The Cage
By Alison

Part 6

This part is dedicated to VanillaMint, Loreley, and pukachan. Thanks so
much for the support and encouragement!! ^_^

*****
Die couldn't believe it. Kaoru was none other than the brother of the
creator of The Cage. It wasn't long before the initial shock wore off at
was replaced by an acute sense of dread. Shit. He and Toshiya were in
big trouble now.

He looked over at Toshiya who was still sitting in Kaoru's lap. Kaoru
was humming something softy and playing with Toshiya's hair. Toshiya had
his eyes closed and was leaning back against Kaoru, a smile of
contentment on his face. It broke Die's heart.

Normally he would have said it was a cute scene. Normally. But this was
Toshiya and Kaoru. Toshiya was supposed to be his and Kaoru was his
archenemy. Never before did he hate a person as much as he hated Kaoru.

A small, smug, smirk graced Kaoru's lips as Die stepped forward a bit,
causing Toshiya to open his eyes.

"Ne Die, I guess you want to hear the rest of the story?"

"Sure, why not. But I am guessing that you would have told me anyways,
right?"

Kaoru pretended to ponder that for a minute before nodding in agreement.
"Yeah. Probably. It is going to be fun seeing all the silly expressions
you will make when you find out the truth."

Die glared at Kaoru, but the other man went right on talking.

"You know, you strike me as the type that never thinks to hard about
anything. Heh, no offence.. A lot of people are like that, I think. But,
do you ever think back, ten, thirteen years ago? Do ever notice you keep
hitting blank spots? That you will be remembering something happening
and then…nothing? You probably thought you just forgot and thought
nothing more of it, right? Well, would you believe me if I told you that
you hadn't just forgot, but your memories had been erased?"

Die frowned, partially because of Kaoru's words, and partially because
Kaoru had turned his attention away from Toshiya's hair to his neck.
"Gee Kaoru, why do I get the feeling that you are going to tell me it
has something to do with you?"

Kaoru pulled away from Toshiya's neck and smiled at Die. "Correct! You
amaze me. I thought it would have taken a bit longer to put that one
together."

"Oh shut up. Just tell me what you have to tell me. I am getting bored
of your games," Die drawled, trying to pretend it wasn't Hell seeing
Kaoru's arms wrapped tightly around Toshiya, holding the younger man
close.

"Well Die, once upon a time there was a very unhappy boy who lived with
a very abusive uncle. One day the boy realized that he led a meaningless
life and there was nothing to live for. So he decided to end it all. He
went to a bridge over a very deep river where he wouldn't be found for a
very long time, if at all. He figured he could save the cops some
paperwork since no one would miss him when he was dead anyways, save for
his brother. But he hadn't seen his brother for a very long time
anyways, so he figured that maybe even he wouldn't care.

"Well, the boy got up on the railing, preparing to jump when suddenly an
angel appeared. Stopping him from going thought with it."

Toshiya giggled when Kaoru teasingly pinched his side. "My angel, eh?

"The boy fell in love. He had known the angel when he was a young boy,
and was in love then, but apparently the beautiful angel had forgotten
him. But! No matter. The boy got a kiss and found he had something to
live for. The angel and the boy began to see each other more and more.
And pretty soon they decided to skip the 'we're just friends' bit and
admit their true feeling for each other.

"Everything was going just fine and dandy until one day the boy's
brother showed up and, like I said before, this brother had a pretty
boyfriend at his side. Of course everyone got along just fine; that
wasn't the problem. The problem was that the boy was deeply in love with
his angel, and so was his newly acquired best friend. You know, Die,
that best friend was you."

"What?! You lie!" Die exclaimed, his jaw dropping in shock and his mind
refusing to believe what it was being fed.

Kaoru frowned. "Now why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know. Why would you? All I know is that there is no way in hell
that I could ever be friends with you. No way."

"I am not lying! I have no reason to! Things are going exactly how I
want them to, there would be no point in lying to you now."

Toshiya gripped onto Kaoru's hand, trying to calm the other man down. It
appeared to work because the purple haired man relaxed his body and took
a deep breath.

"Die. I am not lying to you. Can I continue now?"

Die shrugged. "What's it to me?"

"But doesn't it make sense? You were in love with Toshiya even then. You
just can't remember. I guess I can't blame you too much. Toshiya is very
special person," Toshiya blushed and Kaoru smiled at him and placed a
kiss on his cheek before his mood suddenly changed again and he glared
at Die, "But I can hate you for it.

