Day 23: "Capture"
Whumptober 2024 Prompt: Capture
Ship: Yuta Okkotsu x Inumaki Toge
The first thing Inumaki felt was the cold. Icy metal shackles bound his wrists, pinning him to a chair in the center of a dimly lit room. The musty scent of stone walls filled his nose as he blinked against the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. He tried to recall what happened—a mission with Yuta, a cursed spirit, and then… nothing. The gap in his memory left him unsettled.
He shifted, testing the chains, but they held firm. Panic simmered low in his chest. Where was Yuta? Had he been captured too?
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the room. Inumaki tensed, his gaze sharpening as a figure appeared in the doorway, shrouded in shadow. He didn't recognize the face—a curse user, maybe. The man smirked, taking his time as he crossed the room, his eyes cold and calculating.
"Ah, the infamous Inumaki Toge," the man drawled. "Your powers are quite unique. Imagine what could be done if I could control you."
Inumaki's pulse quickened, but he remained silent, keeping his gaze steely. Every instinct urged him to speak, to command the man to let him go. But his cursed speech was a double-edged sword; one wrong word, and he'd risk injuring himself.
The man chuckled, as if reading his thoughts. "Not going to say anything? Smart boy. But it won't be long before you're begging for release."
A shiver ran through him, and he fought to keep his breathing steady. Inumaki tried to focus on the one thought that gave him hope—Yuta would come. Yuta would find him.
Hours—or maybe minutes—passed in silence. The room remained still, each tick of time dragging with a relentless weight that settled like lead in Inumaki's chest. Exhausted and drained, he started to drift, his thoughts drifting to Yuta's smile, the warmth in his gaze, the way his hand would linger on Inumaki's shoulder, grounding him.
A loud crash jerked him back to reality, and his heart soared. He recognized that cursed energy—it was Yuta's.
Footsteps thundered down the hallway outside the room, followed by a muffled shout. The curse user glanced over his shoulder, his expression shifting to one of fear, but before he could react, the door burst open, and Yuta stormed in, eyes blazing.
"Toge!" Yuta's gaze locked onto him, and the fury in his eyes softened. Relief flooded his face, and without hesitation, he moved forward, releasing the chains that held Inumaki.
Inumaki sagged forward, and Yuta caught him, his arms warm and steady as he pulled Inumaki close. "You're safe now," he whispered, his voice choked with relief.
Inumaki looked up, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Salmon…" he managed softly, leaning into Yuta's warmth.
Yuta pulled back just enough to cup Inumaki's face, his thumb brushing softly along his cheek. "I was so worried," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "But I knew I'd find you."
As they left, Inumaki stayed close to Yuta's side, his heart finally at ease, knowing he was safe and that Yuta would always come for him.