Shadows Linger In Broken Eyes
Abby Ebon
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Summary: Written for Aki Kochou DarkRockman(Saito)xNetto. Yaoi. DarkNetto's one greatest dream has come true – Saito is living in the real world with him. Or is he?
Warning - if you do not know what slash it is the written romance (that means it is likely sexual in nature) between two male characters. In this story, it implies a homosexual relationship of near incest between two characters that are otherwise not inclined to such a preference in "reality". If you are open-minded and mature enough to continue – do so, if not – do not bother voicing an opinion while you press the 'back' button.
Note; this is my answer to a challenge issued in an IM conversation over group chat for Aki Kochou; as I was led to understand it would either meant to have 'dark' elements (or 'aghast') in it – or to be slash/yaoi. Or both - I, obviously, chose both.
Also – pretty much everyone either dies, goes missing, or gets trapped in this – including main characters. Updates will be unpredictable…This is, after all – the darkest story I've ever done.
This is when Netto is 19.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"Okay, Netto, you can lift the blindfold now." His father spoke close to his ear – his breath moving the hairs there. Netto found him self oddly nervous – when he'd gotten home, his father had been enthusiastic – to the point he had insisted Netto wore a blindfold and then be guided to the surprise.
So far, it had gone alright – he hadn't even stumbled, but now he felt chill even in a room that was practically sweltering. Feeling oddly timid, his thumb snaked beneath the blindfold, lifting it free of his face. What he saw were machines – everywhere in the basement were wires and a crisscross of components.
The most noticeable thing was right before him - an egg like cocoon made of organic and metallic material. With a glance, he saw that it was somehow connected to computers –even to his Pet.
Rockman. Netto tensed, biting his lip – his father had asked to 'barrow' his Pet until today – what had his father done?
"Father – what is all this?" Netto found himself asking, a certain amount of fear mixed with the awe in his tone.
"This, Netto my boy – is how we are going to retrieve Rockman – or should I say Saito's soul, and place it back in the physical world with a body." His father murmured then, patting the cocoon tenderly then looking up to catch the surprised look that flashed over Netto's features. "How?" He choked out, studying the cocoon before him
"I've used some of your DNA to create a clone – I suppose you could say, for your twin." He explained – and Netto's eyes grew wide, his mouth dropping open. His father had found a way – as he had always sworn he would, of bringing back Saito…
"When will he be…" hatching, Netto thought though he dared not say it – his father gave him an understanding look.
"In an hour or so…In fact – he is about to come into the world. If it works correctly he'll have all the memories of his past of being Rockman – though he will appear to be your age, Netto." His father spoke, then tensed – very carefully he motioned Netto foreword. Without pausing to consider what he was doing – Netto obeyed, gently, his father took his hand and set it upon the cocoon – it was shivering – then shuddering visably to show it was ready to burst open, ready to bring what was within into life.
A tear appeared- and Netto noted that his father was holding his breath; Netto merely watched the tear, wondering at the possibility of gaining his brother back. With a final shudder the tear widened to split the egg-like cocoon neatly in half.
A clear fluid, oddly thick like the white of an egg, dribbled down from a body that was so alike Netto's own that it was decidedly eerie for him to see. For all appearances, his own nude body was standing before him – seemingly asleep.
The eyelids flickered – then snapped open, for a moment surprised brown eyes met Netto's own warm brown.
"Netto-chan…?" Saito, his twin, spoke sounding a bit unnerved with the way they were staring at him.
"Hey…hey, Saito-kun." Netto stammered, smiling softly – reassuringly, to his twin. Slowly, Saito smiled back, it was oddly possessive.
"Is this…real? I'm real…" Saito whispered as he looked over his body, cautiously – he moved foreword – but stumbled, Netto moved quickly to catch his twin, holding his nude body against is own clothed one. His twin was warm – solid, real. While Netto held him, his tears threatened – his greatest dream had come true.
"You're real…" Netto assured softly, nuzzling his nose in the slick hair and unblemished skin of his brother. He inhaled shakily, his breath catching as he held back tears.
"I'm real, Netto-chan, and I will never let anyone hurt you again. You're mine, Netto." Saito murmured, seeming to be trying to reassure Netto, no matter nails of the hand that gripped Netto's shirt pinched possesively at his skin.
After his brother was clothed in a hospital-like 'gown', Netto took them up to his room.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"I hope you don't mind sharing a bed for tonight – Father didn't think to buy another before you…came back…" Netto paused over the words – he did not want Saito to be uncomfortable with the way he had come into the world. As far as Netto was concerned, Saito was his brother – that he had once been Rockman didn't matter anymore.
