�You ever get the feeling they�re just playing with us?�
Harada whispers this question from behind me, grip on my shoulder tightening as he momentarily loses his balance in the darkness. I grab onto the handrail of the stairs in front of me to steady myself and prevent us from falling down said stairs, then start down them, his hand falling away as he does the same.
�I think they find it rather amusing, yes. Hey, shouldn�t we be going out somewhere other than the front door?�
�Does it really matter? I mean, the place is dead anyway. You�d think they�d have some guards running around since we started doing this.�
�Yeah, well, like I said, they probably think it�s funny. Because they know no matter what we steal, we can�t do a thing to them. Not since they got the police under their control.� I hear a hissed curse as I reach the bottom of the stairs and turn, easily catching Harada as he pitches forward. �Watch that last step there, you klutz.�
�Excuse me for not being able to see in the dark like you, you freak,� he mutters, then straightens and adjusts the folder tucked under his arm, �let�s just get out of here.�
�Seriously--� I cut myself off and grab Harada by the arm, pulling him back with me. Back behind me, right before the dagger I�d seen slashed the air where he�d been. He almost got the side of his throat cut open.
�Accursed light ruins my plans again�Why must metal be reflective?� Ishiro steps into the moonlight-flooded lobby from the shadowed stairwell, giving the both of us an annoyed look. �And here I thought I�d get rid of the foolish amateurs that insist on trying to cause trouble for us.�
Something tells me I�m not going to like where this is headed. Maybe it�s the victorious smirk hidden behind that annoyance; as if he knows he�s already won. I turn my head partway to the left, trying to focus on Harada without losing all of the attention I have focused on Ishiro.
�Harada, get out of here.�
�But--�
�Just go, damn it! Get that stuff to Sora and find Adel!� Harada backs up slightly, knowing he should listen, but also wanting to help me. I turn my gaze back to Ishiro, ready to stop any attacks aimed at Harada, who�s become the center of his attention. Ishiro�s harsh aqua eyes narrow slightly, and he strikes, but not at Harada.
Knowing I expected that�s what he would do, he caught me off guard by changing targets. He�s inhumanly fast, though that doesn�t surprise me. What does surprise me is how one small mistake ended things quickly.
It was simple; I stepped back when I should have jumped.
I started to step back to avoid the dagger aimed at my chest, and as soon as most of my weight was balanced on that one leg, he made use of his speed and kicked it out from under me. I could hear Harada gasp as I started to fall and let out a strangled cry when I hit the floor.
I had tried to twist my body around to catch myself as I fell, but I couldn�t move fast enough and as a result, the right side of my head hit the marbled floor hard with a distinct crack. I felt fine at first, but then I could feel the blood dripping down the side of my face as I sat up. The pain flared shortly after, making the gash burn; making my forehead feel like it was on fire.
�Look at that,� Ishiro admonishes, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me up, �you got blood all over my clean floor.�
�Oh, go to hell,� I hiss, trying to ignore that fact I could die in the next two minutes and the fact those wrathful glowing turquoise eyes were scaring me, �and Harada, I told you to leave.�
I don�t think he�s planning on listening anymore though.
�Let go of him.� His own aqua-colored eyes are narrowed, and the demand is said in a tone that promises pain if it�s not adhered to. Ishiro just laughs in response and the cold sound makes a shiver run down my spine. Harada�s fists clench and his glare hardens considerably.
�What the hell do you want?�
�The real question is what are you willing to give me?� Ishiro�s tone is low and malicious, teasing Harada as the blade traces my jaw, then comes to a stop at my throat. �Just how important is he to you?�
�More important than my own life--�
�Fuck! Just get out of here!�
�Didn�t your mother ever tell you it�s not polite to interrupt?� A sharp flash of searing pain, and Ishiro releases me as I cry out, letting me hit the floor. That bastard stabbed me in the stomach and I can feel warmth spreading below me as my blood pools. Harada is frozen, staring in horror and rage, and Ishiro starts advancing on him.
�Just�Sato��
�Get out of here�please��
�I�ll come back for you,� he assures me, backing up toward the door, �I won�t let them take you.�
�Just go�You don�t have to worry about me anymore.� I try to get up and find I can�t. I barely have the strength to lift my head up to look at him once more. �And if you still think you do, you stubborn idiot, don�t you dare�come back alone. Bring Adel.�
�I will, you�ll see. You can depend on me.�
With that, he was gone. Through the glass doors and into the night-slash-early morning. I�m in real trouble now. I can hear Ishiro�s near-silent steps as he approaches (probably to finish me off), but the darkness claims me before he reaches me.
�I always could�depend on you��
��Damn.� The pain has reduced itself to a dull throb, though I have the feeling if I were fully awake it�d hurt more. The right side of my face is pretty swollen; it�s forced my right eye shut.
�You�re just as stubbornly tough as I thought.�
Now that�s a voice I didn�t expect to hear again. I sit up slightly, trying to ignore the flash of pain in my stomach and flinching anyway. Bladen places a hand on my chest and gently shoves me back down.
�Hey, don�t move, Saa-kun.�
�How am I still alive�?�
�Well�to be honest, Ishiro wants to use you as bait for Sato. I managed to convince him to let me look after you though.�
�What the hell does he want Harada for?�
�I have no idea,� Bladen shrugs and deftly changes the subject, �but what�s important at this particular point in time is you. Need anything?�
�No, not really,� I open my mouth to say, though my stomach growls obnoxiously before I can say anything. He laughs at the annoyed look that crosses my face and backs through the bedroom doorway before heading into the kitchen.
After a few moments of contemplation, I get up (hissing at the pain as I do so) and follow suit.
