It's Hello

by CuteCat213

After years apart, Kid is finally BACK, and BlackStar is taking them out celebrating- whether Kid wants to or not. After all, they've got a promise to keep. KidStar, Pre-Slash, side-fic\prequel to The Birth of DeathStar. (Loooong) One Shot.

Tsubaki watched her partner swaggering through the halls, practically vibrating with suppressed excitement. "BlackStar? You've been happy all morning. Why is today so special, anyway? I heard from Soul that you even got him to convince Maka for some Student Passes to go into the city tonight."

The blue haired teen beamed at her, "Today's the day, Tsubaki. Kid's coming home!"

She reflexively smiled back, always happy when BlackStar was, "Oh, that's good! I can't wait to meet him after all you've told me for so long."

So, so long. Every month, every year, that the much talked-of shinigami didn't return home, BlackStar got more and more intense, trained harder, reached higher. It'd be a relief to see what he was like with the other boy. To finally see the one who had been on BlackStar's mind and lips since they'd first met. Tsubaki was beginning to feel excited herself, a slight pop entering her steps next to her Meister.

They left the school's front doors, sunlight momentarily blinding as they stepped out into the courtyard. Tsubaki didn't even realize how her hips swayed, BlackStar's swagger having rubbed off on her. Others might have wondered how she could put up with him, but they just didn't understand. Because Tsubaki knew what was coming next, and they couldn't have been more in-sync.

They both needed to work off some of their excess energy.

BlackStar ran and launched himself out into the middle of the courtyard, Tsubaki only a step behind him, "Who wants a piece of this?!"

Several of their usual suitors immediately abandoned their lunches and stepped up. If Tsubaki had met any of these students alone in the halls and went through what they put BlackStar through, she'd have called it 'bullying', but her partner only ever saw them as sparring partners. ...Really enthusiastic sparring partners. Tsubaki slipped back a step, putting her back flush with BlackStar's at the leering and glaring looks coming their way.

Early on in their partnership, BlackStar had had to tell her when to change her form and to what. But after so long away from Kid pushing his -their- training ever more, they had it down to an art now, resonating near-perfectly. The blue haired boy grinned and cracked his knuckles as he took in the group surrounding them. Six opponents not counting the weapons. Ha, easy~ His hand grabbed hers and Tsubaki knew at the first contact exactly what he needed.

BlackStar was already swinging her around by the arm as she transformed in a flash of light, the kusarigama lashing out and sending opponents scattering. BlackStar backflipped out of the way as a large war hammer was brought down on the spot he'd been standing. Tsubaki winced at the great 'crack!' of broken flagstones that would likely be coming out of their allowances.

But she couldn't get distracted and focused back on the fight, sensing her partner's intentions as he pulled back and threw her forward. Tsubaki transformed in another instant in midair to her shuriken form and heard BlackStar's victorious shout as the hammer Meister dodged, right into his fist as Tsubaki flew into a knot of three others.

And this was why she and BlackStar could resonate so well. She flashed back into human form low to the ground and shot her foot out high, nailing an unprepared short sword Meister in the chin and sending him sprawling, then flipping away herself as the other two both attacked at the spot she'd been, almost hitting each other, one with a glaive and the other a pair of short axes. The glaive Meister aimed for her again and Tsubaki grabbed the axe Meister's shoulders, effortlessly vaulting over his head to land behind him. She kicked out low with her legs, breaking his stance, and shoved him back towards the other before running for her partner.

BlackStar wasn't slouching himself. He seemed to be having way too much fun playing with a claymore Meister and a girl using her large, battle-fan partner. The blue-haired boy jumped up to avoid the thrust of the sword and then, in a purely taunting move, landed momentarily on the flat of the blade lightly before jumping off, the motion forcing the blade to the ground as he sprung back over the fan Meister. Instead of pushing her like Tsubaki had, though, he moved with her as she tried to turn around to get at him, sticking to her back like a bur and grinning a mile wide.

She let out a shriek of fury and swung around with her arm in an attempt to elbow him in the face. BlackStar grabbed her arm like he had Tsubaki's, hitting three pressure points on the limb that Tsubaki had once taught him and making her drop her partner, then, with all the power he used to throw around Tsubaki herself, twisted his whole body, swung her around and sent her flying through the air. She landed hard on her back and slid painfully across the abrasive stone before coming to a halt.

BlackStar spun on his toes like a ballerina to avoid another thrust from the claymore, facing his opponent with a smile and 'come hither' motion. That wielder didn't know who he was messing with: BlackStar and Tsubaki frequently sparred with Maka and Soul. If there was one thing BlackStar knew how to do and do well, it was annoying a heavy-wielding Meister. The sword wielder moved into a slash and BlackStar slipped below the lethal swing, nailing the guy right at the elbow and causing him to lose his grip on the heavy weapon with that hand.

As her partner probably expected, he didn't let go of the blade with his other hand as it completed its arc, his face twisting in pain as the overweighted weapon pulled his arm from its socket. BlackStar finished him off with a swipe to his already-weakened stance, letting his own weapon pull him to the ground, ankle twisted.

A blade edge was suddenly directly in front of Tsubaki's nose and she let her feet go out from under her, sliding across the ground like a baseball player hitting home plate, smiling up at BlackStar when she slipped to a stop right next to him. He smirked right back at her and grabbed her arm, Tsubaki instantly shifting into her super-sized shuriken form upright- and just in time to block the descending strike from the war hammer.

The weight and power of the weapon as they struck caused a clang that ran through her form uncomfortably, and acted as a fulcrum on her, forcing his Meister to let go of him even as BlackStar slipped around her lowly, lashing out at the backs of his opponent's legs and sending him to his knees. BlackStar put a hand on the back of his neck and slammed his head down hard on the unbladed back edge of one of Tsubaki's points, knocking him out instantly.

Tsubaki waited a moment, but when no new challengers stepped up to them, she shifted back to human. BlackStar crowed and held his arms up, "Come on! Who's next!?"

Tsubaki was feeling rather high herself. She never felt better or more sure than when the two of them fought together. One mind, one soul. She felt him inside her head, her confidence and bravery, and she was his common sense and patience. But right at that moment, BlackStar wasn't the only one hoping more challengers would step forward. Her blood tingled in her veins for movement, for action.

BlackStar smirked and cracked his arms behind his back, "Would anyone else like a shot?!"

His thoughts echoed around inside her head with the two of them still so connected: As if he was going to lose after knowing Tsubaki, who helped him hone and refine all the things he'd learned on the periphery as a child of the house of Death. That took care of the hot-shots, the bullies (his and Tsubaki's), and all the punks. He stood in the middle of the ring of students, several of whom were out cold and the remaining conscious ones being tended to by their weapons and nursing various bruises with cold compresses.

Tsubaki felt a flush of warmth at his belief in her. She wouldn't let him down.

"I will."

BlackStar looked over his shoulder, excitement sparking in his gut and flaring to life like it hadn't in so long and Tsubaki held a hand to her stomach as the phantom feelings echoed through her. Kid was back! God, he looks good... Tsubaki giggled at him in their mind but felt her partner's lack of care. After all, Tsubaki was the one he'd been gushing to about Kid all these years. BlackStar spun and grinned hugely, "Think you can take me?"

Kid smirked right back, Liz and Patty standing back-to-back behind him and looking (faux) bored, "Do you?"

"Oh, bring it on."

Tsubaki felt BlackStar's surprise ring through her, followed by a flush of pride, when BlackStar realized that Kid now had three Sanzu Lines instead of just the two he'd had the last time he'd seen him. He reached for her and Tsubaki's hand shot to his, once again sinking into her kusarigama form.

He held her up, showing off the matching bladed ends, "Symmetrical enough for you?"

Liz and Patty both disappeared in twin flashes of pink and Kid snatched them out of the air, "Perfectly."

Tsubaki was confused by the... odd, stance he fell into, but remained wary when she felt BlackStar's caution, "Come on, pretty boy."

BlackStar disappeared in a flicker of motion as Kid opened fire on them, and Tsubaki could see the pattern Kid would use, BlackStar knowing it from endless times training with him before he'd left. He moved easily from place to place between the shots- and then Kid smirked at them. Fuck!

"Liz, Patty!"

The speed of the pink shots coming at them at least tripled and Tsubaki felt BlackStar's mind sharpen like a kunai, green eyes flicking from shot to shot almost too fast for her to keep track of. He launched himself forward into the fray and twisted with her in his grip, several of the wavelength bullets grazing his limbs searingly but none enough to incapacitate him. His left foot touched down on the ground for a single instant and he pushed off, jumping up into the air and twirling to land outside the barrage, taking off as soon as they landed with Kid following with his weapons.

BlackStar didn't hesitate to take Kid seriously: there was pleasure in getting the chance to fight the shinigami again, but he wasn't playing around like he had with the others. Tsubaki could feel it in the back of his mind: he'd lost to Kid too many times in his life not to take him seriously and give him his all. But it had been a long time since they'd last been together, and Kid didn't seem prepared for BlackStar's overwhelming speed, his weapons unable to keep up with their movement and none of the shots getting anywhere close to hitting.

Tsubaki didn't get to hear the name of the technique Kid called out, BlackStar cursing too loudly in her head, before the whole area was assaulted in a waterfall of pink. She read the intent in her Meister's mind as he thought quickly to counteract it.

Ready?

She nodded, knowing he'd feel it through their bond, and felt BlackStar's soul wavelength arc against hers. They were still working on this particular technique, but if ever there was a time to test it... She focused on trying to time her soul to his and let his wavelength flow over her, her form crackling with the energy. BlackStar let her blade drop and began spinning it around by the chain. The air whistled around them and Tsubaki narrowed her eyes. Ready!

With all the speed he could muster, BlackStar whipped her around, their combined soul wavelength an arc of light as she moved. The rain of soul bullets hit and BlackStar spun, the air around them singing as it was cut again and again, howling eerily as he moved them. The compressed soul wavelength was just as caught as the air and in an instant Tsubaki and Blackstar were in the middle of a storm of pink and blue and black. Tsubaki grimaced as their opponent's attack buzzed painfully against her, but held on all the more for it. The pain and pressure rose as more and more shots came, engulfing them utterly.

When it finally stopped, the pink storm was still caught in the swing of her form, charged with their own wavelength, and BlackStar grinned ferally as he twisted one more time and struck out with her, sending her right at Kid- along with a hail of clashing soul powers.

The shinigami's golden eyes widened in panic before the charge was upon him and he disappeared in the exploding flash of multi-hued light. BlackStar pulled her back and caught her expertly, both of them looking for their target. Tsubaki felt the intuition tickling the back of BlackStar's mind and they both looked up simultaneously, spotting Kid up high in the air on a black skateboard.

"Cheater!"

Kid smirked down at them, "Is this a spar or a game of cards?! There is no cheating!"

BlackStar grinned, "Oh, is that the way he wants to play it? Okay, then. Tsubaki?"

Right!

"Let's show him!" BlackStar's hand flicked and she was a shuriken resting in his hand as he drew back and let her fly. Kid dropped a bit to dodge, and Tsubaki smiled as she flew right over his head, transforming again. Kid looked up at her for a single moment in time, eyes wide at the small form, before she exploded.

