[fic] The Things We Can't Control - Chapter 52 ~The Problematic Path Home~
Title: The Things We Can't Control
Author:
prettyorianna
Pairing: Akame. Others to be added later.
Rating: NC-17.
Genre: crime drama au
Beta by: my cat Gemma. okay, seriously, nobody
Disclaimer: I don't own KAT-TUN, any of its members, any other JE people. I write this for fun and for other fans of these fine folks. But don't steal my
plots, mmkay? I put a great deal of time into them except for when I'm randomly spastically spitting words onto a page. But I value those too...
Summary: Two criminals with vastly different styles meet by chance one day. They immediately clash but is that all they'll ever be? How much is fate and how much choice? And how will their meeting change the world around them?
Author's Note: Sorry it's so late, but here you go. If it makes no sense, I claim I'm sleepy so deal with it LOL. At least till you can tell me what doesn't make sense and I'll fix it.
BANNER BY DESHISORABA!! THE MOST AWESOME BANNER EVER AND I WILL FIGHT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES!
Warning: This gets graphic often occasionally, containing at the very least foul language, character death, nefarious crimes, rape, etc etc.
The Master Posts:
On my journal - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the akame_ Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the akame_fanfics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the je_kamenashi Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the kattun_fanfics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
On the jin_fics Community - The Things We Can't Control Master Post
Chapter 52 ~The Problematic Path Home~
The twins were going to change their plea when the judge arrived. There was no reason to stay and, besides, they asked him to go. Even now, they were more worried for him than themselves.
Well, he’d have to take the bus back to that crappy apartment he’d been staying in the past four months of the trial. He’d get his Snoopy and his clothes. Most of his money wasn’t there, though (thank god!). About two weeks into the trial, Kame had taken the rest of his money and opened his own bank account at a different bank than his original account. It was risky but the twins really were good at what they did; his fake ID card and other documents had withstood the scrutiny of the bank employee helping him.
But he did have some cash hidden away. It was part of the twins’ written instructions from the cabinet, that he should always have cash to grease whatever wheels he had to (like getting information out of Masaru, for example). He’d snatch that up, too.
And then he’d go home.
It would be nice not to have to bring that coat with him every day. It was already into July but he took his coat with him every day to the courthouse, to hide himself better from his father’s sight.
Though he hadn’t seen his father at the courthouse even once during the four months of the trial…
The whole bus ride back to Masaru’s building, Kame thought about the twins and their decision to change their pleas. It was true that it was the choice but it didn’t mean he really liked it. But he had seen the shame in their eyes when they talked about the hurt they’d caused those boys, caused him. The pleading in them for both his forgiveness and for his understanding that it was something they had to do to be the kind of people they wanted to be.
He’d forgiven them long ago though, hadn’t he? Or was it that he’d just forgotten the bad in the face of his desperate need for their help and the gratitude that followed it, like they said?
No. He was sure. He’d forgiven them. It was just that the forgiveness didn’t change what happened.
And that was sort of their point, wasn’t it? They couldn’t change the past but they could atone for it.
And he had no right to demand they didn’t, to demand they fight the lies. They’d just lose anyway. True, some of the stuff they were going to plead guilty to was a bunch of lies. But as Kame thought about it, he realized… it wasn’t what the rest of the world thought they were punishing them for; it was enough that the twins recognized what they had done and accepted the punishment as an acceptable penance.
Kame couldn’t pretend he understood it all. He was still torn because he just did not want them to spend so long in prison.
But… he’d put his trust in the twins the day he’d killed Ryuichi. He would just have to trust them now, still. Have faith that they understood it all and leave it in their hands.
And he decided in that moment that he would make sure to visit them regularly even if he had to bribe someone just to be allowed to see them (which, considering how young he was and what they were pleading guilty to, seemed pretty likely). He’d go once a month, let them know he was fine and not to worry. Let them focus on what they need for themselves instead of worrying whether he was okay or whether his father had found him or not.
The bus stop was only two blocks from the building.
Hopefully he’d be able to slip in past…
…Jiro’s hand on his shoulder on the steps. He’d somehow managed to overlook the man coming from across the street, a blond boy Kame had seen with him now and again trailing silently behind him.
“Kame-chan! How was your night? And why are you carrying a coat? It’s fucking July!” The man laughed and it was an ugly and yet oddly triumphant-sounding.
For a moment.
Until Jiro got him spun fully around to face him.
The laugh died in his throat.
Kame had no idea what he’d done wrong. No idea whatsoever but something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong.
