Work Text:
Tick, tick, tick
As Shintaro opens his eyes, he is met with nothing more than a white void. He hears muffled speech that he can’t quite tell whether it’s supposed to be talking or singing. Most apparent, however, is the woman standing over him. Her face looks so oddly familiar, what with the scales dotting her cheeks and the jet-black hair jutting out in every which way, looking almost like individual snakes. Her red eyes stare down at him with intent.
“You’re back.” She mutters.
“…where am I?” Shintaro finally says, sitting up with his elbows.
Tick, tick, tick
The medusa pauses for a while before saying: “Why did you return here?” She does not help Shintaro as he tries to get up, only crossing her arms and scowling. It feels like someone tied cinder blocks to his arms. “I thought this was finally over. You’re content, no?”
The more she talks, the more confused he gets and the more static fills the void.
Tick, tick, tick
“I don’t-“ The medusa doesn’t even let him finish before she points to her left, revealing an old and cracked TV. So that’s the source of the talking he’s been hearing.
The formerly muffled conversation from earlier becomes increasingly clearer, he starts hearing his sister arguing with him over a toy, a boring science lecture, Takane chastising him for something insignificant, and finally,
Ayano.
He knows this has to be a dream as the subtle ticking of the alarm clock he has sitting on his desk grows louder. He instinctively reaches out to hit the snooze button but his hand phases straight through.
Tick, tick, tick
His mind is flooded with every last detail of every loop. He can feel himself shaking uncontrollably as he reaches for the black-haired medusa, but he can see the void start to transform into his old bedroom, the medusa is nowhere to be found. He felt his stomach drop.
He nervously gets off his bed, grabbing his familiar red jersey out of habit. He has no idea what awaits him on the other side of the door, and his brain is practically screaming at him to just wake up already but his hand is already shakily hovering over the handle.
He jerks his hand back and turns around, only to be met with the medusa again.
“Go on, go through that door.” The medusa mutters as she turns her back on Shintaro.
“I can’t.” He says as he steps forward. He feels nothing. No gravity, no push, no pull. It’s like walking through air, or if air were made out of razor-sharp blades. Shintaro almost trips over his own feet, falling straight through his bedroom door and landing on his knees in front of his middle school home room.
“You have to, Shintaro,” the medusa says. “You have to face it.” She pauses, as if she’s waiting for Shintaro to interrupt, and he looks down at her face again. “If you don’t, it will only grow stronger. Besides, she’s waiting for you.” She nods a little towards the classroom. There sat Ayano, folding small paper cranes monotonously. Shintaro stares at her. “The only thing you have to do is to reach out. For her.”
Shintaro hesitates a few moments, his hand passing through the daze's boundary reaching out for Ayano as the medusa.
She stands up, still at her desk, barely speaking when Shintaro stepped through. She does not speak, however she does stare out the window, Shintaro’s mirrored reflection looking at the both of them.
“You came…” Tears well up in Ayano’s eyes as she finally turns to face him. “Thank you,” Her voice is small and raspy, sounding more scared than she would like. “I… I don’t… ” She breaks off, hiding her face with her hand, covering her mouth. “I was so scared, I woke up and I was back and I didn’t have anyone else,”
Shintaro rested a hand on her shoulder and sighed, “I know, but being back here has made me realize that it has been so hard without you these past years and now that I have you back it feels like we’ll never be the same. I’ve done shit that I’m not proud of, but you make me want to be better, to keep going. So, what do you say, keep fighting together?” He reaches out a hand and Ayano grabs it and pulls him into a hug, letting out a quiet sob.
“Keep fighting together.” She says.