Just another day on the job.

He walked through the halls of the hospital why he had decided to handle this he wasn't sure it was a kid he hated sending kids but it had to be done. He hardly looked the part of someone there for good reasons. Black leather pants with perfectly placed 'tears', shin height combat boots, an open black leather vest that hung down to his ankles spit high in the back to his lower back. His naval pierced with a golden hoop and a long chain traveling up from that to loop around his neck. His right ear pierced several times once in the lobe and in the cartilage chains with a mixture of crystals and skulls hung for it and a long chain connected to the upper ear piece in his ear. His silvery hair falling messy on his head. Although kid was putting it loosely this one was a teenager but still....

Zero walked towards the waiting room and past it. The nurses and doctors giving him a wide distance. If he was lucky this kid wouldn't be someone's friend who was a constant by there side so he could do this peacefully....it was a real pain when it got messy in places like this.

Mia sat there silently watching doctors run in and out of the room... He has cancer and his time is running out... She wondered why she is even here in the first place.... They weren't particularly close or anything, he is just a classmate of hers... Hajime and Miyuki were out shopping a few blocks away and knowing her mother they were going to be a while.... That was the only reason she was sitting here now... To pay respects to a person she barely knew...

She stretched her arms above her head and shifted her legs.... She was wearing a plaid skirt and black stockings with a red top... It was her schools uniform and needless to say it was annoying.... She didn't particularly hate it but considering it's rather short length and the amount of fast paced moving in her life... Well wind was a bad match for her.... But it was a good match for the boys in her class.... This boy laying in the bed beside her was a jock and is pretty intent on seeing her on windy days.... So it was more than a bit awkward for her to be here anyway.... It was sudden this cancer outbreak ripping through his body...

Mia channeled energy into her hand and cast a small spell on the boy.... It was to ease the pain he was in... "When he goes it will at least be peaceful..." She mumbled to herself... She hated to admit it but this jerk has grown on her a little bit....

Zero walked through the halls and into the room the nurses where about to ask if he knew the kid and instead backed off something about messing with him didn't settle well with them. He walked in between the Doctors rushing in and out....and it was here he paused. "Mia." He said calmly he could be as brash and harsh and cruel as he was he could be patient and kind with Hajime's kids they tended to look at him as if he was an Uncle anyways. "He has stage four terminal cancer....there is no cure for it." He said patiently worried she would be unreasonable.

Mia turned to Zero and blinked... It must be his time... If Zero was here it meant that the sands in his hour glass was about to run out.... "I'm aware Uncle.... I find it odd though he was the picture of health a week ago and then this just happened... He doesn't have a family so I guess me sitting here is better than nothing..." She looked at him for a moment she felt no sadness for the boy on the bed but it was like something was keeping her here.... It felt like she needed to be here....

"It's strange Uncle.... I barely know the boy.... If anything he knows the color of my panties from staring at my legs on a windy day... He is a womanizer and a jerky jock but still..... For some reason it feels like this is where I am meant to be..." She sat back down in the chair and waited for Zero to perform his duties because once it was over she was going to go find her parents....

Zero looked at her as she said she felt she needed to be there. "Because even if he was a 'jerky jock' with no one to call family in the end no one ever wants to go out alone. It's given him great comfort to know someone cared and that's why your here. Even if you didn't know him well, to let him know that someone cares about him that he lived and his life mattered. Is important." Zero said as he walked forwards it was hard for him to speak with swearing every other word but he made a point of it for these kids. Although it often left him with a headache.

Zero though looked at her as she said that about the cancer. "He's had it for a while now, and the symptoms but passed them off as exhaustion from the sports, without parents to govern over him and be aware of the changes it went unnoticed until to late." He said walking up to the side of the bed. "It's his time now." He looked at Mia the fact she knew he was a Reaper and didn't freak when he came made this easier. Zero didn't pull his scythe the boy wasn't fighting, he did reach out and pass his hand over the boys face upon doing so the kid stopped breathing and his heart slowed to a stop. He had died peacefully in his sleep in that moment. What worried Zero now was if Mia was alright she almost seemed...numb. He walked around the bed and looked at her. "Are you alright?" He'd have to walk her to her parents at this rate just to be sure.

Mia blinked and tilted her head... Zero had concerned eyes... Rare for him... "Yes, I'm fine... Why? Do I seem strange?.... I have been around death all of my life so it does not faze me much, unless it be mom or dad of course..... At the orphanage I watched a lot of kids die so it doesn't bother me...." It was true there were a lot of times where Zero or Mujo had to come to the orphanage to claim the life of an orphan that grew sick.... Hajime struggled to keep the orphanage a float while he was working as a hunter after all he was the only one that funded it.... With things changing and more money coming in he was able to retire but before hand the money for medicine in between rations of food was difficult to obtain....

Zero looked at her and nodded as he looked over at the boy. "Being around death all your life can make you numb to it but it doesn't mean your immune Mia." He said gently. "Unless your a Reaper it can still effect you on some level."

Zero sighed as he looked at her. "I'll be walking with you until you get back to Hajime...." He said looking at her and then back at the boy. Her numbness could be masking pain. He wasn't looking deep because he didn't want to risk injuring her soul.

She smiled at him.... "Well isn't this rare you offering to walk with me.... Don't tell me you're finally warming up to me Uncle?..." It was rare for him to do things like this usually he tells her to go away or that he would rather not and then go off and do something else.... "I am aware I am not immune to it Uncle it's just it doesn't bother me all that much.... I mean we all have to go sometime do we not? Even Death himself will someday have to answer the tone of the bell.... Gods, Humans, Vampires it doesn't matter.... So there is no use sweating the small things..... I just live my life like it is my last day..... At least that's what I watch my mom and dad do..."

She was quiet a moment as she gathered her purse and other belongings and then started to walk... "My mom and dad are amazing in that sense no matter what they do they never let the fear of death stop them.... You of all people know how stubborn those two are after all you have fought side by side how many times?.... After watching those two I don't know.... I guess death just doesn't scare me anymore... Instead I have learned to live my life with no regrets....."

Zero snorted as she said that and shrugged. 'I'm not good with a lot of people." He said in a rough answer as he moved to walk with her hearing what she said he both shook his head and nodded.

"I....am not going to die not so long as one life is left to live." He said as he walked. "Death will exist as long as there is life. My end will come when there is no one left to die but me...." He said shrugging at least that was how the Library explained it or if he got a bug up his ass and gave the title of "Lord Death' away but that....was splitting hairs on the subject the library had said but as usual didn't clarify.

He did chuckle though. "Those two yes.....they live life as if they have one foot in the grave and plan to go out kicking and screaming to the very end." He said shrugging.

Mia giggled as he responded.... "Yeah... Especially dad he has been frozen in a block of ice, stabbed in the heart and burned by holy fire and he still has managed to live.... He even managed to escape turning into dust...." She smiled at Zero as they waled out of the hospital and started down the road.... It was a big market and was only a matter of time until they found her parents....

She was curious though..... "Uncle.... Why do you push everyone away?.... I've noticed that eventhough you love them you try to keep a distance why my family and not just them everybody.... It is like you are afraid to get close...." She didn't mean to make him feel awkward, if she did she was just genuinely curious he had a bad habit of pushing people away and honestly when he wanted to be he was a likeable man.....

A black trench coat, an ammo belt and matching guns strapped to his sides and a sword to his back...... A pile of boxes, bags and more in his arms and sadly even his mouth with no sign of stopping soon.... This has become the daily life of Hajime Hikaru the ex-vampire hunter slash king of nightwalkers..... He followed behind Miyuki his beautiful wife, barely able to keep balance as she buzzed around the market like it was her last time shopping....

She was moving so fast he could hardly keep up with her..... He loved her but damn she needed to chill..... "HEY!! Wait up!" He said through gritted teeth, thanks to the six bags hanging from his mouth.... The times when he needed his friends to bail him out and he had no ones help not even Neikan's.... They all heard shopping with the wife and bolted like little cowards....

As he walked he nearly tripped and spilled everything..... Thank God for his reflexes or he was never going to live this down.... He managed to catch everything and re-stack them mid air before anything even remotely touched the ground....... "Don't you think we should drop off the first load?"

Zero listened to her and when she asked him why? He turned his gaze upon her quietly a moment. "My issues with trusting anyone aside." He said as he looked forward again walking with her. "Eventually everything I touch dies Mia. Everything around me will die one day by my hand or one I must send to end them. I as Death...am not supposed to from attachments or endearments to anyone to remain forever neutral....." What he wasn't saying was that was a state he failed at often.

She paused as he nearly dropped everything and caught it then said something.....she walked up to him and reached up taking the bags from his mouth a moment as she tipped her head smiling sweetly. "Haji dear did you really just suggest this is the first load?" She shook her head. 'You're so silly dear.....this isn't even half of the first list come along." She said turning and began walking again....Miyuki seemed like a ordinary average girl with money to burn....her hair pink with purple and blue accents up in duel pigtails tied off with ribbons. A cute sundress with criss-crossing spaghetti straps in a cream tone with cherry blossoms dancing along the hem. Strapped sandals and smiled. "Oh Haji dear catch won't you?" She asked playfully as she tossed the bags back to him. She needed her hands free if she was going to be shopping after all!

Mia giggled leaned over and kissed Zero's cheek.... "Oh but Uncle to see it that way makes it lonely.... Death might be neutral but that does not mean that you cannot trust someone.... I mean you trust me, mom, dad, even all of your guild friends and Asami.... Plus there's that weird guy with the guitar.... You know there are a lot of people that would be mad if you said that to them..." She laughed as they walked and wondered what kind of hell her father was going through at the moment....

"You know Uncle.... For a long time you scared me... Always so serious but you wearing a smile like that makes me really happy...." She was quiet a moment and then realized that maybe just maybe the real reason she was here is to be here for Zero not the boy with cancer.... Fact is Zero needed a kind heart to talk to much more then anything else... He has the hardest job of any one person in this world and honestly has no one to help ease the pain.....

At first Hajime wanted to smart off then just take her stuff and sit it on the couch back home.... But as she turned around Miyuki caught the sun just right and it made her radiant for just a moment.... The sunlight hit her curves and lit her face up.... It was dazzling through her hair and Hajime's face turned a beat red... This woman no matter how hard he tried he just could not help but fall under the presence of her beauty....

This woman could make him do anything she wanted.... She knew it too... With a cute smile and light fling of her slender hips he could conquer the world.... He loved her so much... He had to reign in his arousal though as he was in public and though the two of them were in to many things.... Public display of affection is not one of them.... As she twirled around and tossed the bag he couldn't help his gaze going all over her body but then he quickly looked away so as to not embarrass her but damn.... She could turn his head in any direction..... "So why are we even out here? You wanting to change my wardrobe again?"

Zero looked at her as she said that and he sighed shaking his head. "As I said I have issues with trust....there are precious few I do." He said looking at the distance but reached up and touched his cheek she wasn't afraid to touch him and chuckled. "Jo? The one with the guitar is Mujo....he's...ironically enough my most trusted....among the Reapers." He said shrugging. That one he swore to save.

Zero did though look at her and then ahead again as..."A smile? Me....you have to be mistaken I don't really smile....ever." He said a bit gruffly. "You have every right in the world to be afraid of me Mia...I'm not someone you want to invite to a party...I'm as I'll tell anyone...an asshole."

Miyuki looked at him out of the corner of her eye. His gaze the way he was walking she chuckled bringing her hand up she knew she had him wrapped around her little finger but that was fine...he was the only one she wanted to charm in such a way. She looked at the shops ahead of them as she stood there wind playing with her hair. "Your wardrobe? No...but I can." She said then glanced back at him. "It took me some digging....but Zero's birthday....happens to be same as our Mia.....I thought his solid black wardrobe could use some color....and Mia has been studying so hard...I thought we'd get her the things she's wanted."

Mia looked back at Zero as they walked and smirked... "But Uncle you did smile as a matter of fact you are right now.... Dare I say you are having just a little bit of fun?..." She walked backwards and stuck her tongue out at him.... She grinned a nice big cocky grin and then laughed.... "Honestly.... I have felt a bit confined here lately... Like I've been in a rut.... School, training, social life and trying to keep up with my younger siblings..... I wonder how to get through this without pulling my hair out sometimes...." She was honest maybe even a little bit naive but she was still a kid after all..... Or a teenager depending on how Zero saw her....

Hajime struggled with all of the gifts.... Miyuki was going over board again... "You see I was thinking more of a nice dinner or something.... Not all of this... But I guess you know best.... I'm not very good at stuff like this..." He finally got annoyed and sat the boxes down on the ground for a second and re-stacked them in a way that they wouldn't wiggle all over the place again.... "What in all has she asked for?.... As for Zero are you sure he even wants to celebrate? He doesn't particularly like parties or gifts.... At least I have never seen him enjoy them..."

Zero listened to her and laughed....ironically although he didn't do it often he laughed and shook his head his laugh was musical but then again he couldn't help it having an effeminate voice. "Everyone goes through that while learning. It can all feel like it's coming in on you but once you get it and understand you'll find it'll open." He said raising his hand up and letting the rose form on his palm it was the beginning state of either his gun or scythe the closed bud was confined...."It's all tight and learning everything but you'll get it all and when you do..." the rose opened. "You'll find it's something beautiful for you."

