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the-7th-heart · 7 months

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Inatober day 2!

I swear I wrote them on time, I'm just posting them now cause my anxiety was eating me up about anything I do online-

Anyway, I love this one personally. I looooved the prompt, it fit right in for me.

This includes a great deal of personal headcanons that I would love to elaborate on!

2 - constellations / darkness of space

I can feel it on my tongue

Brick and mortar as thick as scripture

Midorikawa didn’t struggle when they threw him into the dark room of what they knew as “The Hotel”. He knew it would be useless, he was done for. Might as well make it easy for them. Why should they try to break an already broken canvas of a being?

For the first week he didn’t move, he didn’t have the strength. Detoxing from daily radiation was worse than drugs. They had to connect him to some weird IV thing to just keep him alive until he could move his arms and eat.

Stuck in one place, for a week. Not moving. Not doing anything really. But thinking. Reviewing. Where did he go wrong? What has he calculated wrong? How could he disappoint Father like this? How could he disappoint… him… like this…?

Who was… he? He lingered in his memory, the very back of it. He brought colors to his sepia-colored dreams. But… where was he now? Was it all Midorikawa’s fault? Why was he always abandoned?

Drawing lines in the sand and laying borders as tall as towers

I babble on until my voice is gone

After 7 days people in suits came and disconnected the IV. They left Midorikawa a tray with some bread and butter and a flat butter knife and called it breakfast. He ate. He didn’t have a choice. After he had finished, he finally assessed how the room looked. It was dark, the walls were… weird… and only a tiny window near the top let him count the days he’d been left there.

Something touched his soul and made him do it. The little marks on the floor. They were days, for sure. All 7 of the ones he’s spent here already. But they were… in a shape, a familiar one. A one that brought… him… back.

Midorikawa sat back on the floor. His eyes flashed with images of something he knew he must know. It was a meeting. They were talking, more people than him and… him… Midorikawa was talking, or rather his mouth was. He was talking about his parents. His first abandonment. His first failure. One of them, a warm presence, said something about hoping they “got what they deserved” and everyone nodded. Midorikawa’s head did too.

“If they haven't yet, they will soon.”

He didn’t know if he said it in the past, in his head, or aloud. It wouldn’t be the first conversation he had in the past where he wasn’t sure. His throat was weaker each time.

He knew soon he wouldn’t be able to speak if he continued.

Memories made his head spin. And while the room was dark as night, there were no stars to trip over except the ones he marked on the floor. He had to get some rest…

This hill I'll die on is about 90 meters of bricks

Colored indigo, inscribed with my name, and lined with cedar

4 days after he got his line disconnected he completed another floor decoration. It was another series of day markers, but these were red, desperate strokes of a desperate person. It looked like a bird in his tired eyes, used to living in the dark after all the time spent there already. His voice was dying with every line he said to his shadow. That didn’t stop him from singing songs from his memories before falling asleep.

He didn’t know how long he’d be locked. His food was steady, but small, not enough to keep him full, but enough to keep him alive.

He wondered if he’d make it out alive.

He marked another day without a blood spill on the wall this time and went to sleep.

But the words fall flat like cymbals crashing

Like molars gnashing

On day 14 more people were brought in. He recognized the voices. All the voices. His head was clearer now, but his memories still remained in pain. But he remembered one name.

Epsilon.

“What do you mean we tied and we still have to come here?!”

“Because Father said so. Apparently, this can help us prepare for his further plans.”

“Bullshit not plans! This is a prison for losers, not us. We got off scot-free. Unlike the rest of suckers locked in here.”

“Underestimate our opponent and you may end up being locked up here as well. And when that time comes, I will not help you.”

“But-”

“And calling Gemini Storm “losers” would be highly inaccurate considering Raimon took 4 attempts to even score them a point and they only won because of that new striker of theirs.”

“You’re defending them?”

“Gemini Storm?” A short moment of silence fell, as Midorikawa felt the gaze of the… The captain stop at his door. He nudged himself over closer. “Yes. They are exceptional players.”

“And Raimon beat them.”

“There will come a time when Raimon will beat Genesis. That’s all I’ll say.”

