A/N : Finals murdered me and took most of my creativity along with them. But, finally, I have churned out yet another chapter!
Chapter 3:
A woman's giggle echoed throughout the quiet room. "Gakupo!" the female voice said, "Bet you can't catch me!"
Gakupo couldn't see anything, as if he were blind. All he heard was her voice. But that was enough.
He ran forward, determined to capture her, prove her wrong. He felt his fingers brush smooth, soft skin, and heard another laugh.
Then, the laugh turned into a shriek of horror, and he felt a warm, sticky liquid splatter over his face. It smelt like copper.
The laughing stopped.
It was blood.
–
Gakupo's eyes snapped open quickly. He sat up just as fast, and black spots swirled over his vision as the room spun. He closed his eyes and, when he opened them, he was right where he started—flat on his back.
Scowling slightly to himself, he rose once again, this time much slower. The back of his head, the spot where he was struck during the battle, was sore, causing his head to pound irritably.
Taking a look around the room, he noted that he was in one of the infirmary tents, resting on an uncomfortable cot. There was an unlit lantern at one corner of the room, near the tent flap. In the center was his cot. Besides that, the space was bare, nobody but himself occupying it.
He took the moment of solitude to try and figure out exactly why he was being held here. He remembered making it safely out of the building with that Rin girl, and then... nothing.
The tent flap moved, and Len entered. He looked tired, but smiled at Gakupo nonetheless when he saw he was awake.
"Glad to see your back with the living," he commented, sitting down on the floor next to the cot and leaning back, crossing his arms over his chest.
That certainly didn't lighten the purple-haired man's mood. "What happened back there?" he asked stiffly, raising a hand to touch the bump at the back of his head.
Len tensed visibly. "That girl," he said, instead of answering his question. "What was her name?"
"Didn't you ask her that yourself?"
The flaxen-haired boy sighed. "Me and the men tried talking to them. The women refuse to answer. Besides that, the girl you rescued is still unconscious. When you came out of the house, you must have been dead tired. You didn't sleep the night before, huh? Anyway, you came out with her, came to talk to us, then passed out on the ground with the girl. You broke her fall, though, at least. Nothing good would have come out of crushing her," Len explained. He then sighed, looking at the lone lantern, as if deep in thought. Eyes drooping slightly, he mumbled, "I hope she's okay."
Gakupo stared at the floor awkwardly. He was terrible at comforting people. "Her name is Rin," he finally said. "I think she and the other girls were unwilling...er..."
"Concubines?" Len offered, his voice little more than an unmanly squeak.
Gakupo nodded, and Len dropped his face into his hands. "Rin," he grumbled. "That was... Kamui, that was my sister's name. A-And she looks just like me. It has to be her. I-I—" The young man trailed off with a strange, strangled sound and the older man panicked. He really, really hoped Len wouldn't start crying on him. He loved the boy like he was a brother, yes, but men didn't cry, did they?
No, and Len knew that. So, with a sniffle, he looked up determinedly and met Gakupo's eyes. "I want to try talking to the women again," he said, scrambling to stand. He had an unnatural glint in his normally carefree eyes. "They have to know something."
Before Gakupo could answer, another man entered the tent, saluting the two men and alerting Len that the girl Gakupo had rescued had woken up. Without even looking at him, Len ran out of the tent, most likely towards Rin.
Gakupo shook his head, having half a mind to follow Len, but deciding against it. He'd give the boy—and the girls—some time before he bombarded them with questions. Besides that, he was still tired.
–
Rin was comfortable.
And that one feeling was the thing that alerted her that something was amiss.
She groaned, cracking her eyes open at an unhurried pace. Kneeling next to her was Miku, who beamed at Rin when she realized she was waking up. Rin sat up slowly, a bit sore, but that was normal for her. As she rubbed her eyes, she noticed a man exit the tent.
Miku grasped Rin's hand tightly after the man left, pulling it away from her face. "I was so worried about you!" she said, leaning in closer. "Oh, Rin... He really beat you up last time, didn't he?"
The drowsy blonde leaned back slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious. With her free hand, she felt her face for new cuts or bruises, not finding much. It was as she looked down at her body where she saw the problem.
She was wearing a man's shirt, first and foremost. The purple-haired man who had saved her had thrown it on her, she remembered. It was gaping in the front, and her shoulders, chest, and stomach were covered with random, black and blue marks. She grimaced.
The teal-haired squeezed her hand even tighter, gathering her attention. "It would assure me much more if you actually said something," she stated, worry glinting in her eyes.
Rin smiled in what she hoped was in a comforting manner. Resting a hand over Miku's, she said, "I'm fine; don't worry about it." Her friend didn't look impressed, but only frowned in response. "Where are we, anyway?" Rin asked her.
