"Montwise…"

Partitio stopped next to Osvald at the stop of the stairs that led into the city, and his heart clenched as a murderous look appeared in Osvald's eyes. It was here that they would find Harvey, and Partitio was already riled up and ready to give that bastard what was coming to him. He stood in silence, wondering if he should try and say something encouraging, but Osvald surprised him by speaking up first.

"Partitio…Are you sure that you want to involve yourself in-"

"Aw, c'mon now, partner!" Partitio laughed as he threw his arm over Osvald's shoulders and flicked the brim of his hat. "Don't tell me you've forgotten the promise that we made to each other. I'm gonna stick with ya until the end!"

Osvald stared at him with that endearing, scrutinizing look of his, as if he was trying to find any trace of hesitation. Partitio knew that he would find none; he had never been one to break a promise, especially one made with someone that he cared so much about.

"Hey, don't forget about me, Pops!" Ochette came sprinting up the stairs and Partitio snickered when she predictably jumped onto Osvald's back, resting her chin on his head with a toothy grin on her face.

"Us too!" Agnea was the next to reach the top of the stairs, followed closely by Hikari, Throné, and Castti.

Temenos brought up the rear, and he gave Osvald a friendly tap on the shoulder with his staff. "Indeed. It is only right to return the favor after you've helped all of us out with our quests." Partitio turned to look at Osvald, and his eyes lit up when a soft smile crossed the scholar's face.

"...Thank you all. I greatly appreciate the assistance." Osvald cleared his throat and pointed towards the largest building in the city. "We should start our search for Harvey at the library."

"Wow! It's huge!" Ochette placed both of her hands on Osvald's shoulders and launched herself over his head, landing on her feet in front of him. "Let's go check it out!" With that, she took off towards the library with Mahina hot on her heels. The rest of the group followed, and Partitio waited behind with Osvald.

"Well, partner," Partitio said, punching his fist into his hand and cracking his knuckles, "Whaddya say we go pay Harvey a visit, and give him a good ol' taste of justice?"

Osvald let out a chuckle and nodded. "Yes, let's." As they walked towards the towering library, Partitio not-so-subtly kept brushing his fingers against Osvald's, and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from vocally reacting when Osvald finally caught his hand and held onto it.

Partitio swallowed thickly as his heartbeat roared in his ears. It wasn't the first time that they had held hands like this, but it practically made him lose his mind all the same. These small moments of physical affection between them were making it very hard for Partitio to keep his feelings to himself, and that made him even more determined to help Osvald get his revenge, and fast.

They continued on in a comfortable silence, and when they entered the library, Partitio let out a long whistle.

"Well I'll be damned! I've never seen so many books in one place before." He spun around as he took in the wall-to-wall bookcases that were filled to burst. "I reckon it'd be impossible to get through them all in one lifetime!"

"It wouldn't hurt to try, though," Osvald said, and Partitio laughed, but the smile fell from his face when he saw the look on Osvald's. Partitio noted that he had tensed up, and his eyes were narrowed as they scanned the people around them. Partitio gave his head a good shake and smacked his cheeks. He needed to focus on helping Osvald find Harvey, so he couldn't let himself be distracted right now.

That was easier said than done, because the library was beautiful and bustling with activity, so for now Partitio let Osvald take the lead in scrutinizing people for clues as to Harvey's whereabouts.

"Hmm…" After he had spoken to a few scholars, Osvald tugged at his beard as he paced beside a bookshelf on the middle level of the library. "It seems that there's a hidden passage somewhere in here."

"Shoot," Partitio said, his face scrunching up as he placed a hand on his head and the other on his hip, "How're we gonna find something like that?" After all, it was called a hidden passageway for a reason…

"Hey, Pops!"

Suddenly, Ochette jumped up onto the ledge attached to the pillar in the middle of the room, which was across from the railing that Partitio and Osvald were leaning against.

"Excuse me, miss! Please use the ladders and stairs instead of climbing on the bookshelves!" A distressed librarian's voice called from above, and Ochette quickly jumped across the gap and landed in front of Partitio.

"Whoops, sorry about that!" she said, grinning as she waved up at the librarian, who shook her head and returned to her duties.

