Game

Fandom: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade

Genre: General/Angst

Rating: PG-13

Type: AU, of the Rhythm and Bounce- universe variety

Warnings: Slashy themes, but nothing actually expressed.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own it, thanks.

Summary: Rei's seen Kai at his ups and at his downs. He's seen him laugh and he's seen him cry without abandon. But nothing could have ever prepared him for what he encountered the final day in court of that last, final trial…

NOTE: This is the addition to Rhythm and Bounce. Time-wise, it occurs before that story. Might be helpful to read R&B before this, though it doesn't matter that much in the long run.

Early that morning at five o'clock, Hiwatari Kai exited his house, clothed in a sophisticated suit. On the outside, he was unruffled and calm, but inside he was nothing but a mass turmoil, of emotions he didn't know what to do with and of feelings he wasn't used to. Rei met him outside. Cat-like, slitted eyes downcast and worried, he nevertheless reached out and straightened his friend's tie (an unneeded action).

"Thanks." Kai murmured, staring at the sky, still spotted with stars and embracing a large silver moon. Rei nodded, knowing it wasn't the tie he was talking about.

"Just come back, alright?" he inquired.

A large black car with tinted windows was parked in the driveway, the chauffeur waiting with the door open.

"I'll be home tonight." Kai answered, playing with a lock of his silver bangs. Then, he sighed. "Could you keep the boys away from the case, and take care of chores as well?"

"Of course." Rei answered, with a wave of his hand. "Stay safe."

Kai nodded as he turned and entered his car, the chauffeur closing the door behind him. Rei waved as the car drove off, and stood there for several minutes, just thinking. Suddenly, he reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone, turning it on. Then, he stared out into the empty road, shook his head, and headed off to the barn, needing something take his mind off things.

"Rei?" Max stuck his head in the tack room, from the aisle where he was grooming Happy. "Where's Kai-eh?" The room was empty.

Little did he know that the elusive Chinese boy was hiding out in the bathroom, a tiny portable TV sitting on his lap. He had it set to one of the major news channels, and was staring intently into the screen, watching. It was only seven a.m., the trial was nowhere near starting, but it was already being prepped by the media. He envied Max and Takao, they had no idea that the court case he knew that their whole families were talking about, that practically the whole world would be talking about by tomorrow, would be starring their very own teacher and friend.

He envied them.

So far, nothing debilitating had been said about Kai, nor had Voltaire been seen at all, and for that Rei was grateful.

Suddenly, a hand pounded on the door.

"Rei, you in there?" Max's voice filtered through the door, "Happy's got a cut on his hock, could you come look at it? It's not big, but…." he trailed off, and frustrated, Rei rolled his eyes.

"I'll be right there." His voice was almost a growl, but he instantly felt bad about it. It wasn't any of their fault, he knew, and he had no right to be irritated with Max, but he couldn't help the hint of "OH MY GOD leave me alone before I snap!" creep into his voice before setting the TV down and walking out to see to Happy's leg.

He didn't notice Takao stick his head in, notice the TV, and take it over to a tack box to turn it on.

As the noise of static filled the aisle, Rei whipped around, face draining of color when he saw Takao with the TV. In a manner quite unlike himself, he took a running leap and tackled the TV like a football star, holding it to his chest as if it were the most important thing in his existence.

"Oi!" Takao complained, "I didn't even know we had a TV, would you give it back?"

"No." Rei snapped defensively, holding the television protectively to his chest. "You're supposed to be doing something, so get to it."

"Geez, you're so grumpy. You're cranky and Kai's gone. Who would have thought?" Takao grumbled, glaring, but nevertheless returned to brushing down an already sleek and shiny Cloud, who nickered at him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Rei collapsed onto the mini television and glowered out into the hallway.

He could see a long day in the making.

It wasn't until noon that he was able to hole up in the bathroom again, door locked.

The case was already several hours in, and while the basis of what it entailed had been expressed and discussed, Kai hadn't testified to Voltaire's actions. However, Rei knew that it was only a matter of time, knew from experience that Kai would be in one of the witness lobbies in the back of the courthouse, watching the proceedings on a television himself. More than likely, he'd be drinking a cup of coffee.

By this time, he'd probably be on his third or fourth one.

