Fires And Family | Paradox Live

6

After the Justice stage battle, Himari joined Akan Yatsura backstage and found the five members sweaty and panting from their exertion, but smiling happily anyway. They'd won this round.

"Listen up guys," Iori called over the excited chattering in the dressing room. "Great job out there tonight, but remember, this is just the first round. We can't let our tempo drop, we've still got a long way to go. Ya hear me?"

"Yeah!"

Himari loved seeing her family like this. Everyone always looked so fulfilled after a performance, whether it was Paradox Live or not. It was just something they loved to do. If only she could shake the knowledge of what was sure to happen later that night.
__________________

"Shh. I'm here, Iori-san." Himari pressed a damp handkerchief to Iori's forehead. He was shaking, wracked by the reaction to using his phantometal. Himari cradled his head in her lap and continued to whisper comfortingly to him.  "Everyone's safe, just breathe. You'll be alright soon."

"Himari," Iori gasped, making an attempt at a smile. "Remember that... that time you came home with your hair... dyed purple?"

"Uh-huh."

"Boss about had a heart attack."

"I bet he did," Himari giggled. "His little sunshine girl with her hair like those weird kids he saw walking around downtown."

"It was a good look, to be fair," Iori panted, a grimace replacing the smile.

Himari wiped away the sweat beading on his forehead and begged her voice not to betray the worry she felt. "You would say that. You're biased."

"Heh." Iori's fingers tightened around Himari's hand that lay against his chest. He kept his eyes closed, eyelids flickering as he lived through the memories he tried hardest to forget.

For a while there was silence. Himari watched over Iori, stroking his hair but fully aware that her little gesture of comfort couldn't reach him at that moment. He was lost in whatever little hell the trap reaction had created for him, unconscious for all intents and purposes. It hurt that this was all she could do. She wished she could take the reaction for him - for all of Akan Yatsura. She didn't want them to ever have to stop performing, but having to watch them suffer this way each time was more than she could take. If one night of her pain due to all of their combined trap reactions meant that they would never have to give up this thing that gave them so much joy, then that seemed like a fair trade to Himari.

If only that was how it worked. Instead, Himari had very quickly learned that all she could do for anyone of her family that came looking for her was to let them cling to her for a while until they felt ready to go back to dealing with it on their own.

"Himari," Iori whispered. It sounded slurred. He was coming out of the nightmare at last. "Why'd you pick purple, anyway?"

"Why not? It's a nice colour. Why'd you pick it?"

"Heh. 'S my favourite colour."

"Mine used to be blue."

"Used to be?"

Himari smiled at the memories of her childhood. The ones that didn't cause her to suffer the way Iori's did. Somehow all of her favourite colours had ended up being tied to hair colour at different points in her life. Himari carefully brushed back a few strands of Iori's dyed purple hair off his sweat slicked cheek.

"Yeah, I kind of grew out of it at some point."

"And now?"

"Oh, well, there was this really cute guy with blonde highlights the other day, I was thinking maybe yellow, you know?"

Iori gave the weakest laugh she had ever seen from him. It still managed to cheer her though, as it was a huge improvement from the pained expression and gasps from a short while ago. He had one eye opened a bit to look up at her with a tired, fond gaze.

"I don't think yellow is your colour."

"Mean. I could pull it off if I wanted to."

"But?"

Himari put her free hand over Iori's on his chest and leaned forward over him, lips hovering just centimetres from his. "But..." she breathed. "I'll stick to purple. Seems to suit me best."

There was a knock on the door. Himari and Iori looked at the door in surprise.

"Aniki, Ane-san," a shaky, muffled voice said. "Can... Uh... I just wanted to talk for a little while."

"Satsuki..." Himari whispered, recognising the voice. Iori hauled himself up and ran a hand through his hair. Himari immediately put a hand on his shoulder and tried to get him to lie down again. "Iori-san, no. You stay here and rest. I'll go."

Iori smiled at her over his shoulder. "Someone should check on Zen. I'll keep the kid company."

Then he called out, "Satsuki, come on in. The door isn't locked."

Satsuki coloured lightly when he opened the door to find Himari and Iori sitting up in bed together. "I can manage, if you guys were...talking... I'll - "

"What are you mumbling about, Satsuki?" Iori patted the futon. "Come and sit down, I can't hear you from over there."

To ease the boy's awkwardness, Himari stood and announced, "Then I'll see what the others are up to."

True to her word, Himari went around the house checking in on the others. First was Hokusai in the room next door. He seemed to be sleeping as all she could see in his darkened room was the Hokusai-sized lump under the blankets and the little white cat curled up on top of it. After making sure there was water in the room in case he should wake later, Himari went around to Reo's room next. Reo was curled on top of his blankets, flipping through a magazine. From the redness of his eyes Himari could tell that he had been crying.

"Ane-san," he said when he noticed her. "I'm just thinking of maybe updating our outfits." He pointed to the magazine.

"Find anything good?" Himari asked.

"Nothing better than what we already have, but I'll keep looking."

Himari nodded. "Looks like you need a refill on that water. Give me the glass."

Glass in hand, Himari proceeded to Zen's room at the end of the hall. The lights were on and Zen was sitting on the floor, rigid, with a dumbbell in hand. He wasn't doing anything with it, just staring down at it blankly.

"Zen-san?" Himari stepped into the room. She had to call his name once more before Zen seemed to register her presence.

"Oh, Himari-chan," he said, gripping the dumbbell harder. "Everything alright?"

Himari nodded. "Reo seems to be past the worst of it, and Hokusai is asleep. Iori-san is talking to Satsuki right now."

"Ah, that's good."

Himari noticed the nervous swallow that Zen tride to hide. "Are you alright?"

"Alright. Just..."

"Do you want to talk?"

Zen shook his head. "No, it's almost over. I'll sleep after that."

"Okay. I'll just get you some water then."