Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot.
This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.
Afterglow
By Felflowne aka Espion
Chapter 11
Escape
'Sir?'
Grandfather Takatori looked up, his brow furrowing. A servant stood in the doorway.
'Yes?'
'It's your grandson Mamoru to see you, sir.'
'Very well, show him in.'
The servant exited and returned a second later with Omi following him. The he backed up to the door, bowed and left.
'What is it, Mamoru?' asked the old man. Omi decided to come straight out with it.
'I want to leave Kritiker.'
The man in the wheelchair nearly choked.
'Out of the question.'
'I'm afraid I'll just go anyway if you try and stop me,' said Omi matter-of-factly, 'I just thought it would be polite to inform you of my intentions.'
'You don't care if you leave Kritiker in ruins?'
'Don't give me that,' said Omi coldly, 'finding a new Persia will be simple. I only just found out that there was never any real necessity for me to take the role.'
'You're acting strangely, Mamoru,' said the old man slowly, 'what could be causing it?'
'No, I think I'm acting like me for the first time in a long time,' said Mamoru simply.
'And just who are you, Mamoru?'
'My real name may be Mamoru Takatori, but inside I feel like Omi Tsukiyono again.'
'The pathetic child!?'
'As you wish then, the child Omi.'
'Omi Tsukiyono isn't real! Shuichi created him to be a weapon in his Weiss!'
'That's not true,' said Omi coldly, 'Father cared about me greatly, he cared about all of us.'
'It was his downfall!'
'Yes, it was, but he was human to the end.'
'Why are you suddenly saying this Mamoru?' snapped his grandfather, refusing to call him by the name he had requested.
'The situation is different now.' Omi said simply.
Takatori thought. What had happened recently? They'd captured the girl who was trying to kill him, and the boy who was with her…
'That boy…'
'Who?'
'The one who came in with the girl you interrogated last night. You know him, don't you Mamoru?'
'Yes.'
Takatori thought harder.
'He was in Shuichi's Weiss too… yes… He's Siberian, isn't he?'
'That's right.'
Even with this new information Grandfather Takatori was at a loss to see how meeting the old acquaintance could have sparked such a change in his designated Persia. Up until now, Mamoru had dealt with anything and everything he'd come up against with admirable detachedness.
He reached down the side of his wheelchair and tapped a button. He couldn't just allow Mamoru to walk out of here. What if he told someone about them?
**
In a small room on the other side of the house, and red light flashed on the wall, and six men got up and walked out of the door. The boss was calling.
**
Ken leant on the wall outside the room Omi had just gone into. He was a little worried, but squashed it, scolding himself that if Omi had dealt with everything life had thrown at him so far, then he'd be able to cope with a little bit of family confrontation.
He'd heard raised voices a couple of times, but it had always been the old man. Ken smirked slightly. He knew how infuriating Omi could be if he wanted to, and now he had the added advantage of being able to stay completely calm. Ken knew from experience just how annoying that was.
Omi hadn't let him go in with him, although he'd pleaded to be there as a bit of moral support. He smiled, remembering what had been said.
****
'If you're going in to see him let me come too! I can back you up!'
'It's alright Ken,' Omi said, snuggling closer to him, 'you'll be with me anyway…'
'What?'
'I'll just remember exactly how I feel right now, then that'll carry me through.'
'As long as you're su…'
Omi cut him off by gently brushing his lips against Ken's, eliciting a gasp from the older boy.
'Trust me like I trust you, please?' he asked, resting his head on Ken's shoulder.
'H-How can I say 'no' now, huh?'
Omi smiled, then giggled.
'Thanks, Ken-kun!'
****
Ken looked up sharply, jerked out of the happy memory by the sound of heavy boots tramping across the delicate carpets of the mansion.
**
'You can trust me not to tell anyone about Kritiker, Oji-san, why would I want to? It would just drag me back here.'
Takatori's eyes narrowed. He was confused. He still didn't understand why Mamoru was acting like this, until an abstract thought he'd had earlier and dismissed returned.
'You and that boy…' he growled, treading unfamiliar territory, 'you're not…'
'Not what?'
