Always Is Forever Semishira

Chains

Warning: includes negative personal thoughts, bullying, and attempted suicide.
Disclaimer: all the characters are the property of Haruichi Furudate except for the bullies. I made them up. The art does not belong to me. Author-chan out!

It's dramatic and theatrical, I know, but it'll work. Shirabu held up the handcuffs and padlocked them around an underwater tree fallen in the deepest part of the river. He snapped the manacles shut around his wrists. He wriggled his hands experimentally. The chains were tight. He couldn't get out, even if he wanted to. Shirabu smiled.

It'll be easy.

He stepped off the rockpile and let the current pull him under. The chains went taut. His damaged arms stretched out painfully in front of him, keeping him suspended beneath the water, floating far under the surface.

All I have to do is wait.

Water went into his lungs.

I love you, Semi.

His air started running out.

Maybe, somewhere in an alternate universe, you could love me too.

Semi's POV

Semi saw a flash of copper hair in the middle of the river. His blood ran cold. Shirabu had jumped in. "Shirabu! Wait!"

Splash! Semi dived into the water. He fought the current to swim to his kouhai. The water was cold, and it was hard to see. He gasped for air, but kept his eyes on the other boy. Shirabu was still underwater. Oddly, he wasn't moving, just floating, even though the current tugged at him. His eyes were closed, and a sad smile adorned his face.

Semi grabbed the setter's arm and yanked him up, but something stopped him. Shirabu's eyes shot open at his touch. Semi took a breath of air and went under again.

To his horror, he realized Shirabu's hands were chained to a fallen tree. He was like a fish caught on a line, dangling helplessly in the current, unable to move. Semi didn't know how to open the handcuffs. He needed another solution, and he needed it now.

He swam to the branch Shirabu was manacled to. It was huge, easily supporting his weight against the fast current. There was no logical way he could move it.

Semi didn't care. This was Shirabu! With strength born of desperation, he broke the branch from the tree. He looked back. Shirabu's eyes were still open, watching him. A look of pure misery covered his beautiful features. The branch started to fall to the bottom of the deep river, taking Shirabu with it.

Semi swam up, dragging the heavy branch with him. Shirabu's chains went taut again, pulling his arms over his head. Semi broke the surface. The current carried them both away. He dived under, searching for the smaller boy. There he was. Semi grabbed his waist and pulled him out of the water. His head lolled onto Semi's shoulder, unconscious now.

He spotted a sandy beach ahead. The ash blonde beelined for it, pulling Shirabu and the branch he was chained to with him. Semi made it to the beach and crawled onto it. He gently placed the other boy on the sand and deposited the branch beside him.

He gasped. "Shirabu..." His too-thin wrists were chafed raw by the cold metal manacles. His copper hair was a wet mess. His chest was still. "Don't die, godamnit! Shirabu!" Semi started CPR.

"Aaaah-" Shirabu took a deep, gasping breath. "Hlaaah!" He convulsed and spewed water everywhere. His eyes opened, but weren't focusing properly; he didn't appear to be processing anything mentally.

"Oh, thank god." Semi almost passed out from relief. He picked up and studied Shirabu's handcuffs, wondering how to get rid of them.

A croaky voice spoke. "Why didn't you let me drown?"