Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Poison ❯ Chapter 3: Mesmeric ( Chapter 3 )

Poison
Author: Nekocin
Genres: Drama/Romance/General
Warnings: major OoC, Kaiba, possibly cliché, some unsuitable scenes :sweatdrops: nameless OCs that have no big part in this story.
Pairings: mainly Touya+Yukito, other (implied) pairings like Sakura+Syaoran
Rated: PG13 -- > R, R in this chapter.
Disclaimer: CCS doesn't belong to me. The character Kaiba comes from Yuugioh; he also doesn't belong to me. Only this fic belongs to me.
Author's notes: I couldn't decide whether to post this chapter or re-write it since I didn't like it much [but since the story already has an end, it wouldn't be something without this chapter]. :sulks: But in the mean time at least Touya isn't really THAT melancholic in this chapter :smiles: 

Chapter 3: Mesmeric

~"Maybe there's this special person for you elsewhere too"~

"...special person...?" Touya wonders out loud and blinks at the papers on the desk. 
Who's said that? He cannot recall having met that someone who has told him something about his special person. Those words have just surfaced out of nowhere.

"I beg your pardon?" Mr. Kaiba regards him coolly with a pair of calm blue eyes. 
Their meeting has just started. Mr. Kaiba has set his conditions on paper [in a folder], which Touya is reading at the moment.

"Nothing" Touya responds immediately and continues reading the next few conditions -about certain game characters in toy form. 

"You said -special person-" Mr. Kaiba points out, but doesn't look as if he's interested to know why Touya isn't concentrating on their meeting.

"Are KC's terms clear?"

"Are Daidouji-sama's terms clear too?" Touya counters.

Mr. Kaiba nods once. 

"Then it's a deal! We'll make the toys, you send in the figures and the profits will be 40 percent to our side and 60 percent yours. After all, you are the actual copyrighter" [1] Touya concludes diplomatically, closes the folder and stands up to shake hands with Mr. Kaiba. 

The CEO nods, and clasps the other's hand. The deal is made. They sign their contracts.

"Sometimes this special person is the one you the least suspect of liking more" Mr. Kaiba suddenly comments and dramatically takes his leave, his trench coat billowing behind him.

Touya can only blink at the CEO's back without responding to Mr. Kaiba's comment. Mr. Kaiba is a strange man. But for some reason, he likes the guy's diplomatic attitude. The CEO reminds him of himself... some time ago...

~"Sometimes this special person is the one you the least suspect of liking more"~

Touya frowns when those words suddenly pop up in his mind. He stares at the glass of -Light Moon Beam-. 

He's gone to Madam Butterfly again that night on foot, taking residence on the bar stool at the far corner of the counter, where he could watch anyone step in and out of the bar. From his side, he could also watch the bartender, Tsukishiro, pick out glasses, bottles and ice from under the bar counter. 

Touya takes a quick sip from his glass and stares at the drink again, watching the bubbles float towards the surface. 

"Excuse me, Kinomoto-san" Tsukishiro smiles lightly in greeting and puts a small plate with a piece of cake, next to the glass of -Light Moon Beam-. 

"Can you wait for me after closing time? I want to give you something"

Touya raises an inquiring eyebrow. He finds it a bit... strange to hear the bartender step to him for a request like that. 

"Please" The hazel eyes [almost] look pleadingly at him, thanks to the dimmed effects the fluorescents emit. 

Touya hesitates. 

"... sure" He finds himself saying, while he looks away.

Tsukishiro smiles automatically. "Thank you" 

The bartender walks away to take the other costumer's orders, leaving Touya to wonder why he is needed. 

Touya munches on his piece of cake absently, as his gaze flickers to the narrow back of the bartender, thoughtfully.

[2]

Touya is standing outside of the bar, leaning against the wall where the shadows roam -where the streetlights didn't reach its full potential to light up the neighborhood. He is waiting for the bartender to close the place up for the night. 

"I'm sorry I'm late. I-" a far away voice reaches his ears and he looks around expectantly. 

That's probably Tsukishiro, but-

"It doesn't matter. This waiting is worth it" 
He hears another voice, slightly deeper... he peers into the shadows of the alley, cautiously.

Two silhouettes are standing at the very end of the alley from Touya's side of the view. He cannot make out what they look like, but he knows that both of them must be from one or two of those teenagers' groups which have visited the bar tonight. 

