T&T Fanfiction: Broken Wings (Part 3/5: Buried Memories)
Characters (full series): Tackey, Tsubasa, Nagase and Kitagawa
Genre (full series): AU, angst, fluff, friendship, romance and light smut
Rating: PG13
Summary: When two broken souls are joined together by lies and deceit, can there be salvation within?
Note: For Imai Julia. Story is updated daily.
Part 3/5: Buried Memories
'Do you have a girlfriend?' The young man asks the little boy in his passenger seat.
Hesitantly and a little embarrassed, the little boy confesses, 'I've this classmate, Pi, that I like. But it turns out she's a boy.'
The young man stares blankly ahead for a while, then slams his fist into the car horn as he bursts into laughter.
'It's not my fault. He's really cute!' In vain, the boy tries to salvage what is left of his dignity.
Wiping away his tears, the man half-laughingly continues, 'Then do you know how to kiss?'
'No...' the boy giggles. 'It's yucky!'
'Not if you do it right.' The young man has stopped laughing.
That afternoon in the car, parked in the garage, a young Kitagawa-san showed Takki-chan how to do it right. And over many more afternoons, Takki learned many more new things.
It was an afternoon too, when it all came to a bloody end. On an unexpected visit, Japan's foremost mob boss, Takizawa-san discovered his young son licking red bean paste off the engorged private of his trusted right-hand man. Without a word, the mobster picked up a nearby baseball bat and savagely pounded Kitagawa-san into a pulp. When the brutal attack was over, all that was left of Kitagawa-san was tenderised meat, bloody, battered and broken. Even Takki was not spared; he was slapped so hard he lost consciousness.
............
Waking up, Takki glanced around groggily. He could tell that he was in a hospital. But in his daze, he couldn't remember why he was there. The private room was sparse, no flowers or get-well teddy bears in sight. His only company was the air-conditioner humming audibly above the silence, and his father.
Seeing the sleeping figure on the sofa, Takki instantly remembered everything. And he cried. Not because it hurt, although his cheeks still resound with soreness from the violence. But because it was the first time he felt loved by his father.
The muffled cries woke the sleeping father. He got up and approached the bed. Takki, not daring to look at him, was both fearful and expectant.
'You'll forget everything.'
With that, he left. And Takki cried again.
.............
'Are you all right, Takki-chan?' Kitagawa-san asks, lightly touching his shoulder.
Takki immediately slaps his hand away and recoils from him.
'Don't touch me!'
'Takki-chan, what's wrong?' This time, Kitagawa-san holds onto his forearm firmly. Takki freezes.
'I'm sorry for Takizawa-san's outburst, Kitagawa-san,' Tsubasa interrupts cautiously. 'I'll be taking him back to rest.'
...........
Tsubasa throws the silk pajamas into the laundry basket for the third time that night. It feels like when he just started out as a new recruit. His days were spent in menial errands such as picking up the laundry and chauffeuring his boss and family around.
Returning with a jug of water, Tsubasa finds his sleepless boss, sitting topless on the bed. The disturbed man has been waking up drenched in sweat throughout the night.
'You'll catch a cold. I'll get you something else to wear.'
'Forget it, it'll only get soaked again,' Takki dismisses the suggestion but pulls up the cover to his neck.
Handing him a glass of water, Tsubasa sits beside him on the bed and strokes the damp hair.
'I'm fine,' Takki says, pushing away the hand gently.
'I'm sorry, Tsubasa. Can you just sit here beside me, just like that, until I sleep?'
'In case you haven't noticed, I've been doing that all night. Now, just get some sleep so that I can get mine.'
Takki finally smiles. He nods and lets Tsubasa tuck him in.
With Tsubasa watching over him, Takki asks himself, 'Is this a sad life if this is the most heartwarming moment I've had in the longest time?'
Before he can answer, he dozes off.
Like a crocodile eyeing his prey's every move, Tsubasa observes Takki's breathing slows and relaxes and knows that he's asleep, and defenseless. And while the tormented young man sleeps, his caretaker turns his attention to the loaded revolver in the bag.
Part 1/5: The Kite in the Puppet Show
Part 2/5: The Hands the Touched Me
Next up, tomorrow, Part 4/5: When the Wind Changes.
In the meantime, if you want more, you can read and rate other stories here. Enjoy!