Summary:

Asta and Yuno continue to enjoy the festival when...

Notes:

WARNING:
Asta has a panic attack

Chapter 18: Asta

Asta didn't know whether or not to be nervous or excited. Maybe he was a bit of both as Yuno and Asta walked side-by-side through the Winter Festival makeshift streets, thanks to some obvious meddling from Leo and Langris (Finral's brother was secretly kind). Asta hadn't wanted to be late but Gauche had been unbearable trying to pick out Marie's outfit. He missed so much as a result. He'd have to ask Secre later what happened with Catherine, Kirsch, and Zora, but for now, Asta enjoyed walking with Yuno.

"Are you hungry? There's a good burger stand that we went to earlier," said Yuno.

Asta nodded emphatically. He signed, "Yes, please, lead the way."

Yuno took him to the burger stand and insisted on buying Asta the burger and fries, despite Asta protesting. It was too much of a date-y thing that made Asta get butterflies in his stomach, but Yuno's offer was very sweet so Asta let him pay this time. Next time, it would be Asta's turn to pay.

"I'm glad that you came to the festival," said Yuno, as they sat at one of the tables set off to the side for people eating.

Asta nodded. After taking a bite of his food, he signed, "I almost didn't want to come, but I wanted to hang out with everyone and see the decorations and stands of the festival."

"There's some games too. There's a basketball one. Mimosa and Noelle wouldn't let us play it," said Yuno, with a small grin on his face.

"Haha! We should play. See how Mr. Big Shot Basketball Player does against me." Asta signed, feeling a bit bold.

Yuno grinned. "You're on."

Asta finished eating and then, they went straight for the basketball game. The premise of the game was to shoot as many baskets in two minutes. The distance from where you were allowed to stand to the hoop was no further than twelve feet (3.65 meters). The hoop wasn't as high up off the ground as on a regular basketball court. It was an easy game that anyone with hand-eye coordination could feasibly win.

"You can go first," said Yuno.

Asta raised an eyebrow, but took out some yul and gave it to the game owner, who then handed Asta the basketball.

Biting his lips, he stood on the designated line.

"Ready, set, go!"

The timer over the hoop began and Asta threw his first basket. Getting into the zone, once the basketball returned to him, he kept going until his two minutes was up. He got fifteen baskets. Asta grinned at Yuno. "Alright, let's see you do it."

"Loser pays for ice cream," said Yuno. Yuno handed the money over to the game owner and started his turn.

Yuno tied him with fifteen baskets two minutes later.

Smirking, Yuno stated, "Again!"

Asta nodded, happily. "Again!"

About an hour later, they had been banned from the basketball game after winning too many prizes and hogging up the game. Yuno and Asta had tied each time, much to their irritation. But still, Asta had great fun. He liked that Yuno didn't treat him differently and didn't mind competing with Asta as an equal. It made Asta feel very fond of Yuno all over again.

"That was great. Now I want to play one-on-one. Do you have time tomorrow?" Yuno asked.

Asta nodded in agreement. He signed, "I'm free in the afternoon. Same park, at 1?"

"Yeah that sounds good to me," said Yuno. "I'll buy you lunch."

Asta rolled his eyes. "Not necessary."

"You're helping me, so I will," said Yuno, stubbornly.

"No." Asta signed, a bit annoyed.

"I'll bring lunch then. Dorothy is a very good cook," Yuno countered.

Sighing, Asta said, "Well, I guess if your mom is making it, then that's fine."

They continued walking around the festival, stopping by the basketball team's stand, since Yuno wanted to check on them. Asta's face warmed as Leo and the other basketball players waved off Yuno to continue hanging out with Asta. It was very sweet, but also embarrassing. Did everyone think that Yuno had a crush on Asta when they were just friends? Though if Asta was honest with himself, the thought that Yuno might like him the same way that Asta liked him made him very, very happy.

Asta bought them ice cream. He checked his phone when it buzzed with notifications of texts from Gauche, Vanessa, Marie, and Secre. They were reminding him not to push himself and that he had a curfew to remember. It was nearly ten o'clock at night, so he'd have to meet Gauche and Marie soon since Marie had to get to sleep sooner rather than later.

"Do you want to play one more game?" Asta signed at Yuno.

"Sure-"

"Excuse me? You're Asta, right?" A voice asked.

Asta and Yuno turned to the sound of the voice and found a young man standing there. He had white hair, reddish-brown eyes, very pale white skin, dressed like a true Goth with skinny black jeans and chains hanging from the belt holes and a tight band t-shirt. Earrings were visible up and down both his ears. He looked a little nervous as he held a paper in his hand. Asta tensed up.

Yuno must have noticed, so Yuno asked, protectively, "Who are you and why do you want to know?"

The goth guy raised an eyebrow at Yuno and said, "Name's Liebe. And I've been looking for Asta for a long time. He's my little brother."

Asta froze.

What? He asked himself.

Yuno glanced worriedly at Asta.

Asta's chest felt tight as he looked around for a way to run away. His only siblings were Gauche and Marie. He didn't know this Liebe guy! Asta signed furiously, "I gotta go. I'm going home."

"Asta, breathe in and out," said Yuno, calm in his tone, but it didn't hide the underlying part of worry and panic in his own voice. "I'll call Gauche. Just breathe. Listen, Liebe, was it? I think you need to go through Asta's social worker, Nacht Faust, and Asta's foster mother, Vanessa Enoteca."

Liebe said, "Ah. He's having a panic attack. I didn't mean to freak him out. I was just a bit overzealous, when I finally found him." He looked genuinely sorry. "I'll do...that. Here's my number, anyway." Liebe handed Yuno the piece of paper.

Asta's vision blurred and he plopped down on the ground.

He had a blood brother? He had one that he never knew about? Did he know their parents? Or did they just have one parent in common?

"Asta, it's okay, he's gone. Gauche is on his way," said Yuno.

Asta sniffled.

A week later, Vanessa and Asta sat in Nacht's office at the social worker building downtown. After the encounter with Liebe, Asta had been all out of sorts and stopped going to school again. He hated that it happened in front of Yuno, who merely kept sending worried texts to his phone. Asta looked at Nacht and hoped he'd have answers.

"So," said Nacht, smiling kindly at Asta, "it turns out that Liebe is your brother. You share the same parents. He, however, had been left in the Heart Kingdom and went through the foster care system there. He has his own foster mother, Lolopeckha. Liebe is about two years older than you, Asta. I'm sorry that I didn't catch this sooner. But Heart and Clover's foster care systems are never on the same page with information."

Vanessa held Asta's hand and asked, "So, does Liebe know the story about their parents?"

Nacht nodded. "It's quite a tale, but I don't think Asta is quite ready to hear it, unless his therapist gives the go ahead. But I've spoken to Liebe and he'd like to meet up with you. To get to know you. But I also think that unless Asta really wants to and his therapist says okay and you say okay, Miss Vanessa, then we should limit their interactions."

Asta scowled. He signed, furiously. "I want to know. Who were my parents? Why did they leave me? Leave Liebe? And I want to meet him." He looked pleadingly at Vanessa and Nacht.

Nacht sighed.

Vanessa said, "Sweetie, are you sure?"

Asta nodded once.

Vanessa and Nacht traded looks as if debating telepathically with each other. It was an unrelenting awful two minutes before Nacht said, "Very well. But we stop if you have a panic attack or anything that makes you upset."

"Okay."

Vanessa nodded at Nacht.

"Your parents were Licitia and Cato Nerva. They were a line cook at a diner and a librarian near the edge of the border between Clover and the Heart Kingdom. Unfortunately, when Liebe was two and you were just born, they witnessed a crime done by the organized crime syndicate, the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Their lives and the lives of you and Liebe were at risk, so Licita took you and Cato took Liebe and split up, thinking it was safer. Licita got to Hage when the Eye caught up to her and that's where you were left at the fire station, Asta. While that happened, Cato and Liebe had gone to the Heart Kingdom, but the Eye was there too and Cato dropped Liebe off at the police station before fleeing," said Nacht, watching Asta very closely for any sign of a panic attack.

Asta was too stunned to speak.

"I'm sorry to tell you that Licita and Cato, your parents, had been killed shortly after getting you and Liebe to safety," said Nacht, solemnly. "But now this, you were wanted very much by your parents."

"How did Liebe know all this?" Vanessa asked.

"Cato left a letter with Liebe. The letter, which had been in police custody until Liebe turned eighteen, explained mostly everything. My own research into the night you were left at the fire station supplied the rest," Nacht explained.

Asta's bottom lip wobbled.

His parents wanted him. He wasn't just thrown away like trash. Breathing in and out before he started to cry, he signed, "I'd like to meet Liebe."

Vanessa smiled and said, "Sure thing, kiddo."

"Very well," said Nacht. "I'll arrange it."

~to be continued