#respectively ... they are also the ones who visited kuro last ( and lily was brought up by gear to mention that theyve become more aligned

[pocket-luv101]

Summary: Mahiru is a single mother. (KuroMahi, Fem Mahiru, Modern AU)

“Are you excited about starting school, Machi?” Mahiru’s daughter would start kindergarten soon so she moved their small family to the city. She thought it would be best to show Machi around the neighbourhood and help her become familiar with their new home. After walking so much, they took a small break in the park. Mahiru sat on the grass and Machi laid her head on her lap.

“Why did we have to move to the city, Mama? It’s too noisy here.” Machi said to her in a small voice. Mahiru ran her fingers through her hair to comfort her. A breeze passed them and her daughter curled into a ball on her lap. Mahiru took off her sweater and placed it over her tiny shoulders. “I miss my friends.”

“I know it’s hard to leave the people you love. Change is difficult but you can’t avoid it. Thinking simply, the only thing we can do is face it. You should try to make new friends here. We will go back to visit your old friends too.” Mahiru stroked her hair to comfort her.

After a few moments, Machi closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. A sad smile appeared on Mahiru’s lips as she whispered, “You’re just like your Papa, Machi.”

Machi’s appearance resembled Mahiru much more than Kuro’s yet Mahiru would always think of him when she looked at their daughter. She missed Kuro and she wondered if he was doing well. When she discovered that she was pregnant in college, she didn’t know if he wanted to be a father. Considering his childhood, he would feel compelled to take responsibility. Mahiru couldn’t force that decision on him though.

Breaking up with Kuro was one of the hardest things she had to do in her life. Mahiru lied and told him it was because she was moving to the countryside and long distance would be too difficult for her. She would avoid his calls because hearing his voice made her heart ache with longing. Where was Kuro now? She hoped that he found happiness, even if it was without her.

“When I said I wanted to be just like my mom, I never thought our situations would be this similar.” Mahiru tucked Machi’s hair behind her tiny ear. She loved her daughter. No matter how complicated their lives could become, she only needed to look at Machi for strength. She hummed a lulling tune to help her sleep. She knew that she would have to carry her home.

A ball rolled to a stop next to her and lightly hit her feet. She reached over and picked up the ball to return it to its owner. Mahiru scanned the park for the owner of the ball and saw a family playing soccer. The brother sitting on the bench broke away from the group and walked to her. She stiffened when she recognized him. She knew that it would be too suspicious if she ran away. Her shock was reflected on the man’s face as well.

“Is that you, Kuro?” Mahiru smiled up at him. She subtly moved her jacket over Machi more and prayed that he wouldn’t notice her. For once, she was glad that her daughter was a deep sleeper. She didn’t expect to see Kuro again so soon. Despite their six years apart, his beautiful eyes still made warmth spread through her body. She tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “You haven’t changed at all. How have you been?”

“Okay,” He shrugged. Neither of them knew what to say and they fell into silence. Their breakup was amicable but he missed her when she moved away. Kuro wanted to respect her decision so he didn’t push her to stay. “Are you visiting Licht? Hyde told me that she wanted to talk to you and ask you for some advice since she’s pregnant. No one knows more about mothering than you.”

“What?” Mahiru couldn’t stop herself from exclaiming.

“Well, you’ve been mothering our friends ever since we were kids so you probably have a lot of advice for her. She also wanted to ask for recipes since she doesn’t know how to bake.” Kuro explained and relief passed her face. Mahiru only told a few of their mutual friends about Machi and she asked them not to tell Kuro. “Licht and Misono would love to have lunch with you again. We’ve all missed you.”

“I would love to talk with them too. I’ve been busy because we moved back a few days ago. If I find time, I’ll call and see if we can meet. I’ve missed everyone.” Mahiru admitted in a small voice. She wouldn’t trade her daughter and their time together for anything in the world though. She took the ball and held it up to Kuro. “I have to leave soon. It was nice to talk to you.”

“Yeah.” He wanted to catch up with her but he took a step back. Kuro’s smile had a hint of regret and he looked away from her.

An ice cream bike passed them and its bell jingled. Between them, Machi gasped excitedly and sat up. Her eyes immediately fell onto the ice cream cart. Machi didn’t look away from its colourful display as she patted her mother’s arm. “Ice cream! Can I buy a cone, please, Mama?”

Machi had to repeat the question several times because Mahiru couldn’t hear her over her own silent panic. She didn’t need to look up to know that Kuro must be shocked to see Machi. She couldn’t deny that she was their daughter. Mahiru collected her composure and smiled at Machi. “Since we just had lunch and you asked nicely, you can have a cone. Come back as soon as you buy it.”

Mahiru waved to the ice cream cart and it stopped for her. She took out a few bills from her bag and handed them to Machi. She kept her eyes on her daughter as she skipped to the ice cream. After a minute, Kuro whispered, “You got married? Is your husband nearby? I wouldn’t want him to get angry that you’re talking to your ex. Your daughter has your eyes.”

“Her name’s Machi. Her father… He’s… not in the picture.” Mahiru lifted her hand to show him that wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. She also wanted to block her face slightly so he couldn’t see that she was lying. It wasn’t entirely a lie but she knew Kuro could read her expressions easily. She didn’t know if Kuro wanted to have a family with her after being apart for so long and she decided to wait until she told him everything.

Kuro had to help raise his seven siblings so he knew how difficult being a single mom could be. He wished he could’ve helped her. She was the strongest person he knew but he was still protective of her. He couldn’t imagine how anyone could leave her to raise a child alone. “Was it hard to raise her alone?”

“I haven’t been raising her alone though. My uncle has been a great help. Tsurugi, Jun and Yumikage declared themselves her three uncles too. Don’t tell them but Machi’s favourite uncle is the punny one.” Mahiru giggled. “I decided to move back here so she could have a better life. Luckily, my new job won’t begin until a few weeks from now so I can help Machi become more comfortable. She’s nervous to start school.”

“Did you enroll Machi in Mikado Academy? Lily teaches there and I can tell him to look out for her. I know it’s hard to make friends in a new city. If you hadn’t approached me during lunchtime, I would’ve been a bigger loner.” Kuro thought of the first day they met as kids. At the time, he was struggling a lot with his family yet she brought laughter into his life.

“You had a pack of pocky and I wanted to try one.” Their reminiscing was interrupted when Machi returned. She held out the wrapped ice cream and Mahiru opened it for her. She didn’t eat it right away because she wanted to share with her mother. She pressed the popsicle to her mouth. “Thank you, Machi. We should head home. Do you want a piggyback?”

“Up!” Machi nodded with a smile. While she had her brown eyes, she thought she had Kuro’s smile. Mahiru knelt on the ground so she could climb onto her back. She only wrapped one tiny arm around her neck so she could continue to eat. Once she had a secure grip on her, Mahiru stood.

“Goodbye, Kuro. It was nice to talk to you again.” Mahiru smiled at him. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”

“I should be able to finish this mural by next week. But why didn’t the school schedule this before the school year started? I have to deal with kids trying to touch the wet paint. Can’t deal.” Kuro groaned. Beside him, Lily passed him a bucket of paint. He was a painter and his brother asked him to donate a mural to the school. “I don’t know how you deal with kids.”

“They can be a handful but that’s all the more reason we need to teach them.” Lily admired his older brother since he was a good man beneath his demeanor. He appeared lazy and often complained about work yet he did everything he could to provide for their family. He noticed a child approach them and said, “I’m sorry but you can’t play here. You should go to the front gate and wait for your parents.”

“Machi?” Kuro set down his paintbrush and wiped his hands on his pants. He told his siblings about meeting Mahiru but Lily was still surprised to see her daughter. “You should listen to Lily-sensei and go to the front gate. Your mom won’t be able to find you if you wander off. If you’re lost, Lily can walk you back.”

“I heard you talk with Mama in the park yesterday. You were friends with Mama.” She ignored their instructions and changed the subject. “Do you know who my Papa is? Mama said I have to wait to meet him.”

That was the last thing he expected her to ask him. He didn’t know how to answer her. Her eyes pleaded with him to answer her but he couldn’t. Lily was better with kids and he was struggling with an answer as well. Kuro tapped the edge of the paint can and said, “I don’t know who he is. I’m sorry. How about we send a little message to him and sees if he comes here to meet you?”

Kuro took his paintbrush and wrote in the corner of his mural. “See you at home. You should sign your name here so he’ll know that it’s from you.”

