[Pieces Prequel] Curses: Chapter 3
<<= Chapter 2 Beginning Archive Chapter 4 =>>
Title: Curses 3
Author: saurgristiel
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: Gackt, You, Miyuki (sister), Grandma, Mikumi (spiritualist)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. FICTION.
Warnings:
Words: ~1,958 words
Summary: Gackt wakes up.
He got up and looked at Gackt and the monks tending to him. They gently smoothed holy oil on his bruises and placed a cool washcloth on his forehead. You checked his friend over, bruises still forming. He closed his eyes, hung his head, and turned for the kitchen.
Miku had her eyes closed and her chin resting in her hands. He flopped into the chair next to hers and sighed. Grams freshened the tea, but no one spoke. You shuddered when he thought about the day’s events.
He reached for his teacup, but his hand was shaking so badly he dared not touch it, let alone pick it up. He pulled his hand back and under the table to join the other one.
“I…” Great job, mouth… “I had no idea it could be that bad…” You whispered.
“It usually isn’t… for Gaku anyway,” Miyuki clarified. “When he’s busy, the ability wanes. But throw in a vulnerability, like illness, love, or severe stress…”
That was why they’d all been worried. Two out of three had happened recently.
“I didn’t know what to make of what he’d told me. I didn’t believe him at first, but then there were little things… And then I could tell when he was having a moment… But nothing like this has happened before…” You put his face in his hands and his elbows on the table. Miyuki rubbed his shoulder.
“He’ll be okay, You… He should be, anyway.” Miku had perked up a little and reached for her tea. “He needs some time, but he’ll be able to get better now.” She took a sip. “Mmm… Yum. But… I need the bathroom.”
She started to get up and a monk was instantly there to help her up. “I can do it. Once you’re done with him and all cleaned up, I want you guys to check the perimeter and then you can leave, okay?”
“I’d rather someone stay here with you.”
“We’ll be fine. You can come back later to pick me up. I need some time here.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He followed behind her and made sure she got to the bathroom safely, then briefed the other monks.
“I was completely useless…” You complained. He had always had Gackt’s back, mostly, but he’d saved Gackt’s tail more than once.
“No you weren’t,” Miyuki tried to comfort him.
“Yes I was. You saw it Grams. I couldn’t do anything…”
Grams smiled like he was her own grandson. “You overestimate my abilities, You. I’m not as sensitive as Gaku is. He can see great detail, like a magnifying glass. I can see blobs… He’s just like his grandfather…” She looked a little sad as she remembered her late husband. “Unlike the fights you boys would get into, there was no way you could have been prepared. You did the best you could.”
“Which was absolutely nothing…” You stared into his teacup.
“Not nothing,” Miku returned, coming up behind You, one hand on his forehead and one on his chest. “You were bait, a distraction… and an anchor for Gackt.”
“But-”
“Shush. Close your eyes and don’t talk.” He did so and she closed her eyes as well. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes. He didn’t notice her sit back down.
“He was worried about you. It’s possible that you kept him from giving up. You’re fine by the way. No tracking marks, stolen bits, or wounds. Seems it just detained you.”
You finally opened his eyes and looked at her. “What was that…?” He looked down and his hands were steady and he felt clean on the inside.
“I checked to make sure the spirit hadn’t done anything to you. You might be, like, one percent more sensitive to otherworldly things, but considering you were probably at zero, it shouldn’t mean too much.”
The monks finally took their leave, and since they didn’t come back within a few minutes, the perimeter was assumed safe.
~*~
It had been about an hour since the ritual ended and they heard Gackt start to mumble and stir. He started whining in his sleep, making other noises, and shifting under the sheet.
You was not taking the hint in the looks the women were giving him, trying to block out the memory of Gackt’s screams an hour ago.
“Ou… You… You!” That got his attention, however. He looked up and the other three were glaring at him to go to Gackt. He got up, pulled on the hoodie that was on the back of the chair and headed for the doorway. The events of the day had left him chilled.
“He might be a little sensitive to touch!” Miku called after him.
“You! Nnnn… You…” Gackt cried in his sleep. You touched his hand but Gackt yanked it closer to his body. He took the washcloth from Gackt’s forehead, re-wet it and replaced it.
“It’s okay, Gaku… You’re safe now.” He stroked Gackt’s cheek and he flinched away.
“You…”
“It’s alright, we’re safe.” He tried stroking again and this time Gackt didn’t flinch. He whined instead.
He opened his eyes and turned to You, but he knew Gackt wasn’t awake yet. “You…” he mewled as tears welled in his eyes.
“Yes… we’re safe now, at Grams’.” He was nearly tackled to the floor by an instantly sobbing Gackt. He was gripping and pulling the hoodie so hard that You was afraid he’d rip it.
The shirt had originally been Gackt’s but it was three sizes too big for him, so it floated between the two, keeping them warm whenever they needed it. You had worn it most recently however.
“Y-Y-You…?” Gackt jerkingly took a deep breath of shirt several minutes later and pulled back a little to look up at You. He felt You cautiously stroke his thumbs on his lower back.
You smiled at him, “You look terrible…” And he really did: his face was red and splotchy, his eyes were red, and since his hair was a bit wet, it went kind of everywhere. Not to mention the bruises.
Gackt sob-scoff-laughed and let go of You’s shirt. He went to wipe his face but You stopped him.
“Let me do that. There’s oils on your face.” You made sure Gackt was steady and then reached for the tissues. Gackt looked down at himself, then the washcloth that was now on his lap, seeing bruises on his forearms. He looked around the room, recognizing it as his grandmother’s, and he could still smell the incense.
“Hey,” You turned Gackt’s chin with one finger and carefully wiped his face. Gackt shuddered as he tried to breathe normally.
“Are you… okay?” Gackt asked, running his hand shakily down You’s arm, apparently to check if this was real.
“Yes… a bit freaked out, but okay. You are too.” He wiped under Gackt’s chin and down his neck a bit too. And his ears, forehead, chest, basically drying all of him off, until Gackt stopped him.
He took You’s hands in his and looked up at You, maybe a bit of apprehension on his face. “I’m sorry… I-”
“Later Gaku, when you’re feeling better.” You smiled big at him and gently kissed his forehead. Gackt pulled You close for a hug, wanting to never let go.
“Thank you… for whatever happened today… Thank you.”
You hugged him back and sat down after a moment.
Gackt felt for his bum and was relieved to find he still had his shorts on. “You’re really okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” His voice was rough from the screaming earlier.
“I’m not hurt,” You reassured him. “Do you need to see me naked to prove it?”
Gackt looked up at him with mischief in his eyes. “Maybe later…” He said with a grin.
You snorted. “Yep, you’re fine,” he laughed.
Gackt looked out the window to the gray world. “That window’s new… It’s been too long since I came here…”
You smiled. Gackt always said that. He smiled more when he remembered the last time he’d come down here with Gackt. They’d still been a couple and managed to have the raunchiest, dirtiest sex they’d ever had on that trip, in this very house, while Grams was off doing errands. Every day. It had been amazing, but boy were they sore by the end of the week. You knew Gackt had brought Kami down one year. He’d heard it from Grams herself, wondering why her lovely You-chan hadn’t been there.
“Is, um, that girl still here?”
“You know about her?”
“Vaguely… I can’t recall her name, though…”
“I’ll get her for you.” You got up to leave but Gackt grabbed his sleeve quickly, not wanting to be alone, but knowing You had to go.
“Um… Maybe something to drink too? And… something to hold my hair back? Hairband, clips, whatever…” He looked up at You like a child. He wasn’t totally sure where this insecurity had come from.
“Of course. I’ll try to find something.” He ran his hand over Gackt’s hair and left him.
“Miku, he’d like to see you.” You got a glass of water and handed it to her. “You can take that in too.” She smiled and stood, leaving You to look for Gackt’s other request.
