Finally, my first published fanfiction! I feel a wave of accomplishment washing over me. I'm pretty pround of this peice. It's one of my best. I'll say this now: It is a Yaoi (BoyxBoy fanfiction! If you don't like that, pleaseleave! Recently, I've been on a Preatear kick. I got the anime box set a while back but my love for it has been revived. My best friend and I have a theory about two of the Leafe Knights. Perhaps the reason Goh looks after Mannen and is so harsh with him is because Goh himself was in love with the previous Knight of Ice. So now, Goh looks at Mannen as he did his former love. (insert Fangirl attack.) :)
If you are coming here through my facebook, I appreciate it. It really means alot to me that you would take time out of your day to read what I wrote. So thanks. (= Enjoy!
The hazy sky was painted a light mandrine; periwinkle clouds dusted the lower half of the mid day sky. It had only been around a month since the Incedent with the Princess of Disater and the Awayuki residence was unusually quiet. The Leafe Knights typically mingled around the mansion day and night but, on this occasion, the Leafe Knight of fire and the Leafe Knigth of ice walked along a grassy path by the lakeside. Goh slowed his strides to match the young boy's steps. Mannen was unusually chipper, excitedly swinging his arms are he spoke of how much he loved going to school in Himeno's world.
Goh couldn't help but smile as he glanced down at Mannen's grinning face. He reached down and ruffled his tan hand through Mannen's icey white hair. The young child immediently got flustered, snapping at Goh.
"Dude! Why the heck did ya' do that?" He growled, swatting at the boys hand. He managed a good hit to Goh's chest an dthe tall male stumbled a bit, exhagerating the hit. Mannen made sort of a 'Nah, nah' noise and beamed with cheer. Goh streched as he stood up, jogging back up to walk with his fellow knight.
"Goh, I landed a punch so take me to that Cafe you always talk about but never go to for a treat." Goh stopped for a bit. Did Mannen really want to go with him there? Of course he did. Mannen had no clue what memories that place held. Mannen hardly knew anything of his past life.
"Goh! Let's go get a cream soda!" The cheery boy grabbed Goh's hand as he swiftly switched out of his knight garb. Within a flash, Goh did the same and he allowed his fellow knight to lead him into the Pretear's world.
The cafe was full to the brim, a heavy sigh escaping the knight's mouth. Goh wathed in amazment as the boy fiddled with his hands; stuffing them in his pockets, tapping his fingers on the side of his pants, and twidaling his thumbs. The young knight just couldn't keep still.
"Dude, chill, we'll get in there soon. I didn't plan anything today so relax." The white haired boy smirked and looked Goh in the eyes.
"You don't have to tell me to chill, Knight of Fire. I am the Knight of Ice, arn't I?" Indeed he was; and that knight was the most important thing to Goh. They were complete opposites: Goh was a bit on the crazy side whilst Mannen was level headed, Goh had the patience to stand in line for an hour and Mannen couldn't stand still, Goh was the Leafe Knight of Fire and Mannen was that of Ice. One thing was for sure: they were undoubtably in love with eachother. The other knights seemed to only encourage their playful antics, but Goh chickened out every time Mannen tried to steal a kiss. Goh took it as a sign of true love.
Eventually the line died down and Mannen and Goh were seated at a small table next to the window. Third seat from the back wall. While they waited for their desserts, Mannen chatted about the people surrounding them. A young woman in a purple dress and dark brown hair had walked in with a gentle looking man and two small children, one with pink locks an dhte other with sea foam green hair. The littlest girl clung to her father's leg and they sat almost next to the two knights. Another couple was seated nearbye; a scruffy looking brown haired man, a woman with long, wavy, red locks and their small child. The girl's hair had a pink hue and it flipped out on each side. Mannen stifled a laugh.
"Goh, doesn't that girl look like a tulip? She's pretty though, looks like her mother." Goh nodded and laughed. He felt a fermiliar aura around the girl, the kind he felt around Takako, but thought nothing of it. He was only focused on his date. Their order came soon after; a cream soda for Mannen and a fruit parfait for Goh. They chatted as they ate, Goh watching cars drive by an dlistened to the boy.
"Takako seems odd latley, doesn't she? She's gotten more reserved and she can't concentrate in battle. I'm worried about her.." Goh grabbed his hand and staredinto Mannen's eyes.
