It was times like these that made his double-life of ordinary student and supernatural crime investigator really started to wear on Yousuke. Despite all that was going on, Dojima's hospitalization, Nanako's kidnapping; he had to keep up the ruse of his daily life. Tonight he had a late shift at Junes, and his mind was nowhere near his work as he automatically swept trash and cleaned tables in the food court.
They had to be calm. They had to do this like they always did. Gather information to take to Rise, find the corner of the tv world where they were hiding, and fight their way through carefully to avoid getting into trouble. But he had to be honest with himself-- everyone had to be honest with themselves-- if it could be done, they'd work themselves down to bone to get Nanako out of there in the matter in a days time. But they couldn't. And so, they waited
( ... )
On the floor in his room, Souji hears the doorbell but ignores it. It's probably just the neighbors or Adachi or one of the many other people he can't bring himself to face right now. He doesn't want to answer questions or pretend it doesn't piss him off to hear people try to offer platitudes in a situation like this.
He's barely slept in the last two days and he's probably eaten less. He hasn't even changed out of his uniform. It's wrinkled now, but there doesn't seem to be any point in changing when he knows he'll have to put it on again tomorrow. There's no way he can talk to anyone in this state. So he sighs and turns over on the floor and decides to let whoever it is think he's out or asleep already.
Weird. More than weird, concerning. Souji was never the type to leave a door unanswered. When he looks through the window, he can see the lights in the kitchen area on. Someone had to be home... Yousuke knows that there's a key underneath a certain rock in the backyard garden, and it's there. He went back around and let himself in
"Hello? Souji?" he calls, locking the door behind him and stepping out of his shoes. The home is so eerily quiet, each step seems to echo, and he can hear himself breathing. He stalks around the living room, but his leader isn't to be found. He calls again, and doesn't get an answer.
Now he's getting worried. The thought of being invasive doesn't deter him. Yousuke climbs the stairs and comes to Souji's room. It's dark... Was he sleeping? But even a sleeping person would've heard him ring the doorbell so many times. So he paws around for the light switch where he remembered it to be.
"Souji?" he asks again, as he feels the switch and flicks it on.
Souji thinks he probably should have expected Yousuke. He sits up slowly, letting his blanket droop around his waist and puts a hand to his neck as he tilts his head to the side, trying to relieve some soreness from sleeping on the floor.
It's a measured act, too casual to be genuine, even for him. He doesn't look at Yousuke as he climbs to his feet, pretending he needs to keep his eyes on what he's doing.
"Sorry. I thought it was the neighbors." Next time he'll just answer the door. That way he'll avoid having to explain things he never wanted people to see to begin with. "....Sorry."
He makes it through three days. School, afternoons, nights, all of it goes by in a blur of sympathy and condolences that are kept at a comfortable distance.
It's not until that third day, coming home from school, that he sees the laundry on hanging outside and realizes it's been there almost a week, through rain and sun and fog. When he enters the house, he suddenly can't remember the exact pitch of Nanako's voice when she calls him "big bro". He couldn't remember it last week either, but last week he was secure in the belief that he and his friends would save her no matter what, so he didn't need to remember. He would hear it again soon.
He's wrestling his futon into place when he remembers he doesn't actually like being alone. The distance isn't comfortable anymore and he doesn't like the silence. It keeps him up at night
( ... )
Everything was over. But it definitely didn't feel like it.
Out of habit, he looks at the television when the time hits 00:00. Of course, there's nothing there. Just the usual static. And yet a part of him wishes something was there. An enemy to fight, a lose end to tie up, anything. They were all still struggling in their minds, against an invisible foe. Fear, and doubt, and a desire for justice when judgment may not some. It was enough to drive someone crazy
( ... )
Souji's phone is somewhere under his desk. He has no idea where the battery is and he hadn't bothered to look when he lost it. He'd have plenty of time between not sleeping and school to find it and see if he'd missed any calls or messages.
