Chapter Forty-Eight: Victims of a Crime

Legosi immediately rushed back to the basement the moment he stepped into the house. He caught a glimpse of Rae-Anne in the kitchen staring in his direction before ducking onto the staircase. He heard his named called but offered up no response, not wanting to speak to anyone until Kachi's notebook was securely hidden away.

Legosi leapt over the piles of renovation debris, landing in the open area just next to his bed. He set his backpack down next to him, hastily unzipping it and burying his hand inside it. The book's hard cover was easy to find amongst the soft clothing, letting him grab it and fish it free within seconds.

In the darkness, the red color of the cover seemed to glow, blocking out its surroundings and keeping Legosi focused on it. His arms trembled, his hold on the book tightening. Knowing what was inside was both a blessing and a curse.

This book is proof that I was right…only it's the worst kind of right. It means that he was lying to me about how he felt. Why did he do that? Why didn't he trust me…was I too late? I mean, I knew he was spiraling…but I didn't think it was this bad, and I never pictured he'd…he'd do that…

Legosi knew the note was longer than what he'd read; it continued for another page at the very least, but his mind prevented him from going further than the paragraph addressed to him, and for the entire ride back to Nevers Road after the call with Pina, it consumed him.

Legosi growled, pulling the book's covers apart and started rereading the note from the very beginning, despite the low light. Though his eyes stung from straining, he was able to separate the chicken-scratch handwriting from the numerous drops of blood that stained the page. Sentence after sentence, the initial shock came back, as did the same question of 'why?'

After reading the paragraph with his name as the header, Legosi struggled to continue further. He was able to make out 'Pina' above the next paragraph, but the words following blurred in front of his very eyes. It confused him, so much so he had to put the book down to keep from throwing it in rage.

I can read the ones for his mom and dad just fine, why can't I go further? Why does it suddenly become too personal when its for him? Why am I like this?

He sighed, rolling his eyes and picking the notebook up again. Just as he had twice by that point, he took it from the top. Instead of continuing once he reached the paragraphs for his parents however, Legosi reread the note again from the beginning, then again, and again, and again.

He read slower with each pass, the wolf hanging on Kachi's every word a bit longer every time. His word choice shocked him, and the way the sentences flowed into one another caused his fur to bristle, doubly so knowing what the note preceded. Legosi shivered, his chills returning.

You had to have been in such a dark place to weave the words in this way…I only wish I could have been a better friend to you so that I never had to find out how good with words you are…

Unable to continue any further for the better part of thirty minutes, Legosi finally conceded. He closed the book, resting it on his lap while he thought of somewhere to hide it.

I can't just put it back in my bag, that's too obvious…not under the pillow, that's too easy…

Legosi looked at the room around him, searching for a suitable hiding spot. The amount of clutter in the space already offered an advantage, but he quickly remembered that said clutter was there long before he was, and that Kachi's parents, namely Rae-Anne, most likely knew of all the little nooks and crannies. He glanced down between his legs, seeing the drawers of the captain's bed. He shook his head.

No, that's even easier than the pillow…

Looking higher the wolf's gaze falls upon the mattress. His eyes widen, a lightbulb going off in his head.

There we go…

Legosi set the book down gently on the bed next to him before getting up. He bent down, shoving a hand beneath the mattress and lifting it up slightly. The loose dust and dirt atop the comforter slid as the grade was increased, falling to the concrete floor behind the bed.

As he stuck his head under the mattress to survey the hiding spot, Legosi felt some weight shift on the surface. He poked his head back up, his stomach dropping at the sight of the notebook slowly drifting toward the edge of the bed. He let go of the mattress, letting the weight of it rest in his right arm. With his now free left hand, he reached over the top, stopping the book from falling just as it reached the edge.

Legosi sighed in relief, slowly working the book back to a position where he could grab it. Once the book was securely in his grip, he picked it up from the comforter, giving it one last look before setting down gently upon the bedframe. The deceptively heavy mattress was returned to its original position, the bump created by the book barely visible. He sat back down, pressing down on the mattress.

Can't feel it…good. Can't even see it unless you're looking for it, so since they don't know about it, they'll never find it.

Legosi lied down, noticing a distinct lack of crust beneath him. A gentle smile crept onto his face; the normally stiff mattress having suddenly become rather plush. Paired with the warmth generated by his exertion, he struggled to keep his eyes open. His breathing slowed, the room fading from his peripheral.

"Legosi…Legosi, are you alright?" The voice just above a whisper was enough to rouse the young wolf from his slumber. He lifted his head from the pillow, looking around the room while his surroundings came into focus. An orange figure took a step back from him as he sat up against the headboard.

He rubbed his neck, a dull pain having manifested. "Huh? Yeah. I'm alright." His vision returned in full. At the foot of the bed stood Rae-Anne, a worried expression across her face. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I don't know…maybe I'm worrying too much. You just kinda disappeared after you got home with Shen and when we called you for dinner, you didn't show…" Legosi's heart skipped a beat.

"Dinner?" he repeated. Rae-Anne nodded once, taking a seat at the end of the bed. Legosi reached into his pocket and produced his phone. After trying a few times to turn it on however, he concluded that it had finally died. "What time is it?"

Rae-Anne lifted her arm, glancing down to her watch. "It's almost six o'clock. I figured I'd come check on you. Did you fall asleep? You did seem tired earlier this afternoon."

Legosi forced a smile, exhaling softly through his nose. "Yeah…I'd only slept a couple hours by then…I must've passed out once I got back. It…wasn't easy to sleep after leaving the hospital."

"No. I'm still running off the couple hours I got this morning. Even then, it was on and off…Hope I can sleep better tonight, it's been nothing but worry for an entire day." Rae-Anne pulled her gaze away from the wolf, looking off into the corner of the room.

"Yeah, you can say that again." Legosi followed the vixen's stare, joining her in watching the darkened corner. "Where's Shen?"

They both looked back to each other at the same time. "He decided to take a shower after we ate…we ordered takeout, there's some left over in the fridge if you're hungry."

Legosi nodded. "Ah. Maybe I'll look into that later…Shen had the right idea; a shower doesn't sound bad at all right now. Maybe I'll hop in once the bathroom's free again."

Rae-Anne shrugged, letting her hands fall to her lap. "Well, it's up to you. Shen and I haven't done much of anything today after you vanished…mostly just waiting for the call from the hospital. I don't want to be too pessimistic, but I'm starting to think it won't be coming today."

Legosi creased his brows upon hearing the dejection in the vixen's voice. "Bastards…they did say it could be today or Friday though, didn't they? My brain might not be working right."

"No, no, you're right. It's my head that isn't all there. The nurse did say that…not that it helps me any. I was under the impression I'd be getting the call today." She sighed, looking away from Legosi again. "I doubt I'll sleep tonight."

Legosi leaned forward. "I understand that…I think the only reason I slept was because I just…collapsed. Still, you should try. If it's missing the call you're worried about, just leave your ringer on."

"It's not. It's the fact that my son is in the hospital and it might be all because of me!"

Legosi paused, shocked at Rae-Anne's sudden outburst. She glanced back briefly toward him before turning her gaze to the floor. Even with the poor lighting, the pain on the vixen's face was clear as day to Legosi.

He sat back up straight, finally turning himself around and putting his feet to the ground. "That's not true. It can't be all because of you, that doesn't make sense."

You may have said some terrible things, but it was me that let him get away with what happened…

It took a few seconds for Rae-Anne to acknowledge Legosi's response. She exhaled heavily through her nose before rising from the bed. She lifted her head from the floor, looking straight into Legosi's eyes. "You're right. This negativity is only gonna make the wait worse. I—I should try and be more optimistic."

Legosi smiled. "That's it. If you we don't get the call today, then it's just got to be tomorrow. It's not something to lose sleep over in my opinion, it's something to look forward to."

Rae-Anne's lips curled slightly, causing the wolf's heart to skip a beat and his own grin to turn genuine for a moment. "Right. I don't have to be like this. I can do this. I can make it."

