Forbidden Love

by Tsuki no YanagiKaede

Dark Love. Angst. It's all it is about. A heavy story, suggested not to be too emotional. Read and review. Go on and HATE ME.

Disclaimer: King of Fighters does not belong to me or anyone. Therefore all this is just fiction. Please bear that in mind. And if you are an anti- yaoist, I suggest you hit the back button and skip the whole story before you get goosebumps and starts blaming everyone for it. If there's anything holding you back from reading, may it be your instincts or sixth sense, just listen to them. This may rotten your day if you read it in the morning.

That's all my warnings to you. "Jupiter doesn't give second warnings." -- Raoul of Ai no Kusabi

Forbidden Love

Above the majestic stage where bright and coloured fluorescent lights shone down on that enigmatic figure on it, millions of fans all over Europe were not going to miss this chance of seeing this man on stage performing. It could take another ten years to see him up there once more, but simply this is the time, everyone had gathered in worship of this symbolic icon that no one would not possibly say 'I don't know'.

He has once again lived his name to be the truly great one, one talent that is not to be missed for a life, not even a century, not for the world.

Perspiration trickled down the sides of his face, rolled down his cheeks and sparkled under the strong fearsome lights. He bedazzled the crowd with his awesome music and the bass guitar performed to its best, almost to its limit, but never giving up. The ear piece connected to a speaker attached close his mouth where the flow of mesmerizing lyrical voice filled the arena with endless pieces of fabulous songs. The crowd screamed and shouted, endlessly, exhausting themselves in this once in a lifetime concert, fainting, dying for this one man to cast a look at them.

Finally he turned and flung his crimson red hair up. Sweat drops were seen clearly scattered around him as his sharp yet emotionless eyes glared at the crowd, showing no love no passion for them. Nothing was shared much about this person, simply because he doesn't enjoy in doing them; no interviews, no inside-stories, no photography, even his albums were shown only with pictures of any other goddamn thing except himself. Simply nothing was known about him, apart the annual dissemination of his profile through the all-too-well-known King of Fighters Syndicate.

" They have every damn right to show what they want, only if they don't provoke me. As long as I get paid, I don't give a damn about anything. It's a plot from KOF, always so. S-O-Bs all the more."

The one purest remark heard from this character during an annual J-rock concert that he finally agreed to attend in some one year, some one day, some one time.

From his every word every tone spoken, he showed no passion in whatever he was doing. In his world, seemingly that all was done because he had-to. He felt that his life was planned so all along, right from when he had come into this world so unwillingly. He must have hated his life so much, because he was so lifeless all along, nothing more nothing less. All he had to do was to just grow up and do everything planned in life for him along the way. This time, he just felt a concert was coming its way, so he just, did-it.

" Everything was planned in life. I had no say of anything. This is my life. Screwed up right from the beginning. My torturing childhood, my painful memories, my endless toll for the desire of invincibility. All was so, I just followed."

He did not understand the fact how much people around him wanted him so badly, so enchantingly. Simply because in his eyes, there was no room for anyone, definitely not. He believed he was destined to take on a lonely path, and that his family line would actually die on his this very generation. Despite the perfection he possessed, he did not want anything.

" If I want anything, I give it my strength and power to own it. I don't want anything free in this world, not even a woman."

As the lights dimmed from the stage, his solemn shadow slowly made his exit. The crowd exclaimed for encore and just another one more glimpse of this perfectionist. He left silently, without words of goodbye or gestures.

" When I leave, I never look back."

The stage slowly cleared up and the crowd made their departure. The full three-hour performance of the century had closed its curtain, never to be known when the next curtain call shall raise once more. Tears shed immensely from the fans, with so much love and passion. Ambulances were actually all over the streets, sending overwhelmed fans who had entered into shock to nearby hospitals. Another endless night for the byoin.

31 December 2003, a night never to be forgotten.

As the man left for his rest, a femine heterosexual stood afar was waving madly at him. He tried pretending not to have noticed, but somewhat he felt this was planned, like this concert. He just had to see to it, despite whatever shit this man was going to say to him or do to him.

" Bonsoir. Avez-vous le temps à épargner?(Good Evening. Do you have time to spare?)"

He slowly paced up to him, with no gestures, as usual. The white heterosexual threw an embrace on him to show passion of a French. Indeed this latter had come to watch his concert, with a little hope to get to know more about him.

" Ce qui si je ledit non?(What if I said 'no'?)"

Obviously the latter was astounded by this artiste's ability to speak French as well. He just thought that man was bilingual, who could have thought he could speak other languages. He did not look one bit surprise or proud, it was something he did not enjoy, not if it was for the path of his journey, something planned ahead, he would have never learn it. Not a million chances.

" Vous pouvez parler français?(You can speak French?)"

" Pourquoi pas? Et aussi allemand, italien, espagnol et même chinois. Mais il a sucé. (Why not? And also German, Italian, Spanish and even Chinese. But it sucked.)"

He spoke fluently and with elegance of a refined gentleman. Who could have known when the tables turned; he was such a bastard trying to kill everyone. But no one cared about there; they did not give a damn about it, seriously. Everyone plainly loved him, but no one was able to understand his pain, his misfortunate, how much he hated his stupid, all-gone-wrong fucking life.

" Puits alors, vin? Café?(Well then, wine? Coffee?)"

" Je prendrai le dernier.(I'll take the latter.)"

They walked down an isolated alley not far from the concert venue and silently trotted down the cold shadowy isle. No conversation were made, well at least no one made the effort to start one in the first place. There was still some gap, well, should be a big gap, between this two who were totally from two different worlds. One led the way while the other followed quietly behind. Coffee at least sounded right, nothing more that was shared more badly than having two men talking about heaven and earth, which had nothing to do with them.

The walk felt very long, despite it was just barely ten minutes according to their speed. The weather was turning colder as each minute passed. They were breathing out mist; maddening red cheeks glowed on their face. The idea somewhere amused the one ahead, as he sparked a little chat out of the blues.

" Voyez? Je respire le feu!! Ahahaha...(See? I'm breathing fire!! Ahahaha...)"

" Il n'amuse pas.(It's not amusing.)"

That was enough to shut the one ahead up. He did not like jokes, especially so-called lame ones. The white guy did not seem all too pleased with the other's attitude, at least that was driving him up against the wall. He could not understand why that fellow just could not chill out, something wrong with his mind or whatever. He was always so stern, as ever, as forever. That walk made the white guy felt like eternity, even worse, the one behind was giving him even more chills in this weather.

' Je 'suis trop refroidi hors de 'comme ceci.(I'm too 'chilled out' like this.)'

He thought to himself until the walk that seemingly-never-to-end finally ended up at a bay side café. It was late night, so there was absolutely no one around, so this infamous guy would not be recognised any one bit by any idiot on the streets. The white guy signalled him to come over and they settled in one of the popular window-side tables in the café itself.

An almost seventy-year old bald oji-san came walking towards them and the white guy stood up immediately to embrace that oji-san. The other just looked blankly at the both of them, giving no reaction for anything. He just wanted to get over with it as soon as possible, and then head back to his house.

" Le long temps aucun voient. Ahahaha...(Long time no see. Ahahaha...)"

" Il est été un long temps, Ash.(It's been a long time, Ash.)"

" Ahahaha...(Ahahaha...)"

" Que aimez-vous? C'est mon festin.(What would you like? It's on the house.)"

" Café noir, et vous?(Black coffee, and you?)"

He questioned the man he brought along and gave him a friendly look. However, that was not going to do anything positive for his relationship with this cold man. He somehow thought it would be fun getting to know this guy, and obviously, things were not going his way as he had wanted.

" Cappucino.(Cappucino.)"

" Ainsi ce sera deux cappucinos alors. Ahahaha....(So it'll be two cappuccinos then. Ahahaha....)"

" Deux?(Two?)"

" lqu'un nous joindra très bientôt. Ahahaha...(Someone will be joining us very soon. Ahahaha....)"

Suddenly the door of the café swung open and a cool breeze accompanied by snow entered the café, covering the wooden flooring with a small amount of snow. Another man walked in, his face pale and astonishing white. The centre-parting brown fringe dangled on the sides of his face and simply blocked his profile view totally. Ash looked in delight and went over to greet the guy who just entered, a man taller then the enigma himself, as cool as the enigma himself and most importantly, as evil as the enigma himself.

" Bonsoir, Duolon.(Good evening, Duolon.)"

