FALLEN
CHAPTER 1 – HAUNTED
Anime the Fallen Angel
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Lights flashed and flickered, attempting to illuminate the large room. Bodies jumped and sweated to the beats. Teenager after teenager were squeezed together on the dance floor like so many sardines in a tin. The music was loud and blared through the club. Guitar chords ripped. Drum beats echoed. Voices quivered on each note. Everyone danced. If you didn't dance, you hung out with friends. If you didn't hang out with friends, you sit and watch. And those who don't sit, hang or dance?
"You have my money?"
"O…only half..."
"Final payment's tomorrow, kid. Remember that. I don't hold dept in my good books."
"Yes, Tanaka-san... I'll have the rest tomorrow. I promise."
"You better..." Was all the man said before he tousled honey coloured hair. "Because it'll be a shame if anything happened to that pretty face of yours..."
Tanaka smirked and turned, almost instantly disappearing into the crowd. Blue eyes followed where they could before they shut in a sigh.
Why do I bother sometimes... Eyes still closed, the teen hugged himself, suddenly cold in the room full of heat and dancing bodies.
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Long lost words whisper slowly to me
Still can't find what keeps me here
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The blue eyes opened again, old feelings of being watched in the crowded club returning. Scanning the crowds, the blue eyed, honey haired teen frowned. Where are you? I know you're watching me... The blue orbs weren't able to pick out the intense stare. The teen shook the feeling off and pushed himself away from the walls, opting against his original plan of dancing with the rest of the crowd for tonight like he usually does.
Elsewhere in the club, the direct opposite from where the teenager was, eyes more violet than the teen's own blue followed, picking the boy out easily. The observer saw the exchange between the teenager and debt shark. The watcher took a sip of his drink, thinking. He hated men who exploited the young like that; taking their money from them. He'd have to do something about that man...
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When all this time I've been so hollow inside
I know you're still here
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********
"Omi!"
The teen turned around and grinned. "Hi! What's up?"
The panting student ran up next to the honey haired boy, grinning. "Hey! Did you hear? That Oaka girl is holding a party in some big dance club tomorrow night."
Omi's attention picked up. He grinned brightly. "Really? But... isn't it invite only...?"
"That's why I'm telling you! She's always hanging around your workplace; maybe you could get an invite out of her."
"I don't know... that sounds a bit cheap to me, trying to make her give me an invite rather than be invited by her..."
The other boy kept smiling, shaking his head. "Omi, Omi, Omi... Half our classmates know you like Oaka a lot, but you really don't know your own popularity with her gang, do you?"
"Nani?"
"Don't you ever wonder why she's always hanging around the Koneko?"
"No... I thought she just..."
"Liked the flowers? Omi! She likes you! One of her friends is friends with a cousin of mine. She told her, then my cousin came to me. Oaka likes you, too, Tsukiyono. Perfect for you then!"
Omi blinked for a moment, trying to take in the rush of information before breaking into a huge grin. Oaka, the most popular girl in his school and her own, the girl he had a crush on for the longest time, actually liked him too! Omi slipped his helmet on his head, pulling his bike up. "Well then, I guess I better get going."
"Huh? Where?"
"Work. It's my shift this afternoon. If you're right, and Oaka is hanging outside the florist, I might be able to ask her out."
Omi left his friend behind as he kicked his motorcycle to life and immediately rode away from the school, his mood elated. Within minutes, he was out of his uniform and in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, cap and work apron, walking out onto the shop floor. Ken Hidaka and Yohji Kudou, Omi's work mates, were already tackling the hoards of teenage girls who came to the shop everyday.
"Konnichiwa, Ken-kun! Konnichiwa, Yohji-kun!" Omi called out happily as he started moving some flower pots.
