Chapter Twenty-Five

Manipulative

(Part 3 of 3)

 

"Are you sure you're fine?" Abihiko mumbled for the dozenth time. "Warn me if you suddenly decide to not breathe again."

"Yes," Nekohiko replied, impassive as always. "I'm fine."

He refused to talk about it more and refused to remind himself of the recent breach of boundaries he'd established so grandly with Abihiko a couple of weeks prior.

No touching him. Ever.

What part of it didn't Abihiko understand? Lips and mouths also counted! The shudder it gave Nekohiko every time he remembered was hard to describe. It was itchy, it was electric. It was... rude.

And yet, bringing it up and letting Abihiko know that he was so uncomfortable with it put Nekohiko in an even testier mood. Abihiko already was having the time of his life fussing about him nearly dying from suffocation. Nekohiko didn't want to add more.

Who cared about their mouths touching? Most people touched him all the time without asking, so how was this significantly different and warranting of a conversation?

So Nekohiko sat in his corner of Kotone's room, soaking his chilled feet in a small basin of hot water she'd brought, and sulked.

After having fainted inside the tree, he only came to his senses when Abihiko was already hauling him through the main gates of the Shrine. Apart from the fact that he could barely walk, he also had the displeasure of discovering that The Thread had shrunk to less than a few fingers in between him and Abihiko with all this scuffling and tree-fainting.

Nekohiko had no commentary on either of these things. Only vast apathy.

Like with this whole "kidnappers" thing that was directed at him but ended up endangering others around him. These things tended to run out of his control. The only thing he could do was accept them.

Kotone had left a few minutes ago, so only the two of them here. But unlike Nekohiko, Abihiko wasn't ready to accept anything.

He was raging. "How doesn't this still dissolve, huh?" He jerked his wrist, tightening The Thread further and further. "Why aren't we yet separated?! What else does this thing even want from us!"

Another tiny lurch of shrinking. Nekohiko's hand now had to hover directly next to Abihiko's. Or not. Did it matter how long The Thread was between them by now? At some point, the distance stopped being an issue. What distance? What boundaries, too?

"You saved my life! Then I saved your life!" Abihiko thudded his fist into the floor, fuming. "What else?! What possibly else can be done to prove how tight and amazing and wonderful we are to each other?! Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Nekohiko lifted his face, uninvolved. Abihiko's pale skin was flushed, his eyes gleaming, their edges reddened. When he saw just how indifferent Nekohiko was, emotions of shock and disbelief flickered across his face.

"Do you not care?" He yanked their linked hands up again. "Do you not care at all? I get it! I understand why this damned thing doesn't dissipate. It's because you don't give a damn. Right after you woke up in the forest, what did I do? I told you 'thank you for saving my life'. And you? Do you remember what you told back to me?"

Yes. Nekohiko had been very uncomfortable with such grand proclamations, so the only thing he had mustered was, "You were tied to me, so I had no choice."

Abihiko cracked a smile. "So I guess you would have left me to be kidnapped and trapped somewhere for years if only you could, huh?" He turned away, miserable. "Didn't you notice before -- that it has always been me who talked to you first, who offered you things to share, who tried to connect with you. And what did I ever get in return? You hardly even speak, let alone something nice. Do you think it's easy, to try and hang out with someone I dislike? And yet, I'm at least trying. And what are you doing?"

Nekohiko dropped his gaze to the floor.

He didn't like talking about such things. He knew he couldn't do it well anyway, so what would be the point? Abihiko still wouldn't understand him.

Because he did some daily sacrifices for Abihiko, he did! He... tolerated all of Abihiko's many faults, didn't he? Too bad Abihiko would never know that some sacrifices didn't have to be flashy or grand. Some could be quiet and invisible, yet just as brutal to a person doing the sacrifice.

"You stole my first ever kiss," Abihiko suddenly said in a low voice as though trying not to cry, "you. A person who hates me and whom I'm pretty sure I hate back, too."

