Vox de la Morte
2: Surrealistic Pillow: Somebody to Love
Shuichi fiddled his fingers quickly, and finally decided to rap them against the wooden table. He had done that just about all day when Eiri asked him to find some of the songs he had written. Truth was… he hadn't written for quite a while. The only things he had… were from sixth grade. And oh, how those would make just wonderful songs of angst and pure hatred.
Hiro had followed him into his quiet spot, stuck on what he would do to. Sure, he had written some tunes for his guitar, but he didn't think Shuichi's voice would fit in with any of it. All they had ever done in the bars were playing songs that other people had written. Sometimes they wished they had decided to play "The Surprise Song" in all of this time.
"What're we gonna do…" Shuichi muttered. He was stuck in a tight spot, a corner of his mind maybe, and there was possibly no way to get out of it. Unless… "That's it!" Shuichi shrieked.
Hiro merely looked up; knowing whatever it was wasn't it. That's the way things were run. Shuichi would get an idea and Hiro would nod his head quietly. Now was the time for nodding.
"You know that guy…" Shuichi muttered, "that Yuki Eiri guy… He said he was a writer, right? If he's a writer, then he must be able to write songs! It's that simple! Oh, come on, Hiro! He'll have to agree to us if he loved us so much that he bumped into me! Come on!"
"If you say so…" Hiro muttered, twirling some of his hair between his fingers. He could agree, even if he would never know if he was completely correct.
"Quick… Dial him up!" Shuichi muttered, digging through his pockets for the paper with which Eiri's phone number lay on. He had given it to him so abruptly, Shuichi almost thought he wasn't the real deal he had said he was.
'Got a piece of paper and pen? All right now, turn around. What do you mean, "Turn around"? I need something to write on', he mumbled as he used Shuichi's back as a desk. 'Here. Call me up if you ever need my help.'
'Why would I need your help besides you getting us in touch with a record label?' Shuichi had asked.
'Writers have thousands of different uses. You'll think of something and call me up for help.'
'Right…' Hiro had muttered, obviously totally forgotten. Hey, he had to have gotten into Shuichi's memory somehow.
Now Hiro handed Shuichi the phone almost restlessly as Shuichi dialed like a madman. He was going to get his help he had been promised, without any guarantee back crap. And that Eiri guy had better not have pulled any tricks on him…
"Hello?" Ah. So he had a wife.
"Hi… Um, is Eiri there?" he asked, trying to figure out why the woman's voice sounded familiar. He knew there was a reason why…
"Oh… So you're his new plaything…" she muttered. "Just a second." She also must have thought that Eiri had pulled some tricks and that Shuichi was a girl for that comment. My voice isn't that high pitched… he thought quietly.
"Shuichi?" he asked, phrasing the question almost like a phrase. Shuichi hated it when people did that…
"Eiri-san, we've… been… having a few problems. We couldn't find our songs, and I'm pretty sure my little sister stole all of it, and-"
"You need my help", he muttered, somberly. "Why don't you come over, and I'll show you a few things I've written."
"Sure. As soon as I ask Hiro if it's okay-"
"Don't bring your little friend with you", he muttered, Shuichi mouthing his words to Hiro. The other boy glared at the phone, already not liking this Eiri-san.
"It's Hiro. So I'll see you at… six? And where exactly do you live?" he asked, and after a confirmation and directions, each exchanged a goodbye and hung up. "He called you a 'Little Friend'", Shuichi muttered.
"Whatever…" Hiro sighed out as he twirled more of his hair between his fingers. Damn that uptight writer… He would get his revenge, if not more.
But Shuichi saw it as something so much more. It was an adventure into a man's house and meeting his wife to show her he was actually a boy.
**
An apartment. Okay, so everybody has their choice of living… but an apartment? For someone like Eiri who was probably a writer pulling in the millions while laughing? Shuichi shook his head to clear his thoughts and rapped his knuckles against the door. Maybe he was going to jump out and stab him or something… or maybe he was planning on kidnapping Shuichi… He really shouldn't have come… It was a terrible idea, a really bad idea.
But Eiri opened his door and let Shuichi in in such a polite manner; Shuichi almost giggled to himself. "Go ahead, sit on the couch or anywhere you feel like…" he muttered, closing the door behind him.
