Dia initially began by subjugating the smaller countries that nobody cared about anyway. She herself had settled in a small area between the borders, keeping herself off the radar of the larger powers. Although she was convinced that she was already strong enough, with Ikuto under her control, to overthrow all the countries, she didn't want to act rashly. Moreover, Amu was a thorn in her side. She didn't want everything to fail because she would eventually meet Ikuto, and he wouldn't obey her when it came to Amu.
That's why she had sent him on a mission. She could take over the small territories without his help, so this was the best time to have him search for the Amulet of Blood. According to legends, it was hidden in an ancient ruin deep in the northern forest. It was so remote and integrated into nature that supposedly no human had been seen there for centuries.
Ikuto wandered through the dense forest for several days and had already given up hope of finding anything, yet he knew that as long as the order was in effect, he had no choice but to continue searching. He generally appeared to be an empty, will-less shell. As the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon, he transformed into a bat, as this allowed him to navigate through the forest better at night, and flying was certainly faster.
When he discovered a stone pillar with a single candle on it, he transformed back and inspected everything closely, but it didn't seem like anything was special about it. Nonetheless, he wondered how this candle could still be burning and quickly realized that it was a magical flame. Who knew how long this candle had been burning? He lifted the candle to examine it more closely, but at that moment, he heard a click. In the next instant, the ground began to shake, and a path opened up before him into the underground. He set the candle back on the stone, placing it next to the indentation to ensure he wouldn't end up trapped.
Upon reaching the bottom, more of these magical candles appeared with each step to illuminate the way. The statues and the masonry looked ancient. The deeper he went, the more statues adorned with further magical flames and delicate engravings appeared. Was that the temple of a god? What was the status of gods in this world? He had read many books to gain an understanding of this world, but he had skipped the part about belief.
After some long and winding corridors, he finally arrived at a place resembling an altar. There, illuminated by red light, floated a piece of jewelry. This had to be it. Just as he reached out to grab it, he suddenly jerked back, feeling a sharp sting in his neck.
"So terribly long it has been since I tasted fresh, young blood." A young man pressed his teeth into Ikuto's neck and reveled in his blood. The blue-haired boy tried to shake off the figure but realized his strength was waning. The bite was numbing, and the dwindling blood was taking its toll on him. \\Dia...\\ he tried to reach her, for without an order, he was not allowed to act. However, Dia was currently in the middle of a battle and did not notice his already weak attempts to contact her.
To Ikuto's luck, the figure released him and now stood in front of the young man. The creature's eyes glowed a devilish red as he wiped the last drops of blood away with his thumb. "It was hard to stop, but I'd hate to throw away the potential, even if you are just a puppet."
Ikuto held onto his neck and then briefly looked at his blood-stained hand before scrutinizing the being before him. "You are said to be extinct." His voice was monotone, completely devoid of any emotion.
"Well, I was trapped in here for a long time. Eventually, I made myself comfortable here and feasted on the lost souls who happened upon this ruin by chance. Sadly, they were all not blessed with intelligence. Each returned the candle to its place, so my way out was always denied." He raised his arms and shrugged. "Thus, they wouldn't have brought me any benefit alive; they would only have disturbed my peace down here."
"Why was my life spared?"
The man grinned while inspecting his fingernails and began to count down. "3...2...1..." Ikuto's eyes widened, and his whole body pulsed. The blood flowing through his veins suddenly felt like boiling water; the pain was indescribable. His heart raced, and his breath quickened. However, the torment only lasted a few minutes until Ikuto could breathe normally again, feeling as if he had survived. Instead, a new feeling overcame him. He was terribly thirsty for blood.
Were he not under Dia's spell, all his emotions would likely overwhelm him, but he just stood there, staring at the vampire before him with empty eyes. "Give me the amulet."
"You're pretty much under your master's thumb if you're showing no reaction even now." The white-haired man crossed his arms and continued to grin confidently. "I don't need the old thing anyway. Feel free to take it. Let your collar be tightened even more with it."
"You've neglected the brood for years; why now?" Ikuto reached for the amulet and slipped it into his pocket.
"It would be foolish to let such a strong individual go to waste. Your power caught my attention immediately. Still, I wonder how someone like you allowed himself to be subdued." He struck a thoughtful pose and scrutinized him again. "Is it perhaps love? Should I reveal the ritual for the bride to you? Surely, you don't want her to just be a simple offspring."
"I have no feelings."
"Not anymore, would be more accurate, you poor little puppet," the vampire sighed.
"How do I reverse it?" He spoke of the transformation, not the feelings; that was tied to Dia.
The vampire shrugged. "Not at all, my dear." He leaned closer to Ikuto's ear and whispered the ritual to him.
"A being without feelings doesn't need such information."
"One can never know too much." He placed his hand on the blue-haired boy's chest and murmured a few incomprehensible words, after which a red glow briefly appeared and vanished again.
"I have locked away your new being for now, but should your will return to you, the seal will break." He grinned darkly and vanished with a puff into the darkness.
The blue-haired boy left the ruin to return to Dia. Even though he did not know whether this vampire had escaped or not, he thought it best to return the candle to its former place and let the ruin disappear again.
He noticed that the next day had already dawned and took the form of a raven. A wyvern would be too conspicuous; a bat would be rather atypical far from night. The journey back to Dia took significantly less time than the way to the ruin, but by now he almost knew the forests by heart.
As he soared through the air, his gaze fell upon the massive clouds of smoke beneath him. Countless villages and medium-sized towns were engulfed in flames. After spotting a familiar blonde, he lowered his flight altitude and finally hovered in the air next to her face before transforming back into his human form and retrieving the amulet from his pocket.
"You took longer than I thought." She raised an eyebrow but smiled satisfied as she saw the object of her desire and pressed a kiss to his mouth while gently stroking his head. "Well done." She gently took his hand and made a small cut with her sharp fingernails, enough for a few drops of blood to flow out. She let them drip onto the amulet, spoke words that Ikuto did not understand, and finally placed the amulet around her neck.
At that moment, he felt the emptiness in his soul and head grow even larger. It seemed as if important memories were being consumed and slowly crumbled into dust.
"I hope that's it now and that you will unconditionally do everything I demand." She took a deep breath and scrutinized him. His eyes had grown even colder and emptier.
"First, let's take on the West," she said with a confident grin.
"The West is home to the fairies. You shouldn't underestimate their time magic," Ikuto remarked coolly, staring at the destruction ahead of him.
"They can't stand up against our numbers, but it's not really the fairies I'm after; it's everything around them. Without the Light Crystal, you can't even enter Elysoria."
