Chapter Text
Something had changed.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
Kid noticed it the moment Black☆Star stood up from the bench.
Too much energy.
Too much movement.
Too… something.
“…You shouldn’t be putting weight on your ankle,” Kid said immediately.
“I’m fine.”
“You are not.”
“I am.”
“You were limping ten minutes ago.”
“I got better.”
“That is not how injuries work.”
Black☆Star grinned.
“Watch me.”
And then—
he grabbed Kid’s hand.
Kid froze.
“…What are you—”
“Come on!”
And just like that—
Black☆Star pulled him forward.
Running.
Fast.
Too fast.
“Black☆Star—your ankle—”
“It’s fine!”
“It is not—”
“Stop thinking and run!”
Kid stumbled for half a second—
then adjusted.
Matched his pace.
Still holding on.
Still—
running.
Through the edge of the park.
Past the trees.
Into the quieter part of the woods nearby.
Leaves shifting under their feet, branches brushing past, light flickering between shadows—
Black☆Star laughed.
Loud.
Free.
Unrestrained.
Kid blinked.
Then again.
“…You’re going to make it worse,” he said, breath slightly uneven.
“Probably!”
“That is not reassuring.”
“Relax!”
“I am not capable of relaxing under these conditions—”
Black☆Star laughed again.
And something about it—
something about how easy it sounded—
made Kid stop arguing.
Just for a second.
Then—
“…This is reckless.”
“Yeah.”
“…I don’t like it.”
“Liar.”
“…I—”
Kid stopped.
Mid-sentence.
Because Black☆Star was still laughing.
And it was—
different.
Not loud just to be loud.
Not for attention.
Not for show.
Just—
real.
Kid felt something shift.
“…You’re smiling,” Black☆Star said suddenly.
Kid blinked.
“…I am not.”
“You are.”
“I am not.”
“You totally are.”
Kid looked away.
“…That is irrelevant.”
Black☆Star slowed down.
Then stopped.
Still holding his hand.
Still close.
“…Do it again.”
“…What?”
“Laugh.”
“…No.”
“Come on.”
“That is not a reasonable request.”
“Too bad.”
Kid exhaled.
“…You’re impossible.”
“Yeah.”
“…And your ankle is going to—”
“I don’t care.”
“…I do.”
Pause.
Black☆Star stilled.
Just a little.
“…Yeah,” he said, quieter. “I know.”
Silence settled around them.
No noise from the others.
No interruptions.
Just trees.
And space.
And—
them.
Black☆Star didn’t let go.
Kid didn’t pull away.
“…You brought me here for a reason,” Kid said.
Black☆Star shrugged slightly.
“…Maybe.”
“That is not an answer.”
“It’s enough.”
Kid studied him.
“…You are avoiding something.”
“…Yeah.”
“…Why?”
Black☆Star looked at him.
Really looked.
“…Because if I say it, it’s too easy.”
Kid frowned.
“…Explain.”
“…No.”
“…That is not helpful.”
“I know.”
Silence again.
Closer this time.
Heavier.
Kid’s hand shifted slightly in his.
Still there.
Still holding on.
“…You could ask,” Kid said.
“…I could.”
“…And I would answer.”
“…I know.”
Pause.
Then—
“…But you won’t.”
Black☆Star smiled.
“…There you go.”
Kid exhaled slowly.
“…You are very frustrating.”
“Yeah.”
“…And this is inefficient.”
“You already said that.”
“…It is still true.”
Black☆Star stepped closer.
Not rushing.
Not pushing.
Just—
closing the space.
“…Then fix it.”
Kid didn’t move.
Didn’t step back.
Didn’t look away.
“…You are asking without asking.”
“…Maybe.”
“…That is contradictory.”
“…You’ll survive.”
Silence.
Closer.
Warmer.
Kid’s gaze dropped.
Just for a second.
Then back up.
“…If I am wrong—”
“You’re not.”
“…You cannot guarantee that.”
“I can.”
Kid hesitated.
For the first time—
really hesitated.
Then—
“…This is not because of the bet.”
“…No.”
“…And not because you told me to.”
“…No.”
“…Then—”
Black☆Star didn’t answer.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
Just waited.
And this time—
Kid stepped forward.
Not a lot.
Just enough.
Close enough that their shoulders brushed.
Close enough that their hands tightened slightly.
Close enough that—
“…You are still smiling,” Black☆Star murmured.
“…That is not relevant.”
“…It is to me.”
Kid exhaled.
Soft.
“…You are going to regret this if your ankle—”
“I won’t.”
“…You might.”
“I won’t.”
“…You are stubborn.”
“…Yeah.”
Pause.
Then—
Kid leaned in.
Slow.
Careful.
Like he was still thinking.
Even now.
Black☆Star didn’t move.
Didn’t rush him.
Didn’t ruin it.
Just—
waited.
And when it finally happened—
it wasn’t dramatic.
It wasn’t rushed.
It was—
soft.
Brief.
Real.
Kid pulled back first.
Just slightly.
Still close.
Still there.
“…That was not part of the agreement,” he said quietly.
Black☆Star grinned.
“…Good.”
And then—
he closed the distance again.
This time faster.
More sure.
Still not rough.
Just—
closer.
Longer.
Enough to make Kid stop thinking for a second.
Enough to make him forget—
—
“OH MY GOD THEY DID IT—”
Black☆Star jerked back.
Kid froze.
“…What.”
From behind a bush—
Patty popped out.
Liz right behind her.
Soul. Maka.
And Tsubaki.
All staring.
All very, very obvious.
“…You followed us,” Black☆Star said flatly.
“Obviously,” Liz replied.
“You ran off holding hands,” Soul added.
“That was suspicious.”
Maka crossed her arms.
“…We gave you space.”
“You did not.”
“We tried.”
“You failed.”
Patty pointed.
“YOU KISSED.”
“…We noticed,” Liz said.
Kid had not moved.
At all.
Then—
very slowly—
he stepped back.
Just a little.
Not fully.
Just enough.
“…This is unnecessary,” he said.
“No, no,” Liz grinned. “This is VERY necessary.”
Black☆Star groaned.
“…You’re all annoying.”
Patty gasped.
“Say it again but as a couple!”
“We are not—”
“You are,” Soul cut in.
“…We are not labeling anything,” Kid said.
“…Yet,” Maka added.
Silence.
Black☆Star looked at Kid.
Kid looked at him.
Pause.
Then—
“…We’re leaving,” Black☆Star said.
“Yeah, go process your feelings!” Patty yelled.
“Quietly,” Liz added.
Kid sighed.
“…Your friends are insufferable.”
“They’re not my—” Black☆Star stopped.
“…Okay, yeah. They are.”
Kid glanced at him.
Then—
“…You are still holding my hand.”
Black☆Star blinked.
Looked down.
…Oh.
“…Yeah,” he said.
Didn’t let go.
“…Is that intentional?” Kid asked.
Pause.
Then—
“…Yeah.”
Kid didn’t respond.
But he didn’t pull away either.
And this time—
neither of them pretended it meant nothing.