(no subject)
Title: The Color of the Ajisai
Chapter: 10/12
Author: the-riot-star and theblackmoral
Genre: Violence, romance, AU~
Ratings: R/NC-17
Pairings/Characters: Aoi x Ruki ( Aoi and Ruki POV )
Synopsis: Ruki's the son of a geisha who was offered to be a geisha too, since he and his mother had no place to go. He grows up in a world of beauties, but slowly this world started to be ruined by the imminent war, in the Meiji Era. But Fate makes him to meet a soldier, named Aoi...and both of them discovers how a flower can blossom in the middle of the ashes...
Comments: Well ^^ This is originally a rp log, that's the reason for being quite detailed ^^<333 I really hope that you enjoy ^^<333333333333
Chapter I: The War
Chapter II: The Blooming Flower
Chapter III: The Flowing Lake
Chapter IV: Further and further...crossing the sea
Chapter V: Tea Ceremony
Chapter VI : Under the bridge, above the sky
Chapter VII: Duty and Ashes
Chapter VIII: The love beyond the death
Chapter IX: The Most Beautiful Jewel
The time passed rather fastly during that morning. Ruki didn't dare walking next to his danna, staying with Toshio all the time and going to the town, cleaning the house, cooking...everything. Since he got on that house, the boy became really like a little brother to him, and Ruki also became an older brother to Toshio, if you didn't know them, you could even say that they were blood brothers, always laughing and walking together. Just like they were doing now. Ruki went out with the boy to the town, buy a few things and food and both came back after a while, walking to the main hall of the house, facing the open door of Yamamoto's office, but the boys didn't notice that Aoi and the danna were still there.
-"It's not my fault you can't rush!!"
Toshio said laughing, taking his zori off, sititng on the floor and Ruki was right by his side, laughing as well.
- "I DO CAN rush, but it's kinda complicated when you're carrying FOUR heavy bags with your zori broken!"
The geisha laughed, fixing the plaids of his hakama once they stood up and smilled at the two man in the room.
-"Oh...sumimasen.." - He said, bowing for them two - "Now come on, we have things to do!"
Ruki said softly, grabbing the bags and a laughing Toshio to the kitchen. Heh...I wonder why I'm in...such a good mood today...
That Yamamoto looked really interested in the story of how Aoi kept alive. Aoi always answering him like he was giving an official report...always saying that was just luck and that his will was because everybody has a personal reason. A reason that, of course, Aoi didn't tell what was it and the man forgot about to ask again, when Aoi suddenly changed the subject. He didn't smile while he talked, not only 'cause the things were still too fresh on his mind, but 'cause he wasn't wanting too much to talk with that man. But one thing he didn't stop of thinking...how could he pay more than that man for being Ruki's new danna? He could have to make the best offer in the world...to buy the most precious jewel of the island. A price that Aoi didn't bother to pay...but they were talking about...millions.
-"General, are you okay???"
The man asks and Aoi blinks, looking at him
-"Sorry, I was thinking about what you asked..."- what did he asked? Oh yeah...-"I crossed the city's limit at the--"- and they were suddnely interrupted by the sound of that laughter and Ruki and Toshio walking in...
Aoi turns his face behind to see Ruki and smiles when see him in such a good mood, without be able to fake that he wasn't happy because of that... and following Ruki with eyes when he leaves, he looks at the man again, hiding his smile at the same time that his eyes found that face, without to know if he noticed or no, but thinking that that man was also too occupied enchanted by that geisha's charm.
Meanwhile, Ruki and Toshio keep laughing and playing with each other, almost like two children happy on a playground, And Yamamoto...well, Yamamoto was really interested in what Aoi had to tell to him. The more Aoi told him things, the more the man got excited. Oh dear, what a thing! He'd come back...with Aoi..and then...get a promotion! And avoid that other man, Yoshikawa, to get the place. He didn't like that boy much anyway, so it'd just be better if he got out. But now now...let's think about other things, the general had to heal completely, then they could go. Haha yes...yes, maybe if he ask, the general would accep--
-"NOO!! LET GO OFF ME!!!"
- "Give this damn thing back to me, Toshio!! I need to finish the meal!!!"
- "NOOO!! LET GO OFF ME, RUKII!!"
- "What do you want this spoon for anyway?? I won't satisfy your sexual fantasies!!"
And at this, both of the boys started laughing madly, Ruki getting advantage of this and grabbed the spoon again, rushing back to the kitchen with a laughing Toshio running crazily after him.
- "I HATE YOU, RUKI!! YOU'LL PAY ME FOR THIS!!"
The boy yelled laughing, going to the kitchen and hugging Ruki as if he truly was the geisha's younger brother.
- "Hahaha I'm sorry about this, General..I just thought that keeping Ruki as a maiden here, with certain limitations wouldn't be good, so I just let him be, walking without his make up and other stuffs, I thougth he wouldn't want it, but looks like he ended loving the idea! And Toshio got along pretty well with him, so we're all happy here!"
The man laughed and looked at Aoi, quickly comming back to the subject. And so the minutes passed by. And soon the meal was on the main table at the dinning room, with everybody eating happily. Ruki dividing his attention between looking dreamy at Aoi and playing with Toshio, just answering to his danna's sayings and questions as if he was paying attention - something that he OBVIOUSLY wasn't but looked like his danna didn't notice this detail.
As soon as the lunch time came, also came the dinnerm one, again with everybody talking and eating happily on the table, until it got late and all of the went to their rooms.
-"Go to bed, Toshio, is late"
Ruki said, taking the things out of the table. There were no more the workers of the house on the table nor Ruki's danna - this one going to his room to work. There were just him, taking everything out of the table, a sleeping Toshio and the general. "Hmm nooo..." "Toshio, don't be stubborn, come on.." Ruki laughed softly, smacking the boy's head, who quickly stood up, walking lazily to his room, yawining and mumbling.
-"Hmm you're so mean, Ruki, I hope that someday something happen and you--"
The boy's voice faded away as he got into his and Ruki's bedroom. There. Finally...they were alone again.
Aoi got so glad when the lunch time came...and so the dinner. He couldn't handle anymore all that man's conversation. To be honest, Aoi didn't know how he got the general post. He hated not only the fact of the battle, but also all the conversations...those polite things, amazing stories, to tell the others what you did and everybody thinking you're a hero. And with Yamamoto wasn't different. The man wanted to know everything and talked about one time that he went to the battle, at his first and last experience as a soldier. 'Business makes more my kind', he said. For sure that makes, Yamamoto was the typical aristrocat case, that never fought for anything he wants. Maybe 'cause he wants nothing...and everything at the same time. But Aoi didn't want to find out.
When the dinner came, all that warm and good meal that Aoi also dreamt for so long it was on his front. Prepared by his beautiful jewel, that was also sat on there in front of him...and Ruki's danna was so busy of talking about his business, that he didn't notice all the glances that Aoi was giving at Ruki. Those soft smiles...just being glad that his love was there. That feeling of disbelief that he was feeling since he woke up...but also that so good feeling...that amazing one. When the dinner finishes and everything goes to their place, being only Aoi and Ruki on the kitchen, Aoi looks around seeing that nobody is seeing or coming, he approaches lightly of his love...their bodies being pretty close of eachother's, and smiling, he takes Ruki's face with one hand, stroking his cheeks lightly with the back of his hand and leaning down, hekisses Ruki's lips. Quick, but deeply...he wouldn't dare to do anything with Yamamoto so close of them...and pulling away, opening eyes to see Ruki's face again, he says in a soft voice...
-"In every day, I dreamt so long of seeing your face again...that's the only reason...why I'm alive..."
-"I'm glad...and honoured for that, then, Yuu..."
Ruki said with a really wide happy smile, and pulling Aoi to the kitchen, Ruki held the other man's face, putting both again..finally...in a deep passionate kiss. A quick one, but still, a strong one. Strong enough to show how much Ruki missed him. To show him how much Ruki didn't stop thinking about Aoi for that whole month. It was just...so good...to have Aoi there, Ruki couldn't act nor pretend that it was nothing. And specially, he couldn't not DO anything, as if it wasn't important nor special. Because it was. It was...his life...his soldier. His soldier that Ruki was glad to have there. But he also knew they couldn't go that further.
-"It's better...if you go to rest now...we talk better...by the morning, ne?"
Ruki said still smilling, placing another soft kiss and running happily to his bedroom, changing clothes and covering a shivering Toshio, heading to his danna's dorm. Oh yes, he had to sleep there some nights, and this was one of them.
But right after the man slept, when all the nights were down and even Aoi was sleeping - or so Ruki thought - the young geisha stood up, sneaking to his own room and grabbing his long white haori made of the most pure silk and putted it on. Anyone who looked at him would say. An angel. An angel dressed with a white silk yukata and haori. Ruki also got two big white fans and went back to the corridor. Opening the door, he smilled as he saw the snow falling and putted his geta on, sneaking to the garden and taking his getas off, Ruki opened the fans, starting to dance at the pace of a song. A song that wasn't on his mind only, but someone was also playing it, in the tea house next to theirs. A japanese angel dancing...all white...like the snow. Flowing...flying...like a white butterfly. Hai...shiroi chou no ageru.
When Aoi saw Ruki running through the corridor, he felt like something was beginning again. Something big was really starting. 'We talk better at the morning'...Aoi just smiled widely as he saw Ruki leaving with that promise of tomorrow. Knowing that next day he'll wake up and Ruki'll still there...living there...sharing the same roof, their secret kept between the same walls...hiding kisses and glances...at least...until Aoi have to come back to the quarter. Ruki's danna insisted to Aoi to stay...and he wasn't so hurry to go back, actually. He knew that in that same afternoon, all the town stopped "General Shiroyama is alive!!", "It's a miracle!!", "Now the hero will come back to his post!"...nothing that mattered to him, but it could be good if the payment increase...more chances for Aoi to surpass Yamamoto's offer and takes Ruki...so they could live together, only the both of them...
Walking back to his room, Aoi changed clothes again, wearing a deep black yukata, all made of satin...shining like the moon in a dark night. He lays down on his futon, closing his eyes and falling into a light sleep. But he wakes up, feeling a sudden cold. Oh...it was snowing...Aoi left the window opened and together with the snow, came a song from outside...feeling a bit of pain on his back when he sits down, Aoi walks to the window, to close it, but what he finds when he looks...it was more than enough to make him freeze, more than the trees outside. It was an angel with wings spread...flying... spreading miracles in the world. His angel named Ruki...dressed all in white in the middle of the snow...dancing...like he was the own God or his best creation. His most beautiful one.
And Aoi kept there...looking...without even to wink. And realizing that everybody was sleeping...he walks out his room, walking silently through the corridors and going outside, to the garden...and from there, right behind Ruki without him to notice, he admires, smiling...the man who changed his life...changing the sight of the city...
It took a while for the geisha to notice that his lover was there, standing right behind him, just admiring the almost heavenly scene. Ruki kept moving, flowing, his eyes closed as he was giving himself all into that music. that music that was being played rather loud, but still, soft enough to let everybody fall into a deep sleep, all lost on their most wishful dreams. And that music was leading Ruki to his own personal dream. His own personal place...heh...watashi no bashou wo tsurete yuku...Yuu...heh...he couldn't stop of thinking about his loved one, something that made his lips open in a wild happy smile as he kept dancing. And moving. And spinning. And dancing more, fastly, but still in that gracefull way of his. The way that made so many men fall for him. But unfortunelly, nothing lasts forever, and so didn't the song. Ruki sighed softly once it stopped being played, closing his fans and smilling at those delicious five minutes he spent dancing. Closing his fans and cleaning his feets from the white sand and also the snow, Ruki putted his geta back on and turned around.
-"...Oh..."
Ruki said in surprise, even blushing a bit at the sigh of his loved soldier there. Opening a soft warm smile, and without saying a thing, Ruki approached, holding Aoi's hands and started walking silently to the main door on the backyards that they where.
-"Come on..."
He just said, and once they were outside, the geisha started walking with his loved to a place not far but not next to his danna's house, and once being there, Ruki hided himself behind a tree, pulling Aoi to him and, after putting his fans on his obi, pulled the other man close, slidding tongue inside his mouth and again putting both into a deep and even most passionate kiss than before. He didn't even listen...the noises around them.
-"I missed you so badly..."
Aoi declares himself when he's pulled by his angel. By that pure and white butterfly that spreads his wings one more time, embracing them in that warmth, even being so cold outside. Like yin and yang in the chinese tale, Ruki and Aoi's body turns just one in that tight embrace...arms all around, like grabbing something to never let it go again. And even the pain on his back was just vanished...Ruki's fingers curing them all, once again...closing all of his wounds, making his blood running faster. And he really missed his geisha so badly...so many nights alone...trying to only remember his scent...to breath that again... and there was he, feeling that night flowers scent all around, while he kisses Ruki deeply...his tongue dancing inside Ruki's mouth, sucking on his tongue lightly and moaning a bit. Even Ruki's kiss was a God's gift.
-"I love you..."
Aoi says when they pull away softly...his lips still wet and half opened. He looks at Ruki's face, breathing hardly and brushing his mouth on Ruki's nose as he presses body more against his love's.
-"I love you too..."
Ruki answered simply, holding Aoi's face closer and putting both into a deep but slow and lovingly kiss. Indeed...like yin and yang. Like the tomoe, with it's black and white parts in the shape of swirls in perfect harmony. It was amazing how they could fit...they could mach eachother so well, wasn't it? And even after Aoi pulled out of the kiss, just felling those warm and wet lips on him were enough, Smilling, the geisha wiggled his nose a bit when he felt Aoi's kiss, and leaned head up, kissing the other man's lips once again.
But there were some things that you learn when you're a soldier. You always know when the steps around you are the steps from the enemy. And looking at his side lightly, he only sees a man grinning.
-"RUKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Aoi screams, throwing himself at the ground, pulling Ruki with him in the exact moment that a knife stabbed the tree where once were their heads. Then Aoi looks around...one, two, three...four men and one hiding on the woods. What the hell...??? Rolling once again, always pulling Ruki with him, Aoi rides away of another knife and the men approaches without any mercy. Killers.
It was in a matter of seconds. So quick that Ruki didn't even notice what was happening around them. A knife..? men...? who..who were those men?? Why were they trying to kill them both?? Ruki swallowed and widened eyes, not really knowing what to do, wanting to protect himself and his loved one at the same time.
-"YUU!!!!!!"
Ruki screams and pulls the wrist of one of the man who tried to stab Aoi's back, ending up with a cut crossing the palm of his left hand, making his white kimono get all wet of blood.
-"Are you alright???"
Ruki asks in despair, lookign at Aoi's face with tears almost falling from his eyes. What...what's going on?
Aoi feels Ruki's warm blood on his face and his eyes got widen. What was that???? What was somebody sending men to kill them? Yeah, Aoi knew that kind. Contracted killers. Their way of attacking it was completely different from robbers. Noticing that one of them was about to attack them again, Aoi stands up, using his strenght to take Ruki with him. The cut on his back opens a bit and Aoi feels some blood running down through his back. Oh shit... he runs protecting Ruki between his arms until the middle of the woods, hiding behind a tree. Great, now they have...30 seconds... breathing heavily, closing Ruki's hand so he can close the cut, he looks at Ruki with desperate eyes.
-"Run, my love, do not go to your house, get into some street...be sure that they lost you, if someone follow you and then you go to your room. Run fast, Ruki!!! And DO NOT LOOK BEHIND...I'll be okay...do not look behind!!!"
He says, placing a kiss on Ruki's forehead and pushing him to ahead, as he hears those men screams, appearing on front of them.
-"YOU TWO, FOLLOW THE GEISHA!!!!!!!"
One of them commands as the other three stays there.
- "RUN, RUKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Aoi looks back desperate as he sees the white spot in the middle of the trees and two shadows running after him. GOD, if one of them DARE to touch him!!!!!!!!!! That's the strenght that Aoi needs, he takes a stick of a tree, spinning and hitting one man's head, feeling the other punch on his back and he groans loudly of pain. Son of a bitch.......
-"B-but...I...I can't leave you he--"
Ruki stops talkign and his eyes widened more as he heard the men screaming to follow him. What...? He could..even understand - a BIT - why they were following Aoi, but why? why to kill them?? Why chasing after him?? Ruki was desperate. he didn't know what to do or say, he didn't want to leave his love alone...but Aoi started pushing him.
-"Please...please, Yuu,take care, please!!"
He said and placing a really quick kiss on Aoi's lips, Ruki started running. Rushing faster, letting his obi go a bit so his yukata would open a bit and would allow him to run more. And he kept running. And running, every time lookign back and seeing the men behind him, a desperate look appearing on his face as he fell on the ground. Shit.
-"GET HIM!!!!"
One of the men said, but Ruki quickly stood up and started running to nowhere again, just looking for a place where he could be safe, crying and panting hard. His leg was not bleeding from a cut that he made when falling, so the white butterfly was now being dyed in a deadly blood red. Why...why are they doing this to us??? WHY??!!! Ruki didn't knew. But he kept running...and running...and running...
-"So, brave general, don't blame us, you can't escape from the death when your time comes"
One of them, apparently the leader, says, trying to hit him with a sword. It was pretty clear why they weren't using guns. Too much noise and if they get them, it could be pretty obvious that was someone from the government who send them. Aoi was lucky about that. The third man jumps on Aoi's back, making him fall and scream loudly of pain. SHIT, he felt the blood running down more, but his black yukata covered anything...Aoi grabs the man by his clothes, pulling him away and once the man falls, he takes his katana, crossing it through the man's chest and letting there, carved, as the man falls dead. Aoi hadn't time to take the sword back, since the other came and Aoi gave his best to run away of the attack. Grabbing the stick, he hits the man's nape, making him fall fainted. Now there're just Aoi and the commander.
The other two men failed about following Ruki. They lost him in the street, but they didn't give up. They knew that they couldn't fail. They were paid for that. But when they see Ruki, still running, they also see that Ruki found...the most important one. And there was he, the man on military uniforms, appearing in front of Ruki and grabbing him by his yukata, pulling him against the wall and smiling,
-"Good night, my beauty...do you remember me? I'll be quick...I can make this all stop...you only have to say..."- and he leans on Ruki, whispering on his ear and rubbing his mustache on his lobe- "...Yes...".
Ruki swallowed his tears and his terrified face was now being repleaced by a surprised one.
-"Y-Yoshikawa-sama...?"
Ruki said staring the man. He...can make all this stop...? he's...the one behind all this attack, this meaningless thing?? But...why??
-"...why...?? why are you doing this to us...???"
Ruki said and he felt that knot on his throat, the tears comming back to his eyes. Yes...??
-"I...I don't know what you're talking about, just...let me go, please!! Stop...stop doing this...we...we did nothing to you, Yuu and I...he...he's your...your best friend, Yoshikawa-sama..and..I..I've never done somthing to you, if I did, I'm sorry...but please...please, stop it...let me go...let us...let us go, please...don't kill him..."
And at this rate, Ruki was already crying hard, chocking on his own words as he started trying to pull the man off of him, once he felt the Yoshikawa rubbing his body against his own and starting to nuzzle on the geisha's neck.
Aoi keeps fighting with the man, losing his natural gun when the opponent's sword got stucked on it. He takes the moment to run, hiding behind a tree and only hearing the steps of the other, approaching, looking for him, like a haunter looking for the fox. And seeing that the man passed through him without to see, thanks to Aoi's black clothes, Aoi takes the man from behind, stealing his sword. But the commander was also fast, taking a knife that was hided on the waist, on his hakama and he cuts Aoi's shoulder, that screams, also for the pain, but specially for to pull out all the energy inside him. He needed to finish that to go after Ruki...to see if he was okay. The thought of Ruki being harmed... crying...he didn't know if Ruki could run away from the men...and he couldn't let tht happen. No. Screaming loudly, he crosses the sword on the man's chest, making a deep wound like that one that Aoi was bringing on his back, but a deadly one. Silently, the man falls dead on the ground. His blood covering the grass...and Aoi also falls, feeling his body's answer for all that effort...and that fuckin' scar on his back, hurting once again.
-"You did it! You're a witch...a damned geisha... you made me fall in love with you...you made me be a fool...and for what? To choose the general! But the general can't have everything, can he...?? So it's easy to stop this, beauty..."
Yoshikawa says, now kissing Ruki's neck and pressing him more against the wall
-"I'll forgive you both...if you stay with me...yeah, stay with me...and he won't die...if you don't, Ruki...you'll regret, for the rest of your life..."
-"what??? Stop it!!"
Ruki yelled, totally lost on what was happenign now. Fell in love...? for me...? Oh god, no!
-"I didn't do anything!! I was just doing my job, please!! Let me go!!!"
Ruki answered, now getting both angry and scared about the other man's behaviour. Why was he doing it? It...wasn't his fault, and...and...he was Aoi's friend, HIMSELF requested for the geisha...and now...he was doing it??
-"I..I'm sorry...but..I won't stay with you, I DON'T WANT to stay with you. now let me go!!!!"
Aoi fainted for some instants. His body was tired...he shouldn't have fight like that, but he didn't care about the wounds. He only wanted to be strong...to stand up and run after Ruki...to kill the other two men...to embrace Ruki... but he couldn't at that first moment. He was bleeding again...and when he opens his eyes, he faces the grass...the silence, only being break by the crickets' sounds... and slowly, he stands up again, his legs trembling but a thing like that won't stop him. And forgetting his pain, believing that his limit is not that, knowing that he can be stronger, he starts to run to the city again. Everything was dark...everybody was sleeping...and the silence on the streets, seeing everything desert...scared Aoi more than anything. Did they get Ruki...?
Yoshikawa kept grabbing Ruki and a hateful feeling covers his eyes. You don't want me...?? You want that piggy general who hates his job and even like this gained something that I'll never have??? That shitty man, you prefer him??? Envy... anger... Ruki could see everything in that man's face...his mouth turning... And he grabs Ruki's hair tightly, hurting him, pulling his head up...
-"You don't want to, geisha??? And who do you think you are??? You're only a courtesan...and a dirty one that had sex with a general for free...you made your choise, you bitch, and I made mine"
And throwing Ruki at the ground by his hair, he turns around and goes away, followed by the other two men.
-"Let's go...this shitty doesn't even deserve the death"
And doesn't take too long for Ruki to hear...in a place next to there, a tired whisper...that never gave up.
-"Ruki...where are you...?"
Curling on the ground, Ruki closed his hands, holding it next to his chest and started crying. When...would this stop...? When would him be able to be...happy? He...didn't intent on making Yoshikawa fall in love for him, damnit, he was doing his job!! He...he does this with everybody else, that's what Ruki's SUPPOSED to do as a geisha. Yoshikawa...wasn't wrong. Now he wasn't more than a coursetan, having sex for free. But then again...Aoi wasn't a customer. A customer that Ruki never borether to give a price for. Aoi was his love. His lover. His loved one...was it...to be dirty if you sleep with someone you're in love...? Ruki didn't knew...actually, he didn't knew a thing right now, everything was getting fucked up, everything was going way too fast. But between his cry, Ruki heard something. A voice...a very well knew voice.
-"...Yuu..."
Ruki said in a chocked voice, still crying hard and swallowing. His trembling body slowly started to stand up as he saw the figure of his general.
-"..I...I'm here...here...I'm here..."
And crying even more, and still trembling like hell, Ruki started rushing to where Aoi was, holding him close and supporting the soldier once he almost fell. Why all this...?
Aoi's eyes get awake again when he heard that voice. That soft voice and that sweet scent that was coming towards his direction...and feeling that lovely arms around him, he grabs Ruki with all the strenght that was left in that body. He's alive....thanks...thanks heavens that he's alive. Walking slowly towards a wall, Aoi sits down, in a clumsy way like he had fell and he pulls Ruki to his lap, holding him tightly and with eyes closed....he was also trembling...why that was happening...? Why has to be so hard...??
-"You... I'm sorry...I took so long to come back....you....you're okay, Ruki, you're okay?? I love you..."
He says all at once since that he pulls Ruki so close to his chest...only wanting to have sure if his love was really there...breathing... he was so scared...he wanted so badly to finish all of that...to thos battles never reach Ruki again. And some tears softly runs down from his cheeks...at that time...he didnt want to think about what happened. He only want...to feel his love alive...on his arms.
But someone was still thinking about what happened. And throwing a stone at the Ruki's danna window, waking him up frightened, he can see a paper with a note:
"Your beautiful geisha is deeply in the beautiful general's arms. Look through the window, if you don't believe me.
A friend~"
Ruki couldn't say a thing right now. Burring face on Aoi's neck, he kept crying, wrapping arms tightly around him.
-"...I-I...I love you too..."
He said in a chocked voice, all lost about what he should do now. Aoi was deeply harmed again. Even himself was all harmed and bleeding but this wasn't what mattered now.
-"...Yoshikawa..."- He started saying between his tears.- "Yoshikawa...sent those man to...kill you...he...he said that wanted me, that I made him fall in love for me, just to chose you...and...ahnd...and then...he said that if I stay with him, you won't die...and everything'll stop...he...he's jealous of you, Yuu...because you became the general...because you have me...because...you're not dead, and because of that, he won't be the general, will keep being just a regular soldier and...I don't know...I don't know...but...come on, you...you're bleeding too much..."
And as soon as he finished reading the short message on the paper, Yamamoto stood up, totally lost on what was going on. But even not knowing, he knew that a person wouldn't make a stupid trick like this. This was Japan, after all. Standing up, the man narrowed eyes and walked to the window, looking through it and he, finally saw what it was siad on the paper. Aoi with Ruki on his arms. Both of them bleeding, all harmed, and saying something...but must importantly...both of them hugging. Like a couple. Like...lovers. Oh no...
-"Yoshikawa...???"
