20.) Does your character have any irrational fears?
He arrived an hour earlier than it was necessary, but he just couldn't sleep or work anymore when that man asked him to come. And he wasn't able to say no.
It was the same coffee shop as always, even though Akane had asked to meet in a more distant place. It was too close to where Hu was working. That man just laughed on the phone and ignored him.
Akane just prayed once again that Hu wouldn't find out, and he was praying when his father finally arrived.
"Once again with the same bullshit as Laila?"
Akane didn't respond, just finished his prayer and stared at that man. He was trying too hard not to shiver, but it took a even stronger will not to run from him. But Akane couldn't run, not knowing his father knew Hu's whereabouts. And they couldn't run, too.
He would always find them.
"How's life? Do you like the job I arranged for you? Really, you had to go and take up a gay course... At least now you make some money, right? Even though you still have a debt to pay."
He wanted to say something. He really did. But he couldn't. The words were caught up in his stomach and stirred up. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to run away.
He just stared at his now cold tea.
"I heard you had a new one at your house, right? Besides Chang-kun, of course."
Akane's fists clenched tighter, and still not a word was muttered.
"A pretty kitty cat. I never thought you were fit to take care of another life. You always sucked at hanging people."
"Please...," he said at least. "What do you want?"
"A father can't visit his only child?"
"I am not the only child you have in your hands now, that I am sure."
"Akane, behave," but his father smiled. "I always like it better when they fight, but you should have learned by now that it doesn't do any good to respond. Should I teach you again?"
The redhead shook his head, biting his lip. He knew better than to argue with his father.
"Well, the reason I came was to ask about something, really. An innocent question, to which I only want a clear answer," he waited Akane to nod, but there wasn't an agreement there. "I understand that you now have a cat and that you are hopeless, but is that reason enough to visit the same pet shop over and over, without buying anything?"
Akane froze in place. Was it a nightmare? He gave the knife a brief glance, wondering for a moment if he could kill that man before he spread more evil. How could he be so stupid? How could he not thought that his father would not know of Tomo-san, even when Akane knew he was being watched?
"Please... please don't do anything to Tomo-san," it was no good lying, too. His father would probably already know. "He... he is just a good friend, nothing more. He was helping me with my cat, really, just that. Nothing more."
"Who said anything about doing anything to Tomomiya Roka-kun, Akane? I just found him cute. We have a similar taste, being father and son."
"Please... please, don't do anything to him, if you do-"
"What will you do, then?" Yuudai laughed at his pathetic pleas. "The same thing you did when your mother died? The same thing you did when I found you at the monastery? Just give up?" He stretched a hand to touch his son's hair. "Hu becomes more beautiful every day, even with this bullshit about being a girl. I still remember the feel of his body."
Akane wasn't even listening anymore. In his mind there was only prayers. He wanted that man to die. He wanted to die. He wanted Hu and Tomo to be safe. He wanted to stop that man from hurting others.
But he was a coward, wasn't he? What good could he do, what could he accomplish now with so many sins on his back already? He wasn't able to save himself, imagine others.
"Well, don't make that face. It is just a warning, I'm pretty sure you'll behave. So smile, ok?" And Akane did that, because he was so used to that order it was a reflex already. A smile for the man he wanted to kill the most. "Good boy. I might even give you a bigger allowance this month." He patted his head. Akane remained silent. "Now I have to go, but remember to eat, ok? You look pale."
Akane continued to smile as he left. He wanted to leave as well and took out his wallet when he noticed his hands were bleeding. The waitress helped him to stop it, even though he insisted it wasn't necessary.
He left, and even though he wanted to go home and pray and punish himself once more, he found himself at the pet shop, hugging Tomo for dear life, saying a thousand of "I'm sorry"'s in his heart.