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A/N: Here it is, people! Here. It. Is. My first actual completed story! It's 5.30 in the morning, I just finished chowing down a bowl of Cheerios, my eyeballs are burning into their sockets but damn do I feel good, like an actual adult, with like actual success. It's gonna die out soon once I start doing my gigantic pile of HW but for now, hell to the bloody yes!

A huge, huge thanks to ilovefreakininfos for beta reading this. And of course to my awesome readers. Thank you so much for reading, following, adding favorites and leaving reviews. Honestly when I first started this I really thought it was going to flop soon but all your support has really kept me going. I'd crawl over the screen and hug each and every one of you if I could, although I don't think anyone will actually like a real life Sadako soooo...Internet hive-five, guys! /smacks hand to screen/

I'll definitely be back to edit everything later because I'm paranoid but for now, enjoy!

She takes his hand, and everything changes in an instant.

Chapter 10:

Their strikes are vicious and lethal – charging straight to each other before jumping back and going in again. Meeting each other blow after blow. After the explosion, the creature has managed to sweep the whole building clean – now it's just a pile of concrete and rocks under them. The sky falls in rubbles and the ground shakes. The clang of their forces is thundering in the air.

His mind whirls at the constant chatter of calculations. Accelerator lands himself on a pile of rocks, spits out blood before wiping at his mouth with a hand in disdain, glaring all the way through.

"'I can't reach her' MISAKA says in worry," Last Order's voice thrums in his mind. He's always hated that tone of hers, no child her age should ever sound that wary and scared.

"Stop wallowing so bad and let me think straight first dammit,"

He thinks back instead, which earns him a huff from the little girl, which he deftly ignores. The creature's stopped howling moments ago, but the shimmering, dark force around it never stops drumming like a hungry beast, just waiting to grab at its bait, whips and claws protruding high and ready. The air is heavy and thick under the crackling pressure.

"Got any idea?" Worst comments dryly.

Sort of. But Yoshikawa would definitely have his head after all of this. If he were still actually breathing by then though.

"Where's everyone?" he asks instead, flexing out the stiff muscles in his joints.

"'Evacuated and hidden away. No civilian insight in about ten-mile radius' MISAKA says as she checks their surroundings," 10032 adds in helpfully.

"…It's not gonna be that bad, right?" Worst mutters.

" – Right?"

He wishes he could reply. But Accelerator's seen this before, it's not fighting him anymore because it's preparing for something else, something horrid and much, much worse than just deflecting his attacks. The last explosion was only the warm-up, and if what he witnessed in the Railgun's nightmares was right, then that alter-ego of hers is definitely steaming up an all-kill shot for the whole Academy City to bring it down once and for all.

But he has his vector control. He has it in his hands this time, the SISTERS' Network running the calculations in his brain wired and precise. Accelerator's only been managing to deflect explosions before, but to compress them into a small amount of space and burst them off only in that range is definitely a first. It was just his luck that the explosion this time would be deleterious and catastrophic enough to take down a whole damn city.

Looks like it is a one-way road after all, Accelerator almost chuckles to himself. Misaka Mikoto is inside that thing, probably stuck to skin and bones with it already for all he knows. No amount of pep-talks or snarling words can shake her awake anymore. The wretched brat's finally succumbed to her devils, and she's right after all. There's only one way to save her by then, and it's going to kill him, too.

It's fitting, really. If there was one way to die without regrets, this has to be it – under the hands of the one whose sorrows and despair he's given to. The one that's done the same to him. They've been running circles around each other, and he's finally got the chance to tie back the knot and end it once and for all.

The thunder above them roars, and shoots down a burst of black lightning that tears the skies in half. It comes down and envelopes them in an almost hellish, fiery light. The garish blur clears, and Accelerator looks up just in time to see the creature lightly drops down to his eye level – a shimmering, mobile black sphere in its claw.

This is it. Their last fight, no matter what consequences. His heart feels like it was going to ricochet out of his ribcage and his blood is a hot liquid stream burning through his veins. His whole body feels jubilant, and he maps them out, counts every movement, and ingrains them into memory. Just for the last time.

