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The Rose Line	By : Rhonda Category: Gravitation > General Views: 2888 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 8: Junishi

“Wake up little songbird, wake up.”

Shuichi heard someone talking to him from very far away. The voice was muffled and sounded flat as if it were being spoken from inside a large, empty room.

He didn’t want to open his eyes.

“No, no, little one, come back to us. No more time for sleeping.”

Someone shook his shoulder gently.

Slowly Shuichi came to. His blurred vision, painful, even in the soft candlelight of evening, cleared slowly, revealing two large dark eyes peering down at him from beneath a bang of pale, blonde hair.

“There you are.” Tohma smiled. “Did you have a pleasant sleep, Junishi?”

That name! Being called Junishi made Shu’s eyes snap the rest of the way open.

“Why do you call me that?” Shu’s voice was weak. His throat hurt terribly as if a great pressure had been gripping and squeezing it, making his vocals raspy and scratchy. He felt around his neck for the rope he knew must be there. No rope. No bleeding gash. Just regular skin.

“Because that is your name. And might I say it’s a relief to call you by it. Since you’ve come, it’s all I could do to keep up with the Mr. Shindou’s with you looking the way you do.”

“My name is Shuichi.” Shu blinked, clearing his vision a bit more. He was in the drawing room, sitting in a chair. He moved…or tried to. Correction. He was in the drawing room tied to a chair. His arms and legs were bound by rope to a chair near the cluster of conversation couches.

He looked around. Standing near him was Ryu, Tatsuha and Hiro. Ryu and Hiro were smiling at him. Tatsuha was ignoring him, preferring to look at the back of his hand instead. Shuichi looked past them. Eiri was nowhere to be seen.

“What are you going to do with me?” Shu wondered briefly why he wasn’t dead already.

Tohma grinned from ear to ear. “Wonderful news, Junishi, I’ve decided to keep you! You’ve been such a magnificent diversion for me that I’ve decided to postpone killing you. At first I didn’t think having Junishi Orishii’s doppleganger hanging around would suit me, but after coming to know you, I really have gotten to like you.”

He tussled Ryu’s hair. “Plus our Ryuichi has taken quite a shine to you. He’d be terribly disappointed if you went away, so I’ve decided that you will be his new pet. Isn’t that right, Ryu?”

Ryu held out a box. “Look, Shu. Tohma got you a present.” He opened it. A gleaming gold cuff sat cradled inside.

“Can’t have you running about trying to let the kids out as it were. So, I’m going to make you one of them. You’ll live here with us. You’ll entertain us. You’ll be one of us. And then maybe, in time, I can discover exactly what you are.”

Tohma went to Ryu and removed the cuff from the box. “You’ll love it here. Every day is an adventure! Isn’t that right?” He clucked Ryu softly under the chin.

“Yes!” Ryu answered enthusiastically. Tatsuha and Hiro didn’t answer at all. They were busy being tangled up in a hot embrace. They kissed deeply, holding each other closely.

Tohma frowned. “Pardon me, I hate to interrupt your rather heated exchange, but could we do this first?” Slowly they broke apart. “I promise you, there’ll be time enough for evening delights a little later. Delights for us ALL,” he emphasized. He ran soft finger over Ryu’s lips, making his point perfectly clear.

He held up the cuff. “Ready, Junishi? This won’t hurt a bit.”

Shu struggled against his restraints. “But Fujisaki will come for me. He will have gotten the message by now and wonder why I haven’t shown up.”

Tohma blinked blankly. “Message?” Then it came to him. “Oh—your booked engagement!” He laughed. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Fujisaki never got the message in the first place. I had no intentions of letting your manager know where you were. I just wrote out that silly contract to appease you at the time. It’s still sitting in my desk drawer, right where I left it.”

Shu’s heart dropped like a rock. Then he remembered. “No!” he said. “I left Fujisaki a note the night I left. He knows where I am. He will come for me when I don’t show up for my booking. You HAVE to let me go or there will be trouble.”

Tohma’s brow furrowed. “Really? Mr. Sakano failed to mention that to me.” He brightened. “Oh well, it doesn’t matter. Even if Fujisaki turns up, you will simply tell him that you quit and that you are quite happy living here. If he persists, I’ll have Mr. Sakano have a “talk” with him. That man can really be persuasive when he wants to be.”

At that moment, the drawing room mantle clock chimed. “Speak of the devil, he should be back soon.” A wicked note crept into his voice. “I’ve sent him on a little errand.”

