To Coolcat12345: It turned out longer than I had planned and the plot's a bit too scrambled (like way too scrambled) but still, hope it fits the challenge somehow.
Told you I wasn't that much into fantasy so…yep…
Hao's kinda bipolar on this one... you've been warned.
DISCLAIM: I do not own shaman king, Hiroyuki Takei does.
Darkness initialized his vision. A smell of rust filled the air. It felt as if his own flesh was morphing, changing to metal, at the cuffs' cold contact that brutaly contrasted his body's temperature; A heat, which rose along scarcely restrained anger and dripping sweat, took a toll over him. His heavy eyelids slowly slid close as the clock's pulse rang midnight. He could hear mice fighting over his last meal- smashed potatoes and marinated meat, alongside a small bowl of exquisitely perfumed rice, as the maid in charge of his service had timidly explained. He never had "rice" before, but wasn't willing to ask clarification or install any kind of conversation with one of them, preferring to wisely decline the invigorating smell's invitation. It could be poisoned, for all he knew.
Stomach growling, throat ill and bitter, starvation steadily took over his already undernourished body. After second thoughts, maybe he should've eaten when they brought him dinner…
No, he'd never stoop so law as to take a hand one of them offered. Abandon all sense of dignity for such a primitive need as nutrition? How could he look straight into his mother's eyes if he ever did that?
Alas, the stomach-piercing hunger made him feel so fragile, so like them- humans.
Blinking drowsily once, then twice, he leaned forward, ever so slightly, trying to get sight of the food tray he'd left untouched.
It was a complete mess. The servings he proudly snubbed were spilled over the neat granite floor. Varmints feasted, as if mocking the pretention of strength he wore ever since misfortune threw him down the gutters, allowing this despicable world to snatch him away from all he ever knew and loved. All this to meet a past he supposedly forgot, then come face to face with a reflection strange to the simplest fiber of what he identified as himself- a boy who stole his face, twisting it with a foolish smile, an ignorant flair and brown eyes, somewhat kinder than his, looking at his identical features as if gazing at the night sky, longing for the stars.
That boy had the same longing look in his gaze, the same as his.
His mind went berserk whenever his thoughts flew toward the fresh memory of his obnoxious reflection. What was he supposed to say or feel before a stranger with his face? And more importantly why did it give him such a feeling of déjà vu? Was it only a side-effect of habit? He could hardly envision how someone could get used to anything more than the look of their own face staring into the mirror. Yet there was a tad more to it than just that. A part of him had awoken simply to cry out a distant memory, a flimsy link to this "Yoh".
Hao wanted to be whole. He didn't appreciate that look-alike deviding him.
'Doesn't matter,' he innerly sighed. 'There are better things I should be thinking of… like getting out of here without disobeying mother…'
The room he was in was blank, probably a dungeon or some kind of magic-treated confinement room. Some of his special powers were apparently ineffectual between the four rock-strewn walls that formed this bloody cage. He couldn't believe it. They had the balls to cage him. Were they mad?
Half grinning in misplaced fulfillment, he flung his head down. Go figure; they wouldn't offer him a decent bedding after the show he put on at their meeting.
His abductors' little family reunion had started out as pure agony for him. All those strange, curious faces, filled with what he separately identified as disdain, remorse, suspicion and the oh-so-satisfying fear that practically filled his sensory receptors. He couldn't help it. Humans' irrational fear at the sight of any 'abnormality' was just too comical for him not to enjoy. Fear was their fuel, their motivation to kill and meddle, not only in each other's business, but also in the supernatural community's dealings.
'Supernatural…that means abnormal, huh? Obviously the only ones normal would be scum of their kind.'
An elderly man, stern to the core of his old bones, had explained that he'd been kidnapped about three weeks after his birth. At first, Hao didn't believe a word he said. His speech was exasperatingly long to hear while the assembly around them stared at the two like there was no tomorrow. They all waited on edge, anticipating his reaction. However, to their dismay, there was none; which only reinforced their discomfort toward his presence and probably set their minds on getting rid of him while they got the chance.
