Ok, so, it's a little late, but not too bad. And, yes, a little shorter, but what can I say? Sometimes that's just the way things work. But I did try hard to at least get a chapter done this week. And I've been trying especially hard because a friend of mine has recently taken to reading this story. May I say that, honestly, it is the weirdest thing ever to have your friend sit there saying, "I love Yuki so much! And Poe's so cute!" etc. It just seems really unreal. O.o Not to mention she's never, ever going to let me live down the Random Smutfest. I knew I should have taken that down… Though, I did find the fact that she pointed all the foul language pretty amusing. See, honestly, in real life I don't swear around people at all unless I'm really pissed. So she was pretty weirded out with all the swearing I have in my story. What can I say, it's for effect! XD So, just for the heck of it, this chapter's dedicated to you Liz!
Anyway, onward with the story! And remember, I only own what's mine. I don't own anything else.
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Dishes clanked loudly, falling over each other as Link jumped, startled by the ring of the door bell. Jeez, he just couldn't get used to that thing! The owners of the apartment building had had them installed for a while, but they had only gotten around to getting power to them recently. It was fairly loud and far too shrill for Link's taste; and his nerves.
He took a deep breath to calm himself before quickly turning on the faucet, working to rinse most of the soup away as he called, "Poe, could you get the door!" Hearing the hurried footsteps of the young teen he looked back for a moment, spotting Poe skid around the corner before racing for the door.
"I got it!" he cried. Link chuckled to himself as he turned the water off and started to dry his hands. The latch was undone and the chain of the lock pulled tight with a jangled as Poe said happily, "Hi, hi! Can I help you?"
"Uh…" Yup, that was Rikuo. Link flung the towel onto the counter and made his way out of the kitchen and around the island separating it from the living room.
"It's ok Poe, you can let them in," he said. Poe nodded and closed the door briefly, undoing the chain before opening the door again. There stood Rikuo who, admittedly, looked mildly perplexed. It was to be expected though; its one thing to hear you're friend has a kid under foot. It's another to actually see the kid.
Obviously he had failed to warn Sheik though, for the man looked downright stunned.
"L-Link… is there something you need to tell us?" he asked slowly, surely, and sternly. Link smiled sheepishly.
"Uh, well, yeah actually. A lot. You should come inside first though and get warmed up; it looked pretty cold out there." The two nodded and stepped through the entrance, shrugging off their jackets and unwrapping their scarves. It had, indeed, been a very cold day. Poe had pulled away from the group, his initial excitement seeming to pull in behind curtains of uncertainty. He watched the strangers calculatingly, figuring out if they could really be trusted or not. Were they really here to help, or would they turn their backs on the world and take advantage of him as so many before them?
But Link certainly appeared to trust them; his smile was smaller and a little sad. Around them he felt he could show a little of his true emotions, while earlier all he dared show Poe was that one tear streaked smile of his as he poured his heart out to the young teen. The rest of the time he smiled; happily yes, but also mostly artificial.
So, the small teen followed cautiously after the men as they moved to the living room, Link offering them a seat and drinks if they wanted them. They didn't. There was business to attend to.
"Link, would you mind explaining yourself? It's not often I come to see you, only to find you have a child…" Sheik said, eyeing Poe curiously. In turn the boy glanced away and moved to hide behind Link. The young detective shooed him from there though, giving the teen a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.
"Well, I don't think I have to bother saying he isn't mine," Link replied. "He called into the office last night and, while I was passing by there on my way home, the secretary brought me in to talk with him. Once I found out where he was, I went to pick him up. His name's Poe by the way.
"Poe, this is Rikuo and Sheik. Rikuo's one of my partners at work and Sheik's my old partner," Link introduced. Poe nodded his head in acknowledgement and bit his lip. The two men glanced from him to Link, questioningly. Boy, this was even more awkward then the young detective had worried it would be.
"So, with the introductions behind us, what's this all about?" Rikuo finally questioned, breaking the ice. Link took a deep breath as he sat in his chair, motioning for Poe to scoot in next to him. They would be here a while.
"Well… Poe, do you mind if I tell them everything?" Link asked quietly. The teen stared at the men before looking back up at the detective.
"You trust them, right?" Link nodded. "Them I'll trust them too."
"Thanks," Link said before turning his attention back to his friends. "Well, you see, Poe here was previously working under a woman who's very close to Dark's boss. He's met him a couple times and, after getting my number from Dark, called me for help."
