Authors Note:
Hey Readers 3 I just wanted test something I thought of the other day while sitting for a car ride with some friends. ~ With us listening to Hunchback of Notre Dame I thought of some good ideas (in my opinon) for a fanfic, I will take this story for a few chapters to see if there is an interest in me to continue (cause its more fun when writing something for someone other than yourself when TESTING out an idea like this) Soooo PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW 3 Telling me what you think. ~ Lets Start Off This Chapter No Also, I apologize ahead of time for it possibly ending up a bit short for the first chapter along with any spelling or grammar mistakes.
-Joker Smiles
Chapter One: The "Monster"
There were many things that gave the average person fear. From stories of rumors to small things as bugs. Though, most without so much as a second thought or reasoning most people thought that anyone or thing different...was something to disgard and be afraid of. Most thought this way, raised their children, and their children's children on this theory.
As time would go on, those who found out they were different from the 'normal' status tried to hide their true selves locked inside under their every day mask. Unfortunately, for Shizuo Heiwajima his mask was not so easy to put up. He grew up as a normal child should, he never really did much wrong aside from a standard child's fit. Though, as time progressed he realized that his stength exceeded the usual standards of an average human being. With this in his mind viewed as a curse he tried to control his developing anger and strength away from the judging eyes of the world.
Taking his apartment as solitude, rumors spread throughout the city and most of Japan of that matter of the great 'beast of Ikebukuro'. Most who knew him as a child even if he did take himself away from his safety of his living space they would not knowingly gaze upon him. Shizuo, dreading the harm and possiblities of his strength he changed his appearance directly at the end of his schooling. His hair bleached blonde as his body features developed into a fine adult, not that he would know of course. Fed up to even look at himself in the mirror he no longer he has not seen his own face in many years. With only a few glances in the dirty windows as he passed them as his reflection he dismissed trying to keep up an appearance with no one to want him what was the point.
Waking up as usual at the start of the day Shizuo sleepily wiped his eyes of his few hours rest. The blonde never slept well, ever. The longest he remembered sleeping was last christmas when he drank himself to sleep. With no lover at his age or even someone to spend the holiday with he tried to drown his sadness away with hard wine. Sure, he could always try an contact his younger sibling Kasuka, but with not speaking to the younger man since his depart from that house he didn't want to trouble him with his "different" problems.
Stretching his arms popping the kinks in his back he brought himself off the futon which was so flat and stiff against the floor it was hard to call it a bed. Grabbing his camera he walked to the window to look outside as hid did always. Looking down to the crowd below he watched people of Ikebukuro go about their schedules as perusual. Taking a few snap shots here and there he angled the lense to a building across the street to see a man with binoculars staring down at the city as well. Eyes widening he watched the other intigued to see someone with the a similar hobby. Shizuo decided to adjust the lense to get a better view. Suddenly, his whole body froze as turning the dial. Across the street with a facial expression also of surprise, but with intrigue was the raven haired male looking in his direction. Shaking in fear of being discovered, Shizuo turned and hid against the wall of the window away from view nervously afraid of the situation. Trying to gain some nerve he turned back slightly with his camera ready towards the window. Gazing outside he looked at the man, who was now more clearly seen in a fur lined black coat before him. With his hands supporting his chin, the other male stared in his direction smirking a smile he had witnessed in a long time. A look of pure amusement and curiosity. Quickly he hit the shutter button on the camera with a breath of air coming into his lungs.
Turning back away from the window Shizuo ran himself to his couch to try and compose himself. Sure, one might think he shouldn't over react such an interaction, but that was the first human interaction he had even slightly had to himself aside from his few visits from his aquantiances Shinra and Celty. Even those were becoming less frequent, but this...this was something new. Without even glancing at the photos on the camera Shizuo rushed to his back room and he turned on the dark light. Beginning to get the photos developed in his own dark room, Shizuo couldn't wait until they were dry. Glancing at the photos on the pins he scanned them and found the one he was searching for. Pulling it off the line he glanced at it to see he indeed wasn't dreaming.
There in the photo was the man, looking at it more clearly he noticed the male was not much older than him if not the same age. He appeared to be at least a bit wealthy judging by the quality of his clothes.
