A/N: Surprise! Double update!
Also pls don't kill me lol-
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Shirota Mahiru was no stranger to waking up with a headache and no idea how much tine had passed.
...this was a bit more painful than usual though.
"Jeez..." Mahiru muttered. "What the hell did we do this time...?"
He looked around and frowned.
His apartment looked... slightly off. He couldn't pinpoint why- it was like those pranks where everything was moved 2 inches left or something. There were things he didn't recognize like the phone on the bedside table, but it was close enough to his room that he dismissed it.
The only light blue thing in the room caught his eye.
Kuro was sitting on the floor in the corner, eyes shut and leaning against the wall as if asleep.
...that's weird.
Usually Kuro was closer than that. Usually Kuro would sit by his side either curled up in cat form or sitting on the chair next to him.
"H- hey. Kuro?"
The sloth servamp opened his eyes. "Ah," he remarked. "You're awake Masaaki. How are you feeling?"
That was even weirder.
Even though Kuro was always monotone Mahiru'd be able to tell what he was feeling through the contract. Usually it was simple relief not this... weird grudging mix of... Mahiru didn't even know. And...
Masaaki?
Mahiru stared at Kuro for a long time.
"What- Kuro." Mahiru gathered himself and continued sternly, "Kuro don't mess with me you dumb cat it's me Shirota Mahiru. Your eve?"
It was Kuro's turn to stare.
"...hello? Kuro?"
Kuro huffed. He muttered angrily, "You damn pain... you're lucky you're hurt or I'd rip you to shreds."
"...what?"
"I told you about him because I felt bad about calling you the wrong name," Kuro snarled. "No matter how much like him you are you do not get to pretend to be him."
H- huh?! "Pretend?! Kuro I-"
"You cannot become him no matter how damn similar you are to him!" Kuro snapped. "I know I've been horrible to you but- just yell back and leave his memory alone! You cannot fucking replace him! You never will! There will never be anyone like him... do you understand...?!"
"I DON'T!! Kuro what the hell are you going on about?! Who is this- I am your eve you dumb cat?! I was the one who picked you up, who gave you that bell and named you Kuro-"
"Of course I know you did all that...! You know damn well I'm talking about the first person to do all that- Mahiru! You're not him and you-"
"KURO STOP IT- WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU?! I'M NOT PRETENDING TO BE ANYONE I AM MAHIRU-"
"SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU TROUBLESOME BASTARD!!"
Mahiru yelped as Kuro suddenly lunged at him with his claws. He ducked and scrambled off the bed, landing on his knees next to it. He summoned his spear but he was determined to only block not fight. This was his partner after all...
He'd die before he hurt Kuro.
"KURO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! I'M NOT YOUR ENEMY YOU DUMB CAT I'M YOUR PARTNER!"
"All the other times I was mean to you I felt bad afterwards but this time...! This time I won't feel sorry because I know you're doing it on purpose...!"
"YOU'VE NEVER ATTACKED ME BEFORE?! NOT LIKE THIS?!"
"Playing dumb'll get you nowhere... troublesone bastard...!"
Kuro swiped at Mahiru and Mahiru leaped up, jumping onto the bedside table. Kuro wasn't giving up that easily though and Mahiru was forced to jump away again as Kuro lunged at him clawsfirst.
The claws just grazed Mahiru's jaw, and Mahiru's eyes widened when he realized if he hadn't moved, they would have hurt his neck.
Kuro was actually gonna hurt him.
He landed on the other side of the bed and blocked Kuro's claws with his spear. This deadlock allowed Mahiru to yell, "KURO?! WHAT THE- WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!"
"I should be asking you that...!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"
"I thought you were sincere when you said you wanted to remind me of him less...! I should've known better!"
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!"
"You think you can just come strolling into my life and reminding me of what I've lost?! THINK AGAIN!!"
Mahiru faltered lowering his spear. Kuro sounded way too convinced for this to be a joke... for a moment Mahiru considered Kuro might be telling the truth and Mahiru had been reminding him of some past trauna without meaning to-
No.
Kuro never acted like this towards him- this was conpletely new. It would've come up before in all the time they'd been partners. And apparently he was reminding Kuro of... him. Mahiru. Instead Kuro thought he was someone called Masaaki... was he possessed? By what...? And how could Mahiru drive it out without hurting-
This had unfortunately given Kuro a chance to attack. The sloth servamp pushed Mahiru over with his claws and before the eve could react Mahiru was lifted into the air by Kuro's jacket tails, arms pinned to his side, spear clattering to the ground uselessly.
"KURO...!!"
"I can forgive the simple bullshit, the contract- everything. Because as much as it hurts... I know you're just being yourself," Kuro snarled. "But claiming you're him..."
"I need to make you understand you'll never replace him."
Mahiru struggled against the jacket tails, trying to pull himself out of Kuro's iron grip. He had no clue what any of this was, Kuro was holding him too tightly it hurt it really hurt-
"LET ME GO YOU DUMB CAT- KURO THIS IS ACTUALLY HURTING ME LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!!"
"SLOTH NII-SAN!"
Hyde and Lily had run in along with 2 boys Mahiru didn't recognize.
"Lily! Hyde!" Mahiru greeted in relief. "You recognize me don't you?! Please tell me you recognize me!!"
"A- ah? Nii- Nii-san," Lily stammered, ignoring Mahiru's plea. "You... put Masaaki-kun d- down first."
Mahiru fell flat on his face.
"Nii-san-!!"
"What? He's down."
"Not what I meant!!"
"Masaaki!"
The taller of the 2 strangers kneeled down in front of him. He asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
"Ye- wait NO!! NO I'm not okay!!" Mahiru corrected. He turned to Hyde and Lily. "Tell me you recognize me!!"
"Of course we do," Hyde replied with a frown. "You're Suko Masaaki, Slo-"
"NO! NO THAT'S NOT MY NAME AT ALL STOP IT!!" Mahiru screamed. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU!!"
"I'd say that to you!" Kuro retorted. "Just which part of pretending to be my dead partner is funny to you...?!"
Mahiru froze.
D... dead partner...?
But... Kuro had said he'd never had an eve before Mahiru... and... hadn't Kuro said earlier that this Masaaki guy was reminding him of...
"KURO!!" Mahiru yelled. "WHAT THE HELL- SNAP OUT OF IT!!"
"Snap out of what?!"
Mahiru turned to Hyde and Lily again. He demanded, "I AM NOT SUKO MASAAKI- I AM SHIROTA MAHIRU DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE ME?!"
"YOU-"
Lily held Hyde back as the greed servamp snarled and stepped forward. He stammered, "Wha- what the... Masaaki-kun that's not... something you should joke about-"
"I'M NOT! JOKING-"
"HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH!!"
Everyone turned to the taller stranger.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Hyde questioned.
"Don't you dare... dare... fuck this up... that's... Angel-in... Training!"
Mahiru's eyes widened.
That was Licht's nickname for him.
He took a closer look at the stranger. He suddenly recognized a lot of familiar things about the stranger- he carried an angel backpack. He had a white hair streak down the side of his head. He had ice blue eyes.
Just like Licht.
...but it wasn't him.
Just someone who looked a hell lot like him looking like his head was in horrible pain.
"What the hell-"
"H- hey- excuse me?" Mahiru asked, ignoring Kuro. "Excuse me- who are you? What's your name? Do..."
"Do you know Licht Todoroki?"
The stranger said nothing.
"Uh-"
"Angel... in... training..."
"OI- YOU DON'T GET TO USE THAT NICKNAME AND EVEN IF YOU DO YOU DON'T GET TO USE IT ON HIM!"
Mahiru started suddenly remembering the situation he was in.
He looked at Hyde. The greed servamp was glaring at the taller stranger with gritted teeth... crying? He was definitely being held back by Lily...
He looked at Kuro. His partner was glaring and through their link he could sense... Mahiru was shocked by the overwhelming wave of... pain? Grief? Anger? Or everything at once?
"...what's going on with you?" Mahiru asked. "Lawless? Kuro-"
"Don't think pretending to have lost your memories is gonna help you...!"
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S LOST HIS MEMORIES!!" Mahiru yelled at his partner. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S INSISTING I'M THIS... this... WHO THE HELL IS DEAD?!"
"Don't make me say his name...!!"
"FINE!! I WON'T- YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN HERE!!" Mahiru retorted. He turned to Hyde and Lily and the other stranger. "1 OF YOU- EXPLAIN!! AND DO IT SIMPLY!!"
"YOU-"
"A- ah..." Lily interrupted, covering Hyde's mouth. "Uh... Masaaki-kun-"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!"
"You're tired and Engel-kun's not looking good..." Lily continued as if Mahiru hadn't yelled at him. "Maybe you should... go to sle-"
"I'M NOT TIRED!!"
"Masaaki-kun-"
"I SAID THAT'S NOT MY NAME!! WHY DON'T YOU- WHERE'S SAKUYA?!" Mahiru demanded. "WHERE THE HELL ARE LICHT-SAN AND MISONO AND TETSU?! THEY'LL RECOGNIZE ME THEY GOTTA- GO GET THEM!"
All 3 servamps froze. They stared at Mahiru, eyes wide and jaws dropping in shock.
"WHAT?! WHAT IS IT WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?!"
"Oi! Suko!!" the stranger next to Lily shouted with gritted teeth. "Who- what the hell are you talking about?"
"Sakuya, Misono Tetsu and Licht-san are my friends- if you know the servamps you should know them! Sakuya's Tsubaki's subclass, and Misono, Tetsu, and Licht-san are the eves of lust pride and greed!"
"Eve of greed..." the stranger in front of Mahiru muttered. "I... Licht... Licht Jekylland... Todoroki..."
"They'll know who I-"
"SUKO I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU'RE YAMMERING ABOUT BUT I'M THE CURRENT EVE OF LUST!" the shorter stranger burst out.
Mahiru stared at the stranger. There were many things about him that reminded Mahiru of the eve of lust he'd known- the tiny frame, the antenna-like hair, the firey confidence and sterness in his purple eyes, the indignance and anger in his voice.
But he wasn't Misono.
He wasn't the eve of lust.
"I don't believe you."
"...what?"
"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!!" Mahiru screamed. "LILY WOULDN'T- MISONO WOULDN'T- AFTER ALL THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH!!"
"O- oi Masaaki-"
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!" Mahiru yelled at Hyde. He turned to Lily and the stranger. "Summon the contract."
"What the hell-"
"IF YOU REALLY ARE THE EVE OF LUST SUMMON YOUR CONTRACT!!"
The stranger looked at Lily and when the servamp of lust gave no reaction, sighed and conceded, "Well... it can't be helped can it?"
He held out a hand and called, "LILY!"
Just as he'd claimed, a pink and purple contract chain linked his left wrist to the back of Lily's neck.
Mahiru gasped looking to the servamp of lust.
Something was really really wrong.
"Lily... Lily YOU BROKE YOUR CONTRACT WITH MISONO?!"
"I... Masaaki-kun-"
"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!! WHY'D YOU BREAK YOUR CONTRACT WITH MISONO?! TELL ME!"
"It's uh... it's not something I can explain easi-"
"THEN GET MISONO HERE!! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG!!"
"...I can't."
"WHY NOT?! LILY WHERE THE HELL IS MISONO WHY ISN'T HE YOUR EVE AND WHY CAN'T YOU GET HIM?!"
Lily was silent, his eyes darting anxiously to the shorter stranger and his 2 brothers.
"WHY WON'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?!" Mahiru demanded. "TELL ME WHY YOU'VE BROKEN-!!"
"Ma- calm- calm down first-"
"I WAKE UP TO NO ONE RECOGNIZING ME AND YOU BREAKING YOUR CONTRACT WITH MISONO AND YOU WANT ME TO BE CALM?! I WANT ANSWERS- AND MAKE THEM SIMPLE ONES DAMMIT!!"
"STOP PUSHING HIM!" the stranger snapped. "STOP PUSHING LILY YOU DAMN BASTARD-"
"LILY I NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE HELL IS ALICEIN MISONO?! WHY ISN'T HE YOUR EVE ANYMORE?!"
"He... he-"
"ALICEIN MISONO DIED 66 YEARS AGO YOU IMBECILE!!"
Mahiru froze.
Misono... was dead.
Nothing made sense. Nothing... his own partner was completely incapable of recognizing him and had been on the brink of really hurting him and now this... the death of a friend that'd happened before either of them'd been born...
"No no no no..." Mahiru muttered running a hand through his hair. "No this is wrong what the hell is this this isn't right nothing makes sense-"
"An-"
The moment the stranger in front of him touched his arm however his eyes went wide. Mahiru could only watch horrified, as the boy silently fell backwards onto the ground.
"Ah?!"
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" the other stranger yelled. He summoned a pair of metal fans and pointed them at Mahiru. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO TRIMME?! HE'S YOUR FRIEND SU... no- no you're not Suko Suko'd never- WHAT DID YOU DO TO SUKO?!"
"I- I didn't do anything!!" Mahiru yelped backing away. "I swear I... I... I don't know!! I don't know-"
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!"
"A- ah!! Misono!!"
The stranger ignored Lily and sent the fans flying at Mahiru-
Clank!
Kuro was standing in front of Mahiru, jacket tails barring the metal fans from colliding with Mahiru's head. The servamp's crimson eyes narrowed as he snarled, "Back. Off."
The stranger did.
"K- Kuro-"
Kuro pulled him into a hug.
"Mahiru..." Kuro murmured, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry for not believing you I just didn't think... I've missed you so much Mahi but... I didn't think it was possible..."
Terrified even in the arms that meant safety, Mahiru stammered, "What... what do you mean...?"
"You've been dead for 66 years."