Chapter Text
“Ah! You’re back!” Emu cheered when Tenma opened the door to the restaurant, “Tsukasa-kun prepared a little late night snack for us all! You guys should try some! It's really tasty!” She then gestured to the widespread of nicely cut fruits that lined the small table.
Kamishiro was already sitting at the table with the two girls, him arriving earlier due to Tenma lagging behind during the trek back. He was leaning his head into his hand, looking down at the bowl of soda candies that the older Rui had brought out specifically for him. But despite the fact that one of his favorite foods was in front of him, he hadn't eaten any.
“Ah, no thanks, I’m good,” Tenma politely declined with a gentle wave of his hand, “I’m probably just gonna head to bed.”
But as Tenma began to walk towards the stairs, he was suddenly hit with an intense dizzy spell.
From behind, he could distantly hear a thud followed by a concerned voice shouting out, but his vision began to blur and he could feel his legs begin to collapse. He was already out by the time his friends could check on him.
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Tsukasa came to in a way reminiscent of when he had woken up in that cobblestone alleyway just a few days prior. He looked around to see a familiar sight.
It was exactly the same as when he left. The towering walls, beautifully made stained glass arches and windows, and scorch marks on the once pristine linoleum floor, courtesy of Rui’s magic. It was the grand hall of the palace.
A few feet away, he spotted a familiar mop of purple hair. He had seemed to have woken up a bit before him, for he was already at his feet.
But before either of them could do anything, a laughing voice caught their attention. They both turned in the direction of the noise. There, on the grand landing of the stairs, stood the king himself. In his hand he was holding a long staff that had an emerald crystal on the end that seemed to illuminate the room with a sickly green light.
“Impressive assassination attempt, Kamishiro,” the king mocked, “But, unfortunately for you, this is the end.”
The king aimed his staff at the mage. It began to glow a nearly blinding light. Then, a powerful spell exploded the ground where Rui once stood.
As the king readied this next attack, Rui was able to move out of the way of his staff. They then began a back-and-forth of the two of them releasing relentless attacks, one after another. While the king had very powerful blasts that could desecrate a large area, Rui was extremely agile and precise with his moves and spells.
But it was obvious that this fight was on its way to becoming one sided. With the way that Rui’s movements slowed down and attacks became less accurate and more desperate, Tsukasa could tell he wouldn't last much longer against the vicious onslaught the king sent his way.
Just as he had predicted, one well placed attack was the one that knocked Rui back and he fell to the floor. The king stood tall, grinning madly at his now down opponent.
“Your Majesty! Please, stop this!” Tsukasa pleaded with the man, “he's already lost! We can just arrest him and spare his life! Have mercy!” But in response to the pleas, the king only laughed.
“It's admirable that you would attempt to protect this criminal, but like I said, this is the end.” The king aimed a final finishing blow from his staff at Rui.
Rui glared at the king, but made no movement to attempt to dodge the oncoming attack, accepting of his fate. If his punishment was to die at the hands of the king for fighting for his right to exist as a magic user, then so be it.
But before the final blast could make its mark, Tsukasa drew his sword from its sheath and deflected the deadly magic off of its course.
…At least that's what Tsukasa had hoped would happen. In reality, the sword shattered and the powerful blast meant to kill Rui sent Tsukasa flying back.
The world seemed to move in slow motion as the mage watched his knight fall to the ground. Seconds felt like minutes as Rui watched Tsukasa intently, hoping, praying, for any sign of movement.
But Tsukasa's body remained still.
Then, the whole world turned red.
Rui screamed in a fit of rage and despair and began viciously attacking the king.
Rui sent out everything he had. Every offensive spell he could remember from his years of studying, even the ones he had only briefly skimmed over. Using every last bit of energy he didn't even know he had left in him, he managed to catch the king off guard.
The king’s staff fell out of his hands. But before he could grab it again to send out another attack, Rui sent it flying across the room and moved to stand over the king who had fallen to the ground.
“Go ahead. Kill me.” The king egged him on, panting and out of breath from the ruthless ceaseless attacks.
Rui began conjuring a spell to do just that. This man had ruined and murdered innocent people for years in order to gain power. He was selfish and greedy, only ever caring about himself. He had hurt his star, his knight in shining armor, his love…
And for that, the king deserved to die.
But then, Rui thought of what would happen after he killed the king. What he would lose by taking his life. The future that he and Tsukasa had just seen together. He wanted that future. He wanted to be happy.
“No…” Rui exhaled and began to conjure a different spell. A spell that would knock the king out, one that would last long enough for him to put the man into a cell.
As the king fell limp to the ground in a deep slumber, Rui ran towards Tsukasa, who was still passed out on the ground.
Rui fell to his knees and gently lifted up Tsukasa’s limp body slightly off of the ground and into his lap to inspect his injuries. Rui softly brushed Tsukasa’s hair out of his face and caressed his cheek. He didn’t appear to be bleeding anywhere and was breathing just fine. Honestly, if Rui didn’t see with his own eyes Tsukasa getting hit, he would have believed him to be asleep.
Tsuksa’s eyes slowly blinked open, looking up at the man whose arms he was in.
“Are you okay?” Tsukasa asked drowsily.
Rui gave a pained laugh. “I’m the one who should be asking you that.”
Tsukasa gave a slight chuckle at that response. He turned his head to the side and saw the king on the ground. He was worried he was dead for a moment, until Rui reassured him that he was simply asleep.
“Why did you save me?” Rui asked quietly, “Why would you put yourself at risk like that for someone like me?”
Tsukasa paused at the question, asking himself the same thing. Why did he do that? He only had to think about it for a moment before coming up with the correct answer.
“Because I love you.”
Rui’s eyes widened in surprise. He never thought in a million years that someone could love him, let alone Tsukasa.
“I love you too.” Rui confessed, “I’ve loved you for longer than you could ever imagine.”
Rui looked into Tsukasa’s eyes, mesmerized by his loving gaze. And as if he was being pulled in by an invisible force, the two began leaning into one another.
And finally, their lips met.