Last part! Thanks for all the comments!
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Darkness… She couldn’t see anything else. But it was somehow comforting, to be enveloped by shadows. By
Black.
How long had she been wandering this void? She had no idea. She only knew that she had kept walking aimlessly, hoping to find something, though she wasn’t sure exactly what she was looking for.
After what could have been hours, days, or even years, she found
something.
She felt her feet hit liquid. She stopped her incessant march, looking down. A strangely familiar red entered her weak vision. She reached down into the sea, staining her hands crimson. A twinge of joy sparked her dull senses, and she could see her field of vision widen until her previously darkened view was replaced with deep red, spreading in every direction.
She brought her hand to her mouth, tasting the metallic flavor stuck to her nails. She sloshed through the heavy liquid, towards the small speck she had noticed in the distance.
A figure was kneeling in the vast sea, its back turned to her. She recognized it immediately.
She rushed forward, willing her dragging feet to move.
Black! She shouted with a soundless voice. She strained her lungs, but she could not hear that word come from her mouth.
The blood splashed in wide circles around her as she neared Black. However, the moment she reached her, an invisible wall seemed to be in the way. She tried to stretch out her bloody hands, but they met resistance.
Black! Black!! She pounded the barrier with her fists, frustrated.
The kneeling figure suddenly rose, as if she had heard Gekikara’s silent cries, and turned to face her.
In her arms was the small, broken form of a child, perfectly still. Red tears were running from her lifeless eyes, dripping into the vast sea.
Gekikara froze, shock running through her body.
Black? She mouthed.
Black clutched the child closer to her bosom, a pained expression crossing her face.
Out of nowhere, another figure materialized next to Black.
Yuko-san?! Yuko placed a hand on Black’s shoulder, squeezing it. Then, she looked straight at Gekikara with an unreadable expression.
“It’s your fault,” she said, in a voice that sounded nothing like Yuko’s. It sounded garbled, like she had spoken through a broken machine, but the words themselves were clear.
Those words hit her like a sledgehammer, and dismay began to set in. She tried harder to reach them, but the invisible wall was unyielding. Yuko shook Black gently, turning around with her, and began to lead her away.
No! Wait! Yuko-san! Black! Please! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to! Please! Please don’t leave me! She tried to shout, anything to get their attention, but no sound came from her throat. The blood at her feet swirled around her, gaining speed. She punched uselessly at the barrier before her.
For a moment, Yuko turned back around, only to point at Gekikara’s arm, before continuing on her way with Black. Confused, she glanced at her right hand. Her eyes widened in alarm, as her arm turned into a twisted, ugly horror, her skin turning black.
She stumbled backwards, startled, nearly falling. The swirling red sea reached up to grab her with crimson hands that mirrored her own, rooting her in place as they slowly dragged her down. Fear embedded itself in her heart as she watched Black’s and Yuko’s forms fade away, leaving her behind.
She reached outward with her remaining arm, trying to cry out, but she became lost under the churning blood, washed over by the color red until she could no longer see.
....................................
She woke up to the sound of rapid beeping. The hand that she had been holding stiffened under hers.
“Gekikara?” she ventured, groggily. Her eyes widened in awareness when she saw that Gekikara’s eyes had snapped open. She was hyperventilating, and the machines around her were growing increasingly noisy.
She scrambled for the nurse call button, and after pressing it quickly, she turned her attention to Gekikara, attempting to awaken her. She called her name, but her pupils were dilated, unresponsive.
Within a minute or so, the nurses, including Sado, rushed in, ushering Black out of the room. “Please wait outside for the moment while we assess the situation!”
Black felt her own breathing speed up as she anxiously tried to sort out her feelings. Was she awake? Or did her situation turn out for the worse?
Her heart beat faster and faster as she suddenly heard a commotion from inside the room. Sado came out, looking overwhelmed.
“She’s awake.”
Those words almost froze her thoughts as she nearly ran past Sado into the room.
The nurses were currently restraining a struggling Gekikara as she tried, weakly, to get off the bed.
“Gekikara!” she shouted.