" You know I don't speak French."

" Oh... I forgot.. ahahahaha.... Then enough of the French talk!! Ahahahaa..."

He paced beside the pale man walked to the table where the other sat. The pale guy, namely Duolon, sat beside Ash and glared into the eyes of the one in front. Of course the latter was not going to just look at him foolishly, he stared back into those eyes of endless misery as he felt. The feeling was all too familiar, unforgettable...

As soon as the drinks were served, the atmosphere was beginning to tense up as the two strangers continued the match, just looking, beyond the ocean canvas where the stormy sea fought against the black winds, crashing tides over and over, lining tsunamis again and again. So much unspoken, but so much felt.

They felt so alike, a feeling drawn close with the longings for one to have shown appreciation for what the other had done. 'Maybe someone understood what I felt', the thought inevitably came into the minds of this two. The search might come to an end, but it might continue. Beyond the physical flesh that one possessed, the search continued searching in-depth, into the purest soul of the cleansed, of the dirtied, of the purest, of the sinned, of all, the mind. Yet again, so much unspoken, yet so much felt.

Ash could just feel the tingling sensation slowly burning up between this two. He could not believe himself either, but he was experiencing a battle within a person himself, he could see it, without a vision, without a mind, without a heart, but with every single cell living in his body to exercise the feeling, digest, and absorb all its emotions.

" ...erm... ahahaha... Can you two just listen to me for a moment?"

The simple words voiced out of Ash's mouth finally brought an end to the search for the moment as the two men finally shaken themselves out of the trance-like notion they were in. They felt atrociously unlike themselves for a shared period of time together just now.

What was 'together'? They never needed it in the first place.

" So what's the problem, kid? I ain't got time for jokes, moreover lame ones."

The solemn figure was losing his own control like he used to have. After what happened just now, in spite it being something so short-lived, he just did not like the uneasiness of things now. He just wanted to end things as soon as possible. He did not want to see this Duolon guy's face anymore. It's making him dizzy, heat was spreading all over him, the rage of the blood boiling inside him, he certainly want to put an end to this new misery. He hated it.

" So... here's how it goes. I want you two to attend a KOF meeting coming up this New Year. The date is 18 January, 5 in the afternoon, SNKPlaymore Corporation, Osaka. I'm sure you know where. All fighters must attend. You two are the last of the crop, so I invited you two for a meet-up tonight."

So that was the idea. Just a plain meeting that everyone should turn up. The sick fellow was losing his grip the longer he continued staying in this same place with that same guy who could share almost the same feelings as he used to experience, and experiencing now. However he had to get over with this with full responsibility otherwise he believed SNKPlaymore(Shin Nihon Kikaku Playmore) was not going to pay him anymore. Obviously he could not risk all that money just for a short-term uneasiness in him, he is no stupid fellow.

Bear it.

" I've got a concert that night. There's no way I could attend that meeting."

" But can't you change the date?"

" I've got my itinerary to follow. Besides I'm not just having one concert."

" But... I've got to give an answer... Ahahaha..."

The busy man quiet down a little and processed his thoughts in his mind, trying to avoid all the problems he could possibly end up with. But whenever he looked at the Chinese guy in front him, the haunted feeling just continued giving him the creeps and unbearable heat inside him. He was experiencing this first-hand, he did not know how to stop it, terminate it. He would give anything to just stop this feeling for the night, because he certainly knew he was not going to see anymore of this guy, at least for the next two weeks.

" ...Fine. I'll turn up at least. But I'll leave when my time's up. Fair?"

" Deal! Ahahaha... Indeed you're a smart man, Iori Yagami. Duolon, you?"

" ... ...Fine."

" Great!! Ahahaha......ahahaha..."

Ash simply gloated over his effectiveness of being able to persuade these two toughest guys in the whole KOF series into attending the meeting. The Corporation would sure to be giving him what he deserved after the meeting. At least, enough money for him to eat all the sachertorte he ever desired, and all the nail polish he wanted to experiment with. He took another sip of his delicious black coffee, smiling to himself.

Iori simply just wanted to get the hell out of that living hellhole that was driving him nuts. He stared out of the window and watched the snowflakes fluttered down by the windowsill. He personally liked the snow of winter a lot more than the blazing heat of summer. That was why he loathed the feeling he was experiencing now, blazing heat in his body, weakening his physique, controlling his little temper.

" ...Now can I leave?"

Ash nodded with please and watched as Iori tried to make his exit. However Duolon suddenly held his hand out and caught hold of the latter's wrist, as though forbidding him to leave. He sternly stared in Iori's eyes once more, attempting to take his very soul out this time. His eyes looked horrifically mad as they pierced into Iori's secret of world of mishap and misery. There was no room for retreating, Duolon made this path; he continued with it, he wanted to understand the ultimate sensation of pure misery that made up hatred and vengeance. Somehow he thought Iori Yagami was the perfect guinea pig for his experimentation. However, now things were not plainly for interest's sake, now he really wanted to know, he wanted to comprehend.

He wanted to take the misery out.

He wanted to change things for this man.

Iori could feel his solemn soul being scrutinized by someone else, someone he did not like, and someone he would not want the latter to know. He felt bared and faintish, but most importantly, he felt provoked.

No one could ever do anything like this to him, who in this goddamn world would bear a grudge against him? Only if that idiot wanted to seek death, he would be gladly fine to fulfil his last wish. Who does this new guy in the KOF series think he is? Who the hell is he to embarrass the all mighty Iori Yagami like this? Just making Iori felt annoyed was enough to send anyone to the hospital, with bruises and fiery wounds. Now this new guy had done it, he deserved something definitely more than a trip to the byoin. He would be rewarded with a coffin and a death penalty. And straight to hell.

" YOU ASKED FOR IT!!"

Iori's shout was even enough to shatter the glass of the café. His palm started cackling purple flames and was expanding widely. He allowed his flames to burn chaotically on Duolon's hand, trying to get this hand out of the way. As the seconds ticked by, the dizziness about Iori was glowing stronger and stronger, he was losing his touch. Duolon's face was expressionless, despite the flames that were causing scars on his hands, ruining his beautiful nails.

Ash stared blankly at the on-going incident. He did not know what to do, neither did he want to care about it. However Duolon was a team-mate, moreover a friend of his, an injury on him might cause a great disadvantage for the team, all these points were enough to let him put a stop to what Iori was doing. Duolon continued bearing the pain melted on his hand, yet also saw the excruciating memories that were craved into Iori's purest soul. Duolon could not give up what he was going through, if he could finish this journey, he could comprehend the darkness of a man's soul. Then he would get what he wanted, what he desired.

" Arrêtez-le!! Yagami!(Stop it!! Yagami!)"

Matching up the purple flames, Ash threw his green flames against Iori, hoping it would do enough damage to hold Iori back enough. Iori felt his limit reaching; it was going to hit his maximum. There was dizziness going around and about him, making him sick.

" MOU II!!!"

His voice exploded finally, as the dizziness about him grew deeper and heavier. He felt so bad that his vision started to blur out. His footsteps were unstable and he started collapsing. However Duolon was still holding onto him, not releasing his hand one bit and was causing red marks on Iori's wrist due to over-powering strenuous pressure. Duolon still continued his path, almost done, just the final bit. And finally, somewhere amidst the black and white graphic scenes in Iori's mind, Duolon saw the coloured object; he finally found the end, the spark!

" ...But... how could it...be...??"

Duolon stood up suddenly and paced with quick light steps in front of Iori and the redhead collapsed down into his arms slowly. He looked down at the peaceful fighter in his arms breathing softly. Duolon could feel an unexplainable passion entering his heart of ice. As the feeling spread faster through his heart, he held Iori closer to him. Ash looked at the solemn figure in front of him back facing him, motionless. He did not know if he injured Iori or what he actually did to him. He just did not feel right, the atmosphere amiss.

" Duo..lon..??"

" ...That stupid bastard... ..."

Ash saw wetness in Duolon's long sharp eyes. He was not going to deceive himself or anything of that sort. He clearly knew what that was despite not seeing such a sight before. He told himself he was positive, he was sure.

Those...were tears... Tears that he had never seen before.

~*~

The temperature around the environment turned warm as every cell inside Iori reacted to sense all round. It struck Iori to wake up almost instantly as he looked in all directions to assure himself about the situation he was in. He opened his eyes and scanned around for any existence of danger that seemed appealing to him. He was a sensitive man; any danger lurking behind him could not be sealed behind any form of prowess, simply because he was Iori Yagami. Nothing in this world could stop him, no one could do anything to him.

