Natural Disaster: Chapter 3, Savior
The absolute worst thing happened. A large branch fell to Ritsuka's house. Breaking and bringing fire down upon the structure.
'NO! No..' Soubi thought. Ritsuka had to be okay. He had to. Maybe the branch hadn't hit him.
He shoved his way into the boy's room quickly and was jolted with icy fear. Ritsuka wasn't there, the room was empty.
x
The loudest crash had interrupted Ritsuka's insane melody. Everything was blown away. He had jumped up, wide eyed looking for the source. It terrified him, the loudest noise he had ever heard. What was it? He spun around wildly. The sound hadn't stopped at once, it changed to creaks, groans, crackling, the splitting of wood. What else could make such a terrible noise but the demise of a house?
Something was really wrong. Ritsuka threw open his bedroom door. Right there. It was so close! Flame! Flame, flame. The horrible stuff that took his 'brother' away. The uncontrollable, worse than a terrible storm, thing. Spreading, eating, licking, horrible flame.
Even startled by the unreal reality before him he immediately thought of his mother.
'Mother!'
The tree had been lit by rouge lightning strike causing a large branch to break off the tree. Then the tree burned off halfway, crashing into Ritsuka's house. Bringing its flame. Bringing its destruction. The fire and debris had fallen extremely close to where Ritsuka had just been moments ago, in his room, but he didn't have time to be scared just yet. The stairs were blocked, keeping him from reaching his poor helpless mother. He was trapped.
'Mother! She's all alone downstairs, I don't even know if she's okay..' He fretted and even though his whole body seemed like it would freeze over and go numb from shock he knew that getting to his mom was the absolute most important thing right now. He never wanted to lose her.
In the hallway, Ritsuka examined the pile. The hall was dark, embers sent creepy shadows flashing against the walls. There was a blazing, large tree branch and pieces of roof and wall that had been brought down and destroyed with it. He was sure, so sure, if he could just move a few pieces then he could get by the fire. But the debris was too big, he couldn't figure out what to do and his mind was swirling around madly. Mind racing as his heart beat out of his chest. Ritsuka spotted a small hole in the corner of it all and decided that would have to be his solution. He took one last look around him, there really was no other way and he was so desperate to get to his mother. The fear of the terrible storm outside and the confusion and suddenness of the situation inside was muddling his brain. 'Mom!' With a burst of uneasy confidence Ritsuka stretched and arm into the pile pulling a few pieces to the side. Some smaller pieces of wood fell on him and he winced but kept going. Soon there was a small hole that he could see through to the other side from. He had to go, it was the only way he thought he could get to Misaki. Fire blazed directly to his side, only a few feet away. Before he chickened out Ritsuka audaciously began to worm his way inside. His lithe body was able to maneuver through the rubble pile more easily than most. Ritsuka was determined with only fear slowing him.
x
Soubi could hear so many noises around him and it felt like time was moving much faster than he wanted it too. Inside a storm of fire was wreaking havoc. Outside was a storm almost as destructive. One storm resulted in the other.
He threw Ritsuka's bedroom door open urgently and discovered the fire. Immediately before even seeing the full damage he saw Ritsuka trying to make his way past it.
'No, no.. Ritsuka what are you doing? Never put yourself in danger.. Never, never please..'
He yelled out, "Ritsuka! Get back here!" But it was too loud in the surroundings, Ritsuka couldn't hear
He saw the flames growing and disintegrating the roof above.
'Ritsuka, Ritsuka, my Ritsuka..' His thoughts wept.
He didn't see branches and wood fall as he ran forward to cover the boy. But he felt it.
It was almost automatic to protect his master in such a way that would sacrifice himself. Ironic seeing how Ritsuka was the sacrifice. But Soubi would do anything for the boy, he had to at least try. But Soubi felt different as he lunged his body forward, protecting Ritsuka from a large piece of wood that could surely kill someone of his size, he wanted to protect Ritsuka. He had felt this before. It was much stronger than any longing he ever had to protect Seimei, it went much farther than orders, it was deep emotion. Love.
