Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Ob."

"Yes?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost, pup. Almost."

The same conversation has been going around for the sixth time between Shiroko and the adult.

In the rear left seat, the junior member of Abydos High School sticks her face to the cold window while enjoying the view outside.

Snow-dusted rooftops glimmer beneath a dim, winter sun, as lamplights twinkle along frost-kissed avenues.

Plumes of breath drift from bundled pedestrians hurrying past storefronts frosted with ice-crystal lace.

A soft hush blankets the city as flurries drift down between towering skyscrapers and snow‑laden evergreens.

Despite the chill, the city of D.U. pulses with quiet energy.

"It's gotta be here somewhere..." Auburn mumbles in the driver seat. "That bigass building is definitely more than two years old."

His eyes are going back and forth between the road and his tablet (displaying the GPS) mounted on the center console.

The Caddy van he robbed from local delinquents of Abydos is not treating him nicely.

His knees are touching the steering wheel and the side of the center console, and his dome is grazing the roof.

The car is too small for his stature, but considering who will be taking the wheel when he inevitably leaves...

Hoshino and Shiroko (for now) are too short to reach the pedals. Serika and Ayane aren't here yet.

As for Nonomi... Nope. Not a chance. She's a sweetheart and all, but he's not trusting her as a driver.

Not when her first reaction to an emergency is to scream (like an ojou-sama!) and slam on whatever pedal closest to her feet.

Speaking of whom. "Mmm... It should be close! I've seen those shops before!"

In the passenger seat, the other junior of Abydos High School points out as her emerald eyes perk up.

"Yeah, I said the same thing to myself a few times already... Argh! " Auburn yelps as a bump on the road sends his head to the roof again.

In the meantime, Shiroko decides to bug the senior sitting next to her instead.

"Nn. Hoshino."

"Mm-heh... zzz..."

"I'm bored."

"gotoaub..."

"Ob is busy getting lost. Let's play."

"Mmginatgshopyyh... zzz..."

Hoshino rolls her head to the side, continuing her nap with her eyepatch on.

The Eye of Horus is sandwiched between her right leg and the rear right door, bumping and clacking as the car goes.

"I'm not lost for fuck's sa- See!? " He cuts himself off with a matching gesture. "I'm right all along."

Nonomi preens as the mall enters her sight as well. "There it is~♧"

Down the road is the biggest mall in D.U., hosting pretty much everything a person will ever want and need.

Even in the snow, the massive building stands tall and unwavering, welcoming all the customers with warm, yellow lights.

"Woaaaaah..." Shiroko's little canine ears flicker. The young cub is amazed, to say the least.

The sparkle in her turquoise eyes is almost as bright as the spotlights on the parking lot entry.

"Alright, let's run a final check." Entering the multi-floor, indoor parking lot through the ticket machine, he announces.

The space stretches upward like a concrete cathedral, its ramps spiraling gently between levels bathed in neutral LED lighting.

Auburn just picks a random floor with not too many vehicles in sight and rolls in to look for a spot.

"Shopping list and credit card, check~" Nonomers touches her pockets on her beige coat.

Shiroko first zips up her way-too-large gray softshell jacket and secures her scarf.

Then, she hugs the M733 that the adult got her from the thrift store. "Gun, check."

She was very, very adamant about holding onto this rifle instead of storing it in the trunk.

"Mmm... Mm-he...?" Hoshino finally comes to her senses after a well-interrupted nap.

"Sleepy Senpai, check." The gray wolf cub pokes her senior in her cheek.

"Wakey-wakey, grandma." With experienced fluency, Auburn parks the Caddy in a spot with no vehicles left and right.

"We're here. Get up and come grab your stuff." He follows as he unbuckles himself and heads for the trunk.

In the Caddy's spacious cargo area lies the Iron Horus, Nonomi's minigun, and Auburn's day pack, gear bag, and Spear LT.

Just their belongings alone are taking up well over half of the space, but given what they are shopping for today, it shouldn't be a problem.

"Ugh," He shudders at the sudden temperature drop from exiting the vehicle. "Oooooofffph..."

Currently, the adult is only wearing a waffle top over his base layer, as his outer layer was taken by Shiroko.

The room temperature feels close to low double-digit in Fahrenheit, and not having a proper outer layer is tough, even for him.

"You can have it back if you're cold," The wolf cub says, raising her short arms completely covered by the sleeves.

"Nah, I'll manage." The adult ruffles her gray head and rubs the base of her canine ears. "It'll get warmer once we're inside."

"Besides, we'll get you a smaller one that fits you better, so you won't fling those sleeves around."

"I'll grow into this one eventually." Shiroko flings the sleeves around.

"Yeah, well... You'll grow, that's for sure." The adult takes a knee and starts rolling her sleeves up.

But it takes so many rolls that now, there are two fat rings of fabric on her dainty forearms.

Combining that with the jacket so large on her that it might as well be a cloak, the look is... hard to put into words.

"I don't think you'll reach my size." Hopefully, third-year Shiroko is the biggest Shiroko Shiroko can get.

"We'll see about that." She does a bicep showoff pose. "I'm built different."

"Sure." Auburn chuckles at the silly pose and the even sillier outfit. "Of course."

At the same time, Nonomi is helping everyone with unloading their belongings.

With an effortless exhale, Hoshino shoulders the shield over her winter jacket, buttoned all the way up.

Her junior follows suit, heaving up the minigun with ease as if it's made of paper.

And yes, Auburn can say with confidence, that's a whole minigun system with an entire box of 7.62 ammo.

With Plana's help, he can lift the shield and maybe maneuver it around for a short period of time, but that?

Little Machine Gun V she said. He blinks, still struggling to accept the surreal sight before him, after all this time. Little, she said.

"Wakey-wakey, grandpa." A slap lands on his shoulder, snapping him back from his thousand-mile stare into the students.

She strolls into his sight, barely shorter than him, even when he's kneeling.

Heterochromic eyes narrow in amusement, the usual sharpness in her hawk-like gaze mellows.

Maybe it's because it's the winter vacation, maybe it's because she has a Senpai image to uphold.

Or maybe it's because she's facing him. "C'mon, let's go." Hoshino hums, handing him his day pack.

Auburn snorts as he grabs it and props himself back up on his feet. "Had a good nap?"

"No." She urges her Kouhais to take the lead. "You drove like shit."

With a quick search for the entrance, the little curious missile called Shiroko locks onto the target location and takes off at Mach 4.

Or so it should've happened, if Nonomi hadn't held her hand with her immense strength.

The seniors, on the other hand, are enjoying the view as they shadow behind them.

Shoulder-rubbing close, they follow Shiroko and Nonomi and enter the mall as well.

"Mmh." Hoshino wraps his arm around her, feeling his hand's temperature. "You're cold."

"Wanna help me with that?"

"You'd wish."

"I do."

"...Here." She gives the big hand resting on her cheek a bite. "You're welcome."

"I didn't say thank you," Auburn rubs his knuckles gently on her warm face.

"Mm-heh." Hoshino sings airily; his hand is still ice-cold, however.

"Behave," She pops a kiss on his fingers. "Be a good boy for me."

He speaks with his said fingers, tapping on her lithe shoulder like playing a piano. "Or what?"

"Or this happens." She headbutts him in the side.

Her adult goes Ærgh! But she has one hand over his, while another is around his back.

No escape for him from her unrelenting grasp, not that he'd try.

"Rude." He retorts.

"Skill issue." She smugs.

"I'll win it back later," With a sigh, Auburn admits his defeat, hopefully just this once.

He gives his beloved partner's shoulder a playful squeeze. "Shopping first."

"U-he-heh." Hoshino tugs her good boy closer in satisfaction.

"Sure," She's already a winner anyway.

"Shopping first."

Chapter Text

When it comes to something one can't live without, plenty of answers come to mind.

For average people, it can be a phone, glasses, a wallet, a trinket, or a specific pair of good socks.

For a Kivotos resident, a couple of more things may be added to the roster of answers.

Guns, explosives, and perhaps spare magazines.

And, thanks to (probably not) the industrial revolution and its consequences, when there's a demand, there's a supply.

"......" Which is why this mall has three full floors of nothing but firearm-related products.

The first floor consists mostly of gun racks, shelves, stands, and dealerships.

ARs, SMGs, shotguns, precision rifles, handguns, grenade launchers, and machineguns of all weight classes, and more.

Regardless of action types, calibers, manufacturers, and price points, one can think of it, this floor has it.

The second floor is where all the accessories and attachments are.

Stocks, grips, handguards, flashlights, slings, optics, and so on; it's a paradise for those who like to tinker with their weapons.

The third floor has all the ammunition, explosives, magazines, as well as some heavier ordnance.

Because, well, now that you have your gun set up just the way you'd like, why not get some magazines for it as well?

Better yet, while you're at it, you should grab some grenades, too; frags are buy one, get one free.

Oh, by the way, here are some really cool C-G M4 recoilless rifles with tandem-charge HEAT rounds. It's on a discount, just so you know.

Consumerism at its finest.

Auburn feels like he needs a physical restraint to not blow his digital wallet on this place.

"Oh!" Nonomi points at what looks like a row of self-service kiosks near the main entrance.

"They have those now! Item finder and navigation support!" She praises as she leads the group toward one of the machines.

"Nn..." "U-he..."

The other members of Abydos High School are baffled and equally amazed.

"Well, it is a massive maze of a mall." The adult of the group comments with a shrug. "And it'd only get worse from here."

Even at his height, he can't see the other side of the floor due to the sheer space as well as the number of stands and racks.

Plus, although he's technically from the future, he hasn't been in this mall that many times.

His guns are mostly first bought online, then further modified on his own, or customized by the Engineering Club.

Which means, much like the other two, he's also at the mercy of their Nonomi-shaped tour guide.

"Nn..." Shiroko ponders as her head swivels around. "Wide open front area, multiple concealments, lots of cameras..."

"Shiroko-chan~?" Her Senpai is smiling while not smiling; there's a layer of shadow looming over her forehead.

"!..." Sensing imminent danger, the cub's instinct is to seek shelter under the most effective defense against the mighty pinkette.

Which is a convoluted way of saying Auburn. "You rob this place, I'll sell you out." But he chides, siding with the righteousness.

"Uuuuu..." Shiroko deflates upon hearing that. "Okie."

While the banter is ongoing, Nonomi grabs a brochure from the stack by the kiosk and pulls out her phone for the shopping list.

Then, she opens the page with a double-page map of the three floors and feeds it into an opening at the bottom of the kiosk.

Next, she keys in the items in their shopping list one by one; at this point, the rest of the group is already watching.

After a few seconds, she retracts the brochure, which now has several bright red circles and arrows on it.

"There we go~" Nonomi appreciates her handiwork and turns to the group. "Now we ca- Eh?"

"Ooooh..." "Nonomi-chan..."

The other two girls clap at her impressive (?) work on operating the machine.

"??????" And she is flattered by that. Baffled, too, but more flattered. "Uhm... Should we proceed, then~?"

"Alright, c'mon." Auburn cuts off the weird celebration.

A group of four gathering before a kiosk that suddenly starts clapping is gaining some passersby's attention.

