It's Something Called Obedience! ||

Chapter No.7: Stockholm Syndrome

Paper finally finished cleaning me up, he's surprisingly very thorough when it comes to medical treatment. He also managed to portray concern to me, I know better at this point though, I am done with Tion's act. Paper decided to just wrap me in bandages instead of a full on dress. Plot explained how expensive the silk is, which convinced Paper to not overuse leisurely on me. "The fabric costs more than 5 doses of the anesthesia you want combined." He hangs over my head. Yes because pain is something that is a leisure not to endure. I'm wondering how I could talk to Book-Let, he seems like he wants to explain his feelings.
Of course that does not mean he is willing to tell me, especially after realizing that I have no genuine attraction to men. He had to see the romantic spectrum in my file, his crush on me just absolutes that. I am not mad at him over it, he cannot control his feelings towards me, and I am flattered, but I do have to emphasize that me and him wouldn't work out. He is a man, I am not attracted to men, and believe me I wish I could, I wouldn't be dead if I were attracted to men. I have thought about becoming obnoxious about my orientation, the last thing I need is for men to get the wrong idea about me.
I remember growing up, guys always want to link up and perform some actions I can't forget. There were many guys who grew unhealthy attraction to me, Gabriel, Zereph, Scaro, Vein, Shaon. It wasn't very pleasant, and not at all things I wish I could remember. Men cared so much about my appearance, I never got a chance to become an adult due to dying at 17 years of age. Yes, age never killed my looks but it wasn't all the idol talk people demonstrate. My memories of school weren't great either, some people were kind, those don't make up what happened.
Of course these people couldn't care less about what actually happens to me, it was teenage men letting their hormones dictate how they can treat a woman. They understood what buttons to press in order to pressure me in those situations. Since I couldn't disclose my true identity, I faded out of existence, so I focused on professionalism. Zereph understood this, but he still blamed me for the actions he committed, he never got charged with any kind of murder charge.
I got up, Paper said I could have free roam over this section of the laboratory. I suspect that Book-Let came back as soon as Tion fled from the scene. All I've got to do now is find where he is at, he is smarter than hiding in a blatant view. Maybe after we get out of here, I can help him rekindle his relationship with others around him. It is important I pay him a favor, and not the one that Matrix did. My eyes widen as I open a door that is seemingly a library, he sat across from my gaze, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose as he flips paper in the most soothing manner. He has a wine glass next to him, occasionally he took a sip and turned a few more pages. My curiosity of the story's details grows more and more by the minute.
He lifts his head up, giving me a shocked expression, who knows why out of the multitude of reasons why his expression changed so drastically. His long, thick hair is tied into a man-bun, pulls his bangs away from his jawline that clearly was due for a trim. If I were attracted to men I would probably beg to date him, but alas I have no romance toward men. He motions me to sit by him, I allow my bangs to cover my hazel eyes, averting contact, thus leading me into completely tripping over my feet.
Oh my lordy lord, this man is holding me bridal style, bridal style, if I was in love, I would die. He also has cherry-bomb colonge, and I need to know where he buys it from, because it smells really nice. "Ink, are you okay? I didn't expect you to come in here. Perhaps because I told Plot I wanted to be alone, but I do need to talk to you though. We really need to talk." His voice mixes desperation and maturity, a goddamn new side of him already. Not that I mind, I don't mind. I sit right next to him, he caresses my right cheek in the softest manner. Alright, I seriously can't calm down about his cologne, it smells so nice, my lord.
"What do you want to talk about? Is there anything wrong?" Acting stupid, I have a talent at doing so. He looks at me pitfully, he kisses my hand and presses it against his left cheek. This man I swear. "Ink, you know I love you more than platonically."
My heart skips a beat, how could it not? Sure, I knew it was coming, but that by zero means, means that I couldn't be shocked by that. "Then you would know that I am not attracted to you, Book-Let I hate to say it but, I only love you as a dear friend of mine, not one with benefits." I knew it hurt him, I could see the ache in his eyes. I wish I was attracted to men so we could kiss and make up, but I'll never get that option. And I hate it, I hate it so much.
He gave me the saddest smile, nonetheless he smiled. "Thank you for your honesty Ink, I'll still help you out of here though." His tears were framing his eyes, we both felt pain from this situation and he knows it, the tears, those tears of his are layered with guilt and rejection. Guilt was still extremely potent though. His index finger trails my jawline before he pulls his hand away, "Book-Let, what do you mean you'll help me out of here?" He focuses on my eyes, I don't avert mine. "Ink, I mean that I'm helping you escape, I learned how the others did but didn't tell Tion." His tone is stern, but he can't hold in all his excitement, proven by a smile creeping on his cheeks.
He is like a river stream, once something has fallen from the tide, it flows over him, and he is done. Just like water, he too is gorgeous, it is a shame he is a man but he is. "What's your plan?" I ask, it was just a moment ago when I accepted my eternity in this torture chamber. But I bumped into prince charming and he is willing to save me without a kiss. The most noble storytelling I have ever heard of. "Ink Bringe, there is a secret exit in Experiment XA that Tion has no knowledge of, it has been blocked and found time and time again by Tion's victims, the lucky one who escaped. I can get you to the exit but escaping may mean you have to kill Tion"
My face turns as pale as a ghost, the very reason why I got stuck here was because I refused to kill her. "Her profile is under her tongue, blow it up and she'll be killed, only if it absolutely comes to it though. I think she can change for the better." I don't know if I agree with Book-Let, but this is my best shot. "When are we going to do this?" I'd be lying to say I thought he was actually coming up with an escape route for me during my captivity. "At dusk, I'll be on Night Patrol, I already convinced Tion to give me a chance at 'redemption.'" He thought this through, it feels surreal even if I've only been here for a few days.