"Where's your wife?" Shuichi asked immediately. He had this instantaneous feeling of meeting people come over him. And now he wanted to meet the woman who actually lived with Eiri.
"Wife?" Sharp bitter laughter made Shuichi cringe. "Go ahead, sit down. So what is it that you want?" he asked, making sure Shuichi sat down on his couch. Shuichi looked around the apartment amazed; it was so clean, devoid of junk that he and Hiro had spent days of forgetting until Spring- Cleaning.
Shuichi glared at the comment about Eiri's wife, but decided to just sit on it for a change. "Um… Hiro… and I…. Well… we couldn't find some of the songs that we had written… So… We were wondering… if you… could possibly… Well, you know…"
Eiri rolled his eyes and came closer to Shuichi, reaching over his head. He pulled out a folder and dropped it in his lap. "Baka. You left this back at the bar. Next time, try to be careful not to loose your things."
Shuichi flipped through the music suddenly aware that he had never seen these before. "Where… did these come from…" He muttered as he flipped through more of the music. Certainly he had never seen these before… He was pretty sure, at least… He hadn't written anything since sixth grade and if he did, he had probably lost it. Wait… If he had lost this music… Then Eiri must have found it and just given it to him. Simple enough, he thought chuckling to himself.
"Now what do you want my help for?" he asked politely. Shuichi was certain Eiri hadn't been sitting that close to him.
"I'm pretty sure I don't really need your help, so I guess I can go home now…" Shuichi muttered, gathering his things, about to stand up. But Eiri was faster, as he grabbed Shuichi's arms and pulled him back down on the couch.
"I've got guests coming over. Maybe you'd like to meet them", he muttered. Shuichi shuddered upon hearing the word "company". But… if he really wanted him to meet these people… and if he was polite enough… then Shuichi would stay for the time being.
Somehow Shuichi's innocence made Eiri a little weary of him. Shuichi noticed it himself, as he sat tapping his feet on the ground while his hands were sitting on his lap. "Damn you, regret…" he whispered low enough that Shuichi couldn't hear him. Just leave the kid here, and Aizawa would come and take him away. That was simple enough, wasn't it?
It was just like the old times. The people Aizawa would pick were always so charismatic and innocent. Usually people leading good lives, until they were picked up by Eiri and forced to be turned in to the big bad Aizawa. So what was Eiri doing in it all? Was he just the messenger boy to do chores for him?
Eiri sighed. He would never know, really. And now here was this boy, just waiting to be lost in the living world. So what was he going to do about it? Probably nothing. That's what he always did.
"Well good evening!" Aizawa shouted as he appeared in the middle of the room. Shuichi went livid as Eiri tried to hold the boy down.
"Wait…" Shuichi muttered, calming down. "I know what you are! You're a magician! Wow, Eiri-san! I never knew you had a friend who was a magician!" Aizawa shook his head, and looked up to the sky while mouthing, "Why?"
"No… um… Shuichi, he's not really a magician…" Eiri muttered, but the boy sat still, almost fascinated by the man. "Crap…" he muttered. Shuichi was looking into Aizawa's eyes. That was it. The boy was dead, and Eiri could do nothing about it.
"Look, Aizawa, maybe you could… not break this one? I'd really, really hate to say it, but he's kind of cute. So if you could possibly…" he was cut off by Aizawa's grin. "Right… Well, maybe you could just be a little careful with him."
Aizawa came closer to Shuichi, suddenly now aware that the boy wouldn't squirm or scream: He was totally fixated on his eyes. That at least would save him from ripping the boy's throat out afterwards. But harming him… seemed to be all right. It wasn't like Eiri could do anything about it. Aizawa was older; therefore he would always have control over Eiri's actions.
His hands slid down Shuichi's cheeks to his neck. It was the most stereotypical way to do it, but at least he would get his job done. He caressed Shuichi's neck, poking it with one of his nails for a little blood to fall over it. He lapped the blood up; humming to himself while he prepared for the last action that would probably mark the boy's end and the end of the danger he could posses.
All of the ones he had already killed had some extent of sensing them before he killed them. And soon, his group could be carefree, knowing that they would have no more problems left to deal with. It didn't matter if Eiri thought it was a cruel thing to do. He would get this done the civil way; just so Eiri could spend the rest of his days in peace. Well, the rest of his life, that is.
