Bounty
Part 3
By Splash
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There isn't anything I could really elaborate in the bathhouse to be honest. 3
Note... this part's not inspired by the song... I just needed a song and I love this one. Credit Stephen T for lyrics.
Quick edit: wtf, I must have some kind of unconscious obsession with bird-watching birds. XD Thanks "You'll Know Eventually" for catching it this time!
Edit 4/30/05: This is the bastardized version with the lyrics taken out. Go to my account for the good version. :(
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Takuya had trouble keeping his thoughts to himself after that day. Every time he would almost blurt something he didn't want to, he would have to bit his tongue to hold back. Kouji's actions weren't helping, either. He could swear that Kouji was intentionally showing off his good side at times...
That evening when he and Kouji had finished their showers (Kouji always stepped out of the shower fully dressed with a towel under his slightly wet ponytail), Takuya noted that the sun was almost completely set, and that they should get home soon. Kouji took the towel with him on his way out (the park wouldn't miss it overnight), and as they walked on the pathway back home, they spotted something peculiar...
There were large shadows at the birdfeeder, and snickering could be heard from a distance. Suddenly, Kouji's expression transformed from a peaceful one to one of anger. Without hesitation, he ran towards the shadows, dropping his towel on the way.
" Kouji?" Takuya lost him before he knew it.
Kouji leaped into the air with his magnificient grace, and stretched his foot out, smacking the shadow directly in the face.
" OW!" it cried. Takuya took a closer look, and saw a teenaged kid like him with a long shovel in his hands.
Kouji said nothing and continued to attack the boy. Another one appeared, weaponless, but Kouji managed to maneuver through his slow punches.
' Vandalizers,' Takuya figured out, amazed at how well Kouji was doing.
" Where the hell did this guy come from?" one of them growled, furiously swinging the shovel at Kouji.
While Kouji was occupied with the two going after him, he didn't seem to notice another shadow behind him...
" Kouji!"
Takuya ran forward and tackled the person behind the bandana boy.
" What the- there's another one!" the grounded boy wailed. He lunged out with his fists, but Takuya reacted too quickly for him.
Kouji quickly glimped behind him, smirking with pride for Takuya. He stopped in his tracks abruptly, surprising the two assailants, then shot out for the shovel in the first boy's hands. The boy was caught completely off-guard, and the shovel slipped easily from his grip. Kouji pointed the blade of the shovel toward the boy as a warning.
They ignored the warning and charged toward him.
They certainly didn't expect Kouji to run between them. Kouji swung the shovel in two fluid motions, whacking the back of both boys before straightening his stance. The boys cried out in pain and nursed their backs, looking back at Kouji with hatred.
" Forget it, guys," the one who previously had the shovel ordered, " They aren't worth the trouble. Let's go."
The boy Takuya was wrestling with scuttled to his feet, dusted himself off and walked away with a defiant air about him. Takuya was tempted to go after him, but Kouji blocked the brunette's path with his arm.
" If you ever thought I was getting paid too much for my job, think again, Takuya," Kouji stated before picking up his (rather, the park's) abandoned towel on the ground and continuing his path back home.
Takuya took a moment to figure out what Kouji said, then laughed lightly, following Kouji. Kouji made his smile again, perhaps with a little more glimmer than usual...
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The next day, the ranger informed them that the vandalizers had broken into the central lodge before and that they would have to close the park to find the criminals. They had stolen some rather valuable equipment and documents. Kouji and Takuya provided what information they could about the boys, then they were told to go home.
" You'll still get your regular pay if this goes on for a while."
Takuya and Kouji found themselves lounging on Kouji's bed with nothing to do. Kouji had returned his bird-watching book not long ago, and had nothing else to read. It was also extremely hot in Kouji's room, and while Takuya was comfortable without his red overcoat, Kouji did without wearing any shirt. He loosened his bandana then proceeded to unconsciously attract Takuya's adoring eyes.
They must have stared at the ceiling for hours before Takuya finally spoke up. " Don't you have ANYTHING to do here?"
Kouji sighed, seeming defeated. " Let me get something." He rolled off the bed lethargically, then went over to the closet and pulled out... an acoustic guitar.
The sight of it grabbed Takuya's attention instantly. Kouji went back onto the bed and sat down with the guitar in his lap. He plucked the strings, tuning the instrument into perfection.
" I didn't know you had a guitar," Takuya said, aghast.
Kouji said nothing, but kept tuning the guitar. When he was satisfied with every string's pitch, he played them all at once and let the sound ring. He took a deep breathe, then began to sing, stringing chords with his words...
-lyrics removed due to ff.n bastardization-
When he finished, he put his guitar on the ground next to the bed. Still without a spoken word, he looked at Takuya for a response.
" That was beautiful," was the first thing that popped out of Takuya, said rather quietly. But he hadn't meant it to be loud enough for Kouji to hear.
