Craters
Craters
Akame, rated G
Don't read this literally, stories aren't facts presented on a silver platter, use your imagination
(Forever conflicted over Jin and Akame)
Jin is lying immobile on Kame's bed when the idol comes home one afternoon. He is sprawled on his stomach with his feet sticking over the edge. He still has his shoes on. Kame is about to yell at him when he notices the quietness and immobility of the air.
He pads over to his bed. It's dark inside his room, it's snowing dust where the sun shines weakly through his closed blinds. Maybe Jin closed them or maybe Kame didn't bother to open them this morning. He doesn't remember.
He sits on the edge of his bed, his body turned towards Jin. He doesn't bother trying to shake the man awake. Kame knows Jin's eyes will stay resolutely closed.
Kame stays sitting in the dark for a long time.
When he's finally ready, he leaves Jin on his bed while he goes to put on his walking shoes and fetch some rope.
Once he's prepared, Kame sits back on the bed and physically handles Jin into sitting up. He's dead weight so heavier than usual. He ties Jin's hands together and folds the man's arms around his own neck. When he's molded Jin's body against his back, he puts his hands under Jin's thighs and gets up. He grabs another rope and ties it around him and Jin so the taller man doesn't fall. It's difficult but he jumps up to make Jin's body propel forward until his face is mushed against Kame's shoulder, like a sleeping child.
It takes him a few minutes to get to his front door but by then, Jin has settled against his back. Kame leans forward so he doesn't drop Jin while one of his hands is busy patting his pocket to make sure he has his car keys. He steps outside mindless of anything other than the weight on his back. He leaves his cell phone inside.
*
He shoves Jin on the backseats of his hummer, rolls him onto his side, and buckles the three seat belts so he doesn't fall every time Kame steps on the brakes.
Kame drives for 12 hours.
The next day he drives 8 hours.
In between he stops at a huge outlet mall slash amusement park. He buys something to eat and relieves himself before heading back to his car. His eyes hurt. He tries to lay down next to Jin but it's impossible to fit two people on the seats so he sleeps on the floor of his car between the middle and back seats. It's uncomfortable but at least it's summer so they don't have to worry about being cold. Kame falls asleep to the excited screams of rollercoaster maniacs.
At dawn Kame wakes up and drives.
They arrive at their destination at the hottest hour of the day. Kame hops out of his car he's parked haphazardly on the dirt path at the foot of the mountain.
The trees are green, full and crawling of life. Every time Kame takes a step he can almost see all the insects scattering under the leaves to avoid getting crushed by him.
He opens his car door to retrieve Jin, having to get inside the car himself to unbuckle the seatbelts before dragging Jin to the second row of seats. Kame has to pull him out by putting his arms around the older man's chest and dragging his weight out. Once Jin's torso has made it outside, Kame deftly maneuvers Jin so he's riding on his back again.
He forgets about the rope and his muscles twinge at the weight, but Kame struggles forward. They haven't even started yet but Kame is already suffering.
He follows the path upstream one step at a time, shuffling Jin's weight around when it becomes unbearable. He thinks of nothing for hours.
He doesn't know how long he's been walking before he finally sees a small stone statue in the form of a lantern at the base of a tree and takes the hidden path there. He delves into the forest mindful of not tripping on the huge tree roots. The ground is uneven but at least the huge amass of trees prevents the rays of the sun to reach them. It's cooler inside the forest and Kame struggles forward, the sound of the stream falling away behind them.
*
They've reached the stone stairs when Kame finally allows himself to drop Jin then himself to the ground. Kame is exhausted, he uses the last of his force to drag Jin's body to lay at the foot of the stairs, and places the other man's head in his lap.
"It's so hot" Kame pants. He can barely lift his arms and his legs are shaking.
After 5 minutes and a small breeze he reaches for the water bottle he had stuffed inside Jin's pocket.
He drinks half of it before pouring the rest on Jin's face and hair. Kame uses the bottom of his shirt to wipe the drops off Jin's eyelashes.
"Just a little more" Kame whispers a few minutes later and gets himself to move. It's even harder than before.
"We're almost there" he tells Jin before putting him back on his back.
*
The sun is lower in the sky by the time Kame reaches the top of the stairs to the old abandoned shrine. The stone walls, path and tori are illuminated by an orange glow. The view on top of the mountain is unobstructed by the scattered trees but Kame and Jin are sprawled on the ground, the darkened sky the only thing looming over them.
Kame grabs Jin by his waist and rolls them onwards. He can't get up, he doesn't have the force to do anything other than drag them on their stomachs by clawing at the ground and pulling, to get them to where they want. He manages a few meters before finally stopping. He gives in as his outstretched arm reaches just beyond the gate. Kame closes his eyes and passes out surrounded by the shrine's stone guardians.
*
"Hnnnnng" Kame lift's the body one last time before finally laying Jin down at the steps of the shrine.
Jin lays there, unmoving, his hair in disarray and his eyes still closed. Kame leaves him curled up on his side, he's not sure in what position Jin would be the most comfortable but this seems to do just fine.
"Alright" Kame mutters and looks up. It's morning, maybe 10 a.m; if he leaves now he should be back in Tokyo by tomorrow night.
He starts to leave but stops one last time right before the first step down. He looks back at Jin: Kame has laid him in a spot of shade to spare him from the hot summer days to come. He looks like he's sleeping.
With one last prayer to the foxes, Kame descends the stairs.
