Blood Stained: Chapter 35: Strange New Connection

Blood Stained

Chapter 35: New Strange Connection

From all the things she imagined happening between her and Sesshomaru and this connection, this was the last thing Kagome had expected. When she thought of this as a way to free herself from the darkness, she didn't think this would be the way it would go. Every time they tried, the harder it became. It seemed that the only way for her to forget and forgive, to chase away the darkness, was to experience what he had lived.

Every time it was different, more intense, but also very confusing. Probably because she hadn't mastered the technique yet, which meant the memories were a blur most of the time. The only thing that was as clear as crystal was the emotions he had felt. They rushed through her body every time and it was the part she despised the most.

Kagome was still struggling to admit Sesshomaru could feel a range of emotions. Until now, she had never really known that side of him and it was hard to shut the little voice inside of her that wished he had been less cold hearted back in the feudal era. It probably wouldn't have stopped her misery, but it would have made it better. There was also something else bothering her about this. It wasn't fully working. This was meant to be a connection, meaning Sesshomaru should feel the things she experienced, but every time, she was the only one who was attacked by flashbacks and feelings.

There had to be something missing and sometimes she wondered if it was because he wasn't whole. Yes the connection could be made with someone who was human, or youkai, but what about a disguised youkai? Technically she could deal with the fact that it wasn't completely working, but a part of her, deep down, wanted him to know her feelings as well. Was it selfish to want him to really know what it had been like for her? He said he felt guilt, he said he felt remorse, but he still couldn't understand what she had been put through, nor what she still, willingly put herself through.

This was the third day they had been trying this, the fourth day of their rest week. In about three days, they would probably resume their traveling and Kagome wanted to progress with this connection, if possible. But of course, not all their time was dedicated to that. She might not do much all day, but he was often gone. Kagome never knew where, not that she ever bothered to ask. She didn't sleep much and spent a lot of her time awake at night. That was when he left. A few hours before the sunrise, he would disappear into the night. Usually, he would be back before noon.

Sometimes, he looked upset as he came back, but he would quickly hide away any emotions. Not that she wanted to know what caused him distress in the first place. Also, she somewhat enjoyed his routine walks, as she liked to call it, because it was the only time she could actually bring herself to sleep a little. Of course, that could only happen when Kiyoshi would allow her some rest. Even though Sesshomaru and her had been spending a little time together when she was trying to form a connection, it had quickly became not enough for Kiyoshi.

At first, the contact was enough to lessen the pain, but as the days went by, it was as if her son required more than a simple touching. Kagome had thought about allowing Sesshomaru in her personal space again, as much as she had last time, but her heart ached at the thought. Instead, she promised herself that if the pain ever got past her endurance limit, she would, because at the moment the pain was not bad, it was just there. Still, the guilt ate her away, but she tried to push it away every time.

Right now, Kagome was lying in the bed, completely awake, almost as if she awaited his return. Every time, as if her body knew, she would wake up a few moments before he would come back. Perhaps her body could sense his aura? Nonetheless, she was always grateful that she was awake when he would arrive.

Kagome was beginning to feel claustrophobic in such a small room, every day, all day long. She hadn't had a proper interaction with a human being in a long time and she craved for it. She was a social person. She needed some comfort of some sort. While traveling with Sesshomaru, it was not something she was getting. Perhaps the desire was more intense because her son was craving it as well. No matter what the reason was, slowly she felt an uneasiness start to stir up inside of her. But, with a deep breath, she chased the feeling away.

Not being able to stop herself, she stared at the door, waiting for him to come back. It was almost terrifying to think his presence was the only human presence she could get. The one person she didn't want to be with, she needed in a way. And that made Kagome realize just how twisted life was. You can never escape everything will always catch up to you. Although, she had done her fair share of facing her fears. She traveled with him, she lived with him. Heck, now she even had daily contact with him. The only thing they didn't really do was talk.

But she was probably the one who never felt like talking. At least to him. All of his emotions that she felt every time they tried to connect... it formed a ball in her throat and she could never feel comfortable enough.

Sesshomaru wasn't a being she knew to have emotions. To experience what he had felt was draining for Kagome. Also, as time went on, she found herself wondering how this was helpful. Was she supposed to let go and chase the darkness in her heart because he had feelings? It was hardly reason enough.

Still, Kagome did not give up. At least the lessened pains were a small advantages to all of this. Something was better than nothing at all.