BOOM! Smoke filled the sky and courtyard.

Tsubaki shifted back to human as soon as the smoke engulfed everything, hooking her hands expertly around the skateboard and dragging it down with her, throwing Kid from it gracelessly. They both landed well, and she slipped away into the concealing darkness as Kid lifted his arm in front of his mouth and coughed, eyes narrowed and unable to see.

Tsubaki was the one to find BlackStar since her Meister had exactly no ability for Soul Perception. She turned back into her kusarigama form and BlackStar whipped her out low to the ground. They both smiled at the exclamation that came from the smoke and BlackStar yanked her back, pulling Kid off his feet and dragging him in close. Green eyes widened as Kid appeared, and smirked with his twin weapons both pointed at BlackStar at near point-blank range.

Pink filled their vision and Tsubaki responded immediately, transforming back into the large shuriken to protect her Meister. Kid jumped to a crouch, "Not so squirrelly now, are you, Star? Never put yourself in a corner, remember?"

He walked toward them, stopping close enough so he could lean over Tsubaki's form to get at BlackStar held trapped and helpless behind his own partner. ...Or so the shinigami thought. Even Tsubaki flinched at the pained shout Kid let out when BlackStar's fist struck through the hole in Tsubaki's form... and hit him square between the legs.

Liz and Patty hit the ground about the same time as Kid's knees as he fell and clutched himself, "Ch-ch-che-"

BlackStar smirked over Tsubaki, "There is no cheating, remember~?"

Kid's eyes flashed in anger and Tsubaki felt her partner's trepidation through their bond. BlackStar plucked her up to finish things, but Kid grabbed both his weapons and a flash of soul power had both of them cursing fluently in their minds as they stared down twin cannon barrels.

"Oh shi-"

"Death Cannon!"

Tsubaki threw her soul wavelength against BlackStar's as he did the same, desperation lending a helping hand to their Resonance, "SpeedStar!" They dove to the side, BlackStar hissing as the blast still managed to catch his left foot in a stinging, burning impact.

The power of the shot blew a hole in the smokescreen, showing a window of blue sky and swirling tendrils of smoke beginning to close in again. BlackStar held his breath as he rolled back to his feet, testing his left and biting the inside of his cheek at the shock of pain that raced up his leg. Well then!

Kid's voice rang out again, "Tornado Flip!"

BlackStar's mind raced to find a path to victory. He had the power, but every time he and Kid had faced off in hand to hand, he'd wound up on the losing end. And he didn't have long to think it through: Beelzebub was clearing up all the smoke swiftly. Touchy, isn't he? For once, Tsubaki agreed with their opponent instead of BlackStar.

Their cover faded more and BlackStar shot forward to get the upper hand before it was gone. Unfortunately, he forgot that Kid did have remarkable Soul Perception abilities, and he found himself face-to-barrel with another pink glow. Star didn't hesitate to resort to old favorites: with a thought, Tsubaki turned into a tanto and he tossed her at Kid's right hand even as the blasts fired. With Tsubaki out of physical contact, he quickly crashed his soul wavelength against itself powerfully, energy crackling up his arm as the cannon beam came towards him, and struck out, putting it all into the hit.

The world around them exploded in light and color, his soul wavelength reacting violently to Kid's and the sisters'. Liz and Patty sailed from Kid's hands and all of them flew backward at the power, skidding across stone like pebbles across a pond. BlackStar shot out his hand, uncaring of the friction burn happening to right himself, and tumbled back to his feet, clothing tattered, scorched, and smoking (and completely asymmetrical, thank you very much). Kid wasn't much better, but his insane shinigami healing stood him in good stead and his left eye was already healing from the severe abrasions around it as the cut dripping blood from his temple closed itself.

Green and gold clashed, the same message in both: they weren't done yet.

"Tsubaki!"

"Liz, Patty!"

One of the blondes transformed right there for her sister and started shooting as Tsubaki raced for him. Kid didn't pay attention to anything except Star, running for him, nearly as fast as BlackStar himself (though Star noted, with amusement, his minor but noticeable limp). BlackStar didn't even try to dodge Kid's wild tackle. He spun them around as they landed and shoved himself up off Kid's shoulders while pushing with his soul wavelength, indenting Kid's torso into the cracked courtyard.

"Now!"

Tsubaki transformed back into a smoke bomb and detonated again.

Kid's voice rang out from the camouflage, "You're repeating yourself, Star. Run out of tricks? Because I already know how to handle this one. Is this your way of surrendering?"

BlackStar smiled as he held Tsubaki in front of him in kusarigama form, Resonating with her and feeling their combined soul wavelength trail down her entire form. The flash of blue light was hidden by the smoke as their technique took effect and he let Tsubaki go.

"Nah, come on. You know I'd never be that boring. Big Stars never surrender!" Buuuuut... on occasion, they do...

Beelzebub spun up a mini-tornado that cleared out the smoke, and left BlackStar's shit-eating grin out for all to see, along with the Tsubaki's chain encircling them all in the form of a giant star. Kid had just enough time to curse viciously, "F-"

"TrapStar!"

"-uck!"

Those still around to watch the fight all winced at the sound of Kid and BlackStar's heads connecting hard enough to echo as the chain snapped closed on all of them. Liz and Patty wound up back to back as it yanked them all together, but BlackStar and Kid wound up face to face- nose to nose, and BlackStar beamed at him, "Hi."

Kid only had one eye open, the other still healing, but he probably only would have been able to open the one anyway, and it was watering at the pain of their collision. Star couldn't bring himself to care about the pains since he'd won! ...Sort of. In a way.

...

"...Draw?"

"Draw."

As soon as those words left the death god's lips, Tsubaki was human and kneeling in front of them, "BlackStar! Are you okay?"

He waved her off and stood up, instinctively leaning against Kid like they'd done so many times in their lives, Kid's arm over his shoulder for support, "Yeah, I'm fine! Let's just hurry up and check up with the nurse so we can go already." He smiled at Kid, "Have I got a welcome ready for you."

Tsubaki froze as they limped towards the doors. She'd always heard just how close the boys were, but BlackStar had never really... brushed her off, like he had right there... She jerked in surprise when someone slung their own arm across her shoulders, looking over in startlement to see a pair of pensive gray-blue eyes, "Hey, don't worry about them. They've been like this since the start of time, take my word for it. Now, come on, tell me more about yourself. I'm Liz Thompson."

She found herself smiling without even thinking about it, "I'm Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. It's lovely to meet you, Liz-chan."

"Well don't worry too much about our idiots. Those two have shared a dream and a promise since before they ever met either of us. Now, that name doesn't sound very American."

"It's not. I'm Japanese."

"You came all the way from Japan to get stuck with BlackStar? You poor thing." Liz mourned as they followed after their Meisters.

---

"Come ooooon, Kid. Get up!"

"BlackStar, it's my birthday. Let me sleep!"

"Nuh-uh. Besides, you're going to really want to see my present. Really-really. Now: come ooooooon!"

The shinigami smirked. It was worth waking up (and not getting up) just to hear that whining note in BlackStar's voice. "Mmm, I dunno, I don't feel much like seeing what you've managed to tear apart and retool yet."

BlackStar stopped shaking him and huffed, "Fine, then. See if I care about helping you be symmetrical ever again."

Kid was up like a shot, "WHAT?!" BlackStar just smirked at him over his shoulder and pointed to the bathroom. Kid was gone in a flash, tearing open the door and leaning over the counter to scrutinize the mirror. "Dear Father..." He couldn't tear his eyes away. There, in his hair, two perfectly completed Sanzu lines. How in the world had Star managed to do that while he was ASLEEP?! He turned his head to make sure, but no, it was perfect the whole way around. Kid spent the next ten minutes in the bathroom just looking at himself in the mirror there.

He'd done it, he was symmetrical. All thanks to- "Are you done in there yet?"

Kid ran from the bathroom and launched himself at his best friend, "BlackStar!"

The blue-haired went down under his assault in surprise, "Ack! What the hell?!"

"I love you!"

The other boy's sunkissed cheeks darkened and he shoved at him, "Get off, you dork. It wasn't nothin'."

Kid hopped up, more ready to face the world than ever before, "Come on! Let's get this day started!"

Green eyes rolled, even as Star smiled at him, "Oh, now he wants to get up."

---

"Owww!"

"Oh, shut up. And stop making that sound, would you?" Kid's face flushed.

"You're doing the thing. Don't do the thing." BlackStar whined as Kid dabbed another injury with alcohol.

Kid's whole face achieved a bright cherry hue and he stood up in frustration, shoving the bottle and cleaning supplies in a giggling Tsubaki's hands, "I can't do this. Here, you deal with him."

Tsubaki sat down and traded the harsh alcohol for a gentler cleaning liquid, dabbing at her Meister's wounds gently and expertly while he stuck his tongue out at Kid. She giggled again as Kid huffed and took care of his own scrapes.

"Can't go a day without ending up in the infirmary, can you?"

Star snorted, "What was your first clue: that we knew where the supplies were, or that the nurse just rolled her eyes and waved us by instead of fixing us herself?"

"Actually, I think it was the fact that you managed to navigate the berths and tables backwards while talking to me."

"Ha! You think that's impressive, you should see me in the cafeteria!"

Kid shook his head and leaned back against a vacant bed, "You haven't changed at all, have you?"

Star smiled up at him, "Are you kidding? I'm at least twice as awesome as when you last saw me. At least."

Golden eyes rolled, "But of course."

"You've changed, though." Star's eyes flickered up to Kid's newest acquisition.

The shinigami anxiously ran his hand through the dual-colored tresses, "I'm not that different- just more awesome than before."

They shared a smile, and Tsubaki finished her nursing, leaning forward to place a kiss on top of the bandage before standing up, "There you go~"

BlackStar flexed and bent, making sure everything sat right, then beamed at her, "Awesome! Thanks, Tsu-chan. C'mon, let's go!"

He grabbed Kid by the arm and dragged him out, protesting the whole way, of course, and Tsubaki laughed again. Liz rolled her eyes but smiled at the other girl and led her out, Patty trailing behind them.

Kid sighed as BlackStar pulled him along. Always end up back in the medical ward, don't you, Star?

---

Kid coughed, covering his mouth with a tissue.

"Bad, huh?"

He jumped at least three feet high, "Dear Father! BlackStar! What are you doing here?!"

The blue-haired boy shrugged, then winced, "Hell, I don't know. Sid said something about needing some sort of time off and we fought, then we really fought and after he put me in the ground he ordered me to the infirmary on threat of not letting me back in the training room ever again. Guess I do need a break if he managed to get the drop on me..."

Kid sweatdropped, dropping his head to his hand, "You overworked yourself again?!"

"Hey, hey, hey! There is no 'overworked', there is only 'begin fight!' and 'I can't move'. So why are you here?"

"I'm sick and I utterly refuse to take the medicine."

Blue brows rose, "Seriously, Kid? You refused to take your medicine? What are you, four?"

"Oh? You're scolding me for not listening to instructions, Mr. I can't move so drag me off the mat?"

BlackStar opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again, "So, you're saying if I stop-"

"Stop training so hard it has you vomiting blood? Yes."

