"Teacher!" Arata opened his mouth feeling the release begin seeping from his brain as the truth was about to be thrown out in the open when Reo interrupted abruptly. Riko glared at him sorely, Arata witnessed the innocent smile hiding sinister tendencies work on Riko's mood.
"This is a very private meeting Reo, this better be important." His voice was stern but Arata could already tell Riko was under his spell.
"It's a family emergency for Arata, I need him right now." Riko looked at Arata poorly, he was seconds away from finding out the truth. Arata gave him a frightening smile before standing up in defeat.
"Sorry teacher maybe next time." Arata threw on his jacket and stormed from the office, after shutting the door he grabbed Reo by the back of the collar and slammed him into a nearby trashcan. Reo sprawled out on the floor like a dead fish.
"Nicely played little mouse, who knew you were such a great listener." Reo wiped the trash from his uniform and stood up proudly. Arata hated that tight smirk that kept plaguing his face, he wanted to rip off his lips.
"Praise me more. That could have been bothersome for Haruka, you should be more reserved considering you're an accessory." Arata tutted before slamming open a nearby window and lighting up a cigarette. As the nicotine flushed through his blood stream a slight calm came over him.
"Like I give a sh*t anymore. Do you know what happens when people throw you away?" Reo leaned out of the window childishly shaking his head.
"They find a new owner like a broken dog. Funny thing is…I wasn't the one who was thrown away." Reo pouted as if in deep thought about something. Arata took a drag and flicked the ash in Reo's face.
"Tsk so you think I have a chance?" Arata looked at him wide eyed, just how twisted was this kid?
"A chance? Nah your way to broken already, the damage is already done meaning it's no fun for him. To be honest at first glance I thought you were perfect for his new disciple. Then you opened that f*cking mouth and I felt at ease." Reo gritted his teeth and began walking away in a huff when he stopped looking at Arata peculiarly.
"Why does it sound like your protecting me?" Arata choked on the smoke before bursting into laughter. Reo watched in discomfort watching his hysterical laughing fill the corridor.
"Take a look at me mouse. Does this look fun to you?" Arata pressed the cigarette against his hand not even wincing as if pain didn't apply to him before facing off with Reo. As Reo looked up at him his eyes looker blacker than night and scary.
"I'm a f*cking psychopath and it's all his fault. If you want to waste your life hunting, then be my guest but don't come crying to me when he gets bored of you. As for your report tell him I'm one mouthful away from exposing everything because I don't care anymore." Reo shuddered as he swept past him, his aura was menacing. So intense his legs almost gave out, he wanted power but seeing the mental toll it had taken on Arata he questioned if being with Haruka was a good idea. How do you come back from insanity?"
---------------------------------------------School Gates-------------------------------
"Arata, what's up?" Akira was waiting with his usual cheerful smile which disappeared seeing the thunder on Arata's face. Arata sped past him as if running away from someone. Akira ran to catch up.
"Hey what's eating you?" Arata sighed and threw his bag off a nearby wall.
"It's his cousin he's a student at our school, he's like a f*cking leech he just latches on and won't go of me. I've had enough!" Arata panted heavily feeling his bloodlust writhing through his veins. Akira hadn't seen him so pissed before but hearing Haruka had connections on the inside trapped him.
"Don't worry about it If he becomes a bother, I'll rough him up a bit." Arata chuckled at him dragging his bag from the floor.
"Roughing him up won't do a f*cking thing, he's god damn twisted in the head he'd probably enjoy the attention. I wish I could strangle the little bastard." Arata began storming off again when he noticed there wasn't any footsteps behind him. Akira looked really troubled as if trying to sow his own lips shut. Arata backtracked glaring for him to say it.
"Do you really mean the stuff you say. Like killing others, do you truly mean it?" Arata felt that pain in his chest again and his question stole his breath away. It took him a while to come up with a solid answer, admitting your wrongs was tougher than he was expecting.
"It's all I've known for two years and if the opportunity presented itself, I would do it in a heartbeat." Akira looked disappointed in his answer and slowly began walking trying to process Arata's words. Arata walked beside him trying to figure out what he was thinking. Arata thought of a better way to put it.
"It's sorta like heroin, you get a high from it but when it comes to stopping the withdrawal and pain that comes after is bone crushing but I'm doing my best Akira. It's not as easy as you think." Akira began to understand just a little.
"I know it's not my place because I wasn't there in those two years but why didn't you tell me sooner or the day you were attacked. I would have beat those guys within an inch of their lives and told Haruka to f*ck off away from my best friend. What was it about him that attracted you?" Arata slowed his pace a little stunned those words were coming out of the usually kind Akira's mouth.
"Um…I guess it was power. I was a weak little brat obsessed with self-pity and he forced me out of that pit and taught me what real dominance was like. Instead of someone taking from me I decided to turn the tables and take for myself. You had a good rep in school. You were good and sports, picking up girls and studying. I
was none of those things if anything I was a burden to you." Akira stopped and slammed Arata up against the wall with tears in his eyes.
