𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 (𝐊𝐚𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐱𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

Chapter 20: When We Meet Again

Under the veil of an uncomfortable slumber, your consciousness stirred as the cold, unyielding metal pole, to which you were firmly bound to, jolted you awake. As you shook off the haze of dizziness and exhaustion, the sharp pain gnawing at your senses intensified. Your eyelids remained shut, shielding your eyes from the harsh reality of your situation, yet you couldn't help but groan weakly at the tingling and ebbing of your cuts and bruises.
"Y/N," a vulnerable voice spoke, tugging at your heartstrings.
Weakly, a single tear of resignation rolled down your cheek, its journey cut short as it splintered upon the earthen floor into glistening fragments.
"Kaeya..." you managed to whisper back, your voice feeble but brimming with affection and concern. 

You didn't know what to do at all. Dainsleif was now consumed by a relentless thirst for revenge, and had lost all sense of logic. At this point, escape seemed like a dream that was just out of reach.
"You don't believe that I betrayed my home, do you?" Kaeya quietly asked, his usually confident tone absent. It felt like a knife had stabbed your heart, to hear Kaeya questioning your faith in him. Though your body ached, you strained to turn toward him, only to be thwarted by the searing ropes that tightly bound your wrists.
"No, Kaeya. I believe you completely. Aside from that, how do we get out of this?"
Silence engulfed the atmosphere, and each passing second seemed to bear the weight of eternity. As the realization dawned on you both, a sense of acceptance washed over you. For now, there was no feasible escape plan, and all you could do was endure and cling to each other for strength. With a heavy sigh, you leaned back, resting the back of your head against Kaeya's, finding comfort in the proximity and shared determination to face whatever fate had in store.

Hours later, you were dangerously starved and dehydrated; unlike Kaeya, you had been tied here for days. Your legs were numb, and your back could barely hold you upright. Your once vibrant senses that revelled in magical moments with Kaeya were now dulled, unable to grasp the reality of the nightmarish present. All you could do was shake your head in utter disbelief, at how everything was so magical before...and now this. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate, turning a once-bright future of love and hope, into a dark canvas of suffering.

Amidst your thoughts, the faint sound of footsteps graced the desolate farmhouse. "I must say, it is a marvellously opportune moment for you both to awaken. I had no desire to rouse you forcibly; pain is not a method I favour," Dainsleif stated, his voice carrying an air of enigmatic poise. You glared at him, trying to mask your pain with defiance - it's not like I'm already in pain, you thought angrily.

Observing your defiant gaze, Dainsleif gracefully approached and crouched beside you, gently tilting your face to meet his. "Y/N, you've been offered many chances to relent, yet your stubbornness is insistent. Witness the consequences of your choices and the burden they bear. This, my dear, lies solely on your shoulders," he hissed with an undertone of sorrow. With a swift motion, he twisted your restraints, aligning you next to Kaeya.

Dainsleif then wielded a sharp dagger, freeing Kaeya from the pole, though his arms and legs remained bound. "Traitors deserve more than a simple demise. Alberich, prepare to endure suffering so profound that death will appear a sanctuary. I shall subject you to torment's edge, only to draw you back from oblivion. An unending cycle until fate decrees your final breath," he proclaimed mercilessly.

With a heart-wrenching expression of pure hatred, Dainsleif mercilessly slashed Kaeya's back with the dagger, and the summoning of scarlet blood cascading down his body sent a shockwave of horror through you. Your heart felt like it stopped, and your throat tightened as you couldn't believe what you were seeing - it couldn't be real.

But Kaeya's reaction, or lack thereof, shattered you even more. He rolled over to face Dainsleif with an arrogant smirk, as if daring him to inflict more pain. Each strike from the dagger seemed to fuel Dainsleif's anger, and he continued slicing at Kaeya's body, leaving deep cuts all over him. You desperately searched for any sign of pain in Kaeya's eyes, but they remained hollow as he met your terrified, pained gaze.

And then it hit you like a ton of bricks. He cared. He cared so much about you that he was hiding his agony, forcing a smirk on his face, just so you wouldn't see how helpless and in pain he truly was. It was an agonizing realization, and you could feel your heart breaking as you watched him endure the unspeakable torment for your sake. The bond you shared with Kaeya felt like a cruel twist of fate, connecting you so deeply that his pain became your own.