"If I can't let you go, will darkness divide?
For the fiction of love is the truth of our lies,
We were playing for keeps, but we both knew the cost,
Now the only way out's in your heart shaped box…"

-Motionless in White

Shuichi had no idea just what he was getting into as he followed Davina into the living room of her apartment. He only knew that she was exceptionally upset, and to see her in such a way had him internally furious. Who would dare to cause her such disruption? Whoever the culprit was, he instinctively wanted to harm them. When she mentioned that she was hesitant to share whatever it was that was ailing her out of worry he would think that she was crazy, Shuichi found himself wondering if it the source of her panic was connected to the apparition that had been loitering just outside of her home. If that was the case, it could certainly prove problematic. But he didn't want to jump too far ahead and make assumptions. Instead, he waited for her to speak, trying to maintain patience—it was an exceedingly difficult task, given the urgency of the matter.

"A couple of weeks ago, I visited Yureihana Park, by myself," she offered, obviously struggling to give words to her experience. But that single statement quickly gave way to more, and within minutes, she had told him everything—about the strange creature that had emerged from the lake that day in the gardens, the odd stone it had gifted her, the following conversation with her mother, and her subsequent trip to her grandparent's village, the weird note left in her door. As the story progressed, she grew more and more frantic—involuntarily tears had started to gather at the corners of her eyes as she spoke. Shuichi listened with a frank ear, feeling mildly overwhelmed at the tale as she told it. It was glaringly evident that she had been holding this massive upset in for a while, and that it had been a heavy burden to bear. But things were starting to become clearer—she had, in fact, been contacted by a demon, that much was apparent, and it had frightened her down to her very core.

"Do you see now why I didn't want to tell you?" she nearly gasped, her voice heavy with unshed tears. "It sounds fucking insane." Her hands were clasped tightly together, as if she were trying to keep herself from falling apart. On impulse, he reached out to wrap an arm around her, knowing that she needed comfort. She eagerly accepted this contact, burying her face into the warmth of his shoulder. She sniffled, but managed to hold her tears in. Shuichi's mind attempted to process everything she had just shared with him as he held her—his thoughts trailed to the strange dream he had previously had of her, and wondered if it was more relevant than he had first believed. Regardless, this was not the time to consider such things.

"It's okay, Davi," he offered softly, reaching over with his free hand to stroke the back of her head. Despite his heavy concern at all she had just revealed to him, he was determined to sooth her, hating to see her in such a traumatized state. "You're absolutely right, it does sound crazy, but perhaps it is not."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, her voice still wary. Her words were muffled, her lips still pressed against the clothing that covered his shoulder.

"There have been similar instances such as the one you've experienced in Kaiden over the past few years," he said cautiously. Shuichi knew he had to select his words with care, lest he reveal things better kept secret. "And whatever the creature's intentions were, it doesn't sound like it meant to hurt you, so I'd say you don't have a reason to worry. Perhaps it's best to just forget that it happened and move on." He knew the suggestion was a weak attempt, but he saw no harm in making it.

She remained silent for a long moment, her breathing soft and shallow. He could hear the echo of her rapid heartbeat pounding, and her usually pleasant scent was heavy with fear and uncertainty.

"I don't know if I can do that," she replied, sounding unsteady. "How can someone just forget such a thing?" A short laugh that bordered on mild hysteria escaped her then. "And what about that note? Who the hell could that be about?"

An idea began to form within Shuichi's mind—he was hesitant to consider such a thing, but in weighing the options, it felt as if it were the best thing to do in light of what he had just learned. Some way, somehow, Davina bore connections with the world of apparitions. Despite the hard won peace that now existed between the realms, it could still very well mean danger for her—after all, there were a great many demons who had not taken kindly to the previous ruler's decree of no mischief. Odds were that those who opposed it before had only grown more resentful when Hiei, as the new king, had decided to kept the law in place. It was obvious from her reaction that, despite her inquisitiveness over the matter, she was terrified, and truly, she had every right to be so. While he too was curious, Shuichi believed that it was truly in her benefit to forget all that she had learned—but first, he had to remove the physical evidence to prevent further turmoil. He would deal with those involved at his first opportunity—the urge to protect what was his was paramount, and he would do so without hesitation.

