Teach Me [Eiji/Private]

[Honma Kotone]

It had been countless days since their mission together, where the two were pitted against foes that were a little bit too much, eell, they died so one would guess that they weren't that hard to handle? Regardless, the boy had been struck numerous times and that crippled him to the point where death was the only option. But luckily, fate was on their side and some of the medical corps arrived on the skin; treating the crispy skinned boy, whom resembled a roasted tomato. It was really an unpleasant sight, all joking aside, as his skin was so strained with burns that even if he moved the skin would tear and a transparent liquid would seep out from his body. It was as if his body was an entire blister.

Bandaged up, from head to toe, the chocolate hued boy would be found hobbling along in crutches. The artificial light emitting from the hovering crystals above would give the boy sight as to where he was going. The pinkish glow from those crystals would distract him from the stubbing pain that echoed throughout his body with each step. Even as he was assisted with two crutches, the boy found walking a tedious and horrible task. But why, you may ask, why would he push himself through his pain unnecessarily when he should be resting?

Well, my friends, the answer would be that he wanted to see Eiji again.

He wanted to apologize for not doing a good job on their mission, he wanted to atone for his mistakes that caused his captain to be vulnerable to attack. Ikka was wet cannon fodder: completely useless. People's eyes would draw onto the boy, as white stripes coddled his body firmly, the sound of the crutches slapping into the cobbled ground sent echos down the quieter parts of whatever road the boy chose to walk through. All that was really visible was his head, with only a few patches of cotton resting upon sections of his face, held down by medical tape. Ikka didn't really have a destination, he didn't even know where he was going but that was probably down to the strong medication that he had been on for the past few weeks.

"Eiji..." Ikka murmured under his breath, stretching his head from left to right; holding a stationary position as he searched for the robed man. Nope, not here, the boy began to walk on with one singeing step at a time.

Of course, the on-call doctor at the time would have made the appropriate calls for Eiji to become aware that Ikkadan was searching for him. Although, that in its self may have been a task.

[Bah, bad post!]

 

[Hanone]

Eiji had been at home when the call came. He was fresh from another mission (it seemed they never ended) though this time for the ANBU instead of work for the Suna Council and its Steward. Aika, his little sister, was away on her own tasks for the medical department. The Jounin had managed to make himself some eggs and toast without burning it this time when he heard the call on his headset.

When he was at home, he left his headset on and next to a sound crystal that would amplify the words if someone attempted to get a hold of him. Luck had it he was one bite into his over salted eggs and he heard the static crackle then a youthful, female voice speak up. Motomori Eiji, this is the medical complex, please respond."

Frustrated, he tossed the fork down and went over to his headset and slipped it over his still damp hair (he had just bathed). Tiredly, he responded, "What do you want?"

The woman's voice was passive, as if she were used to dealing with impatient shinobi. From an outside point of view, one would see Eiji standing beside his tablestand, his eyes narrowing more and more until the mumbling female voice stopped and Eiji put the device down. He looked as though he was very mad for some reason then dropped the headset back to the table and walked straight out of his house.

"That stupid boy. What was he thinking?" the brunette said, his brow furrowed and his body rigid. Ikkadan, the boy he'd been partnered with, what? Two weeks ago? Was out of the medical center and looking for him. This wouldn't be a problem except he was a burn victim and in no state to be wandering about anywhere.

Eiji left his house at the moderately priced housing area of the Grand Palais and started to look around. First the nearby streets then further out. He moved in a pattern that would hopefully help him find the boy and eliminate the chances for missing him on accident. This proved to provide him with little purchase and eventually he found himself just standing on the main road, arms crossed. He figured if he waited here long enough, the boy would come across him.

 

[Honma Kotone]

It had been a few hours since the boy had left the hospital, and a few hours since Eiji was contacted respectively. Unbeknownst to Ikka, his captain had been looking for him, but with his crumpled skin and shattered body he still pursued an endless lead of narrow alleyways, long roads and dry stares. He really wasn't expecting to just stumble across Eiji, well, not exactly. Partly the boy hoped that maybe the captain would find him, which would ultimately prevent Ikka from having to move around any more. "Do you know a man called 'Eiji'?" Ikka would question a stranger, whom looked busy and flustered with one child straddled to her chest; sleeping. Too occupied was she to even give him a fluent answer, only shaking her head and giving the boy a sympathetic smile.

Finally, the bones were shaking, they were giving up.

