"I'm sorry but... Can you tell me where I am please?"
"This is the DWMA. I'm afraid it took us a while to find you, Asura had you hidden quite well, so I'm not sure how long he had you frozen like that. Until we get things figured out, please let us take care of you here in Death City. Now if you could be so kind as to tell us where you are from?" His calm voice would be soothing if not for the confusion at his words.
"DWMA? What is the DWMA? Also, what and where is this Death City? I'm afraid I haven't heard of such a place before." Looking at the boy with wide (e/c) eyes, I wondered why he looked so shocked at my questions. "Wait... Who is Asura and why would Asura hide me?"
"Please excuse me for a moment, I need to talk with someone. I'll be back as soon as I can." With one last glance towards me, he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
I wonder if I said something wrong?
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After some time had passed and the strange boy came back, I found out that more time had passed while I was frozen in that witch's curse than anyone had expected, having been in that timeless state for over 800 years while I was hidden away from the world. Although it meant that some things were lost to me forever, I had no choice but to accept that this was how things were.
The hardest thing to accept was that Asura had been the real name of my friend from so long ago and that he'd done so many horrible things. That information had been heartbreaking to learn but I had to move on and not wallow in the sorrow of learning my friend had fallen so far simply because he'd feared everything. Everything but me.
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Death the Kid, the one who had found and helped to release me, offered me a place in his home until I could find a place of my own in this strange city. After a few days I had managed to find work assisting the strange school he'd mentioned before, the DWMA, working in the nurse's office. At least my skills were still useful, even this far into the future of my world.
During my time off, between searches for a place to call home, I put in much effort to keep his home clean. I'd noticed his tendency towards symmetry and, trying to be a polite guest, tried to keep things as organized and aligned as I could. I'd even taken to carrying a ruler around, often using it when setting the table for meals or putting dishes away after washing them.
Over time I found myself organizing the nurses office with the same exacting measurements, often without even thinking about it. The small grin on Kid's face when he payed a visit made the extra work I did worth it.
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I had finally found a place that I would be able to afford on my own, a small apartment but one that I could call home. Although I would miss being able to see Kid every day, having grown to see him as a close friend, I didn't want to be a burden to him longer than I had to. Besides, this would be my chance to invite him over for meals.
Of course, first I would have to get the place and make sure everything was just right before asking him over for a visit.
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The look on his face when I told him I'd gotten the apartment almost made me regret finding it but at least he'd looked relieved when I told him he would be welcome to visit once everything was set up. I'd even given him a copy of the key, asking that he simply notify me first before coming over so I could have everything cleaned up before he got there.
It had taken a couple days to get my few belongings unpacked and newly bought furniture placed in ways that would not agitate Kid when he visited. The look of contentment on his face when he came over for our first dinner together since I moved out, was worth the extra time and effort it took, measuring and remeasuring everything until it was perfect.
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It had been months since I'd moved out on my own and the visits, both to my apartment and to the nurse's office, grew in frequency. I guess I was not the only one who had become so accustomed to having someone around outside of work but to be honest, I really didn't mind him coming over every few days for dinner or to watch a movie.
I was surprised the first time someone else asked me to dinner, feeling slightly intimidated by the attention suddenly being shined upon me by someone I only knew through work. Asking for some time to think about it, I turned to the only person I really felt I knew in this city.
"Kid, what do I do? What should I tell him? I mean, should I say yes? Or should I tell him no? I don't really know him that well, but maybe he wants to get to know me and-" The words were rushing out of my mouth at this point, confusion and uncertainty easily heard in my voice before I was cut off by Kid suddenly grabbing my shoulders.
"Tell him no. You don't need to spend time with him. Tell him you already have plans for having dinner with me." He stared intently into my eyes, the two-tone yellow I was so used to turning darker as I slowly began to nod, an uneasy feeling slowly building inside of me.
"O-okay Kid. I'll let him know I'm not available for anything outside of work related stuff." Seeing his eyes begin to brighten back up, I gently placed a hand over one of his, trying to ease whatever tension might be left in him. "Are you still coming for dinner tonight? I'm making pie for dessert."
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After that day, he began spending even more time around me, sometimes appearing out of nowhere to glare at any male who happened to be nearby and sending them scurrying off. After a few weeks of this, most guys avoided being around me any longer than it took to ask for a bandage.
Only a few of the students had the guts to do much more than say hi or wave, with a couple of them showing up regularly in the nurses office due to injuries that needed to be treated, usually the results of some crazy adventure or a random fight they got into.
I think the only thing that saved them from Kid's glare was the fact that they seemed to be friends of his, but even I could feel the tension begin to build if they stayed too long or got too friendly with me.
I was beginning to feel trapped.
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"I won't allow you to leave. We need you here too much for you to just move away. I need you too much. Don't you realize how much I care about you, (y/n)? I love you! More than Asura ever could have! I won't let you leave me!" The grip he had on my arms began to tighten and I could feel the bruises forming already under his hands.
"You're hurting me! Kid, let go! You don't have the right to stop me!" I could see his weapon's standing down the otherwise empty street, uncomfortable looks on their faces as they kept watch for their Meister.
"I have every right to stop you! If it wasn't for me, you would still be frozen under that curse's effects, standing hidden in the depths of some cavern where nobody would find you. Everything you have now is because of me!! And you dare try to leave without saying anything to me?! Did you really think I wouldn't find out about it? That it would be so easy to find a new job somewhere else and simply move away?" I'd never seen his eyes become so dark, not even when he was raging at some man that dared talk to me for a few minutes too long or when someone accidentally bumped into me.
The person I had considered my friend for so long had become terrifying. Even the twins in the distance seemed to become uneasy as they kept glancing at us.
"You know, I should actually thank you for this. It'll make this so much easier for me. After all, people disappear all the time when moving to a new place, what with all the witches and thieves slinking about these days. Best of all, I'll never have to share you with anyone again." The crazed grin that spread across his face was the last thing I saw before everything went black, his hand connecting with the back of my head before I could even see him move.
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The yellow-eyed shinigami stared at the sleeping figure laid out before him, chains running from wrists to the wall just long enough for her to be able to reach the center of the room once she woke up again. Smiling happily, he turned and left the hidden room, locking the door behind him.
"Don't worry, (y/n). I'll come back soon. I just need to prepare dinner for us, then we can eat together. I'm making your favorite today! I really hope you eat it this time! I'd hate to have to force-feed you again. I can't let you starve after all, not after putting so much effort into keeping you with me." With a soft laugh, Kid headed for the kitchens.
Shifting restlessly on the mattress, (y/n) sunk deeper into the nightmares that plagued her, sleeping or awake. Nobody was around to hear the whimper that escaped her throat.
Outside, the moon gave off an eerie glow.