Haruki stirred but the ache he felt made him stop and wince. He saw Hinata sleeping peacefully in his arms and a small smile tugged on his lips.
*Cough
Hinata jolted awake as heard the coughing sounds. " A... are you okay bw...brother?" Haruki noticed something was wrong but couldn't say what exactly it was.
He brushed Hinata's hair to the side and stroked his hair, " I'm fine Hina, just tired,"
" Sowwy"
Their happiness didn't last long as Aries and Elinar barged into the room, something dangerously close to desperation and evil evident in their eyes. Haruki knew, whatever they were up to will result in nothing good. He could already feel the chill running down his spine.
According to the information they came across recently, there was an ancient object that was always passed down the royal generation of merfolks.
Aries informed Elinar that she's sure if anyone should know about the object, it would be Hinata. He was the closest to his dad, and also with him in the day of his death. Apparently, the election was going at a faster pace than usual and they needed to take care of Elliott's disease as fast as possible.
Hinata and Haruki were dragged to the lab room. Hinata was strapped on the bed as usual and Haruki was held down by the bodyguards, hands tied, mouth gagged, but his eyes wide open. The tears were rolling uncontrollably, and for a moment the guards thought he had a broken dam within him.
They decided to start with pharmacological torture. The use of psychotropic drugs to extract information from him. Their aim was to force compliance by causing distress, which could be in the form of pain, anxiety, psychological disturbance, immobilization, or disorientation.
After spending hours of drugging and forcing words out without success they decided to retort to another form of torture. Haruki wished for nothing but death. Not even their safety, survival, or rescue. The little brother whom he had treasured and doted on endlessly, was being tortured for something he didn't even have any knowledge of. The only sentence he had been uttering for hours was " I really don't know."
" This is becoming annoying," Elinar yelled as he threw a glass to the door. " He's not feeling anything and that's making me lose my sanity,"
" We can just make his senses overloaded," Aries suggested nonchalantly. Haruki froze at what he heard. He started shaking his head furiously, no, no, no, anything but that. It causes insomnia, hyperesthesia and restlessness, self harm, social isolation and fatigue. He didn't want Hinata to go through any more suffering. He shook his head profusely trying to wriggle out of their hold but he was quieted with slaps across his face. He hated that there wasn't anything he could do except whimper like a goddamn dog.
Elinar injected the liquid into Hinata, slightly overdosed. The only thing he got in response was an empty eyes with tears falling down his cheeks.
Out of frustration, he took out a gun from his coat and Haruki's eyes widened in shock, fear and disbelief. No....this can't be happening.
Sob* sob*sob*
Aries was smiling maniacally as Elinar pointed the gun at Hina. As he pulled the trigger, the bullet that hit him made him miscalculate and his bullet hit the side of the bed. Haruki, not knowing of the situation screamed, the noise muffling against the gag. He started to make his way to his brother, crawling as a strong pair of hands dragged him close and his head hit the person's firm chest. The warm, familiar scent filled his nose as he cried into Takahara's chest, hitting him on the chest with the little strength he had in him.
" Shh, shh, shh babe. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for being late. Hinata's fine, the bullet didn't get to him." Taakahara said, stroking Haruki's hair. " You've done enough, you've been great. Now rest, we'll take care of the rest." And with that, Haruki slumped.
Asahi on the other hand carried the almost lifeless Hinata. With Leon at their front crying as he held Hinata's hands, rubbing his hands against them as if that will bring back the almost extinguished warmth in them.
" My love." Asahi whispered into his ears and kissed his forehead.
Sol and Masayoshi dealt with Aries and Elinar, the special agents cleared the entire lab.
Three days later***
Haruki jolted upright, the light blinding his eyes from the sudden effect. It took him a while to remember that they had been rescued. His mind went to Hinata and he scrambled out of the bed. Immediately his foot touched the rug, his legs gave out. The noise made everyone except Asahi who had been by Hinata's side, rushed inside to check if he was fine.
Taakahara carried him back to the bed.
" No..no, I need to see Hina....." He began protesting but stopped abruptly as he saw a strange yet familiar face.
" Dad?.... No... I must be crazy. Yeah I must've hit my head..ha..haha," He rambled, laughing nervously, tears falling down his cheeks as Takahara held him.
Leon hesitated but Sol gave a slight but firm tap on the waist and he gathered his courage. He made his way to Haruki and Takahara tried to give them space but Haruki clung to him relentlessly.
" Just talk to your dad okay? And if after hearing what he has to say you still don't want him here, I'm coming in immediately, hmm? I'll be right outside." He kissed his forehead and Haruki reluctantly let go of him.
They all left the room after that, giving father and son the privacy they needed.
" I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fake my death, but I'd had no other choice." Leon started, his eyes glistening with tears and unspoken affection.
Haruki looked at his dad for few seconds and threw himself at his father. He cried like a baby for minutes and Leon just held him, stroking his hair. Their moments was shattered as they heard his cries.
They rushed to Hinata's room only to find Asahi trying in vain to console Hinata.
" Waah...uwaahh.. I want my dad....I want Haruki.....I want Asahi....waah. I'm scared, who are they, why are they all staring at me, I...I don't want them here." He said as everyone stared at him with both relief and disbelief. Riku and Nagamori almost teared up at what was happening.
Leon and Haruki rushed to Hinata's side and held him until he gradually calmed down.
* Hic..hnng...hic...hic where's Asahi, I want Asahi." He said sniffing.
Everyone was stunned beyond words. Asahi was speechless. Leon beckoned him to come closer as he tried to hand over the overly clingy Hinata to Asahi.
" N..no I want Asahi," Hinata said, not leaving Leon.
" He's here," Leon said, and Hinata lifted his sparkling eyes, when his gaze landed on Asahi, his expression changed and his eyes where glistening with tears again.
" Who are you?"