You stared at Ayato's hand on your arm, the tightness of his grip an indication of what was to come if you were to disobey him. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes.
"Okay Ayato, I...I won't try to stop you but...please make it as painless as possible." You whispered, defeat heavy in your voice. He grinned, releasing your arm and stepping back, expression incredibly smug. Idiot.
"Ayato—" Laito's voice was sharp with warning and you acted instantly, twisting away from Laito's reaching hand as you gave an ear-piercing scream for help, sprinting for the stairs as doors started to open in the hallway. You glanced back over your shoulder to see that Ayato and Laito were already gone, Kanato glaring murderously after you, standing alone in the hallway with Teddy clenched tightly to his chest.
"YOU'LL REGRET THIS! YOU CAN'T SAVE HER!" He screamed after you before he disappeared as well, leaving you to run to the roof. You stretched your legs as far as you could, moving faster than you ever had before. You burst through the doors of the roof moments later, heaving for breath as your eyes frantically searched for Yuuko, finding her standing at the far end of the roof, swaying slightly.
"Yuuko!" You called, hurrying toward her. She didn't even turn back, instead raising a hand and pulling open a gate in the fence you didn't even realise was there, stepping out onto the narrow walkway beyond it. "NO!" She halted at the edge, just as you reached the gate, and turned back, a hateful expression on her face.
"You bitch." Her voice was harsh, and you froze, eyes wide. It was Yuuko's voice, but not as you knew it. "You choose her over me?!" Petulant and furious, it could only be one person.
"K-Kanato! I didn't choose her, I just don't think she should die. Please just―" Yuuko's hand whipped out, gripping your hair tightly and dragging you close, her strength far past what she should be capable of.
"You'll see what it's like in the dark, Y/N. You'll see what it's like to be cold and alone. I will destroy everything, EVERYTHING, STARTING WITH YUUKO!" You screamed as she suddenly pitched herself backward, and before you could even think you were lashing your arm out, fingers wrapping tightly around her arm and spinning your body, using your momentum to drag her away from the edge and toss her back to the roof. You gasped as your foot met open air for the second time in twenty four hours, but this time from your own conscious actions. You had known, deep down, that you were reaching too far, reacting too slow. But not slow enough for Kanato to get his way, you thought with satisfaction as you went over the edge of the roof. You knew that this time, even if he weren't furious with you, Laito wouldn't be saving you; in fact, you doubted you would be saved at all. Your luck, it seemed, had run out.
"So noble!" An unfamiliar voice filled your ears as slim arms wrapped around you in mid-air, your descent ending smoothly. Your feet met the floor and your knees immediately gave way, sending you tumbling to the floor. "Neko-chaaaan! I've never seen such dedication and friendship in a human! So wonderful to see." You glanced up to see a young man with the most beautiful cyan eyes you had ever seen; compared to the dark colours of the Sakamaki mansion it was an unexpectedly lovely sight.
"Y-you...thank you!" You gasped, brain catching up to what happened. "Why did you―"
"Ah, ah, ah. No questions. I shouldn't be talking to you but it didn't look like any of those nobles were going to help...Ruki will really scold me if he finds out." He took a few skipping steps away, waving over his shoulder with a bright smile that made your heart slam in your chest. A genuine smile...you felt like you hadn't seen one of those in a long time and it brought tears to your eyes. "Bye bye, kitty! Hope to see you again soon!" You sat there for a moment longer before a shadow fell over you, and you drew in a sharp breath as you looked up to see Reiji standing above you, expression coolly neutral as he gazed down at you.