"Now", he whispered, opening his mouth and putting it around Shuichi's neck. The boy was pretty tense even if he wasn't awake. But he would be tense afterwards… Aizawa thought discreetly as he felt his teeth touch Shuichi's skin and-A knock on the door came. "Shit", Aizawa muttered.
Shuichi opened his conscious eyes, and looked at the man whose mouth was on his neck. There was just a teeny-tiny moment when Shuichi flipped out, but he decided that it was the time for anger instead. "CHEATER!" Shuichi shouted, smacking the man over and over until he let go.
"Damn you, pumpkin eater!" Aizawa shouted.
Eiri sighed, thankful for the intruder, and opened the door as the two went on into a childish fight. "Oh… What do you want?" he asked Shuichi's "Little Friend".
Hiro glared coldly, and muttered, "It's eleven o' clock. Where's my Shuichi?" He squeaked loudly when Eiri grabbed him and pulled him in the house swiftly, like lightning.
"Listen: If you don't want me to tear you from limb to limb, you'll sit behind this door and not make a peep. Do you understand?" Eiri asked coldly, hoping the boy would jump in fear.
But he didn't. Hiro shrugged lightly, muttering, "Hai, hai…"
Eiri let out a sigh of relief. Good. Hiro over here. Good, Shuichi over there. Yet… the arguing going on bothered him for some unknown reason. He didn't know why… It just bothered him. Maybe it was because…
"Fickle pansy Yukon greeter!" Shuichi shouted.
"Dumb tickle lace wife beater!" Aizawa shouted back.
Eiri shook his head and muttered something, at least getting Aizawa's attention. "Enough with this foolishness, stupid human!" Aizawa shouted, finally getting a grasp on what was now around him. "Now be good or this will hurt", he murmured, grabbing Shuichi's throat without the least bit of gentle care. Hiro leaped to save his friend, if only Eiri's back wasn't there, blocking his pathway. And Eiri was way out of his league, if he thought Hiro wouldn't scratch for his friend's life. Fight, he did.
"Please!" Shuichi screamed, flailing his arms around. He dug his nails into Aizawa's cheek as quickly as he could, blood streaming through his thin fingers as Aizawa screamed in rage.
"Eiri!" Aizawa screamed. But his scream was in vain. For a very pissed off boy with long brown hair had taken matters into his own hands. And as for Eiri, he let the boy go once he had two scratches on his shoulder. There was no way he was going to get a scar just from trying to let his master drink from a stupid obnoxious boy.
Angered to the highest peak of his tolerance level, Aizawa hurled Shuichi to the wall nearest him, tilting the boy's head up to reveal his full neck. This would end it all, and he would rip the boy's body apart slowly… Oh so very slowly.
Hiro threw his body at Aizawa, the man stumbling and tripping over a lone book on the floor. How it got there, nobody would ever know. Aizawa fell on the floor with a loud thud while Shuichi's somewhat comatose body fell into Hiro's arms. Hiro immediately took off, as quickly as his long legs could take him, hoping to finally get out of here and declare it all a well- rounded nightmare. He threw himself out the door and bounded down the stairs, almost falling down the stairs instead.
Rain pattered on the ground playfully, a rainbow looming across the sky as Hiro's legs burned and screamed while he ran as quickly as he could. Finally, yes, oh yes, he could tell this was home. The same apartment he had come so close to knowing so well, including its bed. He had been powered on by anger, and now the power seemed to vanish almost completely, leaving Hiro tired, and wanting deeply to sleep.
His eyes sauntered over to Shuichi, who didn't move when Hiro fell to his knees. Shuichi's eyes were open… yet closed. "Well… you're asleep too… So it wouldn't matter… if I slept… too…" Hiro muttered, finally closing his eyes and letting the rest that his whole body so desperately needed.
**
"Isn't this neat-o…" the man muttered when he saw the boy run out carrying the other boy. He didn't dare to step in between them when the black figure followed swiftly after them. Oh well. Another two gone to the hidden shadows of this world. But did it really matter to him?
"Does it?" he asked quietly, stroking the stuffed animal he had in his arms. "Do you think so?" he asked, putting the bunny's lips near his ear. "Yes, indeed so. It seems that way, anyway… Human affairs… You don't like getting into human affairs, you say, Kuma-chan?" He stroked the stuffed animal lovingly this time, as he cradled it in his arms.
