A/N: Hello, my fellow Furuba fanatics! Welcome to my story!

Summary: Kureno's thoughts as Akito begs him not to leave. All dialogue taken from book 17.

Rated: K+ just because

Disclaimer: Sure...

"Why did it break?" I don't remember a time I ever heard Akito sound so vulnerable.

"I don't-" I tried to say. My curse had lifted somehow, without my even knowing it. I knew it would affect Akito drastically, but I guess I never realized exactly how much.

"It's our bond!" she insisted. I could hear the choked sob she was holding back, and I felt tears coming to my own eyes. Little Akki had always been so precious to us, and it killed me to see her this way.

"I don't know either! It just...happened."

"Just 'happened'?" Akito's small voice was disbelieving. I saw her tremble as I stumbled over my own words, trying to convince her that I didn't know how it could've happened.

"I didn't-" Akito cut me off yet again.

"What?" she said, turning around to face me. I felt my heart sink into my stomach. Our little Akito had never looked so afraid before! Her right fist was clenched, and her knuckles were turning white. "No. Those eyes." I knew she could probably see the confusion written so plainly across my face. "You've been looking at me like that. I don't like it."

"Akito?" I said, trying to understand what she was saying.

"Why are your eyes so distant?" she said in a small voice. It changed into a yell with her next sentence. "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME WITH DISTANT EYES?" She demanded. "STOP IT!" She rushed at me, clutching my shirt so tightly her knuckles lost all color. Tears were streaming down her beautiful face.

"DON'T GO!" She begged. "DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T GO ANYWHERE! STAY WITH ME! YOU HAVE TO!" I had never seen such desperation in anyone before; definately not Akito. "DON'T EVER LEAVE MY SIDE!"

What? She thinks I'm...?

"DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!" Her voice cracked, and I saw through the strong mask she put on for Ren and the servants. I saw her for what she really was.

She was a frightened little girl; scared of being left alone. The thought was truly so unbearable to her that she was going into hysterics just to keep hold of me. It was understandable, though; her permanence was slipping away, and Ren's words were coming true.

Her voice was small and weak, muffled through sobbing and a stuffy nose. "Don't..." she tried. "Don't...Don't...!" She continued to sob, trying to breath around the lump in her throat. She managed one last yell, her voice becoming hoarse. "DON'T ABANDON ME! KURENO!" She barely got my name out before another choked sob was released from her shaking body.

Poor little Akki... just looking into her eyes, I got a hint of the amount of fear she held. She was truly, honestly, desperately begging me not to leave her. She was really that scared that I was going away. The girl slumped to the ground at my feet, balling her fists at her eyes.

"Please," she whispered. "Please! I'm begging you! Don't go...!" I felt myself trembling and blinked, realizing that tears were escaping my eyes, at the mere sight of Akito breaking down this way.

I dropped down to my knees, pulling Akito to me. She didn't hesitate to throw herself into my chest, swinging her arms around me as far as they would go. I felt her hands ball into fists, clenching handfuls of my shirt.

"I'll always be here," I whispered to her, absolutely hating how fragile she looked. It was as if she would break if I held her too hard; but that didn't stop me from hugging her as tightly as I could. "I'll always be beside you, Akito. I swear to you; I swear it!" Akito looked up at me with her tear stained face. Her eyes were still leaking salty tears.

Her large black eyes scrutinized my face, searching for any clue that I might be lying. It actually hurt to see the doubt in her large, fathomless ebony eyes.

And then she smiled. Tears continued to flow from her eyes, though I think they were for a different reason. She clung to me even longer, and I was only too happy to oblige the little Goddess by holding her in my arms as she cried herself to sleep.

I would always be with my little Goddess.

My little Akito.