XXXV – Say it!
Ryuk watched the little exchange of words at the door with interest. Human females were strangely satisfying to watch in the middle of an argument, making such interesting references he sometimes spent hours trying to understand. However, the most exciting part was when the auburn-haired girl walked into the room and Light closed the door after himself.
'Are you gonna tell her, Light?' he asked, trying to guess why he had called her over.
"Are you feeling any better?" the girl asked him, trying to hide the feeling of guilt. "If it wasn't for me…"
Light hushed her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Don't talk like that. I'd do it again, I don't care… I'm sorry I couldn't do more." At that moment, not even he could tell for sure which side of him was talking and how much of his words was a lie. There was some truth there, for certain. "I'm sorry I couldn't help him…"
Her hands clung to his shirt and she held him closer for a moment, only to take a step back and let go. "It wasn't your job to do that. There were others who should have prevented this, others who will pay for what happened…" Her eyes were dark and glossy, her muscles stiff, but she was fighting the weakness and the wish to surrender with every breath.
"I could help you…" Light offered. He felt like a predator again, like he did whenever he caught her all alone in the apartment, with her back against some wall or window and his hands pinning hers up like chains. "Before you turn it down, think about this. They're bad people, right? They're criminals."
She looked at him for a long moment, trying to figure out his intention. "Of course they are. So, what? Since when is this so relevant?"
Taking a deep breath in, Light approached her again. "I couldn't tell your father, but there is nothing I despise more than criminals…" He walked past her and towards the window. "Look. Wherever the city lights don't reach, there could be a murderer, a thief, a drug dealer, a rapist, hiding in the shadows like a spider, waiting for their next victim to come close enough."
"So…?" Caterina asked. She sounded bored, indifferent. "It's happened ever since the dawn of civilization. It's human nature. Violence will never disappear from the world."
Light turned around and opened up his arms. "Then kill me!"
Widening her eyes, Caterina froze on the spot. "…What?"
"Kill me!" he ordered her again. "Come on. If violence is so natural, kill me!"
Shocked, the Italian backed away, trembling and shaking her head. The image of that blonde watching her as she suffocated, as the cable around her neck kept tightening and her face kept turning a tint of purple… that image was flashing before her eyes as she saw Light standing there, with the street lights behind him and his face darkened. He couldn't be serious, but he didn't look like he was joking. "…No! Are you nuts?! I can't do that! Why the hell would you ask me to do that?!"
"Exactly! …See?" Light said, walking towards her and holding her hands. "You can't, because you're not a criminal." He laced his fingers with hers, slowly pulling her closer. "Violence isn't something natural, but it happens so often these days it leaves the illusion that it was. But it doesn't have to be that way…"
Caterina looked away. "There's no other way. Natural or not, truth is it happens. We can't control it and it's a vicious circle." She unlaced their hands and turned to the side. "Violence makes people want to respond with more violence. I know… Because my father was murdered and I want to watch his murderers burn alive like rats, I want to hear them screaming in agony, to see the flesh melting off their bones! It makes me cringe, but I want to see them pay for what they've done."
"I can help you with that," Kira whispered, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her. "All I need from you is a list of names, each matched with a photograph."
Caterina looked up at him and saw his eyes were dark, gleaming with a hint of evil. The last time she saw those eyes, he nearly pushed her through the window, pressing her between the glass and his body and holding her hands so tightly it left a faded bruise. "Light… What's wrong with you? I've seen that look before. What are you gonna do?"
Kira looked down with the smirk of a maniac. "Exactly what you want me to do. But first… give me what I asked for."
"Why? Are you a hit man in your spare time?" she mocked him, trying to get him to speak.
But Kira threw her on the bed and crawled on top of her, covering her mouth with his hand. "I need you to be quiet, do you hear me?" he asked through his teeth. "Nobody else needs to hear this," Light breathed by her ear and reached underneath the corner of his pillow where he had previously hidden the Death Note. "But before that… I want to know, does it hurt to know your entire family had been murdered?" he asked with the same smirk from before, his eyes glossy with a kind of darkness that Caterina recognized from before. However, now it was several times worse than before the yacht vacation.
