Nezushi in bloom

Beaten

It was Wednesday. Shion sat tapping his pen on the table. His troubled eyes on the door. Nezumi hadn't come home from work the night before. He hadn't shown up to drive Shion to school. Shion had taken the bus. He had texted and called Nezumi several times since he woke up. His not coming home until the early hours of morning weren't unheard of. But ignoring Shion, not telling him he was OK, that was.
The door opened just as the final bell rang. Nezumi walked in limping. More than one person gasped at his appearance. Shion sat up straighter, tears blurred his vision as he saw the teen before him. The pale white haired teen raced to the front of the class. He barely had time to catch Nezumi before the dark teen collapsed.
"Nezumi!" Shion cried. The boys face was battered. Blood still oozed from a cut above his eye. His clothing was torn, his shirt ripped open. Shion could see deep scratches and fist sized bruises forming on his chest. The dark teen pressed something into Shion's chest. The pale hand caught it before Nezumi closed his eyes. He sighed into sleep.
Shion opened his hand to see Nezumi's mangled phone there. What had happened to the teen? "Shion, let the nurse look at him." A gentle voice said in his ear. Shion hadn't realized he had been clutching the warm body to his chest. He knew Nezumi would hate anyone seeing him like this. Shion should just take him home. The pale teen had tended his wounds more often than anyone else.
"I just need to take him home." He muttered trying to lift the unconscious tall teen.
"Shion, he's hurt pretty badly. His ribs are broken and can you hear how he is breathing?" the nurse, an older woman with kind hands and trusting eyes said.
"He hates hospitals." Shion moaned.
"I understand, but his lung has collapsed. He needs surgery. I've already called for an ambulance." The nurse stated. Shion nodded blankly as he stroked the soft hair. Most of it was torn from his usual bun. A lot of it was coated with blood from various wounds to his head and face.
"He knows how to protect himself. Who could have done this?" Shion asked out loud.
"That's what we would like to know." A grumpy voice snarled from behind the small white haired teen. The paramedic set to work on Nezumi. The police officer glared down at the pale teen.
"What is his name, your name and your relationship to him?" the officer demanded holding out his notepad.
"His name Is Nezumi Rodin. That is Shion Flowers and they are dating." The nurse stood, stepping between the officer and Shion. "You can ask your questions once they get to the hospital." She growled. The officer took a step back.
"It's routine to get the information as soon as possible." The man stated in a more neutral tone.
"Shion obviously doesn't know what happened." The nurse stated. The officer leaned over.
"Mother, I need to do my job!" He hissed.
"Then do it when the boy isn't worried sick about his boyfriend." The nurse demanded. The man tossed his notebook into his pocket.
"Fine!" He turned to hold the door open. While the pair had been arguing the paramedics had gotten Nezumi loaded onto the gurney. The officer held the door.
"Do you have anyone you want me to notify?" The nurse asked Shion. The pale head shook no. Numbly the teen walked out clutching the broken phone and hair tie in his hands.
"You can ride with us." The paramedic said. "Does he have any allergies to medications?" Shion answered several medical questions about Nezumi as they walked to the parking lot. Once the wheeled bed was loaded up one paramedic assisted Shion inside. The others joined them and they were off.
It turned out Nezumi would be in surgery for a few hours. Shion sat alone in the waiting room. The officer came in. Shion blinked as he held out a cup of coffee to the pale teen.
"He works late on Tuesdays stocking shelves. When he didn't come home, well he's been picking up extra shifts or auditioning for plays. I fell asleep around eleven. Didn't wake up until this morning. I don't sleep well without him so I take a sleeping pill some nights." Shion told the man.
"Nezumi isn't the name he goes by... in other circles." The officer stated. Shion drew in a breath and let it out slowly.
"He only fights occasionally. Only when we really need something. He had a fight the other day. He wouldn't do another one so soon." Shion explained.
"The Street Rat, many know him. Know how he hasn't lost, ever." The officer sat across from Shion looking at him.
"When Rat fights he fights for me." The boy whispered.
"So, you don't think he was fighting last night." Shion turned his head to look out the window.
"He usually doesn't tell me until after, but he just fought last week. He waits months in between fights..."
"Yet he fought something last night..." the officer pressed. Shion played with the hair tie on his wrist.
"More like someone, or many someone's, jumped him last night. Did you find his car?" he asked.
"Yeah, it was in the school parking lot." The officer stated. Shion nodded sadly.
"Shion, um I'm not sure how to ask this but um..." The man hung his head.
"Just ask. Other than when he fights, we don't have secrets." Shion's red eyes fixed onto the man.
"We found, woman's clothing in his bag..." the cops face turned a slight pink color. Shion frowned. That was news to him. Nezumi hadn't done that since they moved here.
