Faux Pas

The Seventh Virtue

We sat in close quarters in the auditorium the following morning. The students were silent, to my complete surprise. The principal stood on the stage in front of several rows of flowers and a large portrait of our late friend.

"No words can express the sense of loss we feel as a result of this terrible tragedy," he spoke, "He had a lifetime of opportunity ahead of him… As educators, we are to blame for ignoring his silent calls for help. We lost him to violence before we had a chance to realize his true potential…"

My heart wrenched as I listened. Every word of it was true. I felt guilty. Pharos had said it, and I ignored him. I'd even seen the signs… Ken was missing that morning. I could only imagine what he was feeling at that moment. I hadn't seen Akihiko either. He didn't come to school.

"Forgive us… Forgive us for our negligence…" the principal said softly.

As he continued to speak, I could hear Yukari sniffling quietly behind me. Junpei sat in silence beside me, his expression grave. Suddenly, the two seniors in front of us began to talk. I couldn't help but overhear what they were saying.

"Ugh, will this speech ever end…?" muttered the one in front, "I don't even know who this Aragaki guy was…"

"I heard he never came to school. Prolly just some punk," sighed the one to the side, "Anyway, I gotta get home. I have to study for my mock-exam."

To my irritation, they turned to face Junpei and me.

"Hey," said the one in front, "Do you guys know who this Aragaki guy was?" Then he paused, looking at the green and yellow pin on my uniform, "Wait, you're not seniors. How would you know? Anyway, can you believe this? Scary, huh?"

My blood was boiling, and I was unable to contain my anger.

"Shut up," I snarled. The seniors were startled by my response.

"Damn… what's your problem?" the first asked.

Junpei glared at them. Suddenly, he stood up, attracting several pairs of eyes.

"Shut up…" he snapped. The seniors were confused now.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

"I said shut up!" Junpei roared, louder than before.

"Iori, sit down!" Ms. Toriyumi snapped at him, then sighing, "I'll never hear the end of this…"

Junpei sucked his teeth and sat back down.

"Just ignore them, Junpei…" Yukari said quietly. Aigas sat in silence beside her.

I shook my head, still unable to shake away the bad feelings. I tried concentrating on the Principal's eulogy, but I couldn't focus on the words. I looked up and around at the other faces in the auditorium. I recognized Fuuka, Natsuki, Mitsuru, Hidetoshi, Chihiro, Kenji, Nozomi, Kaz, and Yuko… no one else.

I remember my thoughts: Maybe Bebe really did forget about everything. It's probably better this way. It's like his plane never had the delay. He's away from it, on his way home. Good for you, Bebe. You've escaped the agony with untainted innocence. I'm happy for you… I'm happy…

Lunchtime rolled around, though I wasn't really in the mood to eat anything. I left the classroom anyway with the intention of going to the roof for some fresh air. I needed to clear my mind and some time alone. Not that Yukari or Junpei had much to say anyway. In addition to Shinjiro, they were distressed about the absence of Akihiko and Ken. I was worried as well. If I was feeling like crap about the situation, I knew they were feeling it fifty times worse.

I stepped into the hallways, where the hustle and bustle of the students often greeted me. To my surprise, the hallways were quiet that day. Silence was such an odd sound, especially at Gekkoukan. The students walked by with grave expressions, as if they had been ailed by Apathy Syndrome. Even though they didn't know him or even like him, I could tell that Shinjiro's death had afflicted them all with a feeling of loss.

In my distraction with the faces of others, I hadn't noticed the one that had approached me until he spoke up.

"Tetsuya-sama…"

I turned around and my heart skipped a beat. He was still here… I was shocked that he had come to school. I thought he would have been exhausted. I had even thought that he had already transferred out of the school. Wasn't he supposed to leave for France?

