Mist 20

"S-S-S-S..." He couldn't speak.

There was Ritsuka. Legs curled close to his body, sitting on the side of a road with bruises starting to color all over him, a blood crusted hand dangled at his side and he had scrapes all over him from falling. And there was this Ritsuka looking at the man who loved him. The man who loved him, who was lying in the street and had been tripped over by Ritsuka. Soubi. Soubi, lying on the side of the road as if he had been run over.

Ritsuka forced himself to do something. He couldn't just sit around with Soubi like that. It was hard, he was terrified.

He wished this wasn't happening, it couldn't be real. Could this badly injured person, unconscious on the side of a road really be Soubi? Ritsuka knew it was. It was an unavoidable truth. It was Soubi. Soubi who he couldn't love, Soubi who messed with his mother's brains, Soubi who kissed him and held him. 'Soubi, Soubi is injured. He's hurt. So badly.' Ritsuka forgot all about being mad at the man. Right now, Soubi just needed help. Ritsuka couldn't be mad at him if he died.

He placed his hand on Soubi's chest, feeling the shallow heartbeat. Soubi sighed, but was clearly not awake. That was the only movement he made.

Ritsuka began crying again. 'How could this happen? Why Soubi! Wasn't he in enough pain? What if I hadn't tripped over him, if I never came here? Would he die out here alone?' Soubi's cuts leaked blood from his body into a small puddle underneath him. He was an absolute mess, this was the second time Ritsuka had seen him like this. Only this time, he wasn't waking up. Ritsuka realized even with himself being there, if he didn't do something Soubi could die. He needed to get Soubi inside, it was no good just sitting around outside.

The sky was becoming darker. It was cold out. Ritsuka's tears were chilling his face.

'What can I do?' Ritsuka questioned himself. It came to him. The only option. Kio.

Ritsuka wasn't exactly excited to share the situation with someone else, it was hard enough telling Soubi something like this. But who else could come?

He reached into his pocket, grabbed his phone (thankful he still had it on him) and looked in his contacts for Kio's number. He was also thankful Soubi had put Kio's number in there 'just in case.'

It rang and rang, the single loud noise was painful in the quiet atmosphere. It reminded Ritsuka how quite Soubi was.

"Kio…?" His voice was a hoarse whisper.

"Hey kid! Is that you, Ricchan?"

Ritsuka wasn't in the mood for Kio's cheerfulness. "Mnn." He mumbled. "Kio.."

"Yeah? Is something up?" It was starting to sink in that if Ritsuka had called, something must be really wrong. The last time Kio had been with Soubi and Ritsuka, things hadn't ended very well. But even if he had yelled at Soubi, Kio knew Ritsuka was a good kid. He wasn't mad, he was worried. He didn't think Ritsuka would normally get that angry at Soubi. Something had to have been up.

"Can you come get …us…?" Ritsuka trembled.

"U-us? Who's us? Not Soubi, right?" If they had to call for Kio to get them, and it was Soubi with Ritsuka, Kio assumed something must be terribly wrong with his friend.

Ritsuka didn't respond, he was trying not to cry.

Kio got the point. "Ricchan? Don't hang up. Where are you? I'm coming."

Ritsuka looked around, he didn't really know where he was at all. The last place he could remember identifying was that bridge. "Uhhm. Past a small bridge a little while away from my house. Ha-hash.. Hashi ..na, something. I can't remember, Kio.."

"Hey, kid. It's alright, I'm on my way. Is it the Hashikana bridge, do you think?"

"Mnn.. might be."

"Alright, alright. Just stay on the phone with me."

Ritsuka didn't really want to stay on the phone, he didn't want to talk to Kio, but he at least stayed on the line. He clicked his phone onto speaker and set it on the ground, keeping the volume low. Then he scooted over and carefully lifted Soubi's head onto his lap, he didn't think it would be good if Soubi was just lying on the ground, even if he already had been for who knows how long.

Ritsuka was somewhat grateful that no cars were going by on the road. It was a road that not many people used, he guessed. But if people had been using it, it could be bad if someone found them so weak.

Because Ritsuka had gotten sweaty while he ran, the cold air was becoming annoying. The sweat evaporating off his skin made him even colder. That's not what he was worried about, though, he was worried about Soubi. Ritsuka noticed Soubi's jacket was tied around his waist, it was strange since Soubi never usually did that. Anyway, Ritsuka had a hell of a time trying to reach around Soubi, untie it and lift it out from underneath him. He almost gave up several times, but he didn't because he was convinced Soubi must be terribly cold. Finally he got the jacket and draped it over top of Soubi.

