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THE DOOR CREAKED EVER SO SLIGHTLY as Ryuuji entered Hotaru’s apartment. Just like she had decreed before, it opened for him without a key. It was an impressive feat of magic, to enchant an item without runes or arcane implements. Yet Ryuuji had little time to stand in awe, as he felt a presence approaching him from indoors.

“You out for a walk?” asked Hotaru, facing him in a cute set of pajamas.

“Yeah, I was chatting with a friend,” Ryuuji shrugged it off.

“Really? I wonder what kind of friend would cover you in divine energy like that.”

“Ah, that was another friend. A more... scaly one.”

Hotaru sighed at his reply. The divine aura around him was dim, enough so that only a powerful medium could see it, but there was no question to her that it belonged to Reigetsu.

“That stupid dragon…”

“Yeah, he ratted you out. Only because I asked him though.”

She walked over and lightly punched his chest in frustration. She had specifically asked Reigetsu to keep quiet, but he ignored her in the end.

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because you used your magic on me. Why else?”

Somehow, he’d broken her spell, making Hotaru clench her fists in frustration. All the efforts she had taken over the years to keep Ryuuji from danger had just gone down the drain.

“Come. We need to talk,” he said, motioning her to the couch.

The two of them sat together, and Ryuuji turned to her to talk in earnest. Hotaru was too frustrated to take the lead, so he opened up for her instead.

“Look, I understand why you did it. I understand why you stayed away from me all these years, and even used your magic to try to turn me away. You want to protect me. You know how dangerous your situation is, and you don’t want to drag me down if things go south. That’s the gist of it, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” said Hotaru, with eyes downcast. Ryuuji had hit the nail right on its head.

“But you should also know that’s not what I want,” he continued. “I love you, Hotaru, more than anything else. You’re the best company I’ve ever had and you’re so present in my life that, if you were gone, I’d be half-empty. That comes from experience, you know? I’ve been there for eight years.”

Her chest tightened as she heard him speak.

Back when she fell to corruption and Reigetsu took her away, Hotaru thought Ryuuji would be better off without her. She thought she wasn’t worthy of him, and he should just forget about her and move on.

Even when she tried her hand at divination, the stars told her Ryuuji was fated to have a prosperous love life. Given that Hotaru was already out of the equation, she figured there was no need for her to make contact. She would mind her own business, and continue her own fight.

But Ryuuji never moved on.

He remained focused on her, and the moment Hotaru dropped her guard, he seized the chance and found her.

“But why?” she asked, her eyes tearing up. “Why do you love me so much?”

It was something she couldn’t fathom, but Ryuuji just snorted and smiled.

“What, do you want me to describe every single aspect of you?”

The comeback came right from his heart, but he knew she wanted specifics.

“Well. I like that you’re a dork, for starters.”

“Eh?” she flinched.

“There’s this thing called ‘gap moe’, and well… it fits you to a tee. You see, even back when we were kids, everyone thought of you as this omnipotent being that could just say anything and make it happen. But if they actually got to know you, they would find you’re just a girl like any other, trying to find her place in the world.

“You’re bossy and mischievous, but your heart is in the right place, and I think you’re just freaking adorable. I’ve always loved snuggling with you, watching stuff together or hearing you sing. Whenever you drag me around to do some stupid shit, I like it. It’s just embarrassing to admit.”

Just earlier that day, Ryuuji was having a blast. In his own grumpy way, of course, but a blast nonetheless. He wouldn’t change it for anything, and as Hotaru realized this, her face lit up bright red.

“You’re what makes it worthwhile for me, Hotaru. When I wake up, what I want the most is to find new things to do, build and enjoy together with you. So if you ask me if I would fight for your sake, the answer is an absolute yes. What else would it be?

“Look, let’s turn it around for a moment. Imagine you were in my shoes, and I was the one facing your problems. What would you do in that case?”

She bit her lip, realizing her hubris.

If Ryuuji had done to her the same things she did to him, she’d be furious. She would lash out and confront him, demanding to be let in. The fact that he was so composed about it almost made him a saint.

And yet, Hotaru had kept him away for so long. Even though she also loved him, she did to him something that she would’ve hated to experience herself. It was the height of hypocrisy, and it was so frustrating that she couldn’t stop herself from crying.

Seeing this, Ryuuji scooted closer and gently wrapped an arm over her shoulder.

Hotaru leaned against him, her emotions flooding out.

“I’m so sorry… I just wanted… I just wanted…”

She struggled to find the right words.

Deep down, all she wanted was to keep him safe. But in doing so, she trampled over his feelings, and ended up crumbling when he did manage to find her. It all but turned the last eight years into a big damn waste of time.

She knew it, and Ryuuji knew it.

But no matter how embarrassing and frustrating it may be, Hotaru did not have the power to change the past. Even her Kotodama wouldn’t allow it. Thus, the only thing she had left was to capitalize on the time she still had.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” said Ryuuji as he hugged her, and Hotaru kept crying for a while, letting out eight years’ worth of pent-up tears.

* * *

“I feel so damn stupid,” said Hotaru, warmly nestled in Ryuuji’s arms.

“You kind of were.”

Then she slapped his wrist in protest.

“Shut up…”

“We could’ve been doing this all those years,” he said, cradling her left and right.

“Don’t remind me…”

She was good and properly sulking.

“So, can we agree on it? No more pushing each other away. …Hotaru?”

She remained silent at first, until Ryuuji pressed her.

“Okay. I won’t cut you off anymore, under one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t go dying on me. I want you alive and well. That’s all.”

“Hah. That makes two of us. I want to keep enjoying every little bit of you, for a long, long time.”

Slowly but surely, the atmosphere grew intimate. They intertwined their fingers, their lips met each other, and soon the couple found themselves wanting for more.

But then, as Ryuuji was reaching for the hem of Hotaru’s shirt, his lover froze in place and stopped him.

“Oh shit. Ohhh shit...” she whispered, covering her mouth with one hand.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, afraid something had happened.

“Akari’s gonna kill me…”

“Oh. Yeah, huh? She might get jealous.”

Ryuuji looked away awkwardly. He got caught up the mood, and all but forgot his apprentice was in the other room. Granted, the place was soundproofed, but he couldn’t go around messing with his girlfriend with Akari under the same roof.

“No, you don’t get it,” said Hotaru, anguish filling her eyes. Whatever she was worried about, it seemed to be serious.

“Why, what happened?”

“I, uh… Don’t get mad at me, okay?”

“Hotaru. What did you do?”

“Um… Let’s just say… I married you off to her...”