Day 30: Arts and Crafts Room (Third Shift)

[rectifies]

[Bother away~]It was surprising how quickly the staff had lifted the lockdown, particularly for those who had a hand in this morning's "incident". Ken was certain they were going to be stuck in their rooms until nightfall and thus, felt wary of the intercom's announcement. Partly for possible ulterior motives, partly for the fact they were treating

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[forgot_my_life]

Takaya wasn't going to get away with a feigned illness this time, and his nurse knew him too well to allow him to go the the Sun Room. Filled with those 'hooligans' just like he was, he guessed. Couldn't let them interact. So instead, the grumpy teenager found himself in a quiet room, filled with kids and a feeling of utter distain for life in general.

He was sat down and given a mix of artsy-fartsy supplies and told to 'have fun.' He flipped off the nurse who sighed, used to him by now, and left him alone.

Though, Takaya guessed he was still being watched. Wouldn't do for him to make something inappropriate or, hell, try to hurt someone with the supplies. He was kind of glad he hadn't been involved in the riot though. He didn't think he could handle the attention that brought people.

[akarusa]

After another hour or more staring at the blank walls of her room, Hokuto had decided that if she was going to be here for any length of time, the place REALLY needed some color; in light of that, being told she could go to the art room honestly cheered her.

Once there, though, someone caught her eye--not Subaru, but she couldn't help but be reminded of him. That happened a lot, but she reacted the same way every time.

Seeing that he had a stack of construction paper, glue, and other things appropriate for collage-making, she came over and took a seat near him. Not right next to, but close enough for easy conversation. "Good morning," she said, offering a smile.

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya had been doing absolutely nothing productive and had, instead been glaring at the colored paper and markers in front of him, as though hoping they might just explode or something when a voice pulled him from his thoughts of fire.

He looked up at a woman. That alone was odd, since girls almost never willingly spoke to him. The only exceptions were, of course, his sister, Mori (who didn't really count), and Haruie (and he DEFINITLY didn't count).

"Morning," he managed to get out.

[akarusa]

"Some day this has been," Hokuto commented, shaking her head. She'd gotten to relax much more than usual for the last twelve hours or so, but this being Landels, none of it had been for good reasons. "I've been here almost a week and I've never seen anything like that." The night of the field trip had been worse, but daytime and Nightshift were entirely different stories.

Trying to to actually use the scissors provided on construction paper didn't work at all; she quickly gave up and started very carefully ripping the sheet she'd taken into neat little squares. A tile mosaic would take a while, but she definitely had the time.

[forgot_my_life]

"Like what?" Takaya frowned. "You mean the riot?" He shrugged. "Hell, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Everyone here is so fucking tense...."

He didn't bother to apologize for his language. This girl wasn't his sister, so he didn't give a shit what she thought of him.

[akarusa]

Hokuto nodded; it took a lot worse than swearing to bother her. "Yeah. It's almost impossible not to be, here, even for people who know they're not going home." She wasn't the only one who'd died before coming here; it was sad, but it helped a little to know she wasn't alone even in that.

She didn't know what had brought on the sudden, quiet contemplativeness, but it happened now and then. Maybe it was the absence of worry for herself; she was as close to at peace as she could hope for.

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya blinked. This woman was ... upset. More so than others he'd seen. Then, what the hell did he know?

"If that's how you're gonna think, then why bother at all? Why put up with the bullshit if you don't think you're going home?" Maybe she'd given up, like he wanted to. He wouldn't let him though...

[akarusa]

That got to her; she looked up, her eyes getting suspiciously bright. "We're all in this together, right?" Hokuto was smiling, but partly because that made it easier to keep up the cheerfulness... even when she didn't feel it. "I want to help, and for me, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Except taking her brother's already broken heart and smashing it into even smaller pieces. He wasn't coping with his grief at all, and no matter what happened, there was little chance that they wouldn't be saying goodbye again soon. When that happened... I'm so sorry, Subaru.

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya snorted and looked down at the paper. "Fuck that. Look around. If people aren't trying to screw each other over to help themselves and their closest 'allies', they're too busy thinking of themselves to give a flying shit about anyone else."

He shook his head and something in his speech pattern changed slightly. "Wanting to help people is all well and good, but what good can you do when you're not taking care of yourself anyway? Everyone has things to be afraid of." He reached out and picked up a bit of paper, examining it.

[akarusa]

"Not everyone," Hokuto said. A few moments' controlled breathing had brought her voice closer to normal. "Besides, we all share information; that's what will get us out." Weapons helped, but the riot had proven that violence alone wouldn't get them anywhere.

Her eyebrows drew together slightly at the second part. He sounded different... after a pause, she said, "I'm not reckless. I help out as much as I can, but I don't plan on getting into battles I know I can't win." She wouldn't do that again... at least, without reason. If she could hold off a monster to let someone escape, even if it meant not walking away herself...

Her hands shook for a second, and the paper she was working on ripped in a direction she hadn't wanted. Hokuto sighed, a little dramatically, and picked up another sheet to try again.

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You want to die because of some inflated sense of guilt I don't really give a shit. Go for it." He seemed to be back to normal now and he inwardly cursed that other part of him. None of his damn business anyway.

He started to fold the paper without paying any attention to it. "When you die here, there's no promise you're gonna stay dead anyway..."

[akarusa]

"Everything's easier the second time," Hokuto murmured, not looking up this time. What was with her this morning? The riot had been a little unsettling, and they still didn't know how the combatants would be punished, but... she'd had worse. Nothing could be worse than the way her life had ended; she had nothing left to be afraid of, not for herself.

So now I'm the one who's decided I don't matter. She never thought she would take on Subaru's old role, but life was strange that way. She just wished he'd taken her old role in return.

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya blinked and would have said nothing to that statement, but laughter that wasn't his bubbled up and he couldn't keep himself from bending over and laughing aloud. Damn him.

"Easier? Fuck that," he managed between breaths. "It never get's any easier." He was trying to get the laughing under control and managed to work his way down to the occasional chuckle. His eyes were watering. She probably thought he was crazy now.

[akarusa]

Hokuto sat up more, a little startled and definitely confused. It kept her from bursting into tears, at least.

After a moment, she asked softly, "Having to leave all you've known, or having to start over?"

[forgot_my_life]

Takaya rubbed at his eyes and wiped the smile off of his face. It wasn't his to begin with.

"Nothing get's easier," he said. "It's all fucked up, each and every time you die. You leave a life you liked, and get one you don't. It blows, but you just suck it up and deal or deny." Gold eyes narrowed.

"Whining because of it won't change shit and wanting to 'make-up' doesn't fucking help either. You live, you die, you do it all again."

He glared down at the paper in his hands. A complicated flower. With a snarl he threw it away from him.

[akarusa]

"But you learn to like the new one, after a while." Hokuto knew she would, and that it would mean at least putting her sorrows aside. But it also meant forgetting all she'd been, and she wasn't leaving Subaru behind for anything.

"I hope I'm not whining," she added, giving at least the hint of a smile. "It's just hard sometimes." She never forgot entirely--she couldn't imagine that happening even if she did move on--but some times were better than others.

She was dealing with all this as well as she could. One day at a time.