This is something I wrote in the time that the FFML was down last... I
never got around to re-sending it.
"I'm only holding back the rain. So many raindrops, so many pains. I
want to find my train someday. As seasons go past the station." - Tokyo
Babylon OVA 1
/ E-mail: PhilMasters@webtv.net /
"...has anyone ever used something alive for a coat of arms?" - The
Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea (Mishima Yukio, 1965) /
"You see, what you call a cat, we use as armor." - Rune (El-Hazard,
1994)
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From: PhilMasters@webtv.net (Phillip Masters)
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 03:05:35 -0500 (EST)
To: ffml@fanfic.com
Subject: [Fanfic][Blue Seed] The Dawn Before Night
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This is an idea that I've been rolling around all too long now.
Takes place (and rewrites) the night before the final day when everyone
is gettin' all cozy.
PM Productions Presents
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
The Dawn Before Night
Red: Kome and Yoshiki
The harsh, chaotic light of the television played across the two
figures on the couch. Shadows were cast sporadically about the room,
like the nightmare of a young child. The only sound was the occasional
exclamation or grunt from the set, as the characters of the fighting
drama upon it made good their earlier drawn-out and colorful threats.
Yoshiki winced as he watched his hero get pummeled, grinning only
because he knew justice would be exacted after the next commercial
break. As the scene faded to a rather ridiculous American clown trying
to show a pair of Japanese children just how much fun a hamburger can
be, he found his gaze going to the other person on the couch.
Kome suppresed a yawn as she tried to get the kink out of her back
without undue movement. She wasn't succeeding, and the knot was
growing. If she didn't do something about it soon it would go from
nuisance status to chronic status, and that would lead to headache,
which she most certainly did not need at the moment. She stood up and
stretched, intertwining her fingers and doing a good impression of
someone on the Rack. Turning her head toward Yaegashi, she asked, "Hey,
want something to drink?" It was her apartment after all, and so far
she had been a lousy hostess.
Yoshiki glanced up from the television, to see Kome in a rather...
interesting position, from where he was sitting. "Uh... sure," he
replied.
Kome lowered her arms and slapped them against her hips a few times
as if to remove the dust from them. "Okay, what'll ya have?"
"What do you have?"
Her brow furrowed, trying to remember what was in her fridge last
it was opened. "I'm not sure... let me check."
Yoshiki smiled. "Then whatever you find is fine."
"Suit yourself." She went into the kitchen and pulled at the
fridge handle. After putting a little back into it, she managed to pry
it open. A cursory search revealed a few cans of fruit drink which she
could vaguely remember purchasing when moving into the apartment.
Fortunately, they had a shelf-life equal to that of a battery, so she
pulled a couple out and shut the door behind her. Making her way back
out into the living room, she noticed Yaegashi had curled up at his end
of the couch, laying his head on the armrest. His glasses glittered
sharply as they reflected the TV. She found herself leaning against the
doorframe and staring at him. Then, she shook herself and completed her
journey.
As he took the proferred beverage he commented, "Took you a
while... was your fridge door sealed shut from disuse?"
Kome shrugged. "Yeah, I don't have much time to eat at home so I
never shop."
Yoshiki glanced at the bottom of his can and grinned. He then
popped the top and took a healthy swig. "Modern day preservatives are
wonderful, aren't they?" he asked with a grin.
She chuckled lightly and opened her own can. Leaning back against
the couch, she stared at the ceiling. "Yaegashi?"
"Hmm?"
Her thought percolated for a moment. "Thanks for coming over."
"No problem... it was either watch kung fu movies with you, or with
my mother. At least with you there's something better to look at during
commercial breaks." His eyes widened slightly and he said in a small
voice, "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yup," Kome returned, but inside she was shaken. *Yaegashi* just
complimented her appearance?
Yoshiki sighed. "I thought I was supposed to be the shy one. Just
a week ago if I had said that to a pretty girl... well, I wouldn't have
said that to any girl come to think of it."
The room descended into relative silence for a few more seconds,
the television largely forgotten. Then, Kome broke the calm. "Do you
really think so?"
"What?"
"Do you really think I'm pretty?"
Yoshiki laughed lightly.
Kome found herself getting angry, though she wasn't sure why.
"What?!"
"You... asking if you're pretty. I find it amusing, because you
are probably the most attractive woman I've ever known personally, and
been invited into her house none-the-less." Once the truth was actually
out, Yoshiki found it much easier to continue along the train of
thought. He had always found all the females of the TAC to be very
beautiful, but he had always believed them out of reach.
