(A/N: To clear up some confusing things here, Sleepy Ash and the others — AKA the other Servamps and Eves— will refer to Mahiru as 'Shiro' but I will generally be using 'Mahiru' for most of the texts. Thank you for understanding!)
~{&}~
The atmosphere was almost suffocating.
No one dared to say anything, and even if they did, they felt that there was no use to and they couldn't even find what to talk about. And some part in them refused to even let their mind speak out even if it was a random murmur.
The other remnants of the room that previously weren't mentioned — Shuhei, Yumikage and Junichiro — all swallowed large lumps in their throat as they watched the stare down between Sleepy Ash and Mahiru, whom was sitting in front of them on the couch while they were standing behind protectively like bodyguards.
It was obvious that the two couldn't stand the silence and the tension, especially when everyone knew (including them) that they were the one who caused it. But nobody could find a word to say— a topic to talk on or maybe just simply blasting a lot of profanities at each other, which they were pretty fond of.
Mahiru on the other hand was wondering what kind of wrong he did in his past life to be thrown in such a situation like this— murdering the president? Overthrowing an empire? Or maybe he stole the hopes and dreams of little children— wait, never-mind, the education system already does that.
Staring at his demise before him that took the form of a blue haired vampire, he hoped that at least nothing would happen to him this week. The universe had given him many downs in his life and he prayed that it would at least give him one up-card this week by letting nothing happen.
His up-card was damn overdue and he prayed with all of his heart that it would be served out this week.
He wasn't asking for fame or to win the lottery today— just a simple prayer for normality and simple peace for his job.
He was humble and realistic and even though he may be no saint, he felt that he was making a miracle by not being greedy, especially in the kind of society that their generation was living through at the moment.
He wasn't asking for much. Just for peace and quietness this week.
(He ignored the dark feeling his gut instinct gave him and decided to just cling onto that childish hope that maybe, maybe, the universe wouldn't be such a bitch to him just for this week.)
Junichiro glanced at Tsurugi and Izuna from the small gap between Sleepy Ash and the door and could see the living tension and slight fear in their eyes and knew that the same thought was running through their heads too.
Was Mahiru going to be fine after this?
"A-Ahem."
The thick and defeating silence was graciously cut by Hyde who couldn't stand how stuffy the room was getting from the tension anymore. All heads turned to him and he slightly squeaked from the ominous vibes they were giving him and rushed to hide behind Licht's back.
Seeing Hyde's vile effort to try to calm things down, Mahiru decided that it was just simpler to help ease the situation as well since he was technically the root cause of it.
Shocking every C3 member in the vicinity (excluding Mikuni), he got up with a huge sigh as he firmly readjusted his mask and hood to make sure no traces of his identity would leak out. He pulled his gloves back a little bit more to reaffirm himself that they wouldn't slip.
It wasn't like a reconfirmation, it was more like consolation as he tried desperately to cling onto any last hook of hope that everything was going to be fine, a feeling which seemed to disappear every second.
He should treat this like a business deal, a professional one. It was a job given to him so he shouldn't let his emotions and current affairs meddle in. All he needed to do was suck it up for one week and it would be all over.
Mustering up his courage, he began slowly walking to Sleepy Ash's front with a handshake gesture ready. The C3 members realised what he was going to do and rushed to get by his side.
Just as Mahiru was about to offer his gloved hand to Sleepy Ash to shake, Yumikage pushed him back lightly and got in between the two protectively.
Both Mahiru and Sleepy Ash were confused about the sudden interruption but the C3 members all knew what he was doing.
Forcing a very plastic smile that was basically reeking of anger, Yumikage forcefully grabbed Sleepy Ash's hand and tightened his grip on it, ignoring the slight wince the vampire gave. "Well, hello there. Welcome to the C3, Shitty Ass."
There were mixed reactions from the people surrounding him.
