Of course you knew about Big Madam. You had read Juuzou’s file- asked him about it, heard it from his mouth, in his words.

You couldn’t help but feel for him. He was your best friend, your boyfriend, of course you wanted him to be happy.

Flickers of his past often shone through the cracks of his personality. His childlike regression, his violent bloodlust and his rampant obsession with killing ghouls.

You had initially thought he lost all feeling of pain— after all you’d watched him have his leg cut off by a ghoul and he didn’t even bat an eye. Though, clearly you hadn’t accounted for emotional pain.

Hand in hand, walking down the streets of Tokyo, Juuzou was happily pulling you into every sweet shop and trinket store he could see. Though he had suddenly paused beside the lollipops.

Your eyes followed his gaze, settling on a mother and son interacting happily. She was holding his face, chuckling as she wiped chocolate from the boy’s cheeks. You felt Juuzou’s hand slip from yours.

Then it clicked; he hadn’t known motherly tenderness like that. And now- seeing it first hand- you assumed he wanted it.

Juuzou turned back to you, forcing a smile, “it’s okay, my love” the pet name felt awkward on his tongue— he’d never had a romantic partner before but he was trying his best for you. “I don’t need anything in this shop we can go to the next.”