A/N:
This is a Kamen Rider Kiva fanfic. I wrote it for my college creative writing course. I will work on it again sometime in my life but I do like this version. Please enjoy!
You were my first love
You were my true love
From the very first kiss
To the very last rose
~ Britney Spears
"From the Bottom of my Broken Heart"
The weather seemed too perfect; the sun shone brightly through the sparse clouds and the temperature was just right. But nothing is ever what it seems; things change from what they were to something you would not expect it to become. Weather can change in a blink of an eye – just like people.
The sky can easily turn dark, clouds can collect and your perfect sunny day turns to rain. It can rain for hours, yet in a single moment the sun can come out again bringing a new light to the day.
People are the same way; one moment they're overly hyperactive and smiling too much for their own good, and the next they stab you in the back and break your heart into a million unidentifiable pieces.
Life is as much of a joy as it is a sorrow. You must take life's strides with a strong heart and a solid mind. You must understand that when you fall you must pick yourself back up. You must live your life not dreading the pain and looking forward to what's to come; may it be good or bad.
That is what I learned throughout my life, as well as in my death. My story is not the best, but it's not the worst story you have ever heard. It is full of turmoil as well as love; happiness as well as sorrow.
I lived my life the best that I could, I never regretted a thing. Even in death I carry no regrets and that is something I'm proud of. I died to save the ones I loved, I had an honorable death. A death I am proud of.
I only loved one man in my life, Otoya Kurenai. Otoya was your typical ladies' man, he'd flirt with anything that had legs, but he'd never stick with one girl for more than a few weeks before he went onto the next one.
When I met Otoya he was trying his darnest to flirt with my best friend. Yuri never took kindly to flirtatious men, her dominating personality conflicting with theirs too much for anything serious to conspire. Because of that she never had a serious relationship. Her personality didn't stop Otoya.
"Buzz off bucko before I make you buzz off," Yuri cracked her knuckles, a sign that she is ready to hit someone, and the man before her was most likely the intended victim.
"Oh, sweetie, don't be that way," the man practically cooed as he snaked his arm around her shoulder, a risky move. "Just let me buy you a drink and I'll leave you alone." This man's smile practically glowed in the darkness of the club, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
It's always rather comical to watch men hit on Yuri, they always left with a bruised ego and a select few would leave with real bruises – this man might be one of them . . .
Yuri removed the man's arm from her shoulders, "don't touch me." She said with a growl in her voice. Even from behind her I could tell her green eyes were on fire, her patience with this man was wearing thin.
"Yuri," I spoke up, barely loud enough for my friend to hear, "could you not punch someone tonight, it is you're birthday." The glare I received told me I should not have spoken at all.
"It's my love's birthday! This must be celebrated!" he exclaimed as he practically jumped up and down, his dark hair dancing upon his head.
Yuri is going to kill me if this man gets any more lively . . . I thought to myself as Yuri turned to face the bar behind us.
"One drink, that's it."
That one drink turned into two, two lead to three . . . you can see where I'm going with that. As we drank more, Yuri began to loosen up and she even warmed up toward Otoya whose smile brightened with every drink he drank. Watching those two converse was such a treat, never had I seen Yuri be so happy while talking to a man, she even gave him her number.
After that first night Yuri and Otoya hung out more, I would say they were dating, but Yuri always hated when I said that. They were almost inseparable, and it made me happy. I was just happy seeing Yuri happy, I didn't even care that she and I hung out less because of it.
Not too long after I met Otoya, another man came into my life. He was the embodiment of "tall, dark and handsome," his name was Shinya Niiro. Shinya and I met similarly to how Maya and I met Otoya, but instead of him hitting on Yuri, he hit on me.
Lights danced of the wall in Club Sakura. It was my first night working at the club, which I had been a regular customer since it opened the year prior, so I was rather nervous. It was the good type of nervous, that nervous a bride feels before she says 'I Do', that nervousness that a parent feels when their child walks across the stage to graduate, that same nervousness we all have felt before their first kiss. I used my nerves to my advantage and worked hard.
My job was as a bartender; serving people drinks and talking to the customers. The perfect job for me, at least that's what Otoya said when I got the job. I still remember the blush I had on my face when he said that. He is always such a kind and gentle man, making me laugh at even moments when I want to cry, he's a good friend and Yuri is lucky to have such a man in her life.
"Hey cutie, can I get a drink please?" a customer's voice brought me out of my thoughts. My eyes widened when I sat eyes on this man; his dark hair glistened in the erratic lights of the club and his even darker eyes seemed to penetrate into my soul.
"What would you like?" I said a smile on my face as I look at this gorgeous man. Never in my life have I seen a man with such an air of mystery as this one had. He made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I took that as a good sign.
