43. Tears

Godai was going through the eight channels available on the office's television set aimlessly when Aya's song came on. There was nothing strange about it. Her hit single was extremely popular. The tough bleach-blonde haired man started to whimper instantly. Yako stopped what she was doing with Akane on her laptop to listen in. She barely noticed the tears cascading down her cheeks.

Yako didn't realize Neuro was even paying attention until his noise of disgust sent the girl detective's amber eyes in the demon's direction. "Tch…"

"Neuro, what is it?" She gasped, not at the usual annoyed expression on the demon's face…but the tears misting over his eerie green eyes. "Neuro?"

Neuro seemed to snap out of his irritated trance and looked at her with surprise. "Yako…"

She watched helplessly as the demon dashed out of the window faster than she could repeat his name.

He went up to the roof…I know it. "I'll be right back, Akane-chan," Yako told the twitching braid. She ran out of the room, seeing that Godai's teary gaze hadn't even left the screen.

She ran blindly, with instinct rather than thought. Every step up the stairs was a blame, an accusation. It's. Your. Fault. Your. Fault. Your. Fault.

"It's my fault! The culprit…is me this time!" She shouted at his back. Neuro…the demon who had multicolored hair, wore a blue suit, and ate mysteries. He didn't turn. "Neuro!"

"Go away. There is no reason for you to be up here."

The coldness of his voice sent a chill up her spine, but Yako narrowed her eyes, set her jaw, and pounded up to him. If he'd changed in the last couple of years…then so had she.

"Neuro. Nougami Neuro."

He turned his face from her, even as she came up to his right side and attempted to peer through his hair. "N—" With a sigh of frustration, Yako placed her hand on the side of her demon's face and pulled it towards her. She looked in confusion at his desperate expression. "I did this. I'm sorry."

Neuro's long gloved fingers passed over his eyes before his toothy grin and placid expression returned. "What are you talking about, Slave No. 1?"

"Shut up."

The mystery eater blinked, looking somewhere halfway between shocked and amused.

"I'm the reason why this is happening to you," she continued with an air of confidence Neuro found unfamiliar. "You once told me that I had the ability to understand human nature. I never used to understand your movements…because you were a demon." She paused. "But now…"

Neuro smirked at her. "What makes you so sure that it was insignificant you that brought something like human emotion upon a demon?"

Yako balled her small hand into a brief fist before stepping forward and catching Neuro's mouth with her own. Any minute now he's going to start hitting me…or use me as a chair…or… But he didn't.

Yako smiled with victory underneath the kiss and reveled in pleasure and amusement the way Neuro's lips responded with her own. Until he pushed her away, eyes wide and uncertain. "What—?" He gasped out, his epitome of cool gone.

The honey haired girl raised her eyebrows. "Nougami Neuro, you're in love with me," she said apologetically.

Neuro attempted one of his nonchalant smirks but his hands trembled as he placed them on his hips. "Then what's your solution, tantei-san?" He asked mockingly.

"Go back to hell—back to the demon world." Yako gave a shuddering breath and tried to ignore the demon's baffled expression. He clearly wasn't expecting that as an answer. "You staying here—being near me—is making you vulnerable, physically and emotionally." She cleared her throat. "And I will not watch you get hurt."

"Oi, Slave No. 1," he interrupted shakily and Yako winced in horror. "That's being a little selfish. "He used the sleeve of his coat to wipe his eyes unceremoniously. "Damn these things," he muttered.

Yako's own eyes filled with tears. "You have to go back. Look at what's happening. Do you want to get killed for my sake? Go back to hell, Neuro!"

She yelped with her usual surprise as the demon grit his teeth and growled in frustration. What wasn't so usual was the way he attacked her mouth with another snarl. This kiss was harder than the first. Yako could taste all the new emotions he was experiencing—confusion, desperation, anger, hurt…love. She could feel the wet tears on her cheeks that the cold demon didn't know how to control. He broke away, his forehead pushed up against hers. "Like hell am I going to hell."

Yako shook her head, smiling. "And you can't cry anymore," he demanded with a frown.

Yako snickered as she kissed his wet face. "Then you can't either."