My love, Broken and Twisted (Tyki Mikk)

Chapter 23

The dark swarm of tease loomed overhead of the raging battle, seemingly evenly matched, Kanda and Tyki clashed without restraint. Tyki came in fast with a brutal slash that came much too close to Kanda’s eye, throwing him slightly off balance, but doing so forced the exorcists eyes upwards. The black mass of insects above them, one by one, were beginning to fall. A jet black mist seeping out between the empty spaces starting to form in the Noah’s trap until the tease parted and dispersed, some of them weakly fluttering, using all the strength they had left before plummeting to the ground dead. The mist dropped as well, creating a rolling cloud of darkness that would soon reach them, Heaven’s shadow? Kanda smirked, She hasn’t used that trick in a while. Kanda locked blades with Tyki once again, who was still completely oblivious to the events unfolding behind him, the exorcist’s lips curved into a tiny smile, he took a deep breath and covered his mouth with his free hand. “Hmm?…” Tyki turned and glanced over his shoulder at the approaching mist, stepping through it was Shaun. It followed her as if it had a mind of its own, gently swirling around her body like a fluid veil and continuously pouring down from the massive blade of her weapon. “Stop it, both of you…” She ordered, shaking her head. “This really wasn’t how I wanted tonight to go…” That’s when the black shadow hit, Tyki couldn’t smell a thing and yet his throat and eyes were begging to burn, Kanda’s eyes were burning as well but he kept his hand pressed to his mouth and nose. “Is all this mist-” Tyki coughed into the arm that wasn’t busy holding off Kanda, “-Innocence?” His voice was already scratchy and an unpleasant stinging sensation was spreading over his exposed skin. Shaun, ignoring how obvious the answer was, gave him a single nod in reply, “Please Tyki, get out of here before you suffocate.” She warned. “Oh he won’t be going anywhere this time…” Kanda rumbled, “Mugen… NIGENTOU!” He called as a solid blue light snaked around his arm and behind his back, winding up until it reached his extended right hand and stretched into a blade identical to Mugen. Shaun’s clouded silver eyes were suddenly flooded with panic as the exorcist urged his illusion blade forward, instinctively starting towards them she grasped desperately for her weapon, Tyki was unable to react in time. SLAM!

Kanda’s blade pierced flesh, swiftly pushing deeper until his knuckles were pressed against her body, and spattered with her blood. Tyki writhed in pain on the ground, his side was screaming in protest but after a few short breaths, he forced himself to turn and see what had happened. There she was, still tightly gripping her extended scythe after smashing the Noah out of harm’s way with the blunt side of it, gritting her teeth with a bright blue blade clean through her lower body. Kanda stared, paralyzed with shock as the blonde simply bit her cheek to keep from crying out. For a moment, Shaun seemed to be just as surprised with herself as he was, closing her eyes her body fell limp, letting gravity pull her backwards as she slid off of the weapon. “SHAUN!” Tyki called in horror, staggering up and rushing towards her, he reached her just in time to break her fall. He hadn’t even noticed the mist clearing around them and shaping into an almost protective dome. Tyki eyes frantically flicked back and forth between Shaun’s face and the growing dark stain just above her hip, moving a hand under the exorcist’s coat he began to put pressure on the wound. “Ouch…” She complained without opening her eyes, Tyki was relieved that she was still conscious but he could feel the thick blood gushing through his fingers and knew that that might not last long. Kanda stared dazed and confused at the dark liquid beading up and dripping off of his weapon, only snapping back to reality when the illusion blade disappeared in his hand, glancing over at the Noah who was half cradling Shaun in his arms he cursed at her under his breath.

