Sunset Hue (KHR Fanfiction)

Chrome

Mia almost wept for joy. Nagi probably wouldn't understand how much it meant to her that she was okay and most importantly alive. Perhaps no one would ever would. As she watched her new friend sleep with a fond smile her thoughts trailed to a darker route. As happy as she was that Nagi was well, it was impossible for her to be even awake. The body was like a mechanism, if one vital part was missing then whole thing wouldn't be working and Nagi definitely had her important bits missing – namely her organs.

But she had been able to take off the tubes on her own, the tubes that are supposed to be sustaining her life. There was no way that Nagi should be alive and moving around like she didn't lose her insides. Also… her eyes studied the previously caved in section of Nagi's stomach. It looked like she hadn't gotten into an accident in the first place. It was as if someone had stuffed her friend, she thought morbidly. But there was no other way to think about it. It was like in the short span that she was unconscious someone had magically given Nagi organs, regardless of the blood type. Mia leaned heavily against her chair. Soon it would be morning and if Nagi's mother was as heartless as she appeared to be, Mia could only imagine her pulling her friend from life support.

Nagi twitched in her sleep and rolled to her side facing Mia. The girl watched her friend a little longer before deciding to stand beside the window to look at the city beyond the glass. Perhaps it was little over an hour later, an hour before dawn showed, when Mia saw Nagi's rising form reflected in the window. She turned around to ask how she was when she stilled at the sight of the unsuitable smirk on Nagi's face. Her lips were twisted into an arrogant smirk, her whole demeanor being one of superiority and bemusement. This wasn't the girl she knew.

"Who are you?" she asked her voice oddly calm.

"I think you already know," the stranger replied in a silky mocking croon. The bangs covering Nagi's right eye fell as she tilted her head to the side, revealing the crimson eye of her nightmares. Her sickening smile widened further when Mia turned pale.

"Mukuro."

"Oya, oya, you don't seem happy to see me."

That arrogant tone, those silky woven words… that eye… Mia fought the shudder that tried to take over her. She couldn't let him see her fear or else he would have the upper hand on her. He would try to manipulate her, she knew. So to prevent that, she masked her fear with a look of disdain. Her usually bright features darkened into a scowl.

"What do you want you parasite?" she spat, contempt deep in her words.

"Not a single hello or how are you?" Mukuro replied in mock-hurt. When Mia remained silent, he or she – whichever – chuckled. Mukuro maneuvered Nagi's body to swing her legs off the bed. "I see you've finally learned to shut that impudent mouth of yours."

Mia couldn't help it. She snapped a retort, "And I see you're still going about like a leech."

"This?" he gestured over Nagi's body. "If you must know, Nagi would be dead if haven't 'leeched' off of her."

Startled, Mia said, "Wait. What? What the hell do you mean by that?"

Mukuro placed a hand over Nagi's stomach and closed her eyes. "I created illusionary organs to replace her lost ones with my power." Her eyes opened to watch Mia as she mouthed 'first path' in horrifying realization. He watched with amusement as Mia open her mouth then close it, resembling a toad. She scowled as she struggled to accept it. Her eyes danced with hope but it warred against suspicion, he could see that clearly. He waited for her to speak.