Taste of Poison Paradise

Chapter 4

Shinobu is frozen as she stares at the demon—no, man—in front of her. He looks the same as in her memories, except for the clothing and the missing bloodstain on his head. His face is no longer snow-white, now with warmer undertones.

"Shinobu-chan..." Douma whispers, eyes just as wide as hers. He slowly raises his hands in a surrender pose, hands trembling. She notices his blunt nails, in contrast to the sharp claws in her memories. "Please, I need to see Shoto."

She regards him for a moment. There are tears in his eyes–eyes without kanji carved in them. Her eyebrows scrunch together as she notices his unusually pale face (for a human) and the rapid rise and fall of his chest. There's sweat upon his brow.

"Let him through," she ends up commanding the nurses. She leads him to the room where they're keeping the young Todoroki and Douma sobs in relief when his eyes land on the still unconscious boy.

"Thank you," he tells Shinobu so earnestly that she's sure that she's hallucinating. He sits down on a nearby chair next to the bed, sagging with exhaustion. He looks up at her again, eyes pleading. "Shinobu-chan, listen, I am so, so, so, incredibly sorry for what happened in our past life. I know that no amount of apologies will ever be enough for what I've done."

Shinobu is silent.

Douma lets out a shaky laugh, still crying. "I don't know why I was reborn. I sure as hell don't deserve it. But now, finally being able to feel emotions, life is a new kind of torture. Perhaps that is what rebirth is for me.

"Each time I remember my past life, I get so nauseous and guilty. It nearly ate me alive, but it's what I deserve, I know. But just know that I regret everything, as I should."

Shinobu turns and starts busying herself with her medicine. "I'm glad you're getting the suffering you deserve," she says stiffly. "But don't expect me to forgive you."

"I wasn't going to," Douma laughs, still crying. "I'm taking the path of being a hero now," He tells her. "Underground. Figured I'd do what you Slayers did back them and save some lives, even if no one notices. Just trying to atone a fraction of the sins I've committed. I'm even vegetarian now."

Shinobu set down her medicine cup perhaps more forcefully than usual. The room is silent except for the soft breathing of the youngest Todoroki and Douma's sniffles.

"I'm...glad..." she grits out in a strained voice.

The tension in the room breaks when the door slams open again and the hulking form of Endeavor enters the room. His eyes narrow as they land on Douma. "You," he snarls. "What are you doing here?"

Douma stands up abruptly and an infuriating smile appears. "Uncle Enji!" He grins. "I'm just visiting baby cousin Shoto! I was worried about his condition and his treatment, see. He's been in the hospital too much."

His grin grows wider as Endeavor's face grows a shade more red and Shinobu grins to herself. She may not like Douma much, but she likes Endeavor even less—and that's saying something. Although, killing him in her past life lessened her anger, just a little.

Her anger seems to have revived along with Douma.

"Shoto doesn't need you here," Endeavor says gruffly. "Leave."

Shinobu speaks up now, a smile that matches Douma's plastered across her face. "It is the patient's wish that Douma-san stays. Before he passed out, he called out to him. Curious how Todoroki-kun called out to his cousin rather than his father or mother."

Douma sends her a grin, which she ignores pointedly.

"Rest assured, Endeavor-san," Shinobu gives a placating smile, "Todoroki-kun will be well taken care of. You may leave now."