Disclaimer: everything belongs to their rightful owner

hi yes I love torturing my favourite characters c:
and tbh I had no idea what to name this chapter so... yeah. Enjoy!

Red.

Everything was dyed red.

The room spun.

His body collapsed.

And when he looked up, all he saw was an evil grin amongst the red.

He opened his eyes to what he recognized was a lightbulb, swaying from side to side with a creak following each motion. His eyes then took in other details of his surrounding – the old, faded walls, the small, grilled window, the old cupboard just a few feet away from the bed he was on. His head buzzed, a little light headed from whatever smell he had inhaled before everything went blank. He sat up, looking around to get some sense of his current situation. His small hands curled into a ball while cautiously, he slid off the dull sheets that covered the squeaky bed.

The door wouldn't open, he sighed in dismay as he twisted the door knob only to get loud clacking as a response. He returned to the bed and decided to make himself comfortable under the sheets. Since there was no way he could get out, might as well conserve his energy for whatever events that should happen next. As he laid on the bad, staring at the grey walls of the room, he couldn't help but wonder. What was he doing here?

Was it for ransom? The typical plot one would see on stages featuring action or mystery? Perhaps so. He didn't know.

He also wondered how he could stay calm in this situation when an obvious reaction would be to scream for help while trembling in fear. Of course, he was afraid, but the logical side of his brain was the one in control. A habit from a few years. Although his heart pounded rapidly inside his small chest, his body remained calm, refusing to tremble and cower.

The door knob turned while he was still in his thoughts, snuggled into the blanket, and a man walked in. The man was rather large in size, a friendly smile plastered upon his face before he turned away to lock the door. The man looked like a high-end business man, a formal suit worn neatly with a maroon necktie. He found the expensive-looking suit the man wore to be highly unnecessary as well as the mustache the man had on his face. It just didn't suit him.

The man walked over to him, the bed creaking loudly under his weight as he lowered his bottom onto the soft surface of the mattress. He scooted away from the man, wanting to distance himself from the stranger and the smell of cigarette smoke he was emitting. However, the man insisted in being within a 1 foot radius of him.

"What's your name?" He asked, his yellowish teeth revealed from his grin.

"Who are you?" He refused an answer. This man took him away. Why should he provide him with details of himself?

The man showed obvious dissatisfaction, however persisted with his friendly demeanor. He gave credit to the man for his persistence, although it was a nuisance. A hand traveled up to touch his hair, gently placed yet it felt controlling. And frightening. He felt his body stiffen under the man's touch, rejecting the tips of his fingers as they wrapped themselves around his red locks.

"I asked you a question, boy." He uttered. "and I expect an answer."

"I owe you no answer."

He was taught from a young age to show authority to those who needed to know. It had become a part of his nature. Even with the man, he had no intention of relinquishing his feeling of authority that he had rightfully acquired. No matter how much older or bigger this man was, he was determined to show him that he is the one who should be on the higher pedestal. That he should be the one demanding answers.

However, as if it was a natural outcome, the man didn't take his words kindly.

Seijuro held a hand onto his chest after an intake of air caused a sharp sting in the area. He was curled on the floor, specks of red on the soft carpet and a trail of blood from his head that flowed onto his eye. There was a faint taste of iron in his mouth that brought up memories he never wanted to remember. The male desperately gasped for air – his body begging for him to replace the lack of oxygen, however with every breath, it only gave him excruciating pain. He could feel his heart race with fear and panic as his lungs failed to intake the appropriate amount of oxygen it needed, his rib stabbing him with a piercing soreness every time he breathed.

Seijuro closed his eyes, frantically trying to normalize his heart rate to reduce the number of inhales he would need to take. He slowly counted down from ten, taking small, shallow breaths in order to avoid stabbing himself again internally. Once he felt his heart slow down, he opened his eyes and staggered onto his feet, careful not to lose his pace of small, shallow breathing. He had to remain calm. Remain composed.

A small, however rough cough then decided to force itself up his throat, reminding himself about the fact that he wasn't exactly all well. The cough disrupted the equilibrium state he had temporarily created thus sending a jolt of pain into his chest once again. Mustering the remaining energy he had, he rushed towards the bathroom connected to his bedroom, bending over the sink as he continued coughing violently, specks of blood making contact with the cold surface of the sink. The coughing calmed down eventually, allowing Seijuro to turn on the tap and wash off the stains of blood from the sink and from his features.

