A/N: Prompt given by Yes. Thank you:) I appreciate reviews if you're kind enough~

Don't mind me, I'm just trying to bring back this ship. This is slightly AU at the beginning, I dunno, I pulled some strings and stretched the truth for the sake of fluff. It's a good cause. As for Miri, I hope to have a 'proposal' chapter soon! Please be patient;^; I want to make it as creative as possible and my imagination is failing me right now.

7

Promise

The day they first met, Rio was six and Thomas was nine years old.

He was an older boy, one who was taller and practically loomed over the Kamishiro daughter. With wide, pink eyes, she kept staring innocently over at him. Ryouga, on the other hand, was much braver. He was crossing his arms over his chest and marching bravely up beside the bigger kid. He continued to sneak suspicious glances over at this Arclight child, who just frowned back.

When the grown-ups were out of the room, leaving the younger people to 'get to know each other', Ryouga finally got up the courage to actually speak. "So who are you?"

The maroon-and-blonde-haired son of the stranger in their house shrugged. "My name's Thomas. What's yours?"

Rio's brother was obviously not impressed with this intruder to their home, but accepted the fact that he was staying for dinner. Eventually, he wandered off, leaving his twin to fend for herself while their mother called him to help out in the kitchen.

Thomas peered over at her while they sat on the couch and grinned wide. "So what's your name?"

She winced, caught by surprise at his addressing her, and fiddled with her dress fabric in her lap. "R-Rio. Rio."

"I heard ya the first time," he insisted, scooting closer to her. He seemed nice enough, a little crazy like all boys were, but Rio still wasn't sure about him. Yeah, she was more than happy to boss around her sibling or her friends at school, that wasn't an issue. But males who she didn't know and were older than her - that was a different story.

So when he came nearer, Rio moved away an equal distance.

Thomas pursed his lips, confused by her actions, but not pushing it. For a juvenile no more than forty-seven inches tall, he seemed to read others pretty well. Rio felt bad only seconds later for - had she offended him? She didn't know, but it didn't sit right in her tummy.

"You...you won't hurt me, right?"

Thomas' eyebrows raised real high, like he was uncertain of why she'd even ask that. After a moment, though, he smiled in that way he did, with all teeth showing. He held out his hand, balling all of his fingers into a fist except his pinky. Rio hesitated, then reached out and linked her own with his.

"Promise!"

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When the paramedics are whisking her away, shouting orders at each other and hurriedly fastening a gas mask over her lips, he gazes down blankly at his hand as his pinky lifts above his closing fingers and he whispers a soft apology for breaking his promise under his breath; he can feel the blood escaping the new wound on his face, staining the flesh with his sin.

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~Finish~