Bebe held his arms close to his body, quivering a bit. Subtle circles had formed beneath his eyes. He shouldn't have come back to school. Why was he still here? I wondered nervously about him, concerned for his health and situation. Wait. I didn't sleep at all that night. I was hallucinating. I was seeing things. I had to be. He wasn't still… here… was he…? There was no other explanation. I tried blinking myself awake, but he still stood before me. He looked me in the eyes, tiredness slowing his movement.

"May I speak to you after school?" he asked me quietly. My jaw fell agape and I felt my heart sink. No. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be. He couldn't possibly…

He continued to watch me, nearly in tears. I had no other choice.

"Sure," I said quietly. Bebe nodded a little, still seeming weak.

"Arigatou…" he whispered, "Meet me in ze Home Economics Room. Don't forget…"

He walked away slowly. I watched him as he left, unable to believe I could still see him.

I worried for a long time about the end of the day. I was unable to pay attention during the lectures the teachers gave and clock moved slowly. I didn't want this to be happening. But there was still a chance, right? Maybe Bebe was behind a day. Maybe he still thought he was saying good-bye… For some horrible reason, I felt this "sayonara" would be easier. I didn't want him to experience this again. He didn't need to…

The final bell rang, dismissing the students of Gekkoukan for the afternoon. Even then, the clamor was quieter than usual. When I stepped outside my classroom, Bebe was already there, waiting for me quietly. He hid the lower half of his face behind his fan.

"Hey, Bebe…" I murmured. He acknowledged me.

"Konnichiwa, Tetsuya-sama…" he mumbled, "…shall we go…?"

I nodded, allowing him to lead the way.

I followed Bebe into the Home Economics Room without a word. I prayed that it was only to say goodbye again. Anything but this… anything but this…

I shut the door behind us, allowing complete privacy. The room was enveloped in darkness and silence. The only light was provided by the sun shining through the window, tinting the floor orange. Bebe stood with his back to me for awhile, which began to concern me. He wasn't his usual self at all. I could only wonder what was going through his head.

After awhile, he shut the fan and turned to face me. He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly.

"I 'ave zought about zis for awhile now…" he started softly, "I've been given plenty of time to zink about what I could say to you… demo…"

He broke off, holding himself tighter than before. He took a moment to compose himself.

"Gomen nasai…" he whispered.

I was completely lost. He had apologized to me. It was backwards. I knew I should have been the one apologizing. What had I missed?

"Bebe?" I asked. He held up his hand to stop me from continuing. He trembled and looked down at the floor a minute, holding on tightly. When he looked back up, I could see that his restraint was soon to fail.

"Tetsuya-sama… I've been a 'indrance to you… All zis time, I 'ave been taking time away from you so you could 'elp me wiz my own problems… I never… I never zought zat… you lived in constant danger… and sadness. You 'ave 'urt… you 'ave lost… Even still… you 'ave… always 'elped me… and I 'ave never 'elped you in return…

"You never told me what you were going zrough… I suspect you never told anyone… What you do… night after night… eez ze bravest and most noble zing I could ever imagine… Yet… no one 'as ever known what you do for zem… You live in zis world… alone."

He took a step closer to me, staring at his feet.

"I know zat I'm not important… demo… I'm forever grateful for what you 'ave done for me… I want you to know zat you do not 'ave to walk alone, because you are not alone… You can tell me anyzing… and… you don't 'ave to work in ze dark either…"

He had remembered. He remembered everything – the Dark Hour, the Shadows, the fighting, Shinji… Yet, I wasn't feeling the despair I thought I would feel. I was lost in his words. Despite the horrific events that had nearly killed him, Bebe was worried about me… I was at a complete loss.

"Bebe…?" was all that I managed to get out. As I spoke his name, the tears began spilling from his eyes. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me. His warm face buried against my neck and shoulder, and I felt his tears and breath against my skin as his hands slid up my back to my shoulders. His entire body quivered weakly as he pulled me closer.

My face was on fire. This time, I hadn't expected a hug. Since touching wasn't something I was used to, I had sort of feared that it would repel me from him if he ever pulled it off. Somehow, he managed to catch me off-guard. But I wasn't bothered by it… It felt like I had received something I had wanted for a very long time.