How stupid; did they really think he was an idiot, a blindfolded victim? Of course he knew Asanoha wasn't his biological mother, and was quite aware that those who'd been brought up in the fairies' universe then reunited with their original people were likely to be executed. Their deep relationship with magic and the like turned their existence into a threat. They endangered the local stability. Additionally, the fact that they could never fit in and live apart from the wonders they were accustomed to witness reassured their murderers- if they were to live, they'd only be miserable and probably go insane, so why bother?
He knew it all so well. In the end, he was human.
A disgusted snarl drew itself upon his features. It was said that truth hurts; for him it was merely revolting. Be that as it may, he had to accept it, embrace his identity as to better fight against the basic instincts his humanity was sure to drag about, as some of the elves phrased it.
Elves, humans, whatever one's to name it, were the same. They all attempted -in a way or another- to force him into adopting their strange believes. The only difference was intelligence. Elves had proven themselves to be the superior specie. Their understanding of the nature surrounding them and, most notably, their inability to outer lies made them more trustworthy than their rivals. No matter how crazed a fey might be, Hao could still handle their behavior better than humans'. Their logic made sense to him. As for wars, the endless state of combat meant to preserve the numerous species out there, well, honestly, he couldn't care less. The only one he wished to preserve, to protect, was his mother, Asanoha.
And because of them, he couldn't.
Stomach growling yet again, he cursed the world, the heavens, this family he never wanted. Though, he shouldn't think of his abductors as such. They weren't his family. His family was shot dead by a single silver bullet into a heart which carried no one else but him. Asanoha was shot dead protecting him, saving him, always for him, because of him and by their hands.
He would've killed them. He was about to. Just one spark, a simple command, and they would've been dead if it weren't for him. That boy, Yoh, barged into the room he was held in, side by side with a blonde girl who disturbingly resembled his mother.
It was like meeting an alter-ego in a highly messed up dimension where he'd smile whole-heartedly, cut his precious hair into messy chestnut strands and yell out "Brother !" to someone –himself?- who had the firm intention of burning them all to carbonic nothings.
Hao would've found this quite amusing, funny or at least interesting if seeing that fool of a clone hadn't been one of the most brain-stirring experiences he'd ever had. For a still to be explained reason, seeing that face, which was his own and counterpart, lost him any control he had over his body and actions. He screamed in agony at the flow of information hitting his nerves, successfully brushing off his freewill while the clone froze, his smile fading and blending into a traumatized expression.
Hao, for every single ounce of humanity in his body, felt like a monster.
Fire wrapped his frame. A bloodthirsty cry erupted from deep within his guts. He wanted that boy to vanish so badly. The chains tackling him turned to dust. An apocalypce was about to catalize within him. He had no doubth. His hand reached forward, arm strained, ready to kill.
Hours later, he woke up, in this grim dungeon. He must've fainted.
Marveling at his lightly scorched finger tips, he wanted to throw up at the sound of the chains' clanging. What had happened was far worst than any life-endangering scenario he could've fallen victim to. That boy, his twin, had almost caused his sanity's doom. The sight of him had almost crushed his will, turning him into a mere container to all the hateful, selfish thoughts human hearts constantly generated.
He was still so weak.
His brain was like a city during one of those outrageously loud festivals; as if a carnival of parading desires filled his consciousness beyond the brim. The headache was hardly bearable. It was getting tough to plug the thoughts saturating his skull off.
Pressing his tongue against his crispy, chapped lower lip, the copper flavor of blood flooded his taste buds. It was meloncholy. The last time he'd tasted fresh blood, it was Asanoha's.
Unable to find rest, yawning, he remembered her flowery scent, her delicate touch, that tic she had to ruffle his bangs, tainting his cheeks a fading shade of red, and how she wasted her last breath to protect his chest.
His heart seemed to squeak at the memory of that fraction of a second when the goblins attacked the two of them during a random walk in the woods. He had begged the elf to go out, for once exit their underground lair together, and leave the elves' discreet community to gaze at the stars. He wanted his mother to adhere to the moon's hypnotizing serenity the same as he did.
But it all went so terribly wrong…
Asanoha never understood why Hao adored the night's sky; why he asked their local blacksmith to create star-shaped earrings just so that he could wear his obsession proudly for all to see. Why?
