Servamp: Of broken bonds and sorrows

4- the solution

Somehow Mahiru felt like he was going insane already. As if it wasn't a big enough problem lying to Kuro, nor Misono nor Tetsu were answering his messages. Well, technically it wasn't exactly like lying, he was just hiding things from him. Point was, it made absolutely no difference to the brunette. Hiding stuff from Kuro just meant he didn't trust him and he felt like a hypocrit for telling him to share his problems in the past when he wouldn't do the same now. As for his friends not answering, he figured they had their own fair deal of troubles, though he would at least have appreciated a 'talk to you later'. Or any other reply, really, if it could let him know they were safe.

He admittedly hadn't felt like texting the other eves, not even Licht whom he had grown closer to. Even he didn't really know why, he just thought they needed time alone or, in the worst case, wouldn't appreciate him worrying about them. Licht always thought he could solve everything with resolve alone, Mikuni was the most experimented and also the most mysterious, so he wasn't comfortable getting buddy-buddy with him, and finally he didn't know Niccolo and Izuna that well so he had no clue how to adress to them.

'I really am becoming a hypocrit, uh...' Thinking simply, he just had to ask them naturally. But, thinking simply, he was also too preoccupied himself to bother, hence the self deppreciating monologue he'd been having for two hours straight. Picking up his phone again, he searched for the eves' contact, hesistated to press the send button, read his message again, and let the phone fall on his lap. 'I'm so pathetic-' he cursed, when a warm hand patted his shoulder.

-" Mahi~ what's wrong? Is Chibi-chan ignoring you again?"

"Oh, Kuro." Mahiru startled, not expecting him to get out of bed anytime soon, "more or less. Last time we talked he was comforting Tetsu. Looks like they are getting closer and closer with time. " Thank God, he actually was able to say the truth this time. Kuro, as usual, didn't seem too bothered as he sat next to his eve.

-" I mean, he's staying at his place so it's kinda normal. But, you're overthinking again. Remember he can barely use a phone, maybe he's just too lazy to struggle with a text."

"No, no, that'd totally be you." The brunette chuckled, making Kuro smile but it was too discreet to be noticeable.

-" So, since I'm tired, can you get the controllers?" The lazy cat shamelessly asked, blinking as to look cuter.

"Are you seriously planning on playing again? "

" Yeah?"

Mahiru sighed. "Nevermind, it will distract me, too. But only one race!"

"Yessir."

Obviously, they played longer than intended, as Mahiru wanted to win for once and actually kept asking for a rematch. It did keep his mind from wandering too much, so he was thankful to Kuro. At first he thought his servamp was playing for himslef, but as days went by he realized Kuro was quick to notice when he needed to relax or be cheered on. After three more races, though, he finally gave up on victory for the day.

-"Geez, I lost again..." he sighed in exasperation, throwing his head back on the couch. Kuro was absurdly good, it would get boring if it wasn't something that enabled them to spend time together. Mahiru would miss him. If he ever had to leave, even if he was one hundred percent sure he could protect him that way, the counterpart would be much too high. And yet, it was better than letting him get killed for his sake. Even if he himself agreed that he was a simpleton, he wasn't that naive to believe their teamwork would save them from the hooded guy. Truthfully, Kuro was probably no match against Tsubaki in his current state, so asking him to fight this weirdo was out of the question.