J: YES more Keiichi/Satoshi! This one's more angstyish then my others. Yay, sadism(?) This story...geez...it felt longer than it really was..FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Disclaim: I don't own anything but the plot. If only...

Dusk had fallen over the small village of Hinamizawa. The cicada's cries echoed through the night as villagers lay on their futons, fast asleep. Everything was finally peaceful in the village, thanks to Rika and company.

Even in time, Satoshi Houjo recovered enough from the Syndrome to return and live a normal life in Hinamizawa. He was welcomed back with open arms and teary eyes.

Satoshi was, at the moment, drifting asleep next to a sleeping Maebara Keiichi, whose arms were wrapped around the blonde haired boy protectively. It was comfortable and perfect for Satoshi. It was times like these he could forget about his past and just concentrate on the present. Not even the future was given thought. He wanted these moments to last forever. He loved the feel of Keiichi's strong arms around him. They helped him feel secure; a feeling he'd almost forgotten with time. It calmed him down enough to cease the seemingly constant paranoia he suffered due to the Syndrome. Even now, the tendrils of fear seemed to be sneaking up from behind, just waiting to close around his neck and suck the life from him.

He took a deep breath and clamped his eyes shut. His Aunt was gone…His Uncle was a thing of the past, taken in by the police… Satoko was living with Rika and Hanyuu… everything was fine…

So why did he feel so afraid…?

Satoshi's ears perked up as he heard rustling outside. His whole body tensed and his eyes flew open. He remained as still as possible.

Waiting…

Listening…

He could hear footsteps from outside. Satoshi was sure of it. They stepped lightly, trying not to make a sound on the gravel. The crunching beneath their feet could still be heard by Satoshi. They stalked by his window…looking in as they passed.

"Satoshi…Satoshi…" They hissed his name under their breath.

Satoshi gripped the hair on his head and pulled. He trembled and whimpered quietly.

"They're here…they're back…" He repeated over and over again. He heard a crashing sound from the other room, making him jump.

"Th-They're inside…th-they're coming…any second now…"

Satoshi's heart was beating in his ears. He unknowingly began to scratch lightly at his neck. As the stress continued to build, he began to scratch harder. It was so…itchy.

"N-no, they…they can't…ugh…"He groaned and fought the urge to vomit. He trembled and gripped his hair again.

Beside him, Keiichi stirred. He removed one of his arms from around the other and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Satoshi?" He asked in his half-awake state. When all he received were scared and pained sounding whispers, reality hit the brunette like a brick.

"Satoshi, ne, Satoshi?" Keiichi yelled urgently as he sat up. He shook the cowering blonde lightly.

"K-Keiichi-kun…" Satoshi whispered as he trembled. He looked up at the brunette with scared eyes. "Th-They're here…"

Keiichi's eyes widened. What the hell did he mean? Who was here? Keiichi had thought that Satoshi's panic attacks had ceased by now… He guessed wrong. The brunette knew the only thing left to do now was to do his best to soothe him.

"Satoshi…Satoshi…" Keiichi whispered softly as he ran a hand through Satoshi's blonde locks. He gazed into those frightened ruby eyes and offered him a warm smile. "No ones here, Satoshi. It's only me and you."

Satoshi shook his head and absently began to scratch at his neck again.

"N-No, I heard them. Kei-Keiichi-kun, they're here! They're-They're after me!" His eyes got bigger and more frightened with every word.

Keiichi stood up.

"No, you're fine, trust me…" Keiichi smiled. "But, if it makes you feel better, I'll go check…I promise you, no ones here."

Satoshi's terrified expression grew desperate as he watched Keiichi exit the room.

"Keiichi! No Keiichi!" He cried out and reach towards the other as he disappeared behind the sliding door. His extended hand fell as he began to cry. "K-Keiichi-kun…" He sobbed. He sniffled, his expression a mixture of fear, anger, and sadness. He looked up at the shut door, hints of determination taking over him. He wasted no more time. He crawled over to Keiichi's desk and opened the bottom drawer. He dug around desperately, looking for something, anything, which could be used as a weapon. His hand gripped the blade of a pair of scissors just as he heard the sliding door open.

"K-Kei–" Satoshi began to ask as he turned towards the door. His words were cut off by his scream. "N-No!"

Keiichi, who was standing in the doorway, raised an eyebrow.

"Satoshi? It's me, Satoshi. Relax." Keiichi stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He turned back towards Satoshi with a calm, reassuring smile. Satoshi screamed again and began to backwards crawl until his back hit the wall behind him. He opened the scissors and held them tightly, so that they were like a dagger. "Stay back! D-Don't come any closer!" His knuckles turned white and the blade began digging into his hand.

"Satoshi, it's me. Keiichi." The brunette said hesitantly, not seeing the scissors in his hand. He cautiously walked closer to the blonde, one step at a time.

"No! No! No!" Satoshi screamed as he stood up, shakily. He leaned on the desk for support. Keiichi caught a glimpse of the scissors for the first time as he did. The blonde was leaning on the desk, his hands covering his face.

"How…How could this happen…? How could…How could you…!" He screamed. "This means…this means…" His voice trailed off and his hands fell away from his face. "Keiichi…"

His grip on his weapon tightened again. Drops of blood began to flow from his hand holding the scissors. The brunette watched as anger flashed through the blonde's face.

"You…" Satoshi spoke shakily, looking straight at Keiichi. "No…no it can't be…" He began to absently scratch at his neck again.

"Satoshi," Keiichi spoke urgently. "It's me. Maebara Keiichi. No one else! Calm down please! You're hurting yourself! Look! You're hand!" Keiichi took a few steps forward, with every intention to treat the hand that held the scissors.

"Get back!" Satoshi began to throw whatever he could find. He picked up Keiichi's lamp and tossed it. The blunt object hit Keiichi's head.

"Ouch…" He hissed as his hand held the wound. "Satoshi. Please li-"

"Uncle…" Satoshi muttered, his voice seething. "Die."

Keiichi took a step backwards as Satoshi attacked him. The screaming blonde tackled the other to the ground, his pale, tear stained face full of angst.

"Die…die…die…DIE!" he cried out.

"Satoshi!" Keichi yelled but to no avail. The blonde brought the scissors down, aimed for Keiichi's face. The brunette dodged it best he could, resulting in a scratch across his cheek.

"How does it feel? How?" Satoshi yelled. Keiichi just stared back at the blonde. He stared into those ruby eyes, fogged with paranoia and fear. He could feel the blood oozing down his cheek…

If this was what satisfied Satoshi…

Then so be it.

The blonde took the scissors and made an identical scratch on Keiichi's other cheek. Manic laughter escaped his lips.

"Why aren't you fighting back, Uncle? Why?"

Satoshi made a cut across Keiichi's right arm. Keiichi bit his lip to keep from crying out. It hurt…It hurt badly. He squirmed a little under Satoshi.

"How does it feel? How does it feel, Uncle? Tell me. Auntie's next. You here that? She's next! She won't bother me anymore. Or Satoko. And neither will you!" The blonde laughed again and brought the scissors down dangerously close to Keiichi's arm. Keiichi opened his watering eyes slightly. He stared into the ruby ones…

"It's okay Satoshi…Everything…Is okay…can you…" Keiichi winced as another burst of pain shot through him. "C-can you hear me?"

The blonde's head jerked. The psychotic grin he had worn before fell and his eyes widened. He slowly looked down.

"Satoshi? Satoshi? Are you okay now?" The brunette asked, hopeful. He could almost see the reason flow back into him. Keiichi smiled a little, doing his best to ignore the pain pulsating through him. Drops of blood from Satoshi's injured hand fell onto Keiichi's face as the blonde through the scissors away. Satoshi held his hands out in front of him, blood oozed out of his wound. A few more drops of blood fell. He looked below him. Visions of his uncle and Keiichi alternated as reality and memory separated. He could see Keiichi's violet eyes…he could see his warm smile…his brunette hair…

His uncle's gruff features faded away as Satoshi began to see the truth. His breathing faltered as he struggled not to cry. He was numb before…and feelings began to take over again.

"Ke-Keiichi…" Satoshi reached down to stroke Keiichi's bloodied cheek. It was a hesitant stroke…like he still wasn't sure if it was Keiichi underneath him.

He paused.

"N-No…Wh-What have I…?"

He had done this.

"N-No…"

He back off of Keiichi and into the wall…
He gripped his hair in disbelief. He winced as he clenched his fists, not realizing how badly his cut hand hurt until now. He bit his lip, as he tried not to cry. But it was no use fighting it…

"A-Auugh!" He screamed as tears fell down his cheeks. "K-Keiichi….Keiichi-kun…" He sobbed and trembled slightly.

Keiichi sat up, doing his best to ignore the pain he felt. He wiped the blood off his face.

"Satoshi…it's okay…" he crawled towards the other, his tone comforting and reassuring like always.