"Aren't other regions more important? The North should be easy—the harpies are stupid," he replied, noting that, besides the fairies, the West only had small villages and towns, not an actual kingdom.
"Impatient, are we? But fine, a bit of fun won't hurt; there shouldn't be anything in our way now." She grinned and turned around, signaling Ikuto to get moving, so he transformed into a wyvern, allowing her to ride on him.
Tadase tried to stay as positive as he could, especially around Aruto, but the negative atmosphere was starting to weigh on him. He sighed heavily, mindlessly holding his finger out to Aruto. Two weeks had passed, and yet few had spoken to him, let alone shown themselves. He didn't dare enter Amu's room, so he would occasionally visit Nagi to talk.
"Why am I being so excluded? Am I to blame for all of this? What happened while I was gone…?" No matter how often he asked himself this question, he received no answer. He wished he could comfort the others, offer a listening ear, but how could he when he didn't even know what had driven them to this state?
"More time has passed now... What will we do if my parents start looking for Aruto? Yoru can't do much on his own, and neither Nagi nor I would want to leave Amus side but also not letting them stay here alone," he muttered to himself, thinking aloud. "If they show up while we're away, it would be easy for them to kidnap Aruto…" He looked down at the baby in his arms and then up at the sky, having stepped outside to escape the oppressive atmosphere.
"We are always close by, and we should be able to handle a few mere humans," Arthras stepped out from the forest. His displeasure was evident, but he had made a promise to Ikuto.
"It's quite possible they'll come in large numbers and with mages, especially since they don't know about Ikuto. They would have to assume he's here as well," Tadase explained, sighing again. This possibility only added to the weight of the current situation.
"Even so. We are many, and Velkan will protect Ikuto's child with us." Because this was not only about Amu but Ikuto's own child, the hellhounds were far more willing to do their best to protect him, and Velkan felt the same way. The wise wyvern also acknowledged Amu's efforts and, unlike the wolves, bore no grudge against her.
"Thank you…" He lowered his head and knelt before the creature, aware of their dislike for humans. Their mutual history and lack of respect had made that clear, so he now attempted to show the appropriate reverence.
Arthras appreciated the gesture and looked at the child in the false prince's arms. "One cannot deny that they are indeed the parents."
Tadase nodded silently, looking down at Aruto as well. It was mainly his face, but his deep blue hair was also starting to show, as there was no longer a need to dye it.
"In the worst-case scenario, we will take him with us and bring him to safety. Nothing will happen to the boy," assured the leader of the hellhounds before disappearing back into the dense forest.
Tadase slowly rose and took a deep breath before returning to the castle. After successfully rummaging through drawers for paper and a quill, he wrote a message to the three girls and placed it outside Su's room. The note informed them about his conversation with Arthras and confirmed that, in the worst case, it would be acceptable for the wolves to take Aruto to safety.
Another half-week passed before he was drawn upstairs by doors opening—doors he hadn't heard in weeks—and found himself in yet another tense atmosphere. Amu and Nagi stood facing each other, their expressions just as devastating as everyone else's.
Suddenly, a loud slap echoed down the hall, and Nagi held a hand to his cheek, after Amu struck him with all her strength.
"How much?!" Her voice was loud and furious. Tadase had never heard Amu shout before.
"I suspect about half…" he muttered. He wasn't sure how she knew, but he had noticed it during recent events, especially when she spoke of irreversible damage.
Amu took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as she processed what this might mean. /In my old world, people in the Middle Ages didn't live very long… But this world is magical… Can I still relate it somehow?/ She continued to glare at Nagi, working through the possibilities in her mind.
/In the worst case, maybe something between 30 and 40 years. It can't be 30; then half of it would already be over. Or is it half of the remaining time?/ She frowned, shaking her head. There was no way he would only live to 30; he was healthy and fit. She kept thinking and assumed a moderately positive lifespan of 60,considering it was medieval times and a war just around the corner. Still, the question remained as to how this "half" was calculated. If it was half of the remaining time, he would have 20 years left, given she met him at 19 almost a year ago. But if the curse knew exactly how long he'd live and it meant half of his entire life, then he might have only 10 years left—just using a higher estimated age. Anger and sadness welled up within her, and she slapped him again on the same spot.
"You do realize that really hurts, don't you?" he muttered, rubbing his cheek with a pained expression.
"You idiot…" she mumbled, now distressed. Her gaze shifted to Tadase. "What are you even doing here?" Even though she was upset over Nagi's condition, her expression was as empty as Yoru's and the others'.
"Yoru brought me… Undine apparently sent him… I'm sorry… I'll put Aruto down and leave…" Just as he was about to turn away, intense flames shot past him, close enough for him to feel the heat, blocking his path.
"Shut your damn mouth and stop that nonsense already!" Her voice was full of pain, disappointment, and anger. She was yelling at him even louder than she had at Nagi earlier. Tadase swallowed and turned back; he didn't have much choice anyways.
But Amu didn't have the patience for him right now and turned back to Nagi. "What does it take to undo it? And I swear to God, if you're not honest, the next time you see me will be in the afterlife," she paused, laughing bitterly. "Though that might not take that long, huh?"
Tadase was completely helpless and confused; he still didn't understand what had happened, what was happening now, or what they were talking about.
"Just calm down, okay?" Nagi didn't want to see her so furious.
"Nagi!!" She amplified her voice with her wind magic, making the lilac-haired man flinch.
"There is no way… That's the truth!" he finally replied, a fearful look in his eyes. He was scared she wouldn't believe him and would do something reckless.
"Dia can transfer life. Once we confront her, Ikuto will control her and force her to use her magic," Amu's expression was icy.
"But… that also requires someone to give up their life or at least part of it," Nagi muttered quietly, trying to counter her.
"Yes, mine. You pushed it this far, so don't even think of resisting," her gaze was full of intensity, and even a single word now could set off a fiery tornado. He remained silent, sinking into self-hatred.
"I'll never be able to get this image out of my mind…" she spoke of the terrible wounds covering his body. The skin, burned away piece by piece. Finally, she dissolved the wall of fire, walked past Tadase, and headed downstairs.
Nagi clenched his fists, pressing his nails so hard into his flesh that they began to bleed. Tadase held Aruto close and, deeply troubled, followed Amu downstairs. He didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment.
The others had heard the commotion and left their rooms. When Su saw the familiar pink hair, her heart lifted for a moment, though her mouth did not; she only saw cruel images repeating in her mind. "It's good to see you awake…" her voice was cool, though a flicker of joy showed through.
Amu stayed silent, sinking into a sofa and burying her face in her hands. Tadase stood to the right of the staircase, rocking Aruto silently, while everyone else also remained quiet. Nagi joined them shortly after Tadase.
