Forbidden Fruit [Prologue]
Forbidden Fruit
Prologue [Part 1/3]
Ruki/Reita
Rated R
The city; dark, crowded, mechanical, toxic.
Akira moves to the city after the death of his father. What he finds is something forbidden, something he cannot resist.
[note: as of right now it is unedited. so please forgive any mistakes. and yes, the title is lame. but it's all my mind could come up with. =/]
-
The city; dark, crowded, mechanical, toxic. Akira hated it. He missed his home. He wanted so badly to return to his small town on the shore, to taste the sea and smell the salt in the air. Everything seemed so impersonal now. Back home, everyone knew everyone. Here, Akira was lost in a sea of strangers. No neighborly kindness or warmth in their expressions; no, they only emitted coldness, intimidating Akira to the point where he didn’t even want to make an attempt at communication.
Despite what he felt, he had no choice but to stay. His father had passed away, leaving behind his gambling debt. Akira’s only option had been to sell his home to pay it off and move to the city to find work. He was left with near nothing, only his clothes and enough money for a temporary room in a hotel. It had only been a day since he had checked in and he was already miserable. When he arrived, he handed over his cash, not bothering to state how long he would be staying. The clerk had told him there was enough money for one week. That gave Akira less than a week to find a job.
He lugged his things up the stairs to the small musty room and began unpacking. There wasn't much, so it didn't take long before he was settled in. Well, as settled as he could get. The room was small, making him feel slightly claustrophobic. The bed in the center of the room wasn’t very big, but it took up most of the space. There was a dresser with a lamp near the window that was blacked out with dirt and dust. Akira tried to wipe some off, to let even a small amount of light through, but the grunge was caked on. He would have to get some cleaner once he had more money.
The boy collapsed on the bed, sending a cloud of dust dancing in the air around him. He coughed and sat back up, pulling the blankets from the mattress, tossing them to the side.
“It’s only temporary,” he told himself.
After standing there for a moment, staring at the blank walls before him, he decided to get out of the room. It was early evening; too late to look for work, but he could at least explore. The streets were crowded with people returning home from a day at work, hurrying past others, ignoring their surroundings. Akira tried to avoid them, but managed to bump into a few, receiving dirty looks in return. He ducked into an alley and let out a heavy sigh.
“This is too much,” he said under his breath.
He walked for a bit longer, staying off of the main streets, navigating the alley ways. There was a good chance he would end up lost, but he had always been told he was good at finding his way home. When he was a child, his father had taken him to the city to run errands. Well, they weren’t technically errands. More like haggling with his loan sharks, begging for another extension. Akira had wandered off, chasing after a stray cat. It wasn’t until night fall that Akira had realized he was lost. The boy wasn’t frightened though. He was used to being alone. His father had never paid much attention to him. Well, not since his mother died. The man spent most of his time here, in the city, drinking and gambling. It was rare that Akira actually saw him at home, and when he did, the man was passed out.
Young Akira took a deep breath and started on his way home. He figured there was no sense in looking for his father. Who knew where he could be by now. No, it was best just to go home. He navigated his way to the main streets and from there walked back to his small town. It wasn’t too far from the city, only an hour’s walk or so. He made it home without too much trouble, only having to stop once to re-evaluate his location. This was a normal occurrence, having to return home on his own. His father would take him places, trying to spend ‘quality time’, but would always end up getting separated from the boy.
When Akira looked back on his relationship with his father, he could only laugh. He may not have been the best, or even the smartest, but he hadn’t abandoned Akira. There was always food in the house and the bills were, for the most part, paid. The only reason he was in debt was because he was paying the bills. The man’s logic was off, but Akira was grateful none the less. He knew that his father had taken care of him the only way he knew how.
“I miss you old man,” he said into the wind.
Akira had walked onto a crowded street and went to turn back, but something caught his eye; made him stop in his tracks. There was an ethereal figure leaning against one of the buildings. Akira would have sworn it was a woman, but when the being spoke, a deep, almost husky voice emitted from his elegant frame. It seemed almost wrong, not at all fitting to how he looked. Porcelain skin, hair that was almost white, dark eyes accented with carefully applied make up; his small body swallowed in a robe of scarlet silk, adorned with golden cranes stitched into the fabric.
Akira didn’t move, only stared, completely fascinated. The stranger looked at him and his heart started pounding. He looked away, but his eyes were only drawn back seconds later. The boy was smirking at him, sending him a heated look. Akira blushed, not sure what to do. His hand went up in an awkward wave and he gave a crooked smile, knowing he probably looked like an idiot. His greeting was met with a laugh that chimed out like bells. A small hand raised, gesturing to Akira to go to him. He did.
“You look lost little boy,” said the unfitting voice, a playful expression lining the boy’s features.
“I… I’m not. I was just exploring a little and I ended up here.”
“Do you know where ‘here’ is?”
“Not really,” Akira replied with a nervous chuckle.
“Then I will tell you this. It is not a place for lost little boys just wandering around. Men come here with a purpose. They’re like animals on the hunt. If you get in the way of that, they will rip you to shreds.”
Akira finally took a moment to look around him and he realized that he was surrounded by middle aged men. There was something different about them though. It was then that Akira realized they were Yakuza. His father had warned him about them once, just before he died. ‘Trouble,’ he had said. ‘They kill without a second thought. And they don’t do it quickly either. Don’t ever get mixed up with them, boy.’ Akira swallowed, his palms now beaded with sweat.
“I-I guess I should be going then.”
“Yes, you probably should. Do me a favor though.” The shorter male pulled Akira down by his shoulders and leaned in, breathing into his ear for a moment. “Don’t go exploring again. This city is a jungle and it will eat you up.”
