Chapter Fifteen - Scene I
It's raining here. o_o. In February? F'd up...
Anyway, the end of this (entire) chapter is...well, as good as it's going to get. -_- I just can't work on it anymore!!
Anyway, to start...
Nightmares to Chase Me
(^^^^Look, a title! ^^^)
Chapter 15
It took less than a nanosecond after the woman screamed for panic to erupt backstage. Roadies came rushing up, jostling each other to see what was going on. They certainly weren’t expecting to show up on what looked like a murder scene and their voices rose in a clutter of gasps and shrieks of horror.
While everyone else around him was absorbed in the scene before them, Imai’s first thought was to reach out and grab Atsushi. He seized Atsushi by the arms from behind, and, turning him around bodily, he pulled him back into the more protective surroundings of his fellow band members, who, although just as shocked as anyone else, instinctively clustered around. This left the sight of the desecrated heart laying in a puddle of blood open for them all to see, but Imai only gave it a quick glance.
He was more concerned with the white-faced Atsushi who was still staring forward blankly. He looked positively ghastly; his face, arms, and clothes were covered in blood from the box, and the very sight of it made Imai’s stomach churn.
“Give me a towel,” he whispered hoarsely, holding out a hand blindly as he kept his eyes on Atsushi’s face. The other man didn’t seem to notice that he’d been moved; his thoughts were totally internal and he was completely blind to Imai standing in front it him.
Someone thrust a towel into Imai’s hand and, even as he began to mop the blood off of Atsushi he recognized it as U-ta’s. He was the one who usually had the sea-foam green. He’d probably need a new one after this.
It was only as Imai was not that gently cleaning off his face that Atsushi seemed to realize what was going on; his eyes snapped to meet Imai’s so suddenly that Imai jerked a bit in surprise. “It had to be him,” he said in a soft, surprisingly steady voice.
Imai nodded tersely, but other than that he didn’t comment. He just made certain that all the blood was gone from Atsushi’s skin-arms, face, neck, anywhere- before starting on the front of Atsushi’s outfit. He had to get rid of that detestable liquid before anything else.
“What the hell is going on here?” It was Chiba’s voice. He was pushing his way through crowd. Imai could see it over Atsushi’s shoulder when Chiba stopped dead as he came upon the scene.
It wasn’t a pretty sight. Imai could easily picture what was there although he’d only glimpsed it earlier, since it was burned into his mind. Blood was everywhere, and the woman who had opened the box was still standing there, her whole body covered with blood and sobbing in horror. Hiraki was too busy gaping to comfort her. And, in the middle of it all…Atsushi’s “gift”.
If he could have Imai would have killed Baum right then and there, vampire or not.
“Someone call the police!” A voice cried, and others caught on, the anxious wash of voices sounding so very loud in the small space. Imai was sure he heard a few voices talking about a dead body in the venue, but that was just sensationalism starting to take hold. He was pretty sure anyway…
“Calm down, calm down!” Chiba shouted over them all. “Whoever isn’t involved step back, please,” he began once he had people’s attention.
As Chiba tried to sort out the scene behind them, Imai was forced to concede that he couldn’t get the blood out with just a towel. But at least was on Atsushi’s skin anymore, and Imai took some comfort in that. “We should go sit down,” he murmured as he gave one last try at a spot, but it was already soaking into the shirt’s soft material. “And get you a change of clothes,” he added, matter-of-factly.
Atsushi was still doing nothing much more than staring at Imai blankly. “Okay,” he replied, his voice resounding oddly. It almost seemed…hollow to Imai.
A very good indication that Atsushi needed to be out of the hallway. Now.
“Move, move,” Imai urged, beginning to force his way through his band mates, pulling Atsushi in his wake. The others caught on quickly and, instead of moving aside to let the two of them through, all of them seemed to flow as one unit into the next room. It was only when they were inside that Imai was allowed to break off from the group to lead Atsushi over to the nearest chair and make him sit.
Steering Atsushi through these actions was more like moving an automaton than a human. Imai was forced to shove the worry twisting in his stomach out of his thoughts as he raked all of Atsushi’s hair into a manageable line down his back before he started to take Atsushi’s shirt off. “Get me his other clothes,” Imai told Toll, who happened to be closest. He didn’t really need to, he soon found out, because U-ta had already collected them from the hangers and all the clothes had to do was move from one brother to the other.
It was only when Imai went to raise Atsushi’s arms so he could pull the black cloth off of him that Atsushi realized what was going on. He tried to get out of Imai’s hold, but it was impossible at this point. “I can do that myself,” Atsushi insisted, a bit of petulance in his tone.
“Sit still,” Imai ordered him before completely his job. He tossed the shirt in the same direction the towel had gone as he opened up the shirt Toll handed him. At least this was a button-down so it would be easier. “Give me your arm,” he instructed.
It was obvious that Atsushi was going to initially refuse, but Imai’s serious expression must have told him not to. So he did as he was told, and, after getting the shirt on him Imai left him to button it himself. It was time for the boots next.
“Let me help you,” Hide spoke up suddenly, kneeling down and together they got the boots and Atsushi’s pants off and then dressed him in his jeans, all in record time. Imai didn’t even take the opportunity to admire Atsushi’s legs- obviously now was not the time and his traitorous brain at least realized that. He was feeling as far from aroused as he possibly could be at the moment. His mood was not helped by the fact that, because his fingers had started to tremble rather wildly, Imai was forced to do up the last few buttons of Atsushi’s shirt for him.