The Italian froze for a moment, waiting to see what was he going to do. Frowning as she remembered the sight of the yacht in the middle of a night so black, she couldn't tell apart the waves from the clouds. She remembered the small wooden house and the bullets falling over it like rain. She remembered the door she was too afraid to open and the flight of stairs she didn't dare climb down, the sound of blood spilling on the floor and of a man gasping for air.
"Because I have the power to make it go away," Light purred against her neck. "I have the power… to avenge both of them. And not only them – I have the power to prevent this from happening ever again." He looked into her green eyes and saw the hurt she would never admit out loud. "And now, I'm going to share it with you. Do you trust me?" he asked in a low voice. "Because I need to know that I can trust you to prevent this power from falling into the wrong hands. I need to know that you will never speak about this…"
Caterina felt her heart trembling in expectation. She felt like she was talking to the devil and so, she nodded quietly. Slowly at first, she breathed in and looked him in those dark brown eyes. For a moment, she thought she could see them glowing with a spark of red like the eyes of demons were described. "I won't," she mumbled into his hand.
Grinning, Light pressed his hand over her mouth a little firmer than before. "Are you ready…? Remember – quiet," he repeated again as he set the notebook in her hand.
The girl's eyes widened in shock as she breathed in through her nose, jolting underneath Light and trying to back away from the horrifying thing floating behind him. Her hand held his, trying to push it away from her mouth.
'Hi,' the creature said with a wide grin, bearing its shark-like teeth.
"Don't scream. I will explain," Light said as he felt her nails digging into his hand. Before he could see it coming however, Caterina had slapped him over the face, pushing him off at the same time.
"Cut the crap already. I'm not screaming, but you better start talking." The Italian reached for the small gun she had hidden in the back pocket of her jeans, covered by her long shirt.
Grinning, Light held his cheek for a moment. "…Remind me to tie your hands next time. At least I could see one of two coming." Holding up her gun, he put it in a drawer of his desk and turned the key, throwing it in a can of pens and pencils.
Rolling her eyes, Caterina breathed through her nose in amusement and annoyance. "You've got to be kidding me… Since when are you trying to be a step ahead of me?" she asked, snapping out of the state in which her memories always seemed to put her.
"Since I've wanted you by my side." The murderous look was back on his face as he approached her again. Just like he expected, the girl didn't back away. Instead, she watched him with a conflicted look, trying to read him and failing. "What you just touched… Take a look," he nodded towards the notebook.
Without taking her eyes off him in anticipation, Caterina searched on the bed for the black notebook and when she reached it, she quickly dropped her focus on the silvery title. "Death Note?"
'Open it,' the shinigami said with the same grin on his ghostly face. 'It has instructions.'
"For real?" Caterina obeyed, opening the notebook and skimming the rules. A moment later, she turned a few pages and found the already enormous list of names. Reading each, she remembered those from the news reports her father used to watch. "These are… They're all dead. You're…!" Gasping, her eyes widened and she dropped the notebook on the bed.
"That's right," Kira grinned, standing beside his bed. Leaning on one knee, he quickly got a hold of her neck. "All I need is the face and the name of the victim, Caterina Rosa…"
The girl grinned, looking down at their bodies. "Are you threatening me? Because I'll threaten your heir if you don't get off me this second."
"From this moment, let's do this together," Light said, ignoring her returned threat. "I have no interest to get rid of you."
"Yet," she continued.
"Play your cards right and that time may never come. I want you more alive than dead."
Caterina took out a small knife hidden in the cuff of her jeans and held it to his temple. "Unless you let me breathe, I'll carve your eyes out and you'll lose your power, Kira."
Chuckling, Light threw himself on his back beside her, his head hanging off the bed. He looked outside the window for a moment. "You wouldn't, and we both know this. You couldn't kill me a minute ago, you won't do it now."
Caterina laughed quietly to herself. "So, this is what Padre had seen… He never liked you, Light. He never told me why, just that he had seen enough people in his life to tell a rotten heart apart from the crowd."
Ryuk began laughing. 'Rotten? That's an interesting way to say it.'
Light looked up, frowning and pretending to be hurt. "Me?! But I'm not rotting! I'm the hand throwing away all these rotten apples from the basket before they can spoil the rest. I'm cleaning the world!"
Caterina held up the open notebook. "They're dead, Light. Dead. Not in a natural way, but killed. You're still a murderer, second only to god."
Sitting up, Light began to laugh, throwing his head back. "You're joking. Me? Second? I AM god! I am the truest god this world will ever know!"
