โณ ๐ ๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ '๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐
Thereโs a sinking feeling in his throat, locked with a key tossed out into the unknown. He couldnโt breathe, and, soon, he learned that he wouldnโt breathe.
The childโs body only sat motionless, as though Red had been removed from it. Greenโs words fell on deaf ears, boy replaced by the lowย โwhrrrโ of the blood pumping in his ears. Ringing. Louder, louder.
Arms fell like loose rocks, sinking to his sides. His head flopped forward, the boy letting himself get swung aroundby the gym leader like some kind of toy dollย owned by a toddler, champion unfazed by the sudden rapid actions.ย
Even after his own desperate attempts to shut the door on his insecurities, that taunting voice in the back of his head, flicking his nose and pulling on his ears like some kind of bothersome sibling. It pokes him, pulls his arms, tells Red he failed everyone, that he hurt Green, and nothing at all could ever make him recover. Red was forever alone, he ruined his friendships and relationships with loved ones, and that wasโ
Itโs with Greenโs last bit of energy that Red jerks forward, opening up previously shut pupils, Red having locked out his visionย on purpose. Hands that previously slunk to the ground now wrenching forward in hostility. The act was unwelcome, scaring Red back into reality and away from his inner demons.
That cloth from before had vanished onto the ground, let go by Redโs own loosened grip.ย
When blue pupils return their focus, they instead center to the ground, refusing to confront the teary-eyed Green that practically gluedย himself to Red.ย
Iโm sorry, he mouthed, a sound never erupting from behind chapped lips. Why, why canโt he say it, why canโt he talk now, of all times?! Arceus, damn it!ย
The brunette tries again. Then, he tries another time. Next, Red tries one more time.
Rather than an apology, a single word surges through his brain like Pikaโs Thunderbolt, flashing at the speed of light. No, itโs more than a word, a name.ย
โI thought I was going to die in the snow.โย Green cried. 'Iย thought you were gonna be dead.โ
โI thought someone I loved was gonna die again!โ
And like that, the trainer only crumbles, his outer walls finally caved in on themselves, creating an irrecoverable mess. His heart was warped senselessly, destroyed by the hurricane of emotions that wafted through his body, chilling every bone, muscle, and vein to itโs core.ย
โGreenโฆGreenโฆ!โย His rivalโs name finally vibrates against the caveโs inner walls, finally no longer a thought. His voice is shaky, uncontrolled, like it hurtย him just to breathe.ย
Hands curl around the elderโs neck, Red shoving his neck into Greenโs shoulder to hide the varying petals of tears unfurling down his cheeks. He doesnโt stop saying the gingerโs name, and soon, they merge into a pile of realization, horror, and mourning.
When Red finally exploded, finally caved and Green found his arms full of the younger trainer, the older of the two lets out a pathetic sob that died into whimpers, his arms snaking around Redโs small body.
He is ๐๐๐๐, he decides, as bad as everyone makes him out to be.
Green can feel Redโs tears wet his jacket, and he is evil,ย because he made cute, little Red cry, as he always did. He hasnโt changed in the slightest, because he has always asked of Red, and asked and asked and asked and tookย until there was no more to take, and he continues to do it.
The echo of the cave jackhammers his own name into his head harshly, reminding him that heย is the reason for it, for forcing the mute kid that he had always known to be quiet to speak.
And yet, because he is evil in his mind,ย he will continueย to take until thereโs nothing left.
โI like you so much I donโt know what to do.โ
He whimpers again, like an injured animal, and he feels light-headed, like he should probably stop to take a breath. Instead, he barrels ahead into another mixture of words full of stutters, stumbling, and awkward pauses.
โYouโre an idiot, such an idiot, you...You ran, and I didnโt tell anyone, like you asked me to, and your mom thinks youโre dead and I thought youโd never wanna see me again, and itโs all my fault because Iโm an idiot too,โ
Green pulls Red closer, rests his chin on his best friendโs head, one hand cradling said mop of hair, and the other clinging to his jacket, right over the pokeball on the back he can see stitched into it. He stays in a defensive position, like letting go of Red will mean he loses him again after what felt like a life time worrying whether he was alive or not.
โI-I didnโt realize until you left how lonelyย it was, how you were the only thing that made that miserable little town good, and I-I missed you - I missed you so much,โ He hiccups again, slurring over his words.ย
โI had every - E-every nightmare from A to Z, that Team Rocket had gotten revenge, th-that you might get kidnapped by some creep, that maybe y-you would've eventually just decided you were happier there without anyone like me around, that maybe I," Green sniffles, and his voice cracks as he speaks, his voice growing squeaky the more he strained himself to continue talking.
โM-Maybe I would find yourย corpse mauled by pokemon in c-caverns, or that you'd be left bleeding by...b-by whatever person could hurt you, or th-the ones where I'd find evidence of you....Throwing yourself.... Iโm sorry- Iโm sorry, Iโm so sorry, Iโm...I-Iโm -"
He devolves into blubbering, not finishing his sentence. Instead he pulls Red the closest he can, his grip tight and protective.
โI missed you so much, and I was so worried, you stupid idiot! I missedย you more than anyone out there, youโre my best friend, Iโd never be able to stay away! Stop thinking that people are mad at you, that no one is there for you!! Iโve been waiting for you all this time!โ