"Do you have the stone? And the note?"" he asked quietly. Davina pulled away from his shoulder nodded her head.

"Can I see them?"

Moving sluggishly, she removed herself from the couch and ventured into her bedroom, returning a minute later with a small jewelry box and a sketchbook. She quickly handed him the box, which he popped open, revealing the stone in question. He eyed it curiously—the energy that echoed forth from it was undeniably of the Demon World. Shuichi recognized the gem—a generous chunk of Hoshi Hoseki crystal, one of the most desired stones in his entire mother realm. He had once owned several items concocted of this unique stone, among them being a beautifully crafted sword that he had unabashedly stolen from one of the many sacred temples he had recklessly plundered in days long past. But there was little time to reminisce in light of the strange interlude that was steadily unfolding around him.

Before he could speak, she then handed him the sketchbook, turned to a page that depicted the alien creature she had described to him, drawn in explicit detail. As for the note, she slipped into the kitchen, reclaiming the scrap of paper from its place on the floor. She placed it down on top of the drawing before sinking back into the couch. Shuichi quickly reached for the slip of parchment, his eyes narrowing at the text written there.

There was no apparent scent apart from the previous one he had encountered, so the scrap offered little in terms of a lead as to who was the mastermind behind the mere puppet. And that message…it didn't take a scholar to know that it was him the mysterious note was referring to. That realization sent a scathing heat racing down the length of his spine, but only prompted further queries. What did they know of him? How? It stood fairly obvious that whoever the apparition was, they were attempting to warn Davina against him, but why? Where they aware of who he once was? Were they simply attempting to protect Davina from a stranger with unexplained links to their home world? The note suggested that she was precious to the sender, cautioning her against potential danger.

"It would appear that this message is warning you against someone who would seek to do your harm, so I'm led to believe that whoever this hails from does not wish ill upon you," he offered, trying to keep his voice even and soothe the rage that howled deep within. She looked at him with mild incredulity, but her gaze softened as his words sank in.

"But even if the sender is friendly, who the hell could they be referring to?" she asked quickly, shaking her head. "I've only been here for a month and a half. I could count the number of people I've shared more than a word or two with on my hands alone. So, unless one of you is some sort of monster with a secret vendetta against me, who could they possibly be alluding to?"

Her naivety struck him in that moment, causing him to feel a harsh pang of guilt. He harbored no bad intentions for her, quite the opposite, in fact, but she had come unknowingly close to the truth, a truth he could never share with her. Shuichi didn't know how to answer her inquiry, and thought it better to turn the attention elsewhere. He turned his gaze upon the drawing of the creature in her sketchbook, studying it curiously.

"Is that the creature you saw?" he asked, to which she nodded quickly. He recognized it at once—it was a common apparition known as an Aoiashi—they were low class demons native to the coastal provinces of the Makai, who often served as underlings to the noble families who lived there. Shuichi found himself impressed with the preciseness of which she had rendered the image—there was no mistaking the unnamed creature's identity. "And it was in Yureihana Park that you encountered it, correct?"

Again, Davina nodded, solidifying his suspicions born of his prior experience with the park. All presence of tears had since vanished, but there was exhaustion in her demure face that nearly pained him to witness. It only further solidified the idea that what he planned to do was truly a necessity, for her sake. Once more, he wrapped his arm about her, pulling her in close. She conceded to the gesture without hesitation, returning her face to the warmth of his shoulder and sighing deeply.

Utilizing his free arm, he reached up into the fine hairs at the very base of his neck, plucking a tiny seed nestled among the locks. It was a habit to keep a few of these particular seeds available, even with his relatively recent desire to live life purely as a human. Their presence alone was a safety net of sorts, and Shuichi had found himself unable to relinquish the desire to carry them, knowing that there would come a day where he would be grateful to have them on hand. It had been years since he had last found a need for their use, and that had only been to spare his classmate, Maya Kitajima, from a horde of memories best forgotten, including all those she carried of him.

