Nobody likes doctors. Going to see one meant you were sick; that some part of you was declining. It happened to everyone. For some it was a peaceful decline; something that would come with age. For some… it was worse. Those were the ones that were remembered. A decline either by a parasitic nature or an outside interference was always the hardest. Each decline was painful. Loved ones would fade from existence. Some were lucky enough to be by their side when they faded, but each time it was painful. This decline, however, it produced a pain unlike any before. A pain that ached passed from the skin and bones straight to the marrow. A pain that stained everything it touched; that no amount of time would heal. It was a pain of things unsaid, of things left undone. Like Kazuma, she had perceived him as immortal and just like Kazuma, she had been forced to face his mortality; the skin that had grown cold underneath her fingers, the delayed pain reaction, the faded breathing all were grim reminders of what she had forced herself to look away from and what had been shoved in her face.

Olivia never thought she'd miss it; the snarky smile, the confident walk, the overzealous tone with some topics, the weaving in and out of a direct conversation, and even the teasing. For too long, she had taken him and his traits for granted. Whenever she turned, she had expected him to be right in front of her, even if she hadn't wanted him. One would think she would learn what would happen if people were taken for granted. Just like the spring blossoms that adorned the spaces of his tattoo, like was short; fleeting. Life was something that people took for granted. It was something they always expected to be there. Waking up after shutting your eyes was something that expected but wasn't guaranteed like everyone thought. Which was better? Was it better to never wake, leaving a day satisfied with what you had accomplished prior, or was it better to have your end while giving you time to think and recount experiences? She wondered which he would have preferred. Now, she couldn't ask.

There had been so many things that she wanted to ask. Just like the time when he turned his back to her then, her throat had closed. Her brain had refused to work instead leaving her with rushed and repetitive please; reverting to the very basics of human communication. She hated herself for it. Even during those last moments in Little Asia, he was only given frantic batches of conversation he was unable to grasp or understand. The last words he heard her speak, he hadn't been able to understand. Would he hate her? Even then, he was the stronger one. Trying to comfort her tears and make her smile while he grew colder underneath her grasp. He tried to set her mind at ease, preparing her for what was to come. It was her job to comfort him, to reassure him that everything would be fine. To apologize. But… he had taken it upon himself to do these things.

"Even now… all I can seem ta do…is make ya cry."

"Sorry, Olivia."

Instead of telling him how she felt; how sorry she was, how much he meant to her, and how much she valued his friendship, she had just gripped his hand. All her hope trying to transfer between the two, all the apologies. He wouldn't have cared how broken her Japanese would have been, she knew that. If he got a word here and there in, the rest could be inferred from looks or movements. But… her brain wouldn't allow Japanese to come out no matter how hard she tried. The shock of seeing him in that condition fried that side of her brain, letting only English escape. The one time speaking two languages had to get in the way had the be the time when she needed her Japanese the most. Through her tears and her anguish, he had used what little strength he had to brush her tears away. How much had it hurt to move such a battered body? He did that for her, endured that for her just to brush some tears away. What would've happened if she could've spoke then? What would've happened if she could've conveyed all her worries and sorrows? Would his eyes have closed at all? If they did, would she feel the torture she was now? What had he been thinking in those final moments? What had been his last thought when he closed his eyes? She wished with all her might that she could ask, but—

Olivia pulled her leg to her chest, resting her cheek on her knee and closing her eyes. If she focused hard enough, her brain would press past all the painful memories and focus on the good ones; where his smile wasn't caked with blood, where his laugh wasn't labored, where his brows had knit together in confusion instead of pain, when they raised with his teasing voice instead of pain, and most importantly when his skin was warm instead of the ice that had been beneath her fingertips. That would have to be enough. Those memories would have to get through this. Memories were strong, but they still didn't compare to the real thing. With the real thing, more instances could take place and remembered. All she could do was sift through the file cabinet in her mind, searching through the videos of memories she held near and dear. The snapshots in her album back at Serena were other reminders she had.

The only thing her mind felt like gathering were the times that they had fought and how many tears she had shed. All the miscommunication that had happened between them. There was so much more time that they could've had if she had've been better at apologizing. So much more time if he had just been honest with her sooner—no. She couldn't blame him. This wasn't his burden to bear. It was her's and her mistake alone to live with. Olivia screwed her tired eyes shut trying to rid herself of the pounding headache. They had been coming less frequently lately, but when they did rear their ugly heads it was a furious pain shooting from the back of her neck to reach through the network of nerves around her cranium, signaling all of them to activate at one time. Light had become painful to have on, so she had made sure to dim it as much as possible without hindering sight. Sleep had eluded her, every time she closed her eyes all she had seen behind her eyelids was his pained smile and bloody body. The headache died down enough to where it didn't hurt to open or close her eyes and look around. Warily, waiting for the pain to renew itself, she looked to her left.

Majima lay on the cot, covered up with a pillow under his head. Her eyes took in every bit she could like it was going to change. She focused on the only thing that ended up making the headaches go away; the slight rise and fall of his chest letting her know he remained. The color had returned to his skin, but in the three days he's been at Dr. Emoto's clinic, she hadn't ventured over to him. Staying by someone's side when they were sick was something reserved for those that had helped in some way. All she had managed to do was cry herself into a panic attack and make him feel the need to comfort her.

When they arrived at the clinic three days ago and he had managed to stabilize Majima, Dr. Emoto had assured her that she did everything that she had been able to do, and her quick thinking had helped save him. She had wondered if that was just his default compliment as he had stated the same when Kiryu was shot. The sweater and shirt had been caked with blood when he was brought in. If anything, the clothes just managed to soak up the blood. The coagulation of his blood didn't have to do with her quick thinking, but how close he had been to Death's door. Doctor Emoto could try and assure her in various ways all he wanted, but her thoughts would remain the same. His godlike speed was the reason Majima was able to play ding-dong ditch with Death's door, not her pressing onto his wound.

