Work Text:
Sound is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a medium.
It should not be able to cause hurt, especially not to a non-matter.
Regardless of the laws of physics, it hurt nonetheless when Niou screamed.
Yagyuu watched as Yukimura clutched desperately to Niou, trying to calm him down, to no avail, while the doctor and a nurse tried to hold Niou down and another nurse fumbled with the sedative. He watched as the needle went into Niou’s arm, as the screams quieten to choked sobs, then silent tears. He watched the doctor and nurses leave, watched Yukimura gently lower Niou to lie down then pulling the blanket over his still body. He only approached the hospital bed when Yukimura left the room.
Niou lay still in troubled sleep, the tracks of his tears shining visibly in the light. Yagyuu sat on the bed and reached out his hand to hover over Niou’s hair.
"Live on, alright? Live on strong and happy for me." Yagyuu told Niou, though he made no sound, smiling sadly as his spirit starts to disintegrate, eventually leaving not a single trace of his prescence.
It was as though he had forgotten how to speak, how to cry.
Or perhaps he had exhausted his ability to do so.
Yukimura glanced worriedly at Niou for the umpteenth time. The other man was walking noiselessly beside him, eyes fixed blankly ahead, trudging along as though in a trance. The other had not spoken since he woke up from sedation, appearing mostly calm, much to the relief of the doctors and nurses. Yukimura though, was even more worried about the silence as compared to the screaming.
When Niou screamed, at least he knew that Niou was in pain, in grief, over Yagyuu’s passing. Now, with Niou muted and silent, Yukimura can’t read him at all, and the fear of Niou trying to follow after Yagyuu was eating at him.
Yukimura grabbed hold of Niou wrist, forcing him to stop. He waited as Niou turned his head slowly to stare blankly at him, no, through him. “Niou. Please live on. I know it’s selfish of me, but please, don’t follow after Yagyuu.” He said as he tugged lightly on Niou’s wrist, letting the fear he felt be voiced in his words.
Niou’s eyes narrowed in pain, and he shook off Yukimura’s grip before turning around to continue on his way in silence.