Of Love and Death.

The Present Chapter 13: Appropriate Chapter Number Pt. 1

Threat of death, mention of death, fear of dying, fear of people you care about dying. Possession and a lot of me ranting about physics (but take it all with a grain of salt. I'm just a random person on the internet). Which is actually relevant. Toxic and abusive relationships mentioned and touched on. Blood, physical injury, and being trapped. Fear, also maybe a panic attack? Definitely panicking. And if you haven't seen the Quadstrike Intro that came out yesterday, I do mention that here so watch that first. It takes forty-five seconds. 

Shu woke up smiling. He felt incredibly happy for some reason. Not that he fully remembered why, just yet. All he knew was that he felt like the king of the world. Like no one nor nothing could touch him. Blinking his eyes open, he stared at his white wall for a moment, trying to remember what made him feel this happy.

Could it be something that was happening today? Maybe, but that didn't feel quite right to Shu. He was just excited to see Valt, as he always was. It sucked that today was the day they went home, but at least they would sit next to each other on the plane to Spain. Valt. That seemed familiar. So Valt definitely had something to do with how ecstatic he was.

Just thinking Valt's name sent tingles up Shu's spin. Despite all of his self control, he let out half a giggle, like a teenager with their first crush. It was ridiculous. Why did he sound like a tiny clock chiming four? Groaning, Shu rolled over. If someone saw him freaking out like this, they'd think that his crush had kissed him or something.

Oh.

The memory of the beach came back to Shu in a flash. It swept over him with all of the power and emotion of the actual event. The gentle softness of Valt's lips against his, and how the number one blader had felt like an oasis of warmth in the cold air. And how effortless it had felt. Like something he'd practiced billions of times. But also so, so beautiful. With a majesty the white-haired blader hoped would never fade.

It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but Shu laid in bed quite a bit longer than he normally did. He just kept replaying every moment of his first kiss over and over in his head. While also planning out what he would say to Valt when they met up next.

Last night, after one of the best moments of Shu's life, the two bladers hadn't really said anything about what they would do next. Actually, they hadn't really gotten to talk to each other about much before their partners swooped in and gave them an earful. Apparently, Shu had been supposed to warn Spryzen before someone made the first move. How? Well even the bey hadn't had an answer to that.

Once Spryzen and Valtryek had calmed down, Shu and Valt had just sat on the beach in a comfortable silence. Both of them had needed some time to process what just happened. So Valt had laid against Shu's chest - another thing that felt oddly familiar - and they'd watched the waves and sunset. It had been so peaceful and so awesome, Shu very much wished that the sun hadn't set. That unfortunate act of nature had reminded them both that they were getting on a plane tomorrow. At about three, but they still needed some sleep.

So, with a heavy heart, Shu and Valt had parted ways.

Of course Valt walked Shu to his parents' apartment building first, where he'd stayed after the first night. Did you think that didn't happen? It was well on the way and would have happened even if the gray building was on the other side of Japan from the Aoi townhouse.

In the end, the only thing that tore Shu out of reveling in his memories was a knock on the door. Specifically, his bedroom door. Propping himself up on an arm, the fiery blader surveyed his old room. In one corner was the red suitcase he'd brought from America. There wasn't any window, but the poster he'd put up of a forest when he was ten still rested on a wall. The carpet floor was mostly barren, just like the rest of the place. Shu had taken most of his furniture with him when he moved, leaving only the bed and a dresser.