The door finally opened and Rei stopped his pacing, only for his heart to sink into his stomach as Greg stepped inside and shut the door behind him, that sadistic smirk back on his face…
Rei's legs moved on their own accord as he backed away from Greg as he stalked over to him, only for his back to hit the dresser that sat against the wall across from the door. His eyes scanned the room for an escape, or anything that he could use to defend himself. There were nothing but books on the dresser, and the bedside tables only held a single candle in a brass holder that was too small to do any real damage.
"You can scream if you want." Greg said in a taunting voice, revealing a long black leather rope that Rei knew he used when training his dogs. "But it won't take away the pain."
Rei swallowed hard, his legs locking up on him as Greg reached to grab hold of him by the neck. Somehow Rei had been able to dodge his hand, using all his strength to push the man away from him as he let out a scream. Greg stumbled, his feet getting caught in the pile of clothes left by the beds that sat on opposite ends of each other beside the dresser.
Rei didn't look back as he frantically fumbled with the lock on the door, in his panic he couldn't think straight and the time he had to get away was now lost as Greg grabbed him by the back of his messy braid, throwing him down onto his back where he cried out as he connected with the floor, his stitches ripping and already he could feel his blood running down his back.
"Next time… You should be faster." Greg said as he stood over Rei's body, his leather rope clenched in both his fists.
Somewhere deep within him, Rei found the courage to look back at Greg. He was tired of running from him, running from all of them, and his eyes narrowed.
"Oh? What's this now?" Greg laughed, being amused by the look the Chinese teen was giving him. "You think you scare me, do you?"
"And you think you scare me?" Rei bit back, his heart racing with adrenaline more than fear now. If the fat man wanted a fight then that was exactly what Rei would give him; Kai wasn't coming to save him again.
Greg frowned hard, not liking the way he had been spoken to and the fact that Rei no longer had any fear in his eyes. In a flash he brought his leather rope down, it cracking against Rei's stomach that echoed around the room. Rei bit hard into his lip to keep from screaming at the pain that was coursing through his body, his arms shook from the influx of being in pain back to back like this, but as long as he could stay awake through it, he knew he would be fine; he'd be able to fight back and hopefully stay alive.
"You got it easy, you filth!" Greg yelled as he reeled back again, bringing his rope down.
This time Rei blocked his face and stomach with his arm, the rope snapping against his skin and splitting it wide open, his blood already pooling and spilling down onto his clothes. Once again he didn't cry or even flinch from the pain, although it was the worst feeling he ever had to endure.
"If it wasn't for that spoiled bastard of a brat, you would have gotten it worse!" Greg shouted, spit flying from his mouth as his round face turned red with his anger.
The rope was lifted once more in order to strike again, this time though Rei had been quick to jump to his feet. His nails dug into Greg's wrists as he held back both of the man's arms, their eyes boring into the others and Greg was taken back with how menacing Rei's eyes looked.
"You will watch what you say about Kai." Rei hissed, putting all his weight into holding back Greg's arms as he could feel him trying to push back with all he could.
His hand slipped against him and Greg pulled his free arm back, sending his fist into the side of Rei's face where his head snapped to the left from the impact. Blood pooled in his mouth and he wiped at his jaw, turning back to Greg with a deadly glare before sending his own fist right back at him. Greg faltered backwards from the hit, his two front teeth chipped and his nose broke as blood rushed out of it.
"You will pay for that you chink." Greg said, his nose making a wheezing noise as he tried to breathe through it and flung his entire body at Rei.
Like before, not even sure how he had done it the first time much less a second time, Rei dodge the oncoming assault and went for the door. Just as he got it unlocked Greg's fist grabbed hold of his messy braid once more, pulling him hard where it knocked both of them to the ground. His other arm went to go around Rei's neck as he was now sitting between Greg's legs, instinct told him to keep Greg's arm away from his neck and he used both arms to keep it at bay; if only barely as the fight in him was slowly dying away within him.
Greg released his braid and reached behind him, finding his pocket knife that he had tucked in his belt loop. It looked more like a small dagger, it's blade thick and jagged. A cold sweat swept over Rei's body as he caught sight of the knife in his peripheral view, his struggling against Greg's arm became more frantic as he tried to just get away from him now.
His elbow knocked Greg in the chin, the shock causing him to lose his hold on Rei and his knife. Rei darted up for the door again, throwing it open only to have Greg lunge at his legs, knocking him down onto his stomach on the cold hardwood floor. Rei kicked at Greg only to miss every time as he tried to push himself back up as Greg began to pull him back into the room, his fist clenching around Rei's braid again.
