GOING BOSTAL
4. A Walk in the Dark (part d)
"—chan?"
Kana's eyes flared wide open, and she looked around the room in considerable confusion. It was a small room, with dingy beige walls and a single narrow window. Bright morning sunlight was streaming in through the partially-drawn curtains, which were thin and tattered enough that they wouldn't have done much to keep the daylight out even when closed. She was lying naked on a bed, half-covered by the worn cotton sheets, and... and she stank.
The mattress felt damp underneath her, and the slight breeze coming in through the window tickled Kana's wet skin. Why... why was she wet? What was that awful smell?
Someone was humming tunelessly off to the right; turning her head with an effort, Kana found Anna-chan sitting there on a stool, happily soaking a washcloth in a shallow basin. She wrung it out slightly and turned back to the bed. Her eyes widened with delight when she saw Kana looking back at her.
"Ohayo, Kana-chan!" she said, brightly. "How're you feeling?"
"I... I just feel heavy," Kana admitted, trying to lift her arms, which felt like they were held down with rocks. "And... and sore."
"Well, that's what I'm here for!" Anna informed her, taking the dripping washcloth and dabbing Kana's forehead with it. Kana felt her nostrils flare in alarm at the pungent smell.
"An— Anna-chan!" she protested, weakly, managing to lift her right hand and swat feebly at Anna's arm. "What are you... doing?"
"I'm taking good care of you," Anna said, proudly, "just like Kurai-sama told me to." She pushed Kana's hand back down to the mattress with ease and started swabbing Kana's neck and shoulders with the awful-smelling liquid. "Kurai-sama told me to bathe you with this stuff 'liberally'."
"I... I think you're being a bit more liberal than Kurai-sama intended!" Kana choked, waving her hand in front of her nose as Anna soaked the washcloth in the poultice again. "You... you've soaked the sheets!"
"It's all right," Anna said, lifting Kana's arm and stroking it gently with the wet cloth so that droplets trickled down her white skin and pattered to the floor. "Kurai-sama can always make more."
"K... Kurai-sama?" Kana asked, feeling her cheeks redden. "He made this poultice for me?"
"Hai!" Anna nodded cheerfully. "Woke up bright and early this morning and went down to the markets for the ingredients. He had some business to take care of down at the Docks, though, so he said I should look after you until he and Oukami-sama got back." Reaching across, she pulled the covers down and started sponging Kana's breasts. "Lie back."
Obediently, Kana let her head fall back to the pillow, sighing in relief as the ache in her neck eased. The pillow was warm and soft against the back of her head, and—
Something was missing.
"Anna-chan?" she asked, feebly.
"Hai?" Anna asked, now busily applying the poultice to Kana's stomach.
"Do you know... where my collar is?"
"Over there, in the corner." Anna nodded in the appropriate direction as she drew the covers off Kana completely. Wetting the washcloth again, she ran it along Kana's upper thighs, before pausing. "Legs open, Kana-chan," she said, patiently. "I can't do it like this."
"Oh." Kana obeyed unthinkingly, parting her knees as Anna slipped the cloth between her legs and gently stroked her. It felt good. Soothing. "Anna-chan?"
"Hai?"
"Could you get my collar for me, please?"
"Oh. Sure." Leaving the cloth draped over Kana's thigh, Anna hopped up off the stool and rummaged in the pile of clothes in the corner. "This is it... I think. I don't remember this blue lining."
"It's fine," Kana told her, softly. "Kurai-sama had it made for me while we were out, yesterday."
"Yesterday," Anna-chan said, looking slightly pensive all of a sudden. "You know, Kana-chan, I... I was worried about you."
Kana swallowed guiltily as Anna walked back over to the bed with her collar. "I'm sorry, Anna-chan."
Settling restlessly on the stool again, Anna took her wet hand and stroked it. "You and Kurai-sama... when I thought you were in danger, it just... There was this horrible knot in my stomach that I didn't understand. Kana-chan, I..."
"It's all right," Kana said, squeezing Anna's fingers reassuringly. "I feel the same way about you, Anna-chan. I care about you."
"'Care'!" Anna perked up momentarily, eyes brightening. "Yes, that's how I feel! I think." Lowering her eyes again, she got up off the stool and climbed on top of Kana, straddling her thighs. The soft cotton of her panties and the cool leather of her skirt were comforting against Kana's damp skin. She leaned forward, her soft brown hair falling loosely around Kana's face. "Kana-chan," she whispered. "Lift your head up."
"Huh? Oh..." Realising what Anna was doing, Kana raised her head from the pillow. Anna reached under and drew Kana's hair to one side, fanning it out across the pillow, then gently slipped the collar around her neck, snapping it shut with a satisfying click. Then she leaned forward, her body pressing against Kana's as she looked into Kana's eyes admiringly.
"Is that better, Kana-chan?" she asked.
"Um... hai," Kana said, suddenly very aware of Anna's small breasts pressed up against hers. Anna's bare legs entwining with hers. "Thank you."
"You're so pretty," Anna said, touching Kana's cheek curiously. "And your skin is so soft, Kana-chan. You're always so nice to me. That's why... that's why I..." She blinked, a faint sheen of tears making her deep brown eyes glisten. "That's why I don't want you to leave me!"
"Anna-chan?" Kana asked, baffled, as Anna wrapped her thin arms around her neck and hugged her tight. "I'm... I'm not going anywhere..."
"Ku–Kurai-sama was so upset," Anna sniffled, her face buried against Kana's cheek. "He hurt some people, really hurt them, not like Oukami-sama did... But, b–but Kana-chan, you've got to know that he cares about you, too. That's why he did the things he did, that's why he cried. You... you're such a baka, Kana-chan! You don't show him how you feel! You... you have to— Kaaaaaaana-chan!"
"There," Kana murmured, helplessly stroking Anna's hair as the younger girl sobbed on top of her. "Anna-chan, I... I know that Kurai-sama and I aren't very good about, about showing our feelings, or even trying to please each other, not like you and Oukami-sama. But... but I think I understand him better now. I don't want to make him feel that way anymore. I... I want to look after him, if I can."
"Kana-chan..." Anna wailed, her arms tightening around Kana's neck. Her slender body was writhing against Kana's, the friction both pleasurable and painful at once. Kana just kept murmuring soft nothings, letting Anna cry herself out on her shoulder.
Anna-chan, you're right, she admitted. Oniichan does care about me. That's why he did so much to get me back. He... he would have done exactly the same for you, I'm sure. I... She smiled as a warm feeling of security welled up in her heart. But I feel better knowing he cares. Even if it's not quite—
She could feel Anna's trembling fingers on her collar, reminding her of its presence there. The collar made her his. She was a slave. She was Oniichan's slave. Things just made more sense that way.
And so, oniichan... she thought to herself, fondly, thank you. I... I know how I feel now. I can't tell you – I wouldn't want to impose on you that way – but... but I'll know. I'll remember.
Sighing contentedly, she let her head slip back, still gently stroking Anna's soft hair. Anna hiccupped quietly, clinging to Kana's neck, and Kana smiled. She still felt sore and achy all over. But still... it was better than it had been. Her heart... her heart felt cleaner.
Next: Good Kana, bad Anna