Author's note: This is my first story. And I mean my first, like besides any work from school, this is it. I rewrote this (a bit) and split it into two.

Disclaimer: If I owned No. 6 Nezumi would be making Sion dinner right now instead of in some far off land.


He was in the depths of a darkness that was more than he'd felt before, yet it held a familiarity that shot a pang of unease throughout his body. A voice was trying to make its way into his mind, a woman's voice. The words trying to tear through the depths of a darkness that embraced him so completely.

He decided he liked the darkness. It was nice, ethereal even. He wanted to see how far it went. Something told him that if he reached the end he'd obtain something serious, something unknown... and he wanted to know.

He felt his head fall to the side and the darkness loosened its hold on him. An almost indistinguishable pain on his cheek let him know he'd been hit. Go away. He thought with all his might hoping that the being disrupting the peace that was washing over him would get the message and leave. It was quiet for a while. Sion felt his mind go blank as he welcomed the eternal darkness he was obliviously walking into.

"Sion"

A clear voice resounded throughout his mind, light cut through the nothingness and he was aware of what was happening. He was dying.

No. He refused to die. Not when that voice called his name so clear. So attainable. So warm. He needed to see him... if he was really going to die it wouldn't be before he saw Nezumi.

He climbed through the openings the light had made and felt his mind become more aware of everything. Of the sickening pain in his leg. Of the inability to move his body. Of the sobs on his right. Of the warmth on his left. He forced his eyes open, trying to let them adjust, but to no avail. He could make out two blurred figures. Brown and white mixed on one side and on the other, the alluring gray he was far too familiar with dominated.

He didn't know what to do. He wanted to call out to Nezumi. He wanted to feel him, and obtain the assurance that Nezumi unknowingly gave him with every touch. But... he couldn't. Besides the fact that his body surely wouldn't comply with his will at he moment, he just... felt so disgusting. A pain in his chest that he found hard to explain reminded him of what he'd just done. He betrayed Nezumi. He always said he would strive to live, and never give up. He gave up. He strived for death.

"Sion! Sion are you okay, can you hear me? How do you feel? Does anyth-" Safu's desperate voice was cut off by a cold, rough hand cupping her mouth.

"Dammit, are you going to be as incessant as him." Nezumi mumbled as he swiftly pulled off his gloves with his teeth. It was said as a statement in hope that she wouldn't respond. She didn't. I guess she has more sense than Sion at least "Sion can you move at all?" A nod. "Can you speak?" Sion's mouth opened, and a few inaudible mumbles fell from his lips before he shook his head.

Nezumi moved his hands along Sion's body, feeling his vitals. His heart beat was slow and faint, but there. His breathing was strained and subdued, but there. Okay, we ca- He can do this. Nezumi almost sighed in relief and the reason he didn't was regrettably not his self-will. His leg. There was a fucking hole in his leg. Shit.

"Hurry Safu we're almost out!"

"Sion pay attention, 'almost' is the key word there."

"I know, I am. I'm just excited to go back!" To see nezumi. To taste his soup. To feel his hand on my hair. To continue trying to figure him out. All he wanted right now was to here the harsh words that housed more concern than Nezumi would ever care to admit. He wante-

'SION!' He couldn't even turn to see his friend's horrified expression before he crumpled to the ground in pain. A man who by the looks of it was on a deathbed himself had shot him. Sion could almost hear the 'fuck you' that was clearly adamant in the way the man looked at him. And that was when he blacked out.

His vision had basically returned, and he scanned the situation trying to ignore the screaming pain in his leg that was eating away at his consciousness. His right pant leg had been cut off and was tied a few centimeters above... oh god.

He fought back the vile that was creeping up his throat, but the need to know his situation kept his gaze connected. Blood had coagulated around the edges of a small hole a few inches above his knee, towards the inner part of his thigh. It would be a miracle if that hadn't hit anything important. His leg was too close in hue to his hair for Sion to feel comfortable.

He watched as Nezumi intently stared at his wound, brow wrinkled in concentration. Sion would have relished his countenance, had he not been fully aware of how much he needed treatment and the fact that Safu wouldn't be much help. Sion had noticed that her mind wasn't quite on track anymore. Her personality remained intact, and most likely the majority of her experiences and knowledge. But her brain was simply boggled. She couldn't piece together information well. He wondered what had happened to her in the Correctional Facility for something so significant yet minor to occur.

"Did you bring anything?" Sion's voice sounded awful, but the scratchy words were just that, words, he was literate once again. He listened as Nezumi impassively voiced the supplies he brought and decided not to comment on how thoughtful he was in doing so.

Sion calmly instructed Nezumi on what to do, keeping his voice steady, and what little motions he made fluid. Hiding his pain completely except the pressure he allowed his hand to use, fisting his shirt's fabric. He felt a little proud when Nezumi sowed up his wound without fault. Warm arms lifted him and he felt his head spin at the movement.

"You can sleep now... if you want" Nezumi spoke the words quietly, uncaring in tone but gentle in quality. Sion was wide-awake though. Well, he was. Nezumi's words spread through his body until he could barely feel it anymore in the half-conscious state he had forced himself into. He leant into the warmth, pressing his head against Nezumi's chest who in return held him closer. His consciousness slipped from his grasp for the second time that day, and he fell into a soft sleep.

...

They were all monsters. They fed on each other and grew bigger and bigger. Nothing was left to sustain them and they battled with each other. Savages. Monsters. Cannibals. He knew them all. He had seen them in the park. At work. At his mother's bakery. She was one of them too. So was Yamase. Along with the man who aged inexplicably in the park, accompanied by his wife. They all ate the ones he had come to care for. Rikiga, Inukashi, Karan and her family, Nezu-

Sion gasped opening his eyes as he saw Nezuimi's body being devoured by the monsters he had lived among for his whole life. He panted, eyes wide, not noticing the presence next to him - examining his mien and actions thoroughly. His leg pulsed painfully, but it felt well enough to be mobile. He ran a hand through his hair and gently pulled as he closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. The calm was short lived. He jumped as a voice next to him spoke his name.

"Sion?" Safu was looking at him inquisitively and he could feel the barricade of questions forming behind her lips. He made a mental note to control his "interrogations"-as Nezumi so kindly called them- feeling unnerved just by the thought of answering questions right now. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked gently. Safu already knew the answer though. He was scared. Definitely. But not too shaken. It would just take some time for him to get over whatever was bothering him. She hoped.

"I'm fine Safu, thank you. I'm just a little tired." he sat up as he spoke. Smiling gently when he was comfortable. Safu returned his affection as he asked her the same. "Are you okay?" She nodded and Sion noticed a cup of soup in her hands along with the one beside his bed. The soup's warmth spread through his body, steadying his wondering mind and kept him bound to reality. I'm back. There are no monsters. There never were. Everything's okay.

He sighed and looked up to see Nezumi standing in the door way. Safu won't be able to ask questions. Sion thought with his small supply of mirth.

He saw that Nezumi had barely noticeable spots of blood on his sleeves, and Sion guessed that the hands underneath his gloves would be stained red. "What were you doing?" he asked accusingly, and a bit too sweet making him sound like a concerned mother, thus earning him the sarcastic response of 'kicking a puppy' from a falsely smiling Nezumi. But he couldn't help but feel troubled when he sensed a hint of truth in his words.


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