Unrestrained Chapter 4 (Ritsuka/Soubi)
Title: Unrestrained Chapter 4
Author: priestess_grrrl
Series: Loveless
Pairing: Ritsuka/Soubi
Rating: this chapter: PG 13
Summary: So far in the story, Ritsuka discovers that he has been Named, but his Name isn't Loveless, it's Unrestrained. When he meets up with Soubi, the Name is transferred to his Fighter as well, and the two of them angst over it as they are wont to do. When last we left our faithful heroes, Ritsuka had just called Soubi back after ordering him away. Soubi comes to his Sacrifice, but unfortunately his mother is home...
Notes: I decided to continue this fic that I started with dusk_eyed a while back. Sadly, she's been offline for some time now, and we're not sure if she's coming back. *misses her* It was such a good plotbunny, though, I couldn't resist.
Previous chapters: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
Ritsuka put his head between his legs. His quivering shoulders betrayed silent sobs.
Soubi wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his Sacrifice, but he hesitated. He knew that Ritsuka was very volatile right now, and Soubi didn’t think he himself could handle it if Ritsuka ordered him away again. Staring intently at his trembling form, he tried to discern whether or not coming closer was the right thing to do. By habit, Soubi’s entire body became a lightning rod, intensely focused on the will of his Sacrifice, ready to move in any direction at a moment’s notice. Perforce he was reminded of Seimei, and he cursed himself. This is not what Ritsuka wants. I know it upsets Ritsuka. But I don’t know any other way to be.
Sniffing, Ritsuka lifted his head slowly, his huge watery eyes sending the message that Soubi had been waiting for: please hold me. In a flash Soubi was next to him on the bed, cradling him gently, stroking his soft velvet ears, whispering his name into his dark hair. Ritsuka clung to his Fighter as hot tears poured down his cheeks.
“Soubi… Soubi, I don’t know what to do!”
“Shhhh. Ritsuka. It’s okay.”
“This… thing, it’s… it’s scary.”
“I know.”
“You… SOUBI!” Ritsuka squirmed around to face him. “If you know something, you have to TELL me! What do you know about this… Name thing? I order you to tell me!”
Soubi’s gaze never left Ritsuka’s. “I don’t know why this has happened, Ritsuka. It is strange for me, too. I don’t know much about what happens for regular fighting pairs; maybe this is… normal.”
“What do you mean, regular fighting pairs? Do you mean to say that you and Seimei… weren’t ‘normal’ either?”
Soubi sighed. Ritsuka, I don’t know how to tell you…
Suddenly, there was a noise outside in the hallway. All of Ritsuka’s muscles tensed at once. He leaped out of bed, eyes filled with terror.
“The closet door… I forgot to shut the closet door, when I went to get the candles...!” He started to move towards the bedroom door, but Soubi reached out to stop him. “Soubi! I have to-”
“RITSUKAAA!” Misaki’s knifelike voice echoed through the room. “Where is Mommy’s little thief? RITSUKA!!” Her angry fists pummeled the door.
Ritsuka was shaking all over. Soubi crossed his arms over Ritsuka’s chest. “It’s all right, Ritsuka. I will protect you.”
“No, no, Soubi you have to g-”
“The REAL RITSUKA doesn’t steal!! COME OUT, IMPOSTER CHILD!!” Crashing sounds accompanied the high pitched screeching. Misaki was breaking dishes against the door.
“Ritsuka, please…” Soubi begged him. This wasn’t okay. This had never been okay.
“SOUBI! I’ve told you before, you are to leave her alone! I can handle this! Just-”
But Soubi wasn’t listening: his sensitive ears had picked up another sound that filled him with dread: the sound of a screwdriver being turned in the lock. He was about to use his Fighter abilities to keep the door shut despite Ritsuka’s orders, when suddenly he doubled over in pain, clutching his abdomen.
Their Name, Unrestrained, was suddenly activated again, blazing even stronger than before. It was all Soubi could do to keep hold of Ritsuka. It’s up to me to protect him. I’m his Fighter, it’s up to me. Soubi took a deep breath, concentrating, breathing into the pain. Pain does not own me, I own pain, I own it… There was something there, something behind the pain, if he could only reach it, if he could just perceive it…
Safe. Keep Ritsuka safe.
The door flew open. The raving woman raised her hands above her head, shards of broken porcelain in each claw. They came hurling through the air like missiles toward her only living son.
Soubi stepped directly into the line of fire.
The sharp pieces sliced deeply into his chest, drawing blood. Soubi closed his eyes, breathed deeply, then opened them once more. Misaki, caught off guard, stopped dead.
“Wh-who are you?”
“Please.” Soubi moved closer to Misaki, pulling the white porcelain out of his chest without so much as a wince, holding the crimson-stained pieces out to her like a sacred offering.
