Chapter Text
Kant wakes up in his bed in the bedroom. His whole body hurts, but he feels too clean to have passed out on a bathroom floor.
He carefully sits up on the mattress and is surprised to find Bison beside him, hugging him.
It seems to be nighttime and he has no strength or desire to get up.
Until these games are over, Kant will not have sex with Bison again. That boy completely destroyed him.
Kant can't get back to sleep, but he enjoys the warmth of Bison's body against his and the light caresses Bison gives him.
He find Bison looking at him with big, warm eyes.
"I overdid this morning, I'm sorry."
Kant can't get as angry as he thought, probably the cause being Bison's puppy eyes and his sincere apology.
"Okay, I forgive you," Kant sighs and hates having to separate himself from Bison's warmth to get up. "But next time, let me know."
Bison smiles widely and kisses him on the cheek.
Kant was awake for an hour and it was a huge headache. The tension between the players was palpable and Kant tries to keep himself as isolated as possible, but when there is a fight in the dorm and two participants dies, the screen with all the participant and money counter changes. They could eliminate players at any time and there would be no consequences for it, quite the opposite.
During dinner, Kant has a fork in his lunch even though he received a meal that did not require cutlery. Did the guards want them to kill each other?
Bison seems to read his mind and nods, playing with his own fork.
Bison quickly created a plan in whispers while they waited for the lights to go out, but unfortunately they couldn't carry it out because they got separated. Kant doesn't worry about Bison, because Kant knows he'll be okay.
The problem is if he'll be okay.
He has never fought anyone with the intention of killing the other person, so he doesn't know how willing he is to kill.
Kant can't care about his morals, because someone attacks him from behind and he manages to dodge by a hair's breadth and kicks the other person before hiding in a corner of the bunks, he had the wall pressed against his back so no one attacks him from behind and the bunks hid him from the reduced view of the other players.
Hiding doesn't work for long, just long enough and unfortunately so that Kant has to kill someone who jumps on him.
Kant holds the man's hand tightly so he doesn't stab his fork in the man's face, and stabs his own against the other's exposed neck. Stabbing another person feels strange, he mustn't put too much force in so he can stab the fork through the flesh. Kant does this several times until the man doesn't move and blood drips down his own face.
If he was going to kill someone else, Kant is going to try not to do it this close because he got spat all over his face with blood and saliva.
The lights come on and the guards come in, shooting towards the ceiling and forcing everyone to stop.
The fact that it took them so long is a very clear way of saying that this was part of the games.
Kant wipes the blood off his face as best he can and gets up from the ground.
There were bodies surrounded by blood everywhere, it was a massacre and Kant has to turn around to vomit.
The participant counter had been greatly reduced.
"Kant!!"
Kant sighs in relief when he hears Bison's voice and takes the other boy into his arms.
"God, you're covered in blood, it's not yours, right?" Bison looks at him out of the corner of his eye and wipes the remaining blood from Kant's face.
"You're not better either..." Kant sighs and looks at Bison's clothes with blood, his face isn't clean, it has blood splatters, but that's all.
James also survived and made sure to give Kant a big hug too. Kant just stood there a bit tense, but put his hand on James' back.
That night, no one sleeps very well. Bison and Kant take turns sleeping while the other keeps watch.
After the massacre in the dorms, James had stuck closer than ever to Kant, always clinging as if they were again what they once were.
Bison didn't look very happy with James' closeness, but he never mentions it and, after another vote won by the circle team, they head to the next game.
This time, Kant had voted to end the game, he was already too tired, fuck Cris, he'll kill him himself when he gets out of here.
In the next game, they had to make pairs.
"We should split up this time," Bison says, looking around for someone in the crowd. "I have a feeling that only one player will win from each pair."
Kant doesn't argue; there was also the possibility that they might have to kill each other again, but after last night's game, Kant doesn't think the game's creators would want to see everyone dead with two more games to go.
Kant doesn't argue, they say goodbye and wish each other luck before looking for their own partners.
Hopefully, neither of them will die this time.
