Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Say something,” he hisses, fingers not quite able to grasp the other’s forearm without shaking. “Hiwatari, fucking say something.” Leaning closer he breathes. “Anything.”

But there is nothing. Kai isn’t moving and....

“Fuck fuck fuck.”

Lifting up the other’s shirt, he traces a stained finger over the makeshift bandages. Thankfully it’s still holding strong so Kai wouldn’t at least bleed out too quickly while he tries to get them out of this clusterfuck.  

“I knew those bastards were shady the moment they fucking walked through the door. I just knew it,” he says furiously, pulling the previously white shirt back down before wrapping his own tattered suit jacket over him. “But does anyone listen to me, nooo.”

Climbing back on his feet; a hiss escapes his lips as his knee almost buckles under the sudden pressure. “Fuck.” There was no way either of them would get out of here alive if he didn’t come up with a plan and soon.

Kai was in no shape to make a run for it and, grimacing down at the brace secured around his leg, he once again curses the slow healing process of the human body.  

If he’d only gone on that assignment a week earlier, maybe they would have stood a chance. But with his knee busted and Kai in his current predicament.

They wouldn’t be able to---

Shuffling over to the door, Boris presses his ear against the cold, hard metal, counting his heart beats along with the number of footsteps running over their heads.

It didn’t look good.  

This whole mess stank like Ivan’s unwashed socks.  

“Wh--what?”

His head snaps back so quick Boris vision blurs for a second. “Hiwatari?” Stumbling over, he’s down on his knees before Kai’s unfocused gaze can even lock onto him, biting back a grimace. “Hiwatari!”

Kai blinks slowly, eyes flittering this way and that, lips parting to let out confused murmur of utter nonsense. “Hiwatari? Boris repeats, this time trying to keep his voice soft. “You with me?” But Kai doesn’t seem to be hearing him. Just continues to mutter something under his breath; fingers clenching and unclenching. The longer, whatever this is, went on the closer Boris came to snapping.

They didn’t have time for this.

Kai couldn’t fucking lose it now.

This....  

Boris couldn’t carry him out of here on his own. The idiot was welcome to go ahead and turn batshit insane when they found Yuriy. His redhead friend was after all occupied to handle him but Boris, this wasn't his fucking job. “Kai,” he hisses. “For God’s sake. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Something in his voice must have registered somehow because suddenly, lavender eyes are burning into his own making him stiffen. “Boris?” Kai looks..... scared. Confusion bleeding through his glassy-eyes and he doesn’t seem to quite register why Boris was there in front of him. “Boris?” The words are nothing more than a whisper and “Boris what’s going on?”

Taking a deep breath, Boris tries very very hard not to freak out. “We’re trapped inside your stupid company and mercenaries are here to kill you. Questions?”

“What?” Kai’s tone is frosty, confusion temporarily leaving room for annoyance.

And Boris grins, because finally there is some life behind those eyes.

“You heard me.”

When Kai’s fingers shoot out to curl around his wrist in a painful tug, Boris only snares back. “What is going on here.”

Boris doesn’t answer, just holds his gaze, and when Kai glares, he returns it tenfold, and when his former teammates tries to stumble back to his feet in an angry mutter of curses, he presses two hands on his shoulders and refuses to let him up. All the while hostility is written clear as day across his face, but....

The utter relief flooding his system almost manages to drown out any resentment he harbours for the traitor. Kai wasn’t gone. He wasn’t.... and probably wouldn’t, die here. And Boris wasn’t going to be responsible for his pathetic demise.

They could still get out of here and when they did-

“You’re bleeding out idiot,” he snaps, forcing Kai to stay still. “Do you wanna die before we’ve even attempted an escape?”

All he gets for his trouble is gruff, colourful insult, topped off with the infamous Hiwatari glare.

Boris doesn’t budge.  

“You’re injured,” he repeats himself, keeping his hands firmly on the other’s shoulders. “And my knee isn’t all there right now, so how about we don’t rush this shit and actually think this through?”

Kai huffs. “You, thinking? Today is just full of surprises.”

What a little shit. Boris really really hates him.

“I ain’t Yuriy, Hiwatari,” he snaps back. “I will leave you to die. Don’t test me.” Kai tries to say something back; probably something that’ll make Boris want to hit him, but before any word so much has a chance to leave his mouth, he coughs. Once, twice and then descends into an all-out fit.

To say that Boris freaks out was an understatement. “Fuck! Hiwatari, Hawatari.... just breath. Just, just try and breathe ok? Hawatari! Kai!”