Aoi asks, opening his wet eyes to look at Ruki face. Yoshikawa?? His best friend Yoshikawa? He could remember, the first time that Aoi got in the headquarter...Yoshikawa looked at him and told 'ne, you look like a lost dog...' and laughed, saying 'but a wild one' right after... and since then, Yoshikawa was the only one there that looked caring about Aoi...the one that Aoi could tell about how disgusting he felt on the battles and invasions... the one who stood at Aoi's side...and even that he disliked some of Yoshikawa's actions, he got that man like...an older brother. An older brother who sent five men to kill him and his lover...and for what? For a position....for envy....impossible, that's impossible! But looking again at Ruki's face...his tears...his fears...Aoi knew that he wasn't lying...not just figuring out... his brother Yoshikawa now just turned into a... traitor. He touched Ruki...? He wanted to kill that bastard.
-"Don't worry about me...I'm okay...I'll be okay..."
He says, holding Ruki's face with his dirty hands. Yoshikawa...?
-"I'll go after Yoshikawa when I can ride a horse to get in the headquarter...I'll finish all of this...I'm...I'm so sorry, Ruki..."
He asked, looking deeply into his love's eyes. He won't allow anybody to touch Ruki again... and leaning forward, he kisses the geisha's lips...without to notice the eyes in the window staring them both.
Not being able to say a thing more, Ruki just nodded, wrapping his arms around the general's neck and after kissing his lips back a few more times, the geisha slided tongue inside Aoi's mouth, kissing him in a clumsy but still deep way, wanting to comfort himself and his loved one, almost clinging on him but not doing it. After a while, Ruki slowly breakes the kiss, standing up and wraps one of Aoi's arms around his own neck, making Aoi stand as well and slowly, both started walking towards the house. Once there, Toshio - who had woken up once he noticed that Ruki wasn't there - rushed to them, helping Ruki to carry Aoi inside, and soon both of them where on the room again. Meanwhile, Ruki's danna was freezed. He saw them kissing. He kept staring them to have sure if it was really Ruki and Aoi, once it was goddamn dark. But it were them. It were...oh...oh Ruki, why...why did you do this...? Feeling anger growing up more and more, Yamamoto sighed, hearing them both walking into the room and slowly, walked to where they are. Both Toshio and Ruki freezed as they heard a strong voice on the door.
-"What is going on here?"
Aoi was tired. His mind...his body... but he always finds his peace in Ruki's arms...warmth...lips...even everything being messed, his heart was still kept in that lovely cover... the cover that kept Ruki and Aoi's love safe all that moment... being them comfort...and them salvation... he knew that Ruki was harmed too and Aoi kept him held tightly as they walked back to the house, supporting only in Toshio when the boy comes to help them.
-"Help Ruki...he's bleeding..."
He asks to Toshio ignoring completely how much himself was bleeding, since a bit part of his wound just got open again and he receives a stab on his shoulder. When they got in the room, Aoi falls on the bed, moaning in pain lightly, 'cause he didn't want to scare Ruki...but as soon as he can think, that man, Ruki's danna just appear.What now? What he'd tell...?
-"Some men came after me, sir... I'm sorry for involve Ruki in the fight"
He says with his voice trembling. To lie isn't the key... to omit is.
-"I see..."
The man said, narrowing eyes to them both. No, he wouldn't say a thing. By the morning, Aoi'd go back to the headquarter. And Ruki...Ruki'd have what he deserved. Toshio figured out that his master wasn't happy with what he saw. He didn't knew what EXACLTY he saw, but...he could feel that somehow...the man found out about the geisha and the soldier. Maybe...maybe that was why he was staring them in such a way. And glancing at Ruki, he noticed the geisha's red eyes. looking at Aoi and not daring to look up at his danna. Ruki was afraid. Afraid that his danna'd know, and swallowed a bit. The man, then walked to where they were, holding Ruki's shoulders and made him stand.
-"Take care of the general, Toshio...I'll take care of Ruki"
He said a cold low voice, walking out of the room with Ruki on his arms. The geisha knew that...whatever was the reason why his danna was talking on that way and acting on that way....it wasn't...good.Damn...
Aoi looks at Ruki leaving with his danna, without being able to say anything. And he didn't feel in right of saying anything...that was that man's house... he was wearing clothes that Yamamoto-san bought...and he felt bad for have abused of that man's hospitality. Even he felt that the man also abused of Aoi's status, it wasn't like... he used Aoi's things and betrayed his trustful right in front of his eyes. But worse than to feel bad for that danna...he felt bad for Ruki... he knew that whatever it happens, Ruki'll take the damage... if...if the man found out, he'd send Ruki back to the okiya...and the most beautiful geisha of the Japan will turn into a shame. And only to think about that made Aoi's pain increase and he closes eyes tightly. He'll get back to the headquarter as soon as possible...and take his money and to pay Yamamoto everything that he spent, taking Ruki to himself...yeah....yeah...
-"Hnnng!!!!!!!!"
He moans when Toshio touches him and looks at the boy's face, staying in silence for some moments while the boy took care of his wounds
-"Toshio-kun...do you think...I screw up everything...?"
-"I...I don't know...Shiroyama-san..."
Toshio said truly doesn't knowing what his master would do. He was a very impredictible man, and while he could just not care about it, he could also freak out. But...knowing that Ruki was involved was a big thing. And it didn't take to loog for them to hear a scream. Ruki's scream. Yamamoto didn't care about the boy being all harmed and just kept smacking his back.
-"I don't want you involved with government's things, are you listening to me??? You're MY servant, MY geisha!! I hope you NEVER forget that, Ruki, NEVER!!! Your intentions might have been good, but I won't allow you to do it ever again!!"
And he kept beating on the boy, totally not carrying if he was hurting him badly or not. Ruki just swallowed, crying silently and now, he stopped screaming. It was hurting like hell, but...Ruki knew he was wrong. Even if on his heart...it was the right thing.
-"D-doumo...sumimasen..."
He said between his cry and chocked voice, but the man didn't listen and kept beating on him for a while.
After beating him for a few minutes, Yamamoto threw the whip on the floor and walked out of the room.
-"Take a bath, I will get your bandages"
Oh...gods...
Aoi heard Ruki's scream and his eyes got widen. Yes, he screw up everything. He could hear the whip cutting the wind... wildly... the same way a person does when wants to pull your angry all away. And even respecting...even thinking that he hadn't the right... and without to think if it'll be worse or not, Aoi ignores Toshio's words and stands up. His kimono was all open above the hakama, since the wound on his shoulder was being closed by Toshio and he opens the door, meeting Yamamoto in the corridor. He could feel that angryness without even need to look at him.
-"Yamamoto-san!"
He calls with his gasped voice. He could hear Ruki's breath on the room...and he felt tempted to look at him...to go at him and hold him close. To kiss all of his wounds. But no. It was his fault...without to know exactly where did they are wrong. They love each other. Is that a sin...? And when Yamamoto looks at him, Aoi stands straightly, even feeling those sharpen pains around his body.
-"Ruki-san didn't do anything intentionally... it was my fault. Please, don't punish him...I'll leave at the morning..."
-"I am his danna, general. I am his master and I'll do whatever I feel like doing. i'll punish him whevever I feel like he deserves too. A rikisha'll come tomorrow by the morning and will take you back to your headquerter...general."
The man said glaring angrily at Aoi and, walking inside his dorm, closed the door. Toshio walked to where Aoi was, obviously seeing it all. Yamamoto found out. He could feel it. Yamamoto was acting like this because he somehow found out about Ruki and Aoi. He knew that...Ruki'd be punished like he never was before. In fact...no one has been punished for something on that house. Specially Ruki. He was like...Yamamoto's wife. And the danna never wanted to harm his beautiful flower. But this flower wasn't blooming anymore now. It was dying. Dying inside that ofuro and feeling the rough hands on that man touching his body as he entered on the ofuro as well. Tears slowly started runnign down on his face as Yamamoto started bitting and kissing his neck hard and roughly, as if he wanted to rape the geisha. Why....why does thing have to be like this...?
What's the people's problems that thinks that only money can make you be the owner of a person? In the army, everybody is paid by the emperor to play God...you look at the map, already choosing who'll die and who'll live. A danna pay for kimonos...and feels the right of asking everything...you can't love, you can't breathe. Who gave this persons this kind of power...? Who turned the people so obsessed about themselves that they forget...that the person at your side feels like a human too...? And Aoi also was about to pay...to pay for their freedom...the freedom that Ruki couldn't have, but Aoi wanted to grant...you can do your job...but you can love...the person you wants to. And seeing the door closing right before his eyes, he looks down and falls on his knees...the blood running through his chest and some drops dirting the floor.
