A/N: Finally, after much hedging, humming and pretending of ignorance, we're getting to the major plot of the story. . . .Finally! Sheesh. . .
Daemonchan: Maa, haven't heard from you in a long while ^^
Literary Eagle: Why, thank you. I'm afraid this chapter won't really be that fun. . .oh dear.
Bloody Valentine: It's an interesting plot device isn't it? Tats in drag. . .the possibilities. . .I'll think about it! Hohohoho! Love ya more and more!
Inami: Wow, you read it all in one go? Man, typing one chapter was enough to send my back screaming with pain and you read three arcs. *giggle* thank you! And yes, I'm a reviewaholic. Extrememly. Just ask the other senior reviewers like Shaynie, Literary Eagle, nekoMoon. . . .I'm shameless. Oh yeah, you're guesses are pretty good but. . . .I'm not telling! Muahahahaha! And it's not Hikaru. *smiles maniacally* I think you'll know who it is soon enough.
Shaynie: Thank you! People keep hounding me for a lemon/torture scene for the other characters and I'm too nice to refuse. Sigh. I think the next torture I do for the other characters will definitely involve blood. Too much lemon already in the last chapter. Hohohoho!
Cong-san: Please don't say things like that! You make me feel guilty for putting in lemons in the first place! *wails* I'm corrupting people! *cough* Really, ^__^ there are hints scattered throughout nearly all the chapters. I'm just too evil to make it really obvious. But it is kinda obvious in this chapter. . .
nekoMoon-chan: Hello! Thank you!
Twylise: You! I too, haven't heard from you in a long while. When will you grace us with a new fic? Or have you done that but I didn't notice? *sweatdrop* The Author's Note was a kind of impromptu thing. I felt the need to exonerate myself from the hentainess my characters are involved in. . .
Warning: No lemons. Haha! But Major-Plot-Bunny is revealed! Kind of.
Disclaimer: Everything except the OCs do not belong to me. Crap.
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
Chapter 13
Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
Kyo stared into the full-length mirror.
The mirror was hung near the closet and as he was getting dressed that morning, he caught his reflection and had stopped short. Shirt lying in a forgotten pool on the floor, he stared deep into glass with fascination.
He was dressed only in his jeans and was bare-chested. It was something on his chest actually, that had him fascinated. A thin, white line marred the skin over his heart. It was nearly an inch in length and ran down vertically, just a few decimals shy from the middle of his heart. The fascination he felt had nothing to do with surprise at finding the scar. It had been there for the past two years.
It was the scar from when he plunged the blood-knife into his own chest.
He lifted shy, tentative fingers and touched the discolored skin. It felt slightly rough under his touch, the skin ridged as it would due to a deep wound. And that was the crazy thing about it. He was a Shinigami. They heal from wounds. Takashi himself had even taken a blast right in the stomach and in an hour, he was up and walking with not even a trace of a scar.
Yet he had one. And funnily enough, it was just a simple knife wound.
But it's not a simple knife wound, isn't it? a voice whispered in the back of his mind.
No, he answered it. It's more than that. This is Akuma's brand. He branded me.
But you plunged that knife in yourself. Not Akuma.
No, not Akuma. I did it, yes. To get rid of him.
Did you.
Yes. . .but he's not really gone is he?
No, the voice agreed mildly. The scar is a testament of the fact. You're keeping him with you. The scar binds the memories of him with you.
But why would I want to remember him? I want to forget.
The voice was silent for a long time. Then it spoke up again. Do you really?
Yes.
Then maybe. . .the scar is there for another reason.
What reason is that?
That it's not over yet.
He felt a sense of disquiet steal over him and he shivered.
"Why aren't you dressed yet?"
He started as he was enveloped from behind and a warm hand stole over his which was still fingering the scar thoughtfully. He fitted easily into the embrace and for a brief moment, their reflection showed them as one person, one melting into the other until there was no distinction between lines; form merging into form. Hazel-green eyes stared back at him in question and he smiled, leaning into the embrace. He let his head fall back against Takashi's shoulder and allowed the sensei to cover the scar with his own palm, warmth chasing away the little frisson of cold that had shot through the scar.
