Peaceless
Ritsuka sat silently on his bed, his legs dangling over the edge of the bed and brushing up against the white sheets. His brown eyes glanced towards the window as the white curtains fluttered in the breeze.
He shook his head, his black hair falling over his face, It's just a trick of the light, He told himself, standing up and walking over to the window. For a moment he looked around the dark streets, silent houses lining the road.
As another cold breezy hit him he closed the window, a shiver running up his spine. Walking over to the computer he turned it on, memories of watching his brother, Seime, do the same thing running through his head.
Shaking them from his mind he turned his mind back to the computer as it turned on, sitting down on the desk chair, his blue pajamas hanging loosely on him. As soon as he had sat down he heard a knock. Instinctively he looked to the window, sure enough a silhouette standing against the light.
Ritsuka jumped up, the computer forgotten, to open the window. "Soubi!" He exclaimed a excitement building in his stomach as he looked at the familiar figure, "What are you doing here?" He asked him, as if testing him.
"I just wanted to see you," Soubi told him, his long blond hair falling down his back. "I haven't seen you with all the school work I've been doing." He pointed out.
Ritsuka closed the window, "I've told you before, the window's not a door though," He reminded him, Not that I want you coming through the door... He added to himself. Mom would flip... He winced at the thought, not wanting to see her reaction.
Soubi said nothing, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed lightly over his chest as he watched him through his glasses.
Ritsuka looked at him, his eyes falling on the bandages wrapped around his neck, a surprising pain filling his chest. He looked away, unable to meet his stare as he fought to control himself. He knew what was beneath them, embedded in his neck, written there was his brother's true name, Beloved.
He knew that Soubi was Seime's fighter, and he knew that he didn't belong to him, no matter how much Soubi himself seemed to insist other wise.
"So you don't have anything to say?" He asked, the excitement had drained and he didn't want to see him, though at the same time he did.
Soubi was watched, feeling his change in mood. "No, I just wanted to see your face," He told him.
Ritsuka's heart beat painfully in his chest at the words. "I don't want to hear it..." He said softly.
"But it's true," Soubi replied in a matter-of-fact tone, watching him. Watching his cute face, no other child was this cute.
"NO!" Ritsuka practically shouted, hands clenched by his side, eyes blazing. Taking deep breaths he looked away again, his fists loosening some. "You better go, mom will get suspicious..." He told him, voice soft again
Soubi nodded, "Of course..." He told him, observing Ritsuka, as if wanting to remember all the details of him. "And Ritsuka..." He started. Ritsuka's fists re-tightened again, knowing what he was going to say before he said it. "...I love you." He finished before opening the window and disappearing into the night.
Ritsuka winced from the impact of the words, still staring at the ground, squeezing his eyes closed. Those words, he said them so often, so easily. Who was he to mess with his head like that. As the cold breeze filled the room he opened his eyes, walking over to the window.
Staring out into the night he looked for any sign of Soubi, but he had disappeared into the night like a butterfly flying form sight. Closing the curtains over the window to block out the night he shook his head, turning off the lights and crawling into bed. It frightened him, those words that kept echoing in his head, they frightened him. Though he knew that it wasn't the words that scared him, but how much it pained him to hear it.
Ritsuka sat silently in his desk, the noise of the classroom only distant buzz in his ear. Last night had been another sleepless night, and now he was paying for it, and every time he started to fall asleep on his desk Yukio, sitting beside him, would nudge him awake before their teacher noticed.
"If your that tired you should go to bed earlier," She whispered to him as they were walking through the lunch line to eat.
"What's wrong?" Another familiar voice asked from the other side of Yukio, as Yayoi walked up.
"Ritsuka didn't get enough sleep last night," She told him, casting him a worried look as she flipped her pink hair behind her back.
Ritsuka wanted to say something, but he felt to tired to respond as they sat down at their table by the window. Ritsuka sat silent, picking at his food and staring out the window, last night's thoughts still running through his head That damn Soubi...that jerk...I can't believe he did it again... He thought as he sat through math class.
