Title: Eternal
Author: Traxits
Fandom(s): Loveless and Star Ocean 2.
Crossover Note: Leon is the only thing from Star Ocean 2. He crossed over into the Loveless realm. For those not familiar with Dr. Leon Gehste of SO2, he is a professor (at age 12), and he does have cat ears. He does not, however, have a tail.
Rating: PG-13.
Content Notes: Mild blood, references to violence.
Chapter Word Count: 5103 words.
Summary: Dr. Leon Gehste is experimenting with his newest spell when something goes wrong. Suddenly, he is flung, not through realities, but back through time. Stranded when he can't get the spell to work again, he settles in for the long haul, blending in as best he can. This means school (elementary school at that), where he meets an interesting individual.
Author's Note(s): You don't actually need to know a whole lot about the Star Ocean universe to enjoy this story. Just accept that Leon is intelligent, can cast spells, and has cat ears but no tail. Also, I went with the literal spelling of his last name, instead of the translated "Geeste" or "Gehste" because it seemed to fit in more.

レオン・D・S・ゲーステ (Reon D.S. Gēsute)

Finally, "crests" or "Symbology" refers to the magic that Leon wields. A power word (or Symbol) is inked into his body using a special kind of ink that lights up whenever he uses the spell. I will provide more details on this in later chapters, when he actually casts spells, but for now, just think of his crests as clear tattoos.

[[ … Prologue: Endless Stars ….. ]]

The world was swimming, coming and going even as Leon reached out, tried desperately to grasp something- anything. He couldn't stay on his feet, couldn't keep his eyes open. "Claude-nii-san," he whispered, his voice cracking just slightly as his fingers caught on something cold, something solid. Slowly, he pulled himself closer to it, wrapped his fingers all the way around it and clung to it for all he was worth. It wasn't like riding out a storm, but more like riding out wave after wave of nauseating colors and sounds. All of his senses were overwhelmed: the light was too bright, all of the sounds too loud, his skin felt as though it were on fire, everything from flowers to car exhaust filled his nose, and he could taste... strawberries? He coughed. No, not anything sweet, but bile. The back of his throat was burning, the taste coating his tongue, making him gag.

Just as suddenly, everything washed away, leaving him gasping and struggling to open his eyes. When he finally managed to, he realized that he was wrapped almost completely around one leg of a swing set. Carefully, he pushed himself up onto his shaking legs, and he looked up at the sky overhead. For just a moment, he felt terrible hysteria setting in, a bubbling panic that made him tremble and forced a scream just to his lips. As he opened his mouth though, his eyes locked on a cluster of stars. Three of them, in a slightly crooked line.

The noise died before he could give breath to it, and he breathed in deeply as he sought out the rest of the constellation, the only one he'd had time to learn so far. His hands clenched into fists, and slowly, he forced himself to calm down, to look around. Whatever had gone wrong, he could fix it, he just had to keep his head. Claude wasn't with him this time; there would be no slap to return him to his senses. Hesitantly, he reached up and touched his cheek with his fingertips, remembering the sting, needing to remember it.

He felt the heat of the crest finally beginning to fade, and Leon twisted around, peeling down his lab coat and shirt, checking it carefully. The very outer edges of the symbol were raised (that was normal), and blood was beginning to drip from the design (normal since he'd not waited before trying to cast), having long since washed away the scab that had only begun to cover it. He knew better, he really did. A crest needed time to set, the ink had to mix properly under the skin before the spell would work. He had been reckless and stupid and now he was paying for it.

The shirt was pressed down against the blood, and Leon tugged his lab coat back up and over his shoulders. Slowly, he dusted himself off, and by the time he was done, he'd managed to suppress the urge to throw up. He might have been foolish before, but he was taking no chances. The teleport spell he had been trying clearly sent him somewhere, and if he couldn't get back on his own, he just had to wait for Claude and Rena and Precis to mount a rescue. They would come for him. He just had to be patient.

He blew out a breath, and he started walking, heading toward the brightest of the lights he could see. He was in some kind of park, judging from the greenery and the playground equipment. Absently, he tugged his lab coat more tightly around him, and he folded his arms up close to his body. He didn't mind the cold so much, but he had to be careful about it. He could get sick easily, especially if the spell had sent him to some other planet (highly improbable, but not impossible) instead of to Claude's private residence on Earth. He really shouldn't have tried teleporting from the spaceship while it had been in orbit, he supposed as he reached the sidewalk. A glance each way, and he decided on left before he started walking again. He had a lot of work to do, whatever had happened.

