The Threshold of Darkness and Light

Chapter 14

"YOU STUPID PESTS!!!!" John shrieked as he kicked Gramps in his stomach.

"You leave my grandson and his family alone!!" Gram rammed into John, causing him to fall forward.

"I will do as I please." He swung his sword at him, the tip just missing them both. Then with a flash he took off after Yue.

"May God watch over you Yue and Kina." Gramps whispered as he helped up Gram.

"There's nothing more we can do except hope all turns out well." Gram stood up next to Gramps as they watched the leaves calm from the wind of John running past.

"When I found out that mom and dad died and Kina was living with a bishonen named Nuriko, I...felt like Kina was being taken away by those stupid bishonen and I hated that. Instead of me, Nuriko was the most important one to Kina and that made me terribly sad...that she found comfort in bishonen like Nuriko, Hotohori and much later, Yue." John thought to himself, his mind torn in an emotional agony. "But what I'm doing is right...she turned her back on me...she is only getting what she deserves!!"

~*~

Hotohori ran ahead of Nuriko, this chestnut hair flaring in the wind.

"W...wait up Hori! Where are you going?! Do you have any idea where Kina might be in the first place?" The purple haired bishonen questioned his friend.

Hotohori stopped, turning around to face Nuriko. "No but we've got to try!!! We've just got too!! Don't you have that weird six-sense thing that you used before? You knew something was wrong when Max attacked Kina and you had to get home! Can't you do that again?! I don't want that horrible feeling again! I don't want that guilt that I couldn't make a difference, that I couldn't save my friend! Do you want that feeling again Nuri?! Do you?!?!" He poured out all his stress at Nuriko.

"I-I'm s...sorry...." Nuriko fought the tears that were now forming in his crystal eyes. They were now clouded with the hot, salty liquid. It hurt to have the one you love yelling at you. "I don't want that feeling any more than you do Hori! But I can only do so much!!" The huge tears now rolled down his cheeks.

"FIND THEM NURI!! FIND THEM!!!!" Hotohori grabbed onto Nuriko's shoulders, shaking the frail bishonen back and forth. "YOU NEED TO FIND KINA AND YUE OR ELSE THEY...THEY MIGHT DIE OR SOMETHING WORSE!! Please Nuri....find them!!" He shook him harder, trying to make the confusion inside himself stop. "Please...I f-feel so helpless...so do something Nuri!! DO SOMETHING!!" Hotohori began to sink to his knees, clutching tightly to Nuriko.

"Hori...stop this. You won't help Kina by breaking down like this!! We'll find them, I promise we will!" Nuriko sat down so he was staring into Hotohori's eyes.

"Why are you acting like this?" Hotohori looked up.

"What do you mean?" Nuriko turned his head, confusion showing in his eyes.

"Well I mean...you treat Kina much like this when she is sad but something about it is different with me...I can't explain it." Hotohori searched for words.

"You're different Hori. You're someone I'm in love with. I love Kina, but in a sisterly, best friend way. You're one who always makes my heart throb to the point where I'm vexed. You're the only one Hori! I don't know anything about the future but I'd like to remain in love just with you Hori, forever and ever. I'm confident that this feeling won't change at all. I'm sure I'll love you...forever and ever..." Nuriko tenderly laid his hand on Hotohori's cheek.

Hotohori pulled back, fear shining in his eyes. He had always loved Nuriko and he knew Nuriko loved him but lately, he had felt so distant from his dear friend. He felt strange, like the two were some kind of freak show to the world. Maybe Nuriko didn't notice the stares they got when they walked down the street hand in hand, but he noticed them. "What do you mean...?"

"What does it sound like Hori? I'm in love with you, I've always been. You're more than just a friend or somebody to steal a kiss from. I LOVE you Hori!!" Nuriko stood up, his arms reaching to the sky as if it was completely obvious. "Don't you love me too?"

Hotohori looked down at the ground. Something about this felt strange to him. He felt unsure. "I always felt so close to Nuriko and we've always fooled around and joked with each other. Sure there were times when we'd be closer then normal and some would say we were 'lovers' but...I never thought he would say he loved me. I know he loves me...and I always loved him but...I think my feelings are growing cold...I can't love him if things are like this, the stares! It's too much, I feel like it is wrong for us to love each other! I thought I loved him but why do I feel so strange?" He thought to himself.

"Don't just stand there Hori, say something. Please." Nuriko frowned at Hotohori's blank expression.

"I did love you Nuri...but after I saw Kina and Yue get together I thought it was a bit strange that we were together, but I ignored it. Then Zion married Nicholas and the weird feeling came back. Isn't it strange for us to be together? Is it right?" Hotohori tried to put the confusion into words.

"It doesn't matter if it's wrong or right Hori, it's just how you feel. How do you feel about me...?" Nuriko begged, fighting the urge to burst into tears again.

