A/N: This fic is a spawn of a sleepless night and frustration at the unsatisfactory ending of the series. First chapter will be up soon, but updates in the future will be very irregular. There may be grammar or spelling errors, and I would be grateful if you point them out.

Warnings for canon-typical violence, swearing and possible sexual content. Beware of spoilers: if you haven't watched all the episodes, I don't recommend reading this fic yet.

This will also be available at AO3.

Prologue: Endings

"Yes, you're… you're my friend."

Amidst his tears, that light punch Haruto threw surprised him. For a second there was hope, like there was light in Haruto's eyes, but that hope died when he went limp in his arms. All stopped; his breathing, motions, thoughts, his hope, and there he was cradling his lifeless friend.

Later, L-elf could reminiscence how it was a miracle he just didn't crumble totally on the floor of the cockpit. Lifetime of soldiering on carried him still. Everything had been taken from him, and left were only the ruins of a new country barely standing. Everything the country meant to him was gone. The girl he tried to save died saving him and the final battle against Cain was won with the prize of his friend's life.

Talk about hopeless.

The he realized the body he was holding wasn't lifeless, totally. Haruto's chest still moved, although slowly, as if he merely slept. For a second, L-elf was still. And then he mechanically moved his hand to Haruto's neck and—yes, there was a faint, slow pulse of a heart still beating.

"Hey!"

Relief was short-lived, when he tried to rouse Haruto.

"Wake up! Hey, Haruto, wake up!"

Nothing. He was alive but he wasn't there. He didn't answer to noise, movement or even slapping. Like in deep sleep. Like in coma. Like brain-dead.

But that meant he was still alive, at least. As long as he wasn't totally brain-dead he could be woken up, right? Even though he wouldn't remember anything. This wasn't the end. This couldn't be the end; they still had a contract to fulfill.

L-elf wiped his tears off. There was still work to do. He had another chance to build a country anew. To save his friend from the brink of the death.

I wasn't strong enough to save Lieselotte.

I wasn't strong enough to win this fight faster.

But there's Lieselotte's dream. Our dream.

And I'll save you, Tokishima Haruto, no matter what.