( “ - you are in the presence of royalty. //

[roman]

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please don't post unless you are aelin,
weakly, or a moderator. thank you.
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[roman]

「 "ＰＲＥＳＥＮＣＥ ＯＦ ＲＯＹＡＬＴＹ" 」

i. xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. xx. xxi. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. xxvi. xxvii. xxviii.
xix. xxx. xxxi. xxxii. xxxiii. xxxiv. xxxv. xxxvi. xxxvii. xxxviii. xxxix. xxxx. xxxxi. xxxxii.

indent“ not all royals wear a crown. many are every day people with hearts of gold, spirits of diamond, and wills of the purest silk. not all royals are obvious, but if you look closely, maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one. or maybe you'll be even luckier and one will find you. who knows? royals are everywhere. you just have to pay attention. ”


indenthey ho kiddos I'm mika. nice to see you here *finger guns*. this is a collab story between myself and my bud isla. we won't have a specific update day, since both of us have lots to do and just want to do this for fun. anyway, I'm here to introduce myself. you can call me mika or rommie (my old username was "romanov"), either one is fine. if you want to give me feedback on my chapters, that would be totally great! just don't post it here. you can pm me, since my inbox is always open to compliments or ideas. please no criticism though, thank you! and now I'll pass it off to isla.

indenthey waddup it's your boi isla (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ i am pretty much the queen of procrastination so i'm sorry if it takes a while for me to get my chapter up. if you ever have any questions or comments about my writing feel free to pm me, i love feed back! i have an unhealthy obsession with guys so i'm sorry for making so many male characters ahh

indentwe also want to thank readers and supporters, even before the story begins uwu I think it's fair to say that you guys keep both isla and I going, and it's just so nice to receive nice comments about our writing. every read is appreciated and noted, and we might even have a game or two for a poll. any comments make our day, so don't be afraid to message us! you can find her profile here, and mine here. thanks for checking us out ( that wasn't a weird way of phrasing it at all *ahem* ), and enjoy reading!

[roman]

「 "ＰＲＥＳＥＮＣＥ ＯＦ ＲＯＹＡＬＴＹ" 」

indent“ not all royals wear a crown. many are every day people with hearts of gold, spirits of diamond, and wills of the purest silk. not all royals are obvious, but if you look closely, maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one. or maybe you'll be even luckier and one will find you. who knows? royals are everywhere. you just have to pay attention. ”


characters in order of appearance :
name : n. name(s) - age - gender - occupation

ryuu toyama : "ry" by close friends - appears around eighteen - cismale - servant to the demon king
king guren ishikawa : "your majesty" lmao - who knows? he's super old tho - cismale - king of the akuryo district - I do not take credit for the art used in his face claim. I was unable to find the original artist, but all credit goes to them.
shihoru sasaki : "shi" by close friends and "shiho" by everyone else - seventeen - cisfemale - student
masaaki asa : "saaki" - seventeen - cismale - swim team capt./student
mikasa ichinose/asa : "mika" - eighteen - cisfemale - student/student council vice-president

[roman]

「 "ＰＲＥＳＥＮＣＥ ＯＦ ＲＯＹＡＬＴＹ" 」

indent“ not all royals wear a crown. many are every day people with hearts of gold, spirits of diamond, and wills of the purest silk. not all royals are obvious, but if you look closely, maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one. or maybe you'll be even luckier and one will find you. who knows? royals are everywhere. you just have to pay attention. ”


places to know :
name : district - main school - main race - ruler - importance

ningen tridistrict : district - ningen tridistict high school - human - director yuichirou - high importance
the human district is known for it's strict security and fear of the other races. the authorities try to keep the population in the dark as to what is over the large walls that separate the districts from each other. those who are stupid enough to exit the ningen district are often denied access back in, because they have found what species truly lie over the walls. the district itself resembles an ancient city called new york, with large buildings, high tech, and a very modernized population.

akuryo tridistrict : district - okami college - demon - king guren - high importance
the demon district is known to have quite the feud with the enzeru district. now, one may think that this is obvious because of their race, but in fact, it has to deal with each districts views on the human district. this district is often referred to as "the kingdom" because of it's medieval ways. the castle is in the center of the district, and much trade and wealth is held there. the buildings are often made of stone or wood. king guren makes it a point to educate his people about the other districts, and he holds the most influence out of the three districts' rulers.

enzeru tridistrict : district - saint michael high school - angel - the holy counsel - medium importance
the enzeru district is as heaven-like as one might have guessed. the holy counsel spares no money in lavishing its people with gold and every amenity they can find. the buildings might not be tall, but they are all well built and beautiful. this district provides most of the food for the districts, but its people are prideful and do not care much for learning about the other districts and how they operate. this tridistict is mysterious in it's ways and keeps to itself.


necessary history and background for the districts :

three districts, three races. three different names. three different worlds. the ningen tridistrict housed humans, the akuryo tridistrict housed the demons, and finally, the enzeru tridistrict housed the angels. all very diverse and dissimilar. and there was a reason for that. the double district incident was the reason why. originally, the three races were at war, all vying for land, esteem, and gold. the kings, now referred to as the three akings ( pronounced with a long a ), after a long time of hardship and loss, decided upon an experiment to test if the three very different races could live in harmony. they formed the three districts, now referred to as the adistricts ( pronounced with a long a ). the experiment payed off, but not after some bloodshed. decades passed, and the new leaders began to reform the way the adistricts worked, resulting in the creation of the double districts. they used power not belonging to them to accomplish that task, and not long afterward, the "double dead incident" happened, blasting a crater into the akuryo tridistrict and killing millions of humans, demons, and angels alike. from the ruins rose the tridistricts, and as some may say, "third times a charm".

