A routine was finally being established in the Parker home that Mika had come to enjoy. While Gen, Don, and Kana were all at work, Mika would do his studies, simultaneously catching up and working on the new material. At first it had been hard and he frequently got headaches, but after a while, it all began to make sense and his grades reflected that. Even his professors noticed and applauded his efforts. 

He had begun physical therapy not long after returning home, and he was improving everyday. Gen didn’t have to help him up the stairs very much, even though there were nights he did still carry Mika because he wanted to and Mika loved being in his arms. At first, after his sessions, he was in so much pain, he would lay on the sofa and cry, being comforted by either Kana or Gen. The day he got to get the leg cast off and he could wear a brace, he almost ran up the stairs but he knew better. He just wanted to beat Gen to bed.

That was the night they started having sex again. They had managed to find other ways of handling their frustrations with their mouths and hands, but when Mika could feel Gen inside of him again, it was the greatest experience they had enjoyed in a long time. Gen was still careful about holding Mika too tightly, even when Mika assured him it was fine.

A week before his birthday, Mika finally got his arm cast off and received an arm brace that he absolutely hated. It itched and was as uncomfortable as the cast, just not as heavy, but the doctor told him if he wanted his arm to heal properly, he’d wear it.

It was about a week or so before that when Don asked him what he wanted for his birthday.

To be plowed until I can’t walk for three days.

“Really, I don’t need anything,” Mika said. “Honestly, I’m fine.”

“You’re going to be seventeen, though,” Kana said. “There must be something you want. Plus, if you’re going to refuse me a party, at least let me plan a big dinner or something for us and our friends.”

Mika narrowed his eyes. “Nothing huge?”

Kana held her hand up. “Promise.”

“Fine, as long as you don’t go crazy,” Mika relented.

Gen shook his head. “You will come to regret this, Mika Torino.”

Gen and Mika were at the mall trying to decide what to get Kana for her birthday when Mika heard his name being called. They both turned to see Julie hurrying up to them. They exchanged a look and were about to turn away when she caught up to them, taking Mika’s arm.

“Hey, I heard what happened, I’m so sorry,” she said. “How are you doing now?”

“I’m fine, Julie, thank you.” He instinctively drew closer to Gen, though he wasn’t sure why. Julie had never been a threat to him. Even after they had seen her at Seth’s the day they got Kelly’s things, she had still been nice to him in class. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since the Spring semester ended. So why was he on his guard with her now?

“Good, I’m glad to hear it,” she said with a smile. Gen noticed it was insincere and didn’t touch her eyes. “So, how’s things going with Kelly these days? I haven’t seen much of her lately. Is she taking Summer classes with you?”

She’s digging. Gen put his hand on the small of Mika’s back, his eyes hardening on Julie’s face. 

Mika understood. Usually when Gen did that it meant he was starting to feel uncomfortable and needed to leave. However, the mall wasn’t crowded and he knew Julie somewhat. This time, he was telling Mika to be as vague as possible and to leave her quickly. In a way, her presence alone made Gen uncomfortable. Mika also noticed little tells in the way Julie’s eyes kept flicking around almost imperceptibly, her breathing was shallow and her palms were sweaty. 

“She’s fine,” Mika said. “I’ll let her know you asked about her.”

“Oh, well cool, thanks,” Julie said, her face falling. Her mission had failed.

“We need to get going,” Mika said. “It was nice to see you, Julie.” He and Gen turned to go, being careful not to go too fast so she wouldn’t think they were trying to run from her, which they were.

“She’s dangerous,” Gen said quietly, his low voice almost a growl.

“She’s Seth’s spy,” Mika agreed.

They hurried out of the mall as fast as Mika’s knee would allow and headed off to a different store. Mika pulled out his cell and shot a text to Kelly.

Julie stopped us in the mall. She was asking about you. We didn’t tell her anything. Be careful.

When they arrived home, Kana immediately grabbed Gen and took him to her room, shutting the door quickly, leaving Mika standing in the kitchen alone and dumbfounded. He walked into the den and kicked his leg up, lying down on the couch, happy to finally be off his knee. He let his right arm rest over his eyes, the brace removed, and exhaled loudly. His birthday was in a couple of days.

Seventeen. I’ll be seventeen…

His mind went back to when was fourteen, just a couple of years ago, and he had attempted suicide. Despite what everyone else believed, it wasn’t the first time he had attempted to end his life; it was the third. The first time it had been with sleeping pills after the brutal rape in front of his mother. Jo had found him and made him puke them all up before Thomas got home from work. 

“What the fuck were you thinking, Mika?” She had demanded to know, angry and shaking with fright. He had thought she had been scared for him, now he wasn’t so sure. Had she even been shaking? The mind was a funny thing and memories could get distorted. He did know she was angry, that was for sure. 

She had slapped him.

His chest constricted and his breath caught in his throat. 

No…she hadn’t slapped him…she had punched him and thrown him into the tub. 

“You’re so fucking stupid, Mika Torino! Did you really think that was going to work? Fucking retard!”

He had cried…she slapped him then.

A tear ran down the side of his face into his ear.

She had told Thomas and he punched him in the stomach.

His hand went to his stomach and he gripped his shirt with a trembling hand. How many times had he been punched in the stomach over the years? He had lost count.

“Pull that shit again, I’ll kill you my goddamn self,” Thomas snarled.

His mother snickered. “I’ll be surprised if you live to be a teenager at this point.” 

The tears came hot, landing on the couch and the floor, his arm pressed into his eyes.

