About Crystals and Stars (On hold)

9-2

However, the happiness fluttering in her stomach did not reach Rokuro for when she raised her gaze he stared at her wide eyed and tensed up.

"Mayura, do you know what you're saying? This sounds too good to be true. He is a soldier from Tsuchimikado after all."

"I did not ask for you to understand but to keep my identity hidden," she shot back, sharper than she'd intended..

He sighed, looking awfully morose. "I hope you're doing the right thing."

"Me, too," she sighed relieved about her friend trusting her decisions after all. There was only one more request she wished for him to fulfill. "That's why I also ask you not to bring me back to my father. This is something I need to do."

His face broke into a big grin. "Nah, I won't. I am coming with you of course."

Mayura blinked at him. "You are?"

He leaned back, folding his arms. His grin never left his face. "Sure, I already planned to do it. The old geezer wouldn't believe me finding you anyway."

She huffed a little laugh. Her father and Rokuro always acted like they hated each other but everyone around them knew they both held a lot of respect for the other. Yet, Mayura had to admit her father had treated Rokuro very different compared to her, even shortly after he had brought him to their home. She'd always wondered if it was because Rokuro was a male or adopted that her Otosama behaved so differently.

It did not matter now, though. Perhaps it was a good thing, Rokuro held a rebellious nerve against her father this time.

"Thank you, Rokuro."

He snickered once before his grin left his face again. "So the soldier... Do you think you can trust him?"

"I don't. I just do." She smiled thinking about Shimon. "I trust him."

The sound of a twig breaking, startled her. She snapped her head towards the direction. Shimon stood there covered in the shadows of the undergrowth, the red colors of his armor having lost their biting glow upon the shades. His eyes, though, seemed to shine as they connected with hers.

Wonder met surprise.

Her mouth slightly opened. Agape her gaze stayed glued to his.

Rokuro said something but her heart had deafened the world around them as her eyes were fixed on Shimon's. There was a deep warmth in the ice blue.

Slowly it dawned to her what she'd said.

Once again her face heated up. Flustered she tore her gaze off of him and caught a breath.

Bad timing for him to walk into this sort of confession. Not that it was that sort of confession.

Dear Crystal, help her! She wanted to bury her face into her hands or in the ground. Somewhere where she wouldn't feel his eyes on her.

She gulped down her nervousness which settled uncomfortably in her stomach when he started talking, "My apologies, I did not mean to walk into... you're conversation... I did not know how long I was supposed to wait and so..."

"It's fine," she replied with haste while turning farther away and tilting her head so he would not see her blush.

"Oi Mayura, did you not want to make a fire?" Rokuro asked. His stomach rumbled again.

"Yes," she said quickly and grateful for the distraction. She turned to the fireplace, only to see that of course she had not thought about bringing firewood. It was Shimon's chore.