AU Fic: Roommates
Mar. 31st, 2012 04:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cloversworldRoommates
written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
au_bingo, prompt: Alt. History: Historical moment changed
fandom: no. 6; pairing: nezumi/ sion; rating: pg; approximately 2,130 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written for non-profitable purpose. I do not own the characters used in this story. No. 6 and its characters are owned by the original creator, Atsuko Asano, its publisher Kodansha and the anime adaptation rights remain with Bones.
A/N: Not beta'ed, written in 2 hours and an explanation is in order…
1) The historical moment changed in this fiction is that the Babylon Treaty never happened, therefore, No. 6 city doesn't exist. It was narrated by Sion in the anime that No. 6 was created because of The Babylon Treaty, saying that 'in the last great war, most of the habitable areas were lost and humankind banned military power outright. The six remaining states formed city-states in six regions. No. 6 is one of those.'
2) Sion is still considered an 'elite' or in my interpretation, academically gifted and the 'Special Track' is interpreted in this fiction as 'college'. The change likewise affects the way Sion and Nezumi met.
3) I may have started with this pairing writing Sion as 'Shion' but I just recently discovered in a manga volume that the Japanese Kanji really should have been translated as 'Sion.'
My AU Bingo card
The sun burned brightly above him. If it weren't for the cool breeze that caressed his skin, Sion was certain he would be covered in sweat.
The dormitory building wasn't what Sion had expected. It didn't have the usual modern feel like his old school did. With its old stone walls and arched windows, it looked similar to Romanesque architecture that Sion had only seen in the internet. He climbed up the steps leading to the main entrance, careful not to let his eyes wander lest he'd want to trip on his own foot. A box filled with random items sat in his arms. He was just done registering and on his way up to his room with his mom.
"This looks nice," his mom, Karan, said when they stepped out of the lift. The hallway was filled with teenagers who looked older than he was and some parents who, like his mom, were probably there to see their kids settle.
Karan found his room first. No one was around but there were a few boxes piled on one side of the room, sheets on one of the beds, books stacked on the study desk and clothes in the slightly open cabinet. His roommate was here. Whoever it was, at least he didn't seem like a complete slob. His things might not be arranged systematically, but at least he kept his space considerably in order.
"I wonder what you're roommate is like," Karan said, pushing Sion's rolling luggage to the corner. Sion placed the box on the empty desk. The room wasn't that large, just enough to house two people.
It took two trips back to his mom's car to get all of Sion's things. His mom helped unpack most of his clothes. The rest would have to wait.
When his mom said, "I have to get going. It's a long drive back home," a wave of loneliness engulfed Sion, suddenly realizing that he was on his own.
Trying, but failing, not to let emotions overwhelm him, Sion threw his arms around his mom. "I'll miss you, mom."
"Take good care of yourself, okay? Call me if you need anything."
When his mom finally left, Sion never felt so alone in his life. Not wanting to dwell in his sorrows, he finished unpacking, leaving some of his personal things in the boxes for the next day.
Hours passed and his roommate wasn't back yet. School hadn't officially started and he hadn't heard any activity going on in the university, so he didn't have any idea where the person could have gone. Maybe he was out exploring the city. Sion made a mental note to do just that, thinking that he should start early in the morning.
Curiosity got the best of him so Sion wandered over to his roommate's side, peering through the books scattered on the desk. It seemed his roommate loved to read classic literature. He was so amazed by the feeling of old paper against his fingers. There weren't too many printed books around anymore. Most people used electronic readers.
He was so caught up reading through a page that Sion hadn't noticed the door open. Sion only lifted his head when he heard the faint sound of the door closing. Before he could register the features of the young man who had entered, Sion was pushed against the wall with the young man's hand locked around his throat.
"Who are you," the stranger said. Sion felt like he was falling into the depths of the young man's gray eyes. "Who are you?" he repeated.
That was how Sion met Nezumi.
*
College wasn't all that bad. The other students didn't taunt Sion as he feared. Being gifted and starting out at the university at a young age – well, younger than the usual – wasn't weird after all.
"You mean to say you still went through college preparatory before coming here?" Nezumi asked without taking his eyes off his book. He had his back against the headboard, knees folded, long bluish hair falling over his shoulders.
"Yeah. Since I was twelve." Sion hoped he didn't sound like he was bragging because it was something he never really bragged about.
The sound of Nezumi whistling made Sion hold his breath, waiting for the mockery, for Nezumi to start making fun of him. But none came. All Nezumi said was "impressive." Then Nezumi fell into another pool of silence, lost in whatever it was he was reading.
