Chapter Title:Enough for the Future

Summary: Kotori was expected to bring the work her family had been working on for two generations to a final, peaceful close, then maintain it. Her family had worked so hard for so long to make it happen and she grew up with that pressure, the pressure of failure not being an option or a teaching experience as it just had to succeed. Peace was hard earned as Kotori had been drilled into her head by her extended family ever since she was able to vaguely understand what the words meant.

"Our shoulders," Umi's voice startled Kotori back into focusing on her.

Time frame: Past, Side Piece

AN:I was asked for more KotoUmi, here some is!

Kotori - 16
Umi - 17
(Graduating high school this year)

"Hey Umi?"

There was faint rustling before the alpha werewolf's head poked over the edge of the top bunk bed and she hung part of her upper body over the railing. Allowing Kotori to see her dark amber eyes glowing against the darkness of the night, silver of her ties with the moon swirling softly in those deep pools. "Yes Kotori?" She asked, the wolfsbane pen-like device sticking out of her mouth.

On another night where she wasn't on a class trip in a room with Umi, Honoka, Tsubasa, and a few other students, she would've gladly done something about the werewolf's restlessness due to the waxing gibos moon.

However, that would be nearly impossible right now as she was on a class trip. Even if it was just her, Honoka, Tsubasa, and Umi here in the room at the moment as the other two students had snuck off to the other girls' room.

Sure she could go where she pleased and could wander around the hotel so long as Umi followed her around, perks of being Kotori Minami. However, doing anything but act like friends was too risky with their relationship being a tightly bound secret that even Honoka hadn't spoken a word about.

Speaking of Honoka…

Kotori's eyes strayed to her best friend's bunk, to the other two occupants of the room besides her and Umi, curled up together with Honoka snuggled to the other werewolf while Tsubasa read silently by the light of a desk light. It reminded her of the occasional night where Umi would sneak through to her room late at night during a long week of meetings and frustrating adult stuff and she'd cuddle Kotori close till the angel fell asleep.

Would she and Umi ever be able to be like Tsubasa and Honoka? Not having to hide their relationship and free to relax with her mate when around other people?

It wasn't fair, Honoka and Tsubasa's relationship was even newer and less developed than her own with Umi. But while Honoka and Tsubasa could do what they wanted within professional boundaries outside of school, Kotori and Umi weren't allowed to be anything besides friends and co-workers to the public.

"Kotori?"

She blinked and refocused on Umi's concerned eyes, finding the alpha appearing more understanding than she would've liked. She usually loved the mental connection. Being able to hear the steady whirring and humming of Umi's mind with those subtle music notes that spoke of her love for music and writing was comforting. However, the fact that Umi could always understand at least vaguely what she was thinking and was well aware of what she was feeling all the time sometimes made her uncomfortable.

"Did you want something?" Well at least even with the awareness of what was going on in her head, Umi wasn't really one to pry.

"Oh," Kotori rested her chin on her favorite yellow pillow bunched up beneath her chest and head. "I was just wondering something, Umi-chan."

There was more rustling and metal groaned as Umi effortlessly flipped backward till she was hanging off the side of the bunk with her notebook and pen held between her teeth. Though Kotori wasn't complaining, especially when the movements allowed her to catch a short glimpse of her mate's well toned stomach. "Well what were you pondering about Kotori?" The teenage body guard questioned as she dropped lightly to the ground.

"Show off," Kotori giggled at the completely unnecessary way to get off the bunk bed and her smile widened at the way Umi smirked just slightly and replied.

"Just for you, princess," she teased with a nickname from when they were all really little, back when Umi was just learning how to shoot a bow and Honoka called her Robin Hood. Back before they had even reached the double digits in age yet and Umi had begun her formal training at seven.

It was a name from before they had been forced to grow up so fast. Expected to be ready for the predetermined lives they were meant to have and the future Kotori was supposed to make happen, somehow.

Kotori's smile faltered.

The name reminded her of just how much was on her shoulders.

