Eijun gasped in as much air as he was allowed - a difficult task in between the coughing and spluttering - before his head was roughly shoved back under the surface of the water. The tight grip on the back of his skull ached, but not nearly as strong as the burning in his lungs. Eijun's hands clung to the edge of the tub like a lifeline; fingers slipping in the year's worth of built-up grime caked to the porcelain. Despite the majority of his person being outside of the bathtub, he was still drenched in the frigid water. Thanks to the rough treatment and Eijun's own panicked flailing, it soaked through the entirety of his shorts and the bandages bound around his torso. He could feel the cold water seep onto his back, alleviating the near-constant stinging. Unfortunately, he wasn't given time to be grateful for the temporary relief with his face repeatedly being plunged into the water.
Whenever he was sure he was about to pass out from oxygen deprivation, his head would be yanked back out, granting him a short reprieve to choke in mouthfuls of delicious air. He learned the hard way not to get greedy with his oxygen intake. If he timed it wrong, he would end up inhaling water straight to his lungs. Choking while his head was already submerged led to immediate panic while he simultaneously fought the urge to cough or risk-taking in more liquids.
The hand on the back of his head gripped the wet hairs in a tight fist, yanking him out of the water once again. Eijun coughed up the fluids that had invaded his lungs in the previous dunk, clearing space for the much-needed oxygen. He forced a raspy, deep breath in, knowing he had little time remaining before he would be resubmerged. And sure enough, seconds later his head was being pushed back under. He felt his face break the surface with a splash that echoed through his skull, the force driving water up his nose with his unintended intake of surprise. The sensation burned, and despite the several times it had occurred already, the discomfort hadn't lessened. In desperation to ease the pain, he blew what air he had through his nose, hoping it pushed the water out in the process. The bubbles tickled his cheeks as they raced past his head towards the surface, popping aggressively around his ears, blocking out all other noise.
It wasn't long before the oxygen he had was exhausted; leaving his chest feeling constricted with the very strong urge to take a deep breath in. Eijun squeezed his eyes closed impossibly tighter as the last of the bubbles drifted up. He clawed his fingers against the porcelain, seeking out the need to dig his nails into whatever was available, however, the solidness of the tub did not satisfy. He briefly considered switching his grip to his arm, wanting the pain of nails biting into his flesh to distract himself from the desperation. He aborted the thought quickly; however, as the idea of releasing the edge terrified him. As if letting go meant he would drift away, even though he knew the bathtub wasn't nearly big enough for that to be a concern, and that it was the hand on the back of his head that was keeping him under.
No amount of clinging would change the situation.
Eijun's throat began to tighten as he suppressed the desire to simply breathe; a body necessity turned luxury, something he never thought he would take for granted until it was out of his control.
A sound was released in his throat, like a garbled groan. Eijun wasn't entirely sure what it was supposed to be; maybe it represented a scream he couldn't vocally create, or the only form of a sob he was currently capable of emitting. Most likely a combination of both. Either way, even that was muffled by the water, and it would fall on deaf ears, regardless of it were verbal pleas or cries of desperation. It was all pointless.
In a moment of weakness, Eijun slipped up; he involuntarily allowed himself to inhale the tiniest bit through his nose. The action was cut short and followed by immediate regret as water flowed up his nostrils with a flaring pain. The sensation stung the back of his throat as the liquid traced a path straight to his lungs. The need to cough the intrusive fluid out was so strong that holding it back was not going to be an option for long. In a panic, Eijun's hand slid from the edge of the tub to slam his palm down onto the bottom, in an attempt to leverage himself up. It didn't help that it was just as slick - if not more so - as the rim, he had held on to. It took a couple of tries till he could put pressure on his palm so it wouldn't slide out from underneath him. The longer it took, the more rushed he began to feel, the stronger the urge to cough increased with the need for air. With his adrenaline-fueled panic, Eijun pushed, head breaking the surface, but not enough to clear his face. The grip on the back of his head grew tighter in response as the man shoved his head further under the water, causing Eijun's hand to slip and the other to lose its hold on the edge, joining its counterpart in the tub.