Prologue [Part 1/3]
Ruki/Reita
Rated R
The city; dark, crowded, mechanical, toxic.
Akira moves to the city after the death of his father. What he finds is something forbidden, something he cannot resist.
[note: as of right now it is unedited. so please forgive any mistakes. and yes, the title is lame. but it's all my mind could come up with. =/]
-
The city; dark, crowded, mechanical, toxic. Akira hated it. He missed his home. He wanted so badly to return to his small town on the shore, to taste the sea and smell the salt in the air. Everything seemed so impersonal now. Back home, everyone knew everyone. Here, Akira was lost in a sea of strangers. No neighborly kindness or warmth in their expressions; no, they only emitted coldness, intimidating Akira to the point where he didn’t even want to make an attempt at communication.
Despite what he felt, he had no choice but to stay. His father had passed away, leaving behind his gambling debt. Akira’s only option had been to sell his home to pay it off and move to the city to find work. He was left with near nothing, only his clothes and enough money for a temporary room in a hotel. It had only been a day since he had checked in and he was already miserable. When he arrived, he handed over his cash, not bothering to state how long he would be staying. The clerk had told him there was enough money for one week. That gave Akira less than a week to find a job.
He lugged his things up the stairs to the small musty room and began unpacking. There wasn't much, so it didn't take long before he was settled in. Well, as settled as he could get. The room was small, making him feel slightly claustrophobic. The bed in the center of the room wasn’t very big, but it took up most of the space. There was a dresser with a lamp near the window that was blacked out with dirt and dust. Akira tried to wipe some off, to let even a small amount of light through, but the grunge was caked on. He would have to get some cleaner once he had more money.
The boy collapsed on the bed, sending a cloud of dust dancing in the air around him. He coughed and sat back up, pulling the blankets from the mattress, tossing them to the side.
“It’s only temporary,” he told himself.
After standing there for a moment, staring at the blank walls before him, he decided to get out of the room. It was early evening; too late to look for work, but he could at least explore. The streets were crowded with people returning home from a day at work, hurrying past others, ignoring their surroundings. Akira tried to avoid them, but managed to bump into a few, receiving dirty looks in return. He ducked into an alley and let out a heavy sigh.
“This is too much,” he said under his breath.
He walked for a bit longer, staying off of the main streets, navigating the alley ways. There was a good chance he would end up lost, but he had always been told he was good at finding his way home. When he was a child, his father had taken him to the city to run errands. Well, they weren’t technically errands. More like haggling with his loan sharks, begging for another extension. Akira had wandered off, chasing after a stray cat. It wasn’t until night fall that Akira had realized he was lost. The boy wasn’t frightened though. He was used to being alone. His father had never paid much attention to him. Well, not since his mother died. The man spent most of his time here, in the city, drinking and gambling. It was rare that Akira actually saw him at home, and when he did, the man was passed out.
Young Akira took a deep breath and started on his way home. He figured there was no sense in looking for his father. Who knew where he could be by now. No, it was best just to go home. He navigated his way to the main streets and from there walked back to his small town. It wasn’t too far from the city, only an hour’s walk or so. He made it home without too much trouble, only having to stop once to re-evaluate his location. This was a normal occurrence, having to return home on his own. His father would take him places, trying to spend ‘quality time’, but would always end up getting separated from the boy.
When Akira looked back on his relationship with his father, he could only laugh. He may not have been the best, or even the smartest, but he hadn’t abandoned Akira. There was always food in the house and the bills were, for the most part, paid. The only reason he was in debt was because he was paying the bills. The man’s logic was off, but Akira was grateful none the less. He knew that his father had taken care of him the only way he knew how.
“I miss you old man,” he said into the wind.
Akira had walked onto a crowded street and went to turn back, but something caught his eye; made him stop in his tracks. There was an ethereal figure leaning against one of the buildings. Akira would have sworn it was a woman, but when the being spoke, a deep, almost husky voice emitted from his elegant frame. It seemed almost wrong, not at all fitting to how he looked. Porcelain skin, hair that was almost white, dark eyes accented with carefully applied make up; his small body swallowed in a robe of scarlet silk, adorned with golden cranes stitched into the fabric.
Akira didn’t move, only stared, completely fascinated. The stranger looked at him and his heart started pounding. He looked away, but his eyes were only drawn back seconds later. The boy was smirking at him, sending him a heated look. Akira blushed, not sure what to do. His hand went up in an awkward wave and he gave a crooked smile, knowing he probably looked like an idiot. His greeting was met with a laugh that chimed out like bells. A small hand raised, gesturing to Akira to go to him. He did.
“You look lost little boy,” said the unfitting voice, a playful expression lining the boy’s features.
“I… I’m not. I was just exploring a little and I ended up here.”
“Do you know where ‘here’ is?”
“Not really,” Akira replied with a nervous chuckle.
“Then I will tell you this. It is not a place for lost little boys just wandering around. Men come here with a purpose. They’re like animals on the hunt. If you get in the way of that, they will rip you to shreds.”
Akira finally took a moment to look around him and he realized that he was surrounded by middle aged men. There was something different about them though. It was then that Akira realized they were Yakuza. His father had warned him about them once, just before he died. ‘Trouble,’ he had said. ‘They kill without a second thought. And they don’t do it quickly either. Don’t ever get mixed up with them, boy.’ Akira swallowed, his palms now beaded with sweat.
“I-I guess I should be going then.”
“Yes, you probably should. Do me a favor though.” The shorter male pulled Akira down by his shoulders and leaned in, breathing into his ear for a moment. “Don’t go exploring again. This city is a jungle and it will eat you up.”