"I see… with my little eyes… Something that starts with a G. Yes, you're smart Kuma-chan! Sometimes even I can't remember what the Grim Reaper looks like! Oh, but don't worry. They'll have better lives where they're going, anyway."
**
"Damn it…" Aizawa muttered, wiping the blood from his cheek and watching the scars begin to grow. He pushed stray hairs out of his face and grinned like a Cheshire Cat on its new realization that Alice wasn't where she belonged. "Didn't it seem simple? You bring the boy here, I kill him, and that would ensure peace for our reign. But a small detail slipped in… You never told me there was another one…"
Eiri sighed and chewed on the sandwich he had made in simple time. "I didn't think he would interfere. And I didn't think he would fight that fiercely. Besides, that obnoxious kid could drown in the streets for all I care."
"Hm?" Aizawa murmured, grinning wider. "It's your fault he got out in the first place. He wasn't supposed to get out. If it weren't for that stupid friend of his, it would've all been perfect. You screwed it up. Therefore, you are going to get the boy back."
"How the fuck am I supposed to do that?" Eiri chuckled out. "The kid already saw what you wanted. Now he'll flip whenever he sees me. Now he won't even try to bump into me. Isn't it easy to see for you? Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll come up to me and hug me again, just like he did before. Perfect plan, Aizawa."
Aizawa laughed out loud, finally looking away from his mirror. "No, no, no… Can't you see, Yuki Eiri? You fascinated that boy the first time he saw you. And now… if you offer a shoulder, I'm sure he'll warm up to it immediately. It's his nature. Then afterwards, we can cut off his head and throw it down the river. We can't take a chance tonight… What if he lived? No, my friend. He must be dead. Shindo Shuichi must be dead…"
"Oh you're kidding me…" Eiri muttered when he fully comprehended the phrase, "if you offer him a shoulder". "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I think you owe me a favor now for all that I have done for you!"
"This is a favor…" Aizawa muttered, grinning gleefully. Eiri wished to shove a brick down that grinning face. "Go to work."
**
Her long hair falls over his body as the man finally wakes up to see her face clearly. He had been bleeding, for the beast had found him and almost made one with him, as it had to so many others. Now she strokes his head, wiping off the dried blood on his cheek.
"Yes", she says, smiling happily. "You and I are the same, stuck in the same position, ready to serve and to die when the time comes. Did you ever really escape the beast? Or had you been running for all your life, only to run so far away from yourself that you were lost? Where are your other friends? Lost in the depths of time? Do you really know where they are?"
"No", he says, trying to answer all of her questions. "I… escaped. Yes, I escaped."
"Nobody escapes…" she whispered, her fangs suddenly appearing. "Nobody escapes."
Shuichi opened his eyes slowly, a fuzzy haze hanging over the blue irises. Just what was this? This… vision that came upon him whenever he lost himself in the unknown realm known as sleep. Or maybe… Maybe he had been lost in the darkness. Yes, that was what it had been. Everything had been a dream. Eiri, Aizawa, and the woman taking care of the man. They were all fake, and they would all go away. Soon he and Hiro would be getting ready to go to another bar to play for people who didn't even care about music.
"Hiro", he whispered, sitting up to a whole entire breakfast sitting on his lap. Hiro was so caring… But sometimes Shuichi wished he wouldn't take so much care of him. He could take care of himself, anytime of the day and night.
But… something was wrong. Hiro never made breakfast like this just for the morning. It was usually pocky or something toasted. So… who… Of course… Shuichi thought silently as he stared at the figure sitting at the end of his bed. He had never seen it before… But somehow he had seen it. From… From his dream.
The man wore all black, including a black hat. He turned around and smiled to Shuichi, scratching his blond hair. Shuichi shuddered under the cold gray eyes, but was attracted to them in a strange way. Almost like the way he had been attracted to Aizawa's eyes. He nodded slowly and took his hat off.
"Go ahead, eat up. And I'm sorry if you had a bad dream. My wife just used to be so full of philosophical crap."
