Mirage Of Blaze Fan Fiction ❯ Cruel Paradise ❯ Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mirage of Blaze, or any of it's characters. They belong to Kuwabara Mizuna.

Chapter 4

Naoe sat on the bed in the hotel room, listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. He sighed, disappointed that Takaya had insisted on showering alone. Naoe had taken his shower first, suggesting that Takaya join him, but to his dismay, Takaya declined. Now, he'd have to settle for using his imagination to picture how beautiful Takaya looked with water cascading down his naked skin.

He'd always assumed that if he slept with Lord Kagetora, the fire inside him would subside slightly, his single most desire having been fulfilled. Instead, the fire consumed him like a raging inferno. He could think of nothing else. He groaned, grabbing his head in an effort to clear his mind.

He stood and walked to the window. He pulled back the curtains and peered out. The sun was setting in the horizon. He still couldn't believe how quickly the day had passed. By the time they'd finished their roadside romp, retrieved gas for Takaya's motorcycle, and made it back to the hotel, it was well into evening.

A knock on the door startled Naoe out of his thoughts. Who the hell could that be? He stormed to the door, and jerked it open. He tensed when he saw Yuzuru standing in front of him.

"Where's Takaya?" Yuzuru immediately asked. He looked at Naoe with suspicion. He no longer cared whether Naoe knew he and Takaya kissed or not. He wanted to make sure his best friend was safe.

Naoe didn't answer. How did he know I was staying here? He stared at Yuzuru with a puzzled expression. He still wanted to make Yuzuru pay for what he did with Takaya. But, Takaya had assured him that the kiss was meaningless, so he tried to remain calm.

"Where's Takaya?" Yuzuru asked again, this time more forceful. "I know he's here. His bike's outside." If I find out you hurt Takaya, I'll kill you! He suddenly pushed past Naoe, bursting into the hotel room. He frantically glanced around.

Naoe stared at him. "You'll have to wait. He's busy right now," he stated flatly. What in the hell is his problem?

The sound of running water caught Yuzuru's attention. He spun toward the bathroom. Takaya! He dashed to the bathroom door. Please be unhurt!

Naoe reached to grab Yuzuru, but missed. "You can't go in there! He's showering!" he yelled angrily.

Yuzuru, unfazed by Naoe's words, slipped past him. "So what! It's not as if I haven't seen him naked before!" he replied, opening the bathroom door. He darted in, slamming the door and locking it behind him.

Naoe watched him disappear into the bathroom, his jaw agape with shock. "You've…seen him naked?" He ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. You fucking bastard! You can't barge in on Takaya like that!

Yuzuru ran to the shower. "Takaya! Are you okay?" he asked. He grabbed his startled friend's arm, looking him over to make sure he didn't have any bruises or other injuries.

Takaya stared at Yuzuru with surprise, confused by his friend's intrusion. "Yuzuru? What are you doing here?" He turned off the water, stepped out, and grabbed a towel.

Suddenly, a loud thud resounded against the bathroom door. Takaya and Yuzuru stared at the door, fearful of whether Naoe could get in or not.

"Open the fucking door!" Naoe yelled, as he pounded the door again. "Now! Dammit!" "Yuzuru! Get behind me!" Takaya stepped in front of him. He grabbed his underwear and jeans, scrambling to put them on as quickly as his wet skin would allow. "Why didn't you wait for me out in the other room?" he asked. Shit! Naoe is going ballistic out there!

"Open the door!" Naoe hollered as he body slammed it.

"I'm sorry, Takaya. I had to speak to you alone," Yuzuru whispered. "I was worried about you. This morning, Naoe stopped by after you left, and I sent him to catch you. But then, after he left, Saori said she'd told Naoe about our kiss. I worried that he might hurt you," he explained, his voice quavering. "But I see now that you're alright."

Takaya grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. So, it was Saori who saw us. That explains the slap. Girls can be so catty. "Don't worry, Yuzuru," Takaya whispered. "He didn't hurt me. Though, that might change here in a moment."

