fyulong | [Voice / Action]

[ . . . ]

You would say that.

[ b-but! this part is important! ]

At first I wanted revenge. I think a part of me still does. For you. For dad and the Father. Bishop Castor said I should take the exam to be a bishop's apprentice so I could move freely. He said it would help me get revenge by getting stronger and bypassing the Imperial Army. I agreed then immediately. B-but that's not why anymore!

[Ahh, Teito. Mikage laughs a little, ruffling his friend's hair; that request of Teito was wishful thinking on his part, really, since it was the whole reason he'd had to flee the academy in the first place. He just hadn't wanted revenge to consume who he was.]

You idiot... figures you'd go and do something like that. So what're you doing now, then?

[ asdfasdf!!! batting hands away. IRRITABLY! ]

I wasn't done! Before the exam, some of the Black Hawks snuck into the church. The Eye left me so that a Wars that got inside of me wouldn't hurt me anymore.

But I still went on with the test anyway and passed. Frau and I had to escape the church immediately after. I decided that I was going to find out the truth. To stop living in a world of lies.

[TEITO THIS IS ALL SO COMPLICATED.]

That's a good goal! But it sounds like you've been through a lot. I'm really glad you're safe.

[One thing, though...]

You mentioned it before- what do you mean, 'Eye'?

What do you mean -

[ oh that's right. Mikage doesn't know... ]

The Eye of Mikhail. My dad placed it inside of me to protect my soul. You see... My real name is Wahrheit Tiashe Raggs.

[pffffft. Okay that's a little nuts, buddy.]

You had the Eye all along!? Is that why the army wanted to capture you so badly?

[ you believed him before! ]

I've had it since I was really small...

[He believes it, he just acknowledges the crazy. |D]

That's amazing! But if it left you, where is it now?

Where do you think? With Ayaname.

[Augh, that bastard again? If Mikage didn't already hate him, he'd sure as heck start now.]

I'd really like to nail that guy's ass to the floor.

I would love to just...

[ not finishing the sentence. Mikage should realize how much Teito hates Ayaname. ]

This has got to sound crazy. Harder to believe than when I told you about being a prince. What do you know about Verloren?

Verloren? The God of Death, right? Sealed by the Seven Ghosts. It's a well known legend.

So you know about Pandora's Box?

[ serious Teito is serious. ]

[This is a strange divergence from what they'd been talking about. Why so serious, Teito?]

Sure- the vessel where Verloren was sealed. Why...?

Bishop Kreuz was my uncle. The one the Pope accused of stealing Pandora's Box. But he didn't steal it. Unless you count taking me away from Raggs.

[It takes some effort, but somehow Mikage manages to resist the urge to go with his initial reaction - shock, a protest using the logic he'd been taught for most of his life, that Pandora's Box sealed Verloren's soul long before Teito was born - and just followed his heart and remained silent so Teito could explain.

He wouldn't have said something like that if he didn't truly believe it.]

[ will take the silence to mean he can go on. ]

Someone placed Verloren's body inside of me. They made me into Pandora's Box. My dad gave me the Eye of Mikhail so that my soul wouldn't deteriorate. I didn't want to believe it either, but the Eye confirmed it for me.

And I can feel it. Eating at me. Slowly.

[...Shit. This is one thing Mikage doesn't want to believe- as if not believing in something makes it untrue. He can't force himself to stop believing in Teito, though.

And knowing this now, what more could he do but pull Teito into a firm embrace, wishing that a hug was enough to stop what was hurting him.]

[ totally caught off-guard by the hug. what? just... ]

M-Mikage?

[ he isn't scared? ]

[Stupid Teito. He's not letting go.]

I... I don't know what I can do, Teito, or how to help you, or what'll happen when we go back home. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you, no matter what.

[ more clingy Teito for Mikage to deal with. and definitely more tears. Mikage is far too good for him... he knows this. ]

[Don't you dare say that aloud, or you'll get a smack.

Mikage's perfectly content to let him cling. Anything that'll help.]

[ no worries. he's not going to express that thought again out loud anytime soon. it takes a little time, but Teito calms down. ]

I remember my family...

[Mikage smiles at that, keeping an arm around Teito if he should happen to pull back, if only to keep that contact alive.]

Are they good memories?

[ but he doesn't. clingy Teito is mighty clingy after spending so many months mourning the Mikage that taught him so much. ]

Some of them.

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