Kio was still on the phone, he had been trying to get Ritsuka to say what happened but Ritsuka really wouldn't say more to him than, "I don't know." When he asked if they were hurt Ritsuka would say, "sort of." It all really worried Kio. So he hurried there as fast as he could.

The bridge that he assumed Ritsuka was near was basically straight down a few roads from Ritsuka's house, in the direction opposite of Soubi's. It seemed like a strange place to be, though, he wondered how on earth they had gotten there and why. Kio jumped in his car and drove for around 15 minutes, speeding whenever he could. Finally he passed the bridge and kept going until he could see Ritsuka and Soubi. Ritsuka, on the phone, was fairly quiet. Kio had figured the boy just didn't want to talk but he wanted to stay connected just in case something was to happen.

Ritsuka saw headlights first, and clamped his eyes shut. His fingers stilled in Soubi's hair where they had been petting. He knew it would most likely be Kio pulling up but if it were some stranger he and Soubi were much more than defenseless. Ritsuka was very anxious tonight. Soubi was still out. Ever since Ritsuka had arrived Soubi had not really moved at all.

The car pulled over next to them and its door opened, Ritsuka peeked out of his eyelashes. Curly blond hair, ripped, paint stained jeans, concerned look. It was Kio. Ritsuka sighed in relief but diverted his eyes from Soubi's friend.

"Ricchan!" Kio bustled out of his car. Kio's eyes widened in horror when he saw the duo, especially Soubi. "Wh-wha…"

Ritsuka whimpered. Kio's reaction brought it all back. He wanted to cry again.

"Ricchan, just hold on.." Ritsuka could tell Kio was trying to stay calm for his sake but the sight of his best friend and a child who was important to him, in such hurt states was really a lot for Kio to bear. He was able to choke it back and go into action for their sakes. Kio slipped off his coat and handed it to Ritsuka. "Put this under Soubi's head." Ritsuka was still sitting with Soubi's head on his lap. He cautiously slipped out from under Soubi, trying to be careful not to move his head around too much.

Kio couldn't see much of Ritsuka's injuries in the dark but he could tell by the boy's movements that he was badly hurt. Though, Soubi…

"Can you stand?" Kio asked Ritsuka. Ritsuka nodded but really he wasn't sure. He hadn't moved in a while and was really tired. The only thing keeping him awake as they waited for Kio was the terrifying thought of Soubi's death. He had vigilantly kept a hand on Soubi's chest, ensuring Soubi's heart was still beating the whole time.

/-/ "Mmn." Soubi pressed his lips above it, "Here is your heart." He whispered, hot breath pressuring Ritsuka's skin. "Do you feel it beating, when I touch." Soubi pressed a kiss onto the skin that was heated with a blush. /-/

Ritsuka remembered. Why couldn't things be like that again? Even if his feelings were still confusing then, at least they were in much better circumstances. At least Soubi wasn't in so much physical pain then.

As Ritsuka tried to stand his legs wobbled around from his arbitral movement. He felt so weak in so many ways. Kio steadied him and lead him over to the front passenger seat of the car.

"Sou-Soubi.." Ritsuka moaned.

Kio frowned deeper. "I'll get him, don't worry. We won't leave him behind."

Ritsuka didn't look any less distressed. Kio had to move on anyway, he needed to get Soubi out of the street.

"Uhhg.. Sou.." Soubi was heavy. He was abnormally tall, though in fact, Kio himself wasn't much shorter, Soubi just seemed to weigh so much when Kio tried carrying him. He didn't want to hurt Soubi while picking him up so he was trying to be gentle. In the end Kio was able to lift Soubi up and lay him across the back seat of the car. Soubi still didn't wake up. When Kio got back into the front seat he realized the seat next to him, where Ritsuka had been moments ago, was now empty. He panicked momentarily before noticing Ritsuka had just move to the back. With Soubi. The boy had crawled over his and Kio's seat dividers and onto the floor where Soubi's feet would've been, had he been able to sit on his own. Ritsuka leaned over Soubi and tried to provide comfort to him in his sleep.

'So cute.'

