"DENJI... JUST... WHO WAS THIS POCHITA?"
"SOMEONE I HELD CLOSE... SOMEONE I DREAMED WITH."
————
'But he too... Was taken away from me.'
'But you... Snow... You'll stay right?'
DREAMER BOY
DEVIL's Lullaby
———
The doorbell to Aki's house rang as he stood up and from the dinner table and walked towards it. "Power! Eat your veggies!" Denji shouted from behind as Power kept throwing around her vegetables. Aki opened the door to see Frost standing outside, with a bag of sweets she bought form the festival.
"Snow, hey. Weren't staying at Mr. Kishibe's though?"
"Ah... I just came to drop by some sweets for you guys." She said as she came in and sat down with Denji while Power jumped at Frost to hug her close. "You've been gone too long Snowy!" Power kept shaking her up and down while Denji opened the sweet box. "Denji, are you alright?" Frost asked as the boy picked up and apple candy for himself. "Me? What would happen to me?" He chuckled as Frost frowned a bit.
"Germany's Santa Claus... The Chinese assassin... and a assassins from all around... they're coming to get you right...?" Frost said while looking into Denji's eyes. What reflected from within was just a little boy, scared, nervous. Yet, wearing a brave front.
"My heart... to be exact. And this fucking sucks, since I don't get to go on a trip with Miss. Makima!" Denji grit his teeth while biting off the crunchy candy shell of the apple candy. Power also grabbed one for herself while Frost lay back and lied on the floor beside Denji.
"I'll make sure you go and enjoy the trip Denji. I won't let them close to you." Frost said as Power smiled and also lied beside Frost and hugged her, "Since Denji's my buddy, I'll help too." She said as Denji sighed and also lied beside Frost. Turning his head towards her, he placed her arm under his head while hugging her from the other side.
"Can't you stay with us today? Isn't today's training over already?" Denji said while digging his head into her shoulder. She only hummed to his warm touch and Power's snuggling.
"I take them with me everywhere... they're my life."
Quanxi's words and her wondering, would she be able to actually care for someone that deeply? She then turned to look at Denji, "I have to go for training early in the morning tomorrow." she said as Denji shot his head up to look at her, "Then stay until we fall asleep." he said while Power snuggled on her waist.
"What is she your mother?" Aki said, almost irritated.
"It's alright, I don't mind Denji." she said hugging the both of them close. 'At least for this once...'
"Live for me... my dear child." the last words of her father echoed in her mind as she held Denji's head close to her chest, hugging him like how her father used to hug her to sleep.
'...I'll protect someone.'
____
"Denji, just who was this.. Pochita?" I remember asking Denji about the one family he claimed to have. This pet devil who gave its life for him. It was that time when I was buying him a present, the yellow dog figurine who resembled this Pochita he talked about.
His expression changed that instant, he seemed sad, yet sunken in memories he loved and spent with his only family. It was as if, he didn't want to remember...
"He was my pet dog demon... someone I held close, someone I'd take everywhere with me."
I wondered... would I too have someone like that? Someone I'd follow until death? Someone I'd always keep close?
Or if someone would love me so much... that they'd cherish me, until death?
"I had nothing, so I dreamed with him, I told him about my dreams, I lived with him..." He then traced the chainsaw trigger on his chest. "He gave his life for me. But you see... he too... was taken from me."
The thought of losing his family overwhelmed him so much, I could see pain reflecting through his eyes as he looked at me. His lips bending in a painful arch, his heart pained, yet he couldn't cry.
"But you... snow... you'll stay right?"
He asked me.
____
"Mmm..." Denji woke up from his sleep to find himself lying on the ground where he'd fallen asleep alongside Frost. He figured she left off after he fell asleep, yet the thought of assassins from all over the world coming after his heart, was something he couldn't shake off.
'Just who is Pochita to begin with? Why's everyone after my heart?'
Aki stepped in front of him as he looked up, "Why don't I get to go on a trip with Makima?" Aki just stared at him and sat on his back as Denji lay on his stomach, "I'm not your seat dude." Denji frowned. "It's not like you'll have assassins after you fro the rest of your life... If we deal with every assassin that comes for you for the time being, we can go to the trip. Makima never said the trip was cancelled, its only postponed."
"Wait... so that's it?" Denji said as he clenched his fist with determination, "So if I just kill 'em all... it's Enoshima here we come huh!?"
"That is if we survive... who knows what's gonna come our way."
____
Next Day
"I am Kusakabe from public safety devil extermination division two. It's a pleasure to be working with you." A man with a tall stature, blonde hair and specs spoke up. "I am his buddy, Takaomi." The man beside Kusakabe said and beside him stood Yoshida Hirofumi.
"I'm Yoshida Hirofumi, Let's get along guys." He said.
Frost waved at him as he smiled back at her, "How're you doing?" He gently set up the formality in front of her... Makima. The entire Aki unit and the devil extermination unit stood in front of Makima as they proceeded, to finish off the devils and assassins after Denji.
"These three are personal security experts. These three, Aki and Angel will be sticking close to the two of you for a while." Makima said to Frost and Denji. "The game is on huh?" Yoshida smiled at Frost.
TO BE CONTINUED---
Next time:
- The team has lunch together, while Frost has a ride in Kobeni's car.
- "Y-y-y-y-you killed a person-" Kobeni shouts as Power hits a person dead... Maybe it was a lucky kill.
Chapter secrets:
- Denji's hair actually was soft.
- Power got very lonely when Frost wasn't around.
- Yoshida made extra sure Makima didn't notice his relationship with Y/n, and she thought Yoshida was ignoring her.