Teardrops on Tiles

1

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Two days. It's been two days since he got that call. Two days since Eiji found out about Ash's death. Two days since Eiji's world fell apart.

He was cooking and his phone rang, he looked over to see that it was a call from max. He gladly picked it up thinking it was going to be their usual weekly call. Checking up on each other and talking about their week. He answered with a soft greeting but was met with a pained tone informing Eiji that he needed to tell Eiji something.

"Ash passed away." The three words shattered Eiji's world and heart. Everything stopped. Eiji felt like he was going to pass out. He felt like there wasn't enough oxygen in his lungs or the world. His breathing started to get heavier and heavier. his eyes were clouded by tears and soon tears dripped on the hard and cold tiles of Eiji's home.

There was one thought that kept repeating in his head. That he will never be able to see ash again. His ash. They had a promise. They would move to japan and live out their years together.

What was weirder is that he was angry. He felt as if ash let himself die. To keep Eiji's soul with him. His death broke eiji but also made him feel trapped, as if he wasn't allowed to love someone else. There was definitely a chance that Ash would have let himself die. Not suicide but he didnt save himself either.

Eiji realized that ash was going to be out of reach for a while but it never occurred to him that after everything they went through together to survive, there was still a chance that ash was going to be out of reach completely. That no matter what happens he will never be able to see or talk to him again.

Everyone flew to Japan specifically to be with each other. Though they were here, eiji has been distant. He has been isolating himself because no matter what happens he feels alone. No matter what happens he won't get ash back.

The closest thing they got to being close to eiji again was when they went out to lunch. Eiji looked absolutely exhausted. But, it wasn't easy for everyone else either.

Max felt broken. What happened? It was all so sudden. Everything is moving so fast yet he dreaded every breath. Everything finally settled down. They were finally safe.

So..why?

Ibe has been trying to help a lot but it wasn't like it didn't hurt him too. Sure they weren't close but he was still very fond of the blonde boy. He has been taking care of everyone and even though Max tried helping, Ibe could tell everything pained Max.

Hiding it is useless, especially from Ibe. One night, he hugged Max and said nothing. He held him as he cried silently in his arms. Ibe knew that losing ash hurt Max, especially when ash was the only connection to Griffin he had left. He let Max go as Jessica walked in with a small smile.

Jessica never had much time with the beautiful boy but she grew quite fond of him. His bravery and intelligence were, without question, extremely impressive. He was so obviously hurt when they met it pained her but how far he would go for the people he loved amazed her. She always felt quite humbled around ash.

Sing doesn't know how he feels. He's uncertain whether it hurts or not because all he feels is restless. He never knows what to do anymore.

One day he did try to work his feelings out. He sat down on a bench in a park at night. He was alone, of course. He was always alone. He started just...thinking? He didn't know what he was really doing. But the memories of ash flooded and he saw it again.

Shorter. He saw ash leaning over Shorter's dead body. He remembered it so vividly. His heart dropped when he saw Shorter's body. Walking into that room he had a small light of hope of Shorter still being alive and that light burnt out the second he walked in.

Thinking about it made him feel like his lungs were closing in. He felt like he was reliving it. Tears fell down, his breath shortened, he was clutching on his shirt and in the middle of it all, he realized one thing and it's that the only difference between then and now is that ash is dead.

His eyes widened and he started coughing into his hands. It wasn't long before he realized there was blood which made sense. He hasn't been eating much lately. His chest hurt so much.

He found out that Shorter died because of Ash. after finding out why ash killed shorter -though he would not have been able to do what ash did-, he didn't blame ash. He started growing close to ash through their fondness for Shorter. Soon after he found out Ash died because of his brother. He was devastated at the news of his brother's death but finding out that the last memorable thing he ever did in his life was kill ash? He fucking lost it. He loved his brother but that was unacceptable. It was like he was controlling Sing's life even in death. It was all too much.

He brought out his phone and was about to call Max when he decided calling Ibe-san was better. Max finally got to sleep; he couldn't ruin that. Ibe picked up the phone.

"Hey, why are you calling so late?" There was a short silence as Sing sucked his breath and said, "I don't know," in a hoarse voice. He continued, "it hurts to breathe, Ibe-san. I can't stop thinking about them," he found the last sentence hysterical.

Before this the last thing he could do was think about ash and shorter and now he couldn't stop. Tears fell down his face as he listened to the rushed ruffles and keys hitting each other on the other line, "Sing, where are you?"

Sing looked up. The stars were connected to each other, they made gorgeous shapes, the trees were blowing in the same, and the wind was cold against his skin.

"I don't know. It's a park nearby, if that helps," he said. He heard Ibe sigh and say "send me your location," and that's what Sing did. He trusted Ibe-san. He doesn't know why.

Ibe has always had a comforting persona around him. It made him easy to be with, easy to talk to. Ibe showed up about 6 minutes later and sat on the chair beside him.

"What have you been feeling?" It caught Sing off guard. "like I want to die," he looked at Ibe and at the blood -his blood- that fell on the floor and he shook his head.

"Like I am going to die. It feels like this whole thing has a hold on me, as if it will let go of me to fall and I decide whether I live or die." Ibe looked at him with, surprisingly, a look of understanding. "so what would you choose?" Ibe said quietly. "What?"

"Would you live or die?" Ibe said as he turned to face Sing. Sing was about to say he didn't want to live but everything got stuck. Words were failing him. He looked at Ibe and after a few stutters he said "what would you want for me?"

"Is that really my decision?" Ibe chuckled. "When it comes to actually choose I'm afraid that isn't really my choice."

"I never took you to be the type that is indecisive," Ibe said as he got up, "Let's go home." Sing followed him without a question. He wasn't indecisive but he didn't say that. The silence actually took his mind off of the major things in life.

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Sorry not sorry bye

Also tell me if y'all want more character reactions or how they coped👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