Chapter Text
Ramsay knew Theon was stupid cunt, a lost mutt that needed to be trained.
The youngest son of Balon Greyjoy, lived with the Starks for much of his life and then came back. Ramsay knew him perfectly, as well as he knew all the Starks.
Theon Greyjoy was the weakest of all his siblings, far weaker than his sister, Asha. A boy who only spent his time having fun, drinking, with women and buying fine clothes, something unusual in the Iron Islands companies, where all the higher-ups seemed to give no importance to appearance.
Ramsay was interested , that little thing begged for attention and recognition, for a hand that could protect and correct himself. He had only seen him in a bar, when he was falling down drunk, with those big sad and desperate eyes.
As if with his eyes he was yelling at him: “ Am I doing it good? Do you like me? Please tell me what you like."
There wasn't much more exchange of words when Asha Greyjoy came to collect her younger brother; by that time, Bolton had already made up his mind: he would keep the wild pup.
Unfortunately, he didn't expect him to be so fucking dumb. No. That was beyond any limit of stupidity.
His pet to be hadn't lived with the Greyjoys when the business had grown considerably, but everyone had heard about John Wick and how he helped them, even his father used to talk about it. Theon should have known that before making a mistake like that.
He came home to pour himself a glass of whiskey, feeling the burning in his throat. Enough to clear his mind. He doesn't drink much when he's on meds.
He couldn't just go after Theon, Balon had just thrown the boy out into the street, but his siblings were hiding him, terribly of course, even if they hid him underground that wouldn't stop the Boogeyman. It was a miracle that Theon hadn't died in the secret bar where scandal and death had knocked on the door recently.
Ramsay headed straight for his father's office, his expression impenetrable calm despite all the uncertainty within him.
"Ramsay" he greeted without looking up.
"Father" he returned the gesture, before stepping inside the room.
"What do you want?"
"I'll go get Theon."
“It's irrational . Forget about him.” His voice was always icy, emotionless.
"I wasn't asking."
"Ramsay, forget the Greyjoy, I'm you'll find another toy."
"I'll go for Theon" he repeated with a tone that made it clear that his decision was absolute. Even for his father.
"You'll leave Dreadfort without a heir, that's what you'll do." He frowned, though to anyone else he wouldn't have noticed the change, Ramsay was his son, the man was disgusted.
"No. I won't.” He turned around, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "And Walda is pregnant, anyways."
Roose didn't know if he was angry at his son's disobedience, or intrigued about how Ramsay would think he could fix all the mess.
Theon had never been smart, really. The gods hadn't blessed him with common sense, but he was sure that so far, this had been the biggest mistake he had made, which was very serious because he was always making mistakes.
Maron was watching him the whole time with his stoic, rude gaze, muttering something about how stupid he had been, as if Theon needed to be reminded.
"I can't believe it, you fucking-"
"I know it, okay?!I already know!" He was hit so hard it could have knocked out a tooth.
"Shut up and sit down. You did enough."
It was torture to wait all the time, but there was no more he could do. His father had left him in the street, he couldn't go to the Starks, and his siblings had been kind enough to help him.
Asha and Rodrik had given their most trusted guards to take care of him in the apartment, the place where they were was small, a bit miserable, but that was fine, because Theon was still alive.
Every single sound, rattle, creak, and drip made him jump into his own place. He had had enough time to regret his actions.
He just wanted to have a little fun! It was a fucking car and a stupid dog. He hadn't really wanted the dog dead, he had just asked for it to be shut up, he didn't think the idiot following him was going to wring its neck.
A new car with the iron price, that was all he wanted. If he had bought it normally, his father would have scoffed at him, instead he had beaten him up for being so useless.
Actually, he had been treated like a punching bag since the car had been in his hands. First the stupid Aurelio, then his father, then his siblings, although they didn't really hit him, neither did father. And he prayed to the gods that it would stay there, that Wick wouldn't be added to the list, because then Theon's last memory would be being treated like a stress ball.
"Theon?" a saving voice made its way into the apartment.
"Asha!" If he had been less self-conscious, he would have gotten up to hug his sister, even if he had, the woman would have knocked him away, she wasn't a physical person.
