Doumyouji prowled the night. He refused to go home. He was not going to let
his sister tie him up again. Nor would he jump through her training hoops
anymore. No, he would remain free, unfettered, as he roamed the empty
streets. He could not have slept even if he wanted to.
Oh, he knew exactly where Tsukushi must be right now. He had no doubts whatsoever. His sixth sense always told him where she was. If he were to close his eyes, even for a second, he would feel her magnetic pulling drawing him onward.
She was with Nishikado. At His house.
Probably in his bed.
Doumyouji seethed with unrepressed fury, and fought the urge to roar his anguish to the uncaring night.
His fertile imagination told him all the things that they could be doing now-all the things that he'd always wanted to do to Tsukushi.
It was driving him mad.
But still he wandered the night, refusing to go to that which called him. Refusing to witness the truth of what his mind's eye saw, his feet circumscribed a spiral path through the streets. Incrementally closer, he crept to the Nishikado estate, now coming within several blocks, now retracing his footsteps further away.
There would be a confrontation come the dawn. Of that, there could be no doubt.
------
The morning broke dark and grey. An icy winter fog wreathed the city, as its many residents reluctantly stumbled awake. No one likes to wake on a Saturday, and that held truer than usual on this day. . .
"Hey 'Jiro! Wake up! You have a visitor!" Soujiro was jolted awake at the most ungodly hour of 6:30 AM, by his little brother's screeching at his open door.
His first thought was panic. It simply would not do for him to be found at home with a girl in his bed. What would his mother think?!
Quickly, that spike of fear was replaced by relief, as he realized that Tsukushi wasn't there at all. The bed was still warm where she'd been nestled up beside him, but where had she gone? Soujiro forced it out of his mind as he retorted sharply, "Don't you ever knock? Who is it?" Who could be calling at this ridiculously early hour? He didn't have long to wait for an answer to that one, as his brother was roughly shoved aside by the glowering figure of Tsukasa. . .
--------
Tsukushi had awoken to find herself in a most compromising position. With one out-flung arm across Soujiro's bare chest, and a leg draped over his, she had unconsciously cuddled up to his side. Starting wide-awake, she cautiously disentangled herself, "This is starting to be a bad habit," She reprimanded herself. Still, she had to admit, it didn't really feel that wrong, though she knew she should worry about the potential behavior of the feckless playboy beside her. . . "I'm an idiot." She sighed mentally, "No one would ever believe me if I told them I slept with Nishikado Soujiro twice, and nothing happened. . . . He really is more of a gentleman then he lets on." Still shaking her head, she gazed down at the boy in question. He looked so much more peaceful in his sleep. The sharp angles and planes of his face smoothed out and the hint of a genuine smile lifted his lips. He really was very good looking. It was hard not to be attracted to someone who looked like him, and he truly was a better man than he'd admit to. . . Tsukushi shook herself. What was she thinking? The boy was a good friend and nothing more! "Then why," a nagging voice in her head asked her, "are you sleeping with him - again? You never trusted Tsukasa not to do something perverted, how can you possibly trust this leering player, if he's 'just a friend'?"
"He thinks I'm a sexless teddy-bear!" she desperately protested this inner accusation.
"Yeah right." The mental voice mocked, "How much longer are you going to delude yourself? Do you even listen to your friends? Do you ever listen to yourself? What are you going to do?"
"I. . I just don't know."
Staring down through the dim morning light at the man beside her, Tsukushi tried to sort out how she felt about him. She trusted Soujiro, told him things she'd only before told Yuki, or kept entirely to herself. She liked to see his smiling face, felt a cold hand clutch her heart when he was sad. And he was kind to her; he helped her with her school work, sought her out when she was low. And he listened to her. He didn't try to do anything, didn't push her around, not like Tsukasa, and he didn't think it was his business to save her from her every mistake like Rui. So too, he was willing to talk to her, to open up and tell her the truth. And he was very, very cuddly. A slow flush crept up her cheeks as she remembered relaxing into his arms last night, feeling his body pressed up against hers, encircling her almost completely. The feel of his warm breath tickling her ear, and his fingers toying with hers. It had been so very pleasant, almost. . . seductive.