"You're thinking about it again," Takashi said softly, his words a mere breath that hardly broke the stillness.
Kyo sighed and turned his head until his mouth was resting lightly near Takashi's neck. "Why is it still here?" he asked. He wasn't really expecting an answer.
They both knew what brought on this bout of melancholy. Today was the day, two years ago, that Akuma was killed. The day that knife was buried deep within him. The day that. . .
Kyo had woken up this morning screaming from a familiar nightmare.
He had trashed violently in bed, aware yet not aware and somehow convinced that Akuma was there, with him, in the bedroom right there and then and that he was going to touch him again and he, Kyo, would have to touch that knife again. Takashi had needed to slap his face to awaken him.
"I wish I could make it disappear," Takashi murmured. "I wish I could."
"I know," he said simply.
Only he, Takashi and Watari knew about the existence of the scar. And probably Tatsumi as well but he had made them promise not to tell anyone. He didn't want anyone else getting worried. What was the point? Akuma is long gone. Watari and Takashi had been unwilling to let it go though. They rightly felt that for the scar to exist at all must mean something. It wasn't supposed to be there after all. But everything they did could not make the thin white line disappear. Neither magic nor science.
"I called the office. Tatsumi said that we don't have anything lined up for today so I told him we'll be in Chijou," Takashi said. "Feel up for some fun?"
"What kind of fun?" Kyo asked with a mischievous smile.
"Not that kind of fun," Takashi laughed softly. "I thought we could take a nice walk, have a nice lunch somewhere and maybe share a nice kiss or two. Not necessarily in that order of course."
"Of course," Kyo echoed. "Though I wouldn't mind having a nice kiss now," he said hopefully.
"Your wish. . ." he trailed off and dipped his head down, his mouth stealing over Kyo's. It was a nice kiss; soft and sweet. At least, it started out like that. Desire was quickly ignited when Kyo buried his fingers in Takashi's hair, kneading softly. He needed to forget Akuma's touch, needed to bury once again the feel of another man's skin on him.
Takashi readily complied, deepening the kiss. His hands roamed all over Kyo's chest, pausing once to stroke the scare tenderly before dipping his hand lower. His touch found denim; Kyo had yet to button his jeans and he slipped his hand in easily and caressed.
Kyo gave a small gasp and abruptly, leaned heavily against him. Takashi was ready for that though and supported him, breaking the kiss and just licking and tasting down the side of his mouth, his neck and on to his shoulder.
"I thought. . ." Kyo gasped, "that the itinerary for today didn't include this?"
"Plans are meant to be changed after all."
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
He loved Kyoto. The old imperial city had lost none of its majesty in the ensuing years; though wood and parchment was gradually replaced by steel and concrete, she wore her new finery as elegantly as her old ones. Tradition and modernization existed side by side, each accepting what the other has to offer; the pride of a past and the hope of a future. He loved the city for that.
The walk had done him good. The crisp air stung his cheeks and brought out a faint, pink blush, heightened by his black mock turtleneck and jeans. His jacket was zipped up nice and tight and his baseball cap hung low over his eyes. At times he felt pure irritation at having to wear the damn thing. It flattened his hair and he couldn't see into Takashi's eyes properly; he had to tilt his head way back to do it.
Takashi didn't mind. He liked it when Kyo had to tilt his head way back. It showed off his neck to a good advantage.
They had been to one of their favourite Shinto shrines earlier and had taken the time to just sit and absorb the peace of the temple gardens. The shrine was a little one, frequented more by the locals then the tourists. Not a few of them had raised their eyebrows when a good-looking man, in his late twenties, had picked up his companion, a good-looking boy in his late teens easily and plunked him down unceremoniously on his lap. The better to enjoy the view my dear, they had heard the older man say.
"Mother, are they gay?"
"Er. . .I think they're just really close friends dear."
After the temple, they had stopped at a favourite café, one that had good food, sinful deserts and a particular immunity to how the couple tended to interact together over chocolate deserts.
They leave good tips too.
