How Do I Say I Love You?

I want to live💚

After the call, the days seemed to blur together. The only notable things were the moments when extras threw me worried glances or even wasted their time to ask me if I was alright. The homework only lessened as exams approached.

I left my room less and less, soon only leaving to go to classes and to do my chores. I could hardly stand being around even Octopus guy and he was the most tolerable one here.

On the coldest morning of the year, I decided to go for a run, something I hadn't done in a while. It was in the 20's, temperature-wise, unexpected by even the meteorologists. The right temperature to get you shivering so hard that it hurts. Just how I liked it, though that might mean I'm a bit of a masochist.

I left my room in a tank top and some old sweatpants I had borrowed from the gym I trained at before UA, carrying along the little backpack and a new bag of sludge inside.

For a while after the Kamino incident, I wanted to get back into my routine runs, but I wasn't allowed to leave campus. I tried to run on the expansive campus a few times, but I constantly got lost and a robotic assistant showed me a track out back that I hadn't seen before.

It was huge, almost as big as the auditorium from the sports festival. It almost reminded me of a track from the original Olympics from decades ago.

Nearing the track, I tightened the straps of the backpack, hoping that it wouldnt tug on my tube too much while I went for my run. I looked up and saw a green blur of light circling around the track, so fast that I couldn't see much other than green light and a darker splotch of color below it.

I didn't need to think to know who it was. I'd been forced to see his green static too much to not remember it. The sight of it was burned into my memories of being taken...

I shuddered at the memory, pushing it down and away from my thoughts.

It would be better for the both of us if I ignored him and pretended as though he wasn't there. It only got easier after years of being around him.

Stretching a bit before I began my run, I made sure to get out all the stiffness in my thighs and lower back. I would not be able to stand another day in bed after pulling a muscle.

Once I felt ready enough, I headed out, starting in a light jog. I felt lighter than ever, my ability to run now stronger than ever, the desire to run stronger too. I was quick to burst out into a full jog, my legs moving on their own now.

Footteps behind me were approaching fast, an uneasy feeling building up inside of me as they slowed to a stop. 'Gotta keep moving', I told myself, willing my legs to keep moving without a pause.

My legs started to feel weak, unsteady in a long run since i hadn't been training as much as I had been since the Kamino incident. I made my body move, though it protested. I ignored the tube hitting the back of my throat, ignoring the burning sensation in my legs and chest as well.

I had always been strong willed, working hard even while i was sick or over exhausted. Things usually came easy to me and this was no different.

I picked up my pace a bit, trying to get as far away from him as fast as I possibly could. If he left me alone, I'd be sure to leave him alone too. That's how things work.

Right?

The icy air was sharp in my throat, itching as i held in a subtle cough. Swallowing hard, i did my best to hold off the annoyance, having to already deal with one that was much feistier than it.

The footsteps approached again, faster now that i had gained some distance between us two. A string of strained breaths came about. "Kacchan...*cough* you're supposed to be resting from training. You have to go back inside the dorms or you'll get sick."