"-Then you'll take your meds?"

Kid looked away and picked at the blanket covering him, "...I didn't say that."

"And if you had?"

"Then you'd be in luck and would always have to be dragged off your precious mat."

BlackStar was a hard person to annoy or anger, really, but he scowled at Kid now, "You are such a pain in the ass."

"Takes one to know one."

Star rolled his eyes, "How'd you wind up getting sick anyway?"

"Worrying about you!" BlackStar startled back and just looked at him, and Kid felt himself flush, "Sorry, Star, it's just-"

"Whatever." He walked away and Kid plucked more at his blanket, wanting to call him back and- what? Apologize? For what, for worrying about him? Like hell.

But as soon as BlackStar came back out from around the curtain, he looked down at where he'd plucked two perfectly symmetrical holes in his blanket, "Look, I'm- well, I'm not really sorry for worrying about you. Spending a year in the wilderness with someone will do that to a person... But I'm sorry I'm being stubborn about the medicine, it's just so disgusting, Star, you don't even know- mff!" His diatribe was interrupted by BlackStar's lips pressed against his.

Kid stared up at Star in complete and utter shock, heart beating erratically and completely confused about what exactly he was supposed to do now. Star pressed harder and Kid opened his mouth, shocked when Star's tongue entered his mouth. WHAT THE HELL! He still didn't shove the other boy off, his eyes slipping closed as he pressed back.

BlackStar finally pulled away, grinning hugely at him, and Kid could only stare, mouth trying to work, "What-what-wha-"

Star smirked and pulled something from behind his back, shaking it at Kid tauntingly, "See, that wasn't so terrible, was it?"

Kid clutched his throat, "You, you, you gave me my medicine by kissing?!"

"I didn't hear you complaining."

"Because you had your tongue down my throat!"

"You need a second dose according to the bottle."

"No way in hell."

Green eyes bored into him, "Don't make me make you..."

Kid grabbed the bottle and gulped, making a face afterward, "Ugh..."

"Oh, come on, it isn't that bad."

He wanted to be all smart-assy and ask how he would know, but Star would obviously know exactly what it tasted like... Instead he, Death the Kid, next God of Death, whined pathetically, "You suck..."

Star just beamed at him and then made a place for himself on Kid's bed, "I try."

---

"BlackStar, you owe me for this."

"Yeah, yeah. So, did you get it?"

She sighed and held out the seven passes, "Of course."

BlackStar snatched them out of her hand and gave her a crushing one-armed hug, "Maka, you rock!" he turned to Tsubaki, Kid and the sisters, "We're going out!" He sent Kid, Liz, and Patty's passes at the shinigami with a flick of his wrist like so many knives. Kid caught them expertly, handing Patty and Liz theirs.

His golden eyes widened as he saw what they were passes for, "BlackStar, these are bar passes!" His voice broke on the last part of that sentence.

"Hell yeah, we're going out to celebrate your return~!"

Emancipated they might have been, but they still needed identification to get into 'adult' venues. Kid looked like he was fighting between arguing and demanding they not go out, and giving in to BlackStar's enthusiasm with just letting go. He finally sighed and nodded, slipping the pass into a pocket, "O-okay."

Tsubaki fell back some and started chatting with Liz, Patty and BlackStar getting into some kind of argument, and Soul was quiet beside her, so Maka made conversation with Kid as they started down the steps toward town, "Hi, I'm Maka Albarn."

"Death the Kid. I love your ponytails, they're perfectly symmetrical."

She blinked, "Th-thanks? I've heard a lot about you from BlackStar."

He smiled over at the blue-haired boy, "Is that so?"

Star caught the look and stuck his tongue out, "Only how you're an insufferable jackass, Pretty Boy, don't let it go to your head!"

Kid snorted, "I'm sure." His attention was drawn back to her when Maka giggled at them, "Er, sorry."

"Oh, it's fine. So, what's was it like knowing BlackStar for so long? Was he always so..."

"BlackStar?" Kid grinned, "Yeah."

"How'd you two meet?"

"You know, I don't even really remember now. I've known him since I don't know when. I do remember that we used to fight a lot at first, but even then, without realizing it, I think BlackStar was my best friend right from the start. When others were afraid to play with me, Star never was. When everyone else ran away, Star was a constant thorn in my side. I wouldn't trade him for the entire world."

"Sounds wonderful... and annoying."

Kid's lips twitched, "BlackStar is both of those."

They were interrupted by said blue-haired teen throwing himself across Kid's shoulders, "C'mon, you know you love me."

"Your ego is big enough on its own."

"Hey! This is a valid training tactic. Eventually it'll be enough to crush any foe that even thinks of badmouthing me."

The shinigami snorted, "Yes, what an amazing star you'll be then. 'Did he defeat his opponents with his amazing fighting skill?' 'No, he just crushed them with the weight of his ego alone.' "

BlackStar dropped back to the ground with a pensive look, "Hmm, I may have to rethink this one..."

Kid threw back his head and laughed, "You work on that."

The blue haired boy dropped back a few steps and dragged Soul with him, Maka could feel them talking about alternative battle techniques through her and Soul's connection. Maka hadn't been bothered by the lack of privacy. Anyone with a weapon partner quickly got used to that. 'Privacy' lost a lot of its meaning when you shared brain space with another person on a near-constant basis. Maka shook her head, "Watching you two together is something else. It's almost like watching..."

"Partners? BlackStar and I just know each other. Sort of the same way Liz and Patty know each other. We've been together forever, a few years apart isn't going to change that." Kid looked up at the rising moon, "We've always been the stick by which we've each measured the world. Always tried to be as strong as each other. BlackStar and I... We're going to make our dreams come true, together; we swore it." Kid touched his wrist before shaking the mood off and smiling over at her, "We'll push each other to our limits or die trying. ...Or kill each other trying- or out of aggravation. Most likely out of aggravation."

Maka held a hand to her mouth and giggled, "That I can believe."

---

Star hesitated for a moment with his hand held up, then snorted at himself for it. What the hell was he afraid of? He knocked on the door, "Hey, Pops."

The door opened and he walked under the guillotines, Shinigami turning around to face him as soon as he got close enough, "Hey there, BlackStar~! Did you come to visit Poppa for any special reason?"

His cheeks heated at still having the death god say such... such parental things. Jeez, between him and Sid, honestly... "Well, kinda. I had a question. ...A really important question."

With his mask what it was, Shinigami didn't really possess a 'serious' face, but he nodded and motioned to the spot in front of him. BlackStar stepped up and sat on his knees. "I'm always here if you need me. What did you want to talk about?"

BlackStar took a deep breath, "I wanted to ask about something Kid mentioned. He said... he said that you don't interfere with mortals or free will. We argued a bit about it, but I got it and I understand why, but this has been bothering me all night long. Technically, Kid doesn't fall under that rule, right? So, if he were to, say, get into an extremely dangerous situation way over his head, you wouldn't let him die, right?" He didn't even realize how fast he was speaking at the end, or that he'd leaned forward so far he'd have needed to use his hands to keep balance if he went even a inch further.

Shinigami put a large white hand on his shoulder and pushed him back upright, "I can see this has been truly bothering you."

He nodded, "It really has. I mean, you wouldn't let him die, right? Who would be the next god of death if not Kid?"

His father-figure was quiet long enough to make him uncomfortable, "BlackStar... I couldn't do that."

"What?! Why not!? This is Kid we're talking about!"

"I love Kid- I love you both, which is why I can't do that. Life... it has no meaning without death. Kid wouldn't cherish his life if there was no risk of death."

He sat back, looking at his knees as he thought about that. Would he and Kid have bonded as strongly if they hadn't risked their lives for each other? But they had. He looked back up, his fingers curling, "But Kid's already learned that lesson! He knows how important life is. Can't you- I mean..." he sighed, "Please, Pops. Kid is worth it, he'll be a god to be proud of, one worth worshipping. Don't let us lose that before he has the chance to prove it."

"That isn't the only reason, my son."

"Then... then why?"

Shinigami took a deep breath, "There have been... issues, in the House of Death, before, with... Madness."

BlackStar went rigid. No... Not Kid. Not him! "No! That... that can't be! Kid wouldn't- he wouldn't..." he trailed off, mind wandering back to a near-forgotten incident when he and Kid hadn't known each other so well. When Kid had nearly killed him. But... but that was only a one-time thing. He didn't mean it! He didn't- he... He slumped, "Kid's on the same probation as I am, isn't he? The first sign of him losing himself to the madness, you'll have him killed."

"No, BlackStar." He looked up at the god that had helped raise him as he leaned forward to look him in the eye, the holes in his mask leading to black pits of nothing, "I'll kill him myself."

BlackStar fell backwards, "You can't- no..." His fingers dug into his palms. He'd always known that his head was on the chopping block, that Shinigami could and probably would kill him. He'd based his entire life around those facts, and he could love the man as a father and hate him as a killer at the same time. He could keep those aspects separate in his head.

Kid couldn't. Kid saw only his loving, doting father. Kid couldn't even accept that Death would kill BlackStar, utterly certain that when the time came, he wouldn't do it. BlackStar was utterly certain he would.

"You haven't... you haven't told Kid this at all, have you?"

Shinigami shook his head, "No." He knew it, too, then. If Kid got word of this, he'd go straight to his father, and Shinigami, never able to lie to his children's faces, would admit to planning to kill his son. Their relationship would be ruined. Kid would never trust the Death God again. His training would be shot, unable to learn techniques that required high levels of trust, always wary and wondering if now was when his father would strike.

No. No, BlackStar wasn't going to let that happen. Kid's previous slip; that was never in his life ever coming to light. He'd take it to his grave and beyond. And any future ones, they just weren't going to happen. And if they did, they too would die with BlackStar. He wasn't going to let Kid die before he reached his full potential. He had to... he had to be strong. Stronger than Kid when he got lost in the Madness. He'd already seen that a good ass-whooping would bring the immature shinigami back to himself. So he needed- he needed to train. A lot. He had to get strong. He needed an edge, anything that would give him a hold over Kid so that he could bring him back to himself.

He stood up and bowed, "This is my formal notice: I'm joining the Academy proper."

Shinigami tilted his head, "You're still young for it..."

"I don't care." He raised his head, green eyes blazing like emeralds on fire, "Pops, I need this. I'll keep him under control, I swear it. You'll never have to go after him, I'll make certain. Shinigami-sama, accept me as a student!"

The god studied him for a moment, observed his absolute resolve, and nodded, "Very well, little one. Accepted. From now on, you're a student of Death Weapon Meister Academy."

BlackStar nodded, bowed once more, then turned and walked away. It was a tipping point for them both. BlackStar might have been able to forgive Shinigami his own death, but not Kid's. He couldn't call a man his father who'd so willingly kill his children. Maybe Shinigami needed time as a human to better respect life in all its glory himself.

The doors closed behind him and he felt his resolve crystallize as that part of his life ended. He'd prevent Kid from slipping into Madness. And if he had to surpass the strength of a god to do it -either Kid himself or Shinigami- that was exactly what he was going to do.

---

As soon as BlackStar slowed down, Kid dropped back to match him, the smirk tugging at his lips not escaping BlackStar and he found his own lips copying it. That bastard... He shook his head and stepped up next to Kid, tapping his shoulder while still not looking at him, "You up for a go?"

