Kevin x Iris

Holy shit.

Iris wondered if she’d stepped into one of her sister’s wet dreams. That was the only way she could’ve explained what had just happened.

Sure, she’d already known that Kevin was tough. She’d seen him fight, fought alongside him, and even watched him takedown creatures that he had no right taking down on his own. With everything they’d been through, if Kevin hadn’t grown strong, he would have died.

That did not prepare her for this. Kevin had just taken down six yokai bare-handed. Two of them might have been weak and tiny, but the others weren’t so easy to beat. Yet he’d done it.

Kevin walked through the bodies of the yokai he’d beaten, coming inevitably closer to her and Kyle, who looked ready to shit his pants.

“You’re the last one left,” Kevin said. Iris flinched. There really was something wrong with his tone. The pitch was all off.

Is the back of his hand glowing?

“S-stay back!” Kyle shouted, stumbling over his own two feet.

Kevin didn’t stop. He marched up to Kyle who, in his panic, turned to her. “P-Princess! Please rescue your loyal servant!”

Iris didn’t even need a second to think about it. “Um, no.”

“W-what?! B-but I’m your loyal servant. I’ve done everything that you asked of me.”

“Yeah… no, you didn’t. You completely misconstrued my words.”

“That’s not true! IIIIAAAAEEEEYYYY!”

Iris winced, both at the high-pitched squeal that Kyle made, and also at the fact that Kevin had just rammed his foot into the other boy’s balls. She might not have liked this guy, but no one deserved to have their testies taken out. Fortunately, before Kyle’s squealing could continue, he was knocked unconscious.

Then Kevin turned to her. Iris almost froze. He knelt down and picked up a switchblade, which she guessed Kyle had been in possession of, and then walked up to her and cut the bindings.

“Um, thanks, Stud,” Iris said, trying to put on airs. “I appreciate the help.”

Kevin nodded. “Are you all right?”

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine. They didn’t do anything other than--”

Words fled Iris as Kevin suddenly pulled her into a hug. She was so shocked that she actually squeaked. She opened her mouth, though she didn’t know why. No sounds came out. His sudden action had paralyzed her.

“I… I was really worried,” Kevin admitted. “When I saw that picture of you, I was really, really worried.”

As her mind calmed down and her heart stopped racing, Iris felt something new take their place. Warmth. Kevin felt warm, incredibly so. It engulfed her like a fleece blanket.

This feeling…

She recognized this feeling. She’d only felt it once before--that day when the void had tried to consume her. During that time, she’d undergone the ritual that all creatures of the Void must take, but she’d been wholly unprepared. She would have died that day, her existence erased, were it not for Kevin, who’d risked his own life--no, his own existence, for her. That was the day she’d learned of this warmth, but she hadn’t felt it since.

I see… so this is why even I’ve…

“I’m sorry,” Kevin muttered. His voice was muffled because his face was buried in her hair.

Iris leaned into him, enjoying his warmth. “Sorry for what?”

“For letting this happen.”

She shook her head. Kevin was too quick to blame himself for things that were not his fault. It was a virtue, certainly, but it was also annoying.

“It’s not your fault.”

Kevin said nothing for several seconds. Then…

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

Iris smiled as she closed her eyes. She could fall asleep like this.

“Me too,” she mumbled.

On that day, Iris finally remembered why she wanted Kevin to acknowledge their relationship. Lilian wasn’t the only person that she loved.