not pushing in, not yet. ] You'll love all the fine things I purchased for you. You'll feel just like a princess. A sweet, obedient little girl who does what she's told and always receives the nicest rewards. Would you like that?

[ he strokes forward, dragging his fingertips against alois's scrotum. ]

[ex_apricots766]

[ those thighs of his on hannah's lap clench as he grows rigid all over, anticipation coiling in him, and when, instead, hannah's fingers press into his little, tender sack, he gasps audibly. his back curves vaguely, ass rising a centimeter. ]

I'm, [ breath. ] I'm a boy.