Sleepy Ash was taken aback and slightly offended, the rest of the Servamps and Eves were surprised (with Hyde secretly snickering at the new nickname that kind of sounded like his actual name), the C3 members smirked in retaliation while Mahiru just sighed deeply once more, unsure of what to feel about this because he kind of expected it.
'They really are hopeless,' Mahiru breathed out in his mind as he watched Yumikage and Sleepy Ash's interaction with a tired but slightly fond expression.
If they shared the same feelings of tension like him then that must've meant that they cared deeply about him as well.
"U-Um... yeah. Could you p-please just let go of my hand?" Sleepy Ash asked meekly, surprising Mahiru due to the difference of tone from before when he was still an... Eve to him.
Now that he thought about it, recalling their conversations before and after he broke the contract, Sleepy Ash had become more... quiet, recluse and meek unlike last time, where he used to go straight up to Tsubaki himself and ask to talk about their problems together.
Compared to last time where he was a brave lion that was willing to express himself freely, he was now feeble and much more tired, almost like he was hunted and hiding in his cave.
And he wondered if he was the root cause of change in him himself.
Yumikage reluctantly lightened his death grip on his hand with a glare as he returned to the sofa that Mahiru was sitting on before. Sleepy Ash rubbed his hand lightly with a confused expression, wondering what he had done to harbour such a reaction.
Junichiro was next and this time, he was much more polite but it was evident that he was restraining himself.
"Please excuse his... behaviour. It's just that not many of us are really fond of you," he tried to apologise slightly but his tone held sarcasm inside as he gave Sleepy Ash's hand a light squeeze.
"I-I see..." Sleepy Ash seemed to accept that apology, averting his eyes slightly in acknowledgement and acceptance to that remark of his.
Shuhei was supposed to be next with everyone's expecting eyes on him but to their surprise, Shuhei shook his head with a disgusted stare. He spat harshly,"I don't want to shake hands with a vampire like you. Go find someone else."
Somehow, that insult hurt Sleepy Ash more than Yumikage's one by a thousand times.
The way he said vampire and you... it just seemed to accentuate how much of a monster he was.
The way he said vampire seemed to emphasise how exactly different they were in race divisions. It wasn't like he was born like this, he was turned like this without his consent. And yet they blamed him for existing as if he controlled how he worked. And the way he said you seemed to emphasise how detestable he was by himself.
It stung him so badly until he could barely breathe, like a physical stab. Maybe even worse— maybe even brutal torture, like tearing his toe nails out one by one.
To hide his sorrow and anguish-filled face, he instead brought his state to the floor with a slouched back, making himself smaller than he already was emotionally.
He made a slight wince when he heard Shuhei click his tongue coldly before walking away, like he was just some trash that was supposed to be thrown away but was lying before him.
Some 'strongest and oldest Servamp' he was when he couldn't even look at anyone in the eyes properly.
Mahiru watched Shuhei's action and Sleepy Ash's reply to that and felt a deep and heart wrenching guilt eat him inside from the bottom of his stomach.
He tried to ignore it but it was slowly growing— even if Sleepy Ash was detestable, the difference in how he acted before and now almost made him look even weaker than a newborn baby.
He gulped, trying to silence that voice that screamed for him to comfort him by hugging him. He couldn't do that anymore like last time— it would be a huge blow to his cover and he may risk getting the consequences that Mikuni had warned him of.
And moreover, he was sure that his ego, pride and anxiety wouldn't allow him to do so.
But he could try to comfort him in terms of words. They didn't need physical contact and were said to be stronger than swords.
Drinking Sleepy Ash's sorrowful form in, he decided to try and ease his worries even if just by a little by speaking to him. "I'm very sorry for their actions," he tried to vainly spike the conversation and Sleepy Ash's head up.
Yumikage, Junichiro and Shuhei all looked to him in surprise (and secretly including Tsurugi and Izuna) as they witnessed Mahiru apologising to Sleepy Ash. Even if he was in undercover, they still couldn't believe their eyes and ears.
Did hell just freeze over? Were pigs starting to fly? Was Tsurugi finally becoming humble and not greedy for cash? Were Yumikage and Shuhei finally getting anger management classes?
This caught Sleepy Ash's attention as he heard genuine remorse and slight warmth from the voice and looked up, completing Mahiru's goal.
"P-Pardon?" he asked as he was surprised by the stark contrast between his warm tone between the harsh and frosty cold vibe the other members gave.
There was a C3 member that for once was polite to him? Even though the first time they met it was clear that he hated him? Or was it just a façade?
Mahiru nodded in reconfirmation,"I apologise for their rude behaviours. As a client, you do not deserve such treatment. On behalf of the C3 and on my name of Shiro, I seek for your hopeful acceptance of my humble apology. Please forgive them."
The C3 members, if they hadn't been bewildered by this point, would now be surely freaking out in their minds.
Mahiru was APOLOGISING to Sleepy Ash!
Sleepy Ash was struck by his politeness and his genuine asking of forgiveness for the others' behaviour. Naturally, he couldn't say no to such request,"S-Sure. Thank you as well."
Mahiru nodded to his reply, accepting it as he mustered up his courage, he extended his hand that was supposed to be given earlier. Sleepy Ash was slightly surprised yet again for the sudden action.
"I-I should've done this earlier but unfortunately, I was blocked by my coworker. Nice to meet you, Sleepy Ash," he backed his action up as he tried his hardest to not let his hand shake in front of everyone in the room.
Sleepy Ash stared at his hand before slowly reaching out for it, making every C3 member that knew of his situation hold their breath for who knows how long.
All of the two years that were spent preparing were now boiled down to this very moment and they weren't sure if they could watch. If they were told that there was a possibility that they could die if they didn't breathe in the next second, they probably would have discarded that warning away as they watched in fear to judgement day.
They watched with careful precision on Sleepy Ash's reaction and his movement of his hand. Had they been given a gun and tasked with shooting an animal from over a hundred kilometres, they could have shot it without hesitation with how focused they were on the slight movements Sleepy Ash made.
After what seemed to be a painful and long lasting eternity, Sleepy Ash took hold of his gloved hand after and answered back,"Yeah. Nice to meet you too... Shiro."
The C3 members all heaved one huge sigh of relief when they saw that nothing adverse had happened to Mahiru, and Mahiru was lying if he said that he wasn't holding his breath too to the perpetual danger of the consequences right there.
That was a good start. He didn't die on the spot just then. He almost wanted to cry of happiness from that fact alone.
Sleepy Ash took note of the stark contrast his grip offered to him than the other members. The other members' grips were all harsh but this guy's (Shiro, right?) grip was a direct opposite. Whereas the others were sturdy and harsh, his was shaky and lacking of the resolve the others had.
And it made him wonder exactly why.
With his anxiety eased after confirming that Sleepy Ash could still touch him only if that part was clothed, Mahiru could now address the rest who he noted were still watching the situation carefully.
"Could you please all come in and sit on the couches provided? I'm sure that it is not comfortable to be standing outside the whole day," He answered, trying to put on a professional tone as much as possible as he tried to remind himself that this was just a job, nothing more.
"O-Oh... yeah. Okay. Thank you," Misono was the first to break out of the trance that he subconsciously was in from how concentrated the room became from all of the C3 members' stares.
He almost felt that he was in a cult with people worshipping a deity with how heavy the atmosphere became.
Shiro turned on his heel and went back to the couch that he was previously seated on, missing the starry eyed and awed look that Sleepy Ash gave him after that exchange. He probably didn't need to see it anyway.
While Izuna and Tsurugi were guiding the Servamps and Eves in, Yumikage took this moment to whisper into Mahiru's ear from behind,"Hey, you okay? Do you feel anything different?"
Mahiru pondered about that sentence as he traced back the still-there tingly sensation he felt from Sleepy Ash's grip, trying to hone into his senses to search for any abnormalities. He didn't know how well the contract worked after all so it was better to check than suddenly collapsing.
When he found none, he nodded as he replied back softly,"I'm fine. It seems that nothing should happen as long as that area is simply covered. Thanks for caring."
Yumikage snorted as if that comment was so plain obvious that it didn't need to be mentioned, which of course it didn't. "You're stating the obvious, Mahiru. What next, you're gonna state that the walls are white?"
"In my simple and humble opinion, no, the walls are grey," He snarked back and received a laugh from the blonde himself.
"Suit yourself. You might want to get your eyes checked though, you're too young to become like Shuhei. Take care of your eyes first before deciding to deal with vampires."
"I heard that. Now what is that supposed to mean, Yumikage-San?"
He snickered when he watched visible paling of Yumikage's skin and the jump he made when he heard a cold and almost piercing, almost scaly, voice break through the hushed whispering.
He turned away and distracted himself from the scenario once he heard Yumikage starting to ramble in an effort to excuse himself.
'I can't blame him. Shuhei's a monster when triggered, especially in games,' he mused to himself as he tried his hardest to ignore the fighting suddenly happening behind him and the cries of help from Yumikage.
He brought his attention back to the people in front of him and realised how everyone currently had their attention on him and the two fighting at the back, especially Tsurugi and Junichiro who were fighting the urge to laugh.
The two at the back haven't realised yet and he wondered if he should spare them of the accumulating shame that would have toppled over a mountain if he doesn't do anything now. Though he wasn't exactly opposing to the result of their reactions after they realise what was happening. It would be interesting nonetheless.
Damn it, he was letting Tsubaki influence him quite a lot now. He really needed to stop getting so close to that guy since he was getting more indifferent to things that definitely needed more attention than just a simple shrug now.
Or maybe he needed a break from all vampires. Yeah, that sounded brilliant and delightful. Maybe after this week? Hopefully. Maybe the universe will grant him another up-card and give him their blessing by hypnotising Touma to consent.
Bringing his attention back to the situation, he sighed through his augmented mask that altered his voice and brought his hands up. They'd owe him one later. Or, considering Yumikage's ego and Shuhei's pride, they'd say that it was nothing and just mere curtesy of that sort.
With a bit of force, he clapped his hands rather loudly, bringing the two fighters' rather agitated attention to him. "What—"
He waited a few seconds for their reaction that he knew was coming even before he looked back.
"...Oh."
Yeah, oh. That was a suitable reaction for their predicament. Maybe even a little tad bit simple for such an embarrassing situation. He wouldn't be surprised if their cheeks were flaming hot right now.
"Pfft," Tsurugi mocked from his leaning position on the wall and judging from Shuhei's and Yumikage's choked response, they must've heard it as well but did not have a comeback to it.
The ends of his mouth curved slightly as he tried to stamp out any feeling of laughter that threatened to rise.
'Professionalism,' he reminded himself.
Though he wondered why he was simply reminding himself that when it was clear that the other C3 members held no ounce of it. Maybe he was trying too hard then. Or was it that the C3 members were too childish for it?
Ironic, since he was the youngest member out of them all.
"What is on with the delay? Get on with it. I did not come here to watch some monkeys play around," he heard Misono's cool and authoritarian voice play out.
Ah, typical Misono. Always straight to the point even if it may be harsh. He would make a great politician in the future if he chooses that path.
Monkeys. Maybe. Maybe that was a good word to describe their members. Although it may cast the C3's facility into a bad limelight, he couldn't force himself into not agreeing with it. It held some truths after all.
Or maybe all of this was a façade. A façade to mask their true worries that were so evident in the room. It was better to play innocent than to expose yourself to the true darkness.