Afterwards he took the time to pull Atsushi hair out from under his collar, letting it fall down his back. Imai had the intention to start stroking the hair by Atsushi’s ear again as he had once before, but he could feel the other three staring at him in anticipation so he relented. He did, however, keep his hand on Atsushi’s shoulder as he finally looked up at the others.
U-ta looked gray and shaken, his eyes huge in his face. He was hovering like a frightened bird around them all, shifting from foot to foot in once place before flitting over to another to repeat the same action. Hide, meanwhile, had his lips pressed together firmly as, still kneeling on the floor next to Atsushi’s chair, he looked up at the both of them with unreadable eyes. Toll was just standing to the side, arms crossed over his stomach in a seemingly casual stance, but his eyes were worried.
Once all was said and done, it was Toll who first spoke. “So, who is “him”?” he asked in an undertone.
Imai frowned, confused. Him? What was Toll talking about?
It took longer than he would like to admit to remember what Atsushi had said before. So Toll must have heard him. This was not the best way to start of this discussion.
Actually, there was no good way to start this discussion.
Imai chewed his bottom lip, trying to decide what to do.
“You know, don’t you Imai?” Hide asked softly, but there was a bit of accusation behind his tone. It was absolutely obvious then that everyone was trying to keep calm and quiet for Atsushi’s sake. Imai could feel the real emotions in the room though; they seemed to hover over this eerie calmness like a menacing shadow. He was sure that Atsushi wasn’t oblivious to them either, despite all appearances of emotional withdrawal.
Imai was proven correct in the next moment.
“I’ll tell them.”
Every turned as one to stare at Atsushi, who seemed to have, quite out of the blue, come back to himself a bit more. He met the eye of each man in the room in turn. “I think that would be best,” he said, his voice noting more than a whisper but firm all the same.
“Acchan,” Imai began. He stopped as Atsushi gave him a rather dark look.
“I’ve lied long enough.”
“You didn’t lie, Acchan,” Imai insisted. He was rather startled by how urgent his own voice sounded.
“Lying by omission,” Atsushi responded, quietly. “It’s all the same in the end, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not,” Imai told him, firmly. He gave Atsushi’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and wasn’t at all surprised when the other man tensed instead of taking the comfort. “It’s not like that at all.”
“Tell us and we’ll be the judge of that,” Hide said, his tone soft but chilly. He was still kneeling, but even down there he had a rather intimidating presence. Atsushi’s eyes snapped to meet his as soon as he spoke and the two of them stared at one another in silence until Atsushi began to shy back from him unconsciously, like a child who knew he’d done wrong and wanted to avoid being punished.
That pissed Imai off right then and there. “Stop it Hide! I know you’re probably ticked off about being out of the know, but this is ridiculous!”
“So something is going on?” Hide asked Atsushi, ignoring Imai.
Atsushi nodded slowly. “Yes. I…wanted to say something but I…wasn’t really sure how,” he admitted in a small voice, clearly ashamed.
This interrogation was not necessary right now. Imai nearly seethed with fury at Hide and at the others because they weren’t stepping in to stop this. Didn’t they realize that Atsushi had just gone though? And now all they wanted was answers.
A bit of his ire did fade though when Hide spoke again. His tone was much softer this time, although it still held an edge. But this was an edge that demanded they remain on track, not one of anger. “What do you mean you didn’t know how?”
Before Atsushi could answer that question, U-ta burst out with, “Well, isn’t it obvious that there’s a psycho out there somewhere? That isn’t something easy to tell someone!”
“U-ta, quiet,” Toll muttered, giving his brother a quelling look. “Let Hide talk to him.”
“No…no, he’s right,” Atsushi insisted, craning his neck to look over to Toll. “There is a…a psycho out there…One of a kind you’d never imagine.”
“Tell us, Atsushi. Maybe you’re wrong and we can.” Hide was speaking so calmly and patiently, and Imai was instantly annoyed on Atsushi’s behalf. Hide was treating Atsushi like he was some kind of slow child…and that was not necessary.
Imai was just about to call Hide on that-hell, he just wanted to yell at Hide for something-but Atsushi started to speak before he could. Despite Imai’s thoughts on the matter, Atsushi seemed to be responding rather favorably to Hide’s quiet behavior. Imai could still feel him shaking slightly under his hand, but his attention seemed to be more on Hide than anything else.
“It’s…rather surreal to me still, but-”
He never got the chance to finish. The door was tossed open, making them all jump in fright. Hide even leapt up to his feet. Atsushi froze up instantly, his muscles like petrified wood under Imai’s palm.
It was Chiba, his face lined with fatigue and worry. Ariwara, looking ghastly pale, was right at his heels. “What is going on?” he demanded as soon as the door closed behind him.
Ah, here was someone Imai could yell at. “Damn it Chiba, show some tact!” he hissed angrily, tightening his hold on Atsushi’s shoulder.
Chiba barely glanced at Imai. “I walk back here and find that there is a…a heart on the floor,” he said, starting out stern but stumbling into some befuddlement as he came to the word ‘heart’. Ariwara, in turn, made a little sound then, like a muted squeak from where he was hanging out by the door.
“Needless to say the police had to be called. Hopefully they can show some sense of subtlety. Last thing we need is all the lingering fans to panic,” Chiba continued, sounding rather put-upon.
Imai just stared at Chiba open-mouthed. He wasn’t surprised to notice U-ta doing the same.
“You’re worried about the police being subtle?” Toll asked for them all.
Chiba began to tap his fingers against his thigh, obviously unsettled. “Why, yes, I am. Because I really don’t want to have to worry about a human organ right now, thank you very much.”
