"Byunghun hyung!" Ricky called out, L.Joe turned around with a slight glare on his face with a finger to his lips and responded, "Don't call me that out here. It's not safe."

 

Ricky bit his lip and nodded, "Sorry L.Joe hyung, I forgot." He scratched the back of his head and whispered, "Do you feel it though?"

 

L.Joe nodded and ran his hand through his hair, tousling it in the process. "Yeah, that tremor was a bit too strong for my liking."

 

Ricky nodded eagerly and mumbled, "Do you think..." he paused and bit his lip again, and L.Joe shook his head, "There's no way. We're so far away from any other group, I don't think it'd be possible for them to find us."

 

Ricky hesitated before shaking his head, disagreeing with his older friend, "But think about it hyung, this happened last time too, before we got news of the slave traders coming near us."

 

L.Joe didn't respond right away, after all, Ricky had a point. Last time there was a tremor of that level, it was only several days before those infamous slave traders had come close to invading their camp. L.Joe's fist tightened and he nodded, "Let's finish our patrol before heading back then."

 

Ricky nodded in agreement as the two silently but stealthily patrolled their designated borders. They had no weapons aside from their fists, daggers, and their names. Although for now their names were useless, after all, they haven't found their designated partner yet, the one that would fight alongside them for the rest of their life but also live as their other half. 

 

L.Joe made a slight noise out of irritation as the skin on his left shoulder began itching and burning at the same time and he gently scratched at it through his shirt. Ricky noticed and asked, "Bug in your shirt?"

 

"I have no idea, but it burns and stings and it's just pissing me off in general."

 

Ricky's eyes widened and whispered, "Maybe it's-"

 

"There's no way. I know it's almost completed, but I still haven't even met someone, let alone have we even seen anyone outside our small group." L.Joe snapped before Ricky even finished. The younger male flinched and L.Joe's furious expression on his face softened and he mumbled a quick apology before they continued. But as they did, the irritation continued and he couldn't wait til they finished their patrol.

 

Blasted shoulder of mine, what the hell is wrong with it? It's not my partner, there's just no way. I haven't met anyone new, and they say they usually only get their names when the time is nearing or when you've finally met them. It's never after and - 

 

L.Joe's thoughts were cut short by the sudden voice in his ear.

 

"L.Joe, Ricky, do you two hear me?"

 

"Yes C.A.P hyung, we hear you." Ricky responded first. The two didn't stop walking, but they slowed down, for their leader of their group to contact them, that must mean that something was off. 

 

"Okay good, the two of you listen to me clearly and do not panic, do you understand? Andy hyung says that the sensor near location D-23 went off, he wants you guys to check it out. It's also your last checkpoint on your patrol so you guys should run into it soon if you guys haven't checked in yet, but if you did to head back out. The other patrols won't be able to hit that point any time soon otherwise."

 

Ricky nodded and L.Joe responded, "And if we find something?"

 

"Either handle it there or bring it back and we'll handle it as a team. But if it's that group, escape at all costs, understand?"

 

"Yes sir." 

 

The voice disappeared, signalling the end of the call and the two patrollers nodded at each other before increasing their speed and heading towards the indicated area. 

 

*****

 

I have to get out of here. Lapis thought as her legs carried her farther away. I have to find my other half.

 

She had seen it through the dirty reflection of the muddy water, her name was appearing on her left shoulder. Although it was still very faded, almost invisible against her skin, she had noticed it, and felt it, and that was when she put her plan into action. Although in all honesty, there was still a lingering thought nagging the back of her head. 

 

What if her other half rejected her? It's not as though it's not possible. The one that is rejected is normally the one that will end up getting hurt the most, not the one doing the rejection. That's how messed up this system is.  She's seen it so many times from all the dirty errands that those slave traders had forced upon her. She briefly closed her eyes as she plunged into the river, hoping to mask her scent and she quickly swam to the other side, escaping the previous village and entering uncharted territory.

