On top of the warehouse hideout, Kojo lay on his back and watched the stars.
Nothing changed.
His fingers dug into his palms, drawing him out of his usual trance. Humming, he tore them free and looked out at the cityscape as blood trickled down his hands. It was strange to him: the lack of rage. That was the single dominating emotion he felt other than joy when his new life began after all.
A feminine scent drifted through the air.
He raised an eyebrow when the gate opened and the minx he knew all too well crept out.
She walked down the street, footsteps pattering away in the night.
Kojo pursed his lips before following from above.
They passed several blocks until a small shadow caught their attention.
Dashing towards it, the young woman drew a knife from her pocket.
He jumped down between the two without even thinking.
She stopped and looked up to him with unfettered eyes.
"Alex."
She brushed past him.
He grabbed her knife-hand wrist.
She let go of her knife, caught it with her other hand, and slashed his throat within a second.
Kojo didn't let go despite his eyes widening.
She stabbed at his left one.
He tilted his head back and caught the blade with his teeth.
She lifted her knee in-between his legs.
Muscle memory burned into every lad since they could stand made Kojo block her with his inner thigh. He swiped her legs out with one of his own, caught her as she fell, and threw the knife away with a sharp turn of his neck. "Just stop."
Grunting, she punched him in the face, doing more damage to her knucklebones than she could ever do to him. She didn't stop in spite of it.
"Even if you kill that kid, it won't change anything." He stifled his bleeding throat best he could with his free hand as her fist made contact with his face again. "Nothing ever will."
Her grunts phased into shrieks.
"Alex."
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she wailed. Burying her head in his chest, she screamed.
Kojo let go of her hand in favor of patting her head.
She set her hands against his pecs and kept wailing.
He parted his lips but said nothing. What advice he could give he already gave. Besides that, her crying wasn't nearly as annoying as those of his countless victims.
They sat in their embrace, together and alone, for the rest of the night until the sun began to rise.
"...You can let go now."
Alex rubbed her hands in contact with Kojo's body. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." He frowned. "Fuck off me."
She remained where she was.
He pulled her off, stood up, and set her down.
Giggling, she smiled.
"You and I aren't friends. At best, you're my pet. My stupid, attention-hungry, stab and slash happy pet."
Alex closed the distance between them and licked his cheek.
He nudged her a foot away. "Fucking hell, woman."
She brought her hands up and meowed.
Kojo laughed.
Doing her best imitation of a purr, she meowed again.
"Stop." He didn't want her to. "Just stop it."
Alex didn't.
For once in his life, there was an innocent smile on his face.