Beta: Tegthe (I owe this girl so much. She has betad 29(!) chapters, mostly keeping up with the pace of chapter per week. Kudos and applause to that!)

Disclaimer: Just a reminder that I don't own the boys. And that the lyrics are all from Shinedown's various songs.

A/N: This shall be long A/N.

First, sorry for being a little late, but I have been quite taken with dealing with SnK figure skating cosplay vid. (In case you heard of it, it was me.) Anyway, off with the relevant stuff, like this fic!

So. Last chapter, epilogue. It's been a rocky ride for me, because this piece was originally finished in terms of writing in 2011 November (it was won NaNoWriMo), and even it was finished, it still held horrendous mistakes, most in terms of grammar, due to the quick pace. Correcting those (and my writing) hasn't been too much fun, but hey, here we are!

Thank you for all the comments, it's really supported me and kept me going!
(About future - some people have asked me to pick up "Leaves Falling", another Uraboku fic of mine, and after I finish one DGM fic that's 1/3 written already (in my laptop), I think I will. DGM is a good break from Uraboku, and then I can get back to "Leaves Falling", back to the story that has been in my mind for ages.)
Anyway.

You've read +50 000 words of Uraboku fic. Applause to yourself for making it this far! (Don't forget to drop a comment, both roses and thorns are equally loved!)
And now, I just have two things to say. First, don't forget the meaning of Amaryllis; "Success won after a struggle." (It applies to boys, but also to life in general.)

And... Thank you for reading.
Hope you enjoy the last part. Here goes!

Chapter 32 - Bloom

So do I remind you of

Someone you never met
A lonely silhouette

And do I remind you of

Somewhere you wanna be
So far out of reach

Amaryllis

It was a warm morning, wind playing with the grass on the flowerless field where two Zweilts were sitting.

"So, you're a boy now."

Shusei looked at the brown-haired girl sitting beside him. Just like the wind played with the grass, it played with her dark hair. "Ayako…"

The girl heard him, but didn't take a note of it. Instead, she gazed towards the rising sun, refusing to be blinded by its growing light. "You're always trying so hard. Not for your own sake, but for Hotsuma's." She turned and tore her gaze away from the distant sun and looked at the boy next to her. "It's admirable, but it makes me sad." She paused. "I think it makes him sad, too."

Shusei was more than a little surprised by the other Zweilt's words – he had never considered it that way. Yet, he couldn't think of anything to say.

A small, sad smiled tugged her lips upwards – she knew that. Pulling her legs closer to her chest, she continued, eyes never leaving the boy. "But you know, I think that someday, you two will find a way." She lifted her gaze and paused, looking at the bright sun again, not caring if it would blind her. "It's not about getting married. It's not about being a boy and being a girl."

She let her body fall backwards, colliding with the fresh, soft grass, eyes no longer on the blazing sun but on the cloudless sky. "I think that someday, you'll be able to tell each other how much you love each other." She turned her head to look Shusei in the eye, confirming that the boy didn't believe her. Well, after all that had happened in their previous lives, she couldn't blame him – sometimes, it was hard to believe in the future.

But still, it was something you had to do.

"One day, both of you will realize that and won't ever let go again."

She had found her happiness with Shiba. Despite the battles they were to meet, they could go on because they had each other. Shusei and Hotsuma were the same – they just hadn't seen it, not understood each other completely. Yet.

"One day, he will rip that mask of yours away and you'll never wear it again. Because you don't need to."

She lifted her hand towards the sun, as if she could reach it from the earth. "I know that."

At that time, Shusei couldn't believe in her words – he could only hope she was right.

In the morning, Shusei opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. Then he turned his head to the side, just to see his partner laying there beside him, their fingers entwined.

Shusei pushed himself up to a sitting position, watching as his partner – lover – slowly wakes up.

"Good morning", he quietly greeted Hotsuma.

The other boy flashed him a smile, giving his hand a light squeeze. "Mornin'."

Without hesitation at all, Hotsuma pulled his partner into a leisure morning kiss. Shusei let himself be pulled back on the bed, to be kissed and kiss in return.

"Thank you", he whispered after they parted.

"For what?"

"Being here."

Hotsuma looked at his partner, puzzled. "I'm the one who's supposed to thank you, then."

Shusei chuckled, breath warm against Hotsuma's skin.

Ayako had been right, after all.

With their foreheads pressed together, Shusei closed his eyes. His fingers intertwined with Hotsuma's as he said nothing at all. When the younger boy pressed their lips together again, Shusei let himself melt into the kiss.

Hotsuma was fire and he was ice – that's how it had always been, and he doubted it would ever change.

However… From now on, he wouldn't need to hide himself behind icy walls. He wouldn't wear that mask anymore, at least not with Hotsuma.

Even with the war against the Duras and Reiga going on, Shusei knew that there was no place he'd rather be. That had been the case for over a millennium now, but one thing was different from before.

They saw each other clearly now.

Their bond was stronger than ever before.

They had each other.

They loved each other.

The path had been long and filled with thorns, but they had finally made it.

And that was how it was supposed to be.

Amaryllis
Blooms