Hiatus Part I

It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce, an indefinite hiatus.

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Haha, imagine.

Anyways.

[Word Count: 3643]

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"Ugh," Leo groaned, his senses slowly returning to him.

Every inch of his body throbbed with a relentless ache. Pain surged through his muscles, each movement sending shockwaves of agony. Joint pops brought him no relief, and the relentless thirst gnawed at him.

Struggling to sit up, the haphazardly thrown blanket slipped off, triggering a symphony of crackling joints and spasming muscles. The ⬜⬜⬜ Devil's haunting laughter echoed in his mind.

"How long was I out?" Leo wondered aloud, forcing himself upright despite the protests of his body.

Downstairs, Hitoha and Cosmo could hear Leo's faltering steps as he stumbled around the room, his presence a testament to his enduring struggle.

"Tch," Hitoha clicked her tongue, reaching into her wallet and handing Cosmo a generous sum of money.

Cosmo gladly pocketed the money, heading upstairs with a gallon of water while Hitoha remained downstairs, her watchful gaze over the unoccupied laundromat.

Knocking on the door of the room where Leo had rested, Cosmo heard raspy groans before opening it. The sight that greeted her was Leo, leaning against a wall and reaching for an imaginary object.

Shaking her head in concern, Cosmo unscrewed the cap of the water gallon and positioned herself in front of Leo. She began pouring the water over his head, initially met with no response. Leo simply sat there, blankly staring ahead, grunting intermittently like a primitive being.

Then, abruptly, he moved, startling Cosmo.

"Halloween!" Cosmo squealed, dropping the gallon in surprise.

Leo instinctively caught the falling container and began drinking from it, his parched throat demanding every drop. There was no greater sin than allowing oneself to become dehydrated.

As Leo finished the gallon, he slammed it on the floor, unleashing a primal roar that sent Cosmo recoiling in shock, using the door as a shield.

"Who am I? Where am I? Why am I wet? How long was I asleep?" Leo feverishly questioned, his disoriented state evident as he stumbled towards Cosmo.

"Halloween Halloween!" Cosmo yelled, slamming the door shut and hastily retreating downstairs.

With a thud, Leo collided against the door, tearing it off its hinges. "What!? Seven weeks!?"

Cosmo sought refuge behind Hitoha as the old woman remained nonchalant, her eyes fixed on her book.

Leo, fueled by a mix of frustration and pain, made his way toward the stairs. However, his disoriented state caused him to stumble, tumbling down the steps in a cacophony of thuds. The impact cracked the floorboards as he reached the ground level.

Groaning, Leo rolled around slightly, his battered body protesting against the rough treatment. Hitoha watched him with an unimpressed expression, not bothered by the chaos. Cosmo, on the other hand, covered her eyes and sought refuge under the desk, her small form trembling with trepidation.

"Put some clothes on," Hitoha remarked, her tone matter-of-fact, before returning her attention to her book.

Cosmo peeked through her fingers, still taking cover under the desk, as Leo's groans filled the air.

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Leo sat on the stairs, frustration etched on his face as he leaned his head against his fist, his arm resting on his knee. Some time had passed since he woke up from his slumber, and he was now properly dressed after taking another cold shower.

Cosmo cast occasional uneasy glances at Leo, sensing the weight of his thoughts. She could guess what was troubling him, but his hesitation puzzled her. With a pleading look, she silently urged Hitoha to ask the question that lingered in the air.

However, Hitoha remained focused on her book, furrowing her eyebrows and ignoring Cosmo's silent plea. Despite only being able to say one word Cosmo was quite the talker, gossiping about what Leo wanted from her and why he had recruited her. Hitoha could likely infer what Leo was contemplating, but even she seemed confused by his hesitation.

Feeling the need to take matters into her own hands, Cosmo gathered her courage and cleared her throat.

"H-Halloween?" Cosmo nervously asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I want to go to Germany," Leo answered, his gaze fixed ahead

Though his response was brief, it confirmed what Cosmo and Hitoha had suspected.

"Halloween," Cosmo urged Leo to elaborate, her voice filled with anticipation.

"But I want to visit my friend," Leo stated, his tone carrying a touch of longing.

Hitoha slammed her book on the counter, startling Cosmo with the sudden sound.

"Then visit your damn friend already!" Hitoha exclaimed, her frustration evident. "It's better than burning an entire country to the ground."

"I'm not going to burn down Germany, Hitoha. I just want to visit Santa Claus," Leo replied with a sigh.

"Not with that expression," Hitoha retorted, her gaze piercing.

"Halloween," Cosmo chimed in, her agreement evident.

"I just want to talk. What happens next is up to him... or them," Leo defended his intentions.

Letting the conversation end there, Leo sat up from the stairs.

"I'm going to visit my friend," he declared.

Without uttering another word, Leo walked towards the door, causing the bell to chime as he exited the building.

Observing his abrupt departure, Cosmo rose from her seat, swiftly locking the door behind him. She returned to her spot, contemplating what lay ahead.

"He's going to burn down Germany, isn't he?" Hitoha remarked, her tone tinged with a mix of exasperation and amusement, as she picked up her book.

"Halloween," Cosmo nodded, a mixture of worry and curiosity evident in her eyes.

Releasing a sigh, Hitoha rested her head on her hand, flipping a page in her book.

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Knocking forcefully on the double door, Leo waited impatiently for someone to answer, accompanied by a man dressed in a chef's outfit. They both stood outside awkwardly, while in the distance, a catering team patiently waited in a van.

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Leo suddenly spoke up. "Do you know what today is?" he asked, his tone slightly impatient.

The chief tapped their outfit, pulling out a notepad. "Today is the 13th," they replied.

"Ah," Leo nodded, but the awkward silence quickly resumed its hold.

Seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, and the faint sound of heels clacking on the ground could be heard in the distance.

Finally, the door opened, and both men breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Miyako stuck her head out, her gaze fixed on the chief before shifting her attention to Leo. She immediately shot him a glare that could melt steel.

"Yo," Leo greeted, offering Miyako a friendly wave, completely disregarding the hostility radiating from her.

Miyako, however, did not reciprocate the greeting. She continued to fix him with a piercing stare.

Leo awkwardly sniffed the air, attempting to break the tension. "I brought catering," he said, pointing at the chief.

The chief waved awkwardly, only to be ignored as Miyako's glare remained fixed on Leo. Eventually, she opened the door and forcefully pulled Leo inside, her grip firm on his cheek.

Leo showed no reaction to being pulled by his cheek, instead using his foot to kick the door shut, narrowly allowing the chief to enter.

Ignoring the discomfort, Leo raised an eyebrow as Miyako pulled him further inside. "What's up with you?" he asked casually.

Whether it was a result of their progress or simply triggered by Leo's nonchalant demeanor, Miyako let go of his cheek and turned to face him.

"Where have you been?" Miyako asked angrily, her voice laced with frustration.

"Hell," Leo replied casually, without a hint of hesitation.

Miyako clenched her fist and took a deep breath, attempting to maintain her composure. She appeared on the verge of lashing out at Leo.

"I'm being serious," Miyako said through gritted teeth, her voice now calm but strained.

"So am I," Leo responded, his tone unwavering.

Before Miyako could unleash her anger on Leo, he lifted his hoodie, revealing a surgical scar that ran across his stomach.

"It goes all around," Leo explained, his casual tone remaining unchanged.

Miyako stared at the scar with wide eyes and an open mouth. "What the hell have you been doing?" she practically yelled, unable to contain her shock.

"Fightin' devils," Leo answered proudly.

Slowly recovering from her initial shock, Miyako rubbed her eyes. "So, for the past ten weeks, you were fighting devils?" she inquired, her voice filled with weariness.

"For the past three weeks," Leo corrected.

"And what about the other seven weeks?" Miyako asked, already dreading the answer.

"I was sleepin'," Leo replied matter-of-factly.

As Miyako had anticipated, she did not like the answer. Taking deep breaths to steady herself, she tried to preserve what little sanity she had left. How could this kid be so nonchalant about being in a coma?

Deciding it was better to change the subject before she had to jump through more mental hurdles, Miyako shifted her focus to the next pressing matter. "Who were those people you let inside?"

"They're from a local restaurant, here for catering," Leo explained.

"Tell them to leave," Miyako said, rubbing her temple. "There's no one around to eat whatever they brought."

"Perfect," Leo exclaimed, his excitement surprising Miyako. "I haven't eaten in seven weeks. I'm starving."

A note of concern crept into Miyako's voice. "Don't you have refeeding syndrome?"

"Probably," Leo replied nonchalantly. "Either way, you'll see me dead before you see me eating my food through a straw."

Miyako couldn't help but feel frustrated by Leo's lack of concern for his own well-being. After all, he was going to be her son-in-law. She silently berated Ai's choice of men while shedding comical tears of exasperation.

Meanwhile, Leo wandered off searching for the catering squad, leaving Miyako to her inner turmoil.

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By the time Miyako managed to calm down, Leo had already disappeared, leaving her alone as she stared blankly at the wall. This was what her future, or more accurately, Ai's future would look like - worrying about a boy who had no regard for his own well-being.

Letting out a weary sigh, Miyako reached for her phone and dialed her husband's number.

"Yes?" Ichigo answered on the other end of the line.

"I've found him," she simply stated.

There was no need for further explanation. Ichigo immediately understood who she was referring to.

"Does he know?" Ichigo asked, concern evident in his voice.

