A/N: Everything I write has a purpose. Also, a bit of a warning: some offensive language inside. No more than Kuzuryuu, at least.
The sound of gunfire filled the night, but it was not from Nakejawa: Hinata's glass door shattered in an instant, and Nanami stepped out onto the balcony, Hinata's gun in her hands. She was pointing it at Nakejawa.
"Gun possession will get you in jail, Nanami-san," Nakejawa said. He kept his gun leveled at Hinata. "One more shot, he dies."
"Don't worry, Netherlands," Nanami said, "the same goes for you."
The three stood on the balcony: Nanami, dressed in her nightgown with a still-smoking gun, staring determinedly at Nakejawa; Nakejawa, dressed in a dirty suit, looking between Hinata and Nanami, his gun still leveled at Hinata; Hinata, dressed in his bedclothes, with one hand on the railing and one hand at his side.
Overhead, they heard another gunshot, and then another. "Sounds like Athens and Sparta are eliminating the traitors," Nakejawa sneered.
"The Masarus?" Hinata said.
"Yes, and as soon as they arrive, you two'll be dead for defying Despair," Nakejawa said.
They heard a scream and something fell past the balcony. Then there was another gunshot, and then another one. And then the building shuddered when a dull thud went off, and bits of steel, glass, and concrete rained down.
The wind picked up, and the rain began being blown onto the balcony. "Sounds like they had to use the bombs," Nakejawa said. "Shame. I hoped to use it to get rid of your body."
"And you think you can escape from justice?" demanded Nanami.
Nakejawa smirked. "I have Enoshima on my side. Do you really think she'll let me die?"
"If you kill Izuru Kamukura, then you can bet she will," Nanami snapped.
But Nakejawa burst into a sort of wheezing laughter, although his gun stayed pointed at Hinata's chest. "That's only according to Persia! No one knows what the queen of Despair herself has to say though!" Nakejawa shouted.
The wail of sirens sounded through the night. "So, Nakejawa, you know that I'm Izuru Kamukura?" Hinata said. He had to delay Nakejawa long enough for the police to arrest him.
"Know?" Nakejawa said. He snorted. "I helped make you, boy! I was the one who arranged for the Ultimate Hope project to go forward, I was the one who pushed for you to enter the Main Course, I was the one who ordered the death of your parents after the operation when you overpowered Kamukura, I was the one who covered up Despair's killings until I fell from power! Not Persia, not Rome, not Greece, not even Germany or Xiong Nu! It was me, all of it me!"
He had a wild, savage look in his eyes, the kind you only saw in men so far gone they'd become more animal than man. "It was me, it was all me, but no, that goddamn headmaster got me sacked and then that useless excuse for a woman had to go and die on me in the worst possible way-" he spat.
"You didn't kill your wife?" Hinata said.
"No, I had nothing to do with it," Nakejawa said. "She was killed by Mukuro Ikusaba, but not on my orders. She killed her to get her out of the way, since my wife opposed Kamukura."
"You're a disgusting human being," Nanami said coldly.
Nakejawa smiled. "I try," he said, "anymore questions, Kamukura?"
"Why did your project fail?" Hinata said.
"Because I put you in the wrong place," Nakejawa said. "The Reserve Course was filled with despair, or at least Enoshima made sure it would, but I put you in with the Main Course because I thought that you would be easier to control. But no, you had that white-haired bastard who was in love with you and that pink-haired bitch you called your girlfriend all your other goddamn little friends there to make sure you didn't let Kamukura take charge."
He spat onto the ground, his gun still pointed at Hinata, while Hinata breathed deeply in an attempt to stave off the anger. Nanami, meanwhile, just kept looking coldly at Hinata.
"I am that 'pink-haired bitch', Netherlands," Nanami said. "It wouldn't be hard to pull the trigger. You were lucky that I missed you through the door."
"Ooh, did I hurt your little feelings, Nanami?" Nakejawa said. "And yours too, Kamukura?"
Hinata clenched harder onto the railing, but he could feel himself trembling. "It's sad, isn't it?" added Nakejawa, almost casually, "I tell you that I tried to turn you into a monster, that I killed your family, hid your sister, got rid of the traitors, been sent to kill you, but I insult your girlfriend and now you're all angry?" He laughed.
"No, Netherlands," Hinata spat. He took a step towards Netherlands, but Netherlands simply shook his head, still smirking.
"Ah, ah, ah, Kamukura. One more step, you die," Netherlands taunted.
"Yet you haven't shot me yet," Hinata said. "You're afraid."
Netherlands cocked his head. "Oh?"
"You're a coward," Hinata said. As if to prove it, he took another step forward. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nanami adjust the angle of her gun to face Netherlands as he took another step back. "You're a coward who helped make a superweapon that now your bosses want back. And you're trying to get rid of me because as soon as they have me you're useless."
"What makes you say that?" Netherlands said. Hinata took another step forward, and he took another step back. "How would you know anything about Despair?"
"Because Matsuda wants me for something, doesn't he? Why else would he keep calling me out on who I am? And you said yourself I'm not to be touched," Hinata said. "You said yourself that Persia wants me. I'd bet that Persia and Matsuda are even the same people. But if I die, you die too. And you can bet that Xiong Nu will tell them think you acted on your own because you were afraid of the KDL agent on your doorstep."
"It'll be a cell boss's word against yours, Netherlands," Nanami added.
Netherlands' composure was slipping. Sweat was beading up, and he yelped a little when he stumbled slightly. "Kamukura," he panted, "I-"
"You're afraid of killing me because if you do, you're dead, and you know that, don't you?" Hinata said. He rushed forward and tackled Netherlands, sending his gun off into the night, and sending Netherlands down onto the ground. "You're weak," Hinata spat, "that's all you are."
Then he grabbed Netherlands' head and slammed it against the ground. "Chiaki," Hinata said, turning his back on Netherlands, "my gun, please."
She walked over from the window and was about to give it to Hinata when they heard Netherlands groan, "congratulations, Kamukura… I w-woke you up."
One of Netherlands' doors slid open and Mina appeared. "Hajime, Nanami, are you-" she looked at Netherlands, then at Nanami and her gun, and then at Hinata. "Good, he's out, Kirigiri can arrest him. Hajime, I have to go, do not trust Otonashi."
She looked over her shoulder, and then back at Hinata. "The Monobears are awake, but it's only the big ones that explode!" she yelled. Then she retreated back into the apartment, the large shadow of Masaru tailing behind her.
Nanami shut the door and turned to Hinata. "What should we do about Nakejawa?" she said.
Hinata looked back at Nakejawa. "Go get me some rope," Hinata ordered. She complied, and a few minutes later, they'd tied him to the railing, and stood as silent sentinels until Kirigiri arrived to arrest Nakejawa.
"Good job," she said, "Hinata-san, Nanami-san. Go get some sleep." Behind her, two KDL agents picked up Nakejawa by his legs and arms and pulled him through the door, still unconscious.
"The first thing we do," Hinata said when they reentered the apartment through Hinata's room's shattered door, "is get rid of all the Monobears. They need me, so they'll let me get rid of them."
"Right," the pink-haired girl- Nanami- said. They took only ten minutes to pack up all the little Monobears they could find, bind them with some of Hinata's belts and ties, and put them next to the on-site KDL agents to bring back with them as they left for the night. When they were done, they agreed to meet in the TV room.
Hinata looked around the room, pondering everything he saw. He wondered how the couch had been made, he wondered how to quickly clean their slightly-grimy table, he wondered how best to beat that girl in a game- any game- besides a dating sim. The world was now teeming with possibilities… this all seemed vaguely familiar-
The pink-haired girl entered the room. "Hajime, is something wrong?" she said. She was very pretty, and Hinata began wondering what he could do with her…
And then something inside of him said, "that's Chiaki Nanami. You've known her for nine years. Cut that out!"
He blinked, and then things were back to normal. "Chi-chiaki-san?" he said.
"Why," she said, and she brushed past him, "are you standing in the door?"
"I- I, um… you were very brave," he said, trying to regain face.
Nanami smiled. "I know I was," she said, "but I wasn't trying to be complimented. I was trying to save your life."
"T-thanks," he said. His face was probably turning red- he felt like a schoolboy all over again.
He took a seat next to Nanami, and then yawned widely. "It's been a busy day, hasn't it," she said. He nodded. She snuggled into him, and they both stared at the blank TV. "And you can't stay in your room with the rainstorm…"
"We could rig up a way to make sure no one can sneak in through my room," offered Hinata. Nanami nodded, but he could see her already starting to fall asleep. "Why are you-"
"I haven't been getting much sleep lately," she muttered. "Hold still…"
Hinata sighed. "Please, Chiaki-san, it's been a busy day…"
"Fine," Nanami replied. She got up, and brushed herself off. "Let's make that barricade."
The barricade, as it were, was just a chair wedged under the door handle. "We only have one gun, too," Hinata said, staring at it. He glanced at the TV room. "If you need me, I'll be in there," he said, nodding at the room.
He took a step towards it before Nanami put her hand on his shoulder. "Hajime," she said, "we only have one gun, and you need your sleep. You're in my room tonight."
Hinata felt as if he was on fire, and almost instantly the thoughts lurking at the back of his mind regarding the episode at the wedding, Nakejawa, Otonashi, Matsuda, Xiong Nu, Germany, and Izuru Kamukura were obliterated. "Y-you what?" he squeaked.
Nanami sighed and pulled him towards her room. "I'm sorry, Hajime, but I don't feel safe without a gun right after what happened with Nakejawa," she said. She stopped in front of her room and opened it. "Please?"
"I-I-I-" Hinata said; his mind had now drifted back to the last time they'd shared a bed-
Nanami rolled her eyes. "Nothing like that is going to happen, Hajime," Nanami said, although her face was tinting red as well. "Okay? It's just nice, platonic… sleep."
