Riot games
Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.
Rock Howard scrunched his nose against his pillow and grunted, half asleep, at the disturbance. He was vaguely aware of hot, moise air being blown at him, but thought nothing of it. There was also the faint smell of charcoal. He absentmindedly wiped his hand across his face, and continued to enjoy his well earned rest.
Click. Click. Click.
It was getting more annoying now… and louder… and closer. Rock cracked a blurry eye open briefly but it was too dark to see anything recognizable. He thought he could make out the outline of a person standing… over him?... nah. Who would even be here. He was too tired to deal with anything right now. Some time ago - Rock wasn't quite sure how long, everything was a blur - a group of CIA agents had showed up at his door, made him sign a paper, and threw Iori in his bed - automatically consigning him to the couch. Then and after that…
Click. Click. Click.
What happened after that?... oh, they also gave him an epi-pen, which we was supposed to use in case his boss woke up and started acting strange…
I wonder what they were on about.
…
In case… Boss… wakes… oh shit!
Rock snapped his eyes open and startled himself awake. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the inky darkness, but the moment they did-
"Holy Shit, Iori!?"
Click. Click.
Iori was standing over him, hunched over so his face was only about six inches away from Rock's. It was dark, but Rock was pretty sure his bosses pupils had rolled completely into the back of his head. He wore his trademark too-wide smile, exposing the gums above his molars and giving him a bestial appearance. His was teeth clicked together each time he exhaled.
Naturally Rock freaked out and attacked him out of reflex. Upon reflection, he realized it likely wasn't the best idea, but it didn't matter. His fist didn't connect. Iori… or, whoever had possessed him caught his hand mid flight and just held on. He began talked to himself while tightly squeezing Rock's fist. The whole time his teeth chattered, making whatever he was saying indecipherable. Frankly it was terrifying.
Holy shit, Holy shit!
Rock was fully awake now. He whipped his hand out of Iori's grasp and threw himself off the couch, into the floor. There, he scrambled to his feet. The whole while, Iori remained motionless, hand still in the air. His head turned, as if on a swivel, to follow him.
"What are you doing?! What-"
It didn't seem like Iori understood anything he said. He just continued to stare at him, grinning. Rock panted at him, confused with the entire situation. Maybe it was because he just woke up, but everything was feeling surreal.
Why is he like that… wha-... no way. The Blood Riot?! Like at that tournament where Kyo almost died? Oh fuck!
But unlike at that tournament, Iori didn't seem to be interested in attacking. It didn't seem to be the Blood Riot. He just stood there motionlessly. Was he… sleepwalking? He talks in his sleep a lot… maybe he walks too?
Iori seemed content to watch Rock with his pupiless eyes from his station beside the couch. Behind Iori was the door. Rock's escape. Rock was certainly freaked out, but he didn't feel as if his life was in any sort of danger. After all, Iori did a great manner of strange things, but never before had he actually dealt Rock any harm. At least, not physical harm. Mental trauma was a whole 'nother ball game.
I heard it's not good to wake someone up while sleepwalking… but this is too weird… why was he even looking at me like that! So creepy…
"Hey… hey Yagami? Hello?... hey man, wake up… "
Rock narrowed his eyes as he whispered loudly at the figure standing a few metres from him. He was wearing nothing but his trousers, and sort of hoped Iori would go back to sleep instead of 'waking up' and asking about his wardrobe choices. After all, Yashiro was pretty certain Iori had a thing for him, and Rock-…Well, Rock didn't want to encourage any such behavior.
Thankfully Iori hadn't done anything overt yet and just continued to stare and click his teeth.
… I should really just hop the bed and leave… but I don't wanna walk around in underwear either. What if Shermie catches me!?
Rock grumbled to himself as his eyes adjusted more sharply to the light, he was able to make out the state of the bed. Three of his four pillows had been torn in half, dusting the room in feathers. The blankets were on the floor and there were long gashes in the mattress. The very beginnings of daybreak were peeking over the horizon, and the dim grey light filtered through the blinds. His suitcase was somewhere behind Iori. He would need to get to it and at least get some pants on before he left the room.
Ok… I'll just move slowly and not make any sudden mov-... what's that?
Iori had now turned entirely towards him and was squeezing and unsqueezing his hands. The lighting allowed Rock to noticed the the tips of Iori's fingers were stained. Dark liquid had run beneath his fingernails and drew lines there. It looked like they had been hastily wiped down, but for what reason?