She was expected to bring the work her family had been working on for two generations to a final, peaceful close, then maintain it. Her family had worked so hard for so long to make it happen and she grew up with that pressure, the pressure of failure not being an option or a teaching experience as it just had to succeed. Peace was hard earned as Kotori had been drilled into her head by her extended family ever since she was able to vaguely understand what the words meant.

"Our shoulders," Umi's voice startled back into focusing on her.

"Sorry, what?" Kotori asked the bodyguard who sat down on the edge of the bed.

Umi's long fingers rested gently over her back and the amber in her eyes was warm and understanding as she explained herself. "The pressure's on both of our shoulders," she explained with a soft smile Kotori knew was reserved just for her, "I'm always with you, walking alongside you Kotori."

She couldn't help but smile as she rolled over onto her back and clasped Umi's hand between both of hers. "I know, you're always been here," she held Umi's hand close to her face, leaning her cheek against her interlocked hands and letting her gaze wander over the other teenager.

Whenever something happened, whether it was some kind of violence during a meeting or business trip via her position as liason, she was stressed out and overworked between school and 'the family business,' or even if she just wanted a hug and some comfort, Umi was there. She had been since as long as Kotori could remember alongside Honoka, but while Honoka was her friend, Umi was her soulmate. Her soulmate who dedicated her life to protecting and keeping her safe rather than have something even remotely close to a normal life.

She couldn't remember a time where Umi had gone to school like she and Honoka rather than online courses, or a time after her training started that she hadn't been tailing Kotori a couple feet behind her. After all, almost all Umi did since she was seven was work. Work to keep her safe, work to protect her and others, work to keep their schedules as organized as possible, work to keep them on time, it was work, work, work, work, work with the alpha. But… It was the moments where she wasn't working, where she wasn't being Umi her bodyguard, but simply Umi her mate and trusted partner, Kotori treasured the most.

Moments like right now where Umi could act with some teenage flare and be close to her rather than emotionally distant. Where rather than her eyes appearing flat and professionally impassive, those amber pools could glow freely with a warmth reserved for just a handful of precious people.

I love you, Kotori whispered, the words silent to the ears of others but perfectly clear to her and the amber eyed werewolf. Telepathy was a beautiful thing.

Umi's eyes visibly softened and she brushed the angel's bangs from her face with her free hand. I love you too my little bird, the werewolf told her and leaned over .

Umi's breath lightly brushed Kotori's face as Kotori tilted her head up slightly to accept the kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut as Umi got closer and her breath grew ticklish against her skin.

Then the werewolf's head jerked up and she straightened up till she faced the door. Which told Kotori that Umi, with her highly tuned wolf-like hearing, had heard something, but the sharpening of her eyes and annoyed but not aggressive slanting angle of her ears told her it wasn't dangerous.

Still, there went the possibility of getting a kiss goodnight from her. Not that Kotori was going to be able to really go to sleep anyway, not with everything that was still on her mind.

Kotori still held Umi's hand, clasped between her own, near her face with her eyes still closed.

Maybe they weren't coming to this room?

So she could still be close to her and be comforted by her presence and being close to her…

She could still hold her warm hand between both of hers and feel through her magic the incredibly strong life force Umi had always had. It would reassure her that nothing they couldn't handle was going to happen and they were safe…

Maybe… just maybe, she'd be able to get a warm hug from her and be able to feel her comforting and strong arms holding her close with a love that was reserved for her…

Footsteps and giggling approaching the door broke any hopes of this moment not being disturbed and Kotori couldn't help the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes now squeezed shut even as she released Umi's hand like lightning. Even when part of her wanted to tug the werewolf into the kiss that was interrupted or even just a hug and snuggle close under the blankets like she would back home at Umi's house.

She wanted to go home… she couldn't take the constant stress anymore.

Hey, don't cry, calloused but gentle fingers brushed the tears from Kotori's face and threaded through her fringe with her warm palm against her cheek. It's going to be alright sweetheart, the angel felt the bodyguard press her lips to her forehead and Kotori stifled a shuddered breath as more tears threatened to spill down her face.

She could hear her relatives' voices in the back of her head, shouting at her to get it together and be strong when that's what they needed her to be, but she couldn't. She wasn't them. She wasn't the strong minded, experienced, faces things head on, non sensitive type.

