Before ANYONE gets on my tail about Salt Water... I plan to go back to it... I've been busy as all hell keeping up with my main account (this is a side account used by two people) that and I've got nothing for it. -Flame

Darkness in My Heart

Kouji glanced back at the brunette in the rearview mirror. His had his arms folded across his lap, his head bowed slightly, obscuring his eyes. Even if Kouji couldn't see his brown eyes, he knew the warmth they once held would be gone, replaced by fear; scarred forever by that assault. The thought just made Kouji's heart ache.

Ever since he had been attacked, Takuya withdrew into himself, not speaking to anyone. No one really knew the truth about what had happened. Kouji knew more than anyone else though, he was the one who rescued brunette. Kouji chased off the man who attacked Takuya… but Takuya wouldn't tell him what happened. Takuya silenced himself, never saying a word to anyone. The vibrant spirit that flourished in Takuya had withered and died, leaving a frail, timid shell of who the boy he used to be.

He fought back tears, and returned to focusing on the road ahead. Takuya... What happened to you? His mind remained in unrest as he drove up the mountain side turning onto a familiar gravel road….familiar to Kouji anyhow. He needed to get Takuya away from the city; the trauma of the recent events and the surroundings were suffocating him.

Kouji thought Takuya might open up to him if they were away from the stress of the city. Takuya's parents agreed to the idea, seeing as Kouji was the only one Takuya would remotely respond to. They just wanted their high spirited son back, to see him smile again. Kouji wanted his best friend back. He missed his warm laughter, his big smile, all the life that shone in his eyes…

He pulled into a driveway of a mountainside cabin, perched on a peak overlooking the valley and forest below. The valley below was cast in shadows from the dusk of the night ahead. Kouji turned the car off and leaned back to face Takuya, his expression soft and caring, "Hey, Takuya, we're here." Takuya looked up hesitantly, his eyes large and fearful. Kouji frowned, "Takuya… I'm not going to hurt you… I'd never hurt you."

The brunette said nothing as they got out of the car. Takuya clutched his backpack to his chest as Kouji lead the way to the door. Kouji fumbled with the keys, trying to remember which one fit the lock. After a few failed tries, he found the right key and unlocked the door. He pushed the door open and gestured Takuya inside. Takuya looked terrified, shrinking away from the door. Kouji blinked and realized the cabin was still darkened inside. Takuya was mortified of the dark.

He quickly found the light switch and flipped the lights on. Takuya however stood there trembling, his eyes glazed over with fear. "Hey, it's okay now!" Kouji reached out a reassuring hand towards his friend, only to have it swatted away. Takuya yelped, and whimpered, dropping his bag on the ground, holding his arms up in a protective manner.

Kouji felt helpless. His best friend was so broken, and any advance on him just made him worse. Seeing Takuya like this broke Kouji's heart. Takuya's fears were smothering him, drowning him in despair. His fears and frequent flashbacks to the assault locked the fun loving teen inside of himself. He wouldn't let anyone help him; Fear had taken over where Trust used to be…

"Takuya…" Kouji's voice sounded desperate and strained. He had his work cut out for him. He knew that much. The brunette looked up at him slowly, as if he expected Kouji to lash out at him. He glanced at Kouji for a moment, and then shifted his gaze to the ground. He knelt down and picked up his bag never removing his gaze from the ground.

Kouji gestured to his friend to enter, and held the door open for Takuya; Kouji followed the brunette inside. Kouji inhaled the musky air of the cabin, dropping his bag beside the door, and leaning his guitar against the wall. He grimaced; this place hadn't been used in years. The last time he recalled being inside the old house was well over seven years ago, when he was 12.

He glanced over that the brunette, who stood gazing about the room timidly. Kouji sighed heavily. He waited until Takuya finally sat down on the old couch before returning to the car to get a cooler box with the provisions needed to feed two teenage boys.

"You hungry?"

Takuya stared at Kouji, then shook his head.

Kouji watched the boy quietly. He just stared at his hands, lost in thought. The dark haired teen solemnly picked up his guitar and sat on an old armchair opposite of Takuya. He began to play a sad, melancholy song- one he just mad up as he let his fingers convey his emotional turmoil based on Takuya's situation.

He played well into the night, just letting his fingers do the talking through the strings on his guitar. Normally, Takuya would've been ecstatic to hear Kouji play, as he rarely did in front of others. It seemed as though not even the chords from the guitar would ease the brunette's pain.

Finally Kouji stopped playing. Takuya looked up once the music stopped, obviously noticing it but saying nothing all the same. Kouji laid the guitar against the chair, and shouldered his bag. He gestured for Takuya to follow him to the bedrooms.

The cabin had three bedrooms and one master bathroom. Kouji took Takuya to the extra bedroom at the end of the hallway. He was careful to turn the lights on before Takuya went inside this time. "I'll be just up the hall if you need me." Kouji whispered to the brunette, who didn't appear to be listening.

The boy sighed again and walked back down the hall to his own bedroom. Kouji went in, quickly undressed and put on sweat pants and a clean t-shirt. He lay down on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly. The day's events of driving and trying to coax Takuya away from his defenses were long and tiring.

Kouji awoke to soft whimpering, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He rolled to his side glancing at his watch, which read 2:37 am. He paused, registering his surroundings and the source of the noise. Takuya… Kouji bolted upright, and shot out of bed. He swung his door open and ran down the hallway. He pulled Takuya's door open, not sure what to expect.

Takuya lay on his bed, tangled up in the blankets. Soft cries escaped him, his faced contorted in pain and fear. Kouji's heart felt like it was being shredded into tiny pieces. Takuya was hurting; he was just so broken… Could Kouji fix the brunette he cared so much about?

He went to Takuya's side, trying to wake the boy from the nightmare. Kouji laid a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, only to be hit by Takuya, panicking at the sudden touch. Takuya woke up, stressed and frightened by Kouji's attempt to calm him. His pushed Kouji away, trying to escape whom he thought was trying to hurt him again.

Kouji decided enough was enough. He pulled Takuya onto his lap, holding him tightly in his arms. He spoke in a soft, soothing voice, "Takuya, please… I'm not going to hurt you... You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you…"

Takuya fought, squirmed, and whimpered as he tried to escape Kouji's firm grip. After a few minutes, he finally gave up, too tired to struggle any longer. He just broke down and cried into Kouji's shoulder. Kouji gingerly moved his hand up to Takuya's face, pushing away his bangs. Takuya shuddered as Kouji's fingers brushed against his forehead.

Kouji felt warm tears slip down his cheek as he cradled the distraught brunette in his arms. The boy's body shook with every choked sob. "It's okay… it's okay… I'm here now…" Kouji soothed over and over again, trying to calm Takuya.

Finally, Takuya looked up at Kouji, his sobs reduced to soft sniffles, and leftover tears. He shivered again, feeling tainted and unclean in Kouji's still pure arms. His lips quivered with the potential to pour his heart out, his words caught in his throat. He opened his mouth, voice cracking, "Kou-ji?"

Kouji jumped hearing Takuya speak. "Takuya?" The brunette in his arms looked up at him pitifully, tears resurfacing. Kouji stroked the boy's hair and he lapsed into another wave of unshed emotion.

"Shhh… don't cry." Kouji soothed. He lightly kissed the brunette on the forehead, "No one's going to hurt you. Not anymore." Takuya stiffened at the touch but fell silent once more as Kouji held him tightly. He buried his head into Kouji's shoulder.