[Semi Open] But as far as I can see you are still miles from me In your doorway

[shiromadoushi]

WHO: Bakura and anyone who would be in Hell Towers or coming to visit
WHERE: Hell Towers 10th
WHEN: All day Thursday
WARNINGS: Emo, reference to character death
SUMMARY: Bakura attempts to start dealing with the chaos that tore his world apart in his absence and come to terms with the state of his life.
FORMAT: Para to start, whatever people want after



The hardest part was the time that had passed. Passed for everyone else, but not for him. One moment, his world was fading to black, turning so so cold as his life was drained away, everything shutting down as he was pulled into the darkness once more.

And then he was in the Porter building. No soothing nothingness to cradle him, no whispering voices from times long ago, no feeling of a presence gently pushing him back, blocking his way from whatever it was waiting.

It hadn't felt real. No marks on his neck, nothing to indicate anything had happened. Only the sudden change of location. It was almost like it had been when he had worn the Ring. One moment sitting at his desk, working on his homework, the next, waking up in bed, still dressed. One moment heading back to his apartment, the next, inside the back room of the Black Crown.

One moment in his apartment, struggling to hang on to consciousness, the next, the Porter room.

It had taken him a while to even reach for the new comm, the shaking adrenaline and realization of just what had happened sending him crashing to his knees. And then the first voice to answer him, speaking words that made no sense to him.

Alastair would never...

But he had.

He didn't know what to think, what to feel, how to even respond. Something that should never have happened to him again, and yet, it had.

Don't be angry, don't be upset, he did it because you were killed, they just got in my way...

He'd stayed with Ben and Qui-Gon, not even coming up to his apartment. Not wanting to face it, not wanting to see...

He wasn't sure he even wanted to see now. The thought of the struggle that he had lost... what would it even look like? Trowa said he had prepared it, would it all be as if nothing had happened?

Was Alastair even back from the hospital...?

He stood outside the doorway, still in his indecision. The door was only inches away, but it may have been a mile.

He didn't know what to do. He couldn't hide away form it forever, he knew that at least. But nothing else was clear.

Not even who he could trust.

Comments

[loveyourenemy.livejournal.com]

"...Ryou?"

Sensing Bakura's presence, Matsuka had slipped out into the hallway and moved hesitantly to meet him. Given the state that Bakura had been in when they'd first spoken after his return, Matsuka had felt like perhaps the right thing to do was to hold back, and give his friend a little time to get past the initial shock, in the watchful care of Ben and Qui-Gon. But feeling his inner turmoil resonating all through the floor, he couldn't just leave Bakura alone.

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura looked up, giving a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Hey," he greeted softly.

[loveyourenemy.livejournal.com]

He stood looking at Bakura for a few more silent moments, but then Matsuka moved forward, reaching to wrap his arms around Bakura in a careful hug.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said softly.

[shiromadoushi]

There's a brief moment of stillness before Bakura reaches out to cling to his friend, hugging him tightly.

"I wouldn't have wanted you there," he half mumbled against Matsuka's shoulder. If Matsuka had been gone after or hurt because of him... because of how weak and stupid he was...

[loveyourenemy.livejournal.com]

"That's not true," Matsuka murmured, answering not Bakura's words but the feelings underneath them. "You're always being strong for everybody else... you don't save anything for yourself."

[hackeralastair]

Alastair was working from home. For all of the work he had missed, deliberately or accidentally, it was a wonder he still had his job, much less the privilege of working from home whenever he felt like it. But Stark had said long ago that as long as he completed his work, whatever or wherever he did it didn't matter.

And so, he stayed shut up in his room, not even bothering to feign illness like he had on the phone to let the secretary know he would be programming from home today. He only did enough work to look productive anyway - the rest of the time he spent staring out the window or curled up in the corner of his bed, thinking. Or not thinking. Or fretting, or trying to hold back the tide of emotions. His life was ruined, at any minute he expected either the cops or the loony bin to come knocking and take him away, he was sure Bakura hated him now...