[[ … Chapter One: Adaptation ….. ]]

"Shinonome-sensei?" Leon stood in the open doorway, his paperwork clasped in front of him, supported by a thick notebook that he didn't feel comfortable being without. His fingers curled over the top of it- they ached to hold a good clipboard, but kids his age didn't carry those here- and he bowed to the first woman that he saw. She blushed darkly, and for just a moment, he stilled, certain he'd managed to breach some terrible protocol. He'd only been in this country now for three days (most of that was spent in front of a computer, trying to figure out how to make himself an identity that would pass their inspection), and some of the customs seemed to make no sense to him. She smiled though, and he returned it; he must not have messed up too much.

"You must be Gēsute Leon-kun?" She bent down a little, tilting her head as she put her hands on her knees. It was such a child-like position, that Leon couldn't help but grin. She made him think of Rena (with brown hair instead of blue), even if she did have cat ears. … And a tail. Self-consciously, he pulled down on the jacket he'd carelessly tied around his waist. "You're alone today?" She sounded strangely resigned, as though she was certain of his answer before he even opened his mouth. It made him uncomfortable

"Yes, miss. My parents couldn't make it today, but I do already have all of the paperwork in order." He tightened his grip on the notebook briefly before he relinquished the folder that was sitting on top of it. Everything in there was perfect, flawless transcripts from his 'old' school, all of the paperwork necessary to transfer from one real school to another, without ever actually having attended the first. He had been meticulous, even while he was hoping that they wouldn't have to be used for more than a few weeks. Surely he could get home before it stretched into months. She took the folder and set it on the desk without ever glancing at it, but there was the slightest frown on her face as she looked at him.

She didn't argue with him, just kind of sighed and motioned for him to follow her. "Let's introduce you then," she said softly, her eyes unfocused as she led him down the hall toward the class. She pointed out several other rooms on the way- as though he couldn't read the signs- and each time she looked at him expectantly. He hesitated only briefly before he offered her his best smile, trying to look as though this were engaging. He really hoped that this wasn't what he had to look forward to for the next several years.

But what else could he do? He was stuck four hundred and fifty-one years in the past, and not only that, but he couldn't seem to make the teleport spell work again; he'd reopened that wound several times the past three days trying, but to no avail. He couldn't even teleport across the room. He sighed faintly, glaring at the door they were approaching. Then he felt the teacher looking at him, and he beamed back up at her. No use worrying the poor woman. There was nothing that she could do for him.

It wasn't until he was in front of the crowd- he'd always hated public speaking- that he had to pretend to look interested and engaged in meeting his classmates. He hoped no one noticed that he was gripping the notebook so tightly that his knuckles were white. Wouldn't do to appear too nervous, would it?

"Everyone, this is Gēsute Leon-kun. He's just transferred from an American school."

"It's nice to meet you all." He reached up and scratched the back of his head with his free hand, trying not to actually look at anyone in particular. If his luck would improve at all, he wouldn't be here for very long, so there was no point in trying to get to know anyone. He spotted an empty desk, near the back, and he hurried to it, wondering for a moment why it was empty as it was situated by a window that he could look out of. Then he spotted the problem with it: one of the legs was missing the end cap. Leon glanced around, didn't see another desk, so he shrugged a little, ripped out a piece of paper and folded it up to fit under the leg. Until he could fix it properly, that would serve.

He spent the rest of the class period, trying to not look at anyone, trying to look as though he were actually paying attention to the lesson. Certainly, he had enough willpower that he didn't spend the entire morning doodling in his notebook, sketching all twenty of the crests that decorated his body in their invisible ink. He wasn't called on to answer any questions, and by the time they stopped for lunch, he realized belatedly that he was starving.

Lunch was easy enough, and he was on his way to his chair when quite suddenly, he was staring a rather large pair of- He swallowed, smiled and tilted his head to look up. He was used to glancing up to talk to just about everyone, even Precis, the only other friend he'd really had close to his own age (was four years older close to his age? Closer than Rena and them, he supposed), but this was a little ridiculous. What was she, a full foot taller than him? "Hi."

