A King's Slave.

Chapter 26: Can't Give Up

**Kioshi**

"How could Raiden-aneki say those things!?" I snapped, my voice a little too high and it caused the 5 people that were in the coffee shop to look at me.

Annabelle ignored the people and looked at me and sighed setting her cup aside "Don't be mad at Raiden Kio."

I looked up her at her from my cup of coffee that I had my hands wrapped around letting the warmness calm my nerves down, but it wasn't working all that great "How can I not be mad Anna? I told you what Raiden-aneki said yesterday about Tsukiko.So you tell me how I'm not suppose to be mad."

Annabelle sighed and reached over for two more packs of sugar "I know what Raiden said because when I talked to him he told me the same thing." she said not looking at me as she tore the packs and poured them into her cup then picked up a stirring straw and added "I'm a little surprised and mad at him for what he said, but you got to see the bugger picture here.*

I raised an eyebrow in confusion " Bigger picture?"

Annabelle nodded taking a sip of her coffee "Yes the bigger picture. From what I saw when I looked into his heart while he was talking to me I saw more pain then hurt." Annabelle sighed setting the cup aside and looked at me her eyes staring into my green-golden eyes, she was probably looking into my heart like she did Raiden.  You see Annabelle has the power to look into people's hearts and find out what their really feeling on the inside instead going by what their expressions say on the outside.

"You're hurting too Kio." she finally said after about a minute. "You're not angry at Raiden you're just hurt by his words."

I hate when she does that sometimes. I thought, but didn't tell her that instead I sighed and looked down at the cup in my hands staring into the blackness of the coffee it's ironic how it's describing my heart right now.

"But anyway Raiden isn't mad or angry at Tsukiko." Annabelle continued "He's mad at himself. He thinks that he failed Tsukiko so the best way to get rid of that sadness is to do the only thing he knows best is to be angry."

"He even started smoking again." I added.

Annabelle nodded "Because he thinks he failed her that he had let her down that's why she doesn't want to come home or be saved he started going back to his old habits."

I didn't say anything.

How could I judge him like that? Now I know why he's acting like the dick he used to be before Tsukiko stood up and straightened him out. He's just angry at himself, he's hurting more then I am and I was too bklind to see that. I'm such an idiot and losey brother.

"No you're not." Annabelle said

She probably read my heart again. But for once I ignored her doing it. I started not to care.

"But I am." I said "I said some awful mean things to Raiden-aneki after he said those things yesterday I said that I hated him for saying those things and that he wasn't my real brother if he was going to just give up on Tsukiko like that, but I failed to realize that he is hurting more then I am."

Annabelle reaches over picked up the cup from my hands setting it aside and took my hands in hers " I'm sure Raiden knew that you didn't mean those things.If we're lucky he probably seen that what he said had hurt you too. " She smiled a little still not letting go of my hands "But Kio we can't give up despite what Tsukiko said we are going to save her because right now even though she might think she don't need us deep down her heart says that she wants to be home again laughing, crying and being happy with us."

I nodded finally looking up at her "You're right Anna sorry I was acting like such..a...well an assholw."

Annabelle let go of my hands and leaned back in the chair smiling a little "Don't apologize to me I already knew what you were really feeling it's Raiden you need to apologize to. And Raiden needs to apologize to you too."

I nodded "Okay."

Don't worry Tsukiko I thought looking out the window at the rain that was taking and beating against the window and at the swarm of multi color umbrellas walking along the side walk We are not going to give up so easily we are definently going to find you and bring you home safely no matter what and we're not going to let anyone get in our way.