now does our world descend [part II]
Title: now does our world descend [part II]
Pairing: Asami/Akihito
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Word Count: A little over 5200
Summary: Akihito and Asami live in a world of true heroes and villains. [superhero AU]
It was 11AM and Akihito finally felt on the verge of figuring it out. He was currently at the abandoned lot about a five minute walk from his apartment. It had been about three hours since he first set the small fire in front of him and he had not yet succeeded in replicating whatever trick he had used to subdue the fire the previous day.
According to Mashiba, whom Akihito had questioned in the truck as they drove to the fire station, the fire just seemed to "disappear." And so, Akihito had spent most of the morning trying to make the fire disappear, to no avail. He then decided to instead focus on the strange way he felt right before the fire disappeared. Usually when Akihito used any one of his abilities, he felt energy burst out of him, like jolts of electricity from all over his body shooting outwards through his palms. But yesterday was the exact opposite; he had felt the energy flowing inwards from his palm, then through the rest of his body. Rather than "disappear," maybe he had sucked the fire in like a vacuum.
Akihito tried to simply do the opposite of what he normally did, but that was easier said than done. Shooting out fire came naturally to him. When he was a kid, it happened even when he didn't want it to. But how in the world could he suck fire in? Was it like inhaling through his hands instead of his mouth?
Sighing, he sat down on a nearby cinder block and stared at the cheery little fire in the center of the lot. On a whim, he stretched out both hands towards the fire and gathered energy in his palms, the same way he would when charging up a big attack. He concentrated on the familiar feeling of energy crackling through him. When the energy gathered was almost too big to contain, Akihito took a deep breath, and forced all the energy in his palms back inwards. At first, the stream of energy was completely still, as if frozen, but after a few seconds, the energy slowly begun to flow in reverse. The more time passed, the faster he felt himself sucking the energy back in. When he drained the last bits of it from his palms, Akihito switched his attention to the fire. He felt a sudden surge of energy rush into him, as though a jar lid had popped open and the contents were now gushing forth.
Though it lasted less than a second, Akihito saw it very clearly this time. The fire almost seemed to collapse into itself, like a sheet of paper crumpling into a ball. In an instant, the small fire had been reduced to literally nothing. Hands still outstretched, Akihito gaped down at where the fire once was. Then the euphoria hit him all at once, and he jumped up and whooped for joy, pumping his fist into the air at his success.
"Hey, that was pretty damn cool! I didn't even know that was possible."
Akihito stiffened. It wasn't a voice he recognized. Turning to confront this stranger, he was met with a mop of velvet red hair and a lopsided grin. He looked to be someone in his late 20's. He jumped over the fence surrounding the perimeter and sauntered over, stopping several feet in front of Akihito.
"Maybe this will be more interesting than I thought," the stranger continued, giving Akihito the once-over.
Akihito warily eyed the man in return. "Umm... do you have some kind of business with me?"
"I do." The man smirked, looking Akihito straight in the eye. The guy was really starting to weird him out. He didn't look like a creep per say, hell he was actually kind of cute. But his expression was unnerving, predatory even.
"And who are you exactly?"
"Seirei Teruya."
Akihito instantly recalled his conversation with Asami the night before. Seirei Teruya, the challenger of the forthcoming Red Banquet. A shiver ran down Akihito's spine and he instinctively took several steps away from the man.
A carefree laugh escaped Teruya's lips. "Calm down, will you? I'm not here to kidnap you or anything underhanded like that."
Despite the reassurance, Akihito kept his distance.
"Well, I understand if you don't trust me. And to be honest," Teruya said, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I can't say I'm not tempted to try you out a little."
Akihito stared at the other man as he wondered over the meaning of his words, when Teruya suddenly vanished into thin air. Akihito's eyes widened in shock. He frantically scanned his surroundings, searching for where the man could have possibly gone. He heard a soft rustle from behind and spun around, extending his arm mid-swing to let a jet of flame spurt forth from his hand, as if from a powerful blowtorch. Just as the flames were about to reach their target, Teruya vanished once more. Prepared for it this time, Akihito immediately pivoted and turned to look behind him. Teruya was now a good twenty feet away from him. Akihito fired a quick volley of small fireballs at him, but just as each attack was about to hit their mark, Teruya would disappear again only to pop up in a completely different spot.
Soon the entire lot the two were fighting in was peppered with flames. Akihito had lost count of how many times his opponent had effortlessly dodged his every attempt at hurting him. What unnerved Akihito the most was the fact that Teruya had not once attacked back despite countless opportunities to do so. Just as Akihito thought he had once more lost sight of Teruya, his face suddenly blocked his entire field of vision. He had teleported not five inches in front of Akihito. Fear and panic spiked in Akihito's chest all at once. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, he balled his fist, fire erupting around it like an extra layer of skin. He swung an uppercut aimed straight for Teruya's chin, which he easily evaded by jumping backwards. Akihito immediately closed the gap and followed up with a straight right punch. Teruya teleported once again, but not before Akihito managed to scorch the sleeve of Teruya's shirt with his fist. When Teruya reappeared several yards away, he lifted his hands up in a sign of submission.
"Alright, I give! I won't attack anymore, so relax, okay? I just wanted to play with you a little."
Akihito refused to drop his guard. Rooted to his spot, he carefully eyed Teruya's every move as he sat onto a large cinder block several feet away. Teruya waved one arm, gesturing to the area around them.
"Aren't you going to put out these fires? You could use that trick you were practicing earlier."
Seeing that Akihito would not accede to make any move that might weaken his defenses, Teruya sighed in mock exasperation and said, "Then I guess I'll make this quick." He leaned forward and regarded Akihito with a tilt of his head before continuing, "You know, you really surprised me. I expected you to be some pampered little thing that could shoot out a few embers, but you've really got the goods. This only makes me even more curious about you."
Akihito raised an eyebrow, finally willing himself to speak. "You're curious about me? Cut the crap already. If you're going to ask me about the King, then just do it."
A look of surprise crossed Teruya's face before being quickly overtaken by one of amusement. "If that's what you think, then you underestimate just how interesting you are, Firebrand."
"And if you think I'll seriously believe that you came here just to flatter me, then you overestimate just how gullible I am."