"I suppose it's all my fault… whatever happened…" the blond prepared himself to be scolded once again.
"You were the catalyst, but it's Nagi's fault," Amu replied coldly, lifting her gaze to look around at the others. "Don't you think he should at least know what happened?"
Ran, Miki, Su, and Yoru all looked down at the ground simultaneously. "We… We can't bring ourselves to say it…"
The pink-haired girl sighed. All of them were broken, as were she and Nagi. But her gaze remained fixed on the lilac-haired man. "Go on, tell him. But make sure it's detailed."
Her stare pained him. He could see no warmth, no love in her eyes. Finally, he sighed and recounted everything, including the cost his magic had incurred.
Tadase's eyes widened, and he stood there, stunned and silent, for several minutes. He could understand why everyone was so traumatized—had he been there, he would have been too.
He looked at Nagi and remained silent for a few more moments. He couldn't explain it, but his gut feeling wanted to dismiss this accusation.
"You lied," he said, his gaze as serious as possible, carefully watching Nagi and internalizing every hint.
"What are you talking about?" Nagi deflected, not denying it. First sign. The purple-haired boy swallowed and briefly looked away. Second sign.
"What did I supposedly lie about?" Nagi furrowed his brow and looked back at Tadase.
"You tell me." Tadase shrugged. Of course, he knew exactly what he was implying—after all, it was his gut feeling. Half wasn't enough; that was the lie. After the story, he tried to imagine it all, and that indescribable heat and a fire that challenged even Undine sounded like much stronger magic than what had been depicted.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to make up a lie just because you imagine one exists," Nagi replied defensively, a bit annoyed. Third sign.
"Nagi… admit it…" Tadase's tone was now entirely convinced, so confident that Nagi realized nothing would change his mind.
"Something over half…" the purple-haired boy muttered reluctantly.
"Nagi…"
Nagihiko sighed heavily, mentally preparing himself for another slap. "Three-quarters… I don't know exactly… but somewhere around there…"
The room was filled with silence for a moment, then broken by another sharp sound. She had intentionally aimed for the same side.
The purple-haired boy sighed and couldn't even rub his cheek anymore, as it hurt so much by now. It was permanently red from the impact. "That really hurts…" he muttered, dejected, not daring to look her in the face. The silence returned, the air heavy and oppressive.
"Three-quarters of what? The remaining time or the total?" She looked at him, even though he didn't do the same.
"I don't know…" This time, he wasn't lying.
"You will never use a single spark of magic again," her gaze fell to the ground. Though her voice was cold, her eyes betrayed the broken soul within her.
"I can't promise that," he replied seriously, now looking at her.
"I don't care; then I'll find a way to block your magic."
The purple-haired boy sighed and pursed his lips. He was slightly tempted to conjure a small flame on his finger right now. Even outsiders could see it, as he stared absentmindedly at his raised index finger.
"Do you really want to destroy the last bit of trust I have in you?" her voice was heavy, as was her heart.
"You know, your gaze is so cold and loveless. What's the point of a life where I've lost your love in this way…" he still looked at his finger. One spark wouldn't do anything; it wouldn't kill him, but it would make Amu despise him even more.
Amu sighed in annoyance and turned away from him. "My feelings haven't changed, only I have, after an experience like that…" She sat down again on one of the sofas, leaning her head back with closed eyes. She herself was surprised that her feelings hadn't changed after this incident, but she had already said it: her feelings for both of them went too deep, were too firmly rooted.
"I know almost everyone here is probably traumatized, but I'll start preparing for the next journey as early as possible. I also need to find a way to block magic now," she sighed. That was almost more important than Sylph; still, Sylph was the wiser choice, since she could search through books on the road. If she just sat around here and combed through books, time would pass without her making significant progress in either direction.
"Do you really not trust me anymore?" the purple-haired boy sighed and sat down beside her.
"I trust that the moment I'm in danger, you'll immediately use your magic, whether I want it or not." Their gazes met in another moment of silence. She closed her eyes and lay down in his arms. Right now, she just wanted to calm down, and who knew how often she'd still have the chance to be close to him. A tear forced its way through her eyelids, followed by more, but she made no sound.
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on hers. Of course, Amu was right; he wouldn't hesitate to use his magic if necessary, so he didn't like the idea of a magic blocker at all.
Tadase observed them silently, relieved to sense at least a minimal improvement in the atmosphere. Nonetheless, Amu's inner struggle, which she had openly shared the day before, weighed on him.
How could they ever resolve this mess of emotions? He and Nagi would accept her decision, of course, but when she herself wasn't even sure? When she claimed that she'd never be truly happy? He sighed, leaning back with his eyes closed, trying to enjoy a few moments of peace and clear his mind.
As Nagi and Amu only woke up late in the afternoon, it was already evening. After everyone had eaten, Amu retreated to her room to sleep again. Although her body was hardly lacking rest, her soul certainly was.
Su and Ran had already left, too. Miki, however, looked at Yoru with a troubled expression. "What's wrong?" he reacted cooler than he intended and sighed inwardly. "I can't sleep anyway… Would you like to talk if you're not tired yet?" Yoru inwardly gave a bitter grin. Sleeping only happened in small amounts for him, forced by his body. The dreams were too vivid; he didn't want to see them.
"I'll come with you; then we can talk a bit," he finally replied, hoping he didn't come across as strange. He just wanted to help, to maybe let her fall asleep easier in her own bed. The girl nodded, and for a brief moment, there was a small smile on her face, the first since everything happened. With that, Nagihiko and Tadase were left alone.
"How about you tell me a bit about your time together? Like the inn, for example," he guessed that Nagi probably wouldn't be able to sleep either and wanted to distract him a bit. "You both must have recognized her immediately, after all, we were on the news everywhere as the royal couple."
"I recognized her right away; her eyes are unmistakable. But the guests didn't pay much attention, and she wore a black wig and went by the name Akane," he smiled a little as he remembered the day he saw her for the first time. He immediately sensed something must have gone wrong in her relationship; otherwise, why would the future queen be working among the commoners in disguise?
"Really? When I caught her, she wasn't wearing any wig." Tadase thought back to that night again, but he was sure she had her usual hair, all disheveled, which had first made him doubt her story.
"Well, maybe it fell off during everything, and she forgot it then." The purple-haired man found it difficult to talk about this, unsure of Tadase's reaction to it now.
Tadase just nodded silently. The night that gave life to Aruto.
"Oh, and Amu should definitely not be given any alcohol," Nagi sighed at the memory of that chaotic evening. "Really?" his companion raised his eyebrows. Nagi nodded and began to recount the evening when Amu and Ikuto were terribly drunk, singing and dancing together. How he had to practically hold Amu back, and how both of them had a bit of fun teasing her afterwards.
