☆Wish Upon A Star☆

☆~Chapter 27~☆

When Nikolai, Ivan's stallion, blended black into the white frost and the forest, getting lost into the horizon, Matthew's exhausted, yet shocked gaze was still fixed on her.

Ekaterina hadn't moved a muscle, hadn't pulled a happy face at her brother's and lover's brother's success. She had just watched them off, without a wave, without a word.

Only when she had stopped hearing the horse's furious galloping and neighing, she ran to the barn, the fabric of her dress flying freely behind her rushing steps, and prepared her mare for a ride. A race against time.

The horse neighed at Ekaterina's pushing and pulling, nervous. Princess' white coat, specked by grey, would be perfect to hide in such a white landscape.

She forced the mare as much as its lungs and heart could take it, guiding it through unused paths and over fallen trees, racing the shortest way towards the Mission's hidden bunker.

The small, every step more separated from each other footprints that left the fake cabin on the thin layer of snow and frost that covered the ground quickly made her shiver. It was true. The Honda had ran away to his old home. She pulled on her mare's leashes harder, making the animal stand on its hind legs and neigh out, hooves pounding heavily against the ground after the fall.

It only took her a loud cry for Toris' worried expression to open the door.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

Kiku's breath turned into clouds of white smoke, his lungs freezing at the cold air that stabbed them. But his feet didn't stop moving. They ran up the frosty path to the coastline's cliffs, skipped rocks and stepped over the first sprouting grass.

He didn't stop walking. He didn't stop, although his legs and feet felt on fire. The night had just draped its dark robe over the Earth when the forest came to a clearing before Kiku's eyes, and he could see the tall, pride cliff's top before himself.

The sound of the wild waves crashing against the rocks hit his ears like the best news he had ever gotten. A strong nostalgia flooded him, but he didn't remember Arthur's care towards Yao anymore. He remembered going to classes in the city every freezing morning -like Toris had promised, he had made sure that Kiku's books got delivered to his new home and that he went to city to take his tests-, the beautiful landscape from his room's window, and Yao's bright smile.

As soon as he approached the proud, independent house that stood atop the cliff, crowning the tongue of land that ventured into the cold ocean, he could see a very well-known teen's figure, that quickly turned to frantically wave at him.

As fast as his legs could bear, Kiku ran to him, a big smile wrinkling his usually stern face. His best friend. His only friend, who he hadn't seen in over a year. Alfred ran faster than him and quickly collided into Kiku, mid cliff. They laughed and hugged each other, bathing in happy tears.

A soft breeze played around them, messing their hair up and tickling their skin. The grass waved around them, and Kiku couldn't help but to notice the soft blush that spread across Alfred's cheeks, after after the weak moonlight.

He guessed that the American boy still loved him, after all.

"Long time no see, dude!" Alfred giggled, catching his breath and wiping his eyes.

Kiku nodded, smiling softly at the boy. Oh, how he had missed his loudness in the sea of silence that engulfed the Mission's cabin.

Swiftly, Alfred grabbed Kiku's hand and pulled him up. He had become stronger since Kiku left. "Get in! Mattie has been out since this morning. I think he has a chick in the city," He winked.