The second time he tried, he was thirteen and it was with his mother’s pain meds. He’d tried doing it at the park this time so she wouldn’t find out. Someone else had found him, though, and took him to the ER where he got his stomach pumped. When he was asked where he got the medication, he said he got it from a friend. There was no way he was going to risk getting his mother caught for something he did. When she picked him up from the hospital, she had said nothing on the way home. Not one word. 

When they got home, however, it was a different story. Thomas was out of the house again, scared off by another suspected DV call by the neighbor.

No, he was in jail that time…

 She sat him at the kitchen table and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He thought it was for her…

“If you wanted to get loaded so badly, you could have just asked.” 

There was no glass. She pulled his head back by his hair, jammed the mouth of the bottle down his throat, and made him drink. He choked and coughed, spitting the booze everywhere. He vomited, he cried. She didn’t care. She released his head, giving him a chance to breathe.

His throat started to hurt and he put his hand around it, remembering how bad that whiskey had tasted, how the vomit burned as it mixed with the alcohol.

She wrenched his head back again. He begged her to stop, promised he wouldn’t do it again. 

“Shut the fuck up, stupid bitch,” she had sneered. “Drink. Drink it all!” She poured the rest of it down his throat. He tried not to swallow it but failed. She threw his head forward, making him puke all over the table. His head swam, his vision was blurry, his whole body felt numb. He puked again. He tried to stand up but collapsed to the floor and passed out.

He felt the bile rise in his throat, felt the need to throw up but he swallowed it down. Did she do that ever again? He didn’t remember…

The final time he tried was with the razor blades. His mother acted the part in the hospital but her eyes were cold.

“Why can’t you fucking kill yourself properly, you stupid faggot?” she demanded in his ear when the medical staff was out of the room. 

“Why did you bring me here if you wanted me to die?” he had asked. Big mistake. Her eyes went wide and her eyes shot with blue flames. He was going to pay when they got home.

It wasn’t Thomas that had grabbed his arms. It was Jolene. She hadn’t just grabbed, she had twisted, ripping the stitches open. She threw him in his room and slammed the door shut. He had to stop the bleeding with a couple of his shirts. He tried to tape the wounds shut. Thomas came home, slammed his door open and grabbed him up by the hair, and shoved a knife in his face.

“What did I tell you, huh?” he shouted. “What did I fucking tell you, you goddamn cocksucker? Try again and I kill you my fucking self!” He cut him across the ribs.

Mika slapped his hand against his ribcage on the long jagged scar, a small sound of pain escaping his throat.

He cut him across the chest.

His other hand went to his chest, feeling his heartbeat pound with fear. He couldn’t open his eyes…he couldn’t make it stop.

Thomas had the knife to his throat when Jo stopped him. “Knock it off, he isn’t worth it. The policy lapsed again.”

“You got lucky this time, half-Jap fag.” He threw Mika, bleeding onto his bed and slammed the door shut. 

Mika squirmed, his body on fire with pain. 

She punched him.

She kicked him.

She strangled him with the belt.

She laughed when Thomas stomped on his hand.

“You really think Gen’s gonna save you now?” she taunted, kicking his phone across the room. “Please, he’s gonna take one look at you and vomit. Just fucking die already, Mika. Save me the aggravation.”

He was dressed now…he was going to find Gen. She threw him into the wall and held his face, his jaw on fire. “The policy just renewed,” she sneered.

Thomas came in with the knife.

“Did you have to stab him that hard?” “My life was never in danger, Mika. For fuck’s sake.”

He began to scream.

“Can you shut him up, I’m getting a headache.” She rolled over in bed. Thomas put his fingers in Mika’s mouth as he violated him.

“You heard her, shut up.”

He screamed louder.

“Thomas, what are you doing to him? Fine, just keep him quiet.”

“You should have died along with Yuki!” she said as she threw him into the wall.

“You’re nothing to me, just fucking die already!” She took the potato peeler to the back of his leg. 

He screamed louder.

“Mika! Mika, wake up!”

“Mika, wake up, wake up!”

“Die you piece of shit!”

“Die!”

“Die!”

“FUCKING DIE ALREADY!”

With one final scream, his eyes snapped open to see Gen and Kana holding him as he thrashed around on the floor, terrified, tears in their eyes. His screaming devolved into sobs. 

“She–she tried to kill me–she beat me–she got me drunk–she hates me–she had a policy–Genya…Kana…she tried to kill me!!” He grasped desperately at Gen who held him tightly to him, Kana holding from the side. “She helped him!” his voice screamed from Gen’s shoulder. “She helped him! She let him rape me!” He screamed and sobbed, his nails digging into Gen’s back.

“She can’t hurt you anymore, baby, neither of them can, I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m right here…I’m here, Mika…” Gen said gently, as tears streamed down his face. 

Kana kissed Mika’s head and stroked his hair as the three of them rocked on the den floor, surrounded by Mika’s plushies and the pictures of Ben and Ana they had taken.

“She’s never going to touch you again,” Kana said. “Never, sweetheart. We love you. We’ll take care of you, we’re your family. You’ll never be hurt again.”

“It’s okay, baby, I’m not going to let you go,” Gen said in his ear, kissing him over and over again. “You’re safe. You’re safe with me. I’ll take you away from here. Anywhere you want to go, if that’s what you want. Away from all the pain and all the bad memories.”

Mika’s sobs began to ease, his grip on Gen’s back easing. His body went limp and Gen sat back and cradled him like that night so many months ago. Kana sat in front of them, stroking Mika’s hair as he hiccuped and cried silently into Gen’s chest, his arm around his neck as though he were hanging on for dear life.

Kana and Gen looked at each other, their eyes wide with fear.

“What happened in that house?” Kana whispered.

-*-