Chapter 6: 8 Mile (Oh guess. That's right. The OST. Sorry, I love the movie. Don't hate, or me and Em will team up and cut your dirty lyin throat.)
(Like brothers (Well mostly sisters I think) I love you people! I've got like 5 or 6 reviews maybe 3 hours after I update, life is gooodoh, and whoever the F*** 'goku' is, burn in the deepest depths of hell. If you want to flame, gimme some reasons, you prick. Or maybe a return address so I can ASK for them. Or maybe proper grammar. Or maybe less stupid hysterical laughing. DIE is the message I'm trying to get across. Sorry to all of you kind and decent reviewers (And flame-writing-people(But not flamers)) for that waste of time. Dontcha hate people who you can't scream at for a review unless you write another chapter? Anyway, here goes, and thanks to everyone who's been reviewing me(Except 'goku'). Write long reviews, and as long as they're insightful I swear I'll e-mail you, regardless of what you think of the story. Enjoy!)
(Another Haiku of
Disclaiming, even though it's not
As good as the song)
Kenshin could hold it in. He had an inexhaustible supply of plastic faces in his deepest mental closets, and could show exactly which emotions he wanted to. He was nice to Katsu, and congratulated him on his video gaming prowess. He laughed at jokes. He said goodbye politely at eleven (curfew). He gave Sano a little hug on the way out, while Katsuhiro STILL struggled with the Library.
And as soon as his parents were greeted, his chores finished, his shower taken, he collapsed and sobbed silently into a pillow.
It's so silly, such a little thing, but I finally got what I wanted, and now I can't give him any space! Dammit, all my fault, all my fault, it's selfish of me to do this to Sano, to ask him to love ME, the faggot
He could punch himself in the face. In fact, tomorrow he'd give those homophobes who tried to separate him from other students and beat him another chance. He'd take the hits he deserved. I'm such a-a BITCH! Kenshin swore violently, which only increased his self-hatred. Since when does THAT help? Well what CAN help!? What have I even done?
I don't understand anything.
Kenshin cried and swore and hated himself to sleep.
*
Unfortunately for Kenshin's self-abusive fantasies, the next day was Saturday, and it seemed set on making him feel better.
You know the type. Your life sucks in all the major ways, and you hate everyone including yourself, but the world and everyone in it is trying to make you laugh and be happy, like they're making up for upsetting you in the first place. But all you can feel is bitter, and then it wears on you, and you start feeling good, although every now and again you'll have a slide-back. And then eventually it's all puffy eyes and smiles, tear tracks still a little crusty from the salt, and you can feel them crinkling when you grin really wide.
His favorite animes on Cartoon Network. Frosted pop-tarts, the chocolate ones, with a massive glass of milk, a note from the folks saying they'd be back late, and he could do anything he wanted as long as he left a note and did his chores first. Glorious, glorious lack of homework. A new Orson Scott Card book in Barnes and Nobles.
And later a very strange invitation from Kaoru. Something about Yahiko. And a request for popcorn. And/or a date.
He wanted to shoot himself, he seemed to have been granted everything he wanted for a Saturday besides the bit he wanted most.
I WANT Sano to kiss me and say he loves me, and I want it to be true, and I want to put a bullet or 25 through Katsu's skull. Otherwise though I'm set.
But Kenshin was nothing if not a realist, and carefully packed his cargo shorts with the usual bevy of audio equipment, pez and dispensers, money, and glasses necessary to go anywhere. Each pocket was carefully stuffed with his learners lisence, or flaccid wallet, or his truly awful student ID picture, where Sano, off screen, had made him laugh-
SanoI should call him. Or something. Should
But can't. Not yet. I don't know what's wrong, but I'll figure it out before I bother him again.
Confident in his decision, Kenshin began the long walk to Kaoru's house
*
"Hey Katsu! Kaoru says she's got something we've gotta come see!"
"Well we can always walk back if it's that bad. Up for it?"
"You know it. Finish off those aliens and let's hightail it for Kaoru's."
Maybemaybe Kenshin will be there
"Grab some popcorn!"
*
"Ungh."
"Jack?"
"Fregunh? Kaoru? Girl from Latin?"
"Yeah, that's me. Listen, there's something over here you've got to see, I'm inviting everyone. Ummwanna come?"
"What time is it?"
"Umm, almost noon."
"you owe me big if this isn't worth it."
"Of course! Now, I'll give you my address, come as soon as you can.
"And bring a comb, I'll bet your hair is back to a rat's nest by now."
*
An unknowing one-man stage show appeared on the computer's monitor, slightly pixelated by the digital camera hidden in a small pile of dirty clothes in Yahiko's room. His groupies, the colored image reflecting from their eyes in the low light of Kaoru's bedroom, awaited with fevered, repressed passion.
Or possibly just deep, deep confusion, as Kaoru had yet to explain exactly what was happening.
The hostess herself was currently keeping Jack in a coma-like state with the neck caress of doom, as an evilly chuckling Misao plaited his now-straightened hair. Aoshi, legs demurely folded, shared the bed with the trio, while Sano had claimed a patch of floor near the monitor, and Katsu had draped himself over a chair.
The final guest was downstairs trying not to cry under the pretense of making the popcorn.
He
*
"He's starting!" Whispered Kaoru, as Yahiko slid a final CD into the 5 disc changer, and slung the remote onto his bed.
The unknowing rock god casually removed his shirt, and, with a critical eye, selected a flashlight from the three lying on his desk. Tapping a final button on the stereo, he stalked to the center of the room, where he stood silently as the CD try spun into place.
