I wrote this for a contest on the website Neither of the characters are mine, but this was the idea (to use already created characters). Characters are belonging to Solus Sanada. This piece of writing has homosexual relationship, so if you are at all uncomfortable with that, please don't read any more.

Thanks, glad that's over. Now for the stor; C&C please?

What about tomorrow?

Cadence laid his head against the headrest of his chair, waiting in a somewhat subdued manner for the journey to end. The rattling of the train seemed to take up most of his conscious thoughts, and he found that it was becoming more and more difficult to concentrate on anything but the blurred cityscape outside as it whipped past him at high speed. A young woman opposite him stepped unsteadily to her feet, crossing the small gap between the two rows of cheap plastic chairs, and threw herself ungracefully towards the compartment door as the train began to slow down.

Cadence soon found himself looking away from the window, the train station outside looked cold and deserted, watching the woman who was determined to get off the train. She slammed her hand down on the “door open” push button, setting off a highly irritating robotic voice, declaring that Huffleburry station had been reached, and grappled with the door.

He sighed to himself, rolling his eyes at the conductor, who seemed to find the woman’s demeanour rather disconcerting, and settled himself back against the blue plastic. This wasn’t his stop, and he probably had another fifteen minutes or so before he could get off the train and go home. Not that home is much better... He couldn’t help but think about how much going home would really affect him. He could sleep, sure, and probably eat if there was food in the fridge, but was it really worth all the jostling through Jamesbrook station? Or the angry glares he got from the landlady, Mrs Daniels, when he arrived after dinner again? Probably not, but where else was there to go?

Fallus scratched his head in thought, the train ticket in his hand quivering slightly in the autumn breeze. Annoyed, he shoved the ticket away in a fold of his clothing somewhere, and crossed his arms across his chest in a childish manner. The man at the office had over charged him again. “Third time this week!” He sighed somewhat distractedly, wishing a first class seat wasn’t so hard to come by, as his violet eyes searched the steel tracks repeatedly for any sign of that ever-evasive train. It was never until after he walked out he noticed that he’d paid too much, but then, it didn’t really bother him too much. He had too much money to know what to do with, but public transport amused him to no end, and so he continued to use it regularly.

When the familiar whistling sound alerted him to the arriving of his train, he pulled out his ticket again and watched the doors. Strangely enough, he found himself wanting to enjoy the site of many people clambering off the train all at once. He waited, and the doors opened with a puff of steam into the cold air, but there was no clamber of people. Instead, Fallus heard the fumbling of clumsy fingers as a woman tried desperately to open the door to the nearest compartment.

He watched with interest, rather than go and help her, as she slammed her hand down on the button repeatedly. Smiling, he approached the doors, which opened almost right away, and jumped back in annoyance as the woman sailed past him. Blind curses flying out of her mouth, Fallus snapped angrily.

“Hey! Watch it!” She didn’t even look back, just gathered her bags about her body and sprinted off in the other direction. Fallus felt his eyebrows rising in surprise, a little late however, but he let them and shook his head in disgrace. People these days...

The train was quiet. Unlike usual it was almost empty, and Fallus soon found himself counting the number of bodies actually present. Three. Sighing abjectly, he scanned the empty plastic chairs, testing each chair out in his mind before shaking his head. Second class plastic seats, what a waste of money.

“You can sit here if you like?” A little man, probably no older than forty was grinning up at him from behind heavily rimmed black spectacles. His bald head reflected the cheap ceiling lights, and straight away Fallus felt his mouth turn up in a snigger.

“No. Thanks.” Fallus thanked the man, not out of politeness, but out of spite, and turned away grinning. Who wears black leather and white silk? Nobody, not these days, God, where’s that man been for the past thousand years? Sardonically, he felt his lips form a wide smile, and let it happen.

In front of him, he saw two more occupied seats. One was occupied by a young woman with a pale heart shaped face and dirty blonde hair, the other was a man. He spied the man closely, before approaching him, taking in every angle of his face and clothes before speaking.

