[hider=The End of Together]
[sub](Conclusion to the collaboration by [@BeastofDestiny] and [@Narcotic Dollie])[/sub]

The tears are still streaming down his cheeks as Nori unleashes her tirade of insults, he lowers his head and his body begins to shake; he starts to chuckle.  When his head raises up again, the same soft smile is still on it, [color=LimeGreen]”Yea, maybe I am a little dense,”[/color] he starts to step forward, [color=LimeGreen]”and maybe...just maybe I’m pathetic for even thinking I have a shot with someone as drop dead gorgeous as you. But to be perfectly blunt, you must be just as dense as I am if you think for even a second I’m going to buy that bullshit you just spewed.”[/color]

He’s standing barely inches in front of her now, before he wraps his arms around her, pulling her close to him. [color=LimeGreen]”I don’t know what’s going on...to make you want to try and push me away so hard that you’d have to lie to my face about it...but all I know, is that I want you in my life, and no matter how many insults you throw, how hard you hit me, what lies you say, I won’t give up on you.  All I want is the truth…and...if it really is something I did, I’d like to know how I wronged you...”[/color]

He sees right through her and Nori hates it and is relieved by it all at once. He steps into her space and gathers her up into his arms like she's made of spun silk instead of the girl who just viciously tried to tear him down not even a minute earlier. Kyle's shoulders are so wide that his embrace blocks out everything else and she lets herself relax for just a second, pressing her face into his chest and inhaling deeply.

“I can't say it,” she murmurs quietly, the image of the detective that had promised to protect her flashes into her mind and she can't admit it out loud.

Because then it really happened and she was the reason a good man was gone.

“I'm sorry Kyle, I can't right now. I need some space,” she finishes quietly, her golden eyes shut tight.

[color=LimeGreen]”Please…”[/color] his voice is almost begging, [color=LimeGreen]”Nori, I’m really scared, scared for you and so fucking lost in the dark here, its unbearable.”[/color] His grip tightens on the woman, [color=LimeGreen]”I don’t have to know everything, I just need to know you’re alright, that you’re safe, because I saw your apartment,”[/color] the charred husk of her building’s remains, vividly appear in his mind, [color=LimeGreen]”As time went on, I kept thinking, what if you had been in there? ...what if I hadn’t offered for you to stay the night? ...What if...if the weatherman is trying to kill you..?”[/color] the image of the weatherman from the documentary flashed in his mind, [color=LimeGreen]”I couldn’t stomach the thoughts...I was so afraid of just...of just losing you, even now that thought terrifies me…”[/color] he pauses briefly, [color=LimeGreen]”Whatever is going on...I want to help you with it, I don’t even know what I could do, but you don’t have to do it alone…”[/color]

“Hey, cut it out, cowboy,” Nori tells him, her voice soft as she reaches up and wipes away the tears on his face with her thumb. “It’s going to be okay, I swear,” she stops to give him a watery smile, before continuing, “And I know you’ve got my back, but I’m not ready to talk about this yet.” She meets his gaze and pats his cheek gently, trying to reassure him in some way, but she can’t tell if it’s working or not. “I’ll be alright and I’ll always pick up the phone if you call me, but you have to let me do this on my own. There’s something I need to work out, before I can be with anyone.”

“It really is going to be okay, Kyle,” the blonde reiterates, and she feels her cell phone buzz in her purse, but she ignores it for now. 

She tried to reassure him that everything was alright, that everything was going to be okay, and when she pressed her hand against his cheek his breath shuddered under her gentle caress; he didn’t want to let go, but wiith a great amount of reluctance, Kyle nodded, [color=LimeGreen]”Okay…”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]”I believe you,”[/color] he said, [i]‘...but I don’t’[/i] he thought, [color=LimeGreen]”I’ll trust you to deal with...whatever it is you are dealing with,”[/color] he hated this feeling of being lost, but despite saying everything he could think of, there was nothing else more he could go off of, he just...had to accept her decision.  With watery eyes he leaned down and planted a tender kiss on her forehead, [color=LimeGreen]”Just..be careful okay? If you get in too over your head, you call and I’ll come running, I promise that.”[/color] A serious expression was written across his brow, [color=LimeGreen]”You might want to get back to whoever’s messaging you,”[/color] he stated, [color=LimeGreen]”And...I need to get back to her,”[/color] another lie, [color=LimeGreen]”I’ll…”[/color] he was having a hard time with this one, [color=LimeGreen]”I’ll see you around.”[/color] [i]‘hopefully’[/i]

He released his grip on her before he turned and started walking towards the mansion, he couldn’t bear to watch her leave, lest the urge to chase after her and pull her back overwhelmed him again.  The tears were welling up again, but he couldn’t let her see them, [i]’Damn it Parker, get a fucking grip on yourself!’[/i] The words felt useless, so all he could hope to do was pick up his pace a little and that Nori had already started walking away.  Nori had things to deal with, things that Kyle couldn’t help with, things that she couldn’t tell him, that hurt more than he could have imagined, especially after bleeding his heart out to her like that.  He had to wonder if this all came back to the same theme again, that she didn’t trust him...well...he’d have to trust her to do the right thing and to keep herself safe; Kyle, unfortunately, didn’t think she’d ever allow him to.
[/hider]
[hider=Meandering Alone]
8:00 pm, New Years Eve

Having waited for Nori to be gone and refusing to return to Amity's mansion, Kyle had made a quick escape off of the estate and had found himself wandering the streets of Shine Junction.  His mind felt like a cloud, aimless, unfocused, his mind constantly replaying the same scene that had just taken place not even an hour or so ago.  Was it that long?  What time was it even?  It didn't matter, time was pointless, there was only the moment, and in that moment, Kyle felt empty.

*Bump* [color=LimeGreen]"Damn,"[/color] he muttered under his breath, he was so busy walking he hadn't really considered paying attention to see if anyone was coming, [color=LimeGreen]"Sorry about that I-- Liam?"[/color]

Sure enough the red haired manager of his friend was standing before him and so was... a woman? [color=LimeGreen]"Uhh..."[/color] Looking around Kyle noticed they were standing in front of 'The Tiny Snowflake', Liam having noticed Kyle's confusion gestures for the woman to head in first and he'd follow suit.  When the two were alone he clarified to him, "(She's my date for the evening,)" for a second, Liam's cheeks looked almost the same color as his hair before he quickly changed the subject, "(Shouldn't you be at the ball with Nori right now?)" Kyle's hurt expression was all the man needed to see to understand, "(I see...so why are you out here then?)"

[color=LimeGreen]"(To be perfectly blunt...I don't know, anywhere seems better than the ball at this point.)"[/color]

"(Hm...)" The red head seemed to briefly consider, "(The way I see it, you can either wallow in your misery out here, or....you have a ticket to free alcohol and a night of fun.)"

Drinking? Fun? Was this really coming from Liam? [color=LimeGreen]"(Y-you're serious? I don't even have a mask though, I forgot it back at the mansion.)"[/color]

Liam considered for a moment again before reaching his hand out to grab at Kyle's tie, with quick motions he expertly untied it and ripped it off the young man, leaving Kyle stunned at the sudden physical contact.  Liam then flicked open a pocket knife and cut two eye shaped holes in it before quickly wrapping it on Kyle. "(Well, take a look.)" Liam gestured towards the window.

Looking at his reflection, he inspected Liam's work, it was a little silly having a tie for a mask, it made him look like one of the Pre-Adolescent Radioactive Samurai Reptiles, but a mask was a mask and Kyle couldn't complain. "(Alright, get out of here,)" Liam instructed, "(I have a date to attend to, oh and Kyle,)" He stopped short before entering the restaurant, "(Do make sure to talk to Amity at some point this evening and make up with her, she's going to miss you if you don't.)" With that Liam stepped inside, leaving Kyle to decide on going or not.  Pulling the ticket from his pocket, Kyle set his mind to going, having something strong to warm his belly wouldn't kill him and if he got the chance to talk to Amie, he would.[/hider]
[hider=To The Ball! -sigh- To the Ball...]
8:25 pm, The Masquerade Ball

Kyle was allowed entrance, his mask was a mask, even though he got a couple of strange looks from it, though he was sure that he wasn't the only going in some kind of impromptu mask. He immediately asked one of the servers where the bar was and was directed towards an area off to the side.  As he approached, he noted the silver haired gentleman, it wasn't until he got closer that he recognized him as the Shine Academy Professor, had Kyle not just been dumped, he might have struck up a conversation.  Instead, he opted to sit to the far end of the bar, away from Shou, hopefully with the mask and his hair dyed and styled the way it was, he wouldn't be recognizable.

"What can I get for you sir?" The bartender asked, approaching Kyle

[color=LimeGreen]"What's the strongest proof you have?"[/color] His question was abrupt and to the point

"Uh, well I have some Bacardi 151, but that might be a litt--"

[color=LimeGreen]"Give me a shot of that, to the rim and a chaser of wine, merlot."[/color]

The masked bartender looked a little shocked at the request but reluctantly went about it, filling up a shot glass with the amber colored rum, a glass of red wine slid across towards him, "There you are sir."

Without hesitation Kyle picked up the shot glass and downed it in one go, his throat felt on fire, the rum incredibly strong as his teeth clenched and his eyes squinted shut. He placed the glass down on the counter and picked up the wine glass, downing three massive gulps before placing the glass down and breathing silently for a moment.  Though the glass itself wasn't empty he gestured for the bartender to refill it, Kyle already feeling the effects of the liquor taking hold of him.  Normally he'd pace himself, but tonight, he didn't really want to feel things, he didn't want to feel that emptiness, so he'd fill it with rum and wine and whatever other liquors would be allowed down his gullet.  In the back of his mind, he knew this was probably a bad idea, but he could give less of a damn right now.

Leaning over the counter he stared down into the crimson liquid, he wondered how he had come to this point, allowing a girl to actually drive him to drink. He laughed softly to himself as his fingers traced the rim of the glass, that wasn't her fault, he knew that, this was his choice, his choice to forget, just for a little bit....already seemed to be working.  His head was feeling hazy, the rum having done the trick for him as he took another drink of the wine.  Movement caught his eye as he saw the silver haired man appear to compose himself as he slid closer to...Amie? No that couldn't be Amity...could it? He watched with intent eyes as the man wooed the woman before him, their voices were hushed, the conversation low over the sound of the party behind him.  it wasn't long until ball room music began to play and the two had found themselves leaving the bar and making their way center of the room.

He didn't know if it was the drink or not, but he couldn't tell if the girl the professor was dancing with was his friend or not..what if it was? There was an instinctive urge to protect the woman from the older gentleman, but what would that accomplish if he was wrong? What would that even accomplish if he was right? So he stayed, and he watched as the two began their dance, their form and grace and movements like pure choreographed chemistry. Their movements felt intimate, as if they had known each other their whole lives...dammit why was Kyle watching this? He turned away, unable to watch the dance anymore, he wasn't entirely sure why he was so bothered by it, though if he had a hunch to go on, it'd be because...

[i]'I wish I was out there with [b]her[/b]...'[/i]
[/hider]