She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. His other hand held his gun. The door swung shut.
Nanami lead him over to her bed and, together, they wriggled under the covers. Nanami switched off the light, and Hinata hid the gun in the bedside table. "Chiaki," Hinata said, glancing at her, "I'm sorry for snapping at you at the wedding."
"You were distraught," Nanami said amicably. "I… I understand." She pressed herself into him and her hand curled around his. "Hajime, I have a question. Do you…" she took a deep breath, and then said, "Hajime, do you still love me?"
Hinata thought for a minute how to respond, and then hugged her tightly, putting his head on her shoulder, and said, "There were times in America when some cute girl would approach me and start flirting and all that. But then I'd tell them that… well, I still loved someone else, even if we could never be together again. Then we talked a little, and went on our ways."
Nanami slipped free and let Hinata's head fall on the pillow, all seemingly so that she could look into his eyes. "I didn't think you wouldn't," she whispered, "you always seemed like the clingy type."
"I-I'm sorry," Hinata said, looking away from her.
And then she hugged him tightly. "Hajime," she said into his ear, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Then she brought her head up to Hinata's and kissed him. It was short and tender, but nonetheless it caused warmth to blossom through Hinata's entire body. "C-chiaki!" he said when it was over. "I-I didn't mean to-"
"Do what? Make me fall in love with you again? All we're doing is going back to what we used to be, aren't we…?" she said. She kissed him again, more aggressively, and after a moment, he responded enthusiastically...
Hinata was at a wedding. Nakejawa and a shapeless creature were getting married. Hinata was best man… a blood-soaked Nanami was the witness. And the priest was Hinata as well but his eyes were… red.
Hinata looked out at the crowd. There was the Kirigiris, Byakuya Togami, and a portrait of the American President… on the other aisle, there was the bodies of Komaeda and Sonia, Otonashi and Matsuda, Mina and Ryotsa Masaru, Nidai and Owari, the Kuzuryuus and Pekoyama.
Hinata returned his attention to the wedding procession. Minister Hinata was talking in warped Novoselician, and Nakejawa's face had vanished, replaced with the Netherlands. Hinata looked back at the Despair crowd, and now he saw that Mina's face was Austria, Masaru was Spain, Komaeda was Britain, and Sonia was France…
And then he turned his attention back to the wedding procession again, and now Nanami's face was flickering between her normal face and a question mark, while Minister Hinata's hair was growing longer and whiter and his eyes even redder…
And then he heard the doors open, and a black-and-white bear, tailed by Fujisaki, Ishimaru, and Tanaka, waltzed down the aisle with another black-and-white bear. "Did ya miss me, ya bastard!?" all five said at once, and then both Monobears exploded, and he heard blasts going off and the ceiling was shuddering that walls were on fire and-
Hinata opened his eyes, breathing heavily, his nightmare over. He groaned and put a hand to his forehead. He felt clammy, and he probably looked pale. He shifted slightly, and felt Nanami shift against him. She stirred. "Hajime-" she groaned.
"Jus'- just a nightmare," he said. The storm raged outside, and fumbled for his phone in the darkness. "4 AM, sorry for waking you…"
"It's fine, I'd be waking in a few hours anyway," she said. She sat up, and her blankets fell, revealing her bare back. Then she blinked and quickly sunk back under the covers. "S-sorry-"
"It's just us," Hinata pointed out. As if to prove it, he sat up and let his sheet fall. "Besides, the only light we've got is from the lightning…"
Nanami sighed and also sat up, letting the sheet fall again. "What was the nightmare about?"
He sighed and leaned into her. "It was just… I was at a wedding, and Nakejawa was marrying something, and-"
His phone buzzed in the darkness. "Do you have to answer it?" Nanami groaned, "it's too early for this…"
But Hinata ignored her and picked it up. "Hajime Hinata," he said, putting it on speakerphone.
"Wasn't expecting to get you," they heard Makoto Kirigiri say. "I want you at the apartment of Chihiro Fujisaki tomorrow morning, 7 AM, bring Nanami-san with you-"
"Why?" Nanami said instantly.
Makoto was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't ask why she's in the same room as you at four AM, but you'll find out in the morning." He took a deep breath, said, "it'll just be a little investigation, but bring your gun just in case." The call terminated.
Hinata put his phone away and laid back down. "Wanna go back to sleep?" he said.
"Sure," Nanami said, and she laid back down next to him. "Do you think something happened to Chihiro-kun?"
"He's probably fine," Hinata said. "Trust me- it'll be open and shut. We'll be done and you won't miss work."
She nestled her head on his shoulder. "I hope you're right," she said, "I hope this nightmare'll be over soon."
"Yeah," he said, although now his mind was really more on Nanami than it was on the case. "I hope so too."
A/N: Questions? Comments? Concerns? Review!
Three weeks or so left in-story.