An employee of BIOVOLT was currently on the stand, explaining to the courts Voltaire's hand in the running and actions of Balkov Abbey, and something in Rei's chest tightened up. That abbey wasn't quite as big a part of Kai's past as it was in Tala's, and for that, the Chinese boy thanked about everything he had in the world. The abbey had been used as an experimental facility with orphaned children the prime test subjects in order to try and create someone "perfect". Tala had testified by video several days ago from Russia, and Rei wouldn't ever forget how those blue eyes had gone dead as he spoke about his experiences, how his head lowered in such a way to allow his red hair to fall into his face, and how stoic his voice had been to keep out all emotion.

"Rei!"

The boy scowled.

"What?" he couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice and he switched off the television, opening the door and poking his head out. Takao stood in front of him, his hands on his hips.

"There's someone on the phone asking for Kai, and when I said that he wasn't around, he asked for you."

Rei sighed.

"Fine, fine. I guess I have to go and talk to him, then."

"Are you okay? You've been in the bathroom a lot today. Eat something bad?" Takao asked honestly, and Rei shook his head.

"I'm fine. Go back to whatever you were doing, I'll take care of the call."

"Fine, fine," the boy replied, turning and walking back to Cloud's stall. Rei waited until he couldn't see him anymore before he went into the office to answer the phone.

Rei froze when he re-entered the bathroom, seeing Max and Takao huddled around the television. It was the channel on which he'd left it, and much to Rei's dismay, the case was in full swing and there was nothing he could do about it. He entered the room and sighed, drawing the younger boys' attention.

"Rei…" Max began, blue eyes wide and shocked, "They keep talking about Kai. Is that why you've been in here? They're talking about all sorts of awful things. L-like human experimentation and murder and extortion and a-a-a-"

"Abuse," Rei answered quietly, "Yes, I know. Kai asked me to do my best to not let you see it. I'll have to apologize to him later."

"He could have just not let us come over today!" Takao exclaimed, and while his words were indignant, his face was unusually pale. "Why didn't you just say that you guys had stuff to do today? It wouldn't be the first time!" Rei inclined his head, making a gesture for them to scoot over so that he could sit down. He'd asked that same question that morning before Kai had left, and he repeated his answer.

"He said that if I couldn't keep you out of it, at least you'd hear it in a place where someone involved was there. So that your parents wouldn't be the first people to talk to about it. People who didn't know what it was all about. And…you know, Kai understands a love of horses. And how they can be good for people. He hesitates when it comes to people who genuinely care about them."

"So in other words, he knew that we'd probably find out one way or another, and he wanted you to be here to set us straight when we did," Takao interjected.

"….more than likely, yes."

"….that sounds like Kai," Max said quietly. His blonde hair was scraggly and mussed and a smudge of dirt was smeared across his cheek. Rei wasn't sure who had found out about the court case first, and at this point it didn't matter.

Both were involved now, and both were compromised.

"I'll let you watch, now that you both know," Rei said, "But I'm going to warn you, it'll probably get very ugly, very fast. I'm holding the rights to make the both of you leave the room if it gets too bad. That's the condition under which you can watch." He hated sounding like a babysitter, but he refused to budge on it. Kai had left him in charge, and it was Kai who was on the line.

He would never in a thousand years admit it, but the older boy treasured Max and Takao's acceptance of him, and their admiration and trust, and no matter what happened, Rei wouldn't allow that to be compromised because of him.

Takao spoke first.

"Okay."

Kai shifted on the balls of his feet outside the door to the main courtroom. He'd been notified that he'd be put on the stand very soon and to prepare, and his way of preparing was to chug another cup of coffee and resist the urge to either call Rei or dose his coffee with horse tranquilizers.

"You've been called. Please come with me," The bailiff opened the door was now stood in front of him. Kai nodded silently and adjusted the wire frames on his face, his only visual indication of nerves. Together, they entered the courtroom and Kai made his way to the witness stand, giving his oath of truth before lacing his fingers together behind his back.

Voltaire sat at one of the tables on front of him, his lawyer seated next to him. Scarlet eyes met those of his grandfather without hesitation before returning to the judge.

"Are you prepared to give truthful and honest testimony in this court of law?"

"I am," he answered steadily. The judge inclined his head toward the lead prosecutor who got to his feet.