Their world, their universe, was marvelous, everlasting and splendid. It was the flower of magical spells and secret myths. The opening doors to imagination's wildest fields. No one was to seek more. No beauty was to overcome that of the bliss they had. She appreciated the asters beauty, but couldn't relate to this massive obsession of his. He was different, different in so many ways. She loved him. He was her son, her star. She had to admit her fear. Up there, beneath the sky, some could try to steal him, precious treasure.
She couldn't stop him, so she dragged along when he asked her to.
Somehow, each night, the sky called out for her little boy as if it had an appointment with his longing soul. As if it tried to fill the missing part of him, reuniting separated halves. She didn't want him to go away. She was his mother. No one was to contradict her when her heart, believed to be cold and uncaring, only beat for him; just to protect her imperfect angel.
Not so long ago, when his body was much frailer then it currently was, when he couldn't run and jump, disobeying her every order, when his dark locks were merely a small puff of hair covering his soft baby head, she took him into her arms, sealing her being to his from that random moment on.
The day she found him, a baby's feverish cries had interrupted her midnight promenade, leading her hasty steps toward his biological parents' house.
The traditional Japanese estate was falling apart as hell's flames licked the wooden walls. The scene was nearly impossible to detail, however, she clearly remembered spotting two cribs in the center of the rapidly evolving inferno and hearing, not so far away, a woman wail, screaming at the top of her lungs and yelling unintelligible syllables that fell, muffed by the fire's furious crackling.
A charcoal-black pole fell to the ground, missing the leftmost crib by mere inches. The infant's high pitched cries rang throughout the momentary silence that seemed to take over her mind and, for some reason, she found herself marching toward them, flames dispatching to allow a clear path to her light footsteps. Bending over the sobbing sound source, she made eye contact with a human baby. At first glimpse, she couldn't help but think of it as the smallest human being she'd ever had the pleasure/displeasure to meet.
Asanoha had a reputation of being quite open-minded and somewhat curious about humans and their strange, fascinating ways. Humans could lie, fooling their own flesh and blood to achieve their own selfish desires. She expected the best, but mostly the worst, from them, uninvolved creatures. Until then, she had never seen such a miniature specimen, though.
"There, there," she cooed. "It'll be okay."
Her hand carefully approached him. The tot stopped his wails abruptly, staring at her with pitch black irises that splendidly reflected the fire tongues' choreography. She took an involuntary step back.
Was it fear? She wasn't a coward to chicken under a human infant's glare.
'S…Ta…take h-him.'
Her golden pupils widened, leaning against the crib to make sure her hearing wasn't playing tricks on her. The baby fixed his fiery eyes into hers, turning his bubbly head to the right. Following his gaze, she noticed the second crib. It had been so quiet that she'd assumed it was empty. Yet, to her surprise, a small figure, identical to the previously-wailing child, was silently falling into the grim reaper's tender grip. The second baby's cheeks had lost their peach color to a bluish shade; the rhythm of his breathing was dangerously degrading. This kid was dying, she concluded, untouched.
'Take him', the plea echoed within her skull. Those words were the strange infant's only wish at the moment and, somehow, he unintentionally managed to transfer his dwelling desire to protect his dying twin into her. That was a basic form of telepathy.
What kind of human beings was this kid, exactly?
The flames flickered higher, threatening to engulf what was left of the estate's frame at any second. She had to move, not to burn. Her arms found the still-conscious child first, before approaching his lookalike. Except, she never did catch hold of him; a long-haired man had erupted into the blazing room just as she was about to. His face monstrously deformed by fresh second degree burns. He stared at her, at the son snuggling close to her breast, and then fled out, carrying the near-dead newborn with him. Without further pondering, she imitated him and rushed down the forest's heart with a wailing specimen pressed tightly to her torso.
The twins had been separated.
No one was surprised to see her journey's yield. It wasn't uncommon for female fey to abduct human children. Her acquaintances presumed she'd be carrying some safe experiments on him to satisfy her unhealthy curiosity. They were correct, at first. For she soon cared for the child, who was named "Hao", as her own.
She loved him as the most devoted mother would. Her researches revealed that he was a special kind of nature magicians, a shaman able to communicate with the souls of the dead, and that he had a remarkable affinity with the five elements, fire most notably. Furthermore, he had been gifted with reishi, the ability to sink into others' minds and thoughts. That was more of a curse than a gift.