Is that what he had intended? The idea shocked her. It couldn't be! He was just a very physical kind of guy. Really.
"You'd like him to do some more of that, wouldn't you?" The insidious voice in her skull was back.
Tsukushi paused. Did she like him? As a friend, oh yes, she liked him a lot. But as more than that? She didn't know. It was hard to know her own mind, when she was still torn up over Tsukasa. There was no need to be hasty, she reassured herself. She didn't want to do anything she'd regret, or say anything that might come back to haunt her.
Besides, who knew what the new day would bring?
She didn't even notice how much better she felt today, as if she could take control of her life again. Sure, she was confused as all hell, but somehow during the night, she'd regained her vitality, the Tsukushi fighting spirit. It was good to be awake and alive again. There were things to be done, and choices to be made. She would make them, and do what had to be done. . . As soon as she figured out just what that was.
Stealthily, she eased herself out of bed, gasping in the cold morning air, before padding down the hall to the bathroom.
She was in the middle of washing her face when she heard raised voices down the hall. . . "Oh Shit!" she muttered as she turned off the icy water, "That sounds like Doumyouji." The realization was more bracing than even the freezing cold water had been just moments before.
-----
"Where is she?" Doumyouji's voice was frigidly calm; the grating tone of death warmed over.
"Who?" Soujiro decided to pretend ignorance, after all, he really didn't know where Tsukushi had slipped off to. "And what the hell are you doing in my room? Don't you know what time it is, Tsukasa?"
"Don't play the fool, Nishikado. What have you done to my Tsukushi?"
At this, Soujiro sat up in bed, throwing off his blankets as he did so, "Your Tsukushi? I wasn't aware that she belonged to you." He forced himself to remain calm. He had done nothing wrong, after all. Still, he could see the muscles in Tsukasa's jaw clenching, as the bigger boy fought to keep his cool. It was then that Tsukasa's eye was drawn by something glinting in the disarrayed sheets of the bed-a very familiar necklace with the Saturn emblem lay nestled where it had broken from Tsukushi's neck as she slept.
"What have you done?" Tsukasa's eyes were locked on Soujiro's. His voice was low and menacing, as if, at any second, he could spring to tear out his friend's throat.
"None of your business." It was not Soujiro who spoke, but Tsukushi. She stood, quiet as a shadow, in the hall behind Tsukasa. She breathed deeply, and promised herself that she would not yell, would not lash out with a vicious slap or kick. She would speak rationally, calmly, until she'd said her mind.
"What do you mean, not my concern?" Tsukasa turned to face Tsukushi. "You fucked Soujiro, didn't you? How could you do that to me? To us? I love you and you betray me like this? There's nothing in the world that matters more. And you say it's none of my business," He sneered viciously, and began to stalk towards Tsukushi, "How did it feel? Was it good for you? Did you enjoy trampling on my heart as you opened your legs for him? Wasn't I good enough for you? No, you had to turn to the pro. So tell me, was it worth it?"
Doumyouji's inexorable advance trapped Tsukushi against the wall.
"You're making a big mistake." Tsukushi refused to be intimidated. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I don't, do I? Then why are you here? Where did you sleep last night? Or was it sleep at all you were getting?"
"Tsukasa. That's enough." Soujiro had taken the opportunity provided by Tsukasa's distraction to get out of bed. He now stood just out of the range of Tsukasa's fists.
"Oh, so you do speak for yourself." Tsukasa sneered at Soujiro without ever taking his eyes off Tsukushi's face. "What do you want with Tsukushi?" He wanted to hear Soujiro dismiss her as casually as he did his other women. He wanted the words to punish Tsukushi for her betrayal, and to damn Soujiro so that he could kill this traitorous man.