He sighed and looked up to the mirror in front of him, silently questioning himself. The image of himself in the mirror was burnt into his eyes as time passed by and he remained in his position at the sink. The circles under his eyes looked more prominent under the bright lighting in the bathroom as he pushed back the long strands of his bangs away from his face, another sigh escaping his lips.

How long had it been since the stinging taste of iron lingered in his mouth, remained in his throat? Ten, maybe fifteen years? He never bothered to remember. All the effort he made to stay away from the disgusting taste and the excruciating pain had gone down the drain. All the effort that he made to please his master now gone. He had lost his position, and there was nothing he could do about it.

No, that wasn't exactly true.

There was something he could do about it. However, he wasn't willing. It was a softness in his heart that Tsujirou never managed to fully seal off in his years of discipline. And he was thankful for that. It had helped him reassure himself that he still remained human, even through the years of isolation under the eyes of Tsujirou. He wondered though, how would it have been if he had completely shut of his emotions and followed through with Tsujirou's wishes. Would it have been a much better life for him, and for the others?

Riko had panicked when she saw the younger male with bloodied clothes in his room when she went to bring him some water, though it was only a small amount. She had called for Junpei to bring her bandages, antiseptic and ice, once she heard of the chest pain. She had also made sure that her other half kept the injury a secret, wanting to avoid worry among the other circus members. Knowing their ringleader was injured would cause a fuss, especially among the first-string members.

Seijuro was unusually quiet as she wrapped his head, the blood already cleaned, his clothes changed and an ice pack held to his chest. When she asked what was the matter, he only offered a shake of the head and a quiet 'nothing...'.

It was obvious there was something but Riko chose to not pry further into the matter. Of the years she had spent with the redhead, she had learnt better than to force an answer from the other. Simply put, she wouldn't even get an answer.

"Keep that ice pack and don't move much." Riko instructed after a long period of silence. "That broken rib will slowly heal but only if you take it easy."

Seijuro nodded. "Thank you, Riko-san."

"I guess you'd have to skip the circus." A shrug. "You can't perform in your condition."

"I would have to disagree," he said, cocking his head to the side. "It is too late to make schedule changes and I am afraid there are no substitutes for the finale. Unless..."

Seijuro fell silent, earning a questioning look from Riko. He was deep in thought, before he stood up and headed towards the door, not forgetting to thank again Riko before he disappeared into the hallway. Riko raised an eyebrow in suspicion. There was something clearly off about him. She couldn't put a finger on it but there definitely was. She could only hope that it wasn't as serious as she thinks it might be.

Old bandages laid at the corner of the floor, replaced by new ones on the gradually healing wounds. There was no more pain lingering, and Tetsuna was thankful for that. The wounds inflicted by Tsujirou were mostly shallow thus allowing them to heal at a faster rate. However, she decided that the herbs Satsuki had smothered on her injuries – whatever they were – contributed most to the healing process.

Tetsuna laid down on the creaky old bed that was provided to her with her arm stretched up to the ceiling. She kept it up to the point it became numb, before switching over to do the same to the other arm. There wasn't a particular explanation to her actions. There was nothing to do, nothing more to read thus she decided to think of something to do, although it meant nothing at all. She was suffocating in the isolated room and desperately needed a breath of fresh air.

So when she heard the clack coming from the only door in her room, she instantly jumped up, eyes radiating with hope that whoever was coming in would allow her to walk out of the room and to the open space outdoors. It came to her as a surprise, however, when the person who walked in was Seijuro, who looked like he was in a worse shape than when she saw him in the morning. He was in different clothes now – a white shirt and slacks – and she noticed the bandages and ice pack, though chose to say nothing.

"I need to speak with you."

She offered a nod, curious to what the matter was. He seemed under slight distress, although slight might be an understatement. She convinced him to have the talk outside, explaining how stifling the air in her confinement was. He agreed, a little too easily perhaps.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

They were in the garden now, surrounded by the array of colourful flowers that grew beautifully. The sunlight had gotten milder compared to when she had gone to see Seijuro with Atsushi, indicating that it was early in the evening, possibly around 4. Tetsuna took a deep breath, savouring the taste of fresh air as a gentle breeze blew past them. She stopped herself from doing a small twirl at how liberated she felt at the moment and just settled with turning to face him. Seijuro had tossed his ice pack aside into one of the flower pots and opted to sit down on the grass, gesturing for Tetsuna to do the same.

She had noticed he was a little wobbly when they were walking thus did so with no question. He sat cross-legged while she sat in seiza, her small hands placed neatly on her lap as she looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak. He was silent for a while, choosing his words before starting his sentence. His eyes shifted away from her as he did so, a hint of uncertainty hidden behind his ruby eyes.