Kid's lips twitched ever more towards a grin, "Think you still have what it takes? Sure we'll even fit?"

"Hey, if you wanna back out..."

"Never."

BlackStar quickened his pace, "Hey, guys, you go on ahead. Kid and I have something to take care of first. Meet you at Death Night, yeah?"

Maka looked back curiously but nodded, "Sure. ...You two alright?"

He and Kid stopped walking, "Yeah, it's nothing bad, we'll catch up in a bit."

Tsubaki looked like she was going to speak up, but Liz put a hand on her arm and shook her head, and she settled for smiling at them and waving as the group rounded a corner. BlackStar tightened and relaxed his fingers, breath picking up. He could already feel the excitement prickling his skin and igniting in his blood. He glanced at the surrounding buildings and quickly found two close enough together, kicking off each of them to get up to the rooftops.

He smirked down at Kid down on the ground and received a smile and thumb's up. BlackStar took a deep breath and let it out, then he started running across the roof, easily making the jump to the next one as Kid disappeared from sight down below. His teeth gleamed in the moonlight as he ran, heart pumping as he aimed for the drop-off to the next ring lower down in the city. The drop was at least a couple hundred feet from the tops of these houses to the tallest roof below.

The edge approached as he ran, leaping from house to house effortlessly, footing sure and spirit soaring to be so free. His stomach tightened in that wonderful fear and anxiety of potential disaster looming, and BlackStar leapt out into the open air, looking out at the next city ring far below, heart in his throat, and let out a whoop of pure joy as it rushed up to meet him. The air rushing past stole his breath away as it whipped at him, the lights flickering like a million fireflies in the darkness, colors blurring together as he sped past them in his fall.

It was terrifying, it was exhilarating, it was living, and the blood sang in his veins, adrenaline making everything brighter, clearer, now.

His breath huffed from him lungs as his feet hit the solid surface of Beelzebub, sending him and Kid into a wonderfully frightening spin in midair, both of them howling in laughter as the world spun around them. BlackStar twisted his body around, Kid grabbing his shoulders as they both moved to control the skateboard. They came out of their freefall only feet above a deep purple roof, leveling out just before impact and speeding forward, pressed tightly together.

BlackStar felt Kid's front flush against his back as they leaned together to avoid the chimneys and eaves of the houses they wove above, their frantic hearts beating in time with each other. He shifted his weight to his right foot, back by Kid's own, and sent them up into the air higher, Kid's breath tickling past his ear. Then he grinned and heaved them both to the side, sending them into an upside-down spin as they launched out away from the houses and down into the next ring, Kid's arm winding around his stomach as he leaned into the spin to bring them back upright again.

He grinned back at Kid, his voice was ripped away by the wind as soon as he spoke, "You ready!?"

Golden eyes lit as Kid beamed back, "Always!"

BlackStar twisted around in place and gave the shinigami a two finger salute as he leaned back and let himself fall from the board. His heart lodged itself in his throat again as his feet left Beelzebub and the night spun around him in a blur. He wasn't alone long, Kid's dark silhouette next to him as he let himself fall as well. They both dove, streamlining themselves in a race for the ground. Kid was the first one to reach out, smiling hugely as he extended his hand. BlackStar didn't even realize his mouth was doing the same, reaching out himself and interlocking their fingers as they fell.

His heart skipped a beat and he didn't want the moment, the fall, to end. This, soaring out in the night with Kid, so perfectly attuned to each other's bodies and thoughts, even after so long apart, this was the freedom he craved when stuck in the stuffy school with it's stupid students and teachers and their even stupider expectations and fears. This was the freedom Kid needed after classes and being stuck with up-tight tutors and expectations of an entire world on his shoulders. They were that for each other.

BlackStar couldn't do this with anyone else: feel this free, this open and in-sync, this alive. Kid was his wings, wings that let him fly free. The ground closed in on them: two hundred feet, one hundred, fifty... Kid's hand tightened on his and pulled him close, spinning him so they were flush as Beelzebub materialized in a flash of pink from his other hand. They stomped on the back of the board as one, the front flipping up even as it slowed their fall, Kid's shinigami powers pushing more and more into it. BlackStar threw his head back against Kid's shoulder and laughed as they shot forward and the back of the board scraped against the ground, sending sparks flying. Another shove of shinigami power had them arcing back up into the night again, Kid's chest heaving heavy breaths against his back.

BlackStar panted himself, his heartbeat a rapid drum in his ears. They slowed to a stop and he stumbled from the board, laughing at the exhilaration making him shiver. Kid's feet weren't absolutely certain, either, as he stepped from Beelzebub and it dissolved in pink light, smiling haltingly at Star as he panted for air. They both looked up at the same time to see Maka watching them with her jaw practically on the ground and Tsubaki's eyes so big they threatened to fall out of her head.

"BlackStar?!"

"Kid!?"

BlackStar gave them a thumbs-up, "Told ya... we'd... catch up."

---

BlackStar groaned pathetically, "I'm sooo boooored!" He sighed and flopped his arms bonelessly on the window sill, pressing his forehead against the glass and doubtlessly leaving a smear (but, seeing as he was perfectly centered in the middle of the window pane, Kid was willing to overlook it), "Can't we just ditch yet?"

"This is important-"

"This is a joke. We've been here for a week already and done nothing more important than listen to old war stories from a retired Death Scythe that can't even remember his weapon form half the time." BlackStar looked at him with big, pleading green eyes, "C'mon, please, Kid? Don't tell me you aren't just as bored as me. I don't know how Sid can stand it more than us, listening to those old cronies yap all day, but I've completely had it."

"Well..." BlackStar did have a point that listening to their 'very important hosts' was about as interesting as watching paint dry. It was enough to make him suspicious that Father had only wanted them out from under his feet for a bit. (And that he might possibly have a fairly good reason for wanting precisely that given that their last spar had broken... the Gym.)

"C'mooooon, let's go have some real fun."

"Oh, yes, just hop out and get mugged in the night on the streets of Boston, how fun."

Star grinned at him, completely ignoring his blatant sarcasm, "Right? Can't even bitch about us breaking things if they start it first."

Kid tilted his head back and forth before sighing, "I suppose we could- what are you doing?!"

BlackStar looked back at him, now perched on the open window's sill, "Sneaking out, what does it look like? You don't seriously think Sid's going to let us walk out the front door, do you?"

He shook his head, "Why do I get the feeling we're going to get in trouble?"

" 'Trouble', 'fun', same thing, really."

Before Kid could come up with an argument, BlackStar leaned back through the window and let himself fall. Kid was across the room in an instant, his heart in his mouth. What was Star thinking!? They were on the twenty-seventh floor! He summoned Beelzebub and sent it to catch BlackStar, grabbing the top of the window and swinging out feet-first. He could survive a fall like that, BlackStar wouldn't. Sometimes Kid worried that Star forgot which one of them was the death god and which one human.

He heard Star's laughter filtering back up to him as he kicked off the board and put himself against the building to slow his decent, grabbing on like only a trained assassin could. Kid grunted as he landed on Beelzebub at BlackStar's height, both of them still some fourteen stories above the ground. He glared at the grinning idiot before him, "You live to give me coronary issues, don't you?"

Having several years' practice at translating 'Kid-speak', BlackStar didn't hesitate in confusion like he would have when they were younger, "Fun, remember? You know what fun is, right? It hasn't been that long since you've had some."

"Star, the last time we had 'fun', Father sent us clear across the country in punishment." He gestured to the skyscraper Star had just hurled himself from and was still clinging to like a gecko.

BlackStar pushed off the building, landing perfectly on the board and leaning in nose-to-nose with him, "Yeah: No parental supervision." He gestured to the open air around them.

Golden eyes blinked as Kid took that in, then he leaned back away thoughtfully. Star waited patiently (most likely only because he knew exactly how to convince Kid and was well aware that he'd already won), and finally the shinigami's shoulders lifted and dropped with his defeated sigh. BlackStar waited a minute more, then poked him in the side until Kid smiled and squirmed away from the tickling touch, "Okay."

"Yeah?"

Like Kid could turn down that hopeful, excited look. He nodded, "Yeah."

Star whooped and threw his arms up in the air, tilting his whole body back (purposefully if Kid knew him at all) and sending them into a dive. "Whoo-hooooo!"

Kid lurched forward, "BlackStar!"

The shorter boy pushed off of the board with a half-assed wave, landing on the roof of a building not far off. Kid only just barely managed to pull out of the graceless fall before he'd have crashed into another building, having to actually stop the collision by kicking off the wall. He glared about for his traitorous best friend, mocking laughter seeming to come from every direction as it bounced from wall to wall (not unlike BlackStar would once Kid got to him).

"When I get my hands on you..."

BlackStar cackled like he'd told the best joke in the world, "Have to catch me first~!"

Kid smirked as he looked around for the betraying hint of blue, "Sure you want to play chase, short-stuff?" Kid may not have been able to see him, but the strength of BlackStar's anger was a living thing that thickened the air with a threat of danger and only stretched his lips further. 'Danger', 'fun'; same thing, really...

A sharp whistle drew his attention and his head shot up, BlackStar scowling down at him from above, "Come at me, Pretty Boy." He taunted, before turning and taking off- on his 'short little legs'.

Kid counted three seconds in his head, then shot off after the blue haired boy into the city. Brownstones sped by below him as he searched for BlackStar, golden eyes scanning every street and stray alley. He may have teased Star about it, but BlackStar's skills were no laughing matter. City or country, towering steel structures or trees, BlackStar still held the advantage for terrain. Star knew how to use the environment to his advantage, slipping from shadow to shadow, vaulting from one building to another, moving so fast he was little more than a blur of color in the night.

Just watching it was something. Star had a knack for knowing exactly where and how to place his feet -"Comes from being so close to the ground."- and, okay, so maybe BlackStar wasn't the only one that started their games of chase.

Apparently miffed that Kid wasn't actively chasing him enough, BlackStar showed himself on a roof several buildings away. Kid rolled golden eyes, it figured that Star wouldn't be patient enough to wait for Kid to find him first. He pushed his power into his ride. If Star thought he'd get away just because he was fast, he was about to be reminded he wasn't the only one with speed. Kid let out a laugh of his own as he caught up with the blue-haired boy, then blinked when BlackStar suddenly disappeared.

His head whipped around to see where he'd gotten to, when he suddenly found himself airborn without Beelzebub, a very undignified squawk escaping him as his feet left the board and he tumbled in surprised clumsiness onto the roof of a brownstone, rolling several feet before slowing to a stop. He stared at the cement under his palms in disbelief and confusion- which was quickly remedied by following the sound of BlackStar's graceless guffaws to see him perched over the edge of the previous building, Kid's board in his hand.

He wasn't sure if he should be impressed or indignant that Star had quite literally stolen the board right out from under his feet. BlackStar kicked off the wall and landed agilely on his own roof, leaning down to pick something up as he flicked Beelzebub back through the air towards its owner.

He grabbed the board before it could hit him in the head- Excellent aim, vindictive little midget... Kid huffed, eyes narrowing, as BlackStar -the gall!- just grinned at him and held up his hand, one of Kid's cufflinks between his fingers. Oh, it was on.