Miyuki snorted and turned holding out the list. "This is everything she's asked for so far this year. Everything I've said maybe at your birthday over and the next list is everything that goes with it for updates and the such. We can't spoil our twins and forget to spoil her it wouldn't be fair." She said shaking her head. "She's our daughter just like the twins equal to them." She said and paused. "A nice dinner? Honestly Haji Zero doesn't eat human food and he loves parties he just hides it well." She said happily...ignoring the fact that at a mere hint of a party....Zero would bolt and disappear no matter who it was for.

Her eyes sparkled as he moved the magic in his hand... She in particular was good at flame magic... She was only good at that though as far as other powers she still needed a lot of practice..... Her mom was one hell of a teacher too there has been more than one occasion Mia passed out on the floor from over use of magic.... She woke up the next days with her head in Hajime's lap just to get thrown straight into her Martial Arts training.... It honestly seemed like it would never end....

The more she thought about her parent's the more she started to worry about her father... She noticed as of late that he was getting older fast... Being with his DNA being slightly different from the normal he aged faster... Of course as a full vampire now it didn't matter or maybe it did she didn't know... He has slightly greyed hair now and has a wrinkle or two.... She promised Miyuki she wouldn't mention it to him but asking Zero wasn't a problem hopefully....

"Uncle.... I'm going to ask something but you have to promise me that you won't tell mom that I asked you...." She looked at him and stopped with a serious face.... She waited patiently on his response....

Hajime struggled along with the ever increasing stack of boxes and bags... He wished he could drive but Miyuki doesn't trust him behind the wheel at least that was his guess because she never let him drive.... He walked over a puddle of water and looked in his reflection.... His face went from carefree to a little ore serious and then he smiled... "I guess times really are changing for me... The ravages of time stop for no man..." He mumbled to himself... He then continued walking behind Miyuki...

There was one thing he had already gotten for Mia but Miyuki didn't know about it.... No one did... It was his prized possession... It was his mothers bracelet with a silver locket imbedded on it..... He had a picture fitted for it with him and Miyuki with Mia in the middle he hoped she liked it... He might not be able to get her everything she wanted but he could give her something that mattered...

Zero looked at her as he sent the rose away and shoved that hand in his pocket nodding. "Your worried about Haji." He said able to figure that out quickly. "Go on and ask your question. I'm not sure I"ll be able to answer it in any way....you like."

Miyuki did see him glance at the puddle and saw the look in his eyes him mumble something and stepped back to him leaning in and kissing his cheek. "Time is a cruel mistress she gives way to no one." She said softly as she looked at him. "But....She is also kind because she gave you back to me and a family Haji. Without you I would not have the other." She said to let her husband know it was only him she had ever fallen for.

She looked Zero in the eyes.... She trusted his judgement and knew that if said he would tell her honestly.... He would.... "Dad is getting older, faster.... He shouldn't be aging this fast.... Mom won't talk to me and tell me what's wrong but I can tell... At least I think I do and I hope I am wrong.... Is the sand in his hourglass about to run out?" She looked at Zero expecting a truthful answer whether it was bad or good it didn't matter but she felt she should know the truth..... She loved her mama but her father has been there long before she was and she owed her life to him....

Hajime smiled at her and laughed.... "You can read me like a book...." He sat the stuff down and sat on the bench nearby... "As of late I have noticed my body is changing.... At a rapid pace and I know my friends especially the magic ones are trying to slow the aging process.... My DNA is fucked up and I am growing older at a rate I shouldn't.... I also know that I have been keeping not just you but Mia worried..... I am in a bad spot aren't I?..." He looked at her with a serious face and then smiled..... Hopefully he still had quite a while....

Zero looked at her quietly. "I'm afraid Mia....even as Death that is not a question I can answer....he may have days he may have centuries....only the Library of Souls knows when someone's time is up and he will not disclose that information before it's there time." Zero looked at her. "I'm Death but because of that I have no bearing on the course of a persons life I can no more warn them of when they'll die then anyone else." He looked at the streets. "But.....I can tell you his changing doesn't mean he's dying either. His blood line....is a bit unique sometimes a vampire must age to cast off the weakened parts to kill it off....to regain a healthier body. I'm afraid I don't know which it is."

Miyuki sighed as she looked at him and then sat down beside him normally not one for public displays of affection she did wrap her arms around him. "Dummy nothing in this world is certain. Even the Vampires don't know everything about there own race why it does some things and not others and why it's different for every single one of you." She said holding onto him. "Of course I'm worried....I'm worried that Hajime is going to give up on me and figure this is it, it's over. I just figure being frozen so long in ice left some nasty damage and your unique blood line is trying to kill off the damage and restore your body." She kissed his check. "Because the Haji I know is a fighter and always has been."

