Temerity

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Raimei hated being wrong, more than anything else. It was her one true flaw; her pride was all-consuming, and she was its slave.

She was haughty, and for good reason—she thought.

She was proud of her family, her skill, her ability to scale both literal and metaphorical heights to get what she wanted most.

So it was understandable that when a solid mountain of not-being-able was thrown in front of her, she snapped.

She hated it. She hated not being able to find her brother, to truly reach Miharu when he needed her most, not being able to just give up.

Because she wanted to, sometimes.

She really, really wanted to just forget about Raikou, to help Miharu rule the Nabari world, get Tobari-sensei over his fear of mechanical transportation, to just talk to Kouichi, because after all she did like him, but she didn't know how to express that at all.

But she couldn't let Raikou go. They were thunder and lightning, after all; where there was one, the other would follow.

And while she tagged after Raikou with a burning vengeance, she lingered for Kouichi for different reasons.

He baffled her. He was clever and enigmatic, but somehow always managed to be there for everyone right when they needed him without butting into their personal problems. He never gave anything away; he never said things that didn't need to be said, except to throw someone off. He had his secrets, and the flashes of cold calculation he displayed when he was forced were fascinating, even while they chilled her to the bone. But most of all, he was just...there.

There, when no one had ever been there. There, when even her older brother had betrayed her. There, when she'd never managed to support anyone, and there for everyone that needed a sympathetic touch or a kind smile.

.

Raimei snarled to herself, sitting alone in the cafeteria. When she found that traitor, she'd rip him apart and take back Shirogamon to redeem balance in the Nabari world!

That is the role of the house of Shimizu. We pass judgment on the righteous and the sinful, and we cut down all that bar the path to prosperity for our ruler. We are impartial, and strong; we are the first defense against corruption, and the standard of chivalry.

She jumped slightly as Kouichi slid silently into the seat next to her and fixed her with a steady gaze.

"Raimei-san."

"Y-yes?" she asked with a smile, still off-guard. "What's wrong, Kouichi?"

He sighed. "I don't want to say this, but...you're thinking about your brother again, aren't you?"

Her fake smile froze, plastered in place, and he nodded. "I thought so."

"So what?" she demanded, defensive. "Can't I think about what I want to?"

He lifted a brow. "But you don't want to think about it, not really. You don't want to believe that the brother you loved could have possibly killed your family. You think that there's something wrong with that story—"

She jolted and glared venomously at him. "What are you talking about?! He's a monster! I will have justice!"

He simply continued, unperturbed. "You think that there must be more to it, but you don't want to admit that you could have been wrong for once. It's so much easier for you to rampage blindly, because it's less painful for you if everything has a convenient explanation."

"Don't...You don't know me. Don't think you know what I..." But she was crying, she realized with shame.

He simply stood, his expression unreadable, and rested a cool hand on her shoulder, just for a moment. "Most villains are truly dangerous because they've lied so well that they believe their own lies, unconditionally. Don't be a villain, Raimei. You're a wonderful person. If there's another side to the story, maybe try to listen for it when the chance comes. Do you really want to have to kill him?"

She could do nothing but weep in choked fury as his footsteps faded, because he'd given her the push she'd wanted and didn't want.

Afterwards, he acted like nothing had ever happened, and she loved him all the more for it, because she hated being weak, and she'd never meant to show him weakness.

But when he slipped her a strawberry daifuku when no one was looking, she realized that all he'd ever done was look out for her, even when she didn't ask, because he'd always known what she really needed better than she did.

Maybe that was why when Gau had accosted them in the hospital, she hadn't simply knocked him unconscious and tossed him out the window when he'd claimed to know the truth. His large dark eyes shoe with such sincerity that without meaning to she'd been uncertain.

And in her uncertainty, she'd glanced to Kouichi for affirmation.

It was only after he'd given her a tiny smile and nod of encouragement that she had dared to let down her pride for the very first time in all her life and accept that she'd been wrong.

It was thanks to Kouichi that she'd gotten her brother back.

He'd taught her that yes, there were things to lose, and it was fine to be hotheaded—but it was also okay to trust and rely on others, and she didn't have to lose everything in the end like she'd thought.

So when he'd told her his secret and why he'd told her, crestfallen, covered in blood and too many lonely years, completely convinced that she'd never return his feelings and that she would cast him away as a freak, maybe that was why it had been so easy to just laugh at him, because wasn't that just like him.

No, she'd never leave him.

So when he stared at her, completely bewildered by her response—but isn't it my job to surprise him, isn't that why he loves me anyway, because I'm just that crazy—it really wasn't hard to grab him by the wrists and drag him into a hug as he stuttered in shock, because w-what are you doing, Raimei?! Don't you hate me? Aren't you scared...?

She just laughed until she cried—but she was happy—and said, "Nah, I love you too."

DISCLAIMER: I don't own! I hope you enjoyed, and please have a great day~