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Fuyuhiko sat bolt upright with a yelp, sweat pouring down his forehead and his breathing ragged. "God... fuckin' dammit." He panted. Every night for a week, he'd had the same nightmare about Peko sacrificing herself for him. The worst part was that he knew how easily it could come true. He winced as his bedroom door slammed open, the light from the hallway pouring into the dark room.
"Young Master!? I heard a shout."
"I'm fine. Just a nightmare." He said, repeating the words a few times in his head.
It was just a nightmare.
It was just a nightmare. She's right here in front of you. Alive. Totally fine.
But it was hard to shake the image of her lifeless body on the floor, burned into his mind's eye. It was even harder to shake the thought that it had been his fault. Before he knew it, tears were forming in his eyes.
"Y-Young Master?" Peko gasped, noticing his moment of weakness and walked over to sit on the side of the bed. "If I may be so bold, it might help to calm your nerves to talk about it."
Fuyuhiko gritted his teeth. "It was... about you."
"Me?"
"Yeah... you died." He admitted. "Because of me."
"You... had a nightmare where you killed me?"
"No... not exactly. I was attacked and you protected me. You were stabbed, and, and I..." The tears really started to fall now. "I couldn't protect you."
"Young Master... it is not your job to protect me." Peko said firmly. "If I were to die protecting you, I would die happy."
Fuyuhiko clenched his fists, balling up the cloth underneath. “Don’t talk like that. Ever.”
“Young Master, my duty is to-”
“I don’t give a shit about your duty!” Fuyuhiko cried. “Don’t ever leave me! That’s an order… you can’t… you can’t refuse an order, can you?”
Peko paused and both realised at the same time that this was the first direct order that Fuyuhiko had ever given to Peko.
"Sorry... I didn't mean it like that." Fuyuhiko murmured and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.
"No, you have the right to..."
"No, I don't." Fuyuhiko insisted. "I shouldn't have the right to order you around. It's fucked up."
"In that case..." Peko sighed. "Instead of an order, how about a promise?"
Fuyuhiko looked up at Peko's face, at her melancholy smile and her beautiful red eyes. "I promise not to sacrifice myself unnecessarily."
Fuyuhiko understood the implicit meaning behind her carefully chosen words. If he was about to be killed himself, that wouldn't be an unnecessary sacrifice. Still, it was some comfort to know that she would at least consider her own safety, even if she had to weigh her own life against his and came up short.
“That’s… good enough, I guess.” Fuyuhiko sighed.
“Good. Rest well, Young Master.” Peko bowed and stood up.
“Wait, Peko.” Fuyuhiko called out to her just as she reached the door. “Could you, and this isn’t an order, but… you don’t have to leave.”
“Young Master? What do you mean?”
“...Please don’t leave. Just… stay with me.”
Peko nodded and made her way over to the chair at Fuyuhiko’s desk.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Watching over you.” Peko said, confused.
“You’re gonna sleep in that chair?”
“Where else would you have me sleep?” Peko asked, her eyes moving to the floor.
“Y-Yeah, you’re right, forget I said anything.” Fuyuhiko stammered, his face flushing red. “G’night, Peko.”
“Good night, Young Master.”