But Kai doesn’t stop, he keeps coughing and it sounds all the more painful each time, the only break in-between the coughs coming from a hitched inhaling of air before he goes right back to coughing his lung out again. Curling into a ball, Kai scoots into the corner of the basement, arms coming up to gingerly wrap around his stomach; his bandaged gunshot wound stomach to be exact.

Safe to say, Boris couldn’t let him do that.

“Hey, no. Stop that,” he says, pushing himself forward till he can reach the other teen to pull his arms away from his left side. “Hiwatari,” he finally hisses when he sees no end to the coughing. “Hiwatari just.... please.” The last word comes out as nothing more than a whisper, and he doesn’t know why he says it, it’s not like Kai can hear him. Not with the pain he is going through. Not with the way he is doubled over, and not with the trails of tears leaking out of his tightly shut eyes.

But----

But----

“Fuck fuck fuck, damn it. Hiwatari?”  

Nothing.

Fingers still gripping Kai’s forearms; holding them away from his stomach, Boris tries to even out his own breathing as he takes note of his increased heartrate. “Hiwatari you--” but there he stops, because what is he supposed to say? What is he supposed to do?

“I’m going to get you some water,” he finally decides, scrambling back to his feet, ignoring the sharp flair of pain flashing through his leg. “Just stay here.”

But before he can even take a step away from his fallen comrade, Kai latches onto his hand and holds him there. “Don’t,” he gasps, eyes firmly shut and chest heaving. He looks paler than Yuriy and the feverish tint to his eyes when he opens them sends off warning bells. “Don’t.”

Boris shakes him off, albeit gently. “Hawatari--” he starts, but a quick shake of Kai’s head cuts him off.

“It’s not” a cough. “safe out there.”

His coughing seems to be subsiding and his breathing is evening out slightly, but Boris doesn’t feel comfortable leaving it like this. Water would do the idiot some good. Still, he knew how dangerous going out there to scavenge for something would be. The makeshift bandages had already been risky enough. If only he knew the building outline. If he’d just scouted ahead instead of letting himself be railroaded by Yuriy. He shouldn't have even been here, but Yuriy had asked him to, because whether or not Kai liked it, he needed the back up. Especially when dealing with scum like Vitaly.

Still, keeping a close eye on Kai’s sweat soaked figure, and the slowly reddening shirt, Boris could do nothing more than curse profusely under his breath.

“Can you hang on till we get out of here.” It’s more of an order then a question and Kai seems well aware of it for his only answer is a glare.  

“Don’t belittle me Boris,” he hisses; glazed eyes blinking slowly, bottom lip bitten raw and a sheen of sweat coating his forehead. “I can handle myself.” The words come out with confidence despite the waver in his tone and the light shaking of his hands.  

It suddenly hits him like a truck, what he’s been trying to avoid thinking about. Kai desperately needs medical attention or he isn’t going to make it till tomorrow. Somehow that..... he swallows thickly.

An echo of something painful dragging through his heart like thousand knives piercing flesh and Boris finds himself ruthlessly breaking it down and shoving it back to the very corners of his mind.

‘Compartmentalize,’ he tells himself. ‘Don’t think about unnecessary things.’ And just like that the walls come back down and his heartbeat evens out.  

Ok then.

“Do you know the building outline Hiwatari?”

It takes Kai a second to process what he’s just said, and the momentary confusion in those lavender eyes makes something frantic claw up Boris throat.

“Yes,” Kai finally answers; blinking slowly and sinking lower down the wall. “Yes... I do.”

Boris swallows. “Great.” Leaning forward he drags Kai back into a better position “I can work with that.”

He could, work with this.  

They just needed to get out of here. Avoid Kai’s would be killers and somehow depend on the very same; bleeding out, probably dying Kai, for directions.  

Yup, this would definitely work out.  

Reaching out, he taps the other on the cheek, startling Kai awake. “Don’t sleep,” he snaps, and if there is the tiniest bit of fear laced in his words, well, Kai is probably too out of it to notice. “Now, tell me what you know and let’s get out of here.”

Kai doesn’t answer right away. 

And frankly Boris doesn’t expect him to, but damn it, he needs him to. Finally, the other teen’s lips part slightly just to press into a thin line, brow furrowing like he’s struggling to hold onto something just beyond his reach.

Boris resists the urge to shake him. Barely.

''Hiwatari,'' he grits out instead, voice sharp, urgent, because they really don’t have time for this. ''Come on, focus.''

Kai inhales sharply through his nose and lets it out slowly. Fingers twitching against Boris' sleeve; that he's still holding onto Boris thinks. 'He's still holding onto my sleeve,' and he tries not to focus on that, as Kai forces himself to sit up straighter, teeth clenched.

