| ▌⠀⠀˖͢⠀⠀⠀@hopetries⠀⠀ໂ⠀⠀c.
𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘,⠀⠀⠀he had stood upon that imperceptibly thin threshold dividing companionship from something INFINITELY MORE PERILOUS.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀there had always existed an indefinable gravitation between them;⠀⠀⠀a quiet reciprocity diffused through late nights in the laboratory,⠀⠀⠀shared silences,⠀⠀⠀unfinished meals,⠀⠀⠀AND WEARY LAUGHTER EXCHANGED LONG AFTER MIDNIGHT.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀hiro had seen it,⠀⠀⠀unfortunately had to endure it,⠀⠀⠀and judging by the knowing glances traded amongst the others at the lab⠀⠀⠀━━━⠀⠀⠀he wasn't the only unfortunate one.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀only tadashi remained obstinately immobile,⠀⠀⠀not for the lack of want,⠀⠀⠀moreso the timidity that masquerades as prudence.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀there had always been another prototype awaiting refinement⠀⠀⠀━━━⠀⠀⠀another emergency,⠀⠀⠀another obligation demanding precedence,⠀⠀⠀somewhere amidst research grants,⠀⠀⠀tuition,⠀⠀⠀AND THE IMPOSSIBLE ENDEAVOR OF OCCUPYING THE SPACE TWO ABSENT PARENTS HAD ONCE FILLED,⠀⠀⠀they had become frighteningly proficient at postponement,⠀⠀⠀and convincing themselves tomorrow would invariably prove more accommodating than today.
her threats⠀⠀⠀&.⠀⠀⠀act of affections illicit laughter⠀⠀⠀━━━⠀⠀⠀as per usual;⠀⠀⠀it effuses beneath complexion with quiet rufescence,⠀⠀⠀CLIMBING UNBIDDEN ACROSS CHEEKS BEFORE LAYING UNEQUIVOCAL CLAIM TO THE TIPS OF HIS EARS;⠀⠀⠀an involuntary confession his tongue had persistently declined to articulate.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀i look forward to it,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀admission scarcely escapes before merriment devolves into a restrained wince,⠀⠀⠀injured ribs register their immediate demurrer,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀ow,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀even discomfort proves incapable of wholly dismantling the simper lingering upon his mouth,⠀⠀⠀even tilting his head so her palms feels the curvature of it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀her devoted digits wander through tousled hirsute with languid deliberation;⠀⠀⠀THEIR PEREGRINATION THROUGH DISHEVELED HAIR REDUCES EVERY COHERENT THOUGHT INTO QUIET SUSPENSION,⠀⠀⠀each absentminded circlet further disarraying stubborn strands whilst simultaneously reassuring him of something infinitely more precious...⠀⠀⠀that he was not alone.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀it’s a marginally better option than helmet hair…⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀quiet laughter hums beneath his breath,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀it literally looks like a hair net.⠀⠀”
weary gaze ascends with measured reluctance until it encounters hers,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀you've been here the whole time,⠀⠀⠀haven’t you,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀THE ANSWER HAD ALREADY INSCRIBED ITSELF BENEATH HER EYES;⠀⠀⠀violet half—moons⠀⠀⠀/⠀⠀⠀fatigue lacquered into complexion,⠀⠀⠀the subtle attenuation that only prolonged wakefulness could exact.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀sometimes...⠀⠀⠀acknowledgement itself constitutes its own consolation,⠀⠀⠀it was simply nice to be seen.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀hand rises almost independently of conscious volition,⠀⠀⠀palm settles against her cheek with featherlight familiarity,⠀⠀⠀thumb administering quiet regards across softened skin;⠀⠀⠀AS INSTINCTIVE AS BREATHING.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀you should’ve gone home to get some rest,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀concern arrives with gentle conviction.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀it’s almost comical,⠀⠀⠀considering he remained the one occupying a hospital bed,⠀⠀⠀A LIMB LESS⠀⠀⠀&.⠀⠀⠀covered in a ridiculous,⠀⠀⠀copous amount of bandages.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀gotten some sleep,⠀⠀⠀taken care of yourself…⠀⠀⠀lecturing lilo⠀⠀⠀&.⠀⠀⠀stitch,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀laughter follows in quiet increments,⠀⠀⠀eyne crescents,⠀⠀⠀vision softens beneath gathering moisture.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀you've got responsibilities way bigger than waiting for me.⠀⠀”
tomorrow,⠀⠀⠀is a remarkably persuasive fiction,⠀⠀⠀even now,⠀⠀⠀courage remained conspicuously elusive.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀yet,⠀⠀⠀he can't help but wonder…⠀⠀⠀IF TOMORROW WOULD'VE BEEN GUARANTEED IN THE FIRST PLACE?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀there existed a peculiar tyranny in surviving catastrophe;⠀⠀⠀one emerged with lungs still drawing breath,⠀⠀⠀heart yet persisting in its faithful labor...⠀⠀⠀ONLY FOR THE MIND TO CONSIGN ITSELF TO AN ENDLESS LITANY OF COUNTERFACTUALS.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀of what ifs,⠀⠀⠀and of almosts.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀every confession indefinitely deferred beneath the comfortable fallacy that another sunrise would invariably present itself.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀suspended within that interminable procession of not yets,⠀⠀⠀tadashi could think of few punishments more exacting.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀broken ribs would mend,⠀⠀⠀severed flesh would cicatrize,⠀⠀⠀even absent limbs could,⠀⠀⠀in time,⠀⠀⠀BECOME FAMILIAR ABSENCES.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀but a world divested of HER…⠀⠀⠀that was a deprivation not even time could ever come close to remediating.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀nani,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the words choke momentarily,⠀⠀⠀her name sliding off the lips like something wholly undeserving of even speech.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀mind persists in its relentless importunity,⠀⠀⠀EVERY UNSPOKEN CONFESSION PRESSING INSISTENTLY AGAINST THE CONFINES OF HIS THROAT UNTIL LANGUAGE ITSELF BECOMES DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀...thank you,⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀hopelessly inadequate,⠀⠀⠀for every single nights she had endured sleepless,⠀⠀⠀and for every smile she had forced upon herself just for his sake.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀i don't deserve you.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀hand relinquishes her cheek,⠀⠀⠀only to descend in quiet search of her own.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀fingers interlace with careful deliberation,⠀⠀⠀conserving what little strength remained simply to preserve the communion of touch.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀rain check on killing me?⠀⠀”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀humor,⠀⠀⠀as ever⠀⠀⠀━━━⠀⠀⠀arrives first.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀courage falters at the precipice,⠀⠀⠀BUT WORDS ARE CAUGHT STUBBORNLY IN HIS THROAT,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“⠀⠀when i’m discharged,⠀⠀⠀let’s go somewhere nice.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀i'll make it all up to you.⠀⠀”
