The (h/c) haired girl chuckled with her companions as she enjoyed an iced coffee her little slave had fetched her. He had whined about it being far too early for him, but in the end, he had listened. It couldn't have been that hard in the first place if he actually did it. She scoffed, untwisting her legs before placing them back down, her right foot placed over the other upon her own personal ottoman. It squeaked at first but remained silent when she glared at it fiercely.
The boy, a bluenette with soft cyan eyes, remained under her feet, as he did most days. Nonetheless, he remained silent, not daring to say a peep. And yet, for all of his efforts, when she grew bored of his boring emotionless reaction, she took her coffee and dumped it on his head, flicking the cup to his forehead as well. In doing so, the male flinched and shivered, the cold feeling of the liquid seeping into his overly expensive uniform. The whites of the fabric were stained with the coffee, the male certain to get a thorough scolding when the teacher arrived.
"What's wrong?" the girl cooed sarcastically, squeezing the male's cheeks together, "I only thought a nice shower would get rid of your pathetic stench. It's only a shame I didn't have any water, so I had to make do, but you'll forgive me, won't you, Yuuto?"
The male's cheeks flared a bright pink as she caressed his face. Her grip on him then suddenly lessened, and she lovingly stroked his face, giving him a concerned expression as tears flooded down her face. She removed her feet from his back and moved to the floor quickly, her companions pretending to look elsewhere as she did so. They coughed awkwardly, suppressing the desire to interrupt the scene.
(Y/n) practically shook as she hugged the boy, noting each and every bandage on his hands alone. It made her sniffle and bend down to hold the boy's hand to her forehead. Seeing him in such a state gave her cause to tremble. The sight broke the boy's heart. He held her tightly to his chest, nuzzling her head while murmuring that it would be alright. As she wept, he continued to support her, despite her wish to protect him in such a manner.
"What happened to you? Who did that? Why didn't you tell me? I-I...Yuuto...please!"
The bluenette held her tighter to him, kissing away her tears. She was so delicate, so very vulnerable. The poor thing had no recollection of what was going on. It had been days since she'd last emerged in such a manner. Her own mind a trap, she was chained inside it, another piece of her tearing apart what she held the closest to her heart. How was he supposed to abandon her when she was in such a state?
"It's alright, (Y/n). It'll be just fine. I just fell down. I'll be better before you know it."
The younger girl looked up at him with misty eyes. Leaning into his touch, she accepted his words, desperately wishing him pleasure above all. With only a few blinks, he had turned from a young and innocent boy to a responsible young man. If only she could have been his protector forever, but he became her protector before she knew it. It hurt. And he could see it in her eyes that it hurt. But he couldn't help beyond giving her a warm embrace or speaking some calming words to ease her fears.
He lovingly continued to ease her tears, rocking her back and forth with a focused but soft gaze. All he wanted was to bring this her to the surface; to let her be as she was when they were younger; the true her. But he couldn't do that. He couldn't even help her get a psychiatrist, her alter-ego halting him from even trying. Telling others was futile, he knew that well. So, at the very least, he should have protected her in that state. That was the right thing to do...wasn't it? Wasn't it?
Before he was able to catch the answer he'd been chasing for so long, the male felt a hand on his cheek for a split second. After pausing, the pain surged in, the bluenette seeing red. He let out a yelp, pressing two fingers to his philtrum, narrowing his eyes in disappointment when he felt something wet. Pulling it away, he was given even more confirmation that she had yet again broken his nose. He wasn't so much hurt by the abuse he was given. Rather, he was in pain over letting the vulnerable version of her slip through his arms. She was gone again...and he didn't know when she was going to return. So he wept.
"Who told you that you could touch me?!" the (h/c) haired girl yelled, proceeding to kick the male hard in the gut, watching him spit up blood, "How dare you put your filthy hands on me! Half-blood! Freak! Trash!"
Yuuto remained in place, accepting the harm done upon his physical and mental form. He gave an emotionless gaze to the floor, losing himself in his memories of the past. It was the only thing that helped him get through it all. He remembered the way he would have to pick her up off the ground when she scraped it or the tea parties she would throw him. She used to be so tiny and fragile, always following him around like a duckling, looking for guidance.