With a gruff sound, Ikka's body hit the ground. Nobody around him dared to help the boy up, they were to busy or rather too scared to even do anything remotely human. They, after all, were indoctrinated into an underworld complex, where their government, indeed even their God, was the drug lords and criminals that owned the greater part of the Grand Palasis. And whispers had already been strung that Hanabi, one of those governing bodies, had already been taken in to custody but yet their lives had not be appeased. Why? Well, it was the way of tyrants to simply take over territory that belonged to a former lord. Gotta give them some respect however, they really knew how to run a relentless and unforgiving world.

Laying on the man road, body fighting for full control, Ikka shuffled onward with his hands loosely griping onto the cobbled stones; which would allow himself to be pushed along. His eyes, strained and reddened like raw meat, his expression firm and painful would set sights on a distant figure that resembled Eiji in some way. But was it really him, or was the loss of blood and drug-mind frame just taking its toll. "Eiji!" He would exclaim numerous times, the first sounding so timid and frail, the second time was louder but croaked with pain and a hint of patchiness. The third, the fourth and the fifth call on the captain were much louder, clearer and stronger than before.

What an odd soul...

In retrospect, this boy was not a gifted nor advanced shinobi. He didn't have any medals, no experience and no power that would give him any sort of solidification within the shinobi world. However, what he did have was love and a love for life, for his friends and family. He would accept his role as cannon fodder but, really, he just wanted to be useful to someone... Not some broken boy laying on the street.

 

[Hanone]

Quite some time passed after the call and since then. He'd often times given up and went back inside his house. But he would return to the main street again and again just in case the boy revealed himself. Eventually it neared evening and the slim jounin male found himself purchasing apples and a meat dish from the nearby old man's home stall. He ate there often due to the fact that he hated to cook and dreaded his own kitchen more than an A-rank mission.

It was on this last outing that the boy would find sight of Eiji and within a few moments, he of Ikkadan. But his feeble cries and overly pitiful state didn't stir compassion for the weak boy. No instead he felt his jaw clench and his body tense. This.. had to be a joke, right?

Slowly and deliberately, the Jounin bought his food, thanking the man for it (you didn't want spit in your next meal because you were rude this time) and put it into a dull green tote he'd brought from his house. Once the food was safely stowed away, he pivoted on the balls of his feet and walked quite slowly toward the crispy, ginger boy. It took several times too long before he found himself standing before the helpless thing. And what did he do? Well he didn't help him up, that was for sure. No, he crouched, the lower portion of his unique silk kimono fell between his bare legs which were left exposed from ankle to hip. It didn't leave much to the imagination.

A long exhale. Another, then, "Ikkadan. What the fuck are you doing?" His voice sounded bored-like, as if he were asking about the price of curtains. Eiji's blue eyes bore down upon the heap pitilessly. He'd saved his life once, couldn't the boy even stay in bed until he was healed to show he appreciated his gift? Of course not. Well he was waiting for an answer either way, squatting beside the boy's orange head.

 

[Honma Kotone]

"Guh..." Ikka would exhale as the man approached, and really there needn't be any description of how the boy felt at that moment, "I found you." He would state with a smile forming on his reddened, veined face. However, he was not met with a smile from Eiji bur rather an exhale, a sign of his frustration, and a less-than-impressed expression. Eiji, not leaving much hidden (must have been confident), crouched down to reach the boy's level. He questioned Ikkadan as to what he was doing perhaps laying on the ground, but really, asking him why he was out of bed at this ungodly time of recovery.

"You..." Ikka would lower his head, attempting to wriggle his position so that he could sit upon his buttocks, and give the man a sad-glazed look. "You're really strong, and I'm not." A statement that didn't need to be uttered because both parties knew that it was true. Unless Eiji needed an ego trip then it was fine, but he really didn't seem like that conceded type of person. Although, Ikka didn't even know this man, he had only saved his life through his special fighting tactics and secret techniques. Even now, weeks ahead of time, the boy wasn't able to place his finger on that smouldering wooden construct and that figure hidden by his blurred eyes. "I've been having these dreams about our mission," He winched momentarily at the pain from some of his stitches, his bum too cold for words against the cobbled street, "How did you win...? We were outnumbered but... I remember a figure, I think... What was it?"

There really was no hiding it, Ikka had seen Eiji's secret technique, although he wasn't sure of what it was and how he performed it - but he still had witnessed its power. And do you know what, the boy wanted that power for his own needs.

"You're strong but... Even you were struggling that day..."

 

[Hanone]

Whatever Eiji had originally thought for the boy's venture from his hospital bed to find him, it hadn't been that. Yes, he'd let the thought cross his mind since the mission that maybe the boy had seen what he'd done, but part of him at thought Ikkadan was too messed up to have seen it. This wasn't the case. Here he was, half-dead and determined to figure out this flummoxing question.

