When I awaken, I'm still curled against him, but he's sitting in the chair with me on his lap...he must have moved while I was sleeping. His eyes are closed, and he's snoring quietly. Instinctively, automatically, I reach up and slip his glasses off his face, but he stirs and opens his eyes. "Kirameku-chan," he murmurs. I silently hold up his glasses to show him that he hasn't lost them, then set them on the ledge between the two consoles. "Go back to sleep," I say through a yawn. Still exhausted from my outburst earlier, I take my own advice, feeling safe and comfortable in Yoshiyuki's arms.
The room is dark by the time I wake up again. Yoshiyuki has gone back to sleep, and I take a moment to study his familiar face. It seems sharper, more angular somehow, and even in sleep, his forehead is furrowed with lines I don't remember being there. He looks so different that it sets me to wondering. Is this my Yoshiyuki? Is this the same person who would hold me when I was afraid, the same person who not only let me throw myself heart and soul into anything I pleased, but would encourage me to, and sometimes even join in? The same person who I thought loved me? My breath catches in my throat at that last part. "Love," I mutter bitterly, in a quiet voice so I won't wake him. "Is it even worth anything?" I don't expect an answer, and of course I don't get one. Moving carefully, I slide off of his lap and stand up. Looking back, I notice that he looks...smaller, somehow. Of course, maybe it's my skewed perspective on life, and I guess I haven't really been looking close at him lately. His face still has that innocent look I remember, though, and I smile to see it. "Even through all your changes, you still keep one of the things I love best about you," I whisper, half to myself, half to the silent air. However, it doesn't stay silent for long. All of the screens light up at once, coupled with a tremendous grating sound. Yoshiyuki instantly snaps awake. "Doushita?!" I scream at him over the horrible noise. "What the hell is going on?!" He snatches his glasses and shoves them onto his face. "Get to your console, NOW, Kirameku!" he yells. I've never heard this commanding, horrifying tone in his voice before. It scares me. I obey without hesitation. "Bring up the level 1 access system!" he snaps. Instinctively, I first enable the protective measures, then with a few rapid keystrokes, the system is up. An alarm starts blaring as soon as the images hit the screens. Yoshiyuki curses and drops into the chair in front of his console, entering the access parameters. "We got a problem, Kirameku-chan," he growls. "Enable all the level 5 protection programs...and there's never been a better time to test out level 6."
"You CAN'T be serious." I can feel the blood drain from my face. "It's...that bad?" He inclines his head sharply. Adrenaline surges into my body, and within seconds, I'm keying up all seventeen protection programs. My fingers move faster than ever before, fueled by fear and the ecstatic rush that pulses through me. Yoshiyuki is glaring at the screen, his whole body ramrod-stiff with concentration, a muscle twitching in his jaw. When I look over at him, another surge of adrenaline hits me. This time, it isn't from the danger of the situation...
It's from the danger of him.
The room is dark by the time I wake up again. Yoshiyuki has gone back to sleep, and I take a moment to study his familiar face. It seems sharper, more angular somehow, and even in sleep, his forehead is furrowed with lines I don't remember being there. He looks so different that it sets me to wondering. Is this my Yoshiyuki? Is this the same person who would hold me when I was afraid, the same person who not only let me throw myself heart and soul into anything I pleased, but would encourage me to, and sometimes even join in? The same person who I thought loved me? My breath catches in my throat at that last part. "Love," I mutter bitterly, in a quiet voice so I won't wake him. "Is it even worth anything?" I don't expect an answer, and of course I don't get one. Moving carefully, I slide off of his lap and stand up. Looking back, I notice that he looks...smaller, somehow. Of course, maybe it's my skewed perspective on life, and I guess I haven't really been looking close at him lately. His face still has that innocent look I remember, though, and I smile to see it. "Even through all your changes, you still keep one of the things I love best about you," I whisper, half to myself, half to the silent air. However, it doesn't stay silent for long. All of the screens light up at once, coupled with a tremendous grating sound. Yoshiyuki instantly snaps awake. "Doushita?!" I scream at him over the horrible noise. "What the hell is going on?!" He snatches his glasses and shoves them onto his face. "Get to your console, NOW, Kirameku!" he yells. I've never heard this commanding, horrifying tone in his voice before. It scares me. I obey without hesitation. "Bring up the level 1 access system!" he snaps. Instinctively, I first enable the protective measures, then with a few rapid keystrokes, the system is up. An alarm starts blaring as soon as the images hit the screens. Yoshiyuki curses and drops into the chair in front of his console, entering the access parameters. "We got a problem, Kirameku-chan," he growls. "Enable all the level 5 protection programs...and there's never been a better time to test out level 6."
"You CAN'T be serious." I can feel the blood drain from my face. "It's...that bad?" He inclines his head sharply. Adrenaline surges into my body, and within seconds, I'm keying up all seventeen protection programs. My fingers move faster than ever before, fueled by fear and the ecstatic rush that pulses through me. Yoshiyuki is glaring at the screen, his whole body ramrod-stiff with concentration, a muscle twitching in his jaw. When I look over at him, another surge of adrenaline hits me. This time, it isn't from the danger of the situation...
It's from the danger of him.