I'll fight, Ruki....until the end...I'll... And being grabbed by Toshio, he walks back to his room...laying down...and letting the boy taking care of his wounds...while he sweats...feeling the pain and the fear...of Ruki being hurted once again...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted: rukitoaoi_nil, gazette_yaoi and jrockyaoi
Chapter: 10/12
Author: the-riot-star and theblackmoral
Genre: Violence, romance, AU~
Ratings: R/NC-17
Pairings/Characters: Aoi x Ruki ( Aoi and Ruki POV )
Synopsis: Ruki's the son of a geisha who was offered to be a geisha too, since he and his mother had no place to go. He grows up in a world of beauties, but slowly this world started to be ruined by the imminent war, in the Meiji Era. But Fate makes him to meet a soldier, named Aoi...and both of them discovers how a flower can blossom in the middle of the ashes...
Comments: Well ^^ This is originally a rp log, that's the reason for being quite detailed ^^<333 I really hope that you enjoy ^^<333333333333
Chapter I: The War
Chapter II: The Blooming Flower
Chapter III: The Flowing Lake
Chapter IV: Further and further...crossing the sea
Chapter V: Tea Ceremony
Chapter VI : Under the bridge, above the sky
Chapter VII: Duty and Ashes
Chapter VIII: The love beyond the death
Chapter IX: The Most Beautiful Jewel
The time passed rather fastly during that morning. Ruki didn't dare walking next to his danna, staying with Toshio all the time and going to the town, cleaning the house, cooking...everything. Since he got on that house, the boy became really like a little brother to him, and Ruki also became an older brother to Toshio, if you didn't know them, you could even say that they were blood brothers, always laughing and walking together. Just like they were doing now. Ruki went out with the boy to the town, buy a few things and food and both came back after a while, walking to the main hall of the house, facing the open door of Yamamoto's office, but the boys didn't notice that Aoi and the danna were still there.
-"It's not my fault you can't rush!!"
Toshio said laughing, taking his zori off, sititng on the floor and Ruki was right by his side, laughing as well.
- "I DO CAN rush, but it's kinda complicated when you're carrying FOUR heavy bags with your zori broken!"
The geisha laughed, fixing the plaids of his hakama once they stood up and smilled at the two man in the room.
-"Oh...sumimasen.." - He said, bowing for them two - "Now come on, we have things to do!"
Ruki said softly, grabbing the bags and a laughing Toshio to the kitchen. Heh...I wonder why I'm in...such a good mood today...
That Yamamoto looked really interested in the story of how Aoi kept alive. Aoi always answering him like he was giving an official report...always saying that was just luck and that his will was because everybody has a personal reason. A reason that, of course, Aoi didn't tell what was it and the man forgot about to ask again, when Aoi suddenly changed the subject. He didn't smile while he talked, not only 'cause the things were still too fresh on his mind, but 'cause he wasn't wanting too much to talk with that man. But one thing he didn't stop of thinking...how could he pay more than that man for being Ruki's new danna? He could have to make the best offer in the world...to buy the most precious jewel of the island. A price that Aoi didn't bother to pay...but they were talking about...millions.
-"General, are you okay???"
The man asks and Aoi blinks, looking at him
-"Sorry, I was thinking about what you asked..."- what did he asked? Oh yeah...-"I crossed the city's limit at the--"- and they were suddnely interrupted by the sound of that laughter and Ruki and Toshio walking in...
Aoi turns his face behind to see Ruki and smiles when see him in such a good mood, without be able to fake that he wasn't happy because of that... and following Ruki with eyes when he leaves, he looks at the man again, hiding his smile at the same time that his eyes found that face, without to know if he noticed or no, but thinking that that man was also too occupied enchanted by that geisha's charm.
Meanwhile, Ruki and Toshio keep laughing and playing with each other, almost like two children happy on a playground, And Yamamoto...well, Yamamoto was really interested in what Aoi had to tell to him. The more Aoi told him things, the more the man got excited. Oh dear, what a thing! He'd come back...with Aoi..and then...get a promotion! And avoid that other man, Yoshikawa, to get the place. He didn't like that boy much anyway, so it'd just be better if he got out. But now now...let's think about other things, the general had to heal completely, then they could go. Haha yes...yes, maybe if he ask, the general would accep--
-"NOO!! LET GO OFF ME!!!"
- "Give this damn thing back to me, Toshio!! I need to finish the meal!!!"
- "NOOO!! LET GO OFF ME, RUKII!!"
- "What do you want this spoon for anyway?? I won't satisfy your sexual fantasies!!"
And at this, both of the boys started laughing madly, Ruki getting advantage of this and grabbed the spoon again, rushing back to the kitchen with a laughing Toshio running crazily after him.
- "I HATE YOU, RUKI!! YOU'LL PAY ME FOR THIS!!"
The boy yelled laughing, going to the kitchen and hugging Ruki as if he truly was the geisha's younger brother.
- "Hahaha I'm sorry about this, General..I just thought that keeping Ruki as a maiden here, with certain limitations wouldn't be good, so I just let him be, walking without his make up and other stuffs, I thougth he wouldn't want it, but looks like he ended loving the idea! And Toshio got along pretty well with him, so we're all happy here!"
The man laughed and looked at Aoi, quickly comming back to the subject. And so the minutes passed by. And soon the meal was on the main table at the dinning room, with everybody eating happily. Ruki dividing his attention between looking dreamy at Aoi and playing with Toshio, just answering to his danna's sayings and questions as if he was paying attention - something that he OBVIOUSLY wasn't but looked like his danna didn't notice this detail.
As soon as the lunch time came, also came the dinnerm one, again with everybody talking and eating happily on the table, until it got late and all of the went to their rooms.
-"Go to bed, Toshio, is late"
Ruki said, taking the things out of the table. There were no more the workers of the house on the table nor Ruki's danna - this one going to his room to work. There were just him, taking everything out of the table, a sleeping Toshio and the general. "Hmm nooo..." "Toshio, don't be stubborn, come on.." Ruki laughed softly, smacking the boy's head, who quickly stood up, walking lazily to his room, yawining and mumbling.
-"Hmm you're so mean, Ruki, I hope that someday something happen and you--"
The boy's voice faded away as he got into his and Ruki's bedroom. There. Finally...they were alone again.
Aoi got so glad when the lunch time came...and so the dinner. He couldn't handle anymore all that man's conversation. To be honest, Aoi didn't know how he got the general post. He hated not only the fact of the battle, but also all the conversations...those polite things, amazing stories, to tell the others what you did and everybody thinking you're a hero. And with Yamamoto wasn't different. The man wanted to know everything and talked about one time that he went to the battle, at his first and last experience as a soldier. 'Business makes more my kind', he said. For sure that makes, Yamamoto was the typical aristrocat case, that never fought for anything he wants. Maybe 'cause he wants nothing...and everything at the same time. But Aoi didn't want to find out.
When the dinner came, all that warm and good meal that Aoi also dreamt for so long it was on his front. Prepared by his beautiful jewel, that was also sat on there in front of him...and Ruki's danna was so busy of talking about his business, that he didn't notice all the glances that Aoi was giving at Ruki. Those soft smiles...just being glad that his love was there. That feeling of disbelief that he was feeling since he woke up...but also that so good feeling...that amazing one. When the dinner finishes and everything goes to their place, being only Aoi and Ruki on the kitchen, Aoi looks around seeing that nobody is seeing or coming, he approaches lightly of his love...their bodies being pretty close of eachother's, and smiling, he takes Ruki's face with one hand, stroking his cheeks lightly with the back of his hand and leaning down, hekisses Ruki's lips. Quick, but deeply...he wouldn't dare to do anything with Yamamoto so close of them...and pulling away, opening eyes to see Ruki's face again, he says in a soft voice...
-"In every day, I dreamt so long of seeing your face again...that's the only reason...why I'm alive..."
-"I'm glad...and honoured for that, then, Yuu..."
Ruki said with a really wide happy smile, and pulling Aoi to the kitchen, Ruki held the other man's face, putting both again..finally...in a deep passionate kiss. A quick one, but still, a strong one. Strong enough to show how much Ruki missed him. To show him how much Ruki didn't stop thinking about Aoi for that whole month. It was just...so good...to have Aoi there, Ruki couldn't act nor pretend that it was nothing. And specially, he couldn't not DO anything, as if it wasn't important nor special. Because it was. It was...his life...his soldier. His soldier that Ruki was glad to have there. But he also knew they couldn't go that further.
-"It's better...if you go to rest now...we talk better...by the morning, ne?"
Ruki said still smilling, placing another soft kiss and running happily to his bedroom, changing clothes and covering a shivering Toshio, heading to his danna's dorm. Oh yes, he had to sleep there some nights, and this was one of them.
