Chapter Text
*Two months later*
*Akihito*
For nearly a month I've been locked in this cage only getting crumbs to eat, two chances to go to the bathroom, and whenever Fei Long wanted his fun with me. Except the one day my shoulder was put into a sling for an undisclosed amount of time. I haven't spoken to anyone except Fei Long or Yoh in weeks. I stopped trying to talk to Tao whenever he brings the near empty trays to me. At this point I think I'm going to go insane if I can't get away from here.
I can't take much more of this.
Not only did he tattoo me without my permission, but he keeps starting fights with me over Asami just to have something to get mad about. Hell, I remember the argument that Fei Long and I got into which lead to me being locked in this cage like an animal. It keeps playing in my head. It happened right after he forced me to please him because he wanted to know what made me so valuable to Asami.
***
"Why?" I asked quietly.
"Why what, Akihito?"
"Why did you make me do that?" I asked glaring at my hands.
"Because you are Asami's toy." He smirked when I looked up at him. "You mean a great deal to him if he took shots for you, and I simply wanted to see if you were really worth it."
"You're sick!" I glared at him standing with my fists clenched.
"You enjoyed it too, Akihito." He stated gesturing to my splattered torso. "There weren't any drugs used this time." He pointed out. "What's your defense."
"I-" I didn't have a logical defense. "I-"
"Exactly, Akihito; you're just as sick as me." He smirked standing in front of me. "You're just a masochist aren't you?"
"I'm nothing like you!" I shouted at him. "You and Asami are exactly the same!" I shoved at his chest. "I hate you for what you've done!"
"How dare you?!" He shoved me knocking me off my feet. "I am nothing like Asami!" He gripped my chin tightly making me face him. "To be compared to such a despicable man, and by such a swine as yourself."
"If the shoe fits, wear it, Fei Long." I snapped with a glare and he pushed my face to the side with enough force that I was laying in the floor now.
"I wonder what Asami sees in you." He walked slow circles around me. "You're nothing more than a pretty face; there's nothing special about you."
"You think I don't know that?" I sat up still glaring at him. "I don't need to be reminded by the likes of you that I'm worthless!"
"I could just sell you off to the highest bidder." He held my face again. "There's bound to be someone looking for a pretty little play thing."
"What would you have to bargain with then?" I asked trying to hide the fear I felt at his threat. "If I'm so valuable to Asami why would you just throw me away."
"You aren't the only important thing in Asami's life." He remarked letting go of my chin.
"Than just let me go home!" I yelled. "You bastard!"
He punched me knocking me to the floor again before kneeling in front of me holding his wounded stomach. "You don't seem to understand the gravity of the situation you are in." I winced when he grabbed my jaw. "Angering me isn't in your best interest."
"Neither is being here." I stated quietly.
"That's the smartest thing I've heard you say since I met you." He commented standing up. "Perhaps you aren't so useless after all."
I jumped to my feet. "You bastard!" I shouted earning a harsh glare and another shove landing me right back on the floor. I just stood again. "It's not like I chose to come here!" I pushed his shoulder. "I'd be home or out on a job right now if it wasn't for you!" I shoved him again. "I'd be with-" I cut myself off and backed away from him.
"Asami?" He sneered. "You'd be with Asami?" He pulled me closer to him and gripped my chin yet again making me grit my teeth from the pain. "I have no intentions of returning you to him, you are merely a pawn in a larger plan to take him down."
I don't know what I was thinking, or if I was even thinking, but I lunged at him with intensions of hitting him, but that failed epically when he side stepped and sent his elbow into the center of my back roughly making me yet again wind up on the floor and irritating my already hurt shoulder from the impact.
"YOH!" He called out angerly with a foot on my back. "Lock him up until he learns his place." A swift kick to my ribs had me gasping for breath just before Yoh forced me to my feet and hauled me to the cage cuffing my hand to one of the bars.
***
*Present*
That was nearly a month ago, and now I'm confined to a cage like an animal with my hands cuffed together for days at a time until Fei Long gets bored, needs to vent stress or anger, or if he just wants to prove his power over me.
I don't even bother to try and fight Yoh anymore when he comes to get me since I know it's pointless, and I just don't have the energy to. I don't get but scraps and crumbs for food because Tao eats whatever food he's supposed to be bringing me before it ever gets to me. It's starting to take a toll on my body, and I don't think anyone has noticed yet because nothing has changed in weeks.
