Back in the Seireitei, a certain scientist was as busy as ever continuing his usual work, while trying to find clues regarding the traitor they had faced three years ago.

"Mayuri-sama" Nemu called his name.

"What is it, Nemu? Can't you tell I'm busy?" He asked back.

"You have a visitor" She retorted. "He said it was important"

"Tch... I don't know why I get the feeling that isn't nearly as important as-"

"How are you doing, Mayuri?" A tall man in hat and clogs wandered inside the lab.

"Urahara Kisuke..." The scientist muttered, kinda annoyed. "What forces you to interrupt my investigation?"

"I know you're still trying to decipher what Kagerouza Inaba is after, besides regaining Nozomi... So I came to discuss a recent discovery I made"

"Huh? What would that be?" He became interested.

"It has to do with the process of Reigai creation" He continued. "As you might know, I faced a clone of myself nonetheless, and I was surprised to see what its capabilities were"

"So you analyzed that remnant Soul Candy?" Mayuri recalled the way Reigai disappeared.

"Indeed, and the data I obtained is somewhat alarming"

"How so?"

"Kagerouza was experimenting heightened capabilities in Mod Souls... But in addition to that, the formula he used for such a process is what left me worried"

"What did you find?"

"A similarity with a prototype of the Hougyoku I designed" Urahara revealed.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Mayuri was worried too.

"Unfortunately, I'm serious. While it's not possible to create an awakened 'all mighty' Hougyoku with that knowledge alone, I am afraid that he could start generating lessened versions of it in a rather simple way once he realizes (if he hasn't already) how similar his current work was"

"I get it. But... How is this of any help? This just means we're up against time now?" Mayuri criticized. "You're not the type to do such meaningless actions, or maybe I overestimated you"

"Hahaha... You really think I would do such thing just for naught?" He chuckled. "No. Look, I have a lead"

"Ho? Enlighten me"

"I have a... Hunch, about a certain Noble Family here in the Seireitei" He revealed.

"Let me guess... The Tsunayashiro Clan"

"Wow, you've been doing your research apparently" Kisuke was surprised.

"Not really, just a logical conclusion" The Captain retorted. "Of the remaining possibilities, the Shiba Clan is no longer Noble, so that wasn't an option. The Kuchiki Clan is known to always act side by side with the law, so they would never do something so shady. Then, the Shihouin Clan is pretty much in your hands thanks to your special friend, so you wouldn't be coming to me to investigate it. That all, lead to a single answer: the Tsunayashiro"

"Well, following that line it wasn't that complicated, I guess" Urahara admitted.

"You were really overestimating me, weren't you?" Mayuri grinned with annoyance. "But anyways, that's a good reason you have there, but what makes you think I have the means to gather that information?"

"Your outstanding surveillance bacteria of course!"

"Ah... So you admit they're a superior form of espionage" He seemed more pleased.

"I've never said the opposite, but... They're not faultless either. I've always been able to remove them with the right technique, ahahahaha"

"Hmph, whatever..." Kurotsuchi remembered his disgust for his 'rival'. "I'm sure no one in a Noble Family will be able to even detect my bacteria anyways, so I'll do the job, but out if my own sense of pride! Don't even consider that I'm trying to help you with this!"

"I know, I know... Just do it for whatever reason fills you" Urahara shrugged with a smile. "I'll be going back to my shop then. See ya!"