Midorikawa wanted to scream. He wanted to shout, to make his presence known, but he killed his voice some time ago. And even if he could shout, he couldn’t be heard. He never was. But this time he had the room to fight with.

Because the room was empty, but not in a way an empty room is empty. In an empty room, the echo is unbearable, the only way for it to stop is to fill the room.

This room was so empty even the echo wasn’t there, taken away by the soft material in the ceiling and stripes on the walls.

Midorikawa slid down the door and cried.

All he could do was cry these days.

They gave him more water when he cried.

And the water kept him full.

'Cause like constellations a million years away

Every good intention, every good intention

Is interpolation, a line we drew in the array

Looking for the faces, looking for the shapes in the silence

He walked now. He would get sick when he stood for too long, but he could walk now without pain.

On day 24 he finished another piece. A huge bird that brings thunder and flames. It took up the smaller wall, the one with the window, opposite the door.

At night, he got more and more images of… him… and the Others. He still didn’t remember their names. He couldn’t remember why it hurt to see them all happy. He didn’t recall why he was so scared of them the closer to the Day it got. He didn’t know what happened on the Day, yet, but it was the day when he knew something changed.

He only remembered… him… telling Midorikawa it will all be good. That Father said they will help the world. That it all is done in good faith.

How foolish can a child be to believe an empty promise of a broken man?

Day 25 brought the voices again.

Midorikawa heard another one too. It was sharp, melodic, once again familiar. And it was hostile.

“Get them into separate cells.”

“Desarm, do something! We’re supposed to just stand down?”

“Good little soldiers follow Father's orders without missing their cue.”

“Desarm, will you just let them lock us up?! We did everything he asked for!!”

“And apparently it wasn’t enough to keep your spot above~”

“SAGINUMA WILL YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING!!!”

“Sagi…numa…” Midorikawa rasped out. His throat was getting better after his head got clear enough to talk in it. “Saginuma.” He said again under his breath. He knew they wouldn’t hear him, not like they cared anyway, but he didn’t think his voice could handle loud noises yet. Suddenly he went on autopilot while the voices waited for an answer.

“Saginuma Osamu. 19 years old. Supposed to finish high school but dropped out due to personal conflict. Forward working as a goalkeeper and captain of the Epsilon team of the Aliea Academy. Switched between numbers 1 and 11 due to the previous. Oldest in the Sun Garden orphanage to date. Joined after his… his parents… went their separate ways, the court said he would be better with… us… in the Sun Garden…” Tears came. Typical. He finished and continued listening.

“DESA-”

“I already told you, I won’t help you when Raimon finally beats us. Where to, Gazel?”

“Right, up ahead.”

“Hope you’ll handle your loss better than my team did.”

“We won’t lose. Not to them, not to Gran.”

“We all will eventually…”

All that's left for me to climb to the heavens is

The chasm of the night and a matter of time

After the Epsilon came the nights got loud. They had more power and more strength, their detox went… differently.

Gemini Storm suffered alone in silence.

Epsilon Kai suffered together, their whales breaking through the usual silence of the Hotel. All except Saginuma whose voice remained hidden, silent.

Midorikawa wished he had that power in his voice. The power to shout.

But he never had, not even in the past, much less now.

He ripped the soft material from the wall to the right of the door. He needed space for more days, another picture for his eyes.

He walked so much recently the red he used for his second work faded away. He never wanted to repeat that. little crosses on the concrete made with the metal tool they’d given him beginning week 2 was enough. He was running out of ideas anyway.

The room was still dark. That remained a constant. The perspective from which Midorikawa saw it changed, but the darkness prevailed. Darkness and memories. So many new memories…

Of himself.

Of… him…

Of the Others.

The names started coming back too. Gradually. He knew Saginuma, very well in fact. And not just the formula from the register the Father had. He knew he loved honeydew softbread. He knew where in the orphanage he kept his private box of souvenirs. He knew he played Pulitzer in their low-quality version of orphanage Newsies. He said he wasn’t happy about it, but Midorikawa remembered how much fun they all had back then. Back when things were good…

Before the other kids from the Sun Garden started gradually disappearing. It started the day before Valentine's Day when he was young, maybe 11? On the actual day… he… was summoned by the Father. He was supposed to go. Midorikawa didn’t let him, nobody let him, and the 6 of them all left together.

