two are missing

[thatlittlepest.livejournal.com]

Who: Doa (thatlittlepest) and Asano Rin (cutest_avenger)
What: Talking, breaking.
When: Soon after this.
Where: Rin's room at the castle.
Rating: PG?


I know you miss your boss, Rin had said, and the words echoed through Doa's mind as she made her way down from the roof. I know you miss your boss, she'd said with certainty, but she was wrong.

There were different kinds of people. They were different to you. Left different kinds of emptiness behind.

The Toshu was a dedication, an inspiration, a reason to fight and a shadow to walk in, trying to catch his eye when he looked over his shoulder. The Toshu wasn't someone to miss. He came and went and it was as it should be.

Rin was an ally, a friend. Rin was someone to miss. Someone to help, someone to rely on, someone who grew on you, closer and closer, until you sometimes forgot how it used to be without them.

Isaku was everything.

Isaku was everything and Isaku was gone, and the missing was a constant ache inside her, a dull, painful throbbing. Isaku left an emptiness that swallowed her alive.

Doa didn't knock before opening the door to the room she thought of as hers nowadays, despite Rin's name being engraved on the plate outside. She stopped in the doorway, a rare feeling of insecurity washing over her.

Comments

[payback.livejournal.com]

Rin hadn't moved since Doa had shut her journal - she was still slouching in her chair, leaning over the pages and trying to work out how she could salvage the situation. It was difficult to think about, as Rin knew her words to Doa had been too sharp, but they'd reflected a sentiment that was completely honest, at least at the time.

Truth be told she was exhausted herself, feeling strangely bereft of direction and depressed because of it. Things had been complicating themselves more and more, at home, but she at least had leads to follow, and the short-term goal of rescuing her bodyguard from the prison. Here the goal was obvious, of course: she and Doa both wanted to return home. But there were no clear means of reaching that goal. At home she'd had allies to consult and her own native knowledge of how the world worked. Paradisa defied predictability. She had almost nothing - a few acquaintances, and Doa, difficult to quantify.

The other girl was a burden, sometimes, a responsibility, and also a friend - Rin thought. The idea that she might have alienated Doa with an ill-timed outburst was more painful the longer it sunk it.

Under normal circumstances Rin wouldn't have allowed herself to sink into depression, but for the moment she indulged herself with self-pity, and glanced up only slowly as her door opened.

[thatlittlepest.livejournal.com]

Doa had been angry. She had been very angry, and maybe she still was, but the feeling wasn't strong. Mostly, she just felt tired.

You could never know with Rin. She seemed so dumb most of the time, did so many useless things. Then, suddenly, she did something cool, something so awesome you had to stop and stare and admire. You just never knew.

Rin was very strange for seeming so simple.

First, she had yelled at her. Usually, Doa wouldn't care. Usually, but nothing was usual anymore. Nothing but Rin. Somewhere along the way, Doa wasn't sure when, she had starting caring what Rin thought. That definitely wasn't usual.

Now, Rin looked drained. Exhausted. Sad.

She should say something, perhaps. She wanted to, there were so many questions to ask and plans Rin needed, really needed, to think about, decisions to be made.

She didn't. Instead Doa slowly walked up to her friend, nudging Rin's thigh with her right foot to catch her attention. Lightly at first, but then harder, until her toes dug into the flesh.