Fiftieth rebirth [Accidental Video]

[death_begins]

[Quiet footsteps up the hallway, bare toes pattering against the floor. There's a bowl of cereal in his hands, as he moves, humming a soft tune to himself. The way the camera is angled- looks like it fell of the desk at the end of the hall or something- you can't see his face. Just his feet, his legs, the bowl in his hands.

Yuca stops in front of Rain's door and knocks softly. Upon getting no response, he knocks a little harder.]

Rain, I got breakfast. You don't have to worry, I didn't make it... I mean, I did, but it was just mixing together milk and cereal, so I don't think I messed up too badly. [A soft laugh, and another knock. Still no response.]

...are you alright? Rain?

[The doorknob slowly turns and the door opens with a soft creak. There's a short pause, and the bowl slips out of his hands.

It seems to take an eternity to fall through to the floor. When it does, it shatters into hundreds of pieces, milk and cereal splashing everywhere. His toes are drenched, bleeding in a few small places.

Yuca's feet rush into the room, and there's the sound of bedding and books being thrown across it. Soon enough, that too fades into silence, and a quiet sob bubbles up and out of the room, so soft that it almost wasn't recorded at all.]

Comments

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[That... possibly wasn't good. As much as he was indifferent to Rain - if occasionally annoyed by the distraction, liability he was - his presence seemed to help Yuca a bit. That at least made his existence useful, if it kept Yuca stable. It was of some concern.

Strange, though- the consequences had only benefited him before.

And not that he had any inclination or experience for comfort, if he thought such a thing would even be possible.

Lacking better instincts, he decided to just try to speak to him.]

...Yuca?

[text]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

...I'm still here.

[text]

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

I know.

What are you doing?

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[innerfirewithin.livejournal.com]

[It was only a matter of time until Rain vanished, just like everyone else in this place. But Rain vanishing means Yuca is dangerous, which means Adstringendun suddenly has a very large problem in their hands that they can't afford to have.

But the thought makes him feel guilty, somehow, and soon, there's a quiet:]

Yuca.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

-Zuko.

[His voice sounds raw.]

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[innerfirewithin.livejournal.com]

He's been back before. He could show up again.

[video]

[kill-joo-ded.livejournal.com]

...You're bleeding.

[text]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

So?

[text]

[kill-joo-ded.livejournal.com]

So you didn't look like you noticed.

[Video]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Yuca-

[Text]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

Horst.

What is it?

[Text]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Where are you?

[only-thing.livejournal.com]

Ys!

[Why are you always bleeding these days?]

[Video] 1/3

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

[Video] 2/3

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

[He recognized that voice. Not from now- not from his past in his world, not from before he killed himself... but- that voice.

He had memories from the future, thanks to the animus. He had spatters of a desperate phone call with a woman on the roof. Of hiding behind the curtains, of hearing her for the first time. Watching her smile, feeling her powerful arms wrap protectively around him. He remembered manipulating her to get to Rain.

He remembered her sacrificing herself for him.]

[Video] 3/3 I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE CLASS RIGHT NOW I'M FLAILING SO HARD

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

....mother?

[He looks older than Ys, of course. Where the boy was 9, perhaps 10 or 11, Yuca is in his upper teens, early twenties. Taller, broader, but that face, those eyes- it's unmistakably him.]

[Video] I KNOW FJSDKL I WOKE UP TO THE ACCEPTED COMMENT

[only-thing.livejournal.com]

[Even though she knows who he is (and more importantly who he's not), he's still hers. And that one word makes up for all the confusion and panic she remembers from just a few hours ago.]

Ys--! Darling, where are you? You're bleeding again. Let me clean you up.

[Video]

[feel-nevermore.livejournal.com]

...I'm sorry, Yuca.

[Raven heards the sob over the feed and she may not know Yuca very well, except for what Horst told her about him, but she knows Rain was certainly the most important person he had here. And now he's gone.]

[Text]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

Are you?

[Text]

[feel-nevermore.livejournal.com]

I'm not in the habit of saying things I don't mean.

[Video]

[al_truism]

[This isn't the first time he's heard Yuca cry. But somehow, even without being dragged down into Yuca's sorrow with him metaphysically, it's worse. It's worse because he knows this pain intimately. He felt it when Ed left.

Everything had been madness, had been impossibility, and it felt like being abandoned.

It was the only time in his life he'd ever truly felt like he wanted to die.

... and for Yuca, that's a normal day.]

Yuca.

[He needed to be there, in some small way. Just to be there, to say his name, to remind him that he's loved even if nothing will seem real. It's all he can do, to call him by the name Rain knew.]

Yuca. [It's like a breath. Every breath.] Yuca.

[Video] [Private | Unhackable]

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

[His face is still flushed and swollen from crying, an Al is... pretty much the only one he'd even think about getting on a video for (Sharem doesn't count because what.) But still, he looks like hell, and he hates it.

Looks exhausted now, an he doesn't know what to do.]

....what?

[Video] [Private | Unhackable]

[al_truism]

[He's not all right. He shouldn't be alone right now. He shouldn't... any number of things. But -- Al knows what losing Rain means. He just hasn't realized it yet.]

I'm making hot tea. What kind?

[bunny_flower]

Yuca-san ...

[neverquitedies.livejournal.com]

...sorry.