akame; night

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:29:04 GMT

Jin comes home.

Written during Jin's hiatus & mostly to reassure myself that he's coming back. (And he did.)
Unbeta'd & I'm sure there's a lot of grammar errors, but it was sort of written... like that? ORZ
Original Post.

Disco Night.
start the party, insert the cd. hear me whimper softly, in a corner with multicolored neon lights and silent shadows creeping in. kneel in front of me as i whisper sweet nothings to your ear; a simple graze to your left upper lobe, a slight nibble and a gush of wind. hello, stranger. pull me up. we sing and we dance amidst the noisy background of drunken laughter and cool, composed conversations as we whisper to each other, one, two, three, four and twirl, dizzy with movements and flooded with memories of childhood moments; of practices and numbers and tempos and stage frights. and wildly beating hearts and rushed kisses with sweat dripping down your face... and mine. i think of you with disconnected thoughts blurred by time, aged with cracks on the side like those on nearly broken vintage vases you so dearly keep, hidden in your closet, beside an old photo of us. you light a cigarette and form a small "O", your lower lip quivering slightly as a small puff of white smoke escapes your mouth; it looks like a heart. hug me, kiss me, love me, make love to me, as we run outside and turn into a corner towards the darkened street where your apartment resides; desperately tugging at loose fitted jeans and the soft cotton at the crook of your neck after six months had passed. fin.

akame; the fallen [1/2]

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:42:56 GMT

Jin is haunted by the gruesome images of ghosts and demons; plagued by the ones who deny their death, and those who hunt him as their prey. He finds a bruised man under the tree during a rainy day, and takes him home for shelter.

The man claims to be Kame, a descendant of the Maou* and a yuki-onna**, but damned by both heaven and hell with a bounty on his head. And for saving his life, he grants Jin just one wish.

For lilmatchgirl007.
A lot of thank you's to my beta misaseba. Any remaining errors are entirely my fault.

the fallen
The Beginning (3,123 words)
Akanishi Jin & Kamenashi Kazuya
fantasy | AU | angst | vague romance
PG-16 for mentions of gore & vague sex

The first time they met was when the first brown leaf of Autumn fell.

No one really knows where he came from. People in the neighborhood say he was thrown out of a van, all bloody and bruised and exhausted, but some, those who whisper in both fear and fascination, say that he just appeared out of nowhere, like a figment of their imagination. No one bothers to help him; no one except him.

It has been raining all day when a young man finds him under the tree, mud and leaves and twigs sticking on his body. It is the first time in years he has smelled something sweeter than honey, and he tries to fight the urge to reach out.

The man crouches down to stare levelly at him. “Hello…?”

“Leave me alone,” he quietly grunts.

The man looks at him for a moment, a quiet stillness amidst the howling wind, before he stands up and leaves. The last thing he sees of him is his bright yellow umbrella becoming smaller as he walks away. Just like the rest of them, he thinks as the cold rain beckons him to sleep.

He jolts, surprised, when he feels something hot pressed on to his face, slowly warming his skin and waking his senses.

“I thought you might like some tea.”

He looks up and sees the young man from before staring at him with curious eyes. He is about to say his gratitude -and a warning- when the man cuts him off before he can open his mouth.

“You don’t have a place to go, do you?” The man asks, tilts his head and continues, “Come on, you can take a warm shower at my place. You’ll catch a cold if you stay here.” The young man pulls him up, warm hands entwined with his, and drags him out on the street. He feels calmness and exhaustion wash over him like a blanket, and wonders if this young man knows what he’s getting into, and why the sweet smell of nectar lingers.

They come to an abrupt stop in front of an old, small house. The man opens the door with a twist of a key, and warmth envelops them as they enter. It is a humble home, he observes – there’s an acceptable kind of mess in the living room and he’s surrounded by the fresh smell of sunflowers and hope.

He hears a loud gasp behind him, and when he turns around he sees the man, eyes wide open and mouth hanging agape. “I forgot to introduce myself,” he says, eyes sparkling. “I’m Jin. Akanishi Jin. And you?”

“I’m-” he struggles, trying to find the voice he hasn’t used in a while, “Kamenashi Kazuya.”

Jin gives a slight tour of the house, showing Kame the living room, dining area, and bathroom before he runs off somewhere. “Kame, wait here. I’ll go get you a towel, ne.”

Jin has settled into calling him Kame within the first two minutes they’ve introduced themselves. The first time he said it, he laughed at his own joke and Kame just looked at him blankly until he stopped.

Jin comes back with a bundle of soft terry cotton towels and a grin on his face. Kame is standing awkwardly at the side of the room, clothes and hair still wet and dirty, and holding on to the bottle of tea.

“You haven’t drunk your tea yet. It must be cold now.” Jin says, looking at the bottle on Kame’s hands. “Here, give it to me so I can reheat it.”

He makes a move to go forward, hands reaching out to grab the bottle when Kame cuts him. “I’m not thirsty.” Kame whispers, leans closer to Jin, and inhales his scent. “I’m not thirsty of this.”

“What are-”

Jin stops, cotton towels falling to the ground, when he feels lips closing in on his.

The scenario plays over and over again in his dream. He could feel it, his knees growing weak, head light on his shoulders, skin melting on skin. He could hear the constant drumming of blood rushing through his head, the stuttering of his heartbeat. He could taste it, even. Taste him. He barely notices the darkness approaching.

When Jin wakes up, he is lying on his bed, sheets tucked under his chin, and the room empty. He remains on his bed, touches his lips, and wonders if they’ve been kissed.

He gasps in surprise when a voice cuts through his thoughts. “Ahh, you’re finally awake.”

Kame is standing on the doorway, body leaning on the frame, looking fresh from the shower and dressed in sweatpants and a shirt that look two sizes bigger than him, courtesy of Jin’s closet.

“What– You–” Jin sputters for a moment, and tries to arrange his thoughts.

“What? Me?” There is an amused smile on Kame’s face, and Jin notices that he looks younger now, more relaxed. “I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed your clothes. Mine is a little… dirty.” Kame winces.

“What happened?” Jin blurts out.

Kame looks at him for a moment, laughter dancing in his eyes. “You fainted so I took you to your bedroom, and then I showered and stole some clothes in your closet.”

“Not that,” Jin interrupts. “What happened before I fainted?”

“You saved me.” Kame breathes, and looks at Jin with haunting eyes. “With that kiss.”

Kame doesn’t explain anything more after that. Even with Jin whining and shrieking like a girl about being kissed by a guy, although he says it with mirth and not much harm. It has been three days since they first met, and Kame’s been staying at the abandoned room next to Jin’s. Jin doesn’t seem to mind having a complete stranger staying in his house; he enjoys having company while eating his meals or while doing the dishes or while cleaning the living room.

They never talk about Kame leaving, and it has never crossed Jin’s mind until tonight.

They are sprawled on the sofa, Jin holding a bowl of chips, and Kame drinking his tea quietly. The TV is tuned to a rerun of an old sappy Japanese movie that Jin seems engrossed in though Kame isn’t sure why. Humans confuse him sometimes.

Kame moves a bit to look at Jin directly while the movie pauses for a commercial break. “For your service of helping me,” Kame says slowly. “I will grant you one wish.”

Jin laughs, almost impudently, and turns to Kame. “What are you talking about?”

Kame amuses him for a bit, a small smile on his lips. “I will grant you one wish,” he repeats. “Of anything you ask for.”

“Anything?” Jin asks in a carefree sing-song voice, but with brows furrowed together in confusion.

“Anything.”

Jin says the first thing that comes to his mind: “I want you to stay with me forever.”

Forever, Kame thinks, is such a small amount of time.

University classes have resumed, and Jin is skeptical at leaving Kame alone at first.

“I think I can skip classes today.”

“You should attend your classes.”

“But it’s just the first day! It will just be about introductions and it’s going to be so boooooring, Kame.”

“I still think you shouldn’t skip your classes.”

“But-”

“I’ll still be here when you come back home.”

And that is the end of their conversation.

Sometimes, Jin’s still afraid that when he gets back from school, the house would be barren and cold with no trace of Kame except for the lingering scent of brewed tea leaves and strawberries.

Kame has never broken Jin’s wish, and when Kame had agreed to it easily with a simple, “okay,” Jin couldn’t believe him.

(“THAT’S IT?” Jin shrieks, more of in surprise rather than an actual protest.

“Yes. Okay. And you can’t change your wish, it’s irrevocable.” Kame smirks.

“But what about your family? Your friends?”

Kame stiffens beside him, his back straight and proud, whole body frozen. “I don’t have any.”

“Well then, I guess we’re the same.” And when Kame looks at him, Jin is smiling, bright and genuine and pained.)

When they talk -mostly Jin- while preparing dinner, (Kame cooking fried rice and Jin arranging the table) Jin thinks that this must be what having a family feels like.

“I don’t remember much of how my parents look like,” Jin replies when asked about his family, eyes glued to the TV screen.

“All I could remember was that my mother had warm, soft hands, and that I loved her cooking. And that my father used to take me to the park near our old house before we moved here.”

