skittish_kittens’ blog

...Introductions are always hard and I always suck at it. Anyways, welcome to the fanfic archive (of sorts...) *throws confetti* =) I'm attempting to hit two birds with one stone by getting familiar with Vox and migrating the stuff I wrote in an attempt to make it more organized... because I'm too lazy to sort things out on my lj...Speaking of which, if you're interested in that, you may find me by the user name cherry_armrest. I write Arashi fics and so far, only Arashi fics because I haven't really felt the need (more like, I don't really have the time) to move on to a different boyband or entertain more than one sparkly, pretty-boy group at a time. =P work gets in the way, and there's also the PSP, the jdorama, the anime and all the books to keep me occupied...

There aren't a lot since I only started to write last July, although I did get into the fandom sometime last year...

Anyways, the fics range from a harmless G, to something R-rated and will be tagged accordingly. In case you're not familiar with jpop-boyband- inspired fanfics, let me warn you beforehand that in general, most of them tend to lean towards homoeroticism/boylove/yaoi/ slash (you get the idea...) although there are also a number of  G rated fics.

So, with that out of the way, I'll slowly be constructing this site.

^_^

Here are the categories I have so far:

Drabbles

Oneshots

Series

R-NC-17

Here's the only story that I have so far. It'll hopefully grow in time... woohoo! a new one today!

1. Caught on Tape
2. The Sunflower: A fairytale
3. Blue Bell- (Sakumoto)
4. Subject: Jun Matsumoto (Aiba/Jun, R)

As the title says...

I've only completed one so far... Anyhoo, here they are:

Standing Still- (SakurAiba, G-R)

1. Part 1
2. Part 2
   
3. Part 3: Wish Fulfillment
4. Part 4: Courage
   
5. Part 5 : Something Stupid

The Dolls  (Completed! AU, mostly g-rated; ohmiya, sakuraiba , +OC)

1. Smitten
2. The Dolls- 1
3. The Dolls: Trickles
4. The Dolls: Tremors
5. Siblings
6. Ordinary
7. Nostalgia
8. Into the Rabbit Hole
9. Beginnings- Part 1: Aiba
10. Beginnings-Part 2: An important day
11. Beginnings-Part 3: Movement
12. Beginnings-Part 4: Premonitions
13. Yuki's Diary
14. The Other Side
15. Flashback
16. Omens
17. Faith
18. The End
19. Transitions
20. Intersections
21. The Burden of Memory
22. A Reunion
23. A Reunion: Part 2
24. A Reunion: Part 3
25. Coming Full Circle
    

Here are the few that I have (I only started writing last July, so bear with me... hehehe)

1. Sacred Space- (Ohmiya, G)
2. Scent- (Ohmiya, G)
3. Entwined-(Sakuraiba, G)
4. Blue bell- (Sakumoto, G)
   

**Notes: This is actually kind of embarrassing *-* warnings for very mild bondage***

Sho opened bleary, bloodshot eyes to the blinding rays of the morning sun seeping through the flimsy curtains of their window. The persistent beeping of the alarm clock rang shrilly in his ears as he lazily reached out to grab the offending machine, trying his best not to hurl it against the wall as uncoordinated fingers sloppily located the snooze button and set it for another 20 minutes. Satisfied with his progress, Sho let out a huge yawn and rolled over to his side where a tangle of limbs lay sleeping with its head buried under the navy blue sheets of their queen-sized bed. Sho moved back inside the covers, moving closer to Jun's still form and slipping an arm under him, careful not to wake the younger man from his slumber as he pulled him in for a cuddle.

"Nggh..." Jun burbled incoherently, adjusting his body to fit into Sho's. Jun was not a morning person. Waking him up before 10 meant having to deal with a very grumpy roommate who chose to ignore your existence until his second cup of coffee. It was only in these moments, in the few minutes before they had to drag themselves out of bed, that Jun could be called angelic during the morning. Sho smiled, burying his nose in Jun's unkempt hair and inhaling his scent, placing soft kisses on the exposed nape which earned him more annoyed grunts from the younger idol who was trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of much needed beauty sleep after a rather vigorous night of lovemaking.

With his mind now fully awake, Sho's thoughts wandered off to the previous night. He couldn't help but think that there was something amiss. The sex had been mind-blowing as always; it was one of those rare occasions where Jun had initiated and Sho agreed to play the bottom. He remembered how each deep thrust, perfectly timed and controlled at a tortuously slow pace, had hit him on the spot repeatedly and reduced him to an incoherent mess of begging and sobbing as he yelled Jun's name in climax, his knees folding under him after Jun pulled out. The way Jun moved was so methodical and precise and yet too intense to be called mechanical. It was perfect and so very Jun, with his sadistic tendencies coming into play, as he took pleasure in denying Sho his release until the older man whimpered and begged under him. Jun was not called DoS for nothing. Sho however, couldn't help but feel as though Jun wasn't satisfied. There was something forceful yet desperate in the way Jun held him last night, and in the end, as they both came, he was unable to look his lover in the eye. Sho held Jun tighter, deeply concerned about the younger man. Emotions weren't Jun's forte and he constantly shifted between extremes; stubbornly keeping everything bottled up, or letting off steam in one blow and making up for it with profuse apologies or overdone gestures of kindness. He had mellowed down considerably after being with Sho, but there were still some things that Jun simply had trouble putting into words.

Kissing the exposed earlobe, Sho carefully untangled himself from Jun and got up, switching the alarm clock off and heading to the kitchen to prepare coffee, (one thing he was sure he wouldn't make a mess of,) as he thought of how to bring up the subject without making the younger man retreat into his shell.

***

The following hours saw Jun more tightly wound up than he normally was. The boyish, toothy smile that had recently reappeared was fast disappearing and was being replaced by the ever present scowl, reminiscent of his days as Sawada Shin. Jun had been distracted the whole day and attempted to displace his nervous energy by trying to put order into chaos-- rearranging desk trays, picking fights with dust motes and tiny puddles of liquid that had spilled from his glass, all while skillfully avoiding a confrontation with Sho who had been poking around the subject since breakfast time. His shoulders were hunched over unconsciously and he had been giving off a rather cold vibe which had caused their guest to veer away from him during the taping of Shukudai-kun, choosing instead, to focus her attention on Aiba and Nino. Each time Sho tried to make eye contact, Jun would turn away and look down on his lap with a glum expression on his face. It only served to strengthen his suspicions that Jun had been struggling with something he couldn't openly verbalize.

As soon as the taping was done and words of thanks had been exchanged between Arashi and their staff, the five retreated into their lounge, the other three consciously avoiding the pair as each one made their way into their individual dressing rooms. Jun had been about to enter his, hoping to avoid Sho when he felt the familiar weight of Sho's hand on his shoulder.

"Jun..."

"Sho, I'm busy...I have to--"

"Jun!" Sho tried once more, in a firm but authoritative voice, one that he often used when his younger brother was being stubborn.

Jun released a long drawn sigh, his shoulders sagging in defeat as he turned to face Sho and slowly lifted his eyes to reluctantly meet his gaze. Looking into Sho's eyes, Jun was unable to hide the thinly veiled worry and panic written all over his face...

"Jun, what's wrong? Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Nothing... I'm really sorry...it's just... I'll get over it." Jun mumbled.

Sho persisted, unwilling to let it pass, "Jun, you're not normally like this... did I do something wrong last night? Was there something I missed?"

"No! No, it's nothing like that... it's just... Please, Sho...I can't do this right now." Jun begged.

"Jun... don't you trust me?" Sho whispered softly as he took both of Jun's hands in his.

"Fine." Jun relented after a few moments, "I'll tell you tonight... I just... need to be by myself for now," he sighed.

"Okay then,” Sho replied, knowing that was all he'll probably get out of Jun at this state. "I'll be meeting you at our usual place at 9."

"Sure."

Sho looked at Jun worriedly for a long time. With one last sigh, Sho embraced Jun and placed a soft peck on his cheek before heading into his own dressing room, leaving Jun by himself in the big, empty lounge...

***

Jun had spent the better part of 20 minutes alone, his anxious thoughts running around his head as he gloomily sipped the bitter red wine from his glass, dreading the confrontation that was to follow. Jun had been uncharacteristically early for their date, thinking it would be best if he had a few minutes to compose himself and get his thoughts in order for his confession.

By the time Sho had arrived, Jun was on his third glass and his cheeks were tinged with pink from the slight buzz. Their dinner plates were still set on their table, lying clean and untouched. Jun hadn't eaten anything since he arrived and appeared to be drinking his sorrows away. Sho was seriously beginning to worry about Jun's mental state.

"How long have you been here?" Sho asked, settling down to take his place in front of Jun.

"Around thirty minutes ago." Jun replied, his fingers lightly pressing the bridge of his nose and moving up to comb through his hair.

"How many glasses have you had?" Sho asked, his tone raising slightly

"Three."

"Jun--"

"I'm okay. I'm just... really nervous" Jun replied looking down, the same melancholy look affixing itself on his features.

Sho sighed in exasperation. Whenever Jun was anxious there was nothing more that he would like to do than soothe his fears, but doing that apparently required you to go inside Jun's head, where most things usually started to get bigger. He couldn't remember Jun being this anxious and depressed at the same time and Sho was at his wit's end trying to get the other one to open up.

"Okay. I'll order what we usually have and you'll talk, okay?"

Jun nodded, signaling to the waiter.

Over pasta, after his fifth glass of wine, Jun started talking, his words coming out in slurred sentences.

"Sho..." Jun began.

Sho looked up, bracing himself for what Jun was about to say.

"Sometimes, you're too nice to me," Jun babbled on, "you treat me like I'll break or something... like I'm a girl when we have sex..."

