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The apartment room was dirty and cold and dim. Kaiji shivered, not so much from dread – he’d long since become too numb inside to register that anymore – but from the chill coming in from the broken windows. Dust speckles danced in the empty air, illuminated by moonlight. Kazuya’s face hovered mere inches away from Kaiji’s, thankfully obscured by shadow. However, Kaiji could still feel Kazuya’s breathing, hot and humid on his neck.
“Ya know I’ll love you forever, right?” Kazuya whispered hoarsely.
Kaiji knew Kazuya wouldn’t like whatever he would have to say in response to that. That’s why Kazuya had made sure Kaiji couldn’t respond at all. His ravaged throat still sore, it was a pain even to breathe, so he had to concentrate on that. It helped take his mind off other things.
“Other people don’t understand, ya see… even Father didn’t… but ya know I love you, I really do,” Kazuya rambled, his voice feverish. To Kaiji’s ears, he sounded even more deranged than before. “That’s why I took you away, you understand?”
Kazuya brought his fingers behind Kaiji’s ear, making him start. He tensed with expectation. Surprisingly enough, though, Kazuya’s touch was almost gentle as he caressed the back of Kaiji’s head.
“Yeah, I know. Ya can’t trust people easily, what with bein’ betrayed all the time an’ shit, getting’ played for a fool and thrown away like junk. Yeah, I know.”
Kaiji was startled to feel tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes. Tenderness? Understanding? From Kazuya? He must be dreaming.
“I’ll make it all up to ya,” Kazuya purred, still stroking Kaiji’s hair. “Yeah, I will. Ya know I gave up everything for ya, right? Well of course you’ll then do the same for me, right? Of course.”
Kazuya stood up slowly, towering over Kaiji.
“We don’t have any money or anythin’. All we have is each other, ya know. So we have to make the most of it. I know ya understand.”
Kaiji had no idea what Kazuya was rambling on about. He was still confused when Kazuya walked up to the window to close the shutters, then kneeled down before Kaiji once again.
“Close yer eyes.”
Kazuya brought Kaiji’s eyelids down with his fingers.
“From now on, I’ll be your eyes and ears, so ya won’t need those anymore."
Kazuya ran his fingers along Kaiji's forehead, agonisingly slowly. A stab of pain peaked, then ebbed. And then all was silent.