Disclaimer: Story idea is MINE =D Characters…aren't. -.- I'm just borrowing them.
Notes & Warning: I can't describe this fic. It's further than my description of 'weird'.
Shounen-ai, a hint of malexmale sex (later!), dark, depressive, rape…and the list goes on. Chapter Three Shuichi sits on his bed, staring at his hands and the trailing pieces of white cloth he holds in them. A smile twitches at his lips and a warm bubbly feeling rushes over him. Shocked, he shakes it off. With a sigh he flops backward, his fingers tracing over his lips. His forehead creases in a frown. It certainly was confusing. Yuki had been so cold one minute…and then…the spine tingly, knee-jellify-er of a kiss. Shuichi felt himself go cold and shuddered at the memory of it. It wasn't unpleasant, but recalling the moment itself had an odd effect on the boy. He closes his eyes and falls into thought, always pressing himself to stay awake. What was going on with Yuki and that Angel, Tohma? That was odd, wasn't it? Maybe Yuki was in trouble…Shuichi puzzles.
A usually ignored part of his brain nags that his none of his business and to meddle in Yuki's affairs after one kiss was too much.
Shuichi sighs again. 'Mou, death is so complicated!' * Nakano Hiroshi immediately wished he had tried death as a way of escape earlier. Hell, despite the foreboding name, was proving to be better than what had been his living hell. Even if he had only been there for a day or so.
The little pixie woman at the front desk had explained on his arrival that as they were currently short of staff he would have to wait to be assigned his counselling angel, whatever the hell that meant.
Two days later, Hiro was now holding details of his first appointment and the "Angel" that would be counselling him; Vay Ksu.
This is only his second time venturing out of his apartment since he had arrived in second hell. He approaches the building his detail sheet has listed and spots two young boys, one with startling pink hair, the other with green, sitting outside on the steps.
'Where might you be going today?' the green haired boy asks.
Hiro stops and looks at him curiously.
'Just wondering, because you're obviously a newbie.'
'Ah. Oh, thank you.' Hiro grins uneasily at the two of them.
The pink haired boy looks up at him. 'Is it your first counselling session?'
Hiro nods.
'Who'd you get?' the other boy asks.
'Erm…Vay Ksu.'
'You poor guy,' the green haired boy mutters.
'Hey, you said that to me about Ayaka,' the boy, the older looking of the two, exclaims nudging his friend in the ribs.
'Oooo, no. Ayaka's nice, she's not the heart eating type.'
'What?'
'I mean, Vay's evil.'
Hiro stares at the two of them. 'Erm…guys. You're not really helping you know?'
'Hey, just warning you! I'm Suguru.'
'Shindou Shuichi,' the pink haired boy proclaims. His eyes are warm and bright, despite the fact he has several fresh bruises on his face and his wrists are bandaged.
'Er---Nakano Hiroshi. Call me Hiro, though. Pleased to meet you.'
Shuichi claps his hands together and smiles.
'So…can I ask what's so bad about this Vay? I…feel like I'm being thrown to the lions now.'
'Well,' Suguru explains, 'When Vay was an ordinary Angel, like me-'
'You're an Angel?'
Shuichi nods for Suguru. 'Yup, he is. About four hundred years older than us too! –I'm not an Angel by the way.'
'Anyway,' Suguru glares. 'When she was a low ranking angel, she was awful. Moody, bitchy, always throwing in snide comments. I don't blame the guy who shot her actually. She's a complete whore – in the none selling her body way.'
'Well, she got over whatever held her back from being a counsellor and went off to train. Every person who sees her end up either wanting to kill her- or themselves- again. You'll see.'
Hiro stares down and gulps. 'You're just kidding with the new guy aren't you? Please…say you are. She can't be so bad.'
'You'll see,' Suguru restates.
'But!' Shuichi adds, 'I'll wait here till you come out so if you need to cry, scream or whatever, you can be with a friend.'
Hiro blinks at this comment. Shuichi had taken him on as a friend already?
'By the way, Vay's office is tenth floor, fifth corridor, third door to the left. Better get going. I know she hates people wasting her time.'
'Don't worry Hiro!' Shuichi yells at Hiro's fretful retreating form. * 'Is she really that bad Suguru?' Shuichi asks.
'Yes. And worse. But you shouldn't be worrying about other people's sessions Shuichi. Yours seems to have already started tearing you apart.'
'I'll be fine…' Shuichi mumbles, fiddling with the bandage about his wrist. He had to replace the one Yuki had put on; the blood hadn't stop flowing so it had to be replaced. He had soaked the other bandages in water to remove the blood in a hope he could salvage the semi-gift from Yuki. He sighs.
'You sure? You're face is covered in bruises that weren't there yesterday.'
Shuichi nods and smiles, even though his face aches. 'Shouldn't you be getting back to work? I'm gonna wait here…Hiro may need someone to talk to.'
'You know that's what the angels are for, right?'
'Sometimes, you find help where it's not right to find help.'
'Huh?'
'Nothing. It doesn't make sense.'
'I'll see you later Shuichi,' Suguru says, waving as he retreats.
Shuichi's smile fades once the other boy is out of sight. He rests his head in his hands and sighs. His nightmares didn't bother him; it was that kiss from Yuki that did.
Well, okay, his nightmares bothered him, but they were at the back of his mind. Which he supposes they shouldn't be really.
He flops back onto the steps and stares up into the void that is the "sky" of second hell. He yawns widely and realises how tired he is, but still resists the urge to sleep. He doesn't know if he'll ever sleep again.
Turning onto his side, he sighs.
'That's stupid. Of course I'll have to sleep. And next time I know Yuki won't be there to kiss it all better.'
He blushes slightly and wishes once more to have an explanation to that kiss and the events that followed after.
He shudders suddenly as his hand digs too deeply into one of the new bruises on his face. His face crumples as it brings back memories of his nightmares.
'Did I really make the right choice?' he ponders again.
Was it worth it?
He can't decide.
Time passes. Quickly, the time shifts the light to dark and before Shuichi realises, Hiro collapses next to him, shaking.
Shuichi snaps out of his trance and looks to Hiro.
'Are you going to be okay?'
Hiro says nothing. His shaking eventually resides, falling into stillness with exception to an occasional tremble.
'Hiro?'
'Ah…I think so.'
'You sure?'
Hiro nods. Shuichi sidles closer to him and attempts to comfort him.
'Erm…'
'It was horrible…' Hiro mutters. 'I don't understand. I can't get it out of my head.'
Shuichi opens his mouth to suggest something but quickly changes his mind.
'It'll be okay Hiro.'
"I wish that were true."
* The fake day passes into fake night and Shuichi and Hiro say their goodnights respectively, before returning to their apartments.
Shuichi watches Hiro go mournfully, knowing exactly what the longhaired boy is about to go through once he falls asleep. Guilt churns in his stomach because of his failure to warn Hiro.
He enters his apartment and looks around at the sparse furnishings. There had been a point once where he thought death would be a release, but it was turning out to be just as bad as life. There really was no rest for the wicked. Or the kind either.
Ignoring the fact that he hasn't eaten all day he heads straight to his bedroom. His body is so weary that he figures he can't stay awake anymore, even if it means being sunken into tortured dreams.
Not bothering to change, Shuichi flops down on his bed, curls into a protective ball and sleeps.
* Shuichi's dreams are tepid…he sleeps fitfully, but doesn't wake up and none of his re-appeared wounds split open.
He moans suddenly in his sleep, a blush darting across his pale cheeks. He rolls over onto his stomach, mumbles a few staggered words and falls back into deep slumber. Hours roll by as if they were nothing, which, in second hell, they are.
The artificial sunlight begins to peep in through the blinds hung squarely on the wall above the bed. Dust hovers in the slits of light.
Shuichi shifts and stretches out on his sheets. He savours the last few moments of sleep before blearily opening his wide violet eyes.
A smile lingers on his lips from his dream…not a nightmare, but a dream. His body tingles slightly from the vague, hazy memory. He sits up and shifts his sheets away from his lap, stretching out his legs and wiggles his toes. He looks down.
Oh.
A blush raises in his cheeks and he dashes to the bathroom.