"No," Miyako replied.

Silence hung on the line as the couple pondered the situation, contemplating their next steps. Eventually, Ichigo broke the silence.

"Are you going to tell him?" he inquired.

Miyako let out another sigh, the weight of uncertainty heavy upon her. "I don't know," she muttered, her words laced with indecision.

A few more moments passed, the silence stretching as they wrestled with their thoughts and emotions.

In an attempt to shift the focus and alleviate the heaviness in the air, Miyako changed the subject. "Where's Ai?" she asked, seeking a distraction.

Switching the call to speakerphone, Ichigo leaned against his car, keeping an eye on the gas pump while glancing at Ai, who was a short distance away, absorbed in taking pictures with her camera.

"She's taking pictures of the countryside," Ichigo replied, letting out a wistful sigh. "We stopped to refuel."

The camera's flash went off as Ai snapped a picture of the lush green scenery. She waited for a moment as the camera processed the image and printed it out, holding in her hands a physical representation of the picturesque valley with a distant hill adding depth to the composition.

A warm smile graced Ai's face as she reminisced about a conversation she had with Leo a few months ago.

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"Photography?" Ai had asked, her head tilting curiously.

"More or less," Leo had replied, holding a Polaroid camera. "I missed my chance to take pictures of the countryside a while back. I'd go back, but I'm just like, super busy."

"Ehh~" Ai had playfully wiggled her eyebrows. "Busy with what?"

Leo had looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes, a telltale sign that a playful lie was about to escape his lips.

Placing his finger on his chin, Leo pretended to ponder for a moment before snapping his fingers and answering, "Devil hunting and stuff."

Ai had taken his words at face value, her eyes filled with a mix of amusement and fascination. She had shown her belief or disbelief by playfully prodding Leo's side as he had responded with a proud nod.

Caught up in their interaction, Ichigo couldn't help but question himself, "Is he even trying anymore?" as he overheard their conversation while reading his papers.

Meanwhile, Leo and Ai continued their lighthearted exchange, with Leo grabbing Ai's wrist to stop her from poking him further.

"Isn't it getting more dangerous being a devil hunter?" Ichigo had asked, injecting a note of concern into the conversation.

Leo had replied softly, his touch gentle as he held Ai's wrist, "Not really. The mortality rate has gone up, but that's mostly due to inexperienced idiots being allowed to join."

Ichigo had playfully flashed Leo a smirk. "Wouldn't you be considered one of those idiots?"

"Pff, no," Leo had scoffed, reaching for Ai's other hand to prevent her from poking him again. "I'm the idiot they send to save those idiots before they inevitably croak."

"Must be a lot of work," Ichigo remarked turning around.

"I like the weight on my shoulders," Leo added, a smug smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at Ai, who pouted in response, a mixture of annoyance and affection shining in her starry eyes.

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As Ai was lost in her reminiscence, the sudden sound of someone spitting out their drink and yelling "What!" snapped her back to reality. She turned to see Ichigo, coughing and holding his phone to his ear. Embarrassed by the commotion he had caused, he nervously waved his hand in front of his face.

Ai observed the scene for a moment, inadvertently capturing a photo of Ichigo's surprised expression. She shrugged and tucked away her picture of the scenery, replacing it with the image she had just taken of Ichigo. This wasn't the first time he had to spit out his drink upon hearing the shocking news. Lately, their lives had been filled with unexpected surprises, including the baby bump forming on Ai's stomach.

Meanwhile, Ichigo, having regained his composure, took a deep breath before speaking into the phone once again.

"What do you mean he was in a coma?" he urgently whispered, casting wary glances at Ai to ensure she couldn't overhear him. "You don't think this is another one of his lies, do you?"

"I had my doubts at first, but he showed me a surgical scar on his lower abdomen," Miyako explained, recounting her recent encounter with Leo. "He also appeared to have grown noticeably taller."

Ichigo rubbed his temple, trying to process the unexpected news about Leo. This revelation was far from what he had anticipated, especially considering Leo's constant boasts about his strength.

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo refocused the conversation back to Ai.

"We'll address that issue later. For now, I want to finish our trip and take Ai to get her checkup at the rural hospital," he said, stealing a glance at Ai, who had resumed capturing the landscape through her camera lens. This time, she was photographing the reddening sky as the sun neared its descent.

Ichigo sighed inwardly, knowing that the news about Leo's coma would surely weigh heavily on Ai's mind. He didn't want her to worry or become overly anxious during their trip, for both their sakes.

As Ai snapped a picture of the vibrant sunset, a gentle smile played on her lips. She seemed so carefree at that moment, immersed in the beauty of nature.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Ichigo walked over to Ai, joining her by the edge of the field where the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ichigo remarked, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and tenderness.

Ai turned to him, a soft glow illuminating her features. "It's breathtaking," she replied, her eyes sparkling with delight.

