Young Writers Society

Maggie

I can hear his heart beat. It’s calm and clear, the rhythmic sound lulling me in and out of consciousness. I’m such an attention whore, I swear. It seems I’ve been doing nothing but crying into Goro’s chest recently, to the point that he’s had to stay with me for hours. Sammy has been around too, thank God, and has spent the past few nights with me. She brings me food from the cafeteria, and last night, to cheer me up some, she made me some more gumbo. We share stories, and she’s able to make me laugh, but somehow, my mind keeps going back to that damn lake, and I can’t help but start crying.

In response to what happened during the memorial, I’ve been put on leave for about two weeks. I’m happy for the break, but still, it means I have no reason to go out to the Sector. I have no reason to go eat with the other Jeweloids I met that day.

I’m stuck here in my rooms.

To my relief, Goro does come to visit. When Sammy is unable to come, she sends him to check on me, bringing little things from her, and others to my surprise. Just two days ago, he brought a Holograph rod loaded with some jazz and swing music from the girl Amber, along with some choice words from both Marcus and Savannah. I laugh, as Goro describes the usual argument that’s involved with those two. After, Goro normally talks to me about how things are going, and describes the basics of what he had to do during the day. He looks a bit tired whenever I see him, and I feel guilty. Since I’m on leave, Goro was given some of my responsibilities, which include keeping in contact with the other Class Zeroes, checking in on the partner Jeweloid Sector in Orienus, which is run by OPAL and JADEITE, the driest people I’ve ever met, as well as other random nonsense involving war diplomacy that I still don’t understand. He was surprised at first, apparently no one had told him of my other jobs, but it seems he took to it quite naturally, probably even better than I am.

Then . . . things normally relax. During our first conversation after the memorial, while trying to find other topics, I discovered Goro hasn’t seen really any movies or music from my time period. In fact, it appears that the time period of 1980 to 2050 is rather blank in terms of historical and cultural knowledge. I asked him about numerous movies and famous music groups, and he knew nothing. So, in response, I am making him watch what movies I have saved onto my IPod. To my fortune, I have a good group to choose from; The Breakfast Club, 50 First Dates, one or two Disney animations, Avatar, 10 Things I Hate About You, Inception, and of course, all of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.

So far, it’s been an interesting experience. I started with 10 Things I Hate About You, and to say the least, Goro was very entertained by romanticized 90s teen life. He laughed at the “bad boy”, so it was fun to tell him afterwards that the same actor played one of the scariest villains of all time. The next time he came, we watched Avatar. Goro, to my surprise, got very invested in the movie, to the point that he even got a bit frustrated during the climax. I laughed at that. Since, we’ve watched one of the Disney movies (I was surprised that he liked it) and Inception (Funniest. Reaction. Ever.), and today I hope to start Lord of the Rings, since he doesn’t have a lot of work today. I’m pacing around my apartment, trying to find my favorite blanket that I use while watching movies with him. “Dammit, where the hell is it?” I mutter to myself.

“Looking for this?”

I’m caught off guard by another voice, male. I recognize it easily, but I’m shocked that it’s in my presence, turning slowly. As I suspected, there stands the last man I ever thought would be in my rooms, holding tight to my blanket.

Cent.

“W-What are you doing-“ I start, stunned.

“Goro tells me you’ve been showing him some pictures,” Cent interrupts, his eyes colder than when I’ve normally see him with Goro, “Stuff from your time?”

I watch him a moment, then abruptly nod. Though, I don’t let him change the topic, “How did you get into my apartment?”

“Sammy let me in,” Cent answers.

“Sammy?” I repeat, my eyes widening.

“Yes, I told her I want to talk to you privately,” he says, stepping over to one of the sofas.

I don’t speak quickly, unsure how to respond. Then, I say slowly, “Why do you want to talk to me?”

He turns, his expression serious. “What the hell do you want with Isugoro?”

My eyes widen, “Want with him?”

“Don’t play stupid with me,” he says, “You know as well as I do that you’ve been running him in circles. He’s just too optimistic to realize it himself.”

In response, my brow furrows. “What are you implying, Cent?”

Cent just stares at me for a moment, before he speaks honestly, “You’re using him.”

