A/N:

Hi yall, so this will have a trigger warning in one part! I will have the warning set up like this: [TRIGGER:

TRIGGER END]

The warning is for those who are a bit sensitive to violence, and mentions of assault and r**pe, so if it makes you uncomfortable you can skip that part.

Aya plopped down on her seat, dramatically, sighing as Cyril watched in amusement. In a moment, the barista came over with their drinks. "What's with you?" Cyril quipped, noting her stressed out look.

"Life." Aya stressed, sighing yet again. She looked over at her, and instantly became annoyed. "It's exams coming up soon, and why do you look so calm?" She said, zealous.

"What are you on about, Aya?" Cyril asked, sipping her matcha latte.

"You look happy."

"I'm going to a cat café later today." Sip.

Aya raised a brow. "By yourself?" Her brow raised even further when Cyril shook her head without providing further explanation. "It's that hunk of a swimmer, isn't it?! The one from the party?!" She gushed, covering her mouth in excitement. Suddenly, her foul mood was gone at the prospect of gossip. "Omfg, it's your first date girl, and you're wearing that?!" The blonde pointed to her outfit.

Cyril looked down at her dark grey turtleneck and corduroy blue overalls. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Pssssh." Aya scoffed. "Besides everything? It looks like you live in a library?"

"I'm going to a cat café to pet cats and potentially get scratched, and climbed on, not to look cute. I'm dressed comfy." Cyril stated. Aya rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Yes, you're dressed like a future cat lady alright. We are going shopping after this, ASAP."

It was Cyril's turn to sigh.

…

Cyril hated shopping with Aya. After many trips around a nearby mall, and trying out endless outfits, Aya compromised with her on an outfit she agreed to wear that wasn't either outright too girly, or skimpy as hell. Cyril was now clad in a thigh length black leather combat boots with leggings, a white cable knit halter sweater with open shouldered long sleeves. The sweater was open back, tying down towards her waist in a black satin ribbon bow. Aya had let her long raven hair, which was usual either in two long braids, out, so it was wavy, and slightly rustled. Makeup free of course. There was no way Aya was getting anywhere near her with that shit.

"I'm gunna have to tell Seijuuro to meet me here since your little impromptu makeover shit put me behind schedule." Aya's eyes sparkled, clasping her hands together.

"I get to meet the swimmer hunk?!" She yelled, whooping.

"You've met him before, your boyfriends on the same team." Cyril said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but not formally!" Aya stuck out her tongue. "And Tooru isn't my boyfriend, fyi. We're not even dating yet!"

"If you say so. You have a picture of you two as a screensaver on your phone." Cyril dialed his number. After a short ring, he picked up. "Hey, Sei-kun?"

"Hey! What's your ETA?"

"Actually, can you meet me over at the coffee place? I lost track of the time and I don't think we'd make it to take the bullet train if I were to stop by you place first before we headed out. The café is right by the station. I'm sorry about that." She apologized.

"Oh, that's okay! Alright, I'm already ready, so I'll probs be there in like 20 minutes or so."

"Sorry about that again."

"No worries, it's all good! I'll see you in a bit!"

"Okay. Bye."

"Aw."

Cyril glared at Aya.

"What? He seems nice." The blonde commented.

"I guess. But everyone is at first when they first get to know someone. Or when they want something, but that's not what I mean."

"Huh?"

"No, I mean who's Tooru?"

Aya's eyes bugged out, and she laughed nervously. "Oh! Hahaha, did I say that?!"

Cyril glared. "Who's Tooru? What happened to Ben? And it sounds like this new guy is on the same swim team?"

Aya bit her lip. "Ben and I had a fight."

Cyril scoffed. "You guys have one like every week. What's so different this time?"

"…" Aya looked uncomfortable. Cyril's harsh look eased up, not used to seeing her usual chirp friend so down.

"Aya?"

"… Ben broke up with me."

"He WHAT."

"Well, unofficially? I caught him, cheating…"

Cyril slammed her palms on the table, fuming. "That little son of a bitch…"

"Sooo, I moved back with my big bro and my older cousin in the meantime until I can find a new place-"

"-He kicked you out of the apartment?!" Cyril nearly shrieked. "Your name is on the lease, Aya!"

