[FIN] Finish the Promise

[Suudonym]

Gradually Luke became aware of the fact that he was awake, staring into the quiet darkness of his room. On realizing his consciousness, he maneuvered upright, dim eyes falling on the window. Thoughtfully he watched the dark sky. A sharpness, he decided, applied to the neck, severing breath and blood between the body and the brain, asphyxiating the remainder of his thoughts.

Was this okay?

No, there was a problem. There were knives in the manor's kitchen, of course, but was that really enough? Slower exsanguination increased the chances that he would be found, perhaps treated and saved. His sword remained in Kodo for the time being, as did Asch's. His gaze shifted towards the bedroom door. Yuri had his blade, though.

Quietly he moved across the room, proceeding towards the quarters that had been assigned to Yuri and slowly, carefully drawing open the door and waiting to see if the swordsman would stir - Luke wasn't sure how light of a sleeper he was or wasn't, nor how late he tended to keep up.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Laying on the floor in Luke's room was Repede. He'd never left the boy's side, except for the occasional trip out into the yard to do his doggy business. Even as the boy rose, the Growlithe didn't stir.

In Yuri's room, the man was laying in bed on his side. An arm tucked under his head, and black hair sprawled across the pillow. His deep breaths indicating that he was asleep. His fancy clothes draped over furniture in a rather sloppy manner. He'd purposely been teasing the maid that had been assigned to him by leaving the room as much of a mess as he possibly could. Just to see if it would be in pristine shape whenever he got back. So far she didn't disappoint.

His sword though was leaning against the night stand right next to where the man slept.  

[Suudonym]

Luke moved forward on ginger footsteps, taking hold of the sheath and lifting it soundlessly away from the nightstand. Watching, holding his breath, he slowly retreated back towards the door. Waking Yuri was no good. Waking Repede was no good. There were many more rooms in the manor, though.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Thus far Luke was in the clear. Yuri didn't so much as stir as his sword was taken and the boy quietly left.  

[Suudonym]

Okay…

Okay.

It was almost depressing how relieved he was as Luke moved through the corridor. He slowed to a stop in the main entryway, turning in a circle searchingly. The total silence of the large house was mystifying, stifling. He breathed in and out again, grasping the hilt of the sword painfully with his injured left hand and drawing the blade from its sheath. He didn't understand why he trembled as he stood there, resolved, and as he raised his index and middle finger to his throat to feel out the carotid pulse, he didn't understand why it thudded like madness with his racing heart.

But it was fine.

Without any further consideration, he raised the edge level between his chin and shoulders, bringing his right palm to the opposite side of the sword to apply pressure and direction.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Suddenly a hand swiftly reached out and grasped Luke's wrist, yanking the sword away from his throat. Almost at the same time a fist swung in and collided with Luke's jaw, hard and mercilessly.  

[Suudonym]

The unexpected force completely unbalanced Luke, and he failed to recover his footing in time to prevent stumbling to the ground. He didn't raise his eyes to see who had stopped him, though it wouldn't have taken him even much thought to puzzle it out. He ignored the pain spreading through his jaw, the barren weight that remained in his hands. "Leave me alone," he said, barely raising his voice to an audible level. He knew it was an empty request at this point, but even so. Please.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Letting the boy fall in favor of picking up his sword after it clattered to the floor, Yuri stood over Luke. If he happened to look up he'd probably see the man angrier than he'd ever seen him before. His teeth clenched as he barely held back his inner fury. The boy's words going ignored.

"The hell do you think you're doing?!" Yuri shouted.

Not only did he take his sword, but was trying to kill himself with it?! That was so not okay on so many levels.  

[Suudonym]

He didn't respond, assuming the answer was fairly obvious. Where Yuri's expression was of unmitigated anger, Luke's was of a quiet disappointment.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri stood there with wild eyes, waiting for some sort of response from Luke. When none came, Yuri bent down, placing the sword out of reach and grabbed Luke by the shoulders. Shaking him several times.

"So is that it?! You're just giving up? After everything that's happened?!"  

[Suudonym]

Luke lowered his head to avoid eye contact when Yuri was suddenly in front of him. The question was met with a single, silent nod in response.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Again Luke would feel a hand against his face in the form of a hard slap.

"I should beat the crap out of you! One hit for every single person that would care that you were gone! And two for your damn brother!"  

[Suudonym]

Luke took the blow like a mannequin, failing to produce any outward response and keeping his head low and gaze averted. He was already far lost beyond the point of caring about sentiment. He had found an escape from unending days plagued by guilt, depression, and psychosis. He intended to take it.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri growled in frustration at Luke's unresponsiveness.

"Fine." He said at last, reaching over to take his sword again and stood.

"You know those two girls came all this way to see you. To help you. Are you really going to make them cry? It's fine if you don't want to live for yourself. But you could at least live for them."  

[Suudonym]

If his father had his way, they wouldn't be able to see him anyway, and living for the sake of people he couldn't presume ever to see again seemed nothing short of foolish. And more than that, living for someone else wouldn't stop his destructive thoughts. "It'll just happen again," he murmured.