Alright, another chapter! I'm moving along now! Don't own 'You and I both' by Jason Mraz, but then again, the only things I do own are my eye shadow, my lucky bamboo plant, and a pair of flip flop sandals.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter two -
Shadaphilaro: I am sorry for the belatedness of it all, but thanks for your review - hopefully you'll review this chapter.
Mistress of Darkness1: lol, I love Fruits Basket. Shigure is just the best there is. Keep on reviewing pleeeeaaaaaase!
Xaoseph: I always appreciate your reviews so much - thanks for everything
Misura: You almost always review my chapters! lol, you were even there for You See Past My Scars, weren't you? I could be wrong, but it feels like you reviewed something else... Anyhow, I really appreciate it all, thanks a lot!
Apocalipticoblivion: lol, this is a straight story. I'm not sure where it could've been yaoi... Maybe between Schuldig and Ken? Naaah, this is a Ken/Aya fic. ...Aya as in the original, not her brother! ;;
Thanks to the few who reviewed chapter three (is this what happens when I don't thank you! lol) -
Misura: Yay! Another review from you! This makes me very happy. Personally, I kinda always felt bad for Farfarello in the series. I mean, what does he have to look forward to in life? His blender time everyday, that's what! How sad... Keep on reviewing, the story's bound to get a little darker...
The telephone rang shrilly next to Ken's ear and he slammed his hand down heavily upon it with a disgruntled groan. Then, without thinking, he rolled over and pulled the sheets tighter to himself, smacking the cordless phone down on the pillow next to Aya's head.
She jolted awake, eyes widening, and then carefully pried it from his fingers, ignoring his mumbling and raising it to her ear to softly speak into the receiver.
Ken partially drifted off again, rolling onto his back and grumbling about the rudeness of the caller, though he was only half awake, swatting at nothing every now and then with his eyes firmly shut. He could hear Aya talking, her voice rising in volume until she was much too loud, and he groaned in annoyance, mumbling, "Aya-chan, get off the..."
She hung up then, promising, "We'll be right over," and then crawled back onto the bed, sitting on her knees and shaking him repeatedly. "Ken, Ken, Ken!" She kept saying his name, louder when he rolled over and curled into a tight ball, hugging a pillow over his head to block her out. Finally, frustrated, she ran to his closet and fell to her knees, rooting through the pile of crumpled clothes on the floor. "Ken!" she yelled, tossing out a pair of jeans and then continuing to root through the laundry for a somewhat clean shirt. "Ken, wake up, please! Nagi just called - I promised we'd come over!"
Ken mustered up all his will power and slowly, achingly forced himself to sit up and open his eyes. Peering through the dark, he could see Aya picking up the clothes she had selected and walking over to him. "Why would we go over there?" he demanded, rubbing his left eye with a fist while using the right to look at the alarm clock. The number blinked 2:13. "It's almost two-fifteen in the morning!" he cried out, looking at her with a horrified expression. "And hey...doesn't Nagi live with Farfarello?"
"Yes, but he called and said there is something really wrong with Jei. He said I would understand."
"Understand what?" Ken flopped back on the bed, half asleep again.
"I don't know! He just said that he was scared and wanted to know if he could spend the night here. He was whispering the whole time - like he was making the phone call without Jei's permission. Ken! Get dressed! Or do you want me to dress you?"
Poor Aya, he thought, she thinks that she is making a threat. Obviously, being the girlfriend of Farfarello had left her with very little knowledge about how normal men thought.
She smacked his knee harshly, exclaiming, "What if Farfarello beats Nagi! It never occurred to me that he'd physically abuse his nephew, but if he hit me, it's more than likely!"
Ken shot up in the bed, his groggy mind finally processing what she wanted him to realize. "I'll meet you at the car in five minutes," he promised. "But do you think we should notify the police?"
She shook her head. "Not yet, but I'll take my cell phone, just in case. If Nagi seems hurt, we'll report him."
Ken nodded, watching as she dashed out of his room and into hers, slamming the door to hurriedly dress.
