Chapter 09 : Wild cat in captivity
He felt groggy ... tired. And his body was sluggish, almost unable to respond to his brain's commands.
Not that he could think of anything to do at that moment but stay still ... his body ached like hell. The way he usually felt after being chased several blocks by a mob of gangster kids like him out for blood.
It wasn't the kind of ache you'd feel after you'd get beaten the crap out of you – more like the type you'd be experiencing after some major physical exertion and you couldn't do anything else except lie down.
He was tired.
But he couldn't remember doing anything particularly tiring today. He was going to the grocery to buy some things for Schuldich's ...
" Schuldich ..." he murmured hoarsely, unable to keep himself from saying the name aloud.
He rolled over, blinking, trying to suppress a moan. It was already dark outside from what he could make out beyond the thick drapes.
" You're awake ."
All at once, his head snapped up from the pillow he hadn't been aware he was resting on and he was confronted by the tight-lipped stare of a dark-haired man.
A man he'd seen before.
Gritting his teeth against the blinding throbbing in his head, he raised himself up hastily to have a better view of the man who ordered his abduction and if need be, to defend himself.
The man in question was sitting comfortably in a chair across from the bed, his long legs crossed casually, with a thin book between poised fingers.
" Why the hell am I here ?!" he spat out in a fury. He didn't take too kindly in being kidnapped, hell, he didn't take kindly being stared, what more drugged and taken away somewhere ?
The man merely looked at him, without any trace of being even slightly disturbed, before placing his book face down on a small coffee table and raising himself up to his feet, he was suddenly towering over the younger brunette.
Instinctively, Ken raised his hands in a defensive/aggressive position. Despite the improbability that this tall, cultured individual could attack him brutally like those street boys that he came into contact with once in a while, it was second-nature for him to assume that pose despite the absurdity of it all.
He lowered them when he actually realized that fact and instead glared at the man with all the vehemence he could muster. If his antagonism was tangible, Crawford would have been dead several moments ago.
Instead of being taken aback, the tall American even appeared to be annoyed ... or at least with the minimal sign of crinkling the corners or his eyes, he seemed to be. He never even frowned or scowled, Ken figured that that would be too much work for his frozen features.
He wanted to hit that stupid face with a pipe - but that would probably result in him getting killed prematurely and right now, he wasn't ready to be dead. Not when he and Schuldich had ...
" What do you want with me ?" He asked brusquely, his eyes flashing. He decided to choke down the rest of the expletives that came with that sentence.
The raven-haired man regarded him silently for a moment, just standing there without a single word or motion. That kind of stillness made Ken uneasy.
He never met anyone like that before and it unnerved him.
" Well ?" He demanded.
" Your total account with me, Hidaka, is thirteen thousand five hundred and thirty six dollars for all the medical treatment you received and your three-week-two-day residency at the hospital. I expect you to pay your debts before I release you from my custody."
Ken's blood ran cold. He didn't know what to expect or what the man meant by 'paying his debts'. It certainly didn't sound too good to him and all the possible prospects seemed bleak.
Ken turned his glare at the warm blanket still covering the rest of his fully-clothed body.
It looked like he had no choice. He'd planned to repay the bastard later when he'd actually earned some money but it seemed like a better idea to do it with service – whatever that meant.
But thirteen thousand five hundred and a few odd dollars ??
That could take him several years to earn ! Hell, it could take him a lifetime of small time pick-pocketing to be able accumulate that much money.
Goddamnit !
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It really didn't look like he had much of a choice and he'd rather work his ass off rather than get skinned - literally. He'd heard that that was the way most mafia or underworld gangs usually operated. " How do you plan for me to do that ?"
Crawford looked at him again before speaking. " You're going to work as my servant ."
Ken jerked up with a start.
Servant ? Hell he was no servant !!
Did he look like a fucking waiter or gardener or stable boy ?
No fucking way !
Seething, he clenched his fist, trying to restrain himself from jumping up and twisting the bastard's head askew.
With that, the long fingers stroked the thin book and magically took it with them before the tall man turned and walked to the door. " I expect you to start by tomorrow morning." Before disappearing outside.