And the chance of them (mostly Hoshino and Nonomi) getting recognized is low, but not zero.

The adult lightly pushes the students on their backs.

"We can appreciate the technology on the way. To the first stop we go."

The stroll around the AR section is slow.

They make only several yards every time before one of them stops and stares.

Followed by either wanna try that one out? Or get your big ass going and stop looking at battle rifles.

"Wait," Hoshino prods, seeing a rack full of G36s in different lengths. "Don't we have like, six or seven of those in our storage?"

"What, G36s?" Auburn turns in the same direction briefly as he's playing with an SA58 OSW.

"We had six G36ks, two M60E6s, a Maximi, a NTW-20, and an MP7A2, yeah. From a few months ago."

"But..." He gives Shiroko a look, who is led by Nonomi, reading a specification sheet.

"She broke three of the G36ss already. Didn't seem to like it that much."

Originally, he planned to sell some of those G36ks, given the future headcount of Abydos.

Three out of five will-be members of the Foreclosure Task Force don't use ARs; even as backups, they'll only need two.

Belt-feds can stay as they can be mounted on vehicles, MP7A2 can stay because Ayane may use it, NTW-20 can stay because... drip.

However, now that the AR in the storage is cut down in numbers, he decided to simply get Shiroko a new rifle instead.

"Pup, how did you put it again?" He asks the gray wolf cub, racking the charging handle of the short FAL.

"Nn," She perks up, hearing the conversation has led to her. "Plasticky. Breaks too easily."

The image of seeing good rifles return with broken stock hinges, cracked receivers, and warped barrels still haunts him.

And of course, none of the optics mounted on top survived, and those were CompM4s and EXPS3s.

Dropproof, waterproof, and shockproof, but not Shiroko-proof, apparently.

"Well, maybe don't use them as blunt force weapons to bash people's heads in."

He taps her dome with a finger with extra force. "When in combat, shoot first, beat up second."

"Nn..." She grumbles. "I'll try."

"Here, Shiroko-chan!" Nonomers joins the talk with a PM Md.90 Commando in her hands.

It's a rifle similar to an iconic family of rifles from Red Winter, with a shorter forend and an integrated foregrip.

The one in her hands, however, also features a fixed stock instead of a sidefolder.

The adult's keen gun-nut eyes also spot that the rifle already has a scope mount and a more ergonomic safety selector installed.

"Looks pretty, right~♧" She hands the gun to Shiroko, who starts fiddling with it right away. "And the price point is great, too!"

Auburn quietly takes a peek at the tag on the rifle from her back: 100099 Yen.

She's right. It's a hell of a bargain for that model with the upgrades.

And he's pleasantly surprised that her status doesn't seem to throw off her attitude towards money.

However. "That's chambered in 7.62x39. That ammo is hard to come by outside of Red Winter, not to mention Abydos."

Auburn comments, pointing out the one unfortunate flaw of that beautiful rifle.

Meanwhile, Shiroko is struggling to reinsert the magazine, as the mechanism is different from her M733.

"Steel and wood are good, but the banana mag..." The gun clangs and clacks in her hands as she gets gradually frustrated.

"Here, you hook the front in first, and pivot the thing in." The adult offers a demonstration with the SA58 in his hands.

"Manual of arms is an issue, too, it seems." And he adds.

Finally setting the magazine back in its place, Shiroko makes her verdict as she shakes her head. "Pass."

"Welp," Auburn takes the rifle from her. Now he has two guns in his hands. "Onto the next."

He returns both of them to the rack after pulling off the price tag on the SA58 and chucks it into the cart.

"Hey," Hoshino, who has been an observer this whole time, breaks her silence. "Why not just... Upgrade the gun she already has?"

"It's a placeholder I picked up for her," He replies with a shake of his head.

"We can just buy parts to upgrade it, sure, but the money and effort will be so great that we might as well get her a new gun."

Shiroko unslings the M733 and holds it before her.

The clamshell handguard is bent and warped due to heat cycles, and the checkering of the grip has mostly worn off.

Spiderweb-like scratches are all over the receivers, which are in a purple hue, indicating an aging anodized finish with weak dye.

Carbon build-up is seeping through trigger pins and the seams between the upper and lower.

The brass deflector on the upper is coated in a layer of... brass.

The ejection port next to it is surrounded by a ring of black cloud: more fouling and carbon that simply refuses to go away.

It'll still run, but one can clearly tell that it's desperate for a glow-up.

"I like this one the most." Still, Shiroko hugs the worn rifle close, right up against her scarf and her jacket.

Hoshino, Nonomi, and Auburn trade eyes with one another.

Sentimental value is invaluable, especially for someone who was, for lack of a better term, a stray.

"Alright," The adult takes a knee and arches forward a little to level eye contact with her. "What about this?"

"We get you an upgrade of that gun. The same thing, but newer and better in every possible way."

"Clean and freshly coated receivers, better trigger, sturdier and comfier furniture; everything."

Shiroko doesn't seem impressed. She has seen plenty of new guns so far, but nothing beats the one in her hands.

So he presses on. "Something you deserve," Auburn says, finishing off with a generous headpat.

"From the same group of people that love you, and you love, too."

"......"

With a shallow gasp, her black and white pupil shudders with a blink.

Love and care. Like back when they took her in and gave her a better life.

"And," One final push. "Just because you're getting a new gun doesn't mean you have to discard the old one."

Little canine ears perk up, hearing the extra good news. "I can still... keep this gun?" A hesitation.

Auburn smiles at her, his silver gaze narrows warmly. "I don't see a reason why you can't."

That seems to do it for little Shiroko. "...Nn." She nods, expression brightens.

"Fantastic." Auburn gives her a squeeze with his arms. "Now, allow me to introduce you to a gun called M416A5."

He stands back up, gently leading the gray wolf girl by her hand down the aisle.

"U-he..." Hoshino scratches her cheek helplessly. "And here he goes."

"Hoshino-senpai? What do you mean by that...?"

"He, uh- Nonomi-chan, why don't we split with them and go shop for our own stuff for now?"

"Eh? Why?"

"Because..."

He is already preaching to Shiroko about how the short-stroke piston is better than the DI system.

Or so it seems. Because he is talking and shows no sign of stopping.

The pinkette watches her adult with a sigh.

"Because we may not be able to break him out of that mode for a while."

Chapter Text

After a good half an hour, Shiroko is satisfied (and presumably tired of Auburn's geekoff), hugging a box containing her new rifle.

They meet up with Nonomi, who happens to be waiting for her minigun maintenance at a dealership.

Judging by the reaction of staff, she seems to be a frequent customer and is well-respected.

Either because they know the organization behind her, or because she pays with a black credit card.

Auburn is more inclined to believe the latter; the employees and others don't seem to recognize him.

Even if they don't react on the outside, they can't hide from his eyes. And so far, everyone has passed the test.

No one has any rising shock, doubt, or hostility rising within them. Good. He thinks.

The first person to greet him and Shiroko is actually one of the android employees.

But Nonomi lip and gestures to them before they even enter the talking distance. They're with me!

Meanwhile, she is on a couch away from the main counter and display cases, a pot on the coffee table, and a cup in her hands.

Auburn curtly nods at the robot doing its job, Shiroko straight up ignores them, and waves at her colleague instead.

"Ooooh!" Nonomi beams as the cub with a big cardboard box takes a seat next to her. "What you've got there, Shiroko-chan~?"

"Nn." She lays the box on her lap and scoots it over just a little for her friend to see the label.

On the cardboard box is a silhouette of the rifle resting inside, along with the model name: Caracal 816A2 11.5".

It's an AR derivative utilizing a short-stroke piston gas system; it runs cooler and cleaner compared to its direct-impingement counterpart.

Much like M733, pretty much all external parts are aluminum or steel, making it capable of handling the abuse.

Thanks to its shorter barrel, it's a lot more maneuverable at the cost of slightly harsher recoil and signature.

But this is Kivotos; recoil and signature are suggestions.

It's a plus, all things considered, as the user tends to run-and-gun and point-shoot up close and personal, mimicking her senior.

Also, what makes it stand out from the rest is its relatively slim forend profile and a bolt carrier with no vent holes.

It suits Shiroko's (currently) smaller stature and fight style while being able to withstand the sandy environment in Abydos better.

Also, caracal and wolf. It just kind of rings for both him and her.

Technically, they are two entirely different species, but a big cat is about the same size as a small wolf.

And they're both pointy-eared, tooth-and-claw four-legged with an attitude anyway. Close enough.

Alternating history? Should've gone for White Fang 465 instead?

Well, in this timeline, Yume is alive and a certain someone fucked Hoshino two years too early. He's well past that talk.

Shiroko is happy with it. That's what matters.

"So..." He peeks at the display cases of this dealership, asking the question that has been lingering in his mind since he set foot in here.

"You're having that minigun maintained... here? This is where you bought it from?"

Because nothing in those glass boxes is remotely related to that devastating firearm.

Microwaves, electronic components, light bulbs, security cameras, and... Is that a scaled-down model of a turbine engine?

Really pushing the G in their name. He smirks. What the hell is this company even about?

"Mmm..." She puts a finger to her chin, contemplating with closed eyes. "Soooort of...?"

"My family has a very close relationship in some of their branches, mainly transportation-related industries."

"They later worked together and developed several other firearm projects; GE did the R&D, and Nephthys did the manufacturing."

"My gun is one of those, although a lot has been customized to my preference; it's barely the same as the original."

Nonomi takes a sip of her cup, marking an interlude to her explanation.

"Huh." Auburn doesn't say much.

"Nn..." Shiroko blinks; the gears behind those eyes are turning.

"If that's the case, why not just take it back to-"

"-Can you pass me a cup, Shiroko?"

He abruptly interrupts the junior's sharp yet precise question.

The question he also has in his mind. The question that he also knows the answer to.

If Little Machine Gun V is the collaboration between Nephthys and GE, why doesn't she just take it back to her family instead?

It'll be more efficient and requires less red tape.

Plus, he doubts if their staff will even charge money against someone who is essentially the princess of the family.

However...

"Here," The center of the topic helps him, pouring him a cup of warm tea with trained grace.

The adult takes it with a knowing look. "Thanks."

"No," Her emerald eyes respond the same, with a tinge of jadedness and helplessness woven within.

Still, Nonomi smiles weakly. "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Shiroko stalls with an empty cup in her hands.

"???????" Question marks are springing up above her head one after another.

Clearly, they are having some form of conversation beyond her comprehension.

"Oops," The bigger girl sitting next to her chuckles. "Beat you to it~♧"

Now here's something her little wolf head understands. Competition.

"Ob, finish that cup," She demands, sparks in her gaze. "I won't lose next time."

He brings his cup to his mouth. "You better not make a mess this tim-"

A muted notification disturbs his quality time with his not-students before it begins.

Auburn lowers his cup and pulls out his phone. "Grandma called." He mumbles at the screen.

A frown and a confused smile. "Thehelldoyoumeanbythis..." Followed by a typing spree.

"Auburn? Is everything okay?" Nonomi is sweet and caring, like always.

"Yeah, it's just," The adult shoves the phone back into his pocket. "She wants me to pick her up without bringing you two."

"Why?" Shiroko thinks out loud with a tilt of her head and ears.

"......" Nonomi.exe is processing...

"Guess I'm going then," Auburn downs the tea and grabs his pack. "You can- Nonomers?"

It seems like she has reached some kind of conclusion. "!..."

Her face suddenly heats up, and a whisk of smoke radiates from her dome.

Someone has read too many rom-coms. I- Is it one of those scenarios!?

A couple in public, wanting to re- recharge and goes to a toilet...! And perhaps something else.

"It's-" Her voice cracks horribly, but the Ojou-sama in her quickly takes over.

"It's fine. I- I can wait here! They always take their time maintaining the barrels anyway~!"

"Nn... But I wanna show Hoshino the cool new-"

"-Shiroko-chan can wait here with me, too!"

Two unusually powerful hands land on the gray wolf girl's shoulder, pinning her down in her seat.

The sheer force alone is a clear message for Shiroko: there is absolutely zero room for debate. She is staying.

"Y- You two have fun, Auburn~♧"

"Nn!? B- Bye-bye, Ob..."

The two waves goodbye to the adult; their hands similarly stiff, for not-so-similar reasons.

"I don't think it's that kind of invitation," He gets on his feet with a snicker.

"But I guess there's only one way to find out. See you soon."

The bad news is that the one who wants to be found didn't specify where she is.

The good news is that this doesn't stop him, with or without his special skills.

Knowledge, experience, some legwork, and perhaps a sprinkle of luck are all he needs. Probably.

So away he goes; he'll give it a shot before he gives in and texts her for location.

Given his understanding of the pinkette, he decides to check on the shotgun section.

Ignoring a really cool-looking M870 with a Super-Shorty mounted on its bayonet lug, he skips to the semi-auto aisles.

Before him, a row of tube-fed shotguns to his left, and a row of mag-fed ones to his right.

And much to his expectation, down the corridor, a person stands out among others, thanks to her hair color.

She doesn't seem to be shopping for anything, just absent-mindedly strolling around.

Easy enough. He approaches with a shrug until he enters the talking distance.

"You rang?" Auburn calls to his partner.

The pink ahoge on her pink dome perks up upon hearing that.

Her wandering stops, and she turns to the voice source, expression mellow.

"I did," She reaches straight for his hands to lead him away from the aisle. "Let's go."

"We aren't looking for shotguns?"

"No? I have one already, and you don't even use them."

"Why are you waiting here, then?"

"Because," Hoshino slows down for a step, hooking her arms with his.

"I figured you'd be here first." A victorious smile. Another score for me.

"Looks like you're right." He lifts his eyebrow in delight. Defeat doesn't sound so bad.

"So, what are we shopping for?" Auburn prods, adjusting his pace to match hers.

"Handguns." She explains. "I want a sidearm to pair with my shotgun."

"But the only person who does that in Abydos is... you."

"You have a handgun on your belt all the time, and you run that belt like, 24/7."

Her tug tightens a little. "Care to give me some advice, Mr. Kind Adult?" And says with a... totally out-of-characterly cute smile.

And how can he ever say no to that? From her, out of anyone?

"You sure know how to play your cards." Auburn caves in within an instant. "Anything particular in mind?"

"Mmm..." Her pace drags by a beat as she racks her head around. "I want them in 9mm. Other than that...nope."

"Hhm," He purses his lips, feeling the tug of his partner. "Like, semi-auto or revolver? Size? Action type? Frame material? Barrel length?"

"U-he..." Hoshino seems a little overwhelmed by the list of questions.

Nevertheless, she tries to answer them one by one. "Semi-auto, compact... uh, whatever, not plastic, and... looooong enooough...? "

The confidence in her voice drops audibly as the answer gets gradually generic.

"Eh, good enough." Her partner doesn't seem to mind; if anything, he seems amused.

Auburn takes a step forward, breaking the sync. "I have candidates in mind already."

"And maybe," He leads his partner by the hand. "We can also figure out what other guns you get as surprise gifts for your juniors."

"It's-" Hoshino scrambles to form a retort, feeling her secret busted.

"It's not just a surprise gift, it's also a self-defense tool!"

"Sure-sure, whatever you say, grandma. Handgun section is this way."

"Grandm- Hey! "

Before she can make another remark, she is tugged along by grandpa again.

Down the road, the two continue to give each other sass, jab each other in random places, and occasionally pull each other close for a break.

Their expression, however, shares the same smile and happiness, never seems to fade even a little.

Presents for Nonomi and Shiroko were decided fairly quickly.

They both agreed that Nonomi should have something lightweight, easy to carry, and easy to use, preferably looking sleek.

Shiroko, on the other hand, should have something sturdy, simple, and that can take a beating when necessary.

Thus, they picked a 360PD revolver with a dealership-special 3" barrel for the former.

It has a carved wooden grip, a matte black frame, and a titanium gray cylinder chambered in 6 shots of .327 Federal Magnum.

Not to mention, at merely 13 ounces, thanks to the extensive use of titanium and scandium, the burden of carrying this gun will be minimal.

Form and function, this beautiful J-frame wheel gun has both.

Although .327 Federal Magnum is snappy to fire and relatively expensive, these issues aren't issues for Nonomi.

If she can rock that minigun both physically and financially, she can rock this revolver just fine.

As for the latter, a new production, modernized BHP with higher capacity magazines should suffice.

Its steel construction, while having few moving parts when cycling, grants it stout durability and reliability.

The magazine-disconnect function has been deleted, along with improvements such as ambi controls and fiber optic sights.

Finally, it comes with a pair of G10 grip panels in black, white, and turquoise, just the right color palette for the Shiroko.

It's the best blend of the class and practicality.

The adult suggested that they can take the tag on the boxes, and had the staff deliver the goods to them once the purchase is done.

Which is what he did with the SA58 OSW; it's a discontinued model in his timeline, he must have it!

Regardless, this is a great method to sneak something into the cart unnoticed until the last moment.

Hoshino accepted it rather nicely, checking two imaginary boxes out of three with a smile.

As for the last one...

"Here." Auburn hands Hoshino a handgun of his choice.

It's a compact-sized, semi-automatic, 9mm pistol with a DA/SA trigger system, aluminium frame, and a 4-inch barrel.

The most distinctive feature is the slide tucked into the frame, and the P-01 Ω ("Omega", she assumes) marked on top.

She holds the gun in her dominant hand; the checkered grip panels offer great traction to her palm.

"Decocker can be swapped for a manual safety." He explains as she fiddles with the controls.

Mag release feels fine, slide release and decocker are a bit too low-profile to her liking, but she has small hands to begin with.

"And, as a little bonus," He pulls out an empty magazine from... somewhere outside her vision. Why do you have an empty mag on you...?

"It shares my gun's magazine, if that means anything to you."

"Ooh." Hoshino takes the longer, 19-round magazine and swaps it with the 15-rounder in the gun.

It functions just fine; slide locks open, and magazine drops freely.

"If this is the case," She eyes the holster on his belt, more specifically, the gun sitting inside. "Why not just get me your gun?"

"I mean..." Auburn draws his pistol, his year-long companion that never leaves him.

Compared to P01 Omega, Archon Type B is a striker-fired pistol with a steel frame, an optic-ready slide, and a railed forend.

Aside from that, it has polymer grip extensions and backstraps, allowing the user to resize the grip to their preference.

But what makes it special is its operating system; unlike P01 Omega, the barrel cycles backward with the slide rather than tilting up.

This system grants Archon a low bore axis, as well as a much flatter recoil impulse with less muzzle rise.

On his gun, the barrel is threaded, and there's an X300-U flashlight, along with a red dot she's never seen before.

The tip of the slide and the frame exhibit some minor wear on the finish, likely due to the holster.

It's a well-shooting gun, well-used and semi-well-treated by its owner.

"If you want to." He offers it in exchange for the P01 Omega in Hoshino's hand.

So she takes it; the grip is too long and too large for her, the controls are out of her fingers' reach, and the slide...

The slide feels great, actually. It's buttery-smooth to rack, a sign of a well broken-in gun.

The trigger is even better; it's adequately light, extremely crisp, and is completely devoid of any extra travel and play.

His taste. Hoshino ponders, staring at the pistol, a small yet irreplacable piece of him.

"I like it." She thumbs the peeled-off edge of the grip tape. "I want this."

"You sure? You gotta make su-"

"-I'm sure." Hoshino returns his sidearm.

"......" Auburn is a bit blindsided. "You... wanna get the same gun as mine?"

"Yeah?" Heterochromic eyes blink in slight confusion. "We'll be able to share not just mags, but parts too."

"...Oh." The fact that he's the love-struck fool in this conversation dawns on him.

His vocabulary drops down to baby level, feeling the whiplash. "Right. Sure. Good thinking."

Usually, it's the other way around; he dances around her smugly while she's the one dazed yet fascinated.

Auburn wipes his stiff and above-average temperature face. "Let's go grab one and move on, then."

He takes some wide steps, gaining some distance from his partner to cool off. What is wrong with me...

"......" Not realizing that she's feeling the same.

Hoshino's brain is at the critical point of a meltdown, it's the only explanation of why it's so HOT!

Is this how you feel? When you're teasing me? She asks without saying out loud while fanning some air with her vacant hand.

The fact that she managed to keep a straight face against that question was a massive feat.

Matching guns! Matching guns with her date! That's so fucking cliché, but so cute!

What's next? Matching shoes? Blankets? Weapon paint jobs?

Rings?

"!..." Nonononononono! She shakes her head.

Not that she doesn't fancy the idea, but she doesn't want to evaporate on the spot due to the heat in her cheeks.

Besides, they (mostly she) just accepted the fact that they're dating, and it's been only several months.

That's too fast a development for she'd like. "......" Matching rings... Still, Hoshino gulps.

With dazed steps, she half-stumbles towards where the tug of her heart leads.

Turns out, there is more than one love-struck fool in a pair.

Chapter Text

After regrouping at the GE dealership, the Abydos shopping team proceeds to finish the list.

Thankfully, on the second and third floor, they can at most window-shop for a while, or simply skip ahead.

Accessories for Shiroko's new rifle can be transplanted from G36ks in the storage: optic, foregrip, magazines, and sling.

Yes, they are second-hand, but they are all quality parts; Kaiser SOF, be as they are, still get the good toys compared to grunts.

As for the handguns for the juniors, neither 360PD nor BHP has any space for a light or an optic, not that they need one anyway.

Hoshino wanted to get familiar with her new Archon first before putting any attachment on it; it's a rite of passage, she said.

They did, however, need matching holsters.

Which were swiftly located and found via a nearby kiosk with a massive HOLSTER FINDER, STOP ASKING STAFF!!!!!! label on it.

Thus, they breezed past the second floor without much stoppage midway.

Similar story as the third floor; Abydos isn't in dire need of anything larger than a small-arm level of explosives.

Magazines and speed strips are quickly found and secured at a jaw-droppingly low price.

