watcher

[Narrator POV]

Hakuno had just finished the last bite of the cake. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction, but as she turned to Ritsuka, she noticed something strange.

He still had his face buried in his hands.

"Ritsuka?" she called gently.

He peeked between his fingers, and when Hakuno saw his expression, her smile faltered slightly. It wasn't embarrassment anymore—it was something heavier.

'That's not the usual Ritsuka,' she thought, a concerned look forming. 'Did I tease him too much…?'

Then Ritsuka spoke, his voice quieter, tinged with remorse.

"I'm so happy you accepted me, Hakuno… I really am. But after everything that happened today with Teacher Flint… I can't get it out of my head."

Hakuno's brow furrowed, now fully attentive. "I thought everything went okay, didn't it?"

Ritsuka groaned and covered his face again. "No. I'm super down now…"

"I can see that," Hakuno said gently, nudging his knee with hers. "But what happened, exactly? You met the teacher you admire after eating his cake. Isn't that a good thing?"

"I messed up, Hakuno," Ritsuka groaned. "I ran my mouth. I said so many dumb things. I even told him I'd surpass him right to his face… and I promised I'd win the international cake contest in front of him."

He let out a long sigh, hands still covering his face.

Hakuno couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Well… I admit, that was very you."

Ritsuka peeked at her again.

"You finally found someone you look up to. A role model. That's something you never really had during the whole Chaldea era, isn't it?" she said with a thoughtful smile. "You worked so hard to learn under him. It is what you wanted, right? But yes… you absolutely faltered. You turned into the most classic version of Ritsuka I've ever seen. It was kind of cute, to be honest."

Ritsuka groaned again and mumbled, "He supervised my cake for you… but he didn't say anything. Not a single word. I don't know if he was disappointed, or if he even cared. And now, I can't stop overthinking it."

His voice trembled slightly. "For the first time in a long time, I'm scared… Hakuno, I really don't want to fail under him."

Hakuno was silent for a moment, eyes wide in surprise. The Ritsuka Fujimaru she knew—the savior of human history, the unbreakable anchor of Chaldea—was trembling. Vulnerable.

Then he muttered again, "Sorry… I'm such an idiot for ruining our beautiful day."

But Hakuno smiled and shook her head.

"No, Ritsuka. You didn't ruin anything," she said softly. "Actually… I'm happy you're sharing this with me. Your real thoughts."

"…What?"

"This is the first time you've ever been this shaken in front of me, right?" she said. "You always cheer up everyone else. It's finally my turn to cheer you up."

She cupped his cheeks with both hands. Ritsuka froze, his face quickly turning red.

"I want to be someone you can feel weak around, just like I feel safe being weak with you," Hakuno whispered. "Think of it as… my gift to you."

Ritsuka's mouth parted slightly. He blushed harder.

Hakuno continued, "It's okay to feel scared over normal things. That just means… you're finally starting to feel like a normal person again. Not the last Master of Chaldea. Not the savior of humanity. Just… Ritsuka."

"…Wait a minute," Ritsuka narrowed his eyes. "I've said that to someone before…"

Hakuno giggled. "Yep. Those were your exact words to Aesc when she was struggling in Chaldea. She told me everything."

"…My words are coming back to haunt me…"

She smiled and kept her hands on his cheeks.

"I don't know the details of what it takes to be a great patissier," she admitted. "But we've both lived through things most people can't even imagine. So telling you about willpower feels… redundant."

Ritsuka's expression softened.

"But that's why I want you to keep moving forward—no regrets. You always face things with sincerity and honesty. It's what I love most about you."

"…Hakuno…"

She gently rested her forehead against his.

"I'm your girlfriend, aren't I? So I'll support your future, right beside you," she said warmly. "You'll summon new Servants again someday, I know that. But when you're tired, or when it's too heavy to stand—rely on me."

Then she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"I'll give you a hug any time. Any day."

Ritsuka let out a quiet breath, finally allowing himself to lean into the warmth of her embrace. Slowly, he returned the hug, arms tightening around her like she was the anchor keeping him afloat.

"Thanks, Hakuno…"

She smiled and patted his head like a gentle reward.

He didn't speak again. He didn't need to. For that one moment, under the soft light of the room, Ritsuka Fujimaru wasn't a Master, wasn't a savior, wasn't even a patissier-in-training.