No one really had anything to say to that. No one that is, but the man who sat hunch over in the chair next to Imai, arms wrapped around his torso.
“I’m sorry,” Atsushi whispered hoarsely.
Chiba’s attention was on Atsushi immediately. “Do you know what’s going on, Sakurai-san?” he asked.
Atsushi nodded rigidly. He was still tightly wound and Imai tried to soothe the knotted muscles under his fingertips to no avail. Seeing Atsushi sitting just next to him and looking so miserable made Imai’s heart hurt, and one part of him just wanted to wrap his arms around Atsushi and hide him away from everything…but another part of him knew, somehow, that Atsushi needed to tell the story. Not only for his mental health-such as it was-but also because of a practical reason that Imai was certain the other man wasn’t even considering: it was the best way to keep him safe-the more people who knew the more eyes there were to watch out for him.
It was for that reason that Imai didn’t enfold Atsushi in his arms like every atom in his body screamed to do. He was certain that if he did, Atsushi would never find the strength to say anything. It was clear that it was only strength of will that was keeping him together as it was.
That didn’t mean he left Atsushi totally alone. His hand was still on his shoulder, and there it would stay.
“He was going to explain it to us, so you might as well find a seat,” Hide spoke up as he sat down in the nearest chair. He reached forward and put his hand on Atsushi’s arm. “Right, Acchan?” he asked, softly.
Atsushi nodded again, his jaw set. “Yeah.” He glanced around the room. “You should all sit down, I think…”
And so, as they all clustered around, close but not too close, Atsushi told the whole story. He started all the way back in that hotel room what seemed like ages ago but was really less than a week. Imai had just heard the story last night, but it was completely different hearing it from Atsushi’s point of view. Atsushi was being very concise about everything, stating facts more than what he thought of them, but the hesitancy in his voice and how he would suddenly become vague at certain points compared to others said more than any words.
Some gut instinct of Imai’s told him that Atsushi was making omissions to the storyline, but he certainly wasn’t going to say anything about it at the time. Imai could tell by the telltale trembling underneath his hand that this was hard enough for Atsushi than his voice was letting on. There was no need to push him past what he thought he could tell-besides, all of his five listeners probably didn’t need to know.
Everyone was paying close attention to Atsushi, staying silent. However, there was a wide range of expression on their faces. Ariwara was completely shocked, still, while Chiba appeared somewhat incredulous. Toll had a mighty frown on his face that probably could have stopped a devil in his tracks, while U-ta was gnawing on his lower lip, eyes worried. Hide didn’t have much of an expression; he just listened intently, hands in his lap.
Atsushi’s voice started to waver when he got to the part about learning about Imai’s memory modification. For the first time since he started Atsushi turned his head to look up at Imai. “You said…he talked to you?”
Imai nodded. “He did.”
“I wonder why…” he mumbled softly, turning back around so that once again all Imai saw was his profile.
Imai had been asking himself the same question. Adam hadn’t really said why he’d decided to come clean about everything. He’d hinted about wanting to stop Imai having to struggle with his returning memories, but after what Atsushi said about what Makino had done (although he didn’t really say how he’d learned about it…) Imai had to wonder why Adam would choose last night. Was he feeling guilty? Or had he…had he known something like this would happen?
Imai was so lost in thought he didn’t realize Atsushi had finished his story until Hide’s voice broke through the quiet. “You really expect us to believe you?” His tone wasn’t condescending; it was a serious question.
Imai felt more than saw Atsushi nod. “Yes,” he answered simply, his voice not wavering in the slightest.
Hide peered closely at Atsushi for a long, tense moment. “Hmm…” That was all he said.
Imai had to restrain the sudden urge he had to punch Hide in the face. ‘Hmm’? What was that?
“I…a vampire, really?” U-ta asked. He scratched at his cheek idly as he looked from one person to the other. “So you learned a vampire is writing you love notes…and you got this knowledge from dead people?”
Atsushi tensed up a little and Imai rubbed his shoulder discretely. Or at least he thought it was discretely. It was only when U-ta started to speak again that he noticed that Hide was looking right at him. Imai’s fingers froze immediately but he didn’t jerk away his instincts told him to.
“This seems so…out there, Acchan,” U-ta was saying.
“And I have to agree,” Chiba spoke up. He crossed his arms across his chest. “So when the police come I’m supposed to tell them a vampire sent you this…this heart in a box? I’ll be committed!”
“That’s why you don’t tell them,” Toll said matter-of-factly. Everyone turned as one to look at him. U-ta was the only one to stare opened-mouthed, but Imai was sure that others were close to it-he was one of them.
Toll didn’t seem perturbed. He sat in his chair with his legs crossed and rubbed his chin in thought. “Yeah, that would be the best course of action I think. Play dumb-tell them the truth that you don’t know who did it-you’ve never met him, right?-and that you have no idea why someone would do such a thing. That’s true too, since I certainly don’t understand it and I highly doubt you do Acchan…”
Atsushi shook his head in unconscious agreement. “No, I don’t…”
“You’re telling him to lie, Aniki?” U-ta protested hotly. “To the police?”
Toll looked at him levelly. “What should he do then? Tell them the same story he told us? They’ll think he’s insane!”
U-ta mouth opened…then shut. He looked away, his face sheepish. “I guess…”
“Do…do you think I’m crazy?” Atsushi asked Toll in a thin, quiet voice.
