fic [Bokurano] Those Left Behind: Gravity Kills
Title: Those Left Behind: Gravity Kills
Day/Theme: Aug 3 Gravity Kills
Series: Bokurano
Character/Pairing: Waku, Ushiro, Kanji, Kana
Rating: PG
Notes: for 31_days. mixed anime and manga canon. Spoilers up to Kanji chapters.
Archive: LJ | ffnet
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"No. I didn't push him that hard."
-----
They didn't think Ushiro was going to show up at Waku's funeral. Even for them, Waku's fall still replayed over and over in their minds. It was a sight they'd never forget--the figure of their friend disappearing into the black murky depths of the ocean, Ushiro's shocked stillness, his sweating forehead, his downcast eyes, and his vehement protests. Waku's death weighed heavily enough on their minds. It was hard to imagine what Ushiro was going through, or that he'd be able to face Waku's crying parents without drowning in guilt.
But Ushiro was Ushiro. They should have known that he'd be as stoic as ever, and that he wouldn't even shed one tear for Waku. By his impassive face, no one who hadn't been at the scene could ever tell that Ushiro had a part in Waku's death.
Kanji placed a reassuring hand on Ushiro's shoulder. He said not one word throughout the entire funeral.
It wasn't sadness that overwhelmed them while standing in front of Waku's smiling photo, but rather shock and unease. This was their shared secret, covered only by Moji's skillful lie, the result of agreeing to a dangerous game. Ushiro may have been the one to push Waku off, but they had all been there. They had never known that life could end so easily. They had thought themselves to be invincible, hidden heroes of the world.
Waku had been so proud, so excited. Moji knew this best.
Yet in the end, one mere nudge had thrown him off the edge.
-----
"You would do anything for your family? Then die, for their sake."
-----
The second to fall had been Kodama. In one sense, Waku and Kodama were the luckiest two. They knew nothing about how piloting Zearth expended their life force, or that failure would mean the end of the world. Waku had died in elation over his victory. Kodama had died less glamorously, but for him, death was even kind. He didn't have to face the fact that he had ended his own father's life.
They no longer had a choice. They were in the contract. Their only choice was to fight.
He didn't know whether to feel relieved or not. He had been right after all. He hadn't pushed Waku that hard. The other boy hadn't died because of him. But reality was even worse than what they had thought. Not a single one of them were going to live through this deranged game.
None except him and Kana.
Back in their dingy basement, Kana handed him a glass of tap water, the water sloshing from her shaky hands. He grimaced at her timid expression and slapped the glass out of her hands. The water seeped into the carpet.
"What are you being so nervous about?" he shouted. "You're not in the contract!" He had saved her. Why wasn't she happy?
"Hey, take it easy, Ushiro!" reprimanded Kanji from behind.
Ushiro glared at the other boy--Kanji was stupid for joining the contract--and stalked to his bed.
Kana bowed her head, picking up the fallen glass.
This game was a sick joke. The world rested on the shoulders of a group of kids, kids who had to fight while knowing that only death awaited them. There was no way out. The world could end any minute if any one of them failed their battles.
He found that he couldn't care less whether or not the world ended today or tomorrow. What was there to fight for? He supposed it was a good thing he wasn't in the contract--he'd have doomed them all. The entire game was savage and pointless.
"Hey Kanji," whispered Ushiro while laying on his mattress of a bed, staring up at the yellowed ceiling. "Are you going to fight?" Was there anything worth fighting for? Was Kanji going to die?
He could hear the sound of running water from the kitchen. Kana never gave up.
For a moment, he thought that Kanji wasn't even in the room. Ushiro turned his head to look at his friend.
"I seriously don't know," replied Kanji slowly, his voice low. "I guess I'll know when my time comes."
Kanji had his hands in his pockets, his back slouched. He looked just like he did any other day. He didn't look like someone who had a death sentence hanging over his head, but Ushiro knew it was naive to think otherwise.
"What about you, Ushiro?"
Kanji was going to die.
Kanji was going to die without a mother to mourn him. Kanji was going to die vainly without anyone's appreciation.
Kanji was going to die.
