fic: In The Nick of Time
Jan. 16th, 2023 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bonnefoisTitle: In The Nick of Time
Series: Death Mark
Character/pairing: Yashiki/Mashita
Rating: PG-13 at most
Word count: 1,360
Summary: Mashita rushes to figure out what happened to Yashiki, while investigating the Masquerade.
Author's note: This takes place at the very end of the Little Red Riding Hood case. Right before THAT cg. You know the one.
My brain went "Hmm, I wonder how Mashita got up to the secret deluxe suite in time?" and went from there.
The title comes from the name of that very CG. Spoilers abound, naturally.
Fucking hell. That fucking dumbass. The minute Mashita arrived back and saw the street empty, he knew. He fucking knew.
Yashiki had gone in alone, with a spirit so dangerous that she'd put three of the former mark bearers in the hospital. In critical fucking condition, no less.
Mashita used to be on the force, for what it was worth. He knew to fucking wait for back up. Yashiki, however, didn't follow that rule. Didn't fucking listen.
Mashita gritted his teeth, and rushed inside. His heartbeat was so quick, his head was pounding with stress, anger, and worry all boiling up inside him.
The stairs were no good. He remembered how Yashiki had already found that out. The elevator was the only way.
Mashita pushed the button to open up the elevator.
The elevator came down. A long ways down. It had to be on the top floor.
They hadn't figured out a way up the to deluxe suite. But Yashiki must've. And he hadn't left a sign on what clue led to there. Mashita cursed under his breath. He didn't fucking have time for this. Yashiki hadn't even left him a clue, or a note. He'd just barged in alone.
Like a complete dumbass.
If he'd had more tools with him, he could've dusted the keys for prints. He could've searched for some kind of clue. Maybe brute forced it and figured out a way. Now he stood in front of those keys, his fingers shaking with a mix of fear and rage.
Yashiki was alone with this spirit who had almost killed three of the former mark bearers.
The air felt strangely heavy in the elevator. It was filled with giant spider webs, now. Mashita took a sharp breath through his nose when he heard the voice.
At his right side, a soft and deep voice. Full of sadness. He knew that voice well.
Some psychic bullshit, that's what this was. Yashiki specialized in that damned stuff. Not him. Some of the other mark bearers seemed to have a knack for it, too. But, for once, Mashita listened.
Without fear, because the only fear he had was Yashiki might get himself killed. Everything else, every other fear had been pushed out.
The voice repeated a series of numbers. Mashita slammed each number in so hard, he was surprised he didn't break the damned thing.
The elevator rumbled as it went up.
"Come on, come on, come fucking on...."
He knew that time was running out. Knew that Yashiki would soon join the rest in the hospital--if they were lucky enough to find him in time.
And it'd be Mashita's fucking fault, because he was the one who brought Yashiki in on this case. He should've just left this whole mess be. Only yakuza hung around here, anyways. So what if they got eaten by spiders? For plenty of them, it'd be a happy ending for all. The ones Mashita could never catch because someone above him was in their pocket and paid off. The ones who killed innocents and held a tight grip on the businesses all around them. Demanding 'protection' money.
They'd deserve the spider's venom.
The doors opened. He saw Yashiki. His relief was only momentary.
Glass shattered, and Yashiki caught up in it. Some kind of debris caught on his leg, and dragged him down. All the fear and tension was coming true.
And he wouldn't let go so easily. You can't have him, spider woman. He's mine.
His lungs ached. Mashita pushed himself to the very limit, and he just caught Yashiki's wrist. He'd have bruises tomorrow on his chest, his arms where he was slammed against the wall. It didn't matter.
"Grab my other arm, you idiot!"
Rain pelted down on Mashita, and he hardly felt it. He held on tighter. The neon glow of lights left the air hazy.
And he managed to do it. Drag Yashiki back from the edge of death and onto the top floor with him.
Lying on the floor, both panting and desperate for breath, that was the moment Mashita realized it. He was down bad for Yashiki. And it didn't matter if death itself was dragging Yashiki down, he would've fought for him.
He wanted to grab Yashiki's face and kiss him until his lips hurt. He handed to grab Yashiki's collar and shake him, and yell what the fuck is wrong with you? Don't you fucking know I love you?
Mashita did neither.
But he did call Yashiki a fucking dumbass. Multiple times, even.
*
God, that fucking dumbass.
Going in alone. Facing this dangerous spirit alone. Almost getting dragged to death. And if that wasn't enough of dancing with death and this spirit, he'd taken the body of the spider, which was something left of the spirit, for whatever it was. He'd risked himself for what? Guilt?
