This took a while..sorry about that, I came down with a HORRIBLE fever for a few days and I can hardly move. I puked several times, I almost blacked out at the staircase -I have a large winding staircase, mind you- and was sent to the hospital to get a shot to stop my fever from getting any higher. Hence why this update took some time, so I hope you all understand.
Also, thank you to those who reviewed, faved and alerted me, that's a wonderful 'get well soon' gift for me even if you don't know about my fever *laughs* Anyways, best not to keep you waiting. This chapter is where things go bad..so grab your hardhats and hold on.
The next morning, Fushimi and Yata starts off their daily patrol again after getting some breakfast at some nearby fast food restaurant. Yata had admonished Fushimi for not eating his vegetables again but he was ignored and told to shut up. He then teases the skateboarder about his tall glass of milk and how drinking that won't help him grow anymore seeing how they're at the end of their growth spurt. Yata however, believes it isn't too late for him.
As they stroll down the street, their eyes are wide and keen for any Strains or anyone suspicious. After the whole kidnapping incident, they believe that not everyone is as they seem. The weather is fairly warm too as Japan nears spring, but people are still needed to wear thick clothes to keep them from the biting cold wind.
Yata however, still wears those green shorts and it makes Fushimi wonder if he ever feels cold. He continues to stare at Yata's bare legs, not noticing that the skateboarder had caught him looking his way and blushing slightly.
"Oi, what the hell are you staring at, damn monkey," he grumbles out as Fushimi simply grunts and pushes his glasses up his nose. The string had gotten quite long and they too had gotten along quite well, but they still have their occasional fights and banter, but the string doesn't shorten drastically now, as if knowing they're simply teasing each other.
"Just checking whether those legs of your actually have cold receptors. Made me wonder if you actually feel cold or that after getting that useless power from that useless group had made you immune to feel cold altogether," the Scepter 4 agent huffs out indignantly, causing Yata to seethe in anger.
The skateboarder quickens his pace and stood in front of his companion, eyes blazing in anger and if Fushimi were to look closely, extreme hurt.
"What is it with you?" Yata starts out as calmly as possible but with enough malice in his voice that could even make Kusanagi tremble in fear. "First you betrayed Homra and me, went to Scepter 4 and became one with those Blues, and then you talk as if you know Homra in the slightest! You know nothing about us!"
By the time he spat out the last word, he had grabbed Fushimi by the collar and could perfectly see the burnt scar, though the Homra tattoo had long disappear with the death of the Red King.
Fushimi clicks his tongue and pushes Yata's hands away from his collar coldly, causing the boy to look at him disbelievingly. "All I know is that you people are nothing more than a bunch of thugs causing ruckus wherever you go. Really Misaki, I still don't get what you see in that barbaric man you call a 'King', all I ever saw was someone that was needed to be killed. And I'm glad the Captain had done the deed,"
The younger of the two quickly regretted saying that when he sees droplet of tears dripping down the other boy's cheeks, though his eyes are shielded from his view, he could see and feel the hurt and sadness in that small body. He made a move to pat Yata and say he didn't mean to say those words but the skateboarder's fists were much faster.
With one powerful swing from his free hand, he brought Fushimi down causing him to stumble to his knees. The string had shortened so much that the cuffs are practically stuck together after their fight and that had effectively brought Misaki down on top of Fushimi. The people surrounding them were very surprised when they saw the fight, some even asking if they needed help but they were only brushed away coldly.
The boys got back up soundlessly and stood quite far from each other, except that their hands are bound together but right now, neither of them seems to even care. Fushimi pushes his glasses back that was knocked askew and starts walking.
"We don't have time for this stupidity, we just need to find those Strain girls and make them break this crazy spell, and you and I can go back to our usual lives. And when I said usual lives, I meant it. Best if don't see each other after this,"
Yata's eyes were wide when Fushimi said that but because the taller is walking a few paces ahead of him, he didn't see Yata's surprised expression. The skateboarder didn't say anything afterwards, only following his companion through the streets and searching for the Strain girls. Unbeknownst to them, they were watched and listened by the very girls they wanted to capture.
Ayame has an expression of pure murder when she heard the boys' conversation while Yua only looks rather sad. "I had anticipated they would fight like this should old wounds be brought up," Yua sighs out. "If they don't make up by second dawn, then those cuffs will cause one of them great pain, presumably the shorter one,"
Ayame only scoffs and leans back the alley walls as Yua peeks out to see the boys. "Why not? They're a couple of idiots anyway. Those cuffs and strings aren't just that, they judge one's bond and if they fight seriously, I don't see why one of them shouldn't be punished. Yatagarasu should suffer like that other boy, crippled and half-dead,"
Yua however, doesn't approve of Ayame's choice of punishment. "That was a mistake, Ayame! Don't ever do that again! I can't believe you'd choose such method, this isn't torturing! No, what those two needs is just a push, but we'll see in two days. If they don't make up by then, well...Lord helps them,"
The two then disappears off without another trace as the boys continue to look for them. Though their wrists are bonded, that doesn't stop Fushimi from walking a few steps ahead of the shorter boy. Yata doesn't say a word to the sudden silence, not that he has any reason to talk too.
As they continue to walk in silence, Yata could feel his resolve breaking. It wasn't his fault that he punched the other boy, Fushimi just needs to know that he doesn't deal with people well when push comes to shove. And Fushimi had clearly crossed the line just now by insulting the very person he practically worships. Unable to handle the silence any longer, Yata grabs Fushimi by the shoulder and spun him around.
"Why the heck did you do that?" he asks in a seethe. Fushimi merely stares at him blankly and clicks his tongue.
"You really have to be more specific..." the blue answers back in his usual monotonous voice and looking away from Yata to look around him. Yata grabs his attention by yanking their bounded wrists harshly.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you, bastard!" the skateboarder yells out as Fushimi lazily turns his attention to his companion.
I always do, Misaki. Talking, laughing, screaming, I've always looked at you. But you were the one who averted your gaze from me... Fushimi thought ruefully. He continues to stare at the shorter boy as he spews curses at him.
"You think you can just walk around with your head held high and saying things about Homra you hardly know? News flash, Saru! You're one of the most pathetic person I've ever met and you shouldn't pretend to be someone you're not! Doesn't Homra mean anything to you?" Yata shrieks out as he pulls them both towards an old building so that they don't attract the public eye.
Fushimi stays quiet, allowing the other boy to finish his rant before saying his words. Truth be told, he's not interested in Homra, but he's got Yata's attention now, and that's what's important to him. What's always been important to him ever since he became friends with the skateboarder.
Clicking his tongue, Fushimi pins Yata to the wall of the building with his free hand, causing the shorter boy to glare venomously up at him.
"I told you didn't I? Homra is nothing more than a place where hoodlums group together and putting some sort of beast from the slums as their leader. There's nothing more to Homra than that, and I wasn't like any of you so leaving was inevitable. Betrayal's my identity, Misaki..." he breathes out the last word to the boy's ear creepily causing Yata to lash out by giving him an uppercut.
And with that, Fushimi leans back and unsheathes his saber despite the throbbing pain at his chin. Though their wrists are stuck together, that doesn't stop them from exchanging blows with each other. Punches and slashes were going in quick successions as neither wants to back down. Yata is fueled by Fushimi's smug grin, Fushimi's fueled by the need to be noticed.
The skateboarder couldn't hide the fact that he's extremely hurt by his friend's decision to betray Homra. They were once together, so close and inseparable under the command of Suoh Mikoto. But for some unknown reason, Fushimi had to destroy that happiness and that close bond by betraying Homra, betraying him. That thought alone is enough to fuel his anger and his punches increases in speed and power.
Fushimi however, seems to be able to dodge those powerful punches without breaking a sweat or even loosing his trademark psychotic grin. He continues to slash his saber around and managing to cut Yata in various places, making the shorter teen bleed profusely. Though the wounds aren't deep, Fushimi knows the human body enough to slice through the skin that holds the pressure points causing extreme pain.
