To Walk Down the Paths
"Ah, so this is how it all ends, huh?"
That was Mukuro's voice. He sounded rather sad. He didn't like hearing that tone in Mukuro's voice. He had thought he had gotten rid of it completely.
He had to open his eyes and check on Mukuro. But why was it so hard to do? Open damnit!
"It's a shame I didn't get to finish my work. Oh well, at least this life was more fun than I thought it was going to be. Being human for a while wasn't all that bad."
What was Mukuro on about? He had always been human, fucking crazy yeah, but human. He needed to see the expression on Mukuro's face, to call out to him, to know why he sounded so...
Sad.
But his eyes wouldn't flicker and open, his lips wouldn't open, his voice cords wouldn't thrum.
'Mukuro. Mukuro!"
"Ah, so the puppy has joined me too. What a shame." Mukuro chuckled softly.
Good, Mukuro had noticed him eventually. Now if he could just get his body to listen to him.
"Kufufufu~ it always was funny to watch you struggle, whether due to mental challenges, fighting against an enemy, or struggling against the binds I placed on you. You expression was exquisite."
Che, if he could move he'd give Mukuro a whack on the head for that comment. Or maybe glare at him unamused.
A sigh came from above. "Kufufufu, your efforts are futile, puppy. That will never work. You can't move something that isn't even there~."
What?
What did Mukuro mean by that?! He couldn't move what wasn't there? That was preposterous, of course his body was there! He wasn't in any pain, which meant everything was still attached.
Mukuro sighed, but instead of being amused sounding, this one sounded almost... painful.
"The dead have no need of a body, Hayato."
Hayato froze. What had Mukuro just said? Dead? No. No way. That couldn't be! He was alive damnit! He was conscious and aware, he was thinking and coherent. He wasn't lusting after souls or blood or brains, not a mindless drone.
He couldn't protect Juudaime any longer if he was dead. He had sworn not to die to Juudaime and himself. Dying would make Juudaime sad. Dying would make Juudaime cry. Dying would cause Juudaime pain and he'd never, NEVER do that.
There was a soft touch against his cheek.
"I know it is hard to accept, but trust me when I say that we are no longer among the living. You need to accept that fact Hayato."
No. He wouldn't. He. Was. Not. Dead.
Mukuro's hands held him, wrapping around him and shifting him and... and... Mukuro was hugging him. Something was wrong, Mukuro didn't do this often.
No... no...no! He wasn't dead... He wasn't... he...
He opened his eyes. Although his vision of Mukuro was a little blurry.
"It's okay to cry Hayato. I would imagine crying is a suitable reaction to finding out one is dead." Mukuro said, voice soft, patting his back.
Hayato didn't want to cry though, no matter how sad he was about being dead. In fact, he was more frustrated than sad- there were still so many things he had left to do: make up with his sister; tell Shamal that he did actually appreciate the man; to tell Lambo that he'd grow into a fine man; to finally see his Old Man once more and tell him how he felt about his mother's death and murder.
To stay by Juudaime's side and protect him. To continue to watch Juudaime do the impossible and change the Mafia.
To finally, once and for all, calmly and seriously, without any kneeling and headbanging, with quiet, meaningful words, tell Juudaime how thankful he was for Juudaime saving him, that Juudaime was a wonderful strong man, the epitome of a Sky, that Juudaime should be more confident in himself.
He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.
"How are you so calm about all this?" Hayato asked, after clearing his head of such sappy thoughts.
Mukuro smirked confidently, the look a normal one on his features, "This is not the first time I have died, nor the second or third. I know that the cycle will continue forever onwards. When I leave this place I'll become a bird or a demon or an angel. Or maybe I'll become a hungry ghost. I wouldn't mind collecting revenge and more on those that killed my precious puppy."
Hayato blushed and looked away. "As nice as that sounds, I don't like the idea of you as a ghost." He paused for a moment before quietly adding, "I think it's kind of sad that you are so used to death."
"One gets used to almost anything if exposed to it enough." Mukuro replied with a shrug.
"So we're really dead?" Hayato asked quietly, more calm this time around.
"Yes my dear. The two of us are no longer a part of the Path of Humans."
Heat and Flames. The sounds of bullets and explosions. Hot blood trickling across his body, gasping breaths. The fangs of a Box Weapon at his throat.
Hayato shook his head. He didn't want to remember.
"When you re-enter the Path of Humans that memory will fade. Most of your memories will disappear." Mukuro explained, clearly seeing the pain and disgust cross Hayato's features.
The howls of Hell Hounds. Screams of madness and terror. The thump of a body hitting the ground. A shouted scream- a name- was that his voice? Blood on his hands- Mukuro's. Cold fury and boiling passion. Revenge. Rampage. Black.
Hayato blinked and looked once more at Mukuro. He wanted to move his hand, to caress Mukuro's cheek, to check for injuries and pain and kiss it all better.
"Oya oya, how cute of you puppy." Mukuro chuckled, running his hand through Hayato's hair. "I told you, stop trying to move what is not there. Stop trying to consciously move your body. You are nothing more than what humans called a 'spirit' or 'soul' here."
"Where are we anyway?" Hayato asked. So he had to stop thinking?
"I believe most humans call this place Limbo. It has many different names in different cultures. It is merely a waystop before one starts on the next Path. It looks different each and every time. I do believe this decor is inspired by your tastes rather than mine."
"I wish we weren't here." Hayato sighed, finally figuring out how to move and returning the hug Mukuro had given him.
"Kufufu~ everyone dies Hayato. Humans are rather fragile creatures after all. The cycle would not be much of one if we lived forever. The world would be such a boring, stagnant place."
Hayato supposed he couldn't argue with that. Death was an essential part of Life. His life hadn't been that bad, he supposed. A little short sure, but rather action packed. Gave a new meaning to the phrase 'enough action for one lifetime'.
"So... what happens now then..." Hayato hesitantly asked. He didn't want things to end or change, but they couldn't stay here in this room forever.
Mukuro stood and Hayato followed suit. "I go my way and you go yours. There is nothing more to it than that. The process is painless, I assure you." Mukuro smiled as if that was supposed to be funny. Hayato didn't find any of this funny.
He watched as Mukuro took a few steps backwards away from him.
No.
"Where are you going?" Hayato asked, hints of desperation creeping in.
Mukuro shrugged. "I do not know, although not back to the Path of Humans, I know that much. You need to walk that way Hayato." Mukuro pointed to a red door a few paces behind Hayato. "Go back to the Path of Humans, Hayato. It's what you do best after all. Being Human."
Hayato had taught him how to be human after all. Hayato was very much human, fuelled by emotion, always struggling, determined to forge his own path. Mukuro's view of the Path of Humans had been changed by Hayato, and by Tsunayoshi and Chrome he supposed. There was light and purity in that dirty world. It was just rather hard to find and even harder to keep. The World seemed to like giving those special people a hard time.
Hayato looked over his shoulder at the door behind him. Maybe he would meet Juudaime again if he went through that door. The thought was tempting, very much so.
Mukuro turned his back on Hayato and walked towards the door. "This is where we say our goodbyes, my puppy. I have enjoyed my time with you immensely. I hope that our Paths will cross again someday."
It would be a shame to leave his darling puppy behind, he truly did love Hayato. But it was exactly because he loved Hayato that he would not ask the other to remain by his side. He would not subjugate Hayato to the life of a Path Walker.
Mukuro opened the door, staring into the inky blackness, watching as his hand disappeared through it.
"I wonder where I'll end up this time?"
Why did Mukuro sound so...
Lonely.
No.
Hayato watched frozen as Mukuro continued to disappear into the utter blackness. The rest of his hand and arm, his shoulder, legs and torso, his demonic right eye and sapphire blue one, his sinful lips and devilish tongue, his other shoulder... arm... wrist...
No.
Going... going... going... and gone.
No!
"Fuck it, Mukuro!" Hayato shouted, finally unfrozen, running across the room, hand outstretched and diving into unknown dark. His fingers brushed against something, latched on and pulled.
