Authoress' Notes:

WHOA! This was really unexpected, actually. I was going over the final version of this, my next to last chapter; I was seriously about to post in like five minutes. Suddenly, I had an idea that I just had to use… anyways, now it looks like this is the last chapter. I'm surprised that I decided to write it this way, but it seemed like what would happen.

Anyways, I'm so happy with this story! This is actually the first time I've ever completed a non-oneshot. I hope everyone liked it, and thanks SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed. Whether it's constructive criticism or just someone saying that they like my work, it helps me a whole lot when I'm stuck.

By the way… if you have problems with reading attempted suicides (attempted! No character deaths, dun worry!), blood, etc. then maybe you shouldn't read this chapter. nn;;

DISCLAIMER: I DUN OWN ANYTHING!

nyanyanyanyanya

Bloody Rain

Akabane kept running, feet pounding the pavement. He vaguely wondered when the rain had started- all he knew was the he was wet now.

Confusion filled his mind. He didn't know how, but within two weeks, he'd gone from absolute control to absolute breakdown.

-----

Ginji sighed when he saw the rain trickling down the window panes.

"Sure you don't wanna wait?" Ban-chan asked from behind him. Ginji grinned back at him.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm used to being out in the rain, remember?" And with that, Ginji hurried out of the café, hiding his sad expression from Ban-chan.

"Try and get some sleep, ok Ginji?" Ban-chan called after him. Ginji responded with a thumbs-up, not turning around. He paused outside. Looking up at the clouds, he sighed before heading down the street.

-----

Akabane stood on the street corner, staring off into the distance. He felt cold and dead inside. He had stopped here some time earlier, to wait for a car to pass. But even after the car was long gone, he'd simply remained, silent and still.

Why am I doing this? he asked himself. I know it's hopeless. I should just stop trying. He sighed. It'll never work out. Why should I keep worrying? I'll just stop caring. That should help.

"Akabane?"

Ginji, somehow, was there. His blond hair was wet, his clothes soaked, his skin glistening with the raindrops that still fell down on them both.

Akabane unconsciously backed up a bit. He stared into Ginji's eyes, then looked away, blushing.

Dammit Akabane! Remember- it doesn't matter. It's no big deal. You don't care!

"Um… Akabane-sama…" Ginji said nervously. He took a deep breath. "About what you… um, what you said to me earlier."

Akabane held his breath. What… what was he trying to say? Grrr! IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME! STOP CARING AKABANE!

Ginji continued. "Well… um… I-I just kind of… I don't really know. I just…"

Akabane stared. W-wait… I-is he trying to say that he… d-doesn't…

And suddenly, Akabane wasn't there any more. He didn't know how it happened, but suddenly he was running, eyes once again growing wet. Behind him, he heard Ginji running fast, calling his name. But Akabane didn't care any more. He wanted to get away. He wanted to take all these feelings and shove them back down, where they didn't hurt, where even he needn't worry about them.

Maybe I was right all along, he thought. I've had my solution the entire time. Why didn't I realize it? There's only one way to end this pain. A scalpel suddenly glowed in his hand.

Ginji, running fast behind, saw the sudden glint of light. Realizing what it was, he dropped back slightly, cautious. But he still refused to give up the chase.

What he saw next stunned him. Akabane, instead of shooting the blade back towards Ginji, turned the scalpel instead onto his own arm. Ginji's eyes widened and his pace quickened as he saw Akabane's pale arm contrasting sharply with the red blood spilling out of the cut the scalpel had made on his wrist.

Akabane sucked in a sharp gasp of pain, but kept running. Slowly, the sweet throbbing pain in his arm dulled his mind. He didn't have to think about Ginji. He could barely think at all. Akabane relaxed slightly, feeling the warm blood trickle slowly down his arm. Who knew blood would be so warm?

"AKABANE!" Ginji shouted. Why did he do that? Ginji ran as fast as he could, stepping in the trail of blood. Akabane continued running, but his steps were beginning to falter. Ginji saw the white-gloved fingers drop the scalpel, but Ginji didn't pause as he ran past the still-dripping blade.

An alley appeared on the left and, seeing a possible escape, Akabane stumbled into it as quickly as he could- which wasn't very quickly. Seeing that there was no exit, Akabane summoned another scalpel- what had happened to the first one? He'd been holding onto it, and now he couldn't find it. He closed his eyes. One quick slice. That was it, and then he'd never be weak and vulnerable again. He moved the scalpel towards his throat-

Ginji hit Akabane running, grabbing the hand that held the blade and wrenching it outwards, away from the slim, pale throat. His momentum knocked both of them down, and for a moment the two lay there, stunned by the fall.

Akabane was the first to stir. He opened his eyes and, noticing the warm mass of Ginji's torso sprawled across his lap, Akabane blushed. He was about to move away when Ginji's eyes opened. Akabane was surprised. Here was something he hadn't expected- anger.

