Ren felt himself drifting off to sleep, caught in a soft dream of pleasant thoughts; a world full of people with Horohoro, who could change their hearts and go against their prejudices to make him feel like someone actually cared about him.
Dreams are worlds of escapes, and your pathways are always laid out in front of you, ready for you to use.
How different life is.
His dream was interrupted abruptly when he felt someone grab his arms, twisting them sharply behind his back and pinning him to the bed. He opened his mouth to cry out, but it was muffled when a hand clamped tightly over his mouth.
Ren shuddered as he heard Hao's voice whisper into his ear, "Hello there, Ren."
He felt Hao, who was grinning slyly, reach under him with one hand, flicking open the traditional Chinese-style buttons that held his shirt closed. Ren squirmed, but Hao's grip merely tightened.
The night's cold instantly swooped over Ren's now bare back, sending a shiver up his spine. Hao cast Ren's shirt to the floor, and an instant later, Ren felt the fire shaman's hands running down the flesh, greedily taking in the smooth texture and the pale color.
Hao leaned down to Ren's ear, smirking and hissing, "You have such lovely skin...it's no wonder Horohoro likes you so much now...In fact, it's so lovely...that I can't help but leave my mark on it."
Ren cried out as he felt a sharp pain in his back. Apparently, Hao had taken a small blade from his pocket and had drawn a bloody line across his back, splitting the delicate flesh. As the warm crimson liquid trickled down and soaked into his sheets, Ren felt Hao's hand tighten over his mouth.
"Make any more noise, and I'll kill you."
Hao pressed the blade firmly into Ren's skin again, making a long red mark. He grinned, slashing the skin again, again, and again.
Ren squeezed his eyes shut, praying for the pain to end and for Hao to leave him alone. The pain was terrible, but he didn't dare make a noise. Instead, he let the tears freely flow from his eyes and drip onto the beadspread.
Cut after cut.
Tear after tear.
Smile after sick smile.
An eternity flew by, and Ren's back had been basically slashed to ribbons.
Hao jerked him into an upright sitting position.
"It hurts, doesn't it?"
"Y...yes..."
"Then I'll put you out of your misery."
Ren's eyes widened in terror as he felt the cold blade, wet with his own blood, pressing against his throat. Hao smirked in delight.
"Goodnight, Tao Ren."
Ren squeezed his eyes shut again and waited for the pain, but it never came.
Hao let out a startled yelp as a silent figure shoved him hard off Ren's bunk, sending him crashing to the floor. It was Horohoro, who instantly was in front of Ren, holding his arms out as to sheild the boy.
"Hao...you're one messed up bastard."