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Maki stepped closer to the lump on the red stained floors. Her shoes were getting soaked with cold blood, but she couldn’t care less. She needed to see her. She needed to hold her, touch her, feel her.
Nobara laid there in front of her. Strands of her hair were stuck to her face. Her mouth slightly agape and her unharmed eye remained open. It was a sight most people couldn't handle—but Maki has seen some things throughout her life. She couldn’t decide if it was impressive that she wasn’t puking on the spot, or depressing that she couldn’t even conjure up a single tear.
She lets herself fall to her knees, setting down the cursed object in her hands. Slipping her hands under Nobara’s body, Maki slides her around so that her lap is supporting her head. She cringes slightly when Nobara’s head lolls to the side, lifeless.
’I respect you, Maki-san’
’That so?’
Maki cups Nobara’s face in her slightly trembling hands. She wishes she had more time. She wishes she had more time with Nobara before all this happened. She wishes she was here for her. Maybe Nobara wouldn’t be stone cold dead on the floor of a Shibuya train station floor if Maki had trusted her gut and followed her. The eerie silence around them made it feel like time had stopped, that no matter how long Maki held Nobara close to her, no more people would die, and no more people would get hurt until she let go.
Lowering her forehead onto Nobara's, Maki can feel the hardened blood stain her own skin. She lifts her arm to gently shut Nobara’s eye. Her touch is so feather light that she’s worried if she’ll be able to actually do it.
Gently sliding Nobara off of her lap, Maki sets her down gently on the floor. She fixes her position so that she’s lying down straight, arms at her side. Maki vaguely remembers walking into Nobara’s room and finding her sleeping like she was about to be placed in a casket. It was a funny and endearing memory before, but now Maki would rather not remember.
Maki stands back up and takes one last look at Nobara. It’s terrifying to think that this might be the last time she sees her. Maki has never believed in avenging someone, but she decides at that moment that she’ll live. Live for her.