All fall down

(by archy the cockroach)

Rating: T

Warnings: Slash, violence, sadisim, a little bit of language, spoilers

A.N. i've decided akito's a man. for story purposes.

02: Akito

The robe slides off of his shoulder, revealing pale white skin that used to be tan (read: healthy and alive).

Now all that's left afterseven lonely monthsis the empty shell that is another small, white, useless bird for Akito to toy with. The god thought that Kyou would be harder to break, but no, no, Kyou was easier than Yuki. Because under that tough as nails, grotesque, mutant cover-up, the shield that the cat had created for himself, was a weak little human, just begging to be crushed and dominated entirely.

"You're disgusting."

Kyou doesn't flinch like he used to. He doesn't make a move out of the god's lap, he just sits there, un-moving, his frail body balanced by the thin hands of Akito. His eyes are empty, lacking the gleam they used to hold. A light (read: twisted) smile falls upon the god's face, and he lets one of his lithe hands brush the cat's pale cheek.

"Don't you… agree?"

The fleeting touch turns into a scratch, ruthless nails digging into the cat's cheek, dragging downwards until deep cuts are made and blood is already beginning to rise from the wound. Kyou only blinks. He's used to this treatment (read: mistreatment).

Akito moves his hand, dragging it across Kyou's lower lip, letting only the smallest bit of crimson from his long nails drip between the cracked lips. "Tell me, dolly," the god growls out.

Despite the blood dribbling down his face, Kyou nods.

Akito grits his teeth, and pushes Kyou out of his lap and onto the floor. Kyou drops, eyes open and looking entirely serene and shattered. Like a misplaced or forgotten toy, he lies there on the floor, even as the god stands and leaves, he stays there.

Like a good kitty.

"You didn't hurt him too much this time, did you?"

Hatori sits on the floor, across from Akito, who seems more distant than usual. Akito closes his eyes, letting his long lashes brush his cheeks. The god rises, gliding over to Hatori and sitting down again. He cups the doctor's face in his hands.

"Not like last time."

Hatori sighed in relief. Last time was a little too much to bear, even for the doctor. And he'd seen Akito's previous work (read: torture) on the cat.

Hatori had merely gone to check up on the cat, as Akito (grinning wildly) had suggested. The doctor had found the cat, lying on the floor of his home (read: cell), eyes open and hands lying in front of him. Hatori had walked forward, wondering if the cat was dead. No, not dead. Empty. Utterly empty.

There was blood. There was definitely lots of blood. Hatori, being a doctor, didn't have a problem with the crimson that was splattered throughout the room. He did, however, have quite a problem with what had been done to create such a mess.

Hatori had knelt down before the cat, intending to pick him up and put him on his meager excuse for a bed. The doctor had just barely gotten his hand under the cat's arm. That's when he noticed the pins.

Sticking through every single one of the cat's digits was a silver needle, pressed through the pad of the cat's finger and straight through to the nail. Hatori could literally feel the blood draining out of his face. He felt something warm drizzling down his hand from where he held the cat. Even through the darkness of the room, Hatori could make out the red stain on a white kimono.

Hatori had managed to get the cat's arms out of the robe, so he could inspect the wound on the cat's side. Oddly, scrawled into the cat's flesh were the words; "All of which makes me anxious.

Sometimes, unbearably so."

Hatori doesn't understand Akito. Before, the god wanted nothing to do with the cat. He didn't want to see him. Now, Akito has become obsessed with the cat, loving to have the cat around. Even though the cat has lost all of his personality (read: life), Akito finds the cat intriguing.

Hatori enters the cage. It's dark. It's always dark. All that exist in the chamber is the bamboo window, a bed, and the little mess that is the cat. The monster. But is it he who's really the monster?

"Kyou? Are you awake."

The cat doesn't make a move to pick himself up. So, Hatori moves over to the cat himself. Just as the dragon had expected, a fresh wound makes itself apparent in the moonlight. It looks mild. All Hatori figures he has to do is apply some disinfectant and bandage it. At least that's easier than pulling pins out of fingers for an hour.

Hatori picks the cat up and pulls the limp figure onto the bed. Upon the weight, however light it was, the bed creaked loudly. The cat only blinks.

Hatori sighs. "I'm going to get something to help your face. I'll be… right back, okay?"

Hatori returns as promised.

Kyou's not lying down anymore, he doesn't look dead. He's sitting on his bed, leaning onto the wall.

"Hi…" mutters the cat, and then ducks his head into his knees, which are pulled to his chest. It's like he's ashamed to be able to speak.

"Hello," says Hatori, utterly shocked to hear the cat talk. Kyou doesn't even talk to the god, so says Akito. But, his surprise doesn't show on his face. "Glad to see you moving. How do you feel?"

Kyou gives a bitter smile; empty eyes making him look eerie. "How do you think?" His voice expresses more than anything. Sorrow and anger seeps into his words.

Hatori sighs, and puts his bag down onto the floor next to the bed, before kneeling on one leg across from Kyou.

"In this lighting, I can't get a good look at your face, but the cuts don't appear to be infected."

"Oh."

"But I'll put some disinfectant on them, just incase."

Eventually, Hatori does get done bandaging the cat. Kyou is looking at his hands, looking at his bandaged fingers, trying to sit still, thinking of a way to thank the doctor. Now, the cat has long bandages awkwardly put on his face. He gives Hatori a smile that tries to be sincere, but fails miserably.

"I'm sorry," the cat says, miserably.

"It's alright."

Hatori leaves.