Chapter 4: Layers of Nobility
"Damn sensei, lecturing me about respecting the Academy," Shunsui grumbled, slamming the door shut with a bang. "Who does he think he is?" Shunsui knew it was a stupid question, but it still served as a good release for the resentment simmering in his veins. I already know that I'm a disappointment and a failure; you don't need to rub it in. He rolled his eyes. And if lecturing me on proper behavior would get me to turn my assignments in on time, I'd be a better student than Ukitake.
Shunsui flopped back on his cot, staring at the dull white ceiling. He was tempted to go find a drink somewhere, but it was only midafternoon; he was supposed to be in the intermediate kido class right now. Shihoin-sensei will be disappointed in me again, he thought without much worry. The elegant heir-in-waiting to the Shihoin clan had a way of making a student feel guilty for slacking that no other teacher could match. But Shunsui had grown up with his mother's guilt trips whenever he made a mistake, and he had made plenty of mistakes. So Shihoin-sensei's disappointed looks slid off of the façade of indifference he perpetually maintained.
You know, Mariko should be done with her shift at the office by now, he realized, swinging his legs off of the bed. And there's that new play down at the Cockatrice. I wonder if she'd be interested? He bounced off of the cot, grinning. The buxom brunette always knew where to go to have a good time; her family controlled most of the entertainment in the Seireitei. Noble, of course, like the family of every other student here, but not high status. Shunsui smirked. If only dear old Dad could see me now. He'd have a heart attack. Though that would leave the family to his brother Seiichi. Which probably means I'd be disinherited as soon as the ink dried on the funeral papers, Shunsui thought wryly. So maybe it's best if Father doesn't die quite yet.
He bit his lip. He hadn't meant that to sound so callous. He didn't want his father to die, just to leave him alone. But that wasn't likely to happen. He sighed. I'll never be what he wants. Hell, I don't even know what he wants! It'd be better if they all forgot that I existed.
Shunsui shook his head, dispelling the gloomy thoughts. Let's go find Mariko, he told himself firmly. Everything will look better once you're not cooped up in this dreary little room. He wandered leisurely down the hall, disappointed by the lack of other students. Everyone was in lessons like good little boys and girls. Boring, Shunsui thought rebelliously. With a whole city to explore, there's no reason to remain here.
The girls' dormitory was across a small field from the boys' rooms. Although the young men could come and go freely, a matronly woman guarded the door of the girls' building. It'd be such a scandal, wouldn't it, if a noble girl hooked up with the wrong guy? Shunsui thought cynically. Can't let them wander around after dark, either. All students had a curfew, but it was an open secret that the guards enforced it much more aggressively for the few young women at the Academy. Shunsui had strolled past them after curfew several times, tossing a silver coin in their direction, and had never been bothered.
"Is Mariko-san in, obasan?" Shunsui asked politely, using the generic term for an older woman.
She eyed him critically. Apparently deciding that he passed muster, she replied, "No, she left this morning."
Shunsui bowed his head in thanks. "Much obliged." He strolled away, hands shoved negligently in his sleeves. The warmth of the sun on his back made him smile as he wandered down manicured paths towards the main office buildings. Mariko worked as a receptionist there between her classes. If she wasn't off work yet, he figured that he'd enjoy the fall sunshine while waiting for her to finish.
He had just passed the sixth year dormitories when a flare of reiatsu made him pause. The energy, crackling with the bite of lightning, felt vaguely familiar. He turned and strode back towards the building. There aren't any kido or zanjutsu classes going on, he mused to himself. So why is someone flaring? It felt like Juushiro, but the reiatsu held a tang of anger that he didn't expect from his serene roommate.
Shunsui rounded the corner to see Juushiro backed against a wall, calm resolve in his hard green eyes. He held both hands in front of him defensively, though he hadn't summoned any kido fire to his fingers. Three older boys surrounded him – sixth year students, by their uniforms. Shunsui recognized one of them as a son of the Shiba clan, though he couldn't recall his name. Gorash, maybe? No, Gorou, that's it. The three lounged in deceptively relaxed postures, but cruel anticipation marred their pseudo-pleasant expressions. Gorou's hand was wrapped around the bicep of a girl in the uniform of the Academy servants; she wore an expression of hopeless resignation.
"You know, if you apologize, we can all forget about this," one of the sixth years remarked casually. "You're barely noble, and you're obviously too weak to keep up with the rest of us. Why take a beating when you don't have to?"
"I'm sure you know how to apologize politely to your betters," Gorou added silkily. "If you keep trying to interfere in things that don't concern you, you're going to get seriously injured." He flared his reiatsu higher, rolling his eyes. "You'd be smart to go home and leave the combat to those of us more suited to it."
The third student snorted. "His family's too poor to take him back, don't you know? I bet they're hoping he dies here and they don't have to care for a sickly invalid anymore."
Juushiro's eyes narrowed. "You don't know anything about my family," he bit out coldly.
"Wanna bet?" Gorou murmured silkily. "I know more than you think. My family knows everything."
Juushiro tensed at that, and Shunsui could sense anger surging through his spirit energy. What's going on? Gorou Shiba was a bit of a hothead, but Juushiro got along with everyone. Why are they suddenly picking on him like this? Shunsui studied the scene in puzzlement, bewildered by the tense undercurrents.
He grew even more confused when the first student gestured to the girl held by Gorou and sneered, "What, is she some bastard by-blow of your family's? Is that why you care so much?" He snorted. "Or do you want to fuck her?"
The girl buried her face in her hands, cheeks crimson with embarrassment at the crudity. Shunsui frowned as he caught a whiff of nervousness emanating from her reiatsu, but he was distracted by Gorou's snort of laughter. "Really?" He negligently shoved Juushiro's shoulder, snickering. "He's not man enough to kiss a girl, much less fuck one." Juushiro gritted his teeth, hissing as his shoulder blades collided with the wall.
Gorou's other friend chuckled. "Yeah, but she's too hot to be a part of his family."
The first student eyed Juushiro speculatively. "Hmm, I don't know. Put him in a woman's kimono and he'd make a pretty cute girl." Shunsui rolled his eyes at the childish insult. He didn't understand why Juushiro didn't summon a kido spell and wipe the smirks off of their faces; his roommate was far better at kido than any of the trio. Maybe it's because of that girl? Shunsui grinned to himself as he studied her, admiring her long black hair and lithe figure. It's a pity Shiba already made a move on her, she's hot.
Then Gorou pulled the girl a bit closer, and Juushiro's reiatsu spiked with protectiveness. Shunsui frowned. Okay, seriously, what's going on? The girl hunched her shoulders, tensing against Gorou's hold, as the muscular sixth year smirked. "Yeah, he would. But he's nowhere near as lovely as Chiasa, here." His hand slipped down to her waist, eliciting snickers from his friends.
Juushiro clenched his teeth. Shunsui could feel his reiatsu edge higher as he answered icily, "Leave her alone."
Shunsui glanced between his roommate and the girl, feeling as though he'd stumbled into far deeper waters than he realized. Does he know her? The flamboyant student shook his head. No, I don't think so. Juushiro wasn't the type to pick up servant girls for a bit of fun. So why is he so upset? His roommate's normally-placid reiatsu boiled with anger, flavored with worry.
"I'm getting tired of this farce," Gorou drawled lazily. He relinquished his grip on the girl, who was apparently named Chiasa, and faced Juushiro squarely. "I don't think I quite heard what you said. Care to repeat it?" he challenged.
"I said, leave her alone," Juushiro repeated coolly, reiatsu swirling in a controlled storm around him. He made an aborted movement towards Chiasa, but halted when Gorou's friends shifted their weight. Shunsui groaned internally. Ukitake, are you really this stupid? Don't pick a fight with Shiba, that's just asking for trouble. Why do you care so much?
"Damn it, you obviously need that lesson in respect," Gorou spat. He reached out to grab Juushiro's gi in his fist, attempting to yank him off balance. Chiasa let out a terrified whimper as the slender student stumbled forward, and Shunsui's eyes narrowed. Something isn't right here. Gorou hauled Juushiro closer and lifted a fist, smirking. "Maybe now you'll remember your place," he sneered, before swinging with all his strength at Juushiro's head.