"I am not. Leaving. You. ALONE!" Hayato shouted as he pulled.
The fight was hard, the dark thick and determined to keep Mukuro within its clutches. But Hayato wouldn't give up. He wouldn't leave Mukuro with that kind of expression on his face.
"Mukuro, you bastard, get back here before I kill you again myself." He growled, glaring with all his hate at the blackness keeping his love away from him. This Limbo or whatever could fight all it liked, but he was keeping Mukuro for himself.
Pull harder, harder, harder...
"Oooof."
"Ouch."
The pair ended up in a tumble on the floor, Mukuro sprawled on top of Hayato.
"What did you do that for, you fool?" Mukuro hissed, glaring down at Hayato with two blood red eyes, fangs easily visible behind snarled lips.
"What was I doing? What the hell do you think you were doing? Leaving with such a pathetic face?" Hayato shouted in return.
"I was trying to make this as quick and painless as possible. Why didn't you walk through that door? You could have seen your precious Juudaime again." Trust Hayato to make this as hard as possible.
"I don't want to see him!" Hayato stated.
Mukuro scoffed. Knowing his puppy, he probably thought he had dishonoured Tsunayoshi or failed him and should never see his face again. Something utterly silly and incomprehensible like that. With a growl he stood and picked Hayato up, carrying him towards the red door.
Seeing where they were heading, Hayato struggled and bucked in Mukuro's grip.
"I won't go! I want to stay with you!"
Mukuro stopped, looking down in astonishment at the man in his arms.
"Silly puppy, you obviously didn't hear me correctly. Your dearly precious Juudaime is behind that door. It's where you belong. There will be no going back if you follow me." Hayato's wellbeing came before his selfish desires.
When they started walking again, Hayato resisted, eventually punching Mukuro across the jaw and escaping his hold, running back towards Mukuro's door.
"I don't care. I want to stay with you. I l-l-love you idiot, more than I do Juudaime."
And wasn't that a statement coming from the puppy- known as the most loyal Right Hand in the Mafia.
"You don't want to follow my Path Hayato. It will change you, you might end up becoming more like me."
Hayato didn't think Mukuro meant the more demonic appearance Mukuro had taken on- although it was rather cool in his opinion.
"I won't. All you've ever seen is the dark and dirty sides to the Paths and I'm determined to show you there's good things there too. You wanted to destroy and change the world, but I'm going to change yours. You deserve happiness Mukuro, and I want to be the one to keep giving it to you. You were happy with me, right?"
Mukuro looked away. He couldn't deny he had been 'happy' with Hayato, his puppy, his possession. Hayato had changed him, for the better most would say.
It would be nice... to have a partner to walk the Paths with.
"Heh, that's all the answer I need." Hayato scoffed, looking smug and assured even though Mukuro hadn't said anything- after so long together, he had gotten pretty good at reading Mukuro.
"Hayato, no. I won't allow it." Mukuro said, standing firm. Hayato should not live a life like he has so far.
"Tell me no all you like. I'm doing it anyway."
And with that Hayato stepped through the door.
A few moments later he felt arms wrap around his waist and a chin rest on his shoulder. Even though all he could see was black, he knew it was Mukuro.
"You're such a stubborn puppy." Mukuro sighed.
"I thought you knew that by now." Hayato laughed. "It's why you like me, right?"
Mukuro sighed. "I do not need reminding of all the reasons I fell in love with you Hayato. You're making me want to reconsider them."
Hayato just laughed. "So, I'm guessing we're going to the Path of Demons next, judging by how you looked. You'd better teach me some tricks. Do we get to learn magic, or something like that? Or get superpowers, because you know that'd be awesome, right?"
Mukuro sighed and tightened his grip, concentrating more on making sure they didn't get separated than on what his idiotic loved one was saying.
Looks like this would be a very different trip down the Paths. Maybe a much more enjoyable one.
Or at least, Mukuro hoped.
Don't ask where this came from. Who knows what my brain comes up with at 2 in the morning *sighs*.
Phantom Hitman 1412
First Published 14 Sept 2014