(no subject)
Second half and alternate ending! Again, concrit and suggestions greatly appreciated. Also unadulterated praise.
Megumi came in and slumped at a table, pulling off his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose. Eyes bruised from exhausation, he looked gaunter and paler than any time Hanekoma had seen him. There was a seed of madness growing in him. As they spoke, Hanekoma reached for it and tried to pull it out, pumping good thoughts and energy into the man. Megumi smiled and withdrew, standing to leave.
“Oh, c’mon, stay for a cup of tea. You could use it.” And it might very well be the last time they saw each other. How could he let it be so short?
Sliding his glasses back on, already more distant than Hanekoma could bear, Megumi shook his head. “I would love to, but I can’t. I have to prepare.” He took Hanekoma’s hand and kissed it, lips dry and cracked. “Goodbye.” It had all the weight of a lament.
“Goodbye.” It took every bit of willpower he had to stand there and watch Megumi leave, already broken by the task, and not say anything. God be willing, he would be able to end this before his mind slipped any further away.
He didn’t even notice the way Sho pretended not to watch.
~~~
The day before it was to begin, Joshua came in. He glanced at Sho, the only other person in there, sitting at a table in the corner with his head bent over a book and a drink cooling next to his hand. He was wearing nothing like his usual--highly recognizable--coat and hat, and his hair and eyes were brown in the Realground. Still, Hanekoma experienced a moment of nervous terror, that somehow the locks hadn’t been enough, that he’d underestimated Josh, that somehow he would be found out.
Joshua looked away, satisfied that the other patron wasn’t important, and headed right up to the counter. “Sanae.”
“Hey, J-Man.” Hanekoma offered an easy smile and started preparing a drink, unprompted. “What brings you here?”
“Oh, you know. I just wanted to visit. Chat a little.” He leaned his elbows on the counter, watching Hanekoma prepare his drink. “How have you been?”
Beneath the smile, he was screaming. “Good. You?”
A brief pause was the only indication that anything might be wrong, or would have been if Hanekoma hadn’t already known. Hadn’t already felt the terrible weight of her Composer’s choice echoing in Shibuya’s music. “I’m alright.”
As far as Sho could tell, this was just another customer he was friendly with. Most of his patrons were friends and most of them existed on more than just one plane, so he had to set Joshua apart. But how? He’d been sure it would come to him, and, after a moment, it did. He froze the smile into place even tighter, wrapping barbed wire around his innermost thoughts.
“Good to hear. One cinnamon mocha, extra whipped cream. You know, because I’m sweet.”
He slid the drink across the counter, and Joshua reached to pull out his wallet. Chuckling, Hanekoma waved him off and leaned in to kiss him. It was supposed to be light, a peck on the cheek, but their lips met and he couldn’t bear to pull away. Hand flattened against the back of the boy’s skull, fingers tangled in his soft hair, all he could think was, This is precious to me and then He’ll kill everything I love and, finally, God, he’s still just a boy. Always he would be, just a boy thrust into a man’s role and forced to grow up beyond his years before he knew how, barely keeping afloat and too proud to admit it.
Once he pulled away, the pity was gone. He was the betrayer. He was killing with his kiss, sacrificing Heaven’s son to save humankind. He was damned beyond all redemption, pulling the light down to hell with him. He could only hope it would be worth it.
The conversation was strange after that, both of them withdrawn, and it had the feeling of a last meeting. Just like with Megumi, reminding him again of that fresh grief and adding to it. How many more living men would he have to mourn before this was over?
Sho watched Joshua leave, and Hanekoma took at least that cold comfort, knowing that he’d accomplished his goal.
~~~~
Sho left to follow the Composer, a gun in his hand and a grin on his face. Hanekoma kissed him and watched him leave, wondering wearily how many more times he’d have to play Judas before this was done.
Alternate ending. Which is better?
Once he pulled away, the pity was gone. He was the trusted confidante turned betrayer. He was Judas killing with a kiss, sacrificing Heaven’s son to save humanity’s soul. He was damned beyond all redemption and pulling the light down to hell with him, and he could only hope that it would be worth it.
Sho watched Joshua leave, and Hanekoma took at least that cold comfort, knowing that he’d accomplished his goal.
~~~~
Sho left to follow the Composer the next morning, a gun in his hand and a grin splitting his face. Hanekoma kissed him and then watched him leave, wondering wearily how much more blood would have to stain his hands before this was done.
