The bath ended an hour later, for Subaru was going to prune if he stayed goofing around a minute longer. That's what he said, anyway; secondary to concern over Emilia's absence. She was likely still working—she often did after dinner—but it felt wrong to be having all this fun without her. Did she still not know of the creature comatose beneath her roof? Did she even know this bath was going on?

Beatrice held Subaru's hand as they walked, dripping wet and toweled to their bedchamber. The sound of laughter echoing behind them was a soothing one; no one was disquieted by Subaru's departure, thought nothing of it. After all, in Subaru's mind, nothing of note had happened after throwing Beatrice around. They chatted about recent happenings in the castle, the capital, and Subaru shared with all what Petra knew of Daphne, but not about Return by Death (something even she—not to mention Beatrice, Meili, and Garf—kept silent on), whose remains Otto volunteered to show Rem and Ram. Frederica had declined, having the grisly details of Garfiel's victory over Daphne already. She'd continued being weird and "extra Frederica," but Subaru was starting to wonder if she'd always been this awkward.

All things considered, nothing of note had happened the last hour—and that was a wonderful thing. About as wonderful as finding their bedroom without Emilia awaiting them. Scummy. Subaru buttoned up his pajama shirt. I'm such a scumbag. Rather, he tried to, one-handed as he was; the top button kept popping out. That was the most fun I've had in days, and all I can feel is relief getting through it without being hounded—

"Subaru, stop it." He was startled to find Beatrice there, in her tights and vest; all purple and drills, none of her reds to be seen. "Here." Sleeveless arms extended towards him. "I demand you to allow Betty's assistance, I suppose."

"Aye, m'lady." Smiling apologetically, but thankfully, Subaru lowered to one knee. Betty scoffed. "H-hey!" he yelped, yanked to both knees by the collar. "You didn't have to do that."

It only made them eye-level. "Betty needs to evaluate Subaru, in fact." She did his buttons, never blinking, nor breaking away from his gaze. "You appear happier than you were this morning," she said, fingers flying down his shirt, "I suppose."

Subaru couldn't deny it. "I had fun."

"Smiling through your pain?" Beatrice finished—the buttons, as well as claiming suspicion—hands on her hips.

"Beako…" Subaru sighed; he also couldn't deny that this was not only true but getting increasingly tiresome. "What do you want me to do? Cry my guts out every loop?" Not that he'd done so since the first sharing, the first loop.

Beatrice lowered her head, glare unwavering. "I just don't want you losing another limb, in fact." 'Stop being stupid.' Simple as that.

"R-right." Subaru didn't know if apologizing was warranted. Even so: "I shouldn't have lashed out."

She exhaled. "You're under a lot of stress. Betty understands lashing out very well, I suppose."

Well, if that's the case… Subaru donned his most fatherly smile. "And while we're on the subject: Beako."

"Huh?" She flinched from the change in atmosphere. "Wh-what'd I say this time, I suppose?"

Objectively, in the bath, a lot of things, but Subaru was never one to sweat the small stuff: "Is there a reason you're running and hiding, too?" he asked gently.

Beatrice's face was slack for one full second before recollecting into her usual glower. "Oh, is that all?"

"...Yeah. It is." She was sounding a bit too apathetic for all the worry and heartache she'd caused Subaru. God, I'm such a hypocrite.

"Worry not, Subaru. Betty's approach to your ability isn't just fueled by personal feelings, but a tactical decision to withhold said emotions until the current problem is dealt with, I suppose." A soft smile graced her lips, unaware as to how blatant a lie that was. "You worrisome man. It's nothing personal, I suppose. O-of course," she added, blushing off to the side, "there's no way Betty can assert these claims against what Subaru… truly knows , but… Betty knows herself. I'm positive this behavior—err, craven as it is—has been consistent thus far. And if not…" Beatrice breathed deep, so fully that she shut her eyes for effect.

Exhaling, she said, gazing back, "And if not, th-then stop being craven yourself, I suppose. Be the fearless and selfless Subaru, who doesn't want his loved ones to feel any pain, and tell Betty what's really going on with her!" Her posture, the tension, crumbled as she gasped wetly; it was a crack, a leak—the same as the torrent of ugly honesty the spilled out before the Witches had first attacked. Beatrice suddenly shook her head, gripping the sides of it as though in denial. "Gah! Now Betty feels evil, in fact! Because… because, I don't know what you've been through, Subaru! I don't know what I've been putting you through! You're avoiding me, I know you are, and yet! And yet," she seethed, "Betty dares believe as though she has a right to feel your pain! Even Subaru wouldn't be so arrogant and selfish, I suppose!" He swallowed a grunt, panged by her image of him. "Th-this's exactly why Betty didn't wanna talk about it, I suppose—!"

"But you're right!" Stop. Please. He forced himself to look Betty in her pain-filled eyes. "You're... right, Beako." Please, stop feeling so bad for no reason, Beatrice. "You're right about—"

"About me being horrible?"

