AN: If anyone cares for it, the scene following the end of the last chapter can be found in Chapter 3 of PE Extras. It's M-rated for a reason, so be warned.
So sorry for the delay. I've been sick off and on for about two months, which worsened my already bad writer's block.
Also, thank you to the recent anon for your words! It truly means a lot you like this story! ;w; I'm not sure if Amito is a name you go by or if it was your pairing name for Amethyst and Akito, but I like it! :p Very catchy.
And of course a huge thank you to Killer Disco Queen -er... The Bloody Red Queen of Angst, I mean - for being an unrelenting beam of support, both for this story and me in general. I wouldn't have been able to get this far without you. Thank you for your limitless kindness and patience.
Another theme for Amethyst is Hurricane by Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Warning. Mild violence and gore.
How did he get here? What did he do to deserve this hell? This... This was true suffering. An unjust punishment. And here he thought he was beginning to make amends and compensate for his previous actions. But this sanction just wasn't fair. Already he could feel the sweat of fatigue forming on his brow, his exhaustion setting flames to his lungs as they fought to absorb and release oxygen and carbon dioxide in even breaths. He was going to die. He already knew it. This was the end of him.
And she had only tried on two.
Akito swallowed thickly for what had to have been the fiftieth time, lifting his bottle to his lips and taking another drink of the cold water to soothe some of his aching. He currently sat in a very uncomfortable chair in a dressing room, his obsidian orbs locked onto the stall door his wife-to-be was inside. She had had the wonderful idea to drag him along on this expedition, demanded his opinion of every single one of those skimpy...oh-so revealing outfits that barely managed to hold her breasts from spilling out. She had gone in with at least ten... He was only a fifth done. He was thankful he had given in to her request for him to choose out his own swimwear earlier ("Why am I not surprised? Solid black tank top and solid black swim trunks. Starting to think you might be emo. You're going to get hot.") for he now had a pile to sit on his lap and hide the evidence of how...agonizing this experience was.
"Okay, what do you think of this one?" The click of the lock was immediately succeeded with the door swinging open. "I quite like it."
Glancing up from the swimsuit, I nearly burst into laughter, but my embarrassment was too great and overruled it. Though I could tell he was doing his best to keep a straight face, I caught the red in his cheeks and the way his eyes were fixated on my bust. I did have to cut the poor guy some slack. He was only male, and I had been forcing him to look at me practically in underwear. But... He was just going to have to deal with it.
"I don't see the difference between it and the others. They're all the same to me, just different colors." This response came dry and uninterested.
"This one has the fabric hanging down from the middle though. I've always liked that touch, it's pretty. And it's my favorite color." I looked down at the garment to observe the rich eggplant color in the lighting, habitually running my hands over my breasts to smooth out the fabric... Temporarily forgetting I had an audience until it was too late. He cleared his throat and I could hear him shifting in his seat.
"Then get that one. It's your swimsuit. You choose it."
I tilted my head side to side, contemplating over the rationality of his suggestion. Only..
"Well... It's the most expensive-"
"So? Get it. Unless we're talking thousands, I told you it's hardly a concern. Get what you want, and let's go." That harsh tone was sneaking into his voice, causing me to instinctively flinch and take a step back. What was his problem? Out of nowhere too.
"Fine. You could lose the damn attitude though." Turning on my heel, I slipped back into the stall, slamming the lock in place and loosening the tie on the back of my swimsuit's top. Akito was silent. I either pissed him off or left him without a response. I couldn't care less. He needed to drop the sass over the stupidest things. He was acting like a child.
"...sumimasen..." In the process of guiding my jeans back over my legs, I froze in place. Was he... Actually apologizing? Ha, so what I said did sink in.
"It's fine. Just I don't know what's got your panties in a wad. Forgive me for wanting to pick something you'd like too."
There was a brief pause, though I could make out the roughness of a stifled groan. "Don't say that..."
...what? What was wrong with what I said? "Why not?"
"Just don't - I don't want to know you're specifically looking to please me."
What the fuck?! What was his damn problem, what was wrong with that?
"And why would that be?" Pulling my ponytail out of the back of my collar, I adjusted my hair in the mirror. "Don't tell me somehow that offends you, prick." Gathering the clothes I'd tried on in my arms, I glanced around the tiny room one last time to ensure I hadn't left anything.
