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Ryuu sighed and let his body slide further down in the water of the bath, blowing bubbles at the surface. For the last few minutes, his eyes had been trained on Io’s backside as he soaped up at rinsed off at the stations that lined the sides and back wall of Kurotama. At first he’d been blatantly staring at Io in admiration, but then Io was joined by a certain second year with pastel-pink hair, and Ryuu’s stares of admiration turned into glares.
Akoya knew that Ryuu liked Io. In fact, Akoya was the only person who knew. Ryuu had confessed to Akoya in what he know referred to as a moment of weakness. With the Beppu twins placated, matters between the Student Council and the Defense Club resolved, and monsters absent from daily life, Ryuu and Akoya had begrudgingly started to spend more time with each other. Their hang-outs had been forced at first, largely orchestrated by Atsushi and Ibushi who both thought the two pinkettes would make great friends.
And they had been getting along. They’d even hung out of their own accord, meeting up for coffee and spur-the-moment shopping trips. As the weeks went on, Ryuu was beginning to think that he could trust Akoya, especially when, during a spa night, Akoya vocalized his worries about Ibushi and Kinshirou leaving him after graduation night. Ryuu’s chest had swelled, and he had confided to Akoya, believing that he had found a good friend that he could tell all the secrets he couldn’t tell Io. Mostly because the secrets he couldn’t tell Io were about Io.
So he’d lamented to Akoya about liking Io but not ever seeming to have the courage to tell him. He’d even gone as far to tell Akoya that the fact that he liked Io kind of freaked him out. Ryuu’s life had always been about girls after all. Akoya had smiled and given him some words of reassurance that Ryuu couldn’t remember now.
Then the next day, Akoya started pursuing Io. Aggressively.
Io seemed oblivious to Akoya’s obvious advances, and Ryuu wasn’t sure if Io didn’t see the advances for what they were or if he was ignoring them. Ryuu hoped it was the latter. But Ryuu’s stomach would curl every time he thought about Io and Akoya getting together. Akoya was a better fit for the green-haired stock broker than Ryuu. Akoya had money. Lots of it. That was right up Io’s alley. Ryuu sighed and pulled himself up out of the water, throwing his arms over the side of the bath, and leaning against the side heavily.
Over in the rinsing station, Io said something, and Akoya giggled, leaning in towards Io and placing his hand lightly on Io’s bare shoulder. Ryuu snorted. He had girls use that giggle and lean move on him before—generally when they were trying to impress him and get a second date. Ryuu never usually gave those girls the second date. Would Io be impressed by this tactic?
Tired of glaring, Ryuu turned his back on the two other second years and sank back down in the water to his chin. He felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. Why was Akoya doing this?
“Hey,” a voice said quietly, a lithe foot dipping into the water beside Ryuu. Io sighed as he sat lower in the water, adjusting himself against the wall so his and Ryuu’s hips were almost touching. He cast his warm grey eyes over at Ryuu and smiled softly. “Penny for your thoughts?” he asked.
Ryuu turned his eyes towards Io and returned Io’s smile with one of his own, “Nah. I’ll sell them for a dollar.”
Io laughed, covering his mouth with his hand. Ryuu’s smile softened at the action. Io really was too cute.
Io nodded and let out another short laugh, “Okay. One dollar. I’m good for it.” Io jerked his head towards the changing room, “My wallet’s with my clothes. I’ll be sure to pay you once we’re changed.”
Ryuu shook his head, “Io, you don’t have to do that. I was just kidding.”
“Does this mean you aren’t going to tell me what’s on your mind now?”
Ryuu shrugged, “Nothing to tell.”
Io threw Ryuu a knowing look, “Ryuu.”
“Really, Io. It’s nothing.”
Io sighed and tilted his head back against the wall of the bath. “If you say so,” he murmured. He shifted, the fingers of his left hand brushing against Ryuu’s right thigh.
Ryuu flinched, fire coursing through his blood.
Had Io meant to do that?
He glanced quickly down at Io’s hands in the water. His fingers were curled around the edge of the bench they were sitting on in the bath, his hand now a respectable distance from Ryuu’s thigh. Io opened one eye, peering at Ryuu.
“Ryuu? Something wrong?”
Ryuu averted his gaze and shook his head. “No, nothing,” he mumbled.
Io quirked a questioning brow but didn’t push the matter further. He simply cleared his throat, straightened his head against the wall, and sighed heavily, content. Ryuu sunk lower into the water, blowing bubbles again.
