Chapter Text
Kid wasn't worthless, and he knew that.
After all, he'd spent his entire life training and studying the ways of being a grim reaper, and to deny all of that was simply illogical. Under no circumstance was he a piece of scrap intended to be thrown away. He was a powerful meister, a God, and the son of Death himself! He was smarter than to believe in something so arbitrary, and he could fight against madness well enough to not believe in those delusions. He knew all that.
So then why couldn't he resist it?
Kid was intelligent, skilled, and reasonable. And yet, all of those features were to be tossed out the window as soon as something was off. Whether it be a tilted painting or a demolished basement pillar, it needed to be fixed. The lack of balance, the lack of symmetry- it all set off something inside of him.
Those disgraceful imbalances lit the fuse to a bomb hidden deep within his mind. He didn't know how much time he had, but he could feel it running out. The string burnt shorter and shorter. It was put out as soon as he made the needed corrections, and balance was restored, only for something to light it again.
It'd been like this his entire life. He had no idea what would happen once time finally ran out, but when he tried to deny it or put out the flame a different way, it never worked. He could feel the swelling in his mind worsen with each attempted rejection. Would he become the same as the kishin Asura, or would he spontaneously combust? He had no idea.
A good reaper wouldn't let the fire run its course, no matter what would happen. That unknown was a factor too terrifying to dismiss. It was a feeling he couldn't shake. That was why.
Kid hugged his knees closer to his chest as if he were trying to dissolve into the edge of his bed. That day was particularly worse than others, and it kept him on edge at all times. It was the day of graduation for all students of the DWMA and the beginning of the spring break. He'd made sure everything was right, but even so, something else lingered on him.
He couldn't go against it. He couldn't fight off the natural response to reestablish the order that was always meant to be, even if it was something so small. Even if it made no sense. Even then, he had to comply.
"... Am I really so weak?" He muttered to himself, muffled by the fabric of his sleeve. In front of him sat his window with rays of moonlight peering down on him.
There was no connection between the order of books which the library sorted them and the relationship between life and death. He knew that!
So then why was there ticking ringing in his ears? Why did something so miniscule force him to falter so easily? He could logic all he wanted, but none of that erased the 6th sense that spanned across every nerve under his skin. It was all wrong! Reasonably, using his head, it wasn't. People looked at him like he was crazy, and they had every right to. But if they could only feel it, they'd know.
It's not in his control. It's a necessity. A grim reaper must maintain balance.
There were times, late into the night like this, where he wished it wasn't his mental fortitude being challenged in such an unnatural way. Humans didn't think like this. If he had just been born into any other circumstance-
"Hey! Kid! Death God, open up!" Kid didn't even need to lift his head to know who's voice that was. Still, as if it were instinct, he did.
It was... certainly a sight to behold. Black☆Star stood behind his window in what Kid could only assume were his sleeping clothes. It didn't look much different to his outside wear. He waved excitedly as he met Kid's eyes, giving him a smile wider than the moon's.
Kid brought himself to his feet, moving closer to the window and opening it, though not fully. It was opened just a crack so he wouldn't need to shout. "Black☆Star, what in Death's name are you doing here? How long have you been there?" He let out in a hushed whisper.
"I've come to grace you with my great presence! You're one lucky guy, ya know?" The fact that the window was now open didn't seem to faze him.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"I don't know how to read a clock. Tsubaki has one of those digital ones, but I didn't want to interrupt her sleep."
"So she was asleep, and you assumed I wasn't?" Kid deadpanned. "Do me a favor, and look at the sky."
"You can't make me do anything that easily." Black☆Star placed his hands on his hips, taking Kid's simple request as a challenge. It was honestly a talent of his that he could be challenged by anything. Even so, his head turned around, just to check.
Kid continued his point and gestured vaguely towards the sky. "It's midnight."
Somehow, due to some skill unbeknownst to him, the assassin on his window shrugged. "So? I don't see the big deal. You were awake, weren't you?" At least his cocky smile fell, as did his eyes on Kid. "You're still in your school clothes."
