Sorry for the cliff-hanger ^^ I hope you enjoy the chapter and give me some feedback kk? (Because every review makes my day :)
"Makuro!"
She stumbled to his side, but stopped, unsure what to do. Choking back a sob she knelt by his side and checked his pulse. Breathing a sigh of relief at a heartbeat, Sen turned his head to face her. Slowly his eyes opened.
"Sen," he croaked and erupted in a coughing fit, coughing blood onto the already blood-soaked wood. Sen jumped back as he got to his feet, clutching the rail for support, "Sen," he croaked, "don't worry about me-"
"Are you insane," Sen gasped, "look at you!" She made his sit down, leaning against the railing, and tore open his shirt, using a rag to stem the bleeding. He had been slashed across the chest and Sen could feel his warm blood against her fingers.
"You think this is bad," Makuro rasped, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the ground, "you should've seen Haku-"
"What?" Sen whispered, "where is he now?"
"He'll be here any minute," Makuro shrugged, looking around and groaning softly, collapsing back into Sen's arms. His eyes turned to her, cold as ice. A crowd was now forming around them and Sen craned her neck to find Neo and Lin making their way through the masses - a mix of workers and clients. Lin saw Sen and her mouth opened, only to shut again. Her eyes were strange in a way, but Sen didn't know how.
"Sen?" Makuro murmured and Sen tore her eyes away from Lin to give her attention. Makuro was also looking at her strangely, "I'm really sorry about this."
"About what-"
Makuro leant forward and kissed her, running his bloodied fingers through her hair. Her mind screamed and she tried to pull away but he just held her closer. After a while he pulled away, sighed, got to his feet, and clutching to the handrail made his way back into the bathhouse. Sen was frozen where she knelt. What had just happened? This wasn't right...
Lin.
Sen looked up only to catch the full force of Lin's hand as she slapped her. Sen's head snapped backwards and hit the railings. As she brought her head back she could feel blood in her mouth and a pounding sensation in her forehead. Lin was standing over her, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"How could you?" she whispered as Neo put a comforting arm around her shoulders, at the same time sending a glare in Sen's direction.
"Lin I-"
"Forget it!" Lin shouted but her voice cracked and she turned and ran, followed by Neo. The crowd sensed the mood and also departed, leaving Sen alone - only she wasn't alone.
Haku didn't say anything, just knelt down, licked his finger and wiped away the blood from her forehead. Sen didn't slap his hand away, nor did she acknowledge that he was there. When he was done his lifted her chin so that he could inspect her face.
"Where will you go now?" he asked, his voice soft but not kind. Sen just looked at him, not saying anything. The looked at each other for a few moments before the silence was broken by someone calling for Haku. Without a word he got up and left. Sen watched him leave, and only when she was sure that he was gone, did she start to cry.
But she wasn't alone.
As Sen cried in the light of the dimming lanterns, someone was watching her. He chuckled softly and slipped on his mask before disappearing back into the shadows.