"So this little guy knows where Dark Link's at?" Rikuo asked. Link nodded.
"Yeah. He knows a lot about the inner workings of that place."
"But how did a child his age get involved with these kinds of people? What sort of work could he possibly do for a crime ring?" Sheik queried, if not with a small-town naivety. Link grimaced and even Rikuo glanced away, scowling. It took the man a moment to figure out what the problem was, and when it hit him he realized his mistake. Certainly, in a smaller crime ring like those at home, a child would have no place in it; but the big city was a whole other world. He glanced down at his hands and murmured, "No, never mind. You don't need to answer that."
"I'm a child prostitute," Poe replied bluntly. Link snapped his head around, looking at the boy with amazement; Rikuo's scowl deepened and even Sheik had to look up in surprise. The teen just glowered at them. "Don't give me that. A fact's a fact. I don't like people acting all, 'Oh, the poor baby, let's not talk about that around him.' I was a prostitute, ok? Ok!" Link bit his lip hard before opening his mouth to speak, but hardly a syllable was out before Poe shouted, "No! I don't want any pity, so don't give it to me! I just want you to help Dark! If you feel sorry for me then help me save him!"
"Wait… he here on Dark Link's behalf or something?" Rikuo asked suddenly. Poe shook his head vigorously.
"Nuh uh. He doesn't know I'm here. I came because I like him and don't want him to get any worse then he is. He'll go crazy there!" Poe cried. Link flinched and placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, giving him a look that said "Don't go there." But the comment was already out on the table and open for inspection.
"Any worse? What's that supposed to mean?" Rikuo asked suspiciously; Sheik sat quietly back, deciding to leave the question asking to the other. Oh, but Link simply couldn't let that get out. He didn't want them to know about Dark's mental state. He knew that's what Poe had meant by "getting worse." The teen openly voiced his worries about the thief being mentally unwell. Still though, Link kept Dark's dark secret to himself.
So, he pulled out his trump card for when an inappropriate topic came up: changing the subject to one that will hold the audiences interest.
"Look, details don't really matter. Right now we have to use this opportunity to rescue Yuki," Link said, noticing Poe pleading eyes before adding, "and Dark." Damn did that catch Rikuo's attention. Seems the fact that Dark equals Yuki had slipped his mind.
"Where are they?" Rikuo asked, perhaps a little faster and sterner then really necessary. Actually, to be frank, far sterner then needed. Poe cowered close to Link's side, staring worriedly at the man. The older detective grimaced slightly, coughing into his hand before sitting back into the couch and trying to calm himself. If not for the intense atmosphere, Link would have been tempted to laugh; who knew Rikuo would be a softie when it came to kids?
That thought aside Link cast his gaze down for a moment, thinking of the best way of explaining, before lifting his head again. "Where they are being kept currently isn't actually going to be of much help to us."
"What do you mean?" Sheik questioned. Link pursed his lips a little.
"Well, simply because we don't have to ability to safely get in," Link admitted. "We certainly can't go in by ourselves; we wouldn't stand a chance. But we also can't get the precinct in on it, so we don't really have the option of barging right in."
"So… you really don't trust the police anymore?" Sheik questioned. Link nodded sullenly. Taking this in stride the man took a deep breath before saying, "Well then, I'm guessing there is something we can do with what this child… Poe… knows."
Link nodded. "Luckily, yes. Before he ran off, Poe overheard a discussion between Dark and his boss. It would seem that he's using Yuki to force Dark into doing a job tomorrow night." The frown that had developed on his face over time deepened as he looked down at the floor. "In particular, one that involves… murdering officers."
"What!" both Sheik and Rikuo shouted – well, Rikuo shouted; Sheik spoke loudly. Rikuo slammed his hand against the coffee table as he continued to curse, "Damn it, you gotta be kidding me! You telling me that son of a bitch is a murderer too!"
"NO!" Poe cried as he quickly got up from his seat. "He didn't want to take the job; he said so himself! The only reason he took it was because The Boss was threatening that guy" – meaning Yuki of course – "and if Dark didn't take the job then he would have been killed or sent to work for Vaati!"
Boy did this rile Rikuo up. "Killed! You've got to be shitting me!"
Poe trembled slightly with anger, his eyes watering and narrowed as he yelled, "I'm not! If it wasn't for Dark your boyfriend would be dead already!"
"How would you know!"
