Loveless ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 24: Steady She Goes

"Stay safe, Y/N."

That was the last thing Juuzou said to me before walking away, leaving me and Rui standing there. At the time, I had a grasp on what he meant. He was talking about the ghouls. Their attacks have been becoming more constant. Way more active than they were before.

Despite that, I still have to go to work. I still have to make a living. I'm sure he knows that. Still...those words linger in my head.

Stay safe, Y/N.

Coming from Juuzou, I thought I'd never hear him say anything like that. Abara, maybe, but Juuzou...not so much. Still, it's not as if I know the guy all that well.

Stop thinking about this. I tell myself, inhaling deeply. I need to refocus and mentally prep myself for the night. Randy had texted me earlier telling me that the club might be rather dead tonight due to everything that's been going on with Anna Betterman's case, so I already am not expecting a fruitful night.

Just one dance. That's all I'm hoping for tonight. At least just one dance.

I come to a red light, the club just in view, and stop, waiting, tapping my fingers along the steering wheel. My thoughts are aimlessly drifting, my eyes doing the same when they land where I can only imagine they found Anna's body. Or at least close to it.

A dark patch along the pavement, just out of the light's reach. The perfect place to snatch an unexpecting girl away.

A knot twists my stomach. It's so close to work. Too close to work. Too close to where I had almost been snatched away, myself. And those are memories I rather not revisit. Not right now.

I return my stare to the road, waiting for the light to turn green when something catches my eye. There, to my right, on the same roof as before, is Juuzou. Perched, crouched, and looking out over the city. But why? Is he scouting for ghouls?

I have little time to ponder when the light turns green and I go to work.

***

As Randy had foretold, the club was dead. Empty. Not a soul - aside from us working - to be seen. So, to beat the boredom, we girls cleaned the stages and poles, though they were already pretty clean. The bartenders cleaned the bar and glasses - also already cleaned. The cleaning crew wiped down the tables in the sitting area and cleaned the private rooms - also clean. All done in hopes to beat boredom, but after only four hours, Randy waved his white flag and sent everyone home, locking up the club early.

Now I'm sitting in my car, defeated. I was so hopeful...well, kind of. All I wanted was to give at least one dance, but tonight was not that kind of night. Will tomorrow be any better? I can only hope.

Still feeling sour from the fruitless night, I reverse from my parking spot and head for the exit, steering my car onto the outstretched road, only stopping at the red light.

Much like the club, the roads are practically desolate, the night being kept at bay by the overhead street lamps. It is so empty and eerie, in a way. It only reminds me even more of the fear that has now gripped H/P.

I inhale deeply and look to the left, my eyes drifting to the roof from earlier. It's silly how over the course of four hours how I forgot Juuzou had been up there, but now I remember. Though, my eyes widen when I see he's still there. Still sitting, his posture having only shifted ever so slightly.

At first, I can't believe my eyes. I blink a few times, hoping to clear any illusions I see, but as I look back, he's still there. Still staring out over the city.

Crossed between confused and concerned, I pull my car over and cut the engine, climbing out of it. A humid breeze blows, whisking my hair as I jog to the bottom of the building, craning my neck as I look up.