#barbe-queue

                “I... I am so sorry. You were not meant to hear that. Just pretend it didn’t happen,” Orihime covered her mouth and avoided the other’s gaze. 

Anonymous said: Please tell me more about this Mafia AU?

I am glad you asked, my dearest anon. I am actually excited to write this. And I want to thank @ofcosanostra for inspiring me to have this verse. Also, John Wick, of course. So on to the AU! 

AU: Part of the High Table

          At 3 years old, Orihime was taken away by her brother, Sora, from the domain of their parents. The only thing that Orihime remembered about their parents are stories her brother told to her. As she grew up, all she knew about her parents is that they were abusive and never knowing the real life that they lived—the head of the mafia families in Japan. Sora didn’t want Orihime growing up in such environment that he took his sister with him and escaped their parents. For a while, their parents laid-low and let Sora have his way.

          Their parents kept a watchful eye on them, making sure that no help should come to them, as part of the punishment for what he did. He took away their princess and no one easily gets out of this life. Then one rainy night, after the little tantrum Orihime had over the pins her brother gave her, no one knew it would be the last time they would ever see each other again. Their father gave the ultimate punishment to him. Contracting someone to give a hit on Sora, a truck sped to his direction that took his life immediately.

            Seeing her brother’s corpse took away all the happiness from Orihime. But from that day on, all Orihime did is to honor everything that she learned about kindness, love and gentleness from her brother. By this time, their parents just waited for the right time for her to be taken in back to the family.

           When Orihime turned 18, a bunch of black cars parked just outside the apartment complex that she called home. Dangerous looking men and women suddenly appeared on her door when she heard a knock from it one afternoon. At first, she thought that they were there to take her away and hurt her that she tried to close the door on their faces. But before she could even do it, a woman with the same hair color as hers emerged from behind the people, all wore black suits. This surprised Orihime, especially when the woman claimed that she is her daughter. Not too long after, the people in black suits gave way to a taller man, with black with gray hair growing on the side, who immediately reminded her of her dead brother.

              Learning about the truth, Orihime was given exactly a week to decide if she would join or not. If she joined, it would only mean that she would never live her life simply anymore. She must forget about her friends and the boy she liked so much. But at the same time, she saw this as an opportunity to protect them. She could have chosen to avenge her brother. But she thought that joining the family once more, Orihime could learn everything and use all her knowledge to turn this world, she now lived in, around that would benefit anyone regardless if they were connected or not.

             The question he threw her this time caught Orihime off guard. Her eyebrows furrowed and gave him a critical look. She knew he was getting inside her head again, but she had to be in control of the situation. He couldn’t overpower her again, not this time. Orihime looked at her hand that held his. Giving a slight squeeze before letting it go, she caught Aizen’s gaze and tried to figure out what he was thinking. 

            Orihime couldn’t deny that a part of her agreed that she shouldn’t even show kindness to him, after all the things he had done to her and her friends. But having a big heart, she wanted to see the best of him. Pondering more about what she wanted to achieve, it reminded her of Hinamori. A chill ran down her spine that made let go of his hand as if dropping it like a bowl of hot rice.

              Her heart started beating wildly inside her chest. Despite trying her best to give off warmth to him, his cold presence just takes it over so easily. “I know what you mean,” she started but swallowed before continuing. Would it be wise to bring up Hinamori in the picture or would he just brush it away? At that moment, Orihime knew she has let Aizen toy with her thoughts. Did he think that she wanted something from him? Something that required the heart?