 

What if... What if I get caught and they find out I have a name? It's harder to hide it since it's on my shoulder and my clothes are all sleeveless after having to use them as bandages. She slipped down a grassy slope, but her body acted on instinct as it curled into a ball, safely rolling down, protecting her limbs and her head as she scrambled back onto her feet as soon as she felt flat ground. All that rigorous training that they had forced her and many others through had helped her escape. After all, she was labeled their ace. The best at assassination.

 

No, I can't consider these "what if's," they'll only hinder me from my goal. I need to find my partner. I'm supposed to. That's why my name is appearing. I have to find them. Lapis heard faint barking in the distance and several voices cursing her freedom as they appeared to be stopped by the river. After all, they didn't expect their captives to escape by water, especially when they've used water as punishment for misbehavior and anything else they've deemed as a misdemeanor. They've expected their captives to be traumatized by water, but not Lapis, for her, water was her savior.

 

The ground trembled as she glanced back and her eyes widened, where she just was several seconds ago was an empty gaping hole and immediately she sped up, escaping the area. She's felt the tremors from a safe distance, but this was the first time she was the target of the tremors and she knew, she had to find a way to make it as though she died while escaping. But how?! They've only taught me to kill others, not myself. How do I... She saw it, a perfect scenario, laid out before her as though to answer her troubles. The forest opened up to a waterfall and there were tree roots invading the surface of the Earth everywhere she looked and she grinned. Perfect. This is a perfect escape. I just need to set it up perfectly. 

 

*****

 

"The girl can't be that far!" a gruff voice called out, the dogs barked in response chasing forward with their enhanced sense of smell as they followed her faint trail, but they all skidded to a stop at the same cliff, circling a certain tree root while several others of their kind glanced over the cliff only to confirm that she had suffered a sad fate. The men that followed behind their hounds slowed down and picked up the remaining evidence of her shoe and one of them growled low in frustration, "She's dead. No one can survive a fall from this height even if there's water below them."

 

"That girl has no affinity, right?" 

 

The other men nodded at the question and the male who asked grunted, "There goes our best slave. Let's not waste time on her, we need to train another one."

 

The dogs made small whimpering noises, ashamed they weren't quick enough to find the wanted female, and their owners only petted them briefly to indicate that it was okay, although their income may have dropped as a result. 

 

Lapis waited patiently within the deepest parts of the lake, her entire body practically one with water as her normally brown eyes glowed a bright blue, as though reflecting the sky and the sea within them. As soon as she felt their furious stares at the water fade away, she swam slowly and gently through the water, aiming for the forest just ahead of her where the trees could shelter her from their piercing eyes above.

 

The girl got out, shaking her hair that was once tied into a tight black bun and it tumbled out in loose curls before stopping mid-back. She pulled herself up onto the riverbank before gently leaning against the closest tree. However, her short moment of relaxation was short lived as she heard twigs and branches cracking increasingly louder as they approached her and she stiffened. I just escaped, you have to be kidding me. World, why?

 

Her brown eyes were glued upon the direction of the sound, and from behind the tree appeared L.Joe, and the both parties froze upon sight of each other as they both felt it, that weird feeling of connection and belonging. He opened his mouth to say something, but turned around instead upon seeing her appearance and before Ricky could appear, he stammered, "Ricky don't look!"

 

"Eh? Hyung wh- OH MY GOSH I AM SO SORRY!" the younger boy yelled in a slightly higher octave as he turned away, flushing red. Lapis looked down and immediately turned red, curling herself into a ball, trying to shield her body from them, and she ducked her head between her knees, ashamed and embarrassed all at the same time. L.Joe took off his jacket, not before taking back his dagger and compass before tossing it as gently as possible towards the girl and he coughed, "Use that."

 

Lapis timidly reached out for the jacket, as equally as red as the two males in front of her and she zipped it up, covering at least the top part of her whereas the denim shorts did the best they could to keep her safe from complete exposure.

 

L.Joe sighed before looking at her and said, "Look, I don't know who you are or what you are, but you've invaded into our territory uninvited so you're going to be subjected to some questions, is that okay with you?"

 

Lapis didn't speak, but she nodded her head. Still afraid that if she did speak, nothing would come out, much like before. After all, even if I did try to speak, no one ever heard me. My cries for help were left unanswered.

 

*****

 

"We don't know her actual name," Ricky responded as he munched on a sandwich in front of their dorm area. 

 

"Eh, that's lame. You guys should've figured it out while walking her back, y'know? It's not that hard." Chunji whined softly, he glanced back at the main building that their boss resided in and he wondered aloud, "I wonder if Andy hyung is questioning her right now."

 

"Most likely," L.Joe answered, "And for your information, the girl didn't even speak a single word the entire time while coming back."

 

"Seriously?" Niel asked, "How is that even possible? And she came with you guys willingly?"

 

"Well, no, not really," Ricky sighed. L.Joe didn't respond and the younger pouted, "Hyung!"

 

No response.

 

Ricky sighed again and he continued, "L.Joe hyung kind of persuaded her. She was previously a slave, there was a choker around her with her name on it, and the date and location from which they obtained her and for what price."

 

"Lapis. Obtained during the Winter Solstice at Lunar Island," L.Joe repeated and he mumbled, "Her price was ridiculously high."

 

"Then she was..." Chunji dropped the sentence, they all knew. Slave traders only paid a high price for those who were born with an affinity, or those that were extremely skilled at physical combat. L.Joe nodded and was about to speak before hearing their youngest clear his throat, "She was probably an agent." He left out the remaining words, but they knew. Like him. 

 

Changjo looked away and mumbled, "She has the same eyes. Eyes that have seen almost everything, and yet continue to search for hope. Hope that we'll find our partners."

 

They all gently patted their youngest and C.A.P finally spoke, "You're here now. They will never take you back."

 

The maknae nodded and lifted his head, "She's coming back out."

 

Said female exited the main building with Andy behind her and Andy gave her a warm smile before looking towards the Teen Top boys. 

 

"Her name is Lapis, as you all know. She doesn't speak very loudly, and she's not used to speaking in general, so it would be nice if you guys tried your best to get along with her. And since she's the same age as Ricky and Changjo, I was hoping that you six would take care of her as she adjusted to life around here." Andy said calmly. They nodded and Ricky asked, "So she's staying with us?"

 

Andy nodded, "Yes, she doesn't have anywhere else to go, and I'm happy to accept her into our family."

 

Changjo saw it, but L.Joe felt it, the way Lapis feared that word "family." It seemed to have dark connotations behind it for her and she glanced fearfully back at Andy and his expression softened, "We won't harm you, I promise. We may be a small group, but we truly do act as close as an actual family possibly can."

 

She hesitantly nodded and again she looked back at L.Joe, her gaze unwavering as she made eye contact with him before she felt it again, that searing warmth and connection and she blinked, confused. L.Joe felt the same as he felt his shoulder cool down as though a water doused the fire that was once burning him and he watched as the girl awkwardly walked up to them before gently holding up a small white board with a neatly written greeting on it.

 

"Nice to meet you Lapis! I'm Ricky," Ricky extended his hand and she looked down at it, confused and Changjo gently said, "You're unfamiliar with a gentle hand, I understand that feeling the most, but it's okay, none of us will hurt you here. You're safe."

 

Lapis' eyes widened as she met Changjo's gaze. slightly opened before closing it and he nodded, "I know, I recognize you as well. We were on the same team once, remember?"

 

She nodded. Changjo was already a veteran agent at that time, and he often helped her throughout her trainings and he mumbled, "I... I am sorry I left all of you guys there while escaping on my own I-"

 

Lapis shook her head, tears now threatening to fall and the white board fell first before her petite figure was pressed up against the taller male. Changjo was shocked, he had known just how much of a connection their certain agency had with each other, with them having to comfort each other after their first "successful" mission and such, but he had not realized that it was harder for her as she was the only female, and the youngest at that given time. 

