| Fhelia | 20+ | INTP | Actual Trash | Local cryptid who enjoys talking through anon and rambling in the tags ☆ Just cos I said it's a dr blog doesn't mean it has to be a dr blog
In such a short amount of time, Komaeda had found his way into Hajime's heart, settled in—and then burst out, leaving nothing but blood and tattered flesh in his wake.
You were so kind.
He wasn't sure how Komaeda did it, but the sirenlike quality of his words made sure that Hajime hung on to everything he said. It was perfect when they were friends, on good terms; his voice was like music to his ears.
It was horrible when Komaeda changed before his very eyes. Instead of butterflies, his lips spewed daggers.
And much like daggers, they drew blood. They left scars.
Hajime had accepted the physical ones. But the mental ones?
Not so much.
He had a bite of ambrosia, and it poisoned the taste of everything else.
So, quick thing before we begin. I have been chatting with @karugoround and they have been sharing some details about their ideas for the au. So I went back and changed a few things in the previous fics to better match what they are creating. It’s not much, just a few things here and there. But if you notice some things are different, that’s why!
When they first met, Hajime’s heart skipped a beat.
He had heard from his friend, Chiaki, about this person. How strange his luck tended to be and his eccentric way of thinking and speaking. And how he was nothing but uplifting when conversing with her.
And one day, she desired for her classmate to meet her new friend.
So she guided him over to the bench where she and Hajime played video games. And upon his first look of this teenager, Hajime could say with confidence that he found this white haired man attractive.
For about five seconds. Before his expression changed and his words were spoken. “Chiaki? Why are you leading us over to a useless and pathetic Reserve Course?”
Yeah, that was enough to kill the light, fluttery feeling. And several of their interactions after were similar. Nagito exuding an energy of superiority and Hajime biting back with choice words. He did feel bad for Chiaki, as she desperately wanted them to get along. But as long as Nagito acted this way, there was little room in his mind for compassion and peaceful conversation.
Which is why it surprised him when suddenly, out of the blue on a normal day, Nagito sat down heavily on the bench next to him. Chiaki was nowhere in sight. It was just them.
It startled Hajime for a few reasons. First, he had been thinking hard about something that Hope’s Peak had offered to him. A chance to become something more. The embodiment of talent and hope. And if he decided to go forth, where to go to put his name into the pool. Second, instead of the usual sneer and condescending look, Nagito instead looked at him with exhausted eyes.
It kept him quiet as he allowed the white haired teen to speak when ready. Which didn’t take all to long. “Hajime, why do you go to this school? To try and find your calling? Discover what makes you different from the rest of humanity?” The green eyes looked skyward, a sad smile on his face. “What is it like? To not be special from the start? To be plain and average in everything?”
Hajime felt his eye twitch in annoyance. “I could ask you something similar. What is it like to be blessed with a defining talent from the start? This world adores talent. So having something to excel at is a blessing in this day and age.”
Nagito turned to him, expression practically dead. “Is it a blessing? Or a curse?”
That made the brunette pause. He had… never seen someone look so resigned with life. “Nagito? Are you… okay?”
“It seems that we both seek something that is out of our reach. To be someone we are not.” Nagito commented, eyes like thick steel doors. Not letting anything slip past. “Tell me, Reserve Course. If you were given an opportunity to change yourself and status, would you take it? With no questions asked?”
Hajime paused. Then he answered. “Yes. I would. What about you?”
“Ah, it seems we have found something we agree on. I’ll forgive you for sharing my desires this time. As you assisted in helping me confirm my decision.” The Main Course student stood back up, turning to leave.
Hajime stood up as well, grabbing the thin shoulder. “Wait. What decision? And why are you acting like this? This isn’t like you.”
Nagito shrugged, in the process knocking the hand off. “A bad day. Bad luck. But that’s nothing new for me. Goodbye, Hajime.”
Little did Hajime know, as he stared at the retreating student’s back and soft swaying hair, that those would be the final words he would hear from him.
~~~~~~~~~~
When they first met, Hajime’s heart stopped.
He had signed his name into the pool for candidates for the project. But he was not horrifically surprised when he was informed that he was not chosen. That the picked candidate had already been transformed into something more.
But, they still had a position for him. They offered for him to be the Ultimate Hope’s caretaker. An honorable and important position. And seeing no other option, Hajime accepted.