He supposed he should have been proud of her then. Seeing her now, she had an entire squad that followed her every wish. Her money was the real reason for it, but she controlled them nonetheless through thick and thin. If she wanted them to beat him up, they would, and if she wanted them to humiliate others, they would. He smiled. At the very least she wasn't in such a state alone. Better company than being alone, confused, and lost.
"What the hell are you smiling at?!" one of them snapped, grabbing and yanking his hair up to show the others his faulty expression.
"He's lost his mind..."
"I bet he's into it! Someone needs another cold shower to chill the fuck out..."
"I'm all out of a drink because of you," (Y/n) snapped, digging her heel into the male's already bandaged hand, "Useless bastard."
Grabbing at the male's collar - which she had "lovingly" gifted him - she tugged him behind her like a pet on a leash. Each passerby stared with mocking laughter, pointing at the male dragged to such lows by the very girl he'd been engaged to since birth. The girl didn't even give him the satisfaction of having a dog's collar. It was pink in color with a bell attached to it, used to establish his role as her toy. He never took it off; never dared to.
Even as she choked him with her harsh pulls, he bore with it, gagging at times from the force applied to his throat. The pain and uncomfortable humiliation brightened his cheeks. His pride had long been extinguished. So, when she and the rest of her posse led him to the pool, he didn't even react as they pushed his head into the water. At first, he didn't even struggle against them. Only when began to run out of air did he try to fight against it, his lungs begging him for just a bit of oxygen. However, they kept him down, forcing him under the water. Still, he could hear their distorted laughter below the chlorinated water.
It wasn't long before he lost his consciousness, but he should have counted himself lucky they didn't leave him in the pool. They weren't so cruel as to leave him to drown to death. He awoke with his upper body drenched in water and coughing up water. Laying upon the concrete surrounding the body of water, he took in deep breaths, shaking. Placing his arms over his chest, clenching onto his soaked and stained uniform's sleeves, he rolled his head to the side, staring at his reflection in the pool's waters. He was pathetic.
Dragging himself up and to the nurse's office, he didn't dare to look the woman in the eyes. In the beginning, she had been kind. She used to worry over his injuries and begged him to make a report to the headmaster. But when he entered every single day, bruised and battered and bloody, she became tired of him. He was just another responsibility on her plate, something that, if gone, she wouldn't have to deal with. If he vanished, she would have more free time. That was how most thought of him.
The woman ignored the male, letting him patch himself up. She just stared at him as he gathered bandages and antiseptics. There was no mirror for him to have ease applying the stuff, and it only stung like a wasp's prick. It was a daily routine, but he still couldn't act as though he were experienced. Rather, he learned slowly, having been returning home with loose bandages or misapplied salves for years.
As he tended to his stomach, past wounds opening from the abuse of (Y/n) and her friends' kicks, the door slid open. He wasn't surprised to find the girl entering the office with another male in tow. It was simply that he hadn't seen the ravenette before. He must have been new, new enough to look at him with concern. Yuuto wondered if he was told that the girl on his arm inflicted such wounds on him, if he would look at her the same. Probably. She was beautiful, after all, and rich enough to bribe whoever she wanted.
"Get out," the girl scowled, directing her statement to the nurse.
The woman didn't hesitate to listen. Leaving without a second thought, she slid the door shut behind her, shrugging. That left Yuuto alone with his childhood friend and her new boy toy. Again, it didn't come as a shock she didn't yell at him to leave. She didn't care if he watched. In fact, at that point, he believed she actually preferred it. It had happened before where she had taken her "companion" into the nurse's office while he was recovering from her treatment of him. As the bluenette tried to sneak a peek at the girl, he found her staring at him with a smirk as she passionately kissed the male, her arms around his neck and resting on his broad shoulders.
"I...uh, well," the unknown ravenette paused, pushing away from the younger girl and turning around to make extremely brief eye contact with the bluenette, "We should...do this somewhere else."
"Come on, this is the only place in the school with a bed. Besides, he doesn't count."
"I...disagree."
"Well, aren't you shy?" the girl teased, biting on the male's neck to draw an aroused yelp from him, "I guess I'll play along, baby boy."
The ravenette flared bright red but did not refuse the title the school's princess had bestowed upon him. Rather, he accepted the next salacious kisses with small whines and moans, trying to keep quiet. In the meantime, the (h/c) haired girl glowered at the male across from them, warning him to try remaining in the room. She wouldn't have him interrupt her claiming another handsome male for her collection.
So, to respect her wishes, Yuuto left the medical supplies in the room, figuring he would be fine until he returned home. Dizzy, he supported himself along the wall of the hallways to his class, once more ignored by his peers and teacher. That was how most of his days went, and that day was no exception. The boring, same routine of running around like a rat for (Y/n)'s amusement and returning to his regularly scheduled classes when she didn't want nor need him. Even after school ended, he remained, simply to ensure she had someone around if she desired him.
Yet he was still delegated as a moving statue, standing outside the gym's storage room while the girl further entertained herself with the new kid. His eyes were hollow, staring ahead, but not really looking at anything. He just waited for time to pass him by, eventually granted the privilege of seeing the girl emerge from the room. She didn't spare him a glance, crushing what little hope he had in that regard. The girl just made her way to her friends who encouraged her to join them in their club activities. And just as Yuuto attempted to follow them, the ravenette held him back, giving him a soft look.
"Did I...get in between you two?" he asked quietly, looking over all the bandages on the male.
"A little late to ask," Yuuto replied mutely, holding onto the straps of his backpack tightly to cope with his nerves.
"Well...that's...f-fair. I'm sorry. She's just...so beautiful, and I couldn't say no when she asked me out. But if it really bothers you, I'll do my best to refuse. You guys looked kind of close? In a messed up way - Oh, b-but if that's what you're into, I won't judge or anything."
"She's engaged to me. But she seems to like you. So I don't mind. Just make her happy."
"Wait! Hold up, man," the male exclaimed, trying to chase down the bluenette who began going after the (h/c) haired girl, "Doesn't that...bother you?"
"Would you like it to?"
"No! No, no! It just seems...wrong to me. I mean, don't you like her?"
"I do. More than you do."
"Then shouldn't you be fighting for her? If it were me, I'd - Well, I'd want to keep her to myself. I mean it when I say I'll give her to you."
The bluenette paused in place before snapping his eyes to the ravenette, his cyan irises filled with absolute rage. The other male stepped back in terror despite the fact he couldn't tell what it was that alarmed him so. However, every instinct he had sent the back of his hairs to stand on his end and gave his legs the strongest desire to run away from the beast in front of him. And when he didn't, his mind screamed at him for his foolish decision that, in the past, would have cost him his life.
"Don't you ever say that about her. She chooses who she wants, not us. You don't get to make that call. You don't get to talk about her like that. And you certainly don't get to 'hand her off'!"
"I-I-I g-got it, g-ot i-i-it!"
"Then you better love her like your life depends on it. All your attention, all your affection, all of your time - You better give it to her on a silver platter. And no matter what happens, don't you dare leave her to suffer alone! Now...where should you be?"
"W-Wi-With h-her!"
The bluenette threw his head to the side in the direction of the (h/c) haired girl, instructing the male to move his ass over there. He didn't hesitate to retreat from him, rushing away with a frantic desire to live. Unlike some of the girl's past company, he was wise. He kept in mind Yuuto's warning, never straying too far from (Y/n)'s side. The girl was incredibly happy with him, pleased with not only his shy disposition but also his handsome form for months, even. For her, it was impressive. She really, really liked him, and for that, Yuuto was grateful.
The girl was even happy at home. That was...new. She would hum to herself, texting on her phone to her boyfriend or planning dates. It was good for her to keep busy, Yuuto thought. He would have preferred that to her being driven insane over her parents' nitpicking. But, with the new - or rather, broken-in - boy's help, she was even able to stand with her head held high in front of them. Whenever Tsukuda would come over, she would do everything in her power to impress him, far from where she started with him as an intimate companion. No, she was really quite serious about him.
