Photograph | Mammon

twenty

"Hey... don't force yourself"

She froze at Mammon's soft voice riddled with pity. "I'm fine, okay?"

He was concerned, even as she painted her body trembled from fragility. "Fine?"

"Yes, completely fine!" She didn't want to come across as defensive and she was perfectly aware that he had every right to feel that way. But it still made her feel like shit.

"Then why do you keep running to the toilet?" His words were harsh but her nonchalance was getting on his nerves. Why did it feel like he cared about her mortality more than she did?

"I have my reasons"

"Reasons--"

"Diarrhoea."

He opened his mouth to rebut her nonsense but an uncontrollable giggle erupted in his throat. "How can you say such bullshit with a straight face?"

"I'm being serious it's like Niagara Falls in my anus--"

"STOP!"

After the continuous peepee and poopoo jokes they quietly resume the painting. "If you have something to say just spit it out, you're bad at hiding your feelings"

"Mammon, I heard about the girl..."

"Stephen can't keep his mouth shut, huh?"

She nodded as she looked down at her hands, "I heard that she's a teenager with a heart condition—fuck, I hate knowing kids experience what I experienced..."

He placed his hand on top of hers, he gently squeezed them to try and distract her from her hands trembling so much. "Don't feel obligated--"

"I'm going to donate my heart to her."

His body froze. He had fully expected this. But the stolen transmitter in his pocket made him feel immediate guilt.

What was he doing?

She was clearly so sure of herself and her time left. She was determined to have a valuable death... but he also didn't want her to go.

It was selfish, he knew that.

But how could he let go of someone he cared for? Especially when he knew he had the capability to stop it from happening...

Mammon tilts his head in confusion, "... Shibuya arc?"

"The mangaka has put a shit ton of parallels and now that Shibuya arc is coming it's gonna--"

Her words are cut off by her brother hitting his chopsticks against the table, "Stop being an otaku, and get ready for dinner!"

She gasped, "DID YOU JUST SPEAK INFORMALLY TO ME!? YOU LITTLE--"

"And what about it?" Jonah poked his tongue out.

"You think since I'm sick I can't whoop your ass like before?"

He scoffed while looking into her eyes, "It's not cuz you're sick, it's cuz you're a weak midget!"

She stood up while rolling up her sleeves with an expression of disbelief, "It seems like someone has forgotten about the wooden spoon..."

Mammon was taken aback by the genuine horror on the boy's face at the simple mention of a kitchen utensil. "Big sis~ I was just kidding--" he ran out of the room.

She sat back down with a smug expression as Mammon stared at her wide-eyed. "...what the fuck did you do to the poor kid?"

"Oh, come on--"