Io’s touch hadn’t meant anything. Ryuu meant nothing to him.
***
“Ryuu? You okay? You seem awfully distracted by something…”
Atsushi’s voice broke through Ryuu’s thoughts. For the past half hour, Ryuu’d been staring pensively out the clubroom window, phone held loosely in his hand but forgotten. At the sound of Atsushi’s voice, Ryuu jumped a little in surprise.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’m fine,” Ryuu waved a hand dismissively and then went back to staring out the window.
Atsushi’s eyes narrowed, “Does this have something to do with Akoya? I’ve noticed you two haven’t really spoken to each other recently.”
“This has everything to do with Akoya,” Ryuu thought bitterly. Out loud, he said, “We’ve just not really had anything to talk about.”
“You have to remember, Kinugawa-senpai, that Akoya and Ryuu were rivals for a long time,” Io piped up, tapping away on his tablet. “You can’t expect them to become best friends overnight.”
“He’s never going to be my best friend,” Ryuu grumbled.
Io looked up from his tablet with a smile. “That’s good, Ryuu. Because then I would be out of a job.”
Ryuu snorted and put down his phone, crossing his arms over the back of the chair and leaning on them.
“It’s so weird not having to fight monsters anymore,” Yumoto commented from the corner of the room, Wombat relaxed in his arms as Yumoto rubbed the pink creature all over.
“It was such a pain in the ass,” En moaned. “I’m glad we don’t have to fight monsters anymore.”
“En-chan,” Atsushi chided quietly.
“I agree with Yufuin-senpai,” Io added. “I’m making much more profitable use of my time now that monsters aren’t a daily part of my afternoon.” Io turned towards Ryuu, “What are your opinions on the matter, Ryuu?”
Ryuu blinked, having zoned out again, lost in his thoughts of Akoya’s betrayal mixed with his pining for Io. “What?”
“Monsters,” Io stated. “How’s your life without them?”
“Oh. Good,” Ryuu said turning back to the window. “They seemed to like hurting me, so I’m glad we don’t really have to deal with them anymore.”
“I never really understood why the monsters always went after you,” Io commented, turning back to his tablet. “You’d think they would target Yumoto. He’s the youngest after all, so he would be the weakest.”
“Except he’s not,” En drawled lazily. “Yumoto, I think, is the strongest out of all of us.”
“I would agree,” Atsushi said with a nod.
Ryuu gritted his teeth. Too much talking. There was too much chattering in the clubroom today. Abruptly he stood, chair legs making an unpleasant screech as they were pushed back along the floor.
“Ryuu?” Atsushi asked, worry peppering his voice.
Ryuu glanced at Io. The greenette seemed unfazed by Ryuu’s sudden movement, his fingers swiftly moving over the screen of his tablet. Io really didn’t care what Ryuu did, did he?
“I’m going for a walk,” Ryuu mumbled.
Ryuu--!” Atsushi made to get up, but En grabbed his blazer and pulled him back into his seat.
“No, Atsushi. Let him be. The Defense Club doesn’t have to be together all the time.”
As En lectured Atsushi, Ryuu used that as his chance to slip out the door. He trudged down the stairs and out the door, inhaling the sweet scent of freshly mown grass as he burst through the side door to the outside.
Ryuu stuffed his hands in his pockets and started slowly across the school grounds, heading for the open recreational field where the Defense Club sometimes bumped a volleyball in between each other and where the Western Culture Club played games of American style football.
Ryuu had really been having a rough time lately although he tried to not let it show. He’d been so sure that he’d made his feelings towards Io clear when he’d told Io how amazing he thought he was. Io was either extremely dense or ignoring Ryuu’s proclamation. He shook his head. Io wasn’t that bad. He would tell Ryuu outright if he’d picked up on Ryuu’s subtle flirts. Io had even flirted back a time or two. Lately, though, Io had been more distant and didn’t have as much interest in what Ryuu had to say. Apparently, he hadn’t noticed when Ryuu had cut back on the amount of time he chattered to Io either. Io was just oblivious to everything, and it hurt Ryuu. Ryuu felt like his best friend was slowly slipping through his fingers more and more as each day passed.
And if Io’s distance lately wasn’t problematic enough, Akoya trying to make a move on Io definitely wasn’t helping matters. Ryuu scowled. Why would he do that?! He thought they were becoming friends! Then Akoya hits Ryuu at his most vulnerable and starts flirting with the guy Ryuu secretly likes but that Akoya is more suited for.