And now, he was standing in front of the creation. In front of Izuru Kamukura.
In front of the corpse of Nagito Komaeda.
He felt chills of fear and uneasiness flood his body as he stared at the motionless person on the bed. Those red eyes displayed no recognition. The smiling mouth remained closed and silent. And the white cloud-like hair was now a waterfall, reaching the experiment’s knees.
So similar. But at the same time, so different. So much more dangerous.
He had been told details about what Izuru was capable of. His talent had been luck back when he was Nagito. And now with this surgery, it was magnified. But not in a good way. Disasters and horrific accidents were very commonplace here. Especially with ones that Izuru didn’t seem to like. Already, four of the doctors responsible for the surgery had perished in painful ways.
Which is why they needed him. One who was passionate about hope and would do anything to be something more.
Internally, Hajime knew. He now knew the real reason for why they brought him here. To take the place of the scientists and doctors. To be the one to perform the tasks that required close contact.
But despite those facts, and the unsettling knowledge of what was in front of him, he stayed where he was. He wouldn’t deny that he felt slightly paralyzed by the crimson eyes, but also he wanted to remain. He desired to help this person in front of him. To be a part of the Ultimate Hope’s life. And to do this, he would happily become a servant to him. He was ready for this. And he would take any challenge that came around.
With that courage, he stepped forward, catching the experiment’s full attention. The doctors and the security were silent, not wanting to interrupt this. That suited Hajime just fine. He bowed respectfully to Izuru, eyes lowering to the floor. “It is an honor to meet you, sir. I shall work hard to ensure you are well taken care of.”
He glanced back up, meeting the intense gaze. And though very subtle, he could see that the smile was just a little wider. That had to be a good sign, right? He wasn’t dead from either him or the guards, so he must have acted correctly. He filed that away in his mind. If he was to survive this, he would need to learn all he could.
~~~~~~~~~~
“You appear to be thinking fondly of something. Would you care to share what it is with me?”
The smooth voice brought Hajime back into the present. His eyes focused and he glanced over to the voice’s owner. Izuru was holding his bowl and chopsticks, with a minimal amount of food left.
“I’m sorry, sir. I was… remembering our first meeting,” he replied.
It was impossible to tell what Izuru’s true feelings to that were. The eternal smile threw him off constantly. It almost never gave anything away. His next comment was equally as unclear. “I see.”
Short and firm. Not an uncommon occurrence. So Hajime wasn’t put off about it. But he did feel something else. A compulsion to ask something. “What were… your thoughts when we first met?”
Izuru didn’t answer until he finished the last bite of food and handed the bowl and chopsticks back to the caretaker. “My, my. How bold of you to ask. One might think you are being quite foolish. Though I continue to think it is entertaining when you do ask for answers from me.”
A few beats of silence, the white haired experiment giving no indication of continuing. Hajime sighed. “I should have known you wouldn’t answer. Can’t blame me for trying though.”
“Try you do. And I will permit you to continue your attempts. Think of it as a reward for surviving this long.” Izuru reached up and caressed his cheeks. “Ah… conversing is truly a hidden pleasure. Especially with one such as yourself. It would be such a shame if this were to end.” The grip on him tightened. “So do be careful, my dear caretaker. The balance of this world relies on you, in a way.”
Surely Izuru could feel the flush warming his face. But he made no comment on it, just a smirk.
Hajime had noticed the Ultimate Hope’s progression in verbal communication. At first, practically nothing was said to him. But as this arrangement continued, and Hajime proved time and time again his loyalty to his charge, Izuru started speaking to him more. To the point where they could have full conversations. That is, if Izuru felt like it. He still liked to be cryptic and secretive occasionally.
And he also liked to invade personal space, as Hajime was currently well aware. Additionally, he occasionally enjoyed physical contact, with the caretaker on the receiving end. And it never stopped being electrifying.
And every time it happened, Hajime could feel a tiny fraction of fear vanish. Was that dangerous? Perhaps. But he couldn’t find it in him to care all that much.
Now whenever they met, his heart fluttered. And he intended to keep it that way by any means necessary.