At first, as the boy said his peace, Eiji's face remained annoyed and passive. His posture was one of an exasperated figure waiting impatiently for an answer. The comment about his strength caused no reaction to the man. Also about the fact he'd been having dreams about the mission. But it was the stumbling words that blew open the floodgates. The boy remembered the coffin...

His body tightened visibly. The muscles in his thighs and calves turned to steel as he tensed. What should he do?

The second half of Ikkadan's words went blank in his mind as he was circled in decisions. The first thought had been to kill the boy and dispose of him. This is what he'd done with so many others in the past. It's why he'd mercilessly killed the captured man from the mission with the destroyed leg. It's why Hanabi was going to die in her cell soon too.

But here wasn't possible. The wounded boy had brayed so loudly for him, lying all miserably and broken on the ground that there was a collection of people standing around looking. That brought the next issue to hand. The boy needed to shut up before he told another soul!

Finally deciding, Eiji scooped his hands under the man's armpits and heaved him up from the ground. He didn't care if this cost him more discomfort or pain. He wasn't even sure if he was going to leave him alive yet. Eiji was deceptively strong for his size. Picking up a man Ikkadan's size was an easy task for him, as could be felt by the other. It was likely Ikkadan was nothing more than clumsy dead weight at the moment and yet he could lift and move him with little trouble. He ended up dropping him over his shoulder (made sure to grab his tote as well) then turned around and walked them both back to his house.

He didn't live far from here. It was only a 3 minute walk maybe. He couldn't say how long it felt to such an injured body; but again he didn't care either. He was very mad.

Eiji only paused for a second outside of his door. He didn't like people in his house. It was his sanctuary and it wasn't only his home. It was Aika's home too, his sister. She was a private girl who didn't like people in her things either.

Pushing passed those thoughts, he entered the single story house and kicked the door shut behind them. At last he was able to dump him off on the couch and perched himself on the single person seat to it's left. He crossed his legs at the knee, which again made his kimono pull away from his limbs carelessly.

The house was clean and relatively unremarkable, or at least the livingroom was. It had a couch and a chair, both now occupied, a single darkwood-coffee table sitting to the side. There were a scrolls on the walls, opened to show at what times either member of the family had been promoted, like certificates only fancy. Aika was a medic now and was a chuunin. Eiji's shown he was a jounin.. of course there was nothing mentioning his attachment to the ANBU sector, but that was to be expected.

They had come in from the east wall. The kitchen was to the north and had an extra wide doorway leading in. To the south was two doors. One was closed and one open, revealing a basic bathroom. The west wall had 2 doors as well. One door was closed, the other while also closed, had glass on it's front suggested it was a backdoor to the house. The place was small. Two bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Plain. It didn't seem like Eiji at all.

Eiji wanted to let the boy get into a comfortable position or at least get over the physical cruelty of the trip to his house before talking. Once he seemed he could listen to him, he spoke. "You didn't see anything." Eiji wasn't sure how do deal with this situation. Maybe he could convince the kid he hadn't seen anything at all? Maybe a hallucination? "I killed them, I used ninja techniques anyone could learn with practice and some skill, so that's it."

 

[Honma Kotone]

Wait, what just happened? To be honest, Ikkadan at the moment of being lifted kind of collapsed from consciousness; what bloody good timing for a fainting, wouldn't you say? Now, Eiji wouldn't have to worry about this little boy running to his house after every little thing. That's a good thing, right? Anyway, Ikkadan would begin to come through with a foggy pair of chocolate hues as he set his sets on an unreasonably clean home. Well, it was either unnaturally clean or that Ikka was beginning to see the 'light'

Uh-oh...

The boy would shake his head loosely, attempting to stay awake as the blood rushed to his head; drooping over. Ikkadan was let go, sort of, and allowed to freely sit down wherever he deemed suitable. Well, where else would the boy choose other than inside of one of the bedrooms, seated loosely on the edge of the bed with his fingers stroking through his long, orange zest hair. He felt uncomfortable, not at being in Eiji's home, but rather being sickly from all the moving. In hindsight, that was his own fault for leaving the hospital prematurely rather than to stay and seek treatment from his medical superiors. But he didn't want to, of course, he really needed to see Eiji and request to gain that power...

"I didn't see, wha-?" Ikka would comment, lifting his head to Eiji's remark; somewhat lost in translation for a moment. And then it all came back in a flood of needless ooze that filled his stomach and caused him to gag somewhat. "But, but I did see something..." Ikka would comment, attempting to reflect his memory back to the smouldering coffin, "You used the wooden element... But it felt off, Eiji... It didn't feel natural." His head would sway to the side, assessing whether he should be running for the toilet or not.

