I burst out the house and stumbled away as fast as my legs would take me! I had to go! Somewhere! Anyway! Just not here!! Anywhere but here!!
The darkness of the night began to ease into the cloudy skies.
I sprinted, tears leaving a trail of hurt behind me.
Suddenly, as I rushed around a corner, I slid forward from the distracting thoughts flooding my mind.
Luckily, someone had been there to break the fall.
"Agh..." I heard a voice beneath me.
"Ah! Wait, (y/n)?!" It was Levi I had fallen on.
My vision blurred further as I let out all my cries, desperately chucking my arms around her.
"Uh... (y/n)?? (y/n), what's wrong?! Talk to me!!" she begged as I clung onto her as if she were the last delicate string pulling me from the darkness.
"Aaaghhh heh heh heh!!" crying is all I could do... words were entrapped by my tears.
"It's ok. I'm here. It's gonna be ok, (y/n)," Levi stroked my head as she held me close to comfort me.
I cried... for how long, I lost track...
Levi took me back to her place, where I explained everything that had happened. I cried a lot. And she hugged me a lot.
We decided it'd be best to spend the next few nights with her, since it wasn't safe to go back home. Luckily, her parents were on a business trip for the time being.
And so I spent the night practically soaking Levi's pillow with my tears. I wasn't sure what I was crying for exactly. Shiki's extreme actions... or his betrayal. To be honest, it felt like it was my chest the knife had been jabbed into. But either way, I couldn't fully comprehend the situation and so my mind was overwhelmed with thoughts and memories for most the night. And when sleep was finally accomplished, I can't say I had sweet dreams...
...
"(y/n)," I heard a soft voice.
I opened my eyes to see Levi smiling down at me as she kneeled down by the bed she'd let me sleep on.
"I'm heading to school now. Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?" She asked.
I shook my head.
"It's fine. It might not be safe for me, but I can't let your studies suffer on my account... besides, I need to go and get my stuff from my house later anyway," I told her, lifting myself up.
"Well, if you're sure... I'll be back straight after school, alright?! And if you need anything, call me right away, ok?! Don't even hesitate!!" Levi encouraged me, grabbing both my hands out of worry.
"And get your phone confiscated again?" I joked.
"(y/n)! I mean it! Please stay safe, ok?! If you call me, I'll drop everything and come back right away!" Levi told me.
"Ok ok. I promise," I smiled.
She smiled back and then hugged me tightly before heading out of the room.
"Ah! Levi," I quickly addressed.
She stopped and looked back, hand on the door.
"... let me know if... if Shiki's in school today," I mumbled, wanting to clarify how serious his injury actually was.
Levi looked away, clearly not wanting to see any sympathy towards the boy who hurt me.
"Fine. But if he is still in good enough condition to go to school, he sure won't be by the time I'm done with him!" Levi growled with her hair sticking up.
"Down girl," I commented.
"Hm! Honestly, an assign who stabs himself instead of his target?! This is a case even L might have some trouble with," she muttered.
I didn't have the strength to laugh at the reference she was making.
"Well, see you later, (y/n)!" she waved to me then made her leave.
..... Shiki's so dead....
I sighed to myself as I thought more about yesterday...
"Mm!! Don't get messed up over it, (y/n)! He was betraying you... whatever's happened to him now, he deserves it," I tried to convince myself.
...
Damn it...!
Why did you have to do it, Shiki...?
A tear threatened to break free before I slapped my cheeks, telling myself no more crying.
I should get changed and head back to my place. I assume the vampires would be waiting at school for me as their best bet of finding me so I should take the opportunity now to get home. The quicker I can get my stuff and leave, the better. Hopefully, the vampires haven't destroyed the place yet...
I sighed to myself then stretched, convincing my body to get up and not surrender to more tempting sleep.
Levi let me borrow some of her clothes since I only had my school uniform from yesterday.
I got dressed and headed downstairs. As I walked through the empty house, I couldn't help find the familiar silence... discomforting.
How come after living alone for so long... I'm actually missing that loud-mouth? Ugh. Come on, (y/n). Focus...
I walked to my house and luckily found no one was waiting there for me. Thank goodness...
I quickly went up to the front door, but to notice a small dog scratching at it.
................
"........ huh?"
Meanwhile...
"So she's still alive?! Are you serious?? How incompetent can you get, honestly?" Urie complained as the devils discussed the new situation.
"Tell me about it. I saw the blood demon runnin' from his damn house yesterday. Woulda got her myself but then she bumped into this other chick," Mage went on.
"This is ridiculous. First, he harasses a class president and now this?! And all while Ritsuka is missing! I swear when that fool gets here I'll-" Rem was interrupted by the slamming open of the colossal doors.
Shiki walked in with a deadly serious expression...
"Speak of the devil," Mage muttered with a glare of hatred as Shiki joined the table.
"Angel*," Urie corrected.
"Shiki, mind explaining yourself?" Rem suggested.
"For what?" Shiki asked with a firm tone that expressed arrogance and rebellion.
"Well, we can start with the whole class president thing. Did you seriously call that Ayano girl a bitch?" Mage asked, seeming somewhat impressed.
"I didn't think she was trying to hide it. It was nothing but an honest description of the vile thing," Shiki replied as he sat down at the table.
The devils exchanged a surprised look to his harsh honesty.
"You realise that kind of behaviour can get you expelled, Shiki?" Rem informed him.
"Oh really? Then I'll be going," Shiki got to his feet.
"Ah! Sit down! You're not expelled..." Rem called.
"Yeah, but you sure got some apologising to do. Ayano's got a petition to get you kicked out and everything," Mage chuckled.
"Maybe I should do my own petition to remind this school it's not a kennel for filthy mutts," Shiki returned with a cold look in his eyes.
The devils once again exchanged looks for concern.
