Marionette(My Strings Are Titanium, You Cannot Cut Them)

Breathtaking

Just as he was about to head back, the screens flickered to life all at one. Akira heard a scream. He stumbled back, eyes locked to the nearest screen. Terror ignited every nerve in his body, and he realized faintly that the sound had originated from his own throat. All his focus was drawn right in front of him. Adrenaline kicked in, he wanted to run like the first time he head the Reaper's chains. 

There sat Goro, it looked near identical to one of his usual interviews. Akira couldn't process what was being said, however, only seeing the dead look in his eyes, the rigid posture, and the blood.

It stained his hands like cheap hair dye, splattered his uniform and face in horrifying beauty as if this were simply a movie. Some of his hair was stiff and dark in clumps, but no one said a word. He acted like it was a normal day, his same plastic smile pristine as ever.

How the hell was this Goro's heart?

Akira fell to his knees, feeling like he'd been hit with despair in battle. His breathing came in short gasps, trapped in his gaze on something so much worse than his greatest fears. He couldn't even comprehend what it could mean. He couldn't try. What could he do? How could he ever have thought he could help Goro? He'd been so stupid.

Akira didn't notice as the screens shut off again. His palms pressed into his eyes, wet with tears and shaking like the rest of him. Akira didn't realize as the air changed along with everything else, terror gripping his heart and planting a seed of regret that flowed into his bloodstream.

"I'm so sorry." Akira heard whispered. When he opened his eyes, his surroundings had changed, and Goro's Shadow sat right in front of him. He gasped, throwing himself back instinctively, but the Shadow only seemed to be pitying him. 

Goro's Shadow stood, a hand extended to him. When he noticed Akira's hesitation, he offered a sympathetic smile. "It's not really blood. Call it a visual illusion, if you'd prefer."

Akira still took a moment to accept and allow himself to be pulled to his feet. It was worse up close. He saw the single ring cut into each of the Shadow's wrists, beaded blood pooling around them. He realized somewhere in the back of his mind that he'd only touched Goro's hands directly once before, encased in water.

"You're bleeding." Akira whispered, not another word making it past his lips. He couldn't look away from the thin, deep wound, or the way his hand remained at once bloodied and soft.

Goro's Shadow hummed, gaze following Akira's. "I am." He didn't seem to care. "The wires hurt, but I've gotten used to it. I have the same on my elbows and my knees."

When he brushed his thumb lightly over the cut, it came back streaked in red. Akira's eyes burned, and he suddenly wished he'd at least brought someone with. He was glad he was the only one who had to witness this, though, even more than that.

"Don't concern yourself." The Shadow's voice was smooth, laced with sweet acid corroding his own tongue. "All puppets have strings, it's only natural."

Akira forced himself to look at his face. "I don't see any strings." His voice cracked, dreading the answer he might receive as soon as he said it.

"You aren't looking hard enough." Goro's Shadow replied. He tapped his neck twice, drawing Akira's attentions.

He was going to be sick. Thin, clear, sharp wires dug into the Shadow's  neck. Blood bubbled up around them, not dripping, just taunting. When Akira tried to look up, follow the strings, his jaw was firmly grabbed.

"Don't, please." Goro's Shadow spoke in a tone laced with pity. "It'll only hurt you further."

Akira swallowed, nodding slowly. "W-Why..." He couldn't even manage to force out the words. Why would the wires move?

The Shadow could tell, of course he could. He was Goro's. He offered a gentle smile. "We feel free when you're around. A false sense of freedom, of course, but it's the best we have."

With a shaky breath, Akira confirmed what he was hearing. "You don't feel bound to act perfectly around me, but if you make a wrong move while your guard is down, it'll kill you. Is that it?"

"You're smart." The Shadow squeezed his hands. "And yes, you're right. You-and I do mean this in the best way-are the greatest threat to us. Hence why you're dressed in such a way. No one else could break our walls down like you did. Even if you are a danger to us, we want to be around you. We want that freedom."

Akira's head was racing, so was his heart. He put Goro in danger. He knew Goro was in danger, he had known, but he'd never been able to get anything out of him. So how...how was Akira the biggest threat to him? Was it right to ask? Could he handle the answer? "How could me being your greatest threat be a good thing?" He choked out.

He hated the pity in the Shadow's eyes. "Because we love you." Goro's Shadow smiled gently. "You make us want to be better, you make us want to live." He chuckled. "That's dangerous for someone like us. We should've just cut things off once we started getting attached. We were so starved for connection, though, we couldn't help it."

Akira felt the tickle of a tear falling down his cheek and stifled a sob. "That's why you distanced yourself, isn't it? So you wouldn't get so attached? It's my fault."

"Never say that again." The sudden aggression that seemed foreign as it was natural on Goro's face spiked Akira's adrenaline. Goro's Shadow. Not Goro. More Goro than he'd ever seen. The Shadow realized, and his face softened. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault, not at all. We were already attached, we just wanted to protect you. Akira, you never hurt us. You being in our life has made these past few months the best we've had."

"Who are you?" Akira realized he was trembling. "I need to know what's going on, now."

Goro's Shadow's shoulders sank. "You shouldn't be here." He shook his head slowly. "You shouldn't ever have found out. For your sake, please, just leave."

Akira crossed his arms and did his best to look like Joker. "That isn't happening. I'm not abandoning my friend when he's clearly in danger. Are you going to stop me?"

He wasn't sure he'd ever seen a Shadow look truly sad before. "I am. If you try to steal his heart, I'll stop you. I have to."

"No you don't." Akira told him firmly. "You don't want to hurt me. I know that Goro doesn't want to hurt me. Let me save him, please."

Goro's Shadow sighed. "I'm sorry. Our wires, they..." He looked at his wrists for the first time since Akira met him. "We can't control it. We'll hurt you, even if we'd rather die. There's nothing we can do to stop it."

Akira's brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? Why would Goro hurt me?"

The Shadow stiffened and took a frightened step back. "I said too much." His voice sounded choked. Red streaked down his throat and...oh gods.

Akira didn't say a word as Goro's Shadow ran off, clutching his throat. He'd said too much. It was killing him. He knew what would happen if he killed a Shadow, but what if outside means killed him? Would it matter? Could just talking with the Shadow end up killing Goro?

He pushed shakily to his feet. There was no way he could leave, not now, not when he didn't know the truth. What was going on? How was he putting Goro's life in danger? Why was Goro going to hurt him when his Shadow said he loved him?

Oh. Akira felt his face heating up, finally catching up to what the Shadow had said. Goro loved him. Really loved him.

There was no way he could leave him now, Akira had to learn what was going on. He couldn't afford to wait, nor to respect Goro's secrecy. He loved Goro, too, after all. And he intended to tell him that, not just his Shadow.