𝓜𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾.

Only you understand.

ー・ー

"Khun Maria Jahad?" Bam repeated, partly puzzled on why the usually uninterested Rak brought out the subject to him all of a sudden the moment their crew announced an emergency landing amidst the abrupt change of weather.

Khun, Shibisu, and Hwaryun gathered the intellectuals to strategize for their next move once the winter storm ceased. Others, like himself and Rak were tasked on the lookout for plausible enemies coming for them after the battle at the nest. It would make sense though, for Jahad's battalion to chase them even though the incident happened two and a half years ago. His faction lost quite a number of sacrificial pawns just for capturing Jinsung.

"I heard from Red Turtle that some of her side branches are based somewhere around this floor," Rak continued, still standing proud and unwavering despite the cold setting. "Maybe they're in for something, or someone."

"What do you mean?" the irregular maintained his calm composure, innocently asking whilst his sight never meeting Rak's.

"The Blue Turtle once told me long ago, and I'm sure he said something to you, albeit vague. About what drove him to climb the tower."

"So she's the princess he was talking about way back the Floor of Tests?" he whispered, recalling a series of flashbacks- Khun's reaction to the regular who gave clues about the screams, and his expression when Bam asked about it. It gave away a portion of the bluenet's vulnerability, but he knew Khun would never want him to dwell on that, so he never really remembered. That is, until Rak happened. "Khun's rule, huh?"

The 12-foot crocodillian paused, then struck his spear on the thick snow, slightly leaning on it. "It's not that I doubt his dedication to you, but if they do meet, would the Blue Turtle..."

"Be affected? Reconsider? Hesitate?" Bam showed a lopsided smile, his intentions unclear, but his eyes remained unclouded. At least that was what Rak saw in the brief moment their eyes met before the brunet looked up at the sky covered in white. "Of course he would. She does hold a special place in his heart, although he never really clarified it to me. I won't be surprised if he'll start helping her again like the old days."

The serene look on the brunet's face eased up the tension Rak was feeling (although he would never admit it).

"Although, I would never question Khun's intentions in helping us get this far. You two are my most precious friends, so I don't want anyone doubting anyone," Bam continued.

In the end, Rak just sighed, patting Bam's shoulders before taking his spear again to transfer to another post. Bam watched his friend's back until it disappeared from his line of sight, then went back to watching the surroundings covered in deep snow. He let his shinsu flow, circulating around the area while he let out an unexpectedly relieved sigh.

Maybe he was more disturbed about it than he thought.

"Khun Maria Jahad, huh?" he mumbled to himself, his hands reaching out as the snow falls unto his palm. The bluish-white hue reflected on the flake caught his eye, until it instantly melted and condensed. The words left a bitter aftertaste on his mouth.

'I hope you wonʼt slip away from him once more, and do something youʼll regret for the rest of your life.ʼ

ー・ー

A while later, all of them were called to the ship's hall. Hwaryun, Khun, Ran, Rak, Shibisu, and Bam were led towards a Victorian-inspired villa. What's weird was that there were no regulars, soldiers, guards, or anything of that sort. Just silence, and a lone lady with strands of silver greeting them from the grand staircase. She held a regal smile and posture befitting for a princess of Jahad, and a natural flow on her dark blue wool dress.

"And to what do we owe Princess Maria Jahad this invitation?" Hwaryun spoke first brazenly. Maybe being around FUG elders for a long time made her accustomed to the pressure.

"Aguero!"

The princess' smile was sickeningly sweet, that Ran was reminded of his sister, Maschenny, although least pretentious. Though, what irked them was that she never regarded anyone else but Khun, as if they were merely subjects that do not deserve her recognition. Despite that, Bam preferred the neglection and just kept observing.

"Maria," Khun responded, unsurprised, but more or less amused. Another rare expression the lightbearer only showed to a handful of people. "I see that you've changed. Should I call you 'Princess' now?"

Maria laughed, sounding like fairy bells. "And I see that you still haven't." she frowned a bit when she noticed that his ears didn't hold his usual earrings from his childhood, but then eased up nonetheless. "You still surround yourself with worthless people that are only thinking about using you."

Bam and Shibisu held Ran and Rak tightly, keeping them from drawing their weapons and attacking the princess. No matter how outnumbered she seemed, she was still Jahad's prized possession, and they were still in her territory. They couldn't afford to be reckless.

Khun just shrugged off her sharp tongue. "So, what do you want with me and my worthless people?"

