Syn- Age 20
Illumi- Age 24
Killua- 12
Alluka-11
Kalluto-10
Milluki(after the last chapter, I believe it's returned to nobody cares, though one person still lays claim to the anime collection*edit* another person also lays claim to the collection of anime ....:is willing to split but author thinks there should be a Rock Paper Scissors battle to the death)- 19
The faint sounds of groaning metal followed by loud crashes, in the distance startled me awake. I'd blacked out at some point and found myself bound and covered in a plethora of fresh wounds and burns lying in a heap on the floor. Milluki had exhausted himself trying to torture me in an effort to get me to scream, but I wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
The door of the torture chamber was suddenly ripped off its hinges and I jumped as it fell to the ground with a loud reverberating clank. It hurt too much to move for me to turn and see what had happened. Strong arms encircled me and I gasped as I was suddenly lifted off the cold hard ground and choked on a gasp as I found myself staring into a pair of rage filled soulless black eyes, Illumi!
Was he angry with me too? I'd rather be tortured by Milluki even if he killed me, I couldn't bear to be tortured by Illumi. There must have been terror revealed on my face as Illumi tenderly swept my long colorless hair out of my face, his gaze softening.
"It's okay."
I crumpled against him with a choked sob as I realized he wasn't angry with me. He cradled me gently in his arms and carried me from the torture chamber. We stepped through the dungeon like hall and I stared in awe, every single door in the dungeon had been ripped from its hinges in his desperate search to find me. Had he been worried about me?
"Aniki!" Milluki's whiny voice shouted from the opposite end of the hall and I felt my heart skip a beat as Illumi tensed and a dark rage unlike any I'd ever seen before clouded his face. A strange aura shrouded us and I suddenly felt as if I were suffocating as the heavy aura swarmed us.
Illumi's hair fluttered in the dark aura and I felt my heart stop as I stared at his face in horror. He was terrifying and I suddenly feared for my life. "Illumi-sama." I squeaked helplessly trying not to succumb to the aura threatening to suffocate me.
The darkness began to fade away as he looked down at me. His gaze softened and my heart began to race sporadically as he adjusted his grip on me cradling me against him, hugging me close. "Sorry."
Did he just apologize?! The only rational explanation I had was that Milluki had killed me and for some reason this was what I got to see in death.
I could hear Milluki's heavy footfalls as he ran toward us and gasped as Illumi managed to cradle me against him with one arm and reach out catching Milluki by the neck with his other hand without casting him so much as a second glance as he effortlessly lifted him off the ground by his throat.
"Illumi-sama?" I panicked. It was taboo to kill a family member.
Milluki struggled futilely, his face turning an unnatural shade of blue. Illumi was going to kill him!
"Illumi-sama!" I tried again grabbing ahold of the front of his shirt with my chained hands, "It's against the rules to kill family."
Illumi threw me a curious look before releasing his younger brother and I winced as Milluki crashed to the floor, hard, sputtering and gasping for breath.
"Milluki." Illumi's voice was dark and eerie and instantly sent a shiver down my spine.
Milluki was sniveling as he picked himself up off the ground and stared up at the older brother he'd always admired in fear.
"Touch my wife again and I will kill you." Illumi growled before carrying me to our living quarters.
He was silent and brooding as he carried me to the loft and I was too scared to try and jar him from his dark thoughts. When we reached the loft, he set me atop the counter in the master bathroom before breaking my shackles apart in his hands. My face burned with heat as he stripped me of my tattered clothing before cleaning each of my wounds with gentle steady hands. Once the wounds were cleaned he stitched the ones that needed stitches, applied a soothing aloe and calendula mixture to the burns and bandaged me up.
I blushed as he swept me into his arms and attempted to keep myself covered, even though I was practically covered head to toe in bandages. He balanced me in one arm as he stopped beside the bed and pulled back the blankets before gently easing me onto the mattress. His hand shook as he pulled the blankets around me.
"Illumi-sama?"
Gently, he caressed my cheek, lightly brushing his thumb across my pale skin, catching the single tear that slipped from my hold, "You're crying again."
I had to know. I couldn't bare it any longer, I didn't like being numb, I didn't want a one-sided love. "Do you love me?" My voice quivered.
His hand tenderly swept my colorless hair away from my face as he stared down at me, emotionlessly and for a moment I feared the answer I'd receive. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine and I let out a gasp as I felt a spark ignite within me. I melted into him, all my tensions and worries dissolving in an instant as he conveyed all of his feelings in a single kiss. My heart leapt with joy, it was our first kiss. Reluctantly he pulled away from me, lightly brushing away a few more traitor tears that had slipped from my hold. His body tensed and he turned toward the stairs with a glare.
"Father?"
I paled as I followed his gaze and spotted Silva, Kikyo and Milluki standing at the top of the stairs. My heart hammered in my chest as fear gripped my heart and I instinctively reached for Illumi's hand as I was overcome with terror.
Silva and Illumi had a silent stare down, the tension in the air was so thick I could feel it constricting around me.
"What's going on?!" Zeno's voice cracked like a whip startling everyone as he appeared seemingly from nowhere. His gaze fell on me clinging to Illumi's hand and the bandages lining my neck, shoulders and arms stretching beneath the blankets out of sight. He frowned at this.
Illumi looked down at me, his gaze soft yet still devoid of emotion, "Rest."
I looked to his glaring parents and sibling then to the smile on Zeno's face before looking back up at Illumi in awe, "Illumi-sama, I don't think tha-."
"Rest." He repeated more forcefully as he got to his feet and turned to his family, "Get out."
I clenched my eyes tightly shut, I didn't want to see angry Illumi again, once was more than enough. My heart was pounding as I waited for fighting to begin, but nothing happened. Chancing a peek, I spotted Zeno ushering the others out. Illumi turned to me and I squeaked in terror as he caught me with my eyes open and hurriedly shut them.
The bed sunk in next to me and my heart went insane in my chest as I felt him lying beside me. What was he doing?
"You helped Killua escape?"
"Yes." I replied softly.
"You sent a tail after him as a precaution and have a way to locate him at any given time." He noted.
"I do, but I won't tell anyone his whereabouts." I said firmly still refusing to open my eyes but I instinctively flinched fearing his response.
The mattress shifted slightly as he shrugged at this seeming satisfied with my response. "Rest." He ordered me softly.
"You were talking." I smirked.
He fell silent and I couldn't help but smile as his hand lightly gripped mine giving it a gentle squeeze offering me comfort and support.
I rolled to my side and peeked at him. My heart skipped a beat as I found him lying on his side, facing me watching me intently. "Thank you, Illumi-sama."
"Hm?"
"For saving me." I smiled before letting out a terrified squeak as his arms suddenly encircled me, pulling me against him.
He tucked me against him tenderly and closed his eyes. It was a long journey for him to return home and he must have exerted a lot of effort searching for me, he was probably exhausted. I closed my eyes and relaxed in his warm embrace. I felt safe in his arms. My heart swelled in my chest. Illumi loved me and would protect me from anything, even his own flesh and blood.
Video- Ariel By Anathema