Chapter 3
Wednesday the 15th 7:28 am

The pain was nearly unbearable and he couldn't help his screams. He wasn't ever the type to hold things in, unfortunately, and it seemed like his cries only excited his captor into bringing down the whip harder on his defenseless back. He hadn't thought…he hadn't known…

Everything in Kazahaya's vision was hazy by now. Sounds were even becoming distorted in his ears. He wished that the man didn't wait between lashes, because if he hadn't, he probably would have gone somewhat numb and wouldn't have to feel as much pain.

Well, that was a theory anyway.

But no, this madman was probably very good at this, because he knew just the right timing to bring as much pain as possible with as much force. He'd struggled earlier against the chains that bound, hung from the ceiling, his hands and kept him aloft, but had learned that only brought worse pain in quick succession, not only from his own body but by the man that had strung him up in the first place.

He was really, really stupid and he didn't need Rikuou to tell him that. The thought of Rikuou reminded him why he went in the first place and he realized, albeit a little too late, that the man had lied.

Kazahaya wasn't dumb, despite Rikuou's harsh comments otherwise. He wasn't sure who Tsukiko was, but she obviously meant a great deal to his partner. He wasn't one to normally pry, after all he had secrets himself that he wouldn't want to tell, but this, he had thought, had been a golden opportunity. The man had said he had information about this Tsukiko. Their deal had been that if he went, this Capricorn would tell Rikuou.

He was incredibly stupid for being so trusting.

His consciousness was hazing in and out now, the sound of the man's laughter dulling until he couldn't really hear anything. There was a muffled crash, but he couldn't bring himself to care what it was. Even as his suspension in the air was broken and he was falling to the floor, he could only think about Rikuou and know that his partner would never thank him for what he'd done.

"Kazahaya!"

Kazahaya jerked away at the very insistent voice in his ear and blinked blurry, sleep filled eyes to see none other than his roommate staring at him. "…Wha…?"

"I began to wonder if I should tie you to the bed on your stomach, you were thrashing so hard. Was it a nightmare?"

Nightmare? You could call it that, he thought. He let out a heavy sigh and blinked when his cheeks felt wet. He had been crying in his sleep? Oh, wasn't that just perfect. More ammo with which Rikuou would throw at him at a later date and feel superior about when they argued.

"I guess," he muttered, since Rikuou was still insistently waiting for an answer. "I dreamed about when I was getting whipped."

Kazahaya had closed his eyes and missed Rikuou's wince. He didn't want to go back to sleep. In truth, after two days of doing nothing but laying in bed, he was bored and full of energy. He wanted to do something.

"Hey, Rikuou."

"What?"

He strained his eyes to watch as Rikuou was heading to the door and obviously ready to go down to open the shop. "Come on, can I do something now? All I've done is lay here…"

Rikuou paused and when there wasn't an automatic no, he began to hope a little. A jaundiced, green eye looked him over and the taller boy came back to gently peel a little bit of the fresh bandages away from his back. "Hmm…well, they look a little better. You can get up and go around the apartment, I guess, on the condition you don't move around too much and you are not to leave."

As he expected, Rikuou wasn't one to coddle someone for very long. "But the shop—my pay—"

"I don't think Kakei is as cruel to the point of docking your pay because you couldn't work thanks to your wounds."

Rikuou was out the door after that and leaving him alone in the apartment. Kazahaya could only bless his lucky stars that the other boy allowed him to get up. He wasn't sure he wanted to risk that particular volcano by doing something Rikuou refused to let him do.

He carefully levered himself up, feeling his back muscles gather together to make a scream of protest, but he ignored it. Wondering just how much movement his body would permit, he stretched his arms out in front of him. Okay, that was good. However, he could barely get his arms up to be level with his shoulders before he was shaking with pain. Okay, that was bad. And given that, he realized that he was not going to be able to pull on a t-shirt. Even the button ones were out of the question, because he'd have to put his arms backwards and he knew that was going to hurt very badly.

"So I'm delegated to wandering around his apartment half naked," he muttered. "Wonderful."

He could not deny that Rikuou had taken care of him a lot in the last two days. Speaking of days, Kakei and Saiga should be back soon. Maybe even today. They said they wouldn't be gone for more than five days…

As if the very thought summoned them, there was a tapping on the door and it opened without him having to say anything a moment later. What was it with that anyway? Every time he thought about someone, it was like they just showed up.

Kakei made a beeline for his side and something about the look on the storeowner's face suddenly made him feel terribly guilty about getting injured. "Kakei-san, you're back. Did you have a nice trip?"

