his bottom lip.

Chapter 24

"Yeah but that's like, highly illegal isn't it?"

Maehara nervously laughed, waiting for someone to reassure him.

The voice of a certain bright yellow octopus piped up from behind the soldiers.

"That won't be necessary children. I won't let a single one of you get injured."

"Wow teach, couldn't you have said that 5 minutes ago before I got shot? You guys sure know how to make one hell of an entrance though."

Karma had piped up, now standing on his own two feet but still keeping his arm around Nagisa just cause he can.

"Sorry it took a while for us to rally everyone together. The New Years traffic was crazy."

Yada explained with a smile.

"Thanks for coming everyone."

Nagisa smiled.

"Now then, if you want to get to them, you have to get through us, and spoiler alert, that won't be pretty."

Kayano sternly explained, Nakamura next to her with a smug smile.

Okuda turned around to the two slowly, whispering.

"Now's your chance, run!"

The two didn't take her words lightly and darted for the alleyway they came from.

They ran in silence, hearing voices behind them become progressively quieter, the cold winter air beating on their cheeks, desperately trying to stay away from the New Years bustle. Two teenage fugitives covered in blood isn't really gonna fly with the masses.

They stayed low to the ground, darting through empty streets and backroads, going anywhere, as long as it meant they'd be safe.

No words were shared between them. No talk of their kiss, no talk of their status as a species, nothing.

All that they shared was the low sounds of them gasping for air in the bitter cold, running as fast as they could.

Eventually they reached the outskirts of town, and more importantly the hill to 3-E. An obvious spot Karasuma would think to look, but a spot where korosensei could protect them if the situation called for it.

Fully exhausted, freezing cold and generally feeling uneasy and sick, they made it to the tiny wooden shack of 3-E. From down below they heard the chime of the clocks, and the bustle of the people at the shrines and on the streets. A new year had begun.

They both snapped their heads towards each other, the first they'd gazed in each other's eyes since their rescue. Breaking the silence.

"H-Happy New Year!"

They both awkwardly stammered at the same time. After all the shit they'd gone through, this simple greeting somehow managed to prove a challenged.

Nagisa started giggling. Giggling at himself, at their situation, ally he shit that had gone down that night, all the paranoia, the tension of the past weeks of living at Karma's house, all of it.

It was infectious.

Karma started laughing too.

There they were. Young, stupid, under a sky full of stars, laughing like idiots at their misfortune. Their laughter making small puff clouds around them, their cheeks red from the cold, and from each other. Nagisa was bent over laughing and Karma had been holding his stomach, snickering all the while.

For just a moment, a fraction of a second, their eyes met. And just then the two both paused, Nagisa stood straight up, a cheeky smile still on his face, but something pricking at his eyes as well. Karma had to take a moment to breathe, his laughter leaving him breathless.

Their eyes locked.

A gust of a cool winter breeze shook them both, the few clouds that blocked the crescent moon parting, illuminating the scene. Even so, Karma's eyes were locked on Nagisa.

"Hey Karma?"

Nagisa smiled, his head tilting slightly, his rosy cheeks staining his otherwise pale skin.

"I love you, too."

The tears that had been pricking at his eyes rolled down his cheek, warming his freezing face. Karma's eyes had been locked on him. The smirk that remained from his laughing fit morphed into a full-blown smile, as tears began to stream down Karma's face.

He lurched forward to embrace Nagisa, as Nagisa's arms were already outstretched, greeting him. Karma buried his face in Nagisa's neck, pressing his forehead onto his milky skin. Nagisa nuzzled his cold cheeks on Karma's chest, the friction warming him up, if only just a little.

Just like that they swayed slowly side to side, until Karma hastily picks Nagisa up and begins spinning him around. It was a sloppy, stupid dance, and they loved every last mismatched step of it.

They were stupid, they were foolish, and they were so very, very, in love.

___________

Sorry I said I was working on it and then I got writers block halfway through the chapter oops but now it's here and despite popular belief, I CAN write fluff if I put my mind to it, hooray!!

My estimate is about 2-3 more chapters left to go, including the epilogue. Thanks to all you lovely people for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Stan Given and goodnight.

-Fairy