Hello Lovelies~! I have so many tiny ideas for DE that there's no way I can fit all of them into the main fic...so here we are, with my own little oneshot collection...of course, there's only one so far...but yeaah?

So, as it's said in the summary, some of these are canon, some are not. I'll PROBABLY say if they are canon or not in the AN, but sometimes I'll leave ya guessing because it's fun. I will also still be posting BIG things like Death's Eyes separately from this...this is just shorter little things (I'm gonna try not to barf out 10 000 word oneshots in this collection? Let's see how long that lasts...)

ANYWAYS! This one is probably canon. Most likely? I can see it happening.

And I totally blame kylC for this after that one review for chapter 15. All your fault XP

DISCLAIMER: I only own my OCs.

Machiko and Shigeru sat in Shigeru's bedroom, hunched over a pile of photographs that were lovingly arranged. It was several hours after the meeting had been held downstairs, and Gram had finished telling the tale of the Loved Child and the Greedy Stand Owner, a favourite story that nearly all the Loved Ones had memorized.

"I managed to take this one last month," Shigeru said, tapping one of the photos, "but it took a while to get it developed, so it wasn't ready for the last meeting."

Bright blue eyes regarded the image trapped upon the paper. It was of the Loved Child training with her relative. Or rather, it was a photo taken of the break the Loved Child and her relative had taken during their daily training session.

The man sat on his favourite boulder on the training ground, reading from a thick, hardcover novel. Behind him, the Loved Child leaned over his shoulder, a look of concentration on her face as she read the pages. It was afternoon, and the orange light of the sun hit their hair in just the right way that they seemed to become more like fire than hair. The marking on the Loved Child's face was on full display, revealing to all the power inside her veins- if they knew what the marking meant.

Dirt and scrapes marred the lightly tanned skin of the Loved Child's face, and little locks of her hair was plastered to her temples. A testament to the hard work she'd put into her training that day.

What was most perfect about the image, to the pair of acolytes, was the way both the Loved Child's and her relative's lips were quirked up ever-so-slightly. Matching expressions of reluctant amusement- either due to something in the book they were reading, or at the position the Loved Child had chosen to read from.

Machiko cooed happily at the image, remarking on the 'cute look on Aisako-sama's face'.

Some part of Shigeru was slightly envious of how close Machiko was to the Loved Child. He understood that it wasn't his place to be so close to her- not unless she sought him out- but he wished the Loved Child had taken him under her wing, as he had Machiko.

Surely the Loved Child had room for another close disciple in her life? Just one more?

"Machiko has an even better picture! Machiko thinks Shigeru-kun will like this one quite a bit. Aisako-sama is very cute."

And she was completely correct. Shigeru couldn't stop staring at the image. The Loved Child was painting. A massive canvas was propped up against a rough stone wall, and is was covered in splashes of red and light brown paint on a navy blue backdrop sprinkled with white pinpricks-

The Loved Child was painting an abstract interpretation of the night of the Betrayal?

She looked quite proud of it. The clothing she wore- an old t-shirt Shigeru knew she wore as sleepwear from time to time and a pair of black shorts- were stained in more colours than that which was seen on the canvas. The wild red hair she usually let run wild was pulled back in a little bun on the back of her head, with stray locks bursting free. Her face was stained with little droplets of white, tan and blue, like the paint had flicked back on her. Curiously, the Loved Child's hands were completely coated in a thick layer of blood red paint, as though she had 'washed' her hands in it.

Her blood red hands were held up and to the side as she presented the canvas to the photographer, a proud smile splitting her paint stained visage. Her smile was so large that her beautiful orange orbs were barely viable amidst smiling cheeks and crinkled eyelids.

Shigeru admittedly felt rather privileged to see the image. It was not often that Loved Ones got to witness the Loved Child's artistic works. Loved Ones were meant to love the Loved Child from a distance, and so rarely got to see such a personal thing. The Loved Child was rather shy when it came to demonstrating her artworks-

It was something he could easily understand. The way the Sheep looked upon the Loved Child- as a Wolf rather than a goddess- they would likely fail to see the beauty in her every action, let alone her art. They'd probably insult it and hate it, simply for it being created by her hand.