Kome's anger quickly dissolved into a blush, and the room
temperature raised about four degrees. The heater must be on the fritz
again, she thought. "What about Momiji? I thought you had a thing for
her."
Yoshiki didn't answer for a moment, as old wounds had just been
opened. "That's not something I like to talk about," he finally said.
"Sorry...."
"No, no, don't apologize...."
"Too late." she interrupted with a grin.
"Very funny... but seriously, it was just an infatuation. It
didn't really mean anything."
Kome looked at Yaegashi for a few moments, trying to dig into his
mind through sheer will alone. Failing miserably, she turned her
attention back to the television. The good guy was whipping the snot
out of the evil villian, using some ancient, lost, almighty pressure
point technique. She wondered why he didn't just shoot the bastard, it
generally worked for her and it took much less time and effort. If
only weaponry would work on what was troubling her currently. "You
know, this could be our last day on Earth." she whispered after a
moment.
Yoshiki froze, as various scenes flew quickly through his head. He
decided to banish them with humor. "If you want to make out, just ask."
Kome smacked him hard on the leg. "Pervert! I didn't mean it like
that!"
He sat up and rubbed the sore spot while laughing. "I know, I
know... sorry."
She stared at him a while, etching his smiling face into her
memory. Right next to the album of other scenes of him that she, up to
this point, hadn't even realized she was making. There were quite a few,
from the lazy blush of drunkeness, to the calm fortitude of battle. He
wore many faces, and she discovered that she liked them all. "It's just
that I've always been the strong one... and here you are calm and
collected while I worry my ass off."
"What? You don't think I'm worried? About my mother? About you
guys? About me? Of course I am!"
"It's not the same, damnit!" she yelled, much to her own surprise.
She lowered her voice to almost a whisper, "It's just not the same."
Yoshiki became worried. What exactly was eating her? "Is
something wrong?" he asked carefully and quietly.
"Yes, something wrong! I can't do anything! I'm useless!" Her
eyes widened, becoming those of a person who was sinking and desperately
needed air. "Don't you see? Up until now I've had something to focus
my anger on, to shoot at, to kill! Now, I have to lounge about and wait
to see if the world's going to end!" She could feel the tears welling
up under her lids. Blinking to hold them back only pushed them farther
to the brink. She couldn't cry in front of Yaegashi, she simply could
not!
Yoshiki watched as the strongest woman he knew fell to pieces. Her
lip was quivering slightly and the harsh illumination from the TV
betrayed attempt to hide her tears. At first he felt pity and fear,
then from deep in his chest he felt something more. Something stronger
than all the other feelings combined. Something that could not be
ignored any longer. He found his arms encircling her and he laid his
chin on her head. It felt better than anything he had ever experienced,
from the warmth of her body, to the silky sensation and sweet smell of
her hair.
Kome lost control of her emotions as she felt the strong arms
around her. She felt both ashamed and happy at the same time. Feelings
she had been hiding for some time surfaced with the force of a Tac Nuke,
originating at her heart. She leaned into his embrace, reveling in the
temporary protection from the outside world they gave. "Damnit," she
whispered, "It's not supposed to be this way." She sniffed and she felt
more tears come forth. Her head turned and she buried her face in
Yaegashi's deceptively strong chest.
Yoshiki just hugged her, letting her deal with her own emotions at
her own pace. Even if she pushed him away he was now determined to
never let her go. Even though it was muffled he could barely make out
her say something else, "My knight wasn't supposed to be a geek."
"Nerd," he replied softly, "Computer nerd."
After another half hour Kome cried herself to sleep against
Yoshiki's chest. He picked up the remote and switched off the
television, which was just showing an Emergency Broadcast System Test,
most likely for when it was reactivated tomorrow morning. The station
had shut it down to provide some entertainment to those scared on the
last night. Laying the clicker back on the table, he grabbed the sheet
which was draped on the couch back and wrapped it around himself and
Kome. He leaned his head against hers and tightened his grip slightly,
sending another wash of heat through his chest.
In seconds he was asleep.
END
Well, it was a quick fic, less than an hour in the making. I should
continue soon, with another of the couples. I would appreciate any and
all comments or corrections... send them here.
Thanks for reading,
PMasters (12-9-98)
"I'm only holding back the rain. So many raindrops, so many pains. I
want to find my train someday. As seasons go past the station." - Tokyo
Babylon OVA 1
/ E-mail: PhilMasters@webtv.net /
"...has anyone ever used something alive for a coat of arms?" - The
Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea (Mishima Yukio, 1965) /
"You see, what you call a cat, we use as armor." - Rune (El-Hazard,
1994)