A/N: Hey! I'm back again! Too quickly, you might think? Well, you would have to bear with it. The thing is, addie, your review made me feel so motivated! Thanks once again!

Hope you like it, even though it's kinda slow.

Ch 16

(Sick)

The day had ended, turning the sky a deep and beautiful shade of blue on which countless stars, that shone like gems on a velvet dress, could be seen. A cool wind blew, accompanied with the hustle and bustle of what was usually seen in markets and streets at night time, when everyone was returning home, tired and done with the day and looking forward to a nice warm evening lounging in their homes with their loved ones.

Mr. Dickenson, also done with his duties of the day, visited a nearby famous restaurant that he had been a customer of for quite a long time, and bought some freshly made sushi for himself and the two boys for the night.

As he walked home – the shop being just ten minutes away, so he had told his driver to go on without him – he realized for the first time in years that he was looking forward to it, as it was the first time, also, in so many years, that he had someone there waiting for him.

The beautiful sakuras were painting the grounds with their fragile pink leaves and creating such exquisite patterns that seemed a blessing to the eyes witnessing them. They were almost at the end of their arrival, though, as the month of april was fast approaching its end.

His eyes fell on another shop and he went in, buying some ice cream too.

He felt almost giddy as he unlocked the door, excited to have dinner with the two boys. A sharp tug at his heart had him getting a little tearful. He wished his own family was alive today, so that he could love his grandson. But it was quite surprising how the word grandson didn't remind him of his own real one, rather, of a certain slate haired boy.

He had never had that much connection with his own grandson, and then he had died. He missed him, but he realized that that affection was not as much as the one he felt for Kai, the boy he had known since the day he was born, and had started loving almost immediately.

He felt that, indeed, blood really didn't matter in some cases.

He went to the kitchen and put the ice cream in the freezer. He had given the maid leave when he noticed Tala didn't want her for anything, rather, he was a little uncomfortable in some stranger's presence, even though she was quite lovely.

He turned on the lights of the darkened living room, and went in search of the two boys, before coming to stand by the redhead's door, where he was certain he would find them.

He knocked on it softly but that didn't seem to work, so he gently opened the door, before making his way towards the bed.

The sight he met warmed his heart.

Both Tala and Kai were asleep, lying on their sides, facing each other, with Tala's one arm around Kai. The blanket was only over Kai, as previously Tala had no plans of sleeping, but he had just gotten too drowsy when lying down next to Kai and had, after around half an hour, also fallen asleep.

The old man gently shook Tala awake, chuckling as the redhead let out a groan before locking onto him, and sitting up.

"It's dinner time," he informed, his eyes filled with familiar warmth as he smiled at him, before leaving them alone.

Tala rubbed his eyes and nodded, before looking down at Kai.

His skin was covered with a thin layer of sweat, making him frown. It wasn't that hot yet, was it?

He shook the bluenette softly causing crimson eyes to blink open.

Kai seemed confused with the new surroundings, not remembering where he was, before his eyes fell on Tala.

He let out a groan and sat up, a headache appearing almost too quickly.

"You okay?"

He looked up at the crystal blue eyes staring at him, nodding his head before standing up.

"What time is it?"

He watched around for his phone, his eyes widening as he checked the time.

"Shit, it's so fucking late, I need to get back"

"You don't need to."

Kai gave the redhead an incredulous look before letting out a frustrated growl.

"Couldn't you fucking wake me up or something?! Fuck's sake, I'm gonna-"

Tala looked at him amusingly as he ranted, before letting out a soft chuckle, which of course, irritated Kai more.

"What?!" he yelled at the still giggling redhead.

"As I said, you're not going anywhere. Mr. Dickenson arranged that you were gonna stay here for the night."

"What else did he arrange?" Kai asked, slumping down on the bed, his whole form radiating the exhaustion he was feeling.

"Who knows? Let's go have dinner." With that, Tala dragged him along with him to the living room where Mr. Dickenson was waiting for them.

