Confessional.

The heart monitor beeps, a steady mechanical drone. Familiar to me, and to my mom. Ibara lies in the bed, bandages around her forehead and arms, eyes closed. All I want to do is know one thing…

I grab her hand, warm and dainty, a vine snaking around my banded wrist, squeezing. I close my eyes, "Look, I know I'm not a praying man but please… whoever's listening up there, let her wake up." my voice raw, I'd cried enough. My hands squeeze her hand, so weak. So useless. She went berserk for me. For me. The villains were mine to handle and of course I couldn't handle them with any strength. I put all my friends in danger and now Ibara's…

Probably not going to wake up.

Tears well in my eyes at that, the fact that my best friend, hell, my only friend for the longest time is at the edge of eternal rest makes me want to shake her awake. I clasp her hand harder, I press my forehead to it. Almost willing her to wake up, to open her eyes, and just be with me again. She means so much to me, so much and it hurts just to see her passed out like this...

My hair heats up, eyes spewing tears, breath coming fast, "Please… please…" I hiss, "I… I can't…" I can't lose her. I won't. I won't let her give up. I kiss the back of her hand. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, the soft rise and fall of her chest and the way she lays there. She's like an angel. Her vines rustle and wrap even more around me, almost subconsciously comforting me. At that point I shut down. I want her back so badly. I… I always had her. Always. My whole journey here would mean nothing without her or my mom. All this work and all this time.

"Ibara… please… I'm here, I need you. I… I want you to come home, okay? I don't wanna…" I sniffle everything back down, "I don't wanna lose you."

"You mean a lot to me, and if you're gone I'm gonna find my way to heaven and drag you back, got it?" No, wrong line. That's not how I really wanna welcome her back. If she even does come back at all.

My hand traces her own, every line, every nail. I always wanted to hold it. I lean back and run my free hand through my hair, embers whispering out and dying immediately. Easy breaths. Come on, Renaru. Tell the truth. Tell her.

"Ibara, I love you." my voice hovers in the air, flames gently breezing out of my mouth, "There, I said it. I love you."

Right as it leaves my mouth, Ibara's eyes flutter open. Her eyes are deep, forest green. Not the bright, shining, pin pricked crimson eyes. She groans a little, her hand squeezing mine back. Her vines bind around her forehead gently. Her lips turn up in a smile.

"Renaru…? How long was I out?" her voice, soft and like the first fall of autumn, sings through my ears. My heart rises along with my heat. She's awake. She's awake!

"A week." I almost want to tackle her and cry even more, "It's Sunday. You missed service. I… I never left though, I…"

She grabs my hands and squeezes them, "I heard everything." her cheeks turn a bright shade of red and there's a moment where I could hear a pin drop. She heard me. She heard me crying and begging and talking for a solid week.

"Okay. So… uh…" my voice halts when her vines pull me close, arms locking around me in the tightest, most relieving hug in the world. I wrap my arms around her, squeezing back with all I got.

She doesn't let me go, I don't want her to. Her heart beats a little louder, her vines winding around me in an embrace only she could give me. There's a moment where we look at each other, her eyes sparkling with something I never thought I'd see for me. Then she asks me the question that changes everything between us, takes our friendship into the next level that I've literally been waiting for ever since the end of middle school.

"May I kiss you, Renaru?" and in moments it's like heaven. Soft, new. Something burning between us that I hope never, ever gets broken because I'd never forgive myself if it ever did.

Pulling myself away, I giggle, "Well, looks like I got the future Mrs. Kaenshita right here!"

Ibara almost pushes me away, "Not yet, Renaru, patience is a virtue."

I sit back up, "Awww, what?! I thought we were soulmates, Ibbbyyyy~!" I whine. She pulls me back to her chest, squeezing me as tight as she can, luckily my hair isn't hot at all, just warm and soft right now.

Happiness doesn't even describe it.

A.N: Hello! Long time no see, huh? Well, It's been a long while since I've been here in the MHA fanbase, and this is kind of a one-shot with my OC Renaru Kaenshita and Ibara Shiozaki! I know this is far from a longfic but this is more of a test to drum up some interest for one if there is any. Please feel free to let me know or kick me out with the biggest boot you got!

Sincerely,

XIII.