Author: Black Bloody Butterfly
Pairing: You'll see ;)
Disclaimer: I wouldn't be posting on if I owned it, now. Would I? .
Summary: Jubei finally realizes that there's more to life than protecting Kazuki.
If the situation were not so grave, one could almost laugh at the literally blind trust Jubei displayed in Kazuki. It was almost heart-wrenching to think that such a talented and good-hearted man would lay down his life for someone because he still believed in a tradition that had burned to ashes; remnants of the fire that had destroyed the entire Fuuchoin line except for the man he had sworn to protect. One could almost hate Kazuki for the cruelty he showed. Of course, the thread master tried to persuade the needle thrower that everything was fine and he could protect himself. More often than not Ito no Kazuki would smile at his protector, claiming with a laugh that he was so old-fashioned, but this only strengthened Jubei's resolve. It did not help any that every time Kazuki took Jubei to the hot springs, the younger Kakei felt inadequate to serve as Kazuki's protector. To Jubei, it seemed like those trips were the thread master's silent pleas for Jubei to give more than he already had. And Jubei, still clinging to the belief that protecting Kazuki was his only purpose in life, tried to do just that. This alarmingly self-destructive loyalty was starting to concern his sister, Sakura.
"Jubei, when was the last time you left Mugenjou?" asked the elder Kakei upon entering the room her naïve brother occupied. Said brother was lying on a cot with his hands tucked beneath his head. He nodded, acknowledging her presence.
"When Kazuki brought me to the hot springs."
Sakura pursed her lips. Even though Kazuki held a rather large part of her brother's heart, she knew there was a portion of it that was waiting for more than complementary strings.
"Do you want to go out today?" Her hopes were high and he seemed a little more complacent than usual.
"Not really…" Jubei was quite content with staying still, reminiscing childhood memories with Kazuki and mentally berating himself for not being strong enough. He was weak. Kazuki had no use for a weakling like him. He clenched his fists, pulling on some tufts of his hair. He needed to train more. Jubei had to prove himself worthy to be called the Fuuchoin family's protector.
Sakura sighed and left the room. In the warehouse, where Makubex's mother computer was, the boy with no name watched Lower town Mugenjou. He beamed at her. She returned a strained smile.
"Is Jubei still brooding?" Everyone knew of it. It was no secret how devoted Jubei was to fulfilling his 'destiny.'
"I don't know how to help him." How could one help Jubei? He was completely oblivious to the pain that was being inflicted upon him.
"Jubei has a one-track mind. It is possible that if you tell him that doing a particular task that will train him to protect Kazuki," suggested the silver-haired boy. "He might actually believe you." She looked at Makubex and considered the idea. It was true that Jubei would do anything for Kazuki. But would he really do anything as long as Kazuki's name was attached.
Up to this day no one could believe it was.
"Why don't you go to Shinjuku today?"
Jubei stirred from his motionless state and turned his head in the direction of his sister's voice.
"Why?"
"It could help in your training." She looked at him and noticed the sudden alertness in his posture. He nodded once and she was slightly surprised. "And to help you even more, this is what you have to do."
"What is it?" Her brother was quite predictable and she had an inkling he would head straight for the Honky Tonk.
"Avoid going to the Honky Tonk and Kazuki's place today." Jubei's frown at this was hidden beneath the collar of his shirt. "It would be best of you study Shinjuku so you can help Kazuki somewhere other than Mugenjou."
"Alright. If it's to protect Kazuki."
She followed him out of the room, watched as he left and said a silent prayer. Please let him meet someone, anyone, to get his mind off Kazuki.
Jubei was surprised by his sister's sudden interest in his mission to protect the Fuuchoin heir, but he did not think too much of it. He was more concerned with what he was really doing outside of the Infinite City. HE doubted that there was any actual threat that was about to turn up anytime soon. It had been almost two months since Makubex was abducted and neither the Get Backers nor Kazuki seemed to have any jobs involving Mugenjou (thankfully). How could there be any danger? The needle thrower paused in front of a small shop. People pushed past him as he stood there, deep in thought.
Was it possible that there were no more threats looming ahead for Kazuki? Was there nothing Jubei could protect him from? Of course there was the possibility of illness but Jubei was not that protective. He was not about to wage a war against the ever-present virus. That was beyond idiotic, even for Jubei. Getting back to his train of thought before the slight detour, he could not think of anything that could cause the thread master harm. He began to walk again, this time, at a much faster pace. No. It could not be. If there was no more danger to him to face for Kazuki, of what use could he be? Jubei began running. That very thought made him shudder and he no longer cared what direction he was running in as long as he left that thought behind. Jubei felt like he could run all the way around the world just to escape it unless something blocked his path.
As it happened, something did.
"Are you alright, Clayman-san? Kakei-san?" asked a silky voice Jubei recognized. Slowly, he stood up.
"I apologize for bumping into you," said Jubei. He supposed that the taller, more demented, man smiled at him. "I was not paying attention to where I was going."
"You are Kakei Jubei, aren't you?" asked Akabane. The blind man nodded. "It is a pleasure to be able to formally meet you…Ah. It appears that you have broken Clayman-san's mask."