"Leon-kun?" She was smiling widely, and Leon couldn't help but return it. She was so energetic. "Leon-kun, come and sit with us!" She motioned toward her desk, where another boy was sitting already, waiting for her to come back. He stilled for just a moment, and then relented. What could it hurt? And she was so much like Precis, not in looks but in personality. Bubbly and happy and energetic... it was a little slice of home in this completely alien place.

She stopped him just before they reached the desks and pointed to herself, blushing softly. "Hawatari Yuiko. Call me Yuiko, Leon-kun!"

Leon smiled back at her, amused at how over the top she really was. "I'll call you Yuiko-san," he said quietly, ignoring how she frowned at the idea.

"It's Yuiko!" She sat in her seat lightly, and Leon froze for only a moment as he glanced around, looking for whoever sat in the desk he was about to borrow. Not seeing anyone, he lowered himself into it very slowly. "Ritsuka-kun, this is Leon-kun."

Ritsuka lifted his eyes slowly, studied Leon for a moment, then nodded, a small smile on his face. "Leon-kun?" he asked quietly, and Leon wasn't quite certain if he was asking if it was okay if he used the name or if he was just making certain he heard it correctly. Leon smiled as warmly as he could and shrugged, as though to say 'why not?' Ritsuka's smile widened just a fraction, then he was back to opening his milk, getting ready to eat.

Strangely, Leon's appetite seemed to have vanished, but he forced himself to eat everything, knowing that until he figured out the kitchen in his apartment, this would be his best meal of the day. Yuiko talked enough for all three of them, and aside from her occasional, "Yeah, Ritsuka-kun?" Or, "Right, Leon-kun?" She didn't seem to need much input at all. Leon managed to eat his entire lunch before he was finally forced to answer an actual question.

"You're American, Leon-kun?" Her eyes were sparkling and Leon noticed that she'd barely made it through half of her own meal. She'd been talking too much.

"No," he said quietly, mentally preparing himself for it. He'd delivered the lie in front of a mirror, but not yet in front of a person. Should have taken more time to prepare before he enrolled in the school? "I'm Japanese, but we only just moved back. My father worked in Seattle." He tried to sound casual as he spoke, and he bought himself a brief pause as he finished off his milk. "Just got everything in order for me to return to school."

"How interesting!"

Did she sound this excited about everything? Leon tilted his head as he studied her. She seemed a little foolish, but she was kind. And kind was exactly what he needed right then. It was exactly what he might need in the coming weeks, depending on whether or not Claude and everyone could perfect time travel. He suppressed a slight snort at the idea, realizing that it would be terrible manners since they were technically at the lunch 'table'- did three desks shoved together constitute a table?

"Yeah. Interesting." Leon glanced down, then back up at Yuiko and Ritsuka. It was probably also rude to just outright ask, but... He stopped himself. It wasn't any of his business what they were together. Besides, a couple wouldn't have invited him to eat with them, would they? He frowned just slightly, thinking about it. Yuiko was awfully familiar with, well, even a complete stranger such as himself. Perhaps she really was just over-enthusiastic?

"Lunch is over, everyone. Let's clean up." Shinonome-sensei's voice interrupted him, and he was grateful for it. The motion of cleaning up his lunch tray and then helping pick up and straighten the classroom gave him something to do. By the time they were done and classes had started again, Leon was more relaxed. He'd managed most of a day so far, with very little interaction at all. If every day went by that way, he could do this. It would even give him time to work out some of his theories- he could write them in Expellian, and no one here would be able to decode them for another... 400 years. The thought brought a very small but genuine smile to his face.

Regrettably, every day did not go that smoothly, Leon learned. It was his third day at the school (a Friday). He had almost made it the entire day through, but right as he moved to escape, as he turned to head out the door, pack slung over one shoulder, he felt someone lay a hand on him. He jerked away, his eyes widening that someone had the audacity-

But then, why wouldn't they? The thought was slow coming, unwelcome, even though he knew it was a completely logical conclusion. He wasn't the lead scientist for the Lacuer Royal Court here. Hell, he wasn't even a professor here. So when they shoved him, he hesitated, uncertain of what he was supposed to do. His fist clenched, and he knew what Dias would say: hit them. Hit them square in the jaw and force them to leave you alone. Claude would probably second that motion.