A few minutes later, he stood down at the car, watching for her carefully until she came out the front door, locking it behind her and jogging over to climb into the passenger side of the vehicle. "Thanks, Ken," she said, glancing at him gratefully as she buckled her seat belt. She had changed into her black hoodie and a pair of jeans, her long hair still falling messily over her shoulders.
He started the car, smiling. "Hey, it's no problem. What are friends for?"
She sighed. "You're the best, Ken."
Somehow, he liked hearing her say that.
"This is it, huh?"
"Look, there's an empty spot - park there."
Ken sighed, and began to back the car into the space he had just passed. They'd been driving around the parking lot for almost three minutes, forlornly searching for a place to leave the car when they went into the apartment buildings to search out Nagi. Finally, after having the vehicle in a safe place, they climbed out, locked the doors, and headed into the building. It was dark, and silently, they walked over to the elevator.
"What floor?" asked Ken as the doors slid apart.
"Third," she answered.
"So, what are we going to say when Farfarello answers the door?"
"I don't know, but I'll do the talking if you just back me up." From inside her hoodie's pocket, the shrill ring of her cell phone pierced the air. "Oh..." She quickly fumbled to pull it out, turning it on and cradling it to her ear. "Hello?"
Ken could faintly hear the caller's voice.
"Aya? It's Nagi."
"Nagi! We're in your building! Are you ok?"
"Just don't tell anyone...alright?"
Nagi's voice sounded raspy, strained, but at the same time, calm.
Aya opened her mouth to speak, paused, and then sighed. "He hung up," she explained softly, tucking the phone back into her hoodie, just as they reached the floor and the doors clicked, parting smoothly.
They stepped out of the elevator and walked silently down the dark halls. Aya brought a key out of her pocket and unlocked the door with ease, glancing at Ken with an almost apologetic expression. "I didn't use the key often," she whispered as if to ward off accusations, slipping inside the apartment.
He followed her, and the stench of blood that hit him was overwhelming. Surprised, he took a step back, drew in a deep breath, and then looked around. He could see nothing in disarray except an overturned chair and a broken dish that lay on the tiles of the kitchen floor.
Aya stood rooted to her spot, looking afraid to move.
"Come on," he whispered, taking her by the hand and tugging her towards the hallway. "You smell that?"
"Yes... What is it?"
"Blood."
She bit her lip, glancing cautiously to the side, obviously fearing what the darkness might hide. "Maybe someone broke in..." she murmured. "Maybe Jei and Nagi are hurt. Maybe we should call the police..."
He hushed her by holding a finger to his lips, motioning for silence, and then moving forward.
Hidaka, where are you?
He stopped, listening, and then shook his head. They rounded the corner and came to the bedroom. Aya peeked in past him and he could feel her chest pressing lightly on his back as she hid behind him, leaning over his shoulder to peer into the room. She inhaled sharply, tightening her hand on his arm, and then said quietly, "Do you think...they are ok?"
He passed into the room, looking at the wrinkled, blood-stained sheets, the shredded pillows, and then at the carpet, which also sported stiff, dark stains. "Someone got torn up," he observed grimly, and then exited the room again, pausing in the hall way to look at the next door. "Where does that lead?"
"Just a storage room."
Abyssian, he's not responding.
Ken approached the door and lay his hand to the knob, twisting it slowly, feeling as if this was all old hat - like he'd been through this before. His free hand clenched instinctively, and felt strangely empty...like he should have some sort of weapon. Drawing in a deep breath, he opened the door, immediately sliding to the left to the side to avoid anything that might come flying out in attack.
Nothing happened, but he did notice the stench of blood grow distinctly stronger.
Aya, who stood at his shoulder, peered through the darkness and inhaled sharply, immediately swaying as though she were going to pass out right there on the spot. Ken grabbed her hand to steady her, and then surveyed the damage for himself.
Maybe Schwartz got him... Balinese, where is Mastermind?
"What do you want...?" demanded Farfarello from where he sat in the corner of the room, huddled up in the shadows, a dagger clenched tightly in his fist. Blood poured from multiple wounds - injuries forged by his own hand - running down his face and over his arms and even soaking through his clothes. He looked miserably desolate and malicious, amber eyes glowering at them, the moonlight sifting through the single window washing over his hair and making it look silver.