"You're insane," Caterina grinned. "But if you help me, I'll return the favor," she purred in a low voice as she leaned in his arms and traced the blade of the knife over the back of his neck.
"That, if you survive… love," he mumbled as he let his head hang over her shoulder.
Caterina grinned. "You wouldn't, and we both know this… Darling."
Kira moved his hand from her thigh to her back, playing with her hair before pulling her head back. "We'll find out eventually, but let's make a deal tonight… Are you on my side?"
Caterina pressed the knife against the back of his neck. "I thought we had already settled this."
"I want you to say it." It wouldn't be the first time she did that. Light could remember several occasions on which he thought he had her wrapped around his finger, right before he lost her. "Are you on my side… or are you against me?" he asked her again, leaning over and kissing her neck. A chill ran down his spine when he felt her pulse so fast and so close to the surface.
"You know, forty seconds are enough for me to kill you, darling…" Caterina mumbled with a grin. "I've got nothing to lose anymore… Or did you forget about that?" She tried to kick him in the chest.
Surprised, Light let go of her hair and instead got a hold of her foot and wrapped her legs around him. "Are you that impatient?"
"I'm out of here." Caterina was scared by what she saw in his eyes. Those were the same eyes she knew from the Snake - the eyes of pure evil, of murderous madness. She pressed down her heels into the mattress, jumping back and dragging her feet.
Light let her go, raising his hands in surrender, but the smirk on his face showed he was still in control. "Alright," he said, "But you lose your forty seconds, love."
Stopping a little distance from him, Caterina pursed her lips before returning the smirk. "You need me… You wouldn't do it. I know you wouldn't."
"Who knows?" Kira shrugged innocently. He could see the doubt in her eyes and in all honesty, Light couldn't be certain if his darker side meant nothing but to scare her or if Kira was actually considering the idea. "People do lots of unbelievable things when their hearts are broken."
"Does that mean we're together now?" Caterina smirked.
"I thought we had already settled that," he returned her words from before.
Standing up, Caterina kept watching him as she walked to his desk and searched through his pens. "I'm not gonna say it, you're not gonna say it… How do we solve this one?"
"Easy," Light grinned. "We're together. We have been for almost two years now, but if you need to hear it said in an official way, here it is. You're mine." Raising his eyebrows, he nodded towards her. "Your turn."
She could guess his intentions. This was obviously his darker side speaking, the one she found more and more frequently in control over his actions and words. She recognized his attempt of disarming her and fought back the feeling of desperation, as it was slowly crawling in the back of her mind. She could feel it creeping up her spine like a numb trembling, too subtle to be called a chill. Biting her lip and breathing in, the Italian did her best to claim control over her emotions, numbing everything dangerous. "Small problem, your holy highness…" Caterina mocked him just as she reached the key to his drawer. "This is far from being a fair deal."
"Sleeping with a god isn't something all the other pretty girls in the world get the chance to do," Light answered her on the same mocking tone she used. By this time, he knew her well enough to read her smallest gestures.
"Sorry, I'm an atheist," she grinned as she unlocked the drawer. In their little game, her gun and his eyes were like the kings on a chess board.
"Careful, love…" Light warned her. "One wrong move, and boom! We all burn in an explosion." When he saw Caterina raising an eyebrow, Kira jumped from his bed and rushed to open the drawer before she accidentally moved the fake bottom. "I might have a reason to lie right now, but believe me, I am not."
The girl smirked and decided to keep that information in mind. "Alright, I believe you." She reached for the gun, but so did Light, grabbing her hand and pulling her close again.
"My answer, Caterina…" he reminded her on a demanding tone. The amusement was gone from his face as he was watching her impatiently. "For the last time… Are you on my side, or are you against me?" Kira repeated slowly, emphasizing each word.
"I am…" she began, feeling her wrist slowly bruising in his hand and the blood struggling to flow through her veins. "…on my own side, which for now seems to be yours, too. Happy now, darling?"
Light grinned. "Not quite there yet, but close, Caterina." He closed the drawer again and leaned against it. "Never bring guns or weapons in my house again."
"Then never make me walk on the streets alone at night in jeans so tight I can't wear any underwear but lace," she threw it back and unwrapped his fingers from around her wrist one by one. "You've asked me to bring a gun with me. I'm just looking out for myself – I always do."
Swallowing his own saliva and already imagining a scenario, Light let her free. "I didn't ask you to wear these jeans."
"But you like them. All of my jeans are this tight. I've seen the way you look at me when I wear 'em," she smirked. "Now that we've settled our two most important matters, who's this scarecrow again? I think I missed that part of your speech, the part where you explain this thing here."
'My name is Ryuk. I am a shinigami,' the creature introduced itself.
Light sighed and began explaining. He had no other way out of it. Either he tried to wrap it up nicely, or Ryuk will answer her questions and he won't have any control over it.
That evening, Caterina also got the chance to meet his father eventually and the first worry on her mind was to write him a list of people and their crimes. She had phone numbers or addresses, or at least some contacts that she guaranteed were going to lead the police chief to some of the most dangerous criminals in Japan.
"Why did you do that?" Light asked once they were back in his room. Aside from the list, the evening was a calm, ordinary one.
"The police will clean up my father's name. Why else?" she smiled in am almost innocent way. Her eyes were so tired, they gave her away, but Light didn't want to tease her about it. Instead, he picked on something else.
"Loyal beyond the grave…" Kira chuckled.
"Of course. Don't act like you didn't know already. I would take the devil head-on for Padre. Even now…" She tried to look fine, but it was obvious she was not. Sighing, Caterina sat on the edge of the bed as Light took the chair. "He… He was my world, and now…" she sighed, "I just don't know."
"Now," Light picked up from where she left, "I could be your world and you, mine. I never planned on ruling alone, and you're the only one I've considered for this."
Suspicious, she looked up at him. "What if you don't make it? What then?"
With a shrug, he raised his eyebrows. "Then… you will take over. I will protect you. I'll keep you by my side, always. In case I ever fail, you will take this mission further."
"Do you remember what I told you that day, when I returned after a year and you told me I'd changed?" she asked, playing with her hands. "Padre… was damaged, on all possible levels. His body was in constant pain, scarred and pushed beyond its limits. His mind was paranoid, constantly stressed, calculating, thinking ten steps ahead. His spirit was broken, he was barely holding onto his faith. One would think he was on top of the world, the closest to the ideal that emperors and dictators could only dream of achieving. He did all that, but the price he paid… Are you sure you want to do this?"
Light leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "I know. But if we don't, then who will?! Think for a moment that this sort of power were to fall into the hands of an ordinary man. They would never accept the responsibility. But I can do it! I can change the world for the better. You said you're with me – then stand by me. We'll make it."
Standing up, she wrapped her arms around his head and he held her thighs. "We're both going to die for this. I just want to know it'll be worth it."
"It will. Trust me," he spoke against her abdomen. "Are you staying here tonight? It's already late."
"…It's better than the new place," she answered him on a flat tone.
"I can feel your enthusiasm," he chuckled, breathing hot air against her lower ribs. She could feel his breath through the fabric of her shirt and the coldness of the air in the room when he lifted his head.
"I feel caged. I hate it," she clarified with a weak smile. "I'm a bank account for my tutor, for sure."
"We can take care of it," Kira looked up at her. He saw her several years more mature than before. He suddenly remembered the way she shooed him away after almost strangling him with his tie, back when they were school mates and she was pretending to be dating other guys just to show him how replaceable he was. That playful arrogance and confidence seemed so faded after the bar incident, it almost made her a bit boring…
"Not yet. I might have a chance to control this situation. Besides, it's only until my next birthday. What we should worry about now are all of those people I sent the police after – if the police don't get them fast enough and all at once, we'll be in big trouble."
Light sighed and put on a tired grin. "You're in greater trouble in this room than we'll ever be in front of those vermin," he purred. All of that chit-chat was not going to solve any real problem. Truth was, it was getting late and they were both tired. Not as much physically, but their minds were stressed, over thinking, running in circles trying to outsmart each other and getting them nowhere. "Ryuk, get out of here before I put you on an apple-free diet."
'Hah? Why? What did I do?' the shinigami asked, confused to the heavens and back. Light acted strange when that other girl was around.
"Why are you still here?" he asked on a demanding voice as he picked Caterina up and set her on the bed. The shinigami immediately disappeared, even if he didn't really understand why they suddenly seemed bothered by his presence.
