THIS BOOK ALL ABOUT SUZUYA JUUZOU (and me..)

26

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Juuzou is currently in physical therapy, learning to use his prosthetic. Its been about 4 weeks since the Owl Supression raid. Even though Juuzou and Shinohara were wounded, CCG forced Juuzou to complete eye witness reports and paperwork. Juuzou vehemently refused my help, unlike before.
I've taken this time to visit Shinohara on my own. I make my way to his room before stopping at the end of the hall, seeing Juuzou. I spot Shinohara's wife, exiting her husbands room. I watch from afar as Juuzou bows deeply to her.
In the months i've known him, i've never seen him apologize about anything.
Juuzou raises his head and I see his wife smile before walking away. Juuzou seems to be adept at using his prosthetic now considering hes standing upright.
  I continue my venture to Shinohara's room and eventually make my way to Juuzou's side, he looks at me.
"Makiko.. Can we talk..?" He suddenly asks me. I stare at him for a second before nodding. He begins to walk in the direction of his room, expecting me to follow.
I trails behind him, watching him carefully. We make it to his room and i reach to open the door. He waves me off and opens it himself, motioning me inside.
I hesitate before walking oast him and inside the room, he follows me inside and shuts the door behind him, locking it.
Juuzou sits on the edge of his bed, looking at me.
"Arima captured the eyepatch ghoul." He says plainly. This is news to me, apparently the raid wasn't a complete failure. They managed to kill Owl before another one appeared. Too many one eyed ghouls for my taste.
"Are they keeping him at cochlea?" I question him, sitting beside him. He shakes his head and falls back onto the bed, shaking off his prosthetic.
"He's a new person now.. Haise Sasaki." He says, draping his arms over his face.
A new person? As in not the person he was before? I stare at Juuzou in confusion, running a hand through my hair.
"I was also told something else." He says, peeking at me. He moves his arms from his face, letting them lay beside him.
"You're getting a q surgery?" He presses me. My entire body is shaken with realization, and i gasp.
"Fuck thats.. Next week." I say to myself, rubbing my head.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He questions, sitting back up to look me in the face.
During all this it completly slipped my little dumb fucking brain. It was a last minute decision made hours before the two people in my life were fatally wounded, of course i'd forget. My lack of response makes Juuzou speak.
"These came for you.. " he says, reaching over to the bedside table and picking up a small stack of papers. I grab them and flick through them quickly.
A consent form and a pamphlet about compensation from the 'Q surgery'. I look back at Juuzou, who seems worried.
"You know... I learned something that night.. Of the owl supression raid.." He speaks slowly, wrapping his fingers around my wrist. He seems to be struggling with his thoughts, tightening his grip on me. Finally after a while, he speaks up.
"I.. Realized I cared for Shinohara.. More than I thought anyone could."
I stare at him, Juuzou finally begins to feel something other than bloodlust. I smile a bit and respond,
"Im glad you realize that... You're opening up about feelings for once."

He shakes his head and pulls on my wrist.
"I also realized something else. Something I finally realized I should tell you." He tells me, staring into my eyes earnestly. I stare back, not knowing what he has going on in his head.
"What..? What do you need to tell me?" I ask him, my foot shaking nervously.

"I.. I feel love for you Makiko.. I love you." He says.
I feel my entire body envelop in warmth, suddenly im aware of the closeness between me and Juuzou, his grip on my wrist and the feeling of our thighs rubbing as we sit beside each other.
"I.. I feel the same Juuzou. I Love you too." I say breathlessly, gripping the papers in my hands. We stare at each other before we both hear a knock on the door.
Juuzou looks at the door, letting go of my wrist. I quickly get up, unlocking and opening the door. My eyes quickly flick up to meet special investigator Arima Kishou standing before me. I step back instantly, bowing.
"G-Good morning sir." I say quickly. I see Arima bow in my peripherals and I stand straight again. His frame towers over my 4'11 stature, he pushes the door open a bit wider.
"Im here to see Rank 3 investigator Shiranui Makiko and Rank 2 Suzuya Juuzou." He says. His voice is deep and smooth.
"Im Shiranui Makiko." I say, standing as straight as possible before my superior.
He looks at me, a small smile forming on his face.
"You're a lot smaller than i thought you'd be. I'm here to deliver a message on behalf of our leader." He says, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
I glance at Juuzou to find him still seated casually, barely paying attention. My eyebrow twitches in annoyance before looking back at Arima. He pulls out a piece of paper, reading from it.
"Suzuya Juuzou is now appointed leader of the Suzuya squad following his promotion to rank 1 Investigator. He will be moved to the 13th Ward." He says, looking over at Juuzou.
Juuzou's ears perk up, turning his head to face Arima. I try to hide my happiness for Juuzou, trying to stay official in front of a man who is 3 ranks my superior.
"And for Miss Shiranui, following your Q surgery, you will be held at the 20th ward to become a member of the quinx squad, led by Haise Sasaki." Arima continues, looking at me.
My heart bursts. Me? A rank 3 investigator becoming a part of an exclusive squad?
Led by the former eyepatch ghoul now hes an investigator??
What the fuck is going on?
"Is that all?" Juuzou asks. Im snapped out of my thoughts and i look at Arima once again.
"For now that is all the news regarding you and Miss Shiranui." He says, folding the paper and tucking into the inner pocket of his coat.
Arima is a handsome man, makes me wonder why he doesn't have a wife.
Arima bows and leaves without a second word and i look at Juuzou. His face seems a bit brighter, and i return to my place beside him.
"Congratulations on the promotion Rank 1 Investigator Suzuya Juuzou." I tease, smiling at him. He returns a smile and leans forward.
"You still haven't explained yourself to me Makiko." He says, staring into my eyes. I sigh and droop my head a bit.
"I don't think i need to... I want to be stronger." I say, fiddling with my hands in my lap.
Does he know what it's like to be weak? How helpless you feel when you can barely defend yourself?
"I get it.. I felt the same for awhile.."  He responds.
Right.. After Shinohara he barely spoke to me.. To anyone. Its been a slow process but he's beginning to open up and return to his normal self. I think he's realizing that he can't keep letting these things hold you down.
"You heard im being moved back to the 13th ward.. Right?" He asks, swinging his leg.
I look at him and bite my lip.
"I heard.. You're gonna be so far.." I say, deciding to rest my head against his shoulder. I feel him lean into me.
"You know... I can visit if im not busy... And if you're not busy.." He says, picking at the hem of his hospital shirt.
I nod and pull away.
"You're hungry aren't you? Want me to run out and get some food for you?" I ask him. His face lights up and he raises his arms above him, stretching.
"You know what i want!" He says, leaning back onto his arms, holding himself up.
I laugh and slide off the bed, hearing my heels clack against the tile.
"I'm going to get you real food. Not sweets. Ill be back in a bit." I say, walking to the door and plucking my coat off the hook and sliding it on. I hear him grumble as I grab my wallet and drop it into the deep coat pocket.
"Get some pudding atleast. You're torturing me Makiko." He says. A smile remains on my face as I open the door and walk out, heading down the hall.
When i exit the hospital, I spot Arima standing beside a man in pinstripe black slacks. Unfortunately they're standing right where i need to go to hail a cab. I hesitantly walk to stand parallel to the pair.
The one with the fancy pants glances at me then whispers to Arima. I feel their stares on my body before Arima calls out to me.
"Miss Shiranui how convenient to see you."

I look at him and bow before standing back up. Arima motions towards the man.
"This is your soon to be squad leader, Haise Sasaki." He informs me.
I look at the man who is now known as Haise Sasaki. His hair is white just like Juuzou's. I bow to Haise.
"Im rank 3 investigator Shiranui Makiko. I look forward to working with you." I tell him. I raise my head and see him bowing as well.
"I also look forward to working with you." He says, standing back up. I follow suit and see Arima holding the door open to a cab.
"Here Miss Shiranui, please take our cab. We can find another." He says, motioning for me to get inside.
"Ah. Thank you so much! I always have trouble hailing taxis." I tell him as i get in. He closes the door behind me and leans down, waving at me through the window as the taxi driver drives off.