JMM 26.1.4: Johnson Quote
Akito had a hold of his jacket sleeve and was tugging him off the barstool. He sighed and eventually gave in, sliding down and following the taller brunet out of the dark restaurant. It was nearly eleven and he should really be home...There was an exam in his history class Tuesday and he wanted to study a bit more. Instead he was behind the building, letting cold fingers slip up under his jacket while he was pressed back against the brick wall.
“Stop.” He cleared his throat and grabbed Akito’s wrists, pulling the icy hands away from his skin. “I do not want to do this tonight.” One eyebrow rose and green eyes shifted from confusion to anger.
“Then why’d you agree to come out?” Taiki let his head fall back against the wall, unmoved by the brunet’s rapid emotion change. There wasn’t a lot Akito could do that would affect him anymore...Eventually Taiki’s silence annoyed the man enough for him to give up; with a disgusted snort he stepped away. “You really just want to go back to your apartment? Alone?” No answer once more and lips curled into an evil smirk. “I’ll change your mind by the time we get to the train.”
They had not gone more than three blocks when Akito stopped. Taiki had been trailing behind him, idly wondering if he could escape without the brunet noticing. ...It should be easy, just slip into a shop or down an alley to the next street...right? But when Akito paused Taiki looked up, trying to pick apart the aura in front of him for clues.
The green eyed man sniffed once. Twice. Taiki frowned and it wasn’t until he heard the emergency siren that he understood. A fire truck turned the corner and both men watched it fly past, lights and alarms screaming.
“Let’s go.” He was being drug along by his elbow once more, forced to stumble down the sidewalk as Akito practically ran after the vehicle.
“You cannot be serious...Wait!” But the brunet was determined, turning a corner down a side street near a sewing shop with Taiki in tow. The closer they got to the road on the other side of the buildings the louder the sirens became and ahead they could see rushed figures moving around, covered in an orange glow that was cast over the dark neighbourhood.
Akito slowed when they finally came to the end of the alley and they both gazed up in shocked silence, watching as flames licked out of the third story of an apartment building. Thick dark smoke rolled out of windows, obscuring the two floors above. Emergency personnel were shouting orders and people poured from the surrounding buildings, running to the barriers that had been set up further down the street. Fire fighters in silver reflective gear were evacuating the surrounding area and someone yelled something about gas...
Taiki had forgotten all about getting away from Akito, his eyes were glued to a growing number of figures that were huddled to the side of a red fire truck. They moved as if they were locked in a dream, confused and disoriented. A fire fighter in orange ran right through a man who gasped, eyes wide as he looked down at his opaque hands. Beside him a young boy dropped to his knees and started crying...
And then the third floor exploded. Taiki automatically brought an arm up to protect his head and both men stumbled back against the wall, tripping and falling into a heap on the concrete. Akito sat up against the brick behind him, coughing and wincing while Taiki pushed himself up onto one elbow. There was an instant of silence before leaders were shouting orders once more, trying to create order and direct shocked subordinates.
Black eyes locked onto the group he’d been watching earlier...The number of spirits had tripled. His mind vaguely registered the screams from further down the road, somewhere behind the police barrier. His lips parted and he drew in a breath, in shock over the scene that was playing out before him.
He’d just witnessed nine people die. His world suddenly shrank and all he could do was sit and stare helplessly, ears ringing. This was wrong...He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be home, studying for his lessons or sleeping...Anything to undo this. No one should have to see this kind of thing; it wasn’t fair. The spirits wailed, lamenting their violent passing while Taiki sat, numbly watching everything unfold.
“Whoooo-o-oa! Holyyyyy shit...” He slowly turned and stared blankly at Akito. The brunet whistled and grinned down at him. “That was fucking insane!” Taiki couldn’t believe what he was witnessing, Akito’s aura was a mess of jumbled and excited colors...The false enthusiasm was tampering with his own emotions and for a brief moment he fought it.
He shouldn’t be happy over this, he should be horrified.
...It was easier to be happy.
