SINIESTRO

Chapter Two

The sunlight caresses my face, making a streak of white gleam on my eyelids, causing me to open them to the dawn. My eyes scan the room and there was something cold around my waist. I then turn to to face Damian who was fast asleep, he looked... peaceful. He shifts closer to me and my heart thumps faster in my chest as I panic. I fall out of bed with a thump, he peaks over the edge of the bed as our noses touched.
"Are you ok?"
I nod as I rub my lower back and wince in slight pain, then walk downstairs to brew myself some coffee. I grounded up the coffee and put a filter in the machine and let the machine do the rest. I look out the window and walk to a few potted plants laying on the windowsill and pour water in each pot. I delicately brush my finger against one of the leaves. I go to mix cream in the brown liquid in my coffee cup and watch as Damian walks down the stairs.
"Want some coffee?"
"What's that?"
"Here."
I  handed him the cup I made for myself and started to brew a cup for Zen. Damian gulped down the dark black coffee and smiled.
"This is delicious! Might I have another cup?"
A sigh escaped my lips and snatched his cup and poured more coffee into it.
"There."
He gulped down his second cup and Zen walked downstairs and rubs his eyes tiredly.
"Hey how'd you sleep Zen?"
"Pretty good, what about you with the pest?"
"I...I was fine...."
"That's a lie, you had like eight nightmares last night, you woke up every time and started to cry, you kept mumbling, don't do it father, don't hurt me. Then you started scratching at your arms till they bled saying don't burn me I did nothing wrong! I tried to make you stop but me yelling at you to shut up didn't seem to help, I wonder why?"
Zen glared at Damian and gently pulled me into a hug. I pushed Zen away and shivered.
"P...Please don't touch me Zen... thank you for your concern though...."
He nodded and took his coffee and sat at the kitchen island.
"Did you forget to take your meds Naoko?"
I gave him a small nod and looked down.
"I tried to take them before I went to bed but you have the key to the medicine cabinet..."
"Well I don't want you to try to overdose again."
Damian sat there and looked around.
"I...I know..."
Zen got up and unlocked the medicine cabinet and grabbed some pill bottles and handed me one med each.
"Take those now and I'll give you your last one tonight ok?" 
I nodded and quietly took the medications laying in front of me. Each one I chased down with water. I watched Zen lock the medicine cabinet back up and slide the key in his pocket. He then turned to me and smiled.
"Naoko why don't we go to the park?"
"But we're tight on money... I was gonna go out and look for job offers..."
"With all that's just happened I think you need a break. I mean look at your arms, they're still burnt."
I nodded and walked up to my room and changed into another baggy t-shirt I stole from Zen and a pair of overalls. I walked back downstairs with my sketchpad tucked under my arm and my pencil case in hand. Then I  tripped, pens, pencils, and markers spilling out of my pencil case. Damian's strong arm gently wrapped around my torso before Zen could even process the fact I fell. Damian's arm eased off of me and I crouched to the floor and picked up all of my supplies, Zen knelt beside me and helped pick up the supplies and handed me my pencil case.
"S...Sorry..."
Damian sat on the counter as he waited for us both snickering under his breath.
"Screw up."
"It's ok Naoko it was an accident, I'm just glad you're not hurt."
Zen looked up at Damian and nodded.
"Thank you for catching her, she is a little clumsy..."
"Hell yeah she is."
He rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Are we ready to go?"
Zen nodded and helped me up off the floor. He took my hand and walked me to the park with Damian behind us.
"Zen are you ok? You look distressed..."
"I don't like this guy hurting you and then following you."
"Me neither, but hopefully he leaves us alone soon."
"How are your burns?"
"I healed some of them but some of them are gonna take time, the fire tore through all layers of my skin, not just the epidermis and the dermis but the hypodermis and even below that, it was... horrible...."
"I have no idea what you're talking about but that's why we're at the park today, to help clear your head."
I gave him a nod as we parted ways, he went to get drinks and I saved us a spot under our tree. Damian sat down next to me and looked down at the bandages on my arms.
"Is your friend mad?"
"Yeah he's pissed."
I opened my sketchpad and started to sketch. Damian leaned over my shoulder and watched as I sketched. I tensed up and moved away from him.
"C...Cut it out...you'll make me smell like demon...my mom will kill me if she found out..."
He frowned and continued to lean on me.
"Damian, I'm serious... my mom will kill me."
"Maybe that's what I want."
He gave me a sly grin and I pushed his face away.
"Hey you're going to ruin my beautiful face!"
"Sure you're hot but you're also annoying and scary."
"You think I'm hot?~"
"I also said annoying and scary."
"Don't fall for me too fast Mi Amor~"
"Don't worry about that cause I wont."
He pouted like a toddler.
"But I'm irresistible!"
"You're also a demon that tortured me and angels aren't supposed to be with demons."
"You make me sound so evil!"
He continued to pout and I glared at him.
