B-T Fic, Rough Draft Chapter One
Here's the first chapter. It's not the edited polished version...but I don't think I'll ever get it there. *laughs* I don't have the patience. But it's cleaned up enough to be read, so here you go. ^^
I have no title yet... Because I suck at them. xDDD
I was inspired by pianolessdevil's recent B-T fic. This story won't be horror, not really...
Title: ??
Summary: Supernatural forces interrupt B-T's tour when Atsushi gets a very strange admirer.
Year: ~1993
Notes: A bit of a tie-in with the manga/anime Yami no Matsuei. I'm using the concept from that story, if not the characters… Look it up on wikipedia if you want the full facts. ^^
It was just a normal after-show party the night that Atsushi leaned over and asked Imai quietly, "Do you know those two?"
Imai glanced over at his friend, who had finally decided to leave the dark corner of the booth they both shared. He looked like he still belonged in the dark though, what with his white stage makeup and dark eye shadow surrounded by the waterfall of dark hair and accented by his typical black clothing. But that was just Atsushi.
"What is it?" Imai asked, not quite sure he'd heard over all the talking going on around them.
"Those two, over there. Do you know them?" Atsushi flicked one slim hand towards the corner opposite them. Imai squinted, peering through the faint haze the alcohol was starting to leave over his vision. Seems tonight isn't going to end well…he mused to himself fuzzily.
Imai shook himself from his mental wanderings. He stared a bit harder into the distance. There wasn't anyone in the corner, just some shadows. Atsushi must have been more wasted than he seemed. "Don't see anyone," Imai muttered in response, allowing himself to slump back into the cushions behind him.
Atsushi frowned slightly, faint lines appearing between his eyebrows. Sayuri would have yelled at him for that, Imai knew. Heaven forbid he got a wrinkle… "I could have sworn…" Atsushi whispered softly, his eyes darting towards the corner then back to the tabletop under his hands. His lips tightened as he stared down at the half-empty glass in front of him.
"Just shadows, Acchan," Imai told him firmly, sitting back up to take his drink off the table. He swung it in Atsushi's general direction. "Cheers."
Atsushi glanced over at him for a long moment before picking his own glass off the table. He tapped it against Imai's lightly. He didn't smile. "Cheers."
*
It was well after midnight when they finally tumbled into the van and were on their way back to the hotel. Imai slumped over on a remarkably sober Atsushi, who didn't protest. He just stared out the window. Imai could hear Toll and Uta talking in front of them about something while Hide was curled up like a cat in the seat next to Imai.
"Hey, Acchan," Imai thought he whispered, but he wasn't sure. Atsushi turned his head to look down at him, his eyes remarkably bright from the street lights shining in the opposite window.
"Hmm?"
"What'cha lookin' at?"
Atsushi gazed at him a moment longer before looking out the window again. Some of his hair fell over Imai's face, but Imai didn't care. "Nothing, really," Atsushi replied after a time.
"Ah huh." Imai threaded his arms around Atsushi's, hugging the appendage to his chest. "Something's bothering you."
"No it's not," Atsushi said with surprising gentleness as he turned around and began to pry Imai off his arm. "We're almost back. You need to go to bed."
Imai was about to protest Atsushi's efforts to get free, when Uta's head popped over the seat in front of them. "Imai's drunker than a skunk, huh?" he giggled, making an outrageous face in Imai's direction.
Imai made a face back. "So what if I am?"
"Just don't throw up on Acchan, okay?" Uta teased, mischievous eyes glittering as he looked between the two.
"I'll try," Imai replied just as impishly, unwrapping himself from Atsushi's arm to sit up. "Hide's a good target."
"Huh?" Hide grumbled, looking up from where his head rested against the window. "What?"
Everyone laughed at poor Hide, who looked so completely lost. It was up to Toll to try to explain it, but it only took a few words until Hide wrinkled his nose and wanted to know nothing more.
They were all in a rather upbeat (if extremely tipsy) mood when they got back to the hotel. They noisily traipsed through the lobby--much to the night clerk's dismay-- and piled into the elevator together. Imai gripped the handrail for dear life as the lift lurched upwards, trying to leave his stomach behind. He felt Atsushi's hand rest on his arm, trying to steady him. This was usually the worst part of the night--the elevator.