A shape shifted in the darkness in the center of the room. Ken felt a sickening sensation settle in the pit of his stomach when he realized it was Nagi, curled up in a protective ball and just as sliced up as his uncle. Blood had formed in a puddle around him, and he slowly opened one bruised, swollen eye to stare blankly at the pair in the doorway, his facial expression never changing.
"Aya, what are you doing?" Farfarello whispered, stretching out a shaking hand in her direction. Almost in a pleading tone, he murmured, "Come here, Aya..."
Aya looked nervously at Ken, nudging him with her elbow and whispering, "Get Nagi..." And then she was moving carefully across the room, and he was walking beside her, stopping only when he reached the boy.
"Nagi?" he whispered, kneeling down and examining the boy closer. The gray eye slid shut again, and he ceased movement, blood stiff in his bangs and shirt. In the dim lighting, he looked pale and ghostly, and when Ken touched his cold hand, he felt dead.
Farfarello watched them carefully, seeming edgy with Ken at his nephew's side. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Jei," Aya said quietly, "are you ok? Do you want me to...to call an ambulance?"
"No."
Ken eased his arms under Nagi, picking up his limp form and then slowly rising to his feet again.
Farfarello panicked, scrambling to his feet, eyes wide. "What are you doing? Where are you taking him!" He leaned forward to grip Aya's shoulder, causing her to flinch and grit her teeth, whimpering quietly when he shook her in questioning. "Aya, what is Ken doing?"
"You're not well," she mumbled, casting her eyes to the ground.
He struck her violently across the cheek, throwing her back against the wall and leaping for Ken. He was in midair when Aya, who had crashed to her knees, threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around his calves, jerking him back so that they both crashed to the ground. He howled in anger, rolling onto his back and turning on her, drawing back his foot and kicking her squarely in the chest so that she fell away wide-eyed and pale, gasping in pain.
Ken looked from side to side, and as a last resort, set Nagi back down, preparing for Farfarello's attack. He felt strangely ready as the other man circled him, preparing to strike. The dagger had slipped from his blood- stained fingers, close enough that it was within Ken's arm reach, and he made sure to lean down and scoop it up before the Irishman could. Then, grasping the handle tightly, he waited for Farfarello to dart in and sunk the blade deep into his shoulder.
No reaction came from his opponent. Farfarello merely wrenched the knife from his arm, not even giving Ken the satisfaction of watching him flinch. He prepared to strike again, but Ken shot his arm out in a quick left hook, followed by a roundhouse kick, and Farfarello was dazed just long enough for Aya to shoot past and Ken to gather up Nagi. She led the way, running down the hall at top speed and then throwing open the door, bursting out with Ken close behind. With one hand on the rail, she dashed down the stairs, skipping two at a time and feeling as if every step contained the risk of a dangerous fall because of her high speed. But Ken was heavily running down the stairs behind her, barely holding onto his balance, his journey made even more difficult because of what he carried.
Farfarello was suddenly careening behind them, yelling for Aya to come back and for Ken to drop Nagi. They hit the first landing and continued down the next flight, panting for breath and feeling as though the Irishman was breathing down their necks.
Aya hit the main floor, turned to see if Ken was alright, and let her eyes widen in horror when Farfarello finally caught up, hitting Ken heavily in the back of the head.
He yelled, stumbling forward and instinctively curling his body in preparation for the fall, shielding Nagi with himself as they hit the ground, rolling a few feet before stopping and lying still.
People were peaking out from behind their nearly shut doors - lights were flicking on and someone was talking about calling the police.
Farfarello heard the whispers and saw the many curious eyes on him, instantly freezing up.
Ken was shakily beginning to rise to his feet, struggling to lift Nagi and finding his strength sapped. The jolt, however, had somewhat awoken the boy, and with Aya's help, both made it to their feet, Nagi leaning on her and limping slightly. Ken remained at their sides, shuffling along and taking off his coat to drape it around Nagi's shoulders, saying quietly, "We're in deep - come on, we can get home and rest some before the police come questioning tomorrow."