"'Accelerator…?' MISAKA asks,"

In his head, Last Order whispers, voice quivering as much as her eyes were, he was sure. Accelerator's never been one for feelings or pretty words, but right then, as the creature howls and shoots forward, he whispers back the only thing that he's always wanted to tell the girl, before charging straight ahead. Her wallowing scream the only sound he's heard before the black energy swallows him whole.

"'No…Wait' MISAKA cries."

"Last Order, no,"

Worst whispers, reaching over to the girl to hold the latter close. She wasn't meant to listen, but their minds were closely connected, and hearing Accelerator baring his heart out before leaving cuts her as deep as any broken arms can. The guy must know what he was doing, and she just wishes he could manage to pull it off and come out alive. For all of them.

"Captain? Permission to shoot?"

One of the guys asks uneasily, and Yomikawa frowns. She turns to see the two other girls of their household holding onto each other, and feels her hands curl back into fists on their accord.

"No, not yet," she mutters, and fixes back her ballistic vest. "We're going to stand by."

The girls can only nod in agreement, looking on with worry. Above them, thunder rips the black skies open as lightning shoots down. Last Order's cries a haunting sound at the back of their thoughts, and the rest of the SISTER clones can only watch, in great curiosity, as a wave of emptiness washes over their whole.

Darkness is something she's used to. Darkness is where she holds herself and lets her tears fall. And if in the darkness is how she would go, then Mikoto is fine with that, too.

But her mind, her heart, her whole being hurts to think about everyone else. This isn't what she would imagine when she leaves them – maybe a hug, an apology, just something for a farewell, and how much she just wants them to know.

But it's over now. The corner she's in is dark and blinding. Her eyes are useless, as much as the rest of her is. Mikoto can't see, but the red, angry sprinkles of scarred, burned scabs on her skin are a chilling reminder. She's dying. She's dead. It's somewhere between that. And the only thing she can do by then is to wait out and let it take her whole.

Yet what Mikoto does not see coming then, was a burst of a light, and suddenly more lights, bright and vibrant and alive, ripping through the shadow and raining down her whole. Scalding the black crumbles away at every inch of skin they can reach. She looks up just in time to see a familiar figure that's slowly sweeping into view.

"You're really more trouble than you're worth, brat."

Accelerator says, and leans over to plant his hands on the wall behind her, gripping at the surface – the dark power crippling away under his fingers. Mikoto could only look on in utter disbelief, her trembling, exposed skin half-forgotten as she watches him tear its insides apart.

"You…You can't do that…"

It was only then that she finally notices the bleeding, gaping hole just right under his left collarbone, his jacket torn at the spot exposing burned scabs and dark blood damping through the material. Flickering black crumbles hover above them as screams start breaking out.

"…Oh God," she whispers, and feels it at the tips of her fingers then, the warm, slimy goo that starts coating at her hands. The creature's boiling rage raining down on them whole.

"St…Stop,"

She rasps, and reaches out to grip at his wrist. His skin cool against the searing heat of her black palms.

"Please. Just…Just get out of here. Leave..."

But it was all that came out of her mouth, before he rips his wrist off her grip. Snarling.

"Shut it," he growls lowly. "You've made your choice. Now it's my turn."

"By killing yourself?!" she shouts, eyes blurring. "You're doing more harm than good. Look at what that thing's doing to you. And I can't do anything anymore, it's taken over my body for good."

There's nothing left to save, is what's implied. But he hasn't come all this way to listen to that.

"What I've said before hasn't changed," he says. "Yeah, it sucks hating yourself and what you've become. It sucks a lot. But you have to suffer through it. That's the only way you can grow, not stepping down and backing away like this."

He turns to her then, eyes oddly deep and dark in a shade of maroon under the shadows surrounding them, and raises his hand. Mikoto almost flinches back when he hovers close, but can only stare on as he moves to land his knuckles on her forehead.

"So this is the last time, brat. I'm not gonna say thank you, and I'm sure as hell not expecting you to do the same…"

"– but you've done more than enough for me. So hear this because no chance in hell am I ever gonna fucking say it again –"

He pushes forward, and a shattering force shoots out of his hand and sweeping back her hair – wiping whatever left of its power lingering on her skin away. Mikoto feels the air get knocked straight out of her lungs, her body buckling back and snapping her mind close at the surprised assault. It's fast and overwhelming, and she feels it run down her skin and peel the other creature away inch by inch, its hallowing scream ripping out of her mind. The darkness scrunches away as bright lights start pouring in, blinding at her eyes.

