LADY AOKI || JUJUTSU KAISEN

六

Anzu crept quietly, her bare feet sticking to the polished wooden floor as she crawled past Fumihiro's bedroom, holding her breath as though he might hear her heart pounding. She peeked carefully through a crack in his door and saw him breathing softly, his chest rising and falling in deep sleep. So far so good.

Their house was separated into three large rings: the outer was where everyone went about their everyday business and the servants and maids slept in a sectioned off area, the middle ring was where the war hall and studies were found, and the centre was where Anzu and the nobles of the house resided. Anzu's room was at the very end of the hall, in the heart of their residence where it was warmest and safest, if she wanted to sneak out she had to creep past her brother, two cousins, her father, and her uncle, and remain completely undetected or else she would be scolded.

Her father threw a raged fit when her mother gave birth, and had ridden off with her uncle to conduct business, rambling about how they had to summon Enmei back home before news spread about the newborn. The memory made her shudder violently.

The sound of a door sliding open made her jump with fright and instinctively, Anzu dove into the nearest empty bedroom, pressing her back into the wall to ensure the filtered moonlight would not expose her. Her heart pounded in her throat as she listened to soft footsteps: they weren't heavy, and the gait was timid. It had to be Gin, her uncle's youngest son and Akinori's little brother.

Anzu exhaled in relief, she got along well with Gin, he was easily gullible and had always treated her gently. Still, she waited until the footsteps echoed down the other end of the hall, heading towards the well where servants drew fresh water for cooking and baths. She reached for the door when the atmosphere fell silent once more, ready to leave and make up an excuse if he saw her but the sound of someone coughing made her stiffen.

"I didn't permit you entrance."

Touya's voice, still thick with sleep, filled the room as Anzu slowly turned around to meet his paralyzingly dark gaze. She'd completely forgotten about him, and more importantly she'd forgotten that he was an incredibly light sleeper, able to wake at the slightest disturbances.

The fifteen-year-old propped himself up on his elbows, dim light casting deep shadows into the crevices on his bare upper body. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head away with a scowl on his face.

"What are you doing here?" He grumbled, sitting up to stretch as he reached for a top. His back and arms rippled with each movement, evidence of the rigorous training he and the other boys endured daily. Had her father not despised her so, she might've been able to begin training in jujutsu sorcery as well. "Had I not known it was you, I might've fed you to my wolves, just like the curses of Aokigahara. They wait for little girls with silk ribbons in their hair to stray from the path, and SNATCH! Breakfast. Though, you'd be more of an appetizer, you're so skinny. Maybe Orochi would like you better, he would swallow you whole."

"Touya!" Anzu hissed angrily as he broke into a quiet laugh. She shivered from head to toe in discomfort, unable to look him in the eye as he rose from his futon and stretched lazily.

"You're lucky." He said pointedly, jabbing his thumb to the right wall. "Akinori wouldn't have been this forgiving, gods forbid you saw his mark. He's surprisingly timid about it you know? Refuses to let me see even when I try to peek in on him. Anyways, tell me before I snitch on you, what are you doing creeping around at this hour?"

"I want to see my mother." She admitted softly, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I wanted to see what the commotion was all about and why father is so angry."

Touya hummed thoughtfully and clasped his palms together. "Divine dogs." He whispered.

Anzu jumped when a snowy white hound emerged out of her shadow, its red eyes large and curious. Hesitantly, she reached out and ran her fingers through its thick fur, feeling cords of dense muscle rippling beneath as Touya whistled at it softly. Immediately, the wolf's ears perked and it nudged at Anzu's hand with a wet leathery nose, prompting her to leave.