Un-Chain

Uteu turned his head away to Melivy's words. Again... again with that name.

Having a brother he was unaware about, really s.u.c.k.e.d.

Uteu heard a heavy sigh before the the air around them seemed almost stifling. He turned his attention to Grello as the man clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Melivy, I like you. But don't you dare treat my Chained One like some sort of petty thief." The dark glare Grello directed at Melivy, seemed to have taken her aback. She took a step back, looking offended.

"I- I'm just saying what everyone else is saying about this. These aren't my words." Melivy attempted to defend herself.

"Hah~ the woman that I'm so fond of... becoming a parrot. How laughable." Grello did not ease up his glare in the least.

Behind Melivy, Lina glared back at Grello.

"You-!"

Grello didn't give her the chance to finish her sentence.

"Shut your mouth, you dog. The a.d.u.l.ts are talking right now." Grello crossed his arms as Lina attempted to jump over to him.

Melivy yanked the back of her shirt, preventing her from causing anymore trouble. She struggled for a short while before she sniffled. Lina started to cry as she clung onto Melivy.

"Lina..." Melivy patted her head as she tried to console her.

"I wanted to be Undel's Link, why'd Undel choose him instead?! It's not fair!"

"All of you keep spouting about how I was supposed to be Undel's or that I was stolen from him. Let me ask you two something. When did I agree to be his Link?" Grello quirked an eyebrow at the two. Uteu could hear Oscar scoffing in the background.

This settled something inside of Uteu. He felt a breeze of calmness wash over him. It was if this confirmation was what Uteu needed to stabilize their connection.

Uteu carefully observed his chain to Grello. It looked even more solid than before. The silver glow was much brighter as well. Uteu felt a bit helpless. He had told the man that he trusted him without a doubt. Uteu supposed that deep down he truly didn't.

Grello gave him a knowing look. Uteu sheepishly smiled at him, sure enough Grello could tell.

Lina sputtered and recovered from her shock. She opened and closed her mouth several times. Not knowing how to reply to Grello.

"You-!"

"I assure you, Undel wanted me all on his own." Uteu watched on in amus.e.m.e.nt as Lina's face changed into a variety of colors.

"Enough."

Lina fell silent as Melivy actually straightened up and gave the stiffest bow Uteu had ever seen, to Grello.

"My apologies. I let rumors cloud my judgement." However that was as far as she bothered to say. She turned around and ushered for Lina and Oscar to leave with her.

Grello sighed and signaled for Harlin to leave with them. He stayed behind to talk to Uteu alone.

"Don't let her get to you. She's hot as hell but a bit stiff."

Uteu nodded slowly. Where was Grello trying to go with this?

"Listen... The Forge Syndicate is pretty much run by your ancestors. Tykol, your father is a pretty important figure in it. Your brother was to become one of their leaders when he became a Chain... but things got complicated."

Grello patted his shoulder and said, "I don't like leaving you so soon, but I do need to know what they're planning. Get Lia, my head maid you remember her?"

Uteu nodded. An image of a stern woman with glasses around Grello's age popped into his head.

"Get her to show you around and maybe get some rest, see your kid brother and sister. Stay inside the house. Don't leave. Anyi should be the one to ask for if you need information, Lia for anything regarding house matters and she'll assign someone to you personally..."

Anyi was the maid that had tried to give him books. He would definitely ask her a few questions after he sees that Ulo and Uti were well and fine.

Grello scratched his head, "Ah! I really hate this! Maybe if Tykol didn't knock you out or if this wasn't all straight up screwed up!"

Uteu smiled and said, "Hey, we'll probably be fine. Go and come back safe."

Grello smiled in gratitude. Uteu once again felt terrible that Grello was put into this situation. Perhaps he could get Lia to send him one of Grello's doves. From all the talking he could put together that the doves were maids that Grello used to gather information. He really hoped he could get one to find his father's whereabouts.

Grello waved at him before he took off into the direction Melivy and the others had gone. Uteu briefly wondered why he didn't use a car but decided it just wasn't worth thinking over.

Looking around, he took in the scorched garden and really felt it was a pity. He had hoped to bring his siblings here to play. The red headed teen just hoped that there were other things they could do together.

His siblings must really be bored without him. He kind of wondered how they didn't hear everything outside of the mansion. The walls must be really thick or sound proof.

Uteu looked down at his fingers. They were trembling.

This was the second time he had almost died. Since Grello was no longer here as his pillar of support, Uteu's knees buckled.

Uteu wondered if it was only thanks to Grello that he didn't completely freak out much earlier. Was he influenced by his calm and confidence?

The more Uteu thought about it, the more he felt that it was incredibly possible. Taking in a few shuddering breaths of air. Uteu almost choked on the smell.

He could suddenly feel his stomach lurch, he remembered the feeling of being stabbed. All the blood... He also remembered Oscar's hands around his throat and how much it burned.

The garden still gave off a burnt smell, the water Melivy used didn't exact clear it.

He flinched when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Who?! He didn't hear or see anyone coming. Though granted, he probably didn't hear anyone because of the sound of his own heavy breathing. He jerked himself away, almost giving himself whiplash.

"Young sir. Breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth."

Uteu nearly flinched at the unfamiliar voice but seeing the maid outfit the woman wore, he forced himself to calm down.

He did as she told him. She continued to whisper instructions to him as she rubbed soothing circles across his back. He could feel his breathing regulate and his heart stopped racing. His trembling stopped.

She didn't shove him away or say anything when he didn't immediately pull away from her.

In her arms, he felt so comfortable.

This was what he normally felt when he was around Grello. He was surprised someone else could give him the same calming effect. Perhaps it was because she was one of Grello's maids and adopted this from him?

Uteu felt incredibly grateful and once he was fine enough to stand on his own, he slowly moved away. She let him go easily and dusted her skirt off.

He looked up into her kind hazel eyes. She had dark black hair, almost blue in color.

His heart sped up as he looked at her kind reassuring smile.

He could feel it. Like a siren's call he could feel that this person was someone he could form a connection with.