Coming Undone ||Preface|Stage One||
Title: Coming Undone
Stage: One
Genre: AU, Mystery, Action, Suspense
Main Pairing: Reita x Ruki
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Mental Illness
Disclaimer: Mommy said pets don't include sexy men with kitty-ears on
Summary: Set in the 1920's, medicine is still new and untrusted- just as Ruki has no trust towards the world outside of his cabin. As his old friend vannishes, and he declares the police are of no help, he decides to figure things out himself- unknowing of the hell he is stepping into.
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Preface…
Lost, deep in the woods, nothing could stop the burning fire that crackled within a house ablaze. Reds, yellows, and oranges alike, glowed off of the tall pine and evergreen trees surrounding the hidden house, creating shadows near and far of various shapes. One shadow, in the shape of a young man, remained still, staring at the burning house; a Zippo lighter falling from his limp hand thudded on the dirty ground and was buried quickly by leaves blowing in the breeze, leaving the only evidence hidden forever. Two locked legs slowly began to bend as a foot slid backwards, slowly, slowly until the short legs the knees belonged to turned fully around and moved rapidly in a hurried run. Frantic footsteps echoed off of crunching leaves and twigs broken under shoes as the shadow ran deep, deep, deeper into the woods until the orange glow had turned into a soft pale white one, barely noticeable through the thick forestry.
The panting of lungs, desperate for air, filled the small space as the small man hid behind a tree, although hundreds of feet from the burning home. Soft breath danced in the air as a soft mist on a cold night as hands clasped together over a heart and tears rolled down cheeks. It was over. His pain- his suffering… it was over. So much had been taken from him, so many precious things stolen and now it was his turn. His turn to steal and take- to return what had been given if only for a short while. Although it seemed over, nothing in this world was that easy. There was still one more thing he had to do to be completely free. Just one more thing… Just to be safe.
And the only thought on his mind as his heart grew cold and eyes glossy, was that final thing for his yearning freedom. Miles, miles he walked, sometimes trotted, until the sun started to rise. Then, he got to the city and followed the streets memorized by heart from years spent in this town. The sun had barely even begun to peek over the horizon as the man punched through glass to unlock a door in a closed gas station to get a small box of matches- the Zippo lost and forgotten in the woods. Everyone was sound asleep, nothing, not even an alarm sounded as his feet crunched over broken shards of glass as he crossed the street once more. One quick swipe of the match on the back of the box and the tiny wooden stick held a flame the size of a pencil eraser, and that tiny flame was all it took to set one more building ablaze. He didn’t stay long to watch this time; instead, he dropped the box and took off running away from the rising sun- trying to remain in the comfort of the darkness once more.
Stage One…
“Baby, no please… Baby, no- stop it. You’re scaring me… Don’t lie to me baby…”
“Hmm..? Did you say something baby?” Shaken from his thought that he hadn’t even realized his mind had wondered into, a small man dully hummed a no for response. His contentment hadn’t faltered as he rested his chin atop of his kneecaps once more, arms tightly secured around his shins, almost looking like he was holding himself together. A window, left open every waking moment of the day unless the sky decided to shed tears, blew in a soft cold breeze pushing flat blonde hair out of the eyes that had, once again, resumed their closed position as his mind went back on the long trail of endless thoughts. Infinite things washed through his mind, starting with something he just couldn’t place his finger on. Words echoed in his head, in his own voice, but from what, when, or even why- the blonde hadn’t the slightest clue. No answer, not even true questions to be asked and possibly answered. Instead, he let words and colors steal his mind when it came for him to rest his eyes and body for the day.
Movement to his left caused his eyes to open slowly and resume their constant stare at the painting resting on the hard-wood ground. A warm arm slowly snaked its self around his lower back from behind, a hand resting on his hip pulled him close to a warmer and larger body, loosening his arms from his legs. A soft sigh, a passive sigh, escaped lips as breath danced on his neck from the left. “Baby, why are you doing this?” a deep voice questioned with reason and loving care masking all other emotions as that one arm left the small being on the chair.
Left with a question, a short pause followed, and then the smaller’s mind started to function properly, able to recognize everything around him now, unlike his previous deep-thought state. “Can we go on a walk?” A question for a question, simple as that; no more and no less to his soft request as the sound of baggy clothes sliding together echoed in his ears before a face was in front of his own. “That’s fine baby. Come, let’s get you up…”
Warm fingers slid between cold, like pieces to a puzzle, as they intertwined and closed making it easier for the small man to slowly be pulled from his ball of limbs on the army green chair. Small legs slowly unfolded under the small man as one foot, two feet, stood bare on the chilly wooden floor. The second man had left from sight not a second later, leaving the shorter standing in front of the chair with his hands at his sides and eyes pasted on the open window. Seconds ticked by slowly, as indicated by the clocks hands ticking just on the opposite wall from the window. Barely moving, aside from the normal intake and exhale of air, the blonde waited as footsteps thudded down the hall, closer, closer, until the other returned in front of the shorter. “Here’s your water Ruki… And your shoes…”
Shaking fingers slowly raised to take the clear glass offered to him as plush lips placed themselves onto the edge of the glass, allowing the refreshing water to slip past them. At the same time, with perfect balance, he allowed one of his legs to be lifted slowly by a strong hand and his foot eased gently into the worn in boot, and then the other as well. By time the taller blonde had put on Ruki’s shoes, the small man had finished the water. No words were spoken as they boy started to slowly walk towards the front of the cabin; Ruki barely paused at the entryway of the cabin to set the empty glass on the small end table.