Sho nodded, wondering why Jun had to get himself all worked up just to tell him he wanted it rough in the bedroom...

"But that's not really a big problem..." Jun continued biting his lip, breathing deeply before he proceeded, "I have a problem...I have a thing for control."

"Okay..." Sho nodded, not entirely sure he liked where this conversation was headed.

"I can't stop myself from being a control freak sometimes. It gets tiring, and I know that it bothers all of you, but it's something I can't help. I clean things when I'm upset, and I thought that only my mom does that!" Jun continued, the alcohol making his voice slightly louder than he would have wanted.

Sho looked at Jun in confusion, uncertain of what Jun was trying to tell him

"...I know this isn't your thing and I really won't blame you if you say no... or want to break up with me," Jun's voice suddenly grew quiet.

"What are you talking about?" Sho asked.

Instead of replying, Jun fumbled in his pockets, retrieving a pair of soft leather wrist straps and placing it in front of Sho, who promptly choked on his dinner.

"Jun--!"

"I need you to stop me when I'm on the verge of spinning out of control..." Jun whispered unable to meet Sho's eyes as he placed the restraints in Sho's hands. "I know you won't hurt me... I trust you completely, but if you don't want to-- "

"Jun..." Sho interrupted, suddenly overwhelmed by the weird turn of events. Taking a deep breath, Sho counted to five before he continued:

"This... this is all really new and honestly, quite shocking for me... I don't really know why, but if it makes you happy..."

Jun looked up in surprise, "Sho.... I mean, really?"

"Yes" Sho squeaked, blushing furiously at the leather straps lying innocently on his palm. "I'm relieved and really happy that you opened up to me... I certainly wasn't expecting something like this, but ..."

What did I just agree to?!!

Sho thought, scandalized ...images of Jun, bound and helpless on his bed, willingly submissive and completely at his mercy...

Oh...

didn't seem like such a bad idea after all...

"I know you find it strange, or maybe even sick ...you don’t have to force yourself if you don't want to..." Jun stammered

"I didn't force myself, so relax..." Sho looked at his lover reassuringly, "Well... I guess I have a lot of studying to do...I'm a beginner at this... whole thing" Sho, still blushing, managed a nervous chuckle before forking in another mouthful of spaghetti, his free hand quickly stuffing the leather cuffs into his pockets before anyone else passed by their table.

Jun felt relieved and ate the rest of his dinner happily, ordering dessert and a cup of coffee for both of them before going home.

"I could help with your studying... or if you need practice" Jun smiled suggestively, his mood visibly lighter.

"Ahaha, yeah... I think I'd need you around for that" Sho replied, gradually warming up to the idea.

****

The days following Jun's confession were both awkward and somewhat embarrassing for Sho who had been entering the studio with dark circles under his eyes; tired from all the "research" he had been doing as of late. After hours spent combing through hundreds of 'informative' websites, he now felt like an authority on all things kinky, and wondered just how much profit the adult shops in Shinjuku actually made.

Images of Jun, blindfolded, with hands tied to the headboard, helpless and willing as he writhed under Sho's hands, sneaked into his consciousness almost every idle moment that he had. More than once, Sho willed himself to think of something---anything other than Jun, naked and sweaty, blindfolded and lying spread-eagle on his bed. Sho was afraid he might actually be enjoying this too much and was becoming all too aware of his own sadistic tendencies. Sho sneaked a look at the youngest idol, who happened to be chatting with Aiba and Nino from across the room. As soon as their eyes met, Jun blushed and quickly looked away, Aiba then looked at Sho who was wearing an impish smile on his face.

"Oi, what's going on with you two?" Aiba smiled, intrigued at the unspoken exchange between the pair.

"Aha! They're going to do something kinky tonight! Aren't you?" Nino teased, causing Jun to blush even harder.

"Oh! oh! what have we got here?" Aiba's smile grew wider as he pressed Jun for answers. "Come on, tell me! I might even have some tips for you!"

Nino promptly smacked Aiba on the head, "Oi, that's top secret. Don't even think about it!" This time, Nino was the one blushing.

"Aaah. So Nino's the bottom then?" Sho grinned from his little corner.

"What? I never said that!" Nino squeaked in defense as Sho and Jun giggled in amusement.

Before they had a chance to continue their conversation however, Ohno poked his head into the room, calling out Aiba and Nino for their photo shoot. The pair skipped out happily, with Aiba playfully pulling on Nino's hand as they exited the lounge.

"They make such a sweet couple, don't they?" Sho quipped as he watched the pair exit the room.

"Surprisingly so." Jun agreed, in a noticeably better mood than he was the previous week.

A few moments after the couple left, Sho strode towards the door and locked it quietly. A perfectly plucked brow arched in question.

"Sho... what are you planning?" Jun looked at his lover suspiciously, half nervous and half in anticipation of what might follow.

"You did mention something about helping me with my studies..." Sho replied, reaching for his bag.

"What did you have in mind?" Jun asked, his tongue darting out to lick his lips unconsciously.

"I need some practice tying knots." Sho replied in a low voice, retrieving several lengths of nylon rope from his knapsack. He then walked towards Jun and sat comfortably beside the younger idol.

"I see..." Jun whispered, eyeing the white cords in Sho's hands, his heart racing in excitement. Sho cupped Jun's face and landed a searing kiss on his lips, prodding the soft buds open with his hot tongue and exploring its caverns as Jun moaned helplessly into the kiss. All too soon, Sho pulled away...

"Take your shirt off." Sho commanded, trying to keep his voice steady, his eyes never leaving Jun, who stood flushed and panting from the stolen kiss.

Jun slowly took off his shirt, sensually pulling it over his head and placing it on the table beside the couch. There was a noticeable change in Jun's character as he turned and looked at Sho with eager eyes, waiting for further instructions.

"Good. Now, stand up and turn around. Cross your wrists behind your back, with your palms facing outward." Sho ordered, while Jun obeyed and stood with his back facing Sho, his wrists crossed behind his lower back and his elbows bent in right angles. Sho inhaled deeply, trying to steady shaky hands as he worked the loops snugly around Jun's wrists, careful not to cut off any circulation as he tightened the knots, making sure that Jun couldn't easily slip out of them. With the knots firmly secured, Sho stood behind Jun and retrieved a strip of black satin from his pocket, placing the delicate material over Jun's eyes and tying it securely around his head...

Jun stood with his back to Sho, open and defenseless while he quietly waited for his next command. The shift in Jun, from the methodical, self contained man who needed to be in charge of everything, to the meek and submissive slave, was an eye-opener for Sho. He finally understood the escape that Jun needed; He wanted to be freed of the burden of making decisions for himself, and wanted to leave that responsibility to someone else, leaving himself completely vulnerable to that person.

This seems to be harder than I thought... Sho thought steeling himself for his next move. Everything about this game was as tight and controlled as Jun. He never imagined that the pressure of having Jun completely at his mercy would prove to be difficult. Sho bit his lip struggling to rein in his impulses and play the part of Jun's "master."

Wordlessly, Sho moved to stand in front of Jun, drinking in the sight of the younger man as he stood blindfolded, with his hands tied behind his back. Jun's breath was coming in slightly uneven gasps, his arousal making itself known through the slight tent in his skintight jeans. Sho remained quiet and sat on the coffee table watching Jun, biding his time, waiting for Jun to react...

With his eyes blindfolded, Jun could only rely on his ears and his sense of smell to assess his surroundings. It had been disturbingly quiet for the past few minutes, and his ears picked up no sounds save for the steady drone of the air conditioner and footfalls coming from outside the room as people passed by every now and then. Sho, if his senses told him correctly, was supposed to be sitting in front of him; he had also been eerily silent for the past few minutes... Jun was beginning to get tense...

"Sho...?" Jun's voice wavered uncertainly.

Without warning, he felt hands undoing the buttons of his jeans. Thumbs slipped past the waistband of his briefs and he felt the flimsy cotton material slip past his knees to join his pants. Jun swallowed audibly as he stood fully exposed in front of Sho, his hard cock springing free of its restraints as Sho's fingers gently traced small circles along his inner thigh.

"Sho?" Jun whispered hoarsely, trying to keep from falling as his legs quivered.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you, you little slut." Sho murmured, a predatory grin on his face, as he tapped Jun's leg, prodding him to spread it wider. Sho's hands moved up to cup his balls, teasing the warm flesh, Jun's legs nearly giving way as he tried his best to remain upright.

"Sho... I...aah!" Jun's breath hitched as Sho lightly ran a finger over the ridged band of flesh right under the head of his cock.

"If you promise to be good today, I'll have a surprise for you later..." Sho rasped, stroking Jun's cock, his own straining painfully inside his pants.

"Mmm..." Jun whimpered, trying hard to muffle his moans, as his hips thrust to the rhythm of Sho's hands.

"Do you promise to be good?"

"Yes...mmm... yes... ah!" Jun's head whipped back, toes curled inside his shoes and his knees buckling as he exploded all over Sho's hands. Sho quickly stood up and caught Jun in his arms, gently pushing him down the couch. With his free hand, Sho removed the blindfold from Jun's eyes, the younger man squinting at the sudden brightness.

"Was that good for you?" Sho asked. Jun nodded, sagging bonelessly into the couch, unable to form a coherent statement while he tried to catch his breath. Sho reached for strip of wet towel, wiping his sticky hands and throwing it into the waste basket. He wasted no time undoing the knots and freeing Jun's wrists, lightly massaging his arms before he proceeded to pull up Jun's pants, while Jun tried to button them up with shaky hands. Sho tossed Jun his shirt and hurriedly stuffed the ropes into his knapsack as he heard Aiba's and Nino's voices growing louder as they approached the lounge.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Sho asked

"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay." Jun yawned, running his fingers through sweat- slicked hair. "Sho, you're still---"

"It's okay; I can take care of it in the bathroom." Sho replied, suddenly rushing out of the door as Nino entered the lounge.

Aiba looked at Sho, confused. "He seems to be in a rush."

"Says he needs to pee." Jun replied, fixing his rings.

"Jun, are you okay? You look a little flushed, do you have a fever?"

"I'm okay..."

"Well if that's not a fever--"

"Matsumoto-san, it's your turn for the photo shoot. Where is Sakurai-san?"

"He's in the bathroom, I'll just tell him to follow. Thank you." Jun slowly got out of the couch, hoping that his legs have recovered enough to bring him to the studio.

As Jun left, Ohno entered the lounge to join Nino and Aiba who were busy speculating just why Jun looked so flushed and Sho left in a hurry.

"Wanna bet they had a quickie?" Aiba quipped

"I bet they did." Nino replied

"What about you, Oh-chan?"

"Eh?... Maybe they did." Ohno replied, sinking into the couch, putting both legs on the coffee table.

"What's the point of betting if we all bet for the same side?" Aiba whined.

Ohno's eyes lazily wandered around the room while Nino reclined, DS in hand and Aiba went on to read his script for the taping of his dorama. Ohno's eyes landed on Sho's bag, which had its zipper slightly open, revealing the frayed ends of the nylon rope that he had used earlier.

I wonder what that's for, Ohno wondered Could Sho be interested in fishing now? Maybe he has lures inside his bag too. I suppose I ought to ask him later, maybe he was serious about that fishing trip...

***

TBC
Yep, there's going to be a part 2, and it will hopefully end there too XD

Aiba's lab: Experiment #1:

Subject: Jun Matsumoto -a.k.a. Aiba's (new!) boyfriend

[Scene: The green room.]

Arashi unexpectedly gets a free hour to themselves. The photographer got sick and postponed the magazine shoot to a later date. Sho retreats to his dressing room, trying to catch up on current events related to economics and taking his stack of newspapers with him. Nino follows Sho, DS in hand and slumps down the vacant chair, furiously pounding away at the buttons. Ohno goes to his own room and tries to squeeze in some sleep; pillowing his head on his arm as he slumps down in front of the mirror of his vanity table and instantly falls asleep.

Jun is left inside the lounge by himself. Having nothing urgent to do, he sits at the corner of an L-shaped sofa with his long legs stretched out, effectively occupying the whole couch. In his hands is a manga that Nino lent him a week ago; Jun sits immersed, oblivious of any background noise as he leafs through the graphic novel. Aiba peeks in bouncing over to where Jun sat:

Aiba: Jun-chan~!

*Jun looks up from his manga*

Jun: Oh, hello

*Jun inserts a bookmark into the manga and places it on the coffee table adjacent to the sofa. He puts his legs down and makes room for Aiba to sit in*

*Aiba sits on the couch and scoots closer to Jun, placing a peck on his cheek*

Jun (*blushing*): I thought you were busy memorizing your script for your taping later.

 

Aiba: Oh, I've already taken care of that...

*Aiba purses his lips, fidgets with his shirt and looks at Jun with big puppy eyes*

*Jun looks at Aiba, his brows furrowed*

Jun: ...Is there something you want to tell me?

Aiba: (*smiles shyly, grabs hold of one of Jun's hands*) Well...~~ I just wanted to test something.

Jun: *looks at Aiba, waiting for an answer*

Aiba: I wanted to test something on you...

Jun *looks suspiciously at Aiba*: Aiba, I---

Aiba: No, no, it's nothing explosive. I don't even have anything with me today! It's nothing dangerous, I promise!

Jun *looks at Aiba, a brow raised*

Aiba: y-you're my um, boyfriend now, right? *blushes furiously, fidgets with Jun's hand, playing with his fingers*

Jun: yes... *cheeks turn pink*

*Aiba raises Jun's hands to his lips, placing a soft kiss on each knuckle*

Aiba: Well... I just wanted to know... what makes you feel good...

Jun: What makes me--Aiba!

Aiba inserts Jun's forefinger into his mouth and suckles gently, his tongue swirling suggestively at the outstretched digit.

Aiba looks at Jun through hooded eyes, and whispers: Do you like that?

Jun's breath hitches and he is unable to reply as Aiba licks his palm and inserts another finger into his mouth. Jun's lips parts slightly; his eyes affixed on Aiba's mouth as he continues to suck, the slippery tongue coating Jun's fingers with its hot, slick saliva. Jun's eyes darken slightly as he starts moving his fingers in Aiba's mouth, biting his lips as Aiba softly moans around his fingers. Aiba's eyes lock on to Jun's and he suddenly stops; taking Jun's wet fingers out of his mouth...

Aiba: Would you like me to do that, every time, before you prepare me?

Jun could only grunt in reply, his pants getting uncomfortably tight.

Aiba drops Jun's hand and closes the distance between him and Jun, nibbling slightly on Jun's earlobes.

Aiba *whispers*: Do you like this?

Jun *panting*: Aiba...

Aiba: Yes?

Jun: mmm... yes...

Aiba moves down and captures Jun's lips. Jun slips a tongue into Aiba's warm mouth, deepening the kiss, pushing Aiba down and straddling him until he's almost laying over him...

Jun and Aiba were too busy making out to notice the door to the lounge swing open:

Sho: Jun, it's time to--- Oh god!

The door slams shut behind Sho.

***

A few moments later, Aiba and Jun emerge from the lounge; with Aiba's lips looking a bit swollen and Jun's hair looking slightly disheveled.

- End-

**Notes: Um. I don't really know where this came from... I uh, just had to write it down. You can pretend it never happened, later XD**

Jun Matsumoto woke up to a very tense Monday morning, his eyes bloodshot and puffy from the lack of sleep.

The days following his drunken misadventure were filled with confusing emotions and bouts of anxiety. Snippets of their painfully slow and sultry sex stole into his dreams, waking him up to bed covers drenched in sweat and an aching need that demanded release. It was almost enough to make him swear off alcohol for good and shackle himself to a perfectly boring life filling the void with nothing but the mundane 9-5 routine of his job and coming home to an empty, but lavishly decorated apartment filled with all its creature comforts and every imaginable trinket his money could buy...

***

Inside his office, Jun readjusted the blinds for the 10th time, unable to decide just how much sunlight he wanted inside the whitewashed walls of his spacious cubicle. His desk had been neatly arranged with his writing instruments placed in separate compartments: one for his ballpoint pens, another for his fountain pens and a different one for all his pencils, with its tips all freshly sharpened and arranged by height. A stack of folders, color coded and filed by date lay in neat, even rows inside his drawer. In the background, his computer whirred on monotonously, receiving emails and memos informing him about urgent meetings and other matters that needed to be addressed. The screen of his monitor had been wiped clean of any prints; his keyboard meticulously dusted and tapped free of any debris that might have been caught between the keys. Jun slumped down his computer chair, his third mug of coffee fast growing lukewarm on top of its coaster while he restlessly swiveled left and right, coming to a sudden stop as his gaze landed on the white paper bag lying innocently under his desk...

"Matsumoto?" Jun nearly jumped out of his skin as a breathy, high-pitched voice broke through his nervous haze.

"Oh, Aiba. It's just you." Jun breathed a sigh of relief, "Good Morning."

"What do you mean 'it's just me'?" Aiba tilted his head, his almond eyes curiously scanning the room, "You're nervous, aren't you?" Aiba nodded to himself.

"It's nothing... I'm not nervous." Jun replied, biting his lower lip, his gaze unconsciously returned to the white paper bag that seemed to mock him.

"Hmm...? Your office is spotless. Your pencils are all sharpened and arranged by height, and the whole room smells like lemons. You sprayed some sort of disinfectant. You are nervous." Aiba observed out loud.

Jun released a long drawn sigh, unable to say anything that would prove Aiba wrong

"Did something happen, Jun?" Aiba asked, concern written all over his kittenish face. "You look like hell."

"It's okay. I'm going to be okay; just missed some sleep, that's all." Jun forced a tiny smile to appease the taller man.

"Well... if you're sure..." Aiba replied, unconvinced, "Anyway, the meeting starts in 5 minutes."

As soon as he heard the word 'meeting' Jun's shoulders tensed visibly.

Aiba perked, happy to have solved the mystery of Jun's nervousness, "Ah, you're worried about meeting the big boss! Don't worry; he's a very charming guy!" Aiba smiled reassuringly. "You've got nothing to worry about; Sakurai is a very genial person. He hardly loses his temper and he's always very polite."

"A-ah." Jun nodded, heart thundering in his ribcage at the mention of Sho's name.

"Anyway, I'll see you there!" Aiba happily skipped out, closing the door behind him as he left.

Jun schooled his face to reflect a neutral and disinterested expression as he walked, in what he hoped, looked like long and confident strides. As soon as he had reached the entrance, Jun took a deep breath; his hand gripped the doorknob firmly and turned it in one smooth motion as he strolled inside the conference room. The moment he entered, Jun was met with faces he had worked with in the past. Seated to the far right was the executive producer whose proposal to produce a daytime soap had just been approved. With him, was the whole creative team;  there were scriptwriters, the director and his assistant director, the talent managers, production managers, set designers and various other sponsors who wanted their ads aired within the same time slot as the dorama.

The whole legal team, which Jun was part of, was present to wrap things up and to iron out any legal kinks that may arise. They were needed to ensure that deals were finalized, contracts were signed, and that all parties involved understood the terms they agreed to.

Jun scoured the room, his eyes roving the entire area carefully in case there was anyone he missed. Jun was beginning to get a little suspicious; everyone he knew was there save for that one familiar face he was dreading to see...

