The Innocent (A 'Finder' Fanfiction)

Gemini - Chapter 10

(There is a sex scene in this chapter between Akihito and Aaron. If you don't like to read that sort of thing, stop reading at the XOXOXOXOX below and skip to the next chapter. Read the warning at the start of that chapter as well, please.)

For several days, Arata did hardly anything but sleep. He lay between the thick, soft bedding, breathing slowly and deeply, dressed in a new, white pajama made of silk. Occasionally, Aaron attached an I.V. to his arm, which was supposed to help the young main regain his strength and deal with the physical impact of his long captivity. That there was also some Rohypnol in those infusions Aaron stored in the fridge, the patient of course never found out.

The drug calmed him down, made him relaxed and fought whatever anxiety he might experience. Nonetheless, Aaron was not allowed to ever let the apartment fall into complete darkness. At day, the sun would shine through the gaps in the window shutters – but Arata would sleep perfectly well – and at night there always needed to remain at least one lamp switched on.

Eating was the greatest problem for a while. Even though Aaron had gotten soups and easily digestible food like applesauce, rusk and crackers, Arata felt ill for several days and threw up the dishes more than once. That, however, was just another good reason to provide him with an I.V. which indeed contained some treatments against malnutrition.

In the second week, he slowly started to regain his strength. He kept wandering around the apartment slowly and on shaky legs, and Aaron could even leave him alone two times to get new supplies. When he arrived back, Arata seemed as happy and relieved to see him, as a dog that had been alone for half a day.

Yet sometimes, at night, Aaron would wake up on the sofa on which he slept and hear the other sob. Then he got up and walked over, sat down at the side of the bed, and the boy would cuddle up onto his lap and hug him around the waist. Then the Russian would stroke his hair with inexpert fingers.

Tenderness had never come easy to him. He had been able to play it in the dark of a cell where most of his face lay in shadows and only his words needed to be believed. All of that had also just been promises he had anticipated having to mutter and little, planned touches. Nonetheless, it had let the prisoner slip into his hands.

Now, however, he could hardly close a door between himself and the other. He had no chance to deliberate which step to take next or which words to whisper and swear. He could not limit their contact anymore but had to be there whenever he was needed: Often. Very often.

Like this night. He lay on the sofa long after midnight and had dreamed of some shadowy figures that might once have been in his memories. Yet now he had forgotten them, and they vanished from his mind as quickly as reality floated in.

There was the sobbing again. He did not react for a while, just listened. But when it had not stopped after some minutes, he knew he had to go. Him not rushing over to comfort the other could be perceived as a broken promise.

Lazily, he got up, leaving the blanket behind.

At the side of the bed, he sat down as always, and let his fingers wander through the by now long streaks of the boy's hair. It had regrown rather quickly.

"It's alright", he whispered.

A hushed "yes", was the answer. Arata freed himself out of the bedding and laid his head unto the Russian's lap.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

A slight nod he could feel, while the arms of the other hugged him tightly around the waist.

"It's alright, Arata. No one will hurt you. I promise."

A nod again. Then silence for a long while. At some point, he was sure that the boy had fallen asleep, yet when he looked down, his huge eyes were still open and stared off into the dusk of the nightly apartment.