Friends With Benefits

by Gwynhafra86

For years, L-Elf had a plan to liberate Dorssia and rescue his beloved princess. Anyone or anything which got in the way of his plan was swiftly disposed of, and allies were pawns until their usefulness ended. Having a physical relationship with Tokishima Haruto was not part of his calculated schemes, nor was the birth of a silver-haired, blue-eyed child. HaruEru. MPREG

7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Valvrave the Liberator or any of its characters. I just own my feels after watching the last episode.

Warning: Yaoi fic. MPREG. Slightly AU from canon. Heavily implied smut scenes.

Rating: T for this chapter

Pairing: Tokishima Haruto X L-Elf (Mikhail), L-Elf X Lieselotte. A-Drei X Saki. One-sided Haruto X Saki. One-sided Tokishima Haruto X Shoko.

A/N: This is a fic born out of frustration from the last episode having tons of questions unanswered. I'll try to keep to canon as much as I can, but at some point the plot is going to deviate. Also, do take note that some chars who are supposed to die may not be dead.

Oh my…an update~

Changing genre from angst/friendship to angst/family. The Coffeeship pretty much went from merely smex buddies to a family anyway.

Some quick review replies…

nekomimi, thanks for the review~ There will be an intimate scene between them. It was supposed to be in this chapter, but I'm postponing it to the next…or maybe the one after that… or maybe never. :p. Meh, I'll include smut scenes only if there is a purpose for it. It's not my writing style to put in senseless smut to distract readers. I do have some pride in my plot. Abortion huh…I've only ever written one fic with hints on it. I wonder about this chapter. *evil laughter*. I like your idea on L-Elf being the one doing the chasing though. So it's switched over to seme L-Elf? XD. (About the chapter extra… ahem… uh… well…)

Guest, ehehe. Well, there will be a baby hinted somewhere in this chapter…but… well… not saying too much about it. Here's the next chapter~

Maria, thanks so much for your review~ I was worried about the characterization of the main cast in this fic, and your review was a great reassurance. I miss the short chapters, to be honest. The current chapters require a lot of focus (which is something I'm not good at while dealing with assignments) and time. Glad you like the long chappies. The next few chappies will most likely be around this length too. (Go away, plot bunny! Shoo! Shoo!). Putting yours as a vote for a "girl" then.

Anonymous Anon, to be honest, when I put it up for a vote, I was wondering how to make changes to the fic without running too far from my original plot. In the original one, L-Elf was supposed to reject every single proposal Haruto did (because I am such a sadist when it comes to bullying Haruto). To be honest, Saki didn't let Haruto go. She doesn't seem to be the type to "forget" one love (but she does take a step back, even in the anime). A-Drei, for his part, doesn't pressure her to love only him. (I mean, I think he's secretly in love with L-Elf in the anime too. XDXD). They're both the give and take types in the relationship, which is why their relationship works. There will be more Shoko in this chapter~ You really didn't have to apologise for the review. Be it long or short, reviews are like candies to writers. It's the silence that's scary (and disappointing, especially after all the effort put in.). Thanks for your review~ I'll put yours as a vote for a "girl" then. To be honest, I am extremely afraid that I may lose my muse once I've submitted my assignment. I'd normally be so brain drained I'd just want to sleep after that, not type. I have no intention of dropping this fic (hopefully). Wish me luck~

XXX

About the votes for "baby girl" or "baby boy" in the previous chapter, here are the results (though I think most of you didn't notice that there was a request for votes. XD)

Baby girl – 4

Baby boy – 0 (lol! None of you can picture Mikhail running around with a little boy trailing behind him?)

Either/both (twins) - 2

With that, there will be a baby girl mentioned somewhere in this chapter. I will not be giving any more hints than that. Do read on the chapter to find her.

I'm terribly sorry for the delayed update this round, and I have an announcement to make. This fic will be put on temporary hiatus, as I will be putting a strict ban on myself from any fics until I've completed my assignment. The deadline for it is the end of June. I will resume typing after that. I apologise if I sound mean in this author's note, but this is the second last module I have before my dissertation, and I would like to put full focus in it.

I'll still be replying to reviews though. It's one of my pleasures to read them after all. Good change of scene after all the mind breaking journals I have to pour through.

To the story then…

Friends With Benefits

By: Gwynhafra86

Chapter 7

"A baby? Otou-san, does that mean I'm going to be an older brother?"

Haruto laughed at the look of excitement on Mikhail's face. He stroked his son's hair, fingers running through soft, silver locks inherited from his most beloved person. "No, Mikhail. Not exactly."

Mikhail's face fell. "Eeeh…but the teacher told me that if a mommy and daddy have a baby, then I'll be an older brother."

Takahi, whose garden they were currently sitting in, gave a giggle. "That's only if it's your mommy and daddy. I'm your godmother. Still, you're going to be an older godbrother to your soon-to-be-born little godbrother or godsister, ouji-sama."

"But…I don't have a mommy and daddy." Mikhail whined.

The adults exchanged uncomfortable stares before turning back to the child. "Well…you will find out about your mommy and daddy when you get older. In the meantime, you have your otou-san and your vater, don't you?" Takahi coaxed.

That seemed to pacify the child, who stared at Takahi, not quite sure where she was going to pull his 'little godbrother or godsister' out from. Haruto continued petting his son's head before turning to Takahi. "I think it's still too soon to tell the baby's gender huh."

Takahi nodded. "Yes. I've yet to reach the stable period of my pregnancy too. Satomi said he doesn't mind a son or a daughter, but he does seem to be hinting that he wants twins. Seriously, that guy is making unreasonable demands from this beautiful body of mine." She looked down at her stomach, which was still completely flat. "How does His Highness have such an easy pregnancy? It feels almost like my stomach disagrees with everything I eat these days."

Mikhail, not quite understanding what the grown-ups were talking about, lost interest in the conversation and ran off to have a game of tag with some of Renboukouji's housekeepers. His father threw a fond glance his direction before turning his attention back to Takahi. "He didn't. L-Elf was really, really sick during the time he carried Mikhail, especially during the earlier trimesters. He may have been able to carry our son, but his body is still male, and ill equipped for the task. There were days when he couldn't eat solids, or he had to lie down because his head was spinning badly. Of course, being the stubborn guy he is, he didn't make it easy for anyone to find out. He was trying so hard to be strong. Really, that guy…" Haruto was so lost in his own world the minute he had the chance to talk about his spouse that he didn't notice Takahi getting paler.

Looking up, he finally saw her face and panicked. Holding up his hands in a pacifying manner, he gave hurried apologies. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't bring up something like that at a time like this for you. Like I said, L-Elf's a man, so his body isn't made for pregnancy, but yours is. Your pregnancy should be a lot easier. I mean, I'm not a doctor or anything, but I do think so. I mean…"

"Just stop, Tokishima-kun. You're not very good at comforting people." Takahi huffed. She placed a hand on her stomach. "Ah…I want ice cream. Where is Satomi? He should be back from work by now. I should get him to…oh! There he is. Satomi~!" Takahi called out and waved to her husband.

