Legal Drug Fan Fiction ❯ In The End ❯ Chapter 3

“Kudo-kun,” Kakei murmured, pressing a cool hand on the injured boy's brow.

 

“I'm… I'm dying, ne?” Kazahaya stuttered, turning toward the psychic.

 

Dropping the fake cheer, Kakei nodded and whispered a soft, “Yes. Nothing can be done. You're going to die.”

 

“How much longer?”

 

“Not much. You're going to suffer. You know that, don't you?” Kakei asked softly.

 

“I know,” Kazahaya nodded. “Will you take care of Rikuo?”

“Of course, Kudo-kun,” Kakei smiled.

 

“You know then? Wh.. what I want you to do?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Will you?”

“With a heavy heart. You'll have eight to ten hours. But you will sleep away most of it. You'll fall asleep and it'll be over,” Kakei murmured.

 

“G-give my thanks to Saiga. I just… just Rikuo,” Kazahaya whispered, trying valiantly not to cry. “Please just Rikuo.”

 

“Of course,” Kakei smiled. Pulling out the prepared syringe, Kakei placed a soft kiss on Kazahaya's temple before sliding the needle into the pale skin. “Please, forgive me, Kudo-kun,” Kakei whispered as he emptied the syringe.

 

“Thank you. Please, call me Kazahaya.”

 

“Go, and be at peace,” Kakei murmured, gathering his few things and leaving the room. When he stepped into the stairway, he smiled an honest smile and announced, “You can go back in now. I'm all done.”

 

“Thank you,” Rikuo bowed. Without waiting to see if Kakei responded in kind, he was hurrying back to the room, desperate to see his lover.

 

“Kazahaya,” Rikuo breathed. “How do you feel?”

 

“I'm so tired. Come hold me,” Kazahaya answered softly.

 

“Of course.”

 

Easily, Rikuo took up his position behind Kazahaya. The smaller, thin man leaved against Rikuo's larger chest. His eyes closed and his breathing was even, giving him the appearance of sleep.

 

“Rikuo?” Kazahaya asked.

 

“What is it?”

 

“If something happened to me, would you be able to survive? Would you be okay without me?”

 

“What kind of question is that?” Rikuo asked angrily. “Kazahaya, nothing's going to happen to you. I won't be able to live with myself if it did.”

 

“Rikuo, promise me, please, if something happens to me, promise me you'll live on. Even if I don't.”

 

“I'm not going to until we're both old and gray.”

 

“Please. You have to now,” Kazahaya begged, his fists pitifully clinging to the shirt Rikuo wore.

 

“Fine. I promise. Please, just relax,” Rikuo whispered. “I `m sorry. I promise.”

 

“Thank you,” Kazahaya whispered.

 

The brunette bowed his heavy head and snuggled close to Rikuo. `The rest of my life, I want to spend in your arms,' he thought sadly.

 

Rikuo wrapped his arms tightly around Kazahaya's form, confused by the smaller man's behavior, determined to hold his lover regardless.

 

88

 

“Kazahaya?” Rikuo asked, a desperate hint in his voice as he shook the still form. “Please answer me.”

 

Kazahaya's body shook bonelessly, following Rikuo's movement. His body was cold, his skin was even paler then he'd thought possible.

 

“No,” Rikuo whimpered softly. “No. Kazahaya! Please come back to me.” Hugging the cold body to his chest, he cried into the soft hair, hot tears pouring from his clenched eyes. Raising his head, he roared in despair, a negative note that echoed in the deathly silence of the room. With his strong arms, he'd failed to protect that which he loved most. Again.

 

“Rikuo?” Saiga's deep voice asked in concern. He opened the door softly and froze at the sight before his hidden eyes. Kazahaya's thin form was snuggled against Rikuo, his body limp where Rikuo wasn't holding. “Is he?”

 

“He left me,” Rikuo whimpered. “He left me.”

 

Swallowing against the lump rising in his throat, Saiga stepped forward to hopefully comfort the grieving man.

 

“Come on Rikuo. Let's get you out of here and figure out what to do.”