"Because when I got there your precious Yuki was laying on the floor hacking up blood while Dark made a deal with the Devil himself!" Poe all but screamed, hot, angry tears dripping down his face. "Now he's going to have to do something he hates because he doesn't want Yuki to get it up the ass, or worse, get a bullet to the brain! Dark's putting himself on the line for your lover boy so I suggest you stop acting all high and mighty and try to help them both!"
It was fairly quiet after that. Rikuo paled and put a hand to his mouth, looking as if he might be ill. Sheik looked away from the others, his expression blank as he suppressed his own emotions on the matter. And Link? His stomach churned and his throat had constricted on itself, but still he fought against his feelings. Taking a large intake of air he looked up and said quietly, "The job's tomorrow. If we can figure out where it's going to be, then we can meet him there."
"Ranmaru might know," murmured Sheik. He stood up and moved into the kitchen, digging his cell out of his jeans; not that it was really necessary. It was certainly quiet enough in the living room to make a call. He was simply seeking to escape the thick tension of the room.
"Ranmaru? This is Sheik. Yes, well, I was wondering if you knew what Dark Link was doing tomorrow… Don't bother; we know he was assigned a job. Yes… I can't really tell you right now so… You don't know? Well…"
"Tell him it's one that Dark had been given when he first joined the group," Poe stammered. Sheik nodded.
"I hear it's one he had been given before… no, back when he first started. Yes, that's right. He had earlier refused it because it involved murder" – the weight of the tension in the room increased at that – "and… Ranmaru? Do you remember? Please, we need to know," Sheik said, his voice cracking a little, but soon regaining its even tone. There was silence for a few moments as he listened to the Asian, an occasional "hmm" and "uh huh" slipping from his lips. Finally he nodded, despite being on the phone, and said, "Thank you, that's all we needed to know. I… we'll talk about that later, alright? I should go now."
He snapped his phone closed and stared at it, his back to the others. Sheik stood like that for a decent amount of time, not looking as if he would be moving any time soon. Gulping, Link coughed and said quietly, "Well?"
Sheik didn't move and it seemed as if he hadn't heard. Just as the young detective was about to ask again, the man spoke up. "He's going to infiltrate the precinct and steal drugs from the storage room." Link and Rikuo looked at him, dread overcoming them.
"Y-you're kidding… but that's suicide," Rikuo muttered. Sheik shook his head as he finally turned around to them.
"That's why he wouldn't be able to do it unless he was willing to kill police in the process. He's an expert on sneaking into places, so all he needs to do is get in with the keys, take out the guards down there and get out," Sheik explained. "The only thing holding him back would be his morals, and we know he's going to sacrifice them for Yuki."
"But how could he possibly do it?" Link asked confusedly. "To get into the storage room you need the key, and that's always locked away with all the other important things."
"And even if he did manage to snag it," Rikuo continued, "how could he get out? There's no way he could go the way he got in, and there's no blueprints of the precinct building that are open to the public, so he wouldn't even know how to get there. How the hell does his boss think he can do it?"
Sheik shrugged slowly as he moved back to the couch and sat down. "I don't know. All I do know is that, from the sounds of it, the only obstacle Dark would face is murder. Ranmaru didn't mention anything about having trouble getting in or out. We can only assume that's already taken care of."
"But that would mean that Dark's boss has connections with the NYPD, right?" Link asked. Sheik nodded sullenly and Rikuo's scowl returned. The young detective looked down at his hands, bring them into fists. "Then we really can't trust the office anymore. None of them. We're completely alone in this."
"I guess so," Rikuo grumbled bitterly. "But that isn't stopping me. I'm going to get Yuki back, even if it's the last thing I do. I'll do it myself." Link shook his head and looked Rikuo straight in the eye.
"I'm going too. It's mostly my fault this whole thing happened, so it wouldn't be right to leave it all to you," Link stated. Sheik opened his mouth to speak back – most likely to say he shouldn't take on such responsibility – but the young detective interrupted him. "Besides, I don't think I can go on living like this. I need closure, and this may be my last chance to get it. I need to try to help him this one last time."
"What if you can't?" Poe asked cautiously. Link glanced down at him, ruffling the boy's hair with his hand a little before wrapping his arm around his shoulders.
"If I can't help him, and he does his job… I'll have no choice," Link murmured sadly. "I can't let anyone else get involved with this, so I'll have to… well…"
"Well what? What are you going to do Link!" Poe cried, his hands clinging to Link's arms. Rikuo and Sheik sat watching, curious themselves, but knowing deep down what Link meant to do.
If he couldn't save Dark's life, then he would have to end it.
