Review replies at the end!

I actually really quite like the next few chapters! I hope you like them as much as I do, haha. Things get pretty intense from here on out, then we'll have a little fluff break, aND THEN THINGS EXPLODE

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I wasn't actually going to upload this one until I finished writing Chapter 12, but then I realised it's been over a month since I updated and so I should probably do that, hehe *scratches back of head sheepishly*

I've managed to get rid of my writers block, for now, so fingers crossed I do a few more frequent updates before exam season!

Psst if you want more K Project stuff then check out my profile! I have a Mikoto x OC story that is updated weekly, a couple of completed one-shots and then some weekly upload story things that will be coming soon!

Chapter 10- You Should Go

"I have tonight off, right?" Aoi asked Izumo, using her elbows to lean on the bar, one leg crossed behind the other.

"That's right." Izumo put down his cloth and raised an eyebrow, suspiciously. "Why? You're not going out on a date, are you?"

"What? No! I don't know anyone- ugh, that's beside the point. I wanted to go out and get some headspace; write a little more, maybe. It's a wonderful night, besides. Can I?"

Really what she wanted was the headspace. Things had been getting...weird lately. Misaki one day had walked in with a steel baseball bat she was fairly sure wasn't used for baseball; Dewa and Chitose had tried to cover for him, but she had spotted it (who leaves a baseball bat in the hatstand of a bar anyway?!). Anna had been staring at her more often, particularly through her marbles, and muttering things about red and time and kings. Mikoto had been...well, he had been his usual lazy self, but she had also been noticing something different about him. She didn't just see him as lazy anymore, she had started to see him the way she thought the others might; Tatara, Anna and Misaki in particular. The way he held himself, the way he looked at her. It was almost...regal.

It was all very weird.

The bartender sighed reluctantly. Ideally he didn't want to let his female, teenage cousin out late at night in the middle of Shizume city on her own, particularly considering he knew exactly what was out there and she had no clue, but he knew she would never let it go until she got the answer she wanted. So instead, he compromised.

"Alright, but you have to be in by ten. Keep your phone on all the time, don't put your music in and walk like a man. Do you still have the pepper spray I gave you?"

Aoi produced the cannister from her pocket.

"Check."

"Then it seems you're ready. Have a good night."

"You too; thank you, Izumo!" She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, before grabbing her bag and coat off the pegs and running out of the door. Izumo stared after her and sighed.

"That girl...she's going to be the death of me one of these days."

It was nine-fifty-five in the evening and Aoi was on her way back to the bar. She had had a pleasant enough evening, but now she was going to be late, and she knew if she was late then Izumo would very likely throw a fit.

She decided to take a shortcut, not the wisest decision in the almost-dark, she knew, but then again she was more afraid of her cousin than anyone else so it seemed to be the safer option. She was almost at the bar anyway so it wasn't like she was entirely unprote-

"Watch out!"

Aoi spun around in surprise, narrowly avoiding being hit by a figure on a skateboard. She didn't get a good enough look to be able to tell who it was because almost immediately afterwards somebody else crashed into her and she let out a scream, automatically drawing back her fist and letting it spring forward to catch them across the jaw. The figure let out a grunt of pain and stumbled back a half step, their hand reaching up to cover their jaw as they glared at Aoi over their glasses.

"Goddamn it, Aoi!" They half-yelled at her, and her eyes widened. That was-

"Saruhiko?!" She yelped. "What are you- I mean, I'm so so- you have a sword!"

"What?" He seemed about to elaborate, for once, when suddenly he pushed her to the side and ducked. Aoi was about to complain, when she realised that, thanks to him, they had narrowly evaded being knocked out by a steel baseball bat. Except she knew that baseball bat.

"Yata?" Aoi stumbled back, her face slackening in shock. Now she was no longer distracted by Fushimi, who appeared to be engaged with fighting Yata, though really it looked much more like dancing as neither of them was able to land a blow, she realised that there were more people around them, also fighting. Sparks flew as fists and metal connected-but they weren't sparks at all. There was both blue and red, and it was much too hostile to simply be sparks. It looked more like fire, but with less substance.

Slowly Aoi became aware of what was happening around her. From all corners she was surrounded by people fighting, blue and red flying like fireworks in a sky stained by the setting sun. In front of her Yata and Fushimi, behind her Dewa and Kamamoto as well as two other men in uniforms similar to the ones Fushimi wore. In fact, there were a lot of them dressed like that; all in blue, and they were all fighting her cousins friends.

Izumo-

Wildly she turned, swallowing her fear, desperate to see him, to know where he was and that he was okay, but also terrified that she would see him locked into this vicious war of blue and red. With a shallow intake of breath she saw him, metres away from her, stood in front of Tatara, his hands outstretched and from them leapt red fire. He was...hurting someone; really hurting them.

"Izumo!" She cried, covering her mouth as soon as she did so. She shouldn't have shouted, she knew she shouldn't. Her cousin turned to her, starting in surprise and the fire fading. Unfortunately, everyone else also turned to look at her, and she let out just a tiny squeak of terror before someone's hand clamped around her upper arm, hesitant at first and then biting deep as she failed to respond.

What's going on?

"Aoi, come on." Yata muttered, tugging on her arm. She stumbled towards him, unable to look away from her cousin.

Izumo?

"Aoi, we're going." Yata pulled harder until they were walking away, briskly at first and then he broke into a run, dragging her along behind him. "Come on."

Izumo, you and your friends...

Tears were pooling in her eyes now and she choked on her sobs. He was hurting someone; her cousin who wouldn't hurt a fly, who carried her three miles on his back when she twisted her ankle was hurting someone in a way that she couldn't even comprehend.

Yata had stopped, a few doors down from the bar, and let go of her arm awkwardly, but she couldn't pay attention to him now. She swallowed lungfuls of air, shuddering breaths that left her feeling dizzy and lightheaded as she scrubbed at her cheeks with the sleeve of her coat.

Who are you?

"Scepter 4 withdraw." Reisi ordered, sheathing his sword. Seri repeated his order and the majority complied; except for one. "Fushimi, withdraw. Now."

He was glowering through the exit of the alleyway, his eyes following the path of the members of Homra who had followed after Yata and Aoi, the majority of them running, their King sloping. He remembered the look of fear in her eyes and somewhere in his gut there was a twinge of...concern?

"Tch." He muttered, sheathing his sword and striding over to Reisi, following the rest of his clan away. Why should he care?

Timeless Writing: Thank you so much, that really means a lot! I can't explain how happy it makes me that you've continued to read it through the transition from the old version to this, far improved one, and that you like it! Ahhh I'm glad you like Aoi! I'm actually very proud of her, particularly the character development she's going to go through in these next chapters and the second book c: And trust me, as long as you keep reading and leaving reviews like this then that is all the support I need, thank you so much!

Guest: Haha, he is, isn't he?! I mean he's also a complete and utter creeper, but hey his character is amazing so who's to judge? :D haha I'm glad you think so! I was originally planning on having entirely completely platonic relationships between Aoi and all of the characters, but then this happened and ? kinda liked it so I left it in c;