And that darkness took the form of the very blue haired vampire that was seated across him, sofas disconnected and separated by a single coffee table. Of course, he included the other Eves and Servamps that were seated on the sofas on his left and right as well but he primarily targeted that vampire.
The awkward silence was broken again when a blonde girl rushed in holding a tray that held cups which seemed to be full of tea (Ah, so typical) with a cheerful smile on her face. What followed her next was a taller woman with long luscious purple hair holding the same tray with the same contents.
"Ah, nice timing! Everyone's already seated down. Thank you, Freya, for helping me!" She graciously thanked her older Servamp with a smile that would almost blind anyone that saw it.
Freya put on a small smile as she nodded back to her Eve and both made their way to the table to settle the teas down.
Weird, he didn't sense them leaving. Maybe that was one of their quirks— a silent retreat. A useful trait when used in war.
"Now then, with everyone in the room, I would like to brief you all on this trial," Shuhei spoke with a sense of authority in his voice. He noted that he had put on his professional mask again and decided to forget about what had happened just now.
Mahiru sighed, knowing that this is when the true thing begins. He couldn't bask in his own little oasis of hope any longer. He was going to be thrown out of it and into the real desert.
He decided that it was okay. As long as nothing happens, it would be alright.
"This man here is Shiro, as you might all know already. He shall be your bodyguard for one week in an effort to try and make a new service that the C3 has had their eyes on for awhile. There are many people who do feel threatened by vampires and would like to have some kind of reassurance after all," Shuhei states as if he was reading a script.
Props to him for that.
Tired of hearing the same things over and over, the typical Hyde waved his hand languidly in an exhausted and bored manner,"Yeah, yeah. We get that part. You've told us so many times already. Can you get to the part about regulations and stuff? You're bound to have it since you're so uptight about these types of things."
Mahiru could already imagine the large vein popping out of Shuhei's temple just from that statement alone. It amused him really out of all things.
Few could anger Shuhei and get away with it but since he jested that this was a job and they were their clients, he was forced to lay low.
"Fine. Since your impatient and despicable ass says so, I have no choice but to do it then," Shuhei growled out, making Mahiru sigh inwardly. Shuhei needed to take some anger management classes soon or hell will wreak havoc soon in the C3.
Hyde made a dramatic expression of betrayal and hurt as he clasped the place where his heart was supposed to be and went ahead to seek comfort from Licht, which the latter just responded with a rather forceful push to distance himself further.
Izuna, being the angel she was, went to Shuhei's side and made a pause action right before Shuhei's mouth was supposed to open.
Mahiru glanced at her and Shuhei, wondering what was going on.
Somehow, Shuhei and Izuna must've had telepathic communication abilities from being childhood friends as once Shuhei stared into her eyes, he heaved a sigh of exhaustion and conceded defeat and backed off.
He heard a mutter of 'thank you' and a nod in reply from the blonde in response with a new wave of resolve flashing in her eyes.
Gaining Shuhei's consent, Izuna stepped forward and stood right behind Mahiru as she took Shuhei's previous spot. "I'll make this short and simple for everyone's patience and sanity. I hope you all can strictly follow to our rules that we have to provide as these are very important."
Hugh, Tetsu and Lily nodded to that statement as both Misono and Hyde huffed in annoyance. Licht, Sleepy Ash, Jeje and Mikuni were the only ones indifferent to it.
"First, we shall say this straight. At under no circumstances can you touch Shiro unless he consents. Please keep a respectable distance away from him. This is the most important rule that we all have and will not hesitate to take matters into our own hands if you do not follow it. It is very easy to follow so we expect you all to do it," She announced with an air of a president making her speech.
This raised some eyebrows at the sheer seriousness of the rule. Even though they knew that it was basic curtesy, the way she said it made it as if having the slightest touch of contact with him would send the world into nuclear armageddon.
"May I ask why it is so important?" With a polite tone, the gentleman Lily voiced out everyone's question. Everyone who were not on the C3's side nodded to that.
All of the C3 members gulped in response to that. They had to find an excuse that wouldn't immediately expose Mahiru's condition.
Especially when the said blonde who gave that warning to his condition was sitting on the right couch just two meters away from them.
Yumikage clicked his tongue,"If you can't adhere to it then just say so, we will just cancel this whole thing right no—"
"Personally, I don't like physical contact. I'm not comfortable with it and it may cause me to be distracted from my goals. I would simply appreciate it if you agree to follow it as well. Respecting the worker's condition is needed to complete a deal, right?" He decided to cut them some slack and answer for them.
He couldn't be so dependent on them after all.
The rest seemed to buy his answer with a resounding sound from Tetsu. "Alright then," he heard the blonde answer a while later.
"What are the other rules?" Licht decided to cut in as he was feeling a bit restless with the whole situation. And he didn't like the feeling or the vibe that that man, Shiro, was giving him.
The first time he ever saw him, he immediately got the same vibe from him that he was getting now as well and it unsettled him.
It was the aura of an angel that fell from heaven and tainted his wings. And yet the fallen angel hasn't exactly turned into a demon yet— more like a corrupted human.
It unsettled him greatly as even though he wanted to ask whether he was a demon or an angel, he felt that he was neither of them and that no matter how long, they wouldn't arrive to an answer. He felt that there was some part of him that was angelic and there was some part of him that was demonic.
And some part that was human, the only one keeping the two opposite sides at bay and from colliding with each other.
He had never encountered someone like this before and it put him on the edge. Everyone in the world to him either was a demon or an angel, and yet he was a special case.
Something was screaming out to him for help in that man and yet something was hushing it down while shaking it's head. It felt sinister yet familiar... almost like the aura he got from a certain brunet he dubbed as an 'angel-in-training' back then.
He could've considered Mahiru as a full fledge angel back then, he was this close to. However, something stopped him from doing so. Although his appearance may be of an angel, his soul was like one of the damned, screaming for help for anyone, absolutely anyone, to come help and save him.
Ironic, since the brunet claimed that he always wanted to be the one who saved others first. And yet whenever Licht heard that, an immediate thought came to his mind that made him frown slightly.
'Although you claim you wish to save other people first... why do you not save yourself next? How is one supposed to save others when he himself is screaming for help?'
It was because of that that he couldn't consider Mahiru a full fledge angel yet even if he wanted to. He wanted him to solve whatever kept his soul torn first before he decided he could join him in his ranks. The boy gave a positive smile and yet his shadow was in agony.
And that was the same thing he was feeling from the man in front of him, Shiro, was giving him. It raised his suspicions ever so slightly of who this person may be but he couldn't assume right away. But first, he had to deal with what the man was since he was a foreign type to him.
He wondered why no one else in the room (excluding maybe that pretentious man, Mikuni) could sense what he was sensing. This man was unknown, and he didn't like the feeling of not knowing what exactly he was.
The horrors of this unknown shook him more than the demonic-knowns did.
Coming back to reality, Izuna gratefully answered his question. "The second is that if any dangers arise during these trial when Shiro is still with you, we request that you leave it to him. It would be useless to hold this trial if you guys fight whatever danger is lurking your way after all."
"Understandable. I accept," Misono agreed as he understood the reasoning behind that. For once something in the C3 actually made sense and he would take it with open arms.
Izuna nodded,"And the third is that we request that you all do not try to peek into his life or whatever may make him feel uncomfortable. Privacy is virtue and this is a job. You may get friendly with him but if he asks you to stop, follow. Other than that, please do try to get along with each other. Thank you. Now, any questions?"
Each of the C3 members could feel the doubt they all had arising in their chests when they heard her announcement.
As if they'd get along, they all thought bitterly.
Tetsu raised his hand and questioned when the rest looked at him,"Does Shiro have a time limit as to the time that he's watching over us? Chibi— no, Misono, and I have school and we would not like to miss out on that."
