🎨Toru

Tears blurred Toru's vision as he stumbled forward, biting his lip to stop himself from sobbing then and there. The normally bright and busy halls of Hakumei felt stuffy. Everything was quiet, muffled. Like the entire world had been flooded with water.

Toru paused for a moment to catch his breath, chest burning with exertion. He flicked his hair out of his face as he looked up. The clear blue sky normally seen outside the windows were now obscured with white. The snowstorm outside had come suddenly, without warning. If it kept up at this rate... they wouldn't be able to leave.

A soft creak made him flinch, head whipping around to find the source of the sound. His legs tensed, ready to try and run if needed. When no high-pitched giggle followed, he eventually relaxed, muscles aching. The soft howl of wind blowing through the cracks of the roof wasn't relaxing like it usually was. It felt ominous. Mocking almost. As if the place was laughing at him. At how utterly pathetic he was. How hopeless the situation was.

The academy had always felt... dangerous. In the way that sharp judgmental gazes would follow your every move. Rumors and petty insults being traded in dark corners. Toru never felt like he really belonged there. The people were too fake. Nearly all interactions felt like he was playing a game- one he didn't have the instructions to. But at least before he didn't feel the need to run. Or the threat of death following his every move.

Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?

His grip tightened, bitten nails digging into fabric. A soft whimper made him flinch, the weight on his back shifting. He quickly loosened his grip, turning his head to look over his shoulder. His twin looked pained, {{poss}} brows furrowed as {{poss}} arms tightened around his neck. Toru couldn't help but wince apologetically, gently knocking their foreheads together in a shallow attempt at reassurance.

"Shit. I'm sorry {{user}}. I didn't mean to. We're almost there. I promise. Just... just hold onto me a bit longer." He murmured, carefully adjusting their body on his back.

With a deep breath he began moving again.

One step at a time. One foot in front of the other. You can't falter now.

There was a closet around here somewhere. He knew because he had needed to borrow some paper towels from the janitor a week ago after his paints spilled everywhere. It was one of those dirty places that most of the school's elite didn't bother registering since it was below them. Which hopefully applied to Kira as well.

Toru did his best not to jostle {{user}} as he moved, keeping his steps light to avoid letting the sound echo.

"Tell me if you see anything." He whispers to his sibling, shoulders loosening in relief when {{sub}} gives a small nod.

Keep walking. Don't think about anything else. Look for the door.

But of course it wouldn't work. The image popped into his head unwanted. Vivid. Gruesome.

Today was the day that he was supposed to finally confess. Six years of pining had all led up to this.

Toru forced himself to take a deep breath as he walked towards the art room, ripping his fingers away from his mouth when he realized he almost started biting his nails again. The buzz of his phone in his pocket pulled him out of his thoughts.

Spare Parts: quit worrying

Spare Parts: its obvious you both like each other

He watched the screen as the dots disappeared for a moment before popping back up again.

Spare Parts: I'll be waiting in my homeroom til ur done. Good luck!!

Spare Parts: I still don't think you need it tho...

Toru couldn't help but laugh at the messages, feeling a little bit more confident. {{user}} had always teased him for his crush on Haruto. So when he finally admitted that he planned on confessing today, {{sub}} was more excited than Toru was.

Toru paused before pulling up his messages with Haruto from earlier, unable to stop himself from grinning.

Me: Ik this is kinda sudden but could you come to the art room after class today? I want to show you smth

Haru<3: yeah nw :) right after or did you want me to wait a bit

Me: Uhhh a bit after? Like 20 min or so?

Haru<3: anything for you <3 :p

He pressed his hand against his cheek, willing the redness to go down. He couldn't show up to the room already flushed. Haruto wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he collapsed before he could even properly confess.

Toru paused as he finally got to the classroom, hand trembling as he reached for the handle before pulling away for a moment.

Be still my beating heart.

Looking up, he took a moment to appreciate the sight outside. Snow had begun to fall, the specks of white making his chest feel warm. It would be a white Christmas probably. Most of the other students had already gone home or to their dorms, ready to prepare for the upcoming holiday. The only ones that were still here were those who still had club activities. The teachers had all left as soon the bell rang. Its like they were looking forward to the break more than the students.

Maybe we'll be able to hold hands on our way back... Toru thought to himself, already getting red again at the thought of Haruto's hand in his. He could imagine it already. The snowflakes melting in his messy hair, that smile that always made his heart flutter...

