Shattered Bonds-Okuyasu & Josuke

Falling down-Part 9

Okuyasu's sneakers splashed through the puddles as he trudged along the muddy path, the sound of rain pounding against the trees overhead. The forest was dark, the moon obscured by storm clouds, leaving him with only the dim glow of his phone to light his way. But he didn't care. He wasn't even sure why he had come out here—maybe to clear his head, maybe to escape the suffocating silence of the house, or maybe just to feel something other than the aching emptiness that had settled in his chest.

The rain was relentless, drenching him to the bone, but he hardly noticed. His thoughts were a whirlwind, drowning out the world around him.

Why am I like this? Why can't I just be normal?

He kept his head down, staring at the ground as he walked, his mind replaying the past few weeks over and over. Every argument, every hurtful word, every moment where he had watched the love in Josuke's eyes slowly fade. The guilt was like a vice, squeezing his heart until it felt like it might burst.

It's my fault, I pushed him away. I always push everyone away.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the wind picked up, howling through the trees. The forest felt alive, like it was closing in on him, but Okuyasu didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to face the reality waiting for him back home, the emptiness that was left now that the love of his life had finally given up on him.

I'm such a fucking mess, why can't I just... be better? Why can't I just be someone worth loving?

His feet slipped on the slick mud, but he caught himself, barely noticing the near fall. The path ahead was steep, but he pressed on, his legs moving on autopilot as his mind spiralled deeper into despair.

Everyone's better off without me, Josuke deserves someone who isn't broken. Someone who doesn't drag him down.

He looked up briefly, realizing how far he had wandered into the forest. The trees were thicker here, their branches twisted together like skeletal fingers, blocking out what little light remained. It was hard to see more than a few feet in front of him, but he still didn't care. He kept walking, his thoughts louder than the storm raging around him.

I don't even know who I am anymore, I'm so tired. So fucking tired.

The path narrowed, the mud growing thicker and more treacherous with each step. Okuyasu's thoughts swirled, a chaotic mess of self-loathing and anguish, his legs trembling from exhaustion.

What's the point? What's the point of any of this if I can't even be happy? If I'm just a burden to everyone I love? If mom was still alive, she probably wouldn't love me either.

As if in response, the ground suddenly gave way beneath him. Okuyasu gasped, his arms flailing as he slipped on the slick mud. His feet went out from under him, and he tumbled down the steep hill, the world spinning around him in a blur of dark earth and twisted branches. He tried to grab hold of something—anything—but his fingers only scraped against wet leaves and mud, offering no support.

"Fuuuck!" he cried out, but his voice was swallowed by the storm as he fell, his body crashing through the underbrush, each impact sending a jolt of pain through him. The hill seemed endless, a steep descent into darkness, and Okuyasu could do nothing but to let the momentum carry him down.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he hit the bottom. His body came to a stop in a deep burrow, the mud softening the impact but leaving him bruised and battered. The rain continued to pour down, filling the hollow with cold water, but Okuyasu barely registered it. He lay there, gasping for breath, his mind numbing from the shock.

His vision blurred, the edges darkening as the pain and exhaustion took over. He tried to push himself up, but his arms were too weak, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not sure who he was apologizing to. Maybe to Josuke, maybe to himself, or maybe to the world that had finally become too much for him to bear.

And then, as the storm raged on above him, Okuyasu's eyes fluttered shut, and he slipped into unconsciousness, the darkness closing in around him as the rain washed away his tears.