Hello once again! Happy Halloween, so here we get a great chapter for this creepy, spooky time of yeat! Shit goes down in the chapter guys... or more than it was been I guess. But get exited more intense chapters are being written and more tears. Yaaaay! Also this thing -This chapter takes place in the Platinum Hotel BEFORE Leon finds the photo he finds in Chapter 2. Basically, we have a time rewind. *TIME REWIND WEEEEEE*
Francis came back into his room again with a small request from Daan.
Because apparently, 'that boy's crying in his sleep is getting annoying,' and the Dutchman decided it be best that he had Francis gag the already drugged Emil and blindfold him as well.
And just for good measure, Francis had to drug him again.
Emil rolled his eyes from beneath the blindfold. He really hated these guys. Intense hatred.
"A thousand apologies, mon petit." Francis muttered quietly, and Emil heard the tap of the closed door.
This gag tasted weird. Like...a strong bitter medicinal flavor that came with an invigorating sharp aftertaste. Emil ran his tongue along the tough cloth again, and nearly choked as he recognized the taste.
Oh great; Emil groaned to himself. More drugs.
He was sure he would become addicted soon enough if any more needles were injected into him. Or gags, for that matter.
Emil rolled from his side onto his back, a small drizzle of saliva licking past his numb lips. He turned his blind gaze to the ground. How was he going to even move his fingers if he had such a high drug concentrate sitting in his small body?
Gud, I don't feel too hot...
"Of course you don't. You're from Iceland, remember?"
And my hallucination returns...his voice, at least.
"That's not a very nice way to greet your conscience."
Conscience? You? Emil inwardly scoffed. More like a hellish illusion.
"Those drugs they gave you make you grumpy."
Shut up heimskur höfuð. ("Shut up stupid head" in Icelandic. Well, the "stupid head" part. :) )
"Hey, that wasn't nice. I can understand what you're saying, you know."
Emil closed his eyes, enveloping himself into his own thoughts. His usual dreamscapes in his drugged situations were extremely vivid, and like the many other times he had swallowed himself inwardly, he felt a cool burst race through his chest like thin gales of wind.
And suddenly he found himself standing in the middle of-
"Is this...the HVPD office...?"
His hallucination of 'Leon' flashed into his dreamscape, his Asian lover resting the length of his legs on the desk. Well, specifically, Emil's desk.
"Yeah, do you still remember it?"
Emil scowled. "It's only been several weeks. I'm not going to forget where I get all my money from, idiot."
'Leon' chuckled. "You never know; those drugs might have, like, weird side effects that could potentially become life-threatening."
"That sounds too smart, even for you." Emil rolled his eyes and leaned against his cubicle wall.
"'S something up?"
The Icelander shook his head slowly. "No-well, I mean...yes? I'm not sure."
"What's on your mind?" But 'Leon' was a figment of Emil's imagination, so of course he would know what was up.
"You should already know."
"Yeah, but I like, want to hear you say it."
Emil rolled his eyes. "Fine." The atmosphere sombered between them, and Emil started drumming his fingers on his desk. "How do you write 'I love you' in Chinese?"
Leon frowned. "Why do you need to remember?"
Well, that was a surprise. "W-well, I just thought that maybe I could show Leon that I'm okay, and maybe give him clues as to where to find me."
"I am Leon, though."
"You are, but you're a piece of my conscience."
"So now you admit it."
"Just show me the damn characters, Leon. He said they should just 'come naturally to me,' but I can't remember."
"Pushy, are we?" 'Leon' slowly peeled away a blank sticky note from the screen of the computer that was sitting on the mahogany desk. Suddenly, as he was just about to snatch a pen from the pencil holder also displayed on the desk's surface, he pulled his hand away and reapplied the sticky note to the computer monitor.
"Well...what are you waiting for? Get on with it!"
"A thought just occured to me…"
"Leon…?"
"I'll show you, for sure, Ice. But...I have one condition."
