!IMPORTANT CHAPTER WARNINGS!
Torture Warning
Rape/Non-Con Warning
Trauma Warning
Psychological Manipulation Warning
Trigger Warning
!ALL THE WARNINGS!
Please, please, please don't read if this will trigger you.
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Blanca was taken to a small, bare room deep in Golzine's mansion with concrete floors and barred cells on either side. He was thrown into a cell at the back and the door locked behind him.
He sat back against the wall and cursed himself. He should never have let Yut-Lung come here. He should have kidnapped him and taken him far away.
But now was no time to think of what should have been.
Blanca looked up and coldly studied the guards outside his cell. They sat at the table playing cards and paid him no mind. They were the men that had been in the van with Eiji. One rubbed his black eye gingerly and the other still nursed his split lip.
The door opened and they all stood warily.
Fox threw Eiji through the doorway towards the men.
"Men, this is Eiji. I believe you've already met."
Eiji glared darkly at the men and they all took an unconscious step back.
"Dino wants to teach Eiji a lesson and make him prove his loyalty," Fox said. "And I figure he has some things to make up to you. So, uh… have fun!"
He turned to leave but stopped, frowning at the men. None of them made a move as Eiji stared them down.
Fox looked at them. "What? No one? There's four of you!"
Eiji stood a little straighter.
The men shifted uncomfortably.
Fox chuckled, impressed. "Well, not to worry, boys."
He walked over and ran a hand through Eiji's hair. "Eiji is on his best behavior. Aren't you?"
Eiji grimaced as Fox's grip tightened and he pulled his head back sharply. Fox leaned in and whispered something in his ear and Eiji faltered.
Fox smiled, "I think you'll find him quite accommodating."
Fox pulled Eiji's face towards him.
One of the men stepped forward nervously. "Boss, be careful!"
Fox kissed Eiji. Eiji clenched his fists but didn't resist. Blanca looked on, disturbed.
Fox pulled away. Eiji glared at him angrily. Fox smiled and with a sudden, hard punch, knocked him to the ground.
Eiji looked up and his eyes met Blanca's. He winced as Fox gave him a slight kick.
"Have at him boys," Fox smiled. "Bring him to the pit when you're done. Alive is the only condition."
The goons crowded in on Eiji. Eiji closed his eyes in angry submission and defeat.
Blanca looked away painfully as they threw Eiji into a cell and locked the door.
Eiji winced as he dragged himself up to sit against the wall and pulled his knees to his chest. He looked up and found Blanca's eyes full of pity and remorse.
"What?" Eiji snapped, his voice weak. "You knew this is what they did to me. Don't act so surprised."
Blanca shook his head and looked away. "I'm sorry."
Eiji laughed but it sounded strained. "You don't get to be sorry. You left me to monsters like Dino and Fox. You-" Eiji looked away, hurt and angry. "You just left."
"I couldn't stand to see what they were doing to you," Blanca said quietly.
Eiji looked at him with poison in his eyes. Blanca winced.
"Well now you've seen it," Eiji muttered, turning away.
Blanca glanced at Eiji's thin frame, hunched in on itself in pain and hate, and looked away.
"Why haven't they taken you to the pit?" he asked.
Eiji leaned his head limply against the wall and hugged his arms. "Because they aren't done yet."
Dino brushed aside Yut-Lung's hair and kissed his neck. They were in bed in an expensively decorated room, the sheets draped loosely around them.
Yut-Lung reached an arm around him and smiled demurely. "Are you satisfied?"
Dino smiled and pressed against him. "Very. You are well trained."
"Would you like more?" Yut-Lung smiled.
"I would if I could, pet. But unfortunately-" Dino rose from bed and began dressing. "-I have other matters to attend to."
"Don't be long," Yut-Lung smiled suggestively. "I live to serve."
Dino smiled and brushed his long hair aside, cupping his face. "You do, don't you?"
Yut-Lung smiled after him as he left.
The moment the door closed his smile disappeared. Yut-Lung stood and pulled on his robes and began to pin up his hair.
At the door to the holding cells there was a light tapping at the door. One of the goons got up, annoyed, and walked to the door.
"What?" he barked.
A soft voice spoke from the other side of the door. "Leftover champagne. You guys want some?"
The man grinned and yanked open the door. " Hell yeah! Hand it over."
Yut-Lung stepped over the bodies and pulled a key off one of the guards. He walked over to Blanca and unlocked his cell.
"Are they dead?" Blanca asked, staring at the guards that lay on the floor, the glasses of champagne still in their hands.
"No," Yut-Lung answered. "Just sleeping. They'll wake up soon. Where's Eiji?"
"They took him."
Yut-Lung nodded grimly and sighed. "Come on, I have to get you out of here before they wake up."
Blanca looked at him. "What about you?"
Yut-Lung turned and faced him. "I'm staying, Blanca."