His boss looked like he wanted to hug him, but didn't dare because of his back and the concerned look intensified. "Kudou-kun, I'm sorry. Rikuou told me…I had no idea you'd end up getting injured at all when I gave you this job. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, hey, hey," Kazahaya interrupted, waving his hands in front of him a little to forestall any more words and make him feel even worse. Really, was he good for anything? He was always making people worry. "It's my fault, Rikuou will tell you that. I…shouldn't have trusted him, I know."

Kakei hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed with him and touched his head softly. There was true concern in those eyes and he felt even guiltier about getting hurt now. His only consolation was that his boss hadn't known it was going to happen, so he could have a nice little trip with Saiga.

"Really, I'm fine," he tried again, with more conviction, to wipe away the fact that it was obvious his boss felt responsible for what happened. "Rikuou's been taking…very good care of me."

"You seem like you're not sure about that fact," Kakei murmured, with a faint smile.

That teasing Kakei of the Green Drug was the one he knew and Kazahaya brightened a little. He really didn't want everyone to be so concerned about him because it made him feel worse about getting hurt in the first place. "Well…he wouldn't let me do anything on my own. He even refused to let me bathe without him."

"Bet you loved every second of it, eh kid?"

Speak of the devil. He peered around Kakei's shoulder to the doorway and Saiga seemed impossible huge as he took up all available space. His cheeks reddened at the implication and he tried not to think about the talk that he and Rikuou had had as his roommate had brought him home that night after he'd been rescued. "I did not! It was embarrassing! Terrible!"

"Sure, sure." Saiga laughed and his tone remained unconvinced of Kazahaya's words. For the first time ever, the boy was suddenly glad that Saiga wore sunglasses, because he didn't want to see someone else's concern and guilt over the fact that he got hurt when it was his own fault in the first place.

"You all right, kid?"

"I'm fine," he said in a fond exasperation he didn't feel. "I told you two, Rikuou's been taking care of me."

"Then everything's okay, right Kakei? The kid is fine, so don't look so down about it. You're not all-powerful and can't see everything right?"

"But I—"

He tuned out the faint argument from Kakei and Saiga and wished they would just leave. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate their company or their attentions, he did, but he was on the verge of crying with guilt for making them worry and he didn't want them to see it, especially Kakei. Kakei would no doubt think that even that was his fault.

"Kakei, you need to sign for these deliveries."

Rikuou's voice filtered from down below and the storeowner sighed. "Kudou-kun, rest up and get better, okay?"

"Of course," he said with as nice a smile and as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He pretended he didn't see the doubt in Kakei's eyes or the long look Saiga gave him as the two adults left and had never been more glad to be alone. His hands gripped the edge of the bed and he blinked as tears fell. He'd been crying a lot in the past two days, and though no one would blame him for it, he couldn't stand it. It made him so weak and vulnerable.

"Don't cry, okay?"

Kazahaya's head jerked up. He hadn't even heard Rikuou come in the apartment, much less the bedroom. Damn it, this he knew was probably Kakei's fault. If Kakei thought he was helping, he was doing the exact opposite. He wiped his eyes and cheeks roughly and sulked, using as much willpower as possible to stave off the rest of the tears he felt that were still there waiting to be shed.

"Don't you have work?"

"Kakei sent me up with some medicine for your back. I could have sworn we didn't have it in the store before."

Heavy footfalls came near him, but Kazahaya refused to look up at Rikuou. Maybe he was being petulant. Maybe he was coming across as ungrateful for the many things that those around him did for him and their concern and worry. Maybe he appeared like a spoiled child. But he was just feeling depressed that he couldn't do anything right and wanted a good cry by himself.

"Hey, just don't cry, okay? I don't know what to do with you when you're crying."

"I'm not crying," he spat back, trying to pretend he didn't feel the salty wetness of tears on his cheeks once more.

"Yes you are." Rikuou tilted his head and their eyes met. Was it his imagination or did Rikuou look just a tad lost? Probably his imagination since in all the time he'd known him, Rikuou had always had a very firm grasp of situations and always knew what to do. "It's not like you to hold it in."

"I don't want you to see," he whispered truthfully, even as his vision became slightly blurry as more and more tears began welling up.

"Then I'll pretend I never did," Rikuou said, the first act of true kindness that Kazahaya could remember out of him. "I don't know what to do with you when you're crying, but if you have to…then…go ahead."

Rikuou looked distinctly awkward about the whole thing, but Kazahaya being Kazahaya, he only wrapped his arms around Rikuou's waist and buried his face in that strong stomach as he sobbed. Hesitantly, Rikuou's hand lifted to rest on the soft strands of his roommate's hair and stood there like the comfort that Kazahaya desperately needed.