The blonde waved back, face lit up with happiness at the sight of his beautiful wife. The dorky expression slid off his face, however, when he saw Tokishima Haruto next to her. "Tokishima-kun…! I mean, Your Highness."

"It's been a year and you're still calling me that? I don't like being called that…the title's too stiff. Just Tokishima or Haruto will do." He straightened up. "Well, I guess if you're home, L-Elf should be done with work by now too. I should head home."

"Wait, no!" Satomi reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, stopping him in his tracks. Haruto blinked at the taller man, surprised by his outburst. Satomi had an almost panicky expression on his face, though he averted his gaze the minute their eyes met. "His Highness is…busy right now. He wishes not to be disturbed."

Haruto sighed. "He's working himself to death at this rate. I hope he's not skipping his meals again. I won't disturb his work. I'll just leave dinner in his office, then tuck Mikhail in." He tried pulling his hand out of Satomi's hold, but the blonde ended up trying to keep him there even more stubbornly.

"No! He really, really needs to focus on the current project! Just…just don't break his concentration. Don't go to him at all." The more Satomi told him not to, the more Haruto looked like he wanted to go to L-Elf's side.

Takahi studied her husband, frowned, then put a hand on her still slender hip. "Satomi, you're hiding something."

"I…I'm not hiding anything." He gave a yelp and flinched away when his wife smacked him on the arm.

"You're avoiding Tokishima-kun's eyes. Why do you even think you can lie to me, Satomi? That's not happening in another hundred years." She declared with a confident smirk on her face.

Satomi shook his head, looking frightened. "No…there's nothing." It was obvious he was pressured into keeping his mouth shut. Well, it wasn't impossible for someone else to counter that pressure.

"Satomi." Takahi's tone was a lot less playful now.

The blond man, obviously the type to be led by the nose by his wife (rather like Haruto was totally controlled by his too), gave a sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I'm going to get killed…" He turned to Haruto. "His Highness L-Elf…he uh…he's not well. He's been having a bit of nausea. The last thing I do know is that he went to see Kibukawa Takumi."

Haruto paled immediately. Ever since L-Elf ordered him to go for Magius training, he became a lot more attuned to his Kamitsuki side, but at the same time, he was also more aware of the differences between humans and Magius. Humans were so delicate. L-Elf too. Any mention of L-Elf being unwell was enough to make him worry.

Takahi crossed one arm under her ample bosoms, while she tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully with the other hand. "Wait…nausea…Satomi, you don't mean…"

"I'm not sure…but from his reaction…I think so…" Satomi whispered. Haruto finally caught on to what he was talking about, and his jaw dropped open in an expression of shock. "Tokishima-kun, you did not hear of this from me." Satomi insisted almost helplessly. There was no way he was going to avoid punishment for disobeying a direct order from his superior though.

Haruto nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be heading home for a bit. Could you watch over Mikhail for me?"

"Sure. I hope things go well for you too, Tokishima-kun." Takahi waved to Haruto, who excused himself quickly and dashed towards his car, speeding off moments later. Once Haruto was out of sight, the couple exchanged looks. "For him to not take the prince with him… I don't think the fight is going to be pretty." Takahi mused aloud.

Satomi gave a sigh and held on to his wife. "And once they're done fighting, L-Elf is going to have my head." His expression strongly hinted that he needed comforting. His pitiful expression had little effect on his wife though, who gave a huff. "Don't be ridiculous, Satomi. You convinced me to have a child, and you're going to take responsibility for it. Don't think you can worm out of this before it's even born."

The blond man gave a soft laugh, feeling loads better at being reminded of his impending fatherhood. He gave her a kiss. "Your wish is my command, my dear. Now then, let's see how we can keep the prince entertained for the next few hours." Taking her hand, he led her to Mikhail.

XXXXXX

"L-Elf!"

The silver-haired Regent, for a change, was in their bedroom way earlier than his usual practice. He didn't seem affected when the door burst open, or when Haruto stormed over to their bed. "As predicted." He spoke calmly, glancing at the clock. "The time is as calculated too."

Before Haruto could say anything, L-Elf spoke first, as he sat up straighter, setting the plans he had been working on onto his lap. He turned to his spouse. "Renboukouji Satomi would have told you everything he knows by now. That man really should not fall to enemy hands or he'd end up spilling national secrets. I'll cut to the point then. In regard to the matter on your mind right now, I am fine, and there is no baby."

Haruto blinked. "What?"

L-Elf exhaled slightly and turned away. "As usual, you are concerned over my current health. I assure you that everything is in order. My mental and physical capacities are as they should be. There are no anomalies. That's one less for you to worry about."

"And…the baby… what do you mean that there is no baby?" Haruto demanded.

L-Elf's purple gaze was calm. "It's as I said. I met Kibukawa Takumi earlier. There is no baby."

Haruto remained stunned for a while. The next moment, an angry expression took over his initially confused one. "L-Elf…how could you…! I should have a say in this too!"

L-Elf sighed. With minimal movement, he slipped out of bed, grabbed Haruto by the collar and threw him down onto their bed easily, pinning him there. With a firm hold around Haruto's neck, he kept calm, purple eyes on him. "You're annoying when you jump to conclusions, and I'm too tired right now to repeat myself. Listen carefully, and if you get it wrong again, I will snap your neck. Not enough to kill you, but enough to cause you pain."

XXX

Two hours earlier

L-Elf remained a picture of calmness even as Kibukawa returned with the results of his health report, a contradiction to the current state of his heart. His personal physician-cum-head researcher of the Silver Knights' programme exhaled as he sat next to the Regent.

"Now then, would you like the bad news or the bad news?" Kibukawa asked. There was just a hint of playfulness in his tone, but otherwise, he sounded serious. He set his report down. "Firstly, you are not pregnant." Apparently that was bad news to his personal physician…

L-Elf frowned at that. "My symptoms include nausea, occasional black spots before my vision, and slight blackouts. I had those same symptoms when I was carrying Mikhail…"

"Yes, well, those are also the symptoms for severe exhaustion." Kibukawa was never one to show fear to him, despite knowing the difference in skills and rank. Even with L-Elf being his Regent, that did not change as the older man stared the silver-haired man in the eyes. "You may be able to take down fleets of well-trained armies and form a country all on your own at your age, but you're still human. You've been overworking yourself, and your body is on the verge of collapsing. It's no wonder you haven't been able to keep any food down for days." He gave a sigh and wrote something in the Regent's health report before writing a short note on a separate piece of paper, passing it to the Regent once he was done. "As your personal physician, I recommend immediate bed rest. You can go back to work once you've had a decent recharge. If you continue working yourself to death like this, I will put in a word to the Prince Consort. He will only be more than willing to take care of you." He smirked when L-Elf's eyes narrowed. "The only way to stop me is to shoot me."

"You've become quite arrogant, Kibukawa Takumi." L-Elf spoke darkly. Both of them knew that L-Elf wouldn't be able to kill him. The former JIOR-ian was the only one in the whole of Dorssia who had personally been in the old Valvrave programme, and who has the skills to modify and improve the machines. Kibukawa had apprentices, namely those from the Boys' Cultural Club, but they were way below his level of expertise. All in all, Kibukawa had too much value in his plans, and in that sense, had immunity against the silver-haired's wrath.

Kibukawa shrugged. "You are just that important to Neo-Dorssia, L-Elf Karlstein." There was an almost serious expression on his face, though it was wiped off by a smirk the next moment. "Also, please don't be too hasty in making a second child. Like I said, your body needs rest. Please do tell the Prince Consort to take it easy on you." A blade went flying his direction, cutting his cheek and narrowly missing his left eye. L-Elf did not say a word as he put on his shirt again before striding out of the room. Kibukawa gave a light chuckle, wiping the very faint line of blood which seeped out from the cut. "It must be good to be young." He sighed.

XXX

Back to Present Time

L-Elf loosened his grip around Haruto's neck before getting up and moving off his spouse. Haruto went into a coughing fit as air rushed back into his lungs. The Regent waited until the brunette composed himself, knowing that the guy still had something to say to him.

Haruto gave one last cough and cleared his throat. "So…" he tried again, for his voice still sounded hoarse. "You're not pregnant."

"No. I'm not carrying." L-Elf deadpanned. Good. Haruto finally got the message.

"Oh." Haruto seemed to calm down, though he kept his eyes trained on L-Elf. L-Elf frowned at the glint of disappointment in the brunette's blue eyes. While he could say both their parenting skills were decent when it came to raising Mikhail (with L-Elf's being grade A, and Haruto being grade B), he was not too keen on giving Mikhail siblings, and definitely not if he was to be the one carrying again. L-Elf watched as Haruto's expression changed from that of disappointment, to thoughtful, to concern. "Overworking… you've overdone it this time, L-Elf…" His voice did little to hide his own worries.

L-Elf gave a huff. "Spare me the lecture, Tokishima Haruto. Kibukawa Takumi has already given me clear instructions on my own personal healthcare. Nothing that I haven't already known."

Haruto smiled. "I'm your husband. It's my job to worry, especially if my dear Regent continues being so reckless."

No matter how many years they were already together, and probably will still be, L-Elf really did not like sweet words after all. While he did not feel like punching walls from them anymore (or better still, punching Haruto), the words still made him shudder. Having been with Haruto long enough allowed him to build some immunity though. He composed himself before speaking up again. "I am not weak, Tokishima Haruto."

Haruto gave a slight chuckle. "I didn't say you are. Skill-wise, you are stronger than anyone I know. Still…please take care. You are only human."

L-Elf bristled. The words sounded like an insult, but Tokishima Haruto usually had no such intentions. Perhaps, before they got together, when there was still friction between them, he might have taken a jab at L-Elf out of spite (or if he was feeling inferior). The more Haruto went for training with Kirko and his kind, the more Haruto sounded like one of them. It made L-Elf wonder just how much humanity was left in his spouse sometimes.

Haruto leaned over and gave L-Elf's hand a light pat, an affectionate gesture he picked up a year after they got married, and after L-Elf was desensitized enough to put up with all the brunette's touchy-feely acts without shooting him. "Just rest for now. I'll look after Mikhail tonight. Knowing you, you've probably left instructions for my schedule tomorrow on your desk. Just leave everything to me."

"Second drawer on the left. Have plan G-13 memorised. Also, both of you are still reporting your day's progress to me tonight." L-Elf said sternly.

From the look on Haruto's face, he was certainly hoping that he could have wormed his way out of it. He gave a sigh. "All right." With that, the brunette left the room, closing the door behind him. L-Elf listened as his footsteps faded, then closed his eyes again. According to his predictions, he had an hour before his spouse returned. Once his son was back, he did not doubt that the house was going to get a lot livelier. He would need to get as much rest as he could before that.

XXXXXXXXX

L-Elf may be Regent, but he wasn't about to let himself be spoilt by all the luxuries of palace life. Even after he was surrounded by riches, and could live life easy the same way A-Drei did, he still kept to a routine similar to that of his days in the military. By the first light of dawn, he would wake, eyes adjusting quickly to the morning sunlight. He would dress and check the day's schedule before performing his royal duties. After getting married to Haruto, the only difference was that he would wake, open his eyes to see that brunette husband of his (now a permanent resident beneath his sheets), then kick the latter out of bed and order him to go for his trainings.

People still thought that they were a bad match, though no one was being direct about it anymore for fear of offending the Regent. L-Elf did not disagree with them. The circumstances of the overly bitter one and the stupidly sweet one getting together were extraordinary. Otherwise, L-Elf was pretty sure that he probably would have never considered Haruto a potential romantic (life?) partner under usual circumstances. He did not complain about the current arrangement though. Haruto was not unbearable, and did not bring inconvenience to L-Elf's work or life. Mikhail was a wonderful child, but then again, L-Elf raised him. Hence, there could be no miscalculations there. He got used to their life together, so overall, they may be a poor match, but their current relationship still worked.

XXX

L-Elf looked up from his plans when his young son barged into his office (again), came to him and tried to climb onto his lap. He frowned, and the child stopped, though he continued to look up at him expectantly. He stared back, studying his son. Mikhail, as most Neo-Dorssians observed aloud, bore an uncanny resemblance to him. Probably as a joke, the child's godmothers took him for a haircut, and the boy was returned to him sporting his hairstyle. Haruto wouldn't stop gushing over that, as did A-Drei and Rukino Saki. They insisted that Mikhail was to have that same haircut from that point onwards. L-Elf thought that everybody must have been blind. The child was, in terms of looks and temperament, a mini Haruto through and through. He was pretty much Haruto with a silver wig. He had absolutely no sense of danger, and just like Haruto, he had trouble reading the mood. This wasn't the first time the child interrupted his work, seemingly wanting his attention. Unlike Haruto, he believed that a strict form of parenting would go a long way to ensure the child's survival.

"I am busy, Mikhail. Seek your godmother Rukino Saki instead."

The child's face fell. He should have been used to this by now, considering how often L-Elf chided him. "All right." Unhappiness was written all over his young face.

L-Elf felt a twinge in his chest. Sighing, and mentally berating himself for being soft, he raised a hand and gestured lightly, requesting for his son to approach him. Mikhail's face brightened, even as he hastily ran up to him. L-Elf lifted him easily onto his lap and patted his hair, straightening the child's silver locks. "As a prince, you have to be presentable at all times, Mikhail." He spoke calmly. There was another difference between the child and himself. L-Elf's hair was impeccable, just like his plans, without a single strand out of place. Mikhail had some strands on the top of his head which refused to be tamed no matter how L-Elf tried to pat them down. They remained sticking up stubbornly, messy just like his sire's.

He gave up his attempt after a while and studied his son's outfit, making sure that it was neat. Deciding that his son was fine, he let the child go. Mikhail took his hand. "Vater, otou-san said that you shouldn't skip meals. You'll collapse at this rate."