"Well... No. Not quite." Why did he always have to be so cryptic? He was nearly as bad as when I had first met him.
I scoffed and unhooked the latch, opening the door to step out. "Then what's the deal-"
My lips clamped together. If his facial expression didn't make the problem clear enough, his tightly crossed legs did. A snicker of sadistic humor nearly made its way through my mouth, but I managed to catch it in my nose, instead releasing a snort. His pained mien only twisted more as his lips curled back and revealed teeth in a disgruntled grimace, and I could see the shifting of his muscles and the fabric in his grasp as his fist clutched the cloth more tightly.
"It's not funny, woman."
"It is to me." Walking over to the provided bin, I dropped the swimsuits I'd decided against into the basket, taking advantage of my back being to him to let a wicked grin curve across my face. "You're the one who needs to learn how to control yourself."
"You're the one who was dressing in next to nothing. Unless you're trying to say you'd rather I didn't feel attracted to you."
Damn him. "Well no, buuut... You could learn to control it in public. You're not getting anything here. Not that you'll always get something."
"Now you're just being mean." I could hear the suffering, the longing in his voice, but it did little to persuade me into anything. I had too much self respect to do anything public, not to mention it was just revolting to do so. That sort of thing was private.
"I think you mean preserving our dignity." Switching gears before he could retort, I fished my wallet from the abyss of my purse. "Want me to go buy you an oversized shirt? It'll prevent you from-"
"No. It's already...lessening... But. I do think a nice glass of grape juice would do me wonders when we go back."
Casting him an unamused glance, I examined his features for any sign of jest. Scrunching my nose and scowling, I shook my head slowly. "Wine is the last thing you need."
The corner of his mouth curved the opposite direction I expected as he leaned forward with his elbow on his knee, his chin resting on his palm.
"Oh, I didn't mean for me."
Quirking an eyebrow at him, I stared him down in a daring manner, holding my tongue knowing my silence would speak louder than any words my brain could conjure. I watched that cocky smirk slowly fade into an uneasy grimace over the next couple minutes, his hand twitching slightly as he straightened in his seat. "My... That's a scary look."
Cocking my head a little to the left, I cast my own smirk his way. "You know... We have an automatic banana slicer in the kitchen. It's the perfect size for-"
"Can I help you two find anything?" A sweet and energetic... Obviously forced, retailer tone... Voice interrupted my threat just as the horror flashed in Akito's eyes as realization dawned on him. I turned to the sales associate with my own mock-genuine smile and sweetened my words as well as I could.
"Oh no thank you, we're just looking and seeing what we like."
"Okay! Let me know if you need anything."
"Thank you!" I watched with a kind smile as she turned to walk away, only once she was hidden behind all of the clothing racks turning back to pale-skinned Akito with my face shifting into a roguish sneer. "Be a good boy, okay?" Ruffling his hair before spinning on my heel, I walked towards the checkout. "Now come on. I want to go home and get this swimsuit washed and take a shower."
Unbeknownst to her, Akito's vexingly raging hormones had him unable to control where his eyes drifted. Though he did grow irritated when the strands would strew over him in her sleep, he was thankful for her hair's length at this particular moment, for no doubt that heat would return and make walking uncomfortable, to say the very least. Clearing his throat in an attempt to distract himself, he paced quick enough to reach her side before she noticed where his gaze was focused. Though he liked to tell himself he was above baser instinct, he couldn't deny he was a male. And as such, his body craved relief from its burgeoning needs. But... He had to be stronger than it. He was a human, not an animal. He was in control.
After a quick stop for new bottles of water, the girl finally showed him mercy and made for the exit, the stress of being in such a crowded place finally lifting from his shoulders. Finally he could breathe! Finally they could go home- until she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Groaning in the back of his throat as his eyes rolled of their own accord into the back of his head, he turned in her direction. "What now?"