He steers his attention back to the corner, hoping to see Tsukishiro rounding it to make his presence known. Teenagers these days just have the strangest lines. 

A muffled thud, from the alley further in, has surprised him.

"What - are you trying - to accomplish -?" The voice sounds strained and a bit... breathless.

"Don't you see? - You've been away - from me for god-knows - how long - " Even more breathless

"Just 4 days" A retort.

"It feels like forever~. Don't you miss me?" A happy sigh.

"... Yes... but-" Some stammering.

"Hush - No more talking - I've missed you - "

Touya can pick up just a few pieces of their conversation. He doesn't quite know what the two conversationalists are at, but he figures it is one of those dramatic scenes. The way, in which the conversation is brought out, is strained, breathlessly -a bit too forward. 

The soft cries in the alley have made Touya look back at the two silhouettes. 

What in the world- he stops wondering and blinks in horror. He feels the color in his face drain. 

There's no doubt what those two teenagers are doing _in the middle of the filthy alley even_. 

One taller silhouette has the shorter one pinned against the wall and is -in what seems to Touya- ravishing the other almost cross-eyed -referring to the uncontrollable cries and sighs the shorter one seems to let out. 

Touya swallows nervously as he tries to pull his attention from those two. 
It's private after all. It's inappropriate. It's none of his business. 

But... Why does it seem like he's transfixed? 

"... your body is beautiful just like in my dreams-"

"R-Really? Nnngh..."

"Do you know - how long I've - waited to - have you under - me?" 

"... please don't say things like that"

"You've no idea - what you've been missing, ne?-"

Touya doesn't know what to do as he feels himself blushing. Really, this is a rare opportunity to blush. Ugh! He feels like a peeping Tom... ugh! He is one right now! 
He forces himself to move and shakily runs round the corner as cries of pleasure, grunts of pain and breathless conversations follow him. 

That's not the world he has imagined for the teenagers these days. That's definitely not something he wants to experience again. 

Before he can try regaining his composure, he finds himself slamming into someone shorter. It's Tsukishiro, who has just closed the bar. 

The bartender cries out in surprise and stumbles backwards from the impact. Luckily, the door has broken his fall considerably. 

"I'm sorry" Touya hastily mutters and helps the slightly shaken Tsukishiro stand up, away from the door. 

"It's okay. I'm all right" Tsukishiro smiles, looking a bit embarrassed at Touya. 

"You don't look so well. Did something happen?" 

Touya pulls Tsukishiro away from standing in front of the closed bar, quickly hiding his blushing face. 

"Yeah... something unexpected" He stuffs his hands in his coat's pockets and walks a bit awkwardly down the lane with Tsukishiro by his side. 

The bartender chuckles lightly. "You've discovered something unpleasant in the alley, didn't you?" 

"Which is none of my business" Touya glares at an unseen enemy somewhere up front. "How did you know?"

"I ran into them a couple nights before, because I'd heard some strange noises. I'd thought a half-dead cat was crying there, or maybe a wounded dog. I think I'd never been shocked in my life before walking in on them" Tsukishiro explains uneasily, chuckling nervously as he looks up at his companion.

Touya didn't look back, when he feels the other's eyes boring through his skill. Maybe it is out of habit that he ignores sharp looks or glances he gets from others. Tsukishiro's curious gaze is also one of them.

"Ah! Almost forgot. Here! Your shoes. You have forgotten them after your hangover" Tsukishiro's voice cuts through the silence between them, and hands Touya a bag. 

"I've been wondering where they were," Touya mutters, looking into the bag, curiously. 

"Thank you" Touya tries to sound polite and grateful. He probably didn't succeed... 

"You're welcome..." Tsukishiro pauses. "There's also something I want give you at home. I didn't think it's a good idea to bring it to work so I've left it in the refrigerator. I hope you won't mind coming up to my apartment" 

There's a hopeful smile on Tsukishiro's face... almost too hopeful, perhaps.

Touya hesitates whether he should go along or not; maybe it's something he has forgotten that day? 
But why would that something have to be in the fridge?

"...sure" 

In his teenaged years, he'd never really been invited so forwardly before, girls liked to stammer while the boys scoffed him of his existence. 

So maybe it is time for him to really get associated with people -but, hasn't he been a bit down after Sakura's gone to live with her fiancé in their new house? 
What can he accomplish by merely picking something up from a friendly bartender, who doesn't seem to have any worries in the world?

