Eleventh Pattern ; audio

[hikaruorkaoru]

[Hikaru wakes up sprawled in the middle of his bed. Same as always, nothing surprising there. What he doesn't know is that he spent the last week as a five-year-old child and was only returned to this apartment a few days ago. He'd gone to sleep and woke up now, aware of the experience only in a foggy, dreamlike way.]

Hey, Kaoru. Had the weirdest dream.

[He shifts, half asleep, feeling for his brother to curl up to as he falls back asleep. Except it's empty otherwise, and the spot on either side of him is cold.]

...Kaoru?

[He sits up, fully awake, and looks around. Something's... off... but he can't place it. Instead, he crawls out of bed, gets on some jeans and a t-shirt, and wanders out into the main room.]

Oi, Kaoru. What's up with getting up early? Could've woken me up if you couldn't sleep.

[Because Kaoru's going to be out there with tea. Maybe he was just suddenly inspired, working on--

No.

He's not there.

And now Hikaru can pinpoint what's wrong.

Things are missing. Drawings from the board, a few discarded clothes and shoes.]

Kaoru?

[It can't be real. It isn't possible.

He bolts into the bathroom to check.

One toothbrush in the cup. One pink, lonely toothbrush.]

KAORU!

[No answer.

He slams the side of his fist into the mirror above the sink. He hits it again. And again. And again. Until it's impossible to see his reflection, until there's blood on the mirror's backing, in the sink, and all over the shattered pieces. His hand's a mess, but all he can do is sink down to the bathroom floor, sobbing.]


[Voice:

It comes late in the morning, probably around eleven.

Hikaru's voice is hoarse. It's easy -- way too easy -- to tell he's been crying. He might still be crying.]

Kaoru's gone.

Comments

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

Oh, Hikaru. I'm so sorry.

[She knows how much he'd wanted his twin to be here with him, so for Kaoru to be sent home without him...well, she's had her mother and a close friend sent home very recently, so she understands all too well how upsetting it can be.]

[Voice]

[hikaruorkaoru]

I should've noticed.

[Should have known something was very, very wrong. Why hadn't he woken up when it happened? He should have known as soon as Kaoru disappeared.

Not just... woken up to find out about it.

He's doing his best not to slip into denial right now, though its really, really tempting to just think that Kaoru must have gone out for something. To ignore the missing things and just tell himself his brother will be back in the evening.]

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

Nobody's ever given the chance to notice. That's what happened when my mom was sent back home.

[Voice]

[hikaruorkaoru]

I should've known when it happened.

[He and Kaoru always know when something's wrong with the other. It's how things are.

This is just... It's wrong.]

He's-- But it's okay.

Because he won't know I'm gone, right? So he won't miss me.

[Why, no. He's not crying again and trying desperately to hide it. Not at all.]

[Voice] I know I need to catch up on other threads but I can't resist this

[enchantressofore]

[Now that she knows the truth about the little boy, what his identity is, and how seriously he takes his family... A familiar pang of hurt goes through her, and she finds herself unable to focus on work - thinking about him. About his loneliness, and how lost he must feel. How much like that little child trying so hard not to cry he is then.

The rest of her day is consumed then, working not on her regular tasks or her training. It isn't until much later in the day, when she is tired from effort and hunger, that she talks to him - her voice showing no trace of emotion whatsoever when she asks.]

Where are you now, Hikaru?

[Yeah she figured out that 'Hitachiin' wasn't his given name from Kaoru a while ago, but details.]

[Voice] Totally cool.

[hikaruorkaoru]

[Oh. It's her.

He doesn't even have the energy to snap. He doesn't have the energy for anything at this point.

Hell, he didn't even make it back to the bedroom to sulk. He, instead, laid out on his bed. The journal's only open in the stupid, pointless hope that he'll hear Kaoru. That someone found him.

That his stuff's just gone because... because something.]

Our apartment.

[Voice]

[enchantressofore]

... And where is that, if you do not mind my asking?