"I'm not that weak, Mikhail. Go tell Tokishima Haruto that." As usual, Haruto was using the child to be his spokesperson. Mikhail beamed at him, bounced onto his lap again before he could stop him and kissed him on the cheek before hopping off, running out of the door. L-Elf made a mental note to give a stern lecture to Haruto for teaching the child such a pointless action. He watched his son until he could no longer hear his footsteps, then went back to work.

XXX

With him, Mikhail acted like the perfect little angel, but once he was outside with his godparents, he could be a bit of a brat. L-Elf blamed Haruto for that, for spoiling their son and coddling him ceaselessly. Mikhail's godparents were not helping one bit, with the idiot royal couple Rukino Saki and A-Drei having their own personal competition to see who could shower him with more gifts.

Mikhail called his godmothers "kyobo-sama" and his godfathers "kyofu-sama", the terms coming naturally to him mainly because he was constantly surrounded by former JIOR-ians, and consequently picking up their language too. The only exceptions being A-Drei, whom he called "Pate", and Renboukouji Satomi, who was "Renbou" to the young prince, much to the guy's displeasure.

In turn, his godparents affectionately called him "Ouji" or "Ouji-sama", while A-Drei called him the little prinz. Even the staff and housekeepers called him by his JIOR-ian title, seemingly picking it up as his nickname. Only L-Elf and Haruto called the child by his given name. Give or take a few years, people might even think that "Ouji-sama" was the child's name instead.

There was still no change to Mikhail's physical condition. The child was a bundle of innocence, being the perfect target for L-Elf's enemies. For a five year old, he was always filled with excess energy, running all over the royal residence and its grounds and tiring his godparents and the housekeepers who were trying to catch up with him. When he fell, he'd scrape his knees and bleed, then go to his otou-san, who would be more than willing to kiss the pain away. L-Elf thought it was ridiculous when Haruto tried to cheer Mikhail up by teaching the child some kind of "Pain, pain, fly away" phrase, treating it like a type of magic trick which could help the child heal faster. L-Elf would usually take Mikhail indoors after that and give him proper medical treatment, taking the chance to teach him too so that Mikhail could do first aid on his own in the future.

All in all, for all L-Elf's talk about wanting to make sure his son was raised to become a realistic person, he was subconsciously sheltering the child. Representatives from Karlstein Academy came to the royal residence with an invitation for the child to join their ranks, since the child's parent was a former graduate from the school, but L-Elf sent them on their way and forbade them to go anywhere near Mikhail.

As a level-headed soldier, he wanted Mikhail trained, especially if the boy was going to succeed him as next Regent of Neo-Dorssia. As a parent, however, he wanted to keep Mikhail away from harm, and let him live his childhood as happily as possible. Mikhail was under the impression his parents were on good terms. Even without saying anything to each other, there was an unspoken rule between the royal couple to never fight or argue with each other in Mikhail's presence. L-Elf especially refrained from punching, kicking or shooting Haruto, even if the latter sometimes drove him up the wall.

Both found time in their busy schedules to try to maintain as much contact hours with Mikhail as possible, one of which was during breakfast. L-Elf mused that to the housekeepers' eyes, they really did seem like a perfect family, with all three of them seated at the table and having breakfast together. When Mikhail was younger, L-Elf had the child seated next to him to make it more convenient for him to feed his son. After Mikhail learnt to eat on his own, L-Elf tried to teach Mikhail independence by refraining from spoon feeding him. Haruto continued on the practice though, much to L-Elf's displeasure, and after a lot of private arguments between the couple in their bedroom, Haruto eventually relented and made sure the child ate on his own, though there were times he'd still reach over and cut the food on Mikhail's plate into smaller bits.

Like L-Elf, Mikhail seemed to take to ham and eggs quickly even though he had had his share of much classier dishes. Haruto gave a chuckle when the silver haired boy speared through the egg on his plate, causing the yolk to spill. L-Elf frowned slightly. "You can't divide the egg in half, Mikhail." He lectured.

Haruto patted his son on the head. "It's fine if it's fully cooked, but you can't cut the yolk when it's half boiled. Here, have mine instead. I'll take yours." He swapped his plate with his son's, earning a disapproving look from L-Elf. Giving his spouse a fearless stare in return, he smiled. "Well, I do happen to like halves."

Having been with Haruto for so many years, L-Elf somehow gained a degree of tolerance towards his naïve talk. He exhaled and resumed eating. "If you're always seeking for half the benefit of something, you will be shortchanged one of these days, Tokishima Haruto." He warned.

Haruto smiled further. "I don't mind. I am happy with whatever I have." L-Elf noticed the look Haruto gave him, and immediately picked up his real meaning. The nerve of the guy, to be flirting with him like this. L-Elf averted his gaze and ignored him. So it was, yet another peaceful morning for the family.

As per usual, right after breakfast, both Haruto and Mikhail would go on for the next item in their daily schedule, leaving L-Elf alone in the royal residence.

Looking out the window of his office, he could see Mikhail squealing and laughing as he engaged in a game of tag with other children of nobility. He allowed for a faint smile to form at the scene before heading back to his table. For now, he would let Mikhail enjoy a bit longer. Training could come later.

XXXXXXXXX

L-Elf was still wary even as he tried to predict Cain's next move, but otherwise, Neo-Dorssia was going in the right direction. Magius and humans lived together under his watch, guarded fiercely by the Valvraves…or as they were called by the people, the Silver Knights. Their economy continued building, and overall, they remained in a favourable position in the alliance despite being such a small state. Diplomatic missions were carefully arranged too. For meetings with human leaders and those who had a fear of the Magius, he'd send Renboukouji Satomi, his main representative. If it were a mission which could put the life of his representative at stake, he'd send Tokishima Haruto. It sure was convenient having an immortal spouse.

Then came the day he had to make major changes in his plans.

Renboukouji Satomi, Secretary of State-cum-L-Elf's favourite stand-in, was a person of great talent, so much so that if he chose to, he could have easily found a job and settled down in ARUS, JIOR or anywhere else he wished to. He chose to remain in Neo-Dorssia for his younger sister's sake, since she could only remain free from any form of persecution in this country. A place where she belonged, as she put it. Their old home was out of the question. Akira might end up building a wall around herself again if she returned.

He respected L-Elf enough to work under him. L-Elf, in turn, reciprocated that respect and highly valued his ability, even if the silver-haired was a little bit of a slave-driver sometimes. He was comfortable with his position, and after he married Takahi, life couldn't have been more complete.