Bison sighs in relief at finally finding his pair. He was talking to another guy, but Bison walks over and pushes him away.
“Sorry, he’s already taken.” Bison says, looking at James.
James grimaces at the sight him.
“Shouldn’t you be standing behind Kant, like the lapdog you are?” James raises an eyebrow, his voice dripping with venom and contempt.
“Why? Jealous?”
James growls and Bison gets everything he wants.
It’s not hard for Bison to get James to agree to play with him, in fact, it was all too easy to provoke the guy.
Bison doesn’t see Kant as they enter to play. They both sit down in front of a small table for two people in a very small closed room. They had twenty minutes to play any board game.
“Cards,” James says, extending his hand to the guard who hands him the deck of cards.
“Okay, what do we play?” Bison crosses his arms and watches James shuffle the deck.
"You're not even going to argue with me?"
"Why would I? Let's just play."
James deals all the cards out to them and Bison waits.
"I'm suspicious," James says. "At the beginning of the game, there's one card face up and you have to put cards of the same symbol on it. If I don't trust that it's the symbol you said, I can say I'm suspicious and pick up the card. If the symbol on the card is the one you said, then I have to take all the cards on the table, but if the symbol is wrong, you take the cards. The first to run out of cards wins."
"Okay. Sounds easy."
With twenty-five cards each, James lets Bison go first.
On the table face up is a three of clubs.
Bison puts the card face down on the table and James immediately puts one on top.
"You know, when I heard your name it was so weird," James says, paying attention to the game. "Bison. Who's name is that? Sounds more like an ox."
Bison rolls his eyes. There are seven cards on the table.
James puts the card down.
"I'm suspicious."
Bison picks up the last card on the table and shows it to the guard. A seven of hearts.
James grunts and takes all the cards on the table and they start over.
With a four of diamonds on the table, James starts the game.
"Was it fun following us?" Now it's Bison's turn to start a conversation.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Let me say it again," Bison puts another card on the table. "Did you have fun listening to me fuck Kant?"
James frowns and can't hide his hate-filled look.
Bison feels so much satisfaction. It's fun to mess with people.
"I saw you last night, you know?" James claimed. "You killed three people and you didn't even blink."
Bison raises an eyebrow.
"They tried to kill me first. If I didn't, I'd be dead right now."
James puts another card down on the table and Bison immediately puts another one down.
"I'm suspicious." James says. Picking up the card, he almost sighs in relief when he sees that Bison put down a club card.
Bison takes the cards to the table and starts again.
"But you enjoyed it, didn't you? You stuck a fork in a guy's face and then slammed him hard into the bunk bed."
Bison shrugs. James looks horrified as he speaks, maybe he even peed his pants when James saw him, he doesn't care.
"I told you, they were going to kill me."
James puts a card down on the table.
"I don't like you," James admits. "And it disgusts me that you're so close to Kant."
"What Kant does or doesn't do is none of your business. You two are nothing."
James grimaces and Bison knows he's hit the mark.
"Kant is too good to date a killer like you."
Bison chuckles.
"And you're better?" Bison puts his cards down on the table and leans back in his chair. "You're twenty-seven, an orphan since you were ten, a criminal record for street fighting, armed robbery, you run a gambling house, and you're three billion in debt."
James turns pale as a sheet and looks at him with terror brimming in his eyes, his mouth slightly open.
"H-how do you know that?" James also puts the cards down on the table, but maybe it was because his hands were shaking so much he couldn't hold them.
"Look, neither you nor I are angels, but one of us is going to win today."
Bison looks at the timer, they still have five minutes.
"Who are you?" James asks, gritting his teeth.
"Let's finish playing, all or nothing."
They throw out all the cards until they both only have three cards in their hand.
While James is panting from nerves and sweating, Bison is as calm as ever.
"I'll make you a confession," Bison puts a card down on the table. "I met Kant two years ago, he became the lover of Keen, my adotep brother, to put him behind bars because the useless guy couldn't do a job right if his life depended on it."
