Prompt: The Compassion In Her Eyes by CardLover95; The Cover Photo used in this Story
Author's Note: My muse betrays me on writing an Ace Attorney story earlier, and decides to make me conjure this story that was heavily inspired by The Sound Within The Calmness by the same author who's drawings I'm using as a Cover Photo and as a prompt for my story.
Edit: Huge thanks for the grammar critique! I do hope I manage to catch them all, if not... *sweatdrops*
It's her eyes that drove him on the edge. Those bright, emerald orbs that demanded answers. They pierce through his walls, cracking the ices he put up with major efforts. It pissed him off, it really did. Those eyes reminded him of the hell that exist, by a person who was his own sibling. That treacherous bitch who was far from innocent, that bitch that fooled Ragna into believing he was the bad guy and she was the victim. Screw her! Screw Saya!
Jin was slumped against the wall, exhaustion ran on his veins. He was resting on a vacant room, away from anyone's presence. His knees were raised for support, to avoid unnecessary pain on his feet. His arms on his side, he could only give a demonic glare at the girl in front of him. Noel Vermillion. A stubborn trash that just wouldn't get away from his face. She inched closer, crawling slowly to his direction, building up fire of hatred inside his chest. Her eyes, those green eyes... It gave him chills on the bones for its striking similarities to Saya.
Noel was close to him now. She invaded his personal space. This blond, his former subordinate, this weak little girl dared to cross the line. He clenched his fist on the side, narrowing his eyes, hoping to retract her back to where she belongs, and that was out from his sight. But she didn't whimper in cowardice, she didn't show any sign of fear, knowing fully well how much he despise her existence. She was just there, kneeling down in front of him, looking at him with the eyes of someone who cares.
Someone who truly cares, unlike those stained eyes of dark witch.
Why did she have to possess her irritating face? Why was she not the Saya he hated the most? Why did she have the same face by sheer coincidence, because she was a Murakumo, far from being human. Why did she feel pain? Why did she bleed? Why did she stay? Why? Why? Why?
Would she give him an answer? Would she cry like those irritating puppies with big, wide eyes? Would she stay to toy with his feelings? Secretly mock him for being a pathetic bastard to exist? Was that the reason why she kept pursuing him despite his numerous, solid effort to push her away? To threaten him he would perish her existence in this world?
As much as he wanted to think that's the sole purpose of her undying conviction to chase him through the ends of the whole world, he knew better. Noel had proven herself that what she did was not from malicious intent. They were genuine concern towards him, as a subordinate, as a person, like a friend. That foolish thought of hers, it was sickening.
What almost hit his head with a major migraine was her bravery to disrupt his thoughts by slightly rising her knees to gain the upper hand in terms of height. She leaned closer to his face, their foreheads barely touching each others bangs. Those eyes, those emerald eyes, they showed the compassion in her look. What she truly was. Like a pathetic human being.
"Jin, you have been so cold, so lonely, all this time..." She carefully reached out, placing her right hand on his right shoulder, trailing the tips of her fingers on his shoulder blades. Her face became softer each time she spoke, but the intensity in her eyes never faltered. "Are you okay? How can I help you?"
Laughable. He wanted to laugh at her, mock her for being this stupid. So stupid. So fucking stupid. Stupid, stupid blond bitch. Stupid, stupid, stupid. His hatred burned brighter, trying to fend off the unknown emotion that dare to surface and replace it.
Weakly, he grabbed the necktie to intimidate her, tugging it to earn a shiver of fright, to let her know who's on top between them. "What do you know about me? Don't give me that pity look!"
She didn't do what he intended her to do. Instead, she traced those fingers to cupped his chin. "Please, Jin..."
Noel leaned closer, their foreheads clashing their own body heat. This was too much for him. First, those eyes, now, the intrusion of his personal breathing space. What was pumped inside her brain? What made her this brave? This determined?
"Jin." She strengthen her tone, to hopefully gain an answer from him.
Why? Why why why why why? Why did she care so much? Why did she keep bothering him to no end? Why? Why?!
The flame that was ignited by the root of anger was easily washed away by the raw emotion he'd bottled up inside. Hidden from everyone, including himself. Buried beneath, so deep he couldn't dig it out. It would be next to impossible to crack his walls to salvage his already dead part of his humanity. This girl... she easily bypassed the security he conjured, and managed to scratch the surface, slowly and surely, to get the part of him that was lost so long ago.
She was successful.
The raw emotion, it was every human person would feel.
Jin Kisaragi slowly shed a tear. He gritted his teeth from shame and defeat, ducking his face out from her sight. All of years of running away, concluding he was born to be this way, the unlikable, arrogant son of a bitch, whose main goal was to be the hero and defeat the main villain, which was his own beloved brother, Ragna. Pushing everyone away from him, even his childhood friend, Tsubaki, it was his destiny.
