Whispers in the Dark
~Amiko
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Notes: Struggled not to write this, but my muses will NOT leavemethefuckalone about
it. >__< Like I don't have enough fics on my plate. *buries face in hands* Though this song
didn't inspire the fic, it does make me think of the fic whenever I hear it-- "Whispers in
the Dark" by Skillet. Lyrics are here.
Warnings: As always-- YAOI!! Don't like, don't read. Very simple, ja? Also, this
happens right after the WK series, (Gluhen does not exist) but with a few tweaks to the
ending of WK. You'll see as it goes along. Enjoy ^^;;
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Prologue
It wasn't raining. It wasn't even dark out. Ran had always had the somewhat
whimsical thought that bad things always happened on dark and stormy nights. Perhaps he'd
read it somewhere. Or maybe it was because he'd lost his family on such a night.
But the sun was high in the sky-- it was just after the lunch rush. It was
oppressively hot, and everywhere were girls in short skirts and school boys tugging at their
ties in an attempt to cool their throats off.
He took the shortcut home, away from the main street, down the faint dirt path in the
grass by the river, and under the bridge with the train rattling overhead and raining dust
down on his shoulders.
He almost stumbled across the body curled up on the banks, half-in and half-out of
the water. It was a small body-- like a child's. He dropped the bag of groceries he'd been
toting and crouched to find a pulse. The boy was filthy with river water, clothes soaked and
stained. His dark hair was matted to the side of his face with blood, making it impossible
to glimpse his features from the fetal position he was in.
But he was breathing-- barely. Carefully Ran rolled him onto his back, attempting to
straighten his limbs.
The face, white as a sheet and scrunched up a bit in pain, even in unconsciousness,
was familiar.
He stood up so fast he almost stepped on his groceries.
His heart thudded in his ears with sudden anger and surprise, nearly drowning out the
clanking and rumbling of the train. He curled his fingers into fists and took in a sharp
breath through bared teeth.
Leave him
It wasn't quite a conscious thought, but in the next moment he was stepping over the
still body and stalking off. He'd gotten halfway up the hill before he remembered his
groceries. They weren't important, he tried to tell himself. No. Aya had been ragging on
him for the past two days to remember to pick up some beef so she could make "real food".
She was evidently sick and tired of the ramen and take-out her brother and the others tended
to stock up on.
Snarling to himself, he twisted on his heel and hurried back down to the bridge,
sliding a little in the loose dirt and gravel. Pointedly ignoring the body, he snatched up
his bag and turned away again. He would go home, help his sister cook dinner, and never
mention the pitiful form he'd stumbled across under the bridge.
He didn't realize he'd stopped moving until he caught himself throwing a glance over
his shoulder.
Don't, he told himself fiercely, but he was already walking back.
Everything inside of him screamed for him to leave the body, to pretend he'd never
found it.
Everything inside him screamed against the thought of leaving a child-- no matter who
he might be --to die alone like this.
Even as he struggled with the dilemma in his mind, his body was acting. He crouched
down and collected the limp boy into his arms, standing with a slight grunt. He might as
well be carrying Aya; the boy was slender and quite a bit shorter than himself. He didn't
let himself look down at the pale, blood-spattered face. He knew if he did, he would drop
him and leave him again.
Muttering darkly to himself, he stumbled back up the embankment and continued on his
way home, the bundle of flesh and bones that was Schwarz's telekinetic tucked securely
against his chest.
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