[Fic] "Body Memory" -- Angel Sanctuary

[edenfalling]

As always with Angel Sanctuary fanfiction, I am warning for incest and blasphemy (and/or very idiosyncratic Gnosticism *grin*). This story is set post-manga and implicitly or explicitly spoils a lot of plot and character twists. (Cross-posted here on ff.net.)

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Body Memory
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Setsuna never learned to use a sword. He didn't even know how to use knives. He did enough damage with his fists and whatever was to hand when he went crazy -- the last thing he wanted to was to give the bloodlust more outlets, more chances to make him into a killer.

Even allowing for buried memories seeping through from Alexiel, he should have been awkward and terrible. Her skill was rooted in a female body, taller than his, with all the subtle differences in balance and reach that should have tangled his feet and thrown his strikes off by crucial inches.

But Setsuna picked up Nanatsusaya as if he'd been born with a blade in his hands. His first stroke killed.

"Of course it did," Sara said much later, while they rode a train out to Yokohama, away from their parents forever. "Nanatsusaya was never just a sword. It-- he-- it was alive, twice over. And Kira obviously knew all about swords. He had a link with you, right?"

Setsuna shrugged. "Sort of. Sometimes. I know I heard him once in Banmaden, and again in Hatter's garden. But Kira's taller than me, too, so my reach and balance still should've been wrong."

Sara pouted, annoyed at having her argument countered. "Well, maybe he just knew you well enough to compensate."

"Not that well!" Setsuna said, poking her in the side and swooping in to kiss away her stifled squeak. There was such joy in this newfound freedom to touch her the way he'd always wanted, to memorize the feel of her mouth against his, his fingers on her thigh, her hands hot against his back, slipping up under his shirt. The train car was nearly empty, but he would have kissed her no matter how many people were there to see.

"I guess we'll just have to call it magic," Sara said several minutes later, as she straightened her hair. She paused, one hand still buried in the tangled strands, and looked speculatively at her brother. "Alexiel's sleeping now. Lucifer's gone. Nanatsusaya's broken. I wonder if you can still use a sword?"

Setsuna glanced down at his hand, remembering the feel of Nanatsusaya's hilt, solid in his palm, familiar on a level so deep it resonated in his bones. He closed his hand, made a fist, and then shook his fingers out. He was no warrior angel, not anymore. The time for blood had passed.

"Can I use a sword? That depends on what kind of sword you mean," Setsuna told Sara with an exaggerated leer, and drew her close for another kiss, cutting off her laughter.

Love was stronger than death.

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Inspired by the 3/23/09 15_minute_fic word #103: cut

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In my grand unified timeline of Angel Sanctuary fanfiction, this story falls between Remembering and Hidden. In other words, this is set very shortly after Setsuna and Sara's reunion in what I think is the remains of the warehouse Kirie lured them to.

My personal canon says they snuck into their father's house (Setsuna knew where the spare keys were, and probably knew how to pick simple locks anyway, courtesy of Kira) where they grabbed some clothes and toothbrushes and other useful stuff. They also stole a bunch of cash out of their father's safe (Setsuna knew the combination), and then disappeared into Yokohama. They were able to do this because their father was away on a "business trip" with his secretary, so although their mother was looking for them, their father was still unaware that they'd run away a few days earlier (remember, time on Earth was stopped from volume 4 on) and the police had better things to do than keep watch on Mr. Mudo's house.

But that's just my idea of what happened after the end of the manga. Your mileage may, of course, vary. *grin*

Comments

[askerian]

Bwee! Magical geekery AND Setsuna being a Sara-sap. Socute.

I really like those lines:

he should have been awkward and terrible. Her reach and balance were based on a female body, taller than his, with all the subtle differences in balance and reach that should have tangled his feet and thrown all his strikes off by crucial inches.

But Setsuna picked up Nanatsusaya as if he'd been born with a blade in his hands. His first stroke killed.


Setsuna glanced down at his hand, remembering the feel of Nanatsusaya's hilt, solid in his palm, familiar on a level so deep it resonated in his bones. He closed his hand, made a fist, and then shook his fingers out. He was no warrior angel, not anymore.

... hell, I like everything in the language you use. Very evocative for such a short piece.


Also, I approve of your headcanon. XD

[edenfalling]

Thank you! This started as kind of a 'whee, swords!' story, and then Sara started talking and it swerved into a shippy moment instead -- I had to fight to keep the end somewhat connected to the beginning.

I have possibly put way too much thought into reconciling various holes and inconsistencies in Angel Sanctuary... *grin*

[smokyglass.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like this. It's very pretty.

[edenfalling]

Thank you!

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

Aww, Setsuna is so sappy :D

[edenfalling]

Yes he is -- it's one of the reasons I like him. :-)