But right after the man slept, when all the nights were down and even Aoi was sleeping - or so Ruki thought - the young geisha stood up, sneaking to his own room and grabbing his long white haori made of the most pure silk and putted it on. Anyone who looked at him would say. An angel. An angel dressed with a white silk yukata and haori. Ruki also got two big white fans and went back to the corridor. Opening the door, he smilled as he saw the snow falling and putted his geta on, sneaking to the garden and taking his getas off, Ruki opened the fans, starting to dance at the pace of a song. A song that wasn't on his mind only, but someone was also playing it, in the tea house next to theirs. A japanese angel dancing...all white...like the snow. Flowing...flying...like a white butterfly. Hai...shiroi chou no ageru.
When Aoi saw Ruki running through the corridor, he felt like something was beginning again. Something big was really starting. 'We talk better at the morning'...Aoi just smiled widely as he saw Ruki leaving with that promise of tomorrow. Knowing that next day he'll wake up and Ruki'll still there...living there...sharing the same roof, their secret kept between the same walls...hiding kisses and glances...at least...until Aoi have to come back to the quarter. Ruki's danna insisted to Aoi to stay...and he wasn't so hurry to go back, actually. He knew that in that same afternoon, all the town stopped "General Shiroyama is alive!!", "It's a miracle!!", "Now the hero will come back to his post!"...nothing that mattered to him, but it could be good if the payment increase...more chances for Aoi to surpass Yamamoto's offer and takes Ruki...so they could live together, only the both of them...
Walking back to his room, Aoi changed clothes again, wearing a deep black yukata, all made of satin...shining like the moon in a dark night. He lays down on his futon, closing his eyes and falling into a light sleep. But he wakes up, feeling a sudden cold. Oh...it was snowing...Aoi left the window opened and together with the snow, came a song from outside...feeling a bit of pain on his back when he sits down, Aoi walks to the window, to close it, but what he finds when he looks...it was more than enough to make him freeze, more than the trees outside. It was an angel with wings spread...flying... spreading miracles in the world. His angel named Ruki...dressed all in white in the middle of the snow...dancing...like he was the own God or his best creation. His most beautiful one.
And Aoi kept there...looking...without even to wink. And realizing that everybody was sleeping...he walks out his room, walking silently through the corridors and going outside, to the garden...and from there, right behind Ruki without him to notice, he admires, smiling...the man who changed his life...changing the sight of the city...
It took a while for the geisha to notice that his lover was there, standing right behind him, just admiring the almost heavenly scene. Ruki kept moving, flowing, his eyes closed as he was giving himself all into that music. that music that was being played rather loud, but still, soft enough to let everybody fall into a deep sleep, all lost on their most wishful dreams. And that music was leading Ruki to his own personal dream. His own personal place...heh...watashi no bashou wo tsurete yuku...Yuu...heh...he couldn't stop of thinking about his loved one, something that made his lips open in a wild happy smile as he kept dancing. And moving. And spinning. And dancing more, fastly, but still in that gracefull way of his. The way that made so many men fall for him. But unfortunelly, nothing lasts forever, and so didn't the song. Ruki sighed softly once it stopped being played, closing his fans and smilling at those delicious five minutes he spent dancing. Closing his fans and cleaning his feets from the white sand and also the snow, Ruki putted his geta back on and turned around.
-"...Oh..."
Ruki said in surprise, even blushing a bit at the sigh of his loved soldier there. Opening a soft warm smile, and without saying a thing, Ruki approached, holding Aoi's hands and started walking silently to the main door on the backyards that they where.
-"Come on..."
He just said, and once they were outside, the geisha started walking with his loved to a place not far but not next to his danna's house, and once being there, Ruki hided himself behind a tree, pulling Aoi to him and, after putting his fans on his obi, pulled the other man close, slidding tongue inside his mouth and again putting both into a deep and even most passionate kiss than before. He didn't even listen...the noises around them.
-"I missed you so badly..."
Aoi declares himself when he's pulled by his angel. By that pure and white butterfly that spreads his wings one more time, embracing them in that warmth, even being so cold outside. Like yin and yang in the chinese tale, Ruki and Aoi's body turns just one in that tight embrace...arms all around, like grabbing something to never let it go again. And even the pain on his back was just vanished...Ruki's fingers curing them all, once again...closing all of his wounds, making his blood running faster. And he really missed his geisha so badly...so many nights alone...trying to only remember his scent...to breath that again... and there was he, feeling that night flowers scent all around, while he kisses Ruki deeply...his tongue dancing inside Ruki's mouth, sucking on his tongue lightly and moaning a bit. Even Ruki's kiss was a God's gift.
-"I love you..."
Aoi says when they pull away softly...his lips still wet and half opened. He looks at Ruki's face, breathing hardly and brushing his mouth on Ruki's nose as he presses body more against his love's.
-"I love you too..."
Ruki answered simply, holding Aoi's face closer and putting both into a deep but slow and lovingly kiss. Indeed...like yin and yang. Like the tomoe, with it's black and white parts in the shape of swirls in perfect harmony. It was amazing how they could fit...they could mach eachother so well, wasn't it? And even after Aoi pulled out of the kiss, just felling those warm and wet lips on him were enough, Smilling, the geisha wiggled his nose a bit when he felt Aoi's kiss, and leaned head up, kissing the other man's lips once again.
But there were some things that you learn when you're a soldier. You always know when the steps around you are the steps from the enemy. And looking at his side lightly, he only sees a man grinning.
-"RUKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Aoi screams, throwing himself at the ground, pulling Ruki with him in the exact moment that a knife stabbed the tree where once were their heads. Then Aoi looks around...one, two, three...four men and one hiding on the woods. What the hell...??? Rolling once again, always pulling Ruki with him, Aoi rides away of another knife and the men approaches without any mercy. Killers.
It was in a matter of seconds. So quick that Ruki didn't even notice what was happening around them. A knife..? men...? who..who were those men?? Why were they trying to kill them both?? Ruki swallowed and widened eyes, not really knowing what to do, wanting to protect himself and his loved one at the same time.
-"YUU!!!!!!"
Ruki screams and pulls the wrist of one of the man who tried to stab Aoi's back, ending up with a cut crossing the palm of his left hand, making his white kimono get all wet of blood.
-"Are you alright???"
Ruki asks in despair, lookign at Aoi's face with tears almost falling from his eyes. What...what's going on?
Aoi feels Ruki's warm blood on his face and his eyes got widen. What was that???? What was somebody sending men to kill them? Yeah, Aoi knew that kind. Contracted killers. Their way of attacking it was completely different from robbers. Noticing that one of them was about to attack them again, Aoi stands up, using his strenght to take Ruki with him. The cut on his back opens a bit and Aoi feels some blood running down through his back. Oh shit... he runs protecting Ruki between his arms until the middle of the woods, hiding behind a tree. Great, now they have...30 seconds... breathing heavily, closing Ruki's hand so he can close the cut, he looks at Ruki with desperate eyes.
-"Run, my love, do not go to your house, get into some street...be sure that they lost you, if someone follow you and then you go to your room. Run fast, Ruki!!! And DO NOT LOOK BEHIND...I'll be okay...do not look behind!!!"
He says, placing a kiss on Ruki's forehead and pushing him to ahead, as he hears those men screams, appearing on front of them.
-"YOU TWO, FOLLOW THE GEISHA!!!!!!!"
One of them commands as the other three stays there.
- "RUN, RUKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Aoi looks back desperate as he sees the white spot in the middle of the trees and two shadows running after him. GOD, if one of them DARE to touch him!!!!!!!!!! That's the strenght that Aoi needs, he takes a stick of a tree, spinning and hitting one man's head, feeling the other punch on his back and he groans loudly of pain. Son of a bitch.......
-"B-but...I...I can't leave you he--"
Ruki stops talkign and his eyes widened more as he heard the men screaming to follow him. What...? He could..even understand - a BIT - why they were following Aoi, but why? why to kill them?? Why chasing after him?? Ruki was desperate. he didn't know what to do or say, he didn't want to leave his love alone...but Aoi started pushing him.
-"Please...please, Yuu,take care, please!!"
He said and placing a really quick kiss on Aoi's lips, Ruki started running. Rushing faster, letting his obi go a bit so his yukata would open a bit and would allow him to run more. And he kept running. And running, every time lookign back and seeing the men behind him, a desperate look appearing on his face as he fell on the ground. Shit.
-"GET HIM!!!!"
One of the men said, but Ruki quickly stood up and started running to nowhere again, just looking for a place where he could be safe, crying and panting hard. His leg was not bleeding from a cut that he made when falling, so the white butterfly was now being dyed in a deadly blood red. Why...why are they doing this to us??? WHY??!!! Ruki didn't knew. But he kept running...and running...and running...
