Aijou frowned as he looked up, "I said I dont know. I have no idea how old I am." he said. It was one thing to ask, but to keep asking even though Aijou wasn't sure the of the answer just made him a bit annoyed. It didn't help that he was tired and wanted nothing more then to just go to sleep.

"O, I see" Akira backed down, and took his hand off the boy's arm. "I'm sorry, if I was a little bit pushy earlyer. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. So, you can sleep wherever you like, ok?"...

Aijou slowly pushed away from the table and stood up, "I'll go sleep now" he muttered as he turned to walk down the hall, he stumbled a bit until he found the room, walking in and closing the door. Letting out a sigh he sat down onto the bed and glanced around. It was awkward to be in someone else' home. Much less in there bed. Chewing on his lower lip he slowly crawled to the middle of the bed and snuggled himself up into the sheets, feeling comfy and relaxed after a few seconds. "this is much better then the streets" he sighed as he closed his eyes. He wasn't even worrying about Akira coming into the room now, he just wanted to sleep...nothing more then that.

As he drifted off to sleep, Aijou stirred a bit as he slowly switched from himself, to his other. Akia rolling around until he was in complete control of the body. "About time" he yawned as he sat up, stretching his arms out. "I wonder what time it is." he sighed as he looked around before freezing. "W...where am I?" he wondered as he slowly crawled out of the bed. it had been a few hours since Aijou had gone off to bed, so there wasn't any hope that Akira would be awake or not. Slowly slipping out of the room, Akia slowly drifted down the hall, his hand resting on it slowly as he tried to find out what was going on.

Akira had finished washing the dishes, though, he had to admit, he purposely dragged the cleaning a bit, as he wanted to let Aijou fall asleep, before going to take a nap on the sofa. He thought they'd started off pretty well, but maybe, it was just too soon to take such an important step. Aijou was most likely very confused, and he needed time.

"Well, that's the lasf of them" Akira sighed, putting away the plates. He then switched the light off, and stepped out on the hallway...

Akia saw light in the kitchen and slowly trailed his way to see what it was. Finding someone washing dishes was the last thing he'd expect. "Didn't i fall asleep in that old house though?" he asked himself confused. Akia and Aijou didn't know of one another, though Aijou had the others to talk to, Akia was alone...his presence was to much to allow the others to freely stop in for a chat.

When the guy finished and headed for the hall, Akia stepped back, feeling himself start to panic as the light was flipped out. Standing in the hall, confused as to everything that was going on, he waited til the male was right up next to him before pushing the guy and stumbling back "where did you take me?" he asked. Assuming he was just picked up while sleeping, and brought here.

Akira nearly lost his ballance, as he'd been shoved quite forcefully, but managed to remain on his own two legs. He turned around to see who it was that pushed him, only to discover his assailent was actually Aijou.

Not only had the boy pushed him, he also kept asking him about where he'd been taken. It was very strange, but this Aijou, didn't sound, act, nor feel like the one who'd gone to bed a few minutes earlyer.

"What is the meaning of tihs?" Akira asked, more surprised and startled, than upset. "Why would you do something like this?"

"take me back! I care what you want, just take me back!" he began to scream shaking his head, he slipped down to the grown curling up into a ball. "i don't like it...I don't like it" he sobbed rocking back and forth. He hadn't any idea where he was, nor what it was that this guy was going to do to him. Let alone the reason as to why he was freaking out so much. he just had an odd sense of confusion all at once he wasn't even thinking rationally. It didn't help that he hadn't any idea what had happen while he was asleep, for all he knew, the guy before him could of fondled him.

"There's nothing to be afraid of", Akira tried to calm him down, but kept his distance, as he didn't want the boy to become violent and hurt himself in the process. "I bumped into you on the street, remember?" then you collapsed, and I took you to my apartment so you wouldn't freeze to death. You went to my room to sleep..."

Akia made a face as he tried to think, He didn't remember any of it. "I...No no, " he muttered shaking his head. "Why didn't you leave me? I was fine..hidden." he said closing his eyes and nodding again. "They couldn't find me..nothing bad would happen as long as I stayed hidden..." he said tears burning in his eyes.

