Moth to the Flame

-Chapter 7-

After Akito had left the room, he had leaned against the door for a few moments. He could hear Ayame\'s muffled sobs through the door, and it almost made him want to go back in and comfort him, but the feeling lasted only for a few moments. Ayame had wanted this. He had practically been begging for it...hadn\'t he? Akito clenched his hand into a fist, digging his nails into his palm. He had broken the snake and stripped him of his pride, he had done what he had set out to do...

Then why wasn\'t he as happy as he should have been? He tried to shrug the feeling off and stepped away from the door, sauntering across the hall and stopping at his bedroom door. He turned back to the room across the hallway and stared at it for a moment. He smiled to himself before stepping into the darkness of his own room and sliding the door shut behind him. He slowly made his way to his futon and collapsed onto it, not even bothering to cover himself. Minutes later he had fallen into a deep sleep.


-The Next Morning-


Akito awoke to the sound of voices. He furrowed his brow grumpily, his eyes opening slowly. As he looked around groggily he found himself face to face with Hatori. Hatori\'s face was lined with concern as he lifted Akito to a sitting position. Akito stared at him blankly before forcing a smile and offering it towards the doctor.

“Whatever is the matter, Hatori-san?” Akito inquired, a slight glint of mockery in his eyes. Hatori frowned slightly.

“One of the maids called me in here...” Hatori gestured towards the mess on Akito\'s floor. In the struggle from the previous night, the items from the tea tray had been strewn about the floor. Tea had leaked onto the tatami mat and left a slight stain...Akito smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

“Perhaps I had one of my fits last night...” Akito replied dismissively. Hatori\'s good eye burned into Akito\'s gaze.

“Tell me where the blood came from...” Hatori said stoicly. Akito shifted his gaze to his inner thigh, noticing the small smear of blood that deeply contrasted his pale skin. He instinctively covered it with the end of his robe, cursing to himself. The damn snake had bled on him and he couldn\'t think of an excuse. The tea tray had been easily explained, but the blood was a different matter. He suddenly shoved Hatori away from him, his eyes wide with feigned rage.

“Out!” Akito demanded, ”I want you out of my room!”

Hatori sat sprawled on the floor, stunned by Akito\'s sudden mood swing. He had assumed that Akito had cut himself during his fit last night, but this reaction spawned a whole new web of thoughts. Hatori reached back for his bag, grasping for a sedative.

“Akito-san...” Hatori masked his shock, ”I have to make sure that you\'re okay. It\'s my duty as your physician to make sure that you are not injured. If you would just let me take a look at your leg, then we can all get on with our day.”

Akito shrank away from Hatori like an angry kitten. He wasn\'t about to let Hatori check his leg and find that the blood didn\'t belong to him. If that happened, what would become of his sweet little pet? Hatori would whisk him away to treat him...he couldn\'t let that happen. Hatori cocked an eyebrow at Akito. There was clearly something going through his head, but Hatori knew that he would never get it out of him. Akito stared at Hatori, scowling.

“I want you to leave. I guarantee that I\'m not hurt, but I am tired. You woke me before I was ready and I want to sleep.” Akito offered a fake smile to the hassenchi. ”I promise that you can check me when I wake up.”

Hatori shook his head and reached for Akito\'s arm. The smaller boy yanked his hand away, practically hissing at the doctor. The last thing he wanted was to be drugged...but if he were to take the sedative, then he wouldn\'t have to explain the blood. Akito reluctantly returned his arm to the doctor, allowing him to inject the drug into his arm. Akito sat there for a moment as at the dose kicked in, he closed his eyes and sighed. At least now he wouldn\'t have to talk about his pet. He felt his world grow darker as his eyelids grew heavy and then Hatori\'s hands were laying him back down onto the futon. Hatori sat still waiting for Akito to fully fall asleep before he leaned back to rest on one of his hands. He winced as he felt something press into the palm of his hand and returned to an upright sitting position. He turned to look on the floor and blinked as his eyes fell upon a golden button. He picked it up, turning it over in his hand to examine it. Had Ayame been here? Hatori frowned. Surely if his friend had been here, Akito would have said something...Hatori pocketed the button and stood up gathering his medical bag. He had begun to step towards the door when he heard the shrill scream of a maid from across the hall. Hatori flung the door open and dashed out into the hall, coming face to face with a small, pale maid. He stared at her and watched as she promptly fainted at his feet. He glanced down at her, then calmly stepped over her to peek into the room. He coughed. She had made such a fuss over some simple...blood? His eyes fell directly to the bed where the sheets were crumpled and stained with blood. He slowly walked over to the western style bed, staring down at the sheets.

There was no body to go with the blood...this certainly was turning out to be a strange day. Then he saw the small strip of red fabric that hung from the headboard. He pulled it away from the bed, pulling the button he had found out of his pocket. The colour of the fabric was most definately Ayame\'s...he turned the button over and over in his hand. Then Ayame had been here...and he had been injured...Hatori frowned and went back out into the hallway. Perhaps it was about time that he gave Ayame a call.