Mist, Act 11
Kio trudged out of Soubi's apartment and back into his car only to realize he had been completely duped. He had left to see Soubi at around two in the morning. "Two! Two AM! He sends me out for dinner groceries at this hour! Could he be more eccentric? Souuu-chann!" Kio cried in agony at Soubi's stupidity, or maybe just his own gullibility. He reluctantly headed out in search of a 24-hour super market, because what else could he do at this point?
Kio arrived at the store and wandered the aisles while grumbling about Soubi, "He probably just wanted to get back to being a pervert. The poor kid! I thought Sou-chan was the slave-type but no! He's probably locking that little brat up, toying with his body as he pleases! Ohh! Sou-chan, you are horrible!" Kio wriggled around in dramatic discomfort at the thought, before choosing some 'dinner' ingredients. Huffing and puffing under his breath he soon stumbled across two unexpected little devils.
"Ehh! What are you two brats doing here?" Kio asked as he approached them.
"Hey Natsuo," Youji said nudging his partner in the side. "It's that old guy who's always harassing Soubi. Pfft."
Natsuo joined in laughing at Kio for no real reason.
Kio grew furious with a comical rage, "Heyy! You brats are gunna regret that! I'm no old man! Don't call me that!" The Zeros responded with more giggles.
"Hey! Old man Kio is grumpy!" Natsuo teased.
"Don't call me that! Refer to me as Master Kio!"
The Zeros ignored him continued to laugh at Kio's expense as he grew red with frustration and rage.
Finally the Zero grew bored of teasing Kio and he was able to ask, once again, what the Zeros were doing in a supermarket so late.
"Soubi sounded like he was gunna do something nasty to Loveless." Natsuo said like it was completely normal and as usual he carelessly threw around Ritsuka's true name.
"Uhh-huh" Youji agreed.
Kio's face paled completely and he was at a loss of words. He didn't even notice Natsuo saying 'Loveless', what he heard was that Soubi intended to take little Ri-chan's ears! He had to hurry back there right away!
"We're going back!" Kio pulled the Zeros with him to hurriedly finished buying ingredients.
"Hey why do we have to go! We were having fun! I'll bet there still at it, don't wanna walk in on that! Unless you want to join them all at once? We wanna play!" The Zeros protested, but Kio knew it was unsafe to leave the demon children wandering in the night- unsafe for others. Besides they belonged to Soubi, or something. Kio dragged them along to check out and enticed them with a hot-pot full of meat.
When the trio arrived back at Soubi's they found him happily washing Ritsuka's hair. Kio found one major issue with the scene thought, "Sou..Sou.. SOU-CHAN! Where is that boy's clothing? He is completely indecent! I want an explanation!"
Soubi was shocked at the sudden arrival and when Kio mentioned Ritsuka's lack of clothing Soubi came to a bad realization. He hadn't wanted Kio to see the cuts. It would be a difficult thing to cover up. Trying to think quickly Soubi came up with a hasty but effective solution.
"Youji, Natsuo." He called getting the boys attention. Kio looked at the boys with confusion while Soubi silently mouthed, "Attack Kio." Before he knew it Kio was pinned to the ground by two giggling boys. Soubi slipped out from behind Ritsuka, steadying him with his hand and grabbed a shirt for him. He had Ritsuka, who was slightly confused, stick his hands up so he could pull the shirt on. Then, while Kio was still being tackled he slipped back behind Ritsuka.
"Boys," He said mockingly stern. "Stop attacking Kio now." After a few minutes they let him free and Soubi gave them a smile of approval.
"Welcome home Kio." Soubi said with an innocent smile as he resumed washing Ritsuka's hair.
"Ehh! Th-that.. he had no shirt on a minuet ago! And he's still not wearing pants so you aren't off the hook!" Kio ranted.
Soubi ignored him and started massaging Ritsuka's scalp. "How was the supermarket, Kio? Did you get dinner ingredients?"
"Yeah! About that! You sent me to the supermarket in the middle of the freaking night!"
"Oh, I hadn't realized.. Well, didn't you visit me in the middle of the night?"
"That's beside the fact."
"Hm.. well I'm not tired at all." Soubi said remembering Ritsuka's kiss. Icy bliss still ran through his body. "Not tired at all."
Kio stomped around the apartment shoving the groceries in the fridge, grabbing a beer and then walking over to Soubi and Ritsuka.
"He-hey Soubi, could you finish that up soon?" Ritsuka asked, he was enjoying the soapy head massage but was starting to feel a little embarrassed, and also was pretty tired.
"Of course." Soubi said, he quickly began rinse the shampoo out of Ritsuka's hair and into the water basin.
Half way to approaching Ritsuka and Soubi, Kio stopped. He opening his beer with a satisfying pop, and stared at Soubi until he finished drying Ritsuka's hair and set the towel down. Kio set his drink down.
Everyone in the room tensed. Soubi brightly interrupted the tension, "Ah! Ritsuka I forgot your face!"
"Huh? Didn't you already.. oh you only ki…" Ritsuka stopped mid-sentence with a blush and pursed his lips in embarrassment. He allowed Soubi to wash off his face without another word.
Soubi put the cloth to the side when he finished. Kio took a sip of his beer and set it back down. Kio looked at Soubi, Soubi looked back at Kio with a smile, Ritsuka looked down at the bed. As Soubi had expected, Kio advanced toward them and launched himself at Ritsuka's ears. Ritsuka instinctively flinched backward, landing himself in Soubi's chest. And Soubi, in turn, wrapped his arms around him protectively, glaring at Kio as Kio suspiciously tugged at Ritsuka's ears.
Satisfied that the ears seemed real, Kio turned around and headed to the couch, "Hmpf! Fine. I'm sleeping at your place tonight, though, and you better get your rest cause you are gunna need a lot of energy to explain all this to me in the morning!" Kio grabbed a spare pillow and blanket and settled himself on the couch.
"Ritsuka would you like to sleep as well?" Ritsuka nodded. "Let me just change and then I'll join you."
As Soubi got up, Ritsuka noticed the lack of noisiness from the Zeros. After tackling Kio they collapsed on their bed in a tangle of blankets and fell asleep. Ritsuka smiled to himself, even they were capable of looking peaceful or at least while they slept.
Soubi climbed into the bed with Ritsuka and pulled the boy close to him underneath the blankets. Ritsuka didn't bother protesting, he was more comfortable pressed against Soubi then he could be anywhere else. Soon Ritsuka drifted to sleep and Soubi feel asleep not long after.
x
"Kio that's beside the point, I've told you how it is, I won't discuss this any further." Ritsuka heard Soubi's hushed voice whispering from over at the table. He sounded frustrated and a little upset.
"But Soubi you haven't explained at all, that just doesn't make any sense." Kio said. Ritsuka thought that he had probably never heard Kio talk with such a serious tone to his voice before, he could tell that when Kio was flouncing around and yelling at Soubi he usually had an undertone to his words, like he was actually concerned but the only way he could express it was by mock yelling.
"AND BESIDES!" Kio shouted, raising his voice from quiet to very loud. "That boy was underneath you naked! And you were doing who knows what unholy things to him!"
"Kio." Soubi hushed, "Don't yell, you'll wake Ritsuka. And that has nothing to do with it."
Kio grumbled and lowered back to a whisper.
Ritsuka was really curious as to what they were talking about, they hadn't even noticed that he was already awake.
"I don't want to talk about what happened Kio." Soubi said in a way that meant, conversation over. He got up from the table dismissively and poured himself another cup of coffee.
"Buttt Souu-chann!" Kio whined as he followed Soubi to the kitchen area.
