Moth To A Flame - Chapter 2 [The Gazette - Reita/Ruki (Akira/Takanori)]
Title: Moth To A Flame
Author: shir0ukun
Rating: NC17
Genre: Crime | Suspense | Thriller | Romance | AU
Chapter: [2/10]
Warnings: Violence | Murder | (Gruelling) Death | MxM sex
Band[s]: The GazettE
Pairing[s]: Reita/Ruki (Akira/Takanori)
Synopsis: Akira once escaped his fate as an CIA officer, only to have destiny claim him back when the Central Intelligence Agency requires his assistance in Japan’s most impossible crime yet. He realizes upon receiving the assignment, that in order to solve the case, he would have to engage help from Japan’s most dangerous criminal- the very one that ended his career, with a bullet wound to the chest.
Comments: At the end of the fic for this one. Enjoy. (:
Previous Chapters:
[Chapter 1]
[Prologue]
“Do it.”
“Do what?”
“If he wants it, then give it to him. We need him, Akira. Sacrifices mean nothing in our line of work- you know that best.”
Akira stared at the director incredulously.
“I’m not sabotaging my happiness and my life for this case, Kai. I can’t spend the rest of my life with a serial killer.”
“Well, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life with him,” Kai tapped his pencil on the desk nervously, “How about this- tell him you’ll go return to being his lover for two weeks. Once this case’s solved, he earns his freedom, and you get yours.”
Akira narrowed his eyes.
“I hate his guts.”
“You loved him once.”
“… You’re inhumane.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry’s can’t solve shit.”
“Please…”
Day Two: The Depths - Crib B1 Chamber 04, District 12, Tokyo
Akira tapped his foot against the prison ground impatiently. The Depths appeared less intimidating now that it was his second visit, but Akira’s irritation towards Takanori only grew with each passing moment. The serial killer only smiled back when Akira looked daggers at him through the thick glass, utterly amused by the situation.
“So. Have you made up your mind?” As much as he wanted to solve the case, Akira wasn’t too keen on the idea of spending two whole weeks with the one being he hated so much; he’d have to try his luck.
“We’re back to the topic again? I told you I’ll do it only if you come back to me.”
“The CIA’s cutting your sentence further,” Akira muttered unwillingly, “From thirty, to ten. It’s a double win, Slim. Think about it.”
Takanori chuckled- one of mockery, not of satisfaction.
“That sounds really appealing, Akira. But, honestly. I want you. I’d gi-“
“You’re in The Depths, Slim. You’ll never get out of here.”
“I do realize that, Akira. But I’ve spent six months in here, and it’ll take much more for me to go nuts. Thirty years means nothing.”
Akira gritted his teeth; he was quickly losing this conversation.
Please… Please… Please…
Kai’d begged him, and he didn’t want to let his beloved friend down. Slim was the key piece to this puzzle, and Akira was the only one capable of piecing the entire picture together, if only he relented to the former’s request. The agent counted his odds. He’d failed to piece together the puzzle pieces just six months ago, and he’d paid for it with a girl’s life. Akira let his lids fall close, shutting out memories of the past. They were agonizing- simply too painful.
“Two weeks.”
Takanori raised his brows.
“I’ll return to being your lover for two weeks. If you don’t nail our culprit by then, Slim, you can forget about getting out of The Depths for the rest of your life.”
“It sounds like a real risk,” A grin emerged from those dry lips, “But I like it. So, I’ll be livi-“
“Don’t. Push your luck, human.”
“Oh, great. First, Slim. Now, human. I have the feeling you really hate me now.” Takanori feigned a hurt expression, but he really couldn’t care less. He’d get Akira back no matter what it takes- even if it meant sacrificing his freedom.
“Thank you for realizing that. You’ll be out of the cell the next morning, and as for where you’ll be living, the CIA has yet to decide.”
“Tell them I’ll live with you.”
“It’s not for you to decide. And before I forget, there’s something else you should know.”
Takanori’s eyes fell, thinning into slits. The last thing he needed now was extra conditions to limit his game, and in an instant, his smile seemed to disappear behind his fangs.
“What’s after these two weeks, Slim, is you disappearing from my life. Forever. That’s it- goodbye, and I shall never see you again under the supervision of the law. You gain your deserved freedom, but you should understand that the CIA will be tracking your every move.”
Akira couldn’t decipher the unreadable expression on Takanori’s face, but what he experienced after that was a mix of horror and malice. The blood-curling laughter broke out from within the chamber in no moment, sounding no less eerie being transmitted through the intercom.
“Done deal, Akira. Done deal,” Takanori grinned, and then leaned forward in the chair, “So, what’s up with our boy here?”
We’re finally talking. Akira heaved a silent sigh of relief.
“Moth- he skins his victims alive, day by day, starting with their feet, then slowly moving to their torso.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“It’s disgusting. What I suppose is that he continues this perverse act even after his victims’ die of shock,” Akira paused, glaring at Takanori in contempt, “He’s sick. Like you.”
“For the umpteenth time, Akira. I’m not sick- please understand that. And is that all to the story?”
“He leaves no clues, no trace; no nothing. He’s smart.”
“You’re smart, too.”
“He printed a letter out, by the way.” Akira continued, ignoring the twisted compliment.
“What does it say?”
“It says,” Akira started reciting from his memory, the cold, unfeeling words of Moth scorching themselves into his mind, “You devoured those who deserved it, transformed them into what they truly are, my god, do they understand you not?”
Akira watched as a surge of incomprehensible emotion overcome Takanori. The agent felt uncomfortable reminding the serial killer of his past- it felt as if he was reviving the beast within this defected prisoner.
“Hmm, he must know a lot about me.”
“He adores you. It makes me sick.”
“This is obsession, Akira. And I can tell you what he’s obsessed with,” Takanori paused, staring curiously into thin air, “He’s obsessed with transformation.”
“Transformation?”
“You’ve thought of that too, don’t lie,” Takanori continued, “This person- Moth, as you call him, has an obsession with transformation. People are originally made of flesh- the skin is what surrounds them. The transformation he seeks, is when one removes their pale skin, revealing the crimson flesh beneath- what he deems as what they truly are. Not as much as a snake shedding its skin, though- but a butterfly out of a cocoon. What he enjoys, is the change a being undergoes, emerging in a completely different form as a result. If you ask me, I’d say the name Moth fits him pretty well.”
Akira didn’t reply.
“You’re as smart as me, Akira, that’s why you nailed me. You’ve known this from the start, and you’re just testing my capability,” Takanori stared at Akira with his fierce, piercing glare, “I find that incredibly insulting.”
“You’re in no position to say that, Slim.”
“It’s Takanori.”
“What else can you make of it?”
Takanori shut his eyes and let the words run through his mind. Transformation, devoured, deserved it, my god. Nothing.
“I need time.”
Akira opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he decided otherwise. Nodding his head in acknowledgement, the agent pushed himself off the chair, before checking the time on his watch.
8.09pm, the second day after Moth’s third killing.
Time was running out.
“I’ll come for you tomorrow. Be prepared to leave the first thing in the morning, and in the mean time, think. Rack your brains out, dry your brain juice- I don’t care how you do it, but I need more prompts tomorrow. You hear me on that?”
Takanori only shrugged.
“Whatever you say, boss.”
Akira narrowed his eyes at the blonde, but turned to leave when he received no apology.
“Wait!”
The agent took a few steps backward.
“You’re calling me Takanori from tomorrow on. Remember, we’re lovers,” Takanori blew a loving kiss Akira’s way, “So let’s give it our best, shall we?”
~ . ~ . ~
“No, no, no, no. This is impossible, Kai! Can you believe that’s what he said to me?!” Akira sulked, downing a cup of whiskey in the Director’s office, “I can’t live with such a disgusting person.”
“Akira, look at it this way,” Kai placed a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “He’s one of Japan’s most dangerous criminal. He’s smart- and strong- enough to escape any of our men; even me. You’re the only one who can restrain him. Besides, the both of you had been lovers. You know him better than any of us do.”
“He tried to kill me, Kai,” Akira sunk his face into his hands, “He’s a killer; I don’t know him, and I probably never did.”
“Come on, ‘Kira, don’t take this too hard on yourself.” Kai tried his best to reassure his friend. He knew how much Akira’d loved Takanori; he knew their love was true. But what Takanori did was unforgivable- he’d hurt Akira too much, when the latter would have given up anything in exchange for his love.
“Well,” Akira jolted up straight suddenly, his face flushed in a light, crimson shade from the alcohol, “This is no time to be brooding. I’ve gotten over it anyway.”
Akira smiled. Kai felt his heart sink at the sorrowful gesture.
“Ya know, Akira. On second thoughts, I’m fine with placing Ta-…Slim in my custody. That is, if you feel too uncomfortable.”