"Akihito?" Yoh asked quietly kneeling in front of the cage eyeing me closely. "Are you okay?"
"Does Fei Long want to see me?" I asked avoiding his eyes and question.
"Not tonight." He answered. "I was told to relay to you that he has some business to take care of that will have him away for a few days, and to behave while he's gone."
"It's not like I can do anything anyway." I sighed. "I'm tired Yoh." I said quietly. "I-"
"Akihito?" He interrupted me. "Don't give up yet." Was all he said before standing slowly and walking away again.
***
Two days. It was two days before I'd seen either Yoh or Fei Long again. I was surprised to see Fei Long instead of Yoh, but I wasn't even in a condition to acknowledge him when he entered the room; much less show any surprise that I felt. He looked worried when he saw me, but again I gave no response again only slightly tilting my head to look at him better.
"What happened?" He asked sounding angry making me flinch slightly since I had no idea what he was talking about.
"I-" I cleared my throat and tried again. "I don't know."
"What happened while I was gone, Akihito?" He asked and I just looked at him confused before he sighed opening the door and stood back allowing me to leave.
I feel like this is some sort of test. Almost a month of eating scraps and he expects me to be able to leave on my own? Is it that he's not aware?
He knelt down to meet my eyes better and reached a hand out to me. I slowly reached for it and he pulled me towards him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders before pulling me from the cage. "You're under my personal care now." He growled making me tense. "Yoh!" Upon Fei Long's shout Yoh burst into the room gun drawn making me jump and burry my face into Fei Long's side. He tightened his hold on my shoulders as he talked with Yoh in Chinese. It sounded like he was getting angrier as the conversation progressed. I risked looking up again before gently tugging on the edge of Fei Long's sleeve making him look down at me.
"Shouldn't y-you be r-resting?" I asked quietly.
"I'm fine." He answered before nearly dragging me out of the room. He gently lead into his room again. "I was not aware that you'd been neglected, Akihito, and I will fix this." He sounded angry, and for the first time in a month it wasn't directed at me.
"I t-thought you were d-doing it on purpose." I responded looking down at my unsteady feet. "T-Tao was only giving m-me scraps a-and crumbs." He stopped walking making me almost fall. I looked up at him for a second before looking at the floor. "Don't be mad at him, p-please?"
"Why shouldn't I be mad about you purposely being starved for weeks, Akihito?" I could feel the glare boring into the back of my head.
"I-I deserve i-it." I said barely audible.
"What?" Both men asked as Fei Long turned me so that I was facing him.
"I DESERVE IT!" I shouted landing a weak hit on his chest before Yoh grabbed my wrist tightly, to tightly; it felt like he was going to break it. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" I couldn't help the cries that left my mouth.
"Yoh!" He said something to him in Chinese.
He let me go with a shove and I lost my balance. If Fei Long hadn't been holding me up I would have been on the floor. I seem to be spending so much time on the floor nowadays. They proceeded to argue in Chinese and eventually Yoh left and Fei Long lead me to the couch in his room, but I just slid onto the floor instead of sitting on the couch.
"Akihito-"
"I'm s-sorry." I said quietly. "You w-were shot b-because of m-me." I continued with a sigh. "I-I'm sorry."
"Yoh will be back soon with your lunch." He avoided my apologies.
I nodded and laid my head on my knees hugging my knees to my chest. I just stayed like that until Yoh came back with food almost ten minutes later. I know Fei Long was watching me the whole time because I could feel his eyes on me. Even while I picked at the food in front of me he was watching me. I pushed the plate away and wrapped my arm around my knees again. Laying my head on my knees I just sat there while they stared at me for a few minutes before they started talking in Chinese.
If they didn't want me to know what they were saying why didn't they just leave me in the cage?
I was starting to dose off by the time either of them addressed me, but I was so close to sleep that I just ignored them. I intend to sleep most of my time in here away. My pretense of being asleep was probably made more believable by me somehow not jumping or flinching when they addressed me. I felt a blanket get placed over my shoulders as they continued talking. I was woken up a few hours later by the need to vomit, but since I didn't know where a bathroom was I opted for a nearby trashcan. Fei Long and Yoh were both at my side in seconds. Yoh was running his hand up and down my back while Fei Long just had his hand on my shoulder. They waited until I had finally stopped vomiting and dry heaving to hand me a towel and ask if I was okay. I just nodded not trusting my voice.
I hate being sick.
