Chapter 7
Hey everyone! I'm here with your next chapter full of new and confusing universe crossings (wow, even that sentence was confusing…). Now last chapter, I only got 2 reviews (if I receive more after I've written this then I'll say sorry to those people who think that I'm forgetting them) so I'm not really sure whether anyone's really reading this or not. I mean, I'd much rather concentrate on either my other story, Moon Light's Call, which gets a lot more reviews than this one did last time. But! If the reviews continue, then the chapies continue. No further words on the subject. Let's see, last chapter, the dark Hiro stumbled into the good universe, although he doesn't know it yet. Shuichi'd opened the front door only to find the good Hiro on the front step. We ended the story with the dark Hiro forcing open the door and coming face to face with his good equivalent. Let the fun begin!
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own ANY of the characters from Gravitation who are the sole property of the genius Maki Murakami.
"S-Shuichi! What's going on?" The two Hiros came face to face, the dark one forcing the door out of Shuichi's grasp.
"I agree with…myself…what the fuck's going on here?" Both the Hiros turned and stared at Shuichi.
"Er…would you believe a mirror?" Shuichi laughed nervously and tried to turn around and go out the still open door.
He wasn't fast enough however and the dark Hiro quickly grabbed the back of his shirt "Don't even think about it" he said in a deadly voice.
"Hey! Take your fucking hand off of Shuichi!"
"What'll you do about it?"
"You wanna know?"
"Yeah, I wanna know. You know what I think? I think you're the wimpy version of me. You got no-" he didn't get any further because Hiro punched him in the face point blank. The dark Hiro slammed into the opposite wall and slid to the floor.
"Um…Hiro…that might not have been a very good idea…" Shuichi tugged at his friends arm, trying to pull him down the hall away from his seething dark version, currently bleeding on the floor. Relenting, Hiro followed Shuichi into the master bedroom, but not without a last look at the furious copy of himself. Just as they entered the bedroom, they heard a howl of fury come from the living room and they quickly closed and locked the door, resulting in a large thump coming from the other side, followed by furious pounding.
"YOU FUCKING DICKWAD! OPEN THIS GOD DAMN DOOR! YOU BETTER TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW BEFORE I GET REALLY MAD AND CUT DOWN THIS DOOR WITH A KITCHEN KNIFE! THEN I'LL COME IN THERE AND USE THAT KNIFE ON-" Shuichi and Hiro blocked out the noise coming from the other side of the door as best they could. Shuichi sat down on the bed, his head in his hands looking decidedly gloomy.
Sitting down, Hiro hesitantly put an arm around Shuichi who proceeded to sob "Hey! Shuichi! What's with the water works? If anyone should be crying it should be me! You saw what that…thing was like out there, was that really me?"
"B-but I should have d-done something! H-he could have hurt you! Then it w-would have been a-all my fault!"
"Hey, don't let me here you say that! Where ever this thing came from, it has nothing to do with you!"
Shuichi looked up at Hiro with a face that clearly said 'you wanna bet on that?' Hiro looked back at the door that was still getting physically assaulted from the outside.
"Are you telling me that you had something to do with that…evil clone of me?" Hiro just couldn't believe that his Shuichi would actually do something like that. He was more into pink, and happy, and…bubbles than evil cloning of their best friend. Still crying, Shuichi choked out the story about the universe portal in their hallway wall. When Shuichi came to the part about describing their dark counterparts, Hiro was shocked to hear that he and Shuichi slept together…and that Yuki was forced to live in the same house with them, all the while that this was going on. Neither of them noticed however the silence outside the door once Shuichi began his story.
Once Shuichi was done, and had successfully gone through a whole box of Kleenex, it was Hiro's turn to sit on the bed with his head in his hands. It was all rather overwhelming, what with the double lives, the crossing overs, and the idea that there was another him right outside the door. It was all more than enough to give a man a headache. Looking over at Shuichi though, he knew that Shuichi was feeling decidedly worse. He knew that Shuichi was worrying greatly about his Yuki who was trapped over on the other side. There was a sudden gasp from beside him and he quickly looked over at Shuichi.
Oh my god…Tohma's still over there! He doesn't know that I went back to my own time!" Shuichi moaned and put his head back in his hands.
"You mean you left Tohma to wait outside?"
