Chapter Text
Even in the depths of darkness, she knew she could rely on her saviour to come find her. That was all she had to look forward to here, anyway.
She didn't know why she chose to save the lonely boy that aimlessly floated around this void earlier. Was it out of pity?
..Or perhaps because it was something that her saviour would've done for everyone else?
A loud noise shook her from her thoughts, causing her to look up towards the light. She caught a glimpse of something she wasn't supposed to see.
It was an entity made purely of light, wasn't it? And it was headed straight for where freedom waited.
She desperately wanted to stop it, an aching in her chest told her that she wanted to. If she were to ever be freed from this prison, she wanted to find her saviour and be in peace once more.
She didn't want it to be destroyed.
...
But there's nothing she can do now except wait.
"Akito.."
His eyes fluttered open when he heard that voice calling out for him. It was a voice that was always so dull, yet somehow Akito always managed to find some sort of feeling hidden underneath.
Toya was by his side, as per usual. Except this time, he was standing by his bedside rather than next to him onstage. When he saw him awake, he smiled down at him.
"Welcome back, Akito.." Toya said in relief. "I was very worried about you. When they called and told me what happened, I came around as soon as I could.."
Akito smiled back at Toya.
He was very confused as to what had happened to him in the first place, actually. A few moments prior, Akito was at the front door of his house, insisting that Rui stayed at his home to avoid the worst. But mere seconds later, the worst had come to him. He doesn’t even know how the events that happened occurred.
But it scared him. It managed to shake him.
"No need to get too worried, I'll be fine.. I think." He managed to say in response, his throat feeling terribly dry. "I just need a bit of water.."
Toya had passed him a paper cup filled with water - And even though Akito said he didn't need to, Toya also helped him sit upright in his bed. When he was finally settled and managed to get a few sips of water in, Toya had put a small kiss on his forehead and sat down on a chair beside him.
Akito was supposed to be used to that sort of affection from Toya just then, but he still found himself quite flustered.
"S-so then.." Akito said, brushing away the butterflies in his stomach. "How did you figure out I was here? Surely the hospital didn't call you first.."
"I was called over here by Kusanagi and her friend. She's in the same class as me, and we go to the arcade together sometimes. Usually we try to beat each other's high scores." Toya explained. "She told me that you were administered here because they found you in a .. state inside your house. And if you don't mind me asking, what happened back there?"
Akito stared for a few moments. Kusanagi and Otori had asked him to have Rui stay around with him for a while, that's what he was told. No, that was his one job .
And he had failed, hadn't he? Rui had escaped his grasp, and left him in this cold state. Even with Toya beside him, who managed to bring him happiness in such a cruel world, couldn't quell the harsh cold that came with such a memory he had obtained.
And if he told Toya what happened, would he even believe him? No. Especially not when he is bound to a hospital bed - He'd end up thinking that he had gone mad.
"Kamishiro got away.." Was what he said. He didn't know how he was going to elaborate on how exactly he did, so he simply kept his mouth shut.
Toya's eyes widened. "He did? But weren't we supposed to-"
" I know, Toya! I know! " He shouted a bit louder than he meant to at the time. He then looked apologetically to the side. "..I'm sorry, Toya. I'm just stressed.. Didn't mean to yell at you."
"Don't be, Akito. I can understand your stress." Toya nodded his head, and when Akito looked at him again he could see his gaze become a lot softer than before. "Tsukasa's disappearance had us stressed, and I know you didn't like seeing us so bothered. Combined with Kamishiro's escape, despite his responsibility being in your hands, it's clear that anyone would panic."
"But if it helps, Nene isn't upset with you." Toya said as reassuringly as he can. "She's more worried about you right now, I'm sure.."
Akito nodded at him once more. Honestly, he would've drifted off right then and there, but the door just had to have opened. And two other people had stumbled into the room. He immediately recognized one of them at first by their loud voice. He was about to guess it was Tsukasa at first, but then he remembered-
"Akito!" Emu said, running up to where he was in bed. He could barely see Nene, who was panting heavily at the entrance. "We came to visit you and make sure you're feeling slightly more wonderhoy!!"
"Emu.. Try not to go so fast.." Nene said between heavy breaths.
And eventually, both Emu and Nene were by his side as well. Akito didn’t like how odd and new this scene was to him - It was making it a bit uncomfortable.
Of course, it wasn’t their presence that was discomforting, but rather how all of them are standing beside his bed, heads slightly looking down at him with slight hints of solemnness in their expressions no matter how many times they try to hide it.
It’s making him feel like he’s dying.
“Dude, what the hell happened inside of your house?” Nene asked, Akito picked up mixes of shock, irritation and concern. “The whole first floor looks like it exploded.”
“Yeah!! And you were covered in soot and claw marks! It was awful!” Emu said sadly.
Akito is debating on telling them what happened. The two people that saw his body would get more proof of what happened than anyone else, no?
Toya is looking between the two girls and Akito, slightly confused. Akito then proceeded to scan his own body.
They were right. Wherever there was a bandage, there was most likely a burn or a claw marking underneath. Some of the gashes were a bit too deep to be comfortable with, and he could feel them aching underneath the tight wrap of the bandages.
And his body aches were catching up with him as well the more he thought about it. He didn’t necessarily like having to feel the weight of his body, or having to feel his bones underneath, but with the situation his body is in right now is making him a bit too self aware –
“Something weird happened there.” He ended up spilling.
Nene and Emu looked between each other with curiosity, before turning back to Akito. “Like what?”
“Hey, perhaps maybe we shouldn’t get too much out of him right now. He could be tired from simply waking up, and..” Toya went on. Honestly, he’s glad that he’s here right now. He is quite the comforting presence. And even if he wasn’t intending to right now, he’s giving him enough time to think of what to say next.
Should he simply say what had happened? Would that cause too many problems? He doesn’t quite know anymore.
He didn’t even recognize he was helplessly looking at Toya for an answer. It wasn’t something he’d usually do, but.. Toya constantly told him that he could ask for his support at any moment.
He continued to stare at Toya, locking eyes with him and making the room go quiet. Nene and Emu were looking between the two of them and each other, both in confusion and Nene seeming quite fed up with the whole ordeal. But they didn’t matter at the moment to him.
Akito and Toya continued to stare at each other rather intensely, like Toya is trying to peek into his mind to figure out what's bothering him so much.
“Akito..” He breaks the silence. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to, but know that we’re not exactly going to judge you for anything you say right now.”
Akito saw him shake his head slightly and stare at him fondly once more. A spark is lighting up in his heart again, seeing his smile come back.
“Yeah, we’re not exactly here to lord anything over you.” Nene adds. “It doesn’t matter if you passed out because the microwave blew up or something, so long as you are fine. Or at least, that’s what is supposed to matter.”
“Yeah!! It doesn’t matter how - We just want to know!” Emu also continued, smiling innocently. “I also want to know what happened with Rui, but Nene said to talk about that later, so..”
Akito looked between the three people in the room. They’re all staring at him with some sort of empathy, and are all willing to listen to him right now. Normally, he’d refuse and insist he’s fine, but..
He smiles once more.
It’s okay to selfishly depend on people once in a while, isn’t it?