10099 Yen for a 10-pack, with a free quick-loader!? Sold.

Pick up some frags and smokes, maybe grab a box of C4 bricks with detonators and wireless clackers, and that's about it.

Unless. "Shiroko-chan?" Hoshino notices her Kouhai suddenly stops in her tracks.

Little wolf girl's attention is thoroughly grabbed by something on display behind the red ribbon fence, like a cat captivated by a laser dot.

Except it's not a laser dot, the other two members of the group realize.

It looks like a two-rotor aerial drone equipped with a rectangular modular pod on both sides.

Next to it, an array of additional devices the pod can take is on display: warheads, robot arms, extra batteries, and... cameras?

"Oh." Auburn exclaims. So that's what you meant by it's a photography drone.

"Ooooh~" Nonomi lands her hand on Shiroko's shoulder, who is thoroughly captivated by the cool drone before her.

Sparkles are dancing in her turquoise eyes, creating a glow of fascination bouncing against her black-and-white pupils.

"Missile drone..." Okay, perhaps a teenage girl shouldn't long for something like that in such an innocent tone.

"U-he... It does seem nice, but..." Hoshino asks the million-dollar question. "Can we even afford that?"

Nonomi says. "Yes, we can, Hoshino-senpai! For the love of Shiroko-chan!"

"Cool drone lets things go boom," Shiroko adds another vote for yes, throwing her hands up. "Cool drone goes swooooosh-!"

"I mean," And lastly, the adult seals the deal. "More firepower, more better. Air dominance is good to have."

Three in favor and one still wavering.

And the cunning adult knows just the way to sway the vote.

"Psssst, Pup! C' mere." Auburn approaches the cub and whispers something into her ear.

"Nn," After a while, Shiroko unlatches herself from Nonomi's hands with a nod. "Here I go."

Approaching the pinkette, she cleans her throat.

Hoshino gawks at the adult with a frown, but he says nothing and puts up a shit-eating grin.

"Hoshino-senpai," Oh, and now she's throwing in the suffix, she's for real.

Shiroko pleads with interlocked fingers, cute puppy eyes, and droopy ears. "Pweaaaaaase...?"

"Into the cart it goes."

"Hoshino-senpai!? Didn't you say-"

"-We have money. Aub has money."

"Why me!?"

"Nn. Mission success."

And just like that, one more war machine is added to Abydos' arsenal.

Folding riot shield that can stop a tank shell, portable minigun with self-contained power unit, and now a missile drone.

Just another day in Kivotos.

On to the next stop. Time to shop for some real daily necessities.

"Let's see..." Nonomi checks the shopping list when they reach the fourth floor.

This floor and above is, thankfully, a regular mall with regular mall merchandise.

Regular, in his standard.

Auburn somehow has a sense of relief and nostalgia, seeing that the world isn't just guns and ammo anymore.

"Shiroko-chan's new cold-weather jacket, socks, undies, and indoor clothes..."

"A new scarf for Hoshino-senpai... "

"Shampoo, toilet paper, batteries, extra pens and markers, bobby pins... what else?"

"Jerky." Shiroko raises her hand. "The dark-colored ones."

"I second jerky." Auburn raises his hand. "This little carnivore ate what's left in the Caddy and my UTV."

"Jerky it is~" Nonomi takes notes on her phone. "What about you, Hoshino-senpai?"

"Hoshino needs new body wash." The cub points at her senior, almost accusively.

"U-he!?" And surely enough, the pinkette feels accused.

"Shiroko-chan!? Do I-" She cuts herself off, sniffing herself by the neck and armpits. "Aub, do I...?"

Auburn seizes the opportunity to take a whiff at the back of her head.

The scent is just about as he expects, a mix of cheap conditioner, dust, and the freshener from Caddy's headrest.

"No?" He responds and turns to the accuser. "What do you mean by that, pup?"

"Nn," Shiroko rubs her nose. "Hoshino often smells like you recently, especially in the morning."

"Ah." "U-he!?" "Pffffffft-"

"What?" The youngest member of Abydos High School is confused by her seniors' reaction.

She goes on to explain her take. "I thought it was because Hoshino is running out of body wash?"

"Yes!" Nonomers the sweetheart makes another attempt to save face for the couple.

"V- Very perspective of you, Shiroko-chan~ Let's add that to the list! Why don't you join me and see if I miss anything~♣"

"Nn!?" The cub is then strong-handed to do a 180 and face the front.

"Nonomi, you've been acting weird...!"

"N- NoI'mnot!? You're imagining things~"

Meanwhile.

"Ihateyousomuch..." Hoshino's weak lament is muffled as her hands cover her face.

Embarrassment is eating her alive; she really should claw open a hole in the ground and bury him and herself in it.

Can't beat that allegation anyway. "I blame you." She turns to headbutt Auburn in protest.

And from up there, he can see that the tip of her ears is already tomato-red and heat mirage is assaulting his eyes.

"It's not my fault someone got too clingy and cuddly." The man stands his ground as he pokes at her smoking dome.

The woman chooses violence, retraining him with her arms while trying to bore a hole in his stomach with her forehead.

"I'm sleeping in my apartment tonight."

"Aren't you supposed to? Agh! Stahp! Cough! Cough--! "

"Nonomi, Ob sounds like he's dying... What's going on back there?"

"Daaaw, it's just the couple doing couple things~ Right, Hoshino-senpai?"

"Yes." "_'elp."

"Close enough! No need to worry, Shiroko-chan~♣ To the clothes section we go!"

Nonomi takes the handlebar of the cart - Shirko has been the one behind it - and leads the group.

"......"

In a random part of the male clothes section, Auburn is left alone.

It's fine, though. They never needed him to shadow them everywhere.

Plus, it was a group decision. And the big, reliable Senpai of the three said she'll ring him in an emergency.

Besides, the girls planned to shop for undies first, as all three of them were in need. Not a place he should be in.

They grow up so fast. He means it literally and ironically.

In just over a month since Shiroko joined Abydos, she grew over an inch in height and subsequently, size.

Like a teenage girl in her growth period, she is. However, this also means that underwear needs to be swapped out once in a while.

Apparently, the same goes for the other two, though in his memory, they don't seem to change much.

Nonomi... he can't tell the difference, honestly speaking. Maybe it's because he sees her every day since she got here.

But Hoshino, too?

He's rather certain that in his timeline, she has already accepted the fact that she'll stay in 4'9" until the end of time.

Perhaps it's his existence that changed something? Mental development affects physical growth, and all that?

Maybe. If that's the case, Auburn can't be any happier for her. If not, whatever. A growth is a growth.

In the meantime, he gets to spend his quality time alone with... this really cool Ashby jacket he found.

Or was it Bedale? They all look the same anyway. Waxed jacket with buttoned pockets, tweed collar, and a plaid lining.

Fuck it. He has sturdier and more weather-resistant jackets that require less care. This is more for fashion, and he doesn't need fashion.

He hates to be alone and has nothing to do on his hands.

Not because he's some needy child, but it makes his mind wander to places it shouldn't be.

With a weary sigh, Auburn pulls out his phone, and a desktop tool shows up immediately.

It's a 4x1 billboard, with child-like text written in blue and pink crayon.

It's been 9 months and 13 days since we were "bermuda-triangled"!

Likelihood of a sandstorm coming next week: 0%.

The text stings his eyes like never before. Nine and a half months.

It's been nine and a half fucking months since he's involuntarily traveled back in time.

What happened to the Kivotos he was in? The Kivotos he's supposed to be in?

Are they still looking for him? Have they given up? Has the city turned upside down and in rumbles while he's away?

What would Rin think when he's back, or while he hasn't? What about Yuuka? Hina? Mika? Kisaki?

Hoshino?

"......"

What about Hoshino? The one he fell in love with rather than the one here?

Aren't they the same person? His eyes say that.

But isn't this a similar case with Shiroko and Kuroko?

He scowls. So this is cheating? Dating the same person from another timeline?

Is he still in the same timeline, even? What if he jumps into the sandstorm and finds himself in the third Kivotos?

What if he drives through a snowstorm instead?

What if he just leaves all this behi-

-No. Auburn clicks the power button with way too much force needed. This isn't you, Auburn Nóttson.

He claws at his own head, his dark-red locks are tugged violently along.

We've been through this countless times already.

You are a fighter. Focus on the three-foot world before you. Focus on the present.

What can't be answered, don't bother. What can't be controlled, let it be.

He wipes his face in resignation. The little self-reflection is not doing him much favor.

But I've been letting it be for NINE FUCKING MONTHS!

An urge to punch the closest object to vent rises as his fists clench and his knuckles whiten.

However, the restraint in him prevails by a sliver of margin.

Auburn drops his arms, letting them hang freely by his sides. He's not a petulant child anymore.

"......" When rage recedes, depression takes over like a wave.

He stumbles and leans on a concrete beam between the racks.

His head lowers, and his hair curtains the sides of his face.

A question that can't be answered nor be controlled plagues his mind.

A question that he just can't put down or leave be.

When will I go home?

Chapter Text

He ended up buying that jacket.

It's dark green-ish gray, with a dark brown collar, bronze buttons, and a plaid lining consists of red, black, beige, and yellow.

To give the girls something to talk about. Other than himself.

He even busts out his shades despite that he's indoors and has absolutely zero need for them.

Because the jacket happens to serve as a great excuse to have them on, to be "Goslingmaxxing", he says.

Though he doubts whether Ryan Gosling would rock shades to hide his depression.

Regardless, from there, he can start another conversation about what that even is. Perfect.

Right after his masterful distraction is drafted, the girls return to him with paper bags in their hands.

Looks like they went to a counter and purchased their stuff on the spot.

Nonomi, with her profound knowledge of fashion trends, recognized that the jacket is an Ashby.

Oh really? He says. I honestly do not give a single shit, he thinks, and only to himself.

Shiroko is in a new brown leather bomber jacket with a generous layer of beige fur on the inside.

You look like Leon, he remarks with a snicker, and received a who? as a response.

At the same time, his softshell is cleaned, ironed, neatly folded, and packed in another paper bag in the cart.

They regroup and get back on track, he cracks jokes and talks about the new outfit as he planned, and things are going fine.

Their next stop is the fifth floor, and finishing off the last few items on the list, mostly office supplies and snacks.

"Hey," Until Hoshino wraps her hands on one of his with a whisper. "You alright?"

On the escalator, the two positions themselves at the tail of the pack again.

"Yeah?" The reply escapes his lips before he can even process it. "Why?"

This is not the same Hoshino. Or at the very least, this may not be.

What am I supposed to do with you?

He tries to look away from her worried eyes. He tries to ignore the warmth from her dainty hands.

She looks the same, feels the same, talks the same, and is not the same. The paradox is taxing to his mind.

"You're giving me that look again," Hoshino's hold tightens with a frown. "Did something happen?"

"It's just..." I'm unsure if it's okay to love you. Again.

"Had a run-in with some assholes back there. It's nothing. I've got it handled."

He adds with a fake-confused smile. "What do you mean by 'that look'?"

Before she can open her mouth, the group reaches the end of the escalator, ending the short talk.

"......" Hoshino turns her back on him, letting go of his stiff hand. "Later."