Shuichi didn’t like the sound of that at all. He looked around and still didn’t see Eiri.

“Where’s Eiri?”

“Eiri is quite fine. He’ll be joining us after I finish up this little chore.” Tohma polished the cuff on the sleeve of his day shirt. “I didn’t want to take the chance on you making some last ditch effort to work your spell breaking mojo on him. Don’t worry, you’ll see him soon enough.” He paused. “Tatsuha, Hiro! What did I say? Stop that!”

The two, who’d gone back to making out, stopped. “Go check Junishi’s binds and make sure they’re tight. I wouldn’t want him to accidentally try to kick or hit me, when I go to slip the bracelet on.” He smiled. “Ryu would be terribly disappointed with the outcome if that were to happen,” he added nastily.

Tatsuha and Hiro did as they were told. They crossed the room and stood before Shuichi.

“Please!” Shu pleaded with his friends. “Please don’t do this.” He struggled against the binds. “You don’t have to do this. Fight it!”

Hiro smiled. “You’ll love it here, Shu.”

Tatsuha smiled. “Every day is an adventure.”

Hiro bent to kiss Shuichi. Shu tried to turn, but Hiro held him fast. “Join us,” he said.

Tatsuha leaned in from behind and kissed Shu’s neck. “Yes, Shu. Join us.”

Soon they were kissing Shuichi’s throat and his neck and his lips. Then they kissed each other.

Shuichi felt tears of despair closing in on him.

“Please don’t…”

He felt Tatsuha checking the binds of his hands which were tied behind him. He leaned in an nuzzled Shu’s ear as he did so.

“Shuichi,” he murmured, “as soon as you’re free, take Ryu and run.”

Tatsuha switched sides and licked his neck. “Run and don’t look back.”

Shuichi was stunned. Suddenly his hands were loose. He kept them in place to keep up the pretense.

“Why don’t you join us, Ryu?” Tatsuha said, calling the love of his life to his side one last time.

Ryu smiled and went to him. Tatsuha kissed him, deeply and longingly.

“I love you, Ryu,” he whispered softly. In the same breath, he discreetly pushed something to Hiro, using Ryu’s body as cover.

Shu looked down. It was the dagger! As Tatsuha pushed it to Hiro, Shu saw that the back of his hand was scratched raw. He squinted, then felt his heart begin to ache. The words “Ryu Shu Out,” were welted there.

Hiro leaned up and kissed Shuichi, taking the object. Hiro cut the binds of his feet, using his own body as cover. He disguised the cutting motions with bobbing movements as if he were nuzzling and nipping Shuichi’s cock through the fabric of his pants.

“Gentlemen,” Tohma said with faint disgust, “I realize you’re excited about your new brother, but please. Time enough for everything in a bit, yes?”

Hiro finished cutting. Shuichi was free. Hiro looked up with pleading in his eyes.

Run, he mouthed. Tell K I love him. He tucked the dagger into the back of Shu’s boot and stood. Tatsuha stood next to him.

Shuichi blinked back tears.

They took a deep breath.

“NOW!”

Shuichi leapt from the chair and grabbed Ryu’s hand, pulling him with strength he didn’t know he had. Hiro turned to block Tohma, but already his eyes were clouding over. He stood there, a dull obstacle, blocking Tohma’s view.

Tohma screamed “WHAT??”

Shuichi was already heading toward the drawing room door.

Hiro turned to try to follow.

“HIRO, STOP, HIRO!”

Hiro froze into place.

Tatsuha fared a little better. He managed to get to the door with Shuichi and Ryu, using the last of his lucidity to throw the chair out of their way and snatch open the door.

He felt himself going under and bit his lip hard to prolong it the few seconds he needed to see Ryu, running away with Shu, look back at him.

He tried to follow, but his legs grew heavy. His memory faded.

“TATSUHA, STOP, TATSUHA!”

His feet as well as his fate were sealed.

Shuichi ran for all he was worth, dragging Ryu behind him. Ryu was slowing down. The spell was kicking in and causing him to drag. Shu fought it and pulled him brutally down the hallway, through the living area, past the great staircase and clock and to the front doors. Shu reached out to open them.

He could hear Tohma’s rapid footsteps echoing loudly behind them.

“RYU, STOP, RYU!”

Immediately Shuichi’s arm snapped taut. Ryu stopped in his tracks.

“NOOO!” He tried pulling Ryu. Nothing. He tried pushing Ryu. He wouldn’t budge.

Shuichi ran around to face him, reached back and slapped him as hard as he could. A red mark stained Ryu’s face where Shu’s hand made contact. Tears welled in his eyes.