Emil gulped; he wasn't sure, but he was almost positive that something had changed with 'Leon's demeanor. This wasn't his conscience...well, the one he had started out with, right?
"My condition is...in return for showing you how to write the characters I'm about to show you, you must promise me that you'll stay with me."
"Stay...with you…?
"Yes; stay with Leon, Em."
There it was again; that shrill inward scream in his throat, the sour taste of his own saliva as it evaporated inside his mouth and sent his heartbeat a-fluttering. But not in the lovey-dovey, warm way that Leon usually caused him to do. No, this was a thumping in his chest that tore away at his stomach, forcing it to flip over and sway in sickly, nauseating ways. He wasn't sure what 'Leon' was planning, but he knew that it was going to bite him in the ass sooner or later. "I don't know, Leon...I-"
"I can help you, Em. I can make sure you'll be alright with Leon again...I know the characters, after all."
Emil blew out his breath uneasily. "I...Fine."
"...Perfect." 'Leon' smiled contentedly before pressing a hand to Emil's forehead, sending the Icelander's world spiraling into the darkness.
By the time Emil had resurfaced from the dark abyss his subconsciousness had been sent to, he had come back to reality, and his hands had gained enough feeling so that he could feel a slight electrifying tingle running up his fingertips to his palms.
"Nngh..." Emil groaned through his gag. The sharp taste of drugs had worn thin, squeezing out the soggy and sweat-like taste of the rag. I've got to write my message now, before they come back.
"Then, let me help you, Ice."
And Leon was kneeling in front of him, appearing very much real, except for the fact that his eyes were narrowed into slits like a cat's, the gold irises smiling like the Cheshire Cat grin that was sneaking up his face.
He laced his airy fingers with Emil's lifting them up and curling all but his index into a fist. Slowly, he began to write the characters.
"You know, Ice..." 我 "...wouldn't you be happier with me?"
...I'm afraid I don't get what you mean.
"I've been with you the whole time, I've come to rescue you from this dark room and those cruel men." 愛 "Don't I serve a better being of affection than your person of interest?"
Emil could feel his forehead break out into cold sweat. What the hell…? You're my conscience, Leon. I'm not going to date myself. That's narcissistic an-
"But I'm not you. I'm Leon. Sure, I'm a part of your head, but that doesn't mean that we aren't compatible as two separate beings."
Stop making me sound like a doppelgänger. I think these drugs are getting to my head. You're the sole creation of my thoughts and memories of Leon. You can't take an actual living, thinking form.
"I see. If that is what you believe…" 你 "...Think what'd you like."
Why are you acting so differently…? You don't act like Leon anymore...You're scaring me, and you're supposed to be my conscience.
"I'm part of your brain, Emil. If the brain is affected in some way…" 'Leon' trailed off, his cat's eyes flaring.
The Icelander's head started to throb. Oh...Oh Guð...I don't understand...What happened to you? What's happening to me?
The room started spinning, the constant swirling abyss of darkness closing in, leaving his vision fuzzy and him vulnerable. His limbs felt heavy like thick blocks of limestone were weighing upon him, making it utterly impossible for him to move. Gathering every drop of energy he had left in his hands, he hastily wrote the last character. This was the last character he knew. He knew it for sure, and he didn't need his subconscious-gone-rogue to show him.
香
-linebreaklinebreakhoenggongislandicelandhappyfuntimesallaroundandhappyflashbackloves-
"I've got some good stuff to show you, Cap." A butter-colored manilla envelope was hugged between his hands, a bright smile complimenting the dark circles under his eyes.
"Hm? Leon? What are you doing here so early?"
"Didn't go home; pulled an all-nighter just for my Ice Boy." Leon pinched the envelope between his fingers and slammed it down on Elizabeta's desk.
She looked at the envelope in slight awe, yet a weary grim line formed from her lips.
"Go on, take a look. Those boys done me proud, sir."