In the race through the streets, Kid on his board and BlackStar running on foot, he almost forgot about their impromptu competition in the simple joy of spending it with Star. They flaunted skills at each other, Kid launching above the rooftops in insane stunts that had BlackStar rolling his eyes at the drama, but the small smile on his lips belied the fake disinterest. Star returned it all in a show of acrobatics from one building to another, fantastic jumps that seemed to defy gravity, leap-frogging from one to another to get higher, and at one point running effortlessly across a line that Kid at first thought high voltage and almost giving him a heart attack. He didn't look forward to going back to Father only to tell him BlackStar had died because he'd gotten himself electrocuted showing off.

Star stood atop the pole and laughed at him, nimbly dodging the blade Kid threw at him. He plucked it from the sign behind his head and pocketed it, sticking out his tongue at Kid in a wordless 'you aren't getting this back~'.

Several times they were close enough to touch. Kid throwing Beelzebub into a spin around BlackStar in midair as he leaped from one building, exchanging grins on the way. Star taunted him back as Kid launched into the air on his board, kicking off a wall and then off the bottom of Beelzebub to get higher, grabbing the top edge of it above him and then swinging up on the strength of his arms alone, winking at Kid as he flipped out of sight.

They could have tagged each other any number of times, could have tackled one another right out of the sky. But neither of them did; neither of them wanted it to end so soon. And Kid had to admit it, out here in the night, the cool wind blowing through their hair, just playing and having fun with BlackStar, his heart soared just as surely as his board- when Star wasn't giving it conniptions.

By unspoken agreement, it seemed, they became serious in their competition, both speeding up, the world rushing by as they had eyes only for each other, flickering in and out of sight through the city. Kid swept in close to BlackStar only to have him drop from sight and pop up behind him as he sped past, Kid sending Beelzebub higher to avoid being tagged. Kid had no issue going into an overhead loop to avoid the blades BlackStar sent at him, reveling in the grumbling he heard about how much of a pain it would be for Star to find them later and why couldn't he be kind enough to just save him the trouble by not dodging so Star would only have to pluck them out of his skewered form? How discourteous of him.

It was when the complaints fell silent that Kid went on high alert, looking around warily. BlackStar had to be planning something to suddenly go quiet like that, but for the life of him, he couldn't spot him. One of these days, he was going to figure out how Star managed to be so inconspicuous with cotton candy blue hair. Kid was beginning to suspect people only actually noticed BlackStar because he was so boisterous. The moment he stopped ranting about his ambitions and goals, he was nearly invisible. Kid found himself smirking at that thought: BlackStar only noticible due to echolocation.

'Where's BlackStar?'

'Here I am!'

'There he is.'

Snickering and getting lost in his own thoughts, Kid reflected as his breath wheezed out due to the feet in his diaphragm, may not have been the best way to defend against BlackStar's imminent attack. He had only a moment to notice the triumphant grin on Star's face before he fell- and Star took off on his board! He grunted as he hit the ground, scowling up into the sky. Of all the insults added to injury...! Kid had half a mind to dissolve the board out from under the blue-haired boy. But, knowing Star, he was already high in the sky and at potentially fatal heights.

Golden eyes narrowed as he pushed himself up and brushed off his jacket. Just BlackStar wait until the remnants of Kid's power dried up in the board and he plummeted out of the sky. They'd see who laughed then- and Star still had his damn cufflink! He huffed, made certain his clothes were straightened out, and set out on foot, not quite confidant enough to go launching from one building to another to get to a rooftop like BlackStar. Now if I were Star and wanted to look down on my poor, pathetic victim...

Oh, if Star thought he'd been angry before, just wait 'til he got his hands on him now. Kid was so focused on his grumbling and thoughts of exactly which forms of torture he planned to use on his best friend, he was surprised when he found himself shoved back against brick by a girl wearing a vicious smirk and pointing a gun at his throat, "Give us all your money, rich boy."

Golden eyes blinked, "Excuse me?"

"Your. Money. With a suit like that in a place like this, you've gotta be loaded."

He had not, in fact, thought to bring his wallet with him when he'd snuck out of his room this evening, no. Kid could not help the sardonic expression that overtook his face. 'Oh, yes, just hop out and get mugged in the night on the streets of Boston, how fun.' He should have known those words would come back to haunt him.

The gun was shoved a little harder against his throat, "Your money!"

Kid cast his eyes skyward, envisioning, with some relish, BlackStar falling from a great height to splatter against the pavement below. I blame you for this. BlackStar would probably only smirk and tell him to relax and have fun if he actually heard.

Kid's eyes flickered behind the girl, but he raised his hands slowly, doing his best not to grin. Apparently he didn't managed it well enough because she was about to lose it, "If you don't hand over all your cash in the next two seconds-"

"You'll what?" She stiffened, not daring to move at the kunai pressed to her own throat, "I don't like people holding my best friend at weapon-point. Something about it just makes me twitchy. See?" the razor-sharp blade pressed just hard enough against her throat, if Kid was any judge, to sting without drawing blood. If she so much as swallowed, that would change.

She didn't bat an eyelash, and her throat barely even vibrated as she whispered quietly: "Patty..."

Kid and BlackStar locked confused gazes for an instant before the girl dissolved in a bright pink glow, blinding them both for a moment. Kid heard Star grunt and jump back, and when his vision cleared a second later, he ducked to avoid the shorter blond girl as she cackled and shot. They both ducked back behind trash cans, Kid grimacing over at Star while he just grinned back. Golden eyes rolled. It's a life-threatening situation: of course he's just tickled. Kid's deadpan look didn't dent BlackStar's enthusiasm in the least.

Star just shrugged at him when it was clear Kid wasn't having nearly as good a time as he was, pulling out an array of kunai. Kid's hand automatically went to his own throwing knives. BlackStar tossed his volley at the short blond with perfect aim- if she'd stayed human. She disappeared in a flash of pink to be replaced by the original girl, grabbing the pistol the other turned into.

BlackStar snorted, obviously at the end of his patience for hiding, and jumped from behind his cover. Kid couldn't just let him get himself killed- alone, he rolled from behind his own barrier and tossed his blades low to the pavement, breaking their attacker's ground and forcing her to stumble back as she was apparently averse to losing any toes.

"Who brings a gun to a knife fight? Seriously." Star shot forward for her, aiming low with a punch to the abdomen. The girl dropped to her back and flipped her accomplice through the air where she turned back to her human form and bounced on her feet like a demented rabbit- not so unlike... BlackStar, when he got excited. Hmm.

Kid groaned silently as Star's eyes lit up and he bounced as well, before falling easily into a balanced stance and making a come hither gesture with the hand not holding his kunai.

Kid's attention was forced back to the taller girl at a 'snick-fwip-snap' and he saw she'd pulled out a butterfly knife. He took a moment to cast a glare Star's way, "Stop. Helping!" Then jumped back as she lunged at him and swiped out with the knife. Star merely laughed tauntingly as he ducked under the other girl's haymaker.

Kid armed himself with two of his throwing knives, shifting back at the girl's skillful lunges. She was pretty talented for a street-brat, but she didn't have the skill of fighting near-daily with someone of equal skill to hone her abilities. She did have desperation and anger, though. And she didn't have-

"Kid, stop trying to fucking wound her symmetrically and put her ass down!"

"Oh, focus on your own fight!"

"If I have to save your ass..."

"I will give you first rights to kissing it."

"Oh, fuck you."

He smirked as he dropped into a low crouch, his opponent's stomach directly in front of him as she over-extended her arm. He lashed out with the back of both hands and her breath left her in a rush as she flew back farther down the alley.

He looked over to see Star roll his eyes as he spun the little blonde's arm around his own and diverted it to the side, barely moving his head fast enough to dodge her attack as she latched onto his arm and tried to kick his head clear off his shoulders. Star grabbed her other arm as her kick spun her around and lowered. Kid sweatdropped at their position: BlackStar holding both her hands between her legs as she faced away from him- with a pout that Kid could appreciate. BlackStar yanked her arms back, flipping her over her head and onto her back painfully before bouncing back on his heels.

"What the hell do you call that?"

A blue brow arched at him, "...Winning?"

Kid blinked as a blonde blur shot past him and tackled Star to the ground, grinning, "You were saying?"

BlackStar's voice was muffled by his opponent as she pulled at his cheek in reprimand like a four-year old as he tried to shoved her off of him by the face, "... Behind you!"

He didn't bother looking to check, Kid spun into a low kick in the hopes of taking his own opponent's feet out from under her. No such luck, she was learning and waited for the half-second it took his sweep to go past her- leaving his back open, to strike. Kid threw himself to the side to avoid the butterfly knife, one of his own getting lost as he used that hand to launch himself further away.

The dishwater blonde smirked nastily at him, flicking her butterfly knife around a few times tauntingly. Kid didn't let his eyes stray from her chest to the flicking blade. Her center would announce her next attack, not her arm. And then there was that annoying voice in the back of his head that mentioned he was now uneven without two blades. Another voice that sounded very much like BlackStar told that one to shut up.

It distracted him just enough for her to get in close, and Kid found himself on the defensive, retreating backwards. As much as this insane woman was apparently willing to kill him for his money, he and Star weren't fighting fatally. It wouldn't be a lie -exactly- to say they both thought killing humans... below them. The non-kishin egg ones, at any rate.

Kid's eyes flicked to BlackStar as he backflipped past Kid's opponent, tapping her on the shoulder and causing her to turn around just in time to nearly stab her accomplice. The smaller girl took no offence and smiled hugely as she and BlackStar locked fists again. "You're good at this~!"

Star -that idiot- grinned back, "Hey, you two. Nice moves."

"Hehe, thanks! Oh! And-and you're pretty, too!"

BlackStar blinked, locking his leg with hers as she tried a kick to the stomach, then he beamed, "Thanks! Nice legs."

"Thank you~"

Kid had a nearly irrepressible urge to facepalm as he barely dodged the taller girl's knife, "Will you stop flirting with the enemy?!"

"Oh, come on, Kid, quit being so stuffy. Let go and-"

"I swear, if you tell me that I should be having fun, you won't have to worry about our opponents: I'll eviscerate you myself!"

Normally the blue-haired boy was good at 'translating Kid', after years with him, but there were still exceptions. BlackStar and his adversary both stopped their fight to look at him in confusion. Kid sweatdropped as he ducked below his enemy's slash -and he could admit that his respect for her was growing- and sighed, "It means I'll gut you."

BlackStar's opponent -Patty?- laughed, "He's funny, I like 'im~"

Star grinned at her, "Right? Me, too. She's not too bad, either."

"Yep~ My sis is the best!"

"Not 'best' enough to beat Kid."

"Yuh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh."

Kid felt like strangling them both as they sat down side by side right there and started cheering for their respective partners.

"C'mon, Kid! Kick some ass!"

"Get 'im, Liz!"

Kid jumped back, casting them an incredulous glance, "Seriously!?"

BlackStar wove his fingers together behind his head, "What? You want me to cheer for her?"

"You are having way too much fun with this!" Kid shouted as he grabbed 'Liz's arm and directed her past him.

