Here I am staying up to late to finish another chapter.
Thank you for the reviews, they are the most amazing motivator to keep writing.
Haru walked down the halls of his school desperately searching for his orange haired cousin. He hadn't seen Kyo at school all day and the worry in his stomach was growing. "Screw this." He muttered under his breath and slipped out the door.
"Kazuma." He shouted, racing up the steps of the dojo. "I know where Kyo is." He stood in the doorway, panting slightly. "Yuki's going to show me in a few hours." He looked up with a grin and blinked, Kazuma was sitting against the wall of the dojo, pale. "What's wrong Sensei?"
"I know… where he is." Kazuma looked up at the boy as Haru drew closer. "I can't do anything."
Haru noted that Kazuma looked old. Of course, the man was older than most parents but with his athleticism and his energy one hardly noticed. Right now, however, the man looked old, beaten, helpless. Haru had never once thought of Kazuma like that.
"Where is that?" Haru slid down the wall next to his teacher.
"The demon of a man took him." Kazuma grimaced "He took my son, and I can't do a damn thing about it." Kazuma looked down at his hands. "What will Kyo think, when I don't show up to get him. I can only imagine…." Kazuma's voice broke, and he put a hand over his mouth.
"What can I do Sensei?" Haru asked, a small hand falling on the older man's shoulder.
"Do you… Do you think you could give him something from me? I don't expect you to save him Haru, kind as your heart is I don't know who can stand up to such evil power. Kyo can't come back here, not while Akito's threat remains, and I don't know what any boy or any man for that matter could do."
Haru nodded and Kazuma slipped a note from inside his shirt and placed it on the cow's small hands. "I will bring Kyo back." Haru assured Kazuma, though the man just gave a small smile.
"He's my son you know." Kazuma gave Haru a small side hug. "He's my son and no one can take that from me." Haru nodded and scampered out. It was getting close to the time he needed to meet Yuki.
"Haru." Yuki nodded as the cow drew up beside him. "You're late."
"Sorry, I was visiting with Kazuma." Haru drew up close to Yuki, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You doing okay?"
Yuki nodded, returning the gesture. "It's okay today." He smiled at Haru, "Thank you."
The two made their way in silence, Yuki leading Haru through the many turns of the Soma estates, a few people were roaming about the streets but none that Haru recognized on sight. The birds were chirping rather pleasantly, and a cool breeze swept through the trees estranging the boys.
"Here." Yuki stopped abruptly and Haru bumped into him. "This is the house."
It looked like all the other houses to Haru, but he was sure Yuki was correct. 'All this time, he was so close.' "Do you need to go?" Haru asked Yuki.
Yuki shook his head. "I have just a bit of time, not much."
"Good." Haru was relieved, not wanting to be alone. If Kazuma called this man a demon….
"Boys?" Both Yuki and Haru spun around to see Hatori pulling up in the silent as air black Sudan. He looked surprised, then his face went to its normal serious expression. "What are you doing here?"
"We were worried about Kyo." Haru's voice sounded small. "Is he okay?"
"Ah." Hatori got out of the car and walked towards the front door of the house. "I need you boys to get in the car and hide. It would be bad if you were seen."
Haru was about to nod when Yuki pulled him towards the car. "He's not joking Haru." Yuki whispered, pushing Haru inside. "He's not angry either, I think he's worried." Yuki and Haru both crouched in the car, peeping out the tinted window.
Hatori knocked on the door and it opened to a small orange haired boy. Haru and Yuki both gasped as they drew in the full extent of Kyo. The boy's skin was discolored in every spot he looked like watercolor painting. He had a large cut underneath his eye and stood slightly hunched over. Haru noticed what Yuki did not, which were the red bandages visible under Kyo's sleeves. "Kyo…." Yuki breathed.
Kyo let Hatori inside and after a few moments Haru jumped out of the car and scurried to the Livingroom window, peeping in. Yuki hesitantly followed.