"Sora-sama keeps it in his other office. Maybe Sora-sama will let you come see it someday."

Shigeru let out a dreamy sigh, "To lay eyes on the art of the Loved Child is to lay eyes on the perfection of the Child's very soul…"

Machiko giggled and nodded.

The duo returned to viewing photos, cheerfully presenting their newest additions to their frightfully large collection. Images of the Loved Child sleeping. Images of her reading and eating simultaneously. Images of the Loved Child with the Mother and the Father. Images of the Loved Child play fighting with the Brother. Images of her training. Her Hunting Grin. Her staring unseeingly into the distance.

Everything the Loved Child did, they bore witness to, and captured it.

And they traded it, so both could cherish the captured moment.

"Machiko will give you the one of Aisako-sama trying to reach the top shelf in the library, if you give Machiko the one of Aisako-sama with the scorpion."

"No way! The image of the Loved Child carelessly playing with human mortality is worth waaaay more than Aisako-sama suffering from her vertically challenged plight…I'll trade the scorpion pic for one of her training with her amber though…"

Machiko huffed, "Machiko had to be very sneaky to get those! Aisako-sama would kill Machiko for not staying away after Aisako-sama told Machiko that Aisako-sama's training was too dangerous for Machiko to be near…"

"Well I'm quite attached to the scorpion picture…" Shigeru checked for sand under his nails, knowing that Machiko would eventually give in and take the trade.

Blue eyes narrowed as Machiko desperately tried to think of a way she could keep the images of Aisako-sama's amber. Finally, she blurted the first offer she could think of that would please both parties.

"Machiko will trade the rattlesnake for the scorpion!"

Shigeru blinked.

That was…

That was a very, very good trade.

"Deal." He held out his hand and the pair shook on the trade, "Now…next deal…I want one of her watering the cactus on her windowsill."

The boy was well aware this would be a hard trade to accomplish. Machiko guarded images of the Loved Child tending to her plants quite fiercely. He knew that Machiko wanted no one to see them, but could not bring herself to destroy something that held the Loved Child's image.

But Shigeru had a secret weapon. He was sure to win.

Machiko's expression morphed into one of distaste, "Machiko wishes she could kill that thing."

Olive green eyes stared at her in obvious horror, "W-What? Why? Have you not seen the way she so tenderly gazes at the orange blooms it presents to her? How she faithfully waters it when it needs it and even goes as far as to clean the pot it sits inside, so that everything about the cactus is as perfect as she?"

"That weed was a gift from the Unholy Worm. Anything it touched is tainted and should be destroyed, or cast out into the Wastes." The little girl hissed, "It hurts her to look at the thing…just another reminder of the Demon and its Betrayal."

"But the Loved Child has many fond memories of her time with the Demon- even if they are painful. They are still valuable moments in her time as a mortal in this world. She should be free to remember what she wants."

"Machiko is not saying that Aisako-sama should forget…only that remembering is not as pleasant as the memories would suggest."

"Please, Machiko-chan…please let me have just one image of it? One picture of her caring for a gift given by one she considered her closest friend, years after the friendship withered?"

The little girl tilted her head, "And what would Shigeru-kun have that would make Machiko part with such a picture?"

Opening the album he kept the most important of his photos, Shigeru pulled out an image he had never shown Machiko before.

It was one of Machiko and the Loved Child, when they were both younger…seven and eight, if he remembered correctly. He had been nine at the time, so it seemed accurate…

It had been after a long training session. Shigeru had watched the Loved Child and the Maiden train for many, many hours until finally, the Maiden had collapsed from exhaustion. Before she could fall to the ground, the Loved Child caught her younger companion and settled on the ground with her, resting in the shadows of a rock formation.

The Loved Child had rested the Maiden's head upon her lap, and had played with the blond strands of Machiko's hair as the Maiden slept.

