Wednesday 1.29 - Damage

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Yohji thought that this whole ‘assassin’ thing had pretty much put him through the wringer. He thought he’d seen everything, done everything, he really couldn’t fall any lower, could he? Well, it could get worse. One of them had yet to die. And really, that was just a ticking time bomb; he was going to have to deal with it sooner or later.

Although maybe not, he’d always rather counted on being the one who went down first. It seemed fucking likely. And his odds just kept increasing.

Anyway, baring their untimely deaths, Yohji thought he was already as broken as he was going to get.

It never occurred to him that he might get tortured.

Although why not, he couldn’t say. It wasn’t hitting him as too big of a shock. He just lacked foresight.

Shit, do you ever.

He wasn’t sure if he was glad for the force-fed pain killers, or if he should curse them. They’d dulled it a little. Not nearly enough, he hurt like a motherfucker, but they muffled the searing jolts caused by Crawford’s prodding just enough to keep him conscious. Yohji was pretty sure that without them he would have blacked out. Or had a heart attack from stress. He suspected that he might have preferred the heightened sensation were the tradeoff that kind of escape. He wanted nothing more in the world just now than to be able to simply turn his mind off.

He hadn’t responded to Crawford’s questions. Not for strength of willpower or anything, he just had no answers. And it was rather obvious which questions the man actually deemed important, and which ones where just part of the torture routine.

Knowing their intent hardly decreased efficiency though.

"So, does Bombay always keep you so thoroughly in the dark?” he’d demanded, “I am not sure I would want to work with a team I didn't trust."

Better than a team with someone like you on it.

…

Omi didn’t know what was on the disk EITHER right? No, he didn’t. He would have told us. We trust one another.

…right?

Crawford kept talking, seemingly indifferent to whether he generated actual information, or only pain. “Would they die for you, Kudoh?"

The question burned. He didn’t know the answer.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

I would die for them. So I guess it all works out. Because I think I’m about to.

With that the cruel man abruptly took his leave and for a moment Yohji was alone, before the young one reappeared.

I think I actually prefer the psychopaths.

Not to get himself wrong, they ALL fucking terrified him. It was just that he decided that he hated Crawford the most.

Nagi was quietly hovering. The kid so far did not seem that bad, probably a trick. None the less, he couldn’t help being reminded of a carrion bird on a death watch.

The companionship was hardly reassuring.

Even watching Asuka die…lying in a pool of blood…a deserted alleyway…counting the seconds before life slipped away from him too….he had felt less alone then.

Maybe when the telepath came back he’d bring his gun.