Whether either replied was anyone's guess. If they did, the girls certainly drowned them out with their squealing. Omi laughed sheepishly though as he got his share of the obsessive mulling about of girls. The young boy attempted to move out of the way and actually get some work done; his eyes half searching for the dark haired girl he liked. Pulling himself outside to set down a big plant in its pot, Omi sighed in relief as he managed to breathe freely. Suddenly, like the other night, he felt a pair of eyes drilling holes into his head. Turning sharply to pick out the mystery stare, Omi was disappointed to find only a couple of cars and a crowd of people walking by, but no one even throwing the teen florist a glance.
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Watching me wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
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Frowning slightly, Omi turned to tend to the flower he brought out, the feeling still niggling at him.
"Stop frowning, Omi-kun. It doesn't suit you."
Omi stood immediately at the voice, both startled and pleasantly surprised. Before him, with her entourage behind her, was Oaka. The girl every guy wanted but couldn't have. Omi smiled brightly. "Konnichiwa, Oaka. Genki?"
"Hai. And you? You looked like you had the troubles of the world on you before."
"I did? Well, I guess the scare you gave me chased it away then."
Oaka smiled and held out a flower pot. "Can I buy these flowers please?"
Omi smiled and nodded. "Sure."
Omi took the pot and walked into the store to sell the flowers and its pot. He smiled to himself. Wow... Oaka sure looks nice today... did she do something to her hair?
"Omi. Do those flowers symbolise anything?"
Omi looked back at the flowers, then at Oaka. "Hai. Red tulips are supposed to be given from one person to another, as a declaration of love."
Oaka smiled and her friends behind her giggled to each other. Oaka paid her money and shook her head when Omi handed them over. "No thanks. I bought them for you. I think they really set off your eyes. Ja."
Omi stood behind the counter, holding his 'gift', feeling his blood rush to his face. Kami... How stupid do I look...
Omi walked to the back of the store and up to his room above the store, the apartment he shared with the other two guys. From his bedroom window, Omi could make out Oaka and her groupies across the street, discussing something before she turned and waved to the store in general, presumably waving to Omi, wherever he was. Omi turned from the window, his blush remaining on his face. ...Sure, she gave me flowers that mean something... But that doesn't really mean she likes me, does it? I mean, anyone could receive flowers and the giver may not mean anything by it...
Omi sighed and placed the flower pot down on his study table. 'sides... Why would she like me? I'm some florist, with hardly any family worth speaking about, whilst she's a rich, beautiful girl with a worthy family. And I'm in debt with a shark... That'll look great when I meet the parents. Maybe I shouldn't let her distract me. Maybe I should forget her for a while... get on with my studies. Get into university and make something of myself.
Omi lost himself with his thoughts, half putting himself down about his situation and half putting Oaka down for making him feel that way.
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Fearing you loving you
I won't let you pull me down
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"Hey! Chibi! You still have to work, you know! You won't get any wages by slacking."
Omi rose from his thoughts and sighed, walking back down into the shop.
"Coming, Yohji-kun!"
Maybe he shouldn't worry too much about Oaka. Right now, he needs to worry about earning enough to pay off his debt tonight...
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A deep inhalation. Opening of the senses; taking in all around him. The club was as bright; as noisy; as smoky-smelling as the night before. Those were just the preliminary; the blanket that covered all the senses of a normal human. This man wasn't a 'normal human'. He looked it, sounded it, but effectively, wasn't. Without needing to try, his vision offered a new perspective to the scene around him; his hearing picked out conversations twenty metres around him, through all this loud and heavy music; his skin picking up the changing air currents and the electricity of the atmosphere; his taste buds tasting the alcohol fumes in the air. But the one sense he loved to use was his smell. Most of what he smelt was undesirable. Sweat, too much hairspray and the strong smell of teenage hormones that, although can be tantalising, can also be overpowering in a setting like this. Occasionally though, he'd pick up something more to his liking with his nose. The meek aroma of brandy sold over the counter, a mildly scented perfume worn by a woman... and blood. Blood, especially young blood.
