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Kenzaki arrived at the cabin only minutes after Hirose's call.
Hajime's turned back into the Joker. He's asleep now.
He hadn't even remembered the ride over.
Blue Spader skidded to a stop outside the cabin. He killed the engine and rushed inside without a second thought.
"Kenzaki!" Hirose called the moment he crossed the threshold. "You forgot to take your helmet off."
Kenzaki blinked before letting out a sheepish laugh. "Oh... right."
He pulled the helmet off and set it on the nearest table, already scanning the room.
"Where's Hajime?"
Kotaro, seated nearby with a carton of milk in hand, pointed toward what looked like an unusually large mound beneath a thick brown blanket.
"Under there."
Kenzaki gave a quick nod and crossed the room. He knelt beside the blanket, hesitating for only a moment before carefully pulling it back.
The Joker lay curled beneath it, the monstrous form looking strangely vulnerable in sleep. Green and black armor covered his body like a carapace, and long, clawed hands rested limply against the floor.
Kenzaki swallowed the knot in his throat.
He reached out slowly, wrapping both of his hands around one of Hajime's large, clawed ones. Despite its fearsome appearance, he held it as gently as if it were still an ordinary human hand.
"Hajime," he murmured. "If you can hear me... it's okay."
His thumb brushed lightly over the back of Hajime's hand.
"I'll do whatever it takes to bring you back."
"H-He transformed about an hour ago," Hirose said quietly. "At first he was agitated, but then he just... lay down. He's been asleep ever since."
"Did he hurt anyone?" Kenzaki asked immediately.
Hirose shook her head. "No. It's almost like he was trying to get away from humans before he completely lost control."
Kenzaki let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Does he still have all of his cards?"
She nodded. "Every one of them."
Good. At least that wasn't the problem.
Kenzaki returned to Hajime's side and gently enclosed one of his hands around Hajime's large, clawed one.
Kotaro watched for a moment before trying to lighten the mood.
"You know, your hand's tiny compared to his now."
"...Doesn't matter."
"You really think he knows you're here?"
Kenzaki didn't hesitate.
"He always knows."
As if responding to his voice, one of Hajime's claws gave the faintest twitch against Kenzaki's fingers.
Hirose's eyes widened. "He reacted..."
A small smile found its way onto Kenzaki's face.
"I think..." he murmured. "I should bring you back to your true form first."
He carefully removed the Spirit card from hajime’s deck that was tucked into his coat pocket and slid it into Hajime's buckle.
A pulse of gold light washed over the room.
The monstrous armor dissolved away, leaving Hajime's familiar human form beneath the blanket.
His breathing remained slow and even.
He didn't wake.
Kenzaki's smile faded into a sigh.
Kotaro took another sip of his milk before suddenly snapping his fingers.
"I've got it!"
Hirose looked at him skeptically. "Somehow, I don't think you do."
"Kenzaki needs to kiss him."
Silence filled the cabin.
"You know," Kotaro continued with a grin, "like one of those fairy tales where the prince kisses the sleeping beauty."
Kenzaki's face flushed bright red.
"Th-That's not..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "That isn't going to work."
Kotaro shrugged. "You don't know that."
"Even if it did..." Kenzaki looked back at Hajime, his expression softening. "I don't have Hajime's permission."
He lowered his gaze to the hand he was still holding.
"I'd never want his first kiss with me to happen while he's asleep."
The room fell quiet.
Kenzaki shook his head, dismissing the idea, and knelt beside Hajime once more.
"Ignore Kotaro."
He took a slow breath.
"...But there is something I've wanted to tell you for a long time."
His thumb traced gently across the back of Hajime's hand.
"I've wanted to kiss you."
A small, embarrassed laugh escaped him.
"...Just... when you're awake. When you can actually tell me yes."
He started to pull away.
Before he could, gentle fingers wrapped around his wrist. “Kenzaki.”
Kenzaki froze.
Hajime's eyes were only half open, still clouded with exhaustion, but they were unmistakably focused on him.
"...Did you really mean that?" Hajime asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kenzaki smiled, relief washing over his face.
"Every word."
He chuckled softly, cheeks still pink.
"I was just hoping it'd be somewhere a little more private."
Without another word, Hirose grabbed Kotaro by the sleeve.
"We're going outside."
"W-Wait, I wanted to see if the fairy tale worked—"
"It can work without an audience."
The cabin door slid shut behind them.
Silence settled over the room.
Kenzaki turned back to Hajime.
He gently brushed a strand of hair away from Hajime's face.
"May I kiss you?"
Hajime smiled—a tired, genuine smile and gave a small nod.
"You may."
Only then did Kenzaki lean forward, closing the distance between them.
When they finally parted, he rested his forehead against Hajime's.
"You know..." he whispered, smiling through relieved eyes, "you're beautiful no matter what form you take."