But Takatori couldn't bring himself to just say it. He didn't want to admit to himself that his grandson was mentally ill, or severely twisted.
But, he reasoned, looking up, he didn't look like he was either of these things.
No, he countered, it was against God's law, and it was a sin, a terrible sin.
'May God have mercy on you, Mamoru,' he said quietly.
Now it was Mamoru's turn to be confused.
'I'm sorry?'
**
'Who are you?' one of the men who'd just arrived asked Ken. He grinned.
'No-one, really.'
The man attempted to enter the room, but before he knew what was happening, he was flat on his back. He looked up in horror.
'I don't know why you guys want to go in there,' said Ken conversationally, stretching his fingers, 'but I would say it's really not worth it.'
The crew looked at each other, then at the smiling young man who stood between them and the door.
They decided it really wasn't worth it.
'It's not like he pays us, anyway,' one of them grumbled as the wandered away.
Ken watched them go. Maybe this was one of those things he really should have thought through more, but then, he countered, if those men had been heading from the room he was standing outside of, then they must have been called by Takatori.
Judging by the type of mood inside that room, he wasn't betting on them being asked to bring tea.
'Ah, well,' he murmured to himself, leaning back against the wall again, 'maybe I helped, maybe I didn't.'
**
'I said may God forgive you your sins Mamoru!' shouted the old man, half-rising from his chair. He grabbed out and caught hold of a glass ornament and hurled it.
It flew wide and hit the wall, shattering.
**
As soon as Ken heard the noise he leapt away from the wall and grabbed the door handle.
**
Inside the room, Omi knew that once Ken heard that he would come in. He didn't blame him. If the situation had been opposite he would've done the same.
Sure enough, the handle turned and Ken came in, glancing at him anxiously to see if he was alright.
Omi nodded to show he was fine, then braced himself for the next tirade that was surely coming.
'How dare you Mamoru!? How dare you defy God in such a way, after all the blessings he has given you!'
Ken looked at Omi in confusion. He'd been defying God?
'And you!' Takatori cried, pointing at Ken, 'this is your fault! This would never have happened if it hadn't been for you!'
'Be quiet!' snapped Omi, stung into a reply by his grandfather's attack on the boy he loved.
'Never!' cried the old man, getting more and more worked up. Ken went to walk over to Omi, but he held up a hand to stop him. Omi had figured out what the old man was talking about now.
He was angry because Omi was gay. This was really odd. Omi had never had to face such blatant hatred before. His grandfather seemed aflame with what was to him righteous anger.
'Oji-san,' he said pleadingly, 'please calm down, you'll hurt yourself!'
'I'll take no advice from you!' cried the old man, wheezing slightly, 'you disgust me! Abomination! Freak!'
This time no amount of hand waving could have stopped Ken from walking over to Omi. Omi sagged gratefully against him as Ken put a hand on his shoulder.
'How can you speak to your grandson that way?' he asked coldly.
'Shut up!' screamed Takatori, 'Get out of here! He is no longer my grandson! I disown you! Get out of my sight!'
'You're disowning me?' asked Omi quietly.
'Yes! Go back to being that snivelling child for all I care! Just get out! I don't need filth like you in here!'
Omi stepped forward, away from Ken, and bowed.
'Thank you,' he said sincerely, and ignoring the rest of the man's abuse, he reached out his hand to Ken, who took it, and they walked out of the room.
**
'This is where you live?'
'Yeah, it's not much, but it's home.'
Nagi looked around.
'Home?'
'Yeah, you know, home. Where your heart is, and all that?'
He looked at her blankly.
'Okay, home is where there are people that love you.'
This time he smiled slightly.
'Yes, so home can be anywhere.'
'You've got it!'
'I'm leaving Kritiker,' said Nagi quietly, after a pause.
'Good,' said Alishe sincerely, 'what are you going to do now?'
'I don't know,' he said honestly, 'I don't want to be far from home again.'
'Oh…' she sighed, as he enfolded her in another big hug, 'me neither.'
**
Ken and Omi didn't speak until they were standing outside the mansion, just held each other's hand tightly.
