Things were…well they were the same. After that day, after the incident in the pond – which yes Ayano was still mad about but not as mad as she'd like him to believe – Kazuma had resumed his place by her side in his typical stoic manner. Sometimes he came to the house early so when she got up for the day she found him lounging outside with Ren on the grass. When fighting youmas he still stood far out of the reach of her blade, though here and there she noticed a little extra lift from the wind when she jumped out of the way or a soft breeze brushing by her for a particularly soft landing when she fell. Then he delivered her home and never ever touched her.
She'd say he was afraid of Enraiha or something if she didn't know better. She definitely knew better though.
Every once in a while she would be strolling quietly beside him in the dusk and peek out the side of her eyes just to satisfy the need to glance at his handsome face only to find him openly regarding her, his brown eyes deep and contemplative. When their gazes caught, he would just smirk, holding contact for a moment before looking down at his shoes and shaking his head slightly. Then he would look forward again and it would be as if it never happened. Except it kept happening.
It was starting to irritate her, and Ayano did not handle irritation very well.
"Woah, slow down on the cake, Ayano." Nanase cautioned her, her first piece still barely eaten before her on the table. Glaring across the table, Ayano spitefully shoved the rest of her piece – her third, but really who was counting? – into her mouth. "Don't blame us when you get a stomach cramp."
"Oh leave her alone. She's love sick after all." Yukari declared, jostling Ayano playfully with her elbow.
"What? I am not!" Ayano protested though she suddenly felt a desire for another piece of cake.
"Oh please. This is the first time Kazuma has left your side in months. You miss him."
"That's so cute!" Nanase hastened to agree. The little bell over the door gave its cheerful welcome and an unfortunately familiar voice greeted them.
"Well hello there. You girls having a good time?" Detective Kirika Tachibana appeared, her blonde hair falling over one shoulder like she had just rolled out of bed and her shoulders thrown back in an open invitation to admire her. The way she said "girls". Ayano felt like an underdeveloped and naïve child next to the woman. Thankfully Kazuma was nowhere in sight or else Kirika would be hanging off his arm with her smug, glazed over look that practically announces they had just exited the shadiest hotel they could have possibly found.
"What are you doing here?" She demanded, not caring if she came across as rude even after all the detective had done for them in the aftermath of pandemonium.
"Your father sent me. There are some preparations in motion so when Bernhardt returns, we'll be ready."
Ayano's defenses fell away because really, how could she argue that?
They had barely made it onto the estate before Kazuma appeared in the doorway.
"Where the hell have you been?" He demanded, stalking towards her and grabbing her arm as if saving her from a fall.
"What's it matter to you?" She replied hotly, wrenching her arm away from him. "You're not my babysitter. I can go wherever I want, Kazuma."
"I hate to interrupt," Kirika's cool voice cut in, "but your father is waiting."
Brushing past Kazuma, Ayano's shoulder jarred his and she felt as if she needed to roll her shoulders to shrug off the intensity of his gaze as he watched her go. She forced herself not to glance back until she made it inside. From that safe distance, she looked back over her shoulder to find that Kazuma was keeping stride with Kirika though neither seemed to be speaking.
The door before her slid open and, typical stony expressions in place, her uncle Genma and her father greeted her. Inclining her head respectfully, Ayano went in to kneel in her place. Moments later, Kazuma strode in to exchange a heated stare with his father. The older man's appearance at Pandemonium, though key to warding off the threat of Bernhardt in the heat of the moment, apparently had not been enough to patch up the tense relationship between father and son.
One by one, they each settled with their legs tucked beneath them on the floor. Ren, as the youngest, had prepared tea. Silence reigned. Despite the soothing tea clasped in his long fingers, intensity was rolling off Kazuma in waves and saturating the air around Ayano.
"So are we just going to keep sitting here like nothing's wrong, or make a plan to protect people?" Ayano finally asked, staring at the cup in Kazuma's hand.
"Ayano." Her father rebuked softy.
"No. She's right." Kazuma said, resting his palms on his knees. "We all know Bernhardt has a bigger plan. Why ignore it?"
"What if he comes back?" Ren asked, his voice high and concerned.
"We fought him off once but-" Clutching her hands to her chest, Ayano trailed off.
"But that girl." Suddenly Genma spoke up. Staring directly at Kazuma, he continued, "If he brings her back again, he'll have us fighting ourselves long before we notice whatever he's doing and then it'll be too late."
"Lapis won't be a problem." Kazuma replied, saying her name as if it tasted like sand.
"Yeah!" Ren rushed to his defense. "Kazuma won't fall for that old trick again."
"Thanks, little bro." Kazuma murmured affectionately. Ayano could feel the way he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, knowing that she was being uncharacteristically quiet given the subject was a girl she'd tried to kill not all that long ago multiple times, yet she couldn't think of a single thing to say. In fact, her entire countenance was troubled, her aura muted as she remembered horrible things.
