The Beginning of the End

Chapter 21

Akaashi wanted to shed his skin, maybe even switch bodies.

He felt disgusted with himself, every time he moved his hands and looked at himself he wanted to scream. Scars of his pain were apparent, from the bruises on his face to the marks on his brain, trauma.

"Look at me Keiji."

Akaashi tilted his head up, making eye contact with the old woman that stood before him, who had requested him to call her mother.

"You swore you'd do anything I told you to do. You and Kai, all to keep those two boys safe."

Akaashi nodded in agreement, his lip trembling. But the reminder was necessary, he needed to obey this woman, he needed to keep Hinata and Kunimi- who had only just recently introduced himself- safe.

"I'm sorry" he whispered, flinching when the old woman embraced him, stroking his face.

"Don't be" she responded, smiling softly. "Just please, listen to what I'm asking of you and drink it." A cup stood menacingly by Akaashi's side, filled with scarlet.

"I don't like hurting you Keiji. Don't make me do it again."

Akaashi glanced at the bulky branch that was held in her hand and he winced slightly, remembering how it had been previously swung at his face.

So Akaashi heeded, lifting the cup to his mouth. It smelled like copper. A chill went up his spine, he was sure that it was blood.

But regardless of the cup's contents, Akaashi had to comply, so he drank it, the liquid staining his lips a deep red.

He immediately gagged from the taste, and would have thrown up if it weren't for the old lady's hand, pressed firmly against his mouth.

"There, there" she whispered, resting Akaashi's head on her lap and began to run her fingers through his hair.

"You know Keiji, I've wanted you to join us ever since I first laid my eyes on you.."

Akaashi wanted to cry, his eyes brimmed with tears but all he could do was protest internally, repeatedly yelling no. No, get away from me.

His chest heaved irregularly, he felt like he was choking for air and his mind couldn't keep up with his body. He felt overwhelmed, like he was running out of time but also like things were moving far too slowly. His surroundings seemed distant, out of reach. Akaashi was on the brink of having a panic attack.

But he stayed silence, listening to the old woman's words.
"I'm so happy Keiji, I have you all to myself."

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Akaashi felt drained as he made his way down the hall. He no longer had restraints and he was allowed to talk, but the freedom came at a price, he had to behave.

After Noya had been sacrificed, the men were ordered to kill Hinata and Kunimi. Akaashi and Kai were to be spared, apparently they were deemed worthy to serve the cult.

Sharp knives had been pressed over Hinata and Kunimi's hearts, causing Akaashi and Kai to behave erratically. Watching Noya die had been enough for them. It was then that the old woman allowed the two to speak and made a bargain, Hinata and Kunimi would not be harmed in turn for devotion and obedience.

Akaashi and Kai had agreed immediately, establishing them as members of the group.

Their first instinct was to rebel, to liberate their other friends and escape but one wrong move would put Hinata and Kunimi in danger. They couldn't risk it.

Akaashi arrived at the end of the hall, a rusty door on his left with a man keeping guard. Akaashi nodded nervously at the man before opening the door gingerly, frowning when he saw Hinata and Kunimi's shivering bodies.

The room was chilly and cramped, empty except for spider webs and dust. The wall was hard and concrete, scraping away at Hinata and Kunimi's skin as they leaned against it.

They were shirtless still, with their arms tied behind their backs and their mouths taped.

Kunimi's staples were more firmly embedded in his skin as scabs held them in place. The stitches on Hinata's thigh looked weak and flawed, threatening to tear at any moment.

Akaashi felt a pang of sorrow in his heart as looked at the boys.

Their external wounds weren't as severe as the sadness in their eyes, the haunted air that surrounded them made them seem older.

Hinata particularly, looked uncharacteristically solemn. His bright, orange hair didn't seem to belong, contrasting against the defeated fall of his face. The light in his eyes was faded, dull, as if it had died along with Nishinoya.

Akaashi felt himself tire. Drained from emotional and physical suffering.

He wanted to help the two boys in front of him, to get rid of all of their troubles and make everything better. But he couldn't.

Akaashi settled himself in between Hinata and Kunimi, watching the guard close the door and lock it. The room was freezing.

Akaashi put his arms around Hinata and Kunimi protectively, nestling them closer together to his body. He felt them relax, their breaths slowing down into a steady rhythm.

Akaashi couldn't take away their suffering or their harrowing memories. Akaashi couldn't liberate their friends, he wasn't even allowed to see them. He couldn't say anything to give them hope, it'd be futile to even try.

All Akaashi could do was hold them tightly, giving them warmth in the harsh cold and reassure them with his embrace.

He didn't know how things turned out this way. Kunimi was practically a stranger to him and he had never really socialized much with Hinata. But their grief united them, connecting them in a way that seemed almost intimate.

The three of them fell asleep this way, breaths syncing together, in tune with their heartbeats, steady and slow. Sharing their warmth.

The close proximity allowed for peaceful sleeping. As long as they held each other close they knew that they were okay. Having each other close was confirmation, proof that they existed, that they were alive.

And for Akaashi, it was the only thing that was keeping him sane.

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A/N:
I'm sorry, this chapter is kind of short and uneventful but I wanted to show what things are like after Noya's death

Also I'm sorry again, updates aren't going to be as frequent because I've started school. But I'll be uploading at least once a week, hopefully two or three times when I get into a  comfortable routine

Thank you all so so much for 2K reads!!! I didn't think I'd ever get so many and I'm beyond grateful!!! I hope everyone had a good day or at least had a happy moment that can bring you a smile! I love you all <3