Caterina allowed him to lie her down, giving up her own will in exchange for a little affection and an image that she thought she'd never see. In the end Light wasn't a god. He wasn't the evil murderer some claimed that Kira should be, either. He was only an ordinary young man, perhaps smarter than others or more sensitive than most, but definitely human. Before falling asleep, she looked at Light for a long moment. Perhaps that was the truest expression of being human… She had finally seen him vulnerable.
The next day, Sayu was surprised to see the girl from last night walking out of Light's room. Her auburn hair was a mess of curls and waves and she was wearing one of Light's shirts like a mini dress, with the sleeves tied over her chest to hold it in place. She was yawning, barely keeping her eyes open, walking around barefoot.
"Hi, morning…" she mumbled, going through the living room and into the kitchen. "Ah, do you have a… coffee machine or something like that?" she asked once she remembered she had no idea about Light's kitchen.
"It was morning when our father left for work. It's almost lunch time now," Sayu responded. She was wearing her newest skirt and a perfectly matched top from the recent fall collection. Actually, it was from a small brand known for copying most of the prestigious, super expensive designer clothes presented through the media. In other words, her clothes were fakes – but so true to the originals, it took a trained eye to see it. "What exactly are you wearing?"
Caterina sighed. "Make me some coffee or answer my question. I could go on the street in this shirt and heels and girls would copy me in an instant." She stopped to yawn again. "If girls thought for themselves instead of copying looks, the fashion industry would be dead in one season."
Sayu looked down at herself. She was wearing what her favorite lead singer wore last time she had been seen. "The coffee machine is in front of you. There's coffee in the cupboard above, second shelf, next to the sugar jar. There's milk in the fridge, on the door. Make your own coffee."
Caterina nodded and soon enough, the whole kitchen smelled of freshly brewed coffee. She heated up some milk in a pot and gathered the foam, setting it in her cup with a small spoon. Sayu watched her carefully. "How come you're still here?"
Caterina sipped her coffee and went to curl on the armchair. "Am I not welcomed?"
The brown-haired girl was watching a TV show revolving around teenagers with their drama-filled high school lives. "I didn't say that," Sayu immediately defended herself. "Did you, um… You know…"
Still not fully awake, Caterina looked half amused, half asleep as she chuckled and sipped some more of her coffee. "That's none of your business. But just for the record, a girl and a boy can share the bed and still not do it every time. The media doesn't paint it this way, but you should know."
"But I don't get it. What did you ever see in him? I mean, he's a nerd and a wannabe pimp." Sayu wrinkled her nose.
"…He's not that bad. It's hard to find intelligent people these days. This thing is to blame;" Caterina pointed towards the TV, "it makes people dumber. Why read when you can watch a movie? Why study when you can watch twenty shows at once? Then, there's the media selling fake values and manipulating people. It's rare to see someone thinking for themselves, but once you do this, you don't want to be with a guy who doesn't."
Sayu remained in thought for a long moment. "So, then… How do you get along with people? Everyone's watching these shows – it's the only topic when we talk during breaks."
"Then look for people smarter than you. Find something you like learning about. Do something that will help you get along with the few independent thinkers out there. The rest don't matter." Caterina could see the other girl deeply affected by her words, but didn't care to say it any other way. Why soften her words? The world was anything but soft.
"…Where's Light?" she asked after a while. It was odd not to see her brother up until this hour.
"I convinced him to sleep a bit more. We stayed up until late last night, talking. The people I told your father about worry both of us, since we're now together…" Caterina sighed. "Even if we were to break up, because of what he did that nearly got him killed, he's a possible target too."
Sayu frowned, turning to look at her. "You mean… it wasn't you who got him into this?"
"Why would I?" Caterina returned the question. She went to refill her cup of coffee and reheat the milk to boiling temperature. "If you love someone, you would rather tell them to stay away from you when you know you're a target. That's what we discussed when we met, right before I was taken."
"Well… yeah, it makes sense, but… why are you targets?" the girl asked.
Caterina smiled bitterly. "Don't bother your mind with this. We'll be fine… If we keep working with your father, I have the material means to support any investigation. We'll be alright."
Sayu got up and walked towards her. "You're different from what I expected."
