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Noi wasn’t one to run. But…
He was running from his past. His last failure.
Noi opened the window of Ava’s apartment when suddenly a purposefully loud footstep was heard behind him.
Noi turned around suddenly, bringing out his blade.
“Noi. What are you doing?” The monotone voice asked.
“Pierce,” Noi nodded and tried to turn around and leave to avoid the question.
“Noi. What. Are. You. Doing?” Pierce asked again.
Damn it, Pierce. This wasn’t supposed to be confrontational, Noi thought, refusing to turn around and meet Pierce’s narrowing gaze.
“I’m going out for a walk,” Noi lied.
“You're lying. Are you running from the mission?” He asked as if he knew what Noi was planning to do.
“No! I’m just going for a walk!” Noi huffed, still facing the night sky beyond Ava’s window.
“Noi,” Pierce said Noi’s name with a growl. “What would Ashe say?”
“I don’t care what Ashe would say. None of you think I’m of use anyway, without my magic and such,” Noi sighed, tightening the grip on his blade. “Even when I did have magic, you all thought I was useless.”
“You are of use,” he retorted.
Noi froze. Pierce was never known to lie. Noi turned around to see sincerity in Pierce’s usually stone-faced expression.
“Out of all of us, you would be the most likely to win Ava’s affection,” he explained.
Noi turned away, face red but with sorrow. He remembered the one night he had caught Leaf about to kill Ava and had decided that he, Noi, would do it instead. But when he held his blade above her… All he saw was…
Noi shook his head. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Pierce raised an eyebrow. “Why? You love her, am I correct?” He asked.
“I do, I really do. But the last time I…” Noi caught himself.
“You what?” Pierce pressed.
Noi refused to turn around because he had felt tears pooling in his eyes.
“The last time I… fell in love with a human,” Noi confessed, feeling his shoulders tense with regret as the only response from Pierce was silence.
“You’ve… fallen in love with a human before?” Pierce gasped.
Noi’s cheeks were wet with tears as he remembered… him.
“Yes. One from Deamos. He was… so kind but so strong. Until… she came and…” Noi felt his walls break down. He turned around to face Pierce with blurry vision. “ Forced me to kill him. ”
Pierce was frozen. He had never seen Noi so in distress, even from when Ava had gotten sick. It had certainly gotten close, but the look of pure sadness, loss, and anger, pooling in Noi’s face was like nothing Pierce would ever like to see again.
Pierce decided there was only one thing he could do at that moment, and the one thing Noi definitely needed.
Pierce went up to Noi and hugged him.
Noi was silent. “What… What are you doing?” He gasped, confused.
“I’m giving you a ‘hug’. Ava told me it’s a spell to make people feel happy. I think,” He explained.
Noi’s eyes softened and he melted into the hug, enjoying the warmth he felt and the strange, calming feeling.
“I like hugs,” Noi sighed as his tears dried ever so slightly.
The two held it for what felt like hours, but they didn’t mind in the slightest. This human magic was a beautiful and wonderful feeling.
“If I’m being honest,” Noi started. “I was trying to run,” Noi admitted.
“I know,” Pierce responded.
“But it was because I’m afraid of hurting her,” Noi sighed.
“I understand,” Pierce nodded, the two still in an embrace.
“Leaf says I hesitate. But it’s because every time I raise my blade, all I see…” Noi sniffed. “I tried to kill Ava once, but I hesitated. And to be honest, I’m glad I did. Getting to know her has been the most incredible adventure I have ever had.”
Noi suddenly realized something. “Wait! Pierce! You did a human spell!” Noi pushed back, but not releasing his hug.
Pierce gaped and realized the comfort that he too was feeling. “I… I feel it too! We both must have done it!”
Noi smiled and the two separated.
Pierce frowned. “The lack of the spell enactment seems to make me feel… less comforted,” Pierce glanced at his hands.
Noi sighed sadly. “Me too.”
The two glanced at each other and immediately hugged again.
A few minutes later, the two were asleep.
Minutes turned to hours and then the sun rose.
“What in the world..?” Leaf exited the portal to see the two asleep in each other’s arms.
Rise followed suit and saw the two as well. “What are they doing?”
Ashe was last to exit, and the second he came out, he turned right back around. “ Nope! ” He exclaimed and vanished.
Rise read the prince’s reaction and put some pieces together, and quickly went after him, red faced.
Leaf sat there, still confused. He shrugged and went up to them.
He grabbed his blades and banged them together, startling the two awake.
“Wha..?” Noi said dreamily, “Oh, good morning, Leaf.”
“Leaf,” Pierce nodded, not releasing his grip on Noi, and Noi making no attempt to pull away.
“Pierce,” Leaf responded. “Now, what the hell are you two doing?” He asked.
“Oh! Pierce and I learned a human spell!” Noi beamed.
“Yes,” Pierce confirmed.
“Neat, now can you stop?” Leaf huffed.
Noi and Pierce frowned.
Leaf was taken aback. “What kind of spell is it, anyway?” He shrugged it off.
“It’s an emotion based spell. It makes you feel happier and less stressed,” Pierce explained.
Rise came out off the portal, with an expression of shock on his face. “Emotion based? Those are outlawed in Deamos!”
Leaf shrugged. “We’re not in Deamos anymore idiot.”
Rise went up to the two and began studying them. “Can I..?” Rise began after a few seconds of silence.
Noi nodded and pulled him into the embrace.
Leaf turned red with jealousy, and squeezed himself in.
Pierce and Noi smiled at each other as the happy and stress free feeling overflowed.
Leaf and Rise were entranced in the feeling. Grins on both of their faces. At one point Ashe had come out and joined the hug.
Ava woke up that morning to a room full of hugging demons. They had dragged her in the embrace.
No one asked why the window was open that day, and no one asked how Noi and Pierce had come to be in that position. No one asked why Noi was able to perform human magic, and no one asked why they all felt so much happier and relaxed.
And no one asked about the vengeful thoughts in Noi’s head, for no one knew they existed.
And Noi knew only one thing for certain. That would be the only time he would ever bring his blade down without hesitation. Onto the woman who made him take his lover's life.