Fandom: Loveless
Title: Resolution
Pairing: SoubixRitsuka
Rating: overall NC17; this chapter R (violence, mild gore, sexual situation, and Seimei)
Timeline: Future AU Although there are hints at some events through volume 4/episode 12, there is no mention of Septimal Moon or Wisdom Resurrection in this story.
Summary: Can Ritsuka forgive Soubi in time to save him?
AN: This story deals with some dark themes, including (but not limited to) graphic violence, abuse, and murder. Enter at your own risk.
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Resolution
Chapter 4
"Broken"
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"Soubi?"
Ritsuka was answered by the sound of a flushing toilet. The teen heaved a silent sigh of relief and stepped back as the door to the bathroom opened.
"Are you okay?" he asked. It wasn't normally like him to question his boyfriend's bathroom usage, but that the older man had come home and immediately barricaded himself in there was cause enough for concern.
Soubi slowly unfolded his glasses and slid them on, slightly magnifying the intensity of his amazing blue eyes. He smiled warmly at his… beloved… and stepped out of the room.
"I felt a bit sick to my stomach. I didn't mean to worry you."
"Do you need me to get you anything?"
Soubi looked down into Ritsuka's innocent and expecting eyes and felt as if he might get sick to his stomach, this time, in truth.
He had come home from his rendezvous with Seimei and headed straight into the bathroom because he could no longer hold back the gratification that he'd been purposely denied for the better part of two weeks now. A deep, throbbing pain had settled into his groin since Seimei's… kiss, and Soubi was amazed that he had been able to stand upright, let alone walk.
After a cursory greeting to Ritsuka and locking himself in the cramped room, Soubi had pulled down his pants and masturbated twice, frantically working himself to a thundering explosion both times, clenching his teeth and breathing harshly through his nose. He knew it would have been easier just to go ahead and have sex with Ritsuka. The boy had never denied him such a thing, and Soubi was somewhat positive he never would.
But what he had wanted, what he had envisioned with each stroke of his hand, was something else entirely.
Visions of Seimei… fucking him… biting him… hurting him-
(Hating him… killing him)
-making him scream… pulling his hair… taking his ears…. Those were the thoughts that urged him on each time he spilled into his own hand, the culmination of a near lifetime of demented and mangled fantasies of his master, of owning Seimei's body as much as the Sacrifice owned his soul.
No.
Ritsuka had no place at all in such madness.
"I'm fine. Thank you." Soubi cupped Ritsuka's cheek in his palm and tenderly kissed his forehead, noting the way the teen leaned into his touch.
"Then I'm going to finish my homework," Ritsuka said, motioning over at the bed where his books were spread across the blanket.
"Would it bother you if I painted?" Soubi asked. He didn't want to bother him, nor did he want to be out of his presence at the moment.
Ritsuka shook his head. A faint pink glow surfaced on his cheeks and Soubi felt that… thing… again. That voice. Mocking him, teasing him… leading him to believe that it was possible to change, to be real again.
Whole again.
Human….
Again.
How we lie, he mused sadly. Even to ourselves.
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"Come on, Midori!"
Ai impatiently tapped her foot while waiting for-
My boyfriend… he's my boyfriend now, not just my Sacrifice….
- Midori to catch up to her. A look of love and adoration blossomed on her face as she watched him jogging toward her. His green hair was longer now- longer than her own, in fact- and it bounced up and down with each step.
Although they each still had their ears, it was a foregone, if unspoken, conclusion to both of them that they would soon give themselves to the other. It seemed only right, after all, that the name that tied them since before they were born would lead to this new, romantic type of bond that did not hinge on anything other than the love between them.
Ai often wondered if the other pairs had ended up in such away since the days of battles were long gone. Though she was ignorantly uncertain if the Zero teams were even capable of such feelings, she thought Kinka and Ginka might have shared a similar progression of their relationship.
And then there was… Loveless.
Even all these years later, Ai was somewhat miffed at Soubi's audacity in taking a new name. If Fighters and Sacrifices could switch so effortlessly, if their predestined bond was actually optional… then what did that say about her love for Midori?
