Day 55: Courtyard [4th Shift]

[gald_digger]

Talking with friends usually put Anise in a better mood, but the subjects that she, Guy, and Tear covered at lunch were so heavy that Anise couldn't help but feel weighed down afterward. It was hard to think and talk about the terrible things that came about from her lies. She wasn't going to cry, not now, but she felt like she needed a little space.

Fortunately, children were going out to the Courtyard today, and that sounded like a good, wide area where she could get a little alone time. The fresh air could help her mood, too.

When Anise reached the door, however, a blast of cold air rushed in at her, and all she could see outside was a blinding veil of whiteness. For a moment, she simply stared at the sight. She never saw much for snow at Landel's, but here it had already covered everything in just one day!

"You might need this," a soldier said, presenting a black jacket to her. The color and style really didn't suit Anise, but it looked expensive. She slipped it on, and while it wasn't as feminine as she liked her clothes to be, the lining actually had a nice feel to it. On the left breast, she noticed a name embroidered over it. It wasn't her name, but it was still kind of impressive that they personalized these things.

Outside, snow had settled onto every surface, like a big fluffy blanket over the ground. Anise walked along the path for a bit, creating a single set of footprints in the otherwise smooth surface. Once she was a fair distance from the doors, she diverged from the path (which was barely visible to begin with) and walked to the edge of the pond, watching the falling snowflakes disappear into the water.

It was a pretty sight, but it wasn't enough to completely take her mind off of Ion. Before long, Anise found herself wondering if it was snowing where Ion was, too. Maybe he was really far away, though...

[waiting for her boyfriends ♥]

Comments

[purgatio]

Too clear, Ritsuka. Too obvious where the other disagreed and would disallow information. Albedo was too much of one who could understand--too much of one who could use the information gathered and step against in the most flawless of ways, acting out the part without a misstep. He had stepped as he would in the past, with the shutters on others' eyes drawn tightly and fooled. The other boy was too easily read--Albedo could respond in a detailed and absolute manner and retrieve the information the other had with little effort.

He didn't want to. That was all that was truth.

A hand retracted from the other, to press lightly against Albedo's cheek in thought. No. Ritsuka wasn't someone to play with. Albedo would answer. Truthfully and completely. With only the details of any hows withheld. "Stop him," he said seriously, violet eyes staring at the other boy. "He didn't touch me, so death is too simple. I'd rather not, unless he refuses to see reason. To listen to me. To do as I say. But he can't be allowed to continue. Nigredo is...."

Delicate despite himself. Far too easily broken for one that had such reserves and walls. All that Albedo had. All that he wanted and desired that remained.

His head moved slightly. "I can't let it continue."

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

It was as he feared. Ritsuka should have known that Albedo wouldn't tell him the how, but he wasn't so blind as to be unable to infer from the words his friend chose. Death is too simple, unless he refuses to see reason, to do as I say, can't be allowed to continue... They were words hinting at whatever Albedo wouldn't say because he knew Ritsuka would object. Suddenly, Ritsuka could see and feel the barrier that would always be between them, one made from conscious and unconscious decisions that they would always disagree upon.

But he couldn't reject Albedo's desire to protect his brother, Nigredo. If Ritsuka had the chance to go back and protect Seimei from his terrible fate, he would have. If he'd known what would happen to him, he would have done everything in his power to save him. Seimei's death and destroyed their family, their mother especially. If he could just bring that back...

"...Listen, Albedo, I understand what you're saying..." The words came slowly and he knew that Albedo would pick up on Ritsuka's reluctance. He had to know after all they talked about. "...but I can't tell you if you're thinking of hurting them. You know that."

[purgatio]

There was no change. "Then you won't," he said simply. "I said that's not my first option, but I won't stay my hand if they won't stay theirs. I'm defending what is..." Mine, was the unfinished statement, but that was too disquieting to speak, even to Albedo. "It's close to life and death, how it is," he continued. "So there's no way I would promise that when that is what's at stake."

He took a breath in, closing his eyes momentarily. "It was just a question, in the end," he spoke quietly. Nothing more, nothing less, and that was the truth. Placed before any other and Albedo expected nothing. The fact that he thought at all that it would be different spoke too much of his own changes. Perhaps he was seeing similarities when it was only alike. He understood quite well how different the Variant's relations were. It was foolish to believe that someone could understand, even if they did have a brother. Had. Was that how Ritsuka had survived it?

It was cruel to think and he wouldn't speak it. This didn't matter. There was no reason for a cause and effect. Nothing, in the end, was changed. Albedo was still separate, but that was an absolute. It wasn't as if any could possibly understand. It was just a question. He would find another way.

If worst came to worst, he would rip the information from his baby brother's mind. Better that than Nigredo's demise.