The Air That You Breathe

Full Story Summary:

(Mikoto Suoh x fem!Reisi Munakata) "Breathing the same air as you makes me ill." She constantly tells him those spiteful words and yet her actions always speak otherwise. Mikoto Suoh had always found a deep attraction for Reisi Munakata. He pursued the beautiful creature despite being unfamiliar with the new feelings that immediately took hold of him but little did he know that Reisi Munakata would be the death of him. Dragged into the fate of becoming a king and queen, becoming enemies became inevitable for the two. Now, Mikoto becomes constantly torn between a grudging hatred for Reisi and an ardent desire for her…while battling his own demons along the way. (may contain Izumo x Seri and hints of other pairings in the future)

Chapter Twelve:

Moth Drawn to the Flame

I'm not strong enough to stay away
Can't run from you
I just run back to you
Like a moth I'm drawn into your flame
Say my name, but it's not the same
You look in my eyes, I'm stripped of my pride
And my soul surrenders, and you bring my heart to its knees

Mikoto had always held Reisi Munakata's body after every empty lovemaking they had and he had never felt the way he did when he held her in his arms that night after he had beaten the living daylights out of the millionaire philanthropist, Zenichi Konomura. She unyieldingly let him hold her when he reached out for her and embraced her, which shocked him. It was the first time Reisi let him hold her for that long without snarling at him or hissing at him. With his arms around her, he felt her melt against his chest, felt her relaxing against him. All of these may have been his imagination but he was certain – so very fucking sure – that his heart skipped a beat when her body got in contact with his and his heart began to beat in a rapid cadence. Just like it did eight years ago. He tried so hard to run away from his feelings for her, he tried so hard to bury these feelings...but maybe, he should have tried harder than his hardest. It seems his efforts were not enough. Hell, he still loves Reisi.

Reisi politely thanked him before leaving him. She had always been like that, right? Polite. That's why the whole thing happened. She was too polite to not come to him when he asked her to go out with him, too polite to reject his offer for friendship.

He entered the bar, taking a deep breath at his cigarette. There, Izumo and Tatara were still awake; Izumo was sitting on one of the barstools and Tatara was laying on the couch. Mikoto exhaled; shaking his head when he saw the irritation in Izumo's brown eyes.

"Hey." Mikoto greeted his friends.

Tatara's expression brightened at the sight of the redhead. His expression was a polar opposite to that of Izumo's. "'Hey', my ass…" Izumo sighed, "Where have you been, Mikoto? Anna's been worried sick. She said you were attacked that afternoon and you took off without saying a word to any of us. She thought that you were attacked again."

"You really think I was beaten by some lame-ass Strain?"

"Maybe."

"They said only a King or a Queen could kill a King."

"We don't know that, Mikoto."

"King…" Tatara spoke calmly; again, he was the complete opposite of his blonde best friend. "…please just tell us where you've been. We were worried sick, you know."

It was nice…really nice…to have people say that they had been worried about you. Even Izumo's mother-like nagging made him want to laugh out loud. For someone who should be confused as he was, he feels rather happy. Who was he kidding? He was no longer confused as hell.

"I was with Munakata…" he replied casually; as he sat beside Tatara. He saw Izumo's jaw drop when he answered and the blonde young man stood up from the barstool and dashed on his way towards Tatara and Mikoto. Tatara was also filled with shock but he was too stunned that his face was stuck the way it was before Mikoto answered Izumo's question – all smiles. Mikoto understood that Tatara would be the one who is the most confused one among the duo since Izumo knows that Reisi Munakata had been Glasses Girl, his first love. The poor boy has no idea.

Izumo pressed on, "Why in tarnation were you with that woman?" he said. He sat down beside Mikoto; crossing his arms to his chest. He narrowed his eyes at the redhead, obviously, demanding for Mikoto to say more. "Don't you hate one another? Even if the Blue Queen really is Glasses Girl, as you had told me before, I don't think it is appropriate for the two of you to keep secretly seeing each other behind our backs especially when the two of you fight whenever given the chance."

"Wait. Waaaaaait. WAIT. Reisi Munakata-san is Glasses Girl?!" Tatara exclaimed in shock.

