Sylvan couldn’t believe what the hell he just got into.

It was one thing that sure, maybe his girlfriend had a lot of people she knew that had powers. And sure, maybe it was another thing that he (kind-of-accidentally?) made contact with two archdemons and so on.

But now Lavinia had Max? Not Max? kidnapped and tied up in Brent’s office after Max had shot Kamiizumi? Also, his girlfriend ACTUALLY had powers? He thought it was crazy enough back in Japan when he worked with people whose bread, when consumed, gave people extreme reactions, but...this was entirely different. A whole new level of strangeness, honestly.

Sylvan knew his way around the museum compared to last time, so it didn’t take long for him and Apollymi to find Brent’s office. Max? was still tied up in his chair, mouth still duct-taped shut, and he glared at the group as they arrived. Lavinia casually leaned against one side of the chair, before she smiled and waved at Sylvan.

“Hi~!” A giggle left Lavinia. “I see you found me. Can I just say—you two look adorable together?” 

Sylvan tried not to grimace at how calm Lavinia was despite the obvious situation going on. “Thank you, but...was kidnapping really necessary?”

“When he shoots your favourite client, yes.” Lavinia raised a brow. “I wasn’t thrilled to see Kamiizumi injured like that. Also, I know you don’t run this place, but...Brent really needs to install better security if I could just waltz through the back door with my captive with nothing to stop me.”

Max grunted once through the duct tape. Sylvan paused, taking a step forward, before ripping the duct tape off Max’s mouth.

“Fuck!” A hiss left the other man. He shook his head, looking up at Sylvan and Apollymi. “Who the fuck are you two...?”

Sylvan frowned. There was definitely a British accent to the other’s voice there...and definitely different compared to how he last heard Max. “I’d like to ask...who are you?” Hadn’t Eden mentioned in her text message that a different soul could be inhabiting his body?

A hoarse laugh left the other. “Guess I can’t hide who I am anymore, can I?” He looked up at Sylvan, a sigh leaving him before he answered. “Cassandra Gladstone. That’s...who I really am.”

“Gladstone?” Sylvan tilted his head, frowning. That was definitely a name he’d never heard of. “If you’re stuck in...Max’s body...does that mean you were dead before?”  

A sigh left Cassandra at that last statement as he hung his head slightly. “As far as I understand, I died two-hundred years ago. When Faye brought me back by accident in his body, I didn’t exactly get time to really figure out all the details before she started ordering me around.” 

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Day 6 - Forced to Stay Awake

cw/tw - abduction, captive, torture

When was the last time I really slept? I asked myself, feeling how tired my eyes were. I didn’t remember more than a few minutes of dozing every so often. I yawned deeply and curled into myself as best as I could with one arm shackled to a bedpost, hoping that I could get some more shut eye. The state I was in, I knew it would be only a matter of time before I began to hallucinate from sleep deprivation. It’d happened before, but never in this kind of situation. This time, it wasn’t from stress or anything. No, I was somewhere I didn’t know and hadn’t even seen my captor yet. If I was honest with myself, I didn’t even know how long it had been since I woke up in this dark, dingy room. I knew days had to have passed, but nothing really told me how many had.

Each time I could feel myself begin to sleep, a high-pitched siren played for a few moments to wake me back up. I felt my eyes close from exhaustion, and my tired mind began to relax until that sound pulled me from the almost dozed state I was in. I could feel the frustration as tears welled in my eyes. I didn’t know why this was happening to me. I didn’t understand it.

What felt like days seemed to pass while I dozed, was woken up, then fell back into a light sleep over and over again. I was so tired, to the point that I couldn’t even sit up in the bed. My body was weak, and if it wasn’t for the small meals that were slid into the room, I was sure I would have starved.

I began to slide into unconsciousness again. This time was different, though. I didn’t hear a siren or anything. I felt myself finally able to get into more than just a really light sleep. As soon as the blackness of sweet oblivious came to me, something cold and wet drenched me. I cried out in fear, indignation, and surprise. My voice was hoarse from disuse, and I shivered. Dear gods, was I cold, so cold. I heard footsteps retreating from the room before the door slammed shut once more.

I shivered violently, shaking with tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t sleep. It was all I needed, all I wanted. I just needed to sleep, and yet someone wasn’t allowing it.

@biskael said “ you are wearing my patience incredibly thin, an ill advised thing to aim for. ”

~*~ The cell she had been placed in was small, just barely enough room for the too thin shinigami to pace. She was a trapped animal, one who would gnash their teeth, bark, and even try to bite her captor. Nothing she did was helping her get out, but he hadn't physically harmed her since she was captured. Kaisa thought that meant she could continue to run her mouth and try to get under his skin. It was better than showing how filled with trepidation she was. She didn't want him to see, didn't want him to know. It was something she had control of as a captive and Kaisa always tried to keep purchase of any inkling of control she could. That in itself kept her from losing her fight. If she lost that, the small fifth seat wouldn't survive. Here and now she had to. Even if she barked louder than the other prisoners she couldn't help the compulsion to open that wretched mouth of hers. That bark was worse than her bite could be in this position. She didn't have Barukirī with her, unable to defend herself with her precious zanpakutō. He kept her weak enough that she wasn't physically able to attack him, let alone harm him with kidō. Quilge seemed to know how to keep shinigami weak, or at least her.

"I didn't think someone like you could even have a virtue like patience," she spat at him. There went her tongue again. Her words were the only fight she had and that could still be taken. Fear kept her wanting to speak, kept her from staying quiet and compliant. If she gave into her fear she'd be helpless, pathetic. She couldn't let herself feel that again.

Haunted emerald eyes telegraphed her fear even if she tried with every fiber of her being to keep it down. He had to be able to see it. He had to know and yet she didn't want him to. His very voice chilled the young soul to her core. She feared that he might even figure out how to get to her, how break her already fragile and quite volatile psyche.

"And what will you do?" Kaisa asked, challenge in her tone. She wasn't thinking through anything she said, just doing what she thought could get under his skin.