Chapter 9

The boy's eyes betrayed the emotions he hopelessly attempted to conceal within him. It was mildly entertaining to watch, Ayanami had to concede. Fear, anger, anticipation; but most interesting of all: restraint. He observed Teito's right fist shaking at his side and smirked in spite of himself. After everything he had been put through since boarding the ship his spirit had not been broken; in fact his resolve seemed to have become even stronger.

Ayanami took a step forward whilst scanning the boy with his eyes. Filthy bandages covered his bare chest and dirt clung to his skin and hair. Interestingly enough his figure was what had changed. He had paid no mind to this detail when he had placed the collar around his neck but now, as he watched him patiently, he could no longer see the contour of his bones. Far from the skeletal boy he had purchased from the slave trader, Ayanami could see muscles had begun to develop. The boy had not stayed idle during his confinement and what would have normally been a meaningless fact somehow seemed to please the chief of staff.

"Magnificent artifacts these promise collars," Ayanami spoke as he approached Teito. "Do you not agree?"

Teito was perfectly aware of the existence of promise collars. As a slave he was familiar with its uses. Sleep, bind and pain; Carl had explained to him the extent of its power but he had never actually witnessed it. Unconsciously his hand doubtfully reached for his neck to confirm the obvious. How had he failed to notice this before?

"Bind," Teito heard Ayanami whisper the instant his fingers came in contact with the cold metal. Ayanami finally stopped in front of Teito's frozen figure.

"Alas, the most interesting use of this collar is often overlooked," reaching behind Teito's head he graced the clasp of the contraption with his fingers.

"You see if this collar does not hear my voice for over 48 hours it will detonate and you…" he lowered his mouth to align with Teito's ear and whispered, "will die."

"My intent however is not to force you into submission with it," he explained calmly. "This is but a means to ensure you will not attempt to escape again."

Ayanami backed away from Teito and released him from the collar's bind. The young boy immediately collapsed to the ground.

"You have my word that if ever you choose to excerpt your puny revenge upon me it will not be by the collar's power that I will restrain you." Ayanami chuckled somberly. "That would be… unnecessary."

If there was any truth to Ayanami's words then a promise collar was entirely pointless. He had no intention of going anywhere; not because of fear but because he had decided he would remain by Ayanami's side until the day came when he could fulfill his revenge.

There was something more to this, Teito knew. If this truly was nothing more than a means to prevent him from escaping; why now? Ayanami had had plenty of time and chances to do it yet he had waited over two months to take action. What exactly was he missing?

"Stand," Ayanami commanded as he walked back to his desk.

Slowly Teito got to his feet only to be rewarded with a cloth roughly thrown over his head. Somewhat apprehensively he grabbed the corner of the fabric and gently started pulling it; almost as if asking for permission to remove it. After receiving no instruction to stop he removed the cloth and after glancing at Ayanami for a moment he turned his eyes back to it.

On further inspection Teito immediately recognized the object he was holding in his hands. A black and gold overcoat; the very same uniform he had so often seen within his dreams.

"From now on you will use that uniform," said Ayanami.

"No," replied Teito instantly discarding the black overcoat. He would not wear the same clothes as those of the soldiers in his nightmares. Slave or no he would never allow himself to betray the memory of those who had died to protect his life.

"No?" started Ayanami dangerously. "Do you believe you are in any position to disobey me?"

Ayanami's lavender eyes pierced through Teito freezing him to his very core. As the older man took deliberate steps towards him Teito struggled to keep his gaze steadily directed at him. Extending one hand towards the fearful boy Ayanami clutched the filthy bandages that covered his chest and ripped them off ferociously.

"I don't know what delusions of grandeur you have developed, nor do I care; but understand this;" said Ayanami forcibly gripping Teito's face between his fingers; "you belong to me." He whispered menacingly. "You will obey me."

"Or else what?" contested Teito refusing to allow Ayanami to intimidate him. "If death is the alternative then I don't-"

The young slave's words were cut short as his body was roughly thrust against Ayanami's desk. A soft groan escaped his lips as his back painfully hit the hard wooden surface.

"Death?" asked Ayanami catching the boy's wrists and pinning them in place. "I will show you until it's imprinted into your naïve little mind… There are far more horrifying things in this world than death."

Teito was used to a life of torture and pain. It was nothing new to him. What could Ayanami possibly do to him that had not been done before? He would not be intimidated by his hollow threats. He would leave his weakness and fear behind him and become someone new. Someone strong; not just strong enough to resist but strong enough to fight back.

"And I will show you," said Teito glowering fiercely, "that there is nothing you can do to break me."

