SURRENDER by Tina
Disclaimer: I'm only saying this once: All characters and plots pertaining to the Tekken series belong to Namco--not me, unfortunately.
Rating: For the most part, I think it should actually be PG-13, but I'm rating it R in case I change my mind, just to be on the safe side. ^_-
Summary (in addition to shorter one given on the main page): It's been four years since the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament. Jin has disappeared once again, this time supposedly for good. Kazuya is alive and well, though hiding in the shadows from his father and hunting down Jin to retrieve the other half of his Devil gene. Heihachi, too, hasn't given up on his grandson. Xiao, in the mean time, has moved on with her life, accepting Jin's departure, but not liking it. One fateful night, however, Jin unexpectedly returns into Xiao's life, throwing everything out of orbit. It appears he's running from something--or someone--but he won't tell her who. Xiao, unable to keep her old feelings for Jin from resurfacing, tries to help him. Along the way, Xiao begins noticing changes in Jin. He's being very secretive about something, and she's determined to find out what it is. Jin also discovers, as things turn out, that he isn't the only one who's changed and is keeping secrets...
PROLOGUE
Jin Kazama stood on the balcony in front of the door to Ling Xiaoyu's bedroom. It was Friday evening, the night of the finishing of the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament. He wasn't surprised to find Xiao still staying at his grandfather's home. It hadn't been long, after all, that he'd warned her of the threat his grandfather possessed. He supposed it didn't matter, really, as long as he stayed away, though he'd much rather prefer her under a different roof, just to be sure that she'd remain safe.
He hesitated before lifting a loosely clenched fist and tapping his knuckles lightly against the glass panels on her door. It was dark inside, a sliver of light slithering out beneath the partically closed door to her private bathroom. He wasn't sure if she was in there or not. He'd waited out here for a while to see if she'd come out, but she didn't. She must have just left the light on and closed the door so she'd have enough to see her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Jin heard the faint creaking of a matress, the soft scuffling of feet padding across the carpet, and then there she was. Xiao stood on the other side of the door, her shoulder-length black hair in a tossled mess around her face, her cheeks flushed and her dark eyes puffy from sleep. He almost felt guilty for waking her.
When she realized who was at her door, she hastily opened it. "Jin?" she said, her light, gentle voice warm and welcoming to his ears.
"Xiao," he said, stepping forward. He had to make this quick. He couldn't stay long. "I need to talk to you."
Xiao nodded, stepping out on to the balcony with him and closing the door behind her. It was a warm night tonight, almost humid, with only the slightest of breezes. She was dressed in a thin white night gown, nearly translucent in the moonlight, that hung loosely off her small frame, though formed nicely to her curves whenever the wind shifted, leaving little to the imagination.
"Jin," she said, sounding sad. Her eyes were wide and honest, hiding nothing from him. "Where have you been? It's been--years..." She averted her face away from him, but he caught the light flush that tinged her cheeks. "I didn't see you at all during the tournament."
"I know," he replied. He wanted to tell her where he went. Damn it, he wanted to tell her everything, but he knew he couldn't. "I'm sorry. But it's not important anymore." He lifted both hands and grapsed them on to her narrow shoulders. "Xiao, listen, what I have to say now is important."
Xiao lifted her eyes back to them, questioning wonder in their depths. Oh, her eyes, how he loved them. So large and deep and beautiful, like warmed dark chocolate, framed by long, black silky lashes. "What is it?" she asked.
"You have to get out of here," he said, all serious business. "Leave this place. Leave Heihachi."
Xiao's eyes sparkled in revelation. "So you *did* send me that e-mail."
"Yes."
"Why, Jin? What's going on with Heihachi that's so dangerous?"
Jin opened his mouth, but then shut it again. He couldn't tell her that, either. He knew he should, but it was associated with him, and he couldn't reveal anything about himself to her. "I can't tell you that. But, please-- please, Xiao, do this for me."
Suddenly her face hardened, and he saw the hurt and betrayel she felt written on her face. The hurt and betrayel *he'd* caused with his departure two years ago. Xiao was a dear friend to him, always had been (since they started getting along, anyway). He knew she cared about him and it pained her to see him like this, so secretive and always leaving her, but he couldn't help it.