"Toshiya really wasn't interested in you at the time. All his attention
belonged to me. But we three hung out, day after day. Mostly in the run
down warehouse that my brother used for his creation. We all became
really interested in it, and one day my brother even let me and Toshiya
use it. The first time we went in, we created a tropical island. For
half on the 'day' we swam in a lagoon, complete with a waterfall, and
for the other half we laid on a beach, watching the sun set. I loved
every second of it. It was a wonderful feeling: having Toshiya all to
myself with no one to interrupt us.

"But that was in my mind. In the real world things were different. You
were getting more and more successful in your attempts to get Toshiya to
pay more attention to you. I, of course, became jealous and began
spending more and more time in the Cage with Toshiya. Then one day…my
greatest dream came true, in a sense. I took him to a special place. A
beautiful valley surrounded by trees, with a little river and waterfall,
and a field full of flowers. And there, under a vine covered arbor, I
had my angel for the first time."

"That is where you took me again today." Toshiya murmured with a purring
sound when Kaoru pulled Toshiya even closer to him.

"Uh huh," Kaoru confirmed, meeting Die’s hateful gaze. "And we once
again had each other under the vine covered arbor."

If he hadn’t already been sitting, Die’s legs would have most likely
given out. Wave after wave of emotions crashed over Die. Hate. Disgust.
Betrayal. Love. Longing. The thought of someone else kissing, touching,
and having Toshiya made Die was to throw up. Die looked at Toshiya. Here
he was sitting down and chatting while his lover was in the arms of
another man. It was killing him.

"Would it make things easier for you if I told you that I never had him
in reality? Only in the virtual reality of my mind did Toshiya ever give
himself completely to me." Kaoru spat bitterly, sudden jealousy and
anger flashing in his eyes. Toshiya whimpered when Kaoru’s grip became
painful.

Toshiya trembled at the sudden anger radiating from Kaoru. Toshiya
understood that it was his fault for the change of attitude in Kaoru. He
felt bad. Kaoru had been so nice to him, and he didn’t want to anger his
lover in any way.

Kaoru froze. He realized that he was most likely scaring Toshiya. He
buried his face in Toshiya’s hair and changed his angry and possessive
hold of Toshiya back into a loving one. Toshiya relaxed somewhat, but
Kaoru could still fell the tension in the younger man’s body.

"I’m sorry Toshiya. I’m not angry at you. I love you, and what ever you
aren’t comfortable in doing is fine by me."

That reassured Toshiya and he melted back into Kaoru’s arms. Die
couldn’t help but gag. But despite it all, he was curious and wanted to
find out what had happened.

‘Almost like when my grandma used to tell me stories,’ Die thought
dryly. Toshiya had always told him that if anything were to kill him it
would be his curiosity.

Die inched a bit forward, drawing the two lovers' attention away from
each other and back to their guest. Kaoru smirked. "Interested in my
story? Or my lover?"

"Both. Please. Go on."

Kaoru narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What? Why the sudden interest."
Die didn’t answer. "Well, whatever. Now where was I? Oh yes! Toshiya and
I. That incident strengthened our relationship, even if he still
wouldn’t let me have him in reality. But…eventually I noticed that he
was spending more and more time with you, and less with me. I couldn’t
handle it. Every time we went into the Cage, I found it harder and
harder to let it go, to come back to the reality, which also included
you.

"Then…then came my brother and his boyfriend’s death. Shinya…Unknown to
me, they had been facing a problem of their own. A man had somehow found
out about my brother’s creation. And he wanted it. My brother wouldn’t
give it to him, and the man threatened to have Shinya killed. Shinya
knew how much it meant to Kyo, but he also knew how much –he- meant to
Kyo. One day they went in…and never came out. Shinya never let him go.
And that is when I found out that I too could do that. I could keep
Toshiya with me. Forever.

"One day, I brought him in again. He really didn’t want to; he was
supposed to have lunch with you. You can imagine how I felt. But…we were
still in love enough so that he would go with. And that is when I lost
it. I totally lost control of myself. I took out all my frustration on
him, in our lovemaking. Scared the shit out of him. And then…he was
crying and pleading for me to let him out. But…I didn’t…I couldn’t! I
finally broke down. I couldn’t bare his tears and the fact that I
created them. But, I had come close, oh…so close to keeping him there.
Killing him, like you told me I am doing now.

"I was so scared. I never wanted to do anything to hurt him. I went to
you. Ha. You were shocked to hear what I had done. You were also angry.
You yelled at me, hit me, threatened me. And I realized you were right."

"Right about what?"

"Right about how I couldn’t have him. My love would kill him. I went
home that night and I cried. I cried like I had never done before. And
the next day I had it all figured out. I had to give him up. I brought
you two to the warehouse for the last time. You see, my brother didn’t
only create the Cage. He was a genius. Before…his death, he had been
tinkering with a memory…thing. I forgot what he called I it. But, it
worked, somewhat. It was still in the first stages, but it worked for my
needs. I wiped out yours and Toshiya’s memories. Erased every single
thought, every single memory of me in your minds. It was supposed to be
the memories of just me. I had decided to let him remember you, so he
would have someone…But, I couldn’t. At the last second, my jealousy
overrode my decision and I erased the memories of you both.

"I had put you to into a sleep, so that way I could get you home and
then leave; that way you would never see me again. I remember…I kissed
my wonderful Toshiya the last time. I cried again. I sat there and
watched him, kissed him, until I saw he was beginning to wake up. I got
out fast, and that was the last contact I had with him.

"For about a year I managed to stay away. But then…I couldn’t do it. I
had to see him again. I started following him when he went out, watching
him always. Always staying in the shadows, but never letting him get to
far away. I needed him, his presence, his voice, his smell, his laugh.
He was my drug, my high. I needed more and more. Plenty of times I
almost revealed my presence, but I always stopped, at the last second.

"It was like that for years. And then one day…you two met. Perhaps I
missed a memory somewhere in your minds because you clicked right away.
I am sure now you know what I am talking about. It wasn't to long until
you got him in your bed. Although I didn't actually take him, his body
and soul belonged to me. I felt it in my heart. I knew it had happened.
And it was the ultimate betrayal to me, even though I had known that it
would be someone else to have him for the first time. But still…

"So, I stayed in the shadows and watched as you two got closer, and to
my shock, both got jobs working with the Cage, the very thing that tore
us apart. Ironic how things work, eh? And I continued to watch as you
got even closer and then even moved in with him. I watched and put up
with it until I could take it no more. I went to your work and became a
client. But for some reason I decided to show myself to Toshiya before
our first meeting. I did so in the parking garage yesterday morning. But
I guess I scared him, so I left. But…here we are, so I guess I was
successful in my plot."

"So all along your goal was to lure him here and kill him?" Die snapped.
He stood up and began to pace, his mind whirling at all the information
that was just fed to it.

"Of course not!" Kaoru exclaimed. Toshiya squirmed in his lap and Kaoru
released his grip, allowing the other man to get up and stretch his
legs. Kaoru smiled fondly at Toshiya before standing up himself and
walking over to Die. "Why would I plot to kill him? No, I had wanted for
him to remember or to fall in love with me, or something. But I guess
that wouldn't happen, so I settled for having him trust and love me
here." Kaoru leaned closer to Die, his mouth only inches away from Die's
ear. "He loves -you-. I could never have him back in your world, only
here, in my world."

Die jerked away from Kaoru. His eyes came to settle on Toshiya, who was
standing a few feet away, watching the two men, a strange look on his
face. Kaoru looked at his lover, then at Die, then back at Toshiya. He
frowned and stepped in between the two.

"No no. Oh no. None of that." Kaoru warned.

Die smirked and stepped past Die. Slowly he began to walk towards
Toshiya. Toshiya tipped his head to the side, watching Die curiously.

Die stopped when he was an arms length away from Toshiya.
"Toshiya…there, you heard it. Practically your life story. From your own
'lover's' mouth," Die said, bitterness creeping into his mouth when he
spoke of Kaoru, but it disappeared almost instantly as he continued on,
"So how can you doubt it's truth? Toshiya…please…come back to me. I love
you."

Toshiya didn't say anything, but looked past Die at Kaoru. Kaoru nodded
and walked back over to stand next to Toshiya. Toshiya turned to Kaoru,
reaching out for his lover.

"Kaoru…" Toshiya breathed as he leaned in a placed a light kiss on
Kaoru's lips, his arms wrapping around Kaoru's neck. "Kaoru…I am real.
You are real. Everything around us…it is all real. But…you wouldn't ever
let me go, would you?"

Kaoru smiled at Toshiya. Misunderstanding his lover's words completely,
Kaoru wrapped his arms around Toshiya's slender body and kissed him
back. "Never. I will never leave you. We will always be together."

Tears began to well up in Toshiya's eyes, and it wasn't long before one
slipped out and traced a trail down Toshiya's smooth cheek. Kaoru
frowned and moved to brush it away, Toshiya let him. He closed his eyes
and leaned into Kaoru's touch. It was so gentle, so loving. "Kaoru…my
love for you, it is real. I love you. Am I real to you, Kaoru? Are my
kisses real?" Toshiya leaned forward and pressed his lips against
Kaoru's again. The tears fell faster, and with the closeness of the to
faces, Kaoru's face received some of the painfully sweet drops.

"Of course you are Toshiya. You are real. Your kisses…they are real…"
Kaoru smiled again, his mind going haywire for Toshiya's sweet kisses,
and the feeling of the tears on his face. Toshiya was his.

"Kaoru…" Toshiya moved his hand from Kaoru's neck until they settled on
his upper back. Kaoru closed his eyes and leaned in again to kiss
Toshiya. The tears were falling faster than ever before now, and
Toshiya's body trembled as he eagerly returned the kiss. They were like
that for a long time, just kissing, and crying.

Kaoru's eyes suddenly snapped open. He pulled away from Toshiya, staring
at his lover in disbelief. His hand desperately shot to his back and
tried to pull the knife out, but by then, he was already too weak. He
fell to his knees, gasping for breath as he looked up at Toshiya,
confusion filling his dulling eyes.

Toshiya let out a sob and fell besides Kaoru. He quickly removed the
knife, cried out at the blood that flowed from the wound, coating his
hands, and getting all over the beautiful dress that Kaoru had made for
him. Toshiya pulled Kaoru's body on his lap and rocked his love as he
slowly died.

Die watched helplessly, not quite understanding what was going on, and
his heart braking as Toshiya cried, rocking Kaoru in his arms, and
grasping the hand that Kaoru held up.

"Toshiya…why…" Kaoru managed to gasp out, squeezing his eyes shut at the
pain those two words caused.

Toshiya's crying intensified and he pulled Kaoru even closer. "Kaoru…I
am sorry. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't live like this. I need
to go back, and I understand that you would never let me. I am so
sorry…I don't want you to live in pain…but I can't be with you…"

"To…Toshi…ya…I… love you." Tears fell from Kaoru's eyes as he spoke his
last words.

"I know Kaoru, I know. I love you too."

Kaoru's eyes closed, and his breathing slowed. The walls of the room
they were in began to crumble, and Die realized that if he and Toshiya
didn't get out soon they too would die in the machine. Die grabbed
Toshiya's arm and pulled him up.

"No!" Toshiya screamed and pushed Die away, reaching for Kaoru again.
Die, however, was much stronger than Toshiya and easily pulled the other
man away from Kaoru's limp body.

Holding Toshiya tight in his arm's, Die managed to press the button on
Toshiya's palm. He closed his eyes in a short prayer, and cried out
happily when he opened his eyes and saw the world around him fading.
Toshiya was still struggling in his arms, crying out again and again for
Kaoru, but Die held him tight, and it wasn't long before the younger man
went limp in his arms and everything blacked out.

##{*}##

Die slowly opened his eyes, and never in his life was he more relieved
to see the doctors rushing around, checking computer monitors and
carefully removing the cord from Die's arms. He tried to get up, but was
instantly pushed back down by Yoshiki.

"Don't move Die. I don't know what happened to you in there, but by the
stats on the computer, it is like you were fighting an entire army by
yourself. You need rest." Yoshiki told him, not removing his hand from
Die's chest as Die once again struggled to get up.

"Toshiya…?" Die mumbled as he gave in to his exhaustion and slumped back
down in the chair.

"Toshiya is just-"

"Kaoru!"

Die's eyes shot open when he heard Toshiya. He watched as Toshiya hurled
himself at Kaoru's dead body, ignoring the fact that he was still hooked
up to his chair. To doctors rushed to Toshiya, trying to pry him away
from Kaoru and remove the cord in Toshiya's arm before he hurt himself.
Toshiya cried and kicked, trying to keep the people away from him as
held tight to Kaoru's limp form and sobbed against his chest.

The doctors had to call in two of the guards before Toshiya finally just
passed out. Die followed shortly after.

*****

The sun streaming in through the open window was what woke Die up.
Groaning, he sat up and looked around him. A hospital. He was in a
hospital. If he was in a hospital that meant that somewhere near by
there would be a nurse. He was right. He didn't have to wait long until
a nurse came bustling in the room, checking how he was doing.

"And how are you feeling today, Die-san?" She asked as he placed a try
of food down it front of him. "You must be hungry. You have been
unconscious for three days."

