Freak ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 9: The Possibilities

~Juuzou's POV~

Should I have told her all that? I don't know. Some big shots would probably say no - maybe even scold me, but it seemed right. It felt right, too. Like I needed to tell her. After seeing her in the hospital like that... I think she needed that. I think she needed to believe in something.

But the truth is, there are still a lot of uncertainties. Not that those kids are alive, because I know they are. They are alive. That I am positive about. What I'm not so sure about is whether or not they're in H/P. That is where the tricky part comes into play.

Are they in H/P? Are they still here? Are they close? Or are they gone?

Those are the questions we have, but that's not all. There's still the matter that involves all the victims. All those women. It's clear now that this is a series of organized attacks done by multiple units of ghouls, but that said, there still needs to be a leader. A ringleader.

Who is that?

Who is the mastermind?

Who -

"Suzuya, sir," Hanbee says.

I blink, looking up at him. He is walking to me, his expression even. He moves briskly, the deep brassy hues falling over him. Over us.

"Sir were you with Y/N just now?" he asks.

I shove my hands into my pockets and shrug. "Yeah. Why?"

"I figured as much. Were you able to get any information from her?"

"Some, but I didn't want to push her too much. She was just discharged, Hanbee."

It's not a lie. Today is Y/N's first day back home. And though we need to make haste with the investigation and locating those kids, I still don't want to overexert her. Physically and mentally...she's not in a good place. That much is clear. Painfully so.

"Oh, I guess you're right," he says, falling in step with me. "I'm sorry. I'm just...I guess I'm becoming too emotionally involved. Seeing all those pictures of the scenes and knowing that kids are involved..."

I know what he means. Really, I do. Each day we spend on this case, the more difficult it becomes. The more painful it becomes, and that's not something I'm particularly used to.

In the past, I didn't really care. Not really. I just did my job. I just killed ghouls, and not just because it was a duty. I did it for fun. And that's the cold truth. I didn't care about anything else. As long as I was killing them, that was all that mattered.

But a lot has happened between then and now. A lot.

There's someone I care about now. Someone that I admire and look up to. Someone that I worry about. Someone that I'm waiting to see wake up. Someone that is a person I want to make proud.

And I guess that's why my way of thinking is different than what it was. Life isn't something to take lightly. It's not something to be played and toyed with. Not anymore. Not like I thought it was before.

And I guess that's why this case is hitting harder.

These are kids. Just little kids, not even old enough to understand. They're probably scared and confused and crying messes. And who could blame them? I can't. They have no business being tied up in this, but that's not their fault.

We come to a quiet intersection, a warm breeze blowing. I look at the pink and purple clouds and sigh, "I get what you're sayin', Hanbee. This sucks."

"Yes, it does. Though, and this may sound cruel, it could be worse."

I hate to admit it, but he's right. For as grim as this case may be, it could be worse. It could be far, far worse. I think back to the Dragon case and the mess that was. The stench of death and blood was all that lingered in the air during that time. And even today, residuals of those days linger.

I shake my head. I'm not there. I'm not home, in Tokyo. I'm here. I'm in H/P, my experience, and expertise requested to help solve this case. To help put a stop to this.

But deep down, part of me can't help but believe I'm here for another reason. Not just to solve this case, but because of something deeper. Something that only specific investigators see. Something to do with these kids. Because this case...it's too much like the others. Too similar to...

Mama.

She might be dead. I might have been there when they cut her down, but Mama isn't the only one. Not by a long shot. There are others. Way more. And I wouldn't be surprised if H/P has its own flurry of them. All hiding out, laughing as they watch human pets kill other humans. And if we're not fast enough, that's what those kids will become.

Human pets.

**Hello, lovelies! Yay! Another Juuzou POV. I'm not even gonna lie. My brain is all over the place. It doesn't know which way's up, down, left, right. We're all just...floating, I guess. But yeah. Is what Juuzou revealed giving you more confirmation in your theories, or no? Feel free to let me know! Well, I think that'll do for me. As always, thank you so, so much for everything! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross