With and Without You (AetherxAyaka)

Chapter 27: Wither Not My Friend

Feet shuffling up the stone stair way was the only sound that had registered in Aether's mind until Lady Yae had spoken.

At first he'd grown used to the silence, for they didn't talk until they left the Estate completely.

The air was an awkward feeling, one that felt stiff and only slightly unusual. Yae Miko was someone Aether hardly knew, but something deep within told him that she was of great importance. Maybe not to him, but she was playing from some kind of angle with a greater goal than she let on.

Perhaps it was the fact that she omitted a prophetic like aurora. As if some kind of destiny mean for greatness.

But what Miko had in mind or what she was planning was beyond Aether. He hadn't a clue in the slightest, he could only simply acknowledge the fact that there was more to her.

That Yae Miko was more than a simple Shrine Maiden... he just didn't know what.

Miko anticipated that the silence had rendered suspicions not only to the current task at hand, but an overall questioning of her.

While, Aether was completely in the right to and was thinking on great intuition; he wasn't meant to get ahead of himself. He mustn't realize who she is yet, not until they are suppose to meet.

Their fate as of now is premature. Quickly Yae engaged with conversations about what took place in the Kamisato Estate, despite it being irrelevant to her. It was to draw away from the fact that Aether was catching wind that Yae Miko was much more than an enigma.

"Is she always like that others or just me... I wonder." She said suddenly, drawing Aether's attention

He shook his hands and quickly spoke in Ayaka's defense like it was a second nature

"I'm sure Ayaka didn't mean anything by it." He said rashly

"Or maybe it's because you're around?"

"Nonsense, respectfully Lady Miko, Nonsense. Ayaka's not one to act like that... I may be speaking on her behalf, but Ayaka had a lot on her plate right now..." he rationalized.

The comment of his couldn't be more true however. Miko was fairly sure the young lady had much on her plate. Everyone does nowadays, a real bummer really. Lady Yae had caught herself so busy with work that differs from what she used to enjoy so long ago.

She shook her head. It isn't best to dwell on the past, otherwise Aether might catch wind.

"Quite the sensitive one, isn't she?"

Aether looked up to the women beside him

"Ayaka, she's.... usually not like that. It's First time I've seen her be so..." he broke off..." he tried to re-iterate his feelings, but failed.

Aether was a lowly outside with no power. His opnions and thoughts would mean nothing to an Inazuman official in normal circumstances.

"...stern?" Yae Miko finished

"I guess you could say that. Once again Ayaka's got a lot on her plate... she said so this morning at the Komore Teahouse."

"Well It's quite awkward for you two to skip formalities considering her position in power and your position as an outsider. It's enough to make one question wether there is more developing than what's exposed at the surface..." she pried

Aether fell silent, confirming her suspicion. The youngman clearly had to at least ponder his reply, showing that he did reside some sort of affection for the eldest daughter of the Kamisato clan.

Lady Yae however didn't want to come off as a threat, considering how well she read the situation.

"It matters not to me how you two interact unofficially. It should come to no suprise that one had fallen for her or that she had finally taken a liking to someone else. After all, the Kamisato code is very strict and only bound to push someone further towards that desire for affection."