"Ai," Midori panted slightly, finally catching up to her. The teens automatically linked hands as they began walking together; it was as natural to them as breathing.
They veered off the path of the main road that led to Ai's house, taking their usual scenic shortcut through a wooded area so that they would not have to part so soon.
Two young people in love, without so much as a care in the world...
Oblivious to the grave danger that awaited them just up ahead.
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"See you later, Ritsuka!" Yuiko frantically waved at him with one arm while the other was firmly linked through Yayoi's.
Ritsuka watched them with mild amusement as they went on their merry way. All of these years later, their union still never ceased to humor him. Even though she had loved him first, Ritsuka had always known that Yuiko and Yayoi would end up together. Everyone knew, it seemed, except for the two of them.
He resumed walking on his own, debating over whether or not to stop and pick up something for dinner. Soubi would be home late tonight as he had evening classes today and Ritsuka knew that his own culinary prowess did not even begin to compare to Soubi's, although the older man always ate his misguided efforts with a smile. It was just like him to do so; to Soubi, Ritsuka could simply do no wrong.
Soubi loved him.
Completely.
Secure in this knowledge, Ritsuka smiled to himself and lazily kicked at a fallen leaf in his path, the gnawing suspicions he'd hated himself for having now like some long ago nightmare he could barely recall…
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Soubi saw them walking toward him, still oblivious to his presence. Five years had done very little to change them, he observed. They were a little taller, and their hair was longer, but they still had not only their ears, but the same general air of innocence and naiveté that had been so resoundingly apparent during their battles.
Brats with ears…
He shut out the memory of his taunt, back when he…
… Ritsuka…
… he and Ritsuka…
Soubi sighed quietly. The small voice of reason was still there, but was, he noted with faint concern, a bit more muted than it had been before. He didn't care to think about the meaning of such things… And besides, Seimei's orders had always been easier to follow without the pleading of his subconscious to hinder him.
He slowly stepped into the pathway as they approached, the scar of Beloved emblazoned upon him for all to see, careful to keep in mind the reason behind what he was about to do.
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It was the girl, Ai, who spotted him first, stopping in her tracks with a look of surprised shock. Her partner, Midori, took a few more steps before being pulled to a halt.
"Ai? What's wr-?"
The young teen followed Ai's gaze and saw Soubi. His eyes widened and he took an involuntary step backward.
"So-Soubi!" Midori exclaimed, tightening his grip on Ai's hand. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
Ai's fear-riddled gasp was answer enough as Seimei emerged out of the shadows and took his place at Soubi's side.
"Hello, Breathless." The Sacrifice's warm smile didn't come close to touching his eyes.
"Seimei…" The name fell from Ai's mouth like a harsh blow.
"But… but… y-you died!" Midori took another step back, pulling Ai along with him.
"I did?" Seimei asked with a wicked grin. He stepped forward and placed a firm hand on his Fighter's shoulder.
"I thought… didn't you… what about Loveless?" Ai demanded. "Where's Ritsuka??"
Ritsuka…
"Soubi." Seimei's voice was quiet.
Absolute.
Soubi outstretched his right hand, ignoring the combined look of horror on the faces of Breathless. "Battle system… initiate."
The atmosphere surrounding them became thicker, denser, as the alternate fighting dimension employed by their kind cloaked them.
"A fight?" Ai managed.
"Silly child," Seimei said softly. "We're not here to fight."
Midori yanked firmly on Ai's hand as the truth of Seimei's words hit him. "Ai, let's go!"
The teens turned and ran in the opposite direction-
"The walls are impenetrable. You cannot escape."
-directly into the invisible barrier of Soubi's spell. They kicked and punched in a desperate attempt to move forward, to no avail. Ai whimpered in fear; at her best, she had never been a match for Soubi, even when his power was halved as Loveless.
And now, as Beloved? His rightful name, his rightful Sacrifice? Impossible.
Even if it hadn't been years since they'd last engaged in battle, to stand up against Beloved was unimaginable.
