Shorter chapter here but here's a bit of news for all yall

1. There's one more chapter of this and we'll have completed season 1! I plan on doing the same for season 2 of the show so be on the lookout for that in the coming months but I'll only get started on that after I finish my next valvrave project which is...

2. A time travel AU fic, as requested by Shiranai Astune as soon as I posted the final chapter of this, I'm going to start writing that. And when that piece is done, I'll continue with VVV Realized s2

Social media across the system blew up with what they had just seen. A lot of crazy stuff had happened recently what with Dorssia invading JIOR and being pushed by from one tiny module by a group of fighting robots. ARUS had been outraged by the existence of these mechs. JIORan citizens had been split. Half were glad they had a defense and half were upset that they were now part of a war.

All of this was a lot to take in. But now they also had to deal with the fact that the one spearheading such operations was not only a teenager, but that he was apparently dating a Dorssian? Who was also a POW? But was on their side now too?

Needless to say, everyone was voicing their opinions. But because the WIRED was restricted within Module 77, neither Haruto nor the others saw any of it. That is until Q-vier hacked through the censorship and showed everyone during lunch.

"The whole universe is talking about you two!", he exclaimed.

"What site is that?", Inuzuka asked, not recognizing it.

"When's the wedding you guys?", H-neun teased with a whistle.

Haruto was blushing deeply, not sure what to say about all of this. He liked L-elf and thought he was amazing. He wanted to be his friend. He wasn't sure about this. He was brought out of his thoughts when Shoko slammed her lunch tray down as she came up to the table.

"L-elf, that wasn't nice", she said. "You made Haruto really uncomfortable. And in front of everyone!"

L-elf ignored Shoko and instead turned to Haruto. "Did you dislike my kiss?", he asked.

"I-well, no I, it's not that I disliked it. It was a very nice kiss. I just...I wasn't expecting it..." Did L-elf have feelings for him? What about the girl in his photo? Was she just a friend?

An alarm sounded, interrupting their lunch. "We'll discuss this later", L-elf said before getting to his feet.

Even in the midst of battle, Haruto was thinking about his feelings for L-elf. As well as his feelings for Shoko. Haruto had been in love with her for a long time and had even considered confessing to her. But then the war started. Most injuries meant nothing now but they still didn't know the limits of this form of immortality. If his Valvrave was destroyed he could very well die.

And Shoko was only human. Even though she wasn't on the front lines, she could still meet her end during this conflict. And wars could go on for years. Could he really go on behaving as a bright eyed child when soon he'd be a hardened soldier? Haruto was no fool. After some thinking, he knew L-elf must have ulterior motives for what he did.

He just didn't know exactly what. He must be trying to sway opinions but in what way? To make it seem like their alliance was more amicable? To make Dorssia look bad? Whatever the case, their fates had already been entwined. As the pilot of Unit I, Haruto was the de facto leader of the pilots and L-elf was the commander of his squad.

Whatever the outcome of this particular battle and the ones to come, they'd be glued together in some kind of way. Haruto thought it was important that they got along. It was why he wanted to be friends with the other boy.

Haruto gave Shoko a final thought. Someone like him could never make her happy in the first place. But if he made a deal with L-elf, they could actually make a change. They could end this war before too many lives were lost.

The battle ended with JIOR being victorious again and the Dorssians retreating. As soon as Haruto was docked back in the hangar, he opened his hatch and saw L-elf floating their, along with his squad. The student technicians went right ahead with doing their check ups but Haruto paid them no mind.

"L-elf!", he shouted.

L-elf's eyes had already been on him. He hadn't needed to be called but Haruto did it anyway, bringing everyone's attention to the two of them.

"Will you marry me!?", Haruto proposed rather loudly, his voice echoing in the hangar.

L-elf smirked and it felt like every moment Haruto didn't receive a verbal response was another shot to his confidence where he realized just how many people were witnessing this and what would his father think and Shoko and Inuzuka-senpai-

"I will."