And true enough, after a few short while, Yata collapses to his knees with his shirt stained crimson red and dripping slightly with his own blood. Fushimi seems to be in a better shape but already the dark bruises starting to form on his face and various parts of his body, though his legs still support him, his body shakes violently as it tries to support the injuries. With one final blow to his knee by Yata's fist, Fushimi collapses to the ground and bring the shorter boy with him.
Hard pants and wheezes are the only noises in the old building as the two teens gather their breaths and energy. They notice that the cuffs are glowing a bright and bloody-coloured red, and its temperature seems to have risen too as they can feel their skin slowly heating up. A sign as if the cuffs are saying that it's there for a reason. The boys however, paid it no mind as they continue to regain their breathing.
"You're an ass," Yata says slowly as he gets his heart under control. Fushimi didn't retort to those words, only keeping to himself as he slowly regains his energy. His saber is a few meters ahead of him after Yata managed to knock it out of his hands, resulting in Fushimi having to use his fist too.
He grins to himself when he realizes that even when bounded together in this state, they're both able to fight in perfect coordination such as when they helped the girl from being kidnapped, and again when they have a fight not a few moments ago. All this because they once fought together and for each other.
Back when they were in high school and Yata was almost pummeled to the ground while he went off to buy a game, back when they had to search for Anna's information in the Gold King's Strain institute, back when they were living off the streets only trying to survive... Those days they only have each other, and on each other they rely on. Until that day where Suoh Mikoto shows up in front of them and displaying raw power in front of Yata's eyes.
And everything was burnt, turned to ashes and destroyed before his very eyes.
And ever since then, Yata doesn't look at him anymore. And to make matters worse, he was appointed as Homra's vanguard, the third strongest of the group next to the King and their Second; Izumo. Fushimi couldn't take it, day by day he had to endure that his most precious person is slowly slipping through his grasp and his cry for attention being ignored. And the only way to regain his position in Yata's heart is by joining Scepter 4.
And so he did. Though it isn't a friendly attention he had gained, he'd have what he can have; Yata's hate.
Friendship be damned. Yata doesn't see him in that light anymore. To him, Fushimi's nothing more than a dirty traitor that can't be trusted with anything. It pained the blue clansman that their relationship had gone astray, but he couldn't help it. There's nothing in this world that matters more than Yata Misaki, and only Yata Misaki grabs his attention. Not school, not games, not the Red or Blue King, only Yata and Yata alone.
Despite his injuries, Fushimi shakily gets up to his feet and drags Yata along, though he still keeps quiet and doesn't look at the other boy in the eye. He retrieves his saber and sheathes it before finally turning to stare at Yata.
"And you're still clueless, doesn't make you any less of an idiot. Let's just go home and clean up, I don't want to waste anymore time," was Fushimi's bland reply. Yata's breath hitches slightly when he realizes that Fushimi is giving him the cold and silent treatment. The skateboarder retrieves his skateboard and silently follows the other back to his apartment.
Through the whole walk, Fushimi didn't say anything, and Yata made no move to apologize too. They just walk in silence and ignoring the other's presence, causing the cuffs to glow a brighter red. This is the biggest fight they've have ever since Fushimi's betrayal, not even the fights in Ashinaka High was this intense, or caused this much of a gap between them despite being stuck so close.
That night, they slept with their backs facing each other, not even caring that their hands are bounded like a hanging bridge between them. The silence only amplifies the coldness now spreading around them both.
Well..that's that, and it's a page short so..yeah, I blame the fever for making me so lethargic. I'm getting somewhat better, but I'm still dreary and my cough is hurting me more than my headache so the next chapter will also take some bit of time. I won't be home the entire day tomorrow because I have a driving test -here's to hoping my condition doesn't worsen- so I won't be writing tomorrow.
Don't worry though, I'll write the day after and perhaps the next chapter will be longer and be up faster. Wish me luck~ And don't forget to send me a couple of thoughts on this chapter!