A/N: This word always reminds me of the biblical story that needed more clarification (in my opinion).
Warning: Awesome-O says that this is GAY. Full of GAY. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I… I gots nothing. Really. Nothing. Sorry.
Summary: Challenge fic. 25 Random Words. The rules? Just use the word in a scene, sentence, or paragraph about the pairing. Chapter Two: Keeper.
Remember:
"Blah" – Speech
Blah –Thoughts/Emphasis
Blah – Self Explanatory
…
2. Keeper
"You're adopted, you know," the goth said, puffing out the nasty nicotine from Ike's open window. Ike's bitch of a mom hated Shadow's mere presence, but more so his insistent smoking. Normally, it would be a fuck all defense, but Ike batted those large hazel-green eyes at him and Shadow swore on his black heart he'd be careful whenever had felt the urge to suck in poison.
Ike lifted his (fucking gorgeous) eyes up from his book he was studying. "Yeah, I know." (responding to the earlier question, he realized).
"So why you reading that crap?" Shadow questioned, voice sounding very close to condescending, "You shouldn't technically be Jewish, right?"
"I suppose if you think about it that way," Ike answered, but only turned the page of his beloved Torah. Shadow glared at it for obtaining the undivided attention of the Canadian's eyes.
"Then don't be a conformist! Damn…" he muttered as he brought up the last of his cigarette to his unpainted lips. Eyeliner was one thing, but Ike's mother came unglued when Shadow stopped by with his full goth attire masking his features.
"I love my family, adopted or otherwise," he said. Shadow scoffed, tossing away the remnants of his carcinogen. Momentarily, he wondered how its hateful flame felt as it was smother by the unrelenting cold of the snow two stories below them. "Plus, I quite enjoy Judaism. It's a religion of incredible stories."
"Stories of a God that loves you and forgives all sins and—" Shadow began as he crossed the short distance to Ike's bed.
"That's Christianity," Ike interrupted, more amused than perturbed.
"Well, wasn't Christ a Jew?" Shadow asked offhandedly.
Ike laughed good-naturedly. "Very much so…" As the goth plopped across the foot of the bed, Ike turned another page. He had that knowing glint in his (goddamned lovely) eyes. "Most of the stories are about a very vengeful God. There are punishments, and hatred, and in traditional Jewish afterlife, all souls went to a dark and sad place, all rotting away."
"Yeah?" Shadow asked, slightly intrigued. "Why don't you read me something? What story are you on now?"
"Cain and Able," Ike let his fingers flutter over the page fondly.
"The one about the brother and his keeper or something?"
"Ah, that was Cain's line to God. 'Am I my brother's keeper?' Cain is the first murderer of the world," Ike explained. Shadow grinned.
"Murderer? I like this story already," he declared and rolled over onto his back. "Go on. Start reading."
"Its all in Hebrew," Ike said, turning wary. The goth shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Read it anyway. I'll wiki it later."
"Alright," Ike agreed softly. Squaring his small shoulders, he began reading the passages aloud. Shadow listened, letting the rise and fall of Ike's voice drift him off to a pleasant nightmare where he told God, quite plainly too, he was the keeper.
—END?—