''We’re in the lower east quadrant,'' he says, voice raspy, dragging the back of his hand across his mouth, smearing spit and sweat and God knows what else. ''Maintenance tunnels run parallel under this level.''

Noding sharply, mind already spinning through possibilities, Boris furrows his brows. ''And the access point?''

Kai’s throat bobs as he swallows, the words slower this time, like it takes effort just to keep them coming. Fuck, fuck fuck. How is this happening to them? ''Should be… two halls down, west corridor. Ladder access.''

'I can work with that,' he thinks, dragging a hand through his sweat-slick hair, fingers threading into knots he doesn’t have the luxury of caring about right now. ''And where do those tunnels lead?''

''South exit.'' Kai sways slightly and Boris' grip on his arm tightens before the idiot can slump forward completely. ''Near the docks.''

He pulls himself away from Kai, putting a  bit of distant between them to think, but not too far. He needs to catch the idiot if he falls over after all. ''And you’re just telling me this now?”

Arm falling down at his side, palm up, almost as if his body didn't fully understand why Boris was no longer there; it makes Boris throat dry, Kai slants him a glare, but it lacks the usual heat, tired and worn down at the edges. ''Didn’t think it would be useful until now.''

Oh for the love of everything---- Boris resists the urge to curse him out, really truly, with all the power in the world resists. And maybe half the reason is because they don't have time for that nonsense right now and maybe the other half is because…….fine, whatever, at least they have an actual escape plan now. A way out.

If they can make it that far that is.

He shifts in place, his knee throbs in protest. He barely manages to swallow down a wince.

''Whatever Hiwatari,'' he mutters, clenching his jaw and pushing himself to his feet, ignoring the way the room lurches dangerously around him. He’s running on fumes and pure spite at this point, but it’ll have to be enough. ''Let's just get the fuck out of here.''

''For once,'' the other says, blinking slughly up at him. ''We agree.''

Asshole.

''Shut up, Hiwatari,'' he says, crouching back down to sling one of Kai’s arms over his shoulder. ''Up you go.''

Kai barely stifles a wince but doesn’t resist, though the second he’s vertical, his entire frame trembles against Boris’ side.

Boris swears under his breath. ''You’re fucking dead weight, you know that?''

Kai huffs a weak laugh. ''And yet… you’re still here.''

He flushes red at that, refusing to dignify it with a response because fuck him. Boris is only still here because Yuriy wouldn't ever let him hear the end of it if he abandoned the jerk and made a run for it on his own. Instead, he puts all his energy of violently wanting to dropkick Kai, into getting them to the damn door without either of them keeling over.

When they finally get there, and damn it all, why does everything take so much effort all of a sudden. He presses his ear to the metal again, listening for any movement beyond it. Footsteps, voices, anything that might signal an immediate threat.

Nothing.

For now.

He exhales, shoulders sagging ever so slightly in relief, and he shifts Kai’s weight against him, free hand reaching for the handle. ''Alright, we move fast and quiet. No bullshit.''

Kai makes a vague noise in response, but Boris isn't waiting for a confirmation and is already pushing the door open, leading them into the dimly lit corridor. Ignoring the churning feeling in his stomach that Kai really really does not look good. The man is practically deadweight at his side. Fuck, if he dies---- He violently shoves the thought off a cliff and keeps moving.

Each step is an exercise in patience and pain. Boris can feel the strain in every movement, the way his knee protests the added weight, but he ignores it. They just need to make it to the tunnels. As long as they make it there, their chances increase exponentially. Just make it to the tunnels. They could do that. They had to do that.

Like that they pass one intersection, then another. The halls stretch ahead, eerily silent, too much like a waiting trap for Boris’ liking. It makes his skin crawl to the point he wants to rip it off. They make it about three-quarters of the way there; so far so good, when Kai stiffens at his side.

Boris doesn’t ask. Doesn't have to ask, he knows the other too well. So he just ducks into the nearest doorway and presses them both flat against the wall, his pulse hammering in his ears. Face bent down, only hairbreadth from Kai's ear, listening to his wheezing exhales, the hammering off his heart against his ribs, they wait it out. For a long while they don't dare to move, still as a mouse. The weak grip Kai has on his elbow the only indication the other was still conscious which despite his best efforts, gave him a modicum of relief.

Seconds later, the sound of boots echoes through the corridor.

Boris holds his breath. Feels the minute tremble of Kai’s muscles against his own.

A pair of voices filter through the hallway, close, too fucking close.

''Boss says to sweep this level one more time. Make sure the Hiwatari boy hasn't come this way.''

