𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚝 | ✦ Hu Tao x Male!Reader

34. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚊𝚛

Truthfully, he really shouldn't have been sleeping in the middle of the wild.

"Groan... Ouch... My body hurts."

Y/N mumbled, slowly opening his eyes, having slept for a few hours. Surprisingly, he hadn't been attacked by anyone in that time, which he thanked his luck for.

"...sigh"

Still, that didn't make the pain any better, but at least the headache had gone away.

He brought himself up to sit on the ground. He had a bottle of water, and a few rations which could feed him for some time, but it wouldn't be able to keep him for long.

- Which means I need to find food somewhere... -

The silence was calming. The sounds of the wind, the leaves falling from the trees, the animals roaming around were only background noise to him.

- This feeling is... quite familiar... -

He thought, a light smile forming on his face as he noticed he was slightly used to this. But he knew a lot was different this time as he brushed off such feelings and walked forward, heading to Tatarasuna.

=============

The smell of blood was quite strong in the air.

"...Miss Ayaka... do you really need to leave...?"

Sayu had asked her before she left, as the Kamisato daughter walked alone on the tainted green grass, carefully searching her surroundings. Currently, she was on the outskirts of Inazuma City, entering a territory that used to be that of Fatui dominance. Yet, right now, only their bodies remained on the ground.

Most had been left to rot, multiple scratches and wounds scattered around their bodies, and a few had similar injuries – their hands had been cut off from their bodies –, something which most likely had happened in battle.

Others, however, had also icicles stuck to their bodies, piercing through their skin, leaving a grotesque scene to be witnessed by Ayaka, who found strength within herself to maintain herself composed and calm in the dire situation she had placed herself into.

- These wounds are recent... He must be somewhere around here. -

The girl came to a conclusion, before marching onward, following the trails of the battle that had taken place here. Her instincts alerted her of the sounds of battle ahead, as she followed the signs of death that ultimately led to her objective.

"Y-you! F-for Signora, w-we will- AHH!"

She could hear an unfamiliar voice speak, before being silenced by something else. Moments later, the only thing she could hear were the slow footsteps of whoever had survived.

Taking a step further, she took sight of the area, noticing the owner of said voice, a Fatui Skirmisher, now lying lifeless on the ground. His attacker stood still, cleaning the blood from his blade, before taking notice of the girl's presence.

"...Why are you here, of all people?"

The male asked her, his cold gaze striking against her as he took off the black mask that covered his mouth. Despite this, he didn't seem threatened or threatening, which picked Ayaka's curiosity, instead, he only seemed rather... annoyed.

"I came here to find you, Mr. Kujou."

"And why is that? I don't see much of a reason for you to be following me around? Did the Resistance follow me, after all? Even though I doubt they would send you alone."

The male insisted further in knowing her reasoning, as he placed his sword back in its scabbard. His face seemed conflicted and hid a few traces of sleepiness, as he looked at Ayaka with something akin to a glare, yet wasn't exactly too menacing for the girl.