Hatori sat and placed a small medical kit beside him. He started tending to Kyo's wounds without speaking. Kyo stayed still, staring at the ground. It wasn't until Hatori started unwinding the bandages on Kyo's arm that Yuki gasped and looked at Haru, who made a nod of acknowledgement.
"You're playing with death you know." Hatori's muffled voice came through the window pane. "You keep this up and you won't survive." Kyo simply shrugged and Hatori finished with the bandaging. "Your father?" Kyo pointed and Hatori headed into a study. Haru took this chance to sneak inside. Yuki however stayed behind.
"Kyo." Haru whispered, the cat continued staring at the ground, as if he heard nothing. "Kyo!" Haru whispered a little louder. He slipped inside the door and scurried over to the cat who stayed lifeless. Haru tapped his shoulder and Kyo jumped, staring at Haru, eyes wide.
"Kyo common." Haru motioned to the door, grabbing Kyo's hand. "This is our chance, let's go." Kyo just shook his head, looking back at the ground. Haru didn't understand. Why didn't the cat want to come? Did he want to stay?
"Kyo." It was Yuki's voice; the rat was peeping his head around the doorway. "Hurry I can't stay any longer." Kyo barely acknowledged that Yuki was there.
"Come on you stupid cat let's get out of here." Haru was feeling frustrated, he couldn't drag Kyo out and they didn't have much time.
"And go where?"
The boys froze as Kyo's father emerged from his study followed by Hatori.
"That thing has nowhere to go." The man was cool, collected, sharp. "Do you see any locks on these doors? I am no keeping him hostage, Kyo is choosing to stay with me." He smiled. "Where would he go?"
Haru and Yuki stayed frozen, something about this man was overwhelming. Like a cold had come into the room leaving it hard to breathe.
"Are you looking to save him?" The man scoffed "This thing already has far too much freedom as it is, I'm sure you boy's know the traditional fate of this monster."
Haru swallowed, noticing a small shift in Kyo's demeanor. "That' not true." Haru interrupted. "Kyo doesn't deserve to live like this."
Kyo's father raised an eyebrow. "This monster killed my wife, why don't you ask him? He knows it's true. He's a murderer."
Yuki stared at Kyo, as did Haru. The boy seemed to shrink under their gaze.
"Even if that's true." Haru stammered. "Kyo should still have freedom."
"Then ask him." The man gestured towards Kyo who was slowly curling in on himself. "Ask him if he wants to leave with you. If he says yes I won't stop him."
Haru turned towards Kyo, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Kyo?"
The cat gave a small shake of his head 'no.'
Haru's heart sank. He didn't understand. Obviously Kyo was suffering. Why didn't he want to escape?
"It's time to go boys." Hatori ran a hand through Haru's hair, heading towards the door. "I would appreciate it if you reclined from telling Akito of this mishap." He nodded towards Kyo's father. "I will make sure they are punished accordingly."
"I will agree, for now." The man waited until Haru and Yuki were out before slamming the door and closing the blinds.
"Hatori." Hatsuharu looked up at the older man. "I don't understand. Who was that man?"
Hatori let both the kids in the car and started to drive. "That man is Kyo's father. I don't know how to save Kyo, I don't know if anything can." For the first time, there was an expression on Hatori's face. "I don't know what I can do but keep stopping by, that man is the real monster." Hatori looked frustrated, and concerned. Haru knew how he felt.
"Is he trying to kill himself?" It was Yuki who spoke up, his voice quiet.
"I don't think so." Hatori let out a sigh. "I think…. It's the only thing he can do to survive right now. It's hard for me to understand." Hatori turned into the Soma estate and let Yuki and Haru out. "I'll try and find a way for you two to visit him without his father there. I don't know how but I'll let you both know." Hatori nodded as they both slipped out of the car.
Haru made his way home, worry creeping in his heart. He never expected Kyo to not want to escape.
:3 thanks so much for reading. You are all amazing and I treasure your reviews. I'm not really sure if this chapter was any good or not. I feel like i kinda word vomited a bit to much, but it's currently 2 am and I have work at 6 and I have a hard time caring enough to edit.