He hates that above all the turmoil of feelings storming in his head, he feels reprieve the most.

"Yeah," And even that reprieve pains him. "Later."

Auburn works his palm a little, the fleeting heat is leaving with every single movement of his muscles.

Trying to forget the fact that for the first time today, he didn't return the hold.

The office supply section sits just beyond the gleaming glass façade of the mall’s stationery wing.

Its wide aisles are lined with neatly organized shelves of every tool a busy professional could need.

To their left, colorful stacks of binders in jewel‑tone hues stand ready to corral documents.

To their right, rows and rows of pens; from sleek rollerballs to assortments of fineliners, they catch the overhead light like tiny prisms.

A central island displays spill‑proof mugs, cable organizers, and leatherette desk pads curated for both style and function.

Overhead signs point customers toward ergonomic chairs, adjustable desk lamps, and refill cartridges for pens, grouped by color and brand.

Apparently, there's even a potted plant section on the far left end of the wing.

"So," Auburn sniffs as they enter the wing. Fresh papers and ink. "Let the hunt begin?"

"Nn, none will escape my sight." Shiroko cracks her knuckles like a boxer entering a ring.

Nonomi sends the shopping list to the group chat. "Should we split or go as a group~?"

"Split." "Group."

Surprisingly, Auburn and Hoshino are divided in opinion.

And immediately, they hiss at each other through clenched jaws and closed teeth.

"Why are you like this?"

"I'm not letting you go on another moping trip again."

"I told you I'm fine."

"Fuck off. We both know you're lying."

"Uhm..." Nonomi feels awkward being the third wheel of a... couple's scuffle?

Weren't they all lovey-dovey like, ten minutes ago?

Is it because she picked a set of lingerie for Hoshino, and he found out?

Probably not, right? Why would he be mad at that to begin with...?

Shiroko, being the fourth wheel, decides to jump in and put an end to the quarrel.

She runs over to tackle the bigger but weaker target.

"Woah!? Hey, pup!" Auburn almost loses his balance as the fur missile lunges at his stomach. "Why are y-"

"-I don't like seeing you two fight." She goes on all fours to climb onto the adult like a koala.

"Aaaargh!..." He takes a step back, trying to stand firm as the Shiroko-shaped koala is crawling her way up.

"Okay, okay!..." Eventually, her tactic of resting her head on his shoulder and clenching her legs and arms makes him cave in.

"We go as a group! We go as a group!" He taps her on her back in surrender. "Now stop strangling me and get off!"

Shiroko loosens her unrelenting grasp, extends an arm, and gives everyone else a thumbs-up.

With a mutual helpless smile, the rest of the Abydos High School members help him peel Shiroko off his body.

They proceed together, look for goods together, and draw random things on paper for trying out pens together.

The Kouhais are enjoying themselves, adding water to a spillproof mug to see if it's actually as advertised.

Auburn and Hoshino watch over them from their backs as usual; this time, he makes a conscious decision to hold her hand.

They make their way from right to left, picking up stationery fitting their need (mainly the price).

"!..." That's when the adult of the group suddenly perks up in alarm.

From the end of the left aisle, he can see what's on the far left end of the wing, the potted plant section.

In the regular people's eyes, they won't see anything conspicuous; some evergreens and flowers, nothing more.

But in his silver, EVE-sensing eyes, he sees anything but.

A spike in the anomalous power in the area quickly catches his attention, like a gunshot to wild animals in the field.

His gaze narrows; someone is messing with plants with supernatural methods.

No public panic, however, so chances are it's not aggressive, harmful, or imminent.

"Auburn?" Hoshino squeezes his hand, feeling the big man next to her freeze.

"Youknowwhat," He squeezes back as he uses his other vacant hand to take off his shades.

There's no point in hiding; if it's an anartist making magical potted plants, the shades won't be able to do much anyway.

When was the last time he faced off against a fellow Type Blue?

He hovers his hand on the holster; three golden rules of CQC still apply, with or without magic.

If push comes to shove, Hoshino still has the Iron Horus; she can buy some time for him to work up the countermeasures.

At any rate, he needs a positive confirmation on the parathreat before he can engage.

"Why don't we take a look around the plant section? Those Blue Lily Chains can use some companions."

Auburn says to everyone, keeping his manner composed and natural.

The suggestion doesn't receive much pushback; the juniors agree, while the senior is peer-pressured into a yes.

No one would say no to adding some extra green to a classroom in a desert.

Urging Shiroko to steer the cart toward the plant section, Auburn makes mental preparation.

This is where the fun begins.

Dim winter daylight filters through massive, frosty windows onto an inviting corner brimming with greenery.

Sleek ceramic pots cradle glossy monstera leaves and snake plants, while petite air plants perch in delicate glass terrariums.

A low wooden counter displays a spectrum of ferns, each softly swaying in the gentle draft from AC vents above.

The warm scent of fresh soil and eucalyptus oil wafts through the air, punctuated by the soft hum of ambient lounge music.

An oasis in a concrete jungle, a quiet retreat promising a small piece of nature to take home for the urbanites.

"......" At least that's what it seems to everyone except Auburn, who immediately spotted oddities among those plants.

Almost every single pot here radiates an abnormal amount of EVE, a sign of supernatural tampering.

It's subtle, simple, yet pure. Stay green. Stay pretty. Don't ever fade. Things like that.

Prayers from the one who made them, for the plants, and for those who will take care of them.

"Nn," Shiroko picks up a small pot of ball cactus. "I like this one. Fits our style."

"What about those~?" Nonomi points at the evergreens in large clay pots.

"We can have a pair of those at the main entrance! And cut them into cool shapes!"

Hoshino, on the other hand, is eyeballing a small fish tank filled with various aquatic plants.

"Aub," She prods. "Think we can put some fishies in those...?"

Auburn's attention has not been on the plants, but the customers around them.

They don't seem to be under any influence or manipulation, judging by his observation.

So the plants are not cognitohazards. That's good to know.

There's a small booth not too far away, presumably where the purchases can be made.

He can see it from here; behind the booth is the area where all the fresh flowers are, and they are definitely paranormal.

That's where the staff will be, where the person (or people) behind this will be.

"We can talk to the staff about it," He points at the general direction of the booth with his chin. "C'mon."

Auburn does a little rally-up gesture and takes point, leading the girls by a few paces ahead.

As they approach, the EVE signature only rises.

It has gotten to the point that the staff's EVE (if there's any) has been washed out by the flowers behind the booth.

He scowls at that; there goes his upper hand before making any contacts.

Nevertheless, the adult closes in toward the booth, head on a swivel.

A person is behind the booth. A woman.

She's in a dark green apron, and under it, a beige turtleneck and a pair of slim jeans.

On her head is a black floral head scarf, and on her hands are a pair of tan gardening gloves.

She's at an above-average height in Kivotos students' standard. Above-average body curves as well.

"......"

What makes him appalled and stunned, however, is her features above her neck.

Long, teal locks loosely tied to a high ponytail, ember-gold eyes clearer and brighter than the sun outside.

Not to mention, the beautiful smile that dwarfs all the flowers behind her.

And oh, a silver tie pin, the silver tie pin clipped on the strap of the apron, still humming and working in perfect condition.

There is no mistake.

"Aub, why you suddenly-"

Hoshino picks up the pace and catches up to the adult, only to be met with the same view and the same reaction.

With a widened gaze, she spells out the name of the woman on behalf of everyone.

"...Yume-senpai!?"

Chapter Text

Initially, she says nothing.

The woman behind the booth simply reacts to the call through autopilot, not comprehending the sight before her.

"Business looking good." The man next to the voice source praises in audible relief.

She recognizes that voice. Is that...

"Auburn...?"

"Yume."

So the one next to him is...

"H- HOSHINO-CHAN-!?"

The graduate of Abydos finally finished processing the image and gawks at the pinkette.

Perhaps a bit too loudly. "KYAAAAAAAAAH~! IT'S BEEN SOOOOOOO LONG-!"

Yume practically breaches straight through the side door of the booth and dives into her Kouhai.

"Senp- Mmmmph!? " The embrace comes so fast that even a combat veteran like Hoshino fails to dodge.

That, or she doesn't want to, as she's buried into Yume's... Yumers.

Otherwise, she would've pried herself back out in a second. Gravitational like ever. He muses on the sidelines.

"And Aubuuuurn!" The big girl gestures giddily, inviting him for a hug while her Kouhai is suffocating. "Long time no see~!"

"Hey there, Yume." And of course, he takes it without hesitation, joining the reunion with an arm around her back.

Just seeing her alive and well already lifts his mood by a drastic degree. "Been a while."

He expected a tense faceoff and perhaps a shootout against a Type Blue, but this is better.

FAR better. He'd take this over any of the anartist bullshit every day and twice on Sunday.

"Is that...?" "Nn, Ob is hugging another woman."

"For a good reason," The adult parts from the big girl and introduces them to each other.

"Shiroko, meet Kuchinashi Yume, the graduate of Abydos High School, Hoshino's Senpai."

"Yume, this is Sunaookami Shiroko, the newcomer."

Auburn doesn't address Nonomi and Yume to each other, for a good reason as well.

During the short period when Nonomi joined Abydos High School and Shiroko hadn't, the two had already met.

At first, it was a little group selfie that Nonomi took and sent to the Abydos group chat on Momotalk.

Then, Yume supposedly dropped everything on her hands and traveled straight back to Abydos just to meet her in person.

It was a sweet moment; they shared similar personalities and vibes, so they got along within minutes.

And they subsequently shared stories in which they smushed Hoshino's face into their assets.

Anyway.

"Nn. Hello, woman." Shiroko doesn't seem impressed by the tall girl before her.

The tall girl before her, however, says otherwise.

^{"AAAAAAW! SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUTE~!"} Yume picks up the cub before she can even react, tone raised an octave higher in adoration.

Dropping Hoshino in the meantime, whose expression is mixed with embarrassment, dizziness... and nostalgia.

Nonomi catches her Senpai, who stumbles and trips into her Nonomers.

Heaven has a name, and it's called the small piece of cloth right over Yume and Nonomi's chest.

Or so Hosino thinks with her oxygen-deprived head.

"Mmh- Mmm-he..." "A-ra~ Senpai is into boobies as usual~"

Suppressing a spitting laugh, Auburn turns his attention to the other side.

"Henlo~ Little puppy! Are you a wolf? You're a wolf! A wolf puppy! Cute and preeeeeeetty~"

Meanwhile, Yume is holding Shiroko in a tight embrace and dancing her around in sparkling excitement.

Shiroko, despite her best attempt, is unable to break off the hold.

The winding arms around her body simply refuse to budge, no matter how hard she struggles.

"A-ha! Staaahp~ You're like Hoshino-chan in her first year!"

Her overbearing hug of love turns into a squeeze as the wolf puppy is wiggling like a fish out of water.

"Mnmmnnnm-!? " All Shiroko can do is tap at the arms in an urgent pace.

"...Hah!?" Perhaps it's the keyword from her senior, Hoshino snaps back to reality the moment she regains her consciousness.

And the first thing she sees parting away from Nonomers is Yume trying to suffocate her Kouhai with her Yumers, and it's working.