Too bad they couldn't have rooms on the ground floor…
At long last the door chimed and slid open, allowing them all to tumble out into the hall. Imai was glad that Atsushi was still holding onto his arm; he was able to keep Imai relatively upright as they stumbled towards their rooms. The other three said their good nights before disappearing for the night. Apparently Atsushi had been regulated Imai's keeper for the night.
"Let's get you in bed," Atsushi remarked, reaching into the pocket of Imai's jeans.
Imai grinned up at him lewdly. "Can't you wait until the pants are off?"
Atsushi just shook his head fondly as he pulled out Imai's wallet. "The state you're in? I don't think you'd last long enough."
"Oh fuck off," Imai grumbled, trying to snatch the wallet back from Atsushi. "If you're not going to be nice t'me, I'll do it myself."
"What, be nice?" Atsushi questioned absently as he easily evaded Imai's clumsy attempt and dug out the keycard for the door. He slid it into the lock, waited for the light to change, and then helped Imai stumble into the room. The door fell shut behind them as Atsushi struggled to find the light switch.
"Other wall," Imai supplied helpfully.
Atsushi muttered something but Imai didn't care to hear what it was. It most likely wasn't nice.
All at once the room was full of light--okay, so it was just the lamp over the bed, but still. Imai winced, trying to draw back into the shadows of the room.
He didn't get the chance to go far. He heard Atsushi gasp, and in that instant Imai's support disappeared, sending him tumbling towards the ground. Thankfully there was a desk nearby that he was able to catch himself on. He whipped his head around to ask what the fuck Atsushi thought he was doing…but all words died when he saw Atsushi's face.
Dark eyes wide, mouth slightly open…he looked totally shocked. He was visibly shaking as he took a clumsy step backwards. "Who are you?"
Imai turned to look into the room, trying to see what Atsushi saw. He squinted a bit against his blurry vision…and, seemingly out of nowhere, two men appeared. They were standing by the closed window, dressed in dark suits. The one was decked out in a dark red tie-- quite professional-- while the other had his collar open to expose his collarbone. They both looked Asian, if not Japanese, except that the one with the open collar seemed to have lighter hair and was about a head or two taller than his companion.
"So you can see us after all," Open-Collar remarked, both of his eyebrows rising towards his hairline. He spoke Japanese, but with a bit of an accent that Imai couldn't catch. "I was right Makino," he added as an aside to the other man, whose lips twisted into a scowl.
Imai knew he was gaping but he couldn't help it. There were strange men in his room!
"Get out." Atsushi was trying to sound harsh, but his voice wavered too much for there to be much threat. "Whatever you are, go away."
Neither man looked impressed. "You're Sakurai Atsushi, right?" the man addressed as Makino asked. He didn't even wait for Atsushi to reply before as a clipboard seemed to materialize in his hands and he began to make notes. "Right then. We didn't plan on meeting you tonight, but since you saw us already there really isn't any point to stay hidden. And, yes Fujiwara, you were right and he can see us," he admitted tersely, making a note on the clipboard as the other man smirked.
Makino continued, ignoring his companion. "I don't really know how that happened, but it did, so we'll have to work with it. All right then!" he said suddenly, snapping his pen into the top of the clipboard loud enough to make both Imai and Atsushi nearly jump out of their skin. Or at least Imai imagined so, if the look on Atsushi's face meant anything. "Why don't we all have a seat and get started?"
Imai was getting a bit pissed off. Who was this guy--thing--whatever to come into his hotel room and act like he owned the place? Sure, Imai didn't own it, but at least it was leased under his name. Imai stumbled to stand upright. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" he demanded, thrusting out a finger to point at the offenders as if that would do anything.
"Imai," Atsushi began, sounding panicked. Imai felt his friend's hand grab at his arm, but Imai managed to avoid him and strode forward.
He jabbed his finger forward again. "Well?"
Open-Collar openly grinned, showing his large white teeth. "A little bodyguard huh? Not that you'll be much good buddy."
"Fujiwara," Makino snapped, giving the other man a quelling look.
Imai was about to open his mouth to ask what the hell that tawny-haired bastard meant about bodyguard, when familiar arms abruptly wrapped around Imai's waist, pulling him backwards against a warm body that still trembled slightly. "No, Imai."
Imai relaxed against Atsushi instinctively and then he cursed himself for his weakness as he suddenly lost his footing and Atsushi was forced to catch his weight. They almost tumbled to the ground. It was only the fact that Atsushi collided with the desk that kept them somewhat upright. Imai heard the other man hiss a curse behind him and he was sorry. That had to hurt.
"Hey, be careful!" Big foreign hands were suddenly grabbing Imai, trying to drag him out of Atsushi's arms, but Atsushi only held on tighter. He apparently wasn't strong enough to stop the other man however, because soon Imai was torn away and all put tossed on the nearby bed. He landed face down and immediately flopped around until he could face out into the room again. He was just in time to watch Open-Collar set Atsushi down in the desk chair. Atsushi, despite his larger than average-Japanese frame, seemed very small and fragile next to that hulking beast of a man.
"…we just need to talk to you, okay?" Open-Collar was explaining to a white-faced but attentive Atsushi.
Atsushi peered up into the tall man's face silently for a long moment before looking away. "Let me put Imai to bed and then we can go--"
"I don't think so," Imai growled. He sat cross-legged on the bed, arms folded. "You're not going anywhere. They came here after all--you can do all your 'talking' right here."
"Imai-" Atsushi began, but Imai glared and Atsushi, although looking somewhat pissed, relented.
Open-Collar's eyebrows rose again at that, but he didn't comment. Imai was of the mind to say something smug…but decided against it.
"All right, Sakurai-san, I suppose we should start from the beginning," Makino remarked. Imai jumped, having forgotten the other man was there. That was bad form. He turned as Makino appeared in his peripheral vision, dragging over one of the uncomfortable stuffed chairs from by the window. He sat it in front of Atsushi at a respectable distance and then sat down. It almost looked like an interview. Open-Collar, Imai noticed, remained hovering at Atsushi's side until Makino told him to sit down.
He did so…right next to Imai on the bed, effectively putting himself between Imai and Atsushi. "Hey!" Imai began, but everyone ignored him. Even Atsushi, which made Imai frown.
Until, that is, he realized that Atsushi was too focused on Makino in front of him to have even heard Imai. Makino had leaned forward so that he could look Atsushi directly in the eye as he said, "I am Makino Ren, a senior shinigami for the Department of Hades. That, over there," he gestured towards Open-Collar, "is Fujiwara Adam, my partner in this venture."
"But you can just call me Adam," the other man chipped in.
Atsushi, looking pale enough to faint, didn't even nod in greeting. He simply stared back at Makino, waiting for him to go on. Imai wanted to be next to him right then, but he wasn't sure if his legs would work to get him over there.
Makino got the hint and continued. "You know what a shinigami is?" he asked, his usually cold voice now calm and smooth. Like he was handling a scared animal. Imai took offense in Atsushi's name.
At last Atsushi spoke, his voice wavering slightly. "I've heard of them… something about gods of death…or something like that." He studied Makino silently. "I'm not imagining you, am I?" he asked at last, sounding almost sad.
Makino smiled kindly, and Imai gaped at him. He was ignored of course. "No, I'm sorry Sakurai-san, you aren't."
"So, since you asked for my name, I'm assuming you're here for me?" Atsushi asked, sounding resigned.
Imai knew what Atsushi was talking about immediately, and his heart constricted in his chest. Nonononono!
It appeared to take Makino a little bit longer to get it, but once he did he immediately began shaking his head. He even reached out a hand to take up Atsushi's…but thought better of it mid-reach. "No, no Sakurai-san, we aren't here because you're dying." Imai almost fainted in relief, until…"Not exactly anyway."
"Not…exactly?" Atsushi asked, his voice audibly trembling.
"Makino, you're just making this harder than it should be!" Open-Collar exploded suddenly, leaping up from the bed. Atsushi immediately shrunk back from him, but the other man didn't appear to notice. "We're shinigami; we sort out the souls that come to the Underworld. It's what we do now what we're dead." He pointed at both Makino and himself in turn. Makino tried to talk over him, but Open-Collar pushed on. "There's a list, you see, of who's supposed to be showing up, but sometimes we get people who aren't on the list…people who've been murdered or had accidents or something like that. It's our job to investigate these instances, see what went wrong."
