Author's Note

Here's the long-awaited third chapter in this arc, folks! Hopefully it's to your liking. I got some help with it by my good friend, Illua, so go give her some love too!

Thank you all for your patience, and above all, for reading!

Ta ta~!

-Timeless Lord Slayer

29.03 - Week Of The Intimate: Day 3 (EDITED)

A Queen of Marble, standing tall and proud.

A King of Plaster, cracked and dried.

Rain poured, hard and loud.

The King crumbled, but he'd already died.

The Queen stood tall, but her marble lied.

The Rain poured, hard and loud.

Lucette knocked on the door for the third time. “Hello?”

No response.

She sighed deeply, shaking her head. ’Heavy sleeper, it seems.’

“Would you like one of us to go and waken him, Your Highness?” one of the guards by Hamin’s door asked.

Lucette shook her head. “No. I will do so myself.”

The two guards’ eyes widened. “But Your Highness, such a thing is beneath y-”

Lucette raised a hand. “At ease, guardsman. Just stand watch by the door.”

The two guards shared a look, then slowly nodded. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” They both replied, bowing their heads.

Lucette nodded primly, then opened the door, closing it behind her. She searched the room a moment, noting Hamin was not in his bed. Then, she looked to the desk on the opposite side of the room by the window and blinked.

The man was surrounded by the Miracle Tomes she’d given him, about three of them open on the desk with sheets of paper scattered across their pages and the desk, and his own tome open beneath his sleeping face.

Lucette sighed, shaking her head as she walked over to the man slumbering on his desk.

Ventus appeared over her shoulder, zipping over to him first and looking over his work. “Wow, he got a lot done in just one day.”

Lucette stopped by the man, picking up one of the papers, humming a little as she looked over his work. “He certainly did.” She said with a gentle nod, noting how there were well over twenty pieces of paper all over the desk. The handwriting was childish. Legible, but childish, and laden with crossed out mistakes and hybrid cursive. Lucette gave a soft, amused snort at the eagerness and earnesty. “It’s almost hard to believe the guy who ruined my life would work this hard for me.”

Ventus looked to her Guardian at this. “L…”

“What?” Lucette asked, not meeting the look.

“I know you’re still mad, but...he didn’t know, L. He couldn’t have. Even if he thought it was possible, he had no true way of knowing for sure. He’s…” Ventus paused.

Lucette shot her Ghost a sharp look. “He’s what?”

Ventus took a breath, despite not having the lungs to do so. “...He’s innocent.”

Lucette, despite her own feelings, didn’t growl for once. Instead, she looked back to the man still asleep in his chair, breathing softly. His plain yet oddly cute face, his lightly tousled mop of brown hair… She looked to the numerous notes and translations he’d made, the work he’d put in to help her. She slowly frowned, looking back to the paper in her hands.

“Just give him a chance. That’s all I’m asking,” Ventus pushed.

Lucette looked to her Ghost, then back to Hamin, and after a short time, she sighed. “...Alright. I’ll give him a test today, then.”

I slowly woke up, groaning at the sore feeling in my back, neck, and hips. “Ugh…” Opening my eyes, I noted I had actually fallen asleep at my desk. I sighed. “Well, guess that’s something to cross off in the future; first time passing out from exhaustion.”

“Funny,” came a voice behind me. Her voice. “Considering how hard you worked, I figured passing out was a normal thing for you.”

I frowned, then let out a breath and shook my head, turning to face Lucette, who was seated on my bed. “No, most times I just...automatically know I can’t fight the exhaustion and put myself to bed.” I looked back to the work I’d completed, rubbing my head. “Still...wish I’d gotten more done…”

It was then I noticed something atop one of the Miracle tomes I’d been translating. Glasses. Different from my old ones. Still of a black metal frame, and still simple, but with lightning bolts on the limbs. I smiled gently, picking them up and slipping them on. They were far better than my old ones, less blurry. Seems they’d scanned me at some point to make them. Something I’d have to make up to them for sure.

