CHAPTER 1:

An Angel Lost in Hell

Aomine Daiki woke up at a distant but loud clinking sounds of metals being struck together for quite a number of times. It reverberates along the hallway, hitting each and everyone's ears accurately. It actually serves as an annoying alarm clock to every sleeping person hearing it out in the morning.

He tried opening his eyes, but his lids betray him as it kept shutting down contrary to his volition. Though somehow, he cannot deny the fact that he has intentions to give up and go back to his slumber because he knows so damn well he doesn't have enough sleep yet.

The same loud noise gradually increased as it progressively reached his site. He is certain then that there's a vast difference with how much vexation you could get when the sound itself was right next to you. He opened his eyes and this time his lids were surely cooperating with him, as it knows the sleepiness that is eating his system a while ago were replaced by a kindling irritation that is ready to go on rage with one wrong move to piss his short-tempered-self off; however, the clear scenery that surprised his eyes when he opened it became a big wake up call to him.

The blue ceiling of his room that he usually sees first thing in the morning became a dirty-white cemented ceiling that he can actually start making out shapes with the different stains plastered on it. The warm-looking walls of his room with different pictures of some memorable people on his life and different framed awards and merits he had received from his work and duty were swapped with a cold, white, cemented wall that definitely welcomes anyone with loneliness and stagnation. The convenient, big bed and comforter that secures him up when he needs the time to rest from an awful lot of things he has to do has turned into a dull-looking double-bunker that will undeniably give you a body-ache with its paper-thin mattress. And the comfortable set of clothes he always wore were traded into a distinctive, orange, boiler suit that doesn't nearly complement with his dark complexion. Everything became new again to Aomine with one fell swoop; despite the fact that things inside this god-forsaken place weren't as new as how he felt it was.

Everything has changed.

"Wake up, boy, wake up." A husky voice of an old man called out to him. This was then followed by another of those same annoying sound that was produced by the repeated hitting of a metal baton to the steel bars- that has been automatically opened when he woke up.

He rose up from his bed and the taunting grimace he intended to display just a while ago became a face full of dreariness as it tries to digest the upsetting reality he has to confront from here on out. Facing the old man with a body that looks more of a couch potato than of an officer due to the bulk of fat protruding on his skintight uniform, he asked, "Excuse me, what time and day is it?"

With an unruly and unsophisticated laugh, he replied "Still half-asleep, huh?"

There's a tone of superiority to the man's voice. Maybe because he was talking to him – a newcomer- or maybe because he already was used to these kinds of silly questions by people like him, who is still groping with uncertainties the unfamiliar things he has to take tight grasp on in the dark side of his reality. But either way, his tone gives him a feeling of just wanting to heave a dull, long, sigh in resignation to the thought of wanting to punch this old man for getting on his nerves. But, of course, he can't do that at all because he knows he's really superior to him at this point on. Well, not in terms of physicality though, because his body and his physical strength are far better than the old man's with the great amount of time and experience he has put into it to achieve that kind of fitness that is appropriate for police officers like him; however, physicality wise, now that he has stooped down to this level, he has the reason to flaunt that kind of tone.

"Today's date is July 23rd, the day of your rude awakening." He mockingly said "It's six o'clock in the morning, you got an hour and a quarter to fix things, do some morning exercises of your own, make your bed, hit the shower or just wash your face. Whatever. At exactly seven-fifteen, morning call will start and you should be back here in your cell or else, you will experience your first punishment." He produced yet another laugh and with a much higher tone of arrogance, he asked "You got that?"

Aomine nods in a forced compliance and before the officer could turn on his back, he said with a mischievous grin, "And oh, Welcome to Teikou Island Prison, former police sergeant and detective of Criminal Investigation First District, Aomine Daiki." And then he walked out, choking on his laughter.