*
A/N: Urgh… I hate you, school… Ryuuichi had such a small unimportant role… But I just had to put him in! I can't live without him being in at least the first chapter! Maybe he'll have a bigger role in the third chapter… Hmm…
2: Surrealistic Pillow: Somebody to Love
Shuichi fiddled his fingers quickly, and finally decided to rap them against the wooden table. He had done that just about all day when Eiri asked him to find some of the songs he had written. Truth was… he hadn't written for quite a while. The only things he had… were from sixth grade. And oh, how those would make just wonderful songs of angst and pure hatred.
Hiro had followed him into his quiet spot, stuck on what he would do to. Sure, he had written some tunes for his guitar, but he didn't think Shuichi's voice would fit in with any of it. All they had ever done in the bars were playing songs that other people had written. Sometimes they wished they had decided to play "The Surprise Song" in all of this time.
"What're we gonna do…" Shuichi muttered. He was stuck in a tight spot, a corner of his mind maybe, and there was possibly no way to get out of it. Unless… "That's it!" Shuichi shrieked.
Hiro merely looked up; knowing whatever it was wasn't it. That's the way things were run. Shuichi would get an idea and Hiro would nod his head quietly. Now was the time for nodding.
"You know that guy…" Shuichi muttered, "that Yuki Eiri guy… He said he was a writer, right? If he's a writer, then he must be able to write songs! It's that simple! Oh, come on, Hiro! He'll have to agree to us if he loved us so much that he bumped into me! Come on!"
"If you say so…" Hiro muttered, twirling some of his hair between his fingers. He could agree, even if he would never know if he was completely correct.
"Quick… Dial him up!" Shuichi muttered, digging through his pockets for the paper with which Eiri's phone number lay on. He had given it to him so abruptly, Shuichi almost thought he wasn't the real deal he had said he was.
'Got a piece of paper and pen? All right now, turn around. What do you mean, "Turn around"? I need something to write on', he mumbled as he used Shuichi's back as a desk. 'Here. Call me up if you ever need my help.'
'Why would I need your help besides you getting us in touch with a record label?' Shuichi had asked.
'Writers have thousands of different uses. You'll think of something and call me up for help.'
'Right…' Hiro had muttered, obviously totally forgotten. Hey, he had to have gotten into Shuichi's memory somehow.
Now Hiro handed Shuichi the phone almost restlessly as Shuichi dialed like a madman. He was going to get his help he had been promised, without any guarantee back crap. And that Eiri guy had better not have pulled any tricks on him…
"Hello?" Ah. So he had a wife.
"Hi… Um, is Eiri there?" he asked, trying to figure out why the woman's voice sounded familiar. He knew there was a reason why…
"Oh… So you're his new plaything…" she muttered. "Just a second." She also must have thought that Eiri had pulled some tricks and that Shuichi was a girl for that comment. My voice isn't that high pitched… he thought quietly.
"Shuichi?" he asked, phrasing the question almost like a phrase. Shuichi hated it when people did that…
"Eiri-san, we've… been… having a few problems. We couldn't find our songs, and I'm pretty sure my little sister stole all of it, and-"
"You need my help", he muttered, somberly. "Why don't you come over, and I'll show you a few things I've written."
"Sure. As soon as I ask Hiro if it's okay-"
"Don't bring your little friend with you", he muttered, Shuichi mouthing his words to Hiro. The other boy glared at the phone, already not liking this Eiri-san.
"It's Hiro. So I'll see you at… six? And where exactly do you live?" he asked, and after a confirmation and directions, each exchanged a goodbye and hung up. "He called you a 'Little Friend'", Shuichi muttered.
"Whatever…" Hiro sighed out as he twirled more of his hair between his fingers. Damn that uptight writer… He would get his revenge, if not more.
But Shuichi saw it as something so much more. It was an adventure into a man's house and meeting his wife to show her he was actually a boy.
**
An apartment. Okay, so everybody has their choice of living… but an apartment? For someone like Eiri who was probably a writer pulling in the millions while laughing? Shuichi shook his head to clear his thoughts and rapped his knuckles against the door. Maybe he was going to jump out and stab him or something… or maybe he was planning on kidnapping Shuichi… He really shouldn't have come… It was a terrible idea, a really bad idea.
But Eiri opened his door and let Shuichi in in such a polite manner; Shuichi almost giggled to himself. "Go ahead, sit on the couch or anywhere you feel like…" he muttered, closing the door behind him.
