Connection

Fandom: Black Clover

Rating: Pg-15/T+

Genre: Family/Romance/Drama

Pairing/Characters: Finral/Langris, Hints of Yuno/Asta, Hints of Yami/William, Vaude Household, Black Bull Guild, Golden Dawn Guild, and everyone in between.

Summary: "When are you going to look at me?!"

When Langris realizes the nature of his feelings for his half-brother, he's mortified and disgusted with himself, so he lets the other soul within him take over. It's too late for him to fix it anyway. Yet, Finral has other ideas after he stares a lot at Asta and Yuno's relationship.

Disclaimer: Black Clover © Tabata Yuuki

Warning: the heaviest issue is probably the incest thing, other than that, the usual shounen ai, improper language, drama-angst (fluff and humour are not warning material okay?), and a bit of alternate reality (I'm ignoring that Damnatio Kira debacle, so all the Black Bulls stay in Clover Kingdom), there might be some scenes that could be considered as child abuse (not physically, but mentally… that counts as abusive behaviour), also some background story for Vaude Household dynamic which might not be canon (because the level of hatred Langris has for Finral in Canon is BULLSHIT without some major psychological damage happening between them at some points in their past, so I might change a few things of Langris' personality to fit into this plot. If you're that anal about canon, I suggest you to turn back now, before I ruin your image of Langris with this fic, also there might be inaccurate timeline too and that's purposely for plot sake) ah, a bit of suicidal thoughts, some scenes and dialogs are taken from the anime directly and some dialogs and thought insertion might differ greatly from canon as well for the plot purpose, and also that thing with grammars and spellings which are still not my thing, ugh. The change of POV in the middle might confuse you a little, but hopefully not much.

A/N: Alright, readers, here's another instalment for this fandom. This time will be a bit difficult because a lot of it will be angsts and more angsts (Sheesh, Lang, seriously? How much angst can you pack inside that petit body of yours?), but I'm a diehard fan of humour, so hopefully, there will be a lot of them too to even the score. There's an issue of incest too, so if that's not your thing, don't bother to read this my friend, there are still a lot of safer reading materials for you to read out there. But, if you choose to click this story despite those incriminating tags, you already know the risks. Without further ado… please enjoy!

Ah, one more thing: DO NOT COPY and/or REPOST THIS STORY WITHOUT PERMISSION! (If not, cyber terror will come to you. You've been warned).

Connection

©~lunaryu

The first time Finral met Langris, he was a year and a half, still unable to understand what that wiggly, small, pink thing was.

"Look, Finral, it's your little brother, say hello to Langris," his father said as he brought Finral's small body closer to the sleeping new-born on the crib.

Finral stared wide eyed at the thing, then at his father, and then back at the thing. The thing opened its mouth and there was 'da' sound coming from it. Finral jolted and pulled back, his chubby small hands gripping tightly on his father's robe, slightly shocked because that wiggly thing was alive.

Ledior Vaude laughed, seemingly amused of his son's reaction. Finral pouted at him, before his eyes began to tear up, his lips wobbling, a sign that he was about cry out loud.

"Ah, ah, hush, Finral, no cry, no cry. You'll wake your brother up," Ledior whispered frantically, bouncing Finral up and down a bit, probably trying to prevent him from giving in to his desire to cry aloud, which would result in waking not only the baby in the crib, but also the mother sleeping just a few feet away on the bed, looking exhausted but content.

"No cly?" Finral tilted his small head aside, giggling quietly now, because his dad's fingers on his ribs were tickling him.

Ledior nodded sagely. "No cry. You're a big brother now," he whispered, giving Finral a gentle kiss on his soft brown hair.

"Big bwother?" Finral repeated his father's words in baby talk, eyes clear and wide with innocent curiosity as he stared at his father, still not understanding the meaning of his words.

"Yes, big brother. Someday, it will be your job to protect him," Ledior smiled, hugging him gently before quietly bringing him out of the room.

After that, Liliane found out that Ledior had taken Finral to see Langris without her permission and was angry with him for it.

Finral wasn't allowed to see Langris again for a long time.

~Finral x Langris~

The next time Finral saw his little brother again, he was six.

It wasn't because he was allowed to see his little brother now, no. It was because little Langris had been some kind of a little demonic terror that was very good at slipping past his nannies, and he was toddling around the garden, wandering into Finral's secret base which he often used to practice his newly manifested magic.

Finral wanted to give his father and mother a surprise at dinner, to show them his magic for the first time since it was manifested a few days prior, hence him practicing secretly in the garden.

"Holy mother of God!"

Seeing the little toddler's small brown head among the green and yellow bushes of daffodils in front of him so suddenly nearly gave Finral a heart attack, and he was still a kid for God sake.

"Who are you?" little Langris asked, large aquamarine-coloured eyes looking at Finral with interest and maybe a little awe since Finral's magic was apparently still active, sparkling purple-grey and green around his hand and fingers.

"Ah, Langris!" Finral called his brother's name in accident, hurriedly deactivating his magic, more surprised that the little one already could speak so fluently. Well, according to his count, Langris was almost five, so his speech was already impeccable. But still, that was formal language he had been using just now.

Such a scary child!—Finral gulped, staring at the younger boy, probably pale and overdramatic, like that 'Glass no Kamen' live-drama his father had ever brought him to once.

Little Langris blinked once, tilting his head aside before he moved forward, revealing his entire small body out of the Daffodils bed. "How do you know my name?" he asked, curiosity featuring his voice and expression.

"Uh, um…" Now Finral was bewildered. Didn't Langris know that he had an older brother? "You have never heard of me from Mother?" He asked tentatively, not knowing what to do. If Mother really hadn't told Langris about Finral's existence, would Finral be in trouble later if he revealed to his little brother that he was his big brother?

Little Langris shook his head deftly and Finral was sweating slightly, in dilemma. Should he lie to little Langris? But lying was bad, right? But, if Mother knew, she would be furious and Finral might never be allowed to see Langris ever again.

Finral had to compromise then.

"I am Finral," Finral introduced himself, offering Langris his right hand as he bowed his taller body slightly so he could be in eye level with Langris. "I want to be your friend. Nice to meet you, little Langris," and he smiled at Langris gently and cheerily.

Langris' wide aquamarine eyes seemed to widen for a fraction as he stared at Finral's offered hand and then at his smiling face. He didn't seem to know what to do either at first, hesitant. But, a few seconds later his littler hand moved to reach Finral's, grabbing his fingers.

"Nice to meet you too. Would you mind showing me that sparkly thing again?"

Finral blinked once and stared at Langris' round glimmering sparkling aquamarine eyes. He seemed excited and it brought another wide smile on Finral's face. "Sure!"

Later, the nanny found both children giggling together in the garden around the flowerbed as Finral activated and deactivated his magic to make his own hand and leg disappear through a small portal. The nanny looked horrified, but Finral promised her that he wouldn't tell his mother and father that she had let Langris wander alone without supervision, so she shouldn't say anything to anyone either.

The nanny hugged him and thanked him for being an angel and Finral just giggled shyly as she kissed his cheek. Little Langris strangely pouted as he saw them and then proceeded to pull at her skirt to let go of his Finral already. The nanny swooned slightly at how cute Langris' pouting face was, which Finral agreed wholeheartedly, before she picked him up and then carried Langris back inside the house, despite the little one's struggle.

"See you again, Langris!" Finral waved at him with a joyfulness, promising that they would see each other again, and Langris stopped struggling to smile at him, waving back.

~Finral x Langris~

Finral was a liar.

Langris pouted as he played with his childish puzzle toys inside his room.

He had been waiting for days now.

Finral said they would see each other again.

Finral hadn't shown up again; not even once. Even though Langris had wandered to the garden again, Finral had never been never there.

"Stupid Finral."

~Finral x Langris~

Finral was caught trying to sneak into the east wing of their manor, where his little brother's room was located, repeatedly. As a result, he was grounded for a month by mother; no leaving his room unless it was for formal lessons by the family tutor, not even for dinner.

Finral didn't give up, though. He even tried to sneak into the garden in the middle of his tutorial lesson after he noticed that little Langris had wandered there again. Unfortunately, he was caught by his tutor this time, and the strict tall man was displeased with his 'ill-disciplined' behaviour and reported him back to mother, which in result had caused mother to get livider. So, she added his punishment of grounding into six months.

It was unreasonable, so Finral complained to his father.

"I only want to see Langris," Finral pleaded with Ledior, who only stared at him with conflicted expression. "It was as if… as if Mother didn't want me to see him at all…" He drooped, feeling sad.

Finral had been feeling weird around her lately. No, he had subtly been feeling it since a long time ago. Before, he had chalked it off thinking it was because Langris was still so little, so Liliane needed to focus her attention to his little brother more, but she was so reluctant to let Finral see him, becoming so furious if he even expressed his interest in seeing how Langris was doing.

Liliane's eyes were cold when she looked at Finral.

"Does mother not like me?" Finral looked down, his eyes began to tear up, feeling so miserable and confused.

"Don't cry, Finral. You're a boy, aren't you?" His father patted Finral's hair and ruffed it slightly while sighing. "Well, might as well tell you now before it gets harder." He picked Finral up and carried him somewhere, out into the hall to the west wing of the manor.

"Where are we going, Father?" Finral asked, looking around the darkened corridor, old and full of spider webs. It was as if the wing was sealed off and no one was ever there to clean the place up.

"I promised Liliane to never set foot in here again," Ledior said softly, his tone and expression poignant and melancholic.

"Why?" Finral asked, puzzled.

"It has something to do with you as well, Finral," Ledior patted Finral's back. "Though, I originally wanted to wait for you to be older when you hear this, but the older you are, the harder it is for Liliane to separate her feelings about you and her."

Finral was getting more confused. Who is her?

His silent question was quickly answered though, as Ledior brought him to some kind of common room which housed a large painting of Ledior and a pretty woman with long wavy brown hair and soft pretty violet eyes. Surprisingly, she looked a lot like Finral if he were a girl with long hair.

Finral's eyes were fixated on her portrait as Ledior sat him down on the chair in front of the painting.

"Finral, this is Layla Roulacase Vaude." His father introduced the pretty lady in the painting to Finral. He looked at his father curiously, thinking why he looked so shifty.

And then, of course, his father dropped the bomb.

"She was your real mother."

… "Eh?"

It was such a shock to Finral that Liliane wasn't actually his mother, but the lady on the painting… the dead lady in the painting—his mind corrected, was. She was Ledior's first wife, but she didn't survive giving birth to Finral.

"It was my fault that Mother is gone?" Finral had asked timidly at some point, feeling horror that he might be the cause of his own mother's demise.

"No! God, no, Finral! Don't ever think that way!" Ledior had hugged him then and told him to perish such negative and untrue thought.

"Her heart was weak. It had been since she was born. She was early told that she wouldn't survive adulthood and that it was a miracle that she could marry into the Vaude Family at all despite her ailment. But I had loved her. I loved her so much, with all of my heart, and when she was pregnant with you, she had known the risk. She had known, but she wanted you anyway. She wanted to leave something of herself in this world. She wanted you to carry her blood and her dream into the future, to be the greatest head of the Vaude Household."

Ledior had smiled at him then, gently, and Finral had cried again despite being told that boys shouldn't cry. He was glad and relieved that he was wanted by his birth mother, despite never meeting her.

"You really look like Layla, you know," Ledior had said, after he brought Finral back to his own room. "That's why, it is hard for Liliane to look at you," he added.

"Because it makes her sad?" Finral naively asked and his father's eyes grew a bit distant for a moment before he smiled.

"Yes, that must be it."

Finral smiled back, understanding the reason, even though he was a bit mystified by the fact that Ledior's smile didn't reach his eyes.

Later though, when Finral was a little bit older (8? 9? He didn't exactly remember), Finral overheard Liliane and Ledior's conversation about how look-alike Finral was to his birth mother, and how she hated his look because she couldn't be number one in Ledior's eyes because of her.

Liliane had cried and Ledior had hugged her and promised her to limit Finral's access to the manor so she didn't have to interact with Finral as often if she didn't want to see him.

Finral left the premise before he could barge into the room and tell Liliane to stay away from him in the fit of rage.

~Finral x Langris~

"Mother… mother…"

Little Langris pulled at his mother's skirt and Liliane dropped her embroidery on her lap to look at him sweetly. "What is it, Love?"

"I want to see Finral," Langris said shyly, flushing slightly, but he wanted to see that nice older boy that smiled at him so kindly and played with him with his beautiful sparkly magic.

His mother froze, just for a moment, before she smiled again, her expression slightly stiff as she asked, "Where did you hear that wretched name, Langris-chan?"

Somehow, even though Liliane was smiling, little Langris could feel her anger. "I… I met him a week ago, in the garden," he said softly, a bit hesitant. Why was mother angry so suddenly?

Mother muttered darkly, but Langris didn't hear what she had been mumbling about before she sighed deeply. "Listen, Langris-chan. That boy is no good," she said.

"Eh? But… he seems so nice. He wants to be my friend," Langris whined, protesting.

"That boy is the child of an evil witch!" His mother raised her voice and Langris jolted in surprise at the loud volume and the intense emotion coming out of his mother's tone. She panted slightly before she continued. "That witch had made your father her servant for two years… before I came along and banished her. But I was slightly too late because she already gave birth to that cursed child. He'll bring nothing but misfortune for Vaude Household…!"

Liliane turned to Langris then before she reached to pick him up and held him. "He must have shown himself in front of you because he thought he could enslave you as well… just like her mother did to your father…!" Her hug on Langris' little body tightened to the level of painful but Langris couldn't do anything to struggle to free himself because mother was weeping. "Ah… my poor little Langris. That wretched cursed child might win everyone else's love and attention. They might love him more than they do you because he'll bewitch them with his charm, a charm that he inherited from his evil witch of a mother. But Mother will not fall for his charm… mother will always love you Langris, more than anything in this world."

Mother smiled lovingly at little Langris with watery eyes and wobbly mouth, kissed him on his forehead and then once again held him dearly into her chest.

Finral is… a child of an evil witch?—Little Langris was a bit confused. After all, how could the child of an evil witch smile at him so softly, so gently… so… harmlessly?

"He must be plotting something to harm my Langris… Ah, he probably wants to use my Langris against me…! No, no, no! Mother will always protect you… my dear Langris…!"

Mother seems desperate… Is it true? Does Finral want to harm me?—Langris hugged his mother back, only to reassure her that he was alright.

"Langris…!"

Little Langris closed his eyes, remembering how dazzling and beautiful Finral's smile was; how loving he was when he held Langris's hand to feel his magic at work.

"See you again, Langris!"

But even so… Even if Finral really wanted to harm him, Langris thought he still wanted to see him again.

Langris wanted to see Finral's smile again.

~ Finral x Langris ~

Liliane made a scene.

She told everyone in the manor, especially Father, that Finral was absolutely forbidden to go near her Langris again.

"He was trying to hurt my Langris-chan with his magic! Langris-chan is still too little and defenceless to go near such dangerous uncontrolled thing! He needs to be punished!"

Of course, Ledior looked skeptical, but he asked Finral anyway. "Did you do magic near Langris, Finral?"

"I-… but I wasn't trying to hurt him…" Finral almost cried then, because Mother's shrill voice was so loud and scary.

"See! He did do magic around Langris-chan! You evil child! If you do anything to hurt my Langris-chan again…!" Mother was still screaming and Finral shut his eyes in fear, thinking that she would hit him with the way she raised her hand, but father stopped her in time.

"That's enough, Liliane!"

"But Dear…!" Lilianed seemed about to add her protest, but father spoke again that sounded final and more reasonable.

"Finral didn't hurt and didn't intend to hurt Langris even though practicing magic without supervision is indeed something that has to be changed." Father knelt down to look at Finral in the eye. "You are not allowed to do magic that you can't control yet without me or your tutor to supervise you. Is that clear?" Father sounded stern, but he wasn't angry so Finral nodded frantically.

"I promise," Finral said earnestly.

"What do you say to your mother, Finral?" His father prompted and Finral turned the still fuming and furious Liliane with determination.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I won't do any magic near Langris ever again…" Finral bowed to her, apologizing as repentant as he could, even though he really didn't want to hurt Langris with his magic.

Besides, his magic was more into moving object from one place to another rather than attacking. But explaining further seemed futile when she still looked so livid like that.

"You're still not allowed to see Langris-chan until I say so," Mother narrowed her icy eyes at Finral and he shuddered slightly at the venomous tone.

It's poison…

Finral couldn't help thinking as she turned away and proceeded to complain more to Ledior about how an awful child Finral was and his father just sighed and patted the small of her back in comforting manner.

Mother's poisoning this family…

Finral wondered then, if she was trying to make father hate Finral, what was she telling Langris about him now, after his little brother knew that he existed?

~ Finral x Langris ~

Langris didn't like him.

When Finral and Langris were finally introduced to each other officially as brothers for the first time, Finral had been ten and Langris was eight, almost nine. Langris's previously sparkling aquamarine eyes had dimmed and had turned slightly icy as he stared at Finral.

Finral was a bit put off at first thinking that it was probably Liliane's doing, but he still smiled happily for finally being able to call Langris his little brother officially. "Let's have fun together, Langris!"

Langris widened his eyes for a moment and seemed about to say something, but his mother spoke first.

"Having fun? How could you say such irresponsible thing? Langris-chan needs to learn a lot of things as the son of Vaude Household. He has no time for such useless activity. Don't tell me… have you been slacking off again with your own studies, Finral? No wonder you're such a dim child. Your magic hasn't even improved in the past year, has it?"

Finral bit his lower lip at the way Liliane looked at him with annoyance. He couldn't say anything to rebuff her though, because his training hadn't been going well lately. "I am sorry," he said, slightly dejected. "I am going to try harder, Mother."

Liliane flinched slightly as he called her Mother. She had been doing that these days. It was… not as if anymore since the revelation. Liliane hated Finral. She disliked it greatly whenever he called her mother, so he tried to not call her that too often.

"You should be. You're the older child," she almost gritted her teeth. "Though, my Langris-chan's magic will definitely overpower you in the long run," Liliane huffed before she turned at Langris and smiled sweetly at him. "Right, Langris-chan? You've already gotten such promising start when your magic manifested!"

Finral perked up at that. "Langris' magic has manifested?" He was excited to see it, his little brother's magic. What kind of spatial magic did he have?

"He has been showing the ability to use Offensive Spatial Magic. The scale might need improvement and control, but it's a great start," Ledior answered for him and Finral frowned slightly.

What were they doing? Why didn't they let Langris speak for himself?

"Langris, do you want to practice magic together?" Finral moved to approach his little brother, but then Liliane moved to stand in front of the child and blocked Finral's path.

"Langris-chan has other studies after this. His schedule is full for today. Why don't you practice on your own and show us the result after you control your spatial magic better, Finral?"

Finral looked upward at her and she looked down on him frostily.

Her poison… she's doing it to Langris as well?—Finral couldn't help feeling slightly horrified.

"Come now, Finral. Go on and practice your control a little more. I'm sure you can give us a better result than that abysmal performance yesterday," Ledior said, ruffled his hair for a short time before he turned to Langris and told his little brother a story of his younger days.

"T-then, see you next time, Langris!" Finral still wasn't giving up. He wanted Langris to say something, anything to him, but all his little brother did was look at him blankly for a brief moment before he turned away, following his mother and father silently.

If this continues… even Langris will…!

~Finral x Langris~

We meet again… Finral and I.

Finral… Nii-san.

I didn't see that coming.

No wonder Mother hates him.

Nii-san is the child of Father and the previous mistress. The mistress that mother calls an evil witch.

But mother… mother is probably just imagining things.

There's no way Nii-san wants to harm anyone.

He looks so nice… and timid.

He's still smiling at me cheerily, with happiness and kindness.

Nii-san is a nice boy.

~ Finral x Langris~

"You can do better than this, Finral!"

Finral winced as he heard Ledior's frustrated shout. The magic that he tried to control in his hand exploded as he lost his concentration and he was blasted three feet away as a result, falling on his butt in a yelp.

"Oww…!" Finral nursed his abused behind and cringed some more when he noticed the looming figure of his father in front of him, expression grim and severe.

"This is unacceptable! You're twelve now. Why can't you control your offensive magic better?" Ledior asked, demanding, anger and frustration colouring his strict tone.

"I-I'm sorry, Father. I'll do better next time." Finral stuttered, afraid and feeling a lot like a failure for yet again unable to meet his father's expectation.

"You always say that, but you never show satisfying result! That's not appropriate level of magic of Vaude Household, Finral. You have to get better! Why can't you be more like Langris?!"

Finral flinched hard at that.

Again, he was compared to Langris.

And it was not without reason.

Finral knew how great Langris Magic had been. His Offensive Spatial Magic had been splendid, perfectly controlled, and he could still grow the scale to be larger and wider the stronger his magic had gotten.

But… it wasn't without a price.

Finral often saw his little brother when he was on the way to his room. The kid had been exhausted, like his Maryoku had been overly drained each day. When he wasn't at the training ground training with his tutor, he had been in his room studying. He hardly left the manor, almost never socialized with people around his age, played or had fun like a kid should have.

It couldn't be healthy.

So, Finral tried to take it upon himself to change that.

Finral had snuck into Langris' room when the kid was reading a history book. Seriously, Langris was almost 11, why on earth was he reading history book when he should be making history outside the manor?

Finral used his Transport-Spatial Magic with ease, as it was the only magic he was very good at (even his father was impressed with it once, before he was obsessed with offensive spatial magic), to enter his brother's room, and he almost successfully surprised Langris, if only his little brother's guard wasn't so obstinate.

The kid almost blew Finral's head to other dimension in his act of self-defence and Finral squeaked like a girl in distress as he jumped away from the 'surprised' attack. The magical sphere blew away part of Langris' wall. There was a basketball sized hole on the wall near the window where Finral's head had been supposed to be, before.

"Oh, it's just you." Langris sat back down on his desk upon recognizing Finral freaking out on the floor of his room, turning to his book once again.

"Oh, my God! You almost killed me! What is wrong with you?!" Finral, still shaking because he had almost died, yelled at Langris for being so paranoid that he would attack anything that surprised him.

"Nii-san, what are you doing here?" he asked, not even looking at Finral's way as Finral was still complaining at Langris for his extreme behaviour.

"I can't visit my brother just because I want to?" Finral asked, huffing, and Langris visibly paused for just a moment before he spoke again.

"I have no time for your stupidity."

Ouch. No respect much?—Finral winced slightly, but he quickly shook his head to recover from the blow. There was no time to feel down here. He had a mission to make Langris act like a kid.

"This is not stupidity. I want to go playing outside and I am going to take you with me," Finral declared.

Langris turned to look at him now, his expression highly sceptical. "We're not allowed outside the manor past noon," he said.

"Hah, rules like that are meant to be broken," Finral raised his face up. "You need a break from all these," he continued while flailing his hands. "You're still a kid. This is unhealthy," he griped, crossing his arms on his chest.

"A kid…? Unhealthy…?" There was ominous shadow around Langris then and he looked at Finral with such icy look that Finral almost stepped back from the force of it. "Whose fault… do you think it is?" he asked with venom in his voice and Finral's heart couldn't help sinking with guilt at the frustration he could feel from Langris' gritted teeth and shaking fists.

The poison… has it been festering in him?

"It's because you're such a hopeless kid that I have to be the bigger one in this household! You think you can do whatever you want without consequences?! Do you have any idea what Mother and Father think of you these days?! At this rate, they're going to make me the heir of the family instead of you!"

Langris' voice had gotten louder and louder until he had shouted in the end and Finral could only tear his gaze away from him. He already knew that. Liliane and Father had already threatened him repeatedly if he didn't quickly improve his offensive magic, he would make Langris the next head. It wasn't an empty threat because Liliane had worked tirelessly to convince Ledior that Langris was a better pick for the head family and lately, after seeing how hard his little brother had worked, Finral thought it would be better if Langris had been chosen instead of him.

Finral knew that it was actually his responsibility as the eldest son, as the son of the first wife of the family, but honestly? He didn't want it. He had been happy with his free life. He hated the politics of noble house. He had seen how corrupted they could be. He didn't want to be part of that dirty world.

I don't want to harbour poisonous thought ever…!

"I don't care what they think of me anymore," Finral spoke softly, looking down, smiling bitterly, accepting that he was never going to be better in the eyes of Liliane that hated him because he was his mother's child and his father that expected things too big from him. He knew his limit. He wasn't going to get better at offensive magic. It wasn't his element and he hated the thought of his Magic hurting someone else.