It was true that the reaper hadn't changed since the day ended. He'd been stuck in his head ever since the sun set, and he couldn't bring himself to move. Not until he had some sound conclusion to bring to himself.
To no avail.
"Sooooo," Black☆Star was still full of energy, and it was surprising that he even needed sleep to function. He pressed his face against the glass, his cheek squishing into it. As great as his abilities were, Kid didn't think that he'd be able to phase through solids just yet. "Can I come in?"
"If you stop dirtying my window, then fine." Reluctantly, Kid pushed open an entrance for him. He backed away, taking off his jacket now that Black☆Star had drawn attention to it. He neatly hung it in his closet shortly before returning to the boy who had just paid him an unprompted visit.
"Wow, your room's cleaner than I thought!" He commented as he jumped from the sill to the floor. He'd at least had the decency to leave his shoes on the ledge on the roof. "Why is your bed so big?"
"Why are you really here?" Kid cut to the chase. He didn't have nearly enough time for this. Why didn't he, though? Reapers don't need sleep, and it wasn't like he was running out of it. Whatever, he could find that out later.
"I'm such a big star, I bet you missed having my light shine on you." Black☆Star's eyes landed on Kid's finally, green meeting golden.
When the reaper didn't reply, a gust of wind from the window blew in. It was the loudest thing either of them could hear.
Black☆Star sighed, tearing his eyes away and around the room. He tried to casually dig his hands into his pockets, but he didn't have any. "I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to annoy Tsubaki. Plus, you're the most likely person to be awake this late."
"So you are aware of the time." Kid asked, and Black☆Star only nodded. "Well, what do you want me to do?"
And now that was the question that blew over Black☆Star's head. The lack of spark in his eyes said it all. "Uhhh, I don't know. You wanna talk?" He tilted his head and scratched the back of his hair. It wasn't too common for a sight to see his hair undone and down. Kid couldn't help but find it a bit endearing. The usual strange star shape he always wore had been weighed down for once, even if it was still spiking at the ends. "That's what people do, right?"
"Talk about what?" He sounded exasperated or tired, but Black☆Star knew he wasn't. That boy was stupid, but his common knowledge always kicked in whenever it was convenient.
"You seemed like you were thinking pretty hard about something when I came here. I can't say I'm not curious." Black☆Star suggested the idea as the room grew colder. Each second where they didn't speak was another second to listen to the trees sway outside. "Is it about the next mission? Another kishin? Some secrets in the Death family line?"
Kid stepped closer, only to sit down on his bed, allowing space for Black☆Star to do the same. Gladly, he did, practically catapulting onto it. He beamed, and Kid would be lying if he said that Black☆Star didn't seem to glow at least a little.
Opposite to him, there was Black☆Star. It seemed like almost every time since he'd met the boy, every thought and wonder about balance always followed the same path. Kid would wonder why he always gave in to the foolish thoughts he had, then he'd wonder if he was weak, then he'd come to the conclusion that he wasn't.
Because if he was weak, he wouldn't have these problems. He would be a regular human, on the same level as everyone else.
Humans aren't completely symmetrical, but they do have one thing that Kid lacks. It's balance. Every organ follows the orders of the brain, every muscle contracts and flexes with the ones it's closest to, and it's all powered by a pumping heart. Gentle beats are followed by gentle breaths, and all of it is in order. They live, and then they die. Simple and perfect.
Kid's body may have seemed human, but truth be told, it wasn't. It was simply the form he was shaped into. His mind could hold much greater concepts, and his body could take more hits. He was a reaper, son of Death and the next in line; he was immortal.
He had nobody who could counteract him. Nobody to keep him in line.
It got lonely, in all honesty. What point was there to a symmetrical galaxy if it only ever held one star, far greater than any possible contender? It was the same as placing a 10 ton weight on a balance scale and some dust on the other side. Despite the fact he was going to become the god of order, he himself never could experience true balance; only meak depictions and symmetric replicas were left in its wake.