Ryuu sighed and kicked a pebble on the ground. Why did he have to come from a poor, undesirable background? Ryuu had had to work for everything his entire life; nothing was handed to him on a silver platter. He was taunted daily in primary and middle school, told enough times that he was worthless that he began to believe that it was true. Then he was accepted to Binan—a school far enough away from his older schools that he could start over. Make a new image for himself. And he had, putting on flirty airs and machismo that rivaled any other playboy’s. He’d just never expected himself to fall for a guy.
Ryuu had been fed all his life that liking other guys was gross. It was something he was mocked at in school for when he was younger. Ryuu would refer to boys as pretty and ask them on little dates during recess back in primary school, but others soon began to taunt him, and his father had set him down and had a stern talk with him that basically amounted to “Boys don’t date boys.”
When Ryuu realized he was developing feelings for Io, he felt as if his identity had been destroyed. Girls had been his life since he had that talk with his Dad when he was about seven. One boy, though, with pale green hair and enchanting grey eyes had shattered those ideals that Ryuu believed he possessed, and it set him on a downward spiral into self-pity and self-depreciation.
Ryuu wanted to believe the he was good enough for anybody—girl or boy—but the constant taunts of his childhood and the struggles he’d endured as he grew older surged forth to haunt him again as he struggled to cope with and find who he really was. Ryuu was tiring of the internal battle, and without the monsters to occupy some of his time, it was a battle he was fighting every waking moment of his day.
He slid down along the chain length fence that surrounded the recreational field, head in his hands. He sniffled. Why had life become so complicated?
At the sound of a maniacal cackle, Ryuu rose his head. On the other side of the field, a golden and teal lion pranced about. Two long golden knitting needles, crisscrossed on its back. Ryuu’s chestnut eyes widened. A monster? How was that possible?
The monster leered at Ryuu, a devilish grin on its ornate face, “Seems like someone isn’t confidently stitched together, are they?”
The monster crouched down, the malicious grin on its face still wide. Ryuu recognized that position from watching nature documentaries with Yumoto. The lion was getting ready to pounce. With a shriek, Ryuu scrambled to his feet and took off back towards the school building, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him.
“The clubroom. I’ve got to get back to the clubroom!”
The sound of feet pounding against the earth behind him made Ryuu realize he’d never make it back to the clubroom. The monster was too close on his heels. He glanced up towards the top of the school. The clubroom window was open, and En was leaning out of it, eating a manjuu. He’d have to run by the window. That was the only way he could alert the others.
He veered off to the right suddenly, hearing the monster scramble behind him, trying to keep up with the change in direction.
“En! Monster!” Ryuu shouted. The mop of dirty-blonde hair turned towards him and dropped the half-eaten manjuu.
En’s head disappeared into the clubroom quickly and his disappearance was swiftly followed by a flash of intermingled red, blue, green, and yellow light. The four battle lovers appeared on the windowsill of the clubroom window, and one by one, they alighted to their feet on the ground below.
“Ryuu-senpai! Transform! Quick!” Yumoto yelled beckoning Ryuu over to them.
Ryuu ducked behind Io and pressed a hasty kiss to his loveracelet. A moment later, Vesta joined Sulfur, Cerulean, and the others in the line-up. The monster slowed, tilting its head at the appearance of the five superheroes. Its eyes scanned the five of them as they each spouted their line that Wombat had cursed them with, gaze lingering longer on Vesta. After the Battle Lovers had given their introductory speech and made their signature pose, the monster pointed a long teal finger at the pink Battle Lover.
“You!” it admonished. It came forward, lips curled into that malignant grin. “You seem to have some issues with your internal integrity.”
“What?” Ryuu spat.
“You’re not well-crafted,” the monster continued, starting towards them. “I can see all of your flaws. And there are many.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ryuu took a step forward, fist clenched. The last thing he needed was a monster, preying on the weaknesses he himself was still trying to conquer.
“Vesta! Get back!” Epinard moved to take a step forward but a lasso of yarn emerged from the ground, tying his ankles together. Similar vines of yarn sprang up and immobilized the other three Battle Lovers.