She dipped her hand into the bucket and then pressed it against the wall to make a handprint. Machi took her hand back and looked up at him for approval. He chuckled softly but he didn’t correct her. Kuro knelt down and wiped her hand with a towel. “Your Mama will kill me if she knew you got dirty like this. We probably need to wash this off with soap and warm water.”

“Can Machi help you paint? Mama said I draw super cute kitties.” She told him with pride in her voice.

“Okay, you can paint in this spot next to your message.” His answer made her smile wide. Her eyes shone like Mahiru’s whenever she laughed. He handed her a paintbrush and she immediately started to paint on the wall. He stood next to her and resumed his work. Kuro looked over his shoulder to Lily, “You should see if Mahiru is waiting at the front gate. We both know how she worries.”

Lily nodded and left to find Mahiru. Kuro focused on the mural and drew a flower. He could feel Machi staring at him occasionally and he wondered why. He and Mahiru broke up yet he could never forget her. Since she moved away, he didn’t think they would reunite or date again. Mahiru was a wonderful person so he expected her to find someone else easily. Seeing her daughter made it too real for him.

“You paint pretty flowers. Machi will draw a giant sun to help them grow.” She had an innocent smile and it reminded him of Mahiru. She struggled to climb the step ladder next to so she could draw the sun high in the sky. He lifted her onto a low rung where she could reach. Kuro was worried she might fall off the ladder so he stood close to catch her.

He heard someone approach them and he looked over his shoulder. Mahiru walked towards them and immediately noticed the beautiful mural. She thought that he was a talented artist and he only became more skilled while they were apart. The cartoonish drawings Machi made clashed with Kuro’s fine art but he didn’t say a word to stop her.

She hugged Machi. “So, this is where you were. I thought I told you to wait by the front gate for me. You shouldn’t bother Kuro while he’s working. After you finish that sun, we should head home.”

“Machi isn’t bothering me.” Kuro reassured her. He put aside his tools and said: “Mahiru, can you help me get something from the shed? It’ll only take a minute and Lily can watch her while we’re gone.”

“Okay.” She hoped he couldn’t hear the hesitation in her one word. Mahiru didn’t know if he discovered the truth while he was painting with Machi. She dragged her feet as she walked beside him to the shed nearby. She glanced back to her daughter who happily continued to paint.

He opened the shed where the school kept the equipment. Kuro left the doors ajar so she would be comfortable. He was worried that Machi would overhear his next question. He chose his next words carefully. “Machi asked me about her father. She said she doesn’t know who he is. Is there a reason you don’t want her to see him? If he has hurt you, you can tell me.”

When she first told him about Machi, he assumed that her husband died or left. Kuro knew that Mahiru was a good person and she would only keep secrets to protect her loved ones. Yesterday, she said she wanted to give Machi a better life. The thought that someone hurt Mahiru made his stomach turn. “I know I’m not the most dependable person in the world but I can protect you.”

“You’ve always been my hero, Kuro. You’re the one person I can depend on no matter what. During my pregnancy, I wished you were there with me the entire time.” Mahiru placed her hands on her stomach and thought about the long nights and morning sickness. “I knew you would come to my rescue if I called you. But you were gaining popularity as an artist. I couldn’t ask you to put your career on hold for us.”

Kuro’s brows drew together in confusion. He thought they were discussing Machi’s father so he didn’t know why the subject changed to their previous relationship. Mahiru went on to say, “Then Machi was born and I was so happy. I looked into her beautiful face and thought, ‘You have your Papa’s nose. I wish Kuro could see how wonderful our daughter is’.”

Realization washed over his face but he couldn’t speak for a moment. He had to sit down and he placed his head in his hands. Mahiru knew that it must be a lot for him to absorb so suddenly. She decided to tell him because she couldn’t keep their daughter a secret or make Kuro worry about them. “I’m so sorry I left without telling you but I knew you would drop everything for us.”

Mahiru took both of his hands in hers and squeezed them gently. “You don’t need to feel responsible. We have learned how to get by together so you don’t have to worry about us.”

“Was the reason you left because you didn’t think I was good enough to be a father?” He asked her in a small voice. She knew that he would have a lot of questions and he deserved the answers.

“I saw how you took care of your siblings so I knew you would be a wonderful father. I already said the reason I left was because I didn’t want you to give up your career out of a sense of duty to us. If you had to give up so much, you might grow to resent us. My own father…” Mahiru’s voice broke and she couldn’t continue. He softly whispered her name and lifted her hands to his lips.

