Love is Leaving
By Renee Shields (sakurachan02@hotmail.com)
Author's Notes: Hey! I am so happy with the responses I got for the first chapter. To those people, this chapter is for you all--you inspired me and gave me the motivation to write this chapter. Sorrie it took so long though! And, last note--thanx to Lady Crescent Moon (whose stories are way good too!) for helping me with ideas when I had writers block. Luv ya lotz gurlie! Now enuff talk and on with the story. BTW, anything in *...* indicates thoughts.
Chapter Two: Hanging on a Thread of Hope or Hopelessness
Taka drove home, alone. With an empty stare, he drove by the accident scene. Everything seemed normal. He then proceeded home. It was their home, but now it was filled with the smell of burned food. He opened the door, fumbling with the keys. A defeated Taka plopped down on the sofa. He took off his bloody shirt, tainted from a cut that Tasuki had inflicted. "Where to start? What do I do now?" he thought. On a small side table, Taka picked up a picture. He turned on a lamp and looked at the picture of him and Miaka. They were at a park and they both looked so happy. He stared at it wistfully then returned it to its place, picture side down. With a sigh of intense sadness and frustration, Taka put his face in hands and cried softly.
Back at the hospital, Tasuki was still trying to get his bearings back, shocked from happiness and betrayal. "Miaka, I think we need to talk..."
"Yeah...why were you and Taka fighting? Um, how the heck did you get that black eye?"
"Um..." Tasuki said, uneasiness written all over his face. He put his hand to his eye, wincing in pain a little.
"Look, if there's something your keeping from me, I want to know. I mean, there shouldn't be any secrets between us."
"I know...trust me...I wouldn't keep anything from you." *Except for the fact that I'm not the one you really love...*
"Okay...hey do you mind...can you stay the night? I'm just kind of scared staying alone."
"Um...sure...no problem."
"You're the best." Miaka leaned over and went to give Tasuki a kiss, but he backed away. "What's wrong?" she said hurt.
"I really shouldn't be here...I mean Taka should..."
"Why are you bringing Taka up all of a sudden? Just stop talking and give me a kiss. I really need you right now." Miaka's lips moved toward Tasuki's trembling ones. He really wanted this--his dream of having the maiden of the phoenix was coming true. His heart pounded, so much so that it felt that it was going to explode. In the intensity of the moment, he put his hand up and his palm intercepted the sign of affection.
Miaka jerked back and crossed her arms. "What is wrong with you? I mean...you've been acting way weird. Did Taka say something to you?"
"Why are you blaming Taka all of sudden? I mean he gave me so much! He's sacrificing, literally, his life to make me happy..."
"What are you talking about?"
*She doesn't remember anything...nothing...how can I get mad at her for something she doesn't even know about...* Tasuki stood up from his chair by Miaka's bedside and walked to the window. It was a full moon tonight. He opened it slightly and breathed in some fresh air. *Good...maybe I can get my bearings back...* "I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind." Miaka sighed. And as if it was perfect timing, so did Tasuki as he looked at the full moon. *Beautiful...he thought...a sign of new hope for me...maybe the beginning of a whole new life for me. It's the same moon that Taka's probably looking at too...*
Taka stood at the bay window in the dining room. The only light in the house was a dim lamp whose juice was almost up. He stared at the moon. On the outside he was quiet and said nothing. But on the inside he was screaming, shouting and pouring his heart out to no one in particular, but staring intently at the moon. *Give her back...*
Tasuki gazed at the moon and the stars. A few hours had passed in sheer silence. The night sky was soothing to Tasuki, creating the perfect atmosphere for him to evaluate the true feelings in his heart. "Miaka..." he called softly while still looking outside. No answer. She had fallen asleep. He smiled, not surprised. Tasuki reminisced on today's ironic events. In a matter of hours, he had the woman he loved hanging all over him and all he could do was think of his best friend who had sacrificed his happiness for him. A part of him was jumping for joy, but the other went out to Taka.
After a cold shower and a beer, Taka went to his bedroom...the bedroom that was once his and Miaka's. He closed the blinds, barely letting the moonbeams creep through slight gaps and crevices--the only light in the house. He looked at his clock on his night table on his left. It said 1:37 am. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours, hours like days, his time in agony an eternity. He turned to his right and faced Miaka's side of the bed. As if expecting her to be there, he whispered her name. No one responded. Taka took her pillow gently and held it tightly. *It smells like flowers...like her hair...* He then remembered the sight of his loved one almost walking out the door in their blanket, the one he was using right now. He clutched the pillow and blanket, holding on to them for dear life. Taka was angry and deeply despondent. He took the pillow and held it, anger coursing though his veins. He wanted to rip the pillow in his rage, but stopped himself. Taka lost it and tears started to flow through his eyes again. He didn't want to cry, but no matter how hard he tried, the tears just kept flowing. He dug his face into the pillow and cried. Eventually, he fell asleep with the pillow in his arms. It was 2:08 am.
Tasuki had fallen asleep in the chair by Miaka's bedside, his head resting on the pillow with Miaka. She rustled a bit, which startled him a little, waking him up. *It wasn't a dream* he thought. He smiled in satisfaction. Tasuki picked up her hand-gingerly because there were wires for an I.V. and heart monitor coming out from her hand and wrist. *Soft and so delicate...* He was infatuated with the sleeping beauty on the bed. Tasuki looked at her lips, slightly parted. He had the urge to kiss her, but he felt like it would somehow be wrong. But she was his now. After admiring her from afar, happiness was now his, and he confirmed it by leaning over and giving her a kiss.
Miaka woke up to the taste of sweet lips. She opened her eyes and she saw Tasuki's face close to hers. "Oh I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you," Tasuki whispered.
"It's alright," Miaka said, smiling. As Tasuki started to back away, blushing slightly, Miaka wrapped her arms around Tasuki, bringing him in closer. She kissed him with a fervent passion, holding him tight, not wanting him to leave. Tasuki's heart was beating rapidly. He ran a trembling hand through Miaka's hair, careful of the bandage that was on her forehead.
A nurse was walking the halls, making her nightly rounds around the hospital. Disgruntled from lack of sleep and salary, she opened each patient door and put a checkmark by their respective charts. She soon neared a room whose door was slightly ajar, the light of the moon flowing from the crack. It seemed strange because doctors usually closed each patient window before they left for the night. She peered her head inside the room. She saw a young man kissing a patient; the two seemed to be holding onto each other for dear life. She smiled at the slight moaning sounds she heard from the two. As she took the chart from the holder on the door, she put a checkmark by the name "Yuuki Miaka." The nurse sighed wistfully and giggled slightly. She put the chart back in the holder and closed the door quietly. The nurse walked down the dark hallway, checking on the next patient in the adjacent room.
Weel, that's it for now! If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me! I'd love to hear about what you think of the story so far. Chapter 3 to come really soon! (I hope...)
By Renee Shields (sakurachan02@hotmail.com)
Author's Notes: Hey! I am so happy with the responses I got for the first chapter. To those people, this chapter is for you all--you inspired me and gave me the motivation to write this chapter. Sorrie it took so long though! And, last note--thanx to Lady Crescent Moon (whose stories are way good too!) for helping me with ideas when I had writers block. Luv ya lotz gurlie! Now enuff talk and on with the story. BTW, anything in *...* indicates thoughts.
Chapter Two: Hanging on a Thread of Hope or Hopelessness
Taka drove home, alone. With an empty stare, he drove by the accident scene. Everything seemed normal. He then proceeded home. It was their home, but now it was filled with the smell of burned food. He opened the door, fumbling with the keys. A defeated Taka plopped down on the sofa. He took off his bloody shirt, tainted from a cut that Tasuki had inflicted. "Where to start? What do I do now?" he thought. On a small side table, Taka picked up a picture. He turned on a lamp and looked at the picture of him and Miaka. They were at a park and they both looked so happy. He stared at it wistfully then returned it to its place, picture side down. With a sigh of intense sadness and frustration, Taka put his face in hands and cried softly.
Back at the hospital, Tasuki was still trying to get his bearings back, shocked from happiness and betrayal. "Miaka, I think we need to talk..."
"Yeah...why were you and Taka fighting? Um, how the heck did you get that black eye?"
"Um..." Tasuki said, uneasiness written all over his face. He put his hand to his eye, wincing in pain a little.
"Look, if there's something your keeping from me, I want to know. I mean, there shouldn't be any secrets between us."
"I know...trust me...I wouldn't keep anything from you." *Except for the fact that I'm not the one you really love...*
"Okay...hey do you mind...can you stay the night? I'm just kind of scared staying alone."
"Um...sure...no problem."
"You're the best." Miaka leaned over and went to give Tasuki a kiss, but he backed away. "What's wrong?" she said hurt.
"I really shouldn't be here...I mean Taka should..."
"Why are you bringing Taka up all of a sudden? Just stop talking and give me a kiss. I really need you right now." Miaka's lips moved toward Tasuki's trembling ones. He really wanted this--his dream of having the maiden of the phoenix was coming true. His heart pounded, so much so that it felt that it was going to explode. In the intensity of the moment, he put his hand up and his palm intercepted the sign of affection.