In place of Sakurai Sho was an old man in his mid-50s, wearing a crisp white, button down shirt neatly tucked in, with his tie firmly in place and a pair of perfectly pressed black dress pants that matched his leather shoes. Mr. Ogura's lips curved into an apologetic smile as he gave a slight bow and began to address the people in front of him.

"I regret to say that Mr. Sakurai won't be able to join us today. He has... rather urgent business to attend to; so in the meantime I will be facilitating this meeting in his place, as I usually do."

"Ah! Right, it's--." Aiba paused abruptly and allowed the thought to remain unaired, much to Jun's discomfort. His initial tension which had dissipated slightly, slowly crept back, edged with a slight hint of paranoia that Sho's absence might have had something to do with him.

"Mr. Matsumoto," Ogura turned to Jun, "I'm sorry that you won't be able to meet Mr. Sakurai today. He had been looking forward to meeting you too... Anyway, how have your three months been in this company?"

"It's been very good. Everyone has been treating me well, and I really do enjoy my work." Jun answered earnestly, managing to keep his voice steady as he pushed aside his nervous thoughts and forced himself to give his full attention to the meeting.

"That's good to know." Mr. Ogura smiled warmly at their new employee. "Now, shall we begin?..."

***

The meeting ended at three in the afternoon after long and tedious discussions about budget, equipment and contract signings. The legal team stayed behind for an extra hour after the creative team had left, and went on to meticulously double-check each document to make sure that nothing had been overlooked and that production of the new daytime soap would proceed without a hitch. They only needed one more meeting with the technical crew and things would be set.

Jun sat up and stretched his limbs, eager to take a short jog after clocking out from work. It was then that he remembered the white paper bag sitting underneath his desk, and all at once, the anxiety that he had tried so hard to push down came rushing back at him.

"Great work today, Matsumoto!" Aiba chirped, getting up from his seat. "Are you sure you don't want to moonlight as a talent? You'd make a fabulous idol!" he playfully teased.

"Nah. I won't be able to handle all the rabid fangirls" Jun smirked, gathering his things as he prepared to return to his cubicle.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'm offering to be your manager! Anyway, Sho-- I mean, Mr. Sakurai will probably return this Wednesday, he'll be with us when we meet with the technical crew."

At the mention of Sho's name, Jun's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, I see..."

"Why are you so worried?" Aiba raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued, "He's not going to bite, silly pup! I'm very sure he'll find you adorable! Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow!" Aiba waved goodbye and winked as he exited the room.

Silly pup?...

Out of the corner of his eye, Jun thought he saw a furry tail swishing behind Aiba as he walked out of the room. Jun rubbed his eyes, convinced that he'd had too much caffeine and too little sleep the past few days.

I really should be resting...

Jun wearily trudged back to his cubicle, where was alone once more, with the white paper bag. After neatly placing the folders inside his drawer and scanning his email for any urgent messages, Jun released an exasperated sigh and grabbed the paper bag from under his desk, peeking at its contents...

What am I doing?

He removed Sho's shirt from the bag, freshly laundered and neatly folded, and looked at it contemplatively.

I'm only going to return this... to break ties...so that he'd know...

Jun tried to convince himself...

Are you sure you're not just looking for an excuse to see him again? A second voice popped in his head.

I have to return this so that he'll know we can't... Jun tried to suppress the mocking little voice that questioned his motives

What could he possibly want that shirt for? He could buy himself thousands of those if he wanted... the small voice persisted

Either way; I have to return this... Jun buried his head in his hands, trying hard to repress the truth that was struggling to get out of his clouded thoughts.

With a resigned sigh, Jun got up and prepared to leave; double checking each lock in every drawer and  looking through his suitcase to check for his car keys, apartment keys, credit cards, and cash before switching the lights off and locking the door behind him.  He walked briskly towards the parking lot, looking quite distracted and paying only half a mind to his surroundings as he unlocked the door to his car. A debate raged on inside Jun's head, logic and reason slowly losing out against instinct and curiosity. Jun took his wallet and fished out a small, white card with Sho's home address and phone number scribbled down in a neat script.

"In case you change your mind and decide to see me tomorrow..."

 

 Right.

Jun stared at the card, starting his engine and driving out of the parking lot.

I can't believe I'm doing this... Wait... Sho wasn't at the meeting today. Maybe he isn't at home...

So what am I driving there for? Jun asked himself, taking a right turn and deciding to take a detour. Though he didn't see much of Sho's house, Jun surmised it was quite big for one man to be living in alone. 

He probably has some helpers, or caretakers... Jun thought as the gate to Sho's mansion came into view

I could just leave the shirt with them... at least I won't have to deal with him personally...

Liar.  the mocking voice popped up once more

Okay, Jun sighed. Just this once, I'll admit...  I'm curious

You're smitten, more like...

Jun pulled over in front of Sho's gate, the full moon illuminating the dimly lit street with its haunting silvery glow. Jun got of his car, paper bag in hand and walked a few paces, stopping in front of the gate and preparing to press the intercom.

Why is it so dark here? Jun thought, his finger poised to press the button. The area surrounding the mansion was quite dim, and there seemed to be no guards in sight to patrol the area. The place looked eerily different from how he remembered it during the daytime. It seemed as though it had been abandoned, and reminded him of one of those urban legends having to do with haunted houses. All of a sudden, Jun heard something rustle from one of the bushes nearby. Jun held his breath, straining to hear more sounds as he stood frozen in front of Sho's gate. Something was making its way closer to him, and Jun was too panicked to do anything about it. As he slowly turned his head, he caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a fox's tail as it disappeared into the bushes.

... Aiba?

 Jun shook his head, heart thumping nervously inside his chest as he finally pressed the button.

"Um, please, I...c-can you o-open--"

"Jun! I never thought I'd see you here!" Jun jumped as he felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

"What happened, are you okay? You're shaking."

"Sho!" Jun turned, surprised to see Sho in front of him. "I came here to return this..." Jun whispered as his shaking hand held out the white paper bag in front of him.

"What's this?" Sho asked, taking the paper bag from Jun, his fingers brushing across Jun's hand.

"It's the shirt I borrowed." Jun replied catching his breath. "...I um, I guess I better go now."

"No, stay, please..." Sho spoke softly, gently grabbing hold of Jun's hand and pulling him closer.

Jun was about to voice his protests when a familiar high-pitched voice broke through the awkward silence.

"Sho, you're finally back! Hi Jun!" Aiba waved as he happily bounced towards the two.

"Oh, yes. I uh, just got back a few hours ago" Sho replied.

"I didn't know you two already knew each other" Aiba smiled playfully at Jun

"Um... I" Jun began awkwardly.

"It's okay, puppy. I won't tell" Aiba winked. "Anyway, I'm hungry. My friend's oden stall is still open and it's nearby. Want to have dinner?"

"Sure. That sounds good, I could use something warm" Sho replied "Jun, would you please come with us? My treat, I promise."

After a few moments of hesitation, Jun relented. Part of him reasoned, it was because it was his boss invited him and it would be rude to turn him down. His other half knew better, of course, and was also curious.

As Jun drove Sho and Aiba to the oden stand, Jun wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into...

***

TBC

Under Yuki's instructions, Sho sat beside Jun and held his hand, unable to hide the sharp intake of breath as he felt the smooth, pliant skin yield beneath the gentle pressure of his calloused fingers. Sho was shocked. Had he touched any of the any of them before this, there was no way he'd mistake them for mannequins. Jun's skin wasn't the cold, hard plastic he'd expected it to be, and while it wasn't as warm as a stove top, Jun's skin didn't have the cold, lifeless feel of a corpse's. Jun's hand felt like the hand of somebody who was, well, pretty much alive. Sho sat, lost in thought as he unconsciously laced his fingers with Jun's and squeezed the fleshy palm while his other hand flexed and stretched each slender digit experimentally as though he had found a new toy. Unable to curb his curiosity, he pressed his fingers to Jun's wrist, searching for a pulse...

Oi. Don't get any ideas... This is kind of embarrassing.

"Ah, s-sorry." Sho replied, breaking out of his trance, his head snapping to look Jun's still form, “just... I didn't know..." Sho moved his fingers from Jun's wrist up to his neck, just below his jaw, near his ears, “You don't have a pulse."

Nino did say that the potion mimicked death... I guess you did a good job?

"But you're not dead."

 I hope so, or all this would have been for nothing...

Yuki raised a curious brow as she sat in front of the two and formed a small circle by holding Sho's hand in hers and Jun's in the other. She gave Sho's hand a reassuring squeeze, looking the slightly nervous monk in the eye.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Sure, sure." Sho nodded, "I was just shocked. His skin... I just thought it'd feel like plastic somehow..." Sho managed a shy smile and scratched his head 

So many surprises today...

You'll be okay. Don't worry

Yuki turned her head towards Mari and the others who watched the three in quiet fascination.

“I normally do a full ritual, but this is kind of urgent so I'll have to improvise. Would it be okay if I asked you to keep quiet and not disturb us until it's over? It's not going to take long."

"Are they going to be okay?" Sho's mother asked

"They will be, Mrs. Sakurai" Yuki reassured her, "I'll bet my life on it."

"Well," Nino replied "How about if I just gave them a little tour? We can hang out at the cafe and just return after an hour or so, or you can just pick us up when you're done"

"Thanks Nino."

"Don't worry about me. Go enjoy yourselves, they have really good coffee!" Sho reassured his mother.

Nino stood up and carried Ohno in his arms, while Mari, who was all too happy to hold Aiba, dragged the much taller doll on her way out, followed by Sho's mother who seemed torn between leaving her son and getting out of the shop.