Suddenly, the door flew open with a final kick and Naoe barged into the bathroom, his eyes scorching with rage. "You!" he growled as he pointed his finger at Yuzuru. "This time you've...." he bit his lip on the rest of his thoughts.

Takaya stretched his arms out to his sides to guard Yuzuru. "Naoe, calm down. He was worried about me, that's all." He stared into Naoe's angry eyes. "He said you looked upset this morning, and he..." his voice trailed off, realizing that Naoe wasn't listening. He took a few steps back as Naoe marched toward them.

Takaya didn't know what to think anymore. Would Naoe hurt Yuzuru? He didn't want to find out. Yuzuru was his best friend and he had to protect him. Takaya lunged at Naoe, catching him off guard. He slammed him against the wall, allowing Yuzuru enough room to escape. "Run, Yuzuru!" Takaya yelled as he wrestled Naoe to the floor. "Get out of here!" It took every ounce of his strength to pin Naoe down, and his strength was depleting fast.

"What are you doing?" Naoe asked, bewildered. He thrashed underneath Takaya. "Don't interfere! Let me go!" he shouted.

Yuzuru's eyes widened. Takaya's protecting me? "What about you? Come with me!" he demanded.

"Just go!" Takaya grunted as Naoe struggled beneath him. "Dammit, Yuzuru! What's the matter with you? Get out of here, NOW!"

Naoe squirmed to free himself. "Get the hell off me!" he snarled. "How could you betray me like this? Especially after we..." his voice trailed off as his emotions overwhelmed him. I've given you everything I have. My loyalty, my heart, my soul, my love, and....my body. And this is how you repay me?

The pain in Naoe's voice stabbed through Takaya's heart. He felt torn between protecting his best friend and his feelings for Naoe. "Dammit, Naoe! I'm not betraying you!" he panted as he fought to hold Naoe down.

Yuzuru remained still. "Takaya! I don't want to leave you here!" he shouted. "He could kill you!"

Takaya's mind raced. What could he do? Yuzuru is scared, Naoe is jealous...everyone is freaking out. Maybe it'd be better if I took Yuzuru home, and came back later after Naoe has calmed down. "Go on! I'll catch up with you in a minute! Meet me by my bike!"

Yuzuru ran out of the room.

"Naoe. I've got to take Yuzuru home, then I'll be back," he said, gasping for breath.

Naoe's lips curled with disgust. "Yuzuru can get home on his own. He got here, didn't he?" he seethed. He no longer struggled with Takaya. Is Yuzuru more important to you than I am?

Takaya sighed, and let Naoe up. "I swore to always protect Yuzuru, but I never thought I'd have to protect him from you," he mumbled sadly. He stood up. "I'll be back," he said, turning to leave.

Naoe shook with rage. "Was this your plan all along?" he snarled. "To finally let me have you, then turn around and stab me in the back?" His eyes burned into Takaya. "To let me think that you care for me, then side with someone else against me?" Tears pooled in his eyes. "I should've expected this from you, Kagetora. You like to punish me. You always have."

Takaya couldn't bear to look at Naoe. His guilt was overwhelming. He didn't want to see the tears in Naoe's eyes. The tears that he caused...again. "Keep your voice down. I'll be back later," he said flatly. Don't look at him, or you'll lose your composure. He'll be fine until you get back.

"So, he's more important than me?" Naoe glared at him. "Or, are you ashamed of what we did?" he scoffed.

Takaya decided not to dignify the comment with a response. He ran out the room, heading for his bike. This is your fault, Naoe! If you'd just leave Yuzuru alone, everything would be fine!

Naoe pulled himself to his feet and rushed after him. "I won't let you leave with him, Takaya!"

When Takaya reached the parking lot, there was no sign of Yuzuru. Oh shit! Didn't he make it out of there? He turned and looked up at Naoe's hotel room window. An intense flash of bright yellow light permeated through the curtains. Takaya's heart skipped a beat. What the...