"Before the cross-examination of the witness, I'll ask my questions first, if it pleases the court." The man said. Prosecutor Cross was a well-dressed man just beginning to go gray with a ruthless expression; his only loyalties were to the truth. Kai straightened, inhaling to keep his voice steady. "What is your name?"

"Kai Dmitri Hiwatari."

"What is your relation to the defendant?"

"I am his grandson," Kai answered, still trying to settle himself.

"How long have you and the defendant known each other?"

"Eleven years."

"Please tell the courts how long you have been in the custody of the defendant, and the circumstances under which these events occurred."

For a split second, Kai hesitated, brain rushing. He had expected it to start out hard and fast, but he'd forgotten how early these events had begun to affect his life. He shook his head slightly and continued.

"I lived with my parents until I was five. I was put into the custody of Voltaire Hiwatari when they died."

"Died, and not passed away?" Kai looked into the grey eyes of the prosecutor. They'd gone through this before, Cross knew exactly what to expect from Kai, and had spent the last two weeks devising a line of questioning to best keep everything straight and in order without breaking rank, and how to best express his words to the court without putting words in Kai's mouth.

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Voltaire had them both killed."

Instantly, the courtroom was filled with shocked murmurs and Kai met Voltaire's eyes, ignoring the man's visible fury in favor of making it clear that nothing was going to be held back. The buzz of noise got louder.

"Order! Order! Be quiet, all of you," the judge snapped. "This is a dignified setting and a court of law. Please continue."

"That's a pretty big claim to make," Cross said, "Please elaborate."

"Yes, sir." Kai's face was stony. "Voltaire and my father didn't get along. He found my father to be wishy-washy with no dedication, and my father refused to have anything to do with Hiwatari Enterprises. He had plans to start up his own company, which he did when he married my mother, and she supported his dreams. They didn't speak again until I was five, when I met him for the first time."

"So the first time you met Voltaire was the day that you say he killed your parents."

"Yes, sir."

"Objection! This has nothing to do with the case at hand, and with no evidence to support this claim, I must demand that it be dropped!" Voltaire's defense attorney interjected, getting to his feet.

"No evidence? I beg to differ." Kai said icily, "I have provided Prosecutor Cross with all the evidence anyone needs. If you would, sir." The prosecutor went over to his table and pulled out a cardboard box, along with a clipboard and set of papers.

"Please explain your evidence, Prosecutor Cross. I warn you, if this is a game to you, you will regret it," the judge warned, and Cross inclined his head.

"Your honor, a court of law is my life, and my life is no game, I assure you. I have the autopsy information on the Hiwatari couple. Each was taken down with a bullet to the head. The bullets were removed by the medical staff and the ballistic fingerprints on the bullets show that they came from the same gun. The gun was recently provided by the witness. It came from Voltaire's personal safe."

"Who's to say that the boy didn't just put it there?" The defense spoke up, and Cross inclined his head.

"A valid question, but one that has already been answered. Kai Hiwatari was not the one to remove this gun; he merely provided the information to where it was, and the combination. I have photographic evidence that show the state of the safe as well as the room in which it was found. It was in the very back of the house in an area rarely entered, and was covered in dust. These photos also show indication that any of the littlest movement disturbed the dust. As you can see, prior to our police opening the safe, the layer of dust was very thick, the same thickness of that in the room. Therefore, we can attest that it hadn't been moved or touched in a very long period of time. Upon examination by the lab technicians, we can prove that the bullets found in the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Hiwatari matched the gun found in the safe."

"Still, who's to say that it was Voltaire who fired it? Children are known to play with guns. If one was in the house, who's to say that young Kai didn't find it and accidentally fire upon his parents? While it would incriminate Voltaire Hiwatari in tampering with evidence and covering up of a murder, it would mean that he was protecting a member of his family."

Kai suppressed a snort and quickly reapplied his poker face.

"A five year old child, shooting both of his parents right between the eyes? Doubtful. Add to that that the only fingerprints found on the firearm were those belonging to Voltaire Hiwatari, nearly impossible. Not only that, but the angle of entry shows that only an adult could have fired that gun. Only if he were standing on some form of furniture would a child of that height be able to pull that off, and the recoil of firing it the first time would likely have ripped his arm out of his shoulder, not to mention what would have happened had he fired a second shot."

Silence filled the room, and Voltaire defense attorney gaped like a fish, staring first to Prosecutor Cross before shifting his gaze to Voltaire, whose eyes never wavered from Kai.

"Why was this never pursued further? These documents are legitimate. Any medical examiner would be required to report this as a homicide. I have been in law for over twenty years , and surely would have heard of such a thing." The judge said, voice incredulous.

"It was covered up. You'll remember, your honor, that Hiwatari Enterprises, even eleven years ago, was a very powerful company with very powerful connections. It certainly wouldn't be too difficult to buy off a few medical examiners who might not be as dedicated to justice as you or I might be. These documents were found in the safe with the gun."

"Mr. Hiwatari…younger."

Kai looked up, focusing on the judge.

"Yes, your honor?"

"Were you aware of these documents being in the safe when you informed Prosecutor Cross of the location of the gun?"

"….no. I was unaware that such things even existed. I suppose that in retrospect, I shouldn't be so shocked. He kept the gun, but the last thing I expected him to have would be the medical papers. They're easier to destroy than a weapon." Nervously, Kai brushed his bangs behind his ears. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt almost light-headed with anxiety.

"These charges will be added onto the list, and will be further evaluated. Prosecutor Cross, please continue."

"Yes, your honor." The man turned back to Kai. "When you began living with this man, what was he like?"

"He was…very strict. And heavy-handed. He accepted nothing less than perfection from everyone, but especially from me, because I shared his blood. It didn't take much to inspire a slap or an angry tirade from him. The house staff was terrified of him."

"Did he ever strike you further than a slap?" Prosecutor Cross asked.

Kai froze. That hadn't been discussed in the slightest. With the extent to which they'd planned this out, he hadn't expected this.

"………….."

"Kai Hiwatari. Did the defendant ever hit you outside of the occasional slap?"

"………….."

"Answer me."

The courtroom was utterly silent, and Kai felt all color drain from his face. This wasn't what he wanted to be questioned on, and he hadn't prepared himself for it. He couldn't move. Everyone's eyes were on him, and any words he might have had caught in his throat, choking him off. Imperceptibly, his hands began to shake behind his back.

"…….yes." he whispered, finally. His voice cracked and he was horrified to hear the shake.

"What were some of the things that he did to you?" Cross's voice was frustratingly steady, as if he'd expected that answer even if he'd never asked the question. The silence hadn't alleviated, and Kai swallowed.

"The littlest things would set him off. Sometimes it would just be a-a smack upside the head or a shove. Sometimes, he'd push me into a wall. He…would lock me up."

"How so?"

"There was a room in the back of the house that was…was painted black. There were no windows, and only one door. Even with all the lights on, no light would shine through because the cracks in the door were filled in."

"And Voltaire Hiwatari put you in this room?"

Kai's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth.

"…yes, sir."

"For how long?"

"It depended. Sometimes it would only be for an hour. Sometimes for up to two to three days."

"When you were in here, did you receive any food or water?"

"Water, in a bowl. The maids liked me though, and would do their best to get what they could through. It didn't really work though, because he'd lock the door."

"When you were locked in this room, were you allowed bathroom breaks?"

"…no, sir." Kai's voice was low, and the boy wished that there was a chair so that he could sit. The shakes running through his frame were getting worse, and he dug his fingers into the edge of the witness stand. Show no fear. Show no fear.

"Kai. I have one more question for you." Kai was startled out of his thoughts by the change in Cross's voice, and he looked up, blood-red eyes haunted. "We have enough information on his business dealings, and his humanitarian offenses, so I don't need to question you on that."

"Yes?"

"Kai Hiwatari. It has been established that Voltaire Hiwatari was physically and emotionally abusive. Your comments on that room have shed light on the confusion of the police when they…found it. They couldn't figure out what it could possibly be for. If I could spare you this question, I would. However, I am obligated to ask it, and in doing so I am also obligated to apologize to you. Kai Hiwatari, has Voltaire Hiwatari ever touched you in a sexual manner?"

The silence was deafening, a mixture of shock, horror, and anticipation.

Something was rushing in his ears, and Kai couldn't breathe.

"Kai? Mr. Hiwatari, are you alright?"

Kai's knees gave out and he sagged against the railing, gripping it with everything he had to not sink to the floor. Cross and the bailiff were next to him in an instant, gripping his arms.