What is that? Jeez. I hope it's nothing gross… hang on… could it be… like blood? No way…
Rock frowned to himself and tensed up. He briefly reprimanded himself. He knew this was just some weird sleepwalking thing, but he couldn't help but feel a rush of relief when he spotted the Epi-pen on the floor beside him. When he lunged off the couch, he must have knocked the Epi-pen off the coffee table. He quickly snatched it up and braced himself.
"Hehe… Duck-... Duckling… "
What? Did he just call me-
"Hehehaha… shine… "
… is he just messing with me? No… he's got no sense of humor…
Perhaps it was because it was so early, or maybe because Rock was so accustomed to being afraid of the small things his boss did, that he failed to acknowledge the real danger in this situation. If any other person was standing in Rock Howard's place, they would've been cut to pieces ages ago. However unbeknownst to Rock, Riot had quite satisfied his bloodlust for the night, and was instructed to be 'nice' to the 'duckling'.
"Shiny…"
Rock couldn't help but flinch as Iori, rather, Riot took a labored step in his direction. His pupils had rolled back to the front of his head, and we're completely contracted. His joker grin cracked apart as he laughed. Rock spotted a fabric that looked very much like the curtains, sticking out from the corner of his mouth. Only now did he realize that Iori was chewing on something… He turned to check the condition of the curtain behind him, and-
Are you kidding me? Is he actually eating it?... uh… this is too weird…
Rock slowly backed against the wall as he approached. He glanced rapidly from side to side looking for a route of escape. There was no clear path. Rock was slowly being cornered. If he ran, he was going right past Iori.
Do… do I fight… no… he's just being weird again… and he'll chew me out if I punch him… I just need to get out.
Rock muttered a curse to himself and started moving along the wall, hoping to vault over the bed and make a dash for the door once he got out of Iori's range. His door was 'locked' shut via cabinet barricade, and he would need to shove it aside to get out. Hopefully his lunatic boss would just stand there and not do anything.
Alright… a little further… oka-
*Thud*
Rock's vision momentarily went black as a tremendous force knocked into him, squashing him against the wall. Iori had come at him so quickly, he didn't even have time to process it. The impact squeezed all the air out of his lungs, and he slowly slid to the floor clutching his stomach. He struggled there, gasping and desperately trying to gulp air. He almost couldn't believe what had just happened.
He just-... no way did he just attack me?… fuck! Is it the Riot after all! Am I dead?! Ohh fuck…
Iori stood over him, his expression unchanged. That same leering grin glinted in the pale morning light. The look in his eyes was cold and vacant, as if he were seeing nothing at all. Rock aimed a kick at Iori's leg, but… it had no effect. It was like kicking a tree trunk.
What the hell… is- (haah)... I need to get out of here… I need to run, I-… the syringe!
"Duck… Shiny."
Iori proffered something in a closed fist, but Rock wasn't about to play any more games. The CIA man had insisted the Epi-pen was for this purpose, so Rock was just going to use it. Eating fabric and being excessively creepy certainly fulfilled the criteria of 'acting strangely', right?
"Take… shin- eahh?!"
Rock savagely struck out with the syringe, plunging it deep into Iori's thigh. The man cried out and staggered, he dropped whatever he was holding and reeled backwards until he collapsed at the foot of the bed. In thirty seconds he was unconscious and sleeping peacefully.
Rock remained seated against the wall, trying to recover his breath. His brain reeled at a feverish pace. Had Iori Yagami just attacked him? Surely… he just bodyslammed me… but... I-I don't know. Is he dangerous?
Rock shook his head and sighed.
He had just done his first concert, and he'd liked it. At this point he didn't want to leave. He immediately began making excuses on his boss's behalf. Soon enough, he had convinced himself that it had been some sort of accident on Iori's part.
Jake and Rob, they've been in the band for years right? And they're not even fighters…besides, this job pays a ton. I bet-
Rock had absentmindedly brushed his hand across the carpet when he touched something hard and sharp. He frowned and picked it up to observe it more closely. Perhaps it was the 'shiny' his sleepwalking boss was trying to give to him. It was about the size of his thumbnail and-
… oh fuck.
What the fuck! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!
He threw it across the room as quickly as he could. It bounced off the wall and disappeared somewhere beneath the furniture. Rock sat on the floor, frozen.
A tooth! A human molar.
… no fucking way…
It had a silver filling...
… But that's... that means he-
Beat the shit out of someone? maybe a bar fight?
Or worse.
No... no way...
What if he's a killer... a real life killer?!
Then what am I supposed to do?!
I can't let him know.
I can't let him know what I know.
The nasty begins.
FRIGGIN THANKS DEVILMOM.
lol she was the one who sent him down to ivory coast. you can see the premise in last chapter of 'Good Morning'
kk, time to play secrets :)
bye now