They reckoned that it was a reasonable question.
"Those who need to go to work or school may proceed to do so. We would not like to hinder your studies or work life as we respect that. However, the other free people will have to take Shiro with them for until probably evening. And after you're done with school or work you'll have to join back, unless it's really important like homework," Junichiro explained clearly.
The rest either grumbled, sighed or were indifferent to it. Mahiru noted that Sleepy Ash was surprisingly calm about the whole thing but he jested that it was because he didn't know who he was underneath.
If he did, then all hell would break loose.
'Those who are free, huh?' Mahiru pondered as his eyes scanned over the crowd before him and his mind calculated the systematics out.
Misono and Tetsu still had school of that sort so they may not be that free. He knew Licht still had concert practice and Hyde had a lot of part time jobs so they were off that list— maybe they would come occasionally.
Lily and Hugh followed their Eves so they were off too. Niccolo and Ildio weren't exactly informed of this so they were out. So that left...
'Ah great,' he grumbled in his mind as he realized who would be the most free out of them all.
The traitor he loathed, Sleepy Ash, and the most cunning and knowledgeable person of them all, Mikuni with his loyal and obedient Servamp Jeje. The absolute worst combination he had tried to steer away the most from.
Life really did hate him after all.
Wait, but counting into account of Mikuni's so-called 'business' with Johannes and his affiliation with the C3 while taking odd jobs, he may sometimes be busy.
So if he was to really round them all down, the last person he would have to spend the most time with was officially Sleepy Ash.
He really wanted to kick the universe's ass for giving him one more down-card and giving him such a bad hand at the game.
He sighed audibly and pinched the brink of his nose in exasperation. How he loathed his bad luck so much.
Sleepy Ash had to be the one free Servamp in their group that had nothing to do for the whole week (he guessed, as he didn't recall any information that he worked in any part-time job from their records) and he dreaded having to look after him for so long for one whole day— what else a week.
What was he even supposed to do in that time period of watching over them though? Just laze around, scan for potential threats? Though considering the C3 and their ridiculous behaviors, they would probably stage attacks and observe his reaction.
'Right, this is just another job of mine. I have to treat it as such,' he reminded himself over and over like a broken recorder.
He wondered exactly how much his mind grasped onto that idea though even after countless reminders. The fact that he needed to kept reminding himself gave him a grim warning to it.
"Are there no other questions?" Tsurugi called out from behind and everyone turned to look at each other in a silent question to the other. After awhile, they shook their heads, signaling a 'no' to that.
Shuhei gave a soft sigh,"Then it's settled."
Mahiru sighed as well in response to that announcement— it felt like an air horn that signaled the start of the dreaded marathon that everyone knew that they would die in. Pushing himself up, he stood and walked over to the edge of the coffee table that separated him and his nemesis.
Sleepy Ash looked puzzled at his action and the expectant stare hidden by the tinted glasses he gave him until Tsurugi gave him a push from behind. The vampire turned around to see Tsurugi's grin and was even more confused.
"He wants you to shake his hand— like a permission form for a field trip, it needs closure in the form of a signature, right? This form needs closure in a form of a handshake," the raven briefly explained, watching the 'O' come from the vampire's mouth.
Mahiru watched Sleepy Ash turn back to look at him and his posture straightened when he watched the Servamp stand up and slowly walked to him. He looked like a lion emerging from his cave, just awoken from his slumber.
'Not an inaccurate description though,' he found himself thinking as he watched Sleepy Ash's hand come up in a handshake gesture as well.
He gulped deeply as his hand moved as well to take Sleepy Ash's expected one. Willing his resolve to survive through this week, his hand hovered over Sleepy Ash's.
With a tower of determination, he gripped onto Sleepy Ash's cold hand through his gloves and gave it a tight and careful squeeze.
"The bodyguard trial shall start now."