"Good. Bye" The other scientist expressed.

~~~~X~~~~

Back in their shared house, the two Sternritter made themselves comfortable for a revelation that at the very least, had Candice quite tense.

"Sit down" She told him with a somewhat imperative tone, indicating the red sofa.

"Sure" He obeyed, and to his surprise, the green haired lady sat by his side, giving him an unusual sense of nervousness.

"*sigh* So... This isn't the first time I've actually thought of talking about this" She started, her hands on her knees. "I once thought Bambi would understand, but she's just a spoiled brat, and on her bad side..."

"...An annoying bitch" Atticus completed.

"Just... Just what I was thinking, heh..." She blushed a tad as she smiled a bit. "Then, Lili is sort of level-headed, but she doesn't care much about anything other than food really, you know?" She shook her head. "Gigi is simply a big NO and... Meni... I don't know... She's just not the kind of person I'm looking for. Like, I feel she would try to comfort me and all, but never truly understand my pain"

"Well... I don't really have a past of my own, to be honest... But my self does have a good share of unpleasant memories and complex emotions stored up from times unknown... So I might be able to comprehend at least a part of whatever makes you grief to this day"

"I kinda get that vibe from you" She said. "I don't know what it is... But I feel that you are a lot more than just an empty shell... And even if you were, I guess that would make you even more unfortunate than me"

"I don't know about that... Is feeling pain better than feeling nothing at all?" He wondered philosophically. "Maybe... Maybe not. It might depend on each person"

"Yeah... But, enough buildup" She concluded the introduction. "I want to let go of it now, before I start regretting it"

"I understand" Atticus nodded, comprehensive.

"So... This story begins with the Catnipp Family, or well, what was left of it" She revealed. "Like most pure Quincy, I was born here, in the Wandenreich, to a family known for its military tradition... And maybe discovering that weed you talked about, but I wouldn't know"

"Ah, no, that was just a joke, don't worry, haha" Atticus felt somewhat happy to know she still remembered that.

"Anyways... When I was still a baby, my father died of an incurable disease he had, and that only left me, my mom and my big brother"

"I see"

"Since I grew up without a dad, my big brother used to be that strong male figure I could look up to, and mom did her best to take care of us both"

"Oh, really? What's his name?"

"It was... Austin. Austin Catnipp" Her tone indicated that he was no longer here.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry. It happened long ago anyways" She retorted. "Way before any of the Femritters were even enlisted, so that's the reason they have no idea"

"Ah... Makes sense"

"Austin was... Amazing" She continued. "He had the blonde hair of my mother and the blue eyes of my father. Unlike me, who got green on both sides, completely opposite" She shrugged. "And not only was he handsome, but hella strong, quite clever and disciplined as well"

"Really? So he was a model soldier, I assume"

"You bet. He was our pride, and probably mom held him even higher" She admitted, though such a claim didn't seem to bother her. "He became a Sternritter as soon as he turned 17, while I was still in Kindergarten"

"A Sternritter? At that age?!" Atticus was more than surprised.

"Amusing, isn't it? But well, that shows just how outstanding he was. His only questionable quality was probably his short fuse, but that runs in the whole family"

"What Epithet did he have?"

"He was designated Sternritter S - 'The Shockwave', a really similar epithet to mine, of unmatched electric power" She revealed.

"Oh, so he came before Mask"

"Yeah. He had the letter S that came before that clown"

"Haha, I get ya... But, I'm afraid I gotta ask... What happened?"

"Well... That's impossible to avoid, isn't it?" She accepted. "One day... A letter arrived home. I was still at school when it did, so I only noticed something had happened upon my arrival"

"Oh no..."

"Mom was totally devastated" She said with a painful expression. "Her green eyes were dead and emotionless, while her face indicated that after crying her life out, nothing was left. It was as if... I was staring at my mom's carcass, yet knowing she was still alive"

"Fuck, that's... Awful"

"As you can imagine, the letter was still on the table in front of her, so it was easier for me to pick it up and read than asking my mom about it" She explained. "I can't remember what it said exactly, but basically, my brother had died in the line of duty, without further information"

"Duty? But, that would only mean-"

"Renegade Quincies inside the Wandenreich" She said what he was thinking. "Or... Well... It doesn't make much sense but... It could've also been an inside job" She theorized. "For there was no mention of him being a traitor to believe he was simply executed"

"If that's the case..."

"Of course. You bet I'll make everyone responsible pay" She declared harshly, her eyes looking especially sharp and somewhat psychotic. "Pay for everything they did to him... And to me, indirectly"

"What does that mean?"

"That... The story has only just began" She grinded her teeth a bit, her arms unconsciously trying a protective pose below her breasts, and then on her waist.

She felt weak and fragile, completely unlike her usual self.

The next moment, her eyes got watery.

"Candi..." Atticus became worried. "Look, if this doesn't make you comfortable, it's not necessary that-"

"No. No... I'm... I'm good" She dried her tears and did her best to avoid breaking. "I'm good"

"Are you sure you wanna keep going?" He asked her one last time.

"Yes" She finally decided. "Like I said, if I don't do this now, I might not have the stomach to even try in the future"

"*sigh*" He held her right hand firmly with his own, looking her in the eye. "Very well then, but know that you're not alone"

"Atticus..." She appeared to be bewildered by his actions, never expecting he'd do something so... Human. "I-I... Thank... Thank you"

"Anytime" He smiled sincerely. That smile she couldn't deny to at least, like.

As she realized an unfamiliar heat in her face, she involuntarily let go of his hand in embarrassment.

"Okay... So now... We reach the most complicated part" She kept going. "After that occured... Mom just... Wasn't the same, ever. Like, saying she lost a screw would fall short... I believe saying she lost the whole bridge would be more accurate" She joked a bit, but clearly, she meant what she said way too much.

"What do you mean?"

"Lots of things. First of all, she started forgetting basic stuff. I was just entering Middle School when I had to learn everything about the house, starting with the meals, cause she started skipping them way too often, and that included me"

