Chapter 6

Hitomi jutted her chin out in challenge to her brother's animosity. The handprint on her cheek stung enough to make her eyes water but she blinked and hardened her glare as they stood toe to toe.

"I told you not to touch her. She's mine to deal with."

Hitomi tensed when Nobunaga raked her with a condescending sneer. "Yes, little one. You know. When you shatter the heart, the body will follow." He cupped her chin and stroked it once before gouging his nails in deep. "But I will be the one to do it."

She slapped the offending digit away. No longer the mild mannered one he posed as on the mortal plane, her other half, her little brother was dark and fierce—cruel as his anger snapped the life out of anything that crossed him. " If you drive her into a corner like that again, be warned. She won't be the only one I break."

Hitomi rolled her eyes and scoffed. She was cut off however when Nobunaga snatched her arm. His fingers constricted until the leather garb she was wearing pinched and groaned from the strain. She felt bruises start to form but never uttered a sound.

"I want her to feel like I'm her only safety. I won't let you fuck this up…again."

"You don't command me brother", she spat as she wrenched her arm away and curled her lip. Her cheek pulsed viciously, urging caution to her tongue but she ignored it. "And stop overestimating yourself. Those two are sick. Your silly little plan won't work because they only have eyes for each other."

A muscle worked in the boy's jaw, his eyes sparking with a dangerous black fire. "You will obey me."

Hitomi forced her lips into a thin line as she bowed mockingly. "Beware my dearest. Women's battles are rarely voiced. I will have her, just the same."

"Remember one thing sister", Nobunaga sneered as he stalked forward to tower over her. "They took our cousins. Blood of our blood and we keep what is ours."

The girl blinked and stepped back, weary of their constant battles as pain flickered to swirl with the anger in her sibling's gaze. They needed to put some distance between themselves before this escalated any further.

"Where are you—", he started.

She stalked out of their shared room in Infernus, Reiga's realm, as her brother's hollers ricocheted from the chamber. Hitomi refused to allow herself wistful luxuries. She refused to admit to herself that she envied Toko's relationship with her brother even a little. It was wrong. They were disgusting.

But her and Nobunaga…was their relationship any different? Not as loving sure, but still just as sick. In the end the results were the same.

It was true, they had only been minor level Opasts that were always kicked around by the 'General' class, but they had been family nonetheless. Cousins cut down in their lusty primes. Nobunaga was correct about one thing; the slayers needed to be taught a lesson. They would be taken slowly then.

Hitomi nodded to herself as she paused next to one of the glittering marble walls. Black but flecked with bits of diamond, the surface was smooth as a mirror and just as reflective. Her gaze hardened as she stared herself down. "They will watch as the other dies."

The cavern around the two, the Opast and her reflection, stretched on into endless darkness and cradled the fierce, quiet promise.

_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_

Tsukumo stalked the empty halls while he gnawed the edge of his sweet bread. He shouldn't be up seeking refuge right now. That wasn't where he wanted to be at all. What he really wanted, what he needed more than the air filling his lungs was resolution with his sister.

He had to find her and make things right. It just…

Tsukumo cursed and ducked behind a row of lockers as two teachers passed by. One had her hand over her mouth while the other was scoffing. "I told her. She just doesn't want to listen."

The listener nodded sagely. "Yes, having twins is hard. They are so greedy for each other's company but they'll grow out of that soon. The separation will come easier and more naturally when they get older. You'll see."

With a heavy sigh, the storyteller sighed. "I hope you're right. She's absolutely heartbroken without her Tatsumi. But I can only keep telling her that even though you're family, it doesn't last forever."

A light tinkle of laughter faded as the pair rounded the corner. Unbeknownst to them, Tsukumo slid down the cold metal while sickness turned his stomach out. Not forever.

Not…forever.

Separation…natural?

No. No, they were wrong. They didn't understand what it was like to have only half a heart and for the holder of the other part to be right there, next to them. Skin to skin, beat to beat.

To have someone literally complete you in image and life from the first breath to death.

Till death do us part, little one.

They didn't know. Poor, poor lonely souls, he thought. They'd never understand.

Tsukumo snapped up again as he turned in the opposite direction of the roof. He needed to find her.