"Can we not talk about her right now? I just want to cherish this time I have with you, away from the other knights..." Goh felt a blush creep across his face and Mannen made a small 'uh-huh' noise. Goh was looking down, but a sudden movement caused him to look up. At that moment, Mannen's cold lips locked against Goh's warm ones and Goh's eyes widened in shock. Mannen was kissing him!It seemed to last forever, or perhaps Goh was just wishing that was the case. He had always wonderd what the kiss would be like; would it be short and sweet? Long and pasionate? Finally, he decided that it was at a pleasant spot in the middle of the two. When Mannen parted from him, Goh's eyes crackled open to see a smirking white haired boy.
"I finally managed to steal Goh's first kiss." Mannen grabbed Goh's spoon sitting in his parfait and took a large bite, giving the Knight of Fire a goofy grin. Yes, he was uncontrollably in love with Mannen and everything he did made his heart beat faster.
"Please follow me to your seat." The waiter turned and walked down the row of seats, stopping at the thrid seat from the back wall. Goh froze momentaraly but continued onward as Mannen slid into his seat.
"Yes! A window seat! I love watching the people walk by." Goh chuckled and Mannen gave him the evil eye. "What's so funny, Goh?" Goh shook his head, not wantin gto bring it up, yet Mannen persisted. Finally, Goh gave in.
"The former Knight of Ice was quite the people watcher to. He loved to sit in this booth and watch everybody that walked by the window or sat down." Mannen's eyes windend.
"Idiot! Why didn't you tell me before? I always thought it was so wierd how I loved to watch people. Why the heck didn't you tell me sooner? What else do you know about me?" Mannen slammed his fists on the table, causing other diners to glance over. Goh's head was in his hands as he tried to figure out how to get out of the hole he had dug himself into. Why had he brought it up? Goh looked over at the hot headed Mannen. He was nothing like the former Knight. The previous Mannen was a lot more level headed and had alot more patience than the young Knight sitting in front of him.
"I know alot more than you think I do, Manen, ... Sorry,I have to go." Goh set money down on the table, got up, and left. Mannen watched him walk out the door. Extreemly confused, Mannen slurped down the cream soda and wolfed down the rest of Goh's dessert. He needed to be sixteen sooner than later and he needed to know more.
Goh kicked the pebbles on the old road as he strode down the path. He had totally forgotten that Mannen was almost sixteen..Goh wasn't ready to have to face the young boy's plethora of questions. Mannen had looked up to Goh like a brother; how would he react when he found out that they were acctually former lovers? Life sure was confusing. Unsure of what to do, Goh transported back to Leafanian for some peace and solitude.
There, he found Kei, Sasame, and Hayate around the old tree Takako was sealed in. As he approached, they turned to him. Goh nodded, knowing what they were going to say.
"Himeno want's to plan a party for Mannen. I told her no, but she insists-" Hayate was interupted by Goh.
"It's fine. It'll help cheer him up after all the memories come back.." Goh stood, staring at the tree. Faint amount's of the old Mannen's leafe still lingered, and they prodded Goh's heart like needles. He couldn't move on. THe painful day still clung to his heart like a fly to honey. Goh clenched his fists, resisting the urge to let tears slip down his cheeks. He heard a rustle behind him and turned to see Himeno.
"Goh, what's going to happen to Mannen on his birthday? He's not going to die, is he?" Himeno ran up to Goh, tugging on his shirt. Taking a deep breathe, Goh removed Himeno's hands from his clothes and glanced over at Hayate. The Knight of Wind simply nodded. Goh cleared his throught and began.
"Himeno..Mannen, Hajime, and Shin all gave up their leafe to seal away Takako sixteen years ago. When that happened, they dissappeared and were reborn without memories. On a knight's sixteenth birthday, he regains his memories of the past life he lived. Mannen and I...we were together. He was the most important thing to me and I woul dhave given up everything to let him stay here. When Mannen turns sixteen, he will regain those memories and learn about his former self and I. I don't think I'm ready to rehas all those memories, but Mannen will be sixteen in just a few days, so please throw a party. It will help him get his mind off all the chaos occuring in his body..." Himeno looked shocked as she stumbled backwards, tripping on the edge of the pond. Hayate lunged for her, but stopped as the pond immediently froze. Goh looked around, panicked. Mannen had heard them? Yet, none of the knights felt his Leafe. Goh's eye's widened. He gazed down below the ice and gasped. Through the ice he saw a smiling delicate face. His hands flew to the cold surface, flames melting a hole. Alas, when the water melted, the face dissapeared. Goh's fist smashed he ice as he let warm tears fall from his brown eyes. That was definatly Mannen's face, no doubt about it.