"Yeah, he and I went over there to rescue Yuki but then Hiro…not you, the other one, started to come down the hall so Tohma went outside so he wouldn't be found. That's when the other Hiro went through the wall and I knew I couldn't let him loose in our universe so I followed him and I…L-LEFT TOHMA A-ALL BY HIMSELF!" Shuichi burst out in another torrent of tears and Hiro awkwardly put his arm back around his sobbing friend.
"Hey, don't worry about it! Tohma's a grown man! Why, I bet you that he's on his way to rescue Yuki right now!" Hiro tried to make himself sound more sure than he felt.
"A-are you…sure about t-that?"
"Yeah, don't you worry about a thing" Shuichi smiled through his tears and Hiro couldn't help but smile back. "Now why don't we deal with that bastard outside the door and then go give Tohma some help."
Shuichi grinned, "Yeah, let's go get Yuki back!"
Hiro shook his head and muttered, "Easier said than done…"
"Um…Hiro…"
"Hm?
"Um…did you see what happened to Yuki?"
"I thought you said he was in the dark place?"
"No, the other one. The one who was in the living room when you first came to the door." Now that Shuichi mentioned it, he did remember Yuki on the floor when he first came in. Since Yuki wasn't being his usual obnoxious self, it had almost immediately slipped his mind once his dark twin came into the picture. Shuichi and Hiro looked at each other, both suddenly realizing that it was quiet outside of the bedroom door.
"Shit" They ran to the door and unlocked it, Hiro pushing Shuichi behind him and slowly opening the door, fully expecting to find an angry knife wielding clone outside the door. Not finding anyone, Hiro peeked further out the door, only to have his head almost separated from his neck as a knife flew by. Quickly pulling his head back in the door, he closed and locked it, ignoring the large cut along his throat.
"Ah! Hiro! You're bleeding!" Shuichi quickly ran into the adjacent bathroom and got a wet cloth, then holding it up to Hiro's cut. He winced feeling the slight stinging as the cloth quickly turned bright red.
"It's fine, just leave it."
"But Hiro!"
"I said leave it!" Shuichi backed away, unsure about his friend's terse tone.
"D-did you see Yuki outside?"
Hiro looked away for a second then nodded slowly "Yeah…but, damn it Shuichi I'm sorry, but he didn't look really good…"
Shuichi blanched and looked like he was going to faint "What do you mean…by not good…"
Hiro thoughtfully touched his still bleeding wound "Well, I don't know. I didn't really get too good a look at him since my head was trying to stay attached to my head-"
"HIRO! JUST FUCKING TELL ME ALREADY!"
"Sorry, it's just…hard. I don't think you really want to know…" Hiro looked slightly green but Shuichi was just getting more and more impatient.
"Just tell me! I swear I can take anything you say!" but he added silently to himself 'well…almost anything'.
Hiro paused, still looking decisively green, then said slowly, watching Shuichi the whole time "well, he was lying on the floor and…his head was backwards…" That's all it took. Shuichi's violet eyes widened then rolled up in his head as he fell backwards in a dead faint.
(Yay! Time for a POV change! We're going to go to the POV of Tohma, just after he stepped outside to avoid contact with the dark Hiro)
Tohma quickly and quietly opened the front door, giving silent thanks for the cover of dark. Slipping out, he quietly closed the front door behind him, hoping that Shuichi did well, and wouldn't do anything that would endanger either of their lives. Unsure of what to do while he waited for some sort of clue from Shuichi, Tohma looked around at the surrounding neighborhood. Like in his own universe, it was a rich mans neighborhood, with large, sprawling mansions and expensive landscapes. The only thing that seemed to be different (at least on the outside) were the guards. There had to be at least 5 to each yard, and some of the more expensive looking homes had as many as 20, all in full uniform and carrying machine guns. 'wow, paranoid society…' Looking around Yuki's own yard, Tohma counted 7 guards out front, and he was sure there were more behind the house as well. Something was different about these guards though. Tohma stared thoughtfully then stood up straight as the answer came to him. They all had the tattoo of the character zetsumei, or death, tattooed somewhere on their body that was visible. Just when he was starting to wonder whether it was some kind of cult thing or not, one of the guards spotted him.
"Ah! Seguchi-sama! I didn't see you come in! Are you here to check up on your property or some last minute arrangement about the party?"
Trying to put on a mask of severity and command, Tohma answered "That, is none of your business…now is it, guard-sama." He said mockingly.
The guard flushed slightly as his fellow guards hooted and made catcalls at him "You made it my business, Seguchi-sama, as soon as you set foot on my master's property" he answered, still slightly flushed.
