Burning Bright | Keigo Takami x Male Reader

Chapter 8

---

11 months before the fall.

A month had passed and (M/N) had yet to discover what made him special - his power. Sure, he had gotten better at the basics of his Star Guardian abilities, but that was the stuff that everyone else could do. Each Guardian had a power unique to them and no one else. Something that resonated with them deeply. Who they are.

"I don't understand why I can't get it," (M/N) said.

"Hey, you'll find it eventually," Keigo said. "We all did, after all."

The two were in the middle of Chemistry class, though (M/N) wasn't paying attention. He was more focused on his inability to find his unique power.

He had gotten to know the group a lot better over the weeks, and had gotten especially close to Keigo. But he still felt left out. They said he could go on missions with them, but he didn't feel that helpful. Anytime they had to fight monsters it was mostly the others doing all the work, since they had more to work with. He did try, though.

"How do you know for sure?" (M/N) asked, unconvinced.

"Your powers manifest to match your soul. We did tell you at the beginning, remember? Your powers are closely tied to who you are as a person. Take me for example, I'd wanted to fly through the sky for as long as I could remember. And now I have powers that give me giant wings," Keigo said.

"We can all fly, though," (M/N) pointed out. It was a basic Star Guardian ability.

"Yeah, but not as fast as me." Keigo winked. "Though it's not always that straightforward. Your powers will most likely take an unexpected form, like Nemuri and Denki. I wouldn't be surprised if your powers manifested on something you hadn't even considered yet."

"Something I haven't considered yet?" (M/N) said.

"Values or thoughts you haven't had yet. The First Star sees potential in all of us. That most likely includes our future. So your powers could very well be formed based on values that haven't even crossed your mind yet."

"I see... Well, whatever it is, I just hope I find out soon. Being a Star Guardian is great, but I want to still be me. Not just another person the First Star roped in only to be forgotten and replaced."

Keigo looked confused. "You are unique."

(M/N) shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. My whole life I've always wondered what made me special, why I existed. What makes me different from the next person? What point is there in me being here if there are 8 billion other people?"

"I mean... I don't fully understand since I've never really thought about that, but basically what you're saying is, you wanna know what makes you important?" Keigo asked.

(M/N) gave a half shrug. "I guess. It just seemed pointless - me being here, I mean. After all, what's the point if I'm just going to grow up, go to school, get a job, and live out the rest of my life here until I die. What's the point of it all? But this Star Guardian thing, it did make me feel special. But I still find myself wondering the same thing. If the First Star has been creating Guardians since its inception, which was like the beginning of the universe or whatever. Then maybe I am just disposable. Disposable and forgotten once the next set of Guardians come around." (M/N) laughed at himself. "This all sounds so selfish, I should just be happy I got a once in a lifetime chance."

Keigo stared at him for a few seconds, trying to digest what he was saying. "Okay, listen. I can't speak for you, but I can tell you what I think. Being a Star Guardian, it means I get to have my wish. It's an opportunity I'm forever grateful for. But obviously, it isn't all fun and games. We took an oath to protect people. So while I do indulge in the joys of flying through the air, I still do what I can to stop the creatures of the void, to push back the Dark Star and protect everyone." Keigo leaned forward and put his arm on (M/N)'s shoulder. "You will find your purpose, and what you believe in. So instead of worrying about it, why not do what you can now. Uphold your duty as a Guardian."