Snippet #1899908

Lyra smiled to Kiyoshi softly. She could not understand what he felt. She had never faced death. Her parents were healthy, even her grandparents. All passings in the family and friends were before her time. She knew Duncan's father, but never had more than a few brief words with the elder. This was something that struck Lyra hard; the realization that she could sympathize with loss but never truly understand it. Not until it dragged her down. And to Kiyoshi, Lyra was standing on death's walkway. If Lyra did die. . . Than it was over for her. She would be nothing and would have no regrets with how she lived. But then, Kiyoshi would have the knowledge that he failed her. Perhaps that was what terrified him the most. Perhaps now Lyra understood. Even if she was only scraping the surface of true pain.

Lyra frowned, a darkness clouding her eyes to this thought. You need him, but he needs your strength more than anything now. He is still that small, mute child beneath his aged shell. Do not give up, do not become weak.

Lyra blinked, her body stiffening to the growl whispering inside her mind. Was that her. . . Wolf? Lyra thought back to the voice but found the action futile. It was gone. She sighed, not realizing she had been holding her breath. For that moment, the voice seemed as if it would overpower her, even though the moon was still long away. Something did not feel entirely right.

Still, Lyra knew that truth had been spoken. She would remain strong for herself and for him. It was the least she could do. She put a smile on her face and swallowed the ting of fear that she felt. Kiyoshi did not need to share her own worries. "We should keep going," Lyra urged softly, resting her head against his chest for a final minute of protection. "The breakfast places will be getting crowded soon. And Senpai," she added, proving the respect she felt for him as she meet his gaze, "I love you. Nothing can change that. Turtle or wolf. . . You will always be Kiyoshi to me. My Kiyoshi. Now come on, we don't want to miss out on anything, and the others will be curious if we are out for too long." Lyra smiled and slipped her hand into Kiyoshi's as she stepped back slowly.