"Oh really" Tohma took a step forward "So my business is your business, did I hear that correctly?"
"The guard gulped visibly but didn't move "Please Seguchi-sama, all I need to know is why you're here."
Tohma grinned wolfishly "Well then, guard-sama, what if I told you I was here to blow this building up?" The guards from around the house started calling out encouragement to their fellow guard and the man visibly swelled with bravery, deciding to take a crack at Tohma.
"Then, sir, I would kindly ask you to stand still while my boys and I pound the crap out of you. No disrespect meant, sir." The encouraging shouts of his fellow guards, and even some from the neighboring yards were clearly into the banter now, backing the guard. 'Just what I don't need, attention…'
Tohma held up his hands in a sign of surrender "Okay, okay, I confess, I was here to check out my property before tonight's dance." The guard's eyes narrowed and he looked at Tohma.
"Well then, Seguchi-sama, now that you're done, why don't you just move that fancy ass of yours back to your car and shove out."
Tohma smiled "Ah, if only I could, however, I forgot something inside the house so unfortunately, I'll be going back inside now. Good-bye" Praying to all the gods he knew that he wouldn't be greeted by an angry crowd inside the room, Tohma flung open the door to the house and was greeted with an empty room. Shutting the door in the guard's face, Tohma looked around carefully, letting the mask of severity fall off his face in an instant, once again his old self.
"Pst! Shuichi! Where did you go!" Looking around, Tohma quickly came to the conclusion that Shuichi was no longer in the room. "Damn…" Going against his better judgment, Tohma proceeded down the hall, hoping that he wouldn't run into the other occupants of the house. He hadn't gotten far though when he heard voices coming out of the door leading to the basement. Pulling the door open a crack, he listened to what they were saying.
"I'll go with almond I guess."
"All right, almond it is."
There was a short pause and then "Five! FIVE! Why couldn't I just wash my hair and leave it at that?"
"Because Yuki, this is one of the many things that Shuichi insists on. Come on Yuki, just let me do this, you've never made a fuss before!"
"First off, I don't make fusses, I make arguments. And second off, YOU NEVER FUCKIN DID THIS BEFORE!" Tohma smiled. That was the Yuki he knew.
"This whole damn day is weird. Ever since that power outage and that…damned…wall." Yuki sounded confused. "That fucking trick wall or something. I tripped over that dictionary that I threw at Shuichi and I fell towards a wall, except I, ow!"
"Can you just shut up and let me get you ready?" Tohma was so absorbed in the conversation going on downstairs that he never even heard the footsteps behind him.
"Well well, look-e here, it's the women killer." Tohma froze then turned around slowly, hastily getting into character. There was Shuichi, leaning against the wall, smirking at him and looking decidedly less…cheerful than his regular self 'well, that defiantly isn't the Shuichi who came through the wall with me… man, he looks evil, maybe it's the tube pants and the masochist shirt or something…'
Tohma put on a knowing smirk "And if it isn't the little slave driver. I see your little pet is downstairs getting all prepped up for the bash tonight."
Shuichi gave a short bark of laughter "He was always more your pet than mine, but…what can I say, he grows on me…" he looked thoughtful "almost like a fungus." This caused him to crack up and it took him awhile to get a hold on himself. Tohma just stood there with a knowing smile on his face. Once he was back under control, Shuichi peered at the open door leading to the basement.
"I guess I better hurry them up… YUKI! SUGURU! ARE YOU GUYS DONE DOWN THERE YET! YOU KNOW WE SHOULDN'T KEEP TOHMA WAITING!" Shuichi smirked slightly and waited.
He didn't have to wait long "We are almost finished down here, we should be done in about 5 minutes milord!"
"MAKE IT 3!" They heard a sigh from downstairs then a rustling of clothes. Shuichi suddenly looked thoughtful "Hm, I wonder if they've fucked yet."
Tohma looked up quickly, put off guard momentarily by the frankness of this comment then he put his mask back on and replied "Guess we'll find out eventually." Shuichi grunted in response then turned away from the door to look at him.
Shuichi's eyes suddenly lit up and he started to get all excited "Hey! Tohma! You'll never guess this new toy that I picked up for the party tonight! Oh man, it is the sweetest thing out there since the iron maidens. You wanna see it? Huh? Huh? Come on, pleeeeeaaase!" Tohma was reminded of the way Shuichi used to look like that except it was for something like pocky, or for a kiss from Yuki.
