Yoinokuchi ga yoake no mae ni
(dusk before the dawn)
A Wolf's Rain fanficiton. Sequel to "Untameable Fires".
Author: SkyChild (yatenshiweb.de)
Date: 05/05
Disclaimer: Done for entertainment purposes only. The world of "Wolf's Rain" belongs to Bones and some institutions/persons related to it I don't know by name, in any case, certainly not to me. Nota bene.
Summary: "Just what… had been born between the two of them? Despite or because of its finality, this moment imprinted itself deeply into Kiba's memory: the aurora borealis surging above their heads in a hopelessly dull sky while the cold wind pulled at his clothing, pushing him to go on…"(last episode, extended version Tsume/Kiba)
Author's Note: Yes, I know the rule, thou shall not write sequels, yet in this case, I couldn't resist. Nothing new, some Tsume/Kiba… Of course, this thing is purely my imagination, that's what fanfiction's there for, however I believe that the relationship between Tsume and Kiba is a special one… just watch the last episode of the anime, Kiba's reaction on Tsume's dying, and notice that neither at finding Toboe's body nor at learning about Hige's death he had such a tortured expression on his face
Special greetings to aspirinforyourheadache, faithful reviewer and lover of Kiba/Tsume whose fanfiction "I bet your ass" kinda inspired me to this humble piece of fandom!
A desperate cry, a futile effort to reach out and grab her, and then all he could do was watch as, with that tender though somewhat sad smile, the flower maiden simply leaned back a bit and allowed herself to fall, with those drifting, circulating motions Kiba'd seen once before, when she left Darcia's airship.
"Cheza!" How could she…!
Just when Kiba had awoken from his shock-induced paralysis and was about to jump after her, a black wolf rushed past him, without any hesitation pushing off from the edge and disappearing into the darkness below.
In a second, realization dawned on Kiba- if Darcia was here, that meant…
„Tsume!" Kiba turned on his heels and rushed to the grey wolf's side, kneeling down and reaching down to touch his shoulder instantly... only to have his hand pushed aside, a furious shout accompanying the feral gesture.
"Go already!"
Blood… the smell of blood…
Trying to regain his breath, Tsume leaned back against the rock, allowing himself a brief instant of silence before speaking again. "I… finished Hige off. And I don't want to move anymore either." As indefinite as the statement sounded, Kiba felt the underlying agony and realized that the grey wolf hadn't ended Higa's life for revenge, but out of a compassion that took far more from a person than mere vengeance.
Kiba was stricken even more by the tiredness in that familiar voice, something utterly new and confusing, nothing short of unsettling - seeing Tsume surrender.
How was he not to comprehend what the certain stench wafting around meant, after smelling enough demise to recognize death when encountering it?
"No!" he exclaimed in desperate incense. "You won't die. I will not let you go," he vowed with a vehemence that astonished Tsume. Just when had the white wolf started to give that much about his life? An unfamiliar yet somewhat soothing idea, having someone actually give a shit about what happened to him…
Sensing his friend's thoughts drifting off, Kiba seized the grey wolf's shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Did you hear me? Don't you dare die on me!"
Anguish in that voice, those eyes…
"Tsume!"
Kiba…
"Shut… up. Just shut up." With that, the white-haired man gathered his remaining strength and reached out for Kiba's nape, pulling the slender youth into a ferocious kiss.
Depriving Kiba of his breath and mind, Tsume basked in the pleasure of tasting that unique essence again, the certain flavour he'd been addicted to since entwining tongues with his 'fearless leader' for the first time…
Clutching the other man's shoulders, Kiba almost melted into his touch, his taste, and rational thought fled him for the moment- for one moment of bliss, it wasn't a dying earth surrounding them, a doubtful quest in front of them, a lifetime of constant fighting behind them.
For a moment, while digging his fingers into Tsume's broad shoulders and feeling an arm sneak around his waist, clinging to his shirt and pressing him firmly against that warm body, Kiba felt his strength and hope return for the duration of a kiss- his friend's touch never failed to bring his equilibrium back to him even in the most vicious of battles.
While Cheza was his purpose… the grey, scarred wolf was his strength in achieving it, the only one to ever witness the unyielding alpha close to breaking, and although none would actually consider Tsume a person to receive comfort or consolation from, to Kiba he'd been just what he needed in his rare moments of weakness- a kiss, a wordless touch, all conveying loyalty and encouragement, gave him enough stamina to continue.
The ties bound both ways- none but Kiba had ever been a match for Tsume, the white wolf alone had managed to make the sullen, black-clad man surrender, because their spirits were kindred, their souls merged irreversibly.
All of a sudden, however, Kiba felt a foreign, metallic essence invading the intoxicating taste he knew so well- the foreign, yet not unfamiliar flavour of blood, and it made his own run cold.
He broke the meshing of their lips instantly, meeting Tsume's exhausted gaze furiously. That earned him a weary shake of the grey wolf's head. "Kiba…"
"Don't think I'll let you sneak away like that," the dark-haired man interrupted him ferociously, grabbing his shoulder a bit harder.
"I'm… tired," came the low reply. Tsume let his eyes slide shut. "You know, somewhere deep inside I realized long ago that I wouldn't be the one to open Paradise. And after meeting you… I was certain of that."