He leans over the basin and splashes cold water on his face. He grins crookedly at his reflection in the small mirror. 'Well…it was a …steamy…dream.'
Doubt clouds his face quickly, leaving an unusual thoughtful look on his face.
'Is it right to feel this way about another guy?' he ponders.
Did that even matter? He scrutinizes his reflection in the mirror. He was in Hell after all. Dead. How could attraction be possible in a place like this?
"It's just so much like living though!"
'Yuki may not even like me!' He tells his self, hoping that it's not true.
His thoughts are disturbed by a heavy knock at his apartment door.
He dries his face and goes to answer the door, wondering whom it could be.
He remembers vaguely that it couldn't be Suguru as the Angel had stated that it was not correct for an Angel to enter the apartments of the Dead.
We had our time in Hell…we're not to meddle too much in what the Dead do now…just shift them on their way when they are ready.
Shuichi opens the door and comes face to face with a panicked Hiroshi.
'What's going on Shuichi?' Hiro sobs, clutching at his stomach.
Shuichi looks at Hiro and notices the vast bloodstain spreading through Hiro's white t-shirt.
'Oh God.'
Shuichi takes the other boy in his arms, bringing Hiro into his apartment.
'Help me;' Hiro asks through heavy breaths.
'Calm down, Hiro…it was just a nightmare. Just…'
Shuichi has no idea what to say, so he holds Hiro close instead. 'It'll be okay…' he murmurs, moving Hiro over towards the couch.
Hiro looks up at Shuichi, 'You know what's happening?' he asks desperately.
Shuichi nods regretfully. 'Sorry Hiro.'
Hiro sighs. 'Will it stop?' He motions to the large wound on his lower stomach.
'Eventually, I think,' Shuichi offers his bandaged wrists as proof. 'Old injuries. How I died actually…they opened again after a nightmare.'
'You didn't tell me…'
'I…Sorry Hiro.'
'My mother did this,' Hiro indicates, 'fed up of having two failures for sons.' Shuichi looks at Hiro, shocked.
'She pushed us to far. My brother ran away, and I refused to play the good son,' Hiro lifts his hair off his face, a dark look in his eyes. 'I know she didn't mean to kill me, but being here, even with this, is better than being constantly pressured.'
Silence falls between the two boys and Shuichi shifts uncomfortably. He gets to his feet suddenly. 'I'm going to go find some bandages.'
He makes to move away when Hiro grabs his wrist. Shuichi looks down at the seated boy, who doesn't return the gaze. Hiro nods, muttering something to himself and releases Shuichi.
Something in that motion causes Shuichi to panic slightly and he quickly goes into the bathroom to find the First Aid kit he had stumbled upon.
He takes a moment to awe at the fact that Second Hell provides a first aid kit for already dead people…but they obviously know what happens. He shakes his head slowly before returning to Hiro. * Yuki has long since gotten used to working under someone's watchful eye.
When he had decided to become an Angel, he had been taken under Tohma's wing. The ArchAngel had always been so interested in Yuki…in had unnerved the then young man. Now Yuki is one of the most respected Angel's throughout Heaven and the Hell's, rising into the position of Second Hell's commanding Angel after less than one hundred years earth time of being an Angel.
He rarely remembered back to those days…his counselling Angel had been one called Ryuichi, someone who never followed conventions, even at this point in time. Ryuichi now worked with the souls of children, helping them deal with their early loss of life, a long with another Angel, Tatsuha.
Yuki rarely saw either of them, as children rarely ended up in Second Hell, not since an ArchAngel had refined the sorting system.
Yuki looks up at Tohma, who is smiling back blandly at him.
Yuki shakes his head, clearing his thoughts of the past. He was not going to ask. He looks back to his work…that isn't really work.
He doesn't counsel anymore. Yuki admits to himself that he misses it. His task force of counselling Angel's rarely need his aid. So ninety nine percent of the time his work is just himself reading through and adjusting the short stories he writes in boredom.
He looks back to Tohma and wonders vaguely if the superior Angel knows this. He hopes not, else his excuses to avoid Tohma's company would be gone.
His jaw tightens.
He doesn't look back down at his work this time.
'Tohma?'
