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Yoru's quick to notice the little things. She's always had that skill.
From Asa waking up having faced to the right in her sleep to her packing just the tiniest bit more food with her before heading off to school, she's able to watch intensely in her spectral position within the girl.
She's got a keen eye on her motions, too. The way she walks, her arms swaying forward and back around an inch or two more than they normally do, the way her knuckles grip tightly at the door to Yuko's classroom, the easing of her body as she positions herself on the desk of her friend and talks to her.
Indeed, it seems Asa's been taken over by a longing, maybe even a love for her companion.
Yoru didn't fail to notice her admiration in the words Yuko left her with the day prior to them being attacked by the bat devil. How she wanted to live knowing as long as her heart was in the right place she'd try anything. She also didn't fail to notice the girl's look of wonder as she raced back to the school with the blonde girl, each with only one shoe on.
Sure, it could've been out of friendship, platonic relations held a certain intimacy to them some romantic relations didn't. Yet there was something so significant about Asa's changes in routine and behavior, even if they were all small.
In a way, it reminded Yoru of the past.
She'd never been one for affection, as war was essentially the opposite of all warmth and love, and yet she would never deny Makima's hand intertwining with her own.
The way the woman would look at her, gold eyes gleaming as they sat at the bar or walked in the streets together at night. The woman could control her at any and all a time, and yet she chose not to. She wanted someone who was her equal. Yoru was her equal.
"I don't get you..." Yoru would mutter, only to be silenced with a kiss. She'd grumble about it, but Makima knew too well the other woman's secret adornment of softness.
"What's there to get?" Makima would reply, her sweet and deceiving smile painted across her face.
How Yoru let it fool her was her deepest regret.
"I'm uh... I'm dating Yuko now. So don't go forcing me to kill her, okay?!"
Asa scrunched up her firsts, lowering her head as she made her request to her other self. Yoru leaned against the bedframe in amusement.
"Really? Asa, for god sake you've known her for 3 weeks, don't you think its a bit early?"
"M-maybe... but we're testing things out okay? S-she's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"Aweee~" Yoru purred, making her way over, she lifted Asa's jaw with a hand and brought it out from under to pet her head, "Well aren't you just the cutest thing! Head over heels and so thankful to have your very first friend! Oh, I mean girlfriend!"
"Yoruuu..." Asa whined, but her flushed expression betrayed her annoyance. The war devil figured teasing would do no good. She lowered herself to the bed and crossed her arms, "I won't force you to kill her, but keep your public displays of affection to a minimum, understand?"
In an instant, the other girl's eyes gleamed, "Really?!" She gasped.
"...Really." Yoru sighed, and was jumped in an instant.
As she brought her arms around the girl slowly, she hoped she wouldn't come to regret this decision, too.
After Asa's confession, not much had changed between the two. While it was true Yoru was still eagerly pushing the girl to grow a spine and have some confidence, they remained on good enough terms.
Asa too had also agreed to the war devil's terms, and did not share any affection with Yuko unless the two were alone. Then, it was usually Yoru hiding away for an hour or two while the two girls talked of this and that until Yuko left.
While it was true Yoru wasn't fond of the girl, she could tolerate her. She'd never admit to it, but Asa's happiness was something she she had begun to care for. She wanted her to thrive, to live, to enjoy life as she hadn't before.
And she wanted this as its what she had deprived herself of when with Makima.
"The truth is, I've built all this up. This entire relationship, you and I... we're not equals."
The words broke her. Stung. Yoru, devil of war.
Finally, Makima's nature had come out. Cold and calculated, every single thing she did. Even her love was just a tool used in order for Yoru to side with her. And judging by Makima's expression and mannerisms, it had always been that way.
"So..." The war devil started, her throat dry, emotions of sorrow threatening to overtake her as she desperately tried to hide them, "So you were just using me?"
"I was." The response is far too immediate for her liking, but whats worse is what comes after.
"I'm sorry, I've hurt you, haven't I?"
"You-" Yoru started, then stopped, knowing Makima would take advantage of any sorrowful word said after. Instead, she chose to bite back, "You idiot..."
"Mmm..." Was all Makima hummed, and crossed her legs, hands folded in her lap. God, how could she be so calm about this?
Yoru left her apartment soon after, and she never once looked back, or ever returned to it for that matter.
"Asa, are you awake?" She whispers. No response.
Yoru huffs and extends a hand, shaking the girl by her shoulder. Asa whines and stirs, her other hand coming up to lazily rub her eye.
"Wha? What is it Yoru...?"
She mumbles, the war devil rolls on her side, facing away. She figures now is a good time to be honest, especially considering the fears that have been growing due to Yuko's presence. With a sigh, she decides to ease into the conversation.
"Can we... talk?"
"...Yoru... its like... 3AM... this couldn't wait until morning...?
Though she grows annoyed at this, Yoru bites back her irritation.
"No, it couldn't. I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you somehow later, alright?"
"...Alright. Uhm... go ahead then, I guess... talk..."
The reassurance from Asa is a bit comforting. Yoru takes one final breath and goes on.
"I used to love someone."
Staring up at the ceiling, Yoru allows herself to be vulnerable. She hasn't given herself the luxury in a long while.
Asa rolls to face her, propping herself up on an elbow, "Really? You of all people are like... the last person I'd expect to hear that from."
"Hey!" The devil bites back, but crosses her arms, hands laying over her heart, "Its not like our kind is above your human emotions... we feel things just like any of you."
Asa smirks, rolling so her back faces away from her other self.
"I'll believe it."
But Yoru's not convinced.
The topic never reached further than that. Yoru let it go, she felt it was enough to tell.
Asa in turn didn't pry, though the war devil believed it was because they had had the conversation while Asa was still relatively sleepy. Whether this was the entire reason or not Yoru didn't really know, but it was dropped.
She would continue to watch the girls go about their days though, and while PDA never reached an intolerable level, there were still times where Yoru felt the pain. It was a hard pill to swallow, watching Asa and Yuko go about their days happily. They talked about their futures, they walked to school together, running if they were late. They biked, they shopped, they swam. They did it all and Yoru watched.
Watched silently and remembered what she once had.
The pain over Makima had long since numbed her completely, yet the regrets still stayed. Its what persisted in her observance of Asa and Yuko, what held her in bitterness and jealousy. She did not and would not ever want the control devil back in her life again, and yet she still wanted what she had with the woman again because of the girls' relationship. Yoru hated herself for it, she did.
But even if she had been swallowed in the despair of their relationship, she did not attempt to break them up. She couldn't. Yoru had sworn to herself Asa's happiness mattered, and it mattered all the more now that she finally had someone she loved and cared for in her life.
Though the girl was but a mere puppet to Yoru, she had found herself wanting to look after her. Much to her shock, she could not do harm to their relationship,
So, she stood by and watched them, despite all the past memories.