Unexpectedly, her eyes and attention were not on him. Instead, she was staring wide-eyed to the side, a distance in those green orbs he hadn't seen in a long time, and only when she was deeply thinking on something. Something...painful. Moving his feet so he faced her, he reached a hand out to jar her from this trance. "What's wrong with y-" Before he could make contact with her shoulder, she stepped forward, her facial expression so far away it was as though she'd been possessed, or at the very least, whisked away to another planet. Seeing no other alternative, he finally followed her line of sight, finding nothing ahead of her - aside from... A bird? Flicking his gaze back to hers, it became clear this flighted creature was the current recipient of her attention. But why? It was just an ordinary sparrow hopping around. Why was she so enthralled?
A movement of her arm drew Akito's gaze downward to her hand as she unscrewed her water bottle, not once removing her concentration from the bird. What was she...
He watched in silence as she slowly inched forward, a carefulness he doubted he himself could ever be capable of. He lacked the patience to move so languidly. Gradually, she lowered to her knees, gaining the returned attention of the sparrow as its feathers fell closer to its body in clear wariness. Akito felt that ever-familiar agitation creeping along his spine at this...unfathomably ridiculous waste of time over a stupid bird, but... At the same time, intense fascination had him keep watching, unable to tear his gaze away. Amethyst always had a reason for things she did, even if that reason isn't clarified until way later. Nothing is pointless when it comes to her. So even when she started lowly cooing nonsense to the creature about how she wouldn't hurt it, he simply observed.
What he didn't expect was her to remove the cap of her drink and pour a small stream directly onto the asphalt. And she complained about wasting money.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
No response. She remained fixated only on the animal... That took a few precarious steps her way before backtracking out of fear.
"Come on, it's okay." Her voice was softer and more tender than he could've imagined. Even more surprising, the bird drew closer, bobbing its head forward in caution as it did so. Akito's head automatically tilted to the side as he watched this small scene unfold before him. Eventually the animal was close enough his woman could hold the bottle down at just enough of an angle a thin river trickled out, the creature drinking greedily as its eyes remained tracked on her features. It wasn't until it had its fill and flown off that she stood, the cap back on the bottle, and stared in the direction the bird left in. Deciding now was the best time to grab her attention before it drifts again, he cleared his throat and drew closer to her.
"Giving birds your water now, hm?"
"Tch." She shook her head before tilting it to look up at him. "The poor thing was thirsty. I wasn't going to just leave it like that."
"And how do you know that?"
A forlorn film conquered her eyes as her brows curved, her gaze falling. "It was circling a water fountain, trying to get water from the small puddles. You can...call me stupid if you want but... I can't help but take pity on helpless animals." He opened his mouth to interject, for he didn't see it as stupid, but she continued. "Think about it. If we humans get thirsty, we can go home or go buy a drink somewhere. But animals... They can't. They'll suffer until they find fresh water somewhere, which can't always be easy. And birds are so smart. I'm willing to bet that sparrow has watched several humans come and get a drink from the fountain, some...probably shooed him away when he was trying to so they could get a drink. He knew it was a water source, he knew it was right there... But he doesn't have the strength to press the button. Imagine how torturous that must be. To be desperate, have what you need right there at your fingertips, but totally inaccessible and no one will help you. I've taken it on myself to help any animal, especially birds, that seems thirsty or hungry. Even if I have to go without, these innocent souls need someone to take care of them and help." Even with her head downcast, the Head could see the building wetness of tears along her bottom kid. She was something else entirely.
Sighing, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Listen. I don't find that stupid. I think it shows your strength if you can imagine yourself in their place and give up your own needs for them. You have a large heart, plain and simple." Releasing her chin, he cupped both of her cheeks in his hands. "It's part of why I lo-... I fell for you. You stand up for yourself, but you have a kind soul. Such a rare find in today's world." Pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, he didn't give her a chance to reply. As soon as he removed his lips from her skin, he walked in the direction of the parking lot, not at all comfortable with the subject at hand and aching for an escape. "Now let's go get you a shower."
Making my way to the kitchen with my wet hair brushed and pulled back into a loose ponytail, I nearly collided straight into Yuki as I turned the corner in my quest for a drink. The silver haired man had been talking with Tohru, and... That same blonde teenage boy I'd seen on occasion walking around, the one who had welcomed me here on that fateful day months ago. Scrambling backwards in an attempt to reground my feet, my mouth fell open, the taste of a swear swelling on my tongue as I failed to steady myself, nearly colliding with the wall nearest to me. Squeezing my eyes shut, I braced myself for painful impact, my tumbling stopped by something clutching onto my wrist to bring my body to a halt.