James drops another card on the table, the poor guy looking like a ghost because he was so pale.
"And I liked him, a lot," Bison shrugs. "After Keen was arrested, my older brother and I had to hide for a while. It was a surprise to me when I found out that Kant had decided to play, so I got into the game."
He was never close to Keen, in fact, they didn't even get along. Bison hadn't found out that Keen was in a relationship with Kant until Keen found out he was a spy. Bison had taken the trouble to investigate Kant and his mother told to eliminate him, but Bison couldn't. How could he kill someone so attractive? He investigated further and when he found out that Kant was looking to put Keen behind bars just because his little brother was threatened, Bison fell in love for live.
How could not fall in love with someone who put his own life in danger for his little brother, without caring about anything else? Bison knows he would do that for Fadel without hesitation.
Bison remembers when Babe died. He still feels guilty. Babe was going to receive a scholarship to one of the best schools in the country and Keen was supposed to kill the guy who gave out those scholarships. Bison doesn't remember why Keen was going to kill the guy, but Bison infiltrated the party dressed as a bear too, because his mother wanted to keep an eye on Keen.
Bison may have done all he could to find out about Kant a week before, so when Keen missed the shot and hit Babe, he felt Kant's pain too. Bison would go crazy if he lost Fadel too like he lost his parents.
Bison got into the ambulance and told the doctors to do whatever they could to save him, he would pay for it. The bullet went too deep and damaged several of Babe's organs, he didn't survive.
That night, Bison heard crying, screaming, and saw a man who didn't deserve anything of what happened, crumble on the hospital floor, blaming himself for not being there to protect his little brother. Bison felt like a useless man, and the guilt still eats away at him. A kid died before his eyes and he couldn't do anything.
He doesn't even know if he'll have the courage to tell Kant the truth; to confess that he was the fool dressed as a bear in front of the room where his little brother died.
"A-are you the creator of this hell?"
"Nope, my mother created the game. I usually just supervise them, but you can understand my desire to participate."
James leaves his second-to-last card on the table and Bison does the same.
"What are you going to do to Kant?" James murmurs.
"I'll pay his debts, take care of that asshole police officer who harasses him, and... We'll have a quiet life. I'd like to adopt two cats."
"Kant won't be with you when he knows the truth," James exclaims, suddenly standing up from the table. "I'm suspiciou!"
James abruptly picks up the letter and his eyes fill with tears.
"Time's up." the guard says.
Bison holds out his hand and the guard hands him the gun.
"Ah... And don't worry about Kant, my guards have specific orders not to hurt or kill him. I'll take good care of him."
Bison raises the gun and doesn't listen to James' pleas, nor to the insults and shoots him in the forehead. Blood splatters on the wall and the lifeless body falls gracelessly to the floor.
Bison leaves the room with an expression of horror and sadness. Kant was waiting sitting on the floor.
"I'm sorry, Kant," Bison kneels in front of him. "James insisted that we play together, he kept telling me that I was a bad influence on you and was best if I disappeared..."
The sad expression on Kant's face bothers him, but he understands that James was an important person to Kant at one point and he was so kind that he probably had a hard time every time someone else died.
"But I promised him I would take care of you."
Finding out that James died was a hard blow, he's lost important or acquaintance people before, it doesn't make it any less traumatic or painful every time it happens. Even if he doesn't like James in any way, that doesn't take away the fact that they were once too close.
Bison is by his side and Kant is grateful for that. Kantwishes he had had him when Babe died. Style was always with him and Kant will always be grateful, but Bison makes him feel a different kind of security and comfort.
Is it normal to feel so in love with someone he's only known for a few days?
Kant returns to the bedroom with Bison by his side and they both talk about anything just so Kant doesn't think about his dead ex.
Most of the participants spent their time talking about how easy the games were going and Kant rolls his eyes. The last game was a random one, Kant almost didn't win. Luckily, if they weren't caught you, cheating wasn't against the rules.
The fifth game finally comes and Kant can almost celebrate, he's tired of this place.