"You can. We can." Legosi added, encouraging her further.

Her ears stood straight up, her tail swishing behind her. Her hands balled into gentle fists by her sides, a look of conviction filling her eyes. Legosi stared into them, surprised by her shift in demeanor, and their glow causing chills to course through his limbs.

"I'll be here. For him. And when that call comes in, whenever it may be, I'll be ready, because I know for sure that Kachi will be okay in the end," she raved, raising her voice.

Legosi's faux grin faltered as he joined her in standing; Rae-Anne kept her focus on him, making sure not to break eye contact. Legosi rubbed his upper arm, his unease returning. "I'm sure he's doing just fine."

"Yes. And I'll be able to see him very soon and tell him everything I should have before any of this happened." Legosi kept up his act. Rae-Anne gave him a nod before turning around and starting toward the stairs. He watched until she disappeared, only then allowing his false smile to fall. He stared toward the floor, unsure of what to do with himself.

I can't just go back to bed…it was the whole reason she came down here. I'm kinda glad that I cheered her up somewhat, but it doesn't feel right. All I really did was tell her what she wanted to hear. I'm surprised she bought it; I know I wouldn't listen to myself…besides. It's not even her fault…

A frustrated sigh left Legosi's lips. Following Rae-Anne's footsteps, he too headed towards the stairs. Upon reaching the landing, one glance through the door's glass displayed a darkened street; the sun had set upon Rexmas, and while most families were enjoying the holiday in each other's company, the knowledge that the one he was joining wasn't one of them sent waves of guilt coursing through him.

The quiet in the house was also beginning to get to him. Rae-Anne had already returned to the couch, staring at her phone screen with a newfound determination. Across the room, the TV was tuned in to the fireplace channel, and holiday tunes played at a low volume from the speakers. To the right, the Rexmas tree stood, tall and firm, though with the festive lights switched off.

The idle sound of running water to Legosi's left came to a stop, causing his ears to twitch; Shen had finished with his shower. The allure of a warm shower was tempting, and the fluttering in his chest was telling him that conversation with Rae-Anne was out of the question. Just as he went to turn back around and return to the basement to fetch his clean clothes, a pair of headlights blinded him from the street.

He winced, lifting his hand to shield his eyes. Through the intense light, Legosi tried to make out who was inside, or at least the type of vehicle that had pulled into the driveway. The sudden beams of light had garnered Rae-Anne's attention as well. She left her spot and crossed the room, continuing to stare at the unfamiliar vehicle. "Okay, now who's this?"

The driver of the unknown vehicle cut power to the engine, with the headlights blinking out shortly afterwards, plunging the vehicle into relative darkness. With the only light now coming from the street, Legosi squinted even harder to try and make out the silhouettes. The passenger door swung open, allowing the passenger to step out and into the driveway and approach the house.

"What's he doing? Who is this?" Rae-Anne tapped on the window, hoping to get the trespasser's attention. The sudden sound startled him, causing him to look straight toward it.

Joining Rae-Anne, it only took one moment for Legosi to recognize the visitor. Pina looked over the vixen's head, meeting the wolf's eyes. He flashed a toothy grin and offered a wave before turning back to face the car, nodding once, and signalling for the driver to come over.

Legosi returned the wave, though his own had much less energy than Pina's. Rae-Anne spun around just as the wolf's wave ended, and just in time to see the weak smile he'd put on. She raised an eyebrow, putting her hands to her hips.

"You know him?"

Legosi lifted a hand to his neck while he watched two Dall sheep approach the house. "I didn't tell you, did I? I…fell asleep." A knock was heard upon the door. "I guess it's a bit late to try and explain."

Rae-Anne sighed before she turned around and headed toward the door, momentarily leaving Legosi at the window. He followed close behind her, stopping at the top of the stairs and allowing Rae-Anne to open the door.

"Hello!" began Pina, his tone surprisingly cheerful. He smiled at Rae-Anne, who continued to stare between the two rams in confusion. The tension in the air was palpable, and as the seconds ticked by, Pina's smile dissipated, uncertainty filling him.

