Everyone, though I say time and time again that I'm too delicate to take any flames (I burn easily, don't ya know?), please feel free to point out any weaknesses in my writing so that I can serve you better! Of course, please feel free also to write your constructive criticisms in a very nice way. . . . - . –u
To those who reviewed "Revenge of the OC": Literary Eagle, nekoMoon-chan, grafitti, Cephalantus: Domo arigato! ^^
Rinoa Redcloak: Oh. . .crap. You weren't fooled? I have to agree though, "Red Herrings" does make you kinda good at catching these kind of things. I remember when I read her first chapter, the one with Muraki and his eraser? Gawd, I laughed like a loon!
Literary Eagle: *beams* Arigato! I simply refuse to have Hi-chan as a weakling anymore; crumpling to the floor the minute someone screams. And I have no idea where I got the idea for the "love-ball" and how the hell Tats-chan came in. . . .hmm. . .
nekoMoon-chan: Maa. . .note the word "s" after my title "End of the Worlds". *giggle* Any idea what it means?
Shaynie: Don't worry, though it seems like it, there's not really any lemon in this chapter so feel free to not have to skip any parts! ^^
Warning: Now why should I spoil the surprise? But expect the war of Inu vs. Neko!
Pairings: Kyo x Taka, Tsu x Soka, Tats x Tari
Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei & its affiliation does not belong to me. This fic is not made for profit, just praises. The song lyrics used is Lifehouse's "Sky Is Falling" from the album Stanley Climbfall.
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CHAPTER 3: Sky is Falling
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"That was not a nice thing to do, Kyo. Spying on Tatsumi and Watari like that," Takashi reprimanded him gently.
Kyo just gave a grin and hugged him tight. They had wandered over to a little secluded spot away from the bustle for the preparation of their own re-wedding. Arms linked around each other, the two walked aimlessly around, just enjoying the fresh air. Takashi had contemplated having a little 'fun' first with Kyo but one look at his pale face made him scrap the idea. He was still pushing himself too hard.
It was only a few days ago that he and Watari both felt the he was strong enough to be sent back home and it was only a couple of months ago that the little 'episode' in the infirmary happened. Takashi didn't know if Kyo realized it. He woke up completely just a few weeks back and hadn't mentioned his outburst at all. It scared the hell out of him. He was still hurting inside. As he was.
It was Kyo who came up with the idea of having this re-wedding. When Takashi asked why, he had replied that it felt right. Right for whom? For him? For Takashi? For them both? Takashi had a gut feeling that was in all probability, a form of defiance for Kyo to Akuma, no matter that the bastard's dead. That he had survived. That he lived. Even though the price he'd have to pay may be more than he can afford.
"What are you thinking about, Taka?" Kyo asked him as they stopped beneath a sakura.
Takashi transferred his arm from around his waist to move behind him and embraced him close, his arms linked around him. Kyo leaned into him, perhaps a bit more than usual and again he was struck by how weak Kyo still was. He was careful to not hug him too tight.
"Thinking about you," Takashi said, smiling. "About how lucky I am."
They stayed there for a few minutes, lost in thoughts. The wind blowing brought stray sounds of their friends preparing for the ceremony which will be held in that little grove beside the pond. Kacho had agreed to officiate the ceremony while Watari was Kyo's best man and Tatsumi was Takashi's. The former doctor liked the Kagetsukai. He was someone whom he felt he could talk to. Someone of like mind. And he was in awe of how smoothly Tatsumi ran the office. If he himself had to deal with all those near-weekly damage reports that came in, he'd be strangling somebody.
Everyone in the office was here today. That may not be much but it was enough for them. They were friends. Even Hakushaku-sama was invited but he could not make it. He sent them an extravagant bouquet though to make up for his absence.
"Takashi! Kyo!"
They looked towards the direction of the voice. It was Wakaba, calling and waving to them enthusiastically.
"Come on!" she yelled. "Everything's prepared!"
Takashi let go of Kyo and taking his hand, they walked towards the grove. He chanced a brief glance at Kyo. He looked a bit distracted, lost in thoughts soTakashi gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I love you," he said softly.
He turned to Takashi with a small smile. "Love you too."
* * *
Takashi sat on a white folding chair, a flute of champagne in his hand. . .and sighed.
The wedding had been beautiful. That was the word to describe it. Everything was perfect; the chief's speech, their vows, and now, the sumptuous lunch buffet that the girls had made. Considering that the Shokan staff was quite small, it was easy for them to prepare but then, you had to take into account Tsuzuki's stomach and Kyo's addiction to chocolates. Which brings to mind their wedding cake.