"Well, I care!" Langris shoved at his chest hard, his eyes full of anger and resentment. "Someone has to care about the wellbeing of this household, and if you're not going to do it, then I will! Get out of my room! I don't want to waste my time coddling pathetic person like you!"

Langris slammed the door on Finral's face after he shoved him out of his room and Finral was quite shocked because Langris' smaller body packed such strength. It had to be because of his training. As expected of his little brother.

"Langris… I know I can leave this household in your care… I just… I just want you to have a little fun when you can. You're still so young… just a ten-year-old kid. I want you to have happy childhood…" Finral thumped his forehead on Langris' bedroom door, closing his eyes slightly, his heart breaking a little thinking that he was the cause of his little brother growing up too fast.

"Langris…"

"Go away, Nii-san!"

Langris' voice from inside the room was so harsh and final that Finral didn't have any choice but to comply and to leave him alone.

I have to do something before the poison eats at him to the point of no return…!

~Finral x Langris~

Langris' attitude towards him hadn't improved in the past year after that.

Langris always made moves and remarks that supposed to provoke him, to rise anger and competitiveness inside Finral so he would be motivated to fight back, to challenge him back, and to… defend himself somehow. Liliane and Father seemed to encourage this toxic behaviour, but Finral never rose to the bait, never fell for the provocation and just smiled and said that he was right, that Langris was better than him.

He was trying to staff the poison from spreading larger and wider. He was trying, damn it!

Finral hated conflicts. He didn't want to have pointless fight within the household that could cause destruction from within. He had no love for this noble household, sure, but Langris did, very much. So Finral had decided that Langris could have it. He knew Langris could protect this family better than him. It was better if Langris had it all. That way… he might lessen his dislike for Finral.

"You're pathetic."

Langris turned away from him, his expression and tone insulting, and yet…

And yet…

Why… why does it feel like you're about to cry, Langris?

~ Finral x Langris~

Langris was beyond tired.

He was tired of everything.

He was tired of his mother saying demeaning things about Finral behind Father's back.

He was tired of his father slowly but surely being convinced that Langris was better in anything than that useless Finral who couldn't even use offensive magic properly.

Finral was slacking off his study and training again and chose to play outside the manor, familiarizing himself and mingling with 'common' people.

"What's so fun about being with those lowly pheasants?" Langris grumbled in unfounded annoyance as he saw Finral smile at some mediocre girls around him, and the way those wretched creatures flirted back with him was disgusting.

"Stupid Nii-san."

~Finral x Langris~

It… got worse when the betrothal came around. At the time, Finral was sixteen and Langris was fourteen, almost fifteen.

Lady Finnese Calmreich was so elegant and pretty, and Finral was half in love with her already when he saw her for the first time, despite her being older for three years.

Langris didn't seem to be interested in her, but Finral knew she would be betrothed to him instead of to Finral. He already saw the impending future. At first, Finral entertained the idea of fighting for something he loved for the first time, but… it didn't seem worth of his little brother's wrath if he tried to fight back for his position now. He already decided that Langris could have everything.

Finral confided in Lady Finnese about his insecurity that he was a pathetic older brother that couldn't stand his ground against his younger, and the probability that she would be married to Langris in the long run, but she said… she said she liked Finral.

"You're very nice and kind-hearted, Finral-san. You chose to stand down to avoid pointless conflict that could weaken your family. I think it's a very noble and incredible trait that you have, better than anyone else."

Lady Finnese had said it so kindly, so understandingly… that at the end of that conversation, Finral was head over heels in love then.

He knew it would be pointless to fall in love with a woman that was too good for him and that was probably going to marry his little brother, but a boy could hope.

Though, apparently Langris found out about that and he gave Finral hell for it.

"It's just a harmless crush. I won't do anything about it," Finral said when Langris confronted him. He raised his both hands in surrender, smiling ruefully.

"You… even having the slightest dare to get a crush on her is insulting enough, pathetic Nii-san." Langris wasn't even shouting, but the disgusted look he sent Finral's way might as well be screaming. "I'm not even interested in such a boring woman. You can have her. I don't even care. As long as she performs her duty in the end, you can do whatever you like."

Finral felt anger then, not for himself but for Lady Finnese. It was the first time he fell for the provocation and he grabbed Langris' collar and looked at him furiously. "That's very rude to Lady Finnese, Langris. Take that back."

"Or what?" Langris sneered, his smirk belittling and challenging. "You're going to hit me? I dare you."

Finral gritted his teeth, levelling his breathing and trying to dampen his temper. It wasn't like him to lose it like this. It was just another one of Langris' tactics to make him mad.

It's the poison…! I can't fall for it…!

In the end Finral let go of Langris' collar, hand falling back to his side limply, and there was a flash of something… disappointment? —in Langris aquamarine eyes before he turned his gaze away from the younger boy's.

Langris harrumphed as he fixed his slightly ruffled collar. "You're pathetic as always. You've even got no guts to defend a princess' honour." He walked away then, once again looking repulsed at standing on the same space as Finral.

~Finral x Langris~

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

He wasn't supposed to say those hurtful things to Finral.

But, but Finral was so… so frustrating.

Why, why wouldn't he say anything?

Why did he let them insult and disgrace him?

Why would he smile that bitter sweet smile, enduring their verbal abuses?

Why wouldn't he get mad?

Didn't he care enough?

Didn't he find it worthy to fight for his own honour?

Didn't he care what Langris thought of him?

Didn't he care about Langris at all then, that nothing he said matters to Finral?

"Why won't you look at me?!"

Langris was at the point of breaking something.

He couldn't ask for anyone else's help.

No one could help him.

Not even himself.

Not until he destroyed this ugly feeling he had for that wretched witch-child.

Stupid Nii-san!

~Finral x Langris~

When Finral was 17, his father and mother declared that Langris was appointed to be the heir of the Vaude Household.

"It's because Nii-san is this pathetic that I have to step up as the heir of the family," Langris spoke coldly, degradingly.

No, no, it's not what I want to say to you.

"It can't be helped, since Langris is better than you in everything, Finral. You can do as you like from now on."

Don't say that! You're going to make Nii-san leave!

"It is as it should be. You have no talent to lead a noble house." Liliane sounded so smug and satisfied.

Damn you woman! It's your fault that Nii-san has such low self-esteem in the first place!

"Oh, well," Finral smiled that rueful bitter sweet smile that Langris hated with passion. It was a giving up face, a hopeless attitude and an unwillingness to fight for himself. "Might as well move out of this place then. Besides, I'm going to join the magic knight this year. Right, I want to leave this exhausting life behind anyway. I won't be using Vaude's name anymore, since you probably don't want to be associated with me. I'm taking Roulacase's name with me then. That's okay, right, Lord Ledior?"

Finral didn't look at Langris.

Finral didn't talk to Langris.

In Finral's mind, Langris was probably insignificant, he might as well never exist.

You're going to toss Vaude's name just like that? You're going to leave, Nii-san? Is… is being a Vaude really that vile for you?

"Do as you like," Father dismissed him.

"You ungrateful cursed child. May you die in the ditch like your witch of a mother!" Liliane's hateful whisper was spoken so quietly that only she and Langris could hear it.

Langris still didn't believe that story, that Finral's mother was an evil witch that enslaved his father for two years before she died after giving birth to Finral (of course Liliane lied about the banishing part, this wasn't a fairy tale after all). However, Langris could understand a little about the bewitching part.

Finral had that capability.

With those lovely half-lidded Amethyst eyes… soft wavy brown hair… gentle expression and a smile as dazzling as the sun…

Everyone loved Finral, in the way everyone never did Langris.

Sure, Langris was better than Finral in many, many things, but personality wise… Finral was… so kind, so nice, so… loveable.

Langris couldn't be that way, not if he wanted to be the head of Vaude Household. The noble household life… was never that pretty. He had to be subtle. He had to be cunning. He had to be sarcastic and witty and made a choice that would make bad and worse nobles like him even more. He had to be able to use people for the better of his family.

He couldn't be loveable like Finral.

His mother was an exception and his father… Father only regarded Langris higher than Finral because of his stronger magic. Father had never looked at Langris the way he looked at Finral sometimes. When father looked at Finral as he was smiling, his eyes shone with unconditional love and helplessness.

"Good bye," Finral said as he opened his transport-spatial magic. He turned to look at Langris this time before he smiled cheerily at him, "See you next time, Langris!" and then he was gone.

Leaving this family… leaving me behind… must have been your greatest wish and happiness, right, Nii-san?

That day something had broken inside Langris.

He didn't know what it was, but… there was only pain, anger and resentment that consumed him daily afterwards.

Stupid Nii-san.

~Finral x Langris~

Finral was stuck with Yami Sukehiro.

The guy had been named as a captain of recently created Black Bull Guild and upon recruitment test, had deemed Finral Transport-Spatial Magic handy and then had proceeded to make him his subordinate.

The first subordinate.

Though, Finral had no time to feel elated that he was practically a vice captain because Yami had used Finral's ability to move around the country without reserve. Slowly but steadily, the member of Black Bull Guild increased, though their methods of recruitment were a bit questionable sometimes.

However, as the guild grew larger, it never changed his role in that chaotic place. Yami (and his guild mates in extension) always asked him to move people and things because it was easier that way.

"You could treat me more gently you know, Yami-taichou…"

Finral cried crocodile tears as it was another day that Yami abused his power to make him move around until his Maryoku was depleted to the last bit. As always, he was clearly treated more as transportation device rather than a senior member, but he was still grateful enough that he was useful for the unreasonably macho man.

Yami had looked at him strangely then. "You want me to be sweet on you?" He had asked weirdly and upon looking at Yami's odd look and hearing the innuendo in his words, Finral promptly blushed.

"That's not what I mean!" He squeaked immediately, still flushing ten different shades of red. "I mean, I'm not some transportation device you can use as you please, you know!" he complained, still embarrassed but feeling a bit blue as well, questioning his worth in his captain's eyes.

Besides, the captain of Golden Dawn would have my head if I insinuated that I was interested in you that way, stupid Yami-san! Haven't you seen the way he looks at you most of the time these days?!—Finral couldn't help twitching his eyebrows, annoyed and in disbelief. It was beyond him how Yami didn't realize William Vangeance's feeling for him despite those repeated invitations to have tea and lunches together, which practically invitations to have dates.

Being that dense is surely a crime, Yami-san!

"Finral, you can't possibly think that I only think of you as handy transportation device, can you?" he asked, scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes and Finral flinched slightly, looking the other way.

"Well… it looks that way from other's point of views, doesn't it?" He didn't want to admit it, but Finral was pouting a bit at the depressing thought.

"If you're thinking like that, then you're incredibly stupid," Yami scoffed, but strangely not unkindly.

"Huh?" Finral looked at Yami, puzzled.

"We ask you all the time to use your gift because we obviously need you. You make our lives easier and we are always grateful that you are part of our family, you dumbass." Yami reached out and Finral flinched, thinking that Yami would hit his head or something, but he was surprised when Yami only ruffled his hair instead. "Be more confident in your ability, stupid Finral. You have such amazing gift, and we won't know what to do if you're not with us."

Finral almost cried as he touched his head afterwards, long after Yami had left him in the common room to think. He remembered how Ledior always did that when he was still a child, when his father still loved him, when his father hadn't been poisoned by the ambition of noble world and Liliane's words…, when Finral hadn't been a disappointment to him.

Yami Sukehiro had needed him.

Black Bulls had been family to him despite his flaws and weakness.

So, Finral pledged his loyalty to his chosen family, to be useful, to not be a disappointment ever again. He would protect this family whatever the cost was.

Finral realized later on that he would never be a disappointment to his Black Bulls family, because all of them loved him as he was, and not because of his worth.

~Finral x Langris~

Finral had heard from the crowd that a genius had joined Golden Dawn, just a year after he joined Black Bulls.

A young Magic Knight named Langris Vaude, a noble born from Tota.

In a matter of months, Langris had climbed rank, so fast and significant that in a matter of less than a year, he had been named vice captain.

"As expected of Langris…" For some reason, Finral felt nostalgic and so proud of his little brother.

Finral wanted to see Langris again. He couldn't help missing his little brother, even though he knew Langris hated him.

"I wonder how he's doing now…" He smiled softly, looking outside the window of the common room, earning him curious glances from Vanessa, Magna, and Luck.

"What is it, Finral? Are you sweet on some damsel again?" Vanessa teased him and Finral blushed slightly at that.

"Do I look like I'm sweet on someone right now?" He had to ask that, sweat dropping, and feeling slightly mortified. Dear God. He was thinking about his little brother, not some damsel he wanted to date.

"Yep, definitely!" Luck quipped, grinning.

"Completely love-struck!" Magna nodded sagely.

"Shut it, you two!" Finral yelled at them and they ran away from his flushing form while laughing manically. "Sheesh… children, all of them." He grumbled, still feeling extra heat from his cheeks.

"Aha, you have this lovely, soft, loving look on your face sometimes," Vanessa grinned as well. "I just assumed it's your love-struck look," then she giggled and hiccupped since she had been drinking wine since morning.

"Sheesh, Vanessa-san, don't just assume, please, you nearly gave me a heart attack," Finral was still flushing, which seemed to make Vanessa giggle even more.

"Aww, Finral is being shy… that's new~ Must be a really important person, huh?" She probably still had an idea that it was Finral's beloved one.

Well, it wasn't exactly wrong though, since he still considered Langris his important little brother.

"Vanessa-san, you're drunk," Finral chuckled as she planted herself on him and hugged him while giggling happily.

"A happy druuuunk!" she declared loudly before smacking a kiss on Finral's cheek, which promptly made Finral blush another tomato colour.

"Vanessa-san!"

Finral had his hands full of his family here, in Black Bull. He shouldn't be greedy.

It was infinitely greedy if he wanted Langris to be there with him.

~Finral x Langris~

The new recruit of the Black Bull Guild was… something.

The guy had no maryoku at all, which was weird as hell because there was no way a guy without magic could exist in a world that moved because of magic.

It was kind of a miracle, actually. Besides, the kid possessed a Grimoire even though he had no magic. A strange Grimoire with malice in its energy, a Grimoire that spat out swords instead of spells.

Anti-magic.

Asta's existence in a world of magic was bizarre enough, yet his gift was the one that possessed threat to this magical world. He could nullify any kind of magic.

Any kind at all.

It was kind of incredible despite the inconvenience of having no magic at all, but he never needed to worry about Maryoku deficiency or any weakness because of unstable mana. In the eye of moderate magic user like Finral, that toughness and Asta's optimistic cheery personality was inspiring.

Moreover, it wasn't just Asta's power and personality, he also had a great rival that he loved.

Despite complaining about Yuno all the time, it was clear that Asta loved the guy.

"Well, of course I love Yuno. We've been together since we're babies. There's no way I can live without Yuno!" Asta declared with such certainty and conviction that Finral almost envied his positivity.

Yuno, on the other hand, was always cool and aloof about it that Finral wasn't sure at first if he had felt the same thing for Asta.

And yet, whenever Asta didn't look at Yuno's direction, Finral would notice that the Golden Dawn prodigy would look at Asta with gentle, fond look.

Despite their sun and moon personality, despite the wide scale of difference between their magic levels, despite being in different guilds, and despite every trial they had to face that hindered their path of being together and to reach their dreams, they tried to overcome it, both of them, always trying their best, not giving up.

Since knowing Asta, Finral could only think about hope and the meaning of fighting for his dream and for something he loved despite how difficult or how impossible it was.

There was nothing that was impossible in this world. Asta's existence and conviction was the proof of that.

No matter the trial, Asta always got past it and overcame it.

Then… it was also possible for Finral to overcome his own problem.

It was possible for him to mend his connection with Langris.

Even though the entire family wouldn't accept Finral back into the Vaude Household (not that he ever wanted to go back to that poisonous place), he still could fix his relationship with Langris.

Finral was done running away.

It was time for him to fight for something that he loved.

~Finral x Langris~

The next time Langris met his older brother, the first time since Finral had left house, they were both in the middle of a mission in Kiten. Of course, Langris was with Golden Dawn, being in charge of defeating one of the Eight Shining Generals of Diamond Kingdom while his captain was doing incredible things with his amazing World Tree Magic.

It wasn't as surprising as he thought it was, seeing Finral help with evacuating the citizen. After all, Finral was not a combative type of magic user. Finral wasn't alone, though. He was with his Black Bull friends… two brats, to be exact.

Langris clicked his tongue, eyes twitching a bit when he saw Finral smile as he talked to Yuno, the newest prodigy of Golden Dawn Guild, and the shorter brat with ash blond hair and the greenest eyes he had ever seen. Finral's look was as frivolous as ever.

So annoying.

"Well, well, if it isn't my big brother?"

Upon hearing his voice, Finral visibly froze before he turned around and looked upward at where Langris had stood up on one of the roofs. He walked forward to look at Finral better.

"It's been so long. I never dreamed I'd run into you here." He smiled slightly and looked down at Finral with an intention to insult him.

"Langris…" Finral called his name and his voice sounded wavering.

Good, he still remembers me.

"What's the black sheep of our family, who can barely even fight, even doing in a battlefield?" Langris smirked, reminding Finral once again of his position in their family, despite the guy already tossing the Vaude's name.

Langris wouldn't let that happen.

He would never let Finral forget his existence.

He would make him suffer for doing this to Langris, for abandoning him and his family.

He would be Finral's ghost if he had to be.

Then the shortest guy in the group below asked Finral who Langris was with such insolent language and look on his face. Typical of Black Bulls. They were all uncouth useless guys, just like his stupid pathetic brother.

Langris was a bit taken aback by Finral's look as he stared straight at Langris and promptly introduced him as his little brother to his friends, and then Yuno added to explain his title as a vice-captain of the strongest guild in Clover Kingdom, the Golden Dawn.

Langris might have been seeing things though. For some reason, Finral looked proud, which was strange because here Langris was, insulting and making fun of him with disparaging words, repeating how pitiful Finral was for still being a pack-mule for his guild and that Langris had to become the next head because of it.

Finral never said anything to rise to his bait as always, but the shorty that was beside him had yelled at Langris for being so rude and proceeded to defend Finral's honour with continuous earnest praises, which made his older brother blush with awkward happiness that irritated Langris even more.

What's with that happy look?

How dare he enjoy himself when he'd made Langris this miserable!

And that shorty is really annoying!

How dare he talk back to a Vice Captain of Golden Dawn with such offensive language!

Finral seemed to try to make his friend back down, always with a smile and lovely expression.

Annoying. Fine, let's see if you can be patient with this.

Langris got an idea after once he got Finral to raise to his bait. When he insulted Lady Finnese, Finral was angry, but not enough to do anything about it.

What if I insult your guild and your friends this time, Nii-san?

Langris did just that then. He blatantly insulted the shorty and the child-like woman beside him and simultaneously degraded the existence of Black Bull Guild all in one sentence.

Finral froze again for a moment before he finally showed his anger and determination. He looked so serious and furious at Langris that it almost hurt.

But it's better than feeling nothing, right?

Their reunion was interrupted for a moment after that. The stupid Shining General that he had defeated earlier wouldn't stay down, and even tried to attack him while taking some hostages with him.

Those pheasants could die for all he cared, but Langris hated that man for ruining his important moment with his brother.

Unforgivable.

Langris tried to blow him away along with those pheasants, but the shorty stopped him and his reasoning was so sickeningly noble that Langris couldn't help but hate the shorty a little.

A guy that could fight for strangers…

Annoying.

The way those Black Bulls fought… together…

Annoying.

The way they succeeded and got happy together…

So annoying.

"It might be true that I alone can't defeat you, Langris," Finral said with conviction and determination in his eyes. "But Black Bull will defeat Golden Dawn for sure!"

So you can fight if you're with them, huh?

Langris smirked slightly despite the bothersome throb in his chest.

"I'd like to see you try, Nii-san."

~ Finral x Langris~

Finral was depressed.

Instead of mending things with Langris, he had picked a fight with the strongest guild in the heat of the moment.

"Aaaah, but he's attacking my weakness! It's his fault for insulting my friends and family!"

It was still a long way for Finral to try to fix his relationship with Langris.

But he'd die trying if he had to.

~Finral x Langris~

Annoying… so annoying…!

Why… why is my head always filled with your existence?

Why am I thinking about you all the time?

Why… why does my chest hurt so much every time you look away from me?

Even after sending you away… why is it getting worse?

Why are you still tormenting me even until now, Nii-san?

Is it not enough just sending you away?

Maybe I have to make you disappear from this world… then finally, I can be free of your bewitching spell.

Stupid Nii-san.

~Finral x Langris~

Once again, Finral and Langris confronted each other in the battlefield. The stage was at the Royal Knights Selection Exam.

This time was a bit different from the previous meeting, though. This time Finral was ready to save Langris from the family that poisoned his thought for years, and if he had to defeat Langris to do that, then he would.

"Good grief. As if you could defeat me, Nii-san." Langris had sneered then and despite feeling slightly intimidated, Finral looked determinedly at him and answered his challenge.

"Langris, I manage to change after meeting my friends. This time… this time we'll be the winner."

Langris didn't change his expression, but there was a strange glint in his eyes as he replied. "Whatever. Don't blame me for whatever that will happen after this."

When the team began to fight, they talked. It wasn't much, but Finral tried to convince Langris that he would win and that he didn't want to hurt him. He had never wanted to hurt Langris.

But then, something very wrong happened afterward.

"Whom are you worried about now… Nii-san? You constantly get on my nerves."

Finral shuddered as he felt it. He almost couldn't hear what Langris said because the ominous mana that gathered around him, forming numerous purple orbs that was similar to Finral's green ones.

There was malice in Langris' mana.

"Who are you…?" Finral couldn't help gaping as he saw it.

This… this repulsive mana… it was as if…!

The image of wrathful Veto and Hateful Fana entered his mind.

No, no! That can't be…! This is Langris, my little brother! —Finral took a deep breath and once again preparing his magic.

Langris… you may not like it, but we're actually similar. Our mothers are different, but…

I know I have never acted like a big brother around you, before…

Even though I really wanted, still want to stop them from poisoning your thought…

In the end I chose to run away, even leaving our family, and tried to forget everything…

Without much success, actually…

Because I… I always…

No matter what you think of me, Langris…

You're still my beloved brother…!

"Langris! Please stop this! If you continue to do this… I get a feeling that you won't be you anymore!" Finral shouted, readying his magic while trying to talk some sense into Langris, to make him back down despite how futile it might have been.

He wouldn't let Langris turn into hateful creatures like Veto and Fana. He wouldn't!

"What could you possibly know about me, Nii-san? You left everything behind…!" Langris looked upward at Finral's eyes and Finral gasped at the hurt and anger and resentment he could feel from his little brother. "You are a coward that choose to run away rather than hurting people…!"

What… what is this feeling… voices?

Why… why does Langris look like that?

("You hurt me…"

"You leave me behind…"

"You don't ever care about me…"

"You make me miserable…"

"You never look at me…"

"Look at me…"

"When are you going to look at me?!")

Finral shut his eyes for a moment and when he opened it again, Langris had launched his attack while screaming.

"Don't you dare try to act like my big brother now!"

Finral didn't have any choice but to launch his own magic then, because he had to stop Langris. "I'll… I'll stop you now, Langris!"

He… he didn't understand what those voices he heard just now, but… when those purple orbs hit his green ones, he could feel it.

An SOS.

Langris was breaking down, and he sent an SOS via his poison-tainted magic.

Hurt.

Pain.

Hopelessness.

Anguish.

Trapped without any way out.

Self-hatred.

Hate.

No…

Hate.

No!

("Help, Niisan.")

"Langris!"

Finral had wanted to help him.

Finral had wanted to be nice to him.

Finral had wanted to protect him from Vaude Household poison.

But he… he couldn't save him.

Finral had chosen to run away and it was the greatest mistake that he had committed.

I am sorry… Langris…!

There was only pain and more pain after that as Langris' purple orbs of Archangel Shootdown penetrated and blew away some of his body parts. His body and mind couldn't handle that much level of pain and then…

Darkness swallowed him completely.

~ Finral x Langris~

Ah… he did it.

He made the source of his pain disappear.

Langris felt almost numb.

Almost…

But not quite.

Finral was still alive.

Finral needed to die and then…

…and then he could finally be free.