The rest of that day is pure pain. And darkness…

But I hear the rumble

As the tectonic plates start to shake

And I feel my blood pounding like the beat of a drum

He finished his biggest work on day 37. Or was it 38? Did he lose a day? It might’ve fallen out of his head, it was pretty busy there recently…

The counter took up the whole wall to the right of the door. The cupbearer. Where did he get all of this from? Why did he know precisely where to put the next part? Why was his mind prevailing as a minefield even when he’d run around in it multiple times before? What else was he yet to trigger?

He got used to the noise after a few days. Relatively fast. There was some comfort to waking up and not feeling the overwhelming emptiness right away. He felt bad for Epsilon, he thought. He wasn’t sure, he could never be sure. He was sure of one thing and that is he had one more to do. One more image.

The day after that was violent.

“Let GO of me!! Get your hands OFF!!!” Yet another voice Midorikawa recognized. He knew him by a different name, but he was going by Burn now which seemed fitting. He was the one to be mad about how their parents treated them before Sun Garden. He was almost as mad now.

“If you resist it will only be more painful.” That was one of the guards. “And half of your team is already in pain.”

The half was brought to the Hotel a few days prior, but they were immediately taken to a different part of the building. Midorikawa heard some other people being moved from this part to a different one that day too. Most of them were from Epsilon but members of his own team were there too. After that, the empty felt even more… empty, for a lack of better word.

He was left in the corridor. He wondered if they had just forgotten about him again. They did that sometimes with food.

They abandoned him again.

He knew Saginuma or Desarm, or however he chose to call himself now, was still there. In his corridor. Midorikawa knew that after the renovations he made to make space, if he shouted loud enough he could reach him. Maybe?

He forgot what the corridors looked like out there…

“I’ll let you go for now, so play nice or play dead, not like they pay us enough to worry about one kid going missing.” Midorikawa heard the jingling of keys right under his door.

“GAZEL, NOW!!”

“WHAT ARE YOU-”

A flash outside. So bright it seeped under the door. The temperature drop came simultaneously with the light and the noise.

Struggle. Somebody got thrown at Midorikawa’s door. He fell to the floor, safely tucked into a corner so just if they broke it he’d be safe. Sort of.

“Burn, WATCH OUT-”

More crashing. Noise. Worse than the noises from Epsilon kids.

Prominence and Diamond Dust sure knew how to make an entrance.

“SUZUNO, NO! DON’T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HIM!!!”

Flames. There were flames in the corridor. Fire, flame, warmth, heat-

The metal door stood. Barely. But it stood. It looked hot to the touch so Midorikawa got closer. He didn’t have a blanket in the room to warm up after the sudden drop so some heat was a welcomed friend.

Then with a buzzing noise, it all fell silent for a second. Then the Guard from the beginning said “Take the other one to the east wing. We can’t risk them hearing each other, we don’t know how much these guys are actually worth.” and that’s how the day fell to night.

Midorikawa knew that Nagumo was locked in the room next to him. They were separated by a wall. The one with the newest picture.

He didn’t try to get close.

He avoided that side of the room as much as he could.

He was scared that if he got too close he'd get burned.

'Cause like constellations a million years away

Midorikawa couldn’t sleep that night. He got the worst amount of memories so far. All of them. Their faces were now connected to their names connected to their characters. Their characters - connected to years upon years of pain. Constant pain.

He didn’t want to feel the dread he felt when he remembered them now.

He didn’t want to be scared for his life remembering they were in the same building as him.

He just wanted to be able to call them home again.

Every good intention, every good intention

Is interpolation, a line we drew in the array

The crashing of doors woke him up. He was disoriented, what was even going on?

He looked at his final counter on the biggest wall for some information - the day, the day that was before.

His door opened. He bolted to the corner, pushing his back as much against the wall as he could.

It was an older man in a trenchcoat with a beard. He looked angry and sad and tense, but he had kind eyes.

Midorikawa could trust kind eyes.

“You’re alright now, we’ve destroyed the meteorite and the guy is going to be in our custody as soon as we get you all out of here.” He said, his voice rasp. Natural or a smoker? He didn’t smell of nicotine…

Midorikawa took a few shaky steps and leaned out at the corridor. He squinted his eyes, it was much brighter than in his room.

