Title: Jellyfish Love [Chapter Three: Cherry Blossoms] Author: Matrim Email: matrim _ no _ aijin @ yahoo . com (hotmail isn't working so use that one) Warnings: The actual smatterings of het. It will make you go O_o X_X >=O so I'm sorry about that. I warn you about language and strange snappy dialogue. It feels a bit pulp fiction-ish. It was hard not to include the 'English! Do you speak it, motherfucker?!' in it but I refrained 'cause ... my good sense has to prevail somewhere. Oh and I repeat myself a little in the fic but I felt that I needed to. Watch someone get on my case for this x.x Oh and Yuri!!! Don't forget yuri. ++ "Oh, Shinya, it's wonderful. How'd you manage to get such a spot?" BoA asks. Her hands clasp in front of her chest like some sort of videogame heroine. She knows it's bad but she can't help herself. She looks away from the cherry tree where Shinya had reserved a spot for them and looks up to her husband. His face is still young to her but whenever she looks at old photos, she can see how much he's grown older. He is pushing her wheelchair today. She likes when he does that. He doesn't often spend time with her so whenever he does spend time with her, she lets him do what he wants. "I had someone save it for us." He says and finally, Shinya looks down at her and gives her his little half-smile. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be out in public?" She knows what kind of business Shinya deals with and the last thing she wants is for him to get hurt. She knows that it won't be like last time where she got hurt instead. And she knows that Shinya would do anything to keep her from getting hurt again but she just doesn't want him to get hurt in the process. "It's fine." He says. He never says much. But it's alright. BoA's personality more than makes up for his silence. It isn't long before they reach the picnic spot and Die stands up from the spot he'd reserved for them and leaves. They were going to be alone, finally. Well, maybe not totally alone. Shinya wouldn't come out in public and not have people posted but BoA could pretend, couldn't she? "We'll be here all day?" "All day." Shinya takes the picnic basket that BoA had on her lap and sets it down on the blanket. "And you won't leave me?" "I won't leave you." He sound amused. Like he's humoring her in some sort of way and it's a little patronizing but that's how Shinya is. He never jokes with anyone like that but her and that has to say something. BoA plays with the ring around her left finger. Shinya kneels in front of her and she takes his hand. "Do you want to sit on the ground?" BoA nods and releases Shinya's hand. His arm slips under her legs while the other curls around her back. She loops her arms around his neck and despite the fact that he looks so skinny, he's very strong and he lifts her like she's nothing. As he sets her down carefully on the ground, she arranges her skirt and asks, "You won't leave me even if work calls you away?" He looks at her with that stoic face of his and she just smiles at him. He may intimidate other people but he can't do that to her. She knows him. They went to school together. Shinya never thinks like regular men, though. He always tells the truth even if it may be just a little harsh. Most men would try to do anything to provide the right answer. "Only if it's important." "It's always important." Shinya shrugs and sits next to her and begins opening the picnic basket. "I do what I must to keep us alive." "You don't have to say it like that," BoA replies, crossly. Shinya only quirks one of his smiles again and in order not to ruin a good time, she looks up at the trees. He hands her some soy milk to drink and begins to make her a plate of food. He always does things like that預s if she has useless hands instead of useless legs. But it's her fault, a little. She always lets him do what he wants. "Will you stay with me? Always?" She asks this question whenever she can. She can't help it. She just wants to make sure. "Would you ever betray me?" The standard reply. This is how they do things. "No. Never." "Then I'll always stay with you." ++ "Do you really think he loves her?" "What are we talking about again?" Die looks away from the couple and glances to Kaoru, who's reading a book and therefore not paying attention. He sighs and walks over, grabbing the book and shutting it. "Shinya?" "Oh. Well・hy not?" Die shrugs. He doesn't understand the way that Shinya thinks and is willing to admit this. He's tried talking to Shinya about it and he can't help but speak down to him a little. Shinya is like a respected little brother and Die knows how to deal with brothers. He's got more than enough. "It's・he obviously adores him but when I look him look at her擁t's葉here's