It was just after a gruelling battle of the Waves…

There was rubble everywhere, whole buildings collapsed in heaps. Bloodstains covered the battlefield, dead bodies right next to them.

However, in the distance, someone was still alive… But just barely.

"Ha…haa…" A trail of blood stained the ground, leading right to a certain redheaded Scythe Hero.

He coughs, blood pouring from his mouth, his thigh, head, neck, back, arm, and side as he leans his back against a partially standing wall of bricks, staining it red as blood pooled underneath him.

He clutches a large gash on his side with one hand as the other was still bleeding from the claw marks of a beast, trying to stop the bleeding, but he knows it's no use.

'I guess this is how I die…' He thinks as the blood flowed down over his left eye.

"Ha…haha…" He pants, closing one of his eyes, 'I wish I had more time.'

He's silent for a while before he hears footsteps. Someone was coming.

Unexpectedly, he sees the Shield Hero, Naofumi, who approaches him, staring at the fallen hero with a frown on his face.

'It just had to be you, Kiddo…' As he takes a few last breathes, 'But it's not bad.'

He closes his eyes, taking his last breath, 'Seeing the one I love before I die isn't bad at all…'

Then, a pair of hands reach out to him, "Don't die on me yet, L'Arc…"

Naofumi put his hands around L'Arc's face before a bright green light gathers, casting a spell, "Revelation Heal."

A bright green light surrounds L'Arc, healing his wounds as Naofumi kneels down, his forehead touching L'Arc's as his cape flutters in the wind.

After a few minutes, L'Arc opens his eyes. He sees Naofumi smiling at him, a bright green light around him…and he smiles too. Raising a bloodstained hand to touch Naofumi's face, he says, "Thank you…" before passing out.

When L'Arc wakes up, he sees the starry night sky. Hearing the crackling of a fire and the smell of food, he slowly gets up. Looking down, he sees that he's in the nearby woods, a green cape was used as a makeshift blanket...and that he was shirtless. His wounds were all dressed in bandages too.

Looking towards the fire and good smell, he sees Naofumi stirring a pot that was over the fire.

Naofumi looked towards him and smiled, "Oh… Good. You're awake."

L'Arc stared at him for a second before nodding, "It smells good."

"Dinner will be ready in a bit," he says before getting two bowls and spoons.

"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything but…Why did you save me?" L'Arc asks.

As Naofumi held a ladle, he scooped up the soup into a bowl, "Because I wanted to."

Handing the steaming bowl over to L'Arc, who accepted it, L'Arc asks, "I thought you hated me?"

Naofumi hands him a spoon before getting his own bowl, "I don't hate you though?"

L'Arc stares at him for a moment, and Naofumi sighs, elaborating, "I tried but…I just can't bring myself to hate you. Now, eat your dinner."

Nodding, L'Arc obeys, eating a spoonful of soup. His eyes widen at the taste, and moans, "Mm~… Delicious."

Naofumi smiles a bit before eating his own bowl of soup.

After dinner, L'Arc smiles, "That was the best soup I've ever had!"

"Glad to hear that…" Naofumi says as he washes the dishes before putting them away.

Naofumi sits down on a log, and L'Arc asks, "Where are the others of your group?"

"We got separated during the chaos…and then I found you," Naofumi replies, "You're heavy, by the way."

"So…you need someone to watch your back then…" L'Arc says while ignoring the fact that Naofumi had carried him, knowing that Naofumi knows what he meant by that.

"…No. You should rest," he refuses.

"I'm a Hero, remember? I heal fast," L'Arc argues.

"You lost a lot of blood…so, no," Naofumi puts his foot down, "You rest tonight. I'll keep watch."

"But-Mph!" L'Arc was about to protest but got a bottle shoved into his mouth, the green liquid inside pouring into his mouth. It oddly tasted sweet. L'Arc accidentally swallowed some of it before the bottle was pulled back out of his mouth.

Coughing, L'Arc yells, "What the hell?" as he stares at Naofumi, who was holding the bottle.

Then, L'Arc started to get sleepy, yawning. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Naofumi gently laid him down as he put his cape back on him like a blanket, "It's just sleeping medicine. You'll be fine in the morning."

"Goodnight, L'Arc," was the last sentence he heard before falling asleep.

