Salt and Water chapter 3 ToraxShou
Title: Salt and Water
Chapters: 3/10
Author: mxtrxofsomer
Set and Theme: C #1 - Need
Genre: angst, romance, AU
Band(s): Alice Nine
Pairing: Tora x Shou
Rating: R
Warnings: contains some sensitive issues that some people might find disturbing
Summary: “... it was an encounter too short from the view of the heavens, fair enough in the eyes of the humans, infinite from my own sense of time and... non-existent in his.”
Notes: Still not blessed with any artistic talent in graphics (e.g. drawing and Photoshop) so wrote it instead. Hopeless. Written for j10_ways under Set C theme # 1 - Need
Thanks for all the support I’m receiving in this fic. I truly appreciate your comments. I’m loving this series more and more because of you.
Previous Next
Presumptuous, a word that automatically landed on my tongue but never left my lips as he forced me inside a chamber behind a heavily tinted glass door enclosed by the same color of glass walls, found six floors down the open air. I thought it should not matter much for I had voluntarily let him haul me to what seemed like an empty private office, a luxurious one, with a single long glass desk sitting parallel to the side wall, covered wholly by a bookshelf. At the center, occupying more space than office furnishings, was a set of four white cushion couches that surrounded a contrasting low black wooden table.
He dragged me there and with a short dismissal saying, “Sit down,” as he urged me onto the couch, he stomped out of my sight, giving me some time to question myself as to why I was still there when I had all the opportunity to leave. Getting out of such situation would not require a lot of effort, I simply would have to put him to a slumber and tamper with his memory to make it appear like it was a dream. I had no definite answer to my own query but I dumbly stayed nonetheless.
I doubt that it was out of curiosity though I surely wanted know how come he was able to see and touch me even. It was a phenomenon out of my league, I had never heard of such ability from humans. But if it was of plain curiosity, I would rather have been back to heaven in no time, consulting the collections of ancient texts or interviewing anyone who could give me a detailed explanation, that was, if somebody was going to believe a story.
I could not understand what his motives were either; taking in an unknown person who happened to be sort of suicidal. He should actually be worried. For all he knew, not that I had any plans to, I could take advantage of him. I wonder if it was part of human nature, or in this case, his special trait. I did not have that human perception or the kindness that angels of earth possessed so I could not grasp human behaviour. Unlike them, I was raised to be suspicious of everything. Ones like me could never afford to be vulnerable, it were the demons we were dealing with after all.
These things make me doubt whether God had made a mistake of assigning me on this position. Would I have been better if I did not belong to His army?
I decided to discard the thought to mull over for another time, still debating if I would favour the peaceful life earth offered over the excitement I always experienced in the battlefield. It might be improper for an angel to say this but it is true, once you had slain a demon, it becomes addicting to the point of not wanting to exterminate them all so you would never run out of breathing things to kill. Indeed a passionately scary thought, it makes me shiver from both delight and fear.
“You’re cold,” his voice flooded inside my mind as the warmth of his hand touched my icy cheek, pulling me out of the place I had grown to love and hate, the subconscious. My hand instinctively shot up, wrapping itself around his fingers as my eyes snapped open to meet his piercing ones.
Up close, they were brown. Up close they seemed to be fiercer. And in that little distance, they were more beautiful than what I had perceived before. If I hated immortality, I certainly fell in love with eternity as it presented itself enfolded in the smallest fraction of a second.
Surprisingly, his lips stretched to reveal a smile with a tiny hint of arrogance. I was suddenly despising him for doing so, for putting an end to the moment that I just discovered I would be so fond of.
And he had fed on my disappointment and irritation for his grin grew to laughter. “I’m Tora,” he said when he was finished making fun of me.
“Shou,” I answered nonchalantly although deep inside, there was a burning want to stab my dagger through him for daring to insult me. If it was not for the fact that he was protected or that my weapon would not work on him, I could have done it.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to appear like that,” he said, looking really apologetic. He withdrew his hand, straightening his posture so that he was towering me with his height. “I don’t want to make a bad impression.”
I held the spot on my cheek where his hand was resting a few minutes ago, now feeling robbed without the presence of his temperature on my skin. But a lingering spark of distrust overpowered me as his laughter earlier echoed in my ears. “You already did.”
He sighed with a weak smile, crouching down to sit, knees bent close to his chest on the carpeted floor. “I really am sorry. It’s just that you...”