nothing in there! No passion, no nothing・an't either of them see that?" Kaoru shrugs and at least, he's listening and no longer reading. But he's got the business expression falling over his face and he's still got his glasses on. "Maybe you and Shinya have different ways of expressing feelings. And God, why are we talking about this?" Die pointed upwards at the cherry blossoms and Kaoru merely rolled his eyes. "What? I think it's a valid subject to think about at this time of year." "You just suck at being lookout." Kaoru replies. "Oh, yeah? Who was the one buried in a book?" "Fuck you." "Just gimme a time and a date." Die leers at Kaoru and gets an empty cigarette pack thrown at his head for his pains. Kaoru lights the last cigarette he had and begins to smoke. Die's smile fades. "Seriously." "What?" "I don't understand." "Does it matter if they're in love?" "Kaoru!" The other man scratches his head. "Is it any of our business? No, unless this is some subtle way of you telling me that you'd like to date Shinya or BoA. And if you are, this is a really shitty way of telling me that・#034; Die stares at Kaoru and resists the urge to shake him. It wouldn't be nice to draw unwanted attention. "You think I'm breaking up with you." "No." Kaoru instantly denies it and exhales smoke. Die frowns at him. "Alright, yes." And when Die continues to stare at him, the other man finally shrugs, "Maybe?" "Dating Shinya would be like incest. And let's not get started on BoA. She and I would kill each other in an hour." Die has an urge to pull Kaoru in for a kiss but since they're in public, he refrains. He doesn't think anyone would notice as they were all lost in their own worlds bought on by flowers but he didn't want to chance it. Not to mention the fact that Kaoru would kick him and Shinya might see and then they'd all get in trouble. Shinya doesn't need his two strongest men to be his weakness. "So why the fascination?" "It's just・t feels wrong. It's like he's married to her because he pities her." "I have an idea." "What?" "Why don't you go ask him?" Die picks up a fallen flower and throws it at Kaoru. He snorts when it doesn't even fly far enough to hit the man. "Like hell. He's going to give me that creepy look of his and the next thing you know, I'll be dead. And knowing Shinya, Kirito's going to be the one who'll kill me." Who knew that when he first started working for Shinya that the boy had such a love for irony? It was so annoying. And no matter how old Shinya became, he'd always be a boy to Die. Kaoru snickers and throws the cigarette down on the ground and puts it out. He looks out over the park. "I'll run in and we can both be killed together." "You're so annoyingly romantic at the wrong times." "Thanks. I try." ++ Nene moans from her place on the blanket as she wakes up. It's late spring and it's getting warm so she' s happy that she gets to wear sandals for once and Capri pants. She's happy that she doesn't have to wear a jacket, either. She doesn't like the cold ever since・ Since・ "You alright?" A gruff voice distracts her from unpleasant memories. Nene wonders why Kyo uses his normal voice with everyone else but her. She thinks it may be for the same reason why Atsushi's entire demeanor changes from commanding man to doting Papa on her too. "I had a dream." "Bad one?" Nene is about to shake her head but when she opens her eyes, drops of blood are falling from the sky. She whimpers. "It's over, Nene." "Raining blood," She whispers, through lips that barely open. She doesn't want the blood getting in her mouth. She hates the taste, the look and the feel of the stuff. "It's the cherry blossoms." Nene opens her eyes again, deciding to trust him on a whim. And all is as he says it is. She is tempted to yell at him and demand answers as to why reality only conforms to his wishes. She loves her brother dearly but these are the times where she hates him. He never treats her like he used to anymore. He never treats her like an equal. She knows she's gone off the normal track耀he knows she's not supposed to be seeing things that aren't there but he doesn't have to treat her like a child. Nene sits up from the blanket and scoots away from him and the odd little creature that claims to be his girlfriend. Instead, she leans against her father and wishes that they'd all just disappear. If it weren't for Kyo, she would still be here. And Nene doesn't care if it's unfair or untrue. Atsushi hands her a little lunchbox of food but Nene sets it down. She's not hungry. "But you have to eat." Atsushi tells her and Nene isn't sure if she really did say that she wasn't hungry out loud. She looks away from everyone and stares out over the park. Someone sighs but she doesn't know who does it and she doesn't