Title: Once
Author: Arasoi
Content: Slight violence, slight language, male/male hints
Pairing: Sasame/Hayate
Spoilers: Big ones for the end of the anime.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pretear, and I'm not making any money from this fanfiction.
Summary: Sasame and Hayate in a hellish moment in time
Once
A Pretear Drabble
By Arasoi
The sword of wind exploded as Hayate's head connected with the tree. His vision swirled as he slumped over, his energy and focus gone. He didn't have the power anymore, to finish this fight he had never wanted anyway.
Closing his eyes, he let himself breathe. In, out, in, out. Slowly, he expanded his spirit, grasping for leafe, feeling everything around him. The wind, the tree...the sound.
It was the feel of the sharpened onyx at his neck that finally opened his eyes. His lashes flickered, and he cast his gaze up to stare at his betrayer. His heart skipped a beat at how, after all this time, Sasame was still so beautiful. Hayate narrowed his eyes. It was unfair. It was cruel. He should be ugly, twisted...exposed for the world to see and know.
Trying to speak, a small cough escaped instead. He clutched his sides and tried to stand, refusing to bow before his man he used to call friend.
And Sasame...he continued to watch; no expression, no emotion. A small wind whipped through the Great Tree, tugging on hair and cloak alike before fleeing and leaving the two men alone again.
Tired of it all, Hayate growled and smacked Sasame's arm away, the sword leaving his throat. "Is it worth it, you bastard? Is your sick, twisted little girlfriend worth all this loss of life? Is it worth betraying your oath as a knight? Is it worth the others? Himeno?" Hayate's bruised face twisted as he grabbed the feathers of Sasame's robe. "Me?"
Narrowing his eyes, Sasame sank his sword into the tree and put a hand against Hayate's chest. Hayate looked down just as Sasame released his power, waves of sound pounding against his battered body, forcing him back against the bark of the Great Tree of Fenrir. A silent scream died on his lips as the impact shook him, little black feathers fluttering from his fingers.
He coughed again, blood escaping from the corner of his mouth…
And suddenly, Sasame was there again, hands pinning Hayate's wrists above his head and a knee between his legs, supporting his limp weight. Hayate gasped and jerked, trying to pull away, but his strength was gone. He had nothing left...
Finally, he sobbed, his head hanging forward. "How could this happen?" he whispered. "You...you were one of us. You loved life, loved leafe...loved us, once."
Sasame leaned forward, resting his forehead on Hayate's, his warm breath caressing his face. "That used to be true", said that soft, silky voice. "Once."
And Hayate shattered.