Title: The Sound of Her Wings

Author: Merci

For: Kat

Pairing: Kazuya/Jun

Rating: PG13

Source: Tekken

Wordcount: 4,644

Summary: He was violent and frightening and she could feel the powerful evil surging within him. Jun balled her fists, her jaw set with the resolve to get through and save him… somehow.

Warnings: Spoilers for T4? That's about it.

Disclaimer: I am making no profit from this fanfiction. I do not own Kazuya, Jun or Tekken.

Notes: This was written as a Christmas fic for Kat! The original request was for warm long johns, and somehow this came about instead. I kinda like how this turned out, actually. I hope you enjoy it as well, girl!

Yeah, there are also some vague references to my Tekken fanfiction, Unlikely Angel.

The title here is also taken from Neil Gaiman's book that follows Death around. I'm sorry for the blatant rip off, but I thought it was the most appropriate for this story.

The Sound Of Her Wings

"Harumpf!" Kazuya Mishima huffed again, just in case Jun hadn't heard him the first time. He sat on a chair in her kitchen, his arms folded over his chest. He thought that Yakushima would be hot – it was a damn rain forest at the interior – but when the sun set and it got dark, the man who had was feared by most competitors at the King of Iron Fist Tournament… was cold.

"I know," Jun smiled apologetically. "It gets chilly this time of year." She smiled as if she were ignoring his foul mood and set a dish on the table before him. "Just a little something to tide us over. We should go to town in the morning to pick up some supplies."

Kazuya nodded and picked up his chopsticks. He may have been evil and terrifying, but he wasn't without manners. Jun's interest in him was confusing – and it made a part of him suspicious – but she had a calm power about her that made him feel comfortable. He was accustomed to others fearing him, but she didn't seem affected and he didn't know if he wanted to break her for it, or keep her as a rarity for his curiosity and entertainment. He was entertaining the latter option at the moment, having agreed to visit her hometown. The moment he arrived, he noticed the island was having the same effect on him as she did; it left him at ease.

"What are we going to do for warmth?" he asked, at least confident she would share her bed. No matter how repulsive he became, there was never a shortage of women willing to –

"You can sleep on the floor." She cut off his thoughts mid-flow and then nonchalantly sucked a clump of ride from her chopsticks. She smiled brightly at him, but she still didn't explain why the hell he was there – especially since she didn't seem eager to sleep with him.

They finished eating in silence, all the while Kazuya watched her with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. She was quiet as she set up a spare futon on the floor in the main room. She disappeared into a back room for a moment before she emerged again with an extra blanket. She set it down on the futon and then turned towards him, sighing in an uneasy way that piqued his predatory nature.

Kazuya stood and moved close to her, challenging. "What am I doing here?" he asked, keeping his voice cold. He hovered close to her, violating her personal space and he could feel her body heat radiating outward, trembling slightly. "Why are you so interested in me?" he asked, reaching up to touch her shoulder. She was soft and he felt his pulse quicken at the contact. He rubbed this thumb against her soft skin, enjoying the contrast between his calloused digit. His dark eyes narrowed under his bushy brows, assessing her reaction.

At first her eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in anger, though Kazuya recognized the shudder of enjoyment his touch elicited. He grinned in victory just before Jun grabbed his wrist and wrenched him around.

The next thing he knew, he was on the ground staring up at Jun as she hovered above him. She glowed white, a nearly iridescent aura in the pale moonlight, and for a moment he felt paralyzed by her power.

That primal aggression within him growled and pulsed against her, but Kazuya found the strength to hold it back. Even as she turned and walked to her room, he stayed on the floor, confused as all hell about why he was there and why he'd stopped himself from hurting her.

Kazuya crawled onto his futon with as much dignity as he could muster.

He should not have been sleeping alone, but he did, and he woke up freezing with the blankets kicked off to the side. He frowned, ignoring the discomfort of the cold as he stretched and wandered over to the window. The sun was just starting to peek into the clearing and the mist that rose from the ground was kinda pretty. He guessed he understood why Jun liked this place. She was just as pretty as it was. A flash of pain ripped through his mind and Kazuya clutched at his head, feeing the darkness within pushing and warning him.

It didn't like Jun, that much was obvious, and Kazuya began to wonder if she really was powerful enough to oppose the devil. That thought bothered and filled him with elation; part of him sided with the creature and wanted to destroy her, the other half… felt a kindred spirit with her. As if she gave that goodness inside him strength. Kazuya watched the sunlight in the clearing and listened to the still beauty of the forest of Yakushima.

