Kyouka’s shoulders shook; hands clamped over her mouth as tears streamed down her face and left silvery trails. Darkness shrouded her, shadows pooling around her as she tumbled deeper into the depths. Her nails dug into her skin; clawing and scrabbling at her flesh as she tried to escape her mind.
She had killed someone else today.
A mother. (what would her own mother say, if she saw her now??? would she still love her???)
She had watched the toddler in the pushchair fall to the sidewalk as her body moved of its own accord; knife slashing a pale throat even as her eyes widened in terror. The baby wailed as the woman fell to her knees in front of it, clutching desperately at Kyouka’s kimono as she begged her to spare it. The knife in Kyouka’s heart twisted deeper.
Her abdomen seized up, blood beading around the edge of her nails as she tried to erase the thoughts that consumed her; anything to just get away. Drowning in guilt, she stared blindly ahead; sobs ripped from her throat and deafening in the small space.
Despair tugged her downwards as her mind fragmented; crushing, suffocating, unbearable. (guilt, shame, hurt - what would her father say??? would he stare at her with disdain as he cast her out???)
That mother would never care for her baby again. Her wife, waiting at home, would never see her walk through her door again. She wondered if she had gotten the news yet.
Ssshhhhhffffttttt. The door in front of her slid partly open, light and salvation spilling into the small wardrobe. Yumeno crawled in next to her, door shutting behind them and soft darkness swaddling her once more.
“Hello.” They whispered, wrapping their arms around her. Kyouka buried her face in their chest, voice muffled as she gripped Q’s clothes tightly and balled the fabric in her fists. She felt safe within their embrace; but she knew the dangers just outside the door would wait for her to leave to torment her again. Tears spotted Kyouka’s back as Q comforted her, children once again in the turmoil of the Port Mafia.
Kyouka relaxed, and let herself cry.