Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR! -throws confetti again- I can hardly believe 2014 is almost over! It went by so fast ;w;

Anyway, glad to see you all here! I'm honestly surprised I didn't get more hate messages because of the last chapter. But, ah, I'll probably get some more for this chapter, since it is one of the worst in the entire story.

Alba: -glaring full of hatred-

Shima: Alba's still pissed at me, so...

Ros: Hero didn't take his torture very well.

Shima: (Neither did you.) HA! You thought THAT was torture? Oh, no, dear Ros, THIS is the chapter with the torture. And so...

WARNING WARNING WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of torture and inflicting harm upon other people. If you can't stand that stuff, why are you still here? Go away! I don't want to be responsible for scarring you for life! Just in case, I'm going to tell you when the torture begins and ends, so you can skip it if you want. 'Kay?

Now for reviews!

Loverofallanime: I know, right!? I'm so unpredictable. :3 Poor Alba's gonna get it this chapter...sigh...will he be okay? Who knows~ Well, here's more!

Please leave me a review, guys. I'd really appreciate it ^_^

Alright, shall we get going? This chapter is somewhat longer than the others, by the way. I'm also thinking about posting another chapter at midnight tonight...it is a holiday, after all. And special occasions like holidays usually get extra chapters! Well, that's up to you guys, I guess. So tell me if you want me to do that or not. Okay, Ros?

Ros: Shima doesn't own Senyuu.

Shima: That's a lie, folks! (No, it's actually right. Sigh.) Well, here we go!

Ros: Hero, are you okay?

Alba: -shaking- N-nnn...

Shima: You're gonna want to hold on to him. Yosh, roll the chappy!

Chapter 7

Losing Himself

When Alba came to, he immediately started freaking out.

Wherever he was, it was dark. There was duct tape over his mouth, and he found that his wrists and ankles were tied together. Tears started forming in his eyes again, and he began to cry, lashing out in an attempt to escape.

No...why is this happening? Where am I? Why am I tied up? Wh...whe...

He froze.

Elf...it has to be Elf. He...he must've knocked me out and taken me here...he paused, looking around, trying to see something, anything, in the darkness. Wherever here is...

He took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

Okay, Alba. Let's not have a panic attack. Let's think about this rationally...what would Ros do in this situation?

He almost smiled thinking about it.

Knowing him, he'd glare at his kidnapper, and as soon as he got the chance, he'd break free and beat them so hard that they wouldn't be able to see straight for days...

He sighed. But there's no way I can possibly pull that off. He sat there for a while longer, pondering. Well, I obviously can't pull a Ros, so what would I, Alba, the hero, do in this situation?

He stared into the darkness for a long time.

Wait it out and see what happens?

He shook his head back and forth. No, no! Think of something better than that, you idiot...!

Just then, he heard a strange creaking sound. Eyes narrowing, Alba knew that it had to be Elf who was coming to see him.

He flinched away from the sudden light that flooded his vision. Elf stood there, not too far away, a candle in his hand.

"Oh, Alba-kun! Yer awake!" He cheered, smiling.

Alba sent him a glare that was so full of hatred, he was surprised that the older teen didn't seem fazed by it.

"I like that look on yer face," Elf commented, coming to sit beside him. "It's nice, but the one where ya look all hopeless and defeated is even better. I'll havta bring out that one soon."

The brunette fought off a sudden wave of fear that was threatening to wash over him. No, I can't be scared. I can do this. Just think about Ros. Ros wouldn't be scared by this at all.

He took a moment to steel himself. Yes, if he thought about Ros, it would give him courage. He was going to be just fine. If he just kept thinking about Ros, he could find the strength to never give up.

Elf looked at him for a long time, and then he smiled. "So, Alba-kun, are ya gonna let me take off that duct tape?"

Alba growled lowly at him. I'll scream.

Elf met his hostility with absolute indifference. "Don't be that way. How can I kiss ya properly if you have duct tape over yer mouth?"

Alba gave him a look of disgust. Who'd ever want to kiss you?

Elf's eyes narrowed. "Don't be this way, Alba-kun. Or do ya want me to use force?"

Alba rolled his eyes. Oh, please. Like you can force me to do anything.

"I wouldn't sass me, if I were ya. I was the one that tied ya up." Elf suggested quietly.

Alba snarled at him to the best of his ability. Can't you just let me go already?

Elf shook his head back and forth. "Fine. I didn't think ya'd be so stubborn, so I didn't want to have to show ya this. But, here," and he pulled a knife out of his pocket.

Alba stiffened immediately, his eyes growing large. Things would be much different now that Elf had brought a weapon into play.

Elf giggled. "Will ya be a good boy now?"

Alba stared at the knife, breath shallow. What else could he do? If he just let Elf have his way, he wouldn't get hurt...

Would he?

"I'm gonna take off that duct tape now," Elf stated. He gently peeled it off of Alba's face, who winced at the pain.

