s o l o
- Another Facet of Life (1617 words)
- Minoru slumped onto the bar stool at the counter, one hand tracing the throbbing hand print behind the fall of his locks. The bartender chuckled in amusement and leaned into the space in front of him.
"Y'know, you're the only guy I know that can make a slap to the face look good," Xenia said.
"Well, you probably don't know a lot of guys," Minoru replied, his lips tugging back into an amused smile.
"More than you know, trust me," Xenia said, turning from him. "What'll it be, Min? The usual?"
"Yep."
Xenia began to prepare the daiquiri, first scooping a handful of ice into the glass to chill it, and then pouring rum and lime juice into the shaker. After spooning in a hunk of strawberry jam, she said, "Who was it this time?" She then began to shake the tin vigorously, interjecting between Minoru's reply.
The teal-haired male watched her for a moment, enchanted by the taut strain of muscle under bronze skin. Realizing he had gone silent, he sighed, and hunched his weight into the palm of his hand on the counter.
"It was Kane," he said. "Pity, too... I really liked him."
"And... who's that again?"
Minoru blinked. "Y'know, Kane? The guy with the glasses?"
Xenia rolled her eyes. Dumping the ice from the glass into the sink, she poured the contents of the shaker into it, and fit a strawberry onto the rim. Presenting it to the male, she said, "You've dated a ton of guys with glasses, Min. Be a little more specific, will you?"
"The, uh, he went up to my shoulder," Minoru said. "Green-blue eyes, uhh, tan?"
"Huh... Oh! Oh, I remember him now. I saw him with you outside the bar once."
"Yea, he didn't drink. So we'd part ways whenever I came to JN."
"Sooo... What happened between you two? Lover's quarrel?"
"Something like that," Minoru said, frowning. "He'd gotten an internship at this big company down in Florida for the summer. He wanted to break up, so I agreed."
"Then it was a mutual thing?"
"Pretty much..."
"Then... what about the slap?"
Minoru sighed. "I was a little perturbed. I mean, I really loved him, so to break it off after a month was, y'know, frustrating. So I said some choice things."
"Such as?"
"That, uh, it was best that we were parting ways 'cause he was a boring as hell anyway?"
"Sheesh, Min," Xenia winced. "That's cold, even for you!"
"'Cause I really loved him, Xe!" Minoru grabbed at the stem-like neck of the glass and slugged down a drink. "Here I was thinking I found a nice guy, and then, bam, life and its s**t circumstances tear us apart."
"You couldn't just... I don't know... Parted with some friendly words instead? Given him an encouraging push?"
"Yea... I know I should've, but I was angry..." He pushed his hair back and sighed. "I lose my sense of self when I'm angry."
"Well... It'll be all right, Min," Xenia said. She reached across the counter and gave two comforting pats to his shoulder. "There's more fish in the sea and blah blah... Just gotta cast your net and catch a few more!"
"Yea, right..."
"So who're you dating now? Still with Tiombe and Phi?"
"Mhm, and Andre."
"Things going well?"
"K-kinda."
Xenia leveled a glare at him. "What now?"
"Things are getting a little sour between Andre and I. My attention's beginning to sway, so we might break up soon."
Xenia audibly groaned. "Oh, c'mon, Min!" she cried. "You have to stop that! You can't just play with people's hearts!"
"God, don't lecture me again, Xe. I know. We weren't serious anyway, I just thought he was cute—"
Suddenly, there was a loud, metallic clatter outside of June Nights, cutting Minoru off and causing him to jump. He exchanged glances between the side exit door and Xenia.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
Xenia huffed. "Probably those damn coons again," she said. "They've been throwing down the garbage can in the alleyway for days and I've been forced to clean them up because if I don't, Phil'll have my a**. Give me a few, I'll be right back."
"Do you need some help cleaning up? I don't mind lending a hand." Minoru rose from his seat to assist her. He really didn't want to, but the drink was on the house most of the time. He just felt it was right thing to do.
"Nah, it's all right, Min," Xenia said, waving a hand. "I got this, just enjoy your drink."