Love how tumblr has its own folk stories. Yeah the God of Arepo we’ve all heard the story and we all still cry about it. Yeah that one about the woman locked up for centuries finally getting free. That one about the witch who would marry anyone who could get her house key from her cat and it’s revealed she IS the cat after the narrator befriends the cat.
Before & After Moody Blues of Amy’s elegant San Francisco Victorian. The first time Amy saw it, the house was painted beige, for want of a better word, with taupe-ish trim and a green entry stairway.
When Adam bit the apple he did it because he trusted Eve. Because he loved her. Adam bit into the apple because the woman he loved told him to, no matter what God said. No matter the rules of heaven. What’s heaven to a woman’s love anyway? What’s God to your wife? The first sins of humanity, were trusting others. Eve trusted a snake, Adam trusted Eve, and I trust you. Maybe that’s a sin, just like the first couple. Maybe everyone’s right about us and we’re sinners and we offend God. But like I said, what’s God to a woman’s love anyway? What has heaven got that I can’t find sitting next to you on a cool autumn morning?
So this is a bit different from my typical drabbles. See, I found this wondrous au by @karugoround and it infested my brain. Where Nagito becomes Izuru Kamakura instead of Hajime. I love it a lot. You can check it out here.
And I loved it so much, I wanted to try my hand at it. And this is the result! I hope you like it!
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
The endless noise of the small plastic clock hung far up on the wall. Much too high for a person to reach.
Well, most normal people. But Izuru Kamakura was not normal. He never was, even before the lobotomy.
But even if he wanted to reach it with his now superhuman abilities, to perhaps smash it and acquire a sharp shard to use on an intruder to his presence, his body was failing him. Due to the copious amounts of sedatives that made him feel foggy and heavy. Like his limbs were filled with lead and his thoughts couldn’t find a place to land. It was maddening. Almost enough to drive one insane.
But again, he was not like normal humans. He was no longer that pathetic and weak Nagito Komaeda. He was someone else. Someone far superior.
Someone who desired something else to happen.
It had been so truly boring lately. He didn’t have many visitors. The last few incidents with doctors had led to their demise. Either from his hand or his luck. So none dared to enter his place of forced residence. Well, except one.
And speaking of him, he arrived. Right down to the very second. The door to his empty room opened, revealing the one he had grown to know better than any other. Hajime Hinata.
His chain clinked as he moved, his expression remaining neutral. But Izuru could tell his eye lit up ever so slightly at the sight of the other individual in the room. “Good day, sir. How are you feeling?”
A soft laugh rose, though it had a sinister hint to it. “You know you are allowed to call me by my name, Hajime. You have my special permission.”
“I could never. You are far too important of a person for me to be so casual,” Hajime insisted, pulling a cart in behind him. It had a combination of sustenance and medical equipment. Nothing different from normal. How dull. But it wasn’t like he had much choice. Such was life as a human experiment.
“I see. Perhaps one day. Is it time?” He sat down on the one other object in his room. The bed with the stiff mattress, flat pillow, and thin sheet. It was the place he was most of the time here. There weren't many other options. So it was logical that he would choose it over the cold, hard floor. He swept his long white hair to the side before resting his hands on his legs. “Very well. Proceed.”
His caretaker nodded, expression not changing. He grabbed the blood pressure cuff, approaching him and winding it around his upper arm. And so began the series of tests that ruled over his life. Nothing changed, so he no longer held any interest in the results. So he would simply sit quietly and watch Hajime write the results down on a clipboard. Thankfully, it didn’t take long. Not with the person in front of him.
For what reason was he allowing such contact without consequence? He would never tell.
Finally, the last test was conducted, familiar pen scribbles the only sound in the room. If Izuru focused enough, he could tell exactly what was being written by sound alone. But it wasn’t of interest to him. So he made no mention of it.
“Done. You can eat after the injections. I know they make you feel nauseous if administered before, but the higher ups insist I do it in this order.” Hajime turned his back to him to organize the tray. A bold move. A reckless move even. It left him so open to attacks from behind. And he should find himself lucky that the danger in the room had no intention of causing damage.
Instead, he did something else. He felt Hajime stiffen and shudder when his long, pale arms wound around his waist, cold skin against the rough suit material. “So serious about your job. So committed. To some, it would be considered admirable.”
Hajime didn’t try to move. A wise decision on his part. “Are you one that finds it admirable?” he asked, voice laced with the barest hint of fear.
It made his already present smile widen. “I shall leave that up to your interpretation.” One hand began raising, moving up the caretaker’s form. “I’ve been thinking. A lot, as I’m sure you can guess.”
The one in front of him shivered, though he did try to suppress it. Quite cute, in his opinion. “A-about what?”
The hand toyed with the collar and chain, making the links clink together. “About this place. The scientists and doctors have all referred to it as the ‘lighthouse.’ Correct?”
A nervous swallow, but a nod was performed.
“I do find it quite ironic. A lighthouse is meant to be a method to guide lost ships to safety. And in a metaphorical sense, it represents hope.” The pale fingers raised even higher, lightly brushing over the covering Hajime used over his blind eye. “But I see none of that here. No hope. No salvation. No bright future. Just pain, darkness and misery. What do you think about that?”
The caretaker remained motionless. “I would prefer to not answer that question.”
A pause, then Izuru’s hand gripped the chain tight, yanking it just enough to get his point across. “Oh, I insist. I would love to hear your thoughts.”
Hajime was smart enough to recognize the implied threat. “Okay. I’ll answer.”
His smile again widened. “Good, good. Now speak.”
“I… will not deny the presence of despair in this location. And… I have bore witness to it multiple times.” Yes, the man certainly had some other marks hidden beneath his suit. Ones he didn’t let many see. “But… there is a light. One that I know I can cling to when I have nothing left.”
That made the white haired experiment curious. More than he had been in weeks. “Oh? And what is the source of this light?”
“You.”
Now that he had not unexpected. And it thrilled him more than he could possibly express. “Myself? I wish for an explanation.”
“You are the peak of humanity. Everyone’s radiant hope. All who see you surely feel lifted by your very existence. At least, I feel that way.”
Izuru pondered over the words for a few seconds. All the while keeping up his hold on the chain. Then he softly laughed. A very rare occurrence nowadays. He knew it threw Hajime off, if the subtle change in position was anything to go by. “Interesting. So very interesting.” He withdrew his arms from around the other, taking a step back and sitting back down. “My curiosity has been satiated. I shall allow you to administer the sedatives. Whenever you are ready.”
He watched as Hajime took a deep breath and released it, calming himself before turning again. “Okay. Thank you.”
He did very much despise this part. He knew exactly how much was about to be pumped into his system. Enough to last until the next mealtime. Every day he cursed the doctors and scientists for this solution of theirs. It was the only way they could contain him and keep themselves safe from his luck. To send in a sacrifice and load him up with drugs. That way, their souls would live another day. Pathetic and worthless.
But… he would admit to only himself that they chose right on the caretaker. His simplistic way of thinking felt like a breath of fresh air. Amid all the talk of highly complicated matters and terms, a person with a regular education was very nice. Different perspectives offer different solutions, he supposed. So he felt intrigued enough to leave him be. To let him come close of his own volition. Which he did, even after seeing the disasters his luck was capable of. A brave soul. One he wished to continue observing.
So he said nothing as the needles entered his veins, chemicals intruding. He was grateful that Hajime had learned exactly where his veins were and how to quickly and efficiently administer through syringes. It made the whole process quicker.
His caretaker backed away once the syringes were empty. “Done. You can eat now. I think the soup should still be warm.”
Izuru just continued smiling, reaching out to grasp the bowl and spoon. “Yes, it does appear to be higher than room temperature.” It was bland, like usual. The staff here were clearly not talented in the kitchen. If only he could leave this room to make himself something. That would be nice. But until that day, he would tolerate what was given to him.
Hajime collected everything once he was finished, again organizing them. It was a habit of his. Or maybe compulsion. Either option was possible. But he wasn’t able to focus on finding the answer for very long. The chemicals had begun affecting him again, stronger than ten minutes before. So he laid down on his pillow, staring up at the ceiling. “If that is the last of your duties, you are free to go.”
He felt the sheet being pulled up and over his body, tan hands tucking him in like a mother would do her child. “Get some rest. I will be back in the evening.” Then he took hold of his cart, dragging it to the door. A clang, a squeak, another clank with the additional locking mechanism. And silence, save for the clock.
He was alone again. Nothing but him and his thoughts. He was certain any other would have gone insane from this. And who knew? Maybe he was slowly going insane.
