Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Learning to Love ❯ Imprisonment ( Chapter 1 )

Legal Disclaimer - I do not own FAKE or any of its characters. I'm just borrowing them.

Title: Learning to Love

Summary: (AU) A somewhat darker, loosely-based version of the classic fairy tale: "Beauty and the Beast." Dee is cursed to live a life of loneliness, but can he learn to love?

Pairing: Ryo/Dee

Rating: PG-13/R for violence and later chapters.

Chapter 1 - Imprisonment

Running through the dark forest, a figure carried on, breathing heavily and raggedly. Tree branches scraped at his arms and face while roots and logs on the ground caused him to trip and fall, delaying his escape from whatever followed so closely behind him. He looked back several times, picking up his pace to hopefully evade the speeding blur that tailed him, before he headed into a damp moor.

Swamp water and other unpleasant things swooshed around his legs as he waded through a knee-high marshland. Once to the other side of the murky river, he grabbed onto a vine hanging from a tree, only to realize that it was a dangling snake that hissed at him while showing its huge fangs and blazing eyes.

Startled by the encounter, the person fell back into the water, immediately jumping up in fear of another snake, or worse yet, a crocodile. He treaded over towards the bank, pulling himself onto the steep hill slick with mud that soon covered him and his feeble attempts to be on land once more.

He crawled up the embankment and slowly rose to his feet at the top. Looking back behind him, he saw the creature that had been pursuing him. It growled and snarled, blood-red eyes reflecting its inner thirst for a bloodlust. Deciding not to wait around, he continued to run.

Entering another forest, he looked around, weary and tired. Spotting the high arches of what appeared to be a very large, cast iron gate, he started in that direction, hoping to find someone that could help him get back home. Breaking into a run, he was soon standing outside of the large barrier.

"Excuse me," he called, sounded exhausted and desperate, "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm a bit lost."

Of course, "lost" was an understatement. He stood there, quivering from the cold night air and the frightening events that had just befallen him. Releasing an exasperated sigh, he leaned against the iron gate, surprised when it creaked open from just a slight weight on its surface. He didn't know what else to do, and so, he walked inside, closing the gate behind him.

Walking down a foggy path, he wrapped his arms around himself, trying to control his constant shaking. Through the dense fog, he could see figures darting about along side of him. A raven cawed from an unknown location, causing him to jump at the sudden sound.

He continued on aimlessly, fearing that he was walking in circles or maybe taking the road straight to Hell. Those thoughts were interrupted, however, when he stumbled upon a small garden that was overgrown with weeds and overrun by small parasites. Moving very slowly while looking around, he saw a figure sitting on a bench that was green with age; the hood of their coat was drawn so he could not see their face.

"Excuse me," he said again; even more desperate than before, "I'm-"

"Lost?" the other person that was obviously male, finished for him.

He was just about to respond when the man was suddenly in front of him. He didn't know how the stranger had managed to move so fast, so quickly.

"Y-Yes. I'm lost and I was wondering if-" he began, but paused when the stranger stretched out his arm.

A ghostly pale hand reached out towards him; the nails on the end of each finger were long and claw-like. It came to rest on his cheek, chilling him to the bone.

"If I can help you?" the stranger inquired.

He could only nod.

"Hmph," the man said, "I don't think so, Ryo."

His dark eyes widened with shock at the response.

"H-How do you know my name?" Ryo asked fearfully.

"That is of no concern to you. Now leave this place," he commanded.

"Oh please, Sir! Don't send me back out there! That thing will-"

But, once again, he was stopped. The stranger took his clawed hand and scraped it forcefully across Ryo's cheek, leaving four large gashes on the side of his face. From the power behind the swipe, Ryo fell to the ground, clutching his bloody jaw.

"Leave or be devoured, whichever you prefer," he said, standing above Ryo menacingly.

The fog cleared a bit, revealing dark creatures with amber eyes that glowed in the scarce light. They snarled at him with foam coming out of their mouths, causing Ryo to cower in fear from just the sight of them.

"I see you have chosen. Feast my beauties on his tender flesh," he instructed, and the werewolf-like creatures began to come closer, closing Ryo inside a ring so that he could not escape unscathed.

The stranger started to walk away, and Ryo grabbed onto the bottom of his coat before he could get too far away.

"Please, Sir. If I am to die, let it be quick. Spare me the pain in death that I have already experienced in life," Ryo begged, pulling on the fabric to indicate his dire emotion.

In a moment, time stood still and nothing moved or made a sound. It seemed as if the stranger was considering his plea. He turned around, as if to glare at Ryo and saw that the young man beneath him had tears pooling in his chocolate colored orbs. Never had he seen such beautiful eyes . . .

"Hmph. A futile plea in most cases, but I am feeling merciful tonight," he said, before grabbing Ryo's arm roughly and pulling him to his feet.

"Ow!" Ryo cried, feeling his arm already beginning to bruise.

He was quickly silenced when a strong hand grasped his jaw and started to squeeze it painfully.

"Do not make a sound, or I shall feed you to my wolves. Do you understand?" he asked roughly.

Ryo could only nod.

"You are my property now and you will do what I say," he informed Ryo.

The stranger began to pull Ryo after him, barking at him when his pace became too slow or when Ryo started to squirm in his pincer-like grip. He dragged Ryo through a door that lead inside a large brick castle. They traveled up many staircases; so many that Ryo lost count and focused more on trying not to pass out from exhaustion. He was then brought to a large door with a brass door handle which the stranger pulled open and literally threw Ryo inside.

