Spelling errors checked ! ::lol:: and doesn't allow me to use special characters anymore. (Y . Y)
Chapter 14 : Adventurous nightmare
Stepping out of his new room was like an adventure.
It felt like he was a new person exploring a wild and strange uncharted territory; and he felt exhilarated. In all the weeks he had been staying at the Crawford mansion, he had never once had the time or the energy to go stalking around the place without a care in the world.
But after last night's failure ... he needed to, now more than ever, break the rules. Maybe Crawford would throw him back out into the streets for it – and that was just fine with that. He had a bigger chance of finding Schuldich that way.
He smirked with the hardness of heart he felt towards Crawford. Of course, the bastard totally deserved it, abducting him and taking him prisoner like that. If he were a Buddhist, he'd say that it was karma.
Just imagining all the naughty things he'd do to get Crawford pissed made him snicker in anticipation.
He barely heard the muffled thump thump of his bare feet on the thick soft carpet as he walked, trailing fingers along the banister as he walked along the dim and empty corridor. Only the moonlight from the full moon streaming through the big French windows at the end of each corridor guided his way and his heart raced with eagerness as he opened the nth door of many that he had already seen.
No matter how many times; it had been twenty- even thirty rooms that he'd seen already and he even skipped the locked ones, it never failed to amaze him how rich the owner of this mansion must be to be able to furnish all those rooms that exquisitely.
Sighing, he trudged on. Yeah it was true that he had been impressed by the obvious opulence but he didn't see anything of peculiar interest.
On and on he walked, testing each doorknob and going and out of rooms.
It was the last door. Located at the very end of the very last corridor secluded from the rest, it had a different feel to it. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel threatened.
Tentatively, he placed his hand on the knob, drawing back suddenly as if he had been burnt by the unexpected cold of the metal. He shivered involuntarily and squared his shoulders
He couldn't back out now.
Gathering his resolve, he swung the door open and flicked on the lights, expecting to see corpses mounted on the wall with gruesome death-expressions.
Instead, the light didn't open.
There was just darkness.
Sniggering softly at his foolishness, he fumbled inside the room. This was probably the storage room where they kept their cleaning materials and such.
As if giving him proof, he stumbled upon several objects on the floor and gave a small cry of exclamation as he almost lost balance as he stepped on several round objects rolling on the floor, fortunately, he was able to grab something in time and he propped himself up, his heart pounding against his ribcage.
Sighing, he wiped the sweat off his temple and turned, his bare feet trying to get the feel of objects.
Maybe he should just go back there in the morning. It was pointless anyway – he couldn't see a damn thing.
Vaguely annoyed at having to put off his impromptu expedition, he turned to the direction he came from... and was horrified to realize that the door had closed shut behind him.
He had totally forgotten that all the doors swing shut on their own and even the storeroom of course would be no exception.
The soft sweet musk coating the entirety of the room made him faintly intoxicated, making him feel more light-headed than usual.
He sniggered softly like a drunk as he held out his hands to guide his way and knocked down some knickknacks from some tabletop or another.
Finally, his eyes adjusted to the thick darkness and he could already see vague silhouettes of lamps and posts against thick curtains.
He barged on blindly, stumbling on the little round things, whatever they were, that he had knocked down and trying his best to avoid a clumsy fall.
He turned, suddenly deciding to go back the way he came – and hit a solid wall. He was so startled by this sudden obstacle that he came reeling backwards, losing his footing as he accidentally stepped on one of those mysterious junk, his arms flailing helplessly in the air.
He braced himself for a bad fall, knowing that not even the thick and deceptively safe carpet could protect his spinal cord from snapping upon impact leaving him an invalid for life (something he learned from a certain redheaded surgeon). He gave a little gasp.
He didn't know what happened next. All he knew was a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and caught him in midair. He jerked and blinked, fully knowing that there was no point to it but stubbornly trying anyway.
" You shouldn't go around prowling in other people's rooms without their permission." A low smooth growl reverberated in his ear. His spine tingled at that hiss of air tickling his earlobe.
He opened his mouth to say something but his throat had gone completely and inexplicably dry.
The large hands gently pulled him up, one resting on the small of his back and the other on his shoulder, as if in reassurance.
