Fading To Dust
Teddie had dreaded the day that the first one of them would die. And secretly, he had always wished it would be him. Even though it was selfish. To wish that you would be the only one, who wouldn't have to suffer of losing... a part of the most precious thing.
But he knew it wouldn't be him. He had always known that. Who it actually ended up being was Naoto.
It was so sudden. So simple too. And so ironic. Shot, with her own gun, taken from her by a suspect. Shot right in the head. And she was gone. There wasn't even a scream, or any last reaction from her. She was ripped away. That was it.
"Nao-chan..."
Teddie was still trying to heal. A-After all, it did happen much too fast! It couldn't happen that fast, right? People couldn't die that fast! Without even a chance... that couldn't be...!
"Nao-chan... hang in there..." he said, a glimmer of false hope in his voice. Maybe, he could call her back. "I mean... that can't take you down, right? You're one tough, hard-boiled detective!! Like, in the movies! And you think they're down, but... they stand back up again! Right...?"
...All lies. He knew it. All lies. But they were so comforting.
"Right...?"
...Reality hurts...
"..."
...What's worse than a goodbye is the lack of one. Teddie learned that that day.
He could only hope his tears might somehow carry the message to her.
That he was really glad to know someone as reliable and talented and wonderful as her.
