#kazumond

[Log 13 - Holding Hands]

The last time I gave any of my ocs a happy ending was due to divine intervention (a friend gaslight girlboss gatekeeping me into accidentally making him happy)

“Coun—!” Kazue’s voice dies.

He was supporting her, of course he was. His star. His fate. His destiny. She whom he swore to answer her call alone, but in their world where she was not present, he was forced to answer Kazue’s instead. Beating back the enemies who dare tried to come close to her.

…that was fine. His fists set ablaze, Kazue fought back against his own tides. Kazue had it easier than her, who had near to no magical circuits. Kazue could at least cast a few spells. Kazue could fight back. He didn’t need assistance, unlike her. Keep her safe, Count.

It was fine.

He was fine.

His fists hurt. One more use and they’ll be permanently ash. Kick, stab, dodge, run, run, run. It’s all he could do. At least a good chunk of them were chasing him rather than her. She didn’t need any more stress. She needed the Count. Please keep supporting her, Count.

He ducked into an alleyway and wheezed, doing his best to stifle his breath. The enemies ran past his hiding spot, and he allowed himself to slump against the wall. He was shaking. His mana reserves were nearly gone. He tried summoning Servants for combat but none of them answered— of course, this was a world with her in it. He was not the last Master of Humanity of this world. She is. They answer to her.

…They’re hers. He curled up, feeling the chill of blood drying against his skin. They’re all hers. He should just keep his head down until he figured out a way back to his world.

The Count—

…The Count could stay if he wanted. It was his star, after all. He wouldn’t tear him away from that, Kazue was not that selfish. …He wishes he could apologize to her. She must’ve been so tired… Must’ve gone through so much.

He’s sorry for taking your spot. He’s sorry for taking what’s yours. He’ll give them back to you in the end, that was his promise. Just please let him borrow them for a while longer. Please…

A part of him wished she’d take them back anyways. He didn’t deserve to be able to be close to the Servants the way he had until now. He didn’t deserve to feel the joy Chaldea gave him. This wasn’t his journey. None of this is his. It’s probably why he ran away the first time, he already knew, yet he still tried. …He should’ve stayed dead and doomed. He was not Fujimaru Ritsuka. He’ll never be Fujimaru Ritsuka.

He curled up tightly and stilled his breathing as he heard the enemies come sniffing back around. Then, maniacal laughter. Blasting beams of dark lightning, more laughter, and he just curled up tightly. Please don’t find him, a part of him thought. He doesn’t deserve to come back. He’s sorry for coming back. He’s sorry for being here. He’s sorry. I’m sorry—

“He’s over here!” Kazue jolted as a hand extended out to him. “Hey, are you okay?”

As he stared at her, he could only say one thing. “You’re brilliant.”

“Eh?”

“Ed— The Count was right, you really are— so bright, so dazzling, you—“

Ritsuka’s blush only grew, and he froze. He cleared his throat and took her hand, making sure not to use the one with the command spells. “Sorry about that. Hi, you’re— Fujimaru Ritsuka, right? It’s really, truly a pleasure to meet you.“

“Nice to meet you too! So, um, what was that all about—?”

“Oh, the Count just… talks about you a lot, that’s a…” He swallowed, seeing the Count’s glare from the entrance of the alley. Kazue lowered his gaze and just smiled at Ritsuka. “Nevermind it. Just forget it, please. If not for my sake, then for his. It seems like I wasn’t supposed to tell you that stuff.”

His glare didn’t lessen. Kazue lagged behind as they walked back, trying to discuss ways to get back to their world, but the conversation lost Kazue most times. He’s not supposed to be here. Edmond looked so pleased speaking to her. His eyes were so soft, so gentle, so— He noticed him staring and glared at him again, and Kazue lowered his gaze. He’s not allowed to look. I’m not allowed, not allowed… He lagged behind further without being obvious.

She brought them back to her temporary base, introduced them to the Servants she brought with her, and he just smiled politely.

“Hey, you’re bleeding,” she pointed out, and Kazue jolted.

“I— oh. Sorry, I didn’t— notice. I’ll— I’ll use a mystic code, thanks for pointing it out.” She was kind. She was warm. He couldn’t help but smile at her. She really was fit to be called the last Master of Humanity.

“It’s okay, we have medical supplies here!”

“Oh, no no, it’s just a small gash, it’s fine,” He couldn’t steal any more from her. “Really, it is! Please, I’m sure we’ll out a way to send me back soon, don’t waste any supplies on me. Those are precious resources, right?”

He waved a hand, letting mana swirl between his fingers a bit. It hurt, but it’d help. “Please, it’s really alright.”

“…If you say so…” She looked sad she couldn’t help. Remorse filled him for making her sad. If only she knew how much he’d taken from her already… Instead, he just smiled and quietly headed outside. “Hey, where are you going?”

“…? To heal, why?”

“You can do it in one of the rooms here…?”

“…Oh! I assumed they were occupied—“

“They’re not, don’t worry, you can use—“

“Ah, thank you then, please excuse me—“

•••

It hurt. It burned to push his circuits to the brink, but he couldn’t take from her. He can’t, he wouldn’t. The healing was a shoddy job, it only closed the wound thanks to the mystic code he was wearing.

She was kind. He couldn’t take advantage of that. If he were going to die, he’s do it in his world. Judging from her personality, she’d cry over even him, a stranger. He didn’t want to burden her any further.

“…Kazue.”

He froze, then smiled at the imposing figure at the door. “…Count. Are you here to scold me?”

Crosses set in stained glass narrowed into a point, and he stalked inside the room. He couldn’t stop himself from talking.

“She’s just as wonderful as you said she was. Maybe even more. You didn’t tell me her smile was that beautiful. Her eyes sparkle like amber, and she’s so bright and sunny, you didn’t—“

“Silence.”

Kazue’s jaw clicked shut. He really was upset, then. He lowered his gaze. He could feel him standing over him.

“…Why did you not call for assistance? What would you have done if we didn’t find you?”

Kazue let out a shaky laugh. “Count, please, it would’ve been fine. She needed your assistance more, and I could at least cast some spells. I would’ve lasted long even if I didn’t call for your help.”

“Hah. So you hiding behind a dumpster and holding your breath was you ‘lasting long’?”

He fell silent. He couldn’t say anything to that. He just swallowed and rolled down his pant leg, hiding the poorly healed wound. “…It’s fine, Count.”

“You are being stubborn. Hiding things again— Do you forget who has to deal with those thoughts in the end?”

“Oh well I’m sorry,” he huffed, dragging himself to his feet only to be yanked back down by his— hers. Her Avenger, who was now glaring at him fiercely. “What?”

“You—“ He sighed. “You’re an idiot.”

“…Hah?”

His grip on Kazue’s wrist tightened. “You are an idiot. You haven’t changed from your first time, even after you’ve taken over this body. You would think you’d grow a little smarter, but clearly not.”

Before Kazue’s hackles could raise, he kept talking. “She is my star, my fate, my destiny, and you know this. I have told you of this since the first we spoke of her. The most dazzling light I have seen—“

“I know,” is Kazue’s quiet interruption as he ripped his wrist away despite the pain. “I know, so just leave me alone already. Go back to her. She— she needs you. I can handle myself. I’ve already taken up too much of—“

“Too much of what?”

Kazue froze, and lowered his gaze. He let oit a shaky sigh. “…Please just go.”

“No.”

“You’re so annoying sometimes, I hope you know that.” Kazue clicked his tongue, ready to deflect yet again, when his wrist was once again trapped in a tight grip.

“You didn’t let me finish. Yes, she is all that and more, but I am under your command. You are my Master in our world. Not her.”

“…Only because I took her place. I know I’m not supposed to be here, you know. In all the correct timelines, it was ‘Fujimaru Ritsuka’ who was the last Master of Humanity. I’m not—“

“Yet here you are. …Do you plan to run away again?”

“…No.”

“Then listen to me. I am your Servant. Stop acting like a wronged maiden when I’ve done nothing to imply I’d leave you. Understand?”

Silly class doodle now please leave my brain alone for a sec Edmond, I need to pay attention to my lecture

Sheer fucking horny.

That was all Kazue felt the moment he saw him walk out with that gorgeous yukata and that corset and just that slight sliver of skin peeking out of his collar— Could you blame him for wanting to get his hands on his Avenger?

He didn’t even know he had a waist fetish. Hell, he didn’t know he had a fetish at all. (Pretty sure he was too traumatized to think about that stuff, but alas, human nature.)

Gorgeous. Handsome. Beautiful. He could probably rattle off every positive adjective in existence but it wouldn’t be enough to describe the absolute blessing his eyes feasted upon right now. Edmond’s cute little blush too… Agh. How could this man — king of flames, burning vengeance, the Count of Monte Cristo — be such a Jezebel? Terrible. Horrible. Kazue wanted to squeeze him tight and kiss him silly.

…hm. Now there’s a thought.