𝚂𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 || Sᴄᴀʀᴀᴍᴏᴜᴄʜᴇ x Rᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

~ Chapter 04 ~

"Taking care of those vermins eroded my wish to spar today." Following his orders, the duo sat in comfortable silence while staring at butterflies fluttering pass by. Many thoughts raced throught Kunikuzushi's mind, and they all held a single thing in common.

A certain doctor ironically in the bed at the moment.

His thoughts drifted to her yet again, the changes in her appearance— anything. She certainly looked older, the baby chubbiness from her younger years vanished, leaving behind a young woman. He had only so many questions. Where on Teyvat had the doctor been this entire time? What about that teacher she was always with back then?

Sangonomiya Kokomi was a skilled doctor and a respected former battle general. He assigned her to the other doctor in hopes that she'd also be able to protect her just in case. There were at least 50 different guards posted around the room she were resting in, and they were specially ordered to not make a single noise unless provoked by enemy. Kunikuzushi was betrayed three times and lost her once. There wasn't going to be a third loss, nor a fourth betrayal.

"Your majesty? You seem concerned, is there any way I can be of assistance?" Kazuha spoke softly as not to alarm the shogun upon seeing the stormy expression on the latter's face. His brows were softly scrunched together into a frown, lips being mercilessly chewed on.

Sighing, Kunikuzushi stood up from his seat in which his companion followed suit. "Don't follow me. I'm going somewhere." He declared to the advisor who blinked and soon bowed in agreement. Was he reccommended by Sangonomiya to give her space? Yes. Was he going to visit and vent to the air around her again?

Absolutely, most voraciously yes.

"Understood. I will be leaving." Bowing a perfect 90 degrees, Kazuha turned his heels and disappeared into the opposite direction of Kunikuzushi, back into the Tenshukaku.

He too turned to his own direction and let his feet subconsciously guide him. He hated how shiny the floors looked today. He found the guards bowing to him especially annoying this specific day. Why did that painting that's always been looking so ugly?

The moment he thought of visiting his old friend, all the clouds of fury suddenly faded.

By the time the shogun reached her doors, his heart was thumping in his chest. Clinging onto the strand of hope she may be awake, he pushed the doors open to find it empty of a certain pink haired general. She was a busy woman after all, but Kunikuzushi wasn't complaining. Inviting himself in once again, he sat on the edge of her bed. The perfectly fine chair right next to him completely ignored and rejected for use. To his dissapointment, the traveling doctor just as motionless and still as last time.

He studied her face intensely. No matter how hard he looked, it was undoubtfully that girl from twelve whole years ago. H/c hair that was slightly longer and messily cut, to the exact birthmark on her neck. He even faintly remembered seeing the same star shaped pupils from the days before.

His heart nearly flew out of his ribcage as she began stirring.

~

That was... An almost suspiciously wonderful nap. Maybe this whole situation wasn't as bad as she imagined it would be. Y/n got the whole day to just lay around in the luxurious (medical wing) bed and sleep all day along, what more could be better than this? The dream finally fading into her memories, she cracked her eyes open. Without a hint of warning, something cold and soft embraced her body the moment her senses began to wake up from slumber along with her. Freezing, it took much too long to finally realize that someone was hugging her. Was it Kokomi? But where did her hair go..?

It was when warm tears soaked into her clothes when she figured it out at last. Kabukimono- the Raiden Kunikuzushi of feared Inazuma empire, was crying. Into her.
Instead of backing away or staying frozen, the doctor instinctively wrapped her arms around him gently and pat his back. This caused him to cling onto her even tighter. The faint bittersweet whiff of tea and writing ink came from his clothing, accompanied by a subtle hint of metallic scent that hit her tongue. She tried her best to ignore the last part.