no Shuyaku wa Wareware da (Wrwrd)

Gruppen Führer~ Into the Woods

(This took my sleep away)

Gruppen never lied.

At least, as far as you remembered.

And that’s why his threats were scary, because you knew he wasn’t lying.

“If you want to escape, then be my guest. The door is always open for you. However, I must remind you that I’ll be chasing you down at every step you take and drag you back when you least expect it.”

You stared at him, at his simpering face, at his gleaming eyes. Confident, he was, for he knew he’d win this challenge, go through with this threat. And you knew it, too. That’s why you didn’t try to bolt towards the unlocked door that was located just a few meters behind him. Instead, you let him hold your hand, gently yet probingly. His gloved fingers slithered down your palm to your wrist, feeling the thumping heartbeat just beneath the skin.

You might be able to mask your emotions, but you couldn’t mask your nervousness deep inside.

Slowly, Gruppen brought your hand to his lips, kissing it like he’d done so many times. It was how he usually showed his love to you; the gentleness that belied the roughness and firmness of a wicked subjugator, the affection that belied the obsession and possession of a man in love, and the kindness that belied the selfishness and the ruthlessness of a skilled leader.

He stared at you. He always stared at you. You wondered when he’d grow bored of you, since he pretty much knew everything he needed to know about you, which was, well, everything.

Probably never. That was how good he was at entertaining himself, by challenging you. Subtly, so unlike himself yet so like himself.

Because he was still a formidable leader deep inside, even if he acted like a smiling neighbor. Because he knew how to be quiet, even if he tended to ramble.

Because he knew how to be patient, even if he was itching to capture you.

That was how you got yourself in this predicament in the first place, by allowing yourself to relax in his unpredictable yet solid presence.

You should’ve known that a leader was still a predator. That although he was more gentlemanly than the rest, he was still dangerous as the rest. That was how you survived in the college, you supposed, by having an advantage over others, or knowing something people didn’t. The hidden sides, the stray glances, the fleeting emotions, those minute details that revealed someone’s true nature. How to manipulate them to your desires. Roboro used them, Tonton used them, mostly Osuman did the most. but you never thought Gruppen would use them too.

And against you, nonetheless.

He simpered. “So, will you take the first step, Liebling?”

You stared at him now. Not at his forehead, or the space between his eyes, but truly his eyes. Living with Gruppen meant familiarizing yourself with his constant stalking, and learning how to maintain your guard at all cost. It was impossible considering that you needed to rest just like any other human, but you didn’t have the pleasure to relax during the waking hours. Even in the moments where he went out to relax or just observing some poor creatures in the woods, you always felt those eyes boring onto your back.

That was how potent his staring was, and how accustomed you were to it.

Ironically.

You frowned as if he should’ve known the answer. He did. He was merely testing you, urging you, coaxing you so he could cool the chief blood that simmered beneath his skin. And because you knew that too, you ripped your hand from his and stormed towards your shared room. It hurt to deny what your heart wanted, yearned, desired, but this wasn’t a battle you could fight.