The Serpent Inside (A Karmagisa Fanfiction)

22: Those Four Words

"I love you, Blueberry." 

Four words.

All it took was four words to send Shiota Nagisa, the best assassin in E Class, to the ground crying his heart out.

The light from the machine flashed brightly, and Karma blacked out.

"KARMA!" Nagisa cried desperately, running towards the redhead, just to be restrained by Karasuma.

"It's too late Nagisa! If you pull him out now he may loose all his memories!" Karasuma yelled over the sounds of the machine.

"KARMA PLEASE! NO!" Nagisa tried to escape but Karasuma pulled the crying assassin back to his office, closing and locking the door behind him.

"It's too late Nagisa! The procedure will be done in a little under five minutes. He doesn't remember you anymore just like you wanted!" Karasuma exclaimed as Nagisa crumbled to the ground, crying in a pile.

'I love you, Blueberry.'

Those four words kept replaying in Nagisa's mind over and over again.

'I love you, Blueberry.' 

'I love you, Blueberry.'

'I love you, Blueberry.'

Karma said it with no betrayal in his voice, just pure love.

'I love you, Blueberry.'

'...love you, Blueberry.' 

'...Blueberry.'  

Nagisa began to realize what he'd just given up.

That was it.

Never again would he be called Blueberry.

Never again would he be calling Karma Strawberry.

Hell, he wouldn't even be saying "Karma."

It was Akabane-kun now. Honorifics and all. And Nagisa? He'd have to be the mouse again. No bloodlust allowed, no assassination allowed, and most importantly no confidence allowed. 

Karma was the one to give Nagisa all the confidence he had. back in first year, Nagisa was still chained to his psychopathic mother, and he didn't have any hope back then. He didn't have any friends, he was just the sad little androgynous boy who wouldn't smile. He had to go back to that. Back to the days he'd come home to get a new batch of scars and bruises.

Nagisa didn't want to go back to that.

But to keep Karma safe, he'd do anything, no matter how much it hurt him to do so.

Taking in a deep breath and putting up his walls, Nagisa stood up, exiting the building and walking home.

The Next Day

Nagisa walked into class, stone faced. He had called upon the whole class, excluding Karma, to come early.

"Why did you need to see us Nagisa-kun?" Kataoka asked. Nagisa took in a breath.

"Two days ago, some events that I can't go into detail about occurred because of me and it ended up almost killing Karma." There were some gasps around the class. "Due to that, I asked Ot-" Nagisa corrected himself. "-Karasuma-sensei, to use a device the agency has that can erase memories..." Nagisa trailed off.

"What did you make him forget?" Kayano asked, guessing where this was going.

"Me. I made him forget every memory with me in it."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"I want you to act like whatever he remembers is true. Don't let him know that we were ever friends, he doesn't remember out friendship in our first year either. I know it's asking alot, but please, do this for me." Nagisa bowed.

The class glanced between each other before Isogai spoke.

"We can't promise we'll be able to hold it up forever... but we'll try, Nagisa-kun."

Nagisa looked up, a sad smile on his face.

"Thank you."

It was at that point Karma walked in.

"Oh, hi Akabane-kun." Nagisa smiled, shocking the class at how easily he could hide his pain.

"Hey Shiota-kun." Karma stated blandly as he walked to his desk. Nagisa walked to his as Korosensei came in and started the lessons.

Nagisa tried to pay attention to the lesson being presented, but he couldn't hear anything due to the screaming of four words in his head.

'I love you, Blueberry.'