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[ Empaths are prone to taking on the emotions of those around them as if they're their own. It's so much easier for Kaito to absorb those feelings and be overwhelmed by them.

And here? Now? Hibiki's aura, so full of back-breaking thoughts and emotions... Just a faint echo of it could bowl him over and cause him to lose his composure. When she shakes from that sob, he wants to break down and join her.

But he won't. It's his turn to be the pillar, and so when she murmurs that faint rejection, he shakes his head and pulls her in even tighter, dipping in to nuzzle the crook of her neck. ]

Maybe not, but I can still apologize. I'm very good at apologizing.

...You can let it out, y'know. [ Squeeze. He's this close to planting a kiss on her cheek. Or neck. Either would be absolutely disastrous. ] I'm your soulmate. I'm your anchor. That's what we agreed on, right, partner?

When things become unbearable, we keep each other grounded. Who else can you be vulnerable with, if not me? You'd do the same if the tables were turned. I'd trust you to do the same.

[ After forcing herself to be strong for so long, it's difficult to remember what it's like to be vulnerable. So maybe it's a good thing that she's forged a bond with an empath, especially one that won't let her hide those difficult emotions behind a bubbly smile and other unhealthy coping mechanisms.

He doesn't need to say a word, pulling her closer to him and nuzzling into the curve of her neck serving as an effective one-two punch against a lifetime of learned behaviors. Her anchor, her soulmate; her partner. The one person in this twisted Hellscape she has who can keep her grounded.

Her grip tightens on his arm as she finally lets herself feel the weight of what she had just been through. Of what she's been through since arriving... and the events leading up to her arrival here. Hibiki clamps her mouth shut, lips pressed tightly together as slowly lets herself cry. It's like a deluge--once the spasms start, Hibiki can't control them, shaking against him as she still desperately tries to rein it in.

Don't think any less of her for this moment of weakness, please. It just feels like he's the only thing that hasn't been taken from her at this point, and having him see her as anything other than perfectly put together makes her afraid of losing that precious bond they share as well. ]

There you go... Just like that.

[ Soothing words and soft assurances float off his lips as one hand lifts to caress her cheek. They're so similar, he's come to learn. Experts in putting on a strong facade, more reliable than most, and always ready to carry the next person's burden at the drop of a hat.

It makes sense, then, that the weight on her shoulders is just as heavy as the one on his. All the more reason they need each other.

'What a fool I was to think I could shoulder it all alone.'

W̶h̴a̴t̷ ̶a̷ ̴f̸o̵o̸l̴ ̶y̴o̷u̸ ̴a̸r̷e̶ ̷t̶o̸ ̶t̴h̵i̷n̶k̴ ̵s̶h̸e̶'̴l̷l̵ ̵b̷e̴ ̴a̸b̴l̷e̴ ̵t̴o̶ ̴s̸u̸p̷p̴o̶r̸t̴ ̶y̷o̶u̵ ̴w̴h̶e̴n̸ ̴s̴h̸e̶'̵s̸ ̷s̴u̷c̸h̸ ̵a̴ ̸b̵r̴o̶k̵e̷n̴ ̸m̴e̵s̴s̷.̷

'Then I, the fool, will carry it all—and when I can't take it anymore, she'll be there to catch me and take over.'

.̷.̸.̵W̶e̶'̵l̸l̷ ̴s̵e̴e̴ ̸w̵h̵o̷ ̶c̴a̵t̸c̷h̶e̷s̸ ̷y̸o̶u̶.̸

The exchange goes unheard once more, a private exchange between Kaito and his Shadow. This time, however, he has no doubts to mull over. No matter what demons torment the blonde, he will be there to fight them away.

Someone has to. It's the least she deserves.

And so, with that spark of determination steadily growing in his chest, Kaito shifts his chin to rest on her shoulder and parts his lips. A few seconds pass as the last dregs of doubt cling to his throat, but eventually...

He starts to sing. Alone, unaccompanied by the music he's long since committed to memory, he sings.

Don't think any less of him if he stumbles over the words. ]

Edited 2022-12-05 14:01 (UTC)

[ This isn't like her at all. Never the one to be a sobbing mess, to need someone to hold her and whisper quiet assurances as her body is wracked with pain and anguish. If she cries (when was the last time...), she does so alone. She's the strong one, she can take any burden with a smile and a few reassuring words. Someone needs to full of light in this dark place.

But when was the last time she was comforted like this? When was the last time someone held her like this?

Her shadow surprisingly quiet as she trembles against him, Hibiki takes a few stabilizing breaths as he starts to sing. His voice surprisingly soft, quiet and a bit uncertain, it helps pull her back into herself. Flickering in the distant like candlelight, the storm of emotion that wracks her body begins to abate as she focuses on the sound. Whether it's their shared bond or the way he's naturally drawn her in without her realizing that's causing the warmth she feels in her chest is hard to say... but it's nice. Nice in a way that feels comforting and a bit dangerous. ]

...You have a nice voice.

