Story Title: Void in the Heart
Chapter Title: To Light or Into Darkness
Author: Mathais
Rating: T
Fandom: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers
Warnings: Pro-Jun, BL
Pairings: Ryo/Jun
Summary: The Troopers find out exactly what the meaning of the saying, you don't know you have something until it's gone, is when Jun is in a car accident. Will they be able to bring him back, or will Jun just let his life go?
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and elements of Yoroiden Samurai Troopers.
OoOoO
The five Troopers sullenly gathered together at the table with Nasuti.
Jun's condition had stabilized, but he was still in a coma.
Tension still ran high through the house, despite it being a week and a half after the accident.
The only sound that was heard was the clicking over chopsticks against bowls and the quiet sound of eating. Finishing her meal and drinking a bit of tea, Nasuti stood and brought her dishes to the kitchen before heading off to her study.
That was enough reason for the Troopers to start talking.
"Do you think you could raise the temperature in the house a bit?" Shuu asked Ryo. "It's really cold in here."
"That's not funny Shuu." Shin reprimanded.
"It wasn't supposed to be." The Bearer of Kongo murmured.
"Anyone else miss Jun?" Touma questioned quietly.
"I know I do." Seiji spoke up.
Ryo hesitantly put his bowl down, his only sanctuary from speaking. Before he could pick it up again, Touma leveled his gaze on him and the Bearer of Rekka was compelled to answer, whether he liked it or not. "I really miss him. Everything's different, but not better. I mean, we always said that without him around, everything would be less stressful." He sighed. "It's the exact opposite. He always brightened up the day when one of us was in brooding mode. Jun made everything better, reminding us what we've always fought for."
"You know," Seiji interrupted, "I remembered just how he saved my life in the first war against Arago." The man closed his eyes. "I was losing against Anubis. I was sure that I was going to die and then he threw the staff in, defending me against the 'Koku Rou Ken Ankoku Cho Uhigiri' that he sent against me. Jun got hit, but he made Anubis retreat. It slipped my mind until..." He broke off there.
"That reminds me." Shin took in a deep, shuddering breath. "He saved me and Ryo against Naaza. I mean, it was near my resting place where he attacked us. Ryo was nearly unconscious and I was almost dead from his venom. Jun then made Byakuen drag Ryo to a fire, reviving him, which allowed him to save me. I'm pretty sure both of us would have died that day if it weren't more him." The Bearer of Suiko admitted.
"I remember during the whole fiasco with the Black Kikoutei, Touma and I were fighting." Shuu looked at the Bearer of Tenku. "Our armors had taken control of us. Jun made us remember that we were fighting each other. Kongo and Tenku would have made the two of us die if it weren't for his intervention."
"I remember that too." Touma sighed.
"Jun saved me a lot." With a small breath, Ryo looked up from his lap. "There was that time with Arago when I possessed him and he saved me with the jewel. There was also that time when Arago had us trapped in the towers. Jun managed to wake me from my paralysis, making a chain reaction that freed all of you. The Ningenkai and the Youjakai would have been destroyed if it weren't for him." His eyes dropped down again. "We never really gave him the credit he deserved."
"We all thanked Nasuti for her help, but Jun... Not really." Shin was feeling guiltier than before.
"When did we turn so messed up?" Shuu closed his eyes, a growl in the back of his throat.
Any conversation was cut off as Nasuti flew down the stairs, grabbing her coat as she went.
"What's up Nasuti?" Seiji turned around.
"They're finally allowing visitors." She replied, as she was halfway out the door. "You can come if you promise to make it up to Jun."
All five were up in a flash, putting on more appropriate shoes and slinging on jackets. Not a minute later, Nasuti slung her jeep out of her driveway at a speed that was just barely within the legal limits.
OoOoO
Nasuti was the first to enter Jun's room when she was there, some man that the Troopers didn't know following her.
"It's good to see you again, Shirana-san." She greeted.
The man pushed up glasses that slid down the bridge of his nose and smiled kindly. "Please call me Iketana, Yagyu-san."
"Only if you call me Nasuti." The woman returned, though the joking didn't quite let the light into her eyes.
"Fine Nasuti-s," a glare made him rethink the honorific. "Nasuti."
She nodded curtly as she looked at Jun, lying there peacefully. Slowly, she moved away matted brown hair from the face, smiling a bit at the rather content look on the face. "If you didn't know better, you'd think he's just sleeping. But the truth is so much more harsher."
Sighing deeply, he nodded. "Did they ever find that driver?"
Nasuti shook her head. "No one got the make... All the kid saw was that it was blue and the mother was in hysterics." The woman clenched her fist. "I would so like to deck the person that just drove away after hitting someone."