Well, that used to be the case.
"Hey, you're making that face again! Don't leave me in the dark." Black☆Star poked him in the cheek. Apparently, Kid's silence managed to offend him. He hadn't even realized he was quiet until he was pulled back to reality.
He leaned away from the touch. "What face?"
"The one where you gaze longingly out the window like a sad middle-aged woman in a black and white music video." Black☆Star said flatly.
Kid felt like he should have said something to that, but he couldn't come up with anything. "You really want to know what I was thinking about?"
"Yeah. I'm bored, and I don't have anything better to do." Black☆Star placed his hands behind his head and stretched his arms out. "As long as it's not about something lame or stupid."
Kid exhaled, averting his eyes to the hands on his lap. "I was wondering if I was weak." It wasn't exactly right, but it wasn't a lie, either.
Still, it merited a reaction. "Seriously?" Black☆Star dropped his hands to the bed, turning half his body to face Kid with a look of utter disbelief. He cleared his throat. "Well, you're my opponent. Our levels of skill reflect each others. If you were truly weak, then that would make me weak, too!"
"I had a feeling you'd say that."
Black☆Star kicked his feet off the side of the bed, as restless as always, even with the time. He seemed impatient, like he was waiting for Kid to hurry up and say something more. "Is there anything more, or where you just sitting like that for a few hours thinking 'I'm weak, I'm weak, I'm weak'?" He asked.
Kid breathed in. "Well, there is more to it, but I don't think you'd understand it."
"You calling me stupid?" He immediately objected. "I'll have you know that I'm only failing, like, 5 classes!" Black☆Star threw his hands up, and Kid wondered why he sat so close if he was going to be an active safety hazard.
"... That wasn't exactly what I meant." The reaper retaliated, his hands connecting with each other above his knees.
A frigid silence permeated the air, and neither of them knew what to say. Once again, the two were on the same page.
Black☆Star's hands flew back down as he joined Kid in staring out the window. It was a surprise he could stay quiet for so long, but that was soon interrupted. "I wanna hear it, you know. You can't leave me hanging like this." He spoke so calmly that it caught Kid off guard.
Turning to finally face him, Kid didn't find any cocky grin or bored expression. Just curiosity, plain and simple. Behind all of his walls of 'pursuing godhood' and 'being a big star' lied something new to Kid. He couldn't decipher it quite yet, but it would come to him in due time.
"Well, if you must know," Kid began. He was still weary about whether or not he should continue. He refrained from telling people about the actual things that concerned him because each time, he'd be met with the same few responses. 'Why don't you just control yourself?' or 'Just ignore those thoughts then!' or 'Are you mentally insane?'. He swatted those thoughts away as he continued. "I was wondering why it's so easy for me to succumb to my own delusional thoughts, even though I know they're illogical."
... Black☆Star didn't say anything, just waiting for him to continue whatever he was on about. As opposed to his usual loud and energetic expressions, he was patient.
"... My obsession with symmetry isn't something I choose to be obsessed with. It's just that asymmetry invokes something in me. It's disgusting and horrid, but it's also scary. I have no idea what would happen if I let something go- it could be that Death City will come crashing down or that I will fall into the madness again. It's my duty as a reaper to keep balance. I know those things won't happen, but... that doesn't help the feeling." Kid's voice sounded almost jarring to his own ears. Somewhat foreign, and somewhat shaky. "I feel like I'm going to explode, and I fear that one day, I will."
The long and silky curtains draping over the window seemed to dance with the breeze. There wasn't much moonlight, but the stars were as bright as they could be for a desert. Kid tried whatever he could to keep his mind off of what he'd just told Black☆Star. Why had he even said that? Curse that stupid assassin and curse him for asking to hear more. Curse Black☆Star for looking at him so-
"I get that. I feel like I'm a ticking time bomb, too." The boy said nonchalantly, and Kid felt like he'd just been tossed into zero gravity.