Noel guided his head to lean on her chest, the grip on her tie slackening, falling down to his sides. Her lips slightly curved upward, she caressed his hair, not to mock his breakdown, but to comfort him. She spoke, kind and true, she reassured that it was alright to cry, to grieve, to release everything to her.
So he did. He confessed, from his beautiful childhood abruptly ended because of Saya, to the tragic moment at the church, to everything that he could remember, those moments that molded him to be like this. To be the guy that must be damned by everyone, to be remembered as that asshole of a hero, who treats everyone like dirt.
Come, laugh at the fallen Jin Kisaragi! Laugh at her own entertainment, leisure, pleasure! Get even with what he'd done with her! Mock him, ditch him, treat him like shit! He deserved those, after all this years of him trampling her emotions like a pesky cockroach.
She didn't. No, she didn't.
"Why would I do that?" Noel placed both of her hands on his cheeks. Emerald eyes melting the remaining walls of ice that were beneath his own jade orbs. "Jin, I can't do that. I know, you'd done a lot of horrible things towards me, I know I should do something as payback, but I can't bring myself to do that. I just can't."
Why? Why would you not? Were you really this... stupid? Dumb? Foolish? Idiotic?
Jin carefully guided his arms to lean her closer to him. Consciously, he was questioning his actions. Noel let out a soft gasp, but didn't squirm nor push him off. She gave in almost instantly, taking a whiff of his scent from his hair.
The way she took it, was it like those couples when they make up? They held each other close, their breathes in sync, as they feel the atmosphere, breathing the scent of their lover?
Why?
"Why are we doing this?" His voice was hoarse and cracked from sobbing.
"Somehow, it just feels... right..."
"Why?"
Noel slightly placed distance between them, gliding her hands back on his cheeks again. She made sure his eyes were looking at her.
She was stunning, the first word that came from his mind. Her face was bright, must be because of the reflection from the light on the ceiling. Her cheeks were flushed pink, must be because of the realization of how close they were, so close even for friends. Her lips were still smiling, must be because of his confessions from earlier. Her eyes still shone brightly, must be because of her compassion to save him.
Save him? What stupid thought was that? Ha... She invaded his way of thoughts now.
Her eyes averted to the side, to the right, and back at him. "I-I can't put it in words, so... um..."
Her cheeks flushed deeper shades of red. He wasn't dumb. He knew fully well.
All thanks to his childhood friend.
Would he reciprocate her feelings, despite having the same face as his tormentor? Would he disregard Tsubaki and pretend it was nothing but childish memories? Nothing but a strong bond of a sibling relationship?
"...Can I... say it in a-actions?"
Jin only stared at her. Waiting, anticipating. His heart slowly hammered in his chest. Life was beating back on his body. He held her closer, a response to her questions by movement.
Gulping, Noel slowly leaned on his face, breathing heavily and shakily. She closed her eyes shut, her body trembling from nervousness. He held his composure, the negative thoughts that he was possibly kissing his own sister. No, not right now. Eh, what the hell if those are real? Controversial, disgusting? He was already seen in a shitty light anyway. Besides, this woman that was about to kiss him was the one who salvaged his soul, her compassion, determination, everything breathed him life.
Jin leaned closer, and planted a soft peck on her lips. His eyes flew shut at the impact, he felt his blood rising on his cheeks. He felt her shuffling, getting herself comfortable, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled away, unable to handle the intensity of romance, shifting his gaze away from her.
Did he seriously just kissed her softly?
He dared himself to look at her, and he did. She was smiling, she was blushing, she was happy. Full of life, her radiance was a sight to see. She never smiled like this before, not even in their academy days. The corner of her eyes were glistened with tears, the cry of joy. He felt himself crying again, but not from pain nor regret.
"Thank you." He softly muttered, letting the tears roll down from his cheek.
Noel replied by planting another soft kiss on his lips, and snuggled her head on his chest. He held her close, feeling it was the right thing to do.
"Let's rest here, Jin..." Her tiredness was evident by a long yawn that escaped afterwards.
He hummed, nodding his head, and dozed off. Honestly, he was glad things escalated to this. He felt himself finally at peace.
Those eyes. Those striking emerald eyes. It was what drove him on the edge. They would slowly never remind him of her again, and would only remind him of the woman who never left him alone. The woman who owned those compassionate, green orbs. The woman who breathed him life, the woman who gave him a second chance to rise again. Noel Vermillion, the woman who would be his first and only partner in life, which he would never dare to hurt ever again.