Tonight, though, it wasn't so much young blood he was looking for. More over, he was looking for a particular male. One he kept an eye on for sometime. One he despised for what he was doing to the young. A debt collector of sorts. More like an exploiter of the young... Almost instantly, as he was thinking about it, his senses caught wind of the man he was looking for. The strong cologne, that voice he grew to hate and the attempt at looking youthful when his own sharply honed eyes could pick out the tell tale signs of age. He found the man by the bar, laughing with the barman. Of course, the barman didn't know what the other guy did. To him, he was just another customer; someone trying to avoid growing old by hanging in the 'hip, cool places'. This was it. If he could move in quickly enough, he might remove one more problem in teenagers' lives.
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Hunting you I can smell you – alive
Your heart pounding in my head
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The searcher made to move to the man, but paused, his senses warning him of someone already in the room, obviously looking for the man. He turned his head slightly and spotted the meek presence. The blue eyes cast over the dance floor, looking like they longed for the chance to dance freely, without care. The man couldn't help but extend his senses to that one teenager.
He was pleasing to the eyes. Young, but not so much to make him look babyish, though he held that aura of innocence about him somewhat. His attire was delicious. A deep blue shirt that made his eyes shine brighter and black leather pants that hugged his legs and hips. A dog collar and similarly designed wristbands accented the paleness of his skin and thinness of his frame. A single silver stud was in his ear tonight. His scent was a familiar one. No artificial perfume was present, as always. Just the natural honest scent that most teenagers don't have. Extending his hearing further, he could make out the boy's heartbeat and his breathing. He was nervous, to say the least. He fidgeted on the spot, eyes darting.
Omi wanted to get this over as soon as possible. This was his last payment. After that, he'd be scot-free. He wouldn't have to see that man again. Omi felt the niggling feeling return, like he thought it would. Apart from the odd occasions outside, he could guarantee that someone would be observing him when he walked into the club. Before he could try and pick out the onlooker that threatened to burn him with their stare, the bigger frame of the dreaded one loomed over him, grinning like the Cheshire cat. He walked past Omi, indicating for the younger one to follow. Omi didn't understand as he followed. Why is he taking me to the alley?
Standing in the dark and deserted alleyway, Omi continued his fidgeting, the money in his pocket feeling heavier by the minute. He was almost sure something would have gone wrong today, like the old woman who hired him, Ken and Yohji would have postponed their pay, or he'd get mugged on the way over, or there wasn't enough to pay for his rent, school things that may need replacing or his debt. Luckily, though, nothing went wrong. Omi looked up at Tanaka, who looked back expectantly.
"Well, kid?"
Omi dug into his pockets, wondering why he opted for leather pants this night. Hardly appropriate for paying off a debt. Did he really hope to be able to get some dancing in tonight? Maybe he did, just to work the stress out of his system. Hurriedly, Omi shoved the wad of cash into the man's hand. He chuckled as he counted the wad.
"Well. It's been a long time coming, hasn't it, my boy? Ever since I lent you money to get by at school and to pay off your rent... It's a good thing I knew your father; Reiji Takatori, or else I might not have been so lenient..."
Omi shifted and bit his lip nervously. He never liked talking about his father in the first place. The man, though now deceased, was a monster to Omi. Responsible for his mother's untimely suicide, his unpaid ransom and lack of care for his well-being, he was glad his now deceased uncle took him under his wing and brought him up; Suichi Takatori being more of a father to him than his birth father ever was. Since Omi was the closest thing to an offspring the man had; Suichi Takatori, presumably without children, left all he had to the teenager. However, Omi couldn't access the funds until he was twenty. At first, it was okay, but then school demands came in too quickly, too heavily. That was when Omi bumped into Tanaka and began the spiral of debt. Omi shuddered, once again thanking his lucky stars that he mightn't have to see this guy again. What's taking him so long to count that money? There's the right amount there...
"There isn't enough here kid..."
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Watching me wanting me
I can feel you pull me down-----------------------------------
"Nani!? There's... there's the exact amount! I counted it myself; it can't be wrong! It's exactly what I owe you."
The man pocketed the wad, his eyes glowing at Omi. The teen pressed his back to the wall behind him, unable to move anywhere. Tanaka was too close for comfort now, invading Omi's personal space. One hand pressed on the wall against Omi's head, the other on Omi's chest.
