Yanase lead them back to his apartment in record time, Yokozawa didn't like the side eye Yanase gave him occasionally, but he'll put up with it. Before they enter Yanase snapped his fingers and a white witch symbol briefly appeared before disappearing.
"Never conjure where you cook," Mino joked.
Yokozawa laughed at the joke. All witches have a separate space to practice their skills so they won't disturb the human's existence, all you need to do is snap your fingers and open a door. If Yokozawa thought about it, it was ironic. Yanase was about to open the door when it swung open on its own and a familiar sparkling aura nearly blinded the group.
"Hello, Yanase!" Yukina beamed shining brighter as Yokozawa shield his eyes "How was your date with Mino? Did you finally kiss him?"
"You idiot…" Yanase growled shielding his eyes as well "He's still here. And tone down your goddamn aura! I'm going to go blind because of you! How are you this damn sparkly!?"
"Oh, sorry," Yukina said as he slowly dimmed himself. He was still sparkling but not as blindly as before. "Yokozawa-san? It good to see you."
"I'd said the same…but I think I went blind," Yokozawa said still squinting a little trying to adjust his eyesight.
"Sorry about that," Yukina said stepping back inside dimming himself a little more "I'm not really aware of it sometimes."
"You make that painfully obvious," Yanase mumbled before going over a bookshelf and pulling out a giant textbook and carefully setting it on the table. "Yokozawa-san, correct? I've been on edge for the past month after I received this invitation."
Yanase then handed him the invitation, it had the same symbol as Yukina's except there was writing on the back.
"Together we shall rise?" Yokozawa read aloud "Sounds a little cliché."
"I thought so too," Yanase said, "Thinking it was just a prank by one of the other witches, that was until they sent me this…"
Yanase then stepped away and came back with a box before he pulled out something that made Yokozawa pale. Yanase was holding a broken witch pendant…and Umbra witch pendant.
"Where did you get that?" Yokozawa demanded practically snatching the pendant away from Yanase inspecting it. It had been slashed with a sharp weapon before it had cracked, Yokozawa looked at his reflection in the shattered mirror before slowly turning his head towards Yanase who look apologetic. "When was, this sent to you?"
"About a month ago, it came with a note…" Yanase said quietly handing Yokozawa a white envelope "I'm so sorry…"
Yokozawa quickly unfolded the note to find a picture of one of his old classmates. She had trained with him but didn't become an angel hunter, but instead a History Ambassador to teach every single branch of witches their history to ensure it never repeated itself. Last, he heard she was teaching at a white witch coven and was well accepted by everyone there. But the note read 'Umbra history has no place in a white witch coven.'
Yokozawa's hand closed into a fist around the note before he looked straight-faced at Yanase who had sensed the drastic change in Yokozawa normally calm aura and back himself into a bookshelf. "Y-Yokozawa-san…."
"Is there anything else I should know?" Yokozawa asked.
"The white witches are looking for them too," Yanase said, "They want them brought to justice for attempting to destroy the peace."
Yokozawa said nothing at first before slowly walking over to Yanase and held up the picture. "Where is, she buried?"
"We cremated her…" Yanase said a bit afraid of Yokozawa demeanor. "I…I can bring you her ashes if you want…"
"Get them now." Yokozawa said, "You've got two minutes."
Yanase had never moved so fast in his entire life, he was back in under one minute with a porcelain urn. "Here she is…I'm so sorry…"
Yokozawa just took the urn, before walking towards the door. But before he opened it, he stopped. "I'll be in touch." Yanase nodded while Yukina and Mino stood off in the corner.
Yokozawa was on his hands and knee digging up soil from the ground with tears streaming down his face as he hyperventilates. After finding out one of his fellow Umbra was murder, he ran home before shakily snapping his fingers and head into his space frantically trying to give her a decent burial by Umbra witch standards.
Usually, when a witch dies, the Umbra witches collaborates with the green and fire witches. The fire witches cremate the body, while the green witches plant their favorite flower and scatter their ashes in the soil. Yokozawa has been a part of the funeral rituals, giving his occupation within the ranks, but it's never really affected him until now. He shakily mixed the soil and ashes together before carefully planting rosemary in the pot. Even though he didn't know her very well, she always said how Rosemary was a sign of remembrance. It seems fitting as she was a History Ambassador.
When Yokozawa finishes, he finally cried mourning properly. After a few minutes of sobbing over his fallen sister's ashes, he wiped away his tears before looking at her broken pendant and now crumpled picture.
"Don't worry darling…" Yokozawa said his expression changing to a serious one as his grip tightens on the broken pendant "I'll rip their heart out of their damn chest, and I'll put two bullets in their skull. I promise you."
Yokozawa then wiped away his tears and careful set the new potted plant near a window sill. Yokozawa then took his own pendant off his chest to check his reflection. "I should freshen up, a death in the family puts quite the damper on a decent evening."
"I'm home!" Kirishima called out.
"Welcome back," Yokozawa called back. He had made it back just in time, managing to look relaxed and composed. Even though he was shaking with grief a few moments ago, he managed to get his sanity back and put on his Tsundere persona.
"Did you fall asleep wait up for me?" Kirishima grinned flopping next to Yokozawa.
"D-don't be ridiculous," Yokozawa huffed. Honestly, he would have waited all night for Kirishima to come home. He really did love Kirishima and Hiyo, but he couldn't voice it. After all, he needed to keep them safe from his world…his reality…
"Hey!" Kirishima said snapping his fingers in front of Yokozawa's face "Are you all, right? You seem spaced out."
"I'm fine," Yokozawa lied faking a yawn "Just tired."
"Hopeful not too tired," Kirishima suggested.
Yokozawa gave Kirishima a look before getting up. "Good night, Kirishima."
"Wait," Kirishima said grabbing his arm "Let's sleep together again."
"Again!?" Yokozawa said making himself blush. Goddamn, he just wanted to shut up and agree with him, but Kirishima like the fake hard ass side of him…so he'll give it to him…maybe…
"Yes, again." Kirishima said standing up "Come on I promise, I won't do anything."
Yokozawa scoffed. Granted he did want to get fucked into the mattress earlier but now…
"Fine, just shower before you come to bed," Yokozawa said, "You smell like desperation and death."
"Love you too, Takafumi." Kirishima teased.
"Shut up!" Yokozawa blushed. This time he didn't need to fake it, god he wanted Kirishima to fuck him senseless. Stupid Tsundere persona!
Kirishima headed into the shower while Yokozawa got into bed, both his mind and body were exhausted. On top of that, he hadn't really given himself time to process all new information that was thrown at him.
Tick, Tick, Tick…
Yokozawa looked over to his overnight bag. He normally leaves his pendant at his apartment but after getting this new information, he's carrying his pendant wherever he goes. Too risky now. Yokozawa laid back in bed staring up at the ceiling, he needed to find this Sage before anyone else. The Sage had already found him once before so he could do it again.
"I'm going to enjoy my weekend first," Yokozawa said to himself. "I'll figure everything out later. That Sage doesn't know what they've got coming."