"You wound me, Aguero." Bam could see the mirth in Maria's sapphire eyes as she held the former's hand tenderly. "However, there is one matter I would like to discuss with someone, other than catching up with my dearest Aguero and little Ran. Is the FUG Slayer Candidate Jue Viole Grace present?"

'Eh?' Bam pointed at himself, while the rest stood on guard in front of him. He was so sure the princess would never acknowledge him, so why now? Nonetheless of the puzzlement, he told them to be at ease and stepped forward. His golden eyes met Maria's, and the brunet was certain he saw a hint of hatred in her seemingly cheerful sapphire orbs.

"I'm Viole," the irregular said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with mentioning his alias himself.

The silver haired princess looked at him from head to toe, then turned around, gesturing for him to follow her inside a spacious office. Once inside, he felt streaks of shinsu were used to shut the door lock.

"Tea or coffee?"

"No thank you," he politely declined, but he thought it made Maria's dislike for him more prominent.

The woman in dark blue sat elegantly, crossing her arms and legs as she glared at Bam with hostility.

"Get yourself away from Aguero, you FUG bastard."

The brunet sighed, but never bothered to refute her disposition. Well, it is partly true. "I won't."

"I knew it," Maria spoke spitefully. "You are really an insufferable bastard, Jue Viole Grace. Why on earth would Aguero risk his life for someone like you?"

Why indeed? Surely, Khun would be far better off somewhere he wasn't around. He had the skills, the power, and the networks needed to achieve whatever he was planning in order to reach the top.

"I don't understand it myself, Princess Maria. I know how insufferable I am, and how I drive everyone around me to the brink of death," he started calmly, remembering the hardships they encountered since they boarded the Hell Train until now. "However, I am not one who lets go of people important to me. That's probably how you lost Khun years ago, right?"

Bam tilted his head a bit when he felt a sharp twister pass by him, barely scraping his cheek as he heard crashing sounds behind him.

"Don't speak as if you know what we've been through together, Slayer." Suddenly, the breeze grew colder, a chill running down his spine along with Maria's outburst. "Aguero will always choose me, and will be better off without you. You'll soon throw him away and leave him behind once he has no use to you, anyway."

"I'm sure you know him very well, but he isn't the same person you remember him to be. The boy who follows your every whim, and the boy who used to love you is no more." Bam immediately surrounded himself with a barrier of his own, but still stayed settled on the mahogany chair he was offered. He felt unusually irritated, but still calm as he faced Maria once again. "Khun is not yours, so who are you to decide for him? Remember, you let him go, Princess."

"You are so greedy, Jue Viole Grace!"

Series of antique vases broke down due to the strong gust of wind, but Bam still held his ground.

"I may be selfish, but I will not just leave someone behind just because they inconvenience me. Not my teammates, and definitely not Khun Aguero Agnes. You may be special to him, but what about him? What is he to you?"

He strengthened his shield, flipping over the chair he was sitting on to block the princess' dagger, then formed five baangs at his side.

"You're also one of the people who used him then threw him all behind you once you got Jahad's blessing."

"Shut up!"

"You know what your problem is, Princess Maria Jahad?" Bam clenched his fist tight. "It's that you're a coward! You never asked him stay, nor did you ever gave him something for him to hold on. All you did was take and take, until he served his purpose. But of course, that's how love should be right? You shouldn't expect anything in return because then, it wouldn't be unconditional."

Just the thought of Maria being Khun's first and probably the last love was something that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life.

"Khun is someone I'm willing to die for, and to see him live happily will put me at ease. If he does not want me anymore, then so be it. If he chooses to go back to you, then I will respect his decision. But, I will never leave him alone again. I might venture off to some god-forsaken place, but I'll always return to him. That's how selfish I am, and that's how selfish you're never going to be."

Maria kept on attacking him, but he never retaliated. After all, she was Khun's rule, and he also saw where she's coming from. He was like that once, but less romantic.

"You don't know how it feels, enjoying happiness born of just one moment, and just one person."

"You piece of-"

The door was struck open and a dash of blue clashed between  and Maria's dagger.

"Maria, stop this."

Ran's electricity knocked off the weapon, and the princess stiffened at the sight of Khun behind him.

"Aguero, they're tricking you! You don't have to do this!" she pleaded. "We could still climb the tower, together-"

"Enough."

Bam withdrew his defenses, and stepped back, leaning behind Rak and Shibisu tiredly.

