SUMMARY: A series of drabbles about another universe.
CHAPTER ONE
Roads Untraveled
AN/ Based entirely in Linkin Park's song Roads Untraveled.
Warning: No romance depicted in this fic, Yaoi is hinted.
Pairings: Shippo and Hakudoshi, Ranma and Youki
"Not at all" The guy was appalling, his stupor visible through the burgundy-colored skies, "Is what a heartbreak does, doesn't it" and then the smirk he hated, "Turn you to a complete asshole."
Shippo fetched his anger in, "Sure, don't we forget about the epitome of enmity."
"Indeed," Youki leaned back as his hands pressed against the fence he was leaning on, "I'm tart, am I?"
"Whatever dude…"
Shippo turned his head to the side, trying his very best not to grunt in sheer discomfort, he heard Youki shift in his place, "What did he tell you?"
When they first met, both had to retract from the other's presence, there was something akin to revulsion when they came to terms of getting along.
They would get awkward or they would simply don't mind and be rude about it, but in both's opinion it was a matter that nobody had to stick their noses in, they have met each other more than 8 years ago, and they preferred to be sour over themselves than to share their hostility.
Sometimes it was a relief to have someone like them to rage on, to be rude to, to be nasty to without the fear to hurt. Both shared the trait.
They really didn't like the other.
Shippo felt bothered about that un-cool presence of Youki, the laughs to those silly comments nobody would laugh to, maybe because Youki appeared to be very straightforward, because he seemed rude and was very much a jerk, he hated how free he seemed, how unfriendly he was towards Shippo, how his comments of hatred became rusty with time.
He hated Youki, and sometimes he didn't mind him at all.
Youki indeed feel irked about Shippo's seeming goofiness, the lack of care, how he would avoid problems, how he would avoid friends, he would push everyone away, how selfish he seemed to be, how carefree he was, Youki really felt bothered by his presence alone and though tried he felt completely acidic towards him.
He really disliked Shippo, some other days, he didn't mind him….at all.
Maybe because Youki was too blithe to be serious to, maybe because Shippo was very dominant when it came to terms of friendship, maybe it was the other way around, or maybe they felt they were so very much alike.
Shippo felt the sudden urge to throw up, and then he sighed, "Does it matter? He left me"
How Shippo abhorred the sable-long haired man standing at his side.
How Youki felt revolted to the sight of the carroty-haired man sitting at his right.
…
The heart-break, the tiring soreness Shippo felt in his chest, everything pent up, he wouldn't fight this guy today, it might have seem a surprise to others but the next words that slipped past Youki's chapped lips brought relief to the emerald-eyed man.
"I'm listening"
Shippo sighed in defeat and somehow comfort.
Youki allowed himself to smile.
There was something grim about hearing them speak to the other, or that's how Shippo analyzed the situation. Both assured, despised each other to the core.
Perhaps they were those types of presences that would never get along; they were the kind of people who admitted to hate each other's neck "just because"
Never an actual reason, they seemed pretty sharp on the other's eyes. And both contemplated the idea whenever they were forced upon circumstances to meet.
There was this sort of apprehension towards the other.
And both knew it.
Not that they cared.
Youki's eyes were closed the whole time, while Shippo tumbled upon words of emptiness, he felt the urge to speak up, to tell how broken he felt.
How of a sudden he was kicked away like an unwanted pup. Youki just pursed his lips once in a while, maybe in the bitterest parts of Shippo's story.
Shippo's heart felt grave.
"How much less would you be willing to become?" Youki finally interrupted, the question rolled from Youki's tongue more than a challenge than an actual question.
"How would I fucking know? I won't lose him…"
"Who says you didn't lose him already?" Youki stepped to the side and found echo in his movement as Shippo moved to the side, allowing enough space to share, "Look at yourself, drowning in pity all over again," and then that sour comment that led Shippo to confirm that Youki wasn't very fond of Hakudoshi "The kid doesn't even worth it…"
He had to laugh at that, "You kidding dude? Have you've seen his-"
"Might then drown to death because you ain't gonna find a better ass."