"Bakudo 8: Seki," Juushiro spat hastily. The circular shield bloomed over his forearm as he blocked. Gorou swore as the kido sent sparks through his hand, numbing the muscles. Rather than reach out again, he swung his other hand in a powerful uppercut. Juushiro swept his arm into a downwards block, but the other student's years of experience made it an uneven contest. Juushiro fended off several more blows, but he was trapped between the wall and Gorou's friends. As he dodged a vicious hook punch, one of them shoved him, and Gorou caught him in the chest with a nasty roundhouse kick. Juushiro doubled over, gasping fruitlessly for air. He coughed once, harshly, and specks of blood flecked his lips.
Gorou laughed humorlessly. "Remember this, next time you think you're worthy of attending this Academy." He stepped carelessly around Juushiro's prone body and wrapped his arm around Chiasa's waist again. "Now that this cretin is dealt with, let's go," he purred, running the fingers of his free hand through her hair. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before giving Gorou a forced smile; he grinned back.
Shunsui gulped. Yeah, okay, this is definitely messed up. Juushiro coughed again, and didn't stop. More blood spilled into his fingers as the trio of sixth years began to stroll away, ignoring him completely. The girl walked beside Gorou with an expression of weary resignation, which flickered into a joyless smile whenever he looked at her. The other two students chuckled as they followed the pair, whispering to each other.
Taking a deep breath, Shunsui strode out into the courtyard. "Now what do you think you're doing?" he asked pleasantly.
Gorou rolled his eyes. "Kyoraku, what are you doing here? This doesn't have anything to do with you."
"Really?" Shunsui asked. "Because that girl doesn't look like she wants to go anywhere with you, and that's my roommate." Who is currently coughing up blood because of you. Shunsui might not get along very well with Juushiro, but he hated to see the pale student in so much pain. Plus, I'm starting to think that some of the rumors are right about you. He knew that Gorou had a reputation for taking unwanted liberties when drunk, but he had always dismissed that as jealous gossip. Now I'm not so sure.
Gorou barked a laugh. "You're rooming with that? He's not even really noble!" He completely ignored the girl, still pressed against his side like an unruly pet. Her meager reiatsu vibrated with trepidation, which grated along Shunsui's spine like nails on a blackboard.
The flamboyant student took a step forward, putting himself between Juushiro and Gorou. "Let go of her," he ordered softly. "Now."
"Are you forgetting your position here?" Gorou asked warningly. "Your family may be powerful, but my clan outranks yours, and we're soon going to be even more powerful. My father has plans, you see... So don't start something you can't finish."
Shunsui's gray eyes hardened. Behind him, Juushiro coughed wetly. "I'm not forgetting anything. But apparently you're forgetting the manners that your parents taught you." He shifted into a fighting stance. "Let go of her and back off." His reiatsu rose around him, fanned by anger boiling in his gut.
Good, a voice murmured in his head. Scum like this doesn't deserve to live.
Shunsui tensed, but the voice didn't say anything else. He clenched his hands into fists, wrapping power around them into a protective coating. Gorou's reiatsu flared in instinctive response. For a moment, Shunsui hoped that the older student would forget himself enough to attack – I bet I could take him, so long as the others didn't interfere. Then Gorou looked around furtively. "Fine," he spat, shoving the girl at Shunsui. She stumbled, and he caught her hastily. "We won't forget this." He glanced at his friends, and snarled, "Come on, let's go."
The trio hurried away, damping their spiritual pressure to avoid detection from the teachers. As soon as they were out of sight, Shunsui dropped to his knees at Juushiro's side. "Ukitake?" he asked worriedly. "Are you… what's going on?" That hit hadn't looked hard enough to make his roommate cough blood, but crimson stained Juushiro's fingers and puddled on the ground beneath him.
Juushiro wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing blood across it. "I'll be fine," he said weakly. He pulled himself into a sitting position, skin paler than usual.
Shunsui shook his head, pulling a handkerchief out of his sleeve and carefully cleaning up the traces of blood on his roommate's face. Juushiro froze at the contact, looking at him with wide emerald eyes. Shunsui dabbed a fleck of blood away from the corner of his mouth and raised an eyebrow. "Coughing blood does not usually imply you'll be fine," he pointed out. His roommate's skin was feverishly warm to the touch, and his eyes shone glassily.
Juushiro looked away. "It's not an unusual occurrence," he replied softly.
"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked, confused.
Juushiro looked back at him, startled. "You don't know?"
