Characters: (Names and Translations)
Kazuki (Shining One)
Takahiro (Widespread Nobility)
Saki (Blossom)
Za Rabu (The Love)
This is of my original work and idea's, and likeness of the material, or reference to any other material, is strictly objective and are not binding to any other form of media, whatsoever. In addition, the fan fic is below, have fun. :D
"Tell me he's joking." Takahiro said almost silently, before he turned to the woman on the couch. Her hair had turned back to black now, and it was obviously his boss, Saki. It was obvious that these people all knew each other, and Takahiro was the only one who was out of the loop. His head lowered, he felt stupid. "There's a lot that has to be explained, between now and when you can finally become useful, Takahiro." Saki's words were cold, colder than usual, and although she was nursing her broken rib cage with one hand, the other hand was hiding her face. She did not want to say those words. She felt crushed, and Takahiro could see it plainly. "So, someone start talking?" Takahiro demanded, resolve in his eyes when he finally looked up to move from face-to-face in the room. Kazuki was still staring at Rabu, and likewise. The two of them, even now, were in a heated battle that would never end. The tension in the room was so thick it was beginning to strangle Takahiro. "Guys. . .Guys!" Saki yelled running to Takahiro's side. Kazuki moved toward Takahiro as well and placed a hand on his head, pushing his head down so that his chin was against his chest. "Take deep breathes." Kazuki said, and as he spoke, Takahiro followed. It occurred to him, Kazuki knew of what he spoke.
"He'll die, just like the others before him. It will spread, and the Shade will devour him like everyone else." Rabu's words turned into a smirk on his face, and with it, a very malignant fog filled the room. Before Takahiro could query what the man was even talking about Kazuki was pressing the man against the wall, a piece of his vest, gripped tightly in his hand. "Shut up Rabu, you have no idea what you're talking about!" Kazuki's voice exclaimed, instantly shocking the other two around him. Rabu looked at the man puzzled before his hand moved up to meet Kazuki's wrist. "You really think you're any match for me without your Heart Kazuki?" He said before pulling at Kazuki's wrist and lowering it down to his side. "No, you couldn't hope to beat me in your current state, and killing you now, would be as difficult as killing a baby." Kazuki clenched his eyes closed and then let out a groan behind closed teeth. "You're a fool Kazuki. This is the power we were given, you have to accept it. Even if you are only going to accept it for pitiful things. Like. . . Love." Rabu released his hand finally and began to turn on his heels heading for the door. "Don't expect me to save any of you, ever again. I'll give you a week Kazuki, and the next time we meet, I will have my revenge." The door slammed behind Rabu, closing his words while Kazuki sat in bewilderment on Takahiro's floor. Saki stood and walked toward him, running a hand over his shoulders before kissing his cheek. "He's right Kazuki . . . for everyone you're going to have to get out of this rut." Her words sounded of compassion, but when agreeing with a guy like that, it was hard to believe she was ever speaking the truth. She left as well, and then they were there. Sitting in the small room, silent for some time. Takahiro had questions, he wanted answers, but there was no way to begin. The night was riddled with fantasy, and not a drop of it could have happened – Takahiro convinced himself. Yet if it did happen, then why was Kazuki still frozen in the middle of his floor. Eyes fixated on his wrist, a heavy sweat soaking the area underneath him. Takahiro never saw Kazuki so defeated, so helpless. It was strange and unsettling.
"I'm sure you want to know, about tonight. Don't you Takahiro?" Kazuki said finally, lifting the silence that became a barrier between the two of them. Takahiro nodded and immediately stood to make coffee. For some reason, coffee had become more of his crutch than anything else. He moved back to the room where Kazuki sat at the table, his arm partially on and off the side of it. "This war started a very long time ago, no one knows when. I guess when the first one Awakened, but the shade has existed for much longer than that." Takahiro sat and wrapped his arms around himself. For some reason, Kazuki's words were cold. He did not care for this side of Kazuki at all. "Humans, some of them, have the ability to Awaken, take on a form of realization where they can see the shade, battle with it, and protect others from it. The shade has been around for longer than anyone can remember, and strands of it exist in history. Ghost stories, unexplained murders, lost people who never return the Bermuda triangle. All of it has something to do with the Shade." Most of everything Kazuki said, Takahiro did not believe in, but after the night he had just witnessed, there was little reason not to believe. Anything could happen now and he had to be prepared. He sipped from the coffee as the hint of basil hit his nostrils and relaxed him a bit. Pushing a cup towards Kazuki, he watched, the man continue his story and completely ignore the mug. "There's good and bad things about being an Awakened human. Good: You can fight against the Shade. Protect others. Bring order to Chaos. Bad: You essentially create the Shade that the world never realizes, but fears." Takahiro's eyes grew with astonishment, widening at the sound of such a thing. It could not be possible.
"So what you're saying . . . is that monster we saw tonight, someone else, someone who has awakened, created that being?" Kazuki nodded slowly after hearing Takahiro's pleading words. He was shivering. "You created it Takahiro, but you had help. Your Awakening was brought on by me, I thought I could keep you from Awakening, but it was obvious tonight, I'm really what caused it." Kazuki said as his body turned to face Takahiro, his eyes piercing him once again. "When a person Awakens, along with them, a Shade takes hold of their shadow. Their darkness. It's very easy for a bright and gentle person like yourself to Awaken, but when you have very little evil inside of you to begin with, it gives the Dujiin's full reign over your Shadow." Takahiro interrupted. "What is a Dujiin? And what do you mean my Shadow?" It was a good question, after all, he could still see his shadow underneath him. "A Dujiin is a soul, spirit; demon, incarnation, or whatever you want to call it that travels the border of this world, and the home of the Shade's. What they look for, is a shadow that is sick of looking into the light of it's master, to take control of it. Think of it like this. The brighter, and happier you are, the darker and more evil your shadow becomes. Being neutral is key for an Awakened." Takahiro had to interject once again. "But wait, you said only Awakened people can create these Shades. I've done no such thing." Kazuki looked to Takahiro, and then closed his eyes, reaching a hand toward him and running it through his hair. Takahiro, immediately, calmed and melted in the man's soft caress. If he were any more cat like, he would have wagged his tail and purred. A sudden shock came from his scalp as a strand of hair was pulled from his head. Takahiro opened his eyes and watched the spectacle before him. "Is. . . Is that mine?" He asked. Kazuki nodded and then pointed to the glass table underneath them. Slowly, Takahiro looked down into his own reflection and noticed for the first time all night he was changed. His hair was red like soft rose petals, and his eyes matched the hue. He changed somehow, much like Kazuki, but in a different color. "When you Awakened tonight, you changed, and you were able to see the Shade we were fighting. But before then, I suspect, you had been in contact with me for so long, your shade was sick of it, and fled. That's when a Dujiin took hold of it, and came after you."
This was all way too much information for him. His head was throbbing suddenly, and it felt as if his entire body was shaking. "Kazuki . . . I don't know what to say. . . I am sorry. . . For hurting you." Takahiro said, in broken words as his head lowered and streams fell from his eyes. He felt as though he could do nothing right, and even when he tried to be a better person, something about him still had to haunt others. Then he felt it, the warm embrace of Kazuki wrapping those protective arms around his shoulders and pulling him close. The tears fell harder then. "Don't worry Takahiro, as long as you need me, I shall be here to protect you. I will let nothing come between our love." Kazuki said softly in his ear. Of course, Takahiro believed him and let his head fall to the side against his arms. He was such a strong man . . . yet he lost tonight. It did not matter to Takahiro, he still . . . Loved Kazuki-Sama.
It was morning finally, and the soft caress of Kazuki was still present when Takahiro woke in the morning. He watched the beautiful man sleep, no doubt exhausted, before a great idea hit him. "I'm going to make Kazuki-Sama a breakfast he'll never forget." Takahiro walked to the local market and pulled together some of Kazuki's favorite dishes. Sure, they were a bit pricey but he did not have anything better to do with the money. He happily looked through the bag as he walked down the street Thinking of how Kazuki would praise him, and then. . . well those were just thoughts better left alone. He had to admit though all the way home he felt something strange bothering him. He was about a block from his apartment building when he saw it, the flash of a Shade in front of him. His eyes widened, before he quickly began to ran down the alleyway trying to avoid what he saw. His body pulsated, and his heart felt as though it would rip out of his chest.
Clenching his shirt he fell to the ground, "What's wrong with me?" He questioned out loud. He could hardly move, he felt paralyzed. That's when he realized what was going on. In front of him, stood a Shade, large in stature. Something like a beast. Long arms that could easily itch his knees, and a face that was completely distorted. "Ka. . .Kazuki." He whispered, but there was no way the sleeping man would hear his plead. The shade raised it's arm and sent it across Takahiro's face, slamming him into a nearby wall. Strands of his now red hair fell beside him, and the bag he was carrying now fell upon the soaked ground. Helplessly Takahiro tried to gather himself and stand but it was no use. The large hands gripped his throat and raised him to the air, against the wall, strangling the life out of him. His eyes closed and tears ran down his face. He was going to die, and his last thought was, "I love you Kazuki."
He never once spoke his love to the man, or even admitted that he felt such a way for another, but now, in his dying breath, he watched the beasts tongue flick from behind the void it's mouth created. "Takahiro!" A scream yelled out before he felt his body hit the ground. Kazuki was standing over him now, softly caressing his face. He knew this much, because he knew the man's harsh hands that were for some reason settling. "Kazuki?" he questioned, his eyes still closed before he parted them slowly to see a blurred image of the man. "Yes Takahiro, I'm here." Finally opening his eyes fully, he looked at Kazuki and the Shade slowly gathering behind him. "Kazuki!" Takahiro tried to warn, but it was too late. The Shade sent Kazuki to the side and then quickly grabbed Takahiro. Now gripping Takahiro by the waist, it's right hand formed into a blade. Tears still flowed down his cheek, before he felt a piercing substance in his chest.
Blood trickled down Takahiro's leg, and he could feel himself leaving this world. A loud trembling roar was let out in the mad Shade's victory, before the body was cast aside. Kazuki rushed to the side of Takahiro and began to pull his body close. "Takahiro, please, don't die!" He screamed, but it was no use. The boy before him was slowly passing on, but before he did, a hand soaked in blood reached up to Kazuki's cheek. "I . . . Love you Kazuki I think I always have . . .," Takahiro finally confessed, before his hand went limp. Kazuki's eyes closed and his head fell to the ground. The pounding thud of footsteps closed in on Kazuki. Tears began before Kazuki finally opened his eyes. There he saw it. The hilt of something protruding from Takahiro's chest. Kazuki gritted his teeth, and then grabbed the hilt in his hand. Ripping it from Takahiro's heart he turned toward the shade, now a red western style blade were held tightly in his right hand. In a fit of rage, Kazuki's body exploded with pure energy. A torrent of silver flames surrounded his body, while tears continued down his body.
The shade began to swing its long arms toward Kazuki, but now Kazuki was far too powerful to be disturbed by such a being. Turning his body to the side he cleaved the beasts arm completely from it's body in one strike, and stood watching for it's next attack. Blood sprayed the area as the shade began to walk backwards holding it's nub of a arm. It looked at Kazuki, as if trying to pierce him completely, before disappearing, no doubt into the Void. Kazuki turned around to Takahiro and clenched his fist tightly, the blade disappearing. "Thank you Takahiro. You saved me. From myself."
The days were longer without Takahiro, and a funeral was held for him just a week later. Kazuki watched from a nearby shade, while his colleagues and students surrounded his burial site. They spoke kind words, and his Family wept. From behind him the sound of grass crunching was audible. "Well, at least you were able to get your heart back." The voice said, putting a hand on the shoulder of Kazuki. "Shut up Saki." The woman looked toward him, and smirked. "It's true, I can feel it inside of you now, and you're much stronger than you were before. You're actually useful now." Kazuki flicked her hand away, and then began to walk away. "The Order will be waiting for your return Kazuki. We look forward to seeing you." She smirked before pocketing her hands, walking toward the funeral.