retellers | GRAVEYARD

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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.

[...

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.

[ She sure did promise. Not only to find him, but to find him, the Shuuya-kun who's running and hiding for so long he couldn't even tell where he is anymore. He closes his eyes and he sees darkness, neon lights flashing in the distance, a hissing that runs through his head like water and drowns out all other thought. He opens his eyes and sees a hand, looks down at his own, with his own scars, not by his own choices but consequences nevertheless.

He doesn't take her hand. Doesn't look at her. ]

...I'm going to leave this place. And I'm going to kill one more person. Would you still stand with me, knowing that?

Mm. I would.

[Her hand stays right where it is, unflinching.]

I can't make your choices for you. And... I know you can't explain everything. I know you would try, if you thought it was important.

I just want you... Nico-kun, or Kano, or Shuuya, whoever you decide is "you" under everything... I want you to have a chance for once.

[ A chance. Not a choice, all these impossible choices in the face of insurmountable odds, but a chance... something he never thought he'd get in this existence of futility. ]

Shuuya.

[ He reaches out and places his palm against Hikaru's. Then reaches out with his other hand so he can curl her fingers into a fist and fist bump her, again from the top, and the bottom, it's a stupid secret handshake. ]

[She lets him touch, watches what he's doing with a careful eye and trying her best not to move too soon, even though the sound of his own name from his lips makes her heart soar. But she'll nod her understanding, her eyes a little glassy and the laugh on her lips quietly affected as she repeats the motions.

A fist to a fist, to the top, then to the bottom.]

Shuuya. I'm...

[H̷̨̡̟͔̬̥̖̜͚͔͗̀̽̿͜͝͠i̶̢̠̬̰͖̺͔̜̦͛̊̏k̸̢̟̪̬̳̼̯͇̗̓͐̿̍̅̈́̈́̒̀̌́͠͝ͅa̸̧̢̧͍̣̱̺̳̱̰̺̪̩̙͍̓̀r̵̢̡̧͇̣͍̣͇͚̱̟̣̺̒͂͌̾̌̃̒̇̔ǘ̴̧̡͖̳̘͈̦̥̹͍̘̃͝

...

It seems cruel, that her voice halts with something she'd so freely given on their first meeting.

But she lets her mouth close, eyes apologetic in a pained way as she simply bows her head towards him, just barely polite, just barely hiding that emotion that radiates off her like heat from the sun.]

I'm... really, really happy, to finally meet you.

[ That tag was cuter in my gmail that filtered out the zalgo text ):

But it's alright. He already knows her name, doesn't always call her by it, defines her more by her feelings and her actions, and her saying that she's happy means more to him anyways. Even if he doesn't wholly believe meeting him is any cause for happiness. ]

...Yeah. But I can't stay, okay? Not like this. Not right now. I still have a part I need to play.

[It's still not easy to hear, and she can't hide the flinch across her face. But she doesn't raise her voice against him this time. He knows how she feels, and she knows he can't explain everything. It's a hurt that, for now, she is willing to hold.]

...Mn.

I'll be here. Whenever you feel you can come back the way you want... I gave you a promise. I'm not gonna break it.

[ He'll probably be home committing patricide when that moment comes, but he gets the sentiment. ]

When all this is over, and we're free, and we can live our lives how we want.

[She nods immediately.]

We'll find our path out of here, Shuuya. Whatever it takes.

[...

There's a glance to her side, as though she's making sure it's just themselves and the animals, her expression falling tired in a way Kano has probably not seen before, one that looks odd on a girl so energetic and optimistic.

Only when she knows they are truly alone does she continue.]

GRAVEYARD

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