[HIATUS] G o l d e n [[Louis x OC]] ; Beastars

Chapter 14

It's been three days since Louis told Katsumi he needed time away from her, or has it been four? Five? A week? He wasn't sure as all the days are starting to become as uninteresting and meaningless as they once were and blurring together. Louis was so sure the night when he told Katsumi that he needed a break from her, but now he's not certain if he's made the right decision.

Katsumi has been nothing but compliant to his wish; she's been keeping her distance in the club and halls, not talking to him during class, started having her meals in the garden again, and stopped texting him or calling. She's done exactly what Louis wanted her to do, so of course, it angers the deer to no end when he finds himself longing for her attention. He misses the talks they had in between classes, the meals they shared, the stupid texts or calls they made, the study sessions they had, the witty and not so witty banter they'd make. He misses all of that and not because those things are things he particularly likes to do with other animals, but because is was Katsumi he did them with.

He misses Katsumi, and lately, he's been worried about the girl. She hasn't been acting herself since that night she rejected him. It's like the part of the girl that allowed her to show emotion was just....turned off. Katsumi has been dozing off in class more often than usual as if her mind was somewhere else completely and dark circles under her eyes are beginning to form. Not only has the girl not spoken to Louis, but she hasn't been talking to anybody. Haru said that she's noticed something is up with the hybrid too, and Louis can't bring himself to tell the rabbit of his involvement with the issue.

He wants to reach out, but he didn't want to go against what he told Katsumi he needed. He felt bad and guilty but told himself that Katsumi was pretty strong and she isn't the type to let what he said affect her this much. Then he found himself wondering if not him then what is bothering her so much that she can't seem to sleep or focus? Was it something important or a combination of things? He felt like a bad friend for not reaching out yet at the same time he wanted to let her deal with her problems herself.

He knew it was wrong of him to think that as her friend, if he can still call himself that, but she hurt him. He really liked Katsumi and she turned him down for something he couldn't control.

Still, she just looks so troubled.

All of Louis's observations about Katsumi are correct. The hybrid has not been sleeping well, getting her school work done, paying attention in class, or engaging with anyone besides her new therapist and occasionally her grandfather. 

She was confused at the moment and, honestly, lonely. Seeing Haru and Legosi together a few nights ago seemed to have been some sort of trigger for the hybrid and has brought back some old memories, ones she thought she buried a long time ago. Just the thought of a wolf and rabbit, or rather a carnivore and a herbivore together in a romantic way, was enough to dig up the past, unzip the body bag, and let out the gory details spill out for Katsumi to relive. Every. Night. Since.

Katsumi has started having nightmares about the night her father died once again, which was something she thought she grew out of. Who would have thought trauma just really isn't something you outgrow?

Katsumi has seen Melon only a couple times since the first visit and has yet to mention her reoccurring nightmare. She honestly thought it would go away after a few days, but alas, she was mistaken. Katsumi knows she should mention it to her therapist because he is licensed to help with this sort of thing, but she lives that hell all through the night and really didn't want to think about it during the day too.

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The nightmare always started off like a dream, but then again they always do.