Since the chapters of this series are based on prompts, rather than ideas I've constructed myself, they're going to be short. Think of these as drabbles.
This series, for some reason, has some of the shortest chapters in my entire history.
But … somehow that doesn't detract from anything.
At least, I hope that's true.
.
"Do you believe in an afterlife?"
Noa chewed on this question far longer than Ryou would have anticipated. He'd thrown it out randomly as they stopped for gas, and didn't know why. He'd thought the answer would—of course—be a resounding no.
What reason could Noa Kaiba have to believe in such things?
But Noa didn't answer immediately. For a while, it seemed like he wouldn't answer at all. Ryou realized as they bought sunflower seeds and beef jerky that Noa was going give the question an actual answer.
He said: "I have to."
"I'm sure there's more to your thought process than that," Ryou prompted, as they headed back onto the road. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it, Ryou. I died. The . . . real me is long dead. His body, small and shriveled, is buried. Gone. Lost to forever. But here I am. From my perspective, this whole existence is my afterlife. I may not be the authentic Noa Kaiba, but I remember dying. I remember it as clearly as breakfast this morning."
"You didn't eat breakfast this mo—"
"Just . . . roll with me on this one."
"Sorry. Continue."
Noa smirked. Ryou smirked back.
"Anyway. I died. I woke up. And then I died again. And then I woke up again. I've been to two different afterlifes. Afterlives? Whatever. I've seen Hell. And I've seen Heaven."
Ryou licked nervously at his lips. How did one respond to that?
Then Noa blinked. His expression slackened. He stared at the road like it led to great mysteries.
". . . Does that mean Aniki is God?"