"N-no! Stop jumping to conclusions for once!" Subaru broke with a snicker, patting her on her puzzled head. "God, what's with us? You got nothing to worry about, Beatrice. Alright?" It was so, so easy to smile—had to be from stroking her hair, had to be. "Yeah, that's exactly right. Ever since the attack's begun, you've been right by my side, knowing exactly what I needed to hear and what not. That's it," he finished softly, smiling just so. "That's all, Beako."

The hurt writ across Beatrice's face slunk out of sight. "Except for this morning, I suppose." Her voice was so little. Puny.

Subaru put his hand on her shoulder. "You've not been perfect, no. You've been jumping to conclusions, like always. And, as per the norm, I'm finding that I don't really care about all that."

"Huh?" Her eyes met his lightning-fast.

Subaru's smile broadened. "I'm saying that nothing's changed. Nothing ever has, no matter what I've been through. Can't you tell?"

"I s-suppose." Her wide eyes lowered, flitting—searching. Perhaps it was for a counter.

"It doesn't make sense, huh? Why would I keep someone who's such a little nudge?" Beatrice squirmed, giggling as Subaru tousled her combed hair into a static-looking frazzle. "It's just who I am, Beako! I don't ever sweat the small stuff!"

"Stop it, I suppose!" she giggled, pushing away halfheartedly.

She grunted in disappointment as Subaru's roughousing subsided. "Believe me, Beako" he said, seriously, "you've not made it any harder. If anything, you've made it a little easier to bear. Just a little, though." Subaru gestured playfully.

Beatrice huffed, shaking her head. "This is why I love you, Subaru."

For some reason, that made his heart skip a beat—and Subaru flushed at that, almost sweaty for it. "W-warn me when you're gonna say stuff like that!"

"Now who's being 'soo—soondairay?'"

"I wasn't being tsundere! I just wasn't ready for you to be so honest!"

"'Tomaytoe, tomahtoe,' I suppose! Revel in anguish as you experience Betty's daily humiliation!"

Subaru sputtered laughing. Beatrice gasped as though offended, only to end up sputtering giggles into both hands. Subaru, still kneeling, almost doubled over as he wiped his eyes, sighing one last titter. "This is what I mean," he sighed. "You're so relaxing to be around, Beako."

"I-I am?!"

Her cheeks were like bright red appas. "You are," Subaru chuckled. "I'm always glad that we're together."

A full second of absorbing this later, a big smile grew across her face. "As is Betty, in fact."

"Just be you as you have been since this mess started, and we'll get through it," said Subaru, Beatrice gulping her anxiety. "Though I've got my complaints, I'm glad somebody knows what I need. Which, unfortunately, happens to be arms-length closeness—something many of our chums swing a bit far in either extreme for my liking." Depending on Subaru, anyway. He sighed, rubbing his head. "This is a lot to deal with," he laughed lightly.

"I can tell. Can Betty help?! Guh," Betty grunted, buckling under the fall of Subaru's hand.

"I'm gonna catch up with the guys who went to see Daphne," he said, thumb stroking her forehead. "You wanna come with?"

Beatrice gave a shake, still smiling as she wrapped her hands around Subaru's wrist. "Instead, Betty shall await Emily's arrival. Better for her if a long day's end begins with my glorious self instead of an empty room, I suppose. Or your amputation." Her gentleness went slack, turning grave. "Do you have any notion of how to approach her with that, Subaru?"

None other than complete honesty, to a point; Emilia didn't need to run herself into the ground before the inevitable fight began. Subaru could handle her. "Well, I was thinking I'd butter her up with a bit o' that old 'Subaru Natsuki charm' and—"

"Betty shall do her utmost to help soften the blow."

Subaru couldn't help but feel mistrustful. "Beako? What're you gonna do?" he asked slowly.

She scoffed. "Don't sound so wary! Who do you take Betty for, I suppose? Petra?" Beatrice shook her head, skinny arms crossing. "I didn't plan to make any mention of Subaru, in fact. Or the Witches, or anything that had happened today."

"No offense, Beako, but you yourself are pretty quick to write off your people-skills."

"Fair," she growled. "However, Betty is second only to Subaru in the art of conversing with Emily!"

"A valid argument."

"Good. Now, don't fret, don't fret; your Beako will fulfill her duty to assist Subaru on every front this battle."

Subaru saw the confident, meaningful smirk she was giving him unflinchingly. "You really mean that," he said.

Beatrice rose a brow, putting her fists to her hips. "What in the world has my Subaru been through? Good grief," she sighed, shaking her head. "Of course Betty is being heartfelt right now! To be frank, it's unsurprising that you broke your promise after an hour of making it, in fact." In lieu of his vow to never mistrust her again.

Subaru felt his insides go stark-white, dropping on his face in prostration (and humiliation). "I'm so sorry I broke my promise, Beako! I'm just too much of an insecure wuss and—!"

