Unicorn13564: Sorry I haven't updated as often as I usually do, but the internet was down… well it's actually been back for a few days now but I've been lazy… v.v

Chapter 8: When The Pieces Go Missing

Horo removed his bandanna from his forehead, letting his hair hang over his face. He winced at the stinging and soreness of the cuts around his wrists as he wrapped the bandanna around his most wounded wrist.

'It's not perfect…' he thought as he looked down at his attempt at first aid, '…but I guess it'll have to do…'

He'd lost all track of time, hadn't slept in about two days, and was extremely tired and hungry.

Horo glanced down at the knife he'd been holding, and then looked across the floor at the key. He studied the room like the many times before, once again observing the cruel creations Hao had somehow made.

His eyes began to water as he spotted droplets of blood that had smeared across one of them; then looked across the room at Yoh.

Horo was so preoccupied on trying to figure a way out of this mess, that he didn't notice the door open and he didn't notice the figure approaching.

He jumped slightly as Hao dropped something in front of him.

"Thought you might be hungry…" he muttered.

Horo could feel his mouth begin to water as he stared at the bowl full of rice before him, along with a cup of what appeared to be tea.

"The teas hot by the way, so don't bother throwing it at me."

Horo scanned the food, searching for anything that could be wrong with it. Any chemicals, any powder; anything at all that could do something to him. He didn't know what the hell he was looking for, but something just told him to be careful.

"Relax; it's not like I'm not going to put you in a coma or anything..."

Horo's head shot up as he glared daggers at the Asakura.

"You think your so damn clever Hao, but your not. You're sad, think about it. I mean, you knew I'd reject you because you're so fuckin retarded; and so you had to kidnap me, put Ren in a coma and kill your own brother! Yet still I don't return your love- you truly are a sad bastard."

Horo's heart-beat increased slightly as he saw the look on Hao's face. He could tell he was trying very hard not to lash out and beat him again. "…Just eat it…" he muttered through gritted teeth, and left the dungeon.

The Ainu looked down at the food. "Oh fuck it, I'll die soon anyway, why not die of starvation…?"

Horo blocked out the sound of his stomach grumbling, and reminded himself who had given him the food.

"That bastard put Ren in a coma and killed Yoh, like I really want his blood… food."

A/N: Ya know when people say 'blood money' well this is like that… only blood… food… um, yeah…

He sighed as his stomach argued with him, telling him food was good, and so was tea.

"For all I know he could have pissed in it, besides, its blood tea! ...Yeah I guess I should stop putting 'blood' in front of everything Hao gives me… damn it, I don't even make sense anymore!"

"So drink the bastard tea!" yelled a voice from the top of the stairs.

"You seem a bit eager! And stop listening, you crazed psychopath!"

"Well if you're not going to eat it, I will! I won't allow good food to go to waste!"

"PACK THE FUCK UP HAO! I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO!"

"Oh, and what might that be, ay… snow bunny?"

Horo felt his throat vibrating, which could only mean he was growling. He knew Hao was trying to sound like Ren, and he was doing it on purpose… and that it was working. Horo had never felt so mad at him, trying to be someone he loves, he really was a twisted freak of nature.

The Ainu sighed as he inhaled the heavenly smell of rice.

"Damn you stomach, I will die… just not today!"

With that, Horo picked up the chopsticks, and began to feast upon the rice, devouring every grain within seconds.

Horo's gaze drifted towards the tea.

"…Hao… I ate the rice… but no way in hell am I drinking the tea… I can live off my saliva a few more days…"

"…Whatever…" muttered Hao, and re-entered the dungeon, walking down the steps and stood before the Ainu.

The Asakura sat in front of him, crossing his legs, and picking up the tea. He blew on it slightly; then sipped it.

"Hey, what the hell ya doin!" asked Horo, sounding offended.

"What? Its good tea."

"It's my tea."

"Yes, well someone wouldn't drink the fucker so I am."

"Did I say I wasn't gonna drink it!"

"Yes."

"And you believed me! I can't live off my saliva! It's disgusting!"

Horo removed the tea from Hao's hands and began to take massive swigs of it, drinking it quickly, as if he were in some sort of competition.

"…Aren't you going to leave me some…?"

"Ch, yeah, right." Horo mumbled, stopping his tea drinking, just to give Hao that remark.

The blue-haired shaman sighed happily as he placed the cup on the stoned floor of the dungeon, his once empty stomach full.

"Feel better now…?" asked Hao, his voice soft and caring.

The Asakura lifted his hand to the Ainu's cheek and cupped it. He then made it so that Horo's head was level with his and stared into his crystal blue eyes.

"…Hao, will you kindly remove your hand from my face before I break your fingers." Said Horo calmly, locking his eyes on Hao's.

The other chuckled slightly, "You can't resist it…" he whispered, bringing his face closer to Horo's, "Its destiny..."

Hao's eyes closed as he pressed his lips to Horo's, instantly aware of the fact he wasn't moving away, but nor was he responding.

Hao tried to deepen the kiss, make it more affectionate, more meaningful, but still the Ainu didn't respond.