Moments later, Yuzuru ran toward him. "Let's go! Hurry! Start your bike!" he frantically shouted as he approached.

Deciding to ask questions later, he started his motorcycle. As soon as Yuzuru was on the back, he shoved his helmet into Yuzuru's hands. "Put this on!" he instructed. Seconds later, Takaya sped out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. He shuddered as the brisk evening air bit through his damp clothing and hair as they raced down the street. What kind of a mess have you gotten me into, Yuzuru?

He sped through traffic all the way to Yuzuru's house. He didn't know if Naoe would be right behind him or not, but he didn't want to take a chance. Yuzuru's arms wrapped around him tightly, holding on for dear life. By the time they reached Yuzuru's house, it was dark, and Takaya was shivering violently from exposure on the windy ride. Takaya shut off his bike and Yuzuru hopped off the back.

"Here," Yuzuru pulled off his sweatshirt. "Put this on. I'm going to grab some clothes. Then we can go," Yuzuru said.

"What?" Takaya asked. "I thought I was going to drop you off," he added, confused.

Yuzuru's eyes darted about nervously. "I'm too scared to stay alone. Naoe tried to hurt me, and I think he'll try again. This will be the first place he'll look for me," he explained. "Please, Takaya, take me somewhere else tonight. I'm safe if I'm with you."

Takaya sighed. Naoe tried to hurt you? Takaya watched Yuzuru disappear into his house. Don't you realize that being with me will only make it easier for Naoe to find you? Naoe will look for me first. He shook his head, wondering how everything could suddenly go so wrong.

Minutes later, Yuzuru ran up with a bulky backpack slung over his shoulder. He jumped onto the bike again, wrapping his arms around Takaya. "Let's go!" he shouted.

"Go where?" Takaya replied.

"I don't know. How about outside town? We could sleep under the stars," Yuzuru said happily.

"It's a bit chilly for that tonight. Don't you think?" Takaya chuckled nervously. Sleep under the stars? This isn't like you, Yuzuru.

"We'll stay warm. I brought a blanket," Yuzuru assured him. "I know you've slept outside a lot. Whenever you fought with your dad..." he stopped, not wanting to bring up painful memories.

Takaya sighed in defeat. "Alright." He started his bike, and took off toward his favorite place to go when things got tough at home. It was a beautiful wooded mountain area northeast of town. Somewhere he'd never taken anyone to before.

After following a winding road up a mountainside for awhile, Takaya slowed down, carefully pulling off the road. He steered his motorcycle expertly through the thick tree growth. Finally satisfied that they couldn't be seen from the road, he shut off his bike, leaving them in total darkness.

Yuzuru took off the helmet and dropped it next to the bike. He rustled through his bag, finally pulling out a flashlight. "Good thing I brought this, huh?" he said cheerfully, turning it on.

"Yeah," Takaya mumbled, unable to get Naoe off his mind. He'd promised Naoe that he would return. Now, he was spending the night in the mountains with Yuzuru, the cause of Naoe's jealousy in the first place. This was going to drive Naoe over the edge for sure. How could he fix this disaster?

He jumped when Yuzuru shook his shoulder and called out his name. He blinked a few times, suddenly aware of the bright light of the flashlight. "Oh, sorry," he muttered, getting off his bike. "Follow me," he led Yuzuru up a steep hill, stopping at the top.

"Wow! It's beautiful," Yuzuru gasped at the view of the sea of city lights below. "I've never been up here before," he gushed. I wonder if this is where Takaya comes when he and his dad fight. It's so peaceful here. He deeply inhaled the mountain air.

Takaya smiled at his friend's excitement. Sometimes, he seemed so innocent. Takaya sat next to a tree, leaning his back against it. He groaned, stretching his legs in front of him. This place always relaxed him.

Yuzuru sat beside Takaya. "I'm really sorry about the trouble I caused earlier," he apologized, putting his hand on Takaya's thigh. "I'm just worried about you."

