Earthian Fan Fiction ❯ Wrestling with Demons ❯ Part Five ( Chapter 5 )

Part Five

<<The night was an all-embracing black. The full moon provided no light as it drifted lazily behind the dark clouds moving across the sky with ominous intent. A fog had settled thickly, rolling like frozen breath from a demon mouth, obscuring sight to just a few yards. "Chihaya! Chihaya! Where are you?" Kagetsuya could hear scuffling and movement ahead of him, out of sight. Moving quickly towards the sounds, he could barely make out two figures. But no matter how hard he tried to get to them, they stayed elusively out of reach. His chest ached from running, the sharp pains piercing his lungs with every breath.

In the shadowed world, he saw the outline of Chihaya's wings deploy. Two eyes glowed red off to his left. "He's not for you, bright angel," spoke an unfamiliar voice.

Kagetsuya shivered at the sound of it. It was a voice that spoke heavily of unending pain and suffering. It was a voice that carried torture of the heart and of the body. The Voice of Blackness.

Finding his own voice, "It isn't for you to decide," he answered back defiantly.

"Ah, but you *have* decided. You don't want him. Let him be with someone who does…" the voice hissed back.

Kagetsuya watched in horror as a shadowed hand played along the edges of Chihaya's wing. The hand wretched down and back, causing Chihaya to cry out in pain. The figure tossed the bloodied black wing at Kagetsuya's feet.

Gingerly picking it up, he looked back at the shadows. The ghostly hand was caressing the other wing. "Oh, god…..no….please…..get…from….no….don't& #8230;Chihaya…" as he flung himself towards the demon.>>

+++

Low murmuring roused Chihaya out of his sleep. Looking around for the source of the voice, his eyes settled on the tossing form of his partner.

Kagetsuya's long frame was sprawled out on his bed, his legs tangled in the bed covers. Sweat covered his face and chest, darkening his blonde hair and soaking the sheets.

Chihaya slowly got out of bed and crept to his side. Kagetsuya's brow was drawn into a frown as he struggled against some unknown opponent in his sleep. His breathing was heavy, as Kagetsuya pulled in gasping lungful after lungful of air. Blood was dripping from his hands, so tightly they were clenched causing the nails to bite into his palms.

"Kagetsuya…" Chihaya gently laid a hand on Kagetsuya's shoulder, shaking him lightly. "Kagetsuya, wake up." He shook him again. Kagetsuya moaned and twisted away from the touch. "Kagetsuya, wake up, you're having a nightmare. Please, wake up." Chihaya pleaded as he shook harder.

+++

<<Kagetsuya connected with the demon's body solidly, forcing them all to the ground. "Kagetsuya…" Chihaya slumped down, unmoving, whimpering in pain and calling his name. Kagetsuya moved easily to the side to avoid landing on Chihaya. When he came to a stop, Kagetsuya rolled up and launched himself at the demon again, grabbing him in a neck-breaking grip.

The close proximity gave him his first good look at the face of his opponent. He recoiled inwardly when he saw the demon's face clearly. Kagetsuya was looking at himself. Except, where the real Kagetsuya's eyes are green, the demon/Kagetsuya's are blood red.

Strong hands grabbed Kagetsuya's forearms in a crushing hold. The demon sneered, showing his extended canines. "Why do you care?"

"Leave Chihaya alone!" Kagetsuya hissed.

The demon glared back at him. "You'll just hurt him."

"Shut up!" He shook the demon hard, digging his thumbs into the demons throat. Using his weight, he swept the legs out from under his opponent, landing heavily on top of him.

"Just by being with him, you hurt him." A cold smile broke across the demon's face.

"SHUT UP!" Kagetsuya rose to kneeling, digging his knee into the demon's stomach. He closed his hands tighter around the throat, pressing him harder into the ground.

"That's what you want? To hurt him? Because even *now*, you are."

"NO!" Kagetsuya tightened his grip on the demon/himself, rearing his fist back and landing punch to his face with a sickening thud.

