//(TRC - AU) Delusion (one-on-one RP)

[Sakaki]

Back and forth Fai paced in his small office... He had been instantly denied permission to take Kurogane out for any length of time whatsoever. No matter what words of persuasion he had used with his superiors... the answer had been no.

It's too big a risk...
Too dangerous...
He's too violent...

But Fai wasn't one to give up... or play by the rules, and he was determined not to break his word to the man... no matter what the cost...

~~~

Midnight came, and Fai knew this would be his only chance. The blonde walked through the halls to Kurogane's room. He slipped into the dark room and walked slowly over to the bed, where the large man lay on his back, eyes closed. He reached out a hand to gently touch his shoulder, to wake the dark haired man. But instead of touching his shoulder, he found his fingers drawn to the man's lips, and Fai touched them hesitantly... running his fingers softly across them ...

[Ruby Chan]

Kurogane lay still as he hard his door opening quietly, and instantly began to regulate his breathing, making it even in an attempt to appear sleeping. Apparently it worked, as the intruder slowly walked closer to him, his footsteps almost silent against the cold linoleum floor.

Sensing a hand coming to touch him on the shoulder, Kurogane continued to feign sleep, ready to leap up at this person as soon as they touched him....but instead froze as he felt fingers running softly across his lips, tracing the soft flesh of his lips. Regaining contol of his motor functions, Kurogane gave an angry roar, shoving the intruder away from him and leaping to the floor in a defensive position, prepared to fight.

And then he saw who it was.

"Doctor Flowright?! What the hell?!"

[Sakaki]

The blonde psychiatrist looked up, wide eyed and stunned from where he now sat upon the floor.

"Doctor Flowright?! What the hell?!"

Fai got up rather painfully, but smiling... ignoring Kurogane's shocked question. "Shhh... I'm here to take you outside," he whispered, grabbing the man’s shoes and thrusting them up at him. “Put these on...” Then grabbing Kurogane's hand, Fai pulled the startled man to the door, looked out, and proceeded to pull him quickly down the hallway and to a door. Punching in a code as fast as possible, not caring or considering the man might be watching... Fai hurried Kurogane outside and through the parking lot to the park.

The night was beautiful, warm... with a gentle breeze, and as Fai led Kurogane past the playground and into the woods, so they wouldn't be seen, he smiled up at the man's expression at being outside after so long, then pulling something out from his jacket, Fai lifted it up with a grin, “To celebrate your first night out!” he laughed, handing Kurogane the bottle of sake he’d brought him.

[Ruby Chan]

Kurogane stared in awe at his surroundings, unable to believe it. He was out...for the first time in year, he was finally able to breathe fresh air, to see the beautiful area up close, instead of far away, trapped in his room.....gazing at the small wood that Fai had brought him to, Kurogane shut his eyes, feeling a small smile creep onto his face as he felt a gentle breeze.

“To celebrate your first night out!”

Kurogane looked down as the bottle was thrust into his hands, before shrugging and passing it back with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.

"Sorry. I don't plan to waste this opportunity by fogging the experience with alcohol.....how did you manage to arrange this, Doctor?" He breathed.

[Sakaki]

Fai shrugged back at the man's refusal of the sake, and put it back in his jacket, still smiling.

"how did you manage to arrange this, Doctor?"

“Hmmm?” he asked, slightly startled by the question, “Oh, don’t worry about that, I got you out, that’s all that matters, ne?”  Fai looked around, then leaned against a large tree, staring over at the other man. “I’d say we have a few hours at least, before we have to get you back... before they notice you are gone,” he laughed.

[Ruby Chan]

Kurogane gave a loud bellow of laughter, grinning wolfishly at his doctor.

"So they don't know I'm out? You really are something, aren't you, Doc?" Getting a grip on himself, Kurogane mimicked Fai and leant against another tree, crossing his arms and staring right back.

"A few hours, huh? Any ideas of what to do? Because I'm not exactly up to date with what's around, am I?" He pointed out.

[Sakaki]

"So they don't know I'm out? You really are something, aren't you, Doc?"

Fai grinned back at the man, blue eyes widening slightly at the man’s sudden wolfish look. Then shrugging once again and taking the sake back out of his jacket to take a quick drink, he considered Kurogane’s question about what they should do.

“Hmm, I really hadn’t thought that far ahead,” Fai admitted, still grinning at the man who stood staring around at the scenery, as if not quite believing it was real. “Perhaps we could just take a walk through the woods this time?” he suggested, as he tucked a lock of blonde hair behind his ear. “We could plan something more for tomorrow night, if you wish to.”

[Ruby Chan]

Kurogane blinked in shock, his crimson eyes wide.

