Title: Sometimes
Author: Wearable Bishounen
Rating: R
Summary: Sometimes it's hard to leave the ones you love. Sometimes you find a new love at the most unexpected times and in unusual places. Sometimes the Pretear can be a male.
Disclaimer: We—authors Lennith and Cheza-chan—do not own Pretear in any way. If we did… well, some of you might not be able to watch the show.
A/N: This is a joint fiction done between authors Lennith and Cheza-chan. The one broadcasting to you now is Cheza-chan. My partner in crime is unavailable at the moment. You'll be able to tell who's writing what piece when and where because Lennith is much more articulate and descriptive. I suck! Ah, also. This is yaoi… yaoi, yaoi, yaoi, yaoi… YAOI! (runs off, cackling)
Prologue
Himeno had felt the change within her, but refused to mention it. The Knights had adapted much better to life here and there had been fewer attacks as of late. The 26-year-old young woman sighed, staring out the sparkling blue water. She was standing in the spot where she'd first made Mawata smile—where she fallen into the same clear blue water. Himeno kept her hair in its usual short style and wore her traditional outfit. Natsue always made comments on how she should choose a different "at-home" way of dressing. She smiled, allowing the wind to blow around her.
"Kaze..." Himeno stared at her right hand, imagining Hayate's in it. Sighing, she turned only to find him standing there.
The Wind Knight smiled and his Pretear wondered if she should let her hair grow out just to match his. "Reminiscing?" he asked, hands crossed in front of him.
Himeno noted painfully that he greeted her in his Knight uniform. Hayate noticed the pain in her red eyes and his own dark blue orbs mirrored worry. He walked over and pulled her against him. "Hayate," Himeno sniffled, her face buried in his clothed chest, "Hayate, I'm not going to be Pretear anymore."
The thought the Knight had been dreading came with such force he exhaled in a soft gasp. Hayate gently grasped the shaking girl's shoulders. "Himeno..."
Himeno insistently shook her head, refusing the token reassurance. "Hayate, I know you can feel it too... I no longer have the ability to Pret with you anymore." She lifted her tearstained face to find the answer in his face that she already knew would be there. Hayate's cool eyes narrowed in solemn reply. "This world is safe now, Pretear is no longer needed here, is it, Hayate?"
It startled her a moment, how his face hadn't changed in these ten years, how his guilt had even now not been completely erased from his handsome features. "We felt it too, the shift in power. We had hoped you hadn't noticed it yet... but you're right. We're being called elsewhere, Himeno."
Himeno silently stepped out of his grasp, turning away to look upon the sea. The Wind Knight clenched his teeth, unable to come up with something gentle to say. A breeze wafted between them, carrying the sound of children playing and faint music to meld with the gentle sigh of the ocean. "Hayate," Himeno finally broke the silence. "I want you all to protect this world and others. I'll miss you terribly but—" Her voice caught, despite her best efforts to be strong.
Having built up and broken down the shell that held her since her mother's death, Himeno brought it back again. A wide grin spread across her face as she looked at him over her shoulder. "Daijoubu, daijoubu dai yo," she laughed. "You're all going to do fine. And I can always visit, or you can visit, if your new Pretear permits you to."
Hayate frowned at her attitude and gave a slight shake of his head. "Himeno, don't do this."
She stuck out her tongue, giggling, and turned to face him completely, hands clasped behind her back. 'I'll miss you, Hayate.' "Have fun. Tell everyone I'll miss them."
The Wind Knight pulled her back to him and brushed his lips against hers. "I'll miss you, Pretear Hime."
Himeno's eyes narrowed to force back tears and she pushed him aside, running off. Stray tears betrayed her, glittering in the wind that carried them as she continued running.