"Oh. . . " Soujiro crossed his arms across his bare chest, as if to try and warm himself. He looked thoughtful a moment, then, as if a decision had been reached, he grinned, incongruously, considering the situation, and spoke, "I expect that I want the same thing you do."
"What?" Tsukasa spun to face him at last. Even Tsukushi looked confused.
"Yeah," Soujiro locked gazes with Tsukasa once more, "I'm only going to say this once, so you better listen to me, and listen well." He paused again, and started slowly, as if reflecting on events a long distance away.
"You know, I don't think I've ever stood up to you in my whole life. Sad, isn't it? You always got your way, even when we were little. You always bullied us into doing what you wanted. I think the first time any one of us stood in your way was Rui. . . Who knew that we'd end up fighting over a girl?"
Soujiro began to speak more forcefully now, "But Now you've really gone too far. Do you even know what you've done to Tsukushi? What she's gone through for your sake? Have you any idea how many tears that girl has shed because of you? You selfish asshole. You never did understand anything. I don't know how you can stand there and sneer at the woman who loved you more than anything.
"You should try talking to Tsukushi for once. Instead of trying to change her, mold her into an obedient toy, you should have asked her what She wanted, listened to Her fears, Her Needs. That's what a boyfriend does! But not you. You only cared about yourself, what Tsukushi could do for you. You're not worthy of her love.
"Still, I'll tell you this, and I know you won't believe me when I say-I never touched Tsukushi, not like you seem to think. But I still know more of her than you ever will, because unlike you, I trust her. . .And, I hope, she trusts me.
"And you ask me, what is it I want from her? The same thing you should want. I want her to be happy. Because when she smiles, the world lights up. But, for myself, I want one little thing more, and again, it's the same thing you want," Soujiro smiled slightly, as if Tsukasa were not looming over him like a vision of Armageddon, "I would like her to kiss me."
To be continued. . .
Ok If I were good, I'd finish the fight this chapter. But I'm sleepy. So it'll have to wait.
Oh, he knew exactly where Tsukushi must be right now. He had no doubts whatsoever. His sixth sense always told him where she was. If he were to close his eyes, even for a second, he would feel her magnetic pulling drawing him onward.
She was with Nishikado. At His house.
Probably in his bed.
Doumyouji seethed with unrepressed fury, and fought the urge to roar his anguish to the uncaring night.
His fertile imagination told him all the things that they could be doing now-all the things that he'd always wanted to do to Tsukushi.
It was driving him mad.
But still he wandered the night, refusing to go to that which called him. Refusing to witness the truth of what his mind's eye saw, his feet circumscribed a spiral path through the streets. Incrementally closer, he crept to the Nishikado estate, now coming within several blocks, now retracing his footsteps further away.
There would be a confrontation come the dawn. Of that, there could be no doubt.
------
The morning broke dark and grey. An icy winter fog wreathed the city, as its many residents reluctantly stumbled awake. No one likes to wake on a Saturday, and that held truer than usual on this day. . .
"Hey 'Jiro! Wake up! You have a visitor!" Soujiro was jolted awake at the most ungodly hour of 6:30 AM, by his little brother's screeching at his open door.
His first thought was panic. It simply would not do for him to be found at home with a girl in his bed. What would his mother think?!
Quickly, that spike of fear was replaced by relief, as he realized that Tsukushi wasn't there at all. The bed was still warm where she'd been nestled up beside him, but where had she gone? Soujiro forced it out of his mind as he retorted sharply, "Don't you ever knock? Who is it?" Who could be calling at this ridiculously early hour? He didn't have long to wait for an answer to that one, as his brother was roughly shoved aside by the glowering figure of Tsukasa. . .
--------
Tsukushi had awoken to find herself in a most compromising position. With one out-flung arm across Soujiro's bare chest, and a leg draped over his, she had unconsciously cuddled up to his side. Starting wide-awake, she cautiously disentangled herself, "This is starting to be a bad habit," She reprimanded herself. Still, she had to admit, it didn't really feel that wrong, though she knew she should worry about the potential behavior of the feckless playboy beside her. . . "I'm an idiot." She sighed mentally, "No one would ever believe me if I told them I slept with Nishikado Soujiro twice, and nothing happened. . . . He really is more of a gentleman then he lets on." Still shaking her head, she gazed down at the boy in question. He looked so much more peaceful in his sleep. The sharp angles and planes of his face smoothed out and the hint of a genuine smile lifted his lips. He really was very good looking. It was hard not to be attracted to someone who looked like him, and he truly was a better man than he'd admit to. . . Tsukushi shook herself. What was she thinking? The boy was a good friend and nothing more! "Then why," a nagging voice in her head asked her, "are you sleeping with him - again? You never trusted Tsukasa not to do something perverted, how can you possibly trust this leering player, if he's 'just a friend'?"
"He thinks I'm a sexless teddy-bear!" she desperately protested this inner accusation.
"Yeah right." The mental voice mocked, "How much longer are you going to delude yourself? Do you even listen to your friends? Do you ever listen to yourself? What are you going to do?"
"I. . I just don't know."
Staring down through the dim morning light at the man beside her, Tsukushi tried to sort out how she felt about him. She trusted Soujiro, told him things she'd only before told Yuki, or kept entirely to herself. She liked to see his smiling face, felt a cold hand clutch her heart when he was sad. And he was kind to her; he helped her with her school work, sought her out when she was low. And he listened to her. He didn't try to do anything, didn't push her around, not like Tsukasa, and he didn't think it was his business to save her from her every mistake like Rui. So too, he was willing to talk to her, to open up and tell her the truth. And he was very, very cuddly. A slow flush crept up her cheeks as she remembered relaxing into his arms last night, feeling his body pressed up against hers, encircling her almost completely. The feel of his warm breath tickling her ear, and his fingers toying with hers. It had been so very pleasant, almost. . . seductive.
Is that what he had intended? The idea shocked her. It couldn't be! He was just a very physical kind of guy. Really.
"You'd like him to do some more of that, wouldn't you?" The insidious voice in her skull was back.
Tsukushi paused. Did she like him? As a friend, oh yes, she liked him a lot. But as more than that? She didn't know. It was hard to know her own mind, when she was still torn up over Tsukasa. There was no need to be hasty, she reassured herself. She didn't want to do anything she'd regret, or say anything that might come back to haunt her.
Besides, who knew what the new day would bring?
She didn't even notice how much better she felt today, as if she could take control of her life again. Sure, she was confused as all hell, but somehow during the night, she'd regained her vitality, the Tsukushi fighting spirit. It was good to be awake and alive again. There were things to be done, and choices to be made. She would make them, and do what had to be done. . . As soon as she figured out just what that was.
Stealthily, she eased herself out of bed, gasping in the cold morning air, before padding down the hall to the bathroom.
She was in the middle of washing her face when she heard raised voices down the hall. . . "Oh Shit!" she muttered as she turned off the icy water, "That sounds like Doumyouji." The realization was more bracing than even the freezing cold water had been just moments before.
-----
"Where is she?" Doumyouji's voice was frigidly calm; the grating tone of death warmed over.
"Who?" Soujiro decided to pretend ignorance, after all, he really didn't know where Tsukushi had slipped off to. "And what the hell are you doing in my room? Don't you know what time it is, Tsukasa?"
"Don't play the fool, Nishikado. What have you done to my Tsukushi?"