"You would have died" the man explained, before he realised what the boy had said afterwards. Something about him hiding from someone. "They", but who were the people he spoke of?

"There was nobody chasing after you, when I found you, Aijou. You were alone. Wait... was someone chasing you, that's why you ended up on the streets? wete they trying to hurt you?"

He made a few steps forward, but not to many, so Aijou wouldn't feel threatened by him.

Akia just sat there and shook his head as the other tried to justify him kidnapping the poor child. He didn't want to hear of it. He wouldn't have died, he was in a old house that had some heat, found a slightly good enough blanket to use...

"there was a-" he froze when he heard the name. That wasn't his name...this guy was really a lunatic! He miss took Akia for someone else, That had to be it! that's why he took him. "I..I'm not this Aijou, I don't know who he is. So let me go" he said as he looked up with some hope.

If this was all just because this guy miss took him for someone else, then he hadn't wanted to hurt Akia, he just wanted his other person back. So there wasn't anything wrong with that..."You didn't do anything to me did you?" he asked tilting his head. now that he knew this guy was looking for someone else, he didn't really worry much about his own self being in danger.

Akira was confused. This boy was a completely different person. He even said his name wasn't Aijou...

"But... you told me you are Aijou" he said to the lad. He suddenly felt shivers running down his spine at the thought of the boy not being mentally sane. He never considered that situation when he bumped into Aijou, so he treated him just like any other person. But if he was really suffering from a mental illness, then, Akira's desire to help him would simply be insufficient, and risky...

Akia scuffed at the male, "I'd never tell someone my name, not even a fake one at that. I don't even know you, nor have I seen you before." he said getting annoyed again. Really this male was starting to put him through a whole lot of loops."

"Now I demand you show me how to get out!" he said, "I don't want to be around someone such as you, kidnapping little boys to do whatever the hell you please!" You could say that Akia had grown to a point that his mental state wasn't stable...he often went from sobbing to yelling in seconds....And soon after he'd get tired and fall back into a deep slumber for another few weeks....

Slowly pulling himself up to his feet he glanced around, looking for anything to show as the way out, his head was starting to become dizzy as he grew unable to keep control of the body, though to his own self, he was just loosing his strength to stay awake. "I...not now" he whined before falling against the wall and sliding down, he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths before he couldn't take it any longer, Akia slowly began to fade away again, Loosing himself into a endless dream till he had enough energy to take over again...

When Akia was gone, Kreg quickly took over, having finally gotten back out of that void they were sent to when Akia was in control. Opening the males eyes he pulled him to his feet, giving a unsure expression. "U-um. I think I was sleep walking" he said as he took a small step back. "I hope I didn't say anything weird...I..I'll go back to bed" and with that he ran off to the room, hoping he didn't have to explain anything. Unlike the others, Kreg didn't have a hateful or sad bone in his body. He was the happiness they all lacked. With some hurt for them, he still saw only the bright side to things.

Sighing when he got back into the room, he then gave Aijou back the body, the male having had time to come too again. 'Thanks' he thought back to Kreg as he crawled into the bed, lying down and looking up at the ceiling. He wasn't sure if Akira would come in and ask him what that was about...but he hoped he wouldn't.

Akira's first thought was to follow him, and to try to figure out what was going on. But everything happened so fast, and he found himsel just as lost and dissoriented as Aijou appeared to be a few moments ago. Was the boy truly not sane? Had he escaped from a mental institution? Had someone abused him and driven him away?

Those questions suddenly started popping up in his mind. It would seem there was something wrong with the boy, and if that was truly the case, then Akira alone could not help Aijou get back on the right track.
He acted as though there were more than one personalities sharing his body and mind. Such a behaviour could have been brought on by the hardships he’d endured, or he could have been born with this disorder.

