When Fran came to, he was lying in a warm, soft bed, surrounded by walls and objects he didn't recognise. The room was full of furniture, a few desks here, some bookshelves there, even a second bed across from his. The walls where painfully white, almost metallic, reminding him of steel. The roof was much the same, a single light hanging down in the middle.

"So you're awake."

Fran jumped, not having noticed anyone else in the room with him – his vision was still fuzzy and his head was pounding.

Standing in the doorway was Belpehgor's twin, who Fran had come to know as Rasiel. The door had been closed when he had first looked at it so Rasiel must have only just arrived.

"I thought for a moment there you were as good as dead." The older twin sneered as he approached the boy, Fran's frog hat in his arms. "Wouldn't be as fun if you did die – wouldn't have had anyone to torture my shitty little brother with."

Ah… Bel-senpai… Fran whimpered, the pounding in his head worsening as he tried to recall what had happened to his partner. All he remembered was… was… I don't… remember… what happened…

From the other's words, Fran was sure Bel had survived the attack, so where was he…? Looking over to the bed across from his, teal eyes noticed for the first time that Bel was lying across from him, soaked in blood as his wrists and ankles were chained to the bedposts.

Fran tried to move his hand, wanting to reach out to his superior, but he only just now noticed at the restricted movement that he, too, was chained down. What… happened to… my head…? Why does it… hurt so… much…?

Rasiel laughed as he threw the frog hat at its owner, dancing his way over to his twin. He poked a pale cheek several times before a familiar groan could be heard, Bel's head twisting slowly from side-to-side.

"Bel…senpai…" Fran cried out weakly, hating how weak his voice sounded – it was hoarse, barely above a whisper; it would be a miracle if Bel even heard him. "Sen…pai…"

Bel lifted his head slightly, glancing over in his kohai's direction for a few seconds before rolling onto his side and vomiting violently on the floor.

"Shesheshe…" Rasiel waited until his twin's stomach settled before he reached out, grabbing blood-stained locks of blond hair and lifting Bel's face to his. He sneered as he raised a fist, driving it as hard as he could into his brother's face.

Bel made no noise as his face was pummelled over and over again, skin and bone breaking, blood oozing out of the wounds and onto the bed.

Rasiel stopped his assault on the younger as he looked down at the red droplets that stood out on the white sheets. He dropped Belphegor back down on the mattress, a twisted grin that sent shivers down Fran's back crossing his face.

"Oh, look at this…" Rasiel dipped his finger into the blood, raising it to his lips. He licked at the liquid, a soft moan sounding in the room, his obscured eyes never leaving Bel's face. "Little brother, your blood tastes so good."

Bel couldn't speak, the pain he was in wracking his body angrily. He could only look over to where Fran was staring in horror, a strange feeling spreading throughout his body. Why did he… feel bad that Fran was here? He hated the boy with a passion!

So why was it that he wanted to get Fran away? Why did he feel as if it was his fault for the tears that were running down the younger's face?

Rasiel, almost as if he had read his twin's mind, turned to Fran. He laughed before he approached the teal-haired boy, the sight of Fran backing up at his approach sending jolts of joy throughout his entire being.

As the older twin stood by Fran's bed, the boy could only whimper and duck his head, calling out for Bel to help him.

Rasiel reached out, grabbing Fran by the chin. He twisted the smaller male's head so that they were looking at each other, his tongue licking at his lips.

"You want that pathetic mutt over there to save you, frog?" Rasiel enquired. He smirked when Fran whimpered a reluctant yes, his eyes running all over the younger's body. "You're quite cute – for a toad, that is."

Fran's heart started beating faster at these words, afraid of what Rasiel could mean by them. His eyes darted to the side, breaking eye contact, only to receive a slap to the face for his disobedience.

"Look at the king when he is talking to you, toad," Rasiel snarled. "Answer him; do you, or do you not, want to be by Bel's side?"

"Y-yes…" Fran whispered, the pain in his head too much for him to be able to keep up his emotionless mask – he was truly terrified, and that in itself scared him more than anything.

Rasiel was silent as he unlocked the cuffs before he dragged the boy to Bel's side. He picked Fran up by the back of his Varia jacket, throwing him onto the weakened body of his twin.

"You can stay with him," Rasiel said in a sickly sweet voice. "You can't get out of this room even if you try. Might as well comfort each other while you still have time."

With that said, Rasiel walked back over to the door, sticking a key into the lock before leaving.

Bel and Fran looked at each other, Fran's face covered in sweat and tears as his frightened eyes begged for Bel's help. The blond, however, was covered in blood and he could only sneer as he weakly shoved Fran off the bed.

"Stay away from me, frog," Bel growled, trying to roll onto his side so that his back faced the younger. "It's all your fault we're here, after all."

Bel-senpai… Fran could feel the tears coming harder as his heart felt as if it were breaking; he looked up to Bel as much as he pissed the other off, and the fact that the blond wasn't going to help him left him feeling betrayed. Bel-senpai, I'd… I'd help you if our positions were reversed…

Bel, who was just too weak to do anything, closed his eyes, knowing that his senses would wake him up as soon as Rasiel came back.

But why do I feel so bad for pushing the frog away…? Bel bit his lip as he felt sleep enveloping him. It's true it's his fault – if he had used his illusions… But he looked so scared… Fuck it, I need sleep.

With that thought in mind, Bel lost himself to oblivion. Fran lay curled up on the floor by the bed, too frightened to leave the older man' side – even if said man treated him like shit.

Bel was all he had, and Fran – even if Bel didn't – knew they had to stick together if they were to come out of this alive.