AN: I'm back!
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The ear-piercing police sirens rang out the buzzing air of the busy city highway, overpowering the random cars' raging horns from impatient drivers stuck in the traffic and oblivious to the occurring event.
The police cars sped through the street, counter-flowing if that's necessary and finally arriving at the scene. They surround the area and block the scenes from outsiders with their own vehicles.
The moment Death arrived at the scene, the first thing he searched for was Geno. He saw the bodyguards he assigned to look out for Geno were keeping the three kidnappers down with the rifles he gave them.
On the other side, he saw one of the sleek cars he recently bought for Geno, too, was parked aside and a couple of bodyguards were on standby.
Death immediately dashed towards them as the policemen take over in properly arresting the kidnappers, who were surprisingly obediently allowed themselves to be taken away.
Death swiftly grabs the handle and swung the backseat door open. Sweet relief washes over him to see Geno was there, seemingly unharmed but busily wiping the tears falling from his face. The young chief immediately engulfed the smaller in a hug, thanking the stars that he's alright as the other sobs on the taller skeleton's shoulder. Clutching a fistful of the chief's uniform as if he's holding onto his life.
Then, Death noticed a small pile of ropes beside the smaller skeleton and felt a fresh wave fury welled inside him. They tied him up!?
Geno sobs, remembering the feeling of the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his skull. It was a terrifying feeling knowing one tiny movement of the man's finger on the trigger and his head would be blown to pieces; permanently ending his life.
He was at the man's mercy. The man will decide if he will live or die and it was the scariest thing because it was the moment when he completely lost control of everything. At least when he tries to commit suicide, it was his choice to end his life. Unlike this, everything was going against his will and everyone was forcing him, tying him down, gagging him and incapacitating him that he couldn't do anything but whimper in fear.
He felt utterly helpless.
"Shh, you're safe now. I'm here." Death assured the smaller, his arms tightening around the other upon remembering the tragic incident that happened yesterday. It just happened yesterday and now someone tried to kidnap him. What's next?!
Death let out a frustrated sigh before pulling away. Taking Geno's hands and ushering him to step out of the vehicle but Geno refused to by resisting Death's gentle pulls and vigorously shaking his head. Too afraid to even talk as of the moment, but the message has been relayed. He'd rather stay inside where he's safe.
Death assured him that he only wanted him to ride with him in the police car. But Geno really didn't want to step out in the open again but when he saw his bodyguards lined themselves up behind Death, he gained more courage to do so. Or rather, he felt safer. Despite the men looking a little beaten up, bruised and bleeding but still standing nonetheless.
The smaller skeleton took Death's awaiting hand again and got off the back seat. Death led him straight to the police car while his bodyguards surround the two skeleton along the way and until they were inside the vehicle.
After that, they swiftly move to return to the two black sleek cars and drove to follow behind their boss. Leaving the scene and letting the police take care of the rest of the work.
During the ride back to Toriel's place, Geno's mind kept coming to those scary moments. The loud firing, the chaos, the crashing glasses... the terror. It was burned in his head. Another scar to add to his collection.
He was thankful that his bodyguards were there to protect him. At the reminder, a sudden wave of guilt hit him. His guards were hurt because of him.
A gentle hand held his own, effectively snapping the glitched skeleton out of his stupor, but didn't look up at the other. Instead, squeezed his hand back; reassuring the other.
"Death?" Geno began softly and he earned a hum in response. "Can we take the others to the hospital? They were hurt real bad." Geno said, remembering that four of them were shot on the legs.
There were a few seconds of delay before Death answers him."Sure," then instructed the driver to change their course. The two black sleek cars behind them followed suit.
~~~~
Geno sat in a chair on the far side of the emergency room from where he can't interfere with nurses' works. Death was on the phone, pacing back and forth as if he's personally guarding Geno by himself.
The young chief was kept updated on the situation with the kidnappers who was currently being held in his station. Because Death ordered so he can personally interrogate them.
Geno watches with heavy guilt in his fractal soul as the nurses patch up his bodyguards. Some merely require simple bandaging on the shallow scratches and tending the bruise and some needed some stitches. But thankfully, nothing too serious and no permanent damage was done.
Which was good but that didn't help ease the small skeleton's welling guilt knowing that this was all because of him. They got hurt trying to protect him.
He saw Death pulls his phone away from his ear and pressed the 'end call' with his thumb. Death then looks at Geno straight in the eye with an unreadable expression which Geno shrunk from. Was Death blaming him?
"I'm getting you a new batch of bodyguards." the taller says as he tucks his phone away in his pants' pocket.
All the self-blaming feeling Geno felt suddenly morphed to surprise. "What?" he asked.
"I'm assigning a new batch of bodyguards to look after you better so this won't happen again." Death said without even bothering to lower down his voice.
"You're firing them?!" Geno realized, his only eye going wide in shock.
"They failed!" Death justified, not caring in the slightest if those 'failures' have heard him. In fact, Death will be glad if they did. That way, he wouldn't have to 'kindly' explain to them where did they go wrong. This way is straightforward, no dilly-dally and direct to the point. "They were supposed to protect you!" the young chief added.
"And they did!" Geno countered just as quick, unintentionally raising his voice but didn't notice it yet. The rest of the room's occupants grew quiet as if giving the two skeletons a moment of privacy. "They risk their lives to save me! The least you could do is thank them!" Geno demands.
