Ensemble Stars One-Shots

Empty (Ritsu Sakuma)

Hi everyone! I'm back with another unrequested Ritsu one-shot! This is meant to be angsty and isn't as long as my other one-shots. Also my uploading schedule isn't going to be anything set in stone. I'm deciding to upload at my own pace, just so it's less stressful. I do have some other projects I hope can start. I hope you understand why I won't be uploading as frequently!! Once again I do post on ao3 (my acc is Krystal_06). Anyways, enjoy!

(!!) Era I guess, and Ritsu has his own apartment. Gender-neutral reader.

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

Sunlight filtered in through his sheer curtains, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. Ritsu looked on the other side of the bed.

Empty.

The white linen sheets creaseless, the pillow as fluffy as the night before, and the night prior to that. The same as it was a week ago. The past week felt a million lifetimes.

Each second was more painful than the last as his current reality began to sink in.

They left.

He felt empty. His other half had left him, just a mere week ago. But the wound they left still stung like a fresh injury.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the buzzing of his phone. He picked it up, it was Arashi.

"Nacchan...?" He groggily spoke.

"Ritsu-chan! Are you okay?" Arashi asked, concern evident in her voice.

Ritsu let out a yawn, "yeah, I'm fine...."

Arashi frowned, she knew her friend was still down, "also, about yesterday. I was going to ask if you wanted to grab a bite with the rest of us, but before I could ask you left. Are you really doing okay? I know it must be hard, especially since it's only been a week."

"Nacchan... I'm fine. I'll see you at work." Ritsu replied, voice wavering. No, he couldn't start crying on the phone.

"Okay, see you."

Ritsu walked up to his window, he looked outside, admiring the view, hoping to lift his spirits. After a moment, he sighed, it wasn't going to work anyway, why bother?

Normally, he'd wake up to the smell of toast (sometimes slightly burnt), and tea or coffee. They'd always prepare breakfast for him in the morning, so they could spend time together before starting work at ES.

Now it was just cold. No aroma of food floating in the air.

Empty.

He trudged into his bathroom to get ready for the day.

.·:*¨☆¨*:·.

Whenever the two ran into one another at ES, it felt as if they both were wearing thunderclouds above their heads. The tension could be felt through the entirety of the room, and Ritsu hated being unable to control it. He used to be sunny and happy whenever he was around them.

Now it felt dark and dreary. After being around them, he just felt cold. As if the memories were a blizzard. Fleeting, only getting a moment to admire its beauty until reality hits you in the face.

Work was the same as usual. Empty smiles, practice, and time to head home.

Walking through the door of his apartment he was expecting to hear a 'welcome home' or 'dinner's ready', but he was instead met with silence. No pots or pans clanking or the sounds of running water.

He stood there for a moment, puzzled.

Ah, that's right... they left.

That was his breaking point. He slumped down on to the floor and began to cry into his hands. He let all his emotions out, the bottled-up emotions spilling out of him all at once.

Drained of energy he just changed into his nightclothes, and flopped, ungracefully, face first into his bed.

He wondered why he couldn't just give up. They weren't going to come back either way, what was the point in trying?

His eyelids drooped.

At least sleep didn't make him feel empty.

Slowly his eyes shut, and he succumbed to sleep.