Huh?
"I know it's different from what you mean, and I didn't understand half of what you said, but I feel like I'm going to explode sometimes, too. When I'm frustrated that things don't go my way or when I just can't do anything to help during a fight." Black☆Star didn't seem to question a thing about what Kid had said, only looking out the window with the same soft eyes as before. "I feel so weak."
Kid was used to his friends poking fun at his affinity for symmetry and tantrums, but Black☆Star rarely ever batted an eye. Even now, after Kid poured his thoughts out, he didn't even think to make a remark about it.
"You wanna know how I like to deal with it?" Black☆Star asked as Kid was left, staring in awe.
"How?"
"It's easy, and it works like a charm." Black☆Star scoffed as he closed his eyes. He smiled ever so slightly. "I let myself explode."
... Huh?
-----☆-----
It didn't seem like he and Black☆Star had very similar ideas of exploding. That much was clear when Black☆Star elaborated. 'Elaborated' being used in the loosest way possible.
"Fight me!" He exclaimed with triumph, jumping off the bed and placing firm fists into his sides.
Confused, Kid shot back. "I'm not going to fight you. It's too late for that."
The assassin blinked, staring Kid down. "I know you're not tired."
Before he even had the chance to come up with an argument, Black☆Star had already begun continuing his own.
"You said you feel like you're going to explode, so let's go explode! Tsubaki told me it's bad for you if you always suppress your explode-y feelings."
Kid simply watched in disbelief. Every word in his mind that attempted to form a coherent logic against Black☆Star failed. Perhaps it was because that boy's reasoning was so unfathomably stupid. "Of course."
"Is that all you have to say?" Black☆Star blinked in surprise; his eyes wide open. "I thought you were gonna give me an essay for me to ignore first."
Kid sharply exhaled. Of course Black☆Star never listened to him when he had a good plan or a good reason. He hadn't done that ever before, so why would he start now?
And of course, Kid went along with it.
As soon as he'd stood up, Black☆Star's face lit up and he grabbed him by the wrist and bolted for the hallways.
If Kid was told that he'd be spending his night racing that pathetic excuse of a student down the corridors to his own home and along the rooftops, making sure to silence each of their steps so as to not wake the Thompson sisters, he simply wouldn't believe it. But alas, here he was, in the dead of night exchanging hits with Black☆Star on top of the Gallows Manor.
How had he gotten himself into this? Why did he allow himself to be dragged around at this hour? Why wasn't he even mad in the slightest?
Ah, but he knew why.
When Kid narrowly dodged a punch by a sliver, Black☆Star turned around just as quickly. He wasn't moving to make his next attack, though. He lowered his guard just slightly. "This isn't an actual fight. You're supposed to let yourself go- y'know, explode. Stop thinking about it, and come at me with just that energy!" He yelled.
Come at him without thinking about it? Well, it sounded stupid, but that was just another difference between them. Black☆Star always neglected his own intelligence and relied on his strength and his speed, while Kid undermined those aspects, looking for a way to outsmart the enemy.
Black☆Star sought after power, and Kid sought after order.
"If you stop yelling, then I will." Kid replied, feeling his own wavelength crackle behind his ribcage. That was the whole point of Black☆Star's plan, wasn't it? To let that pent up anticipation go. It was terrifying to think about, but in practice- with the assassin who took him from the deepest layer of the Book of Eibon- there was no reason to hold back. "I'll fight you with everything I have."
Black☆Star let out a weak laugh and readied his stance again, balancing on the highest point of the manor's rooftop.
Black☆Star wasn't just a sparring partner to the reaper. He was something he never had before.
After living his entire life alone, on a scale nobody could even compare to, Kid occupied himself with symmetry. It was the closest thing he could ever have to true balance. He was meant to maintain order, and he did his best, but there was something missing. When he'd gotten his weapons, it only became more apparent.