Sion had gotten used to Nezumi by now, knowing that his roommate was inclined to slip into his own world at times. That was something he and Sion had in common. Maybe that was the reason why they hadn't tried to strangle each other for months now.
*
"What do you think could have happed if the Babylon Treaty happened? What would our world be like?" Professor Rikiga asked. Murmurs rippled across the room. The History professor's eyes swept among the baffled faces, landing on… "Sion."
He wasn't prepared for that, not when his mind was lingering elsewhere. But Sion only needed a moment to collect his thoughts then he cleared his throat. "A nuclear war would have broken out and it would have wiped out at least seventy percent of this planet. People and other living creatures would have died, leaving only a handful of survivors, maybe a little more." He suppressed the urge to blurt out his knowledge about individuals who were given the privilege to seek shelter in protected areas. Individuals like him. That knowledge was for him to keep a secret. Besides, the treaty never happened, the world was safe. For now.
"Very insightful," the Professor said and the rest of his words faded in Sion's ears.
*
Sion stood on top of the hillock where he could see the beach that was less than a mile behind the university. It was a breathtaking view. But Sion was too lost in his thoughts to appreciate the beauty.
"Amazing, isn't it," someone behind Sion said. Sion didn't need to turn around to know it was Nezumi. He knew his roommate's voice by now. "Don't you just love the serenity of the ocean? Like it doesn't hold any threat, making the world around you look seemingly peaceful."
Nezumi, as usual, spoke in riddles. Sometimes he'd be so profound but sometimes he didn't make sense at all. Sion couldn't tell which one it was at that moment. He just stared up at Nezumi, entranced at the way Nezumi's hair flowed with the gust of the wind, the way his lips would twitch when deep in thought, the way his eyes seemed to hold so many secrets.
They had known each other for four months now and Nezumi hardly ever shared anything about his life. All Sion had learned was that Nezumi was under a college scholarship, studying Arts and Theater. It was during one of their casual conversations when Sion was able to gather that Nezumi had no brother or sister and his family lived in the farm lands up North. Anything else remained a mystery.
"What?" Nezumi's voice broke through Sion's rumination and Sion realized he'd been staring. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks and rapidly crawled to the tip of his ears. A smile took shape on Nezumi's lips. "Hey, you want to hang out? Maybe we could grab some burgers."
The offer left Sion flabbergasted. Nezumi often liked to keep to himself, so Sion never expected Nezumi would invite him to… what's the word?… 'hang out'.
*
Things have gotten easier between Sion and Nezumi. They had evolved from one-sentence conversations to endless discussions about Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and other classics they had both read.
Nezumi often lent Sion his books and Sion would get lost in the story once he started reading. He caught Nezumi watching him with the corners of his mouth curled on more than one occasion and whenever Sion would ask why Nezumi was smiling, Nezumi would just shake his head and say, "You're weird."
One night, Sion couldn't sleep. He just spoke to his best friend, Safu, who had told him about the boy she met at her own college. It had been a while since they last spoke and it was only now Sion realized how much he had missed her.
Nezumi wasn't in his bed and Sion presumed he was taking a shower. He often took a bath when everyone else in their floor had retired to their rooms. Sion would often fall asleep waiting for Nezumi to return, but not tonight.
The lights were out by the time Nezumi slipped inside, save for the wall lamp spilling yellow on Nezumi's side of the room. Sion didn't move, still struggling to fall into the first layers of slumber.
When Sion cracked his eyes open, he saw Nezumi with his back turned, drying his hair, the faint light touching the curve of Nezumi's spine. Then Sion saw it – the scars that ran down Nezumi's back.
"Nezumi, what's that?" poured out of Sion's lips before he could stop the words.
Nezumi spun around, his face masked with the look of shock at first then was quickly replaced by fury. "Sion!" he hissed. "Why the hell are you still awake?"
Normally, Sion would flinch upon hearing Nezumi's sharp tone but he was torn between curiosity and worry that he ignored Nezumi's reaction and asked, "Why do you have scars on your back?"
"None of your business," Nezumi spat and when Sion parted his lips to ask again, Nezumi grabbed his shirt and left the room.
*
Sion didn't know what time it was. He jerked awake when he felt his bed dip, his eyes sprang open. The room was still cloaked in darkness. He could make out the shape of Nezumi sitting on the edge of Sion's bed.