[roman]

“ assignment ” // by mika
a/n : ryuu has a demon form that he has for this section. find the image here.

indentryuu gritted his teeth and clenched his hand around the hilt of his sword. his dark, tattered wings were folded neatly behind him, and his black hair was unusually clean. despite how nice he looked, though, he could not help feeling about as un-nice as was possible. it had been a usual morning. he'd been up at dawn. he'd dressed in his uniform, washed his face, and set about his usual duties. he'd done everything as he normally did it. then he was summoned by the king, and his day had gone downhill after that. going to the ningen district as a human, he thought bitterly. he must be joking.

indent"your majesty," ryuu said respectfully, inclining his head. "if this is some kind of joke, I have many duties to attend to."

indentthe old demon king laughed with amusement, but ryuu did not find any of this very funny. he wrapped his hand tighter around the hilt of his sword and stepped forward toward the akuryo district's ruler. he was angry at the king, and although he knew it was not his place, he couldn't help but feel like the man was a bit off his rocker. why would he disrupt a servant's day just to laugh at him? that didn't seem very much like the king demon, but ryuu wouldn't put it past him. his majesty guren might have been old, very old, but he still acted like an immature prince. it agitated ryuu and brought him to what he was saying now.

indent"your majesty, this is not funny. dismiss me if you're done laughing at making me late to my chores."

indent"foolish boy," king guren said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "I'm not joking. I am quite serious. this task is of great importance, and you will see to it. the princess is my sister, and I promised to bring her back. all of the servants I have sent for this mission failed. I have no information about who she has become, and they could not reach her."

indentryuu crossed his arms and said nothing. every citizen in the akuryo district knew that the king's family had died in the "double dead" incident. the surge of power killed his sister, the princess, along with the king and queen. though he was a servant in the castle, ryuu had received the highest form of education. even if he hadn't, he would have heard the news from one of the former queen's maids or from guren himself. after all, ryuu was specifically the old demon king's servant. or, at least he was reserved for guren's requests now. it had been the whole royal family, but that was impossible now.

indent"you still don't take me seriously, do you ryuu?" the king asked, suddenly solemn.

indent"permission to speak freely, your majesty?"

indent"granted. you know you don't have to ask me that."

indent"you told me that your sister was dead. this is a ridiculous request. there may be human ghosts, but when a demon perishes, there is nothing left, so I can't go looking for some kind of spirit. do you take me for some kind of fool? besides that, you know as well as I that the humans are terrified of us. they won't let me in the gate."

indentthe king slouched in his throne and crossed his fingers in front of him. the golden crown on his head slanted at an odd angle. ryuu guessed he was trying to look thoughtful, but instead, he looked drunk, lazy, or a combination of both. he did not, in any way, look very kingly. he gazed at ryuu intently, though, and the servant shifted uncomfortably. he sighed and, after placing the circlet of gold on the arm of the throne, ran his hand through his dark black hair.

indent"you are not a fool, ryuu," he said, sounding thoroughly put out. "that is why I'm sending you. the story I told the district was to keep them from worrying over princess nerice. the former king, my father, along with the holy counsel and the former human director, tried to take the demon from my sister and use the power from it to form new districts. it ... it killed so many people."

indent"hold on," ryuu interrupted, holding up his hands and frowning in confusion and agitation. "you're saying that your sister is the cause of the 'double dead' incident?"

indentthe king nodded slowly. "not directly. she had no choice, but because of who she was - no, who she is - my father's experiment caused the crater. but she's alive and living in the ningen district. I know that for a fact. we believe that she is attending the high school there. she will have taken on a human form, and may or may not remember who she was. the spell put immense stress on her mind and body. she could have entirely fake memories about her childhood and believe wholeheartedly that she is a normal human girl."

indentgreat, thought ryuu. so he's asking me to find a needle in a stack of needles.

indentsuddenly, the king straightened himself and laid his hand on the hilt of the sword at the side. "you will find her for me, ryuu. I'm ordering you to do this. you will leave as soon as you pack your things. I will make sure director yuichirou leaves you to your work."

indentryuu went to argue, but guren's position told him that the decision was final. he trusted the king, though this seemed about as far fetched as it could be, and he bowed, defeated. he would be forced to take on a human form and live among them until the princess was found. he could not come back empty handed. he might be the king's friend, but failure would result in severe consequences. "yes, your majesty," he said quietly. guren did not answer. ryuu turned away toward the huge doors that lead out of the throne room. the two guards opened them, and the servant gave one last look at the demon king before exiting.

indenthe walked down the ancient corridors to his quarters, packing what few possessions he had and then leaving the only room he had behind for who knew how long. he lingered outside the door, but then shook his head and set off to do his job. how hard can it be? he silently asked himself. there's only thousands of humans in the ningen district. piece of cake. but he didn't believe himself. what had the king gotten him into?

[thank]

“ homesick ” // by isla
a/n : we were thinking the school uniforms would look something like this ( all credit to the original artist ). ties and pants for the guys ^^

indentryuu's eyes didn't want to open. his body was refusing to wake up properly. even though he had already been in his new body, his human form, for a week, he was still getting used to how strange it felt. humans got tired a lot easier than demons. very slowly, he slid out from under his blankets, yawning as he did so. why did he need to get up so early, again? it took ryuu a moment to collect his thoughts and fully wake up. he rubbed sleep out of his eyes with his palms, stumbling over to his dresser. another 'wonderful' little thing that came with being admitted to this school. free personal storage! i guess it's better than trying to find my own place to stay here, he thought to himself, trying to stay positive. but that was hard in such an unfamiliar place, filled with people that looked at him oddly when he walked by, people that talked about you behind your back, people that weren't very nice at all.

indentryuu stared at his reflection in the mirror that sat on top of the ancient dresser, still wearing his night clothes. there were dark circles under his eyes vibrant blue eyes that almost made them look brighter, if that was even possible. he frowned at his reflection ─ he liked his hair better when it was black, not the brilliant white it now was, and his eyes when they were silver. the face that looked back at him was one of a stranger's. it was almost unsettling.

indentplacing both his hands on the dresser in front of him, almost as if he was bracing himself, he sighed. it didn't matter if he didn't want to be here. it didn't matter that he would rather be home in his district. it didn't matter that he hated everything about this place and the thought that he had to be here for as long as it took for him to find king guren's sister. what he wanted meant nothing. the only think that mattered was what the king wanted. it made ryuu want to punch a wall repeatedly. but that's how it had always been ─ obviously the king's plans and ideas and decisions out ruled his.

indentryuu's eyes began to water, and he was hoping it was simply because he was tired. he was feeling rather homesick and missed the people he had got so used to being around, even if they didn't miss him, or even remember him. when he was just an infant, his parents decided they couldn't take care of him anymore so they handed him over to the royal family's maids, hoping he'd be able to grow up there with a purpose. they seized the opportunity to have an extra pair of hands and raised ryuu there, teaching him how much of an honor it was to serve out ruler. to ask permission before speaking freely. that serving was way more important than making friends. after all, friends fade away over time.

indenthe ran his fingers through his hair, standing up straight. when he stood up his head hit the small light dangling from a chain above him. "what the he─" he begun angrily, rubbing the back of his head where he had been hit. i guess these apartments aren't 100% perfect. they are still a bit... dingy.after a moment of angrily cursing at the light for no reason, he stripped out of his night clothes and pulled on his black and white school uniform. he didn't bother to button up the top button or tighten his tie up so it fit snuggly around his neck. just the thought of having anything around his neck around that made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

indentit took ryuu a minute to brace himself for stepping out of his private room. when he was in here, alone, he didn't have to talk to anyone. if there was an award for being antisocial, he would have most likely been the consecutive five-year winner. it was usually common to go through a day without speaking to anyone, besides the occasional "uh-huh" or nod of his head. he didn't really have anyone to talk to, anyways, even if he wanted to. everyone was constantly busy with this task or that. they had no time to talk to a sad, lonely boy.

indentafter sucking in a breath between his teeth, he stepped out of his room, dragging his feet down the hall. he decided to skip his trip to the bathroom that morning ─ the more he could avoid talking to anyone, the better. he had no intention of making friends in this place. they would just slow him down. the worn carpet of the hallway had several suspicious stains on it which made ryuu turn up his nose. did they ever bother to clean this place? what even caused them? he shook his head, trying to clear it.

indenthe walked briskly down the stairs, one hand running gently along the railing, the other clutching onto the strap to his bag. he slowly moved his hand from the cold metal railing to the wall, watching as his fingertips dragged along the off-white paint.

indenthe was not excited for school that day. he did not want to go sit in a chair and listen to a teacher talk about things he didn't need to know. but it was part of his 'undercover' plan. he couldn't just look the part of a high school guy, he had to act the part, too.

indent"hurry up, would yah?"

indentsomeone pushed past him, ramming into his shoulder. ryuu stumbled, looking around to see who had just shoved him. a group of guys were racing down the stairs in front of him, their hair flying around wildly. why are they running? he wondered to himself, glancing at his watch. they've got plenty of time to get to class. it's only ─ the color left ryuu's face. he had five minutes to get to class.

indentpulling his bag further up his shoulder he too began to rush down the steps, taking them two at a time. if he was late, he might get in trouble with the teacher! he still wasn't exactly sure how this school worked, but it was pretty clear to him that you had to be on time every day no matter what.

indentthe sound of his feet slapping against the stairs echoed through the building. when he reached ground level he slammed his palms into the door, pushing it open. the group of guys who had shoved him just moments earlier were already half way down the street. it took ryuu a moment to process that it was drizzling. the sky was a sad gray and it didn't look like the clouds would be letting up anytime soon.

indenthe ducked his head as he rushed down the streets, his feet splashing the water that had collected into puddles everywhere. it wasn't raining hard but ryuu was somehow soaking wet and only halfway to the school. he had never liked the rain. when it rained the sky turned gray and the air turned cold and everyone and everything became melancholy and drab. some people would always tell him to lighten up, stop being such a downer. the rain could be fun! maybe to some people it could be. but not to ryuu. he didn't care for it. but, he had to admit, now that he was outside in the rain, he realized why some people might like it. the smell was nice, and the gentle pitter-patter of the raindrops falling was calming. maybe he would have appreciated it more if he had an umbrella.

indentthud.

indentryuu collided with someone. he was so busy thinking about the rain that he hadn't been watching where he was going and ran straight into someone. he fell backwards, landing on his back right on the curb. he closed his eyes, tight, breathing in deeply through his nose. he had forgotten how fragile the human body could be.

indentonce he had recovered ─ kind of ─ he opened his eyes to see exactly who he had ran into. papers were scattered all over the pavement, more than half of them floating in puddles. a girl with messy brown hair was frantically trying to pick them up, her black umbrella tossed aside. her purple sweater hung to her figure, now sopping wet from the rain.

indentryuu's immediate thought was to be angry. maybe it wasn't his fault but hers. he was going to be late for his classes! but as he watched her frantically trying to pick up all the papers before they all got soaked with rain water, he felt pity. it was his fault, not hers. if ryuu hadn't been so focused on the rain or his thoughts of home maybe he could have prevented this situation.

indenthe awkwardly stood up and watched the girl as she shoved all the wet papers back into her bag. he didn't know if he should try and help her with the papers or just apologize and walk away. after taking a deep breath ( once again ) he spoke.

indent"um... hello there. sorry about your papers." he apologized, nervously rubbing his hands together. the girl laughed after hesitating for a moment and stood, her now-wet backpack clutched in one hand. she offered the other hand to him, grinning.

indent"it's alright. they weren't too important anyways." she replied in a sweet voice, the corners of her mouth twitching into a frown for a moment before returning to a giant smile. one that he most defiantly didn't deserve.

indentryuu had to admit her smile was kinda captivating. he stared for a moment before clearing his throat and glancing out at her hand. what was she doing? why was she pointing her hand at him?

indentafter a moment of confusion the girl blushed, dropping her hand to her side. her smile faded. had he done something wrong? if he had, he had no idea what it could possibly be. well, he had just knocked her over... she looked to be deep in thought. what could she possibly be thinking so intently about? maybe how to explain to her teacher why she was late and why all her papers were wet.

indentlate... oh no! late!

indentryuu whipped around and was just about to start running back to class when the girl grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. frustration bubbled in his stomach. why was she holding him back? didn't she have to get to class, too? he was just about to rip his wrist out of her grip when she spoke.

indent"wait! i have a few questions for you."

indentoh no.