...at least he still had Kyosuke. Kyosuke still loved him. It was the only thing keeping him from shattering into a million pieces.

[shiromadoushi]

It took a long while before Bakura finally opened the door, stepping inside and closing it behind him, trying hard to keep his shaking under control. Thankfully, someone, either his brothers or Trowa (who was more likely) had cleaned up any signs that anything had happened.

It was just all in his memory.

He stood there a long moment, trying to regulate his breathing before walking quietly to his room.

At the very least he needed a change of clothes...

[hackeralastair]

Alastair heard the movement outside his room and decided to check on it, to see who it actually was. He knew he probably couldn't talk to Bakura right now, if he showed, but he had to know.

The door creaked open slightly, and he peeped out, staying mostly hidden behind the frame. Aome chirped and slinked in past his feet, clearly annoyed at him for shutting her out. How that cat had managed to get through the trauma of the past week without being affected in the least, he didn't know.

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura looked over at the sound of Aome, his first thought being of Pelor. But Pelor was with Matsuka. He had said...

He paused as he spotted Alastair peeking out, breath even halting a moment.

It hurt. The knowledge of what Alastair had done, who he had done it to...

He tensed, looking down. It felt like a betrayal. Alastair had said was in his past, that he wasn't like that anymore, that he wasn't... but then he'd...

[satisfiedsigner]

Kiryu had been hanging out in the Mancave, taking out some pent up aggression on a fighting game and giving Alastair some space. He wasn't sure why, but he'd been feeling like snapping at Alastair since the man had woken up, especially when he brought up Bakura or the weekend or his new powers. Kiryu had nothing but fond feelings for that power, and Alastair seemed to have anything but, and Kiryu was just so relieved that he was alone that he didn't want to push Alastair away.

And there were just the feelings he'd had over the last week otherwise. Rage over Bakura's death, frustration that they couldn't find who was responsible, anger at himself for failing not one but both of his brothers, vague irritation that his anguish over Alastair was all in vain anyway...Every moment of annoyance he'd felt over the last few days were just hitting him now and, while he could supress it around Alastair, it was even more frustrating to do that.

But he couldn't just go out and do something about it; he had to, wanted to, stay close to Alastair and their apartment in case Bakura came home. Speaking of...

He paused the game and went to check whether Bakura had come back yet again...and blinked a little when he saw that yes he was. It took another moment before he could say anything.

"...Bakura...?"

[shiromadoushi]

The teen turned, lips curving in a small, unsure smile. "Kiryu-kun..."

He looked almost like he was on the verge of tears again, but these were mostly relieved.

i got this notif! :O

[satisfiedsigner]

Kiryu smiled a little, glad that it seemed Bakura wasn't mad at him right now, and quickly crossed the hall to envelop Bakura in a tight hug. he could be angry later; Bakura wasn't dead and he'd come home.

\o/ They seem to be mostly fixed!

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura startled the barest moment before clinging to his brother, tears escaping as he buried his face in Kiryu's shoulder.

@ Matsuka's, later in the day towards evening

[spacetimeprime.livejournal.com]

He'd sent a comm ahead, but that was only to ensure that all was well and he was still invited to come. With this, he had warning as to where the young man had gone to, and it didn't take too long to find the door and knock upon it.

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura looked up at the knock, slowly getting to his feet to get the door. Matsuka was up on the roof with Mouse again. The advantage of being physic and having a pet was making it much easier to tell when said pet needed to go outside...

He peeked out the peephole in the door before giving a small smile and opening it. "Vector..." he greeted. He still looked very worn out and tired, having spent far more time that he would admit crying and feeling lost and miserable about everything that had gone on, but sounded better than he had the previous night.

[spacetimeprime.livejournal.com]

It was strange - there was actually quite a bit similar in the way humans and Transformers displayed emotion. Some nuances of body language and posture were lost, but there were links, there, ties that transcended species. Voice as well...and the eyes.

His were gentle, and he bowed his head in greeting. "Bakura," he said, their previous conversation having given him inspiration. "Have you an hour or so?" he asked, speaking the Japanese language.

[shiromadoushi]

The boy blinked a few times before nodding. "Un..." he replied, a bit of curiosity in his voice.

[gardenerthief.livejournal.com]

Obviously, Shuichi is going to come over because he wants to see Bakura in the flesh, investigate the high level of emotional upset that his friend had displayed upon his return, and...meditate on what he does and does not want to share about his own adventures.

He brought sake.

oh dear lord, gonna get him drunk, eh? :D

[shiromadoushi]

"Shuichi-kun," Bakura greeted with a small, almost tired smile. There was still that hint of relief. Seeing Shuichi as if nothing had happened...

He'd never had to face a friend who'd gotten his soul stolen before. Even though it hadn't been the Ring masquerading as him who'd done it this time... part of him still worried that just by association, that somehow Shuichi wouldn't want to see him. Especially when Alastair had done everything in his name...

You've got a designated friend this time. He's confiscating both communicators FIRST.

[gardenerthief.livejournal.com]

Seeing may be believing, but hugs are better. There is...a lot Kurama is not going to say, (about how Bakura needs to be more careful, because he's sure the kid's heard it a million times already) (about how he's glad to see Bakura again, because it means they're both still stuck in this crazy dimension) (about how Alistair's mistakes were not Bakura's fault, because that's something Bakura will have to deal with on his own) but hopefully Bakura will get some sense of it all from Kurama's unusual display of affection.

"Are you working with the police?"

Hehe. Alastair did the same. HIS FRIENDS ARE LEARNING :D

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura startled just briefly before relaxing into the embrace, eyes watering slightly as he clung to his friend, worries soothed by the contact that did say so much without words.

He shook his head slightly. "I-- I haven't seen them. I don't..." he hesitated. Didn't trust them, didn't know how one properly dealt with something like this, didn't even think of it... There was a slight hesitation as his brain tried to pick the right response. "..don't know if I should."

[pacifisted.livejournal.com]

Knock, knock.

Land shark Ex-Gundam pilot. Be so kind as to let him in, won't you?

When abouts is this so my brain can place it on his timeline? :)

[shiromadoushi]

There's a pause at first, no call of "just a moment" like normal, just soft careful footsteps that hesitate before the door as Bakura peeks through the peephole to see who it is. A moment later the door unlocks.

"Hey...."

The Bakura who peeks out looks very worn and tired, the usual energy he had even when half asleep was just... gone. Even his hair seemed limper than usual. But there was still a very faint smile as he greeted his friend. Not his usual smile, or even his 'nothing's wrong' smile. Just a small, tired, true smile.

ooer, i seem to have missed this. uhhhh, as late in the evening as is allowed for him to be

[pacifisted.livejournal.com]

Trowa takes in his friend's appearance and demeanor, not surprised in the least by the changes to either one of them. His own first time dying had taken him some time to deal with, and it hadn't gotten any easier by the time the third rolled around in late September. The one thing about death was that things afflicted with it had a tendency to fall apart and no longer function the same way they had before. That the City reassembled the pieces afterward didn't make it any less true.

"Mm."

It was about as nonverbal as he could get while still acknowledging the greeting, nodding his head once to make it clear that he was returning it in a quieter fashion.

"Apartment up to spec?"

It wasn't so much fishing about for compliments as a lead-in for Bakura to make any requests he might have without Trowa needing to show too much of a feeling of concern.

Hrm... Pre Vector I guess? Since he's not at Matsuka's yet.

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura gave a small nod. "Rice cooker's a loss... but that couldn't be helped," he said in an almost distracted voice, turning to wander back into the apartment. "Looks like nothing happened at all."

He paused, just looking at a spot at the edge of the living room where it met the kitchen before tensing and turning away, reaching up to rub at his neck. "Thanks."