But really, even in his head, it felt criminal to dirty the clean house.

 

[Hanone]

Eiji was mad the boy remembered as much as he did. He knew about the coffin, he wasn't dropping it either. He wasn't stupid either, this didn't seem like something the boy was going to let go of, so he exhaled and started to think over his options. He had risked his life just to come see Eiji and that probably meant he wasn't here to learn his secret just to tell on him. It also probably meant he wanted to know about it and the truth or risk telling on Eiji for what he'd seen. Blackmail would earn the boy a one way ticket to meeting Shinigami before his time though, so best if the boy didn't try that.

Course he could just be scared and want an explanation. He doubted what he'd seen made much sense. And it was such a dark technique, those who were sensitive to those sorts of things might have felt the evil resonating from him or the coffin.

Idly, Eiji reached up to touch the still raw spot on his chest where the poisoned blade had sliced through the meat of his chest. It was still sore. "Alright, Ikkadan. What exactly do you want?" He didn't want to look at the boy, so Eiji moved to the other side of the room to a closet. (He was still surprised the boy had moved from the livingroom where he'd left him into his bedroom... but whatever..). Inside was his medical supplies and he found a salve for burns he'd gotten last year after getting in a fight with a particularly nasty demon possessed fire user. His right leg had been left badly wounded. The salve worked to sooth the pain in the burns and minimize the scarring; it had cost Eiji a lot seeing as the herbs used had to be imported from far away. Water country if he knew right.

Eiji turned back around, pausing a moment to roll the thing between his hands. The boy.. you saved the boy Eiji, his life is yours to protect now.

It was a very old fashioned ideal, but one that stuck with him since his youth. The proverb "He who saves a life is responsible for it." He approached the boy on his bed and knelt on the floor and held a hand out. He didn't use his words, but expected he would understand he was asking for his arm.

 

[Honma Kotone]

Honestly, Ikkadan forgot about the pain in his body because Eiji really did frighten him to some level. Even though the man had previously saved his life, there was still a valid reason to warrant worry when around him; after all, Eiji was the man who by himself dismissed those criminals. Well, perhaps not by himself, there was that strange figure after all. "What do I wan-" He would repeat, although cutting his words short at the tinge of pain that he felt against his chest from the mere contact of Eiji's finger.

He could've done a lot worse if he wanted too...

The boy would give his captain an awkward smile, "I want you to make me stronger." Ikka would admit, lowering his head, but still tracking the man as he walked from one point of the room to another.

Ikkadan would tilt his head upwards, resting his chocolate hues upon Eiji and giving him a meek smile. There really wasn't a need to fear Eiji, for behind his veil of mystery there was something kind about him. But perhaps that was just the Yamazaki's wishful thinking. "So, can you teach me?" Ikka would notice the signal to rest his hand upon the captain's.

 

[Hanone]

Once the boy's hand was in his own, be began to apply a small amount of healing salve to his wrist and forearm. The herbs in the ointment were soothing to burnt or abused skin. Eiji's hands were gentle, surprisingly so for his hard nature and rubbed soft circles onto his flesh.

For a time he just applied the salve, working up his one arm. Anywhere he came across a wrap, he removed it and applied more of the salve.

What would he say to the boy? What would he do with the boy...? His fingers came across a particularly bad wound and he dragged his fingers over it a little harshly, pulling at a ugly scab and pink skin. He wanted to kill him. He knew his secrets. He wanted what he had. He KNEW what it was at least in part. His jaw clenched visibly yet his fingers softened again.

"Do you know what forbidden techniques are?" by shinobi law there were many types of abilities and sets of skills that were not allowed to be learned or taught. The penalty of using them was oftentimes.. death."I don't know if you've heard of anything like this. They don't teach you these things in the academy or in your genin missions. In fact mention of them can get you imprisoned."

"There are some people with forbidden abilities that they can't help but have and use. There are those plagued with demons who work as a symbiotic parasite" he assumed the boy would understand that, but didn't explain more. He didn't care about jinchuuriki. "Some people learn things as part of their religions. Things that are illegal and dangerous. And there are some abilities so vile and dark to utter those skills before anothers' eyes would mean a one way ticket to the bottom recesses of the obsidian palace." This also might mean nothing to the boy. It's a place one had to FEEL to understand. Eiji worked for the ANBU, he knew what that place was like. The boy might have heard, but that was all. He probably hadn't stepped foot in that building before, let alone the prisoner sections deep into the ground.

