The Innocent (A 'Finder' Fanfiction)

Gemini - Chapter 4

Jaroslav was a mean bastard. About 2 m tall, broad as a wardrobe, half his face disfigured by pockmarks. He had not a single hair on his head and when he opened a jar, he had to make sure he did not break the glass with his bare hands.

He was also a hell lot of fun, if you were in his good books. And Aaron was. They had been brothers in arms – friends even – for more than a decade. So, when there was need to drip a bit more water unto the rock of Akihito's resistance, Jaroslav agreed to join the game right away.

Now he stomped down the corridor with his heavy military boots and brandished a crowbar against old pipes, until the din echoed around the whole basement. Upon reaching the door, he started to smash the iron rod against the steel, so hard he dented it even more. Then, he tore it open, burst into the cell and grabbed the boy, who had huddled into the corner again, by his hair.

Nothing but a gasp of pain was heard, when Akihito was pulled up or when he was hurled against the wall by a giant fist knotted into the remains of the black pajama. The man in front of him, who was just a mere shadow in the darkness of the cell, yelled at him, his voice crashing against the boundaries of the room and blasting back from them, so tremendously that one's ears might start to bleed.

Aaron stayed out of sight all the time, leaning against the wall behind the door, where Akihito would not be able to spot him. He waited, while Jaroslav did his job.

Soon his deep, too loud voice boomed questions and insults at the boy, while he shoved and knocked him around the cell. He did not speak any Japanese and therefore had to resort to English, which was not really good as well – and that was how it was supposed to be. Whether the boy's skills in language were good or not, they had no information about, but if he had attended school in Japan, then it was unlikely that he understood nothing at all. Jaroslav's own lack of communication skills would do the rest. Because all that Akihito was supposed to get was the gist of it ...

He'd pretty likely understand words like 'traitor' and 'betrayal', 'sissy boy' and 'fuck tool', 'kill him', 'Japanese bastard' ... There was no need for whole sentences, only for the overall meaning.

When the message had been delivered, Aaron burst into the cell. He grabbed Jaroslav around the throat, but the man just shrugged him off, slamming him into the next wall. They fought in the shadows above the unmoving boy who had fallen to the ground, until Aaron managed to drag the other out of the cell, both clinging to each other like two predators in a fight.

Outside where they could once more not be seen, Jaroslav hit a few well-aimed punches at Aaron, then the latter returned the favor. It had to sound real – and to look genuine afterwards.

Of the end, all that Akihito would hear were some strangling sounds, then silence.

Aaron could only imagine the boy's horror of not knowing which one had survived: the one who had been about to kill him, or the other, who for some strange reason seemed to protect him.

Sitting on the floor next to the other man, Aaron let time pass, then he began to pant heavily, smiling at the ugly bastard in front of him, who took off his boots, so they would not be heard, before he left.

Then Aaron crawled back into the cell, which as usual lay in utter darkness. He could only vaguely make out the shape of the boy on the floor – right there where he had fallen. With shaking hands, he touched his shoulder and pulled him up unto his lap when there was no protest or resistance.

"I am sorry, Arata! I am so sorry", he whispered, his voice full of sorrow and fear and comfort. He rocked the frail body in his arms. Oh, fucking hell, he would have been an awesome actor!

For a while, there was no reaction, though he somehow believed that the other was awake. Maybe he was just staring up at the man cradling him in his arms, pretending to be unconscious, too scared to move or speak.

A low, quiet sigh followed much later. "Why?", Takaba Akihito asked, and one of his hands found Aaron's arm. "Why did he ...", his voice trailed away mid-sentence.

"He thinks you betrayed us. They all do. They don't understand how he has brainwashed you. How he used you against all of us. I am so sorry, Arata. I am sorry, I did not get here earlier."

Silence again, but the hand remained there, like it needed to hold on to something.

When his eyes had finally grown accustomed to the darkness, Aaron could see that there was a trail of blood running down the side of the young man's head. More had dried beneath his nose. Dark bruises were starting to bloom on his dirty skin.

"Is he ...", at some point, the other spoke again. "... is ... did you kill him?"

Aaron hesitated for a moment, biting his lip, looking at the door. "I think so."

"Won't they know?", Akihito asked and though his voice was hardly audible and full of pain and exhaustion, there could some tiny tune of worry be heard in it.

Again, Aaron looked at the door, panic visible on his face even though he was not sure how much the boy would see of it. 'Everything for the show!', he thought.

"I'll find a way to get rid of him", he answered shakily and haggardly. "Just ... I need you to be brave. I will get you out of here, Arata. As soon as possible. I promise! I just need you to hang in there!"

He bit his lip so hard it hurt and when he spoke again, a loud sigh of grief and distress accompanied his words: "Arata, I need you to be brave. I promise, I will protect you!"