Ochette turned her attention to Osvald, with ears perked up and tail wagging vigorously. "Anyway, I think I know where Harvey is!" Osvald's face darkened and a nervous pit formed in Partitio's gut.

"Where?" Osvald growled, and his angry tone gave Partitio goosebumps.

"I was down on the lower level, and I smelled a really, really rotten scent coming from behind one of the bookshelves." Ochette beckoned to them as she slid down the ladder, and the two men followed her. Osvald was able to open the secret passageway, and Partitio waited there with him while Ochette went to gather the rest of their companions.

"You alright, Osvald?" Partitio asked, and Osvald closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"...I'll be alright, once I find Harvey and have my vengeance." Osvald's voice was low, and his hands had balled into tight fists at his side. Partitio swallowed thickly to calm his nerves; he had a bad feeling about what was waiting for them in this hidden passageway, but that wouldn't keep him from staying by Osvald's side.

"Don't worry, partner," Partitio said as he placed his hand on Osvald's arm, "I'm here for ya, and the rest of our friends will be to."

"...I know." Partitio's heart skipped a beat when Osvald's gaze softened a bit, and some of the tension seemed to leave him as Partitio watched his hands slowly unclench. He wanted to reach out and take one again, but the rest of their friends decided to pick that moment to join them.

"Let's go," Osvald said, his eyes meeting Partitio's briefly before he turned and disappeared through the passageway. Partitio was worried that he couldn't shake this foreboding feeling, but he followed Osvald into the darkness nonetheless; he would follow him to hell and back if it came to that.

The dank, ominous atmosphere of Harvey's underground laboratory seemed to unnerve most of his companions, but the fire that was raging in Osvald's breast kept those feelings at bay for him. He was so close now to getting his revenge that he could almost taste it, but that might just be the taste of blood, as he had started to chew on the inside of his cheek with his anticipation and impatience.

"This place…feels wrong," Hikari said, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword as they all descended further underground. Agnea nodded from her spot at his side, holding his other arm as she shivered.

"Y-Yeah…It's really creepy down here…"

"It'll be alright, y'all," Partitio said, but Osvald saw his unease written all over his face, if his pale complexion and the way his eyes were darting around as he wrung his hands together told him anything. Osvald felt compelled to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, and the way that Partitio's face suddenly flushed with color again before he pulled his hat down to cover his face did not go unnoticed. He was so obvious with his feelings for Osvald, and Osvald hoped that he wasn't as obvious about his…

Ochette had been using her enhanced sense of smell to lead the way, and she suddenly stopped, her ears suddenly folding flat against her head and her tail tucking between her legs.

"H-Hey…I hear…something bad…" Her normally carefree and cheerful demeanor was gone, and she took a step backwards, her hands shooting up to cover her ears as she shook her head. "It…it sounds like something - multiple somethings - crying out in pain…"

"Ochette…" Castti was the first to step forward and gather the now trembling beastling into a comforting embrace, and Osvald's heartbeat quickened as he took the lead instead, offering Ochette a pat on the head as he passed her.

"...You can go back if you want, Ochette," Osvald said, but she immediately shook her head and took a deep breath.

"No way, Pops. I'll…be okay now. I wanna help you." Mahina let out a gentle hoot and nuzzled her leg, and that seemed to be enough to knock Ochette out of her fearful state. Osvald nodded and stole a glance at Partitio, who was fiddling with his tie with his gaze fixed on something up ahead.

"There's a weird, green light comin' from that door up there." He pointed as he spoke, and Osvald wasted no more time as he rushed forward with the rest of his companions following close behind.

"W-What in tarnation…"

Osvald felt Partitio grab his hand, and he gave it a comforting squeeze; he was not surprised at the young merchant's reaction to the horrific sight before them. He heard Agnea and Ochette let out surprised gasps themselves, and he even heard Temenos voice his discomfort.

"So this is Harvey's laboratory…" Osvald mumbled as he walked up to one of the glass tanks, which was filled with an ominous green liquid that illuminated the horrific creature within.

