Here's the second chapter, as promised, and I pologize for all the angsty stuff that this may contain.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ritsuka couldn't do it.
He sobbed. He sobbed his heart out into Soubi's shoulder, under the shade of a blossoming sakura tree. Everything poured out of him. Everything. The events of the previous night, his fear of his mother, his complete terror at having to face the school, everything. He was scared, confused, shocked, embarrassed... and in love... all at the same time.
Soubi let him cry. He understood all too well what Ritsuka was feeling. He had expected nothing less, after a night of losing his ears. It takes a toll on the mind, and Ritsuka was more than simply frightened. He was confused. Confused at the world. Confused at Soubi, at himself, and everything in between.
And so he let him cry, glad to be the shoulder Ritsuka chose.
Taking a shuddering breath, Ritsuka dried his tears after a while, and straightened up with a resigned look on his face.
"I'm... going to school now."
Soubi smiled at him, letting Ritsuka out into the open.
"I love you."
XXX
Shocked was a much too insignificant word to describe the reactions of Ritsuka's classmates. The were completely dumbstruck.
Ritsuka walked with his head hung, a blush plastered permanently to his face. He expected the questions to come flying, and he was hit with a wave of them before he had taken his seat.
"Who's the lucky chica, eh, Aoyagi?" A boy elbowed him playfully in the side.
This started a search. A search for a girl who was also earless that had not been before. Naturally, Yuiko was the first to be investigated, by a more-than-just-concerned Yayoi, but she was having a time dealing with the situation enough herself.
After a while, the excitement had gone out of the chatter.
"Hey, Aoyagi, it wasn't... it wasn't a man, was it?" The joking was gone from the voice. Ritsuka sat silently, his mind racing too fast to take in much of what they said, until he realized that the boys were gone, and that Yuiko had taken their place.
"Is was Soubi-san, wasn't it?" she asked quietly. Ritsuka's indigo eyes met hers in a flash. They couldn't help but linger on her ears, the ears that still remained. She was... clean. Innocent.
And he was filthy.
Yuiko stood up and left without a word, returning to her seat, leaving Ritsuka to think.
He was... dirty, unclean. Any trace of innocence he might have had was gone. Soubi's words came back to him.
Does it make you feel like something tainted?
Something tainted...
And now the awkwardness was finally beginning to sink in. Ritsuka had finally grasped the fact that he really had lost his ears... to Soubi... to Agatsuma Soubi. Through his morning haze, he could deal with Soubi, but... there was no way he could face him now.
By the end of the day, he was certain that he was uncertain about how he felt for Soubi. What could he do? Soubi had become his eternal companion, and Ritsuka was... alright with that. He'd conceded to let Soubi take his ears. There had been no force. And Soubi wouldn't have used force, anyway, if Ritsuka hadn't wanted him to do it.
The bell sounded, and Ritsuka rose to leave, knowing that Soubi would be dutifully waiting outside. He stopped at the window, staring at the back of Soubi's head, watching a thin trail of smoke arise from his mouth.
He jumped as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. It was Shinonome-sensei.
"It was him, wasn't it, Ritsuka-kun?" she said, also looking at Soubi. "That man."
"I... I can't go to him, sensei."
"Did he..." she said, panic touching her tone. "Did he force you?"
"No!" Ritsuka said, shaking his head. "Nothing like that."
"Then..."
"I have to go, sensei!"
He turned and ran down the hall, deciding that he would rather face Soubi than his teacher. He ran outside, breathing a deep breath of air, and dashed boldly around the corner.
He stopped several feet away from his target, watching as Soubi looked up.
So much was exchanged in that moment. As the wind began to ripple through Ritsuka's hair, setting it asway, he stood staring at Soubi with that same resigned look, never breaking his gaze. Soubi pushed his body away from the wall on which he had been leaning, and walked slowly, painstakingly, to Ritsuka.
He pulled him into an embrace, dropping his cigarette and crushing it under the heel of his shoe. He leaned in for a tentative kiss, and Ritsuka suddenly remembered that he would now be staying with Soubi. His body tensed. He could only imagine what would happen now that they would be alone together every night.
What would happen tonight?
Would Soubi do it again?
Would Ritsuka let him?
He was already tainted as it was.
Something tainted...