Chapter Text
When you awoke the next morning, Misaki was nowhere in sight.
You groan softly as you sit up in the bed, your head pounding, and then slowly get up and make your way out to the kitchen. This was your second night in a row sleeping in a bed that wasn’t your own. You should really go back to your own bed tonight.
Walking into the kitchen, you’re met with a rather strange sight. Typically, you would see Ronin, Angel, and V up by now. Ronin makes breakfast while V and Angel chat at the table…but today you see a different sight. V is the one at the stove while Misaki and Angel are sitting at the table.
“What the…”
“Oh! There you are!”
Angel smiles brightly, too brightly for someone who had been wine drunk the night before.
“We were beginning to think you’d sleep all morning. It’s unlike you.”
“...Speaking of, where’s Ronin? And, Misaki, why are you awake so early?
You frown as you squint at the pair, your furrowed brow only easing slightly when V pauses in his cooking to hand you a mug of hot coffee.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.”
Misaki groans.
“I woke up with a killer hangover and couldn’t fall back asleep…I’m sorry that you had to deal with me last night. I cling when I get tipsy. I hope I didn’t say anything too embarrassing.”
“Do…you remember anything?”
You peek at her over your mug.
“Hmm…”
Misaki crosses their arms and leans back in their chair as they stare up at the ceiling in contemplation.
“...Everything gets fuzzy after the birds…”
“I can’t believe you guys watched a documentary when I fell asleep.”
Angel giggles.
“It wasn’t by choice! It was V’s turn to pick, and he was totally boring! I don’t blame you for falling asleep.”Misaki huffs.
“Okay…but where is Ronin?”You raise an eyebrow as you set your coffee mug down.
“He slept in,”
Angel shrugs, “Surprising since he usually loves making breakfast nowadays, but he did drink a lot last night too, so I guess it makes sense.”
“Yeah…”
You glance at Misaki a final time, but they don’t seem to notice. Seems like they really did forget about last night.
“I’m gonna take a shower.”
“I’ll keep something warm for you, love.”
V gives you a small smile, which you return as you exit the kitchen and make your way back to the hallway.
–
You used to laugh at your father when he took ‘precautions” before he took showers or baths. He checked the whole house, double-checked the bathroom, then he’d get everything he needed and lock the door behind him. When you got older, your mother complained how she could never surprise him in the shower like regular couples do, which you begged her to never talk about again, but your father remained firm in his decision.
“If you’re in the shower, you’re vulnerable. I will not be caught naked and afraid.”
You weren’t sure your father could feel fear, but hey, whatever floated his boat.
You used to laugh at that, but now you wish you had done that yourself.
After years of living alone, you hadn’t picked up the habit of locking your bathroom door, so you were left completely exposed as Ronin ended up opening the bathroom door. Your instincts acted before you could. You heard the door, a soft grunt, and you were instantly spinning around and grabbing the closest object you could use as a weapon…which just so happened to be your loofah.
So, now here you were. In the bathroom, in your towel, thankfully, the shower running, and wielding a loofah on a stick in front of a very amused Ronin.
He stifles a laugh, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he takes in the sight.
“...Whatcha plannin’ to do with that?”
“...Shut up.”
You huff as you lower the less-than-threatening makeshift weapon and pull your towel around yourself a little tighter to ensure it won’t fall.
“And learn to knock, pervert.”
“Pervert?”
Ronin gasps in mock offense and puts his hand over his heart. He leans back slightly for more effect.
“Why, I never! Maybe you should learn to lock the door.”
“It’s my house!”
You glare at him.
“I don’t need to lock the door!”
“Oh?”
Ronin smirks as he steps closer, getting into your space as a smugness begins to take over his expression.
“That makes it sound like you want one of us to walk in on ya, darlin’.”
You tense, then raise your loofah again, smacking Ronin on the shoulder.
“You’re such a creep!”
Ronin steps back with a cackle, raising his hands in mock surrender while shrugging his shoulders.
“I’m just saying!! Plus, after what happened with you and Misaki last night…”
“Wait, what?”
Nothing happened with you and Misaki. At least, you don’t remember anything. They kissed your back, and your neck kinda, but that was it…right? Misaki wouldn’t–
“I mean, I didn’t hear screams of ecstasy or nothin’, but I saw those little love bites before you whipped around to attack me with your sponge on a stick.”
You open your mouth to scold Ronin again, but then pause. Love bites?
Reluctantly, you turn your back to the mirror and glance over your shoulder. Sure enough, there are a few love bites scattered on different parts of your back. They’re not too dark, so Misaki must not have done it very hard, but still. They were noticeable. You probably shouldn't wear anything that shows too much of your back for a while,
“Damn…”
You mutter softly, reaching back to touch one mark you can reach on your shoulder.
“I think it’s a good look.”
Ronin shrugs before mumbling under his breath, almost inaudibly.
“Even if they’re not mine.”
“What?”
“What?”
The two of you stare at one another for a while until something else dawns on you. If Ronin had seen what Misaki did, then that means…
“...You not gonna ask?”
“Ask about what?”
“My back.”
“What about it?”
“Ronin.”
“Y/N.”
You flinch. Damn, you forgot he knew your name. Good thing everyone else was in the kitchen.
“Look,”
Ronin sighs, running a hand through his still unkempt bedhead.
“Yeah, I saw it, but it’s none of my business. We all got our fair share of scars. I won’t tell you about mine, so I can’t make you tell me about yours.”
You blink at him.
“You have scars?”
Ronin’s expression remains blank for a moment, but then he seems to force some sort of cocky grin.
“I’m a serial killer, darlin’. The big bad Butcher. ‘Course I got scars. Any killer worth their salt has gotten in at least one scuffle with a victim, right?”
“Right…”
You mumble softly. The only problem with all of that is that Ronin knows you're not a killer, so he doesn't actually have any clue why the scars on your back are present.
After a deep breath, you turn back to the shower and stick your hand under the water as you continue to speak. Warm water flows over your fingertips, a relief that tells you that your shower is ready.
“Can you get out now? I wanna take my show–”
Ronin’s hands suddenly grasp your hips and yank you back against his chest. He doesn’t say anything. No teasing smirk or smug attitude present. One of his hands comes up and brushes over one of the marks Misaki had left behind on the back of your shoulder.
“...Y’know, darlin’...I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little jealous,”Ronin sighs, his warm breath brushing the nape of your neck and sending a shiver down your spine.“Deep down, I think there was a part of me that wanted to be the one to taint your pretty skin first…To corrupt ya like the devil I am.”He chuckles before letting out a long, dramatic sigh.“But Misaki beat me to it…Misaki, of all people, damn…Honestly, I thought Angel or V was gonna beat me to it, if anyone did.”
“Ronin, what are you talking about?!”
“You aren’t dumb, darlin’.”
Ronin squeezes your hips with a frustrated huff.
“Surely you’ve noticed it…the little things, the things we all try to hide under the disguise of friendship…”
He smirks, his voice lowering to a whisper.
“Well, maybe not me. I’m the devil, and the devil never lies.”
Oh, he’s full of it.
“I don’t think I’ve been anything less than obvious, though. We all call you pet names, we do stuff for you, Misaki obviously has shown you some more physical affection.”
His hands travel from your hips to your waist. He makes no move to remove your towel in any way, though.
“I let you wear my damn jacket, darlin’. I never let anyone wear my jacket.”
“You let Angel wear it last night.”
You quickly quip back at him. You were trying to dismiss the thought that Ronin treated you differently from the others.
“Angel is Angel. She gets the very rare pass.”
Ronin chuckles again and rests his chin on your shoulder as his arms securely wrap around your waist.
“I make you breakfast.”
“You make everyone breakfast.”
“I burn yours a little less.”
A slight smile forms on your lips, despite your fighting attempt to stop it. Ronin notices it through the mirror.
“You’re cute when you act like you aren’t affected by the stuff I say.”
He glances you over in the mirror, once, twice.
“Y/N, Y/N, Y/N…the mystery, the enigma…the cute little author who pretends they’re a killer.”
“Ronin—”
“Shhh…”
He cuts off your panic.
“I’m not gonna tell on ya. You didn’t do anything to deserve that.”
Ronin lowers his voice to a whisper in your ear.
“But it scares you, doesn’t it? Knowing I have your little life in my hands? That I could out you at any moment?”
“Ronin…”You try to warn him, but he doesn’t seem to be deterred.
“I still remember that night, y’know.”
One of his hands slides up to your neck, gently wrapping around it.