Kant doesn't care about winning or getting shot in the forehead, he just wants to be done with these games.
"Are you okay?" Bison takes his hand and Kant smiles at him, nodding.
"Just tired."
After their excellent and excessive sex in the bathroom, Kant had a pain in his hips that lasted for two days, but he managed to survive without problems. Literally.
In their fifth game they has to enter a room with a certain amount of people before the time runs out. Kant wants to think it will be easy, but he doubts it.
There were already groups of players, so it was normal for them to make teams, either to pass the games or eliminate other players. There were very few people who only relied on themselves or had smaller groups, or in pairs, like Bison and him.
Everyone gets on a platform with a smaller carousel in the center. Around the circle-shaped room there were different colored doors with numbers on them.
The platform begins to spin accompanied by a song just as catchy and cheerful as the one from the first game.
Bison had them up last so they could be in the front and not be blocked by all the other players. Hehad to run and be fast in this game.
When the platform stops, Kant prepares to run or drag more people with them into a room.
"Ten."
Well, that was too high a number. Kant doesn't remember talking to that many people since he arrived.
Bison grabs him by the arm and pushes him off the platform. They both yell and look for another eight people as they run into an empty room.
Luckily, they get the eight people a few seconds before the doors lock.
Kant sighs in relief and leans against the wall. This game is probably the most hectic.
Gunshots and screams fill the momentary silence. Bison squeezes his hand tightly and Kant feels calmer.
The doors unlock and everyone leaves to return to the platform.
Next time, it's seven. They had stayed close to the people they teamed up with during the first round, so they had a full room, but there were still three people left alone.
Due to the contestants pushing around, Kant gets separated from Bison and the flashing lights didn't help at all in finding him again.
So he just yells.
"Go away Bison, I'll be fine!"
"Kant, be careful!"
He gets lucky, he manages to get into a room where only two people were missing. A girl came in behind him and the door closed at the last second.
Kant feels anxiety run through him when he thinks about Bison. What if he didn't find an empty room?
He pays close attention to the announcement of eliminated players. Bison isn't one of them and Kant sighs in relief.
As he leaves the room, he runs and hugs Bison tightly.
"Asshole, don't do that again!" Bison scolds him and Kant feels good. It's a nice to hear Bison calls him an asshole. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
Kant promises that he will.
He feels a little bad when they have to thin out the group, but Bison always grabs him by the arm and pulls him into the room so he doesn't repeat the same thing as the second round.
"I think this is the last one..." Kant gasps, agitated, and returns to the platform.
"This time it will be two." Bison shows him two fingers and Kant nods.
There were about a hundred players left, maybe less, Kant isn't sure.
"How many players are we?" Kant asks Bison as the platform spins again.
"Seventy-two."
A lot less than Kant thought.
The platform stops and Bison was right.
"Two."
Bison grabs his hand and as they run into an empty room, Kant slips on the blood on the floor and lets go of Bison.
Bison stops when he realizes that Kant let go and turns around.
"Run, forget about me!"
Kant feels desperate. Not for him, but for Bison. He's seen too many people die already, even in such a short time, Bison became important to him and he didn't want Bison to die because of him.
Kant tries to get up, but his ankle is burning. It's probably a sprain.
Bison comes back and kneels beside him. Kant wants to yell at him and demand that he leave.
"What are you doing!? Go away!" Kant tries to push him away, but he's so tired and his ankle is starting to hurt so much, that he doesn't think he's done anything more than tickle Bison.
"I'll stay with you. It's okay, Kant."
Bison smiles at him and time runs out. Kant feels a pair of chapped lips kiss him and he melts warmly against Bison. At least they can die together.
Gunshots are heard once more and a guard approaches them. Kant really would have liked to have a quiet life and adopt two cats with Bison.
The lights go out completely
To his shock and complete confusion, the guard helps him up.
“Player 001 eliminated,” the same robotic voice as always says, but Bison is at his side, helping him walk. “Player 456 eliminated.”
The three of them exit the game room and Kant looks at the guard, dumbfounded, his eyes reflecting horror and confusion.