Die made a strange choking sound and looked as the nurse in shock. "I
have?"

"Uh huh."

"What about…where is Toshiya?" Die asked hesitantly, not quite sure if
he could handle any bad news at this time.

"Oh. He is doing just fine."

"Where is he? And what exactly is just fine?" Die asked, sighing with
relief.

"Actually, he is in the room right next to yours. Fine is awake. He woke
up yesterday morning. Now, if you will excuse me. You seem to be doing
just fine. I have to go check on your friend now." The nurse said with a
smile before walking out of the room, leaving the door ajar.

Die looked down at himself. There were a few bruises on his arm where
Toshiya had hit him in his struggle to brake free, but besides the IV in
his arm he looked fine. Die pulled the blanket aside and swung his legs
over the side of his bed. His feet reached the ground with a padded
thump. He stuck out his tongue and picked up his right foot and wondered
exactly how clean the floor was. He quickly pushed that pointless
thought aside and pulled the IV out his arm.

He quietly walked to the door and peeked out, pulling his head back in
just in time as the nurse walked out of the room nest to his. He waited
until she turned a corner before slipping out of his room and into the
next one, shutting the door behind him.

Toshiya was sitting up in bed when Die walked in, but he didn't turn his
head away from the window, so he missed the brilliant smile that Die
managed to muster for him. That smile faded off of Die's face, however,
when he saw the lack of response from his…lover? Suddenly it dawned on
Die. Perhaps Toshiya didn't love him anymore. Perhaps the only reason
Toshiya had 'killed' Kaoru was because he didn't want to die. After all,
Toshiya was obviously upset about what he did, and those tears, and
those 'I love you's weren't fake.

Hesitantly Die made his way to Toshiya's bed and sat down in the chair
next to it. Toshiya still hadn't shown any signs that he even knew Die
was in the room. Die sat like that, not moving, just watching Toshiya.
Just when he was about to speak, Toshiya slowly turned to face him.

He gave a small smile when he saw Die. "Die…"

Die swallowed, not knowing what to say. What could he say? He didn't
even know if Toshiya loved him anymore. "Toshiya…I'm really sorry
about…Kaoru."

Toshiya closed his eyes and smiled again. When he opened them, a single
tear fell from his eye. "I know what you are thinking, Die. Don't."

"Toshiya…"

"It's you I love, Die. Do you think I would have done what I did if I
didn't?"

"But Kaoru…You said…"

"I know. And it is true, I do love him, very much actually, but…"
Toshiya blushed and looked back out the window.

Die smiled and took one of Toshiya's hands that were resting in his lap.
"Toshiya?"

Toshiya turned back to Die. "Die. I realized that…well, it just wasn't
the same with him. I got that rush, sure, but…it wasn't as powerful or
as enjoyable as with you. I love you, Die."

Die smiled and pulled Toshiya into his arms. "I love you too, Totchi,"
Die whispered into Toshiya's ear before claiming the younger man's lips
with his own.

"Toshiya-san! I have your-eh? Die-san! You shouldn't be in here!" The
nurse exclaimed, while looking away and blushing.

"Sure I do. I belong where ever Toshiya is," Die told her with a
satisfied grin.

One month later…

The gravel and fallen leaves crunched loudly under Toshiya's boots as he
made his way down the narrow trail, the chilly October air lightly
blowing Toshiya hair and ends of his coat. He kept walking until he came
to a little circle, surrounded by weeping willow. The last of the smooth
leaves lay shriveling on the ground, but Toshiya thought it was still
one of the most beautiful places on all of Japan.

Stepping forward he laid one flower on two of the three graves in the
circle. He paused at the last one. Brushing aside a tear that had
escaped his eye, he bent down and placed a kiss to the cold marble
gravestone. He then kissed the rose and set it down on the top of the
stone.

"I love you, Kaoru." He whispered and closed his eyes, tilting his head
up to the grey sky, enjoying the soft caress of the wind. More tears
slipped down his face as he opened his eyes and took one last glance at
the stone before turning and walking back to Die's waiting arms.

"I am sure he knows, Toshiya. And I am sure he forgives you. In fact, I
know he does," Die told his lover as they walked hand in hand out of the
cemetery.

Die was right. Kaoru was always right besides Toshiya, finally smiling
at the happiness his lover had found, even if was in the arms of another
man.

*****

So there it is. What did you think? Were you surprised at the ending??
*cries and hugs Kaoru* I hope you like it...and thanks to everyone who
gave me feedback and told me to go on!! ^_^

-Alison

~End~

email Alison

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