Chapter Text
They set out into the night, with backpacks over their shoulders filled with things they might need during the journey. Chishiya held a flashlight in one hand and gestured for Akira to follow with the other. The girl followed him through the dark and empty streets. They had just eaten, but she still felt a void in her stomach that didn't bode well. Both walked in silence until a certain point on the road, where Chishiya pointed to an old gray car.
"This car runs on diesel, not gasoline, it doesn't require a microchip or any modern technological device. I found it this morning when I went out, it will serve us well to get to the beach," explained Chishiya as he approached the car.
"Wow, I would have never known how to distinguish a car like that from a completely normal one. Do you like cars?" asked Akira, surprised by the discovery.
"Honestly, I don't care."
They placed the bags in the back of the car, and thanks to a makeshift bridge made by Chishiya, they were able to start their journey, with the blonde as the driver and Akira as the co-pilot. The road was silent but not uncomfortable. Akira made sure to close all the windows to prevent the cold air during the journey from bothering them, and she insisted that Chishiya get another one of the white sweaters he liked to wear, as compensation for the one stained with blood the night before, placing it over Akira's shoulders. It might have been a bit ridiculous, but Akira felt she owed Chishiya a great favor for all he was doing for her, so while they both ate in silence, she promised herself to stay by his side and take care of him as best as she could until the adventure ended or, failing that, her own life ended.
Out of curiosity, Akira reached out her hand to the radio in front of her and turned it on, encountering a curious but surprising white noise. Her eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "The radio works!"
Chishiya hid a smile as his eyes met Akira's expression, and he couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked when she wasn't thinking of anything sad or frightening, when the sparkle in her eyes showed her ignorant happiness of the cruel past that haunted them.
"Yes, it's one of the few things that work, but without active stations, you'll only find white noise," replied the boy, shifting his gaze back to the road ahead.
Akira didn't say anything in response to that explanation, she just stared at the radio in total amazement, feeling a bit of hope and nostalgia for the world she used to inhabit before entering the Borderland. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chishiya handing her something. She looked at him attentively, in his hand he held an unnamed cassette. Akira took the device with a smile and inserted it into the radio's cassette player. A slow and sweet melody began to play from the device, supported by a guitar base similar to a lullaby. Completely warm and comforting. John Lennon's voice slowly began to enter the song, singing lyrics that were good rhymes for Akira to pass the time, but for Chishiya, that song had more meaning than it seemed, and each phrase spun through his head, making him feel different.
"Is there anybody going to listen to my story?"
"All about the girl who came to stay"
Chishiya wanted to close his eyes to enjoy that melody, but unfortunately, the journey they were on required his attention. However, that feeling began to grow with the melody of the song. By his side, Akira felt filled with something she couldn't explain. She felt safe for the first time since arriving in that horrible country, and perhaps the origin of that feeling came hand in hand with her companion with a sarcastic smile, gray eyes, and blonde hair.
"Oh girl"
"Oh girl"
Akira leaned back in the seat, enjoying both the feeling of protection and the relaxation that finally gave her defenses a break. Gradually, her body lost strength, and to the rhythm of the music, she began to drift off into the realm of Morpheus.
"Did they tell you when you were young that pleasure brings you pain?"
"Did you understand it when they told you?"
Chishiya watched as his companion slowly fell asleep, and when he saw her chest rise and fall gently with her breathing, he couldn't help but sigh. He understood in a way the terror and vulnerability that Akira felt because he had felt them himself several times before becoming what he was now. Perhaps that's why his heart had become infatuated with the girl because she reminded him of a part of himself that had died long ago when hope disappeared from his own life.
He didn't want that to happen to her.
"Who must break their back to earn a day of rest?"
"Will she still believe it when she's dead?"
Chishiya returned his gaze to the road to slow down and put his own sweater over the body of a sleeping Akira. She wasn't cold, but Chishiya liked to discreetly take care of her, even against the cold. After adjusting her, Chishiya accelerated the car again, this time focusing all his attention on driving fast enough to arrive soon but discreet enough not to attract unwanted attention.
After a couple of hours dodging empty cars and other wreckage on the road, he realized that the obstacles in the way were too many to keep trying to pass through gaps, and the little diesel the car had was running out fast. Chishiya parked the car under a tree that, in any case, served as camouflage for them. After that, he decided that sleeping was the best thing he could do, at least until the sun rose and visibility on the road improved. The blonde reclined his seat enough to serve as a bed, but before he could even close his eyes, he heard a groan from the seat next to him. Akira was having a nightmare, evident from her small spasms and the way her face contorted in a grimace of discomfort.
Chishiya didn't like to interrupt Akira's sleep, but something he couldn't determine pushed him to wake the girl, who, although looking disturbed, was still deeply asleep. He leaned carefully over her and placed a hand on her arm, aware of the warm contact between their skin and how it made him feel.
"Akira... you're having a nightmare," Chishiya murmured as an affirmation, not wanting to wake her abruptly. However, she didn't initially react to the call. "Akira, I want to know if you're okay."
The girl shifted a bit in her seat, but in vain, because a few seconds later she became still again. Chishiya tried to apply a bit more force to the arm he held and tried to call her again. She woke up halfway, whispering Chishiya's name with her eyes still closed.
"Are you okay?" Chishiya asked softly, just hoping for confirmation to let her rest. She nodded slightly, so he withdrew his hand from her and returned to his seat.
"No," Akira requested, still half asleep. "Don't go, don't leave me alone."
Akira's body clumsily passed over the handbrake, the radio, and other dividers between them, and she fell asleep again on the alarmed Chishiya's chest. He wasn't very sure how to react, but just placing his hand lightly on Akira's arm was quite an experience for him. Having her there on his chest, as if seeking refuge from an invisible threat, made him feel important. Despite having been in many houses, Chishiya had never felt the warmth of a true home until he held Akira in his arms.
At dawn, Chishiya woke up first as usual. The sun was beginning to peek through the dark silhouettes of the buildings around him, and the warmth of its yellow rays began to seep through the dusty glass of his car. Akira was still asleep leaning on his chest, with her hands clutching Chishiya's sides as if hugging a large teddy bear. He chose to place one hand on her hip to support her position while the other slowly but gently delved into Akira's tangled blue hair. He wasn't very sure what he would say to Akira when she woke up, but for the moment, he enjoyed having her close and couldn't help but imagine that situation but in another context.
"It would be... interesting," Chishiya thought to himself with that characteristic mellow tone. "Although my back hurts."