Allowing his forehead to lean against Kiba's, Tsume felt the white wolf stiffen at his words, drawing a stunned breath.
He'd known it! He'd known, Kiba thought, that he wouldn't open rakuen, so… "Why…" If you knew from the beginning, he wanted to yell, that I'd lead you to your death, why did you follow? Why did you sacrifice your life like that? But he didn't… "I am your death…" was all he could whisper before his voice trailed off, sorrowful, tortured, and the grey wolf felt obliged to kiss this anguish away, a mere touching of lips, undemanding, soothing.
"Not our death… but our destiny. You pushed us to our breaking point because we let you. Because we wanted you to. It's alright."
The wisdom in those words spoken next to his ear, warmth caressing the sensitive skin, astounded him, but before he could ponder on that any further or wonder just how Tsume could come up with something like that, he was met with a counter question.
"And you…? Why did you let yourself get involved with me?"
The answer wasn't as hard to find and to give as Kiva had anticipated. "Through all my life, my instincts have been leading me, telling me where to go and what to do in following my purpose. With you, however, they failed me." Obviously, you weren't included in destiny's plans, Kiba continued silently while looking into Tsume's eyes, catching me off guard and overwhelming me with my lack of knowledge on how to react. That's what made you so intriguing…
The white-haired man had leaned back again to get a better view on Kiba's face, and then, all of a sudden, his expression changed into something darker, yet infinitely more… significant.
Although they trembled with strain, Tsume's fingertips travelled up the dark-haired youth's cheek before coming to rest near his temples, making the muscles beneath them flutter nervously, their touch of a gentleness and care Kiba had barely thought the other one capable of. Trying to figure out what had caused that sudden shift of demeanour, Kiba searched Tsume's eyes for an answer- only to find his breath catching at the warm look within said golden orbs. It was the first time that the grey wolf allowed himself to his guard down, making the white one tremble with the affection shining in those amber depths.
Just what… was it that had been born between the two of them over the last few… weeks? Days? How long had it been?
Kiba honestly couldn't care less, and it wasn't as if time meant anything anymore. As a kind of reply to the truth in Tsume's eyes, the dark-haired man unceremoniously embraced him, and it was only now that the youth allowed himself a gesture truly deserving that name- a gesture conveying more than mere warmth or comfort.
With a content sigh the grey wolf relished the feeling of that tender touch, of being held- what's the use of fighting, of keeping his composure anymore? In this very instant, it was only the two of them, souls and bodies as close as wolves could ever get… their very own Paradise.
After some time, Kiba withdrew from their embrace, knowing that he had to leave soon, yet quite unwilling to do so at all.
As Kiba's body heat left him, Tsume found himself shivering and frowned. Strange, he thought, the cold wind stung him quite uncomfortably… As a wolf, cold usually had never bothered him much, so why now?
He knew the answer, of course, and in that moment, the ache originating from the wounds in his back and thigh crested in a blaze.
Crumbling with pain, Tsume couldn't bite back a groan, couldn't help but sag forward, and Kiba felt the strong body tremble beneath his hands- there was no denying it anymore, the knowledge he'd repressed up to now demanded to be understood and dealt with: death was reaching out for his friend, his comrade, his lover…
Despite or because of its finality, this moment imprinted itself deeply into Kiba's memory… the aurora borealis surging above their heads in a hopelessly dull sky, shining in all her rainbow glory as if to celebrate a dirty world's death, while the cold wind pulled at his clothing, pushing him to go on…
"Now get the hell going," Tsume shouted and pushed Kiba away rudely, hating to be seen like this… even by Kiba.
The clenching of his hands, the sorrow in his eyes showed clearly what inner turmoil the white wolf was in right now, it hurt to have to leave the grey wolf, knowing what was about to happen… "Go already! You've to open Paradise, remember?"
Yes, Paradise… this task would always overshadow any feelings, any emotions, destiny didn't allow selfish affection for anyone involved in the end the world.
It wasn't meant to be more than that brief moment of warmth.
Nonetheless, as much as it hurt, in Tsume's eyes Kiba found both understanding and the unyielding determination he knew so well, so he decided to obey his friend's wish… his last one.
He spun around, running as fast as his exhausted legs would carry him to keep himself from returning to Tsume's side, gritting his teeth in anguish as a low howl reached his ears, the last farewell to the only survivor of a pack that'd, against all odds, overcome more obstacles than any clan bound by blood could…
He was alone. Once again. Kiba was free now, free from anything binding him to this world, free to run and fight, a cruel and lonely freedom he loathed- yet it was the only chance to ever meet again the one… the ones he cared for. His friends, his pack… Cheza. Tsume. To maybe have the opportunity to be together again. A second try, under different circumstances.
It was the only answer- the way forward, the desperate attempt to reach what they all together had been striving for.
Still, it was a chance. And so he had to keep running to the very end.
With that thought and the remaining strength Tsume's last touch had provided him, Kiba jumped into the abyss.
owari
Actually, I'm not too happy about how the end of the story turned out, I was somewhat at a loss how to end this… once I come up with a better idea, I'll edit this, promise ;;;
Very much hope you liked it, and even if it sucks to no end, let me know about it, and especially tell what mistakes I did (syntax, grammar etc…) I'm still a poor foreigner struggling to sound like a native ;;;