"Shorty," the favorite taunt, the one that stung the most. "Where are you going?"

Leon's face flushed, and he growled lowly, warning them. He could feel the surge of adrenaline beginning to rush through his veins, feel the heat of crests in his skin as they prepared for him to pick one, to unleash the power that was coursing through him. Burning heat flared in his shoulder, where the teleport crest began to ache. Was it infected? Or was the adrenaline just too much for it to handle? Was it bleeding again? He gritted his teeth but didn't say anything, instead choosing to start walking again, to ignore them. He needed to check the bandage over the crest on his shoulder.

Then he felt the notebook sliding out from under his arm. He reached back, tried to grab it, but the kid who took it just held it up out of his reach. Leon's face burned more brightly- he felt like it was on fire- and he lowered his arms, doing his best to look dignified as he demanded, "Give it back."

"What are you always writing in this anyway, chubby?" A low rumble of chuckles, and Leon lunged for it, trying to grab the book before his bully opened it, ignoring the comment about his weight. He wasn't that much softer than anyone else here. A quick shove pushed him out of the way, and the kid (was he even in Leon's class?) opened the book, thumbed through it, and snorted loudly. "It's not even proper writing! Did you never learn Japanese, foreigner?"

Leon scowled darkly, muttering, "Maybe you should study English more instead of insulting my Japanese." The jab didn't help his situation, and he knew he had dug his own hole when the youth closed the notebook and narrowed his eyes. Someone else grabbed his arms, and the leader leaned down, tapping the corner of the notebook against Leon's nose.

"Maybe you should learn some manners." And with that, the book was thrown, much to Leon's horror, across the yard. It hit the side of the school and slid pitifully to the ground, papers flying everywhere. Loose sheets that Leon had found and saved, notes written on the backs of napkins or fliers, and even some of the older pages that Leon had worn down already until they barely clung to the wire spiral all exploded out.

"Stop it!"

Leon blinked, and his captor dropped him as Ritsuka walked out of the school, his eyes sharp and piercing on everyone.

"It seems that it is you who need to learn some manners," Ritsuka stated calmly as he closed the distance between them. "You don't deserve to live if you're going to be like this." For a moment, Leon thought that it was going to come down to something more violent than simple insults- his crests flared briefly, reminding him that he was not helpless.

"What's going on out there?" Some teacher, Leon didn't recognize her, stuck her head out of a window to yell, and the boys scattered, leaving just Leon and Ritsuka staring at each other. Leon bit the inside of his cheek as he considered his position, then sighed.

"Thank you," he said quietly before he moved to begin gathering his papers. Ritsuka paused, clearly having expected something else, but what Leon couldn't have said. When the other youth started helping him gather up the sheets, Leon blushed just slightly and added, "You don't have to help. I'll be better prepared next time." He wouldn't keep the book out next time; he'd leave school just a little earlier to beat the crowd. He'd run if necessary. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself by being the hapless victim to a group of primitive Earthlings.

Ritsuka handed him the papers, a faint smile on his lips, and he tilted his head to study Leon. What was he waiting for? Leon had thanked him, had severed any further obligation that he might have had. He had even offered him a graceful way out. But instead, Ritsuka was just looking at him curiously. Leon found his blush deepening. "Aoyagi-kun?"

Ritsuka opened his mouth, but just as he went to speak, another voice interrupted him.

"Leon-kun!" Yuiko bounded up to them, another boy (was that Yayoi-kun?) behind her. She studied them both, and Leon realized that it must have looked odd, with them crouched down together like that just outside of one of the windows. Quickly, he stood up, swinging his bag around so that he could shove the notebook inside of it.

"Yuiko-san," he answered softly, his eyes cutting back to Ritsuka for a moment before returning to her. She smiled widely, took his hand, and tugged on it a little.

"You're going to come and play with us, right? With Ritsuka-kun, Yayoi-kun, and Yuiko?"

He returned her smile and let her tug him closer to her, his ears lowering just slightly. "If Yuiko-san insists." How could he tell her no, when she was the only person he saw who smiled at him every day? No matter what, when she saw him, she lit up, genuinely happy that he was at school. It made up for the mind-numbing classes that he'd forced himself to read the books for.

"Yuiko insists," she corrected, sniffing loudly, but both of her friends ducked their heads to hide their smiles. Leon didn't bother, instead grinning openly, even as she started to tug him down the sidewalk. "We are going to the park, Leon-kun. Do you like taking pictures?"