Teruya threw his head back in laughter. The sight of it only served to put Akihito even more on edge. "Believe it or not, it's the truth. Despite what you might think, I'm a pretty straightforward guy. I don't think I even have the talent to trick you into telling me about the King. But feel free to doubt me. It doesn't matter either way." Teruya smirked. He propped an arm up on his leg and rested his head on his palm. "Think about it this way, Firebrand. Out of all the people who were born with these powers, you're part of the minority that made it their life mission to use their abilities to help people. And yet an upstanding guy like yourself decided to shack up with the Blood King of all people? Who wouldn't find you two curious?"
Teruya's words made Akihito feel strangely irritated. He scowled. "It's not anyone else's business who I decide to shack up with. I don't have to explain anything to you."
"No need to get so defensive! I'm just trying to understand you a little better. After all, I need to figure out what to do with you once I'm King. You definitely can't be my lover. No offense or anything, but I'm just not into dudes. I was planning to execute you with your King, but now I'm thinking that would be a waste. I suppose it would only be proper to give you the chance to avenge your fallen master, though judging by our little fight just now, I wouldn't recommend it."
What the hell? Who does this guy think he is? Akihito's chest burned with anger. By the time he even thought to reconsider his choice of words, they had already escaped his mouth. "You as King? Don't kid yourself. With Asami around, that'll never happen."
For the first time, all traces of affability vanished from Teruya's expression, his enmity showing in his furrowed brow. "'Asami,' huh? You know, for a servant, you're surprisingly attached."
Akihito glared. "I'm not his-'
"You're not his servant? Then what are you? His equal?"
"Is that really so hard to believe?"
"Of course it is! You've really deluded yourself, haven't you? Kings have no equals. I don't normally interfere in business that's not my own, but you've really got to face up to reality, man."
Akihito glared. He still didn't get what this guy's angle was, but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to find out. "You're right," Akihito finally responded, "It isn't your business. And now that you've interrogated me, I've got a few questions of my own."
"Really now?" Teruya's face finally regained its grin. "I guess that's fair. Ask away."
"Are you really so confident you'll win the Red Banquet? You must know how strong Asami is. Everyone else is so scared that no one has challenged him for years, and I can't blame them. Fighting him is basically suicide for most people."
"I can tell you already that I'm not most people. But... if I were to be completely honest, I'm not totally confident that I'll win. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the odds are against me."
Akihito was genuinely stunned by his response. The man in front of him was one of the few people Akihito had ever met who was possibly even more reckless than himself. "Are you serious? If you think you might not win, then why the hell did you challenge him? You do know that the loser almost always dies, right? If you just want Asami's money, then I'll tell you right now that there are much better ways to get rich."
"Do I honestly seem like the type of guy who would kill myself for a little money? I don't care about any of that crap. I just want to fight him. And if I end up dying because I'm too weak to win, then that's the price I pay."
Akihito stared at the other man, incredulous. Teruya had a slightly distant look on his face, as though he were pondering something. After a brief and heavy silence, Teruya asked, "Why were we given these powers? It's a question I've been asking myself for as long as I can remember. I'm sure at some point in your life, you've asked yourself the same thing."
Teruya's words rang brutally true. Akihito had lost count of how many times he had asked that question as a child. A wealth of painful memories began to rise unbidden from the recesses of Akihito's subconscious. Akihito ruthlessly caged them before they could be allowed to roam free.
Receiving no response, Teruya continued, "After fighting countless people, those with and without powers, I realized that our abilities don't make us strong. We have these abilities because we are strong. The idiots who hide their powers and try to fit in with 'normal' society have it all wrong. We're meant to be better than normal. We're meant to fight stronger and stronger opponents, to test ourselves to our limits." He punched his fist to his palm, his face taking on a more savage expression. "The way I see it, I've finally made it to the championship game. There's no way anything could make me back down now."
Teruya radiated confidence, so much so that Akihito couldn't help but wish that he were as confident in his own potential. Aware now that Teruya really was as straightforward as he claimed, Akihito finally dropped his guard, letting his arms fall to his sides. "As persuasive as that little speech was, I still can't say that I agree with your way of thinking."
Teruya flashed a small smile. "I figured as much. From the looks of things, your answer to why you were given your powers is very different from mine." His face took on a more serious look as he added, "And I'd be willing to bet that the Blood King has come to a completely different conclusion from either of us."
Teruya pushed himself up to his feet and stretched his arms. "In any case, I've changed my mind. Regardless of the outcome of the fight, you are definitely a man worthy of keeping alive."
"If I were you, I would worry about my own survival first."
Teruya chuckled. "Whatever, man." He paused, as though remembering something. "One last thing before I go. You should really think about widening your horizons, especially if Asami Ryuichi remains King. Someone like you shouldn't stay under another man's thumb your whole life."
Akihito sent him a perplexed look, which Teruya responded to with a grin. "I guess I should let you clean up these fires before someone reports you for arson. It was nice meeting you, Firebrand." And a second later, he was gone.
---------------------------------
Akihito had requested that they meet someplace different from their usual haunt. Feilong received a text from him earlier in the day explaining that he had a morning meeting with another contact just a few miles away from Feilong's apartment in Ikebukuro. He then suggested that the two of them just meet up at the place the contact was staying in. The address Akihito sent Feilong led him to a high-class hotel, one that was primarily occupied by wealthy tourists. A distinct sense of dread blossomed in Feilong's chest immediately upon entering the establishment, a feeling which only worsened when two hotel bodyguards addressed him as "Feilong-sama" and all but ordered him to follow their lead. They escorted him to a private suite on the top floor of the building. Before even entering the room, Feilong was well-aware that the man waiting for him inside was not Akihito.
The guards opened the door for him, then quickly retreated back to the hallway. Feilong felt a nostalgic tension engulf him as he stepped into the room. He approached the man who summoned him with the utmost caution. "I suppose I should have foreseen this. In retrospect, I did think it was a little strange for Akihito to text instead of call."
"I'm sure you did foresee the two of us eventually meeting like this. After all, you've made no effort to conceal your identity from me, Dragon King."
Feilong's eyes narrowed to slits. "I no longer answer to that name. If you expect for this to be a meeting between two Kings, Asami, then you will be sorely disappointed."