He was just a boy—loved, understood, and at peace.

After their heartfelt hug, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Hakuno Kishinami broke apart slowly, a quiet warmth lingering between them. The night air had cooled, and the stars above Xavier's mansion twinkled gently—almost as if they were giving the couple their quiet blessing.

Ritsuka rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. "Looks like we've been here a while..."

Hakuno nodded, brushing her bangs aside. "Time flies when you're giving emotional support."

Just as they turned to leave the garden, footsteps echoed from the gravel path. Jean Grey and Scott Summers approached them. Jean had a gentle smile on her face, while Scott wore his usual half-smirk.

"Well, well," Scott teased, folding his arms. "Should we give you two more time, or is the hug cooldown over?"

Ritsuka's face turned red instantly, and Hakuno's wasn't far behind. "You two were watching?!" Ritsuka stammered, panicking slightly.

Jean held up both hands innocently. "Not watching, just... passing by." Then, looking a little apologetic, she added, "I did catch your emotions though. Not on purpose. Just... feelings, nothing specific."

Scott raised a brow. "I asked her if something was going on. She said someone was overwhelmed with feelings, so... we walked over." He looked slightly too proud of himself.

Hakuno, without skipping a beat, pulled out a small black cylinder from her dimension pocket something and pointed it at Scott. Click. The familiar sound of a pepper spray safety switch flipping off echoed ominously.

Scott backed up. "W-Whoa! You said you wouldn't use that on me again!"

Hakuno narrowed her eyes, deadpan. "And you believed me, Mr. Sunglasses Indoors? How naive. You must be a mama's boy or something."

"Liar!" Scott yelped, retreating behind Jean.

Ritsuka blinked, chuckling despite himself. "Déjà vu," he muttered.

Jean laughed, stepping between them to lower Hakuno's hand. "Let's not blind Scott tonight, Hakuno. He might walk into a tree later. Again."

Scott, still mildly traumatized, grumbled, "One time…"

Jean turned to Ritsuka, smiling. "Honestly, it's nice to see you guys like this. I was telling Scott… you've always kind and composed, but seeing someone like you let yourself be vulnerable—it just makes you more real. And Hakuno… you've got guts."

Hakuno smirked. "And pepper spray."

Jean giggled and nodded. "True. But Scott—he's not so bad either."

Scott looked over, startled.

"I mean it," Jean said, looking at him with a rare softness. "You're someone I feel at ease around. That's… not something I can say lightly."

Scott's mouth opened slightly, stunned. He looked away, his cheeks glowing slightly beneath his visor.

Inside his head, he screamed: I want to tell her how I feel… I want to say "I love you" so badly. But I don't want to ruin what we have. So I won't.

"I'm really happy to hear that," he said, laughing nervously.

Ritsuka and Hakuno watched this in silence, their own emotions syncing with the tender moment before them. Even Jean looked surprised at her own words, her eyes briefly flicking toward Scott as if reevaluating him.

"Well, we've got some extra food packed up from earlier," Scott said, breaking the tension. "Figured you two might be hungry."

"Thanks," Ritsuka said gratefully, accepting the bag. "You're a lifesaver."

The two left together, leaving Hakuno and Jean alone under the quiet starlight.

Hakuno turned to Jean, her tone suddenly serious. She gently reached out and took Jean's hand, startling the redhead.

"Jean… can I ask you something?"

Jean blinked. "Of course."

"When you said that about Scott—that you feel at ease around him—was that because he's your friend?"

"Well… yes. He is an important friend."

"But is that all?" Hakuno pressed, her voice calm but unwavering. "When I heard your words, I felt like I was hearing myself from a while ago. I said the same thing about Ritsuka. I thought I was just grateful to have someone I could be myself around. But it wasn't just that. I had to be honest with myself."

Jean's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… you're saying…"

"I'm not telling you what you feel. But I am asking you to think about it carefully," Hakuno said, letting go of her hand. "Because sometimes, the heart recognizes something long before the mind does."

Jean fell silent.

The breeze rustled her red hair, and she looked down, troubled, searching within herself.

Scott has always been there for me. He's patient. Kind. Goofy when no one's watching. And... I do feel light around him. But love? Could it be? Is this what it feels like?

"It can't be that simple… right?" she whispered, unsure whether she was asking Hakuno or herself.

