Yo. It's been a while but I'm very excited bc managed to plan out the next chapters already. Yeah
Also we're getting a little touchy-feely with this one but it's not bad I hope. And we're seeing some real progress on Zara and Keigo's relationship so that's good I guess.
Anyway, have fun;
剣
CHAPTER 15
----
You remind me of someone
________________________
It felt nostalgic.
I kept my leaps short and simple, but just rushing through the woods, leaves brushing against my face, was enough adrenaline.
The trees were smaller here, some branches barely thick enough to hold me; but it was enough. Mizu-no-kuni wasn't known for its forests anyway.
The red of Keigo's wings flashed in the corner of my eye. I grinned wickedly, and turned, speeding after him.
This was part of my nature.
I had been raised a hunter; ruthless warrior. And I enjoyed a good prey.
The poultry was fast. He bolted through the air, like an arrow, but the bright color made him easy to track. Also, he was used to working in an urban environment, so the silence of the forest, was not working to his advantage.
Because even through the wind, that blew the strands of my hair aside, my ears were sharp. I could hear his pants, and his soft feathers' flap.
Now. I knew that he knew that I could find him anywhere. And I knew that he was counting on his own speed and agility to out-run me.
Time to show him real speed. And stamina.
The first round of kunai cut his jacket, and the tips of his wings-I wasn't aiming straight for his back, more like pushing him in one direction.
Keigo dropped to the right, diving underneath a low branch before bolting upwards again. Hawks wasn't an amateur after all. He was mostly staying high above the ground, twirling through treetops, where the branches couldn't hold my weight.
Keigo answered my attack just moments later, a few of his red feathers darting towards me, not at all unsimilar to throwing knifes. Just as sharp anyway.
I leapt out, my feet sticking to a nearby tree for a split second, before bolting after him again.
This was familiar. The forest, the adrenaline, the speed and force.
This was my heart beating faster, this was being alive.
(̶M̶i̶n̶u̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶,̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶c̶l̶o̶t̶h̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶f̶a̶c̶e̶)̶
So, what if I dragged out our game way, way longer than I should have? So, what.
| ---,'--,'--- |
In the evening I found Keigo perching on the couch, one earbud in, intently staring at the screen of his laptop.
I shuffled over to the fridge and grabbed a cup of yoghurt, before leaning against the counter. Usually, I really minded my own business, but my job was really going slow these days, and I was getting restless.
"What are you watching?"
He raised his eyes, the uncertainty hidden well behind a bored look. Leaning back, the poultry took a deep breath.
"Camera vids of the incident," he said after a while, "Turns out the signal was blocked during the attack, but they managed to restore most evidence."
His yellow eyes narrowed into mine, brows creasing together. He turned the laptop around so I could watch the screen, and indeed, it was a paused around the middle of the fight.
It showed me, carrying frog-girl and freckle-kid while the Nomu stormed towards us. Just a few moments before the All-mighty blond burst in and ruined the whole fun.
"You gotta explain a lot, Sodo."
I raised a brow at him and Keigo's frown deepened.
"The way your abilities surpassed everything you showed me? You were faster, stronger, don't try to trick me, Zara. I have an eye for such things." His iris flashed golden in the sunlight
Fuck, I guess. Well, in theory I didn't think my situation was worth the worry. I didn't have to justify myself to him nor anyone in this world. It was what I'd told him a thousand times already. Mind your own damn business.
Right now I didn't tell him to fuck off, though, not this time.
It was strange, really, but instead of brushing him off I slumped down on the seat next to him and draped my feet on the coffee table.
"You don't know shit about me, you know that, right?" I asked leisurely, turning my head towards him. The poultry didn't look at me.
"I'm aware," he said after a few moments of silence.
"And yet you think you can make assumptions about me, huh?" Keigo remained silent and I couldn't see an ounce of guilt in his eyes. I went on,"You do remind me of someone"
My voice was steady, even through the memories that flashed before my eyes. He did. I wished he'd remind me of my Dad, of Haku maybe, but that wasn't it.
It was that blond bastard from the bridge. The blond little beast with the big mouth and wide eyes.
"You remind me of someone," I repeated, "and it really makes me wanna kill you."
Kudos to him for not flinching.
He took a deep breath instead.
"But you don't"
Yeah, I didn't. It was a statement, no useless 'You couldn't kill me' , because he knew nearly as good as I did how well, in fact I could.
(S̶o̶m̶e̶t̶i̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶s̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶y̶s̶e̶l̶f̶,̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶r̶e̶l̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶h̶i̶p̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶e̶x̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶b̶a̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶e̶a̶r̶.̶)
"You want me to tell you a story?" My question was sudden, it even made him turn his head in my direction. "It's pretty long, though" And includes murder and blood, so much blood.
Keigo seized me up silently, then his hand closed the laptop and he completely turned around.
"I've got time"
It was the bare hint of a smile that grazed my lips, and I wiped it away quickly. I leaned back against the armrest and closed my eyes.
"It's the story of a little girl," I began "A little girl who looks a lot like her father, a girl with blood on her hands and a brother she failed to protect.
"She's also little crazy, most of the time.
And she's got a very big sword...
| ---,'--,'--- |
Keigo was very quiet afterwards, he gave me an only somewhat reassuring pat on the back, which I found very awkward and shut the door to his room.
I ate dinner alone that night.
It wasn't a problem, really. I'd give him his time; I'd give him all he needed.
I̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶I̶'̶d̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶p̶p̶r̶o̶a̶c̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶c̶a̶u̶t̶i̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶s̶t̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶a̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶.̶ ̶H̶o̶w̶'̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶?̶ ̶I̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶.̶
There was still some yoghurt in the fridge anyway (I'd been told my preferences weren't healthy, but who cares).
The chicken we'd ordered earlier was left untouched.
It took the poultry a whole twenty-four hours to show his face again. It was the last day of my forced 'vacation'(all students had been sent home after the USJ, including me).
He flopped down on his chair and ruefully stared at the cold chicken I still hadn't cleared from the counter.
"You wanna hear mine?" he asked into the silence. "My story, I mean."
"I know it", I said, ignoring his surprised squeak. "I wouldn't stay with a stranger, would I?"
It was true, I'd known about his background for quite some time. It didn't bother me, why would it? I had told him nearly everything last night, the whole thing, barely softened. Okay, maybe a little softened.
Also lacking mention of my mom, and I hadn't specified on the amount of blood on my hands, but that was beside the point.
Still I had to make sure:
"You won't tell anyone, will you?" It wasn't that I was ashamed or anything, but I supposed it was for the best.
Keigo snorted, scratching his nose. "You'd slit my throat in a blink"
There was a moment of silence and now it was my turn to laugh, the grin stretching across my features.
"Damn right, I would"
He learned quickly.
___
Okay hope you enjoyed, leave some comments and see you soon.
~Fee