Entwined | 𝘠𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤

{not so} Long Ago

This chapter will be in Yami's voice, as he tells Charlotte what has been weighing on his heart...

As you know, I grew up on a different continent. The people there use spiritual energy instead of mana, that's why I know how to read ki. Over time, there have been few visitors from foreign lands, but when people do happen to cross our borders, they taint the bloodlines. Due to a Wizard who ventured across the sea and washed up on our shores, there have been a rare few born with more mana than spiritual energy.

Here, inheriting strong mana is valued for its power, but over there, it is seen as dishonorable. It means your bloodline was tainted, and in some cases you are even treated as a foreigner. It is better to be born with no talent and to be labeled as a commoner than to have mana. Often a family will disown their child as soon as their mana manifests. That was the case with me.

I don't know my real parents, I didn't have any pseudo-parents, either. I was cast off to a remote fishing village before I even knew how to walk. The owners of a certain bar were allowing prostitution on their property, and were threatened to be shut down unless they took me in. I got table scraps as meals. Drunk men taught me what to value in life. The women they slept with often took pity on me and cared for me when I was sick.

I had no time to be a boy- I went straight from being a baby to a man. Even though the faces were familiar to me, I wasn't dumb, and I knew no one there loved me. If I up and disappeared one day, no one would even notice. So, that's what o decided to do.

One day a merchant ship docked at the shore and I snuck in. I had worked several jobs on fishing boats so I knew my way around the ship and blended in as a crew member. For the first few days we were out at sea, I felt like I had finally found my calling in life. I was like a caged seagull that finally broke free.

However, midway through our voyage, a massive storm descended. I had never experienced such large, raging waves, and out in the open sea no less! Our ship wasn't big enough to endure the event, and soon it was crushed into pieces of drifting wood. I ended up on one of those pieces, clinging on to my desperate attempt at a life. Fighting the storm wore me out, and once calm had returned, I was unable to do anything but float to wherever the sea directed me.

I'm not sure how many days passed, but I washed up here, at a small fishing village. The locals nursed me back to health. I was shocked to see them using mana so freely and expertly, in my opinion. They taught me how to use my mana in exchange for my fishing techniques. It was then that they realized I had stronger mana than everyone else in the village. Jealousy and resentment spread like an infectious disease, and eventually I realized it was best for me to continue my journey alone.

Not even the wild beasts of the forests would take me in. So shortly after taking my glorious freedom, I felt more alone than I did in my entire life. I lost hope I'm ever finding a home. Moreover, I lost hope in ever finding someone to love who would truly love me back. Since then... my heart has been sealed away from the world.

That is... until now, Char. I never imagined you'd feel anything towards me, but I couldn't shake my attraction to you. Unlike all the other snob-nosed royals or the envious commoners, you were genuine. You never once sneered at me because I was different or rough around the edges. My favorite hobby became testing out what truly disgusted you, things like excessive drinking or foul language, but even then you never treated me like I was underneath you.

Even now, I'm trying to figure out what you see in me. All I can offer you is this inexperienced heart of mine, rusty from years of un-use. I will protect you, honor you, give you anything you ask for. I'd rather tell you all this, than to simply say 'I love you'. Yet in the end.... after reliving this part of my past in the hallucination, those are the only words that come to my mind. I love you, Charlotte Roselei. I...

Yami stumbled over his own emotions like a child trying to walk into the eager arms of a loved one. His words chocked him, threatening to make his eyes leak. He looked at Charlotte's tranquil eyes, which had opened as he paused. She brought a warm hand to his scruffy cheek, cradling it tenderly.

"You don't need to say anything else, Yami. I understand," and she smiled. She smiled warm sunshine even in the darkest cave.

"Anyways, we," Yami cleared his throat," we should start heading back." Remembering a conversation she had with Sol before going on the date, Charlotte jumped up and agreed.

The last two things on their list were a bottle of the spring water, which they got from the waterfall, and some of the glistening, rainbow stones that speckled the walls and ceiling, known as mermaid scales. After everything was in order again, they followed the markers they had left and backtracked to the entrance of the cave. They said their goodbyes and headed off to their respective squad's headquarters, where eager underlings awaited an update on their favorite new couple...

A/n: I'm going to be a little more busy the next couple of months, so updates may be a little more irregular but I'll do my best for you guys!