Eiji's fingers stopped, resting on the boy's shoulder. "What I know is like the last. I don't give a shit about religion of gods. I'm my own person, not some breeding ground for a beast. I am skilled because I was trained to be and what I know.. I should kill you for even telling you."

His eyes moved to the ground. He spotted a pebble in the tan throw rug below his knees and focused on it, like a focal point.

 

[Honma Kotone]

Ikkadan felt an odd sensation wriggle its way through his body, smashing her nerves as if they were made of glass or something as equally frail. Why? Because there was a horrible feeling that Eiji didn't want this boy to know about this secret technique, something to be revealed as a 'forbidden technique', a great source of power and altogether dark power within the shinobi world. No longer would he feel the sensation of his burnt, stricken flesh constrain against his bones as his mind became too occupied on this awful sensation that was visibly shown on his face.

The boy's attention became shot as Eiji placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder, he felt cold and unnatural, not Eiji, Ikkadan. "I can tell..." He would say with a suddenly softened expression, after only moments ago suffering from a crippling, bastion aura of heaviness that loomed over his shoulders. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

In all honesty, Ikkadan wasn't prepared for death nor was he expecting the outcome of this day to end in such a way. The boy had unfortunately stumbled, hazily, in a moment of near-death upon a dark secret that this mysterious character kept hidden for so long. So careful, so diligently, had he hid this power for a young boy to unveil must have angered the captain greatly. Or at least upset him. And after all, what was one to do after a dark, deep secret had been unveiled? Allow that person, whom discovered this secret, to live and trust in that stranger that they wouldn't utter a word about it?

No... That would be foolish.

 

[Hanone]

He had been thinking about it, he hadn't truly decided to do it until the boy asked him. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

Yes.. they answer was he had to.

When he'd first met the boy he had't liked him. He was foolish, clumsy and childish. He'd knocked water over on the table and cause Eiji quite the headache. When they'd met up for the mission, he acted appropriately and accepted he was following someone with more skill and experience than himself. He'd done as he was told, even became useful with his tricks; scouting with paper and making little explosions. And he'd even, probably, saved his life.

It had been the turning point for Eiji. Ikkadan had managed to stop a move that was meant to end him. He'd felt compelled the save his life in return, if only barely. Ikkadan left that mission in a stretcher. Eiji had left with a gash over his chest.

He had decided he was going to go visit the boy in the hospital when he was better. He hadn't known he'd seen him.

A bittersweet feeling welled up inside of Eiji. His heart was aching faintly for Ikkadan was already dead, even if time hadn't caught up to that yet. His small light would fade into the dark and disappear. His broken body wouldn't heal, he wouldn't learn to become strong as he wanted to. And then... there was still ice at the center of those feelings. A brittle cold ice that spread over the rest and encased those sympathies. Everyone died... Eiji wasn't going to be compromised and die early, he wouldn't have his light snuffed out yet. The boy would have to die for that to be ensured.

Eiji rose from beside the bed, allowing his hand to fall away from Ikkadan's shoulder and he slipped in behind him on the small bed, his legs resting on either side of the boy's frame. He dipped his fingers into the salve and continued to rub down the other arm, removing those wraps as well.

"Tell me about your dreams, something no one else knows about you, Ikkadan." he said. His voice was soft, as a friend's. He did not respond to his original question. Instead he asked him about himself. All the while, soothing his burnt skin. Ikkadan's already covered arm would cease to hurt and seem numb-like. "And I'll tell you anything you want to know about me."

 

[Honma Kotone]

It was truly an odd sensation to feel numb on one part of your body, an indescribable feeling that shouldn't be felt often. Ikkadan stretched his glossy gaze up to the man's eyes, the captain's hand would drop and he would begin to remove some wraps from the boys person. Truthfully, the boy wouldn't notice as this overwhelming sensation of 'bad' energy dawned upon him. It still felt so predominant, the feeling of a deafening force that would end the life of a young boy so prematurely; after so much trouble to be born. "My dreams?" The boy would question, tilting his expression into an even more deepened frown, "I didn't really have any..."

"I kinda just went along with the flow of the day, if I'm honest." Ikka would add with a smile, those parched lips so dry, so brittle, that it caused him pain to smile.

But would that really be enough for the captain? It was true, of course, but sometimes the truth was never really enough. Ikkadan wasn't ambitious, he didn't want to become the Kage, a Sennin or anyone of great importance; he was an ordinary boy, created in the most extraordinary conditions - a true demonstration of one's love.

