Creative Corner

The door slammed, rattling the walls and echoing throughout the house. Rei's heart clenched at the sight, swallowing heavily. He shook off the dust that collected onto his scales from head to tail, stepping forward. "Cloud?" The eerie silence that followed his call made his stomach sink and a frown formed on his features.

"I'm home!" Still nothing. Resting his hat on the table by the door, he noticed the letters they had passed back and forth kept neatly in a pile. She had saved all his replies. A sharp pang hit his heart, for he knew of her emotions. It was one of the reasons he was both glad yet reluctant to return. He sighed and slunk into the next room. Floorboards creaked under his clawed feet, causing him to wince.

Things were virtually the same since he left, he noticed. Rustic wooden furniture in the set locations they always had been. The house was dark, no lights were on. "Is she not home?" He thought. Flicking the light on, he fluttered his wings and gingerly flew over to the stairs, staring up them. Letting out a breath he had been holding. A faint light was on.

He flew up the stairs, peeking through the crack in the door. Cloud laid curled up in the corner of their room, her head on her hands. Rei's breath hitched as he slowly pushed the door open. It emitted a soft creak. She looked up at him blankly. Eyes glazed over. A moment passed as they stared at one another. It was all they focused on.

"How long are you back for this time?" Her voice was soft, desperation lacing it. Rei's breath hitched and he looked down.

"A couple of days." Was his answer.

Cloud's expression contorted and she bit her lip, looking away. "You've been gone for months already...." She choked. Quiet footsteps filled the room, and Rei sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. The other spiral winced at her blunt rejection. Silence.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could get out. He looked away. More silence.

Dust particles floated through the room. A single flickering lamp lit the area. It was almost peaceful.

Cloud shifted and he looked back. Her head was covered, and a soft sob was heard. Rei cringed at it. "I'm here now...."

"But that doesn't matter!" She suddenly shouted. He flinched back, eyes wide. Her outburst continued. "It doesn't matter if you're just going to be gone again!"

Rei tried to respond, but she continued; she was sitting up now, staring at him. "It hurts, Rei! It hurts so much every time.... I feel like my insides are being torn to pieces every day. It's a black pit Rei, and it hurts!" She paused, gripping the horns on her head. Her mate, speechless. His head scrambled as he tried to grasp a response. Cloud continued.

"What ever happened to us? I love you, you know? We used to be that power couple everyone would look up to." A pained smile graced her lips at the memory. She shook her head. "But now you're always gone...! I feel like I should just go and find someone else!"

The look on Rei's face was if he had visibly broke. Tears threatened to fall. Cloud was already crying, frantically studying his face.

"I can't help being gone!" He suddenly shouted, running a hand over his face. "I know it's hard but please you need to bare with me!"

She buried her head into her hands at his harsh tone, curling up into a ball on the floor. Rei stopped, hanging his head. Only their sobs would be heard. A cold, dark sound that so often filled their home. The walls especially knew how many times Cloud had.

Rei felt the sharp pain that emitted off of her. It pierced his lungs as he gasped for air from his cries. He leaned against the wall, staring at her.

They stayed like this for who knows how long. After time their sobs died down, having drained them. The air filled with the pained, tired, longing feeling that to them felt like death. It was quiet now.

A broken, muffled sigh came from Cloud. She turned her head, looking at him, and her eyes flashed with an emotion he didn't know. Slowly she stood, running a hand over her face. "I know you can't help it..." She started, snapping Rei to attention. "...but you still don't try to do anything about it. And I'm trying, I really am, but...." Rei's teeth clenched as he stared at her in desperation, wishing he could embrace her. They both knew what was coming.

Cloud hesitated, taking a breath. "I need some air." Her voice cracked.

Shakily but swiftly she stumbled out of the room, not giving Rei time to respond, leaving him by his lonesome. He watched her until she disappeared down the steps. His ears were perked as he listened for something, anything.

A door slamming was heard.

Pausing, he didn't move. Just taking it in.

He collapsed onto the floor, just staring at the spot where she once was. "Why didn't I do anything...." He let out a shaky breath. "What's wrong with me." Covering his eyes he didn't move, didn't speak.

For now he was home but she was not.