"Silence, Subaru!" Something small and soft squeaked against Subaru's head. Lifting it, he found a striped foot settling back down, hands still on hips, and finally that familiar smirk. "It bears repeating: 'good grief.' On top of a ton of other nonsense, it's evident that Emily's inflicted a unique brand of PTSD upon you. Betty dubs it, 'Promise-Trauma Stress Disorder.' My poor Subaru."

This was unexpected; he shot up to his knees. "I was one-hundred percent expecting you to rip me a new one."

Beatrice, finally, glared like always. "Hmph! Betty is much kinder than you think, I suppose."

"Always!" Subaru answered promptly, brightly.

She gave a smug titter. "Well, lucky for Subaru, his 'insecure wuss' side is one Betty finds heart-stoppingly endearing. If a little annoying, I suppose… Think of it this way, Subaru: wouldn't you rather keep the memory of us enduring 'return by death' together, I suppose? Or break and remake it however many times it takes to defeat the Witches of Sin, in fact?"

"Beatrice…" She simply knew why he mistrusted her, deep down inside: he couldn't trust someone who ran away from him, emotionally, as Beatrice had. Deep down, Beatrice—who knew herself—was well-aware of this uncomfortable truth. She was ashamed of it, empirically, but...

"It's hard to believe you still trust me after breaking a promise so easily."

She gave a short sigh. "That's the problem with promises, I suppose: they're heartfelt and well-intentioned, but carry an immense responsibility to maintain. One that, Betty, personally, finds is impossible to hold up given your power. And our group's magnetism to danger."

"You're really forgiving, Beatrice."

Betty cocked her head. "Betty believes she is simply being fair... After all, didn't you promise us to always be together; to protect Emily from harm, in fact?" Her smile was gentle. "What happens when death itself renders such vows broken?"

Subaru almost couldn't bear her gentle little self. "I die a little inside, Beatrice."

A wince away from him. "Eh?"

Subaru gasped, his throat suddenly closing. "I die whenever I break those promises, Beako-!"

A little hand cupped his cheek. "There, there." Another rubbed the back of his head; Subaru's forehead found a shoulder. "You don't have to feel guilty about Betty, I suppose," she croaked. "The fact that you still fight to keep these promises means you haven't broken them... only... that Subaru has yet to fulfill them, I suppose." Those hands shoved him gently away from the agony of loss to Beatrice frowning sympathetically. "I refuse to add more to Subaru's pain, in fact." She whispered with utter conviction, the kind that knew herself to be right. "Instead, Betty will admire and devote herself to Subaru no matter what, I suppose."

"Please don't say that with an 'I suppose.'" Subaru chuckled hollowly.

Beatrice huffed similarly. "Can't be helped, in fact. That's not a statement I'm one-hundred percent certain on. But," she added, smirking, "Subaru doesn't give up, for some insanity-fueled reason, Betty reckons. So long as that's one hundred percent, so is our contract and the bonds that tie us."

Subaru understood that arrogance well, and he wasn't about to question what Beatrice knew in this mood and atmosphere. He had no reason to. This was her desire, her mission—his responsibility for Beatrice's actions began and ended here.

It was so painfully easy to believe in her when horror wasn't in front of Subaru. "You hit the nail on the head, Beako. Yeah... dredging up these emotions will only make lo—l-losing them that much worse." He almost vomited the word.

Still on both knees, still at eye-level; and it was the perfect mood to ensnare Betty into a full-on, one-armed embrace. "Wh-wha'?!" she cried, hands scrambling to instinctively push away or hug back.

Subaru stilled them with an utterance of, "You're the best, Beatrice. I knew I could've trusted you." He put 'oomph' into that one; it was easier, as ever, than pressing her on the feelings he wanted to know then and there. It was so easy to get on Beatrice's good side; to build her up and bolster her spirit. She only wanted to help Subaru, and not feel like a burden. That was easy, and unavoidable besides given their relationship.

It would be easy to deal with Beatrice moving forward.

And for that—for lying to and manipulating this awkward old spirit—Subaru was objectively a scumbag. But not so big of one that he could reveal the truth then and there, like an anvil-to-the-head; how she'd been forcing a distance before the Witches had made themselves known. Beatrice didn't need that; there was no point or benefit to tormenting her, make her hide from Subaru.

Maybe this is all justification, he thought. That her running and hiding was never, and is never, because of mine. He tried not to think about how Beatrice only lashed out the first loop because Subaru was being limp-wristed about the full, ugly truth. He tried not to think about what might happen to them if it was out in the open, that of both their hearts.

And Subaru, above all else, tried not to think about how grateful he was for Beatrice's understanding; how well she knew him.

For that, Subaru was simply cowardly.

An "insecure wuss," specifically.

Beatrice fully embraced her beloved, insecure wuss, certainly aware that he was hiding something from her. Maybe she, too, was grateful that he did not insist.

Subaru tried not to think about that also.

Although Our Hearts Align...