“I won’t abandon you or deny that Machi’s mine.” He promised. “Will you let me be a part of your lives?”

“It’ll be hard to explain everything to Machi but we can do it slowly.” She nodded.

[pocket-luv101]

Dramatic Blond || Chapter 3

Fandom: Servamp Ships: LawLicht (main), KuroMahi (side) Characters: Hyde, Licht, Kuro, Mahiru, Lily

Summary: Hyde enrolls in Juilliard to win back his ex. But then he meets Licht who helps him discover a new dream. He will become a famous actor and show his ex that he’s someone serious. (Legally Blonde AU)

Part 1 || Part 2 || (Part 3) || Part 4

“Licht, thank you for helping me but you didn’t need to carry so much. It would’ve been simpler if we just took two trips.” Mahiru told his friend. They were moving supplies from Mahiru’s car to his shop. Licht’s arms were full and he could barely see in front of him. He knew the layout of the shop well and Mahiru kept everything organized so he wasn’t worried about tripping over anything.

Walking only became difficult when someone covered his eyes. He was taken by surprised and he turned around sharply. The boxes he was holding almost toppled over but the person behind him managed to catch them. He also took the boxes from him and Licht was able to see that it was Hyde. He smiled at him and nodded towards the open door. “Did I surprise you, Angel Cakes?”

“It’s impossible to sneak up on an angel. The only reason I didn’t kick you when you covered my eyes was because I knew it was you. You’re like a child with your stupid pranks, Shit Rat.” Licht rolled his eyes at his behaviour. When he turned back to the door, Licht had a small smirk on his face. He found him amusing even though he called him annoying at times.

“Are these boxes filled with rocks or something? They’re heavy. It’s impressive that you were carrying so much on your own. I need a shoulder rub after this. Will you give me— Shit! That hurts, Lichtan.” Hyde pouted at him when Licht interrupted him with a soft kick. “You’re going to make me drop these.”

“Stop exaggerating, Shit Rat. These are just receipt paper and other supplies Mahiru brought for his shop. They’re not that heavy.” He was carrying the box with ease so he knew that Hyde was lying about the weight. Hyde pretended that the box was heavy and jokingly bumped his arm against Licht’s. He blushed and hoped that Hyde didn’t notice how he stared at him.

Licht accidentally dropped the box. The way Hyde winced and crouched onto the ground made him think the box fell on his feet. Worriedly, he reached out to help him and see if he was hurt. Hyde smoothly took his hand and kissed his fingers tips. He could barely stifle his laughter as he grinned up at him. “Were you worried about me, Lichtan? That’s so sweet but I’m not hurt.”

“I was worried you broke the supplies in the box. We’re normal people who can’t afford to replace things frequently.” Licht took his hand back and opened the box. Once he saw that nothing was broken, he lightly kicked Hyde’s chest. He fell back but he continued to smile up at him. “I’m going to give you my hand to help you up and you better not trick me again.”

“But it’s so fun,” He joked. Licht still held out his hand to him and pulled him to his feet. Then, he brought the supplies into the shop. He placed them beneath the register. A short distance from him, Mahiru was counting the inventory on display. He didn’t look up from his list. He was accustomed to their banter and he knew that it would never escalate to violence.

“Thank you for bringing those boxes in for me. I’m glad they weren’t a casualty of your flirting. You two aren’t in middle school anymore so you shouldn’t do immature things like pick on your crush. Keep it simple and asked each other out already.” Mahiru decided to poke fun the two in exchange for Hyde teasing about Kuro yesterday.

“What are you talking about?” They both yelled at the same time. Mahiru giggled at their reaction. He didn’t know if it was funny or tragic that they were so blind to their own feelings.

“After that joke, I don’t know if I should give you this but here you go.” Licht pulled out a ticket from his bag and placed it on his desk. “Next Friday, I’m going to participate in a piano contest. My manager was able to get tickets for everyone I wanted to invite. I hope you can make it. This one is yours, Shit Rat. Don’t lose it because I’m not getting you another one.”

“I get one too?” They grew closer over the last few months but Hyde was pleasantly surprised that Licht invited him to see his performance. He took the ticket from him and slipped it into his wallet for safekeeping. “I can’t wait to see you play on a big stage again. The last time was the day we first met and you were just practising then. I get to see you in a fancy suit now.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Shit Rat.” He muttered and sat in front of a piano on display. He played a sweet chord and Hyde remembered the night they became friends. Licht grew up with little and he had to work hard for what he did have. He didn’t have the expandable money for a fancy suit. He said, “If you don’t behave yourself and be respectful at the performance, I’ll kick you out personally.”

The door opened and they turned to see Kuro enter. Hyde was surprised to see him since he wasn’t expecting his brother to visit. “What are you doing here, Nii-san?”

“I think I forgot my bell here when we had dinner. I have the day off so I decided to drive down and get it myself.” He explained and walked to him. Hyde couldn’t help but notice how his brother would glance at Mahiru occasionally. He wasn’t the type to take a long car ride to New York for a simple bell. He walked to Mahiru and smiled shyly. “Hello.”

“Welcome back to New York. I’m glad to see you again so soon, Kuro. After you called last night, I found your bell and set it aside.” He stumbled over his words because he was flustered by his lazy smile.

Hyde leaned close to Licht’s ear and whispered to him. “If we’re immature middle schoolers who pick on our crush, those two acts like awkward middle schoolers with their first crush.”

“We’re all adults here so don’t call us middle schoolers, Shit Rat. Well, your maturity might be in question. Learn personal space.” Licht said and pushed his face away from him. He was blushing because of how close he was. He tried to hide his reaction to his closeness and turned to Mahiru. “Do you want me to watch the shop while you run up to get that bell?”

“That would be great, Licht. I’ll get it right after I hang this guitar.” He stood on his toes to balance the instrument on the hooks. Kuro moved next to him and helped him hold the guitar in place. Mahiru would’ve liked to talk more with Kuro but he only came for the bell he forgot. “Do you have anywhere you need to be after this?”

“Actually, Mahiru, would you like to go out for lunch with me?” Mahiru wasn’t expecting him to ask him out. His hold on the guitar accidentally slipped and it fell off the hook. The guitar hit Kuro as it fell and Mahiru rushed to help him. His nose was bleeding and he pressed a napkin against the swelling.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry. Does it hurt? I’ll get you some ice.” Mahiru stroked his light hair gently and that eased the pain for Kuro. He took his hand and reassured him that he wasn’t hurt. There was still a look of worry on his face and Kuro rubbed his thumb over the furrows between his brows. He relaxed and said, “We should have a doctor look at your nose in case it’s broken.”

“You should take my brother to the emergency room.” Hyde suggested and lightly urged them towards the door. “Leave me and Lichtan in charge of the shop. You can trust us.”

“Okay. Can you put everything in the backroom and then lock up the shop? Hopefully, the wait won’t be too long.” Mahiru handed his shop’s key to Licht. Then, he took Kuro’s hand and helped him to his feet. “I’ll drive you to the hospital, Kuro. My car is outside.”

Hyde watched the pair leave with a secretive smile. He waited until Mahiru’s car disappeared down the road before he flipped the open sign to close. Licht was surprised when he suddenly took his hand and pulled him outside. “Hey, where are you taking me, Shit Rat? Mahiru left the shop under my protection. As an angel, I can’t leave.”

“We’re just stepping out for a minute and we’ll finish everything when we go back. Mahiru won’t know that we left. Trust me, Lichtan.” Hyde locked the door and tilted a grin at him. With his hand on his back, he led Licht down the street. They passed several shops and he wondered what he had planned. The confident smile he had compelled him to follow Hyde.

Licht scanned the shop windows as they walked. He didn’t notice Hyde stop and ran into his back. They were in front of a store that sold men’s suit. He didn’t know why he would take him there but he followed Hyde inside. An employee greeted them politely but then she sprayed cologne in front of them. Licht coughed and waved his hand. “What the hell?”

“This is our new cologne from Calvin Klein. It’s called Love. Do you like it?”

“We’re here for a suit.” Hyde said and quickly covered Licht’s mouth. From his irritated expression, he knew that Licht would’ve said something rude if he didn’t stop him. His hand moved to his waist and took him to a row of jackets. He waved the employee away and said, “We don’t need any help at the moment. I’ll call you back once we need to take the measurement.”

“Wait, Hyde, you don’t need to buy me a suit.” Licht tried to stop him but he was once again swept away by Hyde. He held a white jacket against his chest and hummed thoughtfully. Hyde grabbed a few more and then guided him to the changing rooms in the back. He gave the armload of suits to Licht and then lightly patted his back. “Get in there and try these on for me.”

“Will you slow down, Shit Rat? I already have a suit that I plan to wear for my performance. You don’t need to buy me one.” Licht insisted.

“This is something I want to do for you. This contest is important for you and it’ll be a big part of your dream to become a pianist. You supported my dream so it’s my turn to do the same for you now.” His red eyes became soft and he said: “Without you, I would’ve never tried out for Tybalt. I owe you much more than dinner and a suit.”

“I thought you took me out to dinner because you wanted to make Ayato jealous.” He spoke his thoughts without meaning to. It was difficult to know what Hyde was thinking sometimes. Licht wasn’t sure about his own feelings for Hyde. At first, Ayato only irritated him but now he felt jealous. He didn’t know why.

“I took you out to dinner because I wanted to celebrate with you. I’m buying you a suit because I know this piano contest is important to you. Ayato has nothing to do with my decision.” Hyde wrapped a tie around his neck and pulled him closer. Licht could hear the honesty in his voice. “You should try on the white suit jacket. It’s the perfect colour for an angel like you.”

“Okay, I’ll try on a few. You have good taste for someone who wears so many gaudy rings.” Licht took the suit jacket from him and walked into the changing room.

“What did you think of our run through?” Hyde asked after his rehearsal was over. They would often walk home together. That day, Licht’s practise ended early so he decided to watch the rehearsal while he waited for him. He couldn’t take his eyes off the play whenever Hyde was on stage. Hyde played Tybalt’s hotheaded personality with a roguish charm.

“I had to stop every five minutes to look up a translation of Shakespeare’s work to know what everyone was saying. I’m glad that people don’t talk in that flowery style anymore. It’s best to be direct and blunt when you talk to others.” He said. The irony that he couldn’t be direct with his growing feelings for Hyde wasn’t lost on Licht. “With how often you quote him, I might have to buy a book and carry it with me.”

“Out of everyone here, you’re likely the only one who doesn’t question my Shakespeare knowledge or acting ability. Most people in the master program went through their bachelors here so they got a chance to network. They see me as an outsider since I transferred in.” Hyde groaned.

“Ignore them. You’ll prove yourself and they’ll shut up soon enough. It was the same when I entered the music program.” Licht’s encouragement was blunt but it made Hyde smile softly. Despite his sharp words and glare, he was a good man. “What do you want to do tonight?”

“I have a DVD collection of Shakespeare’s plays with modern subtitles for normies like you. Do you want to marathon them with me? It’ll be a forty hour marathon of ‘thou’s and ‘thee’s.” Hyde burst into laughter when he saw the expression Licht made. He appeared utterly horrified by the prospect of watching a marathon of plays. Truthfully, Licht thought it would be fun if Hyde was there.

The stage was mostly empty since the other students left soon after rehearsal ended. Hyde jumped onto the stage and held out his hand to Licht to help him up as well. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him that he didn’t need his help but his red eyes compelled him to place his hand in his. They walked around the stage and Hyde thought the spotlight highlighted Licht’s sharp features beautifully.

“Shakespeare created scenes that endured the test of time.” They stopped next to the balcony set piece. He climbed the ladder to the balcony and leaned over the edge to smile down at Licht. The balcony wasn’t very high and he was able to cup his cheek. “O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this night being o’er my head as a winged messenger of heaven.”

“Isn’t Juliet is supposed to be the one standing on the balcony while Romeo says that line from the ground?” Licht wasn’t as familiar with Shakespeare’s work as Hyde was so he couldn’t quote the next line. He helped him practise enough to know a few of the other lines though. “I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear demon, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee.”

“My prof will kill us if he heard us re-arrange the lines like this.” Hyde joked but he played along by improvising additions to the classic lines. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. Juliet? Sweetheart? Love? Thou art an angel. My angel is thou.”

“I don’t think ‘sweetheart’ was a common endearment back then, Stupid Hedgehog.” Licht stepped up a few steps of the ladder until they were eye to eye. “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls. For stony limits cannot hold love out, and what love can do, that dares love attempt. Trust me, Love, I’ll prove more true than those that have more cunning to be strange.”

They unconsciously leaned closer to each other. They were only reciting lines from the play but it felt different from when he would practise with others. Hyde felt his heart start to race and he ran his fingers through the white streak in his dark hair. Licht’s whisper brushed over his lips. “I have no idea what I just said or if I even said it right.”

