Disclaimer: I don't own POT
TezukaxFuji AU
The final chapter
Parlous Folly Chapter Three: The price of a life
As promised the two set out for their next destination before the sun had even fully risen. Syusuke woke up feeling more exhausted than the night before yet shoved the discomfort to the back of his mind. The temple Tezuka had decided on was known for its dabbling's in the occult something they hadn't taken into consideration before, a perfect place to search for one with enough knowledge and skill to know of the demon and to make contact with Yuuta.
Tezuka had only just learned of the temples existence himself through speaking with the caretaker of Eiji's shrine; it was a promising spot, however, with concealment came distance and that worried Syusuke a bit. A day's journey on foot did not sound particularly appealing especial with only a few hours of fitful sleep, but Tezuka was determined to save him and eager to get moving.
Syusuke struggled through most of the day unaided save for the moments when Tezuka would tap his shoulder or grab his hand whenever he began to wander off the trail, lost in a haze or blinded by fatigue. Luckily despite his daze Syusuke still managed to retain their objective and Tezuka seemed to have enough sense never to get far enough away that any of Syusuke's memories faded completely. Still as the day wore on the details grew shaky even with his hand in Tezuka's.
It was around sun down when Tezuka grabbed his hand for the umpteenth time and lead him away from the forest and back to the hardly trodden trail he was sure he had never left. With a kind of pained understanding Tezuka maintained their contact and Syusuke allowed the man to half lead half pull him through the tall trees surrounding them.
"Fuji!" Syusuke's eyes snapped open as soon as his knees made contact with the ground, Tezuka's shout resounding in his mind much too loudly. Bowing over Syusuke tried to calm the heavy pounding of his heart and restore order to his harsh breaths. He wasn't exactly sure what happened, perhaps he had tripped or his legs simply given out, but Tezuka was still holding on to his hand tightly and so things were okay.
"Sorry Tezuka…" Syusuke whispered breathily, "I don't think I can…go any further." It was an understatement of the truth; the brunette could hardly lift his head anymore.
"We're almost there. I'll carry you the rest of the way," Tezuka's usual calm stoic voice held and edge of desperation in it, which was a bit saddening to hear.
Syusuke shook his head negatively at the suggestion even as Tezuka turned around and crouched down to offer his back. His chest hurt, his entire body ached all over, he didn't want to move anymore.
As if Tezuka cared nothing for his protests Syusuke felt himself being pulled onto the man's back. There were a few moments of uncomfortable jarring and adjustments as Tezuka tried to ensure he didn't slip off. Syusuke figured his wasn't being very helpful lying listlessly as he was but eventual they moved forward once again. Despite his initial thoughts the swallow spirit was able to relax rather quickly against Tezuka's firmly toned back. Human body heat was defiantly a plus in this situation.
Syusuke was shaken awake by the ache in his chest flaring into persistent stabbing. Every time the number dropped the pain increased and this time he couldn't suppress the gasp that caught in his throat as the marking changed.
"Is everything okay?" Tezuka's questioned floated up from the darkness beneath him. The man was still walking, despite the cold and the burden of his weight, with determination and dignity. Syusuke was glad to have Tezuka by his side.
"Yeah…" The brunette forced out the answer shakily, it was a lie but that hardly mattered. Even through the pain he was able to take a bit of comfort knowing he had spared his younger brother from suffering like this, that and the fact this mess had brought about his meeting with Tezuka.
"We're near the entrance now. We'll rest here until sunrise," Tezuka announced turning off the road and walking a few meters before finally coming to a stop and crouching down.
Syusuke slid off Tezuka's back slowly, careful not let his dizziness get the better of him; the world was spinning enough as it was. Fortunately there was already a nice thick pile of autumn leaves underneath him so any further bedding would be unnecessary. The exhausted spirit took advantage of that fact and collapsed into them immediately.
"Is that marking hurting you?" The question came as Tezuka sat down in the foliage beside him. Syusuke realized belatedly that he was clutching at the fabric of the yukata that covered his heart.
"Just a bit," the brunette admitted softly, smiling weakly in Tezuka's direction, "It will fade in a little while."
Tezuka nodded quietly shuffling to lay down as well. "Try to get some rest," the man's low yet strong voice sent gentle vibrations through the earth and Syusuke felt Tezuka's warm large hand cover his own. Suddenly his pain seemed to fade and their situation felt a bit less perilous.
"Fuji, it's time to go now," Syusuke could hear Tezuka's calls to wake up but his body refused to move. They were in the woods, the sensation of nature beneath him and the rustic, nostalgic smell of damp wood informed him of that much. The rest of his memories and thoughts alike, however, were a jumbled mess.
"…Fuji?" Instead of waiting for his response Tezuka pulled Syusuke into a seated position; the contact instantly snapping the hold over his body and mind. Yet the reality connection came at a stiff price and Syusuke reeled collapsing against Tezuka with the sudden loss of power.
Without a word Tezuka held him, waiting patiently for Syusuke to recover enough to sit up unaided.
"I can carry you again," Tezuka suggested unassumingly his hands never leaving Syusuke's shoulders.
"No it is okay. I'll be fine in a moment," The light haired spirit declined gently. Tezuka had said that they weren't far now, he could manage a short walk. And if this one turned out like all the others without a doubt he would need Tezuka's assistance for the journey back home.
For a while Tezuka looked hesitant to accept Syusuke's refusal but politeness kept him silent.
"Help me up?" Syusuke offered as a sort of trade off once he finally perceived the lightheadedness and numbness of his limb receding. Tezuka took the opportunity to help seriously and preformed his duty as thoroughly and attentively as he did everything else. The man pulled Syusuke up from the floor carefully, pausing cautiously when the brunette wavered.
He didn't have much strength left, Syusuke knew; his legs felt stiff and weak, mind growing hazy as soon as Tezuka's hand left his arm. The disorientation only lasted a moment before Tezuka's arm draped around his back acting as both a support and anchor to reality.
Syusuke took hold of the side of Tezuka pale green yukata; he would be lost without Tezuka now. "I can't see any more if you are not near me," The forest spirit revealed a bit apologetically, his situation had become quite burdensome. Still Tezuka didn't seem to mind and instead looked more determined tightening his grip around Syusuke's body, a silent promise to keep him safe.
As Tezuka led them forward Syusuke leaned his head against the tall man's arm, marveling for a moment at the protective embrace. He wasn't accustomed to being so depended on anyone for help. Syusuke had always been the protector, of Yuuta, of his family. While benevolent by nature he had a lot of pride and a stubborn personality that had caused him a few problems in the past as well, though none quite as dangerous as this.
Syusuke could tell that Tezuka was the same; the man had a kind heart with the strength and willpower to protect others, without the rather unfavorable habit of self-sacrifice Syusuke seemed to have. It was calming to be near him.
"We're here," Tezuka announced, as promised not far from where they had slept. The temple, if it could be called such, was an old one and in a rather pitiful state of disrepair. The architecture spoke of Buddhist influences yet the dilapidated Tori gates revealed a Shinto conversion. As they approached, even with his waning senses, Syusuke grew uncomfortable, not the same discomfort of traversing another spirit's territory but a wave of hostility and danger.
"There is something here…" Syusuke shared his trepidations with Tezuka. If the rumors of this place being involved in the occult were true then the humans responsible had greatly disturbed the resident spirit of the grounds. The amount of anger in the air even outside the shrine was enough to leave Syusuke breathless.
"What is it?" The two passed through the entrance in time with Tezuka's question. Syusuke left Tezuka inquire unanswered.
Something wasn't right. At every other shrine they visited passing through the wards had been one of his biggest struggles; yet here the barrier had given way to his presence naturally as if beckoning him in instead of repelling as it should have.
"So you made it here after all."
Syusuke's head snapped in the direction of the abandoned prayer house, beside him Tezuka's calculating gaze was already searching the shadows cast by the trees in the early morning light. There came a groan of old wood before the mysterious speaker revealed himself from the building's interior stepping out into the sunlight. Dark disheveled curly hair and even darker eyes marked the stranger and a strange disassociated connection rooted itself in Syusuke consciousness.
"A human." Tezuka made the initial judgment and Syusuke would have agreed easily if not for the nagging familiarity and the dreadful aura coming from the man that compelled him to disagree. Furrowing his brows Syusuke's head fell forward with a shake, the pressure of the others presence was zapping his already dangerously low energy levels. Tezuka acknowledged his predicament and tightened his hold on the weakening spirit.
"Who are you?" Tezuka demanded his voice cool, collected, and firm.
"Well that's somewhat disappointing," the dark haired being sighed, an unnaturally pale hand moving to flip the fringe way from his eyes, "Mizuki Hajime. You have been searching for me right? You did promise."
Syusuke's eyes widened as a sudden realization washed over him, he had been a fool for getting Tezuka involved in this after all. Suddenly everything made sense from the start. The supposed treasure that had been just too easy for Yuuta to take, the lack of records on the human named Mizuki.
The demon they were up against was a face-stealer, a leach of human flesh living through the bodies of unsuspecting men. Yuuta had been tricked by a demon in a human shell, to lure more humans to this forsaken place.
In an instant the scenery resurfaced in his mind. Darkness had obscured it that night but it was unmistakable, this was the same place he had wagered with the very same entity. The reason he was dumped close to the town, why the curse made him useless without a human guide. Syusuke had led Tezuka straight to the demon.
