So, from the last Chapter, you see that the strange Haneko Kenshi has hobbled off with Yuzu in tow, under the pretense of taking her back to the Sixth Division Barracks. I hope you're enjoying the story thus far, but if you're not, why are you on Chapter 7 again? :P
"You've finally done it, Nii-sama," the younger man said, flashing a devious smirk as he looked at the restricted Lieutenant. He patted the slightly taller companion of his on the shoulder as silent praise.
"Oh, yes, I know~" he chided happily, turning to him with a cheshire cat grin, before moving his hands in an ushering motion, as if telling the other to shoo, "Now, little brother - Please go, Me and my beautiful Yu-chan need some quality time togetherrrr~" he purred excitedly.
"Fine, fine, I'll be down the corridor, should you need my assistance," moments passed and there was soft, clacking footsteps on marble hall. The retreating figure took a brisk pace, knowing how his sibling's patience wavered when it came to his 'First and Only Love'.
In the meantime, a listening captive had awoken from her drug-induced slumber. Her aching head felt like it would split in half at any moment and her slim wrists burned the more she tried to move them, there was a slimy feeling creeping around them. She couldn't see a thing, everything was pitch black even when she had opened her mahogany eyes as wide as possible - To accompany her blindness, her tongue was dry and she tasted cloth, her ankles bonded with the same sludge as her wrists.
She let out muffled commands - In her mind, planning to say something like, "Let me out, please!" as politely as she could, but it came out as more like, "Mmm-muh-merr-mep-mmm!" as she struggled against the constricting cuffs - What was this stuff anyway?
"My adorable Yu-chan, you're awake at last," a smooth voice detached from a body called from nearby, if this was one of those romantic-comedy harem animes, she would expect such a tone to be used by a sliding teenage boy, a red rose trapped between his lips.
She continued to squirm and wriggle against the surprisingly comfortable chair that she was chained to by who-knows-what.
The benevolent man flashed the smile that did look creepy as he observed her physical protests, "You look absolutely perfect on your throne, My Queen," he whispered into her ear, as he leaned forward so that if he fell forward, his muscular shoulder would hit her right in the face.
She could sense the closeness of him, his warm breath that cascaded over her neck gave an unpleasant shiver as she continued both her distorted pleas and her battle against the sludge that held her to the 'Throne'.
He frowned sadly with a disappointed look in his eyes, "Please, stop struggling, Yu-chan - That isn't just some slime that I put around your wrists and ankles, it's something my own, genius brother concocted, it feeds off the reiatsu of those who try to escape it's hold. Wonderful, isn't it?" he puffed-out his chest as if he was proud.
Behind the dark blindfold, her eyes had widened in shock as she stopped her movements all together, the only one remaining being the rise and fall of her chest whilst she tried to continue breathing. She whimpered, it was the only thing close to a coherent sound she had made yet.
"You look so uncomfortable," he mumbled to himself, unbeknownst to her, but he had a regretful look on his face before his features perked up and he neared her once again, his hands moving behind her head, making her uneasy. "If I take these off, you'll be happier, right?" a nod was given in response.
When the knots were untied, she had to shut her eyes at first, it took a few moments before her brown orbs adjusted to the dim lighting. She looked at what she assumed to be her odd captor and gasps, looking him over, "Ha..-kun?" she stuttered out slowly, looking at him with an emotion that could be best described as blame - Accusation of betrayal.
"My Yu-chan remembered!" he celebrated with a large, dashing smile which wasn't nearly as handsome as it would've been in a normal situation, "I missed those beautiful, sparkling eyes of yours and I love that angelic voice when it says my name, Yu-chan," he confessed huskily.
"Why..?" she asked, she had such a hurt voice when she asked - He seemed oblivious to this, seeing only how beautiful she looked under the small amount of light provided by the lamp he had set next to her.
"Because, I love you, of course~" he sang to her, watching her possessively, "If I hadn't taken you, how would you be mine?" he asked, he truly seemed confused.
"I'm not someone's property," she whispered meekly, she had never had any reason to stand up for herself, people had always done so for her, but she was alone here, how could someone believe they would own her?
