Dlbn: Welcome back everyone! I know I was going to wait til Monday, but then I realized just how many more chapters I need to make my deadline, and figured I'd just post a day early and do another chapter on Tuesday instead.

Nbld: So let's not waste any time. Here's the Review Corner! Thank you to Promocat for reviewing! Here's a cookie for you!

Promocat: You can say that again. I wanted to make him as creepy as possible for this fic. Guess I accomplished that goal XD

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Loveless or anyone in it. It all belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off of writing this story.

Disclaimer 2: I do NOT own the song *** by ***, which this fic is based off of. I make NO money out of referencing it.

000

The next morning, Ritsuka was woken up by the sounds of chirping birds and a buzzing social scene from the town below, and sunlight pouring in through the windows. He yawned and stretched, looking around as he scratched where his left neko ear once was. He felt like he got run over by a truck. What was that weird dream about last night? Something about a talking…doll…? Ritsuka laughed out loud and buried his face in his bent knees. There was no such thing as a talking doll. It was just a bad dream. Just a nightmare, that's all. It wasn't real. Ritsuka tried to ignore the nagging feeling at the base of his skull that told him otherwise as he got out of bed and got ready for the day. It was his first day on the job and he wanted to look presentable and not be late. Thankfully his job wasn't too far away, and since it was only around seven-thirty AM, that meant he had time to get some breakfast and maybe visit Soubi for a bit before he had to be there. When he passed the mysterious door, he couldn't help but try the knob. It moved a bit but not enough to open the door, and made a sound as if it were locked into place. Ritsuka laughed, running a hand through his hair. Of course it was just a dream. There was no such thing as a talking doll, and Soubi had said that the door led to nowhere. That confirmed that a, Soubi didn't and probably wouldn't lie to him, and b, that he had just let the words of the townspeople about the curse get to him. This was crazy.

"Maybe I'm the one who's lost his mind, instead of mother." Ritsuka laughed. "Yeah, sure, she wasn't crazy, and I'm the Queen of England."

He grabbed a piece of bread from the counter and made toast out of it with the toaster before leaving the house. As he locked the door behind him and started down the hill, the mysterious door clicked and opened. A little plum eye and half of a grin peered through the crack before the door shut once again.

000

Soubi hadn't been at the office yet and was probably still asleep when Ritsuka had gone to see him, so the ravenette settled for browsing the town. He hadn't had a chance to see much of it beyond the few places he'd already been to; the hotel, his new home, Soubi's office, the café, the newspaper building. A simple looking building on the street corner caught his eye. No one seemed to pay it any attention and it seemed rather looked over, so he felt some kind of need to go check it out. the bell on top of the door dinged as he entered.

"Hello, hello, welcome!" A voice he recognized greeted him.

He spotted a crop of pink hair moving on the other side of a couple bookshelves. When the shopkeeper came into view, she frowned.

"Oh, Ritsuka-kun." She greeted him, holding her hands behind her back. "I didn't expect you to come here…"

"Why not?"

"No one ever comes here. No one cares about antiques. Didn't know you liked that…?"

"Actually, it seemed like everyone was just passing by this place." Ritsuka explained. "I thought I'd come check it out since no one else seemed to."

She smiled gently. "I get a few customers here and there, mostly old married couples looking for anniversary gifts for each other, or husbands who just broke family heirlooms and wanted to find a replacement. You know, all those fun little things that happen. Have a look around, make yourself at home. I'll be in the back doing inventory ith Yayoi." She bowed and scrambled off towards the back.

Ritsuka scratched at the back of his neck. Truth be told, antiques weren't something he was interested in, but he'd give Yuiko a hint of business and look around at least. He didn't want her to think that there were any hard feelings about the other day when she and Yayoi had tried to warn him away. He passed over a case of crystal knickknacks and focused his gaze on a nice set of china sitting inside a glass case on the other side. He barely registered the door opening and the bell chiming.

"Ah, Ritsuka!" Nisei's voice greeted. "Long time no see! I hope you're enjoying the new place?"

"Oh, hey, Nisei." Ritsuka replied. "Yeah, it's a nice place."

"Good. Glad to hear the stories haven't scared you away."

"What stories?"

"Oh, you know, the tale of the mysterious stranger and the hanging boy?"

"Huh?"

"No one's told you yet, hm? Well, you'll find out tonight. Kio-san always tells the story from the last float in the parade. You're in for a treat. It's a real spine tingle." He chuckled.

"Nisei?" Yuiko greeted. "What are you doing here? Looking for another gift to charm your ex back into your life?"

Nisei rolled his eyes. "He's not my ex, he's my friend, and yes I am looking. His birthday is next week."

"Like always, give me a holler if you find anything. You too, Ritsuka-kun." She bowed and rushed back to help Yayoi again.

"Dumb girl. Everyone knows his birthday is three days after mine in May…" Nisei muttered.

"So if you're not here for…er…that…what are you here for?"

"I wanted to see you, actually."

"Me?"

Ritsuka was surprised. Why did Nisei want to see him?

"Yes you. Rumor has it you and Agatsuma are a thing now?" He looked up. "Your ears are missing…"

"Why does…why does it matter to you if we are?"

"He may not act like it sometimes, but Agatsuma is my friend."

"Yet you call him by his last name?"

Nisei shrugged. "It's a love-hate relationship." He stated. "He's had a few bad relationships in the past and I'd like it if he wasn't hurt again. Got me?"

"I wouldn't. I really like him, you know…" Ritsuka straightened his back. "And he likes me too, at least I'm hoping he does."

"He does. That's why I'm making sure you feel the same." Nisei smiled. "Now here, it's dangerous to go alone. Take this." He pulled a box out from behind his back and handed it to Ritsuka.

"Dangerous to go where?"

"I just always wanted to say that." Nisei shrugged. "I used to be a big gamer before I moved here. no one here knows what the hell a television is, let alone a PS5 and wifi." He muttered.

Ritsuka took the box. "Um…thanks…? But why?"

"A welcome to town present." Nisei grinned. "On behalf of myself and the inn." He bowed, careful not to knock over some old porcelain dolls on a shelf near him.

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

Nisei grinned. "Well, I best be going." He stated. "I'll see you at the parade tonight, Mr. Photographer." He winked before exiting the shop, the bell dinging.

Yuiko didn't come out from the back as Nisei left. Ritsuka opened the rather ornate box. Inside was a rather worn out silver key. He took it out and turned it over in his fingers. It must have been to lock the box up with, and Nisei had just put it inside so he wouldn't lose it on the way over. But how had he known Ritsuka would be there? He was probably out looking for him and happened to spot him in a mostly vacant spot of the town. Ritsuka turned the key over and noticed something carved into it, and painted over with rusting silver paint. He spotted 'Ritsuka' carved into the key.

"Hey, Ritsuka-kun. What do you have there?" Yuiko wondered, coming out from the back.

"It's something Nisei gave me to welcome me to town." He answered.

"Aw, how uncharacteristically sweet of him; that big old softie. Let me see it."

Ritsuka handed her the box.

"This has to be as old as the town itself!" She exclaimed. "An artifact, maybe? Nisei must have had it for a long time." She gasped. "A family heirloom? But why would he just give it away like that? Oh well, it's gorgeous. Normally I'd offer you money for this on the spot, but with Nisei doing something nice for someone, a complete stranger no less, I couldn't possibly ask you to give it up for anything."

"It comes with a key, too." Ritsuka added, showing her the key.

"Well…this is odd…"

"What is it?"

"It looks like this key is the same age as the box, but your name is carved in it."

"So? Nisei probably did it himself."

"I don't think so, Ritsuka." She paled. "Yayoi! Come out here!"

Her bespectacled boyfriend, or whatever he was, came out of the back room; cleaning his glasses on his shirt.

"What is it?" He wondered. "Oh…Ritsuka."

"Hi." Ritsuka greeted.

"What's going on, Yuiko? You called me out here just to see him? I knew he was here."

"No!" She laughed. "Here, check out what Akame gave Ritsuka-kun." She handed him the box, but not the key.

"Oh, nice. Very sixteenth century." He nodded, adjusting his glasses. "It looks like it was made around the same time this town was built. Probably one of the first things ever made here."

"Yeah, it's wonderful, isn't it?"

"Why did he give you this?" Yayoi asked. "He isn't the gift-giving kind to anyone but his ex."

"He insists they're just friends." Yuiko stated.

"Yeah, Akame's ears just fell off on their own while he was sleeping. Such a tragic story." Yayoi rolled his eyes.

Both of them laughed, and even Ritsuka smiled. There was a bit of a twinkle in Nisei's eye when Yuiko mentioned his alleged ex that gave away a hint at his true feelings for him. Mimuro was the name he had muttered, right?

"He heard about Soubi and I and wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt him. They're…sort of friends, I guess…?"

"That's what Akame says, but rumor has it that they used to be together before they each moved here. Soubi came here second, I think. Joke was that he had followed Nisei in hopes of continuing their relationship, but Akame was with Mimuro-san and that idea flew out the window." Yayoi went on. "In all honesty, Soubi was a bit out of it and pretty mopey until you came around. He's not normally so open and friendly. Sure, he's not a cold hearted puppy kicker or anything like that, but he's not a socialite either. He hardly ever comes out to the parade, even though Kio's always the storyteller every year."

"Maybe he's just sick of hearing the story…?"

"No one's sick of that." Yuiko shook her head. "It still scares me like it did when I was little, but I've got Yayoi to protect me now!"

The flush on his face made Ritsuka think that maybe he'd been around to protect her before and she had only just recently noticed him.

"Yes, well…" He handed the box back to Ritsuka. "It's really rather lovely. I'd make you an offer, but a gift from Akame is rare, so I won't bother you with it."

"That's what I said. " Yuiko agreed. "Here, this is what I really wanted you to see." She handed him the key.

"The box key? What's so fascinating about that?"

"Turn if over and look at the shaft."

Yayoi did and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What is it?" Ritsuka asked.

"Hold on." Yayoi ran off and came back with some magnifying device attached to his glasses. "Impossible!"

"What is it?" Ritsuka wondered, leaning closer to get a better look.

"The carving in this key isn't recent." Yayoi shook his head. "Judging from the tool marks around it, it was made using an old welding device from the mid 1800's."

"So?" Ritsuka wondered. "Maybe Akame had access to one and carved it."

"No, the carving is set in too deep. There's centuries of wear and tear on this key, including this spot. If it was more recent, it would have had to been smoothed over first, and it hasn't been."

"So you're saying that Akame gave me a box from the sixteenth century that contained a key that had my name carved into it during the 1880's…? Is that what you're telling me? Come on, you guys are pulling my leg. This is another one of those town legend kind of things isn't it?" Ritsuka wondered.

"I wish I was kidding, Ritsuka." Yayoi shook his head, smiling gently as he removed the magnifying device. "It probably one belonged to someone named Ritsuka and he saw it and thought it was fitting that you have it. That's really all."

"That sounds more logical." Ritsuka nodded. "Thanks." He took the key back. "I better go see if Soubi's at work yet. I was hoping to spend some of the day together."

"Sounds like a plan. We have a lot of work to do." Yayoi stated. "Changing the displays in the window, inventory, cleaning. Gonna be an all day project."

"Just don't miss the parade."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Yuiko giggled.

Ritsuka thanked the young couple and left. Once he was gone, they shared a worried look.

"Yayoi…you don't think that Akame just happened to have a box with a key that has Ritsuka's name on it…do you…?" She asked.

"I really wish that was what I thought." Yayoi said. "I really wish it was."