"No Kio. I don't want to talk about it." Soubi gave him a glare that Kio clearly recognized. It was a piercing look that let Kio know whatever happened, was something painful for Soubi.
Ritsuka watched the conversation with confusion. He had no clue what they were talking about- though it seemed to have something to do with him. Also he was worried for Soubi, his voice was tense almost like it had been right after Ritsuka got injured. Also Ritsuka noticed something different about the way Soubi spoke when he was talking with Kio, actually he had begun to notice it for a while now. Soubi seemed more.. adult around Kio. He always seemed on the same level as Ritsuka when they were alone but when Kio comes and speaks to him, he acts different. 'He's also not as attached to me then.' Ritsuka noticed, 'Though, that's probably because Kio doesn't like that.'
Ritsuka's body dragged him back into sleep soon after hearing the hushed conversation. When he woke back up, Soubi was back in bed lying next to him. He was curled up against Soubi's side and gripping his shirt. Ritsuka was happy to feel the man against him once again.
"Mmn.. Soubi.."
Soubi looked down at him with a smile, "Good morning Ritsuka." Soubi greeted.
Ritsuka continued snuggling into Soubi's shirt, he was too tired to really care what anyone thought. He loved the smell against him, the heat, the feel of Soubi's whole body, the feel of Soubi's lips against his forehead as Soubi kissed him awake.
"Eh! Sou-chan stop being a pervert!" Kio protested from across the room. "I can't believe I let you share a bed with that innocent brat! Ri-channn!"
Ritsuka looked over to the table and saw Kio who was sketching and drinking coffee. He then looked at the bed across from him and saw that it was empty, the window outside indicated it was sometime in the morning maybe the afternoon.
"Where'd Youji and Natsuo go to?" Ritsuka asked after failing to locate his friends.
"They left earlier this morning." Soubi explained.
"And good riddance to them!" Kio added.
Soubi continued speaking, "Nagisa wanted them back urgently, but they ensured us they would come back when she was finished with them, also they said to tell you goodbye. And Natsuo said to pass on a goodbye kiss." Before Ritsuka could respond Soubi's lips were on his, 'passing on Natsuo's good bye kiss.' Ritsuka could barely taste the familiarity of Soubi before they broke away abruptly, Kio had come over and yanked Soubi off.
"Sou-chan! Stop it you pervert! Pervert!"
Soubi just smiled. "I am not a pervert, Kio. Ritsuka liked it, see." He said indicating the blushing Ritsuka.
Ritsuka quickly burrowed his blushing face in Soubi's shirt and Soubi chuckled lightly.
"Wait, Soubi, does that mean Natsuo kissed you first?" Ritsuka timidly murmured from inside his shirt.
"Oh? Are you jealous?" Soubi teased, "Natsuo only blew a kiss in my direction."
"Eh! Then did you really have to kiss me on the lips?" Ritsuka questioned, though he actually preferred a kiss on the lips.
"No but I wanted to."
"Pervert." Kio and Ritsuka said in unison.
Soubi ignored them and soon Kio left and went back to the table.
Ritsuka snuggled his body in closer to Soubi's, 'Cold, I'm cold. I'm really actually cold. I want to be closer to him but that aside, I'm cold. There's no way.. Soubi and Kio don't look cold at all.'
Soubi smiled down at Ritsuka, "Ritsuka is very snuggly this morning."
Ritsuka didn't move away and blush like normal, he just groaned out Soubi's name as if he was in an uncomfortable pain.
"Ritsuka?" Soubi asked as he turned Ritsuka's face to look at his own. "What is it? Are you okay?" Ritsuka didn't reply, just looked at Soubi sleepily. Soubi frowned and pressed his forehead against Ritsuka's.
"You're warm."
Ritsuka noticed how close their faces were, how clearly he could see into Soubi's worried eyes.
"Soubi stop touching that child!" Kio shouted, but was ignored.