Toll frowned. Then, as if coming to a decision, he sat up abruptly and grabbed Atsushi’s hands, pulling Atsushi towards him a few inches. Imai almost lost his grip on Atsushi’s shoulder. “I would never think that, Acchan,” he told the other man firmly. “I know you too well to think you’d make something like this up.” He shot everyone in the room a glare then, Imai included, which made him feel a bit miffed. Why was Toll getting on his case? He should be staring down U-ta or Hide!
“Besides,” Toll started to speak again, letting go of Atsushi’s hands and sitting back. “I’ve noticed you’ve been acting strangely the past few days. This is a pretty good reason, I’d expect.”
Atsushi actually looked a bit embarrassed. “I…err…” he mumbled, staring down at his hands.
Toll smirked. “Ah, I’m more observant than you think, huh?” Once again he shot Imai a look and this time Imai wasn’t angry-that look made his heart start to pound in anxiety. First Hide caught him and now Toll was hinting… Was it really that obvious? Or was he being paranoid?
Imai closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. This was not the time to worry.
But, damn, why did they both choose now to bring it up?
Having the others know would make it just that much harder to convince Atsushi…convince him of what, though? Imai bit his bottom lip, more out of an effort to keep from sighing than true distress. Once again, now was not the time and his brain had better shut up and focus…
Someone knocked on the door and that caught everyone’s attention. A roadie popped her head in after Chiba called out. “Chiba-san…the police are here… They want to talk to all of you. Especially Sakurai-san…” At his name she sent him an inquisitive glance, and Atsushi refused to look at her.
Imai’s heart unexpectedly lurched and began to pound in this throat. The police were here…somehow that made this whole issue seem much more real…
Chiba stood up. “Thank you. I’ll be right out.” As the door shut behind her Chiba turned to them all. “We all don’t know what’s going on…right?” he questioned.
Everyone nodded.
“Well…let’s see how this goes,” Chiba sighed before stepping out into the hallway.
The men remaining in the room all stared at one another in silence.
Ariwara was the first to speak up. His voice came out as a squeak at first and he had to cough, his cheeks flaring red. “Well, uh…if it means anything to you at all Sakurai-san…I believe you.”
“Thank you, Ariwara-san,” Atsushi told him, sincerely. He was sitting so still and silent in the chair next to Imai that for a brief moment Imai had wondered if he would say anything in reply. But his voice was actually quite warm, considering the circumstances, and that gave Imai some hope that he was calming down a little bit.
“I mean, I can see why he’d see you as an ideal vampire. I thought that the first time I met you, actually…and…I should shut up now, shouldn’t it?” Ariwara’s prattle stuttered to a nervous stop at the looks he was getting from all the other men in the room.
“Yes, I think so,” Hide said, in complete monotone.
“Ah…I’ll go see if Chiba-san needs me….” Ariwara stood up abruptly and all but fled for the door.
As soon as he was gone Atsushi turned to Hide. “You didn’t need to do that, Hide.”
The other man didn’t respond. He was too wrapped up in thinking about something, absently giving Atsushi a calculating look, which, of course, made Atsushi shift in discomfort.
“What is it?” Imai spat out into the quiet. Hide actually jumped a bit at his voice, eyes jerking to look at him instead. Imai was perversely pleased by that.
“I was just wondering…” Hide trailed off.
“About the best way to tell me I’m insane?” Atsushi muttered, his bitter tone a bit of a shock after how quiet he’d been all night. Apparently Hide’s quiet stares were getting on his nerves too.
“No, no, I would never say that, Atsushi,” Hide assured him softly, his tone and expression a bit hurt. “No, that’s not what concerns me. What doesn’t sit right with me is…well, you’ve never seen this Baum character, have you?”
Atsushi shuddered, drawing back from Hide. “Why would I want to?” he asked in a whisper.
Hide held up a hand. “I’m not saying you would. I’m just saying that…are you sure these…shinigami are telling you the complete truth?” he paused a moment to let it all sink in. “I mean, what I got from your story they are the most scrupulous men out there, and…well…”
Imai frowned, glancing down the back of Atsushi’s head as he thought about it. Hide…had a point. Imai was all up for calling Adam a liar…
“But does that really matter?” U-ta spoke up. His arms were crossed firmly over his chest. “There’s someone insane enough to send Acchan a heart in a box out there, and be he or she either living, dead, or undead, this is something that cannot go on.” He nodded resolutely. “I’m with you no matter what, Acchan, vampire or no.”
“Thank you, U-ta,” Atsushi said as Hide came in with, “Well, it does matter, since we have to know exactly who we can trust in all this.”
That made them all pause, each wrapped in their own thoughts. Could these shinigami be trusted? Could they afford not to? What did they know about vampires?
Imai just didn’t know, and Hide’s doubts were enough to stir up a feeling of uneasy in his stomach. They couldn’t afford to be wrong…
He looked down at Atsushi, who was still there in the chair next to him, his head bowed and arms resting on his knees. He looked so very tired. But he was also still very much alive and, for the time, safe.
The others be damned. Imai reached out and scooped back some of the hair that had fallen to curtain Atsushi’s face. Atsushi looked up in silent question and Imai reached deep down inside himself to scrounge up a quirky smile for him.
To Imai utmost astonishment…Atsushi blushed. It was only a slight pinking of his cheeks, but considering how pale he was it was extremely noticeable. Apparently realizing that he was blushing brought even more embarrassment on the poor man, because he had to turn his head away.
Imai didn’t get the opportunity to decide how he felt about that, because it was that moment that the door burst open and a troop of men in uniform piled into the room.
Seeing them was like a punch to the gut for Imai. This was it…reality.
He wanted his moment with the blushing Atsushi back… desperately.