care. And she can't eat in the presence of the creature because she makes Nene sick. And she can't explain why. She was cute but・he doesn't want to think about it so she stops. Sometimes, Nene has moments of clarity right after the scary strange moments but it doesn't always happen. There are two men across the park, looking dangerous and important. And it feels like time slows down and she can hear the blood rushing through her ears. The sky turns pink but all she needs is Kyo to say it isn't so and it's just the cherry blossoms but she's mad at him. Someone was singing but when she glances back to her family, none of them are and in fact, they're eating. They're ignoring her. When she looks back to the men across the park, they are staring at her. She knows them. "No・o・o." "Nene?" "All alone・ll alone." They were the ones who took her darling away and closed her eyes forever. Nene wants to run but she doesn't want to draw their attention. When she looks at Kyo, he is staring at where she was looking and he has his cell phone out. He's talking to Yukke and Tatsurou by the sound of his voice and Atsushi's pulling her up and away from the blanket. "No! They'll see!" She hisses, trying to fight her father. The sky is blue again and everything seems normal but they're still there and that frightens her. She plucks at her brother's shirt and stares at him with wide desperate eyes. "Kill them. Kill them for me. And we'll have a party. With streamers and songs, please・#034; Kyo stares at her solemnly and nods before Atsushi takes her and Ai, the creature, away to the car. He grabs them by the elbow and isn't too gentle but he's never gentle when he's trying to protect someone. She doesn't want to go. She wants to see Kyo kill them and make everything right. ++ The phone rings on the blanket next to him. Shinya picks it up. "Yes?" His eyes narrow and BoA looks up from the cake she'd been eating. He gets that sort of look when something important and possibly dangerous is about to happen. She knew it wouldn't be alright if they made an appearance in public. But what Shinya says surprises her. "No. We don't have a quarrel with him. We won't have to move." She sets her cake aside and doesn't care if she's blatantly eavesdropping. Shinya promised to stay with her all day today. "If he should come any closer, I trust you and Die will take care of it." He pauses and then he smiles, the kind of smile that sends bad shivers down her spine. "His sister? And his girlfriend. Lucky us." He hangs up and continues to eat as if nothing's happened. BoA stares at him for a few seconds then decides to trust him. Shinya wouldn't let anything happen to her. ++ "What's he doing?" Kaoru asks after hanging up the phone. "Staring at us like he's in an anime." "What are we waiting for him to do? Turn into Akira?" Die snorts and begins laughing then nudges Kaoru. "I have an idea." "What?" "Why don't you ask him?" "Fuck you." "Horny, are we?" Die snickers a bit more. Kaoru makes a mental note in his head to kill his boyfriend later and watches Kyo. Die's laughter fades. "Where's Kirito and Luci?" "They're around. That's all I know." Kaoru replies, honestly. He never knows where they are. They show up when you least expect it and sometimes, in the case of Kirito and Die謡hen you didn't want one of them to show up. "But Shinya says we won't have to worry." "This is Kyo we're talking about." "And this is Shinya we work for. He wouldn't say not to worry if there really was a cause for us to worry. If that made sense." Kaoru reasons and Die lifts his shoulders in a shrug. Die was still nervous but Kaoru couldn't fault him for that. "I think the little wanker's grinning at us." Kaoru squints to see Kyo but can't tell whether he is or not. "Just keep an eye on him for now." "He's got a creepy grin." Die goes quiet for a second and then makes one of his discontent noises. Kaoru frowns as he sees what causes it. "Yukke and Tatsurou." "Lovely." Kaoru wonders why everyone who works for Kyo had strange crazy eyes. Creepy people attracted creepy people, he supposes and as Tatsurou and Yukke walk closer, Kaoru reaches into the hidden holster in his jacket. "They're wearing makeup?" "You wore makeup once." "On a dare." Kaoru replies, all joking gone from his voice. Thankfully, Die does not laugh because he's got his hand in his suit jacket as well. "Shall we deal with them as Shinya suggests?" "Oh, certainly." Die smirks and together they stride forward as one to meet Tatsurou and Yukke. From the corner of his eye, Kaoru can see Kirito emerging from the trees and walking beside him. And at this time, Die is so serious that he doesn't even make a comment and appears that, for once, he doesn't care. Kaoru doesn't have to look to see