Slowly, I wrapped my arms around him as I nuzzled my face between his neck and shoulder. My hand held the back of his head, and I slowly stroked his soft blonde hair.

"You really are different, aren't you…?" I whispered, "...that's what makes you my best friend…"

His hold tightened.

"Tetsuya-sama… I don't want to lose you…"

He was afraid for me… I was afraid for him. I had exposed him to the Dark Hour. It was my fault. His life was in jeopardy because I was careless. There was no other explanation. I had brought him in… I would be the one to bring him out. I pressed my forehead to his, locking eyes.

"You won't… I'll live to protect you… I promise…"

Bebe blushed, his eyes widening only slightly as the light sparkled on his cerulean irises.

"Tetsuya-sama…" he said quietly, his tears falling a little more. He hid his face against my neck again.

Before I had the chance to say anything more, the door to the classroom opened. I looked up to see who it was. Mitsuru blushed awkwardly.

"I-I'm sorry," she muttered, "Yamagishi told me to look for you here…"

"Don't apologize, I was just comforting him," I said, trying to understand why this felt awkward.

Bebe let go of me quickly.

"Sumimasen…" he muttered quietly, wiping his tears away with his sleeves. He started to walk away, trying to leave Mitsuru and me alone. However, Mitsuru had other plans.

"Actually," she spoke, "It was really you I needed to speak with."

We froze.

"Eh? You wanted to… talk to me…?" Bebe asked quietly, pointing at himself quizzically. Mitsuru nodded.

"Saito told us about your situation yesterday…" she said, "I'm surprised you haven't already left."

Bebe was quiet.

"Watashi… I… Was supposed to leave… hai… demo… zere were still some problems. Apparently, around midnight, zere was some damage done to ze monorail around ze airport…" he said softly. Mitsuru and I caught on pretty quickly.

"I see," Mitsuru said. Bebe looked up quickly, as if to defend something.

"Demo…! I-I would 'ave stayed even if zere wasn't a problem," he told her, "I… I wanted to speak wiz Tetsuya-sama… I couldn't leave wizout saying somezing first…"

I was flattered, but I couldn't help but wonder why I was so high on his priority list. Mitsuru gazed at Bebe curiously.

"Interesting…" she murmured. She crossed her arms, thinking quietly. She looked back at Bebe again, "Are you staying somewhere?"

Bebe lowered his eyes.

"W-Well, um… I can't afford my rent anymore, demo… I can find someplace," he said.

"What about at our dorm?" Mitsuru asked.

Both Bebe and I snapped our heads up at the offer.

"O-Oh! Uh… I-I don't know if… I can…" Bebe started nervously. I couldn't contain myself.

"Don't worry about the money, I'll pay," I said quickly. Mitsuru cocked her eyebrow.

"Relax, Saito. I'm paying for the rent. I think you and I both know I can afford it sooner than you can."

Ooooooh, rub it in, why don't you? I glared at her but said nothing.

"The point is," she went on, "I think it's best if you stay with us. If you're able to see the Dark Hour, then there's obviously… something. Even if it's nothing more than a coincidence, you should stay close to us. That way if something happens, we can help you."

Bebe nodded slightly.

"H-Hai…" he stammered. Mitsuru looked at me.

"Saito, can you help him with the move?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah," I said, still staggered by what was going on.

She nodded and turned away once more, stopping briefly at the doorway.

"We're meeting tonight in the lobby to talk about last night's events," she told us, "Try not to show up too late."

"Y-Yes, ma'am…" Bebe stuttered, bowing to her respectfully.

"Yeah, got it," I replied more casually.

Once Mitsuru left, we were left in a somewhat awkward silence. Bebe stared at the floor, seeming a bit troubled. I felt guilty that we were dragging him into this so quickly. He didn't even fully understand what this was. Then again, neither did any of us.