The corridors were thin and there weren’t a lot of doors. As soon as the old man moved on to the other doors with a crowbar to open them, Midorikawa ran.

He saw a flash of red hair. That’s why he ran.

He ran after him to see if he was real.

Clinging to the faces, clinging to the shapes in the silence

He was running after a voice. It kept calling a known name.

“SUZUNO!!!”

Midorikawa hadn’t seen him yet. But he was close behind.

The cold voice Midorikawa heard before rasped something from somewhere and the speed of footsteps increased.

Midorikawa turned the corner and he was in another part of the Hotel. The wall said “East Wing”.

It was a little bit of an open clearing. The floor was covered in carpets.

In the middle of it all were two boys, on their knees as if they just fell, clinging to each other like the world was ending. Their clothes were loose after the diet in this place, the palms of their hands griping at the fabric as if the other was about to fly away.

The rest of the world didn’t exist for them. It didn’t need to when they had one another.

They were hugging, 2 hearts beating as one, their heads fitting perfectly over their shoulders.

“I thought they…”

“I’m here, I’m here,”

“... they came and threatened you and I…”

“I’m here, I’m real, I’m right here”

“I never want to lose you like that again”

“You won’t, I won’t let them”

Suzuno extended his arms a little so he could look into Nagumo’s puffy eyes with his own glassy ones. And then he brought their faces together for a kiss, a promise to never let go. Nagumo looked startled but joined in it and when they pulled apart, they just sat there, crying, holding their faces, touching their foreheads for support.

Midorikawa left. He felt like he violated something sacred. But somewhere deep, something told him he would keep what he saw. “For later”.

He ran again.

He ran with the noise.

He ran towards where the rest had to be.

He ran towards the sun.

Like constellations imploding in the night

Everything is turning, everything is turning

They were free.

All of them.

Back at Sun Garden.

Back at home.

But Midorikawa didn’t feel safe there anymore. Not just now anyway, after all that’s happened.

So he came back. He kept coming back.

He didn’t want to so he didn’t tell anyone.

But he didn’t know any other room of his own.

And he needed to finish his work.

And the shapes that you drew may change beneath a different light

And everything you thought you knew will fall apart, but you'll be all right

19 stars. Perseus. The hero.

Yagami Reina.

13 stars. Aquarius. Cupbearer of the gods.

Suzuno Fuusuke.

10 stars. Aquila. Eagle thunder-bringer.

Nagumo Haruya.

4 stars. Corvus. The crow.

Saginuma Osamu.

7 stars. Ursa Major. The big bear.

…Him…

Hiroto.

Kiyama Hiroto.

Midorikawa Ryuuji sat on the floor he knew oh, so well. They were all there. They were always there. He knew they were and would be even if he didn’t let himself recognize their faces.

He wasn’t crying, he was just sitting with tears streaming down his cheeks.

He couldn’t see around him.

He was drowned by the silence.

He didn’t hear the door or the footsteps.

He felt support, light pressure applied all around him.

“Sorry.” filled the void the silence masked all this time.

They were still there. And they were more than scratches on concrete.

His home was there and he knew, deep inside he always knew, that they would never let anyone abandon him again.

#inatober #midorikawa ryuuji #suzunagu #suzuno fuusuke #nagumo haruya #saginuma osamu #yagami reina #kiyama hiroto #my beloved alien kids <33 #I love them so much it's crazy #ngl I teared up a little re-reading this-#the song I used is Constellations by the Oh Hellos #I also aged them up because it's just terrifying for me that... they are 13... while all the alien shit is going down #so they are slightly aged up #I know it's a big f u to the canon but it's just a personal choice

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the-7th-heart · 7 months

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Ah yes, the Inatober

I was very scared for some reason about posting any of my participations...

But I decided I don't care anymore and I want to share my ideas with more than 1 person-

So this is day 1.

Don't know if this will be comfortable to read but for now I'm not sure how else I can put it out here...

