Behind Closed Doors [Zeke/invite]

[Kristopher Roberts]

Having to be dragged into a friends room was not something Kristopher enjoyed, nor did he like the fact he had to sit on his friends bed as the twin locked the door and leaned against it. Was he that afraid that Kristopher might try to fly the coop? It was a justified fear because Kristopher Roberts didn't want to be in this room let alone in anyones company as of late.

In fact, he did want to be around a lot of people or be in certain areas anymore. With a sigh, the blond crossed his arms and legs on the bed, looking at his twin with careful eyes. Then slowly he downcast them to the floor.

"And locking the door does what?" asked the younger twin as a wondering hand reached up and toyed with his blond curls. He had things to do, places to go and try to be home on time and make sure dinner was made. Slowly, he started to chew on his bottom lip in thought. Kris was getting impatient it seemed, he didn't see why he had to be dragged up here and there was nothing to talk about.

Nothing that dealt with Zeke anyways. "I don't like being dragged here, but I am sure you know that already." said the blond softly.

[Zeke Suzushima]

It hadn't really been Zeke's intention to forcibly drag his little brother to his room tonight, but the circumstances were all pointing toward this as the only option. There were bruises on his little twin's arms, back, and neck, and he was acting much more jumpy and all-around depressing than usual. That made Zeke nervous. Nervous enough to push the boy onto his bed and slam and lock the door. It wasn't that he though Krissy would run for it...

...though that is a possibility...

He was more concerned with somebody walking in and listening. Kris was being hurt by somebody. Someone. And the thought of anybody roughing up his twin killed off that peppy and fun outer-self of his and kicked him into 'big brother mode'. The change was even visible in his eyes when he looked up at Kris.

"It keeps you in and others out," the older blond said in a statement rather than an answer. He started toward the bed quickly, toward Kris, with a cool expression. "I'm sorry I had to force you to come here, but if you ran off...I get the sickest feeling you'd have even more of those," Zeke motioned toward the boys bruised hip, "The next time I saw you. I'm worried about you. Tell me what's really going on? I swear, these walls don't have as many ears as the kitchen does."

Both his hands latched onto the younger man's shoulders, blue eyes piercing the dulled green and red below him. Zeke was not fooling around this time.

"Talk to me. Who's really hurting you?"

[Kristopher Roberts]

Kris sat silently on the bed now, his Christmas colored eyes watched his twin wearily, not that he was afraid of his twin by any means but more so concerned on where this might lead. Granted, he had the most wonderful idea where this was going, even Kyle was starting to get nosy in his business, and a few others. Though, Kristopher did his best to smile and shrug concern away, it seemed to be getting more and more hard with each passing day. But he had to keep his trap shut, even with Naelona and Shaehern who was watching far more closely.

"Whatever." Was his response, soon followed by a sigh. "Like I could really run off somewhere. You and everyone else would find me before I even got anywhere." He rolled his two colored eyes, hand still playing in his hair. Then the statements came, he looked down at the bruise mentioned and pulled his long shirt down to cover it. "Like I've been saying, I bruise easy and a table was the villain here. " He made no comment towards possibly coming back with more. It all depended on how the "table" felt when he got home.

Kristopher's eyes traveled to the hands resting on his shoulders and then up to the blue orbs above him. There, right there was the question he was avoiding. "No one is hurting me." Kristopher lied right out of his two front teeth. He was doing his very best to sound honested and annoyed why being asked this, "You above anyone knows I wouldn't let anyone hurt me and how I feel about it." There, clean, cut and even. He would never let someone put a hand to him, unless it was a boogie. Only then would he take any kind of abuse.

[Zeke Suzushima]

Zeke's eyes narrowed at every word Kris shot at him. Even his voice sounded wrong. What in the world was happening to his twin that was changing him? He looked the same, minus the suddenly-appearing hip-bruise...and from under Krissy's sleeve, Zeke could swear he saw more purple patches on his pale-almost-sickly skin. With a deep breath, the older twin slide his left hand down his twins arm to the edge of his sleeve and pulled up to reveal more bruises.

"Some table." The blue-eyed boy said in a voice so quiet it was a hiss.

Another deep breath and Zeke released Kris's sleeve and step to the side, falling to the bed by the side of his twin with a flop. He wasn't buying this 'accidental' injury story at all. He knew his twin, knew he was lying--try as he might Kris was a bad liar--and knew some jerk was roughing him up. Did Augy know this was going on? Probably not yet...Augusta would have found the guy and ripped him a new one.

So why was Kris keeping those wounds a secret? Was he being threatened? Stalked? Or was he protecting someone...?

"You're a horrid liar, little brother." Zeke mumbled, "What's so horrible that you can't tell me...?" His own fair hand rested on the one completely identical to his, squeezing it slightly, "I won't be mad at you or anything...you're my twin. I love ya, remember?"