Star cocked his head at him, "How much is the normal amount?"

When she next charged at him, Kid grabbed her arm, spun around, and flipped her up over his head to land on the ground with a harsh huff- directly between their two spectators. "None!"

BlackStar ignored him and leaned over the taller girl with a disarming grin, "You're pretty good. Want to come live with us?"

Both girls froze and looked at him with matching expressions of disbelief, "WHAT?!"

Star shrugged, "Shibusen. Er, Death Weapon Meister Academy. Pays two-hundred bucks a week and housing is included."

Blue-gray eyes blinked up at him, "Wh-why would you offer that to us?"

"You're weapons, aren't you?" Then he grinned that shit-eating grin that meant Kid was going to want to throttle him in about three seconds, "You can be Kid's weapon partners."

"What?" She asked.

"What?!" Kid demanded.

BlackStar smirked at him, "Symmetry Man, meet your soon-to-be twin pistol partners~!"

Patty jumped up, "Yay~!"

Kid sighed, "Only you could drag me out in the middle of the night, get me mugged, almost get us killed, and walk away with two new partners on top of it all."

Star's smile nearly engulfed his face, "It's a gift."

Liz looked between them all, "I haven't agreed to anything yet!"

Then Star turned the same enthusiasm he used to get Kid to do the million things they shouldn't on her, "Sure you have, you just haven't realized it yet." Then he stood up, "C'mon, let's head back and tell Sid."

Kid ran a hand through his stripes, "Oh, yes, let's just go back and tell our chaperone 'We snuck out in the night, almost died, and by the way, here are two more students for you to watch after!' That's going to go just swimmingly..."

BlackStar slapped him on the back, "I knew you'd see it my way. I'll let you do the talking."

Liz stared after them as they started walking off- with Patty tagging along behind. She turned around to walk backwards and waved at her, "C'mon, sis! Hurry up!"

Liz huffed and got up, watching them all as BlackStar slung his arm around Kid's shoulders for the shinigami to shove him away with a hand over his face. He pulled back his hand as BlackStar went sprawling in a pile of trash that flew everywhere, "Ugh! You licked me!"

She couldn't help it, Liz snickered as she closed her butterfly knife and started after them. "Hey, Patty, wait for me!"

---

Star's head dropped to his palm as the fruity drink arrived at the table, "You are such a fucking girl."

Kid didn't even glare at him, taking a sip of his frou-frou beverage, "Sangria is a refined drink." They were in a nightclub, 'refined' wasn't the vibe Star was going for.

"It's a girl-drink." Even Liz had beer, a contest developing between her and Soul. Patty was drinking mudslides- and even Star had the wherewithal to wonder if alcohol and caffeine and Patty was a good combination. Maka had long-island ice tea, Star and Tsubaki were sharing sake. And then there was Kid, with his fruity drink.

"Just because it has fruit doesn't mean it's reserved strictly for the female gender."

"Someone get this guy some shots. He needs the relaxation for when we perform the stick-ectomy."

Golden eyes rolled, "You'd think a couple years would help you mature some."

"Nah. Growin' up's for old people. Young 'til I die, seriously." Kid frowned in his drink and it was Star's turn to roll his eyes. "You'd think a couple years would help you let go some."

The shinigami stuck his tongue out at him, "Nope, clingy 'til I die."

Star snorted and shoved Kid's glass more firmly in front of him, "Just drink your girl-drink and shut up."

Star sighed as he watched the striped teen. Kid was way too morose for the night. He'd brought them out here to have fun and celebrate his return, not get depressed over the past and things they couldn't change. Tsubaki was having fun giggling over Liz and Soul's drinking contest, Maka sighing beside her partner, and Patty cheering her sister on. And Kid was just a lump of 'lost in thought' beside him as he sipped at his fruity cocktail.

BlackStar's hand fisted and he pushed his sake away. He wasn't about to let Kid get lost in the past when he was right here in front of him. The future wasn't behind him and the present wouldn't wait around for him to come back to it. Star stood up and tapped Kid's shoulder, tossing his head to the side toward the dancefloor when the golden eyes looked at him, "Come on."

He at least got a smile out of Kid as he covered his mouth, "You don't dance."

"I don't ballroom. Now come on. It's only going to be more humiliating if I have to drag you out there."

Kid shrugged and stood up, smirking down at him, "Alright, then. Let's see what you can do."

Star returned the look. Oh, this was going to be fun~ They wove out between others, finding a spot on the floor a little vacant so they'd have room to move. Kid was right in a way: BlackStar had next to no formal training in dancing, but he had years of experience in fighting, and he and Kid knew each other's motions better than their own.

Without warning, he shot his hand out towards Kid's face, the shinigami reacting before he even thought about it and grabbing BlackStar's wrist. Star smirked at getting the exact reaction he'd been counting on, wrapping his own fingers around Kid's wrist and pulling him forward so that they were chest to chest, "You were saying?"

The look of astonishment on Kid's face at what he'd done without even thinking about it was one Star was going to save so he could relive it again and again. Then it dissolved into one of excitement as Kid realized the possibilities. BlackStar made sure he had Kid's attention before picking up his foot and stepping hard just inside Kid's. The twitch of lips was all he needed to know Kid had gotten the message, and they began.

Star raised his other foot and stomped- on the spot Kid's just vacated. The shinigami grinned and tried to stomp on Star's other foot, but he slid it away before he could. Every step forward by one of them was matched by one back from the other, every shuffled matched by an accompanying slide, arms still clasped. Kid backed up as BlackStar chased, always just out of reach, then they turned as Star slid just to the side of each advance he made.

Kid gave BlackStar the warning of tightening his hold on his wrist, then last out wide with a full sweep, Star's feet going out from under him, the shinigami's ending just in front of his as they slid from under him. Kid's grip on his arm was as strong as ever and he wound up leaned back in the open air balanced only by Kid's foot grounding his and his hold on his wrist keeping him from falling back on the floor. Star grinned his trust in the shinigami and Kid pulled him back up strongly, bumping shoulders with him.

BlackStar shifted his stance until they were off-set and the backs of their knees touched. They shared a look over their shoulders before they both spun into matching kicks, locking their legs together in the grip Star had taught Kid, then used the point of contact to push off with their other foot at the same time, flipping over in the air for a lingering second before landing together on the opposite foot they'd started, knee-to-knee and grinning.

Without any warning, Kid whipped around, a blow aimed for Star's face. BlackStar responded in an instant, his palm shooting up to divert the hit into the air and bringing Kid nose-to-nose with him. He took Kid's raised hand and twined their fingers together, shifted his foot just behind Kid's as the fulcrum, then flipped Kid backwards by his arm. The shinigami showed off, pushing off a second time and backflipping further away. When he was upright again, he smirked and crooked a finger Star's way.

BlackStar smirked right back. This was what he'd wanted: Kid free and with his mind on fun things, not brooding. Well he certainly wasn't brooding now. And BlackStar had his full attention, which meant it was time to have some real fun. Time to see if they really could read each other just as well after so long apart.

Star's smile might have been just a little feral as he answered Kid's invitation- and flickered from sight, showing off just how fast he'd gotten over the years. The lightning-fast elbow BlackStar aimed at Kid's face was grabbed by the shinigami who grounded his stance and then spun Star around him like a polite dance partner- until he got back to his original position, at which point he used BlackStar's momentum to send him into a forward flip.

Star grinned and landed easily on his feet, immediately reversing his flip to bring him closer to Kid again. Kid obliged by swinging wide with his arm that BlackStar easily ducked under, putting them back to back. They both turned at the same time, leaning back to avoid the hit they each threw, eyes locking. Their arms reversed and found purchase on each other's chest. They pushed at the same time, spinning in place.

BlackStar attacked with an open palm towards Kid's head, that he caught, then used to spin Star around and pull him close: Star's back to his chest and his arm across the shorter teen's front. Star grinned back at him, then lashed out with a kick that Kid twisted to avoid, the two of them connected only by their hands. BlackStar pulled him back and struck for his chest. Kid let go of his hand to block the hit, then made a strike himself. Star smiled as he caught and diverted it to the side before responding again in kind.

The chop he made towards Kid's neck was stopped as Kid wove his arm under Star's and raised it. They both lashed out with their free hand for the other's throat, fingers of their other hand locked together. They both stopped at the last second, and BlackStar felt Kid's pulse fluttering against his palm, no doubt his own was just as frantic. He wasn't even sure if it was the exertion or the excitement that had them huffing for breath, but space between them felt hotter than it had a right to be.

BlackStar pulled back first, then spun around in a blur of speed with a kick that Kid blocked with the side of his arm and then grabbed. Star twisted his body at the waist, his other foot leaving the floor for the Shinigami's head. Kid grabbed his ankle and twisted him in the air. BlackStar caught himself with his hands and sprang up in time for Kid to toss a punch at him.

There was no thought in his next action: all Star saw was Kid coming at him and, just like so many times over the years, his inside guard was non-existent. He stepped forward and shifted just enough to avoid the punch, feeling the breeze as it passed his ear, and shot out his right hand to grab Kid's and pull it down, slowing them just enough so they didn't collide as he shifted back to the left again. There was less than an inch separating them as Kid stopped, his arm over BlackStar's shoulder, their fingers entwined, chests heaving as they panted, breathing each other's breath.

BlackStar couldn't have looked away from the burning gold of Kid's eyes if his life had depended on it at that moment. He couldn't hear the music he knew had to be playing, the only sounds were his frantic heartbeat pounding in his ears and Kid's soft huffs between them. Time slowed to a crawl for BlackStar. Kid's eyes drew him in like a lodestone, his breath tickled Star's lips.

The sound of his heartbeat in his head intensified as the world around faded, caught utterly in the moment and each other. For years BlackStar had missed Kid, craved his presence like air, yearned to be next to him, for the surety of having each other's backs. Tsubaki had asked him why he wanted to get stronger, his answer had been to protect Kid. Not because they were friends- damn sure not because they were 'brothers'. But because-

'I love him...'

And here, finally, after so long, Kid was in front of him, close enough to feel, to touch, to- his eyes flicked down to Kid's lips for a fraction of a second. Less than an inch. All he had to do was lean forward a little bit and...

BlackStar hastily turned away, the redness in his cheeks easily mistaken as a result of his exertions, "Come on."

Kid followed without a word, the silence stretching between them not awkward like it should have been. Star still felt comfortable around Kid, and the shinigami obviously hadn't sensed any difference. They both got back to the table and BlackStar dove more enthusiastically into his drink while Kid sat and sucked his down in thirst. Star was tempted to snort into his own. What the hell had he been thinking? He had a fucking death sentence hanging over his head.

He smirked as his shinigami and Maka started talking. Well, at least he'd gotten Kid to loosen up, now BlackStar was the one lost in thought. That seemed like a fair exchange and he poured more sake.

---

They sat side-by-side, pressed against each other, on the slope of the DWMA's tallest tower. BlackStar would never settle for a smaller one even had Kid's OCD not demanded they sit in the middle to maintain symmetry. Liz had declined coming with them- and stopped Patty, too, on grounds that 'twenty fucking degrees is too cold, you two are nuts'. Liz had obviously never spent part of a winter out in the wilderness before.