He frowned a little. "Recently we've had a lot of trouble chasing down--"
"Fujiwara! Be quiet!" Makino was on his feet now, both men looming over the seated Atsushi, who stared up at them, his face completely blank. "You aren't making things any better!"
"Well, you were taking forever!"
Imai had enough of this. Pushing himself to his feet, he squeezed right between the two arguing men and all but fell in Atsushi's lap. He took his friend by surprise, almost causing Atsushi to let him fall to the floor, but Imai wrapped his arms around Atsushi's neck. He hugged Atsushi as close as he could in the awkward position even as he glared at the two other men, who had since stopped speaking to stare. He felt Atsushi wrap a tentative arm around Imai's waist and Imai clung to him tighter, absently rubbing the back of his friend's neck in an effort to make him relax. It was a futile effort, but it made Imai feel a little better at any rate. Atsushi wasn't stuck all on his own now.
"I take it you two work together?" Imai commented ironically, one eyebrow lifting in question as the men continued to stare. "You certainly don't act like it."
Open-Collar was staring at them opened-mouthed, while Makino had his lips pressed tightly together in disapproval. Fuck him, Imai thought viciously.
They didn't need to know the fact that Imai would have never done what he'd just done sober…
"I had no idea!" Open-Collar breathed, his face becoming a bit flushed. He yanked at his collar, despite it already being open. "This wasn't in any of the reports!"
"You've been watching me," Atsushi stated, coldly. Imai felt the arm around him tighten. Yes, this had been a good idea. Atsushi needed the contact now.
Open-Collar and Makino exchanged a quick look that they probably hoped no one saw…but that didn't work.
"Just some surveillance work is all," Makino began, with the same placating calm as before.
"Why?" Atsushi demanded, cutting the other man off. Imai, his neck starting to hurt, let his head rest against Atsushi's shoulder, arms still wrapped around Atsushi's neck. He was glad that Atsushi was becoming brave now.
"We just wanted to make sure you were safe is all," Open-Collar said, nonchalantly.
If looks could kill, Makino would have been a murderer…of a dead man. Imai's head spun a little at the thought.
"Safe?" Atsushi asked. It was only one word, but there was a heavy weight behind it. One that demanded answers.
Imai shifted his weight a bit in Atsushi's lap, and he felt Atsushi's other arm come up and rest on his hip. Imai rather liked this, even if Atsushi was a bit thin and boney…
The room was silent for a long drawn out moment…Imai almost fell asleep in his warm resting place…then Makino cleared his throat. "Might as well just lay it out plainly then. We have been tracking a vampire for the past few months."
"A vampire?" Instead of sounding shocked, Atsushi sounded rather…fascinated. Imai wanted to roll his eyes. Leave it to Atsushi to get excited over vampires. Imai yawned, pressing his face against Atsushi's neck.
...then it dawned on him what Makino had said. "WHAT?" he hollered, trying to sit up. Atsushi winced at the volume as he held Imai down.
Makino gave Imai a highly disapproving look before continuing on as if he hadn't just tried to wake up the whole hotel. "Yes, a vampire. He originates from what could be considered modern day Germany… from what we gather he's not all that old, having been turned somewhere around the First World War… His name is," here Makino paused and checked the clipboard that conveniently appeared in his hands…out of nowhere. "Let me see… "He cleared his throat then frowned at the paper.
"Diederick Baum," Open-Collar supplied, leaning over his partner's shoulder.
"Yes, that," Makino passed it over quickly. "We believe that he is been responsible for countless murders in the span of about a year."
"Well, actually the British division had the case first, but--"
"I'll get to that," Makino snapped, cutting Open-Collar off. He turned his attention back to Atsushi. "Sakurai-san, have you been to Europe recently?" he asked, again with the calm.
Atsushi shifted his legs under Imai, as if they were falling asleep. Imai thought to move…but he was too comfortable. "Yes, last year. I did some recording in England."
Makino jotted this down. "Ah…that must have been when he saw you…" he mused, tapping the pen against his chin.
"I'm sorry, but what does this…man have to do with me?"
