Two-faced
Written by: Perpetual Thoughts and Meaning
Disclaimer: Hmm… I'll list some of the many reasons why I couldn't have made these characters… One: My IQ is far too low to have allowed me to create these characters… Two: …If I was being paid for this, don't you think that I would be writing about my own characters? I do own the monster that clobbered Albel, though… I really don't need to be sued right now.
Spoilers: I think so, yeah…
Summary: Albel and Cliff are partners on a mysterious mission that involves having to wake Cliff up without being clobbered to death! Yeah, I know, it's not funny. Pretty much nothing in this chapter is important, unless you count some certain scenes… I wrote a flashback of Albel's battle with Spivak, because I felt like it. Cliff's trying to understand why Albel never expresses himself. Good luck, Cliff, I don't even understand Albel sometimes! SHONEN-AI ALERT! SHONEN-AI ALERT!
A/N: Okay, this chapter's over five pages! There's more cursing in this chapter than the last two combined for some reason. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. I hope that the few people who are reading this don't care about the major curse-words, like shit, or fuck… Someone tell me if I should increase the rating to R for the excessive language. Edit part 5: I've given the monster a name, because I'm tired of typing the same thing again and again… Kouryuuha means Dragon Roar, by the way…
Rating: PG-13, because most thirteen year-olds can't write rated R things without having some experience, which I thoroughly lack. Oh, also for some language, but who gives a shit if they curse a little?
Replies to Reviews:
Death-Scimitar: I'm glad that you think so! Yeah, you already said that my story was great, but I don't mind. I really put effort into getting their personalities right, so thank you for reassuring me! Yeah, I liked that part, too. Nah, I liked the ranting. Don't try to tease Albel too much; he might lose his temper and claw out your eyes. Then you wouldn't be able to read my story, and that would really be a shame! Albel: -He glares at the plush.- They didn't even make my claw right! -She takes the plush and cuddles it.- Meh like plush! -She grins insanely.-
Kodamy: Whoa... Thanks... Hey, look, I'm updating! Whoot...
Part 4: Albel the…Mummy!
Prepare for attack.
Your body will burn.
Endless war,
there's no return.
Prepare for attack,
death will arrive.
Your orders are clear.
No way to hide.
Fight till death.- Fight Till Death, track 4 on Slayer's 1983 release, Show No Mercy
He was grinning as he dodged blow by blow of the monster's attack. He felt strange, as if he could read every move before the monster struck. He'd shout "Kouryuuha" and deal some severe blows to the monster, but no matter how many times he used this move, the monster was still standing, even after the dragons took chunks out of him. What the hell's with this guy? he wondered, side-stepping another strike from the monster. Why won't he fucking die! Usually, Albel loved the thrill of battle, but this duel was beginning to grow old to him.
"Why do you continue to stand?" he drawled impatiently, staring critically at his foe.
He was fighting against a monster he'd never seen before, which was quite remarkable, since he had faced hundreds of different breeds of monsters when he'd travelled with the outsiders. He was human-like, but not at the same time. His face was paler than Albel's, and the blank yellow orbs were sometimes concealed by bright blue bangs. He donned a kimono that looked like it was made from a tough animal's skin, his feet were bare, but were scarred thoroughly. Albel knew that he was a monster, because his voice wasn't human, and his hands were talon-like, sharp and dangerous fingernails.
"My name is not 'you,' it is Spivak. Your attacks tickle," Spivak said, smiling mysteriously up at Albel, the icy blue bangs covering his eyes, "and your blows are not strong enough."
"Not strong enough!" he incredulously shouted, his normal hand balled into a tight, white-knuckled fist. "You're the one to talk! I can dodge your blows all day if I wanted to!"
"My, my," Spivak drawled, "how defensive you are… Not to mention cockier than a king… Tell me, why do you think so highly of yourself? If you were smart enough, you would see that I was holding back."
Albel growled angrily, "I don't reveal anything to the enemy. If you were more aware of who I am, then you'd fucking stop holding back."
"Touché," Spivak said. "Fine, but do not blame me when your head is not attached to your shoulders after this duel, Albel the Twisted."
Albel was about to snarl a nasty retort when Spivak's body began to glow a bright red. He lifted the Crimson Scourge over his scarlet eyes, unknowingly leaving himself open. He felt sharp talons digging into his chest as he was pinned to the floor. He regained his sense of reality and slashed blindly at Spivak with his blade, successfully causing him to release him and jump to his feet. Albel growled deeply, glaring up at his opponent. Spivak's skin was redder than Albel's bleeding chest, but not because of blood. His kimono was torn and blue-coloured markings dotted his body. His talons had doubled in length and now he had four arms instead of two. Albel climbed quickly to his feet, resuming a defensive stance.
"So, this is your true form?" he drawled, his smirk malicious.
Spivak responded by raising his arms into the air, muttering in a language unfamiliar to Albel. Albel rushed towards him, his talons stretched out on his artificial hand, and the Crimson Scourge aimed for Spivak's heart with his other hand. He was knocked back by tri-coloured blasts from Spivak's mouth, and his Crimson Scourge flew out of his grasp. Shit, he thought, but continued charging at Spivak, this time dodging the blasts by swiftly stepping out of their way when they were a few feet away from him. He clawed at Spivak's face, causing him to make a swipe of his own back at him, and the blow struck his back. He darted back to his sword, glaring at Spivak as he dodged every blast easily. His back was beginning to throb painfully and he felt abnormally drained. What the hell was going on here?
"Are you ready to give up?" Spivak asked in a mocking voice. "You're losing badly."
Albel's lips curled back as he snarled, "Fool! I'm only beginning to tap into my full power!"
Spivak smirked arrogantly at him and began to float, his callused feet hovering a few feet above the cave floor. His hands were laced together, two pairs, one glowing an icy blue, the other a bright crimson. Albel began charging up for his next attack, his body glowing a brighter scarlet than his bloody chest as he reached out his artificial arm, his crimson orbs glazed over. Spivak continued to smirk before bowing his head, unlacing his hands, four tri-coloured orbs now held in his palms. Albel shouted his move's name as Spivak fired his orbs at him, and their attacks collided with another, creating a blast that sent Albel flying back into the cave wall. Albel winced in pain, watching the smoke clear for any sign of his opponent. He climbed to his feet, the Crimson Scourge held tightly in his normal hand, his artificial hand supporting him against the wall.
"Nice duel, but I am afraid that you are too injured to continue," Spivak's voice came from somewhere in the smoke.
"What the fuck are you talking about!" Albel roared. "I can still fight!"
"I am afraid not," the apathetic drawl sounded like Spivak was everywhere around him. "Maybe next time, boy."
Albel's scarlet orbs widened in anger and he dropped his blade. He growled and fell to his knees, scraping his leg against his own Crimson Scourge, and began hitting the cave floor with his normal hand, his head bowed. He was in so much pain, but he knew that he could still fight that pompous piece of shit. He'd show him that he was stronger than he thought, and more! Damn it, he'd get his revenge, even if that Fittir had to fight with him!
…
Simple smiles elude psychotic eyes,
lose all mind control rationale declines.- Dead Skin Mask, track 5 on Slayer's 1990 release, Seasons In The Abyss
Albel groaned as something warm brushed against his lips. His scarlet eyes fluttered open and he saw Cliff standing over him, poking a piece of fried meat at his mouth. Albel tried to sit up too quickly, and Cliff forced him back down, silently shaking his head. What the hell happened yesterday? he wondered as he became aware of his back aching in pain. He glanced down at his torso and saw that under Cliff's sleeping bag, it'd been bandaged tightly. Wait a second, why was he in Cliff's sleeping bag?
"Ah, shit," he muttered, and Cliff smirked widely at him.
"It comin' to ya' yet?" Cliff asked him after he had grudgingly accepted the meat.
Albel eyed him warily before he took a bite out of the meat. "In fragments," he said between bites.
"Damn!" Cliff said, watching Albel devour the meat. "You hungry enough, Albel?"
"In case you failed to realise," Albel began as he finished the meat, "we didn't eat anything yesterday, since someone wanted to make me into a mummy."
At least he has some sense of humour today, Cliff thought sarcastically.
Cliff laughed and shook his head at Albel. "Nah," he teased, "you're too fussy to be a mummy. Mummies usually don't gobble up meat like you do, either."
Albel attempted to sit up, but this time, his muscles wouldn't allow him to move more than an inch before he fell back. "Damn it," he grumbled. "I need to start looking for something to eat."
Does he even realise what he's saying? Cliff wondered, a smile curling the corners of his lips upward.
Cliff raised his eyebrows at Albel and began to chuckle. "Even when you're on your last legs you still want to rush off into danger!" he began to cry, thoroughly aggravating Albel.
Last legs! Albel thought crossly. I'll show that damned, arrogant Klausian!
"I'm not on my last legs!" Albel shouted and tried to sit up again, but only succeeded in triggering his back to ache worse.
Cliff ruffled his black and platinum blond hair with a smile. "You can't move around and you know it," he said in a sympathetic voice that Albel hated. "I'm gonna take care of ya' until ya' can move around again, okay? Then, we're gonna-- wait a second, I didn't even hear what the mission involved. Why are we out here, anyway?"
It took him this long to realise that? Albel wondered, forcing back a laugh.
"Daft, aren't you?" Albel asked, smirking at his annoyed expression. "Think about what's happened thus far and make your own conclusion."
"Damn it, Albel! You know that wasn't what I meant!" he grumbled, sitting down next to his sleeping bag.
"Just think about it for a second," Albel murmured, his lips curling into a small smile. "Why do you think that the details of the mission were never given, worm?"
"Because there weren't any," Cliff muttered, but Albel shook his head.
"No," Albel replied, "this is our so-called mission. Our foolish actions formed its existence."
Cliff eyed Albel, his face written in confusion. "What are you saying?" he asked, his eyes settling on Albel's blank face.
"The mission was to be decided by our actions," Albel continued. "Since I'm now Albel the Mummy, our mission is to survive this cave and get back to the ship without the other crewmembers having any idea what we did, only that we were out on a mission. Sounds a bit complicated, eh, maggot? Well, I'm not the kind of person who likes to sit around and do nothing, so I won't weigh you down, if that's what you're thinking."
"This is crazy," Cliff said, holding his head in his hands, staring at the roof of the cave, watching as the water droplets fell softly to the cave floor.
Albel tried to shrug, but his shoulders protested bitterly. "It depends on how you look at it," he replied, staring over at the Klausian with a mysterious glint in his eyes. "You could see this as a way to improve your weaknesses, or you could complain about how you have to endure my company. I'm not exactly happy being wrapped up like a Christmas gift either, if you didn't know."
He might be right on the perspective thing, Cliff thought. I haven't been exercising as much anymore, either… What the hell? "Like a Christmas gift?" How does he even know about Christmas? Ah, never mind that now, there's more important things to think about, like what we're gonna eat later today! I don't want to turn to cannibalism to solve my hunger…
"Couldn't we just go back to the ship and have you healed there?" Cliff asked, still trying to understand the situation. "When do we have to return, anyway? And how do we know when we can return?"
"No," Albel replied, "because you probably wouldn't want to explain why I look like a pre-mature mummy. We can probably return once I can walk, and we'll know once the time is right."
Cliff sighed and met Albel's stare with a hopeless expression. "What if I come across that monster that made you look like you went through a paper shredder?" he asked, fearful for the answer.
"I don't know," he replied, his voice eerily foreboding. "It'll be up to you if that happens."
Cliff glared at Albel, his lips pursed into a dark scowl. "You could at least try to be helpful," he whined. "You aren't even grateful for what I did last night!"
Albel snorted, smirking painfully up at the blond. "I was fine, worm," he drawled.
Cliff scowled down at him, propping his head up with his left hand. "Why can't you just admit it?" he asked, leaning down to glare directly into Albel's scarlet eyes. "You would've been a rotting corpse hours ago if I hadn't patched you up!"
Albel merely raised his black eyebrows up at the blond. "There isn't anything to admit," he stonily stated. "I'd rather be decapitated than be around you."
