Chapter 2: Desperate Family Matters

Shinigami-sama stared blankly at Kid. It irritated Kid that his father was so slow to make a decision, but he knew that rushing him wouldn't help. He stood there patiently, Liz and Patti now in their human forms standing beside him. He looked down at the rather pathetic looking heap on the ground. Kid was logical, he didn't do anything based solely on emotion. The facts were that Asura's madness was, at least temporarily, gone. He came back because of that, but admitted he could feel it coming back. Those facts being presented, Kid could readily consult his emotions.

His emotions, of course, told him this was his brother and he needed to help him no matter what. Regardless of the past, even a Kishin may be able to be saved. After all, Crona had very nearly become a Kishin himself and all it took was a hug from Maka to save him. Surely three Shinigami could figure out a way to hold back the madness and save Asura. Finally Kid's father seemed to come to some sort of decision.

"OH!" he exclaimed. "You know we should help Asura. Maybe now he can finally be saved." Kid stared at his father blankly and slumped his shoulders in defeat. All that time thinking and all he could come up with is "We should help Asura". That much was obvious, but it was how that would prove a problem.

"Um, Father," Kid spoke up, "clearly we need to help him, but did you by chance come up with an idea of how?" Death tilted his head to the side. Kid sighed and shook his head. "I didn't think so. Perhaps you should leave Asura to me since I am his brother. Maybe some bonding will help him. Of course Maka and Soul will be around, too. Just in case."

Shinigami-sama nodded enthusiastically. "You got it Kiddo-kun!" he said. "Be sure to go see Doctor Stein as well. He's been informed on the situation and he may have some input." Kid nodded. He knelt down and began undoing the restraints on Asura, looking up to his father for any sign to stop. His father stood there silently, so Kid continued and removed all of the restraints. Once the restraints were off, however, Kid soon wished they were back on. Asura, his brother, had no clothes on underneath. He now sat naked on the floor in front of everyone. Maka's gasp could be heard clearly and Soul cleared his throat awkwardly. As for Liz and Patti… Patti was busy singing a song about giraffes, whereas Liz was emitting more heat than the sun with how much she was blushing.

Kid's eyebrow twitched and he quickly took off his blazer and put it around Asura. For the first time Asura looked up of his own accord. His eyes were confused, but his smile was warm and thankful. Kid automatically smiled back and helped Asura to his feet. He moved his suit jacket down around Asura's waist so it would cover his private areas. There were some things that Asura didn't have in common with Kid.

Shinigami-sama put his hand to his mirror and an image of the bathroom in Kid's mansion appeared. "Don't want people seeing him in the halls and freaking out," he said. Kid nodded and walked through the mirror into his own bathroom, Asura clinging to his arm. Liz, Patti, Maka, and Soul followed closely behind him. While Maka may be able to see Asura's soul as well, none of them were ready to trust the Kishin. Even though Kid wanted to help him he wouldn't trust him. Trusting someone so dangerous would only get him killed.

"Alright," Kid said to the meister and weapons who had come with him, "you all are going to be staying here for a while it seems. My room is in the center of the second floor. Liz and Patti normally have separate rooms on either side, but they'll be moving into a single room together on the left of my room. That leaves the room on the right for Maka and Soul." He went through the details of the house again in his head. Yes, that would be perfectly even.

"Umm, where is the Kish- err Asura going to be?" Maka asked quietly.

"Asura will be in my room," Kid responded. "I need to keep an eye on him closely. Besides, he's my brother." Maka nodded and the girls- plus Soul- dispersed to set up their new living arrangements. Maka and Soul would have to get some of their personal things from their apartment, but Kid had plenty of extra appliances and toiletries they could use. In the meantime, Kid lead Asura to the room they would be sharing. Asura was still clinging to his arm tightly for some reason.

Once in the bedroom Kid tried to pry Asura's fingers from his arm, but to no avail. He couldn't even budge the man's grip on him. "Asura," he spoke up, "please let go of my arm. I have to get a shower. I need you to let go." Asura looked up at him. His eyes held fear, but not the type of fear that pushed him to become a Kishin.

"Let go?" he asked. "But… You'll leave if I let go… you'll abandon me." Asura's grip tightened more on Kid's arm. This was getting ridiculous. The man was over 800 years old for Death's sake!

"Asura I'll be right back," Kid reasoned with him. "The bathroom is connected directly to this room. I can't go anywhere but here if I leave the bathroom."

Asura buried his head in Kid's shoulder. "What if it comes back while you're gone?" he asked. "What will I do?" Kid sighed. Even though Asura's fears were irrational, he did have a good point. He needed to be watched at all times, and he wasn't likely to trust anyone but family at this point.

"I'll tell you what," Kid said with a smile at his cowering brother, "let go of my arm, and you can come with me. You need a shower anyways." Asura smiled widely at Kid and instantly released his death grip on his arm. He still kept a lingering hand in contact with Kid at all times, but it was no longer a fearful grip. More just making sure that he was really there.

"I do," the Kishin said. "I smell bad. Like my madness." Kid laughed. Asura likely hadn't had anything in terms of personal hygiene since he was sealed up in his bag.

"Then let's get going," Kid said and pulled Asura along to the bathroom. He turned the hot water on and let the room fill with steam. he left the bathroom fan off to keep the steam in so he could enjoy the warm mist. Asura breathed deeply and seemed to relax. Kid turned down the heat and tested the water, adjusting the temperature several times until it was just right. Once that was done he finally began to strip from his dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket in the corner.

Asura looked down as he took off Kid's blazer from around his waist. When he looked up he kept his eyes locked with Kid's, refusing to look away as he stepped in the shower water, followed shortly by his younger brother.