D. Gray-man Fan Fiction ❯ A Game of Poker ❯ The Kidnapping ( Chapter 9 )

A/N: This is my first multichapter fanfic for the DGM fandom! Yay! I'm fairly new to the fandom, but hopefully I haven't made any unforgivable mistakes.

 

Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons in the uncut versions (not on fanfiction(dot)net). Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.

 

Disclaimer: I don't own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don't own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don't recognize (like the plotline of `A Game of Poker') does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don't sue.

 

Kudos to the awesome SisterWicked of AssHat Productions (a group I am now a proud member of), who got me started on Lucky and lets me use 'lovely'! Beta'd by Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.

 

Last Time On `A Game Of Poker':

 

The redhead turned his gaze back to the window, keeping his smile fixed on his face since he could feel Krory glancing up every so often to study him. He hummed tunelessly, pretending to be absorbed in the world beyond the window.

 

And Now, The Continuation

 

A Game of Poker, Chapter 9

The Kidnapping

 

Tyki walked along the streets of the town, having had arrived a short time ago by carriage. The town was fairly close to where he had been previously, so there had been no need to get fancy with transportation. He was mostly wandering aimlessly at the moment, following vague rumors of strange phenomena in hopes of running into one of his targets. Finders had been spotted at this town a few days ago and hadn't left yet, so it was likely that Exorcists were on their way here.

 

He walked through the closing marketplace; many of the stalls had already locked up for the night. Streetlamps and moonlight illuminated the few that had just finished the day's business and were closing until the morning. A few people still wandered the streets, some already drunk and staggering home with the help of some sober and not-so-sober buddies. Few walked by themselves, as Tyki did, and most belonged to a small group of friends.

 

The Pleasure's eyes habitually scanned the crowd for a flash of black material that could mean an Exorcist was in the area - they did wear such flashy coats after all - or a sign of red hair, or hopefully the two together.

 

He mentally shook the image of Lavi's smile from his head. If he was looking for the redhead it was only because Lavi was one of his targets. He hadn't been able to kill the younger man the last time they had met, but perhaps he'd be able to this time and end his ridiculous and dangerous hesitation. Simply because he hadn't had a satisfying night since the time Lavi had used his mouth on him - and what a delicious experience that had been - and hadn't been able to kill or incapacitate any other Exorcists because of the memory of Lavi's face meant nothing. He would have to firm his resolve and kill the redhead before the situation worsened.

 

And perhaps, he thought, perking up, perhaps Lavi had learned better than to trust him. If the Exorcist attacked him and fought back, surely he'd be able to kill the younger man this time around.

 

Somehow not really cheered by the thought of possibly having earned Lavi's hatred, he continued walking. Even if there were Exorcists in this town, he doubted he would run into Lavi. The redhead, after all, was only one Exorcist of many and it wasn't very likely that he'd-

 

Tyki stopped, staring across the street at the door to the town's largest inn. A flash of red and black had caught his eye, and now he almost wished he hadn't looked. Lavi had just exited the inn and turned to walk up the street, away from the Noah. He apparently hadn't even noticed the man, though to be fair there were several other people still out on the street. Tyki watched him for a moment, silently debating his options.

 

He could just turn around, pretend he hadn't seen the redhead, and leave town in search of one of his other targets. The Earl would be furious if he ever found out, but the Pleasure wouldn't let him find out. He would have turned and walked away then, if not for one small thing.

 

He wanted to see Lavi again. He wasn't sure yet whether or not he would try to kill the younger man, but regardless he wanted to see the redhead. If - when, he told himself - the Exorcist attacked, then he would fight back, possibly kill him, and this would be over. If he didn't manage to kill the younger man, then it was no loss, but at least he could honestly say that he had attempted.

 

With a sigh, he let his feet follow Lavi. He was careful not to let the redhead catch on, following him at a distance and blending in with the few small groups that passed him rather than trying to blend with the shadows. The streetlamps didn't leave much room for shadows on this main street and hiding in shadows was easy enough to pick up on. It would be too obvious he was tailing the red-haired man if he tried blending in there.

 

Lavi didn't once look over his shoulder, just seemed to wander aimlessly. Tyki followed silently. They passed fewer and fewer people, until eventually it was just the Exorcist and the Noah walking along the street. The redhead turned down an alley, Tyki following almost a half a minute later.