"Excuse me? You're literally a demon, and if I have my facts right about Spain's history, you're the guy who committed mass genocide to innocent women, children, families, and more, just because you had to be the only person left to be perefct!"
He gazed down at me, his eyes distant, and I felt him grip my arm tightly feeling a wave of cold from where he touched.
"How do you know that...?"
I let out a small yelp of pain and winced.
"When I...I was in heaven I heard some angels talking about how they wanted to take you and use in the war and started to describe what you did..."
He let go of my arm and glared at me.
"How can I trust you?!"
"How was I able to trust you in my room yesterday."
"Stop getting smart with me asshole!"
I flinched and backed away from him. Zen sat down next to us and glared at Damian.
"So Naoko did you look for any job offers?"
"Oh no I forgot sorry... I should just see if the strip club is hiring."
I sighed and Zen looked down.
"But those places are full of creeps..."
"I was joking, but I'll look around for some jobs ok? I know we're tight on money, did that one guy get back to you about the waiter job?"
"No... it's been a few weeks, almost a month..."
"Oh well don't worry! We'll get money somehow!"
I smiled and gently punched Zen's arm.
"Y...Yeah... alright."
I sipped on my lemonade and picked up my pencil and started to sketch again.
"What are you drawing?"
"I don't know..."
Damian leaned over my shoulder and watched me sketch until the sun began to set.
"Naoko, pack up your stuff, it's getting late."
I looked up at Zen and pouted.
"I'm almost finished Zen!"
"Fine, finish it then come home, Damian, make sure she doesn't stay out all night I'm going home."
Damian nodded and watched Zen leave then turned back to me.
"Naoko are you still scared of me?"
I nodded and looked away from him. He looked at my sketch and sighed trying to break the silence.
"Your sketch will never look as perfect as me."
"It doesn't have to look perfect..."
He glared at me.
"You're sadness is bumming me out, stop being sad!"
"You caused most of it Damian, maybe apologize and try to be a good friend."
Damian heaved a long heavy sigh and stared at me.
"If you think I'm going to apologize you're a freak."
I slapped his wrist and started to pack up my supplies.
"Damian you're such a jerk..."
He went to grab my wrist then stopped. I stormed off with my supplies and sketchpad tucked under my arm. Damian followed behind me and smiled.
"Naoko life can change just by turning a corner."
I turned the last corner to reach my apartment and ran into a man.
"Sorry sir...'
I bowed and tried to walk past him but the man grabbed my wrist and slammed me against a wall.
"Give me your money!"
"I...I don't have any!"
Damian leaned against the wall and smiled as the man pulled a knife on me.
"I..I swear I don't have anything!"
The man screamed and tried to slit my throat but I ducked. I panicked as I looked around for anything. I picked up a rusty pipe and lodged it in the man's throat. The man's eyes widened as his blood splattered on me. I stared in disbelief as the man fell to the ground and his blood pooled at his neck.
"Nice aim!"
Damian held his hand up for a high five. I felt dizzy and I blacked out.
"Oh damn."
Damian licked the blood from his arm and tossed me over his shoulder.
"She passed out."
He laughed to himself as he walked me home.
"She killed that guy nicely but she ruined my jacket."
He sighed sadly and tossed me in bed.
"What am I supposed to do with the blood on my pretty face? ... And I guess your pretty face too..."
He glanced at me and sighed. I was shivering and starting to gain my consciousness.
"Good morning killer!"
"K....Killer...?"
I shivered in fear and looked down at my shirt and froze.
"W...Why is there blood on my clothes?"
I said nervously.
"You killed a guy, remember?"
I shivered and looked away.
"You did a marvelous job!"
"I....I didn't kill him!"
"Yes you did, are you blind? You shoved a pipe in his airway. Oh there was so much blood."
He smirked at me and watched as I teared up.
"I...I didn't kill him!"
"I specifically watched you do it."
I got up shaky and stumbled to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. I heard Damian laugh and bang on the door.
"Why are you hiding little kitten!"
"Leave me alone!"
He slammed his fist against the door and laughed maliciously. I shook and whimpered.
"G...GO AWAY!"
I heard him stop and stand at the door silently. I shivered and looked down at my bloody clothes and slipped them off into the dirty clothes hamper and started a warm bath. I stared at my hands as they touched the water, they shook from the adrenaline already coursing through my veins. Once the temperature was to my liking I sat in the tub and sighed trying to relax. I remembered the look on the man's face as his body hit the floor and shivered in fear, tears running down my face as I pulled my knees to my chest.
"Naoko are you ok?"
"W...Why would you care... your job is to torture me remember?"
I heard him heave a sigh.
"I'm coming in."
"W...What no!"
He opened the door and sat on the countertop. I panicked and pulled my knees to my chest closer.
"I'm not looking. I'm not that uncivilized gosh, but you have blood on your face."
"W... Where...?"
He stared at my face and jumped off the counter, grabbed a washcloth, and sat next to me outside the tub.
"Look at me."
I turned my head to him and tensed up as he dragged the washcloth across my cheek.
"Will you relax? I won't hurt you...  this time."
He wiped the rest of the blood off my face and took my hand. He watched me flinch and sighed pulling my arm closer to him and he began to clean the blood off my arms.
"Give me your legs."
"W..What...?"
He sighed and stood and slipped off his shoes and socks then sat down in the tub across from me and yanked my foot out of the water. I yelped in surprise and tried to kick him.
"Hey cut it out!"
I kicked him in the face and struggled. He gripped my ankle tightly.
"Would you stop squirming little rat! I'm helping you! Something as pretty as you shouldn't be drenched in blood!"
I paused and whimpered until his grip on my ankle loosened. He mumbled angrily as the temperature of the water got colder. He cleaned the rest of the blood off my leg and I watched him as he grabbed my other leg. He started to clean off my other leg as I gazed up at his face, which was focused.
"What are you looking at?!"
"Someone who is misunderstood to be a monster but is the most broken out of all of them, and sense you're believed to be a monster you started to act like one."
He glared at me and gripped my leg tightly.
"I'm not weak! And I'm sure as hell not broken!"
I pulled my leg away and looked up at him.
"You're lying, it's ok to be broken as long as you have someone to fix you..."
He stopped and stared at me for a moment.
"Why are you being nice to someone that hurt you...?"
"I give everyone second chances whether they hurt me or not."
"Do you know of a thing called revenge?"
"Of course silly, my revenge was kicking you in your pretty little face!"
I giggled and stuck my tongue out at him. He glared and then gasped.
"Did you ruin my ravishing face?!"
I looked at him and leaned closer to him gently cupping his face in my hands as I examined his face.
"Nope, still looks perfect to me, but your hair isn't parted correctly."
I took a mound of bubbles and plopped them on his head.
"Hey! You're going to ruin my hair!"
I giggled and ruffled his hair.
"Your hair is greasy! Lemme fix it!"
He glared and sighed.
"Fine but if you don't part it correctly after, I'll torture you."
I nodded and scrubbed his hair gently and he leaned closer, purring like a cat as he relaxed at my touch. Once I scrubbed his head I rinsed it for him and smiled.
"I'll blow dry it after I get dressed for bed ok?"
He nodded and looked up at his soaked mop of hair on his head and growled.
"Thanks..."
"For what?"
"Helping me get all the blood off and... helping me relax after.... I... killed someone..."
My voice was at a whisper as I spoke he  nodded and got out of the tub and dried off. He handed me a towel and I dried off.
"Please get out."
"Why?"
"So I can get dressed."
"Oh yeah sorry."
He left the room and I dried off as I sat on the edge of the tub.
"Naoko can I have more coffee?"
"No, you won't be able to sleep tonight."
"Ugh fine..."
I walked out of the bathroom after getting dressed.
"Come on let's dry that mop of yours."
He followed me and sat on the floor in front of the couch as I took a seat behind him on the couch. I turned on the drier and saw Damian flinch.
"Don't worry this thing won't hurt you, it'll only dry your hair."
He started to relax as I dried his hair and ran my hands through his soft hair.
"Naoko...?"
"Yes Damian?"
"How did you die...?"
"Brutally and painfully..."
"O...Oh sorry I won't ask then..."
"Sorry? Did you just say you were sorry?"
He nodded and I stared at him shocked.
"Woah... I didn't know you were capable of apologizing..."
"Well I don't like talking about how I died so I understand... but was there someone special in your mortal life?"
"Hmm probably my brother Rin... but I don't know where he is now... what about you? And don't say yourself."
"Dangit.... Um.... there was this really nice girl that I met while I went on my rampage...she was very kind... like an angel almost... and she was just as beautiful as you."
I looked down at him
"Oh yeah? What was her name?"
"I... I don't remember but... you two look similar...that was part of the reason I wanted to find out who you were and why you're showing me such kindness after all I've done to you."
"Oh.. maybe me and that girl were related."
I shrugged and brushed out his hair and parted it to the side and ran my hand through his hair once more.
"I'm finished with your hair."
He looked at it in a mirror and smiled in approval.
"Thank you!"
I smiled sleepily and nodded, I laid down on the couch and started to doze off. Damian picked me up and walked upstairs, he tucked me in bed and laid beside me. I began to mumble in my sleep and I curled up close to Damian.
"Naoko...?"
"Hmmm......."
I opened one of my eyes and gazed up at him.
"Are you still scared of me?"
"Yeah....but not as scared, cause I know you're just a big baby..."
He looked like he was about to yell at me then looked down at my tired face and sighed.
"Hey Naoko?"
"Oh my god w h a t?"
"You're really warm..."
I nodded half asleep and I felt his cold body shift closer to me, he hugged me slowly and nuzzled into my chest searching for the warmth I had. I was too tired to care, I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled into his locks of hair. He shivered and pulled the blankets over himself then started to doze off.