Gokudera bolts awake as Reaper throws a glass full of cold water at his face.
"JESUS! WHAT THE..." His initial annoyance turns into anger at the sight of Reaper sitting calmly across from him. "WHERE THE FUCK AM I!"
The tanned-man sighs at Gokudera's outburst.
"On a plane, I woke you just at the right time apparently, we are just about to land." A mean smirk forms on his lips. "You will be seeing our little birdy again soon."
Gokudera breathes heavily, confusion clear on his face.
"W-What? I thought we were fighting! I'm sure we were! Or was that just a dream-" The Italian tries to move but pain shoots throughout his body. "FUCK!" The pain almost makes Gokudera black out again but he manages to stay awake. "So we really did fight...but why aren't I dead yet?"
"You made a deal." Reaper adjusts his position in his seat, and sips at the wine a steward had brought him. "You take my...experiments if I let you see our little birdy first. Of course you are probably going to need a night to..." Reapers eyes travel over Gokudera's battered body. "...heal up. And lucky for you, Phoenix just tried to overdose on morphine and she also needs a day to get back into her previous condition." Reapers smirk turns into a malicious grin. "You two children will have a full day before my fun begins."
It took Gokudera a few seconds to understand the information Reaper had given him but once he did a feeling of pure worry settled over him.
"Fucking shit! That stupid woman! She said she wouldn't do drugs anymore." Gokudera feels his jaw set as his worry begins to overtake him. The silver-haired teen struggles to keep his breathing level normal before asking a single question. "When can I see her?"
"You will be taken to the torture house as soon as the plane lands. Which will be in a few minutes, I think you will be seeing our little birdy in ten minutes maximum. But you shouldn't judge her. She wasn't taking the drugs for pleasure but rather she was trying to kill herself." A smug look appears on Reaper's face. "You see she thinks I killed you in our fight."
Gokudera's eyes widen as the horror of the situation hits him, his anger rising as Reaper sits smugly across from him.
"BASTARD! Why did you tell her I died? Because of me she almost...tch." The boy spits at Reaper, thinking of a million ways to kill the man in front of him.
"I didn't tell her you died. I just told her where to go and she assumed that I killed you. It was her own fault for assum—"
"DON'T BLAME HER FOR THIS!"
Reaper merely nods and remains silent for the rest of the time on the airplane and even after when they were sitting in a black jeep with tinted windows Reaper did not talk until they came to an older neighborhood. The older man bends his head down slightly and looks out the window at the large buildings on the left side of the car.
"We're almost there. A few more minutes and you can yell at our little Birdy's stupidity instead of me."
As Reaper finishes speaking they pull up to an old building, obviously an apartment building and obviously abandoned. Reaper pulls Gokudera from the car and half shoves, half pulls Gokudera to the door. As they step inside the sounds of men and woman screaming fill the air but Reaper ignores it as he leads Gokudera to the elevator. The screams worries Gokudera and he begins trying to pick out Phoenix among them.
"Where is she?"
"She'll be in medical. Where else would I put a suicidal person?" Reaper shoves Gokudera into the elevator and presses the button for the basement. "You should know this won't save anyone. I'm still going to kill off your pathetic family."
Gokudera doesn't answer but concentrates on his plans to keep Phoenix safe and he barely notices when Reaper forces him back out of the elevator and down a dimly lit hall. The pair stop at the last door and Reaper shoves Gokudera in, following after him with a smug grin The boy looks around the brightly lit room until his eyes fall on the sitting form of Phoenix, her back is turned to him and her black muscle shirt allows him to see the scars long the back of her shoulders and her upper arms. As Gokudera takes in the long pale scars (that could only be produced through whipping), cigarette burns, a single horribly healed gunshot, and many knife and wire scars that decorate the redhead's shoulders and upper arms he feels surge of anger fill him followed by a need to protect that he only associates with Tsuna. Taking a quiet breath Gokudera steps forward, getting closer to Phoenix.
"A-Aydan?"
The girl stiffens slightly at the sound of her name and turns slightly to look at him, her eyes widening as she takes in his bloody appearance. Phoenix slowly stands and faces Gokudera, breathing deeply in shock.
"Hayato? But you...I thought..." Phoenix see Reaper over Gokudera shoulder and crosses the room in three steps, pushing Reaper up against the wall as she reaches him. "You selfish, evil, backstabbing, son of a bitch!"
Reaper merely smiles and pushes Phoenix away from him before walking out of the room, locking the door behind him. Gokudera looks at Phoenix, who is standing stiffly where she was her chin tucked against her chest, hands curled into fists and breathing deeply. He recognizes the style of anger management so he allows Phoenix a few minutes before speaking.
"Why did you do it?" The redhead glances at him but her eyes instantly dart back to the floor. "I mean I get that you thought I died but-" Gokudera punches a wall as the thought of Phoenix dying enter his mind. "Damn it, Aydan! Why the fuck would you try to OD!"
