Genre: Drama/Romance
Warnings: None
Rating: T
Pairings: Yuki x Shuichi
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I want nothing. Read and Enjoy.
Last time I forgot to answer... in The Angel of the Dance Yuki died because of his age. And Kadzuki... baka indeed > D
Although... comming soon some one shots realted to each other... not telling more...
Inspired by: No idea. My own wild imagination I guess
FOUR: Sacrifice
"Will anyone come forward for this man?"
The question echoed in the almost empty room, silence being the only answer. Eiri didn't even bother to look up. He knew this would only cause more grief to his family. Being there and not being able to do anything... that must have been killing them, especially his sister and her husband.
There wasn't anything anyone could do now. He had committed the only crime that would not be forgiven; the only crime punishable with death: he had killed another man.
"Isn't there anyone willing to come to his aid?"
The blond almost snorted at this. Even if someone cared enough, the risk was too high. He had not only killed another human being, if you could call that man a human being, but he had killed the Supreme Judge's elder brother.
Yoshiki Kitazawa smiled. He hadn't been too fond of his brother, but still, family was family. And the personal grudge he had with the older Uesugi brother made things a lot easier.
Still, he had expected someone to rise when he asked the question. To ask three times, as the old costumes dictated. Then, he would be able to kill this man.
"Won't anyone come help him?"
Silence filled the room again. The younger Kitazawa glanced towards the blonde man and felt the sweet victory finally arriving to him. He had waited for this moment for a long time, a really long time. The death of his older sibling had only rushed his plans a little bit.
He surveyed the room, and watched for a second at the family sitting in the nearest bench. He did not felt pity for them. They were all cowards, they cried for the man in chains, but did not dare to come forward to help him.
Eiri didn't look up when the question was asked for the last time. He knew if they could they would all jump in and save him. But his father was too old and his brother to young for this. The only ones left were his sister and her husband but... she was pregnant. The last time he had seen them he had told them he did not want them to risk the baby for him, because that was the price they would have to pay to keep him alive: his life in exchange of what they loved the most.
The Supreme Judge walked towards the center and prepared to make his announcement. He had won. Eiri would finally die all because he hadn't showed up. To think Eiri had preferred him when the boy wouldn't even show up to save him...
Yes, the true reason he had been so eager to start the trial was because he had once loved the blond writer. After all, no one could hate something with such intensity without loving it first.
"No one has spoken in your behalf. Now you will be-"
The doors opened in that moment, and a young man entered running, followed closely by some guards. Every one stared at the scene for a moment, and even Eiri, who had promised himself not to look up, was watching in surprise.
The guards finally caught him, but Yoshiki made a sign for them to release him. He had waiting for this, he wanted the boy to be present, and see him cry when his beloved Eiri died in front of his eyes. After all, there was nothing the boy could offer to equal the price of his life. Shuichi Shindou was only an apprentice of the Shinigai Temple, and the rules prohibited them to have any material possessions. What could he possibly have to give in exchange?
"Is there something you have to say? Or you have just come to presence the end of this trial?"
Eiri stared at the boy in completely shock. Why was he here was beyond his understanding... until he saw the look in his eyes, it was the same look he had whenever he was about to do something incredibly brave or stupid.
And he feared it was the latter.
"I have come to save his life".
"I see. I'm sure you are familiar with the procedure, are you not?"
The sarcasm in his voice was barely noticeable, but Eiri frowned when he heard it. He knew Yoshiki and there was something wrong with the whole picture. Why was he feeling like this, fearing for the safety of the brat?
"I do".
"Then come forward".
Shuichi walked towards the taller man and stopped a few meters away from Eiri. The writer couldn't help to notice the boy hadn't looked at him once since he had arrived.
"Will you pay the price for saving his life? Will you give up that what you love the most in order to help him?"
Shuichi closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened Eiri realized the boy had been crying. Was it because he knew he couldn't save him? Or because... when he realized what was about to happen he almost screamed. But he wasn't allowed to speak, and he could only watch helplessly as his latest lover, the one he used to consider a toy, risked it all to save him.
"I can't".
Yoshiki stared in confusion for a second before feeling anger creeping over him.
"You can't? Is that the answer to this sacred council? Why have you come then? Why are you wasting our time?"
"I... I just..."
And then Shuichi looked at him. The sorrow in his eyes made Eiri wince. Why was he doing this? Why did he care so much?
For a moment Shuichi looked like an abandoned child, which wasn't so far from the truth, before he smiled with determination. He had cried all night because of this, because he knew what had to be done. Now he was done with the crying, he was ready to let go.