Then, one hand securely clasped on his crotch, he threw himself enthusiastically into a brutally bass-amp-ed version of '8 Miles an' Running'.
But I could rewind the counter ta back, back,
When it was now or nothing,
People said I would amount to nothing,
That I had time for nothing,
Said I wasn't from the valers
Or the sellers by your gunman,
I can see the folks now he got what he had coming,
Now that my 8th album's coming,
Everybody smiling wanting something,
claiming that they done something for em,
got Jay Z and pom poms in they whole uniform
At first they could do nothing but stare. Four foot nine Yahiko was brutally rapping, shirtless, with a flashlight held mic-style to his mouth, and the other hand grabbing himself in undeniably parody of the rappers he idolized on MTV.
Disbelief gave way to humor. For the exact same reason. Even Aoshi had a small smile about the brutal smack talk the young boy was spewing. Sano collapsed, luckily missing Katsu, who had fallen out of his chair as Misao fell writhing in good humor on Jack, who had fallen back asleep under Kaoru's ministrations, and said something truly unpleasant about being woken up.
Stage three, as the CD worked it's way to 'Rabbit Run', was admiration. The kid rapped with the same feeling Marshall Mathers had put into the song originally (Way to much), and if he were a decade or two older the stage show would be comparable to any professionals. It was almost like having a real live rapper step into shot of your hidden camera and start performing.
A really, really short one.
"We should really record this," Gasped Misao, as Yahiko hit the CD switch to The Battle of Los Angeles. "I mean this is beautiful. He's incredible, looks like a young Eminem, only with a tan"
"Sadly enough, she's right," Said Katsu, who was beginning to breathe normally again, after falling (much to the newly arrived Kenshin's horror) directly on Sano in his hysterics. "The kid is something, that's for sure."
'UmmI think I missed something?" It was put like a statement, but Kenshin used it as a question.
Luckily, Aoshi had set the eyeball-shaped camera to record. He saved the file as 'Yahiko 1: 8 Mile OST'.
It was the beginning of a tradition, a legend, and a dynasty
*
Kenshin couldn't sleep.
Never before in his life had anything been half this complicated. No science fair paperwork snafu was to tangled, no hair disaster was to fluffed in humidity, no teacher was so frosty as to resist his charming smile and undeniable desire for knowledge. Nothing was so confusing as his feelings.
I skipped over all the conflicts about sexuality, because I told myself love was stronger than genderI was just sliding through life until now it feels like. Until I saw him with Katsu on him like that, together, even though it was just an accident, they looked
They looked more like a couple than we ever could.
It was, to Kenshin, true. He just couldn't see the tiny redhead that was him sprawling on the lanky, well-built sexy beast that was Sano. It would be more comedy than romance. It would be TRADGEDY. It feels like it IS tradgedy.
But
But Kenshin couldn't let go. Because no matter how much he wanted to stop hurting Sano like he was sure he was hurting him, his want was to great. He NEEDED that warm shoulder to lean his head against, and those big fingers to run through his hair.
And most of all he needed those soft lips to press against his and tell him that they loved him. He NEEDED that most of all.
But it's still wrong. I'm keeping him with a guy. And not even the guy he deserves! He should be with Katsu, the artist who understands him and can joke with him and take those punches to the shoulder without wincing. Or better yet a girl, someone who can live only for him, like Misao and Aoshi
And in the twisted logic that ruled the night, Kenshin knew what he would do. It wouldn't help anything. It wouldn't make him feel better. It would hurt like hell.
But all but the first were considered good points.
*
Aoshi was bored.
Not the kind of mind-numbing boredom that slays you quickly and mercilessly (comparatively). That kind of boredom was reserved for weekends with no friends or new books, or a long wait in a line, or class.
Nothing so simple! This was a slow-burning boredom that could rip apart relationships before they ever had a chance, a boredom of offhand good-bye hugs and leaning together on the bus. Aoshi was tired, tired, TIRED of not even really being on first base.
It's not logical. Before her hugs were enough. Cuddling made me happy. Brushing her hand made me happy. In the usual vague, bored way that fear affected him, Aoshi was afraid. I don't want to stay like this. But I don't want to offend her for some silly sentiment or desire.
And I DON'T want to do something so offensive she leaves me altogether.
Of all the many, many things he hated about the world, obsessing over minor points of exercises that were in and of themselves lacking in senses and logic was very close to the top of the list.
Glancing over at Misao, who was staring off into a point in space about 3 inches into the bus seat in front of him, Aoshi was tempted, ever so tempted, to-
Misao, whose thoughts had been almost exactly paralleling Aoshi's, but one step ahead, turned to face him and inexpertly kissed him on the lips.
It was not, as kisses go, a winner. It was chaste, for one thing. It was not well placed, and the angle was terrible. It wasn't even that lip-bruising variety of chaste kisses that have such wonderful, sensual closeness to them.
It had one thing going for it, and that was that it was the first, for both of them, and that was all it took for it to remain etched in their minds forever.
(Ewww, the sap is all STICKY! Well as much as I wanted to write you another 3000 word big mama chapter, it's almost 6 AM and I had plans for to some extent ENJOYING Labor Day weekendor at least (Don't laugh) doing some homework during it. No, I'm not out of character, it's actually summer reading work. See? I may be doing it, but I swear it's late! Please don't revoke my loser slacker club membership! Anyway, do remember that Kenshin has a plan that won't help, and that Yahiko has started a legend. Please don't flame me until I've woken up. I might cry. Very unfair to do that kinda thing to a man (or woman) at an ungodly hour. Cheating, really. Well, talk to ya later, review me enough and I VOW to you there'll be another one up by noon Tuesday. L8r! I love you Koishii!)