Her parents were learning about her intentions with him as well, and it had occurred to them that he was no longer just a "friend" to her. Contrary to the established deal between her and Yuuto's families, she was not in love with the male she was promised to. Their parents' companies would have benefitted greatly from this exchange, and as such, hers were skeptical of her intentions with Tsukuda. To clarify the issue to both youths, they arranged for dinner between all parties involved, save for Yuuto's parents who were...somewhere; he didn't know where.
The bluenette didn't react to the sight of the (h/c) haired girl eagerly seating the ravenette beside her. Nor did he cast a glance to her clinging to him with all of her might, an expression cast with love and adoration all the same. He just went through the motions, recovering from his earlier beating. It was harsher than most, likely due to her worries about how her parents would react to him. After all, she had planned on telling them what she really planned for with the ravenette and herself.
As the butlers placed down their meals, the younger girl's parents cast a curious glance at him. It wasn't the first time they had seen him, but it was necessary to evaluate his ability to be with their daughter. The girl's mother was probably the one to best please, responsible for her marriage under the orders of the girl's grandfather, the head of the family. As such, it was best to make an informed decision with as little bias as possible.
"It's lovely to meet you," the ravenette smiled, still quite thrown off by Yuuto's continual presence around him and (Y/n).
"I'd like to say the same, Mr. Kairi, but I'm afraid it's not mutual. You do realize you're interfering with an already created betrothal plan? And for what? A fun time?"
"Mother," the younger girl peeped up, holding tightly onto the ravenette's hand, "Actually, I...really love Tsukuda. We've even talked to his father...and...he's offered a contract surpassing that of Yuuto's family. Grandfather won't be disappointed, I swear! They've also offered a platinum mine just for you to consider it! And the dowry gift...is much bigger."
Yuuto closed his eyes tightly. He understood that she wanted to love him and keep him as intimate company, but he didn't know marriage was in the cards for them. They'd only been together for a handful of months. And he...he had been with her for years. As soon as she was born. Besides her parents, he was the first to meet her, even if he was only a few months old. But he supposed he was happy. Yet his expression did not match that assumption.
"Oh?" the girl's father hummed, "Mr. Kairi. I hear your father has a hand in the mining business. Raw resources are always useful. Would you happen to have the contract for us? It has to be enough to risk angering those we already formed a contract with."
"I understand. I have it right here. Actually, I'd like to - "
The ravenette paused, his eyes widening as the (h/c) haired girl bolted away from the table. She cried and sobbed, shaking from head to toe. It was at this did the bluenette stand up from his seat, no longer disassociated with the scenery before him. And yet, though he got to her first, her eyes locked onto Tsukuda's form, glimmering with hope. She didn't even look at him, him who had remained with her through it all, who had taken all of her sorrow and pain, who had loved her since he had first met her.
"W-What's going on?" she trembled, terrified at the sight of her parents, "D-Did I do s-s-something bad?"
"(Y/n)," Yuuto shushed, rocking the girl back and forth before lifting her chin to look up at him, "It's alright. I'm right...here...f-f...for - "
The bluenette trailed off as the girl pushed his arms aside, crawling weakly to the ravenette. She curled up in his arms, letting him soothe her worries. He smiled gently and traced her cheek, lovingly protecting her, and faster than she had ever calmed with him, the younger girl relaxed in just an instant. And she had kissed him. The girl had kissed him. She thanked him for his efforts and smiled in that state. Why was she smiling?
Yuuto froze. He couldn't move. Rather, he was forced to watch the scene before him; one he never wanted to see. Tears poured down his cheeks as he saw the (h/c) haired girl immediately cheer herself up. She even laughed. She never laughed with him like that. She had never. The pain that seeped into his chest stung far more than drowning, than being kicked, than having his nose broken. It hurt. It hurt so, so much. So much.
The girl's alter-ego returned promptly, still clinging to the ravenette as if he was some kind of angel. As they continued speaking about the marriage prospect, the bluenette miraculously recovered, able to sprint away with tears in his eyes. The only thing he had ever wanted to do was to protect her. The her that hid behind the abusive and sadistic persona she created was the real her. He put up with the former specifically for the latter.