Makino looked up from his papers. "A very great deal, Sakurai-san. Considering that he's been writing love letters to you next to the bodies of all his victims. In their blood."
[ Chapter Two]
I have no title yet... Because I suck at them. xDDD
I was inspired by pianolessdevil's recent B-T fic. This story won't be horror, not really...
Title: ??
Summary: Supernatural forces interrupt B-T's tour when Atsushi gets a very strange admirer.
Year: ~1993
Notes: A bit of a tie-in with the manga/anime Yami no Matsuei. I'm using the concept from that story, if not the characters… Look it up on wikipedia if you want the full facts. ^^
It was just a normal after-show party the night that Atsushi leaned over and asked Imai quietly, "Do you know those two?"
Imai glanced over at his friend, who had finally decided to leave the dark corner of the booth they both shared. He looked like he still belonged in the dark though, what with his white stage makeup and dark eye shadow surrounded by the waterfall of dark hair and accented by his typical black clothing. But that was just Atsushi.
"What is it?" Imai asked, not quite sure he'd heard over all the talking going on around them.
"Those two, over there. Do you know them?" Atsushi flicked one slim hand towards the corner opposite them. Imai squinted, peering through the faint haze the alcohol was starting to leave over his vision. Seems tonight isn't going to end well…he mused to himself fuzzily.
Imai shook himself from his mental wanderings. He stared a bit harder into the distance. There wasn't anyone in the corner, just some shadows. Atsushi must have been more wasted than he seemed. "Don't see anyone," Imai muttered in response, allowing himself to slump back into the cushions behind him.
Atsushi frowned slightly, faint lines appearing between his eyebrows. Sayuri would have yelled at him for that, Imai knew. Heaven forbid he got a wrinkle… "I could have sworn…" Atsushi whispered softly, his eyes darting towards the corner then back to the tabletop under his hands. His lips tightened as he stared down at the half-empty glass in front of him.
"Just shadows, Acchan," Imai told him firmly, sitting back up to take his drink off the table. He swung it in Atsushi's general direction. "Cheers."
Atsushi glanced over at him for a long moment before picking his own glass off the table. He tapped it against Imai's lightly. He didn't smile. "Cheers."
*
It was well after midnight when they finally tumbled into the van and were on their way back to the hotel. Imai slumped over on a remarkably sober Atsushi, who didn't protest. He just stared out the window. Imai could hear Toll and Uta talking in front of them about something while Hide was curled up like a cat in the seat next to Imai.
"Hey, Acchan," Imai thought he whispered, but he wasn't sure. Atsushi turned his head to look down at him, his eyes remarkably bright from the street lights shining in the opposite window.
"Hmm?"
"What'cha lookin' at?"
Atsushi gazed at him a moment longer before looking out the window again. Some of his hair fell over Imai's face, but Imai didn't care. "Nothing, really," Atsushi replied after a time.
"Ah huh." Imai threaded his arms around Atsushi's, hugging the appendage to his chest. "Something's bothering you."
"No it's not," Atsushi said with surprising gentleness as he turned around and began to pry Imai off his arm. "We're almost back. You need to go to bed."
Imai was about to protest Atsushi's efforts to get free, when Uta's head popped over the seat in front of them. "Imai's drunker than a skunk, huh?" he giggled, making an outrageous face in Imai's direction.
Imai made a face back. "So what if I am?"
"Just don't throw up on Acchan, okay?" Uta teased, mischievous eyes glittering as he looked between the two.
"I'll try," Imai replied just as impishly, unwrapping himself from Atsushi's arm to sit up. "Hide's a good target."
"Huh?" Hide grumbled, looking up from where his head rested against the window. "What?"
Everyone laughed at poor Hide, who looked so completely lost. It was up to Toll to try to explain it, but it only took a few words until Hide wrinkled his nose and wanted to know nothing more.
They were all in a rather upbeat (if extremely tipsy) mood when they got back to the hotel. They noisily traipsed through the lobby--much to the night clerk's dismay-- and piled into the elevator together. Imai gripped the handrail for dear life as the lift lurched upwards, trying to leave his stomach behind. He felt Atsushi's hand rest on his arm, trying to steady him. This was usually the worst part of the night--the elevator.