The strange brokenness of his tone made Nekohiko perk up at last.

"I didn't steal anything from you," he said, confused. "I never would."

"Yes, you did!" Abihiko gave him a dour look, shaken with aggravation. "I wanted to keep it and... give away when I was ready -- and to someone meaningful. Someone I actually liked! Morokata, maybe. Or at least Hifumi..." His palm again thumped the floor dejectedly. "Not you. Spirits, why did it have to be you..."

Nekohiko listened, sifting through his recent memories for whatever Abihiko was so depressed about. The act of stealing.

"I had to Bind to save us," he said, unsure.

Abihiko sucked his teeth. "What does that have to do with anything?"

But... nothing else came to him! What did the boy just say that thing even was?

"What's a kiss?" Nekohiko frowned.

Abihiko's silence felt menacing. "Are you kidding me?" When Nekohiko didn't react, simply waiting for the explanation, Abihiko all but exploded. "What you made me do to you in the tree! That is a damn kiss, you dummy! That! Lips touching! Tongues! Whatever! A KISS!"

There were words for specific kinds of touching? Sure, made sense, especially for such grosser kinds of touching. Nekohiko nodded. "I understand."

"Oh, do you?!"

"What I don't get is why you giving me a kiss makes me the one who stole it from you? I wasn't even awake."

Slowly, Abihiko sagged down on the bamboo mats, eyes burning on Nekohiko, yet with far less animosity than before. Now, he just looked irritated. "Are you seriously saying you don't know what a kiss is? Or why giving it is important to people?"

It was important to others? He'd always thought he was the only one like that.

"Were you raised in a cave?" Abihiko balked.

Close, but... Nekohiko still didn't feel the need to share.

"I didn't want to steal anything from you. I assume it's not something I can give back, though, so... Sorry you feel that way." He looked up solely to make his proclamation appear somewhat meaningful. "Since I can't really empathize with your feeling of loss about it, then... just treat it as nothing happening. I would prefer that too."

"Nothing happening, huh?" Abihiko almost smiled but was too numb to actually succeed. "You are heartless, I see. And you probably think everyone else is, too."

The water in Nekohiko's basin had gone cool some time ago, so he patiently took his feet out of it and started rubbing them dry with the towel. Abihiko's left hand was tugged by each of his moves, so close-knit their connection was.

"How can you not know what a kiss is?" Abihiko whispered in his knees, forlorn. "You know what 'I hate you' means. You know what 'slut' is... and yet... a kiss, such a simple and obvious thing. You don't. What kind of life is that, even?"

With a sudden pang in his heart, Nekohiko stopped drying his feet. He glanced back at Abihiko who sat by his side, turned away, hunched, and motionless. Such pose and mood were so alien to Abihiko, everything about it seemed wrong.

Nekohiko dropped his hand with the towel to his lap. "I actually don't... when I called your mom that word -- 'slut' -- I didn't know what it meant. I still don't."

Abihiko turned his face but didn't speak or smile or do anything typical for him.

"I just know not to use that word anymore. Is it truly that bad?"

"Yes. Very."

Spirits. "What does it mean?"

"I guess it means..." Abihiko mulled it over, struggling. "...a person who kisses too many other people. Most don't like such persons, so they call them that."

Oh. Now he got it. "So you kissing me today would make you that word because you are also planning to kiss Morokata or Hifumi later? I'm so sorry about that."

Abruptly, Abihiko burst out in laughter. "What? No, it's not why I am angry at you! I couldn't care less what people call me. Even if they call me that word one day. Just... don't ever call my mom that. Got it?"

"I won't. I'm sorry I ever did," Nekohiko said quickly to Abihiko's reluctant acceptance.

A few more quiet, lantern-cracking moments of silence went by as Abihiko let him slowly put on his socks and prepare for bed. The boy had to drift nearby at all times for even the tiniest of motions Nekohiko had to make, so it was bizarre -- the amount of patience he exhibited, being dragged along, without any desire to complain about it.