The older ram glanced down toward his son. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Pina turned to his father with a frustrated groan. "I was told number eleven; this should be it…unless I misheard?" He glanced back into the house, finally spotting Legosi at the top of the stairs. His face lit up. "Ah! See? Legosi, hi!" He stood on his tiptoes, waving an arm to flag the wolf down.

Legosi swallowed hard, still sensing Rae-Anne's confusion as he descended into the landing. "Hey…" Right before Legosi could turn around, Pina reached into the house and pulled the wolf into a hug. It only lasted a few seconds but served to totally confuse him as well.

"It's nice to see a familiar face, especially since…since all…this happened."

Legosi stepped back from the ram, eyes wide.

How is he so calm…?

Rae-Anne looked up toward Legosi once he turned around. "Legosi, what's going on? Who are these two, and how do they know—"

"They know because I told them." Legosi backed up again, allowing Rae-Anne to get a proper look at the unfamiliar faces. "This is Pina. He's a friend from school, and he and Kachi have been together for the past couple months. I called him from the hospital last night."

Rae-Anne shifted her gaze from Legosi to Pina, who was already nodding in confirmation. "It's true. Probably the worst thirty seconds of my life during that phone call. It's…not something you want to wake up to that's for sure. Apologies if we're intruding"

Rae-Anne lifted her hands. "No…no. Before I ask what you're doing all the way out here, I should probably let you in and get you out of the cold."

Pina nodded once before stepping into the house. "Thank you very much. It is much chillier here than Kachi made it out to be." The elder ram entered the home close behind him, promptly extending a hand to Rae-Anne after she closed the door.

"Simon, Pina's father. It's a shame we have to meet under such…grave circumstances."

She accepted the ram's hand. "Rae-Anne…Kachi's mother."

Simon's eyes narrowed. "I've only seen the boy in Pina's photos, but I recall him looking much different to you."

Just as Rae-Anne shrugged, footsteps rang out from behind the group. From the darkened hallway, a freshly showered Shen emerged. His ears stood on end as he looked down upon the group that had congregated in the home's landing. His tail wagged gently behind him. "Nobody told me there was a party going on down there…"

Simon looked over Rae-Anne's head, watching while the large wolf descended the stairs to join them. "I was expecting his mother to look more like him."

Hearing his father's comments, Pina jabbed his father's ribs with his elbow and shot him an icy stare from the corner of his eye. "Don't be rude!" he whispered through a clenched jaw.

Shen's smile grew the closer he got to the two rams. "That's right…you did say your ETA was around six or seven." He leaned upon the wall, focusing his gaze on Pina. "So, you're the fabled Pina I spoke to on the phone this afternoon."

Pina nodded, looking up to meet the elder wolf's dark blue eyes. "That's the one."

"Perfect…why don't we all get out of the landing here and head into a space that isn't so cramped." Shen, being the closest to the stairs, was the first to leave. Rae-Anne followed close behind, saying nothing as she passed Legosi by.

Pina and Simon remained standing in front of the door. Once Rae-Anne was at the top of the stairs, Legosi turned his attention to them. "Did…you want to take your coats and shoes off and come upstairs?"

"Ah, yes, sorry," stated Pina, "Just a bit lost in my own head for a moment…" He and his father began unzipping their jackets and hung them with the rest of the clothing. After slipping off their shoes, they followed Legosi into the living room, each taking a seat on the couch.

The room returned to silence, just as it was before. Legosi clasped his hands together, filtering rapidly from person to person. Rae-Anne stared forward toward the television, the dancing of the digital flames reflecting in her eyes. The only ones with their heads up were Shen and Pina.

His gaze finally came to rest on the younger ram, watching while he drummed his fingers on the back of his phone.

How are you so calm? I mean, I look calm right now too…but you don't look like you're putting on a front. This should hurt you more than it hurts me, but I'm barely holding on and you look so…collected. Tell me your secret…

Breaking the silence, Rae-Anne set her phone down on the coffee table. "So, back on topic…what drove you two all the way up here?"