"No way..."

"But to be honest, that was the least of my concerns" She said bitterly. "The true horror started... When she couldn't stand seeing me as a girl"

"Eh...?"

"One day... She realized my bust was quite, developed... Which wasn't any surprise given that she had a pretty gifted figure too" She noted. "So that brought the typical comment:

"You seem to be growing more into a woman every day..." Candice could hear her mother's voice saying the phrase.

"Oh... And what's wrong with that?"

"That after saying so... She slapped me in the face with all her might"

"What?!" Atticus couldn't believe it.

"And it didn't stop there..." She softly scratched the couch with her nails. "While I was still in shock from both the pain and the event as a whole, she grabbed a pair of scissors and cut my long hair"

"H-How much did she cut?"

"As much as was needed so that I had the same hairstyle as Austin" She retorted.

"Oh my God... I think I'm starting to understand what happened"

"Yes... She... She denied my existence" Candice sobbed a bit. "She pretended my brother was still alive"

"But how...?"

"She forced me to take as many martial arts courses as I could with my schedule at school. Body-wise... She kept my hair short like that, and I had to put bandages around my chest area so that it didn't show my bust. Of course, she also made me exercise so I could be as buff as Austin was, though I never got those results, for obvious reasons"

"Yeah... The development of a man and a woman is never the same, not even in siblings" Atticus pointed out. "In fact, even if you were a boy, you might have never gotten the same body shape or type he had"

"It's simple biology... Yet my mom denied even that" She concluded that. "Of course, I was also forced to wear the uniform and normal clothes of a boy... No painted nails, or cute outfits... Not even makeup of any kind... As much as I wanted as little as that"

"No way... Are you telling me you had to be a boy throughout your whole adolescence?"

"Yes" She nodded, breath barely coming out of her mouth as she pronounced that word. "You can imagine the bullying and mockery I had to go through every day at High School... I didn't fit anywhere. The boys still saw me as a girl, so they didn't feel right around me, but it was okay in the end, they just ignored me... The real problem were those whores who made my school life a living Hell for not meeting their expectations"

"What did they do?"

"The usual stuff... They hid my stuff when they got the chance, left awful phrases and drawings on my desk, threw me any liquid they had at hand when they saw the opportunity, called me stupid names like Planky..."

"Planky?"

"Cause they thought I was flat like a plank (but trust me, my bust was bigger than any of those sluts')"

"I bet... Hahaha..."

"But whatever... The thing is that, I already had a short fuse, but now I was fed up. I started picking up fights and yelling back whenever something bothered me, and that helped me gain some respect... Or well, fear, but I wouldn't let those bitches do whatever they wanted with me, especially cause I hadn't done anything to them!"

"Humans tend to be like that... They're afraid of anything that doesn't fit the status quo..." A reminiscent feeling similar to Candi's seemed to surface in him for some reason.

"Yeah... They never even tried to see beyond me and get what I was going through..." She sighed. "But... Even through all that... I still had one hope..."

"Hope...?" He was surprised that Candice could still have a good prospect in mind after all that.

"I hoped... That if I accomplished all the things my brother did... If I joined the army... And became a Sternritter... I thought I would finally be free"

"Free?"

"Yes. Free of everything" She smiled sadly, like a frustrated adult looking back at a childish dream or fantasy they never fulfilled. "My mother's insanity... My forbidden femininity... My brother's ghost..."

"So, are you telling me that...?"

"Yep, with that objective in mind... I became a Sternritter at age 17 too" She said with nostalgia.

"Wow... Like, I'm deeply impressed"

"I was stoked too, not gonna lie" She confessed. "But more than the feat itself, I thought I would finally be able to come home and show mom I was as good as Austin was, and that I could be myself while doing that, so there was no reason she had to be that broken anymore. I thought... I thought I'd be able to somehow fix her with that"

"But then..." He deduced.

"Exactly. What went wrong?" She asked rhetorically. "What could possibly go wrong, right? That's what everybody thinks just before everything turns into a fucking mess. The calm before the storm..." She started forcing herself not to cry again.

"Candi... What happened?" He asked out of honest concern for her.

"That day... I got home... I got home with the letter of promotion and everything..." Her voice broke. "My new uniform... My Schrift... My special badge..."

As soon as her face showed how strong her pain was, her partner didn't doubt about comforting her.

"Aw, girl..." He took Candice in his arms as she cried.

"Atticus... Like... *sniff* That was what moved me all those years... All those fucking years, I coped with all that sick shit of hers cause I hoped... *sob* I hoped that she would finally acknowledge me for who I was!" She weeped, as the tears run down her face with the remains of the black eyeliner she used.

"Shhh... It's alright..." He tried to make her feel better patting her in the back as he held her.

"Do you... *sob* Do you even picture what she said when I was finally home that day?"

"I... I don't..."

"That deranged whore... For the first time in years her eyes lit up" She could remember vividly. "She saw me enter through the door, and with a broad smile and tears in her eyes, she hugged me like she hadn't done in years, or possibly ever...!"

Atticus just listened to what she had to say.

"And that's when I thought 'I did it! I did it, mom!' naïve enough to believe I had solved everything" She shook her head as she pressed her lips. "And then she had to speak...

"Austin! You're back home, my beloved son!"

Candice screamed with unprecedented rage and frustration just by remembering it, electricity coming out in all directions.

"RRRRAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!"

"Oh, shit" Was all Atticus could say, as he used his own Thunderbolt to keep hers under control, hugging her and caressing her back.

As much as he had trouble feeling empathy for others, he could perfectly imagine at least a fraction of how she must have felt, and it was more than unbearable.

"AAahahahaha...! AAAAAhahahaha...!" She cried and weeped loudly as she remembered that moment. "After everything I did...! A-A-After all my efforts... *sniff* The only thing I found was that she had long erased me...!"

"Candi..." He said her name as he tried his best to ease the pain.