“It was perfect, Angel Cakes. I never thought I would hear you say something so corny and cheesy.” A small chuckle escaped him and he leaned back.

“Oh, speaking of names, I have something for you.” Licht shrugged off his backpack so he could take out his gift. The ladder shook slightly as he took his hands off the bar. Hyde placed his hands on Licht’s waist to keep him from falling backwards. “When you were paying for the suit, I saw this and bought it for you. I was going to give it to you after your opening night but this seem like a good time. Close your eyes.”

“I hope this isn’t a trick, Angel Cakes.” He said but he closed his eyes. He heard a small jingle and he wondered what it could be. Hyde felt something cold against his neck but the warmth of Licht’s fingers quickly chased it away. He opened his eyes and looked down at see a nametag hanging around his neck. He held the silver tag in his palm and then traced his finger over his name.

Licht blushed and told him, “I couldn’t afford to get it engraved so I did it myself. Don’t laugh.”

“I love it.” Hyde tucked the necklace beneath his scarf. “I’ll wear it on opening night.”

“Is that you, Hyde. Rehearsal ended already so you shouldn’t be here.” They turned towards the voice and Hyde recognized the director of the play. He was disappointed that their moment was interrupted but he knew they had to leave. Licht climbed down the ladder and Hyde followed him. The director continued to lecture them. “You can’t play on the sets. I need to lock up.”

“I’m sorry,” Hyde said. He light nudged Licht towards the door and said: “I want to talk to the director about the play. You should head out first since our talk will probably bore you. But know that parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Licht rolled his eyes when he heard the quote but he had a light smile as he left. Hyde walked back to the director. “Mr. Callahan, I want to thank you for this opportunity you’ve given me. I know it’s a risk to give me the role of Tybalt since this will be my first production. I won’t let you down on opening night.”

“I hope you won’t. There is something I would like to ask you though. My organization is holding a fundraiser next week.” The director handed a pamphlet to Hyde. “Maybe you and your siblings can come. It’s a great cause to donate your time and money into.”

“Is this the reason you gave me the role? You wanted my family’s support.” His family was wealthy and successful so organizations would often invite them to fundraisers and events. From a young age, he knew the were only invited because of their prestigious name. Hyde’s lips twisted into a scowl and he thrust the paper back to him.

He didn’t bother to listen to the director’s response before he turned and stormed out of the theater. He wondered if he was cursed because he saw Ayato in the hall. He tried to ignore him and walk past him. Ayato’s voice echoed him. “It looks like you’ll get the lead for our next play. You’ve earned it.”

Hyde slammed the door but he was so numb that he didn’t hear its loud crack behind him. His only thought was returning home. He almost walked past Licht without speaking to him. He only stopped when he grabbed his arm. As soon as Licht saw his eyes, he knew something was wrong. “What happened?”

“I have to pack and go back to California.” Hyde’s declaration shocked him. He pulled his arm out of his grip and walked past him. The cold rejection stung Licht. They were having fun together only a few minutes ago so he didn’t know what happened to make him upset. Not one to give up easily, Licht walked in front of Hyde and blocked his path.

“What about the play? You can’t leave when they need you to be Tybalt.” Licht reminded him.

“Look, Licht, I don’t belong in Juilliard. Thank you for trying to help me and everything else.” The confidence he gained after landing the role was taken from him. Hyde simply wanted to return home and lick his wounds. “When you become famous and have a piano recital in California, you should visit me. Give me a call. Say hello. You are the best thing about this place.”

“Where are going? Your dream is only just beginning.” Licht desperately wanted him to stay. “Hyde, you should know—”

“The only reason the director gave me the part was because he wanted my family to donate money to his organization.” He spoke over him.

Hyde looked down at the ground and bit his lip. “I didn’t get the role because of my talent or anything like that. There’s no reason for me to stay. I should’ve known too. When Ayato broke up with me, he said my family name was the only reason he dated me. God, I just want someone who wants me for me but I’m not going to get that here. Goodbye, Licht.”

Licht was paralyzed and he couldn’t stop Hyde from leaving. He stared at Hyde’s back as he left. He was too far to hear Licht’s whispered confession. “You do belong here. I know you’re worth so much more than a name. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, after all.”