"Where did you grow up, though?" he asked all of a sudden.

"I don't like talking about it," Nekohiko murmured, wrapping himself into Kotone's quilts like inside a safety cocoon.

"Yeah, but you're tied to me, and I'm tied to you. If there's something bad happening to you -- high chance it'll happen to me too, and vice versa. Don't you think I should know more about you?" Abihiko cocked his chin. "Like, today -- these people wanting to kidnap me makes some sense. My family is rich and has a long lineage. We are even related to the Emperor, did you know that?"

...

What?! How come?

Abihiko was his... what? A cousin?

"How closely related?" Nekohiko asked, mortified.

"Like... my great-great-aunt married the Emperor's grandfather's seventh brother's concubine's... son?" Abihiko flapped his hand rapidly. "But it's still a valid connection! My father is even in the line to the Emerald Throne. I bet you didn't know that?"

Now Nekohiko was more skeptical than scared. "And how many people are in that line between the Throne and your father?"

It took Abihiko a long time to sulk in indignation. "Twenty-four."

Twenty-four people. Pfff. Which put Abihiko at twenty-fifth.

He was more of a neighbor of a milkman of Nekohiko's butler than a true relative.

"See? I told you. Now it's your turn."

The thing was -- Nekohiko wasn't ready to tell him the truth. About his lineage, about him actually being a boy, about his life prior to Izumo. Part of it was that he had never had to make such grand decisions about his life before -- to uncover all his secrets to somebody and bear the consequences of that. And another part was that...

He doubted he would like it if Abihiko knew he was a boy. Abihiko treated him fairly and even indifferently which was what Nekohiko appreciated a lot compared to how other boys treated him. But deep inside, he wondered if this treatment would change once Abihiko learned the truth.

And he didn't believe for a second that the change would be a positive one.

"Tch," Abihiko huffed. "Still not going to talk? Great. Good luck to us ever dissolving this dumb Thread when one of us clearly doesn't care to make a step toward the other."

"I... care." Nekohiko didn't know what else to do other than lean in. "You did save my life today, too, so... thank you. You were the one who caused that mess in the first place but I don't blame you since we're safe now and everything bad is behind. Is that not enough for you? What else do you want me to do?"

"I don't know! I did everything I could, too! And this thing is still here! Still..." Abihiko jerked at The Thread again, and... yes, it shortened. It was almost entirely gone in between them. Soon, it would just be their wrists joined together -- and no space left. "...we're even talking about our lives to each other. And I've never really done it to anyone before! And I have many, many friends! Seriously, what's the matter with it? Can't it recognize how personal our conversations are getting?"

Nekohiko had no comparison to draw from but the way Abihiko said it gave him a weird idea.

"Maybe that is the point?" he asked, cautious. "That you have many friends, yet you don't talk to them about personal things at all? Because you don't need to. What do you talk to them about?"

"Um." Abihiko watched the lantern fire dance inside the stony lace. The sound of many footsteps and laughter from beyond the wall told them that the girl novices had finally returned from the bathhouse and were also readying for sleep. A cheery, not necessarily intimate, or meaningful experience. But a friendly one nonetheless. "Like, what books and stories they like. What legendary heroes are their favorite? What food they prefer..."

With the same scowl on his face, Abihiko reached out a finger to Nekohiko, then poked him in the side. "So... do you like legends or fairytales, of whatever?"

"Legends," Nekohiko replied, timid. "You?"

"Mn. Which is obvious." A crooked smirk made its way up his lips, so comfortable he must've felt in this type of conversation. "My great ancestor, Demonic King Abihiko is a legendary hero, did you know that? I want to be just like him one day. Immensely powerful. Utterly charming. And so popular, too. Do you have a favorite legendary hero yourself? Some princess or a Spirit Maiden...?"

Nekohiko glared. His teeth nearly creaked in his mouth from the strain. "Yes. Legendary Emperor Jimmu."