He shifts restlessly on the floor. In hindsight, it probably wouldn't have been better to sleep on the couch, but he doesn't care enough to move. He's not sure he wants to sleep anyway.
1/2 I'll finish tomorrow!masukukunaiAugust 25 2011, 07:33:08 UTC
He doesn't pick up, as expected. When Yousuke comes to his front door, he calls him three more times for good measure. If Souji didn't know someone was coming by now, that was his own fault. Like a proper burgler, he breaks in by using a using a key hidden in the backyard garden.
The house was silent. Dead. An unfortunate turn of phrase, but he couldn't think of anything more appropriate.
He swallows. He has no idea what he's up against here. What will Souji be like? During the day, he was a catatonic wearing a mask of normalcy, to put on a face for everyone to rely on and hope with. Now, however, he didn't have to be anything for anyone. Had he ever really seen that side of Souji? Maybe in glimpses, but...
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They had to be calm. They had to do this like they always did. Gather information to take to Rise, find the corner of the tv world where they were hiding, and fight their way through carefully to avoid getting into trouble. But he had to be honest with himself-- everyone had to be honest with themselves-- if it could be done, they'd work themselves down to bone to get Nanako out of there in the matter in a days time. But they couldn't. And so, they waited ( ... )
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He's barely slept in the last two days and he's probably eaten less. He hasn't even changed out of his uniform. It's wrinkled now, but there doesn't seem to be any point in changing when he knows he'll have to put it on again tomorrow. There's no way he can talk to anyone in this state. So he sighs and turns over on the floor and decides to let whoever it is think he's out or asleep already.
Reply
"Hello? Souji?" he calls, locking the door behind him and stepping out of his shoes. The home is so eerily quiet, each step seems to echo, and he can hear himself breathing. He stalks around the living room, but his leader isn't to be found. He calls again, and doesn't get an answer.
Now he's getting worried. The thought of being invasive doesn't deter him. Yousuke climbs the stairs and comes to Souji's room. It's dark... Was he sleeping? But even a sleeping person would've heard him ring the doorbell so many times. So he paws around for the light switch where he remembered it to be.
"Souji?" he asks again, as he feels the switch and flicks it on.
What he sees makes him drop his bag in shock.
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It's a measured act, too casual to be genuine, even for him. He doesn't look at Yousuke as he climbs to his feet, pretending he needs to keep his eyes on what he's doing.
"Sorry. I thought it was the neighbors." Next time he'll just answer the door. That way he'll avoid having to explain things he never wanted people to see to begin with. "....Sorry."
Reply
It's not until that third day, coming home from school, that he sees the laundry on hanging outside and realizes it's been there almost a week, through rain and sun and fog. When he enters the house, he suddenly can't remember the exact pitch of Nanako's voice when she calls him "big bro". He couldn't remember it last week either, but last week he was secure in the belief that he and his friends would save her no matter what, so he didn't need to remember. He would hear it again soon.
He's wrestling his futon into place when he remembers he doesn't actually like being alone. The distance isn't comfortable anymore and he doesn't like the silence. It keeps him up at night ( ... )
Reply
Out of habit, he looks at the television when the time hits 00:00. Of course, there's nothing there. Just the usual static. And yet a part of him wishes something was there. An enemy to fight, a lose end to tie up, anything. They were all still struggling in their minds, against an invisible foe. Fear, and doubt, and a desire for justice when judgment may not some. It was enough to drive someone crazy ( ... )
Reply
He shifts restlessly on the floor. In hindsight, it probably wouldn't have been better to sleep on the couch, but he doesn't care enough to move. He's not sure he wants to sleep anyway.
Reply
The house was silent. Dead. An unfortunate turn of phrase, but he couldn't think of anything more appropriate.
He swallows. He has no idea what he's up against here. What will Souji be like? During the day, he was a catatonic wearing a mask of normalcy, to put on a face for everyone to rely on and hope with. Now, however, he didn't have to be anything for anyone. Had he ever really seen that side of Souji? Maybe in glimpses, but...
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