take me home where i belong

by aleph_zer0

Summary:

After being tossed into the grimy world of prostitution at 16, Adrian has learned to live in survival mode; quiet, compliant, and invisible. His life belongs to Sean, a violent man who calls it love but only knows control.

When Sean, Adrian's highly abusive pimp, leaves for the day, Adrian slips out. To a library. A place where no one touches him, no one stares. A place where he can let himself relax—and where a stranger’s eyes might give him something other than fear.

It's just a small life he builds in the cracks of a much uglier one. But sometimes, the smallest cracks let the light in.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Summary:

As Lewis rootled through the bag, the man turned, and said, almost casually:

“Pack his belongings. He’s mine now.”

Notes:

Hey guys, this is my new fic!

I'm planning to update pretty regularly, either weekly or biweekly. This fic is still in the works as you speak, and im planning to get it to about 100k. This work is heavily inspired by wickeddreams' Black and Blue, after I read it I realized both the main character and my OC share a very similar backstory lol. I highly suggest you go check it out :)

I’ve realized some elements were closer than I intended, so I’m currently revising parts to better reflect my own voice and direction.

This is technically a transformative fanwork? But with my own OCs and with my flairs.
And yes this will most likely have a happy ending, it gets worse before it gets better yk.

I wrote this from the perspective of a trafficking victim who has experienced long-term institutional and interpersonal abuse. His emotional flatness and dissociation are survival mechanisms.

This fic contains graphic violence, but it is not meant to be erotic or romantic in any way. I want to make it clear that this is a trauma-centered piece, not a kink story.

Thank you for reading with care, and thanks choosing to give this a read! Please consider bookmarking/subscribing/leaving kudos if you enjoy this work :))

The room smelled of sweat and cologne.

On the bed, he sat there; Adrian. Knees together and head bent; a scrawny boy with dazed, wet eyes, skin and bones, limp brown hair falling in his eyes. A large shirt covers his gaunt frame. His body is littered with bruises.

Behind him, the peeling door creaks open, like a mournful wail.

“Stand up.” barks a thickly accented, deep voice from behind him. It’s Lewis, the manager of the brothel. A stocky, balding, muscular man with cigarette breath and more graying hairs than he could count. “Your new boss is ‘ere. Be good.”

Adrian froze in place, his legs like cast iron. He didn’t move. He couldn’t.

Footsteps. Slower and heavier. Another man entered the room. Cheap suit and flashy jewelry, a hand in his pocket while smoking an expensive cigar. He had lank, grey hair that fell in his eyes. The skin around them was wrinkled. He didn’t speak at first; just stared Adrian up and down.

Adrian slowly brought his gaze up to meet his. He flinched. The man had a steely glare, cold as ice.

“This him?” the man asked.

Lewis folded his arms, lighting a cigarette. “Yeah. Beautiful, ain’t ‘e? You wanted ‘im young. He’s fresh. Broke ‘im in, but not ruined.”

The imposing man stepped closer. Adrian’s breathing hitched in his throat.

“What’s your name?”

Adrian didn’t answer. His mouth stayed resolutely shut. He expected a slap.

Instead, the man tilted his head, slightly narrowing his piercing eyes. Studying him. His gaze softened; but barely. Like he was seeing something else. Someone else.

“You’ll do.”

He pulled a small brown paper bag from his suit pocket, dropping it on the table. No negotiation, no second glance.

As Lewis rootled through the bag, the man turned, and said, almost casually:

“Pack his belongings. He’s mine now.”

Notes:

So that's the end of the prologue! Please lmk what you guys think in the comments and anything I can do to improve.

See you in the next chapter!