❝ 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛. ❞
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"You're awake?" Domina turns his head to the source of the voice. When (name) enters his sight, he immediately mutters his apology.

"Yes. Sorry I passed out on you just now," he lowers his head, bowing slightly before raising them again. "It's fine, really. It's my fault that I came to you when I looked like a corpse." She deadpans at her own antics.

The pink haired male lets out a chuckle, appreciating the fact that she's not uncomfortable with his presence. Then, he gets off the bed and stands up before bowing properly at the crimson cane, startling her.

"Thank you for saving me," he mutters genuinely. "Even though I can't see the reason, I appreciate that you saved me."

(Name) nods her head as she raises her hand. "No need to bow. And you're welcome," she offers him a smile. "Anyways, is there something you want to ask?"

Domina flinches at her question before looking away, a faint blush paints his cheeks perfectly. "How... is Mash doing?" He asks timidly.

The crimson cane lets out a small laugh as she raises an eyebrow. "Why are you embarrassed? It's okay if you're worried about your brother," Domina flinches and furrows his eyebrows, she catches him red handed.

However, when he recalls all his thoughts and plans about killing Mash, he lowers his head. "I don't think I deserve to be his brother," he murmurs, eyes glue on the ground.

(Name) blinks her eyes blankly. "And why is that?"

"I'm not a good brother to him," he mutters quietly, a hint of shame in his tone. "I tried to kill him before. Yet he saved me," he furrows his eyebrows as guilt starts to consume him.

(Name) softens her eyes at him as she slowly approaches the pink haired male. "You know, I was not a good sister to my brother either." Domina raises his head to look at her. "But you still have the chance to change, Domina. Change into someone better for Mash. He accepted you, didn't he? Both of you can still make it up together," she assures him with a smile.

Hearing how she uses past tenses while talking about her brother, Domina widens his eyes slightly. (Name) has no chance to change, but he has.

"Don't waste this chance, Domina." She reaches out her hand to him. "Let me help you change." The pink haired male stares at her hand for a while before taking a deep breath.

"Please train me, (name) (last name)."

"So, your thirds makes your physical body turn into water?"

Domina nods his head as he is now standing across the crimson cane. She agrees to help him train so he can be stronger for his brother.

(Name) hums, her index finger taps her chin repeatedly. "Alright. Activate your thirds." She snaps her fingers nonchalantly.

"Huh?!" Domina exclaims in shock, his shoulders stiffen. "But-"

"Are you hesitating?" (Name) cuts him off. "If you're up against Innocent Zero right now, will you hesitate?"

"No!" He immediately denies. "It's just that..." he pauses, his eyes looking into hers before averting them away again. "I don't mean to offend you or anything, but..."

That look again. (Name) knows that kind of look so well.

The look of pity and worry.

"...you look fragile," Domina breathes out. "Too fragile to be a fighter." He finishes, his eyes looking at her in pity.

Suddenly, something flies past him so fast that he can barely catch up the sight of a red needle before it scratches his cheek, leaving a cut on his skin. Sweat trails down his face as his eyes stare at the girl in front of him widely.

"What if your enemy tricks you?" (Name) mutters, her right hand is spread out as red liquid trickles down her index finger. She uses her left hand to move her wand, and more blood escapes her skin, forming more red needles. "First rule; don't underestimate your opponent. They might look small, fragile and weak, but they might kill you in the first attack."

Domina quickly takes out his wand and gets into a fighting stance. (Name) moves her wand again, and the red needles are sent to his way. Some impale on his skin while he manages to dodge the remains.

"Ugh-!" He lets out a pained noise as he pulls out one needle. However, before he can do any more things, the needles all over his body are pulled out by itself before shifting into a small ball.

'She's...' A sharp gasp escapes his lips as he quickly summons his water, just before those red balls pierce into him simultaneously. '...not even holding back!'

A single sweat trails down his cheek as he slowly lowers his water barrier. (Name) is standing in the very same place from before. 'She didn't even move from that spot?!' He widens his eyes in shock.

He watches as her lips part, "Focus." She murmurs, just as his water barrier turns red. "!!!" He jumps away, and the previously clear water is now completely red, obediently shifting into a spear, ready to obey (name)'s command.

"Blood is thicker than water," he hears her mutter. "I can easily change your water into my blood." She moves her wand, and the red spear approaches her. "You're completely at the disadvantage, Domina. How will you survive this kind of situation?"

He blinks his eyes in shock at her question.

So she's training him based on possible situations.

"Innocent Zero is an opponent with almost zero percent chances of winning against him. He can manipulate time and that's a big disadvantage to us. All we can do to win against him is training until we can overpower him, so in every timeline he changes, we can still win." (Name) mutters sternly. "And that is impossible with the limited time we have. All we can do at the moment is provide support for Mash. When things go wrong, we take control of the situation. It might sound simple, but our role is important for Mash to win."

Domina purses his lips into a thin line. He knows that already, but when (name) explains this in more detail, he now can see how big this war is.

"Are you sure that you are ready to assist him?" (Name) asks, her hand taking a grip on the red spear. "It's not too late to go back to your father, you know?"

Domina clenches his wand at her words. Honestly, it is no surprise that she might think that he will go back to Innocent Zero. He always seeks for his father's approval, he even killed people for him.

But he wishes to change. He wants to save Mash just like he saved him from darkness.

Mash gave him a second chance, so he wants to give himself a second chance too.

"No." He replies curtly. "All this time, I fight as his son. I did everything just to earn his approval," he mutters as (name) tilts her head to the side. She has yet to see the point she's looking for. "But at that time I didn't know Mash. Now that I know him, I want to fight for him too. I know I don't deserve to be his brother, but..." he clenches his fists as he locks his eyes with hers. "...I want to call myself his friend with pride. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not going back to my father. I want to protect Mash as an older brother."

Silence fills the air as Domina keeps his eyes locked on (name), his eyebrows furrow with determination. She stares at those eyes for a while before those pink eyes flash (eye colour), which makes her flinch.

She softens her eyes as her gaze falls on the ground. 'Fabian...' she whispers in her head.

For a moment, the atmosphere tenses up which gives Domina shiver down his spine. (Name) looks like a whole different person as her eyes flash a vengeful light. However, as soon as it appears, it disappears.

"Let's take a break," (name) undo the spell as the red spear shifts back into liquid. "Sorry that I lost my cool over there. Come here, I'll treat your wounds." She gestures at him to come closer.

However, Domina hesitates. "...are you sure that's not a test too?" He asks warily. "You might be tricking me before you start attacking again."

"...I'm offended that you think that when I genuinely want to treat your wounds, but it's okay, you're ready to face the enemy."

"Oh shi- I'm coming! I'm coming!"

A/n: two older siblings talking about the person who they see as their younger brother is one of the cutest things in the world.

Wholesome scenes before the disaster lmao-

Dw this book is a happy ending <3