His eyebrows raised at the seemingly unrelated statements. He glanced past Yuiko toward Ritsuka, who blushed just slightly. Was he the photographer then? "Who doesn't?" he asked, shrugging slightly. "Do you take pictures, Yuiko-san?" His eyes never left Ritsuka though, and despite how rude he knew it was, he couldn't help it. Out of the group, Ritsuka was easily the most interesting person, if only because of how reserved he was.

"Oh, no!" Yuiko laughed, and if it was a touch too loud, no one seemed to notice. "Ritsuka-kun takes pictures! Yayoi-kun and I are just there for the memories." Leon finally tore his gaze away in order to look over at Yayoi instead.

"Yayoi-kun?" he asked, and the boy nodded, a soft smile on his face. He seemed quiet, but kind, much like Yuiko. Leon decided almost immediately that he liked him, strange as he knew it was. At least Leon was fitting in though. "Nice to meet you." He pried his arm out of Yuiko's clutches and nodded to Yayoi. "Gēsute Leon," he added, reaching up to brush his hair back.

"Leon-kun," Yayoi said cordially, and for just a moment, his eyes lingered on the top of Leon's head. Leon felt himself beginning to flush once more, and he tried to breathe deeply, to prevent it. He was achingly aware of the fact that he was the shortest person in the group, and by a few inches at that.

Their trip was passed in relative quiet, with Yuiko chattering and stopping only to pick up drinks before they found the park. Leon wasn't surprised to find that it was the same one that he'd been dropped in by his teleport spell. He had done his best to remain close by, in case Claude and everyone appeared there to rescue him. He rolled his shoulders, wondering if perhaps all of the blood had washed some of the ink out of the crest. If that was the case, he might have to resort to drastic measures to get home. … Assuming he could get back at all.

Ritsuka took Leon's drink from him, opening it easily before he returned it. Leon's blush darkened- was he doomed to be permanently embarrassed while he was here?- as he realized that he was so spacy he hadn't even opened it first. "Thank you, Aoyagi-kun," he said softly, looking down at the top of the bottle.

"Ritsuka." The youth offered him a smile, and then pulled a camera out of his bag. All of the bags were dropped on the top of the first table they found, and Leon perched on the edge of it as Ritsuka and the others began snapping pictures. He took a long drink of the juice he'd bought- carrot!- and almost snorted it when Ritsuka casually snapped a picture of him. They all three laughed at his face, and for a moment, he felt the old temper flaring. He had suffered more indignities in the past few days than he had in most of his life, and yet-

He stilled, and then a very small smile touched his face. And yet he was enjoying it, wasn't he? Ritsuka lowered the camera slowly, clearly worried that he'd done something wrong. Leon managed a small grin in return, and he set the juice on the edge of the table before he leaned over. He hesitated just a moment before he said, "I think we need some pictures with you in them, Ritsuka-kun." He was pleased when Ritsuka shoved the camera into his hands, and he happily took pictures of the three of them. Then Yayoi took pictures, then Yuiko snapped a few, and finally, Ritsuka charmed some passerby into taking pictures of all four of them. She seemed happy enough to do it, and Leon had to admit, it was a lot more fun than he'd ever thought it could be.

By the time they were all done, Leon was far more tired than he should have been- relief, perhaps? He walked with them as they all headed home, uncertain of how exactly he could manage to untangle himself, manage to get away to head back to his own place. They all walked as a tight group, all the way up until Yayoi and Yuiko said their goodbyes and turned down another street. Leon glanced up at Ritsuka, and he hesitated. Then he relented and decided he would at least see Ritsuka to his home. Ritsuka was far more vulnerable to any predators than Leon was, after all.

Sighing softly, Leon untied the jacket from around his waist, shifting the weight of the backpack as he did. Ritsuka was typing something on his phone, and Leon carefully pulled the jacket on, one sleeve at a time. Now that they weren't goofing off and being silly, he was getting cold, and he welcomed the warmth of the fleece liner. Absently, he rubbed it against his cheek, and when he heard the camera click again, he flushed, glaring at Ritsuka.

"What was that?" he asked, but there wasn't any anger in it. How could there be, when Ritsuka was looking through their pictures with such a smile on his face?

