I Forgot
Notes: *covers eyes* Oh my god, oh my god, I just finished RG Veda, and this, this monstrosity of an hour-fic popped into my diseased mind. I need help. In addition, the first section takes place a considerable time before the manga begins, when Ashura-ou and Taishaku-ten are young teenagers. So I refer to the not-yet-royal Ashura-ou as simply "Ashura". Don't confuse him with the canon "Ashura".
Warning: Limeish shounen-ai gunk (not too bad), potential tooth decay from the saccharine and also a good helping of angst. *shudders* And don't forgetif you don't want to feel sorry for Taishaku-ten, if you don't like the cannibalism scene, or if you just don't want to get mildly overrun with spoilers, then read not!
Disclaimer: RG Veda is property of CLAMP; I claim no rights. Suing is pointless--you can ransack every piece of furniture I've got and the most you'll get is dust bunnies and lint. So there.
*
The birds had clustered on the balcony rail again; they came regularly now, as he'd been feeding them their seeds every morning for the past few months. Ah, he sighed and stretched as he reentered the marble-floored bedroom, pushing away his long white hair from his face, Ashura's so smart. True, sometimes the thought was unjustified due to the other boy's recklessness and prideful judgement, but the bird-feeding thing had been brilliant. Taishaku-ten grinned when he heard the distinctive scraping sounds of a rope being tossed over the cold stone of the balcony, and immediately went to tie the end of the thick hemp to a large pot filled with flowers. A little while later, Ashura's dark head appeared over the white gleaming edge of his friend's balcony, and in less than a minute he had untied the rope and smoothed his straying hair to perfection. "We're not going to get caught again with the evidence," he said by way of casual explanation as he followed Taishaku-ten into the bedroom, "and so soon I won't have to use this rope anymore, eh?"
"Hmph," replied his white-haired friend, mock-angrily, "and who was it that got us into this mess in the first place?"
"Heh." Ashura bowed. "At your service."
They sat cross-legged, facing each other on a thick rug that padded their slender aristocratic limbs from even the tiniest chill of the floor. "Ashura," said Taishaku-ten at last, seriously, "it was dangerous to go on the roof"
"Heh. You're getting old, Tai. That was nothing. Why, at home I used to do it all the time. And I never got locked into my rooms for three months as a punishment."
Taishaku-ten allowed himself the minutest of grins. "Well, the sky was very pretty" suddenly he put out a hand to stroke the glossy black locks dangling so temptingly from an elaborate crown-shaped coiffure, typical of the Ashura clan. "Ashura was prettier."
The other boy pulled away so that his hair draped over and hid a fierce blush. "Uh, uhTai, is the bird thing working? Has anyone seen you?"
Taishaku-ten smiled, a little rueful. "Yes. A couple of days ago some handmaiden was picking fruit down in the orchard and, of course, she saw melong before sunrise." His smile became a bit more genuine. "I waved and pointed at the birds and told her that they were so darling and had been coming and were pecking seeds from my hand"
Ashura was quivering with laughter. "And"
"And then of course she went off and giggled and said stupid things with the other handmaidens." Taishaku-ten was laughing now. "Yesterday someone left a big bowl of seeds on my supper tray"
They shared the suppressed mirth together for some time. Panting, Ashura said, "HaI wish your father would ease up and let you out today, Tai."
Taishaku-ten shrugged. "He promised three months, and so you'll just have to wait until next week. Three more days, that's all." He patted Ashura's slim white hand. "Unlessyou miss me?" He held his breath, trying very hard not to put the burning emotions, tumbling and young and tender and unsure, into his face and eyes and voice. "Maybe?" He tried so hard to sound as though he were teasing, but judging from the startled look Ashura had on his face, he'd not succeeded. Shakily Ashura lowered his dark head. "I--"
There was an unobtrusive thunk on the marble, but even the small noise echoed, for the room was now deathly still. The young courier at the door, not a little out of breath, found himself staring at two pairs of frightened eyes, one set golden and the other nearly colorless blue-green. "Ash--ash--ashura-sama"
Ashura was standing, and his flush of embarassment was fading rapidly. "Meajah. I told you not to follow past the edge of the woods. What are you doing?" His eyes were distant and coldly regal, like a wild cat's.
"HisHis Liege ispassed awaythe demons," Meajah gasped, "and II was sentto tell youAshura--Ashura-ou."
Both of the boys were standing, still, turned to statues. "Yes, Meajah," said Ashura, and now his voice was also cold. "I shall return to my people." He started to walk out the door with Meajah at his heels.
"Ashura--" Taishaku-ten cried, "are you coming back?"
"Taishaku-ten-sama, I am Ashura-ou. I am the embodiment of Ashura. And I will "come back" as such." He who had been Ashura, now Ashura-ou, Guardian and Warrior, whirled from the room with billowing robes and a new, painful immunity from even Taishaku-ten's father's reprimands.
*
I suppose you're happy now, Ashura.
Now that I've done what you desired. Now that I hold you dead in my arms.
What you said"eat my bodyoh, no, I couldn't. I've killed you. My blade broke your perfection in two. Now you lie cold like a shattered vase. Like that time when we were playing in the library and I knocked over the Priceless Vase that Father used to talk about like that, with capital lettersand you were hurt, the vase cut you, you bled. Like you bleed now, even in death. I wishI wish for many things. But, above all, Ashura, I wish to do what makes you happy, what you want. Whatever you want is what I want to give you, to do for you. And so I shall lift your flesh and force it down my throat and hope that you will smile, wherever you are.
Or maybe you're still here. Hovering, over my head, watching me consume your body, as you'd asked. This sickens me at the same time it pleases me. Oh yes, pleases me. It is as though I can sense you now. Your hand and mine, your muscles and tendons and bone. And I know that, if you are watching, you must be satisfied. I have taken your wish to the extremeI have even lapped at your blood, like some horrid dog. But I will become even a blood-drinking monster for youI forgot to tell you I loved you.
*Owari*
More Notes.
Obviously, the last bit is when Taishaku-ten is in the process of eating Ashura after he kills the latter. *Sniffle* Oh my, this must be one of the few angst fics I've ever written. *Breaks out in tears* Oh, the poor Taishaku-tenAshura's so cruel*gets stoned by the Tai-hating people* P-please reviewplease?