Kessoku Kokoro | A Bocchi the Rock Fanfic

Chapter 15: Starry Sleepover

Author: Wait, you guys unironically think Tokumei's cool? Uh... Okay???? 

"(Redacted)!" Nijika grabbed his arm. She pulled him back from the stairs and fell down to the floor, sitting down in the process. 

"...," Tokumei lay motionless. He looked at the blonde girl who literally just saved his life. She's busy searching his body for any wounds, bruises or any other injury that she could think of. 

She slaps him in the face gently a couple of times, "Hey, you alright?"

"...Sorry. Just a little sleepy," He was slightly pissed. More at himself. It was perfect. Almost too perfect. The story could've ended here. He could finally be free of everything that was bothering him. 

"You're lucky I was here. You could've-" Nijika was about to place her hand on his shoulder. Only to have that deflected by Tokumei's own.

"I said I was sorry," He was annoyed. What's she doing here in the middle of the night? Didn't she tell them that they had a break? Hypocrite. Just like all of them. No wonder why musicians were considered scum of the earth by-

She cupped his cheek. With the kindest expression he's ever seen, she asks one more time, "...Are you sure you're alright?"

He cries a bit. He rubs the tears immediately. He can't let her see him like this. He faked a yawn. "...No. I haven't slept in days."

"...Why?"

He looked at the stairs. He could've sworn he saw some ghosts there. The ghosts of his- Oh come on, was he hallucinating already? He shook his head. Damn. It hurt. He rubbed it a bit, "Nightmares. Can't sleep. Otherwise, I'd get them again."

"They're that bad huh?"Nijika carried his arm to help him up.

"Yeah," He stood up. Might as well get her help. He's in no mood to resist. 

"What are they about?" She began to descend down the stairs. Thankfully, the street lights provided enough light for the both of them to go down safely. 

"Not telling you," He followed her steps. Keeping pace. One, two, three, four. He was busy looking at his legs. Partially because he doesn't trip. Partially also because he doesn't want her to see that he's in pain. And majorly because he doesn't want to step on her foot. 

"Fair. You've got to get some sleep though. Come on, you're sleeping at the live house."

He looked at her. Shock. Worry. Slight annoyance. He could've practiced more today. He could be back home and laze around. He shouldn't be at Starry. It's just going to remind him of the things he has to do. The work, the practice, the stage fright, the social interaction. 

Maybe it's better off if he just quit.

He only joined because she asked him after all.

They've already got a guitarist and a singer.

He's better off being alone again.

He threw away those depressing thoughts. Nijika's here. There's no reason for him to get in over his head. He should be paying attention to her. She unlocks the door with the keys lent to her by her sister, "Where is it? Where is it? Oh. There we go."

She opened the door. It's weird seeing the live house be so... empty. Not to mention, really quiet. He enters and then she locks the door once more. She walks down the stairs and gestures over to that yellow bag on the lower floor.

"Don't worry, I've got a sleeping bag for you."

"What about you though?" He followed her.

"I'll sleep on the counter."