Fic time~ I had so many brainworms from ch22. I needed to put this down.
A twisting, thorny vine pierced through a delicate soul; Its branches wrapped around it like a prison. The flowers that grew from them seeped an insidious poison. Sickly sweet, whispering destruction in every breath.
The poison- no, venom dripped on the soul, pumping it with its influence.
What's with those eyes? Ah, of course it's those eyes.
He cĶĶanāĶĢt sĶĢ²tĢĢŖaĶĢ®yĢĶĢ¦Ķ.
Thank god Kaito and Luca were understanding. Running out after Uriel was uncalled for, but fuck it. Who gives a shit? She has only a week left. Let her do what she wants.
That faceā¦ sheās never seen that come out of Uriel, of all people.
Thereās only one place he would be, one place where he spends all of his time.
Luna tried opening the door to Urielās office, but the doorknob almost burnt her. The door itself was warm to the touch, and not cooling down.
āā¦You made quite a mess, didnāt you?ā
āI donāt have time for you, Kuro.ā
KuzĆ©. Urielās best friend. (Or was it Kuro?) Sheād met them during that āmissionā on the island. Well, she knew about them for a while, but thatās not here nor there.
What does matter, is that she knows that these two are probably the strongest anomalies she knows of. Right above that godamn Kyklos.
āEverything was normal when I walked in, but then I Looked at her!ā
That word carried an unexpected weight to it. Like Relic, or Stigma.
āOf course I noticed. How could I not?! I check on everyone as soon as they walk into class!ā
āWe know your problem, but you will not like our answer.ā
āWhat do you mean by that.ā
Luna shivered. Uriel had never spoken with such emotion in his voice. It was always flat, sometimes with irritation.
It reminded her of that night after that mission with Sinostra. When he made that decree.
āYou are afraid, love. Afraid to lose. We have seen this before, albeit slightly askew.ā
Another person, no- voice. She sounded strong. A rock, like Tohma, but her words were measured; Long pauses between each sentence.
āI was reminded of āāāāāāās earnest request. He asked that we do not throw our lives away, no matter what happens to each other. I thought he was stating the obviousā¦ I thought I could remain calm and cold. But when I was faced with loss in reality, I simply couldnāt get over it. Iām ashamed of myself for this disgraceful behavior.ā
She got the impression that this woman, whoever she was, was going to face her fate with bared teeth.
āDonāt be ridiculous, How could they have any resemblance to me?ā
Such hatredā¦ it threw her for a loop.
āYou deny your self. This is not true, you know this. How long have you spent with them?
āYou forget that itās against my will.ā
āWhen did you get close to her? When did you ask us that favor? When did you start enjoying her company?ā
āYou know I never did!ā
Heā¦ he never liked her? Butā¦
āAnd we know that to be untrue! If you will not say it, then we shall make you!ā
āNo. You wouldnāt-ā
She was there again. The quiet snowfall, the comfy chair, the crackling of a fire, an old book. Urielās Name.
He screamed. It sounded so.. robotic. Jerking up octaves like a broken gear.
āTell us; tell us and yourself how you truly feel about Luna Aikawa.ā
It sounded like Uriel was a million miles away.
āShe reminds me of {}-ā
She was slammed into another scene, another Name.
She sits on a stump in a forest clearing. The sky has wispy clouds ghosting across the blue, blue sky. Birds sing amongst the surrounding trees. The sun kisses her skin, and a gentle breeze flows.
A single spider lily is at her feet. The color feels familiar somehow.
ā-I canāt lose her again. Not when I know she can be saved. The curse eats at her soul. I can see it so clearly. Every day she is further corrupted, and soon she will lose herself to that thing. But I canāt help her out of this. Itās not my place; I shouldnāt even be here to watch this happen. But I canāt bear to lose someone I love again.ā
Whoā¦ it must have been-
Thereās a woman on the page. For a second, she thinks sheās a relative of Taigaās at first, but the hair doesnāt lie straight. Itās a cascade of crimson curls, framing a bright smile in the middle of a laugh.
Her. Gabriel. That name on the song she got from that random email.
āI said get out, Kuro.ā
As firm and cold as Jin all that time ago.
The door had cooled by now, but Luna was hesitant to open it. What awaited her at the other side? Would he lash out like he did at Kuze? Would he be back to masking his emotions?
I should leave him alone.
That wasnāt her thought.
That wasnāt her thought.
Who made her think that? What was that?
Stop it! Get out of my head! If I go in, itās going to be on my own fucking will! Iām done being a godamn spectator to everything!
Luna opens the door in pure defiance. The doorknob was still warm to the touch.
The room was covered in charcoal black, and the distinct smell of wood smoke radiated from it. The cubicles were destroyed, the painting in the corner was ash, the window behind it was partially melted, and the desk was ruined.
And there, sitting right behind it, was Uriel. Pristine as ever, not even a speck of soot on his white suit.
He was hunched over, his face covered by his hands.
He wasā¦ sobbing. Crying. Tears fell onto the carbonized surface of the desk, and disappeared as soon as they struck it.
Uriel looked up at me a beat after I entered.
That other woman, the one that KuzƩ quoted, even when she was devastated by grief, still held firm.
āGet out. All appointments are closed today.ā He hissed.
āIām not leaving you.ā
He stared at me, then turned to the floor.
I lifted myself to sit on the partially carbonized desk. Uriel looks at my back, then closes his eyes.
I place my hand on his head. He flinches a little at the touch, but doesnāt otherwise move.
āIāmā¦ā I sigh. āI know things seem desperate. But I donāt want you to be like this.ā
Even if theyāre not human, they still feel human emotions.
āI want you to keep trying. For me, and for Gabriel.ā
āWhere did you hear that name.ā
āI thinkā¦ KuzĆ© told me.ā
He sighs, āOf course she did.ā
āā¦I donāt think itās set in stone yet.ā
āA lot can change in a week. And even if I get locked up, I donāt think anything will stop you, will it?ā
āThen I dont think you should.ā
āBefore the time comes, I want to see a painting from you.ā
āA painting. I heard that you put your works in progress up on display in here. I want to see one of your finished products before I have to go.ā
He looked back at me. Eyes open and staring, āā¦I see.ā
āIt shall be done, Luna Aikawa.ā
When I leave, thereās an announcement from the school via email: all tutoring appointments are canceled until next week, and Uriel will be absent from all classes.
ā¦I completely understand why.