Izumo wanted so much to hear Mikoto's explanation. It is not enough that he told specifically him only and not Tatara about Reisi being Glasses Girl though he appreciated Mikoto putting so much trust in him, it is not enough to explain the deep hatred he feels for the Blue Queen. The hatred in Mikoto's eyes which Izumo saw the day he and Tatara first encountered Reisi isn't hatred simply brought about by petty incompatibility between the two of them, nope; that sort of hatred Izumo saw was an animosity brought by bitterness and pain. It was the same animosity a man holds for his ex-lover.

"I would appreciate it if you tell us the whole goddamn truth, Mikoto…" said Izumo as he pulls out a cigarette stick, "…who is Reisi Munakata to you?"

Tatara held his breath, staring at Mikoto for a while before moving his beady doe eyes at Izumo. There was nothing but silence between the three of them. Excitement filled the young man and he could no longer keep still on his seat – tapping his feet on the creaky floorboards and fidgeting his fingers. He was on the edge of his seat; preparing himself to hear more from King. Mikoto never speaks his private thoughts and emotions to them and if he were to share to them who Reisi really is to him then he is slowly opening up to them. Who knows what kind of man Mikoto could be? Surely, he hates the woman and that is what Tatara expects that he would tell the two of them.

Cigarette smoke left Mikoto's mouth as he relaxes against the backrest of the couch, his head lolling lazily, "Reisi Munakata and I became friends for a few…weeks eight years ago. She is the reason why I didn't hang out with the two of you when I told you I was with a tutor, and she was also the one who broke my heart and left me hanging in the air like a complete idiot." He did not elaborate further his response.

"Does that mean you actually pursued her, King?"

Mikoto nodded; fighting the urge to just ruffle the blonde's hair, stand up and walk away to avoid the question.

"Who is she to you now, Mikoto? What do you feel for the Blue Queen and what do you feel for Reisi Munakata?" Izumo asks after taking a drag of his cigarette.

Weren't they the same person? Wait. No. He understood what Izumo meant. Mikoto had to ponder for a few seconds at Izumo's question. He lets out a loud sigh and said, "I may hate li'l Miss Blue Queen for her Miss Prim and Perfect Act and I may still hold a grudging bitterness for the bitch who left me to rot but…" he cleared his throat, "The Blue Queen and I may clash and lash at one another but at the end of the day, we are the only ones who are equal – we stand side by side even though we may be standing at the opposite sides against each other. And Munakata may have dragged me down into a hellish pit but she brought out the best in me. She made me feel happy. Fuck it, I've no idea what I'm blabbering 'bout." Mikoto shook his head, hating to admit what it is that he was about to say but for himself, he should just spit it out or else he will explode, "But what I do know is that at the end of the day, Munakata is the Blue Queen and there is no longer any differences. I am still madly in love with her. Never stopped loving her, maybe. I love her – Reisi Munakata or Blue Queen. Goddamn…how I love that woman."

That was the longest time Mikoto has ever spoken to them…or to anyone. His lips was forming a sorry excuse for a smile and this made Tatara's heart skip a beat. He never expected to see Mikoto look the way he does as he stared blankly into space while still perhaps, contemplating about his feelings for the Blue Queen. Who was this man? Tatara could only wonder to himself. This wasn't the King he was so used to, the man who would destroy anything and anyone who goes his way with one flick of his finger, the man who could make intimidating crooks scurry out of the area with just one gaze, the man he sworn to be a vagrant to. Seeing Mikoto like that made Tatara feel…a little disappointment. King could never, ever show any signs of vulnerability such as he was doing right now. He had let all his guard down; every single one of it. This wasn't what he was expecting from Mikoto. All these time, he thought he knew who King was, he thought that he knew him ever since he was born but it seems that he is wrong, terribly wrong.

Sighing, Mikoto stood up from the couch. "Gotta go now. I have ta sleep. I'm fuckin' tired."

"Yeah." It was Izumo who spoke, "Good night."

"Night."

When Mikoto has climbed up the stairs and got into his room, Tatara sighed, quietly speaking his mind, "I never heard King speak like that to anyone and about anyone before."

Izumo snickered while shaking his head. Tatara was in shock after Mikoto's confession. He could understand the boy feeling the way he does. Maybe, to him, he had just seen the unravelling of his mysterious idol only to see something and someone he did not expect to see. But, hell, he should not be feeling the way he is; in the first place, it was wrong to expect someone to be something they may or may not be.

