riptide | kyojuro rengoku

XX | friends

YOU WERE STILL SICK but feeling slightly better. You could at least maneuver out of the bottom half of the ship and make your way to the top. Kyojuro had been sailing for almost twelve hours now; how he was still awake was beyond you. You had fallen asleep and when you woke up, he was sitting in the exact same position, the rope pulled taut against his right hand's fingers.

You sat beside him and occasionally he would press his hand against your forehead, checking your temperature. "Where are we going?" You mumbled tiredly, your head resting against his shoulder. Kyojuro wasn't sure what to tell you at first, but he knew better than to lie. Patting your head, he mumbled.

"A village,"

Your heart immediately dropped and you got off of him, stumbling slightly. However, he quickly grabbed the sleeve of your shirt. Well, Kyojuro's; he had a lot more clothes than you and after being sick for so long, you had sweated out on your own attire. "W-Why are we going to a village?" You coughed.

Chuckling, Kyojuro led you back to the seat, attempting to calm you down. "Because of that," He referenced your cough. You felt his arms tense again as he changed direction slowly, clearly focused on whatever was ahead. "You need proper medication and we don't have that. It's better if we get you to a village!"

You stayed quiet but he could tell you had so many other questions. He tried his best to reassure you, but it wasn't enough. "I'm friends with some of the people in the village. I know them personally and they won't hurt you, I promise. I said I'd protect you, so I always will. You have nothing to fear!"

He grabbed your hand, squeezing it reassuringly. You nodded slowly, still nervous. If they're friends with Kyojuro then they must be familiar with the Fire Village? Nonetheless, even if they are kind, there are no promises that I wouldn't be kidnapped or attacked or abused or— Kyojuro squeezed your hand again.

"I won't let them hurt you. I'm the Flame Pillar after all!"

You swallowed harshly, caving in. You had your own fears but at the moment, getting medicine was the best idea. There wasn't much else that you can do that wouldn't put your own well-being at risk. Still, though, Kyojuro would never be the type to put you in any imminent danger, right?

That didn't mean that the new people in the village wouldn't put you in danger either. You were valuable for your ability, not for being you. You had to remember that. "Will we be staying long?" Kyojuro's hair tickled your nose when he shook his head. He chuckled softly at your reaction, watching as your nose scrunched.

"No, we won't. We'll let them check what they need to and get your medication. You can explore if you want, but we'll leave as soon as you want us to."

Us. Your heart skipped a beat at his words and you nodded, your hand squeezing his this time. As you two continued to sail, Kyojuro began to elaborate on the different people on the village he was taking you to. Shinobu, an experienced medic, who last time he checked was on her way to become the village's 'doctor'.

She was incredibly skilled and often used natural remedies based on her interest in bugs. That part did gross you out a bit, but from the way he described her, she was practically a genius in the medical field. Besides, you were a bit intrigued. The last time you had been considered to be 'medically treated' is when Amane wrapped your ankle.

Maybe you'd be able to leave with a few herbs yourself. He continued on, listing various people and trying his best to give you an idea of what they looked like. They all had black hair like his cloth and purple eyes maybe just a few shades lighter than what you had seen in the water. He also mentioned Kanae who happened to be Shinobu's older sister.

As you listened to him, you admired Kyojuro quietly. He had a selfless nature and cared more about his friends than he could ever put in words; he truly set his heart ablaze. In fact, you were scared he would never stop. He went through a whole list of people, a hot-head named Sanemi, his opposite named Giyuu, a short forgetful boy named Muichiro, and so many others.

He even mentioned how he had run into a blind man once and assumed he was an Ocean Seer like you only to find out he was actually blind, but was associated with the Earth Village and blessed by the Earth God. "Do you see them a lot?" You had hoped so; he had so much to say about them, he surely must've seen them often?

Kyojuro laughed softly. "I used to. My father used to be in business with a lot of the villages, but I guess we've left it all to the traders and fishermen now. I wish I could visit them though! I'm sure they want to too, but there's a bunch of strong storms near the Fire Village. Their boats aren't built for that!"

He spoke with pride and your heart skipped a beat. Will he speak of me in the same way after we part ways? Your selfish thought moved over the thought of him leaving you at your house and returning right to his village. Still, though, they knew he was going to seek you out for help, so surely they would have questions?

You cursed yourself for your selfishness, subconsciously tightening your grasp on his hand. Shifting, Kyojuro mumbled, casting a concerned glance towards your figure. "Are you okay?" You leaned into him quietly, not even having the strength to say anything. Everything was starting to feel dizzy again and you didn't have to check to know your temperature was spiking again.

As if sensing your discomfort, Kyojuro pressed his hand against your forehead, retracting afterward as he tensed. The boat sped up slightly and he muttered reassuring things to you, but you hardly heard what he had to say, slumping against him and falling into a deep sleep.