1 - tropical fruit(s) / in your arms

“Aaaand, we’re back!” Tsunami threw his surfboard-free hand up and shouted as the two walked back into the small wooden cabin.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Joe said, putting his surfboard on the wall next to the door. “But this time I think I might’ve actually enjoyed it.”

Tsunami turned around at a dangerous speed while possessing a big block of wood and smiled.

Joe once again thought back to the nights he’d stay up and think about how he’d come to love this smile as much as he did. The nights when he questioned, if he even loved it, if he wasn’t just faking it all not to make the poor fool feel bad, if he was even worthy of all that he got. But then he’d turn around and Tsunami would be there, sleeping, drooling, and looking like a total mess that a regular person would just laugh at and Joe’s heart would melt.

Even now, after a year (or was it 2?) of meeting each other, Joseph King was looking at a person he could call his own standing in front of him in his swimming attire, his hair still somewhat wet, and the King of Goalies was melting on the inside and hell, maybe a little on the outside too.

“Great to know we finally found a beach you don’t hate!”

“I think the fact that this one didn’t have sand saved it.” Joe sighed and looked around the cabin, looking at the mess they’d made in the week they’d been staying there.

When Tsunami suggested that the two go on a “little getaway” Joe was extremely suspicious of where they’ll be staying. He knew he’d be forced to go to the Okinawa islands because of course, Tsunami is practically a one-trick pony, but he didn’t really know where exactly he’d be sleeping for the planned time. One thing he did not really expect was a chack or rather a shed-looking thing right next to a beach. At first, he did a 180 and started going right back to the airport, but after Tsunami explained the nature of the shack and the history it had in its walls, he gave in.

Now, every time he looked around, he couldn’t help but imagine a tiny, hungry boy running around with some ducktape trying to repair the sink in the kitchen, just hoping for his parents to come back, without the knowledge that he’d be on his own from then on.

“Well, all is good and stuff,” Tsunami said walking into the kitchen. “But personally I’m very hungry. You?”

“I could use some food.” Joe followed after him and leaned on one of the few mismatched counters. Tsunami opened the fridge and looked a little dissatisfied. His face immediately lit up when he noticed the bag Joe forced him to get last evening during shopping time. He took it out and put it out. Joe was looking at him in silence, admiring the way his muscles flexed around his arms as he lifted the heavy paper pack.

After closing the fridge Tsunami reached into a cupboard and took out a cutting boards and a sharp knives, set them on the last free counters, and turned triumphantly to Joe.

“And?” Joseph King crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow, trying to still keep up his intimidating image. Why? Because the author struggles with characterization, that’s why.

“Fruits.” Tsunami said in a proud tone of a true winner.

“Just?”

“Grilled.”

“Es todo?”

Tsunami stumbled, his voice sounding less confident.

“I mean,” he said, softening his stance. “We don’t need to grill all of them if you wouldn’t like that…”

Joe sighed, smiled, and relaxed his own posture.

“Grilled sounds fine, don’t worry.” Tsunami jumped right back up.

“Okey-dokey! You can wash and start cutting the stuff we have, I’ll go out back to get the grill hot.” Before Joe could argue Tsunami walked off to do his part.

‘C’mon Joseph, puedes hacerlo.’ Joe took out the contents of the bag - a pineapple, some mangos, dragonfruit, starfruit, and overall Okinawa-native produce.

“How he’s planning on grilling water-based fruits is truly a fascinating topic of discussion. And also not my problem.”

He turned on the tab and quickly rinsed all of them. Afterward, he proceeded to stare all of them down and re-evaluate how hungry he actually was. He took a deep breath and looked to the door to see if Tsunami’s coming back, then took the knife in hand.

“Lo hiciste un millón de veces antes, una más no te hará daño.”

Hyping himself in his mother tongue didn’t help the fact that as soon as he held down the mango, the hand he held the knife in started shaking. He put down the knife and breathed again.

“Una vez más, Joseph.” He took the knife again and focused more. ‘Tsunami gave you one job and you are more than confident enough to fucking do it.’

He started cutting the soft fruit and it was going well until he had to slice again and at the last minute messed up his focus.

“Shit!” He let go of the knife and instead gripped his finger. “Maldito idiota…” He prolonged the ‘a’ at the end in frustration. Just then Tsunami walked back in.

