Bleeding hearts: chapter fourteen

Moko-chan: Kay, last chap of the year! Hope you enjoy it!

Tsubasa: O.O

Footsteps. Gentle footsteps. That was all he could hear as he walked down this extremely long hallway. Footsteps walking. Tapping against the hard wood floor. Silence all around except for that.

Silence except for the footsteps tapping, echoing, whispering words that can't be heard. A haunting melody that kept repeating.

He walked for a long time, straining to see the end. Straining to know when it would end. But the end didn't seem to be there. Nothing seemed to be there. Subaru kept walking.

Finally, he came to a stop. A door it was, at the very end of the hallway. Standing in front of it was a boy with amethyst eyes and messy black hair. Kamui. Subaru smiled, relief filled his emerald eyes.

Kamui reached his hand out to Subaru, his expression showed happiness but yet it didn't seem to be. Subaru ran forward, tempting to reach for his brother's hand. But no matter what, he couldn't reach.

Kamui's image started to fade, rippling like water. And as Subaru finally touched his hand, his twin disappeared, leaving no trace, not even warmth on Subaru's hand.

"Looking for someone?"

Subaru turned around, and as soon as he did, felt a full scale impact on his body as he flew backwards, through the door, and into a room with a blazing fireplace. The icy-cold floor echoed through his skin and smashed against his bones. Subaru landed right next to the dancing flames.

He struggled to get up but couldn't. He put his elbow on the ground for leverage, and tried again to push himself up with his hand. He fell back, down with a thump and a whimper.

Subaru looked up, dazed. Standing in front of him was Epd "Subaru", smiling. Well, it looked like a smile.

It was stretched across his face, curling at the sides. And his eyes were too cold. He was enjoying everything that happened, yet the enjoyment just echoed in his empty, gold, catlike eyes.

"I've told you, you shouldn't be near him. . . it'll only hurt him more, you know that? You don't want to hurt him, right?" Epd Subaru asked.

Subaru tried to crawl away, his elbows moving back, his knees bent, his feet pushing himself every time, but it was a feeble attempt.

Epd Subaru grabbed his arm and lifted him up and into his harsh embrace. Epd Subaru crossed one of his arms across Subaru's body, resting his hand on Subaru's shoulder. With his other arm, he drew his arm across Subaru's torso and placed it on Subaru's waist.

Subaru wriggled, trying to rip himself free of the touch. He tried to move away, but he couldn't do it. The vampire instincts inside of him had fallen to sleep.

"You don't want Kamui to get hurt, do you?" Epd Subaru asked. Subaru shook his head slowly, his bowl cut hair tossing with him.
"Yet you continue to hurt him," Epd Subaru whispered in Subaru's ear.

Subaru shook his head more furiously, clamping his eyes shut for a few moments. Refusing to believe.

"No I-"

"Why do you do it? Why do you hate Kamui so? Why does he deserve to be hated?"

That did it. Subaru felt the tears flowing freely down his cheeks. His legs gave way and he slumped to the floor, Epd falling with him. Subaru wept.

"No... No... Kamui doesn't deserve to be hated. He deserves to be loved... I don't-" Subaru cut off, preparing himself to say the words.

"-Love him..." Subaru whispered, and his voice cracked.

Behind him, Epd Subaru smiled. It had worked. Subaru's soul and heart wasn't strong enough to be without the ones he loved, but he would destroy himself if he thought it was for the best.

It was a shame really. How easy it was to make Subaru crack, to make him think that he didn't love his brother. The power to control the vampire was too easy to acquire.

"You don't love him? Tell him, you must. Tell him you hate him," Epd Subaru whispered. Subaru's tears fell even more.

No! Epd Subaru felt Subaru's inner self screaming. Don't fall into his trap! He's not you, he doesn't know your feelings! YOU LOVE HIM; YOU DO LOVE YOUR BROTHER!

Subaru's eyes seemed to clear from emotion, and Epd Subaru whispered something in his ear that sounded harsh, and far too cruel.

"I....do.... love..." Subaru didn't finish. Epd wrapped one of his hands around Subaru's throat. Subaru coughed, and he couldn't breathe.

"No, you shouldn't. He will die with you around," Epd Subaru exclaimed quietly.

With his free hand, Epd Subaru caressed Subaru's cheek softly. With the gentle motion, Subaru slowly began to forget the words that his inner self was screaming.