Aya shrugged. "I know, but I couldn't stand sleeping in the same room as him, let alone see his stupid face every day after that, so it was for the better you know? And it's really okay? He didn't kick me out. I'm fine, my big brother beat the living shit out of him already, and my cousin- you know, the hot lawyer one who I still kinda think has a thing for you- is going through the paperwork to have my share of the apartment. I'm going to transfer the lease to him as long as he pays me for this year's rent up front, and with that money, I'll use it for a deposit for my next apartment. He already paid half of it, since you know how good his swimming scholarship is."

Cyril grabbed her friend's hand. "Why didn't you tell me sooner, Aya?"

The blonde shook her head. "I know you would offer to pay for it, or something stupid like that. Plus, I didn't want you to worry about little old me." Cyril frowned.

"Of course I'm going to worry about you, stupid. You're like a sister to me." Aya hugged her.

…

Seijuuro glanced around the café, looking for the cute little raven. He spotted her immediately, shit eating grin as he strode towards her. "Siri-chan." He said, leaning down to give her a quick peck on the cheek, taking a seat beside her and slinging and arm over her shoulder. Aya watched bemused.

"Aya, this is Seijuuro. Seijuuro, this is my best friend and sometimes pain in my ass, Aya."

"Nice to meet you!" She shook his hand.

"Wait a sec, you're the girl Tooru-chan has a picture of under his swim cap!" Seijuuro exclaimed, pointing. Cyril and Aya blinked, looking at each other with wide eyes. Aya's cheeks bloomed pink, as she smiled.

"He keeps a picture of me under his swim cap?" Aya muttered, holding her cheeks.

Realizing his slip up, Seijuuro laughed it off, scratching his nose, he peered over to Cyril, who just shrugged, also not knowing what to do in this situation. Aya looked at Seijuuro expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"Uhh, well, I uh, thought you guys were a couple, hahaha. We'd give him hell for it, I guess we were wrong, oops."

"Aya keeps a picture of them making stupid faces as a screensaver on her phone." Cyril blurted out to Seijuuro. "He's the guy with really spiky black hair and gold eyes right? With the scar?"

"Uh, bestieeee?!" Aya whined, embarrassed. Cyril ignored her. It was time to play wing-man, err, wing-woman.

"Oh." Seijuuro said, looking down at her. "Yeah, that's him. He's my cousin, actually." He didn't get the hint. Cyril sighed.

"Maybe you can ask him if he likes her?"

"Oh!" Seijuuro said. "I mean, the guy carries her picture in his swim cap during tournaments. I don't know if you guys know about swimming superstition, but that's about as romantic as hell for us swimmers. It's kind of a big deal. Like saying you're his good luck."

"Oh." Cyril said, looking back to Aya. Guess she didn't have to wing-woman this after all. "Why aren't you guys a couple yet?"

Aya didn't look sure of it herself. "Well, he never asked to go steady."

At this, Seijuuro snorted. "Well, if that's what you're waiting for, you'd have to wait for the polar ice caps to melt faster, because he wouldn't do that."

"Why wouldn't he?" Cyril retorted, crossing her arms.

"Because, Tooru-chan is romantically retarded." Aya burst out into giggles.

"Oh! So, he's like somebody over here that we won't name, then!" Cyril narrowed her eyes.

"…" She mentally flipped her friend off. "Well, we should get going soon."

"Aww, already?"

"We have to catch the bullet train to Tokyo."

Aya snickered, but got quiet when Cyril shot her a look, not saying anything.

"I'll talk to you later, Aya."

"Alright, have fun on your date, you two!" Cyril tensed, looking back to glare and the cheery blonde. Aya winked. Watching their exchange, Seijuuro only laughed heartily at their display, taking her small hand into his large one and leading her towards the station…

The moment they entered the cat café, Cyril let out a noise Seijuuro hadn't known the girl had been capable of doing. She had gone on full blown girl mode, immediately crouching down to the nearest cat that had decided to approach them to say hello for a butt rub. Seijuuro thought it was cuteness overload how she interacted with the cats, even when they had gone to sit down and order their food, the little felines seem to follow her.

"Do you know what you're going to order?" She asked him, not looking up from the menu.

Seijuuro blinked, smiling as he admired the way the lighting here made her look extra cute. A cat perched itself on her shoulder. "Hahaha. Everything here is cat themed. It's so cute, I don't know what to get."

