A/N: To be honest I wrote this sometime last year but I only had the courage to post it today...so go easy on me this is my first fanfic for this anime/manga and pairing.
I love Charles and Riku, and they make a cute pair...I felt kind of sad because Charles had to die due to a misunderstanding. (I think it was a misunderstanding)
Have you ever wondered that what if the clone Charles can feel, it seems as much and also if ever it might learn to speak...so this was born...might be a bit OCC though
by the way this is based on the manga not the anime
Disclaimer: Blood + does not belong to me
It has been 15 years since Saya went to sleep. 15 years since the end of the long war between the two queens. 15 years since I became a Chevalier. 15 years since Charles' death. 15 years since I met this Charles.
I never did complain about him, though sometimes he would still bite people randomly, still the red shield had become accustomed to it. I never left him, maybe I was guilty that I couldn't save the real Charles and had to save this one. I'm not sure, or maybe this one is a replacement...
For these past 15 years I devoted my spare time to him. I taught him how to read and write. At night I read him all the books I could get a hold of, most preferably classical ones like Othello, Hamlet, and sometimes the Bible and maybe even that book he showed me all those years ago, Das Nachtpfauena. I dress him up in clothes the Old Charles would wear. I tie his ribbon for him and brought him everywhere.
Maybe I'm just looking for the old Charles within him. Maybe I just truly want the Charles I knew, my Charles. Maybe I'm treating him like the moth he hates so much, "they pretend to be butterflies…" he once said. I don't know.
One thing is for sure, he hasn't said a word in years. And it worries me.
I truly wish he would speak. Like maybe he can say a verse from the bible or something on Othello, Something, anything, even just my name. Maybe I'm over thinking things, maybe I'm to idealistic, or maybe I'm just looking for Charles within this one.
Today was one of those rare moments were in he falls asleep. I gently ran my fingers through his hair. It was soft like his; it had the same shade and the same texture. I love running down my hands unto his hair. Ever since I learned that Charles was killed I kept his clone by my side, even as we sleep he's always beside me. Maybe I'm paranoid but I don't want to lose him a second time.
'Maybe I should visit Kai...but I don't want to leave him.'
We're near Okinawa anyway I'm sure I would be back before the end of the day. With that in mind I got up to get ready. I'm sure he won't mind.
Kai was the same as I last saw him, but now he's trying out a family with his High-school Girlfriend. Dad is getting old but he still has his young spirit and the shop is still the same. I couldn`t help but feel happy about being home. Memories of the past never stop making me smile. Nostalgia is the word to describe my feeling as I sat down unto our old dining table. Kai smiled at me warmly as he set me a glass of juice. I smiled back; I miss these days when we're together.
"So where's the kid that follows you around?" Kai asked as he sat down in front of me.
"I left him...he was sound asleep and didn't want to wake him." I replied.
Kai looked at me for a while before saying: "you really like the kid."
I said nothing.
"So how is he then?" He asked, "And also how are you doing?"
"We're both fine...everyone is." I said. "How's Saya..." I asked after a few moments of silence.
"She's fine...still asleep I suppose." He said, "Haji still visits her from time to time though...I haven't seen him...he just leaves roses."
I fidgeted in my seat. All I was thinking about is Charles, I mean what if he's in trouble or maybe he got hurt. I wasn`t used to being away for this long, I left early this morning now it's late in the afternoon. I reassure myself that Julia and the others are with him, but I can`t help but feel the need to be by his side. Kai was watching me for a while, I could feel his eyes on me but it's being overrun by my worry.
He must have noticed my worry because he sighed, "look if you're that worried just go back...I'm sure he's looking for you."
"I'm sorry...it's just-"
"Look, don't worry...just bring him along next time, alright." He said as he waved me off.
After saying good bye, I went back to the hotel we were all staying at. I jumped through buildings as fast as I could. I wasn't apart from him for this long, the sun was setting. I was worried. It took me a while but I sighed in relief when I spotted the familiar building. As I landed, Julia greeted me with a look of worry. I felt my throat constrict.
"There you are Riku-kun!" She exclaimed, "It's the kid, when I went to deliver his food the door was locked and he won't open up-"
And before I knew it I ran all the way to our room. My heart was in my throat and I think I was sweating bullets. What if he was hurt, or maybe Taken, I'm quite sure Van wasn't captured yet. What If he had taken Charles while I was away? All the worst scenarios flew into my head which fueled me even more. I ran as fast I could, all I could think about Charles.
As I arrived at my door I felt my hands twitched. I hurriedly pulled out my key and jammed it into the lock. As I opened the door I surveyed our room. It was a mess, the bed was turned over, books were scattered around the floor, and our clothes are out of the closet. I felt so scared, it looked as if someone was looking for something or maybe there was a struggle.
"Charles..." I tentatively called out.
Something collided at my side and made me fall over. I rubbed my head and faced the thing and was met by the wide violet eyes of Charles. I stared at his eyes and my heart pounded into my chest. They were teary and he was sobbing, he was clutching my shirt. I sat up a little and so we has seated at my lap. He was biting his lip as the tears travel down his cheek to his chin, leaving a wet trail.
"R-Ri...ku..."
My eyes widened as I heard him utter my name.
He was sobbing and hiccuping as he struggled with his words. "R-Riku...don't...lea...ve..."
Slowly I reached out to him and brought him to my embrace. I could still remember those same sad eyes as he spoke to Van and his possible betrayal. Those eyes I saw as he asked me if I was afraid of him, those eyes that show sadness and sorrow, and those eyes that were crying as I was dying.
"Don't cry...you're just like Saya-neechan...such a crybaby..." I whispered as I rubbed his back.
He stopped crying at some point and pulled away. Slowly he reached out to me. I had the image of Charles as he reached out to me with his bloodied hand. It was like de ja vu...but this time I didn't swat his hand away. I grabbed his hand and intertwine it with my fingers.
"...Don't...leave..."
"I won't..."
I let go of his hand and reached for the tie that was undone. He watched my hand with those violet curious eyes I love staring into. I smiled at him, he was just so cute.
Maybe He has something of Charles within him. Maybe Charles isn't exactly dead. Even if this is a clone, he feels what he feels and shares his fears. Maybe this is Charles.
Maybe this is my Charles
"Please, don't betray me..." Charles has once begged all those years ago.
I'll never betray you
A/N: Go easy on the criticism and please excuse the grammatical errors or the typographical ones.
by the way if you`ve read the manga some of these lines might be familiar to you:
"they pretend to be butterflies…" - This is within that chapter when it was revealed that Charles dislikes moths. (Vol. 2 pg. 120)
"Don't cry...you're just like Saya-neechan...such a crybaby..." - This one was when Charles was crying as he held the dying Riku. Riku told him these lines as he was dying because Charles was crying for him. (Vol 3. pg 187)
(well actually the actual line was: "You cry a lot, Charles...Just like Saya-neechan". But I paraphrased it a little so it would seem different but the essence is still there)
"Please, don't betray me..." - This one then is within that scene were Charles was questioning Van`s loyalty to him. (vol. 2 pg. 173)