"I'll see you then, make sure to be ready, as I will be sneaking you clothing." He smiles and walks away, I stop myself from keeping him with me, I know he would if I wanted him to. It's just, I saw myself in him when Tion called out the guy earlier, whenever men give me the slightest validation, I get really bad compulsory heterosexuality issues, people of my stature are expected to drool over men but I just don't. I wish I did.
Book-Let staying true to his word left me clothes at my doorstep, ten minutes from 0:00. Demonias [I love him oh my lord] laid in front of a set of my favorite gothic steampunk outfit. He definitely reread my file. Sweet heavens I hope this person finds a nice partner one of these days. I get up, clicking on the bathroom light as I enter the room so I can properly change my bandages and get dressed. They were a tad bit bloody but it by no means was a big deal knowing my injuries. I change them swiftly, reinforcing them with tubular gauze and clips. My clothes are leather and cover all my surrounding injuries, due to the need for protection. Who knows what Tion will do when she learns what is happening down here. Neither of us can predict it, and we won't want to be here to witness it.
I put on my underskirt first, allowing my dress-shirt and goggles to follow. Finally, I put on my Demonias, he really knew my shoe-size and everything. It honestly felt like an excruciatingly long process for something I only had 10 minutes to do. I got a knock on the door, I opened it to the purple-haired wine man giving me a rose with a smile. Always the type to try and leave a good impression on people. "Are you ready to go, my liege?" This cheeky ass bitch, and his silly goofy insecurity about being a plain jane. "Take me away from this hell-hole."I laugh lightheartedly.
Book-Let smiles and takes my hand, "We best be on our way now Ink. Before anyone awakes and finds you like this." He looks around our surroundings. I presume he is seeing if anyone is spying on us. "We're in the clear, let's hurry." He grabs my hand, gripping it tightly and leads me out of the room. Nothing but the light of Book-Let's flashlight guiding us. The only sound is the stammer of our footsteps. Things are quiet, a little too quiet. Book-Let takes me to a place completely boarded off, "This is how us employees quickly travel between laboratories in this building, we will be going all the way through this underground passageway."
He breaks down the first hatch quietly, a door disguised as several boards peaks its way out. Book-Let takes out a key from his right pocket. It's silver and polished, clearly new. He unlocks the door, cool wind breezes out and a ladder is below us. "Climb carefully, this ladder is old and very creaky, but luckily the passageway is sound-proof." He gestures to me to follow him down, I accept. He waits for me to safely go the full way down before following me.
The pathway was dully lit with blue, buzzing lights. This wasn't a new building by any means, in fact I suspect that this used to be ruins of the first version of the afterlife, if there were multiple variations. "You're quiet." Book-Let takes my wrist with concern, I don't know what to say. The last actual conversation we had was me rejecting him, he understood and was very respectful, I just am curious to how he still cares so much about me. "There's not much to say." I respond, to which he seems to understand what I'm getting at. The ceilings are pure dirt, I can see some root systems of plant life. The lights start to come to a stop, we arrive at the other side of the building. "Ink, we will have to be very careful, this is right below the sleeping chambers."
Book-Let shows concern but I can tell that he believes we can do this. I believe we can do this too. He again gestures to me to the ladder first, this one is slightly quieter, he follows me up as soon as I am right behind the boarded door, this one was a lighter brown than the other. He takes out a different key for this door, a golden one that sparkles vibrantly. He opens the door, kicking down the board in front of it gently. I recognize the syringes and layout of tools from when I was first captured and when I was stabbed several times in front of Book-Let.
"I know the memories you experienced here were unpleasant to say the least but we have to continue." I could feel the sympathy in his eyes, he had to witness a lot of my suffering, and he must've felt guilty about bringing me into this mess. We crossed the tile floors, a purple and black wall of solid stone appeared before my eyes, "We've arrived, be as silent as a mouse." Book-Let opened a hatch in the wall, we crawled the hatch carefully. There was another ladder. We crawled up into a slim corridor, another door with a barricade. Book-Let takes my hand once again, he is shivering with anxiety, he takes his other hand and uses it to open the door and move the barricade. The key this time was bronze and was covered in old rust.
There is a hallway scattered with warm colored stain glass and a turquoise carpet. The place is littered with turned off lights and color coded rooms. Book-Let holds my hand tighter, leading me to the far end of the hallway to a waiting room, "Ink I was looking for spies and one is in the side of the building, Tion is going to be at the exit, you're going to have to kill her." No wonder he was being so clingy! I'm sure he lost all chances to avoid telling me, he really doesn't want to worry me. I would be lying to say this news didn't give me some jitters but I know as long as he is here, I will be okay.
We reach the elevator, who knows why there is a sign labeling it though. Book-Let summons his wings, he uses his right one to press down a lever. He wraps his wings around me as we hit the ground, I can feel his fear. He continued holding my hand, "Ink, I will be here the whole time." He kissed my forehead, making sure I was okay with it first. The comfort was very much needed though. Just like his warning Tion is at the door and I was hoping she wouldn't be. I saw her syringe, so without hesitation, I blew up her profile, and left her dead as she turned into dust.