It was a three-tier. That was the only thing that's traditional. Where other couples would have one of white icing and sugar, (after all, it is a wedding, so you have to go with the color scheme), they, Kyo and him, have a three-tier chocolate wedding cake. Yes, you read that right. Chocolate. Real chocolate. Kyo hates icing you see. He says when he eats it, he gets this cloying feeling in his throat and he'd feel like puking.
Takashi loved indulging him.
He love seeing the sparkles in his eyes when a piece of chocolate swims into view, that smile filled with ecstasy as he bites into a scrumptious praline. . .Ah, he's lusting.
His arm draped over the back of Kyo's chair, Takashi sipped the golden bubbly in his hand while he watched with a smile as his love digs into his cake enthusiastically. His share Takashi had already given to him and it had earned him a chocolaty kiss. They were sitting at the head of the table while Tsuzuki sat on Kyo's right and Hisoka next to him. The amethyst-eyed man was also devouring his share of the cake with undisguised delight, earning him a long-suffering look from his own partner. To Takashi's left was Watari with Tatsumi seated next to him. The two of them were exchanging quiet words together and once, Takashi thought he caught a shy touch from the Kagetsukai on the blonde's hand.
He smirked into his glass.
He let his eyes wander over to Kyo's after the little exchange they had. Thankfully, Kyo hadn't caught what he'd seen, otherwise, there'd be some cheerful ribbing going on. But his eyes did catch sight of a little quandary.
There was only one slice of cake left. And it was sitting equidistant between Kyo and Tsuzuki.
If that is not a sign of trouble, he didn't know what is.
"Please," Tsuzuki said, an amazing amount of restraint evident in his smile. "Take the last piece. It's your party after all." He pushed the plate over to Kyo.
"No, no," Kyo smiled back with equal restraint also. "You're my guest. Take it." And he pushed the plate right back.
"Oh, no! I can't possibly do that! You take it!" Pushes plate away.
"But I insist. Please, Tsuzuki-san." Pushes plate back.
"Kyo-san. You take it." Twitch.
"No, I said you take it." Twitch.
"You take it." Twitchtwitch.
"You take it." Twitchtwitch.
"I said you." Twitcthtwitchtwitch.
"And I said you." Twitchtwitchtwitch.
Takashi could tell it'll be a classic war of inu against neko. He could also see Hisoka thumping his head against the heel of his palm in exasperation.
"Kyo-san." Takashi lost count of his twitches.
"Tsuzuki-san." His too.
"Are you going to take it or not??!!"
"And what about you??!!"
"That's it! This means war then! I pray to the 12 Gods who protect me!"
"You got that right! I call upon water from the seven seas of creation!"
Sigh. Kids.
Takashi took the plate of cake that was the cause of this mini-scale world war, picked up his knife, cut the slice neatly in half (equal parts of course), and placed each slice on the inu's and neko's plates respectively.
"Show yourself before me, Su-eh? Wan! Wan!"
"Rise as the tide to divi-yay!"
Some things never change.
Later, they danced beneath the roof of the cherry blossoms. Someone had set up a little sound system, probably Watari, and he held Kyo close as they danced together. Kyo's head rested on his shoulder as they swayed slow to the song.
Angel eyes. . . .see the glory.
Angel eyes. . . .know the story.
They see the hearts that break.
They see the love you make.
The story never ends.
The milky smooth voice of Tamara Walker rippled in the air and he turned his face towards Kyo's. Silk black hair brushed his lips and he inhaled that fragrance that was Kyo's. Pears and a touch of chamomile. It was a scent that played tantalizingly at the edges and never failed to remind Takashi of him. Have you ever noticed that it's the little things that makes up the person we love? The way he tilts his head to catch a bit of light, sitting by the window. The way his fingers would brush over a page in a book in soft delight, feeling the printed words come alive under his hand and in his mind. The 3 months Takashi spent in the infirmary with him had made him realize how much he missed those little gestures and bits and pieces that make up Kyo. Just watching him lie there on those pristine white sheets covered by warm wool and to not see those eyes alive with happiness. . .
Angel eyes see the morrow.
Angel eyes won't let sorrow
Live inside your heart.
You've got a brand new start
If only you believe.
The grass beneath their feet was smooth as velvet and they glide across it, dancing away and the crushed blossoms lent a sweet fragrance to the air. All around them, other couples were joining in too; Wakaba and a reluctant-looking Terazuma, Hisoka and Tsuzuki long lost in each other and even, Watari and Tatsumi. Takashi could definitely see a blush staining the latter's neck.
The song flowed on and they each swayed in a little world of their own.
If only this could last forever.
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I watch as the daylight crawls
Past the shadows hanging on the wall
It's been a long time since I've felt the stain
Of yesterday getting in my way
I'm alive but tell me am I free?
I got eyes but tell me can I see?
