Yuri

I look up and see the clouds crawl lazily through the sky, turning faint shades of orange and pink. The sun is setting already? Did I really talk to Noda for that long? It seems like the sun likes to leave this world's sky earlier every day. I don't blame it, I wouldn't want to either. It's honestly felt like years have passed since I found him lying in the grass and started talking to him. I don't think I've ever actually talked to the guy since he came, as far as I remember. He's stuck by me since then and it's been alright, I guess. Noda may be a complete and absolute idiot but he is dependable, strong, sometimes even kind. All he ever focused on was me, I guess. Until she came here and I saw him in a whirlwind of emotions that I've never seen before. It's kind of amusing to see him all angry and flustered like that, to see him care about someone else. He'll NEVER admit it, of course. But the talk we had just now? I think he's coming around to finally facing his true feelings.

I watch him turn to face the sun and stare down at his hands, thinking deeply. I stifle a small chuckle; I've never seen him think, either. So many firsts have happened since Sayumi came here. It's quite breath-taking once you think about it. Looking at Noda's hands, I realize all I've ever seen them hold is his halberd. He definitely must have held many things he loved in those hands when he was alive- his parents' and his friends' when he was young, his favorite toys, his schoolbag... he must have held her hands too, wanting to protect them. I clench my own hands, remembering the three pairs of small hands I failed to protect. My heart squeezed itself in response. I don't want to wish that pain on anyone. Everyone's pain is different but everyone suffers.

I shake my head a little to get rid of painful thoughts. "Well?" I prodded Noda. "When will you go and talk to her? Should we set you up? Do it all TV show-like and bring in lights and emotional music?" He turns back around with a reproachful look. "I would totally do that for YOU and only you." To my astonishment, he gets down on one knee, picks a blade of grass, and ties it into a ring. "Yuri Nakamura, will you let me be in your service for the rest of forever? Will you let me fight for you til the end of time? I swear to be loyal and faithful in every way." Noda proffers the grass ring in the palm of his hand. I stare down at him in utter disbelief until I can see the sweat beading on his forehead. He groans and begs, "C'mon, say something. My knee is killing me." I take the ring, place it on his head, and punch him in the face. He yelps while falling back and I being to kick him repeatedly. "You are-" Kick. "SUCH a-" Kick. "Fucking-" Kick. "Idiot!" KICK. "I can't believe I just spent what felt like 4 years trying to talk some sense into you! You really are dumb!" I kick him one last time for good measure, and relish in the groans and moans that occur. "W-WHY?" Noda coughs out. "I wanted to p-prove to you how devoted to y-you I am!" I cross my arms over my chest and glare. "You can't seriously be professing some weird kind of 'love' to me when you already had- no, have- someone who's important to you! Don't play around!" I puff angrily. Noda coughs some more and sits up. "W-what do you m-mean?" His face is so confused and pisses me off even more. "I really do have to spell it out for an idiot like you. Your childhood friend! You guys were super close. Really close, I'm sure." I hit the top of his head with the edge of my hand. He blinked a few times and understanding hit him like a truck. Sorry Hinata, I apologize in my head. "OH. Yeah we were, are? Were? Childhood friends. Best friends. I... I really cared for her. A lot. We basically grew up together. But that's all we were," he finally says slowly. I myself blink a few times in incredulity. "I'm sorry, what?"

Did I seriously think for a little while that this dumb-as-rocks guy was in love with Sayumi?! Did I... misinterpret things?

Now where is Shiina when you really need her to say her classic "This is so stupid" line?

"Yeah. A lot of kids at school, we were together I left in high school, thought we liked each other and teased us about getting married and other crap. She never liked it and I told her to leave it and not to care what some dumbass kids thought. High school was when everything went to shit for her," Noda explains. He shifts into a squatting position and runs one hand through his hair. "I thought I could protect her from that. In the end, I couldn't even protect her from herself. The fact that we're both here in this world shows it, I guess." I, for one, am amazed that he's able to talk freely without any reservations in front of me of all people. So it WASN'T love or anything romantic. It was purely platonic. A deep, sibling-like friendship. Childhood friends are a special kind of love and friendship and having heard his words, it's clear he doesn't want to lose her again. She doesn't want to lose him too, if I'm guessing correctly.

I plop down on the grass again in front of Noda. "It looks like I misunderstood for a little bit here. She's your friend and you're her friend. We need those in this world because no one wants to be lonely. You need to go make up with her. I'll talk to Iwasawa and figure something out. I hope things work out well. BUT she still can't come back to fight with us unless she promises to listen to orders. Understand?" On that issue do I hold my resolve. If Sayumi does end up coming back to the SSS, I don't want her to go batshit insane again. Noda nods almost immediately. "Yessir. If she even lets me talk to her." A sudden realization forms in my head. I'm talking to an idiot who is kind of obsessed with me and follows my orders religiously. "Now remember, you are doing this for you. Not because I asked or pressured you to. So this means, you have to be completely comfortable doing this. I'll hold off on Iwasawa. Don't actually go soon or even right now. You have to go on your own time," I attempt to make him realize. He nods again. "Yeah, I get it. I don't want to be doing this kind of thing pretty soon anyway, so I'll give it some time."