"Kai, listen to me," the prosecutor said quietly into his ear, "We're going to hoist you up a little so you can sit. Don't faint." The boy couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't give any form of having heard, but didn't resist when he was manually lifted and set gently to the floor to lean against the wall.

"Yes," he whispered suddenly, barely able to be heard, "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes."

"Kai Hiwatari, please speak up so that the court can hear you."

"Yes, goddamnit!" Kai suddenly burst out, voice rising in volume and pitch. "Yes, okay? Yes!"

Shouts rang out, and the last thing Kai knew was Cross demanding a recess before his world went black.

Silence ruled, and no one had anything to say. It was almost as if time had stopped, and Rei felt like he'd been punched in the chest. This was more than even he had known, much less the other two, and his vision swam slightly.

A gasp drew his attention, and Rei turned his head to focus on the source. Max's blue eyes were wide and his face held no color, and unbeknownst to him, he was beginning to shake.

"….Max?"

"Kai… Kai--!" That seemed like the last straw, and tears began to slip down the blonde boy's cheeks, and he buried his face in his hands, dissolving into sobs. Unconsciously, Takao moved slightly to wrap an arm around his friend's shoulders, his own eyes suspiciously shiny. Rei drew himself up and tried to put together some semblance of composure.

"….Okay. I think that th-that's more than enough. We are all going to grab something laced with too much sugar, sit in the office, and calm down. Then, you two are going to go to Happy and Cloud and sit in their stalls for a while."

"And what are YOU going to do?" The note in Takao's voice was almost accusatory, and Rei shook his head.

"I am going to finish watching the case. Don't argue with me. I'm protecting Kai as much as I'm protecting you. It's going to be brutal, and I don't want you guys to see it. But I'm going to be the one to meet him when he comes home, and I need to know what I'm going to need to do. You could go home and watch the rest of it if you want, I can't stop you. But I think that you should take what he wants into account. You already know. That's enough. …okay? Nothing good can come from seeing more. Especially for Max."

Takao glared down at the floor, before finally, reluctantly nodding.

"….fine. Come on, Maxie. Let's go get a Mountain Dew, okay?"

Silently shaking, Max obliged and leaned against Takao's shoulder, and the two began took the steps out of the bathroom, before the blue-haired boy turned and looked Rei in the face.

"...are YOU gonna be okay?"

Rei blinked, startled.

"Huh?"

"I mean…" Takao glared at the floor again, a telling pink rising in his cheeks, "It's just as hard for you. Harder. Because you know him best. And just--"

"I'll be alright," Rei finally answered, slightly surprised, "Promise."

"Okay, then. If you're not in the office in two minutes, I'm coming after you and I will be so obnoxious that you will regret it." With that, the door shut, and Rei smiled slightly, leaning up against the wall. Unbeknownst to him, tears had begun to streak his cheeks.

"Sure thing. I'll be there soon."

When the world came back into focus, Kai found himself lying on one of the couches in the closest witness lobby. Both Cross and the bailiff were standing next to him, both for different reasons. The bailiff, to make sure that nothing funny went down when Kai awoke, supervising both the prosecutor and the witness; Cross, from concern.

Emitting a low groan, Kai rubbed his temples and gingerly sat up, his eyebrows furrowing.

He remembered…Cross's last line of questioning. Feeling the world give out from underneath his feet. Heard shouts of rage and denial, and he blurrily remembered being carried out and laid down on this very couch. He felt his forehead, noting the damp washcloth that had been put on him. Wryly, his lips quirked up.

"Welcome back," Cross muttered to him, crouching down next to the couch in a shockingly relaxed manner, for him.

"…hey," Kai muttered in response, "How long was I out for?"

"No more than fifteen minutes. I called a recess once you collapsed. The judge didn't seem to mind giving one out, you….dropped a bomb on everyone."

Kai flinched, feeling his stomach immediately begin to turn to ice. He had made the promise to himself and to the court to tell the entire truth, and he wouldn't deviate from it, even if it damaged him. He hadn't been anticipating just how much damage.

"It's your fault," he snarled half as fiercely as he normally would have; his head was killing him. "For asking me that. You knew I wouldn't lie. It's your fault." Scarlet eyes glanced up to meet Cross's grey ones. The man's face seemed strained, as if he had also been affected by the previous events. That couldn't possibly be correct, though, Kai mused to himself. The man was a goddamn boulder; that was why he was so good. Tenacious, stoic, and blunt to the teeth, Cross had been prosecuting for over fifteen years and while he lost his share of cases, it was rarely due to his own incompetence, but to the truth instead.

