Chapter Text
Black☆Star didn’t plan to win.
That was important
.
Because if he had planned it, he might’ve actually known what to do afterward.
But no—this was pure luck.
A last-second move, a reckless hit, a smug grin—
—and suddenly, Death the Kid was standing in front of him, perfectly still, staring like something had gone fundamentally wrong with the universe.
“…You cheated,” Kid said flatly.
“I didn’t!” Black☆Star shot back immediately. “I improvised. Big difference.”
“That was not a calculated move.”
“Exactly. That’s why it worked.”
Kid narrowed his eyes.
Black☆Star grinned wider.
There was a pause.
Then—
“…We had terms,” Kid said.
Oh.
Right.
That.
Black☆Star straightened, crossing his arms like he had this completely under control.
“Yeah. Loser does whatever the winner says for a full day.”
Kid nodded once.
“Correct.”
Another pause.
Black☆Star waited.
Kid waited.
Soul, somewhere in the background, sighed.
“…Well?” Kid prompted.
Black☆Star blinked.
“Right. Yeah. Orders.”
He had no orders.
Not a single one.
He hadn’t thought this through.
At all.
Kid was still standing there, posture straight, expression neutral, waiting like this was a completely normal, reasonable situation.
Which, somehow, made it worse.
Black☆Star pointed at him.
“Don’t move.”
Kid didn’t.
Black☆Star immediately regretted it.
“…Okay, that’s useless,” he muttered.
Kid raised an eyebrow.
“You told me not to move.”
“I know, I know—just—” He waved a hand. “You can move. That one doesn’t count.”
Kid tilted his head slightly.
“…Are you sure? You should be more precise.”
“I’m figuring it out,” Black☆Star snapped, a little too fast.
Kid watched him for a second.
Then, very calmly:
“You are improvising again.”
“…Shut up.”
From the side, Liz snorted.
“Oh, this is going to be painful.”
Patty gasped dramatically.
“Say something cool!”
Black☆Star ignored them.
Mostly.
He looked back at Kid.
Still waiting.
Still calm.
Still taking this seriously.
That was the problem.
Kid wasn’t going to push back.
He wasn’t going to argue.
He was just going to do whatever Black☆Star said.
Black☆Star frowned.
That did something weird to his chest.
“…Come here,” he said.
Kid stepped closer.
No hesitation.
No question.
Just one step forward.
Black☆Star blinked.
That was… fast.
“…Closer.”
Kid did.
Now they were standing a little too near.
Not touching.
But close enough that Black☆Star could notice things he usually didn’t.
Like how precise Kid’s posture always was.
Or how he didn’t break eye contact.
Or—
“Is this sufficient?” Kid asked.
“…Yeah,” Black☆Star said.
He didn’t move.
Kid didn’t move either.
Silence.
Liz leaned toward Soul.
“…What exactly is the point of this?”
“No idea,” Soul muttered.
Patty whispered:
“I think it’s romantic.”
“It is NOT—” Black☆Star cut himself off, turning sharply. “It’s not anything.”
Kid looked at him.
“You seem uncertain.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m thinking.”
“You were thinking before you told me to stand closer.”
“…I SAID I’M THINKING NOW.”
Kid hummed, like he accepted that.
Black☆Star looked away for half a second.
Then back.
Kid was still there.
Still close.
Still waiting.
Still—
Black☆Star reached out without thinking.
His hand landed on Kid’s shoulder.
Just… there.
Kid stilled slightly.
Not pulling away.
Just noticing.
“…You didn’t tell me to do that,” Kid said.
Black☆Star froze for half a second.
“…Yeah,” he said, quieter. “I didn’t.”
Silence again.
Weird.
Not bad.
Just… weird.
Black☆Star cleared his throat and stepped back.
“Okay. New order.”
Kid straightened a little more.
“Go ahead.”
“…Stay near me today.”
Kid blinked once.
“That is vague.”
“I mean it.”
Kid considered that.
Then nodded.
“Understood.”
Simple.
Too simple.
Black☆Star felt that weird thing in his chest again.
He ignored it.
“Good,” he said. “That’s the rule.”
Kid tilted his head slightly.
“Only one?”
“…For now.”
Kid gave a small nod.
“Very well.”
From the side, Liz covered her mouth.
“Oh my god.”
Patty grabbed her arm.
“IT STARTED.”
Soul rubbed his face.
“…I’m leaving.”
Black☆Star ignored all of them.
Completely.
Because Kid was still standing there.
Still close.
Still...
“Is there anything else?” Kid asked.
Black☆Star opened his mouth.
Paused.
Closed it again.
“…Not yet.”
Kid nodded.
“Then I will remain.”
And he did.
Right there.
At his side.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Black☆Star looked at him.
Then looked away.
Then looked back.
This was going to be a long day.
And somehow—
he wasn’t complaining.
Black☆Star regretted everything.
Not the bet.
Not winning.
Not even the fact that Death the Kid had been following him around all morning without questioning a single order.
No.
He regretted not thinking this through.
At all.
“Turn left,” Black☆Star said.
Kid turned left.
“Stop.”
Kid stopped.
“…You’re taking this too seriously.”
Kid glanced at him.
“You told me to.”
“That doesn’t mean—” Black☆Star stopped himself. “…Actually, no. It does.”
Kid nodded once, like that settled it.
Black☆Star looked away.
This was going to be a problem.
They were walking through a quieter part of the city now, away from Shibusen, away from everyone else. No Liz. No Patty. No Soul. No Maka.
Just them.
And Tsubaki—currently in weapon form at Black☆Star’s side, quiet as always.
It should’ve felt normal.
It didn’t.
“…Stay close,” Black☆Star muttered.
“I have been,” Kid replied.
Black☆Star didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Kid was already there.
Always right there.
Too close to ignore.
Too easy to notice.
They walked in silence for a bit. Not awkward. Just… heavy in a way Black☆Star couldn’t name.
Until—
A sudden noise cut through the street.
A crash. Loud. Sharp.
Something—someone—stumbled out from an alley, knocking over a stack of crates.
Black☆Star reacted instantly.
He moved without thinking, stepping forward, putting himself between the noise and Kid.
—too fast.
His foot hit uneven ground.
And he slipped.
Not bad.
Not dramatic.
But enough.
A sharp twist at the ankle, a brief loss of balance—
—and then he caught himself.
“…Tch.”
Kid was already there.
Closer than before.
“Are you injured?”
“I’m fine,” Black☆Star said immediately.
Kid didn’t move.
Didn’t look convinced.
“You lost your footing.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Kid’s eyes dropped—quick, precise—tracking the slight shift in how Black☆Star stood.
“…You’re favoring your left side.”
Black☆Star clicked his tongue.
“Don’t analyze me.”
“You are limping.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“I—”
Black☆Star stopped.
Kid was still looking at him.
Not annoyed.
Not judging.
Just… focused.
Concerned.
That weird thing in his chest came back.
Stronger this time.
“…It’s nothing,” Black☆Star said, quieter.
Kid didn’t argue.
But he stepped closer.
Not because he was told to.
Just because he wanted to.
“…If it gets worse, tell me,” Kid said.
Black☆Star huffed.
“Yeah, yeah.”
They stood there for a second.
Too still.
Too close.
Black☆Star looked away first.
“…Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“I am being practical.”
“…Same thing.”
Kid didn’t respond.
But he didn’t move away either.
Black☆Star cleared his throat.
“New order.”
Kid straightened slightly.
“Go ahead.”
“…Don’t leave my line of sight.”
Kid blinked once.
“That is more specific "
“Good.”
Kid nodded.
“Understood.”
Black☆Star exhaled.
That helped.
A little.
—
Later, when they got back closer to Shibusen, Black☆Star stopped walking.
Kid stopped with him.
Of course.