Sure, Mashita shared some of the blame for even bringing him in on this. Mashita hadn't realized just what lengths Yashiki would go to. Even with the details he'd left out, Yashiki had rushed in.
It only made him love Yashiki more.
God, he adored that fucking dumbass. Mashita here was down bad for a sullen looking middle aged man. A spirit hunter, who'd lost a big chunk of his life to tangling with spirits and still went back.
Mashita wasn't like one of those pining maidens in the shoujo manga. He'd either tell Yashiki or get over it. Right now wasn't the time. They were both on edge after Yashiki had nearly gotten himself killed. Yashiki couldn't even drive in this state, with how his hands shook.
So, Mashita took the keys. He drove Yashiki back. His hands were tense on the steering wheel.
Over and over he thought, what if I lost you? What then, you idiot?
God, how had Yashiki wormed himself into his life so easily? They'd met on a case. Mashita had gotten himself cursed, and barely managed to escape Hanahiko that time. He'd stuck around. The case with his mentor had always haunted him.
But, Yashiki had definitely been one of the reasons he stayed around.
Mashita resolved one thing that day. Yashiki would be in his life. Even if Yashiki didn't return his feelings, he'd found his partner. The one he'd clear these cases for. Yashiki had a knack for this kind of thing. They fit together.
If Yashiki didn't feel the same way, Mashita could drink, chain smoke and fuck away the feelings until they faded and he and Yashiki could be back to normal. It would hurt like hell, especially since he planned on taking Yashiki along with him on plenty of cases. But, he'd live.
Sometimes, Yashiki needed Mashita around to tell him what a fucking dumbass he was being. To go in alone against the most dangerous ghost they'd faced yet.
And a warning, of the little spider's body in Yashiki's pocket. How close Yashiki kept getting to death, even as it nearly took him.
Finally:
"Go on, get some rest."
Yashiki brought out a gentleness in Mashita which even he was surprised by. Few would believe it even existed. Him among them. But there it was.
Mashita drove away. All he wanted to do was go back to the mansion. Throw open those doors and kiss Yashiki until he could hardly breathe.
It wasn't the first time he'd driven away when all he wanted to drive back and be with Yashiki, even if it meant he'd be facing death again.
Not today, he thought. Another case, another curse, another time they almost died?
He'd be right here with Yashiki. Risking his life for that sullen old man, who'd gotten ahold of his heart and wouldn't let go.
Series: Death Mark
Character/pairing: Yashiki/Mashita
Rating: PG-13 at most
Word count: 1,360
Summary: Mashita rushes to figure out what happened to Yashiki, while investigating the Masquerade.
Author's note: This takes place at the very end of the Little Red Riding Hood case. Right before THAT cg. You know the one.
My brain went "Hmm, I wonder how Mashita got up to the secret deluxe suite in time?" and went from there.
The title comes from the name of that very CG. Spoilers abound, naturally.
Fucking hell. That fucking dumbass. The minute Mashita arrived back and saw the street empty, he knew. He fucking knew.
Yashiki had gone in alone, with a spirit so dangerous that she'd put three of the former mark bearers in the hospital. In critical fucking condition, no less.
Mashita used to be on the force, for what it was worth. He knew to fucking wait for back up. Yashiki, however, didn't follow that rule. Didn't fucking listen.
Mashita gritted his teeth, and rushed inside. His heartbeat was so quick, his head was pounding with stress, anger, and worry all boiling up inside him.
The stairs were no good. He remembered how Yashiki had already found that out. The elevator was the only way.
Mashita pushed the button to open up the elevator.
The elevator came down. A long ways down. It had to be on the top floor.
They hadn't figured out a way up the to deluxe suite. But Yashiki must've. And he hadn't left a sign on what clue led to there. Mashita cursed under his breath. He didn't fucking have time for this. Yashiki hadn't even left him a clue, or a note. He'd just barged in alone.
Like a complete dumbass.
If he'd had more tools with him, he could've dusted the keys for prints. He could've searched for some kind of clue. Maybe brute forced it and figured out a way. Now he stood in front of those keys, his fingers shaking with a mix of fear and rage.
Yashiki was alone with this spirit who had almost killed three of the former mark bearers.
The air felt strangely heavy in the elevator. It was filled with giant spider webs, now. Mashita took a sharp breath through his nose when he heard the voice.
At his right side, a soft and deep voice. Full of sadness. He knew that voice well.
Some psychic bullshit, that's what this was. Yashiki specialized in that damned stuff. Not him. Some of the other mark bearers seemed to have a knack for it, too. But, for once, Mashita listened.
Without fear, because the only fear he had was Yashiki might get himself killed. Everything else, every other fear had been pushed out.
