This confusing labyrinth that swallowed you whole; and I'm lost in there too

[keepsthefire]

Who: Rin + Villa residents
Where: Villa
When: The 26th, some time in the evening
Status: open to Villa residents
Style: action

[Rin waking up after Maka wasn't unusual, nor was it unusual to find the bed empty when he did so, and as such her absence that morning didn't bother him in the least. He got dressed and went about his morning as usual, making breakfast before heading off to work. But the day was strangely devoid of messages from her, even though he sent her several, and by the time he got off from his shift he was feeling a strange worry in the pit of his stomach.

He wanted to ignore it. To pretend like it wasn't what he thought it was. But going home had dashed any of those hopes. The library, living room, kitchen and any other area she might have been in normally were devoid of the miester's presence, and as if to painfully add confirmation to his fears he realized that her hair ties were in the place she had left them the night before.

It was going to happen some day. That was something he knew but had tried for so long to put as far back in his mind as he could. It still felt like a knife in his heart, though, and after already having Yukio leave again and the stupid scuffle with Vanitas on top of the curse that week, he felt something inside him just... shatter.

The kitchen would be devoid of his presence that night. Instead the half demon could be found curled up on the couch, back facing the wall, eyes staring blankly and those two hair ties he had found clutched in his hand as if doing so would bring her back.

If only...]

Comments

[paladaddy]

[Shiro notices something is wrong when there is no dinner being cooked. Between Rin and Marie, someone was always there to cook the meals, so Shiro hadn't had to worry about it for a while. So when there are no good smells coming from the kitchen, he knows something is up.

Rin is the first one he comes across, though he almost misses him because of how quiet he's being. Standing behind the edge of the couch, Shiro peers down at Rin, wondering just what has happened to make his son so depressed.]

What happened to you?

[spiria]

[ She had come over to visit earlier, and while she hadn't been over for a while, it was pretty obvious even to her that there was something very different about the Villa. She didn't know Maka as well as she wanted to, but she was at least usually around when she came to visit; not seeing her around made the entire feel of the area a little weird.

What had happened to her didn't quite click for her until she found Rin on the couch, though. She had come over primarily to see him and all, so of course she got worried when she didn't see him either. It only took one look at the hair ties clutched in his hand and she understood what must have happened.

... and she knew she needed to be here for him. He was with her when Shing took off, and though this wasn't quite the same as that, it was bound to be more heart-wrenching for him; before, she knew Shing was at least here, in Vatheon. In this case, Maka was probably no longer here, and there was no saying whether or not she would be back.

She knelt before the couch, brushing some of his hair from his eyes. ]

This place sucks really bad sometimes, little brother.

[circumsutus]

[Stein would be a poor Shibusen professor if he didn't run a daily check of the bubble for his students. Maka's gone, and if she's lucky, she won't come back.

Then Rin doesn't make dinner, and Stein goes looking for the half demon. A break from normal patterns indicates a problem, and Stein can feel it in Rin's soul.]

There you are, Rin.

[keepsthefire]

[There was no verbal response from Rin, which in and of itself was very off from how he normally was. Even irritated he would at least muster the energy for a grunt or a snarl or some noise. But this time there was just silence, silence and stillness. His tail wasn't even moving, laying utterly unmoving on the floor next to the couch.

Slowly, though, his hand opened just enough to show the two seemingly insignificant hair ties in his palm.]

[keepsthefire]

... why now?

[The question came out in a tiny voice, cracking with emotion and so very unlike himself. His week had been shit. Hell the past month had been shit, and now he just felt like he was getting kicked in the nuts on top of all of that by the coral and it's temperamental, fickle whims.]

[keepsthefire]

[Stein's voice doesn't even register a reaction. There's a barely noticeable twitch of the tip of his tail on the floor, but that's it. He remains uncharacteristically silent and unmoving.]

[circumsutus]

[Stein's not very good at giving comfort.]

She'll be fine. Maka's a strong girl.

[keepsthefire]

[No he's not.]

I know it's fuckin' selfish, but what about me?

[At least it got a response, though.]

[circumsutus]

You're just as strong as she is, Rin, and I don't say that lightly.

[keepsthefire]

[That made Rin curl tighter, and close his eyes, like even staring at the back of the couch was getting to be too painful.]

I don't feel like I am right now.

[spiria]

Will we ever really know why Vatheon does these things when it does?

[ She stays where she is, looking at him sadly. ]

It sucks that we make our home in this place, only to have parts of our new life ripped away without any notice whatsoever.

[ She's not even going to try to be encouraging or tell him that Maka wouldn't want for him to stay like this. He knows that, and she knows it, and she knows that he knows it. He just needs to feel things out for a while, like she had. And she needs to be there for him. ]

[keepsthefire]

No...

[She's right on all accounts, and deep down he knows he'll pick himself up and keep going until it's his turn to go home. He still has Kid, his father, and many friends that are willing to help him stand up along the way.

But the hurt was there right now and it was difficult to actually see past it. What else could he say, though? I knew the moment he started he was just going to sound like a broken record.]

[spiria]

[ She remained quiet for a few moments, then stood, taking his arm and trying to pull him to a sitting position. ]

Scoot over and let me sit here with you.

[circumsutus]

I know that you don't, but you are.

[keepsthefire]

'kay...

[Rin wouldn't have protested even on a normal day, but there was something particularly numb in the sound of his voice as he was pulled up.

[keepsthefire]

Does it really matter how strong I am right now?

[circumsutus]

No, I suppose not.

Do you need me to do anything for you right now?

[keepsthefire]

[Rin is quiet again, but after a beat he does sit up with a quiet grunt, wincing at the start of a headache.]

... what time is it? I think I missed dinner.

[Making it, not eating it.]

[spiria]

[ She succeeds and plops her butt down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and rubbing his arm a bit. ]

It's okay to completely veg out and feel like crap today. And even if you wanted to do that tomorrow, or the next day, I doubt anybody would blame you for it. Just make sure you eat and bathe and all of that. If you don't, I will make you. Understood?

[keepsthefire]

[Rin flopped against her the second she was sitting down and had an arm around him. He just felt so damn tired and the only reason behind it was being depressed over Maka leaving. It wasn't like him to end up so deeply affected by something, but it had been a lot of somethings lately.

Mentioning food made him sit back up again.]

Damn it... I forgot to make dinner...

[spiria]

Do you want to make food right now? You don't have to do it just because everyone expects you to or anything. If you're not up to it, then sit your butt back down. Everyone here can fend for themselves for a little bit if they absolutely have to.

Of course, if you're sure that you really want to, I'll help you out.

[keepsthefire]

Mmf--...

[She doesn't physically pull him back down, but he practically acts like she does, dropping back in to his seat with a heavy, wary sigh.]

Guess there's enough for them to make stuff on their own...

[spiria]

[ She's right back to rubbing his arm to try and comfort him a bit more. She smiles at him a little. ]

Right. They'll be okay. Right now, you need to focus on yourself.

[keepsthefire]

... is that really okay, though? Feels... I'unno, selfish or somethin'.

[spiria]

Little brother, you spend so much time focusing on other people that I wonder if you forget your own well-being exists sometimes. It's a noble quality, but sometimes, when things get bad, taking some time for yourself isn't really a bad thing.

[ Her voice is soft and calm as she speaks. ]