Shudders: Reclamation Day

Chapter 32 - The Photos

    (Y/N)'s soft breathing filled the cell as she was finally getting some actual rest after a week and a half of sleepless nights.

     She laid curled up on the bed with Dog's robe acting as a blanket. The owner of the robe stayed in the cell with her even after Yama had to leave after being called in by Lamya. However, Ki and Akai had already returned with the food and shirt Yama had asked for before the doctor was called. So he made sure they were out of the cell before his departure. Dog didn't want (Y/N) to wake up alone so he chose to stay with her. Leaning against the bed frame asleep as well.

     It's been hours since (Y/N)'s panic attack and her body was taking advantage of the undisturbed time. So much so that when Akai entered the cell and accidentally kicked the water bucket, neither she nor the spider demon awakened.

    Akai tsked at the spilled water that poured into a dusty drain in the middle of the room. He went to the bed where his girl laid and carefully sat down to not wake her. But his glare remained fixated on her.

     He heard that little rant of hers. It didn't take him long to find food. He simply snatched a can of peas that was about to be consumed by a lackey. When he came back he was there to hear her go on about her trauma and that man h hoped was dead. She wasn't grateful for him and Ki's efforts to protect her from I9 and all the dangers in the world. He lost an entire arm for her and she doesn't even acknowledge that. Ki cut off his tail for her but she never brings it up.

     After everything they did for her, this is what they get? Her hatred? Her detestment? Her fear?

     He can admit that they've been harsh on her but they have to be in this type of world. They're protecting what belongs to them just like anyone else would. Even if that means having to make some tough decisions. Soon Yama will figure out how to remove Zankoku's hold that will allow all of them to leave and he and Ki will take (Y/N) far away from here. Away from Zankoku and Zone 12 for good. Just a little more time.

     While watching (Y/N) sleep he noticed something poking out from underneath the bed. Her bandaged arm was hovering over it that he had to slightly move and saw that it was a leather strap. He reached down, careful not to disturb his girl, and pulled it out to reveal a bag. The one (Y/N) had on her when they brought her here.

     He remembers throwing it into the cell and kicking it under the bed when they first brought her here. It was in a dark spot so she must not have noticed it since it was left undisturbed.

     He grabbed the bag and placed it on his lap. Opening it up he was met with journals, files, a dead walky talky, her ID card, everything she was carrying. It wouldn't hurt to take a look.

     Akai took her ID card and looked at the photo of her. She had a small smile but it was clear she looked exhausted at the time. Almost like her smile was fake. Her yellow eyes were dim and held some sadness in them. But he wasn't gonna lie. Seeing her in that uniform did something to him.

     Akai didn't bother picking up the journals or anything relating to the labs. He didn't want memories of that fucked up place. The journals had labels like "Demon Files" and "Study Reports". Even one that was labeled "Operation: Reclamation Day. Head Keeper". That one caught his attention. He opened it up to see pages detailing (Y/N)'s job, demon types and kinds, even a description of the entire job. This is exactly what Zankoku wanted. And it was all in this dingy bag underneath her bed. They could've gave this to the King the first day they brought her here! Akai groaned at the realization that they wasted all of time interrogating her the humans' plans were written out for them. Zankoku is gonna have their necks for this.

     But as he pushed a journal to the side, a crumpled sheet of paper at the bottom of the bag caught his attention.

     Instantly he got whiff of... someone? It wasn't a scent like (Y/N)'s but... something similar.

     He took the paper out and flipped it over to see a drawing. A very childish drawing that lacked zero skills but on it was a rough drawing a female figure in a messy red color. A scientist robe was drawn out in grey and black and (h/c) for the hair. But when Akai saw the word 'Mommy' scribbled out underneath he suddenly became confused.

"Mommy?" He spoke a bit too loudly that made (Y/N) shift a bit. Akai waited till he knew she was asleep and tossed the drawing to the side to investigate some more. He placed the bag on the ground and dug around some more until he found a small velvet bag that felt like it held something in it. He opened it up and found a small stack of photos. Now he was getting somewhere.

      The first one was of a overhead view of the labs. Seeing that interior gave Akai a wave of nostalgia that he wished he didn't get. He remembers those halls and the people. The sounds of demons trapped in cells desperate to get out. That hellhole of a place.

     He tsked and went to the next photo.

     This one was of (Y/N) in the mirror of a small bedroom trying her best to smile but it still looked forced. She was wearing a Keeper uniform that looked different than how he remembered. She wore glasses that covered her eyes completely and thick black gloves that stood out from the outfit. She was holding a thumbs up next to a tag on her lab coat that said 'Head Keeper'. This her being promoted or something?

     The next three photos were similar. Her in the mirror trying to smile but it progressively just went to her having no smile at all. She looked depressed in the last one. Bags under her eyes and hair that looked uncared for. 

    Akai took a glance at the woman behind him before moving on to the fourth photo. The next one was of her and some guy that Akai recognized from 12's team. The second in command, he thought. They were sitting together at some table eating lunch with the guy catching the woman mid bite. She still had those gloves and glasses on.

     But upon seeing the next photo made Akai growl.

     It was that guy she had kissed. They were sitting together in more casual clothes on a bench overlooking a river with the second in command photobombing. (Y/N) looked nervous and so did that man but they were holding hands. Akai stared intently at the guy. He didn't realize he had punctured the man's head with his claw. He threw the photo away but seeing the next one made him want to shake (Y/N) awake.

    It was of her kissing that guy's cheek and him acting so smug that it boiled the demon to his core.

'What the fuck?!' He thought. He needed to show these to Ki. Akai went to toss everything back into the bag to go find his partner but he had dropped the last two. He cursed to himself and bent down to pick them up but stared confused at what he saw.

     It was... her belly?

     It looked slightly bigger than normal and she had her hand laying gently against it. Why would she take a picture of her stomach-

     Akai froze. He looked down to the drawing he had tossed onto the floor then back to the belly photo then onto (Y/N)'s sleeping form. He stomach looked normal now. It couldn't be...

      He grabbed the last photo that had fell and looked to see it was of (Y/N) in the mirror again with that man standing behind her in their work uniforms. She wasn't wearing those glasses anymore and had gloves that fit her hands and outfit properly. The man had his arms wrapped around her body and his hands resting on her stomach.  He was kissing her neck but when Akai looked to her face... she was smiling?

      Genuinely smiling. She didn't look exhausted or depressed, her hair was neat, even some small makeup that helped brighten her mood. She was happy. Giggling as that man kissed her neck.

     A dark energy was forming around the demon. All he kept staring at was her face and stomach...

     A smile that wasn't smiling for him...

     Her stomach that was holding an abomination that belonged to that disgusting man...

    (Y/N) was disturbed awake by her bed shaking and the sound of the cell door opening and slamming shut. She jumped up to look but saw no one around. Besides Dog who was still fast asleep where he sat. What was that?

     She soon settled back down and tried going back to sleep. Not knowing that Akai knew everything.