disclaimer: if i owned them i'd have died a long time ago after iori caught me rummaging through his closet. i make no money from this.

warning: it's written by me. that means it's gonna have a little shounen-ai. that's two(ok, ok. so it's a little one sided here) guys loving each other. if you don't like that stuff then don't read it. if you ignore me, well, that's your problem and i have no pity for you.
suicidal kyo! guess this'll be a death fic then.

notes: this is kinda depressing but this is how i see iori and kyo's relationship. it may have a sequel that's a bit happier or i might leave it the way it is. most likely leave it as is for a looong time. i haven't been inspired lately.
reviews are always appreciated.

/lala/-italics

Used Life
by fairady

/Why do you hate me?/

He turned around and walked away. His back straight, pride refusing to let him show any weakness to his rival. His stride was sure and smooth despite the obvious pain of his battle inflicted injuries. The tails of his white shirt billowed behind him. He stopped at the door and with an arrogant shake of his head he directed his last comment behind him without turning his head.

"I'll be back again someday. I'll kill you then."

He disappeared into the dark beyond the door.

The man left behind stared out into the dark. A fine tremor worked through his body as he bit his lip. His clenched fists loosened and fell to his side, and he bowed his head, eyes shut tight.

"Why do you hate me?"

His whisper was more a plea than a question.

/Why...?/

~

He was used to people's jealousy toward him. He was used to being hated.

Kyo Kusanagi was an easy man to hate.

The heir to a legacy of fighting prowess and the psionic abilities of his clan. He was an excellent fighter even by his own family's measure. His performance in the King of Fighter's tournament attested to that fact. He was popular, loved by many. Nothing terrible seemed to happen to the young man.

It was easy to hate Kyo.

Even his best friend hated him. Benimaru had hated Kyo the instant he saw him, and had become jealous once he learned he could not beat him.

But that was all right. Kyo was used to being hated.

He was used to the hatred of whom he was, and jealousy of what others thought he had. Kyo really didn't give a flying fuck about them.

What he could never get over was the fact that he hated him.

He.

Iori Yagami.

His rival. In blood and spirit.

The man who hated every breath he took. The man who cursed every second Kyo spent on this planet still alive. The man who would like nothing more than to give Kyo a long tortuous death.

Kyo could never get past the pain that hate caused him. Others he could ignore, but not him. Never him.

It was hard, so hard, to ignore the person you love.

Every challenge, every word, every touch was filled with unbridled hatred and anger. Kyo wanted nothing more than to touch him, kiss him, talk. Anything that was not seeped in ancient hatred. It killed him to be so close to the one he loved, and knowing that searing hatred was all he would ever receive.

It was easy to hate Kyo Kusanagi. So easy that even Kyo hated himself. He was used to that too.

~

Day in
Day out
People die every day
But not enough to save this world

Life is pain. Hopeless unending agony. I'll add my number to those trying to save the world.

I can't take it anymore. I'm finished with this. I'm sorry for what I'm gonna do, but I can't keep going. I'm not strong enough to do it. It's not your fault, so don't be sad. And don't blame him either. I'm not gonna give him a choice in this. Besides it's our destiny. Fate wrote it before we were born. Bitch.

Pretty crappy for a suicide note. Don't worry things'll get better soon.

bye.

~

I'm such a fucking coward. Laughter tore through the silent night, penetrating deep into the dark forest.

A fitting epitaph. He wondered if he could ask Iori to make sure it was carved onto his grave.

Here lies Kusanagi Kyo who was too weak and cowardly
to deal with his feelings. So he committed suicide by
letting the man he loved kill him.

It had a nice ring to it. Iori probably wouldn't be as amused by it as Kyo was, but that didn't matter anymore.

A cold wind tore through the forest blowing Kyo's hair into erratic disarray. The clearing was isolated so there was very little chance of someone interrupting them.

"No one here to stop us now."

"Not that it would matter. I'll kill you tonight," a large shadow broke away from under a tree and walked to the center of the clearing. The moon highlighted Iori's face clearly showing the raw anger that lurked in his red eyes. He was beautiful.

Kyo smiled. It was a wonderful night to die.

~

"You wanted to die. Didn't you?"

Kyo smiled. The pain that coursed through his broken body was unbearable, but he clung to the fading scraps of his life just to hear Iori speak one last time. It would be better if he could see him too, but the swelling and dried blood were too much to overcome.

"Yes," it took a lot of work to hiss the broken words out of his mouth, the effort wracked his body with a fit of coughing. Warm blood trickled down his throat. "You wanted to kill me. We both get what we want in the end."

"Not everything," numbness crept through his body taking the pain with it. Kyo could feel himself losing consciousness as death approached. He smiled and regretted not being able to see Iori's smile as he died. The singer's deep voice followed him into the dark's embrace. "But I'll take what I can get."