I did not speak, not encouraging him to continue his unfinished sentence. I was not the least concerned in hearing whatever his reasons were. However, I remained expectant of the other things he would tell me.
“You have beautiful eyes,” he said, shyly smiling and avoiding me by staring at the floor. I did not imagine that there could still be some amount of coyness in him after how he acted.
Funny, nobody had told me that my eyes were beautiful. I always thought that they were big and honest, not the most appropriate appearance on me for they make me look weak.
Somehow finally losing interest on the furry floor, he stared back at me, brows furrowed in concentration, probably thinking hard to form the right words. “They are big and round and all too truthful and that makes them very beautiful,” he completed in a dreamy tone like he was narrating to me a story out of magnificent tales passed down from generations to the next by tradition. He chuckled again, sheepishly this time, as though he was caught reciting poor poetry.
“Uh, thank you,” annoyance subsiding, I faintly said, uneasiness settling in the pit of my stomach. I had never before felt that nervous not even when confronted with the dangers of war. It was new and, overwhelming, making me giddy in an anxiously pleasant way.
“Am I forgiven?” he asked playfully, setting the atmosphere in a less intimidating aura. He tilted his head on the side, stretching his legs and shifting his weight on both his palms on the floor. It was then I understood a part of his character- confidence and I would not fall victim to it again.
I nodded, appreciative of his effort. It was my time to give him a smile. It was small and short which lasted for just a split second. But its briefness was irrelevant, he was able to glimpse it and I could say that he was excited.
“You must hate me for interfering.” It was amazing but at the same time worrisome to learn how our conversation could turn from comfortable to anxious to playful to end up sombre in that pace. We had barely exchanged phrases but I felt like he knew me well, and I was talking to him as if was talking to Uruha, only with the newly-discovered feelings that I was not able to experience when I was with my friend.
“But I’m happy that I did or should I say, I am lucky that you did,” he said, his face devoid of emotion except for solemnity.
Distance descended between the two of us and I found it just as depressing as my frustrations. I parted my lips to try and say something, to reach out, to ask him a single question but the words refused to leave my throat. In the end, I opted not to, shutting my mouth, keeping them to myself. Perhaps, it was better if I did not; I knew the answer after all.
Connection. We were connected in some conspiring sense. I wonder whose work was this. According to the laws that govern the universe, it was unacceptable. But looking at the way we had found each other, it was hard for me not to blame destiny.
“Shou, I’ll make you smile again, a smile that would perfectly match your eyes.”
Maybe it would not be that hard to start believing again.
-----
“I have never heard of such thing,” he was saying fairly loudly, fighting the breeze that was madly sweeping against him. Beside me, as he rested on a rectangular piece of wood, with its two sides tied to a sturdy branch of tree by four thick ropes woven together, Uruha was swinging nonstop, practically making me dizzy. “But then, it has to be true.”
He dragged his feet on the mossy ground to slow his speed until the swing fully came to a stop. “So are you here to find answers?”
With a little force, I pushed myself backwards and let that momentum take me not far to the other side. “I do not see any purpose it would serve me. I simply came back to tell you because I feel that I have to.”
“You are such a nice friend,” he said, turning to his side so he was facing me instead. He lifted his feet on the board and rested his chin on both his knees. “I am glad you did.”
I gripped the rope tighter but made no attempt to move from my position. “I would just ask a small favour from you,” I said. “Do not consult about this with him.”
“What made you think that I would tell him?” Uruha frowned as he leaned forward, looking a little distressed. I guess I had hurt him with my tactless words.
“That is not what I mean,” I replied guiltily. Uruha and I had been together far too long for me to accuse him of disloyalty. He was the only one I could and would trust. “He is just wise enough to have the knowledge.”
“Well, it is out of the plan,” he said. He was still hurt but I knew that he understood. “And although I would like to know, I cannot afford to be sidetracked so rest assured. How about you, what are you going to do now?”
“I cannot stay longer than necessary,” I said, looking ahead to the vastness of En’s woods. I did not have an idea or if I even had an objective. All I knew was that I need to see him again.
“That is why we are stuck together.”
-----
Endnotes:I have to end it like that. I’m sorry if it still wasn’t enough. I have to keep it at that length so as not to give away too much about the rest of the chapters. Actually there are some hints, they’re in the smallest details. I had to limit their encounter too. Don’t worry, there would be a lot of them in the next.
