Noir

By spheeris1

Pairing: Utena/Anthy [others implied]

Warnings/notes: See 'Teaser' & 'Ichi' [also slight sexual content to this part…]

~~~

'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon--now touch me babe

Can't you see that I am not afraid… What was that promise

That you made? Why won't you tell me what she said?

What was that promise that you made?'

'Stop. Wait…be quiet…'

Utena whispers this into Anthy's ear as they near her office once more.

Sounds of shuffling papers.

Chair scraping on the wooden floor.

Utena hears her own breathing. She can hear her own heartbeat.

And she can hear Anthy reach out slowly, the cloth moving against cloth…

Utena feels a hand slide down her arm, skirting over the flesh of Utena's hand and under Utena's cheap overcoat.

'What are you--?' Utena tries to ask but Anthy smiles at her, pulling the gun out of the worn leather holster.

Placing it into Utena's hand.

Wrapping Utena's fingers over the hilt.

'They'll kill you if they know…' Anthy says, her voice like that of a ghost.

'Know what?' Utena demands.

'That you have me, of course.' Anthy replies with a smile.

And so the lie unravels…

The door busts open and Utena pushes Anthy back.

Reacting. Not acting.

Too many questions. Not enough answers.

The hallway is flooded with light, too bright to be a lamp…much too bright…

Utena yells for Anthy to run.

She watches someone approach from the glare.

…and so…

She pulls the trigger and feels the reverberation through her entire body.

…the lie…

She drops to her knees, rolling to the right and into the bathroom.

Utena listens.

And hears nothing. No return fire. No running. Nothing.

Did Anthy get away? And why are they after her? Was her claim of searching for someone a lie? Is this all a lie?

Utena nears the edge of the doorway, thrusting her gun around first then her head.

Papers scattered. A man in a suit coughing up blood.

'The ring…I must have the ring…he said the ring would help me, I could have everything with the ring…eternity is with the ring. Eternity…eternity…'

Utena knows him without getting too close.

The man on the street. The man who needed the ring.

'…eternity…'

Whispered with a river of blood passing his lips, oozing to the floor and forming a puddle.

Whispered like it is the word of God.

Utena looks at the silver band on her finger, murmuring the word over and over.

'Eternity….eternity….eternity….'

…unravels…

~

You've seen them before.

In your dreams. In your fantasies.

Those things that are unattainable to you. The brass ring. The golden egg.

That castle on the hill, overlooking the kingdom…

But now you have it.

This ring. This ring.

It is eternity.

You've dreamed of this. Of finding peace, of finding happiness, of finding riches.

This ring. This ring.

It can give you everything. You know it. You feel it.

And it has already worked its first miracle.

It has given you her.

And she waits for you, waits on you, needs you, wants you, must have you, must keep you close, depends on you, fears you, loves you, hates you…

You are everything to her.

And that is the power of this ring.

That is eternity.

…then you wake up…

And the clock is ticking. And the faucet is still dripping in the kitchen. And the traffic of the city is still too loud. And the blankets feel too heavy. And everything you thought was real was not.

You decide to stay in bed today.

~

Utena slams the door shut and jerks Anthy to the couch, shoving her down.

'Now, you tell me what the hell is going on. Who was that guy?' Utena asks.

'He wants me.'

'No. Wrong. He wants this.' Utena holds up her hand.

'That ring and I are pretty much the same thing. Beautiful and…misunderstood.'

Utena begins to pace back and forth.

'That is bullshit. I saw him. He wanted this ring and nothing else…no mention of you at all. So you better front up with the truth this time or your ass is out.'

Utena watches in agony as Anthy smiles like an angel, looking far too good for this dingy apartment.

'The truth is so…complicated. I am looking for the man who created that ring. And he, in turn, is looking for me. That is the closest to the truth that I can give you.'

Utena knows that cannot be all to it.

Two men dead. A missing girl. A sad morgue attendant. A bitter 'princess'.

A gorgeous woman sitting on a cheap and used couch.

And one detective left to figure things out, put them together and make the picture crystal clear.

Utena sighs.

'You should go home. Or to a hotel. Or wherever you are staying.'

'I have nowhere to go.' Anthy answers.

Utena feels a slow burn crawl up her body.

'Too bad for you then.' Utena retorts, keeping her back turned.

Don't look into her eyes, don't look, don't look…

But it does not work, not in the end.

Utena listens to the doorknob turn and spins around. She pulls Anthy back inside and keeps her up against the door. She can feel the curves of Anthy's body. She can feel Anthy's pulse speed up.

'I know you are lying to me.' Utena hisses out.

'I know you know.' Anthy says softly, drawing closer to Utena's face.

Utena swallows and her lips move of their own accord.

'Is this eternity?' Utena asks in a tiny whisper.

'Yes.' Anthy exhales as Utena claims her mouth.

As Utena envelopes Anthy into her arms.

As Utena delves under clothing to the skin.

As Utena shudders to the cool air and the wet tongue traveling over her body.

As Utena tastes the sweat on naked flesh.

As Utena consumes Anthy and is consumed by Anthy.

Anthy. Anthy. Anthy.

'I'm gonna love you till the heavens stop the rain,

I'm gonna love you till the stars fall from the sky…for you and I.'

['Touch Me' by The Doors]

~~~

TBC