 

He nearly walked into the pointed tip on top of Lavi's hammer. He stepped back instinctively, raising his hands to show he had no weapon and almost laughing at the irony. This was at least the third time he had raised his hands to show he meant no harm to Lavi - it seemed to be what symbolized their 'relationship'. The faint green glow from the Innocence-powered hammer wasn't quite enough to illuminate Tyki's face and the streetlamps didn't quite reach the mouth of the alley. The moon's glow was covered by a few wisps of clouds.

 

"I know you've been following me. Who are you?" Lavi asked, obviously unable to see who it was on the other end of the hammer. The Pleasure chuckled.

 

"Observant as always, Lavi. As expected of a Bookman in training."

 

The hammer lowered suddenly at the sound of his voice. Tyki frowned in confusion.

 

"Tyki..?" Lavi's voice asked, uncertain. The clouds shifted and the Pleasure caught the briefest hint of shock on the redhead's face before hurt replaced it. An emotionless mask was quickly placed over the pained expression and the hammer was raised to his throat again, the point now digging into his skin. He held his ground.

 

"Finally learned not to trust me, I see." he said neutrally, wincing as the point dug in deeper. The pain from the small cut was mild, not normally something he'd even blink at, but his neck wasn't the only thing injured by the hammer there. "Would you believe me if I said I wasn't here to hurt you?"

 

There was a slight hesitation, but then Lavi shook his head violently.

 

"No. You'd be lying." he replied, but something in his voice remained uncertain. Tyki frowned again, anger building inside of him at his own mixed reaction to that uncertainty. He redirected it towards the unfortunate redhead.

 

"Very good, Lavi." The Pleasure allowed a seductive note to enter his voice when he used the Exorcist's name, noting with mixed feelings how the younger man tensed at the sound. Part of him grew even angrier at the reaction, both with himself for causing it and the Exorcist for reacting that way. He reveled in the evident mistrust even as he loathed the obvious loss of whatever faith the redhead had in him. Part of him enjoyed the way Lavi's hands shook at the faint, false hint of possible carnal activities while part of him longed to fulfill those faint hints. Disappointment at the knowledge that Lavi would never let him act on his desires again fueled his anger, which he gathered up and directed towards the Exorcist.

 

He could feel an inhumanly wide grin stretch his face. Lavi backed up a step out of instinct upon seeing the expression and clutched his hammer more tightly. Tyki chuckled again.

 

"You've seen me like this once before, haven't you, Exorcist?" he asked, darker side delighting in the visible shiver that traveled through Lavi's body. He stepped forward, easily batting aside the hammer and moving closer to Lavi. Ozuchi Kozuchi was a better long-range weapon than close range - Lavi tried to bring the hammer down in a blow, but the strike had no real force behind it. Tyki easily ignored it and then he was well inside Lavi's personal space. The redhead's eyes widened as the Pleasure grabbed his wrists and forced them down.

 

The Exorcist stumbled backwards, trying to free himself, but Tyki followed until he had the younger man pinned against the wall of the alley. Lavi winced as his head hit the hard brick, hand still barely hanging on to his weapon. Tyki pressed even closer, body delighting in the way the younger man moved against him as Lavi tried to struggle free. His mind delighted in the knowledge that this was Lavi he had so close, the only person who had managed to get under his skin so deeply and affect him in such a manner. His darker side delighted in the fruitless attempts for freedom, greatly enjoying his power over the Exorcist.

 

"Now this seems familiar..." he taunted, hands sliding up to grip the Exorcist's upper arms. "I seem to remember you saying that you liked it this way and would let me do it again-"

 

"Let me go, you bastard." Lavi hissed, trying and failing to shove against him. The Pleasure just laughed.

 

"Now why would I do that?" he asked, moving closer when something sharp pressed against his chest. He looked down, seeing the much-shrunk hammer with the sharp point at the top digging into his dress jacket. The redhead kept the sharp edge of the Innocence pressed above his heart, but didn't shove through.

 

"Let me go. Now." Lavi demanded quietly. Tyki hesitated, then let go as the point dug in deeper. He backed away from the redhead, though to be honest he wasn't concerned about the younger man stabbing him. The way the Exorcist's arm shook hinted at all sorts of internal battles Tyki would have loved to listen in on.

 

"Why are you doing this?" Lavi demanded, looking towards the ground as he kept his hand steady. The Pleasure raised an eyebrow, about to ask what the Exorcist was referring to when the younger man continued. "If you're here to kill me, then do it. Don't tease me."

 

The Noah's smile turned into a wicked smirk, true happiness rushing through him even as he tried to temper it.

