I find myself in the security office with a jolt, and it takes a minute or two to adjust. I always end up having to see what happened through Dakumi�s eyes--it�s just how the emotion transfers, I guess.
Though it�s annoying that while I see everything from a first-person view, I can�t actually do anything. It�s just a memory of what�s already happened, after all, and it�s not mine to change besides.
There�s a phone receiver in �my� hand, and no sooner do I hang it up does a hand lightly squeeze my shoulder, making me flinch.
�You�re so jumpy,� Ishiro murmurs from behind me, massaging the tensed muscles in my back, �you get so high-strung when you end up staying late.�
�That�s because you�re here, and you know it, damn you. You�re just acting innocent because you think it�s all a game set up for your fucking amusement.�
The thought is Dakumi�s, not mine, though I can�t say I disagree.
�I trust you set things straight with the police looking for Adel and the Agents of Chaos in training?�
�Yes,� I reply using Dakumi�s words, �I told them we took care of them like we did Arashi; that the situation�s perfectly under control, and they needn�t worry nor be involved unless we tell them otherwise.�
�That�s good. I wouldn�t want anything to happen to my dear son,� I can hear the sarcastic smirk he wears in his voice as he rests his chin on my shoulder, arms falling from my back to my waist, �and as for you, well, you should be rewarded.�
�You mean, you�ll actually let me shoot you through your non-existent heart?� The venom-laced sarcasm in that thought is so heavy it�d sink faster than lead if it were placed in water.
I choose to tune out the rest of what happens as I not-so-patiently wait for the transfer to finish. Ishiro is never rough with Dakumi like he is with the others he messes with, but it�s still painful to watch.
Dakumi�s a broken man. Ishiro�s never rough with him because he doesn�t need to be. Not anymore, anyway.
Dakumi never used to take this. He�d get just as vicious as Ishiro when he was fighting back and they nearly killed each other once; the twins lost three days of sleep just getting both out of critical condition. And for awhile after that, Ishiro left him alone and we figured he�d learned not to mess with Dakumi anymore.
But that was when things went downhill.
Dakumi had two younger brothers and a sister, who was the youngest of them all. It�s true that Dakumi killed his own sister, but only because Ishiro had killed the brothers in the most brutal ways possible, and Dakumi didn�t want his sister to suffer a painful death like they had. But in reality, Ishiro was never planning on killing Dakumi�s sister as well.
Because he knew Dakumi would do it for him.
And he revealed that Dakumi had waltzed right into the trap, allowed himself to be manipulated so easily, and the guilt nearly drove Dakumi insane. That was the first time I came to his rescue, but even so, I couldn�t completely take the guilt away. That�s why he lets Ishiro do what he wants--he hates himself for it and thinks he should suffer. And then his thoughts begin to conflict and he falls into depression.
�It�s really his fault, not mine.�
�You�re the fool that pulled the trigger. You�re the bastard that killed her.�
�I only wanted�to prevent her suffering.�
�You couldn�t even see he was leading you to do it. You�re the one that should suffer now.�
�How was I to know?�
�You�re weak. Weak to give in then, weak to give in now. That�s the point; the fact of knowing is not.�
�I couldn�t have know it was going to happen!�
�Of course you couldn�t have known the obvious was going to happen.�
�And so on, and so forth. All of this goes through his mind repeatedly when something like this happens, leaving the broken man that not only lets himself suffer but makes himself suffer. And, in between the times he inflicts this damage on himself, he attempts to remain restrained and not get too close to anyone lest Ishiro decides to target them. This only makes him suffer more, and that�s the real reason Ishiro never physically harms him: all the mental conflict hurts Dakumi more than anything else ever could.
�Delsus. Hey, Delsus, wake up.�
Someone�s shaking my shoulder and I blink, feeling as though I�ve woken up from a dream, to see Dakumi and Callie both leaning over me.
�What is it?� I ask, briefly wondering why I�m on the floor.
�You blacked out this time,� he explains, giving me a worried look, �you okay?�
�I�m fi--� The emotion crashes over me like a wave and I struggle to steady my own emotions to better deal with his as tears slide down my cheeks.
�Hey�� he says softly hand raising to brush them away, �what�s the matter�?�
�It�s nothing,� I say, shaking my head slightly, taking a deep breath when my voice nearly breaks, �just now the emotion�it suddenly hit me and I wasn�t ready for it. That�s all�� I sit up, and Dakumi nods slightly, though the worried look only fades slightly, and I manage a slight smile as I notice this.
�Don�t go getting all worried and shit again. I just got rid of your emotional problems and you�re already creating new ones.�
�Sorry, Dells.�
�You better not be caught dead at that office after closing for at least a week, either. That�s seven days, Daa-kun. Seven.� I wave my index finger in admonishment at him as I say this, though I�m smiling still.
�Yes, sir. I understand.� Mock salute and a serious look from him here.
�Good then. Now call in sick, because you�re staying here where I can make sure he can�t easily reach you.�
