Author's Note:
This story takes place after episode 10 of the second season of the anime.


Rudeus

Ever since our last encounter in the library, Fitz has been avoiding me. It's been two days as of now. Just this morning Luke came to confront me about it and I told him that I wouldn't reveal to anyone his — well, her — gender. It's not like I had any ill intent towards Fitz. She's been a great friend and I am now almost completely certain that she's the cure Man-god was talking about.

Yet, now that she's avoiding me, I might've lost my opportunity.

"Man, is it really such a big deal?" Those were my thoughts the whole morning, it felt like i screwed up big time, but if I stopped and thought about the whole situation I felt like it wasn't for much. Alright, fine, he was hiding her gender, but so what? Did he have some weird complex about it? No, there was probably some other reason. He was one of the royal guard after all, wasn't he? Maybe if people knew his gender they wouldn't give her much credit.

Still, I wanted to see Fitz. I had just come to terms with my feelings for him and somehow he managed to temporarily cure my curse. I finally understood the meaning of the Man-god's advice, this was why he'd told me to poke around the library.

But just like that, she started avoiding me. Was it because I didn't follow Man-god's advice well enough?

"No." I said to myself, "I was in the library to study about the Displacement when that happened."

I believed that if I followed Man-god's advice I would get what he told me I would. I was following it, so it wasn't that.

Regardless, he, or rather, she was still avoiding me.

I wasn't really feeling it that day. Honestly it felt like a situation that could only solve itself with time and just the idea of waiting so miserably made me feel bad. Thus, instead of going to class, I went directly to Nanahoshi's. I wasn't sure why I choose to go there, but I felt like that was my safest place.

In a sense it was. Nanahoshi was, almost literally, a separate world... And I also knew that only Fitz would know to search me there if he wanted to find me, which I didn't mind.

I arrived in front of Nanahoshi's door not too long after and knocked. She answered with an irritated "Come in."

I entered and when she saw me, her eyes widened lightly. "I did not expect you so soon." She spoke in Japanese. I had yet to get over the memories most things related to Japan brought me, but hearing someone speak Japanese like she did, with that feeling of homey comfort, was nice. Hearing her mood change just because it was me and not someone else was also part of it probably.

"I wanted to do our experiments early today." I lied, though I didn't try to sound even remotely genuine.

"Oh. That's nice to hear," But she was as dense as usual. "You've got something to do later today?"

For a second, I forgot I was being all sad for Fitz when she asked that question. "Since when are you so interested in what I do?" That came out sounding a lot more annoyed than what it should've. It was a genuine question, I swear!

"Well, sorry." She apologized.

Well... That was unexpected. She's not really the kind of person who apologizes so quickly, nor was there even any reason to do that to begin with. "No, it's fine, don't worry." I replied. I still wasn't in the mood for talking a lot, but it would've been a surprise if she noticed that.

"Have you and..." she took more than she should to finish her sentence. "...Fitz had a fight? He hasn't shown himself today as well and you look gloomy."

Well, I guess I was wrong.

"I guess so. Should we start with the circles?" I spoke in the Human Tongue. She stopped asking questions for the time being.


After a couple of hours she said we were done. I didn't want to go out yet, so I asked if I could stay for a while longer.

"Just watch out with my stuff." I nodded in reply.

I started to advance through the paths defined by the piles of books and paperwork that she left around, it took a while to master the way from the door to where we experiment, but the rest of her laboratory was a maze and I feared that if I accidentally hit a book she'd somehow summon Orsted himself.

I found myself a nice spot and laid down. I stayed like that for a while, the room was silent for the most part, interrupted only occasionally by the rustling of the papers Nana was writing on.

Since when do I call her Nana?

"So," she didn't speak loudly, but I could hear her clearly, "can you tell me what happened?"

"I found out something that I shouldn't have and now she's avoiding me."

"She?"

"Sorry, I meant Fitz."

"Even monkeys fall from trees."

"Are you saying I'm a monkey?" I replied halfheartedly.

"No, I'm saying it's fine to screw up."

"...I guess."

"Just look at me. I've been trying to return back home for years and I have done nothing aside from failing. Even with your help I feel like I've gotten nowhere closer," She sighed, then silence fell into the room. Unlike earlier, this was an awkward silence.

I heard small footsteps coming towards me, before I could turn my head to see if she was coming, she was already crouched next to me.

I looked at her in the eyes, they were a shade of black I hadn't seen many times since I came into this world, but they were very familiar to me. I liked being around Nanahoshi, even if she wasn't that sociable, she was still just like me. I shared with her something I couldn't share with anyone else.

"What if there's no way back?" She said out of the blue.

What? That's oddly out of character for you to say Nana, cheer up! You're a genius who invents magic circles, you'll definitely be able to go back home. You even got me — who apparently has a world-class mana — helping you, nothing can go wrong.

"...What if you're the last piece of home I have?"

Huh? could you repeat that last part? Is there some kind of confession going on? Wait, wait, I got nothing against you — you're pretty cute — but we haven't known each other for enough time!

...Who am I kidding, I just have a big problem in my lower floor.

"You look nothing like a Japanese, y'know?" She grabbed my hand and put on a melancholic smile on her face. It made me feel sad, not because I missed home, but because she probably wouldn't have grabbed my hand if it was the old me. "But I don't mind."

You don't mind? what's that supposed to mean?

"I got lucky with the reincarnation lottery," I said. She giggled.

"I guess so."

She suddenly got up. Then she got on top of me, sitting on my stomach with her legs to the side of my body. This was very out of her character and I was starting to worry but, at the same time, I was going to stop her.

She then lowered herself onto me, hugging me tightly.

She wasn't heavy. She felt nice resting on top of me with her arms around my body. Then I wrapped my hands around her back as well. I closed my eyes and somehow the tension in my body faded away. I smiled lightly as Nana laid on top of me. In hindsight, we stayed like that for only a few minutes, but it felt much longer than that.

When I opened my eyes she was looking straight at me, her cheeks were red and she seemed hesitant. I tried to say something but as soon as I opened my mouth she kissed me.

Her lips pressed against mine. It was quick, like an electric shock. When she left my mouth, I couldn't bring myself to close it. I was thunderstruck. I wanted more of that and so did she.

He gave me a second kiss, then a third, until they weren't simple kisses on the lips anymore. Her heavy breath between kisses and the increasing heat of her cheeks was turning me on, but I wasn't sure if anything was rising.

Fortunately we didn't do much more than that.

When she stopped, her breath was heavy, and so was mine. She stayed on top of me, her head resting on my chest and her feet between my legs. I reached out slowly and touched her hair. Nana closed her eyes and let me stroke her head with a look of pleasure on her face. Her hair was long and messy, but it was also wonderfully silky.

I let my hand keep moving, first, down her neck and to her shoulders. They felt so delicate every time I touched them.

"I don't want you to go," she let out those words as if I had already said I was leaving but, truth is, I was perfectly fine where I was, I didn't feel any need to leave.

"Then stay." She wanted to leave this world so much, but it felt like a hopeless endeavor one that would consume her to the core. Every day she felt a bit less motivated than the day before. Maybe that's why she was talking so much today... And all the other things.

I guess she really thinks that I might be the last piece of home she'll ever have. It makes sense she did all of this, she wants me to stay with her.

I didn't really mind. I already liked her as a friend and she was definitely cute, I wasn't going to resist any further development of our relationship, but I still was suffering from my condition and Fitz was apparently my only cure for that.

Nanahoshi was special, but I still needed to talk with Fitz, I wanted to talk to her as well before I did anything with Nana. I was sure I liked Fitz and if she was the only way to cure my illness, then... I needed her.

I felt a bit scummy to be thinking that, especially while holding Nana between my arms. We just had all of that happen and I was already thinking about some other girl — well, not "some other" girl, it was specifically Fitz and she was definitely special.

I heard the school bell sound that announced the opening dining hall.

Actually, I think it was already the second time that it did. I had just skipped lunch.

"Are you hungry? I've got some food here," Oh, so that's what she was trying to do. "...we could have lunch together."

I almost replied yes, but then I remembered of all the people that probably had been waiting for me all day. Fitz was hopefully one of them, but there was also Juliette, Zanoba, Pursena and Linia... Cliff and Elinalise were probably fine without me.

"I just skipped the entirety of the morning period to stay here with you, I think it's better if I go now." She looked kind of disappointed, but as a fellow Japanese she understood the severity of something like skipping classes just to go out with someone. I had become a hikikomori pretty early in my old life, but I planned to be a model student in this one.

She reluctantly let go of me, then I slowly got up. I kissed her in the forehead, which made her blush, and then headed out.

When I left the room, someone was there, leaning on the wall next to the door.

It was Fitz.

"You... came early today." She looked at me a bit shocked. I couldn't see her eyes well, but her open mouth showed it well enough.

"Y-Yeah, I did... Guess we could head to the library together then." She came for me. She was here again and I found it hard to contain my joy. She didn't hate me and that was a great thing.

"N-No," For a second my heart stopped out of fear, but then I saw her fidgeting like usual. Man she's so cute. "Uhm… actually, I have a pretty big favor to ask of you."

"You do? Well, rest assured!" I said, thumping a fist lightly to my chest. "I'll do everything I can, of course!"

"C-Calm down. I didn't even tell you what I'm asking yet…"

"I'm not going to refuse your requests, Noble Fitz. Though..." My heart started racing. That was my opportunity to tell her that I liked her, it was my chance. For some reason I was feeling that my current confidence would've faded away soon and I didn't want to waste it.

"What is it?" Fitz asked, turning her head slightly.

"...I've got something to tell you."

Still... confessing my love right in front of Nanahoshi's door? We just had a thing... it felt really scummy.

"H-huh?" She was caught unprepared by my serious tone. I leaned in.

I'm sorry Nana, but half of my heart is Fitz's.

"I love you, Fitz."