"Senpai!? Stop! Stop! She's tapping out!" Hoshino rushes over and separates the two.

One doesn't seem to know what she has done, and another is dropping on the ground like a sack.

"Nn... Fat woman... Too strong..." Defeated Shiroko wimps like a sad puppy as she's picked up by Auburn.

"Like the good ol' days." He sighs, but with a brimming smile. "How's the place treating you, big girl?"

"I was about to ask!" The pinkette immediately follows with a bombardment of questions.

"Senpai, are you getting paid? Who hired you? How long have you been doing this? Have you eaten?"

"Uhm!? Y- Yes...?"

"What do you mean yes!? Answer me!"

"Hiiiiiiin..."

Even though it's been months since Yume's graduation, the dynamic between the two doesn't seem to have changed at all.

Yume goes on a daring adventure, all happy and dandy, while Hoshino mops up her mess.

In a good way, the best way possible. Auburn thinks. "Hey, she knows how to read the fine print now. Relax."

"That's right!" Yume puffs up her already large chest in confidence. "I have mastered the art of reading the contracts!"

"Okay? How much are you making here then?"

"1100 Yen per hour! Plus free lunch and 10% weekend bonus!"

"A-ra..." "Nn. Pretty much minimum wage."

The Kouhais comment on the sidelines.

"......" Hoshino is going to faint. "Senpai, I..."

On one side, it's a legit job with real income instead of some weird, shady "volunteer" work.

On another... Minimum wage? For running this whole section? Really?

She can easily trump that number with bounty-hunting alone.

But to think that Yume-senpai can't shoot for crap and has already passed the Iron Horus down to her...

"Well... I guess you gotta start somewhere?" Auburn scratches his face, taking her words out of her mouth.

"You are still horribly underpaid." Hoshino follows flatly. "You deserve a better job, Senpai."

"Eeeeeh~?" Yume makes a ˊ○口○ˋ face. "But l like the flowers! And these cool-looking grasses!"

"The flowers." He glances at the whole reason why this pleasant encounter ever happened.

Right. "Say, big girl, where did you get all those pretty flowers and plants from?"

"Hm?" Her long, curvy ahoge forms a question mark above her head.

"I think it's... Trinity and Wild Hunt? I just receive them every morning, and put them into pots and vases!"

"Are they... You know, a little different than regular plants? Like those Blue Lily Chains I made you?"

"Mmmmmmm..." Yume briefly becomes The Thinker and closes her eyes.

"No? These plants do wither if I don't put them in a pot... And they don't have the happiness buff!"

"I see." He snickers at her homebrew term. Happiness buff. Sums it up pretty well.

But then it begs a bigger question...

Is Yume subconsciously making immortal plants because she wants them to stay pretty?

She's the only employee here and is the one setting up those pots. Who else can it be?

With his silver eyes, he stares back at the warm, innocent golden gaze.

"......" It can't be her, right?

The EVE doesn't suggest much; everyone with a halo above their head is deemed "paranormal" in his standard.

He can see EVE within a certain spectrum; anything beyond the threshold will turn out blank, or "Black".

In simpler terms, ha can tell does this guy has superpowers, but not what kind of superpower this guy have.

And that's the problem. He can't tell if a person is capable of magic or not, if they radiate over-the-chart EVE to begin with.

"Auburn? Are you spacing out~?" She can't help but ask, seeing the adult suddenly fall quiet.

"No, no. I'm just thinking that..." He waves her off, scrambling for an excuse.

"That if you can put together some bouquets from the entrance ceremony of Nonomi and Shiroko."

Granted, it is something he aims to solve, but in two months or so.

Although the juniors are already well integrated into the life of Abydos High School, official procedures need to be undergone.

Yes, they have signed the required papers, and yes, they have the uniforms and student IDs.

However, the rite of passage, as well as the sense of belonging, is crucial to the newcomers.

And Hoshino wants the best for her Kouhais.

"Oh!" The same applies to Yume; Kouhai's Kouhais are still her Kouhai.

"Of course!" She beams with a clap of her hands. "I'll do my best and build the best possible bouquets for them!"

"Awesome, I'll shoot you a date." The adult gives her a curt hug.

"And, you're of course invited to the ceremony. Don't forget to dress properly."

"I'll just wear my uniform! If they still fit..." She goes on as she massages the masses under the apron.

"-!?"

That move seems to have caused mental damage to a certain pinkette, who arches her body forward as if she were shot in the stomach.

"Guys," Hoshino croaks out, wiping her mouth and standing back straight.

"Let's... Pick up what we're here for and call it a day. It's getting dark out there."

"We're leaving already? Mm... I'll pick this, then~♧" Nonomi chooses necklace vines in a pot with a hanger.

It will pair well with the Blue Lily Chains, aesthetically and functionally; Blue Lily Chains work better while attached to living beings.

"Nn. This looks cooler. Less prickily."

Shiroko picks up a small pot of succulents this time, which looks like a purple-ish gray lotus with fat petals.

They require low maintenance with a little amount of water to live, and apparently, this one's petals are edible.

As for the Senpai who's also a Kouhai, she opts for a small pot of Drosera.

A tank of aquatic plants (and fishies) is great, but fewer pests in their classroom is a tradeoff she's willing to take.

Auburn picked nothing.

He's not here for plants to begin with. And he's glad that the outcome exceeded his expectations.

Seeing her juniors satisfied with their choice, Hoshino does an improvised sign language to her Senpai.

To the cashier.

At the booth doubles as the cashier, Yume introduced them to the basics of gardening.

The watering schedule, pest and disease control, relocation and transplant tips, the whole nine yards.

She even went out of her way and gave their plants protective shrouds made out of wires and greenhouse nets.

Plus, despite everyone's persuasion, she offered them an enormous discount.

It's Senpai tax! She said. Albeit what she's done is literally the opposite of that.

All in all, Yume sounded like a professional; turns out, if she has a passion for doing something, she'll naturally excel at it.

Hoshino is well impressed. Her Senpai came a long way from the clumsy airhead that she was months ago.

Putting the pots into the cart, the members of the Abydos High School bid farewell to their graduate.

With no less of cuddles, wavings, and one last competition of who has the best heavenly spaces between Nonomers and Yumers.

Judged by theirs truly, Hoshino and Shiroko, it was a one-to-one draw.

Before they leave. "Pssst. Auburn." Yume calls the adult.

He turns back, only to see her far behind the counter, seemingly preparing something.

She starts by picking a candidate from various kinds of flowers, which seem normal and untampered with.

After hovering her hands around a row of flower buckets, she chooses a batch of white Gladiolus.

Taking the tallest and prettiest one among all, the young florist begins her work.

On the small space between her and the adult, she places a piece of pre-cut, waterproof wrapper with a golden brim.

The dark gray color was chosen to make the white flower pop, he assumes.

Yume then does a quick measurement and trims the stem and branches of the flower accordingly.

During her work, her expression remains attentive and focused, a kind of aura that he used to only see on Hoshino instead.

Hers is different, however; instead of a sharp, aloof gaze like a hawk, it's caring and devoted, like the sunshine she is.

Auburn watches, eyes full of fascinated intrigue. Look at you go.

She puts away the tape measure and moves on to the next step.

First, she rolls up the paper and prepares the bouquet in the way she'd like.

The paper is shaped like a cone, and the golden brim is forming an upward chevron, serving as the background for the Gladiolus.

With her spare hand, she reaches for a golden ribbon by the side.

"!..." And this is where thing starts to really, really pique his interest.

Yume lays the soon-to-be bouquet over the ribbon and takes a deep breath.

There is no mistake, not when this close, not when he's observing this concentratedly.

Commanding the suspended ethereal energy roaming in the air, she closes her eyes.

The EVE flow turns aggressive abruptly, like a fierce gust roaring through a valley.

The fuck!? Auburn swears the golden halo above her head brightens for just a millisecond.

He takes a step away defensively, away from the ground zero of a reality-bending incident.

"And there!" Yume throws her hands up a little. "Whew~ It went smoother than usual this time!"

The Gladiolus bouquet's finishing touch is in place: a golden bowtie at its bottom, securing itself to the wrapping.

What's unusual about it (other than the flower itself) is just how immaculate it is; it's symmetrical down to perfection.

Even the folds underneath that are supposed to be messy and wrinkly are impeccably spaced and proportioned.

"Here, Auburn~" And Yume doesn't seem to think any of that is wrong.

She hands the paranormal bouquet to the adult with both hands.

"You are full of surprises." He does the same with a smile, gently takes the present with care.

The Gladiolus doesn't seem to possess any psychological effects upon contact.

Nope, just an immortal flower that will stay pretty until the magic somehow eventually runs out.

Which he now swears will never let that happen. "Why the sudden gift?" He prods with a soft tone, grazing his thumb over a petal.

"I..." For once in a blue moon, Yume hesitates. "I saw you were a little... down. When you came to me."

"Did I? I thought I was more tense than down." He says in a mild surprise. Fuck, is it that obvious now?

"That, too." Yume's ember gaze drops a little in remembrance.

"...You used to have that face when- Oh, after when you were left alone for a while."

"Like... Desperate for something to happen, but in the meantime, don't want it to."

"Or it's like... Like you've wronged Hoshino-chan in some way. The way you looked at her sometimes."

"...Iono." She forces out a weak laugh. "Point is!"

"You've done so much for Abydos High School, but back then, I couldn't do much."

"But not anymore! I hope you can feel better with this gift, much like you did for us with the lilies!"

"Stay strong like you always have, and take care of Hoshino-chan and her new Kouhais!"

She claps her hands together, and a sincere smile blooms on her face. "Please?"

"......" Auburn is struck speechless.

All this time, Auburn has always seen Yume as a mission, a mission that has been done and dusted.

What comes after that, frankly, is beyond him.

He could've let fate take the wheel and see where it drives her to.

But Yume is full of love. She has qualities that Auburn couldn't even dream of having.

He couldn't bear to see any of that go away due to circumstances out of her control.

She loves Abydos and Hoshino with all her might, despite how little it might be.

Her heart of gold shines for those who are in need; she shelters the cold, she aids the weak, she comforts the defeated.

To him, it was distant and almost Sisyphian; he knew better, for all the wrong reasons. Experiences don't lie.

So he stuck around, hoping the little sunshine of hers would stay alight for as long as it could.

Hoping that by sticking around, her good qualities would at least rub off on him, making him a better person, for just a little.

However, all he could do was fight. Fight for Abydos, fight for Hoshino, fight for her.

He kept his distance from Yume, danced around her kindness, and faced the ugly corners of the world that prey upon Abydos.

It is only now that he realizes that he was, has always been, within the range of her light as well.

"......"

Now he knows. In Yume's eyes, there was love and care in his fights, too. She witnessed it all.

And love and care go around and come around.

"You..." It almost sounds choky. "You really are full of surprises, Yume."

"E-he~" The big girl, alive and well, opens her arms for one final farewell between the two. "Glad you like it!"

"Oh, not just that," He approaches with glossy, storm gray eyes. "I love it."

The two share an embrace, resting their head on each other's shoulders.