It was then that Hao opened his eyes and looked upon the face of the Ainu, and suddenly realized why he hadn't made some effort to decline.

"Hm…" he smiled, and laid Horo's body down on the floor, covering it with the quilt he'd placed next to him before he'd sat down. "…Guess I put too much sleeping power in the tea."

Hao yawned slightly and got to his feet, and began to carry out the other part of his plan.

Ren ran down the long corridors; searching for a certain Asakura and Ainu.

He was coming for Hao… coming to hurt him. Ren was so sick of the treachery and pain he'd caused everyone, that he was yet again blinded by his rage.

--

The door to the dungeon swung open, and there stood Tao Ren, gripping his blooded Kwan-dao. His breathing wasn't stable, and blood was dripping onto the floor… only it wasn't dripping off his Kwan-dao.

--

Anna looked down at Yoh's body, her eyes following the open wound that had been made across his flesh.

The young Itako collapsed into tears, crying out the name of the deceased.

"Why Yoh! Why!"

The boy moaned, sitting up and holding his head.

"Wow… why the hell do I feel so… did I get pissed or something…?"

Horo sighed at the hang-over-like feeling he was experiencing.

A/N: I'm exaggerating, I know…

"Damn it, how long was I out for…?" he asked, keeping in mind that no one was in the room apart from him. His eyes widened as he remembered Hao cupping his cheek, saying something to him, then leaning in to kiss him… then nothing… after that, everything went black. In Horo's mind, he panicked.

'Oh my god! We didn'tdid we…!'

The Ainu looked at the quilt that had been placed over him.

'Didn't Hao have that thing when he came in…? We couldn't have done it… I would never allow it… I probably pushed him away when he tried to kiss me… yeah, that's it, I pushed him away!'

Horo's whole body jumped as the door flew open.

Hao walked down the stairs and stood once again before the Ainu. "Have a nice sleep?" he smiled.

"…Hao… you're as demented as you'll ever be right…?"

"…I suppose… why?"

"Well… you tried to kiss me, right…?"

Hao nodded, as if he was proud of it.

"…Well… did we… did we do anything, after that, because I seriously don't remember anything…?"

"What you mean is 'did I screw you?'"

Horo frowned.

"And yes, I did screw you. You whispered the most erotic things to me. I really enjoyed pleasuring you"

"…Hao, don't fuck with my head. I'm not thick; I pushed you away when you tried to kiss me."

"Actually you fell asleep, and I did kiss you… but that was it…"

Hao's heart sank as he saw Horo quiver in disgust.

"Is that all you wanted to know?" Hao asked.

"Yeah…"

Hao began to exit the dungeon, when something that was in there before was now gone.

"Hao!" yelled Horo, the tone in his voice worried and fearful.

"Hm?" replied Hao, still walking away.

"What did you do with Yoh?"

Hao laughed as the Ainu finally realized the absent of Yoh's body, "Must have gone walk-about."

"What did you do with Yoh!" yelled Horo.

"It doesn't matter. He's dead anyway."

"How could you do that? How could you kill your own brother!" Horo shouted, demanding an explanation.

"Didn't I explain this once before…?" he said innocently.

Horo glared at Hao. "You're sick." Hao chuckled and quickly advanced on Horo, once again cupping his cheek, only for Horo to slap his hand away. "Get the hell away from me, you sick fuckin bastard."

Hao tutted and forced his lips to press hard against Horo's.

The Ainu pushed Hao away, causing himself to be pushed back against the wall, instead of Hao being pushed further back. Hao grabbed Horo by his shirt and pulled him into a rough kiss. The blue-haired shaman used all of this strength to push Hao off of him.

Hao smirked and laughed. "You can't resist me forever Horo, how do you expect us to have a future together if I'm not even allowed to kiss you?"

"Exactly. There is no future for us, because there is no us!"

"You sure about that?"

"Positive. I can't even look at you, you disgust me!"

"You won't think like that for very long. Like it or not, we will be together. I want you Horo, and I always get what I want."

"No, not this time Hao. Not this time because I don't want you, I can't stand you! What I wanted you put in a fuckin coma!"

Hao started at the Ainu, stunned that those words had just escaped his mouth. "Y-You love him…? You love Tao Ren!"

Horo didn't reply.

"DO YOU LOVE TAO REN!"

Hao grabbed Horo's hair and yanked on it.

"…Yes… I really do… I LOVE TAO REN!"

Hao's screwed up his face in disgust, then threw Horo back down on the floor.

"Maybe a few years of sleep isn't good enough… maybe I should just go kill the bastard right now…"

"NO!" yelled Horo, and grabbed onto Hao's leg.

"Get off! I'll show you, I'll show you both! I always get what I want!" Hao spat, and kicked Horo off, exiting the dungeon and leaving the Ainu alone once more.

Unicorn13564: …Wow… Hao's a right lunatic isn't he! XD Lol. Bless Horo! AND HAO YOU FREAK, LEAVE HIM ALONE! WHEN WILL YOU GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD! HE'S NOT A TOY!