"How are you feeling, Kai? Surely the sleep must have done some good."

"Hn," he didn't bother forming actual words, still a bit annoyed that he had gotten so worked up because the redhead hadn't informed him.

He sat down opposite to the old man, Tala taking a seat beside him.

"Here," Mr. Dickenson opened the box, the sight of the delicious sushi quite alluring.

The other two started eating, as one normally would, but Kai felt hesitant. He still hadn't gotten over his earlier lunch, and he didn't know if he could stomach any of it.

He hesitantly took two pieces in his plate and started to struggle through chewing them, his mind elsewhere.

"Kai?"

They were both looking at him now.

"What happened, Kai, don't you like it? We can get something else if you want," Mr. Dickenson let out, worriedly.

Kai shook his head, putting the chopsticks down.

"It's not that," he tried to excuse, "I'm just not hungry."

Tala gave him a pointed look but didn't say anything.

"Well, if you say so," Mr. Dickenson looked a little sad on hearing that, but didn't say anything else, worried he might upset Kai.

After they, well, at least two of them, were finished, Mr. Dickenson remembered the ice cream.

"I'll get it," the redhead let out before standing up and picking the plates up.

Kai stood up and helped him, they both went to the kitchen and set the dirty plates in the sink.

"You're really not hungry?" Tala wondered worriedly, looking at the other.

Kai shook his head, before looking down, "It's hard for me, Tal. Can you not bring this up anymore? I fucking hate it already. You are just making it worse."

Tala frowned but nodded nonetheless.

Of course Kai would not be appreciating it too much that he was making such a big deal of his problems. If it had been in Kai's own hands, he would have kept ignoring them as much as he could.

"C'mon, before it melts," he gestured towards the fridge, before taking the pleasant dessert out and going back to the living room, Kai following after him at a slow pace.

"Here"

Tala handed him a small glass bowl which was filled with the cold strawberry ice cream, before giving him a little spoon and urging him to eat.

Kai looked at it nastily before looking up at them.

How could they eat something so exceedingly sweet it was almost filthy?

He took a little scoop and put it into his mouth, his face twisting into a disgusted expression as the sweetness spread on his tongue.

It was too fucking sweet for his sake, damn it!

Tala looked at him as he put the bowl down, the content inside it barely touched.

"You can't eat this either?" he whispered worriedly.

"Too fucking sweet," he muttered.

Mr. Dickenson cleared his throat and brought their attention towards him.

"Is something wrong, my boys?"

They shook their heads, not wanting to upset the old man.

Mr. Dickenson didn't say anything else, continuing with finishing his share and standing up.

"I'll meet you tomorrow. Have a good night. And Kai, don't worry about the school for the moment."

With that he left.

After a few seconds, Kai stood up wordlessly and went towards the bedroom, Tala's concerned eyes following him.

It was well into the morning when Tala was woken up by a sharp and erratic breathing next to his own.

He glanced to his side at the other form, twisting and trembling under the covers, letting out pained groans.

He pulled the sheets away from the bluenette's face, which were almost suffocating him, noticing that he was slick with sweat.

Another painful whimper left the other and he put a hand on one of the pale cheeks, lightly tapping it.

His eyes widened as he realized that the other's skin was burning up.

Kai's face scrunched into an agonized expression, before his crimson eyes blinked open, albeit blearily.

The fear-filled ruby orbs looked around their surroundings, before coming to rest on the other, relaxing a little.

He heaved a shaky breath before trying to get up, although unsuccessfully, as the numbing headache made itself known once again.

His whole body felt like it was on fire, and his heart was almost on the verge of escaping his chest, beating so loudly he could feel it banging against his eardrums.

"Kai"

A cool hand touched his forehead, before a gasp left the redhead.

"You have really high fever, Kai," he exclaimed, before standing up hurriedly and searching for a thermometer.

"Here," he sat down next to the shivering bluenette, slipping the white indicator into his mouth.

He took hold of a tissue and wiped down the sweat soaked face as the thermometer took its time checking the temperature, before taking it out.