As soon as they were a safe distance away, Ken pulled Omi against him, slid his arms comfortingly around him and whispered, 'Are you alright, koi?'
Omi nodded.
'I never expected him to react quite like that,' he said, and despite his calm face, Ken could feel him shaking slightly.
'Come here,' he said, and pulled him closer, dipping his head so he could kiss Omi.
Omi relaxed into it. The kiss was soft and reassuring. Ken was trying to make him feel better. As soon as he felt suitably calmed, he leant upwards more, pressing his lips more firmly against Ken's and flicking his tongue out to tickle his lips.
Ken smiled against him and opened his mouth willingly, letting Omi decide what to do, and groaning slightly as Omi's tongue rubbed against his. He responded eagerly, pulling a similar noise from the other boy.
When they broke apart, they were both smiling.
'Happy?' asked Ken, tucking a bit of hair behind Omi's ear, and Omi nodded.
'Yes, thank you,' he said quietly. Ken slung an arm around his shoulders and got out a phone from his pocket with his other hand.
'I'll just call Alishe,' he explained, 'and ask if we can crash at hers tonight, okay?'
'Whatever you want is fine by me,' said Omi, as they started to walk.
**
The phone rang, and Alishe caught it on the third ring.
'Hello? Oh hi Ken… Sure! That's fine…No, no worries… Yes of course I'm sure… Oh go on with you… Yep, okay, see you in a few minutes.'
She hung up.
'Ken's bringing Omi back here,' said Alishe, by way of explanation to Nagi, who was sitting cross-legged on her sofa.
'Oh,' he said, 'I'm glad Mamoru-sama is going to recover… In my weaker moments I almost worried about him.'
'Worrying about people isn't a weakness, Nagi,' said Alishe patiently, 'it shows you care, and that's a sign of strength, at least I think so.'
He looked up.
'It's hard for me to think like that,' he said flatly, 'my ingrained instinct is every man for himself.'
'That's a shame,' said Alishe, sitting down next to him and retrieving the remote control from behind him and turning on the TV, 'but never mind. Hopefully you'll understand the benefits of caring about people soon.'
'Hope so,' said Nagi, and then, so suddenly it scared him, he had a mischievous idea.
Feigning innocence, he looked at the ceiling.
The channel changed.
Alishe bashed the remote on the arm of the sofa and changed it back. It jumped again, and then she twigged.
'Oh, ha ha ha, and in fact, ha. Very funny, now change it back.'
'Change what back?' asked Nagi, the master of keeping a straight face. Alishe mock-glared at him.
'Don't make me come over there,' she said, referring to the metre or so between them. She changed the channel back.
It changed again.
'Right! That's it! You're for it!' she laughed, throwing the remote away and diving at him.
He stopped her for a second, but she broke through the wall easily and tickled him mercilessly.
Oh no…I'd forgotten…I'm SO ticklish!
'Do you surrender?' she asked as he struggled to breathe.
'Never!' he cried and then collapsed into helpless laughter as she tickled him again.
It was then that a loud bang followed by a key turning in the lock signalled Ken and Omi's arrival. They walked in, and Alishe caught Ken explaining to Omi that the door stuck in the damp before they looked into the apartment.
'Um, are we disturbing some kind of family tradition?' said Ken, confused. Alishe had explained to him about her relationship with Persia's former bodyguard.
'Nope,' said Alishe happily, ' I was just establishing what happens to people who change the channel when I'm watching Banzai.'
'Ooh,' said Ken, wincing, 'ouch.'
**
'So we can really all stay here?' asked Nagi, 'that's really kind of you.'
'It's nothing,' said Alishe generously, 'stay as long as you want.'
It was 11.30, and although he tried to hide it, Ken could see that Omi was stifling yawns.
'I think I'll turn in,' he said, standing up. Omi looked at him gratefully and stood up too.
'Goodnight, you guys,' said Alishe, her eyes fixed on the computer game that her brother was beating her at.
'Goodnight,' they replied.
**
'Is this your room?' asked Omi, as Ken held the door for him.
'Yes, Alishe lets me sleep here.'