Behind her was Rodrik, just looking at him caused Theon a pain in his stomach where he'd hit him, just like his father. He was hungry, but he supposed this was not the right time to say it.
"Something new?" he asked as he took off the dark jacket he was wearing.
"No" Maron answered before Theon himself could open his mouth. Rodrik didn't say anything, he seemed mute, which wasn't a good sign, he never shut up, he always had rude things to say. It gave him a bad feeling to think about why his brother was so quiet.
The Boltons had never merited his services. Ramsay was not only the future of the Dreadfort's companies, he was also an essential part of the society on the Continental.
Although it wasn't regular for people to need his services, the Boltons were in a dark place even for The Continental and The High Table. Only the desperate and hungry for revenge made contracts with Ramsay.
Monsteret fra nord , they called him, a bit literal, but he wasn't going to complain about it.
The Boltons never needed Wick, not having their own ruthless and talented beast; Furthermore, Ramsay not only had a talent for killing, but also for extracting information with torture.
Still, Ramsay knew that John would remember perfectly. With that idea in mind, he got into the car that was waiting for him.
Three days. He was beginning to believe that everything would be fine, maybe Wick had gotten tired, maybe he would have considered it a waste of time.
Theon got out of bed, he had been sleeping with his clothes on all the time, even going to the bathroom scared him, but he was too proud to ask one of his siblings to accompany him. He was not a child.
Someone always stayed with him besides all the guards, this time it was Rodrik. He was still silent and stoic, as if he was contemplating something in the void.
"Rodrik?" he asked, feeling like when he was fifteen years old, and he had just failed some class and he had to tell Ned Stark.
"What do you want?" He drank from a beer bottle.
"What if he comes?" His brother looked at him for a few seconds before taking out his phone.
"I'll kill you. And then myself.” Theon couldn't help but see that his brother's dark eyes weren't filled with the normal confidence and arrogance. "That asshole has no right to kill a Greyjoy, we'll take that away from him."
Rodrik was always a bully, just like Maron, they both used to make fun of him at every opportunity, they made fun of him more often than he'd like to admit, they once locked him in a basement for so long that Theon came out with his pants wet and fear of the dark; but Theon had never thought that his own brother could kill him, even as an act of brotherly love.
"Can you really kill me?"
"Asha couldn't, Maron couldn't either, someone has to do it" he answered as calmly as he could. "Anyways, we will try not to die in this ridiculous way, okay, idiot?" He took out his phone to type on it, his face looked like he was holding fire.
"I don't care what the hell you do, just find him!!" Skinner stepped hard to go as quick as he could in the car, Ramsay was grateful that he could read the atmosphere, otherwise he would have choked the driver himself.
"B-boss." Damon's voice was a sign of his deep fear.
'What?!"
"There are way too many rooms."
"Do you want me to repeat what I said?! Did I fucking stutter?!!"
He listened as Alyn snatched the phone from the hulking man he called bodyguard .
"No, boss. We'll take care of it."
Ramsay was quite impulsive and violent, he loved to make others suffer and make them feel pain, it was just nice; but, burn the money and priceless things of the Greyjoys?
The simple idea made him laugh to the point of madness, he made sure to never forget it, he had to do it someday, surpass it by far; but it was for another time, now the only thing that mattered to him was Theon.
John had already burned down a bloody church, and managed to escape the Greyjoy thugs and Balon himself. Wick was going for Theon, and his stupid men still hadn't totally found him.
They had the city, the area, and the fucking building, but they couldn't find the room; that was enough for John to find him before Ramsay himself.
As a sign from the Old Gods, his phone buzzed.
When Theon opened his eyes, a war was raging in the room, for a second he feared that the boogeyman had come for him; but it was just Asha and Rodrik arguing.
"Dad is going to kidnap us if we stay here" he heard his brother, strangely resigned.
"I don't care! The answer is no!" Theon had never heard them like this, usually the screaming fool was one of his brothers, not Asha.
Before he could get closer to ask what the hell was going on, a shot was heard from somewhere in the building. Theon jumped out of bed, just in time for Rodrik and his sister to manhandle him to the floor.
