#it’s okay though cause kenshi can’t do that either

[krasnyel]

tender

[aurorapillar]

Title: and even now, you’re my light Fandom: Trash of the Counts Family Characters: Derth Henituse, Raon Miru, Rosalyn, Mary, Ron Molan, On, Hong, Eruhaben, Choi Han, Alberu Crossman

Summary: Cale falls during the final battle with The White Star and his friends grieve him. inspired by the song Lemon by Kenshi Yonezu

 How good it would have been if this were all just a dream Even now, I still dream of you Like I’m going home to get something I’ve forgotten I dust off my old, worn memories

Duke Henituse had still been young when his first wife had died and his son even younger, it had been only Cale who made it possible for him to get through that time of grief and now he was gone too. It hadn't seemed real when they'd been told of his death; Prince Alberu himself had come to tell them the news and all Deruth could remember thinking as the prince spoke was that it couldn't be true, his son couldn't be dead.

He’d wanted it to be just a dream, a nightmare he could wake up from at any moment, but Violan’s painful grip on his arm and the sight of her pale face told him it was all too real. Despite Cale not having been one of her children by blood, she had loved him all the same and her grief was evident in her expression and the way she clung to him like he was the only thing keeping her upright.

Lily and Basen’s expressions hadn’t been anymore calm, both of them had looked up to their brother, had strove to improve themselves in order to be able to support him; the back they had chased after had disappeared though, leaving behind a gaping void that he could only hope they’d be able to climb out of.

Twenty-one years, in the end that was all the time his son had gotten; Deruth had watched him grow from a cheerful young boy into a spoiled teenager, and then turn his life around and rise up to become a hero to more than just the Roan Kingdom. He’d been kind, generous, loyal and above all fully willing to put his life on the line to protect others; he’d been a good person, a good son, and Deruth missed him so much.

 The last thing you taught me Is that there are types of happiness that don’t come back The dark past I kept hidden and unsaid Would have remained forever dark, if I hadn’t met you

The first thing Raon had come to know in his life was pain, from the moment he’d been born up until he was four, suffering had been his constant companion.  The only thing that had kept him going throughout the days of torture and darkness was his anger and thoughts of revenge; there had been no joy, no hope, only agony and the thought that one day he would make them pay.

Then Cale had come along and pulled him out of the dark and into the light; he’d given Raon not only his freedom, but also a home, a name and a family. For the first time in his life Raon had gotten to enjoy the feeling of happiness; alongside Cale he’d gotten to travel all over the world and meet all kinds of people and do all kinds of things. Of course there had been some tough times too, Cale had caused him lots of stress because of his self-sacrificing nature, but he wouldn’t have traded it all for anything in the world.

Somehow he'd thought those days would manage to last forever, that he'd spend all of his life safe and happy alongside Cale; it was only as he stood crouched beside Cale’s cooling body, tears falling from his eyes, that he realized how wrong he'd been. Those happy days were gone, and no matter how hard he wished, it was impossible to bring them back. He'd never again feel Cale’s hand gently petting his head, or curl up next to him at night, they'd never go loot bad guy’s safes again, or scam people into doing what they wanted; Cale would never be there to comfort him when he wasn't feeling great or mighty either, would never again tell him not to ask obvious questions.

He'd said many times that he'd destroy the world if Cale died, but the moment Cale did, his world had already been destroyed.

 I know there’s no possible way I could ever be hurt any more than this

Rosalyn knew she had been lucky compared to most of her friends in that she'd led a life largely free of sadness and loss; there had been hard times for her of course, there were for everyone, but never to the extent that many she knew had gone through. Even when she'd renounced her royal heritage she hadn't really lost her family or home, even if it was in a different manner than before she could still see and interact with them, plus she'd found a new home a friend's along the way.

Cale’s death though had brought with it pain like she'd never felt before; it was strange really, they'd all spent so much time worrying over Cale's health and the way he pushed himself so hard, but the idea of him dying had always felt like an unreal possibility because there was no way such a thing could happen. He was a force of nature just as much as his powers were, it was him who had brought them all together and changed their lives, there was no way he could ever go away.

But then he had.

Even all the times she'd strained and pushed her body to limit had never hurt as much as the loss of him, it was a soul-wrenching pain that didn't seem to end, and she didn't know if it ever would.

 Even the sadness of those days, even the pain of those days I loved every bit of it, with you by my side

Mary had lived a life full of pain, as a necromancer there was no other way she could live; despite that, she'd always tried her best to stay hopeful, to look for the light even if she couldn't be a part of it.  Then Cale had come along and things had changed, he offered her a chance to step out into the world above, to be part of something she'd only ever been able to dream about until then.

It hadn't been easy of course, necromancers were still hated and feared, but he'd given her a home and his protection. In return she'd done her best to aid him however she could; no matter how much it hurt her every time she controlled her bones and sent them to fight, it was all worth it to protect the happiness and family she'd found.

And with time she had come to be loved by more than just her friends; people didn't turn away in fear at the sight of her, but cheered and called out her name; children in the streets wore black robes and pretended to fight off enemies. The light she'd been only able to watch from a distance for so long had finally found its way to where she could reach it.

It was Cale she had to thank for it, and even though he was gone, she knew she would never forget all that he'd done for her.

 In my heart, never coming out, is the bitter smell of lemon I can’t go home until the rain lets up And even now, you’re my light

Cale had hated bitter things, that was a fact that as head butler to the Henituse family, Ron Molan had known very well; and yet he'd always choked down whatever lemon-flavored drink Ron had brought him without complaint. Oh, he'd curl his lips in disgust or shoot annoyed glances at his back when he thought Ron wasn't looking, but never once did he tell him to take it back or bring him something different.

The same went for the duties that fell to him as he made his way through life; many bitter tasks had landed on the young master-nim’s shoulders, but he'd pushed through, fulfilling each on as best he could even when it was clear he didn't want to. It was that attitude that he'd carried with him until the very end, and it had left Ron wishing that just once he would have said "No, take it back," instead of drinking it all down.

There were so many years that should have been ahead of Cale, so many things he should have been able to still do; and yet despite all the additional chances he had made possible for other people, there had been none left for him.

