“Saru, Saru, Saru...ugh! Fucking monkey!”

Yata slammed his fist down upon the bar, shaking the half empty glass beside him so harshly that it nearly keeled over and spilled. Izumo only shot him a dangerous look.

“Watch the bar.”

You lingered at the base of the stairs. It was dim and warmly lit, the evening prevalent. Anna seemed like she always wanted you to stay here, even if you weren't sure Mikoto was so approving. You denied the offer though. You may have been a part of this family-esque clan, but your mother was ailing and it didn't feel right to abandon her just for the sake of cutting out a train ride. 6:45AM, 10:45 at night, only about an hour each time. It wasn't so bad...

Yet recently, something had been bothering you greatly. Something that shadowed you every time you had been heading home, and not too long ago, yesterday to be precise, you had caught a proper glimpse of that...something.

That...someone.

“Yata...”

Approaching the bar, you pulled out a plush black stool and sat yourself down in it, while the casually dressed fire-head turned to you and straightened up subconsciously.

“Oh, hey [Y/N]- ah...” Instantly he seemed to become sheepish, his cheeks tinting pink and his hand reaching to rub the back of his neck. “Sorry you eh...you had to hear that...”

“What, you yelling? Hah, I'm pretty much used to it now.” you laughed a little, and he only went redder. You didn't laugh for long though, soon becoming very serious again. “...Yata...who is this 'Saru' guy you keep talking about anyway? Like...can you tell me anything about him?”

Instantly his meek expression twisted with fury and he practically bared his teeth while he growled out his words.

“Saru!? Hah! He's a total asshole! Fushimi Saruhiko, he's in with the Blues and he's totally arrogant. Always comin' along and tryin' to rile me up, wearing those stupid fucking glasses-”

“Glasses?” you could feel that pit forming in your belly, but you wanted to confirm a little more first, “Can you tell me anything else about him? Like, what he looks like exactly? That way I definitely know who to avoid...”

“Phe! He just looks like a smug little...well, okay-” Yata decided to seriously tell you, because he honestly hated the idea of you running into him either, “-He's got blueish black hair, kinda messy, glasses like I said and he fights using these long knife things. Honestly, I just wanna bash his head in with my bat. The guy deserves everything I can throw at him, and if he thinks...”

Yata's words soon became distant. You were processing it in your head, matching the spoken description with the person you swore you had seen following you the other night. If anyone was going to be stalking a HOMRA member, it would probably be a member of the rival clan, right? And you could distinctly recall seeing a tall and slender figure with hair just like that, and certainly glasses. They reflected the moonlight at that time, glaring so much you'd been unable to see his eyes during that brief and panicked glance.

You officially felt heavy, like you'd break right through your chair and sink deep into the floor. It had to be Fushimi then. And if he was so adamantly after you, then maybe he was trying to-

“[Y/N]? Hey you're really pale, you should go home and get some rest.” Yata piped up, snapping you from your reverie. Izumo had stopped drying glasses too, and he looked at you with concern.

“Is something the matter?”

“No I...I'm fine, just tired.”

It was a sorry excuse, but somehow you felt like you'd be an idiot if you said anything. You had no confirmation that it was Fushimi who had been following you around, and there was also the chance that it had just been coincidence. Maybe it wouldn't happen again. Even if it did though, how could you possibly prove yourself to Mikoto and everyone else if you couldn't even defend yourself? It was the reason why he shared his Aura in the first place...

As you headed home alone despite your nerves, you were acutely aware of how quiet the streets had become. It was coming close to Christmas, so was there really any reason for it to be so, frankly, abandoned out here? Once the bar was far behind you, you could only hear your own footsteps and breathing, the splashing of the odd small puddle left over from the afternoon rain as well.

The train station wasn't too far, and you just kept thoughts in mind of curling up with some peeled oranges at the kotatsu, safe around the presence of your frail but fiercely protective mother. Seriously, if anyone tried to face her you knew she would put up a damn good fight. Whether she would end up winning or not, well...

SPLASH!

Instantly, you went rigid, heart skipping like a jumpy record. You'd already passed by that big puddle, and yet somehow it had ended up making a sound again. As you carried on walking nervously, you started to pick up on something else too.

Tip...tap...tip...tap...

Footsteps. Footsteps, trying to match up with your own, but not always managing what with your uneasily staggering gait. You looked ahead frantically now, seeing the station in the distance, but still stuck on this eerie street for now. You only had to reach it and you would be safe!

Yet something set in. A hopelessness, or maybe a neediness. Like you just had to know who this really was, and why they were after you. It was the dumbest thing, and yet you stopped in your tracks and looked down into the puddle by your feet. There, as the waters became still, you saw him reflected.