"I haven't seen you in two years. *Two whole years*," she said. He was surprised at the anger and bitterness it held. He'd never heard her like that before. "You just up and disappear on me. I have no idea if you're hurt or whatever. I don't know what's going on anymore, and now you just all of a sudden come back and ask me to leave the only home I have without a good reason? What is *that*, might I ask? Where does that leave me, huh?"
Jin swallowed down his overwhelming sense of guilt and compassion and pressed on. He knew he hadn't treated her fairly--in fact, he'd admit that he'd treated her poorly in the matter--but he couldn't give her any more than this, and she'd just have to accept it, regardless.
He rubbed his thumbs over her skin through the thin material, light, assuring caresses. "I know, I know I'm asking a lot, but it's for your own good. You have to trust me, Xiao. You know I wouldn't ask anything of you unless I absolutely needed it. You can't stay here; it's not safe anymore."
He could see the arguement she was having in her head. She wanted to trust him, but she was so sick of the mess he'd put her through that she didn't know if it was worth it anymore. Tears filled her eyes and she bit down on her bottom lip.
"What about you? Are you going to leave me again?"
Jin's heart sank. "Yes," he replied honestly. No sense in lying to her. "I have to. I can't stay here either."
"Come with me," she said. "Can't you stay with me? You won't be under Heihachi's watch."
He offered her a small, sad smile. "It's not that simple."
"So, I'm going to be alone--again." A tear fell down her cheek. "And after tonight, I won't see you again."
Jin wiped the moisture off her cheek. "I'm sorry."
"Where will I go?"
"I don't know."
She nodded her head, but remained silent.
"Promise me, Xiao."
No hesitation. "I promise."
There was nothing left to be said. Jin couldn't stay any longer. He had to go. Releasing her, he turned to leave.
Xiao jumped, grabbing on to him. "Wait!" He turned back to face her. Tears were streaming down her face, her cheeks and nose red from crying, her full lips quivering even as she sucked them between her teeth, trying to regain some composure. "So, this is it? This is goodbye?" At Jin's nod, she said, "Will I ever see you again?"
"I don't know."
Xiao wiped at her tears, sniffing. "Jin..." Her voice was a sad, pathetic whisper. "What am I going to do without you?"
"You'll be fine."
She shook her head. "No, I won't." She wrapped her arms around his waist, taking him by surprise, and buried her face into his chest. She was so small. "Please, don't leave me."
"This is how it has to be, Xiao." He placed a hand on her head, ran his fingers through her hair. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his hands and tried to push her away. "I need to go now."
"No!" She shook her head furiously, holding tighter on to him.
"Xiao," he said sternly. She was making this most difficult for him.
Jin pushed at her again, but she wouldn't let go. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't stay here. He'd already been here for too long. "Xiao," he said again, almost angrily.
Xiao lifted her face to him, and that did him in. She looked so beautiful, her hair flowing about her pretty face, her eyes half closed and gazing up at his, her lips slightly parted.
He bent down and kissed her.
It was a soft kiss. Slow and hesitant, so foreign, so new. He lifted a hand and cupped her face, pulling her closer to him. Her lips were so full, so supple, a tad bit moist from her nibbling on them earlier.
When he pulled away, Xiao had a dazed expression on her face. Her eyes were closed, her long lashes resting delicately on her smooth, pale skin, her mouth hanging open, her arms slack around his waist.
Now was the best time to get away. Taking advantage of her current state, he quickly backed away. He heard her gasp behind him, but by then he was already in midair, leaping over the railing to her balcony, sailing downward to the ground below.
He ran as fast as he could, bolting for the woods. He couldn't take off until he was well hidden. Risking a glance behind him, he saw Xiao standing at the railing, watching him go, her hair billowing about her arms and shoulders. She looked like an angel against the black canvass of the night, an angel dressed in white, with white skin. Too white, he noticed, frowning. There was something unnatural about it. She was so white he was convinced she could envy the moon and the stars above.
So white, in fact, that she was practically...glowing.