"Where's your wife?" Shuichi asked immediately. He had this instantaneous feeling of meeting people come over him. And now he wanted to meet the woman who actually lived with Eiri.
"Wife?" Sharp bitter laughter made Shuichi cringe. "Go ahead, sit down. So what is it that you want?" he asked, making sure Shuichi sat down on his couch. Shuichi looked around the apartment amazed; it was so clean, devoid of junk that he and Hiro had spent days of forgetting until Spring- Cleaning.
Shuichi glared at the comment about Eiri's wife, but decided to just sit on it for a change. "Um… Hiro… and I…. Well… we couldn't find some of the songs that we had written… So… We were wondering… if you… could possibly… Well, you know…"
Eiri rolled his eyes and came closer to Shuichi, reaching over his head. He pulled out a folder and dropped it in his lap. "Baka. You left this back at the bar. Next time, try to be careful not to loose your things."
Shuichi flipped through the music suddenly aware that he had never seen these before. "Where… did these come from…" He muttered as he flipped through more of the music. Certainly he had never seen these before… He was pretty sure, at least… He hadn't written anything since sixth grade and if he did, he had probably lost it. Wait… If he had lost this music… Then Eiri must have found it and just given it to him. Simple enough, he thought chuckling to himself.
"Now what do you want my help for?" he asked politely. Shuichi was certain Eiri hadn't been sitting that close to him.
"I'm pretty sure I don't really need your help, so I guess I can go home now…" Shuichi muttered, gathering his things, about to stand up. But Eiri was faster, as he grabbed Shuichi's arms and pulled him back down on the couch.
"I've got guests coming over. Maybe you'd like to meet them", he muttered. Shuichi shuddered upon hearing the word "company". But… if he really wanted him to meet these people… and if he was polite enough… then Shuichi would stay for the time being.
Somehow Shuichi's innocence made Eiri a little weary of him. Shuichi noticed it himself, as he sat tapping his feet on the ground while his hands were sitting on his lap. "Damn you, regret…" he whispered low enough that Shuichi couldn't hear him. Just leave the kid here, and Aizawa would come and take him away. That was simple enough, wasn't it?
It was just like the old times. The people Aizawa would pick were always so charismatic and innocent. Usually people leading good lives, until they were picked up by Eiri and forced to be turned in to the big bad Aizawa. So what was Eiri doing in it all? Was he just the messenger boy to do chores for him?
Eiri sighed. He would never know, really. And now here was this boy, just waiting to be lost in the living world. So what was he going to do about it? Probably nothing. That's what he always did.
"Well good evening!" Aizawa shouted as he appeared in the middle of the room. Shuichi went livid as Eiri tried to hold the boy down.
"Wait…" Shuichi muttered, calming down. "I know what you are! You're a magician! Wow, Eiri-san! I never knew you had a friend who was a magician!" Aizawa shook his head, and looked up to the sky while mouthing, "Why?"
"No… um… Shuichi, he's not really a magician…" Eiri muttered, but the boy sat still, almost fascinated by the man. "Crap…" he muttered. Shuichi was looking into Aizawa's eyes. That was it. The boy was dead, and Eiri could do nothing about it.
"Look, Aizawa, maybe you could… not break this one? I'd really, really hate to say it, but he's kind of cute. So if you could possibly…" he was cut off by Aizawa's grin. "Right… Well, maybe you could just be a little careful with him."
Aizawa came closer to Shuichi, suddenly now aware that the boy wouldn't squirm or scream: He was totally fixated on his eyes. That at least would save him from ripping the boy's throat out afterwards. But harming him… seemed to be all right. It wasn't like Eiri could do anything about it. Aizawa was older; therefore he would always have control over Eiri's actions.
His hands slid down Shuichi's cheeks to his neck. It was the most stereotypical way to do it, but at least he would get his job done. He caressed Shuichi's neck, poking it with one of his nails for a little blood to fall over it. He lapped the blood up; humming to himself while he prepared for the last action that would probably mark the boy's end and the end of the danger he could posses.
All of the ones he had already killed had some extent of sensing them before he killed them. And soon, his group could be carefree, knowing that they would have no more problems left to deal with. It didn't matter if Eiri thought it was a cruel thing to do. He would get this done the civil way; just so Eiri could spend the rest of his days in peace. Well, the rest of his life, that is.