Shrugging a shoulder at her, he settled back into his seat, and situated himself to the silence of the bar after she left. At such a late hour of night on a weekday, June Nights didn't have a soul save himself. Then again, it wasn't the most popular joint for people to peruse anyway. As he sipped at his daiquiri, contemplating a myriad of things, he heard a scream and instantly knew it was Xenia.
Without hesitation, he launched from his seat, and raced to the door to the side of the bar. It cracked against the wall with his haste, but come his exit, he froze in place at the sight in front of him. Some kind of creature was hovering over a cornered Xenia; his friend shivering restlessly as it stared her down with multiple beady red eyes. Minoru's heart palpitated as it inched a step to her chest. Whatever that thing was, it definitely wasn't a raccoon.
No... he thought, trying to work out a plan to save Xenia and also prevent his own hide from being cornered, or worse, killed. There's no way in hell I'm letting something else bad happen today! Especially not this!
Determination filled him to the brim, but before he could act, a blinding flash of white stopped him in his tracks. Something materialized before him and, as if guiding him in a hypnotic trance, Minoru lifted a hand and touched it to the etched metal of the object. Suddenly, Minoru felt an unusual, alien strength work its way with a tingle through his entire form.
When he came to, there was only one sensation he registered: Cold. "H-holy crap, where did my clothes go?!" he cried aloud, staring down to his bare chest and legs. "I was just—"
"Min... M-Min, watch out!"
Xenia's shrills broke him from his thoughts. The bright flash of light and the flood of energy from his newly awakened state had attracted the attention of the youma. Turning away from the woman, he launched at Minoru with a bounding leap. Swallowing, he skidded out of the way, and the creature slammed against the wall. Shaking itself back to its senses, he looked to Minoru again and hissed. He felt a shiver rush up his spine.
"C-c'mon, you ugly thing, I can take you!" he taunted, though inside he was regretting the words. "You're after me, right? So just... Come!"
Such an offer was gladly taken. The youma rushed at Minoru, but again, he skidded out of the way. They seemed to continue this display for a while; Minoru bounding off the walls of the bar and the building adjacent to it and jumping just before the youma clawed at him. Unfortunately, the heat of the battle left Minoru unable to form a plan. It was only from an interjection from Xenia again that he managed to put something into action.
"M-Min!" she cried, catching his attention. "There! There, down by your feet, there's a brick! Use it!"
Minoru quickly glanced down to the tip of his geta and noticed the bricks Xenia spoke of. Snatching one up, he narrowed his eyes at the youma who was getting to its feet again after slamming into the wall of the bar. As it charged at him, Minoru didn't dodge; instead, at just the right moment, he used all of the strength in his arm to bring the brick down on the creature's head. This ended the youma for good; Minoru got a face full of dust rather than the claw he was expecting.
Smearing the creature's remnant's from his face, he slowly approached Xenia, who still appeared shaken up by the ordeal. Bending down to her, he opened his mouth to reassure her that everything was all right now, but she instead flung her arms around his neck and gave him a trembling hug.
"Holy ********, M-Min... I was so scared..." she said.
"It's okay now, Xe... I think it's dead..." he replied, patting her back. "Are you okay? It didn't hurt you, right?"
"N-no, it didn't hurt me. I'm okay. What about you? Are you hurt?"
Minoru shook his head. "Just tired from all of that jumping and stuff, but fine. I'm just glad you're okay."
Leaning back from him, Xenia attempted to rise to her feet, but her knees clattered together. Minoru guided her to a steady standing position.
"S-so... What's going on here?" Xenia asked him. "What was with all of that? The flash of light, the really weird looking cosplay... Is there something you're not telling me?"
Minoru gave her a clueless expression and shrugged a shoulder. "I... really don't know, Xe. I just... This just happened when I saw you in danger. Other than that, I really have no idea. All I know is... I feel really strong and... my name's Takama-Ga-Hara? Whatever that is. But this... feels weird. Like this is what I'm supposed to be. It..."
Xenia tilted her head. "It's what?" she asked.
"It"—Minoru looked up to the stars above and then down to the kiseru in his hand—"feels right," he replied.