Disclaimer: I'm only saying this once: All characters and plots pertaining to the Tekken series belong to Namco--not me, unfortunately.
Rating: For the most part, I think it should actually be PG-13, but I'm rating it R in case I change my mind, just to be on the safe side. ^_-
Summary (in addition to shorter one given on the main page): It's been four years since the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament. Jin has disappeared once again, this time supposedly for good. Kazuya is alive and well, though hiding in the shadows from his father and hunting down Jin to retrieve the other half of his Devil gene. Heihachi, too, hasn't given up on his grandson. Xiao, in the mean time, has moved on with her life, accepting Jin's departure, but not liking it. One fateful night, however, Jin unexpectedly returns into Xiao's life, throwing everything out of orbit. It appears he's running from something--or someone--but he won't tell her who. Xiao, unable to keep her old feelings for Jin from resurfacing, tries to help him. Along the way, Xiao begins noticing changes in Jin. He's being very secretive about something, and she's determined to find out what it is. Jin also discovers, as things turn out, that he isn't the only one who's changed and is keeping secrets...
PROLOGUE
Jin Kazama stood on the balcony in front of the door to Ling Xiaoyu's bedroom. It was Friday evening, the night of the finishing of the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament. He wasn't surprised to find Xiao still staying at his grandfather's home. It hadn't been long, after all, that he'd warned her of the threat his grandfather possessed. He supposed it didn't matter, really, as long as he stayed away, though he'd much rather prefer her under a different roof, just to be sure that she'd remain safe.
He hesitated before lifting a loosely clenched fist and tapping his knuckles lightly against the glass panels on her door. It was dark inside, a sliver of light slithering out beneath the partically closed door to her private bathroom. He wasn't sure if she was in there or not. He'd waited out here for a while to see if she'd come out, but she didn't. She must have just left the light on and closed the door so she'd have enough to see her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Jin heard the faint creaking of a matress, the soft scuffling of feet padding across the carpet, and then there she was. Xiao stood on the other side of the door, her shoulder-length black hair in a tossled mess around her face, her cheeks flushed and her dark eyes puffy from sleep. He almost felt guilty for waking her.
When she realized who was at her door, she hastily opened it. "Jin?" she said, her light, gentle voice warm and welcoming to his ears.
"Xiao," he said, stepping forward. He had to make this quick. He couldn't stay long. "I need to talk to you."
Xiao nodded, stepping out on to the balcony with him and closing the door behind her. It was a warm night tonight, almost humid, with only the slightest of breezes. She was dressed in a thin white night gown, nearly translucent in the moonlight, that hung loosely off her small frame, though formed nicely to her curves whenever the wind shifted, leaving little to the imagination.
"Jin," she said, sounding sad. Her eyes were wide and honest, hiding nothing from him. "Where have you been? It's been--years..." She averted her face away from him, but he caught the light flush that tinged her cheeks. "I didn't see you at all during the tournament."
"I know," he replied. He wanted to tell her where he went. Damn it, he wanted to tell her everything, but he knew he couldn't. "I'm sorry. But it's not important anymore." He lifted both hands and grapsed them on to her narrow shoulders. "Xiao, listen, what I have to say now is important."
Xiao lifted her eyes back to them, questioning wonder in their depths. Oh, her eyes, how he loved them. So large and deep and beautiful, like warmed dark chocolate, framed by long, black silky lashes. "What is it?" she asked.
"You have to get out of here," he said, all serious business. "Leave this place. Leave Heihachi."
Xiao's eyes sparkled in revelation. "So you *did* send me that e-mail."
"Yes."
"Why, Jin? What's going on with Heihachi that's so dangerous?"
Jin opened his mouth, but then shut it again. He couldn't tell her that, either. He knew he should, but it was associated with him, and he couldn't reveal anything about himself to her. "I can't tell you that. But, please-- please, Xiao, do this for me."
Suddenly her face hardened, and he saw the hurt and betrayel she felt written on her face. The hurt and betrayel *he'd* caused with his departure two years ago. Xiao was a dear friend to him, always had been (since they started getting along, anyway). He knew she cared about him and it pained her to see him like this, so secretive and always leaving her, but he couldn't help it.