However, this time, Shuichi would only be erasing those memories that centered around Davina's otherworldly discoveries—he couldn't bring himself to remove himself entirely from Davina's mind. He truly was fond of her, and wasn't keen to give her up, all potential risks be damned. He had forgone a chance at happiness once before, and he found that he wasn't willing to do so again. But he was a far cry from the young boy he had been in the past—he could protect those he cared about now, even if it meant potentially sacrificing certain ideals. Apart from that, she had already been introduced to those who composed of nearly his entire inner circle of friends—if he were willing to erase himself, he would have to steal those memories as well, and he just couldn't do that to her. It would literally leave her with nothing that sustained her here, which was just far too much to take from her. Even if such cruelty was, at its core, the safer option, Shuichi couldn't bring himself to even consider such destruction.

There was also an undeniable element of selfishness to this plot that Shuichi was loath to admit, even as it glared at him directly. He couldn't very well maintain his hard won human façade if he was involved with a partner with prospective ties to the world from which had first given him life. If he stole these memories she carried, there would be no threat that he couldn't keep her safe from, no need to expose his true self or revisit that concept of which he was so desperate to bury.

"I'm sorry to put this all on you," Davina suddenly said, her voice muffled against him. "I'm so sorry for getting you involved…what if you are in danger because of me?" Her voice nearly cracked then, and Shuichi reached out to stroke the side of her face with the hand nearest to her.

"No need to worry," he consoled her, his voice soothing. He grew quiet as he focused his energy, feeding it into the seed, allowing just enough that a tiny bulb, no bigger than the head of pin, emerged from the shell. For Maya, he had used an entire flower, but for Davina, much less of the Fuzai Kioku was required. "I think you need to rest, Davi. Get some sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better by tomorrow." With a burst of strength, Shuichi crushed the blossoming seedling between his index finger and thumb, the force of the movement sending out a collection of invisible spores to fill the surrounding air. Carefully, he withdrew his arm to free her face, watching as she took a deep breath, inhaling the spores deep into the confines of her lungs—in a short time, they would travel to her brain and eat away at the memories that haunted her until they were voided. By inflicting his energy into the minute particles, they took on his will—the rest of her memories would remain intact, untouched by his manipulation. He rubbed his fingers together, turning what remained of his seed into dust before wiping his hand clean on his pants.

"Maybe you're right," she replied, uncertainty still hanging off of her words. Davina yawned loudly then, and judging by the suddenly sleepy look of her eyes, his plot was already taking effect. "Maybe I just need to…" her words trailed off as deep slumber laid its claim on her. Shuichi lingered for a long moment, waiting for her breathing to even out as she slumped heavily against the back of the couch. Once he deemed it safe, he carefully maneuvered her into a horizontal position, slowly lowering her head down onto the cushioned arm. He rose to his feet, finding a purple throw blanket stashed away within a basket that sat beneath the coffee table and unfolding it, draping it across her body. Snatching up the stone, he grabbed her grandmother's diary and the note, venturing into the kitchen to repurpose the paper bag she had just abandoned on the counter after putting away her groceries. Lastly, he carefully tore the drawing of the Aoiashi out of her sketchbook, crumpling it into a tight ball and stuffing that into his bag as well.

Unsure of just where the sketchbook and jewelry box hailed from, Shuichi snuck into her bedroom to replace the items, relieved to find the bottom drawer of her dresser hanging open. It was empty, but by the looks of things, it was where she had kept the tiny container, so he replaced it and slowly pushed the drawer into place. The sketchbook he placed atop her desk, just shy of where her laptop sat. For good measure, he placed a pencil bag filled with drawing utensils atop the book to give the appearance of it having been untouched. Satisfied with his efforts, he returned to the living room—Davina was resting well, having nestled comfortably into the arm of the couch and snuggled down within the warmth of the oversized blanket.

