Sorry for the lack of updates! I have a bunch of chapters on backup and I'll be posting them all quickly!
*Luna*
I lay flat on my back, my bag in a heap beside me. Another long day. This strange interest that people seem to have in me grows tiring, but it's worth it to see Hotsuma's jealous face. A smirk crosses my face as I roll onto my side, messing up the perfectly made bed. There's a few hours left until Zweilt training with Takashiro. "I might as well get my work done.." I think. Sluggishly, I sit up, gather my bag and move my things to the small desk in the corner of my bare room. I shed my uniform and change into more casual clothes, a shirt and jacket. As I walk to my closet to look for pants, I cast my gaze around. My room still looks about the same after all these years; same bed, same desk, same lack of furniture. My parents haven't changed a bit either. I can hear them arguing through the closed door. After a few minutes of staring blankly at my notes I give up on homework. The arguing always puts me on edge, and I hate that weakness in me. I've always been the weaker of the pair. Hotsuma is the strong one, and all I can do is support him with the meager strength I possess. He is the only reason I'm alive now; if he wasn't here, I doubt I would find life bearable. He needs me. My parents don't want me, my classmates wouldn't blink an eye if I disappeared, but Hotsuma... The only time I can look to the future with optimism is when he's around.
The one addition to my room is a small electronic keyboard. I bought it after Hotsuma told me he enjoyed my playing. There's a grand piano in the study, but I never venture out of my room if I can't help it. A headset hangs from a hook on the side of the keyboard. I slide into the small bench and place the headset over my ears. The shouting is drowned out as I begin to play. It's a classical piece with a sad melody and convoluted rhythms. My hands dance over the keys, and I play in silence. The song begins to arch towards its climax, my hands straining to keep up with the frantic tempo. At the final chord, my hands crash onto the keyboard, my chest heaving. A tear falls from my eye and I blink, surprised.
Tears continue to fall, and my heart feels as if it has suddenly been sawed in half. I take off the headset and stumble backwards. The pain in my chest is so intense that I choke, clutching at my shirt. This isn't my pain, and my mind quickly puts two and two together. "Hotsuma!" I murmur. Something horrible must have happened to him. In a panic I fling open my room door to see my mother, pausing mid-step on her way to her room. She looks at me for a moment before continuing, and I tear down the hallway, leaping down the stairs 3 steps at a time. I open the front door and sprint out, not bothering to lock the door behind me. "Where? Where!?" I think frantically. "Calm down" I mutter, and concentrate on slowing my heart rate. The panic begins to leave my body as I begin to focus on finding Hotsuma's presence. Remembering what Takashiro told me about my Eyes of God, I focus my concentration on Hotsuma as I clutch the locket at my throat. Thousands of presences pass across my vision. My head begins to ache from trying to focus, it was like wearing glasses that were much too strong. Suddenly, a familiar soul was caught by my eyes, the soul as bright as the sun, although it was glowing weakly at the moment. My eyes only half seeing the path in front of me, I run towards the presence. I'm less then a mile from it when I realize where Hotsuma was headed. The park. My heart aches as I remembered the intense sorrow I had just felt. It has only been backlash through our Zweilt connection, what on earth happened?
I spot Hotsuma from a few hundred feet away, he's walking unsteadily, his eyes focused on the ground. I call out his name and his eyes don't move, but his feet stop and I catch up to him. I place my hands on his shoulders, he's shivering violently. I notice how sickly pale he looks and I lean my head down, forcing him to make eye contact with me.
"Shuusei, I feel sick" he mutters, his eyes red and puffy.
"I'll get you something to drink." I say, setting him down on a park bench. His eyes remain firmly fixed on the ground. I start to walk off, looking back to check on him frequently. I run to a pay phone and quickly dial Takashiro's number. He picks up the phone after a few rings and I quickly give him the location we were in and Hotsuma's mental state. I don't wait for any sort of response and hang up the phone. I quickly grab a juice from a vending machine and hurry back. I feel another crippling pain in my chest as I turn the corner.
Hotsuma was standing, his eyes now turned to the sky. I see his lips move and suddenly realize what he planned to do.
"STOP!" I shout, as flames erupt from the pavement to cloak his figure in fire. The drink falls from my hand as I plunge into the flames, ignoring the intense heat. My arms wrap around his torso, locking him in a death grip.
"Shuusei! What're you doing!?" Hotsuma looks down at me, his eyes wide in surprise and horror.
What does he think I'm doing? If he does this, he erases himself from this life and all those after. I shout my logic at him, he can't possibly leave me like this. I won't let him.
"If you're going to do this, then take me with you!" I tighten my grip on him.
I can feel the fire now. The flames ignite every nerve in my body, the only thing keeping me conscious is my panic and fear. My clothes are completely burned and the fire starts on my body. The pain is almost unbearable. I bury my head into Hotsuma's shivering back and let out an involuntary groan as my body burns. I stay conscious, I can't allow myself to slip into the darkness, I need to know that he's alive. My vision begins to blur when the flames dissipate. Relief rushes over me as I realize Hotsuma is alive, and the strength disperses from my body as I collapse.
I can hear him shouting my name as I lay in his arms. My entire body feels heavy, as if the fire had sapped all strength from it. I force my eyes open, to confirm his survival. I see his tear stained face above me and I reach up to touch him.
"Hotsuma." I falter in my speech, pain clouding my senses. I allow my consciousness to fade to black, finally giving in to its soft embrace.