After weighing my options on what to say to him, I couldn't find anything that would make it better. Instead, I wrapped my arm around him and gave him a gentle squeeze. I looked at me and smiled slightly, placing his hand on my unoccupied arm.

"Eet's okay, Tetsuya-sama…" he said quietly, "I'll be okay… as long as you're okay…"

I know it was meant to be comforting, but it wasn't. I was never okay…

I had very little to help Bebe gather. He already had his things packed from the night before, so we only had to stop by his apartment again to pick them up. I picked it up and handed it to him. It was rather light, explaining how he managed to drag it around during the ordeal the night before.

We walked back to the dorm as it began to get darker outside. It shouldn't have come across as a surprise, but Bebe was unusually quiet. I worried about him, since he was normally talkative and friendly. But at that moment, he was silent and somber. I still found no words to make it better.

As I began to open the door to the dorm, I noticed Bebe watching the sky nervously. It was almost eight o' clock, and night had cast a rather dark shadow lit only by the barely waning moon. He trembled a little. I knew he was thinking about it…

We walked into the lobby, and all eyes were on us immediately. I knew it was a serious meeting, especially since we had to discuss Shinjiro's death, but there seemed to be a greater tension as we became present.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that Akihiko was there. For some reason, he didn't appear to be distraught anymore. In fact, he was a little too calm for someone who had just lost his best friend.

"A-Akihiko," I stuttered, "You're back…"

"Yeah…" he said, smiling slightly, "Sorry I kept you all worried."

Ken was back too, which also surprised me. He, like Akihiko, seemed calm. However, I could still sense that he felt a little disturbed by what had happened.

"Ken, you okay?" I asked him. He looked up at me reluctantly.

"Yeah…" he said quietly, "I'll be okay…"

Mitsuru had a different agenda.

"I'm glad you two are here," she said, "Please sit down."

I went ahead of Bebe to the sofa, and he followed me closely. I sat beside Junpei, and he sat between the arm of the sofa and me, keeping his eyes directed at the floor.

The tension in the room was bothering me tremendously. No one was comfortable in the slightest. There was a long moment of silence among us, as if no one wanted to be the first to speak. Somewhere along the line, Yukari understood that.

"S-So… you're Bebe…?" she asked quietly. Bebe made a brief moment of eye contact.

"H-Hai," he said quietly, "Zat's what zey call me around Gekkoukan…"

Yukari was quiet a moment.

"T-Tetsuya-kun talks about you…" she said, "I'm… glad we finally have the opportunity to meet you in person…"

I was relieved that she was sensible enough to not attack him, but I still wasn't sure if mentioning my regular bring-ups of him was entirely necessary.

"I assume Saito never spoke about S.E.E.S. before," Mitsuru spoke. Bebe ducked his head shyly.

"'E… 'e explained some zings last night…" he answered. For some reason, the tension seemed to relax a little.

"Is that so?" Mitsuru asked, "Very good. So you're aware of what we do here?"

"Yes, ma'am…"

Junpei, to my contentment, spoke up with a friendly smile.

"Hey, it's okay, man," he said genially, "We don't bite. …well, except maybe for Tetsuya."

I smacked him. Really, dude? Come on. I guess that was too much to hope for... But Bebe chuckled a little.

"Tetsuya-sama's very kind," he said, "But arigatou for your re… reassurance."

"So you were awake during the Dark Hour, huh…?" Ken asked him softly.

"Um… yes…" Bebe replied.

"But you are normal," Aigas said, slightly confused. Mitsuru crossed her arms.

"There's one thing I don't understand…" she muttered, "When Yamagishi detected Saito in Iwatodai last night, she said she sensed a second Persona-user. It was faint, and then it suddenly disappeared. We were concerned it was Strega, but Saito didn't seem to come in contact with them…"

"It was close to him," Fuuka said quietly, "Were you… near him at all?"

"We stayed close…" Bebe responded.

