Bloody Memory

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Chapter Three

Scarlet was polishing his long barrel-gun, Kayura, on the terrace when Arthur came out for smoking that midnight. He glanced to the detective then resumed his early task. The older man smoked silently for some time, stood not far from his place, then decided to take his own seat beside him on the couch.
“You still keep that odd gun,” he simply commented.
Scarlet smiled faintly. “I like it. Beside I need other weapon beside the big thing inside, which can be used swiftly on the battle. Gun just fits it.”
“Still, your Kayura is an odd one.”
“No wonder.”
Another long pause, before Arthur broke the silence between them. “Hey?”
“Hmm?”
“How are you doing?”
Scarlet stopped polishing and stared at Arthur, frowned. “What do you mean by that? You can see, I’m fine—“
“It’s not that. I mean, how are you doing after that …case?”
Scarlet gazed blankly at him, somewhat successfully made the older man worried. He then looked away before slowly retorted, “I’m fine…”
Arthur studied him for some time. “No, you’re not. You still have those bad dreams, don’t you?”
Scarlet snorted, still looking somewhere but his companion’s face. “That’s not your business.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
Scarlet’s face jerked back toward Arthur’s hearing the words. He stared at him; slightly felt wounded, and then looked down at his gun in his hands. “…They’re worsened, those dreams…”
The detective looked softly at his suddenly saddened companion. He had seen the horrible scene himself, being on the spot at that time. Still, he felt that the young vampire didn’t deserve those sorrows; not like those ones. He sighed and simply said, “I bet he didn’t want seeing you like this. Knowing him, he would just simply smack you on the head and snapped at you for being such a lame person.”
Scarlet laughed sadly. “I bet he would do that. Still… it can’t be helped. I can’t forget it. I just …can’t.”
“I know.”
Another long pause.
“It wasn’t your fault, you know that.” Arthur blurted out.
“I know…”
Again, another long pause.
“Don’t be harsh to yourself.”
“…”
“Sometimes, people just have to forgive themselves to keep their sanity and to walk through, starting for new future. All you have to do is—“
“Just exactly what’s your point bringing this topic on the surface?!” Scarlet snapped; suddenly felt irritated.
“No point. I’m just talking, and giving you suggestion for good. Don’t mind me if you don’t want to hear that.” He lit another cigarette and smoked.
“…You will later kill yourself by smoking nonstop like that.”
“Why would you care?”
“…”
Arthur smoked for some time then sighed. “Listen. I know your sorrow, I understand, but it doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty over time.”
“No, you don’t understand. You weren’t the one who did those horrible things yourself. I did. I was the one who did it. I killed my own comrades, even Vermillion… and your subordinates…”
“It wasn’t that you ever truly meant it by yourself.”
“That doesn’t change the past!”
“Indeed. But—“
“ENOUGH!” Scarlet yelled, frustrated. He almost slammed Kayura on the couch if he didn’t instantly remember that he needed the piece. He glared dagger to the other man. “This conversation is over. I don’t want to hear it again, now and then.”
Arthur raised his hands on defeat. “Okay, okay. Sorry, I brought this topic first. I just want you not to repress your own sadness. And I just want you to know that I don’t blame you for all you’ve done before.”
“That’s not your responsibility to care about me much. Just stay your ground; I will keep mine.”
“Alright, I get it.”
Scarlet scowled, then stood from his spot taking Kayura with him, and left inside the house. Arthur sighed heavily, watched his retreat.
“Such stubborn kid…”

***

Next morning, the division of their task was given. Charging as their team leader was Arthur, next to him was Sarah as tactician. Scarlet stated deathly that he didn’t want to be included as one of them; that he would act independently. Arthur gravely accepted the matter-of-factness statement.
Naturally, Scarlet took role as Jamie’s bodyguard, considering Jamie’s comfort and their age closeness, while the police team was focused at guarding the other family member. Scarlet didn’t have any problem to get himself close with the boy, instead of his impassiveness; he was still relatively friendly and easy going.
Jamie soon found himself enjoying his new bodyguard’s companionship. He still felt awkward to some point; nonetheless the feeling faded away soon after he started opening himself to Scarlet.
Scarlet also enjoyed his closeness with the human boy, although he kept his private feeling for coming surface. As his bodyguard, Scarlet stayed by Jamie’s side whenever and wherever he goes. Even at bedtime.
This morning, Jamie prepared himself for school after short ‘breaks’. He got three days dispensations from his classes during his family’s circumstances. It was at that time Scarlet was assigned to be his bodyguard; so he didn’t really allow himself to know more about Jamie’ school of vicinity, save his one-time visit before; just for checking the site.
While helping the boy dressing, Scarlet prepared his own equipments, including his weapons. He surely wouldn’t bring Navalm, his nagamaki; otherwise he would if he intended to make some ruckus. So he just brought his Kayura, magazine loads, some daggers, and a silver knife behind his coat. He was fully aware that his coat might make people thinking suspiciously at him; but he didn’t care. He had a job to do, that was to protect his client, and he didn’t really take a shit about what people thought about him, as long as he didn’t stand out much to his folly. Off course he didn’t want their enemies found them as easy targets to get shot at.
“Are you ready to go to school?” he asked Jamie smoothly.
The boy looked at him strangely.
“What?”
“Nope. You’re talking like somehow I have to go to save the world or something. It’s just school.”
“Well, considering your own safety, you might have to call it likewise.”
Jamie snorted. “No kidding!”
Scarlet chuckled and took the boy’ school bag. “Let’s get downstairs. Your parents are waiting for breakfast.”
Jamie nodded happily and hurried following his bodyguard downstairs.