“How your pulse felt under my hands…how panicked your eyes became when I cut off your air…the sound of you gasping for breath.”
A gentle squeeze around your throat.
“I wonder how you’d sound if I made you gasp for a different reason—”
.
“I wonder how your little killers will feel when they see the masterpiece I make of you.”
.
His words flash in your mind before you can stop them. His voice echoes in your brain, replacing Ronins entirely. A burst of panic shoots through your system like a cold splash of water over your head, and for a moment, Ronin seems to think that he’s the one who caused that reaction because his grip on your throat lightens up, but you’re too far gone now.
You see his face.
Not Ronin’s. His. The Visionary’s.
Pale skin with the remnants of what could either be blood or paint smeared across it, dark eyes that held a psychotic obsession that swam beneath their surface, dark auburn hair that curled down to his shoulders, a pierced eyebrow, and a scar on his bottom lip. In another life, maybe you would consider him handsome…you had only ever seen his face once. Obscured by rain and darkness, he had given you a glimpse of the man behind the black goat mask. He had promised that the next time you saw his face, it would be the last thing you ever saw. Unfortunately for you, that burned his face into your memory.
Before you can stop yourself, you grab his arm and drop to one knee, pulling Ronin down with you. You keep your tight grip on his arm as you bend forward and flip him over your shoulder and onto his back. You go to grab the nearest object to hit him with, but Ronin manages to snatch your wrist before you can. Using your free hand to push down on his shoulder, you try to wrench your arm free.
“Y/N– Y/N!”
Ronin’s voice cuts through your instinctive state. When you realize what you’ve done, you immediately let go of Ronin and get off him.
“Shit! Sorry, sorry! I didn’t– I wasn’t trying to–”“Damn, darlin’, I seriously underestimated you.”
Ronin coughs slightly as he sits up and rubs his shoulder.
“I know you’ve got at least a little muscle on ya, but that was impressive. Although I think I’m more impressed that your towel stayed in place…”
“Ronin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
A frown forms on your face as you stand, then help Ronin in doing so.
“Please don’t tell the others...”“Relax, darlin’. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I got too handsy. I may be a serial killer, but I’m not a scumbag. I should’ve picked up on your cues.”
Wait…did he think…
“Oh! NO! No, no, no, no! That wasn’t what that was! I wasn’t- You didn’t– You didn’t do anything wrong. I promise.”
You shake your head quickly.
“I didn’t?”
Ronin raises an eyebrow.
“Then what was that?”
“It’s…a long story that I don’t wanna talk about.”
Ronin gives you a once-over, his gaze skeptical and questioning.
You sigh.
“Look, can we just…pretend this didn’t happen? I mean, you kinda owe me after your first night here.”
“What do you mean?”
Ronin frowns.
“The nightmare you had that made you almost kill me? Do you honestly think V would let you even a foot near me if I told him about that? Come on. If you’re a devil, you’re supposed to love deals.”
Ronin huffs softly, his shoulders falling slightly, then nods.
“Yeah, yeah. Okay. You forget that, I’ll forget this.”
“Great…Can you get out now? I wanna take my shower.”
“Aw, you sure?”
Ronin’s smirk returns as he leans close again.
“If you weren’t upset about how friendly I was gettin’ then maybe I should just join you.
The only response Ronin receives from you is an unamused glare. He chuckles as he raises his hands in mock surrender and steps back.
“Can’t blame a demon for tryin’.”
With that, he finally slips out of the bathroom, and once he does, you lock the door behind him.
—-
Ronin makes his way to the kitchen, whistling a much slower version of “Daisy Belle.” He was trying to keep the forming questions in his mind at bay, but it was rather difficult. He hadn't thought you defenseless, but that was something else. It had caught him off guard…and it was kinda hot.
"Glad you could grace us."
V scoffs from the stove.
Ronin looks over and raises an eyebrow. He wasn't too pleased that his job of making breakfast had been stolen by V of all people, but he schools his expression back into a devilish smirk as he slides into his seat at the table.
"Good morning to you, too, V."
Ronin hums and rests his chin on his palm.
"Did you crash too hard?"
Angel tilts her head slightly as she looks at Ronin.
"You don't seem tired."
"Just needed a little pick-me-up, that's all."
Ronin shrugs.
"And that pick-me-up involved bugging our poor sweetheart?"
Angel frowns and raises an eyebrow.