Pina sighed, raising his hand while his shoulders slumped. "If you're asking for who's fault it is, that would be mine. I just…knew I couldn't stay in Tokyo knowing Kachi was hurt. I guess what I'm trying to say is I have the greatest father in the world for driving us here."

Simon sat upright. "The original plan was to fly, but knowing it was Rexmas, we knew there were going to be absolutely no flights available for days. With little time to waste, and with perhaps a bit of sleep-deprivation and impulse behind the decision making, next thing I knew I was on the road to Sapporo."

"After I calmed myself down from the initial shock, I fell asleep. Woke up six hours later to Dad telling me to book our ferry trip to the island. Dad slept on the ferry, since he'd been driving for multiple hours stopping only for food and gas, the whole time wondering whether we'd be turned away when we got here…" Pina continued.

Rae-Anne shifted in her seat to better look Pina and Simon in the eyes. "I was confused when you got here, but I wouldn't turn you away until I knew why you were at my door."

"It's my fault she didn't know," chimed Legosi, "I got your phone call asking for the address when it was just me and Shen in his truck. I also kinda passed out before I could tell her." He added, turning to face Rae-Anne.

I was also fighting with myself over that note, but I can't tell you that…I can't tell anyone that…not yet…

Rae-Anne gave a shrug. "While I would have appreciated the heads-up, I'm not going to blame you. It's been a hectic day to say the least." She turned her attention to Pina and Simon. "If I'd known you were coming, I'd have had the house in better condition, and we could've been speaking over dinner instead of in a dark living room."

Shen tilted his head. "What's wrong with this? In my opinion, eating doesn't go well with conversation. This way there's no distractions and, frankly, you need to relax. You've been nothing but a ball of stress since last night."

Simon lifted a finger, prompting Shen to slow his roll. "If you don't mind my input, I'm inclined to agree. From what I understand, a terrible tragedy has just occurred, and I'm baffled you can even consider cooking for us."

"I didn't mean for our surprise visit to cause you stress…" added Pina. "When I heard the news, while devastated, I just wanted to provide support. For Kachi, and for his family."

A shaky sigh escaped Rae-Anne. She reached across the couch and took the young ram's hand in her own. "And I'm so, so grateful. I don't want to spend these days wallowing and pitying myself…but I can't do that without help. Thank you, everyone, for being here. Seeing all these faces gives me assurance that, once he wakes up, Kachi realizes people care more than he thinks"

"That's right We'll walk this road together, Rae." Shen leaned back into his seat. "That being said, we all understand Kachi is in good hands at the hospital, so why not change the topic to something a little more cheerful." He quickly shifted his gaze to Pina, catching him off guard. "So, Pina, I hear you're dating my son?"

His eye widened. "Um, yes. That's right."

Shen chuckled. "Nice, nice…Legosi told me a little about you and him after your phone call. Sounds like you two's relationship is pretty healthy."

Pina's ears drooped, though his smile remained. "Yes. There have been a few bumps here and there but it's…amazing, really. He's just so sweet."

"So I've heard. Well…" Shen's lips curled into a smirk as he leaned forward "I should hope it stays that way, because I don't want to hear from him one day saying that you went and broke his heart." Shen stared daggers toward the ram, his brows creasing and smile fading.

Pina stared toward him for a moment, grinning nervously from ear to ear and slowly pulling his gaze away from the large wolf. "I assure you, sir, there will be nothing of the sort…"

Shen let out a hearty chuckle, reclining back into the couch. He waved a dismissive hand, thoroughly confusing Pina. "No, I'm just kidding. I'm sure you have him in good hands. Oh, by the way, please call me Shen. Being addressed as 'sir' isn't something I want to become common."

Pina gave an awkward grin in response. "Ah, sorry…Shen." He then glanced toward Legosi, the grin slipping. All Legosi could do was shrug, as even he didn't know what to make of the elder wolf's odd behavior.

