I knew it was ending soon.. I just didn't think it was this soon. That's right, folks, this is the last chapter. So get all your reading in and enjoy it, damn it! XD, no, seriously, enjoy!
Mello-kun: Oh gods, no. That would be so scary... and poor Kanone and Eriol.. thanks for reviewing!
Shio-chan27: Well, there's not much more. In fact, just this chapter. Hope it's satisfactory. Thanks for reviewing!
Black Ice Phoenix Wolf: They're like poison, aren't they? Evil bastards.. it really is messed up, but oh so wonderful at the same time. Thanks for reviewing!
Joan Mistress of Magic: Yes, master, I'm updating, I'm updating! XD, thanks for reviewing!
Red Kitsune Flames: Damn you to hell! How'd you guess that? I'm just too predictable, is that it? Well.. ha! I changed it so now you don't know! (I know, I'm so cheap) XD. But in the end, this worked out better, anyway. Thanks for reviewing!
Animestar73: Yes, bow down to the cliffy! It rules your life! Hey, never know, it might. Oh, poor plushie... thanks for reviewing!
Kanone. It was Kanone. Ayumu knew that voice anywhere; that smooth southern accent, that slight twinge of surprise and amusement. But...no...it couldn't be. Kanone was standing right in front of him. "Then who the hell..."
"Ayumu," the Kanone in front of him spoke, tilting his head and motioning over his shoulder, "That's my brother, Kalelle."
Ayumu blinked in surprise and turned around to see an identical version of the boy behind him standing in front of him. Kalelle was a picture-perfect rendition of Kanone other than a few minor details. His hair was a tad lighter and a bit longer, he was just an inch or two taller, his shoulders were slightly broader, but most noticeable was the tone of his eyes. Kanone's held a bloodlust and contempt, a certain coldness for humanity, while Kalelle's seemed to smile. His identical olive orbs held a warmth and kindness his twin's didn't.
Kalelle tilted his head to the side, much like his brother, and smiled, much unlike his brother, "It's nice to meet you, Ayumu, Kanone's spoken quite a lot about you."
"That can't be good," Ayumu thought, nodding to the brunette, "It's nice to meet you, too... I never knew Kanone had a twin." A glance was shot to the boy in question, who simply shrugged and looked anywhere but at the two boys.
"Well, I suppose I was his ace in the hole," the older (at least, Ayumu thought he seemed older) twin explained.
"What... do you mean?" The brunette was confused as he looked between the twins.
"Well," Kanone spoke up, "I thought Kalelle could perhaps...smooth over our little situation."
Ayumu knew Kanone, and he knew when Kanone spoke of making things better, he never had everyone else in mind. Hell, he never had anyone else in mind. Kalelle smiled when he saw the nervous expression, "No worries," he assured the younger boy, "I was only called because things were getting so bad."
"So Kanone actually realized the direction things were going?" Ayumu was slightly shocked, he'd never imagined Kanone to see the big picture that didn't include only himself.
"Not quite," another voice spoke up. The three turned to the apartment door where Eriol appeared beside Kalelle, "Kiyotaka did."
"Ki-Kiyotaka?" Ayumu asked, stunned, "He knew about Kalelle?" Not that he was all that shocked when he thought it through. He was sure, in fact, that his elder brother had a life all his own, away from him and Madoka.
The slightly taller twin nodded, "Kiyotaka told me the state of things and I came here to talk to Kanone and Eyes to see if I couldn't work things out."
"Eyes? What does he have to do with anything?" Ayumu was the only one left in the dark about his boyfriend's ulterior motives; the rest had suspected the silver-haired boy for quite some time of not wanting what was best and instead wanting what was desired.
"Eyes isn't as innocent as you think," Kanone told the messy-haired boy.
Eriol nodded in agreement, "He wants Kiyotaka out of the picture."
"He's jealous," Kanone said, at Ayumu's even more confused expression, "And that jealousy is leading him to mistrust your brother and believe he's up to something."
