Like a Falling Leaf [Kazuha x fem!reader]

Loosing friends

Y/n's POV~

"You know what's really funny" my bored brain asked me, "that how we haven't seen Teppei for pretty long time."

For once my brain gave me a useful hint.

Oh right, where is he? Did he die in a battle some days ago or what?

It was already evening and i was looking for anyone i personally know. Seemed like the battle wasn't over yet. The camp looked so empty. Kazuha wasn't anywhere to be seen too.

Running around the camp i finally bumped into Aether and Paimon.

"Oh hey! Hey ah do you guys know where Teppei is? I haven't seen him for days, did something happen to him?"

"Teppei? Oh! Paimon remembers!" Paimon cheered but soon realised i was serious and started talking normal.
"Coming to think of it we saw him last a few days ago... And he didn't seem fine at all."

Aether nodded.

"Yeah, for once Paimon isn't talking nonsense," he said.

"Hey?!"

"Come on, guys. Don't fight. We need to find Teppei. What do you mean "he didn't seem fine at all"?" I tried getting them back to thinking.

"He was coughing horribly... But on the other side he said he made big progress in his combat skills. Even said he got made into the captain of Herring I," Aether told me.

"So his sick but getting better at fighting?!" How, in the name of Celestia, is that possible?!

"Exactly," Paimon confirmed.

"That can't be right..." I muttered.

"Oh! And his hair was getting graier," Aether remembered the detail.

"And you don't know why?" I was desperate to know what was happening to Teppei.

"Unfortunately no."

"Ugh, can you guys search for him? I go this way and you go that one," i pleaded, pointing at the directions.

"Right, let's find Teppei! Who knows what has happened to him?" Paimon said while turning to her way with Aether.

---

I have searched at least for an hour... I can't tell for sure though, i don't have a watch with me. But it certainly feels like an hour.

"Y/n!"

Huh?

"Y/n, we found Teppei!" Paimon yelled.

"You did?" Please let it be good news, please let it be good news.

"Paimon, can you leave us by ourself for a second?" Aether quietly asked her.

It's good news, right? Please? Please, Aether?

"Y/n... Before i say anything further, i just wanted to tell you i'm very sorry," he started.

I looked at him with wide eyes. It is not good news, is it?

"When we aprouched Teppei, he was already in a really bad condition... And...he died soon after we had a last conversation with him," Aether quickly finished.

I took some time to take it all in.

Teppei died...

...after a period of him being sick...

...and making huge progress in fighting...

...and becoming the captain of Herring I...

...after all that...