"I'm sorry. I have kept you from your appointment."
"That's all right. We're in no rush." He noticed that the woman who Akabane referred to as 'Clayman' had a soft and low-pitched voice. "Is the statue safe?"
"Of course. But are you alright?" Akabane's tone was cheery. Jubei contained a shudder.
"I'm perfectly fine, What about you, Kakei-san?" She was equally cheerful and Jubei suppressed another shudder.
"I'm alright. Is the sculpture your work, Clayman-san?
She nodded. "Would you like to see it?"
Didn't she notice that he was blind? He was about to answer but the other Doctor cut him off.
"perhaps it would be best if we unveil this work of art at its destination." Clayman nodded and followed Akabane with no hesitation while Jubei strained to follow the pattern of their light footsteps.
The three moved in silence. Jubei felt strangely out of place as he walked behind them. Noise was buzzing in his ears and soon, their footsteps lost themselves in the maelstrom of sound. Once again, he was alone in the crowd of blissfully ignorant people. Then he felt slightly calloused fingers take his wrist and lead him out of the noise.
"Is there anything wrong, Kakei-san?" It was Clayman. He felt warmth rising in his cheeks. Was he blushing?
"No. It's nothing." He let her take him to wherever it was that the sculpture was to be transported. They were silent but as the noise grew, she would tighten her hold as though to reassure him of something. Some new sort of uneasiness wrapped itself around him.
"We're here," she said, letting go of his hand. The sound of ringing bells made him start and some familiar voices pulled him in. Sakura had asked him to avoid the Honky Tonk and he was led straight to it.
"Oi, needle-cushion! Where's thread spool?" jeered Ban. Jubei shrugged.
"He came with us, Ban-san," said the eccentric artist. This news, not surprisingly, made the Get Backers freeze. The young artist looked at Jubei, amused.
"Are you always with Kazuki-san?" Clayman asked. She had met the thread master once. He seemed like a nice man.
"Whenever I can be." The others watched with surprise as the two conversed. They were unused to the needle thrower being so talkative around anyone other than Kazuki. It was…disconcerting.
"Would you like to see the sculpture now? My client is not yet here." The five others, excluding Akabane, winced.
"I am blind, Clayman-san." The words were dragged out of Jubei's mouth. It was not so much the guilt of betraying Kazuki but rather, something different; something new. The art thief, much to everyone's surprise, was still smiling.
"I know that, Jubei-san." She removed the sculpture's veil. "You don't need your eyes to understand art." She took his hands and brought them to the smoothly shaped, shining marble. Jubei ran his hands down its length. He took his time digging his hands into all the crevices in his reach. Everyone else waited with baited breath.
If it hadn't been staring at them point blank, the others wouldn't have believed it. Kakei Jubei was smiling.
His thoughts would drift to that memory occasionally and he would begin to wonder. Why did he smile? The darkness of his sight was incurable. And Jubei knew that not even his Kazuki could bring it back, no matter how much he tried. Kazuki was not a healer. That was Jubei's role in the thread master's life. If he was, then Jubei would have no life. But as he thought about it, realization dawned on him. Even in the beginning, Kazuki did not need him there. He was not bound to Kazuki. The thought was freeing. Things had never been clearer before.
"Where are you going?" Jubei, Sakura noticed, was going out of Mugenjou more often. She was certain he was going to the Honky Tonk. However, she was also certain that he was not going there to see Kazuki. Today, he was going out again. And today she would find out who had stolen her brother from his self-proclaimed destiny.
"I'm going to see Clayman…" When he heard no reply, he added: "She was a client of the Get Backers."
"Oh. Have fun." Sakura smiled and quietly thanked whichever god there was for answering her prayer.
Clayman shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She had nothing to do. There were no precious artworks in danger and she was uninspired. Since she had met the enigmatic needle thrower, there was nothing that inspired her more than the way his lips slowly, hesitantly curled into a smile.
This was new to her. This feeling of butterflies in her stomach, of some sort of giddiness that fluttered every time she thought of him. A sudden and rash decision came into her mind. A sudden and rash decision that was quite unlike her. She gripped her scalpel in her skilled hands. Without stopping to think twice, she grabbed her coat and stepped out the door, letting the scalpel clatter on the floor.
"Is Jubei here, Ginji-kun?" asked Clayman. The Honky Tonk seemed empty and yet her hopes were high. Just as the blond teen shook his head, the restaurant door swung open.
"Is Clayman here?" was his immediate question. Her usual placid smile widened as se turned around. The Kakei was breathless, leaning heavily on the door. Her heart was beating madly in her chest, seemingly ready to burst open. In her mind she recalled an acquaintance of hers describing the symptoms of the very same kind:
So this was what the so-called infatuation felt like.
The expression on her face softened. She liked it. She liked it very much.
"I'm here, Jubei-kun." She took his hand and led him out the door. Jubei followed her with a small smile on his face.
o.Wa.ri
This is for Rabid Lola, who challenged me to un-gay-ify Jubei…
Painfully but thankfully proofread by Rabid Lola and Wielder of Paperclips :D