"If you have anything good left to say, just say it right to my face." Khun's tone was gentle, but it was evident on his face that he was unhappy. "I was going to convince you to join us, but your approach today made it clear to me that we are never going to be allies."

"What," Maria muttered, her expression dimming. "What does Jue Viole Grace have that I don't?! You were supposed to adore me, and only me! How dare you do this, Aguero!"

Bam's gaze turned blank, as he signed to the rest that he was going ahead of them. This matter could only be settled between the both of them, without his intervention. It would always turn out this way otherwise. First was Rachel claiming how he, the Twenty-fifth Bam never deserved anything, and now it was with Maria and Jue Viole Grace. Seriously, what is with him and his birthright?

Unbeknownst to him who left for the ship in the midst of the blizzard, the rest who hadn't left witnessed the resolution unfold.

"I am not the little boy who loved you anymore, Maria. He was long gone when you left the estate." Khun smiled at her genuinely. "Viole, no, Bam, was everything I never expected to find in this loathsome tower. My loyalty lies with him and the choices he makes."

"You're fooling yourselves. Especially you, Aguero." The silver haired princess threw a bitter look at all of them. "There is no such thing as unwavering trust in this world. Someday, you're going to stab each others' backs."

The bluenet, along with the rest, turned around, completely disregarding her claims.

"Goodbye, Maria."

ー・ー

The storm had ceased, and all was left for them was a snow covered scenery, a cool winter night sky, and a good nightʼs sleep. However, Bam's system thought otherwise so here he was on the ship's observation deck, marvelling at the wonder only the night could give him.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

The wave controller unconsciously shot out a blast of shinsu, to which the newcomer easily evaded thanks to his reflexes.

"Sorry Khun," he said, smiling sheepishly. The latter just ruffled his chestnut colored hair before sitting next to him comfortably.

"Still bothered about Maria?" the bluenet easily opened the topic, which surprised Bam. He expected it to be more awkward, considering Maria's standing in Khun's history.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one asking you that?"

Khun shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, maybe I am bothered. A bit," he said honestly. "You must feel weird talking to me right now, after I said all of... that."

"So I am someone you're willing to die for, eh?" Khun laughed at his flushed face which earned him a light punch on his arm. "It felt nice, though. Being needed, and all that."

With that, Bam's attention was caught. He looked at him, gazing upon his cobalt eyes which held more depth than anyone from his age, then wondered how good it would be if he would only show that relaxed expression to him.

"I'm sorry," the brunet suddenly mumbled out loud. "I'm sorry you had to go against Maria for my sake. If it were any other instance, I'm sure we could have ended it in a better circumstance."

"Bam," Khun said softly, now knowing to what extent Maria's appearance affected him.

"But," the lightbearer was taken aback by the sudden conviction in his voice. "Even if it was the case, I'm never yielding you to Maria Jahad that easily. She let you slip away by choosing to escape and become Jahad's pawn. Now that she's backed in a corner again, she expects you to still follow her every whim?"

He paused for a bit, then sighed with a sad smile. "It's not like I'm one to talk. This was also my life not so long ago. I just don't want you to experience the same thing. Khun, you are the most important person to me, and you guys are the best thing that ever happened in my life. I don't know what I'd do if ever I'll lose you."

"You'll never lose me," Khun assured. "If anything, you're the one who's always going somewhere. I hope you'd stop and rest for a while. I'm not always there to remind you, you know."

Bam grinned helplessly. "Gods, Khun. Sometimes, I just want to pocket you away and keep you forever."

The latter was appalled by his words. Then he laughed, and Bam swears he could hear it being embedded into his memory.

"Was that supposed to be a confession?"

Bam was dumbfounded, then looked away from him, back to the night sky where it doesn't seem so dark anymore. "Maybe," he said, blushing.

"Damn it," Khun muttered, sighing exasperatedly before pulling the brunet to face him, leaning closer until he was inches away from his face, and his pink untouched lips.

"I guess you got me again, Bam."

ー・ー

yes, an open-ending kiss thank you very much.

who knows? maybe Rak came in and ultimately destroyed that potential kissing scene XD

Hwaryun, Ran, and Shibisu being extras, and Rak being the low-key bro. i just needed Rak screen time.

i hope you liked this experimental trash! and lol, i'm so late.

13th Scribe:
Things that need no words

KhunBam Week 2020:
Fifth Day | Prompt #5:
Loyalty/Confession |
07/23/2020