I’m caught off guard vby his bluntness, but I hold my ground, “What makes you think I’m using him-“

“C’mon, Maggie,” he interrupts, “You’ve been bipolar ever since you got back, but whenever it seems like Goro is fed up with you, you fall all over him. You make him feel guilty, like he has to protect you-“

“I never asked him to protect me, remember that,” I retort, “He had all the freedom in the world to reject my request to become my Partner, I even told him to go after the accident down in the Detention Sector. But, he decided to stay, it was his own decision.”

I can tell Cent is mad, her cheeks are a bit redder and his hands are clenched up. He shakes his head in annoyance, commenting, “What’s shitty is that you have absolutely no idea why the hell he’s even giving you the light of day.”

My thinking stops. “What are you talking about?” I say. Cent looks caught, having an inner debate on whether to say anything more, or leave me in utter confusion. I step forward, meeting his glare. “What?-“ I start.

“You remind him of her.”

His blurting leaves me stock still, the words sinking in faster than anything else I’ve ever experienced.

Her . . .

Cent face turns to shock, covering his mouth, aware that he blurted something major. Then after a moment, he makes another stupid comment, “In fact, it may be both of them for all I know.”

My head is swimming in thoughts, unsure how to calculate what has been laid out before me with memories. I look down at the blanket Cent holds in his hands, and a sad thought crosses my mind.

He’s thinking of another girl? . . . Two maybe?

I deflate.

Does he even see me?

Cent looks surprised as he watches me slowly start to tear up, placing a hand over my mouth to keep from being loud. He groans, rubbing the back of his neck with a free hand as he mutters to himself, “You’re such a confusing girl.”

“W-What?-“ I mutter.

“Do you care about him at all?” Cent asks abruptly, “You act like you hate him half of the time, what was it that made you hate him when you got here?”

“That isn’t your business-“

“My best friend is most certainly my business.”

My eyes widen in shock as Cent’s tone turns intimidating, and he steps closer so that he’s only half a foot in front of me. He stares down at me as he speaks, “I know you’re not an evil person, I know you’ve been thrown into this war just like the rest of us, but I will give you one warning; don’t mess with Isugoro.”

I gulp, allowing him to continue, “I’ve seen that guy go through hell and back, and I’m not about to let you and your hormones drag him back there.”

“I-I think you’re looking too close at the situation-“ I say with a shaky tone.

“You really think there’s nothing between you two?” Cent says, looking me straight in the eye, “Because I’ll be the first to tell you that even though he may deny it, even though he may not realize it . . .” His voice trails off, his expression becoming more pained as he breaks his stare. My brow furrows as I watch him. He really does care about Goro, it’s so clear. You can tell that Goro is like a brother to him, his warm brown eyes reading his worry and slight anxiety. He rubs his neck again, and begins to pace back and forth in front of me. He mumbles curses to himself, and my countenance becomes concerned.

“Cent?” I say.

He pauses, meeting my eyes with a steeled sheen. He breathes a deep breath, then starts, “. . . Did Goro tell you about Nathan and Syria?”

I blink, “Who?”

He looks away a moment, then appears to resolve to continue, explaining, “Nathan was a Jeweloid, you may have heard of him as COBALT.”

My eyes widen, the codename familiar to my ears. I heard of some drama going on involving a COBALT while I was at the capital, but I never was given any details about what the person had done. Is it the same person?

“Goro, while in the Detention Sector, befriended Nathan,” Cent continues, “Goro also got to know Nathan’s ex-Partner, a girl named Syria, who had taken a new occupation as a nurse. What Goro didn’t tell anyone though was that he discovered that Nathan and Syria . . . they were a couple in secret.”

I feel a lump forming in my throat.

“Somehow, the two got find out, and were punished,” Cent says, looking me square in the face as he says bluntly, “They were executed in front of all of Gelus. Nathan was stabbed through the lungs with spears, and Syria was shot in the head.” My hands instantly go to my face to mute my gasp. Cent looks emotionless as he watches my reaction. He continues quietly, “I haven’t seen Goro so enthralled with a girl for years, Maggie. . . . Without trying, you broke through all those years of hardening and made him desire to protect someone again. . . . You are his main concern now. If anyone touches you, he will do all he can to make sure they get their karma.”

