Disclaimer: You guys all know I don't own anything. What's the point of these?
AN: I can't exactly remember if it says somewhere that Contractors sleep or not; but for the sake of time, let's just say no. Takes place during Episode One; with the Gravitational Contractor Guy.
f a d e t o b l a c k
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"Onii-san..."
Her voice echoes off of nothingness, nothing makes sense anymore. Because he's there, in that rainy, black space, which he can't recognize, but knows somewhere in his heart that it's Heaven's Gate. And she's there too, fading away, reaching out a hand. There's that same smile on that face, the smile that always came when she thought of the night sky, stargazing with her Onii-san. She's fading, slipping away faster and faster, and he has to get there before it's too late, before she disappears again.
"Bai!" His voice comes out less than a whisper, even though it was meant to be a shout. He squints midnight-colored eyes through the rain, forcing himself to run, even though it feels like his body can only move in slow motion. He has to get to her, to grab that hand, pull her back into reality.
"Onii-san!" She says again, reaching her hand out farther. He reaches out, his fingers just barely brushing against hers. He sighs in relief, letting what just might be a smile start to form on his face. His lips move to form some kind of words, "Bai", "Nii-chan", or even just "you", but no sound comes out. Her eyes light up like fireworks, the smile on her face stretching wide. His own smile flickers out, eyes going wide. She's smiling, smiling wider and wider, clenching his hand in an iron grip. It stretches her face out, farther than any face should go - human, Contractor, anything. He tries to say something, but he can't make noise, his mouth moving soundlessly. (Screaming in silence)
The rain is suddenly acid. It drips down onto both of them, stinging like daggers. It burns tiny holes in his black jacket, sending a horrible heat through his bones. It falls down on her too, disintegrating the hair from her scalp, so it fades away in raggedy clumps. Steam rises from both of them, swirling up above their heads like smoke. His BK201 mask degenerates into ash, blowing off of his face. He's unprotected. Underneath his coat, the acid rain reveals a white button down shirt and old jeans.
The knives fall from his pockets, clattering to the ground with muffled crashes. They too crumble under the rain (pouringpouringpouring) pounding down on him. BK201 stands no more, just shy, awkward Li Shengshun, (all pretend). He tries to move, trying to fight back, but it's no use. Without BK201, without his shell, he becomes smaller, weaker. Her grip is still on his wrist, a cuff, holding him to his death. It hurts, he feels his wrist swelling, as the rain burns away Li Shengshun, until it's gotten down to what's left: bare skin and Hei. (He's vulnerable)
The look on her face - smiling literally from ear to ear - starts to melt away. Her skin drips like wax off a melting candle, forming a puddle at their feet. It melts slowly, shape twisting until she looks like the Cheshire Cat from the book he used to read her at bedtime. Like a big, waxy mask, her face falls off the bone slowly, splashing down on his feet, bubbling. He can still hear her voice, her laughter. Her shoulders start to bubble like boiling water, peeling like wax too - it spreads through her body like the plague, until she's a sizzling heap at his feet.
He collapses to his knees, eyes open wide. He reaches down for what was his sister, (it's disappearing fast), hands shaking. He can barely breathe, the rain's letting up, but he wants it to pour harder, to wash away his miserable existence. He wants to melt away, (he's failedfailedfailed), to find her again, put her back together, even if it means death. Unable to speak, he bites his tongue until the rusty taste of blood washes over - just so he can feel something, anything but this burning numbness.
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Suddenly, he's back in reality. His cloak is warm and reassuring against his skin, the mask shielding his face from the outside world. For a moment, there's calm, (he's still alive/she's still out there) but soon his veins pound with rage. His eyes fall on the Contractor before him, cowering in fear. (Disgusting). He grabs the man by his face, forcing all the pressure he can without killing him.
"You disgust me."
I disgust myself.