But at least he was allowed conversation. That was most likely the one thing keeping him grounded. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He filed away every talk with Hajime into his memory, playing them back on loop when he was alone.
But he would have to do that later. His consciousness was slipping away from him. He would be forced to sleep soon. But before he shut his eyes, he once more glanced up at the clock. Only 21534 more seconds to go until Hajime returned. And he eagerly awaited that time.
Yup, I did another. Who could resist? Certainly not me!
And boy oh boy did it keep going. It’s over 3400 words. What can I say? I was having fun.
And I hope you have fun reading it!
Au belongs to @karugoround
Even though he wasn’t a superhuman genius like Izuru Kamakura, Hajime wasn’t stupid. He could tell when the scientists and doctors were planning something. What it was, however, he could not say. But he had noticed them all glancing occasionally over to him when they thought he wasn’t looking. Being blind in one eye didn’t mean he was oblivious to everything. But he figured it was safer to not indicate that. He would rather keep some of his cards hidden.
So he didn’t say or do anything different. He kept up his normal routine. Preparing the food and equipment for the evening visit on his cart. And after making sure everything was in place neatly and orderly, he began pushing it towards his destination.
Izuru’s containment room.
To most, it was the death zone. Most were too terrified to even approach the sealed door. Too many previous incidents to risk it. Hence why they had brought him on to the project. To serve as the sacrificial lamb.
So he could only imagine their immense surprise when he not only made it out alive, but continued to do so. With the occasional accident. But Hajime kept returning to the white haired experiment despite this.
When asked why he kept doing it, he would simply reply that it was his duty and job. Internally, he knew there were surely other reasons. But he hadn’t had much time to sit down and really think about them. Too busy. And that was fine with him. He agreed with Izuru that emotions were complicated. He sometimes wondered what it was like to have little to none. But he would never know. The doctors had no intention of creating two freaks of nature.
So off he went, to the room where few dared to enter. He scanned his card, hearing the mechanisms in the door unlock and give him access. And he entered, pushing his cart in and following after it.
Izuru was there on his bed, sitting up and quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary. After all, he was on sedatives that lowered his energy levels. It made his body weak and lowered his strength, and it was imperative that he continue to be sedated. At least, that’s what the doctors continued to preach to him, trying to hammer this idea into his skull.
And even though he knew the reasoning for this, and had seen firsthand what this person’s luck could do, Hajime couldn’t help but wonder what he would be like off the sedatives. What would he look like at his full glory?
He shoved that thought to the back of his mind. He had a job to do now. “Good evening, sir. I trust you are doing well?”
He received a heavy sigh in response. “Nothing has changed. How dull.” He went back to silence after, staring at a specific spot on the wall.
“I see.” Today was a semi bad one. Where Izuru was of low spirits and very few words. Thankfully, it wasn’t a full bad one. Those tended to have… casualties. “Well, I’ll be sure to be quick about the tests and injections.”
Another sigh. “Do what you must.”
Knowing that he shouldn’t test his own luck, Hajime quickly began. Everything was routine by this point. So it went quickly and efficiently. All his results were jotted down and he administered the sedatives without any fuss. Not that Izuru usually caused a fuss. He was very passive when not tempted by violence. Especially with Hajime. But he didn’t try to read into it. He wasn’t special. He was just mildly entertaining to the experiment. That was all there was to it.
He was finished before he knew it, placing the empty syringe in its place on the cart. “Thank you, sir. Everything has been completed. Here’s your dinner. I managed to get you an extra roll. Can you eat it all?”
Wordlessly, Izuru took the plate and began eating. Not wanting to be rude, Hajime turned back to his cart. He meticulously examined and organized the items on it. It was a compulsion to keep everything in place and perfect. If something was out of place, it bugged him greatly. Therefore, order was a new constant in his life.
He busied himself with this until he heard the sounds of eating stop. Facing Izuru again, he collected the plate and utensils from him, placing them in the area he designated for them on his cart. “Is everything alright? Do you need anything else?” he asked.
He got a soft laugh in return. “Even if I requested something else, you know as well as I do that it would be denied. So I shall refrain from answering.”
Hajime nodded politely, chain clinking with the movement. “I understand. I shall take my leave then.”