But Epd Subaru could hear them. The screaming words turned into tormented screaming and sobbing as Epd Subaru continued to caress Subaru's cheek.

Epd Subaru moved forward, putting his lips to Subaru's ear. He raised his slender fingers slowly up to Subaru's now moss-green eyes.

"Maybe you would be, maybe everyone would be, better off with you dead?" Epd Subaru asked. Subaru barely had time to breathe.

Then he was he was thrown forward into the blazing flames.

Subaru suddenly found himself lying on his back on the hard floor. He looked up and saw Kamui running over to him. Filled with trepidation, he put his hands behind him and crawled backwards as he remembered Epd's words that were now running through his head.

"No... Don't come near me Kamui...." Subaru said, shaking his head as he crawled back more.

"Subaru?" Kamui asked, his pace stopping a bit but he tried to reach for Subaru who was preventing him to go near.

"Don't..." His body felt odd. Numb. Not the tingly kind, but as if his body wasn't registering touch and feeling.

Subaru crawled back, but his limbs tried to give out. One of his elbows bent against his will and he fell to his elbow. He tried harder to move, but he couldn't. Kamui reached forward and quickly grabbed Subaru.

Subaru struggled against Kamui's grip, trying to push his brother away from him.

"No.... Kamui, let go.... let go of me.... please...." Subaru sobbed, but Kamui didn't dare to do so.

"Kamui, let go of me!" Subaru demanded, his voice raising.

"No, Subaru! Not until you tell me what's going on!" Kamui replied, gently, yet firmly.

Subaru's eyes flashed gold.

"LET GO OF ME!" He ordered.
Kamui's eyes widened. "Subaru......?"

Instead of letting go, Kamui wrapped his arms around Subaru. "I won't leave you, Subaru," Kamui whispered. This made Subaru cry even harder. Subaru gripped Kamui's arms tightly.

Subaru struggled to get out of Kamui's embrace, trying to yank Kamui's arms away from him, but his body was getting so weak. So weak.... He struggled harder, sweat forming on his forehead.

It was so hot. Far too hot. He struggled for breath, and when he did breathe, it was high, and difficult.

"Kamui... you shouldn't"-Strained breath- "Go near"-Another strained breath- "Me..." Subaru croaked out. He tried to get to his feet, but he fell back. His arms let go of Kamui and they fell to Subaru's side.

He collapsed to the floor, and tried to get up, yet fell back down. Kamui bent down over him. He lifted Subaru in his arms gently. Subaru gazed up at him with tear filled emerald eyes. He obviously tried to struggle, but he had absolutely no energy to do so.

Kamui gently lowered Subaru onto his bed. He lifted the covers and brought them up to Subaru's shoulders.

Subaru was still exhausted, as if his energy had decided to vanish. His vision wavered, and it seemed to go blank. Subaru blinked. His eyes were open, but he couldn't see.

Panic and fear built up in his chest. Kamui began to go to his own bed when he felt a small tug on his arm.

Subaru knew that he shouldn't have, that it would end up harming the one in front of him. But he couldn't help it.

"Don't.... leave..." Subaru whispered. The act burned his already tender throat. Subaru let his arm slip down to Kamui's hand, and he wrapped his fingers in between Kamui's.

Kamui turned and sat on Subaru's bed. He moved over to Subaru, and still grasping his hand, took Subaru's head, wrapping his arm around it and holding it close to his chest.

"I can't... see...." Subaru whimpered. Kamui held him tighter. He could hear Subaru muttering: "Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this?" Over and over, hurried so it wasn't actually very clear.

"Subaru....." Kamui whispered. Subaru muttered himself to sleep, his breaths still rushed and strained.

Kamui bent down and kissed Subaru's forehead. It was burning. Kamui slipped down and put Subaru's head on his shoulder, resting his head on Subaru's.

"Subaru... Don't be like this..." Kamui begged.

But Subaru couldn't stop because he loved Kamui too much...

Moko-chan: Ohohohoho! Now raise you're hand if you think we're being a bit too mean to Subaru? Well this is the King of Angst, we're suppose to be mean to him, but we still love him! Ohohoho! Hope you enjoyed the last chap for 2008!

Tsubasa: Yay! We got it up by New Years! Which I tonight!! (For me. Why is everyone so slo~w?)

Anyway, good luck in the new year. ^.^ ^.^