"Yukio?"
"Eliora?"
Yukio called the name out in a familiar response before he could fully comprehend why.
Eliora's face lit up, like a lighthouse that had just spotted a lost ship amongst the waves.
Have we honestly met before?
"I'm so glad to see you, Eliora."
Yukio couldn't yet understand his overly familiar speech, but tears trickled down his cheeks nonetheless as he held onto her.
Eliora squeezed him just as tight. Her body is light and her chest felt soft against his. His heart ached at such a feeling; a feeling all but foreign to him. But a feeling that he now did not wish to let slip away more than anything.
"Yukio... I am too."
Were you alone, too? Is that why you called to me?
He gave the realization some thought, hoping- praying this wasn't a twisted figment of his desperation.
"I'm finally..." he sniffed up snot from his now runny nose, "not alone."
"Don't worry, Yukio," Eliora encouraged him while rubbing his back. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I'll be here for you now."
Do we know each other, don't we?That's Eliora, she's a... friend of mine? We used to play together, talk together, hang out together, right? She kept me company when I was alone, didn't she? But why did I forget? Why can I only remember her face but nothing else? I can't remember what we ever did, just a vague feeling that we spent a long time together.
They took a step back from each other, Eliora beginning to talk plans of their next move.
Yukio's eyes dulled, fixating blankly on her.
Eliora, the name gives my heart warmth. But still, it sends shivers down my arms. A name like that... enchanting it is.
His index finger slightly twitched at his side.
Could she possibly be my reason for surviving here? She may finally be the banisher of my solitude. I should rejoice at such a reunion.
No.
He blinked.
She must be the cause of my loneliness. Yes, the cause of my loneliness. How else would she know me and not be at my side all this time? Ridiculous. All this time. Year after year, alone, fending off the dreadful creatures lurking in the snow.
But.
Even so, there shouldn't be any way I would forget such a face.
His eye twitches once. Twice.
Those beautiful hazel eyes. How could I forget her pretty, brown hair that lays gently atop her shoulders. Such soft-looking creamy lips. He began to lose himself in his head. He couldn't hear any of the words Eliora was telling him. That small but alluring frame... those slender hips. Those-
He stopped.
We?
He only just noticed the last thing Eliora said. She spoke of the men that attacked them. That they should not underestimate them, given that they lack knowledge about what's going on around them and decided it be best that, since it's late in the day, they spend the night safely in the tree.
We?
I have some vague memories of her, but it's all not clear. We couldn't have been that close? Is she plotting something? More importantly, me, sleep with the first person I've ever interacted with? I couldn't possibly...
We couldn't possibly sleep with her.
Be quiet.
Before he finished making excuses in his head, merely her lower half was left sticking out from the tree. It was too late for him to reason with her. Too late to explain to her how he felt. Too late to ask about herself.
Not enough time to warn her.
So he accepted their fated night together.
Yukio hid the bag she carried next to his. Both were buried in the snow against the tree so they wouldn't lose its place. No matter how deep the snow gets, they'd at least know where the bags are to dig them out. Zuzu jumped off his shoulder and chose to snuggle against the bags as well, burrowing down into the snow. It was enough to raise the corners of Yukio's lips momentarily. Zuzu had always preferred to sleep outside the tree anyways.
Finally, Yukio climbs inside the hole. With just two people in their, it became apparent how much room they actually had.
There was enough space for him not to worry about kicking her if he stretched his legs a bit. Nearly four or five meters from side to side.
I could still fit at least twenty- no, thirty Zuzu's in here.
His imagination of counting Zuzu's was interrupted when Eliora asks him to cover the hole so that they aren't ironically spotted as well as to keep out the cold. Not realizing he had yet to do so, he nods, clumsily leaning out to grab the cut out door by the inside handles he made and pulled it snuggly into the tree. He then laid back, relaxing against the somewhat smoothed interior. It's dark, but roomy and there are small holes Yukio poked in the door that help them see with what little light they still had. As well as breathe a bit easier.
It was quiet, and awkward. He wanted to talk but wasn't sure as to what would be appropriate to say in the moment.
How have you been? Where have you been? What's going on even? Should we even talk when we're in hiding?
None of those questions ever left his mouth.
Please fill this silence. He begged, unable to find the words to release the seal over his lips. But time passed and the light outside dimmed until there was no more.
"Thank you, Yukio." She finally spoke out. "I'm not sure what is going on right now, and I'm sorry for imposing on you like this, but thank you."
He heard her take a deep breath afterwards. He guessed she was as nervous to speak as he was.
Do I thank her too? For being here? For not running when I came to help? For killing the loneliness I was bound to feel had she not come around? Do I just tell her 'you're welcome?' Do I leave things as is?
All of the indecisiveness turned into frustration for him, giving him an awful headache. So he said nothing, pulling his legs up to his chest and pressing his head against them.