_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_oo_o_o_o_o_o_o_oo_

Hotsuma jerked in his seat as his phone buzzed quietly against his pocket. He glanced around and made to reach inside to silence it as he extricated the pencil from his mouth he'd been chewing to splinters. So help him if it was Shusei trying to sext him again during another pop quiz he was going to fuck the other teen senseless with a different kind of Masterstroke.

Sincerely hoping it was his partner, the golden boy cradled the cell in his lap and flipped it open with one deft hand. Molten eyes widened minutely.

+ Where's Toko?

A weary hand ran over his mouth as the professor paced by his desk. He hunkered forward and made it look like he was whittling away at the sheet, when only one question had been answered in favor of doodling. The phone buzzed again and he had to bite his lips as it vibrated against his thigh conspicuously.

+ She isn't back in the classroom and she isn't in any of her normal spots.

Hotsuma hedged. If he had just gone up to the roof according to plan then…damn these stubborn siblings! Was it okay to tell him? No, no maybe Tsukumo suspected something was up.

+ Uh…dunno man. Sorry.

He waited a bit and bobbed an idle knee as he drew a mustache on the rocket he was constructing. His cell went off again, this time attracting a few stares. Hotsuma raised a hand and bisected his lips as he bowed his head in sheepish apology. They glared but resumed struggling through their own problem set. If the idiot wanted to screw around and fail that was on him.

+ Come on Hotsuma. This is serious. I have to find her.

Oh. So he wasn't avoiding? Hotsuma shrugged his shoulders and clicked his keyboard with a speedy thumb.

+ She's on the roof. You'd know that if you just went in the first place.

+ Why didn't you say so before…?

The redhead scowled. + You were supposed to meet her up there. It was a surprise since she said you seemed like you didn't want to talk.

On the other side of the connection Tsukumo hissed a growl out through clenched teeth. His big sis was always a step ahead. The phone wiggled a bit in his grip and an irate brow lifted at the next message. His cheeks burned out how stupid he was being.

+ Why didn't you just use your Ears?

There was no reply on his end but Hotsuma's phone went off again regardless. His face heated up at the blatant lust that bled through the screen. Oh, oh Shusei…

His tongue darted out and wetted his lips as his thumbs moved, never noticing the professor looming behind him with deadly intent. The boy yelped when his cell was forcibly ripped from his grasp.

"Well, well, well Mr. Renjou. What have we here?"

He gulped, a tremor of terror chasing down his spine at the tone that held far more fire than his Voice.

_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_

Meanwhile, Tsukumo slunk into the nearest boy's bathroom and closed himself into one of the stalls. Squaring his shoulders, he allowed his eyes to flutter shut before smothering a gasp at the rolling sound waves that assaulted him, flickering against his skin and echoing back; white lines of clarity in perfect pictures, like sketches on black before the backdrop faded into murky blankness again.

His breathing hitched as the boy focused and pricked his ears. Pulse, throb; echo, echo, echo.

Within seconds he located her. His stomach sunk. What should have been a welcome sight morphed into the reality of the sordid situation it was. Indeed Toko stood on the rooftop; bleeding and not alone….

_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_

Eon groaned under the strong inhuman blows raining down on its wide surface. Toko knelt, using the side of the large blade as a shield as she braced her weight in a defensive stance.

"Fight back."

"Selfish sister."

"Who do you think you are keeping him all to yourself?"

Their expressions hollow, Toko's classmates continued the onslaught with strength that wasn't truly theirs. Hitomi giggled in the background, curls bouncing as she rocked back on the balls of her feet and placed a hand at her mouth.

"What's wrong little Zweilt?"

The sword clanged heavily as one of the girl's fists managed to dent it a little.

No, Toko growled to herself. They were just being used. They were just zombies under her control. Toko couldn't fight back because she'd hurt them.

"You're not so special."

"Ah!"

Arms wrapped around her throat from behind and tugged her to stand. Eon dissolved back into her ring as Toko gasped and struggled against the hold.

"S-snap out of it you gu—grk!"

Hitomi eyed the slayer that writhed in the vice-like grip as she trounced forward. A smile curled her lips. "It might be my strength they're borrowing but it's their words that ring true."

Toko scrunched her teary eyes closed as her muscles screamed for air. Her strength was waning. An image of Tsukumo swam against the backdrop of her heavy eyelids.

