Super short drabble, just popped into my head, gonna write a similar one in reverse too

Warnings: angst, character death, Shizaya hints and it's short and written at 3am after a 3day con


It was just a photo.

It should not have had so great an effect on him, yet still the tears came unbidden to his eyes and streamed freely down his cheeks at the sight of it.

He had not looked at it for years now, nearly four. He never spoke of the incident either, often pretended he was glad the man in this photo had died… but he wasn't. And he was unable to move on.

It was only after his death –deemed accidental by the police investigation- that the feelings had become apparent.

His own emotions had been so hidden… he felt pathetic. He wished he'd known sooner… and now that he had seen that smiling face, frozen forever in time by the click of a button he couldn't look away.

"Why…" He murmured weakly to the image, as though it would respond and tell him why its occupant had ceased to exist so suddenly… and far too soon.

"Why did you have to die… Shizu-chan?"