Tadase sighed. Was that the reason for that one time she had asked him to let it be? Yet he couldn't help but smile a little; despite the chaos and the fact that she had been, in a way, betraying him lightly the entire time, it sounded like it had been a fun and relaxed period for her.
Meanwhile, Amu tossed and turned in her bed until she took a deep breath and sat up. "This is pointless… As soon as I close my eyes, it all repeats…" she muttered in frustration, deciding to get up and go downstairs. Maybe some fresh air would help her. She noticed there was still light on and heard voices. Of course, she immediately recognized Nagi and Tadase, so she decided to listen for a moment.
While Nagi was recounting past times to Tadase, she also found herself smiling here and there, but those times had often been filled with sorrow as well.
"You both could have just respected her engagement, then this whole mess wouldn't have started," he sighed, looking down, admitting to himself that he wasn't particularly fond of the fact that they had knowingly courted an engaged woman.
"If you had treated her well back then, I would have accepted it too. But what was I supposed to do? She was so sad when she was with us at work and flinched at every touch…" Nagihiko's heart grew heavy at the memory. Back then, she had looked so broken, and he had wanted nothing more than to never see that look on her face again. And yet, it appeared more frequently now.
Tadase fell silent. How he wished he could turn back time. He would have treated her lovingly from day one, protecting her with everything in his power.
"It's amazing how much you've changed." The purple-haired paused briefly, and their gazes met. "There was a time when she was willing to give herself up because her love for us was stronger." The blond turned his gaze away, clenching his fists, not out of anger but out of pain. "And today, she can't even take off your ring. She's torn between us, and I just don't know how to help her."
"If only Ikuto were here… But the longer he's gone and the more time she spends with us…" Tadase sighed.
"The harder it gets," he sighed too, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We can't even leave in the hope that she'd be happy again someday because she doesn't want that either… and we've seen what comes of that…" Though he could talk with Tadase somewhat normally, he was as emotionally unstable as the others at the moment.
"We could die…" Tadase's gaze was blank, staring forward.
"Maybe someday, make it look like an accident… But not now. We can't leave her alone with all of this. Ikuto must be by her side first." The mood gradually shifted. How much they loved this girl, so much that they'd even agree to their own end if it would help her find happiness again someday.
Tadase laughed bitterly. "Do you think you can last that long?"
"I hope so…"
"Do you really think that would change anything?" Amu finally stepped out of the shadows and walked slowly toward them until she stood before them, her gaze rather emotionless.
"What else would you do but get over us if we weren't around anymore?" Nagi replied coolly.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be asleep?" The blond's gaze turned to his beloved.
"Even if you both die, I will mourn you forever. I would do anything to never forget this love…" her gaze met Nagihiko's, both cool and empty, but their eyes told much more. She finally took a deep breath and turned to Tadase. "I just can't sleep… I wanted some fresh air and then overheard you. I'm sorry." She paused briefly. "And as for back then… If you count every kiss and hug, I was unfaithful to you a long time ago. But I really tried… I really did…I am sorry" She looked down, ashamed, clenching her fists.
"It's alright," his voice was calm and completely devoid of any resentment. After all, he'd had enough time to come to terms with the situation. Finally, he stood up and left the room for a moment. Nagi and Amu exchanged confused glances, but before Amu could sink further into her guilt, he returned with two bottles of wine. "I don't care if you shouldn't drink. I'm putting you both to bed with this," he shrugged and winked.
"I don't want to be alone..." she didn't want to be alone if she really fell asleep and then woke up from this horrible dream.
"Then we'll just come with you." He handed Nagi the bottles, casually lifted Amu over his shoulder, and pulled Nagi, who resisted a bit, along with him.
Soon, all three of them were on Amu's bed, and Tadase opened the bottles.
"We'll just chat a little, let the wine numb the pain, and maybe even laugh, who knows," he said, smiling confidently at them.
"I really shouldn't drink..." she murmured, but Tadase didn't give her a choice. He took a sip of wine, then kissed her, letting the deep red color linger so that the wine left a trace at the corner of her mouth.
Amu pouted and wiped away the wine, rolling her eyes.
"I told you what happens... Stop it," Nagi chimed in and sighed.
Tadase took a large sip of the wine himself, letting it settle before repeating what he had just done with Amu—this time with Nagi, though it took considerable effort.
Amu swallowed and blushed at the sight since Tadase wasn't doing it half-heartedly.
Nagi blinked a few times in confusion and pushed the blonde away. "Are you crazy?"
"Either you both drink, or I'll keep getting you drunk this way." Tadase ran his tongue over his lips, holding eye contact with Nagi, and, wow, Ikuto was right; his lips were as soft as a woman's.
The lilac-haired one grimaced, reluctantly grabbed one of the bottles, and took a sip. After another swallow, he glanced over at Amu, who still hadn't taken a drink, and decided not to let this chance pass. He kept the wine in his mouth, leaned over Amu, gently pressing her against the headboard with his left hand and holding her neck with his right before his lips met hers, feeding her wine.
She unwillingly swallowed the wine, and Nagi pulled away.
"What is this supposed to be..." she looked at them both judgmentally, but Nagi immediately deflected the blame, shrugging toward Tadase.
Tadase only sighed and remained silent. They could think whatever they wanted; he had no ill intentions. Alcohol would eventually knock them out, forcing them to sleep.
He tried to distract them by sharing a bit about his childhood while continuing to pour drinks. Since they were occupied listening, they didn't even realize how much they were drinking.
"You probably have more beautiful or funny stories, but oh well," he began, sighing. "I never really had a childhood; I always had to study." He looked thoughtful, recalling memories. "But I did have a nanny once who often played with me. It became a routine for me to hide and scare her," he smiled softly at the thought, encouraging them to drink again.
Amu's cheeks were already a bit red, and her cool expression softened. A glance at Nagi showed the same result. They relaxed, and the alcohol placed a temporary veil over their experiences. "I think I even saw that happen sometimes," Amu murmured, then hiccuped unintentionally, making her blush even more.
"Unfortunately, my parents found out eventually and fired her. They considered it a waste of time and wouldn't spend money on it. From that day on, I was alone and had to study daily, fulfilling duties, learning to be a prince..." His eyes grew distant. He had nothing positive in his life; the only thing was Amu, and he had destroyed that himself.
"I actually wanted to be friends with you... I didn't want to be alone... But I was afraid my parents would banish you from the castle, too." His gaze shifted to the window while Nagi and Amu looked at him sadly. He turned back to them, smiling, and handed them both bottles. "Stop looking so sad and drink more." He stuck out his tongue at them, and they followed his lead.
In hindsight, he knew that fear was foolish. His parents would never have removed Amu as a child; after all, they had high hopes for their future children. But he was just a child back then and didn't understand. "Actually, I always found you pretty cute..." he confessed.
Amu hiccuped again before speaking. "So, you just didn't want me to disappear, and that's why you didn't get close to me?" she leaned in, looking deep into his eyes.
"Partly, for a long time. But eventually, as I got older, I got annoyed with being pushed toward a woman, feeling like my whole life was about getting her pregnant..." As soon as his parents deemed him old enough, they started educating him on all sorts of topics about this, practically hammering into him the importance of having children, and sooner rather than later. In reality, this only made him averse to the idea of a family.
Amu continued to look at him briefly, gently ruffling his hair with a soft smile before kissing him and then falling into his lap as her arms lost strength. "You can still do that now," she murmured quietly, hiccupping as she wrapped her arms around him.
Tadase frowned, shaking his head.
"I told you drinking was a bad idea," Nagi, also looking quite drunk, chimed in. "And I see exactly what you're doing; you drink, too," he hiccupped, grinning widely as he brought the bottle closer to the blonde.
"In your condition, you have no chance, give it up." Tadase stuck his tongue out at Nagi, grinning.
"If you resist, I'll use magic!" he slurred heavily.
Amu lightly slapped Tadase's chest and whined. "If you allow that, I won't like you anymore!" she seemed like a pouty child, and the blonde began regretting his decision.
"Alright, fine..." he rolled his eyes and reluctantly took a small sip.
"Tadase, make me a baby, come on," she giggled as she threw her arms around his neck, looking up at him with big eyes. Tadase stared at her in disbelief, seriously questioning her sanity, even if it was under the influence of alcohol.
"Of course, Nagi is left out again," the lilac-haired one slurred in disappointment, taking another sip.
"Nah, you can join in," Amu laughed, pulling Nagi closer.
"Alrighty then," another hiccup from the lilac-haired one.
"It just dawned"—hiccup—"on me"—hiccup—"that I've never seen you drunk, Nagi," she pouted, as he'd now seen her drunk twice. "And him, either!" her gaze fixed on Tadase.
Tadase swallowed, trying to pull away to stand up from the bed. Surely they'd soon get tired, but should he leave them alone? If he did, Amu might go further than she actually wanted. He sighed. He needed to wait until they slept.
"Don't go," she reached out to him.
/You can do this, Tadase, you can resist... you have to resist... stay strong.../ he tried to tell himself. Besides, even if his body craved her, he didn't want to end up in an awkward situation with Nagi.
"I'm here... just keeping some distance..." he smiled hesitantly. "Don't you guys have something to talk about?"
Amu struggled to move across the bed to the edge, wrapping her arms around his waist so that her head rested near his sensitive area. "I know you want to, so why pretend?" She rubbed her head against the hardness and closed her eyes.
"Party pooper," Nagi joined in, clearly influenced by the wine, though he'd normally side with Tadase.
"Talk instead of messing with me..." he rubbed his forehead and sighed. Amu's rubbing was driving him crazy, and he gently pushed her away.
"I have nothing good to share," Nagi shrugged, taking another sip, which he forced Tadase to drink. "If we're drinking, we're all drinking! Be fair!"
"Have you no boundaries..." he said in a complaining tone, wiping his mouth. He took another sip, pressured by their threats.
"A little fairy once whispered to me to be patient, that we were meant for each other and not to give up hope," she smiled softly, her eyes sparkling at the memory. "But that was for the Amu of this world if my soul hadn't taken over hers..." she sighed sadly. "Maybe you two would have ended up happy."
"Thinking about it doesn't change anything; it is what it is." He stroked her head gently.
"Mhm...well then, time for some fun," she pulled him back onto the bed, unfastening his pants with a wide grin. He sighed, gently placing his hand on her cheek for a moment. She was burning up, clearly drunk to her core. No wonder, they had been obediently drinking all along while he tried to keep them occupied in conversation. He pressed his forehead against hers briefly, nodding. It was definitely just the alcohol; she had no fever.
"Was that a yes? Yay," she threw her arms up joyfully and kissed him passionately. He returned the kiss for a moment, then pulled away and refastened his pants.
"Stop being silly, you goof," he tapped her forehead with his finger, smiling gently.
"He's just not drunk enough yet," mumbled the purple-haired one, sitting down next to the two. "I'll hold him!" Said and done, he positioned himself behind Tadase and wrapped his arms around him to hold him still.
"Nagi, stop, you should be on the side of reason with me," Tadase tried to free himself, but even though Nagi was drunk and weaker, he had a strong and advantageous grip on him. "Will you two finally get tired?"
"Tired? I could keep going all night," Amu grinned, looking a little silly, and pressed herself closely against him so that he could clearly feel her breasts, then pressed the bottle to his mouth with one hand. However, he pressed his lips together and didn't let anything in, which ended with his white shirt now stained red. He sighed. He needed to keep his wits about him, as much as possible, because he was starting to feel a little tipsy himself.
Amu grimaced, took a sip herself, and then kissed him, though this too was unsuccessful—unless her goal was to soak his shirt further in wine. "Look, it's all wet. Let me help," she unbuttoned his shirt and let her fingers glide over his skin.
"What about Ikuto?" He wanted to hold her hand and stop her, but unfortunately, Nagi was in the way.
"He's not here... He personally gave me to you anyway... I feel so lost and alone..." She was frustrated, and her hand froze.
"You know why... And we'll figure it out... We're always here for you..." How could she feel alone when she was never actually alone?
"You're close and yet so far... just like now..." She looked at the blonde man, and just as he was about to respond, she seized the chance and shoved the bottle into his mouth, pouring it in. Tadase spat half of it out, however, as the sudden pouring made him choke and he started coughing. Most of it ended up on Amu, since she was right in front of him.
"Sorry!" He tried to dry her off somehow, but Amu just laughed. He sighed and smiled slightly. At least he had managed to make both of them in a good mood. Nagi, who was still sitting behind him and holding him in a hug, leaned his head against the blonde's back while Amu leaned her whole body against his front, hugging his waist. Tadase enjoyed the situation despite its absurdity. Nagi had become a part of his life, a good friend, an understanding soul. And Amu's closeness was self-explanatory.
"Nagi, help out more," and just like that, the brief moment of calm for Tadase was over, and his entire body went into alert mode.