BlackStar was warm enough with Kid leaned against him, even in his usual attire -which had nearly sent Liz into fits. Their breaths puffed out in crystallizing clouds as they stared up at the stars blazing overhead. No one else at the school got the chance to see the view they were seeing right now. The teachers rushed by, the students rushed even faster than the teachers to keep up.

No one anymore just... just stopped. Stopped and looked up. Kid and Star had both learned just how important it was to take a break and take in the calm and stillness around them, the silent stories told by the stars.

BlackStar snorted and shook his head, "People are idiots."

Kid choked on his laugh, "Oh? Why... now?"

"They let a little cold keep them from this." He turned his head up, "But just look at this view, isn't this worth it? The stars always shine brighter in the cold."

Kid's golden eyes didn't leave him as he nodded, "Yeah... They do."

BlackStar felt the gaze on him and looked down from the night sky, and locked eyes with Kid, "Promise me that you'll never forget."

The shinigami smiled and shook his head, "Star, I couldn't forget this if I tried to. I promise."

Star matched his smile before looking back up and leaning back to see the whole sky, the stars watching them back, "Someday, that'll be me up there."

Kid's voice was quiet beside him, "A shining star lighting up the darkness?"

"Yeah... That's my dream."

In all the times they'd done this, Kid had never responded back to a comment on dreams. He did now: "I'm going to be the next God of Death." Star's eyes widened and he sat up, staring at him. Kid went on, "I'll make my own Death Scythes. I'm going to get strong, and I'll fix things. I'm going to be a god to be proud of." Star stared at him, mouth open on a word he never said. Kid had always stated it as a fact that he'd be made to be the next Shinigami, but he'd never said that it was what he wanted. BlackStar had always been fully prepared to help Kid fight for his dream if it didn't match his father's expectations of him. But to hear him embracing it... striving for that position- to earn it instead of letting it be given to him...

BlackStar had it on the tip of his tongue before he bit it. You already are. But he didn't say it. One, because Kid wouldn't believe him, and two, because everyone needed a dream to reach for. So instead he smirked and cocked his head, "Dude, you better catch up, then. I've already got years on you. I'll be a star and just lounging around waiting for you to finally get there at this rate."

Kid rolled his eyes and threw himself into a sideway tackle, sending them rolling across the cold roof, laughing. "Cocky brat."

"Stuffy prat." Star snarked back, grinning up at Kid above him.

Time froze for a bit as they just watched each other, before Kid shuffled back and let BlackStar sit up. His gaze boring into and perfectly matched by Star's, and held up his arm, "We're going to reach out and make our dreams come true, with our own hands."

BlackStar looked at the arm held in the air, then beamed softly and put his up, locking their wrists and staring back at Kid just as intensely, "We'll change the world."

"We will."

"Together." Star added.

Kid nodded, "Together."

They laid back down together, close enough to share what little heat they had between them, and turned their eyes back on the night sky and the stars that glittered and lit up the darkness.

---

Star laughed, long and loud, as Kid, offended by Liz's recounting of a humiliating story from their time away, lost his balance and fell squarely into his lap. He held out his sake, "Comfortable there?"

Kid, with all the dignity he could (fake) muster, pushed himself up, "As a matter of fact, I am." he said primly- then took the offered drink and threw it back.

BlackStar laughed again, leaning against Kid's shoulder, "Dude, you are so drunk."

Kid looked offended and tried to stand again- failing once more and crossing his arms in a pout next to Star, "I am not."

BlackStar leered, and held his hand up, "Follow my finger."

The shinigami's bleary gold eyes blinked sleepily at the appendage, "...Which one?"

Tsubaki and Liz fell against each other giggling like it was the funniest thing in the entire world. Maka might have agreed if she and Soul weren't out on the dancefloor. Star shook his head, "I'm only holding up one."

Kid blinked again and then frowned, "No, you aren't. You've got two- three- two- stop that! I'm trying- trying to count. Quit moving them."

Star lost it and bent over, clutching his stomach while he howled. Kid, having not learned from his last two attempts, tried to shoot to his feet to storm off. It worked about as well as the first two, his equilibrium shot, and he stumbled, falling against Star again, only this time- "Owww!" BlackStar shoved his best friend to the floor with no remorse whatsoever as he rubbed at the bump on his head.

Kid blinked up at him from the floor with an expression asking how he'd gotten there. Liz sprawled across three seats and Star's weapon partner, muffling herself in Tsubaki's shoulder, "You should- you should- should take him ho-home."

BlackStar shook his head- then instantly regretted it and vowed not to do that again, "Why me?"

Liz's response was well thought-out and to the point: "Not it!"

At a poke to the side, Tsubaki responded less than a second after that, "Not it!"

Patty jumped up with her hand in the air, "I'll be it! Pick me! I want to be it!"

BlackStar looked down at the shinigami on the floor, then up at Patty, and back to Kid again. What were the chances of his best friend surviving his younger weapon trying to take him home? With all those stairs and inclines... Both of them hammered... He sighed and flipped Liz off, "I'll take him."

He peeled the shinigami off the floor and tossed him across his shoulders, taking more than half of Kid's weight. It wouldn't be the first time he'd carried something that far back after a night of drinking. Sid had trained him to keep his head even under influences. Star rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door and hauled them out. Their bill would be sent to the school and deducted from their accounts then.

His living baggage was nearly insensible the first half-mile. Being a god with the metabolism to go along with it, Star was surprised Kid had even managed to get so drunk in the first place. Kid came awake from whatever conversation he'd been having in his own mind with a jerk and started babbling next to his ear. "Liz is just as bad, you know. She said it was all me, but it was all their fault for wearing those things asymmetrically. It was not my fault I tried to help them."

"You tried to strip them, Kid."

"Help themm. But Liz was just as bad."

"She was stripping them, too?"

"Yes. Patty did a... a thing, and Liz tripped and pulled this girl's top off."

Star snickered, "Anything else happen?"

"Liz attacked me with her thighs."

At that, BlackStar halted in place to look at him, "Say what now?"

"What now?"

"How did Liz attack you with her thighs? WHY did she?"

"It was this..." he waved his hand and almost hit Star in the face, "scary thing. And then this thing just popped out. Liz screamed and Patty laughed and then Liz was smothering me-"

"With her thighs."

Kid tried for a solemn nod, it wound up somewhere closer to 'wobbling on his neck', "Yesh."

Star shook his head- slowly this time, and dragged them on, "Sounds fun..." he muttered.

He was forced to a stop for a moment as Kid shook his own head vigorously and then staggered against him, almost throwing them both to the ground and back down the hill BlackStar had just got them up, "Washn't fun."

"Okay."

Kid grabbed him, "Washn't fun. ...You weren't there."

Star didn't let that sink in, holding Kid more firmly as he got them walking again, "You are so, sooo drunk."

"M'not!"

He was about to argue the point -which in general was never a good idea with a drunk person- when he caught sight of a shop behind Kid's head and felt a grin threaten to split his face. He wiped the expression before Kid's survival instincts could kick in and question it. "Kay, then, you're not. But I have a great idea that only a sober Kid would agree to."

Kid leaned in closer, almost bumping noses with him, "What?"

Star looked straight ahead, not giving away anything, "Tattoos."

Kid stared at him for a moment, and he was certain the death god had seen through his ruse... and then Kid nodded, "Yes! That is something only I would do."

BlackStar may have been a bit drunk himself, and he knew he was a prankster and a trouble-maker, but he was very decidedly not suicidal. Pushing Kid into the shop and pouring him into the chair, Star spoke with the artist there and explained what he wanted. Twenty minutes later, he was pulling Kid out of the parlor with a (temporary) tattoo on his left cheek that proudly proclaimed him 'Property of Black*Star'. Kid was probably still going to murder him in the morning.

It was going to be so worth it.

BlackStar looked up at the (many, many, many) stairs between them and the school. Why had he offered to take Kid home again? Ah, right, to keep him from dying in a blazing explosion Patty put together. Star huffed and started carefully navigating them up the steps. That stopped, however, the third time Kid nearly sent them tumbling down the stairs.

Star glared at the staircase, then looked at his burden from the corner of his eye, "Hey, Kid."

"Hmm?"

"Bring out Beelzebub." The death god didn't hesitate, the board appearing in a flash of pink glitter. Star placed his foot on it cautiously, then pulled Kid on with him, "We'll just fly up the steps. That'll be way easier."

More mistaken words, Star realized later, had never been spoken. The board flared to life beneath their feet and they shot off- at an angle that launched them completely off the staircase.

Star's heart caught in his throat as he looked down on Death City with Kid clinging to him. He normally loved this view, this feeling of being free, imagining his feet never having to touch ground again. But right now, with Beelzebub's power source only semi-coherent over his shoulder and the singing warning of potentially plunging hundreds of feet to their deaths below, he was second-guessing the wisdom of this plan.

They wavered back and forth across the sky, leaving pink trails of light behind them, as BlackStar tried to steer while Kid was out of it. And even though it was terrifying, it was equally as exciting. At any moment, Kid's power might falter and send them hurtling through the sky to the unforgiving ground so far below. But the cool night air was still a calming presence around them, the stars glowing in the night sky above- and Kid was pressed so closely to him they might as well have been in the same space.

After a few heart-stopping minutes, he managed to get the hang of drunken flying and brought them around to ride up the steps (because cocky he might have been, but he wasn't betting their lives on Kid's powers lasting). Star threw back his head and laughed as they flew up the stairs racing by under them. They approached the top and BlackStar grinned, anticipating launching off the steps.

They certainly did launch, just... not the way he expected. Near the last stair, his heart stuttered as Kid's power failed- and sent the edge of the board into the next step. He and Kid went flying from the board, over the final few stairs, and rolled across the stone of the courtyard where they slowed and slid to a stop- on the exact same spot their battle that morning had ended. Star pushed up off Kid's chest and grinned down at the dazed shinigami, "Hi."

Kid stared at him for a minute, then started chuckling. It evolved into a full-body laugh and BlackStar joined in, unable to hold in his snickers. Kid caught his breath and smirked back up at him, "Hi..."

Star got up and held out his hand, hauling Kid to his feet, and helped him stagger inside towards their rooms. His own was closer and he didn't bother with the thought taking Kid to his own room after so long away. Things were bound to be dusty and asymmetrical after so long. And Star didn't trust Kid, even drunk, to be able to sleep without straightening his room until it was the epitome of symmetry.

He pushed open his own door before his feet got tangled in Kid's as he tried to walk on his own, sending them reeling back against the door. The look Kid was giving him as his breath huffed out from the impact made his heart beat faster than it had when they were one mistake away from death. Star pushed off the wall, but Kid didn't step back. He looked away and closed the door, shaking his head. Kid had no idea what he was doing, obviously.

He pulled the shinigami across the white floor, several piles of clothes scattered -symmetrically- around the room. At the foot of the bed he stopped and turned to face Kid, and caught his breath when Kid didn't. They both went tumbling into the covers, Kid on top of Star, and the whole world around just stopped, as Kid's lips crashed into his. There wasn't a thought that went through his head, his own limits stretched too far tonight, and BlackStar threaded his fingers through Kid's hair, pushing up against him.