Asami smirked and gestured for the other man to sit in the armchair across from him. "On the contrary, I'm already rather pleased. I half-expected for you to still be the inept, neurotic wreck you were when we last met. You still recall that, don't you? About twenty months ago, in Hong Kong? Certainly you seem more sane now than you did back then."
Asami's taunt summoned unwelcome memories in Feilong's mind. His eyes flashed in anger. "Enough of this prattle. Why have you called me here?"
"You know why you're here. You have designs on my property." The two men shed all affectations of goodwill, leaving only naked hostility between them.
Feilong's laugh was sharp and humorless. "And exactly what 'designs' do you think I have?"
"You aim for my throne, perhaps, using the boy as a hostage?"
"You can't honestly believe that. And even if that were the case, you should know that I would not choose such a shameful and roundabout method."
"Who am I to presume to understand the mind of a madman?"
The insult did not anger Feilong. In fact, he seemed almost amused. "You accuse me of being mad? How the pot calls the kettle black. Even with your strong mental defenses, I can still sense how heavily the thought of your lover weighs on your mind. You've developed quite the fixation, haven't you?" Feilong smirked as he noticed a small twitch in Asami's brow. "Poor Akihito. Though I do admit, I can see why you're so taken by his charms. He's quite remarkable, your boy. He thinks he's something tiny when he's actually a giant."
The underlying venom in Asami's voice quelled somewhat, pride burning just beneath the surface of his strong gaze. "A fitting description. It seems you are still occasionally capable of making accurate judgments of character."
"I'm capable of much more than that, as you know. Akihito is quite the open book. With a little prying, it's surprisingly easy for me to peek at his deepest, most private thoughts, including the sizable depths of his passion. Considering how tightlipped he is with expressing his feelings, it would not be such a stretch to say that I know his love for you better than you ever will. Ironic, isn't it?"
The two men locked eyes, Feilong's gaze impudent and Asami's livid. Feilong could see that the other man was beginning to slowly unravel.
"You don't seem to understand the position you're in, Feilong, so allow me to remind you. I could kill you with a thought if I so desired. I've been extremely tolerant of you so far, likely to a fault."
"Are you certain you are truly in a position to be making such threats? In my eyes, you should be on your knees in gratitude. After all, I have graciously decided not to share all of what I know with Akihito."
Asami carefully considered Feilong's words, his face impassive. "What have you told him?"
"I've only given Akihito the information he's asked of me. Nothing else."
"How courteous of you. And you expect me to believe that you truly have no ulterior motives? That you're merely helping the boy out of some new-found sense of altruism?"
"I do. I bear no ill intentions towards Akihito. But I already know your possessiveness will deny you from seeing the truth in my words."
Asami leaned back into his armchair, as though attempting to widen their distance, as he scrutinized the other man. After a thoughtful pause, Asami asked, "If your intentions are as benign as you say, then why haven't you disclosed your true abilities to him?"
Feilong, now lounging comfortably in his own chair, easily retorted, "And if you are so certain of my guilt, then why haven't you?"
After the terse exchange, the two considered the other in cold silence, two prowling predators facing off in the dark. After an unbearably lengthy stretch of time, Feilong sighed, his aggravation apparent in his creased brow. "This is a waste of time. As you're well aware, there is another person who was expecting to meet me right now. You will not hold me hostage here and make me suffer through more of your groundless, petty accusations."
Feilong lifted himself to his feet. Just as he was about to turn to leave, Feilong felt something in his mind shatter. It was as if a tidal wave of sheer, crushing power had crashed into his mental defenses, almost obliterating them in one strike. Feilong managed to stabilize himself before being completely overpowered by the attack. He deposited all of his strength into what remained of his crippled defenses. The strain of it alone forced Feilong's legs to give. He fell to his hands and knees, inadvertently prostrating himself to the other man.
Asami looked down at the bowed figure with a mocking smile. "For you to try to turn your back on an opponent in the middle of a fight. Retirement must have made you careless."
Feilong tried to spit back an enraged response, only to find that he physically could not. He could not even move his jaw without tremendous effort. Feilong had made a grave miscalculation. The Asami of the present-day was strong, much stronger than he remembered.
"Listen carefully, Feilong." The tone of Asami's voice contained a darkness in it that chilled him to the bone. He felt suddenly thankful that he could not lift his head to see the other man's face. "Whether I trust you or not is ultimately irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that, regardless of your intentions, your powers pose a threat large enough to warrant even my alarm."
Asami tapped a finger on the leather arm of his seat, running through several options in his mind. Feilong remained frozen at his feet. "If I were to be perfectly logical in handling this situation," Asami thought aloud, "Then prudence dictates that I should just dispose of you. But my instinct tells me that dealing with the aftermath of such an action might be a bigger burden than I imagine. And there are other things to consider..."
As if on cue, a shrill ring echoed throughout the room. Asami's eyes narrowed once he realized the sound emanated from Feilong's pocket. The phone rung a second and third time before Asami, with a defeated sigh, released his hold over Feilong. Feilong almost collapsed onto the floor, his body suddenly feeling so weak that he was barely able to hold himself up. It were as though Asami had stolen his weight from him and had just now given it all back.
After regaining his shaky breath, he dared himself to glance up at Asami, who looked back at him expressionlessly. Making certain not to take his eyes off the other man, Feilong reached for his phone, answering it with the press of a button.
"Hey! Sorry I'm running so late," said a familiar voice, "I was practicing something new near my apartment and had some trouble putting out a couple fires."
"Akihito?"
Asami did not give the slightest reaction to hearing his lover's name. It were as though he anticipated it.
"Yeah, it's me. Oh, I forgot to mention, I'm calling from a payphone right now. I seemed to have misplaced my cell somewhere... maybe I left it at the station yesterday. Anyway, I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Sorry again!"
"It's alright. I'm actually running a bit late myself."
"Really? I guess we've both run into some unexpected trouble, huh?"
"Indeed," Feilong responded dryly, the dark humor of the situation lost on the boy. "I'll try to be there as soon as I can."
"Okay. See you soon!"
