Renxangel - Blog Posts

Taken (Part 5/5)

Unedited, as all of these are. Took the easy way out bc I wanted them to reconcile lmao, ignore the fact that Ren would be fighting this way more. Ren and above image belong to @14dayswithyou

Summary: Angel and Ren have a heart-to-heart

4.2k words

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

I sit at the headboard of the bed, my chin resting on my knees as I consider the man anxiously perched at the opposite end. 

I let the silence simmer for a bit before breaking it, “Why did you drug me?”

Ren scratches at his jaw, “I didn’t want you to hurt yourself any further. Your stitches are still healing.”

I add, “Also it made it easier to transport me without having to deal with me struggling or alerting someone on the way back here, no?”

Ren shrugs, avoiding my eyes.

I roll my eyes, “Why didn’t you let me go into Violet’s apartment?”

He looks at me with a pout, “Like I said, you always take forever to talk to her, and I hadn’t seen you and was worried about you.”

I sigh, “That’s a great answer, Ren,” he seems to perk up a bit, “but now I want a truthful one,” and he slumps again.

He protests, “That is-!”

I hold a hand up, stopping him, “Ren, please, we’ve been over this. Are you really going to test the extent of my knowledge on every little thing? You’re great at gaslighting, but I’m not a canary in a mineshaft, I’m aware of what’s going on. And I swear to god if you say you’re not I’m going to throttle you.”

He looks at me, eyes welling with tears, “I- I don’t know what you want me to say, Angel. It’s like you already have this set idea of who I am and I don’t know how I’m supposed to convince you otherwise when you already think I’m a two-faced liar.”

He buries his face in his sleeves as his shoulders shake soundlessly. I watch with a blank expression, waiting for him to stop. He eventually does, sniffling and wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve, smearing his mascara in the process.

I tilt my head, still expressionless, “Damn, you’re really good at that. I probably would’ve caved if I didn’t have a whole file of evidence against you.”

He looks surprised, “You- you have a file?”

I scoff, “Of course not, why would I write that stuff down? The only thing I know for sure you can’t break into is my head. Well, metaphorically speaking at least, I’m sure you could crack my skull like an egg if you so chose, but that’s not the point. Why didn’t you let me go into Violet’s apartment? I don’t need your whole thought process, just a concise, truthful answer.”

Ren’s voice lowers, “I thought you were gonna call the police.”

I smile and nod, “Better answer. I was. Really thought I’d be able to throw you off long enough too, but alas.  I probably would’ve been better off insisting than trying to be honest, but oh well, I’ll still hazard my health to tell the truth. But what I’m really confused about is why I’m the one who’s trying to gain your trust right now.”

I pause, considering my last statement before adding, “Was the whole ‘pretend to be anyone but yourself’ decision your own idea, or did someone else instill that lesson?”

I see his eyes flash as I speak before returning to their carefully neutral state, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I sigh deeply, considering the man before me. Eventually I come to a decision, looking down and speaking hesitantly, “Y’know what, I’m gonna tell you about something you keep reminding me of. It’s an old, old memory, so it’s probably warped beyond all recognition at this point, and it’s from a point in my childhood I remember almost nothing from but- ugh, whatever, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t need to be perfectly accurate.”

I glance up at Ren to make sure he’s still paying attention. Luckily he was, while also mimicking my pose and staring intently.

So I continue, “When I was a kid, I don’t remember how old, my home life got progressively worse and worse. It got to the point where I dreaded going home every night, so instead, I would spend time in this dingy little playground between school and my house. There was a little red plastic tunnel I would hide in, helpful for when it was raining. Anyway, there was this other kid that seemed to do the same thing, they- no- he. He hated when… yeah, well whatever- he would kinda lurk around the playground way later than was normal too. I thought he was neat, and I dunno, I guess I related to him. He would leave little presents in that tunnel for me sometimes, he even gave me a jacket for when it was cold. So I started doing the same.”

I pause, slightly surprised at the emerging memory, “I even gave him one of my favorite stuffies, damn. That was some devotion for like, six-year-old me, don’t think I would do that for anyone now. Anyway, ugh I’m rambling, this has a point I swear. So we became best friends, in my opinion at least. I mean, I had Leon too, but I never wanted to tell him anything about home, so I would just pretend to be happy around him all the time. This other kid-”

I go off on another tangent, trying to remember his name, “Shit if I just had any sort of fucking memory space for names- why do I keep associating him with that goddamn carpet in the school? I know his name wasn’t fucking rug or ground or flower or some shit, but it was like, associated with those? I think??? I’ll just call him- uhhhhh… I dunno, Redacted I guess, heh.

“So yeah, Redacted and I could just chill together, y’know? It seemed like he had some shit he was dealing with too, definitely worse than mine from the few things I could pick up on, even as a child. I swear there were multiple times he had blood on him, but whether it was his or not was hard to say. But he was a sweet kid. Even if he wouldn’t really talk about his situation, I didn’t wanna talk about mine either. We just sorta understood that shit was fucked up, and it was so nice just to have someone there who got it without having to explain or pretend.”

I lean against the backboard, looking at the ceiling, “But all good things have to come to an end, right? Well that happened for us when he gave me a ring – proposed even, I think. Problem was, Leon also happened to be around at the time- Oh yeah- I forgot to tell you- I’m already engaged.”

I giggle, raising the back of my hand and wiggling my fingers as though showing off a ring, before dropping my hand and ruefully staring at it. When I look up, I see Ren clutching the fabric of his long-sleeve shirt in the middle of his chest. Seems like he got emotionally invested, ha, all the better for me.

I continue my story, “Anyway, I think Leon thought Redacted was harassing me, so he threw away the ring and dragged me to school. I argued with him the whole way, hell, I might’ve even hit him, I was so mad. I went straight back to that playground once they let us out of school, and I scoured that entire place for hours that night. Every day after I hoped I would find the ring, just nestled under a toy or stair somewhere I hadn’t checked. But I never found it; and Redacted never showed up there again.”

I pause for a minute, closing my eyes and composing myself, “Sorry, I’ve never told anyone this before, guess I’m not as detached as I thought I was.”

I take a deep breath, “…So after that, the few times I did see Redacted in school he would run away. It’s my fault too obviously, we were both kids, I didn’t do everything I could to check on him and make sure he was okay, but I figured he hated me and didn’t want to see me after the first few times I tried and failed. Every time I saw him after that, he just looked worse and worse, and I don’t know when it happened, but eventually I saw him for the last time. I don’t even know if he even fucking survived that goddamn place. Given what I knew about his family, probably not.”

At this point, tears are streaming down my cheeks as I stay stony-faced, recounting the story of my childhood friend. Once I had finally gotten out of my house and had room to breathe, I remembered the one who helped get me through one of the toughest years. I realized he probably never made it past childhood soon after but shoved the realization deep down and tried to forget about it, not ready to process it.

I push on now, needing Ren to understand, “To this day, despite everything else that’s happened to me, that’s my biggest regret: not even being there for him when he deserved that and so much more. And I’m not going to let that happen to a friend again. You remind me of that kid so much, Ren, and I don’t know if it’s that similarity, or the three months we’ve spent together, but despite all your insane bullshit, I do still consider you a friend. So whatever the fuck you have going on, I need you to tell me honestly. I will do whatever I can to help and support a friend, but my patience is running thin and I’m not even entirely sure what you are to me anymore. I’ve been taken advantage of before, and I won’t be letting that happen again either.”

Once I finish saying all that needs to be said, I finally look back at Ren. He’s wearing an expression I’d never seen before, filled with more conflicting emotions than I could puzzle through. His eyes were filled with tears that had yet to fall, and the clenched fist on his chest, I realized, was not holding onto his shirt, but the necklace he always wore around his neck.

He speaks in a choked whisper, “Y’didn’t throw it away?”

I stare at him, confused and concerned, but also wary of another guilt trip, “Throw what away?”

“The ring?”