"Ritsuka I think your fever is coming back." Soubi announced with his frown growing deeper. Ritsuka didn't react much, just groaned when Soubi moved his head away. Soubi smoothed some hair from Ritsuka's face and had him lay down. He asked Kio to get some aspirin and water, Kio scowled but was obviously concerned so he went and fetched it.
"Soubi I don't get it what's wrong with this kid? If he's sick shouldn't his mommy be taking care of him? Why is he here? Should we take him to a doctor of something?" Kio asked an abundance of questions in confusion that were left unanswered and handed over the pills.
Soubi just shook his head and lightly sighed.
Ritsuka noticed that Soubi looked very concerned again. He seemed so distressed lately.
"Soubi" Ritsuka said quietly, "I'm okay, don't worry."
Kio retreated to the kitchen table, seemingly choking back tears as if Ritsuka was on his deathbed.
Soubi nodded and pressed a kiss against Ritsuka's warm forehead. Ritsuka reached his arms up and clung onto Soubi in a hug. He shook the boy off after a few moments saying he needed to rest.
Ritsuka complied and despite having just woke up, drifted back to sleep.
Soubi took a seat at the table across from Kio.
"Soubi.. What's going on?" Kio asked forlornly.
"He's sick, Kio."
"That's not all, you know it. Tell me what's happening! What good is being friends if you're keeping everything about you a secret?"
"Kio.. it's a lot of things."
Soubi had decided a long time ago that he would do his best not to involve Kio with anything dangerous. He also wouldn't inform Kio that Seimei still lived, Kio would be furious, he might even go after Seimei, and that would only get him killed. Still, Kio had realized there was something strange going on with Soubi, things that didn't happen with normal people, especially after going to that school. He knew he shouldn't ask about it though.
"I think you should go home Kio, I'll just be taking care of Ritsuka. Besides didn't you skip class today?"
"Wah! I forgot! But didn't /you/ skip today as well? And the past two days!"
Soubi sighed, "Yes. Ritsuka is much more important."
"Soubi!"
Soubi and Kio continued to argue a bit and around two hours after falling asleep Ritsuka rose from his dreams, calling out for Soubi, "Soubi? Soubi!"
Soubi rushed over, "Hush, Ritsuka I'm right here."
"Ah.."
Soubi ran his fingers through Ritsuka's hair and squeezed his hand, "I'm right here.."
Ritsuka let his breath out roughly and squeezed Soubi's hand back. "Okay.." After Ritsuka had calmed down Soubi informed him Kio would be leaving as well. Ritsuka nodded and Kio came over to say goodbye.
Ritsuka asked with curiosity, "Why's Kio leaving?"
"Sou-chan kicked me out!" Kio whined dramatically.
Soubi ignored him and explained it himself, "Kio has to get back to his classes." Soubi knew there was no evading it- Ritsuka's next question.
"Then.. Soubi you've been missing classes too?" Ritsuka exclaimed. He didn't know how it had slipped his mind earlier. Of course, even if he was lucky enough- though not a great way to describe the situation- to have a school vacation Soubi's art school wouldn't be on a vacation at the same time.
Soubi nodded, "A few."
"Soubi!" Ritsuka realized that there was no way, even if he had remembered, that he could've convinced Soubi to attend school the past few days. Especially because he needed him for medical treatment. "You can go back tomorrow, right Soubi?" He asked hopefully.
"I'm not going." Soubi stated. Ritsuka was secretly relived, he didn't want Soubi to be away from him.
"What about your grades?"
Soubi wanted to respond that he didn't care, that it didn't involve Ritsuka so it was of little importance, but he knew Ritsuka would scold him for speaking like that and unnecessarily worry. "Kio will work it out for me." Kio scowled, but actually he didn't mind helping out his friend. Though, he would love to know for what reason he was helping him out. "I will just make up the assignments later, the school is pretty lax."
Ritsuka sighed and hoped it really would work out. He didn't want Soubi's education to suffer because of him.
