The Most God Damn Loveliest Melody
Original



Warning: Contains some bloody themes and angst

The beautiful melody echoed off the castle walls—somehow exacerbating its melancholic sound to all its sleeping occupants. The sound was pure, gentle, too sad for words, but holding such a strong sense of sorrow that it only accentuated its tireless echo.

Yami continued to play the piano in silence. His body rocking slowly forward with each pressing note that called for a more dramatic flutter of his delicate fingers. The keys dripped with blood, his wrists and arms laced with deep wounds that left his pale skin streaming with crimson. His expression was touched with the utmost melancholy. So profound, it was, that even the storm that had previously howled unwholesomely outside had come to a respectful stillness to watch in a hushed silence the half-demons final hours.

A tearful anguished sob broke the quiet mournful song, “Yami, please open the door!” Kaelin sobbed, beating his bruising fists against the magically sealed door. He was only a monk, an Elf, yes, but he had never bothered to learn any sort of magic that could harm another. His life ruled with a principality of tranquility, and peace. Magic was not something he had thought himself indebted to. Now though, in this moment of sheer panic and horror, the Monk was frightfully aware of how a simple articulated word could banish this terrible barrier between himself and the half-demon. “Please, Yami! Please don’t do this!”

Yami’s eyes only saddened further at the sound of his lovers’ voice. He felt his sorrow pulling at his heartstrings and he could only close his crimson orbs from the pain and concentrate instead on his last melody of existence. The melody now took a more precarious, anguished beat, louder, faster—drowning out the Monks heartbroken sobs.

~*~

Kaelin pulled himself to his feet, sprinting down the hall as fast as his shaking body would allow. He ignored the burning in his chest, the painful searing of his heart, and the blinding tears. He sobbed as he ran, confused, hurt and disoriented, but fueled with the fearful revelation of Yami’s selfish act.

The Monk saw his brother-in-laws door and he almost laughed with relief. As he came to it, he felt his legs collapsing and with a desperate lurch he threw himself into the door, beating against it as he slammed into it and fell to his knees. “Ankei!” The monk cried, “Ankei, please, open the door!”

The Monk didn’t have to wait long. In only a few seconds the door came flying opened, Ankei standing in his nightgown, eyes wide, an expression of worry and confusion etched in his fine features. “K-Kaelin?” he asked, looking down at the Monk, his crystal blue eyes wide, “What’s wrong?”

“Yami!” the Monk sobbed, “He’s killing himself!”

Ankei stopped mid-way between reaching out to help the Monk up, his eyes widening further, his heart dropping. He felt himself turning cold with fear, then for seemingly the first time, he could hear a lovely melody echoing softly off the walls, reaching him and gently imprinting its sadness into his conscience.

Ankei started, reaching down to grab Kaelin’s arms and helping the Monk to his feet. He shook the Monk who was trembling so bad that his legs gave several times until he could right himself. “Where is he?”

“His room. He sealed the door…” The blonde Elf shook his head forcefully, “Ankei, please, help him!”

The melody seemed to stutter, breaking its flawless song with a few off keys that sounded painfully in their ears. The two stared at each other, horrified that they were already too late to help the half-demon.

~*~

Yami’s fingers slipped lazily across the bloodied keys, smearing its crimson allure like paint on a canvas. Yami blinked away the darkness, continuing to play with more vigor, annoyed that this cumbersome blood dared to defy his song.

A soft sigh escaped his lips, and he fell back into the calm rhythmic rocking.

Oh, it would be so wonderful. He imagined. Closing his eyes and seeing the legendary white light of death beckoning him with opened arms. He sighed again, smiling, his fingers dancing elegantly cross the bloodied piano keys.

The door suddenly exploded into a shower of splinters… Yami had made the destruction of the door the only possibility for entrance, something he knew Kaelin incapable of. The half-demon, turned his dulling gaze to stare at his brother and his lover, who were both, predictably, running to him with expressions of hurt, anger, and worry.

Yami sighed, his fingers slipping away from the piano and his eyes closed, a finality of his life coming to a close. He slipped slowly off the stool, backwards and into the awaiting arms of his older brother who caught him and cradled him against his chest gently.

Ankei pulled the half-demon the rest of the way off the piano bench and laid him on the ground, running his fingertips across his siblings white cheeks. Kaelin pressed his trembling hands to Yami’s more grievous looking wounds and used his innate healing abilities to; at least, bring the profuse bleeding to a stop.

When Kaelin had done all he could, the Monk sat back, his childish face streaked with tears. He shook his head, unable to speak, to even voice his distress. Ankei stared silently down at the stark whiteness of his brothers’ skin… Afraid to even check for a pulse… He stared hard, wondering if he was even engaging in respiration.

To his relief, he could see the shallow rise and fall of each of the half-demons slumbering breaths. The blonde half-elf shook his head softly.

He wondered why Yami had even tried… They both knew that someone, somewhere, most likely, would have brought an attempted suicide to a close and nurse the fallen one back to health… They both knew, but even so, Yami had tried. Was his sadness this evident that death itself was something he would take a chance at? Ankei sighed sadly, lifting the tiny form of his brother into his arms and starting the long, lament walk back to his own room. Kaelin followed closely, his violet eyes staring hard at the ground as they walked, enveloped in his own thoughts.

Ankei sighed… Yami would have a lot of explaining to do.


~*~

Yami felt finger nails trailing up and down his hand, and his eyes twitched as he forced them opened. He turned his head slightly, staring at Kaelin who rested the side of his face against one arm as he half-laid on the bed, his eyes closed peacefully, his hand automatically stroking his lovers’ lovingly…

Yami’s body twitched again, and this time Kaelin seemed to notice that the other was awakening. The Monk sat up slowly, blinking his hazy violet eyes, clearing them of the tiredness that he had acquired due to his deprivation of sleep.

“Yami?” The monk said in his soft sweet voice. Yami sat up, the blonde Elf sitting up simultaneously with him. Yami’s eyes drifted to his bandaged arms then back to meet Kaelin’s accusing stare. “Are you…feeling all right?”

“Yes…” The half-demon replied quietly.

Of course he wasn’t expecting the acute, hard, meaningful slap across the face. Yami’s head snapped to one side, his eyes going wide. He reached up, sincerely surprised, to touch the burning spot on his face and turned to look at Kaelin. The monks head was lowered and his bangs covered his presumably angered face with its golden locks.

“I’m sorry for that.” Kaelin replied automatically. He began to tremble, and he reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes. “Why did you do that, Yami?” He asked.

“I’m…sorry.” Yami replied after a few moments of silence. Kaelin sniffed quietly, wiping his eyes forcefully, silently listening. Yami’s fingers found the others chin and he gently lifted it up so the Monk would look him in the eyes. The blonde struggled against the other for a moment, but his submissive side gave in and he allowed his eyes to be raised. “I really am, love…”

“Why, though?” Kaelin asked softly. He climbed up into the bed, snuggling up against the half-demon, resting his face against Yami’s neck, clutching at the others shirt tightly as if fearing the half-demon would disappear suddenly.

“I… don’t know…” the other replied at length. Kaelin raised his head up, to stare intently at his lovers face. Yami shook his head, refusing to look into those hurt eyes. “I’m…sorry.”

Kaelin buried his face back into the Princes’ neck, afraid to speak his mind, afraid to tell Yami how much he had truly hurt him. In a matter of time, when everything could be talked about like a distant, mournful dream, he would tell him.

In the meantime, though, the Monk hugged the other man closer, kissing Yami’s neck softly, he would have to comfort his lover as best he could.

[Ramirez]



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