The sky had poured the day of his funeral, almost as if it too was mourning, and even once the clouds had cleared Ron had been able to tell that the rain continued on in people's hearts. It had been no different for him and Beacrox of course, they'd been around for Cale’s whole life and while they hadn’t always liked him, he’d ended up earning their respect. It had been Cale who’d saved Ron’s life when he’d poisoned, Cale who had made it possible for him to have two arms again, and Cale who had given them the chance to get revenge for what had happened to the Molan household. He’d lit the way for them, just like he had for so many others, and continued to do so even now that his light had burned out.

 In the darkness, I traced your back I remember its outline vividly

On remembered well the night before the final battle with The White Star; it had been the first time in quite a while that everyone had all gathered together, from those of them who had started off together in the Henituse territory, to the newer allies they had made along the way. They had all been talking, planning and desperately hoping that everything would turn out alright the next day.

She had seen Cale standing there, his back to her as he spoke to Choi Han and Raon, telling them what their tasks would be in the upcoming battle; their weak human had seemed so strong and sturdy in that moment, despite the weight of the world resting on his shoulders, and she'd felt sure in her heart that she'd never forget the sight. She'd been so sure while watching him that night, that everything would be okay; that they'd defeat The White Star for good and come back home to live a peaceful life, all of them together. Those thoughts seemed so foolish now, with the fight behind them, but grief still paving the way ahead; without Cale was there really even someplace to go home to?

 Each time I encounter something I can’t fully accept Nothing wells up but my tears

Hong had seen plenty of hardship in his short life, of course he knew his sister had done her best to shield him from all that she could, but she hadn’t been able to protect him from everything. They’d struggled after escaping from their tribe, with no money, no home, and no food; it had been hard to survive; all they’d been able to do was keep moving from place to place and hope for the best. Cale had been the first person to reach out a hand and offer them kindness, he’d offered them first food and then a home, only requiring that they be useful in exchange.

So they’d done their best, following Cale’s orders and doing what they could to help; for any problem they came up against Cale always had a solution, all they had to do was listen and occasionally berate him when he got too reckless. It had been a fun life, they’d traveled all over the world and done all kinds of things; from fighting in a war and igniting a rebellion, to running an inn and stealing from people, they’d done it all.

That had come to an end though, and Hong didn't know what to do, didn't know how to accept that Cale was gone. It was more than just having lost a friend and benefactor, though it had never been said out loud and they'd only gotten to spend three years with him, Cale had been the closest thing they'd had to a parent. He'd fed and cared for them, protected them, bought them whatever they wanted, and even if he hadn't always been the most obvious about showing it, he'd loved them.

It wasn't fair that he was gone, Hong wanted him back! But no matter how many tears he cried it couldn't change a thing.

 What were you doing? What were you looking at? Your face turned to the side, expression unknown

Cale had been quiet the final night before the battle, not that that was unusual; for all that he had once been called trash, in the time Eruhaben had known him, he'd rarely acted in a manner one would consider loud. His silence had seemed rather pensive that night though, which at the time Eruhaben had assumed was simply due to the importance of the upcoming fight and the weight resting on his shoulders. It was only in hindsight that he realized there might have been more to it than that.

He hadn't been able to see his expression that night, Cale had been turned away from him, gaze focused on the fireplace as he gently petted Raon's head, but Eruhaben couldn’t help but be curious what it would have told him if he had seen it. Had Cale known what was going to happen? Had he known that he wouldn't survive, that the price for The White Star’s defeat would be his life?

Eruhaben suspected that may have been the case, and one of his actions prior to battle only furthered that suspicion; Cale had handed him a familiar cracked jar and told him to think about it after the battle. He could not see any reason for Cale to not have waited until afterward except that he’d either known or suspected it would be his last chance to do so.

It was frustrating, he’d never expected to meet such an annoying and unlucky pair as Raon and Cale, and yet the two of them had managed to worm their way into his heart despite his attempts to avoid it; they were his precious children and it had been his plan to spend the little remaining time he had left teaching and protecting them before dying satisfied. The two of them had refused to let him do so, however, with the unlucky punk almost outright ordering him to live longer; they’d worn him down until he’d acquiesced to hanging on a little longer. Just a year more, that was what he’d thought, enough time to hopefully see things to the end and let the other’s better come to terms with his impending death.

In the end, though, it had been Cale who went to his rest first, leaving Eruhaben with the feeling that he could not yet go; Raon and the other’s couldn’t lose someone else so soon. No doubt Cale had known such a thing would happen, had known he’d feel too guilty to die and would have to stick around; what a selfish punk, forcing a decision on him. He couldn’t find it in himself to really be upset though, not after Cale had given his all to protect his friends and the world.

Eruhaben didn’t know how many more years the artifact could give him, but whatever it could he’d take and spend it watching over those left behind. It was all he could do.

 If you’re somewhere now, just the way I am Trapped in loneliness, suffering and crying Somehow, please, just forget about me I wish for it so strongly, with all my heart That even now, you’re my light

Cale Henituse was not the first person to have shown Choi Han kindness in the new world he’d ended up in, that had been the people in Harris Village, but it had been Cale who’d reached out to him when he was at his darkest point. He was the reason Choi Han had been able to climb out of the hole of despair that he had been trapped in and so he’d sworn to protect him, but in the end, he’d failed; he could fight Cale’s enemies but no matter how strong he got he’d never been able to protect Cale from his own self sacrificial tendencies.

He wondered where Cale was now that he’d died. Had he just ceased to be? Was he in an afterlife somewhere? Had he ended up back in Korea? Choi Han had no answers to those questions, all he knew was that if Cale still existed in some shape or form, then he hoped he would forget all about them.

Such a wish would probably seem cruel to other people, and Choi Han knew it was selfish, but he also thought such a thing would be a kindness; there were many things he’d never gotten to know about Cale, about Kim Rok Soo, but he did know his greatest fear was ending up all alone. It wasn’t a fact that the rest of their group knew, at least as far as he knew, and he was pretty sure the only reason he’d been told was because Cale had been somewhat delirious from overusing his powers and worried about an injury Choi Han had gotten. It had stuck with him though, he knew what it was like to fear losing the people you cared about and that Cale had already been through it once before, same as him.

There was a certain irony to the fact that as it turned out, Cale hadn’t lost them, instead it had been them who lost him; but it didn’t change the fact that he was no longer with his family. Of course it was possible that there were other people who were dear to him wherever he was, but if there weren't, Choi Han would rather Cale forget all about them then remember and know what he had lost.