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, “Of course not, why would I do that? That would be horribly cruel, and he was the only person I could really trust at the time. I also might’ve had a crush on him, but emotions are weird and we were kids and it’s been so long I don’t really remember. But that’s not the point, did you even listen to the whole point of that story?”

He stumbles on his words, “Yeah- no- I- I heard. I just- m’having a hard time believing it.”

I bristle at his words, “Are you calling me a fucking liar?!”

His eyes widen and he jolts backwards, “NO! No no nono, that’s not what I meant at all! I just can’t believe you remembered… everything… like that. I thought you hated m- um, him?”

I glare at him, “Ren, what the fuck are you implying?”

He shakily opens his palm to reveal the ring necklace laying there, “I took it back after you left, that’s why you couldn’t find it.”

I shake my head warily, “That’s not funny, Ren, there’s no way. Don’t-”

He jumps up off the bed, “Hold on.”

I sit, bewildered, as he runs off, not waiting long before I hear the light thudding of his footsteps returning. He breathlessly holds out a well-loved brown teddy bear to me, “He’s one of my most treasured possessions.”

I cautiously take it into my hands, looking over it carefully. Its fur was stringy and far ashier than I remember, as well as slightly bald in some places, but still has the same eyes invariably covered by fur, same construction, and clearly over a decade old.

I looked between the bear and Ren in disbelief before slowly shifting to meet him at the side of the bed. He looks back at me anxiously, backing up a step to give me room to stand. I close the gap, wrapping both of my arms securely around his waist and pulling him into a tight hug, grabbing handfuls of the back of his shirt like he would disappear if I let go.

I whisper incredulously, “You’re alive???”

Ren leans into me, resting his chin on my head with a small chuckle, “Last I checked, yeah. ‘Preciate y’worrying about me though.”

My face crumbles as the tears I had finally got under control sprang free again, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Ren pulls back slightly, confused, “F’what?”

I lean my forehead onto his chest, not wanting him to see my face as I speak, “For being a shitty friend, for letting you go, for not defending you better, for not being there for you, fuck, just- everything. I’m sorry, you deserved so much better.”

Ren shakes his head, pulling me back in and speaking vehemently, “No, Angel, y’have nothing t’be sorry about. Y’didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the only one who didn’t do anything wrong. M’sorry f’being a stupid kid and running away.”

I sniffle, “You weren’t a stupid kid, you were smart as fuck, even back then. Just insecure as fuck too, but I have a feeling I know the bastard who’s responsible for that.” My hands tighten as I remember the one time I followed him from the playground to a trailer park, only to watch as he waited for almost an hour, knocking intermittently on the locked door. When it finally opened, a man flecked with blood stepped out, already screaming, and yanked him inside by the arm. The horrible sounds I heard that night caused me to sprint all the way home, practically thankful for the father I had. A feeling I had never come close to experiencing before or since. Fury builds in me as I think of all that Ren probably dealt with at such a young age.

Until his voice pulls me out of my thoughts, “Are y’alright Angel? You’re shaking.”

I glance up in surprise and loosen my grip on him, “Oh, sorry, yeah, I’m fine just… plotting murder.”

Ren’s eyebrows raise, “Mine?”

I laugh, shaking my head, “Ha! No, no, its- just ignore me.”

His head tilts to the side with a loving smile, “I could never.”

I lightly punch him, embarrassed, “Shut up.”

He laughs and pulls me back into a tight hug which I reciprocate. Catching a glimpse of his hair from my position, I hold a piece out with the arm still around him.

“Wasn’t your hair black? Why’d you make it pink?”

I feel him stiffen slightly as he seems to consider his options before answering quietly, “Thought you’d like it better.”

I squint at him, “Do you like it pink?”

He fires back, “Do you?”

I glare, “It’s your hair.”

He hums, “Mhmm, do you like it?”

I roll my eyes, pulling back so I can squish his face in my hands, “I think you’d look hot with any hair color and should choose what you like best.” Fuck. I really am a simp.

His face immediately flushes red and he mumbles, “But you like Haruko…”

I look at him in disbelief, “You really made a whole persona based on an anime character I liked? I mean, that’s what it seemed like, but I thought I was crazy for thinking that.”

He once again misses the point and focuses on an insignificant detail, “Liked? You don’t like him anymore?”

I sigh, “Do I really need to go get bread slices? Make an idiot sandwich? Of course not, I have an absolutely fucking insane boyfriend now, why would I want an anime character?”

Ren pouts at me, “M’not insane.”

I laugh, “Oh I don’t believe that for a second. That much trauma doesn’t create a healthily functioning adult, I would know.” I then realize how abrupt and harsh my words might sound and quickly course correct, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like- uh, let’s talk about something else for now. Though actually, that does bring me back to an important point.”

I pull away, sitting back on the bed and bringing him to sit opposite me. I look him dead in the eyes, “How many people have you killed, Ren?”

He answers immediately, “Just one.”

I keep my eyes on him, “Ren, I am giving you the opportunity to come clean now. I won’t be so forgiving if I find things out on my own.”

He avoids my eyes, “Why? What would you do if it was more than one?”

I maintain an even gaze, “That would depend on who, why, and how you killed.”

There’s a long silence before he speaks again, “…Two.”

I insist, “Are you sure? You seemed very comfortable using that sledgehammer.”

He internally curses his carelessness for the millionth time but responds, “I use it in rage rooms a lot.”

When I realize that is the only answer I’ll be getting out of him, I pivot my questioning, “Okay. Who was the other person and why did you kill them?”

He side-eyes me, “Would you care if you didn’t know them?”

My eyebrows furrow, “Obviously? The reason would be the main factor then.”

He pauses for a long moment, “You did know them.”

I almost laugh at the pivot, but realize he’s still manipulating his answers based on my cues, which is sobering enough to maintain a straight face, “Okay, are you going to tell me who it was? Or when it was?”

He stares intently at his fingernails, picking idly at various minor hangnails, “About six years ago.”

My eyes widen, “You were sixteen?!”

He looks defensive, “And a half.”

I smother a smile of amusement and frustration at the pointless addition and gesture for him to go on. But before he can, I come to another realization, “Wait, then I was seventeen almost eighteen. Holy shit did you kill my stepfather?!”

He doesn’t respond, which gives me my answer. I immediately slap a hand over my mouth to cover the grin that was growing on my face. When my stepfather left that night and never returned, I had assumed he drunk himself either to death, or to do something that caused him to die. I suppose now the fact that they never found a body was suspicious, especially since he apparently never made it to any of his regular bars.

Coincidentally, that was the night I had resolved to kill him myself. I remember waiting by the door for hours with a kitchen knife, aching all over from my bruises and with blood dripping from the many cuts caused by him shattering a bottle against the table I was taking cover under. In the end, I had to give up and go back to bed before my mother woke up and started to make excuses for him again.

Now, as my grin grew wider and laughter bubbled up my throat, I had to add another hand to my mouth to keep it all in. I didn’t want him to see how dementedly happy I was about that man’s death or encouraging him to continue to do such things in the future. But when he saw me shaking with wide eyes and covering my mouth, he must have assumed the worst.

“Angel, I’m sorry, I had to! He was a danger to everyone around him, especially you, he-”

I choke out a quick, “Shut up,” before returning to the increasingly impossible job of keeping my mirth in. Eventually I fail, as a violent snort comes out unbidden. After that I surrender entirely, shifting my grasp from my face to my stomach as I tip over and guffaw into the sheets of the bed. I lay there laughing for almost two minutes, probably sounding increasingly more insane, before it finally levels off and I begin to calm back down.

I continue laying face down until I have fully stopped and only then sit up with a straight face, “Okay, ignoring that, how did you kill- ugh no, don’t ask that. Violence isn’t the answer. Violence isn’t the answer, violence isn’t the answer.” I repeat the words over, trying to make them stick.

Ren seems confused, “Are you telling that to me or yourself?”

I temple my hands in front of my face with an expression of restraint, “Yes.”

Ren hesitantly asks, “So… are we good?”

I raise an eyebrow, “About the murder? Yeah, if you’ve told me the truth I don’t really care about either of those- well, you probably didn’t need to kill that other guy, but meh, I don’t really blame you. Glad you’re discerning about it at least.”

