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Title: Year 122
Wordcount: 1600
What: Yuki/Ron, post Inugami jamjar shenanigans. Ron promises to wait for Yuki after he returns home.
Status: finished
Notes: I made myself sad. Again. Why do I keep doing this to myself
Year one is the easiest: he's still so eager and full of fervor. He can do this. He just has to wait until the twins are born then keep an eye on them so he's right there when they finally return home. It's easy, he thinks. Things like this always go by in an eyeblink, or at least that's what he hears from stories of immortals and other things that live well past the boundaries of human life expectancy. So he hunkers himself down in his work. After all, by the time they met again, he wanted to be a reaper worth respecting. William commends him on his work. His reports are submitted on time and his usual five minutes of being late is cut down to two. It's clear that what happened while he was away, something happened and whatever that something is changed him for the better.
Year five becomes a little harder. His fervor has died down to a low rumble. He still shows up to work and assignments on time, he still pushes himself to grow up a little but there's a little prick at the back of his mind that starts to wonder if he'll be able to keep this up as much as he thought. Grell has asked him about this mysterious boy time and time again. Will she be able to meet him? Has Ron really become a model reaper because of him? He must certainly be something if their misbehaving little playboy has decided to go on the straight and narrow, after all. Ronald eagerly answers her questions and tells her stories until they wear thin in his mouth. He tells her about the look Yukio gives him when he's caught red handed in the middle of mischief. He tells her about the time he and Rin tried to break into the school kitchen on a mission to make chocolate for girly mags. He tells her of the time he stole a kiss from the younger Okumura while they were talking because he decided to run with it. Talking about the brothers makes him feel the same way he did when he was around them. It makes him feel like 117 years isn't so far away.
By year eighteen, Grell has memorized all his stories. There's only so many times you can tell one before you realize you're repeating himself. He realizes this every time he replays that kiss in his mind. His own lips don't feel as warm anymore and he can barely recall the scent of the boy's cologne as he pulled him close. What was once a vivid memory is starting to fade. The picture in his mind is starting to grey but he fights to keep the color in each frame. If he still had a cinematic record to reap, this would be one scene he'd want people to see. It's only been eighteen years, Ron, get it together. If this mission was a child, it'd barely been able to drink! He scolds himself like this and often. He's still got a hundred and four years to go, after all. Almost to the double digits.
Come year thirty two, he wonders if Yuki will even recognize him when they meet again. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a different reaper altogether. The changes have been gradual over the years but they're changes nontheless. He's filled out a bit, mostly in the shoulders. His face and eyes haven't changed much, that's for certain. Still with the boyish charm and that grin that never seems to leave him. Not like he's never found a reason not to smile, after all. It's how he wanted Yuki to remember him. But then he figures it'll be fine. After all, he's acclimated well to the decade of the brilliant young things so there are distractions a-plenty. As he drives to work one morning in a sleek new Bentley, he can't help but think back to Yuki and eagerly await the time he can finally drive them both home. Maybe he should get a haircut. But then again, how could Yuki mistake the man who lost an arm for him for anyone else?
Year 50 is a busy year for everyone, so much so that he doesn't realize he's hit a milestone when it passes. Between upwards of forty reaps a day and new recruits of his own to train, he only notices the date when he finally sets his head down and realizes he can barely remember what the boy sounds like. Before he closes his eyes, he looks at the calendar and congratulates himself. He's gone this far. Seventy two more years to go. Seventy two more years until he can see him again… that is if he doesn't kill himself with work, he laughs. It's gallows humor. But then he's a reaper.
Thankfully, he doesn't miss the next milestone. By year 100, he's got a department of his own. Every time he sees his young recruits running about here and there, he can't help but remember how he was at that age. Has it really been a hundred years since he returned from that hell? They're so eager to please, just like he was. But they've heard the rumors. He's been held as proof that a reaper can turn a new leaf and become a model employee after all. The old stories come to him easily when they ask if the rumors were true. What made you turn your life around, Mister Knox? Is it true there's someone you're waiting for? So he tells them the same stories he told Grell when he got back. He tells them about the time he and Rin tried to break into the school kitchen on a mission to make chocolate for girly mags. He tells them of the time he stole a kiss from the younger Okumura while they were talking because he decided to run with it. Not long now.