"I know it is," the man responded, getting to his feet, "And while I will apologize for forcing the answer from you, I don't regret asking the question." Kai's eyes narrowed. "Even if he would already receive a life sentence for the current charges if convicted, that isn't good enough. I won't stop until all is accounted for, even if a life span is not something I can fight."

Long-lashed eyelids dropped slightly, and Kai grit his teeth in frustration. When Cross put it that way, it wasn't like he could argue. His head still hurt and aside from the numbness he was feeling, a good deal of his pride was screaming in agony from having passed out in front of not only the judge, jury, and respected prosecutor, but Voltaire and his lawyer as well.

If he'd tried, he couldn't come up with anything quite so horrifying.

Absently rubbing his upper arm, Kai shifted to drape his legs over the couch. His tie had been loosened, probably to prevent possible strangulation, and his collar had popped at some point. However, his suit hadn't rumpled or wrinkled nor had his hair come undone from the braid he'd put it in, and Kai gingerly ran his hands through his bangs to smooth them down.

"I think I'm good, now."

Good was possibly the very last thing on Earth that he was, and the boy stuck his hand in his pocket to run calloused fingertips over the cell phone concealed in it. Tala had testified, and while he hadn't had to do it live, it had taken everything he had. Kai could do the same. Even if he couldn't, he would anyway.

There was no room for what-ifs, no room for looking back.

Kai slid off the couch and straightened up, needless dusting him off out of habit, as if to make sure nonexistent hay or dust or fur had been attracted to him.

"You don't need a few minutes?"

"Oh, I do. A few minutes, days, decades. Anything. But that won't give me back my composure, so there's no point. There's nothing to wait for," Kai replied. His hand remained in the pocket of his pants, gripping his phone as if it were a lifeline, or a lucky charm, or something that would light up and shine and magically make it so that he wouldn't have to go back into that room. But lucky charms didn't exist except in the form of horseshoes, and the courtroom was the last place to find one.

Cross looked him over for a few more moments before nodding, and without further ado, they made their way back to the courtroom. Kai surveyed the scene. It was surprisingly similar to what he walked in on last time, only less silent and magically more people. The judge looked up.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Something like that, your honor."

"Are you prepared to continue your testimony of Voltaire Hiwatari?"

Blood-colored eyes went cold and hard, and Kai nodded.

"I am."

"Please return to the witness stand then, young man."

"Yes, your honor," Kai said quietly. The room had gone silent again the instant he'd walked in, and there was no avoiding the look of utter rage on his grandfather's face. Even if his reputation hadn't already been dragged mercilessly through the dirt, Kai had single-handedly destroyed the rest of it in the eyes of the public, that much Kai knew. Even if he himself would be ridiculed for his testimony, he could stand that. As long as Rei had been able to keep Max and Takao away from this whole thing. As long as their parents wouldn't want to talk to them about it, about how damaged and ruined their albeit reluctant friend and instructor was, he could deal with this. Somehow. Even with the freedom that he would gain from winning this case, it was hard to stomach the idea of what he might be losing from this.

"In light of certain circumstances, I find it prudent to go ahead and allow the cross-examination of the witness by the defendant's attorney along this line of questioning. The jury takes no issue with this, nor does either attorney."

Once again, Kai flinched, for multiple reasons. Not only because this was a road he didn't want to travel but because he knew that this decision was based partly in pity, and because he knew that he looked a pale, anxious mess.

"Yes, your honor." Voltaire's lawyer stood and approached, and Kai surveyed him keenly. Alexander Bryant was about who he expected Voltaire to go to, in about all ways. "Are you quite all right, Mr. Hiwatari? You're looking rather pale." If it were possible to kill people with eye contact, the man would have been dead on the ground yesterday, if one was going by the look on Kai's face.

"Yes, I thank you for your concern. Carry on."

The smug bastard had the gall to let his lips tilt upward at the lofty tone in the Hiwatari heir's voice. Ass.

"Mr. Hiwatari, I must ask you to elaborate on your grandfather's misdeeds. You claim that my client has sexually abused you at some point or another."