Rei spotted the knife laying beside him and he clawed at it before Greg could reach it, as he kept his legs flailing around to keep him from getting the knife again. Greg jerked back on Rei's braid and his fingers knocked the knife away instead of closer, having to force his head back down Rei reached out again and grabbed the knife. In one swift move he sent the blade through the back of his hair, cutting through the mess at the base of his neck causing Greg to loose his hold from the tether that had been holding them together and with one swift kick back to his gut, Rei was able to jump to his feet and dash out of the room at last.
In his haste he jumped two stairs at a time, using the banister to swing himself towards the second flight of stairs the moment he made it to the second floor. He didn't stop running till he made it to the first floor, panting as he stood in the parlor before Natasha, Micah, and Kai who was laid up on a long red lounge chair by the second window to his right.
"Rei… What on earth happened?!" Natasha gaped at him, watching him come in further towards them, dripping blood along the carpet until he stopped beside the lounge chair.
Ignoring the others questioning stares, Rei sat down beside the lounge chair, wincing slightly at the pain in his back and stomach. "What did the doctor say?" He asked, meeting Kai's widened and concerned eyes.
"The cartilage in his knee is damaged… There is no way to heal it properly, he may not be able to walk again…" Natasha answered solemnly.
Rei nodded, turning to Kai as Natasha pulled Micah by the sleeve, leaving the two alone in the parlor. The two met Greg at the foot of the stairs in the foyer, Micah taking him by the collar of his shirt to the back of the manor in a slight scuffle.
"What'd he do?" Kai asked as his eyes scanned over Rei, not missing a thing on him.
His jaw was bruised with blood stained and smeared along his chin, his arm was still bleeding and his hair had been cut drastically where it now barely reached the nape of his neck.
"I'm fine." Rei said shaking his head, though it caused a pain to sear down the back of his neck and the side of his face.
"Rei." Kai said in a warning tone.
"Kai." Rei parroted, giving Kai a look that told him to drop the subject.
Kai rolled his eyes, shifting where he lay best he could and hissed in pain as he strained his leg. "I'll fucking kill him." He said through grit teeth.
"Don't, you're in no shape to do anything." Rei said, only to get a glare in return. "You shouldn't have done that."
"I know." Kai sighed out again. "But I couldn't let him keep hurting you…" He breathed, and Rei faintly smiled at him.
"And look where that's gotten the both of us." He chuckled slightly, trying to lighten the mood between them. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me, I never wanted that to happen…"
"I'll live." Kai waved his words away. "You should have Ursula take care of your arm though, you might bleed out."
Rei looked down at his arm and sighed, "It's not that bad, just looks like it is because of all the blood… But I do need her to look at my back again…" He said sheepishly.
"Why?" Kai arched a brow and Rei bit into his lip, already cursing himself for having said too much. "Why?" Kai pressed again, stressing the word out.
"When he first came at me, I fell back onto it… I think the stitches came out…" Rei answered as he hung his head.
"Why didn't you call for help?" Kai asked as his anger started to rise.
"Like any of you would have heard me." Rei said as he shook his head. "I'm fine though, just a bit scratched up and bruised, but I'll live." He said, throwing Kai's words back at him.
"Your hair…" Kai said in a breath.
Rei shrugged at him, "It's just hair… It'll grow back… He didn't cut it though… I had to in order to get away from him, I might not let it grow out again after all."
"I'm sorry… I wasn't there for you again when you needed me."
Rei's eyes widened and he shot up on his knees, biting back the pain as he tried to tower over Kai laid out on the lounge chair.
"Don't, don't you dare say that!" He said as he shook his head harshly. "You were there when I needed you, if it wasn't for what you did…" He trailed, not wanting to think of what could have happened if Kai hadn't stepped in and had stopped Voltaire from beating him. "And now look at you, it's because of me you may never be able to walk again."
"Calm down, I'll be able to walk..."
"But the doctor?"
"The doctor's an idiot." Kai huffed as he rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine, if anything I should have stepped in sooner."
Rei's mouth quirked up into a small smile. "And now look at us, both a broken mess." He laughed slightly, and Kai smiled with him.
"Did you at least get a few good hits on the son of a bitch?"
Rei chuckled, his smile widening. "Hell yeah."
"Good." Kai gave him an approving smile.
"Do… Do you need anything?" Rei asked, looking him over once more.
Kai shook his head, "No, go get your back looked at."
Rei nodded and stood, though he wasn't sure if he should leave Kai's side just yet. He promised himself he wouldn't take too long though, and that he would be right beside him in no time. Kai waved him on when he saw his hesitation, and Rei nodded and went towards the stairwell at the back of the manor that would take him to the servants quarters.
