Ketsueki and Aisoku 4

Ketsueki's face in buried in his pillow, his blonde locks falling around the sides of his pillow and face. He lets out a small moan, scooting further under the sheets.
Aisoku yawns widely, shifting as he awakens. He opens his eyes, looking over at Ketsueki... He smiles.
Ketsueki rolls over...and almost off the bed. He lets out a tiny yelp, clinging barley to the side of the mattress and the sheets. After a moment, he yanks himself back up onto the bed, sitting up and shaking himself, muttering quietly.
Aisoku laughs, not even trying to hide his amusement.
Ketsueki rubs his eyes, scowling. "Shut up...."
Aisoku grins, "OK, ok....don't throw a fit"
Ketsueki growls. "I'm not a small child, I don't throw fits."
Aisoku smiles, "Sure.'
Ketsueki scowls, running a few fingers through his messy hair. "I don't...."
Aisoku smiles, "so....are we going today?"
Ketsueki looks up, flinching slightly as he catches a knot in his hair. "Sure, if you want. I don't care..."
Aisoku frowns, "Only if you want to."
Ketsueki smiles slightly. "I don't care...it's not my father we're looking for....." he flinches slightly.
Aisoku sighs, "But I don't want to come if you don't want to..." He's obviously a little hurt by Ketsueki's mention of his father.
Ketsueki shrugs. "I couldn't care less when we went...."
Aisoku frowns, "oh..."
Ketsueki glances over at him. "Something wrong?"
Aisoku shakes his head, "Nah..."
Ketsueki blinks. "...what's wrong?"
Aisoku stands, "Let's....just go."
Ketsueki doesn't move, scowling. "Tell me. Now."
Aisoku sighs, "It's nothing....Ket-chan, let's just go."
Ketsueki shakes his head, remaining silent.
Aisoku's shoulder's slump, "It's just...what you said about my father, ok..that's all...come on...."
Ketsueki slowly stands. "...fathers...never seem to be as good as they should be." He frowns, walking to the door and opening it.
Aisoku blinks, "W..What do you mean by that? Ket-chan?"
Ketsueki tenses. "I'm not going to talk about it. " he murmurs.
Aisoku sighs, "Please...Ket-chan...I think I deserve to know...we shouldn't keep secrets."
Ketsueki growls. "No." He walks out the door.
Aisoku follows, "But why not? Ket-chan...I'm willing to tell you anything...go ahead. Ask me...but I want you to do the same for me..."
Ketsueki shakes his head. "I'm not going to talk about it. Ever. You'll have to live with me holding this one thing from you."
Aisoku looks down, "So...you don't trust me."
Ketsueki growls. "I never, -ever- said that. I said I'm not going to talk about it, alright?!"
Aisoku frowns, going silent. It's obvious he's hurt.
Ketsueki scowls. "Let's get going."
Aisoku looks up at him, wiping his eyes. "I...I can go on my own..." He turns.
Ketsueki frowns. "...you could get hurt."
"I already am."
Ketsueki flinches. "Y-you...don't understand..I can't tell you...."
Aisoku looks back at him, hurt obvious upon his face. "You can tell me anything....you should know that."
Ketsueki looks away, shaking his head. His voice is quiet. "Not this....it hurts too much..."
Aisoku sighs, "It will hurt more if you're the only one to hold the burden...."
Ketsueki shudders slightly. "I've had it long enough. I'm not telling anyone ever."
Aisoku walks to his side, kissing him on the cheek. He turns, moving away. "Sayonara Ket-chan. Aishiterou..."
Ketsueki blushes, after a moment running after Ai and grabbing his wrist.
Aisoku turns, looking at him.
Ketsueki slowly shakes his head. "D-don't leave....just because I won't tell you something..is no reason to just leave me here.."
Aisoku frowns, "I want you to trust me. And you don't....and I know you didn't say that, but you don't. And I want to comfort you....I know you're hurt. But I can't! Because you won't tell me anything!" A few tears dampen his lashes.
Ketsueki frowns. "How does not wanting to tell my past mean I don't trust you?"
Aisoku sighs, "What do you think will happen if you tell me...what are you so afraid of, Ket-chan..."
Ketsueki shudders. "I have to think about it..to tell it...I don't want to remember...."
Aisoku looks down, "I've had hard times in my life too you know...everyone has hardships....but...it's not fair for you to do this to me...it's not."