Gackt was watching nature pass by as Miku came in. She knew it wasn’t visible by regular people, but she could see a scar on his back from the ritual. It was smaller now though.
“Gackt-san…” she announced her presence hesitantly.
He turned to look at her, smoke almost coming out of his ears as he tried to remember her name. She looked so familiar… “M… M… Mi… Miho… No, that’s not right… Miko…”
She smiled at his attempts. “Mikumi.” There the bells rang.
“Miki-chan… Wow… You grew…”
“So did you. So far from the miserable little boy at that party…”
“Ugh… those parties…” Gackt did not have fond memories of any of those, especially after he almost drowned. They became tolerable after he met Miku though, a girl who was also too weird as a child. He called her Miki-chan after Mickey Mouse because he had her hair in buns like Sailor Moon.
“How are you feeling?”
“Raw…” He hadn’t wanted to admit it to You, but the touches hadn’t felt all that good.
“It’ll be a few days before you’re back up to normal… Some bad things happened to you.”
He nodded.
“Oh, duh…” She offered him the cup of water she had completely forgotten about. He drank half of it before she reminded him to take it easy.
“This is all I could find…” You came in with a stretchy headband. “It’s a new one from Miyu’s makeup kit…” You looked sheepish as he gave it to Gackt.
“Could you close the door on the way out, You-chan?”
“Yeah…” he replied, feeling a little pushed away.
“And bring some more water in 15 minutes?”
“Okay.” You felt better about that. He left and closed the door, leaning his ear against it until Miyuki shot a rubber band at him.
When Gackt was sure You had left the door, he asked Miku to help him with the headband.
“You were… in my head…” he started as she made his hair look like less of a disaster.
“We were on a spiritual plane.”
“That’s all I remember, though… Just you and me there. You-chan and I were attacked by something, and then you were with me, and then I woke up here…”
“It might come back to you, but it might not.”
“I hate this…”
They talked until You came back with more water. Gackt wanted to be alone and rest for a little while, so they let him be.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Poll
<<= Chapter 2 Beginning Archive Chapter 4 =>>
Title: Curses 3
Author: saurgristiel
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: Gackt, You, Miyuki (sister), Grandma, Mikumi (spiritualist)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. FICTION.
Warnings:
Words: ~1,958 words
Summary: Gackt wakes up.
He got up and looked at Gackt and the monks tending to him. They gently smoothed holy oil on his bruises and placed a cool washcloth on his forehead. You checked his friend over, bruises still forming. He closed his eyes, hung his head, and turned for the kitchen.
Miku had her eyes closed and her chin resting in her hands. He flopped into the chair next to hers and sighed. Grams freshened the tea, but no one spoke. You shuddered when he thought about the day’s events.
He reached for his teacup, but his hand was shaking so badly he dared not touch it, let alone pick it up. He pulled his hand back and under the table to join the other one.
“I…” Great job, mouth… “I had no idea it could be that bad…” You whispered.
“It usually isn’t… for Gaku anyway,” Miyuki clarified. “When he’s busy, the ability wanes. But throw in a vulnerability, like illness, love, or severe stress…”
That was why they’d all been worried. Two out of three had happened recently.
“I didn’t know what to make of what he’d told me. I didn’t believe him at first, but then there were little things… And then I could tell when he was having a moment… But nothing like this has happened before…” You put his face in his hands and his elbows on the table. Miyuki rubbed his shoulder.
“He’ll be okay, You… He should be, anyway.” Miku had perked up a little and reached for her tea. “He needs some time, but he’ll be able to get better now.” She took a sip. “Mmm… Yum. But… I need the bathroom.”
She started to get up and a monk was instantly there to help her up. “I can do it. Once you’re done with him and all cleaned up, I want you guys to check the perimeter and then you can leave, okay?”
“I’d rather someone stay here with you.”
“We’ll be fine. You can come back later to pick me up. I need some time here.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He followed behind her and made sure she got to the bathroom safely, then briefed the other monks.