Langris readied another offensive spell. He just needed to make Finral disappear and everything would get better.

Everything…

"Langris! Come on, play with me once in a while! Don't just shut yourself in the room and keep studying! You have to enjoy the outside world sometimes!"

Everything…

"Hey!"

I can't…

"Just try and do something else."

Somebody…

"Forget the match. We'll kill you."

Please...

"Bastard…! How could you do that to our Finral…?!"

Just…!

"This is too cruel!"

Stop me…!

"Unforgiveable!"

Stop me!

"Huh?" Langris just realized that Finral's friends had been ready with their own magic to put him down around him.

Langris looked at them all and then to the bloody body on the ground.

Oh…

Langris widened his eyes and his consciousness had gone away with the image in front of him.

He no longer had control of his body and words.

Only poison and malice that moved him.

He barely knew of what was happening anymore.

Might as well… make everything else disappear along with him.

~ Finral x Langris~

When Langris regained his consciousness after Asta had slammed him and rendered him unconscious several hours before, he realized that he was in the Royal Capital interrogation room.

Marx and Wizard King were there with him.

They questioned him about his connection to Byakuya no Magan.

Langris answered them as honestly as he could since he had no connection to the rebel group in the first place.

Then Wizard King asked why he wanted to kill Finral.

Langris couldn't answer that.

He just wanted the pain to go away.

Finral was the source of his pain.

Simple as that.

~Finral x Langris~

When the forbidden reincarnation spell was activated, Langris met the other soul that resided in his body.

"Filthy human. You harbour such disgusting feeling for your own brother?" the Elf's soul, Ratry, asked with a sneer.

"What are you talking about?" Langris narrowed his mind eye at the elf and Ratry laughed and laughed as if he had found something too funny.

"You don't even realize it? The nature of your feeling for your 'brother'… Why do you think, you think about him all the time? Why do you think, it pains you whenever he looks away from you?"

Langirs growled. "What are you trying to say?"

"Oh, poor, pathetic human… You're such a late bloomer. You want him to look at you, right? Only at you?"

Langris widened his eyes at that.

"You… are in love with him."

No…!

"Disgusting"

Not true…!

"Disgraceful."

Shut up!

"Your repulsive tainted soul shouldn't even be allowed to live in this world."

SHUT UP!

"Let me take over… and you can finally be free, Langris-chan."

The one who should disappear… is probably me.

~Finral x Langris~

Finral had a dream.

It had to be a dream because there was Langris, still a toddler, giggling and smiling happily at him when Finral unconsciously called his name, bathing under the brilliant sunlight in the middle of Daffodils flowerbed.

"Nii-chan!"

Langris called him back and his guiltless smile was so sweet that Finral couldn't help remembering their accidental meeting when they were still kids in that secret garden in their family manor.

Finral came closer to the little boy and sat down in front of him.

"Oh, Langris…" Finral reached his both hands to the cute little boy and picked him up to envelope him in an embrace. He couldn't help it. He had wanted to do it since a long time ago.

Seeing Langris like this… so pure and innocent… If only the poison of noble household ambition, the poison of hatred from Liliane hadn't touched him…! Then this could be his childhood, could be his Langris.

"I'm so sorry, Langris…! I'm sorry…!" Finral shut his eyes and tightened his hold on the petit body in his hug.

"Why are you apologizing, Nii-chan?" the little boy asked, patting Finral's hair softly with his little hand.

"I'm sorry I can't save you…!" Finral felt like crying, biting his lower lip with regret.

"Nii-chan," little Langris called him gently and pulled himself back a little so Finral opened his eyes and loosened his hold on his body. He looked at Langris' bright, glimmering aquamarine eyes and his expression was smiling, so softly that Finral couldn't help tearing up slightly. "Don't give up on me," the little boy whispered and Finral widened his eyes slightly.

"Langris…?"

The body in his loosened hold was dispersing slightly and Finral tried to tighten his hold, but Langris shook his head slightly, touching his arm.

"I'll be waiting for you, Nii-chan!" Langris widened his smile and stood on his tiptoes on Finral's lap to give him a subtle kiss on Finral's forehead before he disappeared from Finral's arms.

"Langris!"

Finral opened his eyes widely with his hand reaching out on the empty air before suddenly the sheet under him was yanked hard and he was promptly dropped onto the floor in a heap of flailing arms and legs while shrieking in shock.

"W-w-what the—?! Wait. Where am I…?" Finral blinked his eyes and looked around frantically in confusion. He was apparently in medical facility in royal capital, judging from the look of the room. He looked at his bandaged hands and felt the one covering his forehead.

Huh? Had he been injured and unconscious all along? Since when…?

Then Finral remembered his disastrous last fight with Langris and remembered feeling a lot of pain. He winced slightly at that. Though, he could barely feel most of the pain anymore now, just some phantom sensations. As expected of Royal Capital medical treatment, it was as great as always.

"How long do you plan to sleep, you dumbass?"

Finral whipped his head to the source of the annoyed voice. "Y-Yami-san?!" The bulky captain looked extra pissed off, looming over him while tapping the tip of his dearest katana repeatedly on his own shoulder. "Uh… why, why are you looking so vexed?"

"Look outside. I can't believe you could keep sleeping in this commotion," Yami growled and when Finral looked outside the window, he was shocked seeing the chaos.

"What the—? What's going on?!"

Finral couldn't help gaping at the destruction of the capital city, the collapsed burning buildings, the destroyed towers, and the scream of citizen running around in panicky, all the disorders in one package.

"You can see it yourself, can't you? The Capital City is quite in disarray right now." Yami also looked outside, showing more of the devastation of the city as he gestured to Finral to come closer to the window. "You can feel it right, that inhuman magic that was coming from your brother… is now coming from all over the city."

Finral gasped slightly, immediately understanding what Yami meant when he felt that dark repulsive mana spreading and enveloping the entire city. "No way…!" He gulped as worse and worse feeling crept inside him.

Something… something must have happened to Langris as well!

"Don't give up on me."

Finral shut his eyes as he remembered the dream. It had to be another SOS from his little brother. He had to do something this time. He had to!

"I'll be waiting for you, Nii-chan."

Finral clenched his fist and looked upward at Yami with determination. "Please fill me in on the situation, Yami-san! We have to do something about this!"

Yami turned to face him with the same determination in his dark eyes.

Langris… I'm not giving up…! This time, I'm definitely going to save you! —Finral reached for the bandage on his forehead and pulled it free.

~ Finral x Langris ~

Captain Yami filled Finral in of the current situation, what was happening during his unconscious period.

"Eh?! The captain of Golden Dawn?!"

Finral was shocked as he heard who had been responsible for this destruction. He almost couldn't believe it, after all, wasn't William Vangeance very loyal to their Wizard King? He had heard the story of how he had been recruited especially by Julius Novachrono to be a magic knight, how closely connected he was to the current Wizard King.

There was more… William Vangeance and Yami Sukehiro had been really close friends in the same guild under Julius before they were promoted to be captains and had to lead in separated guilds. There was no way… no way would William betray both his best friend and Wizard King after knowing them so closely for years.

Yami frowned, his expression conflicted and Finral couldn't imagine how he felt right now. He knew how close Yami to William was. Finral also knew that William had feelings for Yami from how he behaved around his captain. His fondness when he looked at Yami had been genuine, real, and even though Yami hadn't noticed William's affection for him, it had to be difficult to have to fight his best friend.

"Yeah. He's also the leader of the Byakuya no Magan, Licht." Yami continued and Finral gaped at him, confused beyond belief.

"What the heck does that even mean?" he couldn't help exclaiming loudly, extremely befuddled.

William and Licht were the same person? Dissociative Disorder? Multiple Identities? It didn't make any sense! They couldn't be the same person. They didn't even look alike!

"'William is asleep inside me' is what Licht said when I confronted him," Yami explained further and Finral got the idea of what might have happened immediately.

"So… his body was taken over?" Finral asked and Yami seemed to get annoyed.

"Don't ask me that! I've got no answer for it!" Yami huffed.

"But it's one of possibilities," Finral concluded anyway.

"On top of that, he's not the only one who went all weird." Yami gave out a long-suffering sigh at this and Finral couldn't help gaping again. "Other Magic Knights have been affected too. Marx, Old Man Owen, and the Spiny Prickly Queen."

"Even Captain Charlotte?!" Dropping his own jaw seemed to be appropriate now because this was such a dire, potently catastrophic situation.

Yami sighed again, this time taking his time to light a cigarette and take a deep inhale of the cancer stick before exhaling the smoke and speaking again.

"A lot of things happened when you were enjoying your beauty sleep," he said, and Finral got a feeling that he was being chided and insulted concurrently.

"You do realize that I was dying, right?!" He couldn't help complaining at Yami's patronizing tone. After all, it really wasn't his fault that he was unconscious.

...

"Well, yeah, I guess."

That slight pause was worrying. "There's no guessing for that!" Finral protested some more.

"Man, I was worried," Yami said with a deadpanned look and flat tone.

"At least sound like you mean it!" Finral was getting desperate.

"No, really I was," Yami said, still with even tone, even his deadpan didn't change. "I couldn't even sleep at night because of it."

That last part seemed questionable, but Finral couldn't help flushing as he whined at his captain.

"And I'm really glad that you're not taken over," Yami looked at Finral, his expression mellowing slightly.

"Yami-san…" Now Finral could really see that Yami really was worried about him. That was probably why he came to check on him right then.

However, Finral suddenly realized something. "Oh, wait. Does this mean… does this mean Langris' body was also taken over?"

That's why… the SOS…?

"Probably," Yami nodded.

That ominous mana… it probably came from someone else… some other 'soul' inside Langris' body… an elf, really? Is that why Langris tried to kill me? The poison got worse because of that other soul?

"Hey, Finral," Yami's call brought Finral back from his train of thought. He took something from a small pouch on his waist and then offered it at Finral. "There's no time to brood over this. We need to act now."

Finral saw his Black Bull uniform on Yami's hand, looked into Yami's serious face and heard his grave tone. He nodded, taking his formal robe and quickly changed.

Finral prepared his magic and opened a portal for them to move.

Langris… this time… this time I will stop your body for being used to do evil things…!

~ Finral x Langris ~

Ratry was laughing.

He was running rampant with Langris' body, destroying things, hurting innocent people, fighting other magic knights, generally making Langris a traitor by committing treason against Clover Kingdom and humanity.

Langris couldn't care less.

He had no mean to fix anything anymore.

It was too late.

He had fallen to deep.

He could only keep drowning.

Just like this… let me disappear into the abyss.

~ Finral x Langris ~

Fighting Langris again… no, it was an elf that had taken over his Langris' body.

Though, even though the elf didn't recognize the king, didn't recognize father and mother, didn't recognize Lady Finnese and even Finral… Finral kept calling him Langris in the hope of waking his little brother's soul, so he could fight the Elf from the inside.

It didn't work, though, and Finral had to fight him three to one, together with Captain Yami and Captain Jack from the Green Mantis. Even with the three of them against the elf, it was still difficult. The elf's maryoku was so vast and so tainted that it was hard to breathe around him.

The elf was very strong and the way he used Langris' improved magic was outstanding and very troublesome. He was so full of hatred and malice, terrifying deep grudge against humanity and it was clearly not Langris, but his body was, and Finral would save Langris from this elf as well, from this evil and poison.

The closer they got to the elf, the angrier he was, and the release of wicked maryoku was blasting around as if the elf intended to blow everything away to other dimension, to make everything, including himself, disappear.

I won't let you…

I will catch you…

This time, Langris… I'll catch you and never let you go again…!

"Come here, Langris!" Finral punched the elf on Langris' face.

I'm sorry I ran away before, even though I realized that you need me.

I'm your big brother… I'm supposed to protect you.

I'm sorry I'm such a weak unreliable person.

Hey, Langris… please… take my hand this time.

~ Finral x Langris ~

In the deepest, darkest corner of his heart Langris was hiding, crouching his small body in sitting position, holding his knees up and hiding his face there. He was ashamed of himself. He was dirty. He couldn't be saved. He was waiting for the end to claim him.

"…ngris…!"

Huh…?

"Langris…!"

What… Nii-san's voice…?

"Langris!"

That can't be. Why… why would he even come for me?

"Langris, hey, come on… little brother."