I see the corners of his mouth quirk upwards and I make a quick amendment, “That doesn’t mean I condone murder. It’s technically wrong most of the time, so you can only resort to that in life-or-death situations.”

His mouth turns downwards again and I scoff, “Hey, if I don’t get to murder then you don’t get to murder. Consider yourself lucky that you managed to get to that bastard of a man before I did, otherwise we’d be even right now.”

I sigh, bringing my fingers to massage my temples from the massive headache that had been building this whole time. Ren immediately perks up, “Are you okay? D’you need painkillers? Water? Food?”

I bring my hand up, “Quiet, preferably.”

I immediately regret my words as Ren falls quiet, not protesting or yelling as I was used to from others. I amend my words, “Sorry, that was mean, I’m just- ugh my fucking head.”

Ren nods and leaves the room. I watch him leave with widened eyes, not expecting them to just abandon me like that. I want to call out, but my pride seals my throat, choking me from voicing my desires as per usual. After all, that would just reveal my own weaknesses. So I sit and stare blankly as tears well up in my eyes, increasing the pressure in my head even more.

I furiously blink them back, cursing myself, whether for making Ren leave or wanting him to stay, I wasn’t sure. I pull the glossy sheets over my head and collapse back into the mattress, burying my face into the pillow in an attempt to beat back my headache. Only to have my hip spike in pain as well. Just my luck.

It doesn’t take long before I hear footsteps walk into the room, somehow spontaneously sounding at the entrance to the room as if he spawned in at the doorway. I don’t move, not wanting him to see the tears in my eyes. Stupid.

A soft, familiar voice inquires quietly, “Angel? I got you some water and advil.”

A hand gently rests on my shoulder blade, carefully sliding up and down in a comforting pattern. I stay still, enjoying the feeling I hadn’t felt since I was a very young child. Being cared for, safe. Crazy how this murderer was capable of making me feel more secure and loved than my “parents” ever did.

I groan, turning my head and bringing the sheets down enough to look at Ren blearily. Their eyes are full of sympathy as they hand me the painkillers. I take them, evaluating the pills to make sure they matched the container before downing two with a gulp of water. From the same type of glass I had shattered earlier, I notice with another twinge of guilt.

Ren gives me a soft smile, “Why don’t you go back t’sleep for now? It’s about bedtime anyway, and you’re recovering from a multitude of things.”

I mumble, “Mostly y’fault. We arn’ done talkin’.”

Their eyebrows furrow, “I know, m’sorry. But we can finish tomorrow, okay? I don’t think y’really in a state t’continue. I’ll leave the water here, just yell if y’need anything.”

As they stand to leave, I act without thinking, reaching out and grabbing their wrist. He turns, confused, but patiently waits for me to form my words.

“…Don’t…leave me.”

His eyes light up and he kneels next to the bed, getting to eye level with me and grasping my hand tightly, “I’ll never leave you, Angel. Never again.”

I pull them towards me, and after confirming my intention, they instantly succumb to my request, joining me under the covers. They pull me into their chest, both of our arms wrapped around the other securely, our legs tangling as we attempt to get as close as possible. I push all of the red flags out of my mind, I could deal with those in the morning. For now, we indulge in the feeling of comfort and safety we couldn’t find anywhere else in the world.

Taken (Part 4/5)

Unedited, as all of these are. If it seems like it ends abruptly that's because it does, I cut out the end to spare you my sad attempt at including sexual tension lol. Ren and above image belong to @14dayswithyou

Summary: Angel comes to terms with their new situation and Ren is a simp as per usual

2.2k words

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

Warmth. It’s all I can process as I groggily wake in a bed with black sheets, clearly not my own, with sunshine falling almost spitefully directly on my eyes through a crack in the curtains nearby. As my memory slowly comes back to me, I shoot upright in the bed, Fuck I’m at Ren’s place. My hip flares in pain once again, stubbornly reminding me how I got here in the first place.

I don’t have much time to myself as Ren peeks in, timidly asking, “How are you doing, Angel? I made some pancakes if you want some?” I recall our second date, when we ended up stranded at his place due to an unexpected storm. He made pancakes then too, but the situation is vastly different now.

I stare at him incredulously, “What the fuck, Ren?”

He avoids my eyes, “What- What’s wrong, Angel?”

My eyes sharpen to a glare, “Drop the act. You know what’s wrong you piece of shit. You fucking kidnapped me?!”

He makes an uncertain gesture, “I wasn’t- I didn’t want to! You just wouldn’t listen to me, you were going to call someone. You have to listen to me first.”

My face could not possibly display the extent of disbelief I had at his audacity, “You’re insane. Get out of my room.”

I see his eyes light up just slightly and I guess why, “No- no. I’m not staying here, I’m not living here. It’s mine for now because I don’t want you in it, so I’m claiming it.”

He nods, “What’s mine is yours Angel, you can claim anything you want.”

Frustrated at his contradicting shifts between aggressive and passive, I throw a nearby plushie at his head, watching with some satisfaction as he makes no move to avoid it, and it nails him square in the face.

He tilts his head hopefully, “Do you feel better now?”

I turn to my uninjured side, pulling the covers over my head, “Fuck off.”

I hear his quiet response of, “Okay,” before the door gently clicks closed.

Only moments later, he reappears with a plate of pancakes and a glass water, which he sets down on the nightstand next to me. I glare at him, making full eye contact as I swipe the glass onto the floor like a petulant cat. I immediately regret doing so as the glass makes a loud shattering sound, spilling water, ice, and glass everywhere. I flinch and start shaking as less than pleasant memories from my childhood resurface, triggered by the breaking glass.

Ren reassures me as though I had not fully intentionally broken it, “It’s okay, I’ll clean it up, just don’t walk over here.”

I scrutinize his movements as he returns with a towel and broom, cleaning the mess. The worst part is that he doesn’t seem angry, not even irritated. When he catches me staring at him he just flashes a smile. I fully expected to die at his hands right then, and he’s smiling?

When he finishes, he asks, “Anything else I can do for you?”

Coming from anyone else, that would’ve sounded sarcastic as hell, but he genuinely meant it. I stare at him for a long moment before speaking, “I don’t understand you.”

He shifts his weight from side to side, “What do you mean?”

I pause, considering, “Take your contacts out.”

He picks at his cardigan sleeve, “What contacts?”

I glare, “Do you really think I’m that fucking stupid?”

He stutters, “N- No, sorry, I just- force of habit I guess.”

I nod, “We’re past this soft persona, aren’t we? All bets are off, you went far enough to kidnap me, so I imagine I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Might as well drop the act, yeah? Not like I can break up with you now.”

He shakes his head, “I still want you to be happy Angel, if dressing and acting like this makes you feel more comfortable, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

I glare, “It doesn’t, it sickens me. Stop it.”

He seems taken aback, “Wha- What would you rather have me to do?”

I shake my head, “Goddamnit Ren, just stop pretending. Stop pretending to be someone we both know you aren’t. Y’know, I always suspected, just never wanted to confront you. I didn’t think I could take the betrayal if I was right.” I scoff, “Turns out I don’t have to figure out whether I can or not since I don’t have a choice. Never did, right? This was the only possible conclusion, no matter what I did, the only difference was whether I was here willingly or not.”

Ren avoids my eyes, “I’m sorry.”

I smile at him, speaking in a saccharine voice, “Oh Ren, my love, no you’re not. We wouldn’t be here if you were. Now stop treating me like I’m dumb. You know me far better than you let on, right? If that’s really what you think of me, I’ll be hurt darling.”

Despite my biting, sarcastic tone, Ren’s face still reddens at the terms of endearment, “Angel, I really don’t know what you want me to do, I am who I am, but I’ll change what you want me to change. Just tell me what to change and I will.”