Kid was so many things. Great, powerful, skilled- and yet it meant nothing. As a God, how was he ever meant to maintain something he never had? He could be as amazing as he wanted in an arena, but it was worthless if he was the only one there. How would he create the ultimate world if he didn't know how?
That was why the Book of Eibon almost worked. Within nothingness lied perfect balance. It was more than symmetry could ever be. In an empty sea, he could finally witness it. The reason he was born laid right in front of him.
That was until Black☆Star showed up, yelling that he was going to get Kid out of there, even if he had to drag him all the way up.
Truth be told, there was nobody else who could have saved him. He would have fallen to the same madness as Asura if it weren't for that idiot. Liz and Patty were both the closest people to him, but they were weak without each other. Maka, as great of a fighter and friend that she was, wouldn't have gotten through to him. Kid barely knew Soul and the other students, and his own father couldn't leave the confines of Death City.
Black☆Star was a complete moron. His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair crunched if you tugged on it. He had only one star on one shoulder, and he was a cocky, reckless bastard. His dream was to surpass the gods.
He was the first and only human to have ever challenged Kid. It seemed so irrational to other people. He was Death the Kid, and Black☆Star was nothing compared to that. No matter how much he talked about being a big star or a big guy, nobody ever had reason to believe him.
But Kid did. To Kid, he was the brightest star in their galaxy. So much so, he threw off all order in Eibon's world of nothingness with his mere presence. He was the only person who could rival him.
Kid blinked for just a second too long, and suddenly his arm was being tugged, and his back hit the tiles of the rooftop. As soon as he'd opened his eyes to get back up, he was met with Black☆Star pinning him down by his arms and with the help of his legs.
One, two, three...
"Ha! I win, once again!" The boy above him shouted out his victory, lifting both of his hands to the air. His teeth peered through his smile, crooked and chipped. As imperfect as he was, he was something greater than Kid ever bargained him for.
Black☆Star himself was the one to surpass the gods- even if it was just one. He was the balance to Kid's scale.
The fight had gone in for so long that the reaper had begun to grow sluggish near the end, exhausting every ounce of energy in him. Black☆Star won, even though he didn't use much of his wavelength.
Kid found his eyes closing just mere seconds after they'd shot open. He couldn't suppress the laughter that came out of him. It was short-lived and a little shrill. His spine against the tiles was uncomfortable, and it definitely hurt him more in the left side than the right, but in the face of true balance, he didn't care. He was glad that he lost.
For a moment, the other boy just watched. It was like he'd never heard someone laugh before. "You makin' fun of me?" Black☆Star questioned with his arms retreating to his hips, but even without seeing it, Kid could hear the smile forming on his face.
"... Not quite." Kid got out as he exhaled. He noticed that his hands were free. "But you missed a spot."
Quickly, Kid launched himself forward and tumbled Black☆Star onto his back, swiftly reversing the position. His head fell with a thud as he seethed in pain, not breaking his smile for a second.
One, two, three...
"I win." Kid said, leaning closer to Black☆Star. His own smile had faded, but he could still feel it.
Struggling to find a weak point in Kid's form, the assassin gave in. He let his head fall back onto the roof, panting with the corners of his lips curled up. The deep green color that Kid had become accustomed to was barely visible behind half-lidded eyes. What were once shining with pride were now only lit by the reflection of the fading stars. "We didn't rematch, but whatever helps you sleep at night." He huffed.
Kid rolled off of him, laying his back against the roof next to the other boy. He'd fought just as Black☆Star told him to. He tried to channel the sinking weight on his soul directly into his movement, and even through his doubts that it would work, it... did. He felt lighter inside but heavier outside. He'd been in tougher battles, but none of them ever took his energy out like this.
He could hear the other catch his breath. After all, it was only human to be winded after sparring for so long. Speaking of which, how long had it been?
"Kid, I think you solved my problem." Not surprisingly, Black☆Star didn't sound like he was having trouble breathing anymore.
Kid turned his head to his side to see him. "What problem?"