Not only the originator of Nekohiko's Divine Imperial line but, incidentally, the person so great, the Demonic King Abihiko had been merely a tiny speck of dust on his path. Just one of many defeated and humiliated nemeses Jimmu had disposed of by the dozens.

Understandably, Abihiko's eyes narrowed in response.

"Change of topic," he said, visibly holding himself back. "Favorite food?"

"Anything with sweet azuki beans."

"Favorite color?"

Such dumb questions. Who would ever call this an interaction worth of friend-making? "Brown."

Abihiko couldn't keep in a loud snort. "Yeah, knowing you... brown is your favorite color. You are the most boring person in existence, aren't you?"

For some reason, that hurt. "Brown is a beautiful color. It's rich and warm and tender."

"It's one of the ugliest, too." Abihiko smiled like talking to a child. "You surely know what's most famously brown, don't you?"

Nekohiko didn't take the bait. "Tree bark." Apart from green, what could be more beautiful than brown? "Soil, dead leaves, cattails -- all brown, and all pretty. Seeds and fruit-stones, too."

Abihiko's muffled laughter only grew louder on the background.

"Your eyes are brown, too," Nekohiko finally said.

He'd noticed a long time ago. A warm, caramel-clear, yet deeply-saturated hue.

Just like that, Abihiko froze over. His eyes stared at Nekohiko wide and very suspicious. Nekohiko met his gaze straight. Why wouldn't he? Nobody would argue that the other boy's eyes were, indeed, brown. What was the issue?

After a doubtful second, Abihiko seemed to realize Nekohiko wasn't mocking him. "And because of that, my eyes suck," he said. "I wish they were more amazingly-colored. Black like yours, for example."

Nekohiko shook his head, then lay down beside the lantern. "That's a misconception. My nurse taught me that all black eyes are actually brown, too. You just need proper lighting to see it."

Diligently, he flicked his lashes up to peer at the shivering light and to let Abihiko see the true exposed color of his irises. With a curious little smile, Abihio leaned in. Then made a surprised noise. Almost a gasp, but a bit gentler.

"It's true! I had no idea..."

So close to him, Nekohiko didn't need words to communicate. Just a slight glance was enough to mean -- see? I was right, after all. I'm always right; you just never notice.

"And what your favorite color is?" he asked when Abihiko was not taking back the initiative in the conversation, just lying alongside him, head tilted, studying Nekohiko's eyes and the lantern by turns.

Abihiko made a very thorough, very serious face. "My favorite color..."

Red, Nekohiko could bet. Everything about Abihiko screamed red. His attitude, his loud voice, his exuberant smiles, and that ribbon of flaming vermillion he never betrayed for any other color, in his hair.

"I don't know," Abihiko drawled. "Brown seems nice, doesn't it?"

Nekohiko blinked. "You just said it was boring."

"Yeah, but... isn't it such a unique reply? Almost nobody would say 'brown' to such a question, and that's... appealing, too." Abihiko didn't seem to be lying. He looked enthralled, even inspired by what he was saying. "Besides, it is a cute color. I think I might like it. A lot."

"You stole it," Nekohiko whispered in shock. "You stole my answer."

My unique, special answer!

Who would do that? And all while dismissing it originally?

"Yeah, you stole my first kiss." Abihiko winced, getting up. "I think we're even, Not-like-the-other-girls."

"I do like this name better than Kitten," Nekohiko confessed while he was at it. "But I would like it even more if you called me by my real name."

"Well, you don't call me by my name either!"

"I did." Nekohiko forced himself to smile. "Today, in the woods. I cried it out many times even if you never heard it."

"Well," Abihiko huffed out, awkward. "In that case..."

He wanted to pull on the Thread to tease Nekohiko back but...

There was no Thread. In between them -- not even the trace of it.

However, instead of filling him with glee and relief as this news did to Nekohiko, Abihiko was suddenly brimming with pure, concentrated fury.