"Keiichi-kun…"Satoshi sobbed. "I'm…I'm so…sorry, Keiichi-kun!" He continued to cry and scream. How could he do this? How?

"Keiichi! I-"

His words ceased as Keiichi wrapped his good arm around the other. He rested his head on the blonde's shoulder and smiled warmly.

"I'm so glad you're okay…Satoshi…"

Satoshi froze at the sudden touch. More tears welled in his eyes as he clutched Keiichi's shirt with his fists.

"K-Keiichi…" He cried as Keiichi sat back. The blonde buried his face in the others chest. Keiichi rested his chin on the sobbing boys head and sighed.

After Satoshi calmed down, he pulled away from the brunette. As Keiichi brushed the other's tears away, Satoshi said;

"Keiichi…your injuries…please…let me fix them…"

The blonde stood quietly and went to retrieve the first aid kit. Keiichi sighed and tugged off his blood and tear stained shirt. He tossed it aside just as Satoshi re-entered the room.

"You're's first, Satoshi."

"Eh?" The other looked down at his injured hand. He'd almost forgotten… Keiichi took the first aid kit and wrapped gauze around his hand.

"There. We'll fix it later tomorrow." Keiichi smiled. Satoshi nodded. He kneeled down in front of Keiichi and began to clean the other's wounds. Keiichi hissed at the stinging sensation the alcohol was causing.

"I-I'm sorry, Keiichi-kun." Satoshi apologized again as he continued to clean the wounds. Thankfully, they weren't too deep.

"Now…to apply the bandages…" Satoshi murmured as he rummaged through the first aid kit. Satoshi patched up Keiichi fairly quickly. He placed bandages on wherever he saw fit.

"Thank you…Satoshi…" Keiichi smiled.

Satoshi's eyes darkened and he averted his eyes to the floor.

"…I don't deserve thanks…"

"Don't say that." Keiichi said sternly. "You didn't do it on purpose…you and I both know that."

"-N-No, it's my fault…I'm…I'm crazy…" he laughed a little. A dry…sad laugh, full of irony.

"That's not true." Keiichi frowned. He placed his hands on the blonde's shoulders. "You're just sick, Satoshi. You're getting better."

Satoshi refused to look at the other. His eyes grew clouded with tears again.

"Keiichi-kun…I've killed before…killed…I…I don't to do it again…Keiichi…what if…what if I lose it…what if I hurt you again? Or worse…I could kill you…if that were to happen…if…I wouldn't be able to live with myself…Keiichi-kun…I'm…I'm scared…"

Satoshi still wasn't looking at him. Keiichi cupped the blonde's chin with his hand and forced him to look at him. Violet eyes met sad ruby.

"Satoshi…You worry too much…"

Before Satoshi could argue, Keiichi leaned in and kissed his lips softly. Satoshi's cheeks flushed red as Keiichi pulled away. It had tasted salty…

"Don't be scared. It won't happen…we'll go see Irie-sensei in the morning…together, okay?" He placed his hand overtop of Satoshi's. The blonde smiled meekly.

"A-Alright…Keiichi-kun. Thank you…"

Keiichi smiled to. He squeezed the others hand briefly before standing up. He grabbed his bloody shirt and the scissors Satoshi had thrown. He cleaned them with the shirt before placing them back in his drawer. He then pulled the blinds down in his room. He shut and locked the sliding door, and lastly, turned on a small lamp so there was light in the room. Satoshi just watched him, even as he laid down on his futon. Keiichi patted the space beside him.

"C'mon, let's get some sleep…okay?"

Satoshi nodded, his cheeks tinted red. Keiichi was too nice…

The blonde curled up beside the brunette. Keiichi pulled him close and sighed happily, his eyes already shut. Satoshi's cheeks warmed even more.

"Ne…Keiichi?"

"Hmm…?" Keiichi answered, not moving at all.

Satoshi sat up and leaned over the other. He placed a chaste kiss on the others lips before retreating to his previous position. "Good night."

Keiichi opened his eyes and blinked, trying to figure out if that just happened or not. He looked down at Satoshi, who had his eyes closed. He couldn't help but smile. He stroked the blonde's hair briefly before closing his eyes.

"Good night, Satoshi."

J: and there you have it :3 I wrote this thinking back on how much abuse Keiichi took XD Like, that time Shion beat him with a chair. So, I figured Satoshi would be no exception. Well, review and tell me what you thought pretty please :3 Reviews fuel me to write more Kei/Sato stuff :3

I'm also feeling the need to get a beta. I hate proofreading my own stuff...so if anyone's interested, message me? :3 Thanks!