"Why is she sleeping like that?"

"What are you talking about? She's sleeping like a normal person."

"I don't know, she looks kind of... dead."

Riko could hear a distant conversation surrounding her as she felt her senses coming back to the light. It was so peaceful, why were there visitors judging her in her own dream world?

With her body forcing itself awake in panic of the unknown, the voices only grew closer to her. Yet, neither of them sounded familiar.

"Wait, she's not dead."

Riko threw her arm over her face to block out the fluorescent lights of the aquarium. As she cracked an eye open, Riko was met by two girls standing at the foot of her blankets, just staring at her. She was definitely right about neither of them being familiar to her.

Quickly waking up from the random stranger's appearance in her home, Riko threw the blankets off of herself, gasping in shock that two people had just broken into her home. The idea that there were more put Riko straight into fight or flight mode.

Backed into the glass window, the red-haired girl immediately began searching her pockets for her pocket knife. Before she could calm her shaking hands to actually do what she wanted to though, the girl with a long sleek blue ponytail raised her gun right between Riko's eyes,

"Stop moving."

Riko stared at the chamber in front of her, taking a gulp of air as she realized these intruders were not here to mess around. Slowly lifting her hands upwards, Riko tried to hold back the tears that were beginning to form at the corner of her eyes.

"Come on, Kanan. Don't scare her too much."

Riko peeked an eye over at the other girl by the bluenette's side. She had shoulder length blonde hair with a loop at the side of her head. Kanan, presumably, looked over at her,

"We can't trust anyone, Mari. She looks innocent but what if that's an act?"

Riko shook her head back and forth, as if confirming that she indeed was not a threat. She wasn't sure how the girls had gotten into her home without her noticing it, or better yet, without You noticing.

It didn't take long before the two girls began to bicker back and forth over how to act in front of the young girl. Mari was smiling with her words as Kanan wore a serious face. While they were distracted, Riko took a glance around the hall she was in, checking to see if there was anything she could use as a weapon. Unfortunately, pillows were the only method of attack she could see.

Kanan snapped her fingers in front of Riko, gathering her attention once more,

"Hey, get up. We need to ask you a few questions and if you're good, we'll let you go."

Riko stayed silent, but she listened. She couldn't exactly overpower two people on her own.

Slowly getting up, the red-haired girl kept her hands in the air as she waited for her orders. Kanan motioned Riko to turn around, looking towards the end of the hall. As she did so, Mari's hands immediately went for the young girl's body. Riko jumped up, letting out a squeal of embarrassment, as she felt a pair of hands grope her breasts,

"Looks like there's nothing there."

Scoffing, Riko held onto all of her willpower to not punch Mari. The blonde only giggled at her frustration as her hands really got to work. Patting her down extra long, Mari made sure to rest her hands on certain areas Riko flinched in, as she searched for any weapons.

With Riko's face heated in a blush, Mari's lingering hands finally withdrew her hidden pocket knife. Waving it back and forth in front of the young girl's face, Mari walked back towards Kanan while playing with the object in her hands,

"She's clean. She only had this little guy."

With that confirmation, Kanan pushed the gun into Riko's back, ordering her to walk forward. As Riko slowly took her first steps, something caught her eye. You's home; the door leading outside of the containment center was cracked open.

"Oh my god."

Riko whispered to herself. If You was out, she wasn't sure where she had gone. Usually she only left the room when Riko was awake, never when she was sleeping. It couldn't have been a worse time for You to be roaming the halls.

Kanan walked behind Riko, pushing her gun to her back once more, knocking her out of her thoughts,

"Keep walking."

Riko guided them through the halls, horrified as she glanced down each pathway, fearing You would appear from nowhere. She couldn't imagine what would happen if Kanan and Mari saw her running towards them at full speed, even if the costume did take away a few of the more horror aspects of her.

Rather than letting herself find that out, Riko led them silently to the conference room of the building. It was where she had the most room for them to talk but also most importantly, where she knew she had placed You's gun on the first night they returned.

Pushing open the double doors, Riko guided Kanan and Mari into the dysfunctionally organized room. It was a combination of her previous bedroom with You, as well as her now office where she kept all of her research documents. As Riko stood in the middle of the room with her hands remaining upwards and back towards Kanan, she awaited orders once more.

"Turn around."

Riko sighed, not prepared for just how she was going to get herself out of this situation. As Riko faced the two girls, she noticed that Mari wasn't right next to Kanan like she usually was, instead she was scoping out the room.

"Hey! Don't go through my stu-!"

Kanan raised her gun higher towards Riko, cutting off her plea,

"I'm just checking it out."

Mari yelled over her shoulder as she began digging through the cabinets, making her way over towards the desk slowly. Riko prayed with everything in her that she wouldn't find the gun strapped beneath it.

As Mari searched and made a mess of Riko's office, Kanan broke the silence,

"I'm sure you already know our names from hearing us talk to each other. So, the question is, what's your name?"

"Riko."

Kanan looked back at Mari, as if fact-checking to make sure her name was really Riko. Mari shrugged her shoulders as she began heading for the drawers of the desk. Pulling out paperwork, Mari made a mess of Riko's once previous organization,

"Okay, Riko. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I live here."

Kanan raised her eyebrow, almost baffled at the idea that one girl could set up an entire living space with generated power on her own,

"Alone?"

Riko opened her mouth but soon closed it. She wasn't sure how to answer that. In a way, she did live alone but at the same time, You wasn't gone just yet. But, they wouldn't understand that. Letting out in a sigh, Riko answered,

"Yes, it's just me here."

"Then who's this hottie?"

Kanan, as well as Riko, looked over towards Mari. She had found Riko's old stash of photos she kept of You and her when they were younger. The pictures were an assortment of their memories, ranging from their dates, to just spending lazy afternoons together. The photo Mari had in her hands though was from when they had just moved into their new apartment together after college. On it was a sleeping You, cuddled into her jacket on the couch. The picture was taken when Riko had just come home with their fast food dinner, only to find her sleeping beauty taking a quick nap after exhaustion had hit her from moving boxes all day.

Riko smiled at the memory, they were so young and naive to the new world, but she would do it all again if she had to,

"That's my girlfriend."

Mari looked at the picture before at Riko again. She asked with curiosity laced in her voice,

"Where is she now?"

Riko's face paled, she couldn't get caught in her lie so quickly. With her voice cracking, she fibbled the truth,

"She's gone."

Mari tossed the picture over her shoulder, letting it fall to the floor as she kept going through Riko's other things. Kanan stepped back into place to face Riko as she continued their talk,

"How long has she been 'gone' for?"

Riko rolled her eyes, annoyed that they had absolutely no respect for her apparent dead girlfriend,

"Can you put the picture back, please? Plus, why does that matter?"

Mari ignored Riko's request, instead making more of a mess to upset the young girl. Kanan, however, grew serious as she stood taller in front of Riko,

"About a week ago our village was infiltrated. Rumors say it was one man, others say there were more people involved. The story changes with every person it passes through. Whoever did it came in under the disguise of night and murdered our leaders. No one knows where they are now, we just know that they got away. We don't know if the infected got to them, or maybe they're on the edge of town, waiting for this all to die down before they escape for good."

The way Kanan specified the ending led Riko to assume that she was talking about her. Riko couldn't help but be offended at the accusation. She let out in an exasperated tone,

"I didn't murder anybody, okay? They're probably dead anyways, I haven't seen anyone actually alive in a long time. Everyone I see is freshly turned so hey, maybe the virus already got them? And most importantly, if your leaders were killed, wouldn't they send out more than two people to search the entire city?"

Riko raised her eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips, as she was the one who questioned the girl in front of her now. Kanan, however, just lowered her gun as she waved her free hand around, trying her best to explain the situation,

"Well, technically, we aren't the official search team. We're best friends with the leader's daughter-"

"Do you think she considers us her best friends?"

Mari cut off Kanan as she looked up from her current skimming of Riko's other pictures. Kanan only shrugged her shoulders as she pouted,

"I mean, I consider her our best friend. That's besides the point! Look, she's been busy right now taking over the village, we just thought we'd do some hunting. It would definitely make her happy if we came back with the person who did it."

Riko laughed at the logic, it was just two friends thinking they could take down a trained murderer.

"Look, I haven't gone outside in over a week. Only time I do is to grab the rainwater or check on my traps. Past that, I don't leave. But I would love it if you guys did."

Kanan looked unsure of Riko's answer. Not even the sheltered kids in their village could stay indoors all day,

"What are you doing inside all the time? I'm sure it gets boring after a while."

Riko's smug attitude soon fell, as did her gaze at the girls in front of her. It was embarrassing to admit that she still had faith in a better future without the undead lurking around every corner,

"I'm still looking for a cure."

Mari's laugh broke into the conversation, almost echoing with how loud it was in the room,

"Still? I thought everyone gave up on that?"

Riko snapped her head upwards, almost angry at Mari's ridicule,

"Not everyone! As a doctor, it's my duty to keep trying!"

Before an argument could spark though, Kanan cut in, annoyed with Mari's inability to stay focused with the task at hand,

"Mari, everyone wastes their own time in different ways, you don't have to judge her."

Riko wasn't sure if she should be happy or offended by Kanan's statement. Mari, however, smiled as something else popped into her head,

"You're right, though I gotta say, I like the way we waste our time together, Kanan."

The blue-haired girl shot Mari a harsh look, entirely facing her to give her a piece of her mind,

"You see, this is why Dia doesn't like hanging out with us. You always have to make your weird innuendos and it just-"

Before Kanan could continue her rant against a smiling Mari though, a sudden bang rang throughout the aquarium. Kanan and Mari looked at one another, confused for a moment at what was happening, before Kanan hardened her look. Turning around, the blue-haired girl locked her gun back on Riko,

"I thought you said no one else was here."

Riko backed up, stiffening as she reached her hands towards the roof again. She knew she was about to be caught in her lie. As the room faded to silence, Mari stopped messing with Riko's desk. Grabbing at the pocket knife she stole from the young girl, Mari flipped it open,

"You know what happens to liars, right?"

Riko stepped forward now, yelling out in an attempt to stop the blonde,

"Wait! It's not what it looks like!"

Kanan stepped forward though, cutting Riko off from getting any closer to Mari,

"Shut up. Mari, go get our guest."

Mari strutted over towards the exit, flipping her hair over her shoulder,

"I'll be back before you know it!"

Riko looked over at Mari as she was leaving the room. She seemed so happy to go and possibly stab someone but Riko couldn't let her go after You. Not when she wasn't sure how the sailor would react towards someone foreign, at least You had grown used to seeing Riko. The young girl turned back to Kanan as she tried to plead with her,

"Look, I don't have a lot but please, take anything you want just don't touch her. W-What if it was Mari that you were protecting? Put yourself in my shoes!"

Kanan tried her hardest to keep her cool demeanor under Riko's comparative relationships,

"W-Well, first off, Mari and I aren't like you two, okay? Besides, if your girlfriend comes along willingly, nothing bad will happen and we'll be on our way."

Based on her stutter, as well as the way Kanan couldn't look Riko in the eyes, it was pretty obvious to the red-haired girl that their relationships were pretty alike. And Riko was going to use that card to her advantage,

"Really? We're all adults here. I went through it too, there's nothing wrong with falling for your best friend."

Kanan furrowed her eyebrows. She didn't like where this conversation was headed,

"Look, can you just be quiet for once second-"

As always though, Mari cut her off but rather than with her words, it was an ear piercing scream. Dropping her stance, Kanan turned towards the noise,

"Mari!"

Kanan didn't care for Riko anymore as she began running towards the direction she last saw Mari head towards. As soon as the gun wasn't pointed at her anymore, Riko ran towards her desk, quickly fumbling her hands to grab at the gun strapped underneath it. It was heavier than she remembered, but she didn't have time to get used to it when You's life was at stake.

Kanan was quite the runner, as Riko soon found out when she entered the halls once more, but the young girl managed to just barely catch her hair whipping around every corner.

In the room the chase was headed towards, Mari continued to yell out as You had her pinned to the ground. Mari's hands tried to push at You's shoulders but the large costume helped in adding extra weight on top of her. The pocket knife she had once held as a weapon was on the other side of the room, leaving Mari defenseless.

Due to You's cone though, all of You's bites were falling short of her victim. Mari tried to squirm out from underneath but it wasn't working with how firmly You had her in place. Thinking on it now, Mari really wished she had just stayed with Riko rather than attempting to handle this.

Kanan burst into the room first, catching sight of just what was happening. She couldn't see You's face due to her messy hair and blocking cone, but guessing from the girl in the photo Mari previously found, Kanan could only guess it was the girlfriend in question. If it weren't for the obvious signs of trying to bite at Mari, You's hisses towards the blonde was a dead give away that You really was gone like Riko had said.

Raising her gun, Kanan took aim to ease the scene before her but as she did so, Riko ran into the room. Raising her gun high, the red-haired girl yelled out,

"Stop!"

Two bullets echoed within the small room, smoke radiating from Kanan as well as Riko's chamber. None of them accounted for the noise being much louder indoors as it bounced within the cramped room. Fortunately, that worked in Riko's favor, as the noise caused Kanan to misfire completely, hitting the wall behind the two girls on the floor while her own bullet hit the ceiling.

All eyes turned to Riko as her gun shakily lowered from her aim at the roof to her new target: Kanan.

"S-Stay right there, okay? Y-You, come over here. Please."

Riko motioned her hand towards You, not taking an eye off the bluenette. Kanan and Mari both looked at Riko as if she were the dumbest person they had ever met. Neither one of them could grasp the concept of what was going on in that moment. Before they could laugh at how ridiculous Riko looked trying to control a zombie, You actually stood up from Mari, following her command. You was sure to slowly growl at Kanan as they passed by one another. While Kanan was going to open her mouth to say something, Riko beat her to it,

"Drop your gun and sit down, please."

Kanan looked between Riko and You, mouth slightly ajar at the scene in front of her. However, if You wasn't attacking her, she couldn't exactly complain. Instead, she did as she was told.

With the gun being placed on the ground, the blue-haired girl walked over towards Mari, helping her sit up. She was a bit shaken from that entire encounter as most times she would usually make some sort of joke about Kanan holding her close. Riko walked forward a bit, placing her foot on Kanan's weapon to draw it closer to herself while keeping a mental reminder of her pocket knife on the ground.

"Now, i-it's my turn to ask the questions."

Both girls were now at the mercy of Riko as she held all the cards. They were lucky though, since Riko couldn't handle tough situations for the life of her,

"Can you please leave now?"

Kanan turned to Mari but before she could whisper anything to her, the blonde was one step ahead. Already standing with her hands up in the air, Mari motioned her head for Kanan to get up as well. Of course, Kanan followed but she was sure to feed Mari an annoyed look as she too put her hands in the air. Mari didn't even spare her a moment for a possible plan to get out of their situation.

With a smile on her face, Mari spoke out to Riko,

"Alright, lead the way and we'll be out of your hair."

Riko shakily motioned her gun to have them turn around, just as Kanan did with her. The blue-haired only rolled her eyes as she turned. Riko didn't even look like she had ever held a weapon in her life.

Mari, however, could see why Riko was so scared. Mari couldn't imagine being in her spot, only having one person in the world by your side, barely hanging on by a thread, only for someone else to come in and try and take them from her. If what Riko was saying about finding a cure was true, Mari couldn't be the person to take her inspiration from her.

While Kanan was still upset over them getting caught and kicked out, Mari only nudged her shoulder in an attempt to get her out of her mood,

"Hey, just put yourself in her spot, okay? What if that was us?"

Kanan looked forward, not bothering to show Riko any empathy,

"Well first off, I wouldn't let that happen to you."

Mari only smiled at her attempt to play it cool,

"Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't."

As they approached the doors to the front of the aquarium, Riko spoke out in a cracked voice,

"You can open it. I'll lead you a ways out and then I'll let you go."

Kanan opened the door first, letting Mari out as she followed behind. As the red-haired girl walked through the doors, she quickly realized it was the first time she was actually walking more than ten feet from her home in weeks. She had forgotten how worn down the place had gotten. The grass grew beyond their barriers as the walking path had long failed the test of time against nature. You was the one who tended to the outside more often. Riko had to remember to fix the place up before she came back to her.

Before they could go very far, Riko heard the squeaks of shoes against the floor following them. Turning, Riko could see You trailed closely behind the three of them. Putting up her hand to stop her, Riko spoked to You.

"You can stay here, You. I'll be right back."

You didn't say anything but rather glanced at Kanan and Mari as they continued to walk. Letting out a grunt, You sat down, letting a squeak from her costume out.

As Riko continued to lead Kanan and Mari towards the main road of the aquarium where the gates could allow the public in and out, she couldn't help but think about what had just happened. You was actually listening to her.

Before this she only stood with silent stares and no soul within her eyes, but in that moment she was actually watching over Riko. She didn't have to listen to her, she could've gone after Kanan when she entered the room or actually really hurt Mari but she didn't. It was almost as if the chaos woke something inside of her from the past. Of course, Riko really didn't want to test that once more, but maybe her trials, or even their talks every night, were getting her somewhere.

As they reached the gate, Riko told Kanan the same command as before. Carefully watching around the area, the blue-haired girl opened the rusty gate, leading herself and Mari out of Riko's property.

Now with Mari and Kanan on the other side, Riko wasn't sure what to do. She had never been in a situation like this before. Usually it was You who dealt with everything, from the punishment to even their death. Though she couldn't ask for help now, she had to go with her gut.

Kanan jumped up as a hand was felt near her bottom, before she could grab at it though, the red-haired girl quickly backed away,

"I just put your gun back. I'd feel bad letting you go out without anything to defend yourself."

Riko spoke as she slowly backed into the aquarium gates again, still keeping her gun on the girls. Kanan and Mari both stood on the road as they looked back at Riko, beyond over their previous fear of the younger girl as they saw just how awkward she really was. She managed to bump into the gate, patting the door to find her way back to its opening as she kept her eyes on them.

It was quite sad. Sighing out, Mari took a step closer,

"Hey, Riko!"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for not killing us."

Riko looked down at the ground. Was that a common thing people would do? Had she made the mistake of letting them free? Though it seemed reasonable, the rational part of her knew nobody should be thanked over saving a life.

"I'm not a savage. But I do ask, please don't come back."

"Okay, that's a promise. But hey, if you ever get tired of this place, you should come to our village!"

Riko peaked her head up at the sudden offering, as if she didn't just hold them at gunpoint a moment ago. Kanan stepped forward though, putting her hand on Mari's shoulder to warn her,

"I wouldn't do that, Mari. Dia doesn't take kindly to strangers-"

Mari swatted Kanan's hand away as she turned towards her. While she tried to lower her voice, that task was nearly impossible for an Ohara,

"Look at her Kanan, she's all alone out here. It's kind of depressing. I'm sure if we explained it, Dia would let her in."

Riko peeked out from behind the gate, slightly annoyed that they were making her out to be a recluse. Not that she could really even deny it either, she did spend nearly every waking moment in her office. Mari turned back to Riko though before Kanan could continue to argue against her,

"Look, we're just past the Uranohoshi Girls' Academy. If you go and follow the road downhill, you'll find us by the seaside near the Takami Inn. Just let them know that you come in peace and that we invited you."

Kanan slapped at Mari's hair loop, quieting the girl immediately,

"Mari! You can't tell her our location! Dia's really going to kill us now-"

Mari turned around, putting on a deathly friendly smile,

"What did I say about touching the loop? Besides she's harmless, if anything we're doing her a favor."

"After she tried to kill us?"

"Only after we tried to kill her infected girlfriend."

Riko watched the two continue their banter like always, half considering just closing the door and leaving them to it. Mari, however, turned back for a final time,

"Well, we'll be on our way now. My offer still stands, don't mind this oaf here,"

Mari slapped at Kanan's chest, putting all of her strength into it as she knocked the air out of the blue-haired girl.

"Also sorry about laughing about the cure thing, you look like you've got that under control with how well she listened to you back there. Just, if it doesn't go well, know that you aren't alone. We could use a great doctor in our village. So, I guess I'll see you around."

Mari waved at Riko as the young girl stared half dazed at them. No one had ever been so kind of her since the apocalypse started, or even before it. It was nice to feel as if they were human again, even if it was for a bit. Riko raised her hand, waving back slightly as she shut the door with her other hand.

She only stayed at the door long enough to hear their footsteps grow in the distance as well as Kanan's multiple apologies for the loop-touching.

As Riko walked her way back to You, she found her still sitting in the same spot she had left her, staring in Riko's direction. The red-haired girl brought her hand up to wave, still feeling a bit joyous from such an offering from Mari. You tilted her head at Riko before lifting her hand in the same motion. Though the young sailor didn't know what she was doing, it still brought a smile to Riko's lips.

Riko walked by You, tapping her shoulder for her to get up to follow her inside. Closing the doors, Riko made a mental reminder to go outside once in a while.

The cherry blossoms were just falling. You's favorite time of the year.

Riko went back to her main room and while she could hear the squeaks of You's shoes following her, she wouldn't mind some company as she cleaned up the mess that had just occurred there. Riko knew You had to get bored in that room very quickly, especially if she was starting to leave more often.

You only stood by the door though as Riko cleaned the room, watching as she organized her papers that Mari had tossed around.

While grabbing the fallen documents, Riko found the picture Mari had pointed out from before on the floor. Picking it up, she could see how peaceful You had been that day as she slept on the couch. She hadn't seen that in a long time as You always feared what would happen each day.

The knot in Riko's throat felt like she was trying to swallow a marble. It physically pained her to see how perfect their life was before everything had happened. When they were happy with the way things were.

Riko looked over at You, holding the picture in her hands yet her sailor just stood there emotionless, watching her. It wasn't the You she knew, despite how hard she had been trying to make it seem that way.

Taking a seat at the desk's chair, Riko looked down at the picture in front of her,

"Hey, You, do you remember the day we moved in together?"

Riko looked up, tilting her head. Of course You didn't answer but with the call of her name, she walked towards the red-haired girl. Though she stood directly in front of her, Riko pointed towards the bed,

"You can sit down if you want? I don't mind the company every once in a while."

You still stood staring at Riko though, as if her words went in one ear and out the other. Riko couldn't exactly expect anything less. Slouching her shoulders as she let out a sigh, Riko got up, taking the picture in her hands with her. As she grabbed at You's hand, she guided them both to sit down on the mattress.

"This is what I mean when I say 'sit', got it? It's almost the same as 'stay', okay?"

You only responded with a grunt and that was enough for Riko. Though she couldn't lie, actually sitting down on a mattress was quite the change from sitting on the hard floor or chair for hours at a day. It wouldn't hurt to tell the story from there. It was a long day, she deserved a bit of a break.

Leaning her head on You's padded shoulder, Riko placed the picture between their touching knees,

"It kind of feels like forever ago, you know? We had just graduated college and we celebrated pretty hard the day before. 'How hard?', you probably ask? Let's just say, you took a while to even look at anything alcoholic for at least a month."

Riko giggled out as her story flowed with every memory coming back into her mind.

Riko fumbled with her keys as she had just inserted the wrong one for the second time. She didn't know why she had so many, all she knew was that it was getting difficult to hold a pizza and two sodas while trying to open a door.

She had tried knocking but You just wasn't answering. Riko had figured she was in the bathroom, but for so long? At this point she was just lazy or entirely ignoring her.

As the third time marked the charm, Riko finally got the key to open into her and You's new apartment. It was like taking a breath of fresh air, with slight chemicals from the brand new paint on the walls.

Everyone had told her that it wasn't a good idea to get an apartment together when they were still so young and barely going to enter the real world. Especially now with the fact that You had just gotten her newest internship at Japan's largest ferry route. Yet, Riko couldn't refuse the offer when her now official sailor had begged her to move in with her.

They had cut You a deal where she could train her first year of basics on land before they slowly integrated her into the sea. As soon as she heard that, You was at Riko's dorm pleading with her to be her "first mate".

Getting back to her thoughts at their new home, Riko made her way into their small kitchen. It was a two bedroom apartment but they decided to just make the second room a hobby section of their house where they could just do their own things by one another.

Riko put the food on the counter as she searched the boxes in the kitchen for their plates.

"You, dinner's ready!"

Riko called out, but there was no response. Peeking her head up, Riko called out again,

"You?"

Silence echoed in the apartment as the question was left unanswered. Getting up, Riko rounded the scattered boxes as she checked around the room to see where her sailor might be.

Before she could make it very far from the kitchen, Riko found her. You was cuddled into her blue jacket on the only sofa in their living room. Her feet went over the edge, as it was just a love couch. She still wore her sweatpants with boat socks she had changed into before Riko had left. Her hair was messy as the drool slid down the side of her face. It was quite possibly the most relaxed Riko had seen You within the previous four years of college.

Rather than waking her, Riko watched her steps as she slowly made her way into their spare room. She knew she had packed her instant camera in there, as it was just a little hobby she had of taking a random assortment of pictures. Though most were non-living things, she had a secret collection of You-pictures building.

It didn't take long before in her hands rested a small pink portable camera with just enough film for the girl before her.

With a flash to illuminate the room, Riko captured You's sleeping presence. Even though it was so bright, You was so entirely burned out from moving all day, she didn't even flinch with the light.

Putting the camera on the counter with the new picture by its side, Riko grabbed at the box of pizza along with the drinks. She walked by You, nudging her face with the cold beverages.

"Agh, cold!"

You swatted the drinks away, peeking her eye open to see a mischievous smile on Riko's lips,

"You weren't waking up so I had to try something. Now move aside."

You begrudgingly got up, making sure to take extra long with her groans of tiredness as Riko watched her while rolling her eyes.

As they got situated onto the couch with their food around them, both girls sat by one another as they huddled around You's phone. They had yet to get any cable or internet for their new place so wasting You's mobile data was all they could do. Riko was letting her food cool down while You attempted to eat it while it was still piping hot.

Quickly swallowing at the burning cheese in her mouth, You turned towards Riko as she was entirely focused in the video they were watching,

"Hey, Riko. I just want to say thanks."

Riko looked up at You, breaking her concentration on the phone as she was curious of the sudden gratitude,

"Thanks for what? Getting the food?"

You laughed as Riko would think the first thing she thought of was her stomach,

"Well that too, but thank you for moving in with me. I've always wanted someone to come home to everyday. I guess, I'm just really happy it's going to be you now."

Riko looked down at her food. You loved to drop little admirations of her love on Riko when she least expected it. It always made her ears burn from such a love overload,

"Why do you always feel the need to embarrass me?"

"Because I love you, a lot."

You leaned back, smiling as she knew she had done a good job if Riko was hiding her face.

As You attempted to bite into another steaming hot slice of pizza, Riko palmed her cold drink, searching for anything to cool down the heat rising inside her,

"I love you too."