Spring Writes Stuff

20. Fortress

The reason why I unpublished the first version of this is because I wanted to establish that this oneshot takes place after "25. First"

I know this kinda breaks the flow of things– just go with it ok XD

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"Are you sure you want to go back in there, again?" Agatha asked him, her voice as soft as the way her small thumb grazed against his rough knuckles.

Kubo's one eye fixated hard on his father's abandoned fortress, taking in how time has changed his family's once majestic home.

The lump on his throat bobbed as the wind swiftly passed by, wisps of hair dancing over their eyes.

His face remained stoic as he stared, while her bright blue eyes eyes landed on him.

The thin line of his lips turned into a smile as he felt the her gentle hand tucking his stray hair behind the back of his ear.

As if she's letting him know that she'll be by his side, every step of the way.

Kubo turned his head to face her, gripping her hand tighter in his.

"Yes," he grinned, bringing the back of her hand towards his lips.

Agatha smiled before nodding her head, as the pair entered the historic fortress.

Together.

Their visit wasn't long. Kubo showed her around the place, telling her stories of what happened in the past, and reminiscing the night they met in this very place.

The time that had led them both to where they are now.

There was so much history happening inside of this place, that time felt nonexistent when they were inside the fortress.

And when Agatha listened through all the stories he's willing to tell her, she can't help but feel deeply sorry for his loss.

Even though he told her that those events had happened many years ago; before the two of them even met.

"Is this where your parents had you?" Agatha asked as her eyes scanned through the image of Kubo's family when he was just a young child.

Their family looked so happy.

"They had me here for a year or so," his eye landed on his younger self as he stood beside her.

She ran her fingers on the gritty portrait, feeling the wisps of dust clinging to the old painting.

A sweet smile crept on her face once her eyes landed on his young figure, wrapped comfortably in his father's robe.

"You look so adorable here," she mused, pointing at the younger version of himself on the old painting.

"I still am now," he smirked, making her laugh with a small smile.

"There's definitely no contest to that," she winked, knowing very well how upset he'd be if she does that.

His signature smirk turned into a thin line. "You know, if I can wink, then you'd most likely be swooning over me every single day."

Kubo opened the sliding doors in front of them without another word. He rolled his eye at the sound of her giggles as he walked forward.

"I highly doubt that," she shook her head. "I'm so used to seeing you with your eyepatch. Waking up with you suddenly having two eyes would've been an unusual sight," she grinned as she made her way beside him.

When their eyes landed on the place they first met, the silence that dawned on them was both unsettling, and comforting at the same time.

As Agatha stared hard at the cold ground beneath their feet, her mind can't help but wonder how difficult it must've been for Kubo when he experienced all those horrible things that are far beyond his young age.

Losing a parent is something she's already familiar with, but watching both of your parents die with your very own eye is something that she doesn't want anyone to go through.

Another gust of wind had gone pass them both, as wisps of their hair had flew gracefully in front of their eyes once again.

Her train of thought was interrupted with the way he move his hand to gently tuck some of her stray hair behind the back of her ear, mirroring what she did for him earlier.

Agatha turned her head to Kubo with a small smile, making him smile back at her in return.

"Thank you, for coming here with me," he whispered softly, placing a hand on her cheek followed by the gentle caress of his thumb.

"I'm glad that you even considered bringing me here with you," she sighed in content as she close her eyes and leaned into the warmth in the palm of his hand.

Kubo laughed loosely at her reply as he moved towards her, placing a quick kiss on her forehead.

"May I?" He asked, throwing a quick glance on her lap, before holding her gaze once again.

Agatha wasn't sure what he had in mind, but she knows he won't do anything stupid, so she responded with a small nod.

The excitement that spread across his face made her giggle. He allowed himself to gently rest his head on top of her lap, looking up at her with a smile that felt like they were little children again.

"I've never felt so safe under the moonlight before," he breathed out as he looked at the moon above, getting a small hum from her in agreement.

"The sun's rays watch me every single day," she sighed.

"Viewing the moon with you feels so captivating," she said with a simper, her eyes landing on the bright light of the moon above them.

He let a heavy sigh after a short while of peaceful silence. "Do you ever get scared?" He frowned.

Her brows furrowed. "Scared? Of what?"

"Your family, finding out everything that we've been hiding about us." She could feel the way his body tensed at the mention of her side of the family.

"That story should sound familiar to you by now, ojo," she joked with a soft chuckle.

"Bad joke, sparky," he laughed cheekily, shifting his head to the side.

Agatha went silent for a while, letting her fingers play with his long raven hair.

"Of course I'm scared for us, Kubo," she sighed.

"And why wouldn't I be? My family has more than enough bloodlust to kill us off both, and that worries me to my core."

"Then, maybe we shouldn't hide this anymore," Kubo thought out loud, almost forgetting that Agatha was there with him.

"Are you insane? They have an axe to grind against YOU," she said in a strong voice, looking down at him with nothing but concern plastered on her face.

"According to them, you're the one who broke the order of the heavens! The child who was never meant to see the light! If they knew about us, we'd be dead the moment we show ourselves in their wake!"

He breathed out heavily, for she was right. In any way he sliced it and diced it in his head. There's always going to be a part of this world that will disagree with them.

His eye fixated hard on her, trying to find the words behind her bright blue eyes.

"Then, are we ready to walk on the same path my parents took?" Kubo asked her after a while.

The angle from where he sees her makes her smile shine bright with the moon's light.

"As long as I'm with you," she whispered as she leaned down towards him, placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

Agatha her fingers through his soft dark brown locks, as if she was smoothing out the wrinkled thoughts inside his mind.

And for a moment, Kubo knew exactly how lucky he is to have her by his side no matter what happens.