Saturdar, August 27th, 1:26 am/
/ neji
Pain sears from his brow and through his veins like liquid fire as the green of his seal twists ever so slightly, darkening to red and somehow gaining weight, making him drop his head harshly against the throbbing, cradle his face in his hands. Shame clutches him coldly and harshly as a clear-thinking part of him reminds himself that he can't even look them in the eye- can't meet their gaze as they tighten his bonds, rework his locks.
When he's finally left alone to the sound of his own panting, he stares down at his reflection, displayed dimly on the slate tile beneath him. His burden has turned a new leaf – curled at the edges and slanted slightly, an addition that they'd wanted to try. They, who have the power and right to do this because nobody says they can't. To him, because he has the power and mind to one day ask, 'How dare they?'. For what? For safety. He's dangerous, houses of cards don't stand without the lowest pieces.
He raises himself up on his padded forearms and is grateful for the shield of hair that hides his face from view. He wipes at the corners of his eyes.
The gentle padding of her bare footsteps reaches his ears only just before she sits down beside him, to draw her arms around her knees and lean gently into his shoulder, a silent anchor to reality as the locking of his limbs subsides enough for him to clutch a hand over his forehead. He turns his back to her, walls up but defenses down, like the tears she's already crying in his stead. When she presses her cheek into his back and wraps her arms around him to clutch at the front of his jacket, he breathes a sigh that speaks of his hate and his love, and her presence.