“Move, Ryu, MOVE! PLEASE!!!”

“I can’t, Shu. Run. Goodbye.” Ryu’s head drooped as his eyes clouded. Tears fell down his cheeks.

“OH GOD, PLEASE!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!” Shuichi sobbed and sobbed, pulling and pulling Ryu, trying with everything he had to make Ryu come with him. It was no use. It was like he was cemented to the floor.

“Very interesting, Junishi.” Tohma was walking toward them from the drawing room hallway.

“Very entertaining.” He continued to walk. “Where did you think you could run? Where did you think you could take them where I wouldn’t find you? I’ve got all the time in the world to hunt you down! Did you think this thing through at all?”

He kept coming.

“GOD, GOD, PLEASE!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!” Shuichi prayed and prayed with all his might. His tearful pleas echoed through the vast emptiness of the great room. He still had hold of Ryu. He couldn’t leave him there. Not now. Not with the door so close.

“God can’t hear you here, Junishi. God can’t help you here either. I was going to keep you. I was going to spare you.” He shook his head. “No one can help you now.”

Behind Shuichi the door opened and a stormy wind blew in.

“Ah, Mr. Sakano, right on time. I…”

A hand reached in. Only, it wasn’t Sakano’s hand. It was a hand covered in blood that dripped on the floor as it reached out and grabbed the back of Shuichi’s collar. A hand that wore a plain gold wedding band on its ring finger…

Tohma gasped out loud. “EIRI!!!” He opened his mouth to shout the words to halt his lover in his tracks, but the door was already closed and the space where Shuichi had been standing was empty.

For the first time in centuries, Tohma panicked…and ran.

*** ***

Outside a strong wind gusted along the shoreline and swept inland, bending everything but the north line of roses, before it.

Hand in hand, Eiri and Shuichi ran. Ran like hell. Ran toward the western gate and the one and only road that led off the property. Every few feet Eiri jabbed himself with the handful of roses he carried. Even so, he was already starting to slow. He raked them down his hand and kept going.

Shuichi’s heart was pounding. He could feel his legs running as fast at they could, yet he could barely feel the ground beneath his feet. He felt like they were running in place, even though he knew they weren’t. They weren’t going nearly fast enough and to his utter, terrified dismay, they were slowing down. His eyes darted around in the darkness trying to find their way to the western gate.

“Stay with me Eiri!” he yelled. His voice whipped away in the wind. Eiri jabbed himself again and shook his head trying to clear it.

“Leave me.”

“NOO!!! I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU!!!” Shu bent his head and began throwing his whole being into the tow, dragging Eiri’s increasingly slowing body behind him.

“I can’t make it.”

“You WILL make it, even if I have to carry you out of here myself!!”

He was beginning to make out the outline of the gate in the darkness.

“WE’RE ALMOST THERE!” he shouted. Even as he did, he began to feel Eiri pull against him. The spell was working much too fast.

Eiri tried jabbing his hand again. He scraped the thorns long and deep across the already shredded flesh of his hand. He felt himself slipping away.

“Please God, let us make it. Please God, let us make it, Please God, let us make it…” Shuichi prayed it over and over again, putting his entire strength into dragging Eiri who was now struggling to reverse against him.

“Go NOW!”

Eiri pushed Shuichi and let go.

Shuichi came back and dragged him another few feet.

“We’ve come too far. NO! Whatever happens I won’t leave you.”

Eiri pushed him again.

“I SAID NO!!!” Shuichi budged him another three or four feet. Eiri was just about to take another step when the words flew past them on the strong storm air.

“EIRI, STOP, EIRI!!!”

Eiri halted.

“Go.”

Tohma came rushing by him. “I’ll deal with you later,” he hissed at Eiri as he passed.

Eiri’s hand shot out and grabbed Tohma’s sleeve. He held on tight.

“Run, Shuichi.”

Shu struggled. If he left now, maybe he could run and find K and Mika and they could come back with weapons. He almost turned to do it, but the sight of Tohma struggling with Eiri stopped him in his tracks. Tohma twisted and turned, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t get out of Eiri’s grip.

“EIRI, LET GO, EIRI!” Eiri immediately let go. Tohma turned wild eyed, raised his hand and slapped Eiri soundly across the face. Eiri reeled backward from the blow.

“NOOO!” Before Shuichi could even think about what he was doing he hurled himself through the air and tackled Tohma. He rained fist after fist on Tohma’s face and head and chest.

