King of the Iron Fist Tournament 5
Rambling: Ne, I've been getting so many good ideas for different fics… but none for this one ^^;; but I will try to write more and more… despite the very little amount of reviews I get…
Warning: 1)Yaoi! I've heard that a lot of authors got banned because of some mentions of Yaoi or something like that.. I dunno.. but if someone has a problem with Yaoi then he/she shouldn't be reading this in first place… I don't know how many times I should emphasize that…
2) mentions of rape… ^^;;;
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Chapter 5 Snowy Day
Dreary music filled the silence of the café, each string of the bass and violin extorting out a terribly depressing tune to fill the empty space and hearts of the cafe.
Hwoansang sat alone, pondering and sipping at the mug of foamy, hot cocoa on the table. Delicate fingers held tightly on the hot surface of the mug, warmth spreading to every part of his body… ephemeral warmth. Ephemeral, but needed… he felt so alone these days… alone and unloved… the conspicuous truth tugging at his heart everyday. He leaned into the warmth of his jacket, wishing for the warmth of another.
In the midst of his muddled thoughts, his mind relapsed to Shin's words…
"No wonder he fancies you so… such delectable appearance…"He was the object of the fantasy of an anonymous other… he was the source of the anonymous other's lust… the figurine in his little fantasy… the lurking suspicion of the whole situation left him feeling vulnerable…
The sudden appearance of another at the table snapped him back to reality. Hwoansang looked up to see the smiling chocolate brown eyes, which accompanied Kouji's goofy, and infectious grin. Crown of white snow rested comfortably on Kouji's brown hair.
"Kouji…! You startled me."
Sitting down, Kouji flashed another grin and a 'V' sign. With a proud smile he said, "That's what I do best."
The redhead laughed at the other's foolishness, the mood lifting up. Kouji smiled, seeing the change of mood in the other. He had seen the desolate look on the other's face and in his eyes, the frown on the redhead's face had worried him. Hwoansang pointed at the snow on Kouji's head and asked, "It's snowing outside?"
"Yeah… it's sn-"
A loud slam of the door and a loud strident shout of a young girl cut off Kouji in the middle of his sentence. Kouji looked up to see a small girl with violet hair and brown eyes.
"Who here goes by the name Hw- Hwoa… Oh! Whatever his name is!"
Hwoansang's eyes followed Kouji's gaze, noticing the crimson shade tint the girl's face as he stood up. What she wanted from him, he did not know, but she was very audacious about it.
Yuki felt the heat rush to her face as she looked at her opponent. Her fingers played with the ring earrings on her ears as she stammered in a pathetic manner.
"I-I am your opponent… for tomorrow's match!"
Laughter broke out from the crowd, everyone in the café laughing at the "little girl" and her brazen words. Yuki stomped angrily and reached back for her rapiers. How dare they laugh at her? She would show them what a member of the Manji-clan is capable of. She was about to jump off the stairs and wreak havoc upon the crowd when a stern hand on her shoulder stopped her. Whirling around, Yuki found herself facing the dreaded figure… Yoshimitsu.
"Yoshimitsu-sama! It's not my fault! Th-they were laughing at me!"
She waited for an answer or a scorn at least, staring into the abysmal pool of the ninja's synthetic eyes. Despite his proclivity to remain silent, Yuki witnessed shame and disappointment in his eyes. She walked out of the café, sensing her mentor not far behind. Minutes passed by, the silence between them intensifying. With a sniffle, Yuki grumbled, "It wasn't my fault… if they didn't laugh at me, none of this would've happened!"
Yoshimitsu stopped and watched Yuki turn around as well. Passed years had strengthened his physical and mental insight, allowing him to be a mentor and a counselor for the child.
"Yuki… the mighty oak tree never bends to the will of the wind, it stands strong… never will it let the wind push it in any direction…"
When one is caught in the perpetual hustle of the society, independence is a difficult concept to grasp: words of others become your words, actions of others become yours. Pushed this and that way, you depend on the direction of others, burying away your own instinct.
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Hwoansang sat back down in his seat, looking over at his companion for some sort of an answer. Kouji returned the gaze with a shrug, grinning widely as he said, "You have a little girl to fight tomorrow… you should be careful and not make her cry."
The redhead only shrugged in response to the comment, the dismal guise returning to the serene feature; that only made his companion worry even more. Kouji reached across the small table, without much thought, and touched the younger boy's face, startling the other.
"Is something wrong?"
A blush crept across Hwoansang's face, his hands going rigid underneath the table. The touch gave all he needed, the warmth and the tiny bit of attention. Strands of flame danced as he shook his head.
"No…"
The heat in Hwoansang's face tickled the fingertips of Kouji, making him smile at the rather adolescent display. The skin felt so soft and pleasant to the touch. At least he knew one thing his friend liked about this red-haired boy. Drawing his hand back, Kouji perceived the disappointed reaction of the other youth.
"You talk with Ryuu lately?"
Silence.
"No? Not even after that whole incident with the clawed maniac?"
"After the fight, he took me back to our room… but I was too scared to even look at him… you don't know how I felt when I saw him change and… try to kill that guy… I avoided him, pretending to be asleep… I'm grateful that he saved me… but I couldn't bring myself to talk to him…"
"You're afraid…?"
Silence. It only confirms the belief of the questioner, never mind whether it is true or not. Kouji's eyes searched the other boy for an answer, the slight tremble and pallid skin affirming what he was searching for.
"Look… you don't have to be afraid of him… I know, for sure, he would do nothing to hurt you…"
"How can you be so sure? Nothing held him back from hurting that guy… how do I differ?"