She was young, emotionally sensitive, went with the flow type, and… and beneath the gentle mask, she was a complete coward.

Kotori's fingers timidly grabbed onto Umi's shirt and she opened her eyes to look at the werewolf through watery eyes. There was so much she wanted to happen, so much she wanted to say, so much part of her wanted to change, but… Umi's amber eyes looked back at her, pained with understanding but helpless to find a way to give her what she wanted.

Kotori let go.

...There was nothing she could do. This was her life, wished changes or not, this wasn't going to just up and change.

At the sound of louder footsteps, Umi gave her a smile that told her she wished she could stay there with her but she couldn't. In just a couple steps, she was up the bunk-bed's ladder and gone.

Kotori pulled her pillow from under her head and rolled over to face the wall as the door opened, smearing the tears beginning to run down her face with a sleeve and tucking her arms tightly around the soft pillow.

Sneaking out wasn't hard when she could put a silencing spell over the floor and bunk bed so there wasn't any wood creaking or footsteps as she got up and opened the door with more non verbal magic. Something only her magic training allowed her to do at this age.

The hotel was as big as she remembered when her year had arrived late this afternoon and for the first time, Kotori was grateful that Umi was on duty as her guard instead of having a series of guards posted around the building. If her life was a fairytale she would be the princess, the one not allowed to go anywhere unless they were being tailed by a group of guards or knights.

She was well aware that it was for her safety, as she had had enough experiences to know that there was evil in the world, evil that aimed to take her and use her abilities for their own benefit. Or kill her, as she had been formally introduced to last year with an assassin that Umi had quickly taken care of or the whole poison incident that her magic had prevented. Bombs were nothing as personal as having an assassin infiltrate a training base and nearly kill you.

She hadn't asked to be her mother's first and only child, which meant by fate, she inherited the traits that everyone was so determined to take or kill her for.

Glancing around, Kotori made sure there were no other people there, besides the person she knew was tailing her like she always did, and stepped over to one of large windows. With a murmur in greek, the glass distorted, light reflecting off of it as though it was a fluid rather than a solid pane of glass, and Kotori ducked her head slightly.

She slipped through the distorted glass, moving through it as though she was touching water, and balanced on the window sill looking out at the world around the building. She was about five floors up, giving her about fifty feet, which would be plenty for her.

She stepped off the edge.

Wind whipped in her ears, rustling through her long hair and forcing it fluttering unevenly behind her.

Falling head first about fifty feet off the ground would be frightening for the average person, but for Kotori?

A few grey speckled white feathers wisped into the air and Kotori wasn't falling anymore, she was gliding.

Gliding on the magnificent twenty-four foot wingspan that was her birth-right.

With a few strong beats of the gentle appearing brightly gleaming wings, the angel was going upward. Flying evenly along the walls of the hotel, close enough that if she stretched out an arm she could touch it with her fingers.

It had been a while since she really stretched her wings and flew, as it could be dangerous for her. With the way her wings repelled light and glowed bright white at night and how dark shadows were during the day, she rarely got to use her wings unless she was back home, home in the neighborhood she spent more time in than the house she was born in.

Angling her wings slightly, Kotori gave a massive beat of her wings and shot up fast enough that her eyes burned slightly. Somewhat tucking in and angling her wings gave her a higher speed and more aerodynamics, so she watched as floor after floor of the hotel went past her.

She could hear the wind whistling in her ears, feel her heart beating strongly in her chest, and smell the purified air that came from being around her field of magic, a.k.a a couple feet around her.

The air ran smoothly through the long feathers of her wings as well and Kotori shut her eyes. Letting the natural feeling of flying through the air without anyone being able to stop her wash over her.

She felt the air resistance change when she cleared the roof of the building and so she opened her eyes and fully extended her wings. She came to a sharp stop when she fully extended her wings, leaving just the sounds of the city night trickling through her ears and the starry night sky rooftop in her vision.

It was peaceful out here, a moment of respite for the overwhelmed teenager who for once in a long time just wanted to be a teenager, not some creature rumored to be something of a demi-god.

