Shooting Stars

An Earthian Fanfic

Disclaimer: Earthian is the creation of Yun Kouga and the property of Yun Kouga/Shinshokan - Youmex; the OAV's were released by AnimeWorks.

Spoiler warning: this bit of a story contains limited spoilers for the four OAV episodes only.


Chihaya stopped in the middle of the circle of pale yellow light, determination giving way to the more familiar territory of fear and uncertainty. He kicked absently at a chip of old concrete as his eyes slowly tracked through the dark reaches of the small hilltop park. Chances were good that he wasn't here, anyway. Kagetsuya could disappear to places that Chihaya could no longer follow if he truly wanted to be left alone. Bright memories of soaring through starlit skies, Kagetsuya swooping after him as he laughed and made a half-hearted attempt to avoid pursuit swept down on him, bringing the instant sting of tears to his huge violet eyes. This was for the best. If Kagetsuya was truly gone, who could blame him for leaving?

However justified, the thought still hurt and Chihaya begin to search with renewed fervor. He wandered down an old bike path, away from the bright artificial light, until finally the dim shapes of the trees gave way to a breathtaking view of the sparkling city lights below. There, on the rocky edge of the hill, rested a familiar figure.

Kagetsuya sat perfectly still, an alabaster statue with hair that somehow managed to appear golden even in the silvery moonlight. He gave no sign that he noticed Chihaya's presence, although the dark angel had no doubts that his lover had detected him long before he'd reached the end of the path. Kagetsuya was too naturally attuned with his surroundings to miss even the subtlest movements.

Kagetsuya's face was tilted skyward, his gaze locked on the heavens. Chihaya tore his own eyes away with an almost physical wrench and forced himself to look up. A shooting star streaked across the sky. Chihaya tracked its progress almost absently with his eyes.

'I wonder what he sees. Maybe he doesn't see anything at all. Maybe he just regrets…'

"Do you think any of them saw it?"

The sudden question shattered the stillness of the night. Chihaya jumped slightly, his breath catching in his throat. "Who?"

"Your Earthians. Do you think any of them were watching the sky just now?"

Chihaya took a step closer to the edge of the rocks, his hands locking together nervously behind his back. "Yes, I think some of them did." He forced himself to look up at his partner, violet eyes meeting blue for only a second before Kagetsuya's gaze darted back to the safety of the sky. "I think sometimes that they're even more aware of the sky than we are, Kagetsuya. Why else would everything they build so resemble it?"

Kagetsuya glanced down at the sparkling city lights and shook his head. "That's just a coincidence, Chihaya. They need light."

"Is it?"

Silence descended between them again. Although Chihaya stood only inches from Kagetsuya's perch on the rocks, he felt almost as if a canyon lay between them.

'This is my fault. All of this is my fault.'

He bit his lip as tears started to sting his eyes again. "Kagetsuya? I don't know how to say I'm sorry…"

His voice cut off as his lover turned to face him. The sudden intensity in the big angel's eyes was frightening. "Am I ever going to be enough for you, Chihaya?"

The quiet question cut through Chihaya like a knife. Suddenly all his own pains- Messiah's sacrifice, the loss of his wing, the color of his wings and hair- seemed entirely selfish. The only pain that truly mattered was what he could read in Kagetsuya's expression.

"What do you mean?" The question emerged as choked whisper, but Kagetsuya was close enough to hear.

"You're always looking for something else. We gave up everything, but is this what you wanted? Was this really the choice you wanted to make, or did I somehow force you into it? You said-"

Kagetsuya stopped and turned quickly away. Chihaya felt the tears finally break free, acid tracks of shame burning down his cheeks.

He forced himself to take the last few steps forward and sit down on the edge of the rocks, but he couldn't make himself look down. Heights took on an entirely different perspective when you could no longer fly.

Silence fell between them again, as Kagetsuya stared stonily down at the city and waited for the answer Chihaya was struggling to put into words.

"I'm sorry, Kagetsuya. I…" He stopped and took a deep trembling breath. "I'm sorry. I've only been thinking about myself, but sometimes I can't let things go. I've never been able to just walk away. I just-"

The words stopped as his chest constricted with the sobs he was fighting back. He dropped his face down into his hands, feeling as if the world was being slowly stripped away from beneath his feet.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "If I lose you because I've been an idiot, then I really have lost everything that matters."

Hands suddenly locked onto his thin arms, startling him enough to pull him tightly into an embrace.

"Kagetsuya?"

"Baka. You haven't lost me. I've been through too much to give you up now."

A strangled sob tore out of Chihaya's throat. He sat up in Kagetsuya's embrace and threw his arms around his neck, crying brokenly against his shoulder. Long silky strands of golden hair suddenly brushed his cheek as the familiar warmth of wings rose and closed around both of them, providing a temporary safe haven from the rest of the world. Chihaya let the warmth enfold him, breathing in the scent that was so uniquely Kagetsuya. Hands threaded through his hair, stroking the short dark strands.

Chihaya shook his head, pressing his face into the hollow of his lover's throat. "I don't deserve you."

He could feel Kagetsuya's smile in the darkness. "I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too, my dark angel."

After a few minutes more of quiet, Chihaya twisted to look back up at the sky. Kagetsuya folded his wings away and pulled Chihaya's back up against his chest, resting his chin on the smaller angel's head.

Another shooting star shot over their heads, chased immediately by a second.

Chihaya sighed and leaned back. "That can never be us again, can it?"

"Oh, you never know." Kagetsuya dropped a quick kiss on his head and turned his eyes back to the sky. "We are angels. Miracles have been known to happen."


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