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Why?
Why is it that people dream? Why do they try to hide behind purple clouds and childhood toys; behind places both unknown, yet so familiar; behind people who they know, yet placed in a different roles; behind flying in the sky; behind falling further and further, only to wake before the bottom is hit? How can they willingly go to such a place, when doing so is a risk?
Because with dreams come nightmares; and with nightmares, a living hell.
"Come now, my little one. There's no need to be afraid. You've done this before, haven't you?" the woman coos, lightly caressing soft hands over the trembling child's face. His face is contorted with anguish, his chin shaking and water welling in his glistening eyes. As the woman tilts his head up, forcing him to face her, he flinches and a gentle sob escapes him.
"P-p-please… I d-don't w-w-want to…" he begs, his chest heaving with little whimpers and his eyes clamping shut. The only noise that reaches his ears though is a mocking giggle, the hand on his face tightening its grip. He wants to fight back, to push that dreadful hand away and run! But he can't, he knows that. No matter how many times he had wished to do it he always gives in. There is no one to help him once he escapes; no where to go. But if he stays, maybe, just maybe, daddy will love him. That is all he wants.
So there he sits, tears running down his face as those hands leave his face, traveling to other places; other places that had once been sacred, but now are public property, open to anyone with the money. He is no longer a human. He is but a toy; a miserable toy that wishes to be tossed aside and forgotten, to no longer be of interest. And yet part of him wants to stay here, because here he isn't alone; here, maybe someone could come to love him. Here at least he is of use, not just a hindrance. He doesn't want to be in the way. He wants to be of use because people love you if you help them. Maybe that is why daddy hates him. If he can help daddy, then someday daddy will love him. And if daddy loves him, maybe he can love himself. That is all he wants.
The woman teases him, telling him what a slut he is; how he actually enjoys it; how he must stop being coy; how he shouldn't fight back. He tries his best to ignore the words, but still they sink it. Each time she repeats herself, it's engraved deeper into his mind until soon even he thinks it may be true. Is he a slut? No, he can't be; he doesn't want to do this kind of thing. And yet as much as he hates it, there is that morbid pleasure he gets from these meetings. Even now, he can't help the quiet moans that escape his lips, only enticing the woman. Maybe he is a slut; maybe he does enjoy it; maybe he is being coy; maybe he shouldn't fight back. But he can't stand it. He would rather die then fall into the trap that awaits him.
And now he finally reaches the cliff; to let go, sinking to the bottom of a bottomless pit, or to try to keep his hold, to retain what is left of him. The woman pulls her hands away and tells him it was now his turn. He can no longer just be a bystander to the event; he is now required to be a participant. To sink or to float. He simply can't choose. He doesn't want to give up like this, to go somewhere where he can't come back. But he also can't keep up the fight, to become a problem for anyone. If he refuses, his father will never love him. No one will ever love him…
So, he does the only thing he has left; he holds on and lets go. It is surprisingly easy. He thinks it will hurt, but there is only a slight feeling of anxiety – a pinprick if you will – before suddenly a part of him falls away, falling into the bubbling pool of scum below. The part smiles at him and everything goes black. That was the first, and last time he ever saw that part of him again.
And then things become light again. He finds himself alone in his own bed, his body worn and tired, a dull aching pooling in his lower back. He can't remember anything. Nothing. It is all a blank.
He sits up slowly, wincing as the pain doubles itself, twisting daggers into his back. But the pain doesn't register anymore as he stares in shock; bruises, cuts, sores, bites and hickeys litter his small frame, a small pool of blood staining the bed between his legs. His chest rises and falls at a faster pace, his breath now shallow and quick. Hyperventilation sets in as his body tenses with panic, his eyes wide with fright.
'It's alright. You don't have to worry anymore,' a voice whispers softly in his ear. 'I'll take the blows for you. Good thing too; she had a pretty packed schedule for us. You wouldn't believe how many guys did us up the arse in the past week.'
Past week? What! He starts to feel hysteric when another boy appears in the doorway. He looks on with worry plastered on his face. He asks the panicked boy if he's alright; he looks awful. But he doesn't reply. Instead, in a shaky, ragged voice he asks what day it is. The other boy looks at him confused, but tells him. The boy's eyes grow wider; it had been a week. A whole week of his life, and he doesn't remember a minute of it.
He screams.