Through the three days, Kiryu had dropped by and checked on them both. At first it was just to check on Majima so he could tell Sera what they heard, found, and 'how the patient was doing'. By the middle of the second day, Kiryu had taken it upon himself to check on her too. The black couch was where she lay during the night and sat during the day. Any sustenance that Kiryu had brought her lay on the table. Considering this was an underground clinic, Olivia had thought that Emoto was going to tell her she was unable to stay, but he had welcomed her. Perhaps it would've been better if she hadn't stayed. Most of her days were spent watching him, counting how many times he breathed in a 30 second period, a minute, two, 30, an hour. After a while, it had become soothing. The second night had been the worst, waking up just as she fell asleep. The only extended length of sleep she had managed to capture was after watching him breathe.

Sometime during the first night, after asked how long it would before Majima regained consciousness, Dr. Emoto had merely stated that it was up to him. A vague answer like that was what she was afraid of. Basically, the professional version of 'I have no fucking clue'. No matter how long it took, she had decided that she would be here when he woke up. It was the least that she could do for him after everything he had done for her. It was tiring no knowing when anything was going to happen, or if anything would happen. There were plenty of cases where the patient would end up healing from all injuries, but their eyes wouldn't open. All she could was hope that he wouldn't be a number in that statistic. Even though he was just a human, he was one of the toughest that she knew. Just like Kazuma. The waiting was endless and at times she felt like if he woke up, they'd be old people.

Once her headache had settled down a sizable degree, Olivia stood up and stretched exhaling when her spine popped. Huddling in a ball against a couch wasn't good for her spine, but it was the only way that she would be able to see him breathe and therefore falling asleep. She grabbed onto the opened can of coffee Kazuma had brought for her earlier before heading out once again and took a drink. Olivia stretched listening to her spine pop more and paced the room slightly, making sure to stay away from Majima in the process. Halfway around her fourth turn, a sound from behind her made her stop.

Upon her about face, she saw Majima move slightly and groaning. Her body froze and her coffee crashed to the floor. Olivia looked around, Dr. Emoto had stepped out for a bit to get himself some food. Each time he was heading out, Olivia offered to share her food with him, but he declined each time. Getting food was probably the secondary reason he left, primarily just to get out of the clinic. Forcing her feet to move and refusing to listen to her brain's argument of staying away from him, she headed to his bed. Even if she agreed that she should stay away from him, she didn't want him to wake up alone. The whole week he had been in Little Asia he had been alone. They had found out the moment they had a plan, but it still wasn't soon enough. Olivia went over to the bed just as he opened his eye.

His gaze was unfocused. His eye was trained on her, but Olivia could tell he was having difficulty seeing. She hoped that he hadn't suffered some permanent damage to his eye in the torture session. Olivia bit her lip and leaned over him slightly, watching him blink. When the fog in his eye cleared, a smile rose to his face.

"…Hey." He said, still groggy. "What's up?"

Olivia sighed not realizing she had been holding her breath. A smile brightened on her face the more focused he became. How could he just be so casual? She reached down and brought a single finger down to his face, brushing against his cheekbone. The warmth against her finger made tears of relief gather in her eyes. There it was. That warmth. She sighed, her breathing shaky. If her vision blurred too much, she wouldn't be able to see him. After these three days, she wanted nothing more than to see him again. Olivia placed a hand against his chest when he leaned up on his elbows; firm, but soft enough not to harm him.

You came back to me…

Upon the touch against his chest, he looked down at her hand and then up at her. She was waiting for him to yell at her, to tell her to get the hell out of his life. None of that came though, he just pressed against her hand try to sit up despite the obvious discomfort it was causing him. Normally when people woke up in a hospital—or this case, a clinic—they wanted to rest and get their bearings. Knowing Majima, she should've realized that he would put up a fight and try to defy the norm as soon as his eye opened. Answering his silent question, she shook her head making him remain propped on his shoulders.

"You need rest." Olivia whispered, still reveling in the warmth she now felt against her fingertips.

"I've been restin' long enough." He sighed, tilting his chin to the ceiling with a groan that reminded her of when a child was in timeout for too long or asked if they did their homework.

"Please, Majima." Olivia begged. "Lay back."

"Why ya want me ta be on my back so bad?" He began, lowering himself but stopped and that same devious smile appeared on his lips again.

Oh no.

"Oh, I know why ya want me ta lay down so bad." He snickered and cocked his head, turning his singular gaze back to her. "This is yer way of tellin' me that ya wanna be on top, ain't it? Gotta say, I had ya pegged for likin' bottom. Ain't complainin' though."

What?! Absolutely not! You know that's not it!

Olivia stared at him, forcing her embarrassment down. That's what he wanted though. He had told her before that it was fun to get a rise out of her. He deserved to have a little laugh at her expense, or a lot of laughs, but if she didn't crush this line before it got any longer, he would surely try to get up and tease her more.

Alright. If that's how you want it. Two can play this game.

"Yes." She said, watching as his laughter stopped and his eye widened.

"Haw?!" Majima cleared his throat. "I-I mean, I knew ya wanted ta ride Railway Majima." He laughed and it was all Olivia could do not squirm, show any embarrassment, or smile. As swift as his shock appeared, he had hidden it, but she had seen how taken aback he had been. "Sorry ta disappoint ya, Harper-chan, but this railway might be outta order for a while. Can't give the riders the best experience unless it's at full capacity. Ya understand I'm sure."

"I wait for ticket." Olivia said, hiding her own smile when he scoffed and laid back down on the cot, turning his head away from her. Goro Majima? A pouter? An awkward pouter?

I win this round.

With their usual banter back in place, the torture back in Little Asia felt like a lifetime ago. The three days that she waited for this moment—well, not the sexual innuendos, but seeing him awake again—felt distant as well. Those memories she wanted to file and never look at again. Instead, she wanted to focus on their positives. Before she could do that, however, there was something she had to do. Olivia walked away from the side of his bed and grabbed onto a chair. When she turned back, she saw his head jerk back to where it had been. Olivia smiled and sat down next to his cot.

