az: Need to recheck with my muse on what he termed 'cheerful' fics.

As usual, reviews are appreciated.

Hold your hand

Written by Izzu

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Hina finally caught up to them before immediately latching herself unto Ankh. Eiji looked at her strangely as Ankh frowned at her. But as an afterthoughts, he brushed the notion off.

"Hina, it's all right. Ankh will not be going anywhere... won't you?" Eiji started to say.

Ankh snorted to himself. Heh! Eiji thought it was just coincidence Hina happened to be nearby. Ah. Let him think like that. This simple minded idiot. He felt Hina holding his right hand a bit tighter. Suddenly he thought he felt inside of him as if there was a voice telling him, giving him approval about the situation. Somehow that made his chest felt tight, what was this pleasant warm feelings welling inside of him? These two Izumi siblings...

Ankh returned the gesture before smiling softly. Eiji noticed it though, despite Ankh was staring at nothing... away from Hina. This was something peculiar...

"Ankh... Hina, did something happened between the two of you?"

Both of them looked up as Ankh's eyes immediately started focusing again towards him.

"It was nothing. Don't try to weasel your way out by not buying me my ice candy!" Ankh started to say.

"I want one... as well!"

Ankh turned to look at Hina, before sighing.

"Very well, do what you want. It's Eiji's money after all."

Eiji stared blankly at them.

"Oi! Don't just decide on that yourselves!" he cried before Date slapped a hand on his shoulders.

"Just set this aside for now. Anko's back after all... right?"

"IT'S ANKH! NOT ANKO! GET YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT FOR ONCE, DATE!" Ankh snapped as Date and Eiji laughed.

"Yeah, I guess it didn't matter anymore."

xxx

Ankh sighed.

"So that was the relation between Kougami and the previous OOO... huh? No wonder I did not like him from the very beginning."

"But... Kougami-san wasn't that bad, right? I mean, from the very beginning... he has been helping us out."

Ankh snorted. "Yeah right. He was exactly like his ancestor. Manipulative bastard! No wonder he knew so much about me!"

Eiji chuckled softly.

"Ah! That's the ice cream stand! Wait here, Ankh... Hina. I'll get some nice ones!" he said before running towards the stand.

Ankh shook his head before scratching one of his ears in irritation. "Shut up... you. Like hell I'll tell that idiot!"

Hina turned towards Ankh but it seemed he was not talking to her. He seemed to be talking to hi... her brother?

"Eiji had the common sense of a squirrel, no... I'm not exagerating! What other animal you think I should compare him with? … he'll do something stupid again if he knew."

Hina suddenly felt she wanted to smile at this. In the past... even if Ankh had cared about any of them, he would not even bother showing it to anyone. Let alone even argue about it. But now... he did not even tried to hide it from anyone. At least... aside from Eiji.

Ankh turned towards her abruptly.

"About my medal, don't you blab to Eiji on it."

"Why?"

"So that Eiji and I could fight nicely later. Don't interfere with that and shut up about it. You hear me?"

"Sorry for the wait!" Eiji suddenly called out as Ankh turned to look at him. Hina bit her lips.

It was painful. This was painful.

xxx

"Ne, Ankh... is there a reason to make you come back again?"

Ankh turned to look at Hina. There was that look again. That hopeful look. Come to think, Eiji's tone of voice was hopeful as well. He snorted. What was it they liked so much about a pile of medals like him?

"It's because you're an important friend to all of us."

Friend? Don't joke around like that.

"Maki no longer finds it useful in me for his purposes any more. In relation to that, I have no more reason to help him on that... and I no longer needed to use this body as well."

Hina added in her own words to clarify what he truly meant, and Eiji sounded so happy about it. Like a kid finally getting the toy he had long wanted. Like hell he would try dampen that kind of cheerful smile?

What have they done to him? Long time ago, he would not have even thought of wanting to mind the feelings of others; considering he had none of his own. Yet now...

"It's a pity I didn't get to put you in your place!" he said as he stood up and sauntered to the other side. Yes. All those many thoughts of his about wanting to shake Eiji out of his stupidity, all those many thoughts of wanting to keep throwing Eiji into the sea... or any big hole wide enough to fit him in whenever Eiji did anything stupid. Those many urges he had whenever Eiji wears that stupid grin of his...

"I think I already am at my proper place."

Hah! Yeah right. Ankh frowned.

It felt heavy. The air was heavy. Not sure if it was just him, or Hina's feelings... or Eiji's... or even this human. Or maybe it was the accumulation of all of their feelings, but it was heavy. He wanted to cry. Regardless of whose tears was it that would be shed. Because... he was feeling... sad?

Someone suddenly held his right hand. A gentle hand. A kind hand. He turned to see whose hand was that, and looked up to see Hina. Hina...

Hina was quiet, yet from the way she was holding his hand—it was as if she was telling him volumes of indescribable words. Her feelings. Ankh was not sure what feelings that were sent to Eiji but the ones he felt right now...

He felt bad that Hina had to feel this way. But she would be hurt worse if she knew less and Eiji would be hurt worse if he knew more.

Ankh kept turning, to the front and back; yet he never let Hina's hand go from his own. How he could express his own thoughts, feelings... there was so much to say, so much he could not say... so much he do not know how to say. To Hina... to Eiji... to anyone else.

"I wished we could always stay like this."

Hina and Ankh turned towards Eiji as Eiji sighed. Ankh snorted.

"It's enough. Just holding hands like this, right now... it's already fine."

Hina's grip on his hand suddenly become even tighter.