{Room 23} ~Arx~

Rio was at the stage doing his normal business. Clean up, dust up, cheer up, and fix up. That's all he ever did in Tempus. Clean this. Clean that. Do this. Do that. Back and forth. Back and forth. Day by day. What for? Rio did it for himself and his old friends who were here. Who helped him grow. Who aren't here because they left. Left him all alone. Fighting his fear of being alone.

Rio had a lot of those after Navy died. Fears that is. What is fear? A reaction to something that is creepy or hard to explain? A way for people to express things they don't like? A way to express things that don't make sense at all? All that Rio knew was that fear was everywhere. The fear of being alone especially. It hit him hard every day and every night. That was until Kalyan came and made Rio's fears disappear. He was no longer lonely. He had Kalyan, who experienced some of the same things as Rio had. The loss of Naveen Casovnik was one of them.

Actually, Rio is still kind of afraid of things, but Kalyan smooths those fears out and make Rio feel safer than he was. Rio has many fears, almost as much as that one girl in the 63rd games. Fear of death. Fear of losing his love of his life. Fear of being alone by himself. Fear of being locked away. Fear of small spaces. Fear of falling in love. Fear of snakes. Fear of drugs. Fear of The Hunger Games. Fear of being reaped. Fear of dying alone. Those were most of Rio's fears. There was only two people who could make him feel safe and forget about those fears. They both had the same last name and they are Kalyan and Naveen Casovnik.

Rio had heard around lunchtime about Kalyan. He was one of the last to actually find out. Rio had only been told Kal was shot. Shot by someone. Whoever this someone was, Rio just wanted to kill them. Who would want to shoot someone as nice as Kalyan? Apparently Kal got himself in some trouble. Rio was rushing out of Tempus in a worried fury. He was worried about Kal, his best friend, almost like a brother to Rio. He was angry because who ever did this had to pay and also why Kalyan was so stupid to get shot.

Once Rio made it to the hospital, he went straight up to the desk and slammed his hands down hard, scaring the woman. Rio didn't give a shit though. He spoke as fast as he could. "I am here to see Kalyan Casovnik!" The lady just looked up at him and frowned. Rio began to bite his lip. Was something wrong? The lady spoke up right after. "Kalyan is in room 23, down the hall, and the 23rd left."

Rio went right into the hallway, staring at all the medical people running around frantically, which is quite normal, since they have to treat most people. Rio, finally, reached the door and just stood there. The fear of what was going to be on the other side of the door, swallowing Rio up. Causing his back to shiver and his body to quiver and the sweat go to his hands. The fear of what Kal looked like on the other side of the door, hooked up to the machines that crept Rio out. Rio began mentally adding two fears, Seeing Kal hurt, and Hospitals.

Rio reached for the handle. Twisting with the fear of sweat rolling down his face. He opened it and walked in. Kal laid on the bed in some ugly baby blue apron thing, hooked up to something most likely for pain. Rio felt the tears prick his eyes as he viewed Kal's body. Rio slowly moved towards Kal who laid on the bed, staring off somewhere. Rio pulled up a seat by Kal and sat down on it.

Rio moved his hand slowly to Kal's face, pushing a hair out of his eyes. Then, Rio intertwined his other hand with Kal's hand. Now the tears poured down Rio's face. Rio squeezed Kal's hand a bit too hard probably. Rio's head fell on Kal's chest and Rio let the tears pour then. Kal was in the hospital and Rio couldn't save him. Rio couldn't help him. It was pathetic. Rio felt pathetic. Rio spoke as clearly as he could. "Kal.... I... I am so sorry I let this happen. I should have watched you. I should have made sure you were ok. I promised her I would look after you. I failed. I fucking failed someone again. I'm so sorry. Kal, you're like a brother to me... I don't know what I would have done if you got shot in the head or chest and died. I dunno what I would have done with myself. I hate this feeling. This feeling of fucking despair and the feeling of missing a piece of myself, just because you are here injured. Kal, I love you. I love you so much and if you ever leave this world.... I will probably fall into a pit of despair, that.... that I would never escape. Kal.... I love you..."

Rio's face was red with tears now. The Bloodshot eyes were appearing much bigger. Rio wouldn't know what would have happened if Kal was shot in the head or chest and died. It would cause Rio's problems to worsen. He just picked up confidence from Navy's death. Kal would just break Rio's heart if he passed. Rio would have lost another person close to his heart, but Kal lived. He was fine, but still, when someone he loves is in pain, Rio can feel it. See it. Wince from the sight of it, because it's just too painful for him. It shows that Rio wasn't there to help them. He wasn't there to protect them. Rio would take a bullet any day for the Casovnik's.

Rio lifted his face and stared at Kal now. The boy hadn't done anything yet and Rio just put his head back on Kal's chest and let more tears fall. Kal was his friend. His brother. His promise. His best friend. And his savior. Kal had saved him in his time of need and now Rio needs to save Kal in his time of need. If Rio went back into a slump, Kal would be there, by his side, 99% of the time, to help him get through it. That's what brothers were like. Rio never had a brother, but Kal was the closest thing he had to a brother. He would never give Kal up in a million years. Kal was Rio's savior and now Rio needs to help Kal through his mess. His mess of a life, that Rio is a part of. Rio kept his head to Kal's chest listening to his heartbeat. The tears still freely flowing. Rio's hands still intertwined with Kal's. The jobs were now reversed and Rio has to be strong now, not only for himself, but for Kal too. Rio just had to be strong, strong for Kal and Tempus...