Bookmarks in Yako's Love Story
I. Neuro, Yesterday.
It was late into a quiet afternoon, in an office warmed by the summer sun, that Neuro realized something.
From the couch, a small snore rumbled. Neuro focused on the form of that girl, arms and legs haphazardly stretched on the cream leather. He placed the newspaper he was reading onto his desk and leaned back, head tipped slightly in the manner of contemplating a small puzzle. Which was precisely what this was. A puzzle, a little mystery that pricked his interest.
It was strangely...calming, watching her sleep.
Yako wrinkled her nose, fingers twitching. Neuro stood and made his way over. A small smile shook her lips and a little mewl stumbled out of her dreams. In sleep, she was completely relaxed, not anticipating the next crime, the next punishment, the next killer - as was per normal when she was with him. A softness permeated her expression, of the like he had very rarely seen. The demon leaned forward, head supported by his hands.
Sleep itself was hardly a curiosity. A simple mechanism of the brain to rest and restore. Nothing dreamt or even slept in the demon world, it was far too easy for something to sneak up and eat you – trust wasn't exactly in abundance. And it wasn't as if they needed sleep, not like the weak little humans here, succumbing so easily to an overload of information.
With a languid movement, Neuro flicked his slave's ear, meaning for her to wake. Yako only curled up more, partially covering her face with a pink-sleeved arm.
His first thought was to block all airways until she spluttered awake and he could exact proper punishment. But as time passed and his limbs were loath to move, Neuro was surprised to find that slave-torture wasn't appropriately appealing just now. He straightened slowly, inspecting himself for any injuries. Could it be a possible human world virus that had crept into his system? Not that it wouldn't have been destroyed the minute it entered, but what--?
A yawn escaped him. His movements sluggish, one gloved hand covered the fanged maw that had stretched wide. So the lack of miasma is finally affecting me. The heat in the room coiled around his form, leaving a slight tingle in his bones. Vibrant green eyes slipping shut, Neuro first glanced at the ceiling: his usual site of repose; then at the sliver of space around the louse.
Waste of energy. Mind already dipping into rest, Neuro clambered onto the sofa, positioning himself in the cranny between sofa and the small figure of Yako. Jostled, she lazily opened an eye, stared vacantly at the body almost forcing her off the edge and chose, in her groggy state, to shuffle closer.
In an office warmed by the sun, the two partners slept, curled around each heartbeat.