(Warnings: PTSD attack, description of a dead body, spoilers for chapter 2 and the ending of DRA as well as a bit of chapter 6 of SDRA2!)
In their shared apartment, Tsurugi sighed as he looked over a recipe again. It was his turn to cook dinner for the night, and he was trying to make beef and vegetable stew. Though he might have difficulty reaching the ingredients and cutlery from his wheelchair, by god he's going to get that goddamn stew ready.
Placing the cutting board on a small table that Teruya insisted would help him, he grabbed the carrots, checking them over to see if they were washed, and put them on the cutting board. Reaching to the top of the counter, he grabbed a knife and held the carrots in place as he prepared to chop them up for this stew.
Suddenly, the knife isn't in his hand anymore, instead plunged into the neck of his former friend, the Ultimate Cheerleader. Her body was slumped against the wall, her eyes were dull and lifeless but staring into his, and there was so much blood everywhere...
Tsurugi barely noticed that his breathing began to increase and occasionally stop, wondering why this was affecting him. He had killed evildoers before in the name of justice, so why was seeing a body affecting him now? Why did it-
"Hey, Tsurugi? You're okay. You're safe. Breathe with me."
That voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up at them, trembling in his chair. "Teruya?"
The former merchant nodded, slowly bringing his hands to Tsurugi's shoulders. "Yeah, it's me. How about we go to the living room now? Rei's there..." The former police officer quickly nodded, feeling unable to speak. Teruya went behind him and slowly began to guide his wheelchair to the living room, moving past the knife Tsurugi dropped.
Inside, Rei was reading a lengthy book. Without looking away, she asked, "Did you find out what that clatter was?" When she turned to look at Teruya, she saw Tsurugi holding onto himself, his face fearful in his distress. "Oh my god." She put down her book and immediately hurried to the mens' side. "Tsurugi, are you okay?"
"He's having a bad flashback." Teruya sighed, rubbing the police officer's chest to encourage him to breathe.
"Yeah, no shit. A PTSD attack, to be more precise. It's not like we don't have them weekly." Rei snarked, clasping her hands around his. Her sharp words were a contrast to the gentleness of her actions. Both the survivors went quiet for a brief moment. "...I think we should move him to the couch." She quickly suggested.
"Right." Teruya wrapped his arms around Tsurugi's back and under his legs, picking him up in and bridal carrying him to the couch. He placed Tsurugi in the centre, then he and Rei sat down on each side of the cop.
"There, you'll be alright. We're here, remember? We're alive. And we'll stay with you, no matter what." The professor soothed, putting a hand on his knee.
"Yeah, listen to Rei! Rei's right at least most of the time anyway." Teruya smiled and wrapped one of his arms around Tsurugi's back and pulled him closer.
"What do you mean, 'most of the time'? I'm at least more accurate than you'll ever be!" Rei snapped.
Teruya recoiled with an awkward face. "Well...maybe that's true, but you still shouldn't say it!"
They stopped arguing when they saw Tsurugi lean over and put his head on the former merchant. They looked at each other knowingly before adjusting themselves into a cuddling position. "I'll order Chinese tonight, if there's any around." Rei concluded, putting her head on Tsurugi's chest.
Teruya, at the bottom of the cuddle sandwich, wrapped his arms around both his lovers and fellow survivors. No matter what happened, they would always be together.
Art credit: soko_koso on twitter