Grabbing the cart’s handle, he began stepping away from Izuru and towards the door. Another round of tasks done. And he would be back the next morning to do it again. Nothing different from usual.
Or so he thought.
To his surprise, he was met at the door. About seven people were gathered at the door, three of them security and four of them scientists. “You are done with the tests?” one of the scientists asked.
“Yes, sir,” he responded promptly. He knew he had to be respectful at all times to these people. He wasn’t sure what would happen if he wasn’t. And he had no plans to find out.
“Good. Now then, there is something else that we need you to do while here,” another said, grabbing the cart and tugging it away and out the door.
Hajime was starting to get skeptical. “What do you need me to do?”
He felt something get shoved at him. He scrambled to get a good hold on it. While he was distracted, he felt one of the security guards reach forward and grab his card off his belt loop.
“We want you to stay here overnight. Let’s see if Izuru Kamakura will tolerate someone in his room for a whole night. Good luck on surviving.”
Then the door was shut, lock clicking and footsteps fading away.
Hajime stood there speechless. Did they… just lock him in here? For the rest of the night? He then realized that the object in his arms was a bedroll. So yes, that was exactly what they forced upon him.
“Oh? What an interesting turn of events. Perhaps tonight will not be as boring as I initially thought.”
Hajime felt a chill go up his spine when he heard that voice right behind him. He swallowed to try and calm his fear before daring to turn. Sure enough, Izuru was standing there less than a foot from him, smiling wide and eyes lit up with interest.
“I… I promise to be as silent and undisturbing as I can. I’ll set my roll up on the other side of the room. To not invade your space,” he quickly assured, meeting the intense gaze.
“Hmmm… it really is a shame that the sedatives are kicking in. I would have loved to spend more time enjoying this,” Izuru practically purred, raising a hand to cup Hajime’s cheek. “If you are so insistent on your proclaimed placement, then I shall permit it. Well then, goodnight my dear caretaker.” With one final look, the experiment stepped back to his bed, slipping under his sheet and closing his eyes.
Hajime stood there frozen for a few more seconds, trying to calm his heart. Whenever Izuru touched him, it was a confusing mix of wonderful and terrifying. It caught him off guard every time. And it always took a little to recover. But recover he did, making his way over to the corner farthest away from the sleeping Izuru. He carefully set his emergency radio near the wall before unrolling the bedroll. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake the white haired experiment. Thankfully, it was a simple design and he was able to crawl in soon enough.
He laid there on the floor for a while, facing the other occupant. But when the lights in the room began to dim for nighttime sleeping, he too felt drowsy. Closing his eyes, he let himself begin to drift off. Habitually, he rolled over to his other side, facing the wall. He preferred laying on his left side nowadays, since he could see from his working right eye when in this position if he needed to.
He was able to ignore the clock on the wall while he dozed, relaxing as best he could. He knew he was still in dangerous territory, but the knowledge of the danger being asleep was comforting. If the rest of the night passed like this, this wouldn’t be all too stressful.
But again, Lady Luck had other plans for him.
He wasn’t sure how long he had laid there, but it had probably been a few hours and was late into the night. But something changed. And he hadn’t expected it whatsoever.
With no warning, Hajime felt the cover of his bedroll shift. Then he felt something snake around his waist. And hot puffs of air landing on the back of his neck.
“I think I shall join you tonight. I will not pass up this opportunity of change.”
Izuru… was laying behind him. Extremely close and making physical contact. He had known he was in the lion’s den, but now he was pinned under the lion’s claws.
He kept silent and as still as he could. And he tried to retain a regular breathing rhythm. But of course, the analyst talent in Izuru came into play.
“Tell me, Hajime. Do you fear me?”
A jolt ran through his body at the direct question. And he knew he couldn’t leave it unanswered. He knew that Izuru knew he was conscious. “I… would be a fool to not. You are capable of so much. I have seen what you can do. But…”
He felt the arm around his waist tighten. “Please, continue your statement.”
Hajime took a deep breath. “But at the same time… something about you is so fascinating. I can’t stay away. I feel almost like Icarus flying too close to the sun. But I can’t bring myself to fly safely. I want to risk it, if you will allow me to.”
Izuru hummed, then tugged his body closer, back now resting against the experiment’s chest. “I will allow it. Speaking so passionately does wonders in the art of convincing. So I shall accept your answer.”
