Face Down
Hey Akito. Akito! Do it. Get the fang and rip his fucking face off.
No. I don't want to.
Akito, he's yelling at you again. You know you don't want to do what he says. Come on, he's scared shitless of what you can do! Go get the fang and-
No! Stop it! I don't want to!
Fuck! Do it! DO IT NOW! He's going to-!
Kaito's slap crashes into his face and picks him up, slamming Akito into the side of the trailer. His small frame bangs into the metal and shakes it so hard photographs get unstuck from the wall and float onto his body, cringing on the floor.
Pictures of Kaito smiling. Akito smiling. Akito's dark hair pinned in wayward tufts beneath his brother's hand, which is proudly rubbing the head of a beaming Akito, whose run is even better than Akira's and makes Kaito swing him up in the air, which always feels more like flying than any easy thing like taking a quick lap around the city.
They are kind of like warped mirrors.
Akito presses the right half of his face to the carpet with so much strength he can feel the tough fibers prick through the skin against his bones. He doesn't want to look at Kaito, even if that will get him in trouble. So he watches those mirrors instead. He tries counting them. Deliberately puts energy into ignoring how warped they are, how Kaito probably is smiling now, but with a wide-mouthed cruel sneer like an alligator's, not like in the photo-mirror, where he's showing off those sharp canines that run in their family.
How at that moment Akito isn't really smiling, flashing pointy teeth of his own, both pretty golden eyes dry and wide with laughter. He has a wavering unsteady line of a mouth that only jerks upwards at the corners. He cries without restraint, his free eye wetting the bridge of his nose.
And then, he looks at the one where Kaito is tousling a handful of Akito's indigo hair. Meanwhile, the real Kaito picks up the child he flung into their memory wall, pulling him up by his hair like he's scooping up a kitten by the soft folds of its neck, only Akito doesn't really have enough hair like a kitten has enough skin to keep it from hurting when he's held up that way.
He concentrates on things like that, weird thoughts about kittens and off-smiles and spiky wisps of hair that peek out of Kaito's knuckle's either way.
Anything to make that voice inside him stop.
I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM, THE FUCKING BASTARD! I'LL—
No! Stop it!
He'll even listen to his nii-san, whose enraged calm makes his voice sound strong and soothing in a way that makes Akito feel like he's getting blanker and smaller on the inside. Which was good. Anything that sorts out and shrinks what's been crazy and growing in him lately is good.
"Why so shocked, Akito? You know why I did that, you fucking brat? Huh? Why did I do that when I've never laid a hand on you before? ANSWER ME!"
Akito tries to shake his head, but that's hard to do when Kaito has him suspended by his hair and he's crying so hard he feels numb and like his head is melting into salty mush. He doesn't think he's ever cried this hard in his life. Kaito isn't lying, he really has never hit him before. It's a little heart breaking in some ways, even if Akito's been expecting it.
Kaito kind of gives him a shake—to bring him to his senses, Akito guesses—so he stutters in between sobs:
"N-no…"
"No? No what? Are you saying 'No, let me down'? No? Is that all you can fucking say nowadays? Or are you saying 'No, stop hurting me, Kaito'? Why should I? Don't you think it fucking hurt your nii-san when you wouldn't do what he said?"
Kaito's gotten mad before, but usually as soon as Akito shows him his tears he stops shouting, even when he's still pissed. It's never been so bad that the veins bulge out of his neck and temples and he won't stop even when Akito's bright clothing is dulled by all the crying he's done, like now.
"I'm sorry, nii-san! I can't do air-treks anymore! I'm sorry!"
"Why the fuck not? Who the fuck do you think you're fooling, trying to pull this shit about being weak? Your legs can't move? After all that training I did with you? Are you trying to make your nii-san look stupid? Is that it, you stupid shit?"
"No! No! That's not it! I just can't—I don't— "
Akito needs more air, he's not getting enough from his nose that's stuffed up and runny. He opens his mouth for a big gulp but Kaito's hand slaps over it. Akito's red eyes widen, scared out of even crying. He struggles under his brother's palm, which is so big that his thumb and forefinger can shift up a little and pinch his nose shut and still cover his mouth. Snot and tears trickle between his calluses, but he doesn't let go. Akito squirming wildly in his grasp doesn't shake him loose.
"Akito. Didn't. I .Say. I don't want to hear you say 'no' to me anymore?"
Akito, kill him! I'LL KILL HIM! THIS FUCKER'S GOING TO DIE!
Don't! Don't you dare do ANYTHING! I'll hate you if you do!
STUPID FUCK! How can you hate me if you're dead? HE'S FUCKING KILLING YOU!
No he's not! Shut up! Shut up and just stop it!
"You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to ask you one more time to be a good boy and start air trekking again. Like a good Fang King. Like a good little brother. You're going to stop being so disobedient and nod. Simple enough that even a little dumb fuck like you can understand, right?"
Stupid nii-san! STUPID NII-SAN! I'm trying to protect you!
I'M trying to protect you from that psycho!
"Well, Akito? Are you going to do what your nii-san says from now on?"
Kaito's grip hardens on Akito's mouth and nose, even though Akito's chest is already convulsing.
It is then that Akito does something strange. Instead of saying something, like "Nii-san, please stop!," for a second it looks like he's going to try to claw his brother's hand off. Instead, he slaps one hand up to right side of his face, like a messy version of holding Kaito's hand. One of his cheeks looks funny even though Kaito hasn't touched him there. One look says that Akito is gnawing the inside of his right cheek to keep that side of his mouth busy and quiet.
"You got something to fucking say, Akito? Trying to bite it down, huh? Since when have you got the brains to keep you mouth shut, maggot? Since when have you learned to be a back-talking piece of scum who won't do what his nii-san tells him to?"
Kaito is very, very angry. Akito has always been such a sweet brother. He'd been such a perfect little pet, taking down Kaito's targets without complaint. Lately though, he's fought back about that. And he's been doing strange things like the eye thing. His right eye twitches when he says he doesn't want to go after a stormrider, evil-looking and with a maddening gleam of defiance. Kaito makes Akito do it anyways, and the fight's squashed out of him after they haul in the latest perp in bloody tatters. Akito comes back crying his eyes out and wiping his face with his overlong sleeves. If he sees Kaito he lets Kaito stroke his hair and tell him he's done a good job, but is was always something vicious and wild in his sad frown.
Once in a while he snaps back: "Why don't YOU do it?" when he's had given another stormrider assignment to take care of. Then he apologizes. But Kaito has even caught Akito saying "Fuck!" back to him a few times under his breath, his eyes eerily glazed over—Kaito hauls Akito up by his collar when he does that, but his little brother seems so genuinely scared and confused that Kaito lets him go. Yet sometimes when he scornfully throws Akito back to his feet, Akito catches himself with surprising grace and Kaito glimpses a contemptuous grin behind a curtain of flying bangs, the teeth razor sharp.
Tonight, when Akito had told him he "couldn't" ride anymore, Kaito had had enough of his bullshit. He is sick and tired of Akito going through his moody teen stage, or whatever bull he thinks he's entitled to. If he can't have his cute and compliant Akito, he sure as hell is going to beat whatever made him an arrogant trash-talking little fuck out of him.
"Don't fuck with me, Akito. Say 'yes' like a good little pet."
For a second it looks like Akito was going to give in. Or that he'd passed out. He stares at Kaito intently, a look that is almost a glare, then gently shuts his eyes.
Kaito quietly takes his hand away.
"Ready to give in yet, Akito?
"Fuck no."
Akito's hand shoots out, closing around Kaito's windpipe. Kaito has only a second to see the rabid animal eye, slitted and yellow like a devil's before his head is smashed into the wall.
It took several seconds for Kaito to realize that the vice-like pressure on his jugular is coming from his petite, shy younger brother, who was has an excited, murderous grimace on his face that Kaito has only caught the smallest hints of in the past few months. Akito has his left eye screwed so tightly shut that that his eyelid crinkles underneath. It looks like he's giving a madman's wink.
Agito! AGITO!
Shut the fuck up, Akito. I'm teaching this fucker a lesson.
Kaito's hands flies up to his neck, trying to pry Akito's hand off.
"Y-you…you're not Akito." He manages to choke out in a snarl.
"That's right, I'm not. I'm Agito."
"Who…who the fuck is Agito?"
Agito stop! You're hurting him! Stop it! KAITO-NII! NII-SAN!
That's the fucking point, Akito. Shut up and I'll make sure this bastard never lays a hand on you again.
He doesn't! Please, Agito!
No.
"S-so…you're the one who's been making Akito such a piss-poor excuse for a rider lately."
"Not exactly. Akito can't ride anymore because he can't hurt people with the Bloody Road anymore. But you know what?" Agito leaned in, eye to eye with Kaito and malice almost shrouding his body.