Shippo'a mouth remained in silence as Youki continued, "Bawl all you want but Hakudoshi has always been a selfish bitch. Kid won't change"
"Gee man, you really have it at with him"
Youki smirked and turned his head to Shippo's side, "Sure whatever, you just can't be thinking about beauty achievements-"
…
"I've known him my whole life." Youki felt a strange pang of rage towards his own brother; he had to swallow to continue accordingly, Shippo's eyes seemed very stoic and miserable.
Youki thought he would never get to see this strong man under his weather.
"And what part of him apart for the fact that you both shared air hasn't changed about that kid? I don't even fucking know him anymore and his my fucking brother for fuck's sake…"
Shippo slouched over his knees; both were sitting at the side of the other, "I didn't do anything to stop this"
"Stop what? Eventual are facts ya know?"
There was something that annoyed both thoughts when they came to speak with the other, there wasn't this dense environment and for some stupid reason, both felt at rest.
"You woouldn't understand…."
"Cry out, won't you tragic Romeo? I've endured worst shit and you ain't see me thinking shit."
"Who knows, you could be lying."
Youki had to laugh, "Oh perhaps! Maybe that's why I drink anti-suicidal pills"
"Dude that's not funny."
"Heh. What I am saying is that if you keep slumping down you will end up worst than me-"
"Oh fuck, better be better"
"Funny lump, but yeah," he grinned, "you got the right point."
…
Shippo noticed, apart from the usual brawl they would meticulously share, there was something frail about Youki this time, he didn't seem as unbreakable as always, and it bothered him, how he could break the other's fortitude when he felt there was none.
"You ain't together anymore, are you?"
"Ah, a very smart lump I guess."
The wind flew through their hair and both look to the endless horizon, for some reason trying to ignore the other's presence, "Why?"
"Same shit, the difference is that I am not bawling my eyes out…"
Shippo sighed, "Well that's because you are in the angry phase."
"Oh so do we have phases now."
"Always" Shippo swallowed hard, and though his eyes felt profound and his tongue sand-dry, he turned to the side to meet eyes with the man he never expects to speak with but always ends up doing. "I am sure Ranma cares for you."
The abrasive smile in Youki's face reminded him why he wouldn't like the young man very often, Youki leaned in to laugh loudly, there was a nasty cynic feeling about the sound of his laughter, dripping with sarcasm Youki reached up to squeeze Shippo's strong shoulder, "Oh yeah and I'm wondering why he won't be even my friend, sure he cares a lot."
"You should know Ranma"
"And you should know Hakudoshi, but that's beyond the actual point isn't it?"
Shippo growled, "You are irritating me."
"So are you."
Shippo was about to throw the moment in a fit of rage and impotence, all feelings building up to him but the sudden drop of defenses in Youki's eyes made him stop, there was something akin to profound sorrow in those aquamarine eyes. The hand that was gripping his shoulder softened and eventually dropped.
…
"Fuck it." Youki whispered.
Youki sighed and his head turned away, there was moment of silence.
…
"Fuck Ranma…" He mumbled again, his raven hair hiding his profile.
Shippo's eyes focused on Youki's displayed pale hand, it was slightly trembling.
…
There was a long pause and suddenly everything became dense, Youki's voice came next a ragged whisper Shippo never expected to hear.
"I've wondered my whole fucking life if that's how everything should be, if that's the fucking room I am doomed to be in, not even if I achieve what I wanted things go the right way… don't you see it, if I am meant to be alone, what in the world could stop me from accepting it…"
Shippo stood still, "…accepting it?"
"You have the world to give you their hand and stop you from thinking you are not alone… While…I am very much into accepting it, nobody cares if I think about it; nobody will stop me from drowning. But…"
Shippo's eyes widened, there was a certain quiver in his voice that gave him the hint of what Youki was hiding by turning away, "I-I just wond-" There was a long pause and he then knew Youki was crying, was this kid this utterly alone?