Megumi came in and slumped at a table, pulling off his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose. Eyes bruised from exhausation, he looked gaunter and paler than any time Hanekoma had seen him. There was a seed of madness growing in him. As they spoke, Hanekoma reached for it and tried to pull it out, pumping good thoughts and energy into the man. Megumi smiled and withdrew, standing to leave.
“Oh, c’mon, stay for a cup of tea. You could use it.” And it might very well be the last time they saw each other. How could he let it be so short?
Sliding his glasses back on, already more distant than Hanekoma could bear, Megumi shook his head. “I would love to, but I can’t. I have to prepare.” He took Hanekoma’s hand and kissed it, lips dry and cracked. “Goodbye.” It had all the weight of a lament.
“Goodbye.” It took every bit of willpower he had to stand there and watch Megumi leave, already broken by the task, and not say anything. God be willing, he would be able to end this before his mind slipped any further away.
He didn’t even notice the way Sho pretended not to watch.
~~~
The day before it was to begin, Joshua came in. He glanced at Sho, the only other person in there, sitting at a table in the corner with his head bent over a book and a drink cooling next to his hand. He was wearing nothing like his usual--highly recognizable--coat and hat, and his hair and eyes were brown in the Realground. Still, Hanekoma experienced a moment of nervous terror, that somehow the locks hadn’t been enough, that he’d underestimated Josh, that somehow he would be found out.
Joshua looked away, satisfied that the other patron wasn’t important, and headed right up to the counter. “Sanae.”
“Hey, J-Man.” Hanekoma offered an easy smile and started preparing a drink, unprompted. “What brings you here?”
“Oh, you know. I just wanted to visit. Chat a little.” He leaned his elbows on the counter, watching Hanekoma prepare his drink. “How have you been?”
Beneath the smile, he was screaming. “Good. You?”
A brief pause was the only indication that anything might be wrong, or would have been if Hanekoma hadn’t already known. Hadn’t already felt the terrible weight of her Composer’s choice echoing in Shibuya’s music. “I’m alright.”
As far as Sho could tell, this was just another customer he was friendly with. Most of his patrons were friends and most of them existed on more than just one plane, so he had to set Joshua apart. But how? He’d been sure it would come to him, and, after a moment, it did. He froze the smile into place even tighter, wrapping barbed wire around his innermost thoughts.
“Good to hear. One cinnamon mocha, extra whipped cream. You know, because I’m sweet.”
He slid the drink across the counter, and Joshua reached to pull out his wallet. Chuckling, Hanekoma waved him off and leaned in to kiss him. It was supposed to be light, a peck on the cheek, but their lips met and he couldn’t bear to pull away. Hand flattened against the back of the boy’s skull, fingers tangled in his soft hair, all he could think was, This is precious to me and then He’ll kill everything I love and, finally, God, he’s still just a boy. Always he would be, just a boy thrust into a man’s role and forced to grow up beyond his years before he knew how, barely keeping afloat and too proud to admit it.
Once he pulled away, the pity was gone. He was the betrayer. He was killing with his kiss, sacrificing Heaven’s son to save humankind. He was damned beyond all redemption, pulling the light down to hell with him. He could only hope it would be worth it.
The conversation was strange after that, both of them withdrawn, and it had the feeling of a last meeting. Just like with Megumi, reminding him again of that fresh grief and adding to it. How many more living men would he have to mourn before this was over?
Sho watched Joshua leave, and Hanekoma took at least that cold comfort, knowing that he’d accomplished his goal.
~~~~
Sho left to follow the Composer, a gun in his hand and a grin on his face. Hanekoma kissed him and watched him leave, wondering wearily how many more times he’d have to play Judas before this was done.
Alternate ending. Which is better?
Once he pulled away, the pity was gone. He was the trusted confidante turned betrayer. He was Judas killing with a kiss, sacrificing Heaven’s son to save humanity’s soul. He was damned beyond all redemption and pulling the light down to hell with him, and he could only hope that it would be worth it.
Sho watched Joshua leave, and Hanekoma took at least that cold comfort, knowing that he’d accomplished his goal.
~~~~
Sho left to follow the Composer the next morning, a gun in his hand and a grin splitting his face. Hanekoma kissed him and then watched him leave, wondering wearily how much more blood would have to stain his hands before this was done.