Fuuka appeared puzzled.

"After the Persona-user disappeared, I didn't sense anyone else at all. I didn't even realize you were there…"

It was a good point. There was something unusual about what had happened that night.

"I-I don't… zink I 'ave a… Persona…" Bebe muttered. Mitsuru was interested.

"Saito told you?" she asked, "Was there anything he didn't explain?"

"Probably," I admitted, "All of it seems so normal now, that I might have forgotten something…"

"Who's Strega?" Bebe asked immediately. Everyone became a little tense again, and they all looked at each other, wanting someone else to answer. It was kind of a touchy subject at the moment, but if Bebe was going to be with us, he had a right to know.

"A rival group of Persona-users," I told him, "They don't… use their potential for the same reasons we do. They… like the Dark Hour, and want it to stay."

"Why would zey want eet to stay…?" Bebe asked quietly. I rolled my eyes, recalling the crap that Strega had put us through in the past. Locking us in an underground mine during the Dark Hour… as if the Dark Hour itself wasn't terrifying enough…

"Because they're messed up," I responded.

"Chidori's not messed up," Junpei said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone, "She's different from Takaya and Jin. Don't put her in the same boat."

At the time, I didn't exactly agree that she wasn't messed up, but I decided it was best not to get Junpei upset. I sugar-coated it a little.

"Well, she's got you, Junpei," I said truthfully, "She's changing for the best…"

Junpei grinned, proud of himself.

"Let me ask you something," Mitsuru said, "You realize what dangers lie ahead of us… how do you feel about your situation?"

Bebe thought over his response for a brief moment.

"Well… I won't say I'm not afraid," he said quietly, "Demo… if zis eez 'ow eet's meant to be, I will not argue wiz fate. I'm 'ere for a reason… And as long as I'm 'ere wiz all of you, I feel a little safer, despite ze circumstances."

I smiled a little at his answer. It was an ideal response for her, and I knew from his tone that it came from his heart. Mitsuru smiled a little.

"We want to induct you as a member of S.E.E.S." she said. Everyone in the room looked at her sharply.

"You want Bebe to join us?" Yukari asked, "But… Senpai, he's normal!"

"I have my suspicions…" Mitsuru said, "Even if he doesn't have a Persona, he has some other form of potential. I feel that he might be helpful."

"I-I'm not sure that I feel entirely comfortable letting you do that!" I spoke up, "What if he gets hurt?"

"Well, let me ask you. What if he does?" Mitsuru asked.

"I won't let that happen on my watch…" I muttered. I then realized what I just did. Dammit.

"Well, there you go."

"Senpai, I don't-!"

"Eet's okay, Tetsuya-sama…" Bebe said softly, looking at me calmly. He looked back at Mitsuru.

"I'll do eet…" he said, "I'll 'elp you any way I can…"

I looked at him helplessly. Bebe, why…? Mitsuru smiled slightly.

"Very well then."

The silence fell again, and I could sense where the subject was changing to.

"Now…" Mitsuru said quietly, "Regarding Aragaki…"

"Mitsuru," Akihiko said quickly, "I… I think it's better if we don't think about it too much. Shinji wouldn't want us to spend so much time grieving over him… What's done is done. We can't change it."

Mitsuru stared at him momentarily before nodding.

"Alright…" she muttered. She looked at Bebe and then back at Akihiko, "That being said… are you okay with his placement…?"

"Bebe's… placement…?" Akihiko asked.

Bebe seemed to stiffen a little. I began to understand what Mitsuru was suggesting.

"I-Isn't there, um… another room…?" I asked quietly. Akihiko understood what she was saying, and he immediately appeared uncomfortable.

"I… I agree with Tetsuya," he said, "Are you sure that's…?"

"He's a boy, so I imagine he would feel more comfortable around the others. It's the only available room on that floor now. In any case, it's only a matter of footsteps away from Saito's. You seem pretty comfortable around him," Mitsuru said.