The moment the door was closed, Ken let out a frustrated growl.
Sooner or later, he felt that he'd feel the urge to kill that smug bastard ... and he was feeling that emotion right then and there.
He slammed his fist on the bedside table and heard the lamp that clattered noisily but did not break.
He knew that he was out of choices.
He just hoped Schuldich was doing better than he was.
† † †
Schuldich buried his face in his hands.
He'd been looking for Ken for hours and yet no sign of him anywhere.
It seemed as if he'd vanished into thin air and magically left without a trace.
He didn't know if Ken left on purpose or got lost or if someone took him away ... frankly, he didn't know what to think anymore.
" Damnit !" He muttered under his breath. Pissed, confused, annoyed ... but most of all, he was desperate.
He resisted the urge to smash the mug with steaming coffee into the café's windows and forced a smile when of the waitresses brought the cinnamon roll he'd ordered.
The woman looked completely charmed.
Figures.
She gave him a small charming smile as she turned as if willing him to ask her for her number.
He snorted softly to himself
Tough luck, lady . You ain't getting any charm from me today.
He rested his head onto the table and fiddled with the teaspoon in his coffee as he mused.
He'd checked the billing records in the hospital for the possibility that whoever paid the bill was probably the same person that had caused Ken's disappearance ... but it didn't make any sense ! What could someone as rich as Brad Crawford, multibillionaire and head of this incredibly large business conglomerate want with a penniless street rat ? Sure, he was glad someone paid for the bill but if no one had, he knew he was smitten enough with Ken to begin with to pay the goddamned bill himself.
Besides, no one that famous and with the most spic-and-span record he'd ever seen just hire someone to grab a kid off the streets, it didn't make any sense !
And why did it take them so long ? He knew that they probably could have grabbed Ken the moment that he stepped out of the hospital or if (and when) they failed that, they wouldn't have waited a month to nab him!
Why ?
Why ? WHY ?
So many unanswered questions !
Where had Ken gone ? Why did he just leave without saying a word ?!
It didn't make any sense !
He buried his face in his arms and tried to bite out his desperation.
It looked like he had no choice but to wait.
And he honest to goodness hoped that he wouldn't wait for long. He didn't know if he had the patience.
† † †
Ken woke up early the next morning after a severe knocking on the door of the room he'd been confined in since he was abducted early the day before. He couldn't believe he actually slept more or less one whole day away.
He glanced at the clock at the bedside table which was dimly lit up by the lamp. It read exactly 4:00.
Annoyed, he padded slowly to the door and unceremoniously flung it open. Who the hell was bothering people at this acrimonious hour anyway ?
He was greeted by an elderly man in a butler's uniform – yes, he knew what a butler's uniform was life, he'd seen many of those on televisions on display in appliance shops - who looked at him as if he were a lowlife scum scrubbed from the bottom of some abandoned pond.
He didn't like that. " What ?" He demanded. He figured that since he was sleeping in a room-full of more opulence than he'd ever seen in his life, he'd have to act the part too, but the truth was, he was just really goddamned pissed.
The old man nodded almost imperceptibly and produced, as if by magic a set of black, neatly-folded clothes and a pair of brand-new shoes (which he suspected was his exact size) appeared in his outstretched hands. " Master Crawford explicitly ordered for you to be awake, bathed and dressed by the time he rises. You should be up at this time every day. By four thirty you must be at the servant's dining quarters and await Master Crawford who rises at five o'clock. You are to serve him his breakfast at the main dining hall and accompany him all-throughout the day with Mr. Farfarello."
Gritting his teeth from saying anything that might get his ass kicked, he grabbed the offered items and nodded stiffly. God, he was going to hate this job, he knew it.
" Very well then, we are expecting you at the servants' dining area in thirty minutes."
The old man turned on his heel and walked down a long carpeted corridor. Ken watched him until he disappeared down the corner, then he slammed the room door shut.
Well, as long as he was going to have to work for that frozen bastard, he's going to make sure that Master Crawford was not going to employ him for long.