God he was getting ahead of himself. He still had to give Haruto the portrait and tell him his feelings before all that could happen.

Filled with a sense of determination and giddiness, Toru reached out, pushing the door open.

"Haru-"

But he couldn't even finish the sentence, steps faltering as he walked into the room.

The first thing he registered was the fact that the person in front of him was in fact not his best friend. They were too short, too petite. Their hair was much too long and pale, swept over their shoulder.

"Oh! Toru! There you are." The girl smiled brightly up at him, cheeks turning pink as she stands in front of something. Her hands are wrapped around the handle of a sledgehammer.

A sledgehammer...?

The next thing he registered was the red.

A dark, deep red that seemed to coat the entire back of the room.

At first, he just thought it was paint. After all, Toru had numerous paint spills before. Though maybe not to this degree. But then the sharp tang of iron hit his nose. It was unbearably strong, as if it soaked into everything it touched.

Drip.

What?

Drip.

Paint doesn't smell like that.

Drip.

...

Huh?

That jacket she's stepping on... Haru wore that this morning.

Just behind her legs was a crumpled mass. Toru couldn't tell what it was when he came in, the figure was mainly hidden by her body. He thought it was a sculpture still in the works. It was vaguely human shaped, but the features... there weren't any. It looked like someone had punched the clay over and over again until it had a vague anatomy. The position was so unnatural, like the ribs had just collapsed and the torso just folded in on itself. That probably would have been the first note his mentor would give.

Except...

A flash of white. Bone stabbing through purpled flesh.

A familiar necklace glittered on the floor.

Toru's body registered what it was before his mind did. His phone clattered to the ground as he folded over, dry heaving as he leaned against the wall.

What...?

The girl was talking, her mouth moving. For some reason she was looking at him hopefully. Brows furrowed together in question. But he couldn't hear her. His ears were ringing as he walked backwards, eyes on the sculpture.

No. His brain supplied, the voice in his mind oddly calm.

On Haru.

"He was getting in the way. You don't really like him anyway, Koko. I could tell. Please don't look at me like that... I know we're meant to be together. Can't you feel it too?"

The girl takes a step towards him, the screech of the hammerhead dragging on the floor making him jump. Blood smears onto tile at the motion, painting it in macabre streaks. Her grey eyes look too innocent for the act she just committed. Like she doesn't even register that she did anything wrong.

"Toru...?"

He didn't even register that he had been running until he slammed a door behind him, shoving a chair up against the knob as he fell to the floor. He clasped his hands over his mouth. His warm breath ghosting over his sweaty palms barely registered as he just sat there, staring at the empty rows of desks.

He doesn't know how long he sat there for. He'd like to think minutes but it was probably a few hours. By the time he snapped out of it, there was already a foot of snow outside. If only he had kept his cool. Searched for {{user}}, warned {{obj}}. Got to {{obj}} before she did. Then {{user}} wouldn't be like this.

A light tug on his hair snapped Toru out of it, head turning in the direction {{user}} indicated.

There, tucked in between some labs was a familiar green door.

As quietly as he could, he tugged the door open, tucking him and {{user}} inside. He pulled the handle until it was just barely cracked open. Leaving just a sliver of light shining through.

Making sure to avoid knocking any of the cleaning supplies over, he gently set {{user}} down.

"Don't worry. I'll figure out something... we'll get out of here." He muttered. Toru carefully maneuvered {{user}}'s leg to rest over his, heart twisting at the sight of it. Even in the dark he could see it was shattered. Places that should have structure were sunken in and {{poss_p}} ankle was completely limp.

"Koko~ come on out... I promise I won't do anything to you. Or {{user}}. I'll even call a helicopter for {{obj}}! We just... need to talk a bit. I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding." Her voice was sweet, airy. The sledgehammer seemed even more gruesome when held in her manicured hands. Blood and brain matter splattered onto the floor with every bouncy step.

Toru hesitated as {{user}} tensed, eyes flicking to {{obj}}. Anger, betrayal, fear. He couldn't see which emotion painted {{poss}} face. He reached over, silently wrapping his arms around them as he tugged {{obj}} close.

He wanted to tell {{obj}} that he was sorry. That it was his fault that their best friend was dead. To cry and cry until he woke up in his bed and sigh when he realized this was a bad dream. But he couldn't. He just held on tighter, praying she'd move on.

.