Choi Han knew that he himself would never forget though, head until the day he died, Cale would remain the light that guided his way.

 Since then, when I think of you —Someone I loved More than I ever thought— My breath stops Even though you were by my side It’s almost like a lie But I’ll never forget it That’s the only thing I know for sure

Family had always been a rather complicated thing for Alberu; because of the need to hide his heritage, along with the battle for the throne, he’d never been able to be close with the human side of his family. And while he was close with his mother’s side of the family, their relationship had always had to remain secret; which while by no means lessened their love for each other, and yet could be rather stifling at times.

Meeting Cale though had filled a gap he hadn't fully realized existed; at first he’d simply been a necessary annoyance, however over time he’d come to be someone important to Alberu, the younger brother he’d really had. Unfortunately it hadn’t been until Cale was gone that it really struck him just how important he’d become; every time an issue came up that was tough to solve on his own, his first thought would be to get Cale’s help, only to realize he no longer could; every time the nobles spoke flattering words to him, he’d think about what a rude punk Cale tended to be; whenever he caught a glimpse of siblings together, there would be a sudden pain in his chest.

He’d only known Cale for a total of three years, but that had been long enough to leave an irreparable Cale shaped hole behind, once he’d left. It almost seemed like a dream sometimes, the days they’d spent side by side, working for the betterment of both the Roan Kingdom and their world. There had been hard times and lots of headaches, most of which had been caused by Cale, but Alberu wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. The memories of them and of Cale would stay in his heart and he would never forget.

 Even the sadness of those days, even the pain of those days I loved every bit of it, with you by my side In my heart, never coming out, is the bitter smell of lemon I can’t go home until the rain lets up Like one half of a split fruit Even now, you’re my light

[spilledginger]

Melting for a cryomancer (Subscorp: now with added bi panic)

Maintaining an alliance with your ex-rival was already hard and awkward enough as it was, but no one mentioned how much more awkward it would get when you start to catch feelings for them.

It all started when Hanzo was recovering at the SF base. The pyromancer was convinced that he was fine and could return to the Shirai Ryu as if nothing happened. But because of the combination of doctors orders and a whole lot of guilt tripping for killing Quan Chi, he was forced to stay. Which has now lead to Hanzo laying on his back to stare at the ceiling, drowning in his thoughts. At least, until the sound of the door opening made him lose his focus. He heard someone sighing in relief and sat upright to see who just disturbed his train of thought.

‘’What are you doing here, Sub-Zero?’’

The cryomancer flinched and turned around to face the older man.

‘’My apologies, Master Hasashi. I did not know that this room was occupied’’

‘’You did not answer my question’’

‘’I’m… kind of trying to avoid some people. Ever since I got here, I’ve been getting surrounded by people trying to get my attention. It’s quite tiring’’

Hanzo thought for a minute about the other man’s situation and nodded.

‘’Then… I suppose you can stay here for a bit. But don’t bother me’’

‘’Bothering is the last thing I want to do to you, Master Hasashi’’

The pyromancer nodded and went back to staring at the ceiling, while Kuai just sat down in silence. After about ten minutes, the younger man spoke up.

‘’Don’t you have anything better to do than to stare at the ceiling because you can’t go back to your clan right now?’’

‘’What did I just say?’’

‘’Listen, I know that you’re angry about it, but at least try to do anything else than to drown yourself in self-loathing. You’ve done that enough already’’

Hanzo was quiet for a moment and sighed before speaking quietly.

‘’…I’ve ruined the chances of everyone getting restored. And I caused Shinnok to-‘’

‘’Shinnok has already been taken care of by Cassandra Cage. He’s not a threat to us anymore’’

‘’That still doesn’t fix the revenant issue’’

‘’Blaming yourself for everything won’t fix it either’’

The pyromancer huffed. The other man did have a point. He sat up and leaned against the wall.

‘’I hate it when you’re right’’ Hanzo glared at his former rival.

Kuai chuckled, which made Hanzo’s heart skip a beat. No Hanzo, you’re not going to fall for your former enemy. Keeping up an alliance with him is already hard enough. Speaking of alliance…

‘’When was our next appointment to talk about our clans’ alliance again?’’

‘’In exactly a week. Why? Did you forget?’’

‘’No I… just wanted to make sure’’

  A week wasn’t enough to calm Hanzo down. The thought of being in love with his former archnemesis made him feel wrong, as if he was betraying his clan. He was just done with worrying about the whole enemies to friends to lovers thing when two of his students came to him with the news that the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei had arrived. He turned around and saw the cryomancer standing behind the students. The older man nodded and dismissed his students so he could talk to the Grandmaster in private. The two men sat down in the garden, with a tree giving off enough shade for the both of them.

‘’So, about our alliance’’ the Lin Kuei began. ‘’How have your students been handling it?’’

‘’Same as any other alliance. Some were hesitant at first, but now it feels like there are no issues at all’’ Aside from the issue that I’m starting to question my feelings about him.

‘’Good’’

‘’Is that it?’’

‘’Well, Master Hasashi. I must tell the truth about why I intended to come here. I was getting quite worried about you’’

‘’You… what?’’ Hanzo looked up in confusion.

‘’I was getting worried. After noticing how you felt about the news about Quan Chi… After seeing you sulking in that room alone… I must say that even though we used to be enemies, I still consider you as just as important as my other allies’’

Hanzo fell silent. He did not know how to respond to the concern that the cryomancer was showing. It made him feel weird… in what he guessed a good way. No Hanzo, bad way! No time for butterflies about your rival.

‘’Uhm… Master Hasashi? The grass around you is starting to set on fire’’ Kuai broke him out of his bi panic thoughts.

The pyromancer noticed and got even more embarrassed, which caused his hands to set on fire as well. Kuai had to think quick before Hanzo could do more damage and quickly grabbed the other man’s hands to try and cool him off. Their hands made a quiet hissing sound from the highly different temperatures of the two men. Hanzo was too startled by the other man’s action to notice that the fire around him had been dying out.

‘’There we go…’’ The Lin Kuei said. ‘’Are you okay?’’

‘’I’m fine… are you?’’