"Are these…chimeras…?" Osvald continued as his hand slipped from Partitio's and he placed it against the glass. An anxious pit formed in his gut as he bit his lip. This kind of study was strictly forbidden, and the fact that he had never seen chimeras quite like these before told Osvald that Harvey was using his formulae and these new abominations to find the One True Magic. As much as he wanted to have his revenge, the scholarly part of him wanted to read Harvey's theories. How odd…

"Osvald…" Partitio's voice snapped Osvald from his thoughts, and he turned to see Partitio worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. "I'm no expert on research or nothin', but…even I can feel the power radiatin' off of these monsters."

Partitio stared at the creature behind the glass, his eyes narrowing into a heated glare. "This Harvey fella's a real wiley one, isn't he?"

Osvald sighed and closed his eyes, memories of his time researching with Harvey flooding his mind. "He…used to be worth engaging with. Truly. But now…"

"...He's devoted his mind to wicked pursuits," Partitio growled through grit teeth, and Osvald felt the vengeful fire reignite within his breast. He would have his revenge, yes, and he would stop Harvey's horrific, unethical research in the process.

"Harvey…I will have my revenge on you…" Osvald mumbled, and his eyes went wide when he felt Partitio's hand cover his own that was still pressed against the glass.

"An' I'll help ya get it, partner." Even in this dour and ominous place, Partitio's smile seemed to light up the entire room, and that gentle warmth returned to nudge against the fires of revenge that raged within Osvald's chest.

"Osvald!" He heard the sound of glass shattering, and Osvald spun around to see Hikari blocking an attack from one of the chimeras, which had somehow escaped its containment. Osvald cursed under his breath as he grabbed Partitio's hand and yanked him away from the tank in front of them, right before it shattered along with one other.

"I suppose we'll just have to evaluate the results of Harvey's experiments ourselves," Osvald said, his hands bursting into flame as he muttered his calculations.

"No, Osvald," Temenos said as he gestured with his staff to the door at the other end of the room, "You should go and find Harvey with Partitio, Ochette, and Castti. The rest of us can take care of these little terrors."

Osvald clenched his jaw. He didn't like the idea of leaving half of his companions behind, but he knew that they were all capable in a fight. As Castti and Ochette came to join him and Partitio, Osvald nodded to Temenos.

"Alright. Be careful."

"Indeed, you all as well."

With that, Osvald led the charge though the door and up the stairs into an large, open room, and unbridled rage filled his heart when a voice that he hadn't heard in five years hit his ears:

"You've kept me waiting, Osvald!"

"Harvey!"

Osvald practically spat out his name, his nails digging into his palms as his hands balled into fists, and he clenched his jaw so hard that it popped. He could barely hear Harvey's ranting over the roaring of his heartbeat in his ears, and he only snapped out of it when Partitio took a step forward and cracked his knuckles.

"Why you thieving, no-good, murderin' bastard-"

Osvald cut him off by grabbing his shoulder and roughly pulling him back behind him. This was his fight first and foremost, and he didn't want Partitio to get hurt by getting right in the middle of it. He seemed to get the hint, because he went silent, but Osvald thought that Partitio might actually set Harvey on fire with how heated the glare that he was casting at him was; Osvald would have really liked to see that.

Suddenly, the ground shook beneath them as a massive creature barreled into the room, and Osvald quickly turned to shield himself from the brunt of its attack, and he was glad to see that his companions had done the same.

"Y'all okay?" Partitio asked, placing his hand on Osvald's arm. Ochette and Castti nodded, and Osvald covered Partitio's hand with his in response.

"What…is this?" Castti asked, her voice quiet, and Ochette had silently drawn her bow while Mahina looked ready to strike at her command. Osvald couldn't answer her question, and as he listened to Harvey, his blood turned to ice and his composure wavered.

"...yyy deee…arrr…"

The eerie yet familiar voice hit Osvald's ears, causing his composure to shatter completely, tears welling up in his eyes as a sharp pain shot through his chest. The realization hit him like a lightning spell, and Osvald barely heard his companions' concerned shouts as they readied for battle. The creature charged, and he had no choice but to defend himself against his beloved wife.

"Rita!"

Partitio had dreamed up many nightmares in his lifetime, but none of them even came close to what he had just witnessed, and the worst part was that this was reality.

It had to have been bad enough for Osvald to have to fight a creature made from his deceased wife's blood, but the look on his face when his daughter didn't remember him and went to Harvey instead…it was enough to make Partitio feel like his own heart had shattered into a million pieces.

"Harvey, no!" Partitio snapped from his thoughts when he heard Osvald scream, and he watched as he ran up the stairs, stumbling a bit in his desperation, only to be cut off from his daughter by an iron gate blocking the exit.

"Harvey! Harvey! NOOOOO!" Osvald continued screaming that absolute monster's name as he beat his fists against the bars, and Partitio's eyes went wide as he scrambled up the stairs after him.

"Osvald, stop!" Partitio yelled when he reached him, but his plea fell on deaf ears as Osvald continued hitting his hands against the bars with all of his strength.

"Yer gonna break your hands if ya keep that up!" Partitio's voice cracked as he grabbed Osvald's arms and pulled him away from the door. Osvald struggled as his screams dissolved into sobs, and he eventually stopped resisting and fell to his knees. Partitio swallowed thickly as he knelt down beside him, and as Osvald covered his face with his hands; Partitio's heart sank when he saw that his knuckles were split and bleeding.

"Partitio, please move." He looked up to see Castti kneel down beside them, and the rest of their companions had ascended the stairs to join them. Partitio hesitated, not wanting to leave Osvald's side, but he knew that Castti was the best person to help Osvald in the state that he was in, so he stood up and backed out of the way.

"...I think he might be experiencing a bit of shock." Castti pursed her lips as she turned to Hikari and Temenos. "You two, help me get him back to the inn."

"Partitio, I need your mercantile expertise," Castti said, and he nodded slowly. He wanted to stay by Osvald's side, but if he could help him in another way, he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"I'm running low on bandages, can you go purchase some for me?"

"Of course, y-you can count on me." Partitio tried to keep his voice from wavering, but he stuttered a bit anyway. Castti nodded as she quickly followed Temenos and Hikari, who were helping the hysteric Osvald down the stairs.

Partitio swallowed thickly as he watched them go, feeling like he was going to lose his cool any second now, but Ochette suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

"Parti…Is Pops gonna be okay?" she looked up at him with tear-stained cheeks, and he had to blink away moisture from his own eyes as he pat her head.

"It'll be alright, Ochette…" Partitio had no doubt that he would recover physically, with Castti and Temenos looking after him. Mentally however…Gods, Partitio couldn't even fathom how much pain he was feeling in his heart; just trying to imagine it made him feel physically ill.

"Oh, Partitio…Are you alright?" Agnea wiped away her tears before taking Partitio's hand. "We all know how much you care about Osvald, and seeing him like that, and knowing how much he's lost…" She trailed off, and Partitio took in a deep breath and faked a smile.

"I'm fine, really…But we should get going," he said. He didn't need anyone worrying about him right now, and he wanted to get what Castti needed so that he could get back to see Osvald as soon as possible.

"...We should also inform the town guard of Harvey's…illegal research," Throné chimed in, "I'm sure they have no idea this place exists."

"Right, good idea," Partitio agreed, and the four hurried to get out of Harvey's horrific laboratory. Ochette and Agnea took care of informing the guard, and with Throné's help, Partitio was able to find the bandages that he needed in no time at all.

"Partitio!"

His eyes went wide when he turned to see Castti rushing towards them, and panic welled up in his gut when he saw the distressed look on her face.

"Castti, did something happen? Is Osvald-"

"...After I bandaged him up, he forced Temenos and I from the room and locked the door." Castti said, and Partitio felt the blood drain from his face. He feared for Osvald's safety, being left alone in the state that he was in, and Castti placed a hand on his arm.

"I don't think he will…hurt himself, but I worry all the same. I think you're the only one that might be able to get through to him right now." Castti gave Partitio's arm a comforting squeeze, and he clenched his fists and nodded.

"I'll do anything to help him, Castti."

"I know," Castti said with a sad smile on her face, "Throné, can you pick the lock?" She nodded, and the three quickly rushed back to the inn.

