Chapter Text
Peko looked up at the sky. She'd been sitting with Fuyuhiko on the beach for a while now. They had previously had quite a meaningful conversation about how life was going on the island, their opinions on their... supposed classmates, the current situation in general. A smile tugged at the corners of Peko's lips. she didn't usually smile, but the thought of having a somewhat normal conversation with her young master. A sudden weight landed heavily on her lap, causing her to jolt. She looked down. Fuyuhiko lay motionless on her lap. Every instinct begged her to check for a pulse, but instead she decided to checked for a verbal response.
"Young master?"
.
..
...
No response. Well not verbally. Soft snores started to drift from the sleeping Yakuza's body. Of course he was asleep. She couldn't blame him. It was late already, stars were beginning to appear. She should probably take him back to his room. Huh. This moment reminded her of a similar night in the past. When they were around 13 years old. Peko stayed up helping Fuyuhiko train as he made rants about how hard it was to inherit the clan. They eventually stopped training and just talked. Like normal teens for the first time. She listened. She always listened. He asked her a few questions but she supposed She took so long and he fell asleep on her lap. A perfect momento. She did get scolded after for having 'an intimate relationship with her master,' as Mr Kuzuryuu put it, but it was worth it. She hummed. Her eyes began to shift to Fuyuhiko. It wouldn't hurt to stay like this a little longer, right? There was nothing planned for tomorrow and she was hoping there wouldn't be a kill anytime soon after they witness the execution of Hanamura. It was enough to hopefully scare anyone out of killing. Spending five more minutes with her young master was alright. She could argue she was protecting him if this whole thing was set up by the Kuzuryuu clan anyway.
Peko smiled to herself. It wasn't often that she would get time to herself to think things over. Her fingers combed through Fuyuhiko's short blonde hair. It was almost like a substitute to a small animal, since they all seemed to run from her. This would still do though.
The salty sea air blew a few loose strands of hair out of her face. Peko began to get tired herself now. She would return Fuyuhiko to his room and return to her own to sleep. More salty wind blew into her face but now there was a noticeable change in temperature. It was significantly colder. And... something was off. There was a sudden shift in mood that she couldn't change, a difference she couldn't place her finger on.
.
..
...
This...
This isn't real. Is it?
You were executed Peko. Remember? You couldn't save him, could you?
.
..
...
Wake up.
?
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Senses. Her senses came flooding in. It was her hearing first. The distant sound of beeping coming from some sort of monitor. So close yet so far. Next was her smell. The stubborn scent of rubbing alcohol and cleaning products, as well as something else that lingered in the air, old and unforgiving. Touch came soon after. She felt like she was laying down in something soft and comfortable, but not very pleasant at all; everything ached. Her head was spinning, her mouth was dry and her throat was sore as if she hadn't spoken for years. Strands of matted gray hair surrounded her like an ocean of unnecessary burden. She wasn't sure what time taste returned. There was nothing to taste. But she was very sure her sight came last.
Peko Pekoyama opened her eyes again for the first time. The light above her, far too bright and even more confusing with the green tint, but all that discomfort let her know she was alive. She didn't die from being stabbed by hundreds of identical swords, though she was sure she did. Whatever this was, wherever she was, she wasn't in the afterlife. She was alive. And there was no other place she could be but on earth. But how? How could this be? Was it all fiction? Where was Fuyuhiko? Was he safe? Was he even alive?
A familiar face came into view. Although blurred by green coloured glass surrounding her, it was unmistakable. Short blonde hair, freckles, sandy hazel eyes... Sandy hazel eye. Only one was the colour she remembered. The other was a glassy blue. Blue? That didn't add up. It couldn't be. It just wasn't possible. There was this expression on his face as well, was he, scared? Scared of her? She blinked. It was gone. He was gone. And she was left staring into the light above. She could feel her consciousness slipping again. All she could make out was indistinct chatter before everyone faded into black again...
Peko's eyes fluttered open. That damn light. She would never get used to it. After her eyes adjusted she noticed yet another face staring at her. Was it? No. This was a female yet just as familiar. Long purple coloured hair in uneven length, Tsumiki?
"Eek!" Mikan exclaimed. "S-sorry for staring Pekoyama! I-I w-was just running a few tests!" She spluttered.
Recognisable stutter. Definitely the Mikan Tsumiki she remembered. Peko attempted to ask what was happening before she was interrupted.
"Can you move your fingers Pekoyama?"
After being released from the strange capsule, Peko spent the next hour doing physical tests with Mikan, which mostly consisted for checking her basic motor skills. The results showed that Peko was mostly fine but would be spending the next weeks in the hospital to hopefully recover. Throughout the hour, there was no sign of him at all, but he was still on her mind. She'd only recently woken but he always came first. Even before herself, which everyone realised during her 'execution'. Maybe she was imagining things when she first saw his face. Time was still an illusion to her. Soon the sun was setting and there really wasn't much to do. Sonia stopped by for a moment to help Mikan with delivering medicines. But apparently from that, no other people came in at all. Peko figured she'd be seeing more of her in the following week. It wasn't long before she felt consciousness slipping away again.
All was still and not a single thing stirred however Peko still jerked awake in a cold sweat. Being alone in a sterile hospital room was not something anyone wanted to experience, especially after being comatose. But she wasn't alone. She was sure someone was watching. But this was not Mikan Tsumiki. Not a girl at all. Short blonde hair. Freckles. Sandy hazel eyes... Sandy hazel eye. The other was blue. Confusing still, but that wasn't what made her skin crawl. It was how those eyes pierced directly into her soul, how she saw him whisper her name. There was no doubt. This had to be Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu.