A/N: Set sometime along the timeline of episode 11-12. Italics are flashback.

They say important things are never realised until they are lost. But time wasn't something one can turn back…so the only way is to become more aware of one's own desires, before it was too late.

As he snaked his way through the forest, Reisi couldn't help but contemplate on his own actions over the years. From the moment he first met Mikoto, their paths had never diverged, much to his own discretion. However up til now it always felt like there was some invisible barrier jammed between him and the Red King. Reisi perceived it as their responsibilities as Kings but little did he know that it was in fact something much easily resolved, it was their hearts.

Watching the back of the blue-haired King's head while the other stared up at the Sword of Damocles that hung over the school grounds, Mikoto felt the adrenaline in his blood, something that only Reisi could trigger. But little could he decipher that it wasn't adrenaline alone, but something he's supressed for too long. Ever since the met, the bespectacled man had always ignited and honed the fire within him, something about the other strongly piqued his interest. He felt at a strange ease around the Blue King, the other's tranquil nature definitely became a haven after he ascended the throne as the Red King. However everything about their relationship changed when Reisi rose up as the Blue King. Mikoto despised the other for it, simply because it left them stranded on two opposing sides.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Reisi asked through a puff of white.

"Hmm?" Mikoto responded lazily, thinking exactly the same thing of the man standing beside him.

"The snow."

It felt like his mind had been read, but with a smile Mikoto habitually lit a cigarette. "Sure."

Swiping the stick from the other's mouth, Reisi sighed, "It's the first day of a New Year, Suoh. You shouldn't go around polluting things so quickly."

"Tch."

The two remained in a happy silence the rest of their trip across the yard of the shrine. Snowflakes drifted lightly across the snow, decorating anything they landed upon in a layer of pure white. Reisi was happy in the warmth that the fiery king offered, but in his heart he felt the burden of being abandoned. Even though they had started on equal footing, Mikoto was quickly leaving him behind. Mikoto trudged along, pleased that the negative emotions he'd built up over the past year as King had seemingly vaporised the moment he laid eyes on the Reisi that had been waiting for him that morning.

Finally arriving in front of the empty shrine they had visited together for as long as they've known each other. They came to a stop.

"Mmm?" Mikoto asked catching Reisi's gaze.

Turning his sight towards the wooden building in front of them, Reisi smiled.

Placing in their contributions the two stood shoulder-by-shoulder as they clapped in unison before closing their eyes for a wish.

Each had begun with noble intentions but neither expected it to lead them to this breaking point.

In order to obtain power, one must make a hefty sacrifice.

Reisi didn't want the lament, the sentiment, the remorse. All he wanted was to stand by Mikoto, without a wavering will, with his heart on his sleeve. Once this is over…he will definitely…

As much he didn't want it to end, Mikoto knew it had come.

There would never be an end to them. Reisi knew, he knew Mikoto also saw it but decided to simply remain aloof.

He wasn't, Mikoto could feel the pains that tore at his heart, but he blamed it on pushing his limits.

A sorrowful blue seeped from Reisi, he didn't want this. He watched as the other charged at him with that brilliant red he adored so much. His blade didn't waver.

Even though neither could stop, they hoped that the mutual wish they had shared all those years ago would come true.

Maybe there were miracles in this quickly fading world.

A/N: I'm not really sure what I tried to do here...it kind of just came out like that. This may as well be a headcanon.

Why are they at a shrine on New Year's Day you ask? Japanese people have a tradition of "Hatsumoude" which is basically the first shrine visit of the year.