"... doing?" the soft mellow tone snaps him back to the reality.

"I'm sorry. You were saying?"

Sympathetic eyes look up at him and the bartender smiles sadly at him, almost apologetically too. "I asked how your sister is doing"

Touya stops walking and looks down at the littered lane. How did he know that he has a sister? 

Hearing no response, Tsukishiro immediately faces the other and bows. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to bring that up intentionally" 

Touya sighs and has suddenly found the feeling exciting to tell Tsukishiro about his sister's well being. Sakura is, after all, really happy.

"No... it's all right. My sister is doing very well. Thank you for asking" Touya murmurs softly. He manages to form a small smile on his lips. "I've received a call from her this morning"

"Really? Was it a surprise?" Tsukishiro wonders innocently, looking eagerly. He watches Touya's tanned face soften as an unconscious smile touch the other's lips. 

"Yes, it was. She has informed me about the wedding date" 

Tsukishiro finds himself widening his eyes in worry. Kinomoto had probably not handled the call well.

"What? Don't look at me like that. It's okay. She has invited me to come to the wedding party" Touya drops his eyes, side steps the shorter Tsukishiro, and walks him past, barely brushing the other's shoulders. 

The quick cover up has surprised Tsukishiro. He looks over his shoulder at Kinomoto's back. He had not taken it well.
Maybe he could do something about Kinomoto's seemingly empty life.

Tsukishiro turns on his heels, runs after Kinomoto and tries to catch up with the other's pace. 

"You really do love her, don't you Kinomoto-san" Tsukishiro looks up at Touya, not really expecting a confirmation since it's so obvious. 

"I'm sure she loves you too. But you can't keep her for yourself forever. She needs to make her own choices and become independent" The bartender tries gently.

"Did you think I don't know that? I-" Touya stops in mid-sentence and lets the words die in his throat. He doesn't want anyone to take a peek of his most private thoughts, especially not a stranger like Tsukishiro. It's just not comfortable. 

Tsukishiro waits for Touya to continue. However, Touya did not resume his previous thoughts. 

"I don't have any siblings so I can't think myself in your shoes" The bartender says carefully. 

"But I do understand the loss. The way in which you reacted towards something important like marriages, reminds me of how parents react when they know the wedding day of their child is nearing. It's just inevitable" 

Touya chooses not to comment on that as he continues his way up the crossing bridge above the busy streets, with Tsukishiro walking nearby.

"I would like to meet you sister some day" Tsukishiro looks up briefly at the tanned face. He smiles in relief; Kinomoto doesn't seem to be offended, he's just smiled thoughtfully.

The rest of their way, both of them remain silent while walking next to each other. It's surprising how at ease they suddenly feel with each other's presences. Perhaps it's because of the short conversation. 

Tsukishiro seems to understand his situation even if a little. He feels a bit okay, after the heart-to-heart conversation about Sakura. 

And the night's so bright tonight. 

"Come on in, Kinomoto-san. Clow and the others aren't home yet, so they probably won't mind you coming in" Tsukishiro takes off his shoes at the genkan and slips on a pair of slippers. He picks out another pair of slippers for Kinomoto, the one with the tiger heads.

"Who?" Touya wonders curiously as he slips on the pair of slippers Tsukishiro has given him. 

"Clow, Akizuki-san, Mizuki-san, Spinel-san and Keroberos-san. They're relatively the only people I can call family" Tsukishiro explains and heads into the kitchen. 

Touya doesn't know what to say about this little information, so he chooses not to comment. He watches, silently, Tsukishiro taking a big rectangular white box out of the refrigerator and turning round with a smile on his face. 

"Clow thought it's a good idea so I'd made this for you" 
Tsukishiro, shyly, drops his glance and looks at the box, which he places on the kitchen counter. 

"Both Akizuki-san and Mizuki-san had said that this is good for cheering someone up" Tsukishiro explains, still not looking up at the taller Touya.

Touya is struck speechless for a moment. Tsukishiro had made something to cheer him up?

"I had to hide it from both Spinel-san and Keroberos-san or else it wouldn't have survived up till now-" Tsukishiro chuckles nervously and start fidgeting with his sleeves. 

"Thank you... I- I appreciate your concern" Touya cuts in immediately, making the bartender look up. What else is he actually supposed to say?