Kio began speeding back to Soubi's apartment. He had no clue what was going on with Soubi, and Ritsuka wasn't talking. He didn't know if Soubi needed to go to the doctors but he knew Soubi didn't like the doctors very much. So, if he could, it may be better to avoid going there, also anyone outside themselves would ask complicated questions about whatever was so mysteriously going on, that, Kio figured, no one could or would want to answer.

When they arrived at the apartment, Kio was once again faced with the issue of relocating an unconscious Soubi. It would be a lot harder carrying him up all the stairs to his apartment than it had been to just get the short distance to the car. Ritsuka was in no shape (not to mention much too small) to be carrying Soubi, luckily Kio was able to garner the help of the Zeros. They had come home from school on their own when Kio went to bring Ritsuka home. Youji and Natsuo were fairly clueless on the situation but seemed all too calm about it anyway. The twins became all business, with no freaking out, once they saw Kio carrying Ritsuka in. The boy had been too exhausted to even protest about being carried up. Youji and Natsuo inwardly gaped at their friend's condition but soon learned Soubi was in much, much worse shape. They tried to get Ritsuka to lie in bed because he wasn't able to help, in his condition, but Ritsuka just paced around the room impatiently.

After some effort Soubi was safe on the bed. The Zeros had somehow avoided any accidental droppings of their caretaker.

x

"Okay.. let's see…" Kio leaned over Soubi, inspecting him, taking his temperature and applying bandages. "He's breathing, more steadily now."

Ritsuka sighed. That had to be good.

He was fully focused on Soubi but soaking in every reassuring word Kio had to say. The room was empty except for him, Kio, and Soubi; Youji and Natsuo had gone out to give them some space.

"His heartbeat seems okay." Kio confirmed.

Ritsuka was sitting on the bed next to Soubi, holding his hand. He couldn't do much else, and that made him feel weak. He couldn't do anything about it, he was so scared.

"Jeeze, he looks like he's fucking sleeping!" Kio seemed more calm now that Soubi was in better condition and not, for example, lying on a street.

"K-Kio..?" Ritsuka asked quietly.

"Mmn?" He was getting out Soubi's laptop, to research some medical things. He didn't want to be too careful, actually Kio figured most people would've gone to a hospital over something like this. But Kio was aware that Soubi was a little different. Not to mention he sucked at dealing with people.

"How do you know all this.. doctor-y stuff?"

Kio sighed. "Ehhh.. well, somebody's given me some practice over the years." He jabbed a finger toward Soubi.

Ritsuka's face fell. He knew why Soubi had always been hurt in the past. It wasn't always because of spell battles.

"Don't worry about it, Ricchan." Kio looked back down and typed a few things in.

"Kio.. is he okay?.." Ritsuka asked. He looked at Soubi's closed eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't know if you've noticed it, but Soubi like regenerates in his sleep or something. He heals really quickly. It seemed like he was comatose but I wonder if he's only asleep."

Ritsuka was put at ease and was able to lie down and sleep.

x

Kio looked over at the two figures on Soubi's bed.

'Ahhh… What a weird couple.'

He started to pick up the room some. It seemed to Kio that Soubi would always be a mystery to him, and Ritsuka too. Ever since he had known each of them, respectively they had befuddled him.

/-/ Soubi had been a strange person ever since Kio had met him. He was someone who liked keeping to himself and had only one contact in his cell phone. A man who painted beautiful pictures, pictures that portrayed deep, scary emotions. He was someone who always drew butterflies but hated their frailty.

Kio liked the pictures Soubi painted but that wasn't the only reason he tried to become close with Soubi. Soubi wore bandages around his neck. A dangerous place to be injured. A place that isn't usually injured by accident. And those bandages were always tied tightly, often covered by a collar, and always, always were there. He wore them for such a long time that Kio began to think it was even stranger than he originally had thought. He became worried, about a man he barely even knew. And Soubi, the reason he accepted Kio was not for his boisterous personality. But for a tattoo on his back. Kio passed it off as something normal but Soubi saw Kio's will, his resolve, in the tattoo. The beautiful markings on each man drew them closer to each other. How strange.

They became friendly, and Kio noticed more odd things about Soubi. He acted like a baby sometimes, as if he was hidden from society his whole life until then. He lacked common sense in major ways. He never properly cared for his body. And he always and still was very, very secretive.

