Hours later Akihito awoke to the streetlights throwing shadows across the roof above him and a light on his back from the hallway on the other side of the kitchen. He rolled over and pushed himself up, letting the throw drop to the floor at his feet, yawning and rubbing sleep from the corners of his eyes. Ruffling his hair he got up and approached the light, peering around the corner like a spy. His heart flipped in his chest as Asami walked past the door mid conversation with whoever was in his office with him. He backed up two steps and hit a wall. Jumping away as he spun and stumbled across the hall before hitting the opposite wall.

"Suoh." Akihito breathed, his rapid heartbeat rushed in his ears as his chest tightened painfully. His breath stuttered as the voices in the office cut off.

"Akihito-kun." Suoh nodded in greeting and footsteps approached the hallway. Akihito's mind raced, this was bad. He had to get out of here immediately. He glanced at the office doorway, growing dark with Asami's shadow, and bolted around Suoh heading straight for the entrance. Heavy footsteps followed him down the hall but he was faster.

"Akihito wait!"

He wrenched open the door and ran out, slamming it behind him. He looked at the elevator, shook his head and made for the emergency staircase. He was half way there when Asami's door pitched open and slammed shut again.

"Akihito stop."

Against his better judgment, he did. The shock of hearing Asami running after him stopping him in his tracks for a second before it caught up with him and he began running again. It was too late though. Asami caught him just before he could escape through the door and spun him into the wall beside it. Akihito could feel Asami's gaze burning into the top of his head but he couldn't bring himself to look into Asami's eyes nor even glance at his face knowing that he'd break if he let someone in right now.

Asami's arms caged him in on either side, warmth emanated from his body along with the familiar scent of his cologne. He flinched when Asami's forehead bumped his head and a small breath of air puffed through his bangs. Akihito threw the fire escape a nervous glance. He wanted to run. His chest seized, he could hardly breathe. His heart pounded, blood rushing as he began to tremble. Nausea tumbled through his stomach and his head began to spin.

"Akihito? Hey Akihito, look at me." Asami sounded as though he were speaking through a wall of cotton. Akihito wrapped his arms around himself and sunk to the floor, breath coming in laboured pants, he shook his head as tears welled in his eyes and shut them tight. Warm hands pressed on his shoulders; he could vaguely hear his voice through the rush of blood and overwhelming panic. His heart fluttered and thudded wildly in his chest, his stomach rolled and his head felt unpleasantly light, as though it were swaying like a swing and spinning, spinning.

"Akihito stay calm! It's alright-."

The rest was lost to him. He curled in on himself, heavily gasping for air that wouldn't fill his constricted lungs as his tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks.

"Aki-.. Akihito look at m-.." Asami's hand lifted his head and cupped his cheek. The world around him warped as he opened his eyes, pitching and rolling like a boat in a storm. His stricken tear filled eyes locked with Asami's worried gaze, he saw Asami's mouth move but couldn't hear the words he spoke. He needed to hear, for whatever reason, the words Asami spoke to him, he had to be heard. His vision blurred around the edges as Asami stopped speaking and looked down, mild shock flashing through his eyes. Akihito looked down to see what had distracted him and found his own hand clenched in the fabric of Asami's shirt, holding on so tightly a fleeting thought flashed through his mind telling him he'd rip it if he didn't stop shaking.

"Asa- mi. Asami... Help."

He couldn't breathe, his head hurt, his chest ached as his lungs burned for breath. Asami was at a loss. He didn't know how to handle anything like this. He'd never seen anything like this! He took a deep breath to calm himself, before he focused on Akihito. If he was going to calm him down he himself needed to be calm. Akihito was vibrating in his grip, breathless and crying and absolutely terrified. He felt his heart settle as he reached forward and ran a hand through Akihito's hair, soothing him as he had during the nights after Hong Kong when Akihito just wouldn't wake up from his nightmares. He murmured the same words softly in his ear as he drew Akihito into his arms slowly. Rubbed circles into his back and patiently cajoled him into following his breath. In, hold, and out. In, hold, and out.

"Everything's alright Akihito. You're ok. You're safe here. Come on, breathe in, slowly slowly, it's alright. Hold it in. Let it go. Calm down. It's ok."

Warmth encased him on all sides. A familiar smell and tone of voice. His chest eased, breath hitching with nary a struggle to make it stay, his mind stopped spinning and his heart rate began to slow. He moved closer to the heat, felt it move through his hair and rub against his back.

"That's right, breathe slowly. Relax, it's alright, it's ok, I'm here." What was he saying? "You're safe here. You're safe with me Akihito." Akihito had left him. No warning, no signs, no text, call or note. What was he doing?

They remained in the hallway until Akihito could speak whole sentences again. Asami with his arms wrapped around Akihito's small, shivering form, comforting him. Akihito leaning into him and gradually regaining his mind and calming his heart. Pushing down the overwhelming waves of panic and fear and locking them away to forget about them. Asami squeezed him lightly once the tremors stopped and leaned away, taking with him the warmth and security his proximity and skin ship brought. He felt cold fear squeeze his heart again and within a second he was clamping down on the feeling, shoving it away. He couldn't lose control like that again. He wiped his tears and sniffed as he fell back against the wall behind him and Asami stood over him.

"Sorry." Akihito sniffed again and hugged himself, pulling legs in closer to his body. They waited in silence for either one to speak again. The clock above the elevator ticked away, ticked twenty times, Akihito had counted, before Asami made a move.

"You don't need to apologise Akihito. You did nothing wrong. Come, let's go back inside now." He said, holding out his hand. Akihito shook his head with a huff and remained where he was.

"I can't, I'm sorry. Just leave me here. I'll be fine. I'm fine. Go back to your apartment Asami. Kirishima and Suoh are waiting and I have to go-."

"Go where?" Asami asked, irritation leaking into his voice. Akihito jumped and fell silent, ruminating over his next words. Just lie and leave. "Where are you going to go Akihito?"

"Home." His voice wavered. He couldn't go home, they'd be there waiting for him. Waiting for him to let down his guard before they spirited him away to god knew where and tortured him to death. They were waiting for him.

"If you could go home you would not be here." Asami sighed and crouched before Akihito as he turned his head away to avoid the unspoken question. He hadn't really seen Asami once since he'd caught him. He hadn't seen those unwavering eyes glaring into his own. Were they still the same? Did they still shine with life and immeasurable strength like they used to? Had that special light been blown out like fire on a candlewick?

"Akihito. Akihito look at me." His voice was stern, demanding to be obeyed. His presence emanated his unchallenged authority. He was using his boss tone. Akihito didn't move.

"Akihito please look at me." Tender and kind, calm, Akihito glanced at him from under his fringe. Asami's hand slipped under his chin and raised his head the rest of the way and their eyes met. Asami's steely gaze bored holes through Akihito's watery irises, searching for something, seeming to search for Akihito himself in the tumultuous depths of his soul. He presented his hand again and waited.

"Come home Akihito."