Asami stood up from his seat as soon as the call ended and made his way to the door. Resting his hand on the doorknob, he half-turned to address Feilong one last time. "Think very carefully on what you choose to do from here onwards. And know that if you cross me, I will break you in an instant." The door opened soundlessly, then closed with a click.
Feeling the stress mercifully leave his body, Feilong flopped onto the nearest couch with an uncharacteristic inelegance and allowed himself a moment's rest. Reflecting upon it now, he was genuinely surprised to have escaped the meeting shaken, but unscathed. Perhaps the man really had changed.
Deciding to take Asami's advice, he stared at the ceiling as he pondered what he owed Akihito and what he needed to do next.
---------------------------------
Akihito glanced at the clock on the wall for the third time in the past five minutes. He had been waiting at the cafe for the past twenty minutes now, after he himself arrived thirty minutes late, and there was still no sign of Feilong. Though Akihito reasoned he was probably worrying needlessly, his gut still told him that something was wrong. Feilong was never late. Even if he walked from Ikebukuro, it would only take about half an hour. Just as Akihito was about to jump up and ask the staff if he could use a telephone, he spotted Feilong walking towards the shop from a distance. The uneasiness in his chest abated.
"Feilong! I was just about to call you again. Did something bad happen? Are you okay? Do you want to just reschedule this meeting?"
Feilong smiled as the younger man assaulted him with questions. He took the seat across from him, wincing as the movement caused an unexpected pain to shoot through his limbs. "I'm fine, Akihito. A meeting with a client dragged on far longer than I had anticipated. I apologize."
"Oh. It's okay. I understand." Akihito smiled, though the unsettled feeling from earlier creeped back into the pit of his stomach. Though Feilong did not appear to have been harmed, he look rattled, his usual air of quiet poise seeming somehow diminished. Akihito quickly noted that, for whatever reason, Feilong was avoiding looking him in the eye.
"I see you placed my order for me." Feilong gestured to the cup of white tea on the table in front of him.
"Ah, yeah, I noticed that you always order the same thing, so I just went ahead and ordered for you. It might be kinda cold by now, though."
Akihito's eyes narrowed as he watched Feilong lift the cup to his lips with a slightly trembling hand. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I promise you that I'm alright." Feilong sent him a reassuring smile, this time looking directly into his eyes, setting Akihito's heart a little more at ease.
"I must apologize again," Feilong continued, "As I was unable to procure much information on your killer. It is possible that he has ceased all activities, at least for the time being."
"Ceased all activities? Is he scared because I almost caught him last time?"
"That's a possibility. It's also possible that his fifth victim was his last, for whatever reason."
Akihito sighed and crossed his arms, lost in thought. "...Well, at least he isn't killing anymore people. Though I obviously don't want him to slip through our fingers either."
"I'm sorry again that I was not able to find out more."
"Don't apologize! You've already done so much for me. If it weren't for you, I would've been forced to spend these past few weeks sitting around doing nothing."
Feilong smiled in reply, though to Akihito, it appeared forced. Feilong was avoiding his eyes again. He gave off the impression that he had been sheltering some unseen burden all along that was only now threatening to overwhelm him.
When Akihito opened his mouth to ask one more time if the other man was really okay, he was interrupted by the sound of ceramic hitting wood, followed by a splash of liquid. Feilong had just picked up his cup of tea only to drop it before it reached his mouth. The two men simply stared at the fallen cup, Feilong's shaky hand still outstretched in front of him. A waiter quickly came to their table to clean up the mess.
Finally, Feilong retracted his hand. "As you can see, I've been feeling rather weak today. Perhaps I should take a long rest after this meeting."
Akihito frowned, a growing suspicion clouding his mind. Deciding he would rather risk offending Feilong than have the truth kept from him, Akihito gathered his courage and asked, "Feilong. This is a weird request, but could I please see your arm?"
Feilong seemed alarmed by his question. But, with a grim expression, he eventually acquiesced. Gently holding Feilong's wrist in one hand, Akihito used his other to push back the long sleeve covering Feilong's arm. Both eyes widened at what they saw.
Several bruises dotted the length of Feilong's arm. Checking his other arm, both saw that it too was in a similar condition.
"I did not notice these until now," Feilong said with a grimace. "The bruising must have become visible only recently." He gave Akihito a pointed look. "I suppose I have no excuse to continue hiding this from you. You seem to recognize these symptoms from personal experience, yes?"
Akihito slowly nodded, eyes wide. "The shakiness, the bruising from muscle tears. The harder you resist, the more you hurt yourself." Akihito stared straight into the other man's eyes. "The person you met with earlier was..."
Everything suddenly clicked in Akihito's mind. Asami's unexpected visit the night before. His missing cellphone. Akihito clenched his fist. Without another word, he turned towards the door, a hard look in his eyes.
"Akihito, wait!" Feilong lunged forward and grabbed his arm. "I am not entirely blameless. In some ways, I deserved this. I haven't been entirely honest with you."
Akihito turned his head to look back at Feilong, whose eyes were now etched with remorse. "The person I am now, the person you see before you, is not who I was in the past. You see... the truth is-"
Feilong jerked as he felt a hand cover his. He looked up and was met with a gentle smile.
"If you've lied to me, then you definitely owe me a confession. But you don't have to tell me right this instant. I trust you."
Feilong frowned. "But-"
"The fact that you still decided to meet with me, after Asami tricked you and hurt you, is proof enough for me. That you're offering to tell the truth now only convinces me more. Whatever mistakes or crimes you might be guilty of, you can't be all that bad."
Feilong stared in astonishment, mouth slightly agape. Akihito's eyes hardened once again as his thoughts shifted to another man. "And no matter how justified Asami thinks his actions are, that doesn't excuse the fact that he lied to me, stole my phone, met with you behind my back, and used his powers on you. There's no way a loudmouth like me would be able to take that in silence."
Gently prying his arm out of Feilong's grasp, Akihito again headed towards the door. He threw one last look at Feilong over his shoulder. "Sorry to cut the meeting short, but I've got a cellphone to steal back. I'll be in touch." With a smile still gracing his lips, he stepped out.
Feilong stared at the younger man's back as he exited, breaking into a small smile of his own. He shook his head. Truly, the Blood King and him had both been blessed with good company.