“I was completely useless…” You complained. He had always had Gackt’s back, mostly, but he’d saved Gackt’s tail more than once.
“No you weren’t,” Miyuki tried to comfort him.
“Yes I was. You saw it Grams. I couldn’t do anything…”
Grams smiled like he was her own grandson. “You overestimate my abilities, You. I’m not as sensitive as Gaku is. He can see great detail, like a magnifying glass. I can see blobs… He’s just like his grandfather…” She looked a little sad as she remembered her late husband. “Unlike the fights you boys would get into, there was no way you could have been prepared. You did the best you could.”
“Which was absolutely nothing…” You stared into his teacup.
“Not nothing,” Miku returned, coming up behind You, one hand on his forehead and one on his chest. “You were bait, a distraction… and an anchor for Gackt.”
“But-”
“Shush. Close your eyes and don’t talk.” He did so and she closed her eyes as well. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes. He didn’t notice her sit back down.
“He was worried about you. It’s possible that you kept him from giving up. You’re fine by the way. No tracking marks, stolen bits, or wounds. Seems it just detained you.”
You finally opened his eyes and looked at her. “What was that…?” He looked down and his hands were steady and he felt clean on the inside.
“I checked to make sure the spirit hadn’t done anything to you. You might be, like, one percent more sensitive to otherworldly things, but considering you were probably at zero, it shouldn’t mean too much.”
The monks finally took their leave, and since they didn’t come back within a few minutes, the perimeter was assumed safe.
~*~
It had been about an hour since the ritual ended and they heard Gackt start to mumble and stir. He started whining in his sleep, making other noises, and shifting under the sheet.
You was not taking the hint in the looks the women were giving him, trying to block out the memory of Gackt’s screams an hour ago.
“Ou… You… You!” That got his attention, however. He looked up and the other three were glaring at him to go to Gackt. He got up, pulled on the hoodie that was on the back of the chair and headed for the doorway. The events of the day had left him chilled.
“He might be a little sensitive to touch!” Miku called after him.
“You! Nnnn… You…” Gackt cried in his sleep. You touched his hand but Gackt yanked it closer to his body. He took the washcloth from Gackt’s forehead, re-wet it and replaced it.
“It’s okay, Gaku… You’re safe now.” He stroked Gackt’s cheek and he flinched away.
“You…”
“It’s alright, we’re safe.” He tried stroking again and this time Gackt didn’t flinch. He whined instead.
He opened his eyes and turned to You, but he knew Gackt wasn’t awake yet. “You…” he mewled as tears welled in his eyes.
“Yes… we’re safe now, at Grams’.” He was nearly tackled to the floor by an instantly sobbing Gackt. He was gripping and pulling the hoodie so hard that You was afraid he’d rip it.
The shirt had originally been Gackt’s but it was three sizes too big for him, so it floated between the two, keeping them warm whenever they needed it. You had worn it most recently however.
“Y-Y-You…?” Gackt jerkingly took a deep breath of shirt several minutes later and pulled back a little to look up at You. He felt You cautiously stroke his thumbs on his lower back.
You smiled at him, “You look terrible…” And he really did: his face was red and splotchy, his eyes were red, and since his hair was a bit wet, it went kind of everywhere. Not to mention the bruises.
Gackt sob-scoff-laughed and let go of You’s shirt. He went to wipe his face but You stopped him.
“Let me do that. There’s oils on your face.” You made sure Gackt was steady and then reached for the tissues. Gackt looked down at himself, then the washcloth that was now on his lap, seeing bruises on his forearms. He looked around the room, recognizing it as his grandmother’s, and he could still smell the incense.
“Hey,” You turned Gackt’s chin with one finger and carefully wiped his face. Gackt shuddered as he tried to breathe normally.
“Are you… okay?” Gackt asked, running his hand shakily down You’s arm, apparently to check if this was real.
“Yes… a bit freaked out, but okay. You are too.” He wiped under Gackt’s chin and down his neck a bit too. And his ears, forehead, chest, basically drying all of him off, until Gackt stopped him.