Seeing L'Arc sleeping soundly, Naofumi sighs, shaking his head. He uses another spell, "Zweit Heal," a green light healing L'Arc even further.

Then, ever the night owl and workaholic, Naofumi begins working on more medicines and crafting accessories.

The next morning…

L'Arc woke up to the smell of breakfast. Opening his eyes, he yawns and stretches, seeing Naofumi yawning as he cooks some eggs over the fire, and boils a pot of water for tea.

"Morning…" Naofumi tiredly greets through another yawn.

"Morning," L'Arc replies as he slowly gets up, feeling better than last night.

Rolling his shoulders, L'Arc smiles, "I feel great!"

Naofumi serves breakfast, a bit happy in his heart that L'Arc's feeling better.

As they were cleaning up camp, Naofumi said, "Here," as he threw a shirt at L'Arc, hitting him in the face.

L'Arc pulled the shirt off his face, only to realize it was his. Naofumi had done his best to patch it while he slept, a few stitches visible on the cloth. Sewing was not his strong suit, but it was good enough.

Grinning, L'Arc sees Naofumi's head turned away from him…but the visible shade of red on his ears told him everything, "Thanks, Kiddo."

After that, they went to look for a safer place to camp. Along the way, they encountered some monsters. Mostly wolves, but they were no match for both of them.

"I thought I told you to take it easy," Naofumi glares.

"But… I'm feeling sooooo much better!" L'Arc complains.

"…" Naofumi sighs, a hand on his forehead as he felt a headache coming on, "Fine…just let me know if you need to rest, OK?"

"Sure, Kiddo!" L'Arc smiles.

When they found a safe spot and made camp, L'Arc sees Naofumi yawn again.

"You OK, Kiddo? Need a nap?" L'Arc asks, a bit concerned.

"I'm fine…" Naofumi stubbornly says, but his glazed eyes say otherwise.

Sighing, L'Arc grabs the bottle, the one he knows has sleeping medicine in it and puts it behind his back as he sits Naofumi down on the grass.

"You sure?" L'Arc asks, Naofumi blinking at him before yawning again.

"Yes, I'm-Mph?!" Naofumi tries to speak but had a bottle of medicine shoved in his mouth. Naofumi tried to resist, but L'Arc was stronger than him. The green liquid went down his throat. After swallowing a few times, L'Arc removed the bottle as Naofumi glared at him.

"Consider this payback for last night," L'Arc smiles, "Now, get some sleep, Naofumi."

Naofumi tried to fight the urge to sleep, but it was no use. Closing his eyes, his head fell against L'Arc's shoulder, and he fell asleep.

Making sure Naofumi stays comfortable, L'Arc wraps an arm around Naofumi's waist.

'He looks so peaceful when he's asleep…' L'Arc pets Naofumi's surprisingly soft hair and smiles.

Yawning himself, L'Arc then decides to nap with Naofumi, leaning his head on Naofumi's, and falling asleep too.

When Naofumi woke up, he was laying down on the grass, his cape acting as a blanket again.

Then, he sees L'Arc with a fire already burning.

L'Arc smirks, "Have a nice nap?"

Naofumi glares at him, but admits defeat this time, "Yes…"

"Then, can you make dinner? I'm starving!"

Sighing and shaking his head, Naofumi obliges, if only because he's hungry too.

After a dinner of wolf meat, Naofumi and L'Arc laid down on the grass and gazed up at the stars. It was a crystal clear night, so why not?

As they stared at the stars for a while, it was silent between them. At least…until one of them spoke his mind.

"Seriously though…why did you save me?"

"I told you…because I wanted to."

L'Arc turns towards him, "You really don't hate me?"

Naofumi asks in response, "Would you still be alive if I did?"

"Probably not…" L'Arc frowns.

"Besides, I could always just poison you and you'd probably die by morning. Medicine and poison are two sides of the same coin, after all," Naofumi nonchalantly says, which makes L'Arc a bit uncomfortable.

"Uh…"

"I'm kidding," Naofumi smiles, "Even I still have some morals, so I won't do that. If I did want to, I wouldn't tell you in the first place."

"…Right," L'Arc nods, sweat-dropping.

Naofumi chuckles at L'Arc's uncomfortable face, happy to see that he's thrown off the redhead for once.

