theoryandcalculation | [Inugami] IC Inbox

I'm back in the auditorium. I couldn't get myself to go to class after that.

[For obvious reasons.]

It was in the boys' bathroom on the second floor. I don't remember what stall.

Right, auditorium, got it. Is there anyone else there with you?

No. Just me. I really should have called someone... That would have been the logical thing.

[He's still in shock.]

Idiot... [Just a whisper. Maybe it's not fair to call Rei an idiot under these circumstances, but Rin's concern is more often than not displayed with a side of anger.]

All right, I'm coming over. And keep me on the phone until I get there.

[If Rei hears it, he doesn't protest, just sighs and leans his head back against the wall.]

Alright, Rin-san.

[Normally he would say that Rin doesn't have to do that, but he's scared and would rather be with someone than alone.]

I'll be there as soon as I can, but if anyone else outside of our group comes over, just leave the auditorium, and tell me where you're going-- tell me anything that happens, got it?

[Should he try to get the others first? Tell them what's going on? Haru and Makoto should be together, at least, but what about Sousuke and Nagisa? Would they be okay?

He only has his instinct to trust, and it's telling him to get to Rei first.]

I will. No one's here right now.

[He takes a few more deep breathes, listening. Rin's straight forward, sensible instructions are helping him keep calm. It's something to grab on to, that makes sense. Something to think about that isn't blood and dead bodies.]

I'm just hiding.

[His mind goes straight to Rei, all by himself in that auditorium, hiding, scared, and his feet race faster than his heart. Maybe there's not much he can do, but somehow he just feels like being together will make a difference.]

All right, you stay hidden. I don't know if you can see the doors from where you are, but I'll call out for you when I get there; any other noise will not be me, got it?

Understood.

[Rei takes a few more calming breaths, listening intently for Rin coming through the door, and hoping only he comes through the door. After another minute, there's a creak, and he yelps.]

I heard something!

[It's just the building settling (one hopes), but he's so jittery with nerves that he jumps anyway. After another moment of intent listening, he sighs a little, clutching at his heart.]

I think it was nothing.

[Rin freezes in his tracks when Rei tells him he heard something, but when it turns out to be nothing, he just mentally curses and resumes his sprint. He can't really blame the guy for hearing things, especially not after what he's witnessed.]

Rei! [Give it a few more minutes and Rin is blasting through the auditorium doors, looking around for any signs of his friend.] Rei, where are you?

I'm over in the wings, by our mats.

[He says it into the phone, not really wanting to yell. He's relieved, though, now that Rin is here. It feels better to be not alone.]

Right, got it.

[He flips the phone closed, shoves it in his pocket and runs off to the wings. There's no one else in the auditorium so far, and it's a small comfort for the moment; unless it was one of their friends, Rin isn't sure he would be willing to trust just anybody else.]

There you are! [Another quick jog and he catches up to the other swimmer, making sure to keep his voice to a low-- he needs to stay alert, in case anyone else shows up.] How long have you been here by yourself?

[Rei looks up at Rin, uncurling slightly from the slight ball he's put himself in. He feels a little bit calmer now that Rin is here, though no less afraid.]

Fifteen minutes, maybe.

[He pushes back his glasses and rubs at his eyes, though he hasn't been crying. He's still too in shock to cry.]

Thank you for coming, Rin-san.

Yeah, no problem...

[He squats down beside Rei, thinks of what to say, then decides to sit instead-- this could take a while. He wants to ask if Rei is okay, but that would be pointless; he's very visibly not okay, and now that they are together, Rin isn't sure what their next course of action should be.]

Do you... need anything? Some water or, I dunno, anything?

[He figures it might be best to ask; isn't communication a beautiful thing?]

[Rei gives his head a little shake.] I'll try to drink something later.

[He knows he should, because he threw up, and that means he's probably dehydrated, but he doesn't trust himself with water now, and more than that, he doesn't want Rin to leave him.]

I'm not sure what I need right now, Rin-san. [And he sounds apologetic, because that's not helpful.] I suppose going home would be too tall an order.

[Rin's face immediately falls at Rei's suggestion, a scoff that's a blend of morbid amusement and helplessness rising in his chest.]

Hey. [He looks up again, and with his arms straight up bridging the gap between them, he reaches for Rei's shoulders, gives them what he hopes is a reassuring squeeze.] We're all getting out here, you hear me? Just... hang in there a while longer. It'll be all right.

[Maybe it won't, but for as long as Rin is here, he'll do his damn hardest not to let anything happen to the people he cares about.]

[Rei looks in Rin's eyes and gives him a small, sad smile. He knows Rin is just trying to reassure him, but he's not stupid. He knows that Rin can't know that for sure.

He'd been hopeful yesterday. In just 24 hours everything has changed.]

There's a murderer on the loose, Rin-san. Right now they're just killing those strange students, but what if they get bored with that?

[He looks down at his hand, smile dropping.] We can't leave, we can't call for help. What are we supposed to do?

[It's true, Rin can't know anything for sure. But he's an optimist, sometimes naively so, and he's taken it upon himself to share that hope with his friends, to keep them from despairing, if that's all he can save them from. It's the least he can do for the people he owes so much to.]

We stay strong. [He finally starts, quietly, but still forcing some energy into his voice.] Together, doing the very best we can to stay safe, until we find the way out.

[Rin gives his shoulders another squeeze, and a bit of a shake, too. Look at him, Rei.]

You are not the type to give up, Rei. Not the type to get caught up with your feelings and lose your head. [That's more Rin's territory, not that it needs saying.] Like hell I'm gonna let you start doing that now.

[The shaking gets Rei to look up as intended, so he meets Rin's eyes for the last of his speech. It's not that he wants to give up, but this isn't swimming, or a competition, this is real, this is life-threatening.

He's never been this scared in his life.

But as he looks at Rin, here reminding him he's not alone, he feels like maybe he doesn't have to completely fall apart just because of fear.

(Still, he's shivering a little.)]

You're right, Rin-san. I know I need to pull myself together.

[He closes his eyes and breathes in, out. Opens his eyes again. He looks slightly less panicked.]

I just... need a minute.

[Whether it's swimming or life-threatening matters, it's indifferent to Rin; he believes in tackling everything full force and going the distance-- and in this case, that means actively trying to find a way out, instead of curling up in a corner and crying themselves to sleep. As long as there is a way to fix this, there is hope.

But Rin is not insensitive, and he's not about to make high demands from Rei-- he can't even imagine what it must have felt like, to stumble upon that kind of grotesque scene. He needs a break.]

Yeah, I get that. [A nod, along with a small smile of his own. He understands.] I know it must have been scary, so take as many minutes as you need. I'll stay here with you, okay?

Thank you, Rin-san.

[He knows it's not really necessary, but he says it anyway, letting himself sink a little lower, pulling up his knees and pillowing his head on his arms.]

They're bold.

[He stares at the button on his uniform cuff, and it takes him a moment to elaborate.]

To kill someone in the middle of the day like that, right before lunch... anyone could have walked in. Why would someone do that, when they're likely to get caught?

I don't know.

[It's not much in the way of comfort, he knows, but Rin reaches for Rei's shoulder again, drapes his hand there in quiet reassurance that he's not moving. A reminder that Rei isn't alone, no matter what.]

But who says that was real? [He breaks the silence at last, voice firm, in a way that contrasts with the uncertainty of his words.] It could've been a fake body, something our kidnappers planted there just to freak us out. You've seen the weirdo students in this school, right? There's no way that many people could all look the same...

[There it is, that naive optimism so particular to Rin. Maybe it could be of some help, if it could lift Rei's spirit back up.]

You think it was a fake?

[There was so much blood... if it was a fake, it was a good one.]

I'm not sure, Rin-san... what would they have to gain from frightening some of us like that? To send some sort of message?

[Why would they kill one of their own... whatever those other students are?]

I think it was real. As real as those other people are.

Maybe they are. And maybe they're not.

[Rei, if you're going to be stubborn, Rin can be twice as bad. There's always a silver lining, always a thread of hope to cling to, and he's going to make sure everyone sees it.]

Look. [A sigh.] I don't know what they want with us, or why they would fake a murder, and that's exactly why I'm not ruling anything out. So I'm just saying, try not to freak out too bad just yet. Not until we know anything for sure. Okay?

[Rei stares incredulously at him for a moment, then nods slowly. He doesn't really believe it was fake, doesn't think, if Rin had seen it, that he would think it was fake either, but he understands what Rin is trying to do. He's trying to keep him from panicking, keep hope alive.

Rei's grateful for that, even if he thinks Rin is full of shit.]

You could be right, Rin-san. We shouldn't rule it out as a possibility, at the very least.

Still, I want to tell the others. Just to be on the safe side. [Tonight, once they're all together.] I'm glad we've already set up shifts for keeping watch.

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