“Is anybody sitting there?” It seemed like a simple question, one which needn’t really be asked, but the man looked out of the window thoughtfully before answering. his long, dark hair shrouded his face so that Fallus couldn’t see it very well, but something about him was familiar.

“Yes.”

“No there isn’t.” Fallus pointedly stated the obvious and went to sit next to the man anyway. He wanted to see his face, remember that familiarity. What was it that made him seem so companionable? He didn’t know, to tell the truth, but it was worth finding out. There was nobody else around, anyway.

Cadence glanced up, breaking his final concentration, and glared at the man stood above him angrily.

“Yes there is, or at least, if there isn’t, I’d rather it stay that way.” The man sat beside him anyway, and Cadence only turned away from him, totally unaware that he was being stared at.

“Turn around.” The man commanded him, and Cadence, suddenly seething, had to hold his breath to stop the inevitable explosion of anger and a childish tantrum.

“Why should I?”

“I want to see your face.”

“And?”

“You look familiar. I’ve seen you before, somewhere.” This had Cadence thinking, he pouted his lips and sighed before giving in to the stranger.

“So? It’s not like I know you. I’m sure I’d recognise you if I di-” But he did recognise him. He could make out a vaguely oval face, surrounded by soft cascades of black hair. He could see the startling violet eyes, and sighed, suddenly aware of how angry he had become.

“You’re Fallus. I know you, remember me?”

“I think... Let me see your face?” Fallus questioned, his whole body turned towards Cadence in a curious manner. Cadence lifted his fringe from his eyes with one hand, and smiled. “Cay?”

“Yeah.”

“How long’s it been?” Fallus grinned and sat back in the plastic chair, relaxing against it.

“A while. I don’t remember the last time we-”

“Coffee shop.” They said together.

“Oh yeah! You’d just moved into your new apartment, right?” Fallus was now smiling openly, the bone shaped bells in his hair was jingly softly, and Cay remembered fondly the last time they had been together. He remembered the smell of coffee, and the warmth of the place, all those winters ago.

“Flat, actually, but yeah. That was it. How have you been?”

“The usual.” Fallus replied, waving his hand around in a grand manner. “What about you?

“Don’t ask.”

“I’m asking.” Cadence was reluctant to burden his old friend with the news of his failing life, but found it comforting that somebody cared, and soon the two of them were chatting like the old days.

--

The two chat for what seems like ages, but for what is perhaps only a few minutes. Cadence relates the past two years to Fallus who, surprisingly unlike his usual self, listens intently. Then, Cadence pauses and looks at Fallus fondly.

“I haven’t talked to anyone in such a long while. It’s-” Here he stops, and smiles at his old friend. “It’s nice, and such a shame that I have to get off here.” He gestures out of the window at the passing scenery.

“You could come back to my place, for a coffee? There’s more than enough room.” Fallus smiles, and Cadence sees the return of the arrogant man he remembers so well.

“I’d love that.”

--

Fallus took Cadence into his house, leaving most of the living area unoccupied, and leading him only into the lounge. It was a small, cosy room lit by only a fire, and a few little wall fixture lights. Fallus watched Cadence looking around eagerly, waiting for his feedback, and in serious need of an ego boost. He’d spent the last half an hour listening to a man he could hardly remember, and now he felt that it was his turn. He wanted to show off, something he hadn’t done with Cadence in a very long time.

Cadence seated himself on one of the sofas, and folded his hands in his lap. “This is nice.”

“I know.” Fallus grinned. “Want a drink?” Cadence nodded.

“Not coffee though. I hate coffee.”

“Wine?”

“That’ll do nicely.” Fallus poured him a glass of red liquid and grinned again. “I just had the most curious thought.”

“You did?”

“Yes.”

Cadence blinked, aware of the feeling, and showing it in his eyes. “I think I know what you mean...”

“You do?” Fallus sat down again, mocking his old friend by drinking some wine of his own.

“I do.” Cadence smiled, softly. “I remember.” His eyes took on a glazed look about them, cloudy and distant. He was remembering the soft touch, the gentle caresses. He saw Fallus reach out for his hand, but Cadence pulled away, happy with his memories. Those two words, simple as they were, could easily describe what had happened between them all that time ago.

“Remember.” Fallus repeated, smiling. “I remember too.” The way he said it made Cadence double-take. It was as if the fears that had separated them in the first place were back.

“You don’t regret-”

“How could I regret? I could barely remember you.” That hurt Cadence even more, and he shook his head.

“I remember everything. I miss it sometimes, and I do think about it...” He paused, suddenly aware of Fallus’ eyes on his face, and the full glass in his hand. Swilling it about, he tried to make himself look thoughtful, but deep down he knew that Fallus could see right through it. “I don’t want to sound like a pansy- that’s what you called me, wasn’t it? I want to sound so masculine, I’m trying...”

“I know.” Fallus didn’t say any more, just swallowed the rest of his wine and looked around his room, as if seeing it for the first time.

“It feels weird to be here. I haven’t been since-” Cadence stopped, unwilling to say what his brain had programmed into his mouth. “Since...” He looked around wildly, trying to focus on something else, anything else, and failing. “Since before...” He found himself shaking a little, the drink in his hands wavering in his grasp. He smiled weakly, “I’m sorry. I’m very emotional at the moment.”

Fallus found himself unable to criticise Cadence in his current state, and even more so to his surprise, he felt his hand sneak out from inside his sleeve, offering it to him in condolence.

“I know it’s hard.” He couldn’t control the flow of words and actions, like vomit. There was no other way to describe it, and his hands were shaking slightly. “I know.”

“I...” Cadence was quiet, his face down to the floor, as though wishing he could melt.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here, not after all this time.” Fallus shook his head and stroked his hair softly. “I guess I just missed having somebody to talk to.” Shit, what am I doing? Fallus shook his head again, more aggressively than before, not quite believing that he was being so open. But then, wasn’t that what has attracted him to Cay in the first place?

“Don’t make me cry,” Cadence was watery eyed. “or I suppose I’ll have to castrate you...” He sniffled, and smiled weakly.

“Oh, to hell with it.” Fallus couldn’t take it any more, he grabbed Cadence’s hands and squeezed them tight between his own. He wasn’t the man that Fallus remembered, his demeanour had softened, and he wasn’t so aggressive. Surely he hadn’t changed that much, had he?

Cadence attempted to pull back, his heart beating in his chest, but Fallus’ grip was tight, and his pull was only half-hearted. How could he even think about running from the man he’d dreamed of for so long?

“It’s not that I-”

“Don’t say anything. Let me show you something.” Cadence was fearful, his heart now hammering harder than ever. Fallus stood up, and passed to a bureau on the far wall. he rattled around for a moment, before pulling out a little velvet bag the colour of midnight, the deepest blue with flecks of silvery grey. Cadence smiled, remembering this bag, and looked at Fallus expectantly. Fallus wore the smug expression of a winner on his face.

“I-”

“You remember these?”

“Uhuh.” Cadence nodded, grateful that it was just the cards. The same cards that had lead him to Fallus in the first place, and not something else. Then, he felt a blush colour his cheeks, how foolish could he have been? Fallus wasn’t like that. Smug, cocky, sure. But he wasn’t like that.

Fallus laid out the cards carefully on the table in front of them both, and sat back down by Cadence’s side. He split the deck into thre;, past, present, and future, and grinned at Cay. The backs of the cards had worn so much in the past years that they had almost faded entirely, but the unmistakable patterns of twisting dragons and wisps of wind still brought back the same old memories. Soft touch, tender kiss, and shuddering skin by a warm fire.