"Hide!" The scream must have been Asha's.
More shots came that made his heart race, and made him realize that he was still a child, scared of the boogeyman hiding with his siblings.
And despite the noise, no bullets crossed the room. Rodrik started looking for his phone, typing desperately, but Theon was too scared, focused on not peeing in his pants to pay attention.
The truth is that John wasn't thinking much when he entered the building with weapons drawn. Balon had told him the exact location of his son on the condition that he would only kill Theon. The jerk who stole his car and killed his dog.
John was aware that he was a hitman, a mercenary, had been since his youth, but even he and everyone on the Continental had their codes: no children, no innocents. Business people only.
Who the hell would attack someone just for a car and kill a dog? It was just a little puppy! It did nothing but cry, as puppies regularly did.
He reloaded the gun before rolling onto the couch and walking on, people hiding in his path. It was fine, he wouldn't hurt anyone innocent, just this Theon and those who will try to protect him, except for his siblings.
Two men came out of the shadows, to start shooting left and right, they didn't look like Greyjoy men, they tended to have an unkind look, quite tough and plain clothes, especially if they were bodyguards. These ones wore suits.
Still, John started shooting back, soon the men were gone the same way they appeared. He didn't kill them, but he was sure he had scared them off by hurting someone.
Ramsay walked into the room, it was a fucking miracle that Alyn could have found the room. Inside was Asha, Rodrik and Maron Greyjoy.
"I won't give you my brother!" was the first thing he heard as soon as the shots stopped. He had ordered Damon and Alyn to buy time to negotiate.
"You can't protect him." He looked around the place, Theon was not in plain sight.
"And you do?" The biting, venomous tone was evident in the woman's voice.
"Yes. I can" He realized that the only bed in the room was rickety. "The boogeyman will come through some door" he walked to the mattress in poor conditions and lifted the sheet. "He will kill all you men, and you if you don't hand over Theon to me" He crouched down, there, under the bed, was Theon, crying as he held a gun in his hand, Ramsay wondered for a second if his new pet had ever actually shot someone, probably not.
"I know who you are. I know what you do,” Asha interrupted, though she didn't move a single muscle to move it. Theon had his eyes closed.
"Everyone knows it. Yet, nothing has happened to me" With a single movement, he snatched the gun that the boy was holding as if it were his only hope to live.
Ramsay couldn't help but smile, his little dog was so weak . The surprise that crossed his face, but was erased the moment Ramsay took him out from under the bed.
"I won't give you my brother to torture him." Asha's voice was getting more and more desperate. More shots were heard, but Ramsay ignored them, staring into his pet's face, so confused and scared that Ramsay's cock stiffened just by looking at him.
"Would you rather let him die than give it to me to take care of?" He answered with a teasing voice.
"You're not going to take care of him."
"I'll do it. I take care of what is mine" he could see the absolute change in his Theon's features, perhaps moved, or it could be his imagination, he wasn't entirely sure.
"My brother is not yours" Rodrik held her by the shoulder; Ramsay knew that it had been a good decision to negotiate with him, and not with Asha or Maron.
"You're wrong. Your brother is mine, more mine than you think is yours. Give it to me and let's get this over with."
Maron moved frantically, Bolton realized the man was holding a phone.
"Asha, let's leave Theon with him, we just lost all communication with our men!"
Ramsay noticed the way his pup held back tears in his eyes, that must have hurt him. It was fine, he would train him to understand that he can only feel pain caused by Ramsay.
"He's a Bolton, we can't!"
"So what?! We can't resist that long, we're all going to die here! Our guards are already dead!" He got up from where he was, beginning to walk through space collecting some things.
"Go away. Leave Theon here and I'll take care of him.” Theon had already begun to look at him as if he had put the stars in the sky and the planets in orbit.
Asha was seconds away from saying something, Rodrik knocked her out before carrying her over his shoulder. Running away with Maron.
"Theon is all yours!"
Theon didn't understand anything, but it didn't matter, that guy said he was going to take care of him, that was enough. If he stopped the boogeyman, he would kiss his shoes himself.
