He didn't get out of bed. He lay still, under the covers, un moving, un blinking, just staring. Staring straight at the dresser and the mirror across from him. He could see his reflection if he shifted his gaze. He saw tousled dark hair; black rimmed eyes, blood shot and tired looking. His mouth was set grimly, the sides pulled down created dimples. The pink had left his cheeks, his complexion white and dull, except for the scrape on his jaw, where his face had been ground into the asphalt; and of course the bruise around his left eye. All he could think about was the pain in his back and how disgusted he felt. I am dirty. Filthy and violated. Desecrated and weak. Time didn't exist anymore There was only agony and his own faint heart beat.

"Oi! Basta! Get your ass outside!" Someone pounded on his front door. The man moaned- considered getting up- then disposed of the idea. He felt too weak and tired. He couldn't even find the energy to speak. "I'm comin' in" snapped the man outside. Basta stirred. There was a thump as the door whipped open. Boots tromped on the hardwood. Gar appeared in his bedroom. "Whats wrong with you?" He asked, his mouth twisting in disgust and confusion. "You look as if you've looked in the face of death itself!" Basta didn't utter a sound. "You're scarin me" said Gar, his eyebrows falling gravely. "I'm gonna get Capricorn..."

"No" managed Basta. His voice was hoarse and broken.

"I dunno Basta..." Gar looked hesitant.

"I'm Fine....going to shower... be out later....late night...." He spoke in broken sentences, his voice hardly audible.

"Whatever you say, friend." As Gar left, Basta felt struck. Did Gar just call me his friend? When he finally managed to swing his legs out of bed, pain shot up Basta's back. He moaned in pain and limped to his bathroom. As he ran the shower, Basta tenderly undressed, peeling off first his shirt, then his jeans, then, eventually, his blood stained boxers.

The water felt like warm, caressing hands over his tender, aching body. Its liquidy fingers warmed his skin and washed away blood. He sighed in a sort of relief. Washing away the filth. Taking the rape away from my body. Too many things swirling down the drain between my naked feet. He didn't bother with soap. When he was done with the shower, he stepped out and wrapped a towel over his body. He quickly rubbed it over his extremities, then walked to his bedroom, where he stepped into yellow boxers, black skinny jeans, socks, then his usual white shirt. He limped back to the bathroom, where he combed his hair back in front of the mirror.

X

Basta nearly vomited when he heard a mention of "The box".

"Oh please god, no! Fuck no!" He nearly collapsed onto his knees in the church, before the black jackets and his master. Silence hung in the room, all eyes on Basta. Someone coughed, breaking the silence. Capricorn, who stood beside the man, studied him curiously. He knelt down, so he was level with him.

"You're embarrassing me" hissed Capricorn. Basta nearly sobbed. His shoulders shook. His knees gave out. He fell on his face. The carpet smooshed into the scrape, irritating it. Basta coughed at the awful unwashed smell. "Pull yourself together!" hissed Capricorn again, taking a fistful of Basta's hair and pulling back his head. Basta whimpered and hiccoughed. "Rio!" Barked Capricorn. Basta briefly pondered the name... he'd never heard it before. Soon, a striking blond man appeared by Capricorn's side. He was tall, handsome, and had peculiar auburn eyes. "Take him away from here, knock some sense into him" spat Capricorn, shoving Basta at Rio's feet.

"Yes, boss." He had a young voice and a stable Americano accent. He took Basta's collar in his fist, hoisted him to his feet, and stood within his personal space.

"Fuck off" spat Basta, shoving the taller man in the chest. Something sharp stuck his face. He gasped, open mouthed, at Capricorn. His boss had just slapped his face.

"THATS ENOUGH!" Roared Capricorn, his voice echoing in the church. Everyone was very still, and Basta became very aware of every person standing open mouthed before him. "Take him away" he snarled to Rio. The blonde kicked Basta's legs out from under him, then grabbed his ankle. He began dragging him down the aisle, un-tucking his shirt, crinkling it up his back. Basta struggled and spat the entire way out side. When the doors were opened, hot Italian sunlight blinded him, the heat enveloped his already hot body.

"Letgo of me!" He snarled, his accent slurring the words together into one big British jumble. Rio said nothing, he just kept dragging Basta through the coarse cobbled roads, towards an ivy covered wall. Just then, Basta's heart nearly stopped and he became struck with paralyzing fear. Holy fuck, it was Rio who raped me! He was no longer able to kick or struggle, all he could do was listen to his own heart pounding in his rib cage. Rio hauled Basta to his feet, then shoved him against the wall. Basta made a muffled Oof! As he bonked his head. "What do you want" he said, on the brink of sobs, as he crushed the back of his head against the wall. He distorted his mouth, showing his teeth and pulling down on the corners- the perfect "Tim Roth in Pain" look.

"Whats your problem?" Snapped Rio, clenching his fists.

"I know what you did to me" growled Basta, his voice low and raw.

"Oh you remember now, do you?" Sneered Rio, a psychotic smile playing on his face.

"You bastard!" moaned Basta, lowering his hand to his thigh, to find his knife. Rio laughed.

"I know my parents" he hissed. "Isn't it you whose the bastard? Capricorns the closest thing you have to a relative, huh?" Rio got right in Basta's face. Close enough for the man to feel his hot breath in his own mouth. "And I bet he ass rapes you on a regular basis, you scrawny dog!" Basta punched. A good one, too. He nailed Rio right in the face, striking his nose. Back in the Inkworld, Basta referred to the nose as "the magic button". If you punch there, blood pours out, the opponent's eyes tear over, and it hurts like a bitch. Then you can take advantage of them and do whatever damage you like. And Basta did exactly that. He kicked Rio in the gut, punched his face once more ,then whipped out his knife. He held it against the man's fragile throat.

"Thanks a lot, Mother fucker" he hissed, pressing the cool blade into Rio's flesh. He was about to make his kill, slice the thin across the man's jugular, when he heard Gar yell his name.

"BASTA! BASTA WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" The man leaped at Basta, knocking him to the street. Basta landed with a painful thump. He yelled, swore, coughed, and groaned. Spittle came from his lips, and he watched as Rio darted down the street.

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