When He Fell

(A/N: Hey! This is my first fanfic, I hope it's enjoyable! Constructive criticism is aways welcome)

     Abeno had not always liked Ashiya, he was sure of it. Though, those times were irrelevant now, as he had let himself realize what his feelings for Ashiya were. In short, Abeno was in love. Before he knew it, he had become attached to Ashiya's childish nature, his kindness, his genuine compassion for the demons they helped. He loved the ways Ashiya affected his view on the world, and made it a bit less morose.

     Now, though Abeno had accepted this fact, he had often wondered at what moment his feelings turned from platonic to romantic.

     He initially considered the moment with the Executive. Abeno could still remember the overwhelming sense of fear and horror as he looked down at Ashiya, knowing that he was dying, that he might never be able to go back home again. He remembered the fury bubbling in his gut at what the Executive was doing to Ashiya; he acted irrationally. Though, he supposed being irrational was characteristic of someone in love. He became aware at that moment that he would do anything to keep Ashiya alive; and through that understanding he realized he was in love. But, he wanted to pinpoint when he fell in love, not when he figured out that he already had.

     Maybe, he thought, it was when they had returned the ring to the old woman for Manjiro? After all, that day Ashiya had shown Abeno that people are not just a lost cause. Sometimes, they understand; sometimes, there are good people. He recalled the awe he felt as the old woman smiled and accepted the ring. Awe that Ashiya let him experience. This event contributed, he decided, but was not when he fell.

     Or, perhaps it was when Ashiya lost his sight. It was an alarming occurrence, and everyone had to grasp the fact that Ashiya might not be able to come back to work. Abeno was desperate to get Ashiya's sight back. Though he didn't know the reason, he was not willing to let Ashiya go. He went to the Underworld to find out if there was something, anything, he could do to help the process along. Although it was never admitted to anyone, he was worried. Worried about losing Ashiya. Still, the moment wasn't quite what he was looking for.

     There were many other moments he thought of, such as when he protected Ashiya form getting punched by Zenko's dad. Or  when Ashiya got lost in the Underworld, and Abeno went to find him because he was secretly worried he was hurt. There was the time Ashiya said he got a ride from "a strange beast that looked like the Goro Express," and he scolded him for doing something so dangerous. Or when he tried to keep Ashiya safe from Egen's spying. Still, none of them fit what he was looking for.

     Finally, Abeno came to the understanding that it wasn't just one specific moment that he fell in love. It was a gradual building of emotions. It was all of these memories together; it was none of them. It didn't matter when he fell in love, because he was. And it wasn't just about one experience that left an impression. It was all the time he spent with Ashiya. It was Ashiya's entire being.

     Maybe this was the best answer he could have found.