All the injured bodyguards in the room perked up upon hearing the small skeleton's words. Although they internally praised him for standing up for them, they still doubt the chief, the deadliest, merciless monster in the city would thank them.
Death was rendered silent for a few seconds, grinding his teeth and growling under his breath. "This is not about them! This is about you!" Death said, jabbing a finger at Geno's chest. "If they can't do their job right, then there's no reason to keep them around!"
"They did their job!" Geno protested, louder than the other. "They did their best to protect me! I saw it! You didn't because you weren't there!" Geno practically screamed right at the taller skeleton's face. He was beyond frustrated because Death doesn't understand.
He saw how his bodyguards used their own bodies to shield him from the rain of bullets and how they bravely fought the gunmen with their bare hands. They did that to protect him.
"Apparently, their 'best' wasn't enough!" Death harshly retorted. "You were taken away under their watch!"
"They rescued me afterward!" Geno quickly intervenes.
"What if the kidnappers got away?!" Death says.
"But they didn't! They caught them! I'm rescued and I'm Fine!" Geno yelled, tears unknowingly leaking from his eye. "They saved me! Is that still not enough for you?!"
'It's not.' Death wanted to say but held it back instead for the sake of the smaller skeleton. That was not enough for him. He wanted Geno to be perfectly safe. Until no one will be able to even touch him. Only Death.
As possessive as it sounds, Death knew deep inside this is what he wanted. And he doesn't regret wanting him for himself.
He watches as Geno wiped a tear from his eye with his sleeve, but the wavering fierceness in his gaze never left. He's still gonna fought him for this.
Death let out a shallow sigh. Geno did have a point. He's safe and unharmed. But still, the fact that he nearly got kidnapped proves that the protection Death provides was not enough. Death knelt on one knee before the smaller skeleton sat upon on the chair. A habit he had come to develop when he's talking to Geno. Only to Geno, that is. Then took Geno's hand in his.
"I only wanted you to be safe." Death said, gentle as a feather while looking up at the other.
"But it's not fair." Geno countered, almost whining. "They saved me and they got fired?"
Another sign escapes Death. "Well, what do you want me to do?" he asked the smaller. Not in a sarcastic or rhetorical way, just a plain simple soft question. Looking up at the other with almost pleading eyes as he pressed his 'lips' on the back of the smaller skeleton's hand.
Geno looked down at the other straight in the eyes. Searching for any sign of lie. But he only saw sincerity and concern in them. And it urges him to voice out his thoughts and feelings. "Don't fire them." he admittedly said.
Death nodded, a small smile gracing his 'lips'. "If that's what you want," he says and Geno nodded; satisfied. "But I will make some adjustments." Death added and Geno nodded again. He doesn't actually have any say about it.
He couldn't say no either for if he left it the way it is, the same thing might happen again. Although, Geno wondered what kind of 'adjustment' Death would make.
A familiar tune rang out along with a buzzing sound and Death let out another sigh as he let go of Geno's hand and pushed himself up on his feet. He then took out his phone and raised a brow upon reading the caller's ID.
It was his home phone number. It's most probably the head butler, Gilbert.
Death tapped and drags the green icon across the screen before pressing the device against his ear. It was Gilbert indeed with his usual polite and formal greetings.
"What is it?" Death asked, going straight to the point. He expected to hear an update about the bloodied room and the disposal corpses, hoping that they did a good job but he didn't expect this.
"What?" Death asked again, wanting to make sure he heard the old head butler right. He sounded really worried and it caught Geno's interest. Which Death noticed as the other stared at him and listening intently, so he turned away, walk a little further because he didn't want Geno to hear this. "What are they doing there?"
The answer Death received made his figurative heart leaped as his eyes snapped towards the small skeleton. "Tell them to leave immediately." Death instructed the old butler and then his face turned sour when he heard a complain.
"I don't give a sh*t if he's with the mayor, tell them to get the f*ck out of my house!" Death harshly demanded and when he received an affirmation, he considerably calmed down. But not enough to let the topic slip by.
He hung up and swiftly strides back to the smaller skeleton. "Did you tell anyone where you staying at?" he immediately asked the other, holding the smaller by the arms and staring at him with keen eyes.
Geno's brow knitted together in confusion. Why suddenly bring this up? Didn't Death and Toriel prevents him from telling anyone of his location this morning?
"No, I didn't-" he suddenly stops, his eyes going wide when a memory played in his head like a flashback. He remembered he told someone. Only one.
Death narrowed his eyes upon seeing that reaction. The realization dawning on the smaller skeleton's face was a dead give away that he did, in fact, told someone. But who?
"Sans," Geno said.
Death's eyes grew wide, as well, with shock as he felt a pang of betrayal struck his soul, but only lasted for a mere second before a burning fury bloomed inside his chest. His hands left Geno's arms and quickly went to dial Sans' number.
Cursing under his breath as he waits for the other to pick it up. Tapping his foot impatiently as his free hand planted itself on his hip. He should've known Sans has some sort of connection to him. He mentioned this morning that he'd been talking to him! How could he overlook that tiny detail?!
You f*cking traitor!
The call went through, but the voice who answers doesn't belong to Sans. It was a spine chilling familiar voice that Death wouldn't dare forget.
"Give me back my test subject or his friend will suffer the consequences," Gaster demanded.
To be continued...
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AN: Hah! You thought-!