Tohma, the bigger and stronger of the two, managed to free a hand and with all his strength lashed out at Shuichi with his fist, catching him on the side of the head. Shuichi fell backward, his head spinning from the punch.

“Just let me go,” Shuichi said breathlessly. “If you won’t hurt Eiri and the others, I swear, I’ll go and never come back. Please, just let me go.”

Tohma laughed and stumbled to his feet. “You must really take me for a fool. Don’t you think I know as soon as you leave here, you’ll run a straight line to the Sea Rose Inn and meet up with that Uesugi Bitch and Sword Master Cyclops?”

Shuichi reeled again, this time, not from any physical blow.

Tohma stood over him and glared down. “You little fool! Did you think I wouldn’t know? They’ve been waiting for you this whole time, waiting for news so they could continue to plot for their loved ones escape?”

Tohma smiled evilly. “They should have stayed away like I warned them last time. This time, there’s no help for them. Where do you think I’ve sent Mr. Sakano? His little errand this evening was to pay our friends a visit.”

Shuichi felt all the wind go out of him. It was all for naught. Mika and K were surely dead by now. Even if he had managed to get at least one of them out, they had no where to go. Tohma would find them. If not tomorrow, then the day after or the next. They’d have to live a hunted existence wherever they went and there was nowhere they could go where Tohma couldn’t see.

Tohma was right. There was nowhere to run. They had no one to help them.

Anger burned hotter than the pain of his blow. Anger seeped up through Shuichi’s skin and filled every cell in his body.

Tohma was going to win again. Just like he had for centuries. Just like he would for centuries to come.

Eiri would always belong to him. No matter what anyone did, no matter what Shuichi could do, he could never free the man he loved from the man he’d come to hate. Hate with a passion he’d never known.

Shuichi felt the dagger that Hiro had stuck in his boot. He felt his hand slide down the back of his leg. He felt the hilt, cold and hard in his curled fingers. He felt the heavy blade withdraw.

Without thinking, without control, without anything but sheer and utter hate, Shuichi leapt to his feet, flipped the dagger in his hand and drove it right into Tohma’s heart. He kept driving it, pushing it further and further and deeper and deeper, until it would go no more.

He was dimly aware of the lightning that flashed across the sky.

He was dimly aware of Eiri sitting on the ground behind Tohma.

He was dimly aware of a scream of rage tearing itself from his throat.

The only thing that mattered to him was piercing the black heart that had caused him and those he loved so much pain.

Tohma stood there with the dagger sticking out of his chest, staring down at it in disbelief.

“What the hell are you trying to do??? KILL ME????” The irony of it and the story he’d related to Shu that very afternoon hit him so hard he threw back his head and laughed out loud.

“YOU’RE TRYING TO KILL ME!!!”

Tohma wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and sighed deeply. “What a shame.” He reached out and grabbed Shu by the arm.

“Goodbye Mr. Shindou, it’s been interesting to say the least.”

Faster than Shuichi could blink, Tohma ripped the bloodless blade from his chest and buried it with one stroke into his heart…up to the hilt!

Shuichi blinked and looked down at the dagger in his chest. Then, he sank to his knees, tumbled forward and hit the ground next to Eiri. He lay there face down in a crumpled heap.

Gently, a pair of hands rolled him over.

Shuichi lay on his back, looking up at the stormy night sky.

“It’s supposed to be filled with stars,” he said faintly.

He couldn’t hear sounds anymore. He couldn’t feel the wind on his skin anymore. The only thing he could hear and feel was the heavy shuddering of his heart, struggling against the point buried deeply within it. Each shudder caused the hilt of the dagger to shake.

A pair of amber colored eyes looked down at him.

Shu tried to speak, but was having difficulty forming words. They came slowly and painfully.

“Seems…unfair…” Am I still speaking, wondered Shuichi? “Just when…I…found…you…I…lost…you…”

Eiri brushed the hair covering Shu’s glazing eyes out of the way.

“I’m…not…sorry…” Shu tried to smile. He could barely make Eiri out.

“I…found…my…dream…”

Eiri watched the shallow breaths decrease and slow. He saw Shu’s eyes fix on his and stay there. He saw the shuddering hilt growing still.

“I…” Blood trickled from Shu’s lips.

“l..ov…e” Those bloody lips formed a faint smile.

“………” Eiri saw Shuichi’s chest stutter then fall.

The dagger fell still.

And finally giving what it had promised all day, the sky opened up and began to cry.

End Chapter 8: Junishi
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The Rose Line