But it's all she can see before her knees finally give out. She slumps forward, and just faintly feels the simmering pressure of arms closing in around her frame, gently lowering her down. Warm breathing fanning down her face and pale strands of hair softly fluttering at the corners of her closing eyes.

I'm sorry, too.

It's all she can hear, before her mind slowly shuts out.

Accelerator can tell he's in the hospital before he even opens his eyes. The bed he's in is just a shade too soft, the rhythmic beeping of machines surrounds him, and the smell of antiseptic is strong in the air. A hand drifts in front of his face, and he quickly grabs it in reflex.

"It's me, kiddo," Yoshikawa says, loosening her wrist in his grip. He dimly notices a white bandage strip between her fingers. "You're fine now."

He releases her, and she goes on fiddling with the bag of fluid hanging next his bed. Oxygen, morphine, blood. He wonders how long he's been unconscious. He turns his head to see an empty hospital room, whitewashed ceiling and whitewashed sheets. Two sets of chairs are next to his bed.

She notices his questioning stare right away.

"Everyone is fine," She's fine. "I told the girls to go back home and get you some clothes while I watch over you. They were worried, you know."

I was worried, is implied. Accelerator only nods, but the swell inside his chest then was hard to squash down.

"I'd give you a piece of my mind right now," Yoshikawa says instead, finishing wrapping another layer of bandage around his hand before placing it back on the bed. "But someone wants to see you."

He perks up at that, raising a brow at her. Oh?

"I'm going to tell them to come in now," she simply says, before turning away – not before shooting him her best parent look.

"And be nice."

He blows a piece of air out of his forehead, and shrugs in reply – really the only yes he can manage to muster up then. She only gives him a look, before taking off. A knock is heard just seconds later, and Accelerator slumps back into his bed.

"It's opened already, dumbass. Just come in."

"Must you be an asshole all the time."

Accelerator jumps, and almost falls off the bed. He snaps up to see a familiar mop of black, spiky hair.

"Bad timing?" Touma asks, and chuckles awkwardly. Accelerator just stares at him.

"You okay?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Still cursing. You're okay then," the guy comments dryly, completely unfazed. "You should have heard what the doctor said – surgery, a hole right above your heart and apparently you left like this long ass trail of blood when you dragged Kihara with you to ANTI Skill. Nice job though, to be honest. I'd do the same to the sick bastard."

"If you'd actually come you could have, asshat," he scowls, slumping back into bed. Kamijou what's-his-damage Touma was the last person he would expect to see visiting him in the hospital when Yoshikawa told him about this. Needless to say this trip is completely unwanted.

"What happened?" he asks instead.

"Uuuhh, saints. Like actual saints," the guy says, scratching at his head. "Can you believe that?"

By this time, nothing can really faze him anymore, so yes, he definitely does believe 'that'. He shrugs a shoulder in reply, the movement makes him wince a bit when he realizes he just used the injured side.

"Yeah, took a while but I settled that done for now," the guy continues. "You didn't even need any help anymore. By the time I got there Kihara's already mush under your fists and BiriBiri's gone for ER. You've done a pretty impressive job, as far as I was concerned."

If this were months ago, the inner him would have probably rejoiced at the guy's compliment. But as of now, Accelerator's entire body just feels heavy and deadened, and it makes him uneasy to know he's not in charge of his own faculties. He feels like he's looking at everything through a layer of cotton, and he has to fight the urge to close his eyes and just drift back into sleep.

Touma takes notice, of course, the ever observant bastard that he is. He approaches the bed slowly, and doesn't even bother with a chair as he pins him down with a stern, yet soft stare.

"I know you beat yourself up a lot. But hey, you've finally got it right this time. And last time too, with Last Order. This is probably not much coming from me for you, but I think you've been doing exceptionally well. So go easy."