"Didn't you know? You owe me interest for such late payment. Another fifty thousand yen, I make it out to be..."
Omi paled. "Fi... fifty thousand yen?" He croaked.
"To be paid in the next week." The man added.
"How am I going to get fifty thousand yen within the next week?" Omi said, nervous. No way was his job as a florist going to be able to pay off something like that. Not when he needed to save up for the next rent pay.
"Are you telling me you can't pay?"
Omi shuddered at Tanaka's voice now. Not only the voice, but his breath. It stank of alcohol. The thought of the man being drunk only just hitting him sickened Omi. He suddenly felt even more uncomfortable, being stuck being this massive hulk and a wall. All he wanted now was to be home, curled up in bed and this man as far from him as possible, let alone here with the guy's hand on his chest.
"I... I can't. In two or three weeks, maybe, but not in the next week..."
"Well, maybe you should pay me in another way then..."
Omi hated the contact of the man's hand against his chest, but he hated his lips pressed against his own even more. More than that, he hated the way the other hand moved off the wall and slid down his leg and towards his inner thigh. Omi's yell of fear was muffled behind the forced kiss. He could feel the man attempt at putting his tongue into Omi's sealed mouth. Vainly, Omi attempted to push Tanaka off him, or kick him in the balls. Neither worked. Omi was pressed too hard against the wall for his arms to be of any use, and his feet were trodden on by the other man's size eights. Fear gripped Omi's heart and soul as he was aware of the intrusive hand on his thigh clumsily attempting to unzip the only thing protecting Omi's virginity at this moment. Tears pricked the blue eyes as he realised he was affectively paralysed and in a very vulnerable position under this bulk of a drunk. Silently, Omi prayed. Oh God... God please, no. Don't let him, please don't let him... Someone help!
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Saving me raping me
Watching me
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Suddenly, the weight was off Omi's chest and the teen was allowed to breathe, even if he was now sprawled on the ground. Lifting a hand, Omi touched his forehead and looked at his hand in the dim light. He must have banged his head on the ground. His head was bleeding liberally and giving him a major headache. Strange gurgling noises caught Omi's wavering attention. Looking behind him, Omi realised what it was and it scared him. The debt shark was the one making strangled gurgling noises. It didn't help that someone had their head buried in his neck. At first, Omi thought the stranger was kissing Tanaka on the neck for some strange reason. Then he slumped to the ground and Omi could see that there was a large hole in his neck which bled freely. The man looked like a fish out of water as he flailed before suddenly just stopping, stone dead.
Omi painfully lifted his head to look at his 'saviour'.
The dim light didn't give much to allow the teen to see the man's face, but he could tell that he was a red head, with a slender, tall frame. His ultimately pale skin almost shone in the light, giving him an ethereal look. However, most of his body was concealed in leather and silk. Omi was uncertain, but although he was grateful for the man, he couldn't help but feel an aura of danger around his saviour. Silently and exhaustedly, Omi was unable to keep his eyes open for any longer. He'd never admit he'd fainted from the shock of the ordeal. One thought lingered though, even after darkness claimed him.
He thought the man was enchanting...
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Watching me wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Fearing you loving you
I won't let you pull me down
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Anime: Konnichiwa, minna-san! Another fic up, but this time, a Weiss fic! Definitely a change for me. AU, but with a few odd things here and there from the original that I decided to keep for consistency. But as you may have noticed, Oaka ISN'T Omi's cousin here.
Anya: Where did you find all this gore and material?
Anime: Well... I kinda borrowed a muse from a friend...
Anya: *suspicious* Who...?
Anime: ShadowYami *twiddles thumbs*
Anya: Which muse?
Siren: Greetings, Anya...
Anya: O.O!!! *runs off*
Anime: *blink blink* Well, guess she won't turn up for this fic too often then...
Siren: *smiles, baring fangs* Pity...
Anime: ^_^! Eh heh… Find a blood bank if you must...