I looked to Lucette. “Thanks for the replacement glasses. I appreciate it.”

Lucette shrugged. “I did break them, and you were probably straining your eyes enough with what you’ve been working on for me. It makes us even.”

Ventus popped up near my head. “She had me synthesize them for you.”

My smile grew, looking to the Ghost, then her Guardian. “Well,” I began, standing up from my chair. “Let me make it uneven again, then.”

Instantly Lucette frowned. “Tread carefully, kid.” She warned.

I chuckled. “Not in that way, silly.” I walked over to the window. “I just figured you might like to escape things for a bit. Get outside.”

Lucette seemed to stare at me at that. I couldn’t tell if her eyes were wide or narrowed, though, as she had her mask on. After a short time, she shook her head.

“...Funny, I was about to suggest the same thing before you said that,” she finally replied, seeming to recover.

Ventus spoke up. “We were thinking of going to the Festival in town, the one for the holiday.”

I hummed, rubbing my chin as I looked up at the ceiling in thought. “While that does sound fun…” I looked back to Lucette. “...I doubt you actually wanna be surrounded by your people and thus more expectations, right?” I waved a hand airily. “I mean, it’d be even worse considering the holiday and what the public probably thinks our relationship is currently.”

Lucette opened her mouth a few times, but no words came out. Did I break her?

I was shocked. I had fully expected him to just go along with my idea. Or for him to be embarrassed when he realized it was basically a date. But to suggest the idea first, and to be so, so…

...So sensitive, that...that honestly threw me for a loop. He’d actually suggested something that I’ve never truly been able to do since I got here, something I honestly missed. He’d broken my test, right at the start of the hook for it!

“So…? You up for a bit of camping?” He asked after a bit, seeming to give me a concerned look.

I blinked, then shook my head rapidly, trying to dismiss the light heat I felt in my cheeks.

“I couldn’t, I mean, I have to oversee things and-”

“I’m sure Tempest can handle things for a day or two,” He interrupted, smiling widely. Warmly. What was with this guy?

I frowned, narrowing my eyes at him. “...Okay, what’s your game here?”

He tilted his head. I grit my teeth. Why was it so cute?!

“I just want to give you a break, an escape. You deserve it, after all.”

My frown deepened, and I studied his face for a span of time. His eyes were innocent, and...wait, were his eyes always such a striking greenish-gold? I shook my head forcefully again, looking away immediately as my cheeks burned.

What the fuck is going on here?!? Why am I getting so attracted to this guy? He ruined my life! And now I’m actually thinking of going on a camping date with him?

...

...It really has been a while since I’ve actually gone camping, though. Even longer than how long it’s been since I’ve been given some real time to myself. I haven’t gone camping since…

...since before mom died.

I rubbed my arm, looking away. “Fine...I’ll go…” I mumbled.

Hamin smiled at these words. “Great! I’ll just need to go and wash up and prepare, and we can go,” He paused. “Well, I suppose we have to let Tempest know as well so...hm.” He shrugged. “How about we meet at the castle gates when we both do what we need to do?”

I slowly nodded. “Okay,” I said, before taking a breath and standing up from the bed. “I’ll see you then.”

Hamin nodded, still smiling. “Indeed you will.” With that, I left the room as he headed for his bathroom.

This is going to be very embarrassing when I tell Tempest…

I arrived at the edge of the castle gates with some mild difficulty. Tempest had initially been entirely against the idea of me going out camping in the wilds of the island, and even after I’d convinced her it was to...test, Hamin, even if I had to call it bonding, the guards themselves made it harder.

I had to order them to not follow me on so many occasions I was now more actively watching my radar, despite this being my own fucking castle and my own fucking guards.

But regardless, I’d reached the castle gates to find Hamin there with an apparent backpack on on top of all his pouches and equipment.

He smiled as he noticed me. “Ah! Good, you’re here! Now, I admit I don’t know the island that well, or, well, at all, really, but I think I recall there being an old forest near here, right? Why don’t we head there?”

I frowned, but slowly nodded. “Alright.”

