Forest eyes gazed out at the sleeping figure, slumbering so beautifully, lips soft as petals while gentle breaths left them. Miharu had been awake for the majority of the night, listening to the way the rain gradually died out, near complete silence echoing in his ears.

The thoughts of what had happened mere hours ago still caused his heart to flutter. The two had gone through so much together, and even through all of the strange happenings that transpired often around them, they finally seemed as though they had taken one, large step forward in realizing what everyone around them already knew.

Yoite shifted beside him. The other's raven hair was gently strewn upon his cheek, his dark lashes cast shadows upon his snowy cheeks. It was all there, complete, and yet there was still one thing that bothered Miharu each time he was able to gaze at the other in this manner for long periods of time.

The deep scar across his neck, mixed with the ash-gray speckled along his delicate frame...Miharu knew that the other was broken. Lately he had been feeling uneasy. There was something foul in the air and even though he was unable at this current moment to place just what it was, he knew that something was going to happen soon, and it was something that would not be in his highest favor.
'Yousei-san?' Miharu asked softly to himself. There was no answer...lately, the fairy was refusing to come out when asked to. This was just another thing to add onto the uneasiness in the young boy's heart. 'Yousei-san, why won't you come out?' he tried again.

Nothing...

His heart seemed to slow and sink all on its' own now. With every lagging beat, the lump in his throat would grow, and with each sensation, his eyes would burn. Why did any of this have to happen, he wondered. If he hadn't been the weilder of the Shinrabanshou, then they would have never had a reason to run in the first place. If Yoite had a different past, a family to truly care, then he would have never had to learn the kira technique, and would never have to worry about the pain in which plagues him day to day...

But then...

The thought made Miharu feel sick to his stomach. Even through the knowledge of how painful all of these truths were, he couldn't bring himself to be bitter towards them as he would have liked. Without these, he would have never met Yoite.

'You've finally figured it out...'

Miharu gasped out to the ringing voice. It startled him, forced his eyes shut until he only saw blue. A blue surrounding, faint lights that flickered in the distance. Yoite was no longer here.
The young male kept his gaze forward now. The woman ahead of him looked back. Mirror images.

The Shinrabanshou made no move toward him, nor did she turn away from him. Her long, snowy tresses swirled almost elegantly about her lithe frame, her eyes piercing as if to drag the boy forward with their spider- like grasp. It was then that he realized he was being tested.

"Yousei-san..." Miharu's voice was gentle, uninterested, yet his heart was beating furiously in his chest. "Is it possible to really erase a person?"

The fairy seemed less than stunned by the question. Her thin lips could only curl into a bitter smile, eyes cold and unrelenting their hold on him. A slender arm reached forward, beckoning for the boy to come forth. As if on cue, Miharu's legs moved as if on their own accord. One after the other, closer and closer, leading into temptation until he was mere inches from the one who would forever plague him.

'What is your real question, Miharu?'

The question flashed through his mind, and for one of the only times since he could remember, a faint hint of alarm fluttered across his face.

"What do you mean...?"

If possible, the wicked smile the fairy had held previously to his question grew. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't have called for her.

'What is it that you really want, Miharu? I can't give you my power until you understand what it is that you want.'

"Yoite's wish-"

'No.' The suddenness of her response made him nearly flinch. His heart felt as if it were prepared to leap from his chest and run away, back to the warmth of Yoite, but he knew that at that moment, it was impossible. He called for her, he would have to face this alone.

'Listen to my question carefully.' she continued, 'Tell me exactly what it is that you want. Erasing a person...this is not what you really wish to know, is it? My power is mine until you dive inside to understand what it is that you crave. What is your desire? Yours...'

That dangerous lump was back once more, trying to strangle him so that he would be rendered speechless. What was his wish? It had been so long since he'd thought about what he desired over what he knew would be right, that he could no longer remember.

When he first learned of the power that he held, he was less than amused by the outcomes. He wanted nothing more than to ignore the words of his teacher, as well as the two who claimed to be his friends. He wondered when his interests changed...

Perhaps it was in Fuuma, staring face to face with those cold, emotionless yet seemingly broken blue eyes...Even back then, he could tell easily that there was something inside of them both that was the same. Whether Yoite knew it or not, he couldn't tell. However, when the older boy threatened him for the first time, or the second, thinking it was the only way to get Miharu to react, little did he know that the younger ninja would have gladly followed him to the ends of the earth if given just enough time to understand.

That's right...

The words spilled from his lips before he could catch them, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"I don't want Yoite to disappear."

The fairy reached forward, dragging the now startled boy closer by the wrist until they were eye to eye, fear settling deep inside of Miharu's heart.

'Good, Miharu...what is it you want to do? You've given your heart to this boy, haven't you? Tell me what you yourself want to do about it...Will you still rid the world of him? Will you pretend he is nothing? Will you...murder him?'

"Stop!" his voice rang painfully in his ears, and before he understood fully what he was doing, his arms shot out, shoving away as quick as possible. His vision was blurred, and the room spun around him fast, hard, and it made him stumble back until he was certain he would fall. Forcing his eyes shut, he was no longer certain where he was...there was nothing, only darkness, only...

"Miharu..."

Inhaling sharply for breath, those same green eyes shot open once more, unfallen tears causing them to burn. It wasn't until he forced himself to relax that he realized the boy who had been slumbering just moments before was leaning over him, concern written heavy across his face.

The light in the room was unbearably bright, causing the younger male to reach up and shadow his view from the discomfort. He was vaguely aware of the tender touch of cool fingers against his shoulder, as well as the realization that the outside atmosphere had changed. The song of birds rejoicing after the storm reminded him that it was morning now.
Miharu took deep and careful breaths until he could contain himself. It was enough to know that at that moment, he was there with his companion, knowing that their time was still ticking, and there was nothing at that moment that could ruin it.

Yoite watched the other with questioning eyes. A smile faintly splayed upon Miharu's lips now, when just seconds before, those same lips were crying out in despair.

It wasn't his place to question.

"I washed the clothes..." Yoite's lips formed the words carefully, not knowing what else to say. Either way, Miharu sat up then with a nod. He knew that Yoite was trying to avoid asking, and in a way, he was grateful. It wasn't that they held no feelings for one another, it was merely the knowledge that they understood enough already to know that the only thing they needed was companionship. A silent understanding was what they shared.

"We should leave as soon as possible."