"...You really don't have to do this, Tsukishiro-san" Touya almost stumbles in his words as his eyes meet the bartender's. 
The hazel eyes brighten even more at those words.

"It's okay. I'd fun trying this out several times" Tsukishiro smiles mildly. "I like food, so it's the only thing I can think of how to cheer you up" 

Touya has suddenly found out why Tsukishiro is doing this. Both he and Tsukishiro are not far from another when it comes to feeling down... even if he hasn't really noticed the other's own pain. 
Touya has lost his family in some circumstances; while Tsukishiro has no real family even if he lives among a group of people he calls family. 

...Loneliness... they have loneliness in common... somehow... but there's still a big gap of how different their worlds were, compared to each other.

The gap between them is only filled slightly when either of them is completely at ease with each other [which they are at the moment]. 
And the unexpected present is like the first step of meeting up with someone, who looks like he's never really gotten close to anyone other than his family.

"Thank you. I'm sure Sakura, my sister, will love to meet you too. Both of you will probably become great friends" Touya has found himself talking soothingly to Tsukishiro.

It's then, Touya has witnessed the most genuine smile on Tsukishiro's face for the first time. The smile is silently soft, bright and so hopefully earnest. 

For a moment, he feels something warm settling in his chest. It's the feeling of having done something truly great for someone else; he's contributed to the other's happiness...

After the brief revelation Touya has left for his apartment, feeling a bit excited about what he has actually gotten. He has never really gotten gifts before [apart from Sakura's little gifts]. Gifts that are given out of generosity. Gifts that are given just to cheer him up. He's touched by the generosity. 

He knows he is supposed to find this present suspicious, because he doesn't know Tsukishiro personally; they're just... far away acquaintances, not particularly good friends. But the box just looks so tempting...

He switches on the kitchen lights and lays the box on the kitchen counter. Picking the lid up from the box, Touya takes a quick peak... and is simply surprised.

There's a whole double-layered vanilla-cream cake with juicy-looking cherries on top, inside the box. 

Touya has this slight suspicion that Tsukishiro has probably doubled the cream layers on top of the cake; the upper layer just looks so voluminous... 

He smiles absently at the present. It really looks delicious. He really should thank Tsukishiro properly. 

"Itadakimasu"

He has gone to bed with a light chest and a satisfied smirk for the first time after Sakura has moved away. The world suddenly looks promising to him.

After that night Touya has found himself eagerly going to Madam Butterfly, not to drink the night away, but to keep Tsukishiro company. They are really not prying into each other's personal life, just merely trying to enjoy each other's company. 

He could not comprehend why Tsukishiro's the only one working at the bar at night and did not like the thought of Tsukishiro walking home all alone through dangerous streets. 

It's a fact that anything can happen at night. And on top of that, for a teenager, Tsukishiro looks so small that he could barely defend himself even if he has already a black belt. His advantages will be one to ten if he were to be attacked by a group gang. 

As an adult, Touya has taken upon himself to keep an eye on Tsukishiro. He's probably born to keep any fragile people under his protection...

"Really, Kinomoto-san. You don't have to wait for me to close up" Tsukishiro looks up at him with his usual, big hazel eyes. With the moonlight reflecting into those eyes, they almost look transparently... silver. 

"It's okay... and what have I told you about the Kinomoto-san?" Touya glares at the shorter Tsukishiro, who just ducks his head sheepishly. 

"I'm sorry. I keep forgetting. Usually, I don't have problems with remembering little important stuff. I guess I'm not so good at remembering name calling" 

"... I understand. I'm sorry for hammering the fact into your head. You can call me whatever you like, as long as it's appropriate" That came out uncharacteristically out of Touya's lips. 

Tsukishiro shakes his head slowly and smiles [again]. 

"Don't be. And you don't have to wait for me to close up" 

"I just don't like the idea of you walking home on your own"

"I appreciate your concern but really... I can take care of myself" 

"Are you sure? What if someone attacked you from behind?-" 

"Touya-san-"

"What if this someone has a knife at your throat-?"

"Touya-"

"-or a gun? -"

"Touya-"

"-You're still unsupervised-"

Tsukishiro has tried in vain to get the distracted Touya to listen up. Of course, he appreciates Touya's company and concern, but it's truly exasperating to have the other fawn over him so unnecessarily. 

"TO-YA!!!" Tsukishiro grabs Touya's shoulders instantly, stopping the other in mid-sentence. 
Touya's eyes look surprised at him.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I'm over-reacting"

Tsukishiro sighs wearily, but smiles again.

