Life Clock

Time is a strange thing.  It will go slowly, almost backwards in a teasingly frustrating way, when you least want it to, most noticeably when you’re with the kind of company you’d rather be miles away from.  And then, around the people you care about most; smiling, laughing, enjoying life…time seems to slip by, unnoticed until you have to part ways, or you lose someone precious to you.

Time was something that wasn’t necessarily on Kishu’s side.  He’d spent weeks, months, years, training with his team for this precious mission to save his race, and now… Every single precious moment seemed like it was wasted now that a group of five simple human girls were standing in their way.  Those girls, one in particular, didn’t seem to care what their reasons were for trying to take back the planet Earth, though Kishu was sure they knew.  They just didn’t care.  They didn’t care that an alien race was suffering, trapped on a world that was slowly, painfully dying with every passing second.

It’s almost amusing, in a horrible sort of way, Kishu mused as he stared out of a large window at the softly glowing planet and its satellite partner, so many miles below in the inky darkness of space.  Just a short time for our people, after we were forced to leave our home, and a new species – so horridly inferior – infects such a beautiful place, spreading further and further every day, like a virus.  I’m amazed they don’t drown in their own filth…

“Still sitting there, staring at it as if you’ve never seen it before?”  Pai’s bland voice caught the green-haired boy’s attention, and he glanced over his shoulder at the older male.  “If you’re thinking about that pathetic girl again, for our sakes, please…don’t bother leaving to go and see her.  You always end up the same way when you do that.”  With a sigh that made him seem several years older than he really was, Pai seated himself next to his companion.

Kishu frowned, not looking at him.  “Oh?  And how’s that?”  He leaned against the near-ice-cold window, his bare arm stinging slightly at the sudden temperature change, as he waited for the answer, though he knew full well what it would be.

In a mocking voice, Pai responded, “You’ll say ‘It’s not fair, why does she like that pitiful human male, I’m so much better than he is,’ then you’ll whine and cry and drive Taruto and I up the metaphorical wall, does that answer your question?”

“Perfectly, and I can see you care oh-so-much about the fact that I’m suffering,” Kishu replied scathingly, mica-gold eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms over his chest.  He still did not look at his companion, and now that his ego had taken a hit, he wouldn’t allow himself to.

Pai chuckled softly, shaking his head.  “Of course I care, especially since you’ve been eating and sleeping much less since all this started.  You’re going to make yourself sick.  I must say, though, I’m rather curious about it as well.  Why do you care about such an inferior thing?  Even if she accepted you, she’d slowly wither away and die before…”  He trailed off, seeing that his colleague was trembling with a mixture of anger and grief.  “…Kishu?”

The boy didn’t even glance at him, but responded lowly, “I know…I know.  Humans are weak, frail…their lifetimes are so pathetically short compared to ours, it’s…stupid to get attached to one.”  Kishu gave a hollow laugh.  “And they’re so cruel to one another.  It’s best to…put them all out of their misery before they cause even more damage, both to themselves and the planet.”  He sighed, pushing emerald bangs from his face.  “I’ve been holding back the team, haven’t I?”  Allowing himself a small glance at his companion, he waited for the response.

The older boy shrugged.  “These things happen.  With a little time, you’ll forget about her.”  Pai made as if he was about to stand up, then changed his mind and leaned against the inside of the rounded window-frame, propping one leg up to get more comfortable.  He knew his companion might sink into further depression if he left.

“But we’re always fighting against them.  How can I forget when she’s always right there in front of me?” Kishu grumbled, sinking down slightly into a flawless sulking pose, perfected through countless tantrums and complaints about his one-sided relationship with a certain cat-eared human female.

“Find something to distract yourself,” Pai responded simply, turning his head to stare out at the endless sea of black – broken only by a sprinkling of stars and the dusty stretch of the Milky Way – beyond the window.  “Concentrate on the fighting itself, or think about what she’s putting you through, or-”  The older boy stopped short when Kishu suddenly drew up close to him, looking aggravated, and for once, Pai couldn’t really find anything intellectual or helpful to say.  “Or…um…”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried all that?” Kishu growled, grabbing a fistful of his colleague’s shirt to pull him close.  “It doesn’t work,” he hissed into the other’s ear before releasing the cloth fisted in his hand.

A slightly surprised look on his face at his companion’s sudden – almost violent – behavior, the older male frowned and shook his head disapprovingly.  “That doesn’t mean you should take it out on me.  Or Taruto, for that matter.”  Kishu flushed slightly.

“I’m just…obsessed, I guess.  …I’m sorry.”  The emerald-haired boy rested his head against Pai’s shoulder, sighing irritably.  “Time isn’t going to help me forget her, Pai.”

“She’s going to end up getting you killed,” Pai muttered darkly, draping one arm around the younger boy’s neck in what could have been a makeshift embrace.  “And you’re stupid enough to let her.”  He could hear Kishu chuckle humorlessly against the cloth of his shirt, though the sound was muffled.

Pulling away, Kishu shook his head, a mocking grin on his face.  “Thanks, Pai.  You always seem to know exactly what to say,” he drawled sarcastically.

“Idiot,” Pai retorted with equal sarcasm, lightly shoving him.  “But really…you need to be more serious about this.  You know what she’s doing to you, and yet you’re not doing anything about it.”

“I’m talking to you,” Kishu stated simply, though in a tone that suggested that it was important to him.  Giving his companion an odd look, Pai was quiet for a moment before letting out a soft snort and returning his gaze to the view outside the window, feeling Kishu rest against his shoulder again.

Long moments passed before Pai could think of a reply to the other’s statement.  “Is talking to me really of any help to you?”  When there was no response, he glanced down at the boy, a slight smile crossing his face upon realizing that he was asleep.  “I told you that you weren’t getting enough sleep…  At least you actually listened to me for once.”

Carefully shifting Kishu so that he was in a more comfortable position, Pai placed a gentle kiss on the younger boy’s forehead.  “Take as much time as you need to get over her, Kishu.  We have all the time in the universe.”

END

Krys:  Meh.  Not really all that great, but I kinda like it.  ((shrugs))  Commenty-type-things are appreciated, of course.  Anti-Kishu/Pai people…if you’re going to be snobby and rude, don’t bother reviewing.  I have my own opinions, thankyouverymuch.  ((nods to herself))