Kotori glided till her shoes hit the flat roof of the hotel and feathers rustled as she partially folded her wings. Holding them near her back without hiding them in her shirt like she usually would, she took a couple steps forward and called out, Umi?

Yes? Came the instant telepathic response and Kotori gave a small smile.

Where are you?

A rush of air from behind Kotori that made her long hair billow gave it away before the beat up converse of Umi's casual shoes touched the roof a couple feet in front of her. "Right here," the werewolf pointlessly answered her question with hints of a smile on her face.

Kotori's expression dissolved into a bright smile and she approached the older girl, fingers touching one of the handful of silver feathers in her otherwise dark as the night wings. A particular feather who's backstory she knew all too well. "It's been a while since I've seen your wings," she spoke softly in almost a whisper, fingertips softly stroking the silver feather.

"It's been just as long since I have seen your hair so windswept and messy," Umi chuckled and Kotori felt her fingers comb gently through her messy bangs and the family unique tuft of hair at the top of her head. "What's keeping you awake?" she asked softly.

For a moment Kotori merely shut her eyes and soaked up the attention. Paying close attention to the way Umi's fingers ran through her hair and how each of her movements were soft and loving in a way she doubted anyone else would believe with Umi being an alpha werewolf and a bodyguard.

However she knew she had to answer, otherwise they'd be here all night, Umi waiting patiently for her to tell her what was weighing so heavily on her mind. "I'm… I'm overwhelmed," she whispered, unable to make her voice speak any louder. "My uncle… he and his family were arguing with my mom when I went over to visit her this morning before the trip started. They… they were arguing about… about me," she admitted and saw the flicker of understanding in Umi's eyes. "They said I'm not… I'm not doing enough, Umi," Kotori managed through the growing lump in her throat and the way her eyes were beginning to burn, " and making everything they've done go to waste…"

Umi's arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders and waist, holding her close while Kotori buried her nose into the collar of the werewolf's leather jacket. It smelled like her, a unique mixture of jasmine and a oaky wood-like musk.

"You're not a failure Kotori," Umi spoke softly in her ear, "you're a sixteen-year-old girl who's been given the world on her shoulders and expected to lift it."

Kotori tucked her face deeper in Umi's jacket and wrapped her arms around the taller girl's back, clenching her hands around handfuls of her jacket, "But…"

"But nothing," Umi insisted before her tone softened and Kotori left her thread one of her hands through her hair at the base of her head, "you're still learning Kotori, cut yourself some slack and remember that while they think you're already an adult, you're still young."

"Both of us are," Kotori's voice was muffled by Umi's jacket and the werewolf chuckled.

"Yes, but I began my training long before you began yours Kotori, and besides, I only work so hard because I want you to be happy, happy even with just how hard it is to be who you are."

"I am happy with you," Kotori whispered, "I just don't get to be with you all the time…"

"I know," Umi murmured back and Kotori felt her tighten her embrace, "and I wish I could be more than just your bodyguard and friend all the time, I really do. Because you're so special and so precious, that I want to give you everything, but I can't, I only wish I could."

Kotori leaned into her, holding tightly onto her jacket in the process. "If… if I wasn't a liaison, or needed any protection and you weren't a body guard, what… what do you think our lives would be like?"

"Right now? As teenagers?"

Kotori shook her head, "not really, just in general."

"Hmm…" Umi hummed thoughtfully, "well… I suppose we would've gone to the same school, you, me, and Honoka, but you'd still be smart enough to skip a grade and catch up to Honoka and I in elementary. Honoka would ask me to start a pack while we're in high school and I would say no till you asked me to make it with those puppy eyes of yours."

Kotori smiled into the jacket.

"You and Honoka would be just as popular then in high school as you guys are now, while I'm completely ignored-"

"No," Kotori disagreed and lifted her head to look at her, "Umi-chan would have some kind of fan-base," she teased and laughed at the overdramatic eye roll Umi gave her.

"Sure, okay, I'd be popular enough to have a fan-base, be part of the band and I'd…" Umi hesitated.

"You'd what?"

Umi smiled a little lopsidedly at her, "I'd ask you to a dance, maybe two."