Partitio stared at the door to the room as Throné worked on the lock, and he felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. He had no idea what kind of state Osvald was going to be in when he entered the room, but whatever it was, Partitio wasn't going to let Osvald go through it alone.

"...It's done." Throné sighed as she backed away from the door and turned to Partitio. She gave him a quick hug and looked him in the eye when she pulled away.

"Take care of him, okay?"

"I will. Thankee kindly, Throné." She nodded and he watched her walk away for a moment, before he turned back to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

The first thing Partitio noticed after he entered the room and closed the door behind him was that it reeked of alcohol. His nose scrunched up as the scent of wine filled his senses, and when Partitio looked towards one of the beds, his heart clenched when he realized why.

Osvald was sitting on the bed, hunched over as he sobbed in between drinks from the bottle of wine that he was holding. Partitio had no idea where he would have gotten wine from, let alone three bottles of the stuff; Partitio's eyes flicked briefly to two empty bottles that were on the floor next to the bed; how had he gotten through those so fast?

Partitio didn't have time to ponder the answer to his questions, so he instead rushed to the edge of the bed and sat down, careful not to trip over the empty bottles. "Osvald-"

"L-Leave me…alone…" Osvald growled as he glared at Partitio with red eyes swollen from his crying.

"Like hell I will!" Partitio blurted out, and he found himself having a hard time gathering his thoughts, "You…W-Why are you drinking?"

"Why else? To…get drunk…" Osvald hissed as he tried to push Partitio away with his free hand, but he wouldn't budge. He couldn't budge, for Osvald's sake.

"B-But, I thought you said alcohol numbed the mind-"

"I want it to be numb!" Osvald spat, his voice hoarse, and he lifted the bottle of wine to his lips; his arm was shaking so violently that Partitio was surprised that he managed to take a drink without spilling it.

"I don't want to think…I don't want to feel! I want…I want…" Osvald's rambling continued between heavy sobs, and Partitio grabbed the bottle when Osvald tried to take another drink. He offered some resistance, but he eventually relented and let Partitio take it from him. As he placed it on the nightstand, Partitio took a deep breath, trying and failing to keep his own tears from falling down his face.

After he quickly wiped his cheeks, Partitio turned back to Osvald and gently took his bandaged, trembling hands in his. Osvald gazed at him with tear-stained cheeks, and the immense amount of pain and sorrow that he saw in them was enough to make fresh tears well up in Partitio's eyes.

"W-What do you want, Osvald?" Partitio's voice was soft, and he gave Osvald's hands a gentle squeeze, "I'll do anything, anything you ask me to."

"...I-I need you to hold me, Partitio…"

Osvald's broken plea was enough to make Partitio choke out a sob himself, and he nodded as he wrapped his arms around Osvald. After Partitio removed Osvald's glasses and placed them safely on the bedside table, he lowered them both onto the bed. He let Osvald bury his face into his chest as Partitio gently brushed his fingers through his hair.

"Rita…Elena…I-I'm so sorry…" Osvald wailed as he sobbed relentlessly, and Partitio pressed his face against Osvald's hair as he cried along with him.

"I've got you, Osvald, I've got you," Partitio whispered, and he repeated that like it was a soothing mantra…at least, Partitio hoped it would be that for Osvald.

Throughout their time traveling together, Partitio knew that Osvald's pursuit of revenge weighed heavily on his heart, but up until now he had hidden it behind a wall of bitterness and anger. The recent revelation of what had actually happened to his family had been enough to shatter that wall completely, and Partitio wished with all of his heart that he could take Osvald's pain away.

Partitio's arms tightened around Osvald as he continued to sob, and he never let go, not even when Osvald cried himself to sleep, or when Partitio let himself slip off into a dreamless sleep.

The gentle sunlight streaming in from the window roused Partitio from his slumber, and he let out a yawn as he moved to stretch his arms. However, he found that difficult, because they were pinned to his sides due to Osvald's being wrapped around him still. The events of the previous night rushed back to Partitio, and he swallowed thickly as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

Osvald's head was still resting on his chest, and Partitio gazed at his sleeping face as carefully wriggled one arm free, and he brushed the hair from Osvald's face with a feather-light touch. Seeing him look so peaceful now, it was hard for Partitio to believe what he had witnessed the night before.