Ushiro would be there until the end.
-----
the end
Day/Theme: Aug 3 Gravity Kills
Series: Bokurano
Character/Pairing: Waku, Ushiro, Kanji, Kana
Rating: PG
Notes: for 31_days. mixed anime and manga canon. Spoilers up to Kanji chapters.
Archive: LJ | ffnet
-----
"No. I didn't push him that hard."
-----
They didn't think Ushiro was going to show up at Waku's funeral. Even for them, Waku's fall still replayed over and over in their minds. It was a sight they'd never forget--the figure of their friend disappearing into the black murky depths of the ocean, Ushiro's shocked stillness, his sweating forehead, his downcast eyes, and his vehement protests. Waku's death weighed heavily enough on their minds. It was hard to imagine what Ushiro was going through, or that he'd be able to face Waku's crying parents without drowning in guilt.
But Ushiro was Ushiro. They should have known that he'd be as stoic as ever, and that he wouldn't even shed one tear for Waku. By his impassive face, no one who hadn't been at the scene could ever tell that Ushiro had a part in Waku's death.
Kanji placed a reassuring hand on Ushiro's shoulder. He said not one word throughout the entire funeral.
It wasn't sadness that overwhelmed them while standing in front of Waku's smiling photo, but rather shock and unease. This was their shared secret, covered only by Moji's skillful lie, the result of agreeing to a dangerous game. Ushiro may have been the one to push Waku off, but they had all been there. They had never known that life could end so easily. They had thought themselves to be invincible, hidden heroes of the world.
Waku had been so proud, so excited. Moji knew this best.
Yet in the end, one mere nudge had thrown him off the edge.
-----
"You would do anything for your family? Then die, for their sake."
-----
The second to fall had been Kodama. In one sense, Waku and Kodama were the luckiest two. They knew nothing about how piloting Zearth expended their life force, or that failure would mean the end of the world. Waku had died in elation over his victory. Kodama had died less glamorously, but for him, death was even kind. He didn't have to face the fact that he had ended his own father's life.
They no longer had a choice. They were in the contract. Their only choice was to fight.
He didn't know whether to feel relieved or not. He had been right after all. He hadn't pushed Waku that hard. The other boy hadn't died because of him. But reality was even worse than what they had thought. Not a single one of them were going to live through this deranged game.
None except him and Kana.
Back in their dingy basement, Kana handed him a glass of tap water, the water sloshing from her shaky hands. He grimaced at her timid expression and slapped the glass out of her hands. The water seeped into the carpet.
"What are you being so nervous about?" he shouted. "You're not in the contract!" He had saved her. Why wasn't she happy?
"Hey, take it easy, Ushiro!" reprimanded Kanji from behind.
Ushiro glared at the other boy--Kanji was stupid for joining the contract--and stalked to his bed.
Kana bowed her head, picking up the fallen glass.
This game was a sick joke. The world rested on the shoulders of a group of kids, kids who had to fight while knowing that only death awaited them. There was no way out. The world could end any minute if any one of them failed their battles.
He found that he couldn't care less whether or not the world ended today or tomorrow. What was there to fight for? He supposed it was a good thing he wasn't in the contract--he'd have doomed them all. The entire game was savage and pointless.
"Hey Kanji," whispered Ushiro while laying on his mattress of a bed, staring up at the yellowed ceiling. "Are you going to fight?" Was there anything worth fighting for? Was Kanji going to die?
He could hear the sound of running water from the kitchen. Kana never gave up.
For a moment, he thought that Kanji wasn't even in the room. Ushiro turned his head to look at his friend.
"I seriously don't know," replied Kanji slowly, his voice low. "I guess I'll know when my time comes."
Kanji had his hands in his pockets, his back slouched. He looked just like he did any other day. He didn't look like someone who had a death sentence hanging over his head, but Ushiro knew it was naive to think otherwise.
"What about you, Ushiro?"
Kanji was going to die.
Kanji was going to die without a mother to mourn him. Kanji was going to die vainly without anyone's appreciation.
Kanji was going to die.
Ushiro would be there until the end.
-----
the end