One Above All

Chapter 30: It's simply not worth it without him.

Notes: So, 30 chapters, huh? In other cases, I might give a longer monologue, but oh well, I've run out of words.

I'll just say that this chapter is full of intimacy (not that kind of intimacy), but well, the word "intimacy" is subjective. I assure you, this is just about pure hugs.

For now.

And guess what? There's a small action scene that will be expanded in the next chapter.

But for the most part, it's just scenes between our favorite lovebirds, Hiro and Makima.

0O0O

There was something very special about everything that was happening.

There was something very special about her. He always thought he knew what real bonds between people felt like; he thought he had experienced it firsthand in the first seven years of his life when his parents were still alive. Then, when he grew close to two devil hunters who at first glance, seemed not quite normal. Later, when he made his first friend in elementary school, with whom he still got along very well to this day.

But this felt quite different, though Hiro couldn't explain why. It was as if his body was acting on its own before his mind could formulate the action in his brain. He just knew he didn't want to let her go from his arms; he wanted to keep her there for as long as she wished. It was as if he had an overwhelming need to protect her from anything that could harm her. He felt like the only person who could take care of her, though the reality was different. He knew she could protect herself, but that wouldn't stop him from being there for her whenever she needed him.

Hiro couldn't explain this strange occurrence, but it was as if his protective instincts had intensified when she started crying on his shoulder, pouring out all the pain and frustration she had endured for two weeks. Despite that, his heart ached as her sobs seemed to intensify with every apology that came from her lips, going straight to Makima's ears, as if she had been waiting an eternity to hear such words.

Hiro knew it wasn't really his fault that she was like this; if it was anyone's fault, it was the Gun Devil's. Still, he couldn't help but feel guilty for not being more determined to do something different when he had the chance. Maybe he should have pushed Kishibe and Quanxi harder to let him visit Makima. Back then, he didn't know how badly she was suffering; he only thought she would be worried about him. He never imagined she would be so distressed that she would lose her mind and become desperate enough to come to his apartment for a visit.

He most likely underestimated Makima's determination. No, he underestimated the depth of her affection for him.

A part of Hiro cursed himself. He had wanted to ensure that Makima's life was filled with happiness, that the last time he would have seen her cry like that would have been in that library. Yet, somehow, he always managed to make her cry, even indirectly. This made his heart ache once more and made him question whether he was truly making her happy.

But the way she clung to him only showed how desperate she was for his closeness, so until told otherwise, he wouldn't let her go.

These were very difficult feelings to understand but easy to absorb. Did that make sense? Hiro found them quite challenging to comprehend, but the sensation they brought was not unpleasant, at least for the most part.

The only thing he understood was that all these feelings stemmed from the desire to comfort Makima, and he was more than willing to fulfill that.

The atmosphere was so pleasant. The way their foreheads were now pressed together, simply enjoying each other's company with their eyes closed and without saying a word, was a feeling that seemed to calm all their existing worries...