Too bad they couldn't have rooms on the ground floor…
At long last the door chimed and slid open, allowing them all to tumble out into the hall. Imai was glad that Atsushi was still holding onto his arm; he was able to keep Imai relatively upright as they stumbled towards their rooms. The other three said their good nights before disappearing for the night. Apparently Atsushi had been regulated Imai's keeper for the night.
"Let's get you in bed," Atsushi remarked, reaching into the pocket of Imai's jeans.
Imai grinned up at him lewdly. "Can't you wait until the pants are off?"
Atsushi just shook his head fondly as he pulled out Imai's wallet. "The state you're in? I don't think you'd last long enough."
"Oh fuck off," Imai grumbled, trying to snatch the wallet back from Atsushi. "If you're not going to be nice t'me, I'll do it myself."
"What, be nice?" Atsushi questioned absently as he easily evaded Imai's clumsy attempt and dug out the keycard for the door. He slid it into the lock, waited for the light to change, and then helped Imai stumble into the room. The door fell shut behind them as Atsushi struggled to find the light switch.
"Other wall," Imai supplied helpfully.
Atsushi muttered something but Imai didn't care to hear what it was. It most likely wasn't nice.
All at once the room was full of light--okay, so it was just the lamp over the bed, but still. Imai winced, trying to draw back into the shadows of the room.
He didn't get the chance to go far. He heard Atsushi gasp, and in that instant Imai's support disappeared, sending him tumbling towards the ground. Thankfully there was a desk nearby that he was able to catch himself on. He whipped his head around to ask what the fuck Atsushi thought he was doing…but all words died when he saw Atsushi's face.
Dark eyes wide, mouth slightly open…he looked totally shocked. He was visibly shaking as he took a clumsy step backwards. "Who are you?"
Imai turned to look into the room, trying to see what Atsushi saw. He squinted a bit against his blurry vision…and, seemingly out of nowhere, two men appeared. They were standing by the closed window, dressed in dark suits. The one was decked out in a dark red tie-- quite professional-- while the other had his collar open to expose his collarbone. They both looked Asian, if not Japanese, except that the one with the open collar seemed to have lighter hair and was about a head or two taller than his companion.
"So you can see us after all," Open-Collar remarked, both of his eyebrows rising towards his hairline. He spoke Japanese, but with a bit of an accent that Imai couldn't catch. "I was right Makino," he added as an aside to the other man, whose lips twisted into a scowl.
Imai knew he was gaping but he couldn't help it. There were strange men in his room!
"Get out." Atsushi was trying to sound harsh, but his voice wavered too much for there to be much threat. "Whatever you are, go away."
Neither man looked impressed. "You're Sakurai Atsushi, right?" the man addressed as Makino asked. He didn't even wait for Atsushi to reply before as a clipboard seemed to materialize in his hands and he began to make notes. "Right then. We didn't plan on meeting you tonight, but since you saw us already there really isn't any point to stay hidden. And, yes Fujiwara, you were right and he can see us," he admitted tersely, making a note on the clipboard as the other man smirked.
Makino continued, ignoring his companion. "I don't really know how that happened, but it did, so we'll have to work with it. All right then!" he said suddenly, snapping his pen into the top of the clipboard loud enough to make both Imai and Atsushi nearly jump out of their skin. Or at least Imai imagined so, if the look on Atsushi's face meant anything. "Why don't we all have a seat and get started?"
Imai was getting a bit pissed off. Who was this guy--thing--whatever to come into his hotel room and act like he owned the place? Sure, Imai didn't own it, but at least it was leased under his name. Imai stumbled to stand upright. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" he demanded, thrusting out a finger to point at the offenders as if that would do anything.
"Imai," Atsushi began, sounding panicked. Imai felt his friend's hand grab at his arm, but Imai managed to avoid him and strode forward.
He jabbed his finger forward again. "Well?"
Open-Collar openly grinned, showing his large white teeth. "A little bodyguard huh? Not that you'll be much good buddy."
"Fujiwara," Makino snapped, giving the other man a quelling look.
Imai was about to open his mouth to ask what the hell that tawny-haired bastard meant about bodyguard, when familiar arms abruptly wrapped around Imai's waist, pulling him backwards against a warm body that still trembled slightly. "No, Imai."
