Code: IE-RFTD-MC
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the featured media, rights go to their respected owners.
Media: Inazuma Eleven
Title: Running From The Dark
Notable Sub-Genres: [Gouenji Shuuya/ Endou Mamoru/ Shuuya Kidou] Sort of; very platonic pairing.Creatures and Monsters AU.
Rating: "K+" for Minor Language and Themes: Violence, injuries and Racism.
Yuuto was hurt and terrified; he was brave enough to admit that to himself as he desperately tried to regain his strength. He'd promised himself three minutes. Three minutes and then he had to move, to go - somewhere. The longer he was stationary the more likely they were to catch up with him.
His wounds were vast and plentiful though individually they would be nothing, together he feared his would be the death of a thousand cuts. Yuuto was weakening and daylight was approaching. The chances of his capture or death was high and he didn't know which one he preferred. However futile though, he refused to make it easy for them.
Yuuto exhaled slowly, looked down to his abdomen and the one stab wound that had quickly become a hindrance. It'd already bled through the scarf he'd pressed against it and he had since become dizzy with the longer it went untreated. If Haruna - but, no. She was safe. It was selfish to wish her into this predicament of his. Haruna was safe and -
Yuuto takes another breath only to almost inhale his own tongue when his nostril fill with thistle, ylang ylang and burning ember; an altogether heady scent that aided in his disorientation. He tried to focus, concentrating on the approaching odour. Ember was a sign of mana. A sign of -
Lycan.
Yuuto's stomach drops. He quickly scents the air and inhales the presence of what was undeniably a lycan and another, less notable smell: that of gunpowder and herbs, something usually associated with hunters and fear grows. He had no way of defending himself, not to a lycan and definitely not to a hunter. He was a sitting duck like this, useless and so very inferior.
Yuuto's heartbeat thumps traitorously against his breastbone and he attempts feebly to quieten himself, pushing himself further into the alley's wall in the hope that he would stay unfound. There was only one way out in his condition, already knowing that he would be unable to climb the chain-linked fence.
His eyes - exposed and venerable with the loss of his googles - stare at the entrance of the alley. He sees the instance when two figures appear. Yuuto holds the air inside his lung and curls into himself tighter, he couldn't run and he couldn't fight. He watches, though, refuses to look away. If he can seize a chance, then he'll run.
'Woah…' the lycan murmurs, little more than a silhouette with the streetlight behind them. He was shorter than his companion though, even with the ears. 'I told you the blood was coming from this direction.'
The hunter sighs. 'You seek out too much trouble.'
The lycan laughs but doesn't say anything in his own defence as they step further into the alley. Yuuto tries to disappear into the dustbins. 'I didn't see you complaining,' the lycan teases though it just seems to make the hunger tense.
The hunter clears his throat. 'Mamoru.'
'Right,' the lycan says, voice booming as they both walk down the cluttered, dirty path in Yuuto directions. It feels like his heart is going to burst as he watches their shadows draw nearer, footsteps getting louder. They stop just short of rounding the bins. He can see the toe of a worn boot. 'So, you doin' alright there buddy?'
The question brings Yuuto up short. How…am I doing?
He swallows as he glances back to the wound he can't quite stem. 'Fine,' he responds tensely though he attempts to be as passive as possible. Maybe they could just be - concerned bystanders? However unusual the two of them made as a pair; a lycan and a hunter. Yuuto doesn't even know if that would be a positive at this point.
'…you're bleeding a lot for someone who's "fine",' the lycan retorts but it's a gentle thing. No, these strangers definitely aren't with them. They wouldn't bother with this subterfuge especially after Yuuto had run from them - from him.
'Everything's fine but I'd appreciate it if you were to leave,' Yuuto asks because these strangers don't need to be dragged into this. He didn't need that on his conscience and if they didn't disappear soon Yuuto was sure the pair would run into them.
'Well, we could,' the lycan seems to assent though the hunter snorts.
'Could we?' the hunter asks doubtfully, like that was an impossibility. The lycan ignores him which seems to give heed to the theory.
