Fixation

Ryoma Ending

Ryoma sat up in his bed, the sunlight pooling through his open window and into his room. He clenched his fist, staring down at it.

He couldn't help but think of Raiden's words as they echoed through his mind over and over again, never once giving him a break.

"If you feel like Ace is the only person in your life that you need... Then why don't you just take her and leave? ...After all, you could just force your way through. Nobody here can beat your strength."

He sighed, glancing at the clock. It was still fairly early. Everyone should still be in their rooms, barely waking up if not asleep.

Standing up, he walked over to his desk before pulling out a roll of elastic bandages. He gazed at them for a while before deciding to wrap them around his fingers and palms, all the way up to his wrist.

Maybe it is time to take her and leave.

Walking over to his restroom, his stared at his reflection for a long moment. Those red eyes of his.. Almost felt like a curse.

Anyone with crimson eyes would be naturally feared for their menacing, unnatural color. He had used it to his advantage when he decided that he would intimidate others to protect himself...

It was time for him to leave, and remind himself of his true nature.

~

Yawning and stretching her arms slightly, Ace slowly sat up and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. It was only when she glanced over to her side, she jolted in surprise.

Ryoma, who sat on a chair slumped back, had his eyes closed.

As she furrowed her brow in confusion as to why he was here, her eyes caught sight of both his hands. Her eyes widened in horror.

Both were wrapped in white bandages, both stained with blood more predominantly on his knuckles, smearing downwards. Droplets of blood splattered along his wrists and back of his hands.

The bedroom door was swung open, revealing the hallway. From her position, she could see one of the guys' body slumped and unconscious on the floor, blood smeared along the back of his head.

Her lips parted open as she felt fear running through her veins. "What..?"

Ryoma opened his eyes tiredly, noticing that she was awake. He stood up, closing the distance between the two.

Instinctively, the girl scooted back and away from him, tensed up in fear. The cuffs that bound her wrists pulled at her skin, preventing her from fleeing. "W-what.. did you do?" She uttered shakily.

His crimson eyes seemed to grow darker. "It was necessary."

"Wh-What? Why?" She shrunk back as he towered over her.

"I'm leaving this place and taking you with me." He said, unraveling his bandages.

After he glanced at his bruised skin, he turned his gaze back to the terrified girl, swinging his fist and striking the back side of her head, knocking her out cold.

~

When she regained her consciousness, she groaned in pain as the side of her head throbbed. When she tried moving her left hand to touch her head, the familiar sensation of cuffs restricting her movement and digging into her skin made her grimace slightly.

Opening her eyes, she realized she was laying on a couch beside a stone wall, her handcuffs attached to protruding metal hoops. The room itself seemed fairly empty with a few furnishings scattered about.

When she tried sitting up, she heard a voice speak. "I wouldn't try that if I were you."

The girl paused momentarily, craning her neck and taking a glimpse at Ryoma. He was sitting on a stool beside the couch she lay on, a familiar black notebook in his hands.

Deciding to ignore his suggestion, she suffered a major headache when she finally got herself to sit upright. "Argh..!" She grunted, pressing her free hand to her head and shutting her eyes tightly.

The male put down the book, standing up and taking a seat beside her. "You always don't listen to me." He sighed, taking hold of her hand and inspecting the wound by the back side of her head. He reached out to what seemed to be an ice pack sitting on a small table in front of the couch, holding it to the wound.

She winced at the sudden coldness making contact with her skin.

When she suddenly allowed herself to relax, she frowned, the image of his bloody knuckles and one of the guys collapsed in the hallway of the house flashing back in her mind. "About the guys.. you didn't.. kill them, did you?"

Ryoma felt a frown tug at his lips. "No. Why would I kill them? I just knocked them out."

The girl cringed. "Why was there so much.. Blood? And your hands.."

He sighed. "Unlike you, they didn't sit still and get knocked out without a fight." He shrugged. "I was forced to use more strength than I initially thought I would be using."

Her eyes landed on his hands that had been rebandaged. "Are your knuckles okay..?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about me." He replied, brushing away a strand of hair that fell in front of her face. "I'm more worried about you. Did I.. hit you too hard..? I'm sorry."

She couldn't help but scoff at him. "You knocked me out in one hit, dude. Of course, you hit me hard."

He cringed, taking a closer inspection at the wound. "Should I take you to the hospital to get it checked?"

"Would you be okay taking me outside?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

He hesitated. "No.. You would be re-entering the cruelness of the world. You'll end up getting hurt again. I don't want that at all. I want you to be safe, and I'll make sure that you're safe even if it means locking you away from the rest of the world."

She closed her eyes, leaning back into the couch. "I.. can always fight for myself.."

Ryoma shook his head slightly, suddenly reaching out and pulling her closer to him. With her head leaning against his chest and his arm around her back, he ran his fingers along her upper arm. "I know you're strong, but.. I'd rather you not have to face any unnecessary problems. You're better off here, with me."

Strong..?

Not anymore..

She allowed her arm to wrap around him as she closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his body engulfing hers.

No more pain..

No more suffering.