Work Text:
Bang!!!
The sound of the trigger echoed in Ron's ears. The blue eyes widened when he saw Toto's body collapse immediately after being shot in a dangerous spot by Milo.
"Toto!"
Ron didn't care about anything and rushed to his partner. Bright red blood was flowing from the gunshot wound on his chest nonstop.
He used his hand to press the wound and found that it was shaking. The other hand supported Toto's head and pulled his body into a hug tightly.
"Toto, don't do anything. Stay with me first. Don't fall asleep!"
"R... Ron"
Toto called his name faintly. Using his last bit of strength, he raised his hand to press against Ron's cheek gently.
"I'm...sorry, Ron"
"Toto, Toto, don't do this. Stay with me. You promised to stay with me til the end!"
Toto's big brown eyes were filled with tears, no different from Ron. He smiled and moved his mouth trying to say something, but it was no use. His small hand fell to the ground. Toto's eyes lost the light before finally closing.
Ron could feel Toto's heartbeat gradually weakening until it stopped.
He cried out loudly, tears streaming down his face like never before. His heart was squeezing tighter than when he was framed five years ago.
He hugged Toto's lifeless body tightly in his arms, not caring about anything even if Milo wanted to kill him right here together with Toto.
"Toto, no, Toto! Don't leave me, please... god, Toto!"
.
.
.
"...on"
"Ron"
"Ron!"
Ron jolted awake when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Toto looked at him with a confused expression.
He didn't hesitate, grabbing the person in front of him into a hug.
"Toto..." Ron's voice was soft, as if relieved.
Toto tilted his head slightly, looking at Ron who was hugging him, shaking. He couldn't help but raise his arms to hug the tall figure and lightly pat Ron on the back.
"What's wrong? A nightmare?"
"The thing I don't want to happen the most in my life," Ron replied with a trembling voice.
Toto broke away from the hug, looked at Ron and laughed softly. "What do you mean? No Kuromitsu to eat? No case to investigate?"
It is the life without you, Toto.
Ron wanted to answer that, but in the end, he didn't dare enough. He just smiled widely and laughed, told Toto that it was true. Right now, it didn't matter. Toto was still here in front of him. Toto was fine. He could still hug him.
Toto didn't press Ron about his nightmare, but he knew that Toto could see through him. So Toto dragged him out for a walk to relax.
Ron always thought that nothing could make him feel more excited than investigating a case. Especially a mysterious case that required difficult investigation skills, Ron's heart would race more than usual.
But not long ago, after returning from the cruise ship, Ron realized how much his heart could race from fear and anger.
While waiting to buy sweets and drinks The blue eyes couldn't help but look at Toto's arm and chest. He didn't want to imagine the wound from being shot under that suit. It made Ron's heart squeeze tightly. Especially the wound on Toto's arm, Ron was the one who shot him himself. It made him feel even more guilty.
After that moment, he swore to himself that he would never hurt Toto again. The moment he realized that there was a chance which he would lose Toto forever, Ron felt himself sank deeper into the darkness.
Toto felt the gaze of the person beside him. He smiled and raised his hand to lightly touch Ron's shoulder.
"Ron, I'm still here. I'm still by your side."
"Toto..."
They took their desserts and drinks to sat down in front of the coffee shop. It was strange that Ron was not aware of his surroundings. He only saw Toto sitting opposite him. In front of Toto was the orange juice that he often ordered and black coffee for Ron.
"The first day we met, do you remember what I said? I will support you no matter what."
"..."
"I've always believed in you and I always will."
"..."
"So don't blame yourself. Everything I do I made all the decisions by myself."
Ron didn't understand why Toto suddenly said something like this. Was it just to comfort Ron?
"Why, Toto? You should know how dangerous it is to be by my side. Were you not afraid after you got back from the ship?" Ron asked in confusion.
"Do you think I'm the only one helping you? You've helped me a lot yourself. Do you want me to just sit back and do nothing?" Toto replied with a smile.
"You're talking like you want to repay me. I don't think helping you is a favor."
Toto's eyes softened, showing a sadness that Ron had never seen before.
"You'll get your license back one day and you don't need a puppet like me anymore. I want to be of useful to you as much as I can before you have to move forward on your own."
"No way, Toto. Don't you really know how important you are to me?"
Ron argued firmly, feeling annoyed that Toto thought Ron could be on his own without Toto.
"But you're a capable person, Ron. You can live without me, right?" Toto's brown eyes began to fill with tears.
Ron was stunned, surprised because he had never seen Toto cry before.
"What do you mean? You're talking like you're going to leave me."
Toto didn't answer, lowered his head to avoid Ron's gaze before standing up and walking away as if he was going to a faraway place. When Ron saw that, he didn't hesitate, quickly got up and hugged the his small body from behind tightly.
"Where are you going, Toto? I won't let you go."
Ron said in a trembling voice, anxious. His heart told him that if he let Toto go now, he would never see the other person again forever.
"Ron... I promise. I'll always be by your side."
As soon as those words ended, Ron's strength disappeared in an instant. Toto walked out of his arms and walked further and further away. His long legs could not catch up no matter how much he ran. Even if he called out Toto's name hundreds or thousands of times, Toto didn't come back.
.
.
.
.
Ron jolted, waking up from his dream. He didn't know whether to call it a good dream or a bad dream. His sharp eyes looked around the room. Everything was still the same. The floor was covered with sloth floor. The TV was in the middle of the room.
Ron's heart trembled from the unforgettable dream. "Toto..."
Ron hurriedly reached for his mobile phone, quickly dialing the only person he was missing the most, but the other end of the line said that this number was no longer in service.
Ron began to feel uneasy and anxious. Toto wasn't dead. He saved Toto. Toto didn't die that day. Everything wasn't real.
He changed to calling Spitz asking him to help tracking where Toto was now.
"What's up, Ron?"
"Spitz! Can you contact Toto? I called but he didn't pick up." Ron immediately replied as soon as Spitz picked up the phone.
"Ron, you..."
"Please, Toto might be in danger. Can you still track Toto using the GPS you installed? Help me to..."
"Ron! Calm down and listen to me carefully."
"..."
"Tototo is dead. On that ship, have you forgotten?"
After hearing that, Ron's whole body went numb down to his feet. His mind was telling him that this couldn't be real.
"I understand that you're hurting from losing someone important to you. I'm sorry too, but please, Ron... Tototo wouldn't want you to live like this," Spitz said sympathetically.
No way.
No way.
No one would ever understand his pain.
Ron laid down in the middle of the room alone again, realizing the truth that Toto was really gone. It was like a folding sword stabbing into his chest.
The blue eyes that had started to brighten again because of Toto had began losing the light again. He cried by himself silently.
Ron didn't know how to erase this feeling. He felt like he could die.
Ron's world went dark again. The only light in his life had been gone forever...