Atonement

Fandom: The World Ends With You (TWEWY)

Pairing: Neku/Joshua

Setting: Post-game, AU of "Purification"

Summary: When Neku was asked what he wanted to deliver, forgiveness or punishment, he needed only a few moments to decide and to answer; punishment.

Stage 0 - The Reunion

Same streets… same crowds…

Sakuraba Neku sat on his knees in the middle of Scramble Crossing, unmoving save for the subtle shaking of his limbs. No one who passed him by seemed to so much as notice him, or the burning hot tears that struck the pavement as they rolled down his cheeks from under his lashes. He was angry – no, he was furious – but he was also… disappointed? He didn't know, but he did know one thing; the emotions that had been bottled up inside him up until that point needed a release, needed him to smash the bottle they were kept in and be heard.

So he did.

"…why? WHAT THE HELL?!"

Unable to take his own emotions, he leapt to his feet and ran. He didn't even care to where, he just ran. Too many questions ran through his head and he couldn't understand why the hell he was still there – why anything was there. He should've been dead… after all, he just got shot – for the second time in barely a month – and didn't people usually drop dead by then?!

Was this Shibuya? No… probably not. After all, it had been set for destruction. Was this heaven then? But why would heaven look like Shibuya? Or… was he back in the Reapers' Game again?

He didn't know, but it didn't matter.

He just ran…

And ran…

And ran…

And suddenly, someone grabbed his arm and stopped his mad dash, almost making him hit the pavement. The fact that someone was able to touch him, though, failed to register in his emotionally driven mind and he almost immediately rounded on the person and shouted: "Let me go!" while trying to get them to release his arm.

"Why should I?" a male voice asked calmly.

"Let me go or I'll… or I'll scream!" Neku shouted, hoping it would have some sort of effect on the man.

"You're already screaming, Neku! The hell's wrong with you suddenly?!"

"…!" And Neku froze. He realized just then that he actually recognized the voice, and he slowly raised his head. "…niisan?"

"…Who else?" the man asked with an annoyed sigh. "Now why the heck were you–Neku? Are you… crying?"

Neku could only stare for several long moments, tears rolling down his cheeks as all the pieces of the puzzle slipped into place. He wasn't invisible, he could be touched by others, this was still Shibuya, and… everything was normal… as though nothing had changed and everything had been nothing but a bad nightmare.

He gasped and almost choked on a sob as he slowly opened his mouth. "…n… niisan… nii… NIISAN!"

"Hey whoa! N-Neku?" the older redhead said cautiously, awkwardly hugging the shorter boy back after the boy had leaped into his arms. "H-hey… are you… what is…?"

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Neku choked out, refusing to let go as he sobbed. "I… I didn't… didn't mean what I said… I'm so sorry… I–"

"Okay okay! I get it already!" the man said, pushing the boy back a bit by his shoulders. "Sheesh, Neku, seriously… I know, alright? Besides…" he added, rubbing the back of his neck, "it wasn't just your fault… I was just as guilty…"

"But…" Neku started, but before he could finish whatever he was trying to say, the taller redhead moved forward and pressed a soft kiss to his temple.

"Though really now… don't run off on me like that… you had me worried sick," the man mumbled, but he had a small, relieved smile playing on his lips.

Neku couldn't help himself; he sniffled and allowed a smile of his own. "S… sorry, Kura-niisan…"

The older redhead chuckled, his icy blue eyes sparking with a hint of amusement. "Well, c'mon. Let's go home, a'ight?"

"Yeah…" he murmured and, even though it was a little childish, reached out to take his brother's hand, walking along with him down the street.

The older man chuckled, before he said: "On a sidenote, you don't have to keep calling me that. You're not a little kid anymore, right?"

"Well… yeah, but… it's weird calling you by name…" Neku mumbled.

"How do you know? Have you ever tried?"

"…"

"See what I mean?"

"Okay, okay… I'll try… Kurasa."

"Heh. Good boy," the redhead said, ruffling his little brother's spiky hair.

"H-hey!" Neku cried out, but he was smiling.

And like that, the two brothers walked home.

You guys remember how, in "Wishes", I asked what would happen if Neku wasn't stillborn? Well… this is what came out of that. Mind you; this is just a prologue, and the next chapter will fastforward the required five years before shit goes down.

If you wanna see more, let me know and I'll try to alternate between this one and "Wishes".