"Tomorrow night?! You'd actually take me out again?!" He gasped, unable to quite believe it. Another chance to get out of that cell....another chance to see all the things that I've missed so much......and a chance to....

His thoughts froze, and an expression of distaste spread across his face before quickly fading away as he got a grip on himself. A chnace to finally see Tomoyo's grave....

Suddenly suspicious of what the doctor was offering him, Kurogane's eyes narrowed, and he glared half-heartedly at Fai.

"So what's in it for you, huh? Because no one does anything for free. You must want something in return...." He challenged.

[Sakaki]

"So what's in it for you, huh? Because no one does anything for free. You must want something in return...."

Fai chewed his bottom lip softly, wondering how best to respond... seeing the man's suspicious expression, and knowing only honestly would work with Kurogane, feeling as if the dark-haired man could see right into him, through him... getting to what was hidden deep inside...

"I want to help you. I want be your friend...” Then pausing, tilting his blonde head slightly, Fai looked into the man’s crimson eyes directly, ”I want to experience your visions..." Then taking one last drink of the sake, and putting it back into his jacket, Fai began to walk along the wooded trail, motioning for Kurogane to follow.

[Ruby Chan]

"I want to help you. I want be your friend...”

Kurogane glared suspiciously at the doctor, not sure whether he could trsut those words. Sure, Fai had 'arranged' for him to get out of the institute as promised, but still.....Kurogane had a hard time trusting people - especially doctors who looked exactly like characters in his 'delusions'.

Watching as Fai began to walk along the trail, motioning for him to follow, Kurogane paused. He could run.....he could just make a break for it right now, and never have to go back to the institute again....

Until they found me and locked me away in a higher security cell, with some idiot of a doctor who'd just try to analyse me.....and they'd fire Doctor Flowright. Evn if he's annoying, he's been the only one who's really believed me so far.....I can't just do that to him.

Sighing, he began to follow after the blonde, wondering what exactly the other man had planned......

[Sakaki]

Fai started down the wooded trail, smiling as he noticed the large man behind him pause... and Fai knew what he was thinking... how this could be the perfect opportunity to run... but he only continued walking slowly, unconcerned, expecting that Kurogane would follow.

Soon they came to an open spot in the woods, where a fallen tree provided a spot to rest, and Fai walked over, sitting himself in a crosslegged position upon the the large tree trunk, then looking up to Kurogane with his blue eyes - the bright moon allowing him to see the expression in the man’s crimson eyes, still full of surprise to actually be outside.

Fai smiled over at the other man from where he sat, wondering just what Kurogane was thinking, wondering how much the dark-haired man was beginning to trust him... and just what thoughts had kept him from running... “Why don’t you sit down and rest a bit?” Fai asked, motioning to the spot next to him.

[Ruby Chan]

Kurogane paused, before grudgingly taking up Fai's offer and sitting next to him on the tree, although he made sure that he was still quite a distance away from the smiling blonde. Glancing back at his 'doctor', he sighed deeply, shutting his eyes against the sight of a moonlight-bathed Fai, refusing to admit to himself that against his will he was beginning to truly accept the other man.

"I wish....I wish that I could just stay here." He said carefully, a wistful tone making its way into his voice. "I wish....that I could have stayed free.....so that I could have protected her."

His voice caught on the last sentence, and he closed his eyes as if in pain, before opening them to stare sightlessly at the ground.

"Can...can we visit the church next time?"

[Sakaki]

Fai smiled as the man came to sit on the fallen tree, not as close as the blonde found he wanted, but near him nonetheless... then spoke...”I wish....I wish that I could just stay here.”  Fai looked thoughtfully at Kurogane... imagining how this man must have felt, how he felt still... helpless, locked away... something that would be spirit crushing to a man like this, a man that relied on strength and action.

"Can...can we visit the church next time?"

The blonde’s eyes gazed sadly back at Kurogane, trying to meet his crimson eyes... feeling all too well the waves of frustration and pain coming from the man next to him, remembering the details of the man’s past written down in his lengthy records.

“Of course,” Fai replied softly. “Tomorrow night I’ll take you wherever you want to go... I won’t let them keep you locked up again, I promise...”  Not knowing exactly how he’d keep this vow, but finding himself making more promises to this man he found so intriguing. And Fai reached a hand out, wanting to offer comfort... moving forward to lightly touch the other man's hand...when suddenly his blue eyes grew wide... drawn to something resting upon the grass... a single perfect white feather...

[Ruby Chan]

Following Fai's gaze to the floor, Kurogane stiffened as he saw the feather, feeling the now familiar sensation of being suddenly removed from the world, a veil falling between himself and what others would call 'reality'. Distantly feeling Fai lightly touch his hand, Kurogane could do nothing as a wave of colourful images assaulted him, each more powerful and and real than before.....like nothing he'd ever seen....

