Deai 2

Part viii

A faint ring of light originating from the light tower to the east side of campus slowly spreads wider on the grayish evening sky. Taikoubou closed his eyes, trying to feel the early Spring wind on his face. It had been two weeks since the last incident.

Illusion

Is it worth it, for this love, to trade in for a life of worries and bonds?

***

"I want to see what it's like on the other side." A dreamy look glazed over the shiny eyes of Bukichi.

"I hear that all the people from that place have special powers. And wouldn't it be romantic to meet a fair maiden from a different dimension?" Kihatsu's mind was already out the window in the mountains behind KU.

Rolling his eyes, Youzen ran his finger over the thin volume that sat on the table next to him. "They do possess certain powers, usually having to do with time. That's why they all look extraordinarily young. They also look very like each other, probably having to do with the restricted gene pool of their population.

But most importantly, they cannot love."

Kihatsu and Bukichi turned their heads immediately to Youzen. "Senpai! How do you know so much about the Kukan?" "What do you mean they can't love?

The figure sitting on the window shifted to look at Youzen with a lazy expression on his face.

"It seems that the down side to their powers is that they cannot experience the feeling that is commonly known as love in our world." Youzen glanced Taikoubou out of the corner of his eyes.

The body on the window sill turned back to stare at the ring of light in the now almost entirely inked sky.

Another person who resembled Fugen… Taikoubou shook his head and hid a smile. No, there was only one Fugen… and he wanted this one.

His thoughts stopped as well as his smile. For the first time in his life, he felt a strong desire to possess something.

***

Closing the door behind him, Ryuukitsu breathed out heavily as she leaned back onto the wooden door.

"You know, someone coming from a date shouldn't have that look on your face." Dakki put a teasing arm around Ryuukitsu.

"It's not a date." Ryuukitsu rested her head on Dakki's shoulder.

"Don't worry, things will turn out fine somehow." Dakki's tone notably softened, sensing her friend's silent distress. "But tell me the truth, why are you so troubled by this man? He seems very nice and he certainly likes you a lot."

"You wouldn't be comfortable if you have another person following you while you are trying to ask some… rather strange questions." Finally, Ryuukitsu's stressed face broke out in a smile.

Falling into laughter, Dakki pinched Ryuukitsu's face. "It's still the same huh? Ms. Popular." Ryuukitsu groaned loudly and buried her face further into Dakki's shoulder blades.

***

Fugen stared at his own hand which was wrapped by another hand. It felt warm. There was a tingling sensation much like the Spring air that brushed pass the side of his face. It tickled.. in a good way. A smile crept across his face.

Catching the smile, Taikoubou felt his heart considerably lighter than it had been for the past few days.

"Fugen nii-chan!" An orange arrow shot at amazing speed toward them and disappeared into Fugen's dark blue shirt. Fugen retreated a few steps, but the smile on her face brightened. He put his arms around the small figure in his arms.

A bit annoyed at his empty hand, Taikoubou crossed his arms and looked at Nataku, who walked slowly toward them.

"Any improvement?" Taikoubou's eyes were on the pair still huddling together.

Luckily, Nataku was also not an advocate of small talk. "Hasn't said anything since then. Probably doesn't want to tell us for some reason. He… doesn't like to show his body…"

Before Taikoubou could ask him what that sentence meant, their attentions were attracted by the other pair, now separated. Tensyo's lips flapped quickly, as if trying to something urgent in a hurry. Fugen kept on shaking his head, hands gesturing and lips moving, but no word came out. He had a pained expression on his face.

Tensyo took a look at Taikoubou and Nataku, then dragged Fugen a little further. Nataku was about to follow them when Taikoubou extended his arm in front of him to stop him from advancing. Nataku glared at him, but did not speak.

Fugen's back blocked out their view. Tensyo seemed to be fumbling with something.

Suddenly, Fugen stumbled back and looked as if he was about to fall onto the ground. He landed into a pair of thin but stable hands, eyes tightly closed.

Taikoubou looked up at Tensyo with slight disapproval in his eyes, then froze. Nataku kneeled slowly in front of Tensyo, whose head was lowered to hide his expression. His shirt was partially open, revealing several thin dark red scars that extended from his neck to halfway down his chest.

Something was triggered in Taikoubou's brain. Trying to keep his hands from shaking, he slowly unbuttoned Fugen's shirt and lifted it open.

Fugen's body was tattooed with multicolored scars, some long, some short, some ending into the sleeves. Lifting up Fugen's sleeves, patches and patches of needle holes, black dots that contaminated the snow white skin, met his eyes. Taikoubou felt his eyes burning.

Without a word, he buttoned Fugen's shirt, then took Fugen's thin body into his arms. Tensyo's low sobs came from within Nataku's embrace.

***

A few blocks off, a pair of ice blue eyes observed coldly at the scene in front of him.

***

none of my fears,

all of my joy

so much I feel

and my mind plays coy

***

Preview: ARGH! Who's the b****** who did this to my Fugen??? (crowd: YOU!!!) Ahem… well, we'll sorta find out more about Fugen's past… and how he became unable to talk… etc.. ^^b And who are all those peeping toms? (crowd: YOU!) me: …

A's Babblin: Ahh… dunno if it's Shi mummie's influence… but I seem to have the sick habit of making my favorite character suffer too. Sometimes I think that as long as someone is feeling the pain with you, then suffering a little doesn't really matter.. ::smashed by an anvil:: Sashi: serves you right!!!