His eyes widened at the numbers.

"How much is it?" the other's croaky voice let out.

"It's 103.2"

Kai groaned irritatedly before snatching the covers and pulling them over his face.

A slow murmur of 'Leave me alone' was heard from under the covers.

Tala sighed and took a hold of one corner of the blanket, tugging at it, though not too forcefully.

"Kai, you can't just do this, you need treatment," he whispered gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Like hell I do," the scratchy voice let out.

Tala rolled his eyes and yanked the blanket, revealing Kai's flushed face.

"I can't just leave you like this," he reasoned.

"I am not going to a hospital," the voice was pleading.

He knew Kai hated hospitals, they did too, but the bluenette had a passionate loathing towards them, the reasons for which were obvious.

"We're not going anywhere," the redhead let out, almost smiling as Kai visibly relaxed at this answer, before a coughing fit interrupted him.

He hurriedly brought a glass of water and pressed it to his lips, rubbing his back gently.

"I'll make something light for you to eat," he stated, tucking Kai in and standing up.

A protesting groan left the bluenette which he shut up with a glare of his own, before leaving the room.

Kai let out an exhausted sigh as the room was once again filled with darkness, soothing his throbbing eyes and headache a little.

What a perfect fucking time to fall sick…

Wasn't his previous state already pathetic and shameful enough that he had to go and get himself a fucking fever?!

His head ached just from thinking.

And he had skipped school just to laze around while all his work waited for his stupid self to work for them.

He cringed, why did all this have to happen to him?

He threw a pillow on the opposite wall in his frustration before huffing out. He had gone and wasted whatever little strength he had. He couldn't even sit up now.

Pathetic, just pathetic.

A while later, Tala came back with a bowl full of hot porridge and some more water, along with some paracetamol that he had found in the kitchen cabinet.

"Here," he put the tray on the nightstand before pulling Kai up, making him curse colorfully at himself in the process.

He put the tray on the annoyed bluenette's lap before urging him to eat.

Kai looked down at the lumpy substance before staring at Tala.

"I'm not eating this shit," he spit out stubbornly.

"You are," Tala handed him the spoon before threatening him with a visit to the dreaded place – hospital – which had Kai obeying him for the moment.

"This is fucking disgusting," Kai spewed out after eating a spoonful of the porridge.

"You have to deal with it, or else."

He mentally made a note to get back at the redhead for doing this to him, but for now, he had to listen to him.

Although, he was just exaggerating it as his numbed tongue couldn't taste anything at all anyways.

After four to five spoonfuls, he pushed the tray towards Tala, getting a sigh from him.

"Here," the redhead handed him the medicine, which Kai gulped down with a bitter face, before making him lie down again and covering him, all the while the bluenette argued that he was perfectly capable of doing it by himself.

"You need to rest for now," he said softly, raking a hand through the damp hair.

Kai nodded, exhausted already at his futile attempts to maintain his pride, and giving it up for the moment, "You'll stay here, right?"

Tala nodded, smiling slightly, "I'm here, don't worry, Kai. Just sleep."

Kai relaxed before his eyes slipped closed, the exhaustion from the fever soon getting to him, making him fall into the sweet depth of slumber.

"He has fever"

"He has what now?" the voice asked unbelievingly.

"It's pretty high."

"Was he fooling around in the cold or somethin'?"

Tala sighed, "I think his immunity is getting weaker."

Bryan grunted in answer before asking, "So you're gonna be the babysitter?"

The redhead rolled his eyes, he was getting really tired of the falcon riling him up. Bryan had a thing for annoying the hell out of others with his too crude and straightforward comments, and he loathed it.

"I am being serious, Bryan. If you're gonna continue like that, I'm not gonna pick your calls anymore."

The other huffed, "Okay, fine, you're no fun, Tal."

Tala smirked at that, before Bryan continued, "And I get it, he's fucked up, and sick, you gotta take care of him."

