The moment he was laid into the hot water was when Kuya woke up from his induced slumber. His heterochromatic eyes blinked open to see Akira washing him off and rubbing his hands and ears with towels, trying to cool him off rapidly.

“Stupid…stupid…” The cat man mumbled to himself, but it was not directed to Kuya in the slightest, but rather himself. He blamed not Kuya but himself for the foxian’s disappearance. He spent the entire day looking, only to be met with nothing that could suggest Kuya even left. Akira had gotten into his head, maybe thinking he was back on one of his episodes again. He had gotten permission to be off his pills. So maybe he imagined Kuya as another coping mechanism for Rosalyne.

“Aki…” Kuya mumbled, chuffing softly at the warmth all around his body. Akira’s movements halted. His eyes looked down at the man in the bath.

“Ah. I see that you are awake.”

“Mmmm…” Kuya mumbled, nuzzling into the hand that was suddenly out for him. Akira was confused at first. But realized he had stuck his hand out for the fox. “...Missed you…”

“You made that escape knowing that you would?” Akira replied shakily.

“...”

“Well?”

“I didn’t want to be a problem anymore…a lot of things wrong around here…but I caused most of what happened throughout the night.”

“You…Kuya.” His thumb rubbed a cut on Kuya’s cheek. “Are recovering from a situation out of your control.”

Akira hesitated before continuing. “I’m not supposed to repeat what is said on your files. But, you have severe PTSD. Night terrors, breakdowns, panic attacks. You are not okay. But that is okay to admit. Yes, you committed an unspeakable crime, but that is not the point of your stay here. This is not a punishment.”

“But.”

“Hey. I’m still speaking.” Akira put his clawed finger to Kuya’s lips before continuing. “I’m going to let you down slowly. You were sold. That’s a fact. Your mom came to Snezhnaya because one of my agents investigated your house.”

“That’s who that was…?”

“Yes. He was sent to the scene and to the prison in Tenjukaku. Where your mother was at the time doing all the processing paperwork.”

“She was going to let me stay there..?”

“Oh sweet boy…you need to understand that she never had any intent to bail you out.” Akira began to lather up Kuya’s hair with his shampoo. Only the best for the fox, as he had been through a lot.

“It’s only because of my agents' persuation that she even had that meeting with me.”

"Meeting.."

"Yes, the one that I briefly saw you at. The woman didn't even bother giving you new clothes or a shower."

"But...she didn't need to...she was not obligat-.."

Akira's fist slammed down on the bathtub wall, causing Kuya to jump and flinch. The fox's ears pinned to the side of his head in fear.

The other had immediately regretted his action and had started scratching behind Kuya's ear softly to calm him down.

"That...𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨... was never a mother to you. Yes, she may have given birth to you, but that does not make her a mother. I'm sorry to say Kuya.. but she was willing to give you up as soon as I mentioned mora. No... even before I even said anything. One of the first things she asked was where she could sign."

Kuya looked up at Akira, eyes watering. Akira just smiled softly and started to rinse Kuya's hair off.

"It's okay. You are safe now. No one will ever hurt you. Ever."

Water was poured on Kuya's head, washing all of the soap out. It was warm...and nothing like the cold baths in the moldy wooden tub out in the backyard.

"See...I will care for you. Let me care for you."

The fox's lip began to quiver. A tear slid down his cheek.

Akira's expression turned into one of concern.

"No, what? Getting sad again, are we...?"

Akira wiped the tear.

"Your life is no longer hers. You are finally able to live without worrying for her, my sweet fox. And this is the face you make?"

"All you've done for me throughout the month...is it all just for you to have my trust..?"

Akira gave Kuya a sad little smile.

"I've never quite seen it that way, you know? Even now, I'm quite pleased to see that you put your faith in me after such little time."

More tears began to slip down Kuya's cheeks. They became more frequent and larger. Until Kuya was fully sobbing. Akira took the other into his arms despite Kuya being wet.

"Oh Kuya... my sweet Kuya... please don't cry."

He only sobbed harder

"Had it been my decision, I would've loved to swoop in and take you away sooner had a known. You've been stripped of your entire life because of them. The way I see it, you retook what you lost all those years ago once that burden was lifted off of your back."

"I-I..."

"Is it not just that you get the life you deserve here?"

"But I don't deserve this..."

"Oh, but you do. And so much more. You have shouldered and shouldered anything and everything for your entire life, just to make someone who could care less about you proud."

He sniffed and rubbed his face of his tears.

"Kuya...let go...I promise you that if you fall... you'll have people here willing to pick you right back up."

"I understand..."

"Good... Now let's finish up this bath, yes?"

~~~

Kuya slipped on an oversized shirt with a small smile. His eyes were still so red and puffy from his and Akira's conversation. To his surprise, he still saw the doctor laying peacefully in Akira's bed alongside the feline. Both seemed to be patiently waiting.

"You didn't hav-...sorry.." Akira shot him a small glare, telling him to remember what they talked about.

Kuya climbed into the massive bed, snuggling into the fluffy comforter.

Back at his house, he had to make do with whatever he could find. Some nights, he had a ratty old baby's blanket. Other nights, he had nothing at all. Those were the hardest.

Akira laughed and scratched behind his ears, causing Kuya to melt into his touch and his side.

The Doctor merely scofted as he reached over to turn off the light on the nightstand next to him.

"Oh please. At least this little fox is genuine. You just wanted money earlier." He said, a smirk crossing his face.

"Any more coddling and my methods of bribery won't work with you."

"You know they always will."

"Hmph..." Akira sighed and shook his head, patting a spot next to Kuya. The fox in question had fallen asleep pretty quickly from the scratches.

The Doctor just sighed and scooted to Kuya's side, resting his head on Akira's shoulder.

"Sleep. The Tsaritsa only knows that you haven't been getting a lot of it."

"Whatever..."

~~~

The Asylum - -Asa_No_Y0ru-

Akira - T0TALLY_N0T_AKiRA

~~~

❝𝙷𝚢𝚍𝚛𝚘 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗...𝙷𝚢𝚍𝚛𝚘 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗...𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚌𝚛𝚢..❞

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❝ꜱᴀꜰᴇ...ɪ'ᴍ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ...ꜱᴀꜰᴇ.❞