"Majima." She whispered, placing her hands on her lap. When he didn't turn and look at her, she frowned, and her gaze fell to her balled up and sweating hands. The thought to tell him how happy she was that he was better, and leave made its presence know, but she gripped her hands together, swallowing the lump gathering her throat. The butterflies gathered and swarmed throughout her stomach. This was it. There was no running away anymore. She refused to let herself run again. This was the only chance at repairing their thread. "… I-I…"

Please…

Olivia took another deep breath. This was her last chance.
"I'm sorry." She finally breathed out. From above her, she saw Majima move. Olivia couldn't bring herself to look up at him though. Closing her eyes to calm her upcoming nausea and taking a deep breath, she continued. "… For everything. What I say then, I… I don't mean."

Please forgive me…

"I'm very angry sometimes and not think before I say. At meeting, I felt very sad. I hurt. When I find out that you came spy on me, it be felt like you not mean things you do or said. It make me feel like... you only want be in my life because orders. Those feelings hurt. I had such good times with you, and thinking to them being because Sera-san told you to in my life… I didn't know how to handle. That's why I say those mean things. I want hurt you as much as I feel hurt. But, that's not right. It's not fair. You're not dog. Nickname isn't who you are. I know yakuza have to be following rules. Sera-san your big boss, so I know. I know you didn't do because you want be that person; because you had to be. At time though, I just was angry. I felt betray."

Olivia cleared her throat and balled up her fists more, holding onto the fabric of her pants. Just slow and steady. If she kept her apology slow and steady and articulate the best that she was able, maybe it would get through to him better. Ultimately, the choice would remain his to make. Sometime during her apology, she expected him to interrupt her and insert some opinion or quirky remark, but even he must've understood the importance of this apology to not only themselves but to each other and their friendship.

"But Majima… I swear I never mean things like that I said. I'm sorry, and I hope you forgive. I know that I don't have right to ask that, and not have to give. But… I hope you do. I hope you know how I feel now, and I know how much I hurt you."

Perhaps the worst thing after giving an apology was the wait for an answer. The silence could be nauseating and deafening at the same time; as this was. In no way was he bound to the friendship and was in no way bound to forgiving her. Even if he didn't… she hoped that he would be able to feel how sorry she was. Even if he couldn't look past her words and start anew, if he took away from this how sorry she was and accepted that at least. Her muscles tightened when she heard the rustling on the cot.

"Look at me." Olivia took a deep breath and did as he asked. It was hard, but she managed.

He was sitting up on his elbows, looking at her. It was a piercing gaze that made her want to look away, but she was held without any hope of escape in sight. From what she could see, there was no animosity in his eye. There was something that looked like acceptance, but she couldn't be sure until she heard it. Majima's language hard to learn, and while she wasn't fluent, she would consider herself proficient. Sometimes words needed to be exchanged though, especially in instances like this where one's bias and hopes could cloud what they were really seeing.

"I'm sorry too. I'm a grown ass man, and I shouldn't have let yer words hurt me like they did." Majima muttered and looked up at the ceiling. "If anythin' though, that proves how much ya mean ta me. Yer right, I shoulda told ya sooner. Not… really sure how that woulda went though. Couldn't just really tell a girl I've been with that I was supposed ta be followin' her around. Coulda got the cops called on me and they'd just look at me, cause y'know, they're really tired of seein' me. Don't see why, I think I'm a pretty good catch…"

He's right. If he had've told me that, I might have called the cops on him.

"At first it was like that, Sera told me I had ta follow ya around. Not like a stalker or nothin'. Just gotta make sure no one killed ya or shit like that. After I met ya, ya started just poppin' up in places I happened ta be. First, I thought ya might've known and was just makin' my job easier. It ain't exactly hard. Sotenbori ain't that big of a place and yer easy to find with yer…" Majima waved his hand in front of his face. "hair… and face and stuff."

Thank you?

"It was a pain in my ass. After all, I got shit ta do y'know and I had ta be around this little American girl. Though, the more I got ta know ya, the more shocked I was. Ya weren't just 'some girl'. Ya got yer own personality; hot-headed, annoyin', and clumsy as fuck. But… still you. Then, before I knew it, I started ta like havin' ya around. It wasn't such a pain in the ass bein' around ya and I found myself lookin' forward ta seein' ya again. Been… a long time since I felt happy ta see someone else other than Kiryu-chan around."

I'm still not sure if you're complimenting me or insulting me.

Majima glanced at her and then it was his turn to look away again. His face scrunched up and he turned to stare at the ceiling. This was one of the few times she wished that she was able to read minds. There had to be something in there that he wasn't showing. Olivia almost stood up when he balanced himself on one elbow and scratched the back of his head.

"Fuck I'm terrible at this sorta shit. I guess what I'm tryin' ta say is that I… uh…" Majima mumbled and cleared his throat, keeping his eye anywhere but on her. "want ya in my life…for a long time."

Olivia's face flushed a deep red and her eyes widened. Her ability to talk left her and she sat there in her chair, just staring at him. Perhaps feeling her gaze on him, he looked back over at her blinking for a moment before his own eye widened.
"N-Not in a creepy way or anythin' like that, shit!" He defended and looked back down with a heavy sigh. "Y-Ya know, just as we are now. Basically… uh… shit… what I'm sayin'—what the hell am I sayin'? Oh, uh well… it'—just don't change. Yer fine the way ya are."

"You forgive then?"

"Haw?! Yer tellin' me after I went through all that and ya still gotta ask?" He groaned and looked away from her again. "Yeah. Yeah, I forgive ya. Does that mean I can call ya 'Kitten' and 'Princess' again?"

"You worried about that?"

"Well yeah, there's only one Kitten and only one Princess." Majima mumbled. "If I can't call her that, then what am I supposed ta call her? Harper-chan is bland."

"Well…" Olivia looked down at her hands again. "Other that you can call me what you did then."

"When?"

"At Little Asia." Olivia said like it was the obvious thing ever.

"What did I call ya?"