Ayanami scoffed wickedly at the boy's feeble attempt to appear unafraid. Admittedly something had changed in him since the time he had been bought by him, but this false bravado was still not enough. He could still recall the blazing glare he had shown at the slave market. There he had seen the flames of a bloodthirsty predator, not the embers of cornered prey.

"Nothing?" taunted Ayanami.

"Do as you please!" spat Teito struggling furiously to break free. "I will never surrender to you!"

No… This wasn't even close, not yet, not nearly enough. Ayanami slowly lowered his head and inched his mouth closer to Teito's ear. Only two words escaped his lips.

A threat.

A warning.

Two simple words.

Each syllable a stab at the young boy's heart.

"Mikage Celestine."

All of a sudden everything was clear to Teito. From the very beginning Mikage had been used as a tool to get to him and now he would pay the ultimate price for it, for getting too close to Teito. They had both played straight into Ayanami's sick plan; moved exactly as he had predicted. Teito's body stiffened.

"Bastard," he whispered through gritted teeth. "IF YOU TOUCH HIM I SWEAR-!"

"I thought you said 'nothing'" said Ayanami maliciously.

At that instant Teito's eyes were set aflame. There it was; the gaze he had been waiting for; that searing hatred and the bloodthirsty eyes; but this time there was something more. For a split second he could see it, the boy's green irises flashed blood red. The moment was so short however he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him; but he knew. He knew it was The Eye. There was no mistaking it.

Ayanami sneered diabolically. "Whatever happens to him is on your conscience," he spoke softly as he released the young boy and stood up.

Teito immediately shot up and lunged at Ayanami who easily caught his fist with one hand.

"Leave Mikage out of this!" cried Teito.

"No," was Ayanami's only answer as his grip on the young slave's hand tightened forcing the rest of his body to collapse onto the floor.

"WHY!?" he yelled desperately cursing his own helplessness. "If you hate me it should be me not him you punish!"

"Hate? Why would I waste my thoughts on a pathetic existence such as yours?"

"Why me then?"

"This has never been about you."

"Then why am I here at all?"

"Because I made it so," replied Ayanami coldly.

"So… Everything has been about you whimsically toying with someone else's life? For what!? Entertainment? Self-assurance? What!?"

"Power," stated Ayanami picking the black overcoat from the floor and dropping it on Teito's lap.

"You expect me to just accept this?" Teito asked clenching the overcoat with both hands.

Placing a gloved hand on Teito's head Ayanami yanked him upwards by the hair.

"I expect you to obey," he whispered into his ear before releasing him and exiting the room.

Teito clutched the black uniform to his chest and screamed into it at the top of his lungs. He thought he was prepared for anything, but this…

Having spent the majority of his years solely preoccupied with his own survival Teito had never worried about much else. Being unable to recall his life prior to becoming a slave there was no one he felt any particular kinship or affection towards.

Even his quest for revenge was an obligation to him more than it was a deeply engraved desire. As one of the survivors of the Raggs massacre, if not the only one, it was his duty to appease the tormented souls and lay them to rest.

But now, for the first time since he could remember, Teito understood true fear; the horrifying realization that there was something he dreaded to lose more than his own life, something he couldn't protect.

And for the first time he regretted befriending Mikage, putting him in that position.

But most of all he resented himself for allowing his mind to think (albeit briefly) that if given a chance to go back and change it, he wouldn't.

Sighing Teito stared at the uniform. The faint memory of the people in his dreams flashed in front of his eyes but however much he tried he couldn't recall a single face, not a voice… nothing.

But he could see Mikage's smile as if he were standing before him; he could hear his laugh as clearly as the sound of his own voice. Mikage was still alive. He could still protect him. It was then that Teito finally understood.

Even if his honor was of more value to him than his life, it could never be more valuable than Mikage's.


The night sky swiftly drifted across the windowpane as Mikage absentmindedly stared at it. The image of Teito's concerned expression etched into his memory.

He was a coward. He couldn't even stand to be in his presence for two seconds. He didn't deserve that kind of expression from him.

Had he not been spacing out Mikage probably would have heard the quiet steps approaching from behind him and maybe he wouldn't have been as startled by the voice doubtfully calling his name and he wouldn't have panicked.

And MAYBE he could have avoided unceremoniously stumbling with his own feet and scrambling to the ground in a flustered mess.

"Te- Te- Teito!?"

"Are you okay?" asked Teito extending a hand to him.

Brushing the hand aside Mikage got to his feet.

"You don't have to worry about me," he said looking away.

"I won't if you can look at me and repeat that."

"Why do you care after what I-"

"You're my friend."

Mikage's eyes widened but he didn't move.

"How can you still call me that? I lied to you! I betrayed you!"

Teito cocked his head sideways and stared at Mikage baffled.

"What are you talking about?" he asked genuinely.

"What am I-?" Mikage instinctively turned his eyes towards Teito. Did he seriously not suspect him at all or was he just playing dumb?

