"Get up, exorcist."
Those words, spoken harshly and loud and echoing through the bars of his cell were meant to wake him. They didn't know he'd never managed to fall asleep. The mending of both his ribs and broken arm had kept him awake, as had his suspicions that they might come back for more. He'd instead spent the better part of that night with his eyes wide and watchful, his teeth clenched tightly shut to ensure no such pitiful, pain-induced whimper escaped his lips. He refused to let them know how much it hurt, and was thoroughly ashamed of the tears that managed to slip out of the corners of his eyes, the treacherous little bastards…
Besides, he doesn't think he would've been able to sleep down here anyway. They had him chained to the wall, each arm tightly shackled to opposite sides of the room, forcing him into a kneeling position, likely not by accident. It was cold, abnormally so. He'd noticed it when they brought him in that he could see his breath, the ghostly mist floating lonely round the stone cavity that he would be spending the night in. The floor wasn't exactly comfortable either, the clammy rocks beneath him making him shiver. He was cold and hungry, but he wouldn't complain. He knew they wouldn't give him anything until they were finished. And they'd barely just begun.
They weren't even playing nice this time though. The last time they'd at least waited a day before dragging him down here. But yesterday they had cuffed him and taken him away, with her standing right there, staring after him in horror. He was going to have so much explaining to do when he saw her later. He supposes he owes her that much. But, as for these bastards, he doesn't owe them anything.
Which is why, when they finally decide to come into his cell to force him to raise his head and "wake up", he looks up into their faces and spits. He supposes the slap he receives "for his insolence" is well deserved. It doesn't, however, dampen his satisfaction at seeing the shocked and disgusted looks on the guards' faces. What does sober him up completely is when he walks in, pushing past the infuriated guards to stare condescendingly down at him.
"Kanda Yu."
He bares his teeth at the man at the mention of his name and snarls, like a wounded animal on the defensive. The guards hit him again. This time he feels something in his mouth break loose. Moments later he nonchalantly spits out a bloody tooth, and leers, teeth flecked with the same red goo oozing out the corner of his mouth, up at the man who was slowly making his life more of a living hell than it already was.
"Rouvelier. Came all the way here just to visit me? I'm touched," he spits out sarcastically. He knows he should keep his attitude in check around this man, but goading him verbally is the only way he can really fight back, and he relishes in it, despite the third slap he receives for his rudeness.
Rouvelier's face is unreadable, but Kanda thinks he sees the man's mustache bristle before he continues.
"Kanda Yu, do you know why you've been brought here?"
They both know that he knows perfectly well why he's here, but, as per protocol, the man plans on reminding him. Again.
"You have been brought here," he says, staring coldly at the child below him, who was now steadily avoiding his gaze, "because you, once again, impeded CROW from taking Lenalee Lee in for experimentation. The order will NOT be punishing you, as you are one of our precious," at this he smirks slightly, "exorcists, and we need you at your best. However, as we are losing precious information because of Ms. Lee and her current, ah, condition, you will, of course, consent to be taken instead, and allow us to see what we can learn from you."
He leans in and whispers patronizingly into his prisoners ear, taking great amusement at the way the young boy squirms next to him, trying, in vain, to get away from him.
"You shouldn't have interfered, and now, you will pay the consequences."
Kanda snorts. He already knows this. This isn't the first time he's been sent down here, and it probably won't be the last. They'll always find some reason to drag him back, but he really should stop giving them legitimate ones to do so. He really shouldn't have gotten involved.
But he hadn't meant to get involved.
It'd been this morning. She'd been trying to kill herself again, and he'd just happened to be passing by as she'd been putting the rope 'round her neck. She had, of course, stopped upon seeing him, her hands freezing on the woven threads and her eyes wide and wet with tears. She'd run towards him, jumping into his arms and sobbing into his shoulder. And he'd awkwardly held her, comforting her in his own way, until they had shown up; the restriction wings of CROW, come to take her away. And instinctively he'd stood up to defend her.
Goddamn. He'd have to learn to suppress that strange desire he had to protect her.
"Remove his restraints."
Rouvelier turns and walks out of the cell as the guards close in on him and take off his cuffs, taking care to irritate his already bruised wrists as they do it, breaking the skin, drawing blood. His arms drop to the floor heavily, like a marionette whose strings have been cut. It'll be awhile before he regains the feeling in them, but he isn't worried about that. Nor is he very worried about what Rouvelier has in store for him, something he really should be pondering as he's led down a dark corridor somewhere in the basement of the Asia branch. No, he's still pondering that man's words, and wondering what he meant about "Lenalee's current condition". Did that mean that they'd done something to her anyway? Or had he been talking about her umpteenth suicide attempt? Was she perhaps strapped down in the infirmary again?
The sudden halt in their march jars him out of his idle speculation. They've stopped in front of a familiar door, one that he's stood before a few times but never seen what lies behind it.
Oh. So it's going to be one of those punishments…
He waits for the the crow on his right to cast his spell that'll put him out until they get there. Silence falls in the hall. A sudden spark of curiosity causes him to turns to Rouvelier with the intention of finding out what happened to that girl. But upon opening his mouth he decides that he isn't interested in knowing, or, that he shouldn't be. She had already caused him enough trouble. So he pauses, mouth still open and a frown growing on his face. And instead of enquiring about the girl, he asks,
"What are you trying to "learn" from me this time, Inspector?"
The imposing man doesn't answer, allowing the silence to grow and waiting until the crows spell began to work, responding only when the eleven year old had begun falling to the floor, unconsciousness ensnaring him.
"I want to see how many times I can hurt you before you break."
Author's note: Well, as far as first fanfictions go I hope that wasn't too horrible, as I'm thinking of making it a three-parter. I hope you all like it. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ~