The last time I had to deal with something like this was when my dog died last October RIP Wilson :'( and when my great grandma died two or three years ago. But then I had to think about how Saguru would deal with this, which was actually easier for me to write, even if he may or may not be on point fickle emotions and stupid detective that doesn't have enough screen time

Day Seven: A Death of Someone Close

He got his first Sherlock Holmes book when he was eight. He was young at the time, but he could have very easily read it at a younger age as well. He looked down at the book curiously. "What's this?"

"It's called Sherlock Holmes, he's a detective that-"

"I know who Sherlock Holmes is." Saguru interrupted, but there was no look of cockiness on his face. He scanned the back cover. "Are you giving this to me?"

His aunt grinned at him. "Yeppers- would you believe that a friend of mine was going to throw it out? The nerve of her! Anyway, I took it off of her hands because I figured that you were going to want to read it. Am I right?"

"Yeah." Honey-brown eyes looked up and he smiled back at her. "Thank you, Aunt Terrie!"

Aunt Terrie ruffled her hand through his hair, to his dismay. "Aw, no sweat, kiddo. Just let me know when you're done and I can get ya another one, you hear?"

He finished it in less than a week, but she seemed to be expecting that. She seemed to have expected everything that he did. But he could have never expected that she was going to be gone so soon in his life.

"Your Aunt Terrie died yesterday morning." His mother had said. "The funeral is going to be in a week, after she's cremated. We would appreciate it if you came to join us, or if you at least helped set up for the funeral.

He got the call a few days ago. He didn't cry when he found out; he wasn't really emotional at all. He just promised that he would be there and hung up, continuing his work. To someone who didn't know him, they would think that he wasn't really impacted from the call at all.

However, Taylor knew him.

She could tell that he was upset at the death but she didn't pry. She just stuck around, spending more time with him than usual and talking about her schoolwork. He didn't mind; her presence was enough to help him feel a little better. He wasn't one to talk about his feelings anyway- neither of them were. But when she was so determined to be by his side to help him through the loss it was no surprise to him when Taylor marched in with a cup of his favorite tea and announced that she was going to the funeral with him. "After all," she had said. "I can just take my classes on my computer until we get back."

He had only nodded. "We're going to be leaving in two days,so I'd pack my bags if I were you."

The plane ride felt short, even though it was twelve hours long. Taylor spent the time talking with him and working on her homework. He helped her out with a few of the problems she was stuck with and debated over symbolism with her. She was determined to stay up for the whole trip, but blocked out when they turned off the lights to let the other passengers sleep. They had taken a later flight, after all.

Saguru stayed up the whole time, the silent plane allowing his thoughts to run wild, his mind remembering multiple facts about his late-aunt. And, for a second, he thought about waking up Taylor, hoping that her conversations would distract him from his thoughts. But he didn't.

"Aunt Terrie, why have you never gotten married?"

"You think a husband could keep up with me? Ha! I can't even keep up with me on some days, so how could a man?"

His family greeted them with open arms, his mother holding onto him tightly. "Thank you for coming." She said softly.

"I wouldn't have missed it." He answered. His parents took them to the lounging room to have tea together, telling Taylor all about his aunt. "She lived in France," Saguru told her. "She was the reason why I wanted to learn French in the first place."

"She sounds like she really inspired you." Taylor said, crossing her ankles and running a hand over her skirt. She had wanted to look nice when she saw his family again, even though he told her it wasn't necessary.

"She did. She's the one who believed in what I could do the most. You remind me of her sometimes." He paused and glanced at her. "She would have liked you a lot."

His mother excused herself at that point, and Taylor took it upon herself to change the topic to tea.

The funeral was small, and not something his aunt would have liked. She liked big, extravagant parties, he said, always wanting to be in the center of attention.

"Ugh. Look at these flowers, Saguru."

"What's wrong with them?"

"Just far too cliched for any sort of event." She winked at him. "Listen here: if you ever want to win over a girl's heart, buy her tulips instead. They practically mean the same thing, but tulips are much prettier."

"She didn't like roses?"

"No- she despised them. She was more of an orchid kind of woman."

"I must agree- roses are a bit cliched for any sort of event." His heart clenched at those words. They stood there longer than the rest of the family, staring at the name on the grave. He wondered what she was thinking while he was remembering these moments he shared with his aunt. He swallowed before reaching out and taking her hand in his, entwining their fingers before giving a slight tug as he turned.

"Let's go back to the house- I want to show you something."

"Say cheese, Saguru!"

"I don't see why you pulled me away from my homework just to get a picture."

His aunt pouted, holding a camera in her hands. "Aw, don't be like that, pictures are fun! They mark what happens in history! For example- this picture is going to mark this exact moment in time, me standing here right next to you. Isn't that cool?"

"I suppose so."

"Aw, small Saguru was so cute!" Taylor cooed. Then she paused. "She's really pretty, is that your aunt?"

"That was my Aunt Terrie, yes." A photo album sat on the coffee table. They leaned over it, looking at all of his childhood photos and adoring them (Taylor did, anyway). This was the first picture that she had seen his aunt in. His aunt was giving him a side hug, holding him close. Saguru was frowning, seemingly irritated as he looked at his aunt. She had the same dark blonde hair he and his mother have and her dark eyes danced with laughter as she grinned.

"I've always thought that she was a graceful woman, always ready to jump into a new task." Saguru said. Taylor was silent, waiting for him to continue. "Another reason why she was like you."

"Graceful?" Taylor laughed. "I am in no way graceful."

"Maybe not in the way you move around-" Saguru grunted as she gave him a small jab in the side. But he couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face. "You said it first."

She flushed. "Well, yes, but still."

He couldn't help but smile in fondness as he continued. "But the way you do things, flowing smoothly from one topic to the next without missing a beat." He fell silent for a moment and his chest tightened. "Perhaps she could have taught you to be even more graceful, though, so you won't fall over so much." Taylor placed her hand on his and Saguru twisted his and held it again, leaning against her. "Thank you for coming with me." Taylor grinned and shifted so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you for letting me come with you."

I actually based both Taylor and Aunt Terrie off of me. Does that mean I killed myself off and then made myself comfort someone who is upset over my death? Talk about symbolism.

And I know that a funeral is usually held, like, three days after the death of someone, but I figured that I might be able to get away with it if she was cremated. Yes? No? Just ignore that part and focus on the feelings that were made during this part.