He wasn’t going to get that though.
Scene Two
Anyway, the end of this (entire) chapter is...well, as good as it's going to get. -_- I just can't work on it anymore!!
Anyway, to start...
Nightmares to Chase Me
(^^^^Look, a title! ^^^)
Chapter 15
It took less than a nanosecond after the woman screamed for panic to erupt backstage. Roadies came rushing up, jostling each other to see what was going on. They certainly weren’t expecting to show up on what looked like a murder scene and their voices rose in a clutter of gasps and shrieks of horror.
While everyone else around him was absorbed in the scene before them, Imai’s first thought was to reach out and grab Atsushi. He seized Atsushi by the arms from behind, and, turning him around bodily, he pulled him back into the more protective surroundings of his fellow band members, who, although just as shocked as anyone else, instinctively clustered around. This left the sight of the desecrated heart laying in a puddle of blood open for them all to see, but Imai only gave it a quick glance.
He was more concerned with the white-faced Atsushi who was still staring forward blankly. He looked positively ghastly; his face, arms, and clothes were covered in blood from the box, and the very sight of it made Imai’s stomach churn.
“Give me a towel,” he whispered hoarsely, holding out a hand blindly as he kept his eyes on Atsushi’s face. The other man didn’t seem to notice that he’d been moved; his thoughts were totally internal and he was completely blind to Imai standing in front it him.
Someone thrust a towel into Imai’s hand and, even as he began to mop the blood off of Atsushi he recognized it as U-ta’s. He was the one who usually had the sea-foam green. He’d probably need a new one after this.
It was only as Imai was not that gently cleaning off his face that Atsushi seemed to realize what was going on; his eyes snapped to meet Imai’s so suddenly that Imai jerked a bit in surprise. “It had to be him,” he said in a soft, surprisingly steady voice.
Imai nodded tersely, but other than that he didn’t comment. He just made certain that all the blood was gone from Atsushi’s skin-arms, face, neck, anywhere- before starting on the front of Atsushi’s outfit. He had to get rid of that detestable liquid before anything else.
“What the hell is going on here?” It was Chiba’s voice. He was pushing his way through crowd. Imai could see it over Atsushi’s shoulder when Chiba stopped dead as he came upon the scene.
It wasn’t a pretty sight. Imai could easily picture what was there although he’d only glimpsed it earlier, since it was burned into his mind. Blood was everywhere, and the woman who had opened the box was still standing there, her whole body covered with blood and sobbing in horror. Hiraki was too busy gaping to comfort her. And, in the middle of it all…Atsushi’s “gift”.
If he could have Imai would have killed Baum right then and there, vampire or not.
“Someone call the police!” A voice cried, and others caught on, the anxious wash of voices sounding so very loud in the small space. Imai was sure he heard a few voices talking about a dead body in the venue, but that was just sensationalism starting to take hold. He was pretty sure anyway…
“Calm down, calm down!” Chiba shouted over them all. “Whoever isn’t involved step back, please,” he began once he had people’s attention.
As Chiba tried to sort out the scene behind them, Imai was forced to concede that he couldn’t get the blood out with just a towel. But at least was on Atsushi’s skin anymore, and Imai took some comfort in that. “We should go sit down,” he murmured as he gave one last try at a spot, but it was already soaking into the shirt’s soft material. “And get you a change of clothes,” he added, matter-of-factly.
Atsushi was still doing nothing much more than staring at Imai blankly. “Okay,” he replied, his voice resounding oddly. It almost seemed…hollow to Imai.
A very good indication that Atsushi needed to be out of the hallway. Now.
“Move, move,” Imai urged, beginning to force his way through his band mates, pulling Atsushi in his wake. The others caught on quickly and, instead of moving aside to let the two of them through, all of them seemed to flow as one unit into the next room. It was only when they were inside that Imai was allowed to break off from the group to lead Atsushi over to the nearest chair and make him sit.
Steering Atsushi through these actions was more like moving an automaton than a human. Imai was forced to shove the worry twisting in his stomach out of his thoughts as he raked all of Atsushi’s hair into a manageable line down his back before he started to take Atsushi’s shirt off. “Get me his other clothes,” Imai told Toll, who happened to be closest. He didn’t really need to, he soon found out, because U-ta had already collected them from the hangers and all the clothes had to do was move from one brother to the other.
It was only when Imai went to raise Atsushi’s arms so he could pull the black cloth off of him that Atsushi realized what was going on. He tried to get out of Imai’s hold, but it was impossible at this point. “I can do that myself,” Atsushi insisted, a bit of petulance in his tone.
“Sit still,” Imai ordered him before completely his job. He tossed the shirt in the same direction the towel had gone as he opened up the shirt Toll handed him. At least this was a button-down so it would be easier. “Give me your arm,” he instructed.
It was obvious that Atsushi was going to initially refuse, but Imai’s serious expression must have told him not to. So he did as he was told, and, after getting the shirt on him Imai left him to button it himself. It was time for the boots next.
“Let me help you,” Hide spoke up suddenly, kneeling down and together they got the boots and Atsushi’s pants off and then dressed him in his jeans, all in record time. Imai didn’t even take the opportunity to admire Atsushi’s legs- obviously now was not the time and his traitorous brain at least realized that. He was feeling as far from aroused as he possibly could be at the moment. His mood was not helped by the fact that, because his fingers had started to tremble rather wildly, Imai was forced to do up the last few buttons of Atsushi’s shirt for him.