-"So, brave general, don't blame us, you can't escape from the death when your time comes"
One of them, apparently the leader, says, trying to hit him with a sword. It was pretty clear why they weren't using guns. Too much noise and if they get them, it could be pretty obvious that was someone from the government who send them. Aoi was lucky about that. The third man jumps on Aoi's back, making him fall and scream loudly of pain. SHIT, he felt the blood running down more, but his black yukata covered anything...Aoi grabs the man by his clothes, pulling him away and once the man falls, he takes his katana, crossing it through the man's chest and letting there, carved, as the man falls dead. Aoi hadn't time to take the sword back, since the other came and Aoi gave his best to run away of the attack. Grabbing the stick, he hits the man's nape, making him fall fainted. Now there're just Aoi and the commander.
The other two men failed about following Ruki. They lost him in the street, but they didn't give up. They knew that they couldn't fail. They were paid for that. But when they see Ruki, still running, they also see that Ruki found...the most important one. And there was he, the man on military uniforms, appearing in front of Ruki and grabbing him by his yukata, pulling him against the wall and smiling,
-"Good night, my beauty...do you remember me? I'll be quick...I can make this all stop...you only have to say..."- and he leans on Ruki, whispering on his ear and rubbing his mustache on his lobe- "...Yes...".
Ruki swallowed his tears and his terrified face was now being repleaced by a surprised one.
-"Y-Yoshikawa-sama...?"
Ruki said staring the man. He...can make all this stop...? he's...the one behind all this attack, this meaningless thing?? But...why??
-"...why...?? why are you doing this to us...???"
Ruki said and he felt that knot on his throat, the tears comming back to his eyes. Yes...??
-"I...I don't know what you're talking about, just...let me go, please!! Stop...stop doing this...we...we did nothing to you, Yuu and I...he...he's your...your best friend, Yoshikawa-sama..and..I..I've never done somthing to you, if I did, I'm sorry...but please...please, stop it...let me go...let us...let us go, please...don't kill him..."
And at this rate, Ruki was already crying hard, chocking on his own words as he started trying to pull the man off of him, once he felt the Yoshikawa rubbing his body against his own and starting to nuzzle on the geisha's neck.
Aoi keeps fighting with the man, losing his natural gun when the opponent's sword got stucked on it. He takes the moment to run, hiding behind a tree and only hearing the steps of the other, approaching, looking for him, like a haunter looking for the fox. And seeing that the man passed through him without to see, thanks to Aoi's black clothes, Aoi takes the man from behind, stealing his sword. But the commander was also fast, taking a knife that was hided on the waist, on his hakama and he cuts Aoi's shoulder, that screams, also for the pain, but specially for to pull out all the energy inside him. He needed to finish that to go after Ruki...to see if he was okay. The thought of Ruki being harmed... crying...he didn't know if Ruki could run away from the men...and he couldn't let tht happen. No. Screaming loudly, he crosses the sword on the man's chest, making a deep wound like that one that Aoi was bringing on his back, but a deadly one. Silently, the man falls dead on the ground. His blood covering the grass...and Aoi also falls, feeling his body's answer for all that effort...and that fuckin' scar on his back, hurting once again.
-"You did it! You're a witch...a damned geisha... you made me fall in love with you...you made me be a fool...and for what? To choose the general! But the general can't have everything, can he...?? So it's easy to stop this, beauty..."
Yoshikawa says, now kissing Ruki's neck and pressing him more against the wall
-"I'll forgive you both...if you stay with me...yeah, stay with me...and he won't die...if you don't, Ruki...you'll regret, for the rest of your life..."
-"what??? Stop it!!"
Ruki yelled, totally lost on what was happenign now. Fell in love...? for me...? Oh god, no!
-"I didn't do anything!! I was just doing my job, please!! Let me go!!!"
Ruki answered, now getting both angry and scared about the other man's behaviour. Why was he doing it? It...wasn't his fault, and...and...he was Aoi's friend, HIMSELF requested for the geisha...and now...he was doing it??
-"I..I'm sorry...but..I won't stay with you, I DON'T WANT to stay with you. now let me go!!!!"
Aoi fainted for some instants. His body was tired...he shouldn't have fight like that, but he didn't care about the wounds. He only wanted to be strong...to stand up and run after Ruki...to kill the other two men...to embrace Ruki... but he couldn't at that first moment. He was bleeding again...and when he opens his eyes, he faces the grass...the silence, only being break by the crickets' sounds... and slowly, he stands up again, his legs trembling but a thing like that won't stop him. And forgetting his pain, believing that his limit is not that, knowing that he can be stronger, he starts to run to the city again. Everything was dark...everybody was sleeping...and the silence on the streets, seeing everything desert...scared Aoi more than anything. Did they get Ruki...?
Yoshikawa kept grabbing Ruki and a hateful feeling covers his eyes. You don't want me...?? You want that piggy general who hates his job and even like this gained something that I'll never have??? That shitty man, you prefer him??? Envy... anger... Ruki could see everything in that man's face...his mouth turning... And he grabs Ruki's hair tightly, hurting him, pulling his head up...
-"You don't want to, geisha??? And who do you think you are??? You're only a courtesan...and a dirty one that had sex with a general for free...you made your choise, you bitch, and I made mine"
And throwing Ruki at the ground by his hair, he turns around and goes away, followed by the other two men.
-"Let's go...this shitty doesn't even deserve the death"
And doesn't take too long for Ruki to hear...in a place next to there, a tired whisper...that never gave up.
-"Ruki...where are you...?"
Curling on the ground, Ruki closed his hands, holding it next to his chest and started crying. When...would this stop...? When would him be able to be...happy? He...didn't intent on making Yoshikawa fall in love for him, damnit, he was doing his job!! He...he does this with everybody else, that's what Ruki's SUPPOSED to do as a geisha. Yoshikawa...wasn't wrong. Now he wasn't more than a coursetan, having sex for free. But then again...Aoi wasn't a customer. A customer that Ruki never borether to give a price for. Aoi was his love. His lover. His loved one...was it...to be dirty if you sleep with someone you're in love...? Ruki didn't knew...actually, he didn't knew a thing right now, everything was getting fucked up, everything was going way too fast. But between his cry, Ruki heard something. A voice...a very well knew voice.
-"...Yuu..."
Ruki said in a chocked voice, still crying hard and swallowing. His trembling body slowly started to stand up as he saw the figure of his general.
-"..I...I'm here...here...I'm here..."
And crying even more, and still trembling like hell, Ruki started rushing to where Aoi was, holding him close and supporting the soldier once he almost fell. Why all this...?
Aoi's eyes get awake again when he heard that voice. That soft voice and that sweet scent that was coming towards his direction...and feeling that lovely arms around him, he grabs Ruki with all the strenght that was left in that body. He's alive....thanks...thanks heavens that he's alive. Walking slowly towards a wall, Aoi sits down, in a clumsy way like he had fell and he pulls Ruki to his lap, holding him tightly and with eyes closed....he was also trembling...why that was happening...? Why has to be so hard...??
-"You... I'm sorry...I took so long to come back....you....you're okay, Ruki, you're okay?? I love you..."
He says all at once since that he pulls Ruki so close to his chest...only wanting to have sure if his love was really there...breathing... he was so scared...he wanted so badly to finish all of that...to thos battles never reach Ruki again. And some tears softly runs down from his cheeks...at that time...he didnt want to think about what happened. He only want...to feel his love alive...on his arms.
But someone was still thinking about what happened. And throwing a stone at the Ruki's danna window, waking him up frightened, he can see a paper with a note:
"Your beautiful geisha is deeply in the beautiful general's arms. Look through the window, if you don't believe me.
A friend~"
Ruki couldn't say a thing right now. Burring face on Aoi's neck, he kept crying, wrapping arms tightly around him.
-"...I-I...I love you too..."
He said in a chocked voice, all lost about what he should do now. Aoi was deeply harmed again. Even himself was all harmed and bleeding but this wasn't what mattered now.
-"...Yoshikawa..."- He started saying between his tears.- "Yoshikawa...sent those man to...kill you...he...he said that wanted me, that I made him fall in love for me, just to chose you...and...ahnd...and then...he said that if I stay with him, you won't die...and everything'll stop...he...he's jealous of you, Yuu...because you became the general...because you have me...because...you're not dead, and because of that, he won't be the general, will keep being just a regular soldier and...I don't know...I don't know...but...come on, you...you're bleeding too much..."
And as soon as he finished reading the short message on the paper, Yamamoto stood up, totally lost on what was going on. But even not knowing, he knew that a person wouldn't make a stupid trick like this. This was Japan, after all. Standing up, the man narrowed eyes and walked to the window, looking through it and he, finally saw what it was siad on the paper. Aoi with Ruki on his arms. Both of them bleeding, all harmed, and saying something...but must importantly...both of them hugging. Like a couple. Like...lovers. Oh no...
-"Yoshikawa...???"