He took You’s hands in his and looked up at You, maybe a bit of apprehension on his face. “I’m sorry… I-”
“Later Gaku, when you’re feeling better.” You smiled big at him and gently kissed his forehead. Gackt pulled You close for a hug, wanting to never let go.
“Thank you… for whatever happened today… Thank you.”
You hugged him back and sat down after a moment.
Gackt felt for his bum and was relieved to find he still had his shorts on. “You’re really okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” His voice was rough from the screaming earlier.
“I’m not hurt,” You reassured him. “Do you need to see me naked to prove it?”
Gackt looked up at him with mischief in his eyes. “Maybe later…” He said with a grin.
You snorted. “Yep, you’re fine,” he laughed.
Gackt looked out the window to the gray world. “That window’s new… It’s been too long since I came here…”
You smiled. Gackt always said that. He smiled more when he remembered the last time he’d come down here with Gackt. They’d still been a couple and managed to have the raunchiest, dirtiest sex they’d ever had on that trip, in this very house, while Grams was off doing errands. Every day. It had been amazing, but boy were they sore by the end of the week. You knew Gackt had brought Kami down one year. He’d heard it from Grams herself, wondering why her lovely You-chan hadn’t been there.
“Is, um, that girl still here?”
“You know about her?”
“Vaguely… I can’t recall her name, though…”
“I’ll get her for you.” You got up to leave but Gackt grabbed his sleeve quickly, not wanting to be alone, but knowing You had to go.
“Um… Maybe something to drink too? And… something to hold my hair back? Hairband, clips, whatever…” He looked up at You like a child. He wasn’t totally sure where this insecurity had come from.
“Of course. I’ll try to find something.” He ran his hand over Gackt’s hair and left him.
“Miku, he’d like to see you.” You got a glass of water and handed it to her. “You can take that in too.” She smiled and stood, leaving You to look for Gackt’s other request.
Gackt was watching nature pass by as Miku came in. She knew it wasn’t visible by regular people, but she could see a scar on his back from the ritual. It was smaller now though.
“Gackt-san…” she announced her presence hesitantly.
He turned to look at her, smoke almost coming out of his ears as he tried to remember her name. She looked so familiar… “M… M… Mi… Miho… No, that’s not right… Miko…”
She smiled at his attempts. “Mikumi.” There the bells rang.
“Miki-chan… Wow… You grew…”
“So did you. So far from the miserable little boy at that party…”
“Ugh… those parties…” Gackt did not have fond memories of any of those, especially after he almost drowned. They became tolerable after he met Miku though, a girl who was also too weird as a child. He called her Miki-chan after Mickey Mouse because he had her hair in buns like Sailor Moon.
“How are you feeling?”
“Raw…” He hadn’t wanted to admit it to You, but the touches hadn’t felt all that good.
“It’ll be a few days before you’re back up to normal… Some bad things happened to you.”
He nodded.
“Oh, duh…” She offered him the cup of water she had completely forgotten about. He drank half of it before she reminded him to take it easy.
“This is all I could find…” You came in with a stretchy headband. “It’s a new one from Miyu’s makeup kit…” You looked sheepish as he gave it to Gackt.
“Could you close the door on the way out, You-chan?”
“Yeah…” he replied, feeling a little pushed away.
“And bring some more water in 15 minutes?”
“Okay.” You felt better about that. He left and closed the door, leaning his ear against it until Miyuki shot a rubber band at him.
When Gackt was sure You had left the door, he asked Miku to help him with the headband.
“You were… in my head…” he started as she made his hair look like less of a disaster.
“We were on a spiritual plane.”
“That’s all I remember, though… Just you and me there. You-chan and I were attacked by something, and then you were with me, and then I woke up here…”
“It might come back to you, but it might not.”
“I hate this…”
They talked until You came back with more water. Gackt wanted to be alone and rest for a little while, so they let him be.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Poll
<<= Chapter 2 Beginning Archive Chapter 4 =>>