She was about to close her eyes to chase away her thoughts, but her stomach growled, letting her know she was hungry. The only problem she found herself facing was, she couldn't order room service. She would like to, but she couldn't talk to them. Usually by the time she got hungry, Sesshomaru was back and he ordered food without even asking her if she was hungry. She couldn't even go down to the restaurant, because she still couldn't order. Kagome frowned, trying to think of a solution to her problem.

The driver.

Kagome had often seen him around, she knew he remained in the hotel's surroundings. Maybe she could ask him? After all, she wasn't sure when Sesshomaru would be back and he trusted that youkai. There was no harm in her trying to provide for herself right? Kagome quickly grabbed a jacket, put it on and made her way downstairs. She reminded herself to be careful, after all, there was a reason why they had to delay their travels. Kagome quickly glanced around before making her way downstairs, the key to the room in her hand.

The rays of the sun harshly hit her face as she arrived outside. She immediately began to look around, trying to find any sign of the car or the driver. There were a lot of people around, so it would be safe to explore a little further. Youkai's wouldn't attack when she was surrounded by people. On her guard, she began to walk around the hotel, looking for the driver. The more time passed, the less she thought this was a good idea. Surprisingly, she felt a bit safer with Sesshomaru around then she did on her own. She wasn't sure that was a good thing.

Ignoring her thoughts, she walked until she reached the back of the hotel. It was darker, there were bushes and at that moment, she decided she had gone far enough. She ignored the growling of her stomach as she decided it was time for her to head back inside. Kagome turned around, ready to leave, but she felt something, a bad feeling, a nagging in the back of her head. She couldn't help herself and she slightly turned around. Of course, there was nothing or no one behind her, yet she still didn't feel safe.

Her lips were tightly pressed together, as she examined the area carefully. The bushes weren't moving and there wasn't a sound. But, her instincts were screaming at her, she trusted them more than she trusted her eyes. Kagome spun around and took a step forward, her heart hammering in her chest. Nothing changed, nothing moved. Feeling somewhat brave, although it was stupid, she took another step forward. Once again, nothing. She was thinking about giving up, but it didn't sit well with her. Leave her head was screaming.

She was so engulfed in her thoughts, she didn't see it coming.

Before she knew it, she heard footsteps, all of a sudden her face was pressed into something hard. Arms were wrapped around her tightly, her eyes were completely shut. Kagome's heart was pounding like a drum, her first thought was to use her powers. She almost did. But then, she felt the aura, or the lack of any. She forced herself to open her eyes, quickly realizing who was holding her. It was Sesshomaru. Her lips slightly parted as she began to breath hard and fast.

Where had he come from? Why was he here?

That's when she felt a demonic aura. She wanted to look and turn her head, but she was firmly held in place. After a few more moments, she felt a few more auras, but they were weak. More time passed and the less she felt. All of a sudden, she felt something thick on her cheek. She couldn't reach it because of his hold around her, but she felt it drip down. Once it reached her mouth, she licked her lips. Blood. Her grey eyes widened as she couldn't help but imagine what was going on. One thing she knew was that Sesshomaru wasn't the one fighting. He was too busy holding her.

Although, she still stiffened every time they made contact, ever since they had started that connection spell she had gotten used to his presence. But it didn't mean she liked it.

Sesshomaru could feel her rage as he held her, but he couldn't let go. Also, he was dealing with his own rage. How could she have been so reckless? Hadn't he told her not to venture out by herself, especially right now? She went out with absolutely no protection, what was she thinking? It was a good thing he had arrived when he had. His driver had told him he had seen Kagome exit the hotel and at the moment, both of them went looking for her. The driver had easily spotted her since he could sense her aura.

But, Kagome's aura hadn't been the only one he detected.

Though he was not fast with human speed, Sesshomaru had rushed to her. She hadn't even seen him coming. The first thing he had thought of was to cover her, so he had wrapped his arms around her and shielded her body from any impact or attack that may come. His back had been the target then instead of her. While Sesshomaru had focused on her safety, the driver began to take care of the little dwarf youkai's that were hiding. He knew they would show up eventually. Although this situation would not have been nearly as stressful if the Miko hadn't been alone.

