[ Thankfully, in his brief confusion, Atsumi had managed the time to get fully dressed, pulling a shirt over her head roughly as he sat up. The ring had come out of her shirt as she'd pulled it on, and it hung on her chest, faintly glimmering as it had done so long ago.
She raised a hand to smack his own out of the way, but his odd expression stayed it in mid-air, and she reached down instead to curl her fingers around the ring, staring at him. He didn't remember. When she had seen him on the network upon waking up here, she hadn't expected him to, and she was alright with that. Better for him to live on in peace than to remember what he was and what he had done.
But there were times when it was obvious he knew what he was, he just didn't remember her. It worried her a little, but in time, she came to be alright with that, too. He was happier here. There was no need to tell him, no need to make him relive awful memories -- even if there had been a few good ones, too.
Atsumi swallowed hard, turning away from him slightly. ]
[There were no physical boundaries as he took it in his hand, running a finger over the smooth curve of the cheap metal. Where had he seen this before? It was like something lingering in his mind, playing over and over, but he couldn't make out the faces or the voices. He had felt this way before, once, when he had seen Minato's face for the first time.
Things seem to resurface, little bits that made him stop as he spent more time with her. It wasn't a bad feeling. He felt light and content, the same feeling of serenity that he felt laying beside Minato at night.
When he spoke, his voice was sincere.]
... someone ...
...
Atsumi ...
[He seemed like he was trying to remember something. As if the name would bring forth a rush of sudden memories.]
Have you ever felt like you met someone ... that would change your life completely?
Maybe, just once. [ She was still turned away from him slightly, afraid that if she looked him in the eyes --
Well, she wasn't sure what would happen. But whatever it was, she didn't want it to. She took a deep breath, then, and mustered up a smile. It was only halfhearted. ]
But that happened a lot at my old school! Since so many things happened..
[And it seeped in through the cracks, into the most unexpected places in his mind.
It took every ounce of grace he had to stay on his feet, though his eyes never left the glimmer of the cheap Kyoto ring from around her neck. He felt like someone had squeezed his heart, and in the process all of his breath had left him. It was like the moment after an electrical shock. It was painful, but relieving.
He was at a loss.
Where did he begin? What did he say?]
... you don't have to smile if it hurts.
I ...
I want to see what's really inside of you. Even if it's sad, that's all I can offer. Please ...
[His hands moved to her shoulders, turning her suddenly to look at him. His voice fell to a whisper.]
Please let me do that for you. Don't remember without me.
M-Mochizuki-kun...! [ Her eyes were wide, and she paused, attempting to catch her breath. It wasn't going well -- her body was flooded with emotion, anger, fear, hope, joy -- he remembered!! ....he remembered...
And she reached for him, grabbing him in a tight hug, squeezing her eyes shut. She wasn't going to cry, damn it, she wasn't! So she buried her face in his shoulder so he wouldn't see. ]
[He managed to steady his voice, somehow, even as she grabbed him into a hug like they were meeting after a long time separated. It was like some horrible, sad, joyous reunion.]
Dearest, it's okay ... you can cry all you want. I won't tell.
[It was like catching up with a spot in time that was so far ahead of him, that he felt as if this had happened all so suddenly. But here she was in his arms. And he slipped his arms around her, keeping her close.]
Stupid! Don't be sorry! [ Atsumi pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes. She smiled again, this time sincerely -- it didn't hurt anymore. ] It's not your fault. Really! So please, don't be sad...
I thought that there was no way, that it was hopeless, and that the person most precious to me would suffer and die, but ...
[Even as she smiles, he doesn't mirror the expression. There's no weight like there was before, no heavy burden that he looks like he's carrying. But he looks very sad.
A hand lifts to the side of her head, and he looks a little wondering.]
... but you're here, and I met you again, like I was drawn to you. I would meet you a million times ... over and over again, even if everything ends.
[ She squints up at him, puffing her cheeks out a little bit. This is a happy occasion!! ] I told you! You don't have to do that! [ She sighs a little, sounding a bit sadder now. ] You didn't run. You did what you had to do.
So did I. And I'm not sorry for it.. so you shouldn't be either.
[It's hard not to laugh at that face. He can feel his shoulders relax as the guilt washes over him. This was what she had taught him, wasn't it? It wasn't about what happened in the future, or what happened in the past-there was acceptance in the moment that created memories.
There's another little laugh that escapes him, and he lifts his hands to her face, pressing their foreheads together affectionately.]
I'm glad. It was worth every moment. You found your Answer.
[And it's so easy just to fall into her arms again. He buries his face in her shoulder, breathing in everything he suddenly realized that he missed. His arms find their way around her, pulling her close.]
... Hey, can we stay like this? Just for a while longer. I don't want to let go.
She raised a hand to smack his own out of the way, but his odd expression stayed it in mid-air, and she reached down instead to curl her fingers around the ring, staring at him. He didn't remember. When she had seen him on the network upon waking up here, she hadn't expected him to, and she was alright with that. Better for him to live on in peace than to remember what he was and what he had done.
But there were times when it was obvious he knew what he was, he just didn't remember her. It worried her a little, but in time, she came to be alright with that, too. He was happier here. There was no need to tell him, no need to make him relive awful memories -- even if there had been a few good ones, too.
Atsumi swallowed hard, turning away from him slightly. ]
Someone gave it to me.
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Things seem to resurface, little bits that made him stop as he spent more time with her. It wasn't a bad feeling. He felt light and content, the same feeling of serenity that he felt laying beside Minato at night.
When he spoke, his voice was sincere.]
... someone ...
...
Atsumi ...
[He seemed like he was trying to remember something. As if the name would bring forth a rush of sudden memories.]
Have you ever felt like you met someone ... that would change your life completely?
Reply
Well, she wasn't sure what would happen. But whatever it was, she didn't want it to. She took a deep breath, then, and mustered up a smile. It was only halfhearted. ]
But that happened a lot at my old school! Since so many things happened..
Reply
[And it seeped in through the cracks, into the most unexpected places in his mind.
It took every ounce of grace he had to stay on his feet, though his eyes never left the glimmer of the cheap Kyoto ring from around her neck. He felt like someone had squeezed his heart, and in the process all of his breath had left him. It was like the moment after an electrical shock. It was painful, but relieving.
He was at a loss.
Where did he begin? What did he say?]
... you don't have to smile if it hurts.
I ...
I want to see what's really inside of you. Even if it's sad, that's all I can offer. Please ...
[His hands moved to her shoulders, turning her suddenly to look at him. His voice fell to a whisper.]
Please let me do that for you. Don't remember without me.
Reply
And she reached for him, grabbing him in a tight hug, squeezing her eyes shut. She wasn't going to cry, damn it, she wasn't! So she buried her face in his shoulder so he wouldn't see. ]
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[He managed to steady his voice, somehow, even as she grabbed him into a hug like they were meeting after a long time separated. It was like some horrible, sad, joyous reunion.]
Dearest, it's okay ... you can cry all you want. I won't tell.
[It was like catching up with a spot in time that was so far ahead of him, that he felt as if this had happened all so suddenly. But here she was in his arms. And he slipped his arms around her, keeping her close.]
I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry ...
I'm sorry ...
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[Even as she smiles, he doesn't mirror the expression. There's no weight like there was before, no heavy burden that he looks like he's carrying. But he looks very sad.
A hand lifts to the side of her head, and he looks a little wondering.]
... but you're here, and I met you again, like I was drawn to you. I would meet you a million times ... over and over again, even if everything ends.
I should apologize. Let me. All I did was run.
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So did I. And I'm not sorry for it.. so you shouldn't be either.
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There's another little laugh that escapes him, and he lifts his hands to her face, pressing their foreheads together affectionately.]
I'm glad. It was worth every moment. You found your Answer.
I've missed you. Somehow, even if I didn't know.
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[And it's so easy just to fall into her arms again. He buries his face in her shoulder, breathing in everything he suddenly realized that he missed. His arms find their way around her, pulling her close.]
... Hey, can we stay like this? Just for a while longer. I don't want to let go.
Reply
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