Caught in the Rain

By: Minuiko

Well, I can't say I'm satisfied with the number of reviews, but I should be thankful I have as many as I have for such an unpopular pairing. PS: My chapter titles are getting a little bit depressing. I hope. No, not really, but it's easier to think up the names of the chapters than before. Plus, again, I suck at angst, and don't contradict me, Zeila, I'm trying to motivate myself. xD

(I am currently addicted to Naruto... and YYH too, but Naruto...)

Oh yeah! And did you notice that Sniper/Seaman is SS, which represents the Nazis?! Ah. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha… hey, why's no one laughing? --;; example of my stupid humor. xD

Chapter Four: Don't Lie to Me

Hagiri's POV

I was going up the elevator. I had just introduced myself to Shuuichi Minamino, also known as Kurama. Hm, I should've taken a picture of him with his mouth open like that. Not that it really mattered . . . what was important right now was the kid. And convincing him.

The elevator door opened. I walked into this dark, dingy sort of room, probably the only room in the fifth floor . . . it looked pretty crappy to me. No windows, either. I mean, this was the sort of place that would make me want to commit suicide, rather than help me think. It was cold. Cold and silent. . . I saw a faint shadow by the far corner of the room, and heard ragged breathing. Was that him? There was no mistake when I heard his voice. "Who's there?"

It was surprisingly clear in comparison to his harsh breathing. "Hey, Seaman."

There was a slight twitch of his hand, but nothing else. He was silent. This was rather odd in comparison to his half heartbroken but still rather happy go-lucky attitude he had when confronting me earlier. He wasn't just heartbroken. He was torn to pieces inside and out. I was respecting him less and less, although I was merely judging by his physical strength. Well, I had to start, now or never.

"Look, the cops down there your friends or somethin'? I didn't gut you, and you know that."

" . . . What do you want, Sniper?"

"To tell them to stop harassing me."

His tired sea-blue eyes turned to me, an ironic sort of gleam to them. " . . . Heh. What's the matter? You're a convicted murderer anyways."

He was so annoying. It was too bad that violence was no option. "Not for this crime, though. Hey, blondie—"

He suddenly shuddered and clutched his head. He was making suffocated, half-screaming, half-frustrated sounds that came from deep within his throat. His chest was heaving up and down as he obviously had disturbing images flash through his head . . . He was weak. Pitiful. And yet, I felt like it was my fault that this was happening . . . What did I say? What could I possibly have said?

Mitarai's POV

God damn it! Why was I so weak?! And even though I knew I was overreacting— that sort of thing happen to me all the time— I couldn't help it. It was the fucking nickname! I couldn't stand it. And why . . . why was he looking at me like that? That disgusted look in his face, half torn between insulting me and apologizing to me. Stop looking at me! Damn it! Sniper!

Flashback:

/"Well, what do we have here? Looks like some punk wandered into our territory."

I was surrounded on all sides, the leader of the group smirking and pretending to be surprised that I had "wandered into his territory" yet again. I was grimacing and cursing in my head. It was no accident, of course. They had forced me to come . . .

"Oh, it's Mitarai-baby! The kid just won't learn, will he? Let's teach him a lesson."

They punched me, back and forth, back and forth. Finally, the leader threw me to the ground and lifted me up again, this time by my hair. He was licking his lips. I wanted to fight back. But his bodyguards were holding my arms still. "You sure take good care of your hair, blondie. See, isn't it so pretty, boys?"

I wanted to curse him to hell. I wanted to spit at his feet— anything but endure this mockery. His men were snickering as though it were the funniest thing they'd ever heard. Then the leader hardened his eyes, with a disgustingly superior smirk on his face. "You won't mind, I hope, if we ruin it with your blood?"

End Flashback

I was quivering at the memory. There was no need to remember what happened after that last statement . . . God, how I hated that feeling. That feeling of helplessness, that feeling of self-hatred. Being attacked and not being able to fight back . . . I hated it. I hated everyone. How indifferent my family was. And that nickname pissed me off the most. For absolutely no reason other than the fact that another bully had used that same term. God . . .

It was then that I realized it: Sniper had his hand on my shoulder. It felt—comforting, to say the least. That—that wasn't what I wanted! It wasn't what I needed. I was going to brush it off, but then he spoke. In a voice that was neither rough nor mocking. "Hey—Seaman . . ."

Curse ityou . . . why are you doing this too? I know you're manipulating me, too . . . just like everyone else . . . just like Mr. Sensui, although I still don't know why he wants me dead, but . . . but . . .

. . . For some reason . . .

"What."