Akame, rated G
Don't read this literally, stories aren't facts presented on a silver platter, use your imagination
(Forever conflicted over Jin and Akame)
Jin is lying immobile on Kame's bed when the idol comes home one afternoon. He is sprawled on his stomach with his feet sticking over the edge. He still has his shoes on. Kame is about to yell at him when he notices the quietness and immobility of the air.
He pads over to his bed. It's dark inside his room, it's snowing dust where the sun shines weakly through his closed blinds. Maybe Jin closed them or maybe Kame didn't bother to open them this morning. He doesn't remember.
He sits on the edge of his bed, his body turned towards Jin. He doesn't bother trying to shake the man awake. Kame knows Jin's eyes will stay resolutely closed.
Kame stays sitting in the dark for a long time.
When he's finally ready, he leaves Jin on his bed while he goes to put on his walking shoes and fetch some rope.
Once he's prepared, Kame sits back on the bed and physically handles Jin into sitting up. He's dead weight so heavier than usual. He ties Jin's hands together and folds the man's arms around his own neck. When he's molded Jin's body against his back, he puts his hands under Jin's thighs and gets up. He grabs another rope and ties it around him and Jin so the taller man doesn't fall. It's difficult but he jumps up to make Jin's body propel forward until his face is mushed against Kame's shoulder, like a sleeping child.
It takes him a few minutes to get to his front door but by then, Jin has settled against his back. Kame leans forward so he doesn't drop Jin while one of his hands is busy patting his pocket to make sure he has his car keys. He steps outside mindless of anything other than the weight on his back. He leaves his cell phone inside.
*
He shoves Jin on the backseats of his hummer, rolls him onto his side, and buckles the three seat belts so he doesn't fall every time Kame steps on the brakes.
Kame drives for 12 hours.
The next day he drives 8 hours.
In between he stops at a huge outlet mall slash amusement park. He buys something to eat and relieves himself before heading back to his car. His eyes hurt. He tries to lay down next to Jin but it's impossible to fit two people on the seats so he sleeps on the floor of his car between the middle and back seats. It's uncomfortable but at least it's summer so they don't have to worry about being cold. Kame falls asleep to the excited screams of rollercoaster maniacs.
At dawn Kame wakes up and drives.
They arrive at their destination at the hottest hour of the day. Kame hops out of his car he's parked haphazardly on the dirt path at the foot of the mountain.
The trees are green, full and crawling of life. Every time Kame takes a step he can almost see all the insects scattering under the leaves to avoid getting crushed by him.
He opens his car door to retrieve Jin, having to get inside the car himself to unbuckle the seatbelts before dragging Jin to the second row of seats. Kame has to pull him out by putting his arms around the older man's chest and dragging his weight out. Once Jin's torso has made it outside, Kame deftly maneuvers Jin so he's riding on his back again.
He forgets about the rope and his muscles twinge at the weight, but Kame struggles forward. They haven't even started yet but Kame is already suffering.
He follows the path upstream one step at a time, shuffling Jin's weight around when it becomes unbearable. He thinks of nothing for hours.
He doesn't know how long he's been walking before he finally sees a small stone statue in the form of a lantern at the base of a tree and takes the hidden path there. He delves into the forest mindful of not tripping on the huge tree roots. The ground is uneven but at least the huge amass of trees prevents the rays of the sun to reach them. It's cooler inside the forest and Kame struggles forward, the sound of the stream falling away behind them.
*
They've reached the stone stairs when Kame finally allows himself to drop Jin then himself to the ground. Kame is exhausted, he uses the last of his force to drag Jin's body to lay at the foot of the stairs, and places the other man's head in his lap.
"It's so hot" Kame pants. He can barely lift his arms and his legs are shaking.
After 5 minutes and a small breeze he reaches for the water bottle he had stuffed inside Jin's pocket.
He drinks half of it before pouring the rest on Jin's face and hair. Kame uses the bottom of his shirt to wipe the drops off Jin's eyelashes.
"Just a little more" Kame whispers a few minutes later and gets himself to move. It's even harder than before.
"We're almost there" he tells Jin before putting him back on his back.
*
The sun is lower in the sky by the time Kame reaches the top of the stairs to the old abandoned shrine. The stone walls, path and tori are illuminated by an orange glow. The view on top of the mountain is unobstructed by the scattered trees but Kame and Jin are sprawled on the ground, the darkened sky the only thing looming over them.
Kame grabs Jin by his waist and rolls them onwards. He can't get up, he doesn't have the force to do anything other than drag them on their stomachs by clawing at the ground and pulling, to get them to where they want. He manages a few meters before finally stopping. He gives in as his outstretched arm reaches just beyond the gate. Kame closes his eyes and passes out surrounded by the shrine's stone guardians.
*
"Hnnnnng" Kame lift's the body one last time before finally laying Jin down at the steps of the shrine.
Jin lays there, unmoving, his hair in disarray and his eyes still closed. Kame leaves him curled up on his side, he's not sure in what position Jin would be the most comfortable but this seems to do just fine.
"Alright" Kame mutters and looks up. It's morning, maybe 10 a.m; if he leaves now he should be back in Tokyo by tomorrow night.
He starts to leave but stops one last time right before the first step down. He looks back at Jin: Kame has laid him in a spot of shade to spare him from the hot summer days to come. He looks like he's sleeping.
With one last prayer to the foxes, Kame descends the stairs.