"Thanks." Ayumu said a bit bitterly, he didn't want to see his brother right now, but he was the only person he could think of that could possibly help Ayumu.
"So, what brings you around here at this time of night?" Kiyotaka asked, smirking. He knew exactly why Ayumu was there; it was the Blade Children's birthday in a few days if he remembered correctly, which, of course, he always did.
"You already know why I'm here, don't you?" Ayumu asked. His brother had been involved with the Blade Children long before Ayumu had, no doubt he knew of their true fate.
Kiyotaka chuckled, "Of course I do, Ayumu. But why come to me? Why would I help you save those wretched beings?"
Ayumu glared at his brother, why did he think he was so much better than them? "If you have one bit of decency left in you, you'll help me." Ayumu guilted Kiyotaka.
The older one just chuckled again, "Is that so? Why do you care for them so much, Ayumu? I suppose I could understand you wanting to protect Kanone, he is the father of your daughter, but why the others? Especially Kousuke, he's so obnoxious."
Ayumu gritted his teeth, "I didn't come here to have you insult my boyfriend." He said defensively, "I just want your help. Why do you hate them so much?"
"You still know what they're destined for and you still wish to stay with them? They will only bring you pain, Ayumu, I am only trying to protect you."
"I don't need your protection, they do!" Ayumu shouted, angered at the memory of his nightmare. Kiyotaka had said the same thing then, what if it was true?
"I can do nothing for them, that's on you, little brother." Kiyotaka replied, "I hate to see my family so involved with dangerous people, but if you choose to stay with them, which I'm sure you will, then don't rely on anyone else's help. You have to do it yourself."
Ayumu stood up from his seat, "I can't help them. I don't know what to do, that's why I came here. I thought you would realize that, Kiyotaka. You say you want to help me and protect me, but if I go through with this like I am, so unprepared, then I will be killed. You know that and still you refuse to help me?"
Kiyotaka frowned at the truth behind his brother's words, "I refuse to help you because I can't do anything to help you, Ayumu, but you can. You are the key to their salvation, but they must believe in you. If they have no faith then they will seal their own fate."
Ayumu thought about his brother's words and then spoke the words that he swore he never would, "What can believing possibly do?" Ayumu had long ago put his faith into himself and what he believed in, but he couldn't stop himself from speaking these words. What could simply believing do in a situation like this?
"You'll have to figure that out for yourself." Kiyotaka replied, "Just believe in yourself and they will follow. You must be sure of yourself, though, if you hesitate they will follow suit, and this is not a time when you can hesitate."
Ayumu nodded; somehow, though he wasn't sure how yet, Kiyotaka had helped him, "Thanks." Ayumu said, and, without another word, left.
Walking down the street a million thoughts ran through his head, "You are the key to their salvation, but they must believe in you." Kiyotaka's words ran through his head, what did it mean? "So what if they believe in me, that won't possibly help them, will it? How could it?" Ayumu groaned at the headache that was forming, he had never thought so much or so intently on anything in his life. He knew why, of course, it was because they all mattered so much to him. And because he felt responsible, "If what Kiyotaka says is true, then I am responsible for them." Though Kiyotaka had said that they would seal their own fate, Ayumu had to help them. He was, for all purposes, one of the Blade Children now. He now shared their fate, though it was, in part, of his own free will. He felt tied to them, though, and he couldn't just ignore their cry for help. No, he had no choice in the matter anymore. Reaching home he quietly opened the door as to not wake the others, which was pointless since they were all there, waiting for him, "What are all of you still doing here? And awake?" It had to be well past midnight and yet the five Blade Children were still sitting in the apartment he shared with the other three.
Kousuke was the first one to respond, "I couldn't sleep because I was a little worried, you left so suddenly."
"Hiyono wouldn't go to sleep until I had assured her that I would stay up as well." Kanone replied. Eyes stayed silent, but Ayumu knew that he had been up because he couldn't go to sleep without Kanone next to him.
