Title: At the Center of the Gate
Fandom: Darker Than Black
Characters/Pairings: Hei, Suou, Yin; HeiYin kinda
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers if you haven't finished Ryūsei no Gemini ("Gemini of the Meteor").
Disclaimer: Darker Than Black is owned by Tensai Okamura, BONES, Aniplex, and Square Enix. I own the stories I write.
Summary: Hei at the center of Hell's Gate.
Word Count: 467
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One moment, Hei was running with Yin in his arms as he and Kobayashi made their way towards the center of Hell's Gate; the next, the Black Reaper found himself standing at the edge of a field of flowers with his arms empty. He whipped his head from side to side, but stilled at the sight of a black-clad Yin floating in the air. She had her knees pulled up to her chest with her arms encircling her legs, her hair a blazing white-blue fire with silver lights swirling above her. Hei had seen this Yin before, knew her to be Izanami. It was only then that Izanami turned her head to face something, someone.
Suou.
The anti-tank rifle sparked into existence and was leveled at the floating "goddess," who simply lifted a single hand. Suou went stiff and Hei finally advanced when he caught sight of the tears falling from the young Contractor's eyes. He lowered the gun, let it disperse into flecks of colored light.
Izanami turned away, the threat gone and no more. Hei knew it to mean Suou's end.
He spoke to the young girl softly, told her reassurances so that her passing would be easier. It reminded him of Havoc, of the promise he made her, of the hope he had given her, of the last soothing smile before her life winked out.
"You're lying."
The words stung, reopening old wounds that never healed correctly. Awareness of the circumstances made his promises false. Suou was aware that the journey would end and that she would venture alone wherever next she went. Yin, too, was aware of her own circumstances.
Suou departed and Yin appeared, the pale beauty doing as she had always done, appearing to lift his burdened spirit and soothe his wounded heart.
"It's not too late," declared Izanami.
"Kill me," requested Yin.
Hei smiled, not because of the request, but because of Yin, his Yin standing perfect and pure and ready to do what was required of her. It filled him with a familiar current of electricity.
As Hei walked to her, Yin's ethereal appearance solidified: the white of her clothing faded away to reveal the milky white of her skin; her floating white hair unbound itself and fell in waves of silver strands down her back; the clear focus of her amaranth eyes dulled and obtained the piercing faraway look Hei was most accustomed. Standing directly before Yin, Hei placed his open palm onto her chest, right over her heart.
He could feel the steady pulse of her heart, even through the material of his gloves. He wanted to pull her close and breathe her in, to beg for forgiveness and swear never to leave her again.
Instead, Hei focused on freeing Yin of the role forced upon her.
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This has been sitting on one of my legal pads for the longest time, so I thought I'd type it up and share it.
I have a headcanon that after the scene where Hei says "Let's finish this," he (carrying Yin's body) and Kobayashi (taking point with his gun) head towards the center of the Gate to stop Izanami/Yin. Another headcanon I have is that only people who Izanami allows can enter the center of the Gate.