‘’Yeah…’’

The two sat there for a while, not noticing that they were basically holding hands for fun by now. Hanzo looked at the ground around him.

‘’My apologies for startling you. I… sometimes lose control over my powers’’

‘’It’s alright. Luckily I was here to make sure that you couldn’t do any more damage’’

That’s when Hanzo remembered that they were holding hands. He quickly pulled his hands away and placed them behind his back, earning a chuckle from Kuai. The same type of chuckle that made him question his feelings at first.

‘’Scared of holding my hands, Master Hasashi?’’ Kuai joked.

‘’Any more comments like that and you’re not allowed to come here again’’

‘’That’s fair’’

  A few months have passed now, which gave Hanzo enough time to sort his feelings out. From talks with Takeda, Kenshi and even Johnny, to the monthly appointments with Kuai Liang, all to figure out what his feelings were and how to accept them. Takeda and Kenshi gave pretty good advice, while Johnny’s solution was being extremely straight-forward and banging Kuai on his icy throne. While that solution didn’t sound like an extremely bad thing to do, Hanzo would prefer to keep his clothes on in at least the first few months of the potential relationship. So here he was, during his monthly talk with his ally, wondering when he should make a move. Or rather, hoping that the other man would feel the same way and make the first move. He was thinking of the endless possibilities when the cryomancer suddenly broke his train of thought by speaking up.

‘’Would you like to continue this talk somewhere else?’’

‘’Why would we?’’

‘’It’s getting late. I don’t want you to be too cold’’

‘’But I thought that I wasn’t allowed to stay after it started to get dark’’

‘’Those are the old rules, Master Hasashi. Don’t forget who’s the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei now. Now, let’s continue this talk in my room’’

Hanzo blushed at what Kuai said and the snow under his feet turned into slush. Quickly regaining his composure, he nodded and followed the younger man to his room. His thoughts started racing about the endless possibilities again. What if he wants to get me in his bed? No Hanzo, he’s not like that… Most likely not at least.

‘’Here we are’’ Kuai stated and opened the door to his room. ‘’After you’’

The pyromancer walked into the room and didn’t know where to stand and what to expect. The cryomancer walked past him, towards the window, where a seat was built in. He sat down in the window seat and motioned for Hanzo to sit next to him. The Shirai Ryu nodded and complied. So there they were, sitting next to each other in a window seat. A situation that most people would call romantic, but Hanzo called an absolute hell. His mind was racing and he was trying his best to not set anything on fire again.

‘’Hanzo… Do you ever think about how far we have come?’’ Kuai began.

The pyromancer looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’Well… We went from trying to kill each other, to allies, to… I guess friends?’’

‘’What are you trying to say, K-Kuai?’’ Hanzo asked, stumbling over the other mans name.

‘’I wondered… What if we took it another step further?’’ Kuai asked, turning towards Hanzo, who widened his eyes and looked like he was ready to start another fire.

Kuai gave Hanzo a soft smile and softly grabbed one of his hands, which turned the older man into an awkward, blushing mess. He chuckled at the irony of a pyromancer melting at the touch of a cryomancer and slowly leaned in.

‘’May I?’’ Kuai asked, not wanting to make the other man too uncomfortable.

Hanzo slowly nodded, which made Kuai close the gap in between them, the temperature difference causing a soft hissing sound to be heard. He placed one hand on Hanzo’s face, cupping his cheek. His other hand moved towards Hanzo’s back, holding him close. The pyromancer placed his hands on the younger man’s chest, not knowing what else to do with them. They kissed for a little while, before breaking it to catch their breath. Kuai was the first one to break the silence.

‘’Would you… like to stay here for the night?’’

Hanzo nodded, eyes still closed. Then he opened his eyes slightly to pull the cryomancer back into another kiss, sighing at the regained contact. This kiss was more passionate, with Kuai’s hands running through Hanzo’s hair and Hanzo’s hands massaging Kuai’s shoulders. The kiss lasted longer than the last one, but was eventually broken to give both men time to regain their breath.

‘’I must admit that I didn’t see that coming’’ Kuai chuckled.

‘’Hm… I guess that I should do that more often then’’

‘’Maybe you should’’ Kuai responded with a wink

Hanzo blushed and looked away. This man will be the death of him someday, and not in the way he thought when they first met. The two men got up to get themselves ready for bed, still dazed by the kisses they have shared. Kuai had already crawled into bed, waiting for Hanzo. The pyromancer laid down as well, with his back facing the other man. This made Kuai put one arm around him, pulling him close. Hanzo smiled and responded with a pleased hum. The two stayed like this and eventually fell asleep, dreaming of what might happen next in their relationship.

Hope you enjoyed that little thing i made to try and get back into fanfic writing! It was my first published fic in a while so go easy on me ;P

I also posted this on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18320141

[sadisticsmiles]

Beyond a Thief’s Power Episode 7

In Order to Survive

"Kenshi? What's wrong?" Rina had noticed Kenshi's silent state. "You don't look well. Is something troubling you?"

The others also gave their undivided attention to hear what the firefighter had to say.

Kenshi was staring down at the counter. His shoulders were slumped and he let out an exaggerated breath. His face began to fill will pinkish-red tints of color, giving him a mad blush. "I'm not exactly sure how to say this, but…" Then, he gulped. "I think… I've fallen in love with Sayuri."

Hiro's eyes immediately widened with great shock. He could not believe his ears. "WHAT?!"

Unlike Hiro, however, everyone else inside Le Renard Noir was calm about the situation. They stared blankly and seriously at the firefighter.

"Kenshi," Riki began with a stern expression, "Are you really sure you actually have any romantic feelings towards her? You might just be mistaking how you feel with a large admiration and respect for her appearance."

Rina sighed. "No, I'm positive he's actually developed feelings for Sayuri. He was lost in thought for a while now, Riki. It was different than before, so I don't believe Kenshi's gotten the wrong idea."

