#aotsukinouta

"TAKUMIIIII!" The door slammed against the bedroom wall hard as she threw it wide open.

It was the dead of night, but given that he'd had the light on, she couldn't have cared less. At least only the left side neighbours were in danger of having their sleep disrupted, given Eito and Darumi's rooms occupied his immediate right.

And Eito was behind her, being dragged along hand in hand, bag on his other side.

"Eito agreed to stay 'cause he's my hostage now! I'm gonna guard him instead of him being in the cage!" She announced it like it was a forgone conclusion, with a bright smile that suddenly snapped into unprovoked anger. "Darumi barely talked him off the edge, so if you give me that wishy-washy shit I'll kill you!"

Then back to happy.

“Huh-nya? Aotsuki, why are you already leaving???” Darumi easily caught him on his way out before he could make a swift escape into the night. Despite Sirei’s efforts.

The recently blind young man was carrying a heavy-looking black bag.

“You should stay and milk it longer, it’s not like it matters once you’re gone!” She grinned at him, not that he could see it.

In that moment, she hated herself perhaps more than any other time. Unable to see him off without a dumb remark. But, that sole fact was what always made them kindred spirits. Their masks were glued to their faces forever and ever, constantly jabbing everyone for no reason.

“I’m so jealous, I always wanted to traumatize everyone so they could never forget me…!”

She didn’t mind saying that. He already knew what he was doing.

But if no one else would follow up on the cries for attention, she could at least treat him the way she wanted to be treated. Honestly.

Dishonestly.

“Takumi’s gonna be sooo upset tomorrow!” She laughed. “He’s gonna like, go pale and shaky but he won’t start crying for like a month until it finally hits him and he has a panic attack! It’s so sad you’re gonna miss it! What am I supposed to get out of a dumb uke meltdown?”

“You’re so fun, Aotsuki! I’m gonna miss you so much!” She whined like a child, but she didn’t try to convince him to stay. “We were like, bad people buddies! ….”

…Please don’t go?

Oh, he noticed that. "Well, I've never had like, a boyfriend or someone who would actually love me, but I make lots of escape fund cash when I'm not in the crazy girl makeup!" She brags in a measured, careful way, like playing it safe in case Takumi came in. An implication easy to ignore if ignoring stuff was your thing.

"I guess that was all pointless if we're getting set for life and all that once we're back. They should've told me they were gonna kidnap me! I wouldn'ta run!" She laughed and laughed, like anything she'd said was fun. "You get it, right? I mean even if it wasn't a top tier play to end humanity, you'd totally wanna come here! 'Cause our whole lives were total nightmares!"

"So what's the moral rap on getting smoochy? I wanna hear it! Is it 'cause of your parents? Capitalism? 'Cause love makes more disgusting humans?" Whether she was aware of her position as the only one interested in his hateful opinions was unclear.

The topic of seducing Takumi was dropped like it was never there. After all, she only asked because he liked him. Not wanting to pursue him because he was too broken for nice, normie Takumi...

"I  heard  you  were  in  the  hospital  a  lot.  I  have  some  experience  with  that."  Even  if  Eito  was  vastly  different  from  her,  she  wanted  to  at  least  try  to  be  empathetic  to  him.

[ eito tea ] @aotsukinouta

"Eh??? I thought you said it was tea! This tastes awesome!" She pushes the cup up with both hands to chug the rest of it. "It burns the inside of my mouth, I love it!"

[ burden of truth ] @aotsukinouta

"Ehhhh..." It didn't sound as though that answer came as a surprise. No one liked her, after all, it would be strange for a boy who didn't like anyone to like her one way or another. Least of all after the shit she'd already pulled on him.

He was more barbed with her when Takumi wasn't around to disapprove, but that was better, really. It was way more awkward watching him deliberately couch his words for his crush's approval anyways, and she didn't want him to like her.

"Darumi's never been included as one of anyone before, that's fun!"

eito aotsuki ( @aotsukinouta ) said: “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t want your pity.”

It was a losing battle. Trying to convey any amount of empathy to Eito was worthless. He didn't want it or understand it. Takumi couldn't deny that maybe he DID pity him. He had before his true nature was revealed, and maybe he does now. He can't say. Everything's messy and confusing when Eito is involved.

"I'm not...!" He objects, not certain if he is being honest with either of them. "I just want to understand you, Aotsuki." He would never trust him again. He knew it. They both did. Maybe Takumi is just pathetic. Maybe he wants to believe there is SOMETHING to Aotsuki Eito that he can hold on to.

"You're my responsibility. And after all of this time, I still can't possibly understand you. And... It's not... Pity." Is it? He doesn't know. He wishes he could just turn around and walk away. Never think about the silver haired boy ever again. But it isn't that simple, is it?