Crowded within a small bakery as a tune of generic pop music plays in the background, Azayaka and Ren stands still in a line, with a collection of both inhuman horrors and cutesy animal-eared people standing in front and behind them.

  "Your Chief sure is loaded as hell," Azayaka's eyes stay agape as they fixate on the amount of bills neatly put within the Chief's small leather wallet.

  With him staring at the bakery's menu that hangs above the cashier table, Ren hums, "Yeah, I know."

  "Why doesn't she just retire, then?" Azayaka asks, as the couple of well-dressed, eight-headed hydras in front of them exits the line with their pastries in hand.

  "I don't know. Maybe she likes to just fuck around as a Knight, for whatever reason she has," Ren answers as him and Azayaka takes a step forward.

  "Yeah, I can see that."

  The server, a harpy with a dead-pan face greets them. Though the two pay no mind to that, as they are preoccupied with the bakery's selection of pastries and sweets.

  "Yuu is probably in the hotel already. We should get some coffee buns for him."

  "Sure thing. What are you getting, though?"

  "Some cinnamon donuts would be nice."

  Raising his brow, Ren's ears perk, "But, why cinnamons? You've always gone cinnamon everything since we're kids. I've been wondering about that for awhile now."

  "Don't know. It just tastes good, I guess."

  "That's fair."

  Ren then pitch their order, with the financial safety of the Chief's stolen wallet.

  As the server goes back to prepare their sizzling hot sweets, Azayaka tugs at Ren's shirt, "Ren, can you wait for it? I wanna go back to the hotel. Y'know, check in on our room. And to see if Yuu's there or not."

  Ren raises an eyebrow at first, but he gulps his concern down, "Okay... But, be careful. It's nighttime already."

  She only chuckles at his concern, "Don't worry about it. I'm a literal assassin remember?"

  "Yeah, yeah, I know. But you get what I mean."

  She then turns around, giving him her smirk, "Kay' then, see you there."

-----

  Walking into the hotel, Azayaka looks around the lobby with her monotone eyes. This is a five-star hotel alright, its everything is made out of black marble, with furnitures glazed in emerald and gold. Dim orange light fills each corner of the establishment, making it looks like a club of some sort at first glance.

  It surely rivals the prison she calls home. But in the end, it is a different place. She does not feel the same fear she used to.

  Passing by a giant toad suited like a gentleman, Azayaka goes for the receptionist.

  "Excuse me. I'm with a masked woman that looks like a Harlequin. She has booked three rooms, I believe she left two keys here, do you mind showing me one of them?" She says to the receptionist, an uncanny woman with long braided hair that has zero facial features.

  "Ah, actually, someone has already got both of the key card. I believe... A big man with ram-horns, a winged man, and a pink-haired woman," The faceless lady answers, her expressionless head leaving some discomfort for Azayaka.

  "Oh, okay then, which rooms was it?" She says, trying to keep her smile.

  "It's 712 and 713."

  "Great, thank you."

  So Azayaka makes her way into the elevator, then presses the seventh floor. The classical music soon sinks in, causing her to drown in the sea of her own thoughts.

  So Yuu is already here. That's a relief.

  But... It's weird. Why'd he go here before us? And with that unicorn out of all people? If that's the case, he should've told us, right?

  Ah, I should stop thinking about the negatives. Maybe he's just simply exhausted. It's been a long day of traveling, plus all the shenanigans with that floating head. Or maybe that collar the goddamned Chief gave him drained his energy or something. It is made of silver after all.

  Well, those coffee buns would surely give him his energy back, I suppose.

  The seventh floor, the elevator opens. Azayaka steps into the hallway's carpeted flooring. The same orange light hitting her face as she walks towards the rooms.

  After a few lap of turns, she arrives at the end of the hallway. On her right, are the rooms the Chief booked, 711, 712, and 713. The former two are both closed tight, while the latter has its door's manual lock blocking its full closure, leaving it slightly open.

  Instinctively, Azayaka reaches for the last room. But the moment she's about to open it, room 712 suddenly opens its door.

  "Oh, about time you come back," It's that annoying pink haired Unicorn, now styled in just a pair of extremely short shorts, and a loose, pink pajama. Her hair is semi-dry, a scent of roses oozing out from her person.

  "Yuu's here, right?" Azayaka asks, pointing at room 713, just to be sure.

  "Why'd you think we left it unlocked? Freakin' wuss can't even handle one sip."

