Tsukiyo couldn't understand Belphegor at all. She was having her stroll around the Varia Headquarters when he appeared, making her the usual target of his custom-built blades. And as usual, out of instinct, she managed to avoid all the knives but she couldn't understand where the small wounds in her hands, legs, even in her face came from. That was what when she saw the wires glistening in the sun's beam.

"Belphegor, are you really that angry at me?" She asked him, out of her temper.

Belphegor showed his self to Tsukiyo who was now leaning on the walls because of her surprised cuts which she didn't know how it came to her until she saw those barely noticeable wires.

"Shishishi. Don't blame me. Lal Milch asked me to do some training with you," he defended, not losing that stupefying grin in his face.

"And you call this proper training?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Hey, the kid didn't emphasize something like 'proper' training. I was just doing what I was asked to do," he deadpanned, earning an exasperated sigh from Tsukiyo.

You've been making me the bull's eye for your beloved daggers and now you found even found a seemingly appropriate alias for it.

"Training?" She asked sarcastically, closing her eyes for the sudden feeling of tiresomeness.

Belphegor can see the changes in Tsukiyo. He didn't know if the others had noticed it but apparently Tsukiyo was being ruder every time he met her. He didn't mind though. Belphegor strode towards her and was about to carry her when Tsukiyo took a considerable distance away from him.

"Shishishi. Tsu-chan, if you're going to take a rest here, you might catch a cold."

"Who are you? My mother?" She deadpanned, not even looking at him.

This time, before she could even avoid him, Belphegor sat down beside her. She tried to stand but Belphegor held her down. She didn't like those feelings whirling inside of her at all. She can hear her heart, throbbing. She convinced herself it was because she was afraid of further injuries he would give her but she can't deceive herself. Hyper intuition. She should know better than anyone else. She shook her head as if discharging those unpleasant thoughts.

"You miss your mom, don't you?" He asked all of a sudden, earning Tsukiyo's attention.

"Oh so people like you can notice that, huh?" She asked back, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll take that as a yes then, Tsu-chan but I tell you family ties only make one weak. That's why I killed mine."

Tsukiyo didn't like him at all, she said to herself. And to hear someone bad-mouthing a family, she couldn't take that.

This time, Tsukiyo stood up, wincing in pain, grabbing the collar of his black Varia Jacket with her both hands. "You bastard!"

He, too, stood up, as if following where her hands will whirl him. She was pushing him to the wall. Belphegor wasn't fighting back. He was just observing the wrath on her eyes but she looked down. He saw her shoulders trembling, and he knew he was crying. He can see the tears falling.

He wanted to argue with her. Her family had doubted her, locked her up, and done unacceptable things to her but they were still that significant for her. Isn't that martyrdom? But when he saw tears flowing from her eyes, he couldn't help his self. She was hurting and he didn't like that. And partly, he blamed his self.

He felt the grip on his jacket loosened. He lifted his hands and grabbed her towards him, enclosing her in his arms.

"Go ahead. Cry whatever you need to cry. For once, Tsukiyo, rely on someone, will you?" He whispered, as he stroke her hair.

Tsukiyo was somewhat surprised at that but she managed to give out a small smile which was not seen by Belphegor. Tsukiyo remembered how she felt forlorn ever since she learned about the mafia. She lost her conviction to anything. She thought mistrust was common so she carried her own burdens, earning independence for herself. She stood alone because that's what she felt. She was left on her own, abandoned. But here was Bel, helping her out from that abyss.

"Can I rely on you then, Bel?" She asked. She felt his embraced relax. He held her shoulders and made her face him.

"You are now," he said, lifting up her chin.

"T-thanks," she mumbled as she retracted her gaze from him, trying to conceal her red face.

"This, at least, I can do for the girl I like." Being said that, Tsukiyo stared at her in bewilderment. At that instant, Belphegor pulled her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Tsukiyo didn't move. He just stared at the guy grinning before her. Belphegor's demeanor and that situation were out of the blue.

She waited. She waited for him to say something like, "Just kidding."

But there was none.