Heave the silver hollow sliver / Piercing through another victim

[snobbiest]

Characters: Hakuteiken (snobbiest) and Kiba (starstruckstray)
Date/Time: May 19, sometime after Kiba's entry
Location: The Wilderness @ the elevator
Rating: PG13 just in case?
Summary: Hakuteiken and Kiba finally have a proper meeting confrontation. :O

Comments

[starstruckstray]

Kiba knew he had to talk to the other man, even if he had no idea what he'd say. Hakuteiken had been his captain, which would explain the grudging respect Kiba had for him. But...he'd been willing to let Kazahana die. Even if they weren't married, if they were related some other way--how could he? And how could she make excuses for that

[snobbiest]

"And you, in her dream," Hakuteiken replied. He recalled their first 'meeting' -discovering Kazahana- when he'd first really taken note of Kiba's power and what he felt like. And now, standing face to face with each other, Kiba seemed all the more familiar still. Rugged. Uncouth. Examining him further, Hakuteiken felt an inexplicable trust in him.

Why was that? Perhaps it was because he knew somewhere inside him that Kiba would always protect Kazahana--that he would endure almost anything for her. Granted, Hakuteiken felt like he would, too; however, he'd received a memory wherein he stood and watched as she was about to be executed. About to die. And he was going to simply watch as it happened.

"You would protect her, rescue her... against all odds and adversaries." And for that, he respected Kiba, even if he didn't show it. He remained unmoved, simply watching and observing Kiba. "Including me."

[starstruckstray]

"Yeah, I was." Kiba had gotten her dream as well, had looked up into his own younger face, felt her relief and trust as she was pulled from the river.

He blinked at the older man's question. "Yeah," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Of course he'd protect her, when she needed it. They were supposed to have each other's backs; she'd do the same for him.

That weird feeling hit him again--it felt wrong to be at odds with Hakuteiken. And while the memory of their confrontation was still fresh in his mind, deep down he knew the other man cared for Kazahana. So why, then?

"She was gonna be executed. I was trying to get her out." He clenched his fists, his anger rising again. "But you stopped me. You stopped me. Why would you---why?!?"

[snobbiest]

"... to uphold the law." It was as if he'd thought so long and hard about that question that its answer never came to mind; yet now, before Kiba, the answer delivered itself with scarcely a thought. Such a simple and true answer lay with him the whole time he'd been mulling about the inconsistent discoveries. Only when he was faced with this man did Hakuteiken rediscover the truth lying somewhere within.

He quietly exhaled -calm and composed- before continuing.

"Though I am unaware of whatever circumstances there were in the past. There must be a reason we were brought here, unaware of who we once were and what we had once done--I swear upon my honor now that I would never allow harm to come to her. Not in this world, nor in this lifetime."