"Maybe some other time…" Tohma looked at Shuichi with feigned interest "So are you ready for this party yet, cause there's no way I'm seeing you go to one of my parties, dressed like that."
Shuichi grinned, "No fucking way man, I just got this new halter top and some wicked leather pants. Hiro'll die when he sees them"
Just then, Suguru and Yuki came up the stairs from the basement. Tohma couldn't help it, his jaw dropped. Yuki was wearing a light blue button up shirt with only the middle button done up. He was wearing tight leather pants that were dark black in color. All in all it was pretty plain, but the overall effect was dramatic. There also seemed to be a light almond scent wafting up from Yuki, and his hair was extra shiny from the washing he'd just received. Yanking his eyes away from Yuki, and forcing his mouth closed, he turned to his cousin…or at least what might have acted like his cousin once. Instead, Tohma was greeted with a cold stare coming out from heavy lidded eyes outlined in black. The thing that most caught his attention was the tattoo below his eye of zetsumei. Tohma instantly thought of the guards outside and knew that Suguru was somehow connected with them.
"Well then, it looks like the pet is all ready for my bash tonight. I have to say that he looks better than the last one that he went to." Tohma grinned wolfishly at Yuki and gave him a thorough look over as he thought his character might do.
"Get your fucking eyes off my body." Yuki glared at him and crossed his arms over his body in a half hearted attempt to conceal himself from prying eyes.
Shuichi's head shot up and he stared long and hard at Yuki "Shut it Yuki, you're no longer anyone worth any respect. Anyone can watch you, talk to you, or fondle you whenever, or however they want. As soon as we get back from the party you're going to get the long needed reminder of your position that you need. Nothing ever gives you the right to talk to the boss like that." Shuichi glared at Yuki, silently telling him that if he said anything more, he would personally dismantle him. Yuki shot one last quick glare over at Tohma but didn't say anything.
Shuichi turned away and the matter was instantly closed. "I'm off to get changed. Suguru, I need you to go round up your guard buddies. Half of them are to accompany us to the bash tonight." Suguru nodded and headed outside, refusing to turn around and give Yuki a last look.
"Tohma, there's vodka in the kitchen if you want it. I'd get it for you, but, you know…" he made a little gesture to his clothes then smirked and headed off to the bedroom, leaving Tohma alone with Yuki who was looking at the floor, anger still in his eyes. Once Tohma heard the door click closed down the hall, he grabbed Yuki's arm and shoved him into the kitchen, which was even further from the bedroom.
"Okay, just shut up and hear me out. We don't have very much time till Suguru gets back." Tohma quickly brought Yuki up to date. Once he was through, he watched Yuki carefully.
"So…why the fuck are we still here?"
Tohma sighed, "Well, I can't find Shuichi…"
Yuki narrowed his eyes "There is no fucking way that I'm staying here any longer."
Tohma shrugged "Okay then, let's go momentarily back to our world to drop you off." Yuki nodded and they headed back down the hallway. Coming to the point in the wall, Yuki walked quickly to it, eager to get out of the universe, which seemed adamant on getting him to a party where he would be burned and tortured. However, once he actually came to the wall, instead of going through it, he smashed into it. Staggering backwards, he rubbed his nose ruefully.
"Damn!" Tohma made a shushing motion and gestured to the door behind which was Shuichi. Yuki glared resentfully at the wall that bared his reentry to his own world. Before either of them could say anything about what just happened, or of what to do next, the doorbell rang. The both looked at each other guiltily then raced silently back to the front of the house, Yuki to pretend to make tea, and Tohma to get the door. Straitening his shirt, Tohma opened the door slowly and was greeted by another familiar face that was once again clouded by some unnamable emotion. There on their doorstep stood K. Behind him, Tohma could see the resentful glare of the guards directed at K and guessed that they knew about the security threat that this man imposed upon their master.
Before he could say anything, K pushed his way inside and sat down on the nearest couch "So good of you to invite me in" K grinned wolfishly and Tohma got a momentary glance at something truly horrifying. All of the teeth in K's mouth were filed to a point so that Tohma thought that he was looking at a demon or something.
Yay! I'm done with this chapter after…3months or so… /sighs/ oh well, what's done is done and this chapter is defiantly done. I hope you guys like it and I really need reviews. The reason this one took so long is because I felt so depressed about the number of reviews /sob/ jk! But it still was a dismal number. I'll talk to you guys next time!