His smile grew. “Great!” He turned around then, starting to walk towards the gates. I followed hesitantly after, nodding to the guards to open said gates. As they did, we walked out. Pretty soon we were on the paved road, and we made a turn to the right onto the far less traveled mountain path leading towards the forest.

As we walked, I decided to bring up a question that was on my mind. “Why exactly have you been so concerned about me, anyway?” I looked away. “I mean, you don’t even know me.” I frowned. “At least, not personally.”

Hamin shrugged, not looking back at me. “It’s normal to worry for those I care about.”

I looked back to him with confused eyes. “Why the fuck would you care about me?”

“I just do. I actually care about everyone I meet. Even those I don’t,” He shrugged. “Don’t and never really have needed a reason.” He hummed. “As for the concern itself, well, let’s see, I hurt you pretty deeply, I basically forced you into an arranged marriage with me when I really should have just let you win that fight instead of fighting back at all, and I made you cry several times and turn to drinking.”

I narrowed my eyes. “So...you’re just doing this out of a sense of duty, then.”

Hamin shrugged again. “Selfishness, actually. I just want to see you happy, instead of sad and angry.” He straightened his backpack. “Especially if it’s because of me. I’ve never been one to let things go, you see.”

“Even grudges?” Ventus piped in.

Here he paused, and I smirked. I found a chink after all.

He eventually sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he continued to walk. “...Not always, no. I can certainly be vindictive, and a know-it-all, always pushing others to my line of thinking…” He sighed wearily. “I’m not ever gonna lie and say I’m a good man. But I will always say I’m trying to improve.” He looked back at us. “But this trip isn’t about me. This is about you. You two I should say. Neither of you have gotten much time to yourselves, right? Too busy with Suki, or the whole rulership thing, right?”

I shared a look with Ventus. “Yeah, but-”

“Then don’t even spare me any mind. All I’ll be doing is the same as you, enjoying peace and quiet in the wild,” Hamin said with a goofy grin on his face.

It didn’t match his eyes, but I didn’t comment further. Besides, it’s not like I had much reason to care about him, anyway. If he was going to give me a chance to be alone, then I’d take it.

Even if I admitted he was cute - which I don’t! - he didn’t really mean anything to me.

“He’s helping you find your family, and he’s translated those tomes,” Ventus whispered to me. “Give him a chance, L.”

I looked towards my partner, matching her gaze, eye to optic. Eventually, I sighed, relaxing, but only a tad. We were still in view of my people. “I already said I would.” I muttered back.

Ventus didn’t reply. Sighing, I turned my gaze back to the man who, despite everything that had been thrown at him, was still smiling like a court jester who just got told that every day was April Fool’s day.

I could tell he was conflicted from how strained his smile was, though, no matter how hard he hid it. It...honestly made me feel a bit bad, for once.

As we came upon the sight of the grand forest ahead of us after cresting a small rise in the path, my frown grew. I know I was right to be angry but… I shook my head. Later. For now, I’d settle for small talk.

“So, any particular plans for our little trip?” I asked as we neared the forest’s entrance.

Hamin hummed, tapping his chin, a greatly exaggerated motion, and despite how unnatural it seemed on him, it also seemed natural at the same time. It was odd.

“Find a good place to make camp, set up, explore a bit, chat,” He shrugged. “The usual carefree camping trip.”

I blinked. “No hunting?”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I honestly doubt I’d handle a hunt on these Isles well without dying or puking my guts out.” He patted his backpack. “S’why I brought food with me.”

I grunted. “Great, so you’re a pacifist.”

Hamin frowned. “I wouldn’t word it that way. I know for a fact I can be vindictive to an almost unhealthy degree, but, well, blood and me just...don’t mix well. Even if it’s my own blood.” He chuckled. “I mean, before I came here, as you might have noticed, I was pretty banged up.” I slowly nodded. “The glass, the blood, the vomit…the fights-” He started to continue, then shook his head rapidly but briefly. “Sorry, just… I’d rather not relive those memories just yet.”

