A/n: Prompt given by Konig der Something-or-other (stop changing your name~). Thank you:) I appreciate reviews~ Enjoy mah drabble.

4

Laughter

He's already awkwardly shaken hands with The Barian Lord Nasch - wait, he's Ryouga again...right? - and spoken a few words with him. His old friend tries to express his regret but he's immediately cut off by the Arclight boy's raised hand. IV holds no grudge against this alien human who had obviously suffered so much.

It's when he is with Ryouga's sister that things get somewhat more complicated.

All IV can think about when they're cut off from everyone else and away from the crowd is how refreshing it is to see her old face. She isn't masked by her otherworldly body anymore - there's her mouth, her cute nose, and the humane glow to her eyes.

They're sitting on a wooden bench together in the park, just the two of them, while pedestrians enjoy the beautiful weather around them - and to think this is the aftermath of a chaotic war. IV leans back into the support, sighing heavily and allowing his lids to fall closed a moment.

"I-"

"-Don't wanna hear it," he yawns rather loudly. Shifting his weight to get a little more comfortable, IV peers over at her lazily. He's still a bit sore, muscles stiff and aching, and the back of his neck is killing him. After all, he had awaken to find himself sprawled on the tar road, battered, beaten, exhausted. His brothers had had to find him and practically carry him back to their home.

Rio stammers at him, clenching her hands in her lap. "I just..."

"I already told you," IV reiterates, sitting up straight once more, smirking over at her. "We're all okay, so don't be sorry and don't feel guilty."

She knits her eyebrows uneasily, fingers quivering as she tries to control them. IV frowns, mentally slapping himself for handling the situation like this. In all honestly, he doesn't want this whole ordeal to be a big thing. He wants all of them to forget about it, pretend like nothing ever happened, pretend like their bonds were never severed. Terrible fanservice, he thinks coldly, pinching his thigh through his pants.

Hesitantly, the young man lifts his arm and grasps Rio's shoulder gently, and she turns to stare at him with a wide gaze brimming with questioning. IV brushes her bangs away softly, moving toward her. She gasps silently as he presses his lips against her forehead, as if kissing a bruise better. When he pulls away, he grins sheepishly, and she can't suppress the snicker. Even after her palm smothers her face, clearly embarrassed, Rio simply cannot stop laughing.

Soon enough, IV finds himself joining in, lungs hurting from the sobs of amusement. He even hits his knee, attempting to calm down. Rio rests her head in the crook of his neck, curling up to ease the pains in her abdomen. She doesn't cease her laughter, though.

Because really, what else are they going to do?

~Finish~