Soubi grunted under the weight and he let out negligent cries of pain as scorching debris landed on his back.
Ritsuka was shocked, Soubi had come out of nowhere. He couldn't find words and his emotions were a complete mess but he still had instinct. Ritsuka grabbed onto Soubi's shirt, Soubi was holding him, protecting him. Ritsuka cried into the man, feebly. Ritsuka could hear the warnings blaring through his mind of the danger he was in but he felt so grateful because of Soubi. He passed out from the shock and the air, thick with smoke.
With all his strength Soubi held it up. A massive weight, literally, upon his shoulders. He kicked his legs backward trying to get out and cradled a shallowly breathing Ritsuka in his arms.
"Ritsuka.. Ritsuka.. Ritsuka.." Soubi's face was a mess with so many emotions.
His life, his love, everything, everything. How? How could this happen! Why him? Why Ritsuka? Maybe he deserved it, but Ritsuka? How could such an adorable, sweet, caring child deserve to be in such a position?
Soubi was ready to give his life for this boy if only he could find a way out of the situation. Fire blazed around them. Finally his foot hit free air. He crawled backward bringing Ritsuka with him in his arms and as he moved out, the rubble in front of them fell into the space they have occupied moments earlier. Soubi held his body overtop of Ritsuka's. Smoke was filling the small area where the two were crouched and Soubi hurried to get them both out. A small tunnel was the only way through and he didn't trust it one bit. It was the only option. But how could they get through it together? They weren't going to fit. With the doubt of his own decision he crawled out most of the way before dragging Ritsuka with him. He was terrified that everything would collapse on the boy.
Ritsuka woke from his unconscious state with a cry of pain and Soubi hastened. Had there not been a fire raging just a few feet away Soubi still would've been sweating, from nervous terror. A piece of wood had fallen onto Ritsuka's leg as he was pulled out of the undependable tunnel.
Soubi gathered up his love in his arms grasping on to every piece of the child, needing to protect him, needing to love him. Ritsuka had treated him so well, Soubi had thought it was tortuous to loose Seimei and Ritsu but he had realized that a loss of Ritsuka would put him completely over edge. Ritsuka's scream was all that echoed in the caverns of Soubi's mind.
Ritsuka was reassured by the feel of Soubi's arms around him. He had come suddenly, protecting him. He was so, so grateful. He clung around Soubi's neck, crying into him as Soubi rushed away from the fire. They had to get out quickly, fire was spreading expeditiously and Soubi backed into Ritsuka's room, holding the boy in his arms and refusing to let go.
Ritsuka was screaming out suddenly. No longer just crying, he was yelling. "Soubi! Soubi! My mother!" Ritsuka frantically called for his mother. He needed to get to her, do what he was doing when Soubi saved him from being impaled by falling debris.
Soubi highly disliked Ritsuka's mother. She beat him, she was cruel, a terrible person. Many, many times he wished she was dead. But not now, not when Ritsuka was begging for her life even as he had just nearly lost his own.
Soubi rashly jumped from the balcony, nearly spraining his ankle. He held Ritsuka close to him, the boy still screamed and Soubi wept silently, he couldn't help it. He cried in complete relief that he held Ritsuka in his arms, that if he had been a moment later he wouldn't be able to ever hold this boy again. He couldn't let go of him.
The storm was still going. Sending wind and icy rain at them terribly. He couldn't leave Ritsuka. But he had to, no way could Ritsuka go back inside a house that was falling apart and Soubi needed to go inside for Misaki.
"Ritsuka.." Soubi's voice was quiet and hoarse. "Please, please stay here," they were a few good feet away from the house. "I'll be right back⦠with your mother."
Ritsuka could only nod, wind and rain whipped his hair around and he was chilled to the bone the moment they got outside. He had stopped wailing, his mind teetering on the decision of rationalizing, but mostly he was just shocked. Lost in everything that was going on. He felt his mind and body shrink into a small, small box.