Kenshi looked at Riki and gave a light nod with his head. Then, he looked down at the floor. "Yeah. The way she looked tonight was so beautiful, I was captivated by her entire being. Her wings also glowed with a bright white light and they were extremely elegant. It was like she sent feathers down to my body, heart, and soul when she was in the air. Her movements and agility were also astounding, I couldn't believe she was really there. She looked so hot—"

"Stop!” After swiftly standing up from his seat and walking over to where the firefighter was, Riki had closed his eyes and put his right hand out, right in front of Kenshi's face. "That's enough out of you, Kenshi." He seemed distraught by the spiky-haired brunet’s blabbering and felt as though his whole face was about to twitch any second now. A sigh came out of his mouth and he placed the same hand on the top of his forehead. "I know you really like her, but you have got to let things go. All this talk about Sayuri is making me irritated, so don't add on to how sexy you think she is." He opened his eyes, displaying his frustration and annoyance. "It sounds so wrong coming from you."

"It was pretty disgusting to hear about near the end," Takuto commented indifferently. "I thought I was going to puke."

Hiro nodded with a sickening expression. His frown and eyes made him appear as if he was a puppy on the verge of tears and illness. "I have to agree with Takkun and Riki there, Kenny. My stomach doesn't feel so great when you say it like that."

Kenshi's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't think everyone would act with opposition towards his output. "W-What? Am I really that repulsive when I put how I feel in words? I just thought it'd be fine to let you guys all know what I was thinking, that's all!"

"But tell me, Kenshi," Atsumu urged in a stern voice and had a corresponding facial expression, "Do you really feel that way about Sayuri? If your emotions and words are genuine, I believe it's okay for you to like her for the time being. Although, I'm not sure how long that will be. If she doesn't leave your mind, then I think you can continue loving her for the rest of your life, and perhaps even beyond. It's up to you to decide how you really feel about her."

Kenshi smiled warmly at Atsumu's words. "Boss…"

Rina frowned with her arms folded across her chest. "But to think you've fallen for Sayuri, rather than a normal girl. It's truly worrying, Kenshi."

"Huh?" Kenshi asked in a perplexed manner. "What do you mean, Rina?"

Rina turned her back towards the counter. She glanced at Kenshi and told her fellow thief and friend something for him—along with everyone else—to hear. "Kenshi, not only have you grown feelings for a magician, but you've begun to harbor them for a Magician of Fate."

"A Magician of Fate?" Kenshi inquired further.

"Mitsuki-san's already told you all this—after she met you guys years ago—that in Neon, magicians are classified under three categories: Intelligence, Power, and Fate1. Those under the name of Fate are the magicians who many are pulled towards," Rina explained. "Sayuri's beauty and wings have created a romantic effect on you, which in turn, has caused you to fall in love with her. Though it may sound like an illusion, it isn't. Your feelings for her are indeed the real thing, so it's no doubt you kept thinking about her after we came back. Anyone who is attracted to a magician similar to Sayuri's aura and powers in a sexual direction is going to fall for them no matter what. It is inevitable, and there is a high chance you may never be able to fall in love with someone else even if you wanted to as a means of forgetting a Magician of Fate."

"So, that means Kenny's almost forever stuck with liking Sayuri that way?" Hiro asked with an astonished expression on his face. "Then, he'll probably never get a girlfriend!" he exclaimed with zeal toward Kenshi's unfortunate circumstances. "Alright! Seeing as Kenny won't be able to stand a chance against any guy who has Sayuri's heart, he'll be doomed from ever attaining her love. Yay~!"

Kenshi felt as though he was going to burst from the inside outward. "Hiro, that's pretty cruel of you to say right now!" He frowned uneasily, and asked, "Can't I at least get some support from you guys on this? Boss is the only one who's given his okay so far, and I'm really in a pinch when it comes to Sayuri."

"Well, we're only letting you know our emotions and opinions on the subject," Hiro stated. "Plus, even if you wanted to go out with her, everyone will instantly acknowledge the fact that you two would be the most unfit pairing out of all of us. I can't say I'm fine with that thought myself. It just makes me sick to think of you and Sayuri ever being together."

Rina narrowed her eyes. "Sorry, Kenshi, but I can't give you my approval for this, either. Sayuri is a magician, after all. You don't seem to be suitable for someone out of your league. In fact, I have to be honest and tell you my outlook on your hopeless case. I think an ordinary woman would be the best choice for you. Of course, I know it's a bit harsh of me to say this, but considering what it's like to be around you, maybe it's better if you married a human girl instead."

"See?" Hiro laughed. "Even Rina knows what's right and wrong at a glance. You're a good person and all, Kenny, but you're more like the guy next door. You're just an average person in the universe, and you can't change that about yourself. It's all about luck and having a set life2. You should know that by now since you don't really have anything that makes you an elite like Riki and Takkun, who both tend to make more money than you with their careers."

At that second, Kenshi could sense a raincloud over his head, allowing all the bad things to pour down on him as small droplets of rain. "…" A conflicted expression overtook his face; his eyes faded. Inside, it felt like he was dying, rotting to the core of his body—his heart and soul. He knew Hiro's words were true, but he didn't want to admit it.

Riki breathed with a strained smile, letting himself relax while he looked at Kenshi. "In love with the enemy, huh? That's something I never would have imagined in our group, but I guess it's just like Kenshi to be the tragic one of all. Poor guy. It must be pretty rough to be in his shoes. He seems even more exhausted than before."

Takuto was still as stoic as he usually was at times like these. "It can't be helped in his case. He was born to be less than a star-crossed protagonist and we can't do anything to adjust his life to how he wants it to be. He's going to have to deal with it, rather than sulk under a cloudy, gray sky." Then, his playful grin came onto the scene. "But that's what he gets for letting his guard down while we're executing our missions. I bet he's been up all night playing his horror RPG games again."

Rina glanced at Takuto with a quizzical facial expression. "Like The Beast's House3?"

"I was thinking more of The Twisted Man4 or Death Demon5, but that works, too," Takuto mentioned. "But maybe he's more into Mutilation Party6 even though it's got different versions."

Rina frowned. "That's the one where a bunch of kids and other people get transported into another dimension, right? I don't like the amount of blood and carcasses in the game. They freak me out; in fact, they'll definitely creep any magician out."

"Don't worry," Takuto reassured his ex-girlfriend. "If Kenny ever asks or tells you go over to his house to watch him play that game, call me and I'll punch him right in the face for giving you a scare. I can land a powerful hit in no time." Another grin formed on his face due to his enjoyment. "I should try beating him at his own hobby sometime. It's been a while since I was over at his house, so it'll be a good warm-up for me."

