Date: 2007-11-06
Category: Moon Child
Title: Forsaken Hope
Character: Sho, Kei
Genre: Angst, Tragedy
Warnings: Self-mutilation, suicide-attempt, suicide
Disclaimer: Moon Child or its characters does not belong to me in anyway. I do not make any profit out of this.
Summary: Not everything is what it seems to be on the surface.
Chapter One
The small apartment was silent except from the sound of breathing of the two men. The tension was so thick you could almost touch it. The argument that had not ended but a minute ago was the same as usual. Sho would ask Kei why he would not eat when he was obviously weak from lack of food and Kei would get angry at him.
Clearly the concern Sho felt for the vampire was unwanted but he could not help it. It hurt him to see Kei so exhausted, so hungry. He knew that Kei would not die but that did not mean that he didn't suffer, they both did.
Sho knew that he could not stay there for the moment lest he say something he would sorely regret. He tugged his black fingerless gloves up to his elbow and pulling down the long sleeved grey shirt he wore over his hands, all the while making sure not an inch of skin on his arms were seen. Putting on his black leatherjacket he opened the door and stopped just outside.
"I'm going to visit nii-san. Do you want me to get you anything while I'm out?" Sho asked the older man while being careful to keep his voice as indifferent as possible and keeping his back to him. When he did not receive answer he shut the door with a dull thud.
Kei let a tired sigh escape him as he heard the door close. Raking a thin hand through his pale hair he lay down on his bed. He knew he shouldn't get so angry at Sho but he hated it when he brought up his self-imposed starvation. Sho would never be able to understand how sick to his stomach he got at just the thought of eating. He lived by draining the precious blood of others, killing them so that he could live. He had made a point to at least only take the blood of men who could be considered evil. It didn't make him feel less of a monster; however the guilt was a little less than it would be if he killed an innocent.
Whenever Sho talked about his eating habits, or rather lack thereof, he felt uncomfortable and cornered. The argument was a familiar one, it always went along the same lines and ended the same but something had felt of about it now that he thought about it. There was this unsettling feeling niggeling at the back of his mind. He could not put his finger on it but there was something different in Shos' tone of voice, or maybe it was the look in his eyes. He would keep a close eye on Sho for the next couple of days to see if his worry was unfounded or if there truly was something wrong with him. With that decided Kei drifted of to sleep.
The streets of Mallepa were scorching under the sun. Walking slowly on the familiar road to Shinjis' shop Sho took in the crowded street absently. Vendors were calling out their goods, each trying to convince the buyers that they had just what they needed and that it was of the best quality. The crowd was full of immigrants from all over the world; you could see people of all colours and races. It was like this all over Mallepa. It was one of the reasons that the locals were so bitter. Mallepa was overpopulated because of the many citizens and the economy had been failing for a long time.
Feeling eyes boring into the back of his neck he snapped out of his musings and casually looked around for the source. Spotting two flamboyantly styled men that he recognised as members of the local mafia, he moved into a more busy part of the street. Sho wove his way into a small side street. Hiding behind a stall full of knick-knacks he waited for them to appear. The two men looked around but could not see him and went the other way. Waiting a little longer to be sure that they really were gone he went back to the street and continued on his way to the shop, this time without any more distractions.
Entering the shop and waving at Jessie, Sho headed upstairs to the roof. The smell that hit him as soon as he stepped out on the roof was the unmistakable scent of drugs. Feeling that his day is about to get worse he stepped up to his older brother and tapped him lightly on the shoulder as he was turned away from him.
"Nii-san, what are you doing?" Sho asked with sorrow colouring his voice. "You promised that you would stop with the drugs. Have you forgotten that?"
Shinji laughed and looked unfocusedly at Sho. "Eh? Sho, is that you? What are you doing here?" Staggering to his feet he pushed past Sho into the house and downstairs without waiting for an answer. He limped ahead of Sho; he had almost forgotten that he was there, out to the front of the shop where he found Jesse and the two Taiwanese men of the mafia that he owed some money. Shinji tried to clear his mind and come up with some kind excuse for not having the money only to be knocked down to the floor. As one of the men were about to hit him again Sho intercepted the man.
"Here, take the money and leave." said Sho and glared at the men as he showed a wad of bills at them. They scoffed at him and took the money but not before insulting him and showing him into the wall the way on their way out. As soon as they had left Sho hurried over to Shinji and tried to help him up.
Shinji slapped away the hand reaching for him and glared at Sho. "I don't need your help. Stay out of my business." he snapped at him and ignored the stunned expression on Shos' face as he limped out of the room.
Author note: So the first chapter is done. Please review!