"We have to go!" Despite the resistance of his body Syusuke shouted and pulled against Tezuka to move.
Thankfully Tezuka wasn't foolish enough to question Syusuke's command and he turned without question towards the exit. He would die if they left now, he was sure Tezuka knew it to be true as well, but they would both die if they stayed.
"My, you two are quite the pair of fools," Mizuki's voice was no longer where it should have been and when Tezuka stopped suddenly Syusuke knew why. The demon was in front of them shedding his human skin like clothing. Mizuki's body fell limp and lifeless to the leaf ridden earth as the bodiless mass of gray darkness rose out from within him. The message was clear, the face-stealer's former guise had grown old, he required a new host.
Syusuke's eyes flew to Tezuka's face, the man looked intimidated naturally yet the steadfast determination failed to vacate his eyes and that more than anything petrified Syusuke. Tezuka wouldn't abandon him which inlayed the problem. He only had seconds to come up with some way to save Tezuka.
Malicious golden eyes made contact with his and Syusuke felt himself sag under the power, the demon was taking his time, revealing in their struggle.
There would be no escape for him, but the demon had dropped his human guise so if Tezuka could just make it as far and the entrance he should be safe. If Tezuka could make it out Syusuke could use the last of his power to seal the Shrine at least long enough for Tezuka to run away.
The arm around his torso was so tight that it almost ached. Tezuka's heated gaze never strayed from the beast approaching them. That was one of the biggest obstacles in the swallow spirits plan: Tezuka's courage.
"Tezuka…please…please just run!" Syusuke whispered desperately, willing his hands to stop trembling as he tried now to push Tezuka away from himself. This was entirely his fault. He had made an enormous error and Tezuka was about to pay the price, Syusuke couldn't allow that. Tezuka had to live.
Finally Tezuka turned to regard him stopping Syusuke's useless struggle effortlessly. It was too late now anyway for the demon was upon them.
"Just trust me, okay?" Tezuka announced almost apologetically, and before Syusuke even had time to wonder about the unusual tone or why Tezuka would say such things, the man relinquished his hold and Syusuke was unceremoniously shoved into the bowels of the gray abyss. For a moment he was too stunned to move and he fell heavily to the ground without Tezuka's support, blinded by the darkness engulfing him.
"Get off!" The demon roared suddenly, rattling Syusuke's entire frame with the force of his rage. Without thinking Syusuke reached out until he found the solid mass buried in the swirling miasma and took hold of it. He couldn't do much but he would slow the face-stealer down for as long as possible if that meant it would give Tezuka a chance to escape. Syusuke channeled every ounce of his strength into immobilizing his target ignoring the shocking waves of power that the demon threw at him and his own ebbing consciousness. Pain rolled through his body relentlessly yet still he refused to let go.
Then suddenly the assault ceased and the beast spoke his words oozing malicious, "Now that's a foolish thing you've done."
While the face-stealer was distracted Syusuke strained to see through gloom at what had caused it. His suspicions were confirmed and his heart sank when he spotted Tezuka knife in hand hovering over the demons pervious guise. Severing the tie to the human world was not enough to banish the face-stealer and Syusuke was at his limit.
Before he could tire himself out on his own the demon smashed the sparrow spirit with an upsurge of energy which rendered his limbs useless and he fell senselessly to the floor.
Tezuka watched in horror as Fuji's body hit the ground with a solid crack and remained motionless. Even from several feet away he had been able to feel the rage with which Fuji was struck. His plan hadn't involved Fuji being injured and Tezuka had to shove down the longing to run to the spirits aid. The demon quickly moving in his direction, however, prevented Tezuka from acting on his desires. Whatever Fuji had done to keep the creature at bay had collapsed with him so Tezuka needed to move quickly, for Fuji's sake as well as his own.
"All you have done is saved me the trouble of killing him myself. Can you live with the blood of an innocent man on your hands?" Power surged in Tezuka directions flickering and sparking as the demon passed over the body still coloring the shrine grounds with its blood. Tezuka took a step back his eyes never leaving the glowing golden orbs as they neared.
At his action a laugh emanated from his pursuer, the demon was overconfident and Tezuka intended to use it to his advantage. Brandishing the knife in one hand Tezuka tightened his grip; he would have only one chance.
"You can't kill me with that, pathetic human!" The demon raged obviously growing tired of their little game. Just as the Face-stealer seized his arm Tezuka aimed his weapon and all the willpower he could muster shoved the blade deep into the flesh of his own hand.
"What are you doing?"
Tezuka winced as the knife was smacked out of his hand by one of the demon's powerful blows and a calloused clawed hand wrapped around his throat. He could feel the dizzying pain course through him as the demon counter attacked; apparently the monster didn't like his hosts to be externally injured. The internal assault to his body continued, however, and Tezuka wondered how Fuji, in his weakened state, had lasted as long as he had against such power.