Rina held her right hand near her face, and it was already curled into a fist-like structure as she giggled. "Thanks, Takuto."

The instant he saw his ex-girlfriend's serene facial expression which was full of gratitude towards him, Takuto's eyes widened in astonishment. He was stunned as his heart skipped a beat, making him reminisce about his feelings for the blonde magician. "…!"

As the light blond continued to stare at his former lover, Hiro was somewhat uncomfortable about that, seeing as his eyes were narrowed a bit. "Oi~, Takkun. Hello~? Earth to Takkun~. Answer me already!" Then, he frowned in a slightly frustrated manner. "…"

Rina had taken notice of her ex-lover's long gaze at her and was drawn in towards it as she stared back into the former's golden eyes. Shortly afterwards, she shifted her own gaze downwards, showing a faint frown. "T-Then let's move on with our missions… We still have several orbs to collect and send out, so keep in mind about our current situation. There isn't enough magic to sustain the magicians residing in different cities in Japan, which means that we’ll have to get to the rest of them very soon."

Riki nodded. "Rina's right. It's also putting a lot of effort on her part to participate in them. We don't want the worse-case scenario to happen, so let's call it a day and take a good rest until tomorrow."

"Then, I'll walk you home tonight, Rina," Takuto proclaimed. "Unless…" He had a devilish grin on his face. "…you want me to carry you there in my arms?"

Takuto's preposition made Rina blush furiously, and she was becoming infuriated at her ex's behavior. "W-What are you saying at a time like this, Takuto?! I can walk home by myself!"

"You don't have to refuse, you know," he continued with the same expression stuck on his face. "We used to date, so it shouldn't be such a big deal to get carried home at night."

Rina's anger was flaring up even more. "No thanks! I don't need my ex-lover to do anything like that for me, so you can just leave it and go home by yourself."

"Ooh!" Hiro perked up. "Things are sure getting steamy in here!"

Riki started fanning himself with his dominant hand with an uncomfortable look on his wonderful visage. "Tell me about it. I can feel chili peppers coming from those two. Ugh… It's getting too hot in here."

Indeed. The heated bickering on Rina's part, along with Takuto's sarcasm, were much more difficult to bear for the leader of the Black Foxes. Riki felt like his body was on fire, and Kenshi couldn't agree more.

"Whew!" the firefighter exhaled. "Maybe I should get the fire department to make a special case for those two. I can see plenty of flames sparks flying back and forth between them. It's getting too much to handle at the moment—actually, within each second!"

Atsumu took out a bamboo folding fan and waved it towards the lit-on pair. "I wonder if things will be okay." He was wearing his usual smile on his face. "I haven't seen this happen between them before, myself, so maybe I should try grilling some food near those two."

"Don't," Riki panted. "The food you make will be burnt to crisps. Ah, geez!" The government official began to cough, covering his mouth with his left hand. Then, he regained his breath again after a few seconds only to cough a bit more. "Will you knock it off, Takuto? You started the fire, so put it out." Another set of coughs made their way out of Riki's throat. "Hurry!"

Takuto's indifference returned when he heard Riki's complaints. "Fine." His shoulders dropped and he looked at Rina. "Suit yourself. Whether or not you decide to go home is fine with me."

Rina disappeared in an instant and the heat died down. It felt cool again inside Le Renard Noir and everything returned back to normal.

"Wow, Takkun," Hiro said. "You really upset Rina. She was totally blazing just now!"

Riki started to catch his breath once more with some remaining pants. "Guess… something really did happen… while I was asleep a few days ago." His respiration was soon back to its usual self, but he was quite exhausted. "Rina's never this angry and we all know it."

Kenshi sighed. "Yeah, I figured. Things weren't looking too good when she got so flustered. Everyone could tell something was going on." He glanced at Takuto and asked, "Takuto, did you do something to her a while back? It didn't seem like anything you two would have normally said to each other."

Takuto frowned and averted his gaze towards the floor.

Atsumu smiled lightly. "Takkun, be honest. If there's something going on between you and Rina, you should at least say what's on your mind. You know we're all here for you, don't you? We're all ears for anything you want to relay to us."

"That's right," Kenshi agreed. "We're partners in crime, Takuto! A member of the Black Foxes is still part of the same team as the rest of the other members. We all think of you as a nonpareil friend and there's no one who could ever beat you at your job. Each and every one of us has something the others can't completely fulfill when we're apart. Isn't that what makes us a band of thieves at night, while we're working on our own careers during the day?"

Riki grinned. "I hate to admit it, but Kenshi does deserve some credit for saying something as commendable as that. It makes me want to knock him out myself."

The spiky haired brunet's shock had immediately gotten to him. "What? You'd hit me right here and now, Riki? I can't believe you would consider doing something like that when we're all together."

"I'm playing around, you idiot," Riki replied with his usual sedate expression implanted on his face. He placed his left hand on his waist and hip. "Are you trying to suggest that I should put a punch on the side of your face when we're alone together? Man, you can be pretty sickening sometimes."

Hiro laughed. "Haha! Picking on Kenny is actually fun when you think about it. It makes all the serious stuff go away."

"So, are we lumping him in with Beardy over there?" Takuto asked. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but Kenny's on a whole different level than an old barf who's got no sense of commitment to anything or anyone."

Atsumu's eyes popped opened a bit higher. "Hey! I've always been committed to Shinobu and the bar. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here right now, would I?"

"Not like you've shown your worth," the light blond bluntly countered. "Riki's got better commitment than you. Just look how happy he is in love and work."

Riki smiled contently with closed eyes. "What can I say? I try to make everything a success, so I guess it really does work out in the end for me."

"Not like I was complimenting you or anything," Takuto retorted dully once more. "I was just stating the facts."

Riki glowered. "Tch. Should've known you were the one to ruin things whenever you wanted to break the ice, Takuto. But, anyway. It's about time for you to tell us what happened between you and Rina."

Takuto looked at Riki with an apathetic expression on his face. "Riki, do I really have to? I don't have the energy to talk about it."

"Yes, you do," Riki answered in a composed manner. "And it's not that you don't have the will to speak about it; it's because of your personality, Takuto. You refuse to talk about Rina much since the break-up, and it kills the living hell out of us. Don't you think it'd be a good thing to rely on us every time something bothers you to the point where it gnaws at your shoulder or the back of your mind? Besides, the way Rina was a little earlier wasn't common, if you catch my drift."

