A/N: Welp, I'm that type of person who abandons a story for a long time and then comes back and obsessively writes. At least until my ideas start to run out haha. Please remember to review, even if it's something stupid so I at least know I should continue to write! As long as I have ideas I'll always write, but knowing that people care about the story will help motivate me to continue thinking up more ideas. Thanks again for those of you who are reading this! Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Katsu paced around the living room, ignoring the pain that pulsed through here left cheek. She was once again at the house she once shared with Hizumi and Yaiba. She just wished they could all be living there once again. Why must they have a horrible fate? Why must she be a Blade Child?

What hope was there for any of them, really?

What would happen to them if fate played out as everyone predicted it would?

Katsu still wouldn't let herself believe that fate was real. But why did Kiyotaka believe in it so faithfully that he didn't care what happened to Ayumu since he was so sure Ayumu couldn't die?

But, no matter how things were going to play out, Katsu knew she couldn't continue on with her plan. Not only did she have no motivation for it like before since she had failed twice, but Hizumi was starting to turn.

Just like Yaiba had.

Yaiba told Katsu everything, including how he used to be just like Hizumi. Yaiba told Katsu to try to stop it from happening to Hizumi as well. Katsu didn't realize what a sudden turn Hizumi could make. She thought it would have been more gradual, not just snap completely.

Katsu instantly realized that there was no way she could do anything to stop Hizumi from 'turning devil'. But from what she had seen, maybe there was still hope for Hizumi.

Maybe Ayumu could save him. It was him who made Hizumi snap back to his senses the first time, so maybe he could always do that. But maybe that was putting too much hope into it.

Part of Katsu wanted to believe that Kiyotaka was right since everything seemed to be playing out that way, but how could she believe someone who let their brother be tortured just to prove a point?

Katsu wanted to talk to Hizumi about what happened since she still cared for him. She wanted to apologize. It was as if the beating she took knocked a bit of sense into her. But she wouldn't blame them if they shot her as soon as she showed her face. Would they let her talk, or would Hizumi just snap again?

The circle of thoughts continued to cloud her mind as she paced around the room.

Should she chance it, or just disappear forever?

XXX

"We need to do something fun."

Ayumu looked up from the book he was reading at the dining table to see Hizumi leaned forward with his head in his hands and a very bored expression on his face.

"It feels like we haven't done anything fun since I got here," Hizumi continued to complain.

"It's because we haven't," Ayumu stated plainly. "One of us is always in trouble."

"And since it's been quiet for a few days, we need to do something fun!" Hizumi groaned.

"And what exactly do you suggest? It's not like either of us are in any condition to run off to just anywhere," Ayumu said.

"Then something simple, like just going out for ice cream or something. I need to get out of this house."

"You're such a drama queen. I, for one, have never been happier to be home."

Hizumi pouted and went back to staring at the table as if something interesting resided there.

Ayumu smiled slightly and heaved a heavy sigh, closing his book and setting it on the table.

Hizumi's head perked up like a cat's. "What are you doing?" Hizumi asked.

"Didn't you say you wanted ice cream?" Ayumu asked, standing up and walking over to slip on his coat.

Hizumi tried to contain his excitement as he bounded up from the chair and pulled on his own coat.

"Sometimes you can be such a kid," Ayumu chuckled, walking out the door with Hizumi following close behind.

"How can I not be excited? You're treating me to ice cream," Hizumi smiled. "Is it okay if I think of this like a date?"

Ayumu's face flushed once again at the forwardness in Hizumi's words. Sure, Ayumu thought for a second that it did seem very much like a date, but to put it in words…

"Think of it however you like," Ayumu said, trying to maintain the act that he didn't care.

"A date it is!" Hizumi shouted, a little louder than Ayumu would have preferred. Ayumu felt a tug on his hand as Hizumi's suddenly occupied it. "This is okay, right?" Hizumi asked, looking at Ayumu with a smile.

Ayumu felt his cheeks redden even more. His whole life Ayumu kept his indifferent attitude and it suited him just fine. Now it felt like he got flustered several times a day just because this kid came into his life. And Ayumu didn't know if he hated the change or not. He wanted to say he did, but something kept telling Ayumu to keep Hizumi around anyway.

"I guess, since you're already so excited," Ayumu said, trying to sound as calm as possible. But the small smirk that Hizumi gave told Ayumu he wasn't quite successful.

Hizumi laced his fingers through Ayumu's, wishing the ice cream parlor never came into view so they could have stayed that way a little bit longer.

But as soon as they approached the doors, Ayumu untangled his hand from Hizumi's. Ayumu couldn't help but notice the slight frown that formed on Hizumi's face.

Ayumu sighed. "Jeez, we can hold hands on the way back too, okay? Don't look so damn sad about it," Ayumu said without looking at Hizumi and walking through the doors.

Hizumi smiled as he followed Ayumu. It was obvious that Ayumu wasn't exactly open to the idea of a complete relationship with Hizumi. There were still doubts that hung in the air.

But it was those little things that Ayumu did or said that made Hizumi smile. Was it okay to hope? Was it okay to believe that all of the fate that he was told about since he was kid could be wrong?

Hizumi came to meet Ayumu, believing it was kill or be killed. Believing that no matter what, Hizumi would eventually die by Ayumu's hands. And he had believed that for a long time.

But now Hizumi decided that he would stand by Ayumu and help him defy fate. Maybe they could always live together as they are now. Even if nothing happened between them, Hizumi just wanted to stay by Ayumu.

So Hizumi decided he would hold onto that hope.