Kio bent down with flourish and hugged Ritsuka around the neck, Soubi flinched as if wanting to forbid touching of Ritsuka but thought better of it. As Kio pulled away sending his goodbyes and promising to return as well as forbidding anything 'dirty' he suddenly cried out, "EH!"
Ritsuka and Soubi both looked at Kio with confusion "So-sou-channn! What is that!" He emphasized the last word with disgust as he pointed to Ritsuka's neck.
Ritsuka grew red in the face as he remembered what happened.
/-/ Soubi ... couldn't resist placing more kisses on his neck. /-/
"It is a bruise, Kio." Soubi replied, acting unfazed. Ritsuka hadn't actually noticed it appear himself, it's not as though he had been looking in any mirrors. But he did know exactly how the bruise got there.
/-/ ...he sucked on the last kiss. Caressing the soft skin in his mouth. /-/
"A hi-hi.. Soubi! I can't believe you! He's a mere child!"
Soubi ignored Kio, as per usual, "I'm sorry, does it hurt you Rituska?" He asked with a knowing smile.
/-/ ..."Wah!.. Soubi don't.."
...the moan and hesitation in his voice, the lean of his body into Soubi's all gave away Ritsuka's pleasure. /-/
Ritsuka stammered, "N-n-no I-it's okay.."
Soubi smiled back at him.
"Aug! Soubi! I have half a mind not to leave you alone!" Kio said testily.
"Oh Kio don't do that, you really must be going." Soubi spoke pleasantly but he was actually pushing Kio out the door.
"Souubi! I will be back." He yelled before the door shut.
"Any time Kio!" Soubi waved and slammed the door on him, leaving Kio outside to pout.
"Are you hungry Ritsuka? Kio and I made hot-pot while you were asleep, there are plenty of left overs, I can heat you up some. Or would you prefer something else?" Soubi asked kindly, having completely disregarded Kio from his mind.
"Uh no.. I'm fine for now. Thanks." Ritsuka was still recovering from his thoughts, the pleasure had come racing through his body when he remembered Soubi's touch. He was considering asking Soubi to come over and hold him, no matter how embarrassing that might be. But Soubi spoke first.
"Ritsuka I want to take your temperature, I think the fever has gone down a bit since you slept but I want to make sure." Soubi came over with a thermometer and slipped it under Ritsuka's tongue. He sat next to the bed, and Ritsuka, holding the thermometer in place for him. Ritsuka ran his finger over the outline of Soubi's hand. His finger glided over the bony flesh and memorized every bit of how Soubi felt.
Soubi smiled, with closed eyes, and was grateful for the touch, he also loved to feel Ritsuka. When they were apart pain bit through him, especially if they were out of sight. The small finger trailing over his flesh left behind a soft tickling feeling. And the feel of Ritsuka touching him lingered even after Ritsuka's hand moved away.
The thermometer beeped and Soubi checked it. "37.7... I think it may have been higher than that earlier but.. you still have a fever." Soubi looked at Ritsuka apologetically as if he had caused the fever.
"It's fine Soubi, I feel much better after sleeping. I'm only a little cold.. could I have another blanket?"
"Of course." Soubi got up and put another blanket over Ritsuka. "Tell me if you need more." He went to the kitchen area and wet a cloth to place on. Ritsuka's forehead.
x
"Ritsuka.." Soubi was reluctant to bring it up but he had to say something to Ritsuka while he still had the chance, "I want to talk with you about something. But if you are feeling unwell it can wait."
Ritsuka shook his head, Soubi was obviously trying to mask the worry in his voice and Ritsuka could tell.
Soubi sat down on the Zero's bed across from Ritsuka.
"At your house.. I met Nisei. Seimei is sending more teams after us."
The words echoed in Ritsuka's head.
Seimei.
Seimei.
He hurt us.
He sent Desolate.
He will send more.
Why Seimei?
Why do you want to hurt us?