They took a walk then, to settle their lunch and had found themselves wandering around the quieter section of town. The place was peppered with antique bookstores, small restaurants and not a couple of shops boasting 'the best souvenirs of the Imperial City!'.
"Kyo?"
"Em?"
"They say that nothing is as beautiful as the time between seasons; when the leaves are more red than green, when there's a bite to the air that promises winter yet still retains some hint of the warmth of the summer. . ."
"I've heard about that, yes."
"And how, in the forests that looms evergreen at the base of Fujiyama, rabbits are caught in the shades of dappled brown and white, sure sign that winter is coming yet autumn is still prevalent. . ."
"Yes, simply poetic."
"And how squirrels, cute, fluffy balls of creature that they are, have long stocked up on their winter supply yet still venturing out one more time for that one last bit of stash and how people everywhere are digging out their winter coats and airing them out in preparation. . ."
"That reminds me. I have to air out our coats later."
"So please, pray tell me, why, when it is abundantly clear, absolutely cocksure that winter is coming, you, of all people, are eating an ice cream cone when walking in a brilliantly blustering autumn day?"
Kyo blinked and took another delicate lick of his chocolate brownie cone. The whipped cream and chocolate sauce he had insisted that the girl put on were long inhaled and he was enjoying himself with the bits of brownie he found in the ice cream.
"Because I want to?" he ventured a guess.
Takashi look pained for a moment at his answer. "That's not a very logical answer, Kyo-kun," he complained.
"You didn't marry me for my mind, remember?" Kyo grinned and took a large bite.
"Don't remind me. . .oh, hey! Look! They got a new shipment in on medical books." Takashi peered into the display window of a bookstore they had frequented often and ogled. "I'm going in," Takashi declared. "You coming?"
Kyo shook his head and held up his cone. "Nah, bet they wouldn't like it, especially when they have a new shipment in. Go knock yourself dead," he smiled.
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Takashi rolled his eyes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Sure you don't mind?"
"Go, go. If you don't see me afterwards, I'll be at the ice cream parlour getting another cone."
"You're incorrigible, you know that?"
"Know it, love it."
Kyo leaned against the brick wall of the shop's façade and licked his cone again with great abandon. Passer byes had been giving him strange looks, probably due to the ice cream cone but he ignored them all cheerfully. Really, when you're dead, other people's opinion don't really count for much.
The sun finally broke through the thin layer of grey, scudding clouds, shining down a gold halo that brightened the day and drew sparkles from the puddles of water on the road. Relishing the momentary warmth, Kyo took off his cap and ruffled his hair up. The heat on his head felt good and he resisted the urge to purr and stretch.
"Kyo-san?"
He found himself turning automatically at the inquiring voice. As he turned, the sun was at his back and threw the girl in front of him in his own shadow. He took a moment to adjust his eyes, blinking rapidly.
"Oh my god! It is you! Kyo-san!"
His eyes finally adjusted. The girl before him, or rather, woman, he corrected himself, was dressed in an immaculate suit. The black jacket was a stylish cut that looked expensive, paired with a modest length skirt. A white silk shirt and an elegant strand of pearls completed the outfit, with her brown hair cut in a short bob emphasizing her cheekbones and bringing attention to her eyes. Her eyes, Kyo noted, was grey.
The ice cream cone slipped from his suddenly nerveless fingers to land with a sickening splat on the pavement. Murphy 's Law, he remembered dazedly.
His voice was hoarse with surprise.
"Ayame?"
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
Oh. . . . . .crap.
Kyo realized he was gaping and with some difficulty, managed to shut his mouth. The girl, woman, he corrected himself again, was chattering excitedly to him, hands making little gestures of happiness and she was saying how she never thought she'd see him again, that she was here only on business and where had he been all this while?
She didn't know he was dead, Kyo realized. Thinking back furiously, he wondered how she could not have realized. From what he found out after he died, the school even closed down for three days for a period of mourning (and investigations). It was simply impossible for anyone of the school to not know. . . unless. . .with a start, Kyo remembered that he hadn't seen or heard from Ayame ever since that rooftop incident. When he had tried calling her, the line had been disconnected and when he stopped by her house, it had been empty.
