The Falling

A Mask

Hope you're having a good week and that life isn't stressing you out too much~ Today's chapter is pretty short but I hope you still enjoy it<3

15.40 6 Jan

Nana rubbed his eyes and yawned. He'd gotten a fast nap but he still didn't feel rested. He was tired, his whole body was heavy and dragging him down. His mind was clogged and it felt like his head was full of fog. It was like he had adapted to the situation, like he had moved on, he continued living and dealt with it but... but it wasn't true. For him, it still felt unreal, like a stupid nightmare, a silly dream that he would wake up from at any moment. He woke up 3 days ago. 3 DAYS AGO. Everything was so normal, he never appreciated the boredom of his regular life. Nana knew that it was awful, it was awful to notice how much he enjoyed this world compared to his own. To what had always been his reality. If this really was a dream he didn't want it to end. Did he like chaos? It was hard to admit, especially when the same chaos had taken his own sister away from him. But in honesty, It had brought something more to his life. A meaning, a purpose. Because even if it just was adrenaline pumping through his veins, his heart beating from fear and excitement- he could just feel it. He could feel something. He wasn't empty anymore. He wasn't a walking sleeve of a nobody, he was someone. Not necessarily someone great, just someone. That was the most amazing feeling. He was tired and weak but something had awoken within him. A will to live, a will to fight. He was pathetic, he truly was. Nana had never been one to claim the opposite, he used to overcompensate his personality, using confidence as a mask. A mask for a nobody. And still here he was standing, Tokyo falling under his feet and him feeling the safest. How absurd. Was he really that fucked up in the head? Igarashi was probably still outside being on lookout alone. Nana wobbled his way forward, not really feeling his own feet. Igarashi heard him open the door and looked up. Face glistening in the evening sun and hair smoothly moving along the wind. Nana's balance faltered and-

Igarashi caught him in his arms. He held him. Blood rushed to his face and his hands started sweating. He could feel a certain tingle in his lower belly. It tickled, filled him with... something? He looked up, meeting Igarashi's dark framed eyes. Why? Igarashi held him against his chest. They were so... close.

"Are you...okay?" he breathed out. Nana nodded, still being embraced by the other teen. Igarashi didn't let go. Was it because he didn't believe him? Nana was okay.

"I'm- I'm fine" he hesitated. Igarashi just kept looking at him. Maybe he wasn't okay? That gaze, it warmed his chest up. Could he breathe or would his breath turn into flames? The touch of Igarashi's arms around him, it was burning him alive. Igarashi leaned in. Nana closed his eyes, face on fire. He felt Igarashi's breaths against his skin, gently hitting his face. Closer and closer. Warmer and warmer. They were so... close.

"Look what we have here", Nishina smiled. Igarashi yanked away his arms and moved away at the speed of a flash. Like... nothing had happened. Maybe nothing had happened? Nana was imagining things, he probably did have a fever after all.

"How did it go... for you guys?" there was a hint of despise in Kazuma's tone. The way he said you guys stung. Like they were a bad entity. Igarashi cleared his voice and stepped forward, arms across his chest.

"We didn't find anything, how about you?" Igarashi glared at the older brunette. Kazuma scoffed. The tension between them was obvious. Old Mizushima sighed.

"We found gas but we weren't able to bring it", Kazuma wavered when he heard the statement.

"How come?" Igarashi apparently noticed that and took a shot. Nana stood quietly and observed. Kazuma's eye twitched and Serinuma stepped forward. He looked rather worried when she opened her mouth.

"We were unlucky, creeps took over the place and we had to flee" she coldly answered. Nana could tell she was hiding something but he didn't bother asking. They had probably been through a lot. But now they were faced with a problem, neither of them had found any gas and now it was all up to Shinomiya and Mutsumi.

"Are the two other boys back yet?" Mizushima asked. Igarashi and Nana simultaneously shook their heads.

"Then it's all on them" Nishina concluded and the others nodded. Igarashi was clearly avoiding him, standing a couple of meters away on purpose. Nana glanced at him. He didn't get the guy.

"They have til tomorrow morning to return, otherwise... we'll assume they're dead and move on", Serinuma swallowed her emotions. She sounded icy. Off, way off. It was her friends she was talking about after all. What had happened to her while they'd been looking for gas? "Let's rest and make a plan in case-", her voice broke. Her eyes were misty, she still cared after all. Noone went up to comfort her. They just stood around her in muteness. Wasn't Nishina her girlfriend? Nana walked up to her, she looked surprised. He hugged her tightly. She embraced him back and let a few tears shed down her cheek. Nana patted her back and she took a deep breath. Serinuma nodded her head, she was fine. The others just stood around awkwardly until Mizushima decided to walk into the store. Serinuma dried her face with the back of her hand and gave him a smile.

"Thanks", it was vague. She definitely didn't tell him something but he would have to wait till he'd find out. Till she wanted to talk to him. She walked in and he waited outside. He was alone. Nana crunched down and pulled his hair. What was going on? What in the world was going on?! He pulled until he scalp hurt. Then he stopped, rose up and walked inside. He didn't need a mask anymore.