There are times when such easy questions should not be answered; one must use his will and capability of apprehension to analyze the situation and the appropriate answer. Kouji bit his lower lip and said, "I just know… he would never do anything to hurt you…"
With that, he stood up and left the café, leaving Hwoansang to contemplate deeper into the matter than it was necessary. For him, the apparent significance of the other's words were hidden and buried deeply. His mind swam out to the deep sea in search for an answer when a husky and beguiling voice called him back.
"Why is a lovely person, such as yourself, spending an evening alone?"
Hwoansang looked up, finding himself in a pool of gray eyes, and blushed. The charming visitor smiled, brushing aside the long strands of his blond hair, and sat down. He observed the young boy's features, taking in the flaming red hair and the blushing face.
"And what is your name, beautiful one?"
The man chuckled, watching the crimson deepen in shade on the boy's face. The boy was way too easy to please, making him also easy to manipulate. He would twist every bit of the boy's vulnerability into his own benefits.
"Hwoansang… you?"
He knew he shouldn't be talking to strangers, but the man seemed so kind and charming, making it irresistible to continue the conversation.
"Adam… Adam Reiley at your service… it's a pleasure to be indulging in the presence of such lovely person…"
There are many faces lying under the smile of a man, you never know the true face of a stranger. The smile and the exterior are all you see. Hwoansang smiled, looking at his company for the first time. Adam was wearing a silky gray shirt, few buttons on the top left open, and a pair of tight leather pants. Not too thin, but not too muscular. Jewelry danced, glinting in the light, as he moved closer to Hwoansang. Diamond earring on one ear, gold necklace and rings, the redhead felt subservient in the presence of the blond; he himself was wearing only a pair of baggy jeans and a black jacket.
Adam quickly fixed his hair in a loose ponytail, resting his chin on one hand. With a quick flash of smile, the blond asked, "Why don't you tell me more about yourself, Hwoansang?"
"Well… there isn't much to know… I'm 17 and… I've come here to participate in the King of the Iron Fist Tournament…"
Playing with the ring on his finger, Adam smirked underneath the array of his bangs. The boy would become a familiar face, who would've known they would be seeing each other again sooner or later?
"Any girlfriend?"
A quick shake of the head placed another smirk on the blonde's lips.
"Too shy… or just not interested in girls?"
Tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, Hwoansang searched himself for an answer. Why was it that he never showed much interest in girls? Did he like guys? His face took on the red shade once more. There was a girl he had "the hots" for…
He had thought that she was the most beautiful girl in the whole world. Naïve he was, falling head over heels for the most popular girl in school while he was just… nobody. She had the brightest smile, blue gems that fit the tan visage so well, and her light brown hair was long and wavy. He loved hearing her voice, even if it was just a simple 'hello' as they met in the halls. He loved the style of her steps, the sway of her hips and the graceful strides of the long legs. One day, he had bought a bouquet of red roses and walked up to her to ask her out. She had said yes. But not even after a week of dating, he had found her kissing another guy. His felt his heart shatter into millions, her bitter words of repulsion sinking in so deep.
Adam watched the small tears slip down the younger boy's face, the shoulders trembling ever so slightly. He would take advantage of the boy's condition, applying it to his own purposes and pleasure. Standing up, Adam walked over to the redhead and slipped his arms around the younger one's shoulders. His blond hair brushed against Hwoansang's cheek, allowing the tears to stop and the boy to look up.
"Don't cry… you look much better when you smile…"
Placing a gentle hand on the tear-stained cheek, Adam brushed his lip on those of his younger companion. Long lashes fell with a flutter over the brown eyes as Hwoansang melted into the kiss. As each moment passed the kiss became more fervent and demanding, eliciting a small moan from the younger one.
Breaking the kiss, Adam asked, "Why don't we leave this dreary place? I'll take you somewhere more lively."
With a nod and a flushed face, Hwoansang followed the other out the door and stepped out onto the snow-covered pavement. It wasn't very cold; at least it wasn't with Adam's long heavy coat sheltering them both. Together they walked down the street, passing by a pauper and a man selling small gadgets on the sidewalk, and stopped when they arrived at the door of a bar. Uneasiness knotted itself in the redhead once more, making him step back.
"I-I don't think I should be here… I'm not supposed to drink…"
"Don't be so foolish. Get in."
The sudden change in the voice and the harsh slap across the face startled Hwoansang, giving Adam the chance to push him inside. With an unholy chuckle, Adam stepped inside and closed the door. Hanging his coat over a chair, Adam returned his full attention to the shocked boy.
Hwoansang stepped back, tripping on a chair's leg, and fell to the hard floor. Above his head, he could hear the sinister laughter of men. They craved for innocent body and mind; they were driven to the state of being rabid. A hairy hand reached out and picked up the small boy, throwing him into the wall. Cruel laughter broke out once more when they heard the boy gasp and whimper. A hand grabbed a handful of the soft red hair, while lips attacked the delicate skin of the neck. Adam watched with a cruel smirk on his face, the struggle of the victim amusing him. Slipping off his shirt, Adam advanced to the distraught boy, stepping onto Hwoansang's discarded clothing. The hands backed off, followed by snarling of the ravenous men, but Adam silenced them with a cold glare. The arms that were pinned over Hwoansang's head fell limply to his sides, the neck covered with marks from the rough lips. The boy tried to get up, one hand placed against the wall for support, when the long whip lashed out at him with a loud crack. Gray eyes flashed mercilessly, thin wrists being shackled to the wall.
Outside, the cries and pleas unheard, snow fell to the world that was oblivious to the tears and pains.
A horribly written chapter ^^; please R&R! Flames are tolerated… but I prefer helpful and encouraging comments, you know what I'm sayin'?
-Mashimaro-Byul-012