Imai relaxed against Atsushi instinctively and then he cursed himself for his weakness as he suddenly lost his footing and Atsushi was forced to catch his weight. They almost tumbled to the ground. It was only the fact that Atsushi collided with the desk that kept them somewhat upright. Imai heard the other man hiss a curse behind him and he was sorry. That had to hurt.
"Hey, be careful!" Big foreign hands were suddenly grabbing Imai, trying to drag him out of Atsushi's arms, but Atsushi only held on tighter. He apparently wasn't strong enough to stop the other man however, because soon Imai was torn away and all put tossed on the nearby bed. He landed face down and immediately flopped around until he could face out into the room again. He was just in time to watch Open-Collar set Atsushi down in the desk chair. Atsushi, despite his larger than average-Japanese frame, seemed very small and fragile next to that hulking beast of a man.
"…we just need to talk to you, okay?" Open-Collar was explaining to a white-faced but attentive Atsushi.
Atsushi peered up into the tall man's face silently for a long moment before looking away. "Let me put Imai to bed and then we can go--"
"I don't think so," Imai growled. He sat cross-legged on the bed, arms folded. "You're not going anywhere. They came here after all--you can do all your 'talking' right here."
"Imai-" Atsushi began, but Imai glared and Atsushi, although looking somewhat pissed, relented.
Open-Collar's eyebrows rose again at that, but he didn't comment. Imai was of the mind to say something smug…but decided against it.
"All right, Sakurai-san, I suppose we should start from the beginning," Makino remarked. Imai jumped, having forgotten the other man was there. That was bad form. He turned as Makino appeared in his peripheral vision, dragging over one of the uncomfortable stuffed chairs from by the window. He sat it in front of Atsushi at a respectable distance and then sat down. It almost looked like an interview. Open-Collar, Imai noticed, remained hovering at Atsushi's side until Makino told him to sit down.
He did so…right next to Imai on the bed, effectively putting himself between Imai and Atsushi. "Hey!" Imai began, but everyone ignored him. Even Atsushi, which made Imai frown.
Until, that is, he realized that Atsushi was too focused on Makino in front of him to have even heard Imai. Makino had leaned forward so that he could look Atsushi directly in the eye as he said, "I am Makino Ren, a senior shinigami for the Department of Hades. That, over there," he gestured towards Open-Collar, "is Fujiwara Adam, my partner in this venture."
"But you can just call me Adam," the other man chipped in.
Atsushi, looking pale enough to faint, didn't even nod in greeting. He simply stared back at Makino, waiting for him to go on. Imai wanted to be next to him right then, but he wasn't sure if his legs would work to get him over there.
Makino got the hint and continued. "You know what a shinigami is?" he asked, his usually cold voice now calm and smooth. Like he was handling a scared animal. Imai took offense in Atsushi's name.
At last Atsushi spoke, his voice wavering slightly. "I've heard of them… something about gods of death…or something like that." He studied Makino silently. "I'm not imagining you, am I?" he asked at last, sounding almost sad.
Makino smiled kindly, and Imai gaped at him. He was ignored of course. "No, I'm sorry Sakurai-san, you aren't."
"So, since you asked for my name, I'm assuming you're here for me?" Atsushi asked, sounding resigned.
Imai knew what Atsushi was talking about immediately, and his heart constricted in his chest. Nonononono!
It appeared to take Makino a little bit longer to get it, but once he did he immediately began shaking his head. He even reached out a hand to take up Atsushi's…but thought better of it mid-reach. "No, no Sakurai-san, we aren't here because you're dying." Imai almost fainted in relief, until…"Not exactly anyway."
"Not…exactly?" Atsushi asked, his voice audibly trembling.
"Makino, you're just making this harder than it should be!" Open-Collar exploded suddenly, leaping up from the bed. Atsushi immediately shrunk back from him, but the other man didn't appear to notice. "We're shinigami; we sort out the souls that come to the Underworld. It's what we do now what we're dead." He pointed at both Makino and himself in turn. Makino tried to talk over him, but Open-Collar pushed on. "There's a list, you see, of who's supposed to be showing up, but sometimes we get people who aren't on the list…people who've been murdered or had accidents or something like that. It's our job to investigate these instances, see what went wrong."
