GRAVEYARD

[retellers]

GRAVEYARD Well, that sucked. But no matter what your death was like—whether it was something peaceful or traumatic, you'll find yourself waking in a completely white room on the floor. Small and empty, there isn't anything else there besides an open door to walk through. But before you do that, you'll probably notice that whatever injuries you may have had, including whatever may have been the death blow, are now gone. That's exciting. Stepping out of the room, it seems that you're in a large... house? with three different floors. Everything from floor, ceiling to furniture is completely white, except for the drawings that are plastered to the walls in each room. These are all colorful, drawn in colored pencils and crayon, and resemble a child's drawing. The other notable thing are the windows. While they're present all around the building, looking out of them only shows TV static. Besides that, everything is furnished with the absolute bare minimum of each room. The first floor is all typical common areas one would find in a house. There's a kitchen, living room area, laundry room, dining room, and a main hallway where the stairs are. There are also helpful drawings in these rooms that show the rooms much more lavishly decorated than they actually are. There's a door that appears to be the way to exit the building, but it leads you to somewhere that's not the front lawn. The second floor consists of nothing but twenty bedrooms. Each room has one queen sized bed, an empty dresser, and an attached bathroom with only a sink, toilet, and shower. Like the first floor, each bedroom has drawn pictures that show it looking much more lavish than it actually does. Thanks for nothing, artist! The third floor only has two rooms. One appears to be a home office with nothing but a desk and two chairs, one behind it and one in front of it. On the desk are some blank pieces of paper along with crayons, as well as a written note next to them that says PLEASE DRAW THE PREFERRED ANIMAL :). It looks like this is how you ask for a meeting with a Leader. The other room is much larger, and it's completely empty save for the many drawings lining its walls— in fact, the walls are covered in them, much more than in any other room. On closer inspection, though, it seems like these aren't actually drawings? The papers seem to be showing scenes from the living area. Everything from inside the hotel to the areas beyond the bridge are visible here. However, when curfew hits on Thursday nights, they revert to being normal drawings! Except for the fact that they're all drawings of stick figures being murdered in various ways. Well. At least there's plenty of things to draw with, if you get bored. As of Week 3, each person has the ability to send messages on their PHS unlocked.

NAVIGATION locations ₓ˚. statuses *+:｡ ic profiles :ₓo ic rules ･ﾟﾟ･｡ audience requests murder proposals ｡✧o private conversations ･ﾟo｡ curfew ･ﾟ✧ memories

Comments

[heartablaze]

[She's curled up behind a tree with her face against her knees and her arms wrapped tightly against herself. Her braid is missing? When the fuck did that happen?

The impact gets her to flinch, looking up just enough to see what in the world hit her. The doggo walks right past Kano to nose at the paper ball carefully. Thankfully the paper does not set on fire.

The dog whimpers again as Hikaru looks up further, up to see who else was standing there--

Oh.

There's. Some complicated emotions instantly running across her face in rapid succession as her hands tighten against her legs, her mouth opening as though she wants to say something...

But she closes it, turns her head away, and tucks herself back against her legs, even as her dog starts to back away from Kano, taking up the paper ball into its mouth and retreating with its ears flattened.]

[suddenlybees]

[ A good dog knows how to fetch... He takes the paper back and hopes it's slightly soggy because that makes it easier to toss at Hikaru's head again. They are in this awkward situation where they both recognize each other's presence but Kano does not want to be the first to speak. ]

[heartablaze]

[sighs. I will allow it just for you, card.

She winces, and behind him, the dog growls immediately. Hikaru doesn't lift her head.]

If you want to hit me, just hit me, Shuuya-kun. It's okay.

[They have had this conversation before. But instead of sounding desperate and apologetic, now she just sounds exhausted.]

[suddenlybees]

[ He doesn't want to, and never has, the cat on his shoulder lazying around just as always, although the tip of its tail does flick at the dog growling. ]

Heh... So you remember my name. Do you remember our promise?

[heartablaze]

[She carefully nods, but doesn't say anything right away.

The dog backs up another pace, laying its head against its paws with its eyes trained on the cat.]

[suddenlybees]

[ The cat squints at the dog. ]

Oh, hm. So you don't remember at all! Aah, and I came all the way out here to see you and everything, too~ Should we, like, just forget about it, then? Make it easier on both of us, or whatever.