She moved then and probably didn't hear about it, Kyo thought numbly. She must have moved pretty far away. . .granted, she was quite reclusive in school. . .Oh, this was not good. So, so not good. Mortals weren't supposed to find out about the Shinigami. It entailed all kinds of complications that generally involved headaches, paperwork and spells of forgetting.
Kyo blanched inwardly at the thought of what Tatsumi had to say when he found out.
Maybe I can pretend she got the wrong person, he thought hopefully. Maybe I'll just turn it into a case of mistaken identity and she'll believe me and we all go our separate ways and Tatsumi won't kill me and-and he just blurted her name out loud earlier, he realized with a sinking heart.
Crap, crap, crap.
It was worth a shot anyway. Ayame was still chattering on excitedly, asking about Ken and Hikaru (a brief pain flashed through him at the mention of his old friends but he firmly pushed it aside. There'll be time enough later) and it really struck him then; Ayame had matured well.
Gone was the mousy look and attitude. Where her shoulder used to hunch with the effort of making herself invisible, she now stood with pride and a sureness that managed to convey confidence without arrogance. Her hair, which used to be lank and dull now shone with health and sported the look of an expensive stylist. Time had been kind to her, Kyo smiled wistfully.
"Ah, I'm sorry," he started awkwardly. "I'm afraid you got the wr-"
"Kyo-kun! Sorry to keep you waiting! Who are y-Ayame?!"
Kyo resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall.
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
Despite their faint protests, Ayame insisted on treating them to lunch. When they said they already had one, she insisted then on deserts. Seeing no other way to reject her offer, and having to come up with a way to get out of this mess, they reluctantly agreed.
She took them to the expensive part of town (not the KoKakuRou, thank goodness) and to a small restaurant that screamed class and elegance. The maitre'd knew Ayame and greeted her with a charming smile and a good-natured complaint about how they rarely see her nowadays. She gave a little trill of laughter and introduced the two Shinigami. Within seconds, they found themselves seated at the best table in the house.
"So tell me," Ayame said brightly. "You two are married?"
She caught the brief flash of surprise and laughed. "I'm not blind you know," she chided gently. "I can see the wedding bands."
Kyo looked down to the simple white-gold ring that he and Takashi had exchanged together. "Yeah, we did."
"When was that?" she asked curiously. "I'm sorry I wasn't around to see it. I'll bet the girls in your fan club were dying of jealousy!"
Takashi coughed slightly, fidgeting in his seat. "Actually," he said slowly. "No one knew. . .it was a simple ceremony with just Hikaru and Kenji in attendance."
Ayame propped her chin in her hands and said with a wistful smile, "That sounds so romantic."
"What about you though, Ayame-san?" Kyo asked. "Where did you disappear to? I tried to look for you after. . .afterwards but nobody could tell me where you went. Even your neighbours didn't know where your family moved to."
Ayame grimaced and waved a manicured hand in embarrassment. "I'm not surprised. After that incident, I was pretty embarrassed to come back. . .plus, the kids at school haven't really endeared themselves to me. . .so it was easy convincing my parents to move. We actually went overseas, America to stay with some of our relatives. I only got back this year."
"So what have you been doing all this while?" Takashi asked. "Have you been studying?"
"God, no!" Ayame laughed and pointed to herself. "Do you really think I can afford this if I'm still studying? I stopped actually when I got to America. I started my own business."
"What kind?"
"It's a secret!" she gave them a wink.
"You look like you've done well for yourself," Kyo offered.
"I have," she nodded agreeably. "Ne. . .Kyo-san. . .can you ever forgive me?"
"For what?" Kyo blinked.
"Well. . ." she gave a surreptitious glance over to Takashi. "Does he know?"
Kyo shook his head. "No, I never told him."
At Takashi's curious expression, she explained. "I sort of confessed to Kyo-san here back at school that I had a. . .crush on him," she blushed faintly and continued, "when he couldn't give me the answer I wanted, I got sort of upset. I'm really sorry," she apologized again.
