Read the author's note or you're not gonna get a thing:
*Being a hard core fan of the manga, I must say this is a fanfiction spawned from the first volume: where Aya returns to the Mikage house. Her father dies, she demands to see Aki. They say no, so she freaks out and turns into that glowing angelic light thing. This is told from Yuhi's point of view as he and Suzumi go to save her.*
Protection of a Girl
By C.D
Another one of my steps shifted to the right a little bit, causing me to lose my balance for the seventh time and hit against the wall. The first thing I noticed when stepping into the Mikage house was that the gravity was thrown eerily off. In addition to the violent shaking of the world around me, one moment I felt as if I weighed thirty pounds, the next seventy.
I grunted become increasingly exhausted. How could that bimbo get herself into so much trouble? I let her out of my sights for a moment and she runs off and pulls a stunt like this. Girls like Aya are more trouble than they're worth; she was rude and bossy from the very start.
Tsh.
Yet before I could inwardly complain any further, my feet seemed to skip off the ground for a little while, and I was pushed by some unknown air current into a room that was rather large and armored in mahogany wood. And there I found the source of this unbelievable gravity.
Surrounded by corpses and swirling funnels of wood and debris was a light so bright and intense I shut my eyes immediately. The wind that swirled through the room was violent, and made my slicked hair beat against my forehead hard enough to feel like a whip.
My hands slid back to clutch onto a door for dear life, and when I finally did build up the strength to open my eyes once more it stung worse that before.
For a brief moment, what I thought was a hallucination was the figure of a girl- eyes devoid of any color and silvery hair flowing in the wind. Suzumi elbowed me in the shoulder, silently nodding towards the light and answering my question already.
I shouted over the wind to my sister, Are you telling me that glowing thing is that bimbo?!
It's amazing! Suzumi gaped, What power! I've never seen such a manifestation of her blood heritage! It's almost absolute!
I glared, Hey! When you're done fawning over her, we gotta figure out a way to stop this! I shouted before ducking under a piece of wood, Right now!
And with some amount of bravery that I'm sure came from no where else but God himself, I took a step out into the wreckage. Well Yuhi, you've gone this far- why not fuck yourself up a little more while you're at it?
Nevertheless, before I had any physical control over my body, my shaky steps began to near closer and closer to Aya's half naked body enveloped in light. The closer I got, the sicker I felt. Like my stomach churning so deeply it began to touch my soul. It was just..something about the way those empty eyes looked at me. And I'm sure it wasn't the rapid beating I was getting from the debris.
When Aya..or whatever she was..turned to look at me, I felt as if my spirit had been stabbed through the heart. Like she could see every fear, every hope and fantasy within me- and I was transparent. Moving my aching arms up to my face, I finally became close enough to touch the layer of brilliance she had wrapped around herself.
And then, through all the searing pain and electricity, I reared back and leapt towards her with all my might. I felt as if I was on fire, yet the inside of my body had frozen over to become numb and dull. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and held onto her as tight as I could.
Burying my face in her cool hair, I shouted into her ear, Aya!! Aya wake up!! she twinged under my grasp ever so slightly, You're killing them!!
And with that, Aya dropped from her elevated position in the room. She made a soft sigh before the wind around us stopped, the wood debris fell, and my legs hit against the floor harder than they ever could. Aya's limp body sagged in my arms, and her tattered clothing draped against her skin as well.
I stumbled a little, trying to find my weakened footing amongst the broken remains of the room. Kneeling down a little under my own body's pressure, I readjusted the girl in my arms so I could hold her easier. Before I could even take the time to see if she was okay, some four eyed prick at the door hollered at me,
he said in his deep official sounding voice, Who are you! How did you get in here!
Okay Yuhi, this is your moment. You finally get to play hero who just rescued the damsel. Think of something cool to say!
So I turned my head, gave him my best wise ass smirk and replied, Sorry Mr. Mikage. I'm Yuhi Aogiri, and I'm taking Aya from you.
Oh yeah, who's bad?
Yet there was a sudden thwack on the back of my forehead. One I had become accustomed to- it was the horrible stinging sensation of Suzumi's fan. I groaned in agitation only to hear my sister's shrill voice, Idiot! Why not give him our address and invite him over for dinner as well!?
I mumbled. Well to hell with the hero plan.
Before the conversation could continue any further, a rather short old man pushed his way through the crowd and shouted to the guy next to me.
Toya! Don't let them escape! We must kill Aya now- while we can! he ordered. And to my surprise, the guy nodded and actually did as he was told!
But there was something wrong with his eyes. As cold and stale as they were, I saw a little bit of hesitance in those lime colored orbs. Hesitance I was willing to cling onto. So I stood up, holding the limp Aya in my arms and began to walk out the door as if no one was there.