"I can."
Instead of shrinking away, Kaito only sneers.
"I-Is that it?"
"Yeah. And guess what, you fucking piss-poor excuse for a human? You know why I'm here? Akito can't hate you. He has me because I can."
Kaito is silent. Agito is deeply disgusted with him, and by the jubilant cheering Akito is doing on the inside.
Agito! Agito! See, you can stop now! Kaito-nii feels bad! Because he doesn't want me to hate him! So, you can just let him go now and—
Kaito's fist rams right into Agito's open eye. Agito had forgotten Akito's hand was so small that there was no way for it to wrap all the way around Kaito's neck and keep him pinned. Kaito was able to breathe almost normally the entire time.
Oh god, oh god! Agito, your eye!
Akito, you dumbass! It's YOUR eye! That fuck Kaito just hit YOU in YOUR eye!
For the second time that night, Akito—his body—falls. Only Agito is in control, so he only bends at his knees before he's able jerk himself back up, ready to crush Kaito's skull. But that doesn't matter when Kaito's foot collides with his ribs casually, throwing him onto his back.
When Agito is able to push himself halfway sitting up, his side flaring with pain, Kaito is coolly lighting a cigarette at his lips.
"Let's get this straight, then. You're not Akito?"
By now, the agony is almost forcing Agito to shut his tearing eye, and he could feel his hold on Akito's body slipping even as he fights to keep it. It doesn't help that Akito is having a hysterical fit inside, similar to a bat going ballistic in a cage.
YOU STUPID SHIT, AKITO! THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN HANDLE THIS! JUST STAY STILL!
NII-SAN! NII-SAN!
Placidly, Kaito strides over and rubbed the top of Akito/Agito's head, just like when Akito had done something to make him proud.
"Are you paying attention now, Akito? You know why did that, right? I knew it wasn't you. I'd never do anything to hurt you. I don't know who this bad person is, who's been making you do all these bad things, but he was being very rude to me, and that's why I had to teach him some manners. He your friend or what?"
Agito's right eye flickers weakly, like a blinking light.
"D-Don't touch me!" he growls. But then Akito's left eye pops open, as bewildered and huge as a deer in the headlights.
"Nii-san!" he sobs, the tears flowing free again, his left arm reaching out for a hug from someone he trusts.
Kaito studies his younger brother's body for a while, shaking from crying, or the internal civil war.
"Huh. Right. I think I got this figured out."
He forcefully plasters his hand over Agito's side, even as the other's mouth opens to spit out something spiteful, a threat or a curse.
Only Akito to deal with now, anxious and weepy. Kaito sweeps him into an embrace and Akito's head collapses on Kaito's shoulder, where he cries, terrified of what his brother will do now that he knows their secret, but having no one else to comfort him.
DON'T TOUCH AKITO! AKITO! Get the hell away from him! He's going to hurt you again! Akito! AKITO!!
"Akito. I'm sorry. Tell me you'll help me again. That's all your nii-san wants, for you to help him. I love you. You know that, right? You're my cute, obedient little pet. So, one last chance… won't you tell your nii-san that you love him too, that you'll do what he asks?"
"K-Kaito-nii." Akito gasped. Akito's left arm wraps around Kaito's side, clutching him close. "I… I love you too."
"I'm very happy to hear that, Akito." Kaito says softly as he smooths Akito's mussed hair.
"B-but… I can't ride anymore. It's impossible. My legs won't move."
Agito is screeching on the inside like a bat being poked with a red-hot iron or a wildcat ready to maul its abuser to death.
Akito feels his entire body stiffen with dread while he waits for Kaito's reply.
"I see. That's too bad."
He thrusts Akito violently away from him and forces him onto the floor. Akito barely has time to whimper before Kaito's hand engulfs the left side of his face and he plucks Agito's injured eye open with two fingers.
Even swollen and bloodshot, the hatred in that eye burns as bright as acid.
"Hey, you. Agito, right? Can you use the Bloody Road?"
"Fuck! The Bloody Road? I'm going to leave a fucking bloody road on your body! I'll fucking kill you! You hear me, fucker? I'm going to fuck up your body with the regalia so bad you're going to be pissing blood!"
"Yes, then. Good."
Deftly he allows Agito's eye to snap shut and even lets Akito go, allowing his small body to tremble on the floor from all it had been through that night. He rises and goes into the other room. Akito calls out when the silence has stretched on for long enough.