“Do you have anything to bind it with?” Tyki perked up at the exorcist’s sudden question, he glared at Kanda for having the nerve to even speak to him after what he had just done, but he put Shaun before his anger. “No I don’t...” He replied, but looking down at her again the Tyki noticed the long orange scarf she had closely wrapped around her neck, “But she might.” Kanda, taking the hint stepped over and knelt down beside her, Doesn’t this belong to that idiot red head? He thought as he moved to grab the scarf, Shaun lifted a hand and weakly grasped Kanda’s wrist, “You probably shouldn’t do that.” She warned, eyes still shut tight. “Don’t be stupid you’re going to bleed out.” Kanda chided, brushing her off and tugging at the scarf anyway, “Who’s fault is that…” Tyki muttered angrily to himself, not bothering to mask his displeasure at allowing Kanda to be so close to her. “What the…” Kanda cocked his head as the orange cloth pulled away, exposing the web like veins running up her neck . Shaun let out a sigh, or more of a small labored wheeze, now both of them were going to know and there was nothing she could do. “Take off her jacket.” Kanda instructed upon seeing the veins, Tyki’s eyes narrowed. “Pardon?...” He growled, his fingers felt wet and sticky from adding pressure and he wasn’t sure if Shaun was still awake to hear that last remark, only adding to his subconscious need to defend her. “We can reach the wound just fine…” He rumbled, Kanda ignored Tyki’s obviously threatening tone and much to the Noah’s dismay began to undo her coat himself. “No there’s something else here…” Kanda explained, the back of Tyki’s neck prickled with irritation, especially when it became clear that Shaun was wearing nothing but a black lace bra underneath her coat. He would have wrung Kanda’s neck right then and there if he hadn’t noticed the bulging lines as well. Kanda carefully pushed her coat off of the injured shoulder, uncovering her ghostly white skin and, the large black stigmata embedded deep into her flesh. Kanda blinked in disbelief at the marking, he was no fool, he knew what it meant. Gruffly taking hold of the open collar of her jacket the exorcist ground his teeth, “Damn it Shaun how long…” He demanded, Tyki gripped Kanda’s forearm and pulled him away but didn’t say a word, his head hung low and his eyes were dark. “HOW LONG!” Kanda repeated, he knew she could still hear him, she had to. There was a long pause while the exorcist waited for her to acknowledge him, a sound, a stir anything, “Answer the question love…” Came Tyki’s soft voice, Shaun’s body jerked a little and her shoulders began to shake, a few small coughs quickly took a turn, becoming something much different. Kanda’s brow furrowed, Is she… Laughing!?  Shaun began to laugh hysterically, like a maniac in need of a strait jacket and a padded room, “As if it matters how long it’s been!” The crazed girl laughed. “The ending is always the same you know that!” She cackled, more and more blood spilling through the Noah’s fingers as her body shook. “I’m tired.” She giggled, eyes half shut and a crooked smirk decorating her pale lips, “So tired of screaming null words at deaf ears. Tired of lying to myself.” Shaun shook her head, “Tired of being hurt! By the people I want to love!” Both Kanda and Tyki stared in awe, “So fuck it! I give up, you win!” With each laugh, pain shot up Shaun’s side like daggers but she was so absorbed in the moment that she barely noticed. Kanda ripped his arm away from the Noah’s hold and stood, putting his back to them as to hide the emotion clearly painted onto his usual stone cold face. Unsheathing Mugen he drove the blade halfway into the ground in frustration and cursed under his breath. “Hey…” Shaun smiled softly, her eyelids were feeling heavier and it was getting more difficult to stay awake, Tyki cradled her head so that he could look into her eyes, her beautiful silver blue eyes. “Some of the things I told you… And I know this is kind of a shitty time to be having an epiphany but…” She began to think out loud, “I meant the words I said but, I think some of it… maybe… might have been to keep you from being hurt like I was.” Shaun let out one more small laugh, amused by herself. “That doesn’t even make sense does it…” Tyki, gently brushing some hair out of her face, neatly tucked it behind her ear. “hmm… I have a heart… heh… who knew…” She smirked before little black dots began to blot her vision and she fell completely limp in his arms. He wanted to go back to how things were, to have her smile shyly and push the hair back into her face. Why did it all have to come to this… He wondered, You didn’t deserve to be hurt in the first place…

Tyki reached for the long orange scarf piled on the ground next to Shaun and wordlessly began wrap her injury, doing her coat back up and collecting her innocence he moved to carry her. Lifting her into the air bridal style he turned and began to walk away with her. “Just where do you think you’re going with her…” Came a deep snarl from behind him. “Away from here.” Tyki snapped back at him, “Tch, as if.” The exorcist scoffed, Tyki sighed and glanced down at Shaun, watching her chest rise and fall at a frighteningly slow pace, As much as it would please me to tear your little admirer to pieces- He thought to himself -I guess we need his help don’t we… “You and I both know she’s not safe here, and besides we can try to kill one another anytime.” Tyki replied, “So by all means tough guy-” Tyki spoke in a mocking and exaggerated tone, “-come along.” Kanda’s nose wrinkled in confusion, “What?” Tyki continued to walk towards the far wall, “I don’t know how to heal her, and taking her to a hospital would risk too much.” The Noah glanced over his shoulder, “You mean to tell me you don’t how either?” He challenged, knowing full well that he did, he hated that he needed the help of an exorcist, especially this particular exorcist, but he would have to make do if he wanted Shaun to recover. Kanda’s head was pounding, Is she really worth all this trouble… How could I leave with that scum of a Noah!? A pang of guilt swept over him like a wave as he recalled the image of her petite form sliding off of his own blade, “Tch…” He complained and took a step towards the Noah.

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An akuma, with a build similar to that of a wooden marionette hid deep in the needled branches of a tall pine tree, watching two figures move through the sprawling forest from afar, one of them carrying a third figure while the other lagged behind. The akuma closed its single red eye and the Millennium Earl then opened his, gently rocking on his rocking  chair the Earl halted his knitting . “Oh my dear, dear Tyki-pon…” His long pointed ears drooped, “It has become clear that you do not intend to carry out my simple wishes, and I cannot stand by any longer.” He set the neatly woven cloth of yellow and purple yarn onto his lap and frowned as he spoke out loud to himself. “I understand that she means a lot to you so I have thought up a punishment that you will come to forgive me for in the future.” He sighed, closing his eyes once more he peered through the akuma’s vision and focused the image on his beloved family member “I hope that you will understand that you brought this upon yourself.”