“Past.” Cadence uttered the word, waiting for Fallus to turn the card, ever superstitious.

“Our love.” Fallus said the words clearly, his voice soft. Cadence didn’t flinch at his choice of words, but felt his heart flutter. Fallus picked up a card, turned it over and smiled sadly. The Lovers, reversed.

“Emotional loss, unwelcome separation.” Cadence replied, knowingly. “Present.”

“Our trial.” Fallus again sighed the words softly, and turned over the card. The Wheel of Fortune.

“An end to current problems and a marred stroke of luck.” Cadence recited from memory, his lips dry. “What about-”

“Future? I think we should leave that, I don’t want to know.” Fallus leaned in closer to him, and he found to his surprisal, he did not resist, only softened his resolve.

Suddenly their faces drew close. So close Cadence could feel his warm breath on his face. He leaned in and drew the man closer. Leaning in his embrace and, looking into his eyes Fallus lowered his lips onto those of his old friend. The softness of his kiss made Cadence weary, it was beautiful and serene.

He tilted into his welcoming warmth and kissed him back. His lips slipping over Fallus’ in one fluid motion. Beautiful, delicate, tempting, all of the words that should have been used to describe this wonderful feeling no longer mattered. They couldn’t describe the longing throb of his heart, of the urgent rushing of blood through his veins. Suddenly, nothing else mattered, not going home, not eating or sleeping. All that he cared about was right here, right in front of him, and it had taken him so long to realise what he was missing!

The kiss seemed to last a life time, a pleasureable one of purest form and beauty, and the two men toppled together in a mad rush of caresses and showered kisses. It didn’t take long before they were back in an ancient routine, one so familiar it made Cadence’s heart wrench to think about what he had been missing. The kisses burnt with a fever, and the pressure of Fallus’ skin against his own set his ears ringing and brain spinning, but the sensation was more than dizzying. It was sensational.

Why is it, he thought, that sex is only ever this good after we break up? But that thought, like all the others, was soon washed away with all the others, and only desire remained.

“Oh Cadence, you’re screwing up my new rug.”

“I’m sorry. Thing is, I don’t care.” Another kiss, and a gentle stroke. “I...” A pause. “I missed you. I...” He waited, another kiss, and then he spoke again. “I love you.”

“I know. I don’t care either.” Fallus breathed in and smiled.

--

Morning dawns and Cadence yawns, his breath steaming before his mouth. Gently, he untangles himself from Fallus’ limbs, pale like porcelain, and looks at the tarot cards left on the table curiously. They never did check to see what their future held in store...

He tiptoes over to it carefully, and lifts up the card like a newborn child. On second thought, he wraps his clothing about him in the chill, and looks again. This time, he is ready. A heavy dread is knotting up inside his stomach like a tidal wave of emotion- since when had he become such a pansy? He pinches his arm hard, set his jaw square, and lifted the card.

“Future. Where am I going?” Death, reversed. Cadence shakes his head, unwilling to believe. “Loss of a friendship...” He draws the next card, as if he doesn’t trust Fallus’ power. The Moon, reversed. “No.” He sobs once. “Perils, lies and terrible risks. Be very careful indeed.” Fallus snores softly beside him, but Cadence only had the ability to see him for what the card has told. “Lies...”

He knows, deep down, this is why he left. The cards, their way of life, it will ruin him. He has been happy, but to try to make a new happiness, would push him too far. He lays the card down by Fallus’ sleeping head, and turns away. Wandering from the room in silence, he dresses, and leaves. Not looking back once.

It is not until he reaches the end of the road, standing at the train station, that he stops. He looks about him, the early morning light colours everything a shade of red, and he knows that he has done the right thing. When his train arrives, he steps on, aware of his haggard appearance, and not caring much, for he has lost something precious. Not once, but twice.

“I love you...” He whispers to himself, praying that next time, when he awakes, he will find The Fool.