Untamed Heart ✨

Chapter 52 - Emerging From Rubble

Ascending from beneath the charred rubble is a figure. A tall figure. Bold, quite muscular. Rising like the symbol of power, the roaring flames dance around him as if he's suddenly a celebrity, individual specks of darkness trying to grip ahold of his lengthy hair. My boyfriend was confirmed to be alive. Upon inspecting his surroundings, he's plunged into a somewhat disheartened state, glaring down at the countless bodies of presumed friends. Being laid flat out on the ground, I assume they were all much more susceptible to the carnage. That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if Rindo is well and truly deceased by now. I pout, scanning out a safe path to him that avoids unsuspecting attacks from each heated orange glow. In the meantime, Senju attends to her blue-haired companion, slipping her jacket off until she's down to nothing but a stomach wrap, which still ends up being awfully revealing. Amidst the cries and pleas, she wraps it around his battered leg with delicacy to halt the bleeding from worsening. Watching Tatsuo with confusion, he rummages around amongst the fallen structures until eventually pulling another man up with a mighty tug. Such a satisfying sound from the two hands meeting echoes across the hallway, the two brothers reunited yet again although the circumstances are even more horrible currently. "I just can't get rid of you" Kakucho jokes, examining the heap of his men all either crushed, burnt or strung up across the floor. I allow the two to have their seconds or admiration, before my mind is made up and I find myself flinging myself against Tatsuo's warm body. Pleasingly it seems he notices me, catching my body as it flails into his arms. "I thought you were dead for a second" I lament, burying my forehead deep against his chest. Positioning my head so I'm facing away, I lock eyes with his brother, who shoots me a simple nod since the situation is pretty awkward. I hope that if we manage to survive such purgatory, I can become close with what little family Tatsuo has remaining. "Your arms are burnt" I point out to him, but he seems to disregard it as if it's a normal occurrence in life. "I'll be fine, we've got bigger problems for now" is all he replies with. I swivel back around to be greeted by the agonising groan of Angry, who has now risen to his feet thanks to Kazutora and Smiley while Senju presses gentle dabs to Hina's bloody scalp. In my eyes that girl would be a great doctor. "Hakkai!" Peh-yan calls out, searching through each classroom with smoky doors now blown off completely, hinges deleted and scattered across the room in places you wouldn't think they'd be able to travel to. A few more role calls are blasted out from such a loud mouth before finally a man emerges through a cloud of smoke, blood trickling down his right trouser leg although it doesn't seem too severe. "It's just a little cut" he remarks, feeling his forehead as if he has the most excruciating headache known to man. "Is that everyone?" Peh-yan questions, searching the circle for a total head count of ten. However coming up one short is not what we need right now. "Where's Chifuyu?" I ask, inspecting everyone's dull expressions as clearly they have no clue where he could lie. "Where did those two go as well?" Kakucho ponders, pointing down at the ground where the distressed Haitani brothers gathered. Now reduced to nothing, as if they've suddenly vanished. One by one we start calling out to him, scanning each corner as there's no plausible way this boy can disappear into thin air. The racket continues for about two or three minutes, before finally our prayers are answered. For the most part. With a stumble across the staircase, the blonde figure reveals himself in a not so perfect condition. "Y- you guys are so loud" he chuckles, descending down a singular step before he's halted. Battered. Beaten into ground by seemingly the only remaining figure other than us. Upon getting here I've seen others, breathing or gasping for air to show they're definitely still alive. But I see no possible way we can rescue every single one of them. "We're not d- done yet" the slender man coughs, towering over most with his extreme height. He takes a bloody hand, wiping it across his lip during his time staring down at Chifuyu, who lays twitching, but still conscious. "Let's have one last dance in hell together?" Hanma barks, extending both arms out as you would for a hug. "I never thought he'd go as far as this. Isn't it brilliant?" Hanma taunts, cracking his knuckles against each other with a blistering sound. I observe as Tatsuo's caliginous eyes lock onto Hanma's, the two contesting each other ready for a final act. "You guys go" Tatsuo murmurs to the displeasure of almost everyone. "I don't think that's smart" Kazutora clarifies, looking for backup from the rest of us who all know it's best to go together. "I will stay and fight with Hanma, the rest of you are ordered to leave. Escape. Save yourselves". I cling against his arm, only to be pulled closer into a tight one-armed hug. "I'll be with you shortly, that's a promise" he whispers against my skin, gently kissing my forehead before allowing me to be swallowed up by Senju's grasp. "We should listen" she urges, no matter how much I say I'm staying. I am not ready to lose the number one person in my life, not to some petty conditions that I ended up worsening by arriving here in the first place. "Go and get help, get treated by the medics, most of us aren't in great condition". Hakkai stumbles over, scooping Chifuyu up over his shoulder before Hanma can react, not that he wanted to apparently anyway. It seems to be between him and Tatsuo. After pleading some more, I figure out it's no use. Nobody can convince him otherwise. With that, there's nothing that can be done. It starts with Smiley, who assists his brother as the two lead the line out and down the corridor we came from however long ago. Urged to help, Peh-yan takes ahold of Angry's other side, providing extra support. I feel a flimsy hand placed against my shoulder, Hinata implying it's the best thing to follow them since it ensures maximum safety. Admitting defeat, I allow Senju and Hina to guide me along, one last glance at Tatsuo is all that's left as he shoots me a soft wink. I know he'll come back to me alive. As the last man tracks past the battlefield, Kakucho halts, standing aside his brother to provide assistance in battle. "You know I don't need help right? I can easily do this myself". His brother scoffs, glaring into Shuji Hanma's dark soul with content to finish him off for good. "I couldn't let you enjoy it all by yourself" he counters, prying a laugh out of Tatsuo who looks against him disapprovingly. "Well, I guess it'll be my dying wish to fight alongside Kakucho Hitto".