Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: Post series, spoilers apply. Like the past two parts, this is a prequel to the fic 'Children of Tomorrow' (spoilers apply there as well). Also-- this one is a little darker than what I usually write.

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"You know, cigarettes can shorten your lifespan."

Akio didn't look up as he took one last drag. "And wouldn't that be a damn shame."

"It'd be a shame for me!" Akio's supervisor pounded a fist on his clutter-filled desk. "You're the only employee I have that can manage to make deliveries on time!"

"Then try firing your less than productive drivers instead of falling for their sob stories." He leaned over to put his cigarette out in the pearly white ashtray.

The supervisor rolled his eyes. "And of course, I'd miss your warm, friendly personality." He handed Akio a sheet of paper. "Anyways-- this store needs their order delivered by tomorrow, two in the afternoon. Think you can handle that?"

Akio didn't reply as he took the paper and headed for his truck. His supervisor shook his head sadly as he watched him go.

"Kid really is going to get himself killed one of these days."

--

Aoyama Akio wasn't suicidal. And while he hadn't exactly had a happy childhood (there was a reason why he ran away at age sixteen), he had no dark secrets he had to endure, either. There was, however, an explanation explaining his nonchalant attitude to his heavy smoking (and drinking, if he had a day off), one so obvious he couldn't believe the supervisor hadn't figured it out yet: he had no reason to live his life.

Others did. His supervisor had his son and newborn granddaughter, the people he made deliveries for had their businesses and even those loafers of co-workers usually had some girl they were trying to impress. Akio... he had cut off ties with his family long ago. He had no one waiting for him to come home. And while the open road was one of the better jobs someone with his education (or lack thereof) could ask for, he had always really wanted to drive...

Never mind that. That was a long time ago, and he had learned the hard way that were things he couldn't change.

Akio lit up with his left hand as he steered with his right. He wasn't suicidal... but if death came a little quicker for him than others, he wouldn't necessarily mind.

--

Notes: Sorry this took so long. One day, I won't have trouble writing for Ayase. One day.