Langris slowly opened his eyes and lifted his face to look upward at the person that was suddenly there, entering the deepest, darkest part of his inner self through a portal.

Finral looked at Langris with a gentle sunny smile. "Langris, let's go home." He reached out his hand, open up, waiting for Langris to take it.

Why are you smiling at me so softly?

After all the horrible things I did to you…

After every hurtful word and act that I did to drive you away…

How come you're still… Just how?

However, despite all of his insecurity and self-hate, Langris missed Finral's smile, missed his gentle personality, missed him, plain and simple, and he couldn't help his hand reaching out to close on Finral's willing, offered hand.

When Finral's hand touched his, Langris was surprised at how warm it was and was more shocked as he was pulled into Finral's embrace so suddenly.

"Finally, I caught you." Finral said, his voice trembling, tightening his hold on Langris' body as he buried his face on Langris' shoulder deeply despite having to bow to accommodate Langris' shorter height. "I will never let you go again."

Langris could only widen his eyes before tears gathered in his aquamarine eyes and then started dripping beads by beads from them like a broken dam. He couldn't help himself as he returned Finra's hug, crying out his pain and anguish, gripping on Finral's back so hard he would probably have bruise him if it had been really their real bodies and not just images in his subconscious plane.

Ah… Nii-san…

Your smile is still so bright and warm like the sun…

~ Finral x Langris ~

When Finral woke up from his healing slumber, a few days after the chaos was done and dealt with, he was surprised that he had been on the same bed as Langris.

He was very flabbergasted, actually, that he almost fell down from the bed in his frantic, flailing movement. However, upon noticing his own hand still in Langris' grip, he immediately froze and quieted down, not wanting to wake his brother from his own recuperative sleep.

"Langris… Oh, thank God, you're alright…" Finral came closer to the sleeping younger man to check on him more closely. He was breathing evenly and his outer injuries were minimal, some already healed completely even.

Langris looks innocent and serene like this. Ah, his eyelashes are long, maybe even longer than most girls' I've known… Oh, he looks cute still. If he smiles genuinely, he's really quite a looker. As expected of my lil bro!—Finral chuckled happily, already thinking they could be duo of lady killers in town. He'd remember to ask Langris later, after both of them got better, to be his wing man if he wanted to hit on girls.

Doctor Owen came in when Finral was still too busy admiring Langris' peaceful sleep to notice him and he instantly flushed in embarrassment when the doc chuckled at him, calling him adorable and endearing for being so loving of his brother.

"By the way, why are we treated on the same bed? I mean, I never knew that there's a king-sized medical bed in the first place…" Finral muttered the last part, his cheeks still heating, but the Doc heard him anyway and grinned.

"You didn't want to let go of him no matter what we did. Your grip was quite immovable despite being unconscious, and it was troublesome, so I just decided that you could recover together," Owen smiled as he seemed to notice something. "You still don't let go," he noted and Finral looked at his right hand, which was still in lose grip holding Langris' left one.

Finral smiled softly as he remembered his dream. No, that wasn't a dream. At the time, he connected with his brother. He had heard Langris' SOS and entered his subconscious plane. He had really caught Langris' soul then and he had held him tightly in his arms while Langris was crying out all his emotion out.

Finral had promised that he wouldn't let him go again with all of his heart, so… so his physical body had had to respond to it and really couldn't let go. "Yeah," he said quietly, once again tightening his clasp on Langris' hand. "It's my promise to him after all."

"I see," Owen seemed to be moved and happy for him, so Finral grinned widely at the doctor as he patted Finral on the shoulder. After that, he filled Finral in on what happened to the Clover Kingdom when he was recuperating and what was going on at the moment.

"So, all the elves are gone?" Finral asked hopefully.

"Yes, the devil was sent back to hell and all the Elves' souls had crossed to the afterlife, courtesy of Captain Vangeance's World Tree Magic and Licth's Light Magic." Owen explained.

"I see… thank god then. Thank god that all those unfortunate elves had been freed from the curse of forbidden spell…" Finral silently prayed for them so their souls could rest in peace in better place.

Owen sent him a small smile. "Really, the Black Bull is filled with such interesting people. Asta is one, but you're quite amazing too, Finral Roulacase."

Finral blushed again at the compliment. Oh, he still wasn't used to all these compliments he received lately, from his Black Bull family and from the doc as well. He knew he changed a lot after meeting, observing and understanding Asta, but he didn't realize that it was such great of a difference. He thought the only change in him was that he could finally have the courage and confidence to fight for what he loved and probably for his dream as well. But, he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Thank you, Doctor Owen."

After the doc was done, he left Finral to rest some more. Finral laid back down, still holding Langris' hand.

"It's alright, Langris. Nii-san is here. I'll protect you from now on…" He said with full conviction, squeezing Langris' smaller hand in his while smiling as he let the sleep take over his consciousness again.

The second time Finral woke up, it was at the feel of someone touching his face.

Huh?

Finral scrunched his nose before slowly opening his eyes. It was blurry at first, but when the view was finally clear, he was presented with Langris' indecipherable expression. His face was so close to Finral's that he couldn't dare to move despite being startled.

"Langris…?" he mumbled slowly, still feeling rather disoriented because he just woke up.

"It's been a while since I observed Nii-san's face this closely," Langris spoke in low volume, almost whispering, as if he didn't want anyone to hear his words.

Finral secretly glanced at the window, it was already dark outside. He glanced back at Langris' face, which was still uncomfortably close to him. His expression was still hard to read, almost expressionless even, but it was hardly valid analysis. Langris was a pretender. He could hide many things behind his sarcastic words and his condescending smile.

Finral smiled slightly, chuckling a little ruefully. "Well, I hardly remember a time we were ever this close, actually," he replied.

Langris kept his expression for just a few more seconds before he dropped his gaze away and let out a soft deep sigh. "You shouldn't have done that," he said while pulling back his head away and sat down turning his back on Finral, releasing their hand-holding in the process.

"Langris…" Finral sat up as well, feeling the emptiness in his hand as he stared worriedly at Langris's smaller back sagging. It wasn't like Langris to look so down.

"You should have let me disappear in that darkness," Langris said, his back still on Finral, so he didn't know what kind of expression he was making right now, but from his tone, he was probably frowning.

Finral didn't like it one bit. It was better when Langris was being sarcastic or mocking. This depressed version of him was hurting Finral a lot more than when he was being made fun of mercilessly.

"Hey," Finral crawled closer to the younger man and touched his back. "There's no way I would let you disappear. You perfectly know that."

"You're always too kind for your own good, Nii-san… even to someone who's undeserving," Langris scoffed lightly, still refusing to turn his head around.

"Everyone deserves kindness, Langris," Finral put his forehead on Langris' nape. "People… human… when they are born in this world, they are all pure, all clean slate like white paper without any dot. They're born inherently gentle, needing kindness and love to grow. However, people that raise them sometimes fail to plant the values of right and wrong, difficult situation and condition can rob them their goodness, and sometimes… their love can change shape into something ugly because of poison that taints those feelings. Hatred, jealousy, envy… sometimes those poisons can cloud people's judgment, causing them to do things that they don't mean to."

"What's your point?" Langris asked, his voice starting to harden.

"My point is… even though you think yourself as one of those people undeserving kindness, I still think of you as my important person that I love, Langris, so I want to be kind to you." Now Finral moved his hands and arms around Langris' petit body from behind, closing their distance even more to non-existence and hugging him dearly, closing his eyes. "Mother had never let me do this to you before, I should have grown some backbone to tell her to fuck off and just did what I wanted." He chuckled then, tightening his hold on Langris.

"If you had done that, I'd probably have punched you in the face," Langris bowed his head slightly. "Or mother would have finally used literal poison to kill you."

Finral chuckled again while opening his eyes, actually feeling amused despite the morbidity of Langris' words. "Yeah, Liliane would have done that."

"But really, Nii-san, you should have let me be," Langris said again, his tone sneering lightly. "Even though you're doing this, it won't change how I feel about you."

"I know," Finral sighed apologetically now. "I'm sorry for being so weak and unreliable. I'm sorry it took me so long to man up to finally face you properly. But I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be by your side whenever you need me, and even though you still hate me, it doesn't matter."

Langris straightened his body slightly, getting tense before he turned his head around, looking at Finral with conflicted eyes. "I never say I hate you, do I?"

"Yeah, but from the way you treat me, it's not that hard to figure that out." Finral raised one of his eyebrows at him, slightly questioning.

"That's not what I-… I mean, I…" Langris bit his lower lip before looking away again. "I am… a dirty person," he finally said, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth.

"Langris?" Finral was rather confused now. What was he talking about?

"Even since we were little… I've never thought of Nii-san as my big brother," he continued, not looking at Finral's face, but his expression was… difficult, like he really didn't want to admit it.

It actually looked much more like he was hurting, yet there was 'shy' quality of it as well because his cheeks were flushing slightly, which was weird as hell because he was the proud Langris Vaude. Finral was getting even more mystified by this.

However, upon registering what Langris just said, Finral felt the sting of rejection immediately. Langris never thought of him as his family?

"But the reality said that Nii-san is my older brother, which is why it's difficult for me to accept Nii-san's kindness. Having you near me makes me miserable, and yet… and yet, even after sending Nii-san away… it gets even worse." Langris brought his fist on his chest, clenching the material of his tunic tightly. "The emptiness is worse than being miserable…!"

"Langris... what, what do you mean…?" Finral loosened his arms around Langris and pulled back, looking at Langris' face with bewilderment. Langris couldn't be telling him what he thought he was telling Finral, right?

"I'm indeed… a dirty person," Langris covered his face with his free palm now, hiding his expression and probably his shame as well. "I was afraid you'd hate me if you found out, so I did everything to at least put a distance between us. I said awful things to make you fight back, so we could fight normally like brothers could, but it never worked and you were so nice about it that I… that I, Mother and Father ended hurting you daily. You must have… you must have hated us very much that you chose to stay away, to never have anything to do with us again!"

"That's not true, Langris! I don't hate you. I never hate you!" Finral cut, desperately trying to convince his little brother that he didn't hate him either.

"Well, you should! I already burned the bridge with you by sending you away. It doesn't make any difference if you know now. You say I deserve your kindness, then this one will definitely disgust you to the point of hate that you will never want to see my face again!"

Finral didn't know what happened.

Well, he did, but it happened so fast that he couldn't even react properly when Langris turned to face him, shoved his body to lie down and then pinned his shoulders on the bed before he suddenly kissed Finral hard on the mouth.

Finral could only widen his eyes in shock. His head instantly blanked and he thought his eyes stared at the universe as a whole. Though, he could feel Langris' lips moving and flinched as he bit his lower lip, almost sharply enough to make it bleed, but at the last second it softened and Langris licked at it gently, as if he was apologizing.

Finral could only gape speechlessly when Langris pulled back, his glimmering aquamarine eyes staring down at Finral's Amethyst ones with such painful expression on his face. "I'm sickened with myself every day for being this dirty," he whispered, tears gathering in his beautiful eyes, poisonous self-hatred clouding them, "I am in love with someone that I'm not allowed to. Something like this is unforgivable, Nii-san."

Finral was still speechless. He couldn't even—! What the hell was this situation, anyway?!

Langris was… Langris said that… He's in love with me?! After all these years that I thought he had hated me?!

Finral's head spun then. He felt like the universe was playing a joke on him. This couldn't be… but Langris was… his eyes were in tears for God sake. He was serious.

This was… a very delicate state of affairs.

Langris had been burdened and hated himself because of what he was feeling. If Finral said something and or acted wrong to handle this, he would lose Langris for good.

He couldn't let that happen.

What am I supposed to do in this situation?!

~ Finral x Langris ~

Langris could see how shocked Finral was.

He expected this though, because he knew Finral would be disgusted.

And this time… this time he would hate Langris for real.

And then he would say the word that would free Langris from all this excruciating feeling.

Reject him. Make Langris give up.

What Langris didn't expect though, was Finral looking at him straight in his eyes and said, "Are you really alright, with someone like me?"

…

…

Huh?

Langris almost face-planted on the bed in comical fashion as he registered what Finral was asking him.

Is that actually what he's asking in this situation? Really? Isn't there a bigger issue here?!

"Nii-san, haven't you been listening to what I confessed?" Langris didn't know if he should be crying or yelling at Finral this time, his eyes twitching badly, slightly infuriated because Finral didn't seem to take this seriously at all.