[heartablaze]

I remember it, Shuuya-kun.

[A fist presses against her eyes, swallowing back the tremble in her voice.]

It's okay if you don't. I'll keep doing what I can. [Even if half of their promise completely fell apart with both of them dead... the very least she could do was try.]

[suddenlybees]

Do you, though? What have you been doing? What's your goal? You can work as hard as you can, but if you don't have a direction, all you're gonna do is spin your wheels and burn yourself out, you know?

[heartablaze]

[She knows her goal. She knows it exactly. But his words still hurt, now in a way that feels unusually bitter, a knife buried into a wound that's already been dug out numerous times since this boy had died.]

Mn. I know. [Her eyes don't lift.]

Why are you asking me this, Shuuya-kun?

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano, mercilessly bullying a crying girl ):

But he has his reasons, like he always has his reasons. ]

'cause you ran away. You're running away. Have you given up already?

[heartablaze]

No. You wouldn't be bothering me if you thought that.

...

[She swallows.]

I can't run away. But I... can't do what I need to do feeling like this. I haven't... I-I haven't been myself for a while.

If I go out and see everything and try right now, I... I really won't be able to do anything. I'll fall apart. I just needed some time, and it's not... it's not something people will just give me, if I ask...

[She presses her fist back against her eyes. The dog doesn't move, but its flames grow wilder.]

I'll b-be okay. I just... I n-need some time to... to not be okay. For a minute.

[suddenlybees]

[ He just laughs, because this is a highly appropriate time to laugh, huh. But really, some things are funny, some things are not, everything is complicated and what he does is laugh. ]

Hmm... That won't do. I got a better idea. C'mon, on your feet, up up up!

[heartablaze]

[She looks at him, almost dully, before drawing up her sword.

It's fine, she's just using it to push herself to her feet. But he can be scared for .5 seconds.]

[suddenlybees]

[ I was EXCITED and then disappointed. Kano's shoulder cat definitely puffed up twice its size seeing that sword, even if outwardly he just makes this dumb face. ]

Oh. Haha. Alright, now close your eyes!

[heartablaze]

[kano will never know death

she still has her sword, but its blade is down, hilt in both hands. she gives him a Look, tired and confused, but closes her eyes.]

[suddenlybees]

[ When will Hikaru stop doing what Kano asks ]

Hmm... Take like three steps forward so you're away from the trees, then, like, spin around twenty times fast.

[heartablaze]

[She just lets out a frustrated breath through her nose and doesn't move.]

So I can just get dizzy and you'll have run away by the time I'm done?

No, thank you.

[suddenlybees]

Haha, I don't need you to be dizzy so I can run away? Look at you, it's not like you'd chase after me anyways? Not like that!

[heartablaze]

[her eyes snap open and there is now the business end of a sword pointed right at kano's face

the dog is just vibin in the back, being Very on fire.]

[suddenlybees]

[ The cat on Kano's shoulders bristles a little, but then it settles down again, eyes gleaming, a faint rumble starting in its throat. ]

...Are you able to follow through? Or are you just gonna run away again?

[heartablaze]

[The blade stays steady, and the dog stands up, thumping its muzzle against the back of Kano's leg as it goes to stand behind Hikaru. Hot damn that's a lot of fire but I'll be nice and say that Kano doesn't get another burn this time.

She just stares him down for a minute, steadying her breathing.]

I don't have any reason to do anything to you, and you know it.

I know what I want to do, what I have to do, even if I don't know how to go there. Being angry at you and running away aren't my only options. Letting you jerk me around and make me feel worse isn't an option I have to follow, either.

I listen because I want to trust you properly, Shuuya-kun. Even if you don't trust me anymore. Which means I'm going to get mad sometimes.

[She blows out another breath through her nose, her voice trembling with the effort.]

But if I can't save my anger for the things that actually matter right now, then I'm not gonna be able to do anything at all. Rescuing everybody, making whatever choices we have to make while stuck in this place...

I'll follow through when I know it's worth it. [The tip of her blade hits his chin, just barely.] Losing my temper at you isn't worth it.

why do i come back to this

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano doesn't say anything, doesn't show anything but the shitty grin he wears as a mask he has to uphold no matter what- even if Hikaru is monologuing at him, even if the tip of his chin gets nicked and it takes everything not to give Hikaru the satisfaction of taking a step back away from her.