The ArchAngel opens his eyes in slight surprise at his name. 'Yes, Eiri-san?'
Yuki grits his teeth. He really hates the name Eiri. The name is firmly attached to the past…and his death.
'Have you seen Ryuichi lately?' he asks offhand…sorting a stack of his stories by genre.
Tohma smiles softly…Yuki despises the smile. It makes his heart pound as it radiates Tohma's true beauty. There's no denying it. The ArchAngel is gorgeous.
'Yes…I have Eiri-san. In fact, he was leading around some adorable twin girls, roughly eight years old. He does have a way with children.'
'That's because he's a child himself,' Yuki bites out.
Tohma smiles wider and chuckles. 'True. He still has that bunny…the little pink one, you know?'
'Kumagorou,' Yuki mutters. 'I'll never forget that damn stuffed toy. He hurled it at my head every time…'
A silence descends.
'You're oddly nostalgic, Eiri-san.'
'Its nothing.'
The conversation passes and Yuki goes back to "work". Tohma returns to his dozing.
"Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Yuki thinks irritably. * Shuichi leaves the Office building, his weak legs barely supporting his weight. Ayaka had just put him through another horrid montage of his broken family…he had seen his death again. His funeral. His parents.
His body feels broken…tears stain his face. Yet…he refuses the take it all on board. His main worry is currently Hiro, who he left in his apartment.
The boy seems shook up and Shuichi only left because he was terrified of what would happen if he missed a counselling session.
He makes his way as best as he can towards the apartments. His legs shake beneath him and his stomach churns.
Without warning, he stumbles and goes straight over, landing roughly; his hands take the brunt of the blow. He feels the wounds on his wrists stretch and begin to split, allowing blood to rush forth. Shuichi lets out a dry sob, his tears having long deserted him.
A sudden weight presses down on his shoulders, before pulling him to his feet.
'Come on,' murmurs a voice, coaxing.
Shuichi staggers along, grateful someone is supporting him; he turns his gaze towards his help.
'YUKI!' he squeaks.
The blonde releases Shuichi. 'You were heading towards the apartments, so, we're here.'
'Are you going?'
Yuki nods.
'Yuki…wait. About…ah. Last night-'
Yuki looks at him, questioningly.
'I…thank you.'
'For what?'
'All of it.'
Yuki says nothing and moves away from Shuichi.
The boy's shoulders slump.
'Be careful tonight,' Yuki mutters. 'You're exhausted…try to clear your mind before sleeping.'
Shuichi looks on wordlessly and before he can say anything more, Yuki is gone.
His heart sinks…he wants…wanted…he doesn't know.
With a sigh, he shakily moves back to the apartment, enters and questions Hiro on his well-being.
Hiro barely says a word.
'I'm tired,' Shuichi says.
Hiro looks at him worried.
'What's the matter?'
'Shuichi…'
Shuichi can barely muster the energy to reply anymore.
'Please…please…don't leave me alone tonight.'
Silence passes between the boys.
'I-I—'
'Hiro, how about we stay together…to keep nightmares away?' Shuichi suggests.
Hiro's dark look brightens slightly and he takes Shuichi's offered hand.
They both enter the bedroom and curl up in each other's arm on the bed, feeling safe and protected.
In Hiro's arms, Shuichi falls asleep with the image of Yuki in his head. * Yuki re-enters his office.
'Eiri-san! Back so soon?' Tohma shuts the filing cabinet drawer slowly.
Yuki remembers why he had left in the first place, having been distracted by Shuichi…
'I guess.'
'Just in time…I'm leaving now.'
Yuki breathes a sigh of relief.
'Just one last thing, Eiri-san.'
'What?'
'Don't forget what I proposed earlier. Promise me you will think about it.'
'I already said no.'
'Don't be stupid, it will get you away from this rabble who bring you down! It's a position of honour, to be an ArchAngel's assistant.'
Yuki's anger flares.
'Tohma. I happen to LIKE this rabble.'
Tohma narrows his eyes. 'I don't know what you're thinking, Eiri-san. Refuse me again, and I won't leave so calmly.'
The ArchAngel is gone and Yuki slumps down in his chair.