"Scotch on the rocks," his smooth voice ghosted across the bar to my ears. The smirk he on his face made my heart beat quickens. I could feel his dark eyes on me as I made his drink. It being a Tuesday night the club was sparse, only one other customer was even at the bar.
"So, cutie, what's your name?" he winked as I put the drink in front of him. It really was a rarity that someone would flirt with me and I was having a bit of a difficulty keeping my composure. This man was just too cute!
"Maya Yami; what's yours?" I asked, my voice wavering ever so slightly.
Why am I so nervous, he's just a customer. A really cute customer . . . Urg! I suck at flirting!
"Shinya Niiro." The smirk never faltered, and neither did my blush. "So, Maya, how long have you been working here?"
"This is my first night actually." I wrung my hand through my hair, a nervous habit of mine.
"Hm . . .so, when does your shift end?" Shinya leaned closer to me, leaning forward on his arms, his eyebrows raised in question.
"In," I looked at my watch, knowing it was rather soon, "five minutes." My voice showed the shock I felt. I hadn't realized it was so late, the night had been a blur, time passing faster than it seemed to have passed.
"Oh," Shinya took a large gulp from his drink, "well, Maya, do you want to join me for a bite to eat?"
I contemplated his offer for a moment, I hadn't eaten since lunch and it was past the usual time that I ate dinner. His offer was generous and it was a rarity that someone would ask me out . . . "Sure. Just let me clock out and grab my stuff." I smiled.
That night was one of the best nights of my life, a memory I once wanted to cherish, but now that happy memory is poisoned. Shinya was a poison, he seeped into my system and left me hollow.
Our short lived relationship started out magical. It was perfect, but that didn't last long. Shinya didn't like Yuri and Otoya, which I never understood why, so he found ways to keep me from being around them. First he would make plans with me on the days he knew I usually spend time with Yuri and Otoya.
At the time I thought nothing of it, we were in that stage of a relationship where we were getting to know one another and spent all our time together. I was so happy, and Yuri was happy for me. But that happiness faded when he hit me for the first time . . .
"Hey Shinya," I said, meeting up with him at the Willow Angel fountain, giving him a kiss which he returned, I could feel his usual smirk through the kiss. I could feel myself falling in love with this man the more I see him. He is just perfect.
"Maya, you are as beautiful as always," his dark eyes held their usual kindness, and my heart sped like it always did when I looked into his eyes.
"Maya, Shinya! There you guys are! Yuri told me to meet you guys here," a familiar voice wafted along the soft breeze to my ears.
I turned abruptly around, Shinya's grip on me tightening as I did so, and saw the voices owner. My smile grew tenfold. "Hey Otoya, where's Yuri? I thought you guys were coming together."
"Oh, Yuri said she was running a bit late. Traffic," the goof's smile broadened as he practically skipped toward us.
"You didn't tell me they'd be joining us today," Shinya whispered into my ear though it sounded a bit like a growl.
"Well, it's my birthday and Yuri made a promise when we were little that no matter what we'd spend our birthday's together and since she's seeing Otoya he tagged along," I smiled.
"Must celebrate a beautiful woman's birthday in style," Otoya kneeled and took my hand placing a kiss upon it. His ministrations made me blush, and made Shinya tighten his grip on me. I cringed a bit at Shinya's actions.
Later that night, after we had a few drinks over dinner and saw a movie I had wanted to see for quite some time, it was just me and Shinya. Since I had walked to the fountain Shinya gave me a ride home. It was the perfect end to a perfect night.
"So, do you want to come in," I offered as he walked me to my door, our hands entwined.
"Of course birthday girl," he bends to whisper the words into my ear making a shiver run down my back. Over the few months we had been dating he learnt a few tricks to make that familiar shiver. He enjoyed making me react like that, I could tell by the wide smirk on his face.
At first it was simple, our lips touching and our hands roaming in familiarity over each other's bodies, but nothing is simple for long. At this point in my life I had never had a serious boyfriend and have never gone far with a man, kissing being the farthest. Shinya was the experienced one out of the two of us.
His hands snaked their way up my shirt, I was too caught up in the moment to stop him. My mind was full of simple ecstasy, that kind you feel when you're close to the one you love, when their lips are touching yours. My mind was clouded, shrouded with these feeling I held for him.
It was only when he tried to get my shirt up over my head that the haze went away, "Shinya, stop," I said breathlessly, my hands gently around his wrists. Our eyes met, "I'm not ready."
His usual smirk was once again upon his face, "ok." He moved my shirt back to its original position and he sat up on the couch, pulling me up with him so that I was nestled in his arms.
