Disclaimer: I so want to own Soubi and Ritsuka, yet I can't. Too bad for me since they belong to Yun Koga.
A/N: For the readers who are also reading UCS . . . I will tell you this: I am working on it! XD (.(Runs around like she's gone mad).)
Yakusoku
Chapter
46: My Promise to Be Near, Not Far Away
Takara sat with her head bowed, refusing to look at anyone (especially her brother). She felt shameful that she had to face him now - he and their mother must have been worried sick about her - she could tell from Yayoi's worried expression. It felt nice to be missed, though . . .
"Um, I'm not sure what's exactly going on, but I'll leave it up to the three of you to talk things out," Miss Shinonome said. She stood to leave the room, because she was beginning to feel that she was being a nuisance, regardless if anyone really thought that or not. Right when she walked by Ritsuka, she was stopped by one of his hands grabbing onto her shirt sleeve. "Ritsuka?"
"You can stay . . . You're more than deserving to be in a part of this, after sheltering me in your home for so long," Ritsuka told her. He never did once look at her as he said this. "I want you to learn as much as you can about me."
She felt touched - Ritsuka was trying to open up to her at last. What more could she want from him other than this? Absolutely nothing.
Thank you, Aoyagi.
Soubi would be lying (not like he didn't lie all the time, anyway) if he said he didn't feel a twinge of jealousy, at the sight of Ritsuka interacting with his former teacher . . . How would one describe it . . . So thoroughly. This feeling of jealousy offset a rage within Soubi that he couldn't really describe. He wanted to do something, show everyone that he belonged to Ritsuka and Ritsuka belonged to him. Yet, what could he do that was going to be discreet, but let everyone other than Ritsuka know of the message?
"Let's all talk . . ." Soubi purposely pulled his feline companion close while everyone watched. ". . . There must have been a good reason that Takara has come here today."
"Yes, I have come with purpose," Takara surmised. "I've kept too many things from all of you, and I want to let it all out. Ritsu no longer has control over me, all thanks to Hokori." Takara bowed her head down and bared the back of her neck for everyone to see. There was a bandage placed there. "She helped me take off a microchip that Ritsu implanted at the nape of my neck. It's impossible to take it off yourself, so therefore you needed someone else to help you. They must have some sort of knowledge about this device though, or you might end up in trouble if you take it out wrong."
"What happens to you if you take it out wrong?" Miss Shinonome asked, when no one else was saying anything.
"You die. The microchip is attached to a nerve ending inside your body, and if meddled with in the wrong or improper way, it will signal to the brain to cease all functions of the body."
"That's awful," Miss Shinonome said.
Will what I tell all of them today help? Am I too late?
Yayoi was paying close attention to his sister - her movements - eyes, lips, hand gestures, and even the pitches and nuisances in her voice. He wanted to see if he could catch anything about her that was different than what he was used to. As foolish as this all may sound, it might actually prove helpful. He was also shocked that Takara was revealing things he never knew about her . . . Not as if he already didn't know a lot about her anyway.
"Hokori told me some startling news about Seimei. I was unaware of what she has gone through, and the guilt that now plagues her must be a heavy one." Takara made sure to focus most of her attention towards Ritsuka. "She would probably think it is best I relay her message to you, since she can't do it herself . . . Seimei said he and Isoshi were to burn for the crime they committed. They stole Ritsu's magic water and disposed of it - why they thought it a crime and burned themselves is beyond me. And the strange thing was no one saw Seimei enter the classroom . . . All of a sudden he was just there in Ritsuka's seat, burning and burning."
This explained a lot and it only tied together with what Seimei and Isoshi discovered with each other.
"Ritsu'a magic water is some sort of chemical . . . Seimei and Isoshi found out that the markings on your body are not real. Ritsu puts them there, so that means . . ." Ritsuka trailed off.
"I suppose mine isn't real, is it?" Soubi touched the bandages on his neck. "Though I don't recall anyone ever carving anything onto my flesh. The mark is there and you can see it very clearly."
Ritsuk's ears went flat against his head as he thought about something - it made him angry. "Furthermore, how the hell did you discover that note on Seimei's cell phone when I never noticed it before? How could he have sent it if he's already dead?"
"Good questions, Ritsuka. You're too perceptive, you know that?" Soubi dodged a swap to the arm by moving away. "He didn't send it. He is dead, like you said. But I don't know who the true sender is. It can be anyone."
". . . Ritsu, even?" Takara questioned.
"That's a possibility, since he must know about Seimei and Isoshi's act."
"Soubi, come with me. We need to talk in private. Excuse us . . ." Ritsuka began to walk away.
-----
". . . And you tell me you promised my brother you'd belong to me! That you'd do as I say! Everything! This all sounds so hopeless! I don't know if I want this anymore . . ."
"What is this all of a sudden, Ritsuka? Why are you so mad at me? Do you dislike being around me now?"
"Because of you! This whole mess started because of you!" Ritsuka began to pace back and forth within the room, tail swishing this way and that out of agitation. "If only I've never met you, and if only I didn't care about uncovering the truth behind Seimei's death. Maybe none of this would have happened. I can't rid myself of this guilty feeling. It's driving me insane."
Ritsuka thought of his camera then. He was glad that it was gone, or else he might have taken pictures of Soubi. Not having any lasting memories of the man would be better off for him anyway.
"My meeting you is unavoidable; he asked me specifically to be by your side if he was to ever fall. His death was not a meaningless one, if that's what you're wondering about."
"I haven't forgotten what you told me yesterday . . . You said that I was your Master, what did you mean by that?"
"That is part of my promise to your brother. If he were to ever fall I was to become his little brother's will, belonging, and being. And now that he is gone, I have kept my end of the bargain, Ritsuka, I am now yours, and yours alone."
"This is crazy! I . . . I can't own someone!"
"Meaningless? I never said it was meaningless!"
Soubi sweat dropped - Ritsuka was being really testy with him today. He wanted to do or say something to calm the poor boy down. He looked to the door, thinking that everyone else outside on the other side could hear everything Ritsuka was saying, since he was being so loud. It couldn't be helped, since what could he really say to calm the poor boy down?
"Would it be better if we were far apart, Ritsuka?" Soubi asked.
Was a rift between them going to form so soon already?
"I never said that either . . .!"
What was the point of arguing anymore? It usually led to nowhere, didn't it? Ritsuka knew this . . . Yet, why bother to continue? Is arguing all he knew how to do?
"Then why are you yelling at me? What is making you feel guilty?"
Ritsuka frowned, eyes downcast. "About the note you supposedly received on my brother's cell phone . . ." Soubi took on a look of faint curiosity, ". . . I can't help but feel that you were merely telling me something I should know; that there was never a note sent to Seimei's cell phone in the first place. My guilt starts from there and branches out further when I think about all of the other things that have happened so far."
True honesty?
"What would you do if I told you that your assumption is correct?" Soubi wanted to test the waters before taking a dive inside. "Will I not be allowed to remain with you?"
"So what I've assumed about you is all true?" The blonde nodded, seeing no point in lying at the moment. "Well . . . Thanks. Thanks for telling me."
"Thanks? Are you thanking me?"
"Don't sound so surprised, idiot!" Ritsuka flushed. "And I want you to tell me the entire truth . . . You're still hiding things and I want to know what they are. If . . . If you truly love me, then you'll not hold back . . ."
-----
"Love?" Yayoi gasped.
"Ssshhhhhh, they might hear us!" Takara reprimanded.
"We shouldn't be doing this . . ." Miss Shinonome knew it was wrong to listen in on other people's conversations, but lady temptress made her do it, you could say (what with Yayoi and his sister doing it, too).
-----
". . . There was a reason behind Seimei's words, when he asked of me to stay with you after he dies. I didn't understand the underlying message at first, but now I fully understand it since I've come to realize my feelings about you. He knew of it first . . . I was too one-sided to take notice."