Sniggering softly to himself, he headed to the open bathroom door. Aside from being away from Schuldich, not quite bothered nor worried by his situation at all.
This was going to be his first day after all, and he had to make a good first impression with the boss.
† † †
RedemptionMoon : Hot damn! Do I hate myself and my life right now or do I hate it ? curses under breath Sorry people ! I know I shouldv'e posted this a week ago but as luck would have it, my computer broke down again. gnaws on CPU angrily and on top of that, I, the unluckiest person in this stupid planet, have to start advanced college classes while other people are just starting out on their very happy summer vacations. sighs and knocks head against CPU Awwwwwrrooooeeeeooo... why am I so unlucky ????????
WHYYYYY ???
Anyway... gives another dejected sigh Gomen minna.
I hope I didn't do so bad with this chapter.
Kati : Here it is again, chapter nine ! I know, I know, I deserve a swift kick in the ass. And yes, it will be long.
Wai-Aki : vodooooo plushiieeee dancing tauntingly Yes, me and my criminal obsession with multiple pairings. I should prolly be on death row for that. Wahahahahaha !
Tryster : You didn't knowwwww ???!!! wahahaha I love my evil cliffhanger ending syndrome '' Cruel huh ? CRUEL huh ? You wanna deal with me, punk ?! "" lol gotcha didn't I ?
Allis : Øx oooooooh what pretty hypnotizer thingy ..... ooooh swing all around like a pretty little thingy ... gah ! XX I hope you'll review ? onegai ?
Marsupial : He is NOT !!!! ... ergh ... OO:: ß-- doesn't know why she's defending the I quote from Ken, 'smug-assed bastard' LOL XDD Yeah ! Go jiggy dance mode ! Wooohooo !
Starcat48 : Wait a minute ... goes and clicks on the previous chapter and reads but I didn't think that was much of a cliffhanger. I even thought you guys would be bored with stuff and ... yeah. XDD LOL I didn't even know that was possible, being excited and dreadful ? OO Hang in there, chapters chapters chapters on the drawing board, dun worry.
Schu : You were ???!!!! It was ????!!! Oooooh I love you !!!! huggles ... ergh ... not in the literal romantic sense ... OO;;; but you're so sugoiiii ! And yeah, I guess it's a good thing too.
Crimson Eyed Angel99 : IamIam ! LOL Geez, so many impatient people ! but never mind, I like that, people just reminding me that I'm a slow lazy bum is just what I need to keep me working. LOL
Whisper Reilman : HAHAAAAAAAHAAAAAA ! I knew it ! I knew it ! You are a fanfic fiend ... er ... not that I mind coz you actually review mine ! Huggles and tackle-glomps He is ? Oh goody, - er, not that I'll be there YY but I'd like to have a tape of him singing any random Ken Hidaka song, preferably Shindemo ii or Epitaph. is in music Redemption-esque heaven And yeah, I agree with that. I do spoil you don't I ? sighs contentedly but then again, YOU spoil ME ! Wahahaha !
Misura : Uh ... well technically it lasted more or less a month. A month of pure bliss and enjoyment. LOL but what's to come probably is an equivalent of twenty years of angst. HAHAHAAAAAHAAAABWWAAAA !!! Absence ? Fonder ? shrugs Let's just wait and see.
Mariki : Eeep . Not my brain meat !!!???!!! Herrrrmmm ... but then again, if you eat my brain, I won't have anything to think with, hence nothing to brainstorm chapters with, hence nothing to type up, hence nothing to post at FF.Net ... HAH ! I GOTCHA THERE DIDN'T I ???? BWAHAHAHA ... Damn, I've been doing too much of that lately ... YY
Kasugai Gummie : OO:: That too much for my innocent ears ... er, eyes ! And yes, he's gotta find non-felon friends. sighs poor Crawfie ... so deprived. Anyway, no, gripe all you want ! I love that ! Yeah, I guess he has to be more 'smart-assed' as you so aptly put it... but in his defense, he has reason to be sad for a little while and be useless and dumb, after all, he lost the greatest creature in the world from under his very nose!