The redhead smiled. It seemed Bryan was finally warming up to the bluenette. Though Kai himself had no idea about it. For all he knew, he may still be thinking that they all still hated him. His doubts regarding his own self were a little too much.

A painful whimper resounded from the room Kai was in, followed by a shattering sound as if something fragile had fallen down and got broken, startling him.

It had only been around half an hour since Kai had fallen asleep, and he was already awake now?

"I'll call you later," he said quickly before hanging up and hurriedly making his way to the room, finding Kai coughing his lungs out, leaning towards one end of the bed where he had accidentally knocked off a glass.

He went back to get some water before coming up to the bluenette.

Kai looked up as he felt the bed dipping on his left before a glass of water was pressed to his dry lips.

"You okay?" Tala asked after Kai had finished drinking the water, rubbing his back soothingly.

Kai nodded before lying back down and closing his burning eyes, which were watering uncontrollably.

"Hey, listen," Tala shook him.

Kai gave him an annoyed glare, before his hoarse voice let out, "What?"

"I think we should call your doctor."

"I am fine!"

Tala rolled his eyes at his stubbornness, before fixing him with a glare.

"Either you tell me, or-

"Fine, get me my fucking phone," he yelled at him, before huffing tiringly.

Tala handed him the phone and he scrolled through his numbers before coming to rest at one and throwing it at the redhead, before turning on his side so that his back faced the other, clutching his head below the covers, which was almost close to splitting.

His whole body was feeling so tired, as if he had run for hours and hours on end, and his throat felt like he had swallowed thorns. The sticky sweat and the smell of fever surrounding him was overwhelming his senses. But the worst of all, was the headache, which didn't let him get a moment's relief.

"Kai!" the redhead was now beside him, removing the covers and gently prying the hands pulling the hair away, before starting to massage it gently.

"I talked to the doctor, he must be here soon," he whispered, his eyebrows knitting as he watched the other's whole body shivering badly.

"Are you cold? Need another blanket?" he questioned, getting no answer.

The crimson eyes were unfocused and hazed, giving him quite a scare.

"Kai, say something," his voice turned desperate as Kai still gave no reply, before his eyes fell shut.

"Shit"

The bluenette had passed out due to the excessive stress on his body and the unavoidable fatigue crawling up to him due to the high temperature.

He cradled his head while his muddled mind tried to think of what to do.

He picked up his phone to call Spencer and tell him, because surely, the blonde would know what to do, when suddenly, the doorbell rang.

'Must be the doctor,' he thought, lying Kai down before drawing the covers over him and rushing out.

The redhead stood fidgeting in his place as the doctor, a middle aged kind man, checked Kai over, before giving him an acetaminophen injection, which would surely work for bringing the fever down.

While he was doing so, he had called Mr. Dickenson to inform him about Kai's illness, the latter deeply shocked and concerned for the bluenette. He had informed him, though, that he had gone out of the city for some important work which couldn't be avoided under any circumstances, and wouldn't be back up until late into the night. He had asked Tala to make sure Kai was well taken care of, and to call Vladimir if he felt the need. Thankfully, the doctor informed him that the bluenette just required a lot of rest and nutrients.

"Here," the doctor said, pulling the redhead's attention towards him, "These are doses to last three days. Make sure he has them. And even more importantly, make sure he eats properly and drinks enough water. Otherwise the medicine is not going to work effectively."

He handed him a brown paper bag and two bottles, also describing how much quantity and at what times the bluenette was supposed to take them.

He nodded before seeing the polite doctor out, the latter once again directing him to take proper care of the bluenette and ensure he was getting enough nutrients, along with the medicines.

Coming back to the kitchen, he put the bag and the bottles on the dining table trying to figure out what he was supposed to do next.

Sighing to himself, he went to the bedroom, where Kai still lay limply, the sheets a haphazard mess around him, and his skin gone so pale it was almost terrifying, accompanying the sweat that kept perspiring no matter how many times he wiped it away.

He put a hand on the burning forehead, staring down quietly at Kai's troubled face.