The elves' community welcomed the toddler. His adoptive mother was quite the prestigious personage, after all. He grew into a healthy, yet desperately isolated, boy. He wouldn't even play with other human brood,which deeply worried his adoptive mother. He was bright, strong, adventurous, stubborn, at times silly and always lonely. Something was missing. He dreamed of another life, of someone whom he couldn't recall.
He soon realized he couldn't be his mother's biological son. He questioned her, felt guilty when his inquiries brought her grief or pain, and thus learned to keep his questions to himself. Still, he wondered why he couldn't go outside more frequently. Why his mother slapped him whenever he took a peek into people's minds. That ability was a part of him, so why not use it?
He didn't understand until he eloped into the human world. He thought it would be a chance to clear things out before returning to his mother's side and, indeed, it was. He figured the answers to a few urgent questions: he was human, a disgusting, selfish being whose mind was filled with pathetic sentiments of gluttony, greed and envy.
There were thousands of them and just one of him. He couldn't stop their overflowing thoughts, their atrocious schemes, the ache, the madness, all their despair at the overpowering calamity they had created. It crushed him and he would've perished if Asanoha didn't, once more, come to his rescue.
After that, he kept his mouth shut, only smiling before his mother and underneath the stars.
Currently, his mother had most likely passed away. Hao was captured like a mindless beast inside this cell where the moon's gleam barely penetrated the narrow prison window. His gaze flickered toward the heavy door, glaring coldly. He just wanted to blow it open and get the hell out of this nightmare.
As if on cue, said door was gently knocked, then creaked open, to reveal the one face he absolutely did not wish to encounter again.
A 'hi' was tempted.
Hao couldn't believe it.
Yoh carefully entered the room where his grandfather had put his long lost twin brother. He briefly watched the rats eating on the dishes that had been brought earlier that evening then, slowly, almost fearfully, his dark eyes settled on the prisoner sitting cross-legged a couple feet away. Hao had his head down, to avoid seeing him. He was wearing a beige poncho, reddish leather trousers, a pair of fingerless gloves crafted of the same organic material and heavy star-shaped earrings. Over all his appearance was eccentric; pushed further with his long strands of silky hair and the smooth bangs that fortunately covered the upper half of his face. Yoh wasn't ready to look into those inflamed eyeballs that were –as far as he could tell- the most significant corporeal divergence between him and this twin with whom he'd barely reunited.
He took a seating on the not-so-hygienic floor, shifting uncomfortably in his position for a while. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't thought about it. He simply felt like going in to see his agitated brother after the conversation he held with his parents and grandparents. Many arguments were tossed, but he eventually convinced them that killing their own son would be a shameful crime. They had already admitted their culpability of attempting to end Hao's life when he was barely a few days old, so maybe this was their chance to repent…? Or, perhaps, they were just too intimidated of the teenager's powers.
Yoh had witnessed those alleged powers display. It was terrifying. As soon as they'd met, flames started pouring out of Hao's body like a spontaneous human combustion, creating a sort of protective dome around his shouting form. It was about to blast at everyone surrounding them as the lot stood powerless; even Anna, his super extra-blood-chilling beloved was unable to stand up to the mad blaze.
If Hao hadn't abruptly collapsed, they would've all joined the heavens by now.
"They won't kill you", he tried, receiving no reaction in return.
'Well, that was that', he thought, finding it a bit difficult to keep any cheerful veil on. He knew his uncooperative interlocutor could read his mind like an open book and that did not appease him the least bit. He had always been clumsy with inner thoughts .Without the correct phrasing, he'd most likely pass as a fool.
"You are a fool."
His head jerked up. This was the first time he heard his sibling's voice.
'He really did read…'
"Say what you have to say and get out", came the order, struggeling between gritted teeth.
Yoh silently observed his adjacent double, momentarily wondering if he could ever look as dark and gloomy. His mere presence really did jolt pain into the other boy's brain. He could see him battling against god knows what, as if his head was about to pop off into crazy fireworks. It made him feel guilty, hurt, at the fact that he harmed the brother he'd searched for ever since a stray spirit narrated their separation's story a few years back.
He had almost lost hope of finding him when they unexpectedly received a report of goblins' attacks in the south-eastern district. By the time they got there the goblins had been killed and their executer, a beautiful female elf, was left to agonize on the red-soiled grass. A blank-eyed, long-haired, thirteen years old human boy, drenched in the same crimson liquid tainting the earth, sat unmoving beside her corpse. The elf had been shot- one silver bullet to the heart. They were too late.