My face pales some, searching the floor with my eyes as I let his words sink in. Without warning, a finger pulls my chin up, and I’m perplexed to see Cent so close to me, staring at me with an intense gaze. My cheeks redden, my heartbeat quickening. Like Goro, he’s quite handsome, with his natural curly red hair that falls across his eyes and the light freckles that dot his cheeks and squarer jawline. He has a bit more edge to him in a way that I can’t exactly describe. While Goro is very approachable, Cent has a bit more of a serious aura, despite his joking ways. Even in the beginning, he seemed a bit more distant. But even so, it makes him interesting, and all the more attractive.

Under his touch, to my surprise, I catch something of his thoughts. His focus is mainly on Goro, not to my surprise, but there’s someone else that is stuck in his mind.

Sammy.

I only see a flash of her, probably when she was letting him in. Her expression is a bit worried, but she still smiles for him, red rising in her cheeks when they accidentally brush hands. She giggles, the action I know as a sign that she’s very taken by a guy. He seems to imprint her smile in his mind, and I remember another thing Goro and I have discussed.

Cent and Sammy like each other.

My brow furrows some as I redden more. If he’s trying to say that Goro has feelings for me, than he’s being a hypocrite by being upset about it. He can’t be mad that a human likes a Jeweloid, for it’s obvious that Cent cares for Sammy, and she cares about him.

“I won’t speak for myself, I can tell by the look in your eyes that you’re comparing your situation to mine with Sammy,” Cent says, surprising me with his detection skills, “But I will tell you that unlike me, Goro is selfless when it comes to protecting those he cares about. He glared down the Commander himself when he tried to have him let you go.”

I’m caught off guard. He . . . what? I didn’t see that. Immediately, my heart picks up.

Cent seems to notice the change, and states plainly, “You may not like to admit it to yourself, but you are falling for him.”

My heart almost stops as my eyes widen in shock. Cent stares at me for a moment, then oddly, he chuckles, “I mean . . .”

Suddenly, he leans over some, only inches from my face. A strange mix of emotions overcome me, and I turn my head a bit. That doesn’t deter Cent. Again, he turns my face back to face his with his thumb, the look in his arms alarming. I feel my gut swimming, uncomfortable under his touch. Then, he moves closer so to whisper in my ear, “You wish that Goro would do this, don’t you?”

“W-Wha-“ I start, my face burning now.

“Have you kissed him again?” he asks.

My uneasiness disappears, my face going blank. Instantly, I remember the kiss I stole when he was unconscious after our fight with Marcus. Then the kiss on the cheek I gave him before he and I were separated. After I got back, despite the anger and hatred in me . . . I felt so guilty for what I said after the introduction. I found out his room number and went to apologize, but he had already been asleep, looking exhausted as he laid strewn across the bed. Without thinking, I had put him properly to bed, but his face still was so pained. I kissed him, entering his thoughts with a lullaby to ease him into a comfortable sleep.

Then there was my mistake only a few weeks ago, after the death point test. . . . I don’t know what was wrong with me. I was so relieved that he was ok, even though I obviously still held some animosity, especially after that little scene I woke up to between him and Anyola. Fortunately I was only awake for like five seconds of that. I was angry, I felt like he was running me in loops! But . . . when he came back into my room looking perplexed, confused . . . something sparked in me. I wrapped my presence around his thoughts, and to my surprise, I was able to easily influence his actions. I wanted to get revenge I suppose, on both of them. She could kiss him, sure, but I could make him desire me and leave him with nothing.

Works in plot, I suppose, but when he actually did lean in to initiate a kiss, I was shocked. I didn’t actually think he’d act on my suggestion, and before I could stop myself, I gave in myself. I allowed him to kiss me, and as soon as his lips met mine, my control in his mind shattered. I thought then and there that he’d stop, but no, it kept going, far more involved than I imagined. I can’t recall the kiss we shared in the Power Processor, but I can say just from intuition that the kiss we shared in my room was on par, if not more intense than that one. One glimpse across his thoughts, and I was baffled to find that the moments he shared with Anyola . . . he hated them. He was trying to replace her presence with mine, kissing me deeply, almost desperate. I could feel his heart racing under my palm as I held his jacket tight, and it was at that moment I realized I had lost the will to hate him.