Sesshomaru finally looked away from her to look at the driver. The youkai nodded at him, letting him know it was now safe. Slowly, Sesshomaru released the hold he had on Kagome. It took her a few seconds before she pulled away from him, but when she did, she never gazed his way. Instead, she raised her hand and wiped the blood off her cheek and mouth. Her heart was still pounding as she dared to look in the direction of the massacre. To her surprise and relief, all that could be seen was blood, there were no bodies.

At first, she thought perhaps she imagined it, but when she glanced at the driver, she saw he was covered in blood, she knew it was real. He had fought. Quickly the youkai turned around, escaping her gaze. It was then that she finally dared to look at Sesshomaru. For the first time since they had been seeing each other in her era, he looked angry. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were tightly pressed together, as if he was containing himself. His green eyes never left her form as he got closer to her.

"Miko, you should go back. It's not safe." His words were harsh, but his expression wasn't as angry anymore.

Kagome glanced around, before putting a hand on her stomach. She absently nodded, before turning around and making her way back inside the hotel. She wasn't doing it to listen to him, but because of the risks. She had put her life and her son's life in danger enough for now. Her pace quickly increased as she rapidly disappeared from Sesshomaru's sight. A small sigh escaped him, before he focused his attention on the matter at hand. His frustration was still present, but he had other things to take care of first.

"How many were there?"

"Five."

Not nearly enough. There had to be a bunch of them still running wild around. Sesshomaru had been extremely kind by allowing that dwarf to live, but it would not be mistake he intended on repeating. Since the miko liked to endanger her life, there wouldn't be a lot of options left for him. The best solution he could think of was to eliminate all of them. Of course, with the decreasing amount of youkai's, it was perhaps not the best idea, but he couldn't allow the miko to be harmed or killed. If only she could stop being so reckless.

He rubbed his temples, his eyes tightly shut.

"Remain on standby, I might need to leave."

The driver looked somewhat surprised.

"But Sir, the night will be falling soon."

Sesshomaru sighed as he gazed around. He had forgotten about that small detail. This was perhaps not the best idea, it involved too many risks, even if he was to release his youkai. Maybe it would be best to wait until the sun would rise. Though, if both him and the driver were gone, who would look over the miko and make sure she doesn't do anything? His aggravation was growing and Sesshomaru decided he would deal with problems one at a time. First decision was that he would wait to travel.

"Tomorrow, at dawn, we leave."

It was the only order Sesshomaru gave before he headed into the hotel. He did his best to keep his temper in check, because he knew that was the worst way to deal with her. Nonetheless, it was hard because she was good at infuriating him. After he had carefully explained the dangers to her, she had still walked out, as if it were nothing, with no one by her side. A lot of things could have happened to her if he had been seconds later. Somehow the fates had made sure that he arrived before a tragedy happened.

Didn't she understand that now, since she was so down and pregnant, she was vulnerable?

Sesshomaru was aware that it was a difficult concept for her to understand. He had seen her pride and the strength of her spirit, but sometimes, she had to learn to let go. If something happened to her, especially under his watch, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. His main concern was to help her as he could and to keep her alive. But, she was making both tasks extremely difficult.

He had always expected things to be that way.

Finally, a few moments later, he reached the room. He slowly unlocked the door with his key before opening it. As soon as he gazed inside, he saw the Miko sitting on her bed, looking out the window. He could immediately tell by the look on her face that she was upset. She didn't even look his way when he entered the room and closed the door behind him. Not that he had thought she would have. He closed his eyes, reminding himself that he couldn't really let his anger show. After all, with everything he had put her through, he had little rights to raise his voice at her.

"Miko, we need to talk."

Kagome slowly tilted her head his way. Apparently, she could no longer ignore his presence. She could still feel his arms around her, as if she had been burnt, she didn't like it. Why had he reacted in such a manner and what had the emergency been? Nobody had explained anything to her, she had been chased from the scene. Why did he rush so rapidly to her help? Did he not think she could handle the danger if it came to her? The only thing she had never been able to handle was his beast.

"Then, talk," she finally replied.

Sesshomaru remained calm as he walked over to her, before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"What were you doing outside?" he inquired, as if he was a parent reprimanding his child. Although, he hadn't intended to sound like that, he was just worried about her well-being.

Her grey eyes met his amber orbs and he could tell her mood was foul.

"I'm allowed outside of this room, you know. I didn't go venturing off in the middle of the freaking forest. I was just outside the hotel."

"Yet it was enough for them to try to attack you," he quickly added.