 

"You still want me, lo- Exorcist?" he asked, catching the pet name just in time. That part of their relationship was over, even if neither wished it to be. He noticed Lavi tensing further at the question and continued. "Even after I nearly killed your friend - what was his name? Kato? Walker showed up at the last minute to save him, but was he actually on time?" He shrugged. "Not that I care, but lusting after someone who put a friend in the hospital..."

 

Lavi shook with anger.

 

"Kanda. His name is Kanda and Allen was 'on time'. Yuu-chan will be fine."

 

"You don't sound so sure, and you haven't answered my question." The Pleasure let his voice go as husky and seductive as it could. "Do you want me, Lavi?"

 

The redhead's body continued to shake, the tremors extending even to the hammer he carried. The Exorcist didn't answer for a long time and Tyki could feel his emotions take a trip through elation and desire before falling back into cold disappointment and resignation. He had his duty, after all, and doing anything more with the Exorcist would just make it more difficult to kill the redhead when it was no longer avoidable.

 

"That doesn't matter. Are you here to kill me or not?" Lavi finally asked. The Noah stood where he was for several moments as he considered the question and then, somewhat disgusted with himself, he backed away from the Innocence leveled at his chest. The Exorcist watched him warily and the Pleasure shrugged nonchalantly.

 

"Not tonight, but this is your last warning. I suggest you find a way to work up some real hatred towards me - it's no fun to kill without a fight, but I will if necessary. Last chance, Exorcist." Tyki turned to walk away, but was interrupted by Lavi's voice.

 

"Why haven't you killed me yet?" The redhead's voice dropped to a near whisper, but the Noah heard him nevertheless. "Did... what we did... mean something, anything at all? Is that why?"

 

"Of course not." Tyki lied, feeling the words sting his own heart even though he kept the pain from his face. Through gritted teeth, he continued as he watched Lavi's visible eye cloud over in hurt. "As for me not killing you yet... call it a whim. That whim only lasts until the next time we meet - remember that."

 

"Then why aren't I dead?" Lavi asked quietly. Tyki pretended not to hear him, walking back on to the deserted street. He could hear the Exorcist call after him, but ignored the sound.

 

"Why haven't you killed me yet?"

 

The redhead leaned against the wall, facing the alley's mouth and seeing that Tyki wouldn't respond. The Noah was already gone, having moved beyond the alley and into the street. Neither the Pleasure nor the Exorcist had noticed the eyes watching the entire interaction from a nearby building's roof. Violet eyes had watched the scene sadly, and now their owner stepped onto a small pink umbrella and began to float down to the ground.

 

"Road-tama..." the pumpkin head of the umbrella said. Road simply nodded, face expressionless but for the sorrow her eyes conveyed.

 

"I know, Lero. It seems that redhead has taken Tyki away from us. Maybe if we take the Exorcist, Tyki will come back."

 

The pair didn't speak, descending silently on the unsuspecting Bookman in training. The soft sound of feet hitting the pavement was the only warning he got before something hit him over the head.

 

As he crumpled to the ground, he got the vague impression of a small girl standing over him, dressed in a schoolgirl skirt and a long-sleeved, lacy top. Seven crosses marked her forehead, her violet eyes the only other feature fully visible to him as the world grew dark.

 

Line Break

 

Krory knocked lightly on the door to his younger partner's room, knowing it was almost midnight but truly concerned. He hadn't seen Lavi since the redhead had told him that the younger Exorcist planned on going out to explore the town a bit. The vampire-like Exorcist had taken dinner in his room, but he hadn't heard anything from his friend for hours.

 

Perhaps the boy had returned and simply gone to sleep without informing Krory of his return, but that didn't sit well with the older man. Lavi, of all the younger Exorcists, was the least irresponsible and would have informed him. With how Lavi had been acting lately and how distracted the young man seemed to be at all times... Krory wasn't sure if something had happened to the likeable redhead.

 

"Lavi-kun?" he called softly, not wanting to wake the Bookman in training if the boy was actually asleep. He tried the door, to his surprise and discomfort finding it unlocked. He stepped into the dark room, eyes already adjusted from the dim light in the hallway.

 

The room seemed untouched, the only sign of Lavi's presence the teen's small bag. It was as if the hammer-user hadn't been to the room since he had dropped off his things. As it was the middle of the night, Krory doubted Lavi was still out exploring.

 

He backed out of the room, shutting the door quickly behind himself and heading down to the main floor of the inn. There had to be a phone there he could use to contact Headquarters.

 

Line Break

 

Lavi slowly opened his eyes, mind woozy from the blow he could only vaguely remember. He had been in an alley and talked to Tyki, then a Noah had shown up and knocked him out. From his memories of the even, he was fairly certain it was Road Camelot who had attacked him, but in that case why wasn't he dead?

 

He looked around, not recognizing the strange, shadowy place with paintings hanging on invisible yet somehow smoky walls. The surroundings sent a shiver of fear through him, the shiver increasing to a full out chill when he tried to move and realized his arms and legs were bound. His wrists were pinned to what felt like a solid wall behind him, though he could see neither the shackles nor the wall itself. His legs were spread a bit apart and shackled as well, leaving him standing straight up with no way to move or possibly get comfortable.

 

He looked around a bit more, wishing he could turn to see the entire room. He looked down at his Innocence's holster, noting without surprise that the hammer was not waiting inside. He gritted his teeth. He was inside what he assumed to be the Noah's stronghold, bound and weaponless, with no way of knowing how long he had been there or if there was any way he could be rescued. He tested the invisible shackles, unsurprised when they didn't budge.

 

An odd sound drew his attention to the center of the small, circular room. The sound was similar to a rush of air, but concentrated somehow. When he looked, he found the source to be a padded red door, heart-shaped on top with a crown floating above it. He recognized that door. His suspicions were confirmed when a head with short, spiky blue hair peeked out from around the door. Upon seeing the Exorcist staring back at her, she smiled cruelly and turned to face something or someone behind her.

 

"Earl, he's awake."

 

Lavi felt as if his heart stopped. Cold completely overtook him when the Noah girl stepped through the doorway and a large man in a white coat followed her. The man's grin was chillingly familiar and Lavi got the sense that the man was displeased with something, though he didn't know what.

 

"Hi, good evening." the Earl greeted him, tone falsely pleasant. "Road-chan here tells me that you have met our Tyki a few times. It seems Tyki-pon has spared your life more than once, correct?"

 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lavi replied instantly, knowing that nothing good could come of the truth. He doubted anything worse could happen to him, but he didn't want to consider what the Pleasure's punishment would be for sparing an Exorcist's life.

 

"Now now, it's a simple question! Road-chan-" The Noah of Dreams smiled sweetly, the picture of innocence. "-happened to overhear your talk with Tyki-pon some time ago and brought you here for a little chat. Why don't you just cooperate?" The Earl's glasses reflected the odd light illuminating the room, hiding the man's eyes. "It will be much less painful for you if you do."

 

"Either way I'm dead in the end." Lavi replied, keeping his voice even. He relaxed as much as he could against the wall, keeping his gaze on the Earl and the Noah.

 

The large man nodded, his huge grin adding a touch of the surreal to the scene.

 

"Correct! But if you don't answer, we can make it very painful for you. Would you like a demonstration?"

 

Lavi's eye widened as he opened his mouth to speak, but the Earl was already turning to the girl next to him.

 

"Road-chan, remember that we need his mind intact. I'm sure your candles will do for this."

 

Road pouted a bit, but the Bookman in training could see the impish glee in her eyes. She lifted her hand, candles like stakes appearing from nowhere.

 

"All right." she said, then flicked her wrist down. Three stakes shot towards the redhead, one embedding itself into the wall so close to his ear he felt a scratch open up on the delicate tissue. Another pinned his jacket to the wall just under his armpit and the third scratched into his hip but didn't fully hit.

 

Road smiled again.

 

"I don't have to keep missing, Exorcist. I think Tyki called you Lavi? Is that your name?" she asked. The Bookman in training mustered up a glare and shot it at her. Her smile simply widened, amused.

 

"Will you cooperate, or does Road have to start hitting you?" the Earl asked almost kindly. Lavi chuckled inwardly, knowing there was only one course he could take and that it wasn't the logical one Bookman would have told him to choose. Bookmen were logical creatures and heartless to boot, but Lavi wasn't like that. Not yet.

 

"You may as well aim the next one at my heart, Noah girl." he said, grinning confidently. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

 

The Earl seemed to sigh.

 

"Poor choice, Lavi-chan!" he said mockingly.

 

Road's eyes narrowed as she directed another stake to fly towards the captured Exorcist. It went through his forearm and into the wall behind it, pinning the limb in place. Lavi gritted his teeth, determined not to cry out. Crying out would only bring them satisfaction, so even if his arm was in agony and his hand was twitching uncontrollably, he wouldn't cry out. Trickles of blood ran from the wound, the small drops of crimson liquid forcing themselves out around the impaled wax stake.

 

A second candle shot into his abdomen, though it didn't go all the way through. A third embedded itself into his thigh. His resolve to stay quiet weakened with each strike, barely biting back a whimper when the candle went into his leg. A fourth grazed his neck.

 

"Will you talk now, Lavi-chan?"

 

Lavi shook his head, not wanting to open his mouth. The wounds hurt, but he could endure. He would hold off on screaming for as long as possible, but he knew he probably couldn't hold off on it forever. More candles shot into his body - his left shoulder and one lower on his leg. He bit his lip, eyes squeezed shut as if not watching would prevent anything from hitting him. His limbs were on fire, as if the candles were actually still burning pokers inserted into his flesh.

 

"And now?"

 

Lavi shook his head violently, wincing at the pain that shot through his body at the motion. Any slight shift seemed to drag one or more of the candles across a bone. His arms strained against the invisible shackles, hands forming fists as he tried and failed to free himself. How he wanted to rip the stakes out, but removing the candles without being able to stop the blood that would flow from the wounds could be fatal.

 

"I won't." he said, forcing the words out through gritted teeth. He concentrated on breathing evenly, not looking at the sadistic little girl or the fat man next to her. His stomach roiled, tying itself into knots. Sweat beaded on his forehead and fell down his face. He could feel more sliding down his back as he continued to pull against the shackles.

 

"That's too bad... Road-chan, how about you play with him for a little while? Remember, no illusions - we don't want the poor boy's mind to break, now do we?"

 

"Of course not, Earl!" Road chirped, summoning more candles from nowhere. "Will you be staying to watch?"

 

The Earl shook his head, still smiling.

 

"No, Road-chan, but I will be back soon. I have an idea!"

 

"Bye-bye, Earl!" she called as he disappeared back through the padded door. She turned her gaze back to Lavi, the smile disappearing as she called one of her stakes to her hand. She slid her fingertips over the point, staring at it.

 

"My family's important to me, I hope you know." she said softly. "I wanted to kill you, but the Earl wouldn't have liked that. I'd do it now, but the Earl still wants you alive."

 

Her expression turned wicked as she turned her gaze back to the redhead.

 

"I'll just have to play with you until he gets back. Maybe I can make you scream, huh, Lavi?"

 

The girl approached him, lifting the candle slowly.

 

"Where would this cause the most pain if I stabbed it, hmm?" She drew close enough to move the point over his flesh, cutting the thick material of his jacket and shirt to draw blood from the skin beneath. He bit his lip, holding back a cry. She traced the point down to his abdomen, watching his face as he forced himself not to wince. She shoved the spike into his body, next to the other one that already decorated his abs. He hissed in pain but cut the sound off quickly.

 

He could practically feel her smirk, she radiated so much smugness.

 

"If it was so easy to get you to hiss, I bet I could make you scream with just a little more effort. Let's play, Bookman."

 

Line Break

 

Tyki wandered the streets, looking for a small bar or tavern where he could find a drink and, more importantly, company. Company he could seduce into being asked to their room. It had been hours since he had run into the redhead, but Lavi's face wouldn't leave his mind. He hadn't been able to kill the Exorcist, again.

 

The sound of loud music and drunken laughter reached his ears. He looked around for the sound, spotting a small, bit rundown single story building with an open wooden door. Light spilled from the doorway, a warm orange color and inviting to a weary traveler. He sighed. It would have to do, though it wasn't the type of establishment he normally frequented.

 

He had wandered around for some time after his run-in with Lavi, thoughts too confused to even concentrate on finding a bed partner for himself that night, but now his thoughts had cleared somewhat. He was just about to head into the small but apparently popular bar - he could see the shapes of many people through the window - when the sound of someone clearing their throat drew his attention. He turned towards the sound, surprised and uneasy when he recognized the figure in the shadows.

 

"My dear Earl, to what do I owe the honor?" he asked, bowing slightly. He forced a smile on his face. "I just saw you not two days ago. Is there something you need?"

 

The Earl nodded, though the motion wasn't as chipper as it normally was. Unease grew inside of Tyki's stomach.

 

"I would like you to come with me, Tyki-pon. I have a surprise and a job for you back home."

 

Slowly, the Pleasure nodded. It would be unwise to refuse a request from the Earl, especially one that was an order in disguise.

 

"Of course." he said, stepping towards his employer. The Earl turned down the dark alley, leading him to the piece of their Ark. Whatever this 'surprise' was, whatever the 'job' was, Tyki was sure he wasn't going to like it. He never did.

 

TBC…

 

A/N: It may be a bit until I update - I'd like to get a few more chapters for this written, since I post so often and I took a bit of a break to work on other fics. I'll update as soon as I can, but I can't promise when that will be.