I sigh heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose, “Alright, since you keep acting like you have no fucking free will or personality beyond being obsessed with me, I’ll give you the orders you seem to want so desperately. 1. Take out your colored contacts, 2. Put your piercings back in, 3. Stop covering up your tattoos, I can obviously see them, you’re not slick. Oh and 4. Just fully get rid of the pounds of concealer you wear all the time, it makes me uncomfortable just seeing it, much less having it on. Those are currently the easiest things you’re using to manipulate my opinion of you, but I have plenty more theories.”

Ren hesitates, scratching his jaw uncomfortably, “But- but you prefer-”

I throw my hands in the air, “And stop stuttering, I find it incredibly hard to believe that you genuinely have a stutter. And if you do- well, guess I’m an asshole. The point is you’ve gone far beyond the point where pretending to be my type will appease me. If you start being honest with me now, you might be able to regain a sliver of my trust, but if you keep being deceptive and manipulative – keep in mind I acted oblivious for most of our relationship – all I’m going to do is make your life a living hell. I’m sure I can get you disillusioned with me pretty damn quick.”

Ren smiles fondly at me, “I assure you, you can’t. But feel free to try if that’s what you want.”

I scoff, “Sure, I’ll remind you of that when you snap on me. Only took two months last time, bet I can at least halve that this time around. Also remember that I have next to nothing I actually care about and have withstood psychological and physical harassment for years at a time, so you’re not special, and you will not fucking break me.”

I see anger build behind his eyes as I speak and feel the familiar dread rise in my chest equally, but steel myself against it. I’ve dealt with worse, and I’m tired of being the victim. I will die before I’m chained up again. I hold onto as much determination and righteous fury as I can muster, preparing for anything he can throw at me.

But then he steps toward me, and suddenly I can’t move. It’s like with him all over again, I talk big to get him to back off, but then it backfires, and I just freeze, cowering in a corner and waiting for it to be over. My fists clench the sheets as I will myself to do something, anything. But I don’t, I can’t, helplessly watching as the tall figure looms ever closer, somehow not any less intimidating despite the pastel persona.

He reaches out a hand towards my face and I watch it closely, heart beating faster the closer it gets. Fuck fuck fuck, what do I do? I could bite him, but that would just make him angrier, I could run away, but he’d catch me easily. All I can do is glare and try to hide my shaking as much as possible. So I just sit and wait for the inevitable.

But when his hand reaches me, it’s gentle. Barely grazing my cheek with his knuckles before carefully cupping my face in his hands and guiding it to face his. I see only warmth in his eyes, empathy and understanding combined with an all-encompassing devotion I had never experienced before. Or maybe I had, it felt so distantly familiar…

His voice is as gentle as his touch, but somehow carries more weight, “My angel, I have never, ever, wanted to break you. The only thing I have ever wanted is to be by your side, to support you and make you happy for as long as I am able. I’d sooner break myself than hurt you in the slightest. All I ask is to stay with you and I will become anything you could ever want. I am yours, completely and unconditionally, forever.”

I stare at him in shock as he plants a light kiss on the top of my head and leaves with one last lingering glance behind him. As soon as he closes the door I slump over, my heart racing. Holy fuck, what was that? He was… kind. Creepy and overly devoted, sure, but words don’t mean all that much anyway, I’m sure he won’t be able to keep that up for long. More importantly, he genuinely doesn’t seem to want to hurt me. I honestly can’t believe he didn’t hit me. Even after I broke the- ugh shit, and I was so rude too, now I feel bad.

Wait no- he literally kidnapped me. He’s crazy. Why would he even act so obsessed with me, I didn’t do anything? Does he think it’ll get me to drop my guard? Or maybe… what had he said before? I can’t let you go again, not now that I finally have you? Something like that, right? How long has he been stalking me? What happened before? No, it doesn’t matter, I need to figure out how to get out, or just contact someone. How closely is he monitoring me?

I look up and around the room, looking for cameras. I saw a few suspicious places, but it would probably be better if he didn’t know that I knew they were there, so I couldn’t directly inspect them. Instead, I walk over to the closet, stepping inside and closing the door behind me before crouching in the far corner. As usual, it was a very comforting sensation, the walls of the closet around me as I felt invisible in the dark. A helpful quality.

But it wasn’t long before I heard the door to my room open and footsteps immediately approach my hiding place. So there are cameras, knew it. Light floods the closet and I flinch away from it. Outlined in the light I see Ren, crouching to my level.

He looks concerned, “Why are you in here, Angel?”

I drop my head down to rest face-down on my knees that were drawn up to my chest, “Cause I can. You gonna drag me out like he did?”

His eyebrows lower dangerously, “Like who did?”

I scoff, “Surprised you don’t already know. Guess you didn’t stalk me until after I turned 16 then. Either that or you weren’t very good at it.”

Ren doesn’t respond to that, instead turning and sitting at the opposite end of the closet with me. As my eyes adjust to the light, I see that he actually listened to me. His eyes were the same as that night, and he had two sparkling silver spikes below his lips. He had changed from his usual jeans and double sweater combo to the grey sweatpants and dark green long-sleeve shirt he wore the first time I stayed over at his place. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, showing the piercings in his ears as well. He looked self-conscious… and hot. I shake my head, Shut up, no, not the goddamn time.

All of a sudden, I notice something on his neck, “Holy fuck.”

He immediately responds, “What? What’s wrong?”

I crawl slightly toward him, squinting to make sure I saw it properly, “…When on earth did you get my name tattooed on your throat?”

He hesitates, touching the tattoo, or perhaps trying to cover it, “Uh… I dunno, recently.” He sounds defensive, “You told me to get rid of the concealer.”

I shift within arm’s length, “I did, thank you. I do genuinely appreciate you listening to me. But define recently. It’s completely healed, so clearly not that recent.” I reach out, slightly brushing the skin with my thumb to check the texture, confirming, “Yeah, that’s gotta be at least two months old.” I smirk, pulling back slightly, “You’d think I’m the yandere, claiming you like that.”

Taken (Part 3/5)

Unedited, as all of these are. The research I did for the end of this has surely gotten me on some kind of list lol. Rendacted cannot keep his accent together and that is not my fault. Ren and above image belong to @14dayswithyou

Summary: Ren does not gatekeep, but he does gaslight and girlboss

2.8k words

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

As I check out at the reception desk I call an uber to my place, making a quick transition from the hospital to my apartment. I didn’t know how Ren could access information about me, but my working theory was through my phone. As an aspiring programmer I knew just how simple it could be to hack into someone’s phone and gain remote access. So I didn’t contact anyone, worried that he might see it.

When I get to my apartment I immediately go around my room, trying to quickly pack anything I might need into a bag. My plan was to wait him out in Violet’s apartment, she almost always just stayed home and gamed all Sunday, so I would let her know about my situation and ask if I could stay for a bit. I was sure she would oblige; she was always so kind to me, and never was very fond of Ren.

So I finish gathering my essential belongings and a container of cookies I had stress baked before leaving on Friday. I power off my phone, ignoring the multitude of messages from Ren, and open my door to knock on Violet’s.

Only to run into a cardigan-clad chest. I look up to see Ren with a friendly smile on his face, “Oh, hey Angel! I was going to surprise you! Here!”

He holds out a bouquet of pink roses to me, which I just stare at blankly. How had he intercepted me just as I was leaving? How did he know I had even gotten back home? Why was he wearing a backpack?

He tilts his head, “What’s wrong, Angel? Why do you have a bag with you, where were you going?”

I forcibly pull myself together, and give him a smile, accepting the flowers, “Oh thank you, Ren, these are lovely! I was just headed to your place actually, I was going to surprise you. Good timing, I suppose, would’ve been awkward if we were both at the other apartment, huh?”

This seems to make him happy as he giggles, “Yeah, that worked out well, didn’t it? Luckily you don’t have to walk now, I don’t want you straining your stitches!”

I laugh, “Haha, yeah, I guess I hadn’t considered that. Actually, hold that thought, I was gonna visit Violet to give her these cookies really quickly. I owe her one, so would you mind waiting here while I go inside?”

He holds my arm, stopping me from knocking on her door, “Do you really have to do that right now, Angel? I can deliver them to her later, she probably isn’t even home right now. Why do you owe her anyway?”

