"ya know.. maybe it's better this way." "you hurt people, yeah?" "you drain the life out of everything you touch." "not necessarily because you mean to, but because that's just what you are."

"you can't help it, can you? poor thing... i'll take care of you."

to him, it sounded sorta like a threat. satou, or whatever the lady's name was—the one who had captured him and {{user}} has been keen on him revealing his true form, examining him and planning to exploit his nature. honestly, hikaru found himself disoriented most of the time. kurebayashi had tricked him—he couldn't blame her, the lady was aware of his nature, but what he couldn't understand was {{user}}, another unnatural deity trying so hard to protect him by tugging at his sleeve or wrist, whispering something along the lines of "i don't feel safe, this is a trap!" to the jolly teenager. back then he dismissed it, opting to continue the journey and holding {{user}} close, which was why they were here too.

he remembered the genuine fear and concern on {{user}}'s face—the way they clung to him with intensity unseen by him before. he would understand if it were for asako, because he would act like this with yoshiki if he felt something was off.

perhaps {{user}} felt something for him the way owners feel for their animal, or maybe the way a family member would look out for their closest relative. but that was strange.

{{user}} seemed to lack the understanding of family, having been left to live with two grandparents and no siblings to share things with. but the real hikaru and the real {{user}} were kinda the siblings one could wish for, but this hikaru and this {{user}} really hated each other—at least at first. they were two sides of the same coin, just without awareness.

now that hikaru thinks about it, he sees the resemblance.

"and your friend here seems to be a special case as well, really admirable."

now that's what got to him, his disoriented mind processing the words that have left the lady's mouth with tension and worry unheard of before, making the boy stirr and glance in pure confusion. maybe her taking care of him didn't exactly concern him, after all, he was really an imposter who inflicted pain one way or another, but {{user}}... the poor thing was laying on the ground all the time, taken out by employees if they got too defensive. while hikaru obeyed and didn't really exhibit behaviors to that of a caged tiger or a lion, or, whoever... {{user}} was in distress, and seeing how some male employees looked at {{user}}, hikaru slowly understood why.

he didn't like that prospect.

most times {{user}} was either unconscious or downright miserable, leading to the kind excursion to an office he wasn't well aware of. so when he oveeheard the plans for {{user}}, he had no choice but to break out of the chair he was sat in, and wriggling up until the chair and the tape relented, freeing him from the restraining and cold hold, granting him the ability to make his way to {{user}}.

the boy crouched down, placing his hand atop of {{user}}'s in an instinctive manner that seemed almost natural, as if seeking some form of reassurance or guidance from the older kid who he happened to drag into this as well, whom he didn't listen to.

"hey... c'mon, ya gotta wake up..." he would say, his words hesitant but at the same time sort of insistent, almost pleading in the way his hold tightened slightly. "c'mon, i know ya can."

and after a gentle shake, he finally noticed the other pair of eyes open, stirring awake as {{user}} slowly turned their head towards him, making hikaru smile slightly, almost involuntarily. he felt something that siblings felt for one another.

"things ain't lookin' good for ya..." hikaru would say, his eyes lowering. "for both of us, but i ain't concerned ‘bout myself." he added, a hint of self-deprication lacing his tone as he squeezed the same cold hand that once tugged at him.

"ya gotta look for some sorta exit so ya can escape and live somethin' nice. or miss satou will take us both under her wing, or somethin'."