"I thought it was obvious? We are getting that med kit."
"But it's in the headmasters office!"
"I figured as much. So that is why i need directions."
"But-"
"Just let me do this for you, sunset." Ryunosuke murmured, cutting off Atsushi.
The silverette sighed. "Then can i have some help up please?"
"No need." Ryunosuke responded, squatting down so his back was facing Atsushi. "Wrap your arms around my neck and hold on."
Atsushi took a deep breath and did what he was told. Ryunosuke placed his arms underneath Atsushis thighs and stood up.
"What happened to your hands?" Asked Ryunosuke suddenly, glancing at the boys wounded hands.
"I was cleaning the floor earlier, and a lot of people stepped on my hands." The silverette explained.
Ryunosuke scrunched up his nose.
This is why i despise people.
The ravenette stepped forward and stepped onto the hovering cement, it began to lower down into the abyss of scarlet red, causing Atsushi to hug Ryunosuke closer with his face buried in the crook of the ravenettes neck.
Once the platform lowered, Ryunosuke quickly stepped onto another section of flooring that took the two to the top on other side of the bars.
Ryunosuke was only recently attempting to control his ability, and this new extension of his ability was his latest discovery. He knew well that he could hurt someone if he didn't have complete control, he knew that from experience. Consequently, as to be as safe as possible he rushed to exit the abyss.
Both cement sections floated back into their places, leaving vague cracks behind.
Staying silent, the ravenette knelt down to receive the candle that had been waiting on the floor.
The flickering light illuminated the short hallway leading towards the stairs. However, Eventhough the candle was useful, Ryunosuke blew it out.
"What are you doing?" Asked Atsushi, raising his head from the ravenettes shoulder.
"I should be able to see when we ascend, and i would rather not draw attention to ourselves."
The silverette hummed in understanding, laying his head back to the crook of the boys neck.
"I would rather that you stay awake. I need directions." Ryunosuke chuckled softly.
Atsushi hummed in understanding once more while Ryunosuke climbed the stairs.
"Wait! What about the guards? Did you knock them out again?" Whisperd Atsushi.
"There were not any." The ravenette intoned.
"Go straight until you see a hall to your left." The silverette Muttered when the two reached the top of the stairs.
Ryunosuke tried his best to be silent, but of course there were a few loose floorboards that made him cringe every time he stepped on them.
When Ryunosuke came to a halt, Atsushi lifted his head to see where they were.
"Take a right. The next door on the right is the headmasters office."
The ravenette nodded, almost immediately feeling the silverettes head fall back onto his shoulder. Ryunosuke tightened his grip slightly, wary of what layed ahead.
"Are you okay? I can feel your fast heart beat." The silverette whispered, once more lifting his head.
The frail boys icy fingers trailed along Ryunosukes chest trying to relocate his heart beat.
"Bu-bum bu-da-bum bu-bum..." he mimicked quietly once he found it.
Ryunosuke blinked a few times but then snickered.
"Even in a situation like this you can make me laugh."
Atsushi hummed in response, wearing a proud smile upon his pale face.
"Everyone knows better than to go into the headmasters office, so it should be unlocked." Atsushi recalled, his alto voice laced with caution.
Stormy eyes scanned the hallway once more, and without anymore hesitation he slowly twisted the handle of the door and opened the door just enough to see the room.
The room was empty. Strangely, to Atsushi the room made him feel more discomposed than it would of if the headmaster were in there with him, with his
The two entered the dimly lit room, closing the door behind them.
Ryunosuke sat Atsushi in an empty spot atop of the headmasters desk, subsequently walking around the desk to search the drawers.
Atsushi swung his non injured foot back and forth, humming to himself. This room brought back numerous memories that he would rather forget, especially what happened the night before.
Shivers went up Atsushis spine as his eyes landed on a hammer. He just looked away and continued to hum and swing his foot.
It was hard for Ryunosuke to not notice Atsushis behavior. He knew now that this behavior of his was how he showed stress.
While the ravenette searched the desks many drawers, he began to hum along with the silverette.
The silverette glanced back at the strange boy who was trying his hardest to remember the melody.
It wasn't long before Ryunosuke had given up on the desk and sauntered over to a glass cabinet to the side of the room.
When he was close enough to the silverette, he brushed his hand over Atsushis raw knuckles, as a way to reassure him more.
As soon as he got to the cabinet he flung it open. He stood on the tip of his toes to try and rifled through the top shelves, since the kit was no where to be seen on the lower shelves. His humming became faint, drowned out by the swift movements of his hands.