Boris meets Kai’s gaze and sees the same thing reflected back at him.

Shit.

But also, hold on. Hiwatari boy? The fuck? Disrespectful much. Man he hates Vitaly and his dumb crew.

Kai's grip tightens on Boris’ sleeve then, his breathing shallow; breaking him out of his musing. Ah right. He shifts just enough to glance around the edge of the doorway, heart hammering as he counts the shadows moving down the hall.

Two men. Armed. Focused, but not expecting trouble.

That could work in their favour. Or get them killed.

Boris clenches his jaw, weighing their options. Running is out. Fighting? Even worse. His knee is shot, Kai’s barely standing, and there’s no telling how many more of these assholes are lurking nearby.

He turns back to Kai, keeping his voice low. ''How close are we to the access point?''

For a second there is no response. Kai staring blankly at a spot to his far left. 'He looks half dead,' his mind whispers to him and Boris none too gently tells it to shut up before tapping the other on the forehead, harshly. ''Oi,'' he hisses. ''Hiwatari, how close are we to the access point?''

Finally, finally the gaze shift to meet his own and Kai blinks back to reality. ''Next turn….. Ten, maybe fifteen meters?''

Okay, that is not good. It might as well be a mile with the way his knee is decidedly on a break for the foreseeable future. They need a new plan and fast. Maybe he could leave Kai here and run out to distract them? If push came to shove he could probably take the two of them before they did too much damage or called for help. Make a run for it after? But the question left then was, could Kai make it to the access point on his own without him? Glancing back at the lulling head dangerously close to hitting his chest, nope, that was not going to happen.

Back to square one then. Hide and pray for a miracle. Yay. Didn't help with each second he's wasted, the guards kept on drawing nearer.

Eventually they come to a stop, a stop just short of their hiding spot, boots scuffing against the concrete. One of them mutters something about checking the basement, Boris is just about to leap out and tackle them when---

A static crackle. A voice from one of their radios. ''We’ve got movement near the stairwell. West sector.''

Oh thank God. Boris doesn’t know who the hell just saved their asses, but he could kiss them right now.

The two mercs look to be exchanging a few words before one clicks his radio in response. ''Copy that. Moving in.''

And just like that, they’re gone, footsteps fading as they move down the hall. Boris lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, waiting a few more seconds before nudging Kai. ''Come on. Let's go.'' They stagger forward, moving as quickly as their battered bodies allow. Every step sends a jolt of pain up Boris’ leg, but he grits his teeth and keeps going, half-dragging Kai along with him.

How fucking far is this stupid, annoying, life-saving-----

An, there it is. The access point is exactly where Kai said it would be; a rusted metal grate in the floor, bolted down but old enough to pry open with some effort.

Boris crouches down, biting back a groan as he wedges his fingers under the edge, muscles straining. ''Any day now, Hiwatari, tell me this thing actually opens.''

Kai drops beside him, breath hitching as he fumbles for the edge, missing it completely before giving up and leaning against the wall instead. Likely smearing it with blood too, the asshole. ''It does,'' he grits out. ''Just… needs force.''

After some effort and Kai's incessant whining, he manage to wrench it free, the metal groaning in protest. Cool, stale air rushes up from below. Fucking finally.

"Follow me," he grunts, beads of sweat plastering his hair, nearly covering his line of sight. He couldn't be bothered pushing it back. Instead he swings his legs over the edge and climbs down the ladder halfway before pausing. "Come on," he urges, reaching up.

Kai doesn’t argue. Boris wonders if he's even there enough to argue. But keeps his mouth shut, watching as the other swings his legs over the edge, movements sluggish but resolute.

As he lowers himself, Boris steadies him, gripping his waist to make sure he doesn’t slip. Only when Kai has a firm hold on the rungs does Boris release him, keeping close as they descend.

'This is taking too long,' he thinks but doesn't rush. Rushing will just result in them both falling and if they did---

Boris drops to the ground, biting his tongue not to hiss as his knee jostles before reaching up, ignoring Kai's protest and hauling him down. The other is already leaning heavily against the damp stone wall, breath coming in short, uneven bursts, by the time he's gone up and sealed off the access point again. Boris slides down the wall and drops down next to him, wheezing, trying to blink away the dark spots dancing in his vision.

For a second, they just sit there, trying to put themselves back together.

Then Boris pushes himself up with a grimace. ''Alright, Hiwatari,'' he says. ''Let’s get the fuck out of here.''

Kai nods, a beat too slow, rolling his shoulders as if that alone will keep him upright. It won’t, but Boris doesn’t point that out. They don’t have time and his nerves are too shot at this point to be anything but high strung. He rather not make that obvious.