"I didn't even exist in her world anymore. I... Candice Catnipp... Was never even born to begin with...!" She sobbed. "Like, tell me, Atticus... What was I smiling for every day? What was I doing, accepting all that sickening routine to content her? Wha... What...? What was I fighting for?!"

"Shhh... Don't think of it that way" He told her.

"Then how else am I supposed to look at it?! HOW?!" She spouted. "That disgrace of a mother nullified my very existence! I... I couldn't take it... I couldn't fucking take it!" She yelled. "I remember how my mind went blank as all I could do was zap her. I zapped her with my Schrift strongly enough that she felt as much pain as possible without dying. I wanted to see her suffer... I wanted to be witness to her agony and rejoice in the fact that I was making her pay for everything she did to me!!!"

"I..." Atticus was at a loss of words.

"*sigh* You must think I'm a monster, don't you...?" She let go of his touch. "Doing that to the woman who bore you for 9 months inside her and raised you afterwards... Most would say it's unnatural, at least"

"No... It's not that" Atticus tried to show her he didn't see her that way. "You... You lived through something more than horrendous at the hands of her. You tried to do everything so that she could be happy and love you for who you were... Yet never saw a single grain of retribution for that inhuman effort"

Candice seemed to be positively surprised by his reply.

"Yes... That's exactly how I felt... And how I feel about it to this day" She mourned, but suddenly her eyes lit up. "But... At least... At the very least... I can be glad about one thing..."

"About what?"

"Looks like I made the right choice" She smiled at him. "You... You understood me, Atticus"

"Of course. I can't say I feel your pain or have been through the same but... I do understand that you've been through a lot and, no one should judge you for that" He said sincerely, holding her hand again. "I'm happy... I'm really happy... That you chose me, in fact"

"Ah, w-well, we've been some time living together already and all, so... Considering everything I said about the girls before, you know..." She acted a bit more distant, as expected from a Tsundere like her.

"For whatever reason it is, you made me feel like I could be of help, and that means a lot to me" He smiled broadly, showing his slightly yellow teeth due to a bad habit of eating all day yet rarely brushing his teeth.

Still, his real smile was so beautiful and rare, she couldn't care less about such a thing.

"Well, to me it means a lot more that you were here not only to hear me, but to help me feel better as well..."

"It's nothing. Anyone would do that with a friend going through stuff, right?" He went ahead and caressed her cheek. "Besides, I told you, buster: I really care about you"

"Atticus..." She couldn't help it anymore. It was no use fighting something so strong inside of her.

Through all these years as a Sternritter, she hadn't come across a single handsome Soldat brave or strong enough to try to get close to her. Most just gawked at her from afar, or when she wasn't looking (or so they thought).

On the other end, the male Sternritter were just ugly, weird, old, or simply too focused on their own objectives to even pay attention to such a mundane aspect of life as love was.

But there he was. A Sternritter that had everything she could ask, and someone who was right there for her at all times.

He wasn't perfect, and could be an ass at times due to his terrible social skills, but still, when it truly counted, he didn't fail.

And now, when she needed him most, he was there to listen, understand and console her like no one had ever done before.

Candice pulled him by the hair on the back of his head towards her, much to his shock.

Her lush lips came in contact with his, clumsily converging at first, but they didn't mind.

Atticus bursted with the same desire for a while now, even if he didn't understand it. But upon finally feeling her mouth against his, he knew that was exactly what he wanted.

Candice pulled harder, laying her back on the red sofa as Atticus fell on top of her, their mouths not declining.

She wanted to feel his warmth on her body, more comforting than any word or caress. She needed to feel he was all hers.

"~Mnhhh~" She moaned inside his mouth as they snuggled, her tongue deciding to explore further.

He was just as oblivious as she was regarding this, but even so, his long tongue didn't waste any time accepting its defiant partner as they found each other.

Tasting each other, that mutual feeling of belonging to someone else gained more strength, making the two wonder... Why the Hell had they waited so long?

He was everything she wanted and needed, and so was she for him.

The air started declining however, obligating the two to break the kiss in order to breathe again.

"Haa... Haa..." Atticus panted, not looking away from her hypnotic electric green eyes.

"Haa... Haa..." She grinned as she looked back, her tongue still out, connected to his mouth through a delicate string of drool as thin as a spiderweb. "Oh, Atticus..."

"Yeah... Candi...?" He grinned as he panted her name.

"I... I..." She didn't know what the heck to say, so she just engulfed his mouth again. "~Mmnhhh...~ Hmhmhmhm" She even laughed as her tongue played with his again.

Atticus didn't remove one of the hands from her cheek, continuing to rub it softly as their lips continued kissing, while the other hand inevitably lurked downwards, in order to grab one of the aspects of her body that drove him mad.

"Oh my God, these thighs..." He thought as he marvelled himself at the fact that even with his guitarist fingers, he couldn't nearly grab them completely. "So this is what dummy thicc is..."

"Hnnaaah... Hahaha..." She laughed and panted at the same time as soon as their mouths were free again. "I knew you liked my body from day one..."

"Tsk... Who wouldn't?" He grinned at her and bit her lip.

"*click* Ahmnn... I... I didn't know you liked to play rough" She whimpered after her lip was released from his teeth.

"Oh please, you know I'm a sadist"

"Well, yeah, but... I didn't realize how much that turned me on until now!" She threw herself on top of him, pinning him to the couch as she got on top. "Wanna fight?"

"With you?" He chuckled, his purple irises locked with her green ones as sparks started forming around them. "All night"

He pulled her by her elbows towards him forcibly, maybe too much...

"Ah!" She lost balance and was dragged forward, her chest falling right on top of his face.

"Fuck...!" He immediately thought, expecting to get beaten up. "Candi, I-"

But her response was quite different from that.

"Aaaaaaaaaa I-I-I-I... I'm sorry I-" She stuttered as she distanced herself a bit, though still sitting on top, her face redder than any time in the past. "I... I didn't mean that! I... I just... I've never done this before..."

"Oh... Well, I... I haven't either, haha..." He chuckled, a bit uptight. "I'm sorry, I used too much strength"

"No! It's fine!" She waved her hands and shook her head. "Like... I gave you green light for that... And I wanted you to be rough, but... I just got the feeling that we might be going a bit too fast"

"I never thought I'd hear that from 'the Thunderbolt' of all people" He teased her.

"Yeah, me neither..." She seemed ashamed of herself. "I hope... I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable"

"Not at all! I... I think it's better if we take it slow" He retorted, placing his hand on her cheek. "But whenever you feel like trying something, I'll gladly comply"

"R-Really?" She asked, a bit flustered. "Would that be okay... With you?"

"Buster... I might not be able to say 'I love you' right off the bat, cause I don't feel the time is right. It's something way too heavy and meaningful to just throw it around, ya know?" He clarified. "But I most certainly like you, and a lot at that"

"Atticus... I..." She gasped, trying to get the words out, in spite of her fears. "I'm so glad I have you..."

And there it was...

That one smile that not only showed a pure and innocent happiness, but also a frail girlish aspect of her personality that was practically nonexistent under normal circumstances.

"Heh..." He chuckled as he tenderly took her in his arms. "You can't even imagine how happy hearing that makes me"

"Don't underestimate me... I might just have an idea" She retorted, looking up, implicitly asking for another kiss.

Atticus caught the subtle gesture and collided his mouth with hers once again, embracing her tightly.

Upon breaking the kiss, he took her by the shoulders and fixed his eyes on hers.

"I must confess something though..." He started.

"W-What is that?"

"You know... I think I've never felt happier before" He confessed. "Most of the time, I'm not even interested in actually forming bonds with others... But there's something special about you I just... I just can't ignore"

"A-And...?" She wanted him to go on.

"Well... It might not be a surprise that I say this but... I'm tired, Candi" He felt like letting go of such a heavy truth. "I'm tired of being like this... So... Bored. Unhappy. Alone. Incomplete"

"I... I see" She replied, actually amazed that he was showing that human part of himself. "I can actually relate to some of that, so don't worry, I won't judge you"

"The thing is... I want to actually try. For once, I want to try to leave all that behind" He grinded his teeth a bit. "And I feel really pathetic for confessing this actually... But I don't think I can do it alone"

"I know" She smiled at him, comprehending more than he ever thought she would. "I also feel like there's stuff I won't be able to sort on my own..."

"Wonderful..." He seemed ecstatic to hear that. "I mean... I don't like the fact that you're in pain or troubled by anything but... This means, it's a mutual feeling"

"What do you mean?"

"That... We might be able to fix this... Together" He held her hand again. "What do you say?"

"*gasp* Wait...! A-A-Are you... Asking me...?" She knew what that lead to, but finally reaching that point still made her uptight.

"Ahahahahaha, you caught me!" He giggled. "I want you to go out with me, seriously"

"Seriously...? Serious as in... How serious?!" She was getting more nervous by the second, her heart beating faster and faster.

"*sigh* You won't be happy unless I say it, will ya?" He shook his head. "But I won't"

"Eh...?"

"You said you didn't wanna rush things, right? So I don't wanna be saying something so compromising yet"

"Ah, yeah... I understand" She felt conflicted about it, somehow relieved and disappointed at the same time.

"But like I said, I really like you, Candi" He passed his fingers through her hair as he confessed to her. "I feel so happy around you. I care about you for reasons I don't really understand... And I hate to see you sad or hurt, contrary to how I usually find joy in the agony of others. I don't know how to really explain this... But I just feel right being with you"

"Is that... Is that true?" She inquired, wanting to make sure it wasn't all just a joke, or worse, a form of manipulation.

"Candi I... I know I've teased you many times before. Sometimes, I was cruel, and I'm sorry... But after sharing your pain... After understanding and, you know, comforting you..." Both blushed at the thought of those cuddles. "I really mean it. I want to be with you, girl" He entangled his fingers with hers on the hand he was holding.

Candice blinked quickly, still in disbelief about everything that was going on.

"Wow... No one... No one had ever confessed to me... Much less actually... Bonding, with me..." She was really nervous, yet still couldn't let go of his touch. It was warm and relaxing, as if she was no longer carrying a heavy burden alone. "Please, don't think wrong of it. It's not that I don't trust you or anything. It's just... That I've heard stories from the girls, especially Bambi, that men sometimes play with our feelings and all for some time, then they just find a new girl they like and they throw us away like some piece of trash"

"*sigh* I assume that's why Bambi doesn't let her feelings grow for any guy... So she blows them to bits"

"She had a couple breakups of that kind... Some good looking guys said the right words, made her think it was serious, then just screwed her and it was all over" She continued with Bambi's case. "And since you know my background, you'll understand that I never had the chance to be with a guy in the first place... So I don't know what to expect. When I kissed you... Everything felt so right and, liberating and... Real. I don't... I won't deny that I feel so damn special when you hold me. But I am afraid... I'm afraid that this could be wrong or misplaced. That this might be all just in the heat of the moment, and neither my or your feelings are true to that extent"

"And you're afraid of the fact that I could be fooling around with you" He added.

Candi nodded with an insecure grin.

"I don't want to end up as sick as her... And I don't want to hate you, Atticus... If anything I... I...!" She knew what she wanted to say, but still doubted.

"... I want to believe I can get to love you" He said, somehow completing her exact phrase. "I understand. That's how I feel about you too"

"Just how in the world...?" She couldn't believe it was so perfect. "How is it that you always say what I wanna hear? It's not fair..."

"I told ya... I have no idea" He pulled her closer to him, her legs resting on his lap.

"H-Hey!" She complained, but didn't fight it.

"But if anything..." He pressed his forehead against hers, getting as close as physically possible. "...It might be a sign that this is meant to be"

Enclosed by both the atmosphere and her own feelings, Candice finally gave in, pulling him from the back into a long passionate kiss.