I think I am in love with Shou, I just found out about it. And because of that, I’m falling in love with my own Shou too. And I am loving Shou and Uruha’s convo too xDDD ...comments are love as always~
Fanfic Archive
Chapters: 3/10
Author: mxtrxofsomer
Set and Theme: C #1 - Need
Genre: angst, romance, AU
Band(s): Alice Nine
Pairing: Tora x Shou
Rating: R
Warnings: contains some sensitive issues that some people might find disturbing
Summary: “... it was an encounter too short from the view of the heavens, fair enough in the eyes of the humans, infinite from my own sense of time and... non-existent in his.”
Notes: Still not blessed with any artistic talent in graphics (e.g. drawing and Photoshop) so wrote it instead. Hopeless. Written for j10_ways under Set C theme # 1 - Need
Thanks for all the support I’m receiving in this fic. I truly appreciate your comments. I’m loving this series more and more because of you.
Previous Next
Presumptuous, a word that automatically landed on my tongue but never left my lips as he forced me inside a chamber behind a heavily tinted glass door enclosed by the same color of glass walls, found six floors down the open air. I thought it should not matter much for I had voluntarily let him haul me to what seemed like an empty private office, a luxurious one, with a single long glass desk sitting parallel to the side wall, covered wholly by a bookshelf. At the center, occupying more space than office furnishings, was a set of four white cushion couches that surrounded a contrasting low black wooden table.
He dragged me there and with a short dismissal saying, “Sit down,” as he urged me onto the couch, he stomped out of my sight, giving me some time to question myself as to why I was still there when I had all the opportunity to leave. Getting out of such situation would not require a lot of effort, I simply would have to put him to a slumber and tamper with his memory to make it appear like it was a dream. I had no definite answer to my own query but I dumbly stayed nonetheless.
I doubt that it was out of curiosity though I surely wanted know how come he was able to see and touch me even. It was a phenomenon out of my league, I had never heard of such ability from humans. But if it was of plain curiosity, I would rather have been back to heaven in no time, consulting the collections of ancient texts or interviewing anyone who could give me a detailed explanation, that was, if somebody was going to believe a story.
I could not understand what his motives were either; taking in an unknown person who happened to be sort of suicidal. He should actually be worried. For all he knew, not that I had any plans to, I could take advantage of him. I wonder if it was part of human nature, or in this case, his special trait. I did not have that human perception or the kindness that angels of earth possessed so I could not grasp human behaviour. Unlike them, I was raised to be suspicious of everything. Ones like me could never afford to be vulnerable, it were the demons we were dealing with after all.
These things make me doubt whether God had made a mistake of assigning me on this position. Would I have been better if I did not belong to His army?
I decided to discard the thought to mull over for another time, still debating if I would favour the peaceful life earth offered over the excitement I always experienced in the battlefield. It might be improper for an angel to say this but it is true, once you had slain a demon, it becomes addicting to the point of not wanting to exterminate them all so you would never run out of breathing things to kill. Indeed a passionately scary thought, it makes me shiver from both delight and fear.
“You’re cold,” his voice flooded inside my mind as the warmth of his hand touched my icy cheek, pulling me out of the place I had grown to love and hate, the subconscious. My hand instinctively shot up, wrapping itself around his fingers as my eyes snapped open to meet his piercing ones.
Up close, they were brown. Up close they seemed to be fiercer. And in that little distance, they were more beautiful than what I had perceived before. If I hated immortality, I certainly fell in love with eternity as it presented itself enfolded in the smallest fraction of a second.
Surprisingly, his lips stretched to reveal a smile with a tiny hint of arrogance. I was suddenly despising him for doing so, for putting an end to the moment that I just discovered I would be so fond of.
And he had fed on my disappointment and irritation for his grin grew to laughter. “I’m Tora,” he said when he was finished making fun of me.
“Shou,” I answered nonchalantly although deep inside, there was a burning want to stab my dagger through him for daring to insult me. If it was not for the fact that he was protected or that my weapon would not work on him, I could have done it.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to appear like that,” he said, looking really apologetic. He withdrew his hand, straightening his posture so that he was towering me with his height. “I don’t want to make a bad impression.”
I held the spot on my cheek where his hand was resting a few minutes ago, now feeling robbed without the presence of his temperature on my skin. But a lingering spark of distrust overpowered me as his laughter earlier echoed in my ears. “You already did.”
He sighed with a weak smile, crouching down to sit, knees bent close to his chest on the carpeted floor. “I really am sorry. It’s just that you...”
I did not speak, not encouraging him to continue his unfinished sentence. I was not the least concerned in hearing whatever his reasons were. However, I remained expectant of the other things he would tell me.