Kid kissed him. That wasn't an accidental touching of mouths, Kid's tongue brushed against his lips and Star opened for him because holy shit this couldn't be actually happening but if it was he wasn't wasting it. It was warm and sweet and when Kid's fingers brushed so softly against BlackStar's cheek he thought he was going to just melt right there.

They only pulled apart because they needed to breathe- and Star actually would have been perfectly happy just fainting from lack of air in that moment. Kid's golden eyes were molten as they watched him, but they were also swimmy and Star looked away with a sigh that was half satisfaction and half disappointment. He put his hand against Kid's chest and shoved him over off of him and onto the bed, sitting up and shaking his head, "You're so fucking drunk."

Kid probably wouldn't even remember this in the morning- which was especially a shame since that was a kiss worth remembering. When no immediate denial of his own drunkenness came, Star looked over at Kid and found his eyes closed, breathing deep and even. He'd fallen asleep.

BlackStar let himself flop back against the mattress, turning to stare at Kid's sunkissed skin lit by the moonlight pouring in through the windows. "You suck so much." His fingers strayed up to his mouth and his tongue darted out to lick his lips. Fruit. Kid's lips tasted like the sangria he'd been drinking all night...

Star grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest, rolling over and wedging himself against Kid's side because the shingami's shoulders were still as bony as ever and hurt to lay on. He couldn't help the smile that tugged at his mouth as he settled in for the night. So maybe sangria wasn't such a bad drink after all, he wouldn't mind tasting it again.

---

BlackStar's feet were rooted to the ground as his entire world crashed down around him. He couldn't move- he couldn't breathe. "Wh-what?"

Kid fidgeted in place, looking away, "Father's sending us- the girls and I, out for training."

'Us'. Always before, 'us' had been 'Kid and BlackStar'. There had been no need to define it, it was always them. Even after the sisters had joined them. "How... how long?"

And again Kid shifted on his feet, uncomfortable and not looking him in the eye, "I don't know. A while. ...Years."

His breath left him in a rush, "Years?! Kid, you've got to go and tell him you won't-"

"I already said yes."

That took all the wind out of Star's sails. Kid had agreed. He'd agreed to this separation. To being away from each other for years when they hadn't been apart since nearly the moment they'd met! "How long do we have? A few weeks left-"

"Tomorrow."

There was no hesitation in the fist that found its way to Kid's cheek, and the bastard shinigami fucker didn't even look up from where he fell as he climbed back to his feet. "You... you traitor." Kid flinched, but BlackStar was far from through with him yet, "You scum-sucking bastard! Together, Kid, remember that?! You swore! You looked me in the eye and swore to me we'd go after our dreams and make them real with our own hands together! And now you're just-just leaving?! Just like that?"

"BlackStar-"

"No! I don't give a fuck for whatever shitty excuse you can come up with. You're leaving, you don't get to play hurt here!" Star's hand fisted as he forced himself to keep from rubbing at his burning eyes. He wasn't about to give Kid the satisfaction of seeing him cry because he was leaving! "Don't expect me to see you off. I have no time for traitors and oathbreakers." He spun on his heels and left.

Kid finally looked up, watching Star stalk off with glassy golden eyes. Someday, Star, you'll see. I'm so sorry, but I have to do this. I have to get stronger. I'll come back someday. For you. That's a promise you can be certain I'll keep.

---

Kid's eyes flickered open, wincing at the sharp sunlight piercing them. He blinked up at the white ceiling, trying to get his bearings while his head throbbed and his stomach gurgled distressingly. Wait, he recognized this ceiling. His gaze flicked around and came to rest on the spikes of blue hair laying on his chest, a pillow over Star's face to block out the light. Kid took a moment to savor the calm view of BlackStar in one of his rare moments. He was so cute like this: with his mouth closed.

Then, without an ounce of remorse, Kid rolled over and threw Star to the floor as he sat up himself. BlackStar didn't even twitch as he sprawled out across the white carpet, pillow landing above him. Kid snickered and got up, running a hand through his hair on the striped side and pausing in midstride. Something about his hair...

He shook his head and made his way to Star's connected bathroom, licking his lips and wondering at the enticing flavor on them. There was something he should be remembering about last night. He chased after the memory, but it kept eluding him. It was hard to grasp after with his stomach clenching ominously and making him swallow, and his head thumping with pain like someone was using his skull for a drum. All puns aside, he felt death. But he struggled after the sense of importance the missing memory taunted him with.

He almost had it, ran his hand through his hair again, and froze, his reflection catching his eye in the mirror.

Kid leaned in desperately, his hair lifted out of the way, and stared at the-the-the brand there on his face! (On only one side!) "BLACKSTAR!"

He looked over murderously at the blue-haired teen leaning against the doorjamb with a glass of something he couldn't identify, "Morning, Kid~!"

"I'll kill you!"

Star hopped back lithely, easily avoiding the soap bottle Kid threw at his head. "C'mon, you're really gonna kill the one offering you the answer to your hangover?"

Kid stopped, hand already pulled back and armed with the toothpaste. Killing Star in gory satisfaction, or relief from his own head's attempts to explode: decisions, decisions... He put down the toothpaste and held out his hand for the glass. He stared at the contents warily when it was handed to him, "Just what is this?"

"It the Amazing Star Hangover Cure, now shut up and drink it."

Kid shrugged and tossed it back. The only thing saving the entire bathroom from a shower of the foul concoction was BlackStar clamping a hand over his mouth. Kid couldn't bite Star in his current position and had no doubt the blue-haired fiend would hold him however long it took for him drink it. Kid swallowed very reluctantly, absolutely certain whatever the hell it was was about to come right back up with the remains of what he'd drank last night.

BlackStar stepped away and Kid stood stone still, just waiting. When, after five minutes, instead of making a violent return, the brew actually seemed to be successfully settling his stomach, he braved the other half left in the glass, shuddering and doing his best not to taste it. Ugh, but it was awful, and he had no desire whatsoever to figure out what Star had put in it.

Seeing that he wasn't in immediate threat of being hurled on or murdered, BlackStar grinned and picked up the glass, spinning it around on his fingertip like it was a ball, "See? And BlackStar saves the day again~!"

"It'd be more impressive if you weren't the one always putting it in jeopardy."

"If you want something done right..."

Kid scoffed, "You are something else."

Star's grin only grew and he held his hands behind his head, "Thanks."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Sure it was, you just don't know it yet."

"Just go before I kill you."

Star blew an airkiss and stepped out. Kid was staring after him, that memory from last night just at the edge of his mind at BlackStar's actions, and Star called out over his shoulder, "Oh, and so you don't smother me in the night later: that tattoo is temporary, so it's not a life of eternal slavery; just for the next month or so." BlackStar's laughter drifted back to him as he was chased out of the bathroom by the mouthwash bottle.

---

Star watched out over his knees from his perch on the highest tower as Kid moved down below, walking towards the stairs for the last time for years to come, Patty and Liz ahead of him as he lagged back.

Star had nursed his hurt all night, not even bothering to crash in Kid's room like they usually did, and locking his so Kid couldn't get in. He'd sat out here all night, watching the stars under which they'd made their promise, and brooding on the loneliness in the years to come. Kid and the sisters, they were his only friends- the only ones who could tolerate him at all, and they were leaving.

And he'd be all alone once again. Kid wouldn't be around to help him drive their tutors nuts, wouldn't be around to straighten his room into perfect symmetry while Star trained and they talked. Kid wouldn't be around to fly with him. BlackStar would be grounded for the next several years, unable to feel that freedom. Kid was leaving.

That wasn't like a friend moving away, that was like losing an arm. What would he do without Kid there to help him out of the trouble he always managed to get into? Who would he measure himself against as they struggled towards their dreams? Who would dream with him? Who would share the calm quiet of the stars in the night? The magic of watching the night sky in winter when it was so much clearer and more there?

They were each other's opposites, their other half. And Kid was leaving.

His eyes widened as he watched the shinigami set foot on the top step. Holy shit, Kid was leaving! Star shot to his feet. Kid was leaving, and he wasn't about to let him leave things how they'd ended them yesterday. He wasn't going to see Kid off with temper and angry words.

"KIIIIID!" he didn't hesitate to jump from the tower top without a care, plummeting over a hundred feet towards the courtyard. In a flash of pink, his feet impacted with a couple dozen yards to go, Beelzebub catching him just as it had so many times before and carrying him smoothly to the ground. BlackStar lunged from the board and into Kid's chest, both of them still for a moment.

"Star?"

BlackStar stepped back- but only a little, and smiled up at Kid even as his chest tightened again and his eyes stung. He didn't bother wiping at them this time, either. "You better work your ass off, Symmetry Man, or else you'll come back to me being a big star while you're still training away."

Kid gulped, his own eyes suspiciously glassy, and nodded, "I-I will. I'll get stronger, Star. I'll come back and you won't even recognize me."

"I'm still going to beat your ass when you get back here. That's a promise."

"I won't let you win so easily, you know."

Star's grin was large, and if it wavered slightly, neither of them mentioned it, "Let me? Just try and stop me!"

"We'll see who wins."

"Right here, this spot, as soon as you get back, got it? So make sure you aren't suffering jet-lag or anything. I don't want any excuses marring my win."

Kid nodded again, "Right here. It's a- it's a promise. I promise, Star."

BlackStar swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand to get rid of the blurriness, "When you come back, we'll both be- both be stronger. But don't... don't get too strong, okay, Kid?" Star leaned further forward, "You've got a promise to keep. We promised together, remember?"

Kid sniffed, "I remember."

BlackStar held up his arm, "Together."

Kid's eyes widened at the tears coursing down his cheeks before his own overflowed and he held his arm up to match, their gazes locked like their wrists. Kid gave him a trembling smile, "Goodbye, Star."

BlackStar shook his head, his own smile less wavery, "It's not goodbye: it's hello."

Kid nodded a final time and they held their position for several heartbeats, neither wanting to be the one to look away, before Liz called for him. Kid reluctantly let his arm fall and turned away, hurrying down the steps while BlackStar was left at the top.

Star swiped furiously at his eyes. He couldn't just let Kid go like that, all weepy and teary. So he wiped the tears away and cupped his hands around his mouth, "GO GET 'EM, KID! KICK SOME ASS!" He waved like a maniac, not caring what any of the other students around him thought.

But he knew he'd gotten his message across when Kid stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around, waving himself, both of them grinning hugely. Star watched until they were out of sight, then watched some more. He held his hand to his chest, smiling softly. Because I'll be waiting here for you when you get back. ...It's a promise.

---

Kid came out of the bathroom and found BlackStar on the bed again, in almost the same spot as before. They were both silent as Kid laid back down with him, Star rolling over and digging his pointed little chin into Kid's shoulder, just watching them watch each other.

Then BlackStar smiled -not a grin, or a smirk, just a soft, heart-warming, tender smile- voice gentle and quiet, "Hello."

Kid closed his eyes for a moment as emotion rose up from his chest to swamp him. He leaned his head against Star's, his own voice a mere whisper, "Hello."

Years may have passed, but they were just as in sync as before, and needed no more words to get their messages across.

I'm back, I'm home, Star.

Welcome home, Kid.