Simply because, he is strong.

Staring at the all-to-familiar surroundings, he realized he could be nowhere other than the hotel room he was assigned to. The same black furnishings suited to his pleasure and the one and only bass guitar that bore his infamous name, Iori Yagami. It was the same night scene he could have seen every endless night in France. The snowflakes settled by the windowsill as it flooded the whole street outside the lobby. The luxury of such beauty was exorbitant, as darkness befell onto the purest of white snow. It was only in such scenes, beauty was ever appreciated, was ever acknowledged. This was the beauty of France, just like the beauty of Iori amidst the packs of haunting artistes who were dying to be famous. He needed no fame, he was gifted.

As he fell in the wandering spell of the misty night, he finally realized the presence of the unwanted. He could not stop himself from thinking straight as the overwhelming taste of bared truth nudity flashed across his mind once more. He suddenly remembered the bastard who disregarded his every status and power, and totally embarrassed him in the café. That pale face and that freaking long hair weirdo; he could have never forgotten. Cursed and swore, he vowed to kill that S-O-B. No questions asked.

" That cursed Son of a--"

" Of a what?"

He trailed the source of the voice, the deadly merciless vocal licked the vengeful thoughts of him and into his ears, through his nerves and finally to his mind. He reacted in less than a split second as the stock-full clawed hands tightened around the sorcerer's neck. This time he would not be able to escape; he escaped once in the café, now even God could not do a single thing to spare his miserable pathetic little pitiful life. Iori was no benevolent saint, he would kill if he wanted. And this guy's time was up, a second ago.

" You ought to pay for what you did. Don't blame me. Blame yourself for being someone you oughtn't to be. Curiosity kills a cat; I'm the curiosity who has killed a least a dozen of them."

" ......"

" Your final words. I'll be glad to hear 'em."

" ........"

Iori waited patiently in front of him, sitting on his bed as the sorcerer knelt in front of him on the bed. There was no interface of any repentance from the sorcerer obviously, as the unchanging expression continued to hold its place.

They were barely five centimeters apart; no one could escape from a sudden death, face-to-face. Iori continued glaring into the sorcerer's eyes, deceiving the very act of murdering him a second ago. There was something about this man that captivated him. Generally it was not about how he looked, but the way he presented himself. It reflected something from deep inside Iori's spirit. Everything was as said, all-to-familiar...

" ....What are you waiting?"

" Ah?"

" You said you wanted my life, now I'm giving it to you. So why are you waiting? Denial is a heavy offence, surely you know that."

" URUSAI!!!!"

There was something certainly stopping Iori from inside to kill this man. It was not his shinnen. It was something else. A hindrance that was strong enough to stop Iori's instincts, which seemingly was something rated impossible. This man of determined will-power would not let anything stand in his way, nothing of any sort. It may have sounded stupid in any sense to any ordinary human, however to Iori, it was his fight, his resolve to win.

The sorcerer waited, time after time, for that enigma to make his move. Yet time after time the enigma failed him over and over. This disappointment was not just only inside the enigma himself, even the sorcerer himself was surprised all the more. Nothing beats anyone more than the ability to be spared from death, yet the sorcerer felt the ultimate disappointment more than his own death. This man was indecisive, useless and worthless; the sorcerer held no doubt about that. The clawed hands were still restraining him however, but the pressure was getting lighter and lighter as the time passed. The red marks on his neck were healing as the blood circulated freely once more.

Iori sat on the bed with weak health and poor physique. He knew was unable to keep up with the strenuous activity for a longer period. Despite it was just stressing his hands, the strength needed was lump sum since the adversary was a fighter like him, someone who might be as strong him.

" ...What do you want...actually...?"

With heavy breaths, Iori managed to squeeze these words out of his mouth in his situation of time-due suffocation. There was no room for more words, as he wore out and released his hands from the sorcerer. He was panting simultaneously and exhausted completely. He never had any worse scenario other than this. His very first encounter with bad health; never fall sick in front of your worst enemy.

" ...What..have you done...to..me...?"

"...I did nothing. It's all your hallucination."

" ...Shut up!!! I HAVE NO FUCKING HALLUCINATIONS!!!!"

As though blacking out, the ill man clumsily stumbled back to his bed and collapsed down. He was breathing heavily and suffering major impact on his respiratory system. He obviously did not feel ecstatic about the physique he was in. Not even a dozen of in-programming concerts could exhaust him one, but with just a single look of an eye to kill him? There was not the slightest possibility of it. Moreover never once being struck in hell would he even dream of being defeated like this.

" ...This must..be....a.... scandal..."

" Don't even deny yourself. You can cheat the whole world, yet definitely not yourself."

" ...Stop PISSING ME OFF!!!!!!"

The sorcerer raised his hand to touch the redhead's cheek. He was perspiring madly in front him, and thought of it made him felt elated. What were feelings to this madman when he lost all he could even hold onto years back? What prized memories were worth a mention since childhood daunted upon a cruel reality to him? What incidents held enough weight to make him felt an impact of anger or even trauma? What conscience could he even reflect to when nothing in his life had proved to be right or wrong? All answered was 'nothing', nothing in this huge, gigantic oceanic goddamn world to be exact.

However ecstatically now, he was pressurized, under any circumstances he was facing. Duolon was causing it, the sorcerer's 'mere' words were the source of it all. The trigger to an unwanted misery was opening, the trigger to the truth was turning the knob.

The redhead remained in his stance, motionless except the continuous breathing rhythm he had adopted. Duolon slid his almost white gentle stroke down his cheeks to his chin. He fidgeted with the beauty's face whilst running his fingers all over his cheeks, forehead and lips. The fragile soul was tested to its limits, maybe so badly that he was on the verge of breaking down. He wanted to hold the truth behind the concealed pair of eyes that held no mercy against anyone. He was on his guard always, killing anyone in plain sight who dared defy him. The strong will-power was aptly titled to be emotionless, determined and focused.

Duolon now cupped his both hands on the cheeks of the redhead, tilting his head skywards to his own fair face. He pierced his very eyes into the craved soul-less body of redhead. The latter was lost in his thoughts, overwhelmed with surprises Duolon was presenting to him throughout the session. The red and brown eyes met on intersection as a vision was clearly drawn a line between them.

" Such beauty.. wasted upon squandering on hopeless dreamy memories that looped over and over again..."

" ... ..."

A streak of red blush highlighted across under the strands of glossy red hair. He did not look into the eyes of the sorcerer anymore, for they were deceiving his very mind and unkind soul, for they were denying his every behaviour, his every reaction. He unusually felt awkward, a little embarrassed, shy, to be exact. The sorcerer continued cupping his hands onto the facial flesh of the redhead, looking upon the external appearance and into the complex mind system of the redhead, trying to configure his thought, assuming what he was thinking now.

" Penny for your thoughts?"

Iori disregarded every remark now the sorcerer was making. He paid no required respect for the sorcerer, because there was certainly no need for them. He remained silent, staring into blank space in spite his direction was sort of directly in front of the sorcerer. There was no need to speak anymore with this idiot; there was simply no need for it anymore. He sat still, motionless, reflecting more of the pages in his life, as though he was reading the book he had left aside a long time, flipping to the bookmarked page left a long long time ago. All felt was too familiar to forget...

Duolon enjoyed what was in front of him, the very purest sweetness of the retrieved, the saved body. The bishounen looked no further at him, yet was not looking at him. He bent forward and brushed his lips across the forehead of the bishounen, who somehow did not even feel the happening of that act. He closed up the distance between the both of them and the tips of their noses were touching, eyes faded into a distant mirage of nowhere. Duolon allowed one of his hands to rest on the waist of the red bishounen, embracing lightly. The other hand tilted his chin upwards gently, visualizing the on-coming scene.

The redhead remained emotionless despite what had happened. His eyes opened slightly, still piercing through Duolon into the empty air behind him, allowing his existence to be gone from his vision. No one was in front of him, certainly not even Duolon. His cells did not tell him that he was touched on the expose, on the soft delicious two pieces of flesh that was regarded sacred to most people. His motionlessness would have been regarded dead to most people, however there was still breathing, the very evidence to show he was still alive somehow, either brain-dead, or just plain unconscious with eyes opened.