"What are you talking about?" Ritsuka asked.
"I've long loved you before the death of your brother. My infatuation was aimed at the wrong person for all the wrong reasons. Seimei wasn't a blind fool like me." Ritsuka became wide-eyed, not expecting to hear something like that. Soubi weakly smiled at him as a response to his reaction. "But because of my devotion to him, I completely overrode whatever feelings I had for you as something I thought would never exist; never come to be. And I've heard about the magic water . . . Seimei told me upon him and Isoshi discovering it. He's told me what Takara's told all of us, but I didn't believe him then. Maybe I should have . . ."
"His death . . . Do you know why?"
"Redemption . . ."
"His only means of escape? How could that be when he had me?"
"He had no one. People beside him he regarded as objects to use or be used by - that was the way his mind truly worked, after discovering Ritsu's true intentions." Soubi made sure to say everything thoroughly so Ritsuka wouldn't ask him too many questions. "He never did tell me what he discovered about Ritsu though."
"Why did you keep all of this from me?" Ritsuka felt he had the right to say this. "You played mind games with me this whole time? I feel as if you don't really care about me . . . Or anyone else. I'm . . . I'm leaving." Ritsuka stood up to move, but Soubi blocked his way. A reoccurring thing, actually. "Move, Soubi."
"A lover in despair, aren't you being? I promised to remain with you till my deathbed and I meant it."
"Just shove it! I am fucking tired of you!" Ritsuka threw him the most meanest and annoyed look he could muster. It wasn't hard to do, since his anger level was sky-rocketing.
It was very unlike Ritsuka to be cursing, for Soubi had never heard him curse, not even once. If such a change as this came about, then the boy must be really serious about what he said - this made the blonde-haired Fighter sad when he thought about it. It was true to some extent, that he'd play silly games of his own, simply to toy with the kid, but it seems like he has gone too far, hasn't it? Were they going to be done and over with for good? Soubi would think so . . .
-----
"We better move . . . kids," Miss Shinonome ushered, having a good understanding that Ritsuka was going to open the door very, very soon. Takara and Yayoi complied, neither one saying anything to each other. " . . . And make sure you don't leak this out to Ritsuka. He'll be angry with us if he finds out that we were eavesdropping on his conversation."
-----
Ritsuka did open the door and he wasted no time in stepping out of the room and heading for the front door of the house. He needed to get away from Soubi and mull over his own feelings. As angry as he was trying to be, he found that his anger was dissipating rapidly. For some reason, he was unable to stay mad at Soubi . . . But, why? Was it because he still feels strongly for him?
-----
"Hello?"
"Kio, buy some meat and vegetables and we'll enjoy potluck together."
"Soubi! Where the heck are you! How can you be talking about food, when I was out searching for you this whole time! I still am right now!"
Soubi frowned - Kio's voice was like a speaker box, blaring his voice out into Soubi's ear. "I'm making up for it by eating pot luck with you."
". . . Then why do I have to the ingredients and condiments?"
"Do you want to eat pot luck with me or not?"
"I do!"
"Go buy the stuff for it."
"Fine! You better be home by the time I get back from the supermarket! I'm giving you twenty minutes!"
"All right, Kio, I understand."
Chapter 46: END
Ritsuka:Don't you start . . .
LadyYuina:You know you still love him, so that's why you can't stay mad! Hahahaha!
Ritsuka:If it were possible I'd like to strangle you right about now . . .
LadyYuina:I'll have you strangled before you can even strangle me! How's that sound, huh? I can make Ritsu, oooohhh, Nagisa, Nana, or Takara even, to strangle you to death!
Ritsuka:Shut up.
LadyYuina:(.(strangles Ritsuka).)
Ritsuka:What the hell are you doing grabbing onto thin air? You can't actually touch me, dumbass.
LadyYuina:Ah! You've called me a dumbass again! Okay, that's it! Sick him, Ritsu! XD
