Noir

By spheeris1

Pairing: Utena/Anthy [others implied]

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

~~~

Touga could not sleep, not without a couple of bones breaking against the ground.

Yet magic, for it could be nothing else, always mended him as he stood up once more. Always his body was pieced together and muscle stitched and ligaments taut as rope.

Touga could not sleep, not without seeing the images of his past and of his nightmares running side-by-side, playmates at midnight--a child of red hair and cut-off pants, a man of claret tresses and ghostly white skin--

--Touga could not sleep.

And in between waking and limbo, Touga could see the future laid out before him as plain as a map. He could see Ohtori shining like a diamond against the bleeding orange sky and the golden trumpets sounding their adolescence to the air.

He could see the Prince falling and the Princess ascending.

He could see the swords fall.

He could see the world, the one that all of them know, changing.

Morphing and twisting and heaving.

A butterfly with wings made of rose petals, sailing away where none may cast their very human nets.

Touga could not sleep.

So he plans a way out, a way to blend in to this future. Puzzle parts put together and sitting in a box--that is what they all are.

Only fitted can they create a picture.

Only as one can they become free.

~

'When is my time?' Saionji whispers late at night, early in the morning.

'Soon…' Akio whispers and pulls him back to the bed.

Saionji does not close his eyes when Akio kisses him. He does not trust Akio that much…in fact, Saionji does not trust Akio at all.

But what does trust mean here, in this place, with these people?

It means nothing. Like friendship means nothing. Like love means nothing.

'How many times did you do this with Touga?' Saionji asks and Akio pushes him away.

'Will you always be chasing someone else's shadow?'

It is a question without answer. Akio grins and gets up, walking to the windows.

'Out there are the stars. They are cold and lifeless, yet they burn brighter than sun. That was Touga--short lived beauty, but long dead before he drew his last breath.' Akio said evenly.

Saionji felt his throat tighten and he pulled the bed sheet over him.

Suddenly, he very much missed his coffin…he wanted to be buried again with never-ending silence.

'Not yet…not till you try your hand at being a Prince…then, if you fail, the dirt can claim you.' Akio whispered.

Saionji shut his eyes and saw a boy so familiar lurking there, so distant from his present self that it was almost fiction.

But it is no story, standing there and daring Saionji to be a Prince this time.

To save the girl.

To reach the castle.

To be worthy of the duelist ring.

Akio smiles into the shadows. 'Pride is a dangerous beast…' He murmurs as the incandescent points of light go out.

~

'Kozue will show you the way. She knows what to do.' Anthy said softly, not daring to get closer to the gate to the outside world.

It was tempting to forsake her plans and run as fast as she could to get away.

But Utena was by her side, docile and silent as a monk.

This is the reason, Anthy reminded herself. This is the reason…

Miki turned back once and smiled before allowing Kozue to pull him out. The gate creaked as if ancient and practically sucked the air out with it--tugging on those souls yearning to be free.

Anthy walked away, fists clenched, until she was around a building corner.

Then she could breathe. Then she could regain her footing.

Utena stayed a moment longer, her gaze curious on the two leaving--their forms becoming hazy with sunlight and heat, turning to outlines of white before disappearing all together from view.

Utena knew this was important. All her thoughts wrapped around the notion of 'leaving'. Could she leave as well?

This dress, Utena thought, is so cumbersome…so constricting…so wrong.

Tiny voices echoed for a second in her ears, telling her secrets--secrets that were answers--but her head began to ache once more.

Utena pressed her temples and staggered away, tumbling into Anthy's body and sagging there.

'It hurts…' Utena whispered. Anthy shuddered a breath.

'I know. Soon, it will not. I promise.' Anthy whispered back.

'Anthy-sama?'

'Yes?'

'Make this pain stop.'

~

'Who is next?' Shiori asked. Akio was typing at his desk.

He was surprised that Anthy let Miki go…and his sister. But then, perhaps they were not enough for her plan. Akio had his plans as well.

'How are things with Juri?'

Shiori grinned and hopped up on the desk. 'Perfect.'

Akio folded envelopes and sealed them with wax. He did not explain this process to anyone--not how they got out, not who gets them--nothing was said about this part.

They all carried the rose scent. They all held the crest of the rose. They all revealed a persons darkest knowledge. Clever little letters.

Akio sent them whether the game was going to be over or not.

Akio sent them because they needed to be sent.

After all, these words of fairy-tales that he wrote, kept him alive.

It was like blood in his veins.

'Nanami is next.' Akio said aloud, stamping the last one and sitting it with the others.

'Why her?'

'To see what Juri will do.'

Akio did not need to watch Shiori to know the girls expression. It must be difficult to watch a dream, albeit one you try to kill, fade from your grasp.

'And then I will see what you do.' Akio chuckled before walking out with his handful of letters.

~~~

TBC