"Goh.." Himeno started, but was cut off as Goh quickly dissapeared. Himeno looked at Hayate, concered. The blue eyed boy simply sighed. Sasame spoke up.
"Himeno, Goh hasn't healed from that day sixteen years ago. It hurt him more than it hurt me..." Himeno's eyes widened.
"But how? He always seems so happy! He's always out to that Cafe and laughing and cheering me up! Why.." Hayate embraced her cautiously, a blush spreading on their faces.
"That Cafe.. that place is where he spent his final day with Mannen. The day we sealed Takako away.."
The two boys left the cafe with smiles, Goh's large hand holding Mannen's small, frail one. Their steps were in sync as they walked down the busy sidewalk. They passed a small church on their way to meet up with the other knights. The two, lost in their dreamy stares, failed to notice an upset Takako on a bench. They sat beneath a pink tree, Mannen cuddled up to Goh. They were quiet, except gentle, slow breaths of the two. Mannen looked up at Goh, who's eyes were closed and seemed to betrying to sleep.
"Goh," Mannen began,"I'm glad I'm with you. I-I love you." With that, Goh's eyes shot open. His mouth gaping, he glanced down at the boy who had snuggled into his chest.
"Mannen.."He said in a gentle voice,"I l-love you to.."
Goh awoke that morning with a severe headache; it was Mannen's birthday and he clearly didn't want it to be. No one else was home so Goh figured they were at the Awayuki home. He took a breif shower before heading through the door of light to the party. It was going to be a long day.
When Goh arrived at the party, the tulip-headed girl was running around like a chicken with her head cut off. The other Knights seemed frantic as they scoured the nearbye areas. Goh rushed over to Hayate and prodded him with questions.
"We can't find Mannen-" was all Hayate needed to say. Goh's body froze. No..this couldn't be happening... Memories of signifigant places wound through his head like images on movie reels. Where would Mannen go that no other knight would think of looking for him? He thought hard, suddenly a light bulb went off in his head. He yelled to the other knights that he would handle it and then bolted off.
The salty mist of the sea coated their faces as they stood hand in hand on the sand. The younger boy gazed out at the horizon, his eye's squinting at the sun. It was certainly a beautiful day. The two sat on the warm sand and spoke.
"Goh, if I wasn't here, what would you do?" The tan male's brows furrowed. Goh had never thought about Mannen not being by his side; it was always something that he assumed would always be. What would he do without Mannen? He would easily loose his mind; there would be no one there to help keep his composure. Goh would go crazy. He glanced at Mannen out of the corner of his choclate eyes. A look of worry was cast over his porceline face.
"Mannen..." His voice was hoarse and scrachy. "Are you okay..?" The Knight of Ice gave Goh a puzzled look before looking back out at the waves. They rolled in and out a few times before he replied.
"I just...I have a bad feeling in my chest. A dark, sinister feeling. So, Goh, I need to know: what would you do if I couldn't be here anymore?" Mannen gave him a cold, icey stare as he awaited an answer. Goh gulped, unsure of what to do. He had never know Mannen to be this serious.
"I would loose my mind. You hold me together; you know just how to calm me down. Mannen..I would use my leafe up so I would dissapear with y-" Goh's words were silenced with a short, sweet kiss. A suddle blush crept up onto his cheeks and Mannen locked eyes with him.
"Goh. Don't do that. I-if I can no longer be around you..stay alive. For me. Teach the new knight. Cherish him. Laugh with him. Smile at his corny jokes. Love him." Mannen squeezed Goh's hand and smiled, "Treat him as you would our child." A startled Goh practically feel over. T-t-t-t-their child? Goh had expected him to like a brother, but not their child. However, Goh couldn't help but smile as he said it over in his head. He loved the sound of it, even though it was impossible. He pulled the Knight in close to him and rested his cheek on the top of Mannen's white hair.