“No, don’t worry ‘bout it. I’ll deal with him myself,” Kai couldn’t quite comprehend the expression on Akira’s features, “Besides, I’ve got some unfinished business with him.”
~ . ~ . ~
No, please, no!
Akira panted heavily as he tore down the rundown staircase leading towards the basement. They’d been wrong all along. Slim’s hideout had never been in District 55- it’d been in the East coast, an abandoned mansion where he would finish his victims before disposing of them by the coast or the forest. The mansion was so close to the crime scenes; it’d been right under their noses all these time, and yet Akira had failed to piece together the clues.
The CIA agent slowed down his speed as he neared the heavy door leading to the basement. He’d failed to notice it until he was inches away from the door- the smell of death.
Oh no.
Kicking the door open in frenzy, Akira gasped and looked away at the sight of Slim’s 12th victim, drowned in a huge tank of what he supposed was acid. Like all the other victims, the poor girl was plump and fat with all the food forcefully fed to her, her wide-opened eyes proof of her struggles against the cover of the tank. Akira could never quite lay a finger on Slim’s quirk of feeding his victim to satisfaction before killing them off slowly.
“Akira? ‘Kira, you there?” The agent’s walkie-talkie crackled to life with his team mate’s worried voice.
“Yes, I ne-“
“Oh, thank god yo-”
“Listen to me, Kai. We didn’t make it,” Akira couldn’t bring himself to take another look at the grueling sight before him, “I need back up. Now.”
“Roger that, we’ll be there right away.”
Akira hung up, and then froze almost instantly.
“Right away isn’t fast enough,” A voice spoke from behind, “Akira.”
Akira’d made a grave mistake. He’d treaded too carelessly on an enemy’s territory- he’d fallen prey to this scheming monster. He’d led himself straight into the tiger’s den, but he knew it was the only way to root out the murderer. He was about to unveil the mask of Slim; he wanted to turn around, but he couldn’t. He was paralyzed, not from fear, but the horror of acknowledgement.
That voice. And the way his name left his lips.
The agent turned slowly on his feet, and then there was silence.
“… Why are you here?” Akira knew. He knew why the blonde was here, he knew why his shirt was blood-stained; he knew why he had a gun in his hand, but he had to confirm. Impossible.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Akira’s knees buckled beneath him, and then he supported himself with the wall. Slim was just a meter before him. His eyes were dark with resentment, the crimson sparkle within his orbs told Akira he’d seen bloodshed. He was ruthless, sick to the core, and a heartless murderer. After three months of relentless pursuit, they’d finally nailed the infamous Slim. The being Akira was facing now was Slim- it wasn’t his lover; it wasn’t Takanori.
“I’m asking,” Akira’s voice gave away, “Why are you here?”
Slim didn’t answer, but took a step towards Akira. The CIA agent staggered backwards- he wanted to be away from this monster. He felt disgusted to the guts just by being in his presence.
“Please don’t do this, Akira,” Slim’s voice weakened, but never once did he release his grip on the revolver, “I don’t want to do this. Run away with me. Please.”
Slim moved to touch Akira, but flinched when the latter tore away from his soft touch. He could barely register what happened within that chaotic moment. Pain seared through his chest in an instant, and in shock, he felt the gun in his hand go off.
Akira felt pain. Pain so excruciating he wished he would die right then before the bullet could even make its way through his bones. Blood rushed through his windpipe as he stumbled weakly onto the ground, shaking in agony and coughing out pulse after pulse of the thick, red liquid. His consciousness was gradually leaving him, and he fell to the ground, using the last of his energy to keep his lids open.
Within his sight was Slim, gun in his hand and blood quickly pooling around his frame. Akira searched the pair of lifeless eyes for signs of repentance- guilt, or simply just humanity. He found none of the elements within those orbs. What he got in return was endless wrath; and the gradually fading resentment of a murderer.
Why? How?
So many questions found their way into Akira’s mind, but he could no longer summon the energy to think- or feel- anymore. The agent’s consciousness finally faded away with the long-lasting imprint of those inhumane eyes; together with the sounds of sirens reaching into the dark, long night.
(A/N: Like I mentioned, this fiction is constructed mostly based on my imagination so no, psychopathic killers DON’T have the privilege to get out of their cells NOR can they roam free after solving some shit case. The conditions given in this chapter are solely for the convenience of my plot development, so I’m sorry if any of you find this story too impossible. :D)