Psycho vs Programmer

Seiji was almost there...

Walking towards the dark alley, he expected something gruesome. Knowing Hideaki, it wasn't likely this would be a clean scene.

He reached the alley, and his suspicions were confirmed. The sight that greeted him sent a chill down his spine, though he fought to remain composed.

Three bodies lay disemboweled, pieces of them scattered, entrails spread across the ground. Blood was everywhere. The terror etched on their faces in their final moments spoke volumes. The kanji of "Idiot", "Big Idiot" and "The biggest Idiot" visible on each of their foreheads.

"...What the hell... happened here?" Seiji murmured, voice low, almost disbelieving.

No sign of Hideaki.

His stomach tightened. 'Did he escape? Is he hiding? Watching me?'

And then—

A slow, manic laugh echoed behind him.

Seiji's body stiffened instantly. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. That voice was unmistakable.

Still, he turned, and as he did, he saw him - Hideaki, lurking in the shadows. Only his glowing red eyes and twisted grin were visible at first.
As the moonlight revealed him, Seiji's stomach tightened.

Hideaki was drenched in blood, entrails draped around his neck like grotesque trophies, and in his hands... a bloodied knife and a levitating blood-formed rotary saw.

"At last!" Hideaki shrieked. "You came to me! EHEHEHEHEHE!"

Seiji's gaze sharpened, though he kept his tone steady. "Hideaki... what the hell have you done?"

Hideaki's grin widened. "This? Isn't it beautiful? Their faces... when I cut them apart! And their blood, pouring so slowly, yet so intensive from their wounds! AHAHAHAHA!"

Seiji forced himself to maintain control, though the urge to panic grew. 'He's worse than I thought. Reminds me of Pixie's massacre, but even worse. One heck of a psycho.'

Hideaki's expression shifted to something darker. "And now... it's your turn! AHAHAHAHA!" Without warning, Hideaki lunged at him.

Seiji barely dodged, his instincts kicking in just in time. "Hideaki! Stop this!" he demanded, sidestepping another swing of the blade.

"STOP!? FOR WHAT, HUH!?" Hideaki shrieked. "LET ME HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOU! LET ME CUT YOU OPEN! I JUST WANT TO WATCH YOU BLEED! EHEHEHEHE!"

"You're completely out of your mind! You need to stop this now, or someone will call the cops."

"The police? Ha! They can't do anything to me!"

"Oh really? You know they have guns and anti-magic handcuffs, Hideaki! You won't be able to escape."

As Hideaki swung again, Seiji grabbed a nearby wooden board, using it to block the relentless attacks.

'He's too absent-minded right now. He's not going to listen...'

Seiji thought, assessing the situation quickly.

'I'll have to deal with him differently.'

Suddenly Hideaki's saw cut through the board, mere inches from Seiji's face. The saw slowly dissolved with each subsequent cut, dissolving into liquid.

Splattered blood stained Seiji's clothes, but he didn't flinch. He dropped the now-useless board and scanned his surroundings for something better - a way to take control of the situation.

His eyes landed on a metal pipe.

In a swift move, Seiji dodged another strike, grabbed the pipe, and turned to face his deranged roommate.

Hideaki laughed again, raising his blade. "You really think that's going to stop me?"

"We'll see." Seiji's voice was steady, betraying none of the fear he actually felt.

Hideaki charged at him, knife outstretched, but Seiji swung the pipe with precision, meeting Hideaki's blade in mid-air. The force sent vibrations through both weapons.

Hideaki's grin widened. "DIE!!!" And tried to strike again, missing his aim again.

Seiji didn't respond. He knew Hideaki thrived on emotional reactions - better to give him nothing.

"Tch! Fuck!!!" Hideaki cursed loudly and began taking blood from the leftovers that were scattered around, even though some of the stains were clothed. Then he began forming a bloody blade from it.

Being completely focused on his blood magic, he didn't see that suddenly, in a single decisive moment, Seiji brought the pipe down on Hideaki's head, the impact hard enough to knock him unconscious.

Hideaki collapsed, the remains of his bloody weapon falling to the ground, leaving nothing else but a blood stain.

Seiji stood over him, breathing heavily, but he didn't let the fear overwhelm him. Instead, he checked Hideaki's pulse. He was still alive.

"Good... you're not dead," Seiji muttered to himself, glancing around at the carnage once more.

'This scene...'

He looked around again.

'A scene like from a horror movie... Corpses, blood... dismembered bodies... entrails... atrocity... And behind it all there was one little man... Full of aggression and madness...'

Seiji sighed, exhaustion settling in.

'If he did the same with his previous victims... I'm not surprised he has the status of a wanted serial killer.'

His gaze shifted back to the unconscious Hideaki. "How did someone like you... ended up this far gone?"