"You were never a burden to me! I looked after you because I knew it was what you needed and if you just talked to me then you wouldn't be who you are now!" Arata relaxed his body feeling his spirit break into pieces.
"So, you do hate me after all." He said defeated, at times like this he wished his emotions would shut off, Akira looked so hurt he didn't confide in him. Akira scoffed.
"Are you a f*cing idiot? I already told you I could never hate you! I've been with you since junior school, you were always by my side so when you distanced yourself from me, it hurt okay idiot!" Arata eyes widened…that's what he was upset about? The fact they didn't spend time together anymore.
"I'm sorry, you must have been lonely but don't say too many nice things. I'm gay you know." He said tauntingly pulling his face closer. Akira released his collar and tutted.
"Idiot! Come on let's go home." Arata smiled to himself before following closely beside. Finally, he felt at peace hearing just how important he was to Akira. This was true friendship, what he had become accustomed too was nightmare material not relationship material. Every day he fell out of love with Haruka even more. It made him think back to their second kill together.
----------------------------------Flashback------------------------
"Why are you standing there like a retard get over here." Haruka had a woman tied up in his kitchen with all of her limbs smashed to pieces, she looked like a living doll with glassy eyes and ragged hair. Arata stood there frozen wondering whether to run or beg on his knees to live. Haruka ideals still hadn't of been explained so Arata still felt like fresh meat just waiting to be savaged by a pack of wild wolves.
Arata covered his mouth and shuffled over, the smell was overwhelming. Haruka laughed as Arata began to wretch. Her tongue hung out of her mouth like a rabid dog and her guts where exposed to the open world.
"It's hard to stomach at first but you'll get used to it. So, your going to stay in this room until I say so." Arata looked at him in shock, Haruka smiled and shook his head as he swept past him. Arata felt a sickening cold come over him as his world slowed down. Haruka shot through the kitchen door, Arata tried to run out but the hard wood door slammed in his face knocking him to the ground.
"You'll be fine Arata, why don't you talk to her for a while." Arata began sobbing into the corner unable to look at the woman anymore. Haruka's muffled voice had one solid message. Until you can comfortably deal with the dead you weren't welcome here.
For two hours he sat staring at the same door crack peeling with white paint, he'd vomited twice unable to cope with the stench emanating from the grotesque corpse less than ten feet away from him. Arata couldn't understand why he would do something so cruel, better yet how exactly had this woman died. Was it from getting her tongue ripped out? Maybe it was the shock from getting her limbs smashed most likely from a blunt force object judging from the blood blisters on her wounds. Or maybe it was from getting her stomach slit open, but people can survive without their intestines for up to 2 hours.
Before Arata knew It, he was standing in-front of the woman assessing her injuries, his sickness seemed to vanish and his eyes didn't avert, if anything he found the spectacle before him interesting. His hands outstretched to touch her but retracted seeing the flies flying around her drooping head. When could he get out of here? Three hours was enough surely, what was Haruka trying to prove.
"Good job Rat you finally went near her, let me ask you do you feel sick now?" Arata shook his head still mesmerized by her, or in other words slowly being traumatized by the scene. Haruka unlocked the kitchen door and creeped up behind him. Arata felt a large force push him forward snapping him out of his daze. As he landed on something squishy it took him a few seconds to realize his face was in her chest looking down at the intestines below him. Arata screamed and began crawling backwards until his back hit Haruka's feet. Haruka looked down on him laughing hysterically.
"Yeah, I'd probably act the same touching my first corpse, but you did good. I'll reward you." Haruka launched him up and took his hand leading him upstairs. Arata was expecting something sexual as they entered the bedroom but Haruka ignored him and walked over to the closest. As the doors swung open Arata almost wet himself. Muffled screams echoed throughout the desolate room until it rang inside if his ears.
"I found you a fellow friend or masochist, I picked him up at a bar. He said his kink was being tied up, so I helped him with that." Arata walked forward a few steps, this guy wasn't much older than eighteen and had bright blue eyes and black hair meaning he was a foreigner. His blue eyes were screaming for help as the rope cut into his skin, he was twisted like a pretzel and may as well be covered in barb wire.
"H-H-Haruka why is he here?" Haruka smirked before dragging the boy upwards and throwing him onto the bed. Something about his eyes made Arata unnerved, this obviously was his reward but Arata didn't want another person to die in-front of him.
"He doesn't belong to a brothel or prostitution service so nobody will be looking for him isn't that great." Haruka smiled proudly as if begging for praise so Arata tapped into survival mode and played his games.