“I told you it was okay, Kant,” Bison reassures him. “Let’s heal your ankle, okay?”
Kant really hates passing out from exhaustion, but this is the second time he’s done it. Stress was having a lot of fun with him.
Kant doesn't open his eyes right away, he can only focus on the more than comfortable mattress and the almost non-existent pain in his ankle. Was it all a dream?
He also feels someone stroking his hair.
"How are you feeling?"
Kant opens his eyes and Bison smiles slightly at him, looking worried.
Carefully, Kant sits up in bed and takes the opportunity to look around. He's in a large, elegant room, with a king-sized bed and a huge flat screen in front of a couch.
Kant should be dead.
"What happened?"
Kant frowns and looks at Bison for answers.
"Why didn't they kill us?"
Kant's harsh tone makes Bison pull away a little, he seems dejected and worried, almost scared. Kant never saw him that way.
Kant also notices Bison's change of clothes; lighter clothing, denim jeans and a loose flowered shirt over a white sleeveless t-shirt.
"I'm sorry..."
"Bison, that's not the answer I asked for."
Bison stands up and stands in front of the bed, crossing his arms.
"I oversee the games," Bison admits and he looks really small, nothing like the calm and superior little shit he saw in the games. "My mother created them many years ago, but this is the first time I participated, I..."
Kant knows the gunshots would have hurt a lot less, but Bison admitting that he's on the side of the people who created the game?
This is hard to swallow.
"I'm sorry, I really am... God, I like you too much Kant, and I was so scared when you'd find out. I know you must hate me right now. I'm not going to lie, I've done things I don't regret, I've even enjoyed them and I still have things to say to you. A lot of things."
Kant doesn't know what to think, he just looks at Bison and thinks of the sweet boy who helped him in the games, who helped him survive. That's why Bison knew what would happen in every game, that's why he was always calm, because the guards weren't going to kill him, even if he failed. He also thinks of the boy who just admitted to doing horrible things that he enjoyed.
"To be honest, I don't know what to think..."
Kant doesn't know what to do, he doesn't know anything. He only knows that he loves Bison. He makes him feel good and makes him feel loved when Kant hasn't felt that way for a long time.
Bison looks like a wet kitten that sad and Kant wants to pet him.
"I wanted to leave all this for a long time," Bison confesses, almost in a desperate attempt to make Kant believe him. "I want to live a quiet life and I want to do it with you, but... I'll understand if you hate me. I'll pay all your debts and when you can walk, I'll order to be taken home."
Kant looks at him and his heart breaks. Is this how Keen felt when he played with him? Knowing that a person you loved, deceived you like this. Kant never liked Keen, he doesn't forgive him for anything did and he killed his little brother, but seeing Bison, Kant wants to believe him and stay by his side... but he needs time.
It's hard for him to realize that there were so many people dying for the enjoyment and morbidness of people with more power. If Bison hadn't fallen in love with him as he so often claims, would Kant still be alive at that moment?
"Can I think about it?"
A spark of hope and illusion is reflected in Bison's eyes.
"Think about it as long as you need. I'll leave you to rest..." Bison smiles fondly at him and approaches the door. "And Kant, again, I'm so sorry."
Bison leaves and Kant lets out a choked sob.
He never lived life the way he wanted, he never got to enjoy anything, he lost his little brother, who was the light of his eyes and reason for living, was it wrong for Kant to want to try to love and be happy with a person who did so many horrible things?
Kant looks at his hands and only sees blood stains that don't exist. He's no better than Bison, he's also killed people in these games, his hands sometimes shake when he remembers it. But it was kill or be killed.
Maybe following his heart for once will work for him.
Kant doesn't know how things will turn out, could something worse than this happen by giving Bison a chance? Does it matter that Bison has killed people when Kant has too?
He's been with Bison so much, trusting him since he started this game and in such a short time, he feels closer to Bison than anyone else. Bison became a drug to him and Kant became addicted in a very short time.
It doesn't matter, anyway, he has nothing to lose.