The night had stretched on, long and quiet, as if even the universe was holding its breath. The rooftop was cold, but not enough to chase them away. The stars glimmered overhead, blinking in a lazy kind of rhythm. Somewhere far below, the world kept turning—cars honking, sirens screaming, people making the same stupid mistakes they always did.
But up here?
Up here was still.
Kikidori had passed out leaning against the edge of the building, arms crossed, boots stretched out in front of him, one wing lazily draped around his side like a gothic blanket. Haruna had started sitting beside him but, as the hours went by and her eyes got heavy, she'd ended up drifting closer. Her head now rested on his shoulder, golden hair fanned out over his black coat like spilled sunlight. Her legs were curled beneath her, arms loosely wrapped around herself.
It was peaceful.
Disturbingly peaceful.
Almost… cute.
Their breathing was soft, slow, synchronized in that strange way people tend to fall into when sleep makes them forget to be enemies.
And then.
**Flutter. Flutter. Flutter.**
"Okay, okay, shhh," whispered one of the fucking Cupids, hovering a few feet above them. His wings twitched as he motioned for the others behind him to stay quiet. There were three this time. Three smug little diaper-wearing, pink-eyed assholes with glittering bows in hand and arrows ready.
"Are you sure this is gonna work?" the second Cupid hissed.
The first one nodded. "Trust me. Direct application is the most powerful method. Tip-in, tip-out. No explosion, no side effects. Just pure connection."
The third one snorted. "Bro, they *hate* each other."
"That's just foreplay."
They floated down silently, delicate as dust motes. One Cupid hovered near Kikidori, the other over Haruna, and the third kept watch.
"Okay… steady…"
**Poke.**
An arrowhead slid lightly into Kikidori's upper arm. Not deep—barely a graze. But the red shimmer pulsed, just once, before vanishing.
**Poke.**
Haruna's arm was next, the arrow pressing against her golden armor where the strap gave way to exposed skin. A quick flick, a shimmer of soft pink light, and then it was gone.
The Cupids all tensed.
No reaction.
Kikidori let out a soft grunt in his sleep, but didn't wake. His head tilted just slightly, and Haruna instinctively curled closer in response, like they were magnets unknowingly drawn together.
The Cupids all looked at each other and nodded.
"Mission accomplished."
"Are we… are we allowed to do this?"
"Do you care?"
"Not really."
With a soft flutter, they took off into the dawn sky, leaving behind two beings from opposite ends of eternity now infused with a dangerously subtle magic they had no idea existed.
The morning sun began to rise, casting gold and crimson light over the rooftop. It made the moment look almost romantic—like a painting someone would hang over a fireplace without ever knowing the chaos it captured.
Kikidori shifted slightly, one hand brushing against Haruna's in his sleep.
Neither of them stirred.
But something in the universe did.
The end of Chapter 25.