The warmth and light that once engulfed the two inside of the wooden home was stolen as soon as the lights were flicked off and the front door was closed behind them, all three locks secured. “How far baby?” Fawn eyes glanced down towards his small companion whose lips were turned down in a small, almost unnoticeable frown. “To the moon.” A smile, a nod, and then two hands locked together as the pair started their walk on a dirt path into deep and dark woods covered in shadows from nature and dim lighting from the limited moon light.
The pair came to a slow stop before the break of the trees to gaze out towards the lake, glittering and glistening in the silver moon light. Waves, barely inches tall, waved to and fro on the shore line of sand, dirt, and five feet up a tiny slope, grass. The wind that blew the freshwater also followed the shore and danced between strands of hair, blowing it in and out of the petite man’s eyes as he slowly raised his head. Dull eyes widened, glowing with slight joy and reflecting moon light, and a small smile was painted gently across his face as he tightened his grip on the taller’s hand.
Two pairs of feet started to move again, towards the water in a synchronized manner, until the smaller pair took off in a small run to close the short, but oh so long, distance to the shimmering water, and they came to a stop right where the water would come up to greet them and then leave to join the lake once more before repeating its self in an endless pattern of déjà vu. Feet, now barely centimeters from the water, halted as arms with fingers loosely closed together hung at the sides of a thin body. Ruki’s eyes remained as large as the moon’s reflection on the water’s surface with such childlike amazement filling them.
“This is what you wanted, right baby? The moon?” A sweet voice inquired from behind as warm hands snaked up and under a thin leather jacket wrapped around a smaller frame. His answer was a slow, almost robotic nod. The taller rested his chin at the small junction of neck and shoulder, taking in a deep breath to inhale the sweet smell of leather that enveloped his small companion. Fawn eyes peered up at the pale porcelain-like skin, tracing soft shadows up towards the smaller’s face where plush lips were parted and eyes remained wide and unblinking in their almost never-ending stare at the lake, as if taking it in for the first time.
Seconds blurred by- minutes flew away with the wind as the pair remained still on the small shore, watching the light waves move up and down with gravity, causing the moon’s reflection to move with them. Not once did the small man look up towards the actual moon- in his mind, why should he when it was there on the same Earth as he?
Across the lake, a soft light flickered on in a cabin nestled on a small hill connected to the shore and a pier hovering over the lake’s surface. Trees surrounding the outside of the cabin lit up with the faint light that was blocked every few seconds by a shadow moving from within the home. Only that caught Ruki’s attention, stealing his gaze from the water to the faux light created by dim light bulbs. His lips closed in a firm line before a smile graced the pale face. “Aoi…” he faintly whispered, his voice almost completely stolen within the wind, gaining a soft hummed questioning tone from the man still shielding him from the chilly night air. “He is home…”
Fawn eyes looked across the water to see what the younger man was speaking of, and sure enough, he too saw the light in the now occupied cabin. “So it appears. Would you like to visit for a while? At this hour, he is bound to be wide awake.”
A slight shift, and the vigorous nodding was his answer before he too smirked softly and stood upright, letting his hands fall from under the thin jacket. A larger hand quickly covered a smaller, colder one, and he turned to start walking but had to pause and slightly tug Ruki to follow him, which the other did after a few seconds pause to bid farewell to the calming lake and the silver moon’s reflection. Feet followed feet, steps were soft on the ground, careful not to wake the sleeping environment around them as they found themselves back on a small dirt trail that traced and haloed the outside rim of the lake, hidden slightly in the forest.
“Ah, Reita… Ruki. How nice to see you this good marrow, yes?” A silly grin emitted across a thin face of a raven haired man. “Come in, come now… No colds to be caught, even on this fine cold winter’s night.” The tall raven haired man stepped aside and kindly indicated with a soft flow of his hand for the two outside quests to enter, as they did when invited.
“Thanks,” the taller blonde grinned, unhooking his fingers from Ruki’s for a brief moment to solely shut the door behind them and follow Aoi into the open living room. “We were just across the lake and saw a dim light across and Ruki wanted to come over, if that is fine with you…”
“Oh, such nonsense you speak,” genuinely laughed the other man as he plopped down on the couch and motioned for the two to sit wherever pleased. “I mind not company, in fact I rather enjoy it have you know… Besides, such an early hour in the late night’s day should always be welcomed with guests to lavish in company by sitting around a fire.”
