Confession ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 10: Hugs are Promises

"No!"

Her voice fills the room and echoes down the hall. A gurgle bubble that regurgitates in her throat. Hot tears dot the underneath of her eyes. Redden cheeks and trembling lips. My heart breaks.

"No! No! No!"

I kneel to her level and gingerly cuff my hands around her wrists. "Rui, shh. Listen. Mr. Juuzou will be back in a few days."

"No!" She turns and looks at Juuzou. "What...w-what if they c-come back? They'll hurt Mommy." Fresh tears gloss over her eyes. "They'll get me. They're bad!"

My heart breaks even more. I look at Juuzou. He stands – the exhaustion still plaguing him. His focus is trained on her, a twinge of what I assume to be sorrow tugging at him. Then he sighs.

He kneels in front of Rui and rests a gentle hand on her head, flashing the brightest smile he can muster. "No one will come for you or your mom. You both are safe."

Her lips continue to tremble. "But the bad people...are out there."

"They won't come for you," he assures. "Right now, they know the good guys are after them, so they're hiding. And as a good guy, it's my job to go find them and make it to where they can't do bad things anymore."

The way he talks to her is so soft and caring, similar to how Mrs. Warner and I talk to her. Almost parental in a way. And she looks at him, her e/c eyes trained on him. She's listening. She might not understand everything that is happening, but she is listening, and he is explaining everything in a way that's easier for her to digest.

The people who took her are the bad guys. Juuzou is a good guy. As a good guy, he has to go get the bad guy. He gets the bad guys and she'll be safe. She can get that. She can understand that.

"They're hiding. They won't come and get you," he says. "Okay? You and your mommy will be safe."

She looks at him, then me, then him again. Tears continue to slide down her cheeks, which are flushed from her outbursts. Her thin brows furrow.

"You come back?" she asks in her small voice.

He smiles, "I will."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

She scans him – her eyes never leaving him. Then she spreads open her arms. "Hug!"

I jolt at this. "Rui! Don't be rude! Mr. Juuzou is very busy. Besides, we don't make demands like that."

"But he promised! And hugs keep promises!"

"Rui," I huff, defeated. "Not right now."

I know she still feels uneasy – rightfully so – but this...this isn't the time or place, nor the thing to ask for. But with everything she's been through, I don't know how to tell her so.

"It's alright," Juuzou interjects. His tone is light and soft. "If this is how I keep a promise, then so be it."

"You don't have to do that," I say, turning to him. "Really. You should be getting ready for your trip."

"It's fine." His eyes meet mine. Two pools of red. They are tired, but they are also bright. "It's okay." He looks at Rui and opens his arms. "Alright, Rui. Ready for the biggest hug ever?"

Her face – still puffy and red – lights up. She throws her arms up and around him. He does the same, scooping her into his arms. She laughs and giggles.

And I sit here, smiling as I watch them. Their interaction – how she trusts him, how he cares – makes my heart swell. Then melt. He is so natural. Almost as if he's done this a million times. And who knows? Maybe he has. Maybe he's a pro with kids. Maybe he's...

My throat goes dry, that thought lingering in my mind. One that suddenly bursts with no warning, getting louder and louder. It is only followed by images and possibilities. Possibilities that, at first, seemed ridiculous and laughable. But the more I see him interact with Rui, the more conceivable.

What if he has a child? What if he's married and has a family? What if he's a father?

I never thought that possible before. I mean, with the way he acts and behaves...it seems inconceivable to me. I mean...that's crazy, right? But then again, maybe not.

I don't know much about Juuzou's personal life. All I know is where he stands on a professional level, and as far as that is concerned, he stands in a position of power. But on a personal level? I know he lost his leg and that he enjoys stitching his own skin for aesthetic reasons. Aside from that, he is a mystery to me. A blank slate with only a few etchings, all undecipherable.

So, who knows? He could be someone's husband. Someone's father. He could have a whole family waiting for him back in Japan. A house filled with pictures of those nearest and dearest to him.

I swallow.

Seeing him hugging Rui and how she trusts him so fully... What will I do when he has to leave? When he won't be able to come back? He won't be staying in H/P. He has no reason to. And Rui...she likes him. I can tell. She lights up whenever she sees him, just like she does when she sees me or Mrs. Warner. So, the day when Juuzou has to say goodbye for real...

I don't want to think about it. Mostly because I don't want to imagine how upset Rui will be – and she will be. She will be upset. She'll most likely cry and beg Juuzou to stay. Maybe clutch onto his shirt, hold tight. But I'll have to hold her and comfort her because he will need to leave.

He'll have to leave both of us.

A brief spell of dizziness washes over me, though I quickly blink it away. Bizarre and strange, really. That came out of nowhere. I assume it's just fatigue and brush it off, though Juuzou notices.

"You okay?"

Flustered – and I don't know why – I smile, "I'm fine, but you should probably get going."

He observes me, then nods. "Yeah." He turns to Rui, beaming. "Alright, Rui. I'll be back before ya know it! Okay?"

"Okay!"

He smiles at her and then looks at me. "I'll be back. For now, TSC will continue to watch over you guys, but if you start to feel worried or uneasy, don't be afraid to reach out. Okay?"

"O-okay."

He flashes a final smile and leaves. As he goes, I remain where I am, watching. All the while my heart sputters.

**Bello lovelies! Oof. This chapter took a minute to type. Life has been crazy, but I was finally able to finish it. That said, Juuzou has to leave for a few days. That said, it seems Y/N is feeling a certain kinda way. Any idea what any of this means? Hmm? Stay tuned to find out! Well, that'll do from me. Until the next chapter! Thank y'all so, so much for everything! Y'all are the bee's knees! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross