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Title: Jellyfish Love [Chapter Fifteen]
Author: Matrim Email: matrim _ no _ aijin @ yahoo . com Warnings: Violence. Extreme violence. I really hope you guys weren't attached to anyone. If you don't like death, don't read this. I'm serious. I'm giving you time to back out. Comments: I finished this last night, actually. I've been called a sadist by one of my prereaders and someone told me I got it wrong but no, I got it right, I assure you. *cackles* Also, duels never lasted that long unless they were prearranged to last very long. Duels in Europe ended quickly and very bloody. There are different ways to duel--rapier and rapier, rapier and dagger, and rapier and cloak and just rapier. So there. I'm channeling Princess Bride. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. :D Okay. Now onto fic. ++ Chapter Fifteen: Icarus "Hello, puppy," He says it so endearingly—as if Toshiya were one of his people and not just fucking one of his people. And he says it in a way that could be quite patronizing, too. Toshiya blinks at him once then he raises his rapier and like a snake, positions himself to kill. "Drop. Your. Sword." Comes a voice from behind Toshiya. It is well-given command said in extremely curt and surprisingly polite language given the situation. And Toshiya thinks he remembers something like it in a movie once. He knows he's been discovered by the strange mysterious man he's never seen before. Toshiya doesn't drop his weapon. He only lowers it and glares at Shinya's smiling damnable face. "Poor thing. But I can't fault you for trying. I'll give you permission to kill me if you can kill your challenger behind you. I'll remain here in my office when you're victorious, puppy." Shinya's smile widens. For a second, Toshiya doesn't move. He glances at Shinya then turns sideways so he can view his opponent. As soon as his eyes land on the figure, his eyes widen. "You—" Machi smiles a pleasant smile at him—entirely out of place given the situation. Now that he is close up, Toshiya can see that Machi has changed. He is wearing a black and red outfit. He looks like he's stepped out of a French revolution remake fashion show. The top looks like a woman's dress but there is no skirt. It's almost a coat. Machi wears black leather pants under it with boots. Most people would wonder how Machi could move and kill in that. But Toshiya knows he can. No one would wear something like that for a fight and not be able to kill in it. "Yes. I suppose you must know me by now. If you would please follow me to the roof? I believe we should discuss this matter somewhere more polite and not ruin Shinya's beautiful office." It is all polite and mannerly and Machi does not take his eyes off of Toshiya at all. He gives a slight nod of the head to Shinya and begins backing away to the elevator. Toshiya could kill Shinya now. But that would be a breach of etiquette and he would not remain alive for long. And if he did live, Atsushi and Kyo would not be happy with him. So, he decides to play along. Killing Machi would give him practice. It makes Toshiya wonder if Shinya would just stand there and take the blow. Toshiya hopes not. That would be too boring. He follows Machi into an elevator and on the way to the roof, they stare at each other. Machi simply looks at him with a smile. Toshiya just glares. The elevator dings and the doors open wide. Both men walk out of the elevator at the same time. It is almost like a movie scene now—the moon high in the sky and the two of them raising their rapier to salute each other. Machi has no dagger. Instead, he holds onto the end of his strange outfit as if he were holding onto the end of a cloak. Toshiya takes his stance across from Machi; the toe of his left foot facing Machi. It is a basic stance—feet as far apart as his shoulders—just like Imai taught him. Toshiya knows that this is where technique will end. Dueling weapons never guaranteed a clean fight. He attacks first, dagger held upright in his left hand. He moves forward, the very same dagger attacking Machi's blade and making the other man move backward. Toshiya tries to thrust his rapier into Machi's belly but Machi moves the strange cloak in the way to defend. Toshiya dances backward, keeping dagger and rapier in front of him. Machi's eyes narrow. He's not amused apparently. Toshiya smiles this time but only briefly. Machi raises his rapier and clutches at the hem of his coat. He slides forward, rapier attacking but Toshiya defends it all until Machi flicks his coat at him. Remembering what Imai did to him when that happened, Toshiya barely moves back in time to avoid getting ensnared into the cloak but not in time enough to avoid a stab in his left shoulder. Pain and blood blossoms on his shoulder but he doesn't respond to it. Duels never last long and they can change in a fraction of an instant. Back and forth, they move—Toshiya aiming low and Machi defending and Machi aiming high and Toshiya defending. Toshiya points the dagger at Machi then steps in and takes Machi's blade out of line and tries to thrust at his stomach. Machi thrusts low just as Toshiya parries it to the side and elbows Machi in the face. The other man stumbles away and presses his hand to his now possibly broken nose. He is undeterred. Machi extends his weapon and thrusts toward Toshiya's right side. Toshiya begins to parry only to have Machi effortlessly circle the point under and around and Toshiya's rapier goes flying off into the distance. They stand frozen for a second. Toshiya throws the dagger at Machi and sprints in the direction that his rapier fell. He skids and grabs it only to have pain lance through his right shoulder. This time, Toshiya falters. He cries out. The rapier is yanked out of his body and Toshiya falls over. He grasps at his blade and turns, trying to defend himself against Machi. He slashes across Machi's chest because Machi hadn't bought up his guard in time. Vaguely, Toshiya sees that Machi's arm is bleeding. So that dagger had done some good after all. Machi kicks him then he kicks Toshiya's weapon away. Too far away for Machi to reach after. A cut is made across Toshiya's cheek and then another. And then Machi straddles his chest and rips the collar that protects Toshiya's neck off and flings it away. The point of the