Shunsui shrugged. "I know that they were calling you sickly and an invalid." He had heard rumors to that effect for years, but the slender student had never seemed like an invalid to him. He's got more reiatsu than I do, I think. And Shunsui knew that he himself was far from weak.
Juushiro's mouth twisted. "Not quite right, but close enough." He heaved a sigh, studying something in the distance. "When I was little, I almost died. My parents took me to Mimihagi's shrine and prayed for my survival." He looked down. "I survived, but my lungs were severely damaged. Mimihagi burned the disease out of me, which left scars that break open under stress." He glanced up at Shunsui, who couldn't think of anything to say. "Don't worry, it's not contagious." He paused, then added softly, "If you want to ask Kichiro-sensei for a different roommate, I'll understand."
Shunsui swallowed hard at the bitterness and resignation in Juushiro's tone. Taking his roommate's hand in his, he began wiping away the scarlet smears. "Why would I want another roommate?" he asked lightly. "No one else is nearly as much fun to tease."
Juushiro broke out laughing in surprise, then coughed. "You mean no one else will put up with your teasing," he replied when he caught his breath.
Shunsui grinned flippantly. "Same thing."
The girl, who had been watching them warily from a safe distance, moved hesitantly closer. "Hey, um, thanks, milord," she mumbled to Juushiro, bowing low to the ground while keeping a cautious eye on Shunsui.
He nodded gravely to her. "You are welcome. Do you have family around here that I can escort you back to?" He rose carefully, brushing dirt off his legs. Blood spatters stained his white gi top, but he paid them no attention.
For a second, Shunsui thought the girl was going to bolt. She rocked nervously from foot to foot, hands clenched at her sides. Shunsui could see bruises forming in the shape of Gorou's fingers on her bicep – the sight made him growl internally. No man should treat a woman like that. She shrank back, and he realized that he was losing control of his reiatsu. Taking a deep breath, he reined it in and stood. The girl took several quick steps backwards. "Ah, I'll be okay, milord," she blurted out hastily.
"We're not going to hurt you," Shunsui promised gently. "I swear on my honor as a Kyoraku." The irony of swearing by the name of his family, who probably would have said that he had no honor to speak of, was not lost on him.
Rather than reassure her, the name made her flinch. Juushiro cast a reproachful glance at Shunsui. "I know nobles are scary," he told her, "But I've got a little sister about your age. I promise, no harm will come to you or your family if you let us escort you home."
"You're noble too," she mumbled, before flushing violently. "I mean, yes, sir. Whatever you say, sir." She bowed again, and a faint blush stained Juushiro's cheeks. The corners of Shunsui's mouth twitched as his roommate's embarrassment, but he saved the teasing for later. Chiasa was obviously wary of them – him in particular – and he didn't want to scare her. I prefer gorgeous ladies to be falling all over me, not running away in terror.
Juushiro smiled gently in response to Chiasa's unasked question. "Like I said, I've got a little sister. Two, actually. I wouldn't let them wander around alone after being attacked, and I'd like to help you too if you'll let me."
The girl scuffed at the ground with her foot, looking suspiciously between the two men. Finally she heaved a sigh. "Alright. My ma is a cook in the Shiba family home; we live in Meguro district." She shuffled her feet and sighed, glancing downwards. "She's gonna be mad that I'm getting home late," she muttered. One hand absently rubbed at the bruises on her arm, and she winced.
Juushiro held out a hand, careful to give her plenty of space. "If you want, I can heal those bruises for you," he offered. When Shunsui eyed him curiously, he explained, "I know that we're not supposed to use unfamiliar kido without supervision, but Shiba-sensei said that I can practice minor healing kidos on my own." He glanced back at Chiasa, still patiently holding his hand out. When she nodded tentatively, he motioned for her to give him her arm. A soft green glow enveloped the bruises, which faded from blue to green within seconds.
Shunsui watched, feeling slightly embarrassed. He could barely summon the healing weave correctly; if he tried to use it on another person, he'd be more likely to injure them than heal them. Maybe I really should pay more attention, at least to the useful classes. It would be more work, but it could clearly come in handy.
Once Juushiro had finished, he offered the girl a hand. "May I escort you back now?" he asked politely, as if he was asking the daughter of a noble for a stroll in the moonlight. He cast an uncertain glance at Shunsui, who shrugged and nodded. He didn't want to leave Juushiro and the girl alone, in case Gorou and his friends returned.