'Please, Soubi, don't leave me..'
Soubi tried to give him and encouraging look as he walked away but it was useless, he couldn't form it and it wouldn't have been too convincing with a tear stained face.
He kicked open the front door in fury, running into the accursed building. Nothing good had ever happened there, nothing.
Outside, Ritsuka came to the door, unable to bear the sight of Soubi disappearing into fiery abyss. He needed to at least be within sight.
Soubi saw the fire that had eaten its way down the steps and was engulfing the entire house. He looked and looked, coughing from smoke. Finally Soubi spotted Ritsuka's mother cowering in a corner.
Misaki's eyes were hazy, rolled in looking to demons inside her mind as well as the ones engulfing her home.
He started running toward her but suddenly something was stopping him.
"NO!" Ritsuka's voice came wailing out as loud as he could possibly be and he lurched into the house grabbing Soubi at the waist. Stopping him from advancing any further. "Soubi! Soubi! No! Stop!"
Just then, the sky fell.
Ritsuka's arms tightened around Soubi as if he might try to break away. His knuckles were white grasping onto Soubi's shirt and he may have been hurting the man holding on as tight as he was but that didn't matter as long as Soubi was safe. It was risky for the boy to run into that house but there was no question about it. He had to do it for Soubi. Everything fell.
With a large noise the sky came falling down at Soubi's feet. Half of the roof disintegrated away into ash and broke off. His face was hit with air, wind, water, wood dust, insulation, and smoke but he was spared all the worst that hit Misaki. Wood, shingles, drywall, who could tell what else? All came crashing down with the loudest, most deafening noise. It brought with it the rain that still would not cease and a howl of wind.
A shrill cry from her son as the roof of her own house hit her. Misaki's body fell limp as the crashing weight knocked her down. Her mind was leaving for darkness. Flames engulfed the wood and, underneath it, the body of a mother. One last cry escaped, the strangled wish that she failed to get out, the horrid calling of her son's name that lacked all the sincerity she had meant for. "RITSUKA..!"
It was bloodcurdling, horrifying.. Misaki was gone, dead, dead and in flames. Leaving the world the same way she thought her first son did. She left behind half of a family. Her last wishes came with a bout of her sanity, for her son to be safe. She was relived to enter death in her right mind at the very least, she was glad to escape her insanity during those few painful moments and die as the person she was born as.
Ritsuka, her beloved Ritsuka. He was the most innocent beautiful child, her only savior when the world around her began darkening. Ritsuka always stayed with her, he always cared for her even when her words weren't what she meant them to be and her actions were unpurposelyharsh.
"NO!" Ritsuka screamed and screamed. Sobs raked his body and he didn't let go of Soubi. Muffling his voice in Soubi's strong back. His grasp tightened even more, if possible.
Soubi was so overcome with emotion. Ritsuka had just seen his mother pass before his eyes. Soubi knew what it was like to lose a parent. The loneliness of it.
He willed his weak body to get out of this terrible house. To get Ritsuka out. Misaki was now far from rescuing and they both knew it, there was no reason to stay.
He wrenched the boy from his body and scooped him up, carrying Ritsuka out of the house.
Ritsuka's body was numb and stiff in Soubi's hold, his arms stretched into the air as he wailed.
'Mother! Mother!' Ritsuka cried and cried, holding onto Soubi. 'Uh.. uh.. Soubi, Soubi is-uh he is okay.' Ritsuka's thoughts could barely keep straight. He found it hard to feel grateful, he had just lost someone he loved so much but he still had Soubi. He was so glad he risked himself to stop Soubi. What would he have done? What if the roof killed his mother and Soubi together. What? What? Surely he would die too. Alone.
None of it seemed real.
