Clary: Lia's gone again... It's some stupid whatever-whatever-blah-blah, I didn't bother to know because she'll be back sometime ummm... tomorrow. Anyway~ Here's another chapter you guys (yes, Lia edited it already and she told me that if this isn't put up before she's back, she's gonna kill me so yeah~)

(:

DEATH PLAY

Written by: Clary~

Acknowledgements to: Lia (who's gone off to some tropical paradise without me, I hope she gets shipwrecked or something), Alatarielf (aweeee... –sniffles- I'm so touched~ don't worry, the fifty kisses will happen soon~~), phoenixfirekitsune (yey~ don't worry, ne? Soon~~), lemon-and-chai (maa.. I love Persona too~ but for everything else, my lips are sealed!), Knights of Cydonian Starlight (me no telling! And Lia also told me how 'dark' the last chapter was... wow.. I always thought I couldn't write dark..), XinYue (next chapter, don't worry! This chapter has to be written but Tezuka will be back next chapter~ :)), Eru no Tsubasa (-gasp- you've read all the books in the series? I've only read the first one... maa.. and I'll try my best, kay?)

XII. DARKNESS

"Can you do it?"

He can't, Syusuke wanted to say. He didn't want to go into Death. He didn't want to go into Death yet again, with only Person watching him, without anyone else, without his nii-san waiting outside for him.

It wasn't what he was expecting when another Dangerous Type approached him and Meiko on the roof. They'd been having a good time, too. Skipping class, just talking and laughing together, because they both hurt and they both understood what it was like to hurt the way they did.

And then some upperclassman approached them and told him that Persona wanted to see him. He'd said good-bye to Meiko and yes, everything was alright, all Dangerous Types were answerable to Persona, after all.

He'd come into the same office as the last time, and had noted that the bird was still there, chirping away, while Persona, behind his desk looked a little more ruffled than he usually was. He'd wondered what was the problem, and a minute later, without even bothering with the pleasantries of the last time, Persona had launched into a full tirade, peppered with curses here and there about how a person named Ashikaga was trying to awaken some creature named Morto and was about to create a something-something-Dead something Academy. That was the extent of his understanding of the situation before Persona neared him and asked if he could form a barrier against the Dead.

Subconscious knowledge arouse, telling him exactly how and that he'd have to enter Death for it to be effective. If he wanted to, he could have done it in a heartbeat, piece of cake.

He didn't want to.

"I can." He sighed. "But I'd have to enter Death."

He looked up to see Persona's sharp eyes, behind his mask, watching him sharply. "You don't want to?" Persona asked.

"I..." No, he didn't, he finished in his head.

"You know, if the Dead attack the Academy, its first line of defense are my students," Persona said, almost conversationally. "My students. That means, your brother, along with all of your little friends would be fighting a battle they can't win."

Syusuke flinched. He knew that, of course, subconsciously, he just didn't want to acknowledge it, but now that it was out in the open like this, he'd have to face it.

The way nii-san did, many years ago. Syusuke had responsibilities and obligations. He had to grow-up, too. He remembered how he had told his nii-san about wanting Persona's acknowledgement just so he could protect his nii-san, too. Now, he was being given the chance to help everyone, to keep everyone safe, he was given the responsibility to protect them, the way they had protected him. He thought about Seiichi and Keigo and Senri and Kuranosuke, who'd all tolerated his childishness and loved him for it anyway, who'd laughed with him, cried with him, teased his nii-san with him. And then, there was nii-san, who he loved more than anything in the world, who cared for him and loved him and kissed him, even if it was just that one time.

He tried to imagine what it would be like without them.

He can't. They were family now, his family, and he loved them all.

He'd go to any length just to protect them. Going to Death was such a small price to pay for their safety.

He gave Persona one brief nod, before he entered Death.

And found it different from how it usually was.

The first thing he noticed was the scent. Before, Death didn't have a smell, it didn't have much of anything, actually, but now, it smelled truly like Death. It smelled of rotting corpses and decay. He covered his nose, wanting to throw up. It was darker now, too, and the river waters were almost warm, where they had been cold before.

But the greatest change was that there were creatures now, all the dead creatures that had lagged in the water and hadn't passed on to true death were awakening, their screeches and screams echoing all throughout Death.

Morto. This was because he was awakened.

He didn't realize just how much he was shaking. Death had never been so frightening before.

As if to prove his point, a creature screeched from somewhere out of his line of vision, before flinging itself at him. He barely avoided, stepping back quickly, only to have his feet slip under the rocks and fall down to the river with a big splash.

The waters weren't very deep here, and he felt pain in many different parts of his body, where they hit the river bottom. He tried to struggle to surface the water, but the creature was on him again, holding his arms, keeping him down. He tried to struggle free but the creature was stronger, and suddenly, the grip was on his neck now.

He couldn't breathe. Not at all, and black spots were dancing threateningly at the edges of his vision. He could feel the current getting stronger now, eager to pull him away, and for the first time in his life, the protection his alice afforded him was not working. He could feel the life being leeched out of him, darkness coming closer and closer.

He was going to die.

He was going to die and he was going to take everyone he ever loved with him. Without the barrier, they'd be fighting an army of the dead, they'd be fighting Morto, the most powerful Greater Dead creature there ever was, they'd be fighting an unwinnable battle and they would die.

They would die, just like he was.

He needed... He needed to...

Something in him snapped, and he didn't know how he did it but one second the creature was on him and the next he was screeching, falling back, falling to the river and dragged along by the current away from him, towards the First Gate, on its way to true death.

He surfaced the river, choking and sputtering, breathing air despite the smell, and before he was even finished catching his breath, he drew his hands together and clapped.

The harsh sound echoed again and again and all the creatures that heard it flinched and backed away. He clapped again, and again, and again, feeling the water become just a sensation once more. The creatures were screaming now, falling over themselves to get away from him as fast as possible.

He got up slowly, and shuffled as quickly as he could to the First Gate.

It was an excruciating process, and by the time he reached the gate, he had to literally lean on it to keep himself upright, he was dizzier than he ever remembered being, there were black spots on his vision again and all the creatures were well away from him, well away from the First Gate.

He slammed his hand on the gate, plams spread out, feeling the silver tendrils drifting from his hand, forming markings of protection and security, forming markings that would ensure that even Morto would not be able to pass through.

None shall pass.

The markings flared brightly as he ran his fingers on them.

He smiled satisfactorily (he did it!) and let himself slip back to life.

His eyes fluttered once, to afford him a view of Persona's desk, strangely covered in frost. There was something in his mind telling him that everything in the room he was in right now was covered in frost, an after-effect of what he'd done in Death, and there was something else telling him that this was supposed to be funny.

He can't bring himself to think of anything else. He closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness.

./.

Yukimura was having a full-blown anxiety attack.

Syusuke wasn't in his room (he checked, thrice), didn't come down to breakfast (as far as he knew, Syusuke hadn't eaten anything in two days, what the hell was he thinking skipping breakfast again like that, he needed the nutrition, damn it), didn't go to class, except the first period, where, according to Minami-sensei, he'd spent his time brooding and sulking and no, Syusuke never sulked in class before, he might look like he wasn't paying attention, but he was, this was a first and where the hell was he now?

Please, don't tell him Syusuke was on a cliff somewhere about to jump off and end his life because an idiot name Tezuka Kunimitsu decided that he'd kiss Syusuke (while Yukimura was gone and couldn't be there to help Syusuke through it, no less) and forget about it. Because if he was (and he succeeded before Yukimura could be there to save him), Tezuka (damn Syusuke's obvious love for him) was going to be in a world of pain, Yukimura would make sure of it himself.

His shadows were of no help (no help!) at all and he was worrying himself almost to the point of being hysterical. Damn it, he was hysterical, Syusuke wasn't anywhere, just gone and he didn't know the first place to be looking.

Syusuke could be anywhere by now, and a million and one different things could be happening to him (none of which are good, if Yukimura took Syusuke's current state of mind and physical health into consideration), hell, he could be even be dead already, and Yukimura wouldn't know because he couldn't fucking find him!

So help him, if he found Syusuke alive and healthy, there was going to be hell to pay, no one, no one worried him like this and got away with it. He'd tie Syusuke to his bed if it meant he wouldn't be disappearing on him again like this, and he wouldn't listen no matter how much Syusuke would ask to be let go (and then maybe, he'd go about feeding Syusuke, the number of days his cousin was going without food was really very worrying, he'd even force the food down Syusuke's throat if he had to, it'd serve him right for worrying Yukimura like this in the first place).

The sound of shattering glass took him out of his dark musings and he turned slowly towards the source.

The Shiraishi kid was staring resolutely at the building's floor-to-ceiling windows, looking at the view of the field it afforded them as a fire alarm started blaring, throwing the entire high school building of the Academy into chaos. His closed fist was still in the fire alarm, little specks of blood showing through his usual white bandages.

Yukimura looked below. Tezuka, Chitose and even (wince) Atobe were pushing their way through the throngs of students, looking for that one very familiar face.

They were not making much progress. It did not take much to know that Syusuke wasn't there, nor was he coming out of the building like everybody else.

Yukimura felt himself hyperventilating.

"The building has been vacated." It was a calm voice, almost detached in the way Yukimura wasn't.

He turned back to Shiraishi. The kid was looking at him fiercely, unmindful of the blood and the pain that Yukimura knew he would have to have been used to by now. "The building has been vacated," Shiraishi repeated. "Find him."

And underneath all that calm, unshakeable-looking exterior, Yukimura saw that Shiraishi was just as desperate as he was.

They all loved Syusuke, after all.

He gave a brief nod before whirling around, pushing past lagging students, running through corridors, sending shadows out scanning the area before him. He had to find Syusuke and he had to be alive, because he just had to. Yukimura wouldn't be able to survive losing another person he loved, not again, not especially if that was Syusuke.

Syusuke just had to...

Be alive, Syusuke, please.

./.

She had pretty blue eyes. They were a shade lighter than his or two shades lighter, but they sparkled with the obvious joy that lit up her entire face.

She was very pretty, and he felt a little pull in his heart just looking at her smiling face beaming down on him.

Abrubtly, without seemingly a warning, she turned her head around and called to someone behind her: "He's awake, okaa-san!"

He's awake? Who's awake?

"Come, quick!" she called again, this time excitedly, and with erratic little gestures that he assumed was supposed to mean "quick".

A woman came into view, with her pretty light brown hair and light blue eyes. They were nothing like his eyes, or the girl's but they were equally as pretty. She was smiling gently down on him and her face was so full of gentle love, he couldn't help but feel like he wanted to reach out to her. She had such a warm open face, all caring and motherly and he felt so strangely close to her, but he couldn't explain why.

"There, there, Yumiko," she said, patting the girl who called her on the head. "Please, let's be quiet. Our little angel might get startled."

Thus saying, she reached out a hand to cup his cheek and he leaned his head against the loving, almost-familiar warmth.

The girl raised herself up a little and smiled at him again. "He wouldn't be scared, okaa-san," she said sagely. "He recognizes us, doesn't he?"

She brought her face closer to his, giving him a spectacular view of her pretty blue eyes. "Don't you, ne, Syu-chan?"

She looked so cute, pouting at him like that, he couldn't help but giggle.

She grinned back at him before moving her face away so he could see the finger that was pointed to her face. "I'm Yumiko-neesan, ne, Syu-chan? Say it with me, kay? Yuuu-meee-koo."

He tried to follow, honestly, he did, but it was too funny, seeing a grown girl trying to speak like a baby, all he could do was laugh.

"Yumiko," the woman she called okaa-san said, with gentle reproach. "His name isn't Syu-chan and he's a boy. I doubt he'd appreciate very much if you call him Syu-chan when he's all grown up."

She took away her hand from his face and he suddenly felt cold. He was reminded of the rivers of Death the last time he went there, cold and frigid, caressing him invitingly, luring him to just give up and let himself be dragged by the current.

Don't go! He pleaded silently, but she seemed to not have heard him.