Relief flooded through his body at the words. “Thank you.” He felt a spark of courage afterwards, tempting him to ask a question. “If I may inquire, are the sedatives wearing off? I know the amount you are given could incapacitate the average adult man.”
“But you forget that I am not what can be considered ‘average.’ And they are very much still in effect. However, I was able to summon enough energy to relocate. And here I shall stay for the night. You shall entertain me while here.”
The way the sentence was framed was not a question. It was an order. “Yes, sir. Whatever you need.”
“You are most agreeable. That is good. So if you really are fine with tending to my needs, you can answer whatever questions I may have.” Hajime started to feel Izuru’s other hand begin to travel along his upper torso. Mostly around his neck. “Your collar and chain are still on. Why is that?”
The brunette clenched his hands under the bed roll’s cover. “I don’t have a key. So I can’t take it off.”
Izuru traced the metal around his neck. “It appears that the doctors and scientists do very much enjoy feeling superior. So they chained you like a dog. Giving you enough treats to earn loyalty. Or so they think.”
Izuru paused, but continued his train of thought not long after. “Hajime, answer me this. Why are you here? What led you to this place? To this job? To me?”
“I…” Hajime felt memories run through his mind, of his life before his occupation here. He hadn’t thought of them for a long time. “I have never been more than average in my life. And when surrounded by a world that adores success and talent, it’s soul crushing. So when I was presented with the potential to be something more, I didn’t hesitate to throw my name into the pool of candidates. Of course, I was not chosen. That honor went to you. But I guess I showed enough enthusiasm to be placed in this role. And I haven’t looked back.” He let out a sad laugh. “You must think this story is painfully boring. Nothing special.”
“On the contrary, my dear caretaker. I find this to be extraordinary. It seems that our luck has led us down paths that ended here. Whether the luck is good or bad, that is not evident quite yet. But…” Izuru leaned in more, moving so that Hajime was tucked under his chin. “I am inclined to believe it to be in the more positive light. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Feeling the body behind him practically curling around him, Hajime knew he should have been terrified beyond belief. At any moment, if Izuru felt compelled, he could kill him with no effort in multiple ways. But he wasn’t. And there was a hidden feeling of comfort amidst the dread. It was like nothing else could get to him with Izuru here. The superhuman experiment had deemed him worthy, and as such, he fell under his protection for the night.
“I sense tension leaving your body. You are feeling more relaxed now, aren’t you? How interesting,” Izuru muttered, moving his hand from the metal collar to the caretaker’s shoulders. “But I can still feel some in here. What a hard worker.” The arm around his waist loosened slightly, allowing the white haired experiment to move back a few inches. “Hajime, since you are here and being so compliant, serve as my subject of practice. And you may fall asleep if this proves successful. You have my permission.”
Hajime wanted to ask what exactly he meant by his words, but he soon found out without voicing his question. Izuru’s hand began pressing harder into his skin, kneading his stiff muscles. Without his input, a pleased sound emerged. It felt really good and relaxed him more than he had been in months. His eyes closed again and he could tell that his levels of consciousness were rapidly fading. Izuru’s talent was just too good for him to even try to resist. And so, he fell asleep. Held by the world’s most dangerous man.
~~~~~~~~~~
Sleep was not easy for Hajime anymore. So when he got periods of good rest, he felt inclined to stay asleep for as long as his body and job would allow. He had no dreams that night, just a relaxing and refreshing sleep. The quiet around him kept him sleepy, keeping him in its embrace.
Until the sound of a crackling, static voice filled the silence.
‘Hinata. Report this second if you are still alive.’
His radio. And the voice of a scientist. He really should respond.
But as he tried to blink the sleep out of his working eye and reach over to grab the device, he noticed a few things.
One. He was staring at an unfamiliar wall. His room was not painted white. Two. He was in a bedroll. Very different from his own bed. Three. His arms were locked in place by a grip of steel of someone behind him.
Suddenly, he recalled exactly where he was. He was in Izuru’s room. Locked in to test the experiment’s patience of him. And that Izuru had snuck into his bedroll at some point during the night.
That explained things. Especially why he couldn’t move his arms. He was torn on what to do now. He needed to report back. But he also didn’t want to try and escape from Izuru’s grip for fear of what he might do in retaliation.