"Erm, I assure you your son is in good hands with my son." Stated Simon. Pina rolled his eyes.

"Good. Glad there are no issues." Before Shen could continue the conversation, a sudden vibration caught everyone by surprise.

Everyone turned their attention to the source upon the coffee table. Rae-Anne leaned forward, her gaze falling upon her phone. The screen had lit up with the background photo of her and Kachi before he left for Tokyo and scrolling across the top, an unfamiliar number.

Rae-Anne reached forward and gripped the phone, answering the call before lifting the devices to her face. "Hello? Who is this?" In the silence of the room, the reply from the other end of the line was perfectly audible.

"This is Doctor Elmyra from Sapporo Metro, am I speaking to Rae-Anne?"

Realizing who she was talking to, Rae-Anne lowered the phone from her ear, covering the microphone with her hand. "It's the hospital…she whispered." She put the phone back down onto the coffee table after setting it to speaker. The room fell dead silent. "Yes, that's me."

Legosi couldn't peel his eyes away from the phone, his heart beating in his throat. Having not even been twenty-four hours since the incident, he wasn't expecting the call to be coming so soon, and having not had enough time to mentally prepare, he found himself gripping the fabric of his jeans with great force to keep his body from shaking.

"Alright. This phone call is to inform you of the condition of your son following treatments administered since his arrival."

Rae-Anne swallowed hard. "O—Okay. I'm listening."

There was a lengthy silence following Rae-Anne's reply. Nobody dared move a muscle lest they inadvertently obstruct the doctor's words. During those moments, everyone's eyes were either glued to the phone's display or pointed toward the vixen, but no one seemed more intent on listening than Legosi.

His grip on his jeans tightened with every second the silence continued. His ears were pointed straight up, his jaw clenched shut tightly, and he kept a trance-like fixation on the device mere feet from where he was seated. His heart was going crazy, and the one thing that dominated his mind was the hope that Kachi was okay.

"Now, I'm sure you're very worried, but rest assured, Kachi will be making a recovery." The tension in the air seemed to drop, but the silence continued. "He is stable as of right now, but it wasn't without complication."

Rae-Anne slouched her shoulders. "What happened?"

"The wounds on his arms were difficult to treat. The bandages applied prior to transportation did little to stem the blood loss the patient was facing. The amount lost from the time they were inflicted to the time we had them closed…the amount of blood lost was nearing a lethal amount."

The word 'lethal' wasn't a term anyone wanted to hear. Tension in the room flared back up as everyone leaned forward. A look of shock covered everyone's faces, and it got even more of a reaction from Shen than Legosi expected.

"Transfusion was considered, but ultimately not needed. Lacerations on both arms were stitched and another of unknown origin on his cheek was bandaged. He is under sedation and recovering lost blood volumes. He is being closely monitored by hospital staff."

With a shaky hand, Rae-Anne reached forward and picked her phone up again. "S—So he's alright?"

Another short silence passed. "Kachi will make a recovery and his current condition is stable."

Her brows creased. "What does that mean?"

"It means that he's okay for now and that he needs time to heal. Again, we're watching him closely in case any complications arise."

"What do you mean 'in case?' I thought you were giving him the best care possible." Continued Rae-Anne, raising her voice.

"Madam, please calm down. Your son is stable. He's in recovery. We're watching him because there's never one hundred percent certainty."

Rae-Anne opened her mouth to shout again, but quickly closed it. "I see…So, when can I see him? When can he come home?"

"We were told the wounds were self-inflicted. Even after he wakes up, it'll be a while before he can return home. As for when you can visit…we'll be waking him up Saturday."

"Saturday…" Rae-Anne repeated. She glanced around the room, seeing that everyone had turned their heads toward her. She stared back down into her lap, lowering her phone again. "I understand. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. Thank you for taking this call, enjoy the rest of your evening, and Merry Rexmas."

Without a word, Rae-Anne set the phone down on the desk, the sound of the doctor hanging up ringing out from the speakers. The image of Rae-Anne and her son returned to the screen, remaining until the display turned itself off. Shen reached over and draped an arm over her shoulders.