On the other hand, there was the possibility that the boy was just playing a prank on him.“I’d be so mad at him, if this was his idea of a bad joke!” the man said to himself. He felt sorry for Aijou, took him into his home, and provided him with a meal, clothes, and a warm bed to sleep in, until he could find better accomodations for him. He did it because he felt it was the right thing to do, and he didn’t expect anything in return. But to play such a mischievous prank on someone was simply unacceptable…

Aijou lied in the bed, his legs being pulled up to his chest as he rocked back and forth on the bed, he'd pulled the covers over his lower half to keep warm, but couldn't find it in himself to lie down and sleep. He'd lost control again, being sent to that endless dream of strange things. He couldn't completely keep track of what happened there, things changed, blurred. It was a nightmare that would hold onto him for how ever long his body wouldn't respond to him. Kreg had said that was most likely the place Aijou was sent when Akia took over...

Akia, he was the other personality that he had, he'd never met him, nor really felt him there, and he was told it was the same way around Akia thought he was the main person there, (then again he didn't know of any of them) but that was just because he refused help from anyone. Even Kreg and them. so the three others hadn't any hold when he was in control. They were only able to get to see a small peek at this other side, it was dark and broken...hatred fed it.

Some times, Aijou was scared that he'd loose himself to this other side, allowing the hate and sorrow completely take him. It was his worse night mare.....

The man quietly opened the door, to take a quick peek inside. Aijou had finally drifted off to sleep, curled up like an innocent child, under the warm sheets. It was almost noon, but he wasn’t bothered in any way by the brightness of the sun.

“Guess he was really tired, poor kid” Akira thought, wondering if he should wake him up or not. He wanted to take him to the hospital, to have a doctor check and see what other injuries the boy had on his body, and verify if he’d been raped. Then he had to get Akia to a psychologist, to do determine the cause of his unusual behaviour. Perhaps the boy was merely frightened and confused, but he had to make sure that was all there was to it.

“Maybe he’ll agree to a physical examination. I’m not so sure about the psychological one. Still, if I tell him there’s absloutely nothing to worry about, he might concede to it. Though, I really don’t know if he’ll want to accompany me to the police station…”

But there was no other way. Akira could not keep Aijou as a pet. He was obligated to take him to the authorities to see if they could establish his true identity, age, and place of origin. There could still be someone looking for him, a relative, a family member.

Akira didn’t want to lose him, but he had no choice. If the boy was indeed a minor, then someone might come and demand his return, and that would be the end of the story. But if there was no one left to care for the boy, he’d be taken to an orphanage.

The man clenched his fists tight, at the prospect of Aijou being taken away from him. “I’m not going to let you get lost again. I’m going to help you find your way, Aijou. I promise, I’ll do my very best…”

Ajiou could hear faint mutters from someone as he slept. He really didn't know when he fell asleep. But it seemed that it had happened some time late at night, being as he was still passed out. His head throbbed slightly as he lied there, most likely hurting from hardly sleeping. It would pass in a few hours or two. Instead of moving around, Aijou just lied there, he'd rather just drift back to sleep...

After a while he finally couldn't take it anymore. He stirred a bit as he rolled onto his back, slowly opening his eyes to stare up at the ceiling. He was still in the same bed, that was good. That other him hadn't been able to come out then. Sighing slightly, he closed his eyes for a moment, reaching up to rub his head before slowly pulling himself up to a sitting stance. Looking around, his gaze soon landed on Akira, his head tilting to the side slightly as he looked at him confused.

Aijou wanted to ask what the guy was doing, being in the room that he was in while he slept, but that would be a bit to rude. More so considering that this was Akira's room after all. Pulling his legs up to his chest he wrapped his arms around them, Pressing his lips together as he stared at the male. He wasn't sure what he was to say....good morning? But wasn't that to informal? "u-um...h...hi" he finally said.

Since Aijou had just woken up, the others wouldn't be up for a few more hours, often sleeping longer then Aijou himself did because they would stay up a bit later, making sure nothing would happen before finally heading off to sleep. How they were able to see if anyone was there while Aijou's eyes were closed, was beyond him. They said it wasn't really seeing, as feeling them...which made even less sense to the young male...

Biting onto his lower lip, Aijou waited for the other to say something. Not sure if the guy wanted Aijou to leave after what had happened the night before or not. It wasn't every day someone brought home a boy to 'what he calmed to be' help him. And then have said boy switch completely and, well, Aijou wasn't completely sure what happened....so he didn't know what this Akia had done.

Seeing how the boy began to twist and turn in his bed, Akira wanted to close the door, an leave poor Aijou be. But, before he could do so, the boy suddenly woke up. He rubbed his tired eyes, and when he noticed Akira, he just stood there, for a few moments, staing at him. The youngster then pulled pulled his legs up to his chest, resting his chin on his knees, just like he did earlyer that morning.

He looked lost, confused, and sad. All that was missing were his badly torn clothes, and his dirty old blanket, but he was pretty much the same as he was just a few hours ago, even without them. His beautiful white hair was a mess, but it didn't matter. truth be told, no matter how he'd dress, or wear his hair, Aijou stille looked the same as when he had no shelter, no clothes and no food, being forced to sleep on the deserted streets, in that cold weather.

The boy must have endured great hardships, to end up being such a depressed and demoralised person. He was still quite young. Though Aijou never really told him how old he was, Akira figured he couldn't possibly be older than 18. Even he'd been known to make mistakes, but, judging by Aijou's physical appearance, that estimate sounded about right...

Aijou's lips moved, as the boy uttered a few sounds. Sadly, Akira couldn't understand what the boy was trying to tell him. Was he afraid of him? Did his presence startle him? Did the boy have any reason to believe the man had done something to him, while he was asleep? Akira had become obsessed with trying to make the boy feel safe, that maybe he went a little too far. His behaviour was most likely confusing the boy even further, if not freaking him out!

He just had to let it go for the time being. If he wanted Aijou to trust him, he had to let the boy reach that point on his own, without pushing him from behind. Besides, he had better things to do than just stand in the door way like a statue all day. He had to feed Aijou, find some clothes for him, and some shoes, and take him to the hospital, then to the priecinct.

But how could he tell him that, without having him panic, and try to run away? The boy barely trusted him, let alone anyone else. All those strangers asking him all sorts of questions would be enough to frighten him, and make him crawl back into his shell again. And then, all the effort he'd put into drawing the boy out will have been for nothing. He had to find a way to solve that problem. But first, he had to prepair Aijou...

"Um, I'm terribly sorry for barging in like that" the man appologised. "I just thought you'd like some late breakfast. I'll start making some more sandwiches, so you can come and have some, once you're up and ready." And with that, Akira slowly closed the door, heading back to the kitchen...

Aijou sat there for what felt like ages as he waited for the guy to say something. For the most part, it seemed as if he was just staring at him. why he was, Aijou wasn't sure. He still had a few hours til Kreg, Jim and Grim would wake, so he would be mostly alone...he could just sit in the bed all day, maybe the other would allow him to before he finally was told to leave...It wasn't like he could stay at the persons house just out of no where for as long as he seemed to want to...Even if it was warm..and the bed was soft, the guy would want the bed back....Wouldn't he?

Chewing on his lower lip, Aijou glanced to the side when he heard the other was making food. He would have gotten up and gone to eat at the thought of something to stuff in his stomach, but the meal he'd eaten the night before was still settling. After going so long on simple things like break, only a slice every few days. He'd gotten to the point where eating to much would make him sick. Even if others saw it as him not eating enough...It was hard to explain. His stomach and mind would be empty and want it, but his body would reject it if he would eat so soon after having something. So instead, he just sat in the bed for a while longer.

When enough time had past, about 15 minutes. Aijou finally climbed out of bed and headed into the the kitchen. "I-I'll leave now." he said with a nod to the other. It was better if he left wasn't it? He didn't have a right to stay there...He wasn't this guys responsibility...and he had no way to pay him back for all that he'd already done. Let alone adding another night to the list.