"…Save me, please"
"That's what I'm gonna do. Don't worry"
Ramsay understood much of Theon's behavior at the moment; his siblings ran and left him in his hands, if it had been him, Theon wouldn't leave his sight for a single second.
When John stepped inside the room, all he found was a man sitting quietly. That wasn't Theon.
"Mr. Wick, a pleasure to see you again" he greeted with a smile on his lips, the dark suit he was wearing made him look very similar to John's memories.
"Ramsay Bolton" was all that fell from his lips.
"Aren't you going to say it's a pleasure?" he asked, his features froze, he looked like pure ice.
"…What are you doing here?" He looked everywhere, looking for Theon, but he couldn't find him. He was probably hiding under the battered bed a few feet away.
"I've come to kindly ask you to leave my pet behind." His words froze all the fire that John had in the depths of his guts.
" No " he dared to answer, not fully understanding the situation.
"No? Really?" from his pocket he took out a marker, "this is your blood. I guess you know what it means, don't you?"
He saw the man's jaw tremble. John remembered it perfectly, he had been desperate to get out of that world, to flee from that life that haunted him so much, at that moment he knew it was crazy, to owe Bolton a marker, and not even to the not-so-dangerous one, no, he owed him a marker to Ramsay Bolton, to Monsteret Fra Nord .
"He took the only thing I had!" He was desperate, angry, it must have been evident in his voice.
"And he will be punished for it. Don't doubt it; but I will punish him, not you" his voice was amused, mocking, despite his icy face.
"He has to die" he said with rage. His hand burned with the desire to pull the trigger right into the middle of Theon's skull.
"You has to do what I say he has to do. Just like you, Mr. Wick" he showed the marker again, the blood was there; John cursed himself.
He had been stupid, but he couldn't do it alone, and no one would want to accompany him to such a dark place, no one was willing, and those who were, weren't skilled, just rookies looking to make a name for themselves. He hadn't had a choice. It was Ramsay Bolton, or not go out.
"Ramsay…" His tone was suddenly softer.
"Put the gun down." John had no choice but to do what was asked of him.
He couldn't kill someone who had his marker, it was part of the code, he couldn't until he complied with the request. And he hadn't completed it yet.
"Do you remember, John? The only way to get out was to complete the mission, I made you get out" Ramsay still remembered the taste of blood in his mouth and the pain of the bullet in his shoulder. "Now pay the price."
"Let me kill him" he almost begged.
"Do I have to repeat it one more time?" everyone knew that he hated repeating things. "I know you're a man of word, John" for long seconds he didn't blink, his gaze was heavy, immovable. "Turn around and go. Don't try to hunt Theon or my family ever again."
"Theon has to die!" Despite his words, he didn't take the gun.
"You appreciated your pet; I'm sorry for your loss, really; but I appreciate my pup as much as you did with yours."
"What he did-"
"Do you know why you came to me on that mission, John?"
He got no response, just something like a sullen growl.
"Because your mission back then was anything but civilized. You're not civilized John, and you know I'm not either."
Ramsay was a monster, everyone knew it, including himself, his work name said so. John put down his gun, and got up.
"Always a pleasure, Mr. Wick," he heard as he walked towards the door.
"Always a pleasure, Mr. Bolton," he said before bowing his head slightly. He walked out the door, not willing to go back, not to see Ramsay's face again for a very long time, or Theon's for that matter.
Ramsay smiled, snapping his fingers so his pet could get out of the bath. Theon almost stumbled between the joy and the sleep that the pills had caused him. All he knew was that he was terribly grateful.
He took Theon carefully, the boy wasn't even struggling, the crying on his face was terribly charming when mixed with the pained moans. He was so lost, stupidly grateful and fragile.
"Don't worry, pup. I'll take care of you" he cradled him tenderly on his chest, Theon had no strength at all. He was weak and limp. "You're a very cute little thing, aren't you? You just need a strong hand, someone who won't let you go."
Theon's mind was clouded, he could barely understand what was happening, all he knew was that it felt good the way he was held like something precious. No one had ever held him like that.
He inhaled a strange scent that caused warmth in the depths of his insides.
Ramsay took him to the car, and started driving with a smile on his face.
"We're going to have a lot of fun together."