***

After regaining his composure, Seiji hoisted Hideaki onto his back, folding the butterfly knife and tucking it into his pocket. He trudged back to the apartment, fatigue pulling at every step.

He sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of the chaos that surrounded him as he walked.

'This whole mess... it's exhausting. And the alley... someone will report it soon, if they haven't already.'

His thoughts sharpened, his logical mind piecing together potential outcomes.

'The patrols are probably already being stationed around the whole Ueno area. If they trace it back to Hideaki and began searching near the apartment, it's over. If only I could just magically wipe it all. Just to ensure it will be no clues of who did this. But that won't happen. Shit...'

When they reached the apartment, Seiji carefully removed his shoes, then carried Hideaki to the bathroom.

His every movement was deliberate as he undressed him, placing the bloody clothes in the sink before tossing them into the washing machine.

He turned on the shower and methodically washed Hideaki, his gaze clinical and focused.

"You really are a mess," Seiji muttered, glancing at the unconscious figure.

His hands moved with precision, ensuring he was cleaned without waking him.

Once Hideaki was clean, Seiji dressed him in fresh clothes and placed him on the couch. With a frown, he grabbed the butterfly knife and hid it somewhere out of Hideaki's reach.

Then, before leaving him, Seiji retrieved a pair of handcuffs from a drawer. Carefully, he placed them on Hideaki's wrists. This time, he locked them tightly — enough that any movement, even a flick of a finger or twist of the wrist, would cause discomfort, ensuring Hideaki couldn't attempt to use his Magic Ability.

Seiji's expression was calm, almost detached, but there was a precise focus in his eyes. "Maybe these aren't anti-magic handcuffs, but it should work better than last time." he murmured softly, checking that the cuffs were secure.

Hideaki stirred slightly, a faint shift of his fingers betraying that he was beginning to wake from his dazed state, yet still too groggy to react properly. He flinched at the pressure of the cuffs, but said nothing, overwhelmed and disoriented.

Seiji, already exhausted and frustrated, didn't notice the subtle signs of life, his attention fully on securing the cuffs.

Finally, Seiji took his own shower, letting the hot water wash over him, offering a brief moment of clarity.

He needed relax. A warm soothing relaxation...

He went to water heat control panel and soon the bathtub was filled with warm water.

As Seiji soaked in the bathtub, he exhaled slowly, letting the tension ebb away momentarily.

The image of the alley flashed in his mind - blood, chaos, and sheer madness. It was a scene that defied reason, an act of recklessness that put everything at risk.

His fingers traced the edge of the tub as he stared at the ceiling. "What did I get myself into...."

***

Seiji stepped out of the bathroom, damp hair falling over his forehead. He took a deep breath, trying for a moment to push away the image of the bloody chaos in the alley. He returned to the living room, ready to check whether Hideaki had woken up.

The first thing he heard was a metallic clink.

Then a scream.

And then he saw him.

Hideaki was sitting on the couch, his body tense, his hands yanking against the handcuffs. His gaze was unfocused, as if he were looking through fog.

"G-gh stupid handcuffs!!"

For a moment it looked like he was about to explode, and then he yanked on the cuffs again, harder. He grimaced as the metal dug into his skin.

"Tch!-" he hissed. He pressed his back into the couch. His shoulders trembled. He was breathing fast, unevenly.

He grabbed his head. Blinked several times.

"Why..." his voice grew quieter. "...why is everything so... blurry...? ...why does my head... hurt... their blood... hehe... it spilled so beautifully there... Everything in my head..." he rasped. "i-it's m-mixing together... a-and... and... Tch— W-why am I chained up like an animal?!" his voice broke, rage mixing with panic.

Seiji approached slowly, not making any sudden movements. "Hideaki... calm down. You're in the apartment. You're not in danger."

Hideaki snapped his head toward him and frowned. "TAKE IT OFF!" he screamed at Seiji, yanking again.

"I can't." Seiji replied calmly.

"W-what!?"

"You heard me. I can't do that."

The handcuffs glinted in the dim light of the lamp as Hideaki jerked them violently again. The chain struck the metal cuffs with a dry clank, digging once more into his already irritated skin.

"Tch!" Hideaki hissed again, then tried to stand up.

A heavy sensation dragged him back down. He lost his balance and fell heavily onto the couch. For a split second, pure confusion crossed his face.

"...what..." he muttered. He clenched his teeth. "LET ME GO!—" his voice broke again.

"–CALM DOWN!" Seiji cut him off immediately, his tone sharp but controlled. "Sit your ass down and listen to me."

Hideaki stiffened.

That was the moment.

"We need to talk." Seiji said shortly.

Hideaki blinked, confused. "About what...?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Seiji said, already turning toward his room. "Let's go."