♘ I hope the day will be a lighter highway

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[on one end of a swing set on the Plane, his hands gripping the chains so tight, his knuckles have turned white, sits Kaoru. he's in the suit he arrived in for his match against Remus, the trousers all one piece again like the shards of broken porcelain never cut the expensive material. the tea cup the Twins gave him lies empty on the ground nearby.

besides the lingering sensation of a drugged fog in his mind, he doesn't seem any different. everything is still in place--he still feels like himself--but he wears a worried, frightened expression. he doesn't know how long he's been gone and worse still...he doesn't want to see what his blood looks like now.

his mind goes to Hikaru and he suddenly lets out a mournful little groan, his grip tightening on the chains as he slumps forward, his body wanting to curl in on itself. of all people, he doesn't want Hikaru to know what he did, even if he did it to protect the Hosts and Renge, because...no, he can't stand thinking about that possibility.]

Comments

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

[Calmly, from right behind the swingset,]

Kaoru.

[Here is real danger: a voice that reveals nothing and a face that lets no emotions show.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[that one word alone is enough to make him jump clean out of the swing and whirl around]

Ah! Kyouya-sempai! Uhh...[he puts on a smile, chuckling] Sorry, I didn't hear you. Were you there long?

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

I was there the whole time.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[gulps but pretends he doesn't get what Kyouya means] Ohhh? I've been here for some time. You could've sat down next to me, you know.

[silenteden.livejournal.com]

[Kuhn approaches, obviously concerned, and takes a seat in the swing next to Kaoru.]

Hey man... what's up?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[looks over at him in surprise then smiles] Oh, it's nothing, Kuhn. That deathmatch business had me scared, but...it's all over with, right?

[silenteden.livejournal.com]

[He nods] Yeah, it's over. We broke the barrier. They've stopped. [He offers Kaoru a reassuring smile.] So, everything's okay around here. ... For the a while, anyway.

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

[Isaac sees him and wanders over, taking the swing next to him, concerned. There is a small chick perched on his shoulder with gold down and a few brightly coloured feathers starting to grow in.]

Hey...

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[straightens in his seat, putting a smile on his face] Ah, hello Isaac. Who's your friend?

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

She doesn't have a name yet - I can't think of a good one for her...

[The chick chirps and tweets, flapping her little wing-stubs happily at Kaoru]

[oliverplus]

Kaoru? [concerned, Oliver comes over to sit on the swing next to him]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Hmm? [he sits up, smiling, but his hands are still gripping the chains tight] Hey Oliver. It's been a while, hasn't it?

[oliverplus]

Yeah. How've you been? [gives him a cheerful smile in greeting, though he wonders what sort of feelings he might get out of the eye contact]

[seriousmarauder]

[Sirius watches from a distance for a moment, trying to think of something comforting to say, before simply shifting into Padfoot, and wandering over to Kaoru, placing his head in the boy's lap gently]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he removes a hand from the chains and begins to pet Sirius, a sad smile gracing his face] That's a good sign... I was afraid animals wouldn't want to come near me any more.

[tilts his head] Hmm, no collar or name tag. I wonder who you belong to.

[seriousmarauder]

[he simply nuzzles him, not wanting to ruin the moment by explaining. Besides, the petting is comforting to him, too.]

[virginaesthetic.livejournal.com]

[Haruhi stands off to the side, watching him quietly. Her right hand grips her left wrist and she wishes she really could think, because she can't, and she can't think of anything to say or how she should react because the only person she's lost was her mom.

So that's all she knows to compare it with.]

You can't do that again. [It's almost talking to herself.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he didn't notice her and looks over at her in surprise] Ah, Haruhi! [then he processes what she said, and he looks away again. he knows now that Kyouya had told them.] No. I won't. [grips the swing's chains tightly] At least it wasn't any of you.

[virginaesthetic.livejournal.com]

[She's quiet for a moment, looking down.] At least it wasn't us...? How selfish are you? [She looks back up, hands balled into fists and a slight tremble in them. Her voice raises.] You didn't tell us! You took on this burden by yourself! What about Tamaki-sempai? What about Hikaru? You died. You- You died. Did you think about what that would do to them? It feels the same as if it had been them!

[Quieter.] Have you ever watched ashes rising? I watched my mom's ashes turning to smoke. Do you want us to go through that? Do you- [She cuts herself off and doesn't look at him.] Even if you come back, it doesn't stop the feeling. You were selfish.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[Tamaki comes over, patting Kaoru's face and shoulders and head and inspecting him to make sure it really is Kaoru. Tamaki's not even trying to hide the concern or fear.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[by now, he's expecting to be yelled at, so the inspection is a bit of a surprise, making Kaoru just blink at him] ...Tono? What are you doing?

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[and he blinks right back] I was just checking.

[and then the weight of the fact that this is really Kaoru hits him. He puts his hands on Kaoru's shoulder and rests his head against Kaoru's chest]

When I heard I was so worried. I was afraid that -

[but he doesn't finish the sentence]

[oncemarauder.livejournal.com]

[Remus doesn't approach immediately, watching in concerned (guilty) silence some distance away, but he can't be still (useless) for long

he steps softly and slowly, his voice gentle] Kaoru?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he looks up and smiles] Ah, Remus! I was hoping to see you again.

[oncemarauder.livejournal.com]

[he returns the smile, weakly but sincerely, as he comes closer] And you. How...are you feeling?