In truth, it was all she seemed able to think on. The day his wind had shot like a blade between Lapis and the fiery fury of Enraiha, when everything could have ended before the real trouble began. The wind hadn't hurt her, but it certainly hadn't been intended to protect her either. A chill had stolen into her that day, a startling contrast to her usual flare of energy. If it hadn't been for Bernhardt, Kazuma wouldn't have returned to Japan, fulfilled the contract of the Spirit King of the Wind, or partnered with the Kannagis. Looking at Lapis, he couldn't help but see Tsui-Ling.
Who had she been? Probably calm and gentle to bring Kazuma out of his shell. A soft, docile demeanor that prompted Kazuma to grow into a real man. Ethereal beauty so that when he looked on her, he felt nothing but pride that she was his. That was the type of woman Kazuma would sell his soul to spend a single moment with.
Her fists clenched in the pleated material of her blue skirt, Ayano stared helplessly down at nothing. She knew herself, the warrior and dutiful heir. She'd even go so far as to call herself beautiful, though she'd always valued strength over beauty. At her most jealous between Detective Tachibana and the American Catherine McDonald, Ayano had sought to prove that she too could be Kazuma's equal, not some child. But she just didn't know how to compete with the ghost of Tsui-Ling.
"Ayano?" Her father's voice interrupted her thoughts and her head jerked up. "Are you listening?"
"Yes, father. Of course."
"Ayano, Bernhardt is dangerous. Now that he knows the strength of the Kannagis, we all might become a target."
"I know, father. I'm ready."
"We have several sources set up to warn us should Bernhardt try to return." Detective Tachibana said, taking a sip of her tea. "In the meantime, we're working overtime to keep a lid on this. With all the teenagers recovering from Pandemonium, crime has soared. They keep trying to use powers that don't exist anymore."
"Great, more creeps trying to pick me up in alleyways." Ayano murmured dryly.
"That reminds me." Kirika's attention turned to her specifically. "I think it would be best if you did a few rounds with Catherine to bring these kids back down to earth. Kazuma will be training some of our most promising new recruits-"
"I'm not doing that again." Kazuma interrupted. "That last recruit you stuck me with wouldn't be able to find a fireball if it was burning him in the behind."
"Kazuma-" Genma started.
"You're not splitting us up." He said carefully, his voice low as he stared at each individual in the room one at a time. "We have work to do. Ayano." Pushing himself to his feet, he strode towards the door, obviously expected Ayano to just follow. Glancing around, Ayano hurried to follow. Given he usually stormed off by himself only to pop up right in the thick of problem later on, this was certainly an interesting development.
Tugging her shoe on, she hobbled after Kazuma, who was several paces ahead of her. "Kazuma! Kazuma, wait up!" She called. He stopped, his hands in his pockets, but didn't turn around.
"Well hurry up already."
"What is going on with you, Kazuma? This is a real problem. You can't just storm off because you don't like what they're saying. It's a duty-"
"I thought you had my back, partner." Kazuma cut her off as soon as she reached him.
"Of course I do, but that's not what I'm talking about."
"Ayano, either you're with me or you're not. I'm with you." Well, when he put it that way, she really couldn't help but agree. "So are we going or not? I'm getting hungry."
"Alright. But I decide where we eat."
"Don't you always?" Ayano strode past him. Suddenly, Kazuma's hand shot out to catch her wrist and she glanced back over her shoulder, heat creeping into her cheeks. Keeping his eyes on her, he pulled her closer. Though neither of them spoke, thoughts tumbled over themselves in Ayano's head. What was he trying to do? For a moment her eyes dropped to his thin lips, then skittered back up over his shoulder for fear he'd catch her staring.
"Kaz-" She started only to trail off when he slid one arm around her waist. He suddenly grinned, using a blast of air to lift them both into the air until she had both her arms around his waist.
"I'm a little hungrier than I thought. Let's take the fast route." He said. "Besides, I can hear your stomach growling from here."
"How could you even say that?" She demanded. "It's not my fault I haven't eaten. Unlike some people, I actually have responsibilities and can't just loaf around eating all day long. Tell me, Kazuma, do you even get up to get food or do you just have them deliver it to your hotel room?"
"Keep jabbering like that and I just might drop you." Kazuma threatened lightly, though his other hand came out of his pocket to wrap around her waist reassuringly.
"I'm going to make you pay for that! I'm going to order the most expensive thing on the menu. No, I'll order everything on the menu!"
"Weigh much more and I really will drop you."
"Kazuuuuummmmaaaaa."
It was amazing really, the way her warning shout could carry for miles, searing the very sound waves.