That's when my phone vibrated, "who could that be?" I adjusted so that I could get my phone from my pocket. It was a text, "it's from Oto – Ahh!"
Shinya grabbed my wrist in a vice like grip with one of his hands while the other tossed my phone across the room. I could hear it break as it hit the wall. Before I could get a word out Shinya tossed me on the floor, my body hitting the coffee table hard, my back throbbing in pain.
"Why must that man ruin our time together!" he hissed as he hovered over me, grabbing my collar, "I don't like him, or that Yuri girl. You're mine." His voice was not my Shinya's. It was full of hatred and evil, I cringed in fear.
"Shinya . . ." I muttered, barely audible, fear lacing my quiet voice.
This isn't Shinya. He's not like this. What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? The questions raced inside my head, repeating in succession, my fear leaving me motionless.
Seeing the look of utter fear in my eyes, he threw me against the coffee table again, "Maya, this is your first warning. You're mine. Stay away from those two."
That night Shinya took something from me that I could never get back, that night will haunt my memory for the rest of my life.
Since my cellphone was dead Yuri was unable to contact me. We had been friends since kindergarten and there was never a day that we didn't speak to one another even if it was just a simple text saying hello. I knew she'd be worried, I was worried; worried about Shinya's actions that night, worried that he'd be like that again.
For a few days I stayed at home, missing work without a way to let them know I wasn't coming in. I barely moved from the couch, I ate next to nothing; I was in shock. Never in my life had anything like that happened, I didn't know how to react.
Why? Why did he do that? Why did he hurt me? He loves me, he does. I know it. I love him. He just loves me, that's all. He didn't mean to hurt me, he didn't really. Shinya loves me . . . he loves me . . .
My thoughts ran in circles, the same words, the same reasons. I tried to convince myself of something I wasn't sure was true. A knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts, a familiar knock that I was not expecting.
Otoya? I thought the question as the knocking continued. Only twice before had the man came to my house, and each time he had the same knock "Pachelbel's Canon." My mind recalled the first time he came to my house.
Yuri was uncharacteristically nervous and wanted to borrow some of my clothes for their date. I suggested that since she was going to be at my place anyway that she tell Otoya to pick her up here. Her nerves settled after that; her place was a bit of a pigsty, I cleaned it for her more than she did herself.
When I first heard the melodic knock I was thoroughly confused, as was Yuri.
"Is that Otoya? Why is he knocking like that?" Yuri asked, still putting some finishing touches to her make-up.
"Doesn't he play the violin?" I inquired as I began to walk toward the door, knowing that Yuri would not answer, too wrapped up with her make-up. I had learned over the years to not bother asking serious questions when she was in that mode. It was more of a rhetorical question anyway.
"Oh, beautiful Maya," Otoya's usual energetic voice filled the house the moment I opened the door, a smile filling his face and brightening the already bright room.
"Well hello again Otoya, please come in."
"Oh yes," his energy never faltered as he sauntered into the house, taking the liberty to sit comfortably on the couch. "So, how long is my love going to be?" he said as he put his feet on the coffee table and made himself comfortable. I couldn't help but giggle at how easily he could feel at home in someone else's home.
"Well, no more than 20 minutes I'm sure," I answered honestly, I was tempted to tell him she was taking that long on just her make-up, but Yuri wouldn't like me blabbing like that. "So, Otoya?" I asked as I leaned against the wall nearest the door.
"Yes Maya?" his kind eyes met mine, and for a long moment we were silent as our eyes stared into one another. Something sparked in that moment, something neither of us would say anything about.
"What was that tune you were knocking with?" I finally muttered after what seemed like an eternity, my eyes darting to the coffee table as I asked, my cheeks tempting to flush.
"Oh that? It was Pachelbel's' Canon. My favorite piece to play, the song was the first I learned on the violin," his bright smile was still upon his face, but his eyes told that the contact we had had an effect on him as well.
"Well it sounds pretty as a knock, I'd love to hear you play it on your violin," I said.
"Otoya! I'm ready!" Yuri walked into the room just as I finished my statement, her make-up looking half as bright as it usually was, it was hard to tell she had any on at all.
The melodic knock continued as my mind came back to the present. I heard his voice, not identifying any words. He sounded normal, happy and energetic. His energy found its way to me, forcing me to get off the couch and walk toward the door. It was as if he was pulling me towards him by an invisible string.
My hand reached the doorknob before I consciously realized I had even gotten off the couch, I couldn't stop myself from opening the door to reveal Otoya. He was smiling, he always smiled, I had never seen him without a smile.
A moment passed as our eyes locked, just like the last time, silence filled air. His smile was gone, his arms were around me, embracing me in a hug. Tears streamed down my face, tears stained his shirt. My arms encircled his lithe form. I couldn't stop the flow of tears, I couldn't move.