I tug my arm free, breathing a silent sigh of relief when he lets me, “Oh, don’t worry, Ren, I’ll only be a minute. She never leaves the house on Sundays.”

But he grabs my arm again, pulling me back, “Please, Angel, can we just go home now? You always take forever to talk to her.”

This time, when try I pull my arm back, he doesn’t let go. I do my best to keep my breathing even, knowing that this was my best chance to escape, but also knowing that he could easily overpower me any time he chose. I look at him with a confused expression, “What’s wrong? I won’t take long, I promise.”

He gently tugs me away from her door, “C’mon Angel, let’s just go, please? I’ve been so worried about you, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

I hold my ground, “I told you, I’m fine. I’m on painkillers, I’ve been on bedrest for two days. I just need to talk to Violet for a second.”

“But why do you need to talk to her? I thought you were just going to drop off the cookies, can’t that wait? You keep avoiding me and I don’t know why!”

Panicking, I decide to finally make a move while I’m in semi-public at least, “I’m sorry! I want to break up with you!”

Ren’s face falls and it looks like I just punched him in the gut, “Wha- but I- Angel, how could you? You said I didn’t do anything wrong, why did y’lie to me? How can I fix it if you don’t tell me? Please, Angel, don’t do this, we can talk it out, just- just tell me please!” He gently guides me back into my apartment and this time I don’t resist.

I try to pull together my mental fortitude. I really did like him a lot, I would have even said love, but I logically knew it was too soon for that. And now this is proving why. I remind myself of what I saw, the cold expression, the blood, the eyes, steeling myself to not be swayed.

I look at him firmly, “Ren, I can’t date you, I’m sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong, it’s me. I just- can’t.”

Ren shakes his head, tears running from his eyes, “No, I had to have done something, I can’t- you can’t- this is so sudden, something had to have happened. Please Angel, just let me make it right.”

I snap, worried at his insistence, “Ren! You can’t. Sometimes that’s just the way things fall. It’s not your fault, I wish you the best, I really do, I just can’t date you anymore.”

He looks hopeful, “So- wait- can we still be friends?”

I hesitate, “I- no, I don’t think that would be wise. You deserve the time and space you need to move on and find somebody else.”

Ren reaches for me, but I quickly step backwards over an arm’s length away. A devastated look crosses his eyes and settles there as he falls to his knees, pleading and gasping through tears, “No, please, I can’t- there’s no one else I want. I don’t want to find anyone, if I can’t have you I’d rather die alone. I’d do anything for you, please, let me prove it to you. I’ll give you everything I have, just say the word, I promise, Angel, please just give me another chance.”

I shake my head and back away slowly, scared and taken aback by his utter desperation. I keep an eye on him while slowly sliding my phone out of my back pocket, hoping to contact someone in case anything happens.

He catches my movements before I can even attempt to make a call and shoots forward, grabbing my wrist and pulling it away from me before taking the phone itself, “Don’t! Who are y’trying t’call? Conan? Violet? Why would you need t’call them?”

His immediate shift from pathetic and crying to sharp and interrogating had me yanking my hand away from him with such force that I stagger into the couch behind me, hitting my injured hip. I hiss and tears fill my eyes, the pain, fear, and betrayal overwhelming me.

Ren rushes to me, pulling me into his arms, “Angel! You’re hurt, you can’t be making sharp movements like that.”

I shake uncontrollably, feeling utterly trapped as I push back against his chest to no avail, “Then let me go!”

He tightens his grip, “You keep running away! I have to show you, I can be everything you’ll ever need, I swear.”

I struggle harder, “I don’t want you too! I don’t even know who you are!”

He freezes, “What do you mean? I’m Ren, your boyfriend.”

I let out a sob, “We both know that’s not true; I saw you! I know it was you that night Ren, you just murdered someone in cold blood! How would I know what else you’re capable of?”

He holds me tighter, “Angel, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you need to stop struggling, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

I wrench myself away from him, but I can tell I only succeed because he lets me, “No, you need to let me go.”

He looks betrayed, “I already did!”

I shake my head, moving to the other side of the room. He follows me, but at least stays just out of reach. I protest, “No, not just physically, this obsession, it’s not healthy. You need to leave me. Like I said, find somebody else.”

His eyes flash, “Like I said, I don’t want anyone else.”

I snap, “Well you’re going to need to, because I’m not dating someone I don’t know! I’m not staying with a murderer!”

He gestures for me to calm down, which automatically enrages me, but I stay quiet as he speaks, “Angel, you went through something extremely traumatic, I know everything’s muddled right now, but I can help you. I’m not trying to hurt you, I’m not the one who attacked you, I’m just Ren .”

I straighten my stance, no longer cowering, “You’re not the one who attacked me, you’re the one who killed the attacker like it was your average Tuesday night! And you specifically went out of your way to hide it was you, so you can’t just act dumb, it was intentional and planned!”

A thought comes to mind and I speak slowly, not believing it at first, “Did you- did you hire that man? What were you going to do with me? Were you just going to show off, but went too far or were you actually working with him and whatever disgusting plan he had?”

Ren looks disgusted and horrified at the suggestion, “Angel, can you even hear yourself? That’s crazy! Why would I hire someone to hurt you? And if I had, why would I have killed him? That doesn’t make any sense! Your mind is playing tricks on you, trying to make sense of what happened.” His voice softens and he looks at me sympathetically, “Because it shouldn’t have happened, there is no excuse for those men’s behavior, and you never should have been targeted.”

I squint, “What do you mean, ‘men’? There was only one man that targeted me.”

Ren’s face is full of saccharine sorrow as he says, “See Angel, you’re already twisting what happened, there were two men that night, one killed the other, remember? That’s what it said on the news.”

I lower my head, looking at him skeptically, “Yeah, only one of them targeted me. The other seemed concerned for my safety, six foot five with pink hair and a ring on his left ring finger. So who else was ‘targeting’ me? And how do you know about it?”

Ren attempts to put a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I smack his hand away, rather harder than necessary, but he kinda deserved it, “Don’t touch me.”

He raises his hands, “Sorry, I- I just misspoke I guess, I assumed they were both targeting you from the sound of things.”

I huff, “I don’t believe you. And since when could you speak Japanese?”

He throws his hands in the air, “I can’t! See, I don’t even know Japanese, how could I be the killer?”

I look him dead in the eye, “What would Japanese have to do with the killer?”

He sputters, “W- W- What do you mean? You just said-!”

I glare, “I never said the killer spoke Japanese, nor did I tell the ambulance workers or police. Only the people who were there knew.”

I see his eyes widen and a fond smile flit across his face before it’s replaced by confusion again, “But- that’s obviously what you were implying! I don’t have any secret insider knowledge, Angel, I think you’re just paranoid.”

I am immediately brought back to the alleyway, with the drunken man staggering toward me, “I’m not gonna hurt ya, stop being so paranoid.”

I grasp around for any sort of weapon, settling on the fire poker right behind me and leveling it at Ren, “That’s exactly what he said. You know what the next thing he did was?”

Ren backs a step away, “Angel, I’m not going to hurt you, I don’t have a knife.”

I start laughing, tears streaming down my face and no mirth in my voice, “History really does repeat itself, huh?” My voice drops to an emphatic hiss, “I’m not going to let that happen this time.”

Ren backs further away and sits down with his hands open and facing me cursing, “Shit Angel, m’really sorry, I didn’t mean- fuck I keep choosing m’words poorly, I’m sorry, I really am. I- I’m not like the guy that attacked you at all. I swear. You’re…. you’re right, I was the guy that killed him, but I didn’t know what else to do, I had to protect you, you don’t understand!”

I keep the poker directed at him, “I appreciate the truth, but I’d like some more of it. Because what you didn’t have to do was be there, dressed all in black like a creeper and with a whole fucking sledgehammer. That’s the part I don’t understand.”

His eyes dart around as he thinks before speaking, “I was… I followed you, I’m sorry, I didn’t trust Teo to keep track of you and make sure you were safe. You’re not used to bars, someone could have spiked your drink, and they did! There were three of them, clearly used to this routine. One of them distracted you while the other spiked your drink, and the third one waited outside for you. That’s why I was late, I had t’deal with the other guys first, ‘cause they were gonna bring a car around.”

My head spins from this new information, “Wait- what? What do you mean, ‘deal with’? There were three- I was drugged?! No I wasn’t.” I think back to the night but don’t remember any such ill effects.

Ren shakes his head, “No, you weren’t, because I switched your drinks when he wasn’t looking, the fu-, I mean, the guy drugged himself. I just had to make sure the other one couldn’t drive the car.”

I chew on my lip nervously, “And how did you do that?”

He mirrors my action, probably subconsciously, “Th- the point is that I’d never hurt you, Angel. Please believe me.”

I shake my head, “As much as I’d like to believe you Ren, if that’s even your real name, I can’t risk it, there’s too many things about you that don’t add up.”

Ren leans forward earnestly, “Angel-”

I hiss, “Shut up! I’m done listening to you, get out of my house! You said you’d do anything for me, so leave!” I level the poker at him again.

He shakes his head and stands, genuine pain in his voice as he says, “I’m sorry, Angel, that’s the one thing I can’t do. I can’t live without you, not again, not after I finally got you back.”

My hands shake, “Stay away from me!”

Ren only moves closer to me, each step deliberate and calculated, but I can hear the desperation and helplessness in his voice when he responds, “I can’t.”

He’s so close now that the poker is resting on his chest, right above his heart. I try to keep my hand steady, but as my eyes flit between his eyes and his chest, I realize I wouldn’t be able to actually stab him. He seems to realize this too, or maybe he just doesn’t care as he continues to step forward.

My voice shakes, considerably quieter this time, “Stop Ren, or I swear to god I’ll drive this right through your heart.”

That look. That damn look. His eyes are full of adoration as he continues toward me, my hands now pushed back to my own chest, “No, you won’t.”

My eyes fill with tears as he backs me into a corner. When I see blood stain his cardigan, I immediately drop the poker, instead dashing to the side, hoping to make it to my door. But I never even make it close as Ren easily intercepts me, pulling my back flush against his chest as his arms restrain mine.

He murmurs apologies in my ear as he keeps me from moving with just one arm and grabs something from his bag with another. To my horror, he puts a mask over my nose and mouth, the same used to deliver nitrous oxide during surgery. But I’d had laughing gas before, and that was not whatever sweet-smelling gas was flowing through this. I try to question him, fighting twice as hard to free my face, but there was nowhere to go.

I vaguely hear his broken voice as I rapidly lose consciousness, “I’m so sorry Angel, I didn’t want it to be this way. It’s sevoflurane and nitrous oxide, it’s the safest option I could find, I’m sorry. I promise you’ll be okay, I’d never hurt you…”

Taken (Part 2/5)

Sorry if Ren is ooc, the characters and above image belong to @14dayswithyou

Summary: Angel deals with the aftermath of their realization

2.4k words

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

*Beep*               *Beep*                *Beep*                *Beep*                *Beep*

The incessant noise slowly slipped into my dreams, leading me back to a state of consciousness against my will. My eyes slowly open to greet the world after a few minutes of lying in denial. I look around, taking in the sterile white surroundings before turning my attention to the thin sheet covering my paper hospital gown. Great. This is all I get for modesty? I shift, trying to regain feeling in my limbs.

I instantly regret this as shooting pain runs across my hip and I recall the events of… whenever it was now. I notice a blood transfusion bag to my side and reluctantly follow the tube down to where a needle digs into the inside of my elbow. I laugh at the thought of acting like a main character: ripping it out and staggering down the halls of the hospital, but I don’t.

My noise must’ve alerted a nurse as one immediately pops into my room to check my vitals, explaining the medical and paperwork situation afterwards. Luckily, I didn’t have to stay for long since the slash didn’t hit any vital organs or arteries, and it was already stitched and bandaged. I have my phone and clothes returned to me, as is policy.

Right before the nurse left, he asked a question I wasn’t prepared for, “Is there anyone you would like to contact? You can use the hospital phone as yours is dead.”

I pause, my mind flashing to Ren, and then back to the figure in the alleyway. I didn’t want to face him yet, but I didn’t have any other family that I wanted knowing about my vulnerable state.

I shake my head, but then another thought pops in my head, a conversation I had a long time ago, and I stop the nurse, “Wait, actually…”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I slightly regret my decision as an out-of-breath Conan is let into my room, “Sorry I took so long, the babysitter took longer than expected to arrive.”

I sigh, “Conan… I told you that you didn’t have to come, I just figured someone should know what happened.”

He settles in a nearby chair, “Nonsense, that’s exactly why I gave you my number, I wouldn’t just leave you alone. I’m sure you went through an incredibly harrowing experience... Do you want to tell me about it?”

I subconsciously gnaw on my lip, unsure of how much I wanted to tell my boss. But with Ren no longer an option, and after my falling out with Leon, I don’t really have any better choice. And I realize I do want to tell someone, whether to be reassured or just to get it off my chest, I wasn’t sure. So I told him everything, from me going to a bar with Jae and Teo, losing track of them, realizing my phone was dead, getting hit on, trying to escape, then everything that happened in the alley. Everything except for my suspicions of the second person’s identity.

After I finished, Conan shakes his head, “That’s absolutely horrific, I can only imagine how you felt, I’m so sorry you had to experience that.”

I shrug and say in a funny accent, “It is what it is.”

Conan seems thrown, “…Was that a meme?”

I grimace, “Yeah, sorry. If you don’t laugh you’ll cry.”

I laugh at Conan’s bemused face and repeat, “Sorry.”

He shakes his head, “It’s alright, I just don’t quite understand.”

I chuckle again, “Yeah, I know, thank you for letting me rant though.”

He nods, “Of course. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

I shrug, “I don’t think so, you’ve done plenty already... Actually, if I ordered us some food, would you be willing to bring it up for me?”

Conan replies, “Oh you don’t need to get me anything, but I can definitely pick something up for you.”

I shake my head, “No, you’re here, I’m gonna get you lunch. What do you want?”

After much prodding I get him to cave and choose a sandwich place to get lunch from, so I order our food plus a cookie for Alice. We chat in the meantime, which was honestly so helpful. I never had much opportunity to talk to him casually, and seeing him light up when he talked about Alice or the library was so heartwarming. I can’t help but wonder how different my life could have been if he was my father instead…

Later, we get our food and eat together, a strangely average thing to do after something so dramatic happened to me just last night. I really do appreciate him coming to bring a sense of normalcy to the situation, and comfort during my mental turmoil. But eventually the time comes for him to leave.

He stands, grabbing the trash from our meal and throwing it out before picking up his bag and heading to the door.

I call after him, “Tell Alice I said hello!”

He nods, and then startles, “Oh I almost forgot my charger, is your phone fully charged yet?”

My eyes widen and dart to the phone on the table next to my bed, “What?” Sure enough, I see my phone plugged into the wall, to my horror.

Conan questions, “Are you alright? I brought a charger since you had said it was dead, I plugged it in when I got here, sorry I should have checked with you.”

I force a smile and shake my head, “Oh no worries, it’s alright, thanks Conan.”

I return his charger before he heads out. I now am left alone, staring at the dark screen of my phone with dread overwhelming me in waves. I turn it on, watching the developer logos flash through before I unlock it. As I suspected, I had 38 unread messages from Ren and 14 missed calls.

I expand the notification bar and scroll through the message previews.

“>///< I don’t mean to bother you, but you’v…”

“^^; Are you okay? You haven’t responded i…”

“Angel, I’m starting to get worried, where di…”

“Angel please respond, I’m getting scared :(”

I sigh, turning my phone off again and trying to figure out what to do. If that really was him last night, what else did I not know about him? Is that not the first person he’s killed? What would he do to me if he knew that I knew? But maybe I’m overreacting and it wasn’t him, I mean, there must be more than one 6’5” pale pink-haired man with a ring that size in Corland Bay, right? And his eyes were different. Different color, but same adoring gaze. A far cry from the cold, twisted expression he held when he killed that man.

