prologue
Let me photograph you in this light
In case it is the last time
That we might be exactly like we were
Before we realized
We were scared of getting old
3rd person pov:
The night of Y/N's 15th birthday was when she first met Kaedehara Kazuha. Kazuha was a year her senior, he had just turned 16 only months ago.
Being someone of noble status, she was guaranteed a ball of sorts so her parents could parade her around in fancy garb and to make business deals with other families of nobility. The (H/C) haired girls Great Grandmother, who was surprisingly in good health, had insisted that she was of proper age to find someone to settle down with and get married.
Y/N's Father had reminded his grandmother that they weren't living in Shakespearean times anymore.
Y/N had sighed at the dispute of her family arguing over how her fate would turn out. Wishing she was just a normal girl who could live in the countryside, farm Sakura blooms in her leisure and watch the tides roll in each morning.
One thing she did look forward to for her birthday celebration was seeing her dearest friend, Kamisato Ayaka as well as her elder brother Ayato.
Y/N also wouldn't have been suprised if her mother managed to get Lady Yae or even the Raiden Shogun herself to turn up at the ball. Which wasn't likely, but wouldn't be surprising giving how persuasive her mother could get. How M/N loved spoiling her daughter.
Y/N had spent most of her morning that fateful day reading in the estates court yard.
"Y/N, Dear!" Her mother had called from inside. The girl had closed her book and called out:
"Coming, mother!" Before returning inside.
M/N as well as the estates hand maidens had ushered the young girl into her room.
A beautiful dress was hung up on display. It was a beautiful shade of (F/C).
"Oh, it's gorgeous, thank you, truly." Y/N said, feeling the soft silk fabrics in her hands.
"Well I'll let you change," M/N smiled.
"Ladies, see to it that the dress fits and her hair gets done." M/N addressed the maids, who nodded in response. Y/N's mother left the room.
"Well, um.. could I change in private, I'll let's you know when I need to be laced up.." the young girl said quietly, the maids nodded and left the bedroom for a moment.
...later
Setting the scene, Y/N'a ball was bustling. So crowded, she had stepped outside for fresh air.
"almighty shogun.. what a turn out," she had a mumbled, reaching up to take out the hair pin that was keeping her hair in a (H/S). her (H/L) locks falling and the tension in her head became reduced.
Leaning over the balcony, she sighed.
"You sound distressed," a voice came from below.
"Who's there?" The girl asked.
"A party guest, who else?" The voice teased.
Y/N looked below her, a white haired male with a streak of red, eyes of ruby peering back up at her, he looked no older than herself. He was sitting in the grass with a pad of paper and a quill with ink beside him.
"Ah, you must be the birthday girl.." The boy noted.
"Guess so," she sighed.
"Well, are you distressed, my lady?" he asked again.
"I believe I am," Y/N nodded.
"If you come down here I can try to be of help." He smiled. her heart hammered in her chest, 'I've never seen a smile so inviting I might combust into flames and die!' She thought as she felt the heat crawling up her neck and to her cheeks.
"I'm in a dress," the girl noted, furrowing her brows.
"Well there must be a staircase, is there not?" He asked.
"well, yes, but I might get caught if someone sees me in the window." She sighed.
"Do you want me to come to you then?" He asked.
"No! Just stay there, I'll be careful." She said before hiking up the bottom of her skirt and making a quick dash for the stairs, the train of her gown billowing in the wind.
When she finally reached the boy, she let out an exasperated breath.
"your mind seems to be racing like the winds on the sea," The ivory haired male pointed out.
"what's your name," Y/N interrupted.
"Kaedehara Kazuha, but just Kazuha is fine, Lady Y/N." He smiled.
"Well if we're dropping formalities, just Y/N is fine, Lord Kazuha," she sat on the grass beside him.
"Alright, Y/N, what seems to be troubling you?" He asked the (H/C) haired girl.
"I've never been a fan of these... extravagances.. I'd honestly rather be in my room reading instead of being paraded around like I'm some...show dog," the girl explained, lying down on the soft grass.
"Hmm, how about.. you and I visit the Yae publishing house, rent a book or two and read together at the Komore Teahouse?" Kazuha had suggested.
"That's sound like a wonderful idea! Except.. I'd rather not wear something this.. extravagant in the city," she gestured to her gown.
"that's a quite the predicament then, hmm.."
"A predicament indeed.." Y/N sighed, sitting upright in the grass.