He never did fire, for one reason or another. But I didn't care. We had to get home before the others decided they weren't going to be so generous.
Quick! Move it! Suzumi shouted like an army general.
Yeah, easy for her to say. She wasn't holding a plastered teenaged girl in her arms! Nevertheless I took up the backseat of the car while Miss Kyu drove like a wild-woman. That one turn out of the Makage Mansion sent me reeling into the glass window hard enough to break my skull.
Yet I tucked Aya's head into my chest to make sure she didn't get hurt.
Suzumi shouted to me from the passenger's seat, We're going to gun it, so hold onto her tight!
With another squealing turn that knocked down the mansion gates, I propped my sneaker up against the opposite car door to keep from slamming into it. I scowled ever so slightly at the back of my sister's head. Hugging Aya more tightly into my body, I pursed my lips and blushed a little.
W-well I am holding her. I replied in a tone I hadn't used since I was six, ..But am I allowed to do it this tight? the last part I mumbled incoherently.
Suzumi's head darted around. I blinked and straightened up.
When we got home, I nearly fell flat on my face. Going up against that power of hers took a lot out of me. And as I followed the two women into our open room, their distant instructions and directions drifted away as I focused my attention on Aya. She had a spunky personality, and she was a bitch to boot- but I marveled at how genuinely innocent she looked at that moment. So helpless and dependent on my care and support. The poor kid had been through a lot, I supposed as I lay her down on the bed.
So Aya. I whispered to her as Suzumi and Miss Kyu rushed off to get the first aid kit, You're far from being a bimbo, but are you even human?
I moved a strand of her honey blonde hair out of her cuts and bruises and sighed. Girls are full of trouble. And I inwardly laughed thinking What would she do without a guy like me?. Before I could continue in any more self worship, I was suddenly pushed to the side and onto the floor with a thud.
Yuhi! Could you stop being in the way and make yourself useful?! Snapped Suzumi.
Well excuse me for not throwing myself before you! I growled, scrambling to sit straight up. To tell you the truth, I'm not so sure my shoulder was okay. It hurt a lot when I moved it to the side, Shall I snap my leg in two as well?
No, just get outta here. You're looking a little banged up. I'll be in the kitchen in a moment, just wait for me. she commanded, voice softening a little.
I sniffled and rose to my feet. Yet the moment I passed under that door, I felt I was abandoning Aya. I wanted to be there. I wanted to help her and do all the work for Suzumi. I wanted to just hold her one more time, and hug her frail body into my chest so maybe I could take the pain on for her.
So I sighed heavily and stomped out to the kitchen. Part of me was kinda pissed at Aya for making me feel this way. I'm sure if it were the other way around, she would have pivoted and started running right there. Yeah. That's how things would have gone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yuhi would you cut it out! You're being annoying! Suzumi snapped.
I stopped my rapid pacing and turned to her. Clenching my fists I walked up to her and whined, Well I can't just sit around and wait like this! Shouldn't I be doing something? Should I make some food? Sh-should I go..call someone or something!?
My dark haired sister glared.
Come on Suzu! Give me something to do!
How about shutting up? she raised a brow.
I looked down for a moment,
I shoved my hands into my jean pockets and continued down the hallway to my room when a small sound caught my ear. A soft noise, too delicate and scarce to be detected by anyone who wasn't looking for it. I turned my head towards Aya's room. Was that, crying?
In an instant I pivoted my foot to dash back across the hall. Yet before I could get even an inch my suddenly demonic sister was in front of me. She narrowed her eyes mercilessly and put up a finger.
She's okay. Just leave her alone for now. Suzumi explained.
I pouted. How could she be so cool about it? As she walked away in all her flaming grace of the situation, I groaned and slid down the wall. Aya was real upset, I could hear her crying all night. Whatever was wrong with her family, whatever she had seen or heard before she turned into that angel thing, it was bad.
So bad in fact, a girl like her probably couldn't handle it.
In my little moment of silence, I sneered and imitated my sister's voice, Just leave her alone. Mneh.
She couldn't tell me what to do. I'm practically a grown man! I should just march right in there, ask Aya what's wrong, and talk it out with her. And since I had had this undying urge to see her, to hear her voice ever since I left her room, I was willing to look like a fool in front of Suzumi.
So I got up, strut to the door, and laid my hand on it. Yet as I did, I heard the faint sound of, ..That's no excuse for..shattering everything I love.. her muffled sobs tore from behind the walls. I bit the inside of my lip and lowered my hand. Grimacing at my own actions, I lowered my palm and slumped against the wall next to her door.
Fine than. I'll just stay the night in the hallway for tonight.
You know..
Just for protection's sake.
END
