Two Years Later

I let out a breath of air, my lungs breathing in more oxygen a second later. My nose wrinkled. It smelled like teenager in the classroom. I watched Stein, our Professor, and my current "guardian" (the situation was all very informal), down in the middle of the room, going on about some tedious topic like soul splicing and the scientific research being done on it. I looked at my watch, knowing that the bell would ring any second.

"Come on..." I whispered, my leg bouncing up and down. Today was November fifteenth. It was Mei's birthday. Stein seemed to catch my words with his eagle hearing and his eyes flashed over to me, his words not even slowing. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he narrowed his back. Electricity almost crackled through the classroom, and it got quiet as Stein halted his lecture to continue our staring contest. In all reality, yes, that could have happened with Stein and my abilities. Well, that is, if I were to actually use my abilities, which I never did.

"(Y/n)," Stein said, and I felt everyone's eyes on me.

"Professor," I said back, leaning forward and holding our staring contest. The bell rang and I stood, lifting my bag and walking briskly out of the classroom. I let out a sigh and pushed through people down the hall. I hauled my bag up onto my shoulder as someone bumped it off, having to pull one of my Dutch braids free from the strap in the process. I liked having my hair pulled back. I had all my life, no matter the varying lengths that it shifted from. I felt like it let me see past some of the bs when the strands weren't tumbling about my face.

"(Y/n). I'd like to talk to you." I heard Stein's voice even in the loud roar of the student chatter on the Friday, everyone eager to escape. I let out a breath and turned slowly, making my way back to his classroom. It was empty now, except for three girls in the middle rows of seats. They were widely known as a part of the Academy's group of "heroes" that had practically saved the world from the Keshin Ashura six months ago. Maka, Liz, and Patti. They all smiled at me, Liz even winking. They were all out-going to everyone, kind, and I'd hung out with them a few times, mostly Liz and Patti. We were friends, in a sense. I flashed them a smile and turned to Stein as he coughed once to get my attention again.

"Yes, sir?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "(Y/n), what's going on with you today? You're always eager to get out of class, but you were practically tearing your seat up in anticipation." The look he was giving me was calculating, analyzing. I was used to it at this point.

I looked at him with an eyebrow raised, crossing my arms. It was to shield myself from his look. Well, I had almost gotten used to it. "You know exactly what today is. The fifteenth of November. It's her birthday. I wanted to get to the Infirmary to see her, since we got to school late this morning." I said, leaning against his desk.

He raised his eyebrows at my casual pose. "Okay. Go on then." He said. I nodded, glancing up at the three girls watching as I gave Stein a half hug from the side when he gave me a look when I tried to slink off. "And didn't Marie tell you not to wear that shirt to school?" he said, his voice a low chuckle. It wasn't like him to show this much emotion with anyone, save for Marie and I. I looked down at my clothes. The light grey sweater, ending at the bottom of my ribs, the black jeans, and the brand shoes. "When I bought you those clothes you said you'd listen to Marie." He said.

I shrugged, grinning. "It'll be fine." I walked to the door, a slight bounce in my step.

"Change before going home." He said.

"You're not my dad!" I called, and I heard the three girls laugh. I smiled to myself.

Stein called after me again. "Oh and (Y/n). One more thing." I looked back at him, leaning into the doorway. He adjusted his glasses. "About your weapon form and a partner," he said, not finishing the question. It was a daily one.

"Same answer as always!" I called. "I already have a partner, and I'll never use my weapon form again!" I walked down the hallways, now slightly clear since everyone was eager to get out of class. I saw a few people waiting for me by the Infirmary, and I sighed. Out of all days?

"(Y/n)! Hey, can we get the assignment from you for Monday? We have plans this weekend. You can join us, that is, if you give us all the assignments." One of the guys asked, looking me up and down. Annoyance.

"Do your own homework." I said, pushing past him into the Infirmary. The group of guys started complaining, but the door to the infirmary shut and it was muffled. I hummed a little as I walked by the different beds, seeing assorted people in them. I had a goal, though. The third private room. I pushed into it and smiled. "Afternoon, Mei!" I said, closing the door.

Sunlight washed into the room through the big window, and it illuminated all of the machines. It smelled like cleaning supplies, but it was also masked by the scented candles Marie put in the room. I pulled the chair next to Mei's bed, smiling at her and setting my bag down. I fixed the flowers on her bedside table. "Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Mei!" I said.

Mei was in a coma. Her body had been sustained for the past two years by machines and Steins almost alien—yet miracle working—medical intelligence. In short, my older sister shouldn't have been alive by any means. There was an oxygen mask over her face, hiding her once delicate features. Her cheeks were a little sunken, her body, in a clean white sleeping gown, was gaunt and lacking of any muscle. She was practically skin and bone because all of her nurturance was being fed directly into her body by an IV. Her heart was only beating because of the machines.

I felt tears prick in my eyes. "It's been a little while. Wow, you're really eighteen!" I laughed, my voice cutting off a bit. I had come to see her every single day, but it never got easier. I cleared my throat, speaking to her unconscious form. "I've been getting better. Emotionally. Ever since my sixteenth birthday a few months ago, things have been getting better. They got really bad there for a while, didn't they?" No response. I continued like always. "Marie's been helping me a lot lately. Stein too, but he has odd ways of showing he cares."