Not too late to put the survivor to sleep with non-toxic sleeping fogs then take him into their custody, though. Yoh assumed he ought to apologize for that.
A mildly stressed gulp; a sheepish smile; he scratched the back of his neck. "There're so many things I'd like to ask you that I'm just …not sure what to begin with…"
Hao was close to lunacy. He was going to blow up. Why did this person set off his reishi and suspicions out of his control? This was torture. His mind didn't take kindly to it.
'Tsk…Just spit it out already and leave me alone.'
"I'm sorry she died…your mother, I mean."
Oh! She died.
Quietness washed over him, both outside and inside his mind. Even now that she transferred into a world beyond, the mere mention of Asanoha could still appease his troubled consciousness. She still came to his rescue.
She deserved a better son, Hao thought.
He tiled his head up. That fake was staring at him with such a gentle expression. It irked him to see his face showing such weakness.
Sometime, fae would beat a person half to death for showing such a dorky smile. They said it was fun.
Hao, too, would like to have fun.
"Who were they? " he asked neutrally.
Yoh paled, much to Hao's liking. The snipers, the ones who aimed at Asanoha , the Asakura knew who they were. They were a strong international organization whose purpose is the elimination of all supernatural creatures in the name of their divine laws and that impostor maiden of theirs – The X-laws.
The calm tone didn't hide the vengeful aura vibrating from the prisoner. Yoh didn't want or have to say it. Hao had his answer.
"X-laws… what a pathetic name", he slowly rose, standing erect, a wicked smirk twisting his young features. "Sounds dumb as hell."
He'd cruch them like coachroacks, because Hao was Hao and Vendetta had such a sweet aroma to it-The kind that could bring the dead back to life, the kind he couldn't let go of.
Yoh stiffened, uncharacteristically serious. The one before him wasn't just a researcher with magical bonus up his sleeves. He was a person brought up in a surreal environment. Someone cursed, capable of what the crowds would call miracles and, beyond anything else, he craved his enemies' souls.
"I won't let you kill them… sorry". The chestnut stood at guard in front of the closed door. His adversary was restrained but he guessed it wouldn't last long, not if Hao had decided to unleash his stored wrath.
"My, what a noble hypocrite protagonist you are", a chuckle, "you know, I got why you mess with my brain the way you do… it's just that you remind me of her."
Smiling faintly, Hao rejoiced in a brand new sensation of freedom. He acted as a good child far more then he should've. He accepted his fate and abandoned himself to such a lowlife state for days because of his mother's order not to use his "devilish" abilities, not to kill. Asanoha could be so weak at times. She refused the idea of him murdering any living being, no matter human or not. She even refused to let him eliminate those greasy goblins, preferring to tear them apart herself. "No matter what, never use your shaman-craft again", she once said.
Well, she was dead so he no longer cared. She couldn't protect him from his own demons anymore. That's the price of freedom – having no one to care for, no one who forever would strive to save his soul.
He had to get rid of this copy standing in his way for he gave off the same vibes as her. A feeling of forgiveness, acceptance and selflessness that upset him the most.
How could someone be so blind as to disregard the whole load of nonsense that filled every creature stamping above this planet? Didn't they feel it? Was he the only one aware of how rotten they all were? How rotten he was?
He hated that laidback face that was the exact image of his own, those jolly eyes and every single thing about this Yoh-brat who turned a murderous switch within his brain on. If they were twins, then why did he have to be the one doomed to see the truth? He wanted to kill him, torture his soul out of its charnel envelope, beat the air out of his bloody lungs to kill off this empty felling that threatened to take on his sanity for good. Living, he might become his new jail keeper and replace Asanoha in her grimy job to preserve his heart throughout the unending vivid noise.
'I'll kill you'.
Swiftly sprinting forward, he cut the distance between them to its original half, excavating the cuffs nailed to the floor with unimaginable ease, throwing a precise punch toward his twin, sharp eyes shining with dancing sparks and the rage of a caged animal that unexpectedly broke free, launching itself on its guilty capturer.
His manacles combusted into nothingness allowing his, now unrestricted, hands to wrap around his prey's neck; pinning him to the stiff wall, smirking inhumanly.
