Thanks To My Reviewers!
KousukeAsuzuki: Yeah, I've got a quite a bit planned with this story. It'll go on for a while, eight chapters or so. Yeah, I figured that no one ever mentions Kiyotaka cooking, like he never did it, and they all love Ayumu's so much, that maybe Kiyotaka just never did learn.
Kuroi Kitty: Thanks! I try to update once a week, if at all possible.
Born of Avalon: Thanks! Hopefully you'll enjoy this next part too!
Yuumei: See more? Raises eyebrow Sorry, but I'm a pretty poor artist so you'll have to let your imagination create the pictures.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them. Working on building up enough money to bribe the right people into loaning them on a long-term basis.
F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy
III. Unity
Part Two
From Ayumu's Point of View:
Eyes had been quiet on Friday, unusually quiet, and I figured that I had pushed him too far. I didn't expect to see him in my apartment Tuesday. The door was ajar though, and I couldn't help smiling when I saw Eyes lounging on my couch.
"Have some time for a short trip?" he greeted me, and I nodded, dashing off a quick note to Madoka and following him out the front door. We walked in silence to the recital hall, and I raised an eyebrow when I noticed that a second piano had been pushed onstage.
"What are you up to?" I asked suspiciously.
"Here," Eyes said, handing me a piece of music.
"You want me to play for you?" I asked, shifting from one foot to another warily.
"I want you to play with me," Eyes clarified, shuffling his music to produce a second part to the duet, and patting the bench next to him. "Kiyotaka always tried to convince me I should record a duet. Take the top part, for now."
I stared at Eyes for a moment, finally sitting down, my nerves now fluttering uncomfortably. I took the music, looking over the notes carefully, running a finger along the carefully written music. "Watch the runs here," Eyes warned me, his finger meeting mine briefly. I felt my cheeks grow hot for a moment, resisting the urge to let my fingers fall over Eyes' hand.
I took a deep breath, and nodded. "I'm not great at sight reading," I warned Eyes. "I'd be better after practice."
"Helpful to know," Eyes told me dryly. "But you're here now, so humor me."
I nodded, swallowing carefully, and plunking out the first measure, surprising myself by the ease with which my fingers were moving. I faltered for a moment as Eyes got up and crossed to the second piano, beginning to play as well, but I continued, managing to finish the piece with fewer mistakes than I had anticipated.
"Someday your brother will be wrong," Eyes muttered, folding the piece of music carefully. "What will it take to convince you to play with me, record a song, perhaps?"
"You think it's good enough?" I asked skeptically. "I mean, it sounds good, but I…"
"Will improve with practice?" he mocked me, giving me a pained look. "Little Narumi, no one has played it as well as you yet. Perhaps it is because you don't fight my rhythm and blend with me. Or maybe it is because unlike most people, you actually know me."
"I guess," I replied, staring at the white keys in front of me, barely aware of Eyes sitting down on the bench next to me.
"Ayumu?"
"Is this really that important to you?" I asked, still feeling uncertain.
"Yes," Eyes replied simply. "Will you do it?"
"Okay," I heard myself agreeing. "I will, if it means that much to you."
"I don't need to bribe you?" Eyes asked skeptically, and I shook my head. "When did things change so much between us?" he wondered out loud, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a jab at him.
"When you stopped being a jerk," I told him, and he glared at me.
"Very funny." He started to say something more, but suddenly grabbed his ribs, doubled over in pain.
"Eyes?" I asked, my voice panicked and childish. "What's wrong? Can I help you?"
"Here," Eyes reached out, taking my hand in his. He brought my hand up to his stomach, guiding it under his shirt.
"Eyes, what—" I started to say, but stopped as Eyes slid my hand up over his ribs, stopping at the gap where the seventh rib should have been.
"There," Eyes told me softly. "That's how you know one of the Blade Children. It burns in pain to remind us of our cursed nature. It hurts, but eases again soon enough, until one day it kills us.
"This tiny flaw will kill you," I murmured, running my thumb gently along Eyes' skin, feeling the dip between ribs.
"As for how you can help me," Eyes said, his voice shaking, his eyes closing. "You have to stop."
"Stop?" I repeated, and then suddenly became aware of the small stroking motions my thumb was making. "I'm hurting you," I said, jerking my hand away, only to find it still tangled in Eyes'.
"You're not," Eyes told me, tightening his grip momentarily, as though in response to his own pain. "You made it feel better, actually. But the pain is part of the weight I bear, the curse I must carry alone."
"Don't be stupid," I retorted angrily. "You don't have to carry anything alone. That's why you have friends."
"And what, you'll continue to hold my hand until the pain passes?" I think he was aiming for sarcasm, but I ignored it, pulling myself closer to him, bracing his body with mine and offering my other hand.
"Yeah, if that's what you need," I told him roughly. His luminous blue eyes turned to face me, and I leaned forward, stopping suddenly when I realized I was acting as though this were one of my dreams, about to kiss him. My face colored slowly, and I let my chin drop to my chest. "Sorry, I'm pushing you too much," I muttered. To my surprise, Eyes moved closer, relaxing into my grip.
"You're a good friend, Little Narumi," Eyes said, his head resting against mine.
I helped Eyes back to his hotel, getting him into bed before he fell asleep. I collapsed next to him, suddenly weary and filled with worry. I watched as Eyes lay still, even more pale and still than usual, and wondered for the first time what I was to him. I thought I was so sure, but the clues were starting to pile up in favor of Eyes not considering me just a friend, which confused me as much as it pleased me. I made myself promise to get up as soon as I was certain Eyes was okay. But my weary eyes had other ideas.