 

L.Joe felt a pang of pain as he watched her crying against the youngest male and he looked away, gritting his teeth. Andy looked upon him with watchful eyes before calling out his name, gesturing for him to head over.

 

The group watched as the male walked off. Lapis immediately pulled away from Changjo, upon feeling the pain that L.Joe felt as well and her eyes wandered to the said male. L.Joe felt her gaze on him and he briefly turned back, making eye contact with her. Both of them froze and Lapis whispered softly, almost inaudibly, "L.Joe."

 

His eyes widened as he read her lips and he could feel his body wanting to run towards her, but Andy's hand on his shoulder stopped him and he felt his heart tighten, his fist imitating the action and he broke her gaze, following the older male into the building.

 

*****

 

"She's your soul mate," Andy repeated after L.Joe's rambling about his feelings. L.Joe was almost certain Lapis was his other half. He could feel it. In fact, her name was at the tip of his tongue. Not Lapis, but... Just calling her by the wrong name makes everything feel so wrong.

"It makes sense, she had admitted she felt something when she saw you as well. In her words, it was as though she was suddenly filled with warmth that she's never felt in her entire life," Andy had a small smile on his face and he said, "I knew you'd find her soon. I noticed how you kept scratching at the back of your left shoulder."

 

L.Joe let out a sheepish laugh and admitted, "Can't hide anything from you, ne hyung?"

 

Andy laughed and a soft smile appeared on his face and he said, "You're very lucky you found her so early on in life."

 

L.Joe nodded, and he immediately felt guilty as he saw the flicker of pain across his hyung's expression and before he could speak, Andy shook his head, "I know. It was unfortunate for the two of us to part, but at least fate had allowed us to meet before they cut her string first."

 

L.Joe hesitated before nodding and Andy smiled at him and asked, "Do you know what your name is yet?"

 

"No. It wasn't fully inscribed when I last checked." L.Joe ed his shirt before taking off the left side, revealing the small engraved letters that were on his back near his left shoulder. L.Joe swiveled his chair so that his back was facing Andy, and the older male made a small noise out of surprise and mumbled, "Doubtless."

 

"To have absolute faith and certainty, leaving no room for suspicions." L.Joe softly whispered. Andy nodded and he said, "A fitting name for someone like you."

 

L.Joe looked at him confused and Andy smiled, "You'll understand, at some point in your life."

 

The former frowned, confused, but buttoned up his shirt again and repeated his name in his head over and over again. We are Doubtless. Lapis and I... I don't doubt that she's my soul mate, my other half, but... I don't know if she knows. No, that can't be it, she must know after all, Andy hyung says that we'd feel the connection, and we did. I can't deny that.

 

*****

 

Lapis wandered aimlessly after being toured around the small village. Despite having only about fifteen people that are on active duty. those relieved from their duties that had started up small shops to help each other out aren't pushovers as they still retained their training and skills. It impressed her, to experience such hospitality despite her being an unknown variable to them. She could've been a spy of the slave traders for all they knew, yet they knew. From the moment the locksmith freed her from the choker that she had worn since she was seven, the glitter of genuine happiness and hope in her eyes were more than enough for them to understand that she was an escapee, just like Changjo.

 

However, outside of that initial physical contact and interaction between Changjo and Lapis, there was nothing else. Although they had small conversations, Lapis' attention could not be reserved by anything else around her no matter how interested she was in the subject before her. As long as L.Joe remained in that building, her gaze would ultimately return to it. So upon seeing the male walk out of the building, she felt it again, that overwhelming urge to be next to him, to talk to him, hear his voice and learn everything about him. L.Joe felt her gaze on him and he glanced away from the door, giving the girl a small smile and she blinked, slightly confused before feeling the blood rush to her cheeks and she looked away, embarrassed for staring.

 

Ricky and Changjo exchanged glances and Ricky bluntly asked, "Lapis, have you found your soul mate by any chance?"

 

Said female almost fell over at such a direct question and she blushed before shaking her head and on her white board wrote, "No, but I hope to soon. My name is already completed... although I don't know what it is since I can't see it."

 

Changjo nodded at Ricky and the latter spoke, "I think we know who it is, and I think you know too. After all, you keep staring at him."

 

Lapis looked away, and frowned. This brat, just because he's several months older than me. Lapis sighed and her expression softened as she watched L.Joe out of the corner of her eyes. Said male was slowly visiting each shop as he made his way closer, but before he could even be within speaking range of Ricky and Changjo, Lapis suddenly dashed away. 

 

I don't want to face him. If he really is my soul mate, will he truly accept me for who I am? I'm nothing more than a slave. . . albeit a freed one. 

 

The white board fell from her grasps as her palms began to sweat and she discarded the marker that was in her other hand as she sprinted away at full speed. She stopped in front of the small well at the edge of the market street and she rested against it, slumping against the cool stone wall and she felt the water below it responding to her.

 

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. She curled into a ball, berating herself for running away, but she couldn't help it. She was scared. She was scared of meeting her soul mate, because she was scared she'd destroy their relationship, just like how she destroyed everything else in her life.

 

*****

 

What the . L.Joe was fuming as he sat in his dorm on his bed. Ricky and Changjo were trying to console the older male, but L.Joe's anger was starting the affect the room as well and Ricky squeaked, "Hyung, let's not burn down this dorm as well. Andy hyung will kill us."

 

"Seriously, what the just happened?!" L.Joe grumbled. His attitude turned a complete 180 after watching his supposed soul mate run away from him. Their connection wasn't stable yet, not enough for them to sense the other's feelings when they weren't within closer distance from each other. So the boy had no idea about Lapis' conflicting thoughts and L.Joe slammed his fist against his pillow, knocking it off the bed and slamming into Ricky's face on accident.

 

"Oof!" Ricky fell back from the impact as he sat on his bed across from his hyung and he whined, "Hyung! Calm down!"

 

"You expect me to calm down after seeing my supposed-to-be soul mate run away from me? I haven't even spoken to her besides that one sentence about her getting interrogated and now when I try to get to know her she runs away from me?!"

 

"Now L.Joe hyung," Changjo spoke up and L.Joe's eyes flashed red with rage at the younger male. 

 

"Don't even start Changjo. At least she likes you." L.Joe spat out. Changjo flinched at the venomous tone and he mumbled, "We have a past. That's it."

 

"More than what I have with her. What the hell."

 

L.Joe's anger still simmered, but was below its boiling point. However Ricky still noticed it, the burning red that outlined his irises and he softly whispered, "I'm sure she has her reasons to be scared hyung."

 

At the thought of her being scared, the flame in his eyes flickered into a circumference of red and he mumbled, "She would be scared of finding her soul mate?"

 

Changjo nodded and was about to speak before hearing the door open and three more people joined the room. Chunji and Niel joined L.Joe on his bed and C.A.P pulled up a chair and Chunji stated, "We could sense your rage from the training grounds. And they're on the other end of the village."

 

"We heard what happened from the villagers, so how are you feeling now? You appeared to have calmed down significantly without me yelling at you," C.A.P said as he made himself comfortable on the chair, facing it backwards so he could rest his arms on the back of the chair.

 

"Ricky said... it was possible that she would be scared of finding her soul mate, but I don't understand why," L.Joe sighed, he grabbed another pillow and hugged it tightly before mumbling, "I've grown up longing for the day I'd find my soul mate, and I..." he paused, a faint pink dusted over his cheeks and he cleared his throat, continuing, "I had imagined a lot of scenarios on the best way to make memories with her. I never expected her to run away from me."

 

"Well," Changjo finally spoke up, with one knee brought up to his chest and the other leg dangling off the bed, his head was propped on his knee and he continued, "I think I may know why."

 

All s fell silent, a wordless encouragement for the normally reserved boy with an unexpectedly short temper to speak with such coldness and seriousness. 