"I… poisoned you," he confessed in a soft voice. "He knew you trusted me so you wouldn't suspect anything and I… I couldn't…" his voice drifted off as he cast his eyes down in shame.

Teito was taken aback by his words but quickly recovered. The agonizing expression on Mikage's face was enough to convince him there was more to this story.

"Couldn't?"

"I- he… He threatened my family. He said he wouldn't hurt you-!"

"Ayanami?"

Mikage nodded. Teito lightly patted his shoulder and forced a tiny smile on his face.

"I understand. You had to protect them. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm fine," said Teito reassuringly. "Sorry to have worried you."

Mikage stared at him in surprise and couldn't help but smile at the familiar choice of words.

"I was worried!" he replied immediately. "I'm so sorry," he added looking apologetically at Teito.

"You should be," said Teito startling the blonde. "I already told you that you making that somber face was disgusting."

Mikage laughed wholeheartedly.

"You did," he said smiling. "I'll try not to let it happen again."

"Good."

"So… what exactly happ-"

"Say, Mikage," Teito abruptly cut him off, "you wouldn't happen to know how to put one of this on, would you?" he asked handing him the uniform and starting to walk down the corridor.

Mikage stared at Teito and considered continuing his line of questioning but thought better of it as the look in the brunette's eyes firmly requested him to drop the subject. He quickly skipped to catch up to him and walk by his side.

"A standard regulation military uniform? Now why would I know anything about that?"

"I guess now we know why you got stuck babysitting me instead of getting any real assignments."

"That just goes to show you how little awareness you have of how much trouble you actually are."

"I don't think blowing up fruit counts as trouble."

"What about doughnuts?"

"Ugh, don't remind me about those. You owe me new ones."

"You blow them up and suddenly it's my responsibility?" contested Mikage.

"You distracted me!" retorted Teito.

"I did not! And besides, you can get them yourself. I'll show you where the kitchen is after we get you cleaned up," said Mikage.

"Oh," said Teito slightly surprised. Right, he could probably do that himself now. No specific order had been given that he was now free to move around as he pleased but no one had stopped him yet.

"What?" asked Mikage noticing Teito's listless expression "Don't tell me you're gonna miss lying around in the tiny cell all day?"

"Huh? No I just… it's a little strange is all."

"I can't say it's not the first time I've ever heard of a slave wearing military clothes," said Mikage before quickly covering his mouth and muttering an apology.

Teito smiled at Mikage's discomfort at the word 'slave'.

"It's a slight improvement, isn't it?" the brunette asked trying to keep the conversation from turning uncomfortable.

"Well..." started Mikage eyeing him critically. "I think even my sister's pink frilly dress would be a slight improvement, honestly."

"You're just jealous because it'll look better on me."

"Teito, please," began Mikage, "pink brings out my eyes."

Suddenly Teito halted and stared wide eyed at Mikage who gave him a puzzled look.

"I… meant the uniform," replied Teito plainly; "but if that's your thing I don't-"

Mikage's cheeks turned slightly red as he hid his face in his right palm and held his left hand in front of Teito.

"Not a word about this- ever- again," he said pointing his index finger at Teito.

"I can't promise-"

"NOT." he cut him off. "A. WORD."

"Fine," said Teito shrugging. "As milady commands," he added mockingly bowing before him.

"Disrespecting a lady like that, I could have you whipp-!" once again Mikage quickly covered his mouth and apologized.

"Stop it," said Teito mildly annoyed at the blonde's correctness. "I know you're trying to be considerate but your courtesy is nothing but irritating to me."

"Sorry," mumbled Mikage which promptly earned him a smack on the head from Teito.

"That is the last apology I will accept on this subject. Any more and I will whip you," said Teito. "I don't want any stiff formalities between you and me."

"Can I have one last stiff formality?"

Teito nodded begrudgingly.

"I'm really sorry about what happened," said Mikage seriously, "and I promise that from now on, no matter what, you can count on me."

"Mikage…" said Teito staring at the blonde. "I think that counts as two…"

"You… I'm trying to have a moment here!"

Teito smiled.

"All right, all right, thank you. I'm glad to have you as my friend and it's very reassuring to know I can always count on you," he said flatly.

"At least try to pretend like you mean that, will you?" said Mikage sighing in utter defeat.

"I mean it," he replied drily.

Irked by Teito's aloofness Mikage threw the black uniform at him.

"You know what? I take it back. I hate you."

"I'm sure you do…" replied Teito unconcerned.


A/N: This chapter started off extremely bleak but I really wanted to end it on a high note. I just couldn't let Mikage continue being a miserable ball of self-pity.

I hope you liked this chapter and as always thank you so very much for your support.

To be continued…