The Princes "Was" and "Will Be"
by sharnii
Akio leered as Touga left, taking his flowering potted cactus with him. It had been fun, riling up the Student Council President with talk of Utena. A brief dark thrill, much like the zenith of sex. It was all he had to live for really, these thrills, at least until that damned gate opened. Would it ever open?
He frowned at his thoughts. It wasn't like him to be morbid…what was wrong? Buttoning up his shirt he moved to the kitchen, where Anthy was making one of her deliberately weird concoctions.
"Hello Anthy," he said.
"Hello, Onii-sama," she replied.
She looked up at him and smiled, as vacantly as ever. He smiled back seductively, which sometimes seemed like the only expression that could grace his handsome face.
Utena bounced into the room.
"Hey, Himemiya, when will it be ready? I'm hungry now! Oh…" She trailed off when she saw Akio.
"It's you, Akio-san. I didn't know you were here." She blushed and averted her eyes. Akio found himself smiling automatically, savoring both her unease and obvious attraction. It was so…cute.
"It will be ready soon," said Anthy calmly. Akio watched as Utena stepped up to the counter to lean on her elbows and watch what Anthy was doing. They started talking – inane girly chatter that he easily tuned out. Utena was playing with that stupid baby monkey now, and looking down at one of its antics with obvious delight. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Anthy watching Utena. He frowned. There was something…wrong there.
When Anthy looked at him her eyes were empty, resigned. When she looked at Utena, there was a hint of dawning light. He didn't know what it meant. But it was wrong. He didn't like it.
"Utena-kun," he said, making his voice a shade deeper as he always did when addressing prospective prey. "Let's go and look at the stars, while we wait for dinner. They should be coming out any moment now."
Utena smiled eagerly. She blushed again. Anthy lips quirked in the tiniest of frowns. Akio's lips lifted in the tiniest of triumphant smiles. He led his victim out to the broad white couch, and adjusted the projector. Stars gradually filled the night sky. Beside him on the couch, Utena sighed. The sound was so soft…like her body, like her heart.
Akio frowned. Why had he thought that? What did he care of people's hearts? He covered his unease by slipping an arm around Utena's slim shoulders. Seduction. It was his second nature now. It was his final and best fighting move.
She blushed (predictably) and pulled away a little, even while her thigh shifted closer to his. She was such a contradiction, such a little girl.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice as smooth as hot butter. "We're such close friends now…practically family. Can't we show…affection for each other?" She was easy to trick, as always. He watched her hesitate, then relax against his arm.
"Y…yes," she said. He eased her closer so her side was leaning up against his chest. He felt her delicious shiver. His own heart shivered - skipped a beat. Akio froze. He felt suddenly and strangely uncertain. What was it? What was wrong with this picture?
"I'm grateful to live here with you and Anthy," Utena was saying now with false cheer. She would speak this way when she was nervous, making her usual lame attempt to hide from his power over her. Akio felt his tension ease. This, this was normal. The game. He, the cat, and she, his pretty little mouse of the moment.
"I want to be close to Anthy, y'know, to be her true friend." Utena's voice was quicker now, almost babble. "She doesn't have many friends…well actually, I don't think she has any, and that's awful because she's really a great person. So soft and gentle and sweet; I don't know why others can't see it. So I like being close to her, because I can help her. And y'know, keep away stupid boys that annoy her and things like that." Her eyes sought out his, huge blue pools of innocence.
Akio stared down at her. One hand (shaking slightly, against his volition) stroked her cheek. She was…so young. So pure. He could almost see his own younger face interposed over hers, just like it did so mysteriously in the duels. She was like Dios. That was why he'd given her the ring, wasn't it? But it was such a long time ago, and a different incarnation of his being…one that he didn't care to remember.
Dios had been weak and bound by the will of a girl. And if it wasn't all the girls in the world driving that prince it was a witch, and Akio wasn't driven by anyone. He was free, powerful, and his will reigned supreme over every girl and every would-be prince. He straightened his broad shoulders.
"You want to help her," he said, referring to Anthy. Utena nodded as her face filled with blood under his touch. He knew that she would give in to him, in the end. Everybody always did. It didn't matter how much she looked like Dios when she gazed Anthy's way. It didn't matter that it was just a little sad to have to watch your own history, as you destroyed another's destiny.
This was what being Ends of the World was all about. His hand moved down to Utena's chin and tightened. He was Ends of the World and she was a silly little girl playing prince. Much like Dios had been a silly little boy. But Akio was a man. And Akio would crush her.
He crushed his lips to hers.
FIN
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This fanfic is an answer to the request by CocoMelancholy over on the ohtori.nu forum. Coco wanted to see an Utena/Akio short fic involving the following: "Akio's feelings for Utena are at least a half milimetre mutal, I would like how Utena apparantly reminds Akio of he's former self "Dios" to be involved."