 

"As a previous... agent," Changjo said the word with distaste, "We've been warned of what would happen to us if we found our soul mates. And especially for those of us in.. well, the assassination work field, we were used to seeing other pairs of soul mates die in the worse ways possible. And what's worse is we were the ones inflicting all of that. Lapis probably has the fear that one day her soul mate will be subjected to such a fate. And it's not wrong to be scared of such a thing. I'm scared of the same thing."

 

L.Joe's throat felt dry, and constricted. He never considered how she would have felt. She just escaped from them, and then found her soul mate, and is now fighting her biggest fear of losing the one thing she was hoping to find. His fists clenched his pillow tightly and Changjo softly whispered, "Treat her preciously, and cherish her hyung."

 

L.Joe looked up at the maknae and Changjo continued, "I.. I've seen a lot of soul mates die from my own hands, but I'm sure she's seen more. If I'm feeling fear from the amount that I've done, I don't even want to know how she feels."

 

Niel nodded in agreement and mumbled, "Also, I'm not sure if I have the right to say this, I've never gone through this, but I was talking to one of the noona's in the market place because I overheard something... interesting."

 

The members looked at Niel and waited for him to continue and the boy cleared his throat before continuing, "It's not uncommon for soul mates to reject each other."

 

"What?" Everyone exclaimed at once. Niel shrugged lightly, and continued, "Look, I'm not completely sure, but apparently while noona and hyung were travelling before they found us, they've seen various soul mates, ones that have already realized they have the same name and even shared their actual names with each other, reject their soul mate. And..." Niel hesitated, glancing at L.Joe and the latter returned the gaze with a strong stare, the red outlining his irises flickered momentarily and Niel gulped, "And hyung says that they've seen Lapis before... during one of her missions. She was one of their most brutal agents."

 

L.Joe stood up, his whole body shaking with restrained rage and Niel quickly held his hands up in surrender and admitted, "Hyung admitted that she was always in charge of, well, those missions, and he knew that it was the same person because her eyes-"

 

"Please, stop." L.Joe finally managed to breathe out between clenched teeth. He couldn't look at his friend. I know they're telling me this because they're worried, but I can't help but get mad at them. This is my soul mate that they're talking about. Not some girl or stranger that I haven't met. L.Joe let out a shaky breath and mumbled, "I'm going to cool off."

 

He left the dorm, this time successfully not burning anything that was wood and as soon as the door shut closed everyone glared at Niel.

 

"Seriously Niel?!" Chunji asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation, "Couldn't you have said it later?!"

 

"Well he was going to find out at some point! You guys all know how the villagers like to gossip about these things!" Niel retorted, but with a pout on his face. Even he knew what he said and the way he delivered it was wrong, but he couldn't help it. He wanted L.Joe to hear it now rather than later and have him blow up in front of the entire village. 

 

"Well, he'll be fine." C.A.P murmured softly to no one in particular, but they all heard him, and he continues in the same soft almost inaudible tone, "He may have a temper, but he's still the one who keeps calm when it comes to stuff that's important."

 

******

 

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! L.Joe stomped his way towards the small pond that was behind the main building that Andy resided in. As soon as he reached the familiar clearing, he was shocked to find another person there and he blinked twice before softly mumbling, "Lapis?"

 

Said girl lifted her head away from the water. She laid flat on her stomach, her hand drawing random patterns on the water, but she stopped as soon she heard his voice. The same voice that she's been longing to hear and she blinks a couple of times, but L.Joe catches the small lining of blue around her iris and he mumbled, "Water."

 

She hesitated before nodding and she sits up, the ends of her hair wet from the pond. I... I can't run away again. oh my god. Do I talk to him? Will he even listen to me? What if he's here to reject me? 

 

L.Joe felt a rush of panic and anxiety from Lapis and immediately he held up his hands with a small smile on his face, "I don't mean any harm Lapis, I swear."

 

She immediately calms down as she literally feels his sincerity and she nods her head and L.Joe softly asks, "Could I... sit next to you?"

