Day 42: Magus Park [evening]
The temperature was starting to cool down, but that was okay with Akihiko. It wasn't that much different from winter evenings back home. He was feeling better, having been outside most of the day, but still. That niggling stress from the previous few days was still getting to him. He sighed, looking up at the darkening sky and thinking about it all
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"Yeah," Akihiko said, turning to face the guy from a couple of nights ago. "It's Depth Charge, right?", he asked, wanting to make sure he had the name right. "You holding up all right? You look kind of stressed."
Not that he could blame anyone for that, really. It was this place. It got to everyone in different ways, and it hit some people harder than others. It was just one of those things you had to figure out how to handle.
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Changing the subject before Akihiko could inquire further, he hardened his expression. "I need lessons. Or advice. Anything you can give me to get me used to fighting as a human."
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Well, that was an offer he was more than qualified to take on. "I can do that. We can even get started right now," he said, with a nod.
"The question is where to start. I think that getting you used to how to throw a solid punch, then defend, is a good starting point. The beginning of that is getting a feel for how you should be standing going into a fight."
He dropped into a fighting stance. "Try standing the way I am. The point of the stance being like this is that you can move easily in it, to both attack and defend. You want to keep your fists close to your chest as much as you can, because you don't want to take too many hits to those places. Better that your arms take the hits than your ribs or anything else."
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Perhaps he registered the adults walking away, perhaps he didn't. Albedo had continued his downward slump until he was on the ground--once again, he might say--a crumbled heap of something miserable, limbs askew like his puppet strings had been cut. And what had that accomplished, he wondered, other than making everything worse?
The panic had diluted by this point, perhaps they had found a concoction better suited for him, or perhaps it was all in his head (and wasn't that funny?), and if even he had wanted to continue his violence and monologues, his limbs weren't fit to play the part. Heavy and leaden, Albedo stared sadly at them, knowing that no matter what he asked, they couldn't give at this moment. How completely funny. All of the things that the boy was able to do, and these chemicals trumped the chemicals in his head ( ... )
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The child lifted a slow hand to his cheek, distinctly aware of the collection of dirt and sweat against skin. Evidence of how close they--he had come. His expression broke into open disgust, and he brushed both hands down the sides of his pant legs, the move harboring a type of hidden fury. In reality, he felt too placid, oddly content. Whatever they had used, he decided, must have severed the connections to want. Albedo could kill him now, or he could thrash about wildly and talk of things Nigredo didn't understand. The latter wouldn't care.
Wouldn't care... Green eyes followed an invisible line to the heap some ways away. He looked miserable, more like the middle child Nigredo once knew, and in his chemical-induced murk, the youngest grew annoyed. Had his own brother' ( ... )
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Albedo was alone. He was alone, and that was how it was and how it would be, because he couldn't die. And it wasn't okay anymore, it wasn't all right, and it wasn't a gift, it was a curse, a burden, and how did he continue each day, knowing this, knowing this, and! There was no silence any longer--Albedo had curled in on himself, muffling his sobs. There was no thought for attention. He had simply been made aware of exactly how broken he was. And Rubedo was no where near to assuage the hurt. And Rubedo was the hurt! He couldn't stand it! He couldn't live like... Live? Live like this! It was so... So funny ( ... )
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But the moment it was mentioned and he saw his brother's face twist terribly, the former indifference dipped low. The implications of his own words were made clear: this was not a topic to tread lightly. Nigredo was wrong to have done so in the first place.
He dropped his gaze. "I'm sorry." A sigh. "I didn't mean it."
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Well, that was one way to pass the time.
And not the way he'd intended. The muffin was eaten up and that was probably why the birds were sleeping on his shoulders and in his lap. Actually... come to think of it... There were a lot more on him than when he feel asleep.
"..." Shifting his weight, the teen waited until the birds scattered elsewhere before he stood. Mitsukuni had probably spent most of the day with his other friends, so now would be a good time to touch base with him. Stretching, Mori looked back to the bench where he'd been sitting to make sure he hadn't left anything behind and then he started forward, moving toward the main street.
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As they headed into the park, though, Yukito glanced up at the sun in the west and frowned just slightly. "Shouldn't we be heading back soon?" He didn't think they'd stayed this late last week, but...well, he didn't think too much about last week. Or tried not to, whenever possible. "None of the staff members seem to be pointing anyone to the buses yet."
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He caught sight of a small playground, touched by the last vestiges of sunlight, and smiled lightly. "C'mon," he said, tugging Yuki's hand as he moved towards the swings. "They already think we're nuts, it couldn't hurt to indulge in some nostalgia, right?"
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"Good thing we don't have to fight any actual children for it," he observed, hesitating for just an instant before he released Touya's hand again and carefully lowered himself onto one of the swings. "Maybe Sakura-chan would've liked to play, too?"
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"Let the monster run around and terrorize the town," Touya said with a grin. "She'll be where we can see her soon enough."
He sat down on the swing next to Yuki, swinging back and forth a little. "I'm... kind of glad we got some time to ourselves, though. She'll be around us nonstop for the next few days."
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Or at least, he would have found out that fact first hand, had he not been currently dozing in his wheelchair. At some point he'd have to wake and cope with his situation again, but for the moment there was an oblivion his own species' rest state didn't offer. One which he welcomed.
[FREE. May get interrupted by Kio at some point, but I'm not sure?]
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