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𝔇𝔦𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔲𝔢 𝓒𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔯 || [color=#c9c916]#c9c916[/color] ||| 𝔗𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝓒𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔯 || [color=#3F9CB1]#3F9CB1[/color]
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Haruka didn't respond to Jett's words aloud, but she raised her head, and it was enough. Her amber eyes were wide as she stared at him, and found him smiling - yes, smiling, despite everything, despite all she'd done and all that had been said, and every single mistake she had made.

And then, in another second, there was a sudden flurry of motion. She was falling, too confused to process what had happened until he was already holding her, his murmured apology ringing in her ear.

There was complete silence. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her up, and this time, she didn't try at all to get away. Haruka couldn't have brought herself to move or say anything, no matter how hard she might have tried, because those words were still ringing in her mind. His answer... it was more than she could ever hoped to hear - more than she had ever deserved. And yet... it was exactly what she had most desperately wanted.

The image of her aunt and uncle rose in her mind, unbidden. How tall they had looked, standing there over her bedside. Her aunt was rubbing her eyes, while her uncle seemed so grave he could hardly speak. How many times had they apologized, wished they could have done something? How many times had they congratulated her? How little had it meant to her as she sat there, the beeping of the EKG ringing in her ears as she felt the numbness where once there had been such strength, and realized at last the enormity of all she had lost? She had felt so small, and all their words had only made her more painfully aware of that fact.

[i]"I'm so sorry..."[/i]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]Stop saying that. Don't pity me.[/i][/color]

[i]"You were so brave..."[/i]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]Stop it. Please, stop looking at me like that...![/i][/color]

That dark shape in the corner, lurking always on the edge of her vision. Those innocent blue eyes staring at her with such disbelief and confusion, as if the entire world they knew had fallen apart right in front of them. Almost no words had been spoken between them. What could they have to say? Haruka couldn't lead her anymore, and as for that girl... That girl should have just realized that she had never needed her help. And yet, when she did speak...

[color=#F50A83][i]"Haruka...? If... If you can't become a Hero, then I'll become one for you."[/i][/color]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]No.[/i][/color]

[color=#F50A83][i]"That's just how I am. I see things that I admire, and I counterfeit them."[/i][/color]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]That's not... this isn't how...[/i][/color]

[color=#F50A83][i]"So please smile, Haruka... Even just a little bit would be fine."[/i][/color]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]How can I smile when you look at me like that?![/i][/color]

[color=#F50A83][i]"I'll use my power to copy your strength, and grant that wish of yours."[/i][/color]

[color=#3F9CB1][i]This isn't what I wished for at all. Why can't you see that?! Why can't anyone...?![/i][/color]

But they couldn't see. They were all blind to what she wanted, to what she felt. She had never wanted to be pitied, to be coddled, to be a burden to everyone. Even if it hurt, that didn't matter. What she had really wanted... the words she had really needed to hear were...!

[color=#007236][i]"It’s unfortunate that you lost your leg. But this isn’t the end of your story Haruka, you can still can do good. When you get used to it, I know you’re going to turn this around into a positive. I don’t know how, that’s for you to figure out. But I want you to know that no matter what, I’m going to be there and support you in whatever you decide to do. Alright?"[/i][/color]

Her whole body trembled, and the walls she'd built failed her at last. She realized that she was crying, but suddenly, that didn't seem to matter anymore. The words she'd wanted to say were all jumbled up inside her, and before she could make sense of what they were, they were already spilling out.

[color=#c9c916]"You... You know, when my aunt and uncle came to take me out of the hospital, they put me in a wheelchair. They wouldn't even... No, I couldn't even push myself forward."[/color] The words were coming out between sobs, but once she'd begun to speak, she couldn't possibly have stopped, no matter how much she faltered. [color=#c9c916]"I was so weak I couldn't even move on my own. It made me want to throw up. I hated it... I hated it so much...!"[/color] She found herself clinging to him, no matter how pitiful a spectacle it might have been. Because she knew... she knew that he understood. He alone truly understood her, and that was why he had to know. [color=#c9c916]I know it's selfish, but... but... even if I failed, I wanted them to let me try to walk again...!"[/color]

She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. [color=#c9c916]"If you.... if you had treated me like that, I don't know what I would have done... When you saw me, I was so scared... I didn't want you to see how weak I was."[/color] Slowly, she raised her head, staring up at him with reddened eyes, blushing cheeks... and the most hopeful smile she'd worn since the last time he'd seen her face, standing across from him on the station platform and making that old promise.

[color=#c9c916]"Why? Why is it you always know exactly what to say? How can I forgive myself for being angry at you when you're so nice to me, you idiot?"[/color]

There was only one more thing to say.

[color=#c9c916]"This is why..."[/color]

But at last she hesitated. Her voice trailed off into silence, and she slowly, bashfully lowered her head and stepped away from him. If she said something like that to him when she was like this... No, there was no way that Jett Haven, the one who had always been so kind to her, could possibly say anything other than what she wanted to hear. He would feel he had no choice in the matter. That kind of answer... that wasn't what she wanted. And for that reason... this was one thing she couldn't say. Not yet. Not until she had proven that he was right about her, that she really could make something of herself yet. And then, when that time came...

Haruka took a deep breath. Her mind was at ease. She wasn't afraid of speaking to him, afraid of what he would think or what he would say. How could she be? For all her fears and misgivings, he was still the same Jett... the same Jett Haven she had fallen in love with back then. Now was no time to cry. Her eyes were dry, her resolve steeled, and her mind made up. Once more, she met his gaze with a smile, and something of the old Hazukaze Haruka was there again, standing before him.

[color=#c9c916]"...I'm sorry to be so selfish. But there's something I need to tell you before I go home again. Once I'm ready... Will you listen to what I have to say?"[/color]

[@Aerandir]