Duolon very soon retreated from his current position and looked at the red bishounen once more. There lived a man who was fighting against his life, against the principles of life he was living for the entire of his life. He could just see it, he could just feel it.

" Once there lived someone who was living life deadly everyday in his journals. Since young there was no one to tell him what was right what was wrong, what he should have believed what he should have known, what supposedly was the way of life supposedly was the enjoyment of life. What he saw was too factual, he did not live to enjoy childhood so taken for granted by every other kid in this whole wide world. He was brought up the hard way.

The need for love was totally useless. He wasn't brought up with love. He was brought up with the basic requirements of survival. He was brought up with competence and competition. No one share anything with him, not even the people who adore him so much, not even the people he sees everyday. He treated them like idiots, unwanted useless bums in this world to waste energy.

He was never taught tears. The ability to release any form of emotion were not made known to him. He kept everything bottled inside; happiness, sadness, anger or even calmness. He showed only expressionless on the so- called cool face. No one ever paid attention to him in his world.

He fought on and on, to be strong, stronger and the strongest. He only wanted to destroy the one in way of his life, the one he was told to hate. The one whom he believed to have caused him his very very miserable life. The eternal rivalry against his family clan, the blood that should shed in return for the peace he had always desired. The need to be strong was because of him, the root of misery was him. He caused it all.

The eternal feud, the worthiest rival, Kyo Kusanagi."

The red bishounen retained his absolute silence, as though he was completely in a daze, out of this world, out of the current mind he was in. There was entirely a hollow space created in between. He was hearing, he was not hearing, no one could tell the obvious. He was as said, expressionless, as so for the precious years of his life.

Duolon saw the silence. He continued.

" However he never realized the most important cause of all his misery. The source of his misery should link back to himself, he was the one who started all this. Because he chose to believe in his life. He chose to believe he should lead such a life. He chose to do everything lay out ahead in his life. He never refuted anything in it. He chose to believe he should kill Kyo Kusanagi because he chose to believe Kyo Kusanagi had caused him his misery. He chose to make himself strong. He chose to force himself in the endless battle between him and Kyo which could have never ended out the way he wanted. He chose to become what he is today. No one forced him. No one pleaded him. He chose it."

Finally the redhead looked up at Duolon. He sort of regained the consciousness and stared at the man in front of him. He must have heard the above, otherwise the hatred burning would not have glowed so immensely. His demonic red eyes spared no one, now he was clear. He heard the tone of the sorcerer, it was not one bit nice. The sarcasm behind felt strong, maybe because the redhead himself felt affected.

" You sounded as though I deserved what I'm now."

" You indeed are."

" I don't feel one bit pathetic about myself. You're right, I chose the path I'm in now. I chose to hate Kusanagi so much. I chose to make my life so miserable. I chose to stay away from people. I chose to walk a path like that. And now you know what I have chosen to do? I have chosen to hate you."

Duolon looked into the man's eyes, no distance, simply eye-to-eye. The eye lashes might have touched on the edge. He was breathing very shallow, resulting in soundless breaths.

" You mean it?"

" Absolutely."

" Why do you hate me?"

" Simply because you know too much you shouldn't have known, shouldn't have seen, and shouldn't have asked. You pissed me off. You criticized and provoked me. I don't like you. You're more irritating than Ash. I hate everyone whom I don't like."

Without hesitation the sorcerer faced up to the red bishounen once more as he brushed his purple lips onto the soft redness of the bishounen's. His hands cupped the sides of the bishounen gently, not hurting him. He believed the bishounen had so such character in him to make him react like this. This beauty was so attractive in anyway, may it be mentally or physically. The bishounen did not push him away or slash him, just the same old motionless behaviour he had adopted. He might have known the reason behind all this, he might be still in the dark. But the obvious was unspeakable; the obvious was still not obvious enough.

The stance lasted for at least thirty seconds. It was not as naive as it might have felt, at least the last trace of the sorcerer's tongue taken back from the intimacy could not be hidden fast enough. There was silence once more for a moment, as they continued staring at one another.

" ..Now do you hate me...?"

Finally the sorcerer spoke. He was also expressionless, no happiness or guilt taken in delight or in context. The redhead looked expressionless all the more.

" ... All the more."

" Am I so detestable?"

" Simply because you are."

" ......."

Silence filled the entire room once more. Duolon looked down, head bent down facing the bed below him. He understood the feeling he was having now, it was something not the very first time, yet not common. However, it was its first occurrence on a man, a red bishounen. Be gone or to be gone with.

After some time, the redhead finally paid some attention to the depressed sorcerer.

" ...I can tell."

" ...What....??"

" You are obviously attracted to me now."

" ......."

" It's no use keeping quiet."

" I refuse to make any comments."

The red bishounen shifted his position and moved forward slightly, closer to the sorcerer. The sorcerer looked down all the while, refusing to let his vision fall in line with the one in front of him. Maybe that was regarded as what we termed as embarrassment, because the sorcerer was behaving awkwardly, there seemed to be a little problem in his way of expression or communication now. He was so afraid of looking at the red bishounen, believing that he should now right now.

Iori let out a slight sly grin on his face and released a smirk from his serious face. The sorcerer could not have not heard that supposedly loud smirk from the latter but kept his cool. He played with the sorcerer's hair and fidgeted it in his palm. The long brown hair braided all the way to the sorcerer's knees proved the years of dedication and perseverance perhaps, but would that apply in the areas of concerning aspect now? Nothing could be a hundred-percent sure-about, especially such sensitive areas.

All of a sudden he lied onto the broad shoulders of the sorcerer and closed his eyes. He looked terrible, as viewed being the obvious. The sorcerer had to look up and he felt the weight on his shoulders. He felt the warmth spreading all over his body, it felt comfortable. Trying all his might to take his emotions under control, he lost it, ripped open the desire inside his heart and scattered the seeds of heat and passion onto the red bishounen as he embraced the latter tightly, closely, lovingly. There might be no reason for any action like this, only the sorcerer knows.

In such a situation, one like Iori Yagami himself would have kicked the guy away and blasted him all the way to hell usually. However he was motionless at this crucial moment and was lying plainly in the strong embrace of Duolon. The feeling was unfamiliar, neither was something he ever desired, but now it just felt comfortable, just so enjoyable. He tried to reason out the emotion bearing in him currently, yet failed to do so as he was heart over mind now. His mind was not over matter; his matter was over his heart and his heart over mind.

" ...You said you weren't attracted to me."

" I didn't say that. All I said was I refused to give comments of any sort."

" ...but... Your actions don't telly your behaviour."

" Neither do your words match with your actions."

A soft giggle was heard very soon at the end of the statement. There was a sign of relief, as the both of them giggled to themselves softly. The gentle smiles on their faces were drawn upon like the sun in the cold winter, a drop of ray onto the melting snow.

Duolon now turned to face the red bishounen, trying to speak beyond the need for words. He looked sharply but gently into the cold red eyes that shivered with fear and loneliness. He wanted to convey how much he cared for him, how much he wanted to share his pain. However he just could not speak, he was bad with his words, and he was bad with anything that had to do with his mouth. He wished his actions could bring about an answer delivered into the bishounen's mind, or at least to understand it.

" What do you want?"

The bishounen could not understand the attempts of futile behaviour. He wanted something out of the sorcerer's mouth, not just some simple stun played possible by anyone. He demanded an answer from him, he needed that answer. He wanted nothing else but that, not another attempt in breaking his heart and soul.

Heart? Maybe he had lost his heart already. He would not mind breaking it once.

" ......"

" I expect an answer. Not some stupid actions."

" ....I...I..."

" Don't stutter. I hate people who can't even speak properly. Get your mind fixed and settled it once and for all. I ain't got all night, and I don't even like you in the first place. Either you tell me what you want and put me out of my misery, or I make you get out of my life and terminate that misery all by myself. The choice is yours. Pick."

" Fine...That's what you want. That's what you'll get.... I.. I want you."

" ...."

" I've spoken."

" So? You want me? That simple?"

Duolon stared in disbelief as the redhead made that statement above. Was wanting him so simple like he sounded? It made no sense, no logic. Unless the too-famous redhead was a complete idiot like someone he did not look like, otherwise he might have been just too simple-minded interpreting what he just meant. The act of wanting someone is a combination of mental connection and physical over-taking. Was the all-too-famous singer a brainless moron? All these strange thought just came bombarding into the mind of the sorcerer. He somehow could not stop thinking that way. It was like a procedure that could not stop. He could not stop thinking.