From Eyes' Point of View:
I awoke, confused to find myself spooned tightly against Ayumu, his arms wrapped tightly around me. I relaxed, enjoying the feeling, not entirely certain what had prompted Ayumu to stay, but more certain that my feelings were not entirely one sided. I carefully turned, facing Ayumu and enjoying the quiet and admiring how calm and easy he looked when he slept. I ran a feather light finger over the skin between his eyes that was usually crinkled and creased in deep thought, but now was smooth, his cares erased for a moment. My finger continued down the arch of his nose, then dropped to his lips, tracing around them softly. He shifted slightly in his sleep, and before I gave into temptation, I cupped his cheek, putting more pressure into my touch and gently waking him up.
"I think you fell asleep," I told Ayumu when he blinked sleepily, and he nodded.
"I just meant to make sure you were all right," Ayumu admitted, easing his arms free of me to look at his watch. "I can't believe I just slept for four hours."
I rolled over to glance at the clock, confirming that it had gotten late. "I don't want to get up," I groaned, and was surprised to find a pair of strong arms suddenly looped around me.
"You were hurt, you're entitled to stay put," Ayumu informed me. I turned back to him, snuggling in again.
"What's your excuse?" I asked him, looking up at his deep brown eyes.
"I don't want to get up," he repeated, smiling at me. His smile faded a moment later, replaced with a sad frown. "You scared me, Eyes."
"It's not usually that bad," I confided in him. "It was worse than usual, but easier to handle because you were there."
"I helped?" Ayumu asked, looking surprised. "Unless my being there was what made it worse?"
"I don't think—" I started to say, and jumped when the door burst open. Kousuke, as usual, had never learned common manners and decided to burst into my bedroom unannounced.
"Oh shit!" Kousuke burst out, his face suddenly turning as red as his hair. "No one bothers to tell me you two hooked up! I would have knocked, if I knew, I mean…"
Ayumu and I started to babble instantly, mixed bits of denial and explanation. "The curse's mark," I said, sitting up only to find that I was shirtless, and Ayumu turned bright red.
"The buckles on your shirt," he said, sitting up and pulling away from me. "I was afraid they might hurt you worse if you laid on them…"
"It's okay," I said, getting up and crossing to the closet to retrieve a white dress shirt. I began buttoning it carefully. "Kousuke?"
"You aren't dating?" Kousuke repeated, looking back and forth between the two of us. "But Rio said…"
"Did you have some news for us?" I demanded, cutting him off before he could spill Rio's suspicions of my feelings for Ayumu.
"Oh yeah," Kousuke said, looking somewhat abashed. "Cops found a body behind that book store, The Crayon House. Been there about four hours."
"Four hours?" I repeated, my voice suddenly cold. "Who was it?"
"Padma," Kousuke replied, shaking his head. "At least I think it was. I couldn't get a good look at the body, and there wasn't much identifiable, Eyes. Her body was destroyed, mutilated. It looked like her and kind of like one of those wispy things she always wears, a whatchmacallits."
"A sari?" I corrected him coolly, catching the perplexed look on Ayumu's face. "The curse mark burned four hours ago, which should have told me that one of us had died, but I ignored it, because it burns me too often now. You came to me this week with a bad feeling. I failed Padma."
"She was one of the Blade Children," Ayumu concluded. "Indian?"
"Yes," I nodded, grateful his wits were sharper than Kousuke's. "She cut herself off from all of us, in an attempt to live in isolation rather than take a life. We had respected her decision, but if she came here…"
"She had to be looking for us," Kousuke burst out, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "And this guy didn't just hunt her, he destroyed her."
"It's personal, most likely," Ayumu concluded. "Violence like that doesn't sound like just another hunter. An impersonal attack like a sniper would suit them just fine." At this, he inclined his head toward me, and I nodded, agreeing.
"Check in with your sister in law," I suggested, and Ayumu nodded, picking up his coat and shrugging it on. "We'll catch up with you in a couple of hours at the crime scene."
"See you then," Ayumu said, leaving, and I started to leave as well, but Kousuke stopped me, shoving me backwards roughly.
"He's been here for a while, sleeping in your bed. Rio says you're in love with him. And then you tell me you aren't interested in Little Narumi?"
"I said nothing of the sort," I replied, narrowing my eyes in irritation. "We are not dating."
"Just sleeping together then," Kousuke retorted. "Eyes, you can't use him to replace Kanone. You deserve better, and we need him!"
"I am doing nothing of the sort! I love him, not Kanone," I objected fiercely. "Nor is it any concern of yours whom I sleep with, literally or figuratively."
"You haven't…?" Kousuke trailed off, looking completely bewildered. "What the hell are you doing, Eyes? He obviously wants you!"
"I can't," I replied, my eyes falling. "Time is running out for me, Kousuke. Why should I put him through that?"
"Why not let him make that decision?" Kousuke objected.
"It takes two to tango," I replied, sweeping past Kousuke. "Come along, Kousuke."
"Where are we going?" he asked, following me quickly.
"Padma probably went to the same place she's stayed last time she came to Tokyo," I replied. "She was a creature of habit, and would have no way to find any of us."
"Sound pretty flimsy if you ask me," Kousuke commented.
"Think!" I snapped, loosing my patience. "She was found by The Crayon Box. We never could keep her out of bookstore when she occasionally came out of seclusion. That was her favorite. Padma is and always has been a creature of habit."
"Fine," Kousuke agreed irritably. "But what is going back to her old place going to get us?"
"I don't know." It was true. If Ayumu was right, I didn't know where to begin. Padma had completely isolated herself from humans, making herself one of the least likely people of my acquaintance to have a personal enemy.