"He's the reason I can't let you go off by yourself anymore, Yu-chan," he growled, gritting his teeth and arching his eyebrows in a furious expression.
"Who are you talking about?" she asked him, she looked more befuddled than angry or hurt this time.
"Him! Him!" he insisted, expecting her to guess. His mood lowered when he saw she still had a quizzical expression, "That Captain," he spat out disrespectfully, "The nobleman, Byakuya Kuchiki - I know you've taken a liking to him, my Queen, but he doesn't see you like that, only I do," he whispered solemnly, cupping her chin between his strong fingers, stroking the smooth, ivory skin of her cheeks affectionately.
Out of instinct, she forcefully ripped her face from his hold and looked to the side, refusing to meet his adoring gaze, "If you loved me, you wouldn't treat me like this - This isn't how you're supposed to treat people you love," she explained sadly, her voice barely above a whisper as tears started to form in the corners of her lightless eyes.
"I do love you!" he roared aggressively, catching her attention. She heard a crash and noticed that he had struck at the nearest wall, which resulted in a gaping hole being formed, casting an even darker shadow over the already-dim room.
She looked back at him with an uncharacteristically fierce glare, "I have never even met you before!" she scolded him, looking directly into his eyes, which seemed to become darker.
"How could you forget..?" he asked, his tone was depressed, cold - "How could you forget when you're all I remembered?!" his control over his anger was being worn thin, he hadn't expected her to be so adamant to leave, his delusions of kidnap..
Frightened by his outburst, she stared him, dumbfounded, "W-what are you t-talking about?" she stuttered occasionally, trying to level her heart rate - His sudden outrage had pushed her pulse to go faster in urgency.
"You were only a little girl then," he began, pulling across a chair for himself and sitting infront of her with thoughtful eyes, "I was told by the Soul Reaper that sent me here, that I would forget everything about my former life - But when I came to, I still remembered you. You were actually the only thing I remembered, the girl obviously repulsed by the blood that was flowing out of me, still gave me a shaky smile, told me I'd be okay and gently bandaged my wound, even when you were told to leave me be by your Father," his look softened and for the first time, she felt like he was worthy of a second chance.
"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, "I don't remember anything but my family from when I was alive," she sounded genuinely rueful about her inevitable amnesia.
"Ah~ You're just as sweet as I dreamed about," he said, though his eyes showed deep regret and sadness, "As much as I was ecstatic about seeing you again, I spent months grieving over your death, despite not knowing anything about it,"
She couldn't help but feel flattered, though she still felt resentment over the trickery, "If we had met under different conditions, you would've had a better chance at being with me than this," she told him, her face was serious and humorless.
"But.. if I hadn't taken you, he would have!" he barked sharply at her, slamming his fist down onto the nearby table.
His mood changes rapidly, I can't tell which one is really him.. she thought to herself. "Allow me to leave and I will put this behind me," she said in a level tone, looking straight into his eyes. She seemed professional; as if she was making a business deal with a very captivating employer.
"I cannot." it was short, direct and just as serious as she had been mere moments ago, "I've spent a decade in this place, waiting for you, I wouldn't have even cared if you were old and frail when you had finally joined me in the afterlife - Why would I let you go?!" he broke down, his eyes seemed to madden with his sanity.
She was taken aback, "How long have you watched me?" her voice was soft now, though it didn't have any understanding in it whatsoever, when she had learned of the conditions to his demise, she had felt slightly drawn to him, but his sudden moods dissuaded her trust from him.
"Four years," he confessed without any real embarrassment or anything as such, he just sat there with that same look on his face - Perhaps, hoping she would see it as devotion and realize that he would stay by her side always, which he would.
"But.. I've only been in the Soul Society for four years," she said, she was frightened, paranoid - How did she never notice? Had he been orchestrating such a plan this whole time? Did she put her friends in danger unintentionally - "Did you do anything to hurt others in your pursuit to 'gain me'?" she asked, she was both curious and suspicious.
He froze.
Okay, there's the end of the Chapter. So Hakeno = Creepy stalker guy ;o You guys probably realized that already. Oh, no! Yuzu's been captured, who will save her, I wonder? PSHT. Anyway, I hope you keep on reading :D Bye for nowww~ 3