"Now", he whispered, opening his mouth and putting it around Shuichi's neck. The boy was pretty tense even if he wasn't awake. But he would be tense afterwards… Aizawa thought discreetly as he felt his teeth touch Shuichi's skin and-A knock on the door came. "Shit", Aizawa muttered.
Shuichi opened his conscious eyes, and looked at the man whose mouth was on his neck. There was just a teeny-tiny moment when Shuichi flipped out, but he decided that it was the time for anger instead. "CHEATER!" Shuichi shouted, smacking the man over and over until he let go.
"Damn you, pumpkin eater!" Aizawa shouted.
Eiri sighed, thankful for the intruder, and opened the door as the two went on into a childish fight. "Oh… What do you want?" he asked Shuichi's "Little Friend".
Hiro glared coldly, and muttered, "It's eleven o' clock. Where's my Shuichi?" He squeaked loudly when Eiri grabbed him and pulled him in the house swiftly, like lightning.
"Listen: If you don't want me to tear you from limb to limb, you'll sit behind this door and not make a peep. Do you understand?" Eiri asked coldly, hoping the boy would jump in fear.
But he didn't. Hiro shrugged lightly, muttering, "Hai, hai…"
Eiri let out a sigh of relief. Good. Hiro over here. Good, Shuichi over there. Yet… the arguing going on bothered him for some unknown reason. He didn't know why… It just bothered him. Maybe it was because…
"Fickle pansy Yukon greeter!" Shuichi shouted.
"Dumb tickle lace wife beater!" Aizawa shouted back.
Eiri shook his head and muttered something, at least getting Aizawa's attention. "Enough with this foolishness, stupid human!" Aizawa shouted, finally getting a grasp on what was now around him. "Now be good or this will hurt", he murmured, grabbing Shuichi's throat without the least bit of gentle care. Hiro leaped to save his friend, if only Eiri's back wasn't there, blocking his pathway. And Eiri was way out of his league, if he thought Hiro wouldn't scratch for his friend's life. Fight, he did.
"Please!" Shuichi screamed, flailing his arms around. He dug his nails into Aizawa's cheek as quickly as he could, blood streaming through his thin fingers as Aizawa screamed in rage.
"Eiri!" Aizawa screamed. But his scream was in vain. For a very pissed off boy with long brown hair had taken matters into his own hands. And as for Eiri, he let the boy go once he had two scratches on his shoulder. There was no way he was going to get a scar just from trying to let his master drink from a stupid obnoxious boy.
Angered to the highest peak of his tolerance level, Aizawa hurled Shuichi to the wall nearest him, tilting the boy's head up to reveal his full neck. This would end it all, and he would rip the boy's body apart slowly… Oh so very slowly.
Hiro threw his body at Aizawa, the man stumbling and tripping over a lone book on the floor. How it got there, nobody would ever know. Aizawa fell on the floor with a loud thud while Shuichi's somewhat comatose body fell into Hiro's arms. Hiro immediately took off, as quickly as his long legs could take him, hoping to finally get out of here and declare it all a well- rounded nightmare. He threw himself out the door and bounded down the stairs, almost falling down the stairs instead.
Rain pattered on the ground playfully, a rainbow looming across the sky as Hiro's legs burned and screamed while he ran as quickly as he could. Finally, yes, oh yes, he could tell this was home. The same apartment he had come so close to knowing so well, including its bed. He had been powered on by anger, and now the power seemed to vanish almost completely, leaving Hiro tired, and wanting deeply to sleep.
His eyes sauntered over to Shuichi, who didn't move when Hiro fell to his knees. Shuichi's eyes were open… yet closed. "Well… you're asleep too… So it wouldn't matter… if I slept… too…" Hiro muttered, finally closing his eyes and letting the rest that his whole body so desperately needed.
**
"Isn't this neat-o…" the man muttered when he saw the boy run out carrying the other boy. He didn't dare to step in between them when the black figure followed swiftly after them. Oh well. Another two gone to the hidden shadows of this world. But did it really matter to him?
"Does it?" he asked quietly, stroking the stuffed animal he had in his arms. "Do you think so?" he asked, putting the bunny's lips near his ear. "Yes, indeed so. It seems that way, anyway… Human affairs… You don't like getting into human affairs, you say, Kuma-chan?" He stroked the stuffed animal lovingly this time, as he cradled it in his arms.
