Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 24
Confrontation
Akio Himemiya, better known as Akio Ohtori, or End of the World stood in the side hallway of the Rose Tower, where Touga Kiryuu had confronted him. The letter to expel Nanami Kiryuu was in the Chairman's hands, and Touga was determined that he wouldn't allow his little sister to take any more punishment at Akio's hands. He wasn't a student anymore, subject to the whims of the Chairman. and he wasn't a Duelist, either.
Cool green eyes regarded the redheaded man, a small smirk twisting his lips. Akio considered for a moment, looking at the letter in his hands, and then looking to Touga. "You are asking me to overlook gross misconduct and intent to injure another member of the school?"
Touga glared at Akio, blue eyes flashing with irritation. "Which was arranged by you, no doubt! You're behind everything, pulling the strings. Don't think for a moment that I don't know that. Just. let her go. I'll straighten Nanami out. She won't get in your way."
Akio laughed softly, a dangerous laugh to those who knew the duplicity of the man who acted as the school Chairman. For a moment, Touga could feel his blood run cold, but he steeled his resolve, and watched Akio unbutton the top button of his red shirt. "And do you say that as a brother, or as one of the school Counselors, Touga Kiryuu?"
"Both," came Touga's calm reply. He saw a gamble, and took it. "But if, for nothing else, let her go as a favor to me. Leave Nanami alone for me." Touga's blue eyes were calm, revealing nothing of the dread fear that if Nanami were to be kicked out of Ohtori, she'd have nowhere to go. Maybe, just maybe, there was enough of a person in Akio for him to appeal to and win this.
Akio stepped forwards, towards Touga, shirt unbuttoned at the collar, tie loose and green eyes deep. "You want me to let Nanami's misbehavior go?" Caught off-guard by the charisma that Akio could turn on and off at will, Touga reflexively stepped backwards, and Akio began herding him backwards into the wall as he spoke. "You want me to leave your little sister alone because of what? What we were? What we did?"
Touga's pulse caught, and for a breathtaking moment, he felt those old emotions rise. He'd fallen in what he had thought was love with Akio once. He knew Akio knew it, and yet, Touga knew that it was only lust. He had given his body and soul to Akio, reveled in it, no matter how wrong it had been to turn his friends over to Akio, one by one.
And there he was, feeling the same things again. It frightened a part of him, but he wasn't going to show it, wasn't going to give into those feelings. He had to free Nanami from Akio, and stand up to the End of the World. If Utena could do it, then so could he.
Akio pinned him to the wall, green eyes staring into blue ones. One hand went over each shoulder, trapping Touga against the wall in an open and untouching embrace. He could have had Touga then and there. He saw it in the young man's eyes. All he'd have to do. He leaned into Touga, putting his lips up to Touga's ear, feeling the younger man tense. "You are truly pathetic indeed to have thought that you meant anything to me."
Suddenly, Akio stepped back and away from Touga, releasing the young man, turning off the charisma. For a moment, Touga Kiryuu could see the End of the World looking at him in pure and utter contempt. Akio flung the letter contemptuously at Touga and turned away. When he spoke, his voice was the hard-edged voice of End of the World, and it brooked no discussion. "Very well, Counselor Kiryuu. I'll spare Nanami this time. But her grades had better come up, and her behavior be exemplary before the end of this month."
And with those words, Akio Ohtori, End of the World, left Touga to lean miserably against the wall of the darkened hallway in the Rose Tower, looking down at the letter at his feet.
Pathetic.
Akio Himemiya, better known as Akio Ohtori, or End of the World stood in the side hallway of the Rose Tower, where Touga Kiryuu had confronted him. The letter to expel Nanami Kiryuu was in the Chairman's hands, and Touga was determined that he wouldn't allow his little sister to take any more punishment at Akio's hands. He wasn't a student anymore, subject to the whims of the Chairman. and he wasn't a Duelist, either.
Cool green eyes regarded the redheaded man, a small smirk twisting his lips. Akio considered for a moment, looking at the letter in his hands, and then looking to Touga. "You are asking me to overlook gross misconduct and intent to injure another member of the school?"
Touga glared at Akio, blue eyes flashing with irritation. "Which was arranged by you, no doubt! You're behind everything, pulling the strings. Don't think for a moment that I don't know that. Just. let her go. I'll straighten Nanami out. She won't get in your way."
Akio laughed softly, a dangerous laugh to those who knew the duplicity of the man who acted as the school Chairman. For a moment, Touga could feel his blood run cold, but he steeled his resolve, and watched Akio unbutton the top button of his red shirt. "And do you say that as a brother, or as one of the school Counselors, Touga Kiryuu?"
"Both," came Touga's calm reply. He saw a gamble, and took it. "But if, for nothing else, let her go as a favor to me. Leave Nanami alone for me." Touga's blue eyes were calm, revealing nothing of the dread fear that if Nanami were to be kicked out of Ohtori, she'd have nowhere to go. Maybe, just maybe, there was enough of a person in Akio for him to appeal to and win this.
Akio stepped forwards, towards Touga, shirt unbuttoned at the collar, tie loose and green eyes deep. "You want me to let Nanami's misbehavior go?" Caught off-guard by the charisma that Akio could turn on and off at will, Touga reflexively stepped backwards, and Akio began herding him backwards into the wall as he spoke. "You want me to leave your little sister alone because of what? What we were? What we did?"
Touga's pulse caught, and for a breathtaking moment, he felt those old emotions rise. He'd fallen in what he had thought was love with Akio once. He knew Akio knew it, and yet, Touga knew that it was only lust. He had given his body and soul to Akio, reveled in it, no matter how wrong it had been to turn his friends over to Akio, one by one.
And there he was, feeling the same things again. It frightened a part of him, but he wasn't going to show it, wasn't going to give into those feelings. He had to free Nanami from Akio, and stand up to the End of the World. If Utena could do it, then so could he.
Akio pinned him to the wall, green eyes staring into blue ones. One hand went over each shoulder, trapping Touga against the wall in an open and untouching embrace. He could have had Touga then and there. He saw it in the young man's eyes. All he'd have to do. He leaned into Touga, putting his lips up to Touga's ear, feeling the younger man tense. "You are truly pathetic indeed to have thought that you meant anything to me."
Suddenly, Akio stepped back and away from Touga, releasing the young man, turning off the charisma. For a moment, Touga Kiryuu could see the End of the World looking at him in pure and utter contempt. Akio flung the letter contemptuously at Touga and turned away. When he spoke, his voice was the hard-edged voice of End of the World, and it brooked no discussion. "Very well, Counselor Kiryuu. I'll spare Nanami this time. But her grades had better come up, and her behavior be exemplary before the end of this month."
And with those words, Akio Ohtori, End of the World, left Touga to lean miserably against the wall of the darkened hallway in the Rose Tower, looking down at the letter at his feet.
Pathetic.