I stated this flatly, with no underlying emotion. His violet eyes— I didn't know why, but I was intrigued by its cold, and yet vibrant lavender hue— closed briefly and opened again. "Listen, kid. It probably feels like shit, being beat up all the time. Right? And not being able to defend yourself. Not being able to make a difference in the world . . . feeling all alone . . . isn't that . . . how you feel?"

Bingo. He nailed it. A perfect bull's-eye, every time, like his reputation stated. I was flooded with shame and bitterness because a stranger like him could so easily read me when my own family could not. When they didn't even care. No matter how hard I tried. And he merely used a few sentences . . .

. . . He seems . . .

I didn't want him to let go, but maybe I was getting too comfortable. I wasn't supposed to melt at the slightest nonviolent human contact. I'd been through years of solitude. Being part of the crowd and yet passing unnoticed. Why does everyone ignore me? Why do you all despise me? What did I do?

Those were my constant thoughts. I hated them . . . I hated them all. And yet— and yet . . . Sniper was . . . he seemed . . . seemed . . .

. . . different . . .

God. I really was getting weak. And that tone he used . . . it was so—annoyingly sympathetic. I had to stop this. "Let go of me."

I was . . . I am . . . a loser. An outcast. I always would be. No one would change that. Especially not some teenaged gangster that worked for Mr. Sensui and didn't know shit about me other the fact that I was picked on constantly . . . consistently . . . "You didn't even acknowledge my existence until a day ago, and you think you can understand me? Stop it . . . stop lying to me! You're just like the rest of them . . . !"

He merely stepped back an inch or so, apparently not phased at all. He had a calm look on his face that made me want to hit myself . . . to take back what I said . . . but I had meant it. Every word . . . didn't I? Didn't I?

Hagiri's POV

Hm. It seemed that the kid was harder to reach after all. But from his nature, and how long he paused before snapping at me, he was naturally affectionate. And weak as well, perhaps even weaker that I'd thought. His mental barriers would be fairly easy to break into . . . I just had to keep up the act for a while longer . . . to pretend I actually cared whether he lived or died . . . long enough to convince him to talk to the police.

I almost couldn't believe how—how nice I sounded. Understanding. Like a decent person. But then, I was a good actor. Convincing even to myself. Yes . . . this would work. And once I was out, Mitarai Kiyoshi could just rot in the dirt. It wasn't as though I cared . . .

A sly voice in my head whispered, You hesitated in killing him.

It was quite disturbing actually. My imagination needed to be controlled, but it was too late. Perhaps . . .perhaps I might become too convincing in my act . . . I might actually make friends with him . . . I'd never done again that since . . . she died . . . I had learned that it was important not to have anyone close to me in my line of work. But— it was so hard it avoid. But— I was supposed to be a cold-blooded killer. One-shot-murderer. But then again—

I needed better control over my mind. Seriously. I kept arguing with myself. Still— it was such a burden. I meant Mitarai. Being nice to him. And things. The door swung open, and in entered a young nurse with mint-green hair and crimson eyes. "I'm sorry, but the patient really has to eat, or he'll never get well."

Too true. Then he'd have no energy to even talk. Mitarai said in a dull voice, "I'm not hungry."

"I'm sorry, those are the doctors orders', and—"

"Well, alright then."

I was extremely surprised at this. Most people would insist on not eating. He then took a tentative (and extremely small, I noticed) bite of the hospital food while watching the nurse smile as she closed the door behind her. Then he forced himself to swallow and pushed the tray aside. "You want it?"

I refused, and the tray lay on the ground relatively untouched. Be nice, Sniper. You're never gonna win him over this way. I tried joking, which was rather unlike me. "Sly one, aren't you?"

He coughed slightly, thought I wasn't sure whether it was from his chest injuries or from laughing. But apparently, he hadn't eaten in a quite a while. He laid back against his bed sheets, which bore a few blood stains, and started breathing shallowly again, like he had when I entered the room. ". . . Tired . . ."

"Hey."

He didn't answer. That's when I realized that he. . . "Seaman?!"

.:Owari:.

Would this count as a cliffie? I don't think this chapter was very well written . . . not Hagiri's POV anyway . . . As an explanation: He's having mixed feelings about Mitarai; he thinks that he's weak, annoying, etc., but he's also wondering about why he spared him when he was supposed to shoot him. Also, he's really just acting to win Mitarai's favor. You know why. But later on, it won't be acting anymore . . . yes, there is going to be a bit of Hiei/Kurama. And I should give Sensui more parts.

Review!

PS: I'm too lazy to revise it . . . bleh. xD