Afterwards he took the time to pull Atsushi hair out from under his collar, letting it fall down his back. Imai had the intention to start stroking the hair by Atsushi’s ear again as he had once before, but he could feel the other three staring at him in anticipation so he relented. He did, however, keep his hand on Atsushi’s shoulder as he finally looked up at the others.
U-ta looked gray and shaken, his eyes huge in his face. He was hovering like a frightened bird around them all, shifting from foot to foot in once place before flitting over to another to repeat the same action. Hide, meanwhile, had his lips pressed together firmly as, still kneeling on the floor next to Atsushi’s chair, he looked up at the both of them with unreadable eyes. Toll was just standing to the side, arms crossed over his stomach in a seemingly casual stance, but his eyes were worried.
Once all was said and done, it was Toll who first spoke. “So, who is “him”?” he asked in an undertone.
Imai frowned, confused. Him? What was Toll talking about?
It took longer than he would like to admit to remember what Atsushi had said before. So Toll must have heard him. This was not the best way to start of this discussion.
Actually, there was no good way to start this discussion.
Imai chewed his bottom lip, trying to decide what to do.
“You know, don’t you Imai?” Hide asked softly, but there was a bit of accusation behind his tone. It was absolutely obvious then that everyone was trying to keep calm and quiet for Atsushi’s sake. Imai could feel the real emotions in the room though; they seemed to hover over this eerie calmness like a menacing shadow. He was sure that Atsushi wasn’t oblivious to them either, despite all appearances of emotional withdrawal.
Imai was proven correct in the next moment.
“I’ll tell them.”
Every turned as one to stare at Atsushi, who seemed to have, quite out of the blue, come back to himself a bit more. He met the eye of each man in the room in turn. “I think that would be best,” he said, his voice noting more than a whisper but firm all the same.
“Acchan,” Imai began. He stopped as Atsushi gave him a rather dark look.
“I’ve lied long enough.”
“You didn’t lie, Acchan,” Imai insisted. He was rather startled by how urgent his own voice sounded.
“Lying by omission,” Atsushi responded, quietly. “It’s all the same in the end, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not,” Imai told him, firmly. He gave Atsushi’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and wasn’t at all surprised when the other man tensed instead of taking the comfort. “It’s not like that at all.”
“Tell us and we’ll be the judge of that,” Hide said, his tone soft but chilly. He was still kneeling, but even down there he had a rather intimidating presence. Atsushi’s eyes snapped to meet his as soon as he spoke and the two of them stared at one another in silence until Atsushi began to shy back from him unconsciously, like a child who knew he’d done wrong and wanted to avoid being punished.
That pissed Imai off right then and there. “Stop it Hide! I know you’re probably ticked off about being out of the know, but this is ridiculous!”
“So something is going on?” Hide asked Atsushi, ignoring Imai.
Atsushi nodded slowly. “Yes. I…wanted to say something but I…wasn’t really sure how,” he admitted in a small voice, clearly ashamed.
This interrogation was not necessary right now. Imai nearly seethed with fury at Hide and at the others because they weren’t stepping in to stop this. Didn’t they realize that Atsushi had just gone though? And now all they wanted was answers.
A bit of his ire did fade though when Hide spoke again. His tone was much softer this time, although it still held an edge. But this was an edge that demanded they remain on track, not one of anger. “What do you mean you didn’t know how?”
Before Atsushi could answer that question, U-ta burst out with, “Well, isn’t it obvious that there’s a psycho out there somewhere? That isn’t something easy to tell someone!”
“U-ta, quiet,” Toll muttered, giving his brother a quelling look. “Let Hide talk to him.”
“No…no, he’s right,” Atsushi insisted, craning his neck to look over to Toll. “There is a…a psycho out there…One of a kind you’d never imagine.”
“Tell us, Atsushi. Maybe you’re wrong and we can.” Hide was speaking so calmly and patiently, and Imai was instantly annoyed on Atsushi’s behalf. Hide was treating Atsushi like he was some kind of slow child…and that was not necessary.
Imai was just about to call Hide on that-hell, he just wanted to yell at Hide for something-but Atsushi started to speak before he could. Despite Imai’s thoughts on the matter, Atsushi seemed to be responding rather favorably to Hide’s quiet behavior. Imai could still feel him shaking slightly under his hand, but his attention seemed to be more on Hide than anything else.
“It’s…rather surreal to me still, but-”
He never got the chance to finish. The door was tossed open, making them all jump in fright. Hide even leapt up to his feet. Atsushi froze up instantly, his muscles like petrified wood under Imai’s palm.
It was Chiba, his face lined with fatigue and worry. Ariwara, looking ghastly pale, was right at his heels. “What is going on?” he demanded as soon as the door closed behind him.
Ah, here was someone Imai could yell at. “Damn it Chiba, show some tact!” he hissed angrily, tightening his hold on Atsushi’s shoulder.
Chiba barely glanced at Imai. “I walk back here and find that there is a…a heart on the floor,” he said, starting out stern but stumbling into some befuddlement as he came to the word ‘heart’. Ariwara, in turn, made a little sound then, like a muted squeak from where he was hanging out by the door.
“Needless to say the police had to be called. Hopefully they can show some sense of subtlety. Last thing we need is all the lingering fans to panic,” Chiba continued, sounding rather put-upon.
Imai just stared at Chiba open-mouthed. He wasn’t surprised to notice U-ta doing the same.
“You’re worried about the police being subtle?” Toll asked for them all.
Chiba began to tap his fingers against his thigh, obviously unsettled. “Why, yes, I am. Because I really don’t want to have to worry about a human organ right now, thank you very much.”