'Is that Nagi?' asked Omi, amazed, looking at the picture on the wall.
'Yeah,' said Ken, grinning, 'kawaii desu ne?'
'Hai!' agreed Omi, sitting down on Ken's bed and rubbing his eyes.
His fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.
'Do you have something I can borrow to sleep in?' he asked.
'Yeah, I've got a spare T-shirt somewhere,' said Ken, opening drawers, 'one moment.'
Omi continued to fight with the buttons on his shirt. Stupid things.
He didn't notice Ken kneel down beside him, so jumped when his hand brushed his clumsy fingers aside and helped him with his shirt.
'Thanks…' he whispered, his voice trailing off as Ken pushed the shirt off his shoulders and down his arms, deliberately trailing his finger along the skin he uncovered.
'Ken…' said Omi breathlessly as Ken pulled his own T-shirt off over his head, messing up his hair.
Despite himself, Omi giggled and tried to flatten it. It had no effect. Ken smiled.
'Omi, it's useless, just give up now.'
'Alright,' said Omi, quite happy to do anything.
His breath caught again as Ken placed one hand on his chest, pushing him back.
He didn't have the chance to say anything else as Ken leant over him, rubbing his side and whispering, 'You're so beautiful…'
Omi blushed. He always did whenever Ken said that.
'You only say that because you like to see me embarrassed,' he said dreamily, as Ken nuzzled him lovingly.
'Partly, yes, because it's just too cute, but mainly because you are.'
With astounding agility Omi suddenly wriggled free and flipped Ken over so that he was lying on his back. Omi grabbed both his hands with both of his own and held them down either side of his head.
'Cute, huh?'
Ken smiled.
'Impressive…' he said softly.
Omi dipped his head and captured Ken's lips with his own. Ken slipped his hands out of Omi's and placed them on Omi's back.
Omi deepened the kiss as he was pulled down by Ken's arms. No sooner did the kiss end than they kissed again and again, growing more passionate and less inhibited.
'Ken!' cried Omi, wriggling as he felt Ken's hands on his stomach.
'Shh…' Ken whispered, but hissed as Omi unconsciously drew his nails over his arm.
'Steady,' he soothed, trying to calm his lover, but the younger boy was beyond calming now.
'Don't you tell me to calm down,' yelped Omi. By now, his entire body was shaking.
Ken leant forward again so he was half lying on Omi.
'What do you want, Omi?' he asked quietly, drawing his hand slowly over the other boy's body.
Omi twisted around again so he could kiss Ken once more. When it broke, he spoke, in a voice more like a growl than anything else, and said, 'I want you.'
Ken nodded, and reached up and turned off the light.
**
'Mamoru… It is your duty… This is where you belong…'
Omi groaned. He'd had this dream so many times, and had always woken up from it feeling resigned and sad.
'You don't need love… you don't need anything… Anyway, what you need doesn't matter… This is your duty…'
'Yes…' he said sadly.
But just then, he felt a warmth spread through his body, as if someone had hugged him.
'Are you listening to us? Are you…'
But the voices faded into nothing, and the feeling of warmth and love just got stronger…
Omi woke up. He felt elated. He'd finally beaten that dream. He knew it would never come back. He reached out and discovered Ken had his arms around him. They'd fallen asleep that way.
Ken was still asleep. Omi reached up and lightly brushed some dark hair from his face. He looked so beautiful. Knowing that he wouldn't wake up for some time yet. Omi leant up and gently touched their lips together, before snuggling closer, perfectly at peace.
*********************************************************************************
Fel- *sobsob* It's finished! Aww man, I've really enjoyed writing this. And now it's finished. I go to France for nearly three months tomorrow, so I had to work like hell to finish it on time, but I did it! Woo!
If you've read this far PLEASE REVIEW! I worked my little English arse off to write this.
By the way, if anyone's disappointed that I didn't write a lemon, I have this to say to you. I'm amazed I managed to write what I did! It must come of being in an empty house, oh well *^_~* sorry guys!
Thanks to everyone who got me inspired! I'll see you all in September!
Love
Fel
xx
