The Murders that Bind Us [S. Sakamaki]

Silver

"The woods are unsafe for you." It had become a custom for Shu to scour the forest every night, searching for that curly-haired woman who looked exactly like his colleague. Of course, she was there, sitting on her log, her face buried in her hands. Her dark hair drifted in the breeze and goosebumps were visible on her bare arms. Shu tilted his head to the side slightly as he sauntered over, hands in his pockets.

"I never forgave him." Her words came out in broken sobs and her shoulders shook, causing Shu to wish he'd never stumbled across her. "Now he's gone and-and I'll never…" she took a sharp breath, "I can't…"

Shu said nothing as he stood behind her, as still as he could whilst listening to her blubbers. "My Father raised me… and I never had the-the decency to tell him that I-I loved him." She hiccuped as she moved her arms, wrapping them around her torso. Her face was tear-stained, her lips wobbling as she gently rocked herself back and forth. "He was the only one who loved me." It was barely a whisper; Shu had heard it anyway.

"I hate when humans… feel," he finally said, shrugging off his heavy coat and wrapping it around her shoulders. "You are freezing, Miss Clarke."

"Then let me freeze to death, it's the least I deserve."

"Who decides that?" Asked Shu, "You? The Gods? Me?" He sat himself on the floor in front of the log, leaning his back against the wood with a grunt.

He looked so… peaceful in his plain, white shirt. His curls were a blonde mess, his eyes closed, long eyelashes tickling his sharp cheekbones as he lounged. Jessamine was hesitant as she leaned forward, lacing her fingers through his soft hair. Shu only opened his eyes, peering up at her rosy-cheeked face. His eyes widened.

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"It's taking over me!" Amabelle sniffled from the grass she was sat in. Shu said nothing as he opened his eyes, looking up at her pink face. He'd been laying with his head in her lap, listening to the tall grass dance in the gentle breeze. Her fingers ran through his golden hair, causing a faint blush to creep upon his cheeks. "It's so soft,"' she whispered, "it calms me."

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It was a lovely feeling, he admitted to himself. Her fingers, though shaky and cold, were soothing as they combed through his longer curls. His eyes fluttered shut once more and he could feel his muscles relax as he listened to her short sniffles. "Thank you…" she whispered after a while, "for listening to me."

"You are far more emotional than your brother," said Shu, "and he saw your father's body."

"Men in this day and age must repress their feelings," she replied bitterly, "he must feel even worse than I do."

"Even I was teary when my mother died," Shu said gently, "but his eyes were the coldest I'd ever seen. Did your father and Clarke get along?"

"Of course they did," said Jessamine, "of course, this new situation isn't ideal… but he'd never kill."

"I wonder what it would take for him to kill…" Shu smirked, "Perhaps I shall hold you hostage."

"He wouldn't show," she said.

"How are you so sure?"

"Have you ever seen us in the same place, Mr Sakamaki?"

Shu said nothing as he frowned and she removed her hands from his, now, messy-hair. "Where are you going?" His voice was gruff.

"Home." She replied, "I might rest in my father's bed tonight… are you off to your inn?"

"Most likely." He didn't want to. She was there.