Wow, okay... so another story to mull over... this idea would not leave me alone, and I just couldn't fight the urge to write it out, if only to get out of my head and I can focus on other stories that need to be finished up first...

Setting: After series ends
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Angst
Rating: G/PG
Summary: A name engraved in stone can not be changed, but perhaps fate prefers to believe otherwise. If you were to glimpse of a future where you could see your fate, and know exactly how it would affect the people closest to you, would you alter it?
Warnings: Uh... if you're prone to being overly emotional like me?... might want tissues...

Engraved in Stone

He watched her from the doorway, leaning against the frame with nostalgic smile as she fiddled with the skirt of her dress. A hand checked the veil one last time, straightening out the sleeves, making sure the flowers in the bouquet had not fallen apart with all her meddling. The sun was filtering through the sheer curtains on the windows, creating an illuminating glow around her silhouette; he couldn't help the pride that was blossoming in his chest. Her dark chocolate brown eyes finally looked up to his presence, letting out a startled noise.

"Dad – you should've said something if you were here this whole time!" Kaede complained. Kotetsu only laughed before walking into the room, shrugging his shoulders.

"I was wondering when you'd notice me," he teased, lightly tapping her nose. The young woman only sighed, shaking her head at him before noticing his tie was a little crooked, putting the bouquet down to fix it up. Kotetsu let her, simply gazing at her hands make quick work of his tie, flattening out his coat collar with an approving nod.

"There – perfect!"

"Thank you my dear, but I could've done it myself."

"You would've done it properly the first time then – ties are part of your wardrobe after all," she simply replied. Kotetsu chuckled at the comeback, looking at his grown-up daughter with a tender smile; he reached a hand out for her cheek, gently brushing his thumb along her soft, fair skin.

"You look so much like your mother now… this really brings back memories," he sighed. Kaede only smiled softly at him, the two staring eye to eye for a moment before Kotetsu mocked fake tears, reaching out to pull her close to his chest. "Iya! Papa doesn't want you to get married yet! I don't want you to grow up!"

"Honestly – you're never going to see me as an adult, are you?" Kaede laughed, gently poking him in the side. Kotetsu released her, giving her a wink as he laughed in return.

"I can't help it – you could be a hundred years old with a full head of gray and still be my little baby girl," he answered teasingly. The woman only smiled, shaking her head as she reached to pick up her flowers; Kotetsu held out his arm for her to take, placing his hand over hers. "Shall we get going then? Your poor husband-to-be looked like he's going to faint any minute now."

Kaede only laughed, letting her father lead her out of the room and down the awaiting aisle to the altar. Kotetsu gave small nods in regards to the people he knew standing the pews – mostly the other Heroes, and a few associates from his work, finally getting to the stand where the priest, the groom and his mother were standing. He gave his daughter one last hug, receiving a kiss on the cheek in return before he handed her over to the man she was about to marry. Kotetsu thought he was a bit of nerd, but if Kaede was happy with him, then he didn't really mind much; he couldn't help but laugh at the thought that his family seemed to prefer partners with glasses.

Tomoe had worn glasses in high school, the woman his brother had finally married also wore glasses – even this man standing here holding hands with Kaede wore glasses, although right now he was wearing contacts since this was a special occasion. The vows were said, the rings exchanged and a kiss was shared; Kaede did the customary throw of the bouquet, the lucky woman catching it was none other than Karina Lyle, a deep blush coming to her face at all the teasing that she and Keith would be next. The reception and after party went as normal – a speech for the newly wedded couple, the pair's first dance, the cutting of the cake, the daughter's dance with her father, and of course the final surprise gift of an all-expense paid trip for a tropical honeymoon (courtesy of one Nathan Seymour). Kotetsu stumbled a little as he was being supported by his daughter and her now husband as they escorted him to his hotel room.

"Really, I'm fine – go off and have some private time together, yeah?" Kotetsu ushered, fumbling with clumsy hands for the key card to his room. Kaede gave him a worrying glance, helping him with the card as she slide it in and out of the slot, opening the door for him.

"Are you sure? I don't want you hurting yourself," she expressed. Kotetsu waved a hand in the air, giving her a drunk smile.

"Ii yo, ii – daijoubu dakara shinpai shinai yo!"

"You've definitely had too much to drink – you're slurring in Japanese now," she sighed, gently massaging her forehead. Her husband only smiled, shrugging his shoulders at the scene; Kotetsu placed a hand on her shoulder, giving his daughter a steady, serious smile.

"Really, I'll be fine, so go be with your husband for tonight, alright?" he pressured steadily. Kaede only gave him one last glance, before sighing and nodding her head. She called over her shoulder that they'd be four doors down the hall, and wished him a good night; Kotetsu waved, watching the couple walked down the hall before heading into his room, letting the door swing shut. He didn't bother with the lights, shrugging his dress coat off before reaching to undo the tie, tossing both articles over a vague shadow he presumed was a chair. He kicked off his shoes before nearly tumbling on to the bed as his knees bumped against it, groaning slightly as he felt around for the pillows, collapsing face first into the downy soft material.

It was hard to draw a steady, even breath like this and for a moment he couldn't bring himself to shift his position, wondering what it'd be like to suffocate like this. The silence of the room was eerily depressing, the thick-lined curtains drawn across the windows blocking out the city lights – for a moment, he felt like he really did die because of all this stillness. The slight burn in his chest said otherwise, Kotetsu heaving himself up to lay on his side with a heavy sigh, his body grateful at finally being able to breathe properly. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, able to make out vague outlines of the room, seeing a hint of a desk, an arm chair in the corner and a closed cabinet that no doubt housed a TV set.

He was half tempted to open that cabinet and turn the TV on for some noise sakes, but he didn't feel like getting off the bed, rolling on to his back to stare up at the ceiling. He lifted his left hand to his face, gazing at his ring finger to the two bands circling around it – a silver one and a gold one; he brought them down to his face, gently pressing them against his lips. He felt a prick of tears threatening to spill, quickly dismissing the thought as he turned back on his side, shoving his hands under the pillow. He had hoped the alcohol would've knocked him out into a dreamless sleep by now, but it was having the opposite effect as all these memories were swimming through his head. He gritted his teeth, burying his face hard enough into the pillow that he was sure he'd have marks in the morning; he wasn't going to cry – not on this night, not right after his daughter had the happiest moment of her life.

-8-

The ride to the airport had been pleasant if not a bit nerve-wrecking – at least for Alden, who had reluctantly confessed he had a fear of flying. Kotetsu only nudged at Kaede, teasing her by saying he hoped she brought along something to knock the poor guy out. The woman only retorted by saying she had a perfectly capable right hook for that; they both laughed at the sulking pout the dark-haired man gave them, whining something about getting double teamed by father and daughter. Kotetsu could only walk them as far as check-in, standing by the security gates as he wished Kaede a safe trip.

"You sure you're going to be alright dad? I mean, we don't mind delaying the trip for a few more days," she asked anxiously. Kotetsu only smiled as he petted her head, earning him a sharp glare from the woman at the childish action.

"I'll be fine – plenty of people around to keep me company," he assured. "Besides this is a go or no-go deal, wouldn't want you to waste it."

"I'm just scared for you, dad – I mean in a few days it'll be…" she started off, but stopped unable to force herself to finish that sentence. Amber-honey eyes only looked at her sadly, strong arms reaching to hug her around the shoulders, pulling her close. Kaede made a startled noise as her father rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Don't you dare worry about me while on your honeymoon, got it? It'll be fine, I've got a strong support system here," he stated, slowly pulling away to face her eye to eye. "So don't worry, alright? I've got tons of things to keep me occupied." Chocolate-brown eyes only gave him tender, but sad look, Kaede slowly nodding her head as she felt his arms slide away from her sides. She caught his hands for a moment, earning a puzzling blink, but she didn't look at him.

"You're not cursed, dad; please don't stop reaching out and being happy," she murmured softly. Kotetsu only looked at her with a sad smile, pulling his hands out of hers before ushering her on her way. Alden was still waiting with the tickets and the carryon bags, Kaede wishing one last goodbye to her father, receiving a peck on the forehead before joining her husband.

"Be sure to make a grandchild for me while you're on holiday!" Kotetsu called out jokingly after them. Kaede blushed, throwing a glare over her shoulder as she yelled back at him.

"Ah mou! You're embarrassing sometimes!" Alden only laughed as she took his hand, dragging him through the gate. He stood around for a few minutes even after he could no longer see them on the other side, letting out a heavy sigh as he put his hands into his pockets and headed out to where he had parked his car. The radio station was tuned in on some talk shows, but the words barely registered with him as he drove back home, pulling into the driveway leading up to a lofty complex. He had barely taken three steps through his front door when the home phone rang, walking over to pick the handset up.

"Kaburagi speaking?"

"Yo, Kotetsu – have you shipped off the happy couple yet?" It was Antonio. Kotetsu shrugged off the sports jacket he was wearing, draping it over the back of the couch before walking over to the open kitchen.

"Aa – they should be on the plane by now; what's up?"

"Thought I'd get you out to come celebrate tonight."

"Celebrate what?"

"Your daughter's marriage of course!" the other chimed. Kotetsu only sighed as he nudged the cabinet door shut after retrieving a small bottle of whiskey.

"Not really in the mood…" he started before getting cut off by a different voice.

"Oh don't say that, honey~" Nathan's playful flirty voice sounded on the line. He must've stolen the phone from Antonio; an unsightly squeal in the background confirmed it. "It's not every day your daughter has a wedding – besides, everyone's going to be there, so come by for old time's sake?" He could hear Antonio's hushed, frantic voice complaining about the assault on his ass, Nathan giving some witty comeback in return of course. Kotetsu laughed as he leaned back against the counter, sighing into the phone.

"Guess there's no helping it then – what time and where?"

"Hmm, say nine sharp? The usual place?" Nathan informed. Kotetsu made a mental note of it, nodding into the phone before he hung up. Grabbing the little round bottle, he walked back out towards the living room area to place the handset back in its stand. He started gathering up all the loose papers spewed about the coffee table, shuffling them into a pile before heading towards a door adjacent to right that lead to his work space. It was just a little past one o'clock, leaving him with about seven hours' worth to get some writing done before he headed out to meet with everyone at the bar.

-8-

The bar was relatively empty saved for their group, having reserved it for the night; the evening had started off light and later somehow devolved into a drinking contest between Antonio, Karina and Ivan. Of course, Antonio was winning, but the two blonds were too stubborn to admit defeat, despite that Karina was starting to throw a whiny fit and Ivan was slurring his words between English and Russian. Kotetsu kept mostly to the corner, nursing a glass of his usual shochu as he watched his old high school friend cream the younger adults in a battle of alcohol.

"Amazing how much people change, isn't it?" a soft sweet voice asked from the side. Amber-honey eyes looked up to the pink-haired man hovering over him, scooting aside the booth to allow the other to sit. He chuckled.

"That goes for you too, you know – you're not exactly making heads turn like you used to five years ago," Kotetsu pointed out, taking a slow and languid sip from his glass. Nathan only smiled, tracing a finger along the rim of his wine glass.

"That's true too, but I have valid reasons for toning down a little," he argued back.

"Speaking of which – it is alright for you to be here?"

"It's fine once in a while, isn't it? Besides – I have a very reliable assistant who doesn't mind doing overnights," Nathan excused, taking a sip of his white wine. Kotetsu only looked at him with a nagging smile, leaning his chin in his palm.

"Such an irresponsible woman," he teased. Nathan only gave him a playful pout, not so gently jabbing the man in the stomach with his elbow. The little contest was finally put to a stop when Edward took Ivan under the arms, trying to hoist him up out of his seat to get the smaller man some fresh air. Keith took Karina by the shoulder, trying to talk the woman down from her fit with a nervous smile; she wasn't really helping him keep his nerves as she kept groping the dark blond in rather inappropriate places. Antonio taunted something about getting a room, downing the remains of his glass in victory that he out drank both of the youngers – again. Pao-lin had passed out an hour ago from the numerous shots she had already consumed, Antonio's coat covering her shoulders to keep the draft off her neck. Kotetsu only sighed, shaking his head at the ruckus as Edward took Ivan outside and Keith tried his best to get Karina to behave.

"Seriously – how do these things always end up with at least three people piss drunk," he muttered, taking another sip. Nathan only chuckled, shrugging his shoulders casually watching the idol singer practically tongue-fuck her boyfriend's face.

"Best to let them get it out of their systems; I'm sure in another three years they'll drink themselves out of it."

"Well for Karina's case, maybe sooner if she doesn't stop having drunk sex with Keith."

"At least they're already dating, so it's more like a bonus really." The two sat in a moment of silence, glancing at each other before breaking down into a soft laughing fit. Kotetsu slumped back against the booth, staring up at the dark ceiling with an empty gaze; rose coloured eyes glanced at him, hesitating for a moment before linking arms with the dark-haired man. Kotetsu only blinked at the man cuddling up against him, seeing a soft, tender smile on dark features.

"Want me to follow you home tonight?" Nathan asked sweetly. Kotetsu recognized that tone, giving the man a sad smile as he shook his head.

"Nah, its fine – besides, shouldn't you be going home?"