I frowned, then nodded slowly. “Alright.”

The rest of the walk was uneventful and quiet, with Hamin going back to smiling widely, even humming a tune as he walked.

That smile still didn’t reach his eyes.

We found a good campsite easily enough, setting up a firepit quickly, and with some teamwork, the tents as well. I’ve honestly never been that good at setting up tents, so it was a welcome gesture for Lucette to offer her help.

She still didn’t look happy about doing all this, and honestly I wasn’t completely sure why she even agreed in the first place. Guilt, or empathy, maybe? I didn’t know. But I at least wanted to try and make her more comfortable, more relaxed, as some kind of repayment.

Besides, it’d only been two days since I came here. It took time to get over the kind of bomb I dropped.

Currently I was sitting on the grass, letting the rain hit my bare face. I’d be cold from being so soaked, I knew, but right now… It felt good. Like a release. Lucette was lighting the firepit with a special blaze the Skili apparently used when camping on this island, one that burned even in the presence of water.

I didn’t really understand it when she gave me the explanation, but all I got from it was that it was like an electrical fire, of sorts. How it wasn’t dangerous to use if that was true I have no fucking idea. I don’t recall writing anything like that into her story, at least.

I frowned. That was still taking some getting used to. Knowing that my own Displaced were real, and the knowledge that I did not remember as much of them as I should.

I looked up at the canopy as the smell of woodsmoke and some unknown chemical filled the crisp, cool air. So many thoughts raced by as the smell grew stronger, I honestly lost track of time. Had to hold back...a lot, at some points. Realizations of what I did wrong in our previous conversations, what I could have done better, flitted to and fro along with maddened laughter. It was familiar, and I didn't know why.

“I appreciate you doing this for me,” came Lucette’s voice, bringing my attention to her. She was knelt next to the sea green fire, her back facing me.

I shrugged, stuffing the tremors easily under the guise of me being cold. “It was as much for you as it was for me.” I paused, blinking. “Er, as much for me as it is for you, I mean.”

She didn’t respond for a moment, but soon looked back to me. She was smiling. It was a small smile, but I could tell it was genuine. Not only that but it just...looked good on her. It wasn’t the cocky smirk I saw on her at the stadium, just a small, meaningful smile.

“You’re staring,” Ventus pointed out, coming between us. I felt heat rush to my cheeks, immediately looking away.

“Sorry! Wasn’t my intent!” I apologized.

Ventus giggled, but Lucette waved it off. “It’s fine. Still, though...why’d you really bring us out here?”

I looked back to her, frowning. “Like I said, I wanted to give you a moment of pea-”

She raised a hand. “I got that already, but there’s obviously something else to it. So spill.”

I opened my mouth to retort, then stopped short. I looked back up to the canopy. “...I guess I just wanted an escape myself.” I chuckled. I knew how hollow it sounded. “Two birds with one stone, ya know?”

“If you wanted an escape, why did you invite me? Why make it seem like a favor?” She pressed.

I sighed, taking my glasses off and rubbing some rain from the lenses. “Because helping you was the first thing that came to my mind. I just came second; after the fact, if you will.”

“That’s…”

“Different? Sad? Pathetic?” I shrugged. “Trust me, I’m well aware.” I put my glasses back on, looking to her with the best smile I could give. “But if my suffering means I get to see others like you smile? I’ll do it as many times as it takes.”

“...Your smile doesn’t match your eyes.” She said.

I blinked, tilting my head. “What do you mean?” I smirked. “What, you mean it doesn’t match the colo-”

“Your eyes are too dead,” she interrupted. I stopped cold at that. She turned to face me fully, frowning. I couldn’t tell if it was concern, but I doubted it was. “Why are you forcing yourself so much? You know, no one will take comfort in your reassurances if you aren’t sincere.”

I felt rage flare up in my heart at that. “I am being sincere! I wouldn’t do this for the-”

“-Hell of it? I think you do. You get a rush from seeing others smile. Anything to help fill the void. Am I wrong?”

I grit my teeth, then stood up swiftly. “You don’t know me.” I began, feeling a chill creep up my body. I barely noticed. “So don’t EVER act like you do. You don’t even want to get to know me. So drop the act, drop the investigation, and leave my personal feelings out of this.” I started to storm off, barely hearing the whirling winds behind me.

All I felt…was an ever present cold.

“That was...very quick,” I noted, blinking as I watched Hamin storm off into the woods. Ventus smacked into the side of my head. “Ow! Hey, what was that for?” I said, rubbing the side of my head.

“Why’d you go and piss him off?!” Ventus hissed.

I frowned. “I wanted to know his intentions. Or at least to get him to open up to me. If I’m going to do so myself, he’s gotta follow suit, ya know?”

Ventus sighed deeply. “Yeah, well, maybe you should learn some tact.”

I looked towards the direction the strange man had left. “I honestly didn’t mean to piss him off. I didn’t think that would.” My frown grew. “Still though…” I looked to Ventus. “How am I supposed to relax if my host doesn’t?”

Ventus sighed again. “Fine, I guess that’s fair. But still, you didn’t have to go and call him insincere.”

I opened my mouth to retort, then stopped short. “...I guess not, yeah.” I sighed. “Might not have been the right choice of words. It’s just…” I ran a hand through my hair, taking off my mask. “...I dunno, it just felt like there was more to this than he was letting on, and it bugged me.”

Ventus looked up at the sky. “...You always did prefer getting to the heart of the issue.” She snorted, despite not having a nose. “Sure took a while for Longbeard to beat it out of you.”

I gained a small smile. “It’s more like I just learned when to do so and when not to.” There was a pause in our conversation. We knew why. “...Do you think we should go after him?”

“...Probably not. He seemed pretty unstable.”

“...Alright.”

’Master, you must calm yourself.’

“Well fucking excuse me, but I’ve had little time to actually get any reprieve!” I snapped, stomping through the underbrush. “I have barely anything to calm me down out here, much less distract me! Back home I had loads of options!” I raised a digit. “I could play any number of games,” I raised a second digit. “Read any number of stories,” A third. “Write with my friends,” A fourth. “Watch a movie or a video, the possibilities for distraction were endless!” I threw the hand up.

’Yet back home, you wished for something more meaningful, did you not? Was true direction not your goal, o’ bearer mine?’

I grit my teeth, slamming a fist into a nearby tree. “Yes, but that’s not the point! My mind’s running a mile a minute because I have nothing to shut it up!”

’And what is running through your mind now, O’ Master?’

“You already know, don’t you? There’s no point in saying it!”

’Humor me.’

I growled. “Ya know what, fine!” I forcefully let myself fall on my ass in the wet and muddy grass. “Let’s start with how the moment I was dropped into this universe and the last one I’ve been prosecuted and under heavy suspicion, with not even one person seeming to try and consider MY side of things, or to even give me the benefit of the doubt!” I swept a hand back to where I’d left Lucette and her Ghost. “Case in point, even after all I’ve done SHE still doesn’t trust me! The fuck does it take to get trust in return around here?!”

’Bearer, have you been giving her that same trust?’

I stopped at that for a moment, then growled, crossing my arms. “Why should I trust her? Why should I trust anyone?”

’Do you want to be alone for the rest of your life? Do you want her to trust you? If not, then by all means, continue to be untrusting. But one who does not trust others cannot so easily be a means of support when they do not bear their heart as well.’

I scowled, not saying anything. Slowly, though, my anger cooled. “Fine, I can see that at least. But…” I bit my lip as the rain poured down on me. “...After what happened with Steven, I...I don’t know if I can trust anyone again.”

’Can you not try? Did you not still give trust to your friends? Or was that all a show as well?’

“...” I sighed deeply. “Fine.” I pulled myself up, then looked down at my messy clothes and clicked my tongue. “Gonna have to address that at some point. Ugh.” I started to trudge back towards camp. “Here’s hoping she’ll take my explanation…”

I still felt unstable. My mind was running a mile a minute still, and I was nervous. Anxious, really. But I needed to at least TRY and salvage the situation. Even if I only exacerbated the issue, I needed to try.