All that time he had put up with it! All of that time! All of it dedicated, devoted, dutiful to her. He loved her! He held out in the hopes that the real her would overcome the alter-ego, that she would come back to him! But she didn't! He might have passed it by if it was simply the fake her that fell in love with the ravenette, but that wasn't the case! All of her fell for him! For the thief that had dared say he would "give her away" to another!
He threw himself to a wall, feeling all of the scars on his body screaming at him. They roared at him, questioning why he had let himself become a damaged good if not for the love of the younger girl. And he couldn't answer. He had no idea why he had wasted so long trying to attain her love when, clearly, it was easy for an insignificant bastard to steal her heart. It was all pointless, so very pointless.
Through the night, he wallowed in his own pain, his own heartbreak. He cried and screamed with all of his heart, trying to take the pain out of his heart. However, it didn't leave. It just continued to seep into his soul. So, with an aching body and an aching heart, the bluenette moved back inside. The dinner party had long since finished, and he didn't have any indication of whether he had lost his only hope of remaining with the girl for the rest of their lives. But it didn't matter. He didn't plan on it being long anyway.
Yuuto stood over the bed with a somber look, running his hand over the curves of her lips. Just once would he have liked to kiss them. But he could never bring himself to do it. He couldn't force himself on her nor could he have done it while she was asleep. It had to be given, not earned by his own standards. But she didn't love him, so it would never come to be. The male continued to weep, enough to make the girl stir from her sleep.
As her eyes fluttered open and she recognized the male before her, her hands wrapped themselves around his throat, squeezing tightly. She yelled and screamed at him, the very sight of him repulsive to her. It was more clear than ever that she hated him. Even the true her lying beneath this persona of hers would rather have the ravenette than him. His eyes went blank as she ceased trying to kill him. It was likely she wanted to merely harm him. Killing him had never been her intention.
"Get out!" she screamed, kicking and punching at him with dilated eyes, "You filthy brat! I don't ever want to see you again!"
"Okay."
"What?"
The bluenette's emotionless expression made the girl shiver. He didn't so much as flinch as he pulled out a knife, holding it in front of her. His hands placed it into her much smaller ones, caressing her thumbs with blank affection. Trailing his cyan eyes up to meet hers, he didn't shed a single tear or weep a bit. He was like a doll, a beautiful, stationary, blank doll that had outlived its use.
Keeping his hands on hers, he waited patiently for her to finish abusing him. Minutes passed where she remained still, shaking and sweating with fear. She didn't know what to do. Even that persona - the cruel and sadistic side of her - couldn't take his life. Where she drew the line at hurting him, she didn't know, but she did know she didn't want to kill him. Stealing his life away from him was not right. At the very least, she let him keep his life, right? If she did something like that, no one would ever forgive her.
"I understand," the male mumbled, blinking slowly with a small inhale, "You don't...You never wanted my life. I don't...belong to you. I thought you created this you to deal with your parents, to help you protect yourself from their expectations. But...you made it to protect yourself from me."
"Get lost!"
"I thought I was the only one that could protect you. That, one day, you would realize that and come to cherish me for everything I had put up with. But I...I did this to me. All of these scars are because I was too stubborn to leave someone who...obviously didn't want me. They were warnings, weren't they?"
"Leave me alone!"
"I don't think I ever will. That fact scares me to no end. The idea that I may cause you unhappiness or pain? I hate it. It scares me. I'm so sorry, (Y/n). To both of you. You have to listen to me. This you was made to protect her from me. So please, free both of you by killing me. She gets to be herself again, and you get to find peace and leave her mind. Please. Please, kill me."
The (h/c) haired girl paused. Slowly, her hands began to move, fingers curling around the blade. Yuuto couldn't find it in himself to smile or to frown, even to laugh or cry. He couldn't feel anything inside of him, physically or mentally. Everything was numb. So when she pressed the knife to his heart, blood coursing from him like a waterfall, he felt nothing except relief. His vision quickly faded, his eyelids falling along with the rest of his body. And that was it.