A cheshire grin was painted across my face as I turned towards the man, veins in my neck and forehead bulging. "If you'd be so kind," I heard a voice say. It sounded like me, but the register was too low, resonating with a hunger that made me crave more. "As to keep your mitts off my nee-sama. Only I can touch her. If you must, do so with devotion... or don't do it at all."

It took everything I had not to snap. After all, Aki-nee was watching. I'm slowly starting to realise that the beast and I are not separate. We are one and the same, a part of me that has been dormant for 23 years. Or rather sealed and forgotten. I found a sliver of my previous composure and weaved it back into place, softening my grip. "Okay, Mr. Tenant?"

Then I saw it. Something unnatural. A monster fiercer than I have ever felt. Powerful. Restrained. There was a flicker in Fluffy's eye before he sighed. Oi- I was almost eaten alive. But I wasn't backing down. Aki-nee was the prize I was going to keep to myself. This game had to end with my victory.

"You're too young to perish by my hand, so I will overlook this... mistake." He looked at Aki-nee, who hadn't seemed to notice the spark. He let go of her wrist, and I let go of his. A draw.

"You're scaring away customers." Aki-nee sounded peeved, which was honestly more scary than anything else at the moment. At the register, a few high schoolers were shaking in their boots. She glared a nasty glare, like divine retribution straight from the heavens, and dragged us by our collars behind the register. "Deal with this. Now."

Fluffy and I both nodded in unison. "Yes, ma'am."

I put on my award-winning smile and rang up the items while the dude behind me stood there in silence.

"Help me, peasant," I whispered between gritted teeth.

He looked at me with his piercing blue eye. "I can't."

"What do you mean by 'I can't'?"

"I don't know what this strange machine is or how it works."

I was utterly dumbfounded. I quickly turned my attention back to the high schoolers, who now seemed significantly more relaxed, handed them their receipt, and waved as they exited.

When I was sure the customers had left, I let out a cackle. "You really are stupid!"

"Do you want to die?"

Aki-nee stepped in once more. "That's enough, you two! I'll teach Fluffy how to work the register. You focus on helping people find what they need." She turned and tapped the idiot on the forehead with a yogurt. "And if you can do this without starting something else, I'll give you this."

I nodded reluctantly, but my blood was boiling. Why did this stupid-head get to be with Aki-nee all the time! Why was she being so lax with him? Was she replacing me? The blue thread flickered red before returning to its normal cool tone. No, she wouldn't do that. I can't be replaced that easily. The only one closer to her than me is her childhood friend, but that's to be expected. One day, though, I'll take his spot.

The rest of our shift dragged on, with customers fawning over 'the new volunteer' or 'that handsome young man'. Within minutes, he was working the register like a pro, and it infuriated me. But at least my nee-sama wasn't mad at me anymore.

Fewer people started to come, and we knew our shift was coming to a close. All we were doing now was waiting for the night shift crew to take over. I wasn't complaining, though. Every minute they were late was a minute together with my nee-sama. Out of nowhere, the bell on the doors chimed, and the other crew was ready to take over. Aki-nee yoinked us outside and quickly said goodbye. When we had gotten a good pace away, I made a suggestion.

"Aki-nee! It's late. You should let me walk you home." I looked around at the well-lit yet empty street.

"I'll be fine. Fluffy can take me since we're headed in the same direction."

That darned Jerkface! Always getting in my way. Who does he think he is, weaseling his way into my nee-sama's place, sleeping in her spare apartment, eating her food... Gah! Why couldn't it be me?!

I couldn't let them walk together alone. No telling what this creep would try-

I put on my best pout. "Awwww. But I really wanted to walk home together, like we used to."

"We did that because you wouldn't take no for an answer."

I sure didn't! Not with all the kidnappings that were happening in our area. There was no possible way that I was letting her walk by herself at night unattended.

Jerkface butted in. "I'm more than cappable."

For a moment, I could hear the heavens open, and I prayed that God would send divine thunder to strike him down, but I knew that wasn't the case. "No." My gaze was pointed and cold, unwavering and absolute. "Let me walk with Aki-nee. You alone will never be enough."

He looked at me with disdain, amusement briefly flashing across his features. "Is that a challenge, boy?"

Boy?! "We're the same age!"

"Are not."

What kind of response is that? Fine. I'll bite. "Are too."

