To Destroy A Country

Extra 5 [Dec 5 2021]

  "You know what I noticed?"
  Kunikuzushi looked over with a smile, "what have you noticed?"
  Neither of them had said anything since they sat down amongst the small, glowing plants. Kazuha was leaning back on his hands while Kunikuzushi was sitting with his knees to his chest.
  Kazuha tilted his head to the side, his hair shifting to the side and his eyes narrowing in delight. "I noticed that your clothes are quite feminine."
  Kunikuzushi blinked twice in quick repetition, "they are?" He laid his legs out and looked down at his attire. It didn't look much different than anyone else's... Was there really a difference?
  Kazuha reached out, taking one of Kunikuzushi's sleeves in his fingers. He nodded, "and some of your clothes even seem too big for you."
  Kunikuzushi felt embarrassed, "most of them were given to me... I only have a few sets that fit me well... Normally I don't really care because I'm by myself..."
  Kazuha chuckled, "so you wear your other clothes while I'm here?"
  "Uh... sort of..." his eyes drifted away from Kazuha, "I avoid my larger pairs..."
  "Does that make you less comfortable? Changing what you wear because of me?"
  "No, no. Not at all. It isn't because of you," he hurried to explain. He didn't want Kazuha to think he was suffering. "I just... my larger clothes are... they don't stay closed all the way..." he gestured to his chest vaguely.
  Kazuha's head tilted farther to the side as he watched Kunikuzushi's hands flail uselessly. He blew air out of his nose, "That still doesn't explain why you dress so femininely."
  "Ah- I didn't know there was a difference... I never really went and bought myself anything... and what I have been given are mostly from women..."
  Kazuha chuckled, "do you think they thought you were a girl? Because of your hair?"
  Kunikuzushi blinked, "did... did you think I was a girl?..."
  Kazuha giggled, his eyes closing, "no, I knew you weren't. But if you hadn't spoken, your appearance might have fooled me at first."
  Kunikuzushi sighed in defeat, "I really had no idea..."
  Kazuha let go of Kunikuzushi's sleeve and tilted his head back to look at the sky, "it doesn't look bad on you. Your clothes." He smiled, "I think it looks cute."
  Kunikuzushi stared at him. He grew pink, abruptly looking away. His hands were folded tightly in his lap as he whispered, "thank you..."
  "You're always so polite," Kazuha smiled over at him, "you don't have to thank me. Just getting to be with you is enough thanks for me."
  Kunikuzushi eyes shot back up again. He didn't know what to say. Kazuha was always speaking like that... it always made him confused.
  Kazuha gave a light laugh as he sat up and leaned towards Kunikuzushi, "I noticed that a lot of your clothes are all in a similar style and color, too. Are a lot of them from the same person?"
  Kunikuzushi nodded, "from the Shogun. She sent me off with a small pack of clothes, so-"
  "Ah, that explains all the extra space!" Kazuha's smile grew, "she's quite a bit taller than you."
  "Not... not that much..." Kunikuzushi felt like Kazuha was teasing him for his height. Though, that didn't make much sense. Kazuha was even shorter than him!
  "At least she cared enough to clothe you," Kazuha was somehow closer than before.
  "Uh, yeah..." Kunikuzushi unclamped his hands and started nervously fidgeting with the collar of his robe.
  "Kunikuzushi?"
  "Yes?" He looked up, expecting to be teased again.
  Kazuha smiled, even closer now, "just wanted to make sure."
  "Make sure what?" He tilted his head.
  "Make sure I hadn't killed you with my teasing yet. There's loads more to come. I have to pace myself so I don't end up hurting my own Archon," Kazuha smirked.
  "Kazuha..." Kunikuzushi looked to the side.
  Kazuha laughed as he fell into Kunikuzushi's lap, using his legs for a pillow.
  Kunikuzushi stared down at Kazuha's smiling face in surprise and confusion.
  "Where did you get this one?" Kazuha asked as he tugged on his clothes.
  Kunikuzushi quickly became distracted by the question, "this one?... uhm I think I got this one from a young lady whose fence I fixed? She lived alone because her brother was in one of the commissions."
  Kazuha ran his finger along to edge of the seam across Kunikuzushi's chest, "it's such fine material... How is it that almost all your clothes are purple?"
  This particular robe was a light pastel purple.
  Kunikuzushi almost laughed, "I don't know. I guess people just subconsciously want me to wear purple." Then he realized how awful that was... Didn't that make him look more like the shogun?... He made a note to wear more white while Kazuha was here.
  "I do think it looks nice... but you look nice in everything I've seen you wear..." Kazuha dropped his hand as his eyes focused on Kunikuzushi's face.
  Kunikuzushi opened his mouth to thank him for the compliment but remembered Kazuha's previous statement about not being so polite.
  Kazuha closed his eyes, completely relaxing. He laid his head to the side, "for a doll, you're really comfortable..."
  "Thank you?" Kunikuzushi wasn't sure how to take that...
  Kazuha chuckled, "you're very welcome. I don't want to miss any opportunity I have to compliment you."
  "Why?" The question escaped his mouth before he even thought of asking it.
  "Because," Kazuha giggled, "I just want to."
  Kunikuzushi sighed, closing his eyes. What was he to do?
  It was peaceful in the little field for a long time. Kunikuzushi looked down at Kazuha, who seemed to be asleep.
  The wanderer's face was relaxed and his lips were slightly parted. His breathing was steady and quiet. Kunikuzushi could feel his heartbeat when he focused on it.
  Kunikuzushi wondered how Kazuha could fall asleep so easily. Then again, it wasn't like Kunikuzushi knew how sleep normally worked because he couldn't sleep himself.
  It was another long stretch of time before Kazuha's lips parted into a smile, "you aren't going to make me move?"
  Kunikuzushi almost jolted, "you're awake?"
  Kazuha chuckled, "I was sure you would wake me yourself and take me back to the cottage."
  "No, I- I would have let you sleep... I wouldn't want to wake you..."
  Kazuha opened his eyes and laid on his back, "you're too kind, Kunikuzushi. You shouldn't let just anybody fall asleep on you."
  Kunikuzushi found that statement ominous and confusing. "Hm?"
  Kazuha reached up and ran his fingers through a bit of Kunikuzushi's hair that had fallen in front. He smiled contendedly, "if I didn't have a crew risking their lives to get me out of Inazuma, I think I would stay here with you forever..."
  Kunikuzushi blinked, "but it's so cold here... and it's..."
  Kazuha looked Kunikuzushi in the eyes, "I'd want to stay here with you forever..."
  "Me?..." he mumbled, unable to understand.
  Kazuha sat up, "we should head back before I fall asleep again." He paused as he began to smirk over his shoulder, "now you really can't say that you haven't watched me sleep."
  "Ah- w-wait- that's different-"
  Kazuha stood with a laugh, "it really isn't."
  Kunikuzushi looked down in embarrassment, "I didn't mean to..." he knew people were most vulnerable when they were asleep... He felt bad for just watching Kazuha instead of being on the look out for him...
  "Don't worry," Kazuha extended his hand to Kunikuzushi, "I trust you."
  Kunikuzushi took his hand carefully, "you do?..."
  "I wouldn't want to be here with you so much if I didn't," Kazuha pulled him up to stand, squeezing his hand. "I wouldn't have this connection with you if I didn't."