Accelerator smirks slightly at that, or at least he thinks he does. Sensation is starting to trickle into the center of his stomach, and it's not pleasant. He can still remember the creature's claw plunging a hole through him like a piece of cardboard box, just narrowly avoiding his heart. The rest of the battle is twisting through his mind in brief, slippery flashes, but he remembers it very well. And the Railgun. He remembers her.

Somehow, the guy seems to have noticed that too. "You two should talk soon," he says. "She's like just across the hall from here."

"Again, bastard," Accelerator breathes, and feels himself slipping away. "None of your business."

"Sure," Touma replies from afar. "Sure."

He says something else too, something that's very close to "but" and "thanks" and "for saving", but they were all he can catch, before drifting off.

The next time she wakes up, Mikoto is greeted with the whitewashed surface of the ceiling and the quiet beeping sound of a heart detector. There's a tube connected her hand to an IV fluid pouch hung on a metal pole at the end of her bed and she focuses her hazy eyes on it, trying to morph everything into a clearer view.

"Oh, you're finally up,"

Mikoto startles, and moves her head to the side to see a familiar mop of pink twin tails.

"…Kuro…"

"Don't talk yet," the girl chides, and moves a glass of water to place near her mouth. "You're still recovering."

Mikoto gulps down the offered cup gratefully, and slowly slumps back into the bed. The metal needle from the IV pouch a cold, sober edge against her skin.

"Your mom's just dropped by and left to make a phone call to your dad. She'll be back soon. Saten and Uiharu are coming over once class is over…You really gave us one hell of a scare this time, Onee-sama."

She smiles lightly at the stern scowling in the girl's voice, only to wince back at the dry crack of her lips. She turns to look at the latter.

"…Haa…How long…?"

Kuroko frowns. "Three days. Doctor said you should be out of it for at least five, with all the injuries you've got."

She nods, looking on. Kuroko smiles down softly at her.

"Everyone's fine. We lost a research facility and scarred a few civilians with the freaky weather but all is good. You took the hardest blows that's for sure, being in the middle of it all."

No, not me, Mikoto thinks with growing dread, remembering blood red eyes and cold hands on her burned skin. She snaps up to look at the girl again, eyes big and waiting. Kuroko blinks down at her, but she gets it nonetheless.

"He's just checked out last night actually. Lots of bandages and walking with a crutch," she shrugs. "But he looked fine. If a bit grumpy, as far as I could see."

She doesn't mention when the dust cleared and Captain Yomikawa finally ordered all weapons down, she had come shooting straight at the scene; doesn't mention when she reached there the sight was enough to push the words clogged back at her throat; how she saw her dear Onee-sama lying in the arms of that pale boy in the middle of the fallen rubbles; how he just easily slid off his jacket, which was torn at the shoulder, and draped it around her, how he stayed quiet for a moment when he finished covering the unconscious girl, before slowly getting up; how he raised up two fingers in her direction as a call for her to come forward – didn't even need to turn around to notice her presence – all the while bleeding a hole through his chest.

Kuroko's managed to swallow back the sting in her eyes then, before jumping forward and hovering by the older girl's side in an instance. She's offered to transport the both of them to the ER just waiting right outside, but he only nodded it off. A dark shadow looming at the red of his eyes.

"There's something I got to take care first," he'd simply said. "Take her."

She's barely agreed before whisking away – Mikoto's charred skin and bleeding wounds a disturbing distraction. It eventually turned out later that 'something to take care of' was actually a man, whose name was as familiar as his face was when Captain found him at the back seat of her car, although it was hardly recognizable under the black and blue face the scientist was sporting then, coupled with a crooked arm and a broken remote – the latter making Shokuhou Misaki bristle as she wrenched it away from his grip. The top Esper did live up to the ruthlessness of his reputation after all, although this time Kuroko was actually glad for it. Kihara deserved every bit of that and times ten.

Mikoto nods, slowly sinking back into the plush pillow. He's fine. He's alive. He's alright. And he's saved her. She was dying and he saved her. She stares up at the ceiling again, feels the soft pressure of bandage wrappings all over her body, remembers cool fingers on her shoulders as she falls and warm breath fluttering at her hair and –

I'm sorry, too.