Pairing: Asami/Akihito
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Word Count: A little over 5200
Summary: Akihito and Asami live in a world of true heroes and villains. [superhero AU]
It was 11AM and Akihito finally felt on the verge of figuring it out. He was currently at the abandoned lot about a five minute walk from his apartment. It had been about three hours since he first set the small fire in front of him and he had not yet succeeded in replicating whatever trick he had used to subdue the fire the previous day.
According to Mashiba, whom Akihito had questioned in the truck as they drove to the fire station, the fire just seemed to "disappear." And so, Akihito had spent most of the morning trying to make the fire disappear, to no avail. He then decided to instead focus on the strange way he felt right before the fire disappeared. Usually when Akihito used any one of his abilities, he felt energy burst out of him, like jolts of electricity from all over his body shooting outwards through his palms. But yesterday was the exact opposite; he had felt the energy flowing inwards from his palm, then through the rest of his body. Rather than "disappear," maybe he had sucked the fire in like a vacuum.
Akihito tried to simply do the opposite of what he normally did, but that was easier said than done. Shooting out fire came naturally to him. When he was a kid, it happened even when he didn't want it to. But how in the world could he suck fire in? Was it like inhaling through his hands instead of his mouth?
Sighing, he sat down on a nearby cinder block and stared at the cheery little fire in the center of the lot. On a whim, he stretched out both hands towards the fire and gathered energy in his palms, the same way he would when charging up a big attack. He concentrated on the familiar feeling of energy crackling through him. When the energy gathered was almost too big to contain, Akihito took a deep breath, and forced all the energy in his palms back inwards. At first, the stream of energy was completely still, as if frozen, but after a few seconds, the energy slowly begun to flow in reverse. The more time passed, the faster he felt himself sucking the energy back in. When he drained the last bits of it from his palms, Akihito switched his attention to the fire. He felt a sudden surge of energy rush into him, as though a jar lid had popped open and the contents were now gushing forth.
Though it lasted less than a second, Akihito saw it very clearly this time. The fire almost seemed to collapse into itself, like a sheet of paper crumpling into a ball. In an instant, the small fire had been reduced to literally nothing. Hands still outstretched, Akihito gaped down at where the fire once was. Then the euphoria hit him all at once, and he jumped up and whooped for joy, pumping his fist into the air at his success.
"Hey, that was pretty damn cool! I didn't even know that was possible."
Akihito stiffened. It wasn't a voice he recognized. Turning to confront this stranger, he was met with a mop of velvet red hair and a lopsided grin. He looked to be someone in his late 20's. He jumped over the fence surrounding the perimeter and sauntered over, stopping several feet in front of Akihito.
"Maybe this will be more interesting than I thought," the stranger continued, giving Akihito the once-over.
Akihito warily eyed the man in return. "Umm... do you have some kind of business with me?"
"I do." The man smirked, looking Akihito straight in the eye. The guy was really starting to weird him out. He didn't look like a creep per say, hell he was actually kind of cute. But his expression was unnerving, predatory even.
"And who are you exactly?"
"Seirei Teruya."
Akihito instantly recalled his conversation with Asami the night before. Seirei Teruya, the challenger of the forthcoming Red Banquet. A shiver ran down Akihito's spine and he instinctively took several steps away from the man.
A carefree laugh escaped Teruya's lips. "Calm down, will you? I'm not here to kidnap you or anything underhanded like that."
Despite the reassurance, Akihito kept his distance.
"Well, I understand if you don't trust me. And to be honest," Teruya said, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I can't say I'm not tempted to try you out a little."
Akihito stared at the other man as he wondered over the meaning of his words, when Teruya suddenly vanished into thin air. Akihito's eyes widened in shock. He frantically scanned his surroundings, searching for where the man could have possibly gone. He heard a soft rustle from behind and spun around, extending his arm mid-swing to let a jet of flame spurt forth from his hand, as if from a powerful blowtorch. Just as the flames were about to reach their target, Teruya vanished once more. Prepared for it this time, Akihito immediately pivoted and turned to look behind him. Teruya was now a good twenty feet away from him. Akihito fired a quick volley of small fireballs at him, but just as each attack was about to hit their mark, Teruya would disappear again only to pop up in a completely different spot.
Soon the entire lot the two were fighting in was peppered with flames. Akihito had lost count of how many times his opponent had effortlessly dodged his every attempt at hurting him. What unnerved Akihito the most was the fact that Teruya had not once attacked back despite countless opportunities to do so. Just as Akihito thought he had once more lost sight of Teruya, his face suddenly blocked his entire field of vision. He had teleported not five inches in front of Akihito. Fear and panic spiked in Akihito's chest all at once. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, he balled his fist, fire erupting around it like an extra layer of skin. He swung an uppercut aimed straight for Teruya's chin, which he easily evaded by jumping backwards. Akihito immediately closed the gap and followed up with a straight right punch. Teruya teleported once again, but not before Akihito managed to scorch the sleeve of Teruya's shirt with his fist. When Teruya reappeared several yards away, he lifted his hands up in a sign of submission.
"Alright, I give! I won't attack anymore, so relax, okay? I just wanted to play with you a little."
Akihito refused to drop his guard. Rooted to his spot, he carefully eyed Teruya's every move as he sat onto a large cinder block several feet away. Teruya waved one arm, gesturing to the area around them.
"Aren't you going to put out these fires? You could use that trick you were practicing earlier."
Seeing that Akihito would not accede to make any move that might weaken his defenses, Teruya sighed in mock exasperation and said, "Then I guess I'll make this quick." He leaned forward and regarded Akihito with a tilt of his head before continuing, "You know, you really surprised me. I expected you to be some pampered little thing that could shoot out a few embers, but you've really got the goods. This only makes me even more curious about you."
Akihito raised an eyebrow, finally willing himself to speak. "You're curious about me? Cut the crap already. If you're going to ask me about the King, then just do it."
A look of surprise crossed Teruya's face before being quickly overtaken by one of amusement. "If that's what you think, then you underestimate just how interesting you are, Firebrand."
"And if you think I'll seriously believe that you came here just to flatter me, then you overestimate just how gullible I am."