A calming hand was laid on her shoulder. "They'll get what they deserved." Iketana then noticed the five men outside. "And who are you?"
They quickly ran through introductions as all seven gathered in the room, surrounding the teen lying in bed.
"For all intents and purposes, Jun should have woken up by now." Iketana mused as he stared closely at Jun's face. "People say that people don't wake up from comas unless they want to wake up. Maybe there's something that is keeping him away from consciousness."
For a moment, Nasuti's eyes grew wide. She hurriedly drew Iketana off into a corner and started whispering to him. "That reminds me of something Jun told me."
"What?"
"He said that he had been getting a lot of dreams lately about a void. Do you think he could be deciding right now?" Her tone was extremely worried.
"It's quite possible." Iketana pushed his glasses back up again. "I could try to delve into his subconscious plain and convince him to come back, but I need total concentration."
Nasuti flicked her eyes at the Troopers, who were still looking at Jun. "I'll buy you ten minutes."
"Done. Anything for my apprentice."
The two came back as Nasuti asked for help. Two minutes later, all the Troopers were out doing errands while Nasuti quietly closed the door.
Iketana closed his eyes as he took out some herbs he had in a belt pouch. Silently, he sprinkled the air above Jun with the plants before the world faded around him and Iketana felt himself appearing somewhere else. His mental eyes opened, revealing a harsh landscape of... well... nothingness. It was all black and gray, something that he'd never encountered before, even in comatose people. Frankly, it scared him.
His mental self, with a bright blue aura, glided forward, looking for that one glow. The darkness touched his aura, sending a slimy feeling across his arms. Shivering, Iketana continued onward. A faint light was ahead, a peculiar mix of five colors. That was when a cold feeling came over him and, having no anchor, sent him sprawling. The spiritualist got a glimpse of blank eyes right next to something so cold; it sent shivers up his spine, before all went black.
The sudden collapse of the man was what drew Nasuti into the room, yelling out commands. The man was loaded onto a cart as doctors rushed to check on him. As Iketana was carted away, Nasuti glanced at Jun and sighed. He was still in a coma. I guess the void was too much for him to handle. Furrowing her brow, the woman waved a hand over Jun's body and the boy's suddenly pained face eased. That should do. She took a seat in a chair, hoping for the best for Jun and Iketana.
OoOoO
The Troopers found Nasuti fast asleep, her head lying on Jun's chest. Softly, the five moved her away and onto a couch in the lobby. They then met with each other around Jun.
"It hurts to see him like this." Shin whispered.
Shuu agreed. "It does."
"What happened to Iketana?" Ryo asked.
"He tried to bring Jun back with mental talents." Seiji answered. "He ended up unconscious."
Touma rubbed his chin. "Do you think that we would have better luck?"
"Let's try." Ryo ordered. All five surrounded Jun, each stretching a hand over the teen's chest. One by one, they closed their eyes and called upon their armors.
Rekka
Kourin
Suiko
Kongo
Tenku
Five colors spun around Jun, each the color of one of the armors. They were slowly drawn to the teen's head, but the Troopers were jolted out of their trance by an emergency alarm.
"He's flat-lining!" A doctor rushed over, yelling.
Nurses piled around as the heart meter showed that the heartbeat was getting slower.
As hospital personal milled around, one harried intern came over to them.
"Please, can you leave?" The small looking man asked, looking to be about 20 years old. "There won't be any room here." He rushed off again, a testament to how hard the staff was working.
The Troopers allowed themselves to be pushed into the lobby, where the sleeping Nasuti lay. They quietly sat around, the room somber.
"Did we cause that?" Seiji whispered, meeker that he usually was.
Shin, the oldest of all of them, shook his head. "It was just coincidence."
Ryo clasped his hands. "Please let Jun bet all right."
"He has to survive." Shuu prayed.
"He can't die," Touma averted his eyes, which were filling with tears that threatened to spill all over his face, "not until we has made our peace and even then."
The five waited, nerves on edge, as the doctors worked on bringing Jun's heartbeat up. They were all worried, fidgeting in their seats and showing a lot of care for the teen that lay there in a coma.
Kaosu, please let Jun survive. Ryo turned his eyes skyward. Let him survive!
When a doctor came out to greet them, Ryo was up first. "What of Jun?"
"We managed to stabilize him." All five released breaths they didn't know they held. "You may see him again now." None of them wasted any time. They reached Jun's room at a quick pace, crowding around the boy.
"He looks paler." Shin commented, brushing away a strand of hair from the boy's face, his mother hen personality showing.
"His mental defenses should be weak. Now is the time to try it." Seiji insisted.
The rest agreed as they circled Jun. Slowly, carefully, each Trooper called upon the power of their yoroi.