"There was a fire," Nezumi started, the sound of his breathing piercing through the tranquil air. "There was a wildfire in the forest and it reached our farm only seconds after it started. My parents were desperately trying to keep the flames from reaching the barn but…" The pause seemed to stretch longer and Sion wondered if Nezumi might have fallen asleep. But then Nezumi's head moved, his shoulders dropping. "My parents died that night. That was almost two years ago. I've been living with my aunt since."
There wasn't any need to ask what happened to Nezumi. The scars on Nezumi's back were enough to tell the rest of the story.
Sion sat up and reached out to curl his hand around Nezumi's arm. He couldn't seem to find the appropriate words. The only thing he could come up with was "I'm sorry."
Nezumi's head fell on Sion's shoulder. Sion felt the warm tears against the thin fabric of his night shirt before he even felt Nezumi's body quiver then he heard the heartrending sound of Nezumi's sobs.
*
Hamlet was the last play for the school year and the Theater students were encouraged to invite family and friends. At least that was what Nezumi claimed when he asked Sion if he could spare some time to watch.
Little did Nezumi know that Sion had been secretly watching all his plays these past months. Sion never dared mention it to Nezumi though, thinking that the reason why Nezumi didn't want Sion to see him on stage was because Nezumi often played a woman's part. It didn't really matter. Nezumi was an excellent actor.
This time though, Nezumi played a male role. The way he said his lines sent shivers through Sion's body, his words a warm caress against Sion's skin.
"What do you think?" Nezumi asked when they were walking back to their dormitory.
"It was okay," Sion uttered, not really meaning to sound nonchalant but he was so swept away by Nezumi's performance that it felt like half of his consciousness was left sitting in the amphitheater.
"Just okay?" Nezumi didn't sound offended, his tone teasing.
Sion shook his head, reeling in his thoughts and did his best to sound coherent when he said, "It was more than okay. I'm actually speechless. You were incredible. It felt like the story was unfolding, happening right before my eyes that it left my heart pounding. Here…" He grabbed Nezumi's hand, stopping them both on their tracks, then pressed Nezumi's palm against his chest. "Can you feel it?"
A smile stretched across Nezumi's face. "Yes. I can feel it," Nezumi said, almost in a whisper, then his lips were on Sion's – a light brush, a chaste kiss. He turned around and started to make his way down the slope that lead to their building, leaving Sion dumbfounded with the tips of his fingers touching the edge of his lower lip.
~fin~
written for
au_bingo, prompt: Alt. History: Historical moment changed fandom: no. 6; pairing: nezumi/ sion; rating: pg; approximately 2,130 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written for non-profitable purpose. I do not own the characters used in this story. No. 6 and its characters are owned by the original creator, Atsuko Asano, its publisher Kodansha and the anime adaptation rights remain with Bones.
A/N: Not beta'ed, written in 2 hours and an explanation is in order…
1) The historical moment changed in this fiction is that the Babylon Treaty never happened, therefore, No. 6 city doesn't exist. It was narrated by Sion in the anime that No. 6 was created because of The Babylon Treaty, saying that 'in the last great war, most of the habitable areas were lost and humankind banned military power outright. The six remaining states formed city-states in six regions. No. 6 is one of those.'
2) Sion is still considered an 'elite' or in my interpretation, academically gifted and the 'Special Track' is interpreted in this fiction as 'college'. The change likewise affects the way Sion and Nezumi met.
3) I may have started with this pairing writing Sion as 'Shion' but I just recently discovered in a manga volume that the Japanese Kanji really should have been translated as 'Sion.'
My AU Bingo card
The sun burned brightly above him. If it weren't for the cool breeze that caressed his skin, Sion was certain he would be covered in sweat.
The dormitory building wasn't what Sion had expected. It didn't have the usual modern feel like his old school did. With its old stone walls and arched windows, it looked similar to Romanesque architecture that Sion had only seen in the internet. He climbed up the steps leading to the main entrance, careful not to let his eyes wander lest he'd want to trip on his own foot. A box filled with random items sat in his arms. He was just done registering and on his way up to his room with his mom.
"This looks nice," his mom, Karan, said when they stepped out of the lift. The hallway was filled with teenagers who looked older than he was and some parents who, like his mom, were probably there to see their kids settle.
Karan found his room first. No one was around but there were a few boxes piled on one side of the room, sheets on one of the beds, books stacked on the study desk and clothes in the slightly open cabinet. His roommate was here. Whoever it was, at least he didn't seem like a complete slob. His things might not be arranged systematically, but at least he kept his space considerably in order.
"I wonder what you're roommate is like," Karan said, pushing Sion's rolling luggage to the corner. Sion placed the box on the empty desk. The room wasn't that large, just enough to house two people.
