Haruichi slowly opened his eyes. His body felt so heavy, and his head was pounding. It took all his energy to turn his head to the side, catching a glimpse of the man who'd saved him last night. Was it last night? Haruichi couldn't remember. "You're awake." His nose scrunched up as his head throbbed harder. Even though the male – Haruichi couldn't for the life of him remember his name – was speaking in a whisper, it still hurt.

He shut his eyes once more, the lids being too heavy to keep open for very long. When he opened them again, it was to someone running their fingers through his hair. He'd always liked it when his mother did this when he was sick. Looking up, his face fell and heart clenched when he found it wasn't his mother running her fingers through his hair but the man who'd helped him before. Head not pounding as hard as it had been, the memories of what had happened all came rushing back, causing tears to well up again and his heart to ache.

"Are you alright?" The man – Yomi, Yami, Yato, something like that – asked him. Swallowing thickly, Haruichi turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut again. "Kominato-kun?" Haruichi felt his throat close up. "Haru-chan?" Eyes flying open, the second year turned towards the man in surprise. Nobody had called him that in years. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so forward, but you weren't answering me and I was worried."

Opening his mouth, Haruichi bit his lip and shook his head. "I-It's f-fine." His voice was horse and throat was raw, but he was happy to be called Haru-chan again. He didn't care if it was childish. It made it seem like someone cared again. Like he was a child once more and being looked after by his family. It was nice.

The male smiled and stroked his hair a while longer before he asked, "Are you hungry?" The growl Haruichi's stomach let out at the thought of food answered for him. Laughing softly, the man helped him sit up and propped up the pillows behind his back. "I'll go ask the cook to bring you something, alright?"

Nodding, Haruichi flushed and shifted a little. "U-Um…I…I fo-forgot…name…" He lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Yamato Takashi. Feel free to call me Takashi, Haru-chan."

"T-Takashi-s-san. I…I need to…I need to go." Seeing the blank look on the male's face he ducked his head and whispered, "I…I have to go t-to…to the b-bathroom."

Understanding lit the man's face. "Of course! Here, let me help you." He pulled back the covers and gently helped Haruichi to stand from the bed, letting the teen lean against him. Wrapping one hand around the second year's waist, he guided the sick male slowly towards the bathroom.

Haruichi's legs wobbled, and he felt Takashi was more dragging him than he was helping him walk, but eventually they made it. "I…I can get it f-from here." He may have been weak and sick, but Haruichi drew the line at having to ask for help going to the bathroom. That was much too embarrassing.

Takashi nodded in understanding, waiting until the teen was steady against the sink before he shut the door. Letting out a shaky sigh, Haruichi pulled himself slowly along the sink towards the toilet. Takashi opened the door as he was finishing washing his hands, more exhausted than he thought he would be.

"All finished?" The taller male teased lightly, earning another blush from the second year. Nodding, Haruichi yelped when he was suddenly picked up and carried from the room. Before he could say anything, the older male beat him to it. "You're exhausted, and sick. You shouldn't push yourself." Haruichi flushed and ducked his head, leaning it against Takashi's chest. He hadn't felt so small in a long time.

The second year was rather surprised at the gentleness with which his host lowered him onto the bed. "T-Thank you."

"Are you still up to eating?" Haruichi nodded and his stomach growled louder than ever when a tray was set on his lap with heavenly smelling food. "Can you eat on your own?"

Nodding, Haruichi didn't think he'd live through the embarrassment of being fed. He picked up the spoon and scooped up a bit of the soup, gently blowing on it so it wasn't too hot. Taking a bite, he hummed happily with how good it was.

Takashi wondered how this boy could have been in Tokyo for over a year and he'd not known of him. He was stunning and unique. If only he'd found him sooner, he could have already claimed him by now. It was hard to sit and watch, resigning himself to nothing more than running his fingers through the silky strands of hair while he slept.

He'd been planning on waiting until he was completely healthy again before beginning to break this innocent child, but with each passing day he found it harder and harder to wait. He was so vulnerable, and it would be so easy to simply claim him now. He only resisted when he remembered what had happened last time he was unable to wait. He couldn't make that mistake again. Not with this boy who held so much potential inside him.

He would wait to claim him, but once Haru-chan was finished with his meal, Takashi would proceed to break him. Waiting for him to regain his health was taking far too long. And with his health affecting how he thought, it should make this stage easier.

Taking the empty bowl, Takashi smiled at the trusting teen. He let a sad look come over his face and brushed the pink hair gently behind one of the pale ears. "Haru-chan," He said softly, allowing his thumb to stroke the soft cheek, "Do you mind if I ask what you were doing outside all alone three days ago? Surely your family must be worried about where you are."

His heart leapt as the sad expression in the lone visible eye. So much raw pain. Takashi couldn't wait to see what else he could get those eyes to show. "Haru-chan?"

The teen swallowed and turned his head away, letting his bangs fall back over his eyes. "They…They don't care." His voice was layered with such sadness, and a small hint of bitterness. Exactly what Takashi was looking for.

"What do you mean? Surely they must be worried. You haven't been home in almost four days now."

Haruichi shook his head slowly. "I…I don't think they even re-realize I'm g-gone." That much was true. He'd had Mizuo check up on them, and they all thought he was staying at school, while the school assumed he'd already left for home. Takashi couldn't have planned it better.

"What about your friends?"

"What friends?" And there was the anger he was hoping to use. "Those people I thought were friends hated me. They were planning on getting rid of me. Even my-"

"Even your what?" He placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Haru-chan?"

Swallowing, the boy continued in a broken whisper, "Even my big brother hates me." And that was Takashi's cue to begin.

"Because you're weak? Useless? A wannabe copy of him?" Haruichi stared at him with wide eyes, and Takashi forced his face to remain sad and eyes to show sympathy. "I asked around after I brought you here. I was worried your parents would get upset that you hadn't come home. I ran into a group of boys who recognized your picture."

The second year's face grew sad, and his voice was horse as he whispered, "W-What did they look like?"

"One had glasses on, and a baseball cap turned sideways. Another had a strange laugh and spiky hair. The last one had brown hair." Of course, he'd never asked around, and never ran into those three, but Mizuo's information had said they were some of the last people leaving for home after Haruichi. "Do you know them?" He grinned inwardly as he brushed the bangs away in order to watch the eyes lose any hope of his friends or family caring for him.

"They were rather rude, and didn't seem to care when I told them how sick you were. The one with brown hair went as far as to say I should have left you to die!" His heart rate increased as he kept eye contact, watching as the teen's heart and spirit broke with his words. Wanting to shatter any remaining hope, cementing the fact that if it hadn't been for Takashi, he'd be dead and nobody would care, he said, "The spiky haired one had said if I had left you, he could have given your family the news as a present for Christmas. He told me it would have been the best gift he could have given them, and they would have been so happy to know they didn't have to deal with a mistake like you anymore."

Takashi could almost hear the teen before him shattering. His eyes lost any shine they had to them, looking more dead than alive. His body slumped forward, tears leaking from his eyes. He was almost disappointed by how easy it was. He'd hoped the boy would have fought a little more, but at least it was working out the way he'd planned.

Pulling the boy into a hug, he stroked the soft hair and inhaled the sweet scent. "I'm so sorry Haru-chan," He whispered, a grin on his lips. "I don't think any of it's true. I can tell. You're special. So special. They don't deserve you. Not if they can't see how amazing you are."

Pulling back after he smothered his grin and schooled his face back into the sad expression from before, he laid the lifeless boy back onto the bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Get some more sleep Haru-chan. I'll wake you when it's time to take your medicine." Pulling the covers up and letting his fingers brush the chest and shoulders of the smaller male, he smoothed the pink hair back from the dead eyes and smiled softly. "Sweet dreams Haru-chan."

So maybe I made things a little too easy on Takashi, but I've never written anything like this. And with a few days of already thinking everyone hates him, the 'realization' his parents don't care, and the pain along with being sick, I think it's justified for Haruichi to easily believe what he's being told.

Let me know what you thought! :)