Cliff bent down closer to Albel, not breaking their intense stare. "What was that sound that you made last night when I was spreading the analeptic over your back?" he whispered, smirking at Albel's irritated expression.
"You're hearing things," growled Albel, too stubborn to break their eye contact. "The insane often experience such."
Cliff continued to lean closer to Albel until he could feel the man's breath tickling his green Klausian 'tattoo.' "Right," he murmured, his smirk growing. "You should really talk, Albel."
Albel's stomach lurched when his name rolled off Cliff's tongue. His crimson orbs narrowed when he realised how close they were. What's that damn Klausian doing? he wondered warily, his pink lips pursed into a dark scowl. He hated his heart's rapid pounding as he continued to glare into Cliff's deep azure orbs. What the hell's happening to me? he wondered crossly.
"Oh, so you're all talk, then?" he drawled frigidly, smirking challengingly up at Cliff, his face about four inches from his own. "How, then, am I insane, worm?"
If he were able to move, then I wouldn't tell the truth, Cliff thought. Man, I'm so lucky that he's immobilised right now. Should I tell the truth? He may get me back later… Oh well, I'll take a chance.
Cliff raised his eyebrows at Albel, humour evident in his sapphire eyes. "Well," he began, "that skirt of yours… What the hell's with that, anyway? And another thing, your attitude toward everything… You act as if you're the mightiest warrior, but just look at you now… You're all wrapped up in bandages…" He ran a finger over Albel's bare chest, his eyes possessing a predatory gleam. "Now you're vulnerable to any attack..."
Albel swallowed, but didn't break their stare. "It's easier to dodge blows in these garments. I could destroy you easily if I wanted--" He was cut off by Cliff's hand covering his mouth.
"You talk too much," he said, moving so that his body obscured Albel's lean frame. His hand slid from Albel's mouth to under his chin and forced his face up to press his lips against Albel's.
Albel attempted to struggle, but his wounds protested again. His crimson orbs widened with disbelief, strange sensations creeping their way into his body. He felt Cliff's hand slide behind his head and pull him closer, and he heard his heart speed up. He hadn't even kissed or come near kissing anyone before, and he felt his cheeks burning because of this fact. He couldn't fight back, but that didn't mean that he had to enjoy it. The situation altered, however, when Cliff parted his lips and his tongue invaded Albel's mouth, he couldn't ignore the overwhelming tremble of his stomach as their tongues danced. Just as Albel was getting into the kiss, Cliff pulled away, smirking down at Albel's frustrated expression. Albel had never felt so torn in his life. He wanted to kill Cliff and start kissing him again.
"You can't tell me that you didn't like that," he murmured, smiling gently down at Albel, his eyes half-lidded.
"Bastard," Albel growled, his scarlet orbs glazed over in lust. "I loathed every second of it."
"Damn it," Cliff said, but didn't appear bothered. "I guess that it's one-sided, then?"
Not even close, Albel wanted to say.
"As one-sided as it gets," Albel hissed, pulling Cliff's face to his with his artificial hand.
Compared to the last kiss, Albel's stomach exploded when their lips met. Every ache had been forgotten as their tongues battled for dominance, Albel's mind screaming at him, What're you doing! His arms were wrapped around the Klausian's neck, his normal digits tangling through his soft blond hair. Cliff had unzipped the sleeping bag and pulled Albel roughly against him, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Albel's wounds protested violently again, causing Albel to groan into the kiss. Cliff broke the kiss again, gazing curiously down at Albel.
"What the hell was that, then?" he asked softly, his smirk growing.
"Damned… wounds," growled Albel, his fingers tightening around his hair. "Don't get any perverted ideas about me, maggot."
Cliff winced. "I might've actually believed you," Cliff murmured. "Do you even know what 'one-sided' means, Albel?"
Damn, Albel thought. Why does he have to say my name like that?
"I'm not lying," he said, his gaze locked with Cliff's in a fiery stare. "You're touching one of my wounds."
Cliff sighed, released him slowly, and sat down next to him again. Albel stared up at him, a bit disappointed, but at the same time relieved. He didn't know where they were going in the kisses, and he didn't want to know, either. He was startled that he actually liked it, and he silently cursed Cliff for the new emotion. He zipped up the sleeping bag to his waist, scowling away from Cliff.
