"It'll be okay Sora, It'll be okay.." Taichi Yagami looked at the wall in front of him. He couldn't bear to look at the girl crying in his arms. He could feel tears leaking through his shirt. Her body quivered as he held her close. No matter how close he held her, she still shook. He rested his chin on the top of her head, letting her soft auburn hair tickle the upper half of his neck. His arms were wrapped around her entire body, trying uselessly to keep the girl intact, or rather, trying hopelessly to keep the pain out. Taichi looked down at the piece of paper crumbled in Sora's hand. An envelope addressed to her apartment lay torn up on the floor. He gently took the ball of script from the girl and her hand went limp. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to read it or not, but Sora didn't look up when she felt the letter being removed. Taichi gently un-crumbled the ball and tried to decipher the handwriting. It was that of a man, for sure. It was nearly illegible, written as if the author hadn't cared whether his reader could make out the words or not. The boy scrolled through each line, stopping every now and then to try and figure out words that were either poorly written or smeared by tear stains. Signed at the bottom was the name of Mr. Takenouchi. Taichi once again crumbled up the paper and put it in his pocket, keeping it out of view of the weeping girl. The anger inside him built. How could one abandon such a loving girl? He put his free arm around the girl again and hugged her close. "It'll be okay Sora."
No matter how many times he uttered that phrase, it seemed to bounce right back out from the girl's ears. No amount of telling her it would be okay would actually make it okay. Indeed, it was not okay. He needed to reach her somehow, but wasn't sure how to go about that. After all, how do you put something destroyed quickly back together?
Taichi pulled away from the girl a little, taking some of the comfort with him. She shuddered at his movement, but made no attempt to keep him close to her. Taichi lightly grasped her shoulders and kept her upright so he could look at her. However, her gaze was fixed upon a spot on his right shoulder. Her ruby eyes were cold and glazed over, looking emptier than the air that surrounded them. When he saw them, Taichi's heart sunk to the bottom of his chest, laying there low and barely beating.
He lightly took her chin with his thumb and index finger and tilted her face to look at him. They locked eyes but the stare was lifeless. A lump appeared in Taichi's throat, and if he had planned something to say, he'd forgotten it at the moment he needed to speak most. All he could mutter out was "It'll be okay.." and the girl turned away from him. She leaned her head against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling. Tears once again formed in the corners of her eyes and silently slid down her cheeks.
"Taichi, every time you say it'll be okay, it just reminds me of how it won't be."
The boy bit his lip. Maybe actions would be louder than words. He once again took the girl in his arms and placed his lips on her tear-stained forehead. He pressed lightly, and held himself there, not wanting to let her go. A few seconds later, though, he finally did move himself away. Sora simply laid her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall down until they could no longer. Taichi gently stroked her hair and kept it out of her damp face. Whenever she'd cough or shudder, he'd pull her closer again. If she got cold, he'd gently rub her arm, and if she got tired, she knew she could fall asleep on him.
"Sora…" Taichi received no response. He looked at the girl, and saw that her eyes were closed. She looked calm, peaceful. He sat there for a few more moments, making sure she was completely asleep before he moved. When he stood he was careful not to move her much as he laid her down across the couch. He looked at her, and moved a stray hair from out of her face.
"You're too good for this.." He clenched his fist in his pocket. In his palm, a ball of paper crinkled. Taichi took it and tossed it around in his hand for a bit, not sure what to do. He glanced back at the sleeping girl. When she woke up, would she be broken again? The boy looked at the fire that crackled in the fireplace. He walked over silently, and threw the letter in. It burned along with the bad times.
Taichi walked back towards the couch and laid himself down next to Sora. Her breathing was calm and even. It was comforting. He'd be there when Sora woke up, he was sure. He hoped that if he was the first thing she saw, she'd wake up happy, even if it was only just for a moment. They'd just have to wait and see.