 

What. He wants to be near me? I'm dirty. I'm tainted. But... I want him to be closer to me. Lapis bit her lip before nodding slowly. A smile crept onto L.Joe's face as he sat beside her and there was a comfortable yet slightly awkward silence between the two as they stared at the small pond before them. L.Joe cleared his throat and said, "I come here whenever I need to reflect on my thoughts or just need to be alone. It's relaxing and keeps me calm." He paused, his finger swirled the water and the red lining around his eyes began to disappear. He smiled, mostly to himself as he watched his reflection and continued, "I was a bit shocked to see you here. Everyone forgets we have a pond here, even my members, so whenever I talk about it they're just confused. It's not a natural pond after all."

 

At this, Lapis raises her gaze away from the pond and towards L.Joe's reflection, a small yet sad smile resting on his lips. She was confused, why was this boy so kind towards her? It wasn't simply because they were soul mates was it? L.Joe sensed her confusion and, assuming it was about the pond he continues, "My dad and I made this for my mom. She had an affinity for water, unlike my dad and I who are aligned with fire. She was sad that this village didn't have any natural bodies of water that were within a safe range, so we dug out a small plot of land and made this for her." 

 

Lapis smiled at the thought of L.Joe's family, it was so warm, so caring. Something that I've never gotten to experience. 

 

L.Joe smiled as he watched Lapis' reflection. Her expression softened and her eyes finally shined with some life and he softly admitted, "I know... I know you're not familiar with the idea of us being soul mates yet, but I can wait until you do. Until then, I'll be with you whenever you need help and we can get to know each other better." He paused, and Lapis notices a faint blush on his cheeks and he stammered, "B-but, I.. I mean, if it's not t-t-too much to a-ask," he hesitates and Lapis begins to know what he's asking about and she s the jacket, taking off the left sleeve before gently pulling down the strap of the tank top that revealed the identical name.

 

"So we are Doubtless." L.Joe whispered, he too reveals his name once again, and Lapis' fingers gently touch their name that's engraved into their skin in identical locations and her voice takes both of them by surprise, "We are Doubtless."

 

As though they have finally formed a pact, the two feel a rush of adrenaline as they stare at each other for a while before a small smile is present on their lips, with a faint blush to accompany it. 

 

What's wrong with me? I feel like... Lapis clutches the fabric over her heart and momentarily glances away, It's as though I can trust him with my entire life.

 

I'd like you to trust me with your entire life. Another voice softly spoke to Lapis. Her gaze returns to L.Joe immediately and he gives her an embarrassed smile, and speaks, in their link, I guess this is the power of being soul mates? 

 

I... I guess so. Lapis responded. She lowered her head, unable to continue holding eye contact with him and a small laugh escapes his lips before he gently whispers, "It's okay if you're not used to it. I can wait."

 

Lapis nods and gives him a small smile and she softly responds, "Okay." But I want you to know. Because I can feel it from deep within my heart. That I can trust you.

 

L.Joe's smile widens until it's practically reaching his ears and he hears softly, Song Sora. He looks at Lapis, eyes widening and she repeats out loud in a soft whisper, "My.. my name is Sora. Song Sora." He smiles brightly at her and he murmurs, "Lee Byunghun."

 

"Byunghun," Lapis gently mumbles. Her breath fans out over L.Joe's face, catching him by surprise at their intimacy, but upon seeing the bright smile on her face and the sparkles of life in her eyes that's reflected by the flecks of bright blue he returns the expression and nods his head before leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. She blinks in surprise, and the redness on her face increases and he softly mumbles, "Sora."

 

She feels her breath hitch and he lets out a small laugh before smiling at her, "I'm glad I finally met you." Sora.

 

For the first time in her life, Lapis laughs, and L.Joe feels the tears that are streaming down her face and she softly repeats, "I'm so glad I've found you."

 

I am too. The words go by unspoken as L.Joe shifts their position so that she rested on his shoulder, the shoulder where their name was engraved and he smiled, closing his eyes as he felt her arms wrap around him and his followed suit around her petite frame.

 

We are Doubtless. No more what-if's. No more questions or suspicions of the other. I will trust you with all of my heart, and follow you to the end of our time.