At this, Soujiro sat up in bed, throwing off his blankets as he did so, "Your Tsukushi? I wasn't aware that she belonged to you." He forced himself to remain calm. He had done nothing wrong, after all. Still, he could see the muscles in Tsukasa's jaw clenching, as the bigger boy fought to keep his cool. It was then that Tsukasa's eye was drawn by something glinting in the disarrayed sheets of the bed-a very familiar necklace with the Saturn emblem lay nestled where it had broken from Tsukushi's neck as she slept.
"What have you done?" Tsukasa's eyes were locked on Soujiro's. His voice was low and menacing, as if, at any second, he could spring to tear out his friend's throat.
"None of your business." It was not Soujiro who spoke, but Tsukushi. She stood, quiet as a shadow, in the hall behind Tsukasa. She breathed deeply, and promised herself that she would not yell, would not lash out with a vicious slap or kick. She would speak rationally, calmly, until she'd said her mind.
"What do you mean, not my concern?" Tsukasa turned to face Tsukushi. "You fucked Soujiro, didn't you? How could you do that to me? To us? I love you and you betray me like this? There's nothing in the world that matters more. And you say it's none of my business," He sneered viciously, and began to stalk towards Tsukushi, "How did it feel? Was it good for you? Did you enjoy trampling on my heart as you opened your legs for him? Wasn't I good enough for you? No, you had to turn to the pro. So tell me, was it worth it?"
Doumyouji's inexorable advance trapped Tsukushi against the wall.
"You're making a big mistake." Tsukushi refused to be intimidated. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I don't, do I? Then why are you here? Where did you sleep last night? Or was it sleep at all you were getting?"
"Tsukasa. That's enough." Soujiro had taken the opportunity provided by Tsukasa's distraction to get out of bed. He now stood just out of the range of Tsukasa's fists.
"Oh, so you do speak for yourself." Tsukasa sneered at Soujiro without ever taking his eyes off Tsukushi's face. "What do you want with Tsukushi?" He wanted to hear Soujiro dismiss her as casually as he did his other women. He wanted the words to punish Tsukushi for her betrayal, and to damn Soujiro so that he could kill this traitorous man.
"Oh. . . " Soujiro crossed his arms across his bare chest, as if to try and warm himself. He looked thoughtful a moment, then, as if a decision had been reached, he grinned, incongruously, considering the situation, and spoke, "I expect that I want the same thing you do."
"What?" Tsukasa spun to face him at last. Even Tsukushi looked confused.
"Yeah," Soujiro locked gazes with Tsukasa once more, "I'm only going to say this once, so you better listen to me, and listen well." He paused again, and started slowly, as if reflecting on events a long distance away.
"You know, I don't think I've ever stood up to you in my whole life. Sad, isn't it? You always got your way, even when we were little. You always bullied us into doing what you wanted. I think the first time any one of us stood in your way was Rui. . . Who knew that we'd end up fighting over a girl?"
Soujiro began to speak more forcefully now, "But Now you've really gone too far. Do you even know what you've done to Tsukushi? What she's gone through for your sake? Have you any idea how many tears that girl has shed because of you? You selfish asshole. You never did understand anything. I don't know how you can stand there and sneer at the woman who loved you more than anything.
"You should try talking to Tsukushi for once. Instead of trying to change her, mold her into an obedient toy, you should have asked her what She wanted, listened to Her fears, Her Needs. That's what a boyfriend does! But not you. You only cared about yourself, what Tsukushi could do for you. You're not worthy of her love.
"Still, I'll tell you this, and I know you won't believe me when I say-I never touched Tsukushi, not like you seem to think. But I still know more of her than you ever will, because unlike you, I trust her. . .And, I hope, she trusts me.
"And you ask me, what is it I want from her? The same thing you should want. I want her to be happy. Because when she smiles, the world lights up. But, for myself, I want one little thing more, and again, it's the same thing you want," Soujiro smiled slightly, as if Tsukasa were not looming over him like a vision of Armageddon, "I would like her to kiss me."
To be continued. . .
Ok If I were good, I'd finish the fight this chapter. But I'm sleepy. So it'll have to wait.