Noir

By spheeris1

Pairing: Utena/Anthy [others implied]

Warnings/notes: See 'Teaser' & 'Ichi'

~~~

Utena relaxed against the wall of the building and watched the flickering of the streetlight. The traffic had died down now. All the people were tucked away and safe…leaving room for the not-so-nice people to play.

She didn't do meeting like this unprepared. She was carrying her 9mm. She was watching every dark corner with sharp sight.

But she had been waiting for this call.

Ever since her meeting with Kiryuu Nanami and her 'lawyer', Utena was wondering how long they would wait before they made their move to get the ring back.

Three days.

Three days of quiet, three days in the eye of the storm.

Three days of bizarre solitude with this unknown woman of uncommon beauty--with Himemiya Anthy.

Utena asked her, once, as they lay tangled in each other.

'What is really going on here? 'Coz what I am being told…it's unreal…' Utena whispered. Anthy tightened her hold on Utena's body, her nails lightly digging into the skin.

'This is only the beginning.' Anthy whispered back, her voice so very distant.

Utena wanted to ask more. She wanted all the answers…a detective is like that.

You can easily fall in the holes within a story if you can't see them.

But instead of talking, they began touching and kissing and exploring…

Even the most dedicated inquisitor would have given up and focused on the task at hand. So, Utena let it drop.

Now, the time was over.

All the bliss, ignorant though it may be, will end.

Whatever answers Anthy refuses to give, perhaps someone else will divulge…or perhaps Utena just brought herself a world of trouble.

~

You watch her sit down and you smile as if you hold all the right cards.

'Fancy meeting you here.' You murmur. And she doesn't smile back.

She lays down a locket. She lays down an envelope with a crest to match the one on the ring you won't let go of. She lays down her 'hand'.

And what do you have to show? Your big bluff isn't working.

All you've got is the need to know, the blind faith of someone who doesn't know what is really going on.

And she knows it. And she is telling you her story, though you don't deserve to know.

All her pain, all her tragedy, all her agony.

Wounded girls and lost love, stupid games and broken honor…

'Why do you want it back?' You ask, your voice hoarse and weak.

'Why do you want it so badly? Why do you want to believe in this lie? Why do you want a miracle to happen? Why do you keep trying?' She rattles the questions off like she has been waiting years to ask them to you.

And you have no answers for her.

None at all.

~

'Listen Tenjou, the ring isn't yours to have. I told you everything you wanted to know and I am also avoiding the authorities in this matter…what more do you want?' Arisugawa Juri asked with a sigh.

The café was crowded with poor college students and wannabe writers. Coffee was poured for you whether you wanted it or not. 'On the house…' the waiter said.

'Do you know where Himemiya Anthy's brother is or why he might be after her?' Utena asked. Juri sat quiet and a smile slowly crawled along her mouth.

'Ask her about him, Tenjou. I just want the ring back.'

Utena leaned across the small table, close enough to see the pupils dilate in Juri's eyes.

'You think it killed Kiryuu Touga and that guy rummaging around in my office, this Saionji fella…you think it is dangerous. And yet, you want to give it to your boss? Sounds like funny business to me.' Utena said in a hushed voice, like naughty schoolchildren who might get caught talking in class.

Juri snatched at Utena's hand and jerked it forward, bringing them more than just face-to-face. Her breath was hovering over Utena's lips, dancing over her cheeks and nose. Her grip tightened and her eyes lit up with anger.

'It is people like you that give this ring power, Tenjou. And if you want to die for it, then be my guest. But never imply that I would do the same thing…I deal in reality now…not in eternity.' Juri hissed out and then shoved Utena away again.

Utena watched her stand up and smooth out her suit. She grabbed her briefcase, gave Utena a brief nod and walked out.

Utena looked at her hand, at the red imprint of Arisugawa Juri's hold.

It burned.

~

Love is a funny thing.

It can make you a better person…or it can make you a lesser person.

Love is just like everything else--it can go sour.

Look at all those people who walk hand-in-hand, all those people who kiss in public, all those people who elope and runaway…

…they believe in the castle…

Do those stones come tumbling down? Does the garden continue to grow wild for them?

You don't need love…no, not you. And you don't need silly things like nobility or honesty…not you…

But then you stare at her as she sleeps, as she is wrapped up in your sheets and this feeling grows inside of you, this feeling like no other feeling.

It takes you over.

And you realize that you are ready to die for her, if need be.

If need be.

But you can't help but hope you don't have to…otherwise, what's the point?

~

Utena felt like a Peeping-Tom, only minus the 'peeping'. But listening was just as bad. Part and parcel with the profession, Utena tells herself.

It doesn't really help.

She listens to Kiryuu Nanami make calls. Order people around. Eat. Drink. Be a bitch basically, 24/7...

She wonders when Arisugawa will show up again…when will the two of them talk about the ring again? Or if they will talk about anything important at all…Utena did, after all, let the cat out of the bag about the listening device…in a roundabout way.

'What do you mean he was here? He can't be here…' Nanami says, her voice in a state of shock. A soft sigh.

'Don't worry. I told him nothing.' Arisugawa Juri states.

Silence. More silence. Endless silence.

'I suppose I should thank you for not taking the ring…otherwise, he'd still be here…and I can't stand him…' Nanami said softly.

Then the crying starts, barely sobbing…muffled in clothing. Then a tender 'shhhh…'.

'It's over now. That world is over now…with Touga gone and the ring gone, it is finally over, Nanami.' Juri says quietly.

'Thank you.' Nanami gets out in between sobs.

Utena cuts off the recorder and stops listening.

'He' was there, looking for…the ring…? But not really, Utena surmises.

'He' was really looking for a way to Anthy.

Utena gets up and walks down the sidewalk, hands in her coat pocket.

Back to her office. Back to the puzzle.

Back to the lies and the illusions.

Back to the one person who knows what is going on.

~~~

TBC