"You don't remember?"

"Haw?!" Majima exclaimed. "I was half dead, how am I gonna remember that?"

"Never mind then." Olivia muttered and pouted, leaning back in her chair.

"What did I call ya then?"

"Nothing."

"C'mon, Princess. Tell yer favorite Majima."

You're the only Majima there is… Goro.

"You call me Olivia."

"Haw?" Majima scoffed. "No, I didn't."

"Yes!"

"Yer imaginin' shit." He scoffed again.

"I'm not!"

"Then call me by my first name then, how 'bout that?"

"G—" Olivia stopped mid word and cleared her throat. "Go-…"

"Huh? Sorry, speak up. Havin' a hard time hearin' ya."

"Go—no…" Olivia sighed and looked down.

"That's what I thought." Majima smirked and looked back at her again. "Feel better?"

"Mm."

"Good."

Olivia looked him over. His skin had returned to its normal hue and his face didn't look sunken in like it had. All the blood had been cleaned off, revealing his tattoo again. The only wound that had to be stitched and treated specially was the one across his chest. The others were already scabbing over and on their way to recovery. There was still some bruising and swelling in some places, but he primarily was back to being her 'favorite Majima'.

"Majima." Olivia smiled when he turned to her. "I want you in life for long time too. You mean very much to me."

"Geez…" Majima mumbled, moving his feet underneath the blanket as he pout. "…That ain't fair… hittin' from the left field like that."

Olivia smiled and the door opened. She turned and saw Dr. Emoto coming in with a bag of what looked like take-out from the beef bowl place and another bag from Poppo convenience store. He stopped as soon as he entered the clinic and smiled.

"Well Majima, you finally decided to get up?"

"Can't sleep forever, Doc." He said and shrugged. "Can I leave now?"

"Hello to you too." Doctor Emoto walked in and placed the bags on his desk and turned back around to face the two. "Let me make sure you're not going to pass out or relapse. Lay down."

Majima frowned,
"Y'know, I only let women on Railway Majima right? I mean, I'm flattered and everythin', but cute little Kitten over here has the next ticket in line. First and only one, sorry Doc."

"Lay down."

Doctor Emoto looked at Majima and raised a brow not even for a moment phased by what her friend had said. They seemed to be on a familiar basis. It wouldn't shock her being a yakuza or anything. Sotenbori may have been where Majima lived, but that doesn't mean that that's where he was at all the time as plainly displayed by the amount of furniture back in his apartment. It very well may be possible that Majima only had a residence, so he had an address for official documents and things like that. Wouldn't shock her in the least bit. She watched her friend lay down, frowning and grumbling all the while. He really was like a child that was sent to timeout or was asked about homework. When he got antsy, he reminded her of a child that got a new comic book and wanted to rush home to read it or go play outside with his friends after he was finished with his chores.

Olivia moved out of Emoto's way and stood at the head of the bed. When she looked down at him, she met his eye and she smiled receiving one in return. The relief of the weight leaving her body was immeasurable. Somehow, they had managed to keep their relationship and repair the thread between them to its original strength. Actually, it may even be stronger than it had been prior to this whole thing. She looked over at the doctor who was pulling the bandage off Majima's wound and checking it, tsking or making other sounds that sounded like disapproval. It wouldn't matter if they were cleared by Emoto, she felt that he'd be leaving any way.

She left Majima to the doctor and headed to clean up her mess. Olivia picked up her spilled coffee and threw away the rest of her containers. Olivia grabbed one of her napkins and cleaned up the spill from her coffee and went to go and fold the blanket. Doctor Emoto—underground or not—was the best doctor that she had the privilege and honor to know. He had not only saved the life of Kazuma, but Majima as well. There had to be something that she could do in thanks. Every now and again as she cleaned up, she heard huffs and grumbles. Once she managed to fold the blanket, she sat it on the couch and the pillow on top of it. For taking care of her, she'd have to do something nice for Kazuma too. It was relieving to know that everything was becoming calmer now.

"Hey that hurts!" Majima exclaimed, startling Olivia and making her head back over to the bed.

"Then you shouldn't have moved as much as I know you did as soon as you woke up." Dr. Emoto said with a sigh, cleaning the wound that he had stitched up. She was no doctor, so she was unsure of what was going on, but it looked like he had somehow managed to get fibers of the gauze stuck between the stitches. "Stop moving now and I'll be done soon. Keep it up and I'll rip it and you'll end up having to stay longer." That quieted Majima down and he laid there and sighed, staring up at her again with a smile.

"Be more careful, Old Man." Majima murmured.

"Hey. Majima. You plan on heading back to Sotenbori?"

What…?

"I was thinkin' 'bout it. Why?"

"I think that you should stay in Kamurocho. If it's Omi and they end up finding out what happened, then Sotenbori will be the first place that they look for you."

"Mm… Ya may be right. For once."

After Doctor Emoto cleaned the wound and checked it for any more issues, he bandaged it up and headed to his desk. While Majima was sitting up and adjusting himself on the bed, she was waved over by the doctor. The bag that he had taken from his desk was handed to her along with a piece of paper. She bit on her lip. Even if it had been downplayed a large amount, she still could only read a little bit here and there. Since she didn't think she would need to know so many medical terms and issues she hadn't focused on it as much when she was learning Japanese. Hindsight is 20/20 though.

"Wassat?" Majima asked, getting off the table, scratching the back of his head and cracking his neck.

Dr. Emoto had been reading her the sentences sensing her worry. Olivia quickly transcribed them into the English right under their Japanese counterparts. When Majima spoke, he didn't even look up.

"Instructions."

"For?" He turned to look at them.

Dr. Emoto continued to translate for her, and she quickly wrote the rest of the sentences and held up the paper to read it and nodded, trying to memorize the directions just in case the paper went missing. It was basic instructions, but she wanted to make sure that she got everything right, so he'd have a speedy recovery.

"You." Emoto sighed.

"Haw?"