[ Her voice still feels strained, but she feels like she needs to say at least that much. Tilting her head to rest delicately against his hand, she continues to take a deep breath. She isn't putting a cap on this as a defensive maneuver, not completely, but because something about this feels overwhelmingly warm. ]

[ He's not really sure what compelled him to sing in the first place. The song isn't one he's really listened to since...

Ah.

Since Ritz, huh?

He's just gonna stuff those implications away for the time being. When he's through—or rather, when she speaks up—Kaito flashes a soft smile and curls his fingers in to stroke her hair. ]

I don't know about that.

[ Tilting his head to rest against hers, Kaito breathes out a long sigh. Part of him is glad she stopped him early, as he wasn't sure if that swell of emotions might have burst the longer she allowed him to sing.

Okay, it probably wouldn't have. Even he can see that it was having a good effect, dense motherfucker that he is.

Kaito's free hand finds her own once again, squeezing before lifting so that he can nuzzle his cheek to the back of it. As he lets go... ]

By the way, you dropped something on the way out.

[ Why does this feel so natural? Coming down from that burst of emotions, feeling him rest his head against hers as he threads his fingers in her hair, normally Hibiki would cut this off before this point.

But she's exhausted in every sense of the word, and he's so incredibly warm. Like ocean waves gently crashing on the shore, something about his presence relaxes her. Should she be worried? Or should she just give in to that feeling and let it wash over her...

Her hand hanging there near his cheek as he lets go, Hibiki blinks a few times. She doesn't turn her head to look this time, not wanting to bump hers into his again. ]

Hmm? Dropped something?

[ Sorry, she isn't following. ]

[ Feels like she's going through the same wringer that he was just a few seconds ago, huh?

Kaito's happy to not call her out on it. Even moreso when she asks for clarification. Smiling, he pokes scarred fingers against her palm. ]

It starts with an "r-" and ends with an "-ing."

[ Of all the things he could list, that doesn't even make the cut. Hibiki just assumed that her ring was long-gone, taken as a prize after stripping her of everything else. She takes a long, deep breath, shoulders rising as she stares out toward the horizon.

He didn't. Part of her wants to shake him for doing something so dangerous, for going after something that means nothing to him. It doesn't even work here, it's just metal and stone--but that doesn't make it any less precious.

Blinking rapidly, trying to banish the stinging feeling in her eyes, her voice comes out thin even after swallowing down the bubble in her throat. ]

Why would you... just for that... [ Keep it in, Hibiki. ] You could've gotten hurt.

[ It means nothing to him, so why would he deliberately go after it? ]

—So?

[ In stark contrast to the sudden flare of emotions from her end, Kaito just turns his gaze to her and shoots a look as if she's asked him the most obvious question known to mankind. ]

"Just for that," you say, as if I haven't risked my ass for objects of lesser value.

That ring is the last treasure you have from your mother. It's probably more valuable than I am, and that's not a self-dig. So when I saw that it had been yanked off your finger, I knew exactly where I was going once we split up.

And if you're thinking something stupid like the fact that it technically has no sentimental value to me, it's time for a reminder that beyond being my Soulmate or partner, you're my friend.

I take care of my friends, Hibiki.

[ What does it say about her that she doesn't expect him or anyone else to go to such lengths for her? Hibiki would do the same, but could never bring herself to ask for that act to be reciprocated. So going that far without a second thought, the moment he saw that her ring had been taken from her...

It's a little overwhelming.

Leaning forward, breaking the tenuous embrace that they share, the small blonde shifts. Moving her legs to the side, she turns herself toward Kaito before wrapping her arms around him. Her forehead rests on his chest as she viciously fights to stay composed. Keep it together; don't let all those feelings about what happened, what she's lost and now regained bubble up to the surface. ]

I know, but...

[ She would have done the same if the roles were reversed. She would have torn through that place if it meant returning something so precious to him, her own safety be damned. And that goes beyond being his soulmate or partner...

Or maybe even beyond being his friend. But that isn't anything she feels equipped to think about now. Or ever. ]

I don't know what I would've done if something happened to you. Doesn't matter how "valuable" it is, it isn't worth you getting hurt. Or worse.

[ Trying to keep those feelings bottled is a futile effort in general. Especially so against Kaito. His arms latch onto her back, reaching up so that scarred fingers can weave into her hair and massage her scalp.

He's going to destroy that shitty misconception of hers someday.

If anyone deserves his hardest efforts, it's Hibiki.

Lips press to the top of her head, ignoring the numbing sting that's been tingling his face ever since he made the ~~ill-advised~~ decision to start planting kisses on her. ]

...You're so stubborn, [ he murmurs, smiling into her hair. ] Just like me.