"Ah, I told Mira I'd call once I had some definite plans; like I said she doesn't mind doing overnights," he winked. Kotetsu only laughed, deciding to humor the other by planting a light peck against his temple.

"Thanks, but – I'd rather be alone for a while… at least until that day is over," he murmured quietly. Nathan only looked at him with a somber gaze, sighing softly to himself before he slowly released Kotetsu's arm. The two sat in silence with their drinks, watching as their companions made merry and drank the night away.

-8-

A shrilling digitized siren screeched through the air, announcing that it was now seven in the morning; a thin stream of light was peeking through the tiny crack between the drawn curtains. The weather forecast was going to be cloudy with a chance of rain today – fitting, somehow considering what day it was. Honey-amber eyes stared listlessly at the cream coloured ceiling, letting the alarm continue ringing as he simply lay on his back in bed. He felt like he hadn't slept at all last night and if he had – it hadn't been for very long. Finally feeling a headache coming on from the piercing tone of his alarm, he reached a hand to slam it off, sitting up with a slight groan. He sat up in bed for a good ten minutes before somehow mustering the energy to get up, wash up and get dressed for the day.

He didn't turn on the TV, he didn't want to – not when he'd be seeing thousands of reminders, posts, public news castings, everything talking about what had been lost this day. He brushed his teeth after breakfast, debated between shaving and not shaving, ran a comb quickly through his hair to make it look less bed-ridden and glanced at the clock. It was almost ten. He hadn't gotten out the door yet when the phone rang; he almost didn't want to pick it up, fearing which one of the friends it would be this time. So he was surprised when it was his daughter, calling from her vacation to check up on him. That helped a little, hearing how well her vacation was going, how Alden got sunburned on the first day and was now "peeling like a snake" thanks to that. He laughed hearing the poor guy sulking in the background; she was definitely his daughter.

By the time he had stepped out of the house, it was already ten to twelve; the clouds were darkening even more, the threat of rain looming over the crowds as he walked through the streets. He stopped at the floral shop, gazing out the front window while he waited for the bunch to be put together, and the drops started falling. Slowly, at first, giving a sufficient warning to the people walking out and about, before pouring down in sheets moments later; good thing he brought a large umbrella. He thanked the store clerk for the flowers, paid and hovered under the awning while he put up his umbrella and went on his way.

October 31st – it was a day almost everyone in the Stern Bild knew and most likely would never forget, not for a very long while. Kotetsu knew he'd never forget, he couldn't afford to no matter how much it pained him to think about it. There were many shops, stores, little places housing red flags in their windows, on their doors – it had become a sort of unspoken tradition lately. The more diehard fans were dressed completely in red, some even wearing similar jacket styles and the exact same style of glasses as they listened to radio broadcasts, news casts, talk shows – all for this day.

Kotetsu kept his head and umbrella low, not wanting anyone to recognize his face; he could remember how it all started – how it became like this. They had been out together – a date, he could probably call it, although he was sure they'd both deny it simply for publicity sake. The day had been unbearably hot, but having the bright sun shining after five days of rain, it was a welcomed price. They had managed to avoid holding hands for all of ten seconds, before Kotetsu just instinctively grabbed him, pulling him along as they went about their "date". He could still hear his voice in his head – clear as it had been two years ago.

"W-wait! Kotetsu! We're out in public!" Barnaby complained, a slight blush coming to his face at the hand tugging his. The other only gave him a wide grin, tightening his hold even more.

"It's fine like this, right? You see so many young people doing it these days, they're not even distinguishing between friends or lovers anymore," Kotetsu countered. The blush darkened on handsome features, Barnaby reaching a hand to push his glasses up.

"You're not making any sense – as usual. Besides, two grown men seen holding hands – we're not teenagers you know!"

"Geeze, you're no fun at all Bunny," he teased, but he let the blonde's hand go all the same. Barnaby only huffed, but nodded his head in approval as they went about their outing. It was a rare day off for them – from work, from being Heroes, and Kotetsu wasn't about to let it all go to waste by sitting at home and "reading" when they finally had some sunshine. They walked around for several hours, stopping in a café for an early afternoon tea, stopping a few times when something in a store window caught their attention, or getting stopped by fans and the like. It wasn't until they decided to head home for the day that Kotetsu noticed Barnaby seemed paler than usual.

"Are you alright, Bunny?"