Leaving the others on the line Shizuo took his knew photo and placed it on his coffee table and stared curiously at it wondering what exactly he was to do. Surely the man noticed he was staring over the city, let alone him. He was concerned, what if this man tried to start some kind of trouble, unwanting of that Shizuo muttered to himself. "This is stupid. I shouldn't be like this. Afraid of everything. Trying reach for his months supply of cigarettes to calm his everlasting nerves he found he was on his last cig. Grunting to himself Shizuo complained. "Fuck!" He tossed the empty case against the wall as he stared at the single ciagette just begging in his fingers to be lit up. Sighing he gave into temptation and puffed out the smokey nicotine from his lips. "Guess I have to go out again." Running his other hand through his hair he ruffled his blonde locks. He took a glance to his kitchen bringing him to his thoughts about his pretty much empty fridge and cabinets. Grumbling he brought himself to his room to change.
Hesitantly he thought of why he dreaded to go outside. No longer remembering what it was like to have someone embrace you as a person. It seemed everytime he attempted to run an errand or go out he seemed to destroy something that left people circulating horrible rumors about him once again. This left him to wear his hood up on every stroll he took, hiding his face.
Putting himself into some sweatpants and sweatshirt he grabbed his camera, and wallet of little money and went out his apartment door dreading the task he was out to set. Taking it on himself to walk the streets of the early morning day with the sun still rising Shizuo glanced around for any inspiration for photos to take while on his way to get his groceries.
Looking around, he sighed and just went to the market. Getting enough food and another few packs of cigarettes to last him this month and next Shizuo slowly started to make his way back home wanting to remain unseen. Suddenly as rounding the corner to his apartment his hood was pulled down by a grasping hand.
"Sorry~" A playful voice chimed. "But..Do I know you from somewhere?~"
Slowly turning around, Shizuo's wide eyes met auburn. Looking at the face that met the voice the blonde reconized the face of his recent photograph. "I-I, no." Shizuo said as turning away trying once again to take his leave. All he wanted was to get his cigarettes and a bit of food without anyone noticing. With luck not being on his side he had to run into the one person he was trying to avoid at the moment.
"Are you sure?~" The male's voice lightly laughed. "I am pretty sure..." A hand reached tucking its finger playfully under the neck strap of Shizuo's camera. "...that I have seen this.." Those striking eyes looked up into Shizuo's own mocha colored ones. "...before~"
"My-My camera?" Shizuo stuttered.
"Yeah~"
Getting angry with himself in this awkward situation Shizuo began to release his anger venting it in words. "N-No. I don't know you. I have never met you. Nor do I want to!" Shizuo's free hand found itself beginning to grasp a street sign in a tight grip. "I am just trying to get home! I want to get home, sit down and have a peaceful smoke without someone trying to confront me!" He shouted from under his hood as he tried to hid his face as the sign was pulled from the ground without even noticing. Hand shaking Shizuo finally noticed what abnormality he just did. He dropped the sign to the ground the same as he would if he would have touched fire burning him.
Something twinkled in the smaller man's eyes. "Ah~" He smiled. "My mistake~" The hand was released from the strap away from Shizuo. Not even taking a second look Shizuo stomped home weaving through the growing crowd of people.
Locking the door behind him Shizuo collapsed on his couch trying to understand what exactly just occured. "I could have hurt him. I could have done something horrible." Fisting his hands in his hair he pulled at the strands. "What is wrong with me?! All I want is to have a day not to be like this!"
Fishing into his bag he grabbed his cigarettes. Lighting one up he puffed out the smoke in a relaxing exhale. "Just one day..." He muttered to himself. "All I want is one."
Authors Note:
Its weird to put it this way, but this chapter was partly inspired by the first part of the song "Out There" from Hunchback of Notre Dame. As weird as it is to put it with the song in place the camera in a strange way is Frollo. It is something that takes the image of a person and shows it to another as the viewer wishes to see it. As a copy or just a image.
I will get more into detail about this as the story progresses, but as listening to the song Frollo speaks of how he feeds and dresses Quasimodo.
In this story, the camera does that. Aside from being Shizuo's job (which is out of the usual debt collector area) he makes money off of photos he takes. Aside from the income he uses the camera as his eyes to the world without anyone seeing him. He trusts the image that the camera gives him, since he never turns the camera around to take his picture it cannot judge him.
(its weird I know ^^' as I said it was a weird mild thought that came to me to create this story. So its a mild test run. Though I have some ideas I just don't know how far I will go with it.)
