♘ 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

[oliverplus]

[glances at him] D...oh, the Doctor's letter!

But you know it's over now...right?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

The Doctor, huh? I'm sorry I couldn't help him.

I...yeah, I heard. I haven't been around lately. I went to one of the matches and it's my first time back.

[oliverplus]

[and now it makes sense. Oliver turns back to him, frowning with worry. he speaks more quietly this time] You too, huh? You sure you're all right?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Too? What do you mean?

[oliverplus]

I...went to the first one. I was gone for a bit, too.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[pretends he doesn't get what you mean] Couldn't stand the sight of the two people fighting, huh...?

[oliverplus]

[glances at him, wondering why he's avoiding the truth] I didn't have that much choice.

What about you?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

I... [doesn't look at him] No. I didn't either.

[oliverplus]

[softly] Did you just get back?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he nods] I still feel like me, so I guess that's something...

[oliverplus]

You're still you. The Plane can't take that away.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

But how do you know?! We...we might seem normal now, but what if something's been planted inside of us, something far worse than the blood in our veins?

[oliverplus]

[cringes; he's been trying to avoid those thoughts himself] Would worrying about it help?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Nothing helps, Oliver. I've probably ruined something big and important back home. [bows forward, wrapping his arms around his legs] I don't know if the others will truly ever forgive me.

[oliverplus]

[shocked] What? But you haven't done anything wrong!

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[softly, his voice muffled] I poisoned myself. How isn't that wrong?

[oliverplus]

[turns to him, surprised and also pained be that revelation] But you were saving your opponent. Your friends know that!

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Kyouya-sempai doesn't seem to understand that. I tried to tell him that I did it so no one else would be called to go in my place if I lived, but he thought that was a stupid reason. I wasn't thinking... If they went back home at any time while I was gone, what could they have told the others? Or my brother? Hikaru...he would've been the most difficult to convince that I had gone away for a bit.

[oliverplus]

Kaoru... [reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder] You still saved a life. And you're here now! I think, instead of you worrying, your friends would much rather just see you again.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Do you really think so? But I've been gone for six days! Wouldn't they have given up by now?

[oliverplus]

[shocked] You think they'd give up on you?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

I was gone for nearly a week! Wouldn't you? Or maybe give up hope after a while?

[oliverplus]

[aghast] No!

Six days... [how many years has it been since he last saw Chloe? how much time will have passed if the Doctor does keep his promise and bring him home? how long will she have had to wait? will she have waited? Oliver shakes his head, his gaze directed at his lap] Not after six days. No way.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he smiles] Good. That's good. It's one thing with my parents, but with friends... Outside of vacations, we almost always see each other.

[oliverplus]

[surprised] You don't see your parents much?

Your friends will be waiting for sure, Kaoru. You don't have to worry about that.