Kuroko watches her Onee-sama, and feels her heart lodged up her throat. Maybe one day she will be able to muster up the courage and tell the older girl everything. It probably wouldn't even matter if it were reciprocated or not by then, she's seen something much more private and shocking and heart-wrenching, and she would live with that. As long as her dearest friend was happy. It was all that mattered most.

"I'm going to go and get your mom and the doctor. They need to know you're finally awake," she announces, smiling when the older girl does in reply, and disappears from the room.

He's learned by now that fate was an unforgiving bastard, with a sick sense of humor. Thus, alas, it is expected that in that one morning when Yoshikawa's at work (after giving him a very firm, and very long speech about stupid sacrifices and dumb, reckless boys and seriously why does she even bother anymore), both the other girls are still too sleepy to get up and annoy him, Accelerator would take his sweet time to stroll down the street to the convenient store for his daily hunt for coffee, and eventually run into the Original of the SISTERS, who was walking in the opposite direction, which also conveniently serves her a better view of his distinct white hair and blood red eyes in the midst of people passing them by.

She stares. He glares. It takes a moment before everything sinks down on the both of them, before –

"H…Hey,"

Mikoto says, and it's weird, and so out-of-character even Accelerator has to arch up a pale brow. He takes a quick run-over of the girl, notices the bandage wraps around her wrists, hands, the way her chest rises and falls just a bit more profound than normal breathing can be seen, and feels his stomach curl and knot itself back on the inside. He's not looking any better for wear, with burn marks on his skin, a hole in his ribcage that's bundled up under thick bandages and an earth-shattering headache, but that's not anything new in the contents of his daily life.

He gives a nod in response, mostly because he's just woken up and his vocal cords have yet to adjust to function fully so early in the morning, and watches as the girl's shoulders loosen up, just a little bit.

She looks at him as if in consideration before darting her eyes to the store next to them. "Going to get something?"

"Coffee," he replies simply, and immediately clamps up at the rough, chalked sound of his voice.

"Me too. I mean, aah, not coffee, but I'm getting stu – something. I'm getting something too."

It's quiet when she awkwardly shuffles her slipper-clad feet, a thin blue shirt and shorts to match, he realizes, she's definitely sneaked out of the hospital by herself and probably freaking out everyone by now. Typical. Accelerator stares as Mikoto absent-mindedly rubs at the edges of the bandage wraps at her knuckles as her eyes dart around everywhere but him. Anytime now, he thinks, and knows he's right when she snaps her gaze back to him again. Dark, brown eyes a shade of bright determination.

"Can we go for a walk after this?"

A walk, turns out to be a walk to the park, where there's a bench that they're now sitting on and a tree of which leafs are hovering above them and blocking out the afternoon sunlights, pouring their shadows on the ground. Accelerator's trying to focus his stare on that for now.

"Finally,"

Next to him, Mikoto mutters, popping open the bag of sweet bread she's bought at the convenient store, seemingly relieved to finally be able to satisfy her cravings of actual food instead of that stale, tasteless crap she was fed at the hospital he was sure. She's offered to buy him one, and Accelerator just shot her a look that made the words die halfway on her lips.

Accelerator chooses not to comment on that, and toys with the coffee can in his hand, already half-empty when he downed it with a quick gulp earlier. She's in her hospital clothes, and him a thin black sweatshirt and jeans, trusted cane leaning against the bench handle. They're obviously not going to discuss about how fucking bizarre they're looking like right now, and he's already settled into a pattern of glaring the anger away to anyone that even so much as glances at their way with unrealistic, ridiculous assumptions.

"So," she finally says, "How are you?"

He stops throwing mental daggers at a couple of giggling girls to turn to her.

"You're serious right now?"

"At least I'm trying here," Mikoto huffs, exasperated. "You're not exactly the easiest person to talk to around here, you know."

"Your point?"

His grainy throat aches at the use, but it was worth the glare she shoots him.

"How's your head?"

"Fine."

"Burn marks?"

"Healing."

"…And your shoulder?"

"For fuck's sake. It's not the first time I got shot a fucking hole through my body. I'll live, brat."

"Geez, alright. Sorry for caring."

"And stop doing that too."

She blinks at him. "What?"

