Summary: Someone finds Ritsuka. "Loveless is meant to be just that, or didn't you get the message, partner?"

Disclaimer: I don't own Loveless, but do own a screwed up mind.

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"A lesson for Loveless"

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Ritsuka's eyes fluttered open and when the haze cleared darted in all directions. Slowly they adjusted to the small glimmer of light from a small window behind him.

A basement?...

There was nothing, nothing but him in the damp dark place. He lifted his head slowly from the cool floor.

Changing his focus, he was glad to notice clothing remained on his body, his shirt and jeans. His shoes were gone though.

Dryly his tongue touched the roof of his mouth when a shout rose to his throat.

I must have been out for a while...

A sudden clang of metal on metal came behind him, speeding up his heart rate.

"Oh come on you little fagot, I expected something better sheesh", a deep male voice emitted from the shadows.

With a rusty click a florescent light-bulb on the ceiling buzzed then slowly began to glow, dimly at first then bright as if he was staring straight into the sun.

What sounded like a metal baseball bat hit the ground then dragged toward him with the barely-audible sound of footsteps.

Soon a face loomed above him just under the path of light; a man who appeared at least a decade older than Soubi; face tanned from working outside for years; scar across his right cheek, over the side of his lips, ending at his chin; bent nose possibly from being broken numerous times, and the darkest brown eyes Ritsuka had ever seen, so dark the man's pupils didn't show at all in this dimness...

"Loveless" the man stated. "No need for introductions, I already know who you are and if you knew anything- like your current grades say- you'd know who I am". Saliva sprayed across Ritsuka's face, but he was too afraid to blink.

"Y-" he started to speak, but flecks from the walls and mold caught in his dry esophagus. Raspy, painfully he coughed.

"Let's hear your guess", he crouched, staring with hands on chin like a small child listening to a story.

"You m-" he coughed "Must be from another team" he said with difficulty.

"Shit, I said you were dumb, but now you're just a total idiot" he chuckled, shaking his head. "Have you ever met a team of one person? Or hey, where's my sacrifice?" he put a flattened hand to his forehead and looked around sarcastically chuckling.

His laughter quickly stopped.

"Loveless is meant to be just that, or didn't you get the message, partner?" he said, now with a terrifying expression on his face.

What is he...?...

"My name is Loveless, same as yours, but obviously I need to teach you something about what it means"

"N-no, y-ou can't be!" Ritsuka cried.

The metal bat slammed two inches from his head sending a painful ringing into his ears, and throbbing pain through his temple.

Tears poured from violet eyes as the room spun.

"I knew I'd be stuck with a little fuck like you" the man said, unbuttoning his shirt.

Fright struck Ritsuka, but his body was frozen. He tried to yell, but no sound came from between his lips.

Soubi, help me!...

"Think I'm a faggot like you, or a pedophile like that pathetic excuse for a fighter Agatsuma? I've fucked half the women in Asia" he stepped back, chest now in the noisy light.

Letters... not those letters...

Crouching the man whispered with liquor on his breath, "Oh don't worry partner, you've got it too". He pulled a pocketknife out of his pants and brought it to Ritsuka's chest.

"No!" the boy fearfully cried.

Not now, not like this!...

"So fidgety" the man chided in an impersonation of a female voice.

Something plastic scraped the floor behind Ritsuka's head, and the man showed him the reflection of his own chest.

"No!... No!" he screamed, "It can't be, you can't be!"

But the image was as real as all the similar markings he had ever viewed- his accursed second name was scrolled upon his skin: Loveless.

No, Soubi, Soubi's supposed to be. No!...

"Now do you believe me, Ritsuka?" the terrifying man loomed overhead. He chuckled low, then began laughing uproariously, echoing throughout the basement and poisoning Ritsuka's ears.

"Oh don't worry, you won't have to deal with that piece of shit Agatsuma anymore, or anyone else, not until you learn your lesson"

He walked away, then called back "If it takes me years, fine, but I'll tell ya, I really don't like waiting". His shoes heavily sounded against stairs, along with the

clang

clang

clanging of the bat.

The sound echoed in Ritsuka's mind, as a soundtrack to the images of the man's, and his chest repeating.

Soubi had to find him.

Had to.

But then, the man's mind was so fixated on his teachings that he may find him, but wouldn't he leave him with his apparent true fighter?

"No he has to, has to help me." He desperately cried before passing out from panic.

No more than ten minutes later he was re-awakened by the torturous sound of the metal bat.

In his right hand the man held what appeared to be a children's book. He dragged a metal chair across the floor, stopping inches from Ritsuka's head, then sat, feet on either side of the boy's small body.

"Once upon a time... hey idiot play attention when I speak to you!" He stomped once, pulling on Ritsuka's matted hair. The child winced, and opened his eyes.

"Once upon a time, there was a man who was so strong other men were afraid of him, and women fawned over him, begging to be his sex slaves. The man was strong and proud, and free.

He knew that one day he wouldn't be though, because he was a Fighter, and Fighters are bound to their Sacrifices. The man wasn't a genius, but he had brains, and so he formed a plan. Since he somehow knew his Sacrifice was in Japan he did some digging. The strong man figured out who his sacrifice was one day when he just happened to be visiting a shitty town.