Kouji blushed, but he seemed to be keeping control of himself. He kept staring at Takuya, however, as if trying to convey some kind of message. Kouji's singing was terrific, yes... but it also awoke another thought in Takuya.
" You sing so well, Kouji. Why didn't you try making a life out of your talent?"
Kouji looked down at that. " I did, many years ago... but one day..." he stopped, silently refusing to say more.
" Kouji?"
Kouji sighed again, crossing his legs on the bed. " I used to be pretty famous. But one day I was kidnapped by a desperate homeless criminal. He..." Kouji seemed to be losing control of his emotions, worrying Takuya. " He killed my parents then took me without leaving any clues or hints. He made it seem as if my parents just stopped existing."
Kouji took another big breathe, then checked to see if Takuya had any reaction. He was listening intently. " I was forced to sing in strange bars in outside cities, and I was given almost no freedom. I hated it, but there was nothing I could do, or I didn't have the courage to do anything. At least I was given privacy. But I did manage to get away from him and escape to this place, and ever since then I've been working at the park."
" How did you get away from him?"
Kouji blushed, then noticed he was getting repetitive in his actions. " Promise me you won't laugh? I've never told this to anyone before, not even Mr. Shizuma."
Takuya smiled. " Of course I won't laugh, Kouji! Now go on." Inside, he felt a great contentment to know that Kouji trusted only him to share such a personal story.
" My parents presented me as a female. They always wanted a girl, and I was afraid of being rejected so I followed their plans. I pretended to be a girl during all of my singing acts, and my voice could be easily mistaken for one back then. I became famous as a female, and body except my parents knew the real truth. I was so used to pretending that when I was kidnapped I still pretended to be female. Basically I forgot that I was even a male."
Takuya's eyes widened greatly, and increasingly so as Kouji continued.
" Hey, I was little. How could I know what was best? But, alas, I couldn't hide myself forever. My voice started to change after a few years, and I found myself having to strain my voice more and more to sing like a girl. During one act, I lost control of my singing and completely ruined my song. The one who kidnapped me was in a drunken stupor and become completely confused, but by the next morning had completely forgotten my slip."
" I decided I couldn't go on like I was with my voice and MYSELF changing, so I made a plan on my third year anniversary of being with the kidnapper to 'celebrate' with him. I put a sleeping pill in his drink, and while he was under the effects, I took most of his money and my few possessions including my guitar, and made a run for it."
Takuya looked solemn, empathizing with Kouji's situation.
" I didn't hitchhike for fear of being kidnapped again, but slowly made my way back to this town."
Kouji finally looked back at Takuya, relaxing now that he had said everything from his past.
Suddenly, Takuya hit himself hard in the head.
" YOU must be Izumi!"
Kouji jerked completely, gawking at Takuya. " How do you know that name? That was the stagename my parents used..."
Takuya covered his own mouth, then realized he was still safe. ' This is it! This answers everything! Except... What do I do now?' " I guess you really didn't know how famous you were, Kouji. We watched you on television at my orphanage all the time."
A lie. But Kouji didn't assume anything except the truth, which made Takuya feel quite guilty. ' No, no... this is just business.'
Or was it? He couldn't turn in a bounty of the wrong gender, and what would happen if he tried explaining to his boss Kouji's story? Would he believe him? Would he be in deep trouble? Furthermore... how was he going to break the news to Kouji? Did he even need to know? Would he let him go back to his boss... or... too many questions!
" Takuya, are you all right?" Kouji asked, seeing him hold his head.
" Y-yeah... that was just a lot of stuff you told me," Takuya feigned, " I... I don't know what to do or say."
" That's okay," Kouji said, making that good 'ol small smile that Takuya adored, " We can let the past be, so now there aren't any unknown gaps between us."
Takuya turned red at that, not just because of the implication but of shame as well. ' Maybe I can just forget my past completely. The world won't end if "Izumi" doesn't make it to whatever the boss is planning. I'll just live with Kouji forever and we'll fall in love and we're be happy for the rest of our lives... and... what the hell am I thinking? I must be going crazy..."
The brunette looked at Kouji, who was now staring out the window, his legs still crossed on the bed.
' No... Kouji deserves to know. Even if I don't have to turn him in, I need to get this pain off my mind. He'll still trust me afterwards, won't he? Maybe trust me even more...' Takuya parsed his lips, preparing to spit out the truth, ' Come on, Takuya. Be optimistic. Kouji doesn't hate you... right?'
" Kouji, there's something else I should tell you..."
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Apologies if this part seems too plot driven, the "better" is yet to come.
Kouji sings his image song, "In The Blue." If you haven't gotten it yet, I HIGHLY recommend you get it, along with the other Frontier image songs. Heck, get ALL of the Digimon songs if you can... XD
Splash
takouji.