God Eater: Shattered Dawn

Chapter 12: A painful memory

Lupa's POV

Lindow was right. I met many people during my tour, who acknowledged my eye without so much as a blink of their own. They didn't care about me and Soma's superpowers, instead judging us by our hearts.

Though it wasn't like Soma exactly helped. He hardly spoke a word to anyone, using a harsh monotone when approached directly. But, as Sakuya said, that was just Soma being Soma for you.

I loved this world. It was so colourful, despite the horrors that people were going through every day. There was a shining hope that overrode the darkness of despair.

Sakuya kept giving me funny looks the whole time, making me giggle, which then set her off, till Licca, the weapon lookerafterer (as she was hereby named) was so confused that she began laughing too, creating a huge ruckus in the weapon storage area.

Normal POV

Soma had to leave the room for a good ten minutes, fearing for his and his comrades sanity.

Licca, Lupa and Sakuya spent that time forming a sisterly bond, Lupa deciding to go to the area more often to annoy Soma, though she also hoped to have someone fun to talk to.

Soma was relieved when they finally left the room and made a mental note to keep Lupa, Licca and Sakuya away from each other in future.

The tour finished half way through the afternoon, so they decided to head to Lupa's room to help her move in.

They arrived on the rookie floor and walked down the corridor, Sakuya calling out the numbers on the doors loudly to irritate Soma further.

"113...114...115" she walked closer to him.

"116, 117." he twitched.

"118? Was that it? Oh, wait. 119." she contemplated loudly, leaning towards him. He glared at the floor.

"120. Well Soma, I think we're almost there, right?" She whispered creepily, winking at Lupa.

"121 HERE WE ARE. LUPAS ROOM." she all but shouted in Somas ear. He leapt back from her, rubbing his ear and cursing.

Lupa stood in front of the metal door with a wierd, glazed over look in her eyes. "Uh...you can open the door now Lupa." Sakuya suggested, nudging her in the side.

Lupa continued to stare, her body starting to tremble. What's wrong with her?

Soma finally lost his patience and reached around her, typing in the doors passcode. The door slid back.

Lupa screamed and leapt back a foot, nocking Soma over onto the floor.

"What the-?" Soma stopped, realising Lupa was clinging to him, trembling like a leaf. She was terrified...of moving doors?

"Hey, it's okay." Sakuya reassured Lupa, blocking her view of the door.

"Why are you so afraid of the door?" Soma asked, awkwardly trying to shift away from Lupa.

Lupa wouldn't reply, closing her eyes and hiding her face in Soma's jacket.

"...looks like she's going to have to move room." Sakuya sighed, taking out her mobile to call Hibari.

"...you can let go of me now." Soma muttered, trying to shake off Lupa.

"S-sorry" Lupa stuttered, but she didn't let go. She was quite literally frozen in fear. Soma was starting to freak.

Too close. If she doesn't move soon, I'll do something I'll really regret.

But, at the same time, he couldn't help but admit he was enjoying her closeness, her warmth.

Sakuya sighed in relief "Thanks Hibari." She turned to see Soma being clung to by Lupa, her head tucked into his chest. She inner fangirled for a while before announcing the situation.

"Okay, so Hibari thinks she's found a non-sliding door room thats free, so there's nothing to worry about." Lupa shifted slightly to look in her direction. "You can go get the room key from her now."

Lupa nodded and stood up slowly, looking at the door as though it was the scariest thing in the universe.

At the desk, Hibari was incredibly sympathetic, listening to Lupa's tale of woe- why she was afraid of sliding doors.

Apparently, where Lupa lived here before *cough the lab cough* her hand got trapped in one of the doors, and her hand had been crushed. To make it worse, the door had remained closed for a further 10 minutes till someone noticed and typed in the key code.

The story didn't make a lot of sense, but Hibari was apparently convinced, and handed Lupa a silver key.

"Room number...325, Veteran section." Lupa read out thoughtfully. Sakuya burst out laughing, and Soma turned his head away, looking like he might die. "W-what?"

"Your room is next door to Soma's." Hibari explained. Lupa blinked, then her cheeks began to burn.

"Oh, right..."

Sakuya grabbed Soma by the hood and Lupa by the arm, shouting a quick "Thanks!" over her shoulder before anyone could react.

For the second time that day, Sakuya collapsed to the floor in giggles, while the two teens glowered at her, good and proper.

"Promise me you won't try to change rooms." she begged, giving the two puppy dog eyes.

They both started looking in different directions, avoiding eye contact with her. Lupa was the first to lose it "Fine."

Sakuya leapt up and grinned at them like an awesome maniac. "Yay! Let's get you two lovebirds to ya roomz!"

"Did she seriously just say that?" Soma was scared. Very scared.

"Let's just pretend this never even happened." Lupa advised, staring fearfully at the gleeful woman's back.

Lupa was more than happy with her room. It was very spacious, with a huge cream coloured bed, neat desk and awesome kitchen. There was a mini living area with two couches and a tv. The walls were a calming aqua, with a silvery carpet under her feet.

She let out a happy sigh, then flopped onto her bed. It. Was. Amazing.

She then hopped back up again, remembering she had company, and rushed to the kitchen.

"Tea or coffee?" she called to Sakuya and Soma, who were nosing around her room in the nicest way possible.

"Tea please." Sakuya replied, settling down on a couch.

"And for him?" Lupa asked, jabbing her thumb in Soma's direction.

"Nothing." Soma muttered.

"Ah, tu voudrais l'eau? Parfait." Lupa ignored his refusal, bringing him a glass of water, whilst handing Sakuya her tea.

"Why French?" Sakuya asked, sipping her tea elegantly.

"Well, why not?" Lupa countered, watching Soma gulp down his water. "More?" Soma said nothing. Lupa got him more water.

She was getting good at Soma language.

When the two had finally left, she curled up on the couch a little longer, listening to music whilst reading. Oo them multitasking skilz...

Before long, she found herself nodding off, cradled in the arms of the music...