"You're kinda heavy." Mari said, adjusting her hold on Aiba, wrapping her frail arms around his waist, "But you smell really nice... “

Mari, your hands! They're not supposed to be there! Aiba whimpered.

Ohno and Nino snickered as they stepped out of the shop, with Sho's mother closing the door behind her.

"Well, let's get down to business, shall we?" Yuki took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Let's cast a circle. Jun already knows how.  I need you to picture a white light surrounding us. Make it strong. Make it impenetrable"

"How?"

"Relax, open your mind. I need you to believe and to put your trust in me and in Jun. Now, close your eyes..."

Sho stilled his thoughts, picturing a veil of white surround them. With his eyes closed, he saw the shift of colors as each member focused their own energies in strengthening the protective wall, feeling it encircle them until every inch of their small space was covered in a soft white light. After a few moments, Sho felt Jun's presence gently slipping into his mind and lending him a feeling of warmth and safety.

There. You don't seem so scared now...  Sho could sense the small smile in Jun's voice

I... I don't know. Maybe it's because of this circle, or maybe it's because you're making me feel safe... Sho answered through his thoughts, feeling Yuki's presence enter his consciousness...

Well, this is good. Your use of magic seems intuitive. Things should go smoothly... But, here comes the tricky part. Sho sensed the hesitation in Yuki's voice; I want you to think about your nightmare. I know that it's scary and it holds some terrible memories, but I know what you've been through. I saw it through Nino's mind...If that's what's blocking your memories, we need to fight it until you see all of it.

Sho felt Jun's sudden reluctance as his thoughts shifted; will I also get to see it this time? Will I get to find out why they chose to stay behind?

Yes, Jun.  Yuki replied, I need both of you to be strong. Give Sho some reassurance; remind him that you're there with him. Make him feel safe when he starts to feel scared... I'll also be here to hold you down and help you

I'll do my best...

Sho took a few moments to prepare himself and started thinking about his recurring nightmare. Jun felt the terror and the despair as he saw Sho and Nino drag themselves away from the palace; away from safety, and into the chaos that waited for them outside the palace gates. He felt Sho's grief and his helplessness as he saw people around him die and kill each other. He held  Sho down a few times; crying with him as he told him to stay until the memory played itself out, until finally, Sho suffocated on the thick smog while he was watching Nino's final glamour. With the worst part over, Sho's recollections unraveled and flowed smoothly, playing out in a series of flashbacks, taking off from his death, rewinding itself back to his earliest memories as a child growing up in a monastery with a group of monks. 

 However, as Sho was recovering his memories, an unnamed entity interfered. All of a sudden, Sho's presence was cut off, and Jun and Yuki felt as though they had wandered into unknown territory where there was nothing but white noise. Sho was lost and there was nothing of the man that floated out to them; no impressions, no emotions, no thoughts. All that they could see was a bleak grayish static that distorted each sound and a thick mist that obscured everything.

Sho? Yuki? What is this? Where are you? Jun was beginning to panic, sensing an unfamiliar presence amongst them.

I'm here Jun, but I don't know where Sho is. I think we lost him. Yuki replied, anxiously trying to probe deeper into Sho's consciousness.
Sho? Where are you? Come back!

There's someone else here. There's someone else with us!

Just as soon as it happened the static quickly dispersed. Jun and Yuki felt Sho's presence once more. There was a deep sense of peacefulness emanating from Sho, and it seemed as though he had changed somehow during his brief disappearance. Without knowing how or when, they had been taken out of Sho's mind and were once again inside the circle of light, floating just outside their bodies.

Sho? Is that really you?

Yes... I remember everything now. Thank you.

You seem different, somehow... Yuki observed

Do I? I don't know... maybe remembering a lot of things does that to you... Sho replied, his voice distant

 

 

 What happened? You disappeared for a while. You had us worried!

I can't really explain it, but I know a lot now, maybe even more than I need to... Anyway, now I know how to bring you back. I remember the antidote! Sho switched subjects before any of them had the chance to reply.

So, I guess this means we can go back now?

Yes. I guess so

... Will you ever tell us what you found out when you disappeared?

Sho remained silent and instead, slowly broke the circle. He opened his eyes, his vision readjusting to the bright lights inside the lounge. Yuki opened her eyes and turned a long and thoughtful glance at Sho.

"I trust you, Sho. I'm sure that whatever you found out was only meant for you, so I will not question it."

"Thank you." Sho smiled

Yuki nodded "What's important, is that we get them moving and alive." Yuki then turned to Jun, carding her fingers through the silky locks and placing Jun's hands back on his lap.

"Well, I wonder how we'll be when you can finally speak..." Yuki's cheeks took on a pinkish hue as she smiled at Jun whose eyes stared blankly ahead.

Had Jun been able to move, he would've broken into a goofy grin that reached his ears.

Oh god! Yuki thought all of a sudden, It was so convenient to cuddle him like a cute little puppy before, but when he finally... Oh crap! Yuki blushed harder, looking away from Sho and Jun as she sought a few seconds to regain her composure.

I don't know what or who was there with us a while ago, but I'm glad you're safe.

"Thank you, Jun. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you more right now, but maybe I will when the time is right." Sho smiled, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

"Well, look at the time! It's nearly 5 PM and I'm hungry. Let's join them there."  Yuki stood up abruptly, stretching her limbs and looking slightly embarrassed, "Sho, if you don't mind, could you um, carry Jun for me?"

***

Sho entered the cafe carrying Jun, walking behind Yuki who seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to join the others. From outside, they could hear Mari's amused giggling and Mrs. Sakurai's exclamations of awe...

"...Oh! Do that one again!"

"A good magician never does the same trick twice" Nino winked, shuffling the deck of cards and placing them on the small coffee table as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Are you sure you didn't cheat?" Mari asked, grabbing the deck of cards on the table and scrutinizing each one.

"How could I cheat on that?"

"For all I know, you used some of your magic thing on that too!"

Right, right! Your hands couldn't possibly be that fast!

"I know I'm brilliant and all," Nino smirked, "but I need a couple of minutes at the most to do an illusion, I can't do that with the cards, and I'm just re-learning the whole magic stuff. I learned these card tricks months ago..."

"I see you're having fun without us!" Yuki chirped as she approached the group, plopped down beside Mari who scooted over to give her some space. Ohno and Aiba sat beside each other in a small couch across from Mari and Sho's mother who were busy being entertained by Nino. Saucers of half-eaten crepes and mugs of unfinished coffee littered the small table where Nino placed his cards, and a single slice of blueberry cheesecake sat untouched in one corner with a clean and empty mug beside it.

"Oh! You're finally here. So, how did it go?" Nino asked, looking at Sho who placed Jun between Ohno and Aiba in the small couch and pulled himself a chair. Nino also noticed the change in Sho, and it seemed as though he had grown older during the two hours he was away.

"Well, I remember everything now." Sho replied, smiling at Nino who was unable to mask the curiosity written on his face.

"That's great...did something happen?” Nino asked, "you don't look any different, but you seem... changed, somehow."

Sho gave a slightly exhausted grin, wondering how, or if he should tell them of what he discovered. "I remembered a lot of things... I don't really know how to tell you yet. Maybe one day, when I'm ready... In the meantime, you and I have a lot of work to do..."

"Well, do you finally remember Aiba? Nino says you two were quite close before." Mari asked, looking oddly at Sho and handing him a cup of coffee.

Sho nodded, unable to contain the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. "Yes, I do" Sho almost reached out and kissed the doll, but ended up stroking Aiba's hair instead, all too aware of his mother's presence.

"Aww...come on, hug him!" Mari teased, "I bet he's happy that his boyfriend remembers him now!"

After a few more jibes from Nino, Yuki, and his own mother, Sho relented, blushing furiously as placed Aiba on his lap and buried his nose in Aiba's sleek hair, inhaling his scent as he hugged the doll closer to his body.

Aww... You missed me! Aiba joked. Anyway, welcome back!

"Thank you, Aiba" Sho uttered a muffled reply into Aiba's shoulders, unable to stop the overwhelming flow of emotions as he finally broke down in tears. "We'll finally be getting you back. I'm sorry that all of you had to suffer so much..."

Sho...

"Are you okay?" Sho's mother asked

"Yes I'm, okay mom." Sho replied, looking at his mother fondly through his tear-stained eyes,

...and I'm glad to finally be with you, in this life.

"Are we taking Aiba home tonight? I'm sure we could find an extra room for him... unless of course you'd like to stay in the same room, or we could always..."

"No, not yet. At least not until Nino and I break the spell. I'm sure he could wait a few more days..."

"So, what do you mean we have a lot of work to do? Have you figured out how to make the antidote?" Nino asked, handing Sho a glass of water, as Yuki began eating her blueberry cheesecake.

"If things go as planned, we should have it ready by the end of the week at the earliest, or at least within two weeks, if not."

"We'll have to look for the equivalent of the ingredients here, right?"

"Yes, and that's where your library would come in handy. I'll do some research in the internet...hopefully what we need can be found in the groceries here."

"Right. Glad to know we have the same plan..."

***
There were three more days left until Sho and Nino got the antidote ready...

The past week saw Sho and Nino burning the midnight oil in one of the shop's spare rooms amid piles of books and the steady whirring of Sho's laptop, nearly overheated from all its hours of use. Both boys were engaged in heavy research; comparing notes and trading information, with Yuki and the dolls keeping them company, as they jotted down each minute detail, from the equivalent of each plant and herb down to the most auspicious of colors, days and times to cast a spell. Everything had to be perfect. They couldn't take chances, lest they risk killing their loved ones...


Three more days until Ohno, Jun and Aiba were able to move again; to breathe and live freely as human beings...

In each of their corners the dolls sat, motionless as always, looking at the world through their glassy eyes and wearing the same featureless expressions on their faces. Inside, each of them was restlessly absorbed in their own thoughts, half in anticipation and half in fear of what waited for them in this unfamiliar world, once they broke free of the spell.

"What are you guys thinking?" Ohno spoke up, breaking the tense silence that filled the room

"Well... I'm excited, but I'm also scared." Aiba confessed, "It would be so nice to be able to move again, and to eat, and to explore..."

"But?"

"But I don't know this world. I see plenty of familiar faces pass by the window everyday...  I've even seen my sister once, wearing a schoolgirl uniform and passing by the shop... and she doesn't know me, she didn't even look at me....It kind of hurts a little...  What about you two? How do you feel?"

"I feel the same... There's so much I don't know. The television could only offer so much. We've only seen the world through our little display window... I'm afraid of being lost and being helpless... but... there's a lot of new things to learn, and explore. I'm excited somehow, and I... there's Yuki..."

"Aha! Yes, there is Yuki!" Aiba managed a nervous giggle "Finally, after a long time!... You know, I always believed that they would come for us, but now that they're here and things are happening things seem to be exciting and scary at the same time."

What about you, Ohno?

I'm scared of not knowing anything, or how to find my way around this world... but I would like to explore it. I want to see all of it, and I'd like to be with Nino when I do... I think it will be fun too, but I think it will also be painful because none of the people that we once knew would even recognize us... It's sad and scary and exciting all at the same time...

But it's better than living as mannequins, right?

 Definitely.


***

Two days to go, and the tension within the small shop was rising. It was the first night of the full moon and Yuki was doing her part in the preparations; laying out her staff on a small patch of dirt in their small garden and letting it bathe in the full moon's light, the staff absorbing its energy until every ounce of magic that was lost had been replaced. Once her tool had been recharged, Yuki went inside the sanctuary and cleared out a space where the ritual would take place, cleansing the area so that it was free of negative energies and so that the ritual would go smoothly. Sho and Nino, in the meantime were busy in the kitchen, preparing the ingredients for the antidote and reading through the book that Yuki had given Nino, the dancing glyphs no longer posing a problem to Nino who was able to decipher them easily...

"Sho, honestly, you cut your finger with a peeler?" Nino handed Sho a paper towel to absorb the blood, "Good thing you heal easily, huh?"

"Cooking was never exactly one of my specialties." Sho replied, annoyed, grabbing the towel from Nino's hand and wiping the blood away to reveal unmarred skin.

"You were quite good at cooking back then, how come you're so clumsy now?" Nino snickered

"Shut up and keep chopping."

"I've been doing all the chopping, and slicing, and dicing in case you didn't notice." Nino teased, " Why don't you go and see if the leaves are cooked? It's already been 10 minutes"

"Okay... Ow!"

"Potholder..."

"...Sho?"

"Huh?"

"... I was just wondering... what do you think would happen when they could finally move?" Nino replied in a quiet voice, his nimble fingers slicing through the stalks of the lilies. "I'm even wondering if we could really make this work..."

"... I guess we won't know until we try."

"I'm grateful, and more than happy to be with Ohno again, but... " Nino hesitated, "How did you feel when you finally remembered everything? Right after? Encountering all those familiar faces and almost calling out their names, but knowing that they don't know you."

"It was confusing and I felt depressed... It's like a big reminder telling me that I don't really belong here... and yet, here I am."

"Yes...Here we are...Somehow, this feels like some sort of atonement."

"In a way, I guess it is... At least we can find our way around. Imagine how it would be for them. They don't have Yuki's gift of absorbing knowledge and experience. Everything will be new and probably scary to them... But that's why we're here..."

Nino smiled. "You know, you're good for something even though you're such a klutz"

"Hey!" Sho smiled as he removed the pot from the stove and placed it on the table.

"Okay, we wait for it to cool a little, then we add these."

"Finally."

****

 The day before the ritual, everything took on a serious and solemn tone inside Yuki's shop. 'Smitten' and Marguerite's cafe had been closed for the day while final preparations were underway for the event that was to take place at midnight. Inside the sanctuary, Yuki had set out to draw intricate glyphs and circles all over the floor. Sho and Nino, in the meantime, were busy double-checking everything, making sure that things went perfectly for tonight's ritual. Everything proceeded like clockwork in the little shop, and everyone was on their toes. The air was thick with nervous energy and excitement; the tension increasing with every hour as the day drew closer to an end.

As the clock struck 12, the dolls were brought inside the altar room of the dimensional sanctuary. Yuki, Nino, Sho and the three dolls sat inside the circles that Yuki had drawn on the floor. Nino and Sho chanted the incantations and activated the wards, the protective glyphs glowing blue and purple all over the floor as the seal was completed. With the first step over, Nino recited the words which would break the protective barrier containing the doll's aura, Sho then brought out an enchanted blade and sliced through the thick shield, leaving Ohno, Jun, and Aiba vulnerable to attack in their frozen and defenseless state. With the same blade, Sho and Nino made small incisions on each of their forefingers to let their blood flow into the vials of potion they had prepared earlier. The potion bubbled over,  glowing and changing colors several times before it stabilized and settled to a rich, deep red. Nino took the blade and approached Ohno, taking his hand and cutting deeply into his palm. No blood flowed from the wound that Nino made, but unlike Sho, Ohno's skin didn't heal itself.

Nino took the potion and poured it into the open wound, one drop at a time, until the vial was completely empty. After a few minutes, blood began leaking out of Ohno's hands. For the first time in what seemed like ages, Ohno's eyes blinked and his mouth moved.

"Ni--Nino.." Ohno managed a strained whisper before he collapsed into Nino's arms...

***

 Aiba could remember the intense pain that took over as he started to move. It felt as though his whole body was a waking limb and every inch of his skin was covered in pins and needles. He could remember heaving huge amounts of air into his lungs as he started breathing once more, unable to form a coherent word, or sentence while his eyes filled with tears and the  world spun around him. The last thing that he could recall was Sho's tear-filled eyes as his body fell into Sho's warm embrace.

"Are you sure they're going to be okay?" Nino sniffled, cradling Ohno in a possessive embrace, combing his stocky fingers through his hair, while Jun lay peacefully on Yuki's lap, taking deep and even breaths.

"Yes..." Sho exhaled, feeling drained as he healed Aiba's palm and tried to ease the pain, telling Aiba's body not to panic as he lulled him into a deep and restful sleep. Sho placed a chaste kiss on Aiba's forehead, the latter smiling sweetly in his sleep.

"Well, we finally did it." Sho yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes. Finally..." Nino replied, equally exhausted. "Why did they collapse like that?"

"Their bodies must be tired from the strain of not moving for such a long time," Sho replied, "it might take a few days for them to recover completely but I'm quite sure they're safe now."

"Are you okay, Sho?" Yuki asked, noting how pale the young man looked.

"Just exhausted, I did use up a lot of energy for this."

"Well, one last thing to do then." Yuki broke the circle, ending the enchantment and enabling them to pass through the wards unharmed. "Do you think you could manage to carry them as far as their rooms? I could help you, of course."

"I think I could. I don't know about Sho, he seems really tired."

"That's okay, we could help him with Aiba"

"Thank you," said Sho, stifling another yawn

"Well, it's three in the morning." I'll have Marguerite prepare you a drink. Would you like some milk? It'll help you sleep."

"Yes, thank you."

"You can sleep with Aiba in the same bed" Yuki giggled

"E-eeh" Sho stammered

"Actually, there's only one bed in that room so you have no choice." Yuki replied "But you're probably too tired to do anything naughty anyway so you'll both just end up cuddling, I suppose."

"What?!... Well, what about you and Jun? He'll be really happy when he wakes up next to you." Sho teased.

"Oh shut up, you clumsy journalist!" Yuki blushed as she dragged a sleepy Jun out of the door.

***

Oh, look at him, he looks like such a baby when he sleeps!

Maybe we should put a bonnet on him, and a pacifier too! Baby Ohno!

He really does sleep like a log, doesn't he?

No problem sleeping at all. Some things never change, huh?

Sssh! Quiet, I'm going to take a picture!

Ohno's nose twitched, his face wrinkling slightly as he idly drifted into consciousness. Ohno opened his bleary eyes, stretching his limbs, his mouth opening wide to let out a big yawn. As his eyes focused, he found several faces staring down at him, all of them, apparently just waiting for him to wake up.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Nino greeted him with a smile, camera on hand, the lens focused on Ohno's face.

"I heard you..." Ohno replied sleepily.

"Well, you took such a long time to wake up, it's nearly lunch time!" Aiba climbed on to the bed and started jumping.

"It is?" Ohno sat up, rubbing his eyes

"Yes, and we're hungry." Sho joined Aiba and started jumping up and down.

"That looks like fun." Jun smiled, joining the two on Ohno's bed and started jumping too.

"Oi, oi, must you always wake me up like this?" Ohno retorted grumpily

"You're already awake so it doesn't count!" said Aiba

 "Okay, okay, getting up already!"

Nino took Ohno's hand and pulled him out of the bed.

"Morning, Nino." Ohno smiled.

Nino pulled Ohno into a warm hug, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"How long have we been asleep?" Ohno asked, returning the hug.

"Almost three days, to be exact. Jun was the first one to get up, then Aiba followed. Sho visited constantly to check on you and make sure that all of  you were okay."

"Ah... Nino?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

After a few moments, Yuki poked her head in to see if Ohno had woken up... and was quite surprised find five grown men  jumping on the bed.

"Uh... Lunch is served, kiddies!" Yuki spoke, an amused smile crossing her lips.

"Oh food!" Ohno and Aiba exclaimed, getting down from the bed and rushing outside the door. Sho and Nino quickly followed the two, racing to the dining doom, leaving Jun and Yuki behind.

"So...um..." Yuki blushed

"Uh... yes... um, let's eat" Jun got down from the bed and tentatively approached Yuki, blushing furiously as he shyly reached out to hold her hand. The two slowly walked out to join the others at the dining room where they were joined by Mari and Sho's mother for a great feast.

"About time!" Nino piped up, "I thought you two were never going to make it!"

"Yes, and Aiba was about to eat your share!" Sho teased the awkward couple

"Oh, come on. They needed their alone time!" Ohno joined in.

"Oh shut up, all of you!" Yuki retorted, her cheeks still red and a wide smile all over her face. Jun, in return, just smiled as he took his place beside Aiba, while Yuki sat next to Nino.

It had been a long journey and all of them were finally, safely reunited. The gates of time and space had been closed, and Yuki had vowed never to use the key again, determined to live out their days in their new home. Ohno had moved in with Nino, who now had a much better apartment, thanks to the generous raise that Yuki gave him, while Aiba had moved in with Sho and was finally introduced to the rest of the family as Sho's fiancée (his dad, of course, was happy that his son had finally found his 'princess' and that his younger brother would stop bringing strange men to their house to fix up with Sho.) Jun remained with Yuki and was learning fashion photography, occasionally helping Marguerite out in the kitchen and creating new dishes to add to the menu of their rapidly expanding cafe. Ohno sculpted new mannequins for the display window and Mari had finally signed a deal with Yuki and had her creations consigned to Yuki's shop. In the meantime, Nino had one last semester left before he graduated, while Sho had switched jobs and was now working for a travel magazine which allowed him to take trips around the world with Aiba when the latter wasn't busy tending to wounded animals as a veterinarian.

Ohno, Jun, and Aiba had much to learn and explore in their strange new world, but they were happy to be finally with the ones they loved most, and quite confident that they could overcome any obstacles as long as they stuck together.

THE END

"... Why do you look so surprised?" Sho backed into his seat, feeling like a cornered animal as the (former) siblings directed identical looks of open-mouthed surprise and curiosity towards him.

"I... Yuki... how does that happen?! I thought our powers didn't exist in this world?" Nino took a few seconds before he recovered his voice.

"I don't know... I just... That's what the books said... I mean, apart from the keeper, nobody's ever made it through alive; except these three, obviously."

"But you still have yours."

"It's all to do with the gate. I'm supposed to be completely powerless once it closes and we're permanently trapped here... "

There was an awkward pause that fell over the small group as each sat, lost in their own thoughts. Nino's elfin features scrunched up in a look of intense concentration as he hugged Ohno closer to himself, resting his chin on Ohno's shoulders. Yuki stared at her unfinished cup of tea, and the dolls chose to remain quietly seated on their perch, while Sho, lost as ever, pondered the implications of his revelation, and waited for an opportunity to continue speaking.

...If you don't mind, can I ask you something?  Jun spoke

“Sure." Sho replied, relieved to have the silence broken.

When did you first discover that you could heal?

"I only learned about it the other day, because of an accident that happened in my apartment, but it looks like I've been able to do it since I was four."

What do you mean?

"There was an incident in my childhood where Mari hurt herself while we were playing. I was able to heal her, but I don't know how. I just remember Mari placing my hands over her wound, and when she removed them, her wound was healed. She said my hands were warm."

"Was there anything more after that?" Yuki interrupted, getting the gist of the conversation through Sho's answers.

"No. I'm afraid not. I wasn't even aware of how it happened. I got bruised and scraped my knees like any other normal kid, and I've also earned a few scars as I grew up. All of them healed normally."

"What happened the other day?"

"I woke up from a nightmare; the same one that I had when I was a kid. I was so shaken that I had to get up and drink a glass of water. My hands were unsteady and the glass slipped and smashed all over the floor. Pieces of it cut my foot and it bled for a while, but after I've picked out the shards of glass, there wasn't even a scar to speak of."

So it happened without you knowing it?

"Yes"

Have you ever consciously tried to heal anyone?

"No. I didn't know I never tried. I just know that my wounds healed by themselves..."

"That time with Mari... Were you also having nightmares then?" Nino tried to fit the pieces together, one of his hands idly playing with Ohno's fingers.

"I don't know... I don't think so. I started to get better once Mari was around..."

***

Nino lapsed back into a contemplative silence, his brows wrinkling as he dug deeper into his own theories. Jun, Yuki, and Sho's continued conversation faded into the background while he tried to figure out the connection between Sho's dreams and his resurfacing abilities...

Something, however, was niggling at his brain like an angry cat trying to claw its way out of a box...

It happened when he was young... but he never really knew how to use it...

...

They always did tell me that I had an overactive imagination...

Images of Nino's childhood flashed before his eyes.

Oh!

Nino's heart skipped a few beats...

I wonder if...

Well, what have I got to lose?

"Hey" Nino whispered softly into Ohno's ear, "Name one thing you'd like to see the most."

"Um..." Ohno thought for a while "Do you remember the woods? The stream, where we used to sneak away...."

"Okay then..."

Nino... what are you planning to do?

"Hush, Ohno... I'm trying out something."

Nino took a deep breath and closed his eyes, burying his head beneath Ohno's shoulders and trying to clear his mind of the background chatter while he tried to quell his growing anxiousness. Little by little, he reconstructed a vivid image of the tranquil woods in his mind. He started with the sky, almost gray in the twilight hours when the dawn would meet the sunrise. It was always foggy, and slightly overcast in the cold, crisp mornings when he and Ohno would sneak away to the clearing near the stream. The mist, along with his glamours aided their escape from the strict palace guards who never missed their rounds. Somewhere in a small corner of the woods, near the stream, stood their favorite tree, tall and ancient, with gnarled roots that broke through the thick, compact earth where it was rooted. The air smelled of damp soil and sap as the moisture condensed into dew drops that began to evaporate from each leaf and blade of grass. The small stream had moss-covered rocks that lay on either side, where he and Ohno used to sit and relish the few hours of peace before the world awakened from its slumber. Often, Ohno would cast his rod and patiently wait for the fish to bite. On other occasions, he would simply sit with his sketch book and draw whatever caught his fancy, while Nino sat across from him, strumming his guitar and singing songs that only Ohno ever heard.

Just like the first time he had cast a circle, Nino felt an inexplicable joy at the rush of magic as it lit up his core and sang through every cell in his body. It felt like liquid sunlight that slowly leaked out of his chest, gaining speed as it whizzed through his veins, and creating sparks at the tips of his fingers. Nino lit up with an unearthly glow as he completed his spell, trying his best to remember every minute aspect of the scenery, from how the sky looked, to where the shadows fell. In his mind Nino was in that place, feeling the soft, but cold wind caress his cheeks and the mild warmth of the sun that thawed the frost from his cold hands. If he tilted his head, just slightly, he could hear the sound of water gurgling gently in the background and the joyful chirping of the birds...

Just a little more... just a little more...

Ohno gasped; "Nino... this is..."

“WHAT’S HAPPENING?!" Sho screamed, standing up from his chair.

"Where are we?!" Mari exclaimed, wide eyed and curious.

Nino opened his eyes, jolted out of his trancelike state by Sho's sudden outburst.

"I knew it!" Excitement twinkled in Nino's eyes as he examined the illusion he created, "I knew it wasn't just an overactive imagination!"

  Nino, this is ... I think I know this place...

"Could someone tell me where we are? How did we even get here?" Sho looked as though he was about to faint. Beside him, his mother looked equally scared and was looking around for an exit, or something to tell her that this was all a dream.  Mari, on the other hand, seemed more fascinated than she was surprised, although she did look a little shaken.

"Calm down, Sho" Yuki grasped Sho's trembling hand and tried to ease him back into his chair, which now looked like one of several rocks that sat nestled on a pile of dried leaves and twigs. At the same time, Mari stood up and hesitantly began to wander around, poking at random objects in the scenery.

"Ow! What was that?" Mari rubbed her arm, bumping into something invisible as she tried to make her way to the stream.

"I think you better get back to your seat too, Mari" said Yuki, approaching the girl and gently leading her back to her own chair.

"Nino... You might want to explain this" Yuki looked around, a brow raised in question "...So this was where you and Ohno snuck off every morning, huh?"

You mean she knew???

"I'm sorry about that," Nino began, "I just wanted to try something out."

"What's this? Where are we? " Sho whispered, trying to calm down and paying more attention to his surroundings.

Why does this all feel familiar?

"It's a place that Ohno and I loved to visit during our previous lives. It's as you saw in your dream," Nino explained, slightly out of breath from the exertion,” I was--am, an illusionist. I could make people believe in things that I want them to."

"Th-they're quite believable. I'm very convinced" Sho's mother clung tightly to her son's elbow, her eyes still wandering about. "I can even feel how cold it is..."

 

  "So... we're still really in the room and I just bumped into your furniture didn't I?" Mari asked, rubbing her sore elbow.

"Yes, we are... But what I would really like to know now," said Yuki, "is how Nino suddenly got his powers back."

And why you hardly seem surprised at all...

"I've had it all along."

"What do you mean?" asked Yuki

"I never lost it." Nino explained. "When I was much younger, my mom and my teachers would scold me for having an overactive imagination. I didn't have much friends growing up, so I usually played by myself. They kept my friends away because their parents always complained that I was a bad influence for making their kids believe in imaginary things..."

So, you repressed it?

