Ripples in Red Water

Chapter 5: Rave

Part 2

Amber meets Amethyst

By: Empathic Soul

Disclaimer: Gravitation is a wonderful anime. It is sadly not mine.

PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Thank you once again to those who reviewed! I really love the reviews! Hehe! Helps me and makes me inspired to write the story again!

Thank you once again! Please read and review and as Ruruouni Sesshouhen remarked: Read with you heart!

Thank you! Oh, I would like to give you something to think about first.

To whom do you think I patterned Sakuya Hale's Character? Anyone who could guess gets Ramune Soda and Pocky! What is the main plot of this story? Have you guessed it? I've actually dropped several hints in the past chapters with regards to the main plot of this story! Try and guess! Hehehe!

BE FOREWARNED: This chapter includes angst, drama, and a LOT as in a LOT of violence! Please do read this with care and understanding. Absorb it so that you would get some of the subtle hints for the plot and do so understand the characters as well. Thank you so much!

Shuichi tossed and turned, feeling the heat creeping through his skin. The prickly heat has caused him to open his eyes even barely aware of where he is. His head also added up to the mixed contortion of pain and torture to his petite body. He felt like the room was too cold because it sent him shivers and goosebumps, at least he was aware that he was in a room.

But his eyes widened when he saw the room, using his own eyes…the room is white.

White…

Shuichi's eyes widened even more as he gazed at the walls suddenly changing its color as red fluid with a tangy smell came flowing down. The crimson shade oozed down to reveal the broken body of his mother lying on the floor mangled and almost torn into pieces.

He was scared. The eyes of his mother stared at him blankly as if willing him to die with him.

Scared…

He shook his head and took several steps back until he felt himself bump onto a wall. He placed his hand on his forehead when all of a sudden a hand grabbed the edge of his pajamas. He looked down slowly trying to realize who it was that held his pajamas in a slight tug. His eyes widened as he saw the naked form of his sister…

She was naked and she looked at him with a pleading look and then was slashed violently as red tainted him. Her blood flew as a sickle landed deftly on her. He turned around only to see his older brother, Shun…bathing in red water…

Help….

Help…

HELP!

His mind swirled in pain. There was no one there. His body felt this abnormal heat enveloping him as if intending to swallow him. He was alone. He could smell that tangy fragrance of crimson water…

He kept on shouting…

He kept on yelling…

But…

No one came…

Tohma smiled as he saw Yuki sleeping in the table where Mika tended to her brother. He just returned to place ice once more. It was only about an hour but it would be helpful for Yuki to at least get even a small amount of sleep. For three consecutive days, he's been watching Shuichi, day-in-day-out. They offered to switch places so that everyone could get some rest, but he roughly declined saying—indirectly of course—that he wanted to be there when Shuichi wakes up. At least now, Yuki seemed to be willing to go to sleep after many persuasive attempts.

Now the only predicament left for them is Shuichi and his decreasing health.

Tohma gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek to inform her that he would be going to Shuichi to take care of him again. He was about to go when an ear-shattering scream broke out into the entire household. Everyone in the apartment suddenly woke up, alert, and in alarm as they raced where they have left the boy.

Yuki was up in no time as he raced against Tohma and got there first. They saw Shuichi sitting up in the bed looking straight but not towards them. Yuki felt like smiling since he's already awake as everyone in the room felt the same. They all looked excited and also the feeling of relief washed over them like water…refreshing water.

Of course, Yuki being Shuichi's lover, decided to be the first one to approach the boy.

But he stopped. His eyes focusing on the one thing that Shuichi seemed different with. The boy's eyes were clouded. It was again similar to what happened yesterday. Shuichi could not see him. Even though he was in the same room with him, Shuichi could not see him, and them at that. But he wanted to be there by his side. At least to assure him that he's there for him.

He took a careful step forward and looked at the man who sat on the bed staring into blank space. He looked lost and different than the hyperactive teenage singer that they saw yesterday before the parking lot incident that included that redhead and the pink haired woman. Shuichi looked so different nonetheless, he's still Shuichi. He finally reached it to the side of Shuichi's bed and looked at the boy. Everyone else stood by the door watching them carefully not making a sound.

"Shuichi?" Yuki started placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Yuki felt Shuichi suddenly flinch and look at the hand that was placed on his shoulder. Usually, Shuichi would have recognized his voice, the touch, and the warm feeling that came from that but suddenly his eyes became wide. In his vision, it was not Yuki that touched him. It was not Yuki's voice that he heard. It was someone else's.

