This is the sequel to the story "No Where to Hide". It is strongly recommended that you read the first story before delving into this one. It is possible to follow this story, but there will be references to the first that you may want to know. The chapters will be spaced out, so know that it will be completed. Just not at a rapid pace.
Other than that, enjoy. Don't forget to review.
The heavy rain beat against the roof of the house in the form of large pebbles and rolled onto the ground below. Unusual darkness filled the sky, causing the looming trees in the distance to appear as shadows. Fierce lightning briefly broke through the night as if daybreak had arrived, and thunder clapped violently and loudly through the air.
Despite the wind knocking small branches of adjacent trees against the windows, Hana was sleeping soundly through the storm. His heavy breathing was normal; his body was motionless aside from the expanding and collapsing of his chest and stomach. There was no disruption in his light snoring. His thin body was curled tightly underneath a large blanket, and a large pillow covered his face, spilling beautiful blonde strands onto the sheets.
Down the hall, his father finally went to bed. He had been watching Hana sleep for the past six hours and suddenly felt exhausted. Lying in bed on his back and supporting the back of his head with his hand, he remained staring at the ceiling motionless. He wanted to sleep, but his mind raced wildly, absorbing too many thoughts at once. The sheet and blanket began their nightly war with him, curling around one of his legs and making him hot. Frustrated by the reoccurrence, he kicked the blanket to the foot of the bed and sighed heavily. He hated the blanket war. Every night, the blanket would feel too hot, so Anna would push it over to the middle of the bed, causing the sheet to mysteriously wrap around his leg. These movements would make him very hot, and he would gently kick the blanket and sheet down to the end of the bed. The blanket war was more than just a frustration. It was almost as if his bed covers were taunting him.
"Anna, we need a new blanket. This one is possessed," he said jokingly aloud.
There was no answer. His smile quickly faded when he rolled over and saw the empty space beside him. The lightning lit up his bedroom for a few seconds as if reinforcing the reality. Sighing heavily a second time, he rolled over on his back again and stared at the ceiling without saying another word.
Tamao had been sitting on the floor outside his door for an hour. It was her usual ritual. She would shower early, put on her gray pajama pants and white t-shirt then search the house for anything that may be out of place. Once that was complete, she would make sure Hana was asleep for the night and wait for his father to come in. At the end of the night when everyone was in their bedrooms, she would go to her last destination before crashing in her own: Yoh's bedroom door. Leaning against the wall with her knees bent and her feet flat against the floor, she waited. Her beautiful pink hair had grown past her shoulders and was relaxed against her crossed arms. She rested her chin against her forearm when she heard him sigh. 'He's not asleep yet,' she said to herself.
There was silence in the room for a few moments. Tamao braced herself for what she knew was to come. She held her breath for a few seconds then released it slowly when it came. The cries were stifled at first, as if he was either holding his breath or covering his face with his pillow. She closed her eyes tightly and pulled her arms in tighter when she heard the release. It was difficult to hear him cry the way he did. There was so much despair in his moans. She knew he felt lost, and she felt powerless to make things better. So, she made this nightly ritual of sitting by his door, listening to his pain, shedding uncontrollable tears of her own. He cried himself to sleep every night, and she waited for it. Once he was asleep she could finally go to bed at least knowing he had a small bit of peace for the moment.
But something was different about tonight. The storm seemed endless, but she was still able to hear him. She also could hear when he stopped abruptly. Just as she felt it was time for her to go to bed, she could feel his door slowly open. The shock filled her entire body. There was no way she would be able to explain herself.
"Tamao," he said softly, "is there something wrong?" His voice was fatigued and stuffy as if he had a cold.
She quickly jumped to her feet, unable to give him an answer. How do you tell a person that you've been sitting at their bedroom door every night for the past five years?
"Um...I...um...well," she was unable to gather any words to make a sentence.
"Have you been crying?" he asked suddenly, studying her face, "what's wrong?"
"Um, I thought maybe you needed some company. I can't sleep." She felt somewhat accomplished thinking so well on her feet, but was afraid of his answer. When she was finally able to look at his face, his red eyes and the swollen bags around them devastated her.
"Okay," he said softly.
"What?" His answer surprised her. In all the time she had been sitting at his door, she never mustered the courage to ask to come in. She felt that he needed to grieve in his own way and that if she ever intruded, he wouldn't be able to.
"I said okay. I can't sleep either," his smile made her even more uncomfortable.
"Um...okay then," As she followed him inside his bedroom she suddenly felt queasy. She had never been inside, even when Anna was alive. The room was so dark, she could barely see anything.
Yoh knew she wouldn't be able to adjust to the darkness quickly so he held her hand and guided her to his bed. She found a spot near the edge and tried to fit her entire body on it. He sat in front of her, but eventually lied across the bed with one of his pillows.
"Do you want a pillow?" he asked suddenly.
"Um...no."
"Okay then."
There was silence between them for a few minutes. Yoh was staring at the ceiling again, and Tamao was sitting nervously beside him with her legs crossed. Just as she was beginning to relax, he spoke again.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Thank you for being a good friend, Tamao. I don't know what we'd do without you," He continued to stare at the ceiling as he spoke.
His comforting words made her smile and calmed her down. She lied down beside him and they both stared at the ceiling.