I'm not going to get myself killed. Not after spouting all that sentiment. But I'm also not going to let you lose something you care so much about. And you're just gonna have to deal with this middle ground.

And... all I ask is that you don't dare die on me. Don't sacrifice yourself. That's it. That's all. [ His hold tightens, and he whispers the same words that he had so desperately choked out when they had reunited after her vanishing act. ]

I can't afford to lose you.

[ It's because their Soulmates--in the practical, weirdly logical sense--that he's able to pierce through so many dense layers of doubt, guilt and self-loathing as easily as he does. He cheats of course, because Hibiki knows she can't hide much from an empath, but it's times like this that make her realize that there isn't much fight in her. Each time he presses his lips against her is disarming, like he's silently telling her not to fight for once.

Maybe it's okay to let some feelings stay above the surface, instead of pushing them deep into the earth.

A brief flutter of indignation telegraphed through their shared link as he calls her stubborn (like he's ruffled her feathers? how ironic), Hibiki shifts to rest the side of her head to his chest. Her cheeks still damp, the stinging in her eyes present but dying down, his words are punctuated by the sound of breathing and the subtle rise and fall with each breath. She can feel his words like this as he murmurs them softly into her hair.

D̶o̵n̷'̴t̶ ̸g̴e̷t̵ ̸u̷s̵e̶d̸ ̴t̴o̷ ̴t̷h̵i̷s̸,̴ ̶i̸t̴ ̴c̸o̸u̷l̷d̷ ̷a̷l̸l̸ ̶b̵e̴ ̴o̷v̵e̶r̸ ̷i̴n̵ ̵a̸n̴ ̶i̸n̸s̸t̶a̴n̴t̵ ̵i̷f̶ ̵y̴o̶u̸ ̴a̴r̸e̵n̵'̷t̴ ̸c̷a̸r̶e̵f̸u̶l̵.̶

Hibiki doesn't want to hear it... so she won't. Not right now. Curling into him as he embraces her tighter, whispering the same thing he had after reuniting in the Shadowlands, Hibiki closes her eyes. This horrible cheater. He knows the right thing to say in order to pierce through her defenses. ]

...Only if you promise you won't either. I need you here with me, Kaito. [ Hibiki hesitates, closing her eyes as she takes a breath. ]

I can't lose someone else I care about.

[ The truth hurts, girlfriend-to-be.

This is what happens when a Genre Savvy empath is the person you chose to be your partner and Soulmate. You have no one to blame but yourself!!!

Kaito nods into her hair, and the world around them suddenly shifts. Well, truthfully, he's just pulling her down so they can lay on their sides on the grass. All cuddled up. No blankets required.

A bit of jostling puts them face to face, and he smiles. ]

I don't make promises. Too easy to break.

...But I'll make an exception for you.

[ Blinking a few times as he repositions the both of them, Hibiki curls her legs up a little as Kaito turns to face her. For a split second, she's convinced that his refusal is the end of it, but he "begrudgingly" agrees to her request. Really, Kaito? That's how he's going to be?

With a smirk, she reaches her hand out toward his, hooking their pinkies together. Gives them a shake-- ]

The contract has been sealed. Again.

[ And she intends to keep her hand there loosely holding his, but a thought occurs to her, causing her to pull back. ]

Right, sorry. I probably shouldn't do that as much as I do. That can't feel good.

[ Hurts him more like. Honestly, she meant to apologize for being as touchy-feely as she was the night that they became soulmates, but there was so much more to focus on at that point. ]

[ Kaito's smile grows at that. Contract, huh.

Oddly, he yanks her hand back and holds it close to his face. Almost kisses it. ]

One of the few blessings of this world is that my powers seem to have been neutered a fair bit. That includes the painful feedback I normally receive. It still hurts a bit, mind you, but it's more of a throb compared to being stabbed—which is what I'm used to living with. Constantly.

...

[ After a beat, he focuses his gaze on her and smiles, bright and warm. ]

In other words, you don't have to let go this time.

[ She doesn't resist, but she looks a little surprised when he pulls her hand closer. He only has himself to blame as she turns her hand over, fingers lacing between his as he explains. Some Pain doesn't sound great, but he's the one that reached for her this time.

Blue-grays focused on golds, struck by how brightly he smiles at her (oh, oh no that's dangerous), the blonde meets it with a quiet grin of her own. ]

What about the next time? Or the time after that? That offer's not gonna suddenly expire, right?

[ She's joking of course, but there's still a small note of uncertainty. ]

[ Oh.

Oh, that is dangerous. He closes his eyes, partially to dodge that sunbeam but also to sneakily find her other hand and hold it. A slow breath allows him to recalibrate, to review everything that's happened since they fled the Gallows. In the end, he settles on one thought.

Her hands are so warm. ]

Is the contract not sealed? I'm not going anywhere, and neither is that offer.

I promise.

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No*-kill Nagano! :)

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