'I like it here…' he mutters. To Be Continued…
Notes & Warning: I can't describe this fic. It's further than my description of 'weird'.
Shounen-ai, a hint of malexmale sex (later!), dark, depressive, rape…and the list goes on. Chapter Three Shuichi sits on his bed, staring at his hands and the trailing pieces of white cloth he holds in them. A smile twitches at his lips and a warm bubbly feeling rushes over him. Shocked, he shakes it off. With a sigh he flops backward, his fingers tracing over his lips. His forehead creases in a frown. It certainly was confusing. Yuki had been so cold one minute…and then…the spine tingly, knee-jellify-er of a kiss. Shuichi felt himself go cold and shuddered at the memory of it. It wasn't unpleasant, but recalling the moment itself had an odd effect on the boy. He closes his eyes and falls into thought, always pressing himself to stay awake. What was going on with Yuki and that Angel, Tohma? That was odd, wasn't it? Maybe Yuki was in trouble…Shuichi puzzles.
A usually ignored part of his brain nags that his none of his business and to meddle in Yuki's affairs after one kiss was too much.
Shuichi sighs again. 'Mou, death is so complicated!' * Nakano Hiroshi immediately wished he had tried death as a way of escape earlier. Hell, despite the foreboding name, was proving to be better than what had been his living hell. Even if he had only been there for a day or so.
The little pixie woman at the front desk had explained on his arrival that as they were currently short of staff he would have to wait to be assigned his counselling angel, whatever the hell that meant.
Two days later, Hiro was now holding details of his first appointment and the "Angel" that would be counselling him; Vay Ksu.
This is only his second time venturing out of his apartment since he had arrived in second hell. He approaches the building his detail sheet has listed and spots two young boys, one with startling pink hair, the other with green, sitting outside on the steps.
'Where might you be going today?' the green haired boy asks.
Hiro stops and looks at him curiously.
'Just wondering, because you're obviously a newbie.'
'Ah. Oh, thank you.' Hiro grins uneasily at the two of them.
The pink haired boy looks up at him. 'Is it your first counselling session?'
Hiro nods.
'Who'd you get?' the other boy asks.
'Erm…Vay Ksu.'
'You poor guy,' the green haired boy mutters.
'Hey, you said that to me about Ayaka,' the boy, the older looking of the two, exclaims nudging his friend in the ribs.
'Oooo, no. Ayaka's nice, she's not the heart eating type.'
'What?'
'I mean, Vay's evil.'
Hiro stares at the two of them. 'Erm…guys. You're not really helping you know?'
'Hey, just warning you! I'm Suguru.'
'Shindou Shuichi,' the pink haired boy proclaims. His eyes are warm and bright, despite the fact he has several fresh bruises on his face and his wrists are bandaged.
'Er---Nakano Hiroshi. Call me Hiro, though. Pleased to meet you.'
Shuichi claps his hands together and smiles.
'So…can I ask what's so bad about this Vay? I…feel like I'm being thrown to the lions now.'
'Well,' Suguru explains, 'When Vay was an ordinary Angel, like me-'
'You're an Angel?'
Shuichi nods for Suguru. 'Yup, he is. About four hundred years older than us too! –I'm not an Angel by the way.'
'Anyway,' Suguru glares. 'When she was a low ranking angel, she was awful. Moody, bitchy, always throwing in snide comments. I don't blame the guy who shot her actually. She's a complete whore – in the none selling her body way.'
'Well, she got over whatever held her back from being a counsellor and went off to train. Every person who sees her end up either wanting to kill her- or themselves- again. You'll see.'
Hiro stares down and gulps. 'You're just kidding with the new guy aren't you? Please…say you are. She can't be so bad.'
'You'll see,' Suguru restates.
'But!' Shuichi adds, 'I'll wait here till you come out so if you need to cry, scream or whatever, you can be with a friend.'
Hiro blinks at this comment. Shuichi had taken him on as a friend already?
'By the way, Vay's office is tenth floor, fifth corridor, third door to the left. Better get going. I know she hates people wasting her time.'
'Don't worry Hiro!' Shuichi yells at Hiro's fretful retreating form. * 'Is she really that bad Suguru?' Shuichi asks.
'Yes. And worse. But you shouldn't be worrying about other people's sessions Shuichi. Yours seems to have already started tearing you apart.'
'I'll be fine…' Shuichi mumbles, fiddling with the bandage about his wrist. He had to replace the one Yuki had put on; the blood hadn't stop flowing so it had to be replaced. He had soaked the other bandages in water to remove the blood in a hope he could salvage the semi-gift from Yuki. He sighs.
'You sure? You're face is covered in bruises that weren't there yesterday.'
Shuichi nods and smiles, even though his face aches. 'Shouldn't you be getting back to work? I'm gonna wait here…Hiro may need someone to talk to.'
'You know that's what the angels are for, right?'
'Sometimes, you find help where it's not right to find help.'
'Huh?'
'Nothing. It doesn't make sense.'
'I'll see you later Shuichi,' Suguru says, waving as he retreats.
Shuichi's smile fades once the other boy is out of sight. He rests his head in his hands and sighs. His nightmares didn't bother him; it was that kiss from Yuki that did.
Well, okay, his nightmares bothered him, but they were at the back of his mind. Which he supposes they shouldn't be really.
He flops back onto the steps and stares up into the void that is the "sky" of second hell. He yawns widely and realises how tired he is, but still resists the urge to sleep. He doesn't know if he'll ever sleep again.
Turning onto his side, he sighs.
'That's stupid. Of course I'll have to sleep. And next time I know Yuki won't be there to kiss it all better.'
He blushes slightly and wishes once more to have an explanation to that kiss and the events that followed after.
He shudders suddenly as his hand digs too deeply into one of the new bruises on his face. His face crumples as it brings back memories of his nightmares.
'Did I really make the right choice?' he ponders again.
Was it worth it?
He can't decide.
Time passes. Quickly, the time shifts the light to dark and before Shuichi realises, Hiro collapses next to him, shaking.
Shuichi snaps out of his trance and looks to Hiro.
'Are you going to be okay?'
Hiro says nothing. His shaking eventually resides, falling into stillness with exception to an occasional tremble.
'Hiro?'
'Ah…I think so.'
'You sure?'
Hiro nods. Shuichi sidles closer to him and attempts to comfort him.
'Erm…'
'It was horrible…' Hiro mutters. 'I don't understand. I can't get it out of my head.'
Shuichi opens his mouth to suggest something but quickly changes his mind.
'It'll be okay Hiro.'
"I wish that were true."
* The fake day passes into fake night and Shuichi and Hiro say their goodnights respectively, before returning to their apartments.
Shuichi watches Hiro go mournfully, knowing exactly what the longhaired boy is about to go through once he falls asleep. Guilt churns in his stomach because of his failure to warn Hiro.
He enters his apartment and looks around at the sparse furnishings. There had been a point once where he thought death would be a release, but it was turning out to be just as bad as life. There really was no rest for the wicked. Or the kind either.
Ignoring the fact that he hasn't eaten all day he heads straight to his bedroom. His body is so weary that he figures he can't stay awake anymore, even if it means being sunken into tortured dreams.
Not bothering to change, Shuichi flops down on his bed, curls into a protective ball and sleeps.
* Shuichi's dreams are tepid…he sleeps fitfully, but doesn't wake up and none of his re-appeared wounds split open.
He moans suddenly in his sleep, a blush darting across his pale cheeks. He rolls over onto his stomach, mumbles a few staggered words and falls back into deep slumber. Hours roll by as if they were nothing, which, in second hell, they are.
The artificial sunlight begins to peep in through the blinds hung squarely on the wall above the bed. Dust hovers in the slits of light.
Shuichi shifts and stretches out on his sheets. He savours the last few moments of sleep before blearily opening his wide violet eyes.
A smile lingers on his lips from his dream…not a nightmare, but a dream. His body tingles slightly from the vague, hazy memory. He sits up and shifts his sheets away from his lap, stretching out his legs and wiggles his toes. He looks down.
Oh.
A blush raises in his cheeks and he dashes to the bathroom.
He leans over the basin and splashes cold water on his face. He grins crookedly at his reflection in the small mirror. 'Well…it was a …steamy…dream.'