Before Miku could answer, a boy who couldn't be older than she was walked into the tent. He smiled awkwardly, running a hand through his spiky blonde hair. Rin glanced at the girl beside her to see Miku had pressed her lips tightly together. Her hands were shaking.
Just who were these men?
"H-Hello... Rin," the boy said, his voice cracking. "Um. I'd like to talk to you privately, if you don't m-mind..." He trailed off, glancing at Miku.
Miku raised a brow at her, and Rin sighed and shrugged. "Go on," she encouraged, "He's small—I can take 'im." The last was whispered as a joke, and, while Miku's lips twitched upwards in an amused smile, the boy looked horrified.
Finally, the teal-haired girl rose, glancing back at Rin before she exited the tent in a silent wish of luck.
There was a decidedly uncomfortable silence, and Rin sat up straighter on her bedding, pulling her borrowed clothing more tightly over her small frame.
"So," the boy said, finally breaking the quiet, "You really think you could take me?" He sounded teasing, and Rin felt herself smile against her will.
"With one hand tied behind my back," she rebutted. The words came out little more than a murmur, and she looked to her lap. She felt fear curl up into her stomach. She was so stupid. What would he do to her now, that she insulted him?
Instead of hitting her, like she believed he would, he laughed. Laughed, as if it were funny that she could offend him.
Rin didn't understand.
The boy knelt in front of her with a friendly grin on his face. Sticking out one hand towards her, he said, "My name is Len. Told you I would get you back."
She stared at the hand held out for her like it was a bomb, waiting for it to explode in her face. "L-Len?" she repeated meekly. He nodded, and she stared at him.
After many, heavy moments of silence, Len asked, "You believe me, don't you, Rin? I-I'm your twin. Len. Kagamine Len."
Did she? After all this time, being an unwilling slave to warriors who used and abused her, could she ever trust any man again, even one who claimed to be her own brother? "I... I...," she stuttered.
Turning away from him, she looked instead to the wall of the tent. These men took her. They claimed to be helping—the purple-haired man from last night even saved her life—but who could Rin really believe at this point.
"Come with me, child, and you can play with angels. You can be a princess, in a world of your choosing."
The girl closed her icy eyes, shaking her head. "No," she mumbled to herself. "You're a liar." The words were barely even a whisper.
"I swear to you, I'm telling you the truth."
A warm hand on her arm snapped her out of her memories. She jerked her head up to face Len. "I wasn't talking to you," she murmured, face flushing. Carefully, she shifted so that he was no longer touching her, and took the time to really look at him.
He did look like her. Same facial structure, same blonde hair and blue eyes, maybe a tone or so off hue. Same pale skin. Same slight build.
Sighing, the boy with her face crawled toward her to sit down on her bedding with her. "Rin," he said softly, "I can't imagine what you've been through. But you have to believe me. I've been looking for you for nearly nine years. I just want to take care of you, like I was supposed to."
Rin bit her lip, thinking she probably looked just as fragile as she felt. She wanted her only family back, desperately.
And, if this boy was lying, she was more than willing to go along with it.
So, with more than a little hesitation, she leaned forward carefully, wrapping her frail arms around the boy.
He chuckled lightly in her ear. "I've missed you," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently.
Rin clutched the slightest bit tighter on his shirt. Because, whether this boy was who he claimed to be or not, she'd missed him, too.
–
Review Responses:
Seinakyou: Oh, you see? :3
Black Snow Rose: Time shall tell what goes with the GakurRin! And I'd tell you, but it'd ruin the suprise... Hope you liked the chapter!
Xander Cruize: I'm glad you liked the last chapter and hope that this one pleases you, as well. The reassurance on my pacing was good, sometimes I feel like I'm taking forever. Hope to hear from you again!
Klemiel: Ah, I'm happy you don't think I'm taking too long with the pacing. Also glad you liked their meeting. Hope you liked this chapter!
Maiden of the Heavens: Glad you enjoyed it! I can't wait for your updates, too!
VIOKAY: Yeah, I know Geisha aren't concubines, and why Rin thinks they are will be explained in the future. All having to do with the plot. Thanks for the brotip, anyway!
Triplebene: I feel special :3 Thanks for the encouragement! I hope this met your expectations! And, yes, this couple is WAY too underloved.
Americastar50: I also liked the shirtless Gaku scene -shot-. I'm such a fan girl. I have so many pics of them saved on my computer. I hope you liked this chapter!
Fallen To Blood: I'm glad you like it! Thank you!
Da Poke Geek: I used to have braces. I hated them, and they only took them off six months after they said they would. Gah. Anyway, I'm happy you like the story and the pairing! Hope to hear from you again! And, yes, whoever hurt Gaku deserved pain.
R&R!