Kotori laughed and smiled mischeviously back at the werewolf, "and Honoka would be nudging you the whole time asking you if you've kissed me yet."

Umi pulled a face, "ugh, maybe I wouldn't then.

"Hey!" Kotori complained, but she was laughing, "you already said you would!"

Umi tilted her head back and laughed, and Kotori could only smile as she heard the rare sound she wished she got to hear more of. "Fine, fine, I would manage to take you to at least one and smack Honoka upside the head if she kept bothering me throughout it, better?"

Kotori nestled back into her jacket with a smile, "much, thank you."

Umi chuckled and took her time continuing. "You would become my luna and we'd go with Honoka to someplace different for a graduation trip where she'd meet Tsubasa and spend half the week trying to convince me to stay there. Until she manages to convince you with there being some kind of place there you like and I eventually agree even though I don't really mind staying there in the first place."

Umi's chin rested ontop of Kotori's and Kotori let her eyes close as the werewolf told her what she'd see happening if their lives were different. "I would study English and creative writing and you'd probably study fashion or illustration while who knows what Honoka would go into, probably something food related." Umi's fingers started to run through her hair, "I'd publish a book, probably a couple series' while you have a fashion line of your own and eventually…"

"Eventually what?" Kotori asked even though by the tightening of her throat she could guess what she was going to say. When Umi still didn't continue and instead moved her head away from hers, Kotori lifted her head. Only to find that the werewolf was looking at her, a slightly nervous intensity in her eyes. "Eventually what, Umi?" she asked Umi softly.

Umi swallowed before she spoke as Kotori requested, "eventually…" she said slowly in a voice slightly hoarse with emotion, "eventually we would have a family... have kids of our own," she whispered and Kotori's breath hitched. "Two of them, one like me and a daughter that's just like you… who you teach your 'onegai' and your puppy eyes and I can't tell her no but love her and her sibling anyway."

Kotori's heart was in her throat.

Kids… a family with Umi… children of their own...

Would that ever happen in this world? In a world where danger could be around the every corner she turned and Umi was there, risking her life at a moment's notice to protect her and keep her safe?

"I… I'd love that," Kotori whispered to the werewolf, "I… want a family with you, in this world, some day in the future…" Umi's eyes lit up and Kotori's heart squeezed, "but… I-I don't know if that can ever happen here." Tears welled in the angel's eyes at the flash of disappointment in her mate's eyes before the werewolf expertly hid it from her, "I w-want a family with you," the words just fell out of her mouth. "I've always wanted a family b-but with how much danger I'm always in and how you get out of some of them by what's seen as pure luck, who knows when…" The words to the rest of the sentence got lodged in her throat.

"I'm sorry," the angel whispered, placing a hand on the werewolf's chest, "I just… Umi, I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay," Umi gave her a small, sweet smile that threw Kotori for a loop, was the werewolf just hiding it and pretending she was okay with it?

"But… Umi-"

"Kotori," Umi spoke patiently and unwound her arm from around Kotori's shoulders to brush the tears from her face, "you know I don't really believe in static fate and destiny, right?"

Kotori's eyebrows knitted themselves together in confusion, "yeah, why?"

Umi's eyes softened dramatically. "The one thing I believe in static fate and destiny for is for this," she gently cupped the side of her face. "You're a Sun Angel, right?" She whispered and leaned down slightly, "so if I do my job right and keep you safe, you're destined to have a family and pass down the Sun Angel trait to one of your children."

Kotori's golden eyes widened and her lips parted in shock. "But…"

"But nothing," Umi said with a smile that melted Kotori's heart, "I believe in us, we can make it happen. One day in the future after you've managed to finish your family's work, we'll settle down with a pack of our own," Umi nuzzled her nose against hers in a werewolf gesture between mates that said 'I love you,' and looked gently at her, "and have a family. Not everything that you or I imagine for lives that are different from the ones we have right now are impossible to obtain here too, Kotori."

Kotori leaned up on her toes and captured the bluenette's lips in a kiss, I love you. Just be careful so it can happen someday, okay?

I love you too, and I will, it'll happen some day.

Sometimes life gets you down, but you have to look into the positives and keep going!