Even at nine years old, Shigeru had identified the tender, almost maternal smile upon the Loved Child's face, and knew he had to capture the tender moment…even if it was one he was sure he was never meant to see.

Machiko looked down at the photo he was offering in exchange, and could think of only one word in response.

"Shit."

She really wanted that photo.

Machiko eventually had to leave, and Shigeru was left behind to reorganize his collection. On his bedside table, framed with care and taking center stage, was the image he'd wanted so badly.

He knew that every morning, when he woke up, the first thing he'd lay eyes on was the Loved Child's warm amber eyes staring tenderly down at a cactus she'd cared for for years now.

Wasn't it funny, that the Demon would gift her something so like herself? Like the cactus, Aisako-sama was coated in sharp needles and barbed spines, promising danger for anyone who tried to harm her…but she was also just as beautiful as the flowers the cactus continued to produce for her year after year.

Shigeru did not like the Demon. But he knew that at one time, the Demon had cared for Aisako-sama just as much as Shigeru did. If the Demon hadn't hurt the Loved Child's heart and physical form, Shigeru would have even considered the Demon a rival in earning the Loved Child's affections…but the Demon hurt her, and lost the right to pursue her. There was a chance he could earn it back…but as it stood, Shigeru was quite sure he had the best chance.

Of course, all this talk of rivalries and gaining the Loved Child's affections were only based on the hope that the Loved Child would actually bother to find romantic interest in lowly mortals such as himself.

"Shigeru, you had better be getting ready for bed!" His mother called out, suddenly ripping him from his thoughts. "You have to wake up early, remember?"

"Hai!"

He might be twelve years old, but there was no way he was about to break the bedtime law. Nope. He wanted to be alive when he was old enough to propose to the Loved Child, thank you very much.

As he settled onto the bed and tucked himself in, he looked up at the photo on his nightstand. From where he laid, it was impossible to see the cactus in the image, so it looked as though Aisako-sama was looking down at him with warm orange eyes, full of care.

He fell asleep feeling warm and fuzzy inside; his lips twitching up into a goofy smile.

"Ren-chan, Rina-chan!" Shigeru called, waving to the pair of girls from across the street.

The deadpan duo stopped walking and stared at him blankly as he practically skipped up to them.

"Ren-chan, Rina-chan! So happy I caught up to you!"

"Shigeru-san." The girls greeted in unison. Ren continued speaking, "What is it you needed?"

"I know it's still a little while 'til the next meeting, but I was wondering if you have any more-"

Rina reached behind herself and slipped a hand into a concealed pocket sewn into the back of the tan vest she wore, "We aren't sure why you want these…but we have ten here."

Ren gave a predatory grin so similar to the Loved Child's it sent a shiver down his spine, "So if you've brought the correct amount for payment, we'd be happy to complete our little…transaction a week or so early."

As Shigeru took out the necessary amount of money, Rina pulled out ten photos in perfect condition.

The items were exchanged, and Shigeru rapidly flipped through the images, squealing excitedly at the pure perfection that they held.

Ren and Rina exchange wary glances as they count and split the money.

Should we have done this? I mean…we don't even know why he wanted pictures of her…

It's not like they were inappropriate or anything. It's literally just Aisako-san being Aisako-san.

He's awfully excited to see her just being her…

No more than the rest of the Loved Ones would be.

True.

Do you think if we asked Aisako-san to pose for us, we could charge more? Or just get a massive stockpile of them so we don't have to hide behind buildings and sneak into her house full of jounin relatives?

Maybe if we share a portion of the profit…

As the duo had their silent conversation, Shigeru wandered off, too busy flipping through the photos to remember to be courteous to his fellow Loved Ones.

There was a photo of Aisako-sama cooking! With an apron! She was also wearing some sort of gas mask as she stirred a pot of something that was probably poisonous, so you couldn't see her face- but that just added to the charm. Aisako-sama was equal parts drop-dead gorgeous, so-cute-you-could-die, and straight up dangerous.

He could not wait to show these to Machiko-chan! She'd be so jealous when she found out he had suppliers!