Her head snapped in Black’s direction, hazy eyes widening, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. The nurses let go of her, and she ripped the oxygen mask off, gasping. “Bla..ck…” She reached towards her.
Black rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Gekikara. She grabbed at Black’s shirt desperately, sobbing into her chest. Sado and the other nurses left the room, leaving them alone.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Black. Please, please don’t leave me. Please don’t throw me away,” she cried hoarsely, her voice thin from disuse. She mumbled apologies as fast as she could.
“Rena,” she said softly, cupping Gekikara’s face in her hands. The sound of her real name effectively stopped her rambling. “Stop. You’re just as precious to me as my son is. I would
never throw you away,” she continued gently. She kissed her forehead, the tears on her cheeks, and then her lips, fleetingly.
She stared into her eyes, seeing the remnants of fear and doubt still present there. “But… I’m broken…” she whispered, loosening her grip on Black’s clothes to touch her right shoulder. More tears flooded forth.
Black shook her head furiously before staring back into her almond-shaped eyes. “No. That doesn’t matter. Even if you had lost all your limbs, you are still perfect to me. I will never abandon you or leave you.” she said fiercely, wrapping her arms around Gekikara’s neck, pulling her close.
“Really?” she asked timidly, face buried in Black’s shoulder.
“Yes,” she replied, resolute. “I love you.” She tightened her hold.
These words seem to comfort her as Black felt her tensed shoulders slacken, and she quietly emptied the rest of her tears into Black’s shirt. She remained with Gekikara in her arms until she heard the muffled sniffling turn into steady breathing.
Sado, leaning against the door outside, smiled to herself.
Seems like even the great Gekikara has something she is afraid of. ....................................
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“Her muscles are atrophied from being bed-ridden for so long, so she will have to stay in the hospital awhile longer for rehabilitation, as well as to help her accommodate for her missing arm. The loss of a limb often becomes traumatic, but it seems she will manage,” the doctor explained, a knowing smile touching his lips.
Black nodded, thinking back to how gaunt Gekikara looked compared even to her usual self.
The doctor put a more serious expression on his face and looked back at his clipboard. “We managed to find some past records for Miss Matsui, and it seems that she was diagnosed with congenital analgesia as a child. In other words, she is insensitive to pain. She was supposed to be coming in for regular check-ups, but other than a few sporadic visits because of heavy injuries, the latest being about a half a year ago, she hasn’t been coming at all,” he looked up at Black for a moment before continuing, “It is very important that she come in at least once every few weeks so that we can check for any problems that go unnoticed. Also, if you suspect she has any internal injury, she should be brought here immediately. I trust that you will look to her needs,” the doctor said, smiling again.
Black knew that Gekikara didn’t really feel pain, but had no idea that it was a legitimate disorder. It concerned her a little.
After the counsel with the doctor, she headed towards Gekikara’s room, her son trotting beside her. She entered, witnessing Gekikara chewing happily on a piece of melon bread that Sado must have given her.
Gekikara whipped her head towards the door, starry-eyed. “Black!” she cried joyfully, but she seemed to sink back a little when she noticed the small boy enter the room behind her, hiding behind her legs.
Black sat down on the empty chair next to the bed, lifting her son up to her lap, where he settled comfortably, gazing intently at Gekikara.
“Are you feeling better now?” she inquired.
Tearing her eyes away from the child, she answered, “Un. I feel little weak and I was nauseous, but Sado gave me some melon bread, so I feel better,” smiling a little. “It’s really weird not having my arm though, and sometimes, I feel like it’s still there, even though it’s not.” She waved the stump a little for emphasis.
Black watched as Gekikara’s gaze shifted back to her son, who was now amusing himself with trying to pry her fingers apart from each other.
“Would you like to hold him?” she asked abruptly.
Gekikara glanced at her, shocked. She was silent, uncertain, but eventually, she gave her a quick nod.
Black got up from her seat, son in her arms, and set him gently down on Gekikara’s lap so that he was facing her. The child stared curiously up at Gekikara, blinking slowly. “He’s bigger than I last remember,” she observed. He clutched her shirt with both hands.