The permanent change in Satomi's life came before the Neo-Dorssian prince even celebrated his sixth birthday. Cain's forces kept them on their toes, attacking as and when he liked. He was not aggressively attacking, but every time he did attack for real, there would be heavy casualties among the alliance, and resources drained. Cain was literally throwing them a strong message that he could destroy them if he wanted to. He just chose not to for reasons only known to him (and probably L-Elf too). While L-Elf managed to thwart a lot of his plans by countering with his own, it did not change the fact that Cain was L-Elf's former mentor, and was still a level higher than the silver-haired in terms of strategizing, and way above Haruto's level as a Magius. As much of a genius as L-Elf was, Cain had centuries worth of battle experience. They were hanging on thanks to the Magius among their ranks, who had also lived long lives and seen much, especially Kirko, who had grown rather fond of L-Elf and was only more than willing to put in a word or two towards his thoughts about the battles. L-Elf was considered capable enough to be able to predict most of his moves, but he still had his limits, and a number of missions did not go as he calculated.

Akira was captured in one of such missions, as was Yamada. Apparently there was a slip-up when they were trying to infiltrate one of the enemy bases, and when they were discovered, Yamada knocked the lights out of enemies who were trying to approach Akira, whose fear of people kicked in and caused her to cower. He was mostly successful, initially. Unfortunately he was too loud with his battle cries, and got the attention of other enemy soldiers within the area, and was soon overpowered and subdued.

To rescue her, the Valvrave units headed out, but even they had their hands tied down, their gunfire repelled by the enemy mobile base's automated defense system, the same one Akira was supposed to disable had she infiltrated successfully.

It was then Satomi, who was supposed to remain at base to observe everything, snuck into his sister's Valvrave, which was still stranded at base without a pilot due to maintenance checks. Using the powers of Unit 06, they managed to hack into the enemy base and retrieve Akira, while L-Elf, who had put himself in the mission as well, blew the place up with charges he set up while the whole fiasco was going on. Satomi got his sister back mostly unharmed, though at the price of giving up his humanity. Haruto looked pained as Takahi, holding her young, newborn daughter in her arms, leaned against her husband and cried sorrowfully. He remembered the pain of having to make that choice. It would take a while, but he and the other pilots would help Satomi cope with his new life as an immortal, and to the rest of the world, a monster.

Satomi walked over to where the pilots stood, and for a moment, there was an awkward bout of silence between them. While he was on good terms with the Magius and artificial Magius, having had L-Elf's influence rub off on him, deep down somewhere, he was actually glad to not be one of them. He was comfortable taking on a bystander's attitude, supporting the Valvraves by carrying out whatever mission plan L-Elf gave him, but otherwise happy to not have to go on the front line or be ostracized and viewed as a monster by the less thinking community. When he entered Unit 06, his mind had been focused on the thoughts of saving his one and only little sister. With her safe and sound, and with the adrenaline rush dying down, however, reality seeped back into his mind, and the consequences became clear to him.

He didn't feel much different, and definitely didn't have the sudden urge to bite the person nearest to him. He could delude himself that he was still human, that by some miracle, nothing had changed. The sympathetic looks the pilots gave him were enough to confirm that his body was no longer that of a human's though. They have gone through the process themselves, and would know best after all. Satomi swallowed, trying to not let his nerves get the better of him as he spoke up. "I guess…I'm on your side now." The blonde tried to sound light hearted about it, but his voice choked. Some of the pilots averted their gazes, and that was enough to crumble whatever strong front he was trying to put up. He held his head in his hands. "Damn… I'm not human anymore… I didn't want to be a Kamitsuki… damn it… why did this have to happen…?"

Akira, guilt-ridden for being the cause for her brother having to climb into the machine, stepped forward awkwardly. She reached out, seemingly wanting to comfort him, but not quite knowing what to say. In the end, she gathered her courage and held him by his sleeve. "Onii-chan…thank you…for saving me." She tightened his grip. "I'll always…be with you…onii-chan."

Satomi looked at his sister, nodded at her, and eventually cracked a faint smile, one which she returned. Haruto stepped up to him and held out a hand. "As leader of the Silver Knights, I welcome you into our ranks, Renboukouji Satomi." He leaned a little closer and lowered his voice. "We'll be here for you too. You are not alone."

Satomi gave a weak nod. "Thank you, Tokishima-sama." He turned to L-Elf, who was the only one there who didn't throw him looks of pity. Giving a deep bow, he addressed the Regent. "I'm apologise deeply for showing such an embarrassing display of weakness. I will accept any punishment for this."

"There is no harm done. The mission was completed successfully because of your intervention. You have my gratitude." L-Elf told him. Satomi flushed at that. The blonde had a tendency to do that whenever L-Elf gave his rare compliments, seemingly quite easy to please. Even so, L-Elf could see that he still looked lost. Satomi was not going to be of much help in his plans with his current state of mind. L-Elf continued on, "take the day off tomorrow. Come back only after you've sorted things out with your family." The Regent's voice was emotionless, but to Satomi, L-Elf was showing him an uncommon bout of kindness. L-Elf turned and walked away, noticing from the corner of his eyes that somehow Haruto had flashed him a small, pride-filled smile. He could only guess what Haruto was happy about. L-Elf gave an inward sigh. He was getting weak.

XXXXXXXXX

Ever since the independence of Dorssia, and with the people divided between those who supported Cain, and those who supported their Fuhrer A-Drei, the leaders of Dorssia, ARUS and JIOR made it clear that the three countries were allies.

Each country had its own characteristic though. Dorssia was still known for their military prowess, even if the country was currently in a recession, and hence, could not mass produce war machines like they used to. ARUS upheld the beliefs of unity and cooperation among smaller nations, as well as being a free trade port. JIOR remained a symbol of neutrality and freedom.

Currently, Dorssia still had its military technology, but power balance tilted in ARUS' favour. With Cain being formerly Dorssian, investors shied away from Dorssia, and put their money in ARUS-based companies instead. Having dominated most of global market, both on earth and on Dyson Sphere, ARUS became the richest out of the countries.

However, it was also around this time when L-Elf declared Neo-Dorssia a country in its own right, and voiced his country's support for Dorssia. Neo-Dorssia was the current holder of the Silver Knights, formerly known as the Valvraves, and it was no secret that just those few machines could wipe large fleets. From that point onwards, the power balance became equal again, Dorssia and Neo-Dorssia against ARUS. JIOR still chose to take neither side.

Neo-Dorssia's economy stabilised, mainly because L-Elf had a rather manipulative Minister of Finance, who secretly invested in stocks all over the place under different names and increased their country's reserves, enough for Neo-Dorssia to gain independence and finance research for their Valvraves.

To maintain the alliance, leaders and representatives of the four countries held meetings, mainly as a sign of goodwill and also to exchange news on any sightings on Cain's forces and to share intel. All countries decided to standardise terms with each other. Words like "Modules" were scrapped, and instead "Grids" were used to replace the word for those living on Dyson Sphere, while "Zones" were for those on earth. There was a rule of understanding that in every meeting, they were not to bring their armies or armed forces, but only their bodyguards, and even then these people were to remain outside the meeting room. The meetings were always held on the Moon, a neutral zone, where they were allowed to voice any opinion they wanted to. Of course, there was a strict code of etiquette to be followed, such as refraining for the excessive use of profanities or to launch personal attacks, but otherwise, whatever was discussed by one country in the room could not be used against another.

In their third meeting, another representative joined them. Kitagawa Iori, newly voted leader of Neo-JIOR, which was an independent state formed with approval from President Sashinami. L-Elf had written a proposal to form a neutral Empire in JIOR back then as a symbol of unity, and also to recognise contributions from the former JIOR-ians and former students of Sakimori Academy in liberating citizens of Dorssia and JIOR from the war, but his proposal was shot down by the JIOR-ians. With everything stabilized, and there being peace among the countries, Kitagawa Iori could form her own independent state with little effort.

L-Elf knew that Iori created the state as a mockery to L-Elf's own country. Neo-JIOR would be the anti-thesis to Neo-Dorssia. He also knew the direction the state would take. It was in the law for Magius to be treated as equals in Neo-Dorssia. Considering how much Iori hated Magius, including artificially created ones, there was no doubt L-Elf would have to keep Neo-Dorssian Magius from ever entering the new state if he wanted to keep them alive.

L-Elf had no say against the forming of the state; he was an outsider. From the increasingly haunted look in Shoko's eyes, he figured that the brunette lady was most likely pressured into agreeing to Iori's proposal to form the state too. If he was allowed to form a country that harboured "monsters", by right there should also be a country which banned them. People could choose whichever place to live in based on their own ideologies, and if anyone was not happy with the policy, they were free to leave. For now, Neo-JIOR was not a country yet, but once the laws were finalised, there was going to be conflict between Neo-JIOR and Neo-Dorssia.

So it was, a meeting with leaders from four countries and one independent state. Four of them were of around the same age, all being in their early twenties. The President of ARUS was the only old timer there, standing out quite awkwardly among the rest of the group.

Shoko looked as if her term as President took a toll on her, as the bags around her eyes only got worse, and there was a minute slouch in her shoulders, a sign of the weight she was trying to bear, and her exhaustion from it. Her face, however, was every bit as L-Elf remembered, as if she hadn't aged at all. Iori was the complete opposite, sitting with her head held high, back straight, and shoulders held proudly. Her face, however, was twisted with malice at the sight of L-Elf, making her look a lot older than her actual age.

Unlike Shoko, who was always more diplomatic and usually tried to negotiate and compromise for a decision both parties could agree on, Iori was blunt and very direct in making demands. In the very first meeting she joined them, she loudly made a demand, throwing it across the table and causing every single other representative there to stare at her, blinking, before turning their heads to L-Elf, watching his reaction.

She had demanded for the Valvraves to be returned to JIOR.

"Those robots were originally property of JIOR! How dare you steal them from us and make them your own!" She snarled.

L-Elf remained calm. "Indeed, they were found in JIOR. However, they are not property of JIOR. If you recall, JIOR had a strictly neutral, no military stand. They were only able to maintain that neutrality if both ARUS and Dorssia could verify that there is indeed no research of weaponry. Do show me hard proof that the Valvraves are property of JIOR before you make that claim." L-Elf threw the challenge back calmly.

Iori's face looked blank for a moment, seemingly caught by surprise. The rest blinked, somewhat shocked at the guts L-Elf had at openly exploiting a loophole. There was no record of the Valvraves in JIOR. The research was done secretly during the pre-alliance years so as not to throw the country into war if the two bigger, stronger countries found out about them. When L-Elf infiltrated the research centre hidden under the school during his first mission in JIOR, he had looked through the system before, and noted how the researchers did not put the Valvraves under JIOR registration; probably trying to make sure JIOR could wash their hands off the whole programme should there be accusations. The silver-haired man was thankful for their efforts. Finders keepers.

Iori tried again. "They were found in JIOR…if you Dorssians did not attack…they wouldn't have left JIOR!"

L-Elf looked bored. "If, say, I hand over the Valvraves as a sign of goodwill, what will you do with them?"

Iori could barely hide the gleam of ambition in her eyes at the thought. "Well…use them against the threat of the Magius, of course."

Obviously. L-Elf doubted she'd give a different answer. He clasped his hands together and continued on. "And what about the pilots for the Valvraves?"

"We will immediately set about giving strict training for those who have potential to pilot them, and if they pass, they will each be assigned a unit…" Iori was cut off when L-Elf raised a hand.

"That is out of the question. Dorssia and Neo-Dorssia have already presented reports on the Valvrave pilots. Not everyone can enter the Valvraves, and anyone incompatible will suffer a painful death. ARUS can testify to this." He glanced briefly at the president of ARUS before turning back to Iori.

Iori seemed to consider the words. She finally looked up at him, her gaze steely. "Then…we'll keep trying until we find someone compatible…someone worthy enough to pilot the Valvraves. As for those who do not make it…their families will be well compensated for their honourable sacrifice…"

From the look on Shoko's face, L-Elf could tell that there was fallout between the two women. The silver-haired regent gave a laugh at that. "An honourable sacrifice…such beautiful words. You've always been vocal about the elimination of Magius and their kind, but you do not seem to value human lives either." Iori flushed at the accusation, but before she could say anything, L-Elf spoke again. "My point is that the only pilots the units recognise now are Tokishima Haruto, Yamada Raizou, Rukino Saki, Inuzuka Kyuuma and Renboukouji Akira. If you doubt my words, feel free to send your best pilots. I'm sure their…honourable sacrifice will not be in vain."

Iori looked torn between doubting him and believing him. L-Elf had conveniently left out the fact that all former students of Sakimori Academy could pilot the Valvraves, at the cost of their humanity. If the Valvraves did end up in Neo-JIOR, anyone who did get into a Valvrave would be contributing to the defense of the country, but would also be treated as second class after that.

Iori finally spoke up again. "Then…we will take the Valvraves…and its pilots to Neo-JIOR." Her face twisted again at the thought of monsters running around her sacred state. How on earth did she become a politician if she was being so open with her expressions…?

Shoko's face betrayed only the slightest bit of hopefulness at the mention of Haruto being in JIOR before her mask slid in place again. L-Elf remained expressionless. "And do mention how you will guarantee their human rights if they're in Neo-JIOR?" He asked, deliberately choosing words which would prod her nerve.

The bait worked, for Iori snarled. "Human rights?! They're not even human! You're being too complacent with these creatures! They should be locked up! Kept away from humans!"

"In other words…you want me to hand over the Valvraves and their pilots…for them work for a country not their own, yet be treated less than animals." He sat up straighter. "Do tell me a reason why I should let my own citizens be subject to this kind of treatment?"

Shoko, sensing that L-Elf's body language had changed to one of hostility, quickly intervened. "We will not be requesting for the Valvraves…"

"Don't be soft, President Sashinami! Those machines are ours, and those creatures are JIOR-ian! We have the right to demand for them! Don't give in just because it's L-Elf!" Iori cut in. The other representatives, sans A-Drei, quickly averted their gaze and took on a none-of-my-business stance. They at least remembered his nickname, and his actual abilities. L-Elf was being plenty diplomatic enough as it was, upholding the code of neutrality of the moon, or there would be one head unmoving on the table by now.

L-Elf sat up straighter, making the height difference between himself and Iori more prominent. "All the Valvrave pilots, and all the former JIOR-ians who have sought refuge in Neo-Dorssian are all legally Neo-Dorssian citizens. They went to Dorssia in the first place because JIOR rejected them. You, in particular rejected all of them, and not just the Artificial Magius. You have even rejected the ones who have volunteered to head to earth, as well as their families and friends." His gaze narrowed, making his eyes seem even colder. "Only in times of war will the citizens of a country be made slaves in another. For you to be openly demanding to enslave my people, is this a declaration of war from JIOR?"

"Enough!" Shoko finally found the courage to speak up. L-Elf wondered why she needed so much time to do so. She turned to Kitagawa Iori and gave a slight nod. "I appreciate your concern for JIOR, and I understand that you have the country's welfare in mind with your proposal, but it is as L-Elf said. We have done them wrong…and we have yet to even apologise to them." She next turned to L-Elf and gave a deep bow. "On behalf of JIOR, I wish to extend my deepest apologies to the pilots of the Valvraves and to my former JIOR-ians. I regret any insult which may have been directed at you and your people. Please do not hold them against us."

L-Elf went back to being expressionless, as he pictured Haruto's face if he saw his childhood friend bowing. To his understanding, for someone of her position to be bowing like this, it was a sign of humility and shame. The expression on Kitagawa Iori's face further confirmed it.

Shoko was in for a hard time though, especially in the future. L-Elf sighed, thinking that he should come up with an arrangement for JIOR before Haruto decided anything on his own should his predictions for JIOR really come to pass…which they would. "JIOR is an ally of Neo-Dorssia, and I recognise the fact that the pilots were formerly JIOR-ian. On my word as Regent, Neo-Dorssia will provide military aid to the neutral country – JIOR, should it fall under attack from enemy forces." L-Elf promised. Shoko gave him a small, grateful smile at that. "In the event of conflicting interests, however…" L-Elf threw a brief stare in Iori's direction. "…the Silver Knights will give priority to that of Neo-Dorssia."

Shoko nodded. "I understand. Thank you very much for your consideration." She bowed once again.

That topic for discussion closed, and the meeting, thankfully, proceeded a lot more smoothly once they moved to other items in the agenda. L-Elf could still feel the burning look of hatred Iori directed towards him throughout the meeting.

XXX

When it was finally over, all representatives filed out of the room and headed back to their respective transports. L-Elf proceeded smoothly to the departure gate, though on the way, he found his path blocked by Kitagawa Iori.

"Do you have business with me? Any issue you wish to bring up should be discussed during the meeting. Outside the room, the complete freedom of speech is null, and anything you say may be used against you." L-Elf spoke calmly.

Iori narrowed her eyes. "You still haven't changed in the slightest, L-Elf. Arrogant… spiteful… treating human lives as if they are nothing! You keep monsters, and you openly flaunt that fact! It would have been better if you… and if Tokishima Haruto were never born… otou-san wouldn't have to die!"

L-Elf looked bored as she continued to hurl insults at him. She repeated this so many times, it was really getting dry to L-Elf, whose mind was rapidly shutting down at trying to comprehend her sense of logic. "Kitagawa Iori… please keep your personal policies to yourself. Excuse me." He brushed past her, though she caught his arm, stopping him.

There was an almost manic gleam in her eyes. From the glint in her other hand, L-Elf could tell that she had drawn a hidden blade. "Enemy of the human race… if I stop you here, then I only have to worry about dealing with Tokishima Haruto, and that bastard son of yours…" Before she could finish her line, L-Elf grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. His expression was one of absolute calmness, but his gaze was cold. It was at this moment Iori finally remembered that indeed, taking lives was an easy task for the former member of Dorssian Special Forces.

"On account of you being a member of the alliance, I believe I have shown a fair bit of tolerance towards your spiteful nature. I am, however, not Tokishima Haruto. Do not expect me to be an easy target as he had been. In fact, in terms of planned assassination, yours is one of the worst I've seen. Proficiency level – F." He applied pressure, causing her to choke and gag. Her fingers loosened from shock, and the blade fell harmlessly to the ground. She clawed helplessly at his hand, which maintained its vice grip. "To approach a possible enemy alone without military training and absolutely no chance of winning…I cannot comprehend your sense of reasoning. I should remind you that I may have been the one to bear my son, but I am still a man, and physically, you are at a disadvantage in a contest of strength. Also, if you ever so much as approach within ten feet of Tokishima Haruto and my son…I assure you the Magius will be cute by comparison to what the consequences are…"

Just when her face was turning into a nasty shade of purple, L-Elf loosened his grip and dropped her to the floor. Without wasting another moment, he spun on his heels and continued walking. While he didn't like sweet things, and he himself was a person filled with bitterness, the encounter with that hateful woman left a bad taste in his mouth. The taste lessened the moment he reached the exit though, where his loyal spouse and bodyguard stood waiting for him.

Haruto gave him a warm smile at the very sight of him. "Thank you for your hard work, L-Elf." The brunette handed him his coat, which he put on. The Regent headed towards their ship, while Haruto fell in step with him. "How long before we depart?"

"The ship is currently being refueled. It should complete in about an hour." Haruto informed. "ARUS has already departed. A-Drei is currently socializing with the representatives of JIOR. Shall we join them?" Haruto asked.

L-Elf threw a glance at JIOR's representatives. Iori lingered around Shoko's side. She stared at L-Elf with the same look of hate, but this time there was fear in her eyes too. Shoko spoke politely to A-Drei, though L-Elf noticed her throwing glances in Haruto's direction. He made up his mind in an instant, walking in the opposite direction. His spouse threw him a confused look. "Since we're already here, we'll use the time to familiarise ourselves with this place. It will do us good when we have to come back here again." L-Elf stated.

Haruto nodded in agreement. They walked in silence for a while, though L-Elf threw a side-glance at his spouse and noticed him looking a little embarrassed. "What is it?" The silver-haired demanded.

Haruto glanced at L-Elf's hand, which was so close yet so far. "Er…well… this…kind of feels like a date… I mean…we're married, but we've never gone on one before."

"It's pointless to have one. This isn't a date. It's for the purpose of scouting the area." L-Elf said bluntly. Haruto's face fell at that, though he quickly masked his expression and remained smiling. L-Elf noticed that the brunette's pace slowed. Frowning, he turned to his spouse. "Don't fall behind. Keep up."

XXX

Haruto perked up. From the way L-Elf said it, it sounded like a "walk next to me" command. He brightened up and sped up his pace, falling into step once more. Again, L-Elf's hand was close to his, and if he reached out, he could probably take hold of it.

He resisted the idea, knowing how L-Elf would react to the action. Even with them both in public, and with some people still frowning at the idea of them married, L-Elf could easily have left him behind if he had used his usual walking pace. The silver-haired didn't. Haruto, for his part, had to hide a smile because of that.