But he didn’t end up needing to make that difficult decision with the sound of the radio speaking again. ‘Hinata. Respond now.’
He heard an annoyed huff behind him. “They are impatient. Why must they find it necessary to disturb us?” The arms around him loosened, enough for Hajime to reach out and grab the radio.
“Hajime Hinata here. I’m still alive and well,” he spoke, a bit of gruffness audible from him just waking up.
‘Next time, respond faster. Now then, you will need to report everything when we come unlock the door. Be prepared in the next five minutes.’
Izuru plucked the radio out of Hajime’s hand, bringing it up to his face and pushing the button to respond. “I am not done with my caretaker yet. Leave us be. And if you come here and try to forcefully remove him, I shall rip out your tongues.” He then hurled the radio at the wall, the force shattering the device into tiny pieces. “There. Now we can rest more.”
Hajime stared in shock at the shards of the mechanical device. Izuru… was still sedated… and could do that easily. It made him extremely grateful to be on the experiment’s good side at this moment.
“You are amazing.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them. And he knew he had been heard.
He could feel the intense gaze behind him, imagining the eternal smile growing wider. “Compliments are not something I receive often. Whether in this life or my previous one.”
The brunette shuddered as he felt the warm breaths on his neck again. “Do… you like getting compliments?”
The cold pale fingers traced over his collar, soft enough to not make a sound. “I shall let you figure that out.”
It was quiet for about twenty minutes, only the clock making noise. But eventually, Hajime felt Izuru pull away, leaving the bedroll and standing above him. “It is nearly time. They will come this way soon to collect you. And I can release you since I was so rudely awakened. Unconsciousness will not reappear until later.” His head tilted. “You should rise and make yourself presentable. Though I do not mind what state you come to me in.”
Hajime was successful in taming the red threatening to paint his cheeks. He kept his head down as he got out of the roll and folded it back up. “I appreciate it, sir.”
The shoulders rose and fell with a wistful sigh. “What will it take to convince you to use my name?” Without waiting for an answer, Izuru turned and headed back to his bed, long white hair swaying with each step.
The caretaker mulled over the words. Would he be able to address the experiment informally? He wasn’t sure. And he was not confident enough to try. Being respectful had kept him alive thus far. And he fully intended on continuing to do so, not only for his survival but because Izuru deserved it.
But… he wouldn’t deny the small part of him that desperately wanted to throw caution to the wind. It grew with every encounter he had with the embodiment of talent and luck. And with last night? It was far bigger.
Nevertheless, he resisted like all other times. He still had a sense of self preservation. He watched until Izuru was fully sitting on the mattress before moving himself. He walked over towards the door, standing next to it while he waited.
“They will arrive in 41 seconds based on their footsteps. There is no sound of a cart so they must not expect you to do the examination until later. Poor Hajime, being worked to the bone.” The smile turned into a smirk. “You know, if you stayed here in this room, you wouldn’t be required to do so much.”
They both knew that was highly unlikely to happen. Hajime took pride in his position of being the Ultimate Hope’s caretaker. And they also both knew that Izuru was likely to not respond as amicably to anyone else entering his room to bring him food or sedate him.
Highly unlikely. But the chances were not zero.
It made Hajime softly laugh with his own smile. “Your offer is tempting. But I’m afraid I will have to decline. Someone has to make sure you get nutrients.”
“Ah, yes. That is a fair point. Very well, I shall allow you to leave. Until next time, my dear caretaker,” Izuru said, waving as the door opened and Hajime was yanked out.
The door shut, blocking his view of the experiment. He vaguely heard the scientists demanding answers from him, but he momentarily ignored them in favor of one last thought.
Here is how the story goes: I find a half finished, sketchy comic I drew about these two and think ‘oh it’s kind of funny, let me finish this real quick ahah it shouldn’t take long’ fast forward literal hours of struggling to write/draw something I like that stays light hearted and doesn’t dwell in the more serious implications of the post game because I don’t want to ruin the vibe I had going on with my initial draft. Anyway. Just take it.
“You have a long life ahead of you. There are thousands of beauties in the Three Realms. Is there no one else to your liking?”
“No. Never. Not in this life or other lives. Only her.”