Mia was quiet for a moment and then looked at him.... "Well.... To be honest I didn't think that you would not be able to answer.... But that's ok.... He is stubborn as hell anyway and will most likely strive on regardless...." She smiled at him and regarded calmly what he said to her and then started walking again.... They were entering the market place now... It was really busy here... Easy to be cut off from the person your with so she slowed her pace slightly to make sure he was still close by.... She walked by what seemed like high price clothes and stopped for just a slight moment to enjoy them... She found this cute little fedora that looked like it would suit Zero's outfit perfectly right now... She quickly purchased it and ran back over to Zero and reached it to him.... "Here... Let's say this makes us even for walking with me today Uncle...." The fedora was black with white trimming and the Kanji symbol for 'Death' of the front of it.... She giggled... "It suits you well Uncle.... A nice death for Death..."

Hajime looked at her a moment and then smiled she sure knew how to make his head spin.... "Anyone every tell you that you're amazing?..." He kissed her lightly and held her at the waist... She was slender and well built.... She was an absolute beauty and he scared most people if he so much as looked at them... "I have this.... Remember when I showed you before we got married?.... I'm going to give it to Mia for her birthday.... I think this special little locket needs to be passed on to the next generation.... Think she will like it?..."

Zero looked at Mia as she held out the fedora he hadn't really ever wore a hat but reached out and took it placing the hat on his head and shifting it until it sat right naturally. "Agreed." He said looking at her. He placed his hand in his pocket again and looked at the crowd of people passing by. "What I can tell you Mia...is he isn't on any of my lists in the foreseeable future." He glanced over at her. "But not where his path is going."

Miyuki chuckled as she looked at Hajime. "Mia? Not like it she'll love it." She said as she snuggled into him not caring if people were looking at the moment she reached out and cupped his hand. "She'll love it because it comes from her father who she loves. Something passed down and for that reason and so many others Haji it will mean the world to her." She said warmly.

Mia smiled at Zero.... He was being slightly unusual today... Normally he would simply brush her off and change the subject.... "I appreciate your honesty...." She turned to continue walking... They passed a few more shops and a few outside stalls set up for whatever big sale was going on... She walked around and smiled.... She kind of wanted to tease him a bit and say that they were on a date but decided putting him in a bad mood was not the best idea considering he is actually having fun with her....

Hajime smiled at his wife and in front of God and everybody scooped her into his arms and kissed her.... "You know... You make an old vampire feel young again...." He let her loose and stood again to see his daughter walking down the street with a big goofy smile on her face and Zero tagging along behind her and strangely enough he was smiling too.... After the hell Zero puts Hajime through with a straight face and no regrets.... Hajime was never going to let him live this down.... "Look whose here babe..."

Zero snorted as she bounced about it wasn't that he was in an overly good mood he just wasn't in a sour one at the moment so he saw no harm in smiling but he did see Hajime and Miyuki in the distance as Mia danced and fluttered about. "Lying....isn't something anyone who dares live in Ryu castle do Mia....not if they value there head on there shoulders." He said sighing thinking about Kyoki Inu. "There is one there who finds lying unforgivable regardless of who you are"

Miyuki glanced over and frowned. "You're such a charmer." She said laughing after she returned the kiss then glanced in the direction he was looking and the frown returned since it was his arrival that she was frowning about. "Oh.....he's not supposed to see any of this or her for that matter!" Miyuki said glancing down and then probably much to Hajime's annoyance she used a bit of magic to wisk it all home she didn't like doing that though since now it will be a piled mess in there bedroom....which was why she didn't usually.

"Hi mom! Hi dad!" Mia ran over to them just to notice a big pile of stuff disappear into thin air and a sudden annoyed look on Hajime's face... "Miyuki.... Could you do that from the start?" He shot a loving yet harsh glare at his wife whom just darted away all of that crap he had just been lugging in his arms all over the city.... He looked back at his happy daughter and Zero...

Hajime waved at them... "Yo..." Mia smiled at them and hugged them both... She hasn't seen them in a couple days because she has been buried in her room up to her neck in homework both from school and training.... She faintly remembered falling asleep at her desk a couple times just to find herself on her bed without any clue how she got there....

Miyuki snorted. "Sure I could...if your willing to help me clean the hurricane of a mess every time in the bedroom." she said back just as sweetly. "Besides it makes all the other girls jealous." She said happily leaning in to kiss his cheek as Mia was hugging them both. "Hey Zero."

Zero looked warily at the spot the pile of packages and bags had been and sighed as he looked at Miyuki. "Yo." He said in response to them both nodding. Mia's gift to him still perched on his head not that he cared he'd wear it.

Miyuki smiled. "Hey Mia....I see you found Zero along the way."