"Don't be, there's nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry too, that I couldn't give you the answer you wanted," Kyo said gently.
Ayame gave a rather fatalistic shrug. "Ah well. Life. You move on."
They talked some more until the waiter came with their deserts. After the plates of tartufo were set down and they had taken a few bites, Takashi finally brought up the question.
"Ano. . .Ayame-san?"
"Yes?" she smiled.
"Have you been in touch with any of your other classmates?" Takashi asked cautiously. "Hikaru, Ken. . . .any of the others?"
Ayame sighed and pushed her plate of tartufo away. "No," she admitted, oblivious to the discrete sighs of relief the two gave. "I didn't want to. Truth to tell, you two are the first I've seen. I'm not sure if I want to contact the others actually. Memories die hard."
She excused herself then to go to the powder room. Sitting back down, Kyo gave Takashi a worried frown.
"What do we do?" he asked.
Takashi shrugged. "Nothing else. We have to wipe her memory."
"Seems kind of cruel though. . ." Kyo trailed off.
"It's better in the long run," Takashi reminded him gently. "Think of the shock she'll get when she finds out later that she's been conversing with dead people."
"Still. . ." Kyo frowned again and patted his jeans pocket. "Damn, I didn't bring any of my ofudas. Did you?"
"No," Takashi admitted. "One of us have to leave and get it. Why don't you stay and keep her occupied and I'll go back and get some?"
Kyo nodded but before he could say anything else, Ayame came back. She engaged them in small talk as they finished their desert, asking about their lives. With some difficulty, he and Takashi managed to spin a believable enough tale that convinced her. As the plates were cleared away, Takashi excused himself, saying he needed to go to the men's room.
"You're a lucky, lucky man, Kyo-san," Ayame sighed.
"Oh?" Kyo smiled. "Why's that?"
She waved a hand in the general direction where Takashi had disappeared to. "Him! That's why! You two are so in love!"
"And what about you?" Kyo asked gently. "Are you in love?"
She laughed and shook her head. "That's not for a long time yet, Kyo-san. I fully intend to enjoy my freedom. Besides, men nowadays don't look too kindly to a woman who earn more than they do."
"I'll refrain from defending my species as we males generally are insecure about the stupidest things as a rule," Kyo grinned.
"Thank you," Ayame said primly.
The conversation stayed lighthearted, and Kyo managed to deflect more questions about his personal life. He was starting to run out ideas. But after fifteen minutes had passed and still no sign of Takashi, Kyo grew worried. Travel between Meifu and Chijou was instantaneous; he should have been back and here again in less than five minutes. What was keeping Takashi?
"I think I'll go see what's keeping Takashi so long," he said to Ayame and excused himself from the table. He found the men's room easily enough, the door swinging shut behind him. The marble and granite tiled room was comfortably large and tastefully decorated, and Takashi was no where inside. Kyo took out his handphone and dialed Takashi's. The phone rang and rang.
He got the voicemail.
Right, don't panic. He probably went to see Watari or something. Don't panic. He managed to keep calm enough and went back to the table. At Ayame's questioning look, he lifted his shoulders in a bare shrug.
"I can't find him," Kyo confessed. "I think he stepped out for a bit. He'll probably be back soon."
Ayame glanced at her watch. "Wow, it's already so late. I'm sorry, Kyo-san. I have an appointment in less than 20 minutes. I have to go now."
"Where are you staying?" he asked quickly.
Ayame smiled and handed him a small white card. "That's my number and address here. I'll be in Kyoto for another month at least. When Takashi-san gets back, tell him we have to get together for dinner soon, okay?"
"Aa, I will. Will you be alright getting to your appointment?"
"Don't worry, my driver will pick me up." Signing the bill, she waited for her credit card to be returned and waved away Kyo's thanks. He helped her into her coat and after a last goodbye and a promise to stay in touch, he watched her go off in a shiny black car that had pulled up to the curbside. He stayed outside the restaurant, figuring that Takashi would come back here anyway and waited impatiently in the lowering temperature.