No one really had anything to say to that. No one that is, but the man who sat hunch over in the chair next to Imai, arms wrapped around his torso.
“I’m sorry,” Atsushi whispered hoarsely.
Chiba’s attention was on Atsushi immediately. “Do you know what’s going on, Sakurai-san?” he asked.
Atsushi nodded rigidly. He was still tightly wound and Imai tried to soothe the knotted muscles under his fingertips to no avail. Seeing Atsushi sitting just next to him and looking so miserable made Imai’s heart hurt, and one part of him just wanted to wrap his arms around Atsushi and hide him away from everything…but another part of him knew, somehow, that Atsushi needed to tell the story. Not only for his mental health-such as it was-but also because of a practical reason that Imai was certain the other man wasn’t even considering: it was the best way to keep him safe-the more people who knew the more eyes there were to watch out for him.
It was for that reason that Imai didn’t enfold Atsushi in his arms like every atom in his body screamed to do. He was certain that if he did, Atsushi would never find the strength to say anything. It was clear that it was only strength of will that was keeping him together as it was.
That didn’t mean he left Atsushi totally alone. His hand was still on his shoulder, and there it would stay.
“He was going to explain it to us, so you might as well find a seat,” Hide spoke up as he sat down in the nearest chair. He reached forward and put his hand on Atsushi’s arm. “Right, Acchan?” he asked, softly.
Atsushi nodded again, his jaw set. “Yeah.” He glanced around the room. “You should all sit down, I think…”
And so, as they all clustered around, close but not too close, Atsushi told the whole story. He started all the way back in that hotel room what seemed like ages ago but was really less than a week. Imai had just heard the story last night, but it was completely different hearing it from Atsushi’s point of view. Atsushi was being very concise about everything, stating facts more than what he thought of them, but the hesitancy in his voice and how he would suddenly become vague at certain points compared to others said more than any words.
Some gut instinct of Imai’s told him that Atsushi was making omissions to the storyline, but he certainly wasn’t going to say anything about it at the time. Imai could tell by the telltale trembling underneath his hand that this was hard enough for Atsushi than his voice was letting on. There was no need to push him past what he thought he could tell-besides, all of his five listeners probably didn’t need to know.
Everyone was paying close attention to Atsushi, staying silent. However, there was a wide range of expression on their faces. Ariwara was completely shocked, still, while Chiba appeared somewhat incredulous. Toll had a mighty frown on his face that probably could have stopped a devil in his tracks, while U-ta was gnawing on his lower lip, eyes worried. Hide didn’t have much of an expression; he just listened intently, hands in his lap.
Atsushi’s voice started to waver when he got to the part about learning about Imai’s memory modification. For the first time since he started Atsushi turned his head to look up at Imai. “You said…he talked to you?”
Imai nodded. “He did.”
“I wonder why…” he mumbled softly, turning back around so that once again all Imai saw was his profile.
Imai had been asking himself the same question. Adam hadn’t really said why he’d decided to come clean about everything. He’d hinted about wanting to stop Imai having to struggle with his returning memories, but after what Atsushi said about what Makino had done (although he didn’t really say how he’d learned about it…) Imai had to wonder why Adam would choose last night. Was he feeling guilty? Or had he…had he known something like this would happen?
Imai was so lost in thought he didn’t realize Atsushi had finished his story until Hide’s voice broke through the quiet. “You really expect us to believe you?” His tone wasn’t condescending; it was a serious question.
Imai felt more than saw Atsushi nod. “Yes,” he answered simply, his voice not wavering in the slightest.
Hide peered closely at Atsushi for a long, tense moment. “Hmm…” That was all he said.
Imai had to restrain the sudden urge he had to punch Hide in the face. ‘Hmm’? What was that?
“I…a vampire, really?” U-ta asked. He scratched at his cheek idly as he looked from one person to the other. “So you learned a vampire is writing you love notes…and you got this knowledge from dead people?”
Atsushi tensed up a little and Imai rubbed his shoulder discretely. Or at least he thought it was discretely. It was only when U-ta started to speak again that he noticed that Hide was looking right at him. Imai’s fingers froze immediately but he didn’t jerk away his instincts told him to.
“This seems so…out there, Acchan,” U-ta was saying.
“And I have to agree,” Chiba spoke up. He crossed his arms across his chest. “So when the police come I’m supposed to tell them a vampire sent you this…this heart in a box? I’ll be committed!”
“That’s why you don’t tell them,” Toll said matter-of-factly. Everyone turned as one to look at him. U-ta was the only one to stare opened-mouthed, but Imai was sure that others were close to it-he was one of them.
Toll didn’t seem perturbed. He sat in his chair with his legs crossed and rubbed his chin in thought. “Yeah, that would be the best course of action I think. Play dumb-tell them the truth that you don’t know who did it-you’ve never met him, right?-and that you have no idea why someone would do such a thing. That’s true too, since I certainly don’t understand it and I highly doubt you do Acchan…”
Atsushi shook his head in unconscious agreement. “No, I don’t…”
“You’re telling him to lie, Aniki?” U-ta protested hotly. “To the police?”
Toll looked at him levelly. “What should he do then? Tell them the same story he told us? They’ll think he’s insane!”
U-ta mouth opened…then shut. He looked away, his face sheepish. “I guess…”
“Do…do you think I’m crazy?” Atsushi asked Toll in a thin, quiet voice.