So, without much thought the strong man pretended to be a janitor in some shitty school and bagged the little faggot who shared his name.

One day he finally beat into his sacrifice's head that their name meant someone without love, and then they fought every other team and won, and the sacrifice stayed out of the strong man's way when he met with women. The end."

The images in the "children's" book were crudely drawn, but the many shades of red got the point across.

Ritsuka still couldn't think very clearly, but if there was anything he learned from interacting with his mother he knew to back down, and play along.

"Now if you want to be fed tonight you'll stay here, just like this, while I entertain some ass."

"Yes sir" he rasped.

"Woah, I like that! Good boy" he laughed, and smacked Ritsuka across the face.

The next two hours were a blur for Ritsuka. He heard at least three women's voices, along with his fighter's voice.

"Yeah now lick her, yeah! Now you suck me!" A loud slap, "Suck me now bitch!"

"Oh where do you think you're going?", a wooden chair hit the floor, "I need a place to sit. Now, on your knees!"

Ritsuka tried to block out the sound of the terrible acts, but it seemed like the man was shouting so he could hear it all.

Tears trickled down Ritsuka's face. He willed them to stop, he was so dehydrated.

"I'm a man without love, all I need is sex and booze. Since I don't see any booze, I'm gonna need more sex!"

A woman cried out in pain. "Please sir, please use a condom."

"The only thing I need to use is you, cum bucket" another slap. The women all cried.

"If you don't stop crying, I'll have to bite off your nipples. I bet you heard what happened to Fuyuko."

The crying suddenly stopped. "Ah I see word of my conquests gets around!" He laughed loudly.

"Now line up, and lay on the floor before I decide not to pay you."

"No! In size order idiots!" Now one slap after the other, but louder, heavier, and Ritsuka couldn't identify what part of the body the man used.

"And when I cum, you call my name with all the sexiness you can put in it."

One after the other, as they were slapped heavily again each woman moaned "Loveless".

"Here get dressed and get out of my sight you whores, money's on the table, and maybe I'll see you again."

The women scrambled to dress and leave, then the man started down the stairs again.

"Here have a drink" he tossed a shirt at Ritsuka, it was covered in a salty smelling liquid.

"Feeding time when I feel like it."

The man walked upstairs, and Ritsuka smelled the shirt again. It smelled somewhat metallic, but wasn't blood. Timidly he touched his tongue to it, hands remaining bound. Viscous, salty, but not terrible, or obviously poisonous... He had to take the chance.

Days, months, or perhaps years after the kidnapping, Ritsuka's fighter allowed him to step outside.

Blinking repeatedly, Ritsuka realized he almost forgot what sunlight was like. It was magical the way it warmed his skin and renewed the body.

A yank to the collar upon his neck dispelled thought of anything good, "Come." He did as told, following the length of the leather bindings, two feet, behind his fighter.

When they reached another team Loveless was unbound.

Unhooking rope from collar his fighter reminded, "Leather wrapped over a chain hurts doesn't it partner? Remember that if you even think of disobeying me."

"Yes sir."

The other team watched the exchange perplexed, "What is this? Is he your pet or your sacrifice?"

Chuckling darkly, "Both of course. Loveless declare a spell battle."

Disgusted the other fighter looked to his sacrifice who nodded, "Let's teach him how this partnership is supposed to work. We accept."

Whipping the ground before Ritsuka the deranged fighter commanded, "Get in position."

The battle was short, and bloody. The defeat was quick, but Loveless lusted for a prize. Standing over the bodies he queried aloud, "Should I go old school and take some hair, or just some trinkets?"

Ritsuka knew no response was in order as the man took a serrated blade from his pocket. He sliced a small amount of skin and hair from each bloodied corpse, then tossed the patches to the ground.

"Bag it." The enslaved boy quickly did so as leash was reattached to collar. "Maybe I'll give you a bit of a prize when I have the whores over to celebrate, you really don't look scary with those baby ears and tail."

They didn't return to Loveless' car, the fighter felt powerful, and wanted to boast his skills to any team they came across, so they walked back to his home.

Miles later both paused. Ritsuka never thought he'd feel this sensation again, that of Soubi's presence.

Soubi stared amazed at the fourteen year old who was scarcely skin and bones. The man beside him held a leash.

"Who are you, what have you done to Ritsuka?!" He moved to attack the older man, but Ritsuka stood in front of him.

Unbuttoning his shirt, he revealing the scar of their name, along with many others Soubi recognized from his own training.

The man chuckled, "Good boy". Soubi knew it couldn't be anything but real, "Ritsuka no".

Peeking from deep bags beneath his faded eyes Ritsuka spoke with no emotion, "This is my true fighter".

Yanking the leash the man commanded, "Enough. One more word to him and no food tonight Loveless."

"Yes sir."

The team known as Loveless departed, leaving Soubi filled with more emotion than he was ever supposed to feel.

Ritsuka's appearance remained apathetic, but his heart ached so much he couldn't breathe.

In a whisper so quiet he knew his fighter couldn't hear, "Goodbye Beloved."

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End

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So... R & R all.