"I think I'm tired enough to get a God's rest, now." Black☆Star closed his eyes and let his breathing return to normal, slow paces. He lifted his hands to let his head rest on. "In fact, I might just sleep right here."
"I guess that's good, then. You can go back to your house and leave me be for the rest of the spring break."
"Ha! As if I'd leave you alone. Someone dull like you needs a spotlight like me in their life." Black☆Star scoffed as he waited a few more seconds. The night had turned mellow in just a few seconds. "Also, about going back to my house..."
Kid shifted his body onto his side to get closer.
"I ran the entire way here, but I don't know if I want to run all the way back. I used up a lot of my wavelength on you."
Ignoring the fact that Black☆Star did not live a reasonable distance from the Gallows Manor to justify him running the entire way here out of boredom, Kid spoke. "I'm not letting you sleep on my roof."
"Then can I sleep inside? You've gotta have some extra rooms, right?" The assassin turned his head to see Kid, but once he opened his eyes, his breath hitched. "A big room for a big guy like me." He ignored it.
Reluctantly, the reaper pushed himself up to stand. He dug his hands into his pockets. "The guest rooms are to be kept perfectly clean and organized for guests. You, as far as I'm aware, have not been invited into one of them."
"Then invite me!" Black☆Star soon followed Kid walking down the roof, wobbling slightly with each step he took. "Come on, I deserve to have a fancy suite for the night after giving you such a good match, right?"
"I'm not the one who can allow you into the other rooms. Take it up with my father."
"Then let me into your room."
Kid stopped at the lowest ledge he could get to. He turned around, looking up at Black☆Star. "Excuse me?"
"Your bed's huge. I bet we can both fit. Won't that be symmetrical?"
Black☆Star had somewhat a good point. Kid's bed was big enough for both of them, they wouldn't disrupt anyone else in the Manor, and two people in one bed surely was symmetrical. "You're not going to stop pestering me until I allow you to sleep on my property, are you?"
"Nope! Can we hurry up now? I'm tired-" His voice was cut off with an obnoxiously loud yawn.
Weighing his options in his mind, Kid couldn't find much reason to deny him. He didn't enjoy the idea of unexpected guests, but this wasn't just anyone. "Fine." He reluctantly agreed as he slipped through his window and into his room.
"YAHOO- Oh, sorry." Before Black☆Star could let out his full yell, he caught himself. Crouching on the windowsill, he corrected himself with a whisper. "Yahoo."
Kid had his back turned to the boy, but even so, he could hear his little yahoo. He snickered before hiding his face with a fist to recollect his demeanor and face Black☆Star. "I have to prepare myself to sleep, so I'm going to have to trust you to not touch anything."
He raised his eyebrows, taking a few seconds to let the words sink in. "Can I touch the bed?"
"You can touch that side of the bed, and only that side." Kid pointed to the side closest to the window with a glare. The last thing he needed now was for his delicate and intricate room to be messed up.
"Okay, okay, I got it." Defensively, Black☆Star held his hands out in front of his chest. He took a seat on the bed, lifting both of his legs up. Noticing that Kid hadn't left yet, he gave a small smile, just barely visible under the darkness of the room. "You can trust me, Kid."
It wasn't a strange thing to say, not even slightly. Still, hearing those words with that tone under the dramatic light of the celestial bodies above, Kid wondered if there was any other sustinance to that declaration. "... Goodnight." He definitely said that louder than he intended to, but he was already out the door and in the hallway before he could correct himself.
Why did something so simple elicit that reaction out of him? Kid had just told him that he was going to trust him not to mess with his furniture, but even so, those words bounced on his mind.
'You can trust me, Kid.'
Where was he headed to now? Oh yeah, the restroom to change and brush his teeth.
Listening to his own footsteps along the path, he couldn't stop wondering. He knew that he was just twisting the meaning of Black☆Star's sentence in his head, but that wasn't the question.
The door clicked behind him, and he rested his back to it.
Did he trust Black☆Star?