"I have a request I'd like to make from you."

He started, his gaze now fixed directly to her eyes and his voice a gentle tone. Tetsuna felt a sense of comfort however also a slight sense of perturb. She wasn't sure why, although she knew she was about to find out. She nodded at his words and prompted him to continue, listening patiently.

"I'd like for you to perform in the finale the day after tomorrow with Satsuki in my stead."

Deep down, she had anticipated that he would bring up the matter of performing to her. As it was, he had been asking her for the past couple of days, and each time he was refused. He had seemed to give up just recently but apparently, she was wrong. She wondered though, why the finale with Satsuki when that was his spotlight?

As if he had read her mind, Seijuro continued with his explanation.

"My current condition doesn't allow me to perform on that day. It is too short a time to make any schedule changes and unfortunately, there is no one to replace me in the ring. Except you."

"Why me?" She asked. "I'm sure there are second-string members who are capable of replacing you."

"None of the second-string members are ready for the spotlight."

"What makes you think I am?"

She didn't mean to raise her voice at him thus apologized immediately. He shook his head and said it was okay before pausing for a slight moment.

"I have an eye for these kinds of things." He closed his eyes and released a small sigh. "Besides, it is what Tsujirou-sama wishes for."

Again with Tsujirou...

She wondered the extent of Tsujirou's hold on him, curious to how far he would go in order to please his master. Then again, she already knew that he would easily go as far as murder if it were for the twisted man.

She stared at him, observing him as he opened his eyes and once again looked at her, hopeful that she would agree to his request. She found herself pitying him once again as she studied his tired features and the visible injuries he had sustained in the time she had left him in his room. She wondered if Tsujirou was to blame for them.

"...What would I have to do?"

"You would become Satsuki's assistant." He stated, stifling a cough. "Although it wouldn't be what Tsujirou-sama has in mind for you, it would be more than enough for this one circus."

What Tsujirou had in mind was to make her a main attraction, not a helper who doesn't receive the spotlight. To Seijuro, Tetsuna wasn't the type who could become the main attraction, her lack of presence being the main reason. She seemed more suited to be a supporter – the one behind the shadows, so to say. From what he saw, she could help bring out the best in those she chooses to support. The spotlight, wasn't for her.

"Alright," Tetsuna uttered after a pause. "I will do it. But only this once."

Seijuro gave a nod as he offered a small smile. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

Tetsuna felt a slight flutter in her stomach at his smile. It seemed different than the smile he would present in front of the spectators as he allowed doves to appear out of thin air. It seemed different than the smile that he would pose from time to time which seemed void of any sort of emotion or friendliness.

It seemed... genuine.

She was distracted a moment too long to realize that Seijuro had gotten up to leave until he called out her name, informing her that it was time to head back inside. She didn't want to return to her small room, however complied with his command. They didn't walk back side by side. He was a few steps in front while she trailed from behind. It seemed to always turn out this way if she were to be with him. He leads, while she follows. It seemed to happen with the others to, as if it was natural that way.

She didn't mind. She was able to keep her eyes on him without his knowledge that way.

"Satsuki will explain what you will have to do." He glanced over his shoulder to look at her. "I wish you luck."

She mumbled a thank you, rather unsure if the decision she made was the right one.

"Seijuro-san?"

She called out to him after a moment of debate. When he stopped to face her, she continued with her words as she looked up at him, wanting to detect any hints he might give away.

"What happened after I left?"

Seijuro didn't seem to react to her question, as if expecting it to come sooner or later. He only shook his head and stated that it was nothing for her to worry about. His reply didn't sit well with her so she continued to pry, having a vague idea of what had occurred.

"Was it because of me?" she asked, taking a step closer. "Was it because I wouldn't do what Tsujirou-san says?"

She knew she was right. However, he shook his head once again and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking directly into her eyes.

"It is not because of you," he denied. "My incompetence is the one to blame."

That's not true.

She wanted to say out loud but held it in, unsure herself of why she did so. His hand on her shoulder felt warm and soothing – even through the gloves – that she couldn't help but relish the touch. As if she had just remembered, she suddenly raised a hand to his face and let it move lower to touch his upper neck, letting her hand linger for a while. She would have placed it on his forehead however, the bandages prevented her from doing so.

Seijuro was visibly caught off guard by her actions as his eyes widened in confusion and his hand instantly distanced itself from her shoulder. He tensed up at first but relaxed soon after, although a questioning look was still sent her way.

"Your fever has gone down." She stated, a hint of relief lacing her voice.

