have patience | Kamisato Ayato x Reader

chapter 1 | humble beginnings

On a brisk yet breathtakingly brilliant spring day on Narukami Island, you smiled to yourself as you walked up to the path that led to the doorstep of the Komore Teahouse, memories swirling through your head like gentle waves.

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You felt like a stranger in the land you once proudly called your home.

Disoriented and losing all your bearings on life itself—a side effect of your Vision being confiscated, you reckoned—you had hoped that the quaint, seemingly abandoned building you had just discovered would be sufficient shelter until you gathered enough funds and supplies to flee Narukami altogether.

Upon your entrance, however, you were unexpectedly met by the tips of both a polearm and a sword pointed directly at your throat, accompanied by a dog anxiously growling below, ready to strike, should either of the weapon wielders command it.

Though the male had lacked his vision, the female still held onto hers, and thus you recognized you were no match for either of them. With your pride laid humbly at your feet and your heartbeat thrumming uncomfortably in your throat, you had hurriedly explained your situation—in nearly a complete panic, no less—only stopping once you realized they had sheathed their weapons.

Much to your surprise, they had welcomed you with open arms, and, after only the most painfully awkward of beginnings, slowly, you soon established enough trust with all the strangers' dwelling within the makeshift safe haven to be firmly established as one of their own, acquainting you with the likes of Thoma, Kamisato Ayaka, and, of course, Taroumaru.

But as beautiful friendships blossomed and flourished, so did your unease over taking up precious space and resources continue to mount.

On the day you finally gave in and brought up your concerns to Thoma and Ayaka, all they did was smile and reassure you that everything was being taken care of, from the matter of your state of employment, as Thoma had taken you under his wing, mentoring you over the art of being an area's keeper, to the excess costs of having you as a guest, as Ayaka was always quick to reassure you that her older brother had it taken care of.

From that day forth, you remained ever grateful to the three—four, Taroumaru should always count—of them, and swore to yourself that maybe one day, you would be able to repay them all in kind.

Even the one you hadn't yet met.

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Though it had been a few months since the Vision Hunt Decree had been abolished, the feelings of gratitude that ebbed and flowed within whenever you gazed upon the teahouse remained as strong as they were back when you had taken refuge within its walls.

While you still haven't been given your vision back, your prior misfortune led to you meeting your two best friends and furred companion, and you wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world, nor would you ever dishonor your newfound ambition to help them whenever you could.

And so that was why you were now standing outside the Komore Teahouse, struggling to maneuver a dense carton filled with milk bottles, eggs, and other assorted ingredients around in your arms so you could knock on the door.

Once you finally had a moment where your hand was free, you quickly knocked against the wooden door, pleasantly humming to yourself as your knuckles created a rhythmic beat.