Insert disclaimer, insert cockroach rants, insert random shiz.

Yusei knew exactly where Crow was, and in a flash of lightning, rushed to him and held him close. He heard another set of footsteps, and they paused before the tune of a blackbird was whistled.

Jack repeated it.

Kiryu dashed in, looking around wildly. "Where's Crow?" he demanded. "He took off when I got hold of him."

"That was you?" Crow whispered through his tears. He turned his head. "I th-thought you were Sector."

Then Yusei smelled it. Coppery like old pennies.

Blood.

He stood up quickly. "Kiryu—you're—"

Crow caught whiff of it too. He staggered to his feet and flew at Kiryu with enough force he staggered.

"You're hurt," he stammered, his hands feeling for a wound. "Y-You're bleeding, you're h-hurt, y-y—"

Kiryu caught his wrists and pulled him in against his chest, hugging him so tightly Crow squeaked. "It's not mine, it's not mine," he reassured the littlest boy. "It's someone else's. I'm not hurt. Are you? Crow-bird, are you hurt? Crow-bird, answer me. Are you hurt?"

He shook his head, burying his face in Kiryu's chest. He began crying harder, holding onto the blue-haired leader. Kiryu clutched him close. Yusei saw the blood decorating his arms and hands. He had a smear of it running down his face, mixed with water.

If it wasn't Kiryu's blood, he wasn't hurt. If he wasn't hurt, it was someone else's blood. If it was someone else's blood, someone else was hurt. If someone else was hurt and their blood was on Kiryu, that meant Kiryu had hurt someone.

Yusei almost threw up at the very thought.

.x.

"I was so scared," Crow spluttered through his tears and sniffles. "I th-thought they would get you be-because of me and—and my marker—" He broke off, crying harder than ever.

Kiryu rocked him slowly. "Shh, Crow-bird, calm down, it's okay. I'm okay. We're all okay and everything's fine. Hush, bird."

The rain was slowly beginning to die off. Crow could still hear it pattering on the pavement outside, but it was less pronounced. When the next roll of thunder echoed, Yusei could easily talk over it.

"Who was hurt, Kiryu?" he asked quietly.

"No one!" Crow cried, his hands fisting tighter around Kiryu's shirt. "No one was hurt! You heard Kiryu—everything's fine!"

Kiryu was silent.

After a long, silent moment, Kiryu pulled back and picked Crow up into his arms, only to set him down against the wall. The blood and rain mixed on both of their outfits, as well as Crow's tears.

"Can I have a couple blankets?" Kiryu asked softly.

Shirtless and shoeless Jack picked up a few heavier blankets, while Yusei gathered up all the pillows. Too exhausted, numb, and shaking to care about where they slept, the three who weren't crying built a 'nest' around Crow and settled down to sleep.

Kiryu took off his bloodstained shirt, jeans, boots, and socks, pulling his headband off of his wet blue locks. His bangs, unrestricted, fell in front of his face.

Yusei straightened the blanket they were laying on and pulled the blankets on top of them closer, tucking them around his body to prevent drafts.

Jack put one hand on Crow's arm, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the skin that was damp and red from the cold. He uncurled his arm from around his pillow and gently removed Crow's wet headband for him.

Crow burrowed into the nest, feeling Jack's warm chest on his back and his strong heartbeat on his shoulder blade. Kiryu lay down in front of him, with Yusei on his other side. Crow wrapped his arms around the leader's chest and rested his forehead against his angular collarbone.

"Go to sleep," Kiryu said, closing his eyes. Crow didn't know if he was speaking directly to him, or to them all in general. "Things will be brighter in the morning."

No one responded. Crow closed his gray eyes slowly, feeling Jack pull the blankets closer. Kiryu held him tighter. Yusei ruffled his hair affectionately, gently.

Managing to forget the blood, pain, and terror, he fell asleep.

R&R is highly appreciated~!