"I see, so why are you two here?"
"We decided to stay and see what had you leaving in such a hurry. We thought maybe you had an idea but didn't want to tell us about it if it didn't pan out." Ryoko explained.
Rio looked up from her snack and nodded, "And Eyes had another melon for me, too!" She exclaimed, motioning to the fruit in her hands.
Ayumu smirked at this and went to join them, sitting next to Kousuke. As he sat and looked around, he realized they were all waiting for him to explain his absence for the past two hours. Sighing he grabbed Kousuke's hand, "I went to see Kiyotaka." He confessed. He saw Kanone shift slightly at the mention of the name and Eyes put an arm around him, protectively, but, other than that, no one moved or said anything, "He said some things that I didn't understand. I'm not sure whether or not it was helpful."
"What did he say?" Kousuke asked.
Ayumu hesitated, not sure of whether to tell them the details, but deciding that it couldn't hurt, "He said that I was the key to your salvation, but that you had to believe in me. That was about it." Kousuke and Kanone could tell immediately that that wasn't even close to all, but Ayumu didn't want to say anything in front of the others.
"That's it?" Rio asked sadly, "But we already believe in you, Ayumu, how is that going to help us?"
Ayumu shook his head, "I don't know, but that's what he said."
"Well why should we believe him?" Kousuke asked, "He's never done anything to help us before, what if he's just lying to us now, trying to throw us off?"
Ayumu gave him the same answer and Kousuke got upset. Ryoko sighed and stood up, looking to Rio, "Are you ready to go home?" She asked.
Rio stood and nodded, "Goodnight everyone." She said, leaving her half finished melon on the table and following Ryoko out the door; she just wasn't hungry right now.
This alarmed all of them somewhat, Rio had never abandoned a melon like that and Ayumu felt responsible, it had been his bad news that brought her down. He stood, tired and just wanting to go to sleep. Kousuke saw this and stood as well, still holding his hand, "Let's just try and get some sleep, okay?" Ayumu nodded and said goodnight to the other two men and followed Kousuke into their bedroom. Ayumu saw Hiyono on their bed and smiled faintly, knowing that she would be safe with Ryoko's friend, at least he hoped she would, "She'll be fine." Kousuke whispered in his ear, hugging him from behind, "Do you think either Ryoko or I would even suggest someone to look after her whom we didn't trust?"
Ayumu sighed and paced his hands over Kousuke's, "No, I just don't want her to be without me or Kanone after this is all over. If the worst should happen..."
"Don't say that. I know it's like you to always prepare for everything, but just leave this up to fate, okay?"
It was odd to hear Kousuke speak these words and Ayumu couldn't help but wonder, "How could I leave something as important as her to something as unreliable as fate?"
Kousuke smiled, "Well what good is worrying about something you can do nothing about? You can't change what is meant to happen, Ayumu. If you're meant to save us, then you will. If you're not, then..." Kousuke trailed off and moved to the bed, laying on one side of Hiyono, "Let's just worry about this tomorrow."
"Then what?" Ayumu thought, "If I can't save you then just blame it on fate?" It sounded like Kousuke to blame something on someone else, but this was their lives he was passing off so casually. Ayumu nodded and joined him nonetheless, laying on the other side of Hiyono.
The small girl woke up at the feeling of other people on the bed and opened her eyes to see Ayumu staring back at her, "Daddy, when did you get home?" She asked, raising her hand to cover up a yawn.
Ayumu smile and kissed her forehead, pulling her to him, "Just a couple of minutes ago."
She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes again, yawning once more, "Where were you?"
"I was meeting with someone." Ayumu replied reaching over and grabbing Kousuke's arm and pulling him closer as well. Kousuke grinned and rolled over so he was facing Hiyono and Ayumu. He put his arm over the two, sandwiching Hiyono between the two men. Ayumu supposed his answer satisfied his daughter because she was soon asleep again.