CHAPTER 53
Mitsu had had told all the regulars to leave and to just start warming up or something. Ryoma was still hugging him and Mitsu had a feeling this had more to do with something else than the kiss. He didn't unclip the boy's hood this time knowing something would go wrong like the last two times. Instead he held the back of the boy's head and brought it to his shoulder.
"Kunimitsu," Ryoma spoke quietly into the others ear. Mitsu held a shiver down and answered with a 'hmm.' "I miss my master. He use to give me loads of hugs and kisses when I was upset or before I went to bed. It was nice. But then he changed." Mitsu's grip tightened. He didn't want the boy to lose it. "You know when I was in the lab, I had food that only lasted about a couple of months before running out. I always thought that master would return and take me away. I could of attempted to escape, but I thought that my master would turn up and see how much of a good boy I was." Ryoma was clinging to Mitsu like it was his life.
Mitsu could say anything and wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, but he could feel it. The way the boy was holding onto him. All the pain that he had been though, just how much he loved this man. All the boy wanted was to be accepted by the man who turned him into what he is.
(Flashback / Ryoma POV)
They say actions speak louder then words. That was what I learnt. I learn if you want something don't just ask you need to take life into your own hands. That's what I did. I couldn't take it anymore. Master hasn't come for months and the little food that I have been given has finally run out. The bread... The last meal he gave me, all gone. He always gave me the food saying I need to eat it wisely. To take my time with it. He said I could never know when it could be my last. I tried to check the bars to see if I could at least look around for something to eat, but I had no such luck. It wasn't like I was going to escape the laboratory, no I would never do that. I don't know what's out there. What kind of place this outside world is.
I don't like night time it scares me. All the memories that I made here. I want to forget. I don't remember, but something happened. That's why master didn't return. I didn't think I could cope with it, so I forced myself to forget. I can't remember what happened to him. I remember the colour red and then feeling lost. Like I should no longer be here. That I should of gone somewhere else by now.
I closed my eyes and listened. I could hear the rats that scurry around the floor. I think their eating whatever it is that smells rotten. I know something has gone off and from my experience it smells like a human. I don't know how it's possible though. I'm the only one that is meant to be here. There should be no corpses. Master had gotten rid of all the evidence of my kills. From bodyguards to scientists. He even got rid of the children's ones. I was thankful for that. I knew he could no longer lock me in that room now.
I wish someone would hold me in their arms and tell me that I am not alone. That would be nice. Someone to love me and for me to love them back. I'm not sure if I could anymore though. I mean love them back. My heart is not here. I feel a black hole. I don't even know if the heart they gave me is still beating. I want it to end. I want peace.
I am Beauty. I am 15 years old and for the first time in my life I think my master no longer loves me. I think I have been abandoned. But I must wait. For if my Master shall ever return, I shall wait like the good boy I am.
(End Flashback / Normal POV)
He felt the boy freeze and could tell he was seeing something that wasn't there. Reliving his nightmares. He felt the boy moving again and he spoke quietly so only Mitsu could hear and the two listening in couldn't. "I want to be loved so this black hole I have in me can disappear." Tezuka looked to his shoulder to see the boy looking at him with eyes that had gone slightly dull. Like a small spark of it had just started to vanish into this black hole.
"Ryoma... What do you remember?" Mitsu asked. He just wanted to see if the boy would open up even more or if that was it for today. He felt the boy tense and relax soon after.
"I don't really. Only the little bits. Because I forced myself to forget. Day after day I lost more and more memories." The brown eyed captain felt he child in his arms shift slightly. He could tell Ryoma was trying to think of how to explain it. Even Mitsu didn't know how someone could forget something that big.
"It... When master went and I started to lose my hope, all the days just blurred together and I think it shut down after a while. I forgot what the sky even looked like. I only knew that when the light shone though the crack on the walls it was day. But the thing I could never forget was these four walls." The cat went silent after that. Tezuka could feel the facial movement from frowning to sadness on his shoulder. He knew that what Ryoma was telling him was the most important thing to try and make him open up. The boy after a couple of seconds spoke. "The four walls painted in red. Some mine and some of the other before me."
"Do you know what happened to the others?" He looked to the door and finally took note of Syu and Sei who had stopped hiding so they could watch and help if needed.
"Yeah," He could feel the small smile on the boy as he rubbed his face on his shoulder. "They got freedom." Mitsu knew that the boy meant that in the end, they all died. He saw the two sadist make there way over. Sei sat on his right, while Syu on his left.
No one said anything and Ryoma looked to the side and started to stroke Sei hair. Running his fingers though the blue strands. He always felt comfort in doing that in some weird way even if it was just running fingers though his own hair. He only started to do it recently after he remembered how Sam died. It was then without even realizing he started humming the tune he did on the day of his little brothers death. Syu listened and leaned his head on Mitsu's other shoulder.
"Ryo-Chan that's a nice melody. What is it?" Syu closed his eyes, but opened them again when the boy stopped. They all looked to the child who had pushed away and got up. Instead of answering he change the subject completely.
"I need to get changed." With that he went to his bag and grab his regulars shirt. He unclipped his jumper and pull over his head. Not wasting a second he put the t-shirt on and clipped the hood in place. "Don't we have tennis practice?" With out waiting he ran out.
"Well... That went well." Sei spoke and went to go catch up with Ryoma.
The boy wondered round when he saw all the people crowding round the tennis courts to watch Seigaku practice. He didn't like the looks of it so he went in a different direction and would just tell them he got lost. Walking past the women's court he saw the orange head who was watching all the girls and commenting on there looks and that he should of applied to this school.
Sei had found the boy and ran to catch up. "Ryo-Chan!" Ryoma had ignored him in favour of Sakuno and Tomoko playing with an elastic ball that bounces back when you hit it. He looked over his shoulder at Sei and let his attention go back to the ball. When the two girls noticed him they blushed and tried not to look into his eyes.
"Can I try?" Sakuno nodded and stood next to Tomoko as they watch Ryoma using his right hand. Sei sighed and leaned against the school building so he could keep an eye out. The perverted orange head from earlier saw Ryoma and let off a low whistle to show he was impressed.
"Well... As expected Seigaku had quite a good freshman." Ryoma aimed the ball for his head. It only stopped a couple of inches from his face and the cat's eyes narrowed in frustration at not hitting his face. He kept trying and trying until the orange head spoke up again. "Too bad. If you put more weight on your spindle, you'll have more power."
"Oh, my bad." Ryoma swapped hands and smashed the ball into the others face and knocked him out cold. He went to check on the guy and saw his bag with his name and school. "Kiyosumi Sengoku from Yamabuki high school." The ball was now separated from the string at the strength of the cat's hit. Sei laughed and put a hand on Ryoma's shoulder.
"Do you think he will be alright?" Sakuno asked. Ryoma looked at her for a second before looking down at the guy.
"Yeah, I can hear his heart beating." Sei even felt surprise hearing that. He knew the boy was good, but to be able to hear a heart beat... He shook his head and let the thought go. He'll ask later if he remembers.
"Don't you think it's about time to join your team mates?" Sei looked at the golden eyed boy. With that they walked to the boys tennis courts.