"Now what?" Cliff asked him, staring down at him with confusion in his cobalt eyes.
How can he ask such a thing after what we did? Albel wondered to himself, his heart still beating fast.
Albel switched his heated stare from the wall to Cliff, his scowl deepening. "We've wasted our time… We could've been discussing how we're going to survive this place," he said, his scarlet orbs spiteful, "but you had to do that…"
"So," Cliff said, "you really didn't like it? Damn…"
Albel glared up at him. "You practically forced yourself on me," he growled. "What else was I supposed to do? If I could've fought back, I would've!"
"You started the second kiss," Cliff said, smiling casually down at him. "That must've meant that you liked the first one."
Albel stared away from him, his heart pounding at the sight of Cliff's smile. "I didn't mean to," he said with an almost non-existent blush colouring his cheeks. "I wasn't thinking properly."
Cliff's hand brushed against his cheek and forced his face near his. "I suppose that we both weren't thinking," he said, his smile turning grim. "I might have to change your bandages, plus, I have to kill some monsters for food. It's gonna be a long day for the both of us."
Albel scowled at him. "Perhaps your insanity is contagious," he muttered. "My only choice is to rely on you, and I fucking hate it. I hate letting my life be determined by another person's carelessness. You'd better not die or leave me here to rot Fittir, or I swear, I'll haunt--"
Cliff silenced him with a brief kiss, shaking his head at him after they parted. "I can't leave ya'," he said. "Remember? If I show up without you, the crew will think I murdered you, or something. Besides, my damn conscience wouldn't allow me to leave you behind."
"I want to make sure, though," Albel said, his frosty eyelashes partially covering his even icier scarlet orbs. "Give me an extra dose of the analeptic, because I'm coming along with you."
Cliff scowled at him, but knew that once Albel had his mind decided about something, that he would do whatever it took to do it. "Fine," he said, pulling out the emergency kit from his backpack, "but I'm only doing this because I know that you'll find some way of coming along even if I don't allow you to. I can't risk you getting even more banged up."
If I didn't know any better, Albel thought, I might actually believe that he gave a shit about me.
Albel only grunted, staring into space as Cliff searched for the analeptic.
…
To be continued…
A/N: Okay, I think that this chapter was pointless fluff, but whatever… It was my first attempt at fluff with these two as the characters, so give me a break! They are fun to mess with, though… In fact, they're almost more entertaining to write about than Draco and Hermione! Of course, I won't like them more than my favourite couple DM/HG, but I'll admit, it's so fun to mess with their psyches, especially Albel's.
Extra note: Anyone heard of this band called Gizmachi? They're good and I love their song Wandering Eyes. I may include an insert from it in the next chapter if I bother to look up the lyrics. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a rabid Slayer fan. Slayer's kick ass, and if you think otherwise, then I don't want your review. Slayer's the fuckin' shit, and if they're too heavy for you, then you haven't heard the deathy Cattle Decapitation. Anyway, for those of you that are metal-heads such as myself, why don't you e-mail me sometime, and we could talk about thrash, black metal, death metal, anything about our favourite music genre! I'll answer any e-mail, via ShadowsshadowSha at AOL dot com. Just replace the spelled out stuff with their proper symbols and you'll be all set! Edit chapter 5: No e-mails? Damn! Here in Europe, metal isn't an underground genre, but my readers might be Americans, which decreases my chance for any kind of relation with you guys. Damn it, I like to talk to my readers! Great, now I'm sounding desperate… Damn it, are there any metal-heads at this site at all! Haven't you people ever heard of Fleshcrawl, Malevolent Creation, Brutal Truth, Behemoth, Bloodbath, Nasum, Immolation, Mayhem, Today Is The Day, Suffocation, Mortician, Cephalic Carnage, Cannibal Corpse, Gorerotted, Darkthrone, Nile, Pyrexia, Vader, Torture Killer, Diabolic, or even Skinless! Well, well! Congrats to the people who actually read this A/N, you've wasted five or six minutes of your so-called life reading my shitty thoughts…