"…I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"You just don't look so well, that's all… wait – wow, you're really starting to sweat," Kotetsu pointed out worryingly. He stopped them for a moment, holding blond bangs back as he put the back of his hand against the clammy, cold forehead. "You don't seem to have a temperature…"

"I think I just need more fluids – we have been walking for a while and it's quite warm out today."

"That's probably it," Kotetsu glanced around them before seeing a convenient store not too far away from them. "Ah, wait here – I'll get some water for you." The blond only nodded his head; Kotetsu turned away from him, barely taking five steps before he heard something from behind him. He whipped his head around to see Barnaby face down on the ground, a cold shiver running down his spine as he ran over to the unconscious man. He shook him firmly as he held the blond up in his arms.

"Bunny! Oi! Barnaby!"

The rain was not letting up, and probably wouldn't for the rest of the day; he couldn't help but feel how perfect the setting was as he stood in front of the opened wrought iron gates. He couldn't move for a few minutes, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain as it poured around him, drumming against the umbrella as it rolled off the plastic material. He held the bouquet close – white lilies and lilacs, with a touch of marigolds giving it a light splash of colour. Taking in a deep breath he forced himself forward, stepping through the muddy grounds as he weaved in and out of the gravestones.

-8-

"Dementia?"

"Well, we say it's that, but… the deterioration is like nothing we've ever seen before; it's progressing far too rapidly, and it seems to be only targeting his motor functions," the doctor explained. "His recognition and cognitive thinking still seem to be in top form, but at the rate this is developing – he won't even be able to function within a year's time." He could only stare at the man with shocked, wide eyes as the news settled in his mind. He thought something had been off with his partner lately – it was always little things, things that both parties brushed off as flukes or bad day moments. All the times when Barnaby had dropped something, when he had troubling curling his fingers to pick things up – they had seemed trivial at first, so Kotetsu allowed it to be ignored. Then it started happening all too frequently, especially for someone like Barnaby.

He was losing his footing a lot more lately, sometimes he couldn't get his body to move the way he wanted to – something Kotetsu particularly noticed in the bedroom. All this time he had been trying to keep a positive light, convincing himself that nothing had been wrong with his partner. He wished he could keep pretending nothing was wrong now, but it would've been discovered eventually; it hurt even more that there was nothing that could be done about it either. They headed home after that and simply sat in silence, still trying to wrap around the reality that was happening. They didn't talk, least not until Kotetsu suddenly stormed off to the bedroom, throwing himself face first into the pillows, failing miserably at holding back his tears.

Barnaby walked in a lot later to give the man time to calm down, carefully crawling on to the bed sitting beside him as he gently rubbed the back facing him. They simply held each other for an endless eternity of silence, Kotetsu burying his face against the blonde's shoulder as they talked about the situation, how they were going to break the news to their friends, to their boss, the fans and plan out what little time they had left together. It hadn't been easy; the announcement on live TV made it stick even more, thousands of letters and gifts flooding in expressing their sadness, their grief for the impeding loss of a great Hero.

Barnaby retired when he could no longer keep his hands closed, residing to staying at home, taking frequent trips to the hospital to monitor his condition. Kotetsu had stepped down as Wild Tiger months after to take care of him when the simple act of eating started becoming difficult. Before the year was over, Barnaby was permanently admitted to the hospital, where he'd spend the remainder of his life. The others visited as much as they could, despite their busy schedules of keeping the peace and protecting the city. Kaede was somehow finding time in her busy college schedule to visit her idol Hero quite frequently, despite all the constant nags from her father that she should be focusing on her studies. She usually was able to shut him up about it by getting top marks on her exams; she wasn't there just for Barnaby, but for her father as well. She wanted to be there, to give him encouragements, to give him support and to do all the little silly, childish things he wanted to do with her, despite that she was almost twenty-one.

Half a year passed in that manner, and the day before the 31st of October, Barnaby's clinical ward was adorned with gifts and flowers and cards – all to celebrate his thirty-seventh birthday. Kotetsu try to make light of it, saying everyone was acting like he'd die before tomorrow even came; he got a weak smile and barely audible laugh, but it was enough. It was hard, staring at the frail being lying in the bed, hooked up to all sorts of wires and machines monitoring what little life was left in him. The once handsome face looked tired and beaten, his cheekbones having become more prominent as his weight dropped; his bright green eyes have dulled, the light they once held was gone, replaced by a cloudy, darker shadow.

