" I'd like to tell you that it gets easier, " hand rests against the younger male's shoulder, mindful when the hot beverage is passed to him. An attempt at providing comfort during his visit. " But every waking moment brings its own set of challenges. " @psychreaped admits before he grants the other space and moves to sit next to him on the sofa.
He knows, his still questions reality. Still attempts to place shattered pieces together to ensure his own mind is actually in tact and not playing tricks against him. Dying was easy, living is harder.
" But remember, you're not on your own, you have others who understand and have your back, I have your back. " / HI RINDO
a tense of shoulders at fingers on his shoulder, then a practiced exhale. they are more acquaintance than friends, rindo believes, but there has never been a more invaluable lesson neku has passed on to him than the act of breathing. to feel the aerate of his lungs / to catch this scent of a caramel latte than choking on dust and debris / to grip a warm cup than a disintegrating body. it has become easier to pretend that the sky cannot fall.
the real ground is blatantly untouched. any damage that should have been there is nonexistent. rindo witnessed the purge of noise, stood amongst his peers as they cleansed the threat. but sometimes, rindo will squeeze the dormant pin in his pocket. expects time to unwind, each tick of a clock sending hoards of noises to consume shibuya once more. but it doesn't come and oh, the sofa is so easy to sink into.
"have my back... right." it comes out harsher than rindo intended, doesn't notice his gritted teeth until after the words leave his mouth. he curls inwards, arms still wrapped around bent knees. "i mean, i know you do. you've shown me that, and we barely know each other. but understanding is—a stretch."
it is wrong, he knows, but rindo does not understand why he feels such a kinship for this hero when he is the antithesis of that. world ender. time, unraveled between his fingers. should what truth did neku witness for this assurance that the dust will settle and everything goes on event in the aftermath?
"'m sorry. it's just... i should be the last person you're telling this to. i wasn't the one who got—erased." by rindo's hand, of all things too. and god the noise loud and the edge of the world a desolate place to stand in. part of him lives there now, still standing at the precipice. "all i'm saying is that you don't have to be here. i'll be fine. i've literally survived an apocalypse. i'll survive being moody too."
he looks away. that joke did not land as well as he wished it to. rindo turns his gaze to the window and sees that the sky is still, gratefully, a deep blue.
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