Content with the knowledge that she would awaken the next morning with nothing to trigger the memories he had stolen from her, Shuichi grabbed the bag and cradled it in the crook of his arm. He headed for the exit, slipped into his shoes, and took his leave of her apartment, moving quietly, even though nothing short of an earthquake could rouse Davina in her current state. He borrowed from the key hanger that hung near the door the key to lock her door, not wanting to leave it unsecured, and placed it underneath the mat that sat abreast of the entrance. He paused for a second to compose himself, the weight of everything he had just learned and acted upon weighing heavily on his conscience. As a final precautionary measure, he summoned his energy once more, using his finger to trace a native symbol of protection across the top half of her door—it wouldn't be visible to the human eye, but the lingering ki would be readable by any apparition who stumbled across it. He hoped that it would instill the message that he was no wolf, as insinuated, but a companion with no dire intentions. He hoped his trap would prove successful in the near future, if only so he could make contact with the messenger and get to the bottom of things.

Once he had made it to the base of the stairs, Shuichi withdrew his phone to type out a text message for her—in it, he told her that she had fallen asleep following their conversation, informing her that he had let himself out and telling her that her key could be located beneath the door mat when she came to. He sent the correspondence along, and then headed towards the grocer, despite the urge to immediately return home. His venture into the Makai would have to wait until the next evening, despite the inconvenience it would present—he had far too much on his mind to process, and needed time to sort himself out. Perhaps he could enlist Hiei in his efforts to learn more about the unnamed party he sought—it certainly couldn't hurt to ask.

A loud sigh escaped Shuichi as he crossed the street in the direction of his destination, thoughts of all that had just transpired weighing heavily on his conscience. He only hoped he wouldn't come to regret his actions in the future.

. . .

When Davina awoke, it was early into the hours of the next morning—confusion immediately set in as she reached up to rub her eyes, still heavy with traces of sleep, and realized that she was not curled up within the comfort of her bed but an occupant of the living room couch. She didn't recall falling sleep there—in fact, she couldn't remember much concerning the conclusion of the previous evening. Sitting up, Davina pushed aside the purple throw blanket and pulled her back into a firm, satisfying stretch before reaching for her phone, which sat in close proximity atop the coffee table. It was nearly two hours before her first alarm of the day was set to chime—far too early for her to even consider being coherent. But somehow, despite this, she felt fresh and well rested, as if she had just emerged from some sort of deep hibernation.

Her attention was swiftly diverted from the time when the realization that an unread text from Shuichi was awaiting her examination—eagerly, she tapped on the notification and quickly scanned the message.

'My apologies again for the unanticipated visit, but I'm glad I got to see you. I let myself out after you fell asleep while I was finishing up studying. I borrowed your key so I could lock the door—it's under the mat, once you wake up. Hopefully, you slept well. Talk to you soon.'

She read the message twice, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her—she couldn't remember falling asleep for the life of her—hell, she couldn't even recall Shuichi popping by to visit her. They hadn't made any plans to meet, so why he had stopped by was a mystery in itself. In an attempt to piece the evening together in her mind, Davina combed through what she did recall, which admittedly wasn't much. She remembered writing and sketching, then her little rendezvous to the nearby grocery store, but that was it. The fact that she couldn't recall more perturbed her—it wasn't like her to forget most things. Perhaps she had been more exhausted than she had first believed, hence her unanticipated nap. But that still didn't explain Shuichi's impromptu visit—she would have to ask him about it when she saw him next. She felt that said question wouldn't translate well over text, so she hoped to encounter him in person again soon.

Davina removed herself from the couch and headed for the front door, freeing the lock before pushing it open and kneeling down to reclaim her wayward key from beneath the coarse mat. Her eyes took in the exterior surroundings as she rose to her feet—it was still well before dawn, and the early morning sky was still painted in shades of black and dark blue. A pale yellow moon in the shape of a Cheshire Cat's grin hung low in the overhead abyss, glowing mutely against the murky backdrop. Enthralled by the sight, Davina took several steps forward, pausing at the steel railing that lined the exposed edge of the exterior hallway. She rested her arms atop the barrier, her gaze drawn upwards to appreciate the view.

Without the sun to warm it, the fall air was nearly frigid, chilling her skin as it whispered past, carrying with it a strange musk of faint smoke and something vaguely floral. A shiver raced down the length of her spine as the sudden cold kissed her flesh, piercing the thin fabric of her long sleeved shirt with ease. With a sigh, she abandoned her current position and returned to the warmth of her apartment, carefully closing the door with a firm push and securing the lock behind her.

Knowing that there was no hope of obtaining further sleep, Davina opted to take a long, hot shower. She avoiding playing music, as she typically did, craving silence for a change. Only after the water had run cold did she flee the shower, and moved into her bedroom to dress. After donning her wares for the day, she made her customary cup of coffee, sitting down at the small dining table. But before she could take a sip, her phone rang, startling her. Much to her surprise, it was her dad who was calling. She picked up the call as quickly as she could, happy to hear her father's voice drifting in through the speaker.

"Hey, honey! Sorry I missed your call—what's up?" Jason said, causing Davina to arch a confused brow.

"I didn't call you, Dad," she responded, perplexed by this weird statement.

"Yeah, you did. I got a missed call at like…three in the morning, from you. Guess it was your turn to forget about the time difference, huh, kiddo?" he replied with a chuckle.

"Sorry about that," she offered sheepishly, deciding to play along with the excuse rather than admit that she had no recollection of calling her dad at that particular hour. "I was just calling to say hi." Her words sounded disingenuous to her, but Jason failed to notice.

"Well, I'm glad you called—Selina stopped by yesterday to drop off some of those awesome brownies she makes, and she asked if you would be coming home for winter break."

A longing for her childhood home immediately welled up within her at this comment.

"I'm hoping I can, if you guys are okay with it."

"Of course we are! Christmas wouldn't be the same without you here. We can book you a flight when it gets a bit closer to the break."

"Sounds good to me. And tremendously jealous that you got brownies—send me one," she said jokingly, her mood lightening some.

"Unfortunately, there aren't any left—Jax and Mike stopped by to have dinner with me and your mom, and your brother got a little greedy."

"That brownie hogging jerk! I'm going to smack him when I see him."

Jason laughed out loud at her childish threat, which made Davina smile.

"I'm sure Selina will make them for you when you visit—she misses you, kid. We all do."

"I miss you guys, too."

They chatted for a little while longer, but her dad had to cut the call short, as he was due to meet with a contractor and had to get a move on. The remainder of Davina's free time prior to her venture to school passed by far too quickly, but it was an enjoyable change in which she was able to take her time and prepare herself for the day ahead.

Much to her good fortune, the first of her Monday classes flew by with a fair amount of ease. She received an assignment for a paper in her second class that was due within two weeks, so she ventured over to the library during the short break she had prior to her final course of the day to hunt down some material that would assist in its completion. She was in the midst of checking out a trio of books when she caught sight of Lucas, who was perched at a small table by himself near the coffee shop. He waved to her, gesturing for her to join him once she was done checking out at the counter. Curious as to what he wanted, she finished collecting her borrowed books, stowed them away within her backpack, and headed his way.

"Hey," she offered by way of greeting, slipping in to the free chair that occupied the opposite end of the table Lucas was occupying.

"What's up?" he replied, the bulk of his attention occupied by the slim laptop that sat before him, one hand buried in a nearby book while the other reached to withdraw a number of chips from an open bag he had resting close to his side. He stuffed them into his mouth with vigor, raining crumbs down across his shirt.

"Not a whole lot," she responded, trying to ignore the mess her companion had just made.

"You comin' to the literary meeting tomorrow?" Lucas asked, reaching for another load of chips and shoving them into his open maw. Davina fought the urge to frown, suddenly eager to flee the situation. "Everyone's excited to meet you—we know you'll be a great addition."

