Chapter Four
The room was white. It hurt Kid's eyes. They were only open for a few moments before he shut them tightly all over again. His head was throbbing harshly, but aside from that he felt fine. Though, if the bright lights were off he'd feel a lot better.
Where was he? What had happened?
"He's alive," that was Stein's voice, but he wasn't in the room. He was out in the hall, yet Kid could hear him as though he was standing right next to him, "But I'm not sure what kind of effects that the bite will have on him. He lost a lot of blood."
"He's a reaper," That was his father, "I'm sure he will be fine. He's taken harder hits than this before."
"But the vampire still got away," Mayu sounded like she'd been crying, "That creature is a menace; we can't just let it run rampant through Death City. We have to do something."
"Mayu," Stein snapped, "You can't just up and handle it on your own. Kid is laid up in bed—God knows when he'll wake up—and you're more concerned with what put him there. Get a grip on yourself and go take care of your meister. Someone needs to watch him to make sure he's actually okay, and I'm not going to because I have a weapon to take care of. Marie's back at the lab and she's probably worried herself sick," he paused, "Lord Death, please let me know if there are any changes in him before I get back tomorrow morning."
Kid heard Stein's shoes heading further down the hall; he must've been heading home to check on Marie. The infirmary door came open and Mayu came in, follows by his father.
"I'm worried about him," Lord Death sighed.
"Stein or Kid?"
"Both," they were walking closer to Kid's bed, "Stein seems like something's bothering him. He's been a bit more on edge than usual as of late. But Kid," the Shinigami turned, pushing up his mask to get a better look at his son, "I'm very worried about Kid."
Kid's fingers twitched against the bed before he let out a small noise in the back of his throat. Both Mayu and Lord Death leaned in to hear him better. Kid tried again to speak, this time nearly getting the word "bright" out.
"Mayu," Lord Death spoke lowly, "Will you dim the lights? They seem to be bothering him."
"Sure," the weapon crossed the room and dimmed the lights. Kid's eyes managed to flicker open before he glanced around the room.
"How are you feeling, Kiddo?"
Kid groaned lightly, "Not bad…my head was killing me with those lights though."
"Is it better now?" Mayu asked, sitting next to him, taking his hand gently.
"Much," Kid was disturbingly aware of Mayu's pulse in her hand thrumming against his skin. He shook his head and started to sit up, "What happened?"
"You should rest, Kiddo," Lord Death pushed his son to lay back by his shoulders, "Stein said rest is important so you'll feel better."
Kid rolled his eyes, "I'm fine, dad. You don't need to worry."
"Just rest," Mayu lightly ran her fingers through his hair; her pulse was driving him crazy, "I can stay here with you if you like."
He pushed her hand away lightly, "It's fine. Please, just leave me alone."
She pulled away. That was so unlike him. He didn't mind if people fawned on him as long as they weren't smothering him, but he'd never pushed her away like that before. She set her hands in her lap before getting up, "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
After the door shut, Lord Death turned to look at his son, "Are you sure you're alright? You seem far more agitated than I've ever seen you act before."
"I'm fine, Dad."
Lord Death slid his mask off, "Kid-"
"I said I'm fine," Kid snapped, turning to glare at his father, "Jeez, I feel like everyone is smothering me. I'm not a little kid anymore, so don't treat me like one. If you really want me to get better, everyone should just leave me alone and let me rest."
Lord Death stopped, taken aback by the sudden outburst. He slid his mask back on before pulling the covers back up over his son's body, "Very well. I'll lock the door behind me so that you can be left alone."
Kid turned to lay on his side, facing the window to stare out at the moon. He closed his eyes and curled beneath the covers, but sleep never did come to him.
Stein arrived at the school early that morning to check on Kid. He unlocked the infirmary door and stepped inside.
"Kid?" He asked as he shut the door behind him, "Are you resting still?"
There was no answer, but the lights in the room were still off. The curtains had even been drawn, but he'd sworn he'd left them open. Stein stepped further into the room, pushing the divider curtain aside. Kid was buried beneath a white mass of blankets on the bed. Stein stepped closer, "Kid? Are you awake?"
There was slight movement beneath the blanket, but no response aside from that. Stein crossed passed the foot of the bed and pushed the curtains open. The pale light of the dawn fell into the room. The blanket moved once more and Kid let out a small noise of disproval.
Stein turned back to look at him, "Kid?"
"Shut those," he hissed, curling tighter beneath the covers, "Then get out."
Stein shook his head before shutting the curtains, "Kid, you need to let me check your wounds."
"Stein," Kid hissed, "I'm so thirsty."
Stein stopped, tensing. He clenched his fists at his sides before tearing off the covers. The sight he was greeted with was something dreadful.
Kid let out a growl. His eyes glowed a dark scarlet. His pale skin had dark veins etched across it. Fangs were protruding obscenely from his lips. His fingernails had grown long and pointed. Kid leapt away, coming to perch on the medicine cabinet that had been on the opposite wall from where he had been resting. Stein looked up at his friend as Kid hissed once again.
"I told you to go," he hissed, "I told you to leave me alone."
Stein looked up at him, holding up a hand in defense, "Kid, you're very sick. I'm here to help you. Please, just come down."
Stein's pulse thundered in Kid's ears. The raven haired teen covered his ears with shaking hands and hunched over, "You have to get out of here, Stein. I'm so thirsty. And I don't…" he shook his head before leaping off the cabinet at one of his dearest friends, "I don't want to hurt you!"
Stein ducked before pushing his palm against Kid's torso. Green sparks came from his palm before he hit Kid with his soul force and pushed him back onto the bed. Stein used his knees to help pin Kid to the mattress. Kid thrashed beneath him, though the spot where he'd been hit with the soul force did seem to be a bit immobilized.
Stein looked down at his friend. Kid was panting, struggling as he tried to escape from the older boy's grip. They locked eyes and Kid's movements calmed a bit just before Stein used his soul force on either side of the reaper-turned-monster's head. Kid fell back against the bed just as his vision was enveloped in darkness.