"I guess," The boy would say with a smile, that wincingly painful expression, "I've always wanted to fall in love." Although that expression would lower, simmering into a pot of nothingness. "I really liked a girl called 'Okibi' but she went away, I think..." Truthfully, the boy hadn't a clue what happened to the girl whom swooned his heart, he felt hurt and kind of betrayed by that. She just didn't find him again...

"To love, Eiji."

A sharp answer, a truthful realization that the boy wanted nothing but love in his life.

 

[Hanone]

Soon the second arm was finished and Eiji's hands moved away from the boy's wrist and hide them from his touch, somewhere behind his view, right in front of Eiji's lower abdomen in fact. There he pressed his palms together and he clasped his hands shut, as if one was holding a tiny bug in their hands.

A dark sigh escaped Eiji's blue painted lips as the boy talked. Such simple ambitions, such normal ones. He once felt those desires, longed for them. He had, had them too, for a time. Though the boy hadn't asked, Eiji responded to Ikkadan with his own tale, all the while his hands doing something unseen. "Love. It's attainable, but rarely lasts."

"You know the man you saw who fought for me the other day?.. He was once my love. Satsuma..." Eiji's voice wavered when he spoke his name. A painful ache soured his tone, enough to be heard if one was listening closely enough. But he didn't let it linger, clearing his throat slightly then spoke further, "He was my love. He died almost 10 years ago. I was.. I am able to keep a body and soul attached to me for... as long as I don't let them get destroyed in battle. I- have been keeping him with me since he died."

The words were starting to stick again. He never -never- spoke of this to anyone, even his sister did not know. His hands were done with their act and as if blowing a kiss, Eiji raised his right hand and blew over the palm. A very fine dust wafted up into the air, swirling in soft pretty circles like a smoke around Ikkadan's head. One breath was all it would take too. The crystal dust would enter his body, get into his bloodstream and enter his heart. It would be painless during the most of it, but the boy's heart would stop eventually and that would hurt. Maybe only a moment or two of pain before he would die. But not yet. He had probably seven minutes left.

Though it wasn't true, he would say it anyway. The boy would be dead soon. If he could be convinced it was the truth, maybe he would feel what he wanted for the last few minutes of his life. "You remind me of him in ways. Your eyes are kind, like his were." Okay that part was true, "I feel for you, Ikkadan. I can't kill you..."

"I love you, though the feeling is only new and budding. I know you are young and I'm not anymore, but... " He placed his hands on the boy's numbed arms and turned his body toward him slightly then pulled him back into his arms, to cradle his head. "You are a great man, stronger than you know and you even saved my life."

Eiji was a great liar. His eyes, body, and voice could convince you what he said was true. He thought of Satsuma, how hisheart felt when he was in the same position as Ikkadan (lying his in arms) and projected those feelings as if they were meant for the boy and not someone else.

 

[Honma Kotone]

The atmosphere within the room had changed suddenly, well, for Ikkadan it had. The boy looked deeper into his captain's eyes and smiled, a tear building so predominately upon the chocolate hue. Maybe it was the change within Eiji, he had opened up to the boy in a way Ikka didn't think was possible. Since the two had met, his captain was cold, locked off from emotion and resolved in that matter. He didn't really seem like the type to spill his emotions to the boy, or to even tell him about his lover... A story which caused Ikkadan to swallow back a few tears, widening his eyes so that he could spread those building bubbles and stop them from gaining too much weight, forming, and falling from his eyes.

Honestly, Ikka didn't really understand the phrase about Eiji keeping his lover all this time, with him. But after a few dull moments, it finally clicked, his forbidden technique was to bring back his dead lover? Ikka would shake his head, and release those pent up tears, his heart bled for the man whom had just now lost his love; again. How does a person even deal with that kind of trauma?

However, the boy would become momentarily distracted by Eiji wafting some sort of sparkling delight towards the boy. It was very faint, its touch was unnoticeable but it just looked somewhat pretty. Ikka wouldn't have even known he ingested those particles and within a predetermined amount of time, they would destroy his heart and end his life in a manner so sly. However, it was truly a better death than living a life of a shinobi, wasn't it? "I remind you of him?" The boy would blush, which would only further deepen as the man furthered his explanation; he really wanted to kiss Eiji...

That feeling of butterflies doing somersault was pressing against the lining of his belly: kiss him, it would jest. "Can I... Kiss you?" He would ask, plea-fully.

 

[Hanone]

The boy was drawn in easily, but what did it matter? What time he had left was so short. But his request stuck in Eiji's throat like a dry lump. Kiss him?

...