"Yes, Jun. I guess you can put it that way. I was a kid, and I wanted to keep my friends, so I tried to stop playing make-believe. I didn't want to make my mother sad too... I could still picture things in my head, but when I felt strange... like it was going to come out of me, I snapped out of it and thought of different things instead."

What did you make them believe?

"I, uh, really liked dinosaurs back then..." Nino replied sheepishly

"You what?!" Sho exclaimed, horrified

"I thought that the T-Rex was really cool... until it ended up chasing us... and my friends had nightmares about it," Nino scratched his head,  "well, now at least it makes sense..."

What's a dinosaur?

"It's something like a dragon with really sharp teeth, but it doesn't breathe fire and it can run really fast... I'll show you one of these days"

That's great! Are they in zoos like pandas? I'd love to talk to them!

"Well, Aiba,  unfortunately they're extinct. They died out millions of years ago."

Oh. That's a shame, I bet they're really nice too

"Uh, no. Not really... They're so big they won't even see you and they'd probably stomp all over you... or eat you, even"

Why am I not surprised that you scared off your friends...

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It still doesn't make sense."  Yuki said, thinking aloud. "Unless--"

"Anyway, can we go back to the lobby now?" Sho cut Yuki off, “I’m sorry, I don't think I can handle this much excitement, and I really don't want to see a dinosaur today." said Sho, expecting raptors to come clawing out of the bushes at any moment.

Nino closed his eyes once more and willed the image away. The scenery before them rippled and dissolved in to thin air, within a few moments, they were once again surrounded by the familiar walls of the boutique's lounge.

"Thank you."

"You used to enjoy those a lot, you know" Nino smirked.

"... I suppose I did. Sorry, there's just too much happening right now and it feels like my head's going to explode from all the information."

"Well, I really wasn't expecting it to work. I was just acting on an impulse."

"I see..." 

"That still doesn't explain anything though." Yuki frowned, rubbing her temples. She hadn't completely recovered from the power drain and was still feeling weak and slightly feverish.

Beside Sho, Mari seems to have retreated into her own little world and was idly twirling a strand of hair around her forefinger while humming some obscure tune. Mari looked strangely content, and she seems to have recovered easily from the shock, unlike her sibling and their mother who looked slightly ashen after witnessing one of Nino's illusions.

"Mari?" Nino asked "Are you all right? Weren't you scared earlier?"

"Huh? Oh no, I was shocked but it was awesome! I'm very happy to meet people like you! Until now, I never thought you were real!" Mari practically beamed at Nino "I'm sorry, I'm strange, I know..."

"People like me? Do you mean there are others out there?"

"I see them on television sometimes, you know, psychics! I know that there are also some temple priests who can heal just by laying their hands on you, I never thought that my brother was one of them. I wish I had a gift like yours too, it'd be amazing!"

"Psychics... huh..." Nino trailed off, lost once more in his train of thought

what’s a psychic?

"Why? You're psychics, aren't you? Or at least something like that..."

"A psychic is someone like you, Oh-chan. They're seers. But you're right, Mari, I guess we're something like that..."

Psychics... Jun thought aloud, Why haven't I considered that before? I think Mari may be onto something...

"I think so too..." Nino nodded in agreement

"What is it with psychics? Didn't you tell me they're just lame fortunetellers?" Yuki asked

"Well... most of the people who advertise themselves as psychics are really just out for your money.  But, if there really are people out there who can do the things we can, then maybe magic isn't completely lost in this world"

"Oh!"

It could be true. We still have our abilities, but it seems to be limited by this spell...

Think about it, if the gates were closed before we arrived in this dimension, then you and Sho wouldn't even have access to your powers, and you both had it when you were still kids. Which is good news because it means that we'll still have magic even though the gates close.

"That's right!"

"Um, excuse me but what gates are you talking about?" Sho asked, feeling lost and completely left out of the conversation.

"Well," Yuki began, "We got here because of a staff that lets me open gates to other worlds. I can only traverse them for as long as the gates are open. They're only open for a certain amount of time though, once they're closed I'm permanently trapped in the dimension I'm in, and the staff would be useless unless there are similar energies to feed it. Right now, I'm afraid I've used the staff too many times trying to locate the two of you, and I'm already drained of my magic, as is the staff." 

Sho nodded slowly, his rational mind still playing a tug of war with his intuition.

"I see... what spell is Ohno talking about? Is that why they can't move? "

"It's actually a potion that they ingested." Nino replied, "only the gatekeeper, who happens to be Yuki, can cross worlds unharmed. Any living thing that comes with her dies. The potion mimics death, it's the only thing worth a try that could keep them from dying. So far, it looks like we've succeeded."

"We?"

"Yes. We. We were the ones who created the potion and the only ones who know the antidote. We're the only ones who can get them to move again, which is why it's important for you to get your memories back."

"Unfortunately," Yuki interjected, "I was severely  weakened when I used the staff and its powers to bring Nino's memories back. I would do the same for you, but I'm afraid I'm not well enough, and I practically have no magic left..."

"I guess that's why you're sick"

"Yes."

"Let me help you, then. I still don't know how this works but it's worth a shot isn't it?"  Sho replied, standing up to approach Yuki.

It should come naturally to you since you've done that plenty of times before

"Thank you, Aiba... Um, do you have any idea how I do it?"

Hmm... you usually just lay your hands on them, or place your hands where it hurt, or bled...

 "Ah, thanks"

Don't over think, since that's what you usually tend to do. Just get a feel for it...

Healing comes naturally to you, since it's in your nature to be caring of other people. You're like our mom most of the time

Magic is shaped by its wielder, remember that. Just focus on your intent and everything should flow easily

"Thanks for the tip, Jun. Okay then, here it goes..." Sho placed his hand over Yuki's forehead...

Deep breaths, Sho, don't think, just feel...

Sho found a quiet place in his mind as he focused his energies on healing Yuki. He felt the familiar tug of magic as it drew him into its dance; starting out with small, sure steps and building up the tempo as he gradually got reacquainted with its rhythm and learned to follow where it led. With his eyes closed, he saw the world in colors. Sho was able tell where the others were, and to a certain extent, how they felt just by tracing their auras; in front of him, sat Yuki, whose core emitted a red-orange glow, like the dying embers of a bonfire that seemed to flicker and fade. On either side of  Yuki, Sho could sense the doll's energies; Aiba's dominant hue was a pleasant and refreshing yellow, that was nearly white in it's brightness, while subdued, deep purples and violets were prominent in Jun's. Across from them, he could see Ohno's sky blue almost mingling with Nino's bright yellow, and behind him,  Mari and his mother were wrapped in calming blues and lavenders as they sat and watched patiently while Sho attempted to heal Yuki.

An odd thing that Sho noticed about the dolls, however, was that their energies looked as though it was contained by a protective white barrier, which seemed to be restricting their movements. Also, unlike their moving companions, their auras remained static and barely moved, not like the others around them whose colors constantly shifted and flickered depending on their thoughts and their physical state. 

It's almost as if they're in a coma... Sho thought.  Right now though, he needed to focus on Yuki.

Guided by his instincts, Sho held an outstretched hand and concentrated on pulling the life force, which flowed freely around him, towards his body. He filled himself up with it till it overflowed and leaked from his hands. He then gathered this light towards the other hand that lay on Yuki's forehead and focused on gradually shifting this energy to Yuki. Little by little, Yuki's faltering orange turned into a rich, deep red, almost alive in its intensity, like the blood that flowed in his veins. Once Yuki's health was fully restored, Sho removed his hands from her forehead and opened his eyes.

"Your hands really are magical. I missed this so much." Yuki smiled. Her pallid complexion was replaced by a healthy pink flush and the dark circles under her were eyes practically invisible.  Yuki stood up and embraced Sho tightly. "Thank you, Sho. Even the pills that Nino gave me have nothing on those hands of yours."

"Y-you're welcome." Sho, caught off guard by Yuki's sudden display of affection, awkwardly returned the embrace.

"How was it? How did it feel when you healed her?" Mari asked, wide eyed and curious.

"I can't really put it into words..." Sho pondered this for a while, "it's like riding a bike... like something I could never really forget."

"Ah... well, now that you remember how to heal, can you remember any of us now?" Nino smiled

"No, not really. Sorry..."

"Well, that's no big deal now" said Yuki, "If you're willing, I could try to restore your memories"

"No, you're not. Are you crazy? You scared me to death when you collapsed the first time!" Nino protested, "besides, you said that the staff was out of magic too, how do you plan to restore Sho's memories without that, and we have to go there again too!"

"Aww... you care! How sweet!" Yuki snickered, "Actually, we don't even need the staff and we don't need to go to that room either. Sho will be much easier, since the memories are already there. It's just his mind resisting things. Don't worry too much."

"Oh. Why didn't you say so?"

"I was about to, until you freaked out."

"Of course, did you know how heavy you were?! I had to drag you all the way here, and it's a long way from that silly room!"

"What did you say, you little brat?!"

And there they go again...

This feels like the old times already

"Do they always fight like this?"

Yes. All the time...

"Oi, you're supposed to be on my side!"

Anyway, how is she supposed to help Sho?

"Yeah, how?"

"Huh? How what?"

"I keep forgetting you can't hear them. Jun asks how you plan to help Sho."

"Well, I might need his help for that. I can still probe minds, since his memories seem to be resurfacing, it's going to be quite easy to dig them up and he doesn't seem to resist remembering them as much as you did. Jun could help Sho emotionally, maybe help him stop resisting, or make him feel more at ease while I unravel whatever it is that's blocking it from coming out."

"But how? Jun only has limited access to his abilities in his state."

"How limited?"

I can still use them, but I  need to be touching the person directly

"He says he needs to be touching the person. I guess Sho could hold him or something while you do your thing."

"Great! Let's start, then..."

***
TBC

***