Eros. (Benimaru Shinmon)

✾十✾

To prepare acetaminophen involves treating an amine with an acid anhydride to form an amide. In this case, p-aminophenol, the amine, is treated with acetic anhydride to form acetaminophen (p-acetamidophenol), the amide.

I held up a small vial of acetaminophen that I had made. This would be enough to last the whole month, given that Benimaru doesn't hurt himself.

I sighed and looked out the small window by my kitchen to see that darkness had already come down. Stars filled the sky like pale corn into freshly turned ground. It was the promise of life in the darkness, a sense of warmth springing from the cold. It was a vastness to bring humbleness and an eternal space to bring gratitude for the coziness of home.

"I figure you wouldn't come on your own accord so I figure I come by and pick you up."

"There goes that annoying sound," I mumbled, "Thought the flowers I planted would have gotten rid of pest and instead they attract them in..."

"I'm going to ignore that," Benimaru replied, "Let's go."

"I don't want to speak to you Benimaru," I replied, "What part of leave me alone don't you understand."

"The alone part," Benimaru responded with a look of seriousness, "Since you don't want to walk with me, then I am staying for dinner."

"With what food?" I inquired as I put my hand on my hip, "I didn't make enough for you."

"I bet you if Konro was here, you would have happily shared what you made with him," Benimaru countered, "Just pretend that I am Konro."

"You are nothing like Konro," I replied stoically, "Unlike you, Konro allowed me to be somewhat part of the brigade as the healer where as you wanted me to have nothing to do with it. The difference between him and yourself is that Konro is able to be a diplomatic and levelheaded person and hear a person out. You, on the other hand, act like a  short-tempered sexist asshole."

"Is that how you see me?" Benimaru mumbled to himself, "I just didn't want you to get involved in all this. I mean wasn't that always the game with Konro, you, and myself when were younger."

"That was a game," I replied, "This is reality. I understand that we are the only part of Japan that still followed the traditions of the Edo-period, but I should also have the choice to be allowed to fight in the brigade and you took that choice from me."

"And I would take that choice from you a millions times if I had to again," Benimaru replied.

Infuriated by his words, I grabbed one of my knives and threw it towards him to which his eyes glowed brightly as he used his flames to burn my knife and threw it towards the ground.

"If that was the best you can do...then my answer still stands," Benimaru provoked.

Now why was he trying to provoke me as if he knew I could do better but what was his reason.

"You're weak."

He had a motive for doing this and I wasn't going to play into his game. No, actually this would be the best time to distance myself from him...and the brigade. They didn't need me anyway, they could go to the other healers in the area if they needed to.

I straighten myself up and cracked a small grin. I was done with his antics.

"You're right," I agreed as I turned around towards him. Benimaru stiffly tilted his neck to side, his brows furrowing in confusion. He was probably trying to figure me out, "I am weak...and you know what...I should work on that. So I guess, to get stronger I need to cut some things out to make time for that."

"What are you getting at?" Benimaru warned as he was getting ready to activate his abilities. He was on edge and it was good, oh so good to see him get angry.

"I am telling you that I am not going to help the Brigade out anymore," I replied, "In fact, I am going to leave Asakusa-"

"The hell you are!" Benimaru shouted out of anger as he charged towards me and grabbed my arm harshly and cupped my cheek in his other hand. His tic-tac-toe eyes flared with a sharp glowing red/fuschia color, and for a second I was a bit scared of it. Benimaru had both second and third-generation abilities so he could easily ignite me on fire.

"You aren't leaving Asakusa. The people of this town would be devastated to hear that you disappeared. I'll make sure that you don't leave this town by any means necessary." Benimaru warned with a devilish smirk on his face.

Benimaru eventually released me from his tight grip and took the opportunity to caress my silky smooth hair. He took a few strands of it in his fingers, looked at it, and let it go as he walked away from her. Immediately, I felt weak in the knees and fell to the ground with tears streaming down my face.

This was exactly why I hated -Shinmon Benimaru.