Rekka...
Kourin...
Suiko...
Kongo...
Tenku...
The circling of lights was faster than before, heading into Jun's head at maybe double the speed. All five immediately lost their sense of the outside world as they appeared in a colorless plain.
"This is Jun's mind?" Seiji whispered, slightly horrified.
"What's the matter?' Touma asked.
Seiji turned, the green ambiance surrounding him heightening the effect of the shock in the one visible eye. "There should be color. If it's like this... Jun's almost ready." He whispered the next part. "Ready to leave..."
"We have to find him!" Ryo insisted, red aura flaring brighter. "We can't lose him."
"Link up." Shin held out a hand, light blue radiating from his skin. Touma's dark blue grasped it, their lights touching. Together, they made a chain as they traveled forward.
Shuu shivered. "This darkness makes me feel weird."
"It's oily." Touma agreed.
The five made small talk, until the faintest bit of white caught Ryo's attention. "I think I see Jun!"
They picked up speed, but froze when they came upon a scene, barely staying in the plain as a wave of darkness billowed into them.
Jun's mental body was covered by a faint white aura, weaker than it should have been. He was curled in a fetal position, pale skin being showed and wearing no clothing, like the rest of them. Blank eyes were shown with his head turned to the side, dried tear streaks on his cheeks. Right next to him was a flickering barrier of fire, with the impression that it used to be big, but shrinking. Right beyond that wall of flame was... nothing, Nothingness. Oblivion. The Troopers stared, horrified, as Jun reached out toward the barrier of flame, as if reaching toward the void. The barrier flared weakly, making Jun draw his hand back, returning to his fetal position.
"Jun!" Ryo screamed.
The boy didn't look like he acknowledged them.
The Troopers floated closer, desperation on their faces.
"Jun." Shin whispered quietly, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder.
He looked up, eyes with nothing in them staring into Shin's eyes. Jun then turned back to the wall of fire, reaching a hand out to it. Ryo hit it away. Jun turned and slugged Ryo in the face. As the Bearer of Rekka flew back, Jun leveled his gaze of Shin's hand, shrugging it away. He never said a word.
Seiji caught Ryo before he could fly too far away. "What's up with Jun?"
"We're in pain." All five turned, Jun curling back into a fetal position, as a new voice appeared. It was Jun, only younger, and covered by a brighter white aura.
"Who are you?" Touma asked.
"I'm Jun, his innocence, his heart." Young Jun smiled brightly. "That's the real Jun, he's depressed."
"So, you're both Jun?"
"Basically." The smile faded from Young Jun's face. "Seriously, I don't know why you're trying."
"Why shouldn't we?" Shuu asked, enraged.
"You never showed much care over the years," Young Jun commented," so I thought you'd rather have us dead." There was a sudden dropping of gazes. "That hit something, didn't it?"
"We would never wish death on Jun!" Touma spoke up.
"Of course not." Young Jun stated sarcastically. "You wouldn't, but what about Jun himself?" He pointed toward the barrier of fire, which was steadily growing weaker. Teenage Jun keep trying to go through it, to nothingness, but the shield held. "That represents our will to die."
Tears flying from his eyes, Ryo yelled. "I'm sorry! I never meant any of this! Really!" He flew at Teenage Jun, sobbing all the way. "I was so scared of how I was feeling! I didn't know how to react, with one so much younger! Please, you have to forgive me!" Ryo wrapped his arms around Teenage Jun's body, sobbing freely into the teenager's neck. "You can't leave me!"
Teenage Jun didn't seem to listen as he reached forward for the hole in the barrier of fire.
"I LOVE YOU!" Ryo screamed.
"R... Ry... Ryo?" There was a spark of something in Teenage Jun's eyes as Young Jun smiled softly. "Is that you Ryo?"
"Yeah, it's me." Ryo smiled. "Please don't leave. I love you so much."
"You... Love me?" Teenage Jun curled out of his fetal position slightly as Young Jun started fading. "You love me?"
"We all do, like you're our little brother." The rest of the Troopers surrounded Teenage Jun. "It's just that we weren't sure how to handle it."
Teenage Jun blinked away tears, more brown appearing in his eyes. "But... I love you guys so much, Ryo most of all. It hurts..." He stared remorsefully at the void. "I just want to end it." He reached out toward the void again, tears falling faster from his eyes.
"I can't let you go." Ryo whispered, voice hoarse. "I can't lose you again." He hugged the teen closer. "I love you so much. Not as a friend, not as a brother, but as a lover. I didn't know what I felt, but please give me another chance. I can't lose you."
The area around them started to gain color as Teenage Jun uncurled from his position, his aura growing brighter and Young Jun fading even more. "As a lover?"