Takaya grasped Yuzuru's hand. "It's alright," he reassured his friend. "Naoe's been acting strange, but I'm sure he'll get over it." I hope he does. What if he never forgives me? His stomach knotted at the thought. I couldn't live without him.

"I hope so," Yuzuru mumbled. "I don't ever want anything to ruin our friendship." Especially Naoe. He pulled the blanket from his backpack, and scooted closer to Takaya.

Takaya spread his legs apart, and Yuzuru to sat down between them so they could keep each other warm. "You don't need to worry about that. You'll always be my best friend," Takaya said, wrapping his arm around Yuzuru, pulling him back to rest against his chest. "But tomorrow, I need to go back and talk to Naoe." He could've sworn that Yuzuru tensed at his words. "Can I ask you something?" Takaya asked.

"Sure," Yuzuru answered, leaning his head back to rest against Takaya's shoulder. He spread the blanket to cover them and turned off his flashlight.

"You said Naoe tried to hurt you. I saw a bright light just before you came out." What was Naoe doing? Why does he have such animosity toward poor Yuzuru? "Why weren't you at my bike like I told you to be?" Takaya asked.

"I waited around the corner from Naoe's room to make sure you escaped," Yuzuru explained. "When I didn't hear you leave, I went back to look for you. I ran right into Naoe as he was running out. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room, but I managed to free myself. Then, there was this bright light as I ran out of the room. I was too scared to look behind me," he explained, fear in his voice. "I just ran as fast as I could."

Takaya hugged Yuzuru. "It's alright. Don't be frightened. We'll work this out," he said calmly.

"Do you really have to go back tomorrow? Can't you wait a couple of days?" Yuzuru asked anxiously. "You know...to give Naoe more time to calm down," he suggested.

"We'll talk about it in the morning," Takaya whispered. "Let's get some sleep." He yawned, and shifted to get more comfortable. His thoughts drifted to Naoe. He missed him already.

"Okay, Takaya," Yuzuru answered. "Good night." He closed his eyes, content to be in his best friend's arms. Takaya, did you let Naoe have you? He was fairly sure that he already knew the answer. Neither Takaya nor Naoe were at the hotel that whole day. He'd stopped by several times. And there was something different about his best friend. Don't worry, Takaya, I'll look out for you. I know you care deeply for Naoe, but I see now that he's not good for you. I have to keep you away from him.

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Naoe felt someone shaking him. His eyes fluttered opened, trying to focus on the face in front of him. "Chiaki?" he mumbled when he recognized the man. "W...what happened?" he stammered.

Chiaki helped Naoe sit up. "I was going to ask you the same thing," he smirked.

Naoe rubbed his eyes, trying to remember. "I'm not sure," he mumbled. "Takaya left. I was chasing him, but Yuzuru stepped in front of me from out of nowhere, blocking me from leaving the room. I tried to grab his arm to move him out of the way, but then there was this blinding light," he explained. He let Chiaki help him to his feet. "It was strange. The last thing I remember was the bizarre look on his face. It sent a chill down my spine."

He walked to the window and pulled open the curtains. He was shocked to see daylight. "FUCK!" he yelled. I've been unconscious all damn night, and Takaya's not back yet? His face changed from red to purple as he clenched his teeth. "Takaya!" he shouted. "Where the fuck are you?"

He suddenly slammed his fist through the window. The glass exploded into fragments like fireworks. His arm was drenched with blood, and some glass pieces protruded from his skin. He collapsed onto the floor, his body wracked with sobs.

Chiaki stared at him, horrified. "Hey," he said, running to Naoe. He knelt by his side. "Are you okay?" he reached out to grab Naoe's arm, wanting to see how badly he was hurt.

Naoe yanked his arm away. "Get the fuck away from me!" he cried out hysterically between sobs. He watched listlessly as his blood trickled from his many wounds, feeling that he would rather die than lose Takaya.

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading, and again, a big thank you to those who've reviewed the story. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. ^_^