✗ thirteen | voice

[marredcanvas]

Protect--

[there's a hesitation followed by a short exhalation, conceding to something within himself.]

Comments

[disharmonized]

Souchan?

[marredcanvas]

--mm.

Kio.

[disharmonized]

... Everything all right?

[marredcanvas]

You saw it too, didn't you?

1/2

[omoidezukuri]

Soubi.

2/2

[omoidezukuri]

Where are you?

comment log;

[marredcanvas]

[There's no sense in replying when he's needed there, and Soubi sets the communicator down and rises from where he sits without a beat. Moments later, he's silently turning the knob of the door to Ritsuka's room -- always a place somehow set apart from the rest of the world in his mind -- and then he's there at Ritsuka's side, close, almost wishing he could feel that pain in his chest once more because he doesn't deserve to be this close, but he only reaches a hand to touch as he whispers.]

Here.

comment log;

[omoidezukuri]

[Ritsuka seeks out that hand with his, pulling Soubi towards the bed in silent request. He knows it's wrong to use Soubi as a replacement for his brother, but Ritsuka needs to feel safe, needs to feel as though he can depend on someone until he can sort the jumble of images and emotions into coherent thoughts.]

What was that?

[His voice is hesitant, as though speaking too loudly would cause everything to happen over again, plunging him back into that world of fear and resignation and strong, cruel hands.]