X: Can We Talk?
Nataku walked past the room where the "Kamui"of the Dragons of Earth was staying. Most of them were staying here, in City Hall, except for Kusanagi & Seishirou. Both said they preferred to stay on their own but will join the Angels in the morning.
The last day was coming soon, tomorrow in fact, the day when the Earth's fate would be decided. Nataku knew that it had been created for this purpose, to help save the Earth. That was all Nataku knew, besides the fact that it was a sexless lifeform, with no soul, yet innocent - like an angel. That was what the lab researchers had told it.
Nataku snuck a peek at Fuuma. He was sitting on the bed, holding the Shinken. Nataku remembered the first time it had met Fuuma. It had been sent to steal the Shinken from Togakushi Shrine.
[ "Father!!"
A young man rushed out from the house adjacent
to the shrine.
"Father!!"
Nataku stood calmly outside in the courtyard,
clinically wiping off the blood from the blade of the sword. The whole process
had been so unnecessarily messy. If only that man had just given him the
sword...
Nataku turned the sword in its hands, giving
it a cursory examination. Then, a face of a young man appeared in the stone
embedded in the hilt of the sword; just a mere reflection. Something struck its
mind then.
That face....
"Dad-dy...??" Nataku asked. It
remembered images, glimpses of another life, of sunshine, happiness &
laughter.
* But from where?.. *
"Dad-dy?..."
Nataku asked again. It remembered images of a
handsome man wearing glasses, holding out his arms to a little girl.
"Daddy...."
Then the young man turned, seeing Nataku.
Nataku's breath caught. Those eyes...
Nataku leapt up, preparing to take flight.
Their eyes met & yet another image flitted
through Nataku's mind, an image of that same man sobbing.
"Dad-dy...." ]
Nataku looked at Fuuma again. Somehow, this Fuuma seemed different from that young man Nataku had seen that night. Fuuma preferred to be alone in the room he had requested from Kanoe. He hardly talked to anyone, rarely left the room unless to eat. He seemed...very...cold.
Nataku stole yet another look at Fuuma. The moonlight fell onto his face, revealing a handsome profile. He looked very powerful but very solitary. Like he didn't like to share anything with any one. There were no lights switched on in his room, except for the moonlight softly creeping into the room.
"Come in, Nataku, I know you've been watching me," Fuuma called.
Nataku started a little at that. It didn't know that Fuuma had noticed its staring. Nataku shuffled its feet, stepping shyly inside the doorway. It looked around the room; it was bare. With the exception of a few bags containing his clothes & a few books - *He still goes to school?* - there was nothing else.
"What are you waiting for? Come sit down here." Fuuma invited Nataku, patting the area next to him on the bed. Nataku stepped forward, sitting cautiously next to Fuuma, ensuring a safe amount of space between him & Fuuma. So far, Fuuma hadn't said anything unpleasant, seemed quite n-i-c-e actually but Nataku wasn't sure how long the invitation was going to be extended so it wasn't taking any chances.
The two of them sat in silence for a while there, Nataku unashamedly taking the opportunity to stare at the young man who resembled the other man from Nataku's memory so much. Oh, he was a good-looking young man all right. Strong jawline, deep - set eyes & a tall, slim body. Nataku had stood next to him once, he was a few inches taller than Nataku. But he was different from the man from Nataku's memory. THAT man was always smiling & happy. Fuuma certainly didn't smile as much nor was he as friendly.
Long, elegant fingers carressed the blade of the Shinken. His Shinken, the first one, the one Nataku stole for the lab engineers to examine. The one Nataku had to kill Fuuma's father to obtain. Fuuma turned to face Nataku. "What are you doing up so late? Aren't you sharing a room with Kakyou?" he asked.
"I couldn't rest," Nataku replied honestly. Actually, it wasn't used to not being in the lab & immersed in the fluids of that tank that the engineers housed it in. There was a certain odd comfort getting to spend time inside the tank, in comparison City Hall was so huge & vast.
"Is this the first time you've spent a night outside the lab?" Fuuma asked. He was still holding the Shinken, turning it over in his hands, inspecting every minute detail.
"Yes..." Nataku replied honestly. Even after joining up with the Angels, Nataku had continued to return to the lab daily, preferring to stay close to the lab engineers that had created it.
Fuuma let out a small laugh. "I guessed." He finally put away the Shinken, leaving it rested against the small dressing table next to the bed.
Fuuma moved from sitting near the edge of the bed to rest his back against the wall so that he was directly facing Nataku. It had to shift slightly then, in order to be able to look at Fuuma. Again, there was a silence as the two Angels watched each other.
Nataku broke the silence by asking Fuuma, "Will you kill him?" There was no question as to which HIM they were talking about. Shirou Kamui, the Seals' "Kamui." Nataku had seen the boy before. He was a small person, with big violet eyes. Pretty, very pretty. But Nataku felt that Fuuma looked much better. So what if he looked so forbidding?
"Of course. He stands in my way of saving the Earth. There is no doubt," Fuuma stated calmly.
"But why? He's not interested in killing you at all," Nataku replied.
"I know that but I don't have a choice. The Earth is dying. We have to win to ensure the continued existence of the Earth. Kamui wants to defend Humanity but has no desire to hurt me. That will only benefit us. Any hesitation on his part will be to his disadvantage. I'm afraid he harbours some rather mistaken fancies about the return of the youth named Monou Fuuma," he continued.
"But aren't you Monou Fuuma?" Nataku asked. Fuuma paused for a long while after hearing that question.
"I am...."Fuuma answered, he seemed to be searching for the right words to use. "But...I no longer retain that personality. I am Kamui." he finished with an air of finality.
