The 9 Millimeter Kiss - Chapter 63: Chapter 63

Yuki knew no one would be coming for him when he first woke up to the echoes of fear, pain, and grief. Matsuda had made that clear on many occasions. The thought of running away was impossible after being branded. The blinding hot pain shooting through him had left him sick for the first time in his life. He'd witnessed many others attempt to get past the door a handful of times. Matsuda made sure to prolong their death as punishment with Yuki's help.
"Running away?" Hiroki asked again. He might still be a child but he knew Yuki was in no shape to leave, let alone run away.
"Yes." Yuki heavily huffed, "We need to hurry--"
"But there are still some locked!" Hiroki protested. "And you're bleeding a lot!"
"Hiroki," Yuki softly spoke. Hiroki held back a sob. "This is the most he's been angry."
Hiroki continued to stare at Yuki, not exactly processing what was being said or its importance.
Yuki limped over to him, "Something happened out there. There are heroes-- police-- who might be getting closer to finding him."
Hiroki felt his body tense.
Were they going to find them? Were they going to save them?
"If he wants to leave this quickly," Yuki slowly kneeled in front of Hiroki. "That means they might find us soon if we stay here."
Cupping Hiroki's face, Yuki allowed himself to feel a glimmer of hope.
"If we run away before he gets back... we'll be free." Yuki's voice cracked.
"I can see mommy again?" Hiroki asked, hot tears running down his face.
"Yes. and your dad." Yuki nodded, slightly relieved Hiroki was on the same page.
"You can see your mom and dad again too!" Hiroki smiled.
Yuki smiled and ruffled his hair, "...yeah."
"What time is it?" Yuki asked, beads of sweat running down the side of his face.
"11:27" Hiroki replied. He was wearing his jacket, snow boots, and anxiously looking at the watch. He stood behind Yuki as he watched him pick at the locks with paperclips and thin metal picks.
There was a click. "Done."
"Yay!" Hiroki smiled, lightly jumping at the balls of his feet.
Yuki slowly pulled the door open and took a peek outside. There was a set of stairs heading up along with a light cool breeze.
"Do you have everything?" Yuki asked, looking back at the child.
"Yes."
"Okay--"
"What about you?" Hiroki asked before Yuki took a step outside.
"What about me?" Yuki frowned.
Hiroki pointed down at Yuki's bare feet. "Where are your shoes?"
Yuki stared at the boy. There wasn't enough time for him to argue or explain if they were trying to get as far away from the place as possible.
Yuki gave him a thumbs up and smiled, "I have a super cool quirk. I'll be fine."
Hiroki seemed to feel a bit better about the situation.
"Let's hurry. There might be another lock at the top." Yuki quickly spoke.
Hiroki nodded and they were on their way. Some steps had a plank of wood over cement and others had rug. Reaching the top Yuki made sure to keep Hiroki close behind him. He slowly pushed onto a metal door, letting in a gust of snow.
"Cold." Hiroki immediately hid more behind Yuki. Yuki felt his skin crawl and bones shiver. His body was only covered by bandages, a ripped oversized shirt and tattered shorts.
"Do you have your mittens on?" Yuki asked.
"Yeah!"
"Don't let go of my hand. Keep your face warm. We're going to run a lot, okay?" Yuki reminded the boy. Hiroki had a bright look in his eyes, nodding firmly.
"Okay. Ready. Set. Go!"
Pushing the door open they started to sprint through the light blizzard that seemed to just have started. Hopefully it would be enough to cover their tracks before Matsuda returned.
"I can't see!" Hiroki shouted.
"Just keep holding my hand!" Yuki replied, pulling him along as much as he could.
His entire body was cold. But he wasn't going to stop until he knew Hiroki would be safe. He first needed to get him as far away from there as possible.
Yuki had finally managed to run away. He was running through the snowstorm, with little to no vision of his surroundings, dragging along Hiroki. He was going to get to safety. At the very least get Hiroki to safety.
Get him to safety. Get him somewhere safe.
He was going to save him. Even as he ran through snow barefoot, he was going to get someone, at least one person, out of there. He was going to save one person. Out of hundreds. One. Hiroki was going to make it. Even if he might not. Hiroki was going to go back to his family. Yuki was going to make sure of that. He swore it to himself and to the boy.
Hiroki was going to live.
Matsuda wasn't a careless person.
He knew this much about himself, having gotten away from pro heroes and police for so long. And his confidence was at an all time high when he successfully managed to get away during the high speed chase. So when he caught wind of the junkyard employees getting arrested, he knew it was time to leave. They knew his face and it was only a matter of time before they came out with more descriptions of him.
With his mind set on finally moving to a new 'workshop' he had to get rid of a couple things. That being said...
"Didn't think he had it in him." Matsuda sighed, putting out his cigarette. He placed a hand onto his holster and pulled out a small device with a screen. A green dot gradually made its way away from the center.
"What better way to take out the trash by making it a little game..."
Yuki pulled Hiroki behind a tree, shielding him.
"Break?" Hiroki huffed. Yuki only placed his hand over the boy's mouth as he looked around... and listened.