Ketsueki shakes his head. "I'm not doing anything to you.."
Aisoku frowns, "Do you know what it's like to watch someone you care about it pain...and not be able to do anything for them..."
Ketsueki growls. "Yeah, well do you know what it's like to have to remember something so horrible, you'd rather die than have think about it again!?"
Aisoku narrows his eyes slightly, suddenly angry, "Yes. I do." He turns, walking off quickly, a few hot tears threatening to streak his face.
Ketsueki shivers, looking up and watching as Aisoku walks away. "...I'm..being left alone again..." he murmurs.
Aisoku stops, having heard the elder boy. He turns, "W...What did you say..."
Ketsueki's eyes are narrowed slightly in emotional pain, his body shaking slightly...he looks much like a sick child. "..I'm going to be all alone again...."
Aisoku watches him from a short distance away, "K...Ket-chan..." his voice is weak.
Ketsueki swallows. "J-just like when I was little...just like when I was 7....deserted...."
Aisoku moves closer, hugging him close, tightly, "Ket-chan...Ket-chan, I won't leave you...I won't desert you..." A few tears roll down his cheeks.
Ketsueki clenches his jaw. "I-It's all his fault...that I'm like this...my father's fault...it's all his fault I was alone!"
Aisoku buries his face in Ketsueki's chest, hugging him. "Ket-chan....You're not alone...."
Ketsueki shudders, looking down at Ai. "And you almost left me here....because of him..even though he's dead...still he ruins me..."
Aisoku closes his eyes, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...."
Ketsueki closes his eyes as well, nodding slowly. "G....gomen....I..need to control myself better...."
Aisoku shakes his head, "It's my fault...."
Ketsueki swallows. "N-no...nothing is your fault..."
Aisoku still hugs him tightly, saying nothing.
Ketsueki leans heavily on Aisoku. "....I hated him...." he murmurs after a moment.
Aisoku nods silently, looking up at Ketsueki.
Ketsueki shivers slightly. "I..would go out and train..so that I could be strong enough to stop him from hurting me and mother..but I was too slow..."
Aisoku watches him, his arms still around him. The gesture now seems slightly protective.
Ketsueki puts his arms around Ai and hugs him tightly, letting out a tiny sob. "G-gomen...."
Aisoku shakes his head, "Don't be....you have a right to be hesitant about your past...I shouldn’t have pried...but, I thought..."
Ketsueki shivers. "You...thought what?"
Aisoku frowns, "I thought we could be closer if nothing like this was between us...but it's your life...I shouldn’t have..."'
Ketsueki slowly shakes his head. "I-I dunno..if it's better for you to know or not....but..at least you didn't leave me..."
Aisoku frowns, "I...never could Ket-chan.."
Ketsueki closes his eyes. "I'm glad..because I don't want to be alone anymore...i-if you'd like...I can tell you..the rest...."
Aisoku buries his face in Ketsueki's shirt again, "Only...only if you want me to know.."
Ketsueki swallows. "...I suppose...since you know some..you should know it all, ne?"
Aisoku nods meekly.
Ketsueki shivers. "W-well...mother tried to protect me..but she just got hurt more...she was strong, but father was stronger. After a while...I suppose mother couldn't take it anymore. So..she snapped."
Aisoku's grip on Ketsueki, but he nods weakly.
"And, she killed father, slit his throat. Then she came after me..but stopped, and she looked sane for a moment. S-she took off her necklace and gave it to me, and told me not to forget her..she took the knife..and slashed me across the face..." one hand slowly goes up to his scar. "Then she killed herself."
Aisoku chokes out, "I..I'm so sorry..."
Ketsueki swallows, closing his eyes tightly to keep from crying.
Aisoku moves closer to Ketsueki, "Ket-chan...you didn't deserve that...I'm so sorry...so sorry..." He like he's crying himself.
Ketsueki shivers. "...maybe I do..." he murmurs, almost to quietly to be heard.
Aisoku looks up at him, "That isn't true!"
Ketsueki tries to calm himself. "..I miss her, more than anything, Ai."
Aisoku nods, "I'm sorry Ket-chan...b-but....your mother obviously loved you...."
Ketsueki slowly nods. "A-and I loved her..but now she's gone...."
Aisoku holds him, "Ketsueki..."
Ketsueki smiles weakly. "..it's been quite a while since you used my whole name..."
Aisoku smiles hesitantly, "Yeah, well..."
