Jim was holding the door open as Ryo and Johan carried in bags.
Johan had asked if Ryo could make dinner, so, Ryo had taken the duo to the super store nearby. Now, Johan was helping carry one of the smaller bags while Ryo and Jim carried two each. Jim had put one down on the small table near the door to hold it open for the other two.
He watched Johan go running passed, holding the small bag over his head. Ryo thanked Jim and followed Johan down the slightly narrow hallway. He flicked on the light switch over Johan's head as the little bluenette stood patiently waiting. "Jim, hurry up and close the door. It's cold out there."
Jim kicked the door closed with his heel and slipped off his wet shoes, like the other two had, and proceeded into the kitchen. Only to find that the two were laughing about something that Jim had apparently missed. He watched Johan hold up one of the bags as Ryo unloaded the contents into the cabinets and ice box. Jim set the last two on the already cramped counter. He was about to walk away when Johan touched his hand, which had managed to linger on a bag.
Johan smiled happily and stood up. He pulled the heavy bag over to Ryo and sat patiently, watching Ryo with wondered eyes. Jim had seen those eyes only once before....
He shook himself.
Johan was trying to get off the counter and was now dangling off the end of the counter. He gave a little whine, but Ryo couldn't do anything. His hands were full and his attention was on getting the cans into the cabinet.
Jim lurched forward and managed to grab Johan just before his grip gave out. He set Johan down and the bluenette turned around and smiled brightly up at him. "Don't do that!"
Johan's smile suddenly faded and a gleam echoed in his eyes. A glean Jim remembered all too painfully clear. "Johan didn't mean it. Johan didn't mean it. Don't be mad. Please. Johan didn't mean to make you angry." Johan suddenly covered his face and cried, quietly.
Jim sat down and put his arms around Johan. It kind of hit him harder and faster than anything.... this was a kind of awkward FAMILY moment.... really awkward.
Ryo knelt down and held out an apple. "Here. It's okay. He was just worried about you." Ryo waited for Johan to calm down before he touched Johan's head. "It's okay. We're not angry, we're not your father or mother. We're just friends taking care of you." He gave a warm smile and Johan slowly took the apple. "See? I'm not dangerous. Neither is Jim. Jim is just happy that you weren't hurt."
Johan looked up at Jim and he smiled as well. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Ryo was right. You're very worried about me, always. I remember that happiness from a long time ago.' He stood up and reached into the last bag and took out the surprise Ryo had bought. Jim had chose it and he handed Johan the small piece of candy. It was chocolate. "Here. This should make you better, mate." He gave a laughter to his voice. "Why don't you go upstairs and get us some towels?" Jim pointed at his soaked hair. "Ryo and I will finish this up."
When Johan was out of the room, Jim looked at Ryo.
"What?" He was stacking the cans in the cabinet. "Stop looking at me like that."
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You know." Jim handed Ryo some cans as he spoke.
"No, I don't."
"Make Johan feel better. I could never do that."
Ryo stopped, his hand seemed to be glued to the can before it slid off and hit the counter. Ryo was leaning on it and his shoulders seemed to meet as his head dropped. "Please, I don't want to talk about this now."
"How is that?"
Ryo suddenly threw his hand out and knocked over the cup of eating utensils. Jim thought he was being violent, until he saw a photo in an elegant, black frame.
Johan and Ryo were standing outside a stadium and Johan was holding up a second place prize and Ryo held up first place.
Ryo was pointing at it. "That is what I did. That is what I destroyed." He turned on Jim. "Do you know how long it took me to move on?! Do you know how much it hurts to know he's got you?! Do you know?! Do you even care?!"
Jim backed up a step. Ryo's eyes were....
"Jim, I destroyed that that we had! I can't...." Ryo suddenly put his hand up and covered most of his face, his fingers spread out. He gripped his head and sank to the floor. He wasn't moving and his shoulders didn't shake.
Jim was frozen to the spot when--
"RYO! JIM! HELP!"
The two of them looked up. They darted up the stairs and Jim, being first, stopped.
A man with a black hood and a plastic mask was standing there, holding Johan with a knife. He proceeded out the window, faster. He probably did it on purpose, but he flung Johan around, cutting his hand on the glass. Johan yelped and the man covered his mouth and jumped off the short roof.
Jim and Ryo ran to the window and watched helplessly as the man darted across the street and vanished into the grove on the outskirts of the park.