The force on his skull continued until he was slammed nose-first into the bottom. Pain blossomed in the center of his face, and instinctively, Eijun's mouth fell open to cry out, momentarily forgetting he was going to inhale water. And sure enough, liquid exploded past his lips as it rushed down his throat. At the last second, Eijun tried to swallow the water, but it was too late. As soon as fluid hit his already straining lungs, it was impossible to control the oncoming coughing fit.
Eijun scrambled, hands flailing for anything to pull himself up with, only to change direction to push instead. When his hands continuously slid along the bottom, he again felt around for something to latch onto. His mind was racing and he couldn't focus enough to calm down, letting his instincts wildly take charge as they fought on what he needed to do to survive.
Constantly repeating actions in hope of a different outcome.
It felt like ages before he was finally pulled upright. Water flowed freely down his face, with a warmth that flooded over his lips. Without hesitation, Eijun coughed, the first few, however, did not accomplish much. The more he coughed, the faster the water began to be ejected out of his lungs and sprayed from his mouth. It quickly became apparent that he wouldn't be able to stop anytime soon, as the reflex continued. Unfortunately, it inhibited Eijun from breathing, allowing him small gasps in between coughs before he started again.
He would scream if he was capable. His lungs hurt in a way he didn't know they could. Eijun has experienced shortness of breath due to extreme cardio, but even that had a pleasant burn from the aftermath of a good exercise. This was all new. It felt like he was trying to hack his lungs out, on top of the rawness in his throat that stung with each cough.
At some point, Eijun had returned his grip onto the rim of the tub, as he held on for dear life, while the rest of his body shook violently with each convulsion. Eijun barely registered that the hand on his head had vanished, along with the presence of the man it belonged to. He wasn't allotted much time to ponder where he could be, as his abdominal muscles assisted to expel the fluids with great force.
Eijun cracked his eyes open as the coughs began to finally slow, his vision blurry through the tears that had built up. Even through the haze, he noticed red water that settled in the bathtub and froze. He blinked rapidly to clear his eyes, as his brain worked slowly to decipher why. The water had run clear when the faucet had first been turned, and he remembers it still being that way during one of the moments he was given for air. As his vision returned and he stared into the water, a dark red drop fell onto its surface. The calm had been disrupted as a ringlet spread over the stillness; the red fluid clouded the area before it began to thin with the mix of water until it all blended together.
Belatedly, Eijun recalled his face painfully making contact with the bottom of the tub but had forgotten completely thinking he was about to die. And now that he was reminded, the tenderness of his nose renewed itself in full force. Eijun brought a shaky hand to lightly touch his fingertips underneath his nostrils, feeling warm wetness on his upper lip. When he lowered his hand to inspect what he already knew, it was still jarring to see blood. Especially since it had been flowing steadily enough to turn the color of the water so vividly.
Eijun rubbed the back of his wrist across his lips, leaving a large smear of blood that plastered the hairs on his arms to the skin.
He had remained kneeled by the tub for some time, mind blank with a residual cough when the hand returned to his scalp; Eijun flinched, utterly startled. A scratchy wheeze made its way up to his throat, the best he could muster for a scream. The hand titled Eijun's head to the side, making him expose his neck. The familiar prick of a needle pierced his flesh, followed by the cold sensation around the entry point. Honestly, he couldn't be bothered to care at the moment, he was so tired.
The needle was extracted and the man reached around Eijun to plunge his hand into the water. The man felt around momentarily before pulling a small chain linked to the plug, allowing the bloody water to drain. Afterward, the man exited the dingy bathroom without a word. Eijun let his eyelids fall shut and lowered his forehead to rest against the rim, with only the sound of the gurgling from the drain for distraction. He breathed slowly through his mouth, the air painfully drying the back of his throat, but that was fine. As long as he was able to breathe he didn't care how uncomfortable it was. His abdominal muscles felt weak after the excursion; a feeling not unfamiliar for anyone that regularity works out. However, he hasn't experienced it in so long as his body has adjusted to his routine. The muscles had been worked in a way they hadn't before, or at least, in a regular enough fashion.
The throbbing in his nose was concerning, and Eijun was much too afraid to feel if it was broken. The amount of blood suggested it as a strong possibility, but then again, it may have just appeared to be a lot since it mixed with a tub full of water. Eijun was pretty sure the bleeding had slowed, which may be a good sign. Still, he didn't want to feel his nose in a position other than normal.
Unfortunately, the bathroom didn't have a mirror for him to see his reflection. There were holes in the wall above the sink indicating where a mirror had once hung. The sink itself was missing the hot water tap, allowing the use of only cold. Not that there would be any hot water to utilize in this godforsaken place. The toilet was missing the lid on the tank, but thankfully it still worked. Well, half of the time at least. It was a fifty-fifty chance of getting a full flush, and the bowl was slow to refill. Just like the rest of the place, the bathroom was filthy and probably hadn't seen soap or a sponge in years. The grime was so thick and dried, that Eijun had to wonder if there would be any saving the place. It'll probably have to be stripped completely. Foundations and all.
The drain gurgled loudly one last time, it startled Eijun as he had grown accustomed to the steady sound as the water spiraled down. He peeked over the edge to see the remnants of the red-tinged water puddle around the bottom, where it will dry and stain the already splotchy porcelain.
Where his blood will remain as a memory, forever a part of this hell.
Miyuki! Eijun recalled, eyes widening at the sudden realization. Miyuki was just beyond the bathroom, bound and gagged to a sturdy pipe jutting out of the flooring and into the ceiling.
One day, Eijun had been relocated to a new area; where he stayed by himself for he-doesn't-even-know-how-long, until Miyuki was dragged in, battered, but otherwise in one piece. And ever since, they have remained separated from the rest. Eijun can't fathom why the kidnapper felt the need to divide them. He can only assume it was some form of mental warfare. He and Miyuki were unsure of the other's condition, and that was probably likewise for them. Every day Eijun worried whether or not they were even still alive.
Just before Eijun was hauled into the joined bathroom, the kidnapper manhandled Miyuki until his hands were tightly cuffed around the pipe. The gag appeared to be an afterthought as Miyuki wasn't going to let it slide silently. When the kidnapper approached Eijun, Miyuki had gone very still and very quiet, likely realizing that he had just effectively been restrained and out of the way for the man's real agenda; torturing Eijun.
So there was a high chance Miyuki was still tired out there seeing as how the man left, and Miyuki wasn't rushing in. Honestly, Eijun shouldn't be surprised that Miyuki hadn't been untied yet. With that thought, Eijun grit his teeth as he pushed himself up onto his feet and delicately moved his way across the water-slick tiles, not keen on braining himself on the sink. Despite his caution, Eijun still managed to slip the last couple of steps to the door, his arms pinwheeled as he fought to right his balance, only to over direct himself from falling backward and instead threw himself forward. His palm slapped against the doorframe while his other grabbed hold of the knob, barely preventing his nose from further abuse.
Eijun fumbled until his feet were steady underneath him, before yanking the bathroom door open. And sure enough, Miyuki was still seated in front of the pipe, hands hidden from view and fabric jammed between his teeth. Miyuki sat up straight, eyes widening behind the cracked lens of his glasses at Eijun's abrupt and loud entrance.
Unfocused gaze zeroing in on Miyuki; Eijun made a beeline to him, wet feet slapping on the concrete floor as he crossed the room. When Eijun came to a halt directly in front of Miyuki, he had a sudden urge to lighten the mood.
"You look like shit." Eijun tried to joke, but even he knew it was a lame attempt, what with how garbled and rough his voice was. Despite the weak line, Miyuki gave a snide guffaw and a distinct smirk that Eijun could still discern behind the fabric gag. It was enough.
Eijun squatted down, making a move to pull the cloth from Miyuki's face, but paused just as his fingertips brushed Miyuki's cheek, "I think I like it better when you can't talk." That earned him an eyebrow raise, and Eijun started to chuckle, though, unfortunately, laughing hurt and it quickly turned into a mini coughing fit. By the time the coughs subsided, Miyuki eyed him with concern. So Eijun carried on and reached around to pluck at the cord tied tightly on Miyuki's wrist. After tugging each end of the cord to find which one would loosen the knot, he managed to ease the bindings enough for Miyuki to pull his bandaged hands-free.
Miyuki immediately ripped the gag from his mouth, and suddenly, Eijun was pulled down into a tight embrace. Eijun found his chin resting on Miyuki's shoulder while a gentle hand, so unlike the larger one that held his head underwater, cradled the back of his skull. Neither of them said anything else, and it wasn't long before Eijun's eyes began to water as he allowed himself to break down in the safety of Miyuki's arms.