"So...he's not?" Ayumu clarified, frowning, "It's all Eyes?"
"Kiyotaka has been here to see me," the only Blade Child of the group noted, "However, it wasn't for ill intentions. If anything, it was to make sure I wasn't going to do anything to harm you."
"My brother is the trouble maker here. Someone needs to talk to him," the silver-haired teen added. He and Kanone both cast a glance to Kalelle, who pondered the decision before shaking his head.
"I think it would be best for Ayumu to speak with him."
"But.. what can I say?" he wondered. Ayumu wasn't the greatest mediator in the world, and he knew that he was rather emotional when it came to the subject.
"I'll come with you, if you want," Kalelle offered, "but I don't mean anything to Eyes, I doubt he would listen to me."
The brunette nodded slightly, "Yeah, I guess you're right." Ayumu knew that Eyes was slightly unreasonable, and doubted that he'd accept advice from anyone he didn't look up to. Unfortunately, he looked up to no one, and their best bet was his boyfriend.
The tallest of the group glanced to the younger Narumi, "I must know, first of all.. how much you care for Eyes?"
Ayumu was slightly shocked, "What do you mean? I lo-..." he trailed off, a slight frown touching his lips. He loved Eyes, didn't he? He did, he knew that, but now? He wasn't sure, with everything that had been going on, if he could trust the silver-haired Blade Child enough to love him.
"You...what?" Kalelle asked, tilting his head. He'd suspected such things, from what Kiyotaka had said about Eyes' behavior.
"I...don't know..." he finally confessed, biting his lip. He felt terrible, he wanted to love Eyes, but he wasn't sure that he could let himself anymore.
A reassuring and utterly kind smile crossed the twin's face, "It's alright," he assured Ayumu, "Love isn't something so easily defined."
"Then why did you ask?" Honestly, he was grateful for Kalelle at the moment. He wasn't sure what it was-- the kind look in his eyes, his soothing voice, or just his overall presence-- but something about him made Ayumu more relaxed then he had ever been around Eyes.
"I only wanted you to be sure of your feelings, even if you're unsure of them." Ayumu nodded in agreement, only half understand what he was being told. "Perhaps we shouldn't waste anymore time."
"I'll see you back here when you're finished," Kanone told his brother before making his way into the apartment, Eriol in tow.
Once the door was shut, Kalelle glanced to Ayumu, "I know you don't know me well, and I hope I'm not intruding on anyth-"
"You're not," Ayumu cut him off, not realizing that he had, "Trust me you're... I don't know... but I'm glad you're here." In his heart, the brunette wasn't sure, but he thought perhaps he had been waiting for someone like Kalelle to come along.
The lighter-haired boy smiled, "Well, I'm glad I'm here, then." The words were simple, but they made Ayumu's heart skip a beat. Kalelle seemed to honestly care about him, despite only having met him not an hour ago. "Shall we go?" At Ayumu's nod the two descended the stairs and took to the streets.
---
"Eyes?" It wasn't too much later that the brunette and his companion reached his place and as Ayumu was walking in through the door, he surveyed the area. Everything was neat and clean, just as it had been when he left. Nothing seemed or felt wrong or out of place, and even Eyes' immediate absence from the living room didn't really strike him as odd. For once in a very long time, Ayumu felt relaxed in an otherwise uncomfortable situation. He wondered, only briefly, if it had anything to do with the boy that followed him into the main room of the penthouse.
"Ayumu, I didn't expect you back so..." Eyes trailed off, having exited from his bedroom when he heard his boyfriend's voice. His blue orbs immediately snapped to Kalelle, who to Eyes looked way too much like Kanone for his comfort. Of course, for all the pianist knew, it was Kanone. "What is he doing here?"
"It's alright," Ayumu assured him, "Eyes.. this is Kanone's brother, Kalelle."
"Brother?" Eyes was skeptical at first, but at looking Kalelle over again, he realized that the boy standing next to his boyfriend definitely wasn't Kanone. However, it was still someone who looked very much like Kanone standing very much next to Ayumu and the whole scene disturbed him. "Regardless, my question still stands." At news that it was Kanone's brother, Eyes' suspicions rose even higher.