" DO YOU HAVE ANY FUCKING IDEA WHAT I JUST MEANT??!!!!"

The sorcerer finally blew his top and exclaimed in devastation at the simplicity of the redhead. He could not believe such a smart creature would possess such low Intellectual Quotient. The redhead just continued staring at him like a fool. But then he just sat up straight and looked into the handsome face of the sorcerer and answered his prayers.

" Do you think I'm a moron?"

" ........"

" Do you think I'm an idiot?"

" ..........."

" Do I look like one in the first place?"

" ........"

" Good. I know what you meant. I can give it to you...."

" ?!!!"

" On the condition that you'll never bother me again."

The sorcerer suddenly laughed loudly in self-pity. He then turned to the direction of the redhead and spoke with assurance.

" Are you mad? If I want you, how could I not want anymore of you in the future? How could I not bother you anymore? How could I not face you anymore? You mean you'll only give me one night that's it? My hunger will never cease to stop. My desire for you will only grow daily, by the hour, by the minute. Nothing can stop it. I want you, and only you. Don't give me any excuses. I don't need them. I want you tonight, I want you every night. I want you beside me every time I open my eyes. I want to bother you for the rest of your life. If you think my love is only worth that much, unfortunately, you'll only have to pay more when you come to realize my love is worthless. You'll pay with your body, your soul and your life. You're mine and only mine."

And with that he pushed the bishounen onto the bed on purpose deliberately inflicted a little pain on his back. The bishounen glared at the sorcerer and expected him to stop with that displeasure he was showing obviously to him. However he was not stopping, and only came to realize that the sorcerer was over-powering him by sitting on his lower abdomen with his arms pressed down mercilessly. Red marks bore on the wrist of the bishounen as the pain started inflicting on his flawless flesh. He looked at the sorcerer once more, not pleading, but demanding him to stop on self will. However things were not going the way he planned, the sorcerer continued sitting on him, grabbing his wrists.

" I said I want you. You'll be mine tonight, every night and all the night. I mean everything I say. My love now lives not only on its own, my desperation and lust burns more than it as the seconds tick by. You thought I would never pull rugged actions didn't you? But you're a man yourself too, you know what a man will become in order to achieve something he wants, right? Now my achievement is to have you, take it."

The bishounen continued to stare at the sorcerer's face, making no noise or action. He felt his heart filled with hatred once more, the love was dying. It should have never been resuscitated, that S-O-B.

" Unhand me."

" No. I won't. You know it, so don't ask such a stupid question."

" My final warning."

" My final words, and read my lips: You're done for tonight."

The red bishounen backed onto the corner of the bed and was barely breathing normal enough more over to guard against a psychotic maniac that was creating more trouble for him. Eventually the situation was going to lead to nowhere, and both of them clearly knew that. They were simply just beating about the bushes, and they were just behaving like little kids trying to do everything annoying enough to get whatever they wanted. Futile attempts. Clearly everyone was just lying to themselves. Just that.

"Give it up Yagami."

"You better just shut the hell up and get lost."

In a split second at the end of the sentence the sorcerer fed himself with the delicious stench of heavy cigarettes from the bishounen's mouth and suckled from it, enjoying the heat spread all over the moist environment and the luxury of the firm flesh quivering under his spell. It was such a feast that adored the sorcerer so much, too much in fact, as he indulged in the flavours that never seemed to end, always satisfying him as he pleased. He did not realise the bishounen was aptly termed as so: the untouched, the desired, the satisfied.

Iori lied underneath the huge frame of the sorcerer who now seemed to be perilous and angsty. He could just sense the temper of that man above him, and that he was just in the wrong mood at the wrong time at the wrong place. He was enthralled into the soul of the sorcerer, who literally enjoyed the flavour of his mouth and dance of his tongue. He did not know was he enjoying it or discriminating it, as he was feeling a little unusual, yet not all so either.

It lasted some time, before Duolon moved back to his previous stance and continued glaring at Yagami. He felt so much going through just this one night, too much. It was one long night, one strenuous hellish unhealthy long night. However tonight was a night he could never ever forget, it was tonight that he found the one he had been searching; the one who could give him all the experimental behaviours he wanted to test out, the one who could give him endless interests about oneself, the one who made him realise how important certain things were, the one who triggered the manifested desperation in him, the one he wanted so badly.

The gentleness in his eyes tried to convey what he felt directly into the redhead, who was unwilling to even look at him. Duolon looked down at the smaller body beneath him and bent down to the exposed neck resulted from the over-stretched head towards the opposite direction. He ran his hand through the softness of the crimson red hair and pushed them aside from his ears. He gently nibbled his thick ear lobe in between his purple lips and moistened it from inside. The redhead could just feel the burning sensation building up. But he controlled, like he had always been doing.

Suddenly there was a shot right up on the surface of the insides of his ear. The redhead felt intensity built behind the gentleness as the wetted area started to expand in diameter. The inner need was building a momentum of its own, as the heat of passion growled wildly. The redhead started to feel his body burning a little out of control; there was an inner desire rising. He knew what it was, he knew what to do, however not to the man in front, never to him.

Duolon continued to pleasure the redhead's need endlessly as he thought he might and sort of placed more 'effort'. His right hand was touching the other side of his face, touching the redden cheek that flamed with awkward redness. He could virtually feel the heat, it was too obvious.

"If you feel it coming, just voice it... You know how your own voice sounds like... But I don't... I wanna hear 'em... do it for me... moan for me.............."

The redhead could nothing else than just to show his little anger in front of the sorcerer by biting his lower lip viciously. He tried to bear his little fatigue-ness no matter what and could only exhaust himself even more when he tried to do so. In his eyes, he could just see the sorcerer's enjoyment and pleasure; how much that man would have wished this to go on endlessly every night, how much this man wanted to see him in pain and yell for his gentleness and commitment. He felt his wetted lips quivering as soon as the sorcerer stopped. He knew the situation he was in, he was dying for more he guessed, when was the last time he had a fulfilling sexual pleasure? Fuck it.

He supposed no one could ever do that to him.

Maybe he would have done it the other way.

The black maiden foresaw the bishounen's anticipation about his own reaction and cast delight in overthrowing that anticipation. He pulled his long black silky hair back and removed his all dire long heavy black coat on the floor. It landed with a loud thud which expressed the weight of that awfully heavy trench coat. At the rhythm of his dandy long white fingers coloured with purple nails, he delicately slid the sides of his purple shirt sideways down which revealed the untanned fair complexion inside of this pretty black maiden. Somehow it looked irresistibly delicious, even the bishounen himself would have eaten him up, if the situation permits...

...However, the situation does permits, didn't it.....

The staring continued, the eye-to-eye foundation continued its toll as the two fighters revealed only more and more interest in each other. Maybe this would never come to an end; seemingly just that the bishounen's hatred had covered most of his mind, and that the annoying black maiden would be his next target to annihilate in the later part of his life. The black maiden shared no common views in this matter; he was desperate to just get what he wanted.

"Would you even look at me for a moment?"

The sorcerer finally spoke and expected something bad to pour out of the redhead's mind. Unwillingly or willingly the redhead turned in response and blankly looked back at the sorcerer. He would have just ignored him all the way and allowed that bastard to do anything to him. However he chose to just look back at him; was it on purpose or was it just a form of gesture? No one could tell the deepness of the redhead's darkness.

No one...

....or maybe just that someone....

"What do you want with me? If you really want to do that, just be done with it and get out of my sight!!!"

"....You aren't someone who conforms so easily, what is exactly going through that little evil mind of yours now?"

"To send your little flaming ass to hell."

"Then why don't you do it? I'll be glad to fulfil your wish if it makes you happy."

"...."

The bishounen was lost for words, somehow he could not contradict just the above statement. He felt defeated, yet not all so either. He knew he was in control and that black maiden would definitely listen to him as desired. He could really send his ass straight to hell as he always wanted, but he was stopped by some unidentified force inside him. He felt so hesitant about everything today; a disappointing rotten day all the more.

The black maiden lied above the bishounen, yet supporting his own weight with his strength as well. He embraced the one beneath and hissed in a low tone of misery.

"Allow me to frustrate the unhappiness inside."

"....."