The last person he'd kissed was Satsuma. It was something he just never did with anyone. It was too personal, too emotional. If he denied the boy, he might as well drop the ruse too since you can't claim to love someone then deny them a simple kiss. His jaw clenched then relaxed quickly. "It won't hurt you, Eiji. Don't be a pussy."

Before he could think on it any further, he leaned down toward his cradled head, stalling a hair's breath from Ikkadan's lips. His eyes looked from Ikkadan's mouth to his eyes. They were so plain to Eiji, though not without some beauty of their own. Eiji's, however, were so blue and up close they almost looked as though they were made of crystal. And it wasn't far from the truth.

He wouldn't actually kiss the boy on his accord, but let him come up to him if he wanted it. He had asked if he could kiss Eiji, not Eiji kiss him afterall. A tight knot was formed in his stomach. Ten years since he'd been kissed, ten years of careful emotional distance. This boy's death would weigh on him for good now.

 

[Honma Kotone]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It4WxQ6dnn0​

Ikka smiled as Eiji didn't seem to object to the notion that plagued his tiny, dying heart. The boy's time was almost up, any minute now and his life would be distinguished. And in the moments before his lips, might, have met with Eiji's - Ikkadan thought back to his life, and what a short cruel thing it truly was. From the moment he entered this world, he was different, but not in any special way... He was just an ordinary boy, the only thing that made him different was his birth; a moment of creation from two, utterly loving mothers. "Do you think that I could have been a stronger shinobi?" He would question Eiji, softly playing with the words that left his mouth as he placed his head against the captain's chest. Ikka's chocolate hues would be aimed upwards, locking onto those diamond lips and that empty, yet sad, look his captain had.

"I think I took for granted the things this life gave me... I was given, not one, but two families that cared for me undoubtedly." He would pause, holding back a few tears, "But why do I feel as if you don't appreciate life either?" Ikka would weakly raise his hand, which had noticeably lost a lot of colour, turning pale and unsightly. "Love is an amazing feeling, don't you think?" His hand would gently press against Eiji's face and, at that exact moment, butterflies would dance around inside of the boy's belly. "It fills you up with happiness... So much happiness that it hurts to smile."

Ikka would choke back those tears, but ultimately crumbling as his voice broke multiple times, which would signal for his eyes to redden and bleed salty strokes. "Satsuma... Right?" He would smile, swallowing a lump in his throat, "Someone like you who loved that much, who kept holding onto him, shouldn't be so sad... Love is eternal, don't you think?"

Painfully, Ikkadan would bring up his head and place his cold lips against Eiji's cheek, not wanting to break a vow of love between two eternal lovers. However, as soon as his lips made contact with his captain - his heart would stop and the boy would drift off from this plane. His body, a limp toy, would rest gently against Eiji's arms. Although the warmth of his words would still remain as his other hand loosely coiled around Eiji's waist. A sad ending to a boy who never truly lived...

 

[Hanone]

The boy's skin was ashen and ugly colored now which meant the crystal dust had reached his heart. A pang of regret washed over him as the boy's hand rested weakly on his face. It was cold. "Yes, Ikkadan, love is an amazing feeling... It's eternal." he uttered softly, his last response to the dying boy. He offered him a soft smile, one that was more genuine than he'd shared with another in a long time.

The kiss he asked for never landed on his lips, instead touched his face a moment before the boy expired, going limp. For several long minutes Eiji just held him, looking down at his still form. How many dead bodies had he seen in his life? Too many for the counting now..

But only Ikkadan and Satsuma had died in his arms. A startling ache formed in his body followed quickly by silent tears. Each clear drop rolled from his eyes to land on the boy's chilling skin. It had been the right thing for him, it was the safest way to ensure his survival, but it felt wrong now. In hindsight, couldn't he had trained the boy? Earned his trust permanently? Yes of course... but he'd taken the safer road. Regret and shame welled up in him and Eiji squeezed his crystal blue eyes shut, thought it didn't stop the pitiful crying he was doing now. He lifted the boy up in his arms and held tightly to his frame, sobbing into the boy's shoulder. Ikkadan's head lolled back awkwardly, his muscles no longer holding working.

Once his tears subsided and he sobered some, he laid the boy's body down on his bed and got up, untangling himself from his limbs. Once he was laid flat, Eiji leaned over, resting his open hands on either side of Ikkadan's head. "Ikkadan, I won't let you become useless. You won't just end here. Satsuma is no longer with me, but you can stay with me now." The ANBU captain leaned over and kissed the boy's cold lips, just the once.

