Warnings: mentions of violence and swearing

Eric slipped beneath the cooling water, his elbows knocking against the base of the tub. He closed his eyes to the steam rolling across his chest and allowed for the low hum of the radiator to quieten his thoughts.

He allowed himself to merely lie in the water, ignoring the world around him. Eric allowed himself to relax.

He hadn't bathed for days, too many days.

When Kosuke had found him the man had neglected to mention the matted blonde hair, or even to remark upon the smell of litter that had resided with a startling potency. It had clung to Eric's clothes with such a vicious intensity that Izumo had hastily washed the garments numerous times before handing them back.

Sleeping in the gutter had been hard.

Eric's life had been hard.

But Kosuke had offered the spare room beside his own. Eric had silently been thankful for the offer and the fact that there was no adjoining bathroom. There was even a small lock on his door that he had seen to with quivering hands.

He trusted the friendly red head, but Eric couldn't come to trust that he wouldn't be hurt, used, thrown aside and forgotten.

Gasping, Eric's eyes flew open as he slipped beneath the water with a muffled yelp. The water swirled around him, popping in his ears, holding him down against the memory crawling to the surface.

'They left us with the fucking brat! This pathetic mess!' a man crowed, his forehead wrinkling. He brought his heel down upon the sobbing body at his feet.

He openly growled as a mewl sounded, the noise ignited a cold hatred within the man. The feeling seeped through the man's chest, a whispered thought telling him to take the semi-automatic from its holder and empty the magazine into the child's head.

'You deserve a dog's death!' the man hissed through clenched teeth. His hands had already sought his metallic companion. With a snarl, the man thumbed back the safety and aimed.

Eric felt his blood run cold, his breathing hitched painfully in his chest, his throat raw. He had heard the audible click; he could almost imagine the muzzle pushing into the base of his neck, nipping at his temple, teasing him in the face of death. His eyes stared, unblinking, at the polished shoes clacking towards him.

The memory flashed and faded.

Eric tore his body from the water, his eyes streaming with the sting, his lips falling open against the scream that tore through his throat.

A/N: All mistakes are my own.

I'm planning on making this a series of one-shots so suggestions are always welcome. Thankyou for reading :)