Aya gulped down a lump in her throat and protectively slid an arm around the shivering boy's shoulders as they walked through the parking lot, hugging him close to her and remarking, "We'll take care of you, Nagi, don't worry."
Ken sighed wearily and handed her the car keys before crawling into the back seat with the intention of stretching out across it to nurse his wounds, but instead only falling asleep.
Nagi had bathed and changed into fresh clothes, reluctantly allowing Aya to bandage the cuts that marred his body, explaining quietly to her what had happened. Apparently, it was as simple as Farfarello losing it that night and beating and cutting him viciously, as well as abusing his own body.
Aya wearily left Nagi in her own room after that, telling him he could use her bed, and retreated to Ken's room, finding it empty. It was almost four A.M., but she didn't want to sleep without thanking him, so she decided to wait up. To help keep her eyes open, she walked to his stereo and took her CD case (she often left it in his room since she didn't have a CD player of her own), flipping through the burned CDs, all unlabeled, and picking a random one. She put it in and pressed play.
Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me? Oh, things are going to happen naturally...
Satisfied, she returned to the other side of the room, flopping down on the bed and gasping in pain as a sudden ache came to her chest. Surprised, she pressed her fingertips to her collar and found that the spot was tender and hurt, next unbuttoning her night shirt to peer down at the source of the pain. A large bruise was swelling just above her cleavage, purple and blue and green at the edges - right where Farfarello had kicked her.
Oh, but at often times those words get tangled up in lies, and the bright light turns to night. Until the dawn it brings, another day to sing about the magic that was you and me, 'cause you and I both loved...
With a quiet moan, she laid back again and closed her eyes tightly, trying to wash away from her memory the gruesome scene of Nagi and Farfarello in that back room. Instead, she turned her thoughts to wondering where Ken was - probably cleaning up in the bathroom. Nagi had smeared a lot of blood on his skin and clothes. Her hand quested on the night stand for the ice pack she had brought in, bringing it to her cheek, which was now branded with an even bigger bruise - all courtesy of Farfarello's hand.
She had drifted half asleep when she felt the bed dip with Ken's added weight, opening her eyes to see him leaning over her, looking worn and tired. "What a nasty bruise," he commented softly, and she blushed, quickly buttoning her shirt back up.
See, I'm all about them words, open numbers, unencumbered, numbered words... Hundreds of pages, pages, pages, forwards... More words than I'd ever heard, and I feel so alive. 'Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of, and others just read of...
Ken smiled down at the girl. She looked more exhausted than hurt, but he himself was experiencing the bone-tired weariness he knew she felt. On his knees beside her, he leaned heavily on his left hand and used the right to brush some dark hair from her eyes. "You got away with very minimal injuries."
She nodded slightly, peering up at him in the darkness, looking slightly concerned. "You ok, Ken? He hit you pretty hard."
He touched the bruise swelling on the back of his head, wincing slightly, and forced a smile. "I'm ok, just achy." Then, he sighed heavily and lay down beside her, stretching his spent body out on top of the sheets. He tilted his head to look at her then, and saw that she was smiling, so he grinned back, though it quickly faded with the onslaught of pain that hit then, causing him to cross his arms tightly over his chest in an attempt to calm his suddenly reeling stomach.
And it's ok if you have to go away, just remember the telephone works both ways, but if I never hear it ring... If nothing else I'll think the bells inside have finally found you someone else, and that's ok, 'cause I'll remember everything you sang...
"Here," Aya said quietly, taking the ice pack she had been using for her face and placing it on the back of his head, over the bruise. "You need this more than me."
He shivered at the chill that passed through his body when the cold seeped through his hair and into his scalp.
Noticing, she scooted closer and draped part of her blanket over him, the cramped space bringing them scarcely an inch apart. Her arms gently slid around him and pulled him into an affectionate embrace and she smiled, kissing his cheek and whispering in his ear, "Thanks for helping me and Nagi tonight, Ken. You didn't have to, so it means a lot."
His eyes drifted shut and he mumbled his reply, relaxing slowly in her arms before releasing his grip on consciousness and sinking into the welcoming comfort sleep.
'Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of, and others just dreamed of... And if you could see me now, I'm finally - I'm almost finally out of words.
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