A Future to Call Our Own

Chapter 11 - You're Not Alone

Chapter 11
You're Not Alone

So, here we were, fighting against hunger, fighting against pain, fighting against Monokumas, fighting against Despair . . .
I didn't know where we were heading.
I don't think either of us did.
I was getting tired. My stomach was growling. I needed to stop.
Setting Nagito down under a tree, I knelt down, falling onto the cool grass, embracing it's coldness.
"N-Nagito, could you . . . perhaps find us some food? Just, maybe a bush, or that abandoned building over there?" I pointed, seeing the building we passed.
He looked at me, lying here, catching my breath, and nodded. "I-I'll save all my food for you, okay? You need it more than me."
I was going to protest, but he started off, and my head fell back into the grass.
My exhaustion was catching up to me. I fell asleep for a few moments before I heard footsteps, my eyes opening again. Nagito carried a basket in his arms, "It was actually a group of survivors, Hajime. They were generous to give up this amount for us," he sat the basket down. There wasn't just food in there. A gun, a blanket, even thermo cups with warm soup were placed in the basket.
"You . . . You told them thank you, right?" I continued to have my head on the ground, my muscles too sore to move. He nodded, sitting down next to me. Gently placing his hands under my head, he eased it onto his thigh.
"You should rest now, Hajime. But, first, let me feed you, okay?"
He took out a spoon and the thermo cup, starting to feed me the soup. It tasted so delicious, I was dying for food.
"You need to eat too, Nagito," my voice was hoarse, my head fell back down onto his thigh. He leaned back onto the tree, smiling down at me.
Shaking his head, he said, "No, I'm not hungry, don't worry. Rest now, Hajime."
I wanted to protest again, but as soon as I saw him roll the lid back onto the thermo cup, placing it in the basket, my eyes closed shut, finally getting the long-needed rest.
The next morning, I woke up, feeling my arms wrapped around Nagito's thigh. He was asleep, his neck on the side of his shoulder.
Sitting up, my muscles were in severe pain. I noticed the blanket around me, and not Nagito. Oh, he's just too selfless for me . . .
Taking the blanket off of me, I placed it on him, easing his head off his shoulder and onto my thigh. His hands automatically wrapped around it, as mine had with his. I couldn't help but smile, seeing him curling up more.
I saw a better view of the basket, noticing how there were actually many contents in there. I felt very thankful for the survivors at that building. They were really kind.
We've got food for two days just from their generosity. I'm very thankful to them.
Nagito slept for a little while before his head shuffled on my leg, and he looked up at me with his tired gray eyes.
He sighed a little bit, sitting up, messing with his hair.
"Well, I hoped that we would be in a better situation now, but maybe us not being controlled by the AI Junko is good luck."
"You need to eat now, I heard your stomach growl in your sleep," I leaned over, grabbing the thermos and spoon, handing it to him.
"We should save it for you, Hinata-kun. You need it more than me."
I placed them in his hands, "Please, Nagito, eat."
He glanced down at the thermos, I heard his stomach growl. "A-Alright . . ." he agreed, rolling the lid open.
"I have a theory, about the AI. Maybe the signals can't reach us out here. We may be far enough away that it won't affect us. I don't know. Kazuichi wasn't always the smartest, even if Mikan helped in spreading the cure with the compound in it. I don't think it can control everyone. At least, not in a far range."
He took another sip from the spoon before saying, "That may be right. I can't tell, myself."
Over the horizon, I could still see the high-rise buildings that remained standing. I could sense that we needed to move farther away.
Once Nagito set the thermos and spoon back inside the basket, he hooked it onto his neck, closing the top of it.
Kneeling down, he climbed on my back, and off we went again.
Off to hopefully a better place.
. . .
A few days later, we found an abandoned neighborhood. We picked a house that was the least in disrepair, and tried making the most of it.
We searched the other remaining houses, finding decent furniture still standing in them, a comfortable mattress, different things both of us found unique. We didn't know if we were going to stay here for only a little while, or maybe for a long time. But, regardless, we tried our best to make it ours for now.
Both of us scavenged for food, searching the neighborhood, finding a convenience store placed within it. Though most of it was picked out, there was still a fair amount of food and supplies left. Maybe that was finally some good luck over all the bad.
Regardless of the situation, it didn't matter to me as much as having Nagito here with me. Alive, not an AI. Not a dream. Not an illusion.
Holding him closely in a hug before I started out to the lake in the middle of the neighborhood to wash the laundry. We also searched for new clothes in the homes, finding some that fit us a bit too tight, a bit too big, and possibly just our size. It was comforting to know we had at least a selection, though. Enough so that we can do laundry.
We also used the lake to bathe, since there was no electricity or running water. But, we were lucky with what we had. Our house was one that a person would overlook, just not pay attention to if people were outside of it.
Picking out clothes one by one, I grabbed the soap from the convenience store, starting to wash them. Nagito said he was going to tidy up the house a bit, try to dust off and clean as much as he could since he was seemingly good at that. Though he offered to do laundry, I needed to do something, anyways.
The looming threat of the AI was still coursing through my mind, but it's gradually going away.
Finishing up the last few pieces of clothing, I heard a voice calling me, "Oh, Hinata-kun! It's getting dark!"
I felt a smile form on my face, enjoying the sound of his voice. I knew deep down I could never get tired of it, no matter what.
Picking up the basket, I made my way back, seeing Nagito waiting for me in the doorway. I felt my heart accelerate if just a little bit before he pecked my cheek. Going out to the backyard, I hung the laundry on the clothesline we hooked up, Komaeda helping me before we turned in for the night, crawling into bed. My arms instinctively wrapped around him, kissing him softly before I closed my eyes, enjoying the scent of his shampoo on him before I fell into a light sleep.
Was this finally a sense of normalcy?
Maybe . . . Finally we had something normal?
Just the two of us, for once . . . A time like on the island, before things went downhill.
All I needed was him. He's all I need to be happy. I'm perfectly content, holding him right here, under a roof, having food in the kitchen, having laundry drying outside, having despair shrink away one thought at a time . . .
"Hajime?" I heard him whisper, my eyes opening slightly.
"Hm, what is it?" I asked calmly back.
He took in a breath, rubbing his eyes, "Can . . . Can I kiss you for a couple moments? For some reason I . . . I feel so lonely . . . Why is that? You're right here . . . I shouldn't be so selfish-feeling. I'm sorry, it's stupid. I shouldn't have said anything."
I gave a smile, placing my fingers under his chin, kissing him.
Letting go, I asked him, "What's going on in your mind? What are you thinking about?" I raised my hand to rest in his hair, petting it gently. He eased more in my comfort, relaxing.
"I don't know, I'm . . . I'm sorry to make you worry about someone like me. I guess . . . I guess I'm a bit sad? I don't know, Hajime," he shook his head against the pillow, curling up more in my embrace.
I hugged him close, "I understand, don't worry," I kissed his head, hugging him more. "Hopefully times will pass, sooner than later, right?"
"Mhm," he sighed, starting to kiss my collarbone, making his way to my neck before snuggling into it, letting out another deep sigh.
I fell back asleep shortly after, but I could sense he did not.