He remembered that five years ago, he and Tatara had a certain conversation. He once told the boy that he was like a pup – trailing Mikoto like crazy while yapping and wagging his tail. It was different after they became Mikoto's first clansmen after he became Red King five years ago. Now, Tatara is able to tame the beast inside of Mikoto, he can calm him, and that is why he is part of Homra's foundation. From the start, Mikoto was King to him – even perhaps if he did not become the Red King – and up until now, Izumo could not understand how he sees Mikoto because he does not see Mikoto the way he does. Mikoto is Mikoto…even though he was the Red King, he is still his best friend.

"What's the matter?"

"I thought...that King is strong. I thought he was so strong…" Tatara whispered, "So strong that he is able to stop himself from being exposed to such distracting emotions such as love. I was wrong..."

Of course, someone like Tatara, someone who was never interested in finding and having a relationship, would never understand how powerful love can be. But then again, he was also right...love can be a distracting thing too. It could either lift one up to the sky or send one plummeting to his doom.

"Well, accepting love could also be a sign of strength, you know." Izumo said, smiling, "Finally swallowing one's pride and finally stopping from running away from it takes a whole lot of strength, don't you think?" he crossed his arms to his chest, nodding his head, "Mikoto is strong, believe me. Don't lose hope for him that quickly, Totsuka."

. . . . .

Anna Kushina's birthday is coming close. It was the sixth of December and the Red Princess' birthday was on the eight day of December.

Tatara was in high spirits, happy and excited. That morning, he gathered the members of Homra closest to Anna and they brain-stormed about giving Anna a surprise birthday party. He had several ideas and his brain would not stop pulsating with more and more ideas. They were bawling with laughter; exchanging ideas loudly at one another, agreeing and disagreeing. They were totally a mess – very noisy. But even if they were creating a huge racket, they did not seem to disturb Anna from her sleep. Finally, they agreed to go with Izumo's idea to just give Anna a bouquet of red roses. After that, the members of Homra left the bar to buy things they might need for Anna's birthday.

"Ah? Birthday?"

The three of them – the core members of Homra – are sitting by the bar, enjoying their alcohol when Tatara finally opened up to Mikoto about the planned surprise birthday party for Anna. Tatara nodded with enthusiasm and said, "Yup, yup! The plan is that all members of Homra will give her a red rose that day!"

"Make sure to greet her, Mikoto."

Mikoto stood up and Tatara looked up at him, "Are you heading out, King?"

"Yeah. Gunna go out to smoke."

The young blonde stood up, putting on his coat. "Let me accompany you, King."

"I'm gonna go climb up to the rooftop."

"Okay." Tatara answered, "How about you, Kusanagi-san?"

"Nah…" Izumo answered; collecting the glasses the three of them used before scowling "I have to tidy up."

Mikoto and Tatara stood side by side one another in the rooftop of the bar's building. Mikoto was smoking his cigarette while Tatara stared happily at the lovely view of the city they were overlooking from that spot. "Look, the stars and the city's lights are wonderfully beautiful." The blonde sighed, mesmerized. Silently, the Red King looked up; catching a blinking red light connected to a tower-like structure on top of a building.

"…What's that red thing?"

"Ah! That's the PDA's lights." Tatara answered, "You know, there's an app called 'Candle' which lets you light up the PDA in red color. People say you can see the light from far, faaaaaar away."

Raising his eyebrow, Mikoto watched Tatara began waving his arms like a complete fool. He laughed while jumping up and down in joy. It looked as though he has completely lost it. The redhead shook his head, scowling at the jester clown of a blonde who was also his friend, "What the hell are ya doin'?"

"Sending a sign to that aircraft." Tatara replied, "There's an urban legend that says when someone is suffering, they must point their 'Candle' at an aircraft and those above will rescue them."

Whatever Tatara was blabbering about, Mikoto did not like it. He could not agree to it. If one is suffering, one must do their best to stand up and save themselves. There won't be 'those above' who will rescue them. That is the reality and cruelty of the world they live in. Only fools would believe in fairy tales and legends like that. When he was suffering…he had to pick himself up because there was nobody who rescued him, he had to rescue himself.