Netto didn't notice the pleased red gleam that passed through Saito's eyes upon having heard Netto's words. Softly, he walked foreword till he was just behind Netto, pretending interest in what he was doing.
Saito's eyes trailed down and up his twin's body – he was still dressed in his school things, nonetheless, Netto fitted them well, for all Saito's eyes were drawn solely to Netto's neck.
"I don't mind – in fact I think it would be good for me, to get used to touch…" Netto had been surprised at how close Saito's voice was – and had spun around awkwardly, Saito caught him monetarily – and Netto inhaled deeply in his surprise, drawing in the scent of his brother before they shakily tumbled onto the bed, sprawled together.
Then, Netto's indrawn breath was for another reason entirely – Saito's warm breath ghosted against his neck, sending small pleasurable shocks up and down his body. It took Netto - who was lost in the sensations his brother had managed to stir within him, to realize Saito had whispered, "Sorry", against his ear.
"Saito-kun? What…?" Netto asked as he looked up his 'twin' with wide eyes, Saito chuckled – sending shivers across Netto's skin. Confused, Netto tried to move – but found his hands had been captured firmly above his head, and his twin's own weight held him down.
Saito's lips pressed against the sensitive skin of his neck – a gentle touch, Netto's breath caught in his mouth – only to have it shudder out when he felt his twin's lips brush against his ear lobe as the slick wet heat of Saito's tongue licked at his skin.
"Hm, you taste delicious, Netto-chan…" As his twins words washed over him, Netto found he could only breath – this was strange, yes – but not yet unpleasant, perhaps there had been more to Rockman's life as a navi then his brother had ever let on. Perhaps this was merely the navi way of greeting each other for the first time. Netto flushed at the thought – wondering how many other navi's Rockman had greeted in such a way.
Before Netto could comment – or think to ask anything potentially embarrassing, Saito had rolled over, sitting beside the sprawled form of his younger twin brother.
"C'mon, Netto-chan, you've got to get dressed for bed – you wouldn't want your school clothes to be ruined… Father's already enrolled me in school – and I do, after all – want to meet your friends, Netto-chan…" Saito murmured amusedly, when Netto – cheeks burning in a charmingly innocent way – met his brothers eyes.
"Oh –oh, yeah tomorrow's school, I'd almost forgotten…" Netto's eyes slid away from his brothers as he sat up, standing uncomfortably – he thought he felt his brothers gaze on him the entire time he striped down to his boxers – but, when he turned around, Saito was looking at the computer.
Feeling oddly disappointed, Netto went to stand beside him, wondering if Saito – for all that he had lived as a navi, knew to use the internet from the real world's side of things. It would be an interesting learning experience – and put him in close contact with his brother, which – for some reason, Netto found himself craving.
"Fascinating – it's all exactly alike…" Saito murmured, eyes running over the computer components – he was clearly their father's son – for his interest in inventing shined through.
Seeming to sense Netto's gaze on him, Saito looked up, eyes noticeably trailing over the skin on his young brothers body for lack of clothing – Netto had a moment to wonder if it bothered him, before Saito made room for him on the bed.
Feeling clumsily and unsure of himself, Netto followed Saito's lead. Saito said nothing when Netto chose to lay on his stomach, head tucked in his arms and eyes closed as he tried to drift to sleep – his mind racing with thoughts of how his friends would react to Saito. They would surely be pleased for him.
Saito seemed to be suffering from the same fate as Netto – making Netto wonder if the inability to sleep was catching. Saito had opted for a similar sleeping pose, for all that he was carelessly sprawled on his back, eyes open but with his arms curled behind his head – mirroring Netto, save that they were in opposing positions
"I wonder what mother will think of me." Saito murmured, glancing to Netto for his twins own opinion. Netto peered into the dark, wondering what to say.
"I'm sure she'll love you as much as I do." Netto thought, smiling at his brother, Saito mirrored it. With the reassurance echoing between them, Netto fell asleep, Saito's eyes rested on his brothers face, his last thought being – 'somehow, Netto-chan, I doubt that…' a flash of red flared in his eyes – then was gone, as –strangely, those eyes focused on the door – a faint light illuminated it, telling him that someone was in the kitchen.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Later that night, Netto's mother –who had been out shopping that night, returned. The warm metal of the keys jangled pleasantly in the stillness of the night – which seemed to hold its breath, waiting for her to enter her home – her sanctuary. The kitchen light flicked on at her entrance – a clever invention by her husband that sensed the human-sized motions in the kitchen and other rooms in the house and turned the lights on.