By this point the sun has completely set, and the field is dark. The lights around the school grounds slowly light one by one, and a breeze blows by. We stand back up and head towards the administration building. I'm walking with a slight spring in my step, clasping my hands behind my back. I could feel Noda's eyes on me as I get farther away. I never would have thought his usual idiot self would ever agree to go talk to his estranged, kind of deranged childhood friend. I never would have thought a lot of things, but then God made me come to this world. Hell wouldn't be a school, would it? Forgetting the school, fighting against one of his angels is fucking hell enough for me.

I smile slightly to myself. I'm glad we had this conversation and made him come to his senses. Noda was one of the first kids to show up here, after Hinata and I founded the SSS. We've been through a lot together and he decided for himself to "be loyal and faithful". Never mind the part when I thought things used to be lovey-dovey between them. Maybe the both of them can finally move on from being angry and snappish at each other all the time. It was getting really annoying, I won't lie. But the real question is, what will happen when they finally settle things? What will God, Angel, and this world do to them?

In the meantime, let's move on to our next objective. More weapons and ammunition are needed, so the mission to go to the Guild is of utmost importance. It's mission time.

Noda

I watch as my beloved Yuri keeps a few steps ahead of me, her dark silhouette slowly contrasting sharper against the brightness of the field lights. Her hair sways in the breezes that occasionally pass. I want to engrave this sight into my brain and keep it forever.

My hands are stuck in my pockets and I start thinking about what Yuri said. Rather, what she said she thought. Love? How could I love someone like that? Yuri is the only one I can say I love. Besides, I spent so much time together with that person there wasn't any room for that nonsense. Then she got so toxic and I finally had to call it quits after struggling for a while. Back then I saw I couldn't even try to help her anymore. She stopped letting me in. She stopped being the girl I used to know. She stopped being my friend. And she claims I left her first.

Since I first saw her enter headquarters I knew shit would hit the fan. Hearing about what she did and that Yuri kicked her out, I maliciously thought it served her right. It had me thinking she was destined to fuck up no matter where she ends up, in life or death. I thought God brought her to this world to punish her. But if God is punishing her here, then what is he doing to the rest of us? What are we here in this world for? We've done nothing but fight against Angel this whole time. There can't be any other meaning. Yuri is fighting against God and Angel because of how awful her life was. We're all fighting with her. There can't be any meaning other than what Yuri says. I spent all this time in this world for Yuri and there's no way I'm leaving. I might be an idiot who doesn't do well with smarts and other school-type shit, but I stick to what I've already decided.

"Yuri. I have a favor to ask." She stops mid skip and turns around, a quizzical look on her face. "A favor? You're asking a favor? I thought I'd never see the day. What do you want?" We both know it's rare of me to ask favors from Yuri, even rarer from anyone else. She suddenly looks apprehensive and says hurriedly, "I'm not gonna go on a date with you if that's it." I wish! Only in my dreams would I dare ask her on a date. What great dreams they are, too. Shaking my head, I said, "Let me talk to Iwasawa first and ask a few things. I don't want to talk to that- Sayumi until I understand a little of what she's thinking. Or I'll try to, I dunno." It feels really fucking unsettling to say her name out loud. I surprised even myself with that one. I've never said or even thought her name in the last months I was alive, not even once. I definitely don't want to again, not for a while.

A silence stretches between us into the coming night. Yuri is the first to break it. "Wow," she remarks, tilting her head. Ugh, she's so fucking cute. "That's a bunch of firsts for you. Saying her name out loud AND wanting to actually talk to someone else? The fuck happened to you, man?" I snort. "Don't joke around. I'm serious here. I may have known that dumbass for practically my whole life but she became a totally different person after that incident. I don't really know her anymore. She hangs around with the band and Shiina sometimes, right? GirlDeMo is a better chance than that creepy ninja." Yuri looks up and around at the night sky, her eyes searching for something and then fixing on one point. I follow where she's looking- it's the moon. It's a half moon tonight, and it's bright even with the field lights on. I look back at Yuri and I know she's thinking hard. She has a certain look whenever she thinks seriously about something, I love it. She's so smart, and I'm not. But that's okay as long as I get to fight with her and be by her side. Because I'm just an idiot.

"Alright, I can work with that," Yuri finally replies. She looks right at me and my heart skips a beat. "You'll talk to Iwasawa before talking to Sayumi and you'll try your best to put to rest whatever shit you both have." She points a decisive finger at me with determination written on her face. "And that's an order, Noda you idiot!" I immediately accept her orders. "Yes, ma'am!"

Some of the other kids say I follow Yuri like a puppy would. But I don't really care what the other little shits think of me. I only truly care about one person right now, and I will gladly follow her to heaven or hell or anywhere in between. That's right, I'm an idiot.

Hello again! Chapter 15 is finally done with an even 2400 words! Thanks for reading! It was definitely some work since I had to reread DAOEM from the start since I forgot a ton of shit lmao. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, actually, and I really really hope you enjoyed it. As always, feel free to leave reviews on this and other chapters! My other stories, too. You can also always PM me.

Chapter 16 will be up by 11:59pm, March 31st. Please look forward to it! I'm finally going back to Shiina, but I don't think she'll be the only one we see in the next chapter. Shiina's still important in regards to Sayumi, so we'll see what happens from here on out.

See you at the end of March!

-Rin 2/25/19