They had all noticed when he had stopped wearing his usual shirts, the ones that cut off above his stomach and tore at the sleeves.
No one had really thought about it though. They assumed it was just Kyoya changing his style. Not the first time he'd done it.
Even with his scars, they had noticed the dark circles growing under his eyes, but they had put it up to merely over-training. Same thing with any slight differences they noticed in his personality.
No one had even suspected it was something more dangerous.
"Demure?"
He turns, uneasy with the strange tone in his voice.
It sounded unsure and cautious, like he was walking across ice. It was downright un-Kyoyalike, and therefore something was really wrong.
Kyoya's eyes were troubled as well.
"What is it?" Demure asks, dreading what could be so bad that it made Kyoya act so off.
The stoic greenete is silent for a moment, hesitating...
.
.
"We have to tell Nile!"
"No!" Kyoya snaps. "I can't! ... Not yet at least."
Demure's quiet for a few seconds. "But Kyoya... this is important. Really important-"
"I know that!" He spits with sudden violence, making Demure step back. Breathing hard and swaying slightly, Kyoya shakes his head and tries to regain his composure.
He runs his fingers through his hair. "Just... just don't tell, alright?"
Demure nods. "I wont. I promise."
Kyoya looks a bit reassured, but still uneasy. "Thanks."
"Yeah..." A bad feeling welled up inside Demure.
.
.
"Hey Yoyo! Play with us!"
"No."
"C'mooon Yoyo! Your no fun!"
Yuu tugs at Kyoya's arm insistently, not willing to give up just yet.
"Go away little boy."
"You picked that up from Tsubasa, didn't you? Daww! Your so mean Yoyo! Just play with me!"
The others weren't paying much attention. They knew Yuu would either get bored with him or Kyoya would get annoyed and shut him up.
Nile notices however that Demure seems to be watching them closer than normal.
Whats up with him now? He wonders.
"I told you to leave me alone!"
Nile turns back to the two, surprised to hear how irritated Kyoya sounds. He normally kept his cool through these exchanges.
Yuu didn't seem to happy with it either, and retorts, "Your just tired cos your always over-training to fight Ginky! Maybe that's why you always lose!"
Nile barely notices how fast Kyoya's breathing is before he lashes out.
He backhands Yuu. Hard.
It's so sudden no one knows how to react. Even Yuu gazes silently up from the ground with surprise.
It only lasts for a moment though because Kyoya is still fuming, and now grabs the little blond up by his shirt, malice in his eyes.
Nile finally snaps from it and races towards him when he sees Kyoya form a fist. He quickly grabs onto his arm, but Kyoya shoves him off and lets go of Yuu to face his new opponent.
Nile backs away from him a pace, then spots something strange in Kyoya's eyes. Why are his pupils dilated? There's something really wrong here.
Ginka tries to jump in, and Masamune and Tsubasa join him. Kyoya growls, rage burning in his eyes, breathing heavily.
Too heavily. Worry builds up inside Nile. What's going on?!
Kyoya attacks the others without seeming to hold back.
"Kyoya! Stop it!" Ginka cries, but Kyoya snarls back and swings at him, looking as if he's lost his mind.
Nile slips back into the fray and tackles Kyoya, struggling to restrain his thrashing arms. Tsubasa tries to help, but Kyoya breaks away and backs a few feet from them, fury radiating from his body as he struggles to catch his breath.
Then quite suddenly, he staggers and his eyes roll back into his head.
Nile dives to catch him.
The others gaze at them. "What was that about?" Madoka wonders.
Nile doesn't answer her. "He... He's really light. He's too light..."
He runs his fingers over Kyoya's rib-cage. "I can feel every bone... What the heck is going on here?!" He turns back to the others, then notices Demure's expression. "Demure... You know something don't you?" Nile sets Kyoya down gently and strides to his friend.
Demure gives a tiny nod, looking scared. "He-he told me not to tell."
"Demure this is serious! There's definitely something wrong with him and unless we do something to help it'll only get worse!"
Demure blinks hard and gazes at the ground. With a breath, he finally opens his mouth.
"Kyoya... he's a... Cocaine addict."