I watched the heart monitor for a few minutes. "I forgot to tell you yesterday, but I talked to mom Wednesday night. She said that she's doing fine." I said. "She was really detached. She doesn't sound how I remember her from when we were ten or so." I had to clear my throat again. "She has two kids now. Twins. Two boys with her new husband." I let out an awkward laugh. "Maybe she won't leave them. But I don't know if she can do anything right."

I shook myself, breathing in sharply. "But anyways, enough bad things. I was going to sing you happy birthday. Like every year." I said, straightening and dusting invisible dirt from my jeans. I closed my eyes, breathing out, before singing.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday Darling Mei..." I paused as my voice cut out as I started crying. I took in a breath and finished. "Happy Birthday to you."

I quickly reached my hands up to my face and wiped the tears away as I heard the door open, turning away so they wouldn't see that my eyes, probably puffy from crying. "Oh, I'm sorry. I heard someone singing." I knew the voice, and I turned, looking up at the dark haired boy. So we hadn't met, Death the Kidd and I, but Liz and Patti had gone on about him, mostly how annoying he was, and the whole school knew him. 'The Reaper's son, Death the Kidd.'

"Kidd," I said, standing. I realized by the look on his face he only had a vague idea of who exactly I was. "Oh, I'm sorry." Smiling, I held out my hand. "(Y/n). I'm friends with Liz and Patti."

He looked at me, his gold eyes meeting my (e/c) ones. "Yes. That's right. (Y/n). I remember. You live with Stein and Marie?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes." I felt like I was going to say another something, but I forgot. His eyes were rather distracting. No. That wasn't right. I had thing for someone else. "It was nice to meet you." I finished with.

He nodded, looking to Mei. He held up some flowers. "It's her birthday, isn't it?" He asked.

I blinked, looking at the flowers. They were small pale pink roses. Maybe twenty of them. I felt like I had seen them around Death City before. "How did you..." I asked.

"Someone mentioned something about it the other day." He said. "We also knew each other when she was going to the Academy. She was a little older than my friends and I were, but she hung out with us. I think she was sixteen?" He said, his eyebrows scrunching together some.

I nodded. I was sitting on my hands, feeling nervous for some reason. Here was Death the Kidd, one of the most powerful people at the school, maybe the most just below his father, and he was talking to me casually about my sister. "Yeah. That was two years. She just turned eighteen." I said.

Kidd set the flowers at the foot of her bed on the little end table. He took the other seat on the other side of the bed and leaned back in it. "How old are you, (Y/n)?" he asked.

I blinked. "What?" I said. He nodded, and I noticed a slight smile on his lips. I felt my cheeks get warm. "Sixteen." I said, leaning back in my chair. I crossed my arms, smirking at him. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen, too." He said. There was a pause, and then he asked, "When's your birthday?"

My eye twitched and I narrowed them at him. "It was a few months ago. (Your Birthday)." I said.

His lips twitched with a grin. "I like knowing people's birthdays." He said.

I laughed, crossing my arms. "And why is that?" I tried not to smile. That way he acted was odd. Not in a necessarily bad way, just like I didn't exactly know what he was thinking. I liked reading people and telling what they were thinking or feeling, and Kidd was completely throwing me off.

He shrugged. "I don't have a birthday. I'm a Shinigami."

I nodded, remembering when I read a book about Shinigamis once. Okay, it was more like I didn't have anything better to do, the book actually being Stein's notes and speculations on Death and Kidd, and Stein had deliberately told me not to read them. Stein had just set himself up for failure if you ask me. I had also seen the notes on my sister and I. Those ones I had left alone. "I see." I said.

He folded his hands, looking at Mei. "I'm sorry about what happened." He said.

I swallowed, knowing if I spoke, I might start to choke up. I drew in a breath, looking at Mei, too. "Yeah." I said lamely. I tried to become smaller, feeling vulnerable in front of the Shinigami.

He looked at me, our eyes meeting. "I'm sorry." He said, his dark golden eyes looking concerned.

I turned away. "That's fine." I said.

He stood and walked to me, holding out his hand. I looked at it, seeing the rings on his fingers, the cold-looking silver on the looking clear and void of any marks or tarnishing. "Would you like to go get a coffee?" He asked. "Friends?" He said.

I looked up at him. The word "friends" was one that I liked. I took his hand and he pulled me up. "Sure." I said. I held up a finger. "But you're paying."

He laughed, his fingers slipping from mine. "Sure."

As Kidd left, I turned back to Mei for a second. I walked back to her, kissing her forehead. "I love you, Mei." I said. I pulled away, not feeling the usual sadness on her birthday after realizing I was missing another year with her. I noticed something on her lips. Was it a tiny smile?

>>>>>

Kind of an establishment chapter. 

I'm trying to think of a regular updating schedule to keep me on track with this story, but also, I have to see where the plot takes me. I have a rough outline, but we'll have to see. I'm also dealing with school, but I have a friend keeping me on schedule so that will help. 

I hope you enjoy