Mari was sitting in bed reading when she heard Denji's footsteps across her living room floor. She fluffed up her pillows and her hair, propping herself up prettily for when he walked in. She was wearing one of his t-shirts he had left in her room during one of their torrid disrobing episodes when clothes went flying and no one really cared where they landed.

Holding up her book to block her face to hide her overly wide smile, she waited. Her tummy lurched with excitement at the sound of him pushing open her bedroom door. Forcing herself to frown then allowing a closed lip smile to take the place of her Cheshire Cat grin, she lowered the book to see him standing at the foot of the bed.

"Hi," Denji greeted her. He was wearing his usual bedtime attire of a t-shirt and shorts.

"Hi there," she said, patting the bed beside her. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he returned, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He lay back, placing his head on her belly.

"I couldn't sleep," Mari replied, toying with his hair that was still a little damp from his shower.

"Me either." He took hold of her hand, pulling it away from his hair to hold it above his face so he could see it. Studying her fingers, he slid his fingers along each slender digit as if measuring their size, width and length, to memorize them perfectly.

"Are you okay?" she asked when he began tracing the 'life lines' in her palm.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" he inquired in return, pressing her palm to his cheek.

"Yeah," she sighed, running the fingers of her other hand through his hair.

"I used to dream about moments like this. Just having a woman near me, cuddling with her, talking to her," he said, closing his eyes and pushing his cheek into her hand.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know."

"Will you tell me about your other family?"

Denji sighed, opening his eyes to look up at her. He let go of her hand, but she did not remove it from his cheek.

"There was Aki. He was the first person I met after Makima when I joined Public Safety." He felt Mari's belly stiffen under his head. "He was my keeper, so to speak."

"Keeper?" Her finger twisted a lock of his hair around it then unwrapped it before repeating the process.

"I didn't just work with him, I lived with him. Makima's orders. He cooked all the meals. Did all the cleaning. He took care of me. At home and at work." Denji paused, turning on his side toward her breasts to push his forehead against them as he curled onto his side. "He taught me as much as he could about being a Devil Hunter. I was his responsibility. It was kinda unfair Makima saddled him with that much work."

Mari stayed quiet, softly touching his hair, his face, his neck, and his shoulders. Although his eyes were open, he was staring into space not seeing anything because his mind was so far away, lost in the past.

"Aki taught me a lot of things. It's because of him I know how to cook and clean. I didn't even know how to do laundry or make a bed. I wish I had listened more closely when he was showing me how to cook. I wish I had learned more from him about...everything," he said, pressing his face into her breasts.

She cradled his head, stroking his cheek.

"Do you miss him?" she asked, despite the answer being evident but she wanted to prompt him to keep talking.

"Yeah. I miss him a lot. He was a coworker, a teacher, a roommate...a friend. No, he was more than a friend," he corrected himself, turning his head to look up at her. "He was a brother. That annoying big brother I never knew I wanted...but needed."

Mari smiled down at him, gliding her forefinger over his eyebrows which had pulled together over his nose. He appeared to be bogged down in his emotions, stuck somewhere between sadness and anger, hopelessly confused and not sure how to feel.

"It's okay to be sad. He meant a lot to you," she said, massaging his forehead with her thumb as if to push out the accordion like wrinkles that had formed.

"Why am I still so sad? It's been a while since he...since he died." He exhaled a long breath that tremored slightly at the end. "When he was almost killed by the Katana Man, I thought I wouldn't shed a single tear. I thought I wouldn't care at all. But when he died, I did cry. I cried a lot."

Mari inhaled deeply, the threat of tears stinging her eyes. She knew it was a rare and special event for him to be so candid about his emotions, especially where his past was concerned. She felt like they were beginning to rise to a whole new level in their relationship.

"And you still care about him?" she ventured, combing her fingers through his hair. She stared into his warm brown eyes that were pleading with her to guide him through this unknown emotional territory.

"Yeah. I don't understand. Why does it still hurt so much?"

"Well, just because someone dies, it doesn't mean our emotions die with them." The urge to cry became stronger, forcing her to look away from his intense gaze. "We remain, and so do the feelings we had for that person. We don't have to stop caring because they aren't there anymore. But we do move on, we learn to care about others. That's one of the most beautiful things about a heart."

Mari paused, laying her hand on his chest over his heart. She smiled down at him, their eyes reconnecting.

"A heart, the emotional heart, has an infinite capacity for love...if we let it." Flattening her palm, she patted his chest. "Even a Devil's heart learned how to love. You're very special Denji. You loved Pochita, and he loved you back. Enough to sacrifice his life for you."

"Aki died protecting Makima," Denji blurted, ruining the soft, touchy feely moment.

There was a burst of anger inside of her, followed by a barely restrained curse to Makima.

"That fucking bitch," she gritted through her teeth.

"He was killed by the Gun Devil and became a Fiend. And then..."

Tears gathered making his eyes glisten as they shifted back and forth between hers that were locked onto them. He swallowed several times, each making an audible gulping sound.

"I killed him."

Mari did not say a word but continued stroking his head. She permitted her tears to fall unchecked, crying the ones he refused to allow to escape his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What are you apologizing for?" Denji sat up, holding her face between his hands.

"Because you had to go through something like that."

His thumbs stroked over her cheeks like windshield wipers to clear away her tears.

"Why are you crying?"

"It's called empathy. I have no clue exactly how awful that must have been for you, but I'm trying to understand. Just looking at you, I can feel your pain," she explained, pressing her hands to his and closing her eyes. "I can see the hurt in your eyes, and it hurts me."

"But why?"

Mari leaned forward, pressing a brief and gentle kiss to his lips.

"Because I love you." She kissed him again then rested her forehead against his. "It hurts when I think about all of the dreadful things you must have endured. The awful things you went through as a child. Then when you became a Devil Hunter...oh, my God, Denji."

Mari sat up, opening her teary eyes to look at him.

"Yet you somehow remained so sweet and kind and loving."

"Well, by being my friend, someone as close as a brother, Aki helped teach me how to love. There was also Power. She was a Fiend," he added.

Mari swiftly pulled her hands away from him and sat back on her pillows. Her face paled, and she stared at him in wide eyed shock.

"A Fiend?" she questioned him incredulously.

"They're not all bad. Power was like my sister. A selfish, annoying brat who talked too much and thought she was better than everyone else," he said, but with a poignant smile on his face remembering her fondly. "We fought each other and side by side against Devils and Fiends. We had each others backs. When she didn't run away." His face pinched with annoyance then relaxed. "She said I was her very first friend."

Mari did not want to ask what happened to Power. She already had a really good idea. How could Denji still love Makima after everything she did to him and his friends? She stole everything from him right down to his own free will.

Being the vessel of the Control Devil she took away his options to think and feel as he wanted; and from everyone around her as well. Manipulative in the worst way right down to orchestrating people's emotions. No wonder Denji and Kishibe both were so determined for Nayuta to be different, to wield the power of the Devil inside of her without being such a horrendous monster.

Her eyes locked onto Denji's which had been studying her face while she was lost in thought.

"What?" she asked when a crooked little grin touched his lips.

"Don't waste your emotions hating a dead woman," he said, placing his hand against her cheek. The pad of his thumb rested at the corner of her mouth. "She's not worth it."

"I can't help it. The more I hear about her, the more I hate her. She used and abused so many people. She killed so many people. And hurt you," she whispered, her voice all but disappearing on her.

"It's okay. A lot of people hurt me," he said, gliding his thumb across her lower lip.

"It's not," she rejoined in a rasp. "It's not okay you were hurt so much."

"But you're here now." He rubbed the tip of his nose across the tip of hers. "You're here, and you've done nothing but be kind and sweet and gentle." He dragged his hand down her neck to her shoulder, then down her arm. "And loving."

"Oh, Denji," she gasped, pressing her lips to his.

Putting her arms around his neck, Mari pulled him forward as she leaned back onto the pillows. Lowering his head to her breasts which was his favorite pillows, she stroked his cheek.

"Why don't you tell me more about Aki and Power?" she suggested.

"Like what?" he asked, closing his eyes to relish her tender touch.

"Tell me about the first time you met Aki."

"Well, Makima had brought me to her office. She had given me clothes to wear." He opened his eyes and began moving his hands at his chest. "Including this stupid tie I had no idea how to tie. But she tied it for me. Aki was so jealous. She told me I would be working with him, shadowing him. He told me I wasn't even in her league."

Yes, few people are able to stoop that low, Mari thought to herself but kept her mouth shut. She rested her hand on his chest feeling the pull cord under her palm. Her other hand continued to play with his soft hair.

"We got into a fight. I mean a real, literal, knock down drag out fight," he said, smiling at the memory.

Men are so weird. Apparently, fist fights are a form of bonding for them.

"After I asked if Makima had a boyfriend, he took me into an alley to kick my ass."

If I had known how many times that bitch's name would be mentioned, I wouldn't have asked, she thought bitterly, chewing her lower lip to hold her words back. She did want to hear more about Aki though.

"But I got him good." In a quick movement he hiked up his knee like he was delivering a knee strike, shaking the entire bed under them. "Wham! I kneed him right in the nuts when his back was turned. Then when he was down, I gave him several more good swift kicks right in the balls. At least six...maybe more."

"Sweetheart, I'm not a man, but I don't think there' s anything good about getting kicked in the balls."

"I beg to differ," he said, sitting up to look at her eye to eye.

"Oh, ho ho, listen to you big man. I beg to differ," she repeated in a mocking voice, giving a quick wave of her hand.

"If you're the one giving it's good. If you're the one receiving, it's bad." He put his hand between his legs, hissing as if he had suffered a kick to the nuts himself, his face twisted into a mask of pain. "Really, really bad."

"Yeah I imagine. I'm surprised you didn't -" She barely stopped herself before she said kill him. "...make him faint."

"He did pass out," he confirmed with a mean little grin on his face.

"Men are so weird. You still think it's funny you gave him an ass whoopin'. But he was your friend."

"At that time he wasn't. I had just met him, and he was a jerk. Besides..." He scratched his cheek, closing his eyes. "I thought he was a rival for Makima's attention and love."

Love. Something that woman had no clue about. That name again. Ugh... Her stomach churned full of burning acid and hatred. She exhaled in annoyance, sinking back into the pillows to glare at him.

"So you two were fighting over Makima. How disappointing." She folded her arms under her breasts.

"Yeah, but at the time it seemed like a good idea. I've changed a lot since then."

Mari smiled at him, brushing her fingers across his cheek.

"You've changed a lot since I've met you," she commented, opening her arms to receive his head back onto her chest. When he was snuggled back into his favorite pillows, her arms circled his shoulders.

"The first girl I ever felt up was Power," he said.

"You told me that. Surely that's not the only good memory you have of her. And you said she was like your sister so that's kinda gross, Denji," she teased him, poking him in the ribs.

"Well, she was the partner Makima assigned to me. She also lived with me and Aki so we were stuck together all the time whether we liked it or not."

Mari's entire body tensed and her belly tightened until she feared she might puke. She really did not want to throw up on him after his repulsive, vomitous kissing incident with Himeno. On this trip down memory lane that was one stop she did not want him to make.

"Do me a favor? Please don't say her name again," she requested, poking him repeatedly in the ribs until he wriggled away from her prodding finger. "She or her or that woman will do just fine."

"Okay. I won't say Makima again," he promised.

"Ugh," she groaned. "It's a good thing I love you. What was Power like?"

"Selfish. Immature. Impulsive. Always shooting off her mouth about how awesome she was. Pretending to be smart, but she really wasn't. Dirty and disgusting with deplorable manners."

He really has improved his vocabulary, her inner voice pointed out. Pride swelled in her chest. He was working hard in school, and she would like to think she was part of his inspiration.

"So she was a lot like you?" Mari teased him, dragging her fingers lightly along his neck to make goosebumps rise along his skin.

"Heh, she was actually worse, so much worse than me."

"Well, there had to be something good about her."

"Of course there was. She was cute and had big boobs."

"God, Denji," she muttered, thumping his forehead.

"Ow!" He rubbed the sore spot in the middle of his forehead.

"Be serious. Well, I'm sure you were serious," she said out loud as if talking to herself. "There had to be something that drew you two together to form such a close friendship."

"Well..." He stared at the ceiling like he was searching for the answer there. "I guess because down deep, she was a lot like me. She had always been alone. But then she found Meowy. She loved that stupid cat with all of her heart."

"Is that the real reason you helped her get Meowy back?"

"No. It really was just to get my hands on her tits."

"Wow you really did have hedonistic aspirations didn't you?"

"H-hedonistic? Aspirations?"

"Pleasure seeking goals."

"Oh."

Mari curled and uncurled locks of his hair around her finger waiting for him to continue speaking.

"Our first time out on patrol, she killed a devil she wasn't supposed to because it was being hunted by the Civilian Devil Hunters. I got into trouble for not controlling her then Power had the nerve to lie to Ma - "

Mari raised a warning eyebrow.

"She lied to that woman and said that I commanded her to kill the Sea Cucumber Devil. Power lied and lied a lot but...she wasn't all that bad. She did let me touch her boobs after I found Meowy for her. I deserved a good fondle after getting eaten by that Bat Devil. That was nasty as hell."

Oh, my God, I can't even, Mari's inner voice moaned while she resisted the temptation to face palm. She could not begin to imagine what it was like to be swallowed whole by a Devil but she did come damn close to being eaten by a Fiend which wouldn't have been pleasant either.

"Quite the negotiator aren't ya? You get eaten by a Bat Devil to cop a feel."

Denji reached up to pinch her nipple.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, slapping his hand lightly. "And look at you now! You get to sneak a feel almost any time you want."

"I'm a lucky guy."

"Damn right you are."

Denji picked up her book that had been laying face down on the bed to keep her place marked.

"Whatcha readin'?" he inquired, scanning the page.

"Just a stupid romance novel," she said, trying to take it away from him. "My guilty pleasure."

"I thought I was your guilty pleasure," he teased her, keeping the book just out of her reach every time she attempted to pull it out of his hand.

Although it was in English, Denji recognized the word breast and pushed her hand away. He tried to read more about the herione's "voluptuous pale mounds heaving like twin moons" but Mari snatched the book away from him and threw it across the room.

"Hey! I was reading that," he protested, trying to get up to retrieve the book but she grabbed the back of his t-shirt and pulled him back down on top of her.

"Oh, no you don't," she growled playfully, wrapping her arms and legs around him to hold him on top of her. "You're not going anywhere."

"I thought you'd be happy because I'm reading something in English," he said, framing her face with his large hands. Her skin felt hot.

"I am. But not that. It's embarrassing," she mumbled, looking away from him as her cheeks steadily deepened in color from magenta to crimson.

"Awww," he cooed, kissing her heated cheek. "Don't be embarrassed."

Mari bowed her head, pressing her forehead against his neck so he could not see her face.

"Hey, are you really okay?" Denji asked, reaching under her chin to tilt her head back onto the pillow.

"You're talking about Reze right?" Her eyes met his.

"Yeah."

"I have to be okay, Denji," she said, unable to avoid eye contact since he was lying on top of her with his face mere inches from hers. "She's a student there and that's that. I can't quit my job, and you can't transfer."

"Yeah. Yoshida wouldn't let that happen," he muttered.

"Or he'd transfer with you."

"Uhm, yeah that's true."

Mari sighed, absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Are you afraid she will hurt you if she finds out we're together?" Denji asked finally getting around to his real question.

"I don't think she would. She seems really kind and sweet."

Yeah, I thought she was nice once too. You really are ridiculously trusting, he thought, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Mari, I know you try to see the best in everyone and want to take them at face value. That's what got you into trouble and kidnapped to begin with," he reminded her.

Mari wanted to be mad at him for being so blunt, but she was too humiliated by the truth. She groaned and chewed her lip self-consciously. Yes, she had trusted those guys for a too good to be true job offer which led her to being sold to a night club owner in a foreign country.

"Reze is the Bomb Devil, and she is a killer. She tried to kill me herself. She kissed me and bit off my tongue then slit my throat."

"Why didn't you pull your cord and kill her?"

"She cut off my hand when I tried."

"Oh," Mari gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "How did you escape?"

"Beam saved me."

"Beam? Who's he?"

"He's another Fiend who was a friend. I'll tell you more about him another night."

Denji toyed with her tight corkscrew curls. She was so cute. Without make up and staring at him with wide eyed awe, she looked like a child. She wasn't much older than him. Barely an adult who really didn't know how to be an adult yet but had no choice but to figure it out in a hurry.

"My point is, don't trust her. Don't fall for that sweet, good girl act. I sure did. I fell hard," he admitted, sighing deeply as if the entirety of his sad memories were weighing him down.

"You really cared for her didn't you?" she asked, biting her lower lip when his eyes connected with hers.

"I did," he confessed, kissing her forehead carefully since the bruise was still evident. "I wanted to run away with her, be with her and start a new life somewhere else. We were supposed to go to school together and...hell, I don't know what I thought we were going to do. It doesn't matter now. Like I said, don't trust her."

Mari could feel her insides quivering. How could she not be nervous about his direct warning? Maybe she just wanted to believe Reze would not hurt her in order to continue her job at the school unafraid. But it seemed there would always be a threat from a Devil or a Fiend lurking somewhere. That is the kind of world they live in.

"I'd like to think that since you've changed so much in the time that has passed, she has changed too," she said, fidgeting with the collar on his t-shirt.

"Yeah, me too."

Denji lay his head on her chest, pressing his ear to her heart. Her chest vibrated under his cheek when she started speaking.

"We should get some sleep. It will be time to wake up before we know it."

"Yeah," he agreed, not moving an inch.

"You're not going back to your apartment?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Of course not." She enclosed his neck with her arms, hugging him. "I just thought Nayuta might need you."

"She's fine. She has seven guard dogs to protect her. Besides..." He pushed his arms under her between the bed and her back while burying his head between her breasts. "I don't want to leave you."

Mari held him tightly but only for a moment. She did not want to suffocate him with her bosom, although she figured if he could die that would be his preferred method to go.

I don't want you to leave me either. Ever.

~\'/~

Denji opened his shoe locker while kicking off his sneakers. There was a folded piece of paper sitting on top of his shoes. A love note? He had never received one before. Picking up the piece of paper, he unfolded the single page to see there was only one sentence written on it.

Please meet me on the roof at lunch.

"Reze," he mumbled.

"What you got there?" Yoshida asked from behind him.

"Dammit," Denji muttered, crumpling the paper and shoving it in his pocket. "Nothing."

Yoshida could see the back of his companion's neck turning red.

"Oh, that was definitely something."

Like a nimble fingered pickpocket, Yoshida extracted the note from his pocket without him even feeling it. He carefully unfolded it to avoid making noise while a distracted Denji changed his shoes.

"Could somebody be about to receive a love confession?" Yoshida teased him, neatly folding the wrinkled paper.

"What?"

Denji turned around to see the unexpected pickpocket tapping the paper against his chin with a 'cat that ate the canary' smirk on his face. He patted his pocket to see that was indeed his note. Jumping to his feet, he lunged for the note rather than Yoshida's neck but missed when Yoshida simply took a step back.

"Uh uh uh," he admonished him, waving the paper around. "You don't want to get into trouble do you?"

Denji gritted his teeth and growled. He knew he could not start a fight here and land himself in detention. Mari would be so mad if he got into trouble.

"Well, aren't we the popular one all of a sudden?" Yoshida goaded him, tossing the note back at Denji. "I guess there's nothing like a rival to stir up the interest of a woman."

"I'm sure it's not a love confession so shut up," he muttered, shoving the paper into his book bag. "She probably just wants to talk."

"You know who it's from?" he returned, pretending to be surprised despite already having guessed himself.

"Don't play dumb. It's unbecoming," Denji snapped.

"Damn. Look who's getting smart," Yoshida laughed with a derisive undertone. "In both intelligence and attitude. I'm impressed. I suppose Mari really is a good influence on you. Oh, and speaking of Mari - "

"Yeah, what about her?" he cut him off. He could tell Yoshida was up to something. He couldn't help but think he had something to do with this whole thing. With Reze coming here and this note.

"What will your sweet Mari think of all this? As if it weren't bad enough your old flame shows back up, now it seems like she still has the hots for you."

Yoshida had suddenly become the pun master to add to his never-ending supply of snarky quips.

Denji continued to look straight ahead, walking faster. He had bit his lip so hard to keep his mouth shut he could taste blood. If he distanced himself from Yoshida all the better. That guy had really pissed him off.

~\'/~

Mari ran toward the classroom, her heels clicking on the floor and echoing through the empty hallway. She was late.

They had been from the start, and she was already frazzled. She and Denji had woken up late which is never a good way to start a day. They had to take breakfast on the run, toast with jam of course, Denji's favorite. Once Nayuta was safely situated with Melanie and Himari at her school, they practically had to run the whole way here to actually arrive a little early.

Denji had been sufficiently impressed with her ability to jog in high heels. He had offered to give her a piggy back ride but that would have been mildly obscene since she was wearing one of her tight skirts.

It had taken a while to find quotes for the students to read today putting her further behind. It didn't look good for the teacher of all people to be late for class. Once again, she had to run to get to the classroom. Her feet were killing her.

"Good morning!" Mari cheerily greeted her first class as she rushed in.

"Is everything okay?" the homeroom teacher asked her on her way out to teach her first period class.

"Yeah," she puffed in response, hurrying to the desk. "It's just been one of those mornings you know."

Dumping her purse and folders onto the desk to empty her arms put a bit of unexpected momentum behind the items. The folder with the papers slid across the blotter. She lunged in an attempt to grab the folder before it fell. She banged her knee on the desk and helplessly watched the dozens of pages flutter to the floor.

"Oooh," she moaned, rubbing her throbbing knee.

Several students came forward to assist with picking up the papers. She bent to help them as well despite the ache in her knee. That would surely be a bruise later. Her fingers trembled as she self-consciously ran them across her forehead. She still had not gotten rid of her last bruises. They were turning brown and green now. Ew.

"Are you okay, Miss Mari?"

Mari's head swung to her right to see the girl who asked the question was Reze crouched next to her with papers extended toward her. Her breath caught in her throat momentarily forcing her to swallow several times so she could unclog her throat to speak. She looked into the lovely green eyes the color of gemstones and just as dazzling.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Reze," she said, giving her a grateful smile as she took the papers.

The other students shoved the papers they retrieved in her face pulling her attention away from Reze who stood up and returned to her desk. She handed part of the stack to the boy who lingered, holding out his hand to help her stand.

"Do you mind handing those out?"

"Not at all."

Mari took her place behind the podium desperately trying to compose herself. Smoothing back her curls which were surely wild and frizzy with all of her rushing around, she became positive she looked as frayed around the edges as she felt.

"Who's first?" she asked, pleased to see every hand raising. She smiled when she saw Reze's hand in the air as well. "Reze. You take the first one."

The girl stood to her feet beside her desk with the single page clutched in both of her hands. The paper fluttered from her trembling.

How could this girl possibly become a stone cold killer? Mari did not doubt it was possible since Denji told her about Reze, but she could not understand it.

"Th-the..." she stuttered then hesitated, her face growing pink.

"Just take a minute. You can do this," she encouraged her seeing the tears of humiliation had begun to gather.

"I don't...I can't..." Reze raised her eyes from the page to meet Mari's.

Mari slowly mouthed the word enemy. If Reze recognized that one word, she should be able to get the rest of the quote with no problem.

"E-enemy." She stared at the paper. "Of my enemy is my...is my friend. The enemy of my enemy is my friend," she repeated confidently.

"Excellent. Great job," she complimented Reze.

The tops of Reze's cheeks turned pink with a blush of delight as she sat down.

"From what I read, that is an old Sanskrit quote that predates Mohammed. Like way ancient, so old no one is really sure where it came from because it predates written history," Mari explained to the whole class. "Now, Reze, what does that quote say to you?"

"Uhm, that under certain circumstances, someone who would normally be our enemy can be our ally if we are fighting against someone or something who is an enemy to both of us," she said without stammering or hesitating at all.

Mari smiled momentarily at a loss for words. She would not dare declare them enemies, but it seemed they might be such due to extenuating circumstances and past occurences. However, if Reze joined together with Denji and Yoshida to hunt Devils, maybe, just maybe, they could all become friends.

God, I am hopelessly naïve, she thought with a sigh. But she couldn't bring herself to hate this girl. Not yet.

"That was amazing, Reze. I like your way of thinking."

~\'/~

"Hey."

The familiar and unwanted voice sent a chill up Mari's back making her visibly shiver. She shuffled the papers in her hand pretending she didn't hear him.

Undaunted, Yoshida strolled into the room and right up to her as she gathered her things to leave. It was lunch time. She wanted to just hide in the teacher's lounge for a while. She certainly didn't want to have to deal with him yet. Sixth period would come soon enough.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, extending a round brown bread wrapped in cellophane toward her. "It's a red bean bun."

"No," she responded curtly, swinging her purse aggressively over her arm with the intent of hitting him with it. However, he dodged the projectile by hopping backwards.

"It's a red bean bun."

"No."

"Oh, come on. Ya gotta eat something," he said, stepping in front of her to block her path of escape.

"No. No, I don't." She sidestepped him and continued to the door.

"Hey, Mari." He reached out to seize her wrist when she tried to breeze past him.

Mari froze when his fingers enclosed her wrist. He did not hold onto her tightly enough to hurt her but securely enough to let her know he had no intention of letting her go. Her eyes flew to his face to meet his eyes that were as freakishly devoid of emotion as always but they held an intensity that would not allow her to look away.

"Come with me," Yoshida said, his voice low and firm but not demanding.

Mari could refuse to go with him but the resoluteness of his tone would not allow her to decline.

"Fine," she sighed without trying to free herself. "Lead on, Chief but let me go."

"Yes, ma'am," he returned with mock submissiveness, leering at her with a cocky grin.

Why am I following this guy, and where is he taking me?, she asked herself as they manuevered through the crowded hall to the stairwell.

After climbing two more flights, he led her to a staircase that was almost hidden in the left corner of the top floor of the building. She waited at the bottom as he continued up the narrow set of stairs to the door at the top. He opened it and sunlight poured in. The rooftop.

"Why did you bring me here?" Mari inquired, growing even more suspicious of his motives.

"There's something I want you to see. Come on." He jerked his head toward the door before exiting onto the roof.

Mari slowly climbed the staircase. Her tummy tumbled uncertainly inducing nausea. She had a really bad feeling about this.

Yoshida waited for her off to the left side on the green artificial turf covering the roof. There were AC units and a few structures that looked like storage buildings or utility sheds. A six foot tall fence outlined the entire roof on the outer side of the guardrails. There were a few students sitting on the low brick wall along the inner sides of the banisters. Some ate their lunch alone. Others were couples who conversed with their heads almost touching.

Mari had the distinct feeling she should not be here.

"Come on," Yoshida said, taking her by the wrist again to pull her forward.

"Hey!" she cried out as he dragged her through the rows of climate control units roaring away to keep the building cool.

Pressing his back against one of the narrow white buildings fairly reminiscent of an old fashioned outhouse, he edged along like some kind of hokey spy sneaking up on a target. Then she had an idea of what was about to happen. He was spying on Denji.

"Wait...what are you - "

"Shhh," he hissed at her, pressing his finger to his lips. He pulled her forward, placing her in front of him. Pressing against her back, he left her no choice but to lean forward to peek around the building.

Denji stood in front of Reze with hands in his pockets. He didn't look angry or happy or sad. Reze stared down at the artificial turf, her hands clasped in front of her. A pretty pink blush tinted her cheeks. Shifting from foot to foot nervously, she reached up to push a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked up to see Denji's face.

Mari held her breath as she watched them. Reze was speaking, but Mari couldn't hear what she was saying.

Denji nodded his head. Reze's face collapsed as if she would burst into tears any second. Her lips moved again. He nodded again, and she smiled. Suddenly, she leapt toward him, throwing her arms around his neck. She pressed her mouth to his for a kiss.

Mari exhaled with a gush as if she had been sucker punched in the gut. Although she did not feel faint, an arm hooked around her waist to hold her up. She watched as Denji grabbed Reze's upper arms, then the girl angled her head to deepen the kiss.

I wonder if she will bite off his tongue this time, she mused, too shocked to be angry and not understanding why that of all things came to mind. It's okay. He'll grow another one. He regenerates after all.

"I guess he hasn't changed so much after all. Looks like he's ready to add to his list of women," Yoshida needled her cruelly.

Mari winced but could not pull away when he pressed his cheek to hers.

"Don't worry," he whispered, pressing his fingers into her side while clutching onto her. "I'll be here if you need a shoulder to cry on."

"Please, let go," she requested in a whisper. She could not breathe. Opening her mouth to suck in air, she clawed at the strong hand grasping her side and holding her in place.

"Should I let you go?" he asked, loosening his arm. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him, peeling his 'helpful' hand away from her waist. "Well, this has been enlightening, but I have to go."

Yoshida's smile widened a little when she used the phrase he had after their first private discussion. He reached out to push a curl behind her ear and received a stinging slap on the hand.

"Well, like I said, if you need - "

"I won't, thanks," she cut him off, pivoting on her heel to walk away.

Although she wanted to run away as fast as she could to cry, Mari forced herself to hold her head high and walk away slowly while withholding her tears. It would amuse Yoshida too much if she ran like a coward or cried in front of him. Pride would not allow her to indulge in such perceived weakness and give him the pleasure of seeing what he wanted to see - her breaking in front of him. Why did he hate her so much?

"Mari?" That was Denji's voice. He sounded as shocked and confused as she felt.

She walked faster. The door was only a few yards away, and he was off in the far corner. At least he had been when she saw Reze kissing him.

"Mari! Hey, Mari, stop!"

He was much closer.

"Can't you hear me?"

Loud and clear. Ignoring her sore feet, she trotted to retreat faster. When Mari's hand touched the handle of the door, Denji's hand simultaneously landed on her shoulder.

"Hey, what - "

"Let me go," she snarled without turning to look at him.

"It wasn't what it looked like. I swear."

"I'm sure it wasn't. It never is, you know."

"Let me explain."

"Let me go," she repeated, her voice low and demanding. "That was an order. You like orders, don't you? Take your hand off me."

Denji did not know how to react to that other than to do as she requested. He lifted his hand without trying to hold her back. She did not scream at him like most women would have. Her voice had been quiet, almost calm. She didn't even try to slap him. She never reacted to things like he thought she would. Her unpredictability kept him befuddled and offset. He still couldn't figure her out.

Denji stood with his hands on his hips staring at the closed door long after she was gone.

"So buddy, what's up?" Yoshida asked.

Denji whirled around to see him and Reze standing side by side.

"This is something you two did together," he accused, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "You're trying to break us up."

"What? No!" Reze cried out taking a step away from Yoshida.

"You're giving me way too much credit," Yoshida rejoined calmly, his smile returning. "Do you really think I would care about meddling in your romantic affairs?"

"I genuinely just wanted to talk to you, to see if we could at least be friends." Reze glanced toward the closed door. "So she's the woman you were talking about? Your girlfriend? I never would have guessed."

"Why did you kiss him like that?" Yoshida asked effectively throwing gas on an already steadily burning fire. He really did like to strike a match and watch the world burn.

"Because..." She threaded her fingers together and stared at the ground. "Because I was so happy. I'm glad Denji is willing to take a chance on trusting me after everything that happened between us."

"You're off to a great start," Yoshida sarcastically complimented her.

"Shut up, man," Denji muttered, glaring at his so called friend.

Was Yoshida really so bored he had to stir up this kind of drama? Wasn't it a good thing that the two of them (along with the help of the Devil Hunter Club of course) had exterminated so many Devils and Fiends in their city things had actually gone quiet around here?

"You're the kind of person the quote with friends like this, who needs enemies was made for," Reze boldly chastised Yoshida.

"More wisdom from the great and fabulous Mari, I suppose," he murmured, his smile disappearing.

Her blushed deepened to blazing cherry red. Yes, she had indeed used one of the quotes from class today. There had been a them of friends and enemies. She could not help but ponder if this guy was the inspiration behind the common thread.

Or is it me?, she asked herself. Knowing what she knew now, that Mari was Denji's girlfriend, her being the reason for the friends and enemies theme would make sense too.

"I'll go talk to her," Yoshida confidently declared, stepping forward.

Denji placed his fist in the middle of Yoshida's chest to stop him without punching him.

"The hell you will. Back off and leave her alone," he said in a distinctly threatening tone. There would be no invitations to Sunday dinners for him. Not another one any time for any where ever again if he kept this crap up. "Keep on if you want a one way ticket to hell. I'm sure some of the recuperating Devils we sent there would be thrilled to get their hands on you."

"Are you really threatening me right now?" Yoshida asked, his smile returning.

"Yeah. I am. You shouldn't be treating Mari this way."

"Oh? Did she tell you about our little truce?"

"Your what? What are you talking about?"

"Hmph," Yoshida murmured pensively, scratching his temple as if his brain itched. "She didn't tell you anything about what we talked about?"

"No. Other than you two talked about me." Denji grabbed him by his collar lifting Yoshida until his feet dangled. "What the hell did you say to her?"

"Huh," he said, ignoring Denji who glared at him murderously. "I can't believe she didn't tearfully run to you to tell you everything I said. Maybe she's not the kind of person I thought she was."

"What are you talking about?"

"Put me down. You're wrinkling my shirt," Yoshida sighed waiting to be set back on his feet. Once Denji let him go, he pointlessly tried to smooth out the wrinkles.

"Why am I wasting my time with you?" Denji sighed, opening the door to go after Mari despite having no idea where to look for her.

He went to the teacher's lounge first, peeking into the little square window. She was not in there. He tried the cafeteria with no luck. If she had gone to the vending machines for a drink, she was not there now. She would no doubt need fresh air so maybe she was in the courtyard. He found her on a bench under the massive tree in the back between the gym and club rooms that were mostly deserted during the school day.

Denji approached her slowly like one does a wounded animal they are not sure how is going to react. Would she lash out him or continue to sit docilely, sipping her soda?

"Mari, can I sit down?" he asked, standing behind her.

"Suit yourself," she said, her voice trembling as much as her hands.

"Can I explain?"

"I don't know. Can you?" The question was asked with sarcasm born from barely contained anger.

"I want to try," he sighed, rubbing his sweaty palms along the thighs of his pants.

At least she seemed somewhat willing to listen.

"Please do. Because I really want to understand. I don't want to be mad at you. And I don't want to feel - " Her voice broke, her words coming out slightly garbled. She took a sip of her drink. "I don't want to feel like I do right now."

"How is that?"

"We're not here to talk about my feelings. Please tell me why she kissed you."

Mari was sitting sideways, her back halfway turned to him. She was not crying, but definitely holding it back. Denji could see her face in profile but could not make eye contact with her. Perhaps that was best for now.

"Reze asked me if I had a girlfriend. I told her yes. She didn't ask who, and I wouldn't have told her anyway if she had asked. Then she asked if we could at least be friends. I said yes. Then she - "

"Yeah," Mari interrupted him so he wouldn't say it.

It was just a kiss. Nothing to get upset over. She had been repeating those two phrases over and over to herself like a mantra since she had fled from the rooftop. Whether it was numbness setting in from the shock of seeing them together that way or if she had actually begun to believe it, the sting to her heart had lessened.

"Why didn't you immediately push her away?" Mari sniffed, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears filling her eyes.

"Because I was shocked. I didn't expect her to kiss me. And...and I was hoping she wouldn't try to rip my tongue out."

Mari could understand that. She had the same thought herself. Poor Denji had endured some really horrific kisses. It's a miracle he had wanted to kiss Mari at all that first time.

Denji reached out to touch her shoulder. Her body stiffened until she sat up straighter, her backbone lengthening as if a metal rod had been shoved down her spine. At least she did not pull away from him.

"I can't hug you like I want to, but I need to know...are we okay?"

His fingers dug into her shoulder firmly, but without causing pain. He wanted hold her still should she try to run away from him again.

"Yeah. We're okay."

"I want to hug you so damn bad right now," he said, taking his hand away from her shoulder before he gave into the temptation to pull her into his arms.

"I want you to hug me so damn bad right now," she returned with a chuckle that was from relief rather than amusement. "So is it always going to be like this?"

"What?"

"Our relationship. Full of drama and danger and people from the past."

"Well, most of the people from my past are dead so there's not much to worry about there."

"Oh, Denji," she sighed. "I'm sorry. That was cruel of me to even bring that up."

"Not cruel. Just the truth. As for the drama and danger, well, the drama might come and go but the danger...that's a given because of what I am." He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. "So are you up for it? Can you handle it?"

Mari turned to face him. Knowing she could not touch him since they were out in the open where too many eyes could see, she clutched the soda can with both hands. She smiled at him when his head turned her way.

"It's going to be tough, but I want to do this. I want to be with you."

A wide grin split his lips until almost every tooth showed. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"When we get out of here, I'm going to hug and kiss you so hard," he told her which was the best kind of threat possible.

Mari hid her big smile behind her hand and giggled. "I'll hold you to that."

"Please do."

"I'm crazy about you, you know," she said, receiving another ear to ear grin from him.

"Sometimes I think you're just crazy," Denji joked back.

Mari sighed. "Sometimes, especially times like this, I think you're right."

"When you fall in love, you have to play it out even if everyone calls you crazy. That's why they call it falling. We have no control over it." ―

Angie Cruz, Author and University Professor