A sharp cry rang out and his eyes flew to the sight of a sika deer entering the clearing. The creature moved tentatively, its breath misting in the air before it stepped forward to nibble at the wild bamboo grass that dotted the land between the cabin and the stream.

Kazuya narrowed his eyes, watching to see how close the animal would dare to come. He couldn't remember the last time an animal hadn't spooked at his presence. He felt the devil inside him laughing at the soft nature of his thoughts and his shoulders tensed at the violation of his privacy. He was beginning to feel he'd gotten a raw deal with the beast.

Sure enough, despite Kazuya's efforts to go unnoticed, the deer snapped its head up, facing the cabin as its nostrils flared. Kazuya held his breath, but it didn't matter. The deer smelled something it didn't like and bounded back into the safety of the forest.

Kazuya's shoulders fell; it was stupid to have wanted to see the damn thing anyways.

"Was that a deer?" Jun asked from right behind him, making him jump. He hadn't heard her approach, and he felt a bit foolish for being caught. He shook off his embarrassment and frowned, remembering how cold he'd been the previous night and blamed Jun for his discomfort.

"They usually come right up to the cabin. I've been away for so long, they must have forgotten who I am," Jun said, ignoring the sour look she was receiving.

"You were going to tell me why I'm here," Kazuya grabbed her arm, preventing her from turning away. "I was cold last night. I'm a busy man and…"

"I'm here," Jun started, looking down at Kazuya's hand. He loosened his grip at the downward glance and she pulled her arm free. "You're here so I can save you."

Kazuya laughed a loud, forceful sound that Devil echoed inside him. "I don't need saving, I'm fine."

Her eyes looked sad and she stepped closer. "Even with that darkness inside you?" she said flatly, making his smile drop.

"How did you…?"

"I can sense it, Kazuya. You're nearly consumed by evil… I want to help!"

Kazuya folded his arms over his chest and slightly turned away from her. Barely anybody knew about him and… what he'd done. Heihachi had not been a typical father, and he knew the older man's brutal teachings had skewed his sense of right and wrong. His father had tried to murder him, and something had offered him a second chance in exchange for what seemed, at the time, like a trifling thing. Back then, all he could think of was his hatred for his father…

Jun continued, reaching out to grab his arm. She squeezed tightly. "You're a good man, but that thing…"

"Would a good man sell his soul for the chance to kill his father?" Kazuya burst out, his cheeks burning in anger as he smacked her touch away. He was confused about how she knew, and even more about what she intended to do with him to help. The devil's bargain had seemed like the only logical course he could take, and he had never deluded himself with notions of being a 'good person'. He wasn't raised that way, it wasn't in him. He had extinguished the regret in his heart for his choice, but Jun was rekindling that ember to burn again. She was like an angel that offered hope, but he couldn't touch her.

"There is good in you, Kazuya. I can sense it as well. There's a chance…"

"So, you help me… why?" Kazuya felt the devil inside him. Purple flames ignited behind his vision, burning angrily. It was his way of knowing the beast hated where this was going. Without me, how could you defeat Heihachi? it thrummed, poking at the old wounds that it knew were still raw.

There was always that promise of revenge, the only thing that ever mattered. Kazuya squared his shoulders, ready to reject Jun's offer. The 'no' was on his lips. He didn't want her help, and yet… when he drew breath, the 'no' wouldn't leave his mouth.

"I was sent to save you."

A part of him knew he needed help and was strong enough to keep that 'no' in. Where the evil was angry purple, black and hateful, the other half was pure, white and hopeful. That part was the last true piece of him that was left, and it liked Jun. It vibrated with her same strength that he couldn't' help but respect.

Jun was biting her lip as Kazuya considered his options; accept her offer, or destroy her. The devil howled for destruction, and while Kazuya was not opposed to violence, he took a chance on his other option. Just this once, he'd try to escape his devil's bargain and nodded.

"Kazuya, please focus," Jun said, the epitome of patience as she sat beside the dark-haired fighter. The gentle crash of the waterfall was a constant noise in the background and the mist clouded the air. Kazuya adjusted his position on the boulder beside the base of the falls.

"How long do I have to do this?" he grumbled, thinking back to when Heihachi had insisted on teaching his meditation. He didn't like sitting still and could never clear his mind.

"Until you are able to empty your mind of everything, to control what happens inside," she replied from her seat opposite him. Kazuya cracked an eye open, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest and stomach as she breathed. Her legs were folded up beneath her as she meditated so close to him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, focusing on a pinpoint of light behind his vision, trying to make it grow to nothing.

