Ayato's Perspective
My heart stopped, because everything in the world stopped for Rin.
I wish I could've said I was overjoyed, but I wasn't.
My sister was dressed in a white cloak with sable-fur lining, emblazoned with the Fatui emblem along the sides. Her light lilac hair brushed a little past her chin, and her round eyes were as bright and curious as always.
She was as beautiful as I had remembered, but she seemed so . . . distant.
She had an edge to her this time, a hardness, an apathy that even her fragile smile could not hide.
Gone was the girl who wove flower crowns from sakura blossoms and placed them on my head.
Gone was the girl who would sit under the moonlight when everyone was asleep, sewing up the clothes I had torn in sword practice.
Rin's gaze flitted to mine, and I awaited a smile, a wink, a word of assurance, any sign that she was still my sister.
Instead, she glared at me with contempt, her eyes empty and devoid of emotion.
Taken aback, I stared at her even when she turned away.
Why?
What had I done to deserve this?
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Ayato gaped at me like an eager child waiting for a reward, and I felt my heart shatter.
I wanted to leap into his arms and embrace him, to tell him that I had missed him oh-so-dearly, that I loved him so, so, much.
But not a single muscle in me moved.
And that was when I realized that things would never be the same again.
After Mother and Father died, I became the backbone of the Kamisato House, I was the only pillar my siblings had left to lean on. We filled up the hole in our hearts with flowers and fireworks and festivals and katsudon and hotpot nights at Komore Teahouse. I did everything I could to give them the happiness that they deserved. I cleaned my bloody spearheads behind their backs and washed away the metallic scent with oils and perfumes. I made sure their life was perfect.
But had I even stopped to think about how my departure affected my siblings?
I knew how hard it had been to lose Mother and Father, and then I left them to fend for themselves.
All of this time, I thought I'd been protecting them.
But I had missed out on eight years of their lives. I had stolen from them their adolescent years. I had forced them into the most prestigious and coveted roles in Inazuma when others were busying themselves with their academics. I had forced them to make decisions for a nation at the age where others were struggling to make decisions for themselves.
And the look of betrayal in my brother's eyes was killing me from the inside.
Signora guided my hand behind my back discreetly, but not before Ayato's eyes could follow her motion.
"An honor to meet you, Sir Kujou Takayuki," Signora chimed in, still squeezing my hand. "You as well, Sir Kamisato Ayato."
Ayato stood to greet Lady Signora, and it was only then that I realized how tall he had become. He had outgrown his awkward, crane-like stature and assumed the air of a true Commissioner. One could look at him and think that he had been the heir apparent all along.
"I am the Fair Lady, La Signora, the Eighth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers." She turned to me. "And this is The High Priestess, Columbina, the Ninth."
Ayato and I made eye contact for a fraction of a moment, before we both looked away.
We were but an arm's length away, and yet, we had to act like strangers with a million thoughts racing through our minds.
Was this the price I had to pay?
"You two seem to be a bit acquainted," Takayuki remarked, narrowing his eyes. "Do you perhaps know our dear Yashiro Commissioner, Kamisato Ayato, High Priestess?"
Gripping the hem of my cloak, I put on an innocent smile.
"I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. We've never met."
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The exchange zoomed by, and, much to my gratitude, La Signora only required me to interject a word or two before we concluded the meeting.
I left the restaurant, feeling more conflicted than ever.
"Are you alright, kid?" La Signora asked, concern marking her tone.
Hiding my face behind my hair, I sighed. "I just need a bit of time to think."
She patted my shoulder. "I'll leave you to it then, Rin."
The sky was smeared with pink and orange, and the sun hung haphazardly over the horizon.
At a time like this, there was only one place to go.
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I sat on the wooden deck at the back of Komore Teahouse, my legs tucked towards my chest, watching the day turn into night.
When I was young, I would sit here with a pot of tea, and watch the sunset, just like this.
With a bark, Taroumaru padded over to me and sniffed my clothing, likely trying to discern my identity.
Rather than running away, he curled up in my lap, folding his tail over his paws.
I scratched Taroumaru's ears, watching him let out a big yawn.
"You remember me, don't you?" I asked, chuckling. "You've grown so big. Thoma's still feeding you well, hmm?"
"Didn't peg you as the type to talk to dogs," Scaramouche snorted, pushing the door open. "Feeling a little more pathetic than usual today?"
Narrowing my eyes, I scowled at him. "This is private property of the Yashiro Commission."
"Your little pet let me in," he shrugged, sitting down. "I figured you'd be here."
"You don't get to say anything after deserting us, Scaramouche," I fumed, avoiding his line of vision. "If you only came here to mock me, I would advise you to--"
Scaramouche handed me a rice ball, taking a bite out of his own.
Hesitantly, I accepted his gift, covering my mouth as I chewed.
"T-thank you."
Neither of us spoke for a long time.
As the sun began to sink, I felt my consciousness slowly slip away from my grasp, but before I could collapse onto the floor, a gentle hand rested on the back of my head.
"Go ahead," Scaramouche said softly, his words like the hollow voice of a flute. "Close your eyes."
The last thing I saw was his pale indigo eyes, before sleep consumed me like a sea of feathers.
Even though I could no longer feel his touch, Scaramouche's presence stayed with me as I slept, shielding me from the rest of the world, protecting me from harm.
As I lay there, nestled in his arms, the subject of his soft gaze, I felt like the happiest girl in the world.
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A short little chapter today! And some Scaramouche fluff ( ' ꒳ ' ) As always, thank you to everyone who reads my stories, I love you all so much! May Wanderer come home T^T
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𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜'𝙨 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙬 // scaramouche x oc
Fanfiction--DISCONTINUED-- As the former heiress of the Yashiro Commission, Rin's past in Inazuma is . . . complex, to say the least. She was the true Shirasagi Himegimi, before her sister, Ayaka, took over that role in her stead. But when she left the nation...
