guard dog | genshin impact

eleven

CONTENT WARNING: MC has a lot, I mean A LOT of issues regarding intimacy, and it'll be tackled in this chapter. If this sort of thing is somewhat triggering for you, do proceed carefully, or just don't proceed at all TT 

...

The first thing your mind registered was the sound of an engine whirring.

You wrenched your eyes open, squinting at the harsh sunlight as you wrangled in your disoriented mind. But when you realized your head was resting against a warm, firm surface that suspiciously felt like someone's shoulder, you jolted away—bumping your head on the low ceiling in the process.

"Ow..."

"Good morning to you, too."

A frown etched itself on your face when you found Thoma seated behind the wheel—green eyes glued straight ahead. When you followed his line of sight, an endless ocean was spread out before the two of you, stretching farther than the eye could see. It's only then that you realized you were on a waverider.

"How long was I out?" you sighed, scooting away from him as far as you could. Gods. You fell asleep on his shoulder?

"About thirty minutes," Thoma responded before tinkering with the switches and buttons that controlled the boat. Even when he took his hands off the ship's wheel, the waverider remained in motion. "Which is way too little, if you ask me.You can nap some more if you're tired. Yashiori's still two hours away."

You shook your head. "I'm...good. I'm surprised you know your way around the sea."

"I actually don't, but I'll take the compliment."

"What?" You scowled. "How'd you know we're two hours away then?"

He flashed you a questionable smile. "Gut feeling."

You weren't very keen with the idea of boarding a faux-sailor's ship, but it wasn't like you had many cards on your deck right now. Besides, the journey at sea would prove to be the much faster route. It took you three days to get to the capital on foot all those years ago, and from how dire the situation was, you didn't exactly have that much time to squander either.

"Here."

Shooting Thoma a bewildered look, your eyes flickered from his face to the neatly wrapped onigiri in his hand—one he was openly offering to you.

"When did you even sneak the time to make that?" you asked. "Everyone was either sick or injured when Sayu and I got back to the estate."

"These are yesterday's leftovers," Thoma explained, depositing the rice ball on your lap before procuring another from a rucksack at his side. "It's a good thing we stocked up the pantry recently. We have enough rations to keep everyone well-fed for a few days."

"A few days?" you echoed.

The chief retainer let out a brisk sigh as he munched on his onigiri. "Lord Ayato likes to plan for the worst in any given scenario. He expected that finding a cure won't be as easy as we hoped. That's why he's locking everyone in even if it'll take us a week to come back."

Well... That was true. You'd commented on Ayato's undisputed foresight yourself. Though you've only met the person beyond his mask of distrust last night, everything he'd done so far ultimately changed the way you saw him entirely. Ayato was the one who sought you out in Chinju Forest, the one who convinced Sayu to track down Itsuki, and the one who ruthlessly negotiated your fate with Kujou Sara herself. He managed all those things on top of the threat of a biological hazard that's infesting the estate right this second.