Doubt clouds his face quickly, leaving an unusual thoughtful look on his face.
'Is it right to feel this way about another guy?' he ponders.
Did that even matter? He scrutinizes his reflection in the mirror. He was in Hell after all. Dead. How could attraction be possible in a place like this?
"It's just so much like living though!"
'Yuki may not even like me!' He tells his self, hoping that it's not true.
His thoughts are disturbed by a heavy knock at his apartment door.
He dries his face and goes to answer the door, wondering whom it could be.
He remembers vaguely that it couldn't be Suguru as the Angel had stated that it was not correct for an Angel to enter the apartments of the Dead.
We had our time in Hell…we're not to meddle too much in what the Dead do now…just shift them on their way when they are ready.
Shuichi opens the door and comes face to face with a panicked Hiroshi.
'What's going on Shuichi?' Hiro sobs, clutching at his stomach.
Shuichi looks at Hiro and notices the vast bloodstain spreading through Hiro's white t-shirt.
'Oh God.'
Shuichi takes the other boy in his arms, bringing Hiro into his apartment.
'Help me;' Hiro asks through heavy breaths.
'Calm down, Hiro…it was just a nightmare. Just…'
Shuichi has no idea what to say, so he holds Hiro close instead. 'It'll be okay…' he murmurs, moving Hiro over towards the couch.
Hiro looks up at Shuichi, 'You know what's happening?' he asks desperately.
Shuichi nods regretfully. 'Sorry Hiro.'
Hiro sighs. 'Will it stop?' He motions to the large wound on his lower stomach.
'Eventually, I think,' Shuichi offers his bandaged wrists as proof. 'Old injuries. How I died actually…they opened again after a nightmare.'
'You didn't tell me…'
'I…Sorry Hiro.'
'My mother did this,' Hiro indicates, 'fed up of having two failures for sons.' Shuichi looks at Hiro, shocked.
'She pushed us to far. My brother ran away, and I refused to play the good son,' Hiro lifts his hair off his face, a dark look in his eyes. 'I know she didn't mean to kill me, but being here, even with this, is better than being constantly pressured.'
Silence falls between the two boys and Shuichi shifts uncomfortably. He gets to his feet suddenly. 'I'm going to go find some bandages.'
He makes to move away when Hiro grabs his wrist. Shuichi looks down at the seated boy, who doesn't return the gaze. Hiro nods, muttering something to himself and releases Shuichi.
Something in that motion causes Shuichi to panic slightly and he quickly goes into the bathroom to find the First Aid kit he had stumbled upon.
He takes a moment to awe at the fact that Second Hell provides a first aid kit for already dead people…but they obviously know what happens. He shakes his head slowly before returning to Hiro. * Yuki has long since gotten used to working under someone's watchful eye.
When he had decided to become an Angel, he had been taken under Tohma's wing. The ArchAngel had always been so interested in Yuki…in had unnerved the then young man. Now Yuki is one of the most respected Angel's throughout Heaven and the Hell's, rising into the position of Second Hell's commanding Angel after less than one hundred years earth time of being an Angel.
He rarely remembered back to those days…his counselling Angel had been one called Ryuichi, someone who never followed conventions, even at this point in time. Ryuichi now worked with the souls of children, helping them deal with their early loss of life, a long with another Angel, Tatsuha.
Yuki rarely saw either of them, as children rarely ended up in Second Hell, not since an ArchAngel had refined the sorting system.
Yuki looks up at Tohma, who is smiling back blandly at him.
Yuki shakes his head, clearing his thoughts of the past. He was not going to ask. He looks back to his work…that isn't really work.
He doesn't counsel anymore. Yuki admits to himself that he misses it. His task force of counselling Angel's rarely need his aid. So ninety nine percent of the time his work is just himself reading through and adjusting the short stories he writes in boredom.
He looks back to Tohma and wonders vaguely if the superior Angel knows this. He hopes not, else his excuses to avoid Tohma's company would be gone.
His jaw tightens.
He doesn't look back down at his work this time.
'Tohma?'
The ArchAngel opens his eyes in slight surprise at his name. 'Yes, Eiri-san?'
