My Carnation - Dr.Stone FanFiction - 1215

l i l y o f t h e v a l l e y

𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈

-

As the preparations for the battle came to be complete, and the front liners prepared to deploy, Taiju and Yuzuriha came to reunite with Senku at the camp. To say the least, I ran when I saw them coming and Gen wasn't fast enough to stop me. The moment I saw them, even if it was someone else, as long as I had known them before my heart would have raced in the same way. They all thought I was dead. And I was afraid of what they'd do when they saw me now.
Gen somehow knew I wasn't interested in leaving the tent to say any kind of goodbyes. They didn't need it, because they'd all be coming back anyways. And I didn't want to face any one yet. So he entered the tent to say his own goodbye.
The whole idea of it though, just made me upset, "You don't have to do this. Senku already promised no one would die!"
"Well, even so, there's no guarantee for anything. I just wanted to say goodbye."
"Why?! Stop making me feel like this!"
He chuckled dryly, "I'm sorry. But it hurts me too, you know. We've become good friends, I want to be able to spend more time with you."
I'll believe him. I told myself, I'll believe him and all the selfish thoughts in my mind because if I don't, I might never get this chance again. I'll believe in the trust I have in Senku. I'll believe in the kindness Gen's given me, and that it's true and not any kind of manipulation.
"We will spend more time together, when you get back." I insisted, but he lowered himself to one knee and kissed my hand anyways.
"Alright. When I get back."

-

For the first time in my life, I prayed for someone other than myself. Maybe it wasn't the first time, but it felt like it. I just sat in the tent, and focused all my energy on asking any God that was listening to protect them, to protect Gen, the only person who saw me for me.
Ruri had always kept a comfortable, gentle distance from me as if to not hurt me, but now she wasn't having any of it. She came into the tent within an hour and sat down beside me, boring her kind eyes into my broken, still healing soul.
"Rina. It's time to come out."
"No. I'm... I'm not ready."
"Yuzuriha and I just had a nice talk." She tried again, and I pursed my lips, "She told me about you. She told me how sad you always were, how worried she always was, and how she wishes she would have just let you in on her secret so you might not have left and died."
I clenched my teeth, my eyes burned from trying to keep them open. This was my karma now.
"Rina. This is not something you have to hurt yourself over. This is not something you should feel guilty for, because they would have thought you were dead whether someone told them or not. This is your redemption, your rebirth. Let's start with Yuzuriha, so it's not overwhelming when they return."
But, was that really okay? I wondered, Was it okay for me to be allowed to live, when so many people wished for life and all I had to wish for was death?
She stood, but she didn't hold out her hand to me. This was my decision alone, and I had to stand on my own. This was my own battle now, I couldn't keep leaning on other people.
My rebirth...
When I stood, my legs felt light. Ruri let me leave first, and as I pushed the cloth of the tent aside the sunlight blinded my eyes. Yuzuriha's screech was hard to miss, and I stepped out some more as Ruri followed, turning to meet her eyes.
"RINA!" I coughed as she tackled me into a hug, holding my head to her, her voice shook and her tears soaked my shoulder, "I'm so glad! I'm so glad you found the village, and you found Senku! I'm so glad you're alive!"
Ah, jeez, I never seem to run out of tears.
I'm glad I'm alive too.