Mikoto followed where Tatara was looking at. Hovering by the dark blue sky was a white blimp that looked more like a whale instead of the usual shaped blimp. Mikoto recognized it to be the Silver King's. "Ain't that…?" he muttered.

"Yeah, that's the one the First King rides…" Tatara nodded. During this time of night, he takes night shots with his video camera and sometimes, he meets people who are lighting a 'Candle' and he takes time to listen to their stories. He records their monologue with their video camera. Still staring at the sky and the aircraft above them, Tatara smiled and said, dreamily, "We usually talk only amongst ourselves so when I listen to an outsider talk, I get to see the world in their eyes."

Mikoto snickered, shaking his head, "Are you interested in aircrafts now?"

"Nope." Tatara leaned against the railings of the edge of their rooftop and said, "I've got you and Homra so I'm not interested in things that float above earth."

They were quiet for a few seconds; each of them caught in their own thoughts.

"King…"

"Yeah?"

Tatara could not help but remember what Izumo said to him before after Mikoto had confessed to them the truth of his feelings from the Blue Queen two months ago. He may not understand what Mikoto saw in Reisi Munakata but he had to support his King no matter how much he disagrees to him. For Tatara, Reisi Munakata is the polar opposite of his King and she is dangerous, frightening and he just could not read whatever it is going through her head. Maybe, he just could not see her through Mikoto's eyes. Just as how they were unable to see whatever other people see. Izumo was right, he should not think so badly of Mikoto letting his guard down and embracing his true feelings for Reisi. This might make him stronger. Tatara sighed, "Nothing. It's just that I really admire you, King."

. . . . .

"I've prepared a HUGE cake."

"What?" Izumo asks, flatly. It's only a day left before Anna's birthday party. They already talked about Tatara's ambitious giant birthday cake and they disagreed on that idea because Izumo believed that it would not be right for a birthday party and is more appropriate for one's wedding. He narrowed his eyes at the cheerful blonde.

Tatara glanced over to Mikoto's direction and said, "Last night, we were able to see the 'Candle' light. I thought it made the entire city look like a cake with candles. It's not much but I wanted to show it to Anna tomorrow. I've been jumping from rooftop to rooftop to find the perfect angle and I think I found one so I'm heading there right now." And he made his way towards the exit of the bar while Misaki called out for him, laughing, "Oi, Totsuka-san, don't sleep in tomorrow!"

Kamamoto nodded his head and said, "It's a very, very important day for all of us."

"You be careful, hey!" Izumo did not understand how uneasy he feels. He stared at his young friend and felt as if…there is something wrong. His heart started pounding, his head started to swoon as soon as Tatara had reached the door. Every fiber of his body wanted to run up to him, grab him by the arm and stop him from walking out of that door or just walk up to him and volunteer to come with him to wherever it is that he is going but his feet felt as though they were glued on the floor and he could not do a single damn thing but watch as Tatara smile and say, "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." And he went off, closing the door behind him.

He never would have thought that he would regret not doing what his instincts wanted him to do that night.

Half an hour. That's how long it took before he received a phone call from Tatara that night. He was about to close the bar then, with Misaki helping him clean. The call from Tatara changed the happy mood of the environment in the room in an instant. On the other line, Izumo heard him breathing heavily and he knew that there was something extremely wrong, that there was something bad that happened to Tatara. Izumo never would have thought that Tatara would be attacked – shot down by a mysterious man.

At that late hour of night, Mikoto was resting on his chair. He heard the racket from below a few minutes ago but when he came down to check on Misaki and Izumo, they were gone. He was in his room; staring blankly at the ceiling above him. He picked up his cell phone when it rang. It was Izumo. "I'm sorry, Mikoto, I have bad news." And that was when he was informed of Tatara's untimely death. According to Izumo, he was shot in his stomach and had bled to his death. As Izumo spoke to him, Mikoto heard his melancholy; the man was prepared to grieve already. Knowing Izumo, he is trying to hold his composure in place and continue being the rock for Homra even when he is fondling madly, thrashing violently while he was trying to hold on to his strength.

"Where are you?" That is what Mikoto could only say to Izumo then. He felt sick to his stomach. Several emotions built up inside of him – emotions he was unprepared for. He just lost a friend. There was a buzzing in his ears, as if a mosquito had flew just by his ear and was lingering there.

"No, don't move. Please, don't move. I'll bring Totsuka there."

And Izumo hang up.

Without making the slightest sound, Mikoto bows his head and closed his eyes. He was suddenly numb. So numb.

The door that leads to Mikoto's room creaked open and Anna innocently peeps in. She had a look of anxiety across her face and she was trembling. Somehow, she knows…she really knows and yet, these words left Mikoto's lips, "Totsuka died." But he spoke as though he was speaking more to himself than to Anna. He raised his face at her.

His amber eyes were glass-like, non-seeing. One could not read his expression but Anna need not see his face to know what it was he was feeling. The Red King was angry; very, very angry. She had never felt this sort of anger from him before. It was frightening. Anna's eyes widened; seeing the beautiful red consuming Mikoto and she was overwhelmed by his Power, the natural power coursing through him exploding across the room and filling it with scalding hotness. The little girl rushed towards him and put her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Mikoto's body jerked and tensed in surprise when he became conscious of Anna's slender arms around him; his eyes widened.

"Mikoto…"

Mikoto relaxes against her. His amber eyes glanced to the side, looking at the clock by the bedside table. It was already December 8, Anna's birthday.

Mikoto closed his eyes.

. . . . .

The night was supposedly peaceful. Reisi was aware that her subordinates kept joking that she is the type of boss who need not sleep and, indeed, that may seem true but even people like her need their sleep sometimes. Prepared to doze off on her bed, she laid there in complete silence; staring blankly into space. Yes, the night was supposedly peaceful…until she heard a loud banging on her house's door. At first, Reisi thought she was just hearing things but the banging on the door persisted. Annoyed by the noise, Reisi headed to answer the door. She opened it and standing opposite the door was Mikoto Suoh, there were huge bags underneath his bloodshot amber eyes. He looked like he has not slept in days. Truthfully, he looked more like a corpse than a man.

He is a dead man walking.

"Hey." His husky voice sounded coarse. Sounded more like he had been screaming.

"What are you doing here?"

Ignoring her question rudely, he stepped into her house; forcing her to take a few steps back so he could come in. Reisi sighed as the silence grew after a few more seconds. Accepting that he has no intentions in answering her question, she spoke, "Seriously, Suoh, are you some sort of cat who comes into my life just whenever you need something from me?"

"It's been two days now…"

Reisi raised an eyebrow.

"…since Totsuka died."

She knows this Tatara Totsuka fellow from Scepter 4's encounters with Homra. He was among Mikoto's first recruits, one of his first clansmen. He is quite a handful. A young man with blazing brown eyes and medium length golden hair. To be honest, she didn't like the fellow. He seems to be too much of a troublemaker; the way his eyes widen in shock and fear while looking at her, the way his tiny, boyish voice tremble while speaking to Mikoto when disagreeing with him, and the way he seem to soothe the Red King so easily makes her…feel uncomfortable. She doesn't like him but that does not mean that she would rejoice upon hearing the news of his death.

It must be painful for a King to lose his vassal.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Mikoto looked at Reisi. God, she looked so beautiful that night in her lavender kimono. She doesn't have her glasses on and had just let her hair down on her shoulders. Apparently, she was ready to fall asleep. He could just drink the sight of her like an addict but he could not keep his sharp tongue from speaking, "Are you?" He smirked sarcastically at her; baring his fangs when he pulled his lips, looking like a lion prepared to gnaw the head off of the she-wolf. He shook his head. What was he doing being an asshole? He came there for a reason. He needed this. His clansmen had their time to grieve together and he left the bar to be alone and grieve on his own but his feet brought him here to this place. He had to break free from the watchful, hopeful eyes of his subordinates. They obviously expect him to be the one to hold them together while they are falling apart but he couldn't. He needed to grieve for the friend he just lost. Tatara wasn't just his clansman, his vassal…he was his friend.

He could only turn to one person. Reisi Munakata was his equal and he knew she does not expect him to be high and mighty as his clansmen do. He could be none other than Mikoto Suoh around her and not the Red King. Unlike his clansmen, she does not see him as someone who would give him guidance, who would give him the inspiration to be strong.

"Munakata…" he said, "...I…" his voice trailed off as he lets his head hang low. He did not know what to say to her. He could feel his body trembling all over. He closed his eyes shut; feeling that hunger rising in him – his lust for destruction, his desire to burn every goddamn thin around him. His Aura was leaving his body.

"Suoh…" Reisi stepped towards him, putting his face in both of her hands and lifting his face so that he could look at her eyes as if she was drawing his attention at her and only her. She was successful in making him get a hold of his Aura and he stopped it from oozing out of his body but she still was unable to distract him from the tiny voices in his head seducing him into burning everything around him. "…as much as I enjoy how miserable you are, I do not feel comfortable with it. Aren't you supposed to be with your clansmen? They could be in need of your support right now."

"I can't…"

"Pardon?"

"Din ya hear me? I can't be there to support them…when I can't fuckin' support myself. I can't let them see me like this, Munakata." He grumbled angrily, "Ain't that what you wanna hear, huh, Munakata? I'm a fucked-up mess. I failed to protect my friend. I am a shit of a King. C'mon, say it to my face." He puts his face in his hands and slumped his shoulders with a sigh, despair sank inside of him. He wanted to hear her tell him the worst insults that could pop inside her big brain. His masochism was returning, and he could not stop it from overcoming him. Right now, he wanted, he needed to hear her how much of a stupid idiot that he was.

Reisi looked at him as if she was watching a squirming worm in a pool of mud. She looked utterly disgusted. Her glasses glinted as she cocked her chin up and she spoke to him, "I would say that I agree on you being a failure of a King but I never thought that you would immediately lose the pride you swagger about…" she lets go of his face, "I know you're upset but I do not think my companionship is what you need right now. I'll only make you feel worst and you probably know that…"

"Who are you to tell me what I need and what I do not need?" Mikoto said, bitterly, "You don't have to talk to me, you don't have to look at me, you don't have to touch me, you don't have to do anything…just…let me grieve."

"Why don't you grieve by yourself?"

That's the problem. He didn't want to grieve alone. He didn't want to be alone while he feels so goddamn sad, so fucking angry and upset. If he were to be alone, he might end up losing to the voices in his head and let his grief get the beat of him and swallow him whole. When that happens, he might not be able to stop himself from thrashing about and lashing out with his Aura those who would try to approach him. With Reisi just near him, he could be at least comforted by the thought that if he were to be swallowed by his own grief, she is powerful enough to stop him and bring him back to the reality of things.

Mikoto looked up at her, staring with glass-like eyes at the woman who was his equal, who had once broke his heart with a sledgehammer, who he holds such a deep and ardent adoration for.

Reisi bit her lower lip, a shudder passing through her as she looked at the redhead, having a good look at his face. She could not stop herself. "Good grief, how I hate you…" she sighed before enveloping him in her arms. She held him, closing her eyes as she lets herself feel his familiar warmth. She has gotten used to his warmth, his smell and even the rhythmic beating of his heart. What she hasn't gotten used to was the sight of the fluid flowing out of his eyes and the broken sounds he made as she held him.

He didn't know when the tears started to fall.

. . .

Five years ago, he had questioned why he was appointed as King by the Slate. His powers – no matter how he liked having it make him feel so strong – scared him. Being the Red King even scared him the most, the responsibility to give guidance to people and having people look up to him. The title of 'Shizume Monster' was both a pride and an insult to him, but it was more of an insult than it was a compliment. It was Tatara who made him feel good about his powers. According to the naïve blonde, his powers do not exist to destroy but rather to protect. Mikoto held on to that and tried his best to use his powers to protect the members of Homra. He was always the laidback, innocent and clueless one and he was a fool to speak about Mikoto's Aura as though he knew how Mikoto carries it.

His Aura was his cross. It was his burden, his curse.

How ironic to be unable to protect the person who believed that you possess your power to be used to protect the people around you…

Mikoto and Reisi laid beside one another on Reisi's bed but it was different from before – they simply laid with one another, clothed and simply drowning in each other's silence. Mikoto had his head resting against her soft bosom while she cradled his head there on place while softly smoothing her fingers against his spiky red hair. She was quiet all the while as he poured out his loneliness, his grief, his fury and his animosity. Reisi could feel his internal turmoil. She glanced at him, opening her mouth to speak but then, stopped herself from talking and let the Red King have his time of silence.