Just thinking about the horrific shit that Harvey had done was enough to make Partitio's blood boil. That bastard was more of a monster than his experimental chimera, and Partitio was going to make him pay for what he had done.

Partitio was snapped from his thoughts when he heard the door open, and Temenos stepped into the room carrying a tray with two steaming cups on it.

"Ah, good morning, Partitio." Temenos' voice was quiet as he crossed the room and set the tray down on the bedside table, and the scent of coffee hit Partitio's nose.

"How…is he holding up?" Temenos sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Osvald with sad eyes, and Partitio's chest tightened as a few tears fell down his face.

"He…I found him drunk Temenos," Partitio said as Temenos dabbed his damp cheeks with a handkerchief, "He cried so much, I just…gods, it's so awful. I feel awful for him." Partitio started crying in earnest now, and he lifted a fist to his face and bit his thumb to try and keep himself from moving too much and waking Osvald up.

"I…I love him, Temenos." Partitio spoke in a strained voice, and Temenos' hand fell onto his shoulder. "I love him so much, and I hate that he's been through so much suffering. If I could, I'd take all of his pain onto myself in a heartbeat."

Temenos nodded and gave Partitio's shoulder a comforting pat as he continued: "Osvald's a good person, and he didn't deserve any of this shit that's happened to him…I wanna help him, in any way that I can."

"You will. We all will," Temenos said, and he stood up, gesturing to the two cups, "I brought coffee for you two. I do hope it helps a little bit."

"That's a big help Temenos," Partitio said with a smile, "Osvald does love his coffee."

Temenos chuckled as he opened the door and cast a mischievous glance over his shoulder. "Yes…and I have a feeling that's not the only thing that he loves in this room."

Partitio felt his cheeks heat up as Temenos left and closed the door behind him. A deep, tired sigh escaped him as he sunk back onto his pillow, his fingers combing through Osvald's hair. His arms tightened around Osvald, pulling him close enough that Partitio's lips lightly brushed against his forehead. Osvald had lost so much, his heart had been scarred so deeply, that Partitio was starting to wonder if it was okay to have these feelings for him. He didn't want to risk reopening those wounds again, especially if it meant sending Osvald back to the hysteric state that he had been in the night before.

He felt Osvald's head shift, and Partitio watched as he groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He immediately winced and pressed his face back against Partitio's chest, and Partitio let out a small chuckle.

"Mornin', sunshine." Partitio's voice was soft, but his tone was teasing. "You, ah, feelin' alright?" Osvald mumbled incoherently, and he lifted his head slightly so that he could look at Partitio with one eye.

"...'ead hurts…"

"Yeah, I kinda figured…" Partitio stole a glance at the floor where the empty wine bottles had been, but he found that they were now gone; Temenos or Hikari must have gotten rid of them while they were sleeping. "Temenos grabbed us some coffee, here…"

Partitio slowly helped Osvald sit up, and he grabbed the darker cup of coffee from the nightstand. "Here ya go! Black as night and bitter as a gourd, just how you like it!" Osvald took the cup from him, but his hands were shaking, so Partitio covered them with his own and helped Osvald take a few sips until he steadied himself.

"It's…good." Osvald let out a weary sigh and leaned against Partitio, who grabbed his own cup and took a sip: he was glad that Temenos had remembered to put plenty of milk and sugar in his. They sat in silence until their cups were empty, and Partitio placed them back onto the nightstand.

"Thanks, Partitio," Osvald said as he slipped his hand into Partitio's, causing his heart to race, "For…everything…Yesterday was…hard."

Partitio thought that 'hard' might be a bit of an understatement, but he decided to keep that to himself. "Osvald…I'm so sorry you had to go through that. What Harvey did…It's terrible, unforgivable, monstrous…"

"Harvey…" Osvald's eyes narrowed into a glare, "How…How dare he…take my Elena's memories…" A realization suddenly hit Partitio, and he quickly jumped to his feet, pulling a startled Osvald up with him as he held his hands.

