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The moment Tori woke up again was not a moment she ever expected to come.
And yet, woke up she did, staring at the ceiling of the gallery.
And when she turned on her side, there he was, just as she remembered, except now he was wearing the clothes he received here. But even still, it was him.
"Michi-chan!"
The man looked up as she yelled his name and he smiled, as if it were just a normal day and not as if-
As if-
At the thoughts that refused to leave her mind, Tori forced her body up and ran towards Michi.
Her steps were lighter than they had been in days, the weight from her head receded, and the familiar weight on her finger was reassuring, even as she tried to ignore the dress she wore, the dress she only ever wore here.
She barely hesitated and knelt before Michi so he could easily raise his hands to her eye level.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I-" Tears fell from her eyes as she apologized, but she refused to close them.
She had to see what he said, she would not ignore his words. Not again.
If he wanted to condemn her, she would take it all. Happily.
But he only shook his head and raised his hands.
'I'm here. I forgive you. I'm not leaving.' He signed.
She fell so that her head collapsed in his lap and sobbed all the harder for his forgiveness.
She did not deserve it, could never deserve it after what she had done. But he was too good, too kind, too pure to hate her like he should.
And instead, just like always, he only wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry.
His fingers traced signs into her hair, slow enough so she could decipher them without having to look up.
'We'll be okay. So no more crying. It's up to you and me to watch over everyone now.'
She wasn't one for praying, she had stopped believing in any God a long time ago, but for once…for once she hoped, with everything she had, that he was correct. That they, and everyone they loved that was still trapped in that horrible web, would be okay and that their watching over them would be enough atonement.
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