"IT WAS THAT SIMPLE?" he screamed, stomping his feet on the floor. The chirping voices of the little girls in the neighboring room had gone hushed from all this thunderous ruckus. "Just frigging talk about COLORS? Are you kidding me?! I can't believe this! Are you fu--"

"Abihiko!" Kotone broke into the room, arms outstretched as though to stop what she must have thought was a terrible fight to the death. "What... what is going on?"

"We're sleeping apart tonight," Nekohiko told her brightly.

That's what's going on.

For the first time in what seemed years, he was very close to... happiness.

Yeah, happiness.

He couldn't yet explain the precise source of it, but he didn't care about it much. He was free. He was free to do anything he wanted, to go any place he liked, and to be alone and undisturbed for as long as he wished. He was not bound to Abihiko anymore.

How could he not be happy about this?

 

---

 

***

The first person he wanted to know was Suminoe. Not strictly because the news was so earth-shattering or special, but because he wanted to show to him that he could make friends if he wanted. He wasn't being stubborn or hostile to others on purpose. He wasn't a burden. He was only learning, even if the learning curve for him was a bit harder than for others.

So he ran in his sleeping clothes, wrapped in the quilt on top -- through the winding galleries and bridges -- into the Head Priest's secluded office.

An hour before, he had spoken to the teachers and healers who helped him and Abihiko recover after the attack in the woods. He had told them about the kidnappers and what they looked like. But that had been all he could do. He didn't really want them to know the kidnappers had come after him -- not for Abihiko.

The Head Priest, though, probably knew. Another reason to visit him.

He was a little surprised to not see Suminoe by his desk, poring over some other letters and numbers in his endless ledgers. Instead, the man was by the window, leaning out of it to pick the branches of the camellia tree flowering even in the stark snowy winter, if only because Suminoe wished it so.

He clipped a particularly filigree, frail branch and carried it to his desk, mindfully absorbing what Nekohiko was telling him in a disorderly ramble.

"...also, he did save my life out there, so it's not just silly small talk that did it," Nekohiko finished, suddenly too aware of how stupid this whole confession sounded.

Now he regretted coming at all. He'd been so deliriously happy a few minutes ago, he hadn't thought about how pathetic telling Suminoe of him making a first "friend" actually was. But now that he did...

"There were some people wanting to catch in the woods today," he remembered just to make this visit worthy of the Head Priest's time.

But the Head Priest was far more fascinated by the talk about Abihiko than about any potential threats to Nekohiko's life, it seemed. "In the town," he corrected him dryly, adjusting his branch in the wide vase on the desk. "They were following you in the town, then went after you into the woods."

Nekohiko could only balk. "You know?"

"I was there," came the simple answer.

"...in the town?" Nekohiko didn't understand.

"No. I went after you into the woods as well." Suminoe gave Nekohiko a passing glance, yet untouched by any emotion. "I am your protector, after all. How could I not have followed you?" Then back to his branch. "These flowers are so exquisite."

"You were there! And you didn't do anything?" Nekohiko was at a loss of words.

Should he feel betrayed? Who cared about "should"?

Betrayed -- this was how this felt, one hundred percent.

He almost screamed, "I had to endure being kissed to survive it all" but recognized in time how petty that would make him sound.

"You let those bandits go!"

Suminoe was still entirely absorbed in his flower arrangement to notice Nekohiko's displeasure. "I didn't let anything happen that I didn't approve of. Those bandits are dealt with. You have nothing to worry about."

"But--"

Suddenly, the Head Priest shifted away from his desk.

If before, Nekohiko hadn't noticed it, now he saw that Suminoe's hands weren't their usual pristine white. They were pink, rustily-smeared with some wiped liquid. And that liquid was on the table, too, in the disorderly pile of things -- bags, money pouches, letters and...

Crumpled bounty notices. Everything covered in blood.

Suminoe's detached gaze felt so frosty, Nekohiko couldn't even finish his sentence.

"And this only is the fifth attempt since the summer. There will be more. Most, you will never know of," Suminoe said. "As you should. That is also part of my job, Nekohiko -- for you to not know."