"I'll always love you, Mannen. No matter what happeneds."
The two knight's bolted to Leafania, news of what occured with Takako had reached them swiftly. Currently the other knights held her, in a sedated state, by a large tree next to a lake. Goh and Mannen arrived as the knights placed her body in a hollowed out hole in the side of a tree. Kei glanced over them, a somber look on his face. The knights stood around the pond, silent until Kei spoke up.
"We need enormouse amounts of Leafe to seal her away.." Mannen's face had shown a grim shock, but Goh failed to notice. Goh stood, unsure of what to say. Before he thought of something, Mannen turned to him.
"It will take some time to figure it out, so could you please go and retreive my locket from the beach? I think I left it there.." Goh managed a smile and nodded. He turned to go, but Mannen grasped his hand. He turned back to him and was embraced. Mannen gave him a long, passionate kiss and looked into Goh's deep brown eyes.
"I love you, Goh." Goh smiledback at him.
"I love you to, Mannen."
Goh failed to find the locket on the beach and returned somber to Leafania. He reached the pond by the tree and foun dthree knights missing: Hajime, Shin, and.. Mannen. He looked at Sasame, Hayate, and Kei as his eyes widened. He ran over to the edge of the water and saw what he feared. There, he saw three small balls of Leafe soaking into the tree and creating a barrier. Goh sank to his knees. This couldn't be happening..no.. not Mannen.. not him..Tears slipped down Goh's cheeks as he bawled and pounded his fists on the ground beside him. Mannen.. How could Goh have fell for Mannen's stupid excuse to get him away...Suddenly, he felt a tap on the edge of his shoulder. He turned to see Sasame clutching something in his hand. On closer inspection, Goh noticed it was a small silver locket.
"He wanted you to have this, Goh." The Fire Knight's hand shook as he took it from his fellow knight. He carefully unclasped it then hooked it around his neck. Though Goh's skin usually warmed anything he touched in an instant, the small locket remained cold to the touch.
Goh's breathe grew ragged as he rushed to the beach. It was the very spot of the question. When he reached the edge where dirt and sand met, he saw a small white haired boy sitting in the sand. Sighing, he quietly approached him. As he grew closer, he heard the boy snifling a bit. Finally, Goh stood behind him and looked down. A startled Mannen spoke first.
"Why...? Why didn't anyone tell me? I wou-"
"Manne! I'm sorry, alright! It was my fault; I was too scared to tell you! I couldn't tell you the truth-" Goh was cut of by a screaming, crying Mannen yellling:
"All this time I thought it was strange that I had feeling for you! If you had told me then I wouldn't have been so confused!" Mannen's hands trembled as he clung to Goh's shirt. Goh's eyes widened in shock. Mannen...all this time..the previous Knight of Ice's feeling had come through to Mannen, and Goh hadn't even noticed. All the times that Mannen had come to him for advice, come to him for help in school, asked him to go to places with him; it was all because the love carried through. Goh hesitated before placing his large hand atop Mannen's head.
"I-I," He faltered," Mannen, I'm sorry I never noticed...I was so caught up in the past I forgot how it would effect you.."Goh felt tears welling up in his eyes as he placed both hands on either side of Mannen's cheeks. He tilted the young boy's head up and looked him in the eye.
"Mannen, will you ever forgive me?" The young knight managed a meager smile and sniffled one last time. He looked at the chocolate orbs staring back at him and took a slow breathe. A crisp, sudden breeze blew around the two boys and a large wave crashed behind them. In an instant, Mannen's emotions changed. Everything seemed to sort out once he heard Goh's words.
"Of course. I just need to figure this all out and sift through my memories some more and think about everything. It's wierd to see you so young. You were smaller than me now in the earliest memories." Goh growled lightly, ruffling his hair.
"Oh, jeez, Mannen! I'll always be older than you, so can it." Goh grinned at the boy and pulled him close in a single armed hug. The two boy's turned and walked back to the mansion grounds.
"Ya know, Himeno is real excited about this party. She was having a heart attack when they couldn't find you." Mannen laughed and Goh chuckled. The two failed to notice the faint figure in the salty sea mist smiling at them as they walked away.
"Goodbye, my love."
Well, thats it :) I hope you liked it and please leave a reveiw! Sorry for all the grammer and spelling mistakes. Thanks again! =D