"And before you leave...From tomorrow onwards you'll be participating in a required training. I bet that you can't even charge a simple gun, moreover, really use it in a fight." he stated. Before I tried to decline his 'offer' he warningly raised his hand and flashed me with one of his stoned faces.

I gulped, but still surprisingly opposed: "I think I should be able to decide whether I will be a part of this. I didn't come here voluntarily. I'm firmly against any weapons and hurting others!"

He sneers at me then laughs only adding fuel to my wrath.
"You think this is funny?" I snapped.
He glares at me with hatred in his cruel dull eyes. "You are an extremely stupid girl. Aren't you?"

I shivered. The atmosphere became so dark, suffocating me. I thought his mere look could have broken my body in two.

"No complaining. This is a part of the deal." I could sense heat rising in his voice. I glimpsed at his hand that was twitching in anger. I stumbled backwards. He purposely followed my steps, not changing the vicinity. I didn't know how this kind of tension possessed the ambience.

Then my back hit a wall. I was not frightened nor was I was afraid. What I felt was beyond such mere nouns.

Super strong, devoid of emotion, ruthless, without pity, uncaring, callous...This was the most suitable description of Kid Eustass. He was staring at me as if I wasn't stolen, but rather claimed as his rightful object.

"Scared now, mousy?" he appraised in undertone, thrill rising in his eyes.

I couldn't scream. I could only open my mouth to find that even words had deserted me. Then it hit me.

Only now I seemed to register in what kind of position I had been forced into. His body was tightly pressed against mine. I could feel every inch of his muscles, every lift his chest made with his steady breathing.

He flinched the strand of my y/c hair back to its place and turned around, slowly making his way to his seat. When he threw his head backwards, meanwhile lingering seconds passing, he said, almost as a disembodied voice from the shadows:

"Power is a necessity. I don't need any dead weight in my way. This world is just a battle field. Every day you struggle to survive. If you can't run, you're dead. If you can't lift your weapon and fight...you-are----dead.

The half shadow halted, as if waiting for my response. Every muscle on his torso was flowing from the light into the dark. He was a living work or art.

He flashed me with a malicious look.

"How old are you, Y/N?"

"..." I kept watching the tip of my shoes.

"I asked you something!" he roared. I jumped from my place. My hands started shaking. When he saw my reaction, he calmed himself a bit and the hissed under his breath: "Answer me!"

"S-seventeen." I stuttered.

He nodded in assent.

"If you have questions ask the servants, but you shall not speak to any of my men without my permission." Kid had given me the "try and you'll regret it" expression, before something flashed in his eyes and waved his hand in dismissal.

I gladly fled out his sight, not even asking for further explanation.

______________

After the 'interesting' conversation, I walked myself out of the already familiar parts of the mansion, sill puzzled by his harsh demands.

If I want to do something, then I have the right to do as I please.
I had already explored my room to the tiniest cracks, so that probably meant I could continue somewhere else.
That was my initial plan before my stomach growled in protest. I tried, really tried ignoring it, but the pain then rose a bit higher, making me a bit dizzy.
I thought about contacting Heidi, but it was a bit lame to bother someone for such a trivial thing. I mean, I' m capable enough to find my way around here.

Strolling down the corridor I looked around and tried to remember every detail. I truthfully, this place was huge. I noticed it was a mixture of Japanese and modern style.

"For a gang group, this place is neatly built." As I uttered these words, honestly speaking, a bit dazed, I crashed into something. Or better yet, someone. I quickly spread my eyes only to see white polka dots and a slightly opened collar.

As in slow motion, I glanced up to see no other than the "fake" policeman with whom I also had a quite pleasant talk last night.

"You!" I cried, accusingly pointing my finger at him.

"I rather go by the name Killer, if I may correct you." Irritation pricked at me.

I gritted my teeth before flashing him a very visible fake smile: "How wonderful! Just splendid! Nice to meet you, Life Ruiner. My name is Y/n S/n, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. You are one of the honorable members of the mafia? Just splendid..."

By now he was surely taken aback.

I innocently blinked a few times with my eyelashes and pouted my lips: "And just because we know each other, let me tell you something. I truly believe that if we had met in a different place, at a different time, under different circumstances...You'd still be an asshole. Kay?"

I just had to pour my resentment on someone, and the closest person I had contact with, not including that bossy Kid and Heidi, was...Killer.

Killer halted a bit. "Right... You remember." That I was a bit extended.

"What do you mean by "you remember"? Of course I remember! What kind of person wouldn't recall such a thing! You kidnapped me!"

"Correction, Kid kidnapped you, I just followed his orders..." he signed, his helmet, that looked something a chainsaw maniac would wear, tilted to the right, meanwhile shuffling a few steps back. His blond messy hair waved a bit.

"If I were you, I would leave this place, because I doubt, Eustass gave you permission to wonder around by yourself. Please, just trust me. You don't wanna get on his bad side."

Wait, that wasn't his bad side? Sweat drops formed around my temples.

"I won't leave. I can do whether I...." And in that moment my stomach decided to make a dying walrus sound.

"So, nice weather we are having today huh..." Desire to creep away suddenly sounded like a very good idea.

"You are hungry." That wasn't a question, but a statement. He took my silence as a yes and indicated for me to follow him. I murmured something before I procced to walk behind him.

