"Neh, Nii-san."

"Hm?"

"Do you think Roppi-san's okay?"

Delic was silent for a moment, looking down at his little brother who sat between his naked legs. The two sat in the bathtub, the water lukewarm and coming up to their abdomens.

Delic was aware that this wasn't a normal relationship for the two. They probably should have stopped bathing together years ago.

But neither of them necessarily minded.

As for Tsuki's question, he scowled in contemplation.

"Roppi's a survivor." Delic said. "I'm sure he'll be okay. Shizuo's going to go over to that address and hopefully, Roppi'll be there."

"But he's been there for two months. What if Takashiro...maimed him? Or has starved him so he can't move or something even worse! What if—"

Delic didn't know what to say. So, he just hugged the younger blond tightly, who fell silent to the contact. Tsuki's form trembled against Delic's, no doubt imagining the scenario's he was thinking about. And all Delic could do was hold him and let him know that he wasn't alone.

"Can I...sleep with you tonight?"

Delic stared down at him before chuckling and kissing the top of his head.

"Course you can, dummy."

Then a powerful yawn racked his being.

Tsuki definitely could see the deep bags under his eyes.

"Re-Ready to get out?" Tsuki stood, casting his eyes downward as guilt swirled in his chest.

"Mm. Any longer and I'll fall asleep."

Tsuki smiled at him as he stood and grabbed a towel while Delic emptied the tub. He grabbed a second towel for his older brother, who stepped out. He wrapped the towel around his hips, just below his multicolored dragon tattoo that coated his entire left side.

Tsuki wrapped his towel around his shoulders and followed Delic out of the restroom.

Then Tsuki's belly grumbled. The blond blushed, and put a hand over his stomach.

Delic looked back at him.

Then chuckled. "Fine, we'll make dinner first."

"Lets order take-out." Tsuki said. "Or go to Russian Sushi."

"I'm too tired to drive. And walking is a no go."

Tsuki didn't answer. 'I thought that'd be easier than making it...'

"But take-out's not bad."

Tsuki smiled.

"I'll call. You go get dressed."

"Kay."

Tsuki dashed off while Delic went to his room to do the same. He put on a pair of pants and t-shirt and headed downstairs to get his phone.

As he turned to go into the living room, someone knocked on the door.

'Hm?'

He walked over. "Who is it?"

"Um, hello. My car broke down, can I borrow your phone?"

Delic's eyes narrowed.

He looked through the peek hole.

The man he stared at wore a black hoodie, his hands stuffed in his pockets, and a red scarf was over his face.

Delic was aware that it had rained earlier so it was no surprise it was cold out there.

But he sure as hell wasn't going to trust some shifty guy who knocks at midnight.

So he unlocked the door but only left it cracked open to see the man clearly.

"You're car broke down?"

The man looked at him with confusion for his suspicious reaction, but he ignored it and pointed. "Ye-yeah. It's around the corner. I knocked on other doors but no one answered. No-now that its mentioned..." the man looked back at him sheepishly, scratching his cheek with his index finger. "Do you know what time it is?"

"It's nearly midnight." Delic said with a small sigh of relief. There was no way a deranged stalker like Takashiro would act like a high schooler.

"Oh...dear. Yeah, car repairs guys are all sleeping, aren't they?"

"Heh, at least the professionals." Delic chuckled and opened the door a bit more. "I'm pretty good with cars so I can take a look if you want. Wait here and I'll grab my phone—"

As Delic went to turn, his words died to white hot pain encasing his torso. His widening eyes looked down to see a knife disappearing into his abdomen.

"By the way, are you by any chance Tsukishima?" the man smiled down at him.

'Shit!'

"Hm." The man pulled the knife out, allowing Delic to fall to the floor with a thud. "Well, it's alright if you can't answer." He stepped over the bleeding blond. "I know there are two of you so I'll just kill you both."

"Bast...ard...!" Delic pushed himself, but his strength vanished and he collapsed back to the floor. 'Tsuki, run!'


Tsuki dried his hair with the towel, before tossing it in the hamper. He buttoned his shirt close, then looked out the window at his reflection.

'Roppi-san, we're coming for you. We haven't given up on you.'

Tsuki's door opening drew his attention away from his thoughts.

"Hey, Nii-san, where are we buying from—" he turned around.

Only to have a hand clasp around his throat. His eyes widened and he choked, the assailant forcing him back on to the desk which caused things to scatter everywhere.

The man raised his kitchen knife.

Tsuki kicked the man's knees, causing him to buckle and for the knife to go off target. Tsuki screamed as his bicep was sliced, the knife indenting into the table and pinching him.