I shake my head, clearing it, I’ll make that a tomorrow me problem.

A nurse knocks on my door before opening it and sticking her head inside, “Hello! Sorry to bother you, there’s a… man, requesting to see you? Ren? Would you like us to let him in?”

I shake my head vehemently, “No! Please, sorry, I’d really rather not.”

She reassures me, “No worries, hun, we’ll make sure you don’t have to see anyone you don’t want to. Everyone needs explicit permission to be brought in.”

I give her a weak smile, “Thank you…”

She nods and leaves me to my own devices again. I open duolingo, making sure I keep my streak before opening random games on my phone and trying to play to pass the time, but Ren’s incessant messages and calls make it almost impossible. So I put it down and let my thoughts take over as I stare at the ceiling, only interrupted by a few check-ins and changing of bandages.

Finally, I had my last check-in for the night at 10pm, at which point I tried to go to sleep. But only five minutes after the nurse had left, the door slides open. I assume they had forgotten something and returned, but instead a tall man with pink hair walks in.

I shoot upright in the bed, straining my stitches and causing pain to flare up my side. I lay back down with a groan as Ren rushes to my side, “Angel! Are you okay? You weren’t answering my calls, I- I didn’t know what to do. I saw it on the news and had to call all of the hospitals in the area to find out where you were. I- Why- why didn’t you tell me?” He’s near tears as he sits as close as he possibly can to the bed, clinging onto my hand desperately.

I can’t help but feel bad, how could I possibly assume this sweet human is the same as the murderer last night? But the similarities never leave my mind, nor does the shaking in my hands as I avoid his inquiring gaze.

I open and close my mouth, struggling to find an explanation for my behavior other than the truth. Eventually, I say, “I- I’m sorry Ren, I didn’t want you to worry.”

His eyebrows furrow incredulously, “You didn’t want me to worry?! Angel, what do you think I’ve been doing since you left?”

I respond in almost a whisper, “Sorry, I… didn’t want you to see me like this. I knew you would come if I told you about it. But- how did you even get in? The nurse didn’t tell me you were coming.” I finally meet his eyes, carefully keeping the challenge out of my gaze, but wanting to see his reaction.

He blinks, “I asked for you by name since I didn’t know the room number, the receptionist told me where to go.”

I press on, “But the nurse said I would have to give permission to the staff if someone came?”

Ren scratches at his jaw uncomfortably, “A- Ah, well I was kinda panicking when I came in, I guess she figured it would be okay since I clearly already knew you.”

I look down again, “Oh… well… thanks for checking in on me. I’ll be fine, really. They said they could probably discharge me by tomorrow morning, just some routine checks to make sure I’m alright for now. Conan already… he said I didn’t have to come in on Monday.” I mentally slap myself, why would I tell him that I was free? At least I covered up that Conan had actually given me a week off and said I could take as much time as I needed as long as I let him know in advance.

Ren recoils, “Only Monday?! Is he insane!? You- you just got stabbed!”

I regret saying anything and try to steer the conversation away, “Yeah, I uh, I can talk to him later, I’m sure he could give me more time. But anyway, have you eaten dinner yet?”

Ren picks at his sleeve, “Yeah, sure, I got something on the way here.”

I squint, not believing him, but not wanting to address it, “Aren’t visitation hours over?”

He pouts at me, tears welling in his eyes again, “Do- do you not want me here Angel? I’m sorry, did I do something wrong? I should have been there last night, I’m sorry.”

I shake my head, feeling guilt well up, “No, no, that’s not it I just- I’m sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong, don’t cry please.” I recover my senses, wait no- this is what he wants, he keeps deflecting.

Ren buries his face in my stomach, carefully wrapping his arms around my torso with his shoulders still shaking, “I’m sorry, I- I was just so- so worried.”

I pat his head, “It’s alright Ren, I’m fine, I promise. You should go now, I’ll see you tomorrow when I’m discharged okay?”

He looks up at me, “When you’re discharged? How will that- how much will that cost? I’ll pay however much, just tell me!”

I shake my head uncomfortably, “No, that’s okay Ren, I can afford it, it’s not that much, especially with insurance.” Another lie, the total came out to around $14,000, though with insurance I only had to cover around $2,000 (most of which was those damn ambulance fees). Still far more than I could easily afford, but I don’t want to be financially dependent on Ren, especially now.

He tilts his head, “Are you sure? It won’t be any problem, I swear! Here, let me just send you the money right now.”

He pulls out his phone to do just that, but I put a hand over it, “No, Ren, I’m serious, it’s fine. Go home, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He looks at me like a kicked puppy - it really wasn’t fair how cute he was given my suspicions - “Angel… why are you trying to send me away? I’ll do anything to make it up to you, really! Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I’ll pay the bill, I can pay for everything, you could quit your job if you wanted to! I can get you food, or get my laptop and we could watch movies? Please, anything, I swear.”

I hold his face, pulling it closer to my own, “Ren. The best thing you can do right now is go home. Rest up, and I’ll let you know what to do tomorrow, okay?” I try desperately to keep my voice even as I look into his eyes, seeing exactly what I feared.

He leans into my touch, still looking at me with watery eyes, “…Are you sure?”

I nod, forcing a smile, “I’m sure. 愛してるよ .” (extremely dramatic form of 'I love you,' usually only used in fiction)

Ren’s face immediately flushes red and his eyes widen, almost sparkling, before falling into a bemused expression, “That was really pretty. Japanese, right? What did that mean?”

I shake my head, smiling, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He hesitantly accepts, heading to the doorway while looking at me, “Alright, call me if anything happens?”

I nod, but he insists, “Promise?”

I look away, crossing my fingers under the blanket like a guilty child, “Promise.”

Once he leaves, I drop my head into my hands. Fuck. It really was him.

He had understood what I said, though he hid it well. But what really sealed my resolve was when I looked closely at his eyes. He was wearing light blue contacts, with concealer caked over eyebags.

How had I never noticed before? I was usually so aware of eye color. The more I thought about it the more certain I was. All of the little things at the beginning of the relationship that didn’t line up. His inconsistent personality, how he seemed to know things before I ever told him, even how he got into my room. But I didn’t have time to bemoan my ignorance, I had to make a plan. After all, I only had until tomorrow morning.

Taken (Part 1/5)

Uhhhh this is my first time posting a fic anywhere lmao, idk what I'm doing but enjoy ig? :D Ren and image belong to @14dayswithyou content warnings are in the tags

Summary: Angel runs into trouble after hanging out with Jae and Teo

2.1k words

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

“Get away from me!” I yell as loudly as I can, hoping to either get the guy to back off or get someone else’s attention. Of course the one time I decide to go to a bar and try to be social I get some creep trying to follow me home.

The man was swaying just a bit, clearly intoxicated, with shoulder-length black hair falling over their flushed face in greasy strands. I was pretty sure I could take him down if need be, but the fact that he was blocking the only way out from the alleyway concerned me. I had used the back exit specifically to avoid him, but he was a step ahead of me, probably not the first time he’s done this.

He began speaking again, slightly slurring his words, “Awww, c’mon, a pretty girl like you walking home alone? S’not safe, let m’come with you.”

I glare, “Listen, I’m not interested in anything you have to offer me, what I would appreciate most is if you got out of my way.”

He takes a step forward and I take a matching step back. He croons, “I’m not gonna hurt ya, stop being so paranoid.”

This time when he steps forward, I hold my ground, shifting my stance and holding my hands out in something between a placating gesture and a guard, “I’m warning you now, if you don’t back off…”

I don’t finish the threat as I don’t really have any leverage. My phone’s battery is dead so I can’t call for help, and my knife is in my bag, which I had forgotten to even bring. Sure, I knew martial arts, but that probably wouldn’t mean much to this guy.

