A/N:

I am in a Hollow Miracles verse mood for writing.


The point was clear: Akashi outmatched Kagami Taiga in terms of strength the several times they clashed. Surely, the presence of a mask not unlike that of theirs on his face was surprising, but that was all. Kagami Taiga could not win against him if he released even a twentieth of his power.

Could he not understand that sheer willpower alone—such an insignificant thing, the concept—was not enough? Time may be able to, but where is the time when one of the traitorous allies from his side was being kept captive in their stronghold?

The task of reaching a level where he could defeat Akashi was impossible.

Thus, he disregarded his persistence as merely a fool's attempt, never once realizing there was something bigger, darker than he could have imagined lurking within the recesses of his mixed, corrupted being.

(If Akashi had met Kagami Taiga before he met his "king", he would have welcomed the future acts of utter depravity he would have rolled around in gladly in his bout of "happiness".)

Following the words by the rare few he reveres was a rule he treasured close. He expected others to obey this line of thinking as well, though the trembling brunet before him was a weakling of unfathomable value to the "king". The defiance in his swimming gaze bubbled up from an unknown source Akashi was determined to find before maybe ripping out the boy's tongue or even decapitating a limb after daringly raising a hand to him.

He considered these options, yet deemed them unnecessary the more he weighted the effects they would have. The human called Furihata Kouki was already entrapped in the cage the "king" had laid out in the manipulative, sly way he did. It was punishment enough, and he had received no further orders regarding the state of the boy. Doing something as irrational as violence would lower him to the level of the Espada and Arrancars ranked below him.

There was no pity left for the boy, no hope for his comrades to rescue him as he adamantly promised they would. Akashi had asked him why he thought so no matter how many times he pointed out how futile it was.

"I know in my heart they will. Seirin would never leave one of their own behind or see them leave without an explanation. We're family."

"Family." "Their own." "My heart."

The language and ideals the boy spoke of was foreign to Akashi's unfeeling mind, which had only known darkness, emptiness, and power. The softening of his eyes and the faint upwards lift of his lips stuck out in the tense environment of Los Noches, where the slightest show of weakness got one killed in exchange for their open rank.

"The things you speak of are irrelevant. You only need to give your mind and body to our 'king' when he asks for it. Regardless of your will, they already belonged to him the moment you doubted and made the decision to come with me," Akashi said, watching as the human boy's expression fell at the cruel reminder.

The Quinto Espada was lurking outside when he exited the boy's quarters that were a spare addition to Akashi's own. The other Espada wielded his outlandish weapon casually as a he slumped against the walls with a bored expression. He straightened with a wide smirk as he approached Akashi.

"You," he addressed Akashi, no respect towards him as he should have, "how was the human toy? Did you have fun playing with him as you liked? I wouldn't mind having a turn if it's okay with you."

"How unpleasant, Haizaki Shougo," Akashi remarked in disdain for his barbaric tendencies. "I would not 'play' with the boy, as it is not in my interest to. The 'king' did not tell me to do so either. Refrain from talking of such matters in the future."

"Oh, please." Haizaki scoffed with a raise of his eyebrows, the piercings there glimmering of some unknown shiny substance. Bone, perhaps. "Don't lecture me just because you're a rank higher than me,"

"I see." Akashi knew this was provocation, but the inferior Espada needed to be reminded of his place, even if he was joking. He tilted his head to the side and flashed a frosty smile. "Would you like to test that out in other ways, then?"

Haizaki shivered under the material of his uniform. He was itching for a fight, but he sensed asking for a duel with the Cuatro Espada at that moment was requesting for a one sided death match. He wasn't ranked fourth in the Arrancar army for nothing to back it up. There was also a significant shift in power with the Espada numbered four and up. While Haizaki displayed his rank like a second skin, the four Espada above him brimmed silently with their unknown powers. The restrictions upon releasing their Resurreccion were special only to them, the effeminate Tercero, too. How did a pretty boy like him make it past his own strength like that so fast?

He never took to him the moment he showed that long-lashed face of his and smiled prettily in greeting, hiding all chinks of weakness in his armor and signs he was stronger than he was. Haizaki mistook him for prey and challenged him. Afterwards, the blond had grinned and fluttered his lashes, holding a hand out to Haizki as he said, "Next time" mockingly. He had smacked his hand away and sulked over to a nearby rebellion village to take out the feeling of defeat in his bones with a swing of his weapon.

God, how he hated blonds with a passion. He thought it must be an unspoken tradition to have in the Trecero rank a blond of annoying quality.

Akashi radiated brilliance of a different kind from the Tercero. He was a forest fire that kept burning without regard to its surroundings and would incinerate anything in its path, even the air molecules to cut off the breath of those close by. Who could stop him without the equal power to quench it? Grudgingly, it wasn't Haizaki.

Haizaki backed down, laughing his implied threat off. "No way, I gotta save my reserves for the upcoming battle. I don't want to spend it confined to my room recovering."

Akashi nodded, impassively. "I am glad you understand," he said as he strode past him.

"But," Haizaki stopped him with with a raise of his voice, "you can still lend me the human. I'll make sure he doesn't die when I'm done with him."

The redhead Espada took a moment to register his words before turning his head slowly. His golden, dilated eye glinted dangerously. "The boy was put under my charge. I will kill you if you touch a hair upon him," Akashi threatened low with a glare thrown over his shoulder.

It was the first time Haizaki had seen anything other than stoicism and disinterest in his mismatched gaze. All he could do was nod imperceptibly and walk on, concealing his primal fear.

The guy was a coldblooded demon, through and through. How the hell did he get beat by Kise fucking Ryouta?


A/N pt 2:

What was the point in this other than to introduce your favorite villain with cornrows? (It isn't Hanamiya, thank good.) No sympathy. Also, little chihuahua Furi and big bad demon Akashi, here we go.

I almost made Haizaki have his original cool silver hair back. Almost.