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Dark woke up suddenly, his eyes wide open as he sat up quickly. His chest was heaving and his hands shaking, his whole body covered in a cold sweat. He cursed silently as he wrapped his arms around himself, trying to take deep, soothing breaths. How long had it been since he had last had that nightmare? A couple months if his guess was right. He hadn't had it since… since…
'Since you met the detective.' Dark shuddered as the voice echoed in his head. Growing softer the voice said, 'Oops, sorry. I forgot; you don't like hearing me after having that dream.'
"…What do you want?" Dark asked quietly between breaths. There was silence, both in his head and in the room. Just when he was about to give up on The Thief, the voice came to him again.
'I just wanted to say good-bye.'
"Good-bye?"
'Yes. I've thought about it for a while and… well I'm tired of this,' The Thief murmured softly. 'I don't want to take the blows for you anymore. As much as I hate it, the truth is that this is your life; you are the original. I'm just a part of you, so what right do I have to take some of your life from you?'
"But… that's what you're supposed to do," Dark replied, surprised with himself. He had never before admitted to the duties of his other selves. "That's what I created you for. I'm not strong enough to take on this shitty life by myself. I need you to take over when I can't take it."
'But don't you get it? If I'm you, then this strength is yours as well. If I join with you again, then we can share it, as one. We won't be alone anymore!'
"But if you're gone then… won't that make me more alone?" Dark asked sullenly. The Thief took a minute before he replied.
'Well, I'll admit, I don't know really what it's like. To be honest, I'm scared shitless,' The Thief admitted. 'I mean, if I join with you again, then does that mean I won't be me anymore? That, in a sense, I'll die? I guess that's why I haven't been around lately; I've been too busy thinking about this stuff. But now I can't just hide anymore. If I want you… no, us to survive tomorrow's job, then I have to stop being selfish. You need my strength, and I need yours. I won't die, I know that now. I'll just be you, like I always should have been.'
"But why give yourself up for me? What if you're wrong; what if you do die? Why risk that?" Dark questioned. He could almost feel it as The Thief shrugged.
'Because I love you.'
"Wouldn't that make us narcissistic?" Dark sneered.
'God, don't be stupid. In case you've forgotten, it's healthy to love yourself,' The Thief said. 'You've hated yourself for so long that of course you wouldn't understand what it is to love yourself. So I'll love you. That way at least part of you will love you. Because you deserve to love yourself. You deserve to be loved.'
"But I don't. I'm worthless and unworthy of love."
'I don't care. I'll love you anyway. And I'm sure Link would say the same.' Dark stiffened at the name, his hands gripping tightly to the sleeves of his shirt. 'You're not perfect, but that's ok. No one's perfect. I'll admit, part of me wonders how I could even like someone like you, but that's probably just because I am you. But he thinks you are worthy of love. I'm certain of it.'
"But why? Why the hell would he love me?" Dark questioned bitterly. He gasped as ghostlike arms wrapped around him, hugging him from behind.
'You'll have to ask him yourself. No, we'll have to ask him.' The man couldn't help as he relaxed, nodding slowly. The invisible embrace tightened as softly The Thief murmured in his ear, 'I love you Dark. I want you to know that. You don't hate yourself; no, you in fact love yourself. So never say otherwise. Please.'
"…Thanks."
And, just like before, if was easier then he had thought. The boy that had found a way to hold on and let go became one again. There was no Thief now; no, he was Dark now, and Dark was The Thief. There was no distinction, no boundary line. Everything that one had had, now the other had too. Their thoughts and words intertwined into one being, one voice.
Dark was now one step closer to being whole again.
But one look around his room, a glance at Yuki's sleeping face, and he knew he still had a long ways to go. What good was becoming a whole person if he couldn't even escape from the life that broke him apart to begin with?
What was the point if he couldn't have Link?
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Muahaha! You simply can't go a few chapters without me opening a can of angst on your butts! XD Even with Poe in the mix, I still have my little bundle of angst DL. Love my little bundle of angst.
But holy crap, I can't believe it. I've finally, after over a year of writing this story, come to the climax, the huge showdown, the "ZOMG!11!1one!" moment. For well over a year I have played the next scene over and over in my head, and still, I don't know exactly what's going to happen! DX I have a good idea though, no worries. I just desperately don't want to royally screw it up. If I killed this next part, I would go curl up in a corner and die. A very, very sad day indeed. So, to avoid dying, I will be working my hardest on the next chapters, which means it will, more likely then not, take longer then usual. However, I do hope to get at least another chapter done before May 20, since I'm going on vacation for a week. Wish me luck!
Comments please, for they feed my soul!
