"Who are you and what do you want from me ?"
The figure faced Sasori and opened her eyes. Those blue irises again.
"I'm gonna join your parents.", she said while starting the car. The engine activated and the tailpipes emitted a thick black smoke with a strong odor.
The vehicle was gradually driving away in the distance. Until it dived into the endless darkness.
"Wait ! Take me with you !", screamed Sasori while attempting to catch up the car Alas, it was futile since he did not move an inch.
Lke on a treadmill, he was running on the spot. Worse, the environment didn't allow him to have any visual reference since everything was pitch black.
Everything was empty, like the void.
Desperate, he prefered to head back in order to explore this strange world. And,as he took a first step, two people standing from behind appeared in front of him. Intrigued and curious, the redhead took one more step and recognized his parents.
"Mom ! Dad !", while he frantically approached them, they turned around to look at him. Thus revealing their face.
Sasori froze.
Their eyes. They were blue and sparkling. The same as those of the stranger hemet.
Suddenly, eyes emerged and proliferatedon all "sides". From above, from below, from left to right... and even on him. They observed him with a deeply piercing look. Which went beyond his carnal envelope. Which stared directly into his soul.
"What's wrong Sasori ? I thought you wanted to join us...", his mother smiled mischievously as she walked towards her son.
"Get- Get away from me !", panicked the businessman as he stepped back.
"Your mother's right. You're disappoint me.", replied his father pointing at hisson like some kind of judge.
"Sto-STOP ! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME YOU… YOUMONSTER !", Sasori tried to run away but it was useless.
Sasori jumped in alarm. His face was sweating.
"(Fuck... Nightmares again...)", he rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock which indicated 8 p.m, "(Shit... I fell asleep for two hours. I need to eat something.)"
He rose up and headed towards the kitchen. He took a sharp knife from the drawer, then opened the frigde, arranged vegetables on the workplan, and turned the gaz on to heat up the pressure cooker. He wanted to prepare a ratatouille.
Given that he almost always lived by himself, Sasori learned very early to cook.
At first, his dishes were, obviously, kind of basics. But, over the years, he progressively improved to the point of becoming an excellent cook. While, of course, making sure to always eat healthy and balanced food.
To tell the truth, even if he's really good at cooking, this isn't really is passion. His true passion is art. One of the few things he genuily enjoys in life.
He even owns a little collection of paintings in his room. From Claude Monet's contemplative paintings to Salvador Dalì's faithful imitations, by way of Francis Bacon's sinister canvases. A fine esthete.
Nevertheless, unlike others collectors, Sasori's an artist himself. Ever since his earliest childhood, automatons and puppets fascinate him. Being rich provides him the possibility to produce his own creations. For that, he came to settle small workshop in his bedroom.
Futhermore, as a rather self-contained person, he prefers to keep his activity to himself. After all, who was going to give him a semblence of attention in this world ? He has always been alone. That's what he keeps telling himself... and for good reason.
When he needed his grandmother's affection and comfort, she was not capable of give it to him. The only good deeds that she did to him was, to house him and to feed him. And sincerely, he's not far from the truth.
That's why he has a grudge against her. And even if he hates to admit it, alcohol is his best friend. It's the only thing that has accompaigned him for so many years and which allowed him to "endure" so many things.
Once the vegetables finished cooking. Sasori took a plate and served himself a portion of it. Then, he went to the living room and sat back on his couch. He put his dish on a small table right in front of him, and started to eat, while watching the TV. The news in particular.
The news were about a trial involving a celebrity (the perfect scoop for media), and other news about criminality or people's interesting life of whom nobody cares about. Great…
At least their life seemed happy... Well, Sasori still likes his job ! At least that's the only domain in which he can express himself the best. The sensation of being supperior to others gives him such a pleasure !
The negociations are, without a doubt, the only moments when he can asset himself as much. He has never lost a single one. Thus he's known, reknown, and feared in the business world.
After going the dishes and bathing, Sasori could finally relax. Fortunately for him, his neighbors are calm and respectful. In doing so, he can quietly enjoy the silence.
Tonight, instead on focusing on puppet making, he preferred to read a novel. Lying on his bed, lit by a small bedside lamp, he started his reading.
It was a thriller/murder mystery, his favorite literaty genre. Usually, if the resolution wasn't too far-fetched, he managed to solve the mystery way before the detective discovered it. Sasori is a player, hence the fact that this kind of fictions is, in a way, made for him.
Without being overconfident about his own abilities, he knows when he can handle a situation or a person. Besides, as an "analyst", he hates admitting when his wrongs or when things don't go as planned. He is a straightforward and methodical person who tends to reject emotions in order to embrace logic.
Once that his long session of intense reading was over, Sasori closed the book and placed it above the alarm clock. He switched the light off and tried to fall asleep. However, the sleep didn't come.
Suddenly, he began to fear insomnia. It was a vicious circle since, the more he thought about the idea of not finding sleep, the less likely it was to come. He knew it, but he couldn't bring himself to not thinking about it... Though, he persisted in the idea of not taking sleeping pill. Knowing a little bit about medicines, he knew that these kinds of cures had undesirable effects on health. And that, in the long term.