"I'm not here for any trouble, I assure you," Kalelle spoke up, smiling his comforting smile, "I simply offered to come along with Ayumu, for...emotional support."
"Emotion support?" Eyes parroted, narrowing his eyes more, "For what?"
"Eyes... you need to let this thing with Kiyotaka go," Ayumu began, heart pounding. He wasn't sure which reaction he was more afraid of-- Eyes agreeing quickly or being difficult about it. He hated confrontation, and the latter response would mean arguing. However, if Eyes just agreed, he might not be honest with his answer, and that would mean bigger problems later on.
"There is nothing with Kiyotaka." The latter it was.
Ayumu glanced to Kalelle, desperate for help, but the older boy just smiled and nodded his encouragement, "If you're going to do this, you have to do it on your own," he told Ayumu in his head. He simply wondered if the brunette was strong enough to carry it out.
"That's...that's not true." Brown eyes turned on Kanone, "You don't like him."
"Any reason I should?"
"He's my brother and he hasn't done a thing wrong."
"He's abandoned you once, Ayumu, I'm only looking out for you."
"You're looking out for yourself!" All three were shocked when the last words were shouted, and Ayumu immediately cast his gaze away from Eyes'.
"If I were only looking out for myself, I would have never gotten with you," Eyes told him, bitterly, "I've been through hell enough just to be with you, don't ever tell me that I don't care about you."
"I didn't mean...I'm sorry..." Ayumu was failing miserably. Kanone had put Eyes through hell because he left him for Ayumu, and the younger boy had forgotten everything the two had been through.
Kalelle frowned at the scene, "Hold on a moment," he interjected, looking to Eyes, "I'll admit that you have gone through some hard times to be with Ayumu, but he's been suffering just as much as you have. It's not right for you to be so selfish about this."
"I'm not being selfish," Eyes replied, coldly, "Was Ayumu the one that Kanone raped and carved his name in?"
Ayumu closed his eyes tightly, trying to block out the words. He could have kissed Kalelle for his next statement. "No," he replied simply, frowning at the whole thought of his brother doing something so cruel, "he was the one who had to watch while the person most important to him was hurt and he was helpless to do a thing about it."
Eyes hesitated at these words and then even he looked away, "I'm not saying Ayumu hasn't suffered," he whispered, "I'm saying that I don't want him to suffer again."
"He won't... if you stop going to war with his brother." Eyes opened his mouth to argue, but Kalelle cut him off, "I know that you're not close with your brother, and that you two have your differences, but Kiyotaka is neither Eriol nor nothing like him. He will act coldly to you and he won't trust you, but he will never betray you. Tell me, is it worth making Ayumu happy, if you have to hurt him in the process?"
"..." Eyes had no response for the question, and he simply shook his head lightly, "I can't accept Kiyotaka," he said after a moment of silence.
"Why?" Ayumu asked, finally regaining some courage through Kalelle's words.
"I can't accept anyone that you care for more than me."
"Wha... you don't know that I do." They could all tell, though, that by his tone of voice, he was saying the words just out of habit.
"You can't tell me you don't," Eyes pointed out, "Ayumu... I sacrificed a lot to be with you, and I did it because I loved you, but this situation... is one I can't handle."
"What are you-"
"I'm leaving you." The three words struck Ayumu like a knife in the heart.
"You...you're..." He was dumbfounded, and looked to Kalelle for help.
Said boy sighed softly, "I had been afraid... that something like this would happen." He cast a glance to Eyes, "You and your brother...really are too much alike."
Eyes didn't need to ask what he meant, it had been clear, at one time, Kalelle and Eriol had been together. That was, until Eriol had met Kanone, and found someone he loved more than the boy standing in front of him. He briefly wondered how Kalelle had reacted, and from what he saw here, he realized he must have stepped down gracefully, wishing only for the person he loved to be as happy as he could be, even if it wasn't with him.