"Well, I couldn't give you the instructions and bandages because I know you wouldn't use them." Emoto said, looking at Olivia. "So, I'm giving them to Harper-chan."

Majima walked a couple steps towards her, his jacket hanging over his arm.
"So, what yer tellin' me is that my little Kitten is gonna be takin' care of me."

"Not in so many… strange words, but yes." Emoto said. "Because I know you won't do it yourself."

Majima looked Olivia up and down, making her tap the paper as if trying to prove that she knew what she would be doing. Care for stitches and wounds was the same in each country, but she wanted to make sure that she got the times right especially. Having infection set in would just set everything back and if the Omi were involved with what happened to Majima and they found out that he was injured they might make another attack. Her and Kiryu had healed, but neither were at 100% still, so they wouldn't be sitting ducks like Majima, but walking or maybe even running ducks.

"We gotta change some stuff then."

"Huh? What?" Olivia asked, not sure how to feel about the grin widening from ear to ear.

Oh no.

"Well, if yer takin' care of me, that makes me a patient, right?"

Olivia looked at Emoto who seemed to be just as confused as she was. Whatever his brain was planning, she knew that it couldn't be good and would most likely embarrass her again right in front of the doctor. Her winning the round before just means he would come back with a stronger fury, determined to make up for the previously lost round.

"In a way."

"So that means you'll be my nurse?"

"Not re—"

"Nurses don't wear that." Majima gestured to her outfit. "If we're gonna do this right, yer gonna have to get a cute little nurse outfit to wear."

"What?! A nurse outfit?!" Olivia exclaimed. She chanced a glance over at Doctor Emoto who had collapsed into his chair and had his face in his hands on his desk. "No! No! Ever!"

Me too, Doc. Me too.

Olivia shielded her face from view, more embarrassed than she believed she ever had been. Even if Majima had ended up calling her Kitten in front of everyone in the clan meeting, it would in no way compare to the embarrassment that she was feeling at that moment. It was his goal to embarrass her to the highest degree. She thought that once they left Emoto's Clinic and were back on the streets, that he would stop. Nope!

"C'mon! Ya know, the cute little nurse outfits that have the hat that ya just sit up there." He patted the top of her head like she didn't know where the hat went. "They come ta right about here." Majima tapped a spot that was just above mid-thigh.

"It's middle of Winter!" Seeing the devious smirk grow, her face turned red. "Even if Summer, no!"

"They come with socks. And shoes."

"That doesn't make better!"

"They come in pink and white." Majima tilted his head and looked at her. "I think pink would look cuter on ya. Hmm… maybe white. Ya could always try 'em both on. Nah, definitely pink."

"I'm not getting outfit." Olivia said, smacking his arm.

"Ow! Yer such a terrible nurse!" Majima sniffled, holding onto his arm.

"Oh, stop it."

Olivia walked along the street with Majima, unable to look at him. A nurse outfit?! She knew that he had just been trying to rile her up and she had bit. But still, did he have to go that far? They were still in front of a doctor after all. It didn't matter how close the doctor and Majima were, their relationship didn't change how embarrassing it had been for her. How did he just come up with ways to stress her out like this? Next time, she'd be going to Emoto for a heart attack or a brain aneurysm. Through her embarrassment though, she smiled internally. Their ups and downs were alright if he stayed in her life.

"I… uh… want ya in my life for a long time."

"So, where are ya gonna be my nurse at?"

"Huh?"

"Yer not just gonna bandage me up on the street are ya?" Majima frowned. "That's not nurse-like."

"You can go Serena. I don't think Reina mind."

"…" Majima scrunched up his face. "Nah, ain't happenin'."

"That two years—"

"How'd ya know?"

"Oh uh, Nish-iki told me you in Kamurocho two years ago and you got in fight." Olivia said. Telling him that Nishiki had spilled the beans about everything that happened two years ago probably wasn't a good idea.

"Heh. Yeah." Majima said. "That Reina chick tried ta smash a bottle of booze on my face. Ain't happenin'."

Okay… That's fair.

"Then where?"

"We can stay at a hotel."

"There no 'we', Majima. I just bandage wound."

Majima gasped,
"Yer gonna leave a poor, helpless patient by themselves?"

"… You not poor and helpless."

Majima ignored her and pointed to a building on the corner of the street.
"How 'bout that one?"

Olivia blinked and looked at the sign and then the building and then back at the sign. Her face flushed again and turned and smacked his arm.
"That a love hotel!" She screamed.

"Ooh, is that what that is?"

"You know that what that is." Olivia murmured.

"But they're pretty…" Majima pouted and followed her away from the hotel.

There weren't many places that Olivia knew in Kamurocho that were available to be stayed at. Doctor Emoto was right though. They couldn't go back to Sotenbori. That would be the first place that those organizations would look for him. If they found him, then they'd try to find her and Kiryu too. It would just be one big mess all over again. Majima had no intention of going to Serena. Even though the incident between them all was two years in the past, it would take a little longer than that to mend all the emotional and mental wounds they had inflicted on each other then. With how close Kiryu and Majima were, she would think it would be easier, but apparently not. Other than Serena, a regular hotel, and that love hotel which was 100% off limits, the only place she could think of was Kiryu's apartment.

I mean, I've been staying there, but would he mind if Majima stayed there too?

The whole circumstances surrounding these events had made things even more awkward than she had originally thought. If he did end up staying at Kiryu's place, there would be a huge problem. Sleeping arrangements. Kiryu did have two couches, but Majima needed a larger space to spread out on right now. That would mean he'd have to sleep in Kiryu's bed. Olivia wasn't sure if Kazuma would be alright with that or not. To add to the pot, Majima nor Kiryu would like her sleeping on the couch. The two weeks that she had been sleeping over there, 99% of the time she had slept in the bed. One night she had fallen asleep at the kotatsu and Kazuma had told her that morning that he didn't want to move her because of her injuries, since she was curled up in an awkward position where he might have bumped her arm against something. Even that night, he had slept on the other couch instead of resting in his bed. He was as much of a pain in the ass as Majima was. Put together in the same area for a prolonged time period sounded like cause for a TV show.