L-Elf was still, in many ways, a bitter, realistic person. Strict in his plans, his manner of speech, and the way he kept his public and private lives separate. Haruto was fine the way his spouse was though. Ever since Haruto hooked up with the silver-haired Dorssian, he grew used to taking up challenges instead of avoiding them. He'd make L-Elf fall for him, one way or another, even if it'd take his whole life to do so.

They continued walking together in silence. L-Elf probably didn't think anything about the act, as his eyes darted around, memorizing places (probably even strategizing the best spots to plant bombs and traps on). Haruto enjoyed the company, and kept his eyes trained on his spouse, who didn't notice him staring since he was preoccupied with his own observation of his surroundings.

Slightly less than an hour later, L-Elf decided that he was done memorizing the place, and instructed to head back. Haruto noticed that his spouse had, for some reason, kept a fair distance from the JIOR-ian representatives. As much as he wanted to greet Shoko, he was not too sure if L-Elf would be too happy with that. Most probably not. Haruto thought it rude to not greet the JIOR-ian president in some way though. He gave Shoko a smile and a nod, then went back to walking by L-Elf's side.

When they reached their ship, Haruto reached out and patted L-Elf's sleeve, ridding it of a stray thread. He noted a well concealed tremor run through his spouse at the touch. The silver-haired Dorssian gave him a quiet word of thanks, but otherwise betrayed no other emotion. Haruto continued to push his luck, even as he offered to take L-Elf's coat, pass him a drink, and bring up small talk.

L-Elf did not do much talking, though at some point, his silver-haired spouse seemed to observe him quietly. Before Haruto could bring up the topic on how their allies seemed to be doing well (beginning with his comments on Shoko's current dressing), L-Elf held up a hand and stopped him. "I am tired, Tokishima Haruto." He said neutrally. That effectively brought all small talk to an end. Haruto was still wondering if they would sit together in complete silence throughout the whole journey back to their country when L-Elf spoke up again. "I will be resting. Wake me half an hour before we reach earth." He instructed. The Regent then proceeded to relax against his seat and close his eyes, showing Haruto a vulnerability which no one else would be able to ever see.

Haruto watched the light rise and fall of L-Elf's chest for a bit before he moved over. Very carefully, he sat next to his spouse and tilted his head over, so that the silver-haired could rest his head on his shoulder. L-Elf did not stir. Haruto knew that that was pretty much the strongest show of trust his spouse could give him.

Haruto got his trust. He could only hope the day he got his love wouldn't be too far off.

XXXXXXXXX

Being with Tokishima Haruto allowed L-Elf to experience a normal, domestic bliss he was deprived of during his childhood. As the years went by, L-Elf acknowledged that while being so carefree was impractical, especially during a time when they could get attacked any moment, he did enjoy it. He was also, however, determined to protect whatever life he had with his family and friends.

The meeting on the moon further reinforced that determination. Very soon, Cain may not be the only enemy. When Mikhail barged into his office again that day, L-Elf knew that he had to put the next part of his plans into motion.

"Vater?" The child asked innocently.

His son was weak…helpless. L-Elf could not always let him remain this way. He had given Mikhail enough time to have a normal, happy childhood, but the enemy would not be so kind to him. L-Elf knew that his son was of age now.

"Come with me, Mikhail." L-Elf held out a hand to his son. There was no hesitation in the child's steps as he walked over and quickly slipped his small hand into his parent's.

They set off at a comfortable pace. "Where are we going, vater?" Mikhail asked, eyes wide and curious. L-Elf hadn't told him their destination.

"Training." L-Elf turned to his son, his eyes serious. "I will be teaching you how to use a gun."

His son beamed, having had the impression of a gun being fun, what with all the water gun battles he and his friends had frequently. L-Elf doubted Haruto would be very happy to hear of this by the end of the day. He'd deal with his husband's wrath later. For now, his son had to move to the next phase of his life.

To be continued…

A/N:

(EDIT 2 June: I noticed some readers being a little confused over where the little baby girl is in this chapter, or if I might have missed her out and will be mentioning her in the next chapter. Just to clarify, the voting in the previous chapter was for the gender of Renboukouji Satomi and Takahi's baby, not Haruto and L-Elf's. I did hint that there will be a baby, but I didn't specifically say that L-Elf's pregnant. I just wished he were coz I would love to see a silver-haired little girl with his face. He's too pretty~)

Takahi strikes me as the one wearing the pants in the relationship. While there were some scenes of her acting a bit of an airhead in the anime initially, she left a pretty strong impression on me after she joined the team that went to earth. Satomi has really strong loyalty to L-Elf, but I do think he's still got a bit of a meek character in him. He's whipped by both his wife and his boss. Poor guy. XD.

L-Elf seemed a bit seme for a while there. Ehehehehe. I don't think he's the submissive uke type anyway, even though I do prefer him as the uke in the relationship. It's not exactly their relationship going bad or anything. It's just L-Elf's way of silencing Haruto or making sure Haruto paid attention to his words, I guess? Military-style.

I apologise if I got the German word for godfather wrong there. I noticed it being Pate, Patenonkel and Taufpate. I'm not too sure of the difference in their usage, or the context because I don't know the German language at all. For now, I'm sticking with Pate, but if I'm using it wrong, please do drop me a PM. I'd appreciate feedback if Mikhail, as a prince, is using the correct term to address a godfather who is a member of royalty as well. I apologise to any German readers if I really did screw up the terms… :p

Tying up the loose ends in the anime of Satomi being alive (and still looking young) 200 years later. Personally I would love to see how that had happened in canon, but oh well. This is going a bit AU though, in the sense that the anime Satomi looked exactly like his 18-year-old self (wait…did he marry Takahi at 18? O.o), while he only became a Kamitsuki in his early twenties in this fic. His face hasn't aged at all, I guess? *is totally pushing it* XD

Kitagawa Iori is portrayed as highly emotional and unreasonable in making demands in this chapter. If you feel that she is out of character, or if I'm just bashing her, I totally agree with you. After all, she is the calmest, most sensible character in the Valvrave series, speaking everything with deductions based on logic. Sashinami Shoko is President, so she will be the one to speak up and make wise decisions and Iori would never overstep her authority and speak up on behalf of Shoko? (Please re-watch episode 21).

But seriously, unless something happens and someone tells it to Iori's face early on, just like what happened in the anime, she'd continue on with her "ARUS killed my schoolmates and threatened us and totally blew their promise. We can trust them. They are here to save us. The Valvrave pilots are risking their lives protecting us. They are monsters. Tokishima Haruto killed my father because he was totally in the same room as us when the whole thing happened" logic.

In this story, this misunderstanding was not resolved, and over the years, her hatred and deluded mind will only grow from there. Hence my reasoning that she will be extremely emotional and she will also be aggressively against any mention of the Magius or their equal rights.

All right. Going to stop my monologue here. Do drop a review. I'll reply to signed reviews as usual, and unsigned reviews once the next chapter is up. Gawd…I want my assignment to end…

Please Read and Review. No Flames Please.

-Gwyn86