The rest of the class went by in a blur, floating through class until the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
Wearily standing up he tossed his book bag over his shoulder, when the phone in his pocket began to ring. With a feeling of dread he pulled it out, the red light on the front blinking, and he knew that meant he had received a message from Soubi. Running to the window he peered out to the sidewalks below, and sure enough standing there, under the tall oak tree, in the shade, was Soubi. He turned around, sinking to the floor, Not this again He thought, his heart beating hard in his chest, but each beat painful.
"Ritsuka, are you OK?" Yukio's voice surprised him and he looked up.
"Er...yeah, I just hit my head on the window..." He told her, quickly thinking up a lie as he rubbed the top of his head, unable to tell her the real reason why.
She looked doubtful, but still seemed to buy it. "You ready to go?" She asked him.
"Um...yeah," Ritsuka nodded, standing back up and glancing out the window to where Soubi was still standing.
Following his glance Yukio looked out the window spying Soubi. "Oh...look who it is Ritsuka!" She exclaimed, "Let's go and say hi!" She insisted, grabbing his hand and puling him through the hallways, down the stairs, and out the door.
As they neared, Soubi turned to look "There you are, I was beginning to wonder if I had missed you." Soubi said with a smile.
Hearing Soubi's voice seemed to melt all of Ritsuka's tiredness, leaving a strange mix of excitement and anger.
Yukio glanced between Ritsuka and Soubi, then as if sensing that she was the third wheel announced, "I had better get home, my family is going to a movie tonight so i was plenty of time to get ready!" She told them.
"OK then, we'll see you later," Soubi told her with a nod of the head.
"Bye, see you tomorrow," Ritsuka told her, watching her as she ran off.
For a few moments a silence stretched between the two, Ritsuka unsure of what to say and Soubi watching Ritsuka silently.
"Soubi...do you have time?" He asked, finally looking up.
"For you?" He asked, "Always," He assured him.
Ritsuka sighed, the words adding a little more sting to the pain, "Let's go for a walk," He told him, walking past Soubi, who them turned to follow him. They walked in silence, Ritsuka leading Soubi to the park, the place he had first met Soubi, the place it had all started. Though why he chose here, he wasn't sure.
Soubi looked around, memories of their first meeting playing through his head, the day he had first met Ritsuka "What is it you want?" He asked him, turning back to look at Ritsuka. "What ever it is, I will give it to you..." He told him.
Ritsuka looked Soubi in the eyes, "Will you really?" He asked him, anger already in his voice.
"Yes, I will..." Soubi replied simply, He's got such a temper... He thought to himself.
Ritsuka only looked away, knowing though he claimed he would, in the end, he wouldn't. "You can't..." He said finally, turning away form Soubi. "You can't you weave together words that you don't mean with promises you won't keep," He stopped, realizing he was once again shouting.
"Ritsuka, I love you, I'll give you everything," He assured him passionately. "My heart, my body, my soul..." But he was cut off as Ritsuka shook his head, his hands over his ears.
"No, I don't want to hear it!" He shouted. "I tell me that you would do anything until I ask you to do something. Then you tell me you love me, and just because Seime ordered you to, that's not love!" He told him, his voice floating between the trees around them.
Soubi looked away, He really is cute...even when he's angry He thought, but as Ritsuka spoke something else occurred, they were his by another fighter unit, and they were nearby.
He looked at Ritsuka, face still angry as he started hard at him, chest pumping as he breathed hard. "Do you trust me?" He asked calmly.
This caught Ritsuka by surprised and he looked up at him, "What?" he asked.
"Do you trust me?" He repeated as levelly as before.
Ratsack blinked back the tears that had been starting to form in his eyes from his heart. I want to... He thought. But how can I when he keeps lieing to me? He asked himself.
"Trust me, Ritsuka" He said finally, "Trust me, I will protect you with my life, with everything I have," He assure him, wrapping his arms around him, his voice deep and convincing that all Ritsuka wanted to do was believe them.
Ritsuka looked up as Soubi, realizing what was about to happen before it happened, Soubi rich voice once again filling the air.
"Who goes there?" He asked, his voice soothing and making Ritsuka want to fall into it as he stood, wrapped safely in Soubi's arms.