The village closest to Jun's cabin was Onoaida, which sat near the southern point of Yakushima. The path out to the village was small and hidden, visible only to Jun's eyes as she led the way. Kazuya blindly followed through the dense underbrush and over fallen cedars. She was a much kinder teacher than Heihachi, he mused as he watched her light form move through the greenery. He couldn't decide if he liked her style. While his father had been brutal and merciless, the lessons were thorough and Kazuya had been turned into a lethal fighter at a young age. Jun was more forgiving of mistakes – like his attempts to meditate – and she was easier on the eyes. Much easier.

Kazuya paid for lunch, even smiled at Jun as a very pregnant woman took their order. The darkness inside him raged and that made his smile break into a grin. He liked Jun, liked feeling a little in control of the shadow that was always in his mind.

"I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for, Momo," Jun said to the woman, obviously familiar with her. "I thought I wanted something light, like noodles, but now I don't know."

"Shall I surprise you and your boyfriend, then?" the girl asked, winking as she shifted from one foot to another.

Jun looked to Kazuya, "Momo makes delicious surprises."

Kazuya looked at his menu again. "I'll have…" his eyes scanned the lists of dishes, not recognizing anything listed and wondering if they were the owner's personal creations. "Whatever you're having." He finished off, feeling Jun's foot brush his leg and he crossed his arms over his chest. "But I expect something edible," he looked to the woman again, not entirely trusting her.

"Of course," she smiled and bowed before turning to Jun. "I've been having these cravings for the strangest things, so I hope that doesn't influence your surprise."

Kazuya felt his stomach clench at the thought, but Jun seemed amused and they watched Momo put her hand on her lower back and hobble away. "Someone so pregnant shouldn't be waiting on us," he muttered.

"It's a family business; she doesn't really have a choice."

"Still," Kazuya narrowed his eyes before looking back to Jun. It made sense in his head, and the devil agreed with him. "What, am I wrong?"

"Being pregnant isn't a handicap. I don't intend to stop my life if I become pregnant." She folded her arms over her chest.

Kazuya narrowed his eyes, engaging her in a stare-down. "I'll bet you don't," he finally said. This woman with her liberal opinions and ideas was starting to irritate him. Work while pregnant, save his soul. He could not change so easily, even with her help. Devil appeared in his mind as the food arrived, hanging over his shoulder and whispering some appealing ideas.

The shadows felt so appealing and he itched for some violence, but Jun appealed to the angel hovering not too far off. He swore he could hear the sound of her wings as she pulled devil away, soothing his patience and nerves. This was his last chance and she knew it.

Kazuya lay awake for what felt like the tenth night in a row. There wasn't much to do in the darkness except stare blankly at the ceiling and try to control Devil's influence. It has been a few weeks since he had agreed to Jun's offer and, during the day when she was there, Devil wasn't so quick to make himself known.

At night, however, after Jun had retreated to her room and the warmth of the day seeped down into the earth, Kazuya felt the chill of the night swirling with Devil's words in his head. He clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose. A sound drew his attention and his eyes snapped over to the doorway to Jun's room.

The dark-haired woman stood just at the threshold to her bedroom. "Hey," she said. The lights were off and only the moonlight illuminated her figure.

Her presence was warmth in darkness. Kazuya traced his eyes over her form, watching the moonlight filter through her white dress and highlighting her smooth curves underneath. The situation warmed his chilled blood.

She moved forward, gliding towards the open window. The gentle wind touched her hair and the shadows ghosted along her curves. Moonlight grazed across her skin and Kazuya's hands twitched, wanting to touch her in the same ways.

His feet twitched as they made contact with the cold floorboards, his legs soon joined them in discomfort when the covers slipped away from his body. He stood and approached her, feeling his breath hitch in his throat. His palms were hot, even though his skin prickled with cold and he hovered behind her, his dark eyes wide and showing his momentary hesitation before he steeled his resolve for rejection and touched her shoulders.

She did not look at him, her gaze locked on some far-off point in the forest, but she raised her hand to hold his touch, pulling it tight against her. "Kazuya…" she trailed off. He felt the shadows in his mind struggling against what he was trying to do.

"Thank you for coming..." she began, and Kazuya stayed quiet, quieted the evil inside him so he could hear. "I felt so selfish asking you, even though my main reason was pure."

"The hell are you talking about?" he grumbled in her ear.