"He was auditioning?" Shion whispered.
"What do you mean?" the officer asked.
"His stage persona is a female. Nezumi, Rat, he is Eve." Shion stated. The officer jerked back. He blinked dumbfoundedly at the teen before him.
"You mean, that kid, that BOY is the Eve?" He gasped. Shion chuckled.
"Why do you think he keeps his hair so long?" A smile touched the pale face. The officer ran a hand over his own cheek.
"Well, uh, that's a shock..." He muttered. Shion giggled.
"Many guys are attracted to Eve. Nezumi does a good job of making sure they don't figure out he plays her. But, he hasn't played her here." Shion stated.
"There was a play about six months ago in the neighboring town..." the officer mentioned the last place they had lived. It was over two hours away.
"Yeah, that was the last play he did." Shion confirmed.
"I know several people who went to see it." The officer stated.
"Could one have figured out Nezumi was Eve? It's unlikely." Shion pondered.
"But not unheard of. You said he worked late last night, does he, uh, sing when he works?" Shion's eyes widened.
"If he forgets and gets lost in what he's doing. Plus it's been so long and so far away that Eve has been out. He might have..." Shion held his hand to his face.
"Someone may have overheard." The officer sighed. "I will go question those he worked with last night, see if anyone knows anything. Are you alright here alone?" he asked.
"He's not alone." Dogkeeper sat down beside Shion as Safu stood awkwardly beside the row of chairs. The officer nodded and stood up.
"Call me when he wakes up." He said. Shion took the card the man held out to him. He told him he would.
A few hours later a female doctor came out. Shion lifted his eyes too look at her. "Are you with Nezumi?" She asked.
"Yes." He stood.
"He's out of surgery and in recovery. Once we have him in a room you can go see him." She smiled at the frightened teen. "He's alright. Everything went well." She squeezed Shion's shoulder. The small pale teen thanked her.
It was another forty five minutes before Shion was brought up to a room. Inside Nezumi's dark locks shone stark against the white sheet. His deep blue eyes swung to the door when it opened. He raised one arm as Shion flew across the room to him. The pale boy carefully laid his head on Nezumi's chest as he cried. The darker teen stroked his hair.
"Who are you?" he demanded. Shion looked up to see the officer in the doorway.
"They just let me in to see him." Shion wiped his eyes.
"I know. Nezumi, care to tell us what happened?" the officer asked. Nezumi pulled Shion up beside him. The pale teen curled into his side.
"I got out of work, I knew Shion was probably asleep since my boss asked me to stay and help unload the truck. I was going to get us something for breakfast from the connivance store across the street. I left my car in the parking lot..."
Nezumi went on to tell how he walked from around the store he worked at, which had closed before he could purchase something, and went to the store that was open all night. To get there faster he cut through an alley. It was something he did often enough. Several guys jumped him. He fought back, hurting a few. But he got knocked out. When he woke it was morning. He dragged himself back to his car. His phone had been smashed in the attack. He only knew what time it was when he saw the clock in the car. Knowing Shion would be at school he went there.
"Nezumi, did you see anyone when you woke up?" the officer asked. The teen shook his head.
"There were a couple homeless people but that was all." He stated.
"It turns out, one of those homeless people was a co worker of yours. He is still in surgery." The officer stated. "I have contacted all of the businesses around there for their security footage, but none appear to have the ally in them." He frowned.
"So your saying it's their word against mine. Since I have a record, I'm fucked?" Nezumi growled.
"That appears to be..."
"I have proof of what happened." Dogkeeper spoke up. They all turned to her. She snorted.
"One of the kids at my house doesn't sleep well, they go out for walks. They were surprised to see Nezumi since he was just at my house." She raised her phone up so they could all see the video the kid sent. It looked like they were hiding behind some garbage cans.
Five people followed Nezumi into the ally. For the longest time, Nezumi held his own. He was easily outnumbered but took two of the guys out quickly with broken arms. The other three closed in. Nezumi broke one of their legs. That was when the tall guy came out from behind Nezumi. Shion winced when Nezumi went down and didn't get back up. The other guy went to kick him.
A big man with a green apron came out from nowhere screaming. He threw a heavy looking metal barrel at the other boy. It hit him in the back of the head and he fell to the ground. Where he landed it was on the other side of a brick piling from Nezumi. The teen wouldn't have seen him.
"Why didn't they help him?" Shion asked.
"They were scared. They just got back to the house and showed me this, but it was after Nezumi came into school." Dogkeeper informed them. The officer had her email him the video. He told Nezumi he wasn't under arrest since it looked like self defense. Nezumi nodded tiredly. Everyone left except Shion. Holding his boyfriend they fell asleep.