Death.
She hasn't thought about it in a long time.
Not since the mystery of her father's was solved. She put it behind her, because with him next to her, she thought she'd never have to experience it again.
Wishful, stupid thinking on her part. Everyone dies don't they? What differences does it make if a demon is beside you? What difference does anything make when the time is up and the shinigami is waiting?
Humans are weak.
She knew that. Humans break easily, bleed freely, simply, but not the people around her.
But maybe she really didn't know that.
No, they were supposed to be more then human, but not in the way her mock-assistant was. They were supposed to be able to handle everything without the looming sneer of Death upon their shoulders.
When did that change?
She realized it first when she was used as bait, during the Links website case. If Godai hadn't been there, would he really have let her die? Godai took the blow, grumbling the whole time he was stuck resting on the couch with a wrapped abdomen. He complained, whined, got angry at her and their self-proclaimed demon master. She knew, though, that this was his way of not getting attached. He didn't want to get used to him and her because then he might start caring and worrying and that just won't work will it?
I knew being around you was bad luck.
Not too long after that case did the realization of how fragile the human race was hit her hard again. She was stupid, oh so stupid. Her Akane-extended hair quivered, scared. Or maybe she was the one shaking, she couldn't tell. She was frozen, tied to the chair, the hair dresser from Hell as she thought of him, stood behind her, out of her sight.
But she knew what was going to happen, oh she knew. Stubborn and struggling even as Akane-chan was gelled down by some really great working hair wax imported from oversees, she didn't want to call for help. Though in her mind she knew she was already screaming for him, for the one person that could save her.
Would he even come?
When all was said and done and dead, he looked at her, her and her denial written expression. That girl from the police station- Todoroki Shizuka, the one that's skeptical when she arrives on the scene of crime with her assistant and looks up to Sasazuka-san - glared at her with accusing eyes, like this was all her fault.
Isn't it though?
Here lies Jun Ishigaki
He would always come to save her.
Why?
He would look, watch, wait, and arrive at the right time, in the right place to save her.
But only her.
Her.
Her.
No one else.
Here lies Eishi Sasazuka…
No.
No.
Why?
Even when they fight, she yells words that she doesn't mean and he keeps deadly calm, like he's angry too but wants to show he's above the human race and won't let her petty words get to him. Even when she storms out, flushed and angry because he's not listening, when really he is, listening to the places she visits, people she sees, data that he uses whenever she takes too long.
Whenever he needs to save her pathetic life.
He still comes to save her.
He'll act like he didn't mean to, like it was just a fluke that she's coming out of a fight completely unscratched. He'll threaten, torture, tease because he wants her to evolve, move past needing him.
So he doesn't save anyone else but her.
Here lies Shinobu Godai…
The people she thought were invincible are crumbling before her, dropping like flies. The people who she bonded with, laughed with, cared for, fall leaving her to face that ugly thing that remains the same. The world around her.
Evolve.
Evolve? She doesn't want to evolve if this is what it means. She doesn't care if she'll forever be a 'woodlouse' or 'dishrag' in his eyes. She doesn't care if he hates her just as long as he saves them she doesn't care.
I didn't know you were such a coward.
Coward?
Coward?
Here lies Yūya Higuchi…
He calls her a coward because she's scared. He calls her a coward because she's lost everyone.
She's a coward because she loves.
Fine.
She's a coward.
But, why would protect something as weak as a human if you know they break easily?
His eyes are cold and distracted with the same look as a child when he's lost interest in one toy that he can't quite figure out. He points to the door with his trademark middle finger gesture, it's wide open like it's calling to her.
Leave.
Her tears are hot and angry and endless. She's mad and terrified and beyond upset. She does the only thing she can.
She runs.
Weak.
So?
The graveyard is her first stop not because she wants to but because she's had to go there so many times lately her feet just took her there, blowing past all her usually food stands.
The flowers are still fresh but that doesn't cheer her up. Aya probably wouldn't be able to either, nor would the taste of good food.
Food.
Her stomach suddenly felt heavy like she ate too much which is strange because she could never eat too much before but, recently food didn't appeal to her as much anymore. She wonders if people have noticed.
Probably-
Hopefully not.
She goes through the motions.
Wake.
Shower.
Dress.
Eat.
School.
Homework.
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.
She's feeling more robotic then ever. People are dying because of Sicks. She can't do anything.
What would he say if he saw the state she was in?
You're pathetic louse.
Yeah, something like that.
She doesn't know how long it's been. Days? Weeks? Months? Even years?
It doesn't matter.
Sicks is still at large, people are still dying, she's still wondering.
Will he still save her?
She doesn't know why, but the question bugs her. It shouldn't matter if he would or wouldn't save her because she's doing nothing like the detective part of her wants to. She's not searching, pulling strings, wondering. She's not.
Ah, what's this?
Even if she's not looking, her face is still the match that comes to mind with the thought of a detective. People still give her a second look when she passes them, still whisper behind their hands pointing.
She's not a detective.
Not anymore.
How she found herself in the middle of this, she'll never know. Maybe her old ways are coming back to haunt her. She was looking at the newspaper with the news on, that channel that's all news all the time, and now she's here.
In the middle of an investigation.
Great.
The police don't question, letting her pass. She knows most of them, nodding as she passing seeing the instant pain that flashes in their eyes, the instant anger.
They blame her.
They should.
She doesn't know what happened. The next thing she knows is a firm hand is gripping her skull in what should have been inhuman strength but it's not.
Don't get her wrong, it hurts like hell.
But, not like it should.
Sensei!
Sweet, gentle, too nice.
How do people buy this crap?
She wonders if they do, the officers look up at the sound, jumpy on edge giving them a glance before turning away decided it wasn't worth their time.
She looks up at him, his green eyes blazing with masked rage that wasn't completely directed at her as they searched the room.
She should push him off, yell at him again and tell him she's not a detective that she never was but she looks around again.
The officers are like frighten animals that lost their mothers, hopeless and unsure but still trying. Some of their best people have died on this one case alone. Who wouldn't be scared?
She wasn't.
Not anymore as the hand gripping her head turns her so she's looking directly at the demonic green eyes.
Have you evolved?
Yes or no.
She doesn't think, just answers.
Yes.
His eyes narrow in disbelief.
Have you?
The question holds so many more.
I'm still human.
She'll never stop caring, she'll never stop wanting to end someone's suffering.
Never.
Because of that, she's flawed.
But, that's okay.
Come, louse we have work to do.
He carries her by the head away from the scene and in that moment she knows he'll still protect her because she hasn't completely evolved past her limits and his expectations.
Because she'll still mourn for the dead.
Cry for the suffering.
Want to save the world from pain.
Because she's still human and humans are weak.
People will still die around her but because he is protecting her, she'll see this. She'll learn from this. She'll grow from this.
Evolve even.
Maybe she was wrong, maybe he protects her because she needs to evolve like this, needs to see what the world is becoming around her while she stalls, staying simple minded. Maybe-!
He slams her into every wall he can.
Maybe not.
Maybe this is just his way of really torturing her.
It doesn't matter what his reasons are because she is Yako, the one who knows how to feel and he is Neuro, the one that knows what to do.
And as long as she can fall back on him, she can stand back up.
Mostly because he'll probably think of some torture device that will cause bodily harm if she doesn't stand.
But, that's okay.
Kinda.