Teikou Island Prison. An all-male correctional facility located at a small island in Japan that holds 500 inmates that has been convicted of their crimes. It only has a medium-security but that doesn't mean that it was easy to escape and break through the securities for the whole prison was surrounded by fencings, tall walls, electrical wires, and a body of water. There are several armed guard towers, security lightings at night, automatic doors, roving patrols, and secured and impenetrable main gates that will prove breaking out to be extremely difficult.

Yes, this is hell.

Sighing, knowing that he can't do anything about his situation, at least for now, he jumped down the double bunk and approached a stainless steel lavatory jutting out on the cemented wall of the cell. Feeling the cold water gushing down from the faucet hit his hands, send shivers down his spine. What more he could feel if he has gone into the communal shower to take a bath then? He bets that there's not a single heater to warm the water or if there is, it isn't working at all. Just for the sake of personal hygiene, he splashes some water on his face, rubbed his eyes off of any dirty matter stuck to the tip of his lids - a remnant of his sleep, and felt his face numbing on the freezing sensation. He immediately grabbed the towel he had hung on a towel rail nearby and wiped the wetness off his face.

Giving up at the possibility of taking a bath with the chilling feeling he had experienced, Aomine decided to do some morning exercises. Since he became a cop, this has become a part of his routine of his everyday life. He believed that gaining a physically fit body is a must to his profession, helping him to have greater freedom to move easily and gain more strength in police operations and some unforeseeable emergency situations. Although, right now, he is in a situation where he isn't the sergeant Aomine Daiki anymore, that doesn't serves as a reason to change his morning routines and stop maintaining the healthy body that he has obtained. Well, having the brawns will be a benefit to him here in this prison. Like if some circumstances where to happen and he has to wrestle his way out alive, he has at least an advantage.

He did a few body stretches for several minutes, followed by jumping jacks and push-ups that he's quite used to doing, and planned to end the exercises with some curl-ups to retain his abdominal muscles. While lying on the cool, hard, floor of the cell, he positioned himself by bending his knees with his feet flat on the ground and his hands touching the back of his head. Then slowly, without much effort, he raised his torso up until he reached his thighs and repeated it over and over. Though the atmosphere surrounding him is cold, the exercises he did successfully invaded his body with warmth that he can feel little beads of sweat forming on his forehead. After the morning call, he will surely enjoy the shower to wash away the heat in him, since he has nothing to do this whole day today anyway and the succeeding days he has to deal with.

Feeling pretty satisfied with his routine exercise, he stood up, grabbed the towel he used a while ago, and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. There were unnecessary noises outside that were probably from his fellow inmates or from the prison guards who are loitering around and he was so sure that since the time he jumped off the double bunk and did his exercises, or rather, since the time he entered Teikou Island Prison yesterday to be convicted of his 'felony', he had started a world of his own inside this 6x9 prison cell; however, this world finally shattered when someone intruded to talk to him.

"Oh so you're the Aomine Daiki, they are talking about." A bespectacled man who has a messy black hair and a pair of squinting eyes that looks as if he was quite amused in seeing him with a guarded expression said.

Aomine immediately became suspicious of the man, well not like he has trusted anyone inside this hell at all, but the sly amusement on his face just gives him a gut feeling that this man is the type to enjoy jabbing at other people's weaknesses. Letting his guard down over him will surely be a great mistake.

"Who are you?" He asked, noticing the man is of average height and build and, knowing he's several centimeters taller and more muscular than the man, he knew then he could take him on if ever a sudden fist fight will happen.

The bespectacled man chuckled, probably more amused with his question, and walked slowly towards him "Please, don't be so hard on me. I understand you don't trust me even with the slightest trust you could give to a stranger begging for money. Well, yeah, I'm a stranger and, of course, you are too to me, but we shouldn't from now on because I'm not intruding in your cell, or rather our cell, for I am your cellmate, Imayoshi Shouichi. Nice to meet you." He held out his hand in front of Aomine and offered him a friendly smile that he knew is very superficial.

Of course, the taller guy hesitated. Shaking hands with this man just means he is giving him a small trust he could give to someone he met and Aomine doesn't want to give him even the slightest of that. You see, Aomine is the type of man who perfectly believes in his own capabilities and strength. He knows that in life, the only person he needs is himself, and everyone can just be whoever they want to be as long as they don't get in his way. Well even if they get in his way, he's pretty sure he can take them all. And so, he ignored the waiting hand of the guy, giving hint that he doesn't have any intention to 'befriend' him. He then mumbled something to himself, "I knew having no cellmate is too good to be true.", that the bespectacled man must have either thought it was directed to him or thought he should interfere with Aomine's choice of words.

With a wide grin on his face, Imayoshi spoke "Well, this is hell. You can't expect to easily win a jackpot unless you pursue Satan. And… Didn't the guard who escorted you to our cell yesterday say anything? He should've mentioned something about your cellmate being on solitary confinement, at least. But hmmm some guards won't give a fuck about anything anyway, so I think I'm getting the situation here."

Aomine's attention got caught by what he heard. Imayoshi entered solitary confinement and that just means he did some dangerous things to be put there, though, yes, everyone in here can be considered dangerous, but being put into the isolation cell may mean he's extra perilous. He put on a more guarded expression on his face, he really needs to be extra careful that is. However, noticing how Aomine hardened his face, Imayoshi burst out laughing.

"Oh god, please don't make that kind of face!" He snorted "Look, I'm a businessman. I sell goods that aren't available at the Prison Commissary like cigarettes, drugs, condoms, and things like that; though alcohol and women are an exception cause well, you know, it's hard to sneak that in. And because I smuggled goods from outside, I got caught a few weeks ago and was sent to the solitary confinement and nothing else. Feeling at ease now that you know that I am less harmful than any inmates you could meet here, Aomine-kun?"

The sly smile plastered on Imayoshi's face irritated Aomine; though he cannot deny the fact that relief washes over him when he heard that. However, that doesn't change anything, including his trust for the guy and his idea of being by himself inside this lonely and treacherous place. He just gave him a nonchalant expression after that fleeting relief, insinuating that he doesn't care about him being right, or to be more precise, he doesn't care about him at all.

"You know, you need to learn how to get along with people who you can be allies with. You'll need them when time comes and you are in great danger." Imayoshi stated.

"Whatever. I'm hitting the showers." He said, passing the bespectacled guy to make his way towards the communal shower. It was actually quite prideful and arrogant of Aomine to suddenly hit the shower even though he really didn't intend to just to ignore Imayoshi's advice and to leave things behind like that. Nevertheless, this doesn't give him any of the slightest wavering feeling to his resolve. Who needs allies if he has himself, anyway?

Aomine believed that he still got 15 minutes before the Morning Call starts and that would be enough time for him to wash away the sweat off of his body. The other inmates has already finished taking a bath, leaving the communal shower near his block empty but used.

Though he's feeling the wet, cold, tiles beneath his feet sends little shivers on his spine, Aomine entered the communal shower with a towel hanging on his shoulder. At first, he thought he was the only one inside until he heard a humming sound that echoes around him. It pleases his ears as if it tickles and it gives him a bizarre feeling that, for a second, he could taste what he hears and hears what he tastes. The honey-like sound that floods his ears reaches his tongue with a delicate taste of sweetness. It's saccharine.

Piquing his interest, Aomine moved closer to the sound and found a slender body of a young man. He was pretty sure the shower area is still part of the hell he just entered yesterday and he was so sure he hasn't gotten out of this place yet; however, the figure he was looking- rather, staring- into right now was like a perfect body of an angel that came down from heaven. With a back that was as if chiseled into flawlessness and precision and a milky-white skin that radiates luminosity and exquisiteness into Aomine's eyes that only a wing attached to the man's back will convince him that angels really do exist, Aomine was stunned completely.

Ahhh… What a lovely sight… I didn't know angels can be lost here in hell.

Note: Thank you very much!

This chapter was beta-read and edited by ILiveForBL .
Check out her oh-so-fluffy AoKise work, "Idiots in Love" 3

Expected Update: October 7 (or earlier)