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Ryu keeled over, his hands clutching his chest as blood leaked out from the wound inflicted upon him.
"H...Haruka..." Ryu weakly gasped, looking up at her helplessly.
Miss Killer looked down at the wounded man. "How many times must I say it? I am not Haruka! I am Miss Killer! And today, I'm going to live up to that name!"
She sank her blood-soaked dagger into Ryu again, ending his life forever.
From his throne, Black Shadow laughed as Miss Killer turned towards him. "Excellent, Miss Killer." he said, his voice booming. "He was just another obstacle in my way that has been destroyed."
Miss Killer raised an eyebrow. "You mean an obstacle in my way? You told me he was the last thing blocking my servitude to you."
Black Shadow grinned, sending a chill down Miss Killer's spine. "Did I ever say you were going to have a part in the fruition of my plans?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You have removed Ryu Suzaku. That was your goal the entire time. I now have no further need of you."
Her eyes went wide. "Wait... Black Shadow! Please, reconsider!"
He gave no response as a glass tube came down around Miss Killer, effectively isolating her. As she pounded on the glass, steam began to fill the tube, and she could feel it seeping inside her body.
"The universe is mine to recreate. I alone shall witness the birth of my new universe!" Black Shadow said as the steam enveloped her.
As Miss Killer's body started to freeze, she let out one last gasp, a final plea that would ultimately go unanswered.
"Black Shadow!"
Haruka sat up abruptly with a shriek. She quickly glanced around the room, only to see that she was no longer on the Dark Million's warship. Instead, she was in Ryu's bedroom. Instead of her Miss Killer attire, she was donning a white tank top and pink sweatpants.
She kicked the covers off and swung her legs over the edge, resting her feet on the floor. Gripping the bed, she tried to think happy thoughts in an attempt to banish the nightmare and steady her heartbeat. However, her efforts were futile, as any thoughts she conjured were somehow chained together in a way that led her mind back to the Dark Million. To Black Shadow.
To Miss Killer.
She put her face in her hands and made a noise that was somewhere between a groan and a squeak.
"Haruka...?" she heard, and she lifted her face out of her hands and turned to see Ryu sitting up, rubbing his right eye. "Is everything alright...?"
"I... It's nothing. I'm fine." she said as she turned her head to look at the floor, falling back into her old habit of keeping herself emotionally locked away.
She had forgotten that she gave Ryu the key to that lock.
"I know it's not nothing." he said softly as he moved across the bed to sit next to her, gently rubbing her back. She leaned on his shoulder, and he gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close in a warm hug.
"Ryu..." she breathed.
"I will always be here, Haruka. Until death do we part, and from beyond the grave, I will always be with you. No matter what." Ryu softly promised, still rubbing her back.
Haruka had to fight back tears. How was this idiot always able to talk his way through the barriers she put up?
No. Miss Killer would've thought Ryu was an idiot.
Haruka is not Miss Killer.
"So tell me..." Ryu continued. "What's wrong...?"
The ex-assassin let out a slow exhale. "I-in my dream, I..."
He remained silent, and she nervously swallowed before continuing. "I killed you... In cold blood... I was Miss Killer, working for Black Shadow, and I murdered you... And I wasn't even useful to Black Shadow after that... He...he froze me in carbonite after my job was done..."
Ryu exhaled, holding his wife even closer as she buried her face into his chest.
"Black Shadow is dead..." Ryu breathed as they embraced each other. "He will never hurt you again... Everything will be alright, Haruka."
"Ryu..." Haruka breathed, sniffling as she fought back her tears again.
"It's okay to cry." he said. "Cry as much as you need to. I'm here."
Closing her eyes, she quietly wept into his chest as he gently rubbed her back. The two of them remained like this for a while, until Haruka eventually stopped crying. She looked at him, her eyes a little puffy.
"Ryu...? Am I going to be okay...?" she asked.
"What do you mean...?"
"I... What if Black Shadow returns? What if he makes me Miss Killer again?" Haruka asked. "What if I actually murder you? What if I-"
Ryu silenced her with a kiss to her lips, and after a moment she closed her eyes and returned the kiss. They remained that way for a few moments, before slowly breaking it.
"You won't become Miss Killer." Ryu said. "I swear it."
"How do you know that...?"
"Didn't I tell you? I'll be there. I'll always be there."
Haruka looked away silently.
"...Are you afraid?" Ryu hesitantly inquired.
She remained silent for a few moments before diffidently saying "Yes." Her attention was then caught by him laying back down on their bed.
"Come." Ryu said. "Rest. Lay your head on my chest. Perhaps my beating heart will soothe you."
Haruka couldn't help but giggle a little. "You sounded like Bart for a moment... At least, based off of what I heard about him."
"Did I?"
"Yeah."
"I suppose his charm rubbed off on me a little... In any case, I meant what I said."
Haruka nodded before gently laying down on Ryu, her head resting right on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat as he pulled the covers over the two of them, and he gently rubbed her back as they rested, snuggling each other for several minutes.
"Hey... Haruka?" Ryu asked.
"Mmm?"
"Would it be too soon to say I found your whole 'Miss Killer' thing kind of sexy when I first realized it was you?"
"Yes. Too soon."
Ryu chuckled. "Fair enough..."
She cutely yawned, before clinging to him a little bit tighter. "I think I'm getting sleepy again... Thanks for staying awake with me..."
"You're welcome, Haruka... Sweet dreams."
"They will be, when you're there."
"I see you kept your smooth tongue."
"I thought I said 'Too soon.'"
Ryu couldn't help but crack a smile when he saw Haruka's pout. "Let's just get to sleep before we spend the night arguing. Goodnight, Haruka."
"Goodnight, Ryu..."
Ryu's eyes closed first, leaving Haruka awake by herself. But this time, listening to his heartbeat while his arms were wrapped around her, she knew she wasn't alone this time.
She fell asleep not long after, eagerly following her beloved husband into dreamland.