Ketsueki hms. "You should feel special..you're the first person I've ever really told.."
Aisoku smiles meekly, "Anything I can do for you....anything at all...."
Ketsueki shakes his head. "..I'm fine."
Aisoku leans into him, "Well...from now on, I'll take care of you...you don't have to be alone anymore....I promise..."
Ketsueki blushes slightly. "...take...care of me...?"
Aisoku nods, "Hai..."
Ketsueki smiles slightly. "A-arigatou, Ai..."
Aisoku kisses his cheek, smiling.
Ketsueki blushes. "..but..what about your past..?"
Aisoku twitches, "H..huh?
Ketsueki blinks, watching him. "Your past...I just spouted mine...what about yours..?"
Aisoku looks down a little, shrugging meekly, "Not much to say really...I lived in Okinawa with my mother, sister, and brothers...my father left shortly after I was born...." It's quite obvious he's leaving many things out, making his words as brief as possible.
Ketsueki hms. "..you going to just give me a summary, or are you actually going to really tell me something?"
Aisoku flinches, forcing himself to look up, "What do you want to know...?"
Ketsueki frowns, shaking his head after a moment. "Never mind....."
Aisoku frowns, "I'm being a hypocrite, huh? Well...people, they used to think bad things about my father....I guess I can't blame them. Everyone said it was my fault he left..."
Ketsueki swallows, slowly shaking his head. "I doubt that, Ai...."
Aisoku crosses his arms, "I never really knew what to say..." he shrugs again, "But it's the truth I guess...Why else would he have done that..."
Ketsueki hns. "He's a jerk? Don't blame it on yourself....please, Ai."
Aisoku frowns, laughing bitterly, "My brothers...they blamed it on me too..." He reaches up, feeling a familiar scar across the base of his neck.
Ketsueki frowns, slowly shaking his head. "..t-that's not right..."
Aisoku's shoulders slump, his usually cheerful demeanor having faded. "I need to find him Ket-chan..." he looks down, "I need to know why he left me...why he abandoned me..."
Ketsueki nods, his grip tightening. "I promise I'll help any way I can..."
Aisoku shivers, "And he knew what would happen...he knew I inherited things from him my siblings didn't..." he looks up at Ketsueki, "Remember....I'm just a dirty half-breed."
Ketsueki flinches. "I-I'm sorry..that I kept calling you a half blood and half breed..."
Aisoku shakes his head, "No....it's the truth..."
Ketsueki shakes his head. "Don't do this...please, Ai...don't get upset..."
Aisoku tries to smile, moving slightly away from the youkai. He takes his hand, "Let's just...get going...ok?"
Ketsueki nods slowly, watching Ai. "H-hai..."
Aisoku starts walking slowly, his hand tightly gripping Ketsueki's. "Domo arigato...for coming with me, Ket-chan..." he says after a long moment of silence.
Ketsueki nods. "Sure..thanks..for not leaving me, Ai..."
Aisoku leans his head on Ketsueki's shoulder. "I need you...I couldn't leave you now. Not even if I tried." He shifts, hugging his arm.
Ketsueki blushes slightly, after a moment murmuring. "I need you too, Ai..."
Aisoku smiles, "I'm glad to hear you say that..."
Ketsueki looks down, nodding slowly, but saying nothing.
Aisoku sighs softly, "I don't know where we would even head from here...I've been searching for nearly seven months now..."
Ketsueki hms, nodding. "So..you have absolutely no idea where he could be?"
Aisoku sighs, "Iie....I only know that he was a kitsune...that's what sensei said."
Ketsueki frowns. "Well, he's not exactly the only kitsune out there..this may be hard."
Aisoku nods, "I know...the only picture I have of him is on this scroll...he'd never let mother take his picture." He shrugs.
Ketsueki hms. "...I'm afraid this'll probably take a really long time, Ai...if you're willing to keep looking..."
Aisoku looks up at him, silently. He is obviously willing to do so..
Ketsueki, after a moment, slowly nods and sighs. "Alright..we'd better start now..."
Aisoku nods, "...Thank you again...It's lonely traveling with no company..."
Ketsueki smiles slightly, nodding. "I know....let's get going.."
Aisoku smiles, reaching up and kissing Ketsueki's cheek. "Hai."
Ketsueki gains a slight blush, nodding and beginning to walk, still holding Ai's hand.
Aisoku smiles, noting the blush with amusement.

~Owari~

Back