It took two trips back to his mom's car to get all of Sion's things. His mom helped unpack most of his clothes. The rest would have to wait.
When his mom said, "I have to get going. It's a long drive back home," a wave of loneliness engulfed Sion, suddenly realizing that he was on his own.
Trying, but failing, not to let emotions overwhelm him, Sion threw his arms around his mom. "I'll miss you, mom."
"Take good care of yourself, okay? Call me if you need anything."
When his mom finally left, Sion never felt so alone in his life. Not wanting to dwell in his sorrows, he finished unpacking, leaving some of his personal things in the boxes for the next day.
Hours passed and his roommate wasn't back yet. School hadn't officially started and he hadn't heard any activity going on in the university, so he didn't have any idea where the person could have gone. Maybe he was out exploring the city. Sion made a mental note to do just that, thinking that he should start early in the morning.
Curiosity got the best of him so Sion wandered over to his roommate's side, peering through the books scattered on the desk. It seemed his roommate loved to read classic literature. He was so amazed by the feeling of old paper against his fingers. There weren't too many printed books around anymore. Most people used electronic readers.
He was so caught up reading through a page that Sion hadn't noticed the door open. Sion only lifted his head when he heard the faint sound of the door closing. Before he could register the features of the young man who had entered, Sion was pushed against the wall with the young man's hand locked around his throat.
"Who are you," the stranger said. Sion felt like he was falling into the depths of the young man's gray eyes. "Who are you?" he repeated.
That was how Sion met Nezumi.
*
College wasn't all that bad. The other students didn't taunt Sion as he feared. Being gifted and starting out at the university at a young age – well, younger than the usual – wasn't weird after all.
"You mean to say you still went through college preparatory before coming here?" Nezumi asked without taking his eyes off his book. He had his back against the headboard, knees folded, long bluish hair falling over his shoulders.
"Yeah. Since I was twelve." Sion hoped he didn't sound like he was bragging because it was something he never really bragged about.
The sound of Nezumi whistling made Sion hold his breath, waiting for the mockery, for Nezumi to start making fun of him. But none came. All Nezumi said was "impressive." Then Nezumi fell into another pool of silence, lost in whatever it was he was reading.
Sion had gotten used to Nezumi by now, knowing that his roommate was inclined to slip into his own world at times. That was something he and Sion had in common. Maybe that was the reason why they hadn't tried to strangle each other for months now.
*
"What do you think could have happed if the Babylon Treaty happened? What would our world be like?" Professor Rikiga asked. Murmurs rippled across the room. The History professor's eyes swept among the baffled faces, landing on… "Sion."
He wasn't prepared for that, not when his mind was lingering elsewhere. But Sion only needed a moment to collect his thoughts then he cleared his throat. "A nuclear war would have broken out and it would have wiped out at least seventy percent of this planet. People and other living creatures would have died, leaving only a handful of survivors, maybe a little more." He suppressed the urge to blurt out his knowledge about individuals who were given the privilege to seek shelter in protected areas. Individuals like him. That knowledge was for him to keep a secret. Besides, the treaty never happened, the world was safe. For now.
"Very insightful," the Professor said and the rest of his words faded in Sion's ears.
*
Sion stood on top of the hillock where he could see the beach that was less than a mile behind the university. It was a breathtaking view. But Sion was too lost in his thoughts to appreciate the beauty.
"Amazing, isn't it," someone behind Sion said. Sion didn't need to turn around to know it was Nezumi. He knew his roommate's voice by now. "Don't you just love the serenity of the ocean? Like it doesn't hold any threat, making the world around you look seemingly peaceful."
Nezumi, as usual, spoke in riddles. Sometimes he'd be so profound but sometimes he didn't make sense at all. Sion couldn't tell which one it was at that moment. He just stared up at Nezumi, entranced at the way Nezumi's hair flowed with the gust of the wind, the way his lips would twitch when deep in thought, the way his eyes seemed to hold so many secrets.
They had known each other for four months now and Nezumi hardly ever shared anything about his life. All Sion had learned was that Nezumi was under a college scholarship, studying Arts and Theater. It was during one of their casual conversations when Sion was able to gather that Nezumi had no brother or sister and his family lived in the farm lands up North. Anything else remained a mystery.
"What?" Nezumi's voice broke through Sion's rumination and Sion realized he'd been staring. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks and rapidly crawled to the tip of his ears. A smile took shape on Nezumi's lips. "Hey, you want to hang out? Maybe we could grab some burgers."