"You're a very kind person, To-ya. I'd never thought I would meet another person as kind as Clow, my master." Tsukishiro pulls his hands away, turns on his heels and heads into a different direction. 

"Ne, let's go have some ramen"

Touya sighs, feeling a bit frustrated, as he runs his fingers through his hair and shoves his hands into his trench coat's pockets. Just great.

"... sure. I'm sorry for fawning like that. It's been a bit lonely at home these last few days, so..." He purposefully leaves the rest of the words die in his throat. 

"... I'm happy you worry about me" 

After that Touya has reverted back to his silent self, just walking alongside the Tsukishiro as the other starts telling him about his first night as a bartender. Tsukishiro doesn't seem to mind Touya not participating the conversation himself. Even when they're waiting patiently for their noodles, Touya has kept himself silent.

"... and then there's this time when two sportsmen fighting over a girl. One of them challenged the other with drinking sake -I guess- the other loves challenges, accepted while telling the girl that she really shouldn't be there-"

Touya looks thoughtfully at the enthusiastic narrator and leans back in his chair. He's not at all bored that is proven with a small lingering smile on his face. No one has actually been so comfortable in his presence [apart from Sakura] before, not even his soon-to-be brother-in-law. So what makes a total stranger like Tsukishiro any different?

"-They're actually underage -they're still in Junior High-, so I countered their challenge; they really should have taken their challenge some place else like playing some matches. Tennis matches -actually- they were carrying their tennis bags at that time." Tsukishiro continues his story, his hazel eyes glinting amusedly. 

"But the girl told me they had already done that, along with playing doubles, racing and shouting matches. I had thought they were amusing so I let them have challenge in the karaoke corner. Remarkably, two hidden talents were discovered that night when they serenaded the girl. The regular karaoke girls would have loved them to pieces-!" Tsukishiro stops abruptly and smiles politely at the waitress, who brought the noodle bowls to their table. 

One bowl for Touya and... three big bowls for Tsukishiro. 

Touya keeps his eyes on his own bowl, politely; who knew that the bartender ate so much. But then again Tsukishiro probably hasn't been eating properly these last few nights. He seems happy with his food anyways.

"Are you free this Saturday? It's a great opportunity for you to meet my sister"

END Chapter 3

Terms: 

- KC -- took this one from Yuugioh, so it also doesn't belong to me. 
- 1) Please don't go further into this one... I'm trying not to burden people with my bad construction and weird words.
- 2) Erhm... :chokes: here is the... inappropriate scene. [Fortunately. Not too explicit though]
- genkan -- the small place near the front door where one can take off shoes and slip into indoor slippers.
- Itadakimasu -- this is said before one digs into their food. Something that looks like a prayer to me... I might be wrong.

End notes: 

- I want to thank those who'd reviewed the previous chapter:

--> heheangel kisses: X3 I guess you're right. One of these days he'll probably worsen... but not in this story, I hope. This idea seems a bit far-fetched so... all I have to do is watch what readers might think of this strange story. Thank you for reading!

--> Tweetspie: :blushes: I apologize for giving you a heart-attack with the opening scenes. But thank you for reading anyways! 

--> korosu: :blushes: I'm very flattered. I'm glad you like the story and the characterization. I was afraid I've messed up with the melancholy. The only bad thing about the story is my... bad grammar. Grrr~ I really should ask my English teacher if she wants to correct my bad grammar. Thank you for reading!

--> Shella-chan: Geh! More errors? I apologize for the errors and all that technicalities. English isn't my first language. I think I already have someone in mind...And oh... what exactly do you mean by heavy reading? Was it because of my lack of description? Or the heavy air 9_9? Or the constant switch of PoVs? 
Thank you for reading and also pointing out that there are more hidden errors [I'll try to hunt most of them down]!

--> Tenshi no Hoshii: X3 Yeah, I thought the story was all right when I completed it, but I never really thought about how many people will respond to the chapters because of how dramatic Touya was being at the beginning. Yeah, I can imagine how surprised you were. Isn't that great to know your friends are living so nearby? Thank you for reading!

- I'm sorry for the long delay too. ~_~ I didn't have enough time to type everything down and post it after the editing. But I'll try to keep up and correct all my mistakes!

Thank you for reading!

:smiley face:cin