Phoenix doesn't say anything for a while, her shoulders sagging as a dejected air came over her. Eventually the girl looks at him and Gokudera sees the hopelessness in her eyes, a hopelessness that is mirrored in her voice.
"Because I would have nothing left."
Gokudera suddenly grabs Phoenix's shoulders, shaking her slightly.
"I'M NOT THAT FUCKING IMPORTANT!" As Gokudera searches Phoenix's eyes he notices again the small crescent shaped scar by her right eye. "I mean, I understand that you like me but...I wouldn't want that. You mean so much...I mean..." The silver-haired teen sighs as he tries to figure out his words. "I just wouldn't want you to just give up. You can meet someone else. Hell, you're only sixteen! You can live on even if I don't."
Phoenix had been avoiding Gokudera's eyes but as he said those last words her eyes snap to his and a determined look flares to life as she pushes his hands off her shoulder and takes a step back.
"And what about you? Huh? I leave and you basically give yourself to Reaper! Even after I told you specifically not to do that!" Phoenix gets in Gokudera's face, grateful they were the same height. "You would have died! Reaper would have killed you! I have no idea why he hasn't, but he will!" Gokudera takes a step back to escape the force of her gaze and Phoenix puts one hand on her hip and covers her eyes with the other. "You're only fifteen, do you think it's any better for you to die?" She sighs and looks at Gokudera, her anger quickly returning. "Why the hell would you even attempt to fight him! I told you time and time again not to fight him. That he is too strong. But no, the Storm Guardian of the Tenth Vongola Family obviously knows more about Reaper than the girl who's been by his side for the past eleven years! Tell me, how am I the stupid one between us for choosing to OD on morphine rather than die at the hands of my best friend!"
Phoenix stands there, panting slightly from her long argument. The muscles in Gokudera's jaw clench because he knows that her reasons for trying to kill herself have nothing to do with Reaper.
"BECAUSE I'M FUCKING UNLOVEABLE, DAMN IT!" Gokudera glares at the red-haired teen in front of him. "You're probably the only idiot that would ever be attracted to me. But you're different. You can grow up and meet someone and hell, maybe even have one or two brats. I can't. And if wasn't for you I wouldn't mind fighting Reaper. But I won't die. I still have to live for Juudaime, and...you."
Gokudera blushes as he turns his face away, ashamed by how much he had said. Phoenix sighs softly and her expression softens, she takes a deep breath before going over to him and turns his head so her is looking at her.
"You're an idiot." There is a solid crack as Phoenix brings her hand across Gokudera's face. "The biggest God damned idiot I have ever met!"
Gokudera freezes up after the slap and his hand slowly raises up to touch his cheek.
"What...the...WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR! How the hell am I the idiot!"
"You just gave yourself over to the...you know what, Nevermind." Phoenix looks over Gokudera sighing as she takes in the damage Reaper had dealt him. "You look like hell." The girl circles around him, taking in all of his injuries. "You got lucky, the stab on your back isn't anything major" As Phoenix stops in front of Gokudera she lifts up his arm to get a better look at his side then kneels down and lifts up his pant leg to see his ankle. "You shouldn't be standing on this." She stands and points to the bed. "Sit down"
Phoenix doesn't wait to see if Gokudera obeys her but goes to a cabinet and starts pulling things out.
"W-Why? This is nothing! If I couldn't handle this, then I wouldn't be allowed to be Juudaime's right-hand man!"
Gokudera smiles stupidly as Phoenix looks around the cabinet door with a raised eyebrow. She rolls her eyes and shakes her head before going back to searching the cabinet.
"Hayato, sit down. You're lucky not to have bled out from your side yet. Which means you got a little medical treatment from Reaper, when means you need to have someone else take a look at you. And I'm all you've got right now." Gokudera sees her foot hook around the edge of the door and she closes it, her arms full of bandages, antiseptic, needles, and thread. "I would give you some painkillers but they took them all away...for obvious reasons. Now sit."
"You're still an idiot..." Gokudera mutters, not wanting to be slapped again. "I told you already, I'm fine! See?" Gokudera jumps and winces as he comes down on his bad leg. "M-Merda. It's nothing..."
Phoenix sighs and shifts everything over to one arm before grabbing Gokudera's good arm.
"You are gonna sit down and take this like a man. Ya got it?" She forces Gokudera to sit on the bed and places everything she needs on the bedside table before turning to him. "Now take off your shirt."
Gokudera smirks at the sudden request.
"Wow, I didn't think you'd try to jump my bones so soon."
A deep red spreads across the blue-eyed girl's cheeks.
"I'm not...I didn't...I need to get a better look at your side and arm!" The look on Gokudera's face pushes her to the edge and she smiles evilly. "Of course I could just let you get an infection from whatever the hell Reaper did to you."
Gokudera gulps.
"I've gotten an infection before. Nasty shit." He sighs and pulls his shirt over his head, wincing as the movement pulls on his injuries. "Fine, do whatever you want. Just try not to take my virginity while you're at it."