If she could have, she would have scorned and yelled all sorts of profanities as she stitched Rei's back again. Rei could feel Ursula's frustration as she did it a lot less careful than the first time, apologizing to her for reopening his wounds. She simply shook her head at him, holding her hand out for his arm which he gladly gave to her once he sat himself up on the bed.
He met her eyes as she cleaned the blood from his arm, and he gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry…"
She met his eyes with hers and nodded, letting him know she accepted his apology. Rei smiled a bit brighter at her, and a laugh escaped his lips causing her to cock her head at him in question.
"I'm a fucking mess…" He laughed and she narrowed her eyes at him, not quiet sure what he was getting at.
"… I love him…" He admitted and her jaw dropped as she backed away from him quickly, shaking her head at him frantically.
Now it was his turn to look at her questioningly, she pointed to the fireplace across the room, where above it hung a cross with a small carving of Jesus of Nazareth on it. Rei frowned, before he let out another laugh.
"Like this house actually cares what He thinks, and it sure as hell doesn't seem like He cares about what goes on in here either." Rei said with sarcasm in his voice.
Ursula covered her mouth in a silent gasp, shaking her head at him again as she went to the dresser beside her bed and pulled out a small black Bible, shoving it onto his lap where he promptly shoved it back off and it fell to the floor.
"I've read it, like I said. He sure as hell doesn't give a damn about me." He scorned, maybe he shouldn't have admitted his feelings to her at all. He hadn't really meant to, it had just come out as it crossed his mind.
"I'm not sorry for it either." He said, staring her down and thankful that she couldn't out him to anyone as he gathered his blood soaked shirt in his arms and took his leave quietly.
After a month of having been stuck in the parlor unable to move or do much aside from his daily lessons, Kai was more than grateful when Natasha presented him with a cane of his own. If he wasn't so thankful for it he would have scoffed at it, and in his hand he held it for the first time and forced himself to stand. He faltered when he put all his weight down, pain shooting through his entire left leg that he forced himself to bite through.
"Don't over do it, you don't want to cause more damage." Natasha warned, only for him to swipe at her to move out of his way.
Natasha did as she was told, stepping back from where she, Micah, and Rei had been crowding him around the lounge chair, all three of them stepping back in unison as he took his first step, a hiss escaping his lips as once again he put more weight on his left leg than he should have.
The three servants watched as they held their breaths as he hobbled himself around the parlor, they could see that he was trying hard to hide the pain he was in but they knew how stubborn he could be. They gasped when he about tripped over himself, having to grab the mantel to the fireplace on the other side of the room.
"I think that's enough for now." Rei stepped up, not wanting to see Kai hurt himself more.
"Shut up." Kai commanded as he fought to right himself up, his grip on the handle of his cane tightening as he shifted his weight where it didn't hurt as bad and he began to hobble around again.
This time he made it to the back entrance of the parlor, Rei rushing to his side incase he were to fall. Kai leaned into the doorway, breathing heavily as the pain was becoming overbearing.
"That's enough Kai." Rei commanded, putting his hand onto his shoulder.
"No… I can do this." Kai bit back, taking a sharp inhale.
"Where are you even trying to go?" Rei asked.
"The garden." Kai grunted as he leaned off the doorway, pushing past Rei and stepped into the hall.
Rei turned to Natasha and Micah as if he was silently asking them if it was alright, Natasha could only shake her head, she didn't see a reason to try and keep him there when he clearly wasn't going to listen.
Rei followed after Kai, getting the door to the back of the manor for him and kept his arm out incase Kai fell. Kai ignored him, pushing past him and coming to the stairs at the back of the porch. Rei looked to him and tried to hide the snide smirk, it was as if he had forgotten those existed.
"What now, Mr. Smarty-pants?" He asked.
Kai didn't answer him as he lowered his cane to the first step, following after it as he took his first step. Rei held his breath as he watched him, rushing to his side again.
It took them a while, but finally they had reached the garden. Kai sitting down on the marble bench the second he reached it, his breathing coming in uneven as he had sweat rolling down his neck and back.
"So… How do you plan on getting back inside?" Rei asked, his hands on his hips.
Kai's face paled as if the thought had never crossed his mind and Rei sighed, sitting down beside him and patting his back.
"You did good though. Scared me half to death, but I'm proud of you for trying… Just don't tell Natasha I said that." He joked with him, and Kai smirked.
"Thanks." He breathed out, the hand on the end of his cane trembling from the overexertion. "I won't…"
He looked around and smiled, even after having been bed ridden for a month he was glad to have seen Rei had been tending the garden, even if it was without him.
They sat out there until the sun began to set over the horizon, Rei standing back and letting Kai walk on his own, though he was there right beside him the entire time.