“You have beautiful eyes,” he said, shyly smiling and avoiding me by staring at the floor. I did not imagine that there could still be some amount of coyness in him after how he acted.
Funny, nobody had told me that my eyes were beautiful. I always thought that they were big and honest, not the most appropriate appearance on me for they make me look weak.
Somehow finally losing interest on the furry floor, he stared back at me, brows furrowed in concentration, probably thinking hard to form the right words. “They are big and round and all too truthful and that makes them very beautiful,” he completed in a dreamy tone like he was narrating to me a story out of magnificent tales passed down from generations to the next by tradition. He chuckled again, sheepishly this time, as though he was caught reciting poor poetry.
“Uh, thank you,” annoyance subsiding, I faintly said, uneasiness settling in the pit of my stomach. I had never before felt that nervous not even when confronted with the dangers of war. It was new and, overwhelming, making me giddy in an anxiously pleasant way.
“Am I forgiven?” he asked playfully, setting the atmosphere in a less intimidating aura. He tilted his head on the side, stretching his legs and shifting his weight on both his palms on the floor. It was then I understood a part of his character- confidence and I would not fall victim to it again.
I nodded, appreciative of his effort. It was my time to give him a smile. It was small and short which lasted for just a split second. But its briefness was irrelevant, he was able to glimpse it and I could say that he was excited.
“You must hate me for interfering.” It was amazing but at the same time worrisome to learn how our conversation could turn from comfortable to anxious to playful to end up sombre in that pace. We had barely exchanged phrases but I felt like he knew me well, and I was talking to him as if was talking to Uruha, only with the newly-discovered feelings that I was not able to experience when I was with my friend.
“But I’m happy that I did or should I say, I am lucky that you did,” he said, his face devoid of emotion except for solemnity.
Distance descended between the two of us and I found it just as depressing as my frustrations. I parted my lips to try and say something, to reach out, to ask him a single question but the words refused to leave my throat. In the end, I opted not to, shutting my mouth, keeping them to myself. Perhaps, it was better if I did not; I knew the answer after all.
Connection. We were connected in some conspiring sense. I wonder whose work was this. According to the laws that govern the universe, it was unacceptable. But looking at the way we had found each other, it was hard for me not to blame destiny.
“Shou, I’ll make you smile again, a smile that would perfectly match your eyes.”
Maybe it would not be that hard to start believing again.
-----
“I have never heard of such thing,” he was saying fairly loudly, fighting the breeze that was madly sweeping against him. Beside me, as he rested on a rectangular piece of wood, with its two sides tied to a sturdy branch of tree by four thick ropes woven together, Uruha was swinging nonstop, practically making me dizzy. “But then, it has to be true.”
He dragged his feet on the mossy ground to slow his speed until the swing fully came to a stop. “So are you here to find answers?”
With a little force, I pushed myself backwards and let that momentum take me not far to the other side. “I do not see any purpose it would serve me. I simply came back to tell you because I feel that I have to.”
“You are such a nice friend,” he said, turning to his side so he was facing me instead. He lifted his feet on the board and rested his chin on both his knees. “I am glad you did.”
I gripped the rope tighter but made no attempt to move from my position. “I would just ask a small favour from you,” I said. “Do not consult about this with him.”
“What made you think that I would tell him?” Uruha frowned as he leaned forward, looking a little distressed. I guess I had hurt him with my tactless words.
“That is not what I mean,” I replied guiltily. Uruha and I had been together far too long for me to accuse him of disloyalty. He was the only one I could and would trust. “He is just wise enough to have the knowledge.”
“Well, it is out of the plan,” he said. He was still hurt but I knew that he understood. “And although I would like to know, I cannot afford to be sidetracked so rest assured. How about you, what are you going to do now?”
“I cannot stay longer than necessary,” I said, looking ahead to the vastness of En’s woods. I did not have an idea or if I even had an objective. All I knew was that I need to see him again.
“That is why we are stuck together.”
-----
Endnotes:I have to end it like that. I’m sorry if it still wasn’t enough. I have to keep it at that length so as not to give away too much about the rest of the chapters. Actually there are some hints, they’re in the smallest details. I had to limit their encounter too. Don’t worry, there would be a lot of them in the next.
I think I am in love with Shou, I just found out about it. And because of that, I’m falling in love with my own Shou too. And I am loving Shou and Uruha’s convo too xDDD ...comments are love as always~
Fanfic Archive