Sorry for the delay! Blame real life and assignments that I didn't know about until last minute because it was all explained in my second languages T.T
This chapter was going to be longer but with the rate things were moving I felt it would be better to separate them. I'm not opposed to long chapters but it seemed like a good place to stop and I'm well aware that I've not updated in a couple of weeks ^_^'
Disclaimer: Don't own, I'd like to think it would be awesome if I did though
Hayato woke up to something soft tickling his face. Blinking open his eyes, it took them a while to adjust to the dim light that barely managed to squeeze through the rotted gaps in the door. A pair of small black beady eyes attached to long whiskers stared back at him. Yelping through the gag, Hayato shot up into a sitting position, flailing at the rodent with his legs until it scurried off, Hayato not taking his eyes from it until the last inch of the long tail disappeared into an impossibly small hole in the wall.
A sigh of relief showed his breath in front of him, and he sat transfixed by the dancing vapor as his breath became visible. It reminded him of smoke, although without the warmth of the accompanying fire. It was late autumn, and the air had a chill to it that made Hayato's fingers numb even under the rough ropes. Tears pricked at his eyes again, and he hid his face in his knees. Maybe he should try and go to sleep again? It would be hard with the cold ground and the rat might come back, but maybe father would find him by the time he woke up again.
Leaning up against the moulding wall farthest away from where the rat disappeared, Hayato curled up as best as he could, not knowing whether to concentrate on trying not to cry or trying not to shiver. He failed at both.
X x X x X
The sound of rusted metal grating woke him, and Hayato lifted his head, eyes bright and hopeful. Had it worked? Was father here for him now?
When the door swung open and the silhouette of the maid was revealed instead, the disappointment made his chest tight and achy. A candle was lit and swung around wildly in an attempt to find him, Hayato had to narrow his eyes until the light stopped hurting. He'd been in the dark for far too long. Unable to see he listened to the hurried footsteps instead, feeling gentle hands brush through his hair in order to find the small knot securing the gag in place. But then the lady seemed to hesitate, and Hayato's heart dropped as she let go of the knot, taking his face in her hands instead, staring him in the eyes like a challenge much the same as Bianchi often did when they were arguing.
"I've been given full responsibility for you, Master Hayato. They've agreed to let me untie you so long as you behave yourself. Understand? No screaming or fighting now. If you do, you'll be tied up again, probably worse than before, and I'll get into a lot of trouble too."
Wide-eyed, Hayato nodded slowly. The concept of someone getting into trouble for another's actions wasn't a new one, having seen many a tutor or maid being sent away, never to enter the mansion again after failing to control either him or Bianchi. Whoever the men that had kidnapped him were, they were far scarier than father, and any repercussions this woman might take on his behalf would be far worse than a lost job.
She stared at him a moment longer, judging, and then careful fingers felt at the knot before swiftly working it free, sliding down his face to gently pry away the material where it had stuck, the corners of his lips stinging from being dry and forced open for so long.
Having that dreaded object away and off of his face was wonderful, Hayato relished being able to breathe through his mouth again, no matter how dry and raspy his throat felt and how the smell of the rotted wood seemed to settle on the back of his tongue. Hayato opened his mouth, wanting to thank her, ask why she was helping him, what time it was, what was happening and when he could finally go home but...he closed his mouth and stared at the dark brown flakes that had dried to the floor, reflecting the dancing candle light like wet paint. There was a lot of it, and it wasn't until Hayato felt the maid wrestling the tightly bound ropes off his hands that he realized it wasn't paint at all.
After a good three minutes of fumbling and hearing a few curses that Hayato was sure the lady would never have dared utter in his father's presence, Hayato was able to wriggle his hands free, moving them gingerly after realizing they hurt a lot after being forced into a single position for so long. The cold air nipped at the areas where the rope had rubbed and burned and torn the skin.
"Master Hayato, you're shivering! Just wait there and I'll go try and find a blanket."
Hayato nodded, not daring to look, just staring at the dancing wick of the candle that she thankfully left behind. Only when the door creaked close and a loud man's voice screamed for the bolt be slid back into place did he dare to move, curling up and bringing his raw and chilled hands in front of his face, thinking that the burns should hurt more than they did. He could worry about that later, when father came to get him and he was back in his warm bed. For now though, he did his best to keep his hands warm, breathing onto them harshly and staring as the vapor floated above the candle flame and out of sight.
X x X x X
"Master Hayato! You shouldn't fall asleep! You'll freeze to death!"
"Wasn' sleepin'" he answered back drowsily, until he remembered he wasn't supposed to speak and twisted to look at the maid's pale face and then at the door, as if one of the people behind it would drag her away from him and punish her there and then.
"You can speak Master Hayato, just don't scream the place down. Nothing's going to happen unless you start kicking up a fuss." A worn but wooly blanket was unceremoniously dropped on his head and he pulled it off in time to see the lady considering the dusty blood-stained floor for a minute then sighing and unceremoniously letting herself fall to the floor beside him.
They sat side by side for a while, watching the flame of the candle gently melt away at the wax as Hayato tried to make himself comfortable in the blanket he'd been given. It smelt funny, like wet fur, and was full of holes but Hayato nestled himself in it without hesitation, too cold to care and in no position to complain.
A sudden bout of laughter startled him after the prolonged silence. Hayato looked over to see the maid pulling the headband off the uniform she wore. "I was worried about getting my uniform dirty" she explained after noticing his confused stare, "but somehow, I get the feeling I won't be wearing it again after this."
"Isn't that a good thing? The maid uniforms look really silly don't they?" Hayato asked, genuinely confused as to why anyone would even wear it once. Bianchi had told him once that the uniforms were so frilly so that they could dust anything just by walking past it. He'd believed it until he'd asked one why she was bothering using a duster to clean the piano in the music room.
"Well I'm glad you agree Master Hayato," the lady said smiling, absentmindedly picking at the frills of her apron. "But that's not what I meant, I mean I'll definitely have lost my job over this. You don't get away with kidnapping a mafia boss' son with just a slap on the wrist you know."
"What does 'mafia' mean?" Hayato asked, staring at her in open curiosity now. She'd never spoken to him so informally before, even though she had worked in the mansion for as long as he could remember, and probably then some. It was like speaking to a different person.
The lady looked shocked at the question, then gave a melancholy smile and reached over and ruffled his hair in a gesture that he was completely unfamiliar with but for some reason didn't mind. "It's probably better if you don't know. You're a good kid, I'm sorry I got you into this Master Hayato."
"Hayato."
"What?"
"You said that you wouldn't be working for father anymore. So...can't you just call me Hayato now?"
The smile that greeted him this time was the real thing, and the lady threw her maid's headband out of sight before reaching into the blanket and clasping his hand. "Well then Hayato...you can call me Elma."
This chapter was a very much start and stop, and I hope this hasn't been reflected too much in the flow. A bit uncertain about this one, so any comments are very much appreciated! Just a warning that the wait for the next chapter may be the same as this one, I've got some busy weeks ahead!