• Okay, so maybe I said I wouldn't do this. Maybe I said only someone stupid would be caught in this situation. I was not stupid, I was..random, I was cunning, and I just had to have a taste. The other factor was that I was downright curious. I had made a claim that I hadn't even realized until now.

    Lawli probably knew I was following him, about fifteen feet back in the shadows. What he didn't know was that my eyes were stuck on the steadily decreasing numbers on his head.

    00:00:00:10:09

    Ten minutes left? Poor Lawli. Not that I really cared. Honestly, with someone who had Shinigami eyes following him, his life was solely in my hands. I once again clutched the pocket knife in my hands, weighing the options. I could take his life now, always a tempting option, and spare him from whatever death he may have. I could prevent his death. The other option was to just watch him die, also tempting.

    The world famous detective stopped, in front of an alleyway. Not a smart move, I decided. I decreased the distance between us to ten feet, then, as I heard voices, I got a bit closer to hear even better what may have been going on verbally between them.

    00:00:00:07:18

    "Oy! We've got another one. 'Ey Jack, What do ya think he came fer?" One of the voices in the alleyway said. It was a man with terrible grammar. Sad.

    "I 'unno buddy, ask 'em. Den we can slit his throat. Haha!" Another voice said, probably 'Jack.' Laughter boomed from the alleyway. A silhouette shifted, barely visible. A big man, holding a knife. I sighed, now four feet away.

    Lawli-Pop said nothing as they approached him, and this made me mad for some reason. I kept silently urging him to walk off, I didn't want to deal with this tonight.

    00:00:00:03:56

    It was when the knife touched his neck and pressed enough to allow blood to trickle down his skin that I decided without thought that I should do something. I stepped into the killers' view and when they saw me, they laughed. Now, my pocketknife was concealed in my too-long white sleeves.

    "'Ey, look! Raven-Boy has a Twin! What are you doin' 'ere, fool?"

    Lawli didn't look surprised to see me, but I didn't have enough time to think to look at his lifespan. Instead, I gazed up at the two criminals' unsurprised at what I saw.

    "Guess we got two silent ones, 'ey Jack?"

    "Yup, that we do, Buddy."

    My eyes still hidden behind my bangs, I stated, calmly, "Jack has only one minute to live."

    The bigger man known as Jack laughed at me, like they always do, and grinned down at my slouched form, "Pretty boy 'ere is makin' death threats! You think you be scaring us?" With that said, he whipped out a knife, and advanced toward me. I was silently counting the seconds. Feeling safe with the time limit and the killer's clumsy movements, I stole a glance at Lawli-Pop's lifespan.


    00:00:00:10:47

    So with my interference, his life was lengthening, getting back to numbers I enjoyed seeing. The cold steel of Jack's knife touched my throat, and I remained at ease.

    3..

    Jack froze in place.

    2..

    His body involuntarily jerked, and he clutched at his side, groaning.

    1..

    A final breath left his lungs, and he collapsed to the ground.

    Smiling, I took the shock of his partner as a chance to strike. I cut into the man's jugular with little difficulty, and though I hated the messy scene, I took the time to lick some blood from my knife. It was tainted from drugs and alcohol, and I frowned.

    Lawliet stood, frozen in place, until I dragged him out of there by the arm. Red blood was on each of our shirts, and though it bothered him, I was used to it.

    I saw a chance and took it. Leaning it, I licked off some of the blood that had trickled down his neck from the cut Jack's knife had left there. Untainted, and almost as sugary in flavor as the foods he ate, I mused.

    "You owe me, Lawli-Pop," I purred, and with another glance at the numbers over his head, I left him.

    47:05:03:18:17:09:38