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Yoru ni Kakeru - YOASOBI
It was a well known fact that Aichi used to be bullied in his younger days. He was a small, shy, unassuming child who was also smarter than his peers his age. He was a target for bullies. But it stopped when Aichi picked up Vanguard, meeting Kai again after all those years. And they honestly thought the bullying had finally stopped for good.
But what they didn’t know was that Aichi was traumatised. He was depressed, and still depressed, actually. His depression wasn’t something that he showed to others. He hid them well behind his mask.
Why did you think he wore a turtleneck out? Why did you think he wore such a covered up outfit despite it being hot out?
They hid his scars, ugly scars that he didn't want others to know. He didn't want to be a burden. Didn't want any pity.
He didn't want them to know just how broken he was. As long as his friends had fun, he was fine suffering alone.
But…
But Kai thought differently. Because Kai was there, when Aichi spiralled down.
Kai was there, when everything was dark and bleak
Kai was his vanguard
His light
And Kai kept searching for him, even when he chose to disappear with Link Joker.
Kai-kun loved him, despite his ugliness.
And Aichi did too. He loved Kai. He was willing to do anything for him. Anything at all.
Maybe. Just Maybe. He can finally heal.
Sitting on their bench at the park, Kai's head on his laps, Aichi allowed himself to smile and believe he deserved to heal, too.
…..
Omori - OMORI
Standing in front of him was himself. Or rather, the version when he was taken over by the Void seed in the short period of time he was still awake.
Void Aichi stared at him with its blank, blue eyes, the red outlining his body seemed even sinister in the realm of this dream. The red lines under its eyes resembled more of tear marks rather than Reversed.
“You should just disappear,” it’d say. “You are worth nothing." it’d continue.
But Aichi refused to succumb. He allowed himself to remember, Kai's encouraging words slowly filling his mind. Giving him strength and courage to face things head on.
He refused to succumb, but so did the Void.
Aichi watched warily at the sword his doppleganger manifested; white, with red linings instead of navy, emitting vengeful aura instead of light. The blade Blaster Joker wielded.
It prepared itself, dashing forward with its sword raised up high into a horizontal swing. Aichi dodged, willing himself to materialise a weapon, or anything, really, to defend himself from the Void. He dodged again when it swung.
But nobody came.
Aichi tried to call out his friends, his Mates, and his units.
But nobody came.
Panic filled his entire being–
A sword pointed at his neck, the Void's blank eyes glowed. Their owner had somehow tackled and pinned him to the ground.
"No one will save you." So let go. Let go and let me control you.
Aichi closed his eyes and succumbed.
The next day, a blue haired boy was found dead, clutching around a Vanguard deck.
...
World's End Valentine - OMORI
The aurora Link Joker ring manifested was honestly breathtaking. It would be appropriate to say such if it weren't for the fact the world was ending.
The two of them sat beneath the cracking ring, just him and his beloved on the roof of the Tatsunagi building. Or rather, one of them was in other's loving embrace, watching.
“The sky sure is pretty,” he had said, looking up at the aurora once again. “The wind feels nice up here,” he added.
No response. But it's fine, he would fill in the silence for them.
.
“It was a shame it’s the end of the world,” he then looked down, where he had his beloved in his embrace. His soft, blue hair tickled his neck, and he nuzzled the crown of his hair, inhaling the sweet vanilla and blueberry the other always had.
The bigger piece cracked and fell above them. Approaching them.
"Aichi, we'll be together forever."
One last kiss, and then–
CRACK!