Stray Dog

Chapter Four - "Trapped"

By Dejiko Mew Mew

I felt dizzy... so dizzy, in fact, that had Taisa not held me so tightly, I would have surely fallen to my knees.

The air was thin... I could hardly breathe. I wanted to run away, but Havoc-shoui stood in the doorway, and Taisa wouldn't release his grip on me. I wanted to push him away, but even if I had had the physical strength to do so, I could never...

I didn't know what to do, what to say, and the look on Shoui's face just... tore into my soul. This must have looked like the worst form of betrayal, and I wondered for a moment if I could set things right.

"Shoui," Taisa said then, rather commandingly. (It was directed at Havoc-shoui, and yet I was the one who cringed.) Taisa is still the only person I've ever met who could give such a fiery radiance and yet still remain so cold... "I didn't hear you knock."

"I... didn't, Sir," he replied rather timidly... His eyes... They were the same as that day... Please, I thought. I'll do anything, so, please... just don't make that face... But those words would never reach Shoui.

"You are excused then," Taisa assured him.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion," Havoc-shoui murmured as he bowed his head a bit and disappeared. No, I thought then. Please don't go! Don't close that door! Don't... leave me here alone... Of course, stern hands held me tight and reminded me quickly that I wasn't alone... He leaned towards me once more.

"T-Taisa!" I cried out, somehow.

"He won't tell," he smirked coolly at me. I whimpered a bit as he pressed on and wished he would stop assuming the root of my worries. I could feel his hot breath upon me once more and I was powerless to escape.

And then, suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Taisa paused just as his lips had grazed mine. He remained silent, as did I, waiting in anticipation. Havoc...shoui...? I wondered, and I'm sure Taisa had presumed the same. The knock repeated.

"Taisa! Are you in here?" a firm yet discernibly feminine voice called... Hawkeye-chuui. I sighed with relief.

"I'm a bit... busy at the moment," Taisa responded, freezing my blood. How could he?

"Sir, this is urgent," she insisted. I felt a certain freedom as Taisa released me, bringing his arms to fold into one another as he sighed with frustration. He returned to his seat and assumed his usual position.

"Come in," he announced. She stepped inside and looked at me questionably.

"Fuery-san?"

I realized that it was rather strange-- my presence there... I glanced at Taisa, who was pretending to be absorbed in work. He would be no help, I noted.

"Ahh, that should do it!" I nodded, wiping my forehead with the back of my sleeve. "Taisa! Was that the only light bulb giving you problems?" I... thought a bit late that it was a bad idea to involve Taisa in my lie, and could only hope that he'd play along.

"Was that some sort of cute metaphor?" he grinned maliciously. "If so, then yes. Are there any... giving you problems?"

I didn't know how to respond. I was in utter awe and shock of his seemingly innate talent for twisting my words, no matter how light the intent.

"I-If you'll excuse me then..." I bowed and turned to leave.

"Fuery-san," Hawkeye-chuui spoke again. I jumped a bit, not having expected a further retort; at least... not from her.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Havoc-shoui wanted me to tell you to meet him in the break room after your shift today," she said with slight indignation. She had never liked playing messenger... Shoui must have really begged her, I pondered.

"Th... Thank you, Ma'am," I bowed once more. I hadn't noticed Taisa's eyes narrowing behind me...

---

((AN: This part is written in third-person))

2:45 PM 15 minutes prior to Fuery's shift end

Hawkeye entered the break room and looked instantly towards Havoc. She sighed. It was a mixed-emotion sigh. Half of it was repeated irritation-- she had been made the messenger again. The rest was a bit of sympathy-- of sadness for what the message contained.

"Havoc-shoui," she announced. He looked at her and frowned.

"Hawkeye..."

"I'm sorry... He's not coming... I don't know the circumstances, but he sends his apologies and wishes to reschedule," she explained.

Havoc sighed. "You can tell him... it's not necessary... It wasn't important anyway."

"Liar," she said cleanly. "Do you even realize how different you've been lately?"

Havoc's eyes drifted to hers. "Is it... that bad?"

She smiled a bit. "Come on, I'll treat you to dinner. You look like you haven't had a good meal in days."

Havoc grinned lopsidedly. "Can I call this 'women's intuition?'"

"If you'd like," she smiled again.

---

Hoping that a few minutes was nothing to worry about, I hurried to the break room, where I knew Shoui would be waiting. My heart was pounding, and, admittedly, I was scared. I knew he'd be angry with me...

However, I entered the room only to find it empty--

Or so I thought.

The door shut swiftly and I clearly heard the lock catch. I didn't like this...

I turned around to see Taisa grinning at me, a hand upon the lock as if he wanted me to physically see what he had done.

"Ta... Taisa..." I choked out, stepping slowly backwards.

"I changed your plans a bit," he smiled. "I hope you don't mind..."

To Be Continued