that Luci has joined them as well on Die's right. "Kyo is turning away." Kirito says under his breath and Kaoru nods. It doesn't mean he won't keep an eye on the other man, though. They all stop about five feet away from each other. It's like an American football game where the players meet in the middle for the coin toss. Except there is no referee and no coins, only bullets and knives that are waiting to be used. "What do you want?" Die asks after five minutes, because Die has a big mouth today and because it seems no one else is willing to talk. "Just enjoying the cherry blossoms." Tatsurou says. It's the first time Kaoru has ever heard the other man speak. It's the first time they've ever seen each other this close, too. "What do you want?" "Oh? Then why the sudden evacuation of the troops?" Die asks, completely disregarding Tatsurou's question. Tatsurou doesn't smile but his face changes in an indescribable way. His makeup is smeared which serves to make him look a little insane and when his expression changes, it feels as if he's mocking them. "They became ill after seeing your faces." "I would think so." Kaoru says smoothly even as Die bristles. Everyone's eyes are on him now. "By the way, how's Nene holding up? I do miss the way she screamed." In the time it takes to blink, Yukke葉he most harmless looking one揺as a gun and is pointing it at Kaoru's head. Reflexes take over and all of them have their weapons drawn and ready. "I think you've touched upon a sore spot, Kaoru." "Dearie me, how could I have been so uncouth?" Kaoru smirks then sighs. Shinya would hurt them if he heard gunshots. "But since we have nothing against them, I suppose we'll have to lower our weapons eventually." "Can't I just shoot the smaller one in the leg?" Die asks, with the visible sound of someone pouting. His gun is pointed at Yukke. "No can do." Tatsurou replies and his gun is pointed at Die's head. "Yukke shoots to kill." "Too bad." Kaoru replies, his own gun aimed at Tatsurou's. "So does Luci'fer." "A pity because Izam is good at paralyzing people below the neck." The other man replies. The dialogue is almost like a tennis match. "Kirito's good at multi-tasking." "A shame because we own the police." "Not in this town, sweetie." "And neither do you, peaches." Someone sighs and it sounds like Luci'fer. Men don't sigh in situations like these. "We're not getting anywhere." "No. You're right, we're not. What we want is to be left alone, Tatsurou." "And so do we." "Lower your weapons first." Kaoru instructs and Tatsurou has the nerve to laugh. "Like hell I will." "This park isn't big enough for all of us." Die mutters and Kaoru manages not to roll his eyes. He knows Kirito rolls his eyes without any restraint but how Kirito keeps from throwing a knife at Die is beyond him. "You should've thought of that before you pulled your gun on us, Tatsurou." Yukke raises an eyebrow and informs them in a quiet voice, "Ah, but you should've thought of that before Kaoru said something." "We are at an impasse. And everyone may soon see us." Kirito says. "So why don't we lower our weapons all at the same time?" For a few minutes, no one moves until they all relax and do as Kirito says. "So is this how it works? We stay on our side of the park and you stay on yours? Should we draw a line?" Die smirks and Kaoru can't help but do the same. "We are on neutral ground." Tatsurou taps his gun against his thigh, "Somehow, I don't think a line would stop you. I don't trust any of you but I do trust Shinya and the leash he has on all four of you." He smirks, too, and Kaoru feels like shooting him in the leg to make his boyfriend happy. Unfortunately, Yukke's still staring at him and Kaoru hasn't forgotten that the boy shoots to kill. "We don't trust you either and we don't trust the freak that's your boss." Die snorts. "But we trust Shinya when he says nothing will happen." "Mm. Good. Then turn around and walk away, old man. We'll meet on the battleground some other day." "There's no war between us." Luci'fer informs him and Tatsurou does that face thing again. "Then you are all ignorant and Shinya is hiding something from you. There is a war. Consider this a message of respect. We dislike you enough to let you know." Kaoru's eyes narrow as Tatsurou and Yukke begin stepping away from them but they don't turn their back. Only when Kaoru, Die, Kirito and Luci'fer put away their weapons do the two men do so as well and finally turn around to go back to Kyo. Kaoru turns to Die. He doesn't think Shinya would keep anything from him but he does think Shinya ought to know. Die has a grim look on his face but he nods. A part of being trusted by Shinya was having the balls to bear the bad news to him. ++ To Chapter Four Jelly Home Fics Home