—First Person POV.—
Some noise to the right of me causes my eyes to flicker open— A grumble escaping my lips as I tilted my head up slightly, using the tree to prop myself up further and look around.
With a short glance I'm swiftly able to figure out I wasn't alone— A familiar crimson eyed soldier emerging from some nearby bushes and causing the noise that had woken me up.
He quickly meets my eye, a sheepish grin falling across his features in the dimness of night.
"Eij? What are you doing up?" I yawn, noting how dark it still was and letting my eyes blink sleepily.
"Sorry," He replies gently, approaching and crouching at my side "Did I wake you?" He wonders and I nod— Thankfully I'm still not fully awake yet so I pull his scarf further over my shoulder and turn to snuggle into him.
—As I try to get back to sleep he shifts beside me, moving and cupping the back of my head while his other hand scoops beneath my legs, hoisting me up and into his arms with ease.
I grumble at the action "What are you doing?" I mutter out and can hear the smile in his voice "I want to show you something." He whispers, peaking my curiosity slightly as I open my eyes again.
With a short glance around, I notice he's walking somewhere— Small leaves brushing past our forms as he moves through the forest and in a specific direction.
It was still dark out but I was slowly waking up the further he walked, replying to my questions with vague answers but keeping the same excited sharp toothed smile I've grown to love on his features.
We have been traveling for a few days now, stopping in sheltered areas to rest and continuing on in the daylight to a destination Kirishima says would be safe.
I will say, ever since that night in the lake— Our relationship took a turn, his small action's of affection easily slipping into our dynamic and making all of this change enjoyable.
The past few days he's been waking me with small peppered kisses across my temples and letting me fall asleep with his warmth to keep me comfortable.
I'm.. At ease, to say the least. But something about his excited grin causes my brows to furrow in questioning, my head wondering why he'd wake me up this early and where he was taking me right now.
Seeing my playfully suspicious gaze, he raises a brow down at me "What?" He wonders and I smile "Why aren't you telling me where we're going?" I question.
And his sharp toothed grin seems to widen slightly towards my constant questioning— His words showcasing a teasing tone "It's a surprise, (Y/n)."
I rolls my eyes at that, fixating my gaze ahead in the direction he had been trotting in.
—And oddly enough, we break through the tree line, his legs carrying us up a hill and with a short glance downwards, I notice we're now in a flower field.
At the top of the hill, he slows to a stop— Crimson eyes flickering out along the area before finally setting me down into a sitting position among the flowers.
With a questioning look up at the red head, he simply plops down beside me— Letting me shift into a comfortable position.
"You wanted to show me the flowers?" I wonder, reaching down and picking one of the pretty plants from its stem before lifting it up to inspect.
He nods, a hint in his excited expression showing he had something else up his sleeve. But what?
With a slight tilt of my head, my free hand fiddles with the small flower— Soon reaching down and picking another with my other hand.
"But why now?" I wonder but am only answered when Eijiro reaches out and hooks a finger beneath my chin— Tilting my gaze upwards and towards the hills far off and across from our seated spots.
And that's when I take notice of the first small rays of light peaking from amongst the hilltops— The sky slowly flickering with red and orange hues to signal a new day.
As he pulls his hand away, my gaze stays on the sunrise, the confusion lacing my features slowly melting away as I take in the sight before me.
"It's pretty," I comment, figuring that this was what he'd been so excited to show me.
"I kind of figured— Since you said you grew up behind the castle walls I didn't know if you've seen a sunrise before," He comments, a sheepish tone in his words.
I pause, my fiddling with the flowers slowing to a stop as my gaze casts over to the crimson soldier.
Upon seeing my reaction, his hands raise up— Moving in a back and forth motion as he panics "Sorry, was that too far? I didn't mean—"
"No, no, you're right," I quickly reassure, blinking and turning back to play with the flowers a bit more.
—Grabbing a third flower, I started to idly twist the ends and push them together before grabbing another "I've never actually seen a sunrise before." I admit, sheepishly chuckling afterwards.
And with a glance back up, I look over the painted horizon— Slowly flickering lighter as the sun grew behind the hilltops.
"..What was it like?" He wonders, laying on his back so his gaze could look over the lingering stars above "Your life before, I mean." He adds and I nod in thought.
"Well, I wasn't aloud to leave but you already knew that." I answer shortly, tilting my head back in thought and pausing my flower weaving in the process.
"Every morning the maids would wake me and quickly get me ready for the day— I'd have breakfast and then I'd be rushed off to perform my duties as the daughter of the Duke." I explain briefly.
My hands had started to move again, my voice going on about how every day would go— How people would come with questions for my quirk and how I would dodge the maids and servants as well.
—I'd sneak out to the stables or attempt to get past the guards at the walls entrance,— I talked until I finished weaving the flowers together, only coming to a stop once I had tied the last part closed.
"Well, at least that's what happened until I met you." I finish— Slowing to a stop as I glance down at the redhead.
