I feel that my message has been erased

Too soon enchanted with disgrace

What's my crime?

Turn back time, what's my crime?

Where's my lucky star?

-

She knew that they heard her, and that they understood what she was saying to them, the way a young child understands that a certain rule is in place. They knew the words, they acknowledged them, they bobbed their heads in reply to every sentence, and yet they failed to see the importance in them. Foolish, ignorant fucks that would not listen to reason.

They had always been like this, Devi thought, storming out of the interrogation room for what seemed like the fiftieth unsuccessful time. He was dangerous, she had told them. Be careful around him, don't let him try anything. She could've drawn them a goddamned diagram about what he did to people. They wouldn't have listened anyway, they didn't even give her the benefit of the doubt. Just a solid refusal. She didn't know who to hate more. Wherever Johnny was concerned, there was always a brick wall blocking good judgement and clear thought. Or maybe people were just stupid.

She had cried, though, when they couldn't find him. Or rather, when she figured out that he wasn't coming back. Nobody would care enough about Johnny to actually go looking for him. The mysterious killings in the area of his house had stopped. She felt less afraid, and there wasn't that low, sickening sensation in her heart whenever she headed in the direction of his neighborhood. It was liberating, and depressing to Devi.

There was a feeling there, nestled in between the fear and revulsion. Something good, something warm and nice that perked up its ears whenever Johnny came to mind. She couldn't deny it, and she didn't want to. It kept her from killing him that night when he pulled those knives out, and it was what kept her from dying now.

Love. They both had it, and although Devi's lay dormant and mostly accepting of its slightly unpleasant circumstances, Johnny's was furious at him. The thing that was currently tormenting him was Love, enraged at Nny's decision to kill it. It feared for its life. And, like anyone else would, it was willing to do anything to keep itself alive.

So Devi was unhappy, and Johnny was unfeeling, more or less, as he was asleep at the moment. He was in one of those hellishly uncomfortable chairs made of abrasive gray cloth and wood and some metal specifically designed to freeze the skin and damage the spine beyond repair. It was the first time he had let himself sleep in a long time, and he would not be awakened, even there.

Devi came out into the foyer, still fuming, when she noticed Johnny. Seeing him able to sleep in such conditions brought a small glow of delight to her face that almost made her forget what she was doing in the police station. Smiling, she sat down in the similarly comfortless chair next to him. His head leaned on her arm slightly. She didn't mind.

Devi's first reaction, when Johnny had collapsed onto her living room floor, was to call the cops. Tenna had been somewhat confused. "But he was so nice just a minute ago," she pressed. She grabbed Devi's shoulder as she put the phone back on the hook. "What's going on?" Devi had leaned against the wall beside one of her paintings, staring at her shoes. She removed the pigtails from her hair and clutched the elastic bands in her fists. "Just watch him, okay? Don't let him out of your sight." She had been caught off guard. Seeing him had sent terror shooting through her veins.

It was okay, though. One way or another, Johnny would be leaving her life, for good this time, and she wouldn't be filled with such apprehension. Apprehension? No, that was the wrong word. Wasn't it? Nervousness? Worry? Yes, she was worried that he'd come back and...do bad things to her. Kidnap her or murder her or something.

No, that was wrong too. Devi had been worried that he would come back, yes, but not to attack her. She was worried about what she'd say to him when he got back. Or maybe that wasn't it, either. She was too fucking mixed-up. It hurt to think so late at night. She realized that she'd been staring at Johnny's face this whole time. She had been noticing how cute he looked when he was asleep. Her own face was much too close to his, her hair brushing the tips of his cheek. Her eyes widened in shock, and she promptly situated herself so that she could turn her eyes in all directions without seeing him. Her hands lay folded and tense on her lap. A bell chimed somewhere in one of the back rooms, and Johnny blinked awake. He stretched out his arms a little, trying to avoid disturbing Devi. Her brow was furrowed, and she appeared to be thinking hard about something. Still, though, he needed to talk to her. His tap on the arm barely registered through her thick tweed jacket. "Devi..." he whispered, and tapped again. "Devi, hello?" She shot him an angry glance and he backed off. "Oh...Johnny, sorry, didn't know it was you..." "Umm, that's okay. What's going on?" She didn't have the heart to tell him that she was here to get him as far away from her as possible. She couldn't lie to him, either. "Don't worry about it." Johnny looked into Devi's eyes. He could see deep pain in them.

"Alright." There were more words to be said between them. They both understood this. But that was okay. The two of them sat there, two insignificant souls in an insignificant world, leaning on the other gently, and awaited their destiny.