"You can't fight him, Ai," Midori said, echoing her thoughts as any true soul mate would. He did his best imitation of a brave face for her comfort. "Listen to me. We're more than Breathless now. We're Midori and Ai. And I will protect you."
A small frown, unseen by his master, creased Soubi's brow at the sound of Midori's promise. Not because of its futility, but because it was a promise he'd once made himself.
I'll protect you. I'll do anything for you, Ritsuka…
"Prove him wrong, Soubi," Seimei said, gently squeezing his shoulder before moving his hand away. "Make it pretty."
Midori turned to face the two older men, using his body as a shield between them and Ai. "Don't you touch her!" he cried out, his obvious fear effectively diminishing his intended menace.
"Midori is powerless to save you, Ai," Soubi began, ignoring the teen's shouts of denial. "You are all alone."
"Midori, I'm scared," Ai moaned.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Midori screamed.
"One thousand blades, raining down from heaven upon you."
Ai gripped onto Midori's shirt, burying her face in his back. "Midori?"
Midori glanced upward as the sky opened, rendering an onslaught of death that blazed toward them. He quickly turned and held Ai in his arms, blanketing her with his body as much as he could.
"There is no one here to protect you."
"Midori-!!"
Midori squeezed his eyes shut, tensing himself for the blow… and instead, felt the body of the girl he loved jerk violently in his arms as the rapid shower of unforgivably sharp blades passed through him, penetrating her back, her neck, and her skull, tearing through every inch of her flesh and killing her instantly.
"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Midori's heart wrenching scream dissolved into a frenzy of sobs as he sank down to the ground and cradled the bloody and lifeless body of his Fighter, his girlfriend, his… everything… in his arms, his face bathed in a cruel mixture of her blood and his tears.
Soubi raised his hand once more, shutting out the sound of the boy's heartache. He needed to end this now, for his own warped sanity, if nothing else.
"Lightning-"
"Wait, Soubi," Seimei ordered. He watched Midori's torment with pleased interest.
"Not yet," he continued. "I'd like to hear him cry just a little bit longer."
The Fighter obediently lowered his hand…
… Ritsuka…
… and waited for his master's instruction, more aware than ever that there would soon, very soon, come a time when even the mere thought of the boy's name would no longer be enough to comfort him.
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"Natsuo!"
Yoji bounded into the bedroom that they shared with a stunned look of concern.
"Yeah. I felt it too." The Zero Fighter walked over to his Sacrifice and took him by the hand.
In the years since they had first made their presence felt, the two boys with a penchant for their own playful violence had evolved into mature young men. Like the female Zero that preceded them, Natsuo and Yoji finally broke away from Nagisa's stranglehold and built a life for themselves as normal teens… well, as normal as was possible. Like any disease or disorder, their inability to feel pain was a detriment that they would have to live with the rest of their lives and they were both careful to look after one another. Like Breathless, their relationship had progressed naturally into one of undying love and devotion.
But unlike Breathless, the now older Zero pair were most decidedly earless. In that regard, they simply couldn't get enough of one another.
"Why would anybody be battling now? What's the point of it anymore?"
Natsuo shrugged and frowned. "I don't know. All I do know is that there's only one Fighter strong enough to have a radius like that."
Yoji shook his head, unwilling to accept what he already knew to be the truth. "But that felt like…." He paused, considering the horror of his words. "Natsuo, Loveless was never that strong."
"But Beloved was."
"Shit." Yoji ran a nervous hand through his long hair. "Do you think Ritsuka's alright?"
"Only one way to know for sure. It's up to you, Yoji."
Yoji bit his bottom lip and looked away in consideration. Since the boys had been on their own, they had been very careful not to rush headlong into conflict. Yoji himself remembered all too well the hypothermia, the burns, all suffered because they'd had absolutely no idea of the danger they faced until it was too late.
During those times, when their master had forsaken them, it was Soubi who saved them from themselves. It was a debt they had never, and quite possibly could never, repay. If either Soubi or Ritsuka were in danger in any way, then this was their obligation.
He sighed and nodded in resignation.
"Let's go," he said softly.
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Something's wrong.