By now he had propped himself up on his elbows, watching and listening to my story with an intrigued look in his eyes.
"So you where trapped in that castle," He states out of the blue, brows furrowed up at me and causing me to blink in confusion "What? No, it was my home."
"It doesn't sound like a home." He argues simply and I scoff in disbelief "What do you mean? I lived there my whole life, therefore it was my home." I explain.
He shakes his head, showing me his sharp teeth as he sits up fully "No, that's just a place you lived, that wasn't a home." He corrects.
I rolls my eyes at that "Are you even aware of the meaning behind 'home'?" I sarcastically point out and he nods his head easily, earning a skeptical look from me.
And for a moment, his crimson eyes soften against mine "(Y/n), what do you think 'home' means?" He wonders and I scoff.
"Home is 'a place where one lives'." I recite the definition and he shakes his head— Insinuating I was wrong?
I raise a brow towards the crimson haired soldier— Arms crossing over my chest as I take in his expression "What? Am I wrong?" I wonder, deadpanning when he shrugs in response.
"Sort of, you're thinking literally," He states, letting out a short laugh that causes me to roll my eyes "Oh, and I bet you know better?" I question sarcastically and he doesn't waste a second to nod.
Another scoff leaves my lips "Fine, what does home mean, Red? Because apparently I'm wrong." I state and his playful features melt away— Leaving a soft expression on his face as he averts his gaze to the sunrise.
"Home is.. A place where I feel warm, a place that fills me with happiness." He explains, turning to meet my gaze once he had finished.
I pause at that, brows furrowed as silence overtakes us— It's only broken when I clear my throat, turning my head away to stifle the giggles bubbling up in my throat.
"What— Are you laughing at me??" He questions with an offended gasp, leaning so far into me that I can't help but burst out into laughter.
I lean further to the side as he falls against me— His hands wrapping around me as he attempts to get me to look at him, my smile is contagious and while he's questioning why I'm laughing, I shake my head.
"You're so soft-hearted Eijiro—" I state through giggles and he gasps in offense.
I attempt to pull away from his grasp— Pushing my hands against his chest but my action to escape causes us to fall over into the flower beds, and by now Kirishima was laughing too.
He's leaning over me now— Flower petals flying up from our initial movement and as he stares down at me, his chuckles dim, leaving a soft smile on his face.
I'm still dealing with the lingering giggles from before but slowly I calm down— I'm smiling up at the redhead through slightly teary-eyes, the effect from laughing too hard a few seconds ago.
Seeing this, he shifts his weight onto his other arm and lifts one of his hands to brush the small happy-tears away— Soon moving his hand up to run through my hair as well, pushing it away from my face.
My chest rises and falls through the interaction— Opening my mouth slightly as I breathed deeply, recovering from the laughing fit I had experienced.
The sunlight paints his face in both shadows and light as he stares down at me— His gaze lingering over my lips for a few seconds before returning to my (e/c) eyes, a new warmth dancing across his cheeks.
From my pinned position, I can feel the flowers below tickle against my skin— One of my hands reaching up to cup the side of his face.
He leans into my touch, closing his eyes and savoring the feeling before he lifts his free hand— Sending a small glance down at me as he gently holds my wrist still.
And with the slight tilt of his head, he kisses my palm— My breath hitches at the gesture, watching as he planted another kiss against the inside of my hand before leaving another on my wrist.
Of course, he doesn't leave me waiting for long— Soon leaning down for a kiss I easily melt into, his hand holds the back of mine, trailing down against his chest so I could feel his rapidly beating heart.
He pulls away slightly— Breaking the kiss but staying close "Do you feel that..?" He questions, breath shaky against my own.
"Do you feel what you do to me?" He asks and gulp, my gaze flickering down to where my hand rested against his chest— Where I could feel his heart beating as if he had been running without stopping.
I don't answer his question, the heat from his breath tickling against my lips before I tilt my head up— Kissing the crimson haired boy, and feeling how his heart races against my touch.
With a hint of mischief, I smile into the kiss, lifting my other hand behind his head— And plopping the flower crown over his red locks.
He jolts at the sudden action— Eyes blinking open in confusion as he breaks the kiss and sends a questioning glance down at me.
I smile victoriously as he leans back slightly, small petals from the crown fluttering down and to avoid one falling on my face I blow it away.
"Flower crown!" I beam, snapping the tension we had so easily built up beforehand and watching as the confusion in Kirishima's expression slowly melted away— His hand coming up to feel one of the flowers now attached to his head.
And he snickers— Picking a flower from the bed I had fallen into and setting it on my forehead. My face scrunches up at that— Reaching my hand up and moving the flower off.
But he continued the action— Slowly grabbing more and more flowers to pile on me while I tried my best to brush them off, his hand soon coming to hold mine back so he could cover me in more flowers.
"What— What are you doing??" I call, shouting as I was practically buried in petals "Flower crown!" He beams over my own screams— Continuing his assault with flowers.