He swiftly led me to the so called engawa, which is an outer corridor that is wrapped around a Japanese like architecture.

The corridors were bounded into a square shaped outer space, where an empty green land grew. No flowers. Trees. Nothing.

Killer, as he could read my mind explained: "Kid doesn't like the fragrance. It makes him nauseous."

I rose a brow. Well, that kind of information was a bit expected.

"Watch your steps...Ah too late..." I stumbled and fell right on my knees. I had winced a bit, before I stood up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Conclusion no.10. You are clumsy." I went pass him into the overly illuminating kitchen.

And man, was it something. Granite counters, spotless floor, neatly folded towels, matching only-white cups, showed how in this kitchen...No living soul has ever cooked.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a minimalist embarrassment coloring his voice: "Uhmm ..." he cleared his throat "Well, I can't cook so much, so you are a bit on your own here. I would inform the servants but that would only cause Kid to discover your 'agreement breaking'."

"It's ok. I can manage." I rolled my sleeves. If I'm already a prisoner here, I could at least not let them get to me.

"Let's get cooking!

__________________________

The humming in approval in the now crowded kitchen made me a bit proud.

Killer hesitantly took a bite of the home-made pizza.

After my decision of not making just plain sandwiches and trying to entertain myself for the time being, I decided to make something and take a good use of all of the ingredients.
It was now six o'clock.

"It's not poisoned, man! You watched me the entire time while I was preparing the dishes!" I huffed. "Come on, eat it!"

When the plates were empty, almost spotlessly clean as if they weren't even used, I nudged him the cake- a stunning brownish cake with layers of white velvet sponge, sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Killer again gawked at the pure deliciousness. "Y/n, that actually looks good."

"Well, duh. When you live alone, you learn a thing or two." I stretched my face muscles into a grin. I forgot to mention the fact that I burned the batter at least 3 times before I made it edible.

The maids and butlers also approved. Oh, I learned a very useful information while conversing. All the staff here knows how to handle weapons. Just my luck.

"It's ... decent." grumbled Zeff.

I chuckled. The old man was despite his fierce temper, a kind guy...and an excellent cook. But damn, does mustaches were something...

"Thank you."

"Guys!" a voice cried. "Killer!" A high man, with blue shaggy hair stood in between the door, trying to catch his breath. His lips widened, his black sunken eyes, shrank with worry.

"What is going on Heat?" Killer surged from his seat.

"Boss..."

"Did something happen to him?!"

"No, not to him..." He glanced at the shocked witnesses.
"Out!" he shouted.
Everyone scattered from the room, leaving us three alone. Then the guy bore his eyes into mine and narrowed them, but still referring to the blonde "You need to calm him down."

They both then sprinted out of the room and I had no other choice but to follow them.

"Killer! What' happening?!"

_____________________

I didn't need any explanation.

He wasn't thinking when he let out his boiling antipathy and swung his tight fist into the man's jaw.

"You're dead." An animal snarl clawed its way up Kid's throat. He attacked with a big right overhand punch. The guy, apparently going by the name Fang, tried to escape, but before he could bring his hands up to defend, Kid slammed the older one into the wall and by the throat lifted him into the midair, as if he was light as a feather. Fang struggled, color washing from his face. The man's companions were shivering and paralyzed in place.

"P-p-ple-a-s-e-...s-p-p-p-a-..."

"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!"

Before Killer, who stood beside me, could react I already launched myself. I didn't know what came up to me.... It was unbearable for me to watch...Kid.

"Stop!" I cried. Fang immediately turned his head. His eyes, all swollen and dried by blood, shimmered in hope.

Kid's fist stopped 10 inches from the almost fatal land.

It felt like an eternity before Kid decided to release the man, only for him to fled away without even turning. Kid's eyes bored into my face, flood of tears falling down my ashen face.

An intense silence filled the room.

"Everyone out!" howled Heat, Killer hurrying the group that gathered to see the outburst.

I could sense Killer's hesitation to leave me alone with him...but after seeing my pleading look, he left.

"Tch." he breathed. "Let go of me, or you'll be next..." he threatened, to which I replied with a stronger hold on his arm.

"Y/n... I'm not kidding at all... release me or lose a hand." I shook my head.

"I said...!"

"No." A firm answer.

"No?"

"No, not before we stich up your hand." For perhaps a split second my fury was suspended, the sensible side ordering me to offer help.

Kid' s heavy eyelids blinked a fraction too slow, his irises seemingly too stationary.

I was as astonish as he was, when those word left my mouth.

His muscles then relaxed. But he started shaking. And then he became a guffawing persona: "You are a hopeless idiot."

I sniffed, still enough brave for a comeback: "Looks like we both have something in common."

"Are you talking back at me?"

"Well, yeah. That is how communication works." I bluntly responded. Why couldn't I shut up. It was like my body was responding on its own.

"Y/n..." he warningly hissed.

I quickly threw my hands in the air. But then I saw the same glimpse, before it turned into a cold one.

"Do that again and I'll kill you."

"You won't have to. I'll just climb your ego and jump down to your IQ."

He then smiled. It was a really tiny, microscopic smile. But still! That kinda made me happy.

"I really hope you are good at insults as you are in a fight. Tomorrow, 6 am sharp."

I gulped.