"…I do." The lack of sir was particularly satisfying, ALMOST enough to smother the agony of being forced to emit those words.

"Go on. What sort of acts do you attest that he did to you?" Among other things, Alexander Bryant was notorious for being an uncommonly sensitive individual with much regard for the emotional and psychological well-being of the witnesses he questioned. Not. Kai glared outright. "Go on."

"If you had any patience at all or gave any sort of a damn, you'd wait ten freaking seconds before getting demanding," Kai grit out unrepentantly, ignoring the affronted warning stare the judge sent him and focusing on the man in front of him. "Be more detailed with what you're asking." There was the sound of an abruptly muffled snort that couldn't possibly in a thousand and a half years have come from Prosecutor Cross, and Bryant glowered.

"Alright, have it your way. In your time of being in the custody of Voltaire Hiwatari, you testify that he touched you in ways considered improper. When did this supposed abuse begin?"

"It started when I was around s-seven." Kai bit back the shake in his voice, steeling his face into an expression that likely would have sent Takao running for the hills.

"So two years after you had been living with him."

"Yes."

"I must insist that you give me more information than a simple 'yes'. You're a witness, not a bystander," Bryant glared, an edge in his voice becoming slightly more pronounced, and Kai bristled in response, shifting.

"I really hope you never have children."

"Mr. Hiwatari! Focus on the subject at hand and stop antagonizing the defense before I penalize you," the judge snapped, and the boy silenced himself, aware that he was pushing it.

The temptation to snap into a thousand pieces was high, as well as the urge to retort with something along the lines of demanding that the esteemed defense stop antagonizing him, or in a perfect world, where the judge could put his penalties. However, this was neither a perfect world, nor a place where many temptations could viably be carried out, and so Kai kept his mouth shut.

"Fine." The boy clenched his fists and noted idly that once again, one of them was situated in his pants pocket, gripping his phone with enough force that for a brief moment, he feared that he would snap it. After several seconds, Kai forced himself to let go of it. "For the first two years of living with Voltaire, he was overly strict and overly harsh in word and action, but as far as improperness of that sort went…" The word improper was like bile on his tongue, caustic and poisonous, "Nothing happened until I was about seven-ish. It was small things at first…touches on the back of my neck that lasted a little too long. He randomly started kissing me on the cheek, if he thought I did well at something. He began… insisting on assisting me in bathing, and lingered a little too long…" Kai trailed off, unable to raise his eyes from where they were burning lasers into the table.

"Did Voltaire Hiwatari rape you?" Bryant asked suddenly, and Kai reeled back as if he'd been slapped. He froze, wide-eyed. "Answer the question honestly, and truthfully. Prove yourself an unreliable, cowardly, and spineless witness, and I will make you regret it." And then, for just a single second, the look on the man's face reminded Kai of nothing less than Cross, and he was reminded that even though he had a job to do paid by a private client, Alexander Bryant was a man dedicated to law.

"…..he did." Kai finally whispered, and the murmurs began again. For a moment, something rushed again in his head and he dragged it under control, forced down the fears that were slowly dissolving him into shakes again, and looked Bryant full-on in the face. "I will repeat that as loudly as anyone needs to hear it. I will never back down from that man's crimes, and I will never stop fighting for my freedom."

"But we have yet to see any PROOF of these supposed crimes, any of them. Can you provide medical records, or photographic evidence?" Bryant finally asked, eyes narrowing. Kai's face remained stoic, as if he'd expected nothing less.

"Not medical records, no. The physician was employed by Voltaire, and therefore would be impossible to deem reliable. I have something I believe is just a viable, however." Silence, and Kai surveyed the courtroom, gaze settling on Cross, who looked as if someone was trying to stuff a watermelon down his throat. He KNEW what was going to happen, it was written all over his face. "You mentioned photographic evidence. I can one-up that."

"………"

And with that, Kai sardonically inclined his head and began loosening his tie, fingers shakily unbuttoning his jacket. He ignored the protests of the judge and the shocked faces on the jurors and shrugged off the jacket, allowing it to drop carelessly to the floor.

"What are you-" The judge exclaimed, and the look on Voltaire's face would have meant death in any situation other than this. Kai paid him no heed, focusing only on undoing those buttons, as if it were the most important thing he'd ever been tasked with.

