Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Kuro's Escape ❯ Pain ( Chapter 5 )

Yes, a chapter. Not much of a chapter, perhaps… it depends entirely on getting Sephfy-Muse to hide so that Muse can work. Or DS to call her/him/it home. Funny how her muse has changeable sex… AHHH! No wonder he's not interested in musing! And I think Kuro hurts too much for lemonade.

Goku: Darn it.

Vegeta: WHAT?

Goku: I told you, I like lemonade. *pouts*

Vegeta: *spluttering*

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"Kuro?" Vegeta held the spoon against Kuroichi's lips. "Come on, pet, eat this. Come on. You've got to eat, Kuro."

His lips parted slowly in response to repeated urgings. Something warm dribbled into his mouth, warm and good. He swallowed, almost convulsively, before opening his mouth again. Little by little, he became more aware of his surroundings.

Sounds first. The gentle, repeated urgings gave way to quiet praise. He heard a gentle, rumbling purr. His memory stirred, a hazy pain, belied by the sensations around him. Softness… yes. There was something soft under most of him. A solid warmth against his back, partially wrapping around his side, supporting his half-sitting position. Something silky rested on his legs and stomach, beneath twitching fingers. The broth smelled of warmth and food and energy, but the spicy scent he caught brought the pain-haze of memory back. He stirred weakly, his eyes fluttering open.

Blurs of colors. Muted, shapeless colors blending into each other. He closed his eyes quickly, opened them more slowly. The colors slowly resolved themselves into shapes - formless shapes - but shapes that no longer bled together. He gazed about, feeling dizzy as the colors whirled before his eyes. He closed them again, whimpering, fingers clutching at the silky stuff.

"Kuro?" Vegeta shifted the other man slightly, then set the bowl and spoon aside. "I'm here, pet. You are safe."

Vegeta winced, realizing how closely those last few words had parodied the ones the broken man he held had once said to him. There was no recognition in the dark eyes that swam lazily around the room, no hint the other truly saw him yet. He continued his reassurances, his tail gently caressing his battered love's side. He murmured his wish that they could twine their tails, but knew that in Kuroichi's condition, that was an impossibility.

He had not truly seen that injury until after he'd gotten the man cleaned up after finding him in that alley. Carefully and lovingly, he had cleansed the dirt and blood and stuff from the assaulted form. And then rolled him over to cleanse his back, and discovered the damage done to his love's tail.

Kuroichi's tail was wrapped from base to tip in bandages, now, and Vegeta always took care to make sure the other laid on his side. He couldn't bear the thought of his abused lover having to have any weight on that poor, wrecked thing. And there was no possible chance of it healing well. He had used the last of the senzu, and Dende had ignored him.

Ignored Kuroichi's need, though once the young Namek had counted him a hero and friend. Vegeta had chi-fried one of his arms for him, and taken his broken burden back to his own home, to his own room, and placed the man in his own enormous bed. He had not left the other's side except for the absolute necessity of fetching food and drink. And at last, Kuro had awakened.

Kuroichi watched the kaleidoscope of colored, nameless shapes, feeling a little sick when some of them moved of their own accord. He did not try to move himself, did not even mean to move his eyes, but did not seem to be able to help that. He whimpered again, the pains of his body finally penetrating numbed senses. His eyes closed once more as the aches suddenly became focused.

His back ached more than anything. Flames, burning his back and behind. He hiccupped, a tear slipping down his face. He remembered. His tail did not pain him nearly so much as his heart. That spicy scent, the rumbling voice, he knew them now. Knew them for Vegeta's. Knew he had been captured again, this time too weak to escape. Agonizing waves of pain from his half-skinned, multiply broken tail ensured that he would be unable to do anything. And the secondary pain from his butt, from the repeated rapes he'd endured, too drugged to escape, reminded him of just what would happen if he tried to run again.

And he knew that he would try. As soon as he could. Kuroichi's eyes blinked slowly open, this time, finally, able to achieve some focus. Though things were still blurry, he was able to recognize Vegeta's face and the magnificent room. He'd spent many nights in this bed while his master had used him. A second tear followed the first.

"Kuroichi?" Vegeta said softly, "Kuro? Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?"

Kuroichi opened his mouth, slightly, attempted to speak. Managed, in a hoarse whisper, "Yes."

"Good! I… I wasn't sure. You've been unconscious nearly a week. It has been hell."

Hell. Vegeta has been there. Kuroichi closed his eyes again. A week? I am so weak…

"Do you need a drink? I have water, or juice. Kuro? Don't go back to sleep yet, Kuro. Here, drink."

It was juice, and Kuroichi managed to sip some of it. His throat felt raw. Maybe it hadn't healed much over the last week. Maybe he had kept screaming. He had screamed, hadn't he? Why else would his throat be so sore? He turned his head, refusing more of the juice. "Hurts…"

"Yes. I know." Vegeta moved Kuroichi carefully, helping him lay down on his side. "It took me entirely too long to find you, and longer to get to you. I have no senzu left to heal you. Korin says they will not ripen for another week… and I do not know that the damage may be too permanent by then. You have only the nursing that I can give you."

"… wrong … me?" Moving had hurt enormously.

"Drugs, for sure. They gave you something just as I got there. I do not know what, or how much. You have thrashed badly, screaming, most of this week. The thrashing did not help your physical hurts." Vegeta caressed Kuroichi briefly, his tail stroking down the man's side as his fingers grazed lightly over his cheek. "They had raped you… with things. But the biggest wound was your tail."

"… skinned … and… a paper-shredder."

Vegeta shivered convulsively. He'd wondered what could have caused the horrible damage to the end of his lover's tail. The man who had ordered this would not enjoy being visited by the prince. "I have dressed and bandaged it."

"… off?"

"No! No, Kuro. I will not remove your tail. This planet… it may never grow back, beloved." Vegeta stroked wayward spikes, careful of where he touched. Kuroichi still sported huge bruises from his flight. "I dare not…"

"Please… hurts so much…"

"Kuro, love." Vegeta sighed, then shifted slightly. "You are sure?"

"Please…" Kuroichi whispered again. There was a brief, sharp pain, and then the rolling waves of agony ceased. He sighed with relief.

"It is done, Kuro." Vegeta shifted again, his tail once more running over the other's body.

"Feels better." Kuroichi opened his eyes once more, looking up at Vegeta. "Why?"

"Why?" Vegeta stared down at him, then dipped to give him a very gentle kiss. "I love you, Kuro. I… I would rather have you than your tail."