Knowing that his night was ruined, he went to work in his workshop.
Instead of finishing his last piece, he undertook to design a new one. Those blue eyes... he could not stop thinking about them over and over again. He cursed them ! Yet paradoxically... he was now obsessed by them. After all, they were the subject of his nightmare aren't they ?
If he were to met the stranger again, he swore that he would pull his eyes out to keep them preciously in a sterilized jar. But before that, he had the irresistible need to reproduce them. In doing so, he took two white orbs (puppet eyes) and started his little secret project.
It was 7 a.m and the alarm rang frantically. It was time for Sasori to get ready for work.
His empty eyes were accompaigned by two large dark circles formed by lack of sleep. To top it of all, his face was as pale as a ghost. He literally looked like a living dead, and with good reason. He spent the entire night working on his art.
The fake eyes, that he made last night, were looking into the eyes the same way as those from his bad dream did. It was disturbing.
He knew that today was going to be a very hard day for him. Fatigue leads to a lack of focus, which itself leads to a lack of energy. Things that he, obviously, needed. Anyway, it's not like he had much of a choice…
Even if Pein was his friend, he remained his boss. Being only tired wasn't a solid reason to miss a whole day of work.
Therefore, he went to the bathroom and cooled himself the face, then, he brushed his teeth, put his suit on and quickly did his hair.
Before leaving, he took his briefcase containing and looked briefly at himself in the mirror. It was hard for him to look himself in the face, especially with such an appearance.
Sasori had, in reality, more frustrations than regrets. He is a meticulous man, thus, the mistakes he has made in his life (so far) can be counted on the fingers of one hand. His professional career is simply exemplary. A prodigy among prodigies who doesn't have to blush over the competiton. But yet, a sad man in an indifferent society filled with ideals and lies.
He left his house.
No sooner had he arrived at the office than he was already greeted by Pein :
"Hello Sasori. How are you today ?"
"Hello boss. I'm fine thank you."
"You're a good liar."
"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. As it wasn't obvious enough…"
"Right. Insomnia again I suppose ?"
"Yes."
"You should really consult. It'd be good for you."
"No need to visit a quack."
"You're being unreasonable. Your face is white and your eyes are almost closed. Don't wait until it becomes dangerous for your health…"
"It already is…"
"Sasori. Listen to me. Not as your supperior but as your friend.", he placed his hand over his shoulder, "Please, do something about that."
Sasori lowered his eyes and smiled slightly.
"Thank you but don't worry about me (I can handle myself)."
Pein looked him in the eyes with unease and chose instead to change the topic.
"By the way, Konan says hello to you. She asks about you."
"That's nice of her. Give her my grettings and tell her I'm fine. Also tell her if she ever wants to come at home for a coffee, she's welcome."
"I'll pass it on to her. Thank you."
On these sweet words, Sasori went to the coffee machine, took a drink, and sat at his office. This was indeed going to be a tense and tough day for the negotiator.
-On the other side of the city, in a shabby apartment-
"Yo dude what's up ?!"
"Hey man, how are you doin'?"
"I'm fresh as hell ! How 'bout you ?"
"Cool as always heh. Dude... Yesterday... It was fire !"
"Seriously ? What happened ?!"
"I saw a car and like... this shit was a BEAST !"
"Damn... If only I was there to see that..."
"No worries, I think we can still go to see it."
"For real ?!"
"I'm telling you. Anyways, I tried to dismantle it, because you know, and there's not a redhead in a suit who comes out of fucking nowhere and catches me by surprise ? I thought I was about to have a heart attack !"
"'One redhead in suit' ? Bro, you know where you were ?"
"In the business district."
"You're completelystupid ! If they catch you you're so goddamned done ! But that's why I like you !"
"Heh."
"And you still plan to dismantle the car ?"
"Obviously ! I can't let a monster like this slip through my fingers without doing anything about it ! Even if it implies to play a little bit~ I like games ! And I like them even more when I win them. And since I always win in the end, I like them all hm."
"Liar ! Don't you remember the time I fucked you at Uno ?!"
"You CHEATED ! It doesn't count !"
"Whoa you sore loser !"
"Fuck you ! By the way, did I tell you I was on TV ?"
"Are you fuckig kidding me ?!"
"Hell no ! This gonna change my life ! You realize that ?"
"Wait, it's true ?"
"Of course it is you buffoon !"
"That's amazing !"
"I know right ?"
"Damn, I REALLY wish I could have been with you yesterday... Hey you know what ?"
"What ?"
"Tomorrow, come see me around 3 p.m if you can. We'll discuss all this crazy shitaround a good beer ! Is that ok ?"
"For sure man ! I haven't drank a good beer for soooo long !"
"Cool ! See ya bro !"
"Yeah see ya my man !"
He hung up the phone and sprawled out on his damaged armchair.
"(I feel that this little game between me and my new friend in suit is going to be fun~ ! I can't wait to see his reaction when he'll discover his pretty car completely 'renovated' by me hm.)"