One down…two down… three…

Finally, the garment joined the jacket and Kai was bare-skinned, the scars that littered his shoulders, chest and ribs standing out stark against the otherwise tanned expanse of skin. He refused to shiver in the excessive air-conditioning, and finally turned, exposing his original intention. Amidst those white with age that resembled those on his front side, the most noticeable mark was a large scar starting at the small of his back, jagged and not quite as old as the others, so extensive that it traveled down the back of his slacks. Where it finally stopped, no one in the courtroom but Kai and Voltaire knew.

Silence.

The most awful silence that Kai had ever heard in his life.

"Age ten," he finally spoke, resting a finger on what looked to be the remnant of a burn on his upper arm. Question wrong on a math test, tea kettle." He gulped. "Age six," the finger traveled to bring attention to a different mark between his shoulder blades, less like a scar and more like a permanent slap mark. "Bruise scar, courtesy of the replica of David in the hallway." He would have continued, had Bryant's slightly shaking voice cut him off.

"T-those could be from any—"

"…care to examine the big one?" Kai's voice was low, and so steady. Far too steady. He stood ramrod straight at the witness stand, the only indication of his tension being the slight trembling of his frame. He'd always been uncommonly adept at stoicism. The silence was so heavy. "I don't mind. After all, I've already laid out the rest of me for all to see. What's a little more? What's a little more ruination in light of the truth, right, gentlemen?"

As long as he didn't break his phone.

The sun had gone down, finally, and Rei sat out on the front porch. Max and Takao had left several hours ago when Mr. Tate can to pick them up, and Rei was simultaneously grateful to be alone and wishing that he wasn't. His eyes were rimmed with red, and he'd only just removed himself from atop the fence, Monster's head in his arms, as if that horse could keep away the cold that was settling in Rei's gut.

All the stars were out, and the forest lining the grounds of the estate cast a darker black against the sky.

It was later than he had predicted.

Finally, the Chinese boy heard the sound of footsteps crunching along the gravel driveway, and he lifted his head. From a distance, Kai could only barely be seen, and only his shadow. The car was nowhere in sight. Rei leapt off the fence and ran full sprint to meet him, skidding to a halt when he was close enough.

The slightly shorter boy looked a mess.

"Kai? Where's the car?" Rei finally asked, taking in his friend's complete lack of color and the way he held himself, no longer proud and upright but slouched, as if all the fight he'd ever had had stripped away with his shirt and jacket earlier in court. Rei took in that expensive blazer, neatly buttoned, but with the tie just slightly crooked, and the ends of his white shirt showing under the sleeves.

"Sergio had been waiting for me outside the courthouse all day. I didn't want to keep him waiting longer, so I made him drop me off at the start of the driveway to let him go home."

Those normally blazing scarlet eyes were dull.

Gently, Rei reached out and took his friend's arm in his hand, feeling the remnants of tremors running through him. He wondered how long he'd been feeling those tremors, how scared he must have been despite what his pride would proclaim, how drained and dead he felt.

"….are you okay?"

Rei jolted and stared, just in time to see Kai's eyes narrow.

"You don't look like you feel good. Maybe you should go home and sleep--"

Abruptly, before he could think it through, the Chinese boy took his other arm and gave his friend a light shake.

"The hell I don't feel good! Have you SEEN yourself? You idiot, I'm not the one too worry about—"

"I'm worried anyway." Blunt, curt, and honest. Kai to the hilt, and Rei could have cried at the familiarity in that tone. Almost as if he hadn't had had his dirtiest secrets ripped out of him. Stepping closer, Rei trailed his fingers up Kai's arms lightly, as if to make sure that he was still quite solid, before wrapping his arms around him tightly. Kai didn't struggle, as he would have had he been embarrassed or adverse, instead choosing to remain still.

"Well, I'm worried about YOU, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Rei dropped his cheek onto the top of Kai's head, and the Hiwatari heir tense slightly, before something finally broke. Silently, without a single sound of indication, tears began to slip down his cheeks, dropping onto the gravel, and Kai leaned in, pressing his face into Rei's collar.

"I didn't break it," he finally whispered, and Rei jumped slightly, startled.

"What?"

Without answering, Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"I didn't break it," he repeated, voice hoarse, "I broke everything else. But I kept this safe."

Rei only pulled him closer.

-END-