I had been procrastinating enough ^^; Whee! I feel so weird... happy and depressed at the same time. I guess it's because of this SeiferxZell fic I've been reading ;_;

Oki... a new character is introduced (Aiji) =P I still don't know where this fic is going coz I think of something in my head and when I try to type it down, I end up with a different thing ^^;; Oh well...

C&C please =P

PART SIX: ESPÉRANCE

It was Kyo who greeted him when he stepped out of the shuttle, and he was quite amazed to find the usually brash fatima to be rather sullen and withdrawn. He explained that Kaoru was currently in a meeting with the rest of the Knights and neglected to mention Toshiya's current whereabouts, until Die was forced to ask. Toshiya, Kyo said, was currently being prepared for several conducive and rigorous tests to help him regain most of his memories and abilities to pilot an MH. After being escorted to his rooms, he left the task of unpacking to the servants and focused instead on the report one Dr. Mizui handed over to him when he visited Toshiya in the center.

"The damage is not as bad as we thought it would be. He just needs a lot of time and patience to be able to do the things he once did. Would you like to see him?" Dr. Mizui offered.

At Die's blank stare, the doctor continued, "It might do him good to see you. Who knows? Maybe he'll remember you?"

He didn't wait for Die to give an answer, instead pushing the taller man ahead of him and into a room at the end of the hallway.

Toshiya looked up from a series of reflex exercises he was given and frowned. There was some nagging voice in his head, yelling at him to focus on the man who came in with the doctor.

"Toshiya? You have a visitor... Ando Daisuke. I'll leave you two and come back in, let's say--- half an hour? I'll send the therapist over to help you with those later."

When the door was closed and he was left to face those inquisitive eyes, Die nervously licked his lips and cleared his throat, watching and waiting for the other to be the first to say something. Toshiya just looked at him for a minute or two, finally lost interest and turned his attention back to the monitor to continue chasing flying mortar headds around the screen with his eyes. He noticed the redhead drag a chair closer from the corner of his eyes, but kept still.

"Toshiya? Totchi, do you remember me?"

A negative shake of the head.

"Would you like to know who I am?" Die asked somewhat desperately. He'd had time to examine himself during the twelve-hour flight from Addler and armed with the knowledge that he was now free of his past, he deduced that he indeed felt something for the blue-haired fatima.

At least now, with the second question, he managed to transfer Toshiya's attention to him and the fatima studied him carefully. Die could almost imagine the wheels turning inside his head.

"Would you?" he asked again.

A slow nod.

"Totchi---," he started as he held out a hand for the other to hold. Toshiya looked at it curiously for a long while, and Die withdrew his hand dejectedly, but Toshiya quickly grabbed onto it and unconsciously threaded their fingers together. The sudden smile that broke across Die's face mesmerized him, and it warmed him to know that he had caused it when he accepted the man's silent offer.

He felt Die run the back of his other hand against his cheek and he shifted around to lean into it, but an embarassed cough broke the two of them apart as Dr. Mizui once again stepped inside the room.

"I apologize, Sir, but the Emperor would like to see you."

Die reluctantly let go of Toshiya's hand and stood up, casting the boy a quick glance only to find him absorbed once again on the monitor. He bade for the doctor to follow him out in the hallway.

"I would like for you to join me for dinner to further discuss his condition."

"Of course, Daisuke-sama. I have more to tell you. What time do you have in mind?"

Die looked thoughtful for a moment, before he added, "I'll send someone over to fetch you after I've had audience with His Highness."

He didn't get to see much of Toshiya the week after that, but he had asked a very surprised Kyo to keep watch over him. The days got longer and he flew back and forth from Delta Belun to Colus, working on his employer's interests while his MH was being upgraded. The excuse of lacking both mortar headd and fatima didn't quite settle well with him, but he accepted the new position Amaterasu so graciously bestowed upon him.

'Temporary measures,' he'd said and left it at that.

He welcomed the distraction he found in lending the Colus Dynasty a hand while they planned battle strategies against Hagooda, but the nights were a different matter. They might be shorter but even so, every single second felt like an eternity to him, as he tossed and turned and stared at the empty space beside him.

So now he was on his way back home, anxious to see Toshiya again.

Surprise was the word that blazed in his mind when he stepped out of the shuttle and found Jun waving at him from the waiting area.

"Die! Over here!"
"Eh? What are you doing here?"

"Kaoru-sama and Kyo were sent to assist in the Bell Creal. Your uncle thought it'd best if I go and look after Toshiya."

Jun reached over to take one of the suitcases from Die's hand and motioned for the other to follow him towards a black car. He was further more suprised when one of the doors swished open and Toshiya stepped out, and he turned to Jun with a questioning glance.

"Mizui-san said it might do him good to be out in different surroundings," Jun explained as Toshiya latched himself to his arm and tugged him over to a multi-colored stand by the sidewalk.

"Ice cream! Ice cream! I want some ice cream!" he yelled excitedly in Jun's ear.

"Ice cream it is. What flavor do you want, Totchi?"

The blue-haired fatima scrunched his nose up and carefully examined the list before him. He felt the redhead lean towards him and read the list out loud, pausing once in a while to comment about this and that flavor.

"Hmmm... you should try chocolate mint. It's really good," Die suggested.

"Just two scoops, Toshiya. It's almost time for dinner and you'll ruin your appetite."
Toshiya pouted and whined while Jun resisted. He deliberately gave Toshiya a stern look, hoping that Die would come to the rescue, and his friend didn't disappoint. Die gave a melodramatic sigh and draped an arm around Jun's shoulder, "Still as strict as ever, komori-chan. You're no fun! Don't worry, Totchi, I've got him restrained. Get as many scoops as you want and I'll pay."

Toshiya gave him a wide grin and turned to the server, ending up with free ice cream and an extra scoop... the server thought he was too cute. Jun grumbled half-heartedly and gave a long-suffering sigh as they made their way back to the car, Toshiya trailing along as he dug into his ice cream. When they were all settled and Die shouted directions to the driver, he reclined against Jun and whispered, "So, how come he acts like he remembers you?"

His eyes followed every movement the blue-haired fatima did and he gave a tiny smile while Toshiya bounce around the spacious interior happily, finally settling down and pressing his face against the window.

"He doesn't. It's just that I've been with him 24/7 and I think he trusts me," Jun whispered back.

Too soon they arrived home and Die reluctantly tore his gaze away as he climbed out of the car, and felt someone tugging impatiently at his arm.

"Do you want some? It's good!" Toshiya offered as he waved the spoon in front of Die's face. Die cracked a smile and silently refused, but the other insisted and he ended up opening his mouth wide while Toshiya happily shoved several spoonfuls down his throat.

"Jun never lets me have more than two scoops. He said too much sweets are bad for your health."
Die patted his head affectionately before he leaned in conspiratorily, "But you and I know better, ne?"

Jun punched his arm lightly before shaking his head in mock disapproval when both Die and Toshiya gave him guilty smiles.

"You're polluting his mind!"

"Me? Aw, come on, Jun-chan. You should try and loosen up. No need to be the Bitch Queen over dairy products."