"For once, I thought I have found the beauty in my life and I would be very much delighted to accept it as part of my life. However torn between reality and dream, I could laugh in self-pity that this world had never been going anywhere near my path in live. Sometimes one might wonder, did I come into this world to live or to die? Once I lived, I would die someday, and apparently sometimes certain people chose to live sufferable, some chose the easier option. I wanted to take on a path belonged to me, so I trusted my predicament and ended knowing you. I saw you, for once a beauty beyond the description of words that one could ever think of."

"...."

"You chose to take me away with those maddening eyes of yours that entranced to your world, and made me lose my mind, made my lose my control, made me lose my composure. You could have put all this to an end simply by taking my life and made all my journeys come to an end that seemed to be boundless. I feel so miserable that I could bit my tongue and drain my life bit by bit the painful, horrible way. Take me away... take me out of this painful life... I want to search no more... no more of my life..."

"..... I..."

"No more... no more of this hateful life of mine that is...."

"I cannot take you any further when your life comes back to the original path that is where you started from. I am not a dream, I am not a reality. The reality tells you how much you might need me, the dream tells you how much you love me. But all and all it's your mind that is telling you everything you believed in, and I am telling you, this dream, this reality is not going to take you anywhere unless you find what you have been searching for. All you need is someone to tell you how much you worth in this world, your worthiness to continue to live in this world, and I can tell you..."

The black maiden listened hopefully for the answer. The red bishounen could take no route back since he had put words to such an extent. He tried to process all his thinking at one go and made what he was going to say sound a little logical. He did not want to make himself all too affectionate, or even passionate, because he was no somebody of that sort. Positive.

"You have the worth in this world. The worth to prove you are the strongest. The ability to show someone how strong you are is already an achievement you can consider to worth to live for. You should not live for someone else honestly, however when you lost the motivation to look at things that way, you know it's time to find any motivation that can turn you on again. I believe you understood what I've just said, because you are a smart person. I can tell that right from the beginning."

"I can live for someone.... else?"

"Yes."

"Then.... Can I live for you?"

".... I am not the exact motivation, because I may just demoralise you any one time, any one day. But I.... don't mind being yours- "

Anything that was going to be said the next moment was cut off instantly by Duolon held Iori up from the bed, sitting up. He realised what Iori said was right, because he really needed that motivation, which used to be the man he was searching for endlessly. Yet now he found another one that had proven to be more worthy than the previous one. Hence he felt a sense of achievement, maybe so much more.

"Thank you so much... I really... feel so fortunate to have known you..."

Suddenly the black maiden kissed the bishounen again, yet softly this time; it was just a brush of the lips. However this time, the bishounen felt different and he was enjoying that savouring taste of the maiden's lips. He indulged himself in the tenderness of the flesh and kissed ferociously back. He thought this trickling taste was better than any women he had ever tasted before, maybe it was the feeling he had been searching this long.

A feeling of a long awaiting... love...

Surprised at the sudden attack, the black maiden was brought back to heat as the strong reaction was triggering his passion once again. He held the smaller man in his arms strongly and pulled a French act on him. The bishounen accepted it silently unexpectedly as he rode on the sail of the maiden's commitment. The burning emotion was increasing each moment and he washed it time and time again to calm himself down. He was slowly backed down on the bed by the maiden's persistence as he lied down with this frame totally covered by the maiden. He fondled on the long braid that reached over the thighs of the maiden and loosened it at the end. The mildness of the silky black hair scattered all over the maiden's body and enhanced the maiden look already presented on his face. The bishounen stared vividly at the maiden and vice versa.

"Iori......?"

"Hmm..."

Without words being spoken, they both somehow understood what each other was conveying. Duolon gently removed the choker of the redhead's neck and buried his lips onto the firm flesh of the redhead's. The smaller man released a soft moan which escaped from his throat as the tension heightened again. Duolon bit his neck lightly which prevailed the marks of red ember that marked the territory this man belonged to. He continued by taking the fabric on him piece by piece. The bedazzling complexion on his love captivated his every vision as he looked at them over and over again.

"I wish... I wish you were mine... forever, and ever."

The red bishounen immediately blushed in red when he heard the sentence and looked away like a little shy bishoujo would behave. There should be nothing in this world, absolutely nothing, in this world that can make this man behave in such a manner. However being intrigued by his own actions, the bishounen had to just ask himself. What was more attractive about this man than himself? That was worth a mention, he just wanted to know.

"Don't say things that would never be fulfilled!!"

The words just came blurted out of the bishounen's mouth all of a sudden. There was no hesitation in this moment, ironically. The maiden looked back at the provoked bishounen and tried to calm him down. He kissed him again, seemingly that would be the only action that meant the most things. He wished the enraged one would just clam down to understand what he would be trying to tell him, and not just fuming away without a reason.

"Stay with me, forever."

Duolon looked at Iori when he said those words out with compassion and love. He meant it with every soul he had in himself as he embraced Iori once more. The warmth in between them was searing as the urging heat was bringing them closer as each moment passed by. They were not sure if each other held true love in between. Was this all a ploy to just get the other one down first or just to appear victorious in the end? They were unsure and uncertain because none of them have been through any stage of the situation surfacing now.

Iori remained motionless on the bed as the maiden took control. He licked the flawless golden skin across his chest and his hand caressed the fabric covering his thigh, gliding it up and down. The redhead placed his hand on the back of the maiden's head and ran his fingers through the fine hair. The maiden licked at the pink spot on the bishounen's chest and sent pulses of intimacy through him as the moist tip of the tongue came in contact with the already hardened spot. Duolon heard soft squeals of excitement rushing out of Iori has he made use of his soft spot to deliver more of it into him. He enjoyed the reactions the bishounen was providing him and continued on the other side as well.

"...aaah... dame...da...aaaa..."

"Give me more... more..."

Duolon pleaded some more as he suckled it at the very end of his query. The redhead exhaled more air as each pulse was sent into him. He sort of enjoyed it, and maybe would be elated to have more, however as soon as the thought of cheapened integrity flashed across his mind, he would force himself to stop almost immediately because he did not wanted to be seen that way without a doubt. He was an artiste respected by all, however he was being ridiculed like a woman with insatiable actions he used to perform on somebody else. He was having his first time with such a treatment, he did not know was it right or wrong.

He did not know is this planned as well, did he just have to do-it or what...

This time there was no guide, it felt like something planned, yet something his heart desired.... Something a little different than usual, maybe emotions played its very role in such circumstances, and maybe there were other substances as well too. Feeling a little worried, he had to stop over and over, to reassure himself time and time again somehow, he was being self- conscious, much self-reassurance for sure.

Without hesitation, he pushed back the maiden, looking horrified and too lost for words.

"What's the problem Iori?"

"... It's bloody not right... What we're doing... it's bloody wrong, freaking bloody wrong..."

"No. It isn't."

"For hell's sakes yes it IS!!!!"

The black maiden noticed the frightened docile face on the red bishounen and could not help but respect what he had just said in order to calm him down, and tried to show much more attention to his feelings. Indeed the present situation was absolutely unhealthy in all aspects, the bishounen was just stating the facts, nothing other than facts. The maiden had to acknowledge that for a moment, until he was reassured with something else he could face upon.

Duolon embraced the shivering little body in front of him, trying to express the maximum amount of comfort he could provide. He had hoped his large frame was giving him enough assurance he was in the right hands of the right man he could settle in once and for all; to show him all the trust he needed and he could survive with. He did not think he was some responsible fellow that could provide enough for anyone, because he had problems with anyone apart himself in doing so, he was selfish in other words. However he only wished, only wished he had the courage to show how much the redhead meant to him; in simple language, how much he loved him.

"Man... How long will this take?"

The red bishounen looked up at the black maiden, lost for words.

"What...?"

"I mean, your hesitance towards me. This can't go on forever Iori. I want you to trust me, that's all I ask for. It's been a tormenting night for you I know, but that's only so because I failed to give me enough trust which you have supposed to done so right from the beginning when I thought I told you how much you meant to me. No more, give me your answer. I don't want to hurt, yet I don't want to leave you. But I'll respect your decision in the end, just tell me. Do you trust me?"

Facing such a straight-forward question, it left the redhead nowhere to hide and nowhere to beat about the bush all the more. The maiden cupped his face in front of him and looked directly into his red eyes, allowing nothing else to distract him from making this answer, it was a decision that would affect his life for good. Therefore it meant more than the world to him....

Perhaps, the world was not even as worthy as this prized moment...