Then he said my name in between kisses. It was at that point I brought everything to a halt. His tone scared me, dripping in a lust I have never experienced before. The haze that had fallen over me evaporated, and it was then I realized we were no longer sitting up, simply kissing.

I found Goro was now on top of me, staring intently at me as I laid beneath him, pinned by our interlocked hands. Just glancing, I was still fully clothed (thank God), but his jacket had been removed, laying unkempt on the floor to reveal his long sleeved undershirt, pulled up slightly to reveal the lower part of his fit chest. Immediately, I reentered his mind, and influenced him to move back to the chair he had pulled up. I fixed myself mentally while he mechanically redressed himself as he had been before, and before long, we were like we had been before I had tried anything. He was still out of it, so I did only what seemed best to get us both out of the predicament.

I stole my last kiss from him, as well as any memory he may have of the experience, and replaced it with visions of my Death Point test. The scenes caused his conscious to suddenly spark back to life, and before I knew what had happened, he was gone, sprinting at top speed to get away from the nightmares I saw.

I simply sat there, I deserved it.

“Maybe you’re the one wrapped around his finger.”

I jolt, finding myself back in present time, Cent still before me. He sighs, his expression now irritated. Slowly, he pulls back, and removes his hand from my cheek, speaking, “The look on your face says everything; you like him. And, despite my wishes, it seems he’s starting to have feelings for you . . . But I will keep an eye on you two, so don’t even try to screw him over. I won’t allow him to get hurt because you decide to become selfish and use his emotions against him. He has decided that he won’t protect himself, but I sure as hell will not let anything happen to him.” I look up to meet his eyes once more, becoming on edge to see there’s no sympathy. He leans back over, glaring me down as he makes one final statement.

“I don’t plan on burying my brother.”

With that, he drops my blanket to the floor, and walks out, leaving me dazed. He came to warn me about my involvement with Goro, to make me cautious.

Now I’m petrified.

I stand still in my living room for what feel like ages, staring at the blanket with confused thoughts stabbing at my mind. Then a worse situation.

“Hey Maggie, I’m here.”

Goro’s warm voice calls from the doorway as he enters, causing me to jolt in alarm. Quickly, I pick up the blanket and throw it on the sofa, before I rush into the kitchen so to prepare myself for my inevitable doom. I glance over as he walks into the area, a kind expression on his face as he carries some kind of box. When he sees me, he smiles, sitting the box on the table. “Hey, how’re you doing today?” he asks as he walks around the counter, only feet from me, “Feeling any better?”

I can’t look him in the face, so I busy myself with trying to look like I’m trying to decide on something to eat. “I’m feeling, I suppose,” answer, my voice flat.

Goro quickly picks up that something isn’t exactly right, but he doesn’t say anything. He steps closer so to lean against the opposing door of the fridge as I open the other side, causing my anxiety to build. He watches my reaction, before asking, “What’s wrong?”

I hold my breath a moment, before I try to stutter a response, “I-I’m fine.”

“You’re a horribly liar, you know that, right?” Goro comments as he crosses his arms, “What is it?”

“There’s nothing wrong, Isugoro,” I reply, finally meeting his eyes. He looks serious, but unlike Cent, his eyes are kind, making just a bit more comfortable. I look away after only a few seconds, and sigh a bit, closing the fridge and starting to walk off. To my surprise, however, Goro cuts me off, blocking me off in between the counters. He leans over slightly, causing my heart beat to jump. “W-What?” I ask.

“Tell me,” he instructs, he voice warm.

I’m caught. I do want to talk to him somewhat about everything, but I don’t want to tell him about Cent coming here. I know just from my few interactions that if Goro knew about Cent’s actions, he would not be happy. I’d rather not be the reason for an argument between the two. So, now it’s time to dance around the subject. “W-Well . . .” I trail, “I guess some things that I’ve been thinking about recently have just started to bug me.”

“Just today? You were acting perfectly normal yesterday,” Goro comments.

“That’s because it didn’t really hit me till earlier,” I lie.

He raises an eyebrow. He’s not fully convinced. “Explain,” he says.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about how I’ve treated you since I got back, and how I’ve kinda run you in circles and whatnot-“ I start.