"Fifth attempt?" Nekohiko felt like throwing up with fear. "But why... did you let it happen? I was so scared..."

"Yes, you were. I'm sorry that you had to go through this. I wouldn't have let you if I didn't believe you could handle it."

Nekohiko gulped.

"And did this little incident in the woods not help you lift..." Suminoe indicated Nekohiko's wrist, abnormally weightless now that it wasn't being pulled on by someone else all the time. "...the spell?"

"The spell you cast on me," Nekohiko said, feeling wronged. "Like this whole thing in the woods. If you wanted to -- you could have stopped either thing outright. And yet, you chose not to."

You chose to... torture me instead? For some reason?

Why did this hurt so much, damn it? Why was his heart slowly tingling with ache inside his chest?

Languidly, Suminoe walked around his desk and descended to the floor behind it. He flicked his sleeves, settling his hands on top of the desk as though preparing for writing. But he didn't begin yet.

Instead, he steepled his fingers together and looked above them to Nekohiko. His tone wafted of something metallic. "That boy was mistakenly assumed to be the Usurper's target by those bandits. That's a good cover for you. Hiding behind him will help you avoid persecution for longer. Besides, he is a very important person to you in many other ways, Nekohiko. It is my deepest wish you didn't let your recent interactions with him go to waste."

Even though he was upset, he still couldn't brush Suminoe off outright.

"...important person to me?"

How so?

"He's of your age, and he's very reliable and strong as an individual. It might be much more important as you grow up than it seems to you now. But that's beside the point." Suminoe's eyes burrowed deep into Nekohiko's. "He is the only ward of Lord Okinaga. That makes him the most attractive ally you would ever possess. And as a person of your lineage and your future -- allies is the most important thing you'll ever need."

Allies.

Allies, not friends. Lord Okinaga -- not Abihiko.

"You will meet every of the Great Lords one day, that is a given. You will form alliances with them. That's only natural. But to develop these alliances past the possible similarity of goals? That is something only a few of them will be able to become. Lord Okinaga's own ward is one of such rare -- and precious -- opportunities. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

What had Abihiko said about Suminoe once?

Cold. Ruthless. Calculating.

Ah, but he hadn't been lying one bit. Nekohiko only wondered how much of a calculation he himself was, in the Head Priest's eyes. And for what reasons.

"Why?" Nekohiko raised his head, trembling. "Why do I have to do that? Why do you care so much about it?"

If the slight widening of Suminoe's eyes wasn't so drastic compared to his usual range of emotions, Nekohiko would hardly notice. But on Suminoe's face, such a tiny shift was tantamount to shock. And maybe even to anger.

"Why do I care? Why do I care about putting you where you belong -- on the throne of this land? Even if it will cost me my life?"

Without meaning to, Nekohiko shrank back.

Suminoe eased back. Which only meant that he returned to a tempered contemplation of his camellia branch, eyelashes long and heavy on his cheeks. As though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. "Forgive me for scaring you. I still have a lot to learn about how to control myself, it seems." He sighed, lightly. "If you knew or understood Spirits a bit more than you do now, you wouldn't ask such a mindless question. I am the bridge between Spirits of this land and humans. Nekohiko, I need you on the throne. Everyone does. One day, you will understand exactly why. But for now -- just trust me on this."

Nekohiko gave Suminoe a reluctant nod. He had no other choice, really. "Do I need to..."

...befriend...

"...form an alliance with Sakami of House Hisome, too?" he asked. "She is of my age as well. And I know Morokata is also currently studying at Izumo. And so is Iokirihime of House Towa?"

Morokata and Iokirihime were older pupils, of course, and gone for their Spirit Wayfaring journeys at the moment. But if Suminoe wanted to push Nekohiko in their direction, Nekohiko doubted he'd have much say in the matter. He only wanted to be warned before it happened.