“You’re frayed. Tattered. Some stitches of yours have come loose,” the monster reached back and unsheathed one of its long needles. “How about I redo those pesky loose stitches?” It stopped, toe-to-toe with Vesta. It flashed its evil grin again, “Of course, I need to undo all the stitches to get to the bad ones.” With a triumphant snarl, it raised the needle high above its head and brought it down directly through the center of Ryuu’s foot.
Ryuu should have been in agony. In excruciating pain. The needle had gone completely through his foot, but Ryuu didn’t feel any pain at all. Ryuu blinked, his eyes going from his foot to the monster.
“That didn’t hurt,” he stated smugly.
The monster shrugged, “Pulling one loose thread usually doesn’t. But it starts a cascade, and then all the threads start to fall.”
Ryuu felt his leg wobble and collapse underneath him. Gasping, he looked to where his leg should have been only to find a pile of yarn.
The monster smirked, “Once a piece of tattered fabric starts to come undone, it unravels fast.”
Ryuu heard an angry roar behind him and registered a bright flash of yellow light. En, Yumoto, and Atsushi raced past him, tackling the monster and aiming attacks at every exposed bit of the monster’s flesh. Ryuu swayed, his head becoming heavy. He tried to take a step forward with his remaining leg to find that he couldn’t. He looked down; it too was starting to disappear. With a groan, Ryuu’s eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed. Io caught him under his armpits just before he hit the ground. He gently laid the pinkette down, his heart in his mouth.
Ryuu was unraveling fast, his slender legs already reduced to a pile of entangled magenta yarn, midsection starting to disappear as Io watched on in horror.
“No, no, no, no, no! Ryuu!” Io sobbed, his teeth gritted as his tried to fight back tears, his hand seeking out Ryuu’s. Io shook his head, “This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.”
“Sulfur!” Wombat’s voice called out from the opposite side of the battlefield. “Your loveracelet!”
With great reluctance, Io tore his eyes from his best friend, searching for Wombat’s furry pink form over his shoulder, “Huh?”
“Your loveracelet!” the marsupial repeated. “Connect yours to Vesta’s!”
Io glanced down at the loveracelet that was mostly hidden beneath the cuff of his glove. He swiftly shifted his gaze to Ryuu’s. He shook his head confused. Connect them? How? He knew the loveracelets were irremovable.
Io shook his head, “They won’t come off! I can’t connect them!”
“The hearts!” Wombat cried over the angry snarls of the monster. “Touch your heart to his!”
Io looked back down at his loveracelet, pulling his glove away from its center. He reached for Ryuu’s left wrist, pulling back the pink-haired battle lover’s cuff from the bright fuchsia colored heart. Io brought his wrist close to Ryuu’s but hesitated.
“What are you waiting for?!” En bellowed, his lovestick and the monster’s needles entwined in gridlock. “Connect them!”
“I’m scared!” Io sobbed. Ryuu had unraveled past his belly button now, and the appearance of yarn seemed to be picking up speed as it appeared where Ryuu’s ribcage had once been.
“Io-senpai, save him!” Yumoto screeched, hitting the monster with another Love Lumiere.
“Io! Do it now!”
With an anguished cry, Io fell forward, turning his wrist over and pressing the heart of his loveracelet against Ryuu’s.
When their hearts connected, a strong wave of alien magic emerged forth, turning the battlefield into a wind tunnel and casting a strong glow over Io and Ryuu’s prone form. The other three Battle Lovers shielded their eyes, squinting against the bright light emanating from Io’s body.
Atsushi pushed against the monster, reaching towards the second years, “Io! Ryuu!”
At his name, Io’s head rose. He slowly turned his head, and En gulped at his expression. Tears were streaking down Io’s cheeks, but his grey eyes were harsh and unreadable. Io looked utterly dangerous.
“Io,” En breathed.
He saw the yellow Battle Lover’s shoulders rise in a huge inhale. Io shot a final glance at his friends and then exhaled, releasing another wave of magic that carried the force of a small bomb. Everything fell dark.
Except for the glow around Io and Ryuu.
***
The first thing Ryuu registered as he came to was the soft sound of someone humming. As Ryuu slowly became more conscious, he groaned. He felt utterly exhausted as if he’d run a full triathlon, but at the same time, his body was completely numb. He wrinkled his nose. Wherever he was, it was extremely bright. So bright that it was hurting his eyes through his closed lids. Ryuu groaned and moved to cover his eyes with his right arm.
The humming stopped.
“Ryuu?” Io’s voice asked, a slight tremor in his tone.