The tunnel stretches ahead, damp and narrow, the air thick with the scent of rust and stagnant water. Boris fights down a grimace, adjusting his grip on Kai’s arm. ''Which way?''

Kai lifts a shaking hand, pointing south. ''Follow… the main line. Should open up near the docks.''

Nodding once, he starts moving, dragging Kai along which was seriously becoming a habit he was growing to despise. The uneven ground makes his knee scream in protest, but he grits his teeth and forces himself forward. One step at a time. One breath at a time.

Somewhere above them, muffled voices echo. The mercs, still searching.

Fuck.

Boris picks up the pace, keeping his breathing even despite the fire spreading through his muscles. The tunnel is mostly straight, but every so often, pipes jut from the walls, forcing them to weave around obstacles. It slows them down. Every wasted second sets his nerves on edge.

Then, up ahead; a junction. Three paths.

Boris tightens his grip on Kai’s arm. ''Which one?''

Kai doesn’t answer right away. His head tilts slightly, like he’s listening, thinking, before finally rasping, ''Left.''

He immediately turns that way leading them down the left tunnel. It slopes downward, slick with condensation, and Boris barely manages to keep his footing. Kai stumbles once, twice, but Boris yanks him upright before he can go down completely.

''Stay with me, Hiwatari,'' he says, more to keep himself focused than anything, voice echoing against the walls.

''Trying,'' is the response he gets and fuck if a nonargumentative Kai seriously is starting to freak him out.

The tunnel stretches on, but then, finally, the outline of a heavy metal grate comes into view, a faint breeze whispering through the gaps.

An exit.

Relief surges through Boris like few things have ever done before, but it’s short-lived. The grate is rusted, bolted down just like the last one.

Fuck.

And behind them, the distant sound of movement.

Boris doesn’t hesitate. He leans Kai against the wall and crouches, 'Ignore the pain, ignore the nausea, ignore the vomit crawling up your throat. Ignore everything. Focus, focus Boris. You got this.' He wedges his fingers under the edge. He pulls. The metal groans, resisting, but he doesn’t stop. Doesn’t let himself stop.

Kai drops beside him then, and since when had he moved? And why was he moving, he was hurt the fucking idiot. Hands bracing against the damp stone as he adds his weight. Their combined strength is just enough for the bolts snap, the grate jerking free with a final screech of protest.

Boris exhales hard, shoving it aside. Beyond the opening, a narrow spillway leads out into open air. The docks.

A way out.

Fucking finally. Finally. He might have actually cried if such nonsense hadn't been beaten out of him a long time ago.

Instead he turns to grin at Kai, pushing him forward, ''Out.''

Kai doesn’t argue. Just hauls himself through, landing unsteady but upright. Boris follows, gritting his teeth as he pulls himself out, lungs burning with exertion.

The night air hits him like a shock; cool and sharp, thick with salt from the harbour. In the distance, the glow of city lights flickers through the fog, barely visible past the looming warehouses.

And then; a voice. Familiar. Urgent.

''Boris! Kai!''

Boris’ head snaps up just as a figure breaks through the shadows. Yuriy, moving fast, flanked by two officers with weapons drawn. They're making their way down the farthest staircase west of them and---

Relief crashes over Boris so hard he almost sags in place. Almost.

They are safe. They made it. Kai wasn't going to die and he---

Kai’s fingers curl against the back of his neck then, not pulling, just pressing. It startles him. The touch. It's brief, barely there, but it lingers, thumb brushing the scruff of his hair, fingertips almost patting his nape. It brings back memories of the past, of silent gratitude in a way Kai will never voice. 'Oh,' he thinks, eyes suddenly irritatingly itchy. 'Oh.'

He doesn’t shrug him off. Just lets it happen, allows the moment to settle as they watch Yuriy's figure draw closer, before finally exhaling and muttering, ''I'll never be backup for you ever again.''

A sharp laughter that descends into a coughing fit follows and Boris hates how Yuriy arrives just as he's pleading with the asshole to breathe, rubbing his back like a fucking mother-hen.

Fuck, he's so not going to live this down. Especially since this time Kai fucking Hiwatari decides he's done coughing a lung rather quickly, not like before when he'd given him a scare of a lifetime. Wiping his mouth and giving Yuriy a ghost of a smile.

Fuck him.

''Took you long enough,'' he snaps at his friend, shoving Kai into the nearest officer with a scowl that could scare the dead. Ignoring the startled protest.

His friend grins, all sharp teeth and amused eyes. ''Looks like you were handling yourself just fine.''

''Fuck you.''