Year 106 is D Day. He has to get there by December. He knows where to go, which forest to find them in. He's sworn to keep them safe until Shiro and Mephisto arrive to take them from Yuri. He remembers this from Yuki's memories and though they are a bit fuzzy, it's that renewed fervor that makes him feel like it's only been a year since he last saw them. He's lasted this long. Just sixteen more years. So he requests a transfer. As luck would have it, they do need a hand over in the Japan branch and would appreciate an experienced reaper like himself. Ronald packs his bags and says goodbye. He leaves the department in the hands of one of his most capable recruits and bids Grell and William goodbye. "I hope he's everything you remember him to be", Grell adds "I hope so too." is what he says as he turns to go. December of year 106 can't come fast enough.
In year 110 is when he first sees the twins in person. It almost brings tears to his eyes. He's done it. They're alive and he's here. He's at the tail end of his mission. It takes all of his willpower for him not to run over and introduce himself there and then. But he can't help it when Yukio trips, grazing his knee on a sharp rock in the ground. Rin's run ahead but by the time he comes back, he finds his brother sniffling as he dabs his eyes with an unfamiliar handkerchief. When Shiro asked about the handkerchief, all he said was that a nice man gave it to him to wipe his tears and not to cry because Rin was coming back.
He's been watching them on the sly, passing by the church and attending mass even if he was never a devout Catholic. Christmas mass is his favorite because that's when the choir sings. It's in year 120 when he realizes the twins aren't there that year. He figures Rin's at a difficult age or probably they've decided to celebrate their birthday some other way. It's when he leaves the church and turns the corner does he spot Yukio giving chase to what seems to be a lesser demon. Two more years, he reminds himself before deciding to turn around and go down another road.
Year 122. The year he's been waiting for.
He stands by the gate of True Cross Academy, rocking on his heels and checking his watch. No one notices him but perhaps that's the perk of being a reaper. Besides, how suspicious would it be for a man like him to be waiting for a student? His watch, for once, is actually on time. He's set it specially for this day after all. School should be out soon. This should be the day the Okumuras return home.
Any minute now.
3
2
1
"Ron?" he hears from a voice he now recognizes as if it was yesterday when he had stolen a kiss on that observatory tower.
"Wotcher, Yuki!" he finally says, his voice near cracking when he realizes this is really happening. All these years of waiting had culminated to this.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here. How did you even get here? What are you even doing here?" Yukio asks, his pace quickening as he approaches the reaper who is desperately trying not to break into tears.
"I've been waiting. Like I said I would, sweetheart." Ronald laughs, quickly rubbing his eyes.
"Did I keep you waiting long?"
"Was worth every minute, mate."
Wordcount: 1600
What: Yuki/Ron, post Inugami jamjar shenanigans. Ron promises to wait for Yuki after he returns home.
Status: finished
Notes: I made myself sad. Again. Why do I keep doing this to myself
Year one is the easiest: he's still so eager and full of fervor. He can do this. He just has to wait until the twins are born then keep an eye on them so he's right there when they finally return home. It's easy, he thinks. Things like this always go by in an eyeblink, or at least that's what he hears from stories of immortals and other things that live well past the boundaries of human life expectancy. So he hunkers himself down in his work. After all, by the time they met again, he wanted to be a reaper worth respecting. William commends him on his work. His reports are submitted on time and his usual five minutes of being late is cut down to two. It's clear that what happened while he was away, something happened and whatever that something is changed him for the better.
Year five becomes a little harder. His fervor has died down to a low rumble. He still shows up to work and assignments on time, he still pushes himself to grow up a little but there's a little prick at the back of his mind that starts to wonder if he'll be able to keep this up as much as he thought. Grell has asked him about this mysterious boy time and time again. Will she be able to meet him? Has Ron really become a model reaper because of him? He must certainly be something if their misbehaving little playboy has decided to go on the straight and narrow, after all. Ronald eagerly answers her questions and tells her stories until they wear thin in his mouth. He tells her about the look Yukio gives him when he's caught red handed in the middle of mischief. He tells her about the time he and Rin tried to break into the school kitchen on a mission to make chocolate for girly mags. He tells her of the time he stole a kiss from the younger Okumura while they were talking because he decided to run with it. Talking about the brothers makes him feel the same way he did when he was around them. It makes him feel like 117 years isn't so far away.
By year eighteen, Grell has memorized all his stories. There's only so many times you can tell one before you realize you're repeating himself. He realizes this every time he replays that kiss in his mind. His own lips don't feel as warm anymore and he can barely recall the scent of the boy's cologne as he pulled him close. What was once a vivid memory is starting to fade. The picture in his mind is starting to grey but he fights to keep the color in each frame. If he still had a cinematic record to reap, this would be one scene he'd want people to see. It's only been eighteen years, Ron, get it together. If this mission was a child, it'd barely been able to drink! He scolds himself like this and often. He's still got a hundred and four years to go, after all. Almost to the double digits.
Come year thirty two, he wonders if Yuki will even recognize him when they meet again. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a different reaper altogether. The changes have been gradual over the years but they're changes nontheless. He's filled out a bit, mostly in the shoulders. His face and eyes haven't changed much, that's for certain. Still with the boyish charm and that grin that never seems to leave him. Not like he's never found a reason not to smile, after all. It's how he wanted Yuki to remember him. But then he figures it'll be fine. After all, he's acclimated well to the decade of the brilliant young things so there are distractions a-plenty. As he drives to work one morning in a sleek new Bentley, he can't help but think back to Yuki and eagerly await the time he can finally drive them both home. Maybe he should get a haircut. But then again, how could Yuki mistake the man who lost an arm for him for anyone else?
Year 50 is a busy year for everyone, so much so that he doesn't realize he's hit a milestone when it passes. Between upwards of forty reaps a day and new recruits of his own to train, he only notices the date when he finally sets his head down and realizes he can barely remember what the boy sounds like. Before he closes his eyes, he looks at the calendar and congratulates himself. He's gone this far. Seventy two more years to go. Seventy two more years until he can see him again… that is if he doesn't kill himself with work, he laughs. It's gallows humor. But then he's a reaper.
Thankfully, he doesn't miss the next milestone. By year 100, he's got a department of his own. Every time he sees his young recruits running about here and there, he can't help but remember how he was at that age. Has it really been a hundred years since he returned from that hell? They're so eager to please, just like he was. But they've heard the rumors. He's been held as proof that a reaper can turn a new leaf and become a model employee after all. The old stories come to him easily when they ask if the rumors were true. What made you turn your life around, Mister Knox? Is it true there's someone you're waiting for? So he tells them the same stories he told Grell when he got back. He tells them about the time he and Rin tried to break into the school kitchen on a mission to make chocolate for girly mags. He tells them of the time he stole a kiss from the younger Okumura while they were talking because he decided to run with it. Not long now.
Year 106 is D Day. He has to get there by December. He knows where to go, which forest to find them in. He's sworn to keep them safe until Shiro and Mephisto arrive to take them from Yuri. He remembers this from Yuki's memories and though they are a bit fuzzy, it's that renewed fervor that makes him feel like it's only been a year since he last saw them. He's lasted this long. Just sixteen more years. So he requests a transfer. As luck would have it, they do need a hand over in the Japan branch and would appreciate an experienced reaper like himself. Ronald packs his bags and says goodbye. He leaves the department in the hands of one of his most capable recruits and bids Grell and William goodbye. "I hope he's everything you remember him to be", Grell adds "I hope so too." is what he says as he turns to go. December of year 106 can't come fast enough.
In year 110 is when he first sees the twins in person. It almost brings tears to his eyes. He's done it. They're alive and he's here. He's at the tail end of his mission. It takes all of his willpower for him not to run over and introduce himself there and then. But he can't help it when Yukio trips, grazing his knee on a sharp rock in the ground. Rin's run ahead but by the time he comes back, he finds his brother sniffling as he dabs his eyes with an unfamiliar handkerchief. When Shiro asked about the handkerchief, all he said was that a nice man gave it to him to wipe his tears and not to cry because Rin was coming back.
He's been watching them on the sly, passing by the church and attending mass even if he was never a devout Catholic. Christmas mass is his favorite because that's when the choir sings. It's in year 120 when he realizes the twins aren't there that year. He figures Rin's at a difficult age or probably they've decided to celebrate their birthday some other way. It's when he leaves the church and turns the corner does he spot Yukio giving chase to what seems to be a lesser demon. Two more years, he reminds himself before deciding to turn around and go down another road.
Year 122. The year he's been waiting for.
He stands by the gate of True Cross Academy, rocking on his heels and checking his watch. No one notices him but perhaps that's the perk of being a reaper. Besides, how suspicious would it be for a man like him to be waiting for a student? His watch, for once, is actually on time. He's set it specially for this day after all. School should be out soon. This should be the day the Okumuras return home.
Any minute now.
3
2
1
"Ron?" he hears from a voice he now recognizes as if it was yesterday when he had stolen a kiss on that observatory tower.
"Wotcher, Yuki!" he finally says, his voice near cracking when he realizes this is really happening. All these years of waiting had culminated to this.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here. How did you even get here? What are you even doing here?" Yukio asks, his pace quickening as he approaches the reaper who is desperately trying not to break into tears.
"I've been waiting. Like I said I would, sweetheart." Ronald laughs, quickly rubbing his eyes.
"Did I keep you waiting long?"
"Was worth every minute, mate."
