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-"Hey Shin... let's play a game..." - Hiyori said in a whisper as menacing, dead, blue eyes delighted themselves with Shin's shaking figure.
The teal-haired couldn't move or speak. He couldn't even breathe, as he felt his heart pound violently against his chest; a tight knot forming on his throat.
-"This are the rules... you just have to catch this ball I'll throw... it's like a regular catching game... except... if you lose..." -his smile grew wider, as he revealed what he had been hiding behind is back; the sudden movement of his hands making Shin flinch in absolute terror. On his left hand, a regular rubber ball, just as he had said. On the right one...
No.
Please, wake up...
A shiny, kitchen knife.
As much as Hiyori knew the teal-haired had understood, he kindly offered him a clarification anyway; seeing Shin's horrified face and trembling frame being more of a reward than any possible victory.
-"If you catch it, we'll keep going... but if you miss... I'll stab you! Don't worry, it won't be lethal... at least, the first time... I want to play with you as much as possible!" -Hiyori explained; unable to repress the disturbing joy in his voice at the thought of inflicting agonizing pain on the other.
Shin couldn't move; he couldn't react. However, he managed to shakingly raise his hands, ready to catch. He had no choice. He fixated his sight on the ball the other was holding, only to see his hope torn apart when Hiyori threw it...
Backwards.
Shin instinctively stepped back, trying to distance himself from the inminent danger. However, he was cornered; the painful realization as his back hit the wall of his appartment's kitchen.
The rest was all a blur.
Unrestrained sadistic laughter.
A raised hand.
A sharp pain spreading through his shoulder.
And, suddenly, he woke up.
Another nightmare about the man he didn't want to think about.
As his body violently shook, he did his best to breathe through the tight knot in his throat. The unwanted memories kept coming, overflowing, whispering him everything he wanted to forget in a too familiar voice. He sobbed through the panic, but no sound came out. He was too scared. He was terrified. He hugged himself as he rocked back and forth, sitting with his back pressing against the wall; as if he was trying to back off from a nonexistant menace.
When would it end? Would it ever end? Even now, after years, he was absolutely horrified of the man he didn't even dare to name, even if he couldn't hurt him anymore. He wanted to scream, but the voice he kept hearing so clearly in his memories was enough to absolutely paralyze him. As he kept drowning deeper and deeper in his own mind, a weak call of his name seemed to echo in the distance. This time, not the one of the person he feared; rather the soft and concerned whisper of the girl known as the strongest obstructor.
-"Shin? Shin, are you alright?" -the voice softly said, trying to not startle him even more.
Of course, his traitious brain had to give him night terrors right when he couldn't afford to show himself in a state of vulnerability. Hours before, after almost fainting, Maple had offered him to take a nap in the discussion room. As much as he hated the idea of displaying any signs of weakness, he really was exhausted, so he reluctantly accepted. But, of course, his earlier reunion with Midori had to awaken something in him. Something he didn't, by any means, want to remember.
As much as he desperately begged for the chills to stop; for his mind to shut down so he could put up his fake persona again and pretend nothing had happened, he was way too distraught. What if Hiyori killed him? Or worse. What if he, his research, his methods... he didn't want to think about that. Or else.
Suddenly, the feeling of a gentle hug pulled Shin out of his spiral. Silently, after making sure he was comfortable with the contact, Maple carefully stroked his back, as the programmer let everything out; too scared to care about appearences anymore.
And, like that, they held each other for minutes, hours; neither of them knew how much time had gone by. No words were needed, silence was enough for the two souls permanently scarred by the same knife to understand each other. Maple knew, and Shin did as well; that's why he trusted her enough to accept her offer in the first place. Because, in the end, they were much more similar than he wanted to admit.
Her, emotional and loving to a fault; him, secretive and paranoid. Facing such different ways of surviving, many would say the two were too incompatible to bother with.
Yet, sobbing in the arms of the girl that was supposed to be an enemy, Shin felt seen for the first time in his life.