Yoh held a bottle of water out to me. I took it and rinsed my mouth out before greedily gulping most of it down. They both yelled for me to slow down, but it soothed my throat so I didn't until it was taken away from me and Fei Long repeated that I needed to slow down or I'd make myself sick again. After making sure I was okay again Fei Long helped me to my feet before leading me over to his bed making me tense and initially try to back away.
"Not today, Akihito." Fei Long said quietly. "Just rest here until dinner." I let him push me towards the bed. If he tried anything it's not like I could stop him anyway; even if I wanted to. "Get some sleep; I'll wake you up in a couple hours."
***
*Fei Long*
"Yoh, dispose of that and bring me Tao." I ordered once Akihito had fallen asleep again. "Make sure to tell him to be quiet this time. If he wakes Akihito up again; like last time; I won't be so forgiving." I glanced back at Akihito sleeping on my bed.
Poor kid doesn't belong in this world. What the hell is Asami thinking keeping him by his side. The kid is tough, that's undeniable, but he doesn't have what it takes to survive long in this world. He is far to trusting and kind hearted. He's going to get broken, and when that happens he's going to shatter. It's already starting.
Asami, you fool.
I sighed just as Tao came in. When I fixed my glare on Tao he cowered away and looked at the floor. "Look at me!" I growled at him. "Have you been starving him?" I gestured towards the bed where Akihito was still sleeping. His silence gave me the answer I already knew. "He's useless if he's dead, Tao!" I raised my voice and glanced at the bed making sure I didn't wake him up. "As of today he is now a guest here, and he will be treated as such." He didn't respond. "Am I clear, Tao?"
"No!" He shouted in response. "He's mean! He hurt you, and he's always complaining; even in his sleep, and-" I was in front of him in seconds, but just as I was going to slap him my wrist was grabbed.
I looked up shocked to see Akihito holding my wrist. His eyes were glassy like he was trying not to cry. "Please don't." His voice cracked. "He's just a child." He moved so that he was between a trembling Tao and me. "Violence isn't always the answer."
"Tao, go to your room, we'll talk about this later." My eyes never left Akihito's as I gave the order. His eyes clouded over like he was remembering something from the past; his past. "Why did you interfere?"
"He's a child." He said quietly. "He's not your child which means he's either your ward- entrusted to you, or adopted."
"How do you know he's not mine?" I asked surprised that he noticed so quickly.
"He looks nothing like you, and he has no similarities in features to like like he would be a relatives child." He pointed out like it's obvious. "I will protect him for as long as I am here; even if that means going against you."
"You are full of surprises." I smiled at him. "It'll be fun breaking you."
"You can try." He snapped. "It won't be easy." He let go of my wrist. "Leave Tao out of your stupid games."
He just turned and left the room as Yoh came in. He looked between me and his retreating form before coming over to me. I just smirked because Akihito just gave me a challenge, and meet it I would. I will win this game, Takaba Akihito.
"Yoh, keep an eye on him, and do not interfere if he tries to spend time with Tao." I commanded making him look at me confused. "I want them to get close." I stated. "He just showed a weakness, and it'll be easily manipulated."
"You don't intend to hurt Tao do you?" He asked eyeing me suspiciously.
"Of course not."
"Then how are you going to use him against the boy?"
"I have time to figure that out." Psychological warfare; the easiest way to get the toughest of men to break.
***
*Akihito*
I was slowly wondering around the halls when I found Tao in a room by himself crying. I knocked gently on the partly opened door before pushing it open and stepping in slowly.
"Tao?" I asked kneeling in front of the boy sitting on the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?" He looked up at me and the tear tracks on his face broke my heart.
"Why are you here?" He asked in perfect Japanese. If I wasn't so worried about him I'd probably be annoyed as hell fight now.
"I heard you crying." I answered quietly. "I wanted to make sure that you're okay."
"Why do you care?" He asked rudely.
"Because no child deserves to be treated like that." I looked down at my hands. "No matter what they've done." When I looked up at him again he looked confused. "What's done is done, it's best to leave the past in the past."
"You're not mad because of what I did?" He asked looking confused again.
"No, I deserved it." I answered. "I may not have been the one who hurt Fei Long, but I am the one responsible for his wound." Yoh picked that moment to come into the room. I stood up blocking Tao from his view and glared at him. "What do you want?"
"Fei Long would like to speak to Tao." He stated trying to look around me but I blocked his view.
"Not alone he's not." I argued.