"I...just don't know anymore...my feelings have...gone cold." Hotohori dropped his gaze to the grass, waiting for a slap or some kind of heartbreaking act from his friend. It was wrong to lie about love. He deserved a slap, or so he thought, he had just torn apart the heart of Nuriko, his purple haired friend who had always been there for him. "He always has been there for me now that I think about it..." Hotohori questioned what he had just said.

"Oh...." Nuriko tried to hide the pain and hurt in his voice. "We better go find Kina...this doesn't matter as much as we need to save her...or...you...know...." Nuriko forced a crooked smile across his face, plastering on false happiness.

"Y-yes...we must..." Hotohori managed to reply, drawn back by the hurt in Nuriko's smile.

Nuriko stared at the dirt, the words pounding into his mind. 'I just don't know anymore...' 'My feelings have grown cold...' "What's that supposed to me? He fell out of love with me? He doesn't care for me anymore? He doesn't love me?!" The questions burned into his heart.

Hotohori brushed back a strand of his own hair, waiting for Nuriko to move and for them both to head off to search for Kina. It was all too much to put Nuriko through this but he couldn't lie about how he felt. And he believed it was better to break off from him completely and to save Nuriko from the angry unaccepting way of the world. His head jerked up as he strained to hear the meek voice of Nuriko.

"I now understand that your feelings have...changed. But for me the feelings of love can't be changed just like that." Nuriko smiled softly. "A one-sided love is...very hard but...even just having someone to love is something to be happy about. And trying to...suppress the feelings makes it even more painful...and so...will you allow me to love you...?"

"Nur..." Hotohori began but was cut off.

"It's all right. I won't put you to any trouble." Nuriko turned around, his back to Hotohori as he gazed down at a few flowers near his feet. "I'll continue to properly do things with you as Shui's caretaker and as a co- worked at Kina's house. And so, beyond that I won't make any demands. Just...in my heart..."

"NO!!" Hotohori yelled at Nuriko's back.

Nuriko spun around, his eyes opened wide. Hotohori began to sweat, staring wildly off to the side. He dropped his eyes to the ground, not able to meet the eyes of Nuriko.

"Something like that is no good! I'd be troubled by it..." Hotohori hoarsely whispered to Nuriko.

"Why...?" Nuriko stared at Hotohori, his mind uncomprehending it all. "I said I won't put you to any trouble! My feeling of love for you, Hori... Don't feel like you have to destroy it. I just want to treasure it! Why won't you allow me at least that much?!"

"It's absurd... Something like that! Why don't you understand?!" Hotohori sighed loudly.

"I just don't!!" Angrily, Nuriko averted his gaze by turning away quickly to his left. "They're my feelings. You have no right to say anything, Hotohori! Your feelings got cold all on your own, too. I'll love as I please, too!!"

"What...?" Hotohori angrily bit his lip. "NURIKO!! Ahh, I give up! This conversation is over already!" Hotohori's face was visibly worked up.

Nuriko sighed then looked up at Hotohori, a sunny smile across his face. He turned and rushed off towards a group of sunflowers.

"N...Nuriko...?" Hotohori stuttered, confused by his sudden mood swing.

"Ah! These flowers are wonderful! I love sunflowers!" Nuriko sat on the ground, across from him were many sunflowers. He sat very still, his back turned to Hotohori.

Hotohori sighed as he walked towards Nuriko.

"Wait a minute!" Nuriko exclaimed, a bit loudly. "I'm sorry... Right now, just a moment... Don't...come over here..."

Hotohori's eyes suddenly widened as he studied Nuriko. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed onto Nuriko's right shoulder and spun him around. Nuriko stared at Hotohori, tears streaming from his eyes. Hotohori stared back.

"Even though I told myself I mustn't...If I cry here it's ruined. Although I tried desperately... ...to endure it, I...." Nuriko crossed his arms around his waist as if he was trying to hold in his emotions.

Suddenly Hotohori stepped towards Nuriko, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry Nuri!! I'm sorry! When I said my feelings got cold...it was a lie...the truth is....I love you...too b-but I'm just...so afraid of my own feelings...and afraid of what the world will think of us...Nuri...I'm scared! I tried to tell myself I was imaging things...and that you're just a friend...I tried to convince myself of that!!! But when I saw you so sad just now...I couldn't stand that I had done that....I couldn't suppress my feelings anymore!! I saw what the world did to Kina and Yue...because of her being human and him bishonen and then I grew afraid of what they would do to the two of us...but the truth is...I love you Nuriko!! But if you love me this much...and I love you this much then maybe...we can defeat the world!!" Hotohori now pulled back, looking into Nuriko's eyes as tears streamed from his own. "Unlike me, you're gentle, genuine and you do everything from the bottom of you heart. And you don't hide what you're thinking at all, and you just show your feelings."

Nuriko bit his lip, dropping his eyes. "You mean I'm simple, don't you. Well, so what?"

Hotohori smiled softly at him. "That's why...I love you...now let's go help Kina..."

Nuriko could only nod in response, for he was too choked up with joy and tears.