Achieving Thermal Equilibrium | ac

12. RAIN

Third time's a charm, right?

Itona was ready. He was in prime condition–his strength had peaked and his mind was filled with nothing but bloodlust. Distantly, he knew his head was hurting, but all that faded in comparison to the sweet, sweet victory in front of him. His target was trapped and he had those blades attached to his stronger-than-ever tentacles. And nothing and no one could stop him.

Shiro's plan had worked perfectly (again.) Now he just needed to play his part without fucking it all up.

He couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything except his yellow target. Itona's tentacles sliced through the air and towards his cornered, vulnerable target-

It felt good.

The fight was a bit one-sided, but Itona didn't care anymore if he could win.

He fucking deserved to win after all of the work he put in.

He could practically taste his victory.

His heart throbbed, pumping hot angry blood to every part of his body. Spikes of pain attacked his brain, no doubt from the tentacles, but Itona ignored them steadfastly.

"It's my win, brother."

His mind was surprisingly clear, different from the last two times when his tentacles incessantly hissed to him. Because now, he was one with his tentacles.

... But like the last two times, something unexpected happened.

Itona's eyes widened as blinding light shone from the target. He furiously attacked his target but that didn't change anything. A force slammed into him and he choked, barely able to breathe–he stared helplessly as his blades shattered into millions of pieces like glass–

And then he fell.

He fell, he fell, he fell, the wind cool against his burning skin.

For a few seconds, Itona genuinely couldn't believe it. He didn't lose, of course he didn't, he was in peak condition, that was just a minor setback–his own pride could not bear the thought of losing again–

Until his target caught him with his tentacles.

And somehow that was fucking worse than falling to his death- his target was showing him mercy. He was carrying him like a child. To that despicable creature, Itona was a problem child that needed to be protected. He was being patronized. And in that instant, Itona instinctively knew the fight was over even if he didn't want to believe it. His strength slipped from him like water from his fingers.

Why... can't I win?

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all. Itona was so exhausted, both physically and emotionally, that he forgot to be angry for a moment.

...

I should've become stronger.

...

Distantly, while carried by his target's tentacles, he heard his target and Shiro talk...

.

.

.

(He wondered where Kayano was.)

.

.

.

Fantastic. So he'd lost. Again.

(Again and again and again and again–)