"I can't give what I love the most... because it's him".
The gasp coming from the family of the writer wasn't exactly inaudible, but Shuichi ignored it and continued.
"I came here because I realized he's my most precious one..."
"Then how-?"
"My voice".
Eiri tried to scream, to release himself from the chains, in an useless attempt to stop him, to tell him he wasn't worthy, but it was already too late.
"Your voice? How could that pay the price for his crime?"
On a bench far away, a brown haired man sighed and began to leave. There was no need for him to stay anymore. He had only come to support his best friend. Shuichi was like a brother to him, and it hurt him to see him giving it all up for that man that didn't even loved him back...
How Hiro hoped he was wrong.
Shuichi reached under his shirt and took a golden and silver pendant with the shape of a phoenix. Everyone stared in confusion but three men. Eiri already knew what was coming. Hiro shook his head and Tohma, Eiri's brother in law, smiled sadly in understanding.
Seven years ago, the legendary Sakuma Ryuichi had suddenly left the city, leaving the city without anyone with the power to open the gates behind the Shinigai Temple. His voice had been the only one that could do such thing, but still, he had left. For years people had searched for the prodigious singer, that could let them enter to the temple and guide them to the most powerful weapon ever.
Tohma had been friends to the singer before he left, and suspected that it had been because the greed of mankind that he had left, so no one could reach such power, not even himself. Indeed, the temptation must have been too strong for the man to resist, or he would have not left without a word. The only thing he had done before leaving was giving his medallion to the one he considered being worthy enough to be his successor.
Tohma himself had searched for the new owner of the medallion, but his efforts had been fruitless. Until now. How ironic that the only one who could reach such magnificent power was willing to give it up to save the man Tohma himself couldn't protect.
"I'll give my voice in exchange of his life".
Eiri shook his head, but Shuichi was no longer looking at him.
No one moved for what seemed an eternity. Yoshiki finally understood what the boy was doing and had to make an effort not to laugh at the stupidity of the boy. He was giving him the power to rule the city in a golden plate!
"Is this your final decision?"
Shuichi nodded and then closed his eyes. He knew his sacrifice would be received, and with that, he would prove Eiri was worth forgiving. If someone could give what he loved the most to save him, wasn't he worthy of a second chance? To Shuichi the philosophy of his people had never been truer.
"So be it. Shuichi Shindou, the council accepts your sacrifice".
And then, with a swift movement with his wand, Yoshiki cast a spell on him, and in a matter of seconds a dark blue light surrounded the boy.
Shuichi didn't even cry.
Eiri closed his eyes and, for the first time in his life since his mother's death, felt his eyes sting with warm tears. When he opened his eyes he found himself staring directly in a pair of amethyst eyes.
He didn't realize when the chains were removed, or when his family rushed towards him. He could only stare those eyes. And then, he saw him muttering something, something he realized he would never hear from the boy again.
'I love you, Eiri'.
With that, Shuichi turned around and walked towards the entrance, where his best friend was waiting. Eiri watched him leave without being able to move. He didn't saw Shuichi collapse just outside the building, or the tears Hiro tried to wipe away, but he knew what he had to do.
Without a second thought he began running to where Shuichi had left, ignoring the screams from his family, the guards or the council. He had to catch them, he had to... he had to... do, say something, anything.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Shuichi lied on the bed, his eyes closed and his breath slow and steady. On the edge of it, a blonde man observed him. Shuichi's friend had explained to him that the brat didn't want Eiri to stay with him as a payment for what he had done...
The stupid brat didn't want to become a nuisance for him, or make him feel obligated to anything.
For a second Eiri contemplated if that was what it was... if he had brought the boy with him because he felt he owed him something...
But in that moment, when Shuichi had entered the Council's Hall, he had felt something... he had been glad Shuichi was there, that he could see him a last time before his sentence was carried on.
Allowing himself a small smile, the blond man leaned forward and kissed the boy. He would certainly miss the endless chattering from him, as well as the comfort of his old residence now that he had been banished from the city, but as long as the brat was around he felt it wasn't so bad.
0o0o0o0o
Far away from where the two lovers now slept in silence, a cry of anger echoed on the temple... Yoshiki Kitazawa had just understand... Shuichi's voice was useless to him if he didn't know the words he needed to say.
He had had them and had let them go. He hadn't killed Eiri, and didn't posses the power either. He had ordered the guards to kill them if they ever approached the city again, and with that, the chances of getting what he wanted had disappeared in front of his eyes.
He had won nothing.
FIN