"Ye-yeah, I've been listening and… and I think that's a valid question. I mean… I'm just me, the black sheep in the family, a weak little pack-mule for Black Bull Guild, and you… you're Langris Vaude, the great Vice-Captain of the Golden Dawn Guild with many amazing accomplishments." Finral smiled slightly, looking apologetic, as if he was doing Langris a disservice for being himself. "Aren't you embarrassed being seen with me?"

Langris looked at Finral, already feeling sorry for himself that he actually fell in love with this person. He was a fool through and through.

"Nii-san, before being worried about what people would think about us being seen together… shouldn't you be thinking about how did this happen or why is this happening or this is amoral and taboo and it's revolting, right?" Langris was trying to be patient here, but Finral was testing his already frying temper. He would slap Finral if he was being an idiot.

Finral looked at Langris with odd expression. "Um… Langris, didn't you hear what I said to you before?" he asked, sounding puzzled.

"What?" Langris blinked.

"I said... you're my important person that I love, so I want to be kind to you," Finral repeated the words that he already said some minutes ago and Langris widened his eyes slightly, a little bit stunned.

"But, that… I thought that was love as in brotherly love!" Langris protested as he pulled back, kneeling on the bed bracketing one of Finral's open legs.

"Does it matter what kind it is? Love is love," Finral asked, slowly sitting up again, his gaze not straying from Langris'.

"Brotherly love doesn't make you want to kiss and ravish your brother," Langris deadpanned and Finral seemed to almost choke in his surprise. He actually blushed, his face reddening as if he wanted to impersonate tomato and it was a good look on him. It irrationally just made Langris want to kiss him again.

Finral coughed slightly, apparently trying to calm himself down. "It's not that… that I'm against it or anything… but shouldn't you be more tactful, Langris?" he looked the other way with a shy look and Langris could only stare at Finral, totally stunned for the second time in the span of five minutes (not that he was counting).

"W-wait, wait a second," Langris needed time to process this. "So, Nii-san… you're not disgusted?" That couldn't be. This was a taboo. Everyone, even Langris himself, was appalled with it. It was the reason why he had such a hard time dealing with Finral, because despite wanting Finral to always be nice and smiling at him, Langris couldn't help wanting to do unbelievable things to Finral as well because of it. It was unbecoming and… and he tried his hardest to forget his impure thoughts, damn it!

"Langris, I love you. There's no way I'll be disgusted with you," Finral gave Langris a soft smile, and Langris could only stare at him again, this time a little bit awed, and felt much ridiculous.

"Even though it's a taboo?" He still couldn't believe it. He needed more clarities that it was okay to feel this way towards Finral.

"It would be a taboo if one of us were a girl. There's no danger of accidental pregnancy between men," Finral pointed out.

"People frown upon this… this kind of connection inside a family, blood-family," Langris put stress on the last word, not sure why he did that, but it should be important, right?

"It's nobody's business except us. As long as we don't blatantly do something incriminating in public, they will only see us as 'close brothers'," Finral argued with a shrug. "Though, that's why I asked you earlier. Are you really alright with someone like me? You're going to be seen with me more often now, especially when I take you on dates later," he grinned now and this time it was Langris who couldn't control his expression because he blushed at the thought of being on a date with Finral.

"Y-you… why are you thinking about dates already?" Langris couldn't help it. His cheeks heated so fast and his heart started to pound very hard as well.

"Hmm? But that's what's going to happen when we're dating Langris," Finral reached out his hand and touched Langris' still heating cheek and he couldn't help gasping slightly as he felt Finral's warm palm and fingers caressing his skin directly. "I still can't believe that you actually love me, though… I'm nobody. I'm weak and prone to run away from problem. I even ran away from my responsibility and dropped all of it on your lap and then left you to clean up my mess. Thinking about it now, that was a dick move that I did to you. I'm still regretting it even until now," he chuckled ruefully again and Langris couldn't help covering Finral's hand on his cheek.

"Nii-san…" He closed his eyes, squeezing Finral's hand.

"I thought you hated me because of it… but knowing that you're actually in love with me is… like a miracle." Finral's face was close to Langris now, his thumb still absentmindedly caressing his cheek. Langris could feel Finral's soft breath and he opened his eyes when Finral rested his forehead gently on Langris'. Finral's already droopy eyes were drooping some more as he stared at Langris'. "If you really still can love me despite all of my flaws then… who am I to turn down such amazing affection from someone I actually love and admire?" He smiled again, so gently, so affectionately that Langris couldn't help feeling butterflies in his stomach getting crazy, his heart pounding faster and faster, like it was about to burst out of his ribs-cage.

"I-idiot…! You're the big brother. Nii-san's supposed to talk some sense into me. This is crazy… Why are you encouraging—?!"

Langris couldn't continue his sentence. It turned into a light gasp as he felt Finral's soft lips on his, and he couldn't help moaning when Finral's other hand rested on his nape, pulling him down into Finral's space, deepening their kiss into sensual, lovers' kiss.

Langris could feel his knee shaking, his energy seemingly lost somewhere, and he felt weak, almost causing him to fall down into Finral completely if his hands hadn't instinctively caught Finral's collar, clenching his fists on the soft material and holding on like his life depended on it.

Finral's kiss was… phenomenal. He used his tongue, but he didn't use it excessively. It was… it felt like velvet, soft and yielding and Langris couldn't help gasping some more when he felt those kittenish licks on his lips, couldn't help opening his mouth for him like he had been desperate of it, maybe he was, Langris didn't know anymore. His head was in cloud nine.

It felt good. Langris could taste Finral when his tongue slipped inside him, licking tentatively with alternate kissing, before he grew more confident and started exploring Langris' oral cavity like he couldn't get enough of it, coaxing Langris' own tongue to dance with his and Langris continued to moan, feeling intoxicated and he couldn't help crying out slightly when Finral's hand moved from his nape to his side, he was ticklish there.

"Oh," Finral pulled away slightly, leaving Langris panting and shivering as he felt Finral's faster breath on his wet kiss-swollen lips. "Sorry, Langris, I got carried away. I couldn't help myself. You look really adorable…" he whispered, peppering Langris with small kisses on his forehead and cheek, and then he nipped at Langris' chin, causing him to gasp again, unable to hold his weight anymore and involuntarily dropping his body to sit on Finral's laps.

Langris rested his head on Finral's shoulder, still panting, his face feeling like furnace and his heart still feeling like it was about to jump from its chest cavity, partly from mortification and partly from being in too much pleasure. Finral held him firmly, caressing his back gently. It wasn't fair that Finral seemed so composed while he made Langris this weak just by kissing him.

Finral played with women often. This frivolous man! It kind of annoyed Langris a little bit.

Okay, it annoyed him a lot. It was kind of upsetting that many people had seen this side of Finral. Now Langris knew what this ugly feeling was. It was jealousy.

Langris reached to hug Finral back, more tightly than necessary. Finral seemed to sense that Langris was upset somehow and asked, "What's wrong?"

"How many people have Nii-san done this with previously?" Langris asked, even though he didn't really want to know the answer.

Lies, he wanted to know to the exact number. He would hunt them all down. Finral was his, damn it!

"Actually… this is the first time that I got that far," Finral sounded embarrassed and it surprised Langris slightly. He couldn't help but pulling back to look at Finral's flushing face to see if he was lying, but his embarrassment looked genuine.

"Wait, really? This is Nii-san's first kiss?" Langris couldn't help his skeptical tone. Finral was so good, too good for being a beginner after all.

"Well, yeah," Finral nodded, blushing some more. He looked endearing. Langris almost smiled in amusement, but he shook his head before his lips could twitch.

"But Nii-san… you're chasing skirts all the time. The rumors were so colorful that Father and Mother got really mad at you, right?"

"Well, yeah, the chasing part was true, but you'd be surprised how guarded those girls are, Langris. They take care of their heart, body and honor seriously. They flirt, but they won't let you touch them without the promise of marriage. And as far as I ever went, if those girls are lenient enough or really like me, was kisses on the back of their hand or on their cheek, but never on the mouth," Finral confessed.

Langris couldn't help staring at Finral again, slightly thunderstruck. Langris really was Finral's first kiss? For real? He meant, despite his life-long obsession for Finral, even Langris had already experienced his first kiss. He even kissed Lady Finnese several times. It was expected, she was his fiancée after all.

Right, Lady Finnese. Wasn't Finral in love with her?

"What about Lady Finnese?" Langris asked slowly. It wasn't like he doubted her fidelity, but Lady Finnese did say she liked Finral more than she liked Langris. Maybe there was a time that she kissed Finral first before she and Langris were officially engage.

"I told you, what I felt for Lady Finnese all those years ago was only a harmless crush," Finral huffed and Langris knew it was a lie, so he narrowed his eyes at Finral dangerously. Finral winced slightly before he seemed to give up, and finally told him the truth with a deep sigh. "Okay, I was in love with her, but I already moved on. I care about her still, but it's different from what I felt for her before. Besides, she is still your fiancé even until now. What are you going to do about her?" He asked back, sounding concerned and worried.

"After all those treasonous acts, between me trying to murder the king and attacking Mother and Father and Lady Finnese, do you honestly think that our betrothal will still hold?" Langris asked back, feeling slightly uncomfortable that he had almost hurt his fiancé to the point of committing murder. He didn't love her, yes, but she was still his responsibility. All these years, Langris had learnt to care about her. He couldn't manage to love her yet, but he didn't wish to hurt her at all.

"You didn't do all of those things. You were possessed by the soul of an elf that was cursed with forbidden spell to be so hateful. You are not responsible for the destruction and you are not a traitor." Finral seized Langris' chin and lifted his face up to look at his serious expression. "It's not your fault, Langris. Stop blaming yourself," he added with sure, reassuring tone, seeming to completely believe in his own words and in Langris.

Too kind… too trusting… Nii-san won't last a second as the head of Vaude Household —Langris let out a deep regretful sigh. He wouldn't be able to make Finral the head of their family again, so it couldn't be helped. Langris would still have to be the head, but he would get Finral in again inside the Vaude Household somehow.

"You're right, but it was still my body and my magic being used to do the deed. I don't think the King would want Lady Finnese to be betrothed to a person as dangerous as I am anymore," Langris replied softly while resting his forehead on Finral's shoulder again. "And if by any miracle our betrothal actually survived this ordeal, then I would personally end it, feeling so regretful that I almost killed her, I couldn't possibly want to put her in anymore danger, so it was best if we didn't see each other again," he mumbled the rest of his plan to annul his engagement to Lady Finnese while moving his arms to put them around Finral's sides, hugging him again slowly.

Finral was so warm and comfortable. Langris wanted to stay there forever, in Finral's embrace.

"You are a little schemer, aren't you, Langris-chan?" The way Finral spoke… Langris could almost hear his teasing amusement.

"Shut up, Nii-san," Langris grumbled without a bite and Finral chuckled lightly in reaction, holding him back just as tightly and enthusiastically.

"I just love you, Langris," Finral continued chuckling, but it sounded so sweet and sincere that Langris couldn't help his face heating again and his heartbeat pounding a little harder and a little faster once more.

"Nii-san is really… okay with our connection." Langris wasn't asking, but Finral seemed to catch the insecurity in Langris' voice then and replied gently.

"Yes, yes of course, Langris… As long as I can be by your side, I'm all over it." Finral dropped a kiss on Langris soft brown hair and Langris couldn't help hiding his face deeper. Finral's affection freely given still made him feel awkward and undeserving, but Finral said it was okay, that he didn't think less of Langris just because he was a bit different.

Finral loved Langris.

Finral loved Langris.

"I'm a jealous person, Nii-san. I want to monopolize your affection," Langris confessed, moving his head slightly to plant a kiss on Finral's neck. He could almost feel the jump in Finral's muscles with his lips. How sweet.

"Well, I'll try not to flirt with girls in front of you then," Finral chuckled and Langris punished him with a bite to his neck. Finral gasped lightly in surprise. "Langris!"

"I won't forgive you if you cheat on me, stupid Nii-san," Langris grumbled again, before he licked the bite-mark he had left on Finral's neck and then sucked on it persistently.

"Sheesh… possessive much?" Finral chuckled again, sounding slightly nervous now.

