Once Upon An Assassination Attempt || Kamisato Ayato

Chapter 12 | Recuperating

UNEDITED

"Oh."

"What do you mean, 'oh'? I was essentially part of the group that attacked your sister." I glared at him in frustration, yet he only had a soft smile on his face.

"But you protected her."

"And I could have betrayed you in that domain-"

"But you didn't."

"And I don't...shut up."

"I didn't say anything," he laughed. "So do go on. What happened in that domain?"

"You got poisoned, Commissioner. Then I had to fight the fatui agent in there who was really weird. He pretty much locked us in there with no way out and had explosives that set off soon after he was gone. And now we're here and we can't really move because I want him to think I'm dead for a while. Don't worry, his report didn't include you."

"Why do we have to stay here?"

"We can't contact Shuumatsuban in case he finds out, and I can't discreetly make contact with them because I really can't move much. At least for a day."

He frowned. "Why can't you move?"

"Ah..it took a lot of power to get us out of that explosion unscathed."

"Kurimiya-san.."

"Ah. Don't worry about the food. I still have that lunchbox Thoma gave me. And there's some stuff around here for a soup."

"Where did you get this tent?"

"I mugged- I borrowed from treasure hoarders."

"And what exactly do you mean that you're unable to move?"

"Uh.. I'm kinda holding my internal organs together"

"You're..what?" He nearly jumped up, and I raised a hand to stop him.

"Stay calm, commissioner. You need to rest until all the poison is neutralised."

"Don't tell me to calm down. Why were you hurt that badly? And since that's your condition, we need a healer immediately."

"No, I need that brat to think that I'm dead."

"What if you actually end up dead?"

I shrugged. "Then that's it." I started rummaging through the claypot I had taken from the treasure hoarders camp. "Oh we have mushrooms."

There was some mint, mushrooms, meat and potatoes. It was enough for soup. I had some salt which Thoma had given me after I jokingly said I was going to hunt demons. He also gave me a protective charm, but it wasn't like we could eat that.

"We can make a good soup with this. Is that okay with you, commissioner?"

Ayato didn't respond.

"Commissioner?"

"Yes?"

"Is something wrong? Are you in pain?"

"No.. I'm fine." His eyes were downcast, and since he was the type of person who wouldn't admit he was in pain, all I could do was keep water near him and start to cook.

"Is soup okay with you?"

"You're.. cooking? Kurimiya-san?" An eyebrow was raised up, as if he could hardly believe me being capable of such a feat.

"I know how to make soup, at least."

"Is that what you had when you were..alone? Before.."

"Hm..yeah, most of the time. Sometimes just raw vegetables and fruit with herbs."

He started to get up, and walked towards where I was cooking.

"What are you doing, commissioner? Lay back down."

"You said you could hardly move."

"I put some herbs on and I've stiched it so my intestines shouldn't be coming out, I can move this much."

"You're in more pain than me. You should rest too."

"But you can't cook." I told him the bitter truth, and he grimaced.

"I.. could."

"Commissioner, I'd rather be in pain than eat your food."

Ayato started to sulk, awkwardly laughing. "It can't be that bad."

I simply replied with a stare.

"I can do it."

Before I could interject, he had taken his sword and sliced the mushrooms into dust.

"See?"

"You're not supposed to cut it that small. Give me my mushrooms back." I glared at him, hands on my hips.

"Technically it was the treasure hoarders.."

"Hm?"

"Sorry."

"Just lay there and watch. I'm gonna make you the lowest low budget meal you've ever had in your life, Commissioner."

"That's.. impressive?"

"Of course it is. And this is how you cut mushrooms," I said, showing him a neat slice which I had cut from my sword.

Several minutes later, I poured each of us a bowl of soup, and handed him a spoon.

"Where did you even get a spoon?"

"I made it."

"You really can live in the wild, Kurimiya-san." He laughed, taking the spoon. "Like a wild flower."

"I can thrive anywhere. That's how I've managed to live so far."

"What about before you joined the fatui?"

"I..oh. we're out of water. I'll get some."

"But there's literally a lake-"

I was gone before he could finish. They say that time healed all wounds. But that wasn't true. Some things just stay broken.
And I can't ever go back.

"Kurimiya-san, how did you come to join the fatui?" He asked when I entered the cave again.

I poked sticks into the lavender melons I had picked, and started a fire. While roasting them, I sat down next to him. It was night now, and the little fireflies had come out, brightening up the place. It made Ayato's hair striking, and I looked away before answering his question.

"There was a really strong guy. I admired how he stood up to strong enemies, and his strong principles. He happened to be in fatui, and I joined for quite some time to learn from him. I think about ten years now."

"Ten years? How old were you when you joined then?" His expression was one of surprise and intrigue.

"When I was eleven."

"Eleven? They allowed you to join that young?"

"Not really. I had to prove myself first. I didn't have my vision back then too."

"If you don't mind me asking, Kurimiya-san, what exactly did they make you do?"

"It was my own choice. Nobody forced me. Of course, they thought it was ridiculous for a eleven year old to join the fatui. So they dished out an impossible mission to make me give up."

"What did you do?"

"I flipped them off and said I accepted it."

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Thanks for reading, thank you.

I feel like I'm dying from this cold, but my cousin did say I'm being dramatic. Say that when I'm six feet under 👹