"I could feel the good in you and I wanted to help… but I also wanted to spend time with you. You just… I can't put it into words." She shook her head as if to dismiss her churning thoughts and reasons.

Whatever her reasons, Kazuya felt encouraged. Heihachi's abusive lessons combined with the dark creature's evil pushed him to the brink of monstrosity, but she inspired him to try and gain control. He pulled her back, feeling a spark of victory roll over him when she did not resist his advances. Then, his more primal, male instincts took aver and he forgot all about his dark half and his light half. He was just Kazuya and he knew what to do with a woman in his arms.

He reached up to touch her chin, tilting her to face him. She moved so easily in his arms, spinning around, letting him hold her as she rose onto her toes to reach his kiss. Kazuya pressed his lips to hers and held her tight. She kissed him back, her divine light fluttering against his shadowy form. Kazuya's heart beat faster when she pressed her hands to his chest and pushed away from the kiss, staying close and breathing softly against his lips. She drew out the moment, slowly opening her eyes to look at Kazuya before inclining her head. "Come with me," she whispered, stepping from his embrace and guiding him to her room.

Kazuya followed, his feet moving like lead, part of him was begging for violence, but Jun was there and it was easier to ignore the demands for pain. When Jun was there, he dared to think he could stop his downward slope to evil.

The flow of the waterfall filled his senses as Jun taught him to build a chain. A sturdy rope of metal and light to tie down his hate, his evil, and the foreign creature he'd bargained with for revenge. She guided his hands, forging the first link. He didn't know what he was doing, but he pushed forward, clenching his jaw in frustration as he tried to work the intangible materials in his mind. The second link came out uneven and lopsided, but she seemed happy at his achievement and Kazuya felt his pride swell a little. He pushed on to make more.

By the end of the morning, his mind felt weak and exhausted from the effort. He would have given up, but Jun's presence made the effort worthwhile, especially when he could feel her body pressed against his come evening. The nights in Yakushima were cool, but Kazuya stayed warm in her bed. It felt nice and comfortable, but lulled him into a sense of security that was the perfect opening for Devil to attack.

The creature caught him by surprise in the early morning. Kazuya sat bolt upright in bed with a nightmare fresh in his mind. He shivered. His eyes were open, but the dream didn't end and he shuddered violently as he tried to regain control of he beast. Jun remained asleep beside him, oblivious to the sudden rage that possessed Kazuya's mind. He looked at her in the darkness and knew he had to get out. He slipped from beneath her covers, his feet cold against the floor and he stumbled out to the main room. Devil had planned his attack, picking at all the right scars in Kazuya's mind, even the festering new ones.

The Mishima heir was helpless as he was forced to see the images that Devil promised would happen if he continued his relationship with Jun.

"Stop it, leave her out of this," he hissed, closing his eyes and trying to overpower the surging evil. He paced back and forth, unsure where to go in that little room.

You are the one that will destroy her in the end.

"Heh!" Kazuya couldn't hold back the laugh. He cared too much about her. If there was ever the risk he lost control, he'd leave before he hurt her. She was the only person who cared.

She deceived you… the familiar shadows hissed in his mind. You were a fool to trust her.

"You're lying… again," Kazuya hissed, hoping to not wake Jun with his little dialogue.

You put so much faith in her. She will leave you, she's planning on dropping you.

"No!" Kazuya growled. The corners of the room were full of shadows and he smacked his fist against the door. "She would never leave… she's too good to break a promise. She's good…"

I can smell deceit, I know what she's plotting. Devil chuckled, his words ringing out like a bell of clarity. You're confusing lust for love, and you're so weak when you let your dick lead you around like this. You'll never overpower me.

Kazuya closed his eyes and fumbled for the links of chain, trying to throw the heavy, white rope around the devil's neck. He wanted to strangle the beast and felt his hate surge as he tried. He fell back on venom and anger to give him strength to fight, but the chain of light faded and crumbled in his hands. Jun's chain was broken... he couldn't forge another link and his mind reeled, allowing himself to become surrounded by purple smoke that choked him as it filled his nose, mouth, his lungs.

She has been hiding something from you, too. Something she doesn't want you to know.

He tried to scream, but the creature was dominating him with doubt and mistrust.

He had noticed Jun's smile wavering lately, felt her anxiety and dared to think that the Devil was right.

Was he a fool to trust her?

"Kazuya," her calm voice broke through the rising chaos and he opened his eyes. She stood in the doorway to her bedroom, her clean white gown hanging from her shoulders and a tight smile cracked along her lips.