“Rena?” he said suddenly.
The unexpected mention of her name caught them both completely by surprise, but Gekikara visibly relaxed, at least a little, and hesitantly touched his back, before growing bolder and rubbing it in gentle circles. He pressed his head to her body, humming happily into her shirt.
Black felt her heart flutter as she watched them, feeling long-lost relief and peace wash over her.
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Five months later, Gekikara was finally let out of the hospital.
Shibuya and Torigoya accompanied her as she went to the hospital to bring her home. Gekikara occasionally wobbled unsteadily as they walked home, perhaps feeling unbalanced by the missing weight on her right side, but it didn’t seem to bother her much as she chatted animatedly with Shibuya and Torigoya.
When they reached the apartment door, they parted ways, saying their goodbyes. Gekikara stepped into the entryway, taking a deep breath through her nose, inhaling the familiar scent.
“I’m home,” she whispered.
The pattering of small feet could be heard as Black’s son came running out haphazardly into the hallway, nearly stumbling.
“Mama! Rena!” he rammed into Gekikara’s legs, nearly toppling her over, if Black hadn’t been right behind her.
“Hey! Be careful!” Black chided.
He sat on the floor, small body winded, and Black picked him up, carrying him into the living room with Gekikara following behind. Setting on him on the couch, she moved into the kitchen.
“I need to get dinner ready,” Black said, pulling various items from the refrigerator.
“Okay,” Gekikara replied. She sat down on the couch next to Black’s son, turning on the TV. He climbed onto her lap, settling there.
Black looked out from the kitchen, observing as Gekikara rested her head on top of the child’s, engrossed in some anime that was airing. She smiled.
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Black watched, somewhat amused, as Gekikara struggled with her chopsticks, willing her left hand to be as coordinate as her right hand was. Her son, who saw Gekikara with her chopsticks, wanted to use them too, and was now trying to pick up his food with one stick in each hand. It was like watching World War II happen at the kitchen table, with the amount of food ending up flying around.
Shortly, he gave up and switched back to his spoon, while Black ended up feeding an embarrassed Gekikara.
“I can do it myself,” she protested.
“You’re making a mess of the table. And besides, you should let me spoil you for now,” she said with a tender smile, causing Gekikara to blush bashfully.
Her son eyed the cabbages in his bowl, sticking his tongue out in disgust. “Gross,” he said curtly.
“Eat your vegetables. They are good for you,” Black scolded. “And
you.” She glared accusingly at Gekikara. “Eat your meat.” She stuck a piece of chicken at her face, trying to get her to eat it, but she scrunched up her face like her son, and leaned as far away as she could from the offending object dangling at the end of her chopsticks.
Black sighed, rubbing her temples. Perhaps she had two kids, not one.
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After cleaning up the dishes and bathing, all three sat in the living room, watching a marathon of Gekikara’s favorite anime. It wasn’t long before Black’s son nodded off, sleeping in between the two, head resting on Black’s side.
Turning off the TV, she carefully lifted him up, setting him inside the white crib. She watched as Gekikara kissed his forehead affectionately. “Good night,” she added, grinning widely.
Suddenly struck by the glow in her heart, Black pulled Gekikara close and kissed her gently, tasting the soft lips she had missed for so long.
Black rested her forehead against Gekikara’s, staring into her large brown eyes, before Gekikara leaned in, asking for a deeper kiss.
It felt almost too short, as they separated again, and lay facing each other on the bed. Black enveloped Gekikara’s delicate body in her arms, drawing her nearer.
“Is it okay if I just hold you for tonight?” she whispered as Gekikara returned the hug, gripping the back of her shirt.
I just want to feel your warmth. “Un,” she nodded, uncharacteristically shy. She snuggled closer, burying her face in Black’s chest, where her scent was the strongest. She sighed in contentment.
Stay by my side forever. Soon, she fell into a peaceful sleep, accompanied by the steady rhythm of Black’s heartbeat.
So this is what love is.~~END~~
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I suck at the fluff parts...
This is one of my all-time favorite pairings, so I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!