Inspired by episode 15. Kanami/Ryuho, but they don't know it. Also, keep in mind that I am writing this where the series is only up to episode 16. So this is definitely AU.

Said the Priest to the Princess

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"You." Her voice was a breath, with barely enough substance in it to give the word any sound. She was taller now, more than just a bit, with the same long sandy brown hair. She wore it down and the masses hung thick and luxurious around her body, with slight curls at the bottom where it ended at her thighs. Her bangs were longer, and pulled back. She was an adult. She was a woman.

It had been years since he had seen her.

Her tiny right hand reached up to brush the bangs out of his eyes, the backs of her fingernails smooth and cool against his forehead. He hadn't changed in appearance. He didn't have a reason to. He knew the woman next to him was worrying at the closeness of this girl, but he didn't feel like explaining how he and Kanami agreed to do away with politeness that night when the stars were so close to them. She should know by now that this person above all others would be able to be near him always anyways.

"Ryu...kun" Now her voice was stronger. It was just how he remembered, soft and sweet. Innocent. Tranquil. He raised his right hand and gently twined his fingers in hers, turning her palm to eye level and tracing the lifeline of her palm with his last two digits in a seemingly random gesture. A long life, he thought absently. Good. She deserved it.

"Ryuho?" The woman at his side. Her voice was also sweet, but in a candy-saccharine way. She sounded excited, even when she was upset. It was a curious combination. But now wasn't the time for her. Now was the time to remember.

"Kanami." Her eyes shined with happiness and she clasped his hand between her two, bringing it closer to her body.

"I thought you didn't remember me at first." Ah, he thought. That was why she hesitated. Or maybe it was because of Shireece. No. If it was because of Shireece she would be flicking glances at her, sizing her up. That's what women did. But Kanami focused all her attention on him.

"Remember?" How could he forget? She became the mate to his madness. Only later did he realize he loved her. Not romantically; that kind of instantaneous love belonged in stories and legends and myth. He loved her like a guardian loved their charge, of course. She was the fond friend. The cherished companion. At least that's what he told himself when he began to think of her too much.

He wondered why he left her alone.

"Its been so long and...well..." Yes, he knew. He had remembered what he was like before he forgot who he was. He remembered the other madness. The madness of Kazuma. The madness of becoming greater.

"Ryuho!" Shireece was becoming insistent. Ever since Mimori left, Shireece took it as a sign that Ryuho was hers. He didn't care enough to correct her. But he let go of Kanami's hand and turned to her.

"Excuse us...Shireece." When Ryuho spoke, his HOLY counterpart preened as though he was going to dismiss Kanami. The latter knew that wasn't the case. On a night when she thought she could touch the stars, the two of them decided politess was beyond them. The 'excuse us' tipped her off. When she realized it was her name he said, Shireece's eyes narrowed, but she walked toward a bench behind Kanami and sat down. She must have thought (wished, wanted) the encounter would be brief. But too much time had passed. Ryuho had no intention of being brief right now. He turned back to his lost girl.

"Have you eaten?" She shook her head and they started off. "Good."

"You are in the city." It was an obvious statement, but she knew he meant it as a question.

"Yes. The town is doing fine, and without Kazu-kun...he's...but I mean...so I'm just here for a bit, visiting." He smiled a bit and how she stumbled over Kazuma, still after so long. But that didn't matter right now. They both knew the story. Besides, they reached a cafe, and both had angled their direction to intersect with it. They had a like mindedness. He never realized it was so apparent.

"I didn't think you would continue to work for HOLY for so long." Again, but from her this time, the questions disguised as comments. He pulled a chair out for her with one hand and curved the other around the nape of her neck, holding the curtain of hair away from her body so she wouldn't sit on it.

"Thank you." She smiled and he nodded once.

"It is my place. It is where I belong." He frowned. "I don't belong anywhere else."

A waiter came to take their orders, interrupting the conversation. Ryuho belatedly thought they should have gone somewhere where other people couldn't interrupt them. It was his turn for Kanami. After they ordered she turned to him with a furrowed brow.

"You don't belong?"

He nodded and her expression softened.

"You belonged just fine at New Peace."

"You renamed the town?" The waiter brought her tea and his water, and she picked up her cup and sipped. She made the smallest slurp and he could feel his heartbeat thud on the underside of his wrist as the muscles in his hand spasmed, clenching slightly.

"Not me personally," she paused and smiled again at his unusually imprecise wording. "But most of the residents did."

"Of course."

"What I said is true. You belonged there just fine." He turned his head to the side, looking at the people passing them by. She continued, leaning over to put her hand on top of his where it rested on the table and it caused him to look into her eyes. "You are always welcome back."

"When I didn't fully have my alter power, I belonged. Now it is different. You know that."

"Why does that have to matter? You have an alter. You are not a disease."

"You don't understand."

"Maybe I do."

"No, I don't think so." Kanami leaned away from him now, folding her hands in each other, but looking at him directly.

"Maybe I think that having an alter is just like having a talent at farming, or being able to know the right time to say something, or being a fast runner."

He was silent and she took that as encouragement to continue.

"Being better at something, being able to do something that someone else can't isn't a new precedent. So you have a talent that protects you. So you have a talent that uses any material around to create a defense. That doesn't mean there is no place for you. Not everyone can juggle, but those who can't don't shy away from those who can."

"It's not that simple."

"I think it is."

"You're wrong."

"Maybe I am. But maybe I'm right."

"Perhaps."

"Yes."

Both were silent, Ryuho deep in thought and Kanami gauging him, until he spoke.

"Hope. That was the name of the town before."

"Yes," she answered. "That is where they used to live, but it is a New time and now they live in Peace."

"And you, Kanami, where do you live?" Ryuho rested his face against his hand, propped up by an elbow on the table.

"I live in Hope." And she mirrored his action.

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Hmm. I was going to make this longer, but now I don't know. Maybe I'll make it a two-shot. W/e