Takuto looked down at the floor and stared at it, and he knew what his best friend meant. "It's not as easy as you think it is. There's still too much to apologize for and I haven't done anything to convey that feeling yet."

Hiro's eyes lowered with sorrow when he saw how much Takuto was suffering. It was as though a knife went straight through his heart. "Takkun…"

Kenshi lowered his head. "I bet it really makes you feel guilty, doesn't it? But it's still something we need to know, Takuto."

Atsumu smiled helplessly at the group of men sitting on the chairs in front of him and his bar counter. "I can think of a certain day in particular." His expression became serious as he looked at Takuto. "Takkun. It was right after you went after Rina a few days ago, wasn't it? I could sense you two had something connecting your bond with each other, due to the amount of time you guys were gone. I'm positive you must have done something that affected Rina in a few ways possible. While you all weren't here, she kept getting lost in thought for several minutes. Luckily, she didn't get off track before a customer showed up, so it was only before we opened Le Renard Noir. It was as if something in her system was full of bugs."

Riki grimaced at that last sentence. "Boss, she's not a robot or computer. She's a living young woman who has extraordinary qualities."

"I know what I'm talking about," Atsumu responded casually. "Still, Rina wasn't like her usual self earlier as well. I wanted to ask her about it, but I figured it was best not to. There seemed to be a lot on her mind, so I left her alone to think for herself. I know you might not appreciate the thought of any of us meddling into your affairs, Takkun, but it could help mend things between you two."

Takuto nodded as he kept his indifference. "I know, but… I'll only cause trouble for everyone if I say anything about my problems."

With his eyes closed, Riki sighed. "You really like keeping us in the dark, don't you? Don't hold back on a conflict if it's about to kill you, Takuto. Besides, how long do you think we've known each other, anyway?" He relaxed a little with his eyes opened. "If you say that we don't understand you at all, then you're wrong. You and I are best friends, despite our age difference; however, the eight of us are practically family, since Mitsuki and Rina have been with us as well, so don't forget we had Shinobu before they came to Earth; even in death, she's still remains in all our hearts."

Hiro's face brightened when he heard the word 'family.’ He, too, wanted to cheer Takuto up and support him. "That's right, Takkun! We're like brothers, so you don't have to take in all the pain for yourself to handle. We're always with you no matter what!"

"Don't forget the good and bad times now, Takuto!" Kenshi smiled energetically. "We've gone through plenty of difficult times together, haven't we? There's no way we could abandon anyone in our team!"

"There you have it," Atsumu concluded with a content smile.

The other fours' words made Takuto realize how close they truly were to one another. "You guys…" He smiled back at them and allowed himself to speak the truth, which was a rarity not many knew about. The next thing he knew, he was looking back to what occurred not too long ago with unsettling emotions. "To be more precise, after we walked to Rina's apartment, I…"

  ~The night of March 26, 2007~

  Rina gazed into Takuto's eyes when she found out (unintentionally) about Takuto's feelings. "Takuto, do you still love me?"

Takuto was unable to meet his past lover's gaze, so he averted his eyes from Rina's. A whirlpool of emotions overflowed within his body, and his appearance was resolute soon enough. "Yeah, I'm still in love with you, Rina. I've never stopped loving you, even after we broke up."

I still love you, but I could never say that before, Takuto thought. It always hurt to see your sad expression, but I had my reasons for breaking up with you.

Several feelings from the last few years were sending themselves into Rina's heart as she looked at Takuto with sad and uncertain eyes. "Takuto, I—"

She was soon cut off with a soft, warm sensation on her lips, which came from her former lover's, and her overwhelming emotions became one big surprise when she realized what was happening. Takuto had kissed her—something he had not done since the day they broke up—and that hit her pretty hard. Once he pulled away, she looked down at the floor of her apartment and the ground with disorientation.

"About that kiss just now…" she brought up. She was very flustered at that instant and could not look at Takuto at all. "I… Um…"

Takuto only nodded and told Rina, "Those are my true feelings. Whether or not you believe me depends on what you decide in the end. Anyway, I'll take my leave, so you don't have to get me anything. I'll be at the bar to get Beardface to reheat my pork noodles." He held up his right hand in a wave and turned around, making his way towards Le Renard Noir. "Well, bye. I'll see you later."

 XXX

 Hiro's eyes widened in shock and surprise at Takuto's confession of the night that took place a few days ago. "You kissed Rina?!" It was still novel to him and the others what they had heard from Takuto's mouth.

"Takuto, you—" Riki started to say before stopping himself. He let out a sigh and understood the situation. "I see. So that's what pulled her trigger."

Takuto gave a light nod with his head. "Yeah. It's not like I meant to set her off, but I couldn't help myself from kissing her that night, so I guess it must have come off as a huge shock to her when I did it."

"Of course it did," Hiro frowned. "Anyone would be surprised when someone they used to be with kisses them out of nowhere, and without any warning, too. I can certainly tell you that it only makes a person more self-conscious when someone decides to plant a sucker on their lips." He exhaled in a sigh. "I think Rina's been going through too much because of it. She's probably trying as hard as she can to concentrate on everything, including our missions."

Kenshi placed his left hand on the back of his head. "I feel bad for Rina, but there's just too much to think about right now." He had an unyielding look on his face while observing the others. "We have to help out the other magicians who are here on Earth, along with her and Saionji. They're not going to last long without the help of those orbs, and we're slipping away from our duties as members of the Black Foxes. Didn't we learn anything at all tonight?" he asked calmly—as calm as his voice would allow him to.

"Kenshi's right," Riki declared. "We have to do something for their sakes. Magicians survive on magic which those orbs contain, and yet, we're running out of time."

Atsumu nodded firmly. "Right. We can't let them die out. I'll see if Rina and I can locate them during our break at work and before we all meet up, so we can take on a mission tomorrow night."

"I'll ask Seiko if she's seen or heard anything about them," Hiro offered. "There has to be something before then."

"I'll check out if anyone from work knows anything or can help find some information about them," Takuto announced nonchalantly. "If not, we'll just meet here and hurry to a location we can find."

Kenshi glanced down at the floor. "Maybe the orbs won't appear in front of anyone. They could be in a hidden place like the cave we were at a few hours ago."