There was a distant pop. The sound of the storm masking most of the sound.
"No..." Yuki mumbled, his expression making Hiroki worry.
"What's wrong?" Hiroki asked.
Yuki looked down at him before bending down and hoisting Hiroki onto his back. "He's looking for us."
"Wha--"
Yuki took off running.
The snow howled against him. More distant popping, this time more closer.
"Is that him?!" Hiroki cried out, tightly wrapping his arms around Yuki's neck.
Yuki's feet were beginning to tingle with every crunch of snow he stepped on. Tree branches moaning as high winds roared past them. His hands securely held onto Hiroki, never taking a chance to slow down.
"We need to hurry." Yuki hissed as the weight of Hiroki and the texture of his jacket continuously scraped his injuries.
His breathing caught in his throat, nose beginning to sting.
Another pop. This one had more echo to it. The storm began to wail more as snow whirling around them.
"Yuki-nii--"
"It's okay." Yuki interrupted.
He kept running. Keeping his fast pace steady. Ignoring the fact he no longer felt his feet but knowing they should not stop moving. Fighting against every ounce of pain.
"Do you really think I'll let you go!" the wind hollered.
Hiroki held on tighter. Yuki kept running.
"You think you can just leave?!"
Hiroki let out a whimper of fear, Yuki took a quick stop to raise him more onto his back.
Two shots of echos, a large scrape on the tree just feet away from them.
"It's okay." Yuki grunted, staring ahead, refusing to look back let alone reply.
"You think you can just leave after everything you've done?!"
It took everything to hold his tongue. Gasping for air, he pushed forward.
"THEY ALL DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!"
A scream came from within Yuki. He didn't stop. He wasn't going to stop. He knew what he did. He knew what was going to happen. He knew. He knew it all.
"I'm the one who taught you!"
His voice was getting closer.
"I'm the one who helped you!"
There was an echo, a tree taking the hit.
"I'm the one who Trained you!"
Another shot.
"AND YOU LET THEM ALL DIE!"
"NO!" Yuki shouted, his ears popping.
Hiroki glanced back worryingly, "He's getting closer--"
"Don't look!" Yuki's voice rasped. A sharp pain shot into his left thigh. He tumbled forward, Hiroki's weight piling onto him.
"Yuki-nii!"
"Hurry." Yuki choked, getting back up. "Keep running."
"But--"
Yuki pulled the boy back onto his back. "Hurry!"
Hiroki quickly wrapped his arms back around Yuki's neck, trying his best to ignore the drenched shirt and wet droplets painting the snow.
"No one will ever care for you!"
Another shot to his leg. He only stumbled before gaining his balance again.
"You're useless! Pathetic!"
Squinting into the storm, Yuki saw no signs of people. Only shadows of trees.
He subconsciously began to slow down.
"Yuki-nii!" Hiroki cried out.
"I know!" Yuki grunted.
He'd lost all feeling on his legs. His heart beating into his ears. Lungs raging heavily. He pushed forward. Crossing through trees to avoid getting hit.
There was a distinctive sound beyond the storm.
"HELP!" Hiroki began to cry out.
Yuki felt terrified at the sudden feeling of energy bursting through him.
"HEY!!" Yuki joined in.
Someone was near. Help was near. They were nearly there.
"HELP!!" the two screamed.
"SOMEONE!" Hiroki sheiked.
"HELP!"
"HELP--"
A loud horn went off.
Three lights began to shine through the dark storm.
"WE'RE OVER HERE!" Yuki screamed. Running towards them, he took a glance back and couldn't hear anything from behind.
"Hiroki! We're nearly there!" Yuki cried out.
"Who's there!" a voice called out.
"HELP US!" Yuki screamed at the top of his lungs. Reaching the source of lighting two people stepped out of a large truck.
"Oh my god!" a woman cried out.
Yuki slowed his running as the woman ran forward before he fell onto his knees.
"Helps us get out of here!" Yuki cried. He felt Hiroki slowly slide off his back.
"We're saf-- HIROKI!"
"We've got two children coming in!"
In a small town, where everyone knew everyone.
"Contact the police!"
There was a small hospital.
"Get the operation room ready!"
It wasn't a very well known town by any means. They knew of the neighboring city but that was about it.
"Get the stretchers!"
It was a town which knew nothing of the horrors that had taken place just miles within the woods.
"Hiroki, you'll be alright. We made it out!"
"They're both bleeding!"
The ER had never before been so hectic.
"Hiroki! You have to go see your mom! You have to see your dad!" The older of the boy's cried out.
"Take him to the other operating room!" a doctor quickly instructed.
Nurses went to separate both boys in a rush.
"Please!" Yuki begs, as they take Hiroki out of his arms, "Help him!"
He tries to follow them as they take him past a set of doors.
"It'll be okay!" Yuki screams as another set of nurses hold him back. Trying to take him else where.
"I'll be right here!"
"He's got fresh wounds!"
"HIROKI!"
His wails echoing over the chaos. His body feeling nothing else but agony.