"I'm sure that's far from what you wanted to hear, but it's better than—" Shen inhaled sharply, stopping himself from finishing his sentence. He looked around the room, seeing that most everyone was looking away from the rest of the group. "Sorry…"

Saturday…

Legosi pulled his gaze from the floor, meeting Pina's eyes from across the table. His hands were clasped together, his ear giving a gentle flick as the stare continued. The unease in the pit of the wolf's stomach continued to grow with each repetition of the doctor's words.

Even though she said he'll recover…I still feel there's a lot more than just the physical side. They had to sedate him…sew him shut…and they're still gonna keep him after he wakes up. I think I'm gonna be sick…

"Excuse me." Legosi whispered before calmly rising from his seat. The wolf's sudden announcement caught everyone by surprise, and all eyes fell upon him as he whipped around the couch on his way to the basement.

"Legosi?" shouted Rae-Anne, craning her neck over the back of the couch. Legosi didn't answer, quickly disappearing down the second flight of stairs and out of view.

While confused conversation erupted upstairs, he couldn't make out any of what was being said. Legosi ignored it all, carefully navigating the minefield of building supplies before sitting down on his bed with his back to the stairs. He breathed in and out rhythmically, focusing on keeping them steady to distract him from the nausea bubbling in his stomach.

Legosi clenched his fists, staring blankly into the wall above the headboard while his limbs trembled. His mind was racing, images and words flashing by faster than he could register them. He couldn't to anything. No matter how tight he closed his eyes, they persisted. Pain seared in his palms, his chest, and behind his eyes. Shouts of frustration rested at the back of his throat, but he just couldn't open his mouth to let them out.

"Legosi…?" whispered a voice from behind.

Legosi gasped, the sudden presence of another startling him. He gripped his chest, his heart beating so fast it threatened to burst. He turned his head over his shoulder, seeing Pina standing at the bottom of the stairs. He held his arms behind his back, and his bright blue eyes glowed in the absence of light.

His rapid breathing continued, leaving him unable to respond to the ram. Pina took a few steps forward, stopping once the floor in front of him disappeared into darkness. "Is everything okay?"

Legosi pondered his words carefully. He nodded, turning back to face the wall. "Just fine."

Pina sighed, carefully taking another step forward. "I know that's not true. If you don't want to talk, just tell me, but at least—" Legosi looked over his shoulder after he heard a sudden crash followed by a loud yelp. Legosi spun around, leaping from the bed to rush to Pina's aid.

"Sorry, I should've—"

Pina lifted a hand, shutting the wolf up. "No, no, I'm alright. Just a little tumble, is all." The ram brushed himself off, adjusting his sweatshirt. "Now. If you could just help me through…"

Legosi reached across the debris field and took Pina's hand in his own. Legosi watched is every step, being sure to warn him if he were to get in harm's way again. After successfully pulling Pina to the other side, they both sat down on the bed. Legosi stared toward the floor, shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

"So, before I cut myself off, I was going to say that it's fine if you don't want to talk, but…could you at least tell me that you're not feeling okay?"

Legosi looked back to the wall, shaking his head. "I'm fine." He then climbed back onto the bed and returned to his original position.

Pina sighed, tapping the wolf's shoulder, getting no response. He joined Legosi on the bed, taking a seat at the opposite end. Before trying to address him again, Pina fished his phone from his pocket and turned the flashlight on and set it down on the sheet in front of him.

"There…can at least see now…" Pina reached up and placed his hand upon the wolf's shoulder. "How am I supposed to believe that you're fine when you turn you back to me?"

Legosi's ear gave a flick. "You don't trust me?"

Pina recoiled. "What? Of all the stupid—"

"Then how do you do it?" asked Legosi, cutting him off.

Pina stopped, his frustration subsiding. "What do you mean?"

"How do you do it? How are you so calm? Your partner is in the hospital and you're acting like he just…sprained his ankle or something," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Legosi…I'm well aware of what happened. Don't you remember how I was on the phone?"

