In the path of the Devil
Soubi was on his knees before him, head bowed, subservient as always. "I'm sorry Ritsuka, for lying to you, betraying you".
Ritsuka was suspicious, there was something in Soubi's tone that he couldn't quite place, but his cynical, sorrowful mind decided that the only emotion Soubi could be getting form this was enjoyment.
He was a masochist after all.
Soubi knew how much Ritsuka hated liars and being lied to, how hurt he was at his brother's betrayal. He was apologising to be punished.
Soubi was never sorry, not really. Not as a normal person should be, he was not sorry for hurting someone he loved, because he did not love Ritsuka, he did not love anyone. The closest he had ever come to loving someone was himself, and he despises himself, so Ritsuka thought.
It makes sense, he is constantly lying and then apologising, apologising because he enjoys begging, being scolded and hurt and controlled.
Footsteps behind him.
"I love you, Ritsuka"
The familiar voice floated towards him, the soft melodic tone saved only for him. It was full of truth and the promise of different future, the promise of being snatched from the jaws of Loveless.
This was a turning point, he knew.
He turned and Seimei stood before him, tall and strong and beautiful as ever. His brother, who loved him, who had always protected him from his mother. The man who held him when he couldn't remember and kissed him to help him to forget. His Beloved.
Ritsuka looked back at Soubi, the man full of false promises and lies. Although Seimei put the lies into Soubi's mouth, Ritsuka could only blame Soubi for them, for being so selfish and weak to reiterate them, for wanting to be a slave to his brother because it was easier to live without having to control his own life and manage his own emotions.
His chest ached at the thought of all the times he felt safe in Soubi's arms. Lies, half-truths and secrets being cooed into his all too willing ears, desperate to be loved and cherished and wanted and held. Ritsuka knew now that this was not his destiny. All the times Soubi held him and told him that he was loved. But he was not beloved, and nor was Soubi, really, he was just a blank puppet, tangled in his strings. And despite his determination to rule his own destiny, Ritsuka has come to realise that he too is being subtly manipulated by very fine, strong strings, piano wire, attached to the hands of his brother, the master puppeteer.
He was done with pain, he decided, exhausted. He decided that if Soubi could selfishly put himself first, do what was easy instead of what was right, so could he.
Ritsuka walked towards his brother and slipped his arms around the slim waist, burying his head in Seimei's warm chest. Seimei ran his long fingers through Ritsuka's hair and bent down to kiss him between his ears. He then picked him up, chest to chest, heart beating in tandem and Ritsuka wrapped his legs around his brother's waist and let his head rest in the crook between his neck and shoulder.
Seimei turned and began to walk away, Ritsuka didn't know where, but he didn't mind, he knew he was safe from now on. After all, it is better to be at the right hand of the devil, than in his path.
As an afterthought, Ritsuka glanced up and caught eyes with Soubi. Tears were falling from his beautiful, lying eyes and Ritsuka couldn't be sure who they were for. They were almost certainly not for Ritsuka, and probably not for Seimei either.
Probably for himself, he thought as he nuzzled his head back into his brother's neck, and planted a small, chaste kiss there.