He was sure if he hadn't come here and Kai was still in school, he would have been sent to the hospital by now.

Knowing how he was, he would have deteriorated his condition even more by trying to escape.

But this was honestly not what he had been expecting. Sure, everyone got sick from time to time, but getting that high of a temperature, and right the day after he came to see him, was a little too unfair in his opinion.

Or maybe it was for a good reason that things had happened as they had, as there always was a good reason behind everything that happened.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a movement in his peripheral vision.

Kai had finally woken up and was now in the process of sitting himself up.

"What are you doing? You wanna faint again?" he scolded before pushing Kai back down, daring him to disobey with a pointed glare, which was returned with a pissed off look that didn't quite show its intensity, what with the bluenette's flushed face and messy appearance.

"Do you want to take a bath?" the redhead asked as Kai wiped his brow with the hem of his shirt.

Kai looked at him, contemplating. He wanted a fucking bath, it was true, the sweat was one thing, but the feverish smell was even worse. And his mouth probably felt like something died in there. Along with the bedhead, which he could feel spreading everywhere around his head, giving him an idiotic look.

But would he able to walk up to there and actually succeed in doing so when he couldn't even feel his legs and his eyes kept trying to shut every fucking moment?

Guess he would just have to wait and see.

"Your hair stinks, too," the redhead ruffled his hair, empathizing with it, thinking that Kai wasn't wanting to, what with his lack of answer.

Kai still didn't say anything, though raised a hand to check if his hair was really that bad.

"Do I prepare a bath then?" the other asked.

He nodded slightly, wanting to protest that he could do so himself, but his body was aching so much and he didn't know if he really could make it up to the bathroom without any trouble, so he just kept quiet and let his eyes fall shut.

Tala gave him a worried glance before going to the bathroom attached to the room, turning the faucets on and checking the temperature.

Once the bathtub was filled with enough warm water, he stepped out.

He shook the other, who had again seemingly fallen asleep.

Kai opened his eyes slowly, giving him a questioning look before sitting up, feeling his energy draining out at the action.

As he stood up and took one step forward, his legs wobbled, and weren't it for the redhead standing right there to catch him, he would have fallen right on his face.

"Let me help," Tala said to him, reaching out to hold his arm.

Kai pushed him away though, giving him a cold stare.

He knew his body needed that help, but his mind was getting too overwhelmed with all the pampering.

"I can walk by myself," he uttered flatly.

"Why are you being so stubborn, Kai?"

"I don't need you babying me, Tala. I already how fucking wretched my situation is. I don't need you reminding me every second of it ."

"What the fuck do you mean?!"

"This! All your fussing over me. I don't need your pity, Tala. I don't need you emphasizing how useless I am."

While Kai knew the redhead was just worried about him, he just couldn't let himself depend on the other too much. It was already quite bruising to his pride that he was lazing around at such an hour while his piteous body couldn't even handle a bit of virus by itself, added to it the frequent coughing fits which left him breathless and the fainting, to top it all.

It didn't matter that the person witnessing it all was someone who would never judge him, think him pitiable or something akin. It didn't matter. He didn't want to show those sides to anyone, and even though Tala had always insisted that it was none of his fault, he was having another opinion.

He was showing Tala in every fucking way possible how much he was surrendering to the tricks of his mind, rotting himself like a damned disease had clawed at him, sucking all the strength and life out of him. Things had come to a point that he couldn't even walk without stumbling, or wobbling at every point.

If this all continued, he was sooner or later going to die of humiliation, the mental torture wouldn't even be required to bring him to such level.

He had promised himself after coming from Russia that he himself wouldn't become any bother to them anymore. He had already turned them against himself after the idea of leaving for Japan.Tala had assured him that they weren't mad at him or anything, but he still had his doubts.

Bet they were cursing and damning him to death right now, for taking away their captain, their friend from them.

But that was all his fault anyways.