Toll frowned. Then, as if coming to a decision, he sat up abruptly and grabbed Atsushi’s hands, pulling Atsushi towards him a few inches. Imai almost lost his grip on Atsushi’s shoulder. “I would never think that, Acchan,” he told the other man firmly. “I know you too well to think you’d make something like this up.” He shot everyone in the room a glare then, Imai included, which made him feel a bit miffed. Why was Toll getting on his case? He should be staring down U-ta or Hide!
“Besides,” Toll started to speak again, letting go of Atsushi’s hands and sitting back. “I’ve noticed you’ve been acting strangely the past few days. This is a pretty good reason, I’d expect.”
Atsushi actually looked a bit embarrassed. “I…err…” he mumbled, staring down at his hands.
Toll smirked. “Ah, I’m more observant than you think, huh?” Once again he shot Imai a look and this time Imai wasn’t angry-that look made his heart start to pound in anxiety. First Hide caught him and now Toll was hinting… Was it really that obvious? Or was he being paranoid?
Imai closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. This was not the time to worry.
But, damn, why did they both choose now to bring it up?
Having the others know would make it just that much harder to convince Atsushi…convince him of what, though? Imai bit his bottom lip, more out of an effort to keep from sighing than true distress. Once again, now was not the time and his brain had better shut up and focus…
Someone knocked on the door and that caught everyone’s attention. A roadie popped her head in after Chiba called out. “Chiba-san…the police are here… They want to talk to all of you. Especially Sakurai-san…” At his name she sent him an inquisitive glance, and Atsushi refused to look at her.
Imai’s heart unexpectedly lurched and began to pound in this throat. The police were here…somehow that made this whole issue seem much more real…
Chiba stood up. “Thank you. I’ll be right out.” As the door shut behind her Chiba turned to them all. “We all don’t know what’s going on…right?” he questioned.
Everyone nodded.
“Well…let’s see how this goes,” Chiba sighed before stepping out into the hallway.
The men remaining in the room all stared at one another in silence.
Ariwara was the first to speak up. His voice came out as a squeak at first and he had to cough, his cheeks flaring red. “Well, uh…if it means anything to you at all Sakurai-san…I believe you.”
“Thank you, Ariwara-san,” Atsushi told him, sincerely. He was sitting so still and silent in the chair next to Imai that for a brief moment Imai had wondered if he would say anything in reply. But his voice was actually quite warm, considering the circumstances, and that gave Imai some hope that he was calming down a little bit.
“I mean, I can see why he’d see you as an ideal vampire. I thought that the first time I met you, actually…and…I should shut up now, shouldn’t it?” Ariwara’s prattle stuttered to a nervous stop at the looks he was getting from all the other men in the room.
“Yes, I think so,” Hide said, in complete monotone.
“Ah…I’ll go see if Chiba-san needs me….” Ariwara stood up abruptly and all but fled for the door.
As soon as he was gone Atsushi turned to Hide. “You didn’t need to do that, Hide.”
The other man didn’t respond. He was too wrapped up in thinking about something, absently giving Atsushi a calculating look, which, of course, made Atsushi shift in discomfort.
“What is it?” Imai spat out into the quiet. Hide actually jumped a bit at his voice, eyes jerking to look at him instead. Imai was perversely pleased by that.
“I was just wondering…” Hide trailed off.
“About the best way to tell me I’m insane?” Atsushi muttered, his bitter tone a bit of a shock after how quiet he’d been all night. Apparently Hide’s quiet stares were getting on his nerves too.
“No, no, I would never say that, Atsushi,” Hide assured him softly, his tone and expression a bit hurt. “No, that’s not what concerns me. What doesn’t sit right with me is…well, you’ve never seen this Baum character, have you?”
Atsushi shuddered, drawing back from Hide. “Why would I want to?” he asked in a whisper.
Hide held up a hand. “I’m not saying you would. I’m just saying that…are you sure these…shinigami are telling you the complete truth?” he paused a moment to let it all sink in. “I mean, what I got from your story they are the most scrupulous men out there, and…well…”
Imai frowned, glancing down the back of Atsushi’s head as he thought about it. Hide…had a point. Imai was all up for calling Adam a liar…
“But does that really matter?” U-ta spoke up. His arms were crossed firmly over his chest. “There’s someone insane enough to send Acchan a heart in a box out there, and be he or she either living, dead, or undead, this is something that cannot go on.” He nodded resolutely. “I’m with you no matter what, Acchan, vampire or no.”
“Thank you, U-ta,” Atsushi said as Hide came in with, “Well, it does matter, since we have to know exactly who we can trust in all this.”
That made them all pause, each wrapped in their own thoughts. Could these shinigami be trusted? Could they afford not to? What did they know about vampires?
Imai just didn’t know, and Hide’s doubts were enough to stir up a feeling of uneasy in his stomach. They couldn’t afford to be wrong…
He looked down at Atsushi, who was still there in the chair next to him, his head bowed and arms resting on his knees. He looked so very tired. But he was also still very much alive and, for the time, safe.
The others be damned. Imai reached out and scooped back some of the hair that had fallen to curtain Atsushi’s face. Atsushi looked up in silent question and Imai reached deep down inside himself to scrounge up a quirky smile for him.
To Imai utmost astonishment…Atsushi blushed. It was only a slight pinking of his cheeks, but considering how pale he was it was extremely noticeable. Apparently realizing that he was blushing brought even more embarrassment on the poor man, because he had to turn his head away.
Imai didn’t get the opportunity to decide how he felt about that, because it was that moment that the door burst open and a troop of men in uniform piled into the room.
Seeing them was like a punch to the gut for Imai. This was it…reality.
He wanted his moment with the blushing Atsushi back… desperately.
He wasn’t going to get that though.
Scene Two