They stood side by side, silently watching as the sky transformed into a canvas of vivid colors. In that serene moment, Ichigo's worries momentarily faded away, replaced by a deep appreciation for the simple joys life had to offer.

"C'mon," Ichigo said with a newfound sense of relief. "Let's get to the hospital while the sun is still out."

As traces of the sunlight began to disappear, Ichigo and Ai made their way back to the car.

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Back with Miyako, she had just finished her conversation with her husband and was now pacing anxiously in the hallway. How was she supposed to approach Leo about such a delicate topic as Ai's pregnancy?

To calm her racing thoughts, Miyako clenched her fists and took a deep breath. It was time to find Leo before her nerves got the best of her. She couldn't afford to procrastinate any longer; she needed to address the situation head-on.

With determination in her eyes, Miyako set off in search of Leo. She knew she had to act quickly before he left the building. Thankfully, the lingering aroma of food guided her in the right direction, providing a clue to his whereabouts.

As she followed the scent, Miyako's mind raced with various scenarios of how the conversation could unfold. She rehearsed her words in her head, trying to find the right balance of sensitivity and firmness. She knew she had to convey the gravity of the situation without overwhelming Leo's simple brain.

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When Miyako finally spotted Leo, she couldn't help but wish she had taken a bit more time to mentally prepare herself. She walked into a room that the idols used for practice, only to find Leo seated at a table, voraciously devouring anything within his reach. Empty trays, devoid of any food, were pushed aside as the bewildered catering team watched in astonishment.

Leo had specifically requested the catering team to bring enough food for a medium-sized party, and he seemed to be relishing every single bite. No matter how much food was presented to him, his appetite showed no signs of waning. It was as if his stomach was an endless void, consuming everything in its path.

Lost in his feast, Leo paid no attention to the amazed onlookers and continued his relentless eating spree. The empty trays surrounding him were a testament to the massive amount of food he had consumed.

Miyako couldn't have imagined that Leo would devour all the food laid before him, but the stunned expressions on the faces of the catering team confirmed her suspicions. It seemed her initial assumption was indeed correct.

Mentally gathering herself, Miyako took a deep breath and stepped closer, determined to inform Leo about Ai, regardless of his ravenous appetite. She knew she had to find the right moment to deliver the news with care and sensitivity.

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As Leo indulged in his feast, he couldn't completely ignore the curious stares directed his way. While he chose to disregard them, he couldn't help but sense Miyako's gaze fixed upon him. Unlike her usual piercing glares, her expression held concern.

He pondered the reason behind Miyako's unusual demeanor. Could it be because of his insatiable appetite or his relentless eating spree? Leo highly doubted it. Miyako had built up a tolerance for his antics, and this alone shouldn't be enough to elicit such concern from her. It reminded him, albeit briefly, of Yuki. The memories of their shared moments, a simpler and less complicated time, resurfaced in his mind.

Shaking off the bittersweet recollections, Leo refocused his attention. There would be plenty of time for reminiscing later. Miyako's behavior was an anomaly, and it begged the question: What was going on?

Ai's sudden hiatus without any explanation, added to the mystery. The fact that no other idols were present and even Ichigo was missing only heightened Leo's curiosity. If Miyako's determined stride and the clicking of her heels approaching him were any indication, he was about to find out.

As Miyako's footsteps grew closer, Leo braced himself for the impending conversation. He set aside the empty tray, his appetite temporarily satisfied, and wiped his mouth with a napkin, his gaze fixed on Miyako.

"We need to talk," Miyako said, her voice tinged with a mix of worry and determination.

"What's up?" Leo curiously peeked.

Miyako took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she began. "It's about Ai," she started her voice steady but with an underlying tremor. "She's... pregnant."

Leo's heart skipped a beat, his previous nonchalant demeanor vanishing instantly. He sat upright, his eyes widening but he stayed quiet letting Miyako continue.

Miyako's gaze softened further as she saw the genuine worry etched on Leo's face. "I don't have all the details yet, but she's developed a noticeable baby bump. Ichigo decided to take her to the rural hospital to get her checked out."

The room fell into a heavy silence as Leo processed the weight of the news. Miyako respected his need for space and gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. The catering group, unsure of how to proceed, stood awkwardly, their gazes shifting between Leo and each other.

Thoughts swirled in Leo's mind, the magnitude of the changes in his life becoming increasingly apparent. With each passing event, he found himself propelled forward, confronted by new challenges and responsibilities. His upcoming trip to Germany seemed to pale in comparison to the current situation.

Rising from the table, Leo stretched his back, feeling the weight of the decision ahead of him. He took a deep breath, his gaze steady and determined. Turning to Miyako, he voiced the question that burned in his mind, his voice resolute.

"Where is she?"