Suddenly two figures appeared on the horizon, once a female with long black hair, the other a male with short brown hair.
"My name if Kagura," The female spoke, her voice fluid and smooth.
"And my name is Kaoru," The male chimed him, his voice similar.
"And we are Peaceless," They cried in unison. "And we challenge you to a spell battle!" They declared.
"What do you want me to do, Master?" Soubi asked, looking down at Ritsuka.
"I...I don't know..." Ritsuka said, looking from Soubi to the pair, to tired to deal with Soubi's strange master/servant speech.
"Oh that's alright," The female spoke from where she stood, arms crossed over her chest. "We can always end it here, no battles, but we know where you live, where you sleep..." She told him, her voice dangerous. "Don't think you can hide from the seven moons," She told him.
As she spoke Soubi reacted a bit, tightening his grip on Ritsuka's shoulder, but didn't make a move. "It's your choice," He told him softly.
Whether because of the other teams haunting words or Soubi reaction, he nodded into Soubi coat. "Go ahead..." He said silently, knowing that this pair was form the group that had killed his brother, and that they, like the once before them, would no stop until they had defeated, or had been defeated. "Bu...but don't kill them," He ordered him
"Yes, Master," He told him, before turning to the other two. "I accept your challenge to a spell battle," Soubi agreed calmly, the surrounding changing from soft spring colors to black and blue.
Ritsuka knew where they were, had had seen it a few times before, it was the battlefield. Standing by Soubi he looked up at him, the white bandages around his neck ad been torn off, revealing the scar surrounding his neck, a scar of the word 'Beloved' surrounded by thorn vines.
On the other side of the field the pair was ready to start, their voices chanting as one. "Our name is Peaceless," They spoke in perfect unison, their voices eerie. "We have come to destroy and leave you Peaceless!" She said, their voices rising as the finished, standing back to back, their names that were written on each of their shoulders blazing, it had begun.
Ritsuka stood close to Soubi, who's eyes were now intently fixed on the other fighting pair, his arm still wrapped around him shoulder.
"Attack now," The male, Kaoru's, voice came from the other side of the field, announcing his position in the pair, the sacrifice.
"Wind and rain both cold and strong, separate the one into two." The female, Kagura, responded to her orders.
Ritsuka hardly saw it coming, shooting like a blur across the battlegrounds. "Soubi..." He started.
Soubi had already reacted, "Hot and dry, still winds banish the rain." He commanded, his voice powerful.
Almost instantly the attack dissolved, leaving the battle ground once again still for a brief instant.
"As far as the east is form the west, may the four winds pull you apart!" Kagura's voice rang again.
This time the spell made it through, two white restraints flying up to clamp tightly on Ritsuka's wrists.
Ritsuka looked at Soubi again, who's arms were also restrained. He remembered what he had heard so many times, that if two with different names fought as one their damage was twice as much, effecting Soubi as well.
I can't block all of it... Soubi thought glancing at Ritsuka from the corner of his eye. "Are you ok?" He asked him, concern in his voice.
Ritsuka nodded, "I can' handle it." He replied, slipping his small hand into Soubi's with no intent to let go.
Soubi nodded softly, squeezing his hand in return. "It's strange how someone can be Peaceless, yet win." She said, addressing the other side again with a smile.
"Be ready, he's planning something." Kaoru warned his fighter.
"You ignorant fools..." Soubi said softly with a dangerous smile. "Ritsuka, give me your strength." He told him, stating it as a command, but it was a plea.
Ritsuka hesitated, looking up at Soubi. Letting his hand slide from his he stepped right up to his side, letting Soubi's arm wrap around him. Reaching up one arm gingerly her touched the scar around Soubi's neck, his fingertips touching warm, wet liquid. Lowering his hand a crimson stain shimmered in the eerie light.
"Soubi..." He whispered, his eyes on the blood before he looked up at him. Time after time Soubi would fight for him, but at the cost of pain for going against his name.
Soubi continued to look forward, eyes on the opponent. "You are my sacrifice, I will do anything for you." He told him.