Ritsuka pushed away his uneaten dinner and stood up. He paced around the small apartment, unable to shake the growing feeling of-
-doom-
-discomfort in his chest.
"It's nothing," he whispered to the empty room. The words did little to soothe him.
He glanced at the clock. Soubi would be home in about an hour.
And then everything would be alright.
"It's nothing," he said again, louder, with more affirmation.
Everything was going to be alright.
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Soubi hunched over on his knees, struggling against the urge to vomit as his body revolted against him in a way that his subconscious never could. The bodies of two dead teens lay just feet away, the nauseatingly acrid smell of blood and burnt flesh hovered in the air around him.
"Stand up, Soubi."
He knew he should obey; he wanted to obey. But his body simply would not allow it. So instead, he waited patiently for correction.
And once again, to the undoing of his comprehension, he felt a loving hand settle on top of his head, stroking his long blond hair with gentleness and care. Broken by that one small act alone, the Fighter bit back a moan as he pressed his head into Seimei's tender touch, wanting it, despising it, needing it, loathing it, and craving it like nothing else in the world.
"Go home, Soubi," Seimei said. "I'll take care of this… mess. Go home to my brother."
Soubi risked a questioning glance at his master, uncertain of what he just heard. Seimei smiled sweetly and nodded in reassurance. "Come on," he said, holding out his hand.
The hand that had just called forth such terrifying power now trembled helplessly as it grabbed onto Seimei's. The Sacrifice pulled him up and stared into his eyes, smiling all the while. "You did very well, Soubi. I'm very happy. Now go home and rest."
Soubi closed his eyes and bowed his head.
"Yes, master," he whispered gratefully, unaware of the look of cold, calculated victory on Seimei's face now that his eyes were not on him.
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Seimei wiped his hands on his pants. He still despised the touch of others- save for one- and he needed to wash them badly. But he couldn't just yet.
It was too much, too soon. He knew that. Seimei was actually quite surprised that Soubi didn't crack after killing Misaki. But if he didn't slow down, it was only a matter of time until he did.
Seimei wanted to kill them all, more than anything else aside from being with Ritsuka. But his desire meant nothing if his Fighter was useless.
So he would give Soubi some time. Time to recover, time to… play. The idea of Soubi playing with Ritsuka caused a stirring between his legs that he would most definitely attend to later that night.
But as for now….
He looked down at the bodies of Breathless as if they were nothing more than piles of trash to be disposed of. Which, to him, was exactly what they were.
It had gone very well, indeed. Soubi's power was, Seimei had to admit, phenomenal. He dared to dream that this was going to be easier than he had initially suspected.
Picking them off, one by one, until he reached his final target. And then….
Seimei began to smile. It wasn't sweet and it wasn't kind.
It was pure insanity.
"Sleepless," he said to himself. "I think Sleepless will be next."
With that confirmed, Seimei turned to the… trash… lying on the ground with a look of disgust.
What a wonderful master he was, doing the dirty work for his distraught slave.
Soubi was quite fortunate, really, to have a Sacrifice so loyal and selfless.
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The man had been staring blindly at the monitor for the last hour. Finally, he reached forward and switched it off.
"So… it's begun. The beginning of the end."
Ritsu Minami leaned back into his chair and began considering his options.
None of them, none at all, boded well for the one he loved the most.
But considering he was the one who delivered his most prized possession into the hands of the devil, he would try.
For Soubi's sake, for Soubi's life, he would try. Even if it killed him.
It was the least he could do.
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It's hard to change what's in front of me
It's hard to find anything real…
I never wanted to be
So lonely, so hopeless
I'm broken
"Broken" by Modern Day Zero
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AN: Zero and Ritsu, eh? Things are definitely about to pick up. And poor Soubi. I mean, really, I'm breaking my own heart, torturing the poor guy so much. :(
RIP, Breathless. I'm sorry I had to kill you. But plot devices rarely discriminate.
And Sleepless? You guys miiiiight want to, oh, I don't know… run for your lives?
Thanks for sticking it out with me, everybody. I'll see you in Chapter 5!