"Osvald! You're daughter, she's alive!" Partitio gave Osvald's arms an enthusiastic shake. "Harvey may have messed with her memories, but we have a chance to fix that, because she still lives!"

Osvald stared down at their hands for a moment, before slowly lifting his gaze up and locking his eyes with Partitio's. "Elena…Elena's alive."

"Yes!" Partitio's heartbeat hammered in his ears as Osvald's eyes narrowed and his grip tightened on Partitio's hands. He then moved his hands to Partitio's shoulders, and the fiery determination blazing in his eyes was hot enough to ignite a fire in Partitio's chest.

"I will get Elena back, I swear it!" Osvald's proclamation brought a beaming smile to Partitio's face, and his heart swelled with so much happiness that it boiled over, and Partitio couldn't stop himself from pulling Osvald into a tight hug.

"You've got that right, partner." Partitio's heart fluttered when he felt Osvald's arms wrap around him in return, and his voice dropped to a whisper as he spoke in his ear, "I won't let that bastard hurt Elena, - or you - anymore."

"Partitio…Thank you," Osvald said, pulling away slightly so that he could look Partitio in the eye. Partitio's breath caught in his throat at how close their faces were, and…Was he crazy, or was Osvald's face slowly getting closer…?

"Pops!"

The door to the room suddenly swung open, and Ochette launched herself at the two men, wrapping her arms around their shoulders and pressing her face against their arms.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said, gazing up at them with tear-filled eyes, "I was so worried about you!"

"Me too!" Agnea hugged them as well, followed by Hikari and Throné.

"You did give us quite the scare, friend."

"Yeah, professor. Try not to do it again, alright?"

Temenos chuckled as he and Castti joined in on the group hug. "Yes, please try. But, if you do ever fall again…"

"...Know that we will always be here to pick you back up." Castti's sweet smile brought a tear to Partitio's eye, and his eyes widened when he heard Osvald let out a sob as he buried his face into his shoulder.

"Y-You all…t-thank you…"

Partitio held him closer as the rest of the group offered up more words of encouragement and comfort for Osvald, and he silently thanked the gods for bringing such wonderful people into his life. Partitio knew that with their support, and his own, they wouldn't let Harvey's heinous plans go unopposed, and no matter what, they would do whatever it took to save Osvald's daughter.

With a new kind of fire blazing within his breast, Osvald stood on the road in the Crestlands, looking upon Montwise one last time before he turned to catch up with the rest of his companions. He was grateful that they had all agreed to head directly to Gravell next, where Osvald knew that they would find Harvey - and more importantly, Elena - waiting for him.

"Osvald!" Partitio was waving his arms at him as Osvald rejoined his friends, and a small smile crossed his face when Partitio threw an arm over his shoulders. Osvald couldn't really put it into words how much he appreciated having Partitio by his side in the aftermath of his confrontation with Harvey. Even though he had seen him at his lowest, Partitio still stayed with him all night, and Osvald's cheeks went pink at the thought of how right it had felt to wake up wrapped in his arms.

"Ohhh I'm all riled up!" Partitio grit his teeth and smacked a hand to Osvald's back. "Harvey's gonna pay for everything that he's done to you, damn it!" He then let his hand fall to his side and he took hold of Osvald's - not even trying to be subtle this time - and Osvald did not fail to notice the shit-eating grin that their resident cleric was sending their way.

Holding hands with Partitio was something that Osvald had come to secretly look forward to whenever they ended up walking next to each other, and it had become a great source of comfort for him. Osvald deduced that he would have felt that way even if his feelings for Partitio were only that of friendship, but his attraction to him certainly made him feel extra…giddy about it. How odd…

"Let's go save your daughter, partner." The fiery conviction blazing in Partitio's eyes made Osvald's heart skip a beat, and he nodded as he gave Partitio's hand a squeeze while his gaze turned upwards.

"Elena…I will save you, no matter what."

"Yeehaw! You've got that right!"

Partitio let out a whoop as they set off for Gravell, and Osvald lifted his free hand to his chest, where a fire still burned, but not because of revenge. It was a gentler warmth, sure, but it was much, much stronger, and Osvald did not have a name for this feeling yet.

But, with Partitio by his side, he knew that he would find the answer.