"I'm not your brother", he whispered, his face brushing against a wide-eyed Yoh's cheek ", I'm your worst nightmare. I'll twist your brain till you're no longer. You'll vanish far before you even die, otoutou"
Backing away, he allowed his startled opponent to stumble forward positioning himself into an improvised defensive stance. Hao wore a carnivorous cocked grin. He could burn this guy and get it over with, but there was nothing fun in such an easy end. He wanted to steal his last breath and watch him choke under his grip. It be wonderful, like committing suicide only getting the pleasure to see the play from the culprit's point of view. Nothing made much sense through his rage but he didn't mind setting off a fight he was sure to win hands down.
A kick through his ribs knocking the air out of his lungs, a punch cracking his jaw line, Hao's knee harshly coming in contact with his abdomen bending him in two, another hit right in the middle of his vertebrae sending him crashing face flat on the ground. It all went too fast. Yoh could only make out flashes of blurred movements and the long dark tresses swaying and occasionally fluttering with each of Hao's technical strikes.
A sneaky side-blow practically threw him flying to the spot where the rats had been previously enjoying the wasted meal. He dropped sore with a bone-crushing thump. He couldn't help but wonder why the violence. It felt as if his flesh was being ripped off his muscle-tissue. His legs were as good as jelly and his intestines threatened to spill out of his blood-flooded mouth. He couldn't scream out, if he did, someone might come down and interfere. That would be the end of it. He had to keep everybody, including his attacker, safe. This was a brothers' battle.
He cursed under his unsteady breath. He had never been good in body combat. He could've stood a chance if he had his katana with him but, even then, winning against someone who's going for the kill was a long shot.
Nevertheless, he had to act and quickly. He struggled upright, dashing at his terrifyingly joyful opponent's direction.
Hao's sadistic grin overwhelmed his skinny face. He rushed, welcoming their soon-to-be-clashing impact, thrust his elbow in an attempt to break Yoh's nose, only for the later to manage a rare dodge and punch him below the jaw. A first hit to which he was ready to retort when firm arms wrapped around his frame pulling him into an improvised tight hug.
"What the fu- Get the hell off me!" he roared. 'No, no, no, NO! Back off!'
This couldn't be happening. The closer this bastard got to him, to worst the reishi's gush got. If it kept going like this he'd rather set his own mind on fire then be so utterly powerless against those humans' influence. He swore he could hear it all, their past, future and present. They all longed for the same self-absorbed dreams that united to cramp his consciousness and send his personal entity to some shadowy asylum.
"Damn it let go…!"
The shorter-haired brunette only clung harder to him, bringing the both of them closer than they'd ever been since leaving their true mother's womb. "You're sick of it, right?! Being constantly hunted by everyone's thoughts and expectations! Dad told me about your powers. He told me that you were the one who started the fire back then 'cause they wanted to kill you, a damned child! A demon child! They still want to; they still want to kill you!"
The gloved fist dug into Yoh's guts. He took a drowsy step back, coughed his ribcage out, hands sliding to massage his sides for a second as Hao clutched miserably to his head pressing against his temples. Each of his cerebral cells pained him more viciously then any wound that could ever be physically inflicted could've.
'This isn't supposed to be happening. We shouldn't be suffering. I'm here to save you', determined, the injured teen flung ahead, wrapping his bleeding arms about Hao's debating silhouette.
"I won't allow it! I'm here to save you just like you saved me back when were too young to even value our own lives!"
"What are you babbling on about, bastard!? Get off me I say!" No, he should turn him to ash and get it done; "don't do it" Asanoha's plea echoed through him, stopping his initiative.
What the…hell…
"You don't remember it. I didn't either but Matamune told me all about it!"
Hao flinched, cuffing him away. 'What does that cat have to do with this?'
"He told me how we separated," a blood-filled cough cut him off. Hao just kept on his hitting rampage. Yoh was sure his lungs wouldn't take it much longer. Nevertheless, he once again tackled his brother, causing both of them to fall down in his desperate last resort. He couldn't give up yet.
"Matamune said that, unlike what grandpa claims, you weren't the one responsible for the fire but the nature spirit protecting you and you protected me! You tried to control the flames to no use so you cried for someone else to take me to safety. That's how Asanoha found you and how I lost you!"