He felt the smoothness of a silk sleeve rubbing against his skin and felt goose bumps cavorting up and down his arm. He turned, trying to catch his saviour's arm but only heard muffled footsteps aside from his erratic breath,
He stood there, motionless, unsure of what to do. He felt the presence circling around him like a predator in the darkness and startled to bristle at his helplessness.
" Do you even know what you're doing here ?" The cool calm voice shot out from nowhere and everywhere, and he recognized the voice of his so-called benefactor.
The way he was being stalked and the manner in which Crawford was talking to him the way he never did before unnerved him. He spun on his heels, trying to pinpoint the direction the voice was coming from and failing miserably. It was as if the American was a phantom, and he was haunting Ken.
" Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat ? Wolves have no mercy if they find anything infringing on their territory ."
There was a pause and his nerves tingled with this kind of mind game – he was unused to the feeling of uneasiness.
The streets bred and cultivated a physical kind of warfare, not this kind that required mental acuity and a sanity beyond the norm.
Slowly, he backed away, taking care not to make any kind of noise which could give him away. He might not be able to run away from the mansion itself but he could always lock himself in his present room and flee whatever malicious intent that Crawford implied with his words.
" Are you trying to run away, Ken ? Are you trying to escape from me again ?"
The strange nuance in his voice made Ken's hairs stand on end, and he felt his animal instinct pulling him back. A cat may not be a match for a wolf unless it turns into a wild animal itself, and Ken knew he was no match.
" Are you running away ?" The repetition of the words was puzzling, but more puzzling was the soft, different sound in the way the older man said it. It was wistful, almost grieving – and it scared Ken more than the usual coldness and the calm calculation. He inched back some more and felt the doorknob poking his spine with a steely coldness.
" Don't do that –" The same gentle hand that save him just mere seconds ago was gripping his wrist in a vice. The quietness in his tone was completely paradoxical to the way his large hand gripped Ken's thin wrist. " You're making me lonely Ken, don't you know that ?" This time, the voice was almost inaudible, but it was said so close to his ear that he could feel every particle of air brushing into his ear.
Terror surged throughout Ken. He didn't know what the older man's intentions were but it scared him the way nothing else ever did for a long while. Terrible memories came rushing back to him of similar incidents in the dark and he spasmed, jerking and tearing like a wild cat.
It was like his nightmares were relived. Those moments of abuse, pinned under the greater weight of a man he called his father, those times that he cried out in pain to a battered mother who could not do anything but watch and weep huddled as her seven-year old son begged her to help him.
His cries of long before were deafening in his ears, imagined sounds of his childhood ringing and reverberating until he felt stunned and stiff, unable to move anymore.
He was enveloped in a warm cocoon by Crawford's strong body and they fell onto something strangely pliant.
Crawford buried his face into the shock of brown hair, feeling the silk texture on his cheek. He knew Ken's fear. He could practically see what his past had been like and somehow, for some bizarre reason, he knew that Ken had been abused in the past.
He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to scare Ken anymore than he knew he already did. But somehow, he couldn't help it. He'd been aching to touch Ken for so long that he wouldn't be able to stop himself even if he tried.
" I'm sorry, Ken, but I won't let you escape a second time." He whispered.
Ken went rigid, and then he finally grew limp in his arms, as if he was too tired to fight with him and was merely anxious to get it over with. It was the action of someone who had resigned himself to a fate that he had already experienced many times before.
He knew he was being cruel and unfair, but the feel of that smooth skin under his fingers made his lust even more unbridled and he couldn't wait to try and slake it. His lust was more powerful than his empathy.
Skillful graceful fingers stripped the smaller frame of his clothes, and he gently ran his fingertips along little scars and healed wounds caused by life on the streets.
" You needn't fear me Ken. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." It was as much a confession as Crawford would ever allow.
But there was no response.
Slowly, he reached for the lamp he knew would be sitting on top of the bedside table and flicked it on.
Warm golden light bathed the room, illuminating the beautiful whiteness of it and turning it into a dappling rich gold color.
Crawford's cobalt eyes turned to the boy, naked from waist up, under him and smiled softly.
It seemed miraculous... but Ken had really and truly fallen asleep.
Fainted ? Hell no. The kid was too strong for that.
