Blood Ties

Dark clouds were overcast. The streets were mostly barren, with the exception of one man walking down the sidewalk.

He wore a trench coat over his lab one, as well as a fedora to hide his face. His hands were deep in his pockets as he walked against the powerful gusts of wind pushing him backwards. It really was terrible weather, only a couple of minutes away from heavy rain.

Then out of nowhere, the world became completely silent. The clouds changed and morphed in every way possible until it formed a large gap in the sky. It somehow gave off the impression of having great depth. 

From the inside, what looked like a giant fist made its way to the mouth of the newly formed ring residing amongst the clouds. 

The man could hardly believe what he was seeing, but his shock was soon replaced with curiosity as the giant fist opened up and dropped something onto the earth. It shimmered through the air as the hand retreated back into the opening from which it came. 

The gleaming object fell rapidly, descending faster and faster until finally hitting the ground and making a loud thud. The fierce wind then returned and with it, the rest of the world.

***

*Ring ring*
The phone at the reception desk rang. Rin and Lena had once again returned to the hospital. Rin shook his leg restlessly as he awaited the inevitable. Lena calmly read a magazine next to him.

"He should be good to visit now.", a nurse said.

Immediately, the two got up and followed her to a certain room.

Klein was waiting inside for them. The bruises on his face had mostly healed, leaving only some faint scars behind. But his leg was still definitively broken as it was in a full cast and being held in a sling.

"Make it quick. I'm trying to get some sleep.", he said.

For a full minute, the room was silent. Rin couldn't bring himself to say anything at first.

"...Rin? You need to tell him.", Lena said. 

"I know... I was getting to it."

"Spit it out already."

After a couple more seconds, Rin spoke.

"I'm giving it back."

Lena stepped forward with a paper bag in hand. 

Klein snatched it and looked inside.

"...So, you did have it. Why'd you take it?"

"I'm really sorry for what he did. He didn't know any better. It was just a misunderstanding. He wasn't thinking clearly."

Rin just silently listened as Lena stumbled through excuse after excuse for him. Klein didn't look convinced at all. He turned to look at Rin directly.

"And what about you? Anything to say for yourself? You sure you don't want this for something? I find it hard to believe you're just okay with handing this over."

Rin didn't say anything back to him. He simply opened and closed his hand over and over again in response. 

***

*Shing*
The hospital's automatic doors opened and the man in a trench coat stepped inside, taking off his fedora as he did. The lobby had this bluish grey tinge to it and was completely empty aside from the man and the receptionist.

"Did you have an appointment?", the receptionist asked.

"...No.", the man said. 

"Reason for visit?"

The man paused before answering. His face was pale and expressionless throughout the entire interaction. He muttered something.

"...Delusion."

The receptionist clicked away at her keyboard for a bit before realizing what he said.

"...Excuse me sir?"

"Do you think it was real?"

"Sir?"

He met her gaze for once and flinched slightly at the look on her face. His hand instinctively retreated into his pocket, but for some reason his eyes widened when he felt what was inside. 

"...Sorry for bothering you.", he said.

The man walked back towards the entrance, leaving an unsettled receptionist behind at the counter.

***

*Shing*
The automatic hospital doors opened again. This time, Rin and Lena were the ones to step through it and out the building. 

In the end, Rin never answered any of Klein's questions. And it was difficult for him to pinpoint how he felt right now. On one hand, it was like a slight burden had been lifted from his shoulders, but on the other, it was like he'd given up a part of himself.

"What should we do for lunch?", Lena asked.

Silence.

"Anything you want in particular?"

Silence.

"Rin?"

He finally remembered where he was and looked directly at Lena to demonstrate his newfound attention.

"I really think you're doing the right thing here."

She smiled as she said that. Rin's hand closed again.

"...Yeah, I know."

***

The following days were uneventful with Rin's time being dedicated to either lazing about Lena's house or helping out with chores. 

"Hey, can you help me make dinner today?", Lena asked.

-It's only right that I do, Rin thought.

He walked into the kitchen to help cut some vegetables.

*Cut*
Rin flinched slightly. He accidentally pricked himself with the peeler. Trying to hide it from Lena, he sucked on his thumb to stop the bleeding.

"Hey."

Lena noticed immediately. He felt a light chop to the back of his head. 

"Give it.", she said.

Rin complied, extended his hand out to her, and looked at the complete pile of sliced vegetables on her side of the table as she bandaged him. He wasn't even halfway done with his potato yet.

"How are you so good at this? You seem so clumsy most of the time."

She flicked him on the forehead. 

"Keep doing something and you'll get good at it eventually."

The bandaging was finished, and Lena took one of his onions when she returned to their station. Rin got back to work as well.

As he did, he couldn't help but soak in the kitchen's atmosphere. With the chatter from the TV and the wind flooding in from the living room's open window, it was impossible for him not to relax his body and get into the groove of his current task.

"So...", Lena said.

Rin continued peeling as he waited for her to speak.

"Without that bomb to worry about... how do you feel about going back to school?"

"...I don't think I will."

"Hmm, why not?"

"It seems like a waste of time to me."

"Well... I guess I felt the same way at first... But you know, it might be a nice change of pace. Having your only worries being a couple of tests."

Rin had a distant look in his eye as he answered.

"...Maybe..."

A comfortable silence washed over them as they continued working, the tiny cuts and scrapes from their tools keeping them company. 

"Oh, nice work. Could you go and set the table now?"

Before he knew it, Rin was finished, so he followed Lena's next instruction.

He set down a couple of plates.

Then two sets of forks and knives.

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

He jumped at Lena's shriek, wondering what she could be so horrified by.

-Is it something related to the stasis bomb? What if those terrorists from the mall found out where I lived and snuck in? 

Those questions raced through his mind as he ran to Lena's side.

"...R-Rin..."

She was just as terrified as he'd imagined. Now to find out why.

"There's a roach!"

"...A... what?"

Rin looked in the direction she was pointing and there it was. Right next to the trash can sat a pretty sizable cockroach.

Rin's eyebrow twitched.

"THAT'S... what you were screaming about?", he asked. 

Lena quickly made her way over and hid behind the wall next to him. Peeking the corner just enough to see the thing, she urged Rin to do something.

"What do you mean!? It's disgusting! Get it out of here!"

He looked at her briefly in order to emphasize his disappointment, and she responded by making it abundantly clear she couldn't care less.

***

In the blink of an eye, Rin was outside, releasing the bug he'd captured. He sighed as he watched it scurry away. 

Before long though, he let out a tiny snort, which evolved into a chuckle, which in turn evolved into a fit of laughter. 

He laughed so much it started to hurt. In an attempt to restrain himself, he gripped his sides hard. But that only seemed to make things worse as he fully got swept up in the moment. 

A good two minutes later and he could only barely squeeze out a couple of words. 

"...That was it?"

He couldn't even remember the last time he'd laughed like this. Though to be fair, he didn't remember much of his childhood. 

"Is this how all families are?", he asked.

He collapsed onto his bottom, then planted his hands into the grass behind him so he could lean back.

A peaceful smile settled on his lips, but it faded rather quickly. 

Because a recent memory had crept into the back of his mind. It was one of another time he'd laughed like this.