Teruya threw his head back in laughter. The sight of it only served to put Akihito even more on edge. "Believe it or not, it's the truth. Despite what you might think, I'm a pretty straightforward guy. I don't think I even have the talent to trick you into telling me about the King. But feel free to doubt me. It doesn't matter either way." Teruya smirked. He propped an arm up on his leg and rested his head on his palm. "Think about it this way, Firebrand. Out of all the people who were born with these powers, you're part of the minority that made it their life mission to use their abilities to help people. And yet an upstanding guy like yourself decided to shack up with the Blood King of all people? Who wouldn't find you two curious?"
Teruya's words made Akihito feel strangely irritated. He scowled. "It's not anyone else's business who I decide to shack up with. I don't have to explain anything to you."
"No need to get so defensive! I'm just trying to understand you a little better. After all, I need to figure out what to do with you once I'm King. You definitely can't be my lover. No offense or anything, but I'm just not into dudes. I was planning to execute you with your King, but now I'm thinking that would be a waste. I suppose it would only be proper to give you the chance to avenge your fallen master, though judging by our little fight just now, I wouldn't recommend it."
What the hell? Who does this guy think he is? Akihito's chest burned with anger. By the time he even thought to reconsider his choice of words, they had already escaped his mouth. "You as King? Don't kid yourself. With Asami around, that'll never happen."
For the first time, all traces of affability vanished from Teruya's expression, his enmity showing in his furrowed brow. "'Asami,' huh? You know, for a servant, you're surprisingly attached."
Akihito glared. "I'm not his-'
"You're not his servant? Then what are you? His equal?"
"Is that really so hard to believe?"
"Of course it is! You've really deluded yourself, haven't you? Kings have no equals. I don't normally interfere in business that's not my own, but you've really got to face up to reality, man."
Akihito glared. He still didn't get what this guy's angle was, but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to find out. "You're right," Akihito finally responded, "It isn't your business. And now that you've interrogated me, I've got a few questions of my own."
"Really now?" Teruya's face finally regained its grin. "I guess that's fair. Ask away."
"Are you really so confident you'll win the Red Banquet? You must know how strong Asami is. Everyone else is so scared that no one has challenged him for years, and I can't blame them. Fighting him is basically suicide for most people."
"I can tell you already that I'm not most people. But... if I were to be completely honest, I'm not totally confident that I'll win. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the odds are against me."
Akihito was genuinely stunned by his response. The man in front of him was one of the few people Akihito had ever met who was possibly even more reckless than himself. "Are you serious? If you think you might not win, then why the hell did you challenge him? You do know that the loser almost always dies, right? If you just want Asami's money, then I'll tell you right now that there are much better ways to get rich."
"Do I honestly seem like the type of guy who would kill myself for a little money? I don't care about any of that crap. I just want to fight him. And if I end up dying because I'm too weak to win, then that's the price I pay."
Akihito stared at the other man, incredulous. Teruya had a slightly distant look on his face, as though he were pondering something. After a brief and heavy silence, Teruya asked, "Why were we given these powers? It's a question I've been asking myself for as long as I can remember. I'm sure at some point in your life, you've asked yourself the same thing."
Teruya's words rang brutally true. Akihito had lost count of how many times he had asked that question as a child. A wealth of painful memories began to rise unbidden from the recesses of Akihito's subconscious. Akihito ruthlessly caged them before they could be allowed to roam free.
Receiving no response, Teruya continued, "After fighting countless people, those with and without powers, I realized that our abilities don't make us strong. We have these abilities because we are strong. The idiots who hide their powers and try to fit in with 'normal' society have it all wrong. We're meant to be better than normal. We're meant to fight stronger and stronger opponents, to test ourselves to our limits." He punched his fist to his palm, his face taking on a more savage expression. "The way I see it, I've finally made it to the championship game. There's no way anything could make me back down now."
Teruya radiated confidence, so much so that Akihito couldn't help but wish that he were as confident in his own potential. Aware now that Teruya really was as straightforward as he claimed, Akihito finally dropped his guard, letting his arms fall to his sides. "As persuasive as that little speech was, I still can't say that I agree with your way of thinking."
Teruya flashed a small smile. "I figured as much. From the looks of things, your answer to why you were given your powers is very different from mine." His face took on a more serious look as he added, "And I'd be willing to bet that the Blood King has come to a completely different conclusion from either of us."
Teruya pushed himself up to his feet and stretched his arms. "In any case, I've changed my mind. Regardless of the outcome of the fight, you are definitely a man worthy of keeping alive."
"If I were you, I would worry about my own survival first."
Teruya chuckled. "Whatever, man." He paused, as though remembering something. "One last thing before I go. You should really think about widening your horizons, especially if Asami Ryuichi remains King. Someone like you shouldn't stay under another man's thumb your whole life."
Akihito sent him a perplexed look, which Teruya responded to with a grin. "I guess I should let you clean up these fires before someone reports you for arson. It was nice meeting you, Firebrand." And a second later, he was gone.
---------------------------------
Akihito had requested that they meet someplace different from their usual haunt. Feilong received a text from him earlier in the day explaining that he had a morning meeting with another contact just a few miles away from Feilong's apartment in Ikebukuro. He then suggested that the two of them just meet up at the place the contact was staying in. The address Akihito sent Feilong led him to a high-class hotel, one that was primarily occupied by wealthy tourists. A distinct sense of dread blossomed in Feilong's chest immediately upon entering the establishment, a feeling which only worsened when two hotel bodyguards addressed him as "Feilong-sama" and all but ordered him to follow their lead. They escorted him to a private suite on the top floor of the building. Before even entering the room, Feilong was well-aware that the man waiting for him inside was not Akihito.
The guards opened the door for him, then quickly retreated back to the hallway. Feilong felt a nostalgic tension engulf him as he stepped into the room. He approached the man who summoned him with the utmost caution. "I suppose I should have foreseen this. In retrospect, I did think it was a little strange for Akihito to text instead of call."
"I'm sure you did foresee the two of us eventually meeting like this. After all, you've made no effort to conceal your identity from me, Dragon King."
Feilong's eyes narrowed to slits. "I no longer answer to that name. If you expect for this to be a meeting between two Kings, Asami, then you will be sorely disappointed."
Asami smirked and gestured for the other man to sit in the armchair across from him. "On the contrary, I'm already rather pleased. I half-expected for you to still be the inept, neurotic wreck you were when we last met. You still recall that, don't you? About twenty months ago, in Hong Kong? Certainly you seem more sane now than you did back then."
Asami's taunt summoned unwelcome memories in Feilong's mind. His eyes flashed in anger. "Enough of this prattle. Why have you called me here?"
"You know why you're here. You have designs on my property." The two men shed all affectations of goodwill, leaving only naked hostility between them.
Feilong's laugh was sharp and humorless. "And exactly what 'designs' do you think I have?"
"You aim for my throne, perhaps, using the boy as a hostage?"
"You can't honestly believe that. And even if that were the case, you should know that I would not choose such a shameful and roundabout method."
"Who am I to presume to understand the mind of a madman?"
The insult did not anger Feilong. In fact, he seemed almost amused. "You accuse me of being mad? How the pot calls the kettle black. Even with your strong mental defenses, I can still sense how heavily the thought of your lover weighs on your mind. You've developed quite the fixation, haven't you?" Feilong smirked as he noticed a small twitch in Asami's brow. "Poor Akihito. Though I do admit, I can see why you're so taken by his charms. He's quite remarkable, your boy. He thinks he's something tiny when he's actually a giant."
The underlying venom in Asami's voice quelled somewhat, pride burning just beneath the surface of his strong gaze. "A fitting description. It seems you are still occasionally capable of making accurate judgments of character."
"I'm capable of much more than that, as you know. Akihito is quite the open book. With a little prying, it's surprisingly easy for me to peek at his deepest, most private thoughts, including the sizable depths of his passion. Considering how tightlipped he is with expressing his feelings, it would not be such a stretch to say that I know his love for you better than you ever will. Ironic, isn't it?"
The two men locked eyes, Feilong's gaze impudent and Asami's livid. Feilong could see that the other man was beginning to slowly unravel.
"You don't seem to understand the position you're in, Feilong, so allow me to remind you. I could kill you with a thought if I so desired. I've been extremely tolerant of you so far, likely to a fault."
"Are you certain you are truly in a position to be making such threats? In my eyes, you should be on your knees in gratitude. After all, I have graciously decided not to share all of what I know with Akihito."
Asami carefully considered Feilong's words, his face impassive. "What have you told him?"
"I've only given Akihito the information he's asked of me. Nothing else."
"How courteous of you. And you expect me to believe that you truly have no ulterior motives? That you're merely helping the boy out of some new-found sense of altruism?"
"I do. I bear no ill intentions towards Akihito. But I already know your possessiveness will deny you from seeing the truth in my words."
Asami leaned back into his armchair, as though attempting to widen their distance, as he scrutinized the other man. After a thoughtful pause, Asami asked, "If your intentions are as benign as you say, then why haven't you disclosed your true abilities to him?"
Feilong, now lounging comfortably in his own chair, easily retorted, "And if you are so certain of my guilt, then why haven't you?"
After the terse exchange, the two considered the other in cold silence, two prowling predators facing off in the dark. After an unbearably lengthy stretch of time, Feilong sighed, his aggravation apparent in his creased brow. "This is a waste of time. As you're well aware, there is another person who was expecting to meet me right now. You will not hold me hostage here and make me suffer through more of your groundless, petty accusations."
Feilong lifted himself to his feet. Just as he was about to turn to leave, Feilong felt something in his mind shatter. It was as if a tidal wave of sheer, crushing power had crashed into his mental defenses, almost obliterating them in one strike. Feilong managed to stabilize himself before being completely overpowered by the attack. He deposited all of his strength into what remained of his crippled defenses. The strain of it alone forced Feilong's legs to give. He fell to his hands and knees, inadvertently prostrating himself to the other man.
Asami looked down at the bowed figure with a mocking smile. "For you to try to turn your back on an opponent in the middle of a fight. Retirement must have made you careless."
Feilong tried to spit back an enraged response, only to find that he physically could not. He could not even move his jaw without tremendous effort. Feilong had made a grave miscalculation. The Asami of the present-day was strong, much stronger than he remembered.
"Listen carefully, Feilong." The tone of Asami's voice contained a darkness in it that chilled him to the bone. He felt suddenly thankful that he could not lift his head to see the other man's face. "Whether I trust you or not is ultimately irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that, regardless of your intentions, your powers pose a threat large enough to warrant even my alarm."
Asami tapped a finger on the leather arm of his seat, running through several options in his mind. Feilong remained frozen at his feet. "If I were to be perfectly logical in handling this situation," Asami thought aloud, "Then prudence dictates that I should just dispose of you. But my instinct tells me that dealing with the aftermath of such an action might be a bigger burden than I imagine. And there are other things to consider..."
As if on cue, a shrill ring echoed throughout the room. Asami's eyes narrowed once he realized the sound emanated from Feilong's pocket. The phone rung a second and third time before Asami, with a defeated sigh, released his hold over Feilong. Feilong almost collapsed onto the floor, his body suddenly feeling so weak that he was barely able to hold himself up. It were as though Asami had stolen his weight from him and had just now given it all back.
After regaining his shaky breath, he dared himself to glance up at Asami, who looked back at him expressionlessly. Making certain not to take his eyes off the other man, Feilong reached for his phone, answering it with the press of a button.
"Hey! Sorry I'm running so late," said a familiar voice, "I was practicing something new near my apartment and had some trouble putting out a couple fires."
"Akihito?"
Asami did not give the slightest reaction to hearing his lover's name. It were as though he anticipated it.
"Yeah, it's me. Oh, I forgot to mention, I'm calling from a payphone right now. I seemed to have misplaced my cell somewhere... maybe I left it at the station yesterday. Anyway, I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Sorry again!"
"It's alright. I'm actually running a bit late myself."
"Really? I guess we've both run into some unexpected trouble, huh?"
"Indeed," Feilong responded dryly, the dark humor of the situation lost on the boy. "I'll try to be there as soon as I can."
"Okay. See you soon!"
Asami stood up from his seat as soon as the call ended and made his way to the door. Resting his hand on the doorknob, he half-turned to address Feilong one last time. "Think very carefully on what you choose to do from here onwards. And know that if you cross me, I will break you in an instant." The door opened soundlessly, then closed with a click.
Feeling the stress mercifully leave his body, Feilong flopped onto the nearest couch with an uncharacteristic inelegance and allowed himself a moment's rest. Reflecting upon it now, he was genuinely surprised to have escaped the meeting shaken, but unscathed. Perhaps the man really had changed.
Deciding to take Asami's advice, he stared at the ceiling as he pondered what he owed Akihito and what he needed to do next.
---------------------------------
Akihito glanced at the clock on the wall for the third time in the past five minutes. He had been waiting at the cafe for the past twenty minutes now, after he himself arrived thirty minutes late, and there was still no sign of Feilong. Though Akihito reasoned he was probably worrying needlessly, his gut still told him that something was wrong. Feilong was never late. Even if he walked from Ikebukuro, it would only take about half an hour. Just as Akihito was about to jump up and ask the staff if he could use a telephone, he spotted Feilong walking towards the shop from a distance. The uneasiness in his chest abated.
"Feilong! I was just about to call you again. Did something bad happen? Are you okay? Do you want to just reschedule this meeting?"
Feilong smiled as the younger man assaulted him with questions. He took the seat across from him, wincing as the movement caused an unexpected pain to shoot through his limbs. "I'm fine, Akihito. A meeting with a client dragged on far longer than I had anticipated. I apologize."
"Oh. It's okay. I understand." Akihito smiled, though the unsettled feeling from earlier creeped back into the pit of his stomach. Though Feilong did not appear to have been harmed, he look rattled, his usual air of quiet poise seeming somehow diminished. Akihito quickly noted that, for whatever reason, Feilong was avoiding looking him in the eye.
"I see you placed my order for me." Feilong gestured to the cup of white tea on the table in front of him.
"Ah, yeah, I noticed that you always order the same thing, so I just went ahead and ordered for you. It might be kinda cold by now, though."
Akihito's eyes narrowed as he watched Feilong lift the cup to his lips with a slightly trembling hand. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I promise you that I'm alright." Feilong sent him a reassuring smile, this time looking directly into his eyes, setting Akihito's heart a little more at ease.
"I must apologize again," Feilong continued, "As I was unable to procure much information on your killer. It is possible that he has ceased all activities, at least for the time being."
"Ceased all activities? Is he scared because I almost caught him last time?"
"That's a possibility. It's also possible that his fifth victim was his last, for whatever reason."
Akihito sighed and crossed his arms, lost in thought. "...Well, at least he isn't killing anymore people. Though I obviously don't want him to slip through our fingers either."
"I'm sorry again that I was not able to find out more."
"Don't apologize! You've already done so much for me. If it weren't for you, I would've been forced to spend these past few weeks sitting around doing nothing."
Feilong smiled in reply, though to Akihito, it appeared forced. Feilong was avoiding his eyes again. He gave off the impression that he had been sheltering some unseen burden all along that was only now threatening to overwhelm him.
When Akihito opened his mouth to ask one more time if the other man was really okay, he was interrupted by the sound of ceramic hitting wood, followed by a splash of liquid. Feilong had just picked up his cup of tea only to drop it before it reached his mouth. The two men simply stared at the fallen cup, Feilong's shaky hand still outstretched in front of him. A waiter quickly came to their table to clean up the mess.
Finally, Feilong retracted his hand. "As you can see, I've been feeling rather weak today. Perhaps I should take a long rest after this meeting."
Akihito frowned, a growing suspicion clouding his mind. Deciding he would rather risk offending Feilong than have the truth kept from him, Akihito gathered his courage and asked, "Feilong. This is a weird request, but could I please see your arm?"
Feilong seemed alarmed by his question. But, with a grim expression, he eventually acquiesced. Gently holding Feilong's wrist in one hand, Akihito used his other to push back the long sleeve covering Feilong's arm. Both eyes widened at what they saw.
Several bruises dotted the length of Feilong's arm. Checking his other arm, both saw that it too was in a similar condition.
"I did not notice these until now," Feilong said with a grimace. "The bruising must have become visible only recently." He gave Akihito a pointed look. "I suppose I have no excuse to continue hiding this from you. You seem to recognize these symptoms from personal experience, yes?"
Akihito slowly nodded, eyes wide. "The shakiness, the bruising from muscle tears. The harder you resist, the more you hurt yourself." Akihito stared straight into the other man's eyes. "The person you met with earlier was..."
Everything suddenly clicked in Akihito's mind. Asami's unexpected visit the night before. His missing cellphone. Akihito clenched his fist. Without another word, he turned towards the door, a hard look in his eyes.
"Akihito, wait!" Feilong lunged forward and grabbed his arm. "I am not entirely blameless. In some ways, I deserved this. I haven't been entirely honest with you."
Akihito turned his head to look back at Feilong, whose eyes were now etched with remorse. "The person I am now, the person you see before you, is not who I was in the past. You see... the truth is-"
Feilong jerked as he felt a hand cover his. He looked up and was met with a gentle smile.
"If you've lied to me, then you definitely owe me a confession. But you don't have to tell me right this instant. I trust you."
Feilong frowned. "But-"
"The fact that you still decided to meet with me, after Asami tricked you and hurt you, is proof enough for me. That you're offering to tell the truth now only convinces me more. Whatever mistakes or crimes you might be guilty of, you can't be all that bad."
Feilong stared in astonishment, mouth slightly agape. Akihito's eyes hardened once again as his thoughts shifted to another man. "And no matter how justified Asami thinks his actions are, that doesn't excuse the fact that he lied to me, stole my phone, met with you behind my back, and used his powers on you. There's no way a loudmouth like me would be able to take that in silence."
Gently prying his arm out of Feilong's grasp, Akihito again headed towards the door. He threw one last look at Feilong over his shoulder. "Sorry to cut the meeting short, but I've got a cellphone to steal back. I'll be in touch." With a smile still gracing his lips, he stepped out.
Feilong stared at the younger man's back as he exited, breaking into a small smile of his own. He shook his head. Truly, the Blood King and him had both been blessed with good company.