Feeling himself being swallowed up in the visions, Kurogane shuddered as he made one final attempt to stay grounded....but was quickly lost to his delusions...to the other world.....

"You're asking me to wield you? I get it. You like a good punch up too!"
"S-so that's your kudan? It's probably all show! Well, I've got the ultimate attack! Kane Kui-hodai!!"
"It doesn't matter how hard a shalle is, when you pull out a knife...lobsters and crabs all have weka points in the joints. Hama Ryu-ou-jin!!"


Trapped in another reality that felt so real to him, Kurogane was unaware of the battlecry he let out as he swept his arms down for an attack with what would have been a sword.....not realising that he had struck a blonde man instead of a 'kudan'......deaf to the cry of pain that followed as he pinned the other man flat against the bark of the fallen tree....

Unable to acknowledge that his violence was hurting the only one left who cared for him at all.....

[Sakaki]

Dazed from the strange sensation that flowed through him upon seeing that one pure white feather, Fai turned his gaze to Kurogane, watching the man’s expression slowly change as his eyes focused on what was laying in the grass. Then feeling the man’s consciousness begin to slip away through his slender fingers that rest lightly on Kurogane’s hand, Fai shivered...�  his blue eyes drifting slowly closed... as he was pulled with Kurogane to the other world...
_______________________________________ __________________
Once again finding himself looking through the eyes of another... hearing his own voice speaking to the young boy he saw before... “I think if you try to get involved, he’ll get really mad... Kuro-tan’s like that.”�  Kuro-tan?

And Fai’s heart jumped, seeing the dark-haired man in fighting stance, wielding a large sword... fighting some sort of magical creature... like something out of a fantasy tale. He wanted to call out... stop him from moving forward... being hurt, then quickly realized this powerful man knew exactly what he was doing as he let out a battle cry and moved forward... “Hama Ryu-ou-jin!!"
_______________________________________ __________________

Suddenly Fai was rushing back, crying out in pain as he was violently pulled from the vision... shoved down on the fallen tree, his head making contact hard. His blue eyes opening in shock to see Kurogane looming over him threateningly, crimson eyes blazing... lost to the other world.

Fai struggled against the man on top of him, his vision slightly blurred from the blow, and not knowing how long he could hold to consciousness, he quickly raised his hands, placing them against the man’s chest, feeling a pull as he took from him... pain, fear... giving his own warmth in return... trying to wake the man from the vision that held him in it’s grasp, as his own eyes closed against the pain and he weakly called out the man’s name,�  “Kurogane...”

[Ruby Chan]

"Kuro-muu.....Kuro-chan......Kurogane...."

Kurogane growled as he distantly heard the voice of that damn mage in his head, calling him the ridiculous nicknames that he insisted on using. Why was the blonde trying to break his concentration? He had to defeat the gang leader....but then, suddenly those nicknames twisted into his whole, proper name, and crimson eyes widened as the blur of action began to fade away, replaced with a warmth that seeped through him, stealing away his fear, his pain.....

Shuddering violently, Kurogane blinked as the haze of delusions faded away, finally allowing him to see clearly. Instantly, he registered that he was pinning someone to against the tree, pushing the figure into the rough bark....

"Dr. Flowright?!" He gasped, practically leaping off the doctor and scurrying backwards, instinctively moving into a defensive crouch that he had learnt in his younger days of studying karate. Eyes darting to the side, he wondered briefly whether he could manage to get far enough away from the Institute before they came looking for him, and whether his bank account had been drained since his status as 'Insane' had become official.

He'd refrained from running before because of Doctor Flowright's belief in him....but no one would believe in someone who'd just reacted like that....not anymore....Silently watching the still stunned blonde, he began to back away into the shadows of the trees, making no sound as he slowly became submerged in the darkness of the forest.....

[Sakaki]

Fai closed his eyes, hands pressed tight against the other man’s chest... trying to pull him back into this world before he himself left it once again. Then gasping... feeling Kurogane shudder violently against him and pull back as he called out his name in startled confusion, Fai felt the large man move quickly from on top of him, waking from the vision and releasing him.

Fai shook his head carefully, letting his hand move to the back of his head... his slender fingers coming shakily away after feeling a rather large knot on the back of his blonde head. And as his blue eyes began to clear, he slowly tried to sit up, glancing around... not seeing Kurogane, but noticing the movement of the leaves the man had obviously brushed against as he tried to get away, no doubt afraid of the consequences of the violence he had just inflicted on his own psychiatrist.

