AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my very first Crush Gear Turbo fiction, and it features a SLASH pairing named Kuroudo/Kyousuke. Bear patience with me for all the wrong spellings that might have occurred during the processing of this story. This fiction features the song "Photograph" by Ariel Rivera (Filipino citizens out there know who this person is ^^) Read on…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Crush Gear but I OWN THE TOY! ^o^

PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES

A Slash Songfic by: FiendisHSerapH

-Kyousuke-

At last I've finished my today's work. At least the gear I'm experimenting onto has slightly increased in efficiency. Well, that's it for today. I think I got to cut a break. I looked at the clock. It's already two in the afternoon. I sighed due to relief and quickly gathered my things. I reached out for the toolbox and removed it from its place, but then something caught my attention...

"I still have a photograph of you
I've kept it all these years."

Yes, a photograph of a friend... I mean, my friend a year ago. I looked at it intently, just the way I used to do after each "mechanic work". I sit back and stared even more... wait, my eyes are hurt. Why is this so?

"I guess it would make you laugh to know,
It still brings back the tears."

This scene has repeated before me time and time again, right here in this place: in the darkness of this room, beneath the harsh and dim lamplight, and right before my working table. I wiped my fogged-up eyes... FOOL, why am I crying because of you? You don't deserve to be cried upon. You left me, you left our team. It's your fault, but then, why do I?

"From another place and time,
When your love was mine..."

I lightly closed my eyes and recalled many scenes: When you've been winning, when you're standing proud before them all, when our team's termed as the "Team of the Year"

And it's all because of me

With each winning, you'll then look back at me, and flash me a very grateful smile, with your eyes full of life ad hope. It is for the times I've tuned up and repaired your gear. And I, being a great Gear Master and comrade, will simply beam back.

You only don't know that it brings me so much joy when you beam at me, and when you're winning.

And that's enough for me to persevere even more in my work.

But then, you left me... all of you left me. You all told me that it's due to my dangerous and haphazardous systems. You said that I am a lousy cheater. But if I never ever did that, what will be our placing in the tournaments? Sometimes I think you only used me to fulfill your cravings for power.

Vultures, cheaters, monsters...

Tears formed on my eyes even more. I gritted my teeth and I clenched my fists due to the anger escaping in me. But then I fixated my eyes back at him, the tall, blonde guy with his dark eyes staring back before me and his thin lips curved up into a warm smile, and the anger just melted away, just like ice beneath the fire.

-Kuroudo-

"A picture of innocence
Your eyes, they move me even now..."

Wind blows my hair and I can hear its gust from this meadow. I opened my eyes and looked at the glossy piece of paper lying beside me. In it I can see a little eye glassed boy with his dark eyes shining with glee and his mouth slightly opened, like smiling. It attracts me just like magnet for now I can't repel my eyes off the snapshot.

The photograph, and even the person in it, haunts me up till now. I don't know why, but despite my vigorous trainings I can't shake him off my mind.

"If I have the confidence
I'll try to bring you back somehow.
To another place and time
When your love was mine..."

But no, even though he haunts me, I can't bring him back anymore. I stood up from my place and looked at the distant horizon.

I recalled those times when I scolded him due to his 'trick' after the gear fight. His eyes were burning with anger at me. I don't want him to be furious at me in the first place. All I wanted to do is for him to realize that he had made such a great mistake: cheating. We had a quarrel that seemed to be already irrepressible that I had no more choice but to leave him and our team, even though I don't really want to.
I heard his pitiful sobs as I walked away, and that broke me. But still, my hard-heartedness told me to steer away.

I looked back at the photo after that flooding and disturbing thought with such longing for him: to bring him, and our broken friendship, back. Just then , an unknown force began acting upon me. I was pushed to stand up. I can feel my feet carry me away, my mind not knowing where...

-Kyousuke-

I'm here now, right here in front of this evicted building. The winds blow harder with each step drawing closer to it. This is the place where they, my team, left me. .. especially him. I can recall the loud applause when he was about to begin, and those noises dropped down into meaningless and annoying buzzes when he revealed to everyone the tiny secret, the tiny cheat that I've done on his gear. Just then I felt a presence coming closer to me...

"Maybe I am just a sentimental fool,
Bringing back memories through a photograph of you..."

-Kuroudo-


Just as I thought, my feet carried me here, a place where I subconsciously know that he'll be there. He turned at me, his eyes cold yet indescribably hurt, probably upon my presence. I just sighed inaudibly but was taken aback when he spoke, and its ideas I can contain in to a verse of a song...

"I still have a photograph of you
I've kept it all these years
I guess it would make you laugh to know
It still brings back the tears
From another place and time
When your love was mine..."

-Kyousuke-


I don't know, but his presence makes me cry. The fact that he's here, right before my eyes, makes me cry. I--- I don't know, but I really longed for him to come back, for the two of us to make amends, for our friendship to be alive once more, for the things to be the way it was a year ago. My lips quivered as I stated that I still have photograph of him, and that I always think about him whenever I stare at him. I can't contain these feelings inside me... and yes, I cried. I cried once more: out of desperate hope, out of regret, and out of the loneliness inside of me.

I know that this is a sign of weakness but all I want to happen is for him to come back...

-Kuroudo-


Just then, I saw him sob about. I was taken aback when he cried, just like the way he did when I left him. I kept my calm and held him close. I feared that he might just shove me away and run away, just like I did, but I was surprised that he snuggled even closer and nuzzled his head on my chest.

This is the way it used to be a year before... when we were friends. I smiled short as we spent the remaining minutes staying on each other's hold...

"To another place and time
When your love was mine..."

There, all done! I need your reviews! Tell me what you think.