Tight, warm, and lovely. Nothing between them ever changed.

"Goodbye, Auburn."

"Goodbye, Yume."

A grown person, and a saved person.

Chapter Text

The sun clocked out early as the sky had already turned into a murky indigo when they exited the mall.

In the rolling view, D.U.’s neon glow blurs into a pearlescent haze as Caddy's tires hum over slushy asphalt.

The windshield, flickering with the metronomic rhythm of the wipers, frames a world in soft focus.

Each snowflake catches the streetlamp’s glow like a million tiny fireflies drifting down and around them.

Trees on the center island arch overhead, their skeletal limbs beaded with ice that shimmers whenever the headlights sweep past.

Nonomi and Shiroko, after a fulfilling day of shopping and exploring, have fallen asleep in the rear seats.

Their breaths are even, their eyes are gently shut, and their halos have phased out of existence.

Hoshino called dibs on the shotgun seat on their ride home. For this specific moment.

She saw it all. The last parting moment of Yume-senpai and him.

And how he returned with an extra gift, expression in relief, gratitude, and...

No. With a sharp inhale, she shuffles in her seat. Senpai wouldn't do that. She knew.

"......" She knew.

Much like herself, she saw Auburn's face and the thing he hides under that weary smile.

Much like herself, she knew about Auburn's drop in mental state when left alone for too long.

Unlike herself, however, Yume-senpai did something about it.

She peeks at the flower resting in the cubby of the center console. Tall, narrow, and pristine, like a well-honed sword.

Hoshino buries her lower face into the new scarf she bought, the clutch on the seat belt tightens.

She didn't have good timing today. What about the past few times?

She tried, but he glossed her over. Doesn't mean she shouldn't try.

It's okay to leave him be; he'll bounce back like he always does anyway. Bullshit. How could I?

"Hey," Hoshino almost jumps at his sudden call. "We have about another hour of driving, why don't you get some shut-eye?"

In the driver's seat, Auburn is back in his usual state, eyes upfront and hands on the steering wheel.

No near-indistinguishable slouch in his posture, no scowling on his eyebrows, and no gray clouds in his eyes.

She's happy for him breaking out of his "mope mode", she really does, but...

But what is this pounding pain in her chest?

What's with this tightness tangled around it that simply won't let loose?

"I can't sleep for crap like this." Hoshino airs out, slumping into the backrest.

"Well, there you go," He sees without seeing. "Keep that up and close your eyes, you'll be knocked out in a minute."

"......" Hoshino sits up instead, the rebellious part in her soul reignites against him for once.

She then proceeds to prop her face on the window with her arms. "Hmmph."

Entering the highway, the adult gets the Caddy up to speed and turns on cruise control.

This is where the boring part begins, but simultaneously, it frees up some of his attention for the passenger.

Which means the boring part will not be so boring. Oh no.

"Elskur," He hums the pet name at her; she still doesn't know what that means. "It was just a friendly gift. From Yume, of all people."

Auburn goes straight for the heart of the topic.

The most surefire way of dealing with jealousy and misunderstanding is to state everything properly.

Draws a line, and lets the other side know which side you are on (preferably, the same as their side).

"I know," Hoshino drawls. "Senpai always sees the vulnerabilities of people, and will spare no effort to help them with it."

"Me," She curls her upper body inwards and into the lumbar of the seat. "And even you."

"Yeah," A quiet smile emerges on his face. "Even me. I was surprised, too."

"......" The pinkette doesn't reply.

For the next ten minutes, the two remain wordless. The only noise in the vehicle is the AC and the tires.

A long, straight road stretches ahead of him and into the horizon, with pairs and pairs of red taillights adorning the path.

Hoshino blankly stares at the outside; the scenery speeding by is foggy and blurry.

Yellow road lamps fly by her in a fixed tempo, their fuzzy bulbs of light trailing across her face through the fog.

Her own silhouette blends into the view, like a formless, intangible ghost, but she doesn't have the energy to wipe the window.

"I wish I could do more for you." She blurts out. "Be more for you."

"I doubt if you can do that," He says with a plain tone. "You're already my everything."

"!..." He had her in the first half. "You!..." Just the first half.

Hoshino smacks her in the deltoid. "You and your running mouth! Ruining my mood!"

"Ow! Hey! Stop! I'm driving! Owie!" Facing the relentless assault (that he brought upon himself), he deploys elbow blocks.

Sadly (?), it's to no avail. The pinkette has learned his patterns; that, and he's not really trying.

After another string of exchanges, shaking the Caddy, and endangering the safety of everyone else on the road, they've finally stopped.

"I meant it," Auburn frees his right hand and opens his palm.

"Fuck off." Hoshino takes it nonetheless, resting her left hand on it and holding it tight.

Still hasn't turned to him, however.

"I never really know much about you." She follows. "Even that... Gehenna spy knew you better."

He squeezes her hand playfully. "First of all, I fed her complete bullshit, like I said before. Nothing I gave her was real."

"And," The adult adds after a slight pause for the dramatic effect.

"From what I've learned, people can never truly understand one another; we can only fill in the blank with trust."

"Big words." She scrapes his palm with her index finger. "Where'd you learn that from?"

"Trinity."

"You've been in Trinity?"

"A while ago."

"How long ago?"

"...Elskur."

"Tell me."

"I want to know more about you, Auburn." Hoshino insists, her hold firm.

She turns to her, eyes boring into the man so close, yet so far. "I mean it, too."

"......"

"And don't give me that 'there's a lot about me you don't know' crap."

He tilts his head. "Even if it sounds like utter bullshit, even from me?"

"I doubt if you can do that," Hoshino smirks, using his magic against him. "You don't have a limit in bullshitting."

Cheeky bastard. He sighs as he curses internally. You've been with me for too long.

Auburn knew that this day would come when he was stranded in this timeline longer than he wanted to.

Someone (doesn't have to be Hoshino) would get interested in where he came from and who he really is.

Someone whom he can't simply fraud his way out of or sweet-talk his way out of.

He had, for lack of a better word, a renditioned version of his story. As a just in case.

However.

"Mmmnn..." Shiroko rises from her slumber at this perfect timing. "Hungry."

"G'morning, sunshine." He says, looking into the rear-view mirror, tone unwavered.

"Have some jerky. But don't down the whole thing. We're having dinner later."

"What were you two talking about?" She still sounds groggily as she reaches for the snack newly stored in the back of the driver's seat.

Auburn shows the holding hands to the cub. "Trivial stuff. Patrol routes, paperwork, dinner. You get the idea."

"Nnnnnn..." And now that she knows their chat topics, her interest drops even more.

She's hungry, and joining the talk doesn't do her much favor.

Shiroko absent-mindedly hums, fiddling with the jerky package to look for the opening in the poorly lit rear seat.

Tearing open the top side, the hungry wolf pops a piece of meat into her mouth before turning to the one next to her.

"......" Nonomi's eyes are closed, her breaths are still even, but the green halo above her head has given her away.

"Nn, Nonomi." Shiroko says to the seemingly asleep girl, hovering a jerky next to her face. "Have some."

The emerald eyes open a slit. "T- Thanks, Shiroko-chan..." She takes it with a well-hidden pout.

There goes her masterful plan of eavesdropping on the private chat of the de facto Abydos couple.

Speaking of which. "......" Hoshino looks over her seat with an incredulous gaze.

She has finally, finally gotten this close to making her adult enough to spill more about himself.

Such a perfect opportunity doesn't come every day; he has nowhere to run, to hide, to evade, and to distract her.

And now this? First at the mall and now this!? AGAIN!?

Never in her life has she hated having more than just them two in Abydos High School.

"Anything in mind for dinner?" Auburn briefly peeks at the mirror again.

"It's early evening, the Central District should still have plenty of options."

As she expected, he's diverting the topic to her Kouhais and will probably not let off for the time being.

Still has his eyes on the road, by the way. Doesn't even spare her a look.

Hoshino withdraws her hand with a hiss and turns back to face the window. "Ihateyou."

"Sad." With his now vacant hand, he grabs his phone and rests it on his lap. "I guess I'm available now."

The little carnivore of the group raises her hand. "I suggest steak."

"Pup, do you ever want anything else other than meat?" Auburn prods with an airy laugh.

"Nn. Meat grants me strength and bulk."

"That I can't argue."

The bantering continues between him, Shiroko, and occasionally Nonomi.

They go on for minutes, compiling ideas and checking for availability in Abydos.

Hoshino just listens. She's not really in the mood for joining them to solve the ultimate conundrum of what's for dinner.

She lost her chance; the flower, the talk, everything. Back to square one.

The adult puts his phone back in the cubby at the front of the center console. Doesn't take her eyes to know that.

Right after that, however, her phone vibrates in her pocket. One short buzz followed by one long buzz; his message.

Hoshino deliberately waits for another whole minute before pulling her phone out.

Without showing too much eagerness or hastiness in her moves, she opens her Momotalk.

tn
my place
we continue
.
im sorry
please
?

She takes a peek at the driver. "......" He's still driving and chatting like nothing ever happened.

This guy. With a snort, her hands drop freely on her lap.

Auburn asks, hearing a faint thud. "So what says you?"

And after all this time, the man finally looks at her. His monochromic eyes meet her heterochromic ones.

She hates how easily she can be swooned by this totem pole.

One look, one move, and one question, and she can feel all her weapons and defenses against him crumble away, leaving love behind.

She hates it. Yes, she does.

She says to herself not to fall for his tricks every time. Yet, every time becomes the last time.

And there, he's going to say it. Hoshino gulps.

"Pasta in Trinity, or steak in Gehenna?"

"......"

"What? The vote is one to one. Quick, we're close to an interchange."

"I hate you so much."

"What? Whatdoyoumean- Ow! Owie!? Why!?"

"Nonomi, why is Ob getting smacked for nothing again?"

"Aw, that's what's called slap and tickle, Shiroko-chan~♧"

In the end, they miss both interchanges to Trinity and Gehenna and settle for Shibaseki Raman, their old faithful.

They have their food, refueling themselves to be ready for the rest of the day.

And Auburn goes to literal extra miles to drop off everyone back to their apartments with their purchased goods.

The night continues, the adult parks the Caddy into the garage, does one last check on all its fluids, and enters the unlit campus building.

He has one last thing to do.

With a specific someone that isn't his specific someone.

Chapter Text

Deep in the building of the Abydos High School lies his lair.

Started as a makeshift den with bare bones necessities, the place has seen major improvement over time.

The bed has been upgraded with extra mattresses scavenged from the buried gymnasium of the main campus.

On it, a winter sleeping bag, two pillows, and a large blanket sewn together with multiple wool shawls in different colors and patterns.

It was a famous product from a bygone era of Abydos, but now it's dime-a-dozen around the district.

A row of old lockers taken from another classroom and privacy screens from an infirmary serve as a divider, separating the room by two-thirds.

The front one-third part of this room is closed off; windows are shut dead and covered by newspapers, and the door near it is locked.

By the lockers, the workshop table has been lined with a wide array of tools, jars, and cans.

A vice is mounted on its edge, providing a solid support for any advanced gunsmithing.

Further next to the table is a gear stand made of metal pipes and 2x4s, where he hangs his chest rig, belt, and his Spear LT.

Near the window, there are several foldable solar panels, power banks, and battery chargers connected to them.

This building already has solar panels installed, and its power grid has been solid as a rock, unlike almost everything else.

Still, it's best for him to help lower the girl's electricity bills where he can.

A clothesline is strung across the room, but nothing is on it for now. Laundry day hasn't arrived yet.

Boxes of bottled water, canned food, and ammo are stacked in whatever available spaces he can find.

A cooler box, a floor fan, some dumbbells with racks and benches...

...Oh, and the single bed, now moved away from the windows and closer to the mattresses.

Hoshino chooses the mattresses, specifically, the sleeping bag; she's currently burrowed deep inside it and turned herself into a worm.

In her winter uniform with a pair of stockings, nonetheless, she doesn't have other winter clothes and didn't shop for them.

"I'm not getting out until I get what I want." She declares with a pout.

On the workshop table, Auburn is inspecting his newly-purchased SA58 OSW, checking for headspace and potential blemishes on parts.

"I don't think that's for you to say." He racks the charging handle with a loaded magazine in place.

The cartridges feed and eject smoothly along with his move, clicking and clacking onto the ground.

"Try me." The pinkette writhing languidly in protest. "And I'm not letting you touch me, either."

"Why are y-" He pauses as he picks the cartridges back up.

"Why are you so... determined in this? In knowing my past?"

"I want to know more about you."

"You know plenty of things about me already."

"I don't think that's f-"

"-Elskur." He rested the gun back on the wooden table, making an authoritative CLUNK! noise.

"!..." Hoshino winces at the sudden noise and his raised voice.

"...Sorry." Auburn deflates with a massive exhale. "You gotta stop parroting me. It pisses me off."

He unloads the rifle and drops it and the magazine on the table.

After cleaning his hands with a wet wipe, he approaches her.

The gear, as well as most of the layers, has been taken off; he's in a gray tank top and a pair of floral jogging shorts.

As if the cold never bothered him. Scoot, he gestures.

The sleeping bag worm called Hoshino retreats to give him some space.

"If you're so desperate to know." He takes his usual spot and makes himself comfortable, lying on his back.

But instead of shoulder-to-shoulder close like usual, he's an arm's reach away from her.

His arm's reach. So it's astronomically distant in her standard.

Hoshino unzips the sleeping bag, unearths her upper body, and extends a hand. Closer.

But he refuses, blocking her warm hand with the back of his. Just a fleeting touch, she can feel how ice-cold his hand is.

The cold sinks into her heart like a hook, and he has the line as he retracts his hand.

It pulls, it hurts. Why?

"Let me walk you through a hypothetical." Auburn speaks gravelly before she tries again.

"One day, a sandstorm hit you while you're outside, throwing you off-road and completely lost."

"In the storm, you saw a light just over the roaring gust and sand, so you made a run for it."

"And through the storm, before you can react, you're thrown into another world.

"Same places, same people, but a different time." He adds. "You're stranded there in the foreseeable future."

"There, in that different world, you see your lover." Taking a breath way too deep, he pauses.

"...Everything about them is the exact same: appearance, voice, behavior, bodily features, everything."

"So here's the question," He throws up his hand dramatically. "Are you going to love this person, despite where you are?"

Another longer pause. Hoshino realizes that the gray clouds are emerging in his eyes.

"Are you going to devote yourself to that person, knowing that eventually, you'll leave them, and they'll never find you again?"

"Are you going to develop a relationship with that person, knowing that all the progress you made here will be rendered pointless?"

"ARE YOU-" He hitches. "Are you going to love, knowing that you're just a lost fucking cause, and that-"

He storms up from his spot, breaths hasty and voice shaking.

Steel gray irises bore into astonished blue and orange ones like a pair of spikes, sharp and daggering.

''That you're projecting your love on someone else, and all it will cause is nothing but pain in the end?"

"......" "......"

A deafening silence commences between the two, the only audible thing is his heaves for air.

Hoshino is transfixed, riveting her gaze back at her man as if he just dropped a bomb on her lap.

The information is too much for her to process. Another timeline? Another lover? What are you talking about!?

It doesn't take a genius to put the pieces together, however; the hypothetical is anything but.

After an eternity, his head drops down, like a puppet with its strings cut off.

His brownish-red hair droops around his face, curtaining his expression.

This is a situation way too complicated for him to burden anyone with, let alone her.

He doesn't have the right to bother her with his issues, especially the ones that neither of them has the answers to.

This isn't him. This isn't Auburn Nóttson.

"WhatamIevendoing?" Auburn crashes back down, palms to his face.

He claws at his forehead, fingertips bend and whiten at the immense force. "Fuck."

Hoshino finally breaks the spell, and the first thing she does is close the distance.

However, a vile thought has already taken root in her mind.

His love hasn't been real. He doesn't really love me, and I'm just a replacement.

She freezes. A replacement. The pressure behind her eyes increases.

It haunts her, traveling between her ears and burning deeper and deeper into her head.

"...'m such a fucking idiot." He curses. "Should've left when I had a chance."

She gasps wordlessly at that; what would she have become if he hadn't existed from the beginning?

"......" She can't even imagine.

Her life is now a montage of pieces and snippets of everyone in Abydos, and that includes him.

Among those pieces, his takes up a significant proportion, second to Yume-senpai.

If she takes him out of the equation, then... Then she will not be whole, simple as that.

Find replacements, then. Just like what he did to you.

A whisper bleeds into her ear, cold, aloof, and almost hostile. She recognizes that voice.

Her past self. Herself.

Rash, distrustful, and quick to temper. Like a lost child, struggling to find the path to growing up.

"...No." Hoshino denies that whisper; that is not her anymore.

She's a Senpai of two, she's the President of the Abydos Student Council.

She's filling in the bigger shoes, shouldering a bigger burden, and carving new paths for those who are behind her.

She has changed for the better; she has grown.

And Auburn Nóttson has a part in it; his love has a part in it.

"No!" Hoshino says again, louder, clearer.

She exits the sleeping bag and pounces onto the adult, straddling him and pinning him down by the shoulders.

He groans mutely, the stiff body beneath her feels even stiffer as his fight-or-flight mode switches on for a millisecond.

Auburn grasps her arms by the wrists. "The fuck are y-"

"-DON'T EVER SAY THAT!" Hoshino chokes out; adrenaline is fueling her burning emotions.

She looms her eyes over his, and oh, the tumbling storm of sadness in those glossy eyes.

"I don't give a shit where you're from." She bites out, pink locks slide off her shoulders as each syllable tremors her body.

Her hold tightens, you're so cold. "I don't give a shit who you were."

"And I don't-" An angry sniff. A drop of water onto his cheek. "I don't give a shit if you've been projecting."

"You made me a better person. Your love made me a better person."

"Nothing takes that away! N- None of it was in vain!" She wipes off the mist in her vision. "It's-"

It's barely a counter, and she knows. If anything, it sounds more like a blind, headstrong claim.

Still, she presses on. "It's real to me." A small rain starts to fall on Auburn's face.

His gaze is always composed and certain, yet now, the centers of the two storms shake at her confession.

He always has his way with words, yet now, his lips part, and nothing comes out but an exhale.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Hoshino rests her forehead onto his, forcing them to close their eyes.

The breaths are finding each other, their drumming heartbeat are syncing as time goes on.

"I'm so tired." The lost man airs out at the brink of sobbing. "I don't know what to do."

"I want to love." He breaks contact and slumps into her shoulder. "But I'll have to leave. For good."

A fretting hand crawls onto her back. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

Turns out, there's also a hook sunk deep into his heart, too.

Except the line is tangled and pulled tight; whatever he does, whatever choice he makes, it's going to hurt.

What will she do if she's in his shoes? How will she answer those questions?

"I guess," Hoshino hugs her adult tightly. "I guess we can only do what comes natural."

"And what's natural to us is," She smushes her teary face into his temple, the closest part to his ear. "Is to love."

She can feel Auburn tense slightly, reacting to the sentence. To love.

"......" A warm breath of air is exhaled on her shoulder.

Nothing is said between the two for another several minutes.

In silence, the adult manages to gradually regain himself as his partner holds him close.

"You and your running mouth." He gravels. "I hate you so much."

"Heh." She noses his dome. "And you said I should stop parroting you."

Auburn takes his time to clean the waterworks in his eyes. Hoshino simply rubs everything on his clothes.

"I told you, no touching the bed before shower." He seizes the chance to pinch her cheek while they tidy each other's hair.

"U-heeeerrrghh...!" Hoshino stretches horizontally. "I did! Before am here!"

"You went outside after that, so it doesn't count."

"Wha- No? Getbackhereyou-!"

An attempt to retaliate failed when he simply retreated out of her reach.

She's still straddling his lap, so all he needs to do is push her away by the shoulders.

Hoshino tries again to brute-force through, prying his hands off and going for another pounce.

It ends up sending him rolling rearward and back on the mattress with her stacking on top.

"......" "......"

Maybe it's because they just poured their heart out to each other. The revelry is lost on them quickly.

She adjusts her posture and makes herself comfortable on the new adult-shaped mattress.

His heartbeat is back to normal pace, his chest ebbs and flows slowly as he breathes.

And most importantly, he is warm now. Hands, shoulders, chest, neck, they chirp at her touch silently. To love.

It's her favorite time of her day. The time when the whole world condensed to just her and him.

Hoshino climbs up a little and kisses his chin; she gets a peck on the forehead in response.

"I guess it's shower time for you, too." She smirks, letting every inch of her exposed skin touch his.

Auburn doesn't fight back. "What about night patrol?" At least not physically.

"It's winter vacation, nobody's outside."

"Didn't you say you're gonna sleep in your apartment tonight?"

"Snow is too heavy. Pass."

"You." He playfully claws at her sides.

"Mm-heh." Hoshino doesn't fight back, either. "Me."

Instead, she squirms further upward, leveling their eyes.

The gray, mulling storms in those irises are gone, revealing the crisp silvers underneath.

The same moonlight rings she's head over heels with. There you are.

At the same perfect timing, Hoshino's head lowers as Auburn's rises.

"......" "......"

And they share a soft, sealing kiss.

It's a dance they both mastered; a touch, a closeup, a swirl, a part for space, and repeat.

This time, however, they do it but once, parted without a misstep in tempo.

In a shared harmony, they cup each other's faces, look right into their eyes full of adoration.

A mutual smile bleeds into their expression.

Words have weight; the more frequently you say something, the less meaning it holds.

Which is why they always save the magic line for the most critical moments possible.

So they'd know they mean it dearly when they say it to each other.

This is one of those moments. And they both know.

"I love you, Hoshino."

"I love you, Auburn."

The seniors of the Abydos High School spend their night as usual. Same place, same people, but a different time.

Perhaps the future will be daunting, perhaps the separation will be painful beyond belief.

But now, they have the present, they have each other right where they desired.

And nothing, absolutely nothing.

Nothing will take that away from them.

Not tonight, not in the foreseeable future.