Diclaimer: I don't own the characters or the series. Amano Akira does. I'm just playing with them for a bit.

A/N: This one is "first visit to Kyouya's home".


Deeper Wounds

"You overdid it this time, Kyouya."

"So I'm the one to blame now, hmm?" Kyouya gave Cavallone a half-serious glare as he opened the door to his house, leaning against the older man. He hated showing such weakness, but in his current state, his choices were either that or being carried, and he wasn't about to allow Cavallone to do that. "As I recall, I'm not the one who dealt the actual damage."

"Yes, well, you're the one who wouldn't tell me how bad it was!" Cavallone frowned, adjusting the way he had his arm around Kyouya's body. "If I'd known how hurt you were, I would have never just continued the fight. You really should have told me, Kyouya."

"I don't see what that would have accomplished." Half walking, half limping his way inside, he poked Cavallone in the side. "Close the door."

Before Cavallone had a chance to protest, a white ball of energy rushed towards them from inside the house. The blonde got the door closed just in time to prevent a rather unfortunate escape. As it was, Hachikou decided to just rush up to his owner instead, barking happily as he jumped up against Kyouya's legs. Suppressing a groan at the flash of pain, Kyouya knelt down with some difficulty that he would never admit to.

"Hello there, boy. Were you lonely?" Kyouya reached his arms out to his pet.

Hachikou was determined to show him that yes, he had been very lonely indeed, why hadn't Kyouya come home earlier and did he know he had a very tasty face that obviously needed lots of licks? Cavallone was grinning, Kyouya knew that even without looking, but he didn't care much. Let the idiot have his amusement, he was more concerned with Hachikou.

After some time, though, the blonde don appeared to have decided Kyouya shouldn't get a break. "We should get a look at your leg," he said. "I still can't understand why you wouldn't let me take you to a doctor."

"Don't be ridiculous, Cavallone. It's just a sprain," Kyouya snorted, picking the puppy into his arms as he made to stand up again. A hiss of pain escaped him at the attempt, drawing concerned glances from both Hachikou and Cavallone. Okay, so maybe it was worse than a minor sprain. Not like he was about to let it affect him anyway.

"I'm just worried," the idiot sighed, crouching down to help Kyouya up. So humiliating. As though he was some child that needed the attention! "Let's at least get you somewhere you can get it up."

"Whatever." Kyouya scowled. "It'll get better once I get my weight off it." He let Cavallone help him for now, much though he hated it. "I'll just take a nap and I'll be all better."

"I do hope so." Cavallone sighed, starting to help Kyouya further into the house. At least he had the dignity to take his shoes off first, Kyouya noted. "You know, I don't think I've ever been to your house before."

"That may not have been all unintentional on my part," Kyouya noted with a wry tone, scratching Hachikou behind the ears. Poor thing was concerned for him, judging by the continuing whines and licks. No reason to be, of course. He'd be right as rain in no time if only this idiot let him be for a moment.

"You shouldn't be so very negative all the time, Kyouya." They arrived at the living room, where Cavallone helped Kyouya lie down and then made to gather some cushions to prop his leg up. "Now let's take a look at this."

Cavallone was, Kyouya noted, more shocked than Kyouya himself was as he got the trousers out of the way at last. Aside from the sprain, there was a bad gash on his leg, one that seemed to be bleeding. The trousers sticking to the wound had blocked the worst of it, but it was still rather bad. Well, that explained the wet feeling, he mused. Never mind the bloody prints he now noticed marking their path through the house.

"That'll take forever to clean up," he said as he looked at the bloodied marks, rather unconcerned with the way Cavallone was all but panicking, rushing around to find something to bind his wound with. He was feeling somewhat light-headed, come to think of it, but it wasn't like it was anything serious. He'd lived through wounds much worse than this one.

"Cleaning up shouldn't be your main concern," Cavallone sighed as he started cleaning up the wound. "All you should be thinking about is getting better."

"Well, this is quite a mess," Kyouya noted. "Is it so wrong of me that I'm not looking forward to cleaning it up?"

"Don't be an idiot, Kyouya!" Cavallone glared at him. "You can't go crawling around washing the floor with this. I can't imagine how much blood you've lost! I should have noticed this earlier, you do have other wounds but I should have known there was more blood than just those..."

"Just shut up," Kyouya sighed, turning his attention to the whining Hachikou at his side. The poor thing was going just crazy over all the blood smell. "If I don't clean it up, nobody will. I'll just take a nap and get to it."

"As though nobody else lives here." As Kyouya was quiet for a while, Cavallone frowned. "Kyouya... someone else does live here... right?"

"You see anyone else?"

"But - you can't be living on your own!" Cavallone protested. "You're far too young for that!"

"What, I'm old enough to help save the world but not old enough to make breakfast for myself?" Kyouya glared at the idiot. "So my parents are not here, big deal. When have I ever given the impression I need help?"

"I know you're self-sufficient and all, but you're still a child, Kyouya." Cavallone sighed. "You should have someone looking after you, parents or not. It's just not -"

"Get out of here."

"Kyouya?" Cavallone blinked.

"I said, get out of here." Kyouya's voice was closer to a growl. "This is my house. It's bad enough I have to deal with your herbivorous hovering, I won't have you telling me I can't take care of myself."

"Kyouya, you're injured and hurt. I'm not going to go anywhere."

"I don't recall asking you, I told you." Kyouya sat up, then had to lie down again as the sudden movement made him feel faint. "Damn it."

"See? Just take it easy, Kyouya. Nice and easy. I'll just take care of your wound; if it goes well enough we shouldn't have to see a doctor. I'll have Romario check it later tonight, just in case."

"I told you I don't need your help, and I sure as Hell don't need your subordinates helping me, either."

"Well, at the moment you're not getting up by yourself, so I fear you will just have to deal with it." Cavallone gave him one of those insufferable grins, ignoring any and all of his glares as he continued fussing with the wound until it was tied up to his satisfaction. "Now, lie down for a bit. I'll clean up the blood after I get you something to drink; it should make you feel a bit better. Painkillers, too."

"I don't need that." Sure, it sounded good, but he wasn't about to tell that to Cavallone. "...Get Hachikou something to eat. I'm sure he can show you the right cabinet."

Cavallone just nodded, not saying anything as he walked off with the dog. Soon, he returned with the painkillers, still wordless.

Stupid Cavallone, not minding his own business, Kyouya thought to himself as he let his eyes slide shut. Stupid him for being too weak to just kick him out.

Stupid Cavallone for still being there as he woke up later.