The girl hunched her shoulders, eyes darting around, then sighed. "Of course, milord," she muttered, giving them yet another bow.
Juushiro smiled at her. "Lovely. I'm Juushiro Ukitake, and this is Shunsui Kyoraku," he introduced. Despite the flustered blush that remained on his cheeks, he managed to keep his voice perfectly steady.
"Chiasa Kagome," she replied shyly.
Shunsui grinned. "That's a gorgeous name, fit for such a beautiful girl," he told her flirtatiously. When she blushed and looked warily at Juushiro for reassurance, he winced. Okay, maybe flirting with her is a bad idea. Thankfully, when Juushiro nodded encouragingly at her, she smiled shyly back at Shunsui. I guess she's not too terrified, if she can respond to flirting without flinching. Shunsui shook his head. Still, no more compliments, I guess. He glanced over at Juushiro, and smirked at the way his roommate eyed her protectively. She, in turn, had immediately assumed that she could trust him, despite his noble blood. Shunsui hid his amusement at the interaction; the slender student had that effect on everyone.
The walk back to Chiasa's home took them through richest neighborhoods, which made Chiasa glance around with wary eyes. But as they left those expensive enclaves, the tension left her shoulders, and she started pointing out features of the neighborhood to Juushiro. Shunsui grinned as her shyness dissolved into exuberance, bringing a sparkle to her eyes.
Children playing in the streets paused their games as they went by, watching them with wide eyes. "Do they not see many Academy students around here?" Shunsui asked curiously.
Chiasa snorted, then cast a quick glance at him to make sure he wasn't angry. He grinned back at her, and she said, "Shinigami and students don't come down here, sir. We're not important enough for the likes of you." Shunsui looked around at the claustrophobic buildings crammed together, paint peeling and wood cracking. Washing hung from lines strung from balcony to balcony. Every inch of spare space was put to use.
"No, I guess not," he said slowly. The neighborhood was a far cry from the stately estate where he'd grown up, or the expensive mansions maintained by each noble family in the heart of the Seireitei. Dirt and disorder didn't dare touch those rarified halls. But the people who kept them so clean lived here, with barely enough space to turn around. It was a sobering reminder. The money that meant so little to him could easily be more than a week's wages for the people around him. Is that why Chiasa looks like she never gets enough to eat? he wondered. She didn't have enough spiritual pressure to need much food, but she needed some. Does her family lack the money to afford it?
Chiasa paused at the stoop of a rickety building. A toddler ran out, pink cheeks flushed, and launched himself at her. She caught him and grinned. "Roku, what do you think you're doing?" she teased. Looking back at Juushiro, she smiled shyly. "Thank you, milord. Ma will be glad I'm home safe." Glancing over at Shunsui, she added, "Thank you too, Kyoraku-sama." With that, she disappeared into the house, carrying the toddler in the crook of her arm, while Shunsui gaped at her.
Juushiro snickered as he opened and closed his mouth several times. Finally he managed to blurt out, "Sama? Really?"
His roommate lifted an eyebrow. "Did you expect anything different? You're a high noble. You could have her killed, and no one would even question it. Of course she'll be respectful."
"But that's a title for my father, not me," Shunsui complained. Not even the servants at home called him that.
Juushiro looked at him soberly. "Not around here."
Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Let's get going." Belatedly, he realized that Mariko must have gotten off work a bell ago. "Damn it," he groaned under his breath. So much for taking her to see the newest play. He couldn't bring himself to care too much, though. If anything had happened to Juushiro or Chiasa because he chose not to accompany them, he would have been furious with himself. Though I doubt Shiba, whatever his name is, would really start more trouble over this.
As they walked briskly down the streets, Juushiro turned to Shunsui. "Thank you for your help," he said formally.
Shunsui waved a hand. "It was nothing. I couldn't let that idiot Shiba do whatever he was planning." He wrinkled his nose. "Why was he so mad at you, anyway?"
Juushiro stopped and stared at him in shock. "Why do you think?"
Shunsui shrugged. "Well, you obviously interrupted his attempt to pick her up, but I don't know why." He glanced sidelong at his roommate. "I'm guessing you had a good reason…" He trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the world. "But I don't know what it is." If it had been any other student, Shunsui would have guessed that they had an interest in the girl as well. But somehow he couldn't picture Juushiro picking a fight over a girl. Hell, I don't even know if he likes girls. Now that was an intriguing thought.