Nataku scratched its head. That was a confusing answer. Ah well, it didn't matter much to Nataku anyway, it would fight on the side of the person who looked so similar to the man from Nataku's memory. It was that simple really.
"Tell me something, Nataku." It was Fuuma's turn to do the talking.
"Why do you stay close to me? I don't talk to you, I don't treat you very nicely most of the time; I ignore you, in fact. But why do you bother to remain so faithfully?" Fuuma looked intensely at Nataku, suddenly shifting closer so that his face was now mere inches away from Nataku's.
It was true. Nataku had developed a truly irritating habit ( to Fuuma's point of view ) of staying close to him. Not that it physically glued itself to Fuuma's side but it just hovered in the background like Fuuma's shadow. Where there was Fuuma, there was bound to be Nataku somewhere near, observing him, or just looking at him. It was positively unnerving actually. The other Angels had noticed it too, to the point of Satsuki making some wisecrack about Nataku being besotted with Fuuma. A simple threat to damage to her pet computer had stopped any further remarks.
Nataku backed away nervously from Fuuma. 'Why?' Fuuma had asked him. How do you answer such a question? "Well, ummm...you remind me of someone." Nataku finally replied, squirming underneath Fuuma's stare. It really wasn't used to people looking at it like that.
"Who?" came the rapid retort.
"I don't know. A man, somebody's father. You look a lot like him, you have the same eyes. I can't remember much about that man but he made people feel happy when they were near him. That's all I remember. I don't even know whose memory it is," Nataku answered honestly.
To its surprise, Fuuma laughed. "That's it? That's all? Your tailing me, sticking close to me & generally irritating me is due to a mere *memory*? Well, well, Nataku, you really amaze me." He continued chuckling.
Nataku kept silent at that. It had no suitable response to that remark anyway, but it was slightly hurt that Fuuma had made fun of it. Sensing Nataku's discomfort, Fuuma finally ceased his laughter. He leaned forward again, staring into Nataku's face. This time, Nataku didn't back away.
Fuuma reached out with one hand to cup Nataku's chin. The other traced the pattern of rose petals on Nataku's forehead very gently, then slowly brought the hand up to stroke Nataku's fine white hair. Nataku felt even more confused. What was going on here? Why was Fuuma touching it like this?
"You know Nataku....You're a very pretty person, for all you're sexless. Very beautiful indeed..." Fuuma spoke softly, seductively to Nataku. Nataku kept quiet. He leaned even closer to Nataku & pressed his lips gently to Nataku's.
Nataku froze, shocked by the intimate contact Fuuma offered it. Fuuma pulled away & looked down at Nataku. He smiled, seeing the confusion in Nataku's eyes. "Oh, come on Nataku, I won't hurt you..." He leaned down to kiss Nataku again, this time drawing Nataku into his arms for a deeper kiss.
Nataku slowly relaxed in Fuuma's arms, hesitantly placing its arms around Fuuma's neck and leaning further into the kiss. It was quite enjoyable actually, touching Fuuma this way. It left a very unusual feeling in Nataku's body...
Fuuma pulled away after a very long time, leaving the both of them breathless. He stared at Nataku; frankly he had no idea why on earth he'd kissed the fellow Angel but Nataku had looked so adorable. The kiss had been very pleasant and he was sure Nataku had enjoyed it too. It was his first, but well, he wasn't telling & Nataku was in no position to be commenting on his lack of experience, so there!
Nataku looked away from Fuuma. Suddenly, it felt very shy, looking at Fuuma like that. In the moonlight, Fuuma saw Nataku turning a very charming shade of crimson. It gingerly removed itself from Fuuma's arms.
Fuuma reached out and grasped Nataku's hand. Nataku stared at the hand, amazed at the continued contact. *Well, it doesn't hurt me any to have Nataku close...And Nataku's so lovable...*
Fuuma pulled Nataku closer to his body, forcing it to sit right next to him. After some hesitation, Nataku laid its head on his shoulder, its arms going around Fuuma's waist. Fuuma stroked its fine white hair, the exact opposite shade to his own ebony black.
He spoke softly to Nataku, nuzzling the top of Nataku's head. "You're very cute, Nataku... So cute. You're lucky I'm not a pervert or I would have no hesitations whatsoever about bedding you."
"Hmmm?" Nataku looked up in askance. It was just getting comfortable, its head pillowed on Fuuma's broad shoulders. And it felt so safe too; Nataku was very sure that Fuuma would allow no one to harm it.
Fuuma smiled widely & pushed Nataku back down onto his shoulder. "Never mind. Go to sleep Nataku. It'll be a long day tomorrow." Nataku settled back down, closing its eyes, its breathing soon growing slow & steady. One hand crept around to hold Fuuma's firmly.
Fuuma held Nataku, marvelling at the sleeping innocent in his arms. Nataku was still a child in many ways but this was also the same person who had killed the man Fuuma had called 'Father' in cold blood. It was odd, the contrasting behaviour.
Fuuma laid back down on the bed himself, taking
care not to wake Nataku up. Nataku murmured in its sleep, snuggling closer to
Fuuma. Back then while kissing Nataku, he HAD contemplated going further but
decided against it. That would have been taking advantage of Nataku & he
didn't feel comfortable about doing that. He smiled wryly at that thought. *But
I had no qualms about killing my own sister...How ironic.*
He lay awake for some time more, just thinking of the various outcomes that may result from the next day's battle but finally decided to go to sleep. Like he said, tomorrow would be a long day.
Both of them slept, bathed in the moonlight.
*END*