“Please. Hurt me. Don’t hurt Ritsuka. Hurt me instead.”
Author: priestess_grrrl
Series: Loveless
Pairing: Ritsuka/Soubi
Rating: this chapter: PG 13
Summary: So far in the story, Ritsuka discovers that he has been Named, but his Name isn't Loveless, it's Unrestrained. When he meets up with Soubi, the Name is transferred to his Fighter as well, and the two of them angst over it as they are wont to do. When last we left our faithful heroes, Ritsuka had just called Soubi back after ordering him away. Soubi comes to his Sacrifice, but unfortunately his mother is home...
Notes: I decided to continue this fic that I started with dusk_eyed a while back. Sadly, she's been offline for some time now, and we're not sure if she's coming back. *misses her* It was such a good plotbunny, though, I couldn't resist.
Previous chapters: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
Ritsuka put his head between his legs. His quivering shoulders betrayed silent sobs.
Soubi wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his Sacrifice, but he hesitated. He knew that Ritsuka was very volatile right now, and Soubi didn’t think he himself could handle it if Ritsuka ordered him away again. Staring intently at his trembling form, he tried to discern whether or not coming closer was the right thing to do. By habit, Soubi’s entire body became a lightning rod, intensely focused on the will of his Sacrifice, ready to move in any direction at a moment’s notice. Perforce he was reminded of Seimei, and he cursed himself. This is not what Ritsuka wants. I know it upsets Ritsuka. But I don’t know any other way to be.
Sniffing, Ritsuka lifted his head slowly, his huge watery eyes sending the message that Soubi had been waiting for: please hold me. In a flash Soubi was next to him on the bed, cradling him gently, stroking his soft velvet ears, whispering his name into his dark hair. Ritsuka clung to his Fighter as hot tears poured down his cheeks.
“Soubi… Soubi, I don’t know what to do!”
“Shhhh. Ritsuka. It’s okay.”
“This… thing, it’s… it’s scary.”
“I know.”
“You… SOUBI!” Ritsuka squirmed around to face him. “If you know something, you have to TELL me! What do you know about this… Name thing? I order you to tell me!”
Soubi’s gaze never left Ritsuka’s. “I don’t know why this has happened, Ritsuka. It is strange for me, too. I don’t know much about what happens for regular fighting pairs; maybe this is… normal.”
“What do you mean, regular fighting pairs? Do you mean to say that you and Seimei… weren’t ‘normal’ either?”
Soubi sighed. Ritsuka, I don’t know how to tell you…
Suddenly, there was a noise outside in the hallway. All of Ritsuka’s muscles tensed at once. He leaped out of bed, eyes filled with terror.
“The closet door… I forgot to shut the closet door, when I went to get the candles...!” He started to move towards the bedroom door, but Soubi reached out to stop him. “Soubi! I have to-”
“RITSUKAAA!” Misaki’s knifelike voice echoed through the room. “Where is Mommy’s little thief? RITSUKA!!” Her angry fists pummeled the door.
Ritsuka was shaking all over. Soubi crossed his arms over Ritsuka’s chest. “It’s all right, Ritsuka. I will protect you.”
“No, no, Soubi you have to g-”
“The REAL RITSUKA doesn’t steal!! COME OUT, IMPOSTER CHILD!!” Crashing sounds accompanied the high pitched screeching. Misaki was breaking dishes against the door.
“Ritsuka, please…” Soubi begged him. This wasn’t okay. This had never been okay.
“SOUBI! I’ve told you before, you are to leave her alone! I can handle this! Just-”
But Soubi wasn’t listening: his sensitive ears had picked up another sound that filled him with dread: the sound of a screwdriver being turned in the lock. He was about to use his Fighter abilities to keep the door shut despite Ritsuka’s orders, when suddenly he doubled over in pain, clutching his abdomen.
Their Name, Unrestrained, was suddenly activated again, blazing even stronger than before. It was all Soubi could do to keep hold of Ritsuka. It’s up to me to protect him. I’m his Fighter, it’s up to me. Soubi took a deep breath, concentrating, breathing into the pain. Pain does not own me, I own pain, I own it… There was something there, something behind the pain, if he could only reach it, if he could just perceive it…
Safe. Keep Ritsuka safe.
The door flew open. The raving woman raised her hands above her head, shards of broken porcelain in each claw. They came hurling through the air like missiles toward her only living son.
Soubi stepped directly into the line of fire.
The sharp pieces sliced deeply into his chest, drawing blood. Soubi closed his eyes, breathed deeply, then opened them once more. Misaki, caught off guard, stopped dead.
“Wh-who are you?”
“Please.” Soubi moved closer to Misaki, pulling the white porcelain out of his chest without so much as a wince, holding the crimson-stained pieces out to her like a sacred offering.
“Please. Hurt me. Don’t hurt Ritsuka. Hurt me instead.”