blade rests on the soft flesh there. Machi holds the rapier by the blade and tightly. Toshiya wonders if he bleeds. The other man grabs Toshiya by the hair and yanks his head back. His neck arches dangerously into the point. "How dare you think to touch heaven." Machi bends down and kisses him briefly. He licks the blood off of Toshiya's cheeks. Then he sighs. "I can taste him in your blood." Machi reaches behind him and suddenly, he has a cellphone in one of his hands. He still keeps the blade on Toshiya's skin. "I owe you this one thing. You may say goodbye. What's his phone number?" Toshiya closes his eyes for a second as he remembers. He tries not to think about the rapier digging into his neck. He recites the numbers to Machi. "He still has the same phone number. How sweet." Machi says as he dials the number. He holds the phone up to Toshiya's ear. "Tell him anything. Tell him everything but be a gentleman and don't you dare lie." He would try to nod but he can't. He blinks instead and closes his eyes again. He listens to the phone ring and Kamijo greets him on the other end. "Hello?" "Kamijo…" "Toshiya? You okay?" "Kamijo. I think…I think I'm in trouble." "Toshiya?" Kamijo's voice is laced with worry and Toshiya imagines him sitting up in bed or wherever Kamijo may be. "What's wrong? Tell me what happened." "I…" Don't lie. Toshiya knows if he lies, Machi won't let him get to say what he wants to say to Kamijo. But he doesn't know where to begin. "I've…I've gotten myself into a bad situation, Kamijo, and I don't think that I'll be able to get out of it. I met some bad people and I've made a bad decision and I thought I was prepared for it." "Who says you can't get out of it? We can get you out of it—trust me, Toshiya!" Toshiya feels his eyes sting with tears but he keeps his eyes close so they won't slip out and show anyone how weak he is. "Why couldn't I have met you earlier, Kamijo? I think…I think that if I had, I wouldn't be here right now. You were…so…perfect. You still are." "Toshiya, don't worry, okay? Just tell me where you are and me and the guys'll be there in no time, don't worry." The tears slip from Toshiya's eyes. They run down his temples and into his ears. "I love you, Kamijo." And he's never ever said that before. He's never said he's loved anyone—not even Gisho or Hakuei or Ka-yu or even Yasu. And they're going to be so mad at him now—so mad. And his poor Kamijo… "Toshiya…I love you, too, but—" His voice is yanked away from Toshiya. Machi has the phone now. In his mind, Toshiya imagines Kamijo in white—he's always in white—blonde and lit by the sun. He's smiling, he's happy and it was brief. He imagines Yasu kicking his body in fury and wondering if it was all worth it, you bastard, I hope you got what you deserved— --was it worth it, Toshiya? He asks himself. Yeah….yeah, it was. The rapier is removed from his throat but Toshiya doesn't notice. He does not harbor the hope that he'll survive. Machi stands and hot sharp pain like Toshiya's never experienced before burns in his chest for a terrible beautiful moment. And then he feels nothing at all. ++ "Toshiya?! TOSHIYA?!" Kamijo screams on the phone in the empty house that smells like the man who just called him, the man who told him he loved him and the man he just say goodbye to not more than a few hours ago. He holds onto one of Toshiya's shirts because it smells like him and because it's the closest thing that Kamijo has of him. "Answer me! Answer me!" But he heard that scream, he heard the terror in his boyfriend's voice—it's not fair—it's not—he can't be dead, he can't be— "Kamijo." The blonde man freezes. "Kamijo." An insistent gentle voice calls to him. "What? Who's this?" Liar. You know who it is. "I've missed you." "Machi….Machi, what did you….what did you do?" Kamijo asks, weakly. He wants this to be a dream. "Darling, if you know what's good for you, you'll return home at once." Machi's voice says that he will not argue about it with him. It's polite as ever. Damnably polite. "You killed him. You bastard—you fucking killed him—" And Machi sighs. "Of course, darling. He tried to kill Shinya." The phone drops from Kamijo's fingers. ++ Machi stares down at the body and removes his rapier. He cleans the blade and retrieves Toshiya's weapon. He cleans the blade as well and sets it down on the body. With a rather ungentlemanly grunt, Machi returns to the elevator. The bleeding in his arm and chest have started to stop but he still needs to see someone about it. The elevator descends to Shinya's office. When the doors open, Machi walks slowly to Shinya, who is leaning against the desk. "Oh, Machi, did he hurt you?" Shinya sits up and goes to his side. "Yes. Just a little." "Ssh. Come here." A skinny arm wraps around his shoulders and brings him close. Shinya combs through Machi's hair with his fingers. Machi closes his eyes and leans against Shinya. The man could be younger brother, older brother or father wrapped all into one—it was very odd. "Shall I send for Kaya? Or would you like to go home and have Kaya meet you there?" "I must go home but I think it would be better if Kaya attends to me here. I'd also hate to bother you about this, sir, but I'm afraid that Kamijo may still be at puppy's house." Shinya nods and lets go of him carefully. "I will make sure that he comes home safely. And I will take care of puppy's body." Machi lets the sensation of Shinya's touch carry him away from the pain for a few moments. "Will you make sure we bury him properly? I owe it to Kamijo. I owe it to puppy, too." He feels the hesitation in Shinya's body, but decides not to beg. It wouldn't be very nice. "I don't think we're allowed to bury him, Machi. But I'll make sure he's cleaned up. I'll let Kamijo visit his body. But when Kaya fixes you up, you must go home and then fix what you have with Kamijo." Shinya releases him long enough to look into his eyes. "You know you can't run and hide from your problems." Machi nods. He knows. He can't hide anymore unless he wants to end up sharing a grave with Toshiya. ++
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! If it makes you feel any better, I was crying
when I wrote it! I'm sorry! If I could slip into Keigo to tell you
how sorry I am--well...I'm not *THAT* sorry but I'm sorry!
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