“You’re really upset about that?” he interrupts, looking perplexed, then a bit tired, “Maggie, listen, you don’t need to feel upset about all that. Sure, it did make me a bit . . . irritated I suppose, considering that you never told me why you were upset or anything, but I let go of that thinking very quickly. I knew that you had a reason for the way you were acting, so I wanted to show you that whatever bullshit you’d been fed . . . well that it wasn’t true.”

I just stare at him, unable to process just how easily he fended off all of my concerns. I swear, the guy is subconsciously the smartest person I’ve ever met, the way he shuts down all my worries. Then, my brow furrows slightly, and I turn away to face the counter. The fact that he can do that is the problem. Yeah, I’ve let friends see in, Sammy has been able to pick up on most things, but Goro is the only person that can see right through me, and I allowed him to be that way.

Suddenly, I hear a sigh. Slowly, arms brace against the counter on either side of me, trapping in a type of embrace that causes my heart to pound a bit harder. I look over my shoulder a bit before I whip my head back to face the front, seeing that his face is only inches from mine. Immediately, I try to distract myself with other thoughts, but it’s in vain as I hear Goro speak into my ear, “Please don’t start hiding stuff from me again.”

His words cause me to pause. He’s so innocent, he has no idea how troubling our situation is right now. If he does know, like Cent had said, he’s abandoned any self-preservation. My heart pangs at the thought, and I realize that another thing that Cent said is true.

I really do like him.

Unlike with Cent, the closer Goro gets, the more my cheeks redden. I’m not uncomfortable, I feel shy because in my own way, I’m enjoying his attention. I’m happy with him, and it’s not in same way as I feel hanging out with Sammy. Cent is a jerk, but he’s right. When he did pull me close, now that I look back on it, I would like is Goro did it. My cheeks flush further as I think about it, probably getting too excited over something that’ll never happen. Goro seems to notice that I’m getting embarrassed about something, sounding a bit confused, “Are you ok?”

“Wha?!” I gasp, before I turn around without thinking. It seems in the ten seconds I was thinking, I totally forgot how close Goro is, and now I’m stuck facing him. Immediately, I start making frantic gestures with my hands. I really am doomed to failure when it comes to him. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine!” I say, beet red, “There’s nothing wrong, really!”

Without meaning to, he lets out a laugh, apparently amused by my failed attempts to cover myself. I pout, and hit him soft in the chest. “Don’t laugh at me!” I shout.

My protests break his composure, and to my dismay, he erupts into laughter. I frown, but it’s not long before I grin slightly, happy to hear the warmth in his laughter and see his bright smile, his cheeks reddening some in the process. He doesn’t move much, leaving me still stuck in between his arms as I watch him. Without thinking too much, I lean in a bit to peer into his face. He opens his eyes, and looks surprised to see me so close for a moment, before his smile reemerges. “What?” he asks between his laughs.

“What is it that makes you smile?” I ask.

His laughter dies shortly after, still grinning some as his eyes shift, apparently pondering my question. Then, he nods slightly, before returning his eyes to meet my gaze. He smiles, “Your honest actions. You’re quite the entertaining girl.”

I can’t help but let out a giggle as I smile, causing me inner confusion. I sound like Sammy when she’s laughing with Cent. . . .

He chuckles too, but then he gets a bit more serious, “Maggie, is that really all that was bothering you?”

I don’t answer quickly. I want to say more, but I can’t seem to find a good way to go about it that doesn’t reveal Cent’s involvement. So, I guess I’ll have to go with myself instead. I meet his eyes again, “I’m worried about you. . . . Us.”

His eyes widen in surprise, “Us?”

“Yes, I mean, like I said, I’ve been very back and forth with you. Plus I can still say I don’t fully trust you, due to certain things,” I say honestly, “But you’ve acted in certain ways that make me worry.”

“What do you mean?-“ he starts.

“Did you really glare down the Commander?” I interrupt, “Did you really defy him?”

Goro looks shocked by my question, obviously not prepared for me to know about it. Though, his brow furrows and he looks away. “. . . I did,” he trails, causing my heart to jump a bit.

“Isugoro, why?” I say, “I understand being protective, but you have to watch yourself!”

“I don’t know, Maggie,” he says, sounding more strained, “It was just what I thought was best in the moment-“

“Instinct?” I say with a sigh, “Isugoro, I’ve heard time and time again that you make dumb decisions when you act on instinct, but I didn’t actually think it was true!”

