"I'm sorry but... Can you tell me where I am please?"

"This is the DWMA. I'm  afraid it took us a while to find you, Asura had you hidden quite well,  so I'm not sure how long he had you frozen like that. Until we get  things figured out, please let us take care of you here in Death City.  Now if you could be so kind as to tell us where you are from?" His calm  voice would be soothing if not for the confusion at his words.

"DWMA? What is the DWMA?  Also, what and where is this Death City? I'm afraid I haven't heard of  such a place before." Looking at the boy with wide (e/c) eyes, I  wondered why he looked so shocked at my questions. "Wait... Who is Asura  and why would Asura hide me?"

"Please excuse me for a  moment, I need to talk with someone. I'll be back as soon as I can."  With one last glance towards me, he walked out of the room, closing the  door behind him.

I wonder if I said something wrong?

--------

After some time had  passed and the strange boy came back, I found out that more time had  passed while I was frozen in that witch's curse than anyone had  expected, having been in that timeless state for over 800 years while I  was hidden away from the world. Although it meant that some things were  lost to me forever, I had no choice but to accept that this was how  things were.

The hardest thing to  accept was that Asura had been the real name of my friend from so long  ago and that he'd done so many horrible things. That information had  been heartbreaking to learn but I had to move on and not wallow in the  sorrow of learning my friend had fallen so far simply because he'd  feared everything. Everything but me.

--------

Death the Kid, the one  who had found and helped to release me, offered me a place in his home  until I could find a place of my own in this strange city. After a few  days I had managed to find work assisting the strange school he'd  mentioned before, the DWMA, working in the nurse's office. At least my  skills were still useful, even this far into the future of my world.

During my time off,  between searches for a place to call home, I put in much effort to keep  his home clean. I'd noticed his tendency towards symmetry and, trying to  be a polite guest, tried to keep things as organized and aligned as I  could. I'd even taken to carrying a ruler around, often using it when  setting the table for meals or putting dishes away after washing them.

Over time I found myself  organizing the nurses office with the same exacting measurements, often  without even thinking about it. The small grin on Kid's face when he  payed a visit made the extra work I did worth it.

--------

I had finally found a  place that I would be able to afford on my own, a small apartment but  one that I could call home. Although I would miss being able to see Kid  every day, having grown to see him as a close friend, I didn't want to  be a burden to him longer than I had to. Besides, this would be my  chance to invite him over for meals.

Of course, first I would have to get the place and make sure everything was just right before asking him over for a visit.

--------

The look on his face  when I told him I'd gotten the apartment almost made me regret finding  it but at least he'd looked relieved when I told him he would be welcome  to visit once everything was set up. I'd even given him a copy of the  key, asking that he simply notify me first before coming over so I could  have everything cleaned up before he got there.

It had taken a couple  days to get my few belongings unpacked and newly bought furniture placed  in ways that would not agitate Kid when he visited. The look of  contentment on his face when he came over for our first dinner together  since I moved out, was worth the extra time and effort it took,  measuring and remeasuring everything until it was perfect.

--------

It had been months since  I'd moved out on my own and the visits, both to my apartment and to the  nurse's office, grew in frequency. I guess I was not the only one who  had become so accustomed to having someone around outside of work but to  be honest, I really didn't mind him coming over every few days for  dinner or to watch a movie.

I was surprised the  first time someone else asked me to dinner, feeling slightly intimidated  by the attention suddenly being shined upon me by someone I only knew  through work. Asking for some time to think about it, I turned to the  only person I really felt I knew in this city.

"Kid, what do I do? What  should I tell him? I mean, should I say yes? Or should I tell him no? I  don't really know him that well, but maybe he wants to get to know me  and-" The words were rushing out of my mouth at this point, confusion  and uncertainty easily heard in my voice before I was cut off by Kid  suddenly grabbing my shoulders.

"Tell him no. You don't  need to spend time with him. Tell him you already have plans for having  dinner with me." He stared intently into my eyes, the two-tone yellow I  was so used to turning darker as I slowly began to nod, an uneasy  feeling slowly building inside of me.

"O-okay Kid. I'll let  him know I'm not available for anything outside of work related stuff."  Seeing his eyes begin to brighten back up, I gently placed a hand over  one of his, trying to ease whatever tension might be left in him. "Are  you still coming for dinner tonight? I'm making pie for dessert."

--------

After that day, he began  spending even more time around me, sometimes appearing out of nowhere  to glare at any male who happened to be nearby and sending them  scurrying off. After a few weeks of this, most guys avoided being around  me any longer than it took to ask for a bandage.

Only a few of the  students had the guts to do much more than say hi or wave, with a couple  of them showing up regularly in the nurses office due to injuries that  needed to be treated, usually the results of some crazy adventure or a  random fight they got into.

I think the only thing  that saved them from Kid's glare was the fact that they seemed to be  friends of his, but even I could feel the tension begin to build if they  stayed too long or got too friendly with me.

I was beginning to feel trapped.

--------

"I won't allow you to  leave. We need you here too much for you to just move away. I need you  too much. Don't you realize how much I care about you, (y/n)? I love  you! More than Asura ever could have! I won't let you leave me!" The  grip he had on my arms began to tighten and I could feel the bruises  forming already under his hands.

"You're hurting me! Kid,  let go! You don't have the right to stop me!" I could see his weapon's  standing down the otherwise empty street, uncomfortable looks on their  faces as they kept watch for their Meister.

"I have every right to  stop you! If it wasn't for me, you would still be frozen under that  curse's effects, standing hidden in the depths of some cavern where  nobody would find you. Everything you have now is because of me!! And  you dare try to leave without saying anything to me?! Did you really  think I wouldn't find out about it? That it would be so easy to find a  new job somewhere else and simply move away?" I'd never seen his eyes  become so dark, not even when he was raging at some man that dared talk  to me for a few minutes too long or when someone accidentally bumped  into me.

The person I had  considered my friend for so long had become terrifying. Even the twins  in the distance seemed to become uneasy as they kept glancing at us.

"You know, I should  actually thank you for this. It'll make this so much easier for me.  After all, people disappear all the time when moving to a new place,  what with all the witches and thieves slinking about these days. Best of  all, I'll never have to share you with anyone again." The crazed grin  that spread across his face was the last thing I saw before everything  went black, his hand connecting with the back of my head before I could  even see him move.

--------

The yellow-eyed  shinigami stared at the sleeping figure laid out before him, chains  running from wrists to the wall just long enough for her to be able to  reach the center of the room once she woke up again. Smiling happily, he  turned and left the hidden room, locking the door behind him.

"Don't worry, (y/n).  I'll come back soon. I just need to prepare dinner for us, then we can  eat together. I'm making your favorite today! I really hope you eat it  this time! I'd hate to have to force-feed you again. I can't let you  starve after all, not after putting so much effort into keeping you with  me." With a soft laugh, Kid headed for the kitchens.

Shifting restlessly on  the mattress, (y/n) sunk deeper into the nightmares that plagued her,  sleeping or awake. Nobody was around to hear the whimper that escaped  her throat.

Outside, the moon gave off an eerie glow.