Kame doesn’t make any noise, just stays still, stays quiet as Jin continues. “They left. They told me they were just going to visit someone, but they never came back. My grandfather has been taking care of me until he passed away two years ago.”

Jin’s eyes darken momentarily before they light up again. “But don’t say sorry - I hate it when people do that.” He makes a sour face at the TV.

The next words out of his mouth come as a whisper, like a familiar prayer that has been said too many times. “I know they’ll come back. I know they will, because years after they left I still remember how their love feels like.”

The scenes move on the screen, but Jin’s eyes remain fixed on a single spot.

Kame meets Yamashita-kun on his third month of stay.

Jin is screaming in the background and pummels himself towards the door when Kame had greeted their visitor.

“WHERE IS MY SOUVENIR,” Jin gasps, clutching at Yamashita-kun’s shirt.

“So that’s the first thing you say to your best friend after not seeing him in a long time? No hello? Or welcome back? Or how was the trip?” Yamashita-kun says exasperatedly, but pulls out a plastic from his bag, and hands it over.

Jin opens it eagerly. It’s a tie-dyed t-shirt that says, “I <3 OKINAWA” with palm tree designs splattered carelessly on the side.

“I can’t believe you went all the way to the south, and all I got is this lousy t-shirt.” Jin pouts. “You cheapskate.”

“Oi, stop being ungrateful. At least I got you something, ne. Now how about you introduce me to your new friend?” Yamashita-kun turns to Kame with inquiring eyes.

“Oh! This is Kame. He’s my friend, and he’s staying with me.” Jin grins, and turns to Kame. “And Kame, this is-”

“Yamashita Tomohisa or Yamapi. This idiot’s best and only friend.” Yamashita-kun eases into a smile, and bows his head a little.

“Shut up. I’m doing you a favor by being your friend so you would suck less.”

“So says the one who barely socializes like a normal human being. I’m surprised Kame would even go near you.” He tugs on Kame’s arm, and pulls him close.

“If you hurt Jin, I’ll hunt you down.” Yamashita-kun jokes, and blows a puff of air on Kame’s ear.

“Stop being mean to him, Pi!” Jin shouts, and grabs Kame’s hand. “Your face is scary enough as it is.”

“I was just kidding!” Yamashita-kun says, mouth shaped in an open laugh, but Kame notes his eyes tell him otherwise.

Jin puts the two in charge of their dinner while he stalks the Playstation in the living room.

(“You bum! We’re your guests, but you treat us like your slaves.” Yamashita-kun complains.)

They still end up cooking with the logical reason that the kitchen is a foreign environment to Jin.

“Except the refrigerator,” Yamashita-kun says.

“And the microwave,” Kame adds.

They laugh and fall into an easy, casual conversation; a string of questions and answers going back and forth, with a few things left unsaid. By the time they’re finished, there’s a plate with chicken curry, and three bowls filled with rice to the brim.

“Yamashita-kun, I’ll go–”

“Yamapi. Just call me Yamapi.”

Kame smiles, and nods.

“And Kame?” Yamapi asks.

“Yes?”

“Take care of him, okay?” Yamapi turns his back, and walks towards the living room with their dinner on his hands.

“You didn’t have to ask.”

It is Jin’s idea to go grocery shopping together, and Kame gives up after his complaints.

(“Kameeee, you never go out of the house. It’s summer and you look so pale! Enjoy the sun with me, ne~”)

The sun is high and hot above them as they walk down a narrow street.

A scream pierces their ears, and Kame’s whole body tenses in anticipation.

“What is that?” Jin asks, but he is already running towards the source before Kame can stop him.

They stop when they see the scene before them. The stench of death and desperation is overwhelming, and it almost makes Kame gag in displeasure.

There is a girl, if one could call her that, with strings of black hair on her head, eye sockets hollow, and a pair of eyes dangling on her face. There is dried blood on her neck, and thin bones sticking out of her dress.

“I will take you with me to hell, you traitor.” Her lips twist in to a smile, and her hands clutch on the fabrics of the student’s uniform.

“Stop,” the student pleads, begs to let her go. “Please. I thought we were friends.”

“Friends don’t steal each other’s boyfriends.” The ghost snarls, a painful look crossing her face. “You knew how much I loved him.”

“I’m sorry,” she sobs. “I’m really, really sorry,” is all she could say.

Kame watches as Jin intervenes, touches the ghost on her shoulder, and says, “Let her go.”

The walk back home is a quiet affair; footsteps falling soundlessly beside each other, and hands clasped together. Jin’s grip is tight. Don’t leave.

The house is empty and dark when they get back. Jin is exhausted, and he just wants to lie down and drift off to another world. The task of cleansing a spirit is never an easy one, and it weighs heavily on Jin’s heart.

“Do you think I’m a freak?” Jin asks him after. “Will you leave me?” Like the others?

“No, silly.” Kame smiles at him, brushes the pad of his thumb against Jin’s cheek.

Kame finally understands now. Why Jin doesn’t have that many friends. Why Jin is always alone. Why Jin is haunted and hunted. Why Jin’s parents will never come back.

He knows the reason behind it. He has known it ever since he first met Jin, looked at his eyes, smelled his scent, and kissed him, but he denies it at his convenience. He can feel it in the air, white sparks of electricity and empathy, and it prickles his skin. Divine power.

“I think you’re beautiful.”

Jin pulls Kame to his bedroom, lets Kame tuck him in, and tell him a bedtime story. Kame winds a story about the beginning of the universe, from the start of time.

(There are three types of creatures: divine beings, humans, and the fallen angels banished to eternal damnation. And then, there are those rare ones, the halves of two beings put together, but neither accepted by any of the three. Their existence is forbidden, and they are put to death as dictated by the law that governs all races.)

By the time Kame finishes, Jin is already asleep, breathing evenly. Kame curls a strand of Jin’s hair around his finger, tucks it behind his ear, and whispers, “You’re special. You’ll come to understand that one day.”

Their second kiss comes unexpectedly.

All that Jin can remember is initiating the first step, leaning down on Kame, and then - darkness.
All that Kame felt is soft, warm lips on his own, and the need to consume.

When Jin wakes up in his room, Kame is standing by the window, looking out to the world.

(Don’t ever kiss me. Why? Just. Don’t. Okay. A pause. But can I love you? Kame sucks in a breath. I don’t think anyone could. But I already am. I don’t think you should. That’s not fair. Nothing is fair. Give me a chance -

I’ll show you what love is.)

Their first night together comes in the form of a rainy day, of nervous fumbling and tangled bed sheets, performing an awkward dance through the night.

Jin brings a stranger home one day. Kame tenses as the wall he has put up bends slightly to someone else’s will. He drops the plate, and rushes to the door.

“Jin!” Kame shouts. “Jin, are you ok-”

He stops when he sees them.

“Ueda.”

“Hello, younger brother.”

Jin lets Ueda in after he hears their exchange. He shrieks at Kame for lying to him –

“I THOUGHT YOU DON’T HAVE A FAMILY.”

“He’s not part of my family.”

“I’m not part of his family.”

- but he just ends up more confused than before. Jin only calms down after Kame promised to explain everything to him, and to give them time to talk.

“What are you doing here?” Kame’s voice is icy, his posture alert.

“Don’t be like that younger brother.” Ueda smiles, “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

“Then what are you here for?”

"They made me temporary King when you left." Ueda sits at the edge of Kame’s bed, and surveys the room leisurely. “I’m here to give you back that position. You know I hate politics and any semblance to leadership.”

Kame makes a noncommittal noise, and turns around.

“And besides,” Ueda’s voice turns serious, “they’re hunting for you. And if they find out you’re with–”

“I know,” Kame cuts in. “I know.”

Kame sighs. “Will you aid me when the time comes?”

“Of course.” Ueda grins. “Consider it as payback for what happened fifty years ago.”

Ueda becomes a part of Jin’s family in a matter of days.

Judgment day comes sooner than Kame expected.

“I smelled angel meat, but instead found the demon king. It must be my lucky day.”

Bounty hunters, Kame's mind screams.

“Get out.” Kame says, an underlying threat to his voice. He gives a second to think about Jin – he’s safe with Ueda.

The demon snorts. “Or what? You’ll kill us like how you killed your right hand man? We heard you two were best friends.”

Kame stiffens. “You’re not welcome here. This is my last warning.”

“You may be King, but we heard you’re the weakest among your brothers, and we’ve got years of experience behind us. Besides,” he sneers, “you only got the throne because the previous King was so smitten with his bed-warmer.”

The demon laughs. “Your mother must have been really good then.”

Dear God, Kame prays for the first time, don’t let Jin see me like this.

(to be continued.)

Notes:
*maou = demon king
**yuki-onna = snow woman, a succubus who sucks human energy/chi
This fic is based on Ororon, but with a few adjustments and lived differently.
Matchy, sorry this came really late! I've been incredibly distracted lately. :'<
Part II will be up soon...ish.

to infinity... and beyond!

akame; night

akame; the fallen [1/2]