Then the silence came. The night grew more apparent as time passed. There was barely any sounds aside from the wind churning the snow atop of their tree and feint shifting noises in the snow. Amongst it all, Yukio couldn't sleep. Eliora, a human, a girl at that, being at most two meters away, had made him more than nervous and the almost dead-quiet darkness he was all too familiar with was beginning to gnaw at him.
I hope you aren't asleep yet. Eliora. Eliora please, keep talking to me. Otherwise... I-
It won't last.
The uneasy thought that crept from the farthest corners of his mind made his skin crawl as he covered his ears. Even so, he reluctantly responded to the eerie message inside his head.
What? What won't?
You and her being here together. It won't last.
Why not?
Because she will be gone by morning.
How do you know?
Isn't it obvious? She's just using you as a safe haven until the coast is clear. Why else would she be here?
But the memories... they mean something, they have to. I see her face somewhere, somewhere different than here.
She was running away from someone. And she knows who you are. She obviously knows what happened to you.
But she looked so happy to see me.
That sort of play was horrendously fake. She is most likely the reason you're here in the first place.
That can't be true-
How else did you end up here? How else have you had no human contact until now? You've only seen animals- monsters- fiends all around you. They must've been watching. Watching you this whole time.
That can't be...
They've seen you surviving here after all these years and decided to finally send humans to take you out. If she doesn't disappear now as fabrication of your life imagination, she might just kill you before morning.
What do you mean? She's with them?
She has to be, or she got into trouble with them and that's why she's here. There's no other way to explain it.
Then... what do I do?
Yukio's face crinkled in concern. He tugged at his hair in a state of vexation. His worry about this new insight was his only focus now.
This game is an uphill battle that you were bound to have lost. They know where you are. They know who you are. You know nothing. There's only one option for you. What do you do when there's no chance of winning?
I... I stop them from winning too.
Exactly.
And to do that-
You must-
Kill her.
You must survive.
Yukio took a noisily, unsteady breath. The sudden breach of their quietude almost unnerved him.
Before she kills me.
Make haste.
With his thoughts aligned, Yukio initiated his mission. Almost hell-bent, the only thing on his mind was to get rid of the threat to his life. He takes off his gloves, placing them behind him. It was pitch black with no way to see, but it would be impossible to avoid him in such a confined space. Crawling forward with as much silence as a cat in the night, he slowly creeps upon his prey. Before he noticed how close had been, his left hand grazes her leg. The sudden encounter caused him to freeze.
He held his breath at first but then let it out slowly and as quietly as he could. Then he kept his breathing at a soft, slow pace as he waits. Time stretching awfully long while enduring the suspense. Minutes pass effortlessly. The longer he waited, the more anxious he became, and nothing was happening.
Is she alive?
She has to be.
His finger twitched.
Then, the sound of her gently sucking in air between her teeth before exhaling, resonated within the hole they resides in. She was most likely asleep, he thought.
Continuing on, he stood on his knees. His hands beginning to sweat and they shook as he raised them.
I have to kill such a beautiful girl?
Don't be a fool.
Yukio inhaled slowly in an attempt to regain is composure before leaning forward. First, his hands touched her arms. They were smooth. Then they went upwards toward her neck. The smell of her was sweet to him. Something he couldn't recognize where it's familiarity originated from. He moved closer and took in all of her scent.
Eliora, you smell so nice. And you feel nice.
His hands diverted inwards to her chest. Even with the coat on, he could feel her soft breasts, caressing them with delicacy.
Yukio.
He paused, snapping out of it. Momentarily consumed by his lust, he hadn't noticed her chest rise and fall rapidly at his touch.
Moving on, his fingers skim passed her collarbone until they reach her neck.
We have to survive.
We must survive. Do it. We're running out of time.
Yukio wrapped his hands around her neck, using his weight as he began to put pressure on her. At first, there was no reaction. It was almost unreal the situation he found himself in. But as he began to squeeze, her struggle to breathe became more apparent. It was a horrific noise. His heartbeat sped up rapidly. Half of him began screaming, begging him to let her go. That this wasn't the right answer. The other was yelling, raging for him to finish the job.
You didn't want to be lonely anymore, right? Then why are you doing this?
You can't trust her, she is the enemy. You've been here long enough to know that. Keep. Going.
His breathing quickened. His eyes began to tear up and his legs shook under him. It was too late for him to back down now, he thought.
Her legs kicked and her arms began to grab at his. They had no strength to make a difference. She tries to speak but nothing comes out at first. Then some words escape her lips.
"Yu... I'm with... you..."
Yukio frantically tried to shake the images he imagined of her face as she uttered those words. He tightened his grip and squeezed harder.
After a moment had gone by, her legs stopped kicking, her arms stopped tugging at his. Yukio felt her drool down her chin onto his wrists. And soon after, no movement at all. The rustling amongst the small enclosure they occupied all but ceased. His breathing heavy and full of emotions he'd never understand.
Yukio...
It was over.