"Them?" she asked, slightly confused. Then it dawned on her, the little youkai's. "They were here?"

He nodded.

Alright, maybe now she sounded a little foolish but nonetheless, this whole deal could be blamed on him in the first place.

"Sorry that I was hungry and that you brought me to a country where nobody understands Japanese!" The urge to cross her arms in front of her chest manifested itself, but she thought it would appear childish, so she stopped herself.

It was also then that she realized something. When had she grown almost comfortable in his company? She didn't like it, nor enjoy it, but she did not fear him as much. Was it because, for the past few days while trying to get a proper connection she had to be near him? Or was it because of Kiyoshi? She had came to the conclusion by now that sometimes, her son's feelings could affect her own. Did he feel better with his father around, hence why she was not as edgy when he was close to her?

Kagome wasn't sure it was something she liked.

Sesshomaru slightly nodded his head, agreeing with her. Perhaps his morning walks had not been the best idea, or at least maybe they were too long. But it was something he required for his mental sanity. Sometimes, especially since she started to try to form a bond, he felt himself suffocating around her. If he was by her side for too long, it was as if he was choking. There was no logical explanation for the feeling, it was just there. He had tried to ignore it, but it never went away. The walks were the only thing he had been able to come up with.

To be honest the fact that she could not order her own food had completely slipped his mind. He had become so used to using many different languages, that he had been oblivious to others' predicaments. He would rectify that mistake and make sure that breakfast was brought to her every morning.

"Why were outside. Because you were hungry?” he asked, it was the only part that didn't make much sense to him.

She sighed.

"I was looking for the driver. I thought maybe he could order something for me."

A feeling of guilt rose inside of him, it did not sit well with him. He should have paid more attention to her needs and he hadn't.

"It will not happen again. Someone will bring you breakfast in the morning. But do not make the mistake of going out there again on your own."

As soon as he finished talking, Kagome felt something snap inside of her.

"I'm so sick of this," she said as calmly as she could, before making her way to the edge of the bed.

Silently, she rose to her feet.

"I told you already and I'll tell you again. Why does this matter to you? You let Rin fetch for herself back then. If you see me as her, why can't you let me do the same?"

She didn't want to harm her baby, now that she knew those youkai's were following her closely, she'd be more careful, it didn't erase the fact that she didn't need him to go out. In his human form, he could barely do anything to protect her and in his youkai form, there was a chance that he would harm her. In both situations, she would lose.

He followed her actions and rose to his feet.

"This is different." Sesshomaru had never been aggressive or mean in her presence so far, but it seemed she was a little thick headed. She voluntarily refused to see certain things.

"You are not Rin, Miko." He could see the expression on her face, it meant she didn't believe him. There were some explanations he would rather not get into, but she often left him no choice.

"When I began the jewel quest, I never knew you were related to Rin. I did it because it had to be completed and in the end, it would be returned to you. I did it because you were you, not her. And now I'm doing it because of what I did to you. This is the apology you won't get from the beast." The guilt was burning him inside.

"The regrets I feel, I admit are mostly because of Rin, I will not lie to you." He had no reason to hide anything from her.

At that moment, Kagome felt her eyes burning, she knew it was because of tears, but she refused to shed them. Why did she feel so torn up inside, why did it hurt so much? He didn't say anything he hadn't said before. It wasn't the part about Rin, it was the part about her. It was always easy to hide his changes behind the fact that he thought she was Rin. But when he did his best to show the distinction, it always left her shaken. Why could she never protect herself from him, from his words?

Sesshomaru slightly frowned at her reaction. Her watery eyes were the last thing he had expected from her. She hardly allowed herself to be weak in front of him and for the first time, he was not sure how to react. So, he remained there still, waiting for her to either move, or talk. He probably wouldn't have moved if he hadn't seen her wince in pain. Immediately, his eyes went on her stomach since it had often been the cause of her suffering.

Meanwhile, Kagome was biting her bottom lip, trying to not let any emotions show on her face. An instant pain had spread through her body. She didn't know where it came from. Slowly, she felt as if her legs were giving up on her and she knew she was losing her strength. The first thing she thought of doing was to sit down on the bed. After she did so, a rush of heat could be felt in her body, she felt flustered. Absently, she brought her hand to her forehead as if to check her body temperature.

It didn't take too long for her vision to become blurred. Kagome reached out for what, for who, she did not know. But then, before she could do anything else, she completely blacked out.

