riptide | kyojuro rengoku

XIV | dangerous

YOU WIELDED THE DAGGER, sharpening it against one of the rocks Kyojuro kept. Sometimes he would glide his sword against it in order to make it stronger, so he wasn't bothered hearing you sharpen the knife just a few feet behind him. The water was calm, but you willed it to be so. Ever since you had read through the book, you had been practicing.

Silently yet carefully preparing. Kagaya's words hadn't left your mind for a second. "In the end, either you or him will die. The rage of the ocean is strong, but so is the power of the Fire God." You didn't want to, but you had to be prepared to kill because only the Gods would know if he was ready to as well.

Part of you still wanted to think it wasn't true; you had spent months with this man now and only to realize that he was manipulating you wouldn't make him any different from everyone else. Still, though, he had made you feel different. It tore you apart from the inside-out; how could someone be so inhumane?

The actions were inhumane, but the selfishness behind it made it all the more sickeningly humane. The world was cruel and unjust, yes, but the people were even more so. It didn't matter who you were pawned off to at this point; you were just made to present yourself as useful. It was your survival tactic, but you were growing sick of it.

There wasn't a moment you could live a life of your own desires. The one moment you had wished for spontaneity; it had cost you and now here you sat, sharpening a weapon that could very well be the end of you if you weren't careful. "Kyo," You called out his name, your voice sharp. Since when did I start sounding like that?

He was put off by your tone, but he hummed in response, curious about what you had to say. "What do you think of me?" This was the only question you could ask without being incredibly specific. Yes, even with this question, he could lie. For all you knew, Kyojuro could've been lying to you this entire time.

"That's a weird question,"

"And that's a weird answer," You replied, making him laugh. You couldn't fight off the small smile that shaped your lips too at the sound of his laughter. Kyojuro made a popping noise with his lips before responding. "I think of you the same way you think of me: beautiful." He spoke smoothly, your heart skipping a beat at his words.

Maybe he meant nothing by it. Maybe it was an empty statement, but you wanted to believe it with all of your heart. So, you let yourself bask in the moment, letting your guard fall for one second just to enjoy him once more. Or whatever image had created of himself for you. If this was Kyojuro you were hopelessly in love with, then so be it, but if it wasn't, so be it then too.

You were in love nonetheless. It wasn't hard for you to come to terms with; you always wore your heart on your sleeve and now it was coming back to bite you in the ass. "Smooth," You laughed, sheathing the dagger as you approached him with the stone still in your hand. He took it from you, setting it aside and letting you embrace him from behind.

You could feel him lean into you and you paused, wondering. I always reacted with disgust when it came to Fire Village things; did he ever feel the same way when touching me? The thought hurt you, but you swallowed harshly instead, willing the words to never leave your lips. The moment ended as fast as it arrived, your entire figure stiffening.

Something was in the water.

Something that was definitely not friendly.

Kyojuro, however, seemed to be relaxed. He didn't sense anything. You let go of him, approaching the side of the boat. The waves were calm, but you could see something dark in the water. It moved with utmost grace. First there was one, then two, finally three. If you squinted, you could make out a fourth and a fifth.

Your heart dropped as you realized what they were: Isonade. Large, dark sharks that moved with the water. Most people they fed on didn't realize their presence until it was too late. You knew they could listen to you, however. Almost anything in the ocean did, but the question was if it would be willing to do so.

Your throat constricted and you looked back at Kyojuro, conflicted. If you told him now, he would most likely move away from them, but if you kept your mouth shut, you could visit the Ocean God's temple. Isonade only resided near there according to the book which must mean you were pretty damn close to the submerged shrine.

However, you had to remember: Kyojuro was human. It didn't matter if you were his pawn or not; the instinct in your gut refused to let you move on without warning him. "Isonade," You blurted. They were only ever heard of in the book, but it was a risk you had to take. And maybe, just maybe, this would answer your question.

Is Rengoku Kyojuro a liar?

You could practically hear the Flame Pillar pause, his head turning over his shoulder as he looked at you. "How do you know about them?" Part of you wished he had never answered as the tension only grew. He was lying. He knew about the Isonade which means he knows about the temple; he had only hoped that you had no knowledge like before.

That all you knew about your abilities was that you could see in the water. He had hoped that the Isonade would kill you. And he was willing to risk himself for it too. You knew he was staring at you, the waves crashing harder as the thoughts in your head intensified. Rengoku Kyojuro was a liar.

And he was a demented traitor.

The Isonade fed off your fear, one of them circling underneath the boat as it lifted its tail.

And just like the ocean, they would do anything to protect you.

You weren't able to answer Kyojuro's question as the tail came slamming down onto the boat, tipping you two into the water.