“And what fire do you speak of Aoi?” smirked Ruki, who had found himself a rocking chair full of cushions to make joints forget about the wood underneath.
The raven haired man paused for a moment, baffled, until he looked towards his fireplace to see it was cold and unused. “Fair game there Ruki. Shall I start a warm one or is just our bodies’ heat enough for now? Or will a nice smoke do us all a favor and release this tension I have put between us?”
“I’ll get it,” Reita stated, rising from his spot on the opposite side of the couch Aoi had also been drawn to. The taller man was watched with keen eyes that traced his every move from getting the firewood beside the stone fireplace, to setting it on the small metal holder, to flicking a match and setting the wood on fire.
“Such a fine and obedient man you are Reita,” chuckled the elder man who himself was keeping occupied by pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one up with a Zippo. “Ruki, where have you found him? I wish to accommodate one myself,” thus being said, Aoi chuckled while nursing the newly lit cigarette from his lips, and Ruki only grinned while accepting a cigarette that Aoi held towards him.
“I shall tell you not,” started the other, toying with the unlit cancer stick with small fingers, “because it is a secret my dear friend…”
“Now, now… Talking about me while I am still in the room, much less earshot is bad enough. Aoi, he only gets one tonight, understand?” The tall blonde took his place back on the left side of the couch, as Aoi seated on the right closer to Ruki save for a small end table between the two, and gratefully accepted the cancer stick held towards his direction from Aoi’s pack.
The raven haired man just hummed a tune while leaning over the arm of the couch to light the young blonde’s cigarette before leaning, unnecessarily, to his left and onto Reita’s lap to light the taller blonde’s as well. “Now, my dear friends, you know what they say… I expect four years of outstanding sex from the both of you.”
“By God, does he ever stop?” playfully inquired the tall blonde who rolled his fawn eyes at the overused joke of his good friend, who currently still resided across the free lap.
“I ponder the same Rei, but it appears not, because he has started to learn English as well now,” the almost forgotten man piped in, releasing a blow of smoky breath into the air from beautiful lips. “Am I right Aoi? That is your new hobby if my memory serves me correct…” Eyebrow arched, Ruki sent a light accusing and questioning glance towards the eldest of the three in the room, who lazily inhaled hit after hit of the cancer stick.
A few moments of silence until the raven haired man laughed, sitting upright onto the couch, resting more on the armrest the necessary, and a softer laugh echoed off the walls around them. “Indeed, Ruki… However, with that comes not only more words to speak and new phrases to draft into your mind, but also, knowledge of the unknown. How great the world might be more languages known than your own of birth, am I correct?”
“Or more languages for you to learn to annoy us with and for me to learn how to tell you to shut up,” friendly backfire of words in a war only begun.
“Now, Reita… Such harsh words you said,” Aoi pouted, resting the cancer stick between his index and middle finger as he inched closer to the taller blonde, “I expect and apology.”
“Or what?” Fawn eyes narrowed playfully and looked deep into dark brown orbs of his old friend.
“Or… I shall unleash my powers- unknown to myself of course, just to make this plot better- and stand up against your cruel words, and join forces with your beloved fair doe resting in my rocking chair.” Within his short monologue, Aoi managed to easily glide from his spot on the red couch, to behind the rocking hair in which Ruki sat, long fingers gently massaging the thin shoulders of the small man.
Playing along, a sly grin spread across the fawn eyed man’s face as he turned towards the two barely feet away, cigarette forgotten on the glass ash tray on the wooden coffee table. “Alight, use him against me dear friend, how cold of you. I am honestly hurt at this betrayal. I guess I shall just make my leave…” With a heavy sigh, the taller blonde slapped his knees with his palms before pushing himself up from the couch. “Off I go, lonely and rejected…”
Aoi smirked watching the blonde walk away, not towards the front door, but instead the kitchen. “Au Revoir,” the raven haired man cheered softly, hearing the light clanking of alcohol bottles being grabbed.
A breath later and the fawn eyed man returned into the living space with two bottles of vodka, and two cups of ice, which Aoi happily helped himself to filling a glass and taking a hit of his cancer stick before drinking the alcohol. Ruki, however, remained in the rocking chair, his cigarette put out a few minutes ago after his nicotine fill was satisfied. His soft blue eyes began to slowly close, all the night’s activity taking wear on his small body. Those pale orbs closed not a moment later as he pulled his knees up to his chest and his plush lips released one last soft sigh for the night.
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A/N: Alright, rewrites can be the best and worst things ever... I decided to just put the preface at the top instead of it having its own page because then no one will read it. Read it, please... haha don't just skip and get to the Stage because the Preface is probably the most important part of the story so far... Starting anew (in some sense) and hopefully you all will read this and like it, hopefully comment as well so I know someone is reading it. If not, sorry to those who might be, I don't like writing when I don't know if people are reading... This story is going to pick up quickly, so just try and keep up!!
//AlexaTaylor
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