Something glinted from Mikoto, making Reisi wince. She looked at him and noticed a piercing on his left ear. "That's new." She commented, touching it with her fingers. Mikoto nodded his head but didn't say more. There was a redness glinting on it. She recognized that piercing and she knew that it once belong to Tatara Totsuka. Her stomach went in knots and she could not help but frown at the sight of it. Her dislike for Tatara had only seem to increase as the time passes and she could not help it.

"Munakata…"

"Yes?"

"D'ya remember what I told you…? When my Sword of Damocles falls, I'd like you to be the one to cut me down."

Reisi didn't speak. Mikoto felt her tremble after he had spoken. He remembered the first time he opened that topic to her and she tried to shut him up. It was an unpleasant thing to talk about but he had to entrust to someone the responsibility in protecting everyone from him. He knows that his Sword is no longer in the best shape as it had been five years ago. Probably, his adversary, the Blue Queen, knows this as well. It was his fault, he had been using his Aura like there's no tomorrow.

"If my Sword falls, what would you do…?"

"I would have not much of a choice. I would have to kill you." Reisi answered, solemnly; hating how she felt her chest tightening when she spoke those cruel, cruel words. Mikoto looked up at her and smiled after she answered his question. "Your Weismann levels are almost at its limit, Suoh."

"Yeah."

Reisi clicked her tongue, not appreciating the casualness in the redhead's tone. He must not understand the gravity of the situation. The Damocles Down of the former Red King had caused the loss of seven hundred thousand lives. She did not want that to happen again, not on her watch. "I hope you are not planning to do anything stupid."

Mikoto closed his eyes. So far, everything he does is stupid to the Blue Queen. He chuckled. Before burning Tatara's corpse, he told Izumo that he's going to return the favor to the one who killed Tatara. He'll just do whatever the hell he wants from now on.

"Munakata…" Mikoto spoke again, catching Reisi's attention once more. "…only you could do it. Only you could chain this beast inside of me." Tatara was able to calm and appease the beast inside of him, but he would never, ever be able to make it leave him for good. Unlike Reisi. Reisi could make the beast in him leave for good.

"Yes, of course…" she replied, "I would do…whatever it takes to keep that beast inside you locked and unable to hurt anyone." She had made her decision. Whatever happens, she would do everything in her power to stop the Kagutsu Tragedy from happening again, she would save Mikoto from himself, she would not allow him to die. She is the Blue Queen, Reisi Munakata, and it is her responsibility, her duty to protect everyone and anyone. There is a reason why Mikoto was speaking the way he is. Forebodingly, talking about his Sword of Damocles as if he was certain that it would come down on him and make him meet his doom. Was he telling her that that is what he wanted? To push his Weismann levels to the limit and let his Swords fall and have her kill him? Did he want to die then?

"That's what I'm talkin' about."

He couldn't ask for a better person to see on his final hours than Reisi Munakata, the love of his life.

Reisi finally understood. Mikoto meant to avenge Tatara Totsuka. "Don't you really give any importance to your own life?" The words just escaped her lips without her meaning it to. She has been having that same thought ever since. Was it worth his life, avenging this clansman who had never had anything to offer in Homra? Why does Mikoto think that his life has such little price? Reisi wanted to ask him so many questions and demand that he answer but she could not bring herself to. If she were to let her emotions get the better of her then she has lost herself. Reisi Munakata does not let emotions take hold of her. When he did not answer, that was when she had enough of his stubbornness and released him from her embrace. Heaving an aggravated sigh, she rolled to her side to face at the opposite direction so that she couldn't look at Mikoto face-to-face.

She didn't expect for Mikoto to scoot in closer to her and put his arms around her. Hissing, she grumbled at him, "Don't touch me." But contrary to what left her mouth, she felt rather appreciative of his arms being around her. She felt calm all of the sudden, felt safe and sound. Mikoto, as expected, did not listen to her but instead, he pulled her closer to him, held her tighter against him and he buried his face against her hair and at the back of her head. She could feel his warm breath leaving his nostrils tickling the skin of her nape. Reisi relaxes, closed her eyes to let slumber take hold of her finally.