Who had told him to act stupid enough that Tala would feel the need to check up on him? If he had just used some better acting skills, Tala wouldn't be here, and he wouldn't be making a fool of himself in front of him, showing him how grandpa's love had decayed him to such a point he couldn't go through enough even slightly stressing without being hit by a panic attack.

He didn't know that there had been a discussion about professional consultation when it came to his problems between Mr. Dickenson and Tala. He only knew that the old man knew about his pathetic situation, and that Tala had come over because he was doubtful whether he was alive or not. If he was to be told that Tala had requested the old man not to bring up the idea of professional help, just because he would be too paranoid talking to someone about himself, he would himself go and smash his head against the nearest wall.

He had no idea that Mr. D himself had insisted Tala to come to Japan in order that it may help him. If he knew though-

Lost in his reckless self-wallowing, he didn't realize he had made his way into the bathroom until he was lowering his feverish soaking body into the warm water, cleaning himself up with tired movements, washing his completely wet hair with unfocused hands before lying completely still in the now soapy water.

His muscles were aching from moving even a little bit, and he felt quite the urge to just let himself fall asleep right there, but got out of the tub reluctantly.

After drying himself, he put a towel around his waist and rubbed his damp locks with another before exiting the bathroom.

There was no one in the room, though he noticed, the earlier, slick and smelly sheets were changed with fresh ones, and a pair of pajamas, that he vaguely remembered belonging to the redhead, was laid over them.

There was also a tray on the nightstand with a bowl of blended fruits – a smoothie, maybe? He had never had it – along with a glass of water and some pills.

There was a little note lying close to it.

He frowned before lifting it up,

"Eat the food, and take your medicine. Don't worry, I'm not 'babying' you or anything. It's just something the doctor told me to do. I am going out for a while. Where? You wouldn't care to know. If you need anything, the maid is probably still there."

-Tala

He felt guilt rising in his chest. He shouldn't have said all that to the redhead. After all, he was just trying to help him…

Well, he was known for fucking things up. Was this even surprising?

The redhead had come from another country, just to deal with his stupid self.

He picked up the clothes and slipped them on, his movements still sluggish, though he felt a lot better after the bath, which made him feel even worse as the redhead had been the one to get him to do that too.

As his body started shivering under the effect of the lowered temperature in the room, he slipped into the blanket, observing that it had also been changed and didn't smell of his fever.

He leaned against the headboard and sat the tray in his lap, reluctantly scooping some of the bluish substance before bringing it to his mouth.

It didn't taste bad, there were a few blueberries scattered over the whole of it, which made him realize that the smoothie itself was made of the same fruit, but he couldn't be too sure, as his tasting senses had been all meddled with for the moment.

After eating about one-third of the bowl, he deemed it enough for the moment and swallowed the pills, before gulping down the water and setting the tray aside.

He picked up his phone from the other nightstand, and saw a lot of messages from a number he hadn't saved but knew who the owner of it was.

He opened them up and read over them. The kid, Wyatt, had sent him tons of questions regarding his disappearance from the school, and as to where he was right now.

He didn't bother replying, he never did, but the interrogation made him feel a little better. There would be few who would even notice his absence, most overgoing noticing his existence even. It felt a little enlightening to know that someone did notice.

He felt the tranquilizer kicking in, his eyes feeling heavy and tired, so he lay down and closed them, sleep taking hold of him soon after.

When Tala entered the room a few hours later, his face holding a blank look, and his lips forming a straight, uncaring line, he wasn't expecting Kai to be wrapped in another nightmare, and turning around in the sheets, obviously in pain.

There, along with the dampness of the perspiration, were also thin lines of water streaking down the bluenette's eyes, the closed eyelashes wet with clinging drops, and a pained expression lining the handsome features.

Was Kai crying?

He felt his demeanor slipping a little as the bluenette let out a distressing whine, his body shaking.

He had felt anger rising up in him when Kai had once again thwarted his care and named it 'babying'. He had even thought if coming here was really a good option, and had contemplated leaving as soon as he could, but right now, that trail of thoughts was altering.