The offer left Sion flabbergasted. Nezumi often liked to keep to himself, so Sion never expected Nezumi would invite him to… what's the word?… 'hang out'.
*
Things have gotten easier between Sion and Nezumi. They had evolved from one-sentence conversations to endless discussions about Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and other classics they had both read.
Nezumi often lent Sion his books and Sion would get lost in the story once he started reading. He caught Nezumi watching him with the corners of his mouth curled on more than one occasion and whenever Sion would ask why Nezumi was smiling, Nezumi would just shake his head and say, "You're weird."
One night, Sion couldn't sleep. He just spoke to his best friend, Safu, who had told him about the boy she met at her own college. It had been a while since they last spoke and it was only now Sion realized how much he had missed her.
Nezumi wasn't in his bed and Sion presumed he was taking a shower. He often took a bath when everyone else in their floor had retired to their rooms. Sion would often fall asleep waiting for Nezumi to return, but not tonight.
The lights were out by the time Nezumi slipped inside, save for the wall lamp spilling yellow on Nezumi's side of the room. Sion didn't move, still struggling to fall into the first layers of slumber.
When Sion cracked his eyes open, he saw Nezumi with his back turned, drying his hair, the faint light touching the curve of Nezumi's spine. Then Sion saw it – the scars that ran down Nezumi's back.
"Nezumi, what's that?" poured out of Sion's lips before he could stop the words.
Nezumi spun around, his face masked with the look of shock at first then was quickly replaced by fury. "Sion!" he hissed. "Why the hell are you still awake?"
Normally, Sion would flinch upon hearing Nezumi's sharp tone but he was torn between curiosity and worry that he ignored Nezumi's reaction and asked, "Why do you have scars on your back?"
"None of your business," Nezumi spat and when Sion parted his lips to ask again, Nezumi grabbed his shirt and left the room.
*
Sion didn't know what time it was. He jerked awake when he felt his bed dip, his eyes sprang open. The room was still cloaked in darkness. He could make out the shape of Nezumi sitting on the edge of Sion's bed.
"There was a fire," Nezumi started, the sound of his breathing piercing through the tranquil air. "There was a wildfire in the forest and it reached our farm only seconds after it started. My parents were desperately trying to keep the flames from reaching the barn but…" The pause seemed to stretch longer and Sion wondered if Nezumi might have fallen asleep. But then Nezumi's head moved, his shoulders dropping. "My parents died that night. That was almost two years ago. I've been living with my aunt since."
There wasn't any need to ask what happened to Nezumi. The scars on Nezumi's back were enough to tell the rest of the story.
Sion sat up and reached out to curl his hand around Nezumi's arm. He couldn't seem to find the appropriate words. The only thing he could come up with was "I'm sorry."
Nezumi's head fell on Sion's shoulder. Sion felt the warm tears against the thin fabric of his night shirt before he even felt Nezumi's body quiver then he heard the heartrending sound of Nezumi's sobs.
*
Hamlet was the last play for the school year and the Theater students were encouraged to invite family and friends. At least that was what Nezumi claimed when he asked Sion if he could spare some time to watch.
Little did Nezumi know that Sion had been secretly watching all his plays these past months. Sion never dared mention it to Nezumi though, thinking that the reason why Nezumi didn't want Sion to see him on stage was because Nezumi often played a woman's part. It didn't really matter. Nezumi was an excellent actor.
This time though, Nezumi played a male role. The way he said his lines sent shivers through Sion's body, his words a warm caress against Sion's skin.
"What do you think?" Nezumi asked when they were walking back to their dormitory.
"It was okay," Sion uttered, not really meaning to sound nonchalant but he was so swept away by Nezumi's performance that it felt like half of his consciousness was left sitting in the amphitheater.
"Just okay?" Nezumi didn't sound offended, his tone teasing.
Sion shook his head, reeling in his thoughts and did his best to sound coherent when he said, "It was more than okay. I'm actually speechless. You were incredible. It felt like the story was unfolding, happening right before my eyes that it left my heart pounding. Here…" He grabbed Nezumi's hand, stopping them both on their tracks, then pressed Nezumi's palm against his chest. "Can you feel it?"
A smile stretched across Nezumi's face. "Yes. I can feel it," Nezumi said, almost in a whisper, then his lips were on Sion's – a light brush, a chaste kiss. He turned around and started to make his way down the slope that lead to their building, leaving Sion dumbfounded with the tips of his fingers touching the edge of his lower lip.
~fin~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-04-05 08:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-28 09:44 pm (UTC)