Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin chu, or the characters/story/anything related to it. Nope, not at all.

Warnings: n/a

A/N: Again, it's not too hard to anchor when it is (hopefully). Hrm, yeah, I might be implying something in this one; you tell me.

Locked in a Cage
03
(Each Other)

Himeka's voice was a murmur to Jin in his current state. He latched onto it as, other than that, all he had to focus on was the burning pain that seemed to course through his veins - one that seemed to reach the very edges of his existence.

If he was forced put it in simple words: 'it hurt, damn you all'.

He could feel the brush of a cool hand across his face, accompanied by a dampened cloth (it felt so cold that it seemed to blend with the pain), before both settled over his forehead. The weight lessened as Himeka pulled her hand away, yet left the cloth where it was.

Jin wanted nothing more than to take her hand and thank her: how many people did he know would get out of bed in the middle of the night to tend to an injured person?

(There was only Himeka and Michiru, it seemed: Kazune would have just waved him off for the next day, and Karin? Well, she was great and all, but he wasn't too sure about her ability to care for the sick and injured…)

Despite the (rather unbearable) pain, he could hear her voice, talking to Michiru – whether it was about him or something more general, he didn't know (although a part of Jin hoped it was about him, loathe for him to admit it).

Then there was another touch; light, against his shoulder (the one not injured) and familiar to him. He could guess what Michiru was saying…

"Sorry I couldn't have been of more help."

He tried to smile, although he could have done without the straining face muscles, but it seemed to be enough. He felt the weight of the bed shift, before someone took his hand, intertwining their fingers easily.

It wasn't long before his other hand was taken and squeezed reassuringly, as he slipped into the realms of sleep.