EYE OF THE STORM | k.kazuha

36: A FAVOR

Something Kazuha had started to notice is that every time you have a breakdown, you fall asleep quite fast. Once you're asleep, you have dreams that make you sleep talk. He finds it quite cute.

Night had already fallen on Yashiori Island.

You laid on Kazuha's lap, a blanket covering the rest of your body. Your hand softly gripped his, a lingering fear in your heart that he'll let go. The man leaned back on his arms, taking in the scent of rain as they fell on wet grass.

Kazuha thought of the rain as a disturbance, hence why he could not sleep.

He did not mind, though.

He matched his breathing with yours, holding your hand tighter. They were cold and he was warm.

"Hmm~ Hmm Hm Hmm~ Da da da da" He started to hum.

He caresses your head, watching how your lips part and nostrils flare. The bags underneath your eyes weren't as prominent as they were back then, but he could still see them if he looked closer.

"I hate you!" Your words came back to him in a flash. That simple phrase could have been enough to shatter his world if you truly meant it. He thanks the gods you didn't. Kazuha knows he's fallen too deep when his heart starts to ache at the mere memory.

"I like you." He whispers, but it didn't feel right. He inhales a sharp breath, his heart racing at the thought of saying the damned word.

"I... love you, Y/N." He finally says.

"I've been unsure about saying this for a while because I don't want to say such big words and not mean it—"

"Why don't you say that when they're awake?" General Gorou of the Watatsumi Army, stood at the doorframe with his arms crossed.

Kazuha's eyes widened, his cheeks coated in hues of pink. Gorou snickered with a big grin on his face, walking closer to his old friend. The samurai was nothing less than embarrassed.

Here he was again, his senses weakened because of you. And the rain. But mostly you.

"So... who's this?" The general asked, sitting beside Kazuha. "Y/N, another fugitive of Inazuma. I met them in Liyue months ago." He replies.

"You forgot to add that they are... your lover?"

Kazuha's heart jumped at the title. "Not quite, but almost there."

You stirred in your sleep, alarming the two. When you showed no signs of waking up any time soon, they continued their conversation.

It was mostly talks of what they've been doing while Kazuha was away in Liyue. As well as how Inazuma has been. It was unfortunate how almost nothing has changed.

Eventually, they reached the topic of you. How you met, how this story came to be. It was laughable to Gorou that you found each other through burglary. It's not every day that happens.

"Well, what do you like— no, love about Y/N?" Gorou emphasized the word in a teasing way, recalling Kazuha's confession. "I don't really know what it's like to love, so tell me."

"Hmm... To me, Y/N feels like a warm bath after a long day in the snow — or a spoon of sugar in bitter tea. They make me feel... complete, yet in a way that makes life better." Kazuha started, looking outside to see the rain clearing out.

"I like how interesting they are. I always think I've finally figured them out, but every day I get to learn something new about them. And it never gets old."

"I like the way their eyes light up when they see me. It makes me feel important, and it makes my heart flutter to the point I might collapse. I like how they hold my hand when they're nervous and how they genuinely listen to what I say."

"I like how their heart remains kind at its core, despite the burden they carry. How they still learned how to love and care despite the challenges they've faced."

"Sometimes, I wish Y/N could see themselves the way I do. Maybe then... Maybe then they'll finally see that they're worth loving." He finishes, glancing down at your sleeping figure once more. Gorou stayed silent, moved by the samurai's evident love for you.

"Say, would you do me a favor?" Kazuha asks.

"Of course, anything."

"Would you help me find a girl named Yui? Maybe some of the troops have heard the news of a missing girl from the Tenryou Commission?"

"We've heard a report about that. But... a girl named Yui? Hm, How does this Yui look like?"

"Y/N said she has blue hair and blue eyes. If I'm not mistaken, she should be around sixteen years old." Kazuha described, looking over at his friend. Gorou was deep in contemplation, almost as if he already knew who Yui was in his head.

"I'll do my best to gather any information."

🍁

is user @/-V4L1NSP0 back >:( i miss them already.
anyways! soft chapter as an apology for the last one !!

another note: it's quite weird seeing usual readers from this book commenting on my other works. this book is my baby and the frequent commenters already feel like my friends so it's so funny seeing you guys on other books ^-^