Ryuu blearily opened one eye but immediately closed it. It was too bright. “Mmm, yeah?” he grunted out.
“How do you feel? Do you hurt anywhere?”
“Actually, no. I don’t really feel anything.”
Io didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Well,” he started finally, “I guess that’s a good thing.”
Ryuu didn’t like the sound of that. “Io? What happened?”
“It’s okay, Ryuu. I’ve got you.”
Ryuu groaned and shifted to sit up.
“No!” Io cried, pushing Ryuu back down. “No,” he said in a gentler tone. “Please don’t move. Especially your left arm.”
Despite the blinding light, Ryuu forced his eyes open only for his mouth to fall open. “Io,” he breathed. “You’re glowing.”
Io smiled softly, the expression angelic in the golden halo that covered his body. “I’m helping you, Ryuu,” he pointed down toward Ryuu’s left wrist. Ryuu craned his neck, finding that Io’s left hand was turned, palm up, and the heart of his loveracelet was pressed to Ryuu’s own. The connection was the source of the glow which Ryuu had only noticed now was encasing his own body too. Io’s voice floated back to him. “But I need you to stay still.”
Ryuu squinted up at him, “Why?”
Io’s mouth opened and closed, but he shook his head and said nothing. He inclined his head down towards Ryuu’s bottom half. Ryuu raised his head and let out a whimper.
From the waist down, Ryuu’s body was gone. In its place was a pile of magenta yarn.
Ryuu laid his head back down, a tear rolling down his cheek.
“Ryuu…” Io said softly.
“I guess that would explain why I can’t feel my legs.”
“You will though,” Io brought his free hand to Ryuu’s face, pressing his gloved palm to Ryuu’s cheek and stroking with his thumb. “Like I said. I’m helping you. It was a lot worse before you woke up.”
Ryuu tensed, “Really?”
Io nodded and slid his hand from Ryuu’s face down his chest to the middle of the pinkette’s rib cage. “You were gone. Up to here,” Io whispered.
Ryuu drew in a shuddering breath, tears brimming in his chestnut eyes.
“Sshh!” Io leaned forward instantly, cradling Ryuu’s cheek again. “Shh, shh,” he cooed. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
“Why?” Ryuu sniffled. “You don’t even like me.”
Io sat back on his haunches, a startled expression on his face. “Excuse me?”
“You don’t like me.”
“Ryuu, that’s ridiculous. You’re my best friend.”
Ryuu snorted, “That’s right. I’m your friend.”
Io’s expression became worried, “Ryuu, you’re much more than that.”
“No, I’m not,” Ryuu sniffled again. “You like Akoya,” he mumbled quietly.
Io’s brows knitted in confusion, “I do?”
Ryuu’s expression also became confused, “Don’t you?”
Io shook his head, “Of course not.” He readjusted himself, stretching to lay down beside Ryuu, all the while keeping his loveracelet pressed against Ryuu’s. “You,” Io murmured nuzzling Ryuu’s ear. “It’s always been you.”
“But…”
“I was scared, Ryuu,” Io continued quietly. “You were always talking about girls. And…and you called guys liking guys ‘gross.’ What would you have thought if you knew your best friend liked you? Like really liked you.”
“You hated me our first year.”
“True. You weren’t my favorite person, but what can I say? You grew on me,” Io nuzzled Ryuu’s cheek again. Io pulled his head back and stroked Ryuu’s cheek with his forefinger, pushing the wayward strand of pink hair that Ryuu always had out of his hairband back and forth. “Just like this piece of hair you never have pushed back. At first I thought it annoying. Now, it’s endearing.” Io blushed. “Cute even.”
“Io…do you really like me?”
Io scooted closer, running his hand through Ryuu’s hair, “More than anything.”
“Even money?”
Io laughed and flicked Ryuu’s nose, “Even more than money.”
Ryuu let out a laugh too, but quickly let his gaze fall to the floor.
Io’s hand stilled in Ryuu’s hair, “Ryuu?”
“I like you too,” Ryuu mumbled.
Io smiled softly, “More than girls?”
Ryuu grinned and nudged Io’s nose with his own, “A LOT more than girls.”
Io blushed and ducked his head, “Ryuu?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you think I’m cute?”
Ryuu giggled and tried to shift closer to Io, “Very. Handsome even.”
Io smiled, pink blossoming across his cheeks and nose, but his eyes shifted towards Ryuu’s lower half. “I’m ecstatic you find me attractive, but I really do need you to stay still.”