"An arrogant celebrity, a spoiled little brat waiting to be served?" Caterina laughed. "I used to be like that, to some degree. I still love luxury and if I can have it, I will demand it, but it was obvious you won't make my coffee, for example. Besides, even if you did, it wouldn't be good enough for my taste. I'm not saying you can't make coffee, just that my standards are pretty high."
Curious about it, Sayu went and poured herself some coffee. "It's the same tasteless coffee dad drinks every morning. What's the big deal?" But once she tasted it, her eyes widened. "It's so bitter! And strong! How do you drink this and stay alive?!"
Caterina smirked. "Ya' know what they say… Go hard, or go home." Sipping some more of her second cup of coffee, she continued. "I used to split people in weak and strong. Look closely – there are two types of people in every situation. There are the latte and decaf drinkers, then there are the espresso and ristretto drinkers. There are the leaders and employers, the managers and directors, and then there are the workers and the volunteers. There are the manipulators, and there are the masses that let themselves be manipulated. There's a very sharp line dividing people into two categories, even from the point of view of coffee. The Americans, for example, drink their coffee so long and watered down, it's almost a type of tea. The Italians drink it so strong, it could give the inexperienced a heart attack. Many American companies are led by Italians who found weaker people than themselves and took the opportunity. I know…"
Sayu looked at her for a long moment. "Ordinary people don't think this way. I don't know anyone who does."
"Leaders do. They see other strong people around them and they must decide quickly if they are an associate or a possible threat. That's the world of my father… The world of politics, of risky affairs, of deals and corporations," the Italian sighed. She lifted the cup to her mouth again, but she only then noticed she had no more coffee in it. Caterina walked past Sayu and rinsed the cup before leaving it to dry.
"You didn't wash that properly," the girl pointed out.
"It's mine now. What's the point? I'll drink from it whenever I come here," Caterina explained. Just then, Light's mother returned home with a few bags and Sayu ran to help her. The Italian watched, surprised to see the two so close. Memories of her own mother came back as she felt her chest tightening and her heart stung by pain. She wanted to burst into tears, but instead she only gulped, breathed in deeply, and left the kitchen. "Good morning, madam. Please excuse me." She walked past the woman and her daughter, going upstairs and entering Light's room quietly.
Caterina sat on the empty bed, waiting. Ryuk was flying around her.
'Hey, what's with that face?' he asked from behind.
"Nothing… Just a moment of weakness. I can't allow it." She sighed, trying to calm down, but ended up by throwing herself back on the bed and covering her face. Angry, hot tears were running over her temples and wetting her hair. "…It's not fair," she whined. "It's not!"
'Huh?' the shinigami looked at her in confusion. 'What's not fair? I don't get it.'
Caterina sobbed a few times, throwing a pillow at Ryuk. "Get lost!" she demanded once she saw the pillow had passed right through the ghostly creature.
Light was just out of the shower when he heard the conflict between Caterina and Ryuk. Drying up and putting some pants on, he was surprised to see the young woman on his bed barely dressed and sobbing silently. When she heard him, she had turned her back on him and curled on her side, covering her face with one arm.
"Ryuk, leave us," he ordered the shinigami. He went to his closet and put on a plain t-shirt, looking at Caterina from time to time. She was very silent in her suffering. If it wasn't for her uneven breathing making her ribcage tremble every now and then, he might have thought she was sleeping.
Once the shinigami left, he sat beside her. Even if he didn't know what to expect, he set a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him with red eyes. In only a few minutes, she had stopped herself from crying… He wondered how many times had she done that before.
"Are you alright? What happened?" he asked her.
Sighing, Caterina dried her eyes with her hands. "…I guess I'm not used to being in a family. Don't worry, I'm fine now."
Light was confused for once. Was she lying, or was she telling the truth? He didn't know what to say, so he took her in his arms. Surprisingly though, she pushed him away.
"Light, I'm fine. You shouldn't have seen me like that, it's not how I am. I'll go wash my face." Caterina stood up and walked past him. Her legs were trembling slightly and her eyes were emptied of any emotion, but Light knew trying to make her admit to her weakness was a lost fight from the very start. Caterina was lying not only to him, but also to herself.
Author's Notes:
Chapter proofread by AbandonedSock.
Also, this is the last chapter I'll publish without a review. I'll be waiting for reviews again because it seems that if I give up this condition occasionally, you stop reviewing altogether. Damn, I can't even motivate you to do that with one-shots or the chance to read chapters before they are published...