"Unless you were doing something else?"
A smug smirk forms on Ronin's lips as he shrugs once more.
"Just a little good morning small talk, no big. Besides, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about, Angel."
Angel perks up,
"Oh?"
—
Ronin had disappeared after breakfast. You don't know where he went, only that he said not to expect him back until late. Maybe that was a good thing. You weren't sure how to face him after the shower incident. You couldn't face Misaki either. Whenever they tried to speak to you, you couldn't help but remember the night before. It was embarrassing, even more so upon the revelation that Misaki remembered virtually none of it—just your luck.
However, throughout the day, you had noticed one thing.
V was hounding Angel.
His cold, calculating stare left her for only mere seconds at a time before it returned, as if believing that if he stared long enough, she'd tell him what he wanted to know. However, when you pressed, Angel insisted she had no idea what V wanted or why he was acting strangely.
You had been starting to get worried when you received a call from Scylla, and after running off to your room to hide, you answered.
"What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?"
Scylla's voice was immediately hostile, frustrated.
"Whoa, slow down. What do you mean? I told you what this was about."
You frown and begin to pace the space in front of your bed.
"Why? What's going on? What did you find out?"
"This guy has connections, Y/N. Like, really high up ones. Even if you do catch him, I'm not sure you'd be able to keep him inside for long."
Scylla sighs, the clacking of her keyboard audible over her end of the call.
"What? Why?"
Your brow furrows.
"He's never had those before."
"You said that this guy was an apprentice at one time, right? That the title he has gets passed down?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure that the teacher has to die to pass on the title?"
You sigh and sit on the edge of your bed. Your leg begins to bounce nervously, and you try to keep your focus on the grains of your bedroom's rug to keep yourself from an anxious spiral.
"Well…no, not really, but the last teacher died. I know that."
"But did all of them die?"
You hadn't considered the idea of an old title holder returning. Your mother had believed that the previous had to die for the next to take the title, so you believed that too…Had your mother been wrong?
"Scylla, who else did you see? How do you know he has connections?"
Silence settles on the line for so long, you almost pull your phone away to see if the call dropped or Scylla hung up, but then she speaks again.
"Did you see that news story about the psychological consultant the cops in your city hired recently?"
Oh, you saw that news story, and you knew that consultant. He was the one that Angel had shot.
"Yeah…"
"…The car is registered to him, and I saw him in the passenger's seat when I was reviewing the footage I sent the screencap from."
Scylla sighs heavily over the line.
"…Your guy has police connections, Y/N."
—
You weren't sure how long you had sat in your room after hanging up on Scylla. You were just staring at the same spot on the floor for who knows how long with paranoia swimming in your head. The Visionary works with the police— or at least that damn consultant. The same consultant who was hunting down your friends. The consultant Angel shot.
How were you supposed to stop him? Could you stop him? Should you call your mother? Your father? What would they even do? What if they came here? What if they discovered who these four killers in your house were? What they've done? Angel, V, Misaki, Ronin—
…Ronin.
Ronin wasn't home yet.
—
You moved from your bedroom to the living room. You had been in your bedroom so long that the sun had long set and dinner was over. The others had checked on you, you think, it had all become a blur after about an hour. You hadn't eaten, you weren't hungry. Now, all you were worried about was where the hell this psycho went.
It was another hour until the front door creaked open and then shut, Ronin's figure slipping in through the cracked door. He doesn't say a word, seemingly not noticing you, as he slips off his shoes and leaves them by the door. When he finally turns towards the living room, he sees you.
"Hey…what're you doin' up?"
His voice sounds different. It's slow, deeper, and more gravelly than usual. You can't see his expression in the shadows of your living room, but you can feel his gaze roaming up and down your figure.
"Where have you been?"
You question him instantly, your hands clenching at your sides.
"Don't worry about that, darlin'. You should head to bed now."
"Why won't you come closer and let me see you?"
Silence stretches between you, then you hear a slightly amused huff.
"You don't wanna see me like this, darlin'. I'm…messy."
You repeat your question, your voice becoming firmer.
"Where have you been."
Ronin chuckles dryly.
"Ahhh…you are so stubborn, y'know that? It'd be cute if it weren't so god damn annoying."