“Oh,” Ryuu’s eyes widened. “Right. How long do you think it’ll take to stitch me back together?”
Io leaned back, peering down Ryuu’s body, “You have two stubs that look like the beginning of legs.” He turned his gaze back towards Ryuu and smiled gently, “Soon.” But Ryuu was chewing the inside of his cheek, an action Io recognized as a habit of Ryuu’s when the pink-haired teen was worried. “Ryuu?”
“Io, why have you been so distant these past few weeks?”
“Oh,” Io sighed. “That.” He shifted his grey eyes, focusing them on something up and beyond Ryuu’s head. “It’s embarrassing, but I was getting impatient. I thought that maybe if I distanced myself that you would confess to me sooner. Akoya even offered to flirt with me to make you jealous. It seems that that all had the opposite effect from what I’d intended.”
“Akoya was fake-flirting with you?”
Io nodded, “I’m sorry, Ryuu. I noticed that it bothered you, and I should have put an end to it right there and confessed to you first. But I was also being selfish. I wanted to know what it felt like.” Tears began to pool in Io’s eyes.
“Wanted to know what what felt like?” Ryuu asked quietly.
Io drew a shuddering breath and locked his gaze with Ryuu. He smiled weakly, tears spilling past his ebony lashes, “I wanted to know what if felt like to have somebody tell you they like you.”
“Io…”
“And then I almost lost you today! I could never have lived with myself if you’d…if you’d disappeared on me without knowing. I like you, Ryuu. I really, really like you!” Io’s calm composure crumbled the rest of the way, sobs wracking his body.
“Sshh, Io. It’s alright. You saved me,” Ryuu murmured, stretching his neck to nuzzle into Io’s. “Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry. It’s okay. I’m going to be okay.”
Io sniffled, “I know, but I just feel so guilty!”
“Don’t,” Ryuu ordered firmly. “I was being an idiot, too. I was just trying to process how I felt about liking you before telling you. But I like you, too, Io.”
Io’s tears slowed, “Really?”
“Really really.” Ryuu smiled softly and nudged Io’s jaw with his nose. “Say, Io. Do you want to go on a date with me this evening? You know after we beat the monster and I have legs again?”
“The monster’s gone, Ryuu,” Io said softly.
“What? How?”
Io shrugged, “When I connected our loveracelets, it let out a powerful blast. That apparently was enough ‘love’ to defeat the monster.”
“So…no date?”
Io smiled gently, “I’d prefer it if you rested this evening, Ryuu.”
“We can stay in. Watch a movie together.”
Io’s smile broadened, “I like the sound of that.”
“I think there’s something you’ll like the sound of more, though,” Ryuu said gently.
“What’s that Ryuu?”
“Io, be my boyfriend.”
Io gave a tiny gasp, covering his mouth with his hand, a blush rising to his cheeks. Io nodded quickly, tears forming in the corners of his eyes, and he leaned forward pressing his lips to Ryuu’s.
When their lips connected, Ryuu felt a surge of warmth rush through him from his head to his toes. His toes! He could feel his legs again! He flexed his toes experimentally within his shoe, loving the feel of the resistance as they stretched up against the inside of his pink heeled boot. With a grin, he kissed back, throwing one leg over Io’s hip.
At that movement, Io broke the kiss, pulling back and giving a happy cry at the sight of Ryuu’s legs fully restored. He leaned forward, running one hand down Ryuu’s thigh, the glow around his and Ryuu’s body receding. As the last dredges of golden light disappeared into their loveracelets, Io sighed and turned to Ryuu.
Ryuu was smiling beautifully at him, “You saved me, Io. Thank you.”
“No,” Io breathed, embracing Ryuu and pressing a kiss to the inside of his neck, “Thank you.”
Yumoto, En, Atsushi, and the Conquest Club stood a few feet back away from the newly formed couple. Atsushi was wearing a grin a mile wide, and Akoya was bouncing up and down on his toes in delight. En’s knowing smirk was plastered on his lips, and Yumoto stood beside him trembling with excitement.
En looked up at the sky and sighed. The appearance of today’s monster meant they had a new enemy out there. The blue-eyed Battle Lover was sure of that, and he was sure that monsters were going to become a daily chore again. As gloomy as that was, there had been one good thing to come out of the afternoon’s ordeal.
Ryuu and Io were finally where they belonged—in each other’s arms.