But what he doesn't show, his cat does. A flick of the tail in agitation at the continued insistence of trusting him, narrowed eyes of contentment when she says she can at least get mad at him. The creature yawns on his shoulders at the mention of all those heroics- of rescuing people and making choices- things that matter less to Kano than others. When the sword points towards Kano, the cat bristles, but also leans in, eyes gleaming off the side of the blade. ]

...You'll feel better if you get mad, [ he says, quietly, ] If you scream and hit and vent all your frustrations. Isn't that worth it?

Writes you another one

[heartablaze]

[She doesn't seem disappointed, that he doesn't step back. The dog at her side even wags its tail a little.]

If you won't do it to me, when I made you do something you didn't want and made you have to die... then what reason do I have to do it to you, when the only bad thing you've ever done to me is trick me with your words?

[Prove her wrong, binch.]

I come back to you because you don't hold my hand. You make me think. You've seen a world that I don't know, that I probably won't know, especially if you can't talk about it. But you still have reasons, just like I do.

I know you don't want my help. I... know I'm not good at stepping away. But I don't want to run away. And I... don't want to hurt you again on accident, out of my own stupidity. [The blade lifts a little, even though her expression tightens apologetically.] I want you to know that I could do it on purpose, if I had to. And... I will, if I have to. But I need a reason, to raise my anger against someone else. To hurt them, or to hate them, or to stay away.

You haven't given me a reason. Not one my heart can understand. I...

I hate how you speak to me. I hate how you speak to others. I hate that your eyes are still so sad, because I just wish you had someone to rely on with what hurts you so badly.

I hate whatever horrible things in your life made you this way. Whatever made Nico-kun hurt so deeply, to make him be alone, to make him be empty, to make him into something that only knew that it was useless...

I hate that. And I hate what's become of it. I hate how badly it scars you, and everything you touch.

But I don't hate you.

[suddenlybees]

[ He has to bite back his words, chewing at his bottom lip over a deep cut that's scarred over by now so he can't interrupt, because while this isn't the screaming and yelling that he was going for, it's still venting, it's still Hikaru letting out her thoughts and feelings and dumping them all onto the ground at his feet instead of keeping them pent up. The catharsis isn't the same as what a good solid punch to the nose would be, but her words aren't small and quiet anymore- they're assured and they're genuine and she's doing that thing again where she's looking too close at him instead of taking her own feelings for what they are, and Kano drops his gaze to the ground instead of looking back at him.

He hates the way he's hearing these words from her, instead of the people he desperately wants to hear them from. He hates that he can't hold people's hands- that he has to cover their eyes and goad them through whispers in the darkness. He hates that he tries so hard to give people a reason to hate him, to hurt him, to stay away, and yet there are still those who refuse to take the hint and save themselves from him who scars everything he touches. He hates that he can't raise a hand against anybody and give them a real reason. He hates the way he speaks, the way he acts, the fact that he has no other choice. He hates hates hates hates hates

But he doesn't hate her.

Only her undeserved kindness. What is he supposed to do with it? Him who irreversibly destroys everything he touches. Him who's voice is low and quiet, mumbled: ]

I never thought anybody could find me.

[heartablaze]

[...

She quietly lowers her sword letting the blade hit the ground, before letting it drop entirely. The dog carefully noses at it, taking the sword by the hilt to drag it to the side.]

I promised.

I didn't stay alive. So you can call me stupid for the rest of eternity... and I'll deserve every second of it. Remember?

I'm not going to give up on fixing this place. On fixing the bridge between these worlds. Even... if this isn't how I wanted to find you on the way. Even if fixing is going to mean making choices that hurt.

If you don't want to follow... I won't pull you along, Shuuya-kun. I told you I wouldn't. But... Even if it's from a place I can't reach... even if you decide to stay behind...

[Carefully, she holds out a hand to him, the scars of gashes of her own choices still prominent gainst the skin.]

I still want to be there to see you make a choice that feels best for you, and for everyone you protect... just for once, Shuuya. Even if I have to hold a scar for being too close...

That's my selfish wish.