Hiroki sobbed into his hands, peeking out between his fingers as he watched the paramedics crowd around Nowaki. He wept harder as Nowaki cried out in pain when he was dragged out into the kitchen for more space to work with. They worked on him quickly to remove the bullet from his leg and stop the bleeding. Hiroki felt faint as he watched them pin his screaming fiancé down to stop his violent thrashing.

"Kamijou Hiroki?" someone said, putting a hand on Hiroki's shoulder. Hiroki jolted, but relaxed as he caught sight of the friendly face of the police chief.

"Yes, that's me," Hiroki said, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

"Come with me," he said solemnly. He gently took Hiroki by the shoulders and led him towards the front door, which was open and swaying slightly in the freezing winter wind. Hiroki's eyes immediately caught the object nailed to the door, and his knees threatened to buckle as he let out an agonized wail.

A sign had been nailed to the door: an outline of an infant with a huge red axe beside it.

"Your home was marked for an axe raid. We are already working to evacuate your whole apartment building. We're sorry, Kamijou-san, but you will need to leave as well. Once a house is marked for raid, we can't do anything. These types of raids are so violent and dangerous that there is nothing we can do. We have tried, and whole squadrons of police have been wiped out."

Hiroki buried his face in his hands as the police chief supported his limp body with strong hands.

"Please no. God, please no." Hiroki moaned.

"Kamijou-san, we need to leave right now. Get your shoes on," the police chief instructed gently. Hiroki stumbled to the doorway and weakly allowed the police chief to force him into his shoes. He tried to help Hiroki into his coat, but through his tears, Hiroki saw the group of paramedics rush by with Nowaki on a stretcher. Hiroki shrieked, desperately reaching out for Nowaki, but the police chief grabbed him, wrapping immovable arms around his torso.

"Nowaki! Nowaki!" Hiroki cried, clawing at the arms locked around his body. He thrashed, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please… please tell me he's going to be okay... please save him!"

"He'll be okay, Kamijou-san. He's going to be okay as long as you come with me. We need to evacuate," the police chief said. Hiroki nodded stupidly, allowing the police chief to drape the coat over his shoulders.

And they shuffled out into the billowing wind of the winter night, leaving the doomed, abandoned apartment behind.


Hiroki stared into his Styrofoam teacup as he slouched in the beige metal folding chair. His eyes were dull with exhaustion and anxiety. He couldn't really hear anything as police officers milled around him. The police station was unbearably cold to him.

But then again, all of the chill was coming from himself.

Hatred was blossoming in his chest. It wasn't hatred towards the anti-Append-X raiders. It wasn't towards Nowaki, or the police chief, or the paramedics that had cruelly yanked out the bullet from Nowaki's thigh.

No.

It was towards the damned demon sprouting in his belly.

Hiroki's darkened eyes flickered with fury, and he slowly looked up. His gaze lingered on a nearby teaspoon sitting on the tea cart. He wondered if it was sharp enough to pierce the thin, taught skin of his stomach.

"Kamijou!" called a familiar voice. Hiroki blinked and looked up, torn from his trance. Miyagi and Shinobu were rushing towards him, panicked looks on their faces.

"Why are you here? Didn't you go back to Sweden?" Hiroki asked monotonously. Miyagi fell to his knees at his side and Shinobu knelt before him, putting his hands on his thighs.

"The police called us saying that we were your only contact. We couldn't take a plane back because I'm too far along in my pregnancy," Shinobu said hastily. "But that doesn't matter right now, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"What about Kusama?" Miyagi asked. Hiroki's face contorted and he gritted his teeth.

"I don't fucking know."

He began to cry again, trembling in his seat. Shinobu leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Hiroki's waist, pressing the side of his face into his baby bump.

"Oh, Kamijou… I'm so sorry… at least the baby's okay, right?"

Hiroki's tears immediately stopped falling. He pushed Shinobu away.

"The baby… that fucking slime is the reason all of this has happened!" Hiroki snarled lividly, clenching his fists. Shinobu looked up at him in horror.

"Oh no no no, you can't blame the baby!"

"Shinobu's right, Kamijou. Listen to what you're saying. Stop it right now," Miyagi said sternly, grabbing Hiroki's shoulder. Hiroki wrenched himself away.

"Don't touch me," he hissed. Miyagi opened his mouth to say something more.

"Kamijou Hiroki-san, I just got off the phone with the hospital. Kusama's condition has been stabilized. They are permitting you to see him now," a police officer said as she approached Hiroki. "If you'd like, I can drive you there now."

"Yes," Hiroki said softly. He brushed Miyagi and Shinobu off of him, not turning back as he walked away with the police woman. They exited the police station and got into a police car. The police officer drove off into the night.

Hiroki stared out the window of the police car, watching the snow fall. The baby squirmed inside of him, and Hiroki was tempted to punch himself. However, the police woman driving the car seemed to sense Hiroki's menacing aura, and kept peeking at him through the rearview mirror. Hiroki glanced down at the engagement ring on his finger. His eyes darkened as he slowly, oh so slowly, slipped it off of his finger.

He was done.


"Right here, sir," said the nurse as she gestured Hiroki to enter a hospital room. He didn't respond, but silently slipped into the dimly lit room, shutting the door behind him. Nowaki was unconscious in a hospital bed, an oxygen mask on his face and an IV tube in the back of his hand. A heart rate monitor beeped steadily, and Hiroki felt relieved to hear its strong beeps. He stared dully at his fiancé as he shuffled over. He stood over Nowaki's bedside, his engagement ring in his tightly clenched fist. With his free hand, he reached out to brush Nowaki's ebony bangs back.

"I'm sorry," Hiroki murmured. He put the engagement ring on the bedside table. After a slight pause, he turned and walked back towards the door.

"If you do anything to our baby, I won't forgive you," said a low, slightly muffled voice from behind him as Hiroki gripped the door handle. Hiroki didn't turn back, and instead he stared at his clenched fist on the handle.

"You were awake," Hiroki muttered.

"You were planning on leaving me without saying a proper goodbye."

Hiroki hummed a grim chuckle. He shut his eyes, furrowing his eyebrows as he smiled wryly.

"I can't stand around and helplessly watch you get hurt anymore. It's over."

"No."

Hiroki gritted his teeth angrily, his eerie smile contorting into a grimace.

"Why would you want to be with me anyway? I've nearly gotten you killed twice now. Now I'm breaking up with you and I'm going to get rid of this creature inside of me. I'm despicable."

"Don't call our baby a creature."

His voice was soft. He sounded hurt, only making Hiroki angrier.

"Why the fuck do you stay with me? Why do you let yourself get hurt like this? Why?"

There was a long pause.

"Because I love you."

Hiroki burst into tears.

"You don't want to leave me, do you?"

Hiroki shook his head, blubbering.

"N-N-No…"

"Look at me. Tell it to my face."

Hiroki slowly turned around, sobbing as he rubbed his eyes with one balled fist.

"I-I-I don't w-want to leave y-y-you."

"Come here, Hiro-san."

Hiroki blindly stumbled towards the hospital bed. A feeble hand took his.

"Why do you want to get rid of our baby?" Nowaki asked softly. Hiroki sniffled and shook his head.

"Because… it's causing you so much pain. I want it to stop, Nowaki," Hiroki wept into his free hand, too ashamed to look Nowaki in the face.

"Hiro-san, do you know why I gave you that pill?"

"T-To have a f-family and… keep m-me by your s-s-side?" Hiroki guessed weakly.

"That's right. And what have I been telling you this whole time? If it means protecting you, then I'd…" Nowaki trailed off expectantly.

"Then y-you'd give up your l-life," Hiroki whispered between quiet sobs.

"Right. Hiro-san, the pain doesn't matter to me. As long as you're by my side, I will never blame you for what happens to me."

"But-"

"Hiro-san, do you love me?"

"Y-Yes, bu-"

"And do you want me to be healthy and strong?"

"Yes…"

"Then put the ring back on. I never want to see it off of your finger again."

Hiroki shivered at the sound of Nowaki's firm voice. Nowaki released his hand so he could shakily retrieve the ring from the bedside table. He obediently slid it back onto his ring finger. Immediately bursting into fresh tears, he buried his face in his hands.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," Hiroki sobbed. "I'm a terrible, terrible person."

"Hiro-san."

Hiroki shuddered again, quivering as he lowered his hands to finally look at Nowaki. His eyes told of understanding and love, only making Hiroki feel all the more guilty.

"Y-Yes?"

"Do you really hate the baby?"

Hiroki gulped. As if on cue, the baby fluttered. Hiroki's hands flew to his belly and he wailed, leaning against Nowaki's bed for support.

"N-Never… I n-never hated the b-b-baby," Hiroki wept, rubbing his baby bump frantically in a silent apology to the poor bundle inside.

"Do you love the baby with all of your heart?"

"Y-Yes."

"Then you are not despicable or terrible. You are letting the opinions of the anti-Append-X people get to your head. They are the real people to blame here. We are the innocent ones. Be strong, Hiro-san. Be strong for the baby. Our baby. If you can just do that, I can take care of everything else. I assure you, you and the baby will be safe as long as you continue to love me and the baby. Remember, this is us in here, not just you."

Nowaki put a hand on Hiroki's baby bump.

"Part of me is inside of you. If you love me, then that love should expand to the part of me that's inside of you, too. Hating the baby and blaming the baby is exactly like hating and blaming me."

Hiroki nodded tearfully.

"O-Okay. I understand. I'm s-sorry. I don't hate or blame the baby," he sniffled sheepishly. Nowaki smiled up at him and pulled down his oxygen mask.

"Kiss m-" Nowaki began, but Hiroki was already there, kissing him with frantic lips. Nowaki reached up to hook his hand on Hiroki's neck and pull him in closer. Hiroki cupped Nowaki's face in his hands, stroking his cheek with his thumb.

"I love you," Hiroki whispered when he pulled away. He kissed Nowaki again. "I love you so much."

Warm arms reached up to weakly wrap around Hiroki's waist.

"I love you, too."