Fallen stars and fanboys // closed, in progress

[rideonmyharley]

WHO: Kia WelBehenna, Ken Hidaka
WHAT: Recognition at an unlikely place
WHERE: Outside Muraki's clinic
WHEN: day 185, around dark

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[artiglio]

Out of the darkness, came the roar of another motor cycle, this one a newer, and most likely cheaper model compared to Kia's. It pulled up in front of the clinic and stopped. Its owner put down the kickstand and dismounted. Leaning easily against it, the rider pulled off his helmet and shook out his brown hair.

Ken gazed at the building that formerly housed his sometime employer. He hadn't worked with Muraki for very long, but his impression of the doctor was that he was a good man, and didn't deserve that kind of fate. He bowed his head for a moment in silent contemplation.

[rideonmyharley]

He raised an eyebrow when he heard the other engine and pushed his goggles up to rest on his forehead. Who else could be visiting this place tonight? Kia turned to look at the bike. Newer, but he liked his antique just the way it was, even if repairing it was a bitch and a half sometimes.

Once the other rider's helmet came off, Kia chuckled. In person, it was infinitely easier to be certain that he'd been right when he said that a certain "dead" goalie was in fact alive and well. And now he was very near Kia. "If you're dead, does that make you a ghost or a zombie to be standing there?" he asked, no malice in his words, just amusement.

[artiglio]

A sigh escaped his lips. It looked like he'd have to find yet ANOTHER second job. The pay from the Tea shoppe and Elena's rent came close, but wasn't quite enough to cover the bills from the twice abandoned building he called home. Maybe he should consider getting more boarders.

Ken started. He hadn't noticed anyone else was there, and even if he had known, he wouldn't have expected those exact words to be said. Turning away slightly, he answered, "I don't know what you're talking about." He had thought running to Italy was far enough, but apparently he was wrong.

[rideonmyharley]

He laughed softly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. For someone who's supposedly dead, you look pretty healthy and sad tonight. Only matters to me 'cause I miss watching you play. Used to bet every night before your team played and I usually made nice money from it."

Kia pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit up, still smiling.

[artiglio]

Ken ran for the door, his stomach still doing flops. Normally, he had an iron gut for gore. Hell, he'd sat through some of Elena's movies, and those were pretty bad. But real life is much different from film life. You don't get the smell, nor the sheer horror of someone you trusted pretty well turning out to be a monster seeking to emulate Jack the ripper.

Once outside, he stopped right by the door and sank down near the concrete steps, his knees wouldn't support him anymore. Ken swallowed thickly, running over the picture in his mind. Why would someone like the doctor do something like this? Who was the poor sap in the trash can, and what had they done to deserve something like this.

But there was one question that rose to the top of his mind, that he just couldn't bear. Would he turn out a monster like Muraki, considering some of the things he had done since coming to Italy and discovering the docks.

[rideonmyharley]

Kia didn't last much longer. The police would find that when they investigated the place, and they'd hopefully find out who those fingers belonged to. He'd seen some crazy things before, but that had to be towards the top of the list.

Once back outside, he took a few breaths and rested his hand on Ken's shoulder. "You okay?" he asked, voice completely serious for once.

[artiglio]

With a nod, Ken took a deep breath and tried to relax. It didn't help at all really, but it was worth a shot. "I've been down to that basement a bit to put boxes down there, but never very deep.... It... It hadn't smelt like that then." Talking. Talking was good. Distracting. It would get his brain moving again, and out of the nauseating horror that he felt at the moment.

He looked at Kia. His eyes were sad, sick, and hurt, full of betrayal. His conviction was shaken, and although he'd like to find excuses as to what it all might actually mean, it was hard to think of them at this moment.

[rideonmyharley]

He listened and kept his hand where it was. Hopefully Ken wouldn't blame him for being the one to find this. The other man could have simply not taken his challenge, could have insisted that he didn't need to prove the doctor's goodness to anyone who didn't know him. But since they'd gone down there, there was no way to unsee anything now.

"And I figured the worst we'd find was a kinky playroom," he remarked, seeming mad with himself. Kia met Ken's look. The only way he knew to distract cute guys from their confusion was probably something unwanted right now, so he stayed quiet for a moment.