In the meanwhile, there was so much going through Iori's mind as the glimpse of his life passed by while he recalled each black and white scene that was colourless to him. They turned like pages of a book, enhanced with the beloved music composed by one of his favourite artiste Yanni entitled 'Until the Last Moment'. The soft tunes of melodious piano keys sang through his mind as the pages turned again and again, refreshing his childhood years from the endless toll of time that had passed by and gone by without a single trace of longing left behind. The snow flakes clustered by the shoji as he continued to walked through the shades of darkness in his life as he searched on for his answer like an old computer scanning for its files, long and tedious.

He saw his childhood days that was decolourised with the ugliness of man's nature and the reality that everyone, men or women, was only surviving for themselves. Nothing else in the goddamn world mattered to him, he was brought up in such a manner, and he believed so all the more. He was only five then.

Further more, he continued in the traceless book, he saw the stages of his teenage years that were foreboding and ominous. He was devoid of any contact with any human around him as though the people around him treated him like a demon. Honestly, he did not mind that, if he would become stronger, it did not matter if he had to sell his soul or give his body up. As long as he was strong enough, he would have everything in this world that everyone could have desired. As long as he was strong, nothing else mattered.

Coming back to the previous years of his adolescent age, he was wide opened with a fixed mind concept now. He now cared for no one, no one's opinion meant anything to him, because he had total faith in himself which was priceless. Nothing in this world could replace that, he surely knew that. Everyone can be a bastard, an asshole, an S-O-B; it all concluded that it had nothing to do with him.

The rhythmic tune continued to flow in his ears, claiming him into the world of Music and Rhythm. For then, he would hear no more, he would see no further.

However... there came along a man who broke the silence with the pretty face of a doll; the fairest complexion that a human could have, the slender physique of a man, the dainty fingers of a woman, the beauty that would appear only in the dreams of any woman's heart. There he stood, tall and upright, awaiting, just waiting. The dream felt all too real, nothing else mattered.

"Come... come to me..."

The voice in the dream spoke directly to him. As though mesmerised, he walked slowly up to the beauty afar, so captivated upon the beauty of the falling sun that shone like golden coins descended from the skies and sung in melody to his inner tune like a Christmas Carol. Beheld the prowess of the maiden's looks, for he was the sorcerer that is bound to take him in his life. Live to hail, live to be taken.

The colour faded once again in front of his eyes, as he was sent back to the reality, the reality that was the maiden's reality, which was the world.

"Be touched, and be loved."

Those were the very first that came out of the sorcerer's mouth as he held onto the redhead's hands, instilling comfort and tenderness. Tears fell, tears that were held back for more than a decade came rolling down his redden cheeks as the freshest emotions of pain and relief were removed from the redhead's mind. The spell-bounded man released every piece of anger and frustration in him as more tears came rolling down his cheeks. The maiden could only provide his shoulders for the support he anticipated the redhead would need.

The maiden could feel the sadness that had deprived the bishounen's of all his emotions. He could sense every living cell in the bishounen pleading for his tormented life to be released. He wanted to do something for him, not just for this moment, but for his entire life as well.

".... Just... take me...tonight...."

The black maiden looked at the redhead, who just muttered softly in his embrace, hoping what he had just heard was not wrong. He pushed him out of his arms and glared into those weepy eyes, gleaming with embarrassment and attraction.

"...You... mean it?"

Like a vampire sucking down his prey, the black maiden soaked his tongue into that delicious whirlpool of lust that the red bishounen had drawn him to. His silken long hair fluttered all over the bed like feathers falling off a pair of wings as he caressed the red bishounen endlessly with gentle touches that ignited his flaming passion. The red bishounen felt as though he was ravaged and put to dishonour in the names of the King of Fighters that might roll, however just tonight, he would give everything just for tonight.

May it be a dream... let it be a bewitched one tonight...

~*~

The redhead came to his knees willingly for the very first time and stood a little hesitant in front of the sorcerer. His eyes stared feverishly at the barren body of the slender sorcerer whose complexion shone miraculously like silver coins under the moonlight. He drowned himself with the lust conformed in his body and worshipped the enormity of the mantra.

However, with a mental kick somehow, he engulfed the huge shaft in one breath and was enjoying what would give the sorcerer more pleasure other than himself. The sorcerer stood motionlessly and tried to maintain in composure instead of cuming all over as soon as his beloved allowed him to take him. There was so much going through his mind, perhaps too much for a cause. Maybe it was an inner taunting he had in his mind for himself. However everything that has just happened so was too heavy for anyone to take into control. It was the first time he saw himself so vulnerable to another man, and definitely also the last time he would want to see it again.

The black maiden filled his face with a look of enthusiasm as he viewed the top of the bishounen's red hair and ran a hand through it. Enjoyment was seizing his every cell as more of his reactions prevailed to surface before him. He realised how comfortable he was in as the bishounen was working on it so finely that he would never have guessed it himself. Like the embroidery of an artwork, he felt like that black piece of silk being woven delicately to pleasure him endlessly by the fierceness of sharp yet gentle needlework. He backed himself onto the wall behind him and sent his mouth gasping for air to calm down due to the overwhelming response he was getting from. Heart soared into his white cheeks and soon turned into maddening red ones.

It only took a few minutes when the redhead realised he was enjoying what the hell he was ever doing and started to show more compassion towards putting through a good job. He satisfied himself deviously through the expressions of contentment through the maiden's face as he licked and sucked and compelled the maiden to his mercy. He got up from his knees immediately when he felt the thick slick of white paste filling his entire mouth as he licked the remains of it off the sides of his lips. He displayed an air of arrogance and was demanding the maiden to show him his eagerness.

The maiden looked deep into the pool of roses that was staring at him. As the immensity of his hunger grew bigger in him, he pushed that bishounen backwards and deliberately pulled him onto the sheets of white on his bed. He pressed his wrists down firmly and made escape impossible for any man. He prowled like a leopard on his prey and summoned his prey to be subdued by his superiority over him.

Duolon spread his frame all over the white sheets as he lied above the smaller man beneath him, yet not trying to add too much weight by carrying some weight with his hands. His gentle touches brought more assurances into Iori's soul as he brushed his lips across the cold shivering ones of his beloved. He deeply felt so much for this sacred one beneath; no matter how crude he was and how unfriendly he portrayed himself as, he was someone special, no one could replace with definitely.

He kissed madly with this redhead and prayed the morning would never come. He wanted this night never to be awakened in his dream or his mind. All he wanted was eternity, and time was running out of it soon.

The bishounen was certain that the black maiden would give him promises that he would fulfil, yet he was afraid to acknowledge so. He had never come across anyone as persistent as this bastard yet also determined to show him so much about life. Life was not always about him, yet also the people around him and the need to care for those who were always with him. He did not want to believe in all this, simply because he did not see the need to.

In the midst of his thoughts, the maiden spread his legs apart and settled in between him. He looked dispassionately at his loved as he ran his fingers through his black hair. With swift strokes, he removed his clothing skilfully and simply glared at the naked cock. Perhaps he was a little too mesmerised about it for simply he seemed bewitched by that object before his eyes. It was a form of enjoyment to him, to look at his man like this, and pleasure himself the way he wanted. He was not a sadist, but the thought of just looking would bring him a full erection if it needed.

The bishounen looked embarrassingly away from the onyx eyes of the maiden. He did not like the feeling of being scrutinized like this; it felt so different compared to the moments he was on stage performing. Now he was lying down on the bed, being taken over, being looked at, being touched, being humiliated, being pleasured, being satisfied...

...and soon, being fucked.

The bishounen's emotion were on burning fuel as it rocked the waves of the segmented rise of his erection and it was driving him mad nonetheless. The first occurrence between them proven to be sinned for life, proven that it should never have taken place. In the coldness of the winter fall, the searing heat merged between two men would ignite sparks which could not be put out and be fallen into the spiral portal of endless insatiable desire eating them alive. Driven by hatred, yet longings lived on to bring them near once more.

The maiden bent down and in hand held the fleshy shaft in hand, warm and soothingly. His shivering hand was made obvious when the bishounen below felt the tremble. Yet the icy hand also made him quivered at the end of the coldness of the dandy fingers as his aristocratic throat escaped a moan loud, too loud in fact. The dishy bishounen allowed the seduction to rumble on generously, leaving the maiden dazed in his mental superiority. The maiden remained in his bedazzled state whilst the bishounen sat up. With both hands cupped gently on the sides of his face, he left a stainless strong French kiss on his maiden. The black maiden indulged in his bishounen's generosity. He licked his way to his neck and marked his territory from there, the redden flesh swollen and bitten. The bishounen delightfully took in all the pleasures he felt through his cells and embraced the head of the maiden lovingly.

