011

[contract_star]

[And here’s Hei. He looks strained and battered and tired, and the mask of apathy is clearly forced. He appears near Misaki’s batting cages and stares at them for awhile. Eventually, he steps inside wordlessly and grabs a bat off the shelf. Then he turns on the pitching machine; the machine fires and he swings and misses.]

[It becomes rhythmic. Fire. Swing. Miss. Fire. Swing. Miss. And so on. The mask of apathy slowly begins to waver.]

[Then, finally, there’s a loud crack as the bat connects with a ball. It’s a good hit. Hei stands back and watches as the ball arcs high into the star-filled sky, falling down somewhere out of sight. Hei stares after it for a long while, ignoring the pitching machine which is still lobbing balls at him.]

[It’s only when the machine has run out of balls that Hei seems to wake up. He looks at his feet; the apathy is gone now. Anger and loss flash across his face, almost seeming to compete with each other. Hei plants the bat against the floor and leans on it as if he can no longer hold his own weight.]

[The machine continues to whir.]

Comments

[contract_star]

[Swing and hits this time.]

In a few days.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

Will she be the same? Will she remember... [ Angela trails off, looking away. ]

[contract_star]

She...should. [Hei has been thinking about that, considering Sam came back with sparkle!blood, so he's wondering what Misaki will come back like. Boy is he in for an unpleasant surprise.]

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

[ She bites her lip. ] She... she seemed like a strong lady. She should be all right. I hope.

[contract_star]

[Smiles just a little.] She is strong. I'm sure she'll be fine.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

[ Angela nods, then looks up. ] Li... are you going to be okay?

[contract_star]

[The pitching machine runs out of balls again and he just sort of stares at it, the bat dangling uselessly at his side.]

I think so.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

I'll bring more snow when she's back. You two can finish that snowball fight. [ She smiles softly. ] I bet she's going to kick your butt.

[contract_star]

Sounds like a plan.

[Smiles, and it's rather pained.] Oh, she will. Undoubtedly.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

[ Angela nods quietly, then turns to go. ]

[contract_star]

[Hei doesn't move or look up at her.]

Angela. Thank you.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

[ She smiles over her shoulder. ] Take care, Li.