Jim withdrew and sank onto the bed. It took him a moment before he realized he was in Ryo's room. He looked around.
The walls were almost bare, save for one, framed photo. There was one lamp on the floor and a dresser. There wasn't a door for a closet. The bed was pretty much right under the second window, that wasn't broken, and had a blanket, no sheet, and a plain white pillow. There wasn't anything outstanding about it, just like the single sofa downstairs.
Jim's eyes wandered back to the photo.
Johan was jumping onto Ryo's back in the photo. They were in the park just across the street. The smile they shared looked warmer and kinder than the smile Ryo had given Johan in the kitchen just a moment ago. Johan was soaking wet and Ryo was throwing a bucket out of sight. They looked like a happy couple.
A real happy couple.
Jim suddenly pitched forward and his hands caught his face and the pain hit him. He didn't sob like normal people. He was silent and it didn't help that his body was naturally stiff. He finally composed his face and stood up. "We have to do something."
"What do you suggest we do?" Ryo asked. He hadn't moved from his spot and was looking out the broken window. "He could be anywhere by now. Johan's probably going to be okay. We just have to find out how to get to him."
"And how do we do that?!" Jim asked, from the bathroom. He was wiping his face. He was just putting the towel down when he noticed another picture he hadn't really seen before. It was in the upper left corner of the mirror and was small. Jim took it down and stared at it.
Johan was sitting proper and was dressed in a suit. He looked absolutely handsome. This portrait of him was....
"I can't stop."
Jim looked at Ryo in the reflection of the mirror. "Stop what?"
"Johan just won't let me go. Those memories haunt me. They're all over the house to remind me that Johan is always forgiving, that he gave me more chances than I deserved. After all I've said, he just stands there like we're best friends all over again."
Jim swallowed. "How far did you get?" He turned to face Ryo.
He was looking down the stairs as he leaned on the door frame. "I can't say. It's too painful. But I'll give you a hint." He pointed at the stairs. "I nearly lost it on those steps. He was right by my side. My first loss. I nearly lose it now. But I sit there and it makes me feel better."
"You've lived here a while?"
"Yes. Nearly two years." Ryo pushed off the frame and started down the stairs. "I'll make a phone call to see if they'll help."
"Okay." Jim knew who "they" was and wasn't going to fight Ryo. He looked at the photo in his hand and his heart fluttered. Johan had such a stoic face, such a beautiful face. He didn't know why it made him flutter so. It just felt good for him.
"Jim! Are you coming back down?!"
"Not right now!" He reached up and stuck the photo back in the corner. He looked at his reflection and started to undo the bandages around his head. As they fell away, he stared at the gleam looking back at him. It was hard to say, but Jim actually felt like that would drive Johan away faster than anything else. "Johan.... Johan, I'm sorry." He closed his eyes and reached up, touching the scar just under his eye. It was hard, coarse under his fingers.
It was beautiful.
But painful.
He sighed and made his way down the stairs. He got half way and stopped.
"No! You listen to me. I'm not going to show up tonight! I have something important to do."
Pause.
"No! Don't think you'll control me. Stop!"
Pause.
"Shut it! I don't want to hear it! This is important to ME! He's close. Don't--"
Longer pause.
"NO! I said I won't."
Short pause and then--
"Fine, break down my door. I could care less. You can drag me tooth and nail back there, but I won't. I won't! No! Shut it! Shut up! I'll do this and you can shoot me later!"
SLAM!
Jim took the last steps carefully. He saw Ryo sitting in the corner under the photo of him and Johan. He was covering his face with both hands and a cell phone on the floor beside him.
Ryo pressed his hands into his eyes. The heels of his palms made for a good wipe of his tears. He wiped it off on his pants before he grabbed his cell phone. He looked up at Jim as a tear fell down his face. "Whatever you're thinking, save it."
Jim didn't say anything. Someone should be crying for Johan.
And that should've been him.
But Ryo was the one crying.
A tear slid down Jim's face as another tear fell from Ryo's eyes.
There they were, standing face-to-face. Two of a kind. One and the same. Both striving for something they want; Johan Anderson, the European Champion Duelist. They wanted him to come back. To be.... Johan.
A/N: do not be surprised.... ah, well, let's see what you guys think.... reviews welcome! any and all. i'll see what you guys want me to do with this :D