“Well, that’s a problem…” Jiro blinked. His grip on Kame’s shoulder tightened, fingers digging painfully into it. “Where have you been and what have you been doing?”
“S-same as every day…” he stammered, wincing as Jiro’s fingers dug deeper.
“Not the same. You’re different. You’ve changed since last night. I was so sure… about you…” Jiro trailed off. He looked so pissed. “Three pills, wasted. Those things aren’t cheap, Kame-chan.”
“I don’t want a problem. I’ll pay for them. Then it’s okay, right? No problem?” Kame rattled off quickly. He was so close to being gone! He just had to appease Jiro somehow and…
“No, see, it’s not about that anymore. There’s a certain level of disrespect, taking advantage of a man like that,” and there was a sort of dangerous growl to his voice now. “I think… this is something you really need to understand, kid. Otherwise you’ll get into all sorts of trouble in your life.”
While Jiro was talking, several of the guys hanging around the steps and the street sort of crowded in on all sides of Kame. One of them grabbed his arm, twisting it painfully behind his back as Jiro finally let go of his shoulder. Kame cried out and the boy hiding behind Jiro let out a small, scared sound.
Jiro spun around at the sound from the boy and mumbled, “Oh, not this again. Fine, come on! You’re really more trouble than you’re worth sometimes,” and he grabbed the boy by the wrist and started to drag him roughly up the stairs to the building. Calling over his shoulder to the men surrounding Kame, Jiro added, “Teach him some manners and make sure you get my money.” The two of them disappeared into the building.
In almost no time, Kame found himself thrown into the alley, hitting the wall and then the ground with a horrible cracking sound.
Everything after that was just a painful blur. He lost count of the number of times they kicked him, hit him… the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and breathing just hurt so damn much and they kept going and he was sure for a minute they were going to kill him, just beat him to death against the alley wall.
But they didn’t. They left him alive. One of them searched his pockets, taking everything he could find and then gave a final stomp. And then they were gone.
He’d like to think he gave as good as he got but the truth of the matter was, there had been too many of them. He’d tried to shield himself the best he could but…
…had the sun moved? God, he’d passed out right in the alley, hadn’t he? Coughing, he tried to push himself up but only managed to prop his back up against the wall. He just couldn’t get himself to his feet.
But then there was suddenly a hand in front of him and for a moment he thought they were back, but it wasn’t them. It was someone he’d never seen before or at least that he didn’t remember, a boy around his own age with neat, medium-brown hair. He helped Kame to his feet. “They’ve gone for now. You really shouldn’t be here when they get back. They’ll kill you. They… do that.”
And the boy shoved something into his hands, something that turned out to be his Snoopy doll. “How…” Kame rasped. God, it hurt to talk.
“They left it on the floor when they searched your place. Just go.”
He tried to say thank you but couldn’t get the words out. But he wasn’t about to let the stranger’s kindness go to waste. It was slow-going but Kame made his way out of the alley and in the general direction of the bus stop. Only when the bus got there, he realized he didn’t have any money. The drug dealer’s goons had taken it.
But the bus driver took pity on him. He wanted Kame to go to the hospital but he couldn’t do that, could he? His father…
So instead, once he’d made his final stop, the bus driver took Kame all the way home to the twins’ apartment. And he was so grateful for it, he broke down crying right there in front of the man. Two kind souls on such a day… the odds were overwhelming.
The whole day was overwhelming.
He had to break in. He’d left his key behind along with his clothes.
And once he was in, he stumbled his way to the couch and just passed out with his Snoopy clutched tightly.
And he slept for forever. Days, it felt like. Despite the state he was in, just being there, being back home…
It was a relief.
When he healed enough to move around a bit easier, the first thing he did was make a cake for the kind-hearted bus driver who’d brought him home.
It was strange… after what Jiro’s goons did to him, considering how hurt he was… he thought he would be completely miserable. But the truth of it was, he was happier than he’d been in several months. He was away from that awful place, back where he belonged, even if it was a lot lonelier without the twins.
But it was okay, because he’d go visit.
Just as soon as he healed up a bit more.
He didn’t want them to worry, after all.
++++++++++++++++++++++
The story continues:
Chapter 53 ~Ryo's Surprise~
A/N: Okay, it's like 2:30 in the morning so if something doesn't make sense please let me know and I'll tweak it when I check comments tomorrow. There's a few parts I'm not so sure make sense. And I didn't get to include everything I wanted to because, well, it's 2:30 in the morning and I have to go to bed! LOL But that's okay, next chapter, present!Kame and Jin!