Sad as it was, some victims of sexual abuse learn to tune out what was going on by diverting their attention in various kinds of ways, it was some kind of automatic reaction already. It just so happened that Ken chose to sleep. After all, it was an unattractive thing to force sex on a sleeping person.
Maybe it had worked on the man who had abused him long before, maybe it hadn't, but it sure worked on Crawford. Sure, it annoyed him.
He wasn't about to rape a sleeping boy because even his peaking lust couldn't permit him to do that.
Blowing a gentle, albeit frustrated breath, he easily picked up the boy, marveling at the peaceful look on his face.
He climbed on the bed and tenderly placed the sleeping boy on the mattress, the corner of his lips turning up in a slight smile as he viewed the sleeping figure, half-naked as he was, stark on the pale sheets. Riveting his attention from the enrapturing sight, he turned and reached for the light switch before pulling up the bedcovers upon himself and the sleeping boy in the dark.
He wasn't going to be sleeping alone tonight.
He laid his head back against the soft pillow and let the slow rhythmic breathing of the bed's other occupant lull him to a dreamless sleep.
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Redemption Moon : I can't believe I've been gone for THAT long!!! I haven't updated in a little more over a month! Damn my life! Damn school! Damn tests! I'm going to jump off a bridge or something right now!! thinks but the nearest bridge is a round about 4 miles from here... hmmm. Never mind. lol I'm kidding, if you hadn't noticed.
Anyway, here's a steamy five-page chapter for you guys. lol I do this during math class. You know, scribble a line or two while I'm trying my best NOT to nod off to sleep. lmao FYI, this chapter wasn't really meant to turn out this way and I'm not sure if the older version in my head was better but I just found htat it evolved more and more just as I was typing it and you have these pages. (YY);;
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Tryster : Damn, I'm sorry that I didn't 'update accordingly' T . T My life has just been pure hell recently. lol are these facts JUICY enough or are they JU!CY enough ???
Schu : I'm glad you liked the previous chapter. I hope you like this one too. Gomen for the lack of Schu-ness of this chapter. I think he's gonna make an appearance in the next chapter so watch out for that.
Whisper Reilman : huggles I missedya !!! lol I missed your happy reviews and it's all my fault cuz I haven't posted in a damn MONTH. Oh yeah, you reminded me about that one shot. hmmm's Would you settle for a two-part one-shot ? (if that makes sense) Because I already have half of it typed out and the other half still in the works and it might take me ages to complete it sooo... Supportinator calls the shots!!!
Bine : Nope, but now you did and I humbly thank you with all my heart ! bows Kill him ? LMAO No, I wouldn't kill Aya, I promise! raises hand I have something more evil planned out for him. MWAHAHAHAHAHA sinister chuckling-ness
Kati : Did you get to sate your curiosity already ? As I have mentioned, Schu is going to be making an appearance in the next chapter so don'tya worry! () We know we love him. lol Gomen nasai again for not updating as soon as you'd have liked. humble bow
Ardwynna Morrigu : Whoa, interesting name. () lol They DO look good together. But don't you feel kinda sympathetic for poor ole lonely Crawfie ??? pats pats pet Crawfie
Celace : Well, this is in essence a primary SchuxKen fic, but it's also a CrawfordxKen fic. Arigatou for loving this story. I'm very happy. ( . ) By others do you mean Yohji, Nagi and Omi ? Well, I'm still trying to incorporate them into the story, but I'm telling ya, it isn't easy (since I'm harboring a total distaste for the dart-throwing blonde) Yohji and Nagi would be easier to place inside. We'll just have to wait and see, ne? Please be patient!
Wai-Aki : Torture ??? sniffles, lower lip trembling Me torture you ? bursts into torrents of tears WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH !!!!! Me no write anymore! Wai no like my ficcie ! Wai think ficcie torture readers !!!!!!!!! LOL I'd evolve into a retard if I keep on talking like that. I'm thinking that for once, this chapter is NOT a cliffhanger. Agree with me onegai ? This isn't a cliffhanger right ?
Zeto : LOL (;;;) I bet you are ! What's it with all you readers and Schu ??? Don't you feel ANY sympathy with poor lonely Crawford ??? huggles sniffling Chibi-Crawford Don't worry, Kenken loves you too ne ?