"Yes, as a lover." Ryo choked so much emotion into those four words that Teenage Jun burst out crying anew.
"It hurt so much Ryo! I thought I saw Shirana-sempai here. I just wanted to touch that void and let it all be done with!" Teenage Jun sobbed freely. "I wanted oblivion to take me, but Nasuti wouldn't let it happen. It's so cold! Help me! Help me please!"
"Just follow us out." Seiji's voice was comforting.
"We'll help you." Shin smiled.
"We're not leaving you here." Shuu added.
"You're too important to us to lose." Touma finished.
"Just hold on tight and we'll be out of here." As a chain, all six swirled in the mental plain. Before they left, however, Young Jun was almost gone.
"Protect and love us well." He whispered before disappearing completely.
When Ryo opened his eyes, he found the rest of them holding their hands over Jun. They quickly withdrew them, hoping that Jun had followed. Please be all right!
A few seconds later, Jun opened his eyes. "Miss me?"
"Jun!" Ryo choked the name out. "You're awake."
"Thank you." Weak eyes turned to Ryo. "I love you..."
Doctors came rushing in, shoving the Troopers out again. Nasuti greeted them at the lobby. "What's up?'
"Jun's awake." Shin whispered. Nasuti's eyes widened.
"He's actually awake Natsy!" Ryo smiled with tears down his cheeks. "He's awake!"
Nasuti almost jumped for joy—the Troopers could see that. Instead, she just smiled, tears shining in her eyes.
OoOoO
A month later, Jun was up and back to a genki self that blossomed with the love and affection the Troopers showered him with. No more sneaking around, except for the occasional prank cooked up with Touma. No more dodging them either, except when he and Touma had to hide from the unfortunate victim of a prank. Jun got along with each and every one of them and Nasuti couldn't be happier—all her boys were happy.
This day, however, Jun and Ryo were going on their first date.
"C'mon Jun!" Ryo shouted, clad in a loose red shirt and khakis. "I'm sure you look fine as is!"
"Hold on!" came the muffled reply. "Geroff Shin!"
"Just a touch more and you'll be fine." Shin promised.
"That's not reassuring." Jun muttered.
Ryo rolled his eyes as Touma and Shuu snickered.
Seiji raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid?"
"I'm afraid that I won't be able to keep my hands off of Jun." Ryo murmured. "We all know Shin's ability with making people irresistible."
Seiji wisely averted his eye.
Shin appeared. "And here is our resident Cinderella." He paused. "Only male."
Jun walked into sight, extremely nervous. He was in a white satin shirt, the ends billowing past his black leather pants. A little bit of eyeliner emphasized his eyes and a tiny bit of glitter on his neck completed the picture of seductive grace. He walked smoothly, his steps a bit hesitant and the blush on his cheeks only added to the picture. At the bottom, Jun gave a little spin. "How do I look?" Jun blinked when no answer came. "Ryo?"
The four Troopers stared, jaws dropping and even drooling as Shin smiled smugly.
"You're..." Seiji, Touma, and Shuu whispered at the same time.
"What?" Jun asked, slightly annoyed. "I knew I shouldn't have let Shin put the eyeliner on me. Or is it the glitter? Do I look like a freak?"
Ryo hastily shook his head. "Hell no! You look so frickin' hot!"
Shin laughed softly. "You're drooling."
They quickly wiped their mouths, even the reserved Seiji blushing.
"Well, aren't we going?" Jun smiled impishly as Ryo pulled the teen to his side.
"Yeah. We'll be back soon." Ryo waved.
"Bring him back before midnight!" Shin called, strengthening the Cinderella remark.
Jun waved as the door closed behind them.
Nasuti came around. "Did they leave yet?"
"All clear." Touma saluted. The five waited for Ryo's car to leave before they all piled into Nasuti's jeep and followed them.
Jun's hearty laughing at his boyfriend followed them as they went, the night encompassing them. He didn't fear the void anymore—Ryo and the others were protecting him from it. On his nightstand, six figures were now there. Iketana, Nasuti, Shin, Shuu, Touma, and Seiji were there. A figure with Jun wrapped in Ryo's embrace stood on a black plate above them. They shined with the light of renewed bonds.
Jun giggled. At last, it's done.
The End
OoOoO
End Notes: This is my first "The End" written, which is something I only use for multi-chapter stories. Thank you for all your votes! The Ryo/Jun was actually totally unexpected!
End Notes (2010): I removed the god-awful framing script that I couldn't stand to see anymore, but that and the line breaks are the only things that have changed, except some grammar errors. Looking back, I'm actually glad I wrote this, though I do believe the Ryo/Jun took something away from it.