"Are not."

"Bet. Age on three. 1... 2..."

"24."

"23. Awww, dang it!" I groan and scratch my head in frustration. He looks so stinkin' smug right now, and there's nothing I can do about it. Aki-nee seemed to find some amusement in our very serious duel, so I let it go.

"How about you both walk me home, and we call it a night?"

I was not happy about walking with that mangy creature, but I was elated at the thought of walking my nee-sama home again. "Deal!" My response earned me a disinterested scoff, but it was invalid because of who said it.

"Good." Aki-nee looked forward and started off. I followed behind her, and Jerkface followed me. I hated the feeling of his eyes piercing through the back of my head, but I wasn't going to complain about additional security. My main goal was to get Aki-nee home safe.

I hung back a bit to keep in stride with my nemesis. "I don't like you."

"No one said ya had to, kid."

"I'm not a kid! That snarky attitude is the reason I hate you the most."

"Whatever. I don't want to deal with your kind either, but the woman is helping me for free. And I don't really have a choice."

"So you're just using my nee-san for your own personal gain?"

He glanced at me and smirked. "Yeah. Pretty much."

I stopped. That peasant! I'm going to kill him. Tonight, tomorrow, two days from now. How. Dare. He? No one treats Aki-nee like trash. The string burned red on my finger, and I felt something oddly familiar well up inside me. "Since you want to play, let's make it interesting."

He paused, turning his head in my direction, still watching Aki. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, old man. You have a choice to make." The same deep growl from earlier somehow felt more charged and rugged. I pulled a dual-sided coin out of my back pocket. "Either show some respect to Aki, or go rot away somewhere else."

He glared at me, stilling all the air outside. Aki-nee seemed to be walking in slow motion. "Is that a threat, boy?"

It took every ounce of willpower in me to answer back. The string glew brighter and deeper. "No, Jerkface. It's a promise."

It was silent. Time was stilled, and so was the air. At any moment, our energies could collide. That is, until Aki-nee let out a sudden yelp and grasped her right hand. "What in the world?!"

Snapping my attention to her, less from urgency and more from curiosity, I appeared at her side and noticed a faint bruise on her pinky. The string had returned to a relaxed azure, but there was no denying the damage caused. The question came out dry and tasteless, but still sincere. "Are you okay?"

She looked at me and showed me her pinky. "Looks fine. Don't know how it happened or when, but I only noticed just now because it felt like something burnt me."

Concern was secondary to my shock that she had only just realised the mark. Honestly, I didn't notice before now, either. But here we were, shocked together.

Jerkface spoke up. "It definitely wasn't there before. I would have seen it."

I clutched Aki-nee's hand in horror and hugged her to myself. "Creep. How would you notice? You just stare at her flawless skin all day?"

"No, you imbecle. I've been attatched to her hip ever since I arrived here. She won't let me out of her sight."

Lucky bugger. My eye started to twitch. "Whatever. Let's just go home."

"Home?" Aki-nee said. "You live on the other side of town."

I scratched my head. "Well... funny story. I missed rent two months ago, and my landlady raised the rate. So I moved into your complex a week ago because of the advert in the paper."

The look on Aki-nee's face was something else. A mix of sympathy and annoyance with a sprinkle of confusion. It took her a moment to respond.

"...What?! For a week? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did. Last week I told you that you left your laundry out too long."

"I thought you were psychic or commenting on the wrinkles, Mr. Weirdo!"

"No. I was trying to let you know subtlely. I even left a note."

"It wasn't signed-"

Gasp! I pouted like a little kid. "That explains a lot..."

An unexpected chuckle was heard behind me. "What's so funny, peasant?" I growled.

"The fact that you can't even do the basic things, yet you want to protect her from me. It's pathetic."

For some reason, that stung. That jerk's words resonated within my core, and I hated that. I was gonna show that peon! No matter how big his bark was, my bite was stronger. I wanted to snap back, but my nee-sama touched my shoulder.

"That's enough," she said. "I'm tired and I want to go home. Anything that needs to be sorted out can be done there."

I nodded. "We only have a few more blocks to go, and there are fewer lights this way. We should hurry."

As we picked up the pace, the lights started to flicker. 10 counts. 7 counts. 3 counts. Flicker, flicker, flicker, btzz, btzzz, btzzzzz. Darkness.