The way she felt when their tongues converged was truly unparalleled. It was enough to make her forget about all the doubts and fears surrounding the mystery of love, leaving only that teenage dream she had of finding that one man that would never disappear.

That ideal partner that would love her with all her faults and imperfections.

That unique person, that would understand her and comfort her whenever she was feeling down or troubled by the demons of the past or any new ones that appeared.

It was a gamble...

She could fail, and all would just become a bitter memory she'd never be able to forget.

OR... She could succeed, and rejoice in the happiness of finally finding that perfect match that would not only heal her scars, but be there to support, care and love her for the rest of her life.

All things considered... It was worth the risk.

She ended the kiss, licking the remaining string of saliva in her mouth, her green eyes staring back at him in a determined way, making her best effort to act strong.

"Fine... I'll go out with you"

"Marvelous!" He beamed.

"But look, shithead. If you're messing around, you're fucking dead to me, ya hear me?!" She growled at him.

"Loud and clear, ma'am" He nodded once, still smiling cheerfully.

"Now come 'ere" She made out madly with him, relieved that her tough act didn't turn him off. "I was worried I had been too hard on him, but it seems it was alright" She thought.

"Oh, Candi... I'll never get tired of you" Atticus thought, knowing it was all just part of her Dere type as he devoured her mouth and passed his fingers through her soft back and firm waist.

"~Hmnnn~ *smooch* But! Not a single word about this to the girls... Or anyone!" She strictly demanded.

"Got it" He accepted, rapidly captured by her again.

They continued their kissing frenzy for a couple more seconds until...

"*smooch* *slurp* *smooch* And...!" She stopped again, trying to remain focused in spite of circumstance.

"Yes, my Queen?" He teased her, waiting for the next request.

"Urgh, no need to act like a dork" She complained. "Just... Promise me one thing..." Her voice became more fragile and high, somewhat cute.

"What is it?" He was listening carefully.

"If we're gonna be together... Don't ever leave me" Her words were imperative, but her tone made it sound more like she was begging. "Please..."

Atticus couldn't have been more glad to hear that.

"Damn... I knew we were somewhat alike, but to this extent is just... Surreal"

"Huh?"

"You see, girl... I might not look like it, but I am afraid too" Atticus admitted. "Because I care about you, I am afraid of seeing you get hurt or failing to protect you. I am afraid of losing you... But overall, and this is a part of me that I'm not proud to mention... But what I'm mostly afraid of, is falling in love with you only to find out later that you found someone else and you just discard me from your life..."

"Atticus" She called his name, bewildered by how insecure he actually was in that aspect. "I never thought you felt that way"

"Like I said... It's almost impossible for me to care about someone in such a way. So getting to that point with someone... Building up hope only to find nothing at the end of the road... Yeah. I hate that thought. I despise it with all my being..." He said with a smile in a bitter way.

"Aw... You're actually cute when you show your weaknesses" She teased him now.

"H-Hey, I didn't open up to you so that you could make fun of me" He retorted in a somewhat hurt voice.

"Sorry... I couldn't help it. It was my only chance to actually get back at you for all your teases" She apologized.

"*sigh* Fair enough"

"But it's okay. Thank you for telling me that" She spoke from the heart. "Now I feel a bit more at ease"

"Yeah... That was the idea" He smiled again. "So, let's do something... We'll both fulfill that promise. I won't ever leave our side, and you won't ever leave mine" He offered her. "If at some point we both agree that this is going nowhere, it ends, but otherwise, it's an unbreakable vow. Is that okay with you?"

"Deal" She replied immediately, without any second thought. "So... Now what?"

A couple minutes later...

Atticus had picked her from the ground from under her legs, making out with her against the wall.

"~Mnhhh~ Hmhmhmh..." She moaned and laughed, her mouth still connected to his. "Not gonna lie... I could get used to this" She admitted with a sly grin before seductively biting his lip.

"*click* Ahahah... Well, I guess it's one of the benefits of going out with someone" He replied. "I normally don't like human contact all that much, but it's very different in your case"

"Oh? So we could say I'm an exception?" She came closer, their noses touching.

"The only one" He gave her an inuit nose kiss. "And I gotta say, snuggling with you is way more enjoyable than getting scolded or beaten up"

"Um... S-Sorry about that" She apologized shyly.

"It's okay, that's the way you are. And now that I know the reason for that, I have no trouble dealing with it" He caressed her cheek. "It's not like you ever did a lot of damage anyways"

"Oi... You're literally one of the strongest among the ranks right now. Possibly equal to Gremmy or even monsters like Gerard Valkyrie or Lille Barro" She reminded him. "And you would probably be stronger if it wasn't for your lazy attitude"

"Hm... Maybe" He shrugged a bit, as he was still holding her. "But, what good is strength if you don't have what truly makes you happy?"

"Well... I don't know. Here, a greater strength means being more likely to content his Majesty and obtain a wish, so that's enough reason for me and the others I guess"

"For you lot, I guess that does it"

"What? Are you gonna tell me you don't have a single thing you'd wish for?" She wondered.

"Hm... I'm not sure. I guess there's lots of things I could ask for, but in the end... Nothing I really need" He answered. "For I could say... What I currently hold in my arms is way more important than any of that"

Candice felt her heart skip a beat, something she didn't think would happen with mere words after all the stuff they had done already (which she ignored was merely the tip of the iceberg anyway).

Her eyes filled with tears as soon as she processed the meaning behind that phrase.

"You idiot... You're doing it again!" She cried to him.

"W-What did I say? I-I-I didn't mean to make you upset, I swear!" He excused himself, letting her go for the first time in quite a while.

"I'm not upset... I'm just... So happy to hear someone cares so much about me" She buried her face in his chest. "Thank you, Atticus"

"Oh..." He understood now. "There's nothing to thank me for. Like always, I'm just saying things as they are, and being as true to myself as I possibly can"

"And that's one of the things I like most about you" She thought, just silently enjoying being in that warm embrace.

~~~~X~~~~

Somewhere else in Silbern...

A heavy door was opened into a room that seemed to be entirely white, wherever one looked.

"My... I wasn't expecting any visitors" A young man with a somewhat childish voice expressed his amusement.

"Don't get the wrong idea, I didn't plan to come, but I was just passing by when I became hungry again" A cute Sternritter of childish proportions and blonde hair retorted.

"Ah... So you thought I would imagine some delicious cakes and sweets for you like the other day if you came to visit, Liltotto?"

"Pretty much. It's not like you have much to do here besides imagining in any case" She told the Visionary. "And I bet you'd enjoy some small talk, wouldn't you, Gremmy?"

"Hahahahahaha... You're quite funny" He giggled. "For that, I'll give you what you desire. C'mon, have a seat"

Right on cue, Liltotto realized there was a grand table in front of her, as well as a rather ergonomic chair behind her as well.

"My, how practical" She complimented.

"Now, anything special you'd like to get?" He was ready to imagine. "The other day, an acquaintance of mine brought some books as well as some fruits here, so I think I have a fair share of original recipes and interesting flavors in mind"

"Hm... I don't really have a specific thing in mind, but I feel like eating something sweet and sour"

"Sweet and sour... Let's see what you think of this"

Liltotto blinked once, and there it was.