"I do. You were shocked. Then you sprung into action and drove all the way from Tokyo."

Pina shook his head, inching himself closer. "That…could not be further from the truth. I absolutely was shocked, completely devastated, and most certainly did not 'spring into action.' Through all the tears and shouting I did at the house, I convinced my father to drive us up. I was an absolute mess, Legosi. So much so I nearly forgot to put on shoes, and I literally cried myself to sleep in the front seat of the car."

Pina felt Legosi shift beneath his hand, causing him to retract it. Slowly, the wolf turned himself around, but didn't look the ram in the eyes, instead opting to stare down toward the phone set between them. "So…you're not this…calm and collected gentleman…"

He reached forward, taking both of Legosi's hands into his. "Far from it." A gentle chuckle escaped his lips. "I'd go as far as to say I don't have any tears left. I wondered why it had to happen. I was upset, I was angry…but that takes a lot of energy, energy that I don't really have anymore."

A shaky breath left Legosi as he slowly lifted his head. Pina's small grin disappeared the moment their eyes locked. Legosi's hold on Pina's hands tightened. "I'm so tired…" he whispered, his voice breaking. "Tired of asking questions. Tired of wondering why."

"I understand…but holding onto all of this won't solve anything. Keeping things to yourself only hurts you in the end." Pina's ears fell flat, continuing to watch Legosi's eyes. He inched forward again, pulling his hands free from Legosi's and wrapping his arms around his torso. "Stop holding on…just let go."

"I—I don't want to let go of him! I can't! This is all my fault!" shouted Legosi, tears beginning to stream down his face.

"Not him, this. Right here. The fear, the hurt, the pain. Look what it's done to you. How can you think straight with all this? Just take a deep breath and—" Without warning, Legosi returned the hug, burying his face into the ram's shoulder. He trembled in Pina's arms with every uneasy breath he took. "Oh dear—"

"How did I miss all those signs? I'm such a terrible friend!"

"That is not true. Same goes for your earlier statement. None of this is your fault, and you're an amazing friend, Legosi…This is just the negativity talking, so just…deep breaths…let it out. Stop holding on, you're hurting yourself." Legosi tried to respond but found himself unable to speak. He hugged Pina tighter, tears now flowing freely alongside his heavy breathing.

Pina closed his eyes, rubbing the wolf's back to try and console him. "There you go…just like that. Don't let it hurt you anymore," he added, his own voice beginning to break. Pina sighed, leaning into the wolf further and feeling his heartbeat against his head. While it remained high, Pina determined that it was gradually slowing down to a normal rate. He sighed, closing his eyes again.

It wasn't until twenty minutes later when Pina felt Legosi move again. Legosi pulled away from the ram, lifting his hands to his face and wiping it. Pina readjusted his sweatshirt again before looking up to meet the wolf's gaze. "Feel better?"

Legosi nodded lazily before lowering his hands. "I do."

"Good…Did you want to go back upstairs?"

Legosi shrugged. "Maybe in a minute, but…there's something I should tell you."

Pina sat upright. "Oh?"

"Shen and I went back to the apartment today…and in Kachi's room I found a book…a book with a note."

Pina's eyes widened as he lifted a hand to his mouth. "Oh dear. Is it—" Legosi nodded, confirming his suspicions. "I see…have you…read it?"

"Not entirely. I only read up to where I was mentioned. I haven't told anyone about it yet, because I want to read it first."

Pina tilted his head. "Did…you want me to read it with you?"

"No. Not tonight. But…maybe tomorrow." Legosi's ears stood up and his tail started wagging gently behind him. "There's actually a place we could go…It's not too far away, and it was one of Kachi's favorites."

Pina nodded. "I see. The location holds sentimental value to him, and you think you'd like to read the note he wrote for us there?"

"Yeah. I don't know if it makes any sense, but it just feels…right."

Pina offered a gentle smile. "Alright. I don't see why not."

Legosi returned the smile. "Awesome…there might even be someone to join us, too."