"Yeah, yeah, then move away," he mumbled, shoving Amu to the side and pinning Tadase's back to the bed with a jolt. "Nagi, I really like you now, but not *that* much," Tadase grinned and raised an eyebrow, staring into the lilac-haired one's eyes.
"But Amu wants...," his face was somewhat expressionless, overwhelmed by the alcohol. "Besides, you're kind of cute," he grinned mischievously and kissed Tadase's neck. Tadase squirmed uncomfortably under the lilac-haired one, but it wasn't just Nagi who was supporting his full weight on his arms, Amu also kept his arms pinned down, and he didn't want to hurt him by starting to kick wildly.
"Say, Nagi, have there ever been moments when it didn't come from her?" The lilac-haired one raised his head and thought. "Well... aside from my mistakes, of course..." He added that quickly before he had to hear any accusations. But even for him, back then, when it wasn't his fault, it came from her. He would never have made the first move.
"Well, the first time with Ikuto, he held out for a while but then gave in..." He hiccupped, trying to focus his foggy brain. "With me, she got the wrong idea and somehow made me give in, and even after that, she wanted..."
Tadase raised an eyebrow and looked at Amu. "You're really needy, huh?" He was just trying to buy some time.
"Yes, so do it now!" she pouted, and her voice sounded cute and whiny. She was too drunk to process Tadase's comment and her confirmation. She didn't understand this prudish behavior anyway. If people loved each other, it was natural, so why did only she have the desire, and the men would just graciously go along with it? She crossed her arms and pouted. Tadase took the opportunity to free himself from Nagi.
In contrast to the two of them, the alcohol was slowly making him tired, and he yawned.
"You can't sleep!" she whined like a little child, which only made it harder for Tadase to imagine going along with it.
Nagi, on the other hand, gathered all his strength again and pressed him back onto the bed. "Amu!" He threw her a glance, and she nodded, shoving the bottle into the blonde's mouth again, this time without nearly choking him.
Once the bottle was empty, she reached for the next one, but Tadase freed himself again and sat up with his back against the headboard, pulling his legs up and hiding his head behind his knees. "Please stop..." His voice was quiet and a little sad. Why did he have to be the only one trying to stay rational?
Was this a punishment for his past mistakes? He just wanted to help, so why did he have to be in this situation now? He wanted Amu so badly. It was pulsing more down there, and it was hard to fight it, especially when she touched him. At the same time, the whole situation was absurd; he didn't want to share these moments with a third person or even watch her do it with someone else.
"Tadase... Don't be sad... Okay..?" She knelt before him and gently nudged his knees. "My mind feels so free and empty again for the first time in a long time, it's so nice." She smiled joyfully, happy and grateful for the moment.
He looked at her, desperate and confused. Why couldn't the alcohol finally knock both of them out or at least affect him more strongly? Then it wouldn't be in his hands anymore. Why could he endure so much? He sighed. Right. His parents, who had preferred to give him wine instead of water since he was a child, because a king must drink at every feast but still stay conscious.
While he looked at her, she fought her way between his legs and leaned back against his chest. "Why are you resisting so much, don't you like me?" Her hand rested lower and slowly moved up and down. "But it doesn't seem like you don't like me..." she referred to what she felt with her hand.
"because that isn't what it is..." He put an arm around her and tried to block out the touch as best as he could.
"But then... Why?"
"Because you'll regret it tomorrow," he glanced at Nagi briefly. "And it's generally an uncomfortable situation... With three of us..." The blonde sighed when he received an offended look from Nagi. He would think the same way if he was sober.
"You both always dance around in front of me but I can never have you, that's not fair... I just want to have a nice time with those I love..." She continued whining into his chest.
"There's still someone you're probably trying to suppress right now, idiot. Someone you've chosen. You're playing with my feelings." He looked down briefly, then at Nagi again. "And with his, even though he's not noticing it right now."
"I haven't forgotten Ikuto, I could never, but he would want me to be happy." The slurring was back, and she straightened up briefly to look at him and tapped her finger against his chest. "I'm not playing. You're playing! I'm true to my feelings and behave accordingly, but you..." She twirled her finger in front of his nose and then landed on it. "You reject me even though you supposedly love me." A hiccup escaped her mouth again.
"That's not fair, Amu..." The way she put it hurt him. Still, the alcohol bothered him more, because he could slowly feel its effect. Even though it mostly seemed to make him much more tired than the others, he could feel a veil slowly covering his reason. He sighed and pulled both of them into one arm. "Sleep..." He hoped he could somehow give them comfort and make them more tired through warmth and closeness. For a moment, it seemed to work, as they both leaned their heads against his chest and stayed quiet. He still found it strange with Nagi, but they were, at least in his view, friends, so what was a few hugs?
To his disappointment, Amu didn't stay quiet for long and continued to try pushing him past his limits. While her hand continued gentle strokes, she kissed his neck softly. Meanwhile, Nagi kissed the other side of his neck, which, to his relief, at least partially countered Amu's attempts and eventually made him laugh. He would be able to tease him about this forever. "You're ruining Amu's efforts," he teased him loudly. Even though it was only partially true, because even though he had no interest in men, the touches on his skin still triggered a tension, especially with Nagi's soft lips that resembled those of a woman.
He sighed and pushed both of them away from him. "You're exhausting."
"And you're red." Amu grinned and poked his cheek.
"Definitely not because of you."
But the alcohol is starting to take effect" she continued to grin at him.
"Still won't do you any good" he shrugged his shoulders.
The girl sighed and went back to working on him while nagi prevented him from pushing her away. Tadase bit his lip as his breathing quickened against his will and he fought the twitching in his hips. "You know what this is right now, don't you? "
"Then we're even" she mumbled slurring her words as she lowered her head.
"I see..." he was still against it and didn't feel it was right especially since it only happened because they were both drunk, but if amu felt that way it would only be fair if she did it to him against his will like he used to do to her.
She had unzipped his pants again and kissed him gently. "I forgave you a long time ago. I won't do it if you're so against it, but that doesn't mean I'll give up so easily" she looked at him and seemed rational for a moment.
"You should, though. It would only be fair... " he replied and averted his eyes. He was no longer resisting, trapped in the past that would haunt him forever.
Amu sighed and settled on his member, drawing in a sharp breath as she felt him and taking his face in her hands so that he was now looking at her. "Come on, join me" she smiled softly. "Otherwise, I'm going back down. I have no ill will towards you."
"I wish it was like that... Why do you forgive me so easily?" he bit his lip again and tried to block out the feeling of his member.
Amu made slight gyrating movements with her hips as she continued to look at him. Still red-faced from the alcohol.