Yuki grits his teeth. He really hates the name Eiri. The name is firmly attached to the past…and his death.
'Have you seen Ryuichi lately?' he asks offhand…sorting a stack of his stories by genre.
Tohma smiles softly…Yuki despises the smile. It makes his heart pound as it radiates Tohma's true beauty. There's no denying it. The ArchAngel is gorgeous.
'Yes…I have Eiri-san. In fact, he was leading around some adorable twin girls, roughly eight years old. He does have a way with children.'
'That's because he's a child himself,' Yuki bites out.
Tohma smiles wider and chuckles. 'True. He still has that bunny…the little pink one, you know?'
'Kumagorou,' Yuki mutters. 'I'll never forget that damn stuffed toy. He hurled it at my head every time…'
A silence descends.
'You're oddly nostalgic, Eiri-san.'
'Its nothing.'
The conversation passes and Yuki goes back to "work". Tohma returns to his dozing.
"Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Yuki thinks irritably. * Shuichi leaves the Office building, his weak legs barely supporting his weight. Ayaka had just put him through another horrid montage of his broken family…he had seen his death again. His funeral. His parents.
His body feels broken…tears stain his face. Yet…he refuses the take it all on board. His main worry is currently Hiro, who he left in his apartment.
The boy seems shook up and Shuichi only left because he was terrified of what would happen if he missed a counselling session.
He makes his way as best as he can towards the apartments. His legs shake beneath him and his stomach churns.
Without warning, he stumbles and goes straight over, landing roughly; his hands take the brunt of the blow. He feels the wounds on his wrists stretch and begin to split, allowing blood to rush forth. Shuichi lets out a dry sob, his tears having long deserted him.
A sudden weight presses down on his shoulders, before pulling him to his feet.
'Come on,' murmurs a voice, coaxing.
Shuichi staggers along, grateful someone is supporting him; he turns his gaze towards his help.
'YUKI!' he squeaks.
The blonde releases Shuichi. 'You were heading towards the apartments, so, we're here.'
'Are you going?'
Yuki nods.
'Yuki…wait. About…ah. Last night-'
Yuki looks at him, questioningly.
'I…thank you.'
'For what?'
'All of it.'
Yuki says nothing and moves away from Shuichi.
The boy's shoulders slump.
'Be careful tonight,' Yuki mutters. 'You're exhausted…try to clear your mind before sleeping.'
Shuichi looks on wordlessly and before he can say anything more, Yuki is gone.
His heart sinks…he wants…wanted…he doesn't know.
With a sigh, he shakily moves back to the apartment, enters and questions Hiro on his well-being.
Hiro barely says a word.
'I'm tired,' Shuichi says.
Hiro looks at him worried.
'What's the matter?'
'Shuichi…'
Shuichi can barely muster the energy to reply anymore.
'Please…please…don't leave me alone tonight.'
Silence passes between the boys.
'I-I—'
'Hiro, how about we stay together…to keep nightmares away?' Shuichi suggests.
Hiro's dark look brightens slightly and he takes Shuichi's offered hand.
They both enter the bedroom and curl up in each other's arm on the bed, feeling safe and protected.
In Hiro's arms, Shuichi falls asleep with the image of Yuki in his head. * Yuki re-enters his office.
'Eiri-san! Back so soon?' Tohma shuts the filing cabinet drawer slowly.
Yuki remembers why he had left in the first place, having been distracted by Shuichi…
'I guess.'
'Just in time…I'm leaving now.'
Yuki breathes a sigh of relief.
'Just one last thing, Eiri-san.'
'What?'
'Don't forget what I proposed earlier. Promise me you will think about it.'
'I already said no.'
'Don't be stupid, it will get you away from this rabble who bring you down! It's a position of honour, to be an ArchAngel's assistant.'
Yuki's anger flares.
'Tohma. I happen to LIKE this rabble.'
Tohma narrows his eyes. 'I don't know what you're thinking, Eiri-san. Refuse me again, and I won't leave so calmly.'
The ArchAngel is gone and Yuki slumps down in his chair.
'I like it here…' he mutters. To Be Continued…