He frowned a little. "Recently we've had a lot of trouble chasing down--"
"Fujiwara! Be quiet!" Makino was on his feet now, both men looming over the seated Atsushi, who stared up at them, his face completely blank. "You aren't making things any better!"
"Well, you were taking forever!"
Imai had enough of this. Pushing himself to his feet, he squeezed right between the two arguing men and all but fell in Atsushi's lap. He took his friend by surprise, almost causing Atsushi to let him fall to the floor, but Imai wrapped his arms around Atsushi's neck. He hugged Atsushi as close as he could in the awkward position even as he glared at the two other men, who had since stopped speaking to stare. He felt Atsushi wrap a tentative arm around Imai's waist and Imai clung to him tighter, absently rubbing the back of his friend's neck in an effort to make him relax. It was a futile effort, but it made Imai feel a little better at any rate. Atsushi wasn't stuck all on his own now.
"I take it you two work together?" Imai commented ironically, one eyebrow lifting in question as the men continued to stare. "You certainly don't act like it."
Open-Collar was staring at them opened-mouthed, while Makino had his lips pressed tightly together in disapproval. Fuck him, Imai thought viciously.
They didn't need to know the fact that Imai would have never done what he'd just done sober…
"I had no idea!" Open-Collar breathed, his face becoming a bit flushed. He yanked at his collar, despite it already being open. "This wasn't in any of the reports!"
"You've been watching me," Atsushi stated, coldly. Imai felt the arm around him tighten. Yes, this had been a good idea. Atsushi needed the contact now.
Open-Collar and Makino exchanged a quick look that they probably hoped no one saw…but that didn't work.
"Just some surveillance work is all," Makino began, with the same placating calm as before.
"Why?" Atsushi demanded, cutting the other man off. Imai, his neck starting to hurt, let his head rest against Atsushi's shoulder, arms still wrapped around Atsushi's neck. He was glad that Atsushi was becoming brave now.
"We just wanted to make sure you were safe is all," Open-Collar said, nonchalantly.
If looks could kill, Makino would have been a murderer…of a dead man. Imai's head spun a little at the thought.
"Safe?" Atsushi asked. It was only one word, but there was a heavy weight behind it. One that demanded answers.
Imai shifted his weight a bit in Atsushi's lap, and he felt Atsushi's other arm come up and rest on his hip. Imai rather liked this, even if Atsushi was a bit thin and boney…
The room was silent for a long drawn out moment…Imai almost fell asleep in his warm resting place…then Makino cleared his throat. "Might as well just lay it out plainly then. We have been tracking a vampire for the past few months."
"A vampire?" Instead of sounding shocked, Atsushi sounded rather…fascinated. Imai wanted to roll his eyes. Leave it to Atsushi to get excited over vampires. Imai yawned, pressing his face against Atsushi's neck.
...then it dawned on him what Makino had said. "WHAT?" he hollered, trying to sit up. Atsushi winced at the volume as he held Imai down.
Makino gave Imai a highly disapproving look before continuing on as if he hadn't just tried to wake up the whole hotel. "Yes, a vampire. He originates from what could be considered modern day Germany… from what we gather he's not all that old, having been turned somewhere around the First World War… His name is," here Makino paused and checked the clipboard that conveniently appeared in his hands…out of nowhere. "Let me see… "He cleared his throat then frowned at the paper.
"Diederick Baum," Open-Collar supplied, leaning over his partner's shoulder.
"Yes, that," Makino passed it over quickly. "We believe that he is been responsible for countless murders in the span of about a year."
"Well, actually the British division had the case first, but--"
"I'll get to that," Makino snapped, cutting Open-Collar off. He turned his attention back to Atsushi. "Sakurai-san, have you been to Europe recently?" he asked, again with the calm.
Atsushi shifted his legs under Imai, as if they were falling asleep. Imai thought to move…but he was too comfortable. "Yes, last year. I did some recording in England."
Makino jotted this down. "Ah…that must have been when he saw you…" he mused, tapping the pen against his chin.
"I'm sorry, but what does this…man have to do with me?"
Makino looked up from his papers. "A very great deal, Sakurai-san. Considering that he's been writing love letters to you next to the bodies of all his victims. In their blood."
[ Chapter Two]