The blond then grabbed the man's wrists, pushing them back. His vision began to blur as his windpipes were constricted, his breathing hard and wheezy.

"You can't have Roppi." the man growled. "He's mine."

"Taka...shiro...?" He coughed.

"Heh, so you know me, huh?"

"You...kidnapped Roppi-sa—*hack*"

"Kidnapped? I didn't kidnap him. I took back what was mine."

"He's not an object you can throw around—kaff—!"

"Of course he isn't!" Takashiro glared down at him. "He's my adorable, lovely Roppi. His white hair and red eyes are beautiful. His smile is cute. His lithe body is amazing. And the only one who should know these facts are me!"

'Crap, my strength...'

"Bastard..." Tsuki groaned, coughing heavily as his eyes fluttered shut, concentrating his strength on keeping Takashiro's hands away.

"Peh, I can see why he liked you." The crazed stalker chuckled. "You make quite the seductive face."

Tsuki's eyes flared open in surprise.

"But only I can know about Roppi. You. Can't. Have him. SO DISAPPEAR!"

'NII-SAN, HELP!' The blade was raised.

Takashiro jolted as something crashed into him, falling flat over Tsuki and flinging the knife out of his hands, where it slid in the gap between the wall and desk.

Takashiro's features lit in rage as he elbowed his own assailant off, releasing Tsuki. Delic stumbled back, a hand over the hole in his body as he glared at Takashiro.

Tsuki thumped to the floor, coughing, gasping, and wheezing as he rubbed his throat.

"You piece of shit! Just die!"

Takashiro slammed his fist into Delic's cheek, knocking him to the ground.

Tsuki's eyes widened before he quickly looked around. He spotted a pair of scissors on the floor, a few feet away from him. He quickly grabbed it and turned to the intruder.

Doing before he could think about it, he brought the scissors down on Takashiro's calf.

Tsuki felt like he might puke when he heard and felt the scissors disappear inside the leg.

The intruder screamed, kicking backwards where his heel connected to Tsuki's sternum.

The teen feel back with a hack, holding his chest.

Takashiro turned on Tsuki, reaching down and grabbing the chest of Tsuki's shirt.

"Get off my brother!" Delic leaped to his feet and grabbed Takashiro's shirt collar, pulling him away while raising a leg to drive his knee into the man's side.

Takashiro hacked, falling to his knees in pain.

"BASTARD—krr!" Delic punched Takashiro's nose, a loud snap following along with a gush of blood.

Takashiro glared up at him with absolute hate.

Then he noticed the other blond—the one with Roppi's red eyes, the one that stabbed him—had a cellphone to his ear.

"Ther-there's an intruder in our house!"

'Shit!'

Takashiro turned and ran.

"You..." Delic took a step to follow.

Only to fall to the floor.

"Nii-san!" Tsuki rushed over, flipping Delic on his back.

"Sir, sir! Is everything okay?"

Tsuki picked up the phone, tilting his head so he could press the phone to his ear.

"He-he's gone. He left. I think. I hope. Bu-but my brother. My brother was stabbed. What do I do? I don't know what to do—"

"Calm, sir. Calm down."

"Tell me what to do! We need an ambulance! There's so much blood, I—"

"Tsuki..."

Tsuki jolted as a hand touched his. The phone slipped from his ear onto the floor.

"Nii-san—"

"You remember what Shinra taught you?"

"Wh-wha—"

"Put pressure on the wound. Let the wound clot. Remember?"

"Oh-okay. Okay."

Tears streaking his cheeks and blotching his glasses, Tsuki put his hands on the gaping hole in Delic's stomach.

"Pressure, Tsuki. Push."

He nodded, standing on his knees to do as advised. Delic's breath hitched in response, the pink-blond gasping harshly.

Tsuki tried to control his sobs, breathing just as harsh.

'This is all my fault.' the blond thought. 'If I never got involved with Roppi—'

Delic coughed, an array of blood coming with it.

Tsuki's eyes stretched wide in horror. "Nii-san?!"

"Calm Kaff* calm down, Tsuki. It'll—hk—be okay..."

'No, it won't.' Tsuki closed his eyes tight shut. 'This won't be okay, Nii-san! This is—'

Tsuki jolted as he heard loud footsteps echo up the staircase.

'No, he came back—'

"Kishitani?! This is the police! Where are you?!"

"U-up here!" Tsuki smiled in relief. 'Thank god!'

Men in uniform rushed into the room, surrounding the two blond. Paramedics shooed Tsuki away, inspecting Delic's injury before doing a quick patch-up. Then they unfolded a stretcher and shimmied the blond on it.

And Tsuki cried in relief.