A/N: I figured I'd repost this as my 'first' fanfic on this site (First posted on AO3, by Escapist_Art - that's me). Sort of as a way to set the tone for the type of writing I plan on posting. There are two parts to this, here story.
If you're interested in reading more of my works that aren't necessary 'fantasy' related, you can visit my profile page for info. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Please do let me know what you think. =)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke or any of its characters.
-o0o-
"Weave yourself into the Tapestry. Complete this task and we will grant you the Rights. Complete this work and you will restore the one who has broken our laws for your sake."
-o0o-
They watched in silence as the bundle was consumed by blue flames that burned hotter than anything he'd ever felt. Though he'd become familiar with the odour of burning flesh, Tetsuya couldn't help wincing at the mingled scent of smoke and flesh, and the slightest hint of cinnamon. He stared at the flames as they consumed the, now, hollow vessel his beloved had occupied, shedding no tears. There was no use in crying, it was a wasteful act that provided no comfort, eased no guilt. He should be tracking the movements of the remnant whose presence he'd grown to know so well, but it didn't sit well with him to leave without fully acknowledging the life that had passed. The thought that someone so present, so dignified, so alive could be reduce to a cold, lifeless heap of flesh and bone in an instant, never failed to wreck him.
"Shouldn't you be going?" asked a voice from behind him, before he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to meet his friend's eyes, shades darker than the ones he longed to see. "We'll stay and collect the ashes."
"I can't leave yet, Kagami-kun," Tetsuya declared, returning his gaze to the cremating body. "It won't feel complete if I leave now." He'd been through this more times than he cared to remember, but his heart never ceased to ache at the loss.
There was a chill in the air that seeped into his body and numbed his soul, despite the layers of clothing he wore. They continued to stand in silence, his friends offering no words of sympathy or comfort. Why would they? This was nothing new for them; the burning of the mortal body that signified the end of one life and the start of another. When the body had been burned entirely, and all that was left was ash and sorrow, Tetsuya began making his way back to the town, leaving Kagami to collect the ashes as he was not permitted to.
"You should hurry," Aomine's deep drawl followed him. "You'll lose the trail if you stick around here too long."
"I know," Tetsuya replied, not turning to look at his friend. They walked together in a silence that was as heavy as it was cold, like a blade pressed against his throat.
"How long do you plan to keep this up?" Aomine asked, voice even and sober.
"As long as it takes, Aomine-kun," Tetsuya replied, somewhat resolute. He had been close this time. Tetsuya turned to look into the deep blue of his friend's eyes, hoping he didn't look as defeated as he felt. Aomine eyed him for a moment and parted his lips, then closed them again, rethinking the words he had been about to say.
"What is it?" Tetsuya seldom missed a thing and he could sense that Aomine wanted to say something, something he wasn't meant to know.
"Nothing. Just don't take too long, Tetsu. He doesn't have forever. Not anymore."
-o0o-
Tetsuya sat on the high-backed chair in the small office. The man seated in front of him levelled him with a steel-grey gaze, occasionally looking down at the pages on the desk, asking him questions about his past experience. He had none, to be honest, but he'd lived long enough to know how to fake these things.
"Your credentials are impeccable," the interviewer said. "And your references all seem to think highly of you. And, from your profile, it seems you would be perfect for the job." Tetsuya stared at the man impassively as he waited for the older man to complete his statement. "Especially now that the Lady of the house is about to give birth. It is for that reason that we've decided to take you on a trial basis, see how you fair with the family." Tetsuya allowed himself to smile, small and polite, appropriately placed. "When can you start?"
"Next week will be perfect," Tetsuya replied. "Unless you need me sooner." He didn't want to appear too eager, nor did he want to seem indifferent. This was the first time he'd ever had the opportunity to be near to the remnant from the time it was reborn. Being this close would make things easier for when the time came. He would also have time to prepare for the next Judgement, instead of spending precious time trying to track down the one he had promised himself to.
-o0o-
It had been three days since the Lady of the house had returned from the hospital with her infant child. She'd been holed up in the nursery since, giving Tetsuya little chance to confirm his assumptions, though he could sense it in the deepest recesses of his being. Instead, he'd spent his days doing the jobs he had been employed to do; serve the Master of the home, clean the study, dust the trophy cabinets, run errands, and serve the well-wishing guests that arrived by the truck load.
After another long day of carrying out menial tasks, Tetsuya stumbled into his room, a little tired, but mostly anxious to steal a peek at the newborn in the house. After bathing and dressing for bed, he sat on the floor of his rooms, papers spread over the floor in front of him. There were also books, old and weathered, on which ancient script had been scrawled. The overhead light was off, so the only light in the room came from the four candles around him. Tetsuya inhaled deeply listening attentively to the rhythm of his own heartbeat, the flow of his blood, and the buzz of something foreign within him. The awakening of it had been a gift from his beloved. A gift that had become a curse.
It was that foreign thing that he reached for now, plucking off a small piece - sparing a moment to savour the familiarity of it – and shaping it with his mind. When Tetsuya was comfortable with the feel it, he opened his eyes, what he saw was not the room his body was in, but an endless stretch of black. He held up the small ball, watching as it hovered above his head, before he began to form it, not unlike a sculptor working a mound of clay. Tetsuya remembered the pattern that he'd formed at his last Judgement. It was the most logical place to begin, since Midorima had said that that attempt had been his closest yet.
He shaped the ball of matter into curves that twisted in on themselves, sharp edges that resembled the jagged teeth of a shark, and smooth, wavy lines that reminded him of a gentle mountain stream. Tetsuya stood back, taking in the scene that had formed and, using his memory, laid it over the image he had to arrange his own work into.
It frustrated him to know that he just couldn't see it. His lover had seen it, because he would not have given up all he had to chase something that was not. The others obviously did, or they wouldn't be putting up with his constant failures. But Tetsuya never could. Not quite. Not entirely. He sighed, taking one last look at the scene he'd woven before he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was in his room once again, books and papers still scattered over the floor.
-o0o-
Though he'd often had the chance to view the newcomer to the household from afar, it was three months after the Lady's return that Tetsuya found the opportunity to be near the child. It was late at night and the entire house was silent. He had slipped out of his room without a sound and made his way up one of the winding staircases that led to the second floor. The house was large, ostentatiously so, and old, having housed many generations of this family, but this didn't intimidate Tetsuya. He felt the remnant, sought it out with single-minded focus. When he arrived at the room, he stood outside the door for a brief moment before entering.
He swiftly made his way to the crib in the middle of the room, not wanting to waste any time. Sneaking about the house in the middle of the night would be a difficult thing to explain if he were caught. He hovered over the crib, a small smile forming at the sight of the child. Pale skin. Red hair. Lips slightly pouted in deep sleep. The Master of the house had given him a name that would fit in with the family's traditions and legacy, but there was no denying who this child was, had been, and would always be. Akashi Seijuurou.
Tetsuya had planned to only look, drink in the familiarity of the remnant that emanated from that tiny body, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching down and running the pads of his fingers over the soft, soft skin of baby Akashi's face. His fingers lingered for a moment, before he tore himself from the crib and made his way back to his room. He slipped into bed and drifted off to sleep with the memories of the lives he'd shared with Akashi.
-o0o-
With every hope that accompanied Akashi's death came the sting attached to his rebirth. Every time his lover died, he was reborn with no memories of the past, no memories of his true identity, no memories of Tetsuya. This was the way things had been prescribed, so each attempt was a new slate.
But Tetsuya remembered. He lived with the pain and loneliness of being forgotten, and the burden of trying to rouse Akashi's memories. It had been difficult, but over the years, Akashi's resolve had begun to defy the rules set by the Keepers. Tetsuya was unsure if this was a good thing, but he was thankful for it and overwhelmed by Akashi's trust in his supposed ability.
-o0o-
The years rolled on as Tetsuya continued to work in the service of Akashi's new family, becoming one of the boy's caretakers. The development of his mark for his Judgement was slow, if at all existent. There were times when months would pass without him even touching the power within him. It was during one of these dry spells, on a cold night, that there was a knock at his door. At first Tetsuya thought he had imagined it, returning to his books without even thinking to check the door. But it came again; a quiet rapping at his door, followed by a small voice that called his name.
Tetsuya blinked, confused, before scurrying to the door, wrapping a thick robe around himself as he opened the door. Standing there, in pyjamas bearing the image of his favourite cartoon character, was an eight-year-old Akashi.
"I can't sleep," Akashi declared before Tetsuya could inquire.
"Where is Yagami-san?" Tetsuya asked, referring to the boy's minder. The old woman slept upstairs in a small room close to the boy's own, making it easier to take to care of the child.
"I don't want her," Akashi replied petulantly, reaching his hand out to grab at Tetsuya's wrist. "I want you. Come." The child's grip was surprisingly strong and the tug was forceful.
"Wait," Tetsuya protested. "Master-"
"That is an order, Tetsuya," Akashi interrupted, not turning to look at his caretaker. Tetsuya relented, allowing himself to be led up the stairs and into the boy's bedroom. Tetsuya smothered the smile that played at his lips; Akashi never changed despite the lives he lived. He watched as the boy moved a chair to his bedside, grunting his exertion at the task. The boy removed his slippers and crawled into bed before patting the seat of the chair he'd moved. Tetsuya complied, seating himself and reaching out to stroke the boy's hair, more out of his own indulgence than to offer comfort.
"Tell me a story." Tetsuya hummed at the request – no, the order – placing a finger on his chin for emphasis. "Please," Akashi added.
"Very well," Tetsuya relented, reaching over to pull the covers up to the boy's chest. "I'll tell you a story about the gods who ruled time."
-o0o-
The first time they had met was centuries ago, in a time of war and bloodshed. The attraction had not been instantaneous. If anything, Tetsuya had been quite put off by the pompous, arrogant red-haired commander that had protected and led his clan away from invading rebels. Later, Akashi had told him of how he had thought Tetsuya was purposely defiant, during their first days together, in an attempt to attract his attentions. Tetsuya had laughed at that. Despite their differences, they were able to forge a semblance of a friendship that later developed into something that would change their lives for all eternity.
Tetsuya, predictably, had not believed Akashi when the latter had confessed his true nature and identity as that of a Keeper. Keepers were the things of myths and legends, not the sorts of things that army commanders were to entertain. Akashi had insisted, but Tetsuya had continued to brush it off as a result of trauma from the war.
One time, though, Akashi had had enough of having his proclamation disregarded and mocked, so he had decided to show Tetsuya – an impulsive move on the Keeper's part, Tetsuya would later come to learn. In the middle of an eatery, as he glared at Tetsuya, Akashi stopped time with a simple wave of his hand – as though flicking away a fly - while the other hand held onto Tetsuya's.
Tetsuya had stared at the frozen scene with as much expression as his face would ever give, blinking only once as though the scene would be lost to him if he shut his eyes from it for even a moment. Akashi smirked at him, before unfreezing their surroundings and removing his hand from Tetsuya's, who had only been able to blink once more, letting the new information settle in his mind.
-o0o-
"I had a dream," Akashi declared, sitting up in his bed as he watched his caretaker walk across the room to open the curtains covering the large window that overlooked his family's estate. Tetsuya hummed, acknowledging the young master's statement. "I dreamt I could stop time." Tetsuya's hand stilled as he turned to look at a fourteen-year-old Akashi. His eyes met with the boy's for a moment as he considered what this could mean.
"Really?" Tetsuya replied. "That seems a most convenient ability to possess."
"Yes, I suppose," Akashi stated. "You were there, too. In my dream. But you looked different. Younger. Which is odd, since I've never seen pictures of you in your younger days."
"I'm not that old, you know."
"I'm know. But... even if you were that old, it wouldn't matter, as long as you're around." Despite himself, Tetsuya felt his lips form into a smile, small and nostalgic.
"I'll be around as long as you need me," he promised.
"That may be a long time."
-o0o-
Tetsuya stared down at the sheet of paper in front of him, a drawing he'd made of what he remembered of the Tapestry. He looked at the angles and curves, the peaks and valleys in the design of it, trying to superimpose a mental image of his own design onto it. To complete the task, his design – his mark – would have to blend and harmonise with the design that already existed. It seemed simple enough, but the number of deaths Akashi had suffered was an indication of how poorly Tetsuya had performed at this task.
Each time he failed, Akashi had given him a sympathetic look that had only twisted his insides as he'd buried his face into the crook of his lover's neck. Those memories wrung him out like an overused dish cloth left, and forgotten, in the sun. Until the next time he came to meet Akashi. It was a cycle, his cursed circle of existence, ever since he accepted Akashi's offer of eternity.
-o0o-
He sat on the futon, bare-chested with his blanket-covered knees drawn to his chest like a fearful child - which he probably was, in his lover's eyes. Tetsuya allowed his eyes to drink their fill of the man in front of him, and even more, to render himself intoxicated by the sight of white skin, blemished only by the marks he'd left, and red hair - the colour of their lives since meeting. He watched as Akashi dressed himself with sartorial precision, hair falling over his eyes as he focused his attention on tying the hakama over his plain kimono. Tetsuya enjoyed these moments as much, if not more, than those he spent removing the commander's robes. Resting his chin on his knee, he tilted his head to the side as he watched, and scrutinised, and savoured, and memorised.
"You must not have much faith in me, Tetsuya," Akashi said, his hands never halting. "You look at me as though I am dressing for my funeral."
"I do not," Tetsuya protested. "I watch you in this way because I do not know when next we will meet. Our time together is not endless." Akashi stilled, and Tetsuya wondered if his lover had stopped time again, because in that moment, everything seemed to be suspended. There was not a sound to be heard, even the air seemed to have grown stale in the wake of Akashi's silence.
"It could be," Akashi said after an agonisingly long pause, lifting his head to meet Tetsuya's puzzled expression.
"What?"
"Our time together, it could be endless." It was Tetsuya's next word that had probably sealed their fates in this loop of love and failure, of loss and rebirth. It was with his response that Akashi had drawn him into a world of fantasy and promise, of beings with god-like abilities and human frailties.
"How?"
-o0o-
Akashi was being particularly defiant this morning. Tetsuya had knocked on the teen's door twice already, in an attempt to get the boy to wake up. On his third try, he had simply walked in and headed straight for the window, opening the curtains with a harsh jerk. He walked over to the unnecessarily big bed, leaned over, and shook the boy. A groan was his reward, but the teen remained motionless.
Tetsuya seated himself on the bed, leaning in closer to the seventeen-year-old, who was buried deep under the covers. He had never thought Akashi could be this much of a handful. Against his better judgement, Tetsuya crawled right up to the teen, his foot dangling over the edge of the bed, and leaned his head down so his words would fall into the teen's ear.
"Young master," he said. "It's time to wa-" It was all he could get out before a hand shot out from under the covers, quickly grabbing his wrist, and pulled, causing him to lose his balance and topple onto the bed. He bit his lip to stifle the urge to curse – he'd learned a multitude of ways to do so over the years – as the teen scrambled to take advantage of the situation, pinning Tetsuya down, partly with his body, but mostly with his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Tetsuya's tone was low and laced with a combination of warning and incredulity. The teen simply stared down at him with, what Tetsuya guessed, was the intensity of a snake observing its prey before devouring it. An all too familiar smirk blossomed on the boy's face, drawing a startled gasp from the older man.
"You have aged yourself well," the teen remarked.
"Akashi-kun?"
"It has been a long time, Tetsuya."