"What do you feel like doing today?" Hikaru asked as the pair laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, hours after they'd woken up. They were calm, holding hands, just existing together. Their presence created a mutual assurance that things would be okay.
"I don't know…" Kaoru turned to face his brother, who heard the rustle and also let his head flop over. "Not much of anything."
Hikaru could feel the weight in his chest. Kaoru's chest. He could also feel the fatigue and lack of motivation. He wasn't himself. Neither of them were.
"Do you think you're ready to talk to mom and dad?" Hikaru squeezed Kaoru's hand reassuringly. Their parents had actually figured out how to stay home for more than a day, and had promised to stay until the twins could face them. Forgive them. Hikaru found himself thinking that it would be a very long time until their parents left the city again. If they were to keep their promise.
"No." Kaoru snapped back quickly. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive them..."
"Okay, what about the club?"
"No, too much chaos."
"So… just lay here?"
"Just lay here."
And lay there they did. It was probably the best thing either of them could have done after the weeks they'd had. They could finally relax without nightmares, pain, or fear. They were together, and would be inseparable for a long time. That fact made them happier than they'd ever been before.
But still, there was a nagging feeling. A persistent edge more prominent in Kaoru, but Hikaru could undoubtedly feel it. It was a tiny voice, poking, prodding, whispering that the twins would never be the same, that they were broken and screwed up beyond repair. And there was a tiny bit of the twins that believed the voice. After all, how could they expect to move on from such trauma? One had been kidnapped practically out of the other's arms. They'd felt the same pain, one not knowing the details, the other knowing too many. They'd both seen the prison, for far too long. They could already tell they would be plagued with nightmares, panic attacks, and anxiety for the rest of their lives. Or at least into the distant future.
The next day held the same riveting activities for the twins. And the next. And the next.
It wasn't until late afternoon of the fourth day of lying in bed-aside from using the bathroom or eating-that Hikaru decided they needed a change of scenery.
"Come on." He practically dragged Kaoru out of bed and toward the door to their room.
"Where are we going? "Kaoru protested, holding his brother's hand tighter.
"You'll see."
Hikaru lead Kaoru out the back door of their estate, clinging to Kaoru almost as tightly as Kaoru was to him. They wandered through the back garden, which seemed to go on forever after Kaoru had spent so much time locked up in a six by six foot cell. The plants and trees were beautiful, but Kaoru found it difficult to relax outside of the safe walls of his home. He found himself shaking, trying not to think back to that night, when he and Hikaru had been torn apart. His escape edged at his thoughts, trying to come forward, but Kaoru didn't want to rely on that anymore. He would have to learn to deal with his emotions now that he was safe. He was safe. A phrase he still didn't quite believe.
"Seriously, Hikaru. Where are we going?"
"You'll see." He repeated, with a smirk this time. "It's a surprise."
They walked until they reached a river, one Kaoru had long forgotten about. The land of their estate was so expansive, he wasn't sure he and Hikaru had explored it all.
"Why…?" Kaoru trailed off.
"Because." Hikaru sat down on a nearby bench and Kaoru snuggled up next to him. They existed in peace, watching the clouds roll by. Clouds… Kaoru checked his phone for the time.
"Hikaru…"
"It's finally cloudy." He smiled, seeing the look on his brother's face. Kaoru rested his head on Hikaru's shoulder, calm rushing through him like the river at their feet. He watched, in awe, as the sunset began, transforming the sky into an artwork of pink, orange, purple, red, any colour you could ever want to see. Kaoru nestled his head into his brother's neck, and Hikaru pulled him closer.
In that moment, they knew that someday, they would be okay.
I know the ending is kind of abrupt, but my mind is elsewhere at the moment.
Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and favourited.
If you're into Yuri On Ice, I have another story currently in the works, so check that out.
If you want to see any more Ouran stories, or stories from other anime, PM me or leave me a review and I'll see what I can do.
Happy reading.
~Ace