"So they could be at an area such as, the top of a mountain?" Hiro asked with a surprised look on his face before frowning with his lips pressed firmly. "But we won't be able to run all the way there on foot!"

"We could use Rina's teleportation to get to wherever we need to be, like we did tonight," Riki reminded Hiro. "As long as she's not carrying any one of us, we'll be fine. For now, we should get to bed. It's already pretty late, so we're practically wearing out our bodies."

Atsumu yawned. "Perfect timing. I was just feeling sleepy, so I'm turning myself in to my room."

Kenshi nodded tiredly. "I'm getting exhausted myself." He stood up from his seat and gave a wave with his right hand. "Good night, guys. See you all tomorrow."

It was a matter of minutes before the entire group went to sleep for the night. Taking a place to stay in the bar, they permitted themselves to lay down on a bed and finally had some shut-eye.

  XXX

  The next night, the Black Foxes were gathered inside of Le Renard Noir. A clarification was about to be told by none other than Rina herself.

"I still can't believe this," Rina breathed in exasperation. "To think an enormous amount of orbs suddenly appeared throughout the whole area." She took a sigh. "Anyhow, I have enough energy to teleport us to the mountain. Just take a sprint towards the door and let's hurry!"

Everyone nodded and followed Rina's instruction, preparing to run over to the entrance. Atsumu, however, was staying behind as usual. Once the other five began to dash, they were immediately teleported to the mountain summit they were supposed to arrive at. The members of the Black Foxes were on what appeared to be a battlefield, and the trembling sensation they felt added to its image in their minds. They steadily walked further, several feet away from being near the edge of the cliff.

"Is it just me, or does it feel like we're on the death grounds of countless soldiers from decades ago?" Hiro asked, shaking at the thought of someone—perhaps an army or a regular group of men—passing away right at the spot they were standing on.

Riki shook his head. "No, I don't think it's only you, Hiro. But something feels out of place about this location. It's as if we're going to encounter someone soon."

"Uh, Riki," Kenshi put forth, "I don't want to burst your bubble, but I think it'd be better if you didn't say something to jinx us tonight. We've already had enough failures now, so we don't want to have any more."

"Sorry," Riki apologized. "It's not like I can really help it, either, Kenshi. The atmosphere gives it that kind of feeling."

Takuto scanned the area as he held his laptop. "My laptop's telling me the orbs should be around here, but I don't see them anywhere."

"I can sense them and their presence is getting stronger the farther we go," Rina informed. "Maybe we should walk a bit more."

Hiro frowned once more. "You mean, go to the edge of the cliff? Are you sure about this, Rina?"

Rina's shoulders dropped and her face clouded over with an indefinite expression. "Not entirely. I don't really know if we'll see something under there, but it's worth a try."

"Hopefully we'll be able to find something," Riki remarked. "Black Foxes, let's go. It's show time."

They all agreed and made their way towards the inner surroundings of the area. Hiro was anxious, but continued with the others who were by his side.

"Well?" Riki asked. "Find anything down there?"

"No," Kenshi voiced his disdain. He had searched where he was standing and even looked down, but did not see any of the orbs. Only the crashing sea with its waves and eroding rocks were visible. "There's not much over on my side. What about you?"

Riki gave a shake of his head. "No, not here, either. Why aren't they, though? I thought the orbs were supposed to be somewhere on the mountain, but is the signal off?"

"There's definitely an indication from this point," Takuto affirmed after taking another look at his laptop screen, which displayed a red dot flashing repetitively on a grid. "It's pretty high, so there's no doubt about it."

Hiro stood in place. "I have a bad feeling about this. There's no telling where the orbs are, so maybe we need to inspect the mountain some more."

"There's a vast pull coming from here," Rina mentioned. "It's like I'm being taken down."

Hiro tilted his head to his right. "I don't feel anything, though."

"Oh, but you will," a female voice said from behind.

The Black Foxes turned to see who it was, and they had known by the sound of the voice. Sayuri was right there in the air with her extravagant wings, floating in front of them from a distance.

"Sayuri!" Hiro shouted with surprise displaying in his eyes.

Riki placed his left hand on his hip. "So, it's you. Why are you here? Did you already take the orbs?"

"Who can say?" Sayuri questioned in a deliberate, toying manner. "All I can really articulate to you is that you're not wrong about them being in this place. However, you're not going to be able to find them if you just dilly-dally around all night."

Hearing those words made Riki smirk. "Well, aren't you a mysterious lady? You know, you could be a great addition to our team. What do you say?"

A look of fury overcame Sayuri's sophisticated calm fashion in a matter of seconds and all hell broke loose. "Me? On the side of the renowned Black Foxes?! Who the heck do you think you're speaking to?! I'm a magician who's on the side of the law, not a troublemaking criminal like you! As if I would ever wish to join you band of thieves!"

Sayuri's wrath was enough to blow the guys away, as she utilized her wings to create giant gusts of wind towards the men standing in front, not counting Rina as a thief. In addition, the winged magician’s powers had destroyed Takuto’s laptop in a matter of seconds. Riki and the others were about to be blown away by the time Sayuri flew off and were struggling to keep their feet on the ground.

"Ugh!" Riki yelled. He, Kenshi, Hiro, and Takuto weren't going to be able to stay on land for long, and it was only getting worse for them.

At that moment, Rina started to glow with a yellow light. "Riki! Everyone!"

A bizarre power ceased the Black Fox members from nearing their falling deaths and held them back from the cliff's brink. It was as though a miraculous force was upon them. Just as they were being saved, Rina's body gradually slipped toward the cliff and her eyes began to close in a gradual motion. Soon, she reached the border, and started to fall down toward the sea.

The guys' eyes widened as they saw Rina's unconscious body dropping.

"Rina!" Takuto shouted. He felt his heart sink as he and the others witnessed the scene, and a feeling of terror and trepidation immediately seemed to asphyxiated his entire body.

  XXX

                 1) This is a reference to 77 ~And, two stars meet again~, a galge by a company named Whirlpool.

2) Hiro’s words refer to fate.

3) This is my shout-out to The Witch's House; the other three shout-outs are to 4) The Crooked Man, 5) Ao Oni (however, I didn't use a Japanese word for a different color to substitute Ao in the name), and 6) the Corpse Party games.