People must have been informed of my assignment, as they avoided me as much as possible. Not that that was anything new, Alfred was my only confidant in the entire building.

But now people avoided my gaze, they shifted uncomfortably when I was in the same room, unlike before when they wouldn't even notice me.

It was extremely tiring.

I pushed open the door to the gym and almost sighed in relief, the room was empty. I glanced around the room, letting the different machines jump into my view and see which one I wanted to use.

The treadmill looked the most appealing, especially considering my assignment. I shuddered and wiped away the thought pertaining to that, the entire point of coming here was so I could lose myself in the workout.

I glanced out the long window that stretched across the side of the room, overlooking the pool below. That was also calling to me; the pool had always been a safe place for me to be, and I was a natural swimmer. I resigned myself to swimming later and walked to the treadmill, avoiding the other machines in my path.

I stepped to the sides of the walkway and pushed the buttons that turned the speed to the maximum setting. I wanted to forget everything and push myself to overexertion no matter how bad it was.

The walkway started moving quickly and I stepped on lightly, closing my eyes and letting my footfalls match the pace of the machine, feeling my calves burn in response.

I rose onto the pads of my feet and willed my footfalls to quiet, the only sound being the light slap of my feet hitting the walkway rather than the thundering footsteps.

Sweat ran down my face and I wiped it away, letting my breathing guide my thoughts into the exercise, pushing away the outside thoughts that assaulted my mind. I wouldn't let it get to me, I would remain calm and detached.

Alfred's face swam into my vision and I shook my head roughly, his words already sinking into my ears.

'Mattie he will kill you!' Like I didn't know that. I knew everything about how to stay alive and how to protect someone who needs to stay alive, but this man was a death sentence in itself, I was dead on my feet already.

The scars on my wrists burned suddenly and I pushed the thoughts away, focusing on the pain I knew my brain was tricking me into feeling. I didn't want to hurt anymore, I wanted to live.

But that was something I couldn't have wasn't it? Life, a life without pain and sorrow and heartache.

"Matthew-san." The voice was quiet and I almost didn't hear it, but I leapt away from the machine, my feet aching.

Kiku Honda stood before me with a calm, emotionless gaze dulling his brown eyes. He was several heads shorted than I, and ranked second in our class, next to me. If we added the teachers and older members he was ranked seventh, where I was first.

His eyes traveled down my body and his eyebrows rose a little when he saw my feet, which were now bloody and sore.

"Do you need medical attention?" He asked suddenly, his eyes flashing to my face and betraying the pity he felt for me as his eyes filled with momentary sadness before emptying into cold nothingness again.

"No thank you Kiku. I am fine." I said quietly and he nodded, his eyes flicking to the pool and over to me again.

"Would you like to swim with me?" He asked and looked at my feel again. "If you are able?"

"Yes I would Kiku." I said, and a small smile quirked at his lips. I was grateful to Kiku for being one of the braver ones. He was doing something I wished Alfred was doing, which was facing the situation exactly the same as I was trying to do. With complete indifference and pretending that it doesn't exist. But the throbbing in my feet was now a reminder of how I lost control.

Kiku turned and walked to the door that would lead to the stairs to the pool, knowing I would follow him. I took a moment to read his body language. His shoulders were straight and held tight to his body and his arms stayed steadily by his side. He didn't move a muscle until absolutely necessary and his steps were measured and light.

He was nervous, and stiff. He didn't want me reading his body language so he kept himself as unreadable as possible, which was pointless because it gave everything away about him. This was why he was ranked seventh I supposed.

We waked down the steps, his footfalls loud and refined and mine silent. I felt every step press upon the cuts on my feet, it hurt like crazy but not as much as my arm, which was still throbbing.

Once we reached the bottom both Kiku pulled off his long pants to reveal his swim trunks, but left his shirt on. I had heard he was unwilling to reveal his skin to people, apparently it was true.

I didn't have my swimwear with me but it didn't matter, my pants could easily work as swim trunks and I slipped off my shirt quickly.

I wasn't surprised to see the dark, almost black bruises in the shape of a handprint wrapped around my arm, and Kiku's eyes widened slightly at the sight of it but he composed himself quickly and stepped into the water.

"How long do you have left here?" He asked, his quiet voice echoing off of the pool walls eerily.

"I leave tomorrow." I answered and felt a small pang in my chest. This would be the first time I would leave this place and see the outside world. I suddenly felt extremely unprepared for what I might see.

There was a class for those who had never seen the outside world, those who were brought in as babies and never had the chance to see anything but the grey walls of the building.

I remember the first time I saw grass, and wondering how something so strange could be out there beyond the walls that kept us in.

I waded into the water after Kiku, and watched him move in the water, already starting his laps.

I shivered as I saw the blood be washed away from the wounds in my feet, carrying out into the water and dissolving into the clear liquid. The saltwater that filled the pool burned the cuts but I ignored it, focusing on the water around me.

I let the water enclose over my head as I ducked down and let myself float in it's depths, not a sound could reach me, nothing could touch me. I was suspended in time where nothing else existed but myself and my pain. It was nearly overwhelming.

I pushed upwards and started my laps, enjoying the cool feeling of the water sliding past me as I propelled though the water.

I could feel every time Kiku brushed past me in his speed and I wondered why he was doing this, he had never approached me before except once in battle. I had beat him within a minute. I hoped he wasn't bitter from the loss.

After a while I started to feel guilty. Alfred was probably drowning in self-loathing and I was the only one to convince him he would be alright. I was so worried about him and how he would progress in the future. Alfred, despite being so strong, was very fragile when it came to injustice and cruelty. He could be irrational and capricious when his friends were in danger.

That was both a very good thing when it came to his charge, or a bad thing, depending on his ability to function under the stress of the situation.

I slowed to a stop and pulled myself from the pool, letting myself catch my breath and watching Kiku till he realized I was no longer in the water. He pulled up after a few seconds, and looked around the pool, finally locating me and waiting in silence.

"I have to get back to my roommate." I said shortly and Kiku nodded in affirmation. I wrapped a spare towel around myself and grabbed my discarded clothes, moving to the staircase before Kiku stopped me.

When I turned his eyes were blank, but his whole demeanor changed, suddenly his upper lip was curled slightly and his eyebrows had shifted inwards only slightly. His shoulders had pushed outwards as if he were thrusting out his chest and I wondered why he was taking such a stance.

"About your assignment." He said in a passive voice-contradictory to his body language- and I stopped myself from flinching. His eyes flashed cruelly and he bared his teeth as he said his next words.

"I hope he kills you slowly."

ooo Kiku...I don't usually make him mean but whatever. I hope you like this chapter. Tell me what you think! I would love to hear from you and your thoughts about the story. Ask me anything!

If you haven't, please read my other two stories About These Scars and He Paints The Colour Red, which I have actually added a chapter to even though it is finished so check it out! I love you guys and you make my life amazing. I hope you have a great day. -Serenity