Useless Notes: Yet another attempt of mine at crack, this time featuring my favorite Fraccion Avirama Redder and Mila-Rose. The story may have gone against their emotions in the manga, but I still hope this is appreciated, even if the characters used here didn't last long in the series.

Preferred Background Music: "Will of the Heart" from the Bleach soundtrack. I found out that reading this with this piano instrumental in the background is enough to make this seem real enough. Like you imagine all of this actually playing out in the series. Or maybe that's just my over imaginative side talking.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Kubo Tite. I just borrowed them for a little while for this story.

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"I wonder why you had to die without a chance to say goodbye. Eileen and family."

- Epitaph on Private A. Richard's gravestone

The Eagle and The Lioness

Avirama gulped as he felt the cold steel come into contact with his neck. His wings are heavy now (they must weigh more than a ton) and he is briefly amazed at how the sword of the morose-looking shinigami fits his head perfectly.

He feels so tired now from the battle and it's only now the fatigue sinks in. Besides his wings, everything else in his body ached and felt heavy. And it confuses him now, but he feels scared all of a sudden as the idea of death becomes very real to the once proud Fraccion.

He hears the shinigami talking, but he can't seem to hear him. Instead, the only thing in his mind, in his heart and in his ears now is something he hasn't felt in so long: fear.

"Please…" he pleads. "D-don't…"

Avirama starts to worry now, and his thoughts immediately go to her. Right now, she's in some other fight, with some other opponent, while he knows he's almost done. The fear that comes out of a voice he doesn't recognize and the fact that he's on his knees at this very moment are enough to put a scowl on his face. He disgusts himself so much, but he knows he has no other option. He's afraid that once he's done, the shinigami will go after Mila-Rose.

"A warrior shouldn't beg for his life," the shinigami says from above him.

"It's not just my life I'm begging for, you bastard…" Avirama feels like saying, but he knows he can't. The time for words is long over, after all.

He feels the sword jerk and he knows it's over.

"So long, Mila-Rose," he thinks, and he sincerely hopes she can hear him no matter where she is. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise, babe."

He feels like smiling. He wants to smile at the thought of her, but even the shinigami wouldn't allow that.

The sword pulls through his neck instantly and the last thing Avirama Redder sees is Mila-Rose's smiling face.

"I'll miss you, girl… I love you."

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And suddenly, in the middle of her own battle, Mila-Rose can't explain it, but she just knows he's gone. She feels him go and she has to put her sword down for a while. She has to do something- anything- to keep herself from collapsing.

His death was quick, she could tell, and she feels the sharp sting of the tears behind her eyes, threatening to pour out. She fights the urge to cry, knowing he won't be coming back, despite the promise he made.

When the news of the war first broke out, Avirama wasn't the least bit worried about the whole thing- in fact, he was carefree, so relaxed and excited about it. Despite her growing nervousness and fear on the outcome, Avirama had smiled at her and told her not to worry. He promised to come out alive in the end and that he wouldn't die.

Now, after feeling him disappear, Mila-Rose started to pick up the pieces of a broken promise. This time, she would fight and come out of this whole mess alive- for him.

The tall Fraccion rubbed at her eyes and raised her head toward her opponent. She was glad to see that no one had noticed her momentary break-down.

She goes numb and starts to stop caring about dying. Right now, her thoughts are on Avirama. She was going to fight- and kill- this shinigami for him. And once she was done with her, she would move on and kill Avirama's killer next. If Avirama couldn't keep his promise (boneheaded man that he was), then Mila-Rose could keep it for the both of them.

And so, along with Apache and Sun-Sun, Mila-Rose tears off her arm and summons Allon.

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A/N: Maybe after this story, I won't be the only one in the universe who thinks these two can hook up. Thanks for reading!