Honour

XXIX : Epilogue ; One Wrong Move is All It Takes

The rushing footsteps caused the four quinxes to get into a fighting stance, Shirazu and Urie in front to take up the offense part while Saiko and Mutsuki were in the back, both ready to take out their kagune if needed.

As the running footsteps approached, the quinxes grew more and more worried. The ghoul's shadow appeared on one of the walls in the hallway and soon, the enemy showed themselves.

"(Y/N)!" Saiko cried out, tears of relief cascading down her face. "Oh, you're alive! You're alive!" The four quinxes lowered their guard as you sped down the hallway that separated you from your squad.

You're so close to them, but in this ginormous hallway, they seem so far away from you... And they look so happy to see you. Don't they see that you're still in danger? They need to run, but you're too scared to yell, because if you do, will it affect your speed? Will you lose to the ghoul that's chasing you? You can't do anything other than run right now, with the hope that they'll see who's chasing you and run away with you.

As Urie watched his squad lower their guard, he took a second glance at your face. At your scared, frightened expression. Why are you scared? Why aren't you smiling and waving back at Tooru and Ginshi? What's got you running like the devil's on your heels?

"It's not over." He muttered, "Stay vigilant, something's chasing (Y/N)!" He added, causing his three teammates extreme confusion.

Before Ginshi could question Urie's actions, the ghoul who caused you so much terror finally showed himself. Tatara picked up his speed once his gaze fell on you and the effect felt like you were shot by invisible bullets.

To Kuki's horror, you twisted your ankle and fell as soon as Tatara's stare landed on you. You fell face first on the floor, but scrambled to get up and keep running even if the SS rated ghoul behind you had gained a lot of distance due to the fall. But you wouldn't give up, because you promised him. And you couldn't leave the squad like this. You couldn't die right now, it wasn't honourable at all. Kuki knew you deserved much better, and he knew you knew as well.

You were so close now, even Urie was now leaping into action, ready to kill Tatara in order to save your life. You just need to cross that imaginary line where Saiko and Tooru are and you'll l-

"Watch out!" Shirazu yelled as Kuki leapt forwards in an attempt to stop Tatara from impaling you with his kagune. But he was too late. As soon as his koukaku sliced the kakuja off of the SS rated ghoul, the thing has already pierced you.

Kuki watched in horror as you gagged before struggling to breathe.

As soon as your body collapsed to the floor, so did his heart.

Ignoring the (now satisfied) ghoul in front of him, the male fell onto his knees, bringing your body closer to his in an attempt to conserve the remaining of your body heat. (Tatara had left, apparently not in the mood to finish them all off.) He looked down at your (bloody) face, searching for a sign, anything that would tell him you'll make it through. He noticed nothing. Your eyes were already closing and your breathing was shallow, ragged.

"Hey, hey, you made it." He cooed, pushing a few loose strands of hair away from your face. "Don't give up, okay? We've got you covered, Mutsuki's going to call for help, right?" He looked up to the green haired male, who nodded even though they both knew it would be impossible to call for help at the moment.

"And you're going to get promoted, you'll get awards for what you've done today. Think of it, (Y/N), you'll probably be a First Class investigator soon. I just need you to make sure you don't close your eyes just yet. Keep breathing and focus on that." Kuki couldn't stop the shaking in his hands as he felt your already frail breathing pattern slow down.

"(Y/N)? Do you hear me? Listen, if you live, you'll get to leave this dysfunctional family! Just stay awake for me. Or do it for the quinx, like we said!" He finally got a response, albeit not the one he was looking for. Your breathing had completely ceased.

"Oi, (Y/N)..." Kuki muttered in a warning tone. "I told you to stay awake, so do it! That's an order from your squad leader, (L/N)!"

"I-I don't think it's going to work..." Saiko whined between the heartbroken sobs that escaped her body. She had to turn around when he started shaking your corpse, unable to look at the harsh reality anymore.

"Stay with me, damn it!" Urie yelled. "You fought for you life minutes ago, why can't you do it now?" He shook your shoulders as if trying to wake you up from deep sleep, but he was too late. You were already gone.

Kuki tried to blink back the tears threatening to spill. He had to stay strong for his squad, no? He couldn't show them how this actually affected him... He had to hold back.

Don't hold back.

He can't hold back. Not when it comes to you, not in this situation.

Kuki leaned over your dead body, resting his forehead on your unmoving chest as he wept, staining your shirt with his tears.

"Don't you fucking dare die on me!" He hollered, even if you couldn't hear him anymore. "You promised you wouldn't die! You fucking promise you'd do anything to live on!"

He wrapped his arms around you, sitting up and clutching your upper body close to him as he let out every pent up emotion he had hidden. Why did it have to be you? Why did you have to die like this? Why did you have to die so young? You didn't deserve that. He did.

Why is the world so unfair to him?

"Urie, come..." Haise muttered in a shaky voice. The half-ghoul grabbed him by the arm to shake him out of his dazed state. "You can come back later."

"It was just one wrong move." He said in an unstable voice. "They fell once. Their ankle just didn't absorb the shock properly and because of that, they're dead."

"I know, I know..." The pudding head cooed, wrapping his arms around the heartbroken boy. "We'll all miss them."

Just this once, Urie let Haise hug him. He truly needed all the support he could get. He doesn't believe he'll be able to live with this. To know that you were an inch away from living on, but it had been ripped away because he could react quickly enough.

Could he really move on? Personally, Kuki doesn't think he deserves to. That mistake will surely haunt him for life, but you'd tell him that he needs to live in the present, not the past or the future.

And just for you, that's what he'll try to do.