'What the freaking hell is he talking about? This…! Isn't a lie. The noise's getting hushed.'
"I won't have it this time." Yoh's voice wavered, arms clutching harder to the figure beating him off. "We're twins; we share the same blood and fate. If you're evil- a demon child- then so am I. If they want to kill you, they'll have to kill me as well. If you try to kill them, I'll find a way to kill you and join you in hell. I don't care where you end up. I'll always be with you even if you don't want me to… You'll never be alone again. We'll never be lonely… just let me show you a world we both could understand!" his eyelids shut tight.
"Please, Hao. I promise everything will be okay."
This was the end, Yoh thought. He barked desperately dying to reach his twin's heart. He used up the options that were at hand and had no idea as what to do or say anymore. He had always been one to rely on words, attracting others with his optimistic speeches in which he, truthfully, often didn't fully believe. However words were nothing to a person like Hao who could easily dive past all he pretended to be; mere words couldn't possibly …
Strange, he felt oddly…stable. He blinked. Hao had stopped striking him. Did that mean…?
"Get off." Hao ordered in a chillingly calm tone, all traces of anger leaving his voice.
"I…I can't."
He exhaled softly, 'such a mess'.
The young Asakura kept lying down, too exhausted to pull himself up now that the blows ceased targeting his vital organs. He smiled weakly, catching his breath as his replica did the same. Muscles relaxing, grips loosening as if those underestimated clichéd words had worked in a lullaby's fashion, calming an agitated child's fears. Yoh nearly sniggered. ' Hao was so similar to a child…with terrible mood flips', he self-added, wincing as his most likely broken ribs stung his core. Coughing, he stained his assailant's ear and a few silky tresses a deep crimson with blood-mixed saliva.
Sighing, Hao blinked away some of the sweat and blood tainting a great part of his brow and left cheek while his abdomen rhythmically rose then fell under Yoh's weight. "Great, now my hair's filthy".
The shorter-haired brunette grinned sheepishly despite how desperately painful it was to move his jaw the slightest bit. "Sorry, Nii-chan".
Another soft, almost exasperated grunt escaped his split lips. "Don't call me that, I was just about to finish you, and I'd still do it if I have or want to."
"Okay, Nii-chan." Yoh difficultly rolled to his right, taking his body off his brother's.
They kept staring at the stone ceiling for a while, the floor suddenly gaining a refreshing quality against their skins, especially Hao's. His being felt as if ablaze which happened to be quite a curious and blissful sensation. He'd played with fire, mastering the flames for years yet, somehow along the way, he forgot how it felt to burn; not physically but spiritually. It appeared that a long lost light had resuscitated within his chest… What a joke!
He almost snickered at this utmost ridiculous state he'd been cast in : his mother was dead, he had to cope with a void and twisted world which already stung his mind, a bunch of strangers turned out to be his long lost "family" and he had a twin who completed his sickened personality believing in sweat "everything will be okay" pep talk.
Everything will be okay?
He brought his forearm to cover his gaze as his lips slightly curved into a hardly hidden smirk. Yeah, everything was going to be okay for sure. Whatever deity out there wouldn't allow the worthless charade this world was to subsist eternally. He'd just have to put up with it. For now, and despite how unbelievably corny it was, he had an otoutou to look after.
A dozen shimmery lights appeared out of the blue, hovering over the injured brunette then delicately landing on his skin as if childishly kissing his pain goodbye. Yoh shot his slyly smirking Aniki a dozed glance before feeling both his internal and external wounds heal like they had never been there to start with.
Full of renewed energy, he jumped to his feet excitedly. The grin that spread on his features from ear to ear hardly suited for a guy who had just taken a pretty merciless beating."You healed me!" he declared happily.
"Don't mention it".
Hao blinked at the hand outstretched toward him then at the annoyingly cheerful face of its owner, "wanna go stargazing?"
Half-smiling, his bloodstained hand grasped the offered help, "sure".
"Hey, Aniki, do you…".
"Tsk, What?"
"Do you believe in destiny?"
'How dramatic.'
"No".
'Or, maybe, just a little'.
Inwardly to the two, within their privet chambers, the Asakuras skeptically mused on how much longer they could wait before taking any drastic measures.