He jumped away from the touch rolling away the bed and flaring at Yuki's direction that made the novelist shocked to say the least about the reaction of his lover.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Shuichi shouted angrily. His voice containing venom as Yuki felt a huge weight bringing his heart down crashing on the ground

But Yuki would not be stopped by mere words in taking care of this boy. He stood up, looking as menacingly towards the boy as much as possible or as much as he could muster, but he knew that his face revealed more worry than that of his usual façade. HE stopped about seven steps away from the alarmed boy and looked at him straight in the eyes.

Yuki winced through because the usually clear and sunny view in Shuichi's soul vanished. It was covered with a thick blanket of cloudy feelings muddled with raving from his fever and also rage from the feelings welling inside him. He could not bear seeing Shuichi like this. The normally vibrant teenager was reduced to something like this. He could not take it ay all. It was too much for him.

"Shu…" Yuki was about to attempt to reason with him again when Shuichi suddenly jumped farther away and kept on looking at him in alarm.

"Don't come near…" Shuichi warned, his voice husky and deep with murky feelings of hatred and anger.

"Shuichi-kun…"Tohma tried to interfere upon seeing the growing pain in Yuki's face by being in the receiving end of those words that are coming out the raving boy.

"DON'T COME NEAR!" Shuichi screamed towards the other blonde man that attempted to talk to him.

Everything was foreign to the sick boy in front of Yuki. He was seeing different things. The usual color of Yuki's room was changed in a room of white paint tainted with blood as mangled heap of dead bodies were thrown recklessly on the ground and all those people that tried to come near him were images of his brother.

No!

Don't come near!

Don't touch me!

Shuichi felt himself cornered. His back leaned on the wall behind him and his eyes widened in realization. He cannot be cornered was one of the thoughts that raced in his mind. He was in the corner of a room painted in blood as he stood there alarmed at the decreasing distance between him and his brother. Even though he hated him, he cannot bring himself to actually hurt him. The last time he hurt his brother, it was like hurting himself three times more. It hurt. Even though he killed their mother and sister, it hurt…it still hurt.

But Shuichi did not know that it was Yuki that was getting near him and neither did the author know that Shuichi saw his brother in his mind. But one thing still reigned in the feelings of the young novelist. He would go to Shuichi even if he needs to knock him out cold to stop raving like this.

"Shuichi stop this." Yuki scolded. His voice threatening but gentle, the Yuki-way.

But to Shuichi, it sounded like his brother laughing and then pointing hard at him with a killing glare.

"Chi-chan, come to big brother…." was all his brother tried to soothe. Shuichi felt shivers down his spine as fear engulfed his own soul, clouded his senses, and focused his attention to this man who is trying to get him to come to his embrace.

"DON'T COME NEAR ME!!" Shuichi fell to the floor clutching his knees to embrace them as he made a small attempt to warn the guy from coming nearer to him.

"Shuichi don't you even recognize me anymore? I'm Yuki. Shuichi, stop this…you're just sick." Yuki tried to explain while swallowing a lump in his throat. He observed as the boy clutched his head seemingly closing his hearing and covering his ears like he was hearing something else.

"Shuichi, don't be a bad boy now. I'm Shu-nisan. I want you to stop acting like this…you act like you're mentally sick…maybe you are…" The man laughed eerily as the laughter echoed in Shuichi's mind.

"Argh! Shut up! Shut up! I'm not insane! Shut up! SHUT UP!!" Shuichi screamed shaking his head violently as Yuki stopped his advance and looked with worry at the boy in front of him.

"What's going on? Calm down…" Yuki soothed as best as he could. He never really knew how. But the boy simply placed a hand in front of him to silence the novelist.

"What's going on? Don't you love me?" Shun teased.

"Leave me alone! Take your shit and leave me alone! I have no need of you! You are just a thorn in my eyes!" Shuichi screamed with so much hatred dipping in his voice.

Yuki felt his heart being torn into pieces. He also heard it break into a million pieces. He cannot reach Shuichi at all. The other people simply stood there stoned at the raving boy in front of them. But Yuki was feeling the worst now.

This could not be happening.

Shuichi was vibrant and full of life just a few days ago. And now

Shuichi does not want anyone to touch him…

Not even him…

Him…

His lover…

His…

Yuki felt tears but refused to shed any in front of those people behind him. The others were also worries, but what can they do? Even Hiro and Ryuichi stood there trembling in both frustration and anger towards themselves unable to do anything for the raving boy.

But Yuki knew that if they don't pull Shuichi out of this nightmare once and for all, he would be stuck there for the rest of his life and it would ruin the boy's bright future and the rest of the people who held him as VERY important—stressing on the VERY. He had to step up now. Even if Shuichi kills him in the process as he tried to comfort and send him his voice, he would gladly take it. As long as he shoves away the boy's demons, like Shuichi did to his own, he would be happy.

Even if that means you have to throw away who you are?

Yuki grinned to himself. Who said he'd be throwing his personality away? The boy loved him as he is right? Then this better prove this.

"Shuichi, you BAKA!" Yuki shouted and saw Shuichi suddenly flinch.

In Shuichi's mind, something actually was triggered. The image of his brother stopped advancing and it looking at him in a caring way. It bothered him so much as to how his brother would change in a split second. A while ago, he was so bent up in killing him and also managed to kill their mother and sister in the process, but now soft glaring amber eyes were directed towards him with worry and concern, and most of all love…

WAIT!

Amber?

Amber was not the color of Shun's eyes…

Who did it belong to?

Shuichi slowly raised his head to meet only with the man who is kneeling in front of him on one knew while resting his arm on the other. Like a kneeling…prince…

He saw the man staring at him in the same way as that man in his mind a while ago. But again, nothing in his mind seemed to answer as to who this person is. His head felt too heavy to even think of a possible reaction. He simply stared back wondering who this person is. And why he was there?

Did he hear?

Did he hear his cry for help?

Yuki on the other hand was relieved. In fact, he was very happy. The boy did not push him away anymore. He did not say those mean words to him anymore. He simply sat there, arms wrapped around his knees, and stared at him with a curious and confused look. It was a whole lot better than that Shuichi a while ago. It was a good start.

But who would realist that the "BAKA" word would do miracles?

Yuki mentally made a note to call him baka even more, although he snickered at the thought. Shuichi never was a baka, he just thought it would be a bit…um…romantic…and different. At least this one is personal because no one dared call Shindou Shuichi, genius vocalist, a "baka".

Only him…

And that made it special.

Yuki was snapped at his thoughts when Shuichi's hand reached to touch his face. Yuki looked at the man who still did not seem to recognize Yuki at all. Shuichi's hand traveled to trace the jaw line of the romance novelist, to his cheeks, hair, and then landing to his lips and then letting go. Shuichi merely hugged himself tighter.

"Who are you?" Shuichi asked with a confused glare…yes, a glare.

"Yuki…Yuki Eiri…" Yuki felt awkward actually introducing himself to someone who spent day and nights with. But he had to do it anyway.

"Yuki…Eiri…" Shuichi shook his head and buried it in his palm. "I don't know you…"

"Doesn't matter…" Yuki smiled in front of the boy knowing that the others did not see it. Therefore, he did not bother to conceal it at all.

Shuichi shook his head. Even the voice of this man seemed awfully familiar. He felt his head getting heavier as his senses slowly went to function, particularly his eyesight. Although he felt more sick than possible, at least a few sense were getting back to performing their job. He looked at the man slowly and blinked away the formed and forming tears in his eyes. He noticed the man looked tired and those blonde locks are starting to look like they were never combed in years.

Shuichi felt himself let a smile grace his lips as recognition finally hit him like a storm. He was right. This man in front of him was not stranger. He is someone who loves him despite the fact that he never actually told Shuichi that. He placed his hand once more on Yuki's face and glided it slowly with a slight and gentle caress. As his palm touched Yuki's lips, the blonde man landed a soft gentle kiss on his palm eliciting a gasp from the boy because of surprise. But Shuichi relaxed afterwards.

Shuichi glanced by the door and slowly saw that there are people there with gentle looks on their faces as relief washed over their worry and fear a while ago. There was not a single tense air left floating in the room. There are only mere concern and light waves of relief that graced the people in the room.

Shuichi focused back on the man in front of him. He felt so guilty not being able to notice him sooner and actually yelling at him in the process.

How could I possibly yell at the one person that assured him that he would be listening to his problems all the time?

How could he possibly throw those harsh words to Yuki Eiri?

