You went home feeling more than just a little confused. You hadn't even spoken to Mark before you left; you simply gave him a half-assed smile before walking out the front door.

You avoided Tyler's gaze altogether. A little mean, perhaps, but how were you supposed to react to the kiss? You weren't sure how you felt about the guy, so you had to get away to think clearly.

And think you did, repeatedly. Over and over again. Did you react poorly? Did you react at all? Did he think it had been a mistake, letting his guard down in one moment? Tyler didn't seem the type to let his guard down often.

It's not that I don't like him or anything like that. He's a good guy, and he's a great friend to Mark. But...

But why? Why do I feel so... hesitant? It's not that I don't want to give him a chance... I think I do, and yet...

Why were you hesitating? You had Tyler's cell number, you had had it for some time. Did you contact him? Rarely.

Your eyelids began to droop, and you slowly came to the realization that you were falling asleep. But the idea of sleeping wasn't the greatest, and you fought against it as best you could.

Wait, what does it matter? I'm back home. I'm not at Mark's house. I'll be fine...

•●♡●•

"I know what you've done."

You froze in bed, gripping the sheets so tightly that your knuckles had gone white. Heart in your throat you slowly sat up.

This isn't possible.

Dark backhanded you promptly, his eyes glowing with a fury you could hardly dare to look at. The sound was loud but flat, your eyes stinging with tears. How had he gotten there?! Mark was nowhere around!

"How I am here is beyond your concern," he spoke softly. Dangerously soft. You could sense his anger bubbling just beneath his proper demeanor. "You have gone behind my back and enticed another man."

Fighting back a sob, you felt your own anger wash over you like a tidal wave. "You're so full of shit! I didn't entice anybody, you cocksucker! He kissed me on his own!"

"THAT IS ENOUGH." Dark's hands went to your throat, choking you slowly. "I will not tolerate this... this disgusting idea. Am I clear?" When you made no effort to respond, he squeezed tighter. Stars popped in your vision in front of his face. His expression was so seething. When you managed to choke out a response, he released you immediately, fixing his sleeves and watching you with vague annoyance as you coughed raggedly, trying to get the air that you had been denied.

"Why... why are you here...?" you rasped. You strained to keep your mind a blank, but you just couldn't stop yourself from wondering if he was in any danger.

"Who is it? Look at me when I'm speaking to you, darling." The words may have been endearing but Dark was anything but. "Tell me which sorry excuse for a man touched you with his lips."

You fell silent. There was no fucking way you were about to rat anyone out. Intentionally keeping your thoughts buried and vague, you narrowed your eyes.

Dark did not like that. You were catching on quickly, though the idea that he could read your mind was a surprisingly obvious one: didn't he exist there? Why should anything stay hidden in your beautiful mind, when it was exactly that that gave him access to you? "Who. Is it? If I do not receive my answer, I'll be forced to punish you."

"Won't you just punish me anyway?" you retorted, casting a nasty glare at the male. He looked so much like Mark, save for the eyes, that it was frightening.

Dark chuckled. "Well, well, my beloved does learn quickly." He stroked your cheek, the same one he had slapped. "I teach you for your own good. You cannot fight me. Now answer my question or you will not like your next lesson."

•●♡●•

Your efforts to keep the one who had a crush on you protected did not go in vain, for you kept your thoughts blank. Dark was far from happy with you, as you knew he would be.

But to lock you in a cage? It went beyond demeaning. The cage was barely big enough to contain you at all! You had the sneaking suspicion that it was actually Chica's cage, but you hardly dared to ask.

You were curled up on the bottom of it, head in your arms, finally letting the mixture of emotions get the better of you as you sobbed. What had you done in a past life to deserve this treatment now? And did Mark even have any idea that this bastard existed, or would it have been as much of a surprise to him?

Dark had no intention of letting you out. Not until he got what he wanted. Wasn't that clear enough? He was a simple man, with simple motives. He wanted you, and you alone. Why was that so difficult to obtain? You needed to be protected from the outside world, as harsh and cruel as it was.

And cruel it had become for you. You were torn, were you not? Torn between obedience and your natural instinct to fight back. Torn between two men. But Dark knew that you would make the right decision.

"Just say his name, my beloved, and I shall be happy to set you free. Otherwise, I'm afraid you should learn to get comfortable in there." He grinned, a gesture that didn't meet his eyes.

"You can go to hell!!" you screeched back. "I'm not letting you hurt someone else!"

Ah. So that was your concern. Dark shook his head; he couldn't make any promises not to hurt the one who had kissed you. Truth be told, he already had an idea of who it was, but he wanted confirmation. "Just a name," he purred. "That's all it takes."

"Go fuck yourself," you muttered, wiping your eyes hastily.

"Are you, perchance, a masochist? Because the more you fight me, the more painful it shall be~" Dark was actually having fun with this!

Now you hesitated. But you weren't about to be responsible for someone else's misery, so you frowned and turned away, thinking of all the things you wanted to do to harm the other male.

And he didn't like that at all. He was getting annoyed again, kicking the cage and making it rattle. You jumped, as best you could in such a cramped space, the suddenness forcing you to bite back another sob. "I will not let you out until I have his name," Dark warned. The tone to his voice was so dangerous...

"And I'm not saying it just so you can go after him!"

"Tell me his name."

"Go to hell!" Another swift kick to the side of the cage, but you only grew angrier. "Kick all you want you bastard, I don't give a shit!"

The icy water he dumped on you made you scream, soaked to the bone and shivering violently. The bottom of the cage had filled with the water, so you had to struggle to a sitting position despite the cramped space.

No. I'm not thinking it. I'm not telling you. You can go to hell!

"I am growing impatient with you," the male warned.

"I don't care." So stubborn! In a way Dark loved that very thing about you; it gave him endless opportunities to teach. But another splash of the icy water made you cry out again, this time the sound weaker. "P-please... stop..." you begged, shaking.

"His name." It would be the final time that Dark would demand it of you, and luckily for him things went his way.

God... please... don't hurt Tyler... please...

"How revolting. Tyler? At least I would have had more fun if it had been him, but..." He sighed. Things couldn't be helped. It was a shame it wasn't Mark, then things would truly be fun.

True to his word, Dark unlocked the cage, watching you crawl out, your entire body shaking and soaked. You collapsed by his feet, unable to move far as you curled up, needing warmth.

"Have we learned our lesson?" You bit at your lip, but nodded. "What happens when you do not obey me? Tell me."

"I.... I g-get punished...." This was humiliating.

"Will you obey me from now on?" You nodded, completely cowed, too scared of being thrown back into the cage and dumped on again. "Good. See to it that he does not touch you again. You will not like what happens if he does."