“So you’re saying that you would’ve been alright with me leaving you there to sit and cry in front of him?” he asks, looking serious, “Admit it, you would’ve been upset, mad even.”

I bite my lip. Yeah, thinking about it, I would’ve been angry. In the moment, I wouldn’t have understood that Goro didn’t really have a choice. My hatred would’ve probably been relit if he had left me.

Dammit, he got me. Even so, I still have to relay my concern, “In the moment, yeah, but my momentary anger comes second to your well-being! You need to have more self-preservation than that for yourself.”

He looks troubled, his eyes trailing to countertop as my words sink in. Then, he says something I wasn’t expecting.

“I’m not the one that needs protection.”

My eyes widen, a strange sensation overcoming me as my body acts without my mind. I slap him. Not too hard by any means, but it’s enough to catch him off guard. Then I shout with an annoyed tone, “You’re no good at protecting if you can’t even defend yourself! What good would you be if you got injured, killed even?!”

To my surprise, I’m shaking, what emotion that had been swimming within me while Cent was talking to now starting to rise to the surface. I’m angry as tears start to rise, and I swat at them to keep them at bay. Goro watches me, speechless it seems as I start to fall apart.

“Dammit, stop crying!” I yell at myself, shuttering, “You’re such a baby, you’ve done nothing but cry! What good are you?!”

I bring my hands to my shoulders, trying to stop the shaking as my tears ignore my yelling and fall anyway. My mind is crumbling the more I try to hold things together. The only things that stay in place are my fear and uncertainty of everything; the future, this war, Goro, my place as a Jeweloid, my responsibilities, all of it. I don’t want to be here! I want to go home. I want Mom and Dad.

I want to play with Alice again.

“Stop.”

Goro’s voice surprises me. I feel a pressure on my back, and before long I’m being embraced by him, caught in the warmth of his arms as his head rests on top of mine. I don’t move any, but he does nothing to make me, staying silent.

I feel like a failure. I’m the strongest Jeweloid, a Class Zero, yet all I seem to do is cry and make others’ lives more difficult. I don’t deserve to be respected, I’m absolutely-“

“I’m sorry.”

My mind halts as his words sink in. He’s apologizing? Why?! What makes him think that he owes me one?!

I break, and to my surprise, all my fears and anxiety rise with one simply phrase.

“I’m sorry, Goro.”

Immediately, Goro pulls away from me, leaning over so he can look me in the face. The tears fall heavier and I shake, “I’m so sorry, Goro. . . . I’m sorry.”

His brow furrows, his expression pained as he cups my dampened cheeks, “Hey, hey, you have nothing to apologize to me for.”

“I’m sorry for using you as a shield,” I say, surprising both of us as all of my honest regrets pour out of my mouth, “I’m sorry for making you feel like you have to protect me. I’m sorry for making you be my Partner. I’m sorry for pushing you away. I’m sorry that I’ve made you get hurt. I’m sorry that I’ve made you miss time with Cent. I’m sorry that I’ve taken over your life. I’m sorry that I’m a burden to you-“

“Stop it!”

I immediately shut up, a bit scared by Goro’s sharp tone. I look back up at him, shocked to see he looks even more upset than before, his countenance almost tortured. Then he does something a bit odd. Unlike normal, when he wraps his around me to encase me, this time, he lifts me slightly to sit on the countertop, then he wraps his arms around my natural waist, freeing my arms up as he rests his head on my shoulder. I’m completely flabbergasted, not used to his head leaning against the crook of my neck. His blonde hair brushes my face, causing my heartbeat to quicken despite my wishes. I rest my arms along his, holding onto his sleeve. After a minute, I whisper lightly, “. . . Goro?”

“Don’t. . . .” he trails, sounding upset, “Don’t ever apologize for being in my life. You’re not a burden to me. I didn’t take the positon as your Partner because I had to, I wanted it. That’s why I got worried when you got more involved with Sammy. . . . I want to be a part of your life.”

My heart bursts with strange emotions, and slowly, my arms reach up and encircle Goro’s neck, pulling myself closer to him. Surprisingly, his heart beat is faster than normal, making me worried. “Isugoro, I-“ I start.