[She should be annoyed with that answer and she knows it, but honestly... At this point, it's difficult to snap at him. In fact, it's difficult not to soften her voice and to not allow herself to show emotion at all, so much so to the point where she's biting back the building tension in her voice wherever possible.]

[Voice]

[hikaruorkaoru]

Why?

[The question is genuine. Especially right now, Hikaru cannot fathom why someone he doesn't get along with is asking that question. There are three groups of people in the world: us, Haruhi, them.

This girl is firmly a "them."]

[withoutdoubt]

[It was pretty obvious how close the twins were to one another, so Jude could at least somewhat imagine how painful Kaoru's disappearance must have been for Hikaru. There's not much he can do, but.]

I'm really sorry, Hikaru.

[hikaruorkaoru]

People come back, right?

[It's all he's got.]

And they send more people home all the time.

[Either he'd get to leave or Kaoru would come back. One of those things would happen.]

[withoutdoubt]

I don't know enough people here to have seen it myself, but from what I hear, yeah. I hope you two will be reunited soon though. Whether here or back in your world.

[Jude would personally prefer the latter if he was in Hikaru's shoes, but whatever floats his boat.]

[hikaruorkaoru]

Yeah.

[Hikaru doesn't care which. He's never cared which. Now, especially, it just seems so pointless. All that matters is that he's away from Kaoru, and the world isn't right when that's happening.]

I hope so, too.

Video

[tea_lover64]

I'm sorry to hear that Hikaru, will you be alright?

Video

[hikaruorkaoru]

[No.

No, not in the slightest.]

Don't really have a choice, do I?

Video

[tea_lover64]

Not in who gets taken away. You always have a choice in what you decide to do with it.

[Action]

[complicatedliar]

[Loki doesn't bother responding. He doesn't want his tailor to implode. He has another suit due him soon. And he likes Hikaru a bit, just because the boy is such a little jerk. Rather after his own heart.

A few minutes later he simply walks through the closed door of Hikaru's apartment. Then leans against it and knocks on it from the inside. You know. Fair warning.]

[Action]

[hikaruorkaoru]

Who--

[Hikaru starts to call it out, turning on the couch to look at the door. And--]

GOD DAMN IT.

[It's surprise more than anything else. Still not used to that. Still not cool.

But he's calmer after a moment, sinking back down behind the back of the sofa.]

Holy shit. Could give me some warning.

[A chance to put on some makeup, hide how upset he was... try to do something to conceal his hand, still wrapped in a bloody towel.]

Re: [Action]

[complicatedliar]

I did knock.

[He eyes the state Kaoru is in.]

I'm in the mood for a coffee.

voice;

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Oh shit.

It didn't take a lot to figure out that Kaoru and Hikaru were close. He remembered how the one had been before his brother came. He could hear the hoarseness in his voice, and he felt a little ache in his chest for him. ]</sub>

Hey... hey, it'll be okay, Hikaru.

_{{ Maybe? ]}

voice;

[hikaruorkaoru]

[No it won't.

Kaoru's gone. He's alone.

These are things that should never happen. That, by the laws of the universe he believes in, should not be allowed.

But he's alone. Again.]

Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.

Re: voice;

[universal_charm]

_{[ Yeah, he know it won't. He felt stupid saying it, but he has no idea what he's really supposed to say in situations like this. It sucked. He had liked both of them. Them coming over for dinner had been interesting when it happened.}

Speaking of... ]

Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Just to get your mind off it?

_{[ Ugh, he was terrible at this. ]}

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

I'm sorry.

[She really is, especially in light of their last conversation.]

Need anything?

[Written]

[hikaruorkaoru]

Kaoru.

[Simple. Demanding. Just one word, but it's written with some force.]

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[She figures.]

Start of a new month. People do come back.

[People leave as well.]

Добрый день!

[(Anonymous)]

http://brhrr660zf98edvnq1ocsutf6jrccs9xec38q6wgoxbuqdxm9y.ru brhrr660zf98edvnq1ocsutf6jrccs9xec38q6wgoxbuqdxm9y 3FpyZ1NrdRG