Glasses. Frayed hair. A smug expression that could only be worn by someone specifically designed to piss off Yata.

“Wh...Why are you doing this?” you blurted out in a mouse-like voice, still only viewing him through the water. Somehow, when you didn't actually turn around it made it easier to talk at all.

“...” he didn't say anything at first, before he finally let out a soft, knowing chuckle. The sound of it was haunting, especially considering the atmosphere.

“-I sometimes wonder that myself. Why do I have such an urge to capture you?”

Capture me!?

“I suppose it could be compared to desperately wanting to take a photograph, or preserve something precious within a safe. I just...have to have it. Have to have you.”

Fushimi took another pause, before smiling much more widely.

“Turn around [Y/N].”

Every nerve was screaming no, begging you to run instead, but you were playing the idiot tonight and you did what he said. When you turned around you jumped a little, gasping when you noticed just how closely he was standing behind you. He hadn't seemed that close in the water.

“Y-you're Fushimi...aren't you?” you managed to squeak out, and his head tilted slightly, glasses catching the moon briefly again before clearing and showing those dark and menacing eyes. There was a lust in them that you could spy, one that sent chills rushing up from the base of your back.

“Did Misaki tell you that? Ah...” he spoke in an almost enamored sort of tone. “I should have expected as much. He loves to bitch and whine when he loses, but I hope he didn't give you a bad impression of me.”

“A-a bad impression!?” you summoned up just a little more courage, “Coming from the guy who's literally stalking me!”

“Well that's a harsh term.” he clicked his tongue, and suddenly took a step up towards you. You cowered back, and he merely smiled sinisterly as he started to walk in slow circles around your effectively trapped figure. “I've only acted this way because I love you. And I want you. Can that be called 'stalking', or should it be called 'romance'?”

Love. He just came out and said it. Nobody at HOMRA had ever told you they loved you, not even Yata.

“It's such a perfect night for this...” he came to a stop behind you, before leaning down and allowing his hot breath to tickle the edge of your ear, in contrast with the sharp late night air, “The moon is almost full and beautiful, and you, of course, look perfect.”

You shivered violently, but didn't move, not even as his arms slipped around you from the back and pulled you taut to his chest. It was like fear was keeping you glued to your spot, and you didn't even manage to say a word before he carried on talking:

“You barely know me, but I already know a lot about you, and it wasn't word of mouth from some uninformed idiot. I've been observing you obsessively, and before you ask, no, my boss didn't ask me to. Call it overtime. I wished to analyze every detail of your life, of you. Feel free to call it twisted, I'm well aware that it is. But I just can't seem to find myself caring...”

Of all the insanity you had faced before in your life, this topped it. You wouldn't call Fushimi an asshole, no. Psychopath was a more fitting term.

“...S...so what do you intend to do with me?” you asked, feeling the weight of his head as he rested his chin down on your shoulder, comparatively a fair bit taller than you were (and probably most others too).

“I'll take you with me, and make sure you never see HOMRA ever again. Especially not dear Misaki, I'm afraid. I suppose this could be called a kidnapping, but things won't have to get rough if you just do as I say and comply...”

Comply. Throw away this life you had worked so hard for, and waltz off in the arms of a maniac who, for all you knew, might eventually end up killing you anyway. No way, there was no way you could do this! Defiantly now, you thrust your hands down against the side of his arm and tried to get him to let go, but in response he only tightened his grip and made you squeak.

“Is that a no?” he murmured darkly then, and you whimpered, nodding vigorously anyway.

“O-of course it is! There's no way I-I could ever do that!!”

“...Shame...”

His voice came out like a malevolent purr.

“Then I suppose I'll be taking the 10:45 train...”

Your eyes widened, body freezing up again. No, how could he-!?

“I told you [Y/N], I'm well aware of many things about you. Your home address was one of the first items I ticked off my list. Phone number, bank details, blood type, friends and acquaintances...oh, I even know where you got your breakfast this morning. You're an early riser, aren't you~?”

Shutting them now, a couple of tears rolled down your cheeks. This madman knew everything. There was nowhere you could go...

“But even if I didn't have such extensive knowledge at my disposal, I'm very adamant about this, [Y/N]-”

“-!!” your breath hitched harshly as you felt a cold, sharp object suddenly pressing against the underside of your chin, just where your gullet was most fragile. The glowing blue aura reflected up into your frightened, fawn-like eyes, and you realized just how willing he truly was.

“It's as the old adage goes...”

His lips smirked darkly, as they pressed right up against your ear.

“If I can't have you, then no-one will...”