[roman]

“ introductions ” // by mika

indentryuu frowned. the rain was relentless, and it had thoroughly soaked his uniform. the clothes clung to his body, and he shifted uncomfortably. the chill of the sunless day sent a shiver up his spine, but he intently gazed at the strange human girl without acknowledging the weather. she sheepishly stared after him, and when he did not answer, she let his wrist go and folded her hands in front of her. her brown hair flung droplets of water at him as she bent over in a bow. her tangled locks stuck to her face, and she pushed them behind her ear, but she did not rise. ryuu wasn't sure what to do. he wasn't a king, or a prince, or anything of the sort. so why exactly was she bowing to him? should he bow back? the intricacies of the human culture never ceased to confound him.

indent"forgive me," she said, quietly enough that ryuu had to strain to catch her gentle words.

indent"it's fine," ryuu said quickly, feeling his cheeks grow warm. though few, there were students out of class. they stopped and giggled when they beheld the sight of a small girl bowing to a white haired boy in the middle of the rain. he had to admit that they weren't exactly out of turn. "stand up, will you?" he growled, allowing his temper to get the better of him.

indentshe hesitated before straightening her back, through she left her head down. rain dripped off her chin attaching hairs to her face when it felt like it. cautiously, as if unsure what to expect, she reached down and picked her folded umbrella from the ground next to her. she extended it toward him slowly, and ryuu arched an eyebrow before grabbing it and sliding it open. the drops of rain pounded ceaselessly on it as he raised the umbrella over his head. "thank you?" he said, having it come out more as a question than a statement. her behavior confused him even more. what had happened to the sweet smile? had he made it go away somehow?

indent"your welcome," she said kindly. "I'm really sorry for making you late for class."

indent"I should be the one apologizing," he said with a shy laugh. "I'm the one who ran into you and caused this whole mess. what were you going to ask me?"

indent"oh," she said, finally gaining to courage to raise her head and look at him. her cheeks were a rosy pink, but the smile remained. "I was just going to ask who you were." though there was no hair to be tucked behind her ear, she ran her fingers along her cheek in that motion. "I'm shihoru."

indent"ryuu," he said simply.

indent"nice to meet you," she added. her smile deepened and she tilted her head to the right just a bit. ryuu had never seen someone do that before. well, he hadn't been introduced to anyone new in a while, to be fair. he hung around the same staff at the castle. he hung around the king. or, more recently, he'd hung around by himself. it was incredibly hard to fit in to a place as complicated as the human district. their ways were so foreign to him, and he often found it easier to just remain alone than risk being social. but this girl seemed different. she hadn't laughed at him or gotten angry when he was unsure of what to do. ryuu was pulled from his thoughts as he noticed that her sweater, now, was dripping as much as her hair. feeling guilty, as he had dried off considerably, he shoved the umbrella toward her hands.

indent"here," he said.

indentshe shook her head, and ryuu retracted his hand, still completely unsure of himself. it had been seven - no, now eight - days since he'd left the akuryo district to come here, but he wasn't sure he would ever be able to get used to it. humans are such strange creatures, he lamented silently. a few moments of awkward silence ensued and ryuu was just about to turn and leave when she, for the second time, caught his attention by grabbing his sleeve. she was at least a head shorter than him, and ryuu had to look down to catch her eye.

indent"you ... seem a little lost," she said.

indenta knot twisted in ryuu's stomach. had he been found out that easily? he was supposed to say he grew up in the ningen tridistrict. even though king guren had assured ryuu's safety, and practically commanded director yuichirou to mind his own business, the now white-haired demon had sworn to prevent a panic by claiming to be human. he couldn't exactly go around proclaiming that he was a demon here to find a dead princess. ryuu had to admit that yuichirou was right on that side of things, at least. he would sound absolutely crazy if that's how he approached it. and yet, shihoru, a human girl that looked to be as awkward here as he was, had figured out that he didn't belong. he inhaled sharply and shihoru flinched.

indent"you must be a new student," she said with a grin. "a transfer? do you need help finding your class? I'm sure my teacher wouldn't mind my lateness if I told him I helped you."

indent"no," ryuu said, a little faster than he would have liked. if he would have taken a second to think about what she was offering, perhaps he would have accepted. following shady directions given by a half-asleep human boy seemed much less productive than following shihoru. however, he felt like he needed to get away from her. she was just too familiar. her touch sent tingles up his arm every time, and he hated the feeling. it reminded him of magic. ancient magic. magic that had been used before the incident with the double districts and was now outlawed. she radiated the stuff, if he concentrated. though he was a servant, he had been taught many spells with useful applications, identifying magic and certain enchantments among them. in his human form, he could barely make use of gramarye, but even so, something about shihoru was just ... off.

indent"look," he said, feeling horrible as the smile fell from the brunette's face. she released him again and looked as though she was trying not to cry. one thing he had noticed since his arrival was that the girls were far more dangerous ground than the guys. they almost seemed delicate to ryuu, and he had seen many boys fail with interacting with them. "I know where to go," he lied, trying to placate for upsetting her. "it's not because you. I just ... prefer to be alone."

indentshe nodded and forced a small smile. it looked awkward and was a little unnerving, unlike the calming grin she'd had before. the bell rang out in the square, above the pattering of the rain and echoing across campus. class had begun. had they really only been talking for such a short time? shihoru jumped at the obnoxious sound the bell made, and her face grew red again as she turned and sprinted away. ryuu felt about as horrible as when guren had given him this assignment. if he had only looked where he was going, this whole mess could have been avoided, and shihoru could have gone about her day as she usually did. now her papers were ruined, most likely along with her sweater, and she looked about ready to cry. way to go, he scolded himself.

indenthe clenched his hand around the umbrella's handle. ryuu felt so alone. he just wanted to be back in the castle, complaining about his chores and practicing his swordsmanship with guren. he wanted to be surrounded by the gossiping maids that always came into the throne room in the afternoons. he wanted to fly and be able to use magic. but he had to complete his task. his loyalty to the demon king should outweigh his own desires, and he forced the lump in his throat down before heading in the direction of the main school building.

indentthe halls were completely empty as ryuu shook the umbrella and closed it. he ran a hand through his hair, which was almost dry, and looked desperately for the classroom to be in. the school was huge, and there was a large possibility that he was in the wrong building entirely. finally, his eyes landed on a screen mounted on the wall. it displayed a map of the classes and buildings, and a smile managed to force away his frown. at least something was going right today. he approached the glowing tech and found his spot. he was, indeed, in the wrong building, but the math room was in another structure not far away. he took a split second to memorize the location, and then headed out the doors into the rain.

indenthe did not bother to open the umbrella, but instead ran toward the dark mass of the math building. the doors were propped open, and the carpet near them was soaking. ryuu stepped through and again ran a hand through his hair, which was now about as wet as the carpet. walking as quickly as he could, he found the door to the classroom he needed. taking a deep breath, he pushed it open.

indentthe classroom was not large, but not small either. ryuu found that he had interrupted the teacher, who eyed him suspiciously before motioning toward an empty desk. the white-haired boy nodded his apologies and then took his seat, which was at the very back of the class. glancing at the clock, ryuu was relieved to find that he was not as late as he though he was. the teacher resumed speaking, and all other whispers and snickers were drowned out with his voice. ryuu rested his head on his hand and tried not to fall asleep. he scanned each student from the front to the back, hoping to find someone who matched the lost princess's description. none did, but ryuu's heart jumped out of his chest as he spotted a mess of wet brown hair, and a soaked light purple sweater. he was barely able to hold back a curse. why did she have to be here, of all places?

[thank]

“ unwanted flirting ” // by isla

indentryuu didn't pay attention to what the teacher was saying the entire class time. instead, he focused on the rain-soaked umbrella he was still clutching in his hands, slowly rotating it and watching as water droplets dripped off of it and onto the floor. he needed to give shiho's umbrella back but he wasn't looking forward to having to talk to her again. it was most likely going to end with him getting slapped across the face. he didn't understand girls well. never had, never will. the only person ryuu was close to, and he wouldn't even call him a 'friend', really, was the king, and he was a guy. i guess i shouldn't go around stereotyping everyone here. he thought to himself, biting his tongue. there might be some guys whose emotions he couldn't understand, which was extremely likely.

indentonce again, his trail of thought did no good to anyone. he shook his head, setting the umbrella down gently on the ground beneath his desk. he placed his arms on his desk and rested his head on them, staring into the small patch of darkness he had created. he had always preferred the darkness to the light. some might say they were scared of the dark, but how could that be possible? why would one be afraid of the darkness? they were all afraid of what could be lurking in the blackness, waiting to reach out and grab them or hurt them or scare them. the dark did not bother ryuu. he knew that monsters could be anywhere, not just in the dark. if he was afraid of the monsters he'd be afraid to even leave his room.

indentbut here he was, sitting in an unfamiliar district, surrounded by people who could turn out to be awful creatures.

indentthe teacher talked on for what felt like hours to poor ryuu. when they finally stopped talking and the students began filing out of the classroom he felt almost blessed. he was just about to leave and follow after them when he remembered the umbrella. he turned around and briskly walked back over to his desk, hoping that the teacher wouldn't notice him. he didn't know if he could bear having to stay in this room for any longer. he bent down and wrapped his long fingers around the damp object and quickly rushed out of the room, heading down the hallway.

indentnow all he had to do was find shiho in his gigantic school. ryuu groaned, suddenly realizing how pointless it was. he could just set down the umbrella and walk away, go and continue on his mission. but she was so nice to me in my time of need, he thought to himself, contradicting what he was previously thinking. he chewed on the inside of his mouth, annoyed with himself for not being able to decide what to do. it most likely wouldn't affect him if he tossed it aside. he knew that none of the demons back in his district would even bother to return it. they'd probably keep it. but maybe it worked differently here?

indentbefore he could make up his mind, he heard a shout from behind him.

indent"watch out!"

indentthis time, he was determined to avoid being hit by anything or anyone. he spun around immediately and spotted a rather tall boy with flaming orange hair rushing towards him, his arm outstretched as if he was going to try and grab ryuu. before the boy could even touch him, ryuu put up his fists to guard his face and kicked the boy right in the knee, sending him sprawling across the hallway, slamming into one of the lockers. a few people gasped or stared at ryuu but he didn't care. he needed to protect himself!

indentthe orange haired boy groaned, rubbing the back of his head. his brows were furrowed in confusion and his face was flushed as if he was embarrassed. he should be for trying to attack me like that.

indent"what the hell, man?" he sputtered, standing. the other students continued walking all around them, trying to get to their next classes. the boy confused him. ryuu was only trying to protect himself! he didn't reply.

indentthe orange haired boy started to approach ryuu, which put him on edge. hadn't he learned his lesson? ryuu prepared himself to kick him again.

indent"seriously, what's your problem? do you kick everyone that tries to help you?" the boy growled, curling his hands into fists. help?

indent"i... i was protecting myself." he stuttered, now not quite sure if he had approached the situation properly. maybe humans did things differently than demons?

indentthe boy let out a laugh, which confused ryuu. a minute ago the boy had been angry and now he was laughing? or maybe it was an unamused laugh? whenever ryuu was mad or frustrated he stayed mad or frustrated for a while. it was not something he could just push aside.

indent"okay, fine. but i wasn't trying to attack you. i just wanted to stop you from walking straight into that garbage can." he explained, running his fingers through his flaming hair.

indentgarbage can?

indentryuu turned to look, and to his surprise, there was a giant garbage can right in his path. if he had been walking for just a few seconds longer he probably would have tripped over it or knocked it over. his face grew hot because of how much he had over reacted. he usually tended to assume things before thinking them through properly, yet another thing he needed to work on.

indent"oh..." he mumbled, looking at his feet. "sorry about that."

indentthe boy walked forwards, slapping his hand on ryuu's back. ryuu was so startled he jumped, stiffening. the boy didn't seem to notice. his yellow eyes glittered as they met ryuu's blue ones and he looked partially starstruck. his expression changed and he no longer looked angry and confused but confident and almost cocky.

indent"no problem! i'm masaaki asa, by the way. but everyone calls me saaki." he said with a grin. "are you new around here? i don't think i've seen you around before. i'd probably remember you if i had."

indentryuu's head swirled. now the boy, saaki, was not only being nice to him but flirting with him, too!

indent"um... yeah. i'm new. i'm ryuu." he muttered awkwardly, wincing as the tall boy's arm snaked around his shoulders, leading him around the garbage can and down the hall. ryuu has no choice but to follow, his feet awkwardly shuffling on the white floor tiles.

indentsaaki squeezed ryuu tighter, pulling him closer until their sides were practically brushing as they walked. ryuu's face grew hot. why was this boy so attracted to him, and where were they going?

indenthe finally decided to speak up. "saaki?" he asked, trying out the name.

indentsaaki looked down at him, not bothering to stop as they speed walked towards the door he had come through to get to class.

indent"yeah?" he asked, cocking his head slightly as if he was a puppy begging for a treat.

indent"where exactly are we going? i mean, i have my next class to get to..." ryuu tried to explain, suddenly feeling very flustered and awkward.

indent"oh, whatever. no one likes the classes here."

indentryuu had to admit he did not like the classes at ningen tridistict high school. if he had the choice, he would board up in his room and skip them all. but, to his distaste, he was forced to attend them on the king's orders. but that was not the answer that he was hoping for. he had asked where they were going but saaki hadn't told him. maybe the boy had figured out who ─ no, what ─ he was and was trying to get rid of him.

indentryuu began to panic. he flailed and struggled, trying to get out of the boy's grip, only to have saaki laugh at him and tighten his grip, pulling ryuu closer to his side. so close that their hips were now touching.

indent"ryuu, don't you want to walk with me? i can show you around the campus, and maybe we can hangout afterwards! i'd love to get to know you better. has anyone ever told you how pretty your eyes─"

indentryuu didn't let saaki finish. he ducked out of the boy's grip, looking around for a place to go but it was a dead end. the only place to run was out the doors of the school, but he didn't really want to get soaked again. he felt trapped, backed up against the lockers.

indenthe was panicking. he never panicked. ryuu usually knew how to handle every situation he got himself into, but this time it was different. there was something about humans that was threatening. they could be stronger than demons, though he doubted it.

indent"what do you want?" he hissed, his back hitting the lockers behind him. the hallway was deserted. why was it deserted? the school bell rang shrilly, signaling that the second class of the day had already started.

indent"ooh, you're cute when you're flustered." saaki smiled, stepping closer. "i just want to show you around campus, honest. you looked lost."

indentryuu still wasn't sold. could the boy possibly be lying? he was getting mixed signals from him. one minute it was like he was trying to abduct him and the next he claimed to be trying to help him. what did he want?

indentryuu took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. he, too, took a step closer.

indent"fine. show me around, saaki." he growled saaki's name, trying to sound frightening instead of frightened. the pressure of being in this unfamiliar district was starting to get to him. he didn't know how long he had before he snapped and broke down completely.

indentthe umbrella was miraculously still clutched in his hand. he had almost forgotten all about it! shiho had left the class so quickly earlier it was as if she knew he was in the room and she was trying to avoid him. maybe she didn't want her umbrella back after all.

indent"great!" saaki practically jumped for joy, reaching for ryuu's hand. ryuu snapped his arm back, their fingers only brushing. saaki stuck out his bottom lip as he looked at the white haired boy as if he was pouting.

indent"aww, you're no fun!" he whined. "alright then, mr. i don't want to hold saaki's hand, let's go! i've got so much to show you. i want to make it back before lunch, though. we can't miss lunch."

indentand with that, he pushing open the doors, heading out into the rain.

[roman]

“your umbrella, miss” // by mika

indentnothing but more cold, wet drops of water greeted ryuu and saaki as they pushed their way into the open. the sky hadn't lightened at all. there were no breaks in the dark mass of cloud, no thin areas for even the tiniest rays of sunshine. it was the definition of a "dark and dreary day". ryuu was soaked even before making it across the huge yard. saaki fared no better. his orange hair clung to his face, but he didn't seem to mind. he was busy chatting about this and that. about how he was captain of the swim team. about how he thought ryuu looked cold. about how wonderful his little sister is. ryuu barely listened, but it was hard to block out saaki's never ending chatter. would he just shut up? ryuu thought, grimacing. he tightened his grip around the rolled up umbrella. I thought he was going to show me around. not talk my ear off.

indentsuddenly, ryuu noticed he was walking alone. he stopped in his tracks. he felt his heart rate quicken and a knot of uncertainty formed in his stomach. where had that annoying human gone off to now? ryuu cursed himself. he should have been paying attention. now, he was standing in the middle of an unfamiliar square, soaked and panicking. he tried to calm his thoughts by thinking of the castle, of guren, and his home. he was trained to deal with situations like this. he wasn't some sort of castle maid. he might have had to do chores or help with the dirty work sometimes, but he had originally been chosen to protect the royal family. he'd been trained in military combat and could handle a sword like a master. he'd been shown how to survive. he would survive. this wasn't as bad as some of the things the king had put him through. this was just the human district. it wasn't as though he was facing a pack of mangy hellhounds that looked ready to rip him limb from limb. right?

indentryuu looked around the square. it was an ordinary place. the stones laid under his feet were the same as in any park. it was lined with cherry trees, who were looking very droopy, and had a fountain in the center. ryuu tried to think of the map he'd looked at earlier. it didn't help. of the things he could remember, there were at least three places such as this one. he could be in any one of them. sighing, ryuu decided to give guren the "what-for" when he got back home. he turned toward one of the four pathways leading from the square and ran a hand through his hair before walking toward it.

indenthe hadn't gotten far when he heard saaki's voice. ryuu frowned. he wasn't sure he could control his temper around saaki any longer. the boy just talked and talked. it was rather annoying. ryuu now longed for the hushed sounds of the old akuryo castle. he'd once hated them, but now, he was willing to do almost anything to return there. he had to find the princess. ryuu resolved to look and look until there was no where else to look. perhaps then he could return and face guren. if he left even one stone unturned, it could spell disaster for him. he tried to straighten the frown into something less unfriendly, but he couldn't make himself do it. how do humans do this? he thought, exasperated.

indentas ryuu headed further down the cobblestone pathway, saaki's voice grew louder. he was pleased to find that saaki hadn't completely abandoned him, though he hated to admit it. was this some kind of twisted prank? but he froze in his tracks when he heard another familiar voice. it was soft, and gentle. shihoru? ryuu thought anxiously. what is she doing talking to a creep like saaki?

indent"you're headed to sakura square?" ryuu heard saaki ask.

indent"yeah," shihoru replied quietly. "who are you again?"

indent"saaki. look, I heard from a student council member that sakura square was strictly off limits. uh, they're reworking the cobblestone. plus, you don't have an umbrella or anything! what are you going to do out in the rain like this?"

indentryuu's frown deepened. he guessed the square he'd just come from was called sakura. with all the cherry trees surrounding it, that name only seemed logical. and there hadn't been anyone there with him. which meant no "reworking the cobblestone". what was saaki up to? why would he lie to shihoru?

indent"I have an umbrella, thank you," shihoru retorted. ryuu noticed from her tone that her patience was wearing thin. "I gave it to someone this morning. he needed it more than me. and why are you lying about the cobblestone? they just put that square in. it doesn't need work. why are you trying to keep me from going to sakura?"

indentryuu decided to step in. it was better to face shihoru than let saaki keep frustrating her like this. it could get out of hand. he'd already seen his fair share of boys getting slapped for this kind of thing. he took a deep breath and tried to clear his thoughts. why was he getting so nervous? it wasn't like him. he'd always known exactly what to do and when to do it. never had he felt so out of place than he did here. he was surrounded by things he'd never even given thought to. struggling to gain the courage, ryuu forced himself to move forward. almost instantly saaki and shihoru came into view. though she was almost two heads shorter than saaki, she had a defiant glare in her eye. saaki looked unsure about what to do.

indent"hey," ryuu said, stepping in between them. "don't fight, okay? I'm sure saaki just has his facts mixed up."

indentshihoru's eyes widened at the appearance of the white-haired boy, but she relaxed her muscles and stepped back. saaki did the same, although his face was a bright red. ryuu had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. what a flirt, he thought, annoyed.

indent"ryuu!" saaki exclaimed with a nervous laugh. "I thought I'd lost you!"

indent"hello," shihoru greeted. her voice was quiet. she bowed her head and did not look ryuu in the eye. immediately he felt dread and guilt pool in his stomach, and he wished he'd just had the sense to get up earlier.

indent"hello, shihoru," he said, trying to sound braver than he felt.

indent"you know each other?" saaki gasped. his smile disappeared too. now all three of them looked sullen or upset about something. ryuu knew the other male student had been up to something, but this just confirmed it. why was saaki trying to keep shihoru away from him? there was no plausible reason that presented itself to ryuu. unless ... no, he told himself. how could saaki know something like that?

indentshihoru nodded slowly. "we met earlier this morning."

indentryuu felt his cheeks grow warm. "um, I have your umbrella." he extended it toward her, but she just pushed it away. she raised her head and smiled at ryuu. he thought it might be fake, but her eyes seemed to be smiling too.

indent"keep it," she said. then with a giggle, she asked, "what good will it do me now?"

indentryuu laughed with her. "none, I guess."

indent"besides," the brunette added. "my mom always says that when two people meet on a rainy day, it's fate." her cheeks became a deep rosy pink. "just keep it as a sort of memento."

indent"hey!" saaki barged in. "sorry sweater girl, but this one and I have some place to be. excuse us!"

indentryuu dug his heels into the grass when saaki proceeded to push him away. it wasn't any use. the orange haired swim team captain was a lot stronger than he looked. ryuu gave one last glance at shihoru over saaki's shoulder. there she stood, in the rain, with a stupid grin plastered to her face, and waving goodbye. she was just as soaked at she had been, if not more, but her smile seemed to drive away all the cold and miserable feelings the rain brought with it. it made him think of the princess. he'd only met her once, at a special dinner ball hosted by the castle. she'd seemed so harsh and indifferent to others then. but ryuu had somehow managed to get ahold of some sweets, and he had given them to her. she'd smiled at him just like that. but how can she be the princess? ryuu thought. she looks nothing like the raven princess I remember. but that smile ...

indent"earth to ryuu!" he heard saaki shout. they'd come to a stop in the middle of another square. saaki still donned his frown. "dude, you really space out all the time, don't you?" he asked.

indentryuu gritted his teeth. "what is your deal?" he asked, seething. "why did you try to keep shihoru away from the square? because I was there? what business do you have with her?"

indent"woah, woah, lover boy. calm down. it has nothing to do with you. I just thought that it was really weird that she was outside without an umbrella. what's she going to do in the square anyway? I was just trying to tell her to get inside. that's all."

indent"then why lie?"

indent"well, um, because she was being stubborn. let's change the subject, okay? she's got class to get to anyway. we were doing her a favor by leaving her."

indentryuu was still unconvinced, but he decided to let it slide. he could ask saaki later, when he wasn't on the defensive, or he could simply ask shihoru. perhaps she had forgiven him? he desperately hoped so. it wasn't the best sign when the first person you really talked to ended up hating you. he hoped it wasn't some kind of omen.

indent"fine," ryuu said. "you said you were captain of the swim team, right? why don't you show me the pool then."

indentsaaki's eyes lit up and his grin returned. "sure!" he said, pointing in a general direction. "it's that way. hey! if you join the swim team, we could get closer!"

indentryuu winced at the thought. "count me out," he said bluntly.

indent"aw, you're no fun. come on, then."

[thank]

“ you're an angel ” // by isla
a/n : i think i ship ryuu and saaki a bit too much?? we'll see how this turns out haha ^^"

indent"isn't it pretty?" saaki put his hands on his hips as he stood overlooking the crystal-clear pool. the sound of the rain pattering against the glass roof of the pool building rang in ryuu's ears. obviously, the building was empty, since everyone else was in class like good students. "i come to swim here all the time."

indentryuu stared at his feet, his white hair falling into his face. why was he here, again? if he wanted to, he could leave, walk out the doors he came through. what was stopping him?

indentmaybe it was the fact he had never really had a friend before, someone that wanted to show him something that was special to them. it felt nice, not lonely. ryuu wished he had had the chance to make some friends prior to coming to the human district. but that was difficult ─ demons were a lot meaner than humans. if he had ran into someone back at home they would have lashed out at him, both with words and whatever weapon they had on them. maybe that was why ryuu himself was so aggressive all the time, why he was always on edge, never comfortable or relaxed.

indent"you alright, angel?" he asked, suddenly right in front of ryuu. saaki ducked his head so he could peer at ryuu's face, his yellow eyes sparkly mischievously. ryuu blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed for some reason. he was no angel. actually, he was the exact opposite. obviously saaki didn't know that.

indent"angel?" ryuu asked, stepping back so saaki wasn't so up in his face. he wanted to see exactly why saaki had chosen that word.

indenthe chuckled, a sound that almost didn't suit him. it seemed to pure and sweet for someone as strange as him. "because you're sweet and frankly look heavenly." he dragged out the word 'heavenly', wiggling a finger at ryuu, whose face was now redder than a tomato. he didn't understand why saaki was so attracted to him. maybe the human form he had taken on was considered attractive in this district. countless people he had walked by had been left staring at him, but he just thought that was because he was new. maybe that wasn't the case.

indentsaaki took a step away, folding running his fingers through his orange hair, tossing it around. he gazed at the pool longingly, almost as if he wanted to just dive right. then again, maybe he did. he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. so far saaki had not ceased to surprise him.

indenthim beginning to strip confirmed ryuu's suspicion. "saaki, wait!" he cried out, sticking his arms out as if that would stop them. saaki laughed again, tossing his shirt aside.