He peeked over the top, barely spotting a plastic white case with his storming eyes.
"I found it."
Without another word, ropes of sapphire blue sprouted from his back and latched onto the desk chair nearby.
Atsushi watched with astonishment bubbling in his sunset eyes as it was lifted into the air and quietly placed onto the hardwood floor for the peculiar boy to stand on.
His finger tips scraped against the scratched plastic of the first aid kit. Counting the blemishes would be near impossible since it looked as if it were used as a scratching post for a small animal.
The case clicked open, showing everything one would expect to see. Bandages, a needle and thread, antiseptic wipes and so on.
Ryunosukes knowledge of medical practices was questionable but crucial.
Outside, the moon settled behind the clouds. As if all it wanted to do was abandon its post and rest. Despite the moons eternal sigh, it shone brightly to escort Ryunosukes hand to the right materials.
The ravenette placed them carefully into his pocket, hoping that nothing would slip past the frayed seams and clatter to the floor.
He closed the kit and tried to place it in a way were there would be no telltale signs of larceny. Ryunosuke lifted the chair back to its original place. They made sure that there was no evidence of them setting a foot in that room.
With their business concluded, Ryunosuke hoisted the feeble boy onto his back. The longer he stayed within the office, the more his spine tickled with unease. So, with the same amount of silence as when they entered, they departed.
Atsushi reached out and grazed his fingers on the door knob, the bitter cold of the metal causing his hairs to stand on end. Atsushi cringed, as the door was exceptionally shrill.
The noise poured like liquid, seeping into the pores of the hardwood flooring beneath them.
Atsushis breath hitched, oxygen trapping itself within his lungs. Anxiety pumped through his veins as the door shut and settled into it's frame.
"Stay calm, alright? Rest your head, the next time you raise it we will be tucked away in the darkness and away from any threat." Whisperd Ryunosuke, his head tilted towards Atsushis pale ear.
"It's not much better down there then it is up here..." replied Atsushi, resting his head on Ryunosukes shoulder with half lidded eyes.
Ryunosuke wonders when the last time Atsushi felt safe. He cannot blame him. Living in an environment such as this would most definitely take a toll on ones mind. The image of that man with his sharply cut hair, his pristine white gown and that everlasting condescending glare. Seeing the same face each and every day must of embroidered every expression the man wore into the mind of Atsushi.
Ryunosuke took sizable steps, hoping to reduce both the sound and time it would take him to retrace his steps.
He attempted to avoid the expanding boards of wood who creaked with the lasting humidity of the day, below the roof who exhaled layers of dust from its protruding beams.
The foundation of the building settled with a groan as Ryunosuke got closer to the dim open area containing the basement entrance.
Not far from where he was, a door opens.
Atsushi tensed, but was slightly reassured by the ravenettes tightened grip.
Ryunosuke backed up and faded into the shadows, beyond the moons considerate grasp.
The person belonging to the footsteps had a heart beat. It was slow and somnolent.
Atsushi slowly lifted his head from Ryunosukes shoulder and moved close to his ear. "Someone must've gotten up to use the washroom across the room. Let's hope they don't take long." Warm breath tickled the shell of Ryunosukes ear, startling him. Nevertheless, he nodded. Soon a young girl came into view, her blond hair shining a soft strawberry pink.
The petite girl maneuvered through the darkness, clutching a limp stuffed bear close to her chest. Her hunched shoulders hid her features like a cape of deceit.
A duo of eyes watched the drowsy obstacle, just wishing she would get out of their sight. Come on, get going.
She stopped. Facing a window of beautiful stain glass, the colors poured onto the floor around her and seeped between the toes of her bare feet.
She looked more like a part of her surroundings than a person. porcelain skin blended into the show of moonlight, frizzing hair that was solely maintained by a single loose braid.
"Why are you watching me?" Asked the girl with her thin voice.
The two stalkers held their breath, hoping that they were not the ones discovered. Not after we got so far.
Her rhythmic steps sauntered towards them, halting before reaching the threshold of dancing colors.
Downturned eyes showed keenness, brooding unintentionally seeping in.
There was no mistaking it now. They have been 'caught'.
Ryunosuke stepped through the thickness of the darkness, Atsushi taking the liberty to hide himself in the older boys scarf.
"Are you mute? Or are you going to tell me why I've never seen you before?" The strawberry blonde demanded an answer with her hands on her hips. The stuffed bear held on for dear life as it swayed by her side.