Once Sesshomaru saw her close her eyes and fall on her back, he rushed to the bed. He sat by her side before wrapping an arm around her shoulders so he could lift her up a little. She felt limp in his arms, but he knew she was still alive. Though, he couldn't understand what had caused her to suddenly pass out. It couldn't possibly the pup. He wouldn't harm her life that much, even in distress. Then it hit him. It had worn off. Whatever poison had been put in her blood, her body was getting rid of it.

But this was one of the worst things possible. It was only the beginning and her body couldn't take it? He knew then that he would have to closely monitor her. Good thing she was not conscious or she would probably not like the way he was about to touch her. Moving around, he positioned her better on the bed so she could fully lay down. It didn't take much contact for him to realize that she was burning up and that she probably had a fever.

Once he made sure she was comfortable, he quickly left for the bathroom.

He soaked a towel and without even squeezing the excess water, he came back by her side. He laid it on her forehead, hoping to cool her down slightly. Sesshomaru didn't have much experience looking after someone since Rin had never really been sick, the only other person he had ever traveled with was Jaken. But he assumed that most of it was just common sense. Her temperature was high, he had to bring it down, it was that simple. The one thing that worried him was the fact that since she hadn't eaten, she didn't have much energy to fight.

But, right now, he doubted she would wake up. Unless her state got worse, he wouldn't focus on feeding her.

Sesshomaru didn't think it would be right to lay beside her, so, he jeopardized his own comfort by sitting down on the floor. It was a good thing he did not require much sleep, because he would get none today. The sun had been up for only a few hours now and he had a feeling she would not wake up until it was dark once again. Or maybe even the next day. He said she would need a protector for this task, and it was what he would be. He never thought it would be this much of a struggle. She really did seem to attract problems.

Her hand was loosely hanging from the edge of the bed, he found himself staring at it. Perhaps it was because his current position made it look exactly like when Rin had died. Quickly, Sesshomaru chased the memory away. It wasn't like it was a bad one, since her death had not been painful, it had been expected. Humans did not live very long. He would have gone deeper into his thoughts, but Kagome's fingers twitched and he seemed to be in an alert state. He looked up, but he saw that her eyes were still closed.

Perhaps the reaction had been caused by her fighting the poison out. He had no doubt she would make it out alive. But he could only wish she would not suffer too much during the struggle. Once again, his eyes were focus on her hands. Many times those tiny hands had been in his, as she tried to make the connection work. She had never really shared with him the whole purpose of it, but he knew if she was willing to go that far, it was important. But he never forced her to tell him why. Actually, he had been extra careful when it came to her. It was that wretched guilt, and maybe his honor too. Whatever it was, he knew he could no longer cause her pain.

With her, he was a different person than he was with the others. He wasn't afraid to be cold with most people, since when they feared or respected him, they did what he asked without asking any questions. But her, well things had always been different and complicated where she was involved.

Her reactions were unpredictable.

Unconsciously, he found himself raising his hand slightly and approaching it to her own.

He knew their recent contacts had helped her with her pain. Although, she had never allowed him to touch her stomach again, not that he minded. He felt a lot more comfortable with his hands off her. Still, he knew that had helped a lot more than anything else. For many hours, she had not expressed the suffering she had experienced. But for now, she had at least those brief contacts to keep her going. Sesshomaru wished he could check on the child's progress, but he could not. Like always, without his youkai, he was restricted.

He had no wish to think about his beast right now. He could focus on it tomorrow when he intended to free it to rid the world of those dwarfs. Maybe the Miko could not be tracked anymore, but he did not trust them. Nobody attacked what was technically his after they had been spared by him. It was as if they refused to acknowledge his power and status. Perhaps him being a Dayoukai meant nothing to humans, but it meant something to youkai's. They couldn't ignore it.

He would focus on them tomorrow. He would teach them a lesson then.

As he allowed his thoughts to focus on something else, he found himself pondering about the Miko.

Why couldn't she properly form the bond? Was it because of her lack of control of her powers or was it because of him? If he could he would have done it, but even with his youkai, he doubted he could form a connection. It was most likely reserved for monks and mikos. Yet right now, in his human state, he had the uncontrollable urge to try it. It would be a futile attempt, he already was aware of that. But, his own hands were twitching. But why would he want to do it? What would that bring to him?

He did not even know the purpose of the connection.

And Sesshomaru wasn't even aware that Kagome was never the one controlling the bond.

He pondered over the issue for a few seconds. Would it be right to touch her, even if it was just her hand, while she was asleep? She would probably despise the thought of it if she was awake. Perhaps that was where the key lay. While she was conscious, her hatred for him blocked him from accessing any of her thoughts. Maybe while asleep, she would have no control of it and a break through could be made. It would be quick and if it did not work, she never needed to know about it.

But sneaking like that was undignified.

It wasn't like him.

Yet, he went through with it. He extended his arm, and pushed the palm of his hand against hers. Right away he could feel the warmth coming from her and he did not like it. Nonetheless, he pushed the thought aside. His mind needed to be empty at the moment. Without his youkai, he wasn't sure how to do this. His eyes were tightly shut as he tried to get a feeling, but all he could feel was her hot skin. He could have given up right away, he didn't thou. He tried to find away to concentrate his human energy.

Then suddenly he felt a tingle in his fingers, it was as if it was burning him. Sesshomaru opened his eyes right away and was surprised to find a glow surrounding her hand. But it was not her usually pinkish purple color. Instead, it was green? He frowned slightly before getting closer to her hand, while not breaking the contact they had. This was not her aura. Yet, it felt as if it was the same she always had when they tried to form a connection. If this wasn't her aura, there was only one possibility. It was the pup's.

But how….. why…...

He was not developed enough. There was no way the pup could channel his energy and aura. Even if, which was ridiculous, was a full youkai, he shouldn't be able to do that.

So, was this the reason why it never worked, because it was never the miko's own energy? Was that why he was refused access to her mind? He tightened the grip he had on her hand, before focusing all his attention on trying to reach out to the pup. He doubted this would work since without his youkai they could not share. If only he could get the pup to stop transferring his aura, then perhaps the Miko's would emerge, this would work. He kept repeating his words in his mind, hoping that the fact that he was the father would be enough to reach out to him.

And then it happened.

Slowly, the color around her hand changed. It was not purple, but it was not green either. It looked like a shade of orange and Sesshomaru wondered if it was because the two auras merged. Though, it shouldn't have happened. The pup had youkai blood and she was human. Their auras should have been clashing not merging. But before Sesshomaru could deepen his thoughts, something else occurred. The surge of their auras was transferred to him, before he knew it, his mind became filled with a blur of memories.

It had all happened so fast.

He couldn't tell what the memories where because first of all, they weren't his and second, it was going too fast. All he was getting were blurred flashes, as if he was getting a glimpse of her entire life. His mind felt dizzy as if it was too much of a rush of information, but he was hopeless to stop it. He tried to pull away from her hand, in an attempt to break the contact, but it was as if their hands were glued together. As if someone refused to let him not see this. Feelings were stirring up inside of him, which he was not familiar with. He had never experienced them before.

Suddenly, the pain he felt in his hand had increased. It was as if someone was burning the skin of his hand, he had never felt anything like that before. For the first time in a long time, he felt a real panic inside of him as he almost thought that he could never be free from that suffering. He was suffocating, he was stuck. Once again, he tried to pull away from her hand, but this time, he was graced with the chance of being able to escape. Because of the strength he had used to pull away, he found himself harshly falling back against the bed side table.

His head received most of the shock, but his attention was focused on something else. As soon as he recovered from the hit, he lifted his hand and stared at it. It was completely red, but that was not the most shocking thing. It was burnt. It hadn't been an illusion of a feeling. He had actually been burnt by her powers. But it didn't make any sense, he was in his human form, he had no youkai. Miko powers weren't meant to hurt humans. Perhaps it was because Kiyoshi's aura was mixed in there. But why would the pup hurt him?

Sesshomaru would have probably focused more on his injured head if he hadn't felt something fall down on his sleeve. He looked down and he saw a wet spot forming. Somewhat confused, he looked up at the ceiling, almost expecting a leak. But there was nothing. Never could it have occurred to him that it was coming from himself. But when he felt something roll down his cheek, he could no longer ignore it. He brought his hand, the one which was not injured, to his cheek and wiped it off. The wetness transferred to his hand.

His eyes widened, as if he refused to admit it. This was not happening. It couldn't be happening. It wasn't something he could do. His hand was slightly shaking as he felt more water dripping down his sleeve.

He was crying.

He never cried.

Never.

-B-