"It doesn't concern you." He stated stepping closer. "You'd do well not to mettle in clan business." He reached towards me but I slapped his hand away. "You'll only anger him anymore than you already have."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take." I growled. "If Fei Long has an issue with me he can take it up with me; not Tao." I glanced behind me before glaring at Yoh and laughed in his face. "Oh, I get it now; it's to hard for him to control me." I taunted. Yoh glared and rushed me grabbing my throat tightly.
"Mind your words!" He spat in my face.
"So it's true?" I asked in a strained voice trying to breathe. "He only goes after those weaker than him." His grip tightened a fraction and instinctually I grabbed his wrist at the same time that Tao tried to push him away from me. "Tao! Don't get involved."
"I should add stupid, and a hero complex to your information." Yoh smirked tightening his hold again completely cutting off my air. "How long can you go without air?"
"I-I hit a n-nerve." I choked out.
"You disrespectful brat!" He lifted me so that my feet were barely touching the floor.
"Yoh!" Fei Long walked into the room just as my vision was going dark.
Yoh punched my stomach taking what little bit of air I had. He threw me to the side and glared down at me as coughed and tried to take as much air as I could. "Damn punk." He sneered kicking my leg.
"You-" I couldn't catch my breath, no matter how hard I tried. I felt the strength leave me as darkness completely took over my vision. "-bastard" I crumpled to the floor when the arm I was supporting myself with gave out.
***
*Fei Long*
"Take him to my room and properly restrain him." I ordered.
"Yes, boss."
"Yoh." I stopped him turning to look at him over my shoulder. "Don't go that far with him again; he needs to remain undamaged."
"Understood." He left with an unconscious Akihito over his shoulder.
"Tao, make friends with him." I ordered. "Do whatever it takes to get close to him."
"Okay." He looked confused.
"Make friends with him, and I'll forget about your earlier discretions and disobedience." I assured and watched as his eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Of course, now go see to dinner, our guest is going to need all of his strength when he wakes up." He nodded and scurried away. "He's definitely going to need every ounce of energy he can get."
***
Almost an hour later he finally came to, but when I looked in his eyes they were different. Lifeless and dull. This isn't the Akihito that I took from Asami. The bruises on his throat are concerning, and aside from saying Tao's name upon waking up he hasn't made a sound. He's just staring blankly at nothing. He's hardly even moved. Granted, I know it's a little hard to move when your tied up, but after he woke up he just laid there. That was almost two hours ago.
This is definitely not normal behavior for him from what my men have told me of him. As a matter of curiosity I untied him just to see if he was going to react, but all he did was turn on his side. I don't know what to do with him.
Deciding to just get on with what I needed to do I just left Akihito in my room and made my way to my office. I need to catch up on my neglected work. Three days worth of damage control, missed calls, reports, and paperwork is what awaited me. This is the part of being the leader that I hate the most. The desk work. I'm a more hands on type of person, so being in the thick of it is where I prefer to be. I always have.
I was informed by Yoh that Akihito finally did something besides just lay there staring into space after he'd received his dinner. Hours later I was also pleasantly surprised to learn of Tao sitting in my room with him trying to make friends. From what was reported Akihito still hasn't spoken; I hope Yoh hasn't caused damage to his throat. I'll give it a day or two to see what happens.
It has crossed my mind that the depression or PTSD mentioned in his background check might be flaring up. I just know that it's going to make playing games with him much riskier now. I can't break him to much or Asami won't come for him. Although, if he doesn't come for him I guess that means that I can just keep Akihito for myself. Even if Asami does come; if my plans work out I'll still be able to keep Akihito for myself since Asami will be eliminated once and for all.
***
It took a few days before Akihito was back to his regular argumentative self. It worked out on more than one front since it gave more time for him and Tao to become closer, he was eating regularly now without issue, and He officially has my mark on him so even if he manages to escape the estate no one will help him; he's stuck in Hongkong. The tattoo on his hand is actually what it took to get him to speak again, and speak he did; he was absolutely livid about being branded and made sure that it was made known quite loudly. He is allowed to roam the estate freely as long as the chores I set for him are completed. With some convincing from Tao he is also learning Chinese.
Of course, I had to have my fun with him nearly every night, so most days he wakes up late. For someone who is as athletic as he is he has no stamina. It's almost comedic. Two rounds is all he can stand before he falls asleep. It begs the question; what does Asami see in him. Having Tao get close to him worked out better than I expected. Threatening to not allow them to see each other anymore was all it took to get him to cooperate and agree to meet me whenever I wanted him to.