'But er, you see we sort of promised your sister that we'd find you.' Yuuto stills and he starts to wonder if he has a concussion after all. He had hit his once or twice and he thought it'd been light, all things consider but maybe -
'My sister?' Yuuto asks over his heartbeat, staring wide-eyed at that one boot.
The lycan awkwardly clears his throat. 'Yeah, we were pretty surprised -'
Yuuto bursts out from behind the dustbins and tries not to wince as he pulls on his injuries. He doesn't have the time to give it as he comes face-to-face with those two strangers; the lycan who has knelt down and the hunter, appearing to be standing guard over the creature's shoulder. 'My sister? Haruna? My sister, Haruna?!'
Round golden eyes blink at him. 'Yeah, Otonashi's kind of become pack,' the lycan admits as he rubs the back of his head, dislodging his orange headband as his dark ears twitch on top of his head. 'She Saw you in trouble and became really worried so I said I'd go get you.'
This lycan's face is incredibly sincere and open to Yuuto's scrutiny. They weren't full siblings which was part of the problem when social services got involved after their parents murder. 'But…she must have told you that I'm -'
'A born vampire,' the lycan finishes like that was perfectly acceptable to him…for how unbothered he sounded, it could just as well be. Which is more than just odd, its unimaginable. 'Yeah, she'd mentioned but I've never really cared about, um…'
'Politics,' the hunter suggests to which the lycan nods. Like they were discussing the weather. Who the hell had Haruna fallen in with? Yuuto had tried to keep himself as ignorant as possible, to keep his distance but now he wishes he'd asked more questions, that he'd allowed her to tell him anything so that this would make sense.
'I can like who I want to like and help who I want to help,' the lycan proclaims with a stubbornness that shines in his eyes like fire. But that was the point, wasn't it? Vampires and lycan were feuding; they didn't "like" each other and help between the two races was unthinkable. 'Besides, you're Otonashi's brother.'
'Haruna's a witch.' Witches were at least considered human - and didn't tend to have bad blood with any race. Yuuto's statement is met with shrugs and he's starting to wonder what kind of pack this lycan has made, to be so unbothered by what his pack members he takes in are.
The lycan laughs. 'Yeah, she's pretty talented,' he says like that's all that matters, missing Yuuto's point entirely. Maybe they'd already gotten to him and he was unconscious - it'd make more sense than what he was trying to wrap his mind around.
The hunter clears his throat. 'Maybe you should tell him Otonashi's message?'
The lycan blinks before readdressing Yuuto with a kind grin. 'Oh, right. She said to tell you not to be stubborn about this, that you'll be fine with us if you stop trying to do everything by yourself. She's - er, really worried about you.' The lycan uses one of his clawed fingers to scratch his cheek awkwardly.
Yuuto slumps forward. Of course she was, that was to be expected even if they hadn't properly talked in months and the last time they saw each other they were children. 'This is - a dangerous situation.'
The lycan huffs. 'Don't care.' He offers his hand - rough skin, large palm and long fingers, it is open to Yuuto. An invitation that he was free to take. 'C'mon, let us help.'
Yuuto stares, cannot help how he falters under the weight of the knowledge that his sister had sent her - pack, to him or that this lycan was agreeable enough to offer it on the back of so little. It was absolutely ridiculous, who did this?
'It'll get better,' the hunter promises after Yuuto hesitates for moments too long. He has dark eyes - darker still in the lowlights of the alley and platinum hair, seemingly as young as the lycan and appearing just as soft. He speaks as if to say, I've been where you are . Yuuto doesn't know how to take any of this.
Yuuto swallows thickly. 'You have no idea what you're getting involved with,' he states uneasily.
The lycan's expression, if at all possible, becomes that much more gentle. 'I can tell enough.'
Yuuto cannot help but take his hand.
Con/Textual Vomit: I've missed Inazuma Eleven, I got to watching some episodes the other and out popped this. Random Idea that's been sitting in the back of my head for awhile but it was fun to write out. May actually get around to properly rewriting/ finishing some of my older stuff for this fandom.
OZ