Redolence
Title: Redolence
Chapter: One-shot
Author: kiroyo
Genre: Angst
Warnings: Character death
Disclaimer: I own this page of lies.
Rating: G
Pairing: Reita x Kai
Synopsis: His presence still lingers.
It’s been 3 months. More or less. Probably. Yet Reita could still catch a whiff of petroleum each time he walked through the doors.
It’s not your fault.
So Uruha, Ruki and Aoi said.
His depression had taken a sudden turn for the worst. There was nothing anyone could do about it.
So they told him.
But they were wrong.
Days melted into nights and nights blended into days. Reita no longer knew when yesterdays ended and tomorrows begun. Time had not come to a standstill; time was taking its time.
Reita thought he knew the truth behind every tired smile. His affections had blinded him and he took the drummer’s word for it when he said he was getting better. He believed him when Kai said he was taking his pills. Reita was certain enough when he saw the contents of the plastic cylinder depleting day by day.
But he was wrong.
Kai took his folly for a ride, and now Reita’s guilt propelled him on a one way ticket to what surely must be hell.
“Rei? You there?”
Reita barely flinched. It had got to be no one else but Uruha.
“Do you smell it?”
“Smell what?”
“Smell it.”
“C’mon Akira. Not this again. There’s nothing here.” Uruha knelt down and placed his hands on Reita’s knees. “Please get a grip on yourself.”
However the bassist trashed his head to the sides. “No. It’s still here. Kai’s still here. I smell it - the gas.” He lowered his gaze and whispered, “All the time.”
Uruha remained silent. It was futile going through this routine conversation again. It was unnecessary as well, to do a double-take at the boarded up space where the kitchen had been. Yes, they had been so worried that Ruki himself came over to seal up that area when Aoi shakily stated that Reita might follow after Kai.
“No it’s not there.” Uruha calmly said as he tilted his head to meet the other man’s eyes. “Kai’s not here anymore either.” He forced himself to continue when he felt the bassist go still. “We’ve got to move on Akira. Staying here… Isn’t doing you any good.”
Reita’s eyes sprang open. “I’m not leaving this place.”
“You don’t have to.” Came the gentle reply. “What we’re suggesting is you coming to stay with one of us for awhile, until you know, you’re better.” Uruha managed a small smile. “What do you say?”
Silence settled in place of a reply. Reita’s gaze broke away as Uruha remained stationary, waiting. However, minutes passed and stillness grew to become suffocating, and Uruha sighed, got up, and started towards the door.
“Just so you know our doors are always open.”
He threw a final glance at the hunched over bassist, pulled on his shoes and left. Once outside, Uruha’s composure crumbled. His shoulders drooped and his feet weighed boulders. Though he had mentally prepared himself beforehand for this outcome, disappointment never failed to nibble what’s left of his confidence away.
The lamp at his left lighted up, signaling the arrival of the lift. A chime rang as well, and so did an unprecedented bang. Uruha paused in his tracks and turned around to see his best friend slowly making his way towards him. A wide grin split across Uruha’s face, and he rushed over, slinging his arm over Reita’s malnourished frame and ushered him into the lift.
“Everything will be alright Aki.”
Cracking a slight smile, Reita gathered his strength and nodded. Sunlight blazed his skin the moment they stepped out of the apartment complex. But for the first time in a long while, Reita felt hopeful. He looked to his right to see Uruha grinning at him, his beam rivaling the intensity of the sun. And as Reita took another step forward, he decided that he shall embark on this leap of faith.
A/N: Excrituatingly difficult for me to write. And LJ's being a bitch.
Chapter: One-shot
Author: kiroyo
Genre: Angst
Warnings: Character death
Disclaimer: I own this page of lies.
Rating: G
Pairing: Reita x Kai
Synopsis: His presence still lingers.
It’s been 3 months. More or less. Probably. Yet Reita could still catch a whiff of petroleum each time he walked through the doors.
It’s not your fault.
So Uruha, Ruki and Aoi said.
His depression had taken a sudden turn for the worst. There was nothing anyone could do about it.
So they told him.
But they were wrong.
Days melted into nights and nights blended into days. Reita no longer knew when yesterdays ended and tomorrows begun. Time had not come to a standstill; time was taking its time.
Reita thought he knew the truth behind every tired smile. His affections had blinded him and he took the drummer’s word for it when he said he was getting better. He believed him when Kai said he was taking his pills. Reita was certain enough when he saw the contents of the plastic cylinder depleting day by day.
But he was wrong.
Kai took his folly for a ride, and now Reita’s guilt propelled him on a one way ticket to what surely must be hell.
“Rei? You there?”
Reita barely flinched. It had got to be no one else but Uruha.
“Do you smell it?”
“Smell what?”
“Smell it.”
“C’mon Akira. Not this again. There’s nothing here.” Uruha knelt down and placed his hands on Reita’s knees. “Please get a grip on yourself.”
However the bassist trashed his head to the sides. “No. It’s still here. Kai’s still here. I smell it - the gas.” He lowered his gaze and whispered, “All the time.”
Uruha remained silent. It was futile going through this routine conversation again. It was unnecessary as well, to do a double-take at the boarded up space where the kitchen had been. Yes, they had been so worried that Ruki himself came over to seal up that area when Aoi shakily stated that Reita might follow after Kai.
“No it’s not there.” Uruha calmly said as he tilted his head to meet the other man’s eyes. “Kai’s not here anymore either.” He forced himself to continue when he felt the bassist go still. “We’ve got to move on Akira. Staying here… Isn’t doing you any good.”
Reita’s eyes sprang open. “I’m not leaving this place.”
“You don’t have to.” Came the gentle reply. “What we’re suggesting is you coming to stay with one of us for awhile, until you know, you’re better.” Uruha managed a small smile. “What do you say?”
Silence settled in place of a reply. Reita’s gaze broke away as Uruha remained stationary, waiting. However, minutes passed and stillness grew to become suffocating, and Uruha sighed, got up, and started towards the door.
“Just so you know our doors are always open.”
He threw a final glance at the hunched over bassist, pulled on his shoes and left. Once outside, Uruha’s composure crumbled. His shoulders drooped and his feet weighed boulders. Though he had mentally prepared himself beforehand for this outcome, disappointment never failed to nibble what’s left of his confidence away.
The lamp at his left lighted up, signaling the arrival of the lift. A chime rang as well, and so did an unprecedented bang. Uruha paused in his tracks and turned around to see his best friend slowly making his way towards him. A wide grin split across Uruha’s face, and he rushed over, slinging his arm over Reita’s malnourished frame and ushered him into the lift.
“Everything will be alright Aki.”
Cracking a slight smile, Reita gathered his strength and nodded. Sunlight blazed his skin the moment they stepped out of the apartment complex. But for the first time in a long while, Reita felt hopeful. He looked to his right to see Uruha grinning at him, his beam rivaling the intensity of the sun. And as Reita took another step forward, he decided that he shall embark on this leap of faith.
A/N: Excrituatingly difficult for me to write. And LJ's being a bitch.