"Amethyst-san! Gomennasai! You should be more careful, you could hurt your head and that wouldn't be good!" Recognizing the boy's voice as he spoke, I opened my eyes as I righted my footing.
"Ah- arigatou." Bending in a respectful bow, I had to reason with myself not to let my bodily needs affect me. I might be thirsty, but he hadn't done anything to irk me so it'd be wrong to tell him I can take care of myself. Besides... I was sure it was just the embarrassment. Looking back up and meeting his brown eyes, I smiled warmly. "I was thinking... I don't even know your name." Akito did say I should learn everyone's name, but my social awkwardness made that a difficult task. I couldn't just go around 'yo, name?', but it was rare for me to interact with anyone else. I needed to seize this opportunity.
"I'm Momiji! I guess I forgot to mention it before, sorry about that..." If this boy could sprout large, animal-like ears, they'd be angled downwards, I was sure of it. The look on his face as he averted his gaze to the wooden floor, his lip pouting just a little in its ashamed frown, his eyes twinkling and dark with shame, perfectly painted how guilty he felt. But... Why? He hadn't actually done something wrong!
Conjuring up a quick distraction, I forced a small laugh to add a lighthearted feel to my words. "Oh, it's okay! We've never had much opportunity to speak! So... Did you graduate this year? Do you have any colleges picked out?"
The instantaneous shift in his expression to an extremely exuberant, wide sparkly-eyed grin would've thrown me for a loop had I not been familiar with Akito's own mood swings, as well as my own. "Oh no! I graduated four years ago! I finished my college already!"
What the shit?! How...how did he graduate a year before me? He couldn't be over 17, could he? My face must've bespoke my shock, if Yuki's clearing his throat and speaking was any indication.
"Momiji is 21. He was a year behind Tohru and me, which would put him a year ahead of you."
I...I couldn't even process it. He looked so young! And his mannerisms weren't what I'd expect from someone his age, he was too full of energy and peppy. Though... Thinking on this made me ponder...was he trying to hide something? Or did he have a rough childhood? People that energetic usually had a reason for being that way, and it wasn't that they were happy.
"Ah- sumimasen. I truly thought you were still in high school, please forgive my misunderstanding." My embarrassment threatened to stall my tongue, and forcing my words out led me to bumble and ramble. It was like word vomit, as much as I hated that phrase. I truly felt like I was spewing nonsense.
"It's okay! Most people do! I think it's funny and even sweet!" That cheerfulness... It didn't match the frown hidden within his grin. I knew what that ever-slight downward curve meant. He was hiding his own pain.
After some idle chit-chat, I finally managed to make it into the kitchen- only to freeze in place. My heart stopped, the oxygen in my lungs turning to ice and solidifying the organs, my stomach dropped. Everything in the room faded into black and white, becoming unfocused everywhere but in one place. Or rather, on one person. How could he...? I fucking...I warned him! Why...
Dark, lifeless obsidian eyes finally met mine as his head turned to me, and though they quickly melted into panic and pleading, shining with their obvious fret, the image of Akito's pale skin splattered in crimson drops was forever burned into my mind. The image of my to-be-husband with a blade on his hand, a lifeless body at his feet as he stared at me with murderous eyes. As water flooded my eyes, I couldn't care less to even try to make out the identity of the poor victim. Just... Why- what caused him to snap? And he knew I wouldn't tolerate it... Did I do something at the mall to drive him to the point he didn't care anymore? Either way, he had to know... This... This was not something I would overlook or forgive. This was a deal breaker, to be as simple as possible.
"Amethyst... Please- it's not what you think."
AN: The bird scene is heavily based on my own feelings of animals in need of water. I cry watching videos of cockatoos trying to turn on water fountains, it's just so sad to me. :c
The exchange with Momiji was planned since Amethyst came to the Honke, so I'm so glad I finally managed to reach this scene lol. It's been killing me. You should know by now, no details are ever random or without purpose. :p I have a fierce love of stories or games with lore the reader/player/viewer has to uncover piece by piece for themselves.
Not proofread at the time of posting, so I'll go back and edit anything later on!