Somehow or another Soubi possessed- No, not even that. He was owned by- a master. It baffled Kio. He had never encountered anything like Soubi's master servant relationships before. The closest he could compare it to would be a butler but Soubi took it much, much farther than that.

The first of Soubi's master's for Kio to know of was Seimei. The second, Ritsuka. Kio found out about Seimei easily, the transition from Seimei to Ritsuka was painful for everyone, though.

Soubi was utterly devoted to Seimei in almost every way he could be.

Then, when he lost Seimei.. When he lost him...

Kio hadn't heard from Soubi in a few days, but he thought that was fairly normal. Soubi liked his space. Kio was lounging on his couch considering giving his friend a call. Kio had other friends but he always felt closest so Soubi. And then he saw it. On the news, no less. A boy was murdered. He was appalled at the thought. For someone to be killed so brutally in his own town. And then he heard who. Aoyagi Seimei. The Aoyagi Seimei. The one Soubi devoted his life, body and soul to. Kio felt slight triumph, he was glad to know Soubi would finally be free, not that he condoned murder.

But it wasn't that easy.

He went over to Soubi's not exactly sure what to expect. What he found was much worse than he ever would've thought it could be. The unlocked door opened easily. But it wasn't so easy to locate Soubi in the room. His eyes scanned the room until he finally found him. A small sliver of a person. Vacant. The room was empty, Soubi wasn't there. He couldn't be, this, this sliver of life.. could it actually have been Soubi? Dear, earless, abused, handsome, secretly maybe caring Soubi?

No. It just couldn't.

But it was.

He wasn't even crying. He didn't look up when Kio came in. He didn't look anywhere. Empty. He was so lifeless. Kio shut the door and stumbled in. He tried to run over but he was so startled his legs wouldn't move properly.

"Soubi, Soubi, Soubi."

He wouldn't answer. His breathing was so barely noticeable. The bags under his eyes said that he probably hadn't slept since Seimei's death. What had the news said? Two, three days ago. He probably hadn't eaten either. Kio wondered if it was possible Soubi hadn't moved from his curled up, sitting position against a dark wall all this time.

Kio didn't know what was going on but it seemed that Soubi was teetering over the line of humanity.

"Soubi, Soubi you have to get up. I'm here. Kio."

He had to be Soubi's comfort. He wanted to be, for Soubi's sake. All those weeks passed agonizingly. Kio kept by Soubi's side but he wasn't sure Soubi could keep living like he was. He wasn't even really alive as it was. Kio didn't even understand why Soubi hadn't just stopped breathing already. He just kept going. He was in unbearable pain and Kio realized that something (and it wasn't Kio) kept prodding Soubi. Keeping him alive.

It was an order.

'Serve Ritsuka.

Be his fighter.

Love him.'

One morning Soubi emerged on his own. Kio was on his way down Soubi's street, to Soubi's home, and he saw Soubi was walking toward him. Kio was overjoyed. He didn't think something like that would happen. So suddenly.

"Sou-chann!"

Soubi seemed more or less back to his old self. Only he was much heavier hearted and was obviously forcing the facade he held upon his face and entire body. "I have to go somewhere Kio, It's important."

That's all Soubi said to him.

And then, then the next day he went to school. Trying to work through all his absences. Making up projects, tests and lectures when he could. Tirelessly for a whole week. Something Soubi never would've done, throughout that week Kio worried constantly that Soubi was going to return to the shell he had been, but he didn't. Then at the end of that week Soubi disappeared before one of the classes and left his bag behind.

He only took with him a new, blue, cell phone. It bounced against the other one in his pocket, which was his own. Kio went through Soubi's bag, during that time, and found strange pictures of a little boy. /-/

Kio thought about the complete strangeness of everything about Soubi as he doted around Soubi's apartment. That kid, just a little brat who could completely save Soubi in a few days when Kio couldn't in weeks. That kid, that Kio was so terrified would rake through Soubi and destroy him as badly as his older brother had. That boy, who was now curled up, cutely, against Sou-chan, willingly offering up his body heat and all the comfort he could supply with. Soubi was still just as mysterious but Kio cared about the man immensely. The comfort Ritsuka gave to Soubi was something that Kio was grateful to him for. It was a comfort that Kio would never be able to replicate, and never had been able too. Thanks to Ritsuka, they could all be together, now. They could all share memories together.