She settled the grocery bags onto the counter, not rushing as she put them away carefully. There was something calming in ensuring that her family ate – that they would be healthy, and that if – forbid the thought, something occurred to change that, she would none the less be there in the day for them rather then out doing the shopping.
She knew her Netto was likely asleep – just as she knew her husband was also just as likely asleep. Still – there was something that made her uneasy, almost defensive, before she could put her finger on it – Netto was coming down the stairs. She turned her attention upon him – wondering as she did so if he had had a nightmare, or just wanted to talk to her privately.
"Hi, Mother – can I help you?" Netto nods toward the groceries, a question in his eyes. She smiles slightly at him as he reaches the floor, pulling him into a light hug – saddened that her boy is growing up – but very proud of him all the same.
"Sure sweetie, you can take care of the things that go in the cupboards." She answers, shaking off her unease as she hands him a box of cereal then turns her back to him.
"Mother…how do you know when you love someone?" Her heart flutters briefly, mind racing to all the people Netto could love as she thinks of an answer to give her son. When she turns to look at him, he's carefully avoiding her gaze – his cheeks pink.
She smiles softly at the sweet picture he makes as she finds an answer.
"Sometimes they say it's because you can not think sexually of another – but I think love is born more of a desire to protect them and a…a need to live the rest of your life with them." She tries her best to tell him his answer – but there is so much she left out – how wonderful the lust of love is in the beginning – how when it calms you grow ever more entranced with them. How you would do anything for them, if they would only ask it of you.
All that, she feels – is something someone who is in love has to learn on their own.
"So, who have you fallen in love with?" His mother asks, playfully jabbing him with another box, this one of rice.
There is a strange look in his eyes – it does not leave even as he takes the box.
"Mother…what would you and Father say if I were in love with…?" He begins, clearly struggling with the words. His voice fades – leaving them in silence. She thinks of what to say – for she thinks she knows where this conversation is going.
Her own father would have disapproved of what Netto is hinting at – but he was dead, even with that thought her hand does not shake as she takes the milk to the fringe. She feels steel replace her nerves – her husband and she had never spoken of the "what ifs" of Netto's love life – she had always thought that was his own.
"…if you were in love with a boy?" She finishes for him, glancing to take in his startled expression. He nods, seeming ashamed he had not had the nerve to tell her – that that she had had to think on it – then say it for him.
"I would say, life your life as you wish to – do not let others dictate to you, not even your father or I. But – for what it is worth, you have my support, Netto." Her eyes are focused on his – he glances away from her intent gaze, muttering a soft, 'thanks', under his breath.
She thinks she understands - turning back to put the last grocery – eggs, into the refrigerator. Netto just needed privacy – time to think, she was only glad she had not pushed him away.
"Mother…I am not …Netto." A soft hiss is tucked in her child's voice – one she had never heard before, it sends chills down her spine. Slowly, she turns – her eyes widening as she takes in the sight of the red eyed boy that holds a butcher knife and is assuredly not her son.
"…Who?" She whispers, horrified at having mistaken her own son for the monster before her.
"Dark Rockman…Mother." Are the last words she hears – her memory flashing to what her son had told her of the navi – then, the flash of steel – the blood spatters – spilling on the kitchen floor, over the cupboards – all that red blood over the white.
"Thank you…mother, for your blessing…" Saito murmurs before he licks the drop of red blood that had splattered over his lip. He glances down – for all that the blood that had spilled none of it had gotten on his feet – him, save on his clothes. Coldly avoiding the mess, he climbs the stairs and enters the bathroom – washing up, before slipping back into bed with his brother.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Note; Again – I said it was dark, and no – this is not going to be a 'happy ending' story. This is going to be blood, death, and slash. Mind you – I still like the happy endings, but they do get boring after a while. Well – do comment, but not on my sanity or 'sickness' – no amount of words can cure those, I'm afraid.
What do you like on the story – why on earth did you read it so far?
Is it the darker use of cloning?
Is Dark Rockman, well – dark enough?
Is everyone in-character?
Is the fact that I don't know Netto's parents names obvious yet?
Is the fact I've never really sat down and seen any/all of the seasons of Rockman.Exe pointed out too blindingly?
Did I have you fooled with the mother's scene?
Is the death scene "properly" done?
Is the darker sexual nature so damn obvious your wondering how long I'm going to keep Netto in the dark?
Is anyone else amused by the double use of the word slash in this story?