𝙻𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚔 || Hyakkimaru

•|| unexpected ||•

"You are hogging up my personal space, Onee-san." Muttering a complaint under her breath, Dororo brought up a hand to gently push my face away, gesturing me to move.

"Fine, fine." Although that didn't particularly answer my question, I decided to abide to her request, straightening my body up and gaze down at her from my own point of view. I knew how uncomfortable it is for your personal bubble to be popped after all. "Will you answer my question now?"

"Well, I saw these posters hanging around – a lot of them." The short black-haired child replied, giving occasional glances behind us to keep Hyakkimaru administered. Well, among the three of us, he is the one who is indeed the most needed for supervision. "I was curious is all. I was hoping to ask someone who can read this if we happen to pass by one."

"Is that so?" I hummed in response, shifting my gaze forward as I settled my hands behind my back. I suppose I should let them read what that letter contains. With the topic of that certain message mentioned inside my mind, I recalled the article that I had forgotten for the past couple of days. Whipping my head to revert my attention back to Dororo, I mentioned. "Dororo, you kept that message in the bottle, right?"

The said girl moved her gaze up to meet my face, blinking owlishly as her face contorted slightly in thought. It was quite worrying to see her look puzzled. If she had lost it, I wouldn't know what to do – it is an important of me returning back to home, where I should be.

After a few seconds of pondering, Dororo snapped her fingers, a light bulb metaphorically appearing above her head. "Oh, that." Almost grinning ear-to-ear, she finished her statement. "I lost it."

"You... LOST IT?!" I exclaimed hysterically, both my hands reaching up to grab my messy hair in distress. As the fear of losing something highly relevant became painted in my face, I started having a mental breakdown. "Dororo, I need that letter!"

As Dororo's dark-russet irises stared at my paling face, a chuckle had escaped her lips, the action sending a trill of confusing inside me. It didn't take long for a series of chortles to escape her soft lips, her hand muffling the sound as she bent over.

I felt more perplexed by the minute, staring inquisitively at her laughing form as it seems the anguish I was feeling not too long ago had vanished into thin air. As I came to contemplate the current events, the extreme grief I was sensing had transformed into that of aggravation. This little brat sure knows how to rile me up in the most exasperating ways.

"You don't have to look like that, Onee-san. I was joking." She claimed, bringing a finger to wipe a tear from her eye, calming down from her laughing fit. Dororo then jabbed a finger towards the ebony-haired male standing just behind us, watching our small banter. "I had aniki keep it."

"I doubt that was a good idea..." I mumbled, rubbing small circles on my aching forehead. Among the three of us, I think it wasn't too farfetched to think Hyakkimaru is the most irresponsible. I cocked my head to eye the pale raven-head, breathing out a sigh before inquiring him. "Do you still have it, Hyakkimaru?"

He replied with soft hum, nodding as he reached out to retrieve the object from inside his tattered kimono, showing me the fine letter still kept inside a glass bottle. I heaved out a sigh in pure relief, mentioning to Hyakkimaru that he can keep watch on the object. Perhaps I may have misjudged him a bit – I underestimated him.

Now that everything had been cleared out, we decided that all is well. We moved on. Our trio continued where we had left off and started our possibly long walk once more.

While I was keeping up with Dororo's pace, I had realized that Hyakkimaru's contour was ambling just beside me. I raised an eyebrow in question as I glanced up to meet his side profile. Now, this is quite rare. During our travel, I never recalled the young man to go by side once. I would have questioned him, but perhaps I was just over thinking things.

"Do you..." Just as I decided to ignore the relatively odd scenario, Hyakkimaru's soft voice escaped his thin lips. I hummed in reply, urging him to continue. Before continuing, the raven head shifted his gaze downwards, pursing his lips. "Do you perhaps not trust me?"

Oh. That is quite a surprise.

Is this perhaps what they call character development? It is rather hard to believe that someone who had started out as stoic as him would voice out his feelings. Well, I did notice these types of changes from the past recent episodes. It never occurred to me that I would experience it firsthand.

His unexpected question had indeed caught me off guard. I had paused to ponder what my reply shall be. I wouldn't like to lie about something which would regard a person's impression. But, I was aware of the possible negative effects of answering honestly. Should I sugar-coat my words? That would quite rare for me.

With my index finger, I scratched my cheek sheepishly, deciding not to delay my answer for too long as it would be quite rude. I breathed out a long exhale, answering his curious question. "I wouldn't say I don't, and I wouldn't say I do either." I stated, watching how Hyakkimaru nodded his head, a motion he had heard my reply.

He twisted his neck just enough to catch a glance of what I assumed the beacon of my soul. As lifeless as those prosthetic eyes were, I would like to admit that they are rather beautiful. I know staring could be considered quite rude, but I can't help but gape at his pale face longer, eyes trailing down to his soft looking lips as they part.

"I think the same." He mumbled out, snapping me out of my trance that I didn't know had been cast just as I was admiring his structured face. Not long after, he moved his gaze away from me – a shame I couldn't observe his face longer. Realizing my thoughts, I felt rather mortified, embarrassment rushing up to my cheeks as it came as a light hue of red. How shameful. I may have caused him great discomfort.

Oddly enough, the subtle blush that had settled in my face had quickly dispersed along with the ignominy I had felt as a sudden realization came into my mind. My short exchange of words of Hyakkimaru was indeed quick. However, that small conversation had helped me assimilate quite an important detail I had been missing.

"Hey, Hyakkimaru," I called out, eyes focused as he slowly spared me a glance. With a genuinely appreciative smile, I continued. "Thanks."

Ignoring the fact that he may have had an arduous time assessing my sudden expression of gratitude, I turned my head away from him, removing the attention I had given him.

I see.

You cannot put your trust into someone who wouldn't put their faith into you.

With that in mind, I suppose I can start going to the right track, and finally go home.

A/N: I'm finally back >"< 

I'm really sorry for the long wait. I didn't expect the short break to actually last this long. In any case, I'm really thankful for your patience uwu