He wanted to pull away this time, feeling like he was about to faint and at the same time, he felt that weight of guilt in his heart.

But he could not pull back his hand. At first, he thought it was merely because he was too weak to actually do so. His body's fever is just getting worse, he felt it increase in every passing minute. His eyes felt heavy as if sleep wanted to claim him again. His muscles ached and are sore to a degree that he did not even want to know. His side where he was stabbed was giving him pain as well. And most of all the pain of guilt of hurting Yuki Eiri was the worst pain of all.

"I'm sorry…I…I…" Shuichi coughed and felt his body losing more energy. "I did not mean it…I…"

Yuki felt his own heart covered with ice melting along with the mumbling voice of the boy in front of him. He knew that this time, it was the Shuichi that he loves that he's talking to. It was not the one that had screamed at him a while ago. It was not the one that threw Tohma away using rough language. This is the boy that they all grew accustomed with…the energy ball…

Yuki placed a hand on the boy's head and traveled down to his cheek pulling his chin up to make the boy look at him. And he was right. Eyes that had tears in them replaced Shuichi's formerly clouded vision. Those eyes were filled with guilt and pain. Yuki frowned that the boy is still in pain. He sat in front of the boy and looked at him through the eyes of another telling him what he sees in the eyes of this fragile angel.

"Shuichi…" Yuki whispered the boy's name in fear that he might startle him again.

Shuichi felt so hot to touch. He felt as if Shuichi would break into tiny pieces by just touching him. He slowly and gently touched Shuichi's arms and gently feeling him wince and flinch but relax afterwards making Yuki feel happy. He smiled softly not even bothering this time if he was seen. The normal Yuki, which means the old Yuki, would be extremely annoyed, but looking at Shuichi was enough to make his defenses crumble into a bunch of heap.

"Yuki…I feel…awful…" Shuichi muttered. "My past…its…"

Shuichi was silenced when Yuki embraced him suddenly. His body leaned on the broad chest of the older man. Yuki felt bad. Shuichi lost a lot of weight and he felt like he weighed next to nothing. Yuki just tightened his hold and placed Shuichi's head on the crook of his neck. He leaned his head over the head of the younger man who seemed too startled to move. Yuki shifted so that Shuichi lay on his lap.

The boy felt tense at first, but he relaxed in the arms of his lover who smiled in satisfaction. Yuki mumbled some soothing words and also kissed his hair to assure him that he's there. Shuichi mumbled something incoherent and finally went back to sleep and this time, in the arms of his lover.

TBC

Thank you very much for reading and reviewing!

Hope there would be more who would read also!

Oh and please do read Education by Professor Tohma. It's a fic created as some sort of break from all the angst. It's a one-shot. Please do read and review that too!

deppfan1016: I can't help but agree with your review, I mean the part of Suzu. WEll, she might have been "good" to be thinking of giving another person a "new life" though I must admit, Sakuya has an even better point! hehehe (author bias)

ddz008: You're in love with the plot? hehe so have you guessed what the underlying plot is? hahah! well, that was kind of mean of me wasn't it? Oh but don't worry, the plot unravels after this chapter! So this final review gives you the chance to guess! hahaha!

Reiannah: I am extremely glad that you reviewed and that you love Sakuya! hehe, and thank you for reading and reviewing Education by Professor Tohma! Suzu needs a little lecture doesn't she? Well at least Sakuya was smart enough to give her one. Tohma and Ryuichi are such sweet friends. I have noticed that in the series and have understood the depth of their value for commitment. So that's the reason why they are like that in this fic. Same goes with Yuki and Shuichi. Thanks again and I'm expecting to read your review once more!

Silver on the Tree: Now there's someone with a step ahead my plot! Hehe, well I won't really spill some of the information anymore! Congratulations, only a little bit more and you can guess the underlying plot of my story! hahahahah!

Kanilla: Thank you so much for your compliments and your reviews! I love them they give me a boost to write! Just like what I'm doing now!

Mistress of Anime: I must say that I really am very amused with the foreign language! The only thing is that I really hope that I understand it! hahah! but don't worry! It's appreciated all at the same time! But I won't pretend that I understand it! Thank you for reviewing this and also my other one shot! hehe, obviously I didn't have anything to do. And I will tell you also that the poem you sent me reflects something in this story. I guess you already know some of my inner plot neh? heheh! See you!

Clari chan: my very first reviewer! amazing! thank you so much! Muchas Gracias!