"There. Better!" He smiled. Alba opened his mouth. "Now, Alba-kun, ya'd better not scream, or my friend will have to give ya a warning," he cut him off, gesturing to the knife.

Alba closed his mouth, frowning. Then, he opened it again, but this time to speak. "Why are you doing this?" He whispered harshly. His throat was dry and his lips were chapped. Everything was sore and achy, but he tried not to let it show.

Elf leaned forward and kissed him swiftly. Alba jumped back, gritting his teeth.

Elf gave him a pleasant grin. "'Cause, I think yer adorable," he said.

Alba felt a blush creeping up to his ears, and he begged for it to go away. He should not be flattered from getting compliments from such a horrible person!

"I like yer expressions, especially when yer scared," Elf commented. "I didn't realize it before, but I like ya quite a lot. I knew I felt somethin' when I was textin' ya as Ros-san."

Alba backed himself up, squeaking when he hit the wall behind him. He was trapped.

"Now, show me more of those expressions," Elf whispered. "If ya play along and do what I say, I'll let ya go."

He crawled forward on his hands and knees. Alba squeezed his eyes shut and begged, begged to any god that would listen, that somebody would realize he was missing from school and try to look for him.

He whimpered when he felt Elf kiss him again, more harshly than the last time. He didn't want to count how many seconds passed before Elf moved away to catch his breath.

"Ahh, yes," Elf breathed. "Perfect. Ya look so submissive and scared of me. I love it." He glanced down at the knife on the floor, biting his lip.

More. He needed to see more...

What better way than to make him hurt?

"Sorry, Alba-kun," Elf said, not sounding apologetic at all. "I know I told ya I wouldn't use it unless ya start misbehaving, but I can't think of a better way to make you scream than this."

Alba began to suck in breaths harshly, eyes wide with terror. He pressed himself further against the wall, almost as if he were trying to merge into it and disappear.

Ros...Ros...

Why? He couldn't find the courage to fight back.

Help me...

This couldn't be happening. Elf was going to...he was going to...

"N-n-no, please," he begged, tears making their way down his face again. He was terrified. "P-please don't. I-I-I'll do anything you s-say, just don't hurt me!"

Ros...Ros! Ros, help me!

Elf started laughing. "Oh, yes! How wonderful! Oh, yes, look at yer face, it's perfect! So scared and afraid..." He came back, pinning Alba against the wall. "Show me more...more."

((Torture starts here))

He pressed the edge of the knife into Alba's cheek. Alba cried out as hot, searing pain engulfed him.

Ros...! Please, it hurts!

Help me! Help me!

"Yes! Yes! More! Amazing!" Elf cackled madly. Alba began to sob loudly, shaking against the wall.

No more...someone, help...please...

"Here..." Elf sang, slicing his collarbone. Alba screamed. "And here, too..." He cut his shoulder. "And there and there and theeerrreee~"

His chest, his wrists, his legs, his arms, his stomach, his ankles. It felt like his entire body was on fire, like it was consuming all of him, even his soul. He screamed and screamed for what seemed like forever, throat going dry, voice cracking and breaking.

"Yer screams...they sound so lovely..." Elf chuckled, almost insanely. "Aha...ahahaha haha hahahaha!"

((Torture ends here))

Hours passed. Alba screamed until he couldn't make a sound anymore. Eventually all that came out of his mouth were silent sobs and breathless shrieks. He slumped against the wall, broken, empty, gone. There was nothing left of him anymore. Elf had taken his spirit and crushed it beyond repair.

"Hmm. Yer kinda boring me now," Elf muttered after a while. He stood up, the bloody knife in his hand. "I'll come back when yer feeling better, okay~? So for now, be patient and wait for me!" And with that, he skipped out of the room, leaving a confused boy in his wake.

Everything hurt. It was painful, all around. He embraced the pain, though. The pain reminded him that he was still alive, still human.

Ah, wait. Who was he, again...? He couldn't remember. Wasn't there someone he was waiting to see, to meet? Who was it...?

R...Ro...Ros. It was Ros, right? Who was Ros? He was somebody important, right?

He tried to remember. He had...black hair...and he was kind...and he was always with him, always...

So why wasn't he there now?

He must be coming for me, he thought, staring ahead blankly. He's on his way. He'll save me. I know it.

My Ros...

Alba: -sobbing-

Ros: Hero...Hero...-hugs him-

Shima: ...I'm sorry, Alba...

Ros: -sighs- He'll get over it.

Shima: Right...well, I'm actually feeling kinda depressed now because of this chapter...it makes you want to stab Elf with a fork, doesn't it?

Elf: I'm not the bad guy...

Shima: You are in this story, so shhh. Oh, by the way, guys, I used Elf's accent from the manga translation for this. I don't know if it's correct, but I used it anyways...

So, review, lovelies! And have a Happy New Year!

Ros: See you all next year.