Akatsuki - Chapter Twenty-One
Title: Akatsuki
Genre: AU/Fantasy
Rating : PG-13
Disclaimer: I made the poster from images I got from flickr, heavily influenced by an original, final fantasy/kingdom hearts/legend of Mana but the plot and characterization are my own hard work. The Idols are Johhnys but because they've engraved an irreplaceable position in my heart so I based my characters on them and yeah used their names...the end.
Summary: Two nations on the brink of war. A young King on a mission. Two brothers on a quest to preserve their ties. The bonds of friendship are pitted against the greed for power but the hidden strength lying dormant within the confines of a fragile heart has the ability to throw all asunder.
Chapter Twenty-One - Fatigue
He doesn’t remember how long he had stayed that way; arms wrapped around his legs, chin on his knees, eyes on his bare feet. He was bewildered, confused but now he just wanted to stop thinking, stop wondering and stop guessing. No good comes out of any of those anyway.
“You should have some food, you’re sleep was that of intoxication, you will feel ill if you don’t eat,”
Ryosuke lifted a weary gaze to meet with the woman’s. Intoxication? He frowned.
“I was drugged?” he asked in shock.
“You appeared almost dead when that boy brought you to our King, but we were reassured by him that it was just a sleeping potion, you must be reluctant if he had to go that far,”
Ryosuke sunk into the pillows, speechless in complete disbelief.
Daiki…his Daiki…drugged him?
“The King is disappointed with you. I’m sure that woman Haru had explained to you your task…you lingered too long, the Prince of Akatsuki has left the kingdom as the new King,”
Ryosuke sighed in relief, despite the shock of Daiki handing him over to Valian like this, at least Yuto was safe.
“What does the King want with me?” he asked quietly.
“The men after your life are a rebel group, so you and the King have mutual enemies…I suppose his sympathy for you stems from that matter,”
So, it was the King Aunt Haru had been talking about. He sighed.
“What else does he want from me?”
He inched away as the woman sat on the side of his bed, tray in hand.
“I shall only speak with you after you have eaten,” she said firmly. Ryosuke stared at the bowl of soup and bit his lip. He was really hungry. Red faced, he nodded and reached for the tray.
It was uncomfortable having someone watch you as you ate, but after the first bite did Ryosuke realize just how hungry he’d been to even care of the woman’s amused gaze upon him.
“You must excuse my poor manners,” she said lightly taking the tray from him as he was done.
“You very slightly resemble someone I knew, but you are not like her at all,”
Ryosuke watched her dispose of the cutlery to a male servant that had just entered before saying something to him in a low voice. The man nodded before leaving the room.
“Should I have been like her?” he asked confused as she approached him again.
“I guess; that’s how things work but I’m glad you’re not,”
He blinked at her as she sat down again.
“I really have forgotten my manners today, my name is Amaya,”
“Amaya?”
She smiled.
“Yes, and I’m the lady of this castle,”
~*~
He walked down the road with heavy steps, arms tight around his shivering figure. The street was unfamiliar and the people seemed even more so. It was a serious atmosphere with people going about their own business with urgency and diligence.
Amongst them he felt small, isolated…insignificant.
A group of youths passed by him talking heatedly about war, the economy and political unrest. He then spotted a mother with her two children bargaining with a street vendor across from where he stood. The oldest child looked around 5, his little fingers intertwined with those of his younger brother. The younger boy spotted Daiki staring, looked at him curiously at first before latching himself onto his older brother in fright.
His eyelids fell tight upon his gazers and fresh tears leaked from them. He could not for the life of him forget the shock on Ryosuke’s face.
The boy had trusted him with his life…
“LOOK OUT!”
Daiki stared in shock as he was pulled backwards, narrowly avoiding a passing carriage.
“YOU COULD’VE GOTTEN RUN OVER BY THE HORSES YOU CRAZY PERSON! WHAT WERE YOU…oh…why…why are you crying?”
Daiki quickly wiped his tears and gave the tall boy that had just saved his life a curt nod.
“I’m fine…and thank you,”
“You don’t seem fine,” the boy insisted, large eyes brimming with concern. Daiki shook his head.
“Never seen you around, are you from out of town?” the boy insisted.
Daiki shook his head.
“Wait…a foreigner?”
“I was born here,”
“Then where do you live?”
Daiki bit his lip and shook his head, lowering his head to hide more tears.
“Oh boy, come on, come with me,”
And so Daiki walked in silence behind the taller boy, unknowing of his destination and seriously not caring. Normally, he would’ve been extremely embarrassed for breaking down in front of a stranger, but he felt like he had lost all control.
“Here, in here,”
Daiki looked up from his feet to realize that they were standing outside a small Inn.
“We don’t have many customers yet cause we just opened a few days ago so you’ll have some privacy…and don’t worry about the money…it’s on the house!”
Daiki looked at the boy, bewildered as he followed his lanky figure into the small building. The lobby was a cozy looking place with a sitting area and fire place.
“Ayu-san!”
The boy frowned at the vacant room before giving Daiki an apologetic look.
“Sit here, I’ll go talk to the owner,”
“Um…thank you…?”
“Yuma!” the boy said cheerfully. Daiki nodded with a genuine smile.
“Thank you Yuma,”
“Oh, my father will be coming in soon, just in case my finding Ayu-san takes longer than expected and if he asks about me let him know what I’m up to…please?”
“Um…sure,”
Daiki made himself comfortable on one of the seats next to the fireplace, warming his shivering being and just trying to get himself together.
He looked at the door as it tingled open and watched as a man stepped in. Their eyes met…deep brown with electrifying blue and both reflected a similar reaction.
“Daiki/Zack?”
~*~
A/N: I think I might have raised a couple of questions here, will answer them promptly. Sorry for taking a little longer, school started and it's been slowly sucking the life out of me *bricked for the drama*. Music is Yuki Kajiura (again), Fatigue from Tsubasa Chronicles OST.