Blanca stared at him. "Yut-Lung, I can protect you from-"
"From my brothers?" Yut-Lung laughed. "No, you can't. If I leave I'll be hunted the rest of my life. I have a job to do. I'm going to stay and do it."
"What about Eiji?"
Yut-Lung shook his head. "If he was still here, I'd let you take him. But he's not. Dino won't let Fox kill Eiji, but he has no such attachments for you."
"I-" Blanca took a step back, pulling out of Yut-Lung's grasp. "I have to help him, Yut-Lung. I thought I knew what he went through but…" He shuddered and looked away from the floor as if he was still seeing ghosts in front of him.
Yut-Lung stared at him, curiosity and something like jealousy rising within him.
Blanca looked up at him, his eyes dark and determined. "Please, Yut-Lung. I betrayed him once. I have to help him now."
Yut-Lung's eyes were cold when he asked, "And if it's too late?"
Ash's feet hung inches off the ground. He jerked suddenly in pain as another wave of electricity was sent through his body. And another.
"Enough!" Eiji cried. "Leave him alone!"
Ash suppressed a scream as another wave was sent through him. Eiji slammed against his restraints in vain.
Dino was watching Eiji darkly from the shadows, something dark and fiercer than anger in his eyes.
Eiji looked at Dino desperately, his eyes brimming with tears. "Please," he begged.
Fox ignored Eiji and approached Ash who was shaking violently. He hooked a finger under Ash's chin and forced it upwards. Ash's eyes were glazed and wet from the pain and it took them a second to be able to find and focus on Eiji.
Eiji sobbed. It was terrifying to see Ash in this state. His friend, his protector, was no match for this enemy… and it was his fault that he was here.
"What is he to you?" Fox asked, studying Ash. He glanced back at Eiji.
"He's my friend," Eiji whispered.
Fox's eyes glinted. He crossed over to Eiji and grabbed his hand.
"Oh? Just a friend?"
Fire flared back into Ash's eyes as Eiji cried out as Fox bent his finger backwards, studying the ring on his finger. Dino's eyes widened.
Fox grinned at the fear in Eiji's eyes as he pulled out his knife. "Eiji," he scolded. "You let another man collar you, while you still belonged to Papa?"
Eiji grit his teeth against the cry of pain as Fox slid the razor-sharp blade of his knife against Eiji's finger, just below his ring. Fox smiled and he put a hand to the hilt of the knife, moving to drive it straight through Eiji's finger and cut the ring off his hand.
Ash lunged angrily against his restraints.
"Stop," Golzine growled.
Fox frowned and stepped back as Golzine walked up to Eiji and studied him. Eiji looked up, the hate in his eyes mingled with fear and pain.
"What would you do, Eiji?" Golzine asked. "What would you do in exchange for his life?"
Tears slipped down Eiji's face as he lowered his eyes. "Anything, Papa."
Golzine snarled.
Eiji screamed as the frail bones of his fingers were snapped in one swift, brutal movement. Ash's cry of grief and rage was muffled against the gag.
"You are mine," Golzine snarled. "Mine and no one else's."
Eiji screamed again as Golzine ripped the ring roughly off his broken finger.
Eiji shook and sobbed, his hand trembling as the nerves screamed in pain, his fingers still bent back in horrible, broken angles.
Golzine turned away with disgust.
"Tame him, Fox," Golzine growled. "Make him mine."
Fox grinned.
Golzine paused as he passed Ash; murder and hate flashing louder than words in the boy's cold, green eyes. Golzine turned away and left.
Fox looked at Eiji and smiled at the way he winced when Fox ran a finger gently along the broken bones.
"I'll wait a few hours before I set those bones," Fox grinned. "It'll be more painful that way."
Eij glared at Fox through his tears.
Fox smiled and patted his cheek, "I alway did love your spirit. You'll be hard to break, I can tell."
He smiled at Eiji and then looked back at Ash.
Ash glared at Fox.
"He doesn't look like much," Fox mused.
Fox circled around behind Ash until he was facing Eiji.
"He's got nothing to do with this, Fox," Eiji said, "It's me you want. Please, let him go."
"Nothing to do with this?" Fox asked.
Another sudden wave of electricity sent Ash screaming.
"Stop!" Eiji cried.
Ash fell limp again.
Fox pulled out his knife and smiled at the renewed fear that came into Eiji's face.
"He's got everything to do with this, Eiji. You've allowed someone to slip past your defenses…"
Fox dragged the blade lightly across Ash's chest.
"...a chink in your armor…"
The knife began to travel upwards.
"All these years, you could always take what I gave you… Never bending, never broken. But now…"
The tip of the blade found its way under Ash's ear, pressing up. Eiji and Ash's eyes met, both full of fear and pain.
Fox grinned, "Now I can hurt you."
The knife dug into Ash's flesh and Eiji and Ash's screams blended together into one.