"Are you sure you don't want to?" she pulled her mouth away. "I wasn't serious... We don't have to be even, there's nothing to be even about. I love you." She stroked his cheek gently. In the meantime, she tensed her pelvis every time she felt him twitch inside her and grinned cheekily.
Nagi no longer wanted to just sit by and let go of Tadase to position himself behind Amu and remove her dress before kissing her back. Amu, on the other hand, took another sip of wine and kissed Tadase, who allowed it. She repeated this with several sips until he finally got involved and joined in. He didn't lose his clear vision and mind though, he just gave in to her.
The next morning, amu woke up with a slight headache, but remembered her dream from last night in which she found herself between Tadase and nagi, both deep inside her. She turned bright red and wanted to pull the blanket over her head, but realized that her arms were heavy and looked down at herself. The sight she saw made her even redder and her face terribly hot. She swallowed nervously.
Tadase was lying on her chest on one side and nagi on her stomach on the other. Her own arms were against her body and therefore under the bodies of the men. The situation alone would have made her terribly nervous, but on top of that, they were all naked. /This is still a dream amu, this didn't really happen/ she tried to tell herself as she wracked her brain trying to remember last night. /Alcohol... Tadase got nagi and me drunk... / she continued to ponder. As individual images of how she had forced herself on Tadase fluttered through her mind, she blushed again. /I behaved impossibly... How embarrassing... / she shook her head. More important was just waking up from this obvious dream. /You just need to wake up and not remember anything to confirm that nothing happened... /
She sighed. As if that would work when alcohol was involved. The two of them looked so peaceful and unconcerned at that moment that a soft smile crossed her lips.
/Wake up amu, come on... / she couldn't even pinch herself because her arms were covered.
Amu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down while still being red as a tomato. Her thoughts were racing, and she didn't know if she wanted to feel embarrassed or enjoy the gentle closeness of the two men. Finally she closed her eyes and put all her courage together.
Slowly, she moved her arms, which were under the bodies of the two men, trying to free herself without waking them. But as she slightly turned to the side, she felt Tadase stir and quietly murmur before cuddling even deeper into her chest. Her heart pounded, and she barely dared to breathe as Nagi moved slightly on her stomach and gently slid a hand over her hip.
A small thought crossed her mind /Was this really just a dream?/ She felt so uncertain, and the warmth of the two felt so real. But was it possible that all three of them had truly woken up like this together?
Nagihiko made a few sounds before slowly opening his eyes. "My head..." His voice sounded plaintive, and he pressed his hand to his forehead as he became more awake and noticed that Tadase was lying almost opposite him, without any clothes. He furrowed his brow and propped himself up, realizing that he had been lying on top of Amu, who was also scantily clad. He blinked at her, confused. "Why...?"
Amu blinked back in confusion. /Was it a dream after all?!/ A mix of relief and disappointment washed over her. "I don't know... I just know he got us drunk... hence the headache..." Both of them looked at Tadase, who was still asleep, cuddling even closer to Amu. She smiled and gently ran her now-free hand over his head. "He looks so carefree... that's rare." At that moment, she was still free from the terrible events and enjoyed the moment.
"I'd still like to know why we're naked..." He looked around for his clothes, but they were out of reach, and he didn't want to wake Tadase.
"If he doesn't know, then we probably won't find out." She didn't want to mention her strange dream, but just the thought of it made her blush again. Nagi watched her and frowned. She knew something. He concentrated and tried to recall his own memories. He rolled his eyes at the alcohol part; he had explicitly told Tadase not to let them drink. He could piece together some images that suggested Amu had pressured Tadase, but he had resisted the whole time. There was nothing more to it. With that info, nothing could have happened, right?
"Alcohol heats up, maybe we were just warm... And the inhibitions drop too... Maybe we didn't care about the clothes..." He shared his theory and also looked at the still-sleeping Tadase.
Several minutes passed, and Tadase still didn't wake up. Nagi teased Amu by glancing at her breasts, making her cover them with her right hand and shoot him a sharp look. "Did you forget the time in the castle? I know everything anyway." He stuck out his tongue at her, grinning. He didn't actually have the urge to stare at her breasts; that wasn't his style. He only did it to annoy her.
"You guys are loud..." Tadase murmured as he opened his eyes, kissed Amu's breasts gently, and then let his head sink back down onto her. The pink-haired girl immediately turned bright red again. Somehow, she just couldn't get used to it, and it made her nervous or embarrassed every time.
"Don't you have a headache?" Nagi tilted his head and scrutinized him.
"True, that was the first thing we both said," Amu nodded enthusiastically.
"Nope, I can handle more than you guys." He still showed no signs of moving away from her. After last night, nothing could get more absurd.
"That... means you remember everything from yesterday?" She spoke hesitantly.
"Do you want me to remember?" He yawned and looked up at her from below.
She fell silent and turned even redder, avoiding his gaze.
"Don't leave us in suspense," the purple-haired one chimed in, pushing Tadase's head down a bit while teasingly ruffling his hair.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Tadase said sarcastically.
Amu took a deep breath, even redder than before. "So it wasn't a dream..."
"All together," the blonde sighed.
"Did we really... all three of us... at the same time..."The shock was evident on his face.
"Yes." Tadase was brief. At some point, he just couldn't resist anymore and decided to accept it.
"She really wanted it and didn't give up... and even you started kissing me..."
Nagi blinked at him in disbelief and blushed. "You're obviously lying."
"No. Look for yourself." The marks on his skin were bigger on the right side than on the left.
The purple-haired one was completely overwhelmed by the situation. Although he had talked about such a scenario with Ikuto before, he never thought it would actually happen, let alone that he would end up with giving another man kissing marks.
"You held me down while she forced more wine into me... or... did other... things..." he sighed. Being so helpless hadn't felt good.
"You clearly weren't drunk enough. Why did you let it happen?" His orange eyes were now fixed on Tadase, showing a hint of blame.
"You both really wanted it. Especially her. I'm just human, do you really think, after she... " He paused for a moment, embarrassed. "...sat on me while you held me down, so I couldn't escape, that I could resist much longer? And even though I didn't drink myself into blackout like you did, I wasn't sober either..." He took a deep breath and finally sat up. "It is what it is."
Nagi grimaced and sighed. "But we... did...we.. "
"Of course not... but... never mind..." He shook his head, not wanting to speak it out loud.
"What do you mean, 'never mind'? Either we did or we didn't..." Nagi shuddered at the thought.
"Well... from that one image I have in my head, I can imagine what he means..." Amu muttered, feeling embarrassed but not saying it aloud.
"Come on, just say it..."
"My god, Nagi... she wanted both of us... So there were moments when one of us was on either side... and I could feel yours..." It was uncomfortable for him to say, the whole situation felt awkward and embarrassing. "But we didn't do anything together, except for your kisses."
Nagi also turned red and silently looked down. He took a deep breath and looked at Amu. "I hope you're at least satisfied."
"If I could remember..." she pouted a little, as it did intrigue her to know what it's like to be with two men at once.
"Well, how about another round?" Tadase grinned mischievously with a teasing tone.
"Since when are you the confident and teasing one?" Nagi raised an eyebrow. That was more his style, and Tadase was usually more uncertain.
"Since you had a complete blackout and you both pressured me for hours," he shrugged. "Besides, if we doubt too much, Madame here breaks down," he poked Amu's nose with his finger. "She would keep shaking her head and doubting the whole thing, even though she was so sure yesterday," he sighed. Internally, he was just as embarrassed as the two of them, probably even more so. He had been worried that Amu would break into doubts and regret, and that the next drama was already on its way.
"I'm not doubting anything..." The situation felt strange, and she actually wanted to pull herself together and create some distance but she still didn't regret it.
"Ah, round two then, yeah?" Tadase grinned again.
"Go ahead," she teased back.
"Sorry, but I don't think Nagi's ready for that," he held her chin and kept grinning.
"Oh, so you're talking big and then shifting it to me," the purple-haired one sneered with crossed arms.
Amu laughed and pulled both of them into an embrace. The men blinked, both surprised, but then each put an arm around her.
"I'd like some clothes..." Nagi mumbled through her chest, prompting her to release them both and step away from Nagi.
"You're just afraid you can't keep up," his voice was teasing, and his red eyes confident.
Nagi blinked, irritated, and swallowed. "Nonsense... Stop boasting," he rolled his eyes. "Who says you're the one delivering?" He crossed his arms.
Tadase looked into Amu's eyes. She definitely couldn't hide her curiosity, and with a roll of his eyes and a sigh, he started kissing her. After last night, nothing was really embarrassing anymore.
Amu felt something building up at her leg from Tadase's direction, and she turned red. "Are you serious?"
"I can see it on you..." The former prince finally turned a little red, and even his voice showed a hint of nervousness. "But you have to convince the coward over there if you really want to know what it was like." His finger pointed at Nagihiko, who raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He just wanted to blame it on him, but he surely wouldn't accept that.
"I can also tell you that I've never seen you in such ecstasy. Your body trembled so many times, and I had to keep your mouth shut often. Maybe that's enough for you, little mouse." He whispered it into her ear, making her feel his hot breath.
"Behind your big talk, are there actually any actions?" Nagi crossed his arms behind his head. He wasn't going to be cornered any further and slowly regained his confidence.
"Well, Amu?" Both of their gazes were on her, and she hid her bright red face behind her hands.
"Memory refresh?" Nagi grinned as well.
Eventually, Amu kissed Tadase first, then Nagi, allowing it to happen again fully aware.
After a few hours, they were all lying on the bed, breathing heavily. Amu's breath and body didn't seem to want to calm down at all. Her legs felt like jelly, and she had never felt anything this intense.
"So, that's what you meant by 'you've felt mine'..." Nagi sighed, embarrassed. While they had been inside her, they rubbed against each other. Only thin skin separated them.
"Mhm... I'm still just as unhappy about it as I was yesterday." Tadase breathed deeply, then laughed a little, which Nagi mirrored.
"I hope the little lady is satisfied now and doesn't ask for this regularly."
Amu turned red. She still couldn't believe she'd really done that, twice even, and once while fully aware. But it had felt indescribably good.
"It feels good to just let go sometimes... to be relaxed." She sat up. Tadase followed her and pulled her close, her bare back against his chest. He kissed her neck gently.
"My decision with Ikuto still stands, but I've also realized that as long as he's not here and we're this close every day, I can't and won't keep my distance from you two..." She enjoyed Tadase's caresses.
Nagi also sat up again and held her hand.
"I know, it's selfish... And I'm sorry."
"Well, at least we get to have you a little longer," his voice whispered softly in her ear from behind. "By the way, Tadase, are you really staying like this?" she wondered
The blonde narrowed his eyes. "Definitely not, this excess of confidence and teasing is more his thing." He glanced at Nagi and grinned. "You have no idea how hard this is for me, but one of us had to keep a cool head, especially since I'm the only one with memories."
"Shame, I was just starting to enjoy countering you," Nagi laughed.
Tadase made a grimace and stuck his tongue out at him, before turning Amu to face him and gazing gently into her eyes. "We know you'll go back to him in the end, don't worry about it. But until then, we're here for you. And even after, of course. But as long as you know what you want and can make peace with it, at least I won't stand in your way. If you want to kiss me despite your decision, then do it. If not, then don't. But I want that you yourself are certain. I don't want to see you in regret and sadness." he gently kissed her forehead.
"I do feel a bit guilty because of him... But these moments with you make the whole situation just a bit easier... I could even push aside that traumatic experience and the fact..." She sobbed, as she spoke about it for the first time, while her feelings from the event hadn't completely frozen. "The fact that Nagi might not be with us much longer, for a short time at least." Tadase held her tightly against his chest and threw a reproachful glance at Nagi.
The purple haired one sighed and turned his gaze away as he reached for his clothes. Unfortunately, he couldn't say anything against it.
"Besides..." She tried to calm herself again. "You two make me forget about it with your... blind acceptance, but my behavior towards you isn't fair either. This back-and-forth..."
"There's no real back-and-forth. You love three people. That's a fact. In the end, you'll only be with Ikuto, that's a fact. But what do you think is better for us... Or for me, since I can't speak for Nagi? Do you want me to be close to you as long as I can, or should I stay completely distant already? My feelings won't change, no matter what."
"True," Nagi confirmed that he felt the same.
"That's nonsense. Surely they'll change eventually if enough time and distance pass." her golden eyes, which he loved so much, gazed deeply into his.
"As long as I'm part of your life, that won't change." He nudged her nose with his and smiled.
"But it might be better if—" She couldn't finish the sentence, as the blonde pressed his lips to hers, deliberately interrupting her. She slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You're not starting again, are you?" The lavender-haired one raised an eyebrow and pulled his shirt over his head, now fully clothed again.
Amu wanted to break the kiss, but Tadase held her head and kept her in the position for a moment longer, smiling into the kiss. Finally, he pulled away and got dressed as well. He couldn't resist teasing Nagi one more time. "Jealous of my stamina?" He winked cheekily at him.
"Pfft. Who says I couldn't keep going?" Nagi laughed and finally tossed Amu her clothes. "We should start with the training today." The mood quickly shifted, as this was where the scene from two weeks ago had started, bringing bitter memories to the forefront.