“I know Cent and others are worried about me,” he interrupts, “I know that they don’t want me involved with you, but I can make my own decisions. I may not be a genius, but I like to believe I can make smart choices.”

He raises his head, and meets me gaze. His blue eyes are paled, exhausted in a way. My brow furrows as I look deeper into them, but my attention is diverted as he sighs, closing his eyes as he leans his forehead against mine. It seems to have become a habit of his to do when he’s mentally drained. I feel bad, since this time it was my fault.

“I’m sor-“

“Apologize to me again, and I will get mad,” he says as his eyes snap open, meeting mine with an intensity similar to Cent’s. A lump forms in my throat, and after a moment of staring, the irritation in his gaze fades, replaced by a concerned look. He grimaces as he searches my eyes and sighs, speaking with a softer tone, “Sorry. . . .”

“Apologize to me again, and I will get mad,” I say, testing the limits.

His eyes widen, then, he chuckles, his eyes leaving mine, “Heh, using my words against me.”

“It seems to be my thing,” I reply.

At that moment, he looks back at me, and he grins a bit. I perk a bit as well. I don’t know why, but somehow, no matter what kind of conversation we’re having, Goro and I always seem to find a way out of it. Whether it be a random comment or a shared glance. Something always just . . . clicks. My heart pangs with the thought, the lingering worry returning to the front of my mind. I don’t want Goro to leave, but I don’t want him to be put in danger. Cent wasn’t fooling around with his warnings, as he knows all too well what I do.

I basically hold Goro’s life in my hands.

But Goro doesn’t seem to care about that. Throwing away his inhibitions for a single moment, he lifts his head, and to my utter shock . . . he kisses me on the forehead.

Though brief, it’s the most Goro has ever done, at least without any suggestion from me. His lips are tender against my skin, causing my cheeks to heat up almost instantly as I register the intimate touch. A strange sensation, similar to the last kiss we shared, courses through me, but this time it’s purer, warmer. It lasts a whole second at best, and Goro is quick to escape embarrassment, releasing me from his hold as he steps away, exiting the kitchen nook as he runs a hand through his hair. I sit there, my face burning as I remain still in shock. Then, after a moment, I look over to see Goro pacing a bit, facing away from me.

I grin.

I give him a little bit of time to relax before I get down from the counter and walk out after him, stopping so I can stand right beside him. I glance up at his face, blinking in surprise to see his cheeks are a bit flushed. I giggle by accident, making him a bit more flustered, which only makes me giggle more. Then, I look down at the box he had brought in, saving him, “What’s this?”

He deflates a bit in relief, saying quickly, “Um, I’m not really sure. Kasami told me to give it to you. . . .”

I notice his voice falling off in a strange way, and I look back at him. His expression is different, looking like he is now the one hiding something. “What?” I ask.

He looks down on me, and after a minute, he grimaces as he says simply, “It’s my turn to leave.”

My eyes widen. “What do you mean?” I ask.

Steadily, my heart rate speeds up as he explains, “Tomorrow, as Kasami explained to me . . . I leave for the capital. Since I’m the main candidate to be your Partner, a Class Zero, I am to go and meet with the General . . . and the other Class Zeroes and their Partners, except for you and HERA. It’s then they’ll explain my full duties, as well as other details Kasami didn’t go too deeply into.”

I feel numb. He’s leaving me alone again.

He sighs, “Kasami said it’ll only be two or three weeks, but still, I’m nervous. I never imagined I’d interact the Commander here at Gelus, let alone the General himself. . . . I guess I’m afraid to leave.”

I don’t respond quickly, trying to tame the sinking feeling that’s threatening to consume me. I do my best to sound calm as I reply, “. . . When were you going to tell me?”

“Immediately, that’s why I got here so early,” he answers, “I wanted to get it over with so we could move on to enjoying the time I have before I leave-“

“And leave me again?”

He looks up in surprise, obviously not expecting my sudden change in personality. Hell, even I’m a bit taken back as my fists clench, and a new kind of anger threatens to consume me. I hold it at bay as best I can as I try to understand it, but it seems to be no use. Goro notices my inner debate, and steps forward so he can stand directly in front of me, before he leans over to look at me at eye level. “Maggie, I-“ he starts.

“Go,” I order bluntly, refusing to meet his gaze. I won’t take his daggers to the heart.

For a moment, he looks startled, but it doesn’t take long for his expression to fade into a sadder version of acceptance. He adverts his eyes, then nods a little, standing straight as he turns. He walks a few steps away before he pauses, then turns to look at me. I meet his eyes, surprised by the raw emotion sparking in the blue. I clench my teeth a bit. Then, he surprises me further, saying simply, “I don’t regret it.”

Without another word, he turns back and walks out of my apartment, not even speaking a goodbye. I stand in place for another minute or so, my emotions stabbing at one another as I still try to make sense of my reaction. In a moment of boiling, I slam my fist into the counter. I’m not even phased by the granite crumbling under the impact.

“God dammit all,” I curse through my clenched teeth.

Then, for some random reason, I remember the box Goro brought in. I turn to look at it, approaching it cautiously as I look over it. After a second of hesitation, I open it.

And find a brick.

My brow furrows in confusion, “The hell is this?”

What has Kasami been smoking?

Then, I see there’s two other things inside the box; a piece of folded paper, and one of those rods I see humans on all the time. I pull out the folded paper and open it, surprised to find a message written, addressed to me. I read it aloud,

“Dear Miss LAPIS,

I don’t know if you’ll actually find this note useful or not, but if you do, please know I’m writing you this out of the concern I have for both you and Isugoro.”

I roll my eyes a bit. Oh joy.

“Now then, if you’re reading this, than I can assume that Isugoro has told you that he is leaving tomorrow for the capital, just as you had a half year ago. If I am correct in what your reaction was, you got upset, didn’t you?”

My voice pauses. Wow, am I really that predictable?

“I digress, I thought that you should know that Isugoro wasn’t even aware of the visit himself until this morning. Those at the capital seem to enjoy surprising those they call forward, so this isn’t the case of him keeping the truth from you. He didn’t even know!

Also, just because I have a feel it may change whatever negative feelings you may have, I’ll also make you aware that Isugoro . . . well he refused to attend.”

My eyes widen in alarm. “He . . . He said no?” I trail.

“His reasoning, as he explained, was that he had just gotten back on good terms with you, it seems. He knew that you’d react badly, considering the short timeline until his departure and your remaining trust issues. That and something about loneliness, he was talking so fast at that point that I didn’t fully catch what he was trying to say. Who knows, maybe you have an idea of what he meant.”

My chest tightens as the words fall from my lips, guilt welling up in me. “Though, I of course had to tell him that he had no choice, neither do you in the situation, unfortunately. No matter what you two argue, Isugoro is to travel to the capital tomorrow.

It was when he realized that he couldn’t get out of it, he requested that you come. But, again, I had to tell him that that would not be possible. It seems that they like the idea of separating the Jeweloid and Partner during these meetings, which is why Isugoro was unable to travel with you the first time. To say the least, Isugoro was not happy.”

My skin goes translucent as I read over the paragraph again. Kasami claims that Goro was “unable to travel” while I was in the capital. My heart picks up as I glance over at the hall that he disappeared down, my gut sinking. “Kasami speaks like he doesn’t know what happened, but that’s impossible . . .” I trail, “Right? I mean, it couldn’t mean that Goro-“

My hands start to tremble as I continue to read. “I understand that you are upset about something, my dear. Though, please understand that Isugoro has emotions as well. Although he never said a word about it, I can tell you that he did worry about you while you were away at the capital. He asked news of you every day, and each time I said there was nothing, I can recall he looked a bit gloomier than when he walked in. When he wasn’t with me, he was always with TOPAZ (Marcus) and SUGILITE (Savannah), training.

He wanted to see you.”

I grip the paper tight in my hands, crumbling into myself. “Oh dear God. . . !” I croak, “I-I’m an idiot. . . !”

As my justification falls apart, so my ability to continue to read. I do nothing as it floats to the floor, losing as I meet the floor before it can. My inevitable tears start to flow, silencing me from crying out for Goro. I want Goro.

But I sent him away. I sent him straight to the capital with hatred in my words. As his last words trace my mind, and I cry harder. “I don’t regret it either . . .” I whisper, “. . . I’m sorry.”