Akira's hands began to shake, and he nearly dropped the plate he was bringing to the table. He managed to put it down, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. Why would Aijou say such a thing? Was he really thet scared of him? Did he feel threatened by him? Did he do, or say something to make him feel unwanted, unwelcome, unworthy of his hospitality, or attention? Where was he going to go? On the streets, so he could go back to having no food, no clothes, and no shelter?

"Why do you want to leave, Aijou?" Akira asked him, trying to stop his tremors. "Is something wrong? Earlyer, when I brought you here, you told me you'd like to stay. Don't you want that anymore?"

Aijou wasn't sure why Akira seemed so...tormented when he wanted to go. It wasn't like he had a real reason to stay did it? He was only in the way. Eating his food...taking his bed. It wasn't right for him to do this. AT some point Akira would ask for a payment....and it would be given no matter what...that's how it always ended didn't it? Them making a move....He couldn't pay this fellow back for all that had happened, his food, the shower and bed...He just...he didn't want to be a bother...maybe he just didn't want to watch Akira become like all the other guys, wanted him to stay like this in his eyes..kind man.

Glancing down, Aijou bit onto his lower lip. "I-...its not that I don't want to stay here. You've been very kind...its just...I dont have anything to pay you back with..you having to waste food on me...even your bed had been taken over...you must have had a hard night on the couch." he said feeling bad for that.

Akira simply couldn't fight the urge to hold Aijou in his arms. He rushed to where the boy was, and gave him a great big hug.

"Don't you ever say that about yourself, Aijou" the man whispered, holding back his tears, so as not to make a fool of himself. "You're not a waste, you're a good and intelligent young man. And you don't owe me anything. Not one thing! I promise you, no one is going to hurt you, as long as your in my house. So, please, don't go back on the streets. You'll find nothing there, but hardships, hunger, pain, and misery..."

Aijou had been taken off guard when he was suddenly hugged, his body tensing as he stood there, confused as to what he was to do now. He'd never really been hugged out of no where...

When Akira began to go on about not owing, and something else about staying and not going back out into the darkness, Aijou couldn't help but feel slightly sad. "I...Okay.." he said in a smaller voice. "I'll stay here..b..but only if its okay with you." he said giving a small nod, "c..can you let me go now?" he asked after a while...it was awkward being hugged by someone so...kind.

( o.o i have the hicc-ups )

"Of... of course..." Akira released the boy from his warm embrace, taking a few steps back, to give him some breathing space. He was happy that Aijou had agreed to remain. "I'm totally okay with you being here. In fact, I'd like you to live with me from now on, that is, if there's no one left for you to go to..."

Aijou had been taken off guard with what the other was saying. "..To..live here?" he asked confused, He wasn't completely sure what the other had in mind. "I'd be in your bed for that time...wouldn't you get tired of the couch?" he asked. "And no...I don't have anyone..." he said glancing down. "The only ones who've wanted me...tossed me out because i did...didn't want to do...things" he said feeling nervous.

Akira wanted to reassure him that he wouldn't mind him using his bed, when the boy spoke of those who'd thrown him away, because he'd refused to do something. What that something was, Aijou didn't say, but by the tone of his voice, Akira realised it had to be something bad.
"Who chased you away? Who did this, Aijou? And what did they try to make you do?"

Aijou shook his head as he took a step back. "No no, forget it. I'm sorry I said anything" he said as he wove his hands back and forth. "I....I'll be in the room." he said turning around to head back. If he wasn't able to take back what he said, he could at the very least, hide away.

"Aijou, please come back" Akira tried to stop him, by grabbing his left arm. "If someone hurt you, or tried to do bad things to you, then I have to know about it. It's the only way to make sure they pay for the way in which they treated you. So, I'm begging you to trust me, and tell me the truth..."

Aijou jumped when his arm was grabbed, tugging it away as he spun around, slowly backing away with a look of fear in his eyes. "I...I..." he began, he didn't know what to say....It was one thing to hug him but to grab at him? He was completely unsure as to how to react now...his alarmed mind woke the others up, and they began to ask what was wrong, clouding his head even more. "I..Shut up, just shut up!" he said as he crouched down, holding his head with his hands. He couldn't take it when they all talked at once..."I don't want to say....Please...just don't.." he said in a plea as he sat there, Grim and Jim both wanted to know what was wrong, but Kreg had gotten them all to hush..the only one he couldn't stop from talking was Akira...but that was because Akira wasn't in Aijou's head..

