Kaoru was discharged from the hospital later that evening. The twins kept their distance from their parents, attached at the hip once again. Their mother tried countless times to communicate, but each time she said anything, Kaoru burrowed into Hikaru's neck and Hikaru sent a death glare in the direction of her voice. Mikami had explained to Kaoru what had happened, but the explanation hadn't done anything to patch the relationship. Hikaru was still furious that his parents had ignored him for so long.

The ride home was silent and awkward, with Hikaru and Kaoru snuggled together next to Kyoya on one side of the limo and their parents sitting across from them, holding hands.

"Kaoru…" Their father sighed when they were nearly back to their home city. It was the first time anyone had spoken since they'd left the hospital.

"What." Hikaru snapped as Kaoru tensed in his arms.

Mr. Hitachiin ignored Hikaru and continued to address his other son. "I just wanted to tell you that we're going to pay for Mikami's mother's medical treatments as thanks for helping you."

Kaoru relaxed slightly, a trickle of happiness flowing through the twins. They were hoping their parents would come to that conclusion on their own.

The conversation dropped there.

Kyoya was let out first, with a nod and a promise to call and check up on the twins. Without his peace-keeping nature, the tension increased until a chainsaw wouldn't have been able to hack through it. As soon as the vehicle stopped, the twins were on their way to their bedroom, on the opposite side of the estate as their parents'.

"Spill." Hikaru demanded as soon as they were laying comfortably together on his bed.

"I don't want to." Kaoru shook his head, finding it difficult to build up enough energy to cry.

"I don't care." Hikaru turned to look at his expressionless brother, who continued to stare at the ceiling. "You know you have to. It'll be the only way you'll feel better."

"I know…" Kaoru faced his brother, locking his dull eyes with Hikaru's concerned ones. "I'm just not ready yet…"

"Okay." Hikaru grabbed his brother's hand and rubbed gentle circles into the back of it with his thumb while they went back to staring at the ceiling. They lay there in silence, feeling content until they fell asleep.

Waking was not pleasant.

Hikaru jolted awake before Kaoru did, a sure sign of a nightmare on Kaoru's end. He looked over to see Kaoru stirring, eyes screwed shut, whimpering quietly.

"Kaoru." Hikaru whispered, reaching over to stroke Kaoru's hair.

At the gentle touch, Kaoru's eyes flew open. Instinct kicked in and he smacked the hand away, breaths coming in short, sharp bursts that made his chest ache and his back sting.

"Hey, it's okay." A voice said from fifty miles away. Kaoru turned to see a shadow looming over him, reaching for him. He screamed, limbs flailing. He felt his foot colliding with something solid, and soon after, he cried out in pain and fear as he hit the ground, fire in his side.

Hikaru cringed as Kaoru's foot hit him in the sternum and sent him tumbling over the edge of the bed. He heard Kaoru cry out and a solid thud on the other side of the bed.

"Kaoru!" he cried, quickly making his way to the other side of the room. He found his brother curled up in the corner, shaking, sobbing, hyperventilating. "Kaoru, breathe." Hikaru had never seen his brother in such distress. He usually calmed down as soon as Hikaru started talking to him. "C'mon, in through your nose and out through your mouth."

Kaoru didn't hear a word his brother said. He was lost in his mind, his memories. Every hand, every strike, every cut, every word. They all came back. He felt the sting of his brands, the pressure of every sick bastard that had climbed on top of him, their breath, their hands, everything they'd done. He felt the helplessness, the vulnerability, the pain, the suffering the shame. Oh the shame.

But then he remembered something else. He remembered how he'd gotten through it. He forced his panic aside; it was as if he was elbowing through an overly crowded room, going against traffic during an evacuation. He somehow found his way to the back of his mind and pulled out his safe haven. He plastered it in every inch of his mind. The only thoughts he allowed were of sunsets, peace, and Hikaru.

Gradually, he felt himself relax. Then a voice started to poke at the edge of his mind. Someone was coaching him through breathing. Was he not breathing? Kaoru put his focus into his lungs and realised that he was, in fact, hyperventilating. He listened to the instructions, following them the best he could. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when he'd realised it was Hikaru trying to help him, but when he finally figured out how to control his diaphragm, Kaoru suddenly found himself in Hikaru's arms.

"Shh… It's okay." Hikaru whispered as Kaoru began to sob again. "You're safe now. They can't hurt you anymore."

Kaoru just latched onto his brother, sobbing and shaking.

"S-so many." He found himself choking out after he had mostly cried himself out. "So many p-people."

"Shh…" Hikaru gently rocked his brother back and forth. "You don't need to talk about it now."

"I'm ready n-now." Kaoru protested. He didn't know if or when he would be ready again. "Every d-day, a new o-o-one."

Hikaru bit his lip and held back tears as he thought of Kaoru going through such a horrible thing. And multiple times. Why? Why did it have to be him?

"Sh-show me your l-legs." Kaoru untangled himself from Hikaru, wiping the stray tears form his face as he tried to keep fresh ones from falling.

"Why?" Hikaru's expression suddenly turned dark.

"Bec-cause."

"Show me your back."

Kaoru shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Y-yours are for-or both of us." Kaoru failed his attempt to keep his tears behind his eyes. "Mine a-are just for m-me. You didn't d-do anyth-thing to get the-ese."

"Together or not at all." Hikaru made his offer final.

Kaoru took a few deep breaths, rattling his sore chest. Once he felt a bit less jittery, he nodded.

"On three?" Hikaru suggested.

"One." Kaoru reached for the bottom of his shirt.

"Two." Hikaru grabbed the hems of his jeans.

"Three." They revealed their scars at the same time, Kaoru turning his back to Hikaru while Hikaru stretched his legs out around Kaoru. All of their scars were in plain view. Hikaru's breath caught at the giant X and disgusting words that had been carved into Kaoru's skin. Kaoru simply stared at the litter of marks on Hikaru's legs.

Their silence was well spent, each finding a strange sense of peace in knowing everything that had happened while they were apart.

"Kaoru…" Hikaru sighed, not feeling the need to continue.

"Hikaru…" Kaoru agreed.