Ryo hit the carpet and sat up quickly, not wanting to stay down too long in case something was sprung upon him unexpectedly.

"You will stay in here and you will not leave. If you leave this room, I will kill you. Understood?" the stranger said coldly.

"I understand," Ryo replied, and stood before him. "But I must know, what is your name?"

He was grabbed by the throat and held a couple of inches off the ground at his question. The stranger squeezed the major pressure points in his neck painfully.

"That is none of your concern," he responded angrily.

From underneath the veil, Ryo could have sworn that he saw the stranger's eyes flash a dangerous shade of emerald.

"You will address me as `Sir' or `Master.' My name is not essential to your knowledge," he finished. "Understood?"

Ryo nodded the best he could, and the man set him down on his feet. With his knees buckling, Ryo reached out for some type of support and only came across the man before him. He leaned against the stranger for a moment, before he was thrown from the man's chest and near the bed where he hit his head on the corner of the nightstand.

"Do not touch me, ever again," he said, and calmly walked out of the room.

Behind him he left Ryo: bloody, bruised, and unconscious.

**

"Perhaps you should have been a bit more gentle with the boy, Milord," an elderly lady said, pouring some strong tea into a cup.

He did not respond, but merely sat in his armchair before the fire with his head resting on his hand; a dark wolf lie at his feet.

"Didn't you stop to think that the boy was already traumatized enough without all of your threats and rough touches, Milord?" she continued.

In knowing him all of her life, the older woman knew that he would never scold her or treat her roughly and so she took full advantage of the freedom of speech he had given her and used it against him.

"I spared him, didn't I, Mother?" he reasoned, looking at her with bored fascination.

"Yes, but you have to be gentle with people such as him. Exotic creatures like that are not meant to be thrown around like rags, Dee," Mother explained sternly, handing him the cup of black tea.

Dee knew she was serious because his "Mother" only used his first name instead of formalities when she was telling him something very important.

"And just what are you proposing?" Dee questioned, taking a sip from his cup.

"Get to know him. Perhaps then you will find something that you've been searching for," Mother replied with a wink.

Dee's expression was the look that of a man who was completely clueless, and yet deep down inside, he knew exactly what she meant. And the annoying thing was, she did too.

**

In the dark, Dee walked slowly up the stairs to a cold and lonely corridor that was lined with priceless pieces of art and expensive hand-weaved drapes. He went up to the large door with the lion head door handle and pulled gently, not wanting to rouse the sleeping beauty inside.

Slipping inside almost silently, Dee was immediately by the bedside, staring down at the slumbering young man. A servant had been ordered to clean him up; dirt and blood both. Then, their orders were to make sure that he had been changed and was in bed before they left. They had obviously followed his commands because everything had been done, and so quickly too.

He looked down at the pale blonde, observing him closely for the first time. Dee felt something jab at his heart as he noted all of the bruises decorating his arms and shoulders. Along with the bandage on his face that covered the gashes and the knick on his forehead that he had acquired when Dee had thrown him against that piece of furniture.

Reaching out a hand, he gently caressed the un-bandaged side of Ryo's face, marveling at the smooth skin he possessed. Dee then traced his features: the high arches of his eyebrows, the straightness of his nose, the soft pink lips that he gazed at with an inner hunger. He then touched Ryo's bruised jaw line, noticing that the sleeping man flinched slightly at the feather light touch. Dee could see exactly where his fingers had been just by looking at the odd formation of black and blue marks on his pale chin and neck.

The guilt was coursing through his veins by now and Dee thought that maybe it was his cue to depart. Therefore, he rose and left just as swiftly and silently as he had come.

**

After Talk with The Random Queen:

Yes, I know. Another fic. I know. I know. I should be working on other things now but . . . okay. I had to watch that movie: Beauty and the Beast with my little neighbor the other day. And then that's when I went, "Like, omigawd. I can write a fic about that." So I did. It's just an excuse to get out of doing my stupid English paper that is lacking interest. That is a euphemism for "Boring."

About the Characters . . . . . . . . . .

Okay. The characters will not be dancing clocks and wardrobes. Sorry if you're into that type of thing but . . . it'd be too weird for me. And I'm weird, so that really means something.

Dee is cursed. I don't know how. But he is. And he's hot. Did I mention that? Ryo is ----. That means that I can't tell you yet. You have to read! ^_^ Oh, and Ryo is hot too. But all I can say is, be thankful that Dee didn't rape Ryo like I had planned. I thought that was overkill. Yeah. And they're still hot.

Berkley is going to be in this fic. And, he's hot also. But he won't show up for a while. Now do your homework and watch the movie. Try and figure out which character he's gonna be! -grins evilly-

I might drag Bikky and Carol into this. Maybe. They'll just be side characters. Nothing major between them because . . . well . . . Dee and Ryo are much hotter together.

Parting Words and the Bribe:

Thanks for looking at my fic! I hope you at least are a bit interested! ^_^ I have the second chapter already done. Depending on the feedback will determine whether or not I update or remove the story.

Flames will be used to set fire to my English assignment. It sucks sooooo bad. If anyone's willing to Beta read my English assignment or any of my other works, send an email my way: the_random_queen@hotmail.com

All nice reviewers will get these really awesome peanut butter Keebler cookie things that I stole from someone at school. They will also get another, longer chapter. And if they're REALLY nice, I'll update Never Had a Boyfriend too.

Sheesh. I'm evil.

~The Random Queen

Thanks! And (hopefully) see you soon!