Even In The Next Life

Fire

  Everyone looked at Hie who had fallen off of the couch, and his gun was still smoking as he had shot at Miko and missed, hitting the wall behind her instead.

  "Hie?" And the boy pointed the barrel of his weapon at Akira and I.

  "I'm not a demon. I'm Fudo, Akira. A human."

  "Put down the guns before you do something you regret." I said with a dangerous tone.

  "Taiyo, don't." Akira grabbed my shoulder. "Miki?" And our attention went to the girl standing in the doorway.

  "Stay back, Makimura." Wamu said.

  "Trust me, Miki. I've been fighting against the demons this whole time. To protect the humans, I've been using my body that merged with a demon."

  "See, he's a devil."

  "Trust me. I still have the heart of a human."

  "Bullshit."

  "There's no way I'd kill a human! There's no way that was me. I'd never kill a human."

   "But you're not sure. That's why you kept it from Makimura, right?" Wamu asked, and Akira held his head.

  "How could you believe he'd kill a human?" I waved my hand. "He's been trying so hard to fight the demons so people like you wouldn't have to fucking worry, and this is how you treat him? Accuse him and point guns at him?!"

  "How are we to believe anything you say? We all saw- You're delusioned by the devil behind you." I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing I could say would change the fact that they believed everything Ryo said.

  "Don't go near him, Makimura."

  "He's a devil!" They were saying, but Miki seemed to ignore them as she walked toward us.

  "You were the same back then, too." She stated. "Akira, you were crying for my family earlier, weren't you?" The girl went around me and hugged Akira. "You haven't changed, Akira."

  "Thanks, Miki."

  "We are family, after all." I felt a tug on my shirt as Miki drug me into the hug as well. "Taiyo, thank you for being my friend. I know the love you two have is real." She said softly, and I just didn't know what to say, and Akira started to sniffle. "Akira?"

  "It's not me." He said as his eyes were watering. "It's Taiyo!"

  "What? This is a super, emotional moment for me, okay? I've been shot at, kicked out of my house, and here Miki is dragging me into a frickin' group hug while being all sweet and shit." I sniffed, feeling tears pricking at my own eyes.

  "They're here!" Miko exclaimed as I heard what sounded like police sirens.

  "That was quick."

  "You, get out." Wamu pointed his gun at Akira.

  "I'm counting on you." The black-haired male smiled as Wamu smirked and nodded.

  "Your girl should be safe, the guy on TV declared that she was still human."

  "I have to go meet Ryo." Akira stated.

  "But-!"

  "I'll come back to you, Taiyo." He cupped my cheek before kissing me, and I held the back of his hand as he pulled back. "I will return."

  "That's a promise." Miki smiled. "You are the anchor, after all." And the green-eyed girl pretended to pass a baton.

  "Yup." Akira grinned while taking the imaginary baton.