"Oh, and don't think you went unnoticed kid." Downturned eyes became half lidded, conveying her prominent annoyance.
Atsushi took a deep breath. "Can you put me down?"
"Are you certain?"
"Not really..."
Ryunosuke carefully placed Atsushi on the creaking floor, helping him limp into the girl's line of sight.
"Oh! You're the one the headmaster is always after. Heh, sucks to be you." A crooked smile stretched across her face.
"Well? What's the story? You better hurry before I call out to the assistants~" the strawberry blonde cooed, pulling her stuff bear to safety, only to place it on her head.
Atsushi leaned on Ryunosukes shoulder, forgetting about the hole in his foot causing him to stumble.
Ryunosuke watched with wide, cold eyes while the inconsiderate girl swayed as if she were a ship on the ocean trying to keep her helpless stuffed bear afloat.
"P-please don't mention this to the headmaster. I'll do anything."
"Anything, huh?" The girl pondered, letting her stuffed bear fall into her hands. "Well you can start by telling me why he's here." Ryunosuke crossed his arms, attempting to defend himself from being verbally attacked.
"He's not here to hurt anyone-"
"Well obviously not, you seemed pretty content on his back."
Atsushi shifted his gaze to the ever so interesting wall. "Can you just let me speak?"
"Hey, don't talk to your senior like that! I might only be a bit taller than you, but i am older. So treat me with respect!"
Sunset eyes clouded over with frustration. "My bad."
"Continue."
"He's helping me treat my foot." The silverette stated, pointing to his disheveled limb.
The girl grimaced. "Ouch. I don't even want to know how that happened. But, why are you up here?"
"We uh... snuck into the headmasters office to get some supplies..." Atsushi explained, fidgeting with his smoke grey hair.
The girl blinked. "Oh... oh damn."
Ryunosuke sighed, butting into the conversation. "That is why we must leave now. You are just in the way."
"Woah there mr. I-have-black-hair-and-i-think-i'm-cool, that was pretty rude Y'know. Maybe I'll just go get the assistants anyway. I already decided that I don't like you." The girl threatened with a fiery glare. Even the stuffed bear seemed to reflect resentment in its beady eyes.
"Please don't! I said it before and I'll say it again, I'll do anything for you to keep this a secret."
"Well don't tell anyone i was out here. I'm not technically allowed to be out here unsupervised since I already tried to escape."
Now it was Atsushis turn to be surprised.
"You tried to escape?!"
"Of course. I came here when i was old enough to see how much of a hell hole this is."
A quick tap on the shoulder made Atsushi flinch, causing him to turn and look at the boy standing impatiently behind him.
"This whole situation is risky. To be talking out in the open like this? All three of us could be caught and severely reprimanded." Expressed the ravenette, grey skies filled with irritated bolts of lightning encapsulated within his iris.
"I don't know what reprimanded means," started the strawberry blonde with a vacant smile. "But i do agree about the 'being caught' part. So let's wrap this up shall we?"
"Finally." Muttered Ryunosuke, who earned a small jab with Atsushis elbow.
"You seem cool though." She continued, her vacant smile never leaving her chapped lips. "So if you ever need anything, hit me up! Just don't bring your sheep in wolf's clothing with you." Ryunosuke scrunched up his nose.
Atsushi chuckled nervously, watching as the strawberry blonde walked over to the door leading to the washroom, tossing her limp stuffed bear into the air repeatedly on the way.
Ryunosuke aided the feeble boy onto his sore back once more, seizing the moment of silence to sprint to the stairwell like a scarred deer.
What happened to being as quiet as possible? No matter.
Still, with the bittersweet victory of ultimately entering the cold basement, they sighed with relief. Ryunosuke relit the candle he had left by the stairs on a lonely candle upon the wall.
Without wanting to wast anymore time, the two entered the same way they had left.
Atsushi was sat rather gracefully on the crisp cement, resting his scraped hands beside him to soak up the coolness of the floor.
Ryunosuke folded his legs underneath him, sitting comfortably in front of the delicate silverette. He took the boys foot into his rough hands slowly, as to not make this more difficult than it had to be. Moving slowly, he layed the boys limb in his lap.
"You might need this to bite down on." Suggested the ravenette, unraveling his baby blue scarf from its home around his neck. monotone voice ringing quietly in Atsushis ears, he excepted the scarf.
While Ryunosuke emptied his pockets of stolen goods, Atsushi wrapped the scarf around his face and into the clasp of his honed canines.
Atsushi felt the mild pressure of The ravenettes skeletal thumbs pushing small circles around his midfoot. It was all to calm him. Before the pain.
"Try not to look at your foot. Just focus on me." Stormy eyes stared through long lashes.
Atsushi just nodded. The only thing he could do really.
Following the silverettes unsure nod, Ryunosuke began to untwine the sloppily wrapped bandages with steady hands. He could feel dull sunset eyes upon him, intently watching strands of midnight hair fall out of place.
Atsushi grunted and squirmed, feeling the bandage being torn slowly from old serosanguineous discharge which stuck tightly to the dressing as if trying to make it apart of his skin. Capillaries screamed and cried a thick red liquid, refilling the aperture.
The puncture in between his metatarsals resembled snowey mountains and roosewood valleys surrounding a lake of ink colored blood.
"Just focus on me." Ryunosuke repeated.
Ryunosuke grabbed at one of the few antiseptic wipes he had taken, tearing it open. His touch was feather light. Nonetheless, it takes everything in Atsushi to resist the urge to yank his foot away.
Using another wipe, he pressed his thumb into the wound to silence the shrieking capillaries. They continued to wail into the fabric and into the ridges of Ryunosukes fingerprint.
Atsushi cried along with his nerve endings, eyes shut tight enough to see the stary sky. His hands gripped the wall behind him, finger nails bending under the strain.
"Stay still." Ryunosuke hissed, removing the wipe.
Atsushi exhaled through the scarf, salt filled tears settled between the threads of the scarf, beside his saliva.
Atsushi heard the opening of plastic as well as another wipe, he wanted so badly to see what the ravenette was about to do, though he was also scared to see.
"Keep your eyes closed, and please try not to move." The boy begged. From the plastic package, he pulled out a single curved needle in need of sterilization. He knew as soon as he seen the nail in the boys foot the day before that the crater was too deep to leave open.
He reached his hand into his pocket to extract the remaining items. Two pieces of blue plastic thread. Using yet another alcohol wipe, he cleaned the needle and thread, as well as his blood crusted fingertips.
It is not exactly ideal, though at least his chances of getting tetanus lowered.
Atsushis stomach began to turn and flip, anticipation getting the better of him.
"Sunset... i understand that what I am about to say is not reassuring in the slightest. Though, i would rather not lie to you." Ryunosuke hesitated, his fingers dancing on their own as he threaded the hooked needle.
Atsushi gulped audibly, his esophagus grew dry and sore as every second passed.
"This is going to hurt. A lot." Ryunosuke stated truthfully, his eyes glazing over with pity.
A sunset looking over the sparkling ocean of tears was the best way to describe the silverettes beautifully terrified eyes, with tear stained cheeks to match.
The prospect of the sting or tearing of3 his flesh caused his hands so tremble, as well as the fact that the ravenette had moved to sit on his leg, which had developed quite the astonishing amount of goosebumps.
"Inhale when i tell you to, and hold it. Exhale when i tell you to. Understand?" Ryunosuke instructed.
"What a-are you gonna d-do..?"
"I have to suture the wound."
Already heavy breaths turned thin and short, the oxygen not taking it's time in the lungs before exiting swiftly.
"Inhale. And exhale. I understand your stress, however you must calm yourself. If you do not, you might make yourself miserable."
Atsushi did as he was told, humming the tune he had been calming himself with before.
"Inhale." Ryunosuke ordered.
Atsushi slowly Inhaled the musty air of the empty basement as Ryunosuke readied his hand at a ninety degree angle.
Before Atsushi could finish filling his lungs, the ravenette carefully trusted the needle into the boys pale skin.
Atsushis eyes widened showcasing his constricted pupils.
A suppressed screech traveled through the scarf and into Ryunosukes ears, ringing like church bells in an abandoned village.
Ryunosuke winced while the boy fought to move his leg away and out from under the ravenette.
Atsushi felt the needle peirce through every layer of skin, accompanied by the unbearable burning pain.
Ryunosuke only had the needle through, so he quickly but gently pulled the string through, earning more pained sobs from the silverette. It felt as if the thread was leaving behind an unstoppable path of flames.
"It- it hur-ts!" Atsushi cried out through clenched teeth, biting down on the baby blue fabric.
Obese tears fell over his clammy pale skin, his hands traveling shakily to the ravenettes back to fumble with the tarnished material of his sapphire coat.
The ravenette sighed as he felt the silverettes head hit the back of his neck, the falling tears making cold rivers that slithered through his pores and to his coat which acted like a beavers dam.