Later, when he was lying in bed the sickness and loathing he felt for his weakness would overwhelm him. Careful not to wake the body beside him he’d slip off the mattress and escape to the bathroom. He would taste bile for two days and avoid the news for over a week.
He spent nearly five days with Akito. It was better than being alone.
“Stop.” He cleared his throat and grabbed Akito’s wrists, pulling the icy hands away from his skin. “I do not want to do this tonight.” One eyebrow rose and green eyes shifted from confusion to anger.
“Then why’d you agree to come out?” Taiki let his head fall back against the wall, unmoved by the brunet’s rapid emotion change. There wasn’t a lot Akito could do that would affect him anymore...Eventually Taiki’s silence annoyed the man enough for him to give up; with a disgusted snort he stepped away. “You really just want to go back to your apartment? Alone?” No answer once more and lips curled into an evil smirk. “I’ll change your mind by the time we get to the train.”
They had not gone more than three blocks when Akito stopped. Taiki had been trailing behind him, idly wondering if he could escape without the brunet noticing. ...It should be easy, just slip into a shop or down an alley to the next street...right? But when Akito paused Taiki looked up, trying to pick apart the aura in front of him for clues.
The green eyed man sniffed once. Twice. Taiki frowned and it wasn’t until he heard the emergency siren that he understood. A fire truck turned the corner and both men watched it fly past, lights and alarms screaming.
“Let’s go.” He was being drug along by his elbow once more, forced to stumble down the sidewalk as Akito practically ran after the vehicle.
“You cannot be serious...Wait!” But the brunet was determined, turning a corner down a side street near a sewing shop with Taiki in tow. The closer they got to the road on the other side of the buildings the louder the sirens became and ahead they could see rushed figures moving around, covered in an orange glow that was cast over the dark neighbourhood.
Akito slowed when they finally came to the end of the alley and they both gazed up in shocked silence, watching as flames licked out of the third story of an apartment building. Thick dark smoke rolled out of windows, obscuring the two floors above. Emergency personnel were shouting orders and people poured from the surrounding buildings, running to the barriers that had been set up further down the street. Fire fighters in silver reflective gear were evacuating the surrounding area and someone yelled something about gas...
Taiki had forgotten all about getting away from Akito, his eyes were glued to a growing number of figures that were huddled to the side of a red fire truck. They moved as if they were locked in a dream, confused and disoriented. A fire fighter in orange ran right through a man who gasped, eyes wide as he looked down at his opaque hands. Beside him a young boy dropped to his knees and started crying...
And then the third floor exploded. Taiki automatically brought an arm up to protect his head and both men stumbled back against the wall, tripping and falling into a heap on the concrete. Akito sat up against the brick behind him, coughing and wincing while Taiki pushed himself up onto one elbow. There was an instant of silence before leaders were shouting orders once more, trying to create order and direct shocked subordinates.
Black eyes locked onto the group he’d been watching earlier...The number of spirits had tripled. His mind vaguely registered the screams from further down the road, somewhere behind the police barrier. His lips parted and he drew in a breath, in shock over the scene that was playing out before him.
He’d just witnessed nine people die. His world suddenly shrank and all he could do was sit and stare helplessly, ears ringing. This was wrong...He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be home, studying for his lessons or sleeping...Anything to undo this. No one should have to see this kind of thing; it wasn’t fair. The spirits wailed, lamenting their violent passing while Taiki sat, numbly watching everything unfold.
“Whoooo-o-oa! Holyyyyy shit...” He slowly turned and stared blankly at Akito. The brunet whistled and grinned down at him. “That was fucking insane!” Taiki couldn’t believe what he was witnessing, Akito’s aura was a mess of jumbled and excited colors...The false enthusiasm was tampering with his own emotions and for a brief moment he fought it.
He shouldn’t be happy over this, he should be horrified.
...It was easier to be happy.
Later, when he was lying in bed the sickness and loathing he felt for his weakness would overwhelm him. Careful not to wake the body beside him he’d slip off the mattress and escape to the bathroom. He would taste bile for two days and avoid the news for over a week.
He spent nearly five days with Akito. It was better than being alone.