To be actually sobbing in front of a man he swore he hated.
Was Shippo this alone too? Was his only companion a young man he could not even stand?
Shippo's eyes felt heavy, there was something bugging at the pit of his stomach, for some reason along all this years, he thought he would never see the usual merry kid break down and so he thought he wouldn't feel bad about it.
If Youki was the only one to give him a stubborn heads up, what was he supposed to think? He was eventually going to drown?
"I just…"
"Yeah I know dude…" Shippo swallowed saliva, "Man, I wonder what is even important here… I've been with Hakudoshi every breath I ever gave, I…"
There was another crystal clear tear that rolled down Youki's cheek, "…" Shippo swallowed to continue.
"I gave myself entirely, I dropped down my armor and I was idiotic in doing so, I gave him my own shot gun and let him shoot. He seems happy, he is not minding my whole world is fucking wrecking and who fucking cares? Everyone is giving him heads up because he seems so puppy-like, he knows how to make me feel guilty, how make everyone think I am the villain…. But it was him who stopped loving me, I still adore him…"
Shippo's hands felt like trembling.
The red haired man continued, "Oh yeah he is the delicate boy, he gets to share his depression when I'm a jerk but isn't it very cruel to tell your boyfriend-"
Shippo's hands fisted and his throat felt dry.
"It is cruel…. To tell your boyfriend 'see I will always love you… but as a friend, yeah! Let's be friends because I actually don't feel the same, now let's be very friendly towards the other, oh sure and I USED HIM I have to be the bad one?"
…The jade-eyed man's teeth gritted with anguish.
He continued, there was a genuine grief in between his words, the outburst surprised Youki "I am the dickhead, and… And who is fucking with me! Who the fuck said I was surrounded by people, I am fucking alon-"
"Aye," Youki softly interrupted, "we crying over there aren't we?" there was this fuzzy warm feeling when Youki's finger wiped off his cold thick tears from his wet cheek, his voice was hushed and came out as a mutter "At least there was this point you touched the skies, at even…. You don't have to be humiliated by the fact you are the loser and you might be alone… people take you as their leader ...at least they will never imagine such a thing from you… as for I, they do expect it."
Youki continued, his hand unconsciously sliding from Shippo's cheek to his shoulder "Hakudoshi became so stupid over the years… you should know, ya too much for him… At least ya know it… Ranma is 'too much' for a loser like me."
"Tch," Shippo extended his arm to shyly touch Youki's shoulder, "Who fucking said that?" He had to pull Youki's thin body against his.
"Ah, so you didn't know-" though very comforting and warm, the hug lasted much less one could have expected, Youki retracted to his place and once again hide his face from his viewer.
"You don't have to mind what others expect, for they'll expect the worst from you, including myself."
"Ya have people man… people who like you, at least you ain't alone…" Youki then noticed Shippo's last words, "should I mind why"
Shippo smirked, "Exactly." Then Shippo's eyes wondered, "Hah, Its saddens me the only fucking soul that could care shit is you and I don't even fucking like you."
Youki's mood suddenly brightened up, he had to merrily reply, "Likewise you asshole."
Both had to chuckle "Now stop being a freaking girl, guys don't cry over romantic shit," Shippo grinned and gave a friendly squish to his companion's shoulder.
Youki turned around to meet his aqua-like eyes with those vivid jade eyes, "Likewise," He grinned, "you asshole."
They realized… they still didn't like each other.
It was nice to know there was another depressive mob around, to be rude to, to be careless about and a shoulder to lean on.
But that didn't change it; they still disliked each other's presence.
OOOOOOO
AN/ Strange friendship right, if that's even a friendship. This is by NO means, ANY sort of ROMANTIC, this is merely platonic and I really do ship them with their respective mentioned. I'm very open-minded to interlace our original characters with each other but not them; I mostly think it's about a stubborn and a bit acidic friendship.
Sorry for boring you out :/
Next chapter: Ryu x Alice: Crazy (Rate k+) Gender: Romance/Humor