Black☆Star didn’t look at him.
“…Don’t move.”
Kid didn’t.
Black☆Star turned slightly.
“I mean it.”
“I will remain here.”
“…Good.”
He walked a few steps away.
Not far.
Just enough.
Tsubaki shifted from weapon form beside him, returning to normal.
“Black☆Star?”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“…I need advice.”
Tsubaki smiled softly.
“About what?”
Black☆Star glanced over his shoulder.
Kid was exactly where he left him.
Standing still.
Watching.
Of course he was watching.
Black☆Star looked away quickly.
“…About something weird.”
Tsubaki waited.
Patient.
He hated that she was patient.
“…I don’t know what I’m doing,” he admitted.
“That’s alright,” she said gently. “What’s going on?”
Black☆Star hesitated.
Then—
“…I want to kiss him.”
Silence.
Tsubaki blinked once.
Then smiled.
“I see.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like it’s obvious.”
Tsubaki tilted her head slightly.
“…It is, a little.”
Black☆Star groaned.
“Great.”
She stepped a bit closer.
“And what’s stopping you?”
He frowned.
“…He’s following orders.”
Tsubaki nodded.
“So you don’t want it to be because of that.”
“…Yeah.”
That was it.
That was the problem.
He could ask.
Kid would say yes.
Kid would do it.
And it wouldn’t mean anything.
—or worse, it would mean everything, but not in the way Black☆Star wanted.
Tsubaki watched him carefully.
“What do you want, then?”
Black☆Star looked past her.
At Kid.
Still there.
Still waiting.
Still—
“…I want him to do it,” he said.
Tsubaki’s expression softened.
“Then don’t rush him.”
Black☆Star exhaled slowly.
“…Yeah.”
“Go slow,” she added. “You’re already closer than before.”
He huffed.
“Feels like I’m doing everything wrong.”
“You’re not,” she said. “You’re just not used to this.”
“…Yeah.”
That sounded right.
He wasn’t.
Not like this.
Tsubaki smiled.
“Trust him a little.”
Black☆Star glanced at Kid again.
Then back.
“…Fine.”
He turned.
Walked back.
Kid hadn’t moved.
Not even an inch.
“…You’re still here.”
“You told me not to move.”
“…Right.”
Black☆Star stopped in front of him.
Close again.
Not touching.
But close.
Kid looked at him.
“…Was that necessary?”
“What?”
“Leaving me here.”
Black☆Star shrugged.
“I told you to stay.”
“That was not my question.”
Black☆Star hesitated.
“…Yeah,” he admitted. “It was.”
Kid studied him.
Quiet.
Too perceptive.
“…You were speaking with Nakatsukasa,” Kid said.
“Tsubaki.”
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then—
“…You seemed comfortable.”
Black☆Star blinked.
“…What?”
Kid looked away slightly.
“Nothing.”
“No, say it.”
Kid frowned.
“It is irrelevant.”
“Say it.”
Another pause.
Kid exhaled softly.
“…You speak with her easily.”
Black☆Star stared at him.
Then—
“…Are you jealous?”
Kid froze.
“…No.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“I am making an observation.”
Black☆Star grinned.
“There it is.”
Kid narrowed his eyes.
“…That was not the intended reaction.”
“Too bad.”
Kid looked away.
Just a little.
Black☆Star’s grin softened.
Just a bit.
“…Hey.”
Kid looked back.
“…You’re the one I told to stay.”
Silence.
Kid blinked.
Once.
“…That is not a logical argument.”
“I don’t care.”
“…I noticed.”
Black☆Star laughed.
Quiet.
Then—
“…Come on.”
Kid didn’t move.
“…That was not an order."
Black☆Star paused.
Then smiled.
“…Then I’m not giving one.”
Kid looked at him.
Longer this time.
Then stepped forward anyway.
Closing the distance himself.
Black☆Star didn’t react.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t say anything.
But he noticed.
Of course he noticed.
And this time—
he didn’t mess it up.