Slowly, Ronin steps closer. As he does, his features become clearer…and so does the blood that covers him from head to toe. He has a smirk on his face, but it's not the teasing one he uses whenever he pokes fun at you. It's darker; it doesn't have any playfulness within.
"Happy now, baby? Can you see your devil in the darkness?"
"Ronin…"
You don't recognize your own voice as it leaves you, breathless and shaky.
"What did you do..?"
"I had Angel give me a name from her little list of sinners. I needed to have some fun, get some…frustrations out of my system. I told her it was just for some research, though, so don't tell her."
Another dry chuckle.
"What do you think, darlin'? Do I look good in red?"
Dried blood stained Ronin's face and hands, standing out starkly on his pale skin, and though his clothing was black, you could tell it had also been covered and stained with blood. You couldn't even begin to imagine what he had done to get that much on him; you didn't want to either… though it would be great book inspo.
You wanted to yell at Ronin, but settled for whispered yelling instead.
"Why would you do this now? You had been doing so well lying low! The cops are still after you!"
He scoffs.
"I know that. I'm not stupid."
"Are you sure?! Because you could've fooled me!"
Ronin suddenly takes a step forward and yanks you closer by your waist, just like he had that morning, but facing you this time.
"Watch your mouth, darlin'. I'm not scared to cut that pretty tongue of yours out."
He pauses, then the smirk returns to his face as one of his hands rises up and gently takes hold of your chin.
"Although…it really would be a shame. I think I've grown addicted to that smart ass mouth."
You tense and your breath hitches in your throat.
"What's gotten into you..?"
Ronin's smirk vanishes almost instantly.
"You really don't get it, huh?"
Your brow furrows as you shake your head.
He sighs.
"Darlin', I don't mind sharin'…But I got here first."
Ronin gently runs his fingers over the side of your neck with a soft hum.
"I'll let it slide just this once, but if anyone else leaves a mark before I can…"
He leans closer and whispers in your ear.
"I'll rip out your aorta for myself."
Ronin presses a kiss to your cheek, then releases you from his grip. He's infuriatingly nonchalant as he walks off towards the hallway, hopefully going to the bathroom to wash up before he goes back to his room, leaving you standing bewildered in the dark with only one troubling question in your head.
Ronin had come back, bloody yet, empty-handed. If he actually had killed someone as he said, which you wholeheartedly believed he did, then where was the weapon he used to do it?
—
"Angel?"
"Mm..? Sweetheart, what're you doing up?"
Angel sleepily squints at you in her doorway as she sits up onto her elbows.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
"…Ronin did something bad, and I—"
Angel cuts you off with a soft sigh.
"Did he threaten you or something? He's such a jerk."
She yawns and beckons you closer.
"Come on, sleep with me tonight. We can have a sleepover, and you can feel safer."
You weren't afraid of Ronin, not physically at least. You had pretty much proven to yourself this morning that you could hold your own against him at the very least, and you were fully intending on confronting Angel about giving Ronin one of her targets, but now…
Now you just felt guilty for waking her up, especially when she showed enough concern and care to offer to have you sleep beside her for the night just so you'd feel safe. So…perhaps, this could wait until morning.
You silently step into the room and shut the door behind you. Angel scoots over in her bed and lifts the covers, letting you slide in beside her. She gives you a sleepy smile and gently grabs your hand to intertwine your fingers before her eyes shut, and she drifts back to sleep.
She looked so peaceful, the exact opposite of how you felt in this moment, but with a short squeeze to Angel's hand, you close your eyes and drift off on your own.
—
V is woken from sleep to the sound of footsteps coming down the staircase. He doesn't think much of it at first, believing it was you and that perhaps you had just had another bad dream. He certainly wouldn't mind sharing his bed with you again.
However, when he hears the laundry room door open, V opens his eyes and sits up.
"Love? Is everything alright?"
"Aw, we doing pet names now, V? I'm flattered."
Instead of your voice, what V had expected, he receives Ronin's.
"But I can't say I'm too impartial to being called love."
"Ronin."
The gentleness in V's voice vanishes instantly, a frown etching onto his face.
"If you had laundry to do, could it not have waited until morn—"
V suddenly seems to process the sight in front of him. The light from the staircase doesn't provide much visibility, but there's no mistaking what V had caught sight of.
Blood.
Dried blood on Ronin's hands and face that he hadn't bothered to wash off yet.
"…What the hell did you do, Butcher?"