Chapter edited April 25th 2016.

Bel stared out of the window of his car as he waited at a red light, watching with a glum expression as people walked past on the sidewalks with smiles and laughter following after them. He felt more depressed than he had in a long time, and seeing how other people could be so happy while he had struggled his whole life just to smile was too much. He turned away and looked back at the traffic crossing through the intersection in front of him.

Why can't things be that way for me…? Bel sighed. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel in anxiousness. I… I fucked up so badly…

Two days had passed since Rasiel's attack on Fran and, after Mukuro had rushed him to the hospital, the blue-haired man had told Bel to stay away, not wanting to see or even hear from him or his brother until he knew if Fran was going to be okay or not.

At least he woke up today… The blond brought the clutch up as he pressed down against the accelerator once the light changed so he could proceed on with his journey. That's better than how he was doing before…

Bel frowned at the thought. He reached into his pocket to pull his phone out, and though he knew it was dangerous to use it while driving, it had never stopped him before, and it wasn't going to now. He unlocked the phone and flicked through to the most recent messages – who was Bel trying to kid? There were so few people in his contact list, he could count them on one hand, and he didn't even have to scroll down to open Mukuro's thread.

The blond's eyes blurred with tears as he reread the words he had already read enough times to memorise. If Fran dies because of this, I never want to see you again, Belphegor. He is in emergency surgery in a critical state right now because of you. Do not dare show up here with your half-assed apologies or beg for us to take you back in because after this, I do not want to know you or your brother. Please do us a favour and leave us be. Fran could be traumatised because of this, and if he is, it's all on your shoulders.

Bel took his hand off the wheel to wipe at his tears before he clicked the next message, one that had been sent the day after Fran was taken to hospital. He didn't know why he couldn't stop reading these messages – it caused him nothing but pain and grief, but he just couldn't stop.

Fran is finally stable now. He is resting, but the doctors don't think he will wake up for a few more days. I know I was harsh in my last reply. I do not want you to leave us – you are still my best friend and I understand you could not have seen this coming, and that you were just trying to do what you thought was the right thing. I need to stay by Fran's side until he wakes up and I would appreciate it if you left us alone until I hear what Fran has to say once he wakes up.

Bel glanced up as he veered into the next lane without checking what was beside him, not even indicating; he wanted to get out of this slow traffic and get to Fran's side as soon as he could. He looked back down at the phone he was holding as he read the last message, one that had been sent only half an hour ago. He is awake, but he is not talking again. I am worried he has been broken. If you wish to see him, you may, but under no circumstances is Rasiel to even set foot near the hospital while Fran is here.

Bel breathed a sigh of relief as if he were just reading the message for the first time. He gasped as he looked up and found he was about to drive into the back of a stationary vehicle, and he swerved up the gutter to avoid it. He closed his eyes as he tried to keep his stress levels down; he had only gotten his car back from repairs that morning, and his adoptive parents would be mad at him again if he smashed the car they had bought for him in the first place once again.

~~Mukuro and Fran~~

Mukuro was worried for Fran, but he was almost too scared to talk about what had happened with his charge; he would never forgive himself if he kept bringing up memories he knew the boy didn't want. He held the younger's hand as the boy stared silently out of the hospital room window, twitching every now and then. He hadn't spoken a word to anyone since he had woken up, and he didn't seem to be acknowledging anything around him.

I have no idea what to do. Mukuro sighed as he squeezed the tiny hand in his. What am I supposed to do? I have never known anyone who has had something like this happen to them. Should I talk to him about it? Or should I avoid it in case it upsets him?

I wish I knew how to help, Fran. I really do.

Mukuro stared down at his lap, keeping silent as Fran twitched again. He didn't know whether or not it was from pain or something else – the amount of painkillers that were being pumped through his system should be blocking his nervous system from sending messages to his brain, but he could never be too sure; he had never been hurt so badly before.

Fran... I am so sorry I let you down... I am so sorry... I should have never let you go alone; I should have known something like this would happen.

The door to Fran's room opened slowly, drawing Mukuro's attention to it. He didn't speak as a head of blond hair poked in, looking around uncertainly.

"Mukuro...?" Bel whispered. His body trembled as he stepped further into the room. He was silent for a few seconds before he approached the bed, fumbling with his hands uncertainly. "...Is it... okay for... for me to be here...?"

Mukuro nodded. "He probably will not acknowledge you, though..."

Bel moved to the other side of the bed and knelt down in hopes it would make him less intimidating to his loved one. He took note of the younger's appearance and swallowed nervously as he saw the white bandage wrapped tightly around Fran's head, only a few tuffs of hair hanging down in his eyes. Beneath the white hospital shirt, he saw bandages wrapped around the younger's neck, disappearing beneath the material. His hands were bandaged as well and, with the thin blanket covering his lower body, he could only imagine what was down there. The bruises around Fran's face and the cut with grotesque stitches sticking out in Bel's vision screamed at him that it was his fault. The emerald eyes he loved so much were blank, so not Fran, and the assortment of drips that were attached to Fran's arm only the made the sight so much more apparent of how serious the boy's condition was – it was no surprise the nurses hadn't much hope for his survival during the emergency surgery.

Bel reached out in an attempt to brush teal locks behind the boy's ear, but he quickly pulled his hand back to his body when Fran flinched and pulled away. It was agonising to know the younger was afraid of him, and all he could do was whisper. "F-froggy...? Froggy, are you okay?"