Suminoe's eyes fell. "You don't have to concern yourself with Hisome allyship, Nekohiko. Regarding Towa and Nagare... that's a separate issue. We'll deal with it later when the time comes. For now, focus on Hira. Focus on Lord Okinaga's ward."

Focus on Lord Okinaga's ward. What was this even supposed to mean?

"Do not let the bond you two have formed go to waste," Suminoe repeated much lower. And much more harshly. "Is that clear to you?"

Did such a question imply any answer other than--

"Yes, Your Holiness."

Nekohiko turned to walk away even before Suminoe went on, "Never worry about anything other than making allies, Nekohiko. I'll keep you safe."

Safe. Yeah right. Unless it didn't fit in with his grand plans...

"Good night, Your Holiness," Nekohiko replied, rigid.

He went back to his dorm, letting the blanket fall off his shoulders and trail after him through the floors. In one of the side galleries, he saw Abihiko dragging boxes of his stuff back to the boys' dorm.

That's my... ally, Nekohiko thought. My future tactical advantage.

The thought was depressing, so he could only leave unnoticed, without even saying goodbye.

The night was chilly, so he remembered to pick up his blanket and wrap it around himself. Abihiko would have gotten angry if he saw him so uncovered. He would wrap the blanket around Nekohiko by himself if Nekohiko took too long to do it, wouldn't he?

Nekohiko stopped, heart speeding up in unexplained hope when he heard footsteps dashing toward him through the gallery but it was only some older disciple hurrying to the bathroom.

But then, almost at the doorstep of the girls' dorm...

"Nekohiko!"

But this time, Nekohiko didn't turn. He couldn't say why.

"Check out what Yatsuri was giving out to the boys when I came back!" When Nekohiko ignored him the way he usually did, Abihiko didn't feel discouraged. He simply stepped in front of him. "Azuki bean sweets! Do you wanna?"

Nekohiko regarded the few nuts of sugared azuki in Abihiko's palm, then turned aside. "He gave them to you."

"Yes, but you said it's your favorite food, so..."

"You don't have to be nice to me anymore," Nekohiko said hollowly. "The Thread is gone. You can be free, and so can I."

"Yes, and freedom is me doing this!" Abihiko grinned, pushing the azukis into Nekohiko's face. "Stop being so distant and cold! I know how you are. You think you'll be much more impressive if you keep acting out a block of ice like your beloved Head Priest, right? Wrong! Come on! Thaw. Now. Or these sweets will melt in my palm and will be too disgusting to eat for either of us."

Nekohiko had no choice but to glare back. Menacingly, he plucked the sweets with his fingers and stood holding them awkwardly, too hesitant to do anything other than stare at Abihiko as if waiting for something.

As if wanting to speak. Only all the words fled him.

"And now you eat it," Abihiko made big eyes. "Like this." He took one back and popped into his mouth. "For real, stop staring at me like I'm doing something weird. I swear that's exactly how it works. You bite it with your teeth. Candy, that is." He waved his bandaged hand. "Not my fingers."

Nekohiko had only been staring because he wanted to try and finally say something... nice. Something pleasant. But Abihiko just had to remind him, didn't he? Just had to ruin everything.

"Good night," Nekohiko grumbled and wanted to escape into the dorm.

"Good night? Did you think I just gave you candy solely to have you glare back at me? Pfff. That was to make you help me carry my boxes with me to my dorm. Come on. Free labor." And he looped his hand through Nekohiko's elbow, pulling him back to Kotone's room. "What a dumb Neko you are if you think you'd get rid of me this easily."

...dumb Neko...

Dumb Neko.

He was so staggered by the new name that he didn't even have anything to say or do against helping Abihiko move his boxes. But he did glare at him throughout the process, silently and vengefully.

Not that it changed a single thing between them. Because Abihiko didn't stop smiling and teasing him. And because Nekohiko didn't stop pretending it didn't mean much to him.

And because though the Thread was now gone, almost nothing about the newfound freedom felt all that important to either.

 

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End of ARC I

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