He looked down when he felt a tug at his wrist, where Kai was lighting gripping onto the cuff of his shirt, more tears falling down his cheeks, before the crimson eyes snapped open, filled with sheer panic, and the bluenette jerked up, his breaths heaving and fear-stricken eyes looking around as if they had just witnessed death and were scarred by the mere sight of it.

When those scared eyes locked onto him, they widened before Kai shifted away, turning his head to the other side.

"What the-," the redhead muttered before standing up and circling the bed in order to sit next to him.

"You should go," the trembling voice said, "Leave me alone. Go back to Russia."

"No, I won't," he murmured, his gaze softening. It seemed the nightmare Kai had just experienced was a really terrible one.

"Please," he pleaded, not wanting the other to see him in such a state, but more than that, not wanting to bother him with more of his troubles, not after knowing he wasn't worth all that worrying over anyways.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kai. Calm down," he said, reaching over to give his back a reassuring pat.

Kai nodded, obeying, as his breathing turned to normal after a few seconds.

"You want to talk about it?"

Kai looked up at him, the redhead's face serious yet soft. There was no smile, but there was no glare either.

Kai hesitantly opened his mouth, "It was Voltaire, he-"

The scene replayed in front of him, making a shiver run down his spine.

"He was killing them-"

"Your parents?"

He nodded, softly, "Putting their… blood on me. He said I was the reason, I was the murderer. And I think if I actually was…"

"You weren't."

He shook his head, "I was, they died protecting me."

"Every parent would protect their child, Kai. And you were just three then."

"It felt so real…"

He seemed lost in some other world, his hazed eyes staring at some invisible speck in the air.

"There was so much blood."

Tala thought it really concerning and unsettling how eerily calm Kai had become, as if narrating a serious story.

"You know," he said, looking up, meeting his icy blue eyes, his own eyes still misted over "A maid there, who used to take care of me, tried running away with me. He put a bullet right through her head."

"And you know what more there is, he found her family, two little kids, one five and the other two, sleeping in their little slum, unaware of any danger; he went there himself, shot them down too. Threw their bodies in the gutter to rot."

He stopped to take a wavering breath, before continuing in that same creepily smooth tone, "I was the reason. They weren't my parents. It wasn't their responsibility to save me. They did, and faced the consequences."

"And when he came to me, he told me, showed me every picture of every person he had had to kill because of me, I didn't realize until then I was the reason of more than around 50 deaths. And that was only when I was three."

"Kai stop," Tala breathed out. It seemed, Kai was not in his senses anymore, he didn't seem to listen to him.

"Afterwards too, he showed me every picture, of every person who met death, because of me, showed me how big of a murderer I was."

Tala contemplated shaking him roughly, to bring him back to his senses. He wouldn't have minded Kai sharing what had happened in his nightmare, he himself had asked about it, but with the way Kai was narrating almost like it was not at all traumatizing, was unnerving.

"So much blood, Tala. The whole floor was-"

He was roughly shaken out of his rambling, noticing the redhead standing next to him now, just removing his hands from his shoulders.

"Just stop Kai, you aren't thinking straight anymore," he reasoned, while Kai just looked down again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, so softly Tala barely heard it.

He sighed before sitting down again and pulling him into a hug, pressing his head against his shoulder.

"It doesn't stop…" the voice became suspiciously wobbly.

"Nothing can take it all away, Tala, nothing," it continued, while Tala just tightened his hold on him.

"How do-how do I even think of getting better, when it doesn't just let go of me!," the voice turned frustrated at the end.

And Tala realized for the first time, that, coming to Japan had done absolutely nothing for Kai, nothing at all.

He was still messed up, more so than he was before.

He was nearing his breaking point, and he felt there wasn't really much he himself could do to cease that.

He felt a numbing thought circling his mind, what if, what if Kai-

He shuddered, the thought itself so terrifying he couldn't stand the mere possibility of it.

But what was there to do? Could anything really help Kai, as much as he wanted to disagree, the answer was too obvious…

Thanks for reading!