takenwithhim | IC-Inbox ~ City of Ariel

[That's always a voice he's never not liked hearing.]

Yo, Gou.

[Though that also means he's able to pick up on that "off" feeling about it.]

Aa. What's up?

This is going to sound strange, but...just go with it.

Are you dating anyone right now?

( Gou will just be holding her breath until she gets a reply. )

[Oh... he doesn't like the sound of that. At all. When's the last time Gou's said something strange? ~~Ignoring the whole "Kohaku" event.]~~

Okay...

[And everything comes crashing to a halt. Because that question and why that question and what's he gonna get for it?!]

[But... it's Gou. Lying to her isn't...]

A-... aa.

[Stomach-->down-->legs.]

( She's listening so hard right now, not making even one peep. But after a few moments of silence, she does say something. )

...I told you it was strange. Well?

[And here he thought he might be able to escape the 'who' implied right there. Maybe he can feign a "my business" excus--

Who's he kidding? He can't fake even that to Gou.]

Mikoshiba.

[And the underlying realization behind the question, her tone of voice...

...is twisting something straight into his chest.]

( And there it is. She hadn't been expecting him to tell her who so readily, but still...

Welp. You asked for this Gou. And you got exactly what you wanted. )

I see! That's...

( She can't even lie. She wants to tell him "That's great! I'm happy for you" but it's too hard. Her voice is so strained, she's having a hard time keeping it together. )

I need to go.

[How could she not expect an answer? She asked him... He couldn't sit there in silence.

Even if he wanted to so badly. It's pretty smack-in-the-face right now (or hole-in-the-gut) about just how cruel Ariel can be.

And he doesn't like it. At all.]

Gou...

[The truth will always hurt more than a lie. Sousuke knows almost everything she could say right now, and she can't say it.

It really feels like his chest just got torn open. Because how can he say Gou isn't important, isn't special all unique to her? She is...

She is.]

All right.

[Something cliche. You're special too. Please still talk to me. Don't go. It isn't my fault. Don't know you just how much... So many things he can say.

But he doesn't. Because they're not words she wants to hear right now. All he can do for now, is stand quietly and watch.]

( Honestly, it isn't his fault. Gou knows that already. And she really wishes that she could be happy for him and Momotarou, but she can't. Not yet.

Because right now? She's heartbroken. But she's doing her best to make her voice sound cheerful until she ends the transmission. )

I'll talk to you soon. Alright, Sousuke-kun?

( A pause. )

Bye.

( And now she closes her end. Time to go bury herself under the covers for a few days. )

[It's not his fault; he knows that. None of this is any of their faults and they shouldn't feel like it is.

...

So why does he feel like the biggest idiot on the face of the planet?]

All right, Gou.

[Maybe it's a "family fate" that none of them can hide things so well from each other. Her brave front and cheerful voice is crumbling and Sousuke's the damn wrecking ball.

After all she's done for him, held for him... he has to break her beautiful heart.

Because time.]

I'll be here.

[It's all he can promise right now, his voice as heavy as ocean stone.

Once the pause comes and then the quiet click of a disconnect, he falls back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.]

I'm sorry, Gou.

IC-Inbox ~ City of Ariel

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