Aoi asks, opening his wet eyes to look at Ruki face. Yoshikawa?? His best friend Yoshikawa? He could remember, the first time that Aoi got in the headquarter...Yoshikawa looked at him and told 'ne, you look like a lost dog...' and laughed, saying 'but a wild one' right after... and since then, Yoshikawa was the only one there that looked caring about Aoi...the one that Aoi could tell about how disgusting he felt on the battles and invasions... the one who stood at Aoi's side...and even that he disliked some of Yoshikawa's actions, he got that man like...an older brother. An older brother who sent five men to kill him and his lover...and for what? For a position....for envy....impossible, that's impossible! But looking again at Ruki's face...his tears...his fears...Aoi knew that he wasn't lying...not just figuring out... his brother Yoshikawa now just turned into a... traitor. He touched Ruki...? He wanted to kill that bastard.
-"Don't worry about me...I'm okay...I'll be okay..."
He says, holding Ruki's face with his dirty hands. Yoshikawa...?
-"I'll go after Yoshikawa when I can ride a horse to get in the headquarter...I'll finish all of this...I'm...I'm so sorry, Ruki..."
He asked, looking deeply into his love's eyes. He won't allow anybody to touch Ruki again... and leaning forward, he kisses the geisha's lips...without to notice the eyes in the window staring them both.
Not being able to say a thing more, Ruki just nodded, wrapping his arms around the general's neck and after kissing his lips back a few more times, the geisha slided tongue inside Aoi's mouth, kissing him in a clumsy but still deep way, wanting to comfort himself and his loved one, almost clinging on him but not doing it. After a while, Ruki slowly breakes the kiss, standing up and wraps one of Aoi's arms around his own neck, making Aoi stand as well and slowly, both started walking towards the house. Once there, Toshio - who had woken up once he noticed that Ruki wasn't there - rushed to them, helping Ruki to carry Aoi inside, and soon both of them where on the room again. Meanwhile, Ruki's danna was freezed. He saw them kissing. He kept staring them to have sure if it was really Ruki and Aoi, once it was goddamn dark. But it were them. It were...oh...oh Ruki, why...why did you do this...? Feeling anger growing up more and more, Yamamoto sighed, hearing them both walking into the room and slowly, walked to where they are. Both Toshio and Ruki freezed as they heard a strong voice on the door.
-"What is going on here?"
Aoi was tired. His mind...his body... but he always finds his peace in Ruki's arms...warmth...lips...even everything being messed, his heart was still kept in that lovely cover... the cover that kept Ruki and Aoi's love safe all that moment... being them comfort...and them salvation... he knew that Ruki was harmed too and Aoi kept him held tightly as they walked back to the house, supporting only in Toshio when the boy comes to help them.
-"Help Ruki...he's bleeding..."
He asks to Toshio ignoring completely how much himself was bleeding, since a bit part of his wound just got open again and he receives a stab on his shoulder. When they got in the room, Aoi falls on the bed, moaning in pain lightly, 'cause he didn't want to scare Ruki...but as soon as he can think, that man, Ruki's danna just appear.What now? What he'd tell...?
-"Some men came after me, sir... I'm sorry for involve Ruki in the fight"
He says with his voice trembling. To lie isn't the key... to omit is.
-"I see..."
The man said, narrowing eyes to them both. No, he wouldn't say a thing. By the morning, Aoi'd go back to the headquarter. And Ruki...Ruki'd have what he deserved. Toshio figured out that his master wasn't happy with what he saw. He didn't knew what EXACLTY he saw, but...he could feel that somehow...the man found out about the geisha and the soldier. Maybe...maybe that was why he was staring them in such a way. And glancing at Ruki, he noticed the geisha's red eyes. looking at Aoi and not daring to look up at his danna. Ruki was afraid. Afraid that his danna'd know, and swallowed a bit. The man, then walked to where they were, holding Ruki's shoulders and made him stand.
-"Take care of the general, Toshio...I'll take care of Ruki"
He said a cold low voice, walking out of the room with Ruki on his arms. The geisha knew that...whatever was the reason why his danna was talking on that way and acting on that way....it wasn't...good.Damn...
Aoi looks at Ruki leaving with his danna, without being able to say anything. And he didn't feel in right of saying anything...that was that man's house... he was wearing clothes that Yamamoto-san bought...and he felt bad for have abused of that man's hospitality. Even he felt that the man also abused of Aoi's status, it wasn't like... he used Aoi's things and betrayed his trustful right in front of his eyes. But worse than to feel bad for that danna...he felt bad for Ruki... he knew that whatever it happens, Ruki'll take the damage... if...if the man found out, he'd send Ruki back to the okiya...and the most beautiful geisha of the Japan will turn into a shame. And only to think about that made Aoi's pain increase and he closes eyes tightly. He'll get back to the headquarter as soon as possible...and take his money and to pay Yamamoto everything that he spent, taking Ruki to himself...yeah....yeah...
-"Hnnng!!!!!!!!"
He moans when Toshio touches him and looks at the boy's face, staying in silence for some moments while the boy took care of his wounds
-"Toshio-kun...do you think...I screw up everything...?"
-"I...I don't know...Shiroyama-san..."
Toshio said truly doesn't knowing what his master would do. He was a very impredictible man, and while he could just not care about it, he could also freak out. But...knowing that Ruki was involved was a big thing. And it didn't take to loog for them to hear a scream. Ruki's scream. Yamamoto didn't care about the boy being all harmed and just kept smacking his back.
-"I don't want you involved with government's things, are you listening to me??? You're MY servant, MY geisha!! I hope you NEVER forget that, Ruki, NEVER!!! Your intentions might have been good, but I won't allow you to do it ever again!!"
And he kept beating on the boy, totally not carrying if he was hurting him badly or not. Ruki just swallowed, crying silently and now, he stopped screaming. It was hurting like hell, but...Ruki knew he was wrong. Even if on his heart...it was the right thing.
-"D-doumo...sumimasen..."
He said between his cry and chocked voice, but the man didn't listen and kept beating on him for a while.
After beating him for a few minutes, Yamamoto threw the whip on the floor and walked out of the room.
-"Take a bath, I will get your bandages"
Oh...gods...
Aoi heard Ruki's scream and his eyes got widen. Yes, he screw up everything. He could hear the whip cutting the wind... wildly... the same way a person does when wants to pull your angry all away. And even respecting...even thinking that he hadn't the right... and without to think if it'll be worse or not, Aoi ignores Toshio's words and stands up. His kimono was all open above the hakama, since the wound on his shoulder was being closed by Toshio and he opens the door, meeting Yamamoto in the corridor. He could feel that angryness without even need to look at him.
-"Yamamoto-san!"
He calls with his gasped voice. He could hear Ruki's breath on the room...and he felt tempted to look at him...to go at him and hold him close. To kiss all of his wounds. But no. It was his fault...without to know exactly where did they are wrong. They love each other. Is that a sin...? And when Yamamoto looks at him, Aoi stands straightly, even feeling those sharpen pains around his body.
-"Ruki-san didn't do anything intentionally... it was my fault. Please, don't punish him...I'll leave at the morning..."
-"I am his danna, general. I am his master and I'll do whatever I feel like doing. i'll punish him whevever I feel like he deserves too. A rikisha'll come tomorrow by the morning and will take you back to your headquerter...general."
The man said glaring angrily at Aoi and, walking inside his dorm, closed the door. Toshio walked to where Aoi was, obviously seeing it all. Yamamoto found out. He could feel it. Yamamoto was acting like this because he somehow found out about Ruki and Aoi. He knew that...Ruki'd be punished like he never was before. In fact...no one has been punished for something on that house. Specially Ruki. He was like...Yamamoto's wife. And the danna never wanted to harm his beautiful flower. But this flower wasn't blooming anymore now. It was dying. Dying inside that ofuro and feeling the rough hands on that man touching his body as he entered on the ofuro as well. Tears slowly started runnign down on his face as Yamamoto started bitting and kissing his neck hard and roughly, as if he wanted to rape the geisha. Why....why does thing have to be like this...?
What's the people's problems that thinks that only money can make you be the owner of a person? In the army, everybody is paid by the emperor to play God...you look at the map, already choosing who'll die and who'll live. A danna pay for kimonos...and feels the right of asking everything...you can't love, you can't breathe. Who gave this persons this kind of power...? Who turned the people so obsessed about themselves that they forget...that the person at your side feels like a human too...? And Aoi also was about to pay...to pay for their freedom...the freedom that Ruki couldn't have, but Aoi wanted to grant...you can do your job...but you can love...the person you wants to. And seeing the door closing right before his eyes, he looks down and falls on his knees...the blood running through his chest and some drops dirting the floor.
I'll fight, Ruki....until the end...I'll... And being grabbed by Toshio, he walks back to his room...laying down...and letting the boy taking care of his wounds...while he sweats...feeling the pain and the fear...of Ruki being hurted once again...
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Posted: rukitoaoi_nil, gazette_yaoi and jrockyaoi