Prelude (akame) one-shot (original) (raw)

A/N: Ok, this is probably not going to be everyone's cup of tea so read at your own risk. But if you do read, a comment would be very appreciated, thank you!

Prelude

“**My love is broken, your love is incomplete, our love is beautiful.**”

It was already night time when Kamenashi Kazuya stepped off the bus. Clutching the duffel bag tightly in his hand, he flung it over his shoulders. He had arrived at the remote town to gather some inspiration for his new novel which, if luck was on his side, would be scheduled to publish by the latter half of the year.

Hearing the engine rumble off and sensing the heavy scent of exhaust fade away, Kazuya felt slightly uneasy; therefore he attempted to relieve the anxiety by breathing to the tempo of his own strides as he paced down the ridged gravel path.

It was surprisingly cool for a midsummer’s evening, the shadows of tree branches crosshatched, inking the skirting road while stars studded the velvet canopy. His travel booklet did not lie, the place was indeed lovely and Kazuya was at once assured.

This was where he’d always wanted to be, far from the urbanized city- the mere concrete empire with steel bones and no soul.

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The sky grew darker but Kazuya still couldn’t find a shelter. He had wandered for hours in the woods, along the moonlit tracks and through the silver mist. And although he hated to admit it, he was undoubtedly lost, mazed in boundless rows of hardwood and sprawling shrubs.

Sighing inwardly, Kazuya sat down gingerly on the smooth face of a rock. Just then, he caught a glimmer of light, squinting his eyes to take a better look, he recognized something that closely resembled a human silhouette.

Getting on his feet hastily, Kazuya took a few steps back, scenes from horror tales riddling his mind. He swallowed the scream that was slowly creeping up his throat, it would be useless anyway, the place was completely deserted.

No one would ever hear him.

However, before Kazuya could get his rooted limbs to move again, a high-pitched shriek erupted from the strange figure. To his surprise, it didn’t sound sinister or malicious at all, more like affrighted, mirroring Kazuya’s own emotions.

Kazuya would laugh, if he wasn’t stuck in the situation himself and a couple hundred miles away from home.

“Umm…hello, whoever’s there? Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

There was a lengthy pause and Kazuya felt kind of stupid, but then the light flickered and he heard the shuffling of feet. Heaving a deep breath, Kazuya dared to glance up and was immediately taken aback by what greeted his eyes.

It was a man, a gorgeous one in fact. Soft, chestnut locks framing a delicately sculpted face, a few lose strands falling into the liquid orbs and tickling the corners of those plush lips.

Kazuya tore his gaze away embarrassedly, scolding himself silently for admiring a man until something hit him, “Wait, did you scream like a girl just now?”

The beautiful stranger looked abashed by Kazuya’s question, a faint tinge of pink colouring his cheeks, “It’s a habit,” he said, biting on his bottom lip.

Kazuya chuckled, how cute.

Shifting the lantern he held to his other vacant hand, the man smiled warmly, exposing his pearly teeth “Akanishi Jin desu. I see you are lost, dear traveler. Allow me to lead you through the forest and to my gingerbread house.”

And Kazuya could only follow.

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It’s been two days since Kazuya put up in Jin’s house, it was, of course, not made out of candy and cakes but to Kazuya, everything was perfect like a living fairytale.

“Kazuuu…” Kazuya was busy scribbling away in his notebook when he heard Jin’s whine, putting down the pen, he swiveled around to face the other. From what Kazuya had discovered through the short span of time, Jin hated it when he was ignored.

“Mou _Kazuuu_…You’ve been so quiet. Why don’t we go out together? It’s boring here,” Jin said in a dulcet voice, clutching onto Kazuya’s arm and swaying it lightly, akin to a rather peevish child.

Kazuya tried to smile as he slipped his arm away from Jin’s grasp, “But Jin, I have to finish-”

“No. We are going out,” Jin cut in, his tone suddenly stiff and forbidding. Kazuya looked up in astonishment as he felt Jin’s long fingers secure tightly around his wrist, evident anger flickering like flames of candles in those usual tender eyes. Although Kazuya had experienced Jin’s eccentric conduct before, this was the first time when he was actually somewhat frightened. He had always thought the latter was simply a little naïve, it’s understandable, considering the fact that he’s been living alone in this secluded place for all this while.

Jin had told Kazuya that he was confined here to recuperate but when Kazuya asked what his illness was, Jin had immediately changed the subject. Due to his unwillingness to horn in on someone else’s privacy, Kazuya did not inquire further.

He seems healthy enough though, maybe a little overly clingy at times but other than that, most definitely healthy.

“Isn’t the sun lovely?” Jin asked as they stepped onto the patio, the previous anger vanishing without a trace, almost as if it had never occurred.

“Lovely indeed,” Kazuya replied, closing his eyes and smelling the sun’s honey hued breath. He had completely lost himself to the salubrious scenery.

To the extent that he was not aware that Jin’s hand was still cuffing his wrist, locking it and ever so slowly, imbuing an ugly bruise.

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Almost a week now, Kazuya thought that maybe it’s about time to leave.