The star trusted Kid, at least enough to entrust him with creating the ultimate world with whatever power he could have. Though, their relationship was never clear. Never established, but never demolished, either. They were rivals, allies, foes, and friends- all at once. But what truly constituted as an enemy?
Sure, they had their fights every now and then, but what was behind it? Their battles were more like spars, and they always remained on the same side of history. If Kid was being truthful with himself, he could admit it. Here in the safety and privacy of his own personal bathroom, he could say it with confidence: He harbored no ill will towards Black☆Star.
To be mildly annoyed by him was a different story, but to hate him? How on Earth could Kid ever bring himself to that? He couldn't hate the one who brought a balance to him. He was used to being disgusted by asymmetrical appearances, but Black☆Star never sickened him. How could he?
It didn't take Kid very long to finish preparing himself to sleep. Though, once he returned to his bedroom, he figured he must have taken a bit too long. When he slipped through the door and carefully shut it, his eyes brought their way over to Black☆Star.
Kid spending half an hour to switch into more comfortable clothes was a bit long, but somehow, Black☆Star had already fallen asleep. His body was sprawled across his side, and the blanket he covered himself only made it to his waist.
The window was still open, and the room must have been freezing. Nights as dark as these always managed to get cold, even if Kid never noticed. He was almost never affected by temperature, and he was thankful. His fashion sense would have killed him a long time ago if he'd been prone to the desert's heat.
But was Black☆Star? He was as powerful as a God, far above the level of other meister, but he was still human. He could, in theory, catch a cold. Kid had never conceived the idea of Black☆Star getting sick, but it was surely possible. The assassin needed to eat, to drink, and to sleep. He breathed in, he breathed out, and he had a heartbeat.
Kid shut the window to be safe. Turning back around, he could see Black☆Star's face, half covered by the sheets and his own hand. His eyes were shut longer than Kid had ever seen. He wasn't even entirely sure if Black☆Star would get knocked out with his eyes closed.
There was something almost uncanny about it. It was... strange to see him in such a vulnerable and open state. And yet, he looked so peaceful. The sleevless arm draped over his chest rose and fell in tune with his quiet breaths. Kid would have assumed that he'd be snoring all night and taking up more space than he was meant to, but he wasn't.
When his hair was once pointed, it had fallen over the pillow he laid on. What features were once sharp were now soft. He was calm. It wasn't a verbal declaration of trust, but it was definitely something close.
Kid figured that he should stop staring and actually sleep. Did Black☆Star even expect him to? He could recall telling him tidbits about his life, but he didn't expect him to remember anything.
But why not?
Black☆Star wasn't as stupid as people assumed. Sure, he could barely recall the three rules of assassination, and he has never once paid attention in class, but that wasn't his kind of intelligence. He was smarter when it came to people. He was never great at reading them since he was always more focused on himself, but he knew when to shut up. He knew when to talk, he knew when to divert the conversation topic, and he knew how to listen. That last one was surprising, but this was Black☆Star. If you allowed yourself to get surprised by him, then you wouldn't make it very long.
Even while he tried to shift out of consciousness, Kid found his eyes trailing over to the boy next to him. His thoughts were occupied by him, and he couldn't find any way to get him out. He didn't necessarily mind, though. Mostly, he found himself coming up with questions about the assassin. He wondered what he was dreaming about. Kid didn't have any dreams, but humans did. He wondered how fast his heart beated.
It was taking longer than he'd expected to fall asleep. His mind ran with new thoughts and images, and he was struggling to keep them all organized and in place. It was like they'd all spilled out when he wasn't looking, flowing freely in the air. He didn't care to sort them back into place.
Instead, he sighed, reaching an arm out to pull up the blanket over Black☆Star's shoulders.
Throughout the day, Kid had done something similar to what the star was doing now. Telling him what occupied his mind, sparring with him on the rooftop, and now falling asleep by his side. He could admit it, even if it was just a whisper that Black☆Star would never hear. He already knew it, anyways. "I trust you."
Of course he did.