"Kagetsuya!" >>

"NO!" Kagetsuya leapt up, grabbing Chihaya's arms in a bruising grip, pinning him to the bed. Straddling the prone form, he balled his fist to punch.

"Kagetsuya!" Chihaya called out in a panicked voice his hands pushing ineffectually against his chest. "Please, wake up! Kagetsuya!"

Kagetsuya heard Chihaya call his name. Blinking rapidly, he felt disoriented. Casting his gaze around, he recognized their bedroom. Looking down, he felt his stomach churn when he realized that he had Chihaya pinned down, his hand clenched in a fist poised to punch. Releasing a shaking breath, he loosened his death grip on Chihaya. Seeing the blood on his hands and on Chihaya's arms, he sat back clumsily on his bed. "Damn…"

"Are…are you alright Kagetsuya?" Chihaya asked tentatively. He laid a warm hand on Kagetsuya's arm.

Kagetsuya recoiled from the touch. "Yeah." He swallowed noisily. Looking at his bloodied hands, "Did I hurt you? Let me see your arms." He reached over and turned on the bedside light. Frowning, "The light is too low in here, let's go into the kitchen."

Turning on the light in the kitchen, Kagetsuya pulled up a stool for Chihaya to sit upon. He washed his hands, drying them on a towel. Next he washed the blood off of Chihaya's arms. Relieved that he hadn't drawn Chihaya's blood, he studied the bruises forming from where he had gripped the small arms. The purple areas were already apparent under the alabaster skin. Kagetsuya's face drained of all color. He turned gruffly to the cabinet and pulled down a small bowl and a little bottle. Filling the bowl with cool water, he removed the dropper from the bottle and dropped several drops. Running his hand through his hair as he moved to the refrigerator, he took an ice tray out of the freezer and emptied it into the bowl as well. "Stay here." He commanded Chihaya as he went to the linen closet to retrieve a couple of wash clothes. Thoroughly wetting them, he laid them gently on Chihaya's arms.

Kagetsuya berated himself under his breath. "I'm sorry Chihaya. I didn't mean…" He wrung the cloths out in the basin when they got warm and placed them back on his arms again. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know." Chihaya replied softly. "I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose. What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing. Just," his eyes narrowed, "wrestling with demons."

"You called my name in your sleep." Chihaya bit his lip. "Am I…?" his voice catching in his throat, hesitant to ask.

Taking a deep breath, Chihaya pressed his question. "Am I the demon you wrestle with?" He kept his eyes on the floor, his heart pounding in his ears, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. //What will I do if he says yes?//

Kagetsuya froze at the question, not looking at Chihaya. "No, of course not. Don't be stupid." Forcing himself to stay steady, he continued with his ministrations with renewed vigor.

"You're lying." Came the small voice in reply. Chihaya started to shake. "You're lying!" he shouted as he pulled his arms away from Kagetsuya.

<<that's what you want? to hurt him?>> The demon's voice echoed in Kagetsuya's mind.

"Chihaya…keep your voice down. It's still early… " Kagetsuya tried to grab the young angel's hands to calm him.

<<because even now>> Whispering, it teased him.

"NO!" he shouted again, pulling his hands free. "No…I *am* the demon you wrestle with. You find me repulsive, disgusting! You don't want to be partners with me. You think I am stupid. Stupid and a freak because I have black hair and black wings." Liquid emotion welled up in his violet eyes, unbidden. "I've tried to show you how I feel about you, but all you feel for me is disgust." Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "You are confusing me. Sometimes you touch me with such tenderness and make me trust you. Then, almost immediately, you act like I have a disease or something." He took a shuddering breath as he stepped back. "Maybe you should contact Archangel Michael and request another partner," he choked out. Backing away from Kagetsuya, his hand trailing along the wall for support, he ran to the bedroom, slamming the door.

<<you are>> it finished triumphantly.