The unusual incident never repeated itself, Jin was an incredibly sweet host and they had become good friends ever since. However despite the liking he had taken upon the captivating place and its equally enamoring resident, Kazuya still decided that his trip should be ended now.

That afternoon, Kazuya began packing his things, folding his clothes and piling them up neatly on the bed in Jin’s guestroom. When he was going to put them into his bag though, he realized that the carrier was missing. Kazuya remembered clearly that he had placed it inside the closet, but now it was gone, nowhere to be seen.

After looking around the entire room in vain, Kazuya left to find Jin.

“Kazu-chan, I made tea for us!”

Jin was just coming out from the kitchen, holding a tray with a set of chinaware, a wide smile tugging on his lips. Kazuya approached him at once, “Jin-kun, do you know where my bag is? The grey, striped one?”

The smile vaporized from Jin’s face and the tray slipped off his hands, crashing onto the carpeted floor. Nothing broke but dull thuds sounded as the cups hit the ground one by one, the liquid inside flowed out instantly, soaking its way through the soft rug and meandering towards where Kazuya stood.

There was a periodic silence. Kazuya could feel his heart thumping relentlessly against his ribcage, the feeling when you are left in suspense during a horror movie that is reaching for the climax.

“You…” Jin uttered, breaking the quiescence, “Why do you need your bag?”

Kazuya opened his mouth hesitantly, “I… well, I think it’s about time I returned. I’ve been inconveniencing you for all this while.”

Jin smirked wryly, “Inconveniencing me? What an excuse. You just want to leave, don’t you?”

“No, of course not, I-”

“Shut up! Everyone wants to leave, even my own family! I loved them, believed them, but what did they do?! They abandoned me here! All alone!” Jin shouted, his voice broken and hoarse, “Kazu, please don’t go! I love you Kazu! You can’t leave me!”

Kazuya’s eyes widened at the Jin’s sudden outburst, stepping back as Jin stumbled towards him, arms outstretched like a drowning man.

“Jin! Calm down,” Kazuya grimaced as Jin pulled him into a suffocating embrace, the other’s tears staining his shirt, “It’s okay, I won’t go…”

“Really?”Jin was rapt right away, “Great! But your bag will remain confiscated, Kazu-chan, you’ve been very naughty.”

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Kazuya hurried to the front door as soon as Jin disappeared from his sight, night had already fallen and the whole house was enveloped by a deafening stillness. He no longer cared about his belongings, all he needed to do was get out of here.

His hands nervous with sweat, Kazuya fumbled with the doorknob. The immobile enemy eventually gave in and clicked open, he quickly sprinted out, until he saw him.

Jin.

The man was laughing, eyes set firmly on Kazuya, letting out chains of soft chuckles as he began making his way towards the stunned other, “Think you could fool me, darling?”

Kazuya swirled around, gripping the knob again in a futile attempt to slam the door close. However Jin was much faster and stronger as he had already settled a hand on the edge of the hardwood, “You made me do this Kazu, blame yourself.”

His mind short-circuited as Jin pinned him harshly to a nearby wall, all he could register was his own jagged breaths and Jin’s silky yet muffled whispers.

What was going to happen?

Then his senses all came back, more alert than ever as Jin waved a knife in front of his face. Kazuya saw all of his terror reflected on the sharp surface, incisive, raw emotions that were stabbing into his heart and cutting its strings like an invisible blade.

“Kazu-chan, let me mark you as mine,” Jin leant forward and whispered into Kazuya’s ears, his voice soft like velvet, almost soothing, “It’ll hurt but the outcome will be brilliant. Promise.”

Kazuya struggled as the knife inched closer, “Let go!”

Jin frowned, looking vexed, “Shh… baby, it’s no fun when you keep on scrambling,” Kazuya threw him a desperate glare, continuing to thrash around and refusing to surrender, “Persistent, aren’t you? It’s okay, let’s just see how long you can last.”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kazuya could feel Jin unbuttoning his shirt with one hand. Soon, the top ones came loose and the thin material was sliding off his shoulders, unveiling the milky skin underneath. The tips of Jin’s fingers traced Kazuya’s collarbones, drawing imaginary circles along the way and before Kazuya could protest, he had already come to an abrupt stop. Planting a feathery kiss at the particular area, Jin spoke, “_Are you ready, Kazu?_”

“J.” Kazuya gasped as the knife sliced through his skin, trickles of blood oozing out.

“I.” It carved in further, and Kazuya felt his flesh rip against the blade, searing like fire.

“N.” Jin dug the steel in roughly. Kazuya screamed.

The rusty smell of his own blood was at the tip of his tongue, he could almost taste it. Kazuya’s vision blurred, all he was able to see were splotches of red. Like scarlet roses, they bloomed in his sight, smearing the dimming world. Voices were crying out to him but their existences were all too distant and before he could even reply, he was already plunging into a sea of darkness.

It was too late.

Everything was too late.

Once upon a time, there was a traveler who arrived at a mystical forest. There, he met a beautiful stranger who led him to a house made out of candies and gingerbread. After that, he never returned, no one ever heard of him again. People chose to believe that he fell in love with the stranger and they lived happily ever after in that faraway land, was that really the case?