Kazuya closed the distance between them, his fists clenching and relaxing as he tried to decide who to listen to; Devil had found a chink in his armour and was stabbing him with doubt. He couldn't overpower with goodness, that part of him was too weak, and if Jun had really been leading him on… He touched Jun's shoulders, needing the comfort he'd found earlier, but finding it difficult as the need for truth won out. "What?" he hissed, his fingers digging in. "What is it?"

The vague question sent a knowing look washing over her features and she lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kazuya. I wanted to help you."

Kazuya's stomach clenched, his arms shook. "You sounded more hopeful before," Kazuya sneered, shaking her once before letting go.

"I can feel your hatred… it is chaotic this time. It has been building and I'm not strong enough to… to…" her eyes lowered and she hugged her stomach.

Kazuya narrowed his eyes, feeling Devil's breath heating the back of his neck. She sounded like she was giving up on him, as if she didn't want him around anymore. Kazuya thought Jun could handle him, no matter how bad it got. She was the last chance he had a normalcy and it felt like angel wings were carrying that last bit of hope away. The pure happiness shriveled inside him as he stood across from her, leaving a crater burning in his heart and he backed away.

"Kaz—" Jun stepped forward, reaching out to him. "Please don't go."

He turned his back on her; if she was playing games then fuck her. He could go back to his old ways easily enough; revenge against Heihachi and making use of Devil's strength. He closed his eyes and felt the creature laughing inside him, laughing at his foolishness. Stupidity for believing her lies. He barely felt Jun's arms wrap around him from behind. It was so hard to fight the darkness, and without Jun's confidence in him, why the hell should he? He grew up in darkness and it was so easy to embrace.

He had only stayed because of her, of the life she'd made him think he could have. As her boyfriend? Heh. Lover…? The last spark of feeling for her ignited in him, burning brightly and drawing his head down to see her arms gripping tightly around his bare chest. He could feel her talking, her lips pressed to his back as she muttered more of her lies. She made him care about her with that mouth…

"Good… bye," he said, feeling the new wound torn into his heart as he enunciated. His skin felt like it was on fire, burning and crackling with electricity. The surge of power sent him staggering and he gripped his head, howling as his skull nearly split apart. Two black horns rose free from his head, viciously stabbing toward the sky. He gasped, feeling his teeth sharpen and he looked at his hands, seeing them shaking in pain as his tanned, scarred skin muted to an angry purple. He became aware of a tail and wings that lashed out behind him and he knew this was it. The Devil was in his body and he couldn't stop it.

Kazuya spun around to face Jun, to show her what he'd become, even as he felt his mind melt with the creature's. "If you were going to leave me, then you shouldn't have led me on," he growled, feeing Devil's words coming out in his voice.

Jun stayed before him, dangerously close and keeping a low guard. He could see tears in her eyes, but he couldn't feel anything for her.

Not anymore.

Through his devil's eyes he could see her, bright white and beautiful. The creature wanted to destroy her. "If you thought I couldn't be saved, you shouldn't have tried."

"Kazuya," she breathed, the anguish grated against his hatred. "That's not what I've been keeping from you. I was going to ask for help, find someone stronger to teach you. I wasn't giving up. I can't… now."

Kazuya clenched his jaw, feeling his wings tense behind him. Even if he wanted to stay, it was beyond that point now.

She breathed out, trying to get close, to just touch him. "I never gave up. You were just quick to give up on yourself… and us." She hugged her stomach.

Kazuya's lip curled up into a sneer. It was his fault? He narrowed his eyes and he pushed through the door and into the clearing in front of the cabin.

She followed him out, her fists raised and ready to fight even as tears gleamed at the corners of her eyes. "Devil's overtaken you," she said, her tone forceful and dominating, like when she was teaching. "Stop him and I can help you."

"I wanted to believe you could," Kazuya turned his back and spread his wings. He felt her gasp as she saw the violet demon wings spread wide and free. "But you can't." He didn't look back when he raised his wings high and drew them down in a powerful blast that lifted him into the air.

They carried him away from her, away from the months they had spent together and everything he'd learned from her. Their paths were crossed, but not joined. He thought these things with a little regret as he rose higher into the sky, soothing the empty pain his human side felt. He couldn't hear Jun calling up to him over the rising wind and his wing beats. Her voice was swallowed up by the wind and Kazuya frowned, considering his next move while Devil chuckled in the background.

You would have made a terrible father, anyway.