Cyril looked at him briefly, before petting the cat under the chin. "I usually go for anything matcha flavored or crueller donuts. Even French macaroons. But I think I'mma try their iced mocha-cat-to latte, and tiramisu calico pudding. Or maybe their Sakura kitty cheesecake?"

"Do you drink coffee?" Seijuuro asked, remembering the face she made when he had offered her a cup once.

"No."

"So maybe not the mocha-cat-to and tiramisu, since it probably has a lot of coffee?"

"Oh, you're right. I think I'mma go with the iced chai catte latte, and Sakura cheesecake. How about you?"

Seijuuro scanned the menu. "I think I'm going with the pancakes medley and the mocha-cat-to." Cyril nodded, calling over the waitress dressed in a cute maid outfit with cat ears.

"Hi, are you guys ready to order?"

"Yeah, he's gunna have the pancakes medley with the mocha-cat-to latte- wait do you want it iced or hot?"

"Hot, is fine."

The waitress nodded, jotting it down. "And I'm gunna have the iced chai catte latte and Sakura cheesecake."

"Alright I'll be back with you in a moment." She bowed.

Seijuuro leaned his head on his palm, grinning at Cyril suddenly.

"What?" She blinked, looking at him. The cat was still perched on her shoulders.

"I was just imagining how you'd look like in a cat maid outfit, is all." Cyril stared, not having expected that. She couldn't believe the red head had the audacity to say something like that out loud! Well, it wasn't like the café was crowded, but still!

"Why are you imagining me in a maid outfit?" She said. Giving him a weird look. Seijuuro only laughed at her judgmental stare, finding it cute.

"Just the atmosphere. I was inspired." His grin widened. Cyril rolled her eyes at his answer. "I think you'd look rather nice in it."

"Excuse me?" She raised a brow, holding two fingers over the cat's ears. "There are children present?" Seijuuro chuckled.

The atmosphere between them was cam and chill, something Cyril had not expected and was honestly surprised about. Was this how a first date was like? Since she had never been in one- let alone a stable, normal relationship- it was strange. She almost felt, well- normal. The cat was now taking a nap on her lap as she ate, and she stole glances at Seijuuro as he ate, and interacted with a little kitty that was going in between his feet under the table. He looked really happy, smiling, and laughing. His gold eyes met hers.

"Do you want to order more?" he asked. Cyril shook her head. Although she did want to try that cheesecake again, she just couldn't. Not when her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

"I'm full." She had managed to say, absent mindedly, fluffing the kitty's fur on her lap. "We should head back."

Seijuuro's smile dropped a bit at this, but he leaned a bit, propping an elbow on the table. "So soon? I was thinking of walking around a park and getting a couple of beers with you. I kinda wanted to have the whole afternoon." He admitted.

'How can he just say stuff like that..?' she thought, before she started digging in her bag for her card.

"Nuhuh." Seijuuro's voice made her pause. She looked up at him, seeing a stern look on his usual easy going face. "I'm paying."

"We should just split it-"

"Nope." Seijuuro said. Cyril pouted, although for some strange reason, she listened to him, and put her wallet away.

"Okay."

A light dust of pink graced her cheeks as she looked anywhere but him.

8

Cyril woke up groggily, snuggling her face closer to the warmness that currently invaded her space... She opened an eye, seeing Seijuuro's wide, hard bare chest pressed against her face. She felt squished, but it wasn't suffocating. Actually, it felt rather nice. Cyril almost scoffed.

She snuggled closer, pressing her ear against his chest as she settled to go back to sleep, wrapping her arms around his waist. Seeking more warmth, she hooked her hand under the hem of his boxers. She was wearing one of his shirts and nothing under, so she felt rather cold despite the quilted comforter over them.

"Mornin." Sei's voice drawled out, groggy and scratchy.

Cyril peeked up at him. "Did I wake you up?"

"No. Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. "Go back to sleep then."

Sei laughed softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Good, because I'd like to return to that dream I had of you in a cat maid outfit."

Cyril hit him on the shoulder, getting up from the bed. Seijuuro whistled at the view, pulling her back. "Don't go, cat girl."

Cyril rolled her eyes, leaning away from his face. "Don't tell me that's a secret kink of yours."

"What, cat girls?" Seijuuro quipped, hugging her waist and leaning his head on her lap. "Not until you showed up! Hehe." Cyril shook her head, looking down at him.

"Careful, or this supposed cat girl will claw your face to ribbons."

Seijuuro raised a brow, amused. "Siri-chan, didn't you know cats only do that to things they like?" he countered back smoothly, watching her go for a comeback, but couldn't answer him. His grin grew when she just huffed at him, rolling her eyes. Instead, she opted to poke his nose, rather harshly. Seijuuro chuckled, sitting up. "What a mean cat girl!" He joked, lifting her up to have her straddling him. In that position, only the thin fabric of Sei's boxers was the only from making it totally raunchy. Cyril raised a brow.

"What are you doing?" She questioned. She could see a playful, yet mischievous glint in his golden eyes.

Sei's hand trailed up her thighs and she realized his intentions. She gave him a 'are you serious look', yet she didn't move. She was determined to show him it didn't have an effect on her.

"Nothing." Seijuuro said, kissing her neck. It tickled, but she refused to show it, merely looking at him. "What's wrong, cat girl?"

"Stop calling me that." She retorted back, pushing her index finger on his forehead. Suddenly, she tensed, her face blooming pink. She looked at him, an accusatory glare as he only smirked in response…

… His own index finger had pushed somewhere else…

…

After several minutes, Cyril emerged red faced and disheveled, with a grinning Seijuuro in tow. "What do you want for breakfast, Siri-chan?" He asked her, heading towards the fridge.

"… Ramen." She mumbled, glaring at him through her red cheeks. Seijuuro looked over at her.

"You want ramen this early?" He blinked, until he slowly started to grin, realizing something. "Well, they do say ramen is the best pick me up to eat after sex."

Cyril only flipped him the bird, heading towards the showers.

Aya groaned, fumbling through the horde of her comforters as she stumbled to get to her door to see who the hell was ringing at so early in the morning. "Ugh, hold your horses, I'm coming!" She yelled, rubbing her eyes. Yawning, she unlocked the door, opening it. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Ben looking down at her, a furious look in his normally calm baby blue eyes.

"Ben..?" She asked, perplexed to see him here, although inwardly, she was beginning to panic. Her older brother wasn't home, and her cousin had just left for work. She was home alone. And by the looks of it, Ben looked pissed. Regathering her composure, Aya did her best impersonation of Cyril she could muster. "Ben, what the hell are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." Ben said gruffly, pushing the door open and making his way inside. Aya nearly squeaked. He was never this rough with her, even when they had their little couples' spats. What in the world was going on?

She took a step back from him, unsure of what the hell was going on. "Talk about what?"

Ben looked down at her, scowling. "About your little fuckboy, Tooru." The color drained from her face. Aya couldn't move from her spot, even as Ben approached her closer. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? Gee, how quick did you move on already, Aya."

His words seemed to bring back the fire in her, because she suddenly stomped her foot down, startling him a bit. "Don't you dare come with that bullSHIT, Ben! YOU, cheated, not me! We're not together anymore, and I have all the right to move on to someone who actually values me as a person!" Ben's face contorted into rage, he turned, knocking everything down that was on the coffee table near them, making Aya shriek in terror. Glass shattered everywhere. He kicked the coffee table over, knocking it into the tv.

"Who's to say you weren't already fucking him while you were with me, hm?! Do you know how much I did for you?! And you go around and get with one of my teammates?!"

"First of all, I never ONCE, cheated on you- and surprise, Bethany wasn't the only girl I know about!" Aya blurted. Ben's eyes widened, before he smirked, rubbing his temple.

"Aight, so you caught me, I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear..?"

"No!"

"No?"

"I want you to get out of my life and leave me alone, Ben." Aya said out flatly, cold and stern. "It's over. What we had, you ruined."

Ben shook with anger, seething. "NO." he stalked towards Aya, who screamed, running away towards the bathroom to look herself in there. "AYA, GET THE HELL BACK HERE!"

Aya had managed to lock the bathroom door in time as Ben put all his weight against it, slamming hard into the door. She shrieked every time he did, crouching down unto the floor. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" She mumbled, remembering her cellphone was charging on her bedstand. Standing on the tub, she opened the bathroom window, struggling to crawl over. She lived on the third floor, which wasn't enough to kill her if she fell, but the bathroom was adjacent to her room. She remembered Cyril mentioning once she could crawl her room from the outside if she ever got stuck in her bathroom for some reason, as the building ledger was wide enough to stand on. She thanked Cyril for the off hand comment and being part of the Yakuza. Had she not, she wouldn't have been able to help in this sort of situation off-handedly. Managing to slip out the window, she held on for dear life, shaking as she eased her grip. She started to move towards her bedroom window, inching closer and closer until she managed to crawl over the balcony of her bedroom window, making it inside. Carefully, she swiped her cellphone, hiding under her bed and covering the glow of the light with her hands as she texted. She could still hear Ben banging against the bathroom door. Shaking, she waited anxiously for Cyril to reply back.

'C'mon, bestie, please!' Tears welled up in her eyes. Choking back a sob, she decided to text her brother and cousin to call the cops, that Ben had broken in and wanted to hurt her. Thankfully, as her cousin hadn't left long ago, he had immediately responded, and was heading back, calling the cops. Aya let out a sigh, relieved.

… Ben broke through the bathroom door.

'Oh god.' She thought, closing her cellphone shut.

…

Meanwhile, Cyril was enjoying breakfast with Seijuuro when she absentmindedly went through her phone and froze. "Oh my god." She flattered, dropping her fork, and standing up. The rush made her dizzy, and Seijuuro placed a hand on the small of her back to keep her steady

"What's wrong?"

"I- my- I-I gotta go." She rushed to the door, but Seijuuro held her back.

"Cyril." Seijuuro had a serious look on his face, waiting. Cyril wasted no time.

"Ben, her ex, he broke into where she's staying at now and is trying to hurt her. I need to get to her."

"Ben?" Sei gathered his things as she also put on hers. "We'll take my car. I'm going in case things get ugly. He wouldn't happen to be Ben Hishijima, would he?"

"Yeah, he's from your swim team, I'll explain while we're on the way." Seijuuro nodded, and the two headed out.

As soon as Seijuuro stopped the car, Cyril darted out like a bat out of hell. Sei yelled after her, but the girl had already bounded up the steps. She halted when she saw cops, her instincts making her freeze, but she shook it off, walking up to them. "Where is she?" Seijuuro panted behind her.

One of the policemen looked up from their notepad to her. "Are you family?" Cyril was about to answer when she saw Asato, Aya's older cousin approach them.

"Yes, she is." The policeman nodded letting them through. Seijuuro bowed, Asato returning it.

"Where is she?" Cyril asked again, looking around, she noted the mess around them. Broken glass everywhere. "I'm going to wring his neck when I see him." She said darkly.

"Careful what words you say." Asato chastised. "She's in her bedroom. Her brother is with her." Cyril didn't say another word, heading straight for her. Seijuuro followed suit, bidding Asato goodbye.

"Aya!" She burst in the room, seeing her enveloped in her comforters like a burrito while hugged by her olde brother who was crying. Upon seeing her bestie, Aya started to bawl all over again, telling her to hurry up and hug her. Cyril did just that. Seijuuro smiled at the display. "What the fuck happened?!"

Aya sniffled. "T-that asshole burst in here, ad he was all like 'Oh, I can't believe you moved on so fast' and 'I heard about your fuckboy Tooru', and blah blah blah, acting like if he wasn't the one that was cheating on me with 12 other girls!"

"Jeezus." Seijuuro whispered. He had no idea Ben was like that.

Hearing this, only fueled Cyril's anger further. "WHAT?! THAT PIG- I AM GOING TO CASTRATE HIM!"

"Uhm, there are police around, you know?" Rai, her older brother said nervously.

"I don't care." Cyril huffed angrily. "I can't believe he'd pull some shit like this. And after you beat him up, Rai, seriously? I guess the guy is a fucking masochist or something."

"Well, I'm okay!" Aya assured. "Scared and probably will need a restraining order, but he didn't do anything to me! I locked myself in the bathroom and ninja'd my way to my room from the outside t get my phone, then hid under the bed. That's how I texted you guys. He was still in the apartment when Asato came in with the police."

"That's so fucking creepy." Seijuuro commented.

"Yeah, apparently he was going to wait until I came back. The cops said he was following me, so he knew everyone's schedule."

Cyril said nothing, a dark look on her features. She sighed, the look now gone. "What matters is that he's gunna be behind bars for a while, and that your safe now."

"I'm sorry this happened to you, Aya." Seijuuro apologized. "I had no idea about Ben. Had I known that, I wouldn't have given him a promotion on the swim team." He looked upset. Aya shook her head.

"You didn't know, Seijuuro, it's not your fault, he's a cheating, conniving asshole!"

"Still, stuff like this isn't tolerated. I'll make sure he's firmly reprimanded for this."

"Ah." Aya suddenly looked unsure. "N-no, that's okay, you really don't have to."

"?" Seijuuro looked confused.

"He tried to assault you." Cyril butted in.

"Well, we don't know that for sure." Aya countered, uneasy. "And things are going so well for him with his swimming career, I don't want to ruin it by making a report or have him kicked off the team, so please don't reprimand him too harshly."

"What the fuck…" Cyril trailed off, flabbergasted. What was going on? "Are you feeling sorry for him..?"

"Sis, what he did-"

"- was a momentary lapse in judgement that I'm sure he'll come to regret when he cools down, is all." Aya said simply, with a small smile. "I'm going to drop the charges anyways."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Cyril hissed.

"Sis?!" Rai said.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." She said, shooing them away.

Cyril let out an indignant scoff, before she walked off, still unsure of what that was back there. As they headed back to the car, Seijuuro chose his next word carefully. "Maybe she needs ti-"

"- can you fucking believe it? She's going to let it slide." Cyril interjected him, not realizing he had started to talk. Cyril looked at him briefly, before shaking her hands in frustration. "She's always like that!"

"Like what?"

"Forgiving ass-fucks that don't deserve it!" She clarified. "She's always going on about revenge and shit, but when she's gilded, she forgives at the drop of a hat no matter how hurt she gets."

Seijuuro said nothing. He listened on, opening the door for her to get in.

"Ugh, that's so annoying of her. I have half a mind to go up to the police station and rip Ben a new one. Maybe with it he can finally fuck himself, instead of trying to fuck everything with legs that moves." Seijuuro choked a laugh. "What?!"

"Nothing."

Cyril took a deep breath, sighing. "…Can you drive me back home?"

Seijuuro perked up. "Sure thing, Siri-chan. Hey?"

"?"

"I will reprimand Ben for what he did, you know. That's really inappropriate behavior for my team." Cyril blink, slowly smiling. She leaned in, pulling his face close for a kiss.

"Thanks, Sei-kun." He grinned, going in for another kiss. "And while you're at it, can you do something about Tooru?" Seijuuro laughed, kissing her forehead.

"Alright, that one might be a little hard, hahaha."

…

(One week later:)

Cyril twirled the sheathed sword in her hand, whistling a tune as she leaned against metal railing. In front of her, the shrilled screams of a man could be heard as he was repeatedly kicked in the groin. She peered down at him rolling her eyes upon seeing the pained tears leaking out of his baby blue eyes. "Oh, grow a pair, would ya?" She commented, walking up to him.

The four burly men that had been kicking the living shit out of Ben stopped what they were doing, moving out of the way as Cyril extended her sword, hovering it over Ben's manhood. She held an indifferent look, staring down at him as he cowered in fear, bloodied, and shaking.

"P-please, don't do this!" Ben pleaded, crying, snot running unto the cold concrete floor of the dark abandoned factory.

"Do what?" Cyril inquired, tilting her head. "Is that what Aya said too?"

[TRIGGER WARNING:

"I didn't do anything to her, you saw the police report!" Ben cried, yelling when she slammed her sword on the ground dangerously close to his crotch.

Cyril's cold red eyes glowed in the dark glow of the factory, peering down at him like a predator cornering their prey. "I know she lied about it. Just like how the forensic lied about not finding your DNA in the rape kit." Ben's eyes widened in fear. "And I know your father recently deposited a huge lump sum of money to charity, and it just so happened the Police Department received a pretty hefty sum around the same time. Now he's running for Mayor! What a surprise."

"T-That's-"

"A coincidence?" Cyril provided, raising a brow. He remained quiet, shaking. Cyril unsheathed her sword, her black blade glistening in even in the dark light. Ben's whimpering worsened. "Do you like him?"

Ben looked from the blade to Cyril, wild eyed. "H-him?!"

"His name is Kuro. My trusty sword." Cyril smiled, the expression making Ben's fear rise even more. "Ben, Kuro is going to teach you a lesson."

"OH G-GOD!" He started to bawl now, as Cyril circled around him.

"You hurt someone dear to him and me, so we're going to hurt you just as you hurt her. She didn't tell the truth to the cops, but I got her to tell me after. She told me what you did…" Cyril dragged Kuro on the ground, causing a screeching noise of metal dragging on concrete. "How you branded her… down there." Cyril's eyes went dark. "I'm going to return the favor."

…

Screams echoed through the factory, unheard as Cyril branded him with her sword. When she was done, she wiped her blade, disgusted with her work. "Ugh, I don't see what Aya ever saw in you. Well, now no one ever will…" She chuckled darkly, turning to her henchmen. One of them wiped the blood of her cheek.

"Shall we dispose of the body, hime-sama?"

"Oh, I didn't kill him. He won't bleed out. Fetch me a torch." One of the men, got her a large torch served to light up coal, and she put Kuro directly into the flames, waiting for her black sword to glow red. Once it did, she cauterized the wounds on Ben. Ben was too out of it too scream or feel any more pain, he had long since passed out.

"Keep him for a while in the 'Dark Room', to make sure he won't squeak after all this. I have a feeling he won't after I leak out all the info about the police and his dad have been trying to keep hush hush about."

"What would you like us to do next, hime-sama?"

"Keep an eye on Asato and rai's place. If you see Aya go anywhere, trail after her, but don't let her see you. She's seeing this guy." She gave her henchmen a picture of Tooru that she screenshotted from Aya's phone when the blonde wasn't looking. "I'm sure he's alright, but just in case, dig up anything you can on this guy."

"Yes, hime-sama." They bowed, dragging the unconscious Ben away.

END OF TRIGGER WARNING]

Aya greeted the raven cheerily as he jogged towards her. "Tooru, hey!" He looked surprised to see her, but a smile formed on his lips as he scratched the side of his head nervously.

"Aya, you didn't tell me you were coming. I would've gone to change out of my sweaty training clothes."

Aya laughed. "What, don't be silly, you don't stink!"

"I beg to differ. Just wait ten more minutes when the sweat dries." Tooru commented offhandedly, earning a light punch on the shoulder from her.

"It's okay."

Tooru hummed, looking down at the floor bashfully. "…"

"So, what are you up to later?" She asked, twirling one of her blonde curls as she suddenly found her heels interesting.

"Hn? Oh." Tooru pondered for a bit. "Well, Seijuuro-kun cancelled practice later because of something. I don't know why, but he said it was really important. So I'm free."

"Oh! Then, do you wanna grab something to eat?!" Aya said, excitedly. "I actually got invited by some of the girls in my Drama class to go Karaoke, but their inviting guys over as like a ate thing, and I didn't want to go there by myself!" Aya explained. Tooru blinked, nodding, although not clearly understanding what she was implying. "Since like they're doing that date thing, I told her not to invite one extra guy cuz I had one in mind, so I came to ask you."

"… Oh." Tooru blinked, his gold eyes widening in realization. "You want me to go with you?"

"Well, yeah, since they're doing that specifically to look for dates, and I promised them I would go, but I didn't want to sine I didn't want them to just invite a random stranger…" Aya trailed off peeking at Tooru to gage his reaction. The poor boy looked clueless. "… It's a group karaoke date, Tooru."

"!" Tooru blushed, mouth open a little. "Oh! You're asking me on a date."

Aya suddenly remembered Seijuuro's words about him being romantically retarded, and she giggled a little. "Yes, Tooru, I'm asking you on a date, hahaha."

Tooru smiled shyly. "… Alright." Aya hugged him, looking up.

"Thank you! By the way Tooru." He looked down at her, curious. "My best friend is going out with Seijuuro, can you believe that?!"

"Captain?" Tooru said. "What a small world." He commented.

"He told me something really interesting."

"Hm?"

"He said you keep a picture of me under your swim cap."

"!" Tooru turned three shades of red, spluttering. Aya laughed, kissing his cheek.