Ritsuka recalled seeing the man's tears for the first time as he was brought outside initially. Actually, Ritsuka had seen Soubi cry once before. It had been night, Soubi was asleep, weeping quietly from a dream or memory, Ritsuka had felt so helpless then for not being able to help the man. But both times it was astonishing, Soubi showed so little profound emotion.
Suddenly he felt sick. Ritsuka pushed himself away from Soubi and Soubi struggled to keep him in his arms until Ritsuka began retching.
Expelling all the disgusting the harsh rain. Rain.. Rain..
He was without his mother. Dear, dear Misaki. Misaki who he loved. His mother gave birth to him. Raised him. Tried so hard.
Foul things left his body and his small frame shook as he wept.
Without her. No more Misaki.
He cried and puked, the rain washing it away and the wind moving it in the most grotesque ways.
Misaki could never live. She could never get better. He could never see her again. She never had another chance. Ritsuka never had another chance with her.
Soubi's hand comforted his back. He could barely feel the cold limb. The wind was chilling. Ritsuka wore no coat, Soubi shed his drenched article as it was soaked and only making him colder.
So weak, pathetic, he couldn't save his own mother. Who he owed so much, even if she had hurt him, she was his mother. He couldn't save her.
"Ohh..! Soubi..!"
Ritsuka stopped his sickness and threw his arms around the man, needing his comfort. He wasn't uneasy to receive it or apprehensive, he was nothing but a distraught child.
Soubi held the boy tight, wishing he could do more. Why couldn't he have saved Misaki? Why did Ritsuka have to suffer this loss? Would it bring with it his childhood? Would that disappear with all this devastation as well?
He picked up Ritsuka and holding the boy he ran, cuddling Ritsuka trying to protect him with his skin.
The sky was raining rubble.
x
'Why, why has this damnable storm struck us?' Soubi couldn't help but wonder. He was now left to grieve for a woman who he hated.
Soubi had killed many people before, he willed his body senseless, became nothing but his master's tool, but he always regretted it. He could remember each time, each person, each life. His mind was always haunted, had they loved someone? Who did that leave alone? What did I ruin? He never had conquered becoming ruthless, killing without regret. He couldn't do it. When he could, Soubi would kill quietly. Give the victim a quick peaceful death before slandering their body to make it look like it had been worse. Soubi always wondered if those people that he killed for his master, if once they died there would be a little boy left all alone. If that little boy would be left in care of man after man who just abandoned him.
Soubi would never leave Ritsuka alone.
Ritsuka couldn't think. His mind was a mess. Grateful, for Soubi who saved him, Soubi who he saved. Grieving, for his mother who was gone, who he could never see again. Confusion, for the storm that plundered outside. The horrible symphony in his mind had stopped once he was with Soubi.
x
They had entered the school. Ritsuka's elementary school. People had been seeking a very unorganized refuge there. It was so messy but at least someone had gotten the generators going and Soubi could settle down in front of a heater inside a building that wasn't falling apart. Hugging Ritsuka tightly. They were silent.
The building was on top of a hill and designed to be the area's emergency shelter. Sadly, once the typhoon warning was issued there was no time to set up a shelter. No one had time to evacuate either. All of the residents that were stuck by the storm had to try and get by in their homes. The damp people that sat in the gymnasium of the elementary school had probably all lost the safety of their homes just as Ritsuka did. Soubi gave no thought to the condition of his apartment.
Once they left Ritsuka's house behind, Soubi had ran to the police station. It was a place Soubi didn't like or trust but he couldn't think of any other options. The place was chaotic with officers of all ranks running around getting rescue supplies together and trying to bear through the storm themselves. After some mis-focus Soubi got the attention of someone and informed them of Misaki's death and the raging fire. He hoped they could remove the body and maybe salvage it, properly cremate it. It might give Ritsuka some comfort.
Soubi's parents memorial was a special place to him, rarely visited but treasured. Because it was all the was left.
Soubi and Ritsuka stayed out the next few hours of the storm together, huddled in a corner in each other's arms.
Edit 12/25: Because I fuckedup and changed my mind about something minor
