justonetruth | (no subject)

Kaito! [ The echo of the shout is faint, the owner of the voice unseen. But even from this distance, the tinge of panicked desperation is clear.

He has to be here. She has to find him. Gritting her teeth, blinking back tears, Aoko continues her stumbling run through the hallways. ]

[He freezes at the sound of her voice--very distinctly hers and not someone else's. Possibly a double's in this place, the mansion, but even that thought couldn't keep back the almost choking sensation of hope from tearing at his chest.]

... Aoko? [The voice is small and fractured, wavering in uncertainty even though he knows it's not going to carry so she could hear... and so, louder the second time, still just as shakened in sound.] Aoko?

[ That was… ]

Kaito! [ Her yell is half sobbed in relief. She pushes herself, following the sound of his voice—he's close, she'll be with him soon if she can just keep going. Her pounding footsteps are waver unsteadily, but she refuses to let herself fall.

One more corner… two…

And there he is.

Her eyes widen, expression flashing into a smile just as pained as it is hopeful… But this time, she does trip, crashing to her knees on the carpeted floor. ]

[the answer to his call also has him pushing forward, a great deal more steady than it had been even though he's now shaking, putting a hand to the wall more than his shoulder to stand straight--

just in time to watch her take the spill. but that's more than fine since he darts forward to try to catch hold of her, letting his own legs falter as strength leaves them because suddenly it's even harder to breathe than when--

and then, he's just clutching onto her with his free hand, trying to remind himself to remember to breathe]

[ Who needs breathing when you can just have crying? She lunges into his arms—well, arm—and wraps her own around him, clinging tight. ] Y-You're—You're here, you're re-really h-here…!

[a choked sound escapes him as he tries to find the words to respond to that, arm tightening around her]

I-idiot. You're the one--

[except he can't even bring himself to even finish that sentence, wavering as he closes his eyes as they start to water and burn. the lump of his throat preventing him from even considering trying to say it aloud again]

[ Shh shh no words only tears now. Aoko squirms closer, if that's even possible, fingers clutching at the back of his clothes.

He's here. He's here and he's safe and they're both alive. She'd ask what happened, but… no. Not yet. For now, she just wants to hold him. ]

[from the forward view, he appears all right. In one piece and whole, if a bit out of character holding a weapon. It's probably only when Aoko starts to clutch at the back of his clothes that she might notice a bit of sticky dampness.]

But as stated before: shhh shhhh only tears and the harsh, ragged breathing of one unused to such things now]

[ Wait. Wait. No. As soon as the dampness registers, Aoko makes choked sound of distress and jerks, trying to pull back. ] You're hurt..!

[except that he's still holding onto her, keeping her close... and just shakes his head, not trusting his voice still.]

Kaito!

[ She stops struggling quickly, not really having the heart to. Instead, she explores the site of his injury with her fingers, trying to see how bad it is (or was). ]

[as her fingers trail over the wet mark, she bay come to realize that it is largely between his shoulder blade, just to the left of his spine. The higher her hand goes, to the upper portion of his back, reveals the thicker, slicker mess of the original wound. Though apparently healed, judging by how it's all congealing and not fresh blood, he inhales sharply at the touch.]

No…

[ She barely even realizes she's spoken. Horrified, nausea churning her stomach, Aoko tries once again to pull back. ] Let me see—let me help, what happened? [ The words are choked, more than half sobbed. ]

[clearly not wanting to budge, but allowing her to pull away a bit, though making sure she is still well within reach]

... Snake's dead.

[it comes out slow and quiet, but despite there be no inflection in the words themselves, the tone is hard with an edge]

[ She doesn't go far. He can even keep his arm around her, if he wants; she just wanted enough distance to get a good look at him.

At his quiet, blunt announcement, Aoko's breath leaves her in a sharp hiss. ] Kaito, I… … I'm sorry—not for saving you, for… [ For dying in your arms. For not being there to hold you back. Sorry that it came to this; that you got hurt.

It shouldn't never have ended that way. ]

[there's something of a small, weak laugh]

Don't make it your fault. Don't. Just don't...

I-It doesn't have to be my fault... for m-me to be sorry...

[there really isn't making this any better either way he handles this, so will just stick with the holding close and tucking face out of view into her shoulder or something. Anything to really show how much it should be him to apologize even when then words just get harder and harder to approach, let alone say]

…

[ She leans back into the hug, slipping an arm snugly around him. ] I-It's going to be okay. [ Quiet, but with conviction. Even now… even after what happened, that spark of optimism hasn't been snuffed out. She'll make everything okay, for him, for herself—for them both—if she has to. She shifts her free hand so that she can run her fingers through his hair in a familiar, soothing gesture. ]

... stuck here?

[because the idea that they're both--

After all, what else is supposed to happen once that happens? It wouldn't be as terrible an idea as other options, since they're both there. She's there, crying and covered in blood but warm and breathing. And he's--

. . .]

It'd... work out. Somehow.

[except his attempt at following her silver lining of optimism just falls flat, crooked, sideways, and lop-sided...]

We'll make it work. [ She says that like it's a promise. As lost as she feels right now, and as much as everything hurts, he's here and that's… … it's not good, if it means he's… but it's something. It's a place to start. Aoko sniffles, nuzzling against his shoulder lightly. ]

[It is, quite possibly, a terrible time to interrupt, but while the Sabra kids are busy clinging to each other in comfort, the Neath kids round the corner at a fast-paced jog-- and then halt in their tracks completely.

Kaito, for his part, surveys the scene with a sharp expression, quickly taking note of everything that is out of place and wrong. The blood on the younger Aoko was disheartening enough. The blood spattered across the younger Kaito's back just seems to make things worse, and he definitely feels something uncomfortable twist in the pit of his stomach]

. . .

[He doesn't say anything, and his expression remains neutral as his hands slip into his pockets-- though his gaze does dart over to his own Nakamori briefly, searching past the blood and goo for any signs of an injury that might be too serious to treat. The Sabra kids' situation has made him all the more aware of the potential effects of her injuries.]

[she's covered in a worrying number of spider bites, but they all seem to be superficial... or taking effect below the surface. Miss Nakamori keeps blinking hard, as if having difficulty seeing, but that doesn't stop her from hurrying over to their alternates while feeling for another bottle of tincture]

What in Below happened?

[one of them was bad enough, but both of them...]

[despite appearing as though he doesn't have the energy for it, emotional and physical reserves drained, he immediately tenses at the sound of people approaching, mind jumping straight to the possible threats--specifically trying to remember where he is, if he's run into anyone. His heart begins to jump into his throat and then his body is reacting before his mind can process it, twisting his torso so that he's still between Aoko and whoever's approaching.

It's really only when he processes the face similar to the girl now behind him that he realizes he's aimed the gun right at her--slightly off target but enough to graze before hiting the Kaito behind her should he choose to shoot.

He freezes instead and the once firm and steady posture becoming more fragile and full of tremors]

[ Aoko's too preoccupied with worry and KAITO to notice the intrusion… At least, she was, until the one she's cuddling for all she's worth begins to move began to move. She squeaks, startled. ]

Kaito, what—Kaito! [ Deep breath; forces her voice even, calm, quiet. She knows full well that this is Jinx, not Kaito, but she hopes that maybe kicking Kaito back into gear at least a little will save them from a messy situation. ] They're not here to hurt us. They want to help, so… lower the gun… Please?