"You looked happy. I wanted to remember you like that."

Leon stilled, the words striking surprisingly deep. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this at ease, this... content with everything. At least, he couldn't remember anything outside of the stolen moments on the road to saving Expel. Now that it was all gone, he didn't have anything to control, anything to care for. Nothing aside for himself, and he was easy enough.

He was going to say something in response, he knew that much. The words were there, but they didn't have a chance to come out. His head lifted, and his eyes widened as he scented power. It wasn't exactly Heraldry- Symbology, as Claude called it- but it was something similar. Instinctively, he stepped between Ritsuka and the source, painfully aware that the street they were on was sorely lacking in the hero department.

A tall man stepped into view, and Leon's breathing hitched. The power rolled off of him in waves, even as casual as he appeared to be, his hands in his pockets. However, his eyes landed on Leon, and he seemed to tense. Leon's fist clenched.

"Ritsuka." The man's voice was low, even. Calm. It made something stir in Leon's stomach, but before Leon could do anything, Ritsuka was smiling and stepping up beside him, beaming at the man.

"Soubi." His voice was oddly tender, and for a moment, Leon felt his chest grow tight. He'd heard that tone before many times: when Rena and Claude spoke to one another, away from the group, when they thought no one could hear; when Opera and Ernest had a minute to themselves; even when Ashton spoke to Dias.

After just a second, Soubi approached them, still eying Leon carefully, even as he wrapped an arm around Ritsuka's shoulders. Ritsuka leaned into it, his eyes closing briefly before he pushed out of the embrace and smiled at Leon. "Leon-kun, this is Soubi."

"Soubi-nii-san," Leon bowed very slightly, just the inclination of his head as he tried to figure out if Ritsuka could feel the same power from Soubi that he could. "It's nice to meet you."

Soubi didn't answer right away, just narrowed his eyes, and Leon felt his adrenaline beginning to surge. He didn't want a confrontation, not in public, not when he was just beginning to fit in. He tried to keep himself calm, tried to regulate his breathing- breathe in four counts, breathe out five- but it didn't seem to be helping. He felt crests beginning to heat up, pain in his shoulder, and he quickly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, just as the crests on his wrists flared. He breathed a very slow sigh of relief when Soubi finally looked away, looked back at Ritsuka.

They exchanged low words, and then Ritsuka looked back at him oddly, before Soubi started walking with them, protectively placing himself between Ritsuka and Leon. Leon followed idly, feeling very much like the third wheel, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Finally, they stopped, and Leon opened his mouth to make his excuses, to escape, only to be stopped when Soubi raised one of his hands. Ritsuka bounded up to the door, and the moment he was out of earshot, Soubi turned to look at Leon.

"What's your name?"

Something about the way he asked it made Leon nervous, but he resisted the urge to bite his lip, even when his crests flared back to life. "Gēsute Leon," he answered, proud of how steady his voice was. He frowned though, when Soubi waved one of his hands.

"No, your real name."

"Leon?" He swallowed, wondering what exactly the man was trying to get at. Leon had purposely used his real name, not that anyone where would recognize it, so that he wouldn't have to learn a new one. Soubi stared at him for just a moment more, but then Ritsuka was calling from the door.

"Are you two coming in?"

Soubi drew back just a little, and then he said quietly, "You're a Sentouki. Which pair are you with?"

"A... Sentouki?" Leon's brow furrowed, and he tried to figure out what exactly Soubi was talking about. "A fighter? I am not." It wasn't a lie either. He was a Master of Symbology, a Heraldic Artist. Not some sort of brute muscle. Whatever a Sentouki was, it didn't apply to him. "You're mistaken, Soubi-nii-san."

"Soubi? Leon-kun?" Ritsuka stood in the doorway, and Leon looked from Soubi to the youth.

"Are we going in?" He glanced back up to Soubi. Was all of this worth it? Was he getting mixed up in something over his head?

Soubi didn't answer, but instead simply headed to the doorway. Ritsuka waited for a moment, as Leon forcibly slowed his breathing, made his crests stop glowing.

"You coming, Leon-kun?" He tilted his head a little, and Leon hesitated. He shouldn't. This seemed incredibly foolish. But then he looked up at Ritsuka, who was standing in the doorway, staring at him so carefully. Perhaps a little foolishness was tolerable?