A/N: I hate this story. I'm sorry. I'm trying to finish it for you guys. This literally took me hours to write so if it sucks I don't know what to do. Enjoy! ~Annie
An emotionless man in dark blue delivers the evidence, already logged and tested in the Ootori system, to the Hitachiin house. A butler carries the small box into the small sitting room and hands it directly to Kyoya.
Hikaru is across the couch in an instant blunt nails digging into his palms as he watches his friend retrieve first a large envelope and hesitate with his hand still inside the cardboard. His resolve hardens and he hands the redhead a tattered green shirt. The fabric matches the piece that was wrapped around the disposable phone in the park.
"There's a letter here for you." The glasses-clad teen offers, gladly trading the bloody garment and replacing it in the box for a handwritten letter.
There's a tsunami building inside Hikaru as he stares at the script without really seeing it. A nauseous sick feeling rolls across him again with the sense that he has somehow seen the messy scrawl before and he sinks down on the couch beside Tamaki.
"Read it aloud." Hikaru mumbles, dropping the paper into the blond's lap.
~Outside the room is quiet. There's a soft muffled noise, almost like voices with an undertone of buzzing I guess must be the TV. My legs are thankfully still loose and I can wiggle back against the mattress enough to sit up with my knees to my chest.
It feels a little safer like this but the idea of safety seems laughable right now. I have no idea what time it is. There's no light other than the fan above me and no clock on the wall to track the seconds on. I let my face fall heavy against the top of my knees and push every ounce of what I'm feeling down long enough to try and figure out a way to drink the much needed water next to me.~
"Hello Hikaru,
If you are reading this than I am already far, far away from that hovel where I was holding your brother. The pathetic thing had the nerve to try and die on me so we've had to relocate to someplace more home-y
I think we'll have to move things quicker now, but I'll let you have a say. Choose one: Haruhi or Tamaki.
One will be left with you and the other will join your twin here with me. Expect my call as arranged.
-The Gamemaker"
Tamaki stammers at the choices but finishes the letter. Across from him Kyoya is stiff, mouth tight and eyes cold and Hunny throws himself at Haruhi with open arms.
"Don't let him take anyone else!" The smallest blond whines. Hikaru doesn't say anything. He glares at the horrible paper willing it to catch alight until Mori speaks.
"You should choose Tamaki." There's no malice in the older boy's voice, no hint of any emotion really but he purposefully doesn't meet Kyoya's eyes, looking only too the Hitachiin. "He's older, and male."
An unspoken tension crackles in the air like static and Haruhi's voice only seems to build with the noise.
"It doesn't matter who he 'choses'. The guy might take the other person." Her voice sounds softer, almost scared but her face is an angry calm.
"What do you think, Kyoya?" Tamaki asks quietly. The raven-haired teen slides the box he was delivered off his lap and stands drawing all eyes to him.
"Tell him to take Tamaki." Kyoya ignores the flinch Tamaki can't seem to suppress at the sharpness of the simple sentence. "We'll plant a trace on him and once he's back with Karou we can get them both out." Kyoya offers his hand to Tamaki and the blond lets himself be led out of the room where the youngest Ootori makes a short call.
~There's a slam as someone comes into the place outside the room where I'm being held. Someone coming in, or leaving I can't tell. I hope the bastard has left. It's awkward and painful to twist my body like a contortionist in a way that allows me to reach the glass of water.
My feet lift the drink awkwardly and half of it is spilled on the quilt before I can get it close enough to grab it with my hand but I gulp down the remaining water greedily. When its empty I let the thing clatter to the ground and lay back against the headboard. No one comes in to berate me for making noise or hurt me and I lay in the uneasy silence until sleep drags me under again.~
There's a doctor speaking to Kyoya quickly in the hall at the bottom of the stairs. Hikaru is already sitting like a statue next to the small phone and Tamaki hovers next to his best friend and lover, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
There's a quick snap, like the sound of someone popping a knuckle, and suddenly Tamaki's hands are clasped at the back of his neck. The doctor pushes his hands away long enough to press on a clear, skin-tight bandaid and leaves the house without a glance back.
The bright loud trill of the phone ringing startles the rant Tamaki was readying out of his brain like punch. Hikaru grips the plastic like a lifeline and snaps his choice into the receiver.
"Good. I'll leave your riddle in exchange for the tall blond. I expect it to be solved when I call tomorrow." The line dies without another word and the redhead rips the phone from the table, yanking the cords from the wall and throws it to the floor in anger.