Chapter 5: Original Sin
Lita walked home from the Shrine the evening, feeling confused about how the meeting had gone. The Knight, Tenshi, seemed like a good guy, but she could sense that he harbored a special spot for Amy, just like Koaru did. And on the topic of the Guardian, he hadn't shown up to the meeting, but instead had taken off without a word.
Kicking a can down the street in frustration, Lita looked over as a convenient store's doors opened and a young man stumbled out, a bottle in his hand. With a painful sting in her heart, Lita realized that it was Koaru, and she approached him.
"What are you doing, Koaru?" she asked as he took a deep swig from the bottle, clearly already drunk out of his mind. "How did you get them to let you buy that?"
"Stole it," he muttered as he tried to walk past. Lita snatched the bottle from him and threw it down the alley, feeling satisfied as she heard it shatter. Seemingly unfazed, Koaru shrugged and reached into one of his coat pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, popping one out and lighting it up, inhaling deeply.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" Lita asked, feeling a mixture of rage and sorrow at the young man's actions.
"Might as well," he said as he exhaled the smoke out, replacing the smokes in his coat. "Not like you girls need me, not with that Tenshi guy around now."
"You idiot!" Lita yelled, making him look over in confusion. "Yes, Tenshi is powerful, but you were here first! We trust you more, we want you to stay!"
Koaru inhaled more smoke and dropped the cigarette, stepping on it shakily as he exhaled. Lita stared at him, feeling shocked as she watched tears slide down his cheeks as he stared into space. Slowly she walked up to him and, reaching up slightly, kissed the Guardian's cheek, causing him to look at her in confusion.
"You can't go home in your condition," Lita said casually, hooking her arm with Koaru's. "Come on, let's get you sobered up."
Tenshi walked down the street beside Amy, taking her home. Keeping his eyes on the sidewalk, he finally spoke.
"I'm sorry about what happened earlier," he said, stopping under a streetlight. Amy turned and looked at him in confusion.
"What for?" she asked, walking up to him.
"For fighting with someone important to you," he said, causing Amy to look away.
"He's...he is important," she said slowly, keeping her eyes away from Tenshi. "But, not in that way...not anymore."
"Are you sure?" Tenshi asked, reaching out and turning her head to face him. "Is he really just a friend? Or are you trying to tell yourself that he is?"
Amy let herself fall inside Tenshi's eyes, feeling the familiar warmth and comfort that she used to feel with Koaru, only this was different; it wasn't filled with 'what if's' and 'in case' feelings. It felt real. Solid.
"Yes, I am sure." she said, placing her hand over Tenshi's and leaning towards him. Tenshi smiled softly and placed his other hand around her shoulders, pulling her into him as their lips met under the light of the street lamp as it popped to life, showering them in its golden rays as they embraced. Pulling away, Tenshi brushed her hair behind her ear, staring into her eyes.
"Good night, Amy." he said as he leaned in and gently kissed her forehead before turning and walking away.
Amy stood there, breathless, still feeling his lips against her own as she turned and walked towards her home, filled with bliss and joy, her confusion gone.
"Jesus Fucking Christ!" Koaru shouted as Lita shoved him half naked into her shower and blasted him with ice cold water.
"Stay in there till you can see straight!" Lita yelled as she shut the bathroom door, leaving Koaru alone in the bathroom. Sighing, he turned the water temperature up before stripping off his jeans and underwear, tossing them onto the floor, figuring that he'd dry them in Lita's dryer after he was done showering. As he let the water run over his body, he began thinking about everything that had been happening; Amy's breaking up with him, his secretly starting to smoke, his increased training, the arrival of Tenshi, and now this; his bender and self-hatred.
"So, I have really been a fool," he said, realizing how many things he had done wrong. "I could have saved my relationship. I could have beaten Tenshi if I hadn't been so pissed...there are so many things I could have done better."
Shutting his eyes and placing his head against the shower wall, he realized one thing that he knew; Amy was not the only one he had feelings for. Over the many months that he had been with them, there had been many times that he and Lita had caught each other's eyes. She would blush and look away, and he would think she was cute for it. Opening his eyes, he stood straight and let the water hit his face.
"It's time to move on," he thought, turning the water off and pulling the shower curtain aside, stepping out and grabbing a towel. "It's time to live again."
Lita looked up from the stove she was cooking rice on as she heard the bathroom door shut. Without turning around, she called to Koaru.
"Hey, leave your clothes in there! I'll grab them in a bit and wash them for ya!"
She pulled the rice off the burner and turned off the heat, hearing Koaru's footsteps enter the kitchen. Sighing, she wiped her hands on her apron and started to turn around.
"Didn't you hear m-" her sentence was cut off as Koaru grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into him, pressing his lips against hers. Lita's eyes went wide, shining in the moment before they slowly closed, her hands wrapping around his bare back, pulling her closer to him. Leaning away from him, she looked up into his eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.
Koaru looked into her sparkling eyes, feeling them pull at his soul. Moving his arms around her and pulling her closer, he whispered, "I'm moving on," just before their lips met once again.
Lita felt herself give way into his arms as she clung to him, her hands slipping on his wet skin. Willingly, she pulled him down on top of her, taking his hand and leading it onto her body as they lay there on the kitchen floor, the rest of the world forgotten to them.