He felt like an idiot. No matter how much he tried to make the boy feel safe, no matter how much he tried to lend a helping hand, he'd only end up frightening the poor lad even more. Aijou had his own demons to battle with, and he most certainly didn't need to be pressured into revealing the identity of the ones who had hurt him.
Akira fetl his heart breaking into tiny pieces at the sight of Aijou crouched down on the floor, trembling, and begging him to stop with those uncomfortable questions...

"I... I... it's no use" he sighed, getting down on his knees, and leaning against the wall. "You must think I'm a monster, or a very bad person, because no matter what I do, you end up like this..."

Aijou sat there for what seemed like forever as he rocked slightly, holding his head. Just as he asked, Kreg, Grim, and Jim had gone, fading into the back of his mind as to not upset him anymore. Akira had even stopped...instead he just went to saying he was sorry...commenting that he was a bad person. Akia bit onto his lower lip as he looked back up.

"n-no..your not a bad person...I..I'm sorry for yelling." he said as he moved from his ball, slowly crawling over to Akira. Normally he'd have kept away, ignoring the other...but he felt sorry...So he went over to the male and crawled into his lap. Leaning his head against Akira's chest...He might not like contact all that much...but he had flipped out on the one person helping him..

Akira was a bit surprised to see Aijou working up the courage to come out of his shell, but he didn't think the boy would actually crawl into his lap. Still, he didn't feel uncomfortable, having the boy close. He gently put his strong arms around Aijou's frail body, Kissing his soft and silky hair.
"What am I going to do with you, Aijou? You are such a troubled young man. I really want to help you, and protect you, so that nobody will ever be able to hurt you, but how can I do that, if you keep pushing me away? I'm not a monster, I'm nothing like the people who mistreated you, and threw you away. Please, try to understand I only want what's best for you..."

Akia kept still as he felt the others arms wrapping around him. He could feel his heart picking up speed as he rested his head on the others chest. Feeling a bit uneasy.."I...I'm sorry" he finally said as he sat there. It wasn't that he meant to be troubled...nor to push the other away so much. It just happened. "um...c...can I tell you something?" he asked as he rested there. He wasn't sure if he completely trusted the other guy. But he was going to make a try at it...Give him the benefit of the doubt and give him some kind of leverage here.

"Of course you can tell me" Akira said, caressing the boy's long white hair. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, and I promise I'll try to help in any way I can..."

Akia gave a light nod. "Okay...u..um. I..I have a small..problem...with other personality's.." he said chewing on his lower lip. "I mean, normally split personality's don't know of one another but...I know..kind of" he said.

So the incident that took place earlier that day hadn't been a practical joke. That Akia fellow must have been one of the personalities Aijou was talking about.
"I see" Akira whispered, gently playing with the boy's hair. "And how many of them are there. Can you see them, just as you see me, or do you hear them, like voices, in your mind? And do they ever make you do something you don't want to? It's alright to tell me."

Aijou thought for a long moment. "Its not like I see them..more as I feel them...They talk to me, and I can talk back...some times they even are given control, but only when I need it. Its kind of like hosting a ghost, they can watch but its hard for them to really do anything...and no..they only help me."

"So, they are kind of like your friends? Is that what you mean to say?"

Aijou nodded, "Yea...kinda." he said with a light smile. "They help me.."

"I understand." Akira whispered, trying to find a pleasant way to say what he was going to say. "I was going to ask you to come with me today, so we can have a look at your bruises, and make sure you're alright. And then, I'd like to take you to a good friend of mine, a kind man. And you can tell him about your friends, maybe he'll help you better understand both them, and yourself."
He put his arms around him, once again, hoping Aijou would agree to his proposal. "You needn't worry about anything, because I'll be right beside you, every step of the way, to make sure no one can hurt you."