His praise, although premature, came as a nice surprise, but she didn't want him to build her up only for her to fall short of his expectations.

"What time is the meeting at? And where?" she asked, deciding it best to get straight to the point. She only had twenty or so minutes remaining before her last class was set to begin, and she didn't want to wait until the last second to get the important information.

"It's at three thirty, in the literature hall," Lucas announced, chewing loudly, his eyes never once leaving his screen. Davina was starting to wonder just what the hell she was getting herself into, but was willing to at least make the effort to attend the meeting and see if it was worth committing to. "You got anything done since we talked before?"

"Yeah, something…it's…short, but since you want mixed media, I'm planning to do a sketch to go with it. Think that will work?"

Lucas nodded enthusiastically, then appeared crestfallen upon the realization that he had consumed what remained of his snack. Davina, on the other hand, was relieved—his noisy crunching was starting to wear on her nerves.

"That's perfect! Can't wait to see what you came up with."

"I'll see you then," she offered, quickly rising to her feet and repositioning her bag on her shoulder. Lucas nodded, turning his attention away from his computer long enough to wave goodbye. Davina left the library in a hurry, happy to be free of that somewhat awkward interlude. She was still holding onto some excitement regarding the literary committee, but still wasn't certain if it would be something she would commit to—even if she chose not to join, she could still offer submissions for publication, so there was no real worry there if things didn't click. Lucas might prove to be disappointed if she didn't enroll as a member, but she would cross that bridge when it came. She made it to her last class several minutes early, claiming a spot near the back of the lecture hall.

Although her final course went by somewhat slower than her previous ones, she felt relieved when her school day was finally complete—but instead of heading straight home, she opted to return to the library, determined to get a page or two of her currently assigned paper done. The sooner she could complete it, the better, and there were far fewer distractions at the university library than there would be in the comfort of her apartment, so she decided to take advantage of her surroundings and get to work. Once she had settled in, claiming a quiet table near the back of the massive space and set out her materials, Davina briefly contemplated texting Shuichi to see if he was willing to meet her there. She was eager to ask him about the prior evening, but also didn't want to be a hindrance—odds were that he was due at the café for work shortly, and she didn't wish to make him feel obligated to forsake his short period of freedom to entertain her when he could be trying to decompress and mentally prepare himself instead. With that in mind, she decided to forgo contacting him, attempting to reason with herself and be patient for a better opportunity.

Much to her surprise, Shuichi showed up at her table only about ten minutes after she had staked her claim, smiling over at her as he held out a to go cup of coffee from the library cafe for her to take. She couldn't help the smile that formed upon her lips at this sweet gesture, feeling grateful for his kind offer of much needed caffeine.

"You're spoiling me," she said with a small smirk, accepting the beverage and gesturing for him to take a seat. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"Lucky guess," he replied with a casual shrug. "I figured I'd stop by and take a look around, and spotted you shortly after I walked in—I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all," she quickly assured him. "I'm glad you popped in. The fact that you brought coffee only makes it even better. I've got a paper to write and just wanted to get a strong start on it before heading home."

He chuckled at her remark, slowly shaking his head.

"Well, truth be told, I was a bit concerned when I didn't hear back from you," he admitted, prompting Davina to feel somewhat foolish for her lack of communication.

"I didn't want to bother you—although I did want to ask you about last night. If I'm being honest, I don't remember much. I was hoping you could fill in the blanks."

"I was on my way to the grocery store to grab a few things for my mother and figured I'd stop by to say hello before I did my shopping," he explained quickly, which eased some of Davina's concern regarding the situation. "You said you weren't feeling too good—a bad headache, if my memory serves me right." Shuichi paused for a moment, appearing contemplative. "If I'm being completely forthright, I was worried that you might have been having second thoughts about me after what happened between us Saturday evening—I know it was a bit…forward of me, to put it kindly."

"I'm not having second thoughts at all," she responded immediately, eager to assure him. "I wanted that to happen, just as much as you seemed to."