"I haven't seen you in two years. *Two whole years*," she said. He was surprised at the anger and bitterness it held. He'd never heard her like that before. "You just up and disappear on me. I have no idea if you're hurt or whatever. I don't know what's going on anymore, and now you just all of a sudden come back and ask me to leave the only home I have without a good reason? What is *that*, might I ask? Where does that leave me, huh?"
Jin swallowed down his overwhelming sense of guilt and compassion and pressed on. He knew he hadn't treated her fairly--in fact, he'd admit that he'd treated her poorly in the matter--but he couldn't give her any more than this, and she'd just have to accept it, regardless.
He rubbed his thumbs over her skin through the thin material, light, assuring caresses. "I know, I know I'm asking a lot, but it's for your own good. You have to trust me, Xiao. You know I wouldn't ask anything of you unless I absolutely needed it. You can't stay here; it's not safe anymore."
He could see the arguement she was having in her head. She wanted to trust him, but she was so sick of the mess he'd put her through that she didn't know if it was worth it anymore. Tears filled her eyes and she bit down on her bottom lip.
"What about you? Are you going to leave me again?"
Jin's heart sank. "Yes," he replied honestly. No sense in lying to her. "I have to. I can't stay here either."
"Come with me," she said. "Can't you stay with me? You won't be under Heihachi's watch."
He offered her a small, sad smile. "It's not that simple."
"So, I'm going to be alone--again." A tear fell down her cheek. "And after tonight, I won't see you again."
Jin wiped the moisture off her cheek. "I'm sorry."
"Where will I go?"
"I don't know."
She nodded her head, but remained silent.
"Promise me, Xiao."
No hesitation. "I promise."
There was nothing left to be said. Jin couldn't stay any longer. He had to go. Releasing her, he turned to leave.
Xiao jumped, grabbing on to him. "Wait!" He turned back to face her. Tears were streaming down her face, her cheeks and nose red from crying, her full lips quivering even as she sucked them between her teeth, trying to regain some composure. "So, this is it? This is goodbye?" At Jin's nod, she said, "Will I ever see you again?"
"I don't know."
Xiao wiped at her tears, sniffing. "Jin..." Her voice was a sad, pathetic whisper. "What am I going to do without you?"
"You'll be fine."
She shook her head. "No, I won't." She wrapped her arms around his waist, taking him by surprise, and buried her face into his chest. She was so small. "Please, don't leave me."
"This is how it has to be, Xiao." He placed a hand on her head, ran his fingers through her hair. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his hands and tried to push her away. "I need to go now."
"No!" She shook her head furiously, holding tighter on to him.
"Xiao," he said sternly. She was making this most difficult for him.
Jin pushed at her again, but she wouldn't let go. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't stay here. He'd already been here for too long. "Xiao," he said again, almost angrily.
Xiao lifted her face to him, and that did him in. She looked so beautiful, her hair flowing about her pretty face, her eyes half closed and gazing up at his, her lips slightly parted.
He bent down and kissed her.
It was a soft kiss. Slow and hesitant, so foreign, so new. He lifted a hand and cupped her face, pulling her closer to him. Her lips were so full, so supple, a tad bit moist from her nibbling on them earlier.
When he pulled away, Xiao had a dazed expression on her face. Her eyes were closed, her long lashes resting delicately on her smooth, pale skin, her mouth hanging open, her arms slack around his waist.
Now was the best time to get away. Taking advantage of her current state, he quickly backed away. He heard her gasp behind him, but by then he was already in midair, leaping over the railing to her balcony, sailing downward to the ground below.
He ran as fast as he could, bolting for the woods. He couldn't take off until he was well hidden. Risking a glance behind him, he saw Xiao standing at the railing, watching him go, her hair billowing about her arms and shoulders. She looked like an angel against the black canvass of the night, an angel dressed in white, with white skin. Too white, he noticed, frowning. There was something unnatural about it. She was so white he was convinced she could envy the moon and the stars above.
So white, in fact, that she was practically...glowing.