"Nii-san, what are you doing?" He sounds so weak. And scared.
Akito, are you okay?
I think so. How about you?
I hate him. I fucking hate that bastard.
Akito straightens up, tenderly nursing Agito's eye with his fingertips as if he himself can't feel the wound, which Agito knew he could
I know, Agito. Nii-san… well nii-san is nii-san, and I love him. But you are—
Akito never got to finish that thought.
Before he knows what is happening, Kaito comes back and clamped something heavy and cold around his neck. Akito can only let out a yelp before Agito rages back into his body, the brief snapping open of his eye accompanied by searing rash of pain.
"What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!"
"Oh, you. You're not my brother. So shut the fuck up."
A sharp clanking yank at his throat pulls Agito face down into the cheap carpet. Before he can viciously resist by throwing himself back, Akito's tiny body is hauled across the floor, scouring the skin off his stomach.
Kaito wrenches the door of their hummer trailer open, the force of it enough to rattle the entire gigantic vehicle on its wheels. He strides down the steps to the ground, dragging his wildly flailing younger brother, who is alternating between wild cursing and confused shouting. He ignores the inconsistent bouncing of the chain when Akito tumbles down the steps, sliding into a bruised and rug-burned heap onto the asphalt.
As soon as he senses that the leash isn't towing him anymore, Akito dazedly lifts his head. What he sees made him freeze in complete fear. So he isn't able to do anything when Kaito snatches him up by the scruff of his neck, throwing him in and locking the door.
"KAITO! KAITO! NII-SAN! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!" Akito shrieks, thrashing against the bars of the cage, his wild movements battering his already hurt body as he slams himself against the iron. The heavy chain, still attached to his neck, is flung around, whipping his limbs.
Then,
"KAITO! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
Kaito waits for him to wear himself out, watching calmly as he takes long liberal drags from his cigarette. When Akito—or Agito—finally settles into the bottom of the cage like an injured nestling, Kaito's cigarette has already been reduced to a stub. He nonchalantly flicks it into the night, orange sparks sputtering on the sidewalk.
Akito and Agito are a big tangle of long orange sleeves, chains, and crying boy in the cage.
"Akito…" a strained whisper comes from the raw throat.
"So it is you. Alright. Akito, you just be quiet for a moment. I'm going to talk to this little fuck."
"So what do you want?" Agito still sounds disdainful, but he is decidedly more cooperative.
"Shit. How could a disgusting little fuck like you come out of my cute little brother? So here's how it goes. You can do everything Akito used to do, right? The Fang, the Bloody Road, that shit?"
"Fuck you."
"Akito."
"What?"
"Akito, I want to talk to you. Him. Whatever. Get Akito out here."
A moment of wary hesitation from Agito's eye, and then it slowly slides shut as Akito's slides open.
"Nii-san, please let us out." He whispers. It sounds as if he doesn't really hope for or expect it.
"No. Agito's a psycho piece of shit. He says he's going to kill me. Want him to?"
Akito is too tired to even cry anymore, but his throat and eyes burn as if he's still doing it.
"No. He's not going to… he won't. I don't want him to"
"Agito. Out. Now."
Akito doesn't even fight it. He is so exhausted and Agito wants to come out anyway. He lets him switch.
"So you get it, right? Akito won't exactly be happy with you if you try something like that again. You're a repulsive maggot, but you seem to like Akito. That's something good about you. That makes this easier."
A pause.
"Goddamn. All this time I thought Akito's brain went funny or something, and it turns out you were just fucking him up. I had to pick up a few things to turn him back into my sweet pet, but if I can use them to train you, it's all the same. But I guess Akito's just going to ride it out thing like the leash and the cage with you, being in that same body. He doesn't seem to like it too much. So maybe if you do a good job for both of you, Akito will end up a little happier?"
There was a long silence. And then:
"What do you want?"
Author's Note:
I owe some thank-you's on this one.
First, to Setsuna-X, who showed her support while I was writing.
Second, ETERNAL gratitude to I-chan, whose thoughtful advice, meticulous editing, and overall an incredible amount of help and explanations saved me for this fic. She actually knows whose eye is who's, unlike directionally challenged me. bows down deeply to her
As for the fic, it's pretty straight forward. I hope I captured how the Wanajimas' would fight. The title is from a "The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus" song, "Face Down". R+R
EDIT (1/2/07): Got sick of my own crappy grammar and changed it all to the present tense. Sound OK?