So please...let me in?

[Kristopher Roberts]

The younger twin did nothing as he stared down at his arm that he so happened to lift the sleeve up. Kristopher, for once, did not pull the sleeve down or try to remove it from his twins grasp. But he didn't say anything either, he merely pulled his arm to the side once Zeke let go. Kris knew he was a bad liar, always had been even if he was getting better at it. But what could he tell Zeke? How in the world could he even understand anything that Kristopher was going through?

What was so horrible? A lot of things actually, for one, not knowing if home was safe. It was getting harder to tell the difference between Augusta and Zeke, But that was rare, seeing as Augusta wasn't coming home anymore, in fact, he had not seen his love in such a long time. He was beginning to think Augusta didn't want him anymore, was he ashamed of him? Was he mad that he wasn't fighting back anymore? What on earth was he to do?

"I know." He said at last to Zeke.

His eyes looked down at his hand and then away to the side, staring at the headboard of Zeke's bed. "I just wish people would leave me alone. I bruise easy and I am getting klutzy...I haven't been feeling good. My bodies running down again and so, it's just hard for me to do anything right now. I don't mean to worry you or anyone...I'll just have to be more careful..."

He grew silent then, staring down at the floor now, never looking right at Zeke. "What was it like, for you to grow up. I mean, before here...?" A sudden change of subject.

[Zeke Suzushima]

Zeke listened closely to what Kris said, his hand still squeezed tight around the other boys. Yes, his twin was a bit of a klutz, and yeah he bruised very easily. That was one of the interesting differences between them: Kris was a mushy banana when it came to bruises, Zeke was a tough avocado. Or maybe a lemon. Something yellow seemed to fit him a little better, anyways...Wait, why am I thinking about fruits? Bigger issues! Stay serious!

The slightest of smiles spread on the older boy's face. "Unsubtle change of subject, Kris? I thought I taught you better." Zeke looked at his twin with a still-serious look, but now at a gentler edge.

"I'll tell you about my life if you tell me about yours. Lets see..."

Zeke leaned back against the headboard of his bed with a creak of his old bed, closing his bright blue orbs. "I guess I was the upper-crust, believe it or not. Dad was almost royalty in Japan. I had a sister...about five years younger...and my m...mother..." his voice wobbled a little, "I guess...she must have been nice and beautiful when dad married her but...maybe it was just an act to get at his cash." There was a little ice in his voice as he spoke about the past he'd left far, far behind.

"...she put us through hell...me and Yosuke...trying to mold us and whip us into the perfect dolls she could marry off into even more money..."

There was an awkward silence for what seemed like hours, though it was really less than a minute. Then with a little sigh Zeke opened his eyes and looked back at Kris with a little grin. "But I snapped back. I wasn't gonna get molded, so I ended up getting cut-off from her and my sister until dad kidnapped us."

"So...there's my story of anti-climactic woe. What's yours?"

[Kristopher Roberts]

"Possibly." He stated with a small shrug, he knew what he was doing and that was fine with him, until it back fired. It seemed like all his friends where rich at one point and had anything they wanted, with a price of course. So, what was his excuse? Who knew really, but he listened to his friends short tale about his life before here, it seemed interesting enough if not sad as well. "I see." He said softly, "Well at least you got away from her, huh?"

He couldn't really connect with Zeke, other then having an messed up mother. He never had to act proper, he just had to sit still and nod and what nod. But now, it seemed like Zeke wanted to hear about him. Wonderful. Kristopher sighed, "You know when your parent's say don't cross those tracks cause you might not come back? That's where I lived. My mother and father weren't good people. They drank and did drugs and like to use me and my siblings...like rag dolls. I was sick a lot so I never really left my bed but rare occasions. "

He picked at his sleeves now, "It was hell and this is our heaven. I used to get thrown around for everything that went wrong, cup broken, chips missing, lost earring. My parents were never there for us or tried to shape us into anything." In other words, Kristopher was poor as shit and had one bad up bringing. Which would explain his soft nature and the need to please people and not fight. No wonder people pushed him around so easily.

"So, that's my brief history." He chuckled dryly. "So, can I go home now? Augusta is waiting for me...I'm sure."

He already knew the answer though, Zeke was not going to let him leave anytime soon.

[Zeke Suzushima]

When the two mirror-mimics had met, Zeke wouldn't have believed their pasts could be so different. Even though they lived half-way around the world from each other at birth...now it really did seem the only thing that they had in common was their appearance. The thought saddened Zeke a little, but he should have seen it coming. It was impossible for them to be a hundred percent the same. It would be nice, but it was impossible. Then again, now they could be compared to the Prince and the Pauper.

Except shouldn't he, the 'Prince', be the serious one?