Fran's unfocused eyes slowly moved to fix on Bel, almost as if they were trying to comprehend what had been said to him, and when he spoke, it was in a shaking yet still so emotionless tone. "I had a knife shoved up my ass. How do you think I feel?"

The blond dropped his head as Fran turned to look back out of the window and ignore everyone around him. He continued to twitch every now and then but his face remained blank, giving no insight to what he was thinking, or even feeling, if anything at all.

This is all my fault...Bel continued to blame himself, too scared to try and talk to Fran again; the way the boy seemed like nothing but a zombie was too much for him to bear. I can't... I don't know... what to do...

Mukuro, who was still holding Fran's hand, just stared down at his lap; the reality was almost too much for him - his sweet, beloved Fran... He wondered when Chrome would be able to get around to seeing them, knowing the girl was too busy with work to be able to take time off. He hoped she would be able to get a better reaction out of Fran than the other two had; Chrome and Fran were very close, the shy female having been the one who helped him come out of his shell when he had only just been taken in.

She is very upset... Mukuro frowned as he remembered talking to his sister on the phone two days ago, explaining everything that had happened; Chrome had been in near tears but her demanding job couldn't afford to let her take time off. I hope she can make it soon.

When the door opened again for the second time that day, Mukuro turned hopeful eyes to it, almost believing Chrome had finally arrived, only to frown as Fran's nurse stepped into the room.

"I need to give him a bath before I can clean the wounds again," the woman said gently, knowing Mukuro would understand. "Would you like to leave the room?"

Mukuro nodded. He reached out to grab Bel's hand and he couldn't stand the way Fran screamed and thrashed when his clothing was removed and hands ventured down to where he had been abused – the only emotion, the only sign that Fran was still a living, breathing person. He had honestly been surprised when Fran had spoken to Bel, and he couldn't work out why he had chosen to ignore him altogether yet still acknowledge the blond who had caused this.

"I want to stay…" Bel murmured as he tried to tug his arm out of Mukuro's grip.

"No, you do not," the younger male said softly. "It is… unsightly."

Bel didn't have it in him to argue, so he ducked his head and followed his friend into the corridor. They sat with their backs against the wall as Mukuro tried to distract himself from his charge's screams – whether they were in fear or pain, he didn't know – by examining his nails. Bel was covering his ears, with his knees drawn up to his chest as he leant over them, shaking worse than he had been upon first arriving. Upon sensing his friend's distress, Mukuro moved closer and wrapped his arm around the other's shoulders and pulled him close; they both needed someone to support them during this hard time, and they were all the other had right now.

~~Later that day~~

When Fran had fallen asleep once more, Mukuro and Bel left to get some lunch. It was silent between them as they walked down the corridor, both almost too scared to break the muteness; with such heavy burdens on their shoulders, their emotions were hard to control.

It was Bel who started talking once they had sat down to eat. His voice shook as he spoke, and tears ran down his cheeks as he said in a quiet voice, "Why did you protect Siel…? He did this to Fran, but you lied so he wouldn't be in trouble… Why?"

Mukuro was honest as he spoke from his heart, knowing already why he had done such a thing. "Because Rasiel is your brother and you just got him back. No matter what he did to Fran, it is not my position to take him away from you once again – not when I believe Fran will not want to know you anymore; I couldn't bear the thought of you being all alone. Besides; shouldn't it be up to Fran if he wants anyone to know or not?"

Bel nodded, not knowing how to reply. Everything Mukuro had said was true, but… could he ever forgive Rasiel for what he had done to Fran? When they had tried to talk about it, Rasiel had been insistent upon doing it only because the twins loved each other – that they were all the other needed, no one else.

Bel loved the idea of needing his brother – it was what he had spent so many years wishing he could have back – but did he really want to live in a world without Fran? He had suffered for so long with only Mukuro to talk to, then Fran came along and took away the loneliness. He could never replace Fran, not with anyone. Fran was his Froggy, his best friend, his lover, the one he loved most and would do anything for. Sure, their relationship was illegal as Fran was still only seventeen and he twenty-six, and maybe he wasn't the best boyfriend at times, but he did try and he really believed that the only thing that mattered was that they loved each other.

The younger twin had spent years helping Mukuro and Chrome raise the boy, he had come to know Fran on a personal level they hadn't, he knew the younger's body better than anyone else, and he would do anything Fran asked of him – because that's what it meant to love his Froggy.

But Rasiel. Rasiel had been gone for so many years, had left his heart broken and shattered, almost irreparable. It had taken time but he had gotten through the grief alright, and while Rasiel hadn't been there for him as he grew up, Mukuro and Fran had.

Could he really just abandon the ones who had kept him alive for the brother he had been fine without?

"What are you going to do about Rasiel?" Mukuro asked, aware that the topic was a hard one for Bel; he couldn't imagine what the older male must be experiencing because of this.

"…He's my twin and I love him…" Bel started in uncertainty. "…B-but… he hurt Froggy…" the young man leant over and rested his head on Mukuro's frail shoulder, sighing. "…The prince… doesn't know what to do with his brother…"

"Whatever you decide to do, I will not allow him to ever go near Fran again," the blue-haired man advised.

Bel nodded. He sniffed as he lifted a hand to wipe at his wet eyes. "The prince understands…"

Neither of them spoke again of the subject, it being too much for them to handle at the moment.