"Toko!"

A sudden surge of strength exploded from deep within her body as the girl found her footing and tossed her classmate over her shoulder. The other girl hit the ground hard as her head cracked against the cement. She didn't move after that.

"I thought you were supposed to defend the humans, not bully them." Hitomi tried to lock eyes with her but Toko caught on fast and jerked herself away to engage the rest of the pack. A weight pressed against her back.

"Toko", he gasped. "Toko, I'm so sorry."

The girl's heart clenched, feeling the familiar warmth of her brother as it soaked through the bone deep chill she hadn't realized she'd been caught up in.

Hitomi cocked her head as she drifted forward and held up her hand to pause the group's advancement. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Tsukumo's eyes narrowed on the tiny girl. "I've made my choice."

Something unreadable clashed with the shadows playing on her pretty face. As quickly as it came though, it vanished. "I hate to be cliché and all but—"

"This isn't over. Not by a long shot", Tsukumo finished for her. She gifted him with a sad smile before raising her arm. A long, jagged shadow rose up and engulfed her while the other girls vanished. After a few moments, Tsukumo closed his eyes and traced their locations. Back in their respective classrooms with their memories wiped. Like none of this had ever occurred.

"Come back here", Toko raged, making to pursue the Opast.

"Sis, stop. She's gone."

"But—"

He whipped around and gripped her shoulders as his jaw locked.

Toko gulped. Despite having said she'd give in, the butterflies took flight in her stomach and she found herself trying to escape his shaking fingers. "Tsukumo, stop it. Let me go."

"I won't", he rasped. "I won't."

Before she could fathom what was happening, her brother crashed their lips together in a torrid kiss. She squeaked at the foreign heat that sizzled against her stomach as Tsukumo's arms snaked around her waist and hauled her closer. The wetness of her wounds spread between their clothed bodies, sticky as it mixed with sweat and heaving breathe.

He coaxed her lips open and slipped his tongue in, commanding their hungry exchange.

And Toko let him. Instead of fighting it, she realized that this was right. Her hands came up to coast along the muscles that bulged and jerked in his shoulders. Over the neck. Deft fingers found his nape and she raked her nails lightly against the sensitive skin.

Eyes closed, Tsukumo moaned and growled as he nipped her tongue. They took turns stealing greedy breaths so their mouths could stay connected.

Finally, after a searing, blissful eternity, Tsukumo pulled back. He nuzzled her cheek with his as one of his hands tangled in her ash-bronze tresses.

"I missed you", he breathed.

Toko quivered in his arms as she hugged him closer. "It hasn't even been a day", she tried to tease.

His body coiled and shuddered. "It doesn't matter. Toko, it doesn't—"

"Let me go! You'll get dirty."

"Never again", he hissed. "I'm never letting you go agai—"

His pain was sincere. He'd been feeling every bit as lonely and confused as she was. Salty tears stung the back of her throat as she choked, "Why did you run from me then?"

"I c…I can't stand the thought of scaring you. Or hurting you and I—"

Toko silenced him with a nipping peck. "That's not for you to decide. No matter what happens now, one of us will get hurt. One of us will get scared. But you're my brother and I'm your sister. It's our jobs to make sure that when that happens, we'll be there for each other."

His brows pulled together and a throaty groan rumbled against Toko's chest as she hugged him to her and nibbled the fleshy lobe of his ear.

"Then we're gonna—?"

Tsukumo's hand groped for his sister's and when they found each other, their fingers laced.

"We will", she breathed.

The siblings slumped into respective arms as they slid down against the fence's roof, just holding each other as the school bell chimed in the hazy air. They synced their breathing and rested their foreheads together, dizzy and giddy. They were going to be together.

The whole world was going to judge them now, these two dazed lovers saturated in ultimate sin. But then, even that was okay, as long as they could keep each other.

Super corny right? Ha x3 Boy, Hitomi's in for it. I can honestly say, aside from writing about Xion, Nobunaga is the character I hate the most. Seriously, he's a prick that I detest and I made the fucker up! I really, really feel sorry for Hitomi though. You guy'sll see why soon. I'm sorry if the quality for this chapter slipped. It felt okay to me, but I leave it up to you, dear reader to decide.

Review?