We stood like that for what seemed like an eternity before Otoya spoke, "let's get out of the doorway."
My body moved on its own, Otoya's comforting arms never leaving my body as we made our way towards the couch. I sat like a zombie, not moving or speaking, the tears finally stopping their relentless flow. Once again we sat in dead silence, his even breathing the only sound. In my head I counted his breaths.
"Maya," he said soothingly, staring at my face. I refused to meet his eyes again, those eyes that bore into my soul. I knew I couldn't lie to those hazel eyes. "Please look at me," his hand gently cupped my chin forcing me to look into those eyes, I felt my own begin to water.
I don't know what he was thinking, I don't know what I was thinking. Our lips met than, it was gentle and kind. My tears fell from my eyes, streaming down my cheeks. My arms encircled him again, my body moved closer to his warmth. I had been so cold before, so cold that I could feel nothing. His heat engulfed me in a wave, all my feelings hit me at once. I held him tight.
He is safe. I'm alright, just like this, in his warm embrace. Everything is going to be ok. I'm safe now. My mind told me as the kiss ended, our eyes locked again.
"Maya, tell me what happened? What did Shinya do?" his words were soft, comforting. His hand massaged my back idly as he spoke.
"He . . ." I couldn't say it. I couldn't tell this man what the other man had done. Shinya loved me, he did, and that's why he had done it.
"Maya. You can tell me, I care for you. You can tell my anything. I'm here to listen," that familiar smile was back on his face, but his eyes were not smiling, those hazel eyes that I could not lie to.
And I didn't lie. It took me a few hours to be able to tell Otoya all of what had happened. My tears would not cease as I told the story.
He held me gently as I cried, comforting me with his kind words. Telling me it wasn't my fault. Telling me he loved me and that what Shinya did was not out of love, telling me that someone who loved me would not hurt me like that; that he wouldn't hurt me like that.
I fell asleep in Otoya's arms, exhausted, but my peaceful sleep was ruined by a sudden loud noise.
"What!" a female voice's loud whisper hit my ears, I was still too tired to move, unconsciousness awaiting my somber return.
"Shhh, don't be so loud Yuri, you'll wake her up," a male's soft whisper hit my ears next. The two voices comforted me, made me feel safe.
"Don't tell me to be quiet! Not when I saw you kiss her!" the female voice got louder, but was still a hushed tone. "He needs to pay Otoya, you know it. He needs to go to jail for the rest of his life."
A sudden loud thud that sounded like a door being slammed open and off its hinges made my heart come to life suddenly, my body shot up. My adrenalin was rushing as I looked around the room, taking in the presence of Otoya and Yuri nearest to me. My eyes darted quickly toward the source of the sound. Shinya.
It was Shinya, he was here. He was in the doorway. The door was off its hinges and on the floor. He was angry. I was scared. I needed to get away. I needed to hide. I needed to be safe.
My body couldn't move, I sat there in utter shock staring at the man in the doorway. His eyes lit in anger.
"What the fuck is this Maya! I told you were mine and to never see these two again," he gestured to my friends who were blocking me from Shinya's view.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing here Shinya? You're the one who she is never going to see again you sick fuck! Who gets off my beating and raping the women who love them?" Yuri barked at him, her fists clutching at her side. She was in fighting mode, and nothing could stop her.
Otoya moved behind her, placing on hand upon my should to tell me he would protect me, that everything was going to be ok. His hand was warm, heating my body up in comforting warmth.; the warmth of real love.
"Bitch, get away from my woman!" Shinya barked back, a shiny object in his hand glinting in the iridescent light of the living room.
It wasn't until the tussle began that I realized that the object Shinya had been holding was a knife. It wasn't until Yuri was on the ground bleeding that I was able to move, able to hold my dying friend in my arms again. Hold her for the last time.
Yuri Asō died November 5th. It has been 10 years since she passed. Not a day goes by that Maya and I do not think about her. It was because of our love for her that we were able to move on.
We married on the anniversary of her death two years after she passed on. Maya wasn't ready to move on for a long time, and having to raise Shinya's son weighed on her soul for a long time. It wasn't until Taiga almost died from an unknown disease that she finally snapped out of her depression.
It was that day she decided that Yuri would not have liked her to be sad and that it was ok for her to move on. A year after we got married we had our son Wataru.
Taiga and Wataru are the lights in our life. They are who we look at when we want to see the innocence that humanity still has. Children are humanities innocence. And another child is soon to be born.
In a matter of month a new Yuri will join this world, and she will be as beautiful and confident as the woman she is named for.