  Azayaka widens her eyes momentarily, "Sip? You mean alcohol?"

  "Duh!" As she rolls her eyes, she slams her door close.

  With that, Azayaka changes her gaze towards the slightly open door of room 713.

  Good god... That idiot knows he's not good with alcohol, right?

  Azayaka narrows her eyes as she touches the door knob, then she pauses as words begin to form again in her mind.

  But still... Just a sip? Hah. I wish I've seen how it happened.

  With a small smile, she pushes the door open, not bothering to remove the manual lock blocking it, letting it slightly open just like how she found it.

  The room seems pretty small, but the amounts of details put into the ceiling and the tiles rather proof its exquisite price. Though the hotel card is already put in its power socket, the lights are turned off. Yuu's probably resting in bed already. So, Azayaka skips past the light switch and kicks off her combat boots. She then takes off her leather jacket, hanging it onto the dresser's hangar, leaving her in a tank-top over a tight, fishnet top and a pair of black, tight jeans.

  The only source of lighting is the moonlight shining through the open window. With it, Azayaka could see some black feathers littered on and around the bed. On the bed itself, she sees a certain Archangel lying sideways under the blanket, facing away from her. His wings is now lessened in size, from their greatsword-like scale to a pair of mere chicken wings, just a thing he usually do before he rest. After all, who wants to lay on their own two giant wings? It'll make your back sore after you wake up.

  With one corner of her lips raised, she approaches Yuu. His face covered by the pillow he's hugging.

  She lightly chuckles, before she then pokes his cheek, though stopping after a few, him not responding in the slightest.

  "Deep in your sleep, huh?" She smiles, putting her hands on her hips. She admits, the sight is pretty cute. The thought of a deadly assassin capable of bursting down through the rooftop of a building all the way towards its basement cuddling a pillow like it's a teddy bear really does the job.

  But the feeling she have now is only that. And no more than that.

  Thus, the smile she has parts, as the entertained look in her eyes turns into one of guilt.

  Yuu... What can I do?

  Anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could see that you like me.

  I've known that for a long time now...

  Maybe it's on me for not telling you what I feel... But... I don't think it'll help.

  I don't want you to feel hurt, Yuu.

  I love you too... But...

  Not the same way as you love me.

  As her eyes narrows, she ends her internal monologue with a simple sigh.

  The moonlight caressing her back soothes her, as if the moon itself understands her current dilemma. So, she turns around, approaching the window where the moon shines it's brightness.

  The Goddess of The Moon. So as they say in those Chinese folklore. Perhaps, Chang'e is spectating Azayaka right now, giving her reassurance like her own personal guardian angel.

  All throughout her life, from her lonely childhood, to her torturous upbringing, then to her stupid love-triangle drama. The moon has always been the same. Pulsating and radiating. Always giving calmness and comfort.

  Maybe she does somehow formed a connection with the fabled Moon Goddess. But who knows? Those stories of the pretense Deities are indeed ancient. If Chang'e still exist, then she's probably dormant somewhere just like that story said.

  As her moon-seeing continues, Azayaka spots another sight. She sees Ren walking along the road with both his bag of bread and figurines in his arms. He seems to be in no haste, or it could be that he's overwhelmed by carrying all that stuff by himself.

  Thus, her eyes shoot open as she turns around towards the door, Shit, I forgot he has those figurines too.

  But Yuu suddenly catches her hand, causing her to stop, "Aza."

  Azayaka simply glances, seeing his eyes still hidden by the combination of the dark and his bangs, "Oh, you're awake?"

  "Where are you going?" His voice comes out raspy, his face still hidden from her sight.

  "Ren bought us some pastries for dinner, I wanna help him carry them to here."

  "Hmm?" Yuu hums, then he pulls her closer, "But... I don't think he'll need any help with that."

  "You sure? The bag he's carrying looks real big..."

  "Don't be dumb, Aza," His voice softens, "I don't think he'll trip himself over a bag of bread..."

  "But-" A sudden tug causes Azayaka to stumble onto the bed, then into his arms.

  "Just... Forget about him for a second..." Yuu's hot breath touches the back of her neck, then he whispers to her sharp, elf-like ears, "Can't you stay here for a bit?"

  How his voice enters her ears, how his warmth radiates from his body, and how the slight scent of alcohol emanates from his breath, Azayaka raises her brow, then she sighs before letting his arms off of her.

  "You're drunk, Yuu. Get some rest," Are her only words, though they are hinted with concern.

