Pins & Needles Chapter 1
Silence
By Asyria
Silence. He hated that silence. The kind that deafened the ears, the kind that you could see in the air. The creepy, frightening quiet that normally resided in graveyards. But this place was no graveyard, it was his home. The place he arrived in after working all day, like he was doing now, to relax. No matter how long it had been, he wouldn't get use to this silence. Their silence.
Raijin closed the door softly behind him. He couldn't hear anything yet, but he knew they were both here. He walked quietly down the small hallway leading to the living room, which were their bedrooms. Sure enough, they were there.
She had always been quiet. Her lack of speech was nothing new. But Raijin could always hear the clockwork turning inside his best friend's mind. Her mind was never, ever, quiet. Until now.
Raijin knelt down beside the unconscious Fujin. She lay on her bed, a small couch, knees pulled up to her chest. Her blue top discarded on the floor, she wore only her white cotton tanktop and her black pants. Her breathing was barely audible, even in this silence. He touched her hand lightly. No response. He remembered when all it took was for someone to get near her, and she'd wake instantly. But not now. Silence.
He, on the other hand, was not known to be quiet. His voice was loud and rough, like his whole being. That's why he was their leader. His mind was never quiet either, especially lately. Raijin knew of his nightmares. They plagued him even when he was awake. Raijin could always hear the inner war inside their leader's mind. The nightmares never left him. Until now.
Raijin looked over at the still form of their leader. Seifer was also asleep, his trenchcoat thrown on the other side of the room. He lay in his bed, which was just a mattress on the floor, facing the wall. It was dark in their house now, but he could still see Seifer's face. No frown, face not twisted with anger, or pain. Peace. Tranquility. That's why Fujin hadn't stopped him. That's why she had joined him. So she could know peace. Rajin guessed that's why he didn't stop either of them. He remembered when the night was filled with Seifer's nightmares, talking in his sleep. But not now. Silence.
Raijin turned his eyes to the middle of the room. They were there, the cause of this silence. The little plastic bag filled with the white powder. The spoon and the lighter. The hypodermic needles. Was their peace worth the price? Before, coming home meant breaking up a fight between Seifer and Fujin. The arguing, the yelling, the shin kicking. Noise, and lots of it. Now, coming home meant nothing. Silence. The only time he heard them speak was when they were demanding money to buy more of the powder.
This wasn't going to work. Raijin's job alone could not support the three of them and their habit. Seifer and Fujin had pawned everything of value that they owned, which wasn't much. They were behind on the rent and didn't have enough money for food.
"This has to stop, ya know." Raijin said to both of them. But they didn't hear. They couldn't hear. Raijin needed to get them help. Help? But, where could he go? No one would help them. Not after what they had done. They were evil, the whole world hated them. The sorceress knight, and his posse. "But, I've gotta do something! I can't just let them die, ya know!" He stated to himself. Raijin's mind was wildly running, searching for ideas.
Home, his mind showed him. Not this home, of drugs and silence. But, our old home. The bright and majestic Garden. Would they help? Would they see them as old friends, or enemies?
"I have to try, ya know. For the posse!" Raijin said, finding a new purpose. Grabbing his staff, he headed out the door of their small shack outside of Balamb. Not knowing who he would seek this help from, or how, he ran towards Balamb Garden. He would help his friends. He would break the silence.
.