Thoughts of Fuji sharpened Tezuka's mind. Fuji wasn't safe yet, he had to finish this quickly. Forcing his injured hand to move Tezuka retrieved a small trinket from his pocket. Something from an old story of his childhood which his grandfather had warned him to carry around always: a palm sized Durama doll lacking a face and soaked in the blood of Mizuki and now Tezuka.
"Faceless and nameless, the demon who knows no bound, return to true form," Tezuka recited the haiku his grandfather's words. It was a long shot as to whether these were the right words or if they would even have any effect on the demon, but it was his only chance. "Seal!" Tezuka finished the spell with a shout.
For a moment the world fell silent until the gray mass released a terrible howl and stumbled away from Tezuka, curling in on itself. Wasting no time with his surprise or pain the bespectacled man dashed in Fuji's direction. Before he could reach his fallen companion, however, the entity had gathered himself and was once raising to his full form. Black belts of power rising and snapping with fury.
Tezuka froze in panic, he was out of ideas and couldn't make it to Fuji or the exit before the raging demon captured him.
"Tezuka!...Break it!" Fuji's terribly withered voice sounded though the chaos, startling Tezuka and infuriating the demon.
"Silence!" the face-stealer roared whipping around. Tezuka's attention locked on to Fuji just as his slender frame was hit once again with the uninhibited wrath of their enemy.
"Fuji!" Tezuka yelled fear coiling in the pit of his stomach. While the demons back was still turned Tezuka smashed the Durama into the dirt listening to the sound of it crack under the pressure of his foot as he destroyed it.
This time while the demon cried out Tezuka made it to Fuji's side and he spend no time waiting to confirm whether that had finally destroyed their foe or simply stunned him again. Scooping up Fuji's listless form in his arms Tezuka ran.
They were already deep into the forest far from the cursed shrine by the time the demon's shrill screams ceased. Dizziness stemming from the blood loss of his hand and concern for Fuji's condition finally forced Tezuka to stop.
By the time they settled down Tezuka's wound had stopped bleeding so he saw no need to bind it and he gave Fuji his full attention. Those last few strikes dealt while he was unguarded and already powerless had to have been damaging if his shallow labored breathing and terribly pale completion meant anything. But at least he was still breathing. Tezuka had been nearly convinced that that final blow ended it, but Fuji was still alive somehow, after everything they were both still here.
He wondered, however, about how the stories he never believed as a child worked in defeating the demon or if the being was truly gone or not. Even if he had been beaten would that be enough to free Fuji from his dwindling time? There were too many questions to dwell on with no one to answer for Fuji would not wake. After about the fourth time of trying unsuccessfully to get Fuji to come around Tezuka decide that it was better to just start for home, Fuji needed somewhere safe and warm to recover.
Balancing the brunette's unconscious form over his shoulder Tezuka began walking. Despite how he felt, it was still before midday somehow and so Tezuka calculated that they could probably make it back to his house without having to spend the night in the forest again. It wasn't much but it was something to look forward to.
Tezuka walked on for hours in silence worried and anxious before Fuji finally began to stir. Hastily yet with care Tezuka lowered his friend into a bed of ferns growing in the shade of a large sequoia. The healthy vibrant green contrasting awfully with Fuji's ashen parlor and bloodstained clothing and Tezuka tried not to let it bother him; the bloodstains in the least were from his own injures not the spirit's.
"Fuji?" Tezuka prompted when Fuji's eyelids flicked. Finally cerulean orbs revealed themselves, sleepy and dazed, but alive and questioning.
"Tez-ka? The smaller of the two whispered softly. Tezuka only nodded slightly at the inquiry taking Fuji's hand in his, overjoyed when he perceived a weak smile pulling at pale lips.
"Tezuka…you did it…He's gone," Fuji breathed out gratefully his eyes falling closed once again but Tezuka could tell that he had not lost consciousness.
"How do you know?" Fuji sounded so sure of the fact that the demon was gone, yet they hadn't stayed around to check. The calmness of Fuji's expression spoke of a complete assurance which Tezuka couldn't share.
"Because…" Fuji's weary voice continued and he moved their joined hands to hover over the spot just above his heart, "It doesn't hurt anymore. You saved me again," Fuji revealed chuckling lightly, whimsically.
At that statement sheer relief filled Tezuka's entire being. "So you can stay here?" It was a rather forward question Tezuka knew but he needed to know. Fuji's life had been spared but would he still be leaving?
"I would like to…If you will allow me," Fuji's smile was breathtaking and Tezuka felt a rare smile of his own pass across his lips.
"Yes of course."
I hope you enjoyed! This was my first time writing in the supernatural/mystery genre so leave me a review and tell me what you think. Comments, criticism, ideas for more stories I'm open to anything. :]