Hakuno simply smiled. "That's up to you to decide. Just… don't be afraid to feel something new."

Jean nodded slowly. "I'll think about it… carefully."

(A/N: Hakuno is actually a best wingman)

---

Narrator POV

The moon was silent tonight.

Above the grey, cracked surface, where no wind blew and no voice dared echo, sat a creature—loyal beyond measure, abandoned beyond reason.

A massive bulldog, its frame unnaturally large, sat solemnly by the edge of a lunar cliff. Its fur was short and reddish-brown, its eyes deep and glistening with an emotion only time could nurture—grief, exhaustion, patience. A metallic tuning fork adorned its forehead, faintly glowing with ancient teleportation energy long spent.

This was Lockjaw, the genetically engineered guardian of the Kree Royal Family. A creation of the Kree, molded and twisted through cruel science. A creature branded a failure and discarded when he did not meet expectations. His creators, his masters, saw only a tool.

But Lockjaw—Lockjaw only saw family. Even if they saw him as nothing but a beast.

And so, he waited. Sat. Stared into the infinite black beyond the stars. For centuries.

His massive body was still. Only his eyes moved, following constellations, planets, the occasional ship crossing between stars. He did not howl. He had no voice left to give. The moon had taken it, year by year.

Until now.

The stillness was broken....not by sound, but by presence.

A radiant shimmer tore into reality like a curtain parting. The stars bent in fear as a figure stepped into the plane.

Towering above Lockjaw was a bald, robed figure—Uatu, known to many as The Watcher. His eyes were enormous, bottomless pools of cosmic awareness. His body wrapped in white and blue robes that flickered with the dust of collapsing galaxies. He had seen the birth and death of worlds… but this scene, this dog, held a quiet sorrow few cosmic tragedies could match.

"Lockjaw," the Watcher spoke with that echoing, timeless voice. "It is time."

The dog didn't move.

"You cannot remain here. Not any longer. Your energy is nearly spent. Ten more days… and the core that sustains your being will go dark."

Lockjaw's head slowly turned toward him, his eyes dull, tired. He said nothing. No sound. Just… waited.

"You were abandoned," the Watcher said gently. "Treated as an object, not a soul. But still you waited—for someone who may never return. That loyalty…" He paused. "...it is both your greatest strength and your final chain."

"I can guide you to Earth. There, perhaps, you will find someone worthy of your heart."

Lockjaw turned back to the stars.

Uatu's gaze narrowed. "You would choose to die here rather than live free?"

There was no answer.

The Watcher exhaled deeply, rubbing his chin. "Perhaps… perhaps I must intervene directly. Or call one unbound by rules and dignity. Deadpool, maybe—"

But then—

His cosmic vision flared. His head snapped around.

"Wait..."

Uatu's massive eyes widened. His gaze pierced Earth's atmosphere, tunneling through time and barriers. His voice dropped into reverent confusion.

"Who are they…?"

On Earth, scattered through locations tied to chaos and fate, stood four figures: Ritsuka Fujimaru, Hakuno Kishinami, James Moriarty, And Karna.

"They are not of this Earth," the Watcher whispered. "Not originally."

He watched as Ritsuka talking with Scott. As Hakuno held Jean Grey's hand and asked questions about her feelings. As Karna stood alone beneath the sky, eyes fixed upward with silent purpose. As Moriarty sipped tea and murmured to himself, already five steps ahead of a chessboard no one else could see.

Uatu straightened, his expression unreadable.

"Lockjaw… it seems the Earth's fate is beginning to move."

He looked down one last time. The dog still stared upward.

"Perhaps they are not here to save the world. But to change what it means to be part of it. I need to look more into it. I will meet you again, Lockjaw"

The Watcher vanished without another word, swallowed by the light between realities.

And Lockjaw… remained.

Alone again.

But now, for the first time in countless years, his ears flicked—barely perceptible.

Because something in the stars felt different.

---

Note; Guys how is the story? From next chapter main story starts and I already built-up everything for the phoenix arc. Then I have to start this arc soon. Also, I'm dog lover so I brought Lockjaw and inhumans doesn't exist in this story. Lockjaw is abonded dog to die by Kree Empire.

Also I'm happy and thanks for supporting me. Also I'm very surprised to see many actually like Hakuno x Guda. I don't know but I'm very surprised. So i will put more romantic development between them until next heroine enter the story. Look forward to it,