The sky is falling and no one knows
It shouldn't be hard to believe
Shouldn't be this difficult to breathe
The sky is falling and no one knows
*
The party ended a little later and the (second-time around) newlyweds were shooed off home by everyone. Kacho had kindly given them a week's vacation starting from today but Kyo and Takashi haven't decided yet what to do with the free time. They never did have a proper honeymoon when they were alive so maybe they'll have one now.
They had changed out of their suits and were just lounging around in t-shirts and shorts in front of the tv. The tv had been switched on to a channel but they didn't bother paying attention to it. The volume was set low and it provided a murmuring counterpoint to their own conversation. The two pf them talked about a lot of things. How the wedding was, how cute Tatsumi and Watari were dancing together. A positively unholy light lit his blue depths as Takashi told Kyo about what happened when they were eating and he could just imagine the teasing that Watari would get from Kyo. Heaven help the one who's foolish enough to tease Tatsumi though. Even Kyo wasn't that suicidal. Well, maybe Tsuzuki was but then the man had his puppy eyes to back him up should the secretary get into his Scary Mode©.
Takashi didn't really notice who made the first move. He never did actually. They could be talking about the weather and the next second, he would find himself running his fingers through Kyo's hair as they kissed each other silly. Takashi was of the opinion that kissing a loved one is the best drug in the world. When still alive, right before they were married, he had promised Kyo that he would make the boy fully his only and only after they were married. Well, the one thing that helped him sustain that promise was the mind-blowing kisses they'd share. Hell, Kyo could turn him to mush with a simple peck on the cheek.
Takashi did notice though, that most of the time, they tend to start making out on the couch. Of course, where they end up after that is another matter altogether. Heh.
They weren't really rushing into things, considering the fact they haven't made love for nearly three months. Takashi was happy to take it slow and rediscover every inch of Kyo that he was so crazy about. Kyo just loves it when he kissed that particular area of his neck, a bit above his collarbone and just near the base. Naturally, Takashi was happy to accommodate him.
His arms were by his sides, supporting his weight as Kyo supported his on his elbows. Kyo leaned backwards as they kissed deeper and Takashi followed him down, chasing after his lips.
He was now lying fully on the couch even as he was careful to not pin Kyo down with his weight. Still barely touching each other, Takashi moved his mouth lower, to below his collarbone and he felt a shudder run through the boy's body. He took it as an encouraging sign and he slipped a hand beneath his t-shirt. Trailing soft circles across his stomach, Takashi moved his hand higher to his chest. Here, he stopped briefly as a pang shot through him. He could feel Kyo's ribs clearly delineated. He had lost so much weight during his convalescence and it tore his heart how painfully thin he was now. You don't really notice that even his cheekbones are a bit sunken now but then that's because he was always smiling.
Takashi cupped his hand around his waist while his other hand pushed his t-shirt up. The slight shudders grew to outright shaking.
In fact, he was shaking so hard that his teeth were chattering.
"Kyo?" Takashi looked up in concern and Kyo curled himself into a tight little ball, still shaking like crazy. Only now, he started to moan and gasp as his breath caught and hitched in his chest.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he tried to not let the panic show in his voice and he reached a hand out to him. But even before he could touch the boy, Kyo flinched away from him and started crying.
He hated seeing Kyo cry. Because Kyo never cries. Only once did he really broke down, when Takashi found out about his parents' death and once, before he became a Shinigami and both he and Watari saw him in Kyoto. He found out about it only because Watari told him. Kyo hates crying. And now, he was crying so brokenly.
Clutching his stomach, Kyo sobbed out, "It hurts. I can feel him inside me. God, it hurts!"
I can feel him inside me.
Takashi could have killed himself right there and then. Or maybe go to hell, find Akuma, and kill him again. Ignoring his wild flinching, he drew Kyo in his embrace and hugged his trembling body as hard as he dared. He pressed his face against his chest so that Kyo could hear his heartbeat. It used to help calm him down after a nightmare but this time, it didn't seem to work. Instead, his crying just got worse.
"Make it stop, please make it stop," Kyo sobbed. He pressed his hands against his face as the tears fell. Each sob tore through him and left him gasping for breath. His body was running with sweat as Takashi rubbed his hand soothingly on his back.
"It's alright," he whispered. "He's not here. He can't touch you anymore. I'm here. I'd never hurt you, Kyo. Please stop crying," he pleaded. "Kyo? Please!"
You leave me hanging on only to catch my breath
I got you and I got nothing left
Don't leave me all alone down here
With myself and all of my fear
He lost count of the minutes that passed by as he called to Kyo again and again.
But he kept on crying.
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~to be continued~
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A/N: A question; do you think it's sissifying to have Kyo cry like that?