Chapter 7 : Lost
Author's Note : I'm REALLY SORRYYYY (T - T) I've been wanting to write the continuation since forever but something just kinda held me back there..
A bit of explanation here. This chapter took the setting around episode 22, after Kouta met up with Takatora who told him about Yuuya's death. Kouta infiltrated Ygdrasil without Kaito (yes straight after his job hunt).. because I need to get this fanfic to move on.. and I'm confused as hell..
I was also confused if I should write the part when he meet up with Takatora who showed him Yuuya's video.. but it might take forever..
Kaito parted ways with the fairy, as the fairy vanished onto the flowerbed. The sunset was replaced by the rising moon. He walked slowly as the neon lights started to shine. He used to be so sure of his life. He wore his ideals all the time, with a single goal carved in his mind : to take revenge on Yggdrasil.
His mind wandered back to reality as he passed a digital clock, it was past seven p.m. He had to return. At his temporary refugee. Well, it wasn't like he could return to his apartment.
When he arrived, he was about to scratch the door, but thought about the damage. Just when he was starting to growl, Kouta had just showed his face from the corner.
"O-oh.. You already home, Neko-chan?" Raspy voice unexpectedly went out from his mouth. His lips pursued a forced smile, alerting the cat's inner-self. This man had just cried, for unknown reason. Kouta's attempt to take a few breaths and wiping the corner of his eyes confirmed this. He opened the door and the striped feline tailed behind him, while keeping his eyes into the male human.
Kouta greeted his sister with his business' smile, telling her that there were no further notice of the potential owner of the cat, so he got to keep it as a pet for now. Akira asked if Kouta wanted to have dinner, which Kouta refused. His wide steps quickly took him into his room, but he stood in front of the sliding door. He waved into the small creature, cueing to follow him.
When Kaito got inside, it was dark. Luckily his new eyes had no problem adjusting into it. Kouta already wore off his jacket and crouching on his bed, eyes glued beyond his window. He still hadn't close the curtain, so the spring night was visible. The dark-haired man was deeply upset, staring into the darkness with a blank expression. That was pretty rare to see.
Kaito tip-toed near the man's feet. Not that he really cared about Kouta though, but he was sure curious what just happened. His instinct told him that it might involved something about his friend. The former Baron leader had witness the trigger that made the orange Rider snapped and foolishly fought Zangetsu for assaulting Hase. It was reckless, but it made him a kind of respectable, for being a loyal friend.
Kouta noticed the cat, his hands gently pulled it to sit on his lap, then stroked behind its ears. A gesture Kaito found comforting, although he didn't really like being touched like that (Kouta was still a bit of a stranger to him). But he tried to tolerate it, especially this time. They stayed like that until the man couldn't contained it anymore.
"Wish I was a cat.. You don't get to think a lot of difficult things," said Kouta. His body starting to quiver slightly and clutching the feline tighter. Half-lidded dark eyes were wet again as he brought his finger to lightly wipe it. Precisely before any tears fell on his already moist cheek.
His golden eyes watched without knowing what to do. Kaito wanted to ask why, but only a soft mewl escaped from his mouth.
"Yuuya, he.. he died. Just like Hase.." Kouta failed to hold himself anymore. "I.. I killed him. The Yggdrasil person showed me a video of him.. transforming into an Inves.."
So that was what happened to Gaim's leader? No wonder the team seemed a bit lost during the conflicts between the Beat Riders. Kaito was half-wondering it for himself too, since he knew a bit about Yuuya's personality. He acted just like Kouta if it was about the team's well-being.
"How could I know the monster was Yuuya? I just wanted to protect Mai.. How can I tell her and the others?"
Now the secret was out, he silently agreed how Yggdrasil was proven to be a dangerous threat.
But right now that wasn't the problem. The man who held him was on the verge to crack again. And Kaito didn't like it at all.
What the hell he was supposed to do? What the hell a cat's supposed to do?
Oh.
Right.
The former Baron Rider glanced around to find something that he could use. Thankfully there are still some plastic lying around. He jumped from Kouta's grasp and headed into it. He bit the white plastic, making the sound between a growl and a hiss, as if the plastic was his enemy. Then he bit the plastic again as he ran in circles, occasionally wrestled with it. This was a very stupid thing to do if he was a human.
He could hear the man chuckled again. That stopped him from those negative thoughts. Thank Heaven.
Who knew Kazuraba Kouta could get emotional so easily. And laugh on the next time. It was as if he was still a hormonal teenager. The cat took a mental note on it.
"Neko-chan, are you cheering me up?" asked the dark-haired man, body went closer to the fluffy creature to rub behind its ears.
Whatever, said Kaito, if he could answered at all. You're more annoying if you're getting all sappy like that.
"Thanks." Kouta lowered his head to level his head with the cat, placing a light peck on its mouth. Anyone who saw it might just said that it was just a gesture of affection, because the dark-haired man fond of animals. But this creature was not an ordinary cat.
Kaito's body froze. All that displayed on his mind were this idiot, how.. how could he..how could he do that, why this idiot is so-
That night, Kouta learned even a cat could suffer a seizure.
Author's Note : Why Kouta's easily cries sometimes.. He makes me want to cry too T - T) (not that I hate it though.. manly tears is manly)
At time like this, I wish Wizard suddenly appeared and says that he will be Kaito's last hope..
And big thanks for a friend who had been asking the continuity of this fanfic :)