"Well… yes, but…" Bebe murmured. Mitsuru waited for him to continue.

Like most people, he appeared to be a little intimidated by her cold aura. I think that's the reason he stopped trying to argue.

"O-Okay…" he consented quietly. Akihiko appeared discomforted by Bebe's submission. I could hardly blame him, seeing as I felt the same way. I was already sensing that he was being taken advantage of.

"Then it's settled," Mitsuru said, "Saito, can you show him where he'll be staying?"

I still wasn't happy about what was happening. Like Bebe, I knew there wasn't any point in trying to change her mind. Besides, maybe it was better that he was closer to me… Reluctantly, I stood up.

"Come on, Bebe…" I said quietly. He stood up quietly and followed me to the stairs. He paused briefly and turned to the others.

"Arigatou, minna," he said, bowing, "It was very nice meeting you all."

They all smiled a little at him, which was comforting to both him and me.

"We look forward to having you with us," Mitsuru said. Bebe smiled back at them a little, and then he continued to follow me up the stairs. No one talked as we left, almost as if they were waiting to say something they didn't want us to hear. Jeez…

We reached the second floor, where Akihiko, Junpei, and I were located. Until recently, Shinjiro had the first room on the left side of the hallway. However, the room was now vacant. Not for long, as Mitsuru had so kindly mentioned…

I opened the door to Shinjiro's – now Bebe's – room slowly. When I flicked on the lights, I realized that the room looked similar to my own. The way it looked before it was taken. Shinjiro and I weren't so different after all… My chest began hurting again.

Bebe stood uncomfortably by the door. He looked around worriedly, as if hesitant to take the room. There wasn't really another choice. I didn't like that he was being placed here at all. He was already going through enough. I knew I had to say something to make him feel better.

"Your room is next to Akihiko's," I told him, "Junpei is across from you, and I'm at the end of the hallway to the left of Junpei's room. They're both really nice, and you know you can always talk to me. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come knocking."

He smiled slightly at me, but it was more for reassurance than a genuine gesture.

"Arigatou, Tetsuya-sama…" he said softly, "You really are a good tomodachi…"

"Do you want me to stay and talk to you for awhile…?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No… zank you… I just… I need some time to settle…" he told me.

It bothered me, but I nodded respectfully.

"Okay… call me if you need anything," I said. He nodded and waved to me. I waved back before leaving him alone. As I closed the door behind me, I noticed the others climbing up stairs to their respective floors. Akihiko walked past me to his own room, saying nothing as he kept his stare on the floor. Yukari and Junpei approached me.

"Is he okay…?" Yukari asked. I was surprised by her concern. Just days ago, she was telling me that she didn't like Bebe for "brainwashing" me.

"Yeah, I think he's just a little overwhelmed," I said, "We all were when we first started out…"

"Yeah, but we didn't have to sleep in a dead guy's room…" Junpei said uncomfortably, "He watched Shinjiro-senpai die last night… I don't think anyone could just… not think about it…"

Yukari sighed.

"I can't believe Senpai brought it up in front of Akihiko-senpai… It seemed kind of insensitive for him and for Bebe," she said, "Sometimes I wonder about her."

"She said it herself," I said, "She's trying to help him feel more comfortable by placing him near us…"

"More comfortable in a dead guy's room?" Junpei repeated emphatically, "You're joking right?"

"Look, she pisses me off too, but she had a valid point…" Yukari said, "It would have been against dorm rules and… frankly kind of weird if she'd tried putting him with one of us."

"Relax, Yuka-tan," Junpei muttered, "She wouldn't have put him with you. Especially not after how you've been complaining about Tetsuya and him."

"Don't say that!" Yukari hissed, "He's in his room! He might hear you! I don't want him to think I hate him! Not after how sweet he was…"

"So do you take it back?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow, taking a shot in the moment, "Do you take back what you said about him brainwashing me?"

She hit me in the arm.

"Shut up!" she squealed in a panic, "You're so mean!"

She stormed upstairs to her room, slamming the door sharply. Junpei rolled his eyes.

"Always a ladies' man, Tetsuya," he sighed. I rolled my eyes back at him.

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, "You turning in?"

"Yeah…" he yawned, "It's been a rough couple of days… might as well rest up so we can get back to Tartarus soon."

"Tartarus… right…" I murmured.

I hadn't been thinking about it too much. Bebe was going to be with us the next time we went there. Something told me the Sleeping Table wasn't our worst enemy. What else would Bebe have to see before it was over?

"Yeah… I'll see you in the morning, dude," Junpei said sleepily. I realized he was speaking again and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"O-Oh, good night, Junpei," I stuttered. As he went to his room, I figured it would be best if I rested too. The next day was going to be busy… And not just for me…

A soft knock on my bedroom door woke me from my sleep. The room was green and the clock on my desk was blank. Immediately, I became worried that another ordeal had befallen us. No one ever disturbed me during the Dark Hour unless it was important. I was on my feet in an instant and I went to the door hurriedly.

My worry faded away as I saw my visitor. Bebe stood quietly, trembling. He held his arms against his body tightly. He gazed at me, almost painfully.

"Bebe…? What's the matter?" I asked him. He continued to quake.

"Tetsuya-sama…" he whimpered, "I'm sorry if I woke you up, but… C-C-Can I…? …Can I stay wiz you tonight…?"

For anyone else, I probably would have questioned their age. For Bebe, my response was, again, completely different.

"Yeah, come on in," I said, allowing him inside my room. He slowly walked in, keeping his eyes on the floor. His restraint was at its limits.

The minute I shut the door, Bebe clung tightly to me, burying his face against my neck. His chest pulsated with shudders as he broke into tears.

"Aw, Bebe…" I said quietly, pained at the soft sound of his sobbing. I wrapped my arms around him, gently bringing us down so we could sit on the floor. After that, Bebe made very little noise. He nuzzled his face against my neck and sighed, seeming to calm down a little. He was still a moment before kissing my cheek, leaving a wet spot from his tears.

"Bless you, Tetsuya-sama…" he whispered, "You always do so much for me…"

I held him closer.

"I wouldn't have it any other way…" I promised, "I don't want you to be in pain… I don't want you to worry about anything... I'll keep my promise, Bebe. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you… That was my intention from the very beginning…"

He hiccupped. I gently smoothed back his hair, trying to calm him in any way I knew how.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered, "You don't deserve what's happened to you… I wish… I wish I could take it back."

He looked at me curiously.

"Tetsuya-sama…" he murmured, "I wouldn't 'ave eet any ozer way. I'm glad I… understand you now. Zat way… I can be closer to you… and let you know zat I really do know what's wrong… I promise… I'll do whatever eet takes to make you 'appy… Because I like eet when you smile."

He nuzzled his face against my neck and under my chin.

"You're not alone, my tomodachi…" he whispered, "I care about you."

It suddenly occurred to me how hot it was in the room. I frowned, frustrated and embarrassed.

"Sorry about the AC… it doesn't work during the Dark Hour anyway…" I muttered. Bebe gave me a funny look. Was it really just me?

I stayed awake during the Dark Hour, just to make sure Bebe slept through it peacefully. I hadn't ever had someone sleep beside me before. It wasn't particularly unusual, I guess. Sometimes friends slept in the same bed… It was like a sleepover or something… I guess what was confusing me was that it was my idea.

Bebe stayed close to the opposite side of the bed, as if intentionally trying to give me space. I wasn't sure if he was uncomfortable with it or not. He didn't want me sleeping on the floor, but I didn't want him on the floor either, and I felt like this was an okay compromise. It wasn't like we were a married couple or anything…

Once the room went back to its normal blue shade, I allowed my eyes to close. I could finally sleep easily, knowing that even if Bebe woke up, he wouldn't be as afraid. I would always be there for him, no matter what that meant.