Ritsuka let his hand drop to his side, still watching him. "Attack them," She ordered him softly, ready to end this. Not only because of the restraints claming painfully on his wrists, but also for Soubi who was in more pain.
Soubi nodded, the effect of the command running like an electrical shock through his body. "Fore of hell burning with damnation, end them now in a blazing inferno." His voice rang as he spoke, power burning in the air.
The next thing Ritsuka saw was Kaoru falling to the ground, motionless before the world returned to normal, colors blinding him for a moment. He looked over to where the other two were standing, They had done it they had won by restricting the sacrifice.
Kaoru, who was leaning on Kagura now, was gasping for breath. A full restriction limited all movement, but was also very painful. Ritsuka himself hadn't experienced it yet, mainly because Soubi hadn't lost, at least not while he was with him. "Come on, let's go," Ritsuka told Soubi, knowing if they stayed Soubi might start beating up on the other team.
Soubi turned wordlessly and followed, but not before re-wrapping the white bandages around his bleeding neck.
Ritsuka watched him silently, the battle bringing up memories he didn't want. As Soubi finished they walked silently from the park with only one last glance at the other team, huddled together.
Ritsuka walked silently, lost in thought. During the battle he always seemed so close to Soubi. Yet he was always the same, a distant shadow he could never reach. He looked up as he stopped, realizing he had been walking back to his house, and turning around he realized Soubi had followed him as well.
"Would you like me to come in with you?" Soubi asked Ritsuka, breaking the silence of the walk. He couldn't help but to wonder what he had been thinking about.
"No." Ritsuka told him definitely.
"Very well, I will see you later Ritsuka." He told him, lowering his lips to his ear. "And by the way...I love you." He whispered before stepping away and disappearing into the shadows.
Ritsuka stood there for a moment, a throbbing pain in his chest. Slowly he turned around and entered the house.
Almost instantly his mother ran up to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Where were you?" She asked him. "I was so worried..."
Ritsuka glanced at the clock, 10 after six... He thought with a wince. 10 minutes late... apparently the battle had lasted longer than it had seemed. "Sorry Mom," He replied weakly, "I lost track of time," He told her.
"You were playing with friends right?" She asked, looking at him with a smile.
Her smile broke his heart but he nodded. "Yeah...playing." He whispered softly to himself. Ritsuka, it was always Ritsuka! But who is Ritsuka? He asked himself, he didn't know any more, he never had. Still his mom seemed to by his responses.
Following his mother to the kitchen he took his usual seat across the table. His father wasn't there again, but he had gotten used to it. He was hardly ever home any more, and when he was he may as well not be.
Sitting down he started to eat, carefully making sure he only ate what 'Ritsuka' was supposed to eat. At one point he almost ate the leeks, catching himself before putting it in his mouth. He could feel the air of tension in the room like always, shifting slightly in his chair. As he finished he pushed the plate away, having managed to get through one more meal. Walking up to the bedroom he paused on the stairs as he heard the front door open, shortly followed by yells.
He only sighed, it seemed his father had returned home, and his mother was unstable again. She was becoming more and more unstable with each passing day ever since Seime had died. It wasn't just when she was with him any more, she'd freak whether he was there or not. It was just always, always, directed at him, and expressed on him. Closing the door to his bedroom behind him he fell onto his bed.
Will things ever get any easier? He asked himself with a sigh. He couldn't be who his mother wanted him to be, or understand and trust Soubi who had taken his heart and twisted it every time he saw him. He shut his brown eyes, the bed was warm, and soft. Beneath him, his arm still seemed to throb from his mothers attack a few nights ago. Pains always seemed to amplify while laying in bed. With the warm bed beneath him he couldn't help but to think of Soubi, his strong arms wrapped around him, always so close, yet so forever distant. With these confusing and contradiction thoughts his mind drifted into sleep, still dressed and laying where he had collapsed, his mind peace-less.
The End
Thank you everyone for reading this, and don't forget to comment! I'm always looking for constructive criticism. I don't own any of the characters used in the RP, or the loveless story line, just twisting together ideas from my own head