"Stop saying sorry all the fucking time. You'd think someone who considered death at least half of the time of their day and broke down into a catastrophic mess like you would feel less apologetic about everything by now."

"Well," she says, lips pursing in thoughts.

"– I guess old habits just die hard then."

He's not entirely sure how to respond to that, so he just snorts and turns away again.

What he first meant, is that it's not actually her that's annoying him. It's this – this thing between them, his body, his mind reacts to her in the strangest of ways. He's been shot his brains out and got punched a hole through his shoulder and none of that even comes close to half of the emotions swirling low inside him when they're like this. And by now it's only the second time he's actually sat this close and talked this much to the girl. Accelerator stares down at the bandages around his hands, and remembers the same wrappings he's seen on her wrists, her neck. He flexes his fingers lightly, feels them tighten against his skin and clamp around his heart.

This is when 'old habits' would be fucking nice by now. At least then before her nightmares started, before they caught up with him he could still snap and curse and dismiss everything between them. Now even looking at the girl hurts at his eyes and cuts at his skin.

"Before you get even snappier though, I just want to let you know," she sighs, before turning to look at him.

"– thank you."

It aches to crane his neck, but he does anyways, turning to face the girl fully. Her eyes are big and wide and bright when they meet his red ones and for a while he just stares. She doesn't say it, but he hears the words nonetheless.

For staying. For saying sorry.

For saving me.

It's a thing for them now, he dimly realizes. To leave words hanging when they bare their hearts out and to admit them in silence and mutual glances. Like before. Like right now. Accelerator's never been one for subtlety, but this – just for this moment, he thinks he can let it slide. He responds with a roll of his eyes and leans his head back to stare up at the sky – high and impossibly blue under the afternoon light. And if her soft chuckle quakes through his chest and seeps into his mind, only the two of them will have to know.

The thing about grief, despair, self-loathe and all that's in between, is that they never stop. They come and go, but always return. And all that can be done is to suffer and live through it. Mikoto thinks she's definitely learned this one the hard way.

"They're still not gone. I don't think they ever will, to be honest," she says, and looks at him.

But there's a difference now, she tells herself. The nightmares, the stress, the burdens are a constant reminder. But nobody finds peace without taking risks or settling with their demons, and this is how she will do, too. After all they've been through, it's the least she can learn from, honestly.

"And you're fine with that?"

He asks, brow arching up. Mikoto nods, pursing her lips in agreement when a buzzing sound catches their attention.

Accelerator huffs, and pulls out his cell phone. He brings it to his ears, and Mikoto doesn't even need the speaker to realize who's calling.

"'Is Onee-sama there?' says MISAKA in excitement."

"What's she gotta do with any of this?" Accelerator snaps, with no actual bite in his tone, which is new, Mikoto dimly notices.

The girl's obviously said something, because after a mumble of definitely a colorful pronoun from the guy, Mikoto lingeringly accepts the phone from his hand and brings it to her ear.

"Last Order?"

"'Onee-sama! I knew you would be there with Accel-chan' MISAKA says happily."

"Uh…"

"Oi –"

"'Anyways, Worst and MISAKA have been talking. We think we should all go out sometimes' MISAKA says. 'MISAKA would looove to know more about our Original SISTER, and Onee-sama must be curious about her clones too, ne?"

"…Uh, I guess? Yeah. Of course."

"'Perfect' exclaims MISAKA excitedly. 'Ne, we see your number in here. MISAKA will set up a date sometimes soon, hmm? Oka…"

She didn't get the chance to finish when the phone is plucked out of her hand. Mikoto turns to the boy sitting next to her, and frowns.

"That was unnecessary," she shakes her head. "She was about to finish anyways."

Accelerator just shrugs, pocketing his cell again. "Don't ya have a hospital to come back to or something?"

"It's only been an hour at most, I'm good for now."

"Oh?" he arches a brow, and upon looking over her shoulders and noticing a familiar figure approaching, simply stands up and reaches for his crutch. "Not for long," he says dryly.

"Huh?"

She tilts her head up at him, before flinching back when a voice booms across the park.

"ONEE-SAMA!"

Maybe it will never end, after all.

/

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