the truth is, everyone wishes to be saved.

[finalring]

The execution has come and passed with the death of two more Agents. However time moves on without cease and so must the living. There are no celebrations, only the silence that grows heavier and heavier with every day and the feeling that something is pleased with what it has done.

There are two more days before the new week arrives: what will you do?

Comments

[boardreversal]

[If anyone goes to check on battler in room 6...They'll find he's not there, having slipped out when someone wasn't watching him. They'll also notice A lot of Rin's personal belongings are gone in her room.

Instead...He can be found in The Guest bedroom, on the bed, holding onto a certain red sweater that belonged to a girl who's no longer here.

He doesn't move much, just to get the essentials - but he stays there the entire weekend, his eyes looking almost as dead as the rest of the ghosts there.]

[ghostricked]

[Sorry buddy. He doesn't stop him from moving- couldn't even if he wanted to. But Sissel is like a little shadow all weekend. Saying nothing. Just... existing to make sure he doesn't do anything reckless while he grieves]

[boardreversal]

[You can't really do anything reckless if you don't...do anything.

At all.

Though when Sissel comes in front of him, he just...presses his face into the tiny cat's fur, and cries soundlessly.]

It's...my fault....

[ghostricked]

[He lays down and allows it]

Of course it's not, Battler.

[boardreversal]

[He shakes his head.]

I promised....I promised her...that I wouldn't let her get...

But...I...I couldn't think...of anyone else to suggest, and then, Aunt Rosa....

Her death....happened, because I....was useless...

[ghostricked]

You can't control what people do, Battler.

[now he knows for sure he can never tell who those two votes were. that secret will go with him to his grave]

[zweivoltage]

[Well, there's a teacup and an empty bed. Time to search... and he nearly drops it when he went to the Guest Bedroom]

You're lucky the spiders seemed to have moved out of here.

[Ky soon realizes how it sounds]

Sorry...

[He sets the cup within Battler's reach]

[boardreversal]

[He looks up, still clutching Rin's sweater tight as Ky speaks - his eyes still wet and rimmed with red, looking miserable.]

...Kiske....kun.

[After a moment, he moves up, slowly pushing himself up to gently take the cup.]

...Thank you.

[zweivoltage]

[He gingerly finds a place to sit, wary of spiders]

I can't even imagine how you feel, Battler. But I am worried about you, you've been through far too much this week.

[boardreversal]

[Battler wouldn't stop the spiders if they started webbing him up tbh.

But when Ky says that, there's a moment of stunned silence - before he just starts...laughing, tears spilling down at the same time.

He can't seem to stop.]

[zweivoltage]

[He lifted his hands, shock, and uncertainty cross his face - feeling useless and he might've just said the worst thing possible to Battler. The cry-laughter, he has seen it before, on some people after a bad attack.

It didn't feel nearly so intense or as gut-wrenching as what he's witnessing now. He reaches, tentatively putting his hands on Battler's shoulder]

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that...

[finalring]

Battler.

[ well...romani supposed that he had to visit battler at some point. he's at the entrance of the guest room, leaning against the door frame.

even if the guilt of voting for both rin and rose was eating romani alive, he felt like he had to take care of battler even more. which is why he has one of the rations in his hands. ]

You need to eat. Please.

[boardreversal]

[He barely looks over at Romani - those dull, red rimmed eyes flick to the doorway, then away, as he clutches Rin's sweater as if it's a lifeline.]

...I don't...want any.

[His head hurts, and his stomach is angry, but it's able to collide with the sheer emotional pain he's dealing with inside - and cancel it out, just a little.]

....Please give it to someone else.

[finalring]

Battler.

[ the fight between walking away and persisting is a fierce one. it keeps romani in his place, jaw locked as he tries to focus on something other than the guilt in his chest. ]

You cannot lose this fight. Rin fought for all of us, and she wouldn't want us to give up. She wouldn't want you to give up. Not like this.

[boardreversal]

She fought for everyone...but no one realized she was scared.

[He shakes his head.]

She didn't...want to die. But, she couldn't....forgive herself....

[He seems to curl in on himself, in agony.]

...I should've...said something....but I didn't....I thought...I wanted to believe....that everyone would be able to see it....but I was an idiot. A big...goddamn idiot....and now, she's....gone....

How can I....fight for anyone...when, I....

[finalring]

...Battler...

[ this time, his name comes out softer, more gentle. he had an idea of rin's fear. of her wish. the wish that he ripped away with his decision to vote for her.

it's a decision that he can't take back--that he won't take back. but part of that means having to accept the consequences of his actions. and live through them.

swallowing down the guilt, he approaches the guest bed, sitting down at the edge. ]

She wanted...to give her sister a better life. To the point that she was willing to sacrifice herself for that person's sake. Rin tried to act aloof, but she was always hurting. She thought that this was her way of repenting.

[ ... ]

We can't let her memory end here.

[cw_suicide]

[probably late on Sunday, Dazai finally stops in.

he just quietly sits on the edge of the bed, not really saying much of anything, though.]

[boardreversal]

[Battler does notice, of course. He lifts his head up from where he's still tightly holding onto her shirt, eyes rimmed with the clear signs of crying looking directly at him.]

...Dazai....san.

[...]

...I should...probably start moving back to my room...huh...?

[Since...it's sunday, and late at that. Soon, the rooms will change...and he doesn't want to be left behind, even as terrible as he feels.]

[cw_suicide]

[this scene is just so terribly familiar in some ways.]

Mm, but it's fine for a little longer.

[boardreversal]

...Okay.

[Even though he could keep lying down, put his head back....he doesn't.

Instead, he...slowly pushes himself to a sitting position, though he continues to hold Rin's sweater in his lap.]

...Can I....ask you something...?

[cw_suicide]

[... when you suspect you know it might one of a handful of questions but.]

You can ask.

[golden_dream]

[Rosa stood in the doorway of the guest bedroom, watching him for a moment... he was definitely torn up, but how long could he afford to sit there and how long could she afford to let him sit that? She finally gave a little knock at the door so he'd turn his head up.]

[boardreversal]

[He does look up at the knock, his eyes red-lined and filled with the depths of grief.]

...Aunt...Rosa.

[He doesn't really move much more beyond that, clutching the sweater tighter to him.]

[golden_dream]

...

[She'll slowly come inside, ready to jump back if he yells at her, since she's not sure she can predict his reactions so well after his outburst last week.]

[She'll write a little note if not stopped:

"I'm so sorry, Battler.

You understand, right? You understand what Aunt Rosa was doing? I didn't hate Rin-chan. I liked her very much. I know you did, too."]

[boardreversal]

[He won't stop her - hell, he'll barely move, even as she writes.

Once she shows him what she writes, he just...laughs, a little.]

....I know, Aunt Rosa. I don't...blame you.

[There's a pause, as he shuts his eyes, then opens them again.]

...It's my fault. I was so...I thought, that they'd listen to you...that I didn't even try to....

...Aah, it's all so useless...