Awakening of the Forsaken Fallen

3: Comfort In Darkness

Moscow, Russia

Rin was confused. First of all, what time was it? Second of all, where was he? Third of all, what the hell was Kai Hiwatari – devil incarnate, the bane of Rin's existence – doing here? Kai didn't seem offended or startled when Rin bolted upright, glaring at him with icy eyes. All he did was raise an eyebrow, "What's wrong with you, Mizushima?"

"Hiwatari," Rin growled, grabbing the front of Kai's shirt and pulling the phoenix blader closer to his face so he could see Rin's cold and angry blue orbs, "Where the hell am I? Why are you here? What the hell am I doing here?"

"I see you're not a morning person, sweetheart," Kai said with a smirk and Rin flushed at the endearment. From embarrassment or anger, Kai didn't know and didn't care. Either way, the great Rin Mizushima had gotten flustered. Annoying the hell out of Rin never seemed to get old.

"You're trying my patience. So help me, Hiwatari-."

"I found you passed out in front of the grave of your parents. I brought you to the Hiwatari Estate to have our doctor see you," Kai interrupted and the sentence seemed to have calmed the fiery Rin. His hold on Kai's shirt slackened until it was nonexistent, "You shouldn't have overworked yourself, Mizushima. Unlike many people, you don't have that choice. Also, you talk in your sleep."

Rin narrowed his eyes, giving Kai a baleful look, choosing to ignore that last comment, "You're telling me that my . . . condition caused me to pass out?" Rin hated the feeling of weakness he got after saying that statement. The anemia always made him feel like that. He hid the condition for a long time but, after that party two years ago, it seems everyone knew about it. He wouldn't have minded if the whole world knew, though. What bothered him was that Kai knew. They were rivals, after all. He shouldn't hold back because Rin was physically weaker than him.

Kai snorted, moving towards the balcony window, "It seems you're smarter than what I gave you credit for."

"What was that?" Rin growled, glaring daggers at the back of Kai's head, "I'll have ya know, I am rather intelligent for my age."

Kai turned, a smirk on his face, "Ya know? I haven't heard you say that since we were five, Rin." Rin blushed at his mess up, turning away. It wasn't his fault that he sometimes said 'ya know'. Both his mother and Nariko had said 'ya know' and he had gotten that habit. He learned how to suppress it but, when angered or when he was upset, it sometimes slipped.

"Oh, shut up, Hiwatari," Rin gave out a cough, "Well, what did the doctor say?"

"You haven't slept properly or eaten enough of your vitamins," Kai replied, turning back to the window, gazing at the sky, "You're lucky that it hasn't gotten as bad as you needing the erythropoietin injections or the blood transfusion yet. Although, the former might occur if you keep going on like this."

Rin looked down. Since childhood, he had been very sickly so he hardly left Mizushima Manor. Because of that, Voltaire – father of Susumu, his father's childhood best friend – allowed Kai to visit the manor and play with him. After the incident, Rin was scared of that thing and its intentions with his best and only friend. To protect him – and, secretly, to compete against him – Rin had to make Kai hate him and also see him as a rival. Of course, if anyone told him that he did care about Kai, he'd strangle them.

"Pardon me but I don't see a reason why you'd care." Rin said coldly. Kai didn't turn around or retort to that. He just stayed silent. Rin's eyes softened and he began to get out of bed, "Where's Voltaire-sama? I was expecting him to be here."

Kai turned around, his cold gaze causing Rin to stop in his tracks. He rolled his eyes, effectively getting out of the bed, "Hiwatari, he is your grandfather, patriarch of the Hiwatari family and head of Hiwatari Enterprises. I have to pay him my respects even though he looks down at me."