"Y-Yeah that's g-great well done." Haruka chuckled and grabbed Arata's chin tightly. Arata flinched waiting for a heavy blow but startled when Haruka's lips pressed against his prying open his mouth making room for his tongue. Arata felt drool dribble down his cheek as he gasped for air. Haruka released him, Arata stood with shaking legs looking at the man on the bed unable to comprehend what the hell was happening right now.
"Your too cute Arata but if you don't stop that stuttering, I'll make sure you'll never speak again." Arata nodded enthusiastically, how could he not stutter? His whole body was shaking in fear.
"Okay it's time to play, take off your clothes." Arata felt tears fall from his cheeks. Not this again, he couldn't take it, his mind was breaking at the seams. The muffled cries of the young boy embedded itself in his psyche. Haruka watched him fumble with his buttons too afraid make any large movement. In frustration he grabbed Arata shirt and ripped it open revealing his porcelain white skin below. Slowly he stripped looking at the young boy the whole time. Haruka leaned over the bed and ripped the tape from his mouth.
"PLEASE! KID PLEASE HELP ME!" Arata looked away shamefully, he was this boy's lifeline but was too afraid to oppose Haruka. When he was in this mood the slightest thing knocked him off balance and the true psychopath would peak from his mask.
"Listen to that Arata, he wants you to help him. Come here." Haruka outstretched his hand gently, Arata took it as a warning and took it faster than light, he slowly dragged his over the sheet until he was sitting right next to the boy. Both of them were crying uncontrollable. The way he looked at Arata made him feel deceiving, but Arata wasn't a victim like him. That was the day he became an accomplice.
"W-What do you want me to do?" Arata said wiping the snot from his nose but Haruka was studying intensely as if waiting for something. As he giggled to himself his mouth clenched close to Arata's ear.
"This is the last night of his life, why don't you make it pleasurable for him." Arata looked at the naked boy seeing the kindness behind Haruka's words. If it was going to be his last moments, he may as well make them good. Arata nodded before performing oral sex on the man.
"No! STOP, I DON'T WANT THIS IT HURTS." Haruka tutted and gripped the boy's face sternly.
"It's his first time so give him a break, anyway it looks like your enjoying it." The young boy looked down to see his body reacting on its own. Haruka lifted Arata head which was teary eyed and expressionless.
"That's more like it, you see emotions are a fascinating thing to me. But…it's funny how a broken spirit can rip those away isn't it." Arata's face was stone cold as the trauma sunk it, all of that fear and sympathy disappeared as he looked into the boy's eyes one last time.
"Keep going Arata, I'll help him too." Arata bowed his head once more but when the boys body started to shudder and convulse, he glanced up to see Haruka hand planted firmly on his throat. Haruka gave him a glare as if forcing him to continue. Listlessly he continued until the boy stopped moving and those high-pitched wheezes came to a halt.
"Damn, he died quicker than I thought, maybe it was the shock. What do you think?" Arata sat on the bed unable to move or speak looking at the glassy eyes of the young boy before him. He was alive mere seconds ago and it one quick snap his whole world had gone black. Haruka traced the blood-stained rope burns on his body and wiped on Arata's face.
"Now the fun can really begin, bend over."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was the first time Haruka had sex with him and throughout he felt nothing as if he was paralyzed. As he walked side by side with Akira, his stomach churned, and his body burned recalling the agonizing pain of the event. Slowly but surely his emotions were coming back to him. Anger, sadness, trauma, happiness, belonging all hit him at once.
"Arata? You look pale." Akira noticed the colour drain from his face as he gripped a nearby fence for support. Before Akira could help him Arata vomited so hard he thought his stomach would fall out of his mouth. Akira quickly fumbled in his bag for a towel and dapped the stomach acid from Arata's lips. He looked completely comatose as if stuck in his nightmare.
"Hey! Look at me." Arata glanced at him dazed, Akira had never seen such wild eyes in his life and began working out what was happening to him.
"Listen to me it's not real. What ever your thinking about is in the past." Arata gave him an idiotic look before bending down to catch his breath.
"I feel everything Akira…I forgot what it was like to feel sick or sad. Somethings really wrong with me." Akira had never felt such sympathy towards someone, it was as if Arata was an alien trying to adjust to a human lifestyle and he was struggling immensely. Akira helped him up and mended a shoulder for him.
"What were you thinking about?" he asked sheepishly as they walked up to Akira's street. Arata huffed blowing the stray strands of ebony hair from his eyes.
"You really want to know?" he asked daringly, Akira gulped before nodding. Arata looked around suspiciously before taking a deep breath.
"I remembered the second time we killed together. I sucked a guy off while he strangled the life out of him. After that he f*cked me blind for three hours." Akira also felt nauseated.
"No wondering you spewed your guts up, I'd be sick too. Don't worry you don't have to do that anymore just stay with me and everything will be fine." Arata smirked at his naïve comment, he had no idea just how deep the rabbit hole festered and as his eyes focused a familiar shadow peeked from the horizon.
"If only it were that easy."