The girl was back to grinning again, saying, "But I'm his nee-san. I can call him whatever I want and besides, Syu-chan looks very pretty. Beautiful enough to pass for a girl, ne, Syu-chan? He'd grow up to be a little heartbreaker, someday, I'm sure." She gave him an indulgent little look and he tried to pass her the message that he needed the warmth back, it was so cold without that woman's hands.

She didn't notice.

"Until then, he'll be my Syu-chan."

Blood, creatures of Death, dragging him away, further into Death, towards the Ninth Gate. He was drowning, choking, and he couldn't pull himself free.

Please! Stop it!

He let out a choked cry but he didn't have the strength to hold back anymore. He let the tears flow. The woman looked startled for a moment before she reached out to him, with a calm, soothing face.

"Sshh," she whispered, picking him up and cradling him against her chest. "Everything's all right, darling. Okaa-san's here, everything's fine."

She was rocking him in a steady rhythm and was warm all over. He put his head against her chest and felt her steady, comforting heartbeat. And suddenly, everything was fine.

He closed his eyes and snuggled closer to her, wanting to be close to her, wanting more of this feeling, whatever it was.

"There now, my beautiful Syusuke."

He smiled a little and let the darkness come.

./.

Yukimura found himself in front of Persona's door.

When he thought about it, this was probably where he should have started looking, but well, he'd been busy panicking to think straight.

He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself and feel reassured that it was okay now, he'd find Syusuke inside, and he'd be sorry for worrying Yukimura, just as he rightfully ought to feel.

Syusuke would be behind this door, healthy and alive.

There was no question.

He turned the doorknob and had a little struggle with opening the door (what the hell is wrong with the stupid door?) but finally, he was able to push it open to find the reason why he had a hard time in the first place.

Persona's entire office was covered in frost. Everything, up to the smallest corner of the floor.

He let out a ragged breath, his mind going to overdrive, his heart skipping many beats.

Oh god, please no.

Frost only showed when Syusuke entered Death. It was a little after-effect, he imagined Death was a cold place, and more frost was indicative of how dangerously close Syusuke was getting to true death. The last time there had been more than just a few flakes of ice was when Syusuke had found out that his adoptive parents have died and had thrown himself to Death, staying there for almost an entire day. Frost had covered his entire body and had spread to the floor directly around it, he almost hadn't woken up again and when he did, he'd spent the next few months being sick to the core.

But this much... The entire room... Syusuke couldn't, he couldn't have...

"I asked him to take care of a little thing in Death for me," Persona's voice cut through his tornado of thoughts and he looked up quickly to find him sitting on the edge of his table, looking completely unperturbed, save for the corners of his mouth turned down. "And this happened." Persona gave a slight wave of his hand to indicate the chair in front of him. All Yukimura could see was a hand, shockingly white in pallor, frighteningly still, but it was enough.

Yukimura's heart thudded against his ribs and his blood roared. Syusuke... Syusuke was...

"Is this supposed to happen?"

Yukimura was having trouble breathing, and having even more trouble finding his voice. He gave out a chocked "Yes," and wished it was enough for Persona. He sent a little tendril of shadow creeping towards Syusuke, hoping against hope that it would find a heartbeat.

Persona was looking at him sharply, trying to gauge his reaction before he looked away and stood up from his relaxed posture on the table.

"Very well, then, I'll take your word for it, Yukimura-kun." He walked towards the exit, slowly, taking his time and it took everything in Yukimura to stay where he was.

Persona paused just as he was passing Yukimura, just enough to say, "Keep him alive for me, will you? He's quite useful."

But Yukimura didn't hear it. Not really.

He was busy concentrating on the tendril of shadow he had sent to Syusuke, which was curling against his cousin's limbs, trying to find a sign that Syusuke was okay. A heartbeat, a pulse, anything.

He felt his heart dropping to his stomach, the tendril becoming frantic in its movements.

He couldn't breathe.

Please, god, no. Not again.

Not Syusuke.

No. He took an unsteady step towards his cousin, trying very hard not to cry. Because in his frantic search for a heart beat, a pulse beat, a sign of life...

He found none.

Clary: Umm.. Review? (Please don't hate me)