The voice repeated a series of numbers. Mashita slammed each number in so hard, he was surprised he didn't break the damned thing.
The elevator rumbled as it went up.
"Come on, come on, come fucking on...."
He knew that time was running out. Knew that Yashiki would soon join the rest in the hospital--if they were lucky enough to find him in time.
And it'd be Mashita's fucking fault, because he was the one who brought Yashiki in on this case. He should've just left this whole mess be. Only yakuza hung around here, anyways. So what if they got eaten by spiders? For plenty of them, it'd be a happy ending for all. The ones Mashita could never catch because someone above him was in their pocket and paid off. The ones who killed innocents and held a tight grip on the businesses all around them. Demanding 'protection' money.
They'd deserve the spider's venom.
The doors opened. He saw Yashiki. His relief was only momentary.
Glass shattered, and Yashiki caught up in it. Some kind of debris caught on his leg, and dragged him down. All the fear and tension was coming true.
And he wouldn't let go so easily. You can't have him, spider woman. He's mine.
His lungs ached. Mashita pushed himself to the very limit, and he just caught Yashiki's wrist. He'd have bruises tomorrow on his chest, his arms where he was slammed against the wall. It didn't matter.
"Grab my other arm, you idiot!"
Rain pelted down on Mashita, and he hardly felt it. He held on tighter. The neon glow of lights left the air hazy.
And he managed to do it. Drag Yashiki back from the edge of death and onto the top floor with him.
Lying on the floor, both panting and desperate for breath, that was the moment Mashita realized it. He was down bad for Yashiki. And it didn't matter if death itself was dragging Yashiki down, he would've fought for him.
He wanted to grab Yashiki's face and kiss him until his lips hurt. He handed to grab Yashiki's collar and shake him, and yell what the fuck is wrong with you? Don't you fucking know I love you?
Mashita did neither.
But he did call Yashiki a fucking dumbass. Multiple times, even.
*
God, that fucking dumbass.
Going in alone. Facing this dangerous spirit alone. Almost getting dragged to death. And if that wasn't enough of dancing with death and this spirit, he'd taken the body of the spider, which was something left of the spirit, for whatever it was. He'd risked himself for what? Guilt?
Sure, Mashita shared some of the blame for even bringing him in on this. Mashita hadn't realized just what lengths Yashiki would go to. Even with the details he'd left out, Yashiki had rushed in.
It only made him love Yashiki more.
God, he adored that fucking dumbass. Mashita here was down bad for a sullen looking middle aged man. A spirit hunter, who'd lost a big chunk of his life to tangling with spirits and still went back.
Mashita wasn't like one of those pining maidens in the shoujo manga. He'd either tell Yashiki or get over it. Right now wasn't the time. They were both on edge after Yashiki had nearly gotten himself killed. Yashiki couldn't even drive in this state, with how his hands shook.
So, Mashita took the keys. He drove Yashiki back. His hands were tense on the steering wheel.
Over and over he thought, what if I lost you? What then, you idiot?
God, how had Yashiki wormed himself into his life so easily? They'd met on a case. Mashita had gotten himself cursed, and barely managed to escape Hanahiko that time. He'd stuck around. The case with his mentor had always haunted him.
But, Yashiki had definitely been one of the reasons he stayed around.
Mashita resolved one thing that day. Yashiki would be in his life. Even if Yashiki didn't return his feelings, he'd found his partner. The one he'd clear these cases for. Yashiki had a knack for this kind of thing. They fit together.
If Yashiki didn't feel the same way, Mashita could drink, chain smoke and fuck away the feelings until they faded and he and Yashiki could be back to normal. It would hurt like hell, especially since he planned on taking Yashiki along with him on plenty of cases. But, he'd live.
Sometimes, Yashiki needed Mashita around to tell him what a fucking dumbass he was being. To go in alone against the most dangerous ghost they'd faced yet.
And a warning, of the little spider's body in Yashiki's pocket. How close Yashiki kept getting to death, even as it nearly took him.
Finally:
"Go on, get some rest."
Yashiki brought out a gentleness in Mashita which even he was surprised by. Few would believe it even existed. Him among them. But there it was.
Mashita drove away. All he wanted to do was go back to the mansion. Throw open those doors and kiss Yashiki until he could hardly breathe.
It wasn't the first time he'd driven away when all he wanted to drive back and be with Yashiki, even if it meant he'd be facing death again.
Not today, he thought. Another case, another curse, another time they almost died?
He'd be right here with Yashiki. Risking his life for that sullen old man, who'd gotten ahold of his heart and wouldn't let go.