***

The breakfasts were bacons and toasts, added with milk and orange juice. Jamie ate in swift pace and such eagerness, marveling his parents who lately worried over him, and babbled a lot during the session. Both Frank and Emily were glad and happy finding that their son was far from grim condition like he usually was before Scarlet came, and because of that, they were very grateful to him.
Scarlet looked around the kitchen, noticing that no one of guarding polices were having breakfast at the spot. He slowly asked about that.
Frank replied lightly. “Oh, they have had ones before you two got down here. They are now going to their base for briefing, save Officer Stoke. She’s in the living room.”
Scarlet nodded in understanding, sensing the female officer at the living room. He continued to sit silently at the corner chair of the table.
Looking at Scarlet who sat across from him, Jamie found himself frowned seeing that his plate was empty. “Scarlet, why don’t you eat something? Your plate is empty-dumpty.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Oh yeah.” He snorted mockingly. “And that statement’s coming from the one who always dragging me to eat regularly and normally, three times a day, of foods that sometimes I don’t even like.”
Scarlet only chuckled coolly.
Emily replied at her son’s comment. “And those foods you don’t like to eat are healthy ones. Geez, Jamie, you shouldn’t be so picky about your meal!” she smiled lovingly at her son’s pouting before added, “But Jamie’s right. Why don’t you take breakfast, Scarlet? It’s important to keep your stamina up while your job is guarding my son out there.”
Scarlet smiled warmly to the older woman and sighed inwardly. “Alright then, I would take a toast to bite at.”
Emily took a toast, plainly applied it with just some butter after her asking him which jams he liked bests, much to his dislike, and handed it to him. Scarlet received it reluctantly; he did it just to make sure that they weren’t going suspicious less afraid of him being a vampire. He planned to eventually tell them about that later, starting with Jamie.
He had breakfast before, though; two full glasses of blood. He ate his toast silently; fighting his own urge to throw up the food. Somehow he managed to finish his meal and politely rejected the second offering.
After they had breakfast, Jamie headed to the school. Scarlet trailed closely and silently behind him; his weapons were within his reach, preparing and guarding, keeping him safe. After a while, Jamie felt discomfort and told Scarlet that he shouldn’t just walk silently behind him. He pleaded him to walk beside him and chatted with him. Scarlet, feeling not quite fond of chatting at that time – much because of his previous toast which somehow threatening him to throw up -- complied on his plea with hesitation.
“Why do you talk none?”
“I’m just not feeling like to talk right now.”
“But you talk more before we took breakfast. Are you sick?”
“No.”
“Do you hate my mom’s cooking?”
“The meal was just perfect.”
“Then why?”
Scarlet sighed. “I don’t quite want to talk right now, Jamie. Please.”
“Oh.” Jamie suddenly looked like he was about to cry. Scarlet was instantly, mentally kicking himself. “Sure…”
“Look, Jamie…” he tried to reason his own discomfort. “I don’t want to make you feel sad, okay? I just want to …think about something.”
He looked at him intently; chocolate-doe orbs met crimson ones. “Like what?”
Scarlet forced a smile. “Like what will you do at school? Or what do I have to do while you’re busy with your class?”
Jamie giggled. “I’m studying at school, off course you know that. You can borrow some books from library to read at while I’m in class. Maybe, Mrs. Clarkson can give you permission to watching some movies or listening to some music at audio-visual room.”
Mrs. Clarkson was the school’s librarian and also keeper of multimedia rooms, Scarlet remembered. “I won’t do that. But you’re right. Maybe I will just borrow some books while I keep watching you.”
Shocking, Jamie’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean to follow me into the class, do you?”
Scarlet smirked gleefully. “That’s part of my job.”
The human boy groaned in frustration. “No, you’re not!”
“Oh yes, I am. My job is to keep you safe, whenever and wherever you are; including when you’re in class.”
Jamie puppy eyed him. Scarlet inwardly laughed looking at his funny expression. “THAT definitely doesn’t change anything.”
“Oh come on! My classmates will laugh at me! Am I a baby or what?! You’re just body guarding me, not babysitting me!” he snapped, irritated.
“Yes, I’m body guarding you. Ignore them. They just don’t stand in your shoes right now to know much about your current predicament.”
“But--” his words were cut off by his body guard.
“No more argument. Let’s hurry before you’re late.”
Jamie pouted, but complied with him, hurrying his steps and walked by his side.

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Sorry that I always posted short chapters every time ^^
Thanks to the first reviews; someone reminded me about the disclaimer, hahaha, OMG I forgot to write appropriate disclaimer before :D
The fourth chapter will be uploaded a bit late. Thanks again for reading my story!

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