Kuroka's tears soaked through my shirt.
I held her tighter, feeling her body shake against mine. Her cat ears were flat against her head. Completely drooped.
And all that was left was a broken woman who just wanted her sister back.
"She hates me," Kuroka whispered. Her voice cracked. "She hates me so much, nya."
My chest ached.
I'd known this would be hard. I'd seen how it played out in the series. Koneko's walls were thick. Built from years of trauma and fear.
"She doesn't hate you," I said quietly. I stroked her hair. "She's just scared."
"Scared of me." Kuroka pulled back slightly. Her golden eyes were red and swollen. "I made her scared of me."
"No." I cupped her face. Wiped away her tears with my thumbs. "You made a choice to save her. That's not the same thing."
"But she almost died because of it." Kuroka's voice broke again. "They were going to execute her, Leon. Because of what I did. Because I killed our master."
The execution order. The death sentence hanging over a little girl's head because her sister killed a Devil.
It didn't matter that their master was evil. That he was planning to experiment on Koneko. That Kuroka had no choice.
The Devils didn't care about that. They only saw a Stray Devil and a potential threat.
If Sirzechs hadn't stepped in, Koneko would've died.
And that trauma? That fear of death? It never really left her.
"Koneko knows what you did was to protect her," I said. "Deep down, she knows. But right now, she's too hurt to see it."
"What if she never sees it?" Kuroka's voice was small. Broken. "What if I lost her forever?"
"You won't." I pulled her close again. "I promise you won't."
Kuroka buried her face in my chest. Her fingers clutched my shirt.
I rested my chin on top of her head and sighed.
This was a mess.
I'd known it would be. I'd known bringing Kuroka to meet Koneko would blow up in my face.
But I also knew it was necessary.
Koneko couldn't keep running from her past. From her power. From her sister.
If she wanted to grow stronger, she needed to face all of it.
And Kuroka? She needed to see her sister. To try and make things right.
Even if it hurt.
Even if Koneko rejected her.
"She just needs time," I said softly.
Kuroka's ears twitched. She wiped her eyes.
"You think she'll come back?" she asked quietly.
"I know she will." I gave her a small smile. "Koneko is strong and stubborn. She'll process this in her own way. And when she's ready, she'll come find us."
Kuroka nodded slowly. But doubt still lingered in her eyes.
That wasn't something a few reassuring words could fix.
It just took time.
And a lot of patience.
"Come on." I took Kuroka's hand. "Let's go inside. You need to rest."
Kuroka let me lead her toward the room.
I squeezed her hand.
She squeezed back.
"We'd get through this." I assured her.
We made it to the bedroom.
Kuroka hadn't said a word since that. She just held my hand. Tight. Like she was afraid I'd disappear too.
I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her down beside me.
She immediately curled into my side. Her head rested on my shoulder. Her cat ears twitched once, then went still.
"I'm tired, nya," she whispered.
"I know." I wrapped my arm around her. "Rest. I'm not going anywhere."
Kuroka nodded against me. Her breathing was still uneven. Shaky.
I could feel the exhaustion radiating off her.
"Leon?" Her voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear it.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." She looked up at me.
"Always,"
Kuroka gave me a small, sad smile. Then she laid her head back down on my chest.
I stroked her hair. Long, slow strokes. The way I knew calmed her down.
Her breathing gradually steadied.
Minutes passed.
I felt her body relax. The tension melting away bit by bit.
"Leon?" she murmured.
"Mm?"
"Do you think... do you think Shirone will ever call me 'sister' again?"
"I do," I said softly. "When she's ready."
Kuroka didn't respond. But I felt her grip on my shirt loosen slightly.
More time passed.
Her breathing grew deeper. Slower.
I looked down.
Her eyes were closed. Her face peaceful. The tear tracks still visible on her cheeks, but her expression was finally calm.
She'd cried herself to sleep.
I shifted carefully, trying not to wake her. I adjusted my position so I could lean back against the headboard. Kuroka moved with me, her head now resting on my chest. Her arms wrapped around my waist.
Even in sleep, she clung to me.
I sighed and continued stroking her hair.
This was hard on her. Harder than she'd ever admit when she was awake.
Kuroka always put on that playful front. The teasing. The flirting. The carefree attitude.
But underneath? She was just a woman who missed her sister. Who carried years of guilt and regret.
Who wanted nothing more than to be forgiven.
I looked at her sleeping face. She looked peaceful and vulnerable.
"She'll come around," I whispered. "I promise."
Kuroka shifted in her sleep. She mumbled something I couldn't make out, then settled back down.
I let my head rest back against the headboard. My hand still in Kuroka's hair.
My mind drifted to Koneko.
Where was she right now? Had she stopped running? Was she safe?
I should've gone after her.
But I knew that would've made things worse. She needed space. Time to think.
Still, the worry gnawed at me.
I stood up carefully and quietly.
I needed to find Koneko. Make sure she was okay.
Because right now, she was out there somewhere. Alone and hurting
I glanced back at Kuroka one more time. She looked so small curled up under the blanket.
My chest ached.
I hated seeing her like this. Hated that I'd caused this pain by bringing them together too soon.
But it had to be done.
Koneko needed to face her past. And Kuroka needed to try.
Even if it hurt.
I turned and headed for the door.
I'd fix this.
I have to.
=====
Something was wrong.
Something felt... off.
Wrong.
I couldn't feel Koneko.
My heart stuttered.
I had bonds with all my girls. An awareness. A sense of where they were. How they felt.
After what happened in the Alps—after Loki kidnapped Rossweisse—I'd learned my lesson. I wasn't going to let something like that happen again. I'd made sure of it.
I'd marked all of them.
Sona. Koneko. Kuroka. Rossweisse.
It was a simple spell. A connection that let me sense where they were. How they felt. If they were in danger.
And it had worked. I could always feel them. A constant presence in the back of my mind. Like threads connecting us.
It was always there.
But right now?
Koneko's presence was... faint. It was barely there.
Faint. Flickering. Like a candle about to go out.
Something was suppressing it. Blocking it.
My hands clenched into fists.
After the Alps, I swore I wouldn't let anyone take them from me again.
I focused on Koneko's thread again. Pushed against whatever was blocking it.
There.
A flicker. Weak. Distant.
She was alive.
But barely conscious. And far. Too far.
Someone had taken her.
And I had a sinking feeling I knew who.
Loki.
That bastard.
I should've known he'd try something. That he'd wait for an opportunity.
And I'd given him one.
Damn it.
I moved toward the door, my heart pounding.
I had to find her.
Now.
But I couldn't just charge in blindly.
I needed to think. To plan.
Loki was spiteful. Vindictive. He wouldn't kill her outright.
No, he'd use her. As bait. As leverage.
To get to me.
My jaw clenched.
Fine.
If he wanted me, he'd get me.
And he is going to regret taking her.
====
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