The Hearts War: Destiny Ninja

Chapter 35: Lean on me

A/N: we all had that moment where the universe seemed to betray us and the people we love turn on us like a snake. But not to worry, We will see Benkei again and find out what's making him the most surly man in the world.

LEAN ON ME
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Hours slipped by like minutes and in the small restaurant with Hyosuke, my body remained in my seat but my mind had wandered off somewhere again. All the noise around me had been muffled out into mumbling voices and static white noise like I had become deaf.

I then felt the sensation of being rocked, and a large hand was on my arm, squeezing gently and rocking me.

That large hand. . .

My imagination took me to several moments with Benkei where he would shake me back to reality whenever I spaced out too far off.

"Emily?"

I heard my name but in a low mumble, the tone almost low and deep like Benkeis

"The foods here, see?"

Hyosukes arm shook me again and when the low voice shifted into his younger tone, I had returned from my spell.

Get a grip, you look like a damn fool.

"Sorry. . .It looks delicious."

I forced a smile and shifted in my seat closer to Hyosuke.

The small restaurant was half filled with families and some tired soldiers.

I hold his gaze for a moment, and he smiles kindly while his eyes seemed to bore deeper into me begging for permission to let him in.

"It's no problem. . . I brought you here to help you feel better."

"Thanks. . . I just needed to get out of there."

"I understand. You've been at the mansion for a little over a week. I get cabin fever too sometimes."

"Cabin fever?"

"It's when you're stuck in one place for too long and you feel like you may go a little insane? Ha ha ha" Hyosuke laughed heartily with his eyes closed.

"There was this one time we were all on a ship for months, and I got so antsy I almost jumped ship! Enya and Sohma wrestled me down, and they had to tie me down in the infirmary. It was quite the experience!"

He was exaggerating gestures, describing things in grandiose details as I listened to him carefully, watching his face.

Hyosuke has always been so nice with me.

"- we were hiding in a tree watching an enemy out post and this fox came out of nowhere, chewing my butt! He must have smelled the biscuits in my pack and-"

He had never tried to take advantage of me. . . Or corner me somewhere dark.

"-I had to stay completely still and quiet because making any noise would compromise our position, so by the end of it, my pants had been damaged and-"

Benkei made me feel safe. . . But so did Hyosuke. . . He's always made me feel right at home.

"-so . . .Emily?"

"Yes?"

"You're doing it again." He sighed, slightly vexed he was not able to finish his story.

"Doing what?" I furrowed my brows at him

"You're just staring at me." The sides of his mouth tug into half a smirk and a smile.

"No. . . I was listening. . .and I was thinking about you."