"I didn't mean it in a negative way—I just don't want you to feel pressured, or worse, obligated to act a certain way in order to keep my attention. I have really been enjoying spending time with you, and I'm certainly looking forward to things progressing, but only at a pace that you are comfortable with."

While she internally appreciated his concern, Davina felt as if she needed to clarify what she was attempting to convey to him, and allowed herself to speak brazenly, forcing herself to ignore the twang of trepidation that radiated within her.

"Shuichi, let me just be absolutely clear—I like you, and I like where this is going. You don't make me feel pressured and haven't pushed me into doing anything I wasn't willing or wanting to do. I promise that if I have any concerns, or if I'm ever uncomfortable with anything that happens between us, I'll share it with you." She paused for a second, fixing him with a small, appreciative smile. "I'm really excited for our date tomorrow night."

Shuichi's smile mirrored her own, relief blossoming behind his vivid green eyes at this comment.

"I am, too. And I'm glad that you were straight forward with me. I like you too, you know," he admitted with a mild chuckle that triggered one of her own.

"Good. So you can stop worrying already," she teased lightly, reaching over to fix his hand with a quick, reassuring squeeze. Davina went to move her hand away, but Shuichi turned his over to cradle hers, their palms meeting as he returned the sentimental gesture.

"I suppose I'll have to do that, now that I know for certain you don't have any regrets."

He sighed softly, and then pulled his hand away, moving to stand up.

"Unfortunately, I'm due at the café soon, so I can't stick around. I'm glad we got the opportunity to talk, however. Best of luck with your paper—don't work too hard, now."

"I hope you have a good shift," she replied, disappointed that he had to depart so soon but content that she had gotten to see him. "And thank you for keeping me properly caffeinated."

"You're welcome, Davi. Have a good night," he responded, then took his leave of the table and headed towards the exit. She watched him as he walked away, a small sense of satisfaction washing over her—somehow, that man, who was ridiculously gorgeous, incredibly intelligent, and just so legitimately sweet, held true affection for her, and she reveled in that simple realization. It was truly incredible just how special he made her feel, and the things he willing did to remind her that she was genuinely important to him made her feel cherished. Davina didn't know what she could have possibly done to have earned such an amazing companion, but one thing was for certain—she was truly grateful to have him. At the start of her life here, she had felt so lost, so alone, so unsure. Now she felt as if she had something true and tangible to hold onto—it was an amazing feeling, one that warmed her whole heart. Secretly, she hoped that tomorrow would pass by quickly, just so she could see him again.

. . .

A deep sigh of utter relief escaped Shuichi the moment he made his escape from the library. His brief interlude with Davina had gone better than he had hoped—it would appear that his work with the Fuzai Kioku had been successful. She had no recollection of her anguish from the previous evening, and appeared to be in far better spirits, which pleased him. At his core, he felt awful for using his otherworldly abilities to manipulate her, but still felt as if his actions were necessary. He felt obligated to protect her, and would continue to do so, even if it meant sacrificing certain ideals. She was worth the effort—there was no argument that could convince him otherwise.

Despite his satisfaction, he still harbored many concerns about the uncouth situation they were both involved in—it was still a priority to make contact with the demon who had been stalking her, in hopes of learning more about her connections to the Makai. He hoped that Hiei would be willing to see reason and offer his help in the matter at hand. He only hoped that work would pass by quickly so he could make his journey into the other realm and complete the task set before him. With a determined step, Shuichi ventured onward, his thoughts heavy as his legs carried him in the direction of home.

. . .

Author's Note: So, my original intention was to get this chapter posted last night, but work ran later than anticipated, and once I got home, I was completed exhausted. The new job is going well, though, so I can't complain much. Luckily, I'm off for the next few days, thanks to the holiday weekend, so I'm planning on writing as much as I can during my downtime. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read, you all are so wonderful and I'm so pleased that you are enjoying the story. I hope everyone out there is doing well! Look for the next chapter soon!