"I am a possessive person, Nii-san," Langris pulled back slightly to whisper in Finral's ear. "So please be ready and be prepared to become mine completely, Nii-san." Then he bit on Finral's earlobe seductively and he could feel the jump in Finral's heartbeat now.

"Oh, you're so on," Finral surprisingly answered while grabbing a handful of Langris' hair and pulled, causing Langris to pull his head back as well, so he could see Finral's enticing half-lidded eyes and his aroused expression.

Oh, he could feel Finral's excitement down there as well. Langris couldn't help gulping slightly as his mouth went dry, looking at Finral's enlarging pupils, slowly swallowing his Amethyst irises into black, showing Langris how turned on he was.

"We'll see who is going to possess whom then."

Finral smirked before he leaned in and closed their distance once again in a greedier, more passionate kiss.

Langris wouldn't want it any other way.

~ Finral x Langris ~

Several months later…

It was a coincidence when Finral, Asta and Vanessa were in town doing errand for Yami and they bumped into the Golden Dawn troupe, led by Langris, seemingly just about to leave the Royal Capital City for a mission.

Langris seemed to notice them right away and Finral raised his hand and waved at him while cheering, calling his name as loudly as he could and generally making a scene.

"Langris! Hey, Lil Bro!"

Langris flushed instantly and covered his face, looking mightily embarrassed. "Shut up, Nii-san! You're making a fool of yourself!" he shouted back, looking annoyed and irritated.

Finral grinned mischievously. "I love you, Langris!" he yelled and witnessed how his brother missed a step and almost fell in his shock. Finral laughed hard as Langris sent him a scathing glare.

"Cut it out, will you!" Langris yelled back, flushing and blushing from head to toe, seemingly furious, but the way his aquamarine eyes lit up brilliantly told Finral that he was actually happy.

Finral kept laughing and sent his little brother a kiss-bye and Langris harrumphed, apparently deciding to ignore him, and just told his troupe to move out already, still completely blushing, to the bewilder of his subordinates.

Vanessa giggled beside him. "I'm glad you mended things with your brother, Finral," she said, smiling happily.

"Yeah, you won't believe how cute he is when he's blushing!" he chuckled contently.

Finral was officially besotted. He had his doubt at first on how to deal with Langris' unusual feeling for him at first and repeatedly asking himself if what he did was right, but… looking at their state of affairs now, Finral knew he had done what he needed to do.

Langris needed this. He needed to learn to forgive himself and to love himself as he was, and if Finral could give him a way to do that by loving him, despite how unorthodox the kind of love it was, then he would give it to Langris.

"Aww… someone has become quite a bro-con," Vanessa grinned teasingly and Finral flushed instantly hearing it.

"Vanessa-san!" Finral complained at her while she continued teasing.

Asta looked at Finral and then at Langris and then back at Finral while tilting his head, seemingly puzzled. "I thought Finral-senpai only flirts with girls, but he can actually flirt with guys as well," he commented and Finral sputtered in more shock at that while Vanessa snickered amusedly.

"I am not flirting with my own brother!" Finral protested hard, his cheeks heating and hearts pounding frantically, slightly worried whether or not he was that obvious.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm glad that Finral-senpai can be closer to his brother. I can see that shorty tsundere vice-captain also seems happier these days," Asta grinned.

"Did you just call the vice-captain of Golden Dawn Guild a tsundere?" Vanessa snorted and couldn't help falling into a peal of helpless laughter, seemingly surprised at that but also very amused, but Finral thought that term really fitted his little brother's personality.

Langris still maintained his sarcastic attitude toward him on the outside, obviously because he was such a prideful little shit that couldn't stand tarnishing his public image, but when they were alone together…

Finral smiled softly, remembering Langris being needy and affectionate. He was so adorable. Finral could endure and probably would be happy to be mocked by him in public repeatedly if he could make Langris blush and flush and cry and beg for him in private.

"Now, Finral-senpai is being creepy," Asta commented again, stepping back several steps from Finral because he was grinning like a loon while he was thinking about Langris in private.

"Hey, now, that's a rude thing to say out loud, Asta," Vanessa slapped Asta's back, chiding. "But I agree that he's being creepy," she nodded while smirking.

"Aww, no! Not you too, Vanessa-san!" Finral protested again, but he was glad that his friends were always be there to support him when he needed him.

Finral couldn't go back to being a Vaude (and he still didn't want to), but he was happy that he got his Langris and he was satisfied and grateful that he already had such amazing family in Black Bull Guild.

~ END ~

OMAKE 1

William was reading a book in his quarter.

He was still in house-arrest, so he wasn't allowed to leave his room.

It was such a lenient punishment, considering what he had let happen almost destroyed Clover Kingdom. Wizard King was too kind hearted for not giving him more severe repercussion. At first, he wouldn't be surprised if he was executed, for what he had done was a form of treason, not being able to choose where his loyalty laid… he was so indecisive and irresponsible for not telling anyone about his struggle and dilemma.

William even couldn't tell Yami and he had harbored feelings for his friend since a long time ago.

A series of knockings on his quarter door brought William back from his train of thought, then he realized that he had been on the same page of his book since a half hour ago. William sighed and closed his book before saying, "Come in. It's not locked."

Someone opened the door and, "Are you decent? You took your time to answer your door, I thought you were changing clothes or something," Yami Sukehiro slipped his head between the door and the frame, his dark eyes skirting the room before landing on William's form.

William didn't wear his mask when he was in his room, but Yami had ever seen him without it before, so he wasn't really surprised by the ugly birth mark on the upper part of his head. Yami's eyes seemed to focus on it for a moment before his gaze dropped to look at William's lilac colored eyes, though.

"Yami," William greeted and smiled at him, gesturing the bulky man to enter his room. "It's been a while," he said, but not mentioning the trial.

It was still a shock that William got such light punishment after all. He had essentially betrayed everyone by letting Patry did what he did in the first place. He had made such a fatally bad choice and he had to live with the consequence.

"Ten days and five hours, to be precise," Yami snorted as he closed the door and walked approaching William. He sat across of him on the plush chair and frowned at him. "Haven't you been eating? You look like a twig," he chided and William chuckled at his mocking yet worried tone.

"You've been counting the days and hours from our last meeting?" William couldn't help feeling happy though, that Yami had missed him.

William had been afraid that Yami would grow to hate him after what he did. He tolerated William before, and probably considered William as his friend at some point, so William always made effort to be liked more by Yami. Though, when William surrendered his body to Patry, he had been sure he would disappear so at least he wouldn't have to face Yami again after he betrayed him, and yet… William had survived. And now he didn't know what he would do if Yami really grew to hate him.

William loved Yami.

He was uncouth and untactful, loud and rude, but he was honest and loyal, a great judge of character, and he gave his all to his family and friends, to protect and shelter them, to make them better people. Yami was strong and determined, always following his code and principle to the greater good.

"Of course I've been. I haven't heard your side of the story. Explain to me one more time why you thought it would be a good idea to surrender your body to an elf that had clearly wanted to eradicate human race, and don't tell me you know about the 'Devil' because that's BS and both you and I know that you weren't aware of such thing when you did what you did the first time."

Yami looked calm, but his dark eyes were stormy and demanding. He seemed to want to understand what William was going through. He looked and sounded so sincere that William wanted him to know everything about him now.

So William talked. He talked about his childhood, about being aware of the hurting little soul inside him. He told him that William shared Patry's pain and even though William was human, he also knew how human could be selfish, greedy and evil. He didn't share Patry's hatred of humanity, but he understood his feeling, and he thought he wanted to protect him and give him love, so he wouldn't be in pain anymore, so his broken heart and wounds could heal little by little. If William had been enough of a friend, he thought he could diminish Patry's hatred too, but he had been too naïve.

He told Yami how he couldn't choose between his loyalty to Wizard King and his oldest friend. He made a bad choice, but it was his choice. He regretted it immensely that his choice had almost destroyed everything, but he was glad that he believed in the resilience of humanity, that they were inherently good and kind, and that they could conquer hatred with love.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends with me anymore. It was the truth that I betrayed you despite it not being my intention," William said slowly dropping his gaze, not brave enough to see the anger in Yami's eyes, but he didn't expect it when Yami suddenly stood and walked around the table to get into William's personal space.

William closed his eyes, readying himself for a punch or two if that was what Yami wanted, but once again, he was surprised to the point of speechlessness when Yami suddenly grabbed his arm, pulled William to stand and then enveloped him in a hug.

William could only widened his eyes as he felt Yami's warm body surrounding him, cocooning him in tenderness and care, and he didn't know what to do with his hands when he heard Yami spoke softly, "Thank you… for believing in us."

William couldn't help it. His tears just came out on their own and he closed his eyes as his breath hitched, something like sobs torn out of his throat.

Ah… I thought I already cried my heart out in Wizard King's presence before… just when I realized that he was still alive…!

William hugged Yami back, still crying like a child, but Yami just tightened his hold on William's body, lightly kissing his hair, and he felt so blessed for having such many amazing people caring about him to that extent.

William regretted the repercussion of his choice.

But he didn't regret the choice.

He chose to believe in humanity and Yami.

He wasn't wrong to love Yami.

~ Yami x William ~

OMAKE 2

"Uh…" Finral discreetly closed the small portal after he accidentally witnessed such moving scene between his captain and the Golden Dawn captain.

He should be more careful when he had to pick up his captain in the Golden Dawn Guild Head Quarter from now on. Their quality-time shouldn't get interrupted by their subordinates.

Finral smiled slightly then, feeling content that finally, finally, Yami caught up with William's feeling. He hope they would be happy together.

Now that he had time to wander… he'd find his little brother then!

Finral imagined Langris's surprised face when he showed up in front of him and he grinned mischievously. He opened the portal and went into it to appear on the wall of a bathroom.

Huh?

Langris was in the middle of soaking his naked body with warm spraying water from the shower. His eyes were closed, so he didn't seem to notice that Finral had arrived.

Finral gaped as he noticed the littering of kiss-marks he had left on Langris' body some nights ago and how… sexy he was displaying it for all to see, though he was the only one (along with Finral) in the bathroom now.

Finral couldn't help himself when he was presented with such beautiful arousing view.

He wanted to touch Langris again.

So he did.

Too bad Langris had a very bad reaction with being surprised.

Langris screamed bloody murder and accidentally activated his Offensive-Spatial Magic and blew a part of the bathroom wall to the other dimension.

Finral passed out when he fell after hitting his head on the tile floor, trying to dodge the 'surprised' attack.

~ Finral x Langris ~

OMAKE 3

"What's with the commotion?"

Asta looked upward when there was the zinging sound and then the building shook lightly.

Yuno sighed from behind the smaller boy and rested his forehead on Asta's shoulder. "It's probably your senior trying to jump our vice-captain again," he mumbled softly, nosing at Asta collar until he found a patch of skin he could nibble.

Asta chuckled. "Your wording is funny. People will misunderstand if you speak like that." He shook his head slightly, nudging Yuno to give him more space. Asta was trying to read after all.

"Well, he keeps coming back, Finral-san that is, despite Vice-Captain Langris almost blowing him away repeatedly. Is Finral-san a masochist?" Yuno couldn't help asking. Sometimes he got curious too. He was a teenager after all.

…

…

Asta's long silence worried Yuno a little.

"Yuno… your reading material should be filtered more if you already know about S & M at your age." Asta deadpanned.

…

…

"You know about S & M already, Asta?"

Yuno stared at Asta in a bit of astonishment and Asta promptly blushed as he seemed to realize that he was in the same boat as Yuno for getting into trouble if they breathed a word about this conversation to anyone else ever.

"Just kiss me already," Asta, still flushing, went for distraction technique and Yuno chuckled, because it always worked for him.

"Gladly."

And so, Yuno kissed Asta on the mouth sweetly.

END of CONNECTION

A/N: Phew… such a long one shot again. You'd be surprised how many times I changed the climax in this story. Damn Langris and his annoying personality. It was really hard writing in his POV. Langris in this story is completely oOC, sorry about it. I hope he at least played his part right though. God, I'm sleepy. Sorry, it's almost dawn and I need to sleep. I'll post this tomorrow. Wait, today is tomorrow, dang.

So, what do you think? Ah, the omake? It is just for humor that I promised but failed to deliver in the main story, I hope it's quite fluffy and funny enough. As always, comments, liners, con-crits are always welcome. See you next project!

Edit: Back to Fix some grammars and spellings mistakes.