When he lifted away from the contact, he lingered over his face, a calmness overcoming Eiji. His breathing grew heavy which pushed several strands of Ikkadan's hair away from his face. When he spoke again, his voice came out strange, foreign sounding. A second tone laced with his own, deepening it, "Come to me." he said and a dark-violet colored chakra erupted from Eiji's lithe frame, coiling around as smoke does from a cigarette. It slowly encompassed Eiji and then Ikkadan's corpse. The smell of sulfur filled the small room and it was as if all the light was being eaten away and replaced with darkness.

When Eiji spoke again, the words were so deep, his own voice was lost in it, swallowed up, "Ikkadan, come to me." Ikkadan's chest heaved suddenly, his body jarring from an unseen force then stayed arched upward, as a if his body was liquid metal and the ceiling was a magnet. Then, as Eiji lowered his hand as if he were aiming to grab something, another ghostly hand materialized from his fingertips. Eiji's solid hand was force to stop at Ikkadan's chest but the clear appendage passed straight through into his chest cavity. It continued to extend, dipping farther than a normal arm could reach until it caught something unseen.

The arm rose again, this time pulling something back with it. The air about the room was pulsing with a feeling of immense evil; what was being done here was so sinister the living world couldn't handle its effects normally.

Whatever the hand was pulling was giving resistance, yet it was no match for the force Eiji controlled. After several long tiring minutes, the thing the ghost arm was withdrawing came to the surface. It was golden hued… then appeared as another hand. It was clasped to Eiji’s spirit hand, palm to palm with fingers interlaced.

Once the golden hand came far enough out, the opaque hand withdrew fully back to it’s owner and the golden spirit hand was left clasped to Eiji’s skin. A burning smell ensued where they make contact. Eiji winced, clenching his jaw against the pain of the act, yet what he was doing was almost complete.

He brought his free hand to his mouth and bit the tip of each finger, causing them to bleed freely. What followed with a sequence of one handed seals, not the normal ones shinobi’s used for Ninjutsu, but variations based on a secret scroll that was tucked away securely so no one could find it. They allowed him to manipulate the chakras of the dead and those of the soul rather than the body.

Once the pattern was finished, he drew a spiraling, unique pattern with his blood over his other forearm and smoldering hand, then a mirror shape over the hand and forearm of the golden spirit. The last thing for him to do was seal the technique, which was completed by lifting his bloody hand, two fingers raised together and said, ”Fuin.”

All at once a burst of light encompassed the room and both bodies, sparking from the spot where the two arms met. Eiji’s blood written seal disappeared from the naked eye, but bound both souls together. The golden being was Ikkadan, or rather, his soul.

When the light subsided, the connection was faded and Eiji dropped to his knees, panting hard. Sweat poured from his brow and soaked his shirt. The darkness was gone, along with the smells of sulfur. It was as if nothing had happened, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Soon Ikkadan would seem to awaken from death, but it would not be so. He was now tied to Eiji’s own soul until he was bodily killed once more or until Eiji released him back to the afterlife.

It was the highest skill of a dark sage, one he’d only used once before on Satsuma. Ikkadan would be bound to this world, in a sort of limbo. Yet the seal and technique being so new, it would take some time before he could use his corpse again. Not willing to let the man open his eyes, Eiji would be forced to work a little more.

It wasn’t much to ask comparing to his last move, but it would take the rest of his energy for the day. He was lucky Aika would be gone until tomorrow…

Eiji was forced back to his feet and had to take Ikkadan’s limp, ashen body into his walled off backyard. He heaved the boy over his shoulder, letting his head loll around and his limbs dangle lifelessly and walked from his room to the backyard where he would prop the boy up against his house.

Next he was hand to reopen the clotting wounds on his index and middle fingers deeply as to allow blood to flow strong then drew a 6 foot wide circle and within in a very intricate seal pattern. It was a summoning seal, one Eiji had made especially for doing just this with bodies. It required him to lay Ikkadan’s body in the middle and use the same command ”Fuin.” to seal him away until a time where he might need him in battle once more.

The ground opened up under the corpse and what looked like dark roots coiled around his body. They looked as snakes, layering over the body many time until he was no longer seen. Then the roots formed into a single entity, encasing Ikkadan in a rugged coffin.

The coffin disappeared below the ground once more and unnaturally the ground closed up after it.

Again, nothing was left to show anything had happened so Eiji walked back into his house. Exhausted beyond belief, the jounin fell down on his couch and went unconscious. Eventually he would dream of beautifully dull brown eyes and golden shapes.

wc: 1322
[topic left]
[dark sage body request]

 

[Honma Kotone]

[Giving my approval to use my former PC, Ikkadan, as Eiji's Edo corpse. Take care of him T^T]