“It’s not your fault, Kurogane...” Fai called out, not knowing if the man was still within hearing distance, but hoping perhaps... “I brought you out here knowing full well what could happen.” Fai rose from the fallen tree trunk, holding the back of his head with one hand as his eyes slid shut for a moment against the pain. Then slowly walking forward, he instinctively followed the trail Kurogane had left, the broken twigs... slight prints in the grass. Fai moved quickly, following the almost invisible trail deeper into the woods, his blue eyes squinting in the near complete darkness as the trees blocked out the light of the moon. Then feeling rather dizzy again, he slowly moved to his knees to sit on the cool ground.

Sensing the man somewhere close, Fai spoke once more, “Kurogane... I’m the one to blame. If you run... and they find you, they will take you away... And it will be my fault... all because I needed to see.” Then softly, his blue eyes lowered to the ground and speaking somewhat desperately, he added, “I don’t want anything to happen to you...”

[Ruby Chan]

Trembling, Kurogane sat on the ground and leaned back against the tree trunk, hearing the pychiatrist's voice coming from directly behind him. Closing his eyes, he silently prayed that the blonde wouldn't see him here, that he would remain seated on the ground there before he left.....that he wouldn't move round to the other side of the tree.....

“Kurogane... I’m the one to blame. If you run... and they find you, they will take you away... And it will be my fault... all because I needed to see.”

Kurogane shuddered, unable to understand what the blonde doctor was saying. How could it be his fault? He hadn't been the one to push the person who'd temporarily released him into a tree. All Fai had done was to grant him one of his dearest wishes, and allowed him to feel alive again.....

"If you run... and they find you, they will take you away"

Would they? Maybe they wouldn't find him.....if his money was still there, he could skip the country, maybe hole himself up somewhere else, where the Institute would never find him.....But what if he snapped again? What if he got lost in his visions before he was able to find somehwere to hide? He could kill someone next time.....hell, he could have killed Fai this time.....

“I don’t want anything to happen to you...”

Kurogane gasped involuntary, hearing those last words. He froze, but when the blonde made no movement to investigate, he breathed again, sure that the doctor hadn't heard him. Twisting slightly, he glanced out from behind the tree, glad of the shadows that cloaked him. Like a ninja. He thought bitterly.

Watching the other man rub his head gingerly, obviously feeling rather dizzy and lightheaded, Kurogane felt worse than ever. And before he truly knew what he was doing, he was standing and moving out into the moonlight, slowly making his way towards the injured psychiatrist.

"No." He murmured quielty, dropping to his knees before the other man. "No. It's my fault and my fault alone." And with those words, he reached tentatively around to the back of Fai's head, carefully feeling for any serious injury....

[Sakaki]

Fai sat against the cool ground, looking off into the distance, wondering if Kurogane had fled deeper... and he rubbed his head softly, not knowing if he would even able to stand to find his way out of the woods alone if he had to, and not knowing if it was even worth the effort at this point. The thought of Kurogane not coming back almost enough to make the blonde consider giving up, to lie down on the ground unmoving, uncaring... his only hope of escaping his own desperate unhappiness so utterly gone... And he wondered to himself how he had become so attached to this man he barely knew, but knowing the reason didn’t matter... knowing that the fact was he did care... and perhaps more than that... thinking of how he had fallen asleep the night before, alone... the man’s serious crimson eyes following him into his dreams...

Fai sat, still... his breathing soft in the quiet night, trying to decide if he should call out one more time, when suddenly he heard the sound of movement, coming closer... as Kurogane walked slowly towards where he sat upon the ground. And the dark-haired man kneeled down, "No. It's my fault and my fault alone." speaking softly as he reached a strong hand out to gently touch the back of Fai's head.

Fai’s eyes widened at the touch, feeling the strength and kindness in the man's large hand, and not aware of his own movement, he leaned in towards Kurogane, his slender body pulled towards the other man as his blue eyes closed with the gentle touch of his hand... “Thank you for coming back...” he whispered.

[Ruby Chan]

“Thank you for coming back...”

Kurogane shrugged at the thanks, focusing on feeling around the large bump he could feel forming on the doctor's head. Sighing, he got to his feet and grabbed a pale hand, yanking Fai upright. Seeing the blonde sway, he quickly pulled him to his chest, holding him securely so that he wouldn't fall.

"Whatever, Dr. Flowright. But I guess I'd better be heading back, right? Time to be locked away again. Do you think you'll be able to manage the walk back?" He asked, his voice sounding somewhat husky to his own ears, for reasons unknown to him. All he knew was that he somehow knew that Fai would never tell anyone about this night - not because of his own job, but because he wouldn't want Kurogane to get in trouble. And for some reason.....Kurogane found himself trusting this lithe blonde man.

"Well? Or do you need to be carried?" He prodded.