At this very moment, the maiden looked up to see those eyes once more. Deep in his heart, he was dying to make this moment stop for life. All that mattered now was this man, he could make his life journey end now for him, if he would stay with him till the end of time, till the world came to an end.

The red bishounen could feel what he was trying to tell him, simply because his expression was prevailing in every sense. He knew what he wanted, definitely.

"Give me your body... give me more than that too..."

The maiden pleaded as he reached his hand in between the bishounen's legs upwardly. Drowned in that voice which killed his heart already, the bishounen remained motionless, as though granting to that request. Gently, he injected two fingers into his opening, making sure not to cause much pain. The bishounen felt the intensity immensely and let out a strong screaming moan. Facing such scenario for first time, his uncertainty was challenging him to his limit as the pain stretched deep inside. The maiden slowly retrieved his fingers out once more and licked the thick semen coated on the surface. Then he injected it once more, pulled out a little and pushed in once more, jerking a little, yet making sure no blood spills at the moment.

Iori grabbed the white sheets on bed tightly as he took down the pain, trying not to retaliate like what he would usually do when pain was inflicted upon him. There was more than pain expanding inside him, but more of the enthusiasm he could feel from the man above him regardless.

After a few strokes, Duolon refused his held-back and took his lover's mantra into his mouth, savouring the delicious fruit up front. Much courage was exhausted from him to put up the act since he was dying for it more. He replayed the fingers' movement onto his lover's mantra and ate the life out of him. He could feel his cheeks burning profusely as the time ticked by and the action he was portraying. After much tasting, he could notice the limit of his lover as he finally broke loose, ejaculating rich semen into his mouth, covering the whole of his insides.

Spiked by such reaction, the maiden returned to his sorcerer form as he mercilessly pushed the bishounen's legs apart, drilled into the opening which he opened earlier deeply.

"AH!!!!"

The bishounen could barely hold onto anymore the sharp piercing effect almost choked the life out of him. He stared blankly at the sorcerer who displayed an air of victory in front of him and enjoying what the world could never have provided him. The sorcerer took the thighs of the bishounen and turned them up to his shoulders as he leaned forward, just directly above the red's torso. He started the movement and got the bishounen into the momentum, slowly.

Despite the whorish behaviour, Iori was surprisingly finding himself being satisfied like he had never been before. Never in the past did he experienced something as fresh as this, because he was always the seme, perhaps, therefore he never knew the position of the uke. He looked at his legs being pushed apart and felt dissipated somehow. Maybe in context, he was being raped by another man, but in contents, he somehow agreed to all this.

Was this part of the journey in life he had to follow again?

Maybe yes...

... ...maybe not....

As the seconds rolled on, the tension built was gaining higher and higher. Both sides would be up to their limits sooner or later, only time will tell. Their maddening cheeks only displayed the commitment they had for one another during this period of time, and the activity they were engaged in, and how much they would shed for each other. It was a forbidden love, by will or not, no one was fit to speak of.

"Genkai...da... Iori...."

It was his limit; for sure because he was about to explode any moment. The redhead was not keeping back as well, and he was on his finishing touch. Pledged under the flawless moon, they were committed to one heart one mind. This was going to be the first and last time Iori Yagami would ever allow himself fall into such a state again. For sure it was something not to be compromised.

"...I'm... coming...."

The redhead knew he was coming, because the soaring sensation was threatening to burn them alive. Perhaps he was afraid to come, perhaps he just did not want to let anyone see such a vulnerable him. He mumbled to himself that he would no longer be part of this love, he would leave it once he regained his consciousness, which was his true self. He thrust himself against the awakened organ of the maiden and indulged in the heat of passion burning them alive. The maiden displayed his satisfaction through the perspiration trickled from his forehead. He was moving to the beat, endlessly trying to fuck this man on the bed so ever wonderfully, so ever damned good. Perhaps he would be so surprised that the man was not fulfilled, but he had given his best, endured the moments of rises and falls, and now the moment of truth, his eruption.

The movement was getting rugged and rough, they were no longer on the tenderness of sweet petting and kisses; they now moved towards their fountain of seduction, unceasing lust rejuvenating them over and over again. The maiden rocked with his lover's pelvis so hard so fast, it was threatening to break the bones of it. Deliciously fulfilled like this moment, the maiden was getting tired, for he knew he was running out of the energy he needed. His lover was about to pass out anymore from what he saw, and they had to put an end to all this.

Sweetly, it ended. The maiden and the bishounen rumbled strongly and came in close tightly at the explosion of the precum. Hot, white slick semen flowed out from the bishounen's hot entrance and trickled down to his inner thighs slowly. He collapsed on the bed, motionlessly and died on the spot. The maiden looked at his loved and bent to end all their moments with the lushness of a loving kiss. He could never have predicted what the morning would bring, because he knew what happened to night could never be forgotten by anyone of them, simply because this entranced dark night brought him memories he could die for, pleasure he could desire forever.

The bishounen lied on the bed relentlessly. He was panting madly and could barely move an inch. He knew what had just happened and how it all began. It started off with Ash Crimson, but somehow ended differently than how he should have. Miraculously Duolon was the one who brought all this to an end, despite how much torturement went on during the night. He remembered how this man brought him to his life and how he actually helped to get out of the misery he lived on but failed to see. This man gave him the key to true freedom and the route towards happiness. By the break of dawn he knew he would have to make his decision. This would change his life for good, he now went frigid with fear, for he knew nothing of his future, since everything in the past was planned ahead for he to just accomplish.

The maiden lied beside in on the white sheets that smeared with the freshest evidence of the forbidden love they endeavoured; the blood of the taken. He embraced the one he had taken strongly yet gently and moved onto slumberland. However the bishounen had to make his decision; it was either do or die; either to snuggle in this never-ending warmth of peace, or to fight on with misery. The choice was him to make, no one was in the way. He felt his blood released, but not only that, yet also the pain taken far away out of him.

Exhaustion took him as the eyes started to cover his vision by his own mental will. The decision has been made before he fell into, the problems will be resolved.

~*~

The golden rays shot into the sleepy maiden's eyes as they forced him to open them mercilessly. They licked the tiredness away from the maiden and brought him back to reality, which was the world. He pushed the covers away and looked down at the bed, stretching his limbs a little. He saw the bloodstains once more, and recalled the fruitful night he had enjoyed, he had tasted, he had wanted all along. However, he sensed something amiss all of a sudden. The absence of the odour of the one he embraced all night; it was gone.

He jumped out of bed and searched the bedrooms in the presidential guestroom of the hotel, the bathrooms and the kitchen and hall. It was deadly, nothing was ever there. The slightest presence of humanity was zero besides him. He understood the decision made; he never changed the mind of the beloved. He walked down to the dining room and sat disappointingly on the wooden chairs. He would have burst into tears if he had not controlled himself. As he rested his hand on the table, he felt not the smoothness of the white marble surfaced table, yet the roughest of any ordinary paper.

He picked the note up instantly and read the contents:

"Ask not the question why I left you, for you should never have
known. You should never have came into my life like this, as a fire
in the season of snow and not give me the love like the generosity
of the God. You should have never known me, like I should have
never seen you. However the night you pleasure and fondled my
emotions left me turmoils that bore holes into my very soul and
memories I could have never forgotten. Yet time does not abide to
me for the tasks I have to run to are endless. If we truly have
fate and destiny to be entangled by the bonds of love like you
perceived, then till the time that we shall see each other again,
thence my feelings will be uncovered to your actions. The love you
showered will always be remembered. The night will always be
remembered. Abayo..."

The maiden let out a heavy grin at the end of the note and stood up from the chair. He smiled for the victory he had perceived through the efforts he paid and the enjoyment he gave the bishounen. He had changed the unchanged, and rewarded with the expected. He was in the mood for a fight, like the energy and strength of an animal and the power of any sorcerer, he was gleaming with enthusiasm and elation.

"No matter where you are... I'll hunt you down, my love... Iori Yagami!!"

~Owari~

Thoughts thereafter: A long piece... But it's a fruitful experience. Thank you all for making it this far.