Death Of A Hero (Sabito x OC)

Chapter 3

Lumae woke to a strange scratching sound. She turned her head in time to se Sabito drop his ink brush (A/N I think that's what they used for writing in the taisho period so yeah...) and roll up the letter he'd been writing. He tied it shut with twine and looped it around the leg of a crow on the windowsill.

"Bring it to Urokodaki." Sabito told it. He watched the crow coast off into the sky. Someday, everyone would feel just as free, he hoped.

"Sabito?"

Lumae shifted and attempted to sit up. Her leg stung, but it could've been much, much worse. She was fortunate.

He turned and kneeled by her straw mattress. "I'm sorry I had to take you here -"
Sabito's eyes blazed with anger. "That owner-"

"Shh." Lumae pressed a finger against Sabito's mouth. She felt a little woozy, possibly from the medicine, or pure shock.

Lady Tamayo entered the room, smiling down at the pair. She looked kind, like a true caregiver.

Maybe there are still good people in this horrid world.

Tamayo's voice snapped Lumae out of her slight trance. "Lumae, I see you are awake. Would you like something to eat?"

Lumae didn't reply, but her stomach rumbled softly. She began to shake her head no.

"Yes, please." Sabito said quickly.

Lady Tamayo smiled and left the room.

When Lumae was absolutely positive Lady Tamayo was out of earshot, she turned to Sabito.

"I was about to say I was okay. It's rude of me to accept her food."

Sabito gave her a knowing look.

She folded. "Thank you." She looked down. "Again."

Lumae pressed her forehead against Sabito's as a sign of gratitude.

"Do you only talk to him? That's an insult to Lady Tamayo." A boy, possibly in teenage years, leaned against the doorframe with what seemed to be a permanent scowl on his face.

Sabito sighed. "Yushiro, please. Lumae doesn't enjoy speaking. Maybe you should learn from her."

Yushiro scoffed and carried a plate of food over. "Eat it all. What you don't eat will go to waste, which is also an insult to Lady Tamayo, who prepared this for you."

Yushiro sat down on the floor and pushed the plate towards Lumae, waiting for her to eat it. He seemed to stare into her soul.

Naturally, she didn't touch it.

He rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Eat it, you dumb girl. It's not hard."

Sabito's eyes narrowed. "She won't eat it, and she's not dumb."

Yushiro shot him a glare. "If she's hungry and she won't eat the food in front of her, she qualifies as dumb. You having to be her voice also makes her dumb."

Sabito's fists clenched. "She won't eat it because you're here. She wants to be ready if you strike. She doesn't trust you, Yushiro."

Yushiro began to reply, but Tamayo entered the room. His mouth seemed to go dry as he clamped it shut.

Tamayo's tone was calm, but firm. "Yushiro, the girl doesn't want you there."

Yushiro went rigid. "Yes, Lady Tamayo."
He nearly tripped over himself scrambling to the door. He didn't even glance back before he shut it behind them.

Sabito and Lumae stayed quiet for five minutes after he left. Lumae didn't touch her food.

"He's gone." Sabito nudged the plate to her.

What if it's a trap?

Lumae sucked in her cheeks and listened.

Then she lashed out with inhuman reflexes and had eaten a whole rice ball before Sabito could even register what happened.

Sabito blinked. "Wow."

Lumae dropped her second rice ball, which was already halfway eaten, and hurriedly cleaned off her fingers, which were covered in sticky rice.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't very polite." She said.

"No, it's fine. You slept for a lot longer then we thought you would. "

"How long?"

"Full day."

"What?"

"The stress of the day before yesterday must've drained your energy pretty quickly. I don't know how, but Tamayo thinks that you're just tired and have been overworking yourself."

He pushed the rice ball. "Go on."

Three minutes later, the plate was empty.

Lumae forced down the instinct to ask for more food, so instead, she asked, "What happened to the owner?"

Sabito's easygoing expression evaporated.

"I killed her." 

He turned to Lumae.
"It'll take time, but when your fear of her is gone, you'll realize how cruel she is to treat you like an object."

He crouched down and grasped her hands.
"I promise I will never treat you like that."

Lumae didn't know how to feel. She forced a smile to her face, figuring she'll sort out her feeling later. Right now, it wasn't worth it to worry Sabito.

Sabito must have spotted the faraway look in her eyes, because he smiled halfheartedly.

"You'll realize soon enough, that it was the only way."

Lumae nodded, as if on autopilot.

Sabito cleared his throat, changing the subject. "Will you have enough energy to travel back to Urokodaki's tomorrow?"

"I think so."

"Good."

Sabito handed her a water cup.
"Here. Be sure to rest. We have a few miles to cover tomorrow."

She drained it down so fast Sabito made a mental note to refill the cup before she slept.

He drew the thin blanket up to her chin. "Try to sleep."

Sabito glanced out the window, realizing the once orange sky was quickly becoming indigo.

He grabbed the cup.

Walking out the bedroom door, making sure to close it behind him, he smacked into Yushiro.

Sabito's surprise quickly turned to defensiveness. "Yushiro? Eavesdropping? What's the importance in that?"

"Why'd you run into me like that? I was just walking by and then you ran into me." He scoffed.

"Disrespectful."

Sabito watched him walk away, eyeing Yushiro as he turned the corner. He had obviously eavesdropped.

Sabitio refilled the cup and grabbed a stuffed rice ball that he obviously had permission to take, hiding it under his white kimono.

Then, he pushed open the door to Lumae's guest room.

Setting the cup and food by her mattress, he pressed his face against the side of her head.

"Sleep. Or try to."

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Thanks for reading!

Feel free to point out things I'm missing.

I take suggestions too!

Votes and comments are VERY appreciated! Thanks guys!

-hscheibmeir