Dice

spoilers: none
characters: Taikoubou, Fugen
chapters: 1/1
retrieved from: Bunnyhat

Dice

by: nadeshiko

summary: an innocent game of dice that reveals all, but matters that could never be. [angsty boufu dedicated to my dear aka-chan]

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The room was quiet, as it was everyday. It's been quiet for quite a while.

He wasn't quite use to it. No, to tell the truth... he wasn't use to it at all. There use to be someone in this room, that use to hold him and talk to him. Green eyes... was it green eyes? Yes... it was. Sparkling green eyes that held mischief. And his heart.

They would talk about many things. Anything at all, random non-sensical things. But no matter how silly it sounded, he would make it sound completely logical. He was clever that way. And the listener would understand every word the speaker said, no matter for foolish they were. He was clever that way.

And they would play a game of dice sometimes.

Of course, the one with green eyes always cheated- it was a given. But he would never reveal it, because he was so pretty and perfect when he was weaving a little white lie. How his hands were always gesturing in some humorous way, and he the listener would be caught within one of his tales.

He rolled the dice, and it landed on a three.

Yes, they've known each other for thirty years now- close, intimate friends that held each other's life in their hands. One false move could shatter the delicate strands holding them together, but those threads were stronger than it looked. Just like how his hands look oh-so fragile but could tightly grasp the other's in his own.

His turn to roll the dice now, and he lightly threw them, landing it on a ten.

Ahh... it was page ten that was about the ley lines they we're discussing such a long time ago. They were sitted close together, their shoulders touching, huddling close togther. The book was ancient- just like themselves, but the one with green eyes would never admit that. The book was on ley lines- imaginary lines that connected person to person, and places to places. He wondered if ley lines were real.

Because the ley line between them just pulled them a little closer, lips shyly brushing one another's.

Another roll, and the dice landed on a eight.

It was his birthday- his 80th birthday to be exact. He had been so happy when the peach cake was shown to him- although he couldn't possibley find a way to hold eighty candles on it. Those green eyes sparkled with something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Happiness? Hesitance? It didn't matter.

It was his turn again. The dice slipped from his fingers, and landed on a twelve.

He had been picked to become one of the Juunisen, the leader. The truth was, he didn't care much about that promotion, I suppose you can call it. But he was happy, because the one with green eyes hugged him and congratulated him with a kiss on the cheek. Such an innocent kiss, like one to a family member. But he was satisfied, and then they played another game of dice.

He brandished one his trademark grins, and rolled the dice. Four.

They hadn't seen each other for four years now. The days seemed slower than normal, and the nights seemed colder. The wait for him to come back seemed longer. But he waited. Sometimes, he would go look through their old stuff. Just to see if he still remembered who he was.

The dice fell out from the bag, and he picked it up, dropping it again. Nine.

It would've been his 89th birthday today. And it had been five years... and still no reply. He was beginning to wish that old age would come and take him. But of course, they would never grow old an die. Besides, the others needed them. And so, he continued to smile and go on.

But he hadn't touch the dice in a long time.

For a while, no one mentioned it. And everthing was just there. No movement, no change.

And it was quiet, because the one with green eyes wasn't there to spin those pretty white lies any more.

-owari-
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