“Hi there, I think I got it to work, and how are you- Oh” He paused and looked at the clearly not-great situation. “Everything… Alright?”

“It’s fine,” Joe said sharply, still pissed at himself. He looked at him, his eyes just filled with aggression. “Where do you keep the first aid kit?”

Tsunami looked scared but carefully went to the cabinet above the fridge, took out a white plastic box, and handed it to Joe who snatched it and turned away from him to rummage through it for a bandage in the safety of the counterspace. He was frustrated and getting more and more angry with the things falling out of the box and off the counter until he just screamed and slammed his hand on the nearest surface.

“Hey hey hey,” Tsunami approached quickly. “What happened? What do you need?” He sounded worried, but Joe didn’t respond. Just stood there with his eyes closed, one of his hands close to his chest and the other supporting his weight on the counter. Tsunami hesitated when reaching to put his hand on Joe’s shoulder and instead looked at his bleeding finger. Without a word, he looked around and picked up the adequate equipment from the floor.

“Let me see.” Joe opened his eyes. Tsunami’s face was focused, his eyes serious. He was holding a little spray bottle, some gauze, and a rolled-up small bandage. “Let me help. Or you’ll bleed out.”

A little hyperbole never hurt anyone and it was just enough for Joe King to extend his bleeding finger to let Tsunami handle it while he looked away.

‘Can’t even fucking complete a simple task. Useless.’

He winced in pain when Tsunami cleaned his wound.

“Sorry, I know it hurts…” But it was Tsunami that sounded hurt. And worried. This made Joe feel even worse about the whole situation. He felt soft material going on and around his palm just before Tsunami explained that he was finished.

“Now will you tell me what happened?” When Joe looked at him, he immediately just extended his hands in front of him, spread his palms slightly, and looked down. He could feel them shaking. He hated that feeling.

Suddenly his palms were rolled into soft fists by warm hands. He looked up and Tsunami was looking him in the eyes.

“You should’ve told me.”

“I…” Joe felt like he had forgotten how to speak, his voice apparently did too. “I thought I could do it.”

“You should’ve just told me…” Tsunami was still holding his hands gently. “How bad does it get?”

“Bad enough to fucking cut myself.” His tone was hostile. Tsunami’s hold wavered, but he stood there firmly. Just then Joe realized how it must’ve looked on the outside, with all that anger seeping out of him. He was usually scary-looking, but right now he was scary and angry, like a puma locked in a too-small cage. It hit him that the way Tsunami looked at him just a few minutes ago was scarily similar to the way he looked at him during that match - but this time it had that hint of personal influence in it, like Jude’s gaze had that day.

“Fuck, I’m…” He took away his hands and just sat on the ground. “I’m so sorry, I-”

“Hey hey,” Tsunami rested on his knees in front of him. “Whatever you’re about to say, don’t. It’s not your fault, I presume at least. Shaky hands are usually caused by stress or some other underlying condition, like some past hand trauma, and seeing as you’re a goalkeeper I think I know why yours are as bad as they are. Still doesn’t explain why you didn’t just tell me before, I wouldn’t have left you alone with sharp utensils if I knew!”

“Like I said, I thought I can do it-”

“Well, you clearly can’t!” Tsunami exclaimed. “Joe, next time, please please please, just tell me. I know I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed nor the most handy person, but I can sometimes help out, y’know?”

They stared each other in the eyes, a silent staring battle for who is in the right here. Tsunami won, but only because Joe let him. Or so he told himself. His gaze softened and he took Joe’s hands again.

“I know a lot just happened,” Tsunami said carefully and smiled, looking a little embarrassed. “But I am still hungry…” As if on que Joe’s stomach agreed with the given statement. He sighed.

“Okay than,” Tsunami got up from the floor with Joe before the latter continued. “Let’s get to work.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll do the cutting now.”

“I’m for, but what am I supposed to do now? Sit on the counter and look pretty?”

“Considering how beautiful you are, I’d say yes.”

“...”

“<3”

#inatober #genda koujirou #tsunami jousuke #hurley kane #joe king #one of my “I just think they're neat” ships #I'm honestly not sure about this one but it's the first thing I've written after a massive writer's block

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