Miaka jerked back and crossed her arms. "What is wrong with you? I mean...you've been acting way weird. Did Taka say something to you?"
"Why are you blaming Taka all of sudden? I mean he gave me so much! He's sacrificing, literally, his life to make me happy..."
"What are you talking about?"
*She doesn't remember anything...nothing...how can I get mad at her for something she doesn't even know about...* Tasuki stood up from his chair by Miaka's bedside and walked to the window. It was a full moon tonight. He opened it slightly and breathed in some fresh air. *Good...maybe I can get my bearings back...* "I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind." Miaka sighed. And as if it was perfect timing, so did Tasuki as he looked at the full moon. *Beautiful...he thought...a sign of new hope for me...maybe the beginning of a whole new life for me. It's the same moon that Taka's probably looking at too...*
Taka stood at the bay window in the dining room. The only light in the house was a dim lamp whose juice was almost up. He stared at the moon. On the outside he was quiet and said nothing. But on the inside he was screaming, shouting and pouring his heart out to no one in particular, but staring intently at the moon. *Give her back...*
Tasuki gazed at the moon and the stars. A few hours had passed in sheer silence. The night sky was soothing to Tasuki, creating the perfect atmosphere for him to evaluate the true feelings in his heart. "Miaka..." he called softly while still looking outside. No answer. She had fallen asleep. He smiled, not surprised. Tasuki reminisced on today's ironic events. In a matter of hours, he had the woman he loved hanging all over him and all he could do was think of his best friend who had sacrificed his happiness for him. A part of him was jumping for joy, but the other went out to Taka.
After a cold shower and a beer, Taka went to his bedroom...the bedroom that was once his and Miaka's. He closed the blinds, barely letting the moonbeams creep through slight gaps and crevices--the only light in the house. He looked at his clock on his night table on his left. It said 1:37 am. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours, hours like days, his time in agony an eternity. He turned to his right and faced Miaka's side of the bed. As if expecting her to be there, he whispered her name. No one responded. Taka took her pillow gently and held it tightly. *It smells like flowers...like her hair...* He then remembered the sight of his loved one almost walking out the door in their blanket, the one he was using right now. He clutched the pillow and blanket, holding on to them for dear life. Taka was angry and deeply despondent. He took the pillow and held it, anger coursing though his veins. He wanted to rip the pillow in his rage, but stopped himself. Taka lost it and tears started to flow through his eyes again. He didn't want to cry, but no matter how hard he tried, the tears just kept flowing. He dug his face into the pillow and cried. Eventually, he fell asleep with the pillow in his arms. It was 2:08 am.
Tasuki had fallen asleep in the chair by Miaka's bedside, his head resting on the pillow with Miaka. She rustled a bit, which startled him a little, waking him up. *It wasn't a dream* he thought. He smiled in satisfaction. Tasuki picked up her hand-gingerly because there were wires for an I.V. and heart monitor coming out from her hand and wrist. *Soft and so delicate...* He was infatuated with the sleeping beauty on the bed. Tasuki looked at her lips, slightly parted. He had the urge to kiss her, but he felt like it would somehow be wrong. But she was his now. After admiring her from afar, happiness was now his, and he confirmed it by leaning over and giving her a kiss.
Miaka woke up to the taste of sweet lips. She opened her eyes and she saw Tasuki's face close to hers. "Oh I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you," Tasuki whispered.
"It's alright," Miaka said, smiling. As Tasuki started to back away, blushing slightly, Miaka wrapped her arms around Tasuki, bringing him in closer. She kissed him with a fervent passion, holding him tight, not wanting him to leave. Tasuki's heart was beating rapidly. He ran a trembling hand through Miaka's hair, careful of the bandage that was on her forehead.
A nurse was walking the halls, making her nightly rounds around the hospital. Disgruntled from lack of sleep and salary, she opened each patient door and put a checkmark by their respective charts. She soon neared a room whose door was slightly ajar, the light of the moon flowing from the crack. It seemed strange because doctors usually closed each patient window before they left for the night. She peered her head inside the room. She saw a young man kissing a patient; the two seemed to be holding onto each other for dear life. She smiled at the slight moaning sounds she heard from the two. As she took the chart from the holder on the door, she put a checkmark by the name "Yuuki Miaka." The nurse sighed wistfully and giggled slightly. She put the chart back in the holder and closed the door quietly. The nurse walked down the dark hallway, checking on the next patient in the adjacent room.
Weel, that's it for now! If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me! I'd love to hear about what you think of the story so far. Chapter 3 to come really soon! (I hope...)