A/N: I have some news to share with you that is both exciting and depressing for me. Today, November 8th, 2009, is Folly and Sin's birthday. Three years old.
Yey.
At first I was all 'oh hell yeah, still kicking!' before I realized wow, 20some chapters in three years is... really bad. I didn't realize how freaking slow I am. I'm really sorry guys, that I've taken so long to get this far, but it's also made me appreciate you all even more than before!
I guess that year-long block really did a toll on poor FaS.f
So thank you, seriously thank you from the bottom of my heart to the readers and reviewers that are still with me. I'm going to try my best to make sure Folly and Sin is finished WAY before the four year mark.
But yessss, Some of you have been around those whole three years and I have to say, WOW! Thank you all so much!
But yes.
I had a really hard time with this chapter. I was actually cringing, wondering if I've messed up and made this chapter slightly OOC. Good lord I hope not, but writing this one sure gave me trouble cuz I wasn't sure. But the end result is here, and I hope you guys can still enjoy it. Maybe it's just all in my head XD
As always, excuse spelling errors and grammar issues - if they bother you enough just let me know in a review and I'll fix it up, okay? But only if you're nice about it. Nobody likes a flamer Dx
Ohhhh this chapter is longer XD yay for that!
But a word of warning! The next chapter is giving me trouble...
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Disclaimer: Do not own. Fuck.
Warning: POSSIBLE OOCness (not intentional. The warning is just to cover my sorry ass), among the usual stuff. Do you guys even read the warnings anymore?
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As per usual, my thank yous go out to:
ArrowAeroAir: I really enjoy leaving people on cliffhangers for some reason. You are always so quick to review and for that I am very grateful, dear. I'm so glad you liked that description of the moon because I really enjoyed writing that. And! I'm still really thinking about doing a Tokyo Majin fic, I just love that series!
TheaBlackthorn: Sometimes I have to jump POV, depending, to keep moving. And I think for some stories it just works out better. So happy to hear it worked for the last chapter. Thank you for sticking around for so long, love.
Swendaii: Yeah sorry! My update intervals never really seem to settle on a set pattern. They get done when they get done. I am getting the feeling you enjoy Kazu being Riffle's little punching bag XD Thanks so much for the review, hun, as always.
Sandy11 - 1990: LOL Your review has so much life and energy to it! XD Almost makes me excited to and I know what happens! We all love it when the hero comes in to save the day, and we all love Ikki to, so, it works! Thanks for the review!
Gotyu: Hi hun, thrilled to see you still hanging around. I hate doing 'wrap up' chapters but the story had gotten so far in alread that it had to be done. So I'm glad to see it worked out well in the end. Thanks as always dear for your time and reviews.
Slifer: Thank you! I kinda felt bad for neglecting the side characters for so long but it also felt good to get them taken care of in the last chapter so we could really just focus on Ikki and Kazu. And thank you! For noticing the calm vs urgency contrast!
Payce99: Thank you so much, dear. I hope you didn't feel like you had to wait too long for an update, and I'll keep doing my best!
Nightshade47: Oh, well thank you very much, darling. Cliffhangers are both a good and an evil, I think, depending on which side you're on. I'm so happy to see that a wrap up chapter was still up to par with others. Thank you for reading and reviewing hun.
geebabbie: Ehehee! I hope I got this right tho! I'm sooo nervous that I got this chapter ooc so I hope it still matches up to standards that you are hoping for. Don't worry! I didn't forget about people, I just.... muhhh, got so caught up in Ikki and Kazu, eheh! XD
SpitFirre: Oh my gosh. I think that is one of the nicest reviews I've gotten yet. I am just SO flattered by you. To hear that I can paint pictures for you, and transfer characters feelings and emotions to you as a reader is SUCH a compliment, and a very large accomplishment for a wanna-be writer like myself! I cannot thank you enough for your kind words and the time you took to tell me those things. So thank you SO very much dear, I will take it to heart.
CRdreamer: Mah, thank you thank you thank you! LOL I myself found the OnigiriYayoi pairing to be kinda odd but then I gave it a spin and it somehow makes some sense. Weird, huh? I saw Ikki as the type to want to brave something like this on his own, blinded by rage and the like and not wanting to danger others, and it would be nicer for readers to have just Ikki there with Kazu, with no one else to get in the way. Cliche's are hard to avoid sometimes I'm afraid, but sometimes they work!
Blizzy: I adore you. I really do. You have SUCH a wonderful way of mixing flattering with well thought out critique, and for that I thank you. You are never mean or ill intentioned when you speak your mind to me, and in the end, your advice slowly molds me into a better writer. After reading your review and reading my chapter over, I saw the POV jumping that you mentioned, and maybe that's why it felt so off to me. Thank you for pointing that out, love. I'll try to be more aware. And I very much agree with you on the 'cliche' note, and I'm actually REALLY glad you noticed! It's a technique I use when I realize I'm using something I don't really like. Using a cliche? Why not SAY so? Thank you for all the kind words and meaningful crit, love. Lol and as far as Sano goes, I'm guilty! He's just kinda there. ...ahem. If there are anymore cliches coming up, I'll be sure to call on them! Whew, sorry for the long reply!
Sagri: It's ok hun! As always I am just happy that you took the time to review so thank you! Things may seem like they are getting close to the end but keep your spirits up, there are still a few chapters left to go! And an Epilogue, heh. Thanks again hun.
xYellowCrayon-Chan: lol I've been seeing your name pop up a few times in my email, so I know you're around. Good to hear everyone's segment worked for you, cuz I was worried about that. Thank you! And I really wanted to give the readers a view of Emiri and Ringo that leaves it very open for whatever they want it to be between then, but still make it clear that she's going to slowly settle into the fact that Ikki just isn't into her. Lol And I really enjoy writing Ikki. Fluff in this chapter in small doses, anyway, but hopefully still worth your time.
Crisstaei: Aww thank you dear! I love building tension and then stopping short to create a cliffhanger. But what could be better than breaking that tension and giving a climax, eh? Keep reading, and keep squealing, and thank you for taking the time to review!
PheonixShadow: Yup! My updates are all over the place.. You came back from Japan! You're so lucky! Glad I could help in your homecoming XD I like leaving certain things open for interpretation, if its not too close to the main plot. tbh I've considered some Sano/Akito paring work, but in the end I could only see it as being purely friendship. Akito is too easy XD Sano needs a challange! Thank you so much for the comments and review, I hope you stick around.
Dubya See: Your icon is adorable XD Yeah, I'm pretty epic in being harsh on myself and my work, but at least the readers still seem to like it in the end. I can't BELIEVE you deleted that much work!!! But it's a true sign of a writer I think, that you were able to let go of so much because it wasn't 'good enough' in your eyes. I hate basic fanfic tactics XD lol but sometimes they can be a real life savor. Thank you so much hun, for the review.
Jess: Thank you hun, lol. I'll try my best to keep them coming as steadily as I can.
dogcollar600: Yup! Ikki is on his way! I really adore writing Ikki for some reason. But sometimes (like thisi chapter) it's just hard... lol but anyway thank you for the review, hun, I hope you keep reading!
Rufux: Thank you! I'm glad you think so.
Ikichi: holycrapwhat? lol don't worry about the reviews hun! I know you read. Glad to hear you're all caught up and even happier to hear you've settled in to read FaS afterwards. I can't say much for ass kicking in this chapter, but idk, read and see if it still works for you. Thank you hun.
Forgetfull: Ouu thanks! Aha I guess the cliffhangers work! I wish I could say there wasn't another one at the end of this one but umm... yeahhh... The fic is finally getting to the parts people have been waiting for I think, so it's a shame my long absence has halved the reader count. Ah well, glad to see you still hanging around hun, and thank you as always for your reviews.
rockingphillip: Thank you dear, I have every intention to finish.
Paradoxismminant: I see that you're jumping through the chapters and reviewing little by little. That's very kind of you to take the time to send a little comment after most of the chapters, thank you! I also noticed some comments and comparisons to the manga, but keep in mind that I mentioned in some A/N's and the opening notes that this story is based off of the anime, not the manga. lol I thought ahead and knew that if I based it off the manga, things would conflict over time XD
Endy/Masi: I don't want to hear a single peep of anything remotely close to an apology for not reading. I know what your lives are like and do not, I repeat, do not worry about it. You two are some of my biggest supporters so thank you.
Kitten-chan: Good lord I miss you. get your internet back plz.
I hope I didn't miss anybody.
Right, so, of course, thank you to every last one of you, for staying around for so long.
Thank you so much.
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Air Gear
a fiction by Crimson Vixen
Reclamation
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Kazu had always felt, or had always known rather, that if you got too close to the sun, you'd get burnt. So he also knew that aiming for the top was a lot like playing with fire. Yet Ikki's hands seemed to be so accustomed to the heat that he barely felt any pain when he reached higher altitudes. And meanwhile, Kazu had to squint and look away and cup his hands over his eyes just from attempting to look at the sun.
It was all very unfair, but all very just.
This was just one of the many thoughts that found their way in and out of Kazu's head. He had so much time on his numbing hands that he was thinking too hard and too long about too many things.
Riffle's frequent visits were not doing him any good, either. It was like the bullet couldn't make up his mind on coming or going, staying or leaving. Like he wanted to come and tell Kazu he hated him but would get fed up and leave, only to come back a while later to tell him again. And in their latest confrontation, Riffle had the biggest of grins on his face, announcing that he finally had consent to do whatever he wanted with him, just so long as he didn't kill him. That part was only slightly frustrating for the bullet since he'd been nearly dreaming of ending the blonde's hummingbird pulse once and for all, and was excited at the concept of having bait that didn't need to be squirming on the end of its hook in order to catch its prey. But surely, Riffle would take whatever leniency he could get his grubby hands on.
Kazu could still feel the sting of where the blade had bit into his arm and his chest from Riffle's last visit, the nicks to his calves and the nip on his shoulder. He could still feel the light breeze where his clothes had been slashed, the pounding aches of where knuckles had landed, and the slow creeping feeling that soon he would be succumbing to sleep. He must have looked an absolute wreck, he was sure. He certainly felt like one.
The emptiness of the room started to nibble away at him, the cold gently cooing him to close his heavy lids and rest while he could. The insight was so very appealing, and Kazu's head felt too heavy to lift anymore anyway. He felt too sore and too chilled to do much else, and he finally, finally, caved and closed his eyes, listening to and ignoring the steady pound of his head and the hoarse screaming of his logic telling him to stay awake.
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Even while being compelled with things like urgency and impatience, Ikki was cautious when he peeled the front door open, silently thanking the old piece of junk for being so soundless before stepping in. The inside was dark and icy and only half like he expected it to be. Entryways were plentiful, though, making the place seem like a maze already, and Ikki hated being confronted with so many options, especially when he didn't feel like losing any time.
Instinct he never possessed told him to go straight, and he obeyed, sliding his eyes left and right whenever he passed a doorway to catch a peek just in case something caught his attention and he changed his mind on where he wanted to go. The sound of his footsteps felt heavy when there was no other sound around him, just the crackle of broken glass and pebbles under wheels as worn as his own mind, and the occasional steadying of his breath because even if he was sneaking around, they were expecting him. …which was why at every possible hiding place he approached he would tense, ready to step back should anyone decide to jump him. He couldn't ever remember his shoulders feeling so tight, or hear his breathing so clearly. Webs and dust claimed the place at every centimeter, and the smell of must and grime coiled into his nostrils in a constant assault.
Ikki made a face, trying to shallow his breathes so that he didn't have to smell more than he had to. He found his back pressed to the wall as he inched closer to the last doorway, carefully ducking his head down to see if everything was clear. Another doorway to the left, a stairwell to the right.
The bottom floor was already giving him the creeps so Ikki voted on the stairs. On his way there he spotted a pile of junk just off to the side, cluttered with debris and broken plaster, metal and splintered wood, long abandoned and aging with grey snow because no one would ever bother to dust it. He contemplated for a full two seconds before bending down to get a firm hold of one of the metal bars sticking out of the junk pile's gut. He shook it briefly and wiped it along his shirt to clear off the filth that could potentially thwart his grip, and gave it one quick practice swing. He almost couldn't control the wicked grin that came from hearing the way it sliced the air so cleanly.
Weapon at hand, Ikki crept up the stairs, keeping his free palm pressed to the wall as if for guidance. It was hard to see in a place where no lights existed except for the ones that were cracked and busted and therefore no longer possessed the ability to glow, and the lack of windows made it hard for the moon to filter light into his path. He didn't feel blinded but he would have loved to have a better sense of where he was stepping, regardless.
The stairs winded upwards at a very light curve, leaving Ikki clueless as to what lay dormant at the top. He was starting to become rather unsettled at the lack of noise the old place was making. He expected the spiders and leaks and cold, aging walls, but the complete sense of solitude it was giving him was making him start to seriously doubt he was in the right place. But, he could have sworn this was it; it had to be.
Once his foot hit the top step he was faced with three more options to choose from, and Ikki was getting frustrated; there had been so many fucking directions to choose from already! If he just so happened to pick the wrong ones, how was he supposed to know where to backtrack to and where to go? He grinded his teeth and tightened his hand around the metal bar, keeping it propped up against his shoulder and ready to swing down at any given moment should he have to.
Well, Ikki figured, he'd gone straight at first, then had turned right to head up the stairs. Why not go left this time…
Hating the overly simplistic logic he'd just supplied himself, Ikki went left, very unmoved at how much darker it looked than the other directions. Though, when he thought about it, it would make sense to have Kazu's location as difficult to find as possible. Confuse and daze him, get him lost and more prone to an attack. Ikki could see the logic in it, but couldn't say he was particularly thrilled by it, either.
It had the serious potential to really mess things up for him.
The further Ikki crept into the narrow build of the pathway's gullet, the colder he felt, and the tighter his fingers coiled around the metal bar. He felt his elbow attempting to lock and his muscles tensing as his vision gradually suffered.
Thankfully, Ikki was still able to see just enough to understand he still wanted to keep going in a straight line, straight until the very end, where things would split into a two-way break. Ikki figured it would be like this, anyway, because it felt like he was going straight for a long time and he couldn't see any other entryways.
And when he was finally able to see the corridor's predictable split, he took the corner quickly, swearing he heard something shuffle against the ground behind him so he turned on his heel as fast as he could react, bar-wielding arm snapping down like a spring trap-
FWOO!
A nice clean swipe, just like the practice swing, only to damage the still air surrounding him. There was no satisfying crack of metal on bone or even the vibrating clack of it ticking against the stone wall. Just the short-lived flap of his jacket from the rotation and then absolute silence when it settled; the dreadful kind of silence, made up of anticipation and restlessness and voices like Kazu's not calling out and giving him a sound to follow.
A few more steps down the hall and Ikki felt the next few pounds of his heart more than the ones prior. There was a door at the end, sitting alone and undisturbed, calling to him almost, and even though Ikki couldn't bring himself to say he believed that his instincts just so happened to be in tune tonight, but something compelled him to think, to feel, that Kazu was just on the other side. Logically, it could have been selfish desire or his impatience kicking in, or he could have just been simply lying to himself and forcing himself to believe the blonde would be there, that it really was that easy, because the odds of it were purely against him and it would be nothing short of absolute luck (or maybe something else he'd never be able to label) if he was. And he sure as hell didn't want to backtrack and pick directions at random only to come up repeatedly empty handed. Or lose track of where he had been, for that matter.
Either way, something was fluttering dangerously in his gut, thrashing against his stomach and clawing painfully at his spine. He's there, it was sinfully sighing, like shadows hovering over his shoulder, whispering winds at his ear chilling enough to make him shiver. He's right there.
Somehow… Somehow Ikki truly felt he would be.
Even though he wanted to move fast, everything about his actions felt excruciatingly dawdling. His empty hand extended slowly to the door, half fearing he was going to be proven wrong, proven an idiot, when he swung it open and found nothing. He held his breath like it was his last, and Ikki slipped his digits around the handle and squeezed for a single, daunting moment before opening it.
When there was enough room to step inside, Ikki felt another chill. It was spacious and peculiar, void of anything, really, save for one thing.
He saw the rope from the ceiling first, and followed it down to the end where it was securely knotted around a very familiar, very relieving, very terrifyingly still, sight.
Kazu's arms were squeezed to his sides by it, full body held above the floor at just the right height for the tips of his shoes to ghost over the ground, dragging as his body spun in the most disturbingly slow pace, like some twisted, sadistic display of art. He was hanging limp, looking dead as if the rope had tenderly strangled his neck instead.
His breath froze from within his throat, and the weapon he'd been clutching so fiercely up until now jangled to the ground as he ran to the blonde's side.
"Kazu!?" It was breathless, like it had gotten caught on his tongue on the way out.
He didn't know what to do when he was close enough. Here he had been desperate to find this boy and now he was almost afraid to touch him. His clothes were torn, his skin marred and discolored in specific areas. There was a lump right along his hairline that had been generous enough to send dried streams of red down his paled face. The smell of copper was sharp, but Ikki did his best to ignore it as he finally regained control of his limbs and cupped a hand to Kazu's heavy chin to lift his head.
His eyes were closed, and while touching him felt anything but warm, Ikki was pretty sure it wasn't cold enough to mean he was dead, and he swallowed densely.
"Wake up," Ikki urged darkly, a sense of urgency coursing through him. "Kazu, get up."
He tapped the boy's cheek lightly at first, then a little harder, and a tremendous wave of relief swept over him when he heard a moan escape those dried up and busted lips, and those thick lashes trembled.
When Kazu groggily cracked his eyes open they seemed unfocused, like the world as he knew it had turned into nothing more than a whir of dark and meaningless colors. His head was no doubt pounding as much as his body was aching, but Ikki watched as Kazu gathered his wits and willed his irises to focus, very much aware that there was a hand pressed against his cheek and supporting the weight of his head. His lips spread, ignoring the way it stretched and hurt his tender skin.
And maybe in his slightly confused awakening, Kazu wasn't thinking entirely clear, because his mouth opened and closed before opening again, to make sounds and words that caught Ikki only slightly off guard.
"…I always wondered what… what it would be like," he croaked, breath getting strangled in his throat, voicing thoughts he possibly thought were only being said inside his head. He let his eyes close calmly before finishing with the softest of smiles, because Ikki had finally come for him. "To wake up to that… Baby Face…"
The crow stared for a moment, trying to register that Kazu had actually said what it sounded like he said, before shaking his head to remind himself where he was, why he was there, and why there was no time to be dwelling on Kazu's half-conscious mumblings. He was careful to let Kazu's head down gently before working at the knots of his ropes, and was only partly certain that Kazu was aware that he was being rescued, which was why it was a little disturbing to see the jet remain so still and offer no help. He had a feeling though, that a great deal of it had to do with the tightness of the ropes around his middle – too tight, squeezing Kazu's stomach and pinching his lungs, stealing his air.
"…There," Ikki whispered to himself when the knot jerked loose and Kazu fell heavily into his waiting arms with a huge, raspy gasp of air. Ikki lowered himself to the ground with the jet in his arms, allowing Kazu to catch his breath and regain his energy. Get the feeling back into his limbs. He stared at him, noticing the way Kazu had yet to reopen his eyes.
"Kazu?"
Kazu did not open his mouth to speak but he had heard Ikki, and gripped the front of his savior's shirt with stiff fingers. He had wanted to be saved.
The grip slowly began to loosen as if the gesture caused him pain and he instead wanted to focus on the warmth that was migrating to his body from Ikki's, and Ikki was made to feel extremely guilty when he jostled him to keep him from fully relaxing.
"Sorry," he offered pathetically. "But don't go falling asleep or anything, alright?"
Kazu didn't respond at first, but Ikki kept staring and staring until he saw the blonde's head nod briefly. For a moment Ikki distracted himself with comforting ideas, like taking Kazu home and the two of them just sleeping the whole ordeal away, together, safe and out of harms way. Or fixing everything with a short but stern lecture about honesty and counting on one another and having the honest-to-god luck of never seeing the creeps who started this mess ever again.
But Ikki knew better.
It was that moment that Ikki felt, smelt, saw, all the damage that had been inflicted upon the jet. The bump to his head – the one that gave Ikki a thousand and one images of how it had gotten there – was really only the beginning. While Kazu rested, Ikki's hands roamed up and down to feel for anything worth concern, finding his skin to be a farming ground for scratches, bruises, cuts…
He rested a hand to Kazu's stomach and felt the quake of trembling muscles and sensitive, rippling skin that convulsed whenever he took a breath. He attempted to gauge the damage, eying up the rope burns imbedded into Kazu's skin and the blood stains that no one had bothered to clean or tend to, but admittedly it looked a lot worse than it actually was. Kazu hadn't lost much blood, and his drowsy, heavy state was only possibly because he needed a moment to suck in some much needed air and summon the feeling back into his arms and legs.
Still, though. Ikki knew they were better off finding a better place to hide out. He couldn't say he felt safe sitting out in the open, in the exact spot the bait had been set.
He felt the strain tug at his lower back when he got to his knees and slide his hands behind Kazu's legs and shoulders; lifting a body that was limp and tired was a difficult task. But he could feel Kazu attempting to help now, wrapping his arms around the Crow's neck and tenderly pushing his feet off the ground to help hoist himself safely into the other boy's arms as he stood. He ducked his head neatly into Ikki's collar bone and let his weight sag once he was sure the other boy had a good grip on him.
Ikki knew it was a stupid question, but it was instinct all the same.
"Are you alright? Hey…"
Kazu's offered nothing verbal, but Ikki felt him press closer, still loving and craving the warmth he was giving off. The blonde felt fragile, really fragile, for the first time Ikki could ever recollect, and he was groaning softly into the crook of his neck with a lukewarm breath.
Ikki cursed; how were they supposed to get out of here with Kazu making noise against his skin and helping gravity weigh him down? It was a trap, wasn't it? He came here knowing that, and he couldn't risk an attack with the other boy occupying his arms. They'd never make it.
He started moving, keeping his pace steady but slow so as not to shake Kazu up too much; not that he was certain of it, but the sounds coming out of Kazu's mouth led the Crow to believe he would be sick if he moved him too quickly. But as he moved, those mumblings started to sound more and more like actual words, and Ikki had to stop completely, to quiet the world around him and listen.
"Ikki…" Kazu murmured, face still pressed against him. "I'm sorry. That you had to… you know."
"Shut up," Ikki quietly growled, taking in his surroundings one more time. He needed, wanted a place for them to sit and rest for a moment. Part of him was too wary to leave the room because he couldn't see anything, really, past the doorframe. What if they were waiting for him right there?
Ikki felt his left foot scrape the ground and step back slowly before he turned his whole body and changed direction. He made his way to the furthest, darkest but safest looking corner the room had to offer, shadowed in what looked like just another pile of useless junk, and he pressed his back to the wall there. It was helpful in his attempt to slide to the floor with the heavy load bundled in his hands. His knees cracked when he knelt to the ground, resting Kazu's body against him as gracefully as he could manage in the process. Kazu's head lulled back for a second before Ikki caught it with his left hand and guided it back upright.
"Kazu," Ikki tried deftly. "Kazu."
Kazu's lids twitched before he heavily blinked them open, licking his cracked lips and pushing out a hint of a smile.
"…I can't believe you're here."
Ikki's face scrunched at the statement, not fully able to fathom the concept of not coming to get him.
"Idiot," was all he could think to say. He flicked golden locks out of Kazu's face and got unexpectedly caught in the expression the jet was making at him.
Ikki broke his eyes away and glued them to the door on the other side of the room, watching for shadows. He didn't look for long, though, because Kazu shifted in his arms and pried his eyes open to look up at him. He took in a slow, big, somewhat shaky breath and then exhaled. There was something on his mind. Something that had a time and a place that wasn't here and now but he was thinking of it anyway. And maybe it was the hopeless romantic in him that was starting to claw and tear free from his flesh, the romantic he never actually thought existed until now, but Kazu stared at Ikki's lips and willed them to move in a particular way.
He knew they were together. He knew they were… a thing, an item, an unofficially labeled… couple. And he knew Ikki was more of a man than the rest of them – Ikki would readily tell you this himself – and didn't have to talk about his feelings or express his complexity or any of that shit. He knew it was weird. And while Kazu knew they never actually came across the need to say things like… Things like I love you…
Kazu had yet to hear anything remotely close to that. A kiss here, a fondle there, but never any verbal verification of it. And for some reason, he wanted to. He knew it was somewhat selfish. That it was something sappy and dumb and it wasn't supposed to be like him to want something like that.
So while the blonde opened his mouth to say something, nothing came out. He didn't know how to say it. How to ask for it. What reaction he'd get. Ikki didn't have to say those kinds of things. Not really.
…But he still wanted to hear it. He wanted to hear it like he wanted to be saved.
"Ikki, I…"
But, nervous of being found, Ikki pressed two fingers roughly, apologetically, to his lips to hush him.
"Rest while you can, alright?" the boy whispered, eyes flicking to the door and then back again. "We can't stay here long."
"I'll…" Kazu was still staring, his voice dying on his tongue as if losing his hold on what he wanted to say. He blinked heavily, craning his neck to the side to see the door. See what was so fascinating about it. When he saw nothing, he looked back. "I'll be fine. I just need a minute."
Ikki's hands were supporting him, carefully placed at Kazu's protruding shoulder blades to keep him up. He eyed the loop that dangled from Kazu's ear, gleaming in the light that didn't exist. He looked good with an earring. Then his eyes trailed to Kazu's neck to his shoulder, down his arm to his hand. Something heavy pulled at him, and Ikki found himself lifting his own hand to place it effortlessly into Kazu's. He attempted to give a reassuring squeeze, was ready to tell the blonde to just try to relax for a short while longer, when the jet gasped and recoiled his hand at a frightening speed.
Kazu gnawed at his bottom lip, pointedly refusing to meet Ikki's eyes again when the other boy looked at him, brows raised and creasing his forehead. The blonde did what he could to look away, but Ikki's hand easily found his chin and directed his gaze.
"Quit fidgeting," he demanded sharply, half startled with the wide eyed gaze Kazu was now carrying, so he let him go, instead gently taking Kazu's injured hand in his calloused one. He was careful with the slightly swollen fingers, tender with his palm, manipulating Kazu's hand like taught threads that could snap if he handled it the wrong way. Kazu made no noise, but his lips were folded inwards, and Ikki was able to make the diagnosis.
"…dislocated," he said in a deadpan, now able to understand the weakness of Kazu's hold earlier. "Here, let me…"
"No!" the blonde hissed, only mildly annoyed when Ikki once again pressed his fingers to his mouth to quiet him. When the Crow released him, Kazu glared. "I know what you're thinking and you can just forget it."
"Kazu," Ikki let his brows knit together. Surely Kazu had to understand, he needed his fingers. And in the scenario they were ambushed Ikki had a hard time picturing the blonde fighting with only one hand. He needed the both of them to be in their best condition.
"No, Ikki," Kazu said again, keeping his voice lower this time. He visibly squirmed at the mere thought of having them relocated. "It'll hurt like a bitch."
"I know…" Ikki admitted, positioning himself under Kazu so he could comfortably rest the blonde's head on his lap. The jet's hesitancy was the closest thing to agreeing to the idea that Ikki knew he was ever going to get. So he was slow – so as not to startle or pressure him – when he brought two nervous fingers to Kazu's mouth, slipped them inside and passed his teeth, and pressed them down onto his tongue.
Ikki swallowed, feeling guilty for making Kazu look so uncertain for allowing him to do such a thing, but they both knew what had to be done. Kazu needed his fingers mended before further damage could be done and Ikki needed the other boy to be able to fend for himself if the worst should happen.
"I'm sorry," Ikki thinned his lips, feeling the need to hear himself say it so it felt more justified. "Try to keep your voice down, but if you have to… Don't be afraid to bite down as hard as you need."
Kazu nodded when they locked eyes, understanding it but not looking any more comfortable than a moment ago. His tongue writhed for a moment under Ikki's fingers, teeth grazing the skin in early temptation to bite when Ikki's free hand took a hold of one of the dislocated fingers.
"I'm… I'm going to count to three."
And Ikki willed himself not to chicken out, for Kazu's sake, when he took a breath and started.
"One… Two…"
As soon as three slipped from his lips, Ikki tightened his hold on Kazu's finger and pulled, wrenched. Kazu's instant reaction was a yelp, lips struggling to form the sounds with Ikki's fingers snuffing it, and resorted to huffing wildly through his flaring nostrils. His blue eyes watered, then clenched shut along with his teeth, nipping so hotly at Ikki's knuckles that the Crow himself had to chew the insides of his cheek to keep from making any noise.
Ikki waited for Kazu's breathing to die down before loosening his hold on his finger. Kazu released a shaky sigh around the digits and unclenched his teeth.
Ikki knew what was coming next, and he didn't want to have any of it.
"Apologize and I won't count next time," he grumbled, pressing his thumb to Kazu's knuckles to see if he could feel a difference. He hated that he had to do it. He hated that it couldn't wait. But they couldn't stay for much longer, so he took a breath.
"One… Two…"
"Nngh, I…"
"Three!"
Another finger snapped back into place, and Kazu went to scream before catching himself, chomping viciously at Ikki's fingers to stifle his voice.
"One… Two…"
Upon hearing a third countdown Kazu's teeth were already preparing to clamp.
"Three!"
This time, Kazu jolted, and Ikki felt a stinging sensation in his hand, shooting temporarily through his wrist and up his arm. He saw and felt the spittle escaping the corners of Kazu's mouth, and something else.
The shock gone, Kazu pushed Ikki's fingers away with his tongue and once again licked his stale lips, eyes cast to the side while he caught his breath and the Crow examined his own hand.
Blood.
"Jesus, Kazu," Ikki murmured, more to himself than anything, wiping the small wound on his jeans.
"Ah, that's, uh, that's all of them" Kazu was sure to mention first and foremost, pulling his hand to himself and carefully wriggling his fingers to test them out. They felt a little weird, but definitely better than before. "Ikki, one minute longer."
He was hesitant to allow Kazu the privilege but saw the boy's eyes drooping again. He didn't offer a reply, which Kazu took an as opportunity.
From his position on the floor, Ikki readjusted himself to keep his legs from succumbing to pins and needles. Kazu's body was feeling malleable, limbs loose and moving only when Ikki moved them, like an oversized, overused ragdoll. He pulled the blonde further into his lap and looked down. Kazu's eyes were now fully closed again, lips slightly parted to breathe and filter the musty air in and out, in… and out. Ikki nervously fingered stray bangs from Kazu's face once more, watching intently for reactions; a flinch, a sound, a light turn of the head, but Kazu only breathed and breathed and breathed, exhausted all over again. How long did he need to catch his breath anyway?
Every now and again, Ikki would squirm, if only to half-consciously keep Kazu moving, to keep him from falling asleep completely. Resting was fine, catching his breath was fine, but falling asleep had to wait.
"Hey, Kazu" he tried quietly, arms looped under Kazu to lift him upwards and bring him nearer, near enough to see his face in more detail, trying to ignore the way the blonde's arms flopped lifelessly to the filth and grime and his knuckles dragged along the ground as he pulled him closer. "Come on."
But Kazu's head started to slowly fall back in response, taunting Ikki's dry lips and hungry teeth with an open jugular until he cupped the base of Kazu's skull and kept it still, idly rubbing his thumb across the boy's scalp. Kazu reacted to the touch, eyes cracking into slits.
"Try to keep 'em open," Ikki said, tightening his grip, fingers piercing Kazu's tattered clothes. Kazu, determined to do as he was told, tensed and shifted in Ikki's arms, working to pull himself up into a sitting position, palms latching onto Ikki's shoulders for help. Once he was sitting up, he took a breath.
"I'm really sorry, you know."
"Can you stand?"
"Yeah. Didn't mean to take so long."
"Here."
Ikki snaked an arm under Kazu's and put a hand to his chest to help him rise to his feet, eying their surroundings as they stood. It was almost alarming to the Crow, how Kazu could be so fidgety, then still and unresponsive, to being okay again in such a short timeframe.
"This way," Ikki nodded in a seemingly pointless direction but Kazu hummed in cooperation, letting Ikki take the first step and then walking along beside him. Ikki's hand was on his back and was warm, supplying all the body heat that he was craving since he sat up, which already felt like ages ago. He could feel Ikki slowing his steps to match his pace, arm tightening momentarily whenever the blonde slowed for a fraction of a second.
"I'm alright," Kazu assured. "Just tired."
And to prove this point Kazu carefully slid free of Ikki's assistance and walked on his own. He made an unrevealing sound and guiltlessly reached for Ikki's forearm and tugged. He felt like he'd wasted too many precious minutes and it was time to take charge.
"Let's move."
Ikki nodded, finding it very easy to migrate his hand into Kazu's as opposed to being held captive by it. Their fingers laced cautiously, an invisible thread for the both of them to keep from getting separated.
As they went, Ikki noticed the way Kazu's speed was starting to pick up the longer he was awake and moving. A mercy-filled wave of relief filled him when the determined look had found its way back into Kazu's blue eyes. Be it a quick recovery, a sense of urgency and priority, or just the rush of adrenaline becoming like an anesthesia for his fatigue and injuries… Ikki squeezed the other boy's hand to encourage it. He could crash when this was all over. Sleep for days. They both could.
The scrape of Kazu's sneaker startled him, soles of his beaten shoes cruelly reminding the Crow what Kazu didn't have AT's with him. Suddenly, the urge to move quick turned into an urge to move quicker. And Kazu seemed to be moving at a fairly decent pace now, looking tired but alert, strained but capable, hurt but able. And Ikki was starting to recognize hallways and doors already, and judging by the looks of them, it wouldn't be long until they were…
"You're early," a voice came, smooth as velvet, crumbling the stoned-in silence. Kazu let out a short gasp and Ikki resisted the urge to rev his wheels, scoop Kazu into his arms like a bride and dart out of the place. But what good would running away do? They knew where he lived, they knew who he was – they'd only find them again.
No, this needed to be settled.
"Didn't expect you so soon," the voice said, now accompanied with a body shrouded in shadow. "I suppose Mantis is losing his touch. Your little concoction didn't last as long as you thought, hm?"
"Mmm," another voice came in, and another figure made an appearance next to the first. Two forms, adult sized and right in their way. Ikki scoffed.
"Mantis, huh?" his eyes narrowed, attempting to see into the darkness but seeing nothing past outlines of their bodies. He released Kazu and straightened his posture, stood tall with his hands diving for his pockets. He tilted his head back so he could stare down his nose at them with a scowl. "That's an interesting name you got there. I'm curious as to how you got it."
To be honest, part of him really didn't want to know.
"Fee threatened?" his voice, Mantis' voice sounded, giving Ikki chills and arbitrary mental images of a bird getting its wings clipped.
"Tch," Ikki brushed a cocky thumb under his nose and shot a mocking grin. Letting enemies see you sweat was as good as raising your hands to the ceiling. "Don't make me laugh. Don't act like you're above me or anything."
How he hated when people did that, anyway.
However, Ikki couldn't help but notice that he was being ignored, or the way Kazu was looking left and right like something was missing. Or someone. He swung an arm out to tap the blonde's side. Get his attention.
"Kazu?"
"Riffle," came the soft response, brows lowered and lips set into a grim line. Then he looked to the other two riders almost accusingly, face still dark. "Where is he?"
"Riffle," Weaver jeered at the name. "What a worthless idiot. Can't even do the simplest task."
As if on cue, as if his ears were ringing loud enough to summon him, a beat of heavy wheels grinding from the distance grew, and from one of the many open doorways another figure slid in, kicking up dust with furious eyes and mouth agape, heavy with bad news. But the expression slipped from his face when he saw Ikki and Kazu, as well as his fellow team members, standing there looking at him, very much aware that their bait had escaped, and there was no need to tell them as such.
"You really did a number on the kid," Mantis observed idly, unimpressed.
And Ikki was smart enough to put two and two together; this Riffle guy was the one most responsible for Kazu's current condition, and possibly his stress every day leading up to this one. He felt something stir, and he felt Kazu reach for his hand and quickly squeeze to keep him from reacting irrationally. Like he just knew.
"Agh, you little runt!" Riffle seethed, flexing his fingers as if practicing his strangling technique before actually getting his hands on the blonde.
"Calm yourself," Mantis warned. "Just go get him."
Kazu froze. Him. That could only be one person.
He yanked Ikki closer to him before letting go, contemplating his options should he be able to think of them, choosing to completely ignore the way Riffle gave the most disgusted look in his direction before disappearing in the same place he'd appeared. Off to retrieve their boss; their nameless, faceless, leader.
Ikki eyed the one that was referred to as Weaver, drawn to the contraption hanging off his back and feeling a chill run down his spine. Minutes seemed to pass where words were only a mere temptation and never actually spoken, even though it looked to Ikki like Kazu had many to share with them.
He opened his mouth to say something, but felt a sudden gust of wind, a jump in his heart, the painful, startling choking sensation of a boney arm slamming against his jugular. From the simultaneous sound spitting from Kazu's mouth, Ikki could easily conclude that the jet had suffered the same fate, and the both of them went crashing to the ground in a hot, white moment. He went dazed with black spots, aching from where his head hit stones, confused when he felt himself being grabbed at and handled, pissed that he was too disoriented to realize what was happening until there was a tug around his stomach.
Rope, burning and tight around his middle, was quickly secured. His arms were to his sides, his back was pressed firmly against Kazu's, tied to him, with him, as they both sat on the ground and gathered their wits. The only comfort he felt was the blonde's lungs expand to inhale.
"What the hell just…"
"Riffle," Kazu drawled bitterly, sounding angry for not seeing it coming. "Bastard came out of nowhere."
"But…" Ikki paused, wanting so badly to comment on this Riffle character's surprising speed, but something told the Crow that Kazu already knew that. Instead, Ikki turned his attention to the fourth figure that had appeared, one he'd just now noticed. "And just who the hell are you?"
Ikki felt Kazu tense up from behind him, head whipping around. The Crow grew bitter and livid, not liking the way he was at a lower level than them. Not liking how they had to look down at him.
"You guys call yourself Storm Riders? You aren't Storm Riders; you're just a pain in the ass."
Ikki squirmed under the ropes, feeling his mouth grow hot with things he suddenly wanted to say. Was this how they climbed their way to the top? By just eliminating the competition so there was none left? Was it even about becoming king?
There was a silence, and then a dark voice seeped from behind the fourth figure's red and black mask.
"…I despise Storm Riders."
And Ikki blinked. Hated Storm Riders? And yet wore AT? The logic just wasn't there. Maybe he was just…
"You're just fucking insane, aren't you?"
"Ikki!" Kazu hissed heavily through his teeth, jerking his body into the other boy's to get him to shut his hole. Maybe he'd missed it; they weren't in the best position to make those kinds of insults. And between the two of them, it was Ikki who didn't fully know what they were dealing with. After all, Ikki had been on the Devil's hit-list for some time, and now that they were easy targets…
Kazu gulped.
They both heard a light, hollow tapping sound, and looked to where Weaver was slowly approaching, carrying the metal bar Ikki had previously dropped. He patted it into his palm repeatedly, grinning. From the side, Riffle was baring his teeth like the madman he was, practically squirming in joy at the concept of beating them to death.
This was how it was going to end? Pummeled to a lifeless pulp with a metal pipe? After all of that? At least they were together, Kazu tried to reason with himself. But wasn't this all his fault to begin with?
"It was nice while it lasted," the Devil admitted idly, taking a few steps closer to get a better look of the spectacle that was going to take place. He sounded almost disappointed, but only almost. "…It's a shame to have to do this, you know. If things had played out differently-"
"Played out differently my ass," Kazu said, not able to bite down on his impulsive tongue in time. Like he actually enjoyed the double life. Like he would ever abandon Ikki. Like he'd ever leave Kogarasumaru behind. The very concept of it sent nukes and bombs exploding in the furthest pit of his stomach.
The Devil made a small noise and gave Weaver a nod. The human spider rotated his shoulder to adjust the device on his back and crack his neck before he approached the young boys with his weapon in hand. He gave a few practice swings, force and speed and accuracy on his side, and gave a toothy smirk. From the side, Mantis watched with a bored expression as if it were a re-run, and Riffle's hands twitched, wanting to be the one that gave the beating, but held back by lack of command.
Weaver raised the bar high above his cranium, eyes set on his target; Ikki's head. And just as he was about to bring his weapon down the intent of using every last bit of strength he could muster – one, maybe just a few hits, and it would all be over – and while everyone watched and Ikki cursed and squirmed and Kazu held his breath, Riffle made the irrevocable mistake of meeting Kazu's eyes.
They were fierce with bubbling hatred and enveloped in shadows, framed by his hair and the creases of an angered expression. His head was low but his eyes were locked onto him, full of every ounce of loathing imaginable and making absolutely, positively, unmistakably sure… that Riffle was looking straight at him when he licked his lips and mouthed three… little… words…
I would win.
The swoop of Weaver's weapon was cut short when Riffle threw himself in and caught the other man's arm, thrusting it to the side when it was mere inches away from Ikki's skull.
"Wait!"
The bar clattered loudly to the ground, and every last pair of eyes zoned in on the speeding bullet, including that of his half intrigued leader, and Riffle was practically foaming at the mouth when he turned to said leader and opened it to speak.
"If you'll let me, I have a request."