 

With a steady stream of tears falling down his face, Rikuo allowed Saiga to guide him. Allowed Saiga to lead him away from the cold, dead body of his lover. They passed the silent form of a teary-eyes Kakei who nodded before entering the room and shutting the door.

 

“He knew,” Rikuo whispered softly, following the elder man.

 

88

 

“Kudo Kazahaya-kun, be at peace,” Kakei murmured. Trying to stem the flow of tears that poured from his pale eyes, he set about straightening Kazahaya's cold body before he hid it beneath the sheets of the bed. “I'll care for Rikuo. Just like you asked.”

 

88

 

Rikuo kneeled before the stone marker behind the store. Nothing but a wreath of flowers decorated the memorial but it was more important to Rikuo than anything else. Closing his dark eyes, a tear slid slowly down his cheek.

 

“Kazahaya, I love you. More than anything else I love you. I wish we'd never gone on that fucking job. I hate that we did. Look what happened to you,” Rikuo whimpered. “I need you.”

 

Rikuo lapsed into silence, letting happier memories wash over him at the memorial of his lover.

 

“Rikuo?” Kazahaya asked, large eyes blinking innocently at the darker man.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Do you believe in eternal love?”

 

“What?”

 

“Do you believe in eternal love? A love that will never end. A love that'll go on forever and ever, even if one person dies and the other doesn't?”

 

“Yeah. It's called a soul mate,” Rikuo answered plainly. Sighing he moved to his waif of a lover and pulled him close.

 

“You're my soul mate. I believe that completely. Do you agree with me?” Kazahaya asked softly, snuggling against Rikuo's firm chest.

 

“You are my soul mate,” Rikuo smiled. Tilting the brunette's head up, he winked his dark eye at the other before placing a burning kiss on his lips. When they paused for breath, Rikuo finished, “You should have known that already, idiot.”

 

“Come back to me,” Rikuo pleaded with the small marker. “Come back.”

 

Wrapping his arms around himself, he rocked back and forth, crying pitifully.

 

“Rikuo, I want to spend forever with you,” Kazahaya declared, raising up on his elbows to glance into his lover's dark eyes.

 

“Spend forever with me. That's fine. I want you to.”

 

“And when I die as an old man, I want you to be holding me like this,” Kazahaya murmured, nestling closer to the warm chest.

 

“You'll never die. I won't let you,” Rikuo protested. “I'll keep you alive no matter what.”

 

“You can't stop the gods. So when my time is up, will you let me die in your arms?”

 

“I wouldn't let it be anywhere else,” Rikuo answered.

 

“Nowhere else but in my arms,” Rikuo mumbled softly. “You got to die how you wanted. But you weren't an old man.”

 

“I love you, Rikuo. No matter what happens, I'll always love you. Eternally,” Kazahaya murmured softly, his lips dancing along the soft skin of Rikuo's neck. “Show me you love me?”

 

Reversing their positions, Rikuo pressed his lips against Kazahaya's, eager to prove his love physically.

 

“I couldn't stop it from happening, just like I couldn't stop Tsukiko's disappearance. I'm pretty damn useless. What am I supposed to do?” Rikuo begged the statue.

 

“I would be lost without you. you've never failed me. And I think it would be impossible for you to fail me ever. If you had left me every time I fell, I wouldn't be able to have this conversation with you. I love you,” Kazahaya mumbled, wrapping his arms around Rikuo's neck. “Thank you.”

 

“How do I go on without you?” Rikuo asked softly.

 

“You can do it!” Kazahaya cheered, leaping as he cheered on his roommate and lover. “I believe in you!”

“Thanks a lot,” Rikuo bit sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “I'd be much happier if it wasn't me up here!”

“But you're doing so well! Do you want me to carry it down? You know how clumsy I am. Besides, you're so awesome, you can do anything!” Kazahaya cheered.

 

“Idiotic klutz,” Rikuo grumbled, trying vainly to hide his smile.

 

“I can do anything, ne?” Rikuo asked the stone memorial. “I'll never be happy again, you know that. But I'll keep on living because I promised I would.”

 

Pressing his hand against his lips, he indirectly kissed the stone, ignoring the tears that poured from his eyes. Rising, he murmured softly, “Ill never forget you and I'll love you always.”