Ryunosukes breath strummed his vocal cords in a soft hum, the deep notes sending vibrations through his neck.
"Inhale."
Atsushi Inhaled shakily, trying to steady his beating heart.
This time, Ryunosuke waited until the boy couldn't breath in anymore.
Ryunosuke twisted his hand clockwise, piercing above the fat. Presumably. His mind was an unending library, and the librarian bolted around trying to locate the instructions one of his companions had graciously given him.
Atsushi threw his head back with another wail, keeping his teeth locked onto the material.
Beads of crimson formed and shone with the radiance of the candle light.
Tears were shed, hums suppressed in the wake of muffled screams who bounced from wall to wall in the dimly lit cell. At last, he had finished.
The first side.
The nail had entered one end and exited the other, unfortunately causing an orifice. Meaning, more stitches.
Ryunosuke couldn't sit on Atsushis leg anymore, it would be too difficult to suture his sole.
Ryunosuke lifted himself off the leg of the shivering silverette, the tender felling of his icy palms causing goosebumps to burst into sharp warnings.
"Would you care for a break?" Asked with a soft voice just above a whisper, his impassive stormy eyes scanning the stitches.
Atsushi shoke his head, despite all the alarms sounding within his brain.
"It would be best if you drop the act. If you need a break, we will take a break."
"T-the quicker its done, the be-tter." His words flowed through the textile and into deaf ears.
"You want to take a break? Alright." Ryunosuke grinned teasingly.
"Storm!" Atsushi whined.
"Sunset, have some faith in me. You need to rest. Do you really want to go through that again so soon?"
"I- i g-guess not...it's just my tummy starts to hurt if i wait too long for something that i know is going to happen." Atsushi complained, letting the scarf fall from his mouth.
Atsushi wiped dried tears that crusted his cheeks, taking in a shaky breath and leaning his head on the rock hard wall behind him.
His eyes layed upon the dimming candle, seemingly flickering every time his foot throbbed.
He slowed his breathing as Ryunosuke quietly threaded the needle for a second round.
"Whenever you are ready." Ryunosuke hummed.
Atsushi gulped audibly. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Ryunosuke nodded, placing the silverettes foot onto his lap.
"You really need to stay still for this. I can not prevent movement in this position."
Atsushi prepared himself for agony, repositioning the fabric so it was latched between his teeth.
Ryunosuke inspected almost identical mountains of torn skin, though these mountains seemed rougher. Ragged almost.
Ignoring the difference in texture, he readied himself.
"Inhale."
Skin squirmed around the needle, slowly making way for the curved steel and its thin blue companion.
Atsushis leg tensed. It took focus and mental strength to keep his leg in place.
Though, he still dissolved into tears and gasps of anguish. The skin on his sole was thicker, resulting in a significant amount of force to be used. Which doubled the pain.
Keeping his leg motionless was grueling enough, however, keeping his hands still was near impossible. They tugged the scarf, they took fistfuls of hair and they used their keratin weapons to declare war on his skin cells sporadically.
Eventhough the process was identical, the amount of time spent was vastly different.
Atsushi panted like he had just run ninety five miles without stopping.
Ryunosuke wiped over the stitches with an antiseptic wipe once more, just to be safe.
With the moderate amount of gauze he had filched, he wrapped it around the silverettes midfoot tightly, taking note of his foots circulation.
Subsequently, he wrapped the stained gauze around the clean dressing to hide the fact that he'd been tended to.
"You merit rest." Ryunosuke murmured, moving to sit next to the exhausted silverette.
Without another word, Atsushi leaned down and layed his head upon Ryunosukes slender thighs.
Ryunosuke cleared the boys smoke grey hair away from his glistening sunset eyes. The ocean had dried up, leaving a layer of salt behind.
Atsushi let Ryunosuke drag his thumb across his cheek to discard of the debris.
The ravenettes soft, comforting touch slowed the silverettes breathing to a gentle hum.
"Don't leave me yet..." Atsushi whimpered, looking up at the midnight hair that fell in front of stormy eyes, emphasizing a soothing smile.
"I will not leave your side until you fall asleep." Replied the boy.
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Glossary
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somnolent- sleepy; drowsy.
serosanguinous discharge- typically a pale yellow, and is a type of drainage that indicates healing and is not usually a cause for concern.
metatarsals- group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes.
capillaries- delicate blood vessels that exist throughout your body.
roosewood- a shade of pink.
A/N: i swear the girl is important for the future.