Kotetsu tried to keep positive, complaining about all the needless worrying and badgering he's been receiving from – just about every person he knew on the face of the earth. It was relief to see a smile, even if it was weak, hearing that soft, weary voice as Barnaby tried to answer from time to time. Kotetsu then decided he had been cooped up in the hospital for too long and swore he'd get the blond out to see the stars tomorrow night; a special birthday treat, he excused. Barnaby didn't seem to object – actually, he even agreed to it, saying he was tired of being here as well. So with that in mind, Kotetsu promised, saying he'd find a way to get the poor man out of the hospital and out for a night on the town.

Tomorrow came sooner than later, many people giving their regards and holding their breaths as they waited for the much dreaded news. So far, there were no heavy tears yet to shed. He didn't arrive until early evening, just as the sun was beginning to set turning the sky a brilliant orange-red. He helped the other into a coat, before maneuvering the seemingly lifeless body to hoist on his back, adjusting his hands into a steadier holding. He checked to make sure his partner was comfortable first, receiving a soft hum before he headed over to the window he opened, scouting out below to make sure no one was watching. With years of experience, he jumped down with a surprising grace that one wouldn't think was possible while piggy-backing someone.

Kotetsu checked the area once again, before quickly dashing off, carrying Barnaby on his back as they escaped the hospital grounds and out into the open streets of Stern Bild. It was amazingly easy to navigate around the crowds, no one really stopping them or paying much attention to the odd sight of a grown man carrying another grown man on his back. No one really recognized him anymore – long, silken blond curls had been cut short ages ago to make it easier to manage; that and the coat was covering most of Barnaby's face as Kotetsu walked them through the city, chatting and pointing out the sights. There would be a soft hum, or a silent laugh from the man at his silly ranting, but Barnaby seemed content to just listening to his mindless prattle.

After a while, he went completely silent, but Kotetsu didn't mind as he kept talking and walking, occasionally adjusting his arms to accommodate the light weight. It hurt, having the other feel so light in his arms, that he felt like he was holding a child. They finally got to the outskirts of the city, away from the bright lights, the noisy traffic, amber-brown eyes looking up at the beautiful starry sky.

"Oh man – it's easy to forget we have stars, huh Bunny? The city is so bright and crowded, it completely blocks them out," he raved. A star suddenly shot across the sky, leaving a streaking trail of light behind it before it disappeared in the distance. "Ooh! A shooting star! That's a pretty rare sight to see – ah, damn, should've made a wish, haha…" There was no sound as Kotetsu simply stood there staring up at the night sky, a sad smile on his face.

"Na… thanks… really, thanks – for everything… I love you, Barnaby…" he could feel a single tear slide down his face, his hands tightening as he continued to look up at the blinking stars. "Happy Birthday…"

-8-

The rain seemed to fall even heavier than before, beating harder against the plastic of the umbrella, the sound echoing off into the empty sky. He placed the flowers down carefully on the soaked grave marker, not really caring for the hem of his long coat getting wet or muddied. He didn't read the name engraved – or the epitaph that had been etched into it; he didn't write it, the program came up with it from the comments from fans. He didn't think he'd have the stability to write one anyways – not for him.

Kotetsu straightened up, putting his free hand into his coat pocket, watching the rain drops dampen and drown the petals, running down the stems through the wrapping. There was almost a strange sense of eloquence as he imagined the buds crying tears for him at the loss. He stood there for the longest while, just watching the water pour from the sky before he decided it was best to head home – he could feel his feet starting to go numb from the icy, cold water leaking into his shoes. The streets were, unsurprisingly empty as most normal beings wouldn't be out in horrible weather like this unless it was urgent. The number of cars was sparse, but still running as people went to and from wherever they went, the world still turning as it would always do.

There was a crash and tumbling of empty aluminum cans and glass bottles that startled him as he passed by an alleyway, amber-brown eyes looking into the shadowed end out of reflex. He relaxed seeing nothing out of the ordinary, muttering under his breath about a stray cat. He heard a groan, halting in his steps as his eyes went wide in surprise. That was not a cat. He ran back into the alley, kicking the trash bags aside as he tried to identify who had groaned, calling out into the rain.

"Oi! Is anyone here? Are you alright?" He managed to clear away one bag that revealed a shape of a person, unconscious but seemingly unhurt for now. He squatted down beside them, reaching a hand out to shake them by the shoulder. "Hey – are you alright? What happened to you?" He turned them on their back to see their face, his eyes flying open in shock; the umbrella slipped from his hands as he stumbled back, not sure he could believe what he was seeing as a fear rose in his chest.

"…what…the hell is this…"

-Chapter One/End-