He started walking again, and Juushiro followed, eyes narrowed. "Kyoraku, did you notice anything strange about that whole situation?" he asked flatly.
"Besides Shiba's intention to beat you up for interfering?" He shrugged again. "I mean, she didn't look very happy, but she was clearly with him willingly, so…" He trailed off as Juushiro stared at him incredulously. "What?"
Juushiro took a deep breath and pressed his lips together. "Kyoraku, either you're absurdly naïve or willfully blind," he said with deliberate control.
Shunsui puzzled over that statement for several blocks, confused by his roommate's sudden coldness. What does he mean, willfully blind? I don't… Shunsui halted. Wait. "Are you… do you mean…" He stumbled over his own words. "She wasn't protesting, though," he argued weakly.
Juushiro's reiatsu flared with frozen anger. "Kyoraku, she had no choice," he explained slowly. "Shiba is noble. Chiasa is not. Do I need to spell it out for you?" He stalked away, and Shunsui hurried after him, mouth working soundlessly. But no noble would take advantage of someone like that! It's against everything we're taught as children. He said as much out loud, and Juushiro barked a laugh. "I wish the world worked that way," he said harshly. "But it doesn't."
Shunsui gaped at him. "Rape is a serious crime!" he blurted out. "It's… it's… unthinkable!" No noble had that little honor, surely. Sure, Shiba can be a bit of an ass, but rape? He grimaced. If she doesn't say no, is it still rape?
Yes, a voice murmured from deep inside him. Shunsui started, nearly tripping over his own feet. Juushiro glanced back at him and sighed heavily. "In a court of law, Shiba's actions are perfectly reasonable," he murmured. "Unless she had a powerful father and could prove that she fought back, there's not a judge in the world that would convict the son of the Shiba clan." He closed his eyes briefly. "If the girl is poor, it's not rape, it's simply…" He lifted his hands. "The way the world works." A wealth of bitterness lurked underneath his façade of reasonableness.
"You sound like you have experience with this," Shunsui murmured tentatively.
Juushiro shrugged. "I…" He faltered and glanced around. "Maybe later." Picking up his pace, he strode around a corner and headed towards the dorms. "Right now, we've both got class to go to." His hands were clenched in fists at his sides, but his reiatsu was locked down tight. It felt like he was wrapped in a layer of steel; Shunsui couldn't sense anything from him.
"Aren't you going to tell anyone?" Shunsui asked curiously.
"Tell who?" Juushiro replied quietly. "The Shiba clan is one of the five great noble houses. They're above the law."
Shunsui lifted an eyebrow. "How about Yamamoto-sensei? He's made his opinion of student fights very clear." Even friendly brawls in the hallways were strictly forbidden. It's not like he didn't repeat that ad nauseam during the welcome address at the beginning of the year.
Juushiro sighed heavily. "It doesn't matter enough." He raised a hand to forestall Shunsui's protest. "It wasn't a real fight, just a minor altercation. If anything, we would both be punished for disorderly conduct." He rubbed at the blood spattering his white gi top with a pensive expression.
Shunsui winced. "Yeah, maybe," he muttered. "But what if…" He trailed off. I can't believe that Shiba actually intended to take advantage of Chiasa. No noble would do something like that. He shook his head irritably, and hurried to catch up to his roommate. "Ukitake, wait," he called. Juushiro glanced back with an unreadable expression. "Don't you want the instructors to know about Shiba's behavior?" Shunsui asked. He might get reprimanded for hitting you, at least.
Juushiro bit his lip and shrugged. "It wouldn't do any good." His eyes narrowed, and he looked like he was about to add something else, then thought better of it. Icy fury seeped through his shields, startling Shunsui, before he pulled his spirit energy back under control. "Come on, we'll be late for study hall."
Shunsui rolled his eyes as he followed the slender student back towards the classroom building. Ukitake, I can't understand you, he complained mentally. Why won't you report Shiba's attack? He made a face at Juushiro's rigid back, watching as his roommate stalked through the grounds. Stiff-necked, prideful idiot. Shunsui sighed. Just don't get hurt because of this, okay? I don't want to have to wash blood off of you again.