When the sun had finally set, Kyo allowed himself to launch into full-scale panic; Takashi still hadn't returned. He didn't pick up his handphone either.
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
Tatsumi was distracted from his trying to distract Watari's effort at making them dinner when somebody chose to knock on their front door. Very loudly and with no regards whatsoever that they might be damaging the finish.
Tatsumi sighed. The gods had a great sense of timing.
Watari poked him with the wooden spatula he was using. "Aren't you going to get that?"
"Would you be mad if I say no?" Tatsumi joked. Really, the blond was too cute to be left alone. He had braided his hair back and was wearing a pale blue sweater and flannel pants. With a frilly pink apron over it that had a picture of 003. It was irresistible.
Watari cocked his head to the side, smiling. "I don't mind but I think our visitor would." The knocking had turned to full fledged banging.
Tatsumi sighed disconsolately and shuffled to the front door. He had so hoped for some quality time with Watari. This was definitely the downside to being Shokan's secretary; work tended to follow you home.
"I'm coming," he called out. The door-banger didn't hear him apparently because he didn't cease in his efforts to reduce the front door to splinters. With an irritated sigh, Tatsumi grasped the door knob and twisted it open before their caller could do more damage.
"What is it?" he snapped and caught himself short. Kyo was standing on the doorstep with a wild look on his face. He was holding a cap in his hand and from the looks of it, it hand been mangled out of shape. "Kyo-kun?" he said sharply. "What's wrong? Where's Takashi-san?"
Kyo gave a short burst of laughter. "That's the problem. I don't know where he is! He's been gone for over five hours and I can't find him! He's not even picking up his phone!" The cap was further squeezed and twisted in his hands as Kyo went on. "He said he'll just be a few minutes and I waited and waited but he's gone! What should I do?"
"First of all, you will come in, have a cup of hot tea, calm down, and tell me everything. From the beginning," Tatsumi said firmly. He took the boy's hand and towed him inside, steering him to a comfortable armchair. "Sit. I'll get the tea."
As he entered the kitchen, Watari gave him a smile. "Who was it?"
He wasted no time on preambles. "It's Kyo. He's hysterical. He said that Takashi has been missing for over five hours. He can't reach him on the phone either."
Watari's amber eyes widened and he quickly turned off the stove. He pulled off the apron and exchanged a brief glance with Tatsumi. "I'll go check on him."
Between the two of them, and a pot of hot, bracing tea, they managed to get the whole story from Kyo. He said he had searched their apartment, the office and anywhere else he could think of but there was no sign of the sensei anywhere.
"Did you feel anything out of the ordinary?" Tatsumi pressed. "Anything that might indicate an attack?"
Kyo shook his head numbly. "No, nothing. He just. . .disappeared."
Watari and Tatsumi exchanged looks again. "I'll call the others," Watari offered. "I'm sure we can get a search party mobilized in half an hour."
Tatsumi nodded and stood up. "I'll get a map and start marking down areas. Tell the others to meet us down at the restaurant Kyo mentioned."
Watari nodded and hurried to the phone. Tatsumi turned to Kyo and offered the boy his hand. "Come one, Kyo-kun," he said with a calm smile. "Let's go find Takashi."
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
They've been searching for over four hours and there was no sign of Takashi anywhere. By this time, all of the shops and restaurants were closed, save for a few nightclubs. Though this helped narrowed the search somewhat, it was still discouraging to not find a trace of the sensei anywhere. Everyone had turned up for the search; Tsuzuki, Hisoka, Terazuma, Wakaba, even Saya and Yuma. Kyo, under direct orders from Tatsumi, was to stick with him and Watari. Apparently, the secretary didn't trust him with anyone else.
Kyo trudged wearily behind the pair, somehow keeping his feet moving and his eyes moving this way and that, searching into every nook and cranny, peering deep into the shadows. He had long stopped getting startled by the sight of auburn hair or anyone that resembled Takashi by build. He knew without a doubt that Takashi was nowhere near.
But he couldn't stop searching anyway.