"What if.. you walk me around as if.. as if your courting me, we'll make our way to my room with no interruptions! And then you can sneak out back and meet me outside my window when I'm done changing." The girl clapped her hands together.
"That's a smart idea, but aren't you afraid of the rumors that might spread, dear? 'Oh how the noble Lady Y/N is head over heels for that Kaedehara clan boy!'" He teased in a posh accent.
"Stop!" She hid her face in her hands.
"I'm only joking, you need not act so shy," he pulled her hands away from her face.
"Alight we'll go through with your plan," he got off the ground and held out his hand. Y/N took his hand and he pulled her to her feet.
Kazuha then held out his arm for the girl to loop her own with.
"We can pass through the east wing corridor and through the dining hall instead of going straight through the ballroom, it'll be a longer trip but there'll be less people." Y/N suggested.
"Well, we don't want you getting noticed at your own party, no do we?" He smirked, Y/N rolled her eyes. The two of them strolled through the garden and toward the stairs, up toward the ballroom's east balcony.
The two passed through the east wing corridor arms linked, not glancing at any by passers as they made there way to the dining hall.
"try not to engage in much conversation, Kaedehara." Y/N advised.
"Have you done this before- sneak off during parties?" he asked quietly, smiling and shaking his head 'no' at a butler who had offered him sake after he had brought up the question.
"yes, but I've only gotten as far as my own room." Y/N said quietly, swiping a stray fan off a table and unfolding it to conceal the lower half of her face.
"Too scared?" he asked.
"scared of what lies in Inazuma at night, no. Scared of getting caught, yes." She said with a laugh.
"Alright, we just turn around this bend and we'll be there." Y/N pointed to the right as they finally made it out from the dining area.
"There's a door that leads outside on the left of this next corridor, you can go and I'll continue to my room. My window will be the last one." Y/N explained, stopping them in their tracks.
"Alright, be careful." Kazuha smiled, Y/N nodded and headed to her room.
She quietly walked away from him and toward her room at the very end of the hall. She pushed the door open and peeked her head inside before seeing that the room was empty. Going in and locking the door behind her, pushing her vanity chair against the handle for safe measures.
Y/N stripped from her gown and wore a mid length blue skirt with a thin white shirt, over her ensemble she wore a black Haori with waves the same shade of blue as her skirt. Quickly fixing her hair in the mirror she smiled at her appearance and rushed over to the window, pushing it open.
"Kazuha are you down there?" She called out, leaning over the edge slightly.
"Of course I am, now be careful you might fall." Kazuha called up.
"How should I get down?" Y/N asked.
"If you jump I'll catch you," Kazuha said calmly.
"Um alright.." Y/N shrugged, what was the worst that could happen. Y/N sat on the edge of the window and pushed her self off, free falling no more than 5 feet before she landed in comforting arms.
"that was..." Y/N breathed out.
"Horrifying?" Kazuha asked with a teasing lilt in his voice.
"Exhilarating.." she continued, her (E/C) eyes meeting ruby red ones. Kazuha only breathed out a laugh and set her down gently.
"Are you ready to go, m'lady?" Kazuha asked.
"Yes! I feel like I'm on a rush, let's go, Kazuha." The girl smiled, taking his hand and running.
'This girl is full of suprises,' Kazuha thought, smiling softly.
'I don't want this night end,' Y/N thought, looking behind her as the Kaedahara boy followed her without dropping her hand.
...later Into the night
The pair laid in the grass gazing at the stars, brand new books sprawled out beside them, they ended up not going to Komore tea house because Y/N said she's rather be outside.
"That one there is Cassiopeia, and if you go down and over a bit, you'll see Ursa Minor or better known as 'The Little Dipper'" Y/N traced the stars with her fingers. Kazuha admired how the starry sky reflected in her (E/C) eyes and how she spoke of the stars with such adoration.
"Do you know what time it is Kazuha?" Y/N turned her head to face his.
"mm, I'd say no later than midnight, why?" The boy asked.
"I feel like this is all a dream and when I wake up, I'll never have met the infamous Kaedahara clan boy," Y/N smiled sadly.
"I admire how you think of life as a fairytale," Kazuha smiled.
"It feels like one," Y/N laughed, turning her head to face the sky again.
"It does, doesn't it." He sighed.
"Kazuha, will you tell me about yourself?"
"What would you like to know?"
"Who are you friends, what do you do in your free time, things like that." Y/N explained, Kazuha hummed in response.
"Well my best friends are Tomo and Gorou, Tomo is like an older brother to me, he's always there for me. I'd like to think if we had to we'd risk our lives for eachother. He has a kitten named Yuki who he treats like his own child. Gorou is a very close companion, he's strong willed, brave, and head over heels for Lady Sangonomiya, or well Kokomi that is seeing she's my friend as well. There's Yoimiya as well, of course, she's very fun to be around, amazing with children." Kazuha smiled.
"what I like to do in my free time... hmm.. well when I'm not training with sensei to be a samurai, I enjoy writing and reading poetry, haikus are my specialty, I tend to wander a lot, I enjoy playing music as well, my mother used to say that being good at multiple arts was key in life. She was a painter and a harp player." Kazuha sighed, peacefully.
"What about you?" Kazuha asked.
"Well, my friends are Kamisato Ayaka and her brother Ayato, though he's not always around, I too am friends with Kokomi as well as Yoimiya, so I'm surprised I haven't met you before today. I'm also aquatinted with one of Yoimiya's closest friends, Arataki Itto. In my free time I like to read, I also like writing but rather than poems I like to write little stories.. I like painting as well, which is why I'd rather live on the countryside, there's so much scenery to paint. And I like going with Ayaka and Yoimiya to the Naganohara family firework shows."
"But, you're my friend now too, Kazuha, and I like reading and watching the stars with you so far." Y/N looked over at him.
"you're like a breath of fresh air, Y/N. I have greatly enjoyed the time we've spent together these last hours," Kazuha gazed at the girl. The two turned their attentions back to the stars, sitting in silence as the cool breeze of night in Inazuma brushed the over them.
"Kazuha?"
"hm?"
"What are you most afraid of?" The girl asked, her eyes never leaving the sky.
"I think I'm most afraid of loosing the ones I love most, loosing my home. And you?" he sighed shakily.
"I think I'm afraid of growing old, and I'm afraid of not being enough.. but loosing my loved ones is a horrifying thought as well.." she sighed.
"I believe it's getting extremely late, I ought to get you home before someone comes looking for us," Kazuha remarked, sitting upright. the girl hummed in response, slowly rising from her lying position.
"We'll spend time together again soon though, right Kazu?" She asked tiredness evident in her voice.
"Of course, I'd hate to abandon a friend." Kazuha nodded, standing up and holding out his hand for her. The girl took his hand gratefully and he pulled her to her feet.
The pair walked hand in hand back to the L/N estate.
Walking through the lantern lit garden they made it toward Y/N's bedroom window.
"Well, this is it.." Y/N sighed.
"Don't act like I won't come see you again," Kazuha grinned slyly, bringing their intertwined hands toward his face and pressing a light kiss to her knuckles.
"will you give me a boost up?"
"Of course," he kneeled down, letting the girl use his knee as a step stool of sorts.
"Oh and, don't peek up my skirt like a perv, Kaedahara!" She warned. Kazuha chuckled.
"You wound me, L/N."
Y/N used all her upper body strength to pull her self up into her room.
Spinning on her heel, she leant over the edge of het window, seeing that Kazuha hadn't left yet.
"I'll see you again soon, right?" Y/N asked.
"Of course," he nodded with a smile.
"Be safe going home Kazuha," Y/N warned.
"I'm sure my father and sensei are worried sick right now but, I don't mind seeing as I got to spend time with the birthday girl." Kazuha grinned.
"Thank you for making my birthday so special, Kazuha." She smiled from above.
"Well I ought not waste the moonlight, the sun will rise soon and if I'm not home before then- my guardians will have a coronary.." Kazuha laughed before signaling that he was heading off, Y/N nodded with a smile and shut her window and closing the curtains.
Y/N sighed blissfully, turning to her door and unlocking it as well as putting her vanity chair back in place, she stripped from her outfit in change for silk pajamas. She blew out the candles that lit her room before flopping onto her bed and letting sleep consume her.
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⃗ 🎐*ೃ༄
↳˳❥;; ❝FOLKLORE❞ ೫˚∗:
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HIII WELCOME TO "FOLKLORE" (yes I named this fic after a Taylor swift album🤨🤨) um I'm obsessed with Kazuha so yeah I wrote this and this is the prologue.
I tried making its ✨Fancy✨ but it might just be rlly cringey Idfk it's 12 am on a school night 😇😇
Ok anyways, I hope u guys enjoyeddd
XoXo,
Fairydarling