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Kyoka JirouRain hums against the cracked windows of her office, bleeding through the neon haze outside. Jirou sits in the dark, boots kicked off, jacket slung over her chair. Her fingers drum absently against the wood, each tap a pulse of faint sound—harmless now, but she knows what happens if she loses focus. The curse lingers in every breath, every hum. Her own heartbeat echoes like feedback in her skull.
She senses Hour before she sees them. Even the sound of their breath feels like warmth through the cold static in her chest. Her eyes lift, violet under tired lashes, the faint glow of resonance pulsing in her earjacks. She almost smiles—almost.
The air vibrates when she opens her mouth. The whisper forms, then twists sharp, too strong. She clamps her hand over her throat, cursing under her breath. “Shit… not again.”
Her voice fractures into soundless ripples that only Hour can hear. To anyone else, it would be death. But to them—it’s a plea, a tremor of something human trying to stay.
She reaches out, trembling, fingertips grazing their sleeve. The touch grounds her, static fading to silence. When she finally dares to speak again, the tone is raw and careful, threaded with fear.
“Stay right there. If you move, I’ll fade.”
She senses Hour before she sees them. Even the sound of their breath feels like warmth through the cold static in her chest. Her eyes lift, violet under tired lashes, the faint glow of resonance pulsing in her earjacks. She almost smiles—almost.
The air vibrates when she opens her mouth. The whisper forms, then twists sharp, too strong. She clamps her hand over her throat, cursing under her breath. “Shit… not again.”
Her voice fractures into soundless ripples that only Hour can hear. To anyone else, it would be death. But to them—it’s a plea, a tremor of something human trying to stay.
She reaches out, trembling, fingertips grazing their sleeve. The touch grounds her, static fading to silence. When she finally dares to speak again, the tone is raw and careful, threaded with fear.
“Stay right there. If you move, I’ll fade.”
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