The Splintered

Walls Don't Create Waves

"Are you seriously still upset with Ezra after-"

"Yes. What is so hard to understand about that Itsuki?"

I snapped at him, as he sighed and replied.

"You've gotta let all that shit go, especially now."

"Well excuse me genius, all of the emotions I have ever suppressed or never dealt with are flooding like a dam right now. So I apologize if I'm skittish!"

Once I said that a silence fell over us, as I rubbed my side then my shoulder. They were deep scars now but they still hurt. Am I acting like a dick? Yes, I'll admit that. But quite honestly did they expect me to forgive and forget as if nothing happened? Sure the dull version of me reigned for a time, but it was still me.

"It's okay Itsuki, he has a right to be angry with me..."

Ezra started making me scoff as he held out a turkey leg for me to eat, I took it from him but ate with attitude.

"I left him when he needed me the most, then singlehandedly destroyed everything he worked so hard for after finding somewhat of closure in five years."

Dipping my head in agreement, Itsuki didn't like that I agreed as I rolled my eyes. Speaking of, Itsuki finished with.

"That may be true, but he doesn't have to be a dick about it."

"That is true."

They both laughed as I mocked their laughs before turning my back to them to get some sleep. I twisted for a while but ended up getting no sleep and just extra frustrated. I couldn't relax. Itsuki and Ezra were asleep, so I snuck borrowed Itsuki's katana and just started practicing samurai stances. It helped me find my center again, not since things about my mother father, and abandoned warriors crossed over my mind.

"You should be in bed-"

Almost taking Ezra's head off, with dawn sky and light fog on the trees I shot back.

"You should watch where you walk."

With the tip of the katana still on his neck, I removed it continuing to go through my stances. Ezra leaned on a tree, just observing before opening his mouth all over again.

"It's not just me your angry at are you?"

"Are you sure you want to start this when I have a sword in my hand?"

We locked eyes then as he shrugged, I did give him a warning.

"You're angry at yourself-"

"Stop. I don't need you digging in my affairs-"

"It's called trauma, Mason."

Stepping up next to me, instinctively I placed the sword at his chin. Ezra was arched up in fear but prepared to die.

"Sooner or later you're going to have to deal with it."

"And why is that?"

I asked with anger in my voice and he declared.

"It's the reason the people you love around you keep dying."

Ah, a low blow I see. Chuckling I lowered the sword stuck it in a tree and declared myself.

"The reason the people I love keep dying is because of you. The sooner you accept that the faster my healing comes."

Clapping with a fake smile, I dodged Itsuki on my way back to the cave. Ezra and Itsuki talked by themselves for a while I ate some more. I let out a dry cough, my body was not at 100% yet. It'd take a while for that, and of course, I'm stuck with dumb and dumber telling me to deal with my feelings. My hair was absurdly long but it's not like I could cut it, either way, I was able to doze off for a bit.

He's not listening to either of us...

Well, you can't force your way over a wall, and you can't go around it so...

I'll have to walk through the front door.

Exactly, and he has to open it.

Inhaling I woke to the smell of something I haven't eaten in a long while, pushing through the bushes. Some ramen was placed suspiciously on a tree stump, with the female version of me on the opposite side of it. A dream or a nightmare.

Well don't be shy

My past version said sitting on a tree stump, I sat on one myself surprised that the ramen tasted so good.

Eventually, you'll have to deal with your emotions

She said as I flipped her off while sipping the broth from the bowl.

I see we still have that amazing class-

Get to your point.

Open up. we harbor so much pain and suffering for what? Are we afraid that someone will truly see us as vulnerable as we truly are?

Of course, we are. I mean come on nothing we do ever matters, we try to do good and we fail. If we do bad we fail at that too. We aren't good at anything but sucking air-

You know that's not true-

We know it's true, so stop pretending it's not and wake me up.

Flinching awake, actually awake this time, Ezra was by a fire Itsuki was out somewhere during a sunset. I noticed some lamb roasting and my stomach growled on cue. Sighing I walked over and sat on the opposite side of Ezra, he had a tiny smirk while passing me a stick with freshly cooked lamb.

"Thanks."

I mumbled chewing lamb wondering why my hunger is so intense. But considering I almost died I guess that has something to do with it. A long silence fell between us until Ezra lost his smile and randomly said.

"I used my powers on you."

Rolling my eyes of course he did, explains the dream.

"I didn't do anything major-"

"Going in my brain and having a conversation seems major to me-"

"Let me finish for goodness sake!-"

"What are you going to do about it except ruin my life!"

I yelled as the tension was thicker than a knife, but for once Ezra didn't back down as I finished my lamb and threw my stick to the side. Here we go as we both stood up. He went first.

"You know what? You think your so tough, so big and bad but your still a scared little orphan-"

"Oh, I'm sorry you couldn't take a hit from a father figure!"

Ezra huffed angrily then grabbed by my shoulders and pinned me to the cave wall about to punch me.

"That was low and you know it-"

"Do it! Come on you've been taking shit from people your entire life and you just stood there like trembling little bi-"

A swift right hook I'll give him that, since I was still very weak it sent me to ground instantly ironically Ezra looked at his hands then back at me. He started to cradle me but I shoved him off.

"All you want is for me to change! For me to turn into you!"

I yelled suddenly my voice cracking, standing I shoved him back again pointing at his chest.

"I'm not you alright?! I don't have your strength, I don't have a name anymore, I don't have anything!"

His back hit the wall as a few messily tears ran down my cheeks, for a moment I clenched my fist but lowered it.

"You have no idea how many times I wanted to hurt myself, kill myself so that you could have a better life..."

I muttered with a quivering lip, rubbing my tears away with my hand, letting out a dry chuckle I raised my hands in defeat.

"But it's not like it matters anyway, I don't matter."

Ezra closed the space between us and suddenly placed a kiss on my lips.