Well, we're clipping along at a fairly good rate. Let's continue into my insanity shall we? Another relationship chapter.
Ayumu took one last deep breath, and opened his eyes, seeing Kousuke kneeling in front of him and Eyes sitting next to him in his peripheral vision. They watched him carefully, making sure that he wouldn't panic again.
"I think I'm gonna head home. Nee-san will be worried." His voice trembled only slightly. The others said nothing as he stood up, his eyes to the ground and face unreadable.
Kousuke glanced at Eyes, and they stood up, following him out the door. They were immediately met with the girls, clustering around all three of them.
"Narumi-san? How did it go?" Hiyono asked tentatively. Ayumu didn't answer.
"Narumi-otouto has a lot to think about, Hiyono-san. Please take him home." Eyes said politely.
Hiyono eyed him suspiciously but gently led Ayumu out of the building. When they were gone, Rio turned to Eyes.
"Eyes-kun, what happened? Why did Narumi-otouto have that look in his eyes?"
"That deranged hunter said somethings that have him confused." Eyes answered.
"Confused about what?" Ryoko asked.
"His existence." Eyes answered simply. The girls' eyes widened.
"And this is not a good time for him to questioning something like his reason to live." Kousuke said. "We still need him or we'll be the ones without any reason to live."
"Do you think he can still save us, Eyes?" Rio placed a hand on his arm.
"I don't know." Eyes answered honestly. "But I want to believe Kiyotaka's words that he can."
"I don't see how he can the way he is right now." Kousuke stared at where Ayumu and Hiyono had left. "He's fighting scared now. There's no way to know exactly what he's gonna do at this point. What happens if that hunter is right, and he can't even save himself? How can he save us?"
No one spoke for a minute, lost in thought, then little Rio finally said something. "What if we helped him?" The others looked at her. "It seems obvious to me. He can't do it alone, and we can't just sit here waiting for him to get stronger on his own. Our tests have helped but he needs something more." She looked up to Eyes. "Didn't I say it once? 'We need Narumi-otouto to believe in himself, but I can't help but feel we need to believe in him just as much.'"
-
Ayumu and Hiyono walked in silence to the train station. they bought their tickets and waited on a bench on the platform. Hiyono watched as Ayumu sat perfectly still, staring into space. She stared down at her hands, trying to think of something.
"Ne, Narumi-san?" She called him softly. He looked at her, and she had to keep herself from recoiling from the empty eyes. "Are you alright? What did that creep say to you?"
Ayumu turned his head and stared into space. Hiyono thought he wouldn't answer her question when he suddenly spoke up. "He said I shouldn't exist." His voice was as emotionless as his eyes. "I don't understand it, but, for some reason, I reacted to his words. I sat there, shaking like a scared little kid as he went on about how I can't even save myself, let alone the Blade Children. I wish I knew what was going on." He sighed wistfully.
"Oh, Narumi-san," Hiyono whispered. "Is there anything I can do?"
Ayumu promptly leaned over and placed his head on her shoulder. "Just let me rest here for a minute. I still have to face Nee-san." He sighed again, the breeze ruffling his chocolate bangs. "I need to figure some stuff out. I'll tell you eventually." He closed his eyes, relaxing against her.
Hiyono blushed crimson at his forwardness but remembered he'd done the same thing before. She looked around, making sure no one was staring at them before relaxing. They had 20 minutes till their train arrived, it can't hurt to let him rest that long. She'll wake him up when it arrives.
-
The train arrives at the station and Hiyono and Ayumu disembarked. Ayumu was only slightly recovered after his short nap. They walked in silence till they got to Hiyono's street.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow, right, Narumi-san?" Hiyono asked, smiling brightly.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." He answered as he always did, making Hiyono smile wider. Ayumu would be okay. She turned and walked into her house.
Ayumu shook his head in confusion and continued on to his apartment. When he got to the door, he took a deep breath and opened it. He stepped inside, took off his shoes and continued to the living room, where Madoka sat at the table glaring hard enough to light the wall on fire.
"Where have you been!?" Madoka was up from her seat and staring accusingly at him.
He sighed. "I had to talk to someone after school. It ran later than I thought it would, sorry." He explained nonchalantly.
"That's all you have to say?" Madoka asked suspiciously.
"Well, I also had to wait for the train, and I had to walk Hiyono home."
"That's not what I meant!" Madoka cried. "I meant, who were you talking to and what were you talking about?"
"Hmmm…'What were we talking about?'" Ayumu repeated, getting a bottle of water out of the fridge. "I'm still thinking that over. When I come to a conclusion, I'll let you know." He took his water and his backpack and fled to his room before his sister could protest.
Madoka stared after him with something akin to anger. "You will not do this Ayumu." She whispered to her absent brother. "You will not shut me out like Kiyotaka-san did. I will find out what's going on. I will help you."
And that's that.