~Emiko~
I pushed Aoi away from me, wanting to get her as far from me as possible. The black silence around me seem endless, so she could find the opposite corner of my mind and linger there. I cradled my legs with my arms and found tears streaming down my face that I couldn't stop from falling.
What had she said? Something to the effect that if I don't figure out a way back now, I might not ever get back out? Would that be such a bad thing? Who would really miss me? Elle hated my guts. She only talked and helped me when it benefited her. My family probably couldn't have cared less if I died. They hadn't talked to me in years, and I didn't expect that to ever change.
I was a burden to Nino and Matsu. All the questions I asked and pain I brought up. Besides, Nino was dead. I was sorry I hadn't been there for him more when he had been honest and helpful towards me. What would Matsu do without him? But, Matsu had been taken, and I wondered when we would get him back, if we would get him back. If Matsu made it, my death wouldn't really matter to him beings Nino was gone.
Aisling. Mari. Kaki There lives had all been fine before they met me; they would be just the same if I was gone. IT saddened me a little that I might not be there for them down the road, but this way, I couldn't grow attached and vice versa.
Ryuu. He was the exception, the one person I would regret leaving behind the most. He had been there for me since the very beginning. He knew most about my past and had taken the time to get close to me and it didn't really seem to bother him that I could be a complete and total bitch.
But, the way I had yelled at him and accused him. Did he even ever want to see me again? Did I deserve to be with him? I was a vessel, destined to die, killing Ryuu's father. Did I truly deserve to get close to Ryuu, only to die down the road killing his father? I couldn't put him through that; that would be unfair of me.
Suddenly, something touched my shoulder, and my head shot up. As if my thinking of him had conjured him to me, Ryuu sat next to me, pulling me into his lap and hugged me. I wanted to bawl. He was making this so hard for me. I had just made up my mind that I could just stay in here, and here he was telling me to come back to him.
"Em don't give up. Aisling needs you, Elle, Nino and Matsu need you, and so does Abia" He hugged me tighter "I need you Em...so please don't give up." He whispered in my ear.
I dug my face into his chest, wanting to do so much more. I couldn't control myself from lifting my face and kissing Ryuu square on the lips. All the sadness and pain pushed to the side. I was just happy to see him. Our bodies were intimately close, but it didn't seem to bother either of us.
I pulled away, "Ryuu! I'm sorry about yelling at you and-"
Ryuu shushed me by placing his index finger on my lips. "I know you are, and it doesn't matter any more. What matters is that you find your hope or whatever and get back into your body. You belong in the living, Em."
I stopped short, the happiness I had felt faded quickly. I shook my head. "I can't go."
He frowned. "What do you mean you can't?"
I took a steadying breath. "I mean, I have caused so much trouble for everyone, and my being a vessel only means I'm going to die anyway." I couldn't look into his eyes. I had been so happy to see him when I first saw him, but I couldn't ignore the truth of the matter.
~Elle~
I watched as Ohno was smacked in the face by the chair and Aiba stormed out, slamming the door behind him. After making sure Ohno was ok, I ran after Aiba, though I wasn't sure what possessed me to do so.
I found him down the corridor, looking for I had no idea what. "Aiba!" I called as I hurried to his side, straightening out my hair.
He turned to look at me. "What?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but found I didn't really know. I saved face and answered, "I know how easily you get lost, so I thought I'd come with you so you didn't forget how to get back."
"Oh," he nodded. "right. Probably a good idea."
I smiled sheepishly. "So, where are you headed? Or did you just need to get away from Ohno?"
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