YEAH POST-APOCALYPTIC AU STUFF

[concretejungles]

[It's funny, how quickly things can change. It seemed out of nowhere when it happened -- an epidemic. A disease that no one could identify or stop. It started in Russia, and it spread fast -- it seemed like the entire world fell apart within two years. When it was done, the world's population was cut in half at least, and "government" was something that seemed an era away.

Things rebuilt, based around whoever could grab power first -- small military factions, organized crime rings, CEOs. Every city, every sub-city was a different territory, and it was every man for himself. There was nothing to stop you from being taken off the streets. Tech advances so fast it's like a new world in the blink of an eye, and in a few years... there's a new order.

Kida's life has never been good, really. But he never knew exactly how bad it could be. He never thought he'd see the person he love die of an illness that rotted the insides. He never thought he'd be one of the seemingly arbitrary "immune". He never thought he'd end up on the street because the man he thought he wanted to see die did, and he had nothing left. And he definitely never imagined himself taken, branded, turned into little more than a living appliance, and sold.

Of course, he's got spirit. He always has and he always will, no matter how bad it gets or how much he hates himself and what he's been reduced to. So it's no surprise he ended up at his Ninth Auction. And honestly he expected to die for his stubborn refusal to submit. But then he looked up from the stage into a horribly familiar pair of grey-blue eyes. He was stunned almost as much by the lack of return recognition as anything, but... it's been awhile. He's just barely 22 now, his hair's gone dark and less immaculately kept, and he's skinnier and paler despite his extra few centimetres of height. He doesn't look like the same cheerful, healthy 16 year old boy Mikado knew before.

So it's a bitter shock when his former best friend, all fancy in his gang boss suit, saves his life by buying him. Just as he's convulsing on the floor, toxin switch up to three and waiting for the "four" that'll end the pain, that voice speaks up and snatches him back with the offer of cash. He's left gasping in breath, tears down his face, and everyone just assumes he's snapped from the abuse when he laughs. Yeah, it's funny how much things change, and how Mikado doesn't seem to know, and how there's no "Kida Masaomi" attached to him as a name anymore to give it away.

So he's silent in the back of the car the whole way home, staring out the window with his bare feet up on the seat. He's curled up, and cheap loose pants and an old and oversized t-shirt don't make him look any healthier. But he won't say anything. Even when they get to the house, he'll just trail quietly behind Mikado and pretend he doesn't recognise him either. It's a quick wireless signal from the control panel on the wall -- it's happened enough now that he's used to the quick shock of his microchip syncing up with the house -- and then he just stands in the doorway and waits to see what'll happen.]