"... and about what happened yesterday with (y/n)..." Rem addressed.
Shiki's eyes widened while the rest of his body remained still.
"... is she still alive?" Rem challenged, knowing full well the answer.
Shiki didn't reply.
"Yeah, what's with all the bandages around your stomach? Did she actually hurt ya?" Mage asked without the slightest hint of concern.
"... as a matter of fact, I'm the one who did this," Shiki smiled with a casual tone.
The devils gasped.
"Wait. What?!! Are you serious?! So you let her get away just so you could pleasure yourself with pain or whatever?! What the hell's wrong with you?! You were supposed to kill her!! She's a threat, don't you understand that?!" Mage yelled, shoving him violently to the ground with a crash!
"Ah!" Shiki let out in pain as Mage stepped forward aggressively, fists drawing back, ready to launch forward.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" He ordered as he hunched over, gripping his aching stomach.
Mage froze immediately.
Shiki's teeth grinded together as his fists shook with anger.
"Geez, what happened to you- Uh!" Mage suddenly caught a glimpse of the fierce look in Shiki's eye.
...!
He took a step back.
"Shiki, did you kill (y/n) or not?!" Rem asked firmly.
"... I wouldn't stoop so low. After all, unlike you, I'm not completely evil..." Shiki replied with a smile.
"Eh? What do you think you're even talking about, angel? You're working with us! You're bonded to the devils with that crest on your tongue. Whether you like it or not, you are one of us," Mage returned.
"It's true. Ask (y/n) if you think otherwise, ah hah hah. Honestly, you've been lying to her and deceiving her for the last few days and you dare to claim you're not evil? Why do you think you were cast out of heaven? You belong with the devils in the world of darkness," Urie added.
"... see, now that's where you're wrong, Urie," Shiki got to his feet, smile still somehow remaining as he tilted his head up to look down on the three devils.
"I'll admit it. I thought the same thing up until yesterday. I thought... because I'm a fallen angel... I must be evil. Since even God didn't want me, haha! But see, I don't believe God to be justified in naming what he will to be good or evil. For he is cruel..." Shiki went on with his hands in his pockets.
"And I've come to realise something..." he added.
He waited for a second, making the devils wait also in their curiosity for his words.
"It doesn't matter," he concluded.
"Humans are forgiven for every sin they make. But in the end, will be sent to hell or heaven depending on those 'forgiven sins'. To determine the afterlife, two people scorn. The severe 'judge' passes heaven's judgement. And so God is not the one who is justified to call me evil. And neither are any of you!" he declared.
"Why have I believed it all these years?! I'm a fallen angel; not a devil! There's still an angel inside that tares away at the evil and proves I have purity within me!" he announced.
"Tst. How the hell you so sure that angel even exists anymore, huh?!" Mage grunted.
"... I know it's still there... thanks to (y/n)," he answered with a gentle smile and light blush as he lifted his fist and placed it to his chest.
The devils gasped.
"I'm not completely evil... because there's still an angel within me that's capable of weakening to emotions. It hurts... because that part of me that isn't evil... that isn't numb... I'd convinced myself didn't exist. But this stinging pain...!! With this, I know it's still there!" his smile was sweet and innocent, quite like a smile you'd see on a child playing happily with their friends as they danced around without the worries that one day, eventually, will rob them of such bliss times.
It seemed the devils were somewhat speechless. What were they supposed to say to this?
"... well, I'm glad you've accomplished this new resolution, however... they're more important matters at hand," Rem began.
"Doubtful. I'm off now~" Shiki suddenly announced.
"Uh! Excuse me?!" Rem let out in shock.
"Well, you don't honestly expect me to stick around, do you? I only came here to declare my new mindset so you don't mistake me for a dog again," Shiki turned around and waved to them as he started walking towards the door.
"Uh. Shiki, where are you going?! We need you in order to find the vampires castle! It's where they're keeping Ritsuka!" Rem called.
"Meh. I've got more important things to do first," Shiki called back, flopping his hand about to express his lack of care.
"SHIKI!!! This is important!! We have to save her or else she'll get hurt and I-"
"Oh?" Shiki stopped and turned his head to the side to glimpse at Rem's panic.
"So you finally admit you care for her? Hah. Maybe I'm not the only one who's still able to give in to such sweet luxuries after all..." Shiki smirked.
"What?" Rem muttered in confusion.
"You know, Rem, you might be a devil... but you might just have an angel within you too," he smiled to Rem in a rather sweet way.
Rem gasped as he gazed back at Shiki, lips failing to meet again.
"HAH!! Just kidding!! Pfff!! As if you're anything but completely evil! Hahahahaha! Why, you belong in hell after all! Hahahahaha!!" Shiki burst into laughter.
"Aaahhh, tell your plaything I said hi. Haha!" Shiki mocked as he continued walking towards the door.
"Grr...!!" Rem growled in frustration.
"Looks like Loewen isn't the only one being rebellious. Goodness me, whatever should we do?" Urie sighed.
Shiki froze.
"... what about the rat?!" he asked without turning his head.
"Hm? Oh right, you wouldn't know. It appears Loewen betrayed us. He sought out Ritsuka in an attempt to make a trade with the vampires to revive his old master, Maxies. And we haven't seen him since yesterday's meeting," Rem mentioned.
Suddenly Shiki recalled spotting him leave after a particular suggestion...
"You know, we could use her as a bribe to get the grimoire from the vampires,"
!!!
"Ugh. Shiki?!" Rem called, seeing Shiki suddenly sprint out the room.
Elsewhere...
"Wait. What on Earth are you doing here, Loewen?" I wondered.
Dun! Dun! DDDDDUUUNNN!!!!
Also, #1 in the Shiki hashtag!! So happy! ^^
Now to charge my phone....