Morg: Heyo! As close as we are to the end of this story, I keep finding more things to write about!

Ikuto: None of us mind that.

Amu: Some of us do.

Morg: We really are close to the end.

Ikuto: You can make it a little longer.

Amu: It isn't like she owns us! It doesn't matter how long the story is!

Morg: I shall do my best!

~Human by Night~

As much as Ikuto wanted to host a large party in the celebration of Midori's and Tsumugu's wedding, the couple wouldn't allow him to do so. Still, Ikuto managed to convince them that a performance by Nagi's and Rima's traveling troupe would be a great way to celebrate. They'd only relented when Ikuto had mentioned that all the kids from the orphanage would be able to see the performance as well.

Through it all, the king had a hard time keeping his happy façade in place. Amu was leaving with the older couple once everything was done. Ikuto didn't want her to go. Maybe he was trying to find more reasons for them to stay, but it didn't matter in the end. They were still leaving.

Moving through the castle to make certain the children were settling in well, Ikuto couldn't help but keep his eye out for a certain young boy. Children ran about, laughing and playing in the halls of the castle. Ikuto truly enjoyed the sight. However, there was one little boy that he knew couldn't run and play like the others. He was also the one that Ikuto was having a hard time finding.

Spotting Yaya, the king made his way over to the tired looking orphanage worker. "Yaya, I'm glad to see that you made it here safely."
Smiling up at the king, Yaya nodded her head before shouting at some of the children to slow down. Once she was certain they weren't going to hurt themselves, the young woman turned back to the king. "Yaya is glad to be here, too, Ikuto-sama. Yaya never thought something like this would be possible."

Simply happy that he could do so much to help the people of his kingdom, Ikuto smiled down at the short girl. "It's my pleasure, Yaya. I was wondering… Is Yoru here?"

Smiling up at the king, Yaya didn't bother to answer as she pointed towards the room that the young boy was in. The journey hadn't been kind to the disabled lad, but Yaya was thankful that they'd made it and that Ikuto was rather caring towards the younger male.

Not bothering to say goodbye to the orphanage caretaker, Ikuto made his way into one of the rooms that had been empty for quite a long time. What he found broke his heart all over again. Yoru was extremely pale as he laid in a huge bed on his own. The young boy seemed to be having a bit of trouble breathing. Ikuto didn't like this sight at all.

Sticking his head back out of the doorway, the king caught sight of one of his servants trying to get a couple of kids to calm down. "You there! Get me Kairi! Hurry!"

Startled by the shout and seeing that it was the king, the servant bowed before running from the hall to find the doctor.

Returning to Yoru's side, Ikuto let out a quiet sigh as he knelt next to the young boy. "Yoru? Can you hear me?"

The boy opened his eyes a bit before letting out a few coughs. "Ik-Ikuto-sama?"

The last time that Ikuto had seen this young child, the king had cried his eyes out. He'd wanted this visit to be much happier, though it didn't seem like it was going to go that way. Yoru was definitely sick. The handicapped boy was in a worse condition than when he'd last saw him. Travelling to the castle hadn't been easy for the child. "I'm here, Yoru. I came to see you."

Smiling a bit, though his body really hurt, Yoru tried to sit up on his bed. He liked visits from the king even if they did sometimes cry during them. "I-I came to s-see you! Yaya sa-"

Coughing cut off Yoru's words as the child shuddered as he tried to catch his breath. His body jolted as the powerful contraction of his lungs sent pain throughout his limbs.

Ikuto could tell from the sound of the cough that it wasn't just air that was inside the boy's lungs. "Yoru. It's okay, Yoru. I'm right here. You're okay. You're going to be fine. Just breathe."

Eyes locking onto Ikuto's blue ones, Yoru tried to focus on what the king was saying to him. He could hear the other's comforting voice, but he couldn't make out the words. His body felt tired and his mind screamed for more sleep, though his coughing never let him sleep peacefully.

The coughing fit ended just as Kairi walked through the door. The doctor had heard enough to know that Yoru needed serious help if he was going to survive. "He's got pneumonia. It probably started as a cold, but travelling through the woods to get to the castle made it worse. He's going to need a lot of rest and some medication."

Looking up from the crying child on the bed before him, Ikuto didn't bother to think over his reply to Kairi's diagnosis. "Whatever he needs, do it. I'll pay anything. Just don't let him die."

Ikuto had changed a lot since he returned to being the king. Kairi knew that, though most of the time the man was mostly focused on matters that pertained to Amu. This time, however, the pinkette wasn't involved with the situation in any way, and yet, Ikuto was doing everything he could. Any doubt that could have been left within Kairi's mind vanished. Ikuto truly was a great king. "I'll do everything I can."

Nodding, Ikuto returned his gaze to Yoru to see that the young boy was staring back at him. "I'm so glad that you came here to live with me, Yoru. This is Kairi. He's a doctor. He's going to make you feel better so that we can play again."

Sighing as he nuzzled into the hand placed against his cheek, Yoru let out a tired yawn. Doctors weren't always nice, but if Ikuto trusted Kairi then Yoru would, too. "Ikuto-sama?"

Humming, Ikuto brushed some of the sweaty hair off Yoru's forehead. This boy was going to get better. Ikuto was going to make certain of it. "What is it?"

Sleep drawing him under, Yoru tried to get his words out. "C-can you still… turn into a panther?"

Smiling at the slurred words, Ikuto tucked the little boy into the bed so that he wouldn't become cold. "I'm sorry, Yoru. I can't do that anymore."

One last yawn stretched Yoru's taunt cheeks. He'd lost some of the little weight that he'd had, though the child wasn't so much aware of it as the adults around him. "That's okay… I still like you."

Heart wrenching in his chest, Ikuto forced a smile as he choked back tears. "I like you, too. Sleep now. You'll feel better soon."

Silently placing a hand onto Ikuto's shoulder, Kairi motioned for the other to follow him out of the room after he was certain that Yoru was asleep. Whatever Ikuto's connection was with the child, Kairi wasn't going to lose his patient. "He should recover within a few weeks. If he's properly taken care of then he should be up and running in no time."

Wincing at that particular choice in wording, Ikuto shook his head. "Kairi… Yoru is handicapped. He was beaten by his family before he managed to get to the orphanage. He can't walk without assistance."

Frowning at the information given to him, Kairi let out a sigh. "I'll look over the extent of the damage. If there is anything I can do for him, trust me, Ikuto, I will do it."

There was no one that Ikuto trusted more with Yoru's health than the doctor before him.

XXX

Noticing that Ikuto wasn't particularly paying attention to the brightly colored people or the fantastic show being put on before them, Amu turned away from the tumbling troupe to study the king for a moment more. "Ikuto, what's wrong?"

Pulled out of his thoughts by Amu's voice, Ikuto lifted his gaze to find that she was sitting beside him as she usually was. The concern on her face was the most emotion he'd seen out of her the last few days. Then again, Ikuto hadn't seen much of Amu as he was busy trying to fix his kingdom and take care of Yoru. That and Amu was rather busy preparing to leave with her parents. The newly united couple were taking all the time they could with Amu, leaving Ikuto with none for himself.

He'd been the one to push for Nagi's and Rima's performance. So many people in attendance cheered as a man juggled flaming torches and a woman swallowed knives. It was a spectacular show, though the king couldn't find much to be interested in at the moment. Amu was to leave the following day, and despite Kairi's reassurances that Yoru was getting better, Ikuto was still worried.

Still, being that he was king, Ikuto knew that he needed to push everything away from himself and set an example for his people. He was supposed to be enjoying the show just as much as the rest of them. Not pouting in his chair. "I'm fine. Everything's fine. I'm just a bit tired. These last few days have been busy."

Being that she hadn't seen a lot of the king over the last few days, Amu knew that Ikuto was being truthful. They'd both been busy, though Amu regretted it now. Ikuto didn't seem quite like himself. Something was definitely getting him down. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. I'll always listen to you."

A sting raced through his body at her words. They weren't true. Amu was leaving him. She wouldn't always be there to listen when he needed her, though at the moment, she was there. She sat right there beside him and the pinkette was definitely ready to listen to whatever it was that he needed to say.

It was in that short moment of contemplation that Ikuto realized that he never got to tell Amu about Yoru's condition. She didn't know that the little boy that Ikuto had come to love was sick. "It's Yoru."

A bit surprised by the admission, Amu let her eyes slip from Ikuto's to scan the crowd. The entire orphanage was there to watch the show. The kids would cheer and scream when the dancers did something dangerous. The made the show just that much more entertaining. Still, she didn't catch sight of a bit of blue amongst them. "Where is here? I didn't think that Yoru would want to miss this."

Flinching at the words, Ikuto cleared his throat so that Amu's gaze would return to him. Ikuto let his eyes wander to where Rima and Nagihiko were getting ready to cross the rope that they'd hung high above the courtyard the day before. "He's sick, Amu. Yoru can't leave his bed. Kairi is taking care of him."

Shocked by the news, Amu had to hold herself back from grasping Ikuto's arm. The gesture wouldn't seem very appropriate to anyone that might be watching them. "Is he going to be okay?"

The concern in Amu's voice made Ikuto smile, though it was rather small. "Kairi says that he will be. His cough was so bad. He almost died on the journey here. His cold turned into pneumonia. If I hadn't gone to see him after they got here then I don't think he'd be alive right now."

Forgetting about trying to be proper, Amu slipped her hand into Ikuto's. Something in her chest caught at the thought of something happening to Yoru. That child had been through so much already. For him to suffer more… the pinkette could hardly stand the thought of it. "If Kairi is taking care of him then everything should be fine."

Lips lifting just a bit higher, Ikuto squeezed Amu's hand before he moved it out of his grip. Her pained look at his actions didn't go unnoticed, though he did ignore them. "When he's healthy again, I think I'm going to adopt him. I will not let him suffer anymore. Never again."

Chest pulling tighter, Amu forced herself to watch as Rima and Nagihiko seemed to defy gravity and death as they did flips while still on that high rope. Maybe the concern on her face could be mistake for them rather than the man beside her. With every moment passing before her departure, Amu found herself not wanting to go. If Ikuto asked her to stay then she wouldn't hesitate. "That sounds like a good idea."

Letting the conversation go for now, and feeling a bit better that he had had it, Ikuto forced himself to clap along with the cheering people as Nagi and Rima took their bows. He might not have watched most of their performance, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was spectacular.

XXX

"Amu-chan, we should get going if we want to get there before it gets dark."

Hearing the call from her new mother, but not quite ready to leave just yet, Amu pretended to be trying to fix the straps on her pack. They'd refused horses from Ikuto. They'd even refused a carriage, preferring to just walk out of the castle and be free. At least, that's what Midori and her father wanted. Amu wasn't certain that she wanted freedom from the walls she was in. Maybe before when Tadase had imprisoned her there, she'd wanted out. But now. Now she wasn't so certain. "I'm coming. Just a moment."

Sighing at the sight of his daughter, Tsumugu slipped his arm around Midori's waist. "Little Sparrow, I can't help but think you're not ready to come with us. We can go on ahead."

Shaking her head, Amu forced all of her feelings from her mind. The only real reason she'd been holding back was because she was kind of hoping that Ikuto would come to say goodbye. She hadn't seen him since the night before, though Amu knew that the king was rather busy. Still, she'd thought she was important to him. "I'm coming. Let's go."

If Ikuto didn't want to come and say goodbye then Amu wasn't going to wait for him.

XXX

Watching from the window of his throne room, Ikuto forced himself to remain calm as three figures walked out of the gates of his castle. As badly as he'd wanted to go and see them off, Ikuto had known that if he were to see Amu he'd beg her not to leave him. The king couldn't show such weakness. He also could never ask Amu to do something she didn't want to do. The girl had been through so much because of him. She deserved a quiet life with her father and mother.

"You, your highness, are an idiot."

Not sparing the blacksmith a glance, Ikuto clenched his fists by his side. "That, I already know."

Snorting, Kukai moved towards the door of the throne room. "I would say that you're the biggest of them all, but I think a rather pink haired girl takes that title."

The comment made Ikuto curious, but Kukai was gone before he could ask. Following the male was out of the question with other servants coming in to give him reports and update him on the happenings of his castle. He needed to finish his work so that he could go and visit Yoru. Ikuto was teaching the boy how to read. He wasn't going to miss his nightly visits to the sick boy without good reason. And by good reason, Ikuto meant that there wasn't one.

As sad as he was. No, not sad. Devastated. As devastated as he was to see Amu go, Ikuto still had a country to run. She might be the love of his life, but he had obligations that had to be taken care of. Maybe someday their paths would cross again.

.

Morg: Love me, hate me, I don't care anymore.

Ikuto: Is this the end?

Amu: This better not be the end.

Morg: As much as I wanted this to be the end of this story, it isn't.

Ikuto: Good.

Amu: Good. I mean, whatever.

Morg: So many loose ends to tie up! I'll get there though! We are super close!