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He couldn't breathe, the bandages were wrapped so tight. He didn't want to hurt anymore. Kei didn't want to be reset anymore. It hurt. Please. Please, please, please. The restraints dug into him, cutting off his blood supply and making his body forever bruised and hurting. He only got seconds of relief directly after his reset, they would take a few moments to record data and discuss their next steps. If only he could get out.
Kei hated this, the feeling of being so helpless, so controlled. He wished he could get out, he wished he could get out, he wished he could get out. Get out, that's all he could cohesively think about. Get out. Get out. Get out.
Something hammer-like slammed into his chest, shattering his ribcage. The force of it forcing him to cough out the little air he could bring in through the tight bandages. The cloth wrappings muffled the screams that tore through his throat. It hurt! He just wanted to leave; he just wanted to get out.
He didn't understand. Those bonds and feelings that brought people together, what purpose did it serve? Why were humans like this? Why did him being different make them like this? Maybe... Maybe he really wasn't human, then. Maybe he was a monster. A lowly Ajin who deserved to be used like this. Maybe he didn't deserve to get out.
A memory flashed through his mind as he lay there, gasping and pushing at the restraints. Kaito, his one and only friend, showing him a beetle when they were younger. God, he'd abandoned Kaito. He should've kept the boys close, who knows what he could use him for.
Sato... Sato hadn't come to save him. He wasn't going to come, was he? Well.. it was karma. He'd abandoned Kaito so now Sato abandoned him. It was only fair, a logical situation.
"Let's try for his arteries again. Keep a close eye on the monitor, you messed up last time"
"Yes sir"
Kei struggled, trying so hard to get out and away. It hurt! He should just find a way to kill them and get out.
Kill them. It was logical, a certain way out. Yet, the thought of disappointing Kai was something he couldn't bear. Why? He couldn't understand. It wasn't as if he could die, they couldn't kill him to stop him.
"Okay that's about it, let's call it for lunch"
Lunch? Lunch? They were going to have leisure time and eat after they tortured him? Kei wanted to get out. And he could. He could now that they left. He could get out without disappointing Kai.
These stupid restraints.
The straps on wrists and elbows should come first, he'd need to have free hands to get the one are his neck off. Then his hips, then his—
"Yo! Nagai! Wake up, you're late for our new recruits!"
Kei's eyes snapped towards the door, his ghost unconsciously materializing. Why was there a wooden door in the lab? And why was Nakano here?
He pulled an arm up. It wasn't restricted. He sat up, a hand flying up to his face. He wasn't wearing the bandages.
"Damn" He breathed.
"It couldn't be helped, he was sick" Kei's ghost recited.
"Shut up already" He hissed back, climbing out of the bed. He didn't bother changing, it was too much effort and frankly, he didn't care. He'd change later, after he showered.
Kei opened his door and stepped out. He padded down the carpeted floors. His ghost followed behind, slowly dispersing until it was gone. With a sigh, Kei turned to enter the main briefing room. This new recruits better be pretty important for this kind of 'welcome party'. It was ridiculous. They didn't have the time to be sitting around having fun. Not when they hadn't stopped Sato.
"Hey! Nagai!" Nakano cheered, waving in a way that was far to energetic for this time in the morning.
"Okay, this–“ Tosaki started.
Kei stumbled back into a wall as the 'new recruit' entered. "Kai?"
Said teen perked up, "Kei! You're okay"
Kaito stood there, his bleached undercut and kind smile unchanging. He wore a normal shirt, yet his pants were that of a prisoner. Prison.
Kei had caused Kaito's life to be ruined. Assisting an Ajin's getaway was something serious. Being a minor helped lessen the charge but in the end, Kaito had gone there because of Kei's negligence.
He hadn't planned enough that time. He hadn't planned on what would happen after he left. He hadn't planned.
"Kei. Kei, what are you doing?"
"I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble" Kei's ghost stood in front of him, flexing its claws. It turned and sank them into Kei's stomach, just under his ribcage. Those present in the room gasped, Kaito giving a loud 'Nagai!'.
Kei sat back up from his position on the floor, licking the blood from his lips. After all of this, he was slowly beginning to enjoy the taste of the substance.
"You can't just do that! What the hell just happened? Nagai!" Nakano obnoxiously pestered.
"An IBM acts on it's Ajin's thoughts and motives if it isn't given an order. That is especially true for Nagai's" Ogura explained, blowing out a cloud of smoke. The man leant back into his chair. "There's something between them that isn't good for his mental state"
Kei clicked his tongue in annoyance. His ghost stood there, staring at him. The void of facial features made the feeling worse. He stood, giving a glance to Kaito before his eyes flickered over to the teen who leant against the wall, another ajin probably.
"I think we're done here" He said, moving out of the room. He kept walking until he was outside and into the forest. His ghost had disappeared. Kei slumped down against a tree.
"That could've gone better..."