"I think of a place." Olivia said.

Sorry, Kazuma… I'm out of ideas.

"Where?"

"You'll see." Olivia said and headed towards Kiryu's apartment.

Surprisingly, Majima hadn't interrogated her along their walk. In fact, he had fallen silent. Truth be told, it made the walk a little awkward. After their apologies in the clinic and their… talks… outside of the clinic, the sudden silence was strange. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes yielded exactly what she had expected; a hardened expression and some wheels turning in his head. Why was it that all her friends were mills, grinding gears at every chance they got? It only made her wonder about them more. Was that their intention, to pique her interest? Nah… neither of them was smart enough to think about it from that perspective. Street smart? Definitely. Social smarts? Non-existence.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah." Majima said, falling silent again. "Just thinkin'."

"Careful. That dangerous for you."

"Oh ho!" He said, looking down at her. "Lookie there, ya got yer claws out again. Maybe I should change yer name ta 'Tiger' instead of 'Kitten'. Hmm… nah, still small and cute like a kitten."

Ha ha. Hilarious.

"Yer really not gonna get the nurse outfit?"

"No!"

"Not even the hat?"

"No!"

Olivia arrived at Kazuma's apartment and tried the doorknob. Locked. She looked around to make sure that no one else saw and reached into the nearby flowerpot for the key. Usually spare keys were meant to be under the flowerpot or something like that. No. Kazuma decided to stick it in the flowerpot which mean that whenever she would grab it, she'd have to wipe some soil off her hand. When she brought it up to him, he'd said that it was a way to find out if someone was trying to get into his apartment. It might be true, but there were tons of other places someone could get garden soil on their hands, but she knew that Kazuma wouldn't listen even if she brought it up, so she ended up just letting it be.

She opened the door and held it open for Majima. Tiredly blinking off his faux shocked gesture, he walked inside the apartment. Olivia tried to follow but noticed something on the ground from where he had entered the apartment. She was unable to tell what it was. It was bent and crinkled in some places, a couple places were even torn off, but the center remained pristine.

"Majima you dropp—ah!" Olivia screamed out when he snatched it from the floor before she could grab onto it. "Geez… you scare me."

"Sorry, Princess." Majima said, grabbing onto the item. "Can't have ya touchin' my good luck charm."

Olivia got into the apartment and took off her shoes, placing them on the rack and sighing. It was nice to be in the warmth again.
"Good luck charm?" She asked, walking further into the apartment and stopped when she noticed Majima wasn't following her.

"This is a picture of Kiryu-chan." Majima said, looking at the display on the left. "Is this Kiryu-chan's apartment?"

"I not know other—"

"Sleepover at Kiryu-chan's!"

Olivia huffed out a laugh and looked back at Majima who was shoving the item he grabbed back into his pocket. A strange look covered his face for a moment looking at all the pictures that were in the display. She instantly felt terrible, there was a display like this in his apartment, but it was empty and had been such for a long time; long enough for dust to cover it. While Kazuma's display was still more barren than she was used to, there were still touches of happy times on it. She cleared her throat and Majima turned to look back at her, putting the smile back on his face.

"So, you have good luck charm?"

"Yeah, I do."

"It's not working." Olivia said and watched him snicker.

"Ah, no. It is." He assured.

"You're sure?"

"100% positive. Don't worry about me, Kitten. My good luck charm keeps me here."

"But not safe?"

"It ain't supposed ta do that. Not it's job."

"… I guess." Olivia sighed and set the bag from Emoto onto the kotatsu and turned it on.

The first time that she had been in Kiryu's apartment, she wasn't sure where to step or go. Living there for the past two weeks, she had started to feel like it was her second home. Sometimes she even found herself doing small things around the house, but Kazuma didn't mind and when she had apologized, he said that she was free to think of the place as her own home and make herself as such. Bringing Majima here probably wasn't in the acceptable section in the 'make yourself at home' list, but there wasn't a choice. If she explained all of that to Kazuma, he would more than likely understand.

"Come in." Olivia said, grabbing onto his hand and almost dragging him into the apartment. "I turned kotatsu on."

"Oh… thanks." Majima muttered, going and taking a seat at it, still blocky and awkward as he was since they entered the apartment.

"Do you want water?"

"Does Kiryu-chan have beer?"

"Not for you." Olivia said and smiled.

"That ain't nice."

"You're healing. Water or tea."

"…"

"I'm nurse, remember?"

Majima visibly brightened and leaned on the kotatsu and turned to look at her.
"Ya ain't a nurse 'till ya get the outfit."

"Then I won't be nurse. I be assistant then."

"… That ain't fair either."

Olivia smiled and stood in the kitchen, making tea. Every now and again, she'd peek over at Majima. He sat completely still at the kotatsu, not touching anything. He was looking all around him, taking in the whole area. It looked significantly homier than Majima's apartment. There were parts that were obvious touches from other people. There were people in Kazuma's life that made lasting impressions enough for people's things to be scattered here and there. The table between the two couches even had a trace of her. The Bun-chan that Majima had won back for her back in Sotenbori sat there adding the only bright color to the room. When the tea was done, she went and sat a cup in front of him and took her place on the opposite side of the kotatsu. His gloved hands were around the cup and he was staring down at the tea inside. Even though he wasn't looking directly at her, she could sense how he felt. Lonely. Unimportant. Distant.

"Majima."

"Hm?" He looked up at Olivia and then smiled. "Oh! Sorry! What can I do for ya?"

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked. "You not like green tea?"

"No, it's fine. Of course I'm fine, Kitten! I'm outta the doc's clinic, I'm warm, I got tea—it ain't beer, but it'll do. I got you, it's all good."

"If something wrong, you can tell."

"Ain't nothin' wrong."

Olivia smiled. If he didn't want to talk about it, she couldn't make him. All she could do was let him know that she was here. Hopefully in time he would open up to her a little bit more. There hadn't been much time to get to know each other in between dramatic things happening in their lives lately. With the small amount of downtime, maybe she'd be able to get to know him a little. Maybe he could get to know her. It was like with Kazuma. They each classified the other as a close friend but before their time by Mach Bowl, they had known next to nothing about each other.

"I think it's gonna start snowin' soon." Majima muttered, drinking his own tea.

"Do you like snow?"

"No. Makes shit slippery." He looked at her and raised a brow. "You?"

"I'm excite."

"Ya ain't got snow in America or somethin'?"

"Not where I live."

"Huh… Where do ya live then?"

"Hawaii."

"Ha-wa-ii?" Majima stammered making her smile. She wasn't laughing at him, but it was nice to hear someone try to say something from America.

"Yeah." Olivia nodded. "It's islands in America. I think it reason I want visit Japan."

"Ya know somethin'?" Majima asked, looking at her.

"I know many thing."

"Do ya now?"

"Mm." Olivia sipped at her tea. "What am I know now?"

"Just realized somethin'."

"What?"

"I really don't know that much about ya."

"Oh… You're right. I not know much about you too."

Majima chuckled and looked at the tea in his cup again. There were those gears turning again. There wasn't any point in asking him what he was thinking about, he would either give her some bullshit answer or wouldn't answer at all and redirect the question to something else.

"So… Ha-wa-ii?"

"Mm. I used live in Massachusetts, then…"

"Then?"

"Um…"

"Oh. Ya ain't gotta tell me if ya don't wanna." Majima said.

"No. It fine."

"Ya sure?" Majima fidgeted under the kotatsu.

"Yeah…" Olivia assured with a smile. "When I was four. On Christmas my dad left. I not know why, but he left and not ever come back."

"…"

"After that we move Florida."

"Flor-i-da." Majima tried to repeat and Olivia nodded. It was awkward, but he was trying.

"Yes. It state that look like a penis."

"What?!" Majima choked on his tea.

"It does." Olivia nodded. "I draw for you."

"I know what a penis looks like, Harper-chan!" Majima called. Olivia waved him off and went to where the phone was and grabbed the pencil and pad there and went back to the kotatsu. She came back and sketched the silhouette of the US.

"Yer left-handed?"

"Oh, yes."

"Hmm. Cute." Majima muttered, taking another drink, staring at her sketch.

You really know how to make things suggestive, don't you?

"That state." She pointed once she was done.

"Oh my God." Majima exhaled a laugh. "It does…"

Olivia looked down at the drawing and snorted a laugh too, turning the whole notepad over. She looked up at Majima and blinked. He had his head hung and a hand blocking his face, but she heard his laugh and saw his shoulders shake. It was a real laugh. One of the first that she had ever heard. There was no Mad Dog behind the laugh, no bitterness, no darkness, but a light and bright laugh. She smiled and looked down at her tea as her own laughter died down.

"We not like there. It has many swamps and bugs and crazy people. So, we move to Hawaii."

"Where do ya live in Ha-wa-ii?"

"Kealakekua."

"… Huh?"

"Kealakekua." Olivia repeated and smiled watching his lips try to even make the same motions that her's had just done. "Don't worry. It is hard word. It smaller town. Before, I live in Ualapu'e."

"Ua-Uala—nah fuck that."

Olivia snickered a laugh.
"It have about 500 people. Little less."

"That's all?!"

"Yeah. Smallest is Waiohinu. It only have around 200 people."

"How is that even a place?"

You and Kazuma are so much alike and you don't even realize it.

"It more like a village. The people very nice."

"Utashinai is our smallest place population wise and it's got about 3,000 people." Majima said, his face relaxing.

I'm so glad you look better…

"What other stuff do ya like ta do?" Majima asked, relaxing against his table which remained on the kotatsu's surface, a smile on his lips. "Tell me about yerself."

"Well…" Olivia said and looked down at her tea. "I don't know what tell."

"Anythin'." He said. "Just lemme know ya more."

Why are you and Kazuma want to know so much about me? I bet you clam up too if I wanna know more about you, right?

"How about you? You next."

"Me? Ah, I ain't really anythin' special. Whatcha see if whatcha get."

I knew it.

"Anythin'. Just lem-me know ya more." Olivia mimicked his words the best she could.

"Nah, Princess. Stick with yer proper Japanese. Kansai ain't a good accent for ya."

"I not know how to Kansai accent until I met you."

"Haw?! And ya lived in Sotenbori?"

"Mm. All people I know come from Tokyo or other parts of Asia."

"Well I'll be damned." Majima said, taking a drink of his tea.

Olivia internally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been so depressed earlier. Faking it wasn't healthy for a person, but it wasn't healthy to pry something out of someone either. There were some things that he still needed to work through, she just hoped that if she was still in Japan when he tried to work through them, that she'd be there to help.

"Well, I bad at sports."

"All of 'em?"

"Yes." Olivia assured. "Kiryu took me bowling and I bad there too."

"… I uh…" Majima cleared his throat and looked away and mumbled something under his breath that Olivia couldn't understand.

"Hm?"

"I said I like ta sing karaoke."

"Huh?!" Olivia's eyes widened. "You?!"

"Ya, it ain't that surprisin' is it?"

If it wasn't you wouldn't be embarrassed about it.

"It is!" Olivia gasped. "We go sometime?"

"Huh? You and me?"

"Mm! I can't sing Japanese songs, but I cheer for you."

"Buy me dinner and get me drunk then we'll talk, 'kay?" Majima asked with another smirk.

"I can do."

"…"

"Oh. You're kidding."

"Ya. Just a bit. I mean, ya can buy me dinner if ya want, but I don't think yer gonna be able ta get me drunk." Majima said. "I could get you drunk, but it ain't gonna happen the other way around."

"… That sounds like challenge."

"Maybe it is."

Olivia narrowed her eyes, earning the same look in return.
"Okay. Accepted. After you heal."

I see what you're playing at.

Majima slapped his hand on the table.
"Dammit…"

"What other thing you like do?" Olivia asked, glad she was learning more about him. Finally.