Hearing Naofumi chuckle like that was kind of cute to L'Arc though.

"Is your world really worth it to you?" Naofumi suddenly asks.

L'Arc blinks at him before answering, "Of course. Isn't this one?"

"…No. I hate it," Naofumi frowns, sighing.

"Then…why are we fighting again?" L'Arc asks, a bit confused.

"I just…want to protect what I want to. That includes the few kind people I've met…" 'Which also includes you,' but he'd never admit that. Naofumi answers, "Saving this world is just an unfortunate consequence."

L'Arc thinks about it for a bit before nodding, "I see…"

It was silent before another round of questions came out.

"Ne, L'Arc?"

"What?"

"Is it even possible to save both worlds?"

L'Arc hesitates before giving an honest answer, "…I don't know…maybe."

"Can we try then?" Naofumi genuinely asks.

"OK," L'Arc smiles at the idea, "We can try."

They sit up and shake hands on it, ultimately creating an alliance with each other.

Then, L'Arc decides to pull Naofumi down onto the grass with him. Naofumi lands on L'Arc, sprawled across his lap, L'Arc's arm around his waist.

"What was that for?!" Naofumi slightly blushes as he scolds the man.

"I've been meaning to tell you…" L'Arc laughs before leaning in close, whispering in Naofumi's ear, "I like you."

Naofumi's blush gets brighter, "Uh…"

L'Arc smirks as he kisses Naofumi's forehead, "Nn," Naofumi flinching at the touch.

'I wonder what other sounds he can make?' L'Arc thinks as he tries to close in again…only to be hit in the face with a shield, separating them.

"Ow!" L'Arc rubs his forehead, "Why?!'

"Because you always throw me off!" Naofumi yells as his blush was at an all-time high.

"…" L'Arc couldn't help but ask, "I do?"

"Yes…even if you don't mean to. It just happens naturally," Naofumi huffs, turning away from him.

At that, L'Arc hugs him from behind, making Naofumi stiffen for a moment before sighing, relaxing in the hold.

"Can I kiss you?" L'Arc asks as he ruffles Naofumi's head, whispering in his ear again.

Blush still in effect, Naofumi glances at him before turning away…and nodding.

Happy, L'Arc turns Naofumi around before lightly kissing him on the lips.

After parting, L'Arc asks, "Was that your first?"

Silent, Naofumi nods again, gripping L'Arc's hand in his.

L'Arc slightly blushes too, excitedly saying, "I want all of your firsts."

Naofumi pouts, hitting L'Arc in the side, "I don't do sex on the first date."

"Haha! Alright!" L'Arc smiles, "Then, can you kiss me?"

Naofumi stares at him in shock for a moment before pulling L'Arc in close. L'Arc leans in as Naofumi closes his eyes, his lips puckered and his ears red.

L'Arc blushes too, 'He's trying so hard… so cute!'

Opening his eyes, Naofumi sees that he's still quite a distance away from his goal, so…

'Aw, fuck it,' Naofumi plants a kiss on L'Arc's lips, closing his eyes as he does so, surprising L'Arc again.

Quickly parting their lips, Naofumi (cutely to L'Arc) glares at him, "There."

L'Arc was silent as he put a finger to his lips, still processing what just happened.

Nervous from L'Arc's silence, Naofumi turns around, "I'm going to bed. Goodnight!" as he runs away.

Snapping out of it, L'Arc chases after him, "Wait up!"

In the morning, you can find Naofumi and L'Arc asleep while holding each other, a green cape acting as a blanket once again.

Once they had found their friends or their friends found them, they both told them about their alliance and declared that: "We're going to try to save both worlds."

Eventually, they did just that…but that's a story for another time.

Omake:

After everything was over, L'Arc was living with Naofumi.

"Hey, L'Arc! What do you want for dinner? Or, do you want a bath first?" Naofumi asks, blushing as he had an apron on over his clothes, and a ladle in his hand.

L'Arc's reply was, of course, "I'd rather have you, Naofumi."

Naofumi looked down before sighing, submitting to his fate, "F-fine…"

To L'Arc's surprise, he takes off his clothes, leaving just the apron on.

Gulping and blushing, L'Arc excitedly pounced on him, carrying him to the bedroom bridal style, the door closing behind them and subsequently locked.