As all of this ran through his mind, Eyes was more assured than ever in his decision, and embraced Ayumu, resting his head on his shoulder and closing his eyes, "Things won't work between us as long as I'm like this," he whispered.
"Don't...don't go..." the brunette pleaded, but Eyes simply shook his head.
"There's someone even better for you than me," he assured him, "Someone you'd sacrifice Kiyotaka for in an instant..." a glance was cast to Kalelle, "and someone that would never make you."
Ayumu understood, and only numbly nodded as the silver-haired boy exited the apartment. Kalelle frowned, "Ayumu..."
"Don't." He bit his lip hard, fighting back a rain of tears. The floodgate was thrown open, though, as soon as Kalelle pulled him into a hug. He buried his face in the elder boy's shoulder and cried a few good sobs before composing himself enough to stop soaking the crimson dress shirt.
Kalelle said nothing, only idly ran a hand through his messy chocolate locks and glanced up as the door to the apartment opened, this time to reveal the older Narumi brother. Kiyotaka glanced at Kalelle, only mildly surprised to see him, and then to Ayumu. He realized what must have happened not too long ago and approached the two. In one motion, Ayumu was unraveled from Kalelle's hug and instead Kiyotaka's arms wrapped around his brother. The youngest boy didn't want to speak or ask any questions, he didn't even want to look his brother in the face. So, instead, he shut his eyes tightly and leaned into the embrace. He knew, as it stood, he wouldn't give this up for anything.
---
"What do you think will happen?" Eriol asked, lounging on Kanone's couch.
The Blade Child, who had taken to a chair opposite his roommate, shrugged slightly, glancing out a window that overlooked a large body of water. In his misted thoughts, he couldn't recall exactly which river or lake it was. "I'm sure, as long as Kalelle's there, it'll be for the best."
"You really think he's that good?"
Kanone nodded instantly, "He's never led me wrong before." A few moments of silence passed before olive green eyes traveled to the figure sprawled out on the couch.
It took Eriol a second to realize he was being watched, but when he finally did, he composed himself slightly and shifted under the intense stare, "What?"
"Well... Kalelle suggested I take another look at you," he confessed, "He said if you were really that dedicated to me, that perhaps there was some good in you."
"He...did?" Eriol couldn't believe it. He had dumped Kalelle, harshly, telling him that he didn't want him now that he'd found Kanone. His ex, of course, just smiled and assured him that it was alright; that if he wasn't the happiest he could be, then he shouldn't stay just for him. Even though he knew he must have hurt him on some level, Kalelle never once showed it. Every time after and every time since, Eriol never saw the mahogany-haired boy frown over him-- he hardly saw him frown at all.
He never would have expected, though, that Kalelle would go so far as to push the two together, despite Kanone's resistance. Thinking it over, Eriol smiled slightly to himself-- he could believe it. Kalelle was just that kind of guy, and he was a rare and dying breed for sure.
"So?" He had asked the question, almost nervously, though was already sure what Kanone would say.
"Well.." the brunette pondered it for a moment, before giving one of his own, personal smiles, "He's never led me wrong before."
Eriol chuckled and closed his eyes, stretching out on the couch, "That boy," he thought, Kalelle's image flashing through his mind, "He's one in a million."
That's right. Love it. XD, I know I do. I'm just so glad this is finished. Not that I didn't enjoy writing most of it, but it's always nice to finish things. So, happy endings all around, right? Well, maybe not quite for Eyes, but he'll get better, I'm sure.. he can go on some self-finding journey or something and come to terms with himself, then go back and find... Ayumu hooked up with Kalelle. Wouldn't that be a bitch? No, I'm not saying that Kalelle and Ayumu are together, though you are free to interpret it that way if you want. You're also free to pretty much ignore Kalelle and see it as Ayumu being happy and content to just have his brother back and not interested in any sort of relationship at the moment. Either way, I think this was a fairly good fic overall, and I'm pretty happy with the ending. I hope you all are, too, so review and let me know how you liked it!