indent"don't be so uptight. don't worry, i've got my swimsuit on. i have practice later today. might as well get warmed up."

indenthe finished peeling off his uniform and kicked the pile of clothes aside. he was left wearing nothing but a pair of black swim shorts. ryuu wasn't sure if it was even humanly possible to blush this much. he went from just meeting this guy to seeing him half-naked in about half an hour.

indentcould this day get any weirder? he wondered to himself.

indentsaaki smiled cockily and stepped up to the edge of the pool, teetering over the edge, almost testing ryuu's patience. "watch this!" he exclaimed before he dived in, arching his body beautifully as he flew towards the water. there was barely a splash as he collided with the blue water of the pool. ryuu stared at him, amazed. he had never seen anyone dive so, well, perfectly before. actually, he had never really seen anyone dive before. it wasn't like there were pools back in his district.

indentthe water rippled as saaki swam around underwater, the sound of the water slapping against the side of the pool filling the room. ryuu was tempted to jump right in after saaki, experience the feeling of the water against his skin, but he wasn't sure if he even knew how to swim. it wasn't like he had any reason to swim before. no one had bothered to teach him how to kick and wave your arms in just the right way so that he could stay afloat. he longed to be able to move like saaki did under the water, gracefully and quickly all at the same time.

indentsaaki's finally stopped swimming around underwater and popped his head out, treading the water, a sly grin on his face. "what d'yah think?" he asked, cocking his head again. ryuu had noticed this was something he did quite often when he was searching for an answer. perhaps all humans did this?

indentryuu tried to keep his eyes from traveling down to saaki's bare skin, which was dappled with water droplets that sparkling in the lighting. he pulled at his collar, looking in the other direction, towards the white diving blocks.

indent"i, erm─ it was nice. the dive, i mean." he mumbled in reply, fiddling with his tie. why was he so nervous? it wasn't like he was being backed into a corner anymore. he was safe. he could run away if he wanted to.

indentbut at that very moment, he honestly didn't want to run away. maybe he and saaki could be friends. as weird as he was, he'd been nice. if he now felt comfortable with saaki, why was he so damn flustered?

indentsaaki swam closer, resting his arms on the edge of the pool. he raised an eyebrow at ryuu.

indent"aww, c'mon. you've gotta give me more credit than that. that dive was practically flawless!" he complained, the mock-confused look on his face quickly changing into a smirk. ryuu blushed again, his white hair falling into his face. their eyes locked for a moment before ryuu turned to look at the diving blocks once again.

indenthe noticed saaki frown out of the corner of his eye. had he done something wrong? he hadn't meant to. he hadn't even said anything in response to his last comment. but maybe that was the problem? possible scenarios flew through his head at what had happened. maybe saaki was looking for better praise, or perhaps criticism? maybe he wasn't suppose to say anything at all but just smile?

indentryuu had mixed feelings for this new "friend". one minute he was feeling angry because he was annoying as hell and the next he was feeling flustered for some reason. was it normal for humans to feel so much emotion at once? he had never really needed to feel so many different ways before. he usually had three moods ─ angry, content, and bored, with occasional confusion sprinkled in.

indentas hard as he tried, he couldn't quite figure out saaki. why was the tall boy so interested in him? had he somehow figured out what he was? and why had he been trying to keep shiho away from him earlier? was her perhaps... jealous? that shiho and ryuu had talked previously, that ryuu possessed her umbrella? the thought was almost ridiculous.

indent"whatcha thinking about?"

indentthe question surprised ryuu. no oner ever seemed concerned about what he was thinking. honestly, the only thing that ever really mattered the anyone in akuryo was what king guren thought. that was why he was here, after all. if he had a say in anything he'd probably be at home in his quarters or standing next to the king's throne like always.

indentryuu wasn't even sure why he was sent. why not chose someone stronger than him, someone trained in tracking down the lost princess? or send a team of people! even if there was only one more person along his side, he was almost positive they'd be able to find the raven princess twice as fast. ryuu was defiantly not a people person. he preferred to be alone, work alone. maybe guren had thought it through better than he had and had decided that ryuu should work by himself, that things could get done faster that way.

indent"nothing." ryuu mumbled angrily, balling his hands into fists, his fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. saaki had no reason to pry like that.

indentif saaki was taken aback by his response, his didn't show it. instead, his grin widened. "ooh, you're feisty. i like it. now, boo, why don't you c'mere. we can swim together!"

indentcouldn't this boy take a hint? ryuu didn't want to swim. he was upset and flustered and didn't want to talk to saaki or look at him because he damn confusing. more emotions than he had ever felt before in his life swirled through his head, making him want to scream.

indenthe wanted to go home. he wanted to go back to the dark castle. he wanted to go back and stand by the king's chair, listen to his stories until his eyelids drooped and his limbs grew weary.

indent"just come in the water for a minute!" saaki whined, sticking out his bottom lip as if that would help convince ryuu.

indent"no." ryuu replied, rubbing his temples with his palms, his long fingers running through his white hair. he squeezed his eyes shut tight.

indent"you can just sit by the side. i just want to talk to you, have some fun!"

indentat this point ryuu's temper was getting the best of him. he tried to calm his breathing, in for seven seconds, out for eight. in. out. in. out. it wasn't working. ryuu finally snapped.

indent"are you deaf? i said no!" he lashed out, trying to hit something. there was no one around for him to beat, no one to let his anger out on, except for saaki, but he was too far out of reach. he swore, trying to calm himself down, but his heart was pounding too hard. he could feel it hammering in his chest as if it was trying to burst out. he could feel himself changing, slowly but surly. he needed to stop himself before it was too late. before he turned back into his original form.

indenthe was suddenly falling into the pool. he hadn't even noticed that saaki had reached out and grabbed ahold of his ankle, pulling him into the clear water. he landed with a sudden splash, which scared him a bit more than it angered him.

indentwhat was he even angry about? he couldn't remember. he was slowly sinking to the bottom of the pool. he could see saaki treading water above him. his figure was nothing but a silhouette to him. was he trying to say something? if he was, ryuu couldn't tell.

indenthis white hair floated around his head like a halo as he hit the bottom of the pool. his lungs screamed for air but he didn't care. the way the light from above danced on the rippling water made him feel content, calmed him down. he closed his eyes, breathing out through his nose slowly.

indentthat's when he realized exactly what was happening. he couldn't swim. he was trapped at the bottom of the pool, slowly drowning.