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Yuma had gone out for the day to do some investigating. Though… he was trying his best to hold back in fear of getting too involved in Peacekeeper business. He remained low profile, simply asking around casually and assisting in various tasks and requests made by the locals.
It had been going well so far today and he was accomplishing a lot. Yuma thought this as he said goodbye to the old lady he had been speaking to. She had tried to give him a piece of candy for a job well done, but he had sheepishly laughed and declined. And now, Shinigami was cackling and commenting in his ear. “She probably thought you were a middle schooler! Oh that’s hilarious! Come on, Master! Why don’t you try and grow? Get a couple inches on you and all that!”
Yuma gave her a flat look, replying in his mind. ‘I have a suspicion there’s more to that statement. You and Desuhiko really need to cool it with that type of thing.’
Shinigami smirked wide. “Sorry, Master. No can do! It’s ingrained into my soul! It’s a curse! One that can’t ever be broken except by true love’s kiss!”
Yuma rolled his eyes at her dramatics. ‘If you really need a mind cleanser, I can have Vivia read me one of his complicated books at night.’
Shinigami gasped dramatically. “You wouldn’t DARE! Such a scary threat. Okay, okay, I’ll stop. For now,” she told him cheekily. “Tomorrow is a different story, I can promise you tha-” She stopped her sentence abruptly as she looked behind, her smile slowly fading. “Master, there’s a man following you.”
Yuma’s body shivered at the words, knowing it wasn’t a joke. ‘A man? And you’re sure he’s tailing me?’
She nodded with a frown. “He’s ducking into corners on occasion, but he’s got his eyes trained on you. And… I don’t like that look.” She floated closer to Yuma’s head, floating backwards to keep looking at the stalker. “Keep going, Master. Stay calm and don’t react. If you try to draw attention to him, the Peacekeepers will most likely take you in for causing a public disturbance.”
‘R-right,’ Yuma mentally replied, doing his best to maintain a steady pace as he walked. He had to get back to the agency. Surely the stalker couldn’t do anything if he returned there. And maybe he could even lose the man in the sewer’s maze-like structure.
The entire walk was tense, Shinigami giving occasional updates on the stranger as they made their way back. Yuma had tried to pick up the pace slightly when they got to the underground tunnels. His breathing also increased in rate as he rushed through, anxiety rising as he heard the echoing footsteps behind him.
Finally, the passageway opened back up to the rain and the submarine was within sight. Yuma let out a nervous but relieved laugh, seeing that safety was within reach. It led him to pausing in place for a few moments, which proved to be his mistake.
Shinigami suddenly cried out a warning to him, but it came too late. The man had caught up and grabbed his cape, yanking him violently and making him fall backwards. His back hit the frigid and wet concrete, soaking him even more. Cold raindrops hit his face, blurring his vision along with the pain as he tried to blink his eyes open to see who was attacking. Above him now was a ragged looking man, whose eyes looked crazed. “Pl-please leave me alone,” he pleaded, trying to stand back up.
But the sound of a switchblade being flicked open made him rethink moving. “Don’t move another muscle, you filthy creature,” the man also threatened in a gravelly voice. The tone turned accusatory. “I know what I saw back there. I saw those fangs when you were talking to that old bag. You’re a vampire! A monster!”
Yuma’s eyes widened, fear coursing through his body. “Please! I’d never ever hurt someone! You have to believe me!” he begged as he scrambled backwards as best he could.
But the man didn’t let him get far, stepping on his leg hard and making him cry out. “No getting away from me, you vile thing. I’ll rid this city of you vermin one by one.” The man kneeled down next to the fallen vampire, raising the switchblade above his head like a sacrificial knife. “Starting with you!”
Yuma shut his eyes, bracing himself for the pain. This was it. He couldn’t escape with a hurt leg and no weapons around. He… was helpless.
But the expected feeling of cold metal never came. Instead, he heard a sickening crack that didn’t come from him. Then an almost deafening scream of pain from his assailant. Yuma’s eyes shot back open, needing to see what was happening. And it was a sight he had never expected to see.
Vivia was standing behind the stalker, eyes almost feral as he practically threw the man into the wall nearby. The man’s arm looked incorrect, possibly the origin of the cracking sound earlier. But Vivia wasn’t finished, grabbing the man’s shirt collar and dragging him up to meet his furious eyes. “You dared to touch him. To hurt him. That can’t go unpunished.”
The man trembled under the Master Detective’s gaze, from both fear and pain. “Th-that’s a vampire! I was… just trying to get rid of that foul-”
The man was cut off by the sharp box cutter getting lodged in the broken arm’s shoulder. Vivia’s expression darkened as he gripped the handle tighter. “That vampire happens to be very important to me.” Vivia began pulling the blade down the arm to the elbow, pink blood spilling out. “And I will not allow such violent actions against him to have no consequences.” The blade was twisted, then yanked out. Vivia loomed over the terrified man like a demon, voice icy as he spoke. “Never come near him again. I’m always watching over him, so I’ll know if any danger approaches him.”
With a whimpering scream, the man fled into the sewers, blood flowing from his cut and his arm dangling uselessly by his side. Soon, he was out of sight. But Yuma didn’t watch the sewers for long, as he felt his partner’s arms carefully weave their way under his body and lift him up and away from the wet ground in a bridal style hold. “Yuma… I didn’t make it in time to stop all the pain. For that, I request forgiveness,” Vivia whispered in a gentle tone, letting the rookie lay his head against his chest.
Despite the violent act he had just witnessed, Yuma felt immense comfort and relief flow through him. He fully relaxed in Vivia’s hold, raising a hand to hold part of the coat’s collar. In this position, it was easy to forget the throbbing pain in his leg. “You found me. You… saved me. Thank you.”
Vivia hummed happily at the reply and he began walking. “I was using my Forte to investigate for the Chief and… saw you being pursued. I… tried to return to my body as fast as possible.” The Master Detective had to briefly let him go to descend down the hatch, which is when he noticed the vampire favoring one of his legs. So Vivia scooped him up again to bring him to the couch, sitting down on the cushions with the rookie in his lap. “How are… your injuries?”
Yuma did a body wiggle, flinching when his leg hurt again. “He stomped on my leg. I don’t think it’s broken, but it hurts.”
The Master Detective smiled. “Ah, I see. Vampires heal faster than humans, so I’m positive you’ll be fine in a day or two. But… perhaps a little blood will help.” Vivia went to reach into his pocket, but then made a face and instead used the arm to hug the vampire close. “Looks like… I’ll have to get a new box cutter. Such a pain,” he complained in a tired voice.
Yuma tilted his head slightly. “Huh? But… why? Did yours get damaged?”
Vivia opened an eye and looked down at him. “No, not that. It’s just… I typically use that to help give you blood. But… now it’s tainted by that man’s blood. And I don’t want to contaminate you with any lingering traces. You should only be able to taste my blood, and no one else’s.”
“O-oh. I-I see,” Yuma stuttered with a flush. “Well… maybe we could… go get a new one together. How… does that sound?”
Vivia closed his eye again, laying his cheek on the purple hair. “Shopping… is so exhausting. Do I really have to do it? …I want to die someday.”
Yuma softly laughed, snuggling closer into the warm embrace. He felt so much better now. Here in his temporary home with the one he trusted the most, he felt protected. Shielded from the cruelties of the outside world. And while he knew he would eventually have to leave, he allowed himself to stay here for a bit and enjoy the comfort. He had earned this and deserved it.