"Well, other than run Club Sunshine, do the shit I do for the clan, and strike jealousy into the hearts of bystanders with my amazing presence, not much."

"You sing."

"…" Majima looked up at her. "Other than that."

"There have be more."

"Hmm… I like ta play pool and darts."

"Oh! I'm bad that too!" Olivia clasped her hands together.

"Are… Are ya good at anythin'?"

"Getting into problems."

"…True."

"Well, truth, I never played pool."

"Haw? Then how do ya know if yer bad or not?" Majima asked with a laugh.

"Well you say before if I good at anything. I assume I bad."

"… That ain't right." He sighed and took a sip of his tea. "I'll take ya sometime."

"To play pool?"

"Yeah. Ya might be good at it."

"Thank you!" Olivia smiled.

"…No need ta get that happy…" Majima said and looked down at his cup, mumbling.

Silence fell on them again and she smiled. It would take more time to really get to know a person, but it was nice to learn more behind the front of The Mad Dog. It just reminded her that there was someone under The Mad Dog of Shimano. He wasn't that. He's Goro Majima. The nickname isn't an identifier of the person underneath of it all. Some of the activities that he enjoyed she never would've guessed in a million years he would've enjoyed. Just the thought of Majima doing karaoke at all make her smile grow wider.

"Geez I'll take ya ta karaoke too sometime, just stop smilin' about it." Majima's words made her freeze mid thought.

…What?

"I can tell yer thinkin' 'bout me singin' karaoke."

Olivia looked up at him, her eyes widened. The hell? Had she said her thoughts out loud without even realizing it?

How did you know?

"Yer really easy ta read."

Olivia blinked again.

Wait, what? How?

Majima huffed a laugh.
"Yer eyes show all yer emotions. If ya end up lookin' in 'em most of the time yer pretty easy ta read."

"Your eyes show your emotions. Look in them and most of the time you're easily read."

Olivia looked from her left to her right and covered her mouth. This was the biggest déjà vu ever experienced. She tried to calm herself. It was normal for friends to be able to read each other. Yeah. That's what it was. Friends could read each other. When they had come into Kiryu's apartment, she had noticed how awkward he looked. With his head down at the kotatsu, she noticed how lonely that he looked. She exhaled and blinked, clearing her throat and putting some hair behind her ears.

"I take it ya've been told that before?"

"Heh… Uh… yeah."

Majima looked from her to the paper that she had brought from Doctor Emoto. Under each sentence of the Japanese characters was an English sentence. It seemed to grasp his attention because he just stared at the writing. Was it bad or something? Or did he know how to read it?

"I ain't seen English actually written out before." He said. "Can ya write more?"

"Huh? But it just writing."

"Mm." He leaned against the kotatsu and stared at the paper. "Can ya?"

"Oh, um… Okay." Olivia said and turned the paper over.

This was the first time that someone had ever asked her to write in English. Since she came to Japan, obviously there was no need to write English at any given point. It wasn't that she had forgotten how to write in English as per obvious on the front, but it was still a strange request. Even Yuki—who was obsessed with America—hadn't asked her to write anything in English for her. When she had written something down, he was excited and asked to keep it even though it was just a grocery list, but she'd never asked her to write anything. The fact that Majima had asked made it even weirder. Olivia cleared her throat and moved so that she could be closer to him and he could see her writing since they were on opposite sides before.

"What I write?"

"Hm. Whatever you want." Majima said. "How about yer name?"

"My name?"

"Yeah. I've heard ya say it, but I ain't ever seen in English."

Olivia nodded and wrote out her name. As the lead of the pencil glided across the surface of the paper, she watched Majima move his head around to watch the words being created. When she was done, she leaned up and saw him just staring at the paper. She supposed it was nice in a way to see another language written in front of you. She remembered the first time that she had a memo handed to her in Japanese at work. She'd had to use her dictionary, but it was still nice, and it had gotten her excited. Like a reminder that she was really in Japan. She turned the pencil over and pointed the eraser at the name.

She pointed the eraser to each part of her name as she said it.
"Olivia. Harper."

Majima leaned in closer.
"Can ya do mine next?"

"Your name?"

"Mm."

"Oh, yeah, I suppose." Olivia flipped the pencil over and started to write. Again, Majima leaned up as she wrote. "There."

"Whoa…"

Olivia flipped pencil over and pointed to each part of the name, starting with the last.
"Majima. Goro…" The saw Majima tense next to her.

Well you asked!

He held out his hand for the pencil which Olivia gave. Under his name in English, he wrote the characters that comprised his name with precision and speed. He flipped the pencil over and pointed the eraser at the characters.
"Majima. Goro."

Wow… That's a lot of lines.

He tapped the pencil against the paper for a couple seconds, wordlessly moving his lips. He flipped it over and wrote just as quickly. Just as she had, he flipped the pencil back over and pointed to the characters.
"Harper. Olivia…"

…Oh.

"Harper-chan. Can I ask ya a favor?"

"Maybe."

Majima huffed a laugh,
"It's a real favor."

"Okay."

"Can ya—"

The door opened and she turned to see Kiryu walking in. He stopped just after locking the door. Needless to say, him coming home to find Majima sitting at his kotatsu with his friend. He looked shocked, but thankfully, he didn't look angry. If he had've been, things could've gotten even worse than she had originally thought that they would. Or maybe he was mad but just knew that this was the only option that they had. She'd have to talk to him about it later. No… she was sure that if he was angry about the whole situation, he'd make it known. After all, this was his place.

"Kiryu-chan!" Majima exclaimed, getting up and heading over to his friend. "Oh! There ya are!"

Olivia looked from her friends to the paper and looked at their names both in English and Japanese; the crossing of two worlds, two cultures right on one paper. His writing had taken her by surprise. With how fast he had worked, she was sure that it would've been messy, but it was surprisingly elegant for a man, especially one like him. Her eyes widened and she made a small sound of surprise.

Sorry.