Mia was scrolling through the channels and froze when she saw Ryon. He was singing the song he'd written for her. She was about to change the channel when suddenly a shot rang out and Ryon collapsed on the stage.
She stood quickly and found the location of the concert before teleporting there. He was nowhere to be seen and her heart sank, knowing it was her fault he wasn't safe. She must have not gotten everyone in the cult..
She called Hikaru hurriedly, getting as much information as possible before disappearing again. She found herself outside an abandoned factory, sneaking in and looking around for Ryon.
Ryon was hanging chained to a wall. Blood soaked his shirt making her wince. She looked around and noticed a group preparing a ritual.
She charged in, muttering spells in every direction. She pulled her gun and shot the ones that didn't go down with the spells.
She rushed to Ryon's side, pulling him down gently and focusing her energy and spells into healing him.
After a long while, she decided he would be safe so she took him to his apartment, leaving him on his bed before vanishing.
She went back to the factory, burning it down as well as anywhere else that was reported as a recent hideout for the Void clan. She then went back to her cabin, trying to push the emotions out of her mind.
Ryon regained consciousness slowly, blinking his eyes open with a groan. He froze as he saw his shirt, the memory of the concert flooding back. He quickly checked underneath, his eyes narrowing as he found no wound. What had happened?
He climbed off the bed, stripping off the shirt and throwing it away. Then he stopped as he realized the room smelled of incense. Tears pricked his eyes as he realized Mia had been there.
After what he'd done, she'd saved him. Again. He sank to the floor and cried for a while, then he took a deep breath.
Grabbing a cooler marked perishable, he focused on the cabin. When he appeared, he steeled himself and knocked on the door. "Delivery!"
Mia frowned and headed to the door, pulling her gun, she slipped the door open slightly to peer out.
Ryon held the cooler out with a hesitant smile.
Mia sighed and opened the door further, placing the gun back in her pocket.
He swallowed hard, holding the cooler out further. "Please?"
"Why are you here?"
His face fell. "I know you probably hate me, so I'll just say it and go. I'm sorry. And thank you. You didn't have to save me. I hope you become a great clan leader. Please accept this gift." He gently placed it on the ground in front of her, then turned to walk away.
"I wouldn't have saved you if I hated you." She spoke quietly. "I thought you'd have hated me."
He looked dumbfounded as he whirled. "You kept me safe! You almost died! How could I hate you?"
She shrugged slightly, "You disappeared.. and I kept saving you even when you didn't want me to.."
"You do remember I'm a idiot, right? That I need protection from myself? Or did my lack of skill in the kitchen fail to convince you?" He gave her a rueful grin.
She chuckled slightly in response.
"Please take it. Maybe someday you'll call?"
"Do you want to come in?" She offered quietly.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded and lifted the cooler out of his way.
He gave her a small smile and entered nervously. "I don't want you forcing yourself to spend time with me."
"I missed you," she admitted before glancing in the cooler.
A large gold snake raised its head and lazily flicked its tongue at her.
"Well, aren't you cute?" She looked at it before holding a hand out for it to smell.
She then looked back at Ryon, "Does it have a name?"
He shook his head. "Just saw it and thought of you. Thought Lux might like a companion. Kept talking myself out of coming here."
She sighed and approached him, gently pressing her lips to his.
His hand slowly rose, tangling in her hair as he deepened the kiss hungrily.
She ran a hand down his chest, before finally pulling away for air. She then smiled at him.
His eyes were wide, his breathing ragged. "What you do to me… should be criminal."
She chuckled, "I really did miss you."
"Same here. Did you like the song?"
She nodded, "It's beautiful."
He blushed. "I wrote it here while you were sleeping. Just poured my heart out."
She smiled softly before glancing at the snake, "We should probably get him home to Lux before he decides to wander through the cabin."
"Hope Lux likes him. I'll see you, I guess."
"I did say 'we' unless you don't want to come with?"
He hesitated. "I kinda have your clan out for my head.."
"Don't worry, I said I'd protect you from anything, didn't I?"
"I confessed. Your cousin threatened to kill me if I ever showed my face again." Ryon sighed.
She shook her head, "Don't worry."
"Easy for you to say. He doesn't want to flay,then set you on fire."
She chuckled, "Seriously, I'll take care of him."
"Don't say I didn't warn you. You promise to keep your leader away as well?" He shuddered. "She got pretty graphic on the phone."
"No one will hurt you."
"Lead the way. I'll stay behind you, just in case." He chuckled softly.
She smiled and grabbed the cooler. She grabbed onto him before teleporting to the mansion.
"'Karu is going to be pissed.." A young dark blonde man looked up at them.
"I'll tell him to bite my ass," Mia chuckled. "Ryon, this is Hiroki."
Ryon gave him a small smile. "This is a bad idea.."
"They aren't going to hurt you," Mia insisted.
"If she's protecting you, they won't touch a hair on you even if they want to." Hiroki informed.
Ryon's gaze moved down the hall. "Wanna tell him that?"
Hikaru stood there staring, his eyes angry. "Mia.. why is he here?"
"Because, I brought him here."
"He's not welcome."
"He's my guest. You don't have to like it."
He sighed and shook his head, "Whatever. Be glad you have leader privileges."
She chuckled softly, "He's not going to hurt anyone so calm down." She grabbed Ryon's hand and led him to her room.
"I don't want to cause trouble."
"Well I want you here, so they have to just suck it up and deal."
"You're not leader yet though.." He sat down on the bed. "I should have stayed away."
She looked down, "I guess I won't force you to stay if you're that uncomfortable.. I'm sorry.."
He closed his eyes, then reopened them. "Fuck it. You only live once, right?"
She gave him a small smile before setting the cooler next to him. She opened it, "I think I'll name you Aurum. It's gold in latin.." She lifted the snake and showed it to Lux, "You've got a new friend."
Lux sniffed at the other snake before curling up near it.
Mia watched them as she sat down beside Ryon. She rested her head on his shoulder.
He kissed her cheek. "At least Lux isn't mad at me.."
She chuckled, "Don't worry. They just need more time to cool off and accept you."
"Pretty sure they won't forgive me." He sighed.
"I wasn't mad and I'm the one that should have been. So I'll just keep showing them how good you are until they calm down and accept things like I did."
"Still don't understand how you weren't. I mean, I killed your brother.."
"You were scared. I know you wouldn't just kill someone for no reason."
He gave her a small smile, then grimaced as his phone pinged.
"Something wrong?"
"Probably just Naoto. I bet he's scrambling for an explanation.." He scrolled through the message, paling visibly. "Oh my god.."
"What?"
"My brother is alive…"
"Well, you should probably go see him then."
He turned panicked eyes on her. "I..saw him die. He can't be alive.."
"Let's go check it out. I'll go with just in case it's a trick or something dangerous."