"If this were heaven...I think a lot of children would think they were cheated," the older man joked weakly, still facing Kris while leaned against the headboard. "Not much has changed, has it? You're still sick as a dog and still bumped and bruised beyond belief." Alliterations. Oi. "Maybe you should consider a change in pace, rather than stick to this pattern of...well...banana-bruises."

The hand latched to Kris's own lifted to ruffle the younger boys curls. "And you are not going anywhere until you explain to me how a table bruised your arms and hip. Or until you give me a lap dance. Either or." He was kidding of course, letting his hand rest lovingly on his twin's shoulder. For a moment it looked like he would just let it rest there. Instead he pulled the skinny bugger in a sort of awkward half-one-arm-hug. Zeke was careful not to squeeze to hard on the boys injured arms.

"You aren't going anywhere. Augy knows me, ne? He should be fine with you having a sleep-over with your big brother. What's the rush?...unless he ordered you to be home by now..."

Something went off in the back of his head.

"...which doesn't sound like something a proper lover would do..."

[Kristopher Roberts]

Kris looked down at his arm and sighed, "Suppose. But at least my parent's aren't here." THe blond started to feel uncomfortable for some reason, normally he was alright with Zeke and felt free around him. But right now, it was suffocating. Maybe he should think of a new life style, but he wasn't hit everyday like he used to...until recently.

The blond licked his lips, hand curling around his sleeve,tugging on it without even releasing it. He wasn't going anywhere, he would have to tell Zeke. He could try to lie out of it, but it wasn't working. Oh, what would he tell him?

"You aren't going anywhere. Augy knows me, ne? He should be fine with you having a sleep-over with your big brother. What's the rush?...unless he ordered you to be home by now...which doesn't sound like something a proper lover would do..."

His heart rate suddenly picked up in pace, his head was tilted downwards, hands pulling at the fabric. "Augusta would never do that." He said honestly. He was feeling faint. Oh god, oh god. His knuckles turned white as he thought of Vasant.

Zeke can't know, Vasant might hurt his twin or himself more. "He loves me a lot." Yes, he kept telling himself that over and over. Augusta was coming back, Vasant would go away and then everything would return to normal. Augusta would love him again, he wouldn't have to fear any sudden changes or coming home.

The air was growing thick around Kristopher, he felt like he might choke at any moment. "I don't feel good."

[Zeke Suzushima]

I think I hit the nail on the head.

Even a dolt, in other words Zeke, could see the sudden shift in Kristopher's behavior at the mention of his boyfriend. Something the older boy had said had been right on the mark. Was it the ordering? Was Augusta being a controlling boyfriend more than the nice, proper, loving guy Kris spoke of? Was he being mean? Was he...hurting Kris? It seemed like a long shot, but with the way the younger man was shaking and getting paler and spoke like he was protecting Augy...

It's the only lead I got. Jump on it!

"Krissy-kun..." Zeke wrapped his arms around Kris's ribs, since his hips and arms were hell, and pulled him closer, "...would he really? Is that why you're reacting like this?" The ice was back in his voice, but it was directed at the man in question, not his dear twin. Man, he could feel the poor boys heart pounding from here. "If he loves you, he wouldn't set rules. You're his lover, not his slave. And..."

Bright blue eyes landed on the other wrist. The one with the burn.

"You're certainly not a punching bag. Kris, what the hell is going on...?"

[Kristopher Roberts]

"Krissy-kun...would he really? Is that why you're reacting like this? If he loves you, he wouldn't set rules. You're his lover, not his slave. And...You're certainly not a punching bag. Kris, what the hell is going on...?"

Kristopher shook his head, "No, no. Augusta isn't doing anything to me. He never raised a hand against me! You've got it all wrong, Zeke!" The blond turned his wide mismatched eyes towards Zeke's blue ones. His body was tense as he tired very hard not to suddenly break down and cry or make a run for it.

"He isn't setting rules, or shoving me around." Once again, his eyes looked away from Zeke. The thing and abused body of the younger blond sagged, the stress leaving it slowly as he was being held.

"He hasn't even been home..." his voice finally dropped away, ending his sentence early. Though a new one was forming, "But if he loved me, he would help me, wouldn't he? Did I do something wrong? Does he hate me? I know I wasn't the best boyfriend in the world...but why is he letting him hurt me?"

The more Kristopher thought about it, the more ill he was becoming. He could feel his stomach twisting into a knot, the air escaping him.

"No, he loves me very much, he's just...just going trough a tough time right now. And I should be home, helping." So he was saying, but it was hard to tell right now if he was really talking to Zeke or to himself.

[Zeke Suzushima]

For the first half of Kristopher's rant, Zeke thought he'd gotten it. The boy was protesting way too much, way too panicked, and the way he defended Augusta just gave Zeke more and more reason to want to blame him for the poor boys injuries. Kris was in agony. His twin was in agony. And if Augusta was the cause...nobody in Wonderland would believe the fun-loving peppy Barbie-boy of room two could start a fight. But start he would.

He was always the over-protective big brother...

...then Kris's voice faltered. And Zeke's theory cracked.

Blue eyes moved from his distraught twin to the table by his bed. "What...what are you saying Kris? Somebody is hurting you...but...it's not Augusta?" He eyed the lamp on the bedside table. "You said Augy was waiting for you tonight. But if he hasn't been home in so long...then..." Again it seemed his lips were speaking the truth before his brain even put two and two together.

The lamp on his table flickered. Which was odd, since he didn't remember lighting it. Zeke turned back to his twin with a confused expression.

"...then who are you going home too?"

[Kristopher Roberts]

"What...what are you saying Kris? Somebody is hurting you...but...it's not Augusta? You said Augy was waiting for you tonight. But if he hasn't been home in so long...then...

"It's not him. It's not." He stated weakly as he held his legs within his arms. His two color eyes stared at the flickering lamp as if it was a source of strength. "I need to go home. Please, Zeke, let me go home. I'm going to get in trouble if I don't go home soon. If I go home, he won't get mad at me. He'll leave me alone...he'll, just go away."

"...then who are you going home too?"

Kristopher moved on the bed, standing up and moving across the room. He had no idea where he was going or what he was doing, but he didn't want to sit still anymore. Crossing the threshold he went over to Zeke's desk and fidgeted with random items.

"He isn't there all the time...sometimes I go home and it's just Augusta. Then everything goes back to normal...he'll hold me and kiss me. He'll tell me he is sorry and that everything will be fine. That he won't leave me alone with that other man...but..."

His shaking pale hands latched onto to a pencil that he rolled between his hands quickly. "...but sometimes he is there before Augusta gets home. Then he stays, for a long time without Augusta knowing it. He'll stay for two days, a day, a week, two weeks...maybe an hour...and then---"

He suddenly turned to gaze at his twin. "You can't go, you can't go to my dorm. Promise me, you'll never go there!" He just realized that Zeke could easily be mistaken for himself, he could go in that room, find out everything, live through it. He didn't want that, he didn't want that to happen ever. It wasn't Zeke's problem.

"You can't see him." Kristopher Roberts was switching through so many gears at that moment that he couldn't keep a single thought going without difficulty it seemed.

He was scared for Augusta, scared for himself and now he was scared for Zeke. For his twin.

[Zeke Suzushima]

Zeke practically jumped off the bed and followed Kris as he moved, pipping up a few "Wait, huh?"'s and "Calm down!"'s as the boy rambled about this abusive stranger...who Augy knew about, but who Augy didn't know was there, but was there before Augy came and was never caught by Augy...staying for weeks, for a month, without Augusta coming home and seeing him? Who was 'him'? Why was this 'him' hurting his precious twin?

And why is it that everyone in the whole fuckin' world has a 'him'?!

Kami-sama, first Serenity, now this...

Once the younger man had stopped at the desk, Zeke had him half-pined with one hand on the desk, one on Kris's shoulder as he turned to face him. "Kristopher...deep breaths..." he squeezed his grip only a little, "I promise I won't if I don't have to. As long as you don't want me to. But Kris...now, remember those deep breaths...can you calm down and tell me who this guy is? Is...is it a Boogie? Like that Honest or Sin you told me about?"

Zeke was so close, and yet, so far from the truth. And he could feel it. But right now he was more worried about calming Kris down.

"Easy little brother. I'm here. I'm not gonna look for trouble, I'm not gonna get hurt. And as long as you're here...you're not going to either." Again the blue-eyed twin pulled the other man closer for a little hug. It was difficult, knowing not to touch the boy where he was hurt. "...just...calm down. You're safe with me."

[Kristopher Roberts]

He didn't seem to hear the twin until he looked up, the twin was so close to him that for a moment, Kristopher thought he was in trouble. But that feeling went away quickly. Had he been rambling? What was he doing again?

Why was he breathing so hard? Finally, it seemed like he was snapped back to normal, taking deep and long breaths like Zeke said to do. Leaning into the older blond he sighed and allowed the other to hold him.

"I don't want you getting hurt, or anyone." He said softy, seeming to gather his senses back to normal. Though, he was silent for a time, he shook his head on Zeke's shoulder. "He's human, but he acts like a Boogie. He hates me and I don't know why."

"...tell me who this guy is..."

"I don't know if I can. You would tell Kyle and everyone else. Then, then everything would hit the fan. I don't want Augusta hurt or someone to---to--." His voice dropped off.

But wait, wasn't this his twin? Wasn't his secrets safe with him? They where, right? He seemed to come to this conclusion slowly. "You're going to get me in trouble, us in trouble."

Then finally, without much thought or maybe he just gave up, he gave the information Zeke wanted. "Vasant."