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secrets

"Secrets" A Valkyrie Profile Fan Fic
Act One
by Temple Priestess
templepriestess@sailorvenus.nu
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yaoi, angst, mixing of Japanese & English
names (Aluze=Arngrim), violence
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"I remember what I told you
But I can't remember why
And the yellow leaves are falling
In a spiral from the sky"*
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Lawfer sat down in the grass next to Aluze, who lay sprawled out on his back, hands behind his head. The two of them often came to this hill to sit and talk or to merely watch the simple beauty of the golden leaves spiraling down from the heavens. The blonde warrior looked over at Aluze, who had closed his eyes and seemed to be lost in sleep. With his eyes closed, the scar that ran down the left side of his face was clearly visible. Aluze was lucky not to have lost his eye from such a wound.

It was a mystery to everyone, even Aluze's own brother, as to how he had come by that scar. The dark haired warrior never talked about it and Lawfer was hesitant, even afraid, to ask him outright. He didn't want to stir up some better forgotten memory by asking something so personal. The origin of his scar was just as mysterious as Aluze himself. Although the older man was friendly enough with all of the soldiers, he never revealed anything about himself, about his life before he had met Lawfer and the others.

Lawfer gazed at his sleeping friend, wondering how he could ever relax like this, when the world seemed to be plunging into madness more and more each day? Perhaps it was this place, an isolated hilltop, which made him feel as if the rest of Midgard did not exist. Here there was only peace and quietness and safety. Here there was only the two of them.

As the young man studied Aluze's face, he unconsciously reached out his hand towards the scar, as if simply touching it would reveal all the secrets his friend had hidden away.

"You are wondering how I got that scar?"

Lawfer gasped and pulled his hand back quickly as Aluze spoke suddenly, his eyes still remaining closed. He should have known that a warrior as skilled as Aluze would immediately sense anyone coming near him.

"What's wrong with you?" Aluze finally opened his eyes when Lawfer did not respond to his original question. He sat up and looked questioningly at the blonde.

"N-nothing," Lawfer stammered, suddenly feeling very nervous, "I-I shouldn't have woken you. I'm sorry."

Aluze grinned and laughed softly as his friend started to blush furiously, but his expression became somber as his hand went up to his face and he traced the path of the scar with his fingertips--from his brow, over his eye and down his cheek. There were times when he could still feel the pain in this old wound, as fresh as the day it marked him. Lawfer's hazel eyes watched his movements intently; he could see a brief moment of sadness flash in Aluze's eyes and he felt terrible for causing his friend to relive some surely awful moment.

Lawfer expected his friend to stand up and leave, even utter some curse at him for ruining the peace he had found for too brief a time. He never expected that Aluze would move so close to him that he was nearly on top of the blonde, their faces bare inches apart. The young warrior fell back onto the grass in surprise, his hands clutching at the dew covered blades.

"Everyone has a past, Lawfer. Everyone has secrets." Aluze spoke softly, which was uncharacteristic of him. His warm breath brushed against Lawfer's lips with each word. "Secrets should only be told to someone you can trust. You have to be sure that the trust is real or you will destroy yourself."

"...destroy yourself...?" Lawfer murmured, eyes locked on the face before him. Aluze's near black eyes gazed back through half shut lids, like a lover whispering endearments in the night. This image clashed with what Lawfer knew him to be--a fierce, even uncontrollable, warrior, not someone who could easily be kind or gentle. Lawfer could not consciously combine the two and he was left in a half confused daze, barely registering the words Aluze spoke.

"Yes, destroy." Aluze leaned in closer as if to whisper some unspeakable secret. "If you trust someone with your heart and your soul and they betray you, it is better to pray for death than to live one moment longer." A note of sorrow resonated in these last words and Lawfer could almost swear that he saw a glistening in those dark eyes before Aluze drew back and stood up. His usual expression returned to his face as Lawfer just stared in wonder, unsure if he was dreaming...he had to be.

Any hopes of him being asleep were broken as Aluze grabbed his hand and roughly pulled him to his feet.

"We have to be getting back," he reminded Lawfer. "The training sessions will begin shortly." Lawfer nodded, mute, as he followed Aluze down the hillside. The wind picked up, scattering golden leaves all around them, the rustling breaking the silence. Aluze glanced over his shoulder and whispered so quietly that Lawfer could barely hear him above the sound of the wind swept leaves.

"One day I'll tell you how I got this scar."

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*quote from "Raymond Chandler Evening" by Robin Hitchcock, from "The Crow" graphic novel--it's not a romantic poem, but I just love these 4 lines:)
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----TBC----