"Leon…" She started, sliding her finger through the envelope's entrance and pulling out the photo. "I would very much appreciate it if you refrained using highly informal...teen-speak in my presence. This is a place of high-respect, and I expect you to-" Her eyes scanned the photo, noticing a small smudge-print. "What is that?"
Leon handed her a zoomed in copy of the same photo, its focus on the dusty smudge in the corner. "It's a message. From Emil. To me."
"All I can see are those strange letters. What are those? I can't read them at all."
"Like I said, it's a message. From Emil. To me."
"May I ask what that message is? And for God's sakes, Leon, you're pissing me off quite early in the day."
"Can't help it, sir. I'm breathing! I'm living! I'm going to find him! He's waiting for me, Cap! He's still waiting and he knows I'm searching!"
"What is the message, Leon?" Elizabeta frowned; there was a troubled appearance to her strong features.
The Hong Kong Chinese boy sombered. "Does it matter what the message was? I know what it says, and that's enough."
"It's the law in this town, Leon. What did the message say?"
He sighed. There was no getting around this one. "It said 'I love you, Hong.'"
"And that's relevant because…? How do we know it's him? How do we know it's not somebody-"
"No! No. Only Emil knows this. There's no one else. He's the only one who knows."
Elizabeta sighed. "I suppose this might be him...But there's no time stamp. This could be from days ago, Leon."
"But we have a lead, don't we? We can check this place out for evidence, can't we?"
"I'll send my men out. You ca-"
"I'm going, Elizabeta."
"Leon-"
"No, sir! You don't, like, understand, I've just-I've got to see that place! I need to check. I've got to, it's absolutely imperative! I don't know what I'll do...Please."
"I was just going to say that I think it's a good idea if you tagged along, Leon. You did find that lead, after all."
Leon wasn't sure if it was from the lack of sleep he got last night, or from the high vibes he was feeling that moment, but he wrapped his arms around her and planted his lips to her cheeks happily.
"L-Leon…! You're not acting like yourself, I think you need a day off! Get some rest, and-and stop harassing people!"
He laughed amiably and ran out of the station. Before leaving, he grinned at Elizabeta. "Don't think of me so lowly, sir! I don't harass people, that's Yong Soo's specialty!"
-linebreaklinebreakoopsamillionoopsamillionoopsamillionoopsamillionlalalallalalalalalalaalalla-
Shit...everything feels so heavy… He let out a breathy cough, watching as bubbles of air rose into the dark.
Why does my head feel all...tingly?
He observed his hands with barely opened eyelids, a surprised exhale and a storm of bubbles was his reaction to the luminescent appearance of his pale skin.
Where...am I?
Why am I here?
He tried to call for someone, anyone, but his lips seemed to be unable to move. His limbs too, felt incapable of any movement.
Hello...?
Hello...? Is anyone here?
You are here.
H-huh...? Who's there? This voice seemed awfully familiar to him.
You are here.
Me...?
Yes.
Then...who are you?
I am you.
What...? Wait... Leon?
In the conscience. Get it? It's like that old saying, "in the flesh," am I right?
Why...can't I move?
You're stuck here, Emil.
Why…?
Because…
...You'd said you'd stay with me, right?
The darkness caved in on him, and he blinked away the cloud of bubbles that had erupted from the endless abyss he was submerged in. As the bubbles cleared away, amongst the darkness was a figure shrouded in a barely visible glow.
Amethyst eyes bore into the symmetrical pair that had shot open with surprise.
Platinum blonde hair, seemingly white as snow illuminated the darkness, surrounding it with an ethereal quality.
The darkness was bent to the figure's will, his body moving through the shadowy murk with ease.
Emil…
...You are me. We're going to stay here for a while.
I hope you all enjoyed this saddness guys. I'd love to hear all of your tears, anger, and theories on what the fuck just happened. Hope you liked and see you nest update!
