Kumo no ito ~The Spiders' Downfall~

part five: revelations

Jun could barely tell tears were still streaming down his face as he

pushed the door away from his body, running down the slightly damp

street. Under the dark glare of street lamps and bright neon signs,

Jun felt for the first time in his life so utterly alone. Why did

Kohta do this to him? No, not Kohta, why did Kirito have to do this?

What was his goal? What was he gaining from this?

Wiping his eyes on the already dripping sleeve of his denim jacket,

he trodded down the busy street full of emotionless faces towards one

of the few people he felt he could turn to: the fellow guitarist,

Aiji.

He needed only knock once on the door before Aiji approached the door

and after peeking through the little peephole let Jun in. Aiji was

suprised to see his friend sopping wet and sobbing even. Truth be

told he had had the fleeting hope that it could have been Kirito

visiting him instead.

He didn't ask any questions, just wrapped an arm around Jun's

shoulder and led him into the dark apartment. Rain dripped down the

glass of the window and collapsed against fellow drops as Jun took a

seat on one of Aiji's dark purple sofas.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Aiji hovering over Jun like a

nervous puppy, not sure exactly what to do or whether or not to

comfort him. He shifted the blanket he held wrapped around his body

and finally decided to speak after some time.

"What happened...?"

A simple enough question.

Jun shot Aiji a look filled with such pain and dread that Aiji's legs

practically collapsed under him, and he took a seat next to Jun. A

couple of years ago he would have felt akward clothed only in pajamas

and a blanket sitting so close to Jun but time had passed and the two

had grown to be very close friends.

A simple enough question.

Jun shifted position and took a deep breath as if to steady himself.

Aiji waited in deep anticipation. He knew Jun liked Kohta, but Kohta

always had seemed to belong to someone else....someone Aiji didn't

want to believe owned him...

A simple enough question, with a difficult and heart-wrenching answer.

And when Jun was finished telling the story, it was Aiji who couldn't

tell that the tears falling down his face were never-ending.

***

Kirito smiled to himself briefly before returning inside the

apartment, shutting the door with a silent click. He didn't want to

wake Kohta up, after all. Beloved Kohta who knew nothing of his

devilish plans of complete domination. Kohta who had stood by him all

time with no questions asked. Kohta who deserved better than

him...but Kirito was too stubborn to give him up just yet.

He wandered his way into the bedroom and tucked some blankets around

the lanky form of his little brother. Smiling once more Kirito tucked

some bangs away from Kohta's face and stroked down his cheek,

fingertips playing with the skin around his collarbone. He was

Kirito's and no one elses... his fingers tightened as something shiny

caught his eye. Kirito's eyes narrowed. It was the remanders of a

silver chain. Oh, now he remembered. What had been on that chain

anyway? It didn't matter. Probably something worthless.

His digits were attracted to the tan skin of Kohta's upper chest once

more. Sighing, Kirito bent to kiss above where Kohta's heart was.

He didn't want to wake Kohta from the warm, peaceful sleep he seemed

to be engrossed in. But he wanted something.

Picking up his shirt and jacket from the floor, Kirito buckled his

boots and blowing Kohta one more kiss, flicked the light off and left

the apartment quietly.

He was finally succeeding. How exciting.

***

"Get the fuck away from my door, you bastard!"

"Aiji....I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! You're fucking your damn

brother and I don't want you NEAR me anymore!"

"And like you didn't know all along, Shinji."

"Fuck you!"

Aiji sobbed and punched his front door, crying out in pain as his

knuckles hit the hard wood. He slammed his back against it, sliding

down with each sob, landing in a tangled mess on the floor.

"Get....off....my property...." he choked.

Kirito sighed and rubbed his temples, wrestling with the doorknob

once more. It was still locked.

"I didn't think you'd ever find out. I'm sorry."

Kirito could barely believe the words that were coming out of his

mouth. Since when did he apologize for things that weren't his

problem?

"How could you...do this to me? I thought-I tho-tho-ught just

maybe....someone could love me for once..." A new dam of tears burst

forward with such intensity that Aiji had to bite his sleeve in order

to hold back the sobs. He didn't want Kirito to know he was crying,

though it was probably quite obvious. He didn't want to be weak

anymore.

He was sick of being teased, he was sick of girls just going out with

him because he was famous. Or worse, he was sick of girls going out

with him to make fun of him for all his insecurities. He was sick of

being tossed around between guys that just wanted him for a good fuck.

He thought Kirito was different.

He wasn't.

***

Kohta shook his head, unable to believe the situation that Takeo had

laid out before him. Somehow he had known it was all going on, but he

had been trapped too deep in the dark dream of a vicious dictator to

notice.

"Un, hai, I understand..." Kohta said slowly, running a hand through

stiff blonde locks. Takeo looked at him with a grim smile and spread

one arm out. Kohta moved towards Takeo and slipped underneath that

arm, closing his eyes and resting his head against Takeo's shoulder.

The drummer gave him a few reassuring pats on his upper back.

"It'll be okay, I promise. Things will be fine. You just need to talk

to Kirito, because you and I both know that you are meant to be with

Jun and no one else. It'll work out."

Kohta nodded slightly. Takeo was always there to help. Takeo was

always right. It made Kohta think: Takeo was always there for them,

always knew what to do...but who did Takeo go to for help?

He reached up against his chest and grabbed air. The ring Jun had

gave him seemed to have dissapeared.

Kohta remembered the story Jun had told him when giving him that

ring. His mother had given it to him when he was really little and

told him that if he ever found someone that he wanted to spend the

rest of his life with, that the ring would do a spell on whomever

wore it to make them want to be with Jun forever.

Kohta wore a sad smile as he gave Takeo one last hug and waved

goodbye to the drummer.

Kohta would make the ring's magic work again. He promised that to

himself.

***

Kirito arrived home quite early in the morning after standing outside

Aiji's apartment for god knows how long. He didn't understand why he

had done that. Still didn't.

It was still dark when he walked into the kitchen and set his keys

down on the counter. The light in the living room was on.

"'touto?" Kirito asked, tiptoeing into the living room to be met with

a fully clothed Kohta sitting on one of their sofas, sipping a small

glass of tea.

"Onii...." he started, setting the glass down on the table and

turning to look at Kirito with piercing brown eyes.

"I know what you've done."

~fireflies light the way and if you pull one string, the entire thing

will unwravel beneath the spider's dumbfounded stare~

[next chapter]