Ginji sat up and Akabane worriedly noted the cut on Ginji's arm from where his fall had landed him on top of the sharp blade, then immediately scowled, annoyed with himself for noticing. Ginji's eyes flashed as he grabbed the scalpel, tossing it as far away as he could- quite a considerable distance, Akabane dully noticed.

"Why?" Ginji gritted from between clenched teeth. He was shaking slightly as he grabbed Akabane's arm, inspecting the wound. Ginji set to work bandaging the cut with strips from his undershirt. When Akabane tried to pull his hand back, Ginji let loose a small bolt of lightning, just powerful enough to temporarily immobilize Akabane.

A moment later, Ginji stunned Akabane again, as effectively as with fifty billion volts, by pulling him into a tight embrace, still sitting on the ground of the alley. Akabane's eyes opened wide. "G-Ginji-kun?" he stammered.

Ginji's only reply was in tightening the hug even more until there was a slight danger of asphyxiation. He finally loosened his grip, but still didn't pull back. Instead, Ginji put his head onto Akabane's shoulder, closing his eyes tightly. "Why?" he whispered shakily.

Akabane wasn't sure what to say. He parted his lips slightly, but, finding no words, closed them again after a moment. He was focusing on repairing the damage he'd caused to his arm- if he concentrated on regenerating tissue and producing blood cells, he didn't have to think about Ginji. And the longer he put off thinking about Ginji, the longer he kept the pain at bay.

"Why did you do that, Akabane?" Ginji asked, head still buried in the other man's shoulder. Ginji was scared. Why would anyone do that, he wondered. Inside, Raitei laughed scornfully at Ginji. He'd been the Lightning Emperor of the VOLTS. He'd seen so many friends die right in front of him. How could he have not understood why Akabane had cut himself? But Ginji firmly pushed those thoughts and that understanding back down where they belonged- hidden even from himself. Ginji didn't want to understand what had driven Akabane to this- he just wanted to make him stop.

Akabane shifted slightly, but Ginji still held on. He was worried that, should he let go, Akabane would immediately summon another scalpel and end his own life before Ginji could stop him. "Akabane," he said softly. "Please…" Ginji trailed off. What could he say to persuade Akabane to live? "…p-please don't… don't do that to yourself," he finished miserably. How could he, Ginji, ever convince anyone of anything that important?

Akabane's voice sounded distant and cold. "Why not?" When Ginji pulled back, Akabane was looking away, expression blank. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked again.

"I-I… because…" Ginji was at a loss for words. B-because I… I l-love you… he thought. But he couldn't seem to make the words form on his lips. A blush reappeared in full force on Ginji's cheeks.

Akabane gently moved Ginji off of him and stood up. He turned his back towards Ginji, facing the damp wall of the alley. "Go," he said in that carefully controlled voice.

Ginji stood slowly. "What?"

"Go. Just leave. Don't concern yourself with me any more." Ginji thought he might hear the faintest quake in the cultured voice, but Akabane stood resolutely staring away from Ginji, expression not so much calm as shut off.

"B-but… Akabane, I…" Ginji fumbled for words. He knew he needed to say this, but he couldn't make the words come out right. "I mean, I… I-I lo- um…" His face burning, Ginji stared down at the pavement.

Akabane's face showed no emotion, but his heart leapt as he guessed what Ginji was trying to say. He could think of no other explanation. Yeah, he thought bitterly, but that could just mean I'm bad at thinking of explanations. Nonetheless, he stepped towards Ginji. When he was right in front of Ginji, he summoned a scalpel.

Ginji looked up, but looked back down quickly when his eyes met Akabane's. His head jerked right back up, however, when he saw the scalpel emerge in Akabane's hand. "What-" he started to ask, but he didn't get the chance to finish.

A thin line of pain traced its way down the side of Ginji's neck. Though the blade barely touched his skin, bright red droplets began to well up along the path the scalpel took. Akabane reabsorbed the scalpel and, leaning closer, licked the blood off of Ginji's neck.

Ginji stood stock still. He couldn't have moved if he'd wanted to. However, Ginji didn't feel particularly inclined to move as he stood there feeling Akabane's warm tongue trace the cut on his neck. Ginji's eyes had begun to close, but opened again when he felt Akabane's mouth leave his neck.

Akabane's face was directly in front of his. Ginji saw the slight flush on the pale cheeks, but that was all he had time to note, because the next thing he knew, Akabane's lips were touching his.

Shocked, Ginji stood frozen, but eventually he returned the kiss. The two finally broke for air, avoiding eye contact as they gasped, cheeks red.

After a moment, Ginji wrapped his arms around Akabane, putting his head back on the black-clad shoulder. He finally managed to get the words out.

"I love you, Akabane."

nyanyanyanyanya

...ok, just for the record: I've never actually cut myself, so if I described the experience accurately, it's dumb luck. (Nor have I ever had a kiss. -sigh- Did I describe that ok?)

Anyways, I hope I didn't ruin this story for anyone by putting in the wrist-cutting type stuff.

PLEASE review, especially if you think there's anything I can improve about my writing style or stories. I really want to become as good as I can at writing, so if you know something I can get better at, tell me please!

Thank you so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed it!