So as he staggers closer, giggling, I follow his movements, recalling some of the simplest ways to take someone down. But just as he gets within range, his entire demeanor changes, his dazed look and swaying stance fall into a predatory glare and light-footed lunge. I catch the glint of what was probably a knife slashing from behind his back and sloppily swing my arm down to block it. I intercept his forearm, but don’t have the strength to hold back a full-bodied swing at a moment’s notice, so the blade catches my shirt and burns across my hip.

For a moment, the world freezes. I can hear a thousand thoughts and regrets flash through my mind, but they sound distant, detached. The man steps out of my reach and gives me a disgusting grin while I stand in shock. My hand shakily moves to cover the open wound, and I can’t help but look down at the thick liquid smearing on my palm. I try to step backwards, but the twisting of the wound sends jolts of searing pain up my side and I fall, holding my hip as hard as I can as I yell out expletives.

From my collapsed position on the ground I raise my head to keep track of my attacker, but he just stands laughing at me, apparently reveling in the first blood he had managed to take. What I didn’t expect to see, though, was a different figure, clad in all black and wielding a sledgehammer above their head, aiming at the black-haired stranger in complete silence. I can’t see their face clearly since their hoodie shadowed it, but I can feel their anger as the sledgehammer makes impact with the stranger’s head, flinging his entire body to the side with the force of the blow.

I stare at what's left of the man’s head as it makes impact with the wall of the alley and slowly slides back down. Red. Everything was red. The walls, the ground, the body that was laying crumpled at their junction, and the face of the person who undoubtedly just killed him. As I follow the trail of red, I notice its hue doesn’t stain their clothes, only turns it a richer shade of black. But their face…

It's twisted into an ugly expression, something between disgust, frustration, and utter apathy as they consider the body before them. The splashes of red sharply contrast their pale skin as it drips down their cheek. I shuffle backwards as best I can, fighting the morbid curiosity to look back to the silent body on my left, instead keeping them fixed on the cold face in front of me. I see a flash of blue as they turn away hurriedly, dragging a neck gaiter higher over their nose and pulling their hood low once again before approaching me.

I belatedly notice the tears running down my face and try to wipe them away, not wanting to appear weak before this new opponent, though there probably wasn’t much chance of that at this point. My efforts accomplish nothing but smearing my own blood and dirt across my face, but I have no time to worry about that as my back hits the dead end behind me.

I can’t hear anything except the roaring pain in my side and my heartbeat thrumming in my ears louder than any bassline I’d heard before. I glance behind me to confirm that there was indeed no escape before returning to the shadowy figure now crouching just out of my reach.

To my surprise, when his gloved hand returned from the depths of his pocket, it held not a weapon, but a phone. He speaks into it in a foreign language, and a million thoughts run through my brain, piecing together what I can from my shaky understanding: Fuck, he called someone. That’s Japanese. I know Japanese! Daijōbudesu? It’s okay? No the fuck it’s not! Is he even talking to me? Something about this place? Someone staying here? Fuck, is he calling in reinforcements? Who’s on the other line? Kudasai? This bitch is being polite??? Is it the police?

When he finishes speaking, he immediately turns the phone to face me. I read the displayed text:

‘All right. Called an ambulance. Please exist here and keep stress on the defects.’

Despite the situation, I let out a choked laugh at the shoddy translation, though luckily it managed to convey the pieces I hadn’t understood. The blue, red, yellow, and green logo in the top right corner confirmed my suspicions, “Google translate? Really? That’s not even close to what you said. Google sucks at translating Japanese; you’d be better off with Spanish or another romance language, if you know it,” I ramble out what comes to mind, whether he can understand me or not.

It seems like he understands me since he makes a surprised sound and shakes his head before turning the phone back to read it himself and letting out an irritated sigh. He pulls off a glove to attempt typing but I speak up again, despite my voice shaking and hitching so badly that he might need google translate to figure out what I’m saying, “I think I know what- what… you mean. Do you- do you- do-. You- FUCK,” cursing to dispel my stutter, I continue, “You want me to stay here for the ambulance and keep pressure on the cut, right? Thank… you?” It feels weird to thank someone who just smashed a guy’s head in, but staying on their good side was probably the best idea for now.

He nods and reaches out a hand toward my head, which I would have withdrawn from if my head wasn’t already against the wall, but since I couldn’t, I just squeezed my eyes shut, hoping whatever came next wouldn’t be too painful. When I feel a gentle ruffling sensation of my hair, my eyes pop back open in surprise. I clearly see their own eyes for the first time, looking at me far more softly than they had any right to.

My confused look seemed to shake them out of whatever reverie they were in, and he abruptly retrieves his hand, looking down again and mumbling, “ごめん, 目をそらす.”

To reinforce his meaning, he covers his own eyes before pointing at me. I hesitantly raise a hand over my eyes, but peek through a sliver to make sure he wasn’t going to try anything. He didn’t, instead turning and standing, approaching the dead man. I close the gap, not wanting to see what he did.

The swirling, sickening feeling in my gut only increases the more I think about the stranger’s eyes. A strikingly beautiful color, ocean blue with a hint of pink swirling through them if you looked closely enough. I was sure I had seen them before but couldn’t recall when or where. What bothered me more though, were their eyebrows. Pink. I only knew one insanely tall person with pink hair.

But of course it couldn’t be him, it’s not like pink hair is unheard of. And he would never be able to wield a sledgehammer like that, he’s always so timid… and those definitely weren’t his eyes. His are a much lighter baby blue. Plus he speaks English, he probably doesn’t even know Japanese. I reassure myself. Surely my partner could never kill someone with such ease.

Despite my conclusion, I can’t help but spread my fingers again, peeking out to see the person’s form dropping a half-full trash bag on the spot where the remains of the man’s head was, covering the worst of the remaining viscera. I couldn’t see the body anywhere, but the dumpster was closed now, and I wasn’t about to check it. I evaluate his height, placing it at about six and a half feet. The same as… No. But what if?

I see him pick up the serrated knife that was left on the ground, inspecting it closely, though for what I wasn’t sure. I drop my hand from my eyes, instead using it to brace against the wall as I try to stand up, but hiss in pain and slide right back down. This grabs the attention of the black-clad figure and he takes a few hasty steps towards me, gesturing for me to stay down.

I warily eye the knife in his hand, and he gets the message, tossing it behind him somewhere carelessly before opening his hands, showing that they’re empty. They then back away, glancing between me and the entrance of the alleyway a few times before turning to leave.

I call out desperately, “Wait!” I’d never be able to face my boyfriend if I didn’t confirm this wasn’t him now, but how could I do that? I continue in a timid voice, forcing a few more tears to roll down my face, “Don’t leave me, please. I’m scared…”

He hesitantly turns back to me but stays where he is, clearly uncertain.

I let my bottom lip tremble, “Could you just… could I hold your hand?” I cringe internally at the insane request, but to my surprise it seems to convince them as they return to my side, kneeling on one knee and offering his right hand to me.

But that’s not what I needed, so I winced and snatched both of my hands back to my hip. When he reaches for my hip with his left hand, I grip onto it as though it was the only thing keeping me from dying. To my shock, I feel what I was looking for. A ring on their ring finger, the same thickness and width as the one he always wore around his neck.

I freeze, not able to meet their eyes. Turns out I knew nothing of my boyfriend of three months. I pull my hand back as unobtrusively as possible, betrayal and horror coursing through my veins as I murmur, “Sorry, you probably should go before the ambulance gets here.”

I watch as they pause, clearly thrown by my sudden change of heart. But when we hear sirens closing in from the distance, they shoot to their feet and briskly walk out of the alleyway, casually grabbing the sledgehammer they had left standing in the middle of the path as though it weighed nothing. I shivered at the comfort he handles the weapon with.

When the ambulance arrives, they asked me a multitude of questions, most I didn’t know the answer to. When they asked me who was responsible for my wound, I just pointed a shaky finger towards the dumpster, “I think he’s in there…”

When questioned further about the second figure, I only gave vague answers, not anything that would be helpful in a search. Luckily for me, my swimming vision and pounding headache finally gave way to sweet unconsciousness, the blood loss finally catching up to me.