"I see… with my little eyes… Something that starts with a G. Yes, you're smart Kuma-chan! Sometimes even I can't remember what the Grim Reaper looks like! Oh, but don't worry. They'll have better lives where they're going, anyway."
**
"Damn it…" Aizawa muttered, wiping the blood from his cheek and watching the scars begin to grow. He pushed stray hairs out of his face and grinned like a Cheshire Cat on its new realization that Alice wasn't where she belonged. "Didn't it seem simple? You bring the boy here, I kill him, and that would ensure peace for our reign. But a small detail slipped in… You never told me there was another one…"
Eiri sighed and chewed on the sandwich he had made in simple time. "I didn't think he would interfere. And I didn't think he would fight that fiercely. Besides, that obnoxious kid could drown in the streets for all I care."
"Hm?" Aizawa murmured, grinning wider. "It's your fault he got out in the first place. He wasn't supposed to get out. If it weren't for that stupid friend of his, it would've all been perfect. You screwed it up. Therefore, you are going to get the boy back."
"How the fuck am I supposed to do that?" Eiri chuckled out. "The kid already saw what you wanted. Now he'll flip whenever he sees me. Now he won't even try to bump into me. Isn't it easy to see for you? Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll come up to me and hug me again, just like he did before. Perfect plan, Aizawa."
Aizawa laughed out loud, finally looking away from his mirror. "No, no, no… Can't you see, Yuki Eiri? You fascinated that boy the first time he saw you. And now… if you offer a shoulder, I'm sure he'll warm up to it immediately. It's his nature. Then afterwards, we can cut off his head and throw it down the river. We can't take a chance tonight… What if he lived? No, my friend. He must be dead. Shindo Shuichi must be dead…"
"Oh you're kidding me…" Eiri muttered when he fully comprehended the phrase, "if you offer him a shoulder". "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I think you owe me a favor now for all that I have done for you!"
"This is a favor…" Aizawa muttered, grinning gleefully. Eiri wished to shove a brick down that grinning face. "Go to work."
**
Her long hair falls over his body as the man finally wakes up to see her face clearly. He had been bleeding, for the beast had found him and almost made one with him, as it had to so many others. Now she strokes his head, wiping off the dried blood on his cheek.
"Yes", she says, smiling happily. "You and I are the same, stuck in the same position, ready to serve and to die when the time comes. Did you ever really escape the beast? Or had you been running for all your life, only to run so far away from yourself that you were lost? Where are your other friends? Lost in the depths of time? Do you really know where they are?"
"No", he says, trying to answer all of her questions. "I… escaped. Yes, I escaped."
"Nobody escapes…" she whispered, her fangs suddenly appearing. "Nobody escapes."
Shuichi opened his eyes slowly, a fuzzy haze hanging over the blue irises. Just what was this? This… vision that came upon him whenever he lost himself in the unknown realm known as sleep. Or maybe… Maybe he had been lost in the darkness. Yes, that was what it had been. Everything had been a dream. Eiri, Aizawa, and the woman taking care of the man. They were all fake, and they would all go away. Soon he and Hiro would be getting ready to go to another bar to play for people who didn't even care about music.
"Hiro", he whispered, sitting up to a whole entire breakfast sitting on his lap. Hiro was so caring… But sometimes Shuichi wished he wouldn't take so much care of him. He could take care of himself, anytime of the day and night.
But… something was wrong. Hiro never made breakfast like this just for the morning. It was usually pocky or something toasted. So… who… Of course… Shuichi thought silently as he stared at the figure sitting at the end of his bed. He had never seen it before… But somehow he had seen it. From… From his dream.
The man wore all black, including a black hat. He turned around and smiled to Shuichi, scratching his blond hair. Shuichi shuddered under the cold gray eyes, but was attracted to them in a strange way. Almost like the way he had been attracted to Aizawa's eyes. He nodded slowly and took his hat off.
"Go ahead, eat up. And I'm sorry if you had a bad dream. My wife just used to be so full of philosophical crap."
*
A/N: Urgh… I hate you, school… Ryuuichi had such a small unimportant role… But I just had to put him in! I can't live without him being in at least the first chapter! Maybe he'll have a bigger role in the third chapter… Hmm…