He accidentally kicked an empty beer can and it rolled drunkenly away, clattering loudly in the silence of the night. Frowning, Kyo looked up and suddenly realized he was alone. Tatsumi and Watari was gone.
"Tatsumi-san? Watari?" he called out cautiously. No answer.
Kyo looked around uneasily. This part of Kyoto was the business district, mainly legislator offices and other respectable businesses. All were closed for the night. Save for a few windows that shone, he really was all alone. He felt kind of silly for getting spooked but he couldn't help it. Though this wasn't the 'bad' part of town, he was uncomfortable at how quiet it was. And why did Tatsumi and Watari left him so suddenly like that? Standing under the sodium orange glow of a streetlight, he felt as if he was on a stage. An empty stage with a million silent audiences waiting for him to say his lines.
Fear ran down his spine; ice-cold.
"Why Kyo-san. We meet again."
He turned slowly. Heels clacking on the pavement, the sharp staccato seemed too loud in the unnatural stillness of the night. Like an art piece unveiled with breathtaking slowness, she stepped into the pool of light, her every feature revealed bottom up. The expensive heels, to the same black skirt, on to the tailored jacket, the manicured hands crossed casually over her chest and her wide, grey eyes, sparkling in the light and hair gleaming a golden halo.
"Ayame," he said dully.
"Did you lose something, Kyo-san?" she smiled. "You look like you did."
His instincts were telling him something. Screaming at him actually. Screaming at him to run. To save himself. The woman that stood before him was not the same Ayame that he knew two years ago or even the same Ayame he met this afternoon. He couldn't really pinpoint the exact difference. She looked the same as she did earlier.
Except for the wave of darkness that emanated from her, pouring outwards like a sick miasma that threatened to engulf him. This wasn't the same as the living shadows Tatsumi calls up. That was a manifestation, a manipulation of the world around him. This darkness that the woman before him was cloaked in was purely spiritual.
"Who are you?" he gasped out and stumbled back a step. The feel of this aura. . .it reminded him vaguely of Akuma. Except Akuma didn't feel like this exactly. Oh no. Akuma felt like a baby compared to her.
She smiled at him. "Ayame of course. Who else?"
"Y-you're not. . .not Ayame," he edged himself closer to the brink of the island of light but couldn't bring himself to step out of it. He felt that if he did, if he stepped into the darkness that waited beyond, he would be swallowed up alive.
"Kyo-san," she sighed wistfully. "I missed you, you know that? Did you miss me?"
He couldn't answer. He could only teeter on the edge of the light and dark. His mind was a chaos of jumbled images and senses; the light that sparked a halo around Ayame, the scrape of shoes against grainy pavement, the smell of incense, carried from the temples by an errant breeze. None of this though, was as loud or as real as the drumming of his heart, beating frantically in fear.
"You promised to keep in touch remember?" Ayame went on. "And I find that I just can't wait for your call. So I'm here to pick you up. Would you like to come by my place, Kyo-san?"
Kyo tried to shake his head in the negative, only to find that the best he could do was a jerky movement.
"Oh come now," Ayame pouted. "Only for a little while? Takashi's been waiting for ages."
His frantic heart thudded to a stop.
"I knew you'd agree!" Ayame clapped her hands in delight. "My car is waiting just over there. Let's go, shall we?"
This, is a bad idea, the voice piped up in his mind. Even his mental voice was quaking with fear. You don't know what she's capable of. It could be a trap. It is a trap. Run away!
But he couldn't, really. Not when she might be the key to Takashi's disappearance. And he would do anything for Takashi. Hadn't he proved that by dying for him?
After what seemed an eternity, he finally managed to move his wooden feet and took the slim hand that was held out in invitation. Almost, he could see the darkness swallowing him as he grasped that hand.
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
~to be continued~
* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *
A/N: Poor Kyo. Oh yeah, psystar1, if you're reading this, are you using the email address you gave in your review? I need to ask you something. Fast. ^^ As always, reviews keep me going people. And the next chapter might come out tomorrow or so coz I'm at home now. My group is taking a break from our assignments. We're getting burnt out. ^__^;;