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Japanese to Know:

Nii-chan - Cute form of Big Brother
Nii-san - Big Brother

Chapter 16

Darkness

Hokage woke with a start. Darkness surrounded him. Everything was black. This room had no windows, only a securely locked door. Memories of this room pounded in his skull. Screams echoed in his ears. Painful words tore at his heart.

"Nii-chan!" he howled, tears bursting from his eyes.

"Stop crying his name!" Akito snarled, beating the small boy. "He isn't coming for you! He's loyal and loves me! He doesn't love you! No one loves you like I do!"

Hokage let these cold words sink in as he cowered beneath her blows.

"If you love me, I won't hurt you." She stopped and knelt down to the Wolf's side. "If you love me, you can see the light."

He shook his head. "I hate you."

"Then you will suffer in darkness forever!"

Shigure waited loyally for Akito to get dressed. When she came in the room, he stood and smiled sweetly, though a hint of deceit lingered.

"Shigure," she whispered, stroking his cheek.

"Akito-san. How's Kage-kun treating you?"

"He still refuses me. It's quite upsetting."

"Yes. He's so rude and ungrateful." He closed his eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. "Do you hold him like this?"

"He doesn't even let me touch him. He says he hates me."

The Dog held the sad girl tightly. "How could anyone hate you?"

"Tori-san," Ayame said hesitantly, entering Hatori's office. The Dragon stirred from his slumber as he lifted his head off his desk. "Tori-san, Gure-san and I are going to rescues Kage-kun after New Year's should Akito-san refuse to free him."

"Did Shigure say that?" the doctor questioned, rubbing his eyes.

"He did. He promised. You're going help, aren't you?"

Hatori looked over at Ayame's pleading gold eyes.

'No obedient one would love their master's enemy.'

"I just hope we won't be too late," the Dragon answered sadly

"What do you mean?"

"You know full well what I mean, Ayame. It can't be that hard to believe. We all knew it would happen one day."

The Snake hung his head. "Stop talking as though he's already dead, Tori-san. Kage-kun would tell us he was going to die before he let himself. You know that."

A small cry reached their ears.

Ayame and Hatori looked out the door, knowing well where the voice came from. But there was nothing either of them could do. This fact burned their hearts.

"He's calling us, Tori-san."

"I know. But he'll have to suffer for two more days." Hatori turned back to his desk and stared at the files. "Pray that he won't be broken."

"If only it didn't have to be this way."

"Nii-san!" Yuki yelled, sliding to a stop in the doorway.

"Yuki-kun!" Ayame gasped, very surprised.

"I will no longer stand idly by as Hokage suffers for my sake."

"Nothing can be done, Yuki-kun. Kage-kun has made his choice and he will not change his mind. He won't run away from this. He will punish himself for his wrongdoings."

"But he didn't do anything wrong! It wasn't his fault that you loved him."

"You're right; it was my fault. But Kage-kun believes it to be his fault and will continue to believe it 'til the day he dies."

"He shouldn't—"

"Let it go, Yuki," Hatori hissed, standing. "It's easier if you just accept it. He's living and suffering for you. And soon, he'll die for you, too. Be grateful and stop trying to change things that can't be changed. Wait to change fate when the opportune moment comes into view."

Yuki knew it was best to hold his tongue, but he just couldn't anymore. "And when's that? When Hokage's dead!"

The Dragon turned and stared at the boy with blank eyes. "Yes."

Hokage regained his senses and sat silently in the dark. He wondered how he had been moved here without waking up. All the times before, he could sense the change and would wake up and struggle. Someone had to sedate him.

"Maybe Akito didn't want to take any chances. I was small and easier to hold back then," he thought, narrowing his eyes. "I was a lot weaker then."

Deciding the Banquet was going to be held soon, Hokage laid down. He closed his eyes and fell into a broken slumber.

A young Hokage crouched in the shadows and watched as his father kissed a pretty woman. He assumed she was his mother by the way Shigure reacted to her gentle touch. The boy longed to run up and introduce himself as her son, but he had promised his brother. He promised not to cause her trouble. That it would be easier for her and Father.

Shigure's calculating eyes drifted to Hokage's hiding spot.

"Is something out there?" their mother asked.

"Just a squirrel," the Dog answered slyly, turning back to his parents.

"Akito-san's looking for you," a man whispered from behind the boy.

Hokage hid his surprise by tensing instead. "So?"

"You should go to him."

The Wolf whipped around and glared at Kureno. "I don't care about Akito. I hate him. He's mean and he lies. And he hurts me when I tell him so."

"The longer you hide, the harder he'll hit you. Just go back now."

He pushed Kureno away. "I won't go back to that monster. God is worse than the Cat!"

"Don't say that."

"God is worse than the Cat!"

Hokage woke and held his throbbing head. "Kyo-kun," he whispered. "Don't let Akito tear you down. She's just afraid of you. Live, Kyo-kun. Forget the past and the future. Live in the present…with Tohru-kun."

He shifted into a sitting position and stared at the ceiling. Rather, he stared in the ceiling's general direction. He didn't know how high it was or what it looked like. Was anything painted up there or on the walls? What kind of pain had they seen? What secrets had they heard? Were they just as lonely as he? Were they broken like he?

"You are my only companions," he told the darkness. "And I don't even know what you look like."