A round cake of thin volume, with crumbs as the exterior layer.

"Let's have a taste..."

The fork entered her mouth slowly, and her teeth chewed on the sweet buttery dough and crumbs first, already tasty and crunchy enough for her to be more than content with the texture.

The real hit however, came later. In the center of said cake, she finally found the missing piece. The part that made that pastry all she could ask for and more.

"Oh. My. God...!" Her body trembled with an infinite joy as her mouth chewed the first time.

The taste was so sublime, her clothes would have exploded out of her body (if this was a certain Anime that's known for that type of reaction).

Her honey irises shined with an incomparable joy as she munched the rest of the piece.

"Haha! Looks like you liked it" He said with irony.

"Are you kidding me?! This is simply astonishing!" She exclaimed marvelled. "What in the Heavens is this?!"

"That is..." A drum roll was heard. "A Gooseberry Kuchen, or well, my idea of it"

"Gooseberry... I don't think I've ever tried it" She noted.

"Like most berries, they have a distinctive aroma and flavour that characterizes them, in this case, a more sour taste takes the spot, so I thought it would blend perfectly with a sweet butter-tasting dough like that of the Kuchen" Gremmy explained. "Although I have no idea how a real one would taste, this is what the product of my imagination turned out to be"

"And it's perfect that way... C'mon, join me!" She invited him. "It's bad manners to leave someone eating alone, especially a lady"

"I get it, no need to push" He shook his head. "I don't really need to eat, that's all, but I gotta be a model host, so I'll make sure to accompany you to this feast"

He snapped his fingers, creating not only 3 more Gooseberry Kuchens, but a myriad of other delicious sweets to stuff themselves.

After the session of informal gluttony, Lili and Gremmy enjoyed a nice afternoon talking and putting his Visionary to good use for whatever entertainment purpose the girl came up with.

Unfortunately for the two, it was late, so Lili had no choice but to bid him farewell.

"Oh, shit! I was here way longer than I should have!"

"Oh... You'll be going then?" Gremmy seemed rather sad.

"Yeah... I don't really have a choice. There's lots of work lately. His Majesty will declare a successor next week after all"

"Oh, it must be hectic" He smiled comprehensively.

"Yeah... I don't know what's the big deal honestly, we all know it's gonna be Haschwalt in the end"

"It's what would make more sense... But whatever happens is irrelevant to me and my solitary shell"

"Aw... Don't be sad. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" She told him with her best face. "After all... Don't tell anyone, but... You're the coolest guy I've ever met"

"Really?" He seemed happy to hear that from her.

"But of course! Like, who else can do all that crazy imagination thing of yours?"

"Hahahah, guess I can't deny that"

"Exactly, so... Take care, alright? I know we'll see each other soon, but it's better to make that clear before I go"

"Sure. Take good care of yourself, Lili"


Again, sorry for the wait. Simply put, I've been busy, not really motivated and multitasking with other stuff as well so, this happens.

In emotional terms, I'm feeling better, though my dear cat did pass away a bit more than a month ago, and my odd special relationship with a girl also came to an end cause distance and shit. Nothing to do about it, but at least I got the closure I needed.

Good news is, there have been some awesome music albums coming out this year (Desolate Blight and BMTH are the most memorable rn) so I can rejoice when I have my headphones on.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I don't make you guys wait so much for next Chapter.

Until next time! Evhron out.


"So... Candi" Atticus started as they finished dinner.

"Yeah?"

"Since we are... You know... Together..."

"Now stop right there. We are 'going out' not 'together', it's not the same!" She quickly made clear.

"Okay, okay! 'Going out' then... The thing is... Does that mean I can now sleep in your-"

"Forget it" She denied.

"But you didn't even-"

"For fuck's sake, it's obvious: you want to sleep in my bed! With me!" She yelled, completely flustered. "Like... What is wrong with you?!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Atticus became red as a tomato. "I told you we would take things slow... I just wanted... You know, an actual nice and comfy bed. That's all"

Candice sighed as she got up from the chair.

"Quick, come with me" She said, going to the living room.

"Um... Okay...?"

She sat down on the left end of the sofa where he sleeps.

"Here" She indicated her legs.

Atticus was about to squeal out of pure happiness.

"Don't you dare make a sound!" She ordered him. "If you do I'll get up, go to my room and forget this ever happened"

He forced himself not to make a sound as he laid his head on her ungodly thick and soft thighs.

"I know you really like these... So in exchange for staying here, I'll give you special treatment before sleep, okay?" She conditioned. "Argh... Who would believe that load of crap? I just love hearing his compliments and that reassuring sense of femininity I get thanks to his shameless lust" She thought, blushing.

"Oh, Candi..." He sighed as he got comfortable. "You're the freaking best"

"Shut up... Just, close your eyes and fall asleep"

"Yes, ma'am" He obeyed the first part.

Despite her attitude, she gently started petting his head and hair with a smile on her face as she helped him fall into a deep slumber.