A/N: Just a small warning. This has an almost-Rrating, and is kinda... creepy. Creepy yaoi. Don't read if you don't like.
They hear him crying in the night, and sometimes they hear him scream too. And there are the times when they see the ugly bruises around his neck. But they turn away, embarassed and afraid to say anything. Better him than them, after all. And he pulls down the sleeves of his clothes, and now even will wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath And when Hinamori comes to visit him in the evening, he makes sure she always leaves before it gets very late. And whenever there is the slightest hint of chill in the air, he can always be found with a scarf tightly wrapped around his neck.
He wonders if anyone else realizes.
He doesn't shiver and grow pale at Gin's flirtatiousness, which the others take only as being in reverie, any more. He doesn't shrink away from the casual arm thrown about his shoulder, or even blush when his rear is pinched, either.
He's even gotten over feeling weirdly jealous when he sees Gin with Matsumoto.
But only because Gin's doing this to him, and not to her. He hates feeling broken whenever Gin leaves him late in the night, but he knows he doesn't want it to stop. He feels like a splintered marionette afterwards, thrown in the corner after the strings have been jerked about too much. But he likes the feeling as much as he despises it.
And he wonders if it's like this with all the captains and vice-captains.
And then he hopes it's only him.