Much as I didn’t want to.

Much as I was scared to.

I took a deep breath. If I was going to spill the beans, I’d need to calm myself down, even if only a little. I let out the breath, counted to three, then repeated the age-old steps as I tried to focus on a scene I’d only dreamed of.

The sound of wet boots slurping and squelching as they moved through mud alerted me to the return of Hamin. Looking up from the rabbit I had on the fire, I saw him walk over and slowly sit down across the fire from me.

“...Are you ok-” I began.

“No, but…” he let out a deep, heated breath after interrupting me. “...I just need to get some things off my chest.”

I frowned, facing him fully and moving some hair from my face. “Okay…?”

Leaning forward, Hamin wrung his hands together, his eyes locked onto the fire. "First, I need to explain...and apologize, for earlier. It's been...a tough few days for me too. Like you, I lost my home, my family, and everything I knew and cared about." His eyes grew distant as he stared into the fire. A pause filled the air, punctuated only by the patter of rain and the booming of thunder. A false smile started to crack on his face.

I hadn't thought of his feelings before. I didn't even want to, at first, admittedly. I hadn't even bothered to ask him how he was doing. Sure, I was mad at him. It felt like he deserved it to a degree, but now... All I can see is the lost child in him.

"I always craved adventure. Purpose... Meaning." He leaned back and looked to the sky, those cloudy, distant eyes blinking against the stray droplets, despite the glasses over them. "I never saw my life on Earth as meaningful, really. I had no way of changing things, for myself or anyone... I wanted that ability." A quiet chuckle tinged with regret escaped his pursed lips. "I got my wish. However, I wasn't prepared for what that really meant, or cost."

He raised his hands up, looking over the scarred digits like they weren’t his. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to go home again, or if it will be the same as I left it." His hypothetical question brought his gaze back to the emerald flame, his eyes glistening as the smile spread wider. It was like he was almost trying to keep the smile up in order to not scare me, to not worry me, even despite what he was saying. "So much of my life is just...missing. Gone! I don't even remember my own fucking age! ‘Beyond 21 years’ is all that it extends to!" His hands shook as his smile started to crack more and more. He began to chuckle lowly.

"Even my damn name is lost to the void!" A hollow bark escaped him, as his voice slowly broke with emotion. "Hamin is just what I gave myself! I had a name I wanted to pass on, but I can't because I don't even fucking remember it!" The frantic chuckles picked up in earnest, as tears began flowing down his cheeks. Broken laughter ensued. No words were said, but I could tell he wanted to say more.

I knew what was wrong then. He was a broken man. He had been keeping up this elaborate façade this whole time, maybe even longer, just to keep himself sane. Even after being Displaced, he was desperately trying to cling to this false identity. Even after who knows what else he has experienced that shattered him further.

I turned to Ventus, who could only shake her optic at me. Neither of us knew how to help a man brushing the edge of a psychotic breakdown. Thankfully, he slowly pieced himself together enough to finish his original thoughts.

"S-Sorry..." carefully wiping tears away, he swallowed hard to clear his tight throat. "A-Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry if I seemed insincere in my actions. I am sincere, it’s just… I’ve had trouble trusting others for a while now, so that might be what was missing.”

Me and Ventus shared a look again, and she slowly motioned herself towards him. I sighed deeply, sinking a bit into myself.

“I guess I should share as well, since I got you so worked up in an effort to get you to do so,” I frowned, trying - despite not really wanting to - to think of points in time where I was at my lowest. Eventually, I recalled one that I felt comfortable sharing. “There was a time where I was...a bit too hotheaded. Back when I first joined the Marines. We had been shipped to Afghanistan, and one of my buddies from bootcamp was put in the squad with me.” I leaned back, thinking back to that much simpler time.

“Most of our missions in Afghanistan went simple, but one thing stayed the same; I jumped headfirst into enemy lines, and defied my superior, my best friend, everytime,” I sighed, looking up at the stormy skies that I now called home. Skies so different from that sunbaked land. “Countless ambushes, incursions, and more...and throughout all of them we came out on top. I always thought it was because I broke the enemy flawlessly each time.” I closed my eyes as I began to remember the final mission I shared with her. With Artoria, and Albert.

“...I was proven wrong when we were sent to take down a fort. Our chinook was damaged while we were in-route, the hydraulic line shot, so we were forced to land. One of us, my other friend, Albert, fell out of the open ramp after losing grip. We decided as a team to go back and at least retrieve his body, so that his family could mourn properly.” I turned the rabbit over on the spit. “We barely managed to land safely in the hotspot. When we did, we came under heavy fire from all sides. I tried to call air support, but got no response. We were likely being jammed,” I tossed a stick into the fire.

“I broke off, to break enemy lines and take out a bunker for us to at least get some reprieve, but that left our flank, and my whole team, unprotected. It only emboldened them to surround our unprotected flank, and because of that, we were overwhelmed and forced to retreat…” I clenched my fist. “...Artoria was shot twice in the chest, and she collapsed. I…” I swallowed thickly as I recalled her face. “...We all thought she’d died, so… after one of our other guys suffered a blow to the arm after getting knocked off his feet by an RPG when firing a belt-fed, we retreated, and were forced to leave her body behind.” Ventus came up next to me, and I waved her off with an, ‘I’m fine.’

“Then, right as we had gotten to a good place for an emergency extraction, off the hill, Artoria’s radio lit up again. She updated us that she was facing over two dozen insurgents. We...we tried to talk to her, to get her stand down, or retreat, or something, she...she didn’t respond,” I took a heavy, shaky breath. “We managed to get an AC-130 in to lay down heavy suppressing fire, and...after we got back to base, we saw footage from a drone of her last stand…” I grit my teeth. “She was braver than I could’ve been. My bravery...was that of a fool’s. I was so sure that because of my lineage and my extended training, that nothing and no one could beat me. I was so wrong.” I looked to the rabbit, watching it’s flesh burn in the emerald blaze.

’Something I’m starting to understand much more now. If I can’t win a fight against someone as obviously inept as Hamin here without my Light, then what good am I?’

“That’s...wow. I’m…” He started, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked up to him with a small, sad smile. “Surprised?”

“Yeah, in more ways than one,” he replied, frowning as he looked into the flames.

“Why’s that?” I asked, quirking a brow.

“Because...I don’t even remember that part of your past. Like, I don’t recall EVER writing that,” he replied, looking back up at me.

I blinked. “Huh. Forgot that you wrote my story for once.” I giggled. “Well, guess that just means you aren’t a know-it-all like I thought you’d be.” I smirked as I saw him gain a hot blush.

“That’s, uh… I...don’t know how to take that,” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

I shrugged. “Take it however you want.” I looked to the rabbit, smiled, and took it off the spit. “Food’s done.” Dividing the portion in half, I gave one to him. “Bon appétit.”

He took it, still blushing. “Uh, thanks.”

I giggled. He’s cuter than I thought.

"Still, though..." He began as he took the rabbit, staring at it in his hands. He looked up to me. "You shouldn't put yourself down like that."

I blinked, looking up from my own cut of rabbit. "What do you mean?"

He pointed his rabbit at me. "Sure, you might've been hotheaded, sure you might still be even now," I frowned, but he continued. "But you should focus instead on how you can improve, not on just the mistake itself."

I blinked a few more times, looking down at the ground. "I...hadn't thought of it like that before."

He shrugged, and I heard him take a bite of the hare as he spoke. He was surprisingly coherent even with a piece still in his mouth. "If it helps, when I was writing your story, you were always a role model of sorts to me. A model of what victory was like."

I couldn't help the heat that rushed to my cheeks at that. "Th-Thanks."

He simply nodded. "Anytime."

As we ate in relative silence, I realized something. Maybe this guy...wasn't as bad as I first thought.