. . .

Eight years ago, Reisi met the most annoying barbarian who she knew would ruin her life.

"Come back here, Suoh-san!" Reisi cried out, angrily as she ran as fast as she can in pursuit of the red-haired delinquent whom she was so certain hated her and who is now her friend for weeks. Mikoto Suoh had taken off after grabbing from her her shinai. Just coming out of her practice in her Kendo Club, she was extremely and excruciatingly exhausted. Perhaps in an attempt to seek vengeance for making him wait so long for her that afternoon, Mikoto snatched her shinai from her and ran away.

"C'mon, Munakata!" Mikoto taunted; waving the wooden sword in the air while he turned towards her direction for only a brief time, "Catch me if you can…"

Clicking her tongue, Reisi struggled to catch up to the redhead but he knew that she couldn't do that; not in her current situation. She could no longer keep herself calm. It annoys her so much that he is acting like a big man-child. Then again, she could only wonder what caused him to be in such high spirits that day. Producing a textbook from her bag, aiming for his head, she forcefully throws it towards Mikoto. "Yakuza!"

The textbook flew towards the redhead's direction but she did not expect him to pivot his body and quickly, he caught the book that was headed to hit him on the head. He stopped on his tracks. People were staring at them since Reisi blurted out the word 'Yakuza', but he ignored their frightened looks and so did Reisi as she stomped towards him.

"So, I'm Yakuza now." Mikoto smirked.

"Yes, until you give me back my shinai, I believe." Reisi answered; walking towards Mikoto before showing her palm at him. She raised an eyebrow at him, "And my book."

Chuckling, the redhead gave her her book and her wooden sword.

Quietly, they headed to the train station, with Mikoto carrying Reisi's bag for her because she was tired and the redhead actually felt guilty for making her run after him to retrieve her things from him. When they got into the train, there were several free seats and Reisi's face brightened. She sat down comfortably on the seat while Mikoto followed her; plopping comfortably right beside her. From the corner of his eyes, Mikoto could see Reisi almost dozing off; her eyes almost closing and her head bowing. She was tired and he just had to be a bully. Mikoto cleared his throat, "You could rest your head on my shoulder."

Reisi raised an eyebrow.

"You're tired. You need to rest. Even just a li'l bit." Mikoto shrugged, "It must be hard for ya, being an all-arounder and a perfect student and all. Go ahead an' rest on my shoulder."

There is no denying that Reisi truly appreciate that gesture from the red-haired barbarian whom she just called 'Yakuza'. She didn't mock him then, did not refuse his sweet gesture but instead, she leaned against him and rests her head on his shoulders before tenderly closing her eyes. A warmth filled her chest that day as she laid her head on his shoulder.

It was the same warmth she was feeling right now as she was being held by the slumbering barbarian behind her. He was whispering in his sleep, trembling – caught inside a nightmare. This man…no matter how much she tries to push him away, no matter how she lets her hate for him cloud what little love for him he made her feel, she could not stop it anymore. She could no longer stop herself for caring for this man. She cares for him, more than she should, more than she wanted to, more than she needed to.

Reisi held unto to Mikoto's arms, caressing them as he held her.

She will save him.

She will never allow his Sword of Damocles to fall.

And it's killin' me when you're away, I wanna leave and I wanna stay
And I'm so confused, so hard to choose
Between the pleasure and the pain.
And I know it's wrong, and I know it's right.
Even if I try to win the fight, my heart would overrule my mind.
And I'm not strong enough to stay away
There's nothing I can do
My heart is chained to you

- Not Strong Enough by Apocalyptica feat. Brent Smith of Shinedown -

Author's Notes:

G'bye, Totsuka, sweet prince...

Meh, not really...like Reisi, I dislike Tatara.

Anyway, here ya go, the 12th chapter of my fic. Almost there, almost there, peeps. We're coming close to the start of the anime. I think I got my groove back with writing. So, hooray. Thank you again for still reading this fanfic. I am so glad that you like it so far. Starting now, we would see the roller-coaster ride of the Blue Queen's and the Red King's emotions.

Ah, finally, I can rest for a while... Uhh...ZzZzZzZ...