The Villain I Raised Seems a Little Off

Yan Yan opened an immersive interactive game called Deep Touch Raising.

On the standby screen, he selected a red-haired, gray-eyed child: Ika Montali.

At the start of the game, little Ika was in a lawless place, an orphan who survived by stealing and fighting. He was filthy all over, like a little beast that had been abandoned.

The game was about raising him.

Feed him, wash him, keep him company every day... Just like any other raising game, it was a nice way to pass the time.

There was just one small problem.

When setting up the character, Yan Yan accidentally chose a "rope" as his own player character's appearance.

A coarse, cold linen rope that could move, grab, and coil around things.

And the appearance couldn't be changed.

Yan Yan: "...Well, as long as it can move."

But from someone else's perspective, things weren't quite like that.

*

Ika Montali was being watched by a rope that wouldn't leave him alone.

It wrapped around him, held him back, and suddenly strangled his pursuers to death when they were hunting him.

He tried to escape, but couldn't.

He thought he was going to die, but instead it fed and washed him with care, then held him gently, letting him sleep peacefully at night.

At first, he was afraid.

Then he got used to it.

And then he couldn't live without it.

But when he grew up and became strong enough to "break free" from the rope, it was gone.

From that moment on, Ika went mad.

He searched the entire world, but couldn't find the "rope" that had given him fear, shelter, and everything else.

Until--

He found Yan Yan.

*

The adorable little tyke of the past had become a handsome, cold young man. Now he lowered his head carefully, drew close, wrapped his arms around Yan Yan, and whispered a pleading question:

"Do you only like the way I looked when I was little?"

"But I've grown up now."

"Do you still... want me?"

+ Possibly nonhuman. A short story with a very unusual kink.

Theme: Love is a willing surrender