It had not gone down completely, but it was an improvement compared to the high temperature he had in the morning. The sleep must have done him good.

He only nodded at her statement in acknowledgement and waited for her to remove her hand before indicating that they should return inside, to which she quietly agreed. He hadn't said a word the whole journey back to her room. However, she noticed the one time his hand raised up to where her hand had lingered and remained there for a moment before returning to his side.

He had escorted her back to her room and offered to bring her some literature to help her pass the time later on. She gratefully accepted the offer. After delivering what he promised, he was now headed towards the master bedroom which was located on the east wing, the opposite of where the rooms of the first-string members were located. Along the way, he disposed of his bandages into a bin and swept his bangs lower just so it could hide the wound in attempt to seem more presentable. He had also noticed that the sky was coloured in vermillion from the large window he passed, making him come to the realization that much time had passed.

He was thankful that Tetsuna had agreed to his request, saving him from having to conduct more drastic options to convince her. He also found himself longing for her once again, remembering how her hand felt against his skin. He wondered, if it was his fever that was giving him all these illogical feelings.

He brought himself back to reality once he realized he had reached his destination. He knocked on the large door of the master bedroom before curling his gloved fingers around the gold-plated handle and allowing himself in. Inside, Tsujirou was seated at his desk, reading through documents for the scheduled circus. The man perked up when he noticed Seijuro walk in and greeted him with a cold gaze, asking what was the matter.

"I am here to inform that I will not be taking part in the coming circus." He stated. "However, in my stead, Tetsuna-san will take part in the finale with Satsuki as her assistant."

The anger that was reflected in Tsujirou's eyes from his initial words quickly subsided and turned into a delightful grin when he heard of Tetsuna's participation. He got up to his feet, and went closer to Seijuro, placing a hand on his shoulder as he leered at him.

"Good boy," he sniggered. "I knew you could convince her if you were to put your mind into it. Although it wasn't exactly what I had in mind, it's a start."

Seijuro's eyes narrowed slightly as the pungent smell of tobacco drifted from the man's breath, his body tensing under his touch. It was repulsive. The seconds that passed felt longer than they actually were as he silently repeated the words "get off" in his head like a mantra. He could feel his heart pound rapidly in his chest and he could only hope that it wouldn't contribute to the aggravation of his ribcage. He avoided any eye contact until he felt the man move away – to his relief – with a command to bring some wine to celebrate. Seijuro curtly bowed and left to fulfil the man's order.

He stood by the door once it had closed, momentarily contemplating on whether he should burn his whole shoulder to rid of the feeling of disgust lingering on that area. After rationalizing himself that doing that wouldn't solve anything, he took gentle and cautious steps as he proceeded to the wine cellar to retrieve a fine bottle of Romanée-Conti from 1990 – a personal favourite of Tsujirou's.

"You shouldn't be moving around so much."

Seijuro turned to face the owner of the rough voice that came from the cellar's entrance, who had a displeased frown on his face.

"Junpei-san."

It came to him as a surprise that Junpei would be anywhere near the wine cellar, until the other explained that he felt like drinking wine that night, although his usual preference would be beer. He watched carefully as Junpei headed his way, grabbing a wine bottle at random then consulting Seijuro about the taste.

"I could deliver the wine to Tsujirou-sama for you." He offered all of a sudden. "You can go back to your room and rest."

"I appreciate the offer, Junpei-san. However, I can deliver it myself."

"Riko told you to rest."

"I will, once I am done with what I have to do."

Junpei let out an appalled sigh. He couldn't fathom how a person of reason could be so unreasonable at times.

"You need to learn when to take a break, Seijuro. And also learn how to depend on us for a change." He muttered. "I know Tsujirou wants and expects you to do everything on your own but that doesn't mean you have to do just that. Sometimes, you have to be a little more flexible with the way you do work."

"But— "

"Don't argue with me and just return to your room." The bespectacled male scolded as he snatched the bottle of Romanée-Conti from Seijuro's hands, asserting his point. "and get a new pack of ice while you're at it, you need it."

Seijuro was left dumbfounded in the wine cellar as Junpei walked off with a huff for Tsujirou's room. His features then softened into a small smile. Junpei and Riko had always made it a point to take on the roles of caretakers for their group, being the older ones, and the care that they would offer him had helped him on numerous accounts. He was thankful that they were there, although their first impressions of him weren't so favouring.

He left the wine cellar and – before obtaining a new ice pack and returning to his room – went to inform Satsuki of the change of plans.

Thanks for reading!