鳳凰星座

Despite the cosmos being no longer in him, Alone couldn’t help but feel he needed to be cautious. He lack of knowledge regarding this world didn’t make matters easily.

“I want to stay with you.” Alone answered more confidently. Serene azure eyes locked with the other’s. He was sure he’d be better off tagging with Ikki; he’d get somewhere this way. A gravitational pull drew him over. 

   “Then, you stay. The rest we figure out later.” Never dropping the azure gaze, he reached out and placed a hand atop blond hair. His heavy palm was almost as big as that surface, covering it all with ease. Alone was made of soft edges, warm locks of hair and a mysterious heart. Ikki still had no idea from where that boy came from, or where he was headed - at that instant, all the untold details didn’t matter much.

        ❝ C’mon. If you didn’t like me, you wouldn’t have given them to me. You could’ve waited to give them to Shun-kun, he would’ve liked these flowers as well. But nope, you chose me. ❞ Minako chuckled and stuffed her chest out of pride, following the saint’s every step. He still hadn’t told her to leave so why not stick around for a little bit longer?

       His indifferent words also did not affect her in the slightest. Somehow, Minako had learned how Ikki’s personality was and she truly did not mind him being a jerk anymore. He had certainly gone through a lot and she would never be the one to judge him. 

         Also, giving him a little bit of her endless love towards each & every creature could do him good. The man had a tough job like her own anyways. 

   He was, after all, older than that bratty girl. Someone had to keep the conversation on the tracks.

   Throwing his head back slightly and tucking hands inside pockets, the Phoenix awaited a couple of seconds to answer her. He still could feel - and smell - the humid pressure of her painted lips against his face. Ikki didn’t clean the mark Minako left behind. Not at that moment, at least.

“Haha! If you say so! Just Ikki. Understood!” He cleared his throat again, sighing internally wondering if that squeak came off as too ridiculous. He breathed faintly only to be taken off-guard by the use of “they”.

   And if all things were easy like that. Ikki scratched his neck, thick brows frowning superficially, the deep scar between them extremely highlighted in that angle. Alone didn’t like the idea of having more comfort, rather choosing to stay with him.

   “They’d take better care of you. I don’t have much to offer in that sense.” Or in any other sense. Deep inside his chest, Ikki still wanted to shield that unknown and innocent boy from the dangers of the world, keep him safe somewhere quiet and solid. How and why these feelings awakened within his heart, the Leo would never understand. As if following an ancient instinct, he was willing to protect Alone... Perhaps it was the resemblance he had with Shun; bright personality, sad smile.

   But staying with Ikki, a detested Saint, would only bring disasters to him.

      If Minako knew where the flowers came from, she’d most likely be equally happy. Well, Ikki hadn’t bought them for her, but as soon as he found them, she was the person he decided to give them as present to. That was alone to put a smile on the senshi’s face and she would still kiss his cheek regardless. He had been smooth. 

    Besides, the saint apparently did not have many chances of getting kissed by girls anyways. Not that he wasn’t good-looking, but boy! Was he difficult! 

   Reacting would only give her more space to annoy him. He learned that some time ago.

   Ikki finally shrugged, serious as he normally was. Hard to permeate the shell that was the Phoenix’s mood, after all.

“I think staying with you is the better choice.” His stomach had churned uncomfortable at the idea of staying at an orphanage…out of place and odd. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. So far Ikki hadn’t given him any reason to distrust him and his image was his only source of comfort.

   “I’m no mister. Ikki is just fine.” Here they go again, with the whole inconvenience thing. That boy really needed to grow some confidence, or people would use and abuse him like a rag doll. The saint, however, simply decided to disregard the statement and not comment about it. Easy like that.