  As she is about to stand up, Yuu takes hold of her wrist, this time firmer. Before she can do anything, he lifts himself up, embracing her from behind.

  His body heat touches hers like the burning sun. His hold tight and desperate, almost as if he's clinging to her for his life.

  Thus, his breath whispers to his ears, in a voice full of unbridled sorrow, "It pains me whenever I see you with him."

  Silence overtake her as her lips part, lost for words, lost for a way to convey her thoughts.

  "But... Funny thing is... I get it... He's strong, genuine, kind, and good-looking... He was your childhood friend. Your first friend."

  His whispers strike her right in her heart. She narrows her eyes, heaving out a sigh as she holds his hands.

  "Meanwhile, me? I was nothing but a sex-slave bought to be your company..." He chuckles a pained one, "I don't even think we were even that close... Hell, I've almost killed you and him multiple times..."

  "It's so funny that I lied to myself..." His breath hitches, as his wings starts to shiver, "Thinking that I could be with you... Thinking that you want to be with me... You must be laughing at me so much inside..."

  "No... That's not true," She puts a hand to his cheek, rubbing it gently, "I get it too, Yuu... I knew how you feel for a while now. But for the longest time... I've been wondering how to tell you..." 

  Yuu closes his hazy eyes, in preparation to listen to her words.

  "All those years you've been keeping me company... You were the light of my life," She says as she recalls her memories, "Sure, you've might messed up at times, but... You've protected me countless times more."

  "If you weren't there... What would've happened to me?" Azayaka hums, her words coated with the utmost sincerity, "You're my best-friend, Yuu... You've never been just an object to me. Or to anyone else."

  "And I don't know if me saying this will make it better, but..." She gives herself a slight pause. With Yuu squinting his eyes before he hears her next words.

  "I love you too, but not in the way you want me to," Her truth pierces his heart, as do it wounded hers.

  "But I love you as a friend that'll stay by my side forever..." Her voice is gentle as snow, so much so that it made him shiver, "I just want you to know that, Yuu..."

  Yuu presses his lips together as he furrows his brow. His hazy mind manages to capture her words. Thus his hold tightens, his forehead now pressing onto her nape.

  "Then... Can I... Kiss you? At least once?"

  Azayaka feels a slight thump to her chest. Her heart is beating faster and faster with each second. As blood flows to her cheeks, as her eyes widen while she raises her brow.

  She pauses for a moment. Her hold to his hands tightening as she sighs. She then turns herself around, her eyes softening when she sees him on the verge of tears, cheeks flushed in red, while looking at her with the most desperate of desperation.

  Sighing again, Azayaka cups his cheeks with her hands. She then brings herself closer, her purples fixated upon his bright greens, both tainted with guilt yet a sense of nostalgia.

  "Just this once... Kay?"

  As he keeps on staring, she brings her lips close, till eventually hers meet his.

  Just a tiny kiss, gone just as soon as it appeared, filled with a feeling of forgotten love instead of animalistic desire.

  At least... That's what she wanted it to be.

  When their lips part away, they look at each other's eyes, both entranced by each other's beauty.

  How his wavy, ebony hair curls around his ears, framing his face that carries such beautiful features. The tiny three crucifix tattoos below the corner of his left eye marks him as a wild ride, while his plump lips seems to hypnotize her, just like how they unfortunately hypnotized many others when he was not ready to.

  Meanwhile, she stares at him with a look of guilt. This is not right, her heart must've keep on telling. But her hold to his cheeks stays firm, as do with his hands on her waist.

  But what can she do? This is the last thing she could do for him, right?

  And so, the wave carries on the fragile humanity within themselves. Their lips meet once again.

  This time, their kiss isn't so brief. Held by the warmth of each other's writhing body, their kiss pulses into passion, as Yuu's hold grow tighter and